Cleantech Corner

Ben Franklin Technology Partners, a unit of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, is offering grants of up to $55,000 to help companies commercialize alternative and clean energy technologies.

David KurzmanBy David Kurzman -- Industry-wide consolidation is an obvious and predictable outcome for an industry that attracted billions of dollars of venture and private-equity capital, as the CleanTech industry has. 

The wind power industry will employ about 325,000 people in the European Union by 2020—more than twice the current total—according to a report issued yesterday by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA).

European Union allowances (EAUs)—permits to emit carbon dioxide CFI2Z9 in the European Union—traded at EUR 11.78 a tonne on Monday, a record low for the second trading period of the bloc’s emissions trading scheme from 2008-2012.

CarbonStream Africa, a joint venture between South Africa’s state-owned CEF Carbon SA and the Nordic company GreenStream Network, was launched Monday on in London.

New Enterprise East Investments (NEEI), a Luxembourg-registered investment firm, has established the Center for Water & Waste Management Technologies (CWaMa) at its Abu Dhabi headquarters.

Bowen Capital Management, an Asia-focused hedge fund manager, says the financial crisis may benefit alternative energy and waste management companies—the type of companies the investor is now targeting.

Jürgen Habichler, founder and president of the board of directors of fund management firm Cleantech Invest AG, was named a “Green Hero” of 2009 by CNBC European Business magazine.

The economic stimulus package that Congress hopes to send President-elect Barack Obama shortly after his Tuesday inauguration includes $54 billion towards clean energy projects.

Water purification company WaterHealth International has held a first close of its Series D funding for a total equity investment of more than $10 million.