Global Top 10 are thriving in cleantech industry with innovative technologies and green job creation

 

Dublin, Ireland– November 14, 2011 – The Global Cleantech Cluster Association, known as the global voice of cleantech, announced its Top 10 winners of the 2011 Later Stage Award Monday night at its awards gala co-hosted by An sTli Ghlas – The Green Way. The winning companies from North America and Europe represent the world’s leading cleantech clusters in the categories of biofuels, energy efficiency/green buildings, new materials, renewable energy, solar, storage/smart grid, transportation, waste, water and wind energy.

 

“Our Top 10 winners are truly the best in class and companies to watch,” says Ben Taube, Chairman of the GCCA. “In each category, these companies are making both broad strides in their global industries as well as working closely with their regional cleantech clusters to build sustainable green economies and jobs. We are thrilled to name them the GCCA Global Top 10 for 2011.”

 

The GCCA Later Stage Award Top 10 winners were selected from an original pool of 4000 eligible companies represented by the GCCA’s 33 member clusters. Each cluster conducted internal evaluations to nominate up to 10 companies in the 10 categories.  In total, these member clusters nominated 185 companies for the 2011 Later Stage Award. That number was later narrowed to the Global Top 30 semi-finalists and the Top 10 winners through the evaluation of 28 leading venture capital investors and cleantech serial entrepreneurs, lead by Head Judge Dr. Peter Adriaens of the University of Michigan and CleanTech Acceleration Partners.

 

“These are truly the best of the best for 2011,” said Shawn Lesser, co-founder of the GCCA. “The selection process was rigorous and I am proud to say these awards highlight some of cleantech’s strongest stories and greatest successes.”

 

The 2011 Later Stage Award is sponsored by Grant Thornton International. A full list of all the GCCA Later Stage Award 2011 Global Top 30 Finalists can be found at the GCCA website at:http://www.globalcleantech.org/awards/2011-winners/.

 

“Cleantech clusters are critical for clean technologies to mature into mainstream life,” added Cal Hackeman, Cleantech Global Leader at Grant Thornton International and sponsor of the GCCA Later Stage Award. “These winners highlight the most innovative technologies, business models and strategies coming out of the world’s clusters and we are pleased to support and amplify their success.”

 

The Global Top 10 Later Stage Award Winners – 2011

 

Best in Biofuels – Imperative Energy

Dublin, Ireland (cluster: An sTli Ghlas – The Green Way)

With offices in Ireland and the UK, Imperative Energy Ltd (IEL) is a bioenergy project developer with 35 active installations.  Partnering with best-in-class technology providers from across Europe, IEL is expanding rapidly in terms of turnover and profitability. Having completed one round of fundraising (€29m) in 2009, IEL is embarking on a further round of fundraising to accelerate growth in UK and Ireland and prepare for entry into the US market.

 

Best of Energy Efficiency/Green Buildings – Albeo Technologies

Boulder, CO (cluster: Colorado Cleantech IA)
Albeo Technologies is a leading manufacturer of white-LED lighting systems for general illumination.  The company has grown 775% over three years.  Albeo’s deployments include high-bay LED lighting for Apple’s iCloud data center and Caterpillar’s large engine manufacturing facility.  To learn more go to www.albeotech.com

 

Best of New Materials – Beneq

Vantaa, Finland (cluster: Finnish Cleantech)

Beneq is a supplier of equipment and coating technology. Beneq develops applications and equipment for cleantech and renewable energy fields, especially in glass, solar and emerging thin film markets. Coating applications include optics, barriers and passivation layers, as well as energy generation and conservation. Beneq also offers complete coating services.

 

Best of Renewable Energy – OpenHydro

Dublin, Ireland (cluster: An sTli Ghlas – The Green Way)

An Irish tidal energy technology company, OpenHydro’s business is the design and manufacture of marine turbines for generating renewable energy from tidal streams. The company’s vision is to deploy arrays of tidal turbines under the world’s oceans, silently and invisibly generating electricity at no cost to the environment. OpenHydro has a project portfolio spanning the USA, Canada, France, Scotland and the UK’s Channel Islands with utility partners including EDF, Nova Scotia Power and SSE Renewables. For further information please visit www.openhydro.com.

 

Best of Solar - Solaris Synergy

Chicago, Illinois USA (cluster: Chicago Clean Energy)

Solaris Synergy has  developed a low-cost concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) system designed to float on water surfaces, utilizing inexpensive, easy-to-manufacture platforms, based on a unique, patent pending cooling technology. The two key objectives of developing this system were; a) Significant reduction of the installed cost of the system, and; b) The utilization of “industrial” water surfaces in order to reduce the use of land resources, while simultaneously preserving water quantity and quality.

 

Best of Storage/Smart Grid – PowerGenix

San Diego, California USA (cluster: CleanTECH San Diego)

PowerGenix is the leading developer of Nickel-Zinc (NiZn) batteries, which boast significant advantages over other advanced batteries in energy and power density, cost, safety, toxicity and recyclability. NiZn batteries are an ideal solution for applications that demand large amounts of power in a small, lightweight and safe package, especially micro-hybrid (start/stop) vehicles.

 

Best of Transportation – SAM Group

Zurich, Switzerland, (cluster: swisscleantech)

The Swiss company developed, built and launched the electric vehicle Sam EV II. Over 120 vehicles at a net price of EUR 14’000 were sold in several European countries yet. As a forerunner, Sam has a long term strategy in the field of lightweight, energy efficient and affordable electric vehicles.

 

Best of Waste – Newalta

Brossard, Quebec (cluster: EcoTech Quebec)

Newalta is Canada’s leading industrial waste management and environmental services company. The company pushes beyond conventional thinking about waste, to find solutions that transform waste into new products that will contribute to a customer’s bottom line and reduce their environmental footprint. Where product recovery isn’t possible, Newalta find ways to reduce the production of waste at the source.

 

Best of Water – Rentricity

New York, New York USA (cluster: NYC Acre)

Rentricity recovers energy from excess water pressure in pipes to produce clean,renewable electricity. Rentricity targets water, wastewater and industrial infrastructure to integrate its Flow-to-Wire configurations. Electricity produced can either be sold into the electric grid or used behind-the-meter.

 

Best of Wind – Moventas

Jyväskylä, Finland (cluster: Finnish Cleantech)

Finnish Moventas is one of the largest manufacturers of wind turbine gears in the world. Moventas also provides extensive services for gear overhaul and maintenance. Moventas’ expertise is based on combining decades of experience with leading-edge technologies. The Moventas brand stands for reliability, responsiveness and assurance as a dependable partner.

 

About the Global Cleantech Cluster Association

Global Cleantech is a non-profit association, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.  that creates conduits for companies to harness the tremendous benefits of international cleantech cluster collaboration in an efficient, affordable, and structured way.  Global Cleantech provides a gateway for established and emerging cleantech companies to gain exposure to potential investors, new markets, influential networks, innovative technologies and best practices.  GCCA was founded by swisscleantech, the Finnish Cleantech Cluster, and Watershed Capital Group For more information about Global Cleantech, please visit www.globalcleantech.org.

 

About Grant Thornton International

The professionals of Grant Thornton recognise the huge market opportunities, as well as the unique challenges facing Cleantech and sustainable businesses. We help leaders of dynamic cleantech and sustainable organisations access capital and achieve success globally. Our global Cleantech team can help you successfully meet your challenges and your goals through our full range of professional services.

 

Our Cleantech professionals around the world possess deep industry understanding and second-to-none business and financial knowledge to help your cleantech organisation fulfill its strategic objectives.

 

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