Advanced energy was a $1.1 trillion global market in 2011 and represents a significant part of the U.S. economy with $132 billion in revenue in 2011. It has a 19 percent growth rate estimated for 2012, with revenue rising to $157 billion, according to a Pike Research report commissioned by the Advanced Energy Economy Institute.

With global energy consumption projected to rise nearly 40 percent by 2030, the advanced energy economy has the potential to create dramatic new opportunities for economic growth and prosperity in the U.S. and around the world.

"It is time we moved beyond categories like 'clean' and 'dirty' and recognize that advanced energy represents the future of energy," said Hemant Taneja, managing director of General Catalyst Partners, and a founder and co-chair of Advanced Energy Economy.

AEE defines advanced energy broadly, incorporating many discrete technologies and business types that contribute to making energy secure, clean, and affordable. The advanced energy industry consists of seven distinct market segments associated with energy demand (transportation, buildings and industry) and energy supply (fuel production, fuel delivery, electricity generation, and electricity delivery and management). Electricity generation includes hydropower, gas turbines, solar, wind, geothermal, marine, waste, biomass, nuclear and other distributed generation.

"The question is no longer 'if' advanced energy technologies will be a part of our mainstream energy future. Instead our choice is how we prioritize the role they play," said Arno Harris, CEO of Recurrent Energy. "With a trillion dollar global market, renewables and other advanced energy technologies already play a significant role in meeting our energy needs."

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