Growth pains hit Swiss clean tech industry.

Posted April 10th, 2012 by admin.

Environmentally friendly consumption.

The FOEN is committed to promoting environmentally compatible and resource-conserving consumption patterns. Before they take environmentally friendly consumption decisions, however, consumers need sound information about the environmental impact of the goods and services they consume through all phases of their lives. This transparency should encourage them to adopt more environmentally friendly consumption behaviour.

Know the environmental impact of consumption and products
Main products and consumer decisions
Incentives and obstacles to environmentally friendly consumption
Know the environmental impact of consumption and products

Although their decisions have an impact on the environment and resource use, consumers frequently do not know the environmental impacts that are associated with their activities. For this reason all the key protagonists (manufacturers, distribution agents, those responsible for public purchasing decisions, retailers and also consumers) should make sound information available about the environmental impact of their products and of their consumption behaviour. This creates market transparency with regard to the environment.
Various methods of measuring the environmental impact of goods and services are available, for instance, life cycle assessments or the environmental footprint method. A reliable assessment method must take into account the whole life cycle of the good that is being investigated as well as all important environmental impacts.

For more information, please visit: http://www.bafu.admin.ch/

Posted in Cleantech Funds Tagged as administration of financial companies, anonymous, asset management, asset management companies, asset protection, Asset/Wealth Management Company, assets, back office, Bank (Corporate) Issuer, bearer shares, business in Switzerland, buy a swiss company, buy a swiss financial company, Cash Transfer Management, compliance, Credit/Debit card Issuers, CTA’s Company, discretion, due diligence, equities, equity management, establish a company in Switzerland, establish a financial company in Switzerland, Fiduciary Company, fiduciary services, Financial Advisory Management Company, Financial Intermediary, financial or trading activities, financial services, form a company in Switzerland, Fund Manager in Cayman Islands, FX Trading Company, geneva, Hedge Fund, hedge funds, holding company, hybrid and structured financial products, Initial Public Offering, Investment Advisory Company, Investment Banking Company, investments, IPO, issue bonds, issue debts, LBA, legal process, Life Insurance Management, low tax, managed, managed accounts, merchant account, online banking, options and futures, Portfolio Management Company, portfolios, prestigious, Private Banking Advisory Company, protect assets, real estate, registered agent in Switzerland, Regulated Swiss Financial Company is an effective instrument for: Money Transfer Management, Relationship Management Company, Securities Dealers Company, setup, share listing, SIX, sophisticated financial services, Stocks/ Commodity Trading Company, SWIFT, Swiss bank accounts, swiss bonds, Swiss exchange, Swiss Financial, swiss financial company, Swiss Financial Company & Trust SA, Swiss franc, swiss regulations for financial activities, swiss securities issuance, swiss shares, switzerland, tarder, tax process, trading, trading program, Trustee Company, wealth management, Zug, zurich

Swiss Cleantech Innovation-Park.

Posted April 10th, 2012 by admin.

A Cleantech Innovation-Park aim at hosting research institutions and commercial enterprises dedicated to research and development as well as piloting installations and processes in sustainable technologies and services (‘Cleantech’). As part of a national network, FFGS has developed a specific plan for Switzerland’s most suited and attractive location for an Innovation-Park – the soon to be decommissioned military airbase of Dübendorf, a site of 250 hectares, located some 10 minutes from Zurich’s city center and at the same distance from Zurich’s International Airport. The Cleantech Innovation-Park shall in its entirety be developed as a lighthouse and reference standard for sustainable urban planning and construction.

By reaching the following specific goals, it will underpin Switzerland’s image as a sustainability leader:

Positioning and promoting of Switzerland as leading location for knowledge and economic activity in Cleantech – making it the country’s new economic pillar;
Strengthening the competitiveness of Switzerland in the megatrend of sustainability;
Actively fostering innovation within the fast growing global Cleantech markets by bringing universities and businesses with a Cleantech focus together in Dübendorf and actively promoting startups;
Systematically creating jobs and exports of Cleantech products and services.
Enabling firms to operate with a minimal ecological footprint by planning, building and operating the Innovation-Park in a sustainable manner (exclusive consumption of renewable energies, waste reduction/employ of cradle-to-cradle principle, CO2-neutrality, etc).

For more information, please visit: http://www.ffgs.org/

New Swiss successes in Asia

Posted March 18th, 2012 by admin.

Thanks to successful brokerage by Cleantech Switzerland a further three Swiss businesses have recently won business in China. An innovative solar business from Zurich, which attended the “Cleantech Switzerland Day at Expo Shanghai 2010“, will in future be exporting its high-quality solar heating and solar energy products to China.

Another company has been awarded a contract to manufacture steel facade systems, windows and doors for a real estate project in the free-trade area of Tianjin. Comprising residential and commercial property, the development will cover an area of 380,000 square meters and is being developed over three phases. Whilst the first two phases are now complete, the third will incorporate energy-efficient apartments.

The third company, an architectural practice from Ticino, won the competition to design the interior of the Sino-Swiss Exchange Center close to the international airport in Tianjin. The Sino-Swiss Exchange Center in Tianjin was created in August 2010 as a result of the strategic partnership between Osec, the Swiss trade promotion agency, and the Jingmei Group. The Swiss-Sino Exchange Center is a meeting place which will host exhibitions, seminars and other events around Cleantech technologies in future.

he first Export Event for Waste and Water Technology took place on 29th June in Bern and incorporated B2B meetings and a drinks reception for networking. Around a dozen CTS member companies attended, with several bringing a number of staff to the event.
The main themes for the event were the economic and business potential which India represents and the question of how Swiss Cleantech companies can secure a strong presence in the market there. There was a particular focus on water, waste water and waste management. CTS Managing Director Rolf Häner welcomed participants and chaired the four hour session which included talks by Mr. Venkatagiri, a consultant for leading Indian trade and commerce association CII, Jürgen Ströhle, Chief Technology Officer at Benninger AG, Ashwin Merchant from the Swiss Business Hub in India, CTS Business-Scouts Tarun Gupta and Rajni Ranjan, and Peter Knecht, Head of Industry Relations at CTS.

Comprehensive information and tips on India from front line sources

Mr. Venkatagiri outlined the activities of the Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre in Hyderabad, a Public Private Partnership for Energy, Environment and Water. Venkatagiri highlighted the $49 billion investment potential within the water sector in India and identified the investment opportunities for businesses as well as presenting the information hub he is creating jointly with CTS which recently signed a partnership deal with CII.

For more information, please visit: http://www.swissnexchina.org/

Swiss Cleantech Investments.

Posted March 12th, 2012 by admin.

In terms of renewable energy, there aren’t many companies that’ve as much recognition in the subject as Swiss Cleantech. Swiss Cleantech is a firm which invests in a portfolio of solar energy and other forms of renewable energy across Europe. For instance, the Swiss Cleantech investments firm has massive part in several photovoltaics plants in Europe. Therefore, this specific firm has invested in forms of Energy that the majority of companies are reluctant to make investments in as a result of numerous factors. Nevertheless, since the usage of renewable energy will surge in coming times, the importance of companies such as Swiss Cleantech is likely to boost as a result of increased desire.

When a person analyzes the operation of Swiss Cleantech as an energy firm, one may instantly notice that it consists of a number of features that make it stand above the rest. Swiss Cleantech generates renewable energy, and this is as opposed to the majority of energy companies which rely on supplies of energy that can be depleted. This means that as an energy firm, Swiss Cleantech is less harsh on the surroundings than the majority of companies, and this is shown by the reality that the organization is renowned for actually being green.

Swiss Cleantech achieves this by employing renewable energy through solar energy which it then distributes to residents in numerous regions. This is done by having a lot of solar panels in the photovoltaics plants in numerous parts. Such photovoltaics plants include numerous solar panels which when mixed generate considerable amounts of renewable energy. The Swiss Cleantech firm then sells this power to the appropriate houses. This means that if you’re trying to find power methods but want an origin of energy which is green, you must give Swiss Cleantech a chance, since you can be positive that they produce renewable energy.

When thinking of supplies of renewable energy such as Swiss Cleantech, many people think that they exist merely in certain locations. Without a doubt, previously, there were not many supplies of renewable energy that generated such energy on a commercial scale. Nevertheless, the Swiss Cleantech is one firm that tends to change this. For instance, commercial renewable energy from Swiss Cleantech is available in a lot of locations, including Germany, Italy, and the Czech Republic. In reality, Swiss Cleantech will usually distribute its services to a lot more locations throughout Europe, consequently after a while a lot more people will be able to acquire renewable energy without the need to purchase solar panels.

To conclude, thus, the Swiss Cleantech firm is one that is undertaking an excellent task of modifying the popularity when it comes to provision of renewable energy. Since supplies of energy such as fuel and liquid petroleum gas are not renewable, it thus seems sensible to attempt to uncover energy which is long lasting and not harmful to the surroundings. The Swiss Cleantech firm has viewed to this by investing intensely in renewable energy.

For more information, please visit: http://www.investmentfinancialadvice.com/

Posted in Cleantech Funds, Swiss Cleantech Tagged as administration of financial companies, anonymous, asset management, asset management companies, asset protection, Asset/Wealth Management Company, assets, back office, Bank (Corporate) Issuer, bearer shares, business in Switzerland, buy a swiss company, buy a swiss financial company, Cash Transfer Management, compliance, Credit/Debit card Issuers, CTA’s Company, discretion, due diligence, equities, equity management, establish a company in Switzerland, establish a financial company in Switzerland, Fiduciary Company, fiduciary services, Financial Advisory Management Company, Financial Intermediary, financial or trading activities, financial services, form a company in Switzerland, Fund Manager in Cayman Islands, FX Trading Company, geneva, Hedge Fund, hedge funds, holding company, hybrid and structured financial products, Initial Public Offering, Investment Advisory Company, Investment Banking Company, investments, IPO, issue bonds, issue debts, LBA, legal process, Life Insurance Management, low tax, managed, managed accounts, merchant account, online banking, options and futures, Portfolio Management Company, portfolios, prestigious, Private Banking Advisory Company, protect assets, real estate, registered agent in Switzerland, Regulated Swiss Financial Company is an effective instrument for: Money Transfer Management, Relationship Management Company, Securities Dealers Company, setup, share listing, SIX, sophisticated financial services, Stocks/ Commodity Trading Company, SWIFT, Swiss bank accounts, swiss bonds, Swiss exchange, Swiss Financial, Swiss Financial Company & Trust SA, Swiss franc, swiss regulations for financial activities, swiss securities issuance, swiss shares, switzerland, tarder, tax process, trading, trading program, Trustee Company, wealth management, wiss Financial Company, Zug, zurich

Huge Potential Returns In Cleantech Investments.

Posted January 31st, 2012 by admin.

WRITTEN BY: Terry Tamminen
But if we don’t invest now, we’re going to pay later.

The European Union is considering a plan to pay fishermen to catch plastic trash, rather than fish. In Orwellian logic, this stems from a practice of throwing away as much as two-thirds of the fish caught in the sea, because this “bycatch” is undersized or less valuable than the targeted species. The EU wants to end this wasteful practice (over a million tons of dead fish each year are tossed back into the North Sea alone), but fishermen object, because they don’t want boats filled with less valuable fish–so the idea is to pay them to pick up the garbage to sweeten the deal, and to get the garbage out of the ocean.

Meanwhile, a recent study by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York discovered that America spends a “staggering” $76.6 billion every year to cover the health expenses of our children who get sick because of exposure to toxic chemicals and air pollution. That figure includes the cost of medical care and the lost workdays of parents caring for their kids. The inestimable costs of exposure to things like lead in homes and soot in the air include children with severe learning impairment and chronic asthma, among many others.

So what do sick kids and garbage-collecting fishermen have in common? Shortsighted environmental protection policies. Enforcing pollution laws would reduce illness in kids and adults alike, not to mention reducing trash that needs to be collected from the ocean. Investment in clean technologies, including those that reduce pollution and recycle waste, would make this profitable not just from avoided cost, but from the new businesses it would spawn.

Some investors are getting the message, but not necessarily in the U.S. or E.U. Venture capitalists increased cleantech spending in the first quarter of 2011 some 54% over the same period last year. But the U.S. fell to 17th on a list of the top 38 cleantech investment nations for all types of capital–China is first, followed closely by Denmark, Germany, Brazil, and Lithuania. Yes, the U.S. is behind Lithuania in a race we can’t afford to lose.

Enlightened government regulation can lead to innovation that investors can follow in these emerging fields. The researchers that uncovered the $76.6 billion in health care costs called for mandates to test the toxicity of chemicals already in commerce, incorporating new assessment technologies to get the widest and most reliable results. That kind of “green chemistry” regulation will lead to new businesses to perform the testing, new chemicals and natural replacements for toxic ones, and clever new cradle-to-cradle designs (thanks Bill McDonough) of everything from baby bottles to sofas.

Double-Digit Growth in 3Q Clean Tech Investment Despite Economic, Political Headwinds.

Posted January 31st, 2012 by admin.

Clean tech investments rose 12% quarterly and 23% year-to-year in 3Q 2011, totaling $3.34 billion and 189 transactions. Slowing activity in major economies and the possibility of another breakdown in the global financial system hampered clean tech investment growth in 3Q, yet overall investment levels continued to exhibit strong growth, according to preliminary results of a Cleantech Group research report.

“While financing remains constrained, it’s great to see growth in venture activity,” said Sheeraz Haji, Cleantech Group CEO. “Energy Storage emerged as our top sector, indicating continued strong interest in advanced technologies for grid-storage as well as for electric vehicles. Global enterprises continue to investment aggressively into clean tech.”

Energy storage topped Cleantech’s investment table for the first time in 3Q, attracting $514 million of capital. Solar, at $350 million, and energy efficiency, at $223 million, followed.

Clean Tech Investment: Geography
Breaking out clean tech investment dollars geographically, North America accounted for 76% of the worldwide total, attracting $1.69 billion in 3Q, a 17% quarterly and 59% annual increase, according to the Cleantech Group’s Quarterly Investment Monitor Report.

Clean tech investments in Europe and Israel fell 34% quarterly and 32% annually in 3Q, to $230 million spread across 40 transactions, down from 44 in 2Q.

Clean tech companies in the Asia-Pacific region raised $303 of capital in 21 transactions. India ranked third after the US and UK in total investment capital raised. China ranked third globally in the number of transactions, according to the Cleantech report.

Source: Clean Technica (http://s.tt/13rvA)

Factors to consider when deriving a valuation for a cleantech project

Posted January 13th, 2012 by admin.

What is clear is that deriving a robust and supportable valuation for a renewable project is a complex process, which needs to draw upon a range of valuation techniques and recognize the wide range of factors that may be relevant to the project in question. These factors include the technology and country in which the project will be realized and the level of development of the project, in addition to the acquirer’s capital agenda, strategic goals, risk evaluations, and the overall strategic plan.Based upon the different experiences, when sufficiently detailed forecasts are available, the most appropriate primary approach is typically the ‘income approach’ using the DCF methodology. This would generally involve:

► The further development of robust financial models incorporating projected capital and operating cash flows, discounting, terminal value calculation, inflation and exchange rate adjustments as required.
► A collaborative approach to define the value accretion curves
► Allocating individual projects to the various stages in the development cycle
► Sense checking the forecasts which the valuation is to be based upon:
► Are the capital cost assumptions realistic given uncertainties regarding the turbine market, steel costs, etc?
► Are the electricity price assumptions supportable?
► Are the utilization figures realistic?
► Considering whether the discount rate adopted appropriately reflects the market risk to which the project is exposed (e.g., merchant electricity pricing vs. fixed feed-in tariff)
► Ensuring an overall consistency of approach
We would typically recommend that the ‘market approach’ is used as a cross check, including:
► Checking that EUR/MW multiple comparisons support the income-based valuation
► Comparing EV/EBIT and EV/EBITDA figures for the portfolio with renewable company market statistics

Finally, the ‘cost approach’ can often be usefully employed as a final sense check, by determining the premium in the price over
and above cost of development. Any purchaser must then decide if the premium above cost is justifiable given the risks surrounding
the project and their strategic and tactical objectives.

The valuation process should be represented, not only at the time of acquisition, but also on a periodic basis. This will support management’s decision-making process around acquisitions, disposals, investment and the general shape of their renewable portfolio.
Management should embed the valuation process into its strategic planning, internal management, investment decision-making and the company’s capital management process — issues that are all within the company’s overall capital agenda of optimizing, raising,
investing and preserving capital.

Valuing Cleantech Investments: Insights from Renewable market.

Posted January 12th, 2012 by admin.

The growth of renewables within the energy mix

One of the most important developments within the global energy market over the recent years has been the increasing number and size of corporate investments in the clean technology (cleantech) sector. While this high level of activity has been significant in many technologies, one area which has seen particularly pronounced growth is that of renewable energy.

The increasing level of renewable energy investments has been notable at almost every stage in the asset life cycle, from the projects entering the planning and construction phase through to the ever bigger transactions involving these assets once they have
become operational. The reasons behind this significant growth are complex and vary from technology to technology and country to country, depending upon the relative attractiveness of various subsectors to investors in the context of their capital agenda. The renewables sector is extremely diverse and includes a range of technologies which make use of feedstocks ranging from wind, waste and water through to sunlight and biocrops to generate outputs in the form of biofuels and heat, as well as electricity. Furthermore, while some of these technologies are relatively mature and require little in the way of economic subsidy, others are still at their development or demonstration stage and will require additional support before they reach technological maturity, or will realize the future projects.

Terminology
There are a number of terms used to describe different aspects of the energy industry. In this article, the following definitions are applied:Cleantech A diverse range of innovative products and services that optimize the use of natural resources or reduces the negative environmental impact of their use while creating value by lowering costs, improving efficiency or providing superior performance.

Renewable energy
Energy generated from natural resources which are naturally replenished, including: sunlight, wind, rain, tides, geothermal heat and biofuels (although these are sometimes instead classified as alternative energy).Clean energy As for renewable energy, plus digital energy, green buildings, waste, carbon markets, fuel cells, transportation, carbon capture and storage (CCS), power storage, hydrogen and services and support).

Growth drivers
Several fundamental factors are driving a worldwide transformation in the way that natural resources, including energy and water, are produced, distributed, stored, managed and consumed:

► Continuous growth in world population
► Increasing consumption power of the expanding middle class in emerging markets
► Growing scarcity of natural resources around the globe
► Need to ensure energy security
► Business response to climate change
► Rising energy and commodity prices

Experts participate that this transformation to a more resource efficient and lower carbon-consumed economy will have the magnitude of a new industrial and technology revolution. Cleantech, which includes renewable energy, represents the technological and business model innovation that will enable this massive transformation. A global Ernst & Young survey of more than 300 companies with a minimum of US$1 billion in revenues indicates that the rate of corporate cleantech adoption is accelerating. The survey showed that the key corporate objectives in cleantech adoption are:

► Improving operations and reducing costs through efficiency gains
► Pursuing new revenue opportunities
► Responding to climate change
► Achieving sustainability goals
► Reducing dependency on fossil fuels
► Complying with current and anticipated regulations

Investors’ responses to these circumstances will therefore vary by geography and subsector, according to their own agenda for capital management and growth. This may involve preserving their existing capital by reshaping their operational base to match the global shift away from fossil fuels, seeking out attractive new investment opportunities and structures, or optimizing the returns from limited available capital across a balanced portfolio of assets (please refer to figure 1 for our analysis of the capital agenda influences relevant to an investor’s renewable energy investments). The attractiveness of particular projects to them at any given point in time will therefore depend upon a number of factors, including their strategic and tactical objectives.Also, it is clear that the availability of government support is critical to the success of renewable energy projects. As motioned above, this can be provided for a range of different reasons. For example, Brazil’s use of ethanol derived from native sugar cane as a substitute for petrol in the 1970s was primarily driven by concerns regarding the security of their imported oil supply, rather than any environmental agenda. Another example is the global response to the climate change challenge which is driven by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Meanwhile, the United States of America (USA), although it has not yet signed up to legally binding carbon emission reductions, is nevertheless one of the most attractive countries in the world in which to make renewable investments, thanks largely to a range of government incentives for research, development and adoption of renewable energy driven by a complex blend of energy security concerns, a culture of technological innovation and the need to create jobs.While the specific factors driving any particular renewable investment agenda may vary, there are, nonetheless, a number of general trends which are common across all technologies and all countries. For example, making significant and successful investments in the renewable sector is, for certain types of players, becoming a key factor in supporting corporate innovation, growth and success. However, the high level of pace of renewable development, supported by ever shifting government support regimes, means that all project stakeholders continually need to refine their investment positions in order to maximise value, and their returns to shareholders.

Posted in Cleantech Funds Tagged as . Sustainable Energy, Advanced Batteries, Advisory Board, Advisory firm, analysts, banks, battery, biofuels, Buildings, business innovation, capital markets, capital markets expertise, China, clean technology, Cleantech, cleantech forum, cleantech in China, cleantech innovations, Cleantech Investment Industry, Cleantech Investment returns, Cleantech Investments, Cleantech management, Cleantech market, Cleantech Portfolio Management, Cleantech projects, cleantech regional focus, Cleantech research, Cleantech technology, efficiency, electric, electric vehicles, energy, energy efficiency, Energy Storage, entrepreneurial due diligence, environmental engineering, EVs, experts in Cleantech sector, export of Cleantech products and services, filter technology, finance, financial decisions, Fuel Cells, Geothermal, Glass, global clean technology marketplace, green technology, green transportation, greentech, Hybrid Systems, Hydro, India, Industrial Biotechnology, innovation, invest in China, invest in Cleantech, investment, Investment Industry, Investment relationship, investment returns, Lightings, long-term assets, measurement technology, mergers & acquisitions, PV, Recycling, Recycling & Waste, remediation of contaminated sites, renewable energy, research, research driven market, risk analysis, road shows, Smart decisions, smart grid, solar, solar thermal technology, Solar – Thermal, South Korea, sustainability, sustainable Cleantech market, swiss cleantech, swiss cleantech masterplan, Swiss export, Swiss government, swiss innovation, swiss quality, switzerland, USA, venture capital, Waste Treatment, Wastewater Treatment, water, Water & Wastewater, Water Conservation, water technology, Water Treatment, wind, wind industry

Cleantech Investments Highlights in 2011.

Posted January 10th, 2012 by admin.

Cleantech venture capital and corporate investing for the year 2011 was rosen up due to the overall dollar amounts compared to 2010. However, large follow-on rounds for the large companies continued to dominate during the whole year.

While total venture and corporate investments in cleantech companies in 2011 rose to $8.99 billion — around the 13 percent over 2010 — the number of deals fell by 7 percent in the comparison of the year 2010. And a whopping 85 percent of those dollars (or $7.64 billion) went to Series B rounds or later. That leaves only 15 percent of the dollars going into Series A or angel rounds.

Just look at the leading investments for the year. Despite some of the impressive for solar in 2011, solar investments led the year with investments like the $201 million round for BrightSource, a $130 million round for Stion, and $106 million round for Miasole. Other large rounds outside of solar included $200 million for electric vehicle infrastructure company Better Place, $88.6 million for lighting company Soraa, and a massive $315 million for electric car company Fisker Automotive.

If that trend remains on backing later stage companies, there’s going to be a lack of new innovative cleantech companies in pipeline over the upcoming years funded by venture and corporate investing. Part of this funding could be made up by the government — like with the Department of Energy’s ARPA-E early stage research program — but more funding for the DOE in the next few years looks unlikely, too.

However, given not many of these maturing firms have found exits in IPOs or acquisitions yet, expect more of this later stage funding to flow in 2012. According to the cleantech research, in terms of overall dollar amounts, the upcoming year 2012 will be an all-time record year for global cleantech investments.”

Chinese companies continue to deliver the desirable exits: 28 of the 51 IPOs in 2011 came out of China, led by clean power companies.

Private firms hesitate over clean tech investments.

Posted January 9th, 2012 by admin.

Venture capital investments in what the industry calls “clean tech” companies dropped sraply to $1.1 billion in the second quarter the year 2011, a 44 percent decline from the second quarter of 2010, due to the analysis of the firm Ernst & Young. The number of deals involving clean-tech firms declined by 12 percent during the same period, according to a new analysis by the center-left think tank Third Way.

This decline in funding for clean tech firms means that there are not so much opportunities to create new technologies that are born in the United States.

Part of this drop stems from broader financial trends as a whole. Overall american venture capital investment rebounded last year from 2009’s slump, but still totaled $22 billion, 26 percent below the 2007 level. That has converted into less funding for the nation’s start-up companies in general.

Some venture capital experts warn that trends in clean-tech investment are difficult to define. As the biofuels and solar projects are capital intensive, that means that the quarterly trends in investment could vary pretty widely.

Indeed, Third Way’s figure for clean-tech venture capital in the second quarter this year was still one of the four or five highest figures ever for venture capital investments in clean tech energy projects.

Five, six years ago, there was a wave of VC investments coming into clean tech. It was a wave of not only new capital but new investors. . . . Sectors get more prepared.

But there is some risk that the level of venture capital investment in clean tech will worsen as the federal spigot for renewable-energy funding dries up, and with the recent flap over the now-bankrupt Solyndra — a solar manufacturer that had $535 million in federal loan guarantees — the spigot isn’t likely to be turned back on.

The loan guarantee program that provided backing to renewable energy projects expired Sept. 30. Part of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, it provided a little more than $16 billion of loan guarantees to 28 projects. The terms of those loan guarantees included demands for equity from private investors, which Freed said created a temporary spike in investment in the first two quarters of 2010.

The motivation bill also provided $7.7 billion in cash under a tax credit provision to 15,125 renewable projects, which created 11.6 gigawatts of new capacity.

Even before the stimulus bill made the investments into renewable energy grants and loan guarantees, there was a relatively modest amount of money devoted to what is broadly known as “clean technology” investments, as the industry experts say. Now, due to the abundance of cheap natural gas extracted from shale, the death of climate legislation and fierce competition between existing renewable energy companies have combined to make venture capital investors hesitate even more.

Instead, some of the biggest commitments to renewable energy projects are coming from the nation’s traditional industrial giants. Siemens has a venture capital unit; it recently invested in a firm developing software to improve the electricity grid.

June 2013
M	T	W	T	F	S	S
« May
					1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15	16
17	18	19	20	21	22	23
24	25	26	27	28	29	30