| 01.11.12/FEATURES |
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ENERGY/FINANCE
Clean technology industry investments remained solid in 2011, receiving $8.99 billion in venture capital. The investments represent an increase of 113 percent from 2010; a record high of venture capital investment. Since 2005, the clean tech industry has experienced a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26.1 percent for venture capital investment. Mergers and acquisitions in clean tech also experienced strong growth in 2011. By Martha Young
Are you an energy entrepreneur in search of funds? Go here for information on Planet-Profit Report's CHINA MISSION.
We brought you some predictions about the smart grid market in 2012, but what are some of the startups you should be keeping an eye on next year? You know you were about to ask me that. Here’s some of the ones that I think will be really interesting to watch in 2012. They might not be the biggest players, or the ones making the most money (some are), but these are companies that could be disruptive with their business models, concepts and leadership. By Katie Fehrenbacher, gigaom.com
SUSTAINABLE/BUILDING
For a Colorado builder, pine beetle timber helps end the need for out-of-state lumber
It started with an email to Perry Cadman asking the chief operating officer of New Town Builders if he’d consider building a “demonstration” house framed with wood from pine-beetle timber. A meeting followed, during which, Cadman says, “I just looked at everybody and said, ‘If I’m going to go through the brain damage of one house, why wouldn’t I just build all of them with it?’” While the notorious pine beetle injects a fungus that cuts off nutrients and eventually kills the tree, it does no damage to the wood itself. By Mike Taylor
Ethanol plants are nice, but let’s face it: they represent simple technology that is just the tip of what could be a huge economic engine – a biobased economy. At the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) we have been preaching the gospel of the biobased economy for over a decade. I am gratified to see attention is now being paid to the effort by the White House and others. By Brent Erickson, Executive Vice-President, BIO
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HOT TOPICS ON PLANET-PROFIT REPORT |
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NEEDED: NEW INVESTORS
The U.S. renewable energy sector must attract new investors and make use of unique tax-based financing structures or risk a sharp drop.
DARK TIMES FOR SOLAR
The solar industry is dimming as makers of panels used to harness the sun continue to fall by the wayside.
BIOENERGY'S TOP 100
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack headed the “Top 100 People in Bioenergy” as voted by the readers of Biofuels Digest and the Digest’s editorial board.
China's Sinopec and France's Total SA have made major purchases into the U.S. energy sector, pouring $4.5 billion into deals to buy into booming production from shale.
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Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper talks about the state’s collaborative relationship with cleantech business at the launch of the Advanced Energy Economy, a national federation of regional cleantech organizations.
 ADVANCED ENERGY ECONOMY
Chris Shapard, executive director of the Colorado Cleantech Industry Association, announces the launch of the U.S. Advanced Energy Economy, a national federation of regional cleantech organizations. |
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Tri-state: powering the rural West
Planet-Profit Editor Mike Cote learns more about Tri-State, the not-for-profit wholesale power providers for rural power districts across the West. | | |
CLEANTECH COLORADO