Clean Energy Attracts Investors Despite Struggling Economy

August 12, 2008

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

While the world’s economy is struggling clean energy companies have continued to attract record investments, with global investments in clean energy growing 41 percent to $117 billion and venture capital and private equity investment in the sector hitting a record $5.8 billion in the three months from April to June, up from $2.6 billion in the first quarter, according to figures from New Energy Finance, Environmental Finance reports.

NEF says one of the hottest sectors is solar thermal electricity generation, with US developers BrightSource and eSolar raising $115 million and $120 million respectively. US technology developer Sopogy raised $9.1 million.

Biofuels companies were also able to raise significant sums, with Osage Bioenergy, receiving $300 million from private equity firm First Reserve Corporation, and Range Fuels attracting $158 million for its cellulosic ethanol plant, while US biofuels-from-algae firm Sapphire Energy raised $50 million.

Clean energy firms in the public markets raised $5.2 billion in the second quarter, equal to the figure for the same period last year but significantly more than the first quarter’s $1 billion, with solar energy firms receiving most of the investments.

Private equity firm Blackstone Group joined the rank of firms investing in clean energy and announced last week that it’s creating a new business group to focus on solar, wind, biofuels and other renewable energy technologies.

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Advertisers

Enhance Sustainability. Improve Profitability.

Learn how at the SAP Sustainability Resource Center. >>

Unclear about the EPA's new GHG Rule?

Learn how it could affect your business. >>

EPA mandatory emissions reporting starts Jan 1st

CSA Standards can help your organization get ready for compliance. Find out how. >>

Survey Results: Product Environmental Compliance Best Practices

How to achieve compliance at a significantly lower cost. Download the full report. >>

Join the Discussion

Reader Comments

We have a new energy technology which will produce abundant amounts of electricity dependably and very inexpensively. We need startup investment money so we can “prove and protect” the technology and then license it very inexpensively globally.

There are only two “waste streams” associated with the process — one is oxygen (which we can just vent to improve air quality or, if there’s a need for it, I suppose it can be captured and contained) and the other is organic carbon — the best “food” for growing algae-based biofuels.

We need relatively little money (about $600,000) to make this technology available throughout the world.

D. Phillips Wells | January 9th, 2009

Recent Daily News [ see all ]

11/20/2009
11/19/2009
11/18/2009

Charts [ see all ]

European Paper Industry Cuts CO2 Emissions by 42% since 1990

S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks

Nike Tops Annual Climate Action Scores

Oceans May Trap more Carbon than Forests

Jobs

View All Jobs >> Post a Job >>

Comments and Discussions

Trade Association on Trade Group on EPA Chemical Regs: ‘If Everything is a Priority, Then Nothing is a Priority’
"Seriously… that..."

Gary Markowitz on Supermarkets Tackle Emissions Reductions, Fuel Efficiency
"Supermarkets waste over 10 percent of their energy through improper..."

peter in ireland on Ontario May Follow California’s Lead on TV Energy Efficiency
"Governor Schwarzenegger is shooting himself in the foot! 1...."

Environmental Leader on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"The survey respondents (the PDF report mentions 4,000 respondents in 38..."

Jake on UPS Trying New Hydraulic Hybrid Trucks
"A point of clarification: the Reuters press release referenced herein reports that 20 UPS will purchase..."

Custom Organic Shirts on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"90% of North Americans believe it is urgent to get a global climate..."

peter dublin on California City’s Green Building Ordinance Applies to Commercial Buildings
"Why energy efficiebnt regulation on buildings –..."

Environmental Leader