First published on the Cleantech Investor website, April 2013

By John O’Brien

As I have written in Cleantech magazine on previous occasions, Australia has a slightly schizophrenic relationship with cleantech. It has all the characteristics of a country that should be leading the cleantech world: excellent research capability, mature financial markets, exceptional renewable energy resources, erratic water supplies and very high emissions per capita.  However, there is limited interest in uptake from industry, and even less from investors focused on the next patch of 'rich dirt'. This has not been assisted by the dark green environmentalists who demand sacrificing the economy to save the world. This situation is familiar in many countries, but it feels more extreme in Australia.

The development of cleantech clusters, however, is helping to create a more rational debate and increased interest both from industrial customers and from investors of all sizes. There are a number of interlinked clusters active in the Australian market and each serves a slightly different purpose, as discussed below. Jointly, they are allowing a step change in the credibility of and interest in the cleantech sector. In addition, there have been some tangible success stories that are helping to build momentum and generate returns at all levels.

Cleantech Sector Forges Ahead with $29bn Revenue and 53,000 Employees

The Australian Cleantech sector is profiled to a greater extent than ever before in a report to be launched this week at events in Perth and Brisbane. The report provides an overview of the location, activities, revenue, employee numbers and funds raised by all of Australia’s leading cleantech companies. The report is published by Australian CleanTech, a research and advisory firm that works for cleantech companies, investors and governments to deliver both an  understanding of and growth in the sector.

John O’Brien, Managing Director of Australian CleanTech, said, “This is the fourth version of Australian Cleantech Review and it has been used extensively by investors and governments wanting to understand the sector. This year we have expanded the coverage of companies to provide a more detailed profile. We have found that it is already a significant sector and one that is growing fast.”  

Cleantech is defined as comprising of products and services that have both ‘economic and environmental benefits’. The sub-sectors of cleantech include renewable energy, water, waste and recycling, construction materials, energy efficiency, carbon trading and environmental services.

The analysis of 1,340 Australian cleantech companies reviewed shows the leading sectors of activity and which regions are most active. As a sector, the companies had combined revenue of $29 billion and employed 53,000 people. They were involved in capital transactions totaling $1.3 billion during the 2012 calendar year in 126 separate capital transactions.

First published in Cleantech magazine, Volume 6 Issue 6. Copyright Cleantech Investor Ltd

By John O'Brien, Australian CleanTech

Australia has all the characteristics of a country that should be leading the cleantech world: excellent research capability, mature financial markets, exceptional renewable energy resources, erratic water supplies and very high emissions per capita. 

There has certainly been progress over 2012 with the start of the carbon pricing mechanism and its associated A$1.2 billion grant programmes. These have strengthened the foundations that were started with the 20% Renewable Energy Target, water trading activities, landfill levies and the erratic feed-in tariff schemes. Yet even with all this effort, cleantech in Australia has only just reached its ‘teenage’ years.

The Australian Cleantech Review, published by Australian Cleantech, is on sale, from the Australian Cleantech website, for A$650.

The Review may be downloaded by full subscribers to Cleantech Investor (you must be logged in as a paying subscriber to download).

READ SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW