EV and Energy Efficiency Developments Drive $733 Million Venture Capital Investments in First Quarter

US venture capital (VC) investment in cleantech companies in Q1 2010 hit $733.3 million in 72 financing rounds, a 68% increase in capital and a 118% increase in deals compared to Q1 2009, according to an Ernst & Young LLP analysis based on data from Dow Jones VentureSource. Compared to Q4 2009, these results represent a 6% decline in funding and 1% decline in financing activity.

Cleantech investment is recovering faster than overall venture capital investment, which increased 11% from Q1 2009 to $4.7 billion. The total share of venture capital invested in cleantech reached 16% this quarter.

“With rising oil prices and growing signs of economic recovery, particularly in Asian markets, the drivers for cleantech remain strong,” said Gil Forer, Ernst & Young’s Global Cleantech Leader. “Given that the majority of government stimulus funds have yet to be deployed, the intensifying focus on cleantech solutions as a driver of operational efficiency, and the robust cleantech innovation pipeline, we expect increased activity in coming quarters,” added Forer.

Growing focus on Energy Efficiency

Companies in the Energy Efficiency cleantech category garnered the greatest number of deals, 20, in Q1 2010, continuing a trend that emerged in 2009. Activity in this cleantech segment represented 28% of quarterly financings and a 100% increase over the same period last year. With 11 deals, the Energy Efficiency Products sub-segment, which includes technologies such as smart meters and lighting management systems, was the largest segment in this category. Adura Technologies, a San Francisco-based provider of building lighting control systems, received the largest financing in this segment with a $12 million later stage round.

The venture investment focus on energy efficiency is reflective of broader trends. Electric utility energy efficiency budgets grew by 60% over the past two years, reaching $4 billion in 2009 – up from $2.5 billion in 2007, according to a report from the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE). In March, the US Senate introduced a bill that would establish a “Building Star” program, which would yield a prospective $6 billion in funding. The program includes rebates and financing incentives for building owners to upgrade their property’s energy efficiency, including interior and exterior lighting, energy management, HVAC, motors, and drives.

Electric vehicles drive investment

The Industrial Products & Services category had the largest amount of capital invested, receiving $261.7 million in Q1 2010, and 36% of total quarterly financing. This cleantech segment represented a year-on-year increase of 490%, attributable to large financings of two California-based electric vehicle manufacturers: the $100 million later stage round closed by Coda Automotive, Inc. and the $93 million later stage financing secured by Fisker Automotive, Inc.

Corporations are also pushing the electric vehicle agenda. General Motors will invest $246 million to become the first major US automaker to manufacture electric motors for hybrids and electric vehicles. Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi, Fuji Heavy Industries and Tokyo Electric Power jointly created the CHAdeMO Association to increase the number of quick-charge stations for electric vehicles worldwide and standardize how to charge vehicles. UPS deployed 200 hybrid delivery trucks in eight additional US cities. Meanwhile, FedEx plans to be the first US delivery service to use an all-electric truck when it adds four Navistar vehicles to its fleet in June.

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