| Global Clean
Energy Markets Expand to $55 Billion in 2006 and Projected to Exceed
$220 Billion by 2016, Reports Clean Edge
March 6, 2007
Source: Clean Edge News
Global
clean-energy markets are poised to quadruple in the next decade, growing
from $55.4 billion in revenues in 2006 to more than $226.5 billion by
2016 for four benchmark technologies, according to the sixth annual
Clean Energy Trends report. The report was released by clean-tech
research and publishing firm Clean Edge, Inc.
As highlighted in the report, “Clean Energy Trends 2007,” a number of
factors are contributing to this extensive growth, including an influx
of venture capital (VC); a new level of commitment by politicians at
regional, state, and federal levels; and significant corporate
investments in clean-energy acquisitions and expansion initiatives. The
free report can be downloaded at
www.cleanedge.com.
For the second year in a row, the global biofuels market was slightly
larger than both solar and wind, reaching $20.5 billion in 2006 and
projected to grow to more than $80 billion by 2016. Clean Edge projects
solar photovoltaics (modules, system components, and installations) will
grow from a $15.6 billion market in 2006 to $69.3 billion by 2016; wind
power installations will expand from $17.9 billion in 2006 to $60.8
billion in 2016; and the markets for fuel cells and distributed hydrogen
will grow from $1.4 billion in 2006 to $15.6 billion over the next
decade.
“At $55 billion, the global market for biofuels, solar, wind, and fuel
cells are now considerably larger than the global recorded music
industry,” explains Clean Edge co-founder and principal Ron Pernick.
“Within a decade we predict these clean-energy markets will exceed $220
billion and that the global annual production of biofuels will increase
from around 13 billion gallons last year to 50 billion gallons, solar
will jump from 2 GW of production to nearly 20 GW, and wind power will
increase from 15 GW to 67 GW. ”
Clean Edge, in collaboration with Nth Power, a leading energy-tech VC
firm, also released the firms’ annual energy-tech venture data. This
year’s findings show that VC investments in energy-tech start- ups rose
262 percent to $2.4 billion in 2006. These investments, primarily in
transportation and fuels, distributed energy, energy intelligence, and
power reliability, eclipsed the previous high- water mark set in 2000
for energy-tech investing by more than $1 billion. The figures represent
9.4 percent of total US venture capital investments in 2006.
“Energy tech investing in the U.S. now represents nearly ten percent of
the total venture activity,” explains Rodrigo Prudencio, partner, Nth
Power. “With a growing number of investors actively seeking energy-tech
deals, the capital to fund biofuel and solar expansion was readily
available. 2007 will clearly be an indicator of whether the aggressive
growth in energy-tech investment can be sustained.”
“Clean Energy Trends 2007” also names five key trends that are shaping
the clean-energy landscape this year. They include:
- Carbon Finally Has a Price…and a Market
- Biorefineries Begin to Close the Loop
- Advanced Battery Makers Take Charge
- Wal-Mart Becomes a Clean-Energy Market Maker
- Utilities Get Enlightened
To download Clean Edge’s “Clean Energy Trends 2007,” please visit
www.cleanedge.com. To view and
download tables and charts from the report, please visit
http://www.cleanedge.com/charts-2007CETrends.php .
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