U.S. Energy-Tech Investments Grow to $2.4 Billion in 2006, Representing 9.4 Percent of Total VC Activity.

According to a new report released last week by Clean Edge, global clean-energy markets are poised to quadruple in the next decade, growing from $55.4 billion in revenues in 2006 to more than $226.5 billion by 2016 for four benchmark technologies.

As highlighted in the report, a number of factors are contributing to this extensive growth including an influx of venture capital (VC); a new level of commitment by politicians at regional, state, and federal levels; and significant corporate investments in clean-energy acquisitions and expansion initiatives.

Major Findings:

For the second year in a row, the global biofuels market was slightly larger than both solar and wind, reaching $20.5 billion in 2006 and projected to grow to more than $80 billion by 2016.

Clean Edge projects solar photovoltaics (modules, system components, and installations) will grow from a $15.6 billion market in 2006 to $69.3 billion by 2016;

Wind power installations will expand from $17.9 billion in 2006 to $60.8 billion in 2016;

The markets for fuel cells and distributed hydrogen will grow from $1.4 billion in 2006 to $15.6 billion over the next decade.

Clean Edge, in collaboration with Nth Power, a leading energy-tech VC firm, also released the firms’ annual energy-tech venture data. This year’s findings show that VC investments in energy-tech start-ups rose 262 percent to $2.4 billion in 2006. These investments, primarily in transportation and fuels, distributed energy, energy intelligence, and power reliability, eclipsed the previous high-water mark set in 2000 for energy-tech investing by more than $1 billion. The figures represent 9.4 percent of total US venture capital investments in 2006.

“Clean Energy Trends 2007” also names five key trends that are shaping the clean-energy landscape this year. They include:

• Carbon Finally Has a Price - and a Market
  
• Biorefineries Begin to Close the Loop
  
• Advanced Battery Makers Take Charge
  
• Wal-Mart Becomes a Clean-Energy Market Maker
  
• Utilities Get Enlightened
  

To download Clean Edge’s “Clean Energy Trends 2007,” click here.

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Ron Pernick and Joel Makower
Co-Founders and Principals
Clean Edge Inc.