Environmental Leader

Illustrating the potential growth in energy efficiency, the sector posted the most growth in mergers and acquisition activity in 2009, according to the 2009 Greentech M&A Round-Up from Peachtree Green Advisors.

Rising from $164 million in deals to $1.258 billion in 2009, the U.S. energy efficiency sector grew a whopping 664 percent.

That tops the 421 percent growth in deals in the U.S. biofuel sector (from $255 million in 2008 to $1.327 billion in 2009).

By dollar value, the wind power industry overtook solar as the top sector.

There were $3.056 billion in wind energy deals in 2009, up 51 percent from $2.016 billion in 2008.

That compares to $1.855 billion in solar merger and acquisition activity in 2009, down 46 percent from $3.461 billion in 2008.

Overall, deals in green industries fell 4 percent, from $9.9 billion in 2008 to $9.5 billion in 2009.

As one example of the kinds of economic activity related to energy efficiency. The United States Postal Service (USPS) is sinking $29 million into facilities on the East Coast to make them more energy efficient as part of the federal agency’s goal to reduce energy use 30 percent by 2015.

Advertisers

Benchmark Your Company's Sustainability Goals

Custom research and advice on corporate sustainability and clean tech >>