Cleantech Investor

First published in Cleantech magazine, January/February 2010. Copyright Cleantech Investor 2010.

According to VB/Research statistics, the largest private equity deal in the cleantech sector in 2009 was a $571 million investment in a wind project by China Investment Corp. The transaction, the purchase of a 35% stake in the US wind business of NYSE-listed AES Corporation, was agreed in November and is subject to approval from antitrust authorities, which is expected during the first half of 2010.

Ranking number two was a Canadian hydroelectric and other power investment in Brookfield Renewable Power Inc. A C$495 million transaction, the investor was Great Lakes Hydro Income Fund. Brookfield Renewable Power Inc. has a portfolio of over 4,100MW of capacity, including 15 hydroelectric plants and a wind project.

First published in Cleantech magazine, January/February 2010. Copyright Cleantech Investor 2010

Cleantech investment remained robust during 2009 despite the recession. We look back at the top venture capital deals of the year, in Europe and globally.

statistics provided by VB/Research

The US continued to lead venture stage investment in cleantech in 2009, at least in terms of deal size. VB/Research statistics show that all but one of the top ten venture capital transactions of 2009 were based in the US. And of the nine deals in the US, six were in California.

First published in Cleantech magazine, January/February 2010. Copyright Cleantech Investor 2010

University research departments are a fruitful source of new and innovative clean technologies (see Cleantech IP from Universities: Leeds, the first in a series of features focusing on cleantech intellectual property emerging from universities). Educational institutions must also equip the workforce of the future with the relevant skills.

by Jon Mainwaring

There is a consensus amongst world leaders that large sums of money should be invested in developing renewable energy and other cleantech industries and projects in order to guarantee energy security and fight climate change. But while politicians dream of seeing their economies rejuvenated by a new industrial revolution driven by clean technology, much still needs to be done to educate and train the workforce that will be required to bring about this revolution.

First published in Cleantech magazine, January/February 2010. Copyright Cleantech Investor 2010

Multi-disciplinary approach bears fruit

by Elisabeth Jefferies
The first in a series of features focusing on cleantech intellectual property emerging from universities.

People are used to dry cleaners, but most would never dream of an odourless, waterless washing machine in their own homes. These habits are set to be challenged when a new model hits the white goods market, constructed by Xeros, a Leeds University spin-out company. If all goes to plan, the company should see its first batch roll off the production line in mid-2011, according to Bill Westwater, Xeros’ CEO.

The process uses nylon polymer beads in the washing machine’s drum. These absorb dirt right into their centre when they are tumbled with damp clothes. The nylon polymer has been selected because of its absorbent properties when humid. “It needs only a tiny amount of water [90% less than in a conventional machine],” states Westwater. If widely adopted, the process would save millions of tonnes of water as well as energy for tumble drying. However, the new washing machine is still in its prototype phase, as the research team continues to test different types of polymer compounds, the size of beads, different detergents and a range of mechanical actions for the machine.