Energy Efficiency is the hottest and growing sector within cleantech, according to consulting firm Cleantech Group, which released its fifth annual Global Cleantech 100 list of what it considers the most innovative companies likely to make an impact over the next five to ten years.
Of 15 industry categories, the energy efficiency category includes 27 companies, up from 22 in 2012 and 19 in 2011. Solar’s representation in the 100 falls again, down from 20 companies in 2011, nine companies in 2012 to six companies in 2013. Those that remain on the list are primarily solar financing companies.
Honorees in Energy Efficiency:
- 4Energy
- Alphabet Energy
- Anesco
- AZZURRO Semiconductors
- Cooltech Applications
- Digital Lumens
- Enlighted
- glo
- Gridium
- Heliex Power
- Lucibel
- Nest
- Nexant
- Next Step Living
- Novaled
- Nualight
- Nujira
- Opower
- OSIsoft
- Phoebus Energy
- Phononic Devices
- Project Frog
- Sefaira
- SorTech
- Tendril
- Transphorm
- va-Q-tec
Energy Storage:
- Ambri
- Aquion Energy
- Ecoult
- Envia Systems
- Ioxus
- Isentropic
- Microvast
Fuel Cells & Hydrogen:
- Hydrexia
Geothermal:
- Green Energy Group
Solar:
- Clean Power Finance
- GlassPoint Solar
- Mosaic
- SolarEdge
- Sungevity
- Sunrun
In other awards:
Rising Star of the Year, given to the highest-ranked new entrant on this year’s list, was given to Ambri, developer of an all-liquid metal battery technology for grid-scale energy.
Continued Excellence, given to the highest-ranked of companies that have made it onto the Global Cleantech 100 list for at least the last three consecutive years, went to LanzaTech, developer of a process that increases industrial energy efficiency by capturing waste gases (CO, CO2) and converting them to fuels and chemicals.
Early Stage Company of the Year, given to the highest-ranked product development stage company was awarded to Alphabet Energy, developer of low-cost thermoelectric technology for waste heat recovery.
To qualify for the Global Cleantech 100, companies must be independent, for-profit, cleantech companies not listed on any major stock exchange. This year’s list drew from 5,864 nominated companies from 60 countries and Cleantech Group’s i3 market intelligence platform, which tracks over $7 billion of deal flow across 22,000 cleantech companies annually. A 90-member expert panel, including financial investors and representatives of multi-national enterprises such as 3M, ABB, BP, Ecolab, EDF, GE, General Motors, Grundfos, IBM and Veolia Environnement, gave input on the shortlisted 300 to get to the final list of 100 companies from 18 countries.