Clean Tech Increasing its Share in the Global Economy

Although the global economy continues to struggle, clean technology investments are on the rise. North America saw a 30 percent increase, while worldwide investment increased by 13 percent, according to a new report published by CleanTech Group LLC.



Sundrop Fuels Takes Off

A Colorado leader in bio-derived fuels was Sundrop Fuels. The Longmont-based company develops synthetic fuel production systems which use highly concentrated solar thermal energy to turn gasify biomass. Sundrop Fuels reported raising $175 million from various venture capital partners in 2011, which accounted for 5 percent of all North American clean tech capital in 2011.


Larger Industry Trends: Solar, Efficiency, Transportation and Bio

While solar energy and energy efficiency saw the largest investments in terms of deals and dollars, transportation and biofuels / biomaterials seem to be moving more out of a research stage and also reported profitable investments.


North American Investments Gaining Traction

North America led the way in investments for 2011 as Europe and Israel dropped 30 percent in their investments for the year. China ranked second after the U.S. for investments and ranked highest in IPOs. The highest IPO for the year was Chinese state-owned hydropower company, Sinohydro. It raised $2.12 billion on the Shanghai Stock Exchange.


Bright Future Ahead

Predictions based on historical information have 2012 as the most financially prosperous and beneficial year for clean tech. Despite the still weak global economy, a shift to investing in clean tech has become clear for those wanting a successful and profitable long-term investment.