First published in Cleantech magazine, September 2008. Copyright Cleantech Investor Ltd. 2008

Andrew Hore comments on AIM-quoted companies involved in the LED LIGHTING sector.

LED (light emitting diode) technology started to come into its own in the 1990s. Subsequent technological advances have improved its brightness and the available colour spectrum. The number of uses for LED technology has expanded and now includes screens, building lighting, illumination and street lighting.

LEDs have a number of benefits, including low maintenance, a long lifespan, no UV rays and low power consumption. The average lifespan for LEDs is 100,000 hours - equivalent to eleven years.

The world LED market is forecast by iSuppli Corp to increase at a compound average growth rate of nearly 15% between 2006 and 2012, implying that the market would be worth more than $12 billion in 2012.

Lighting currently accounts for 22% of US annual electricity usage. According to Enfis, this electricity consumption could be halved if 80% of lighting was switched from incandescent to LED lighting. That would be equivalent to 70 fewer large power stations.

Legislation banning incandescent lighting is expected to come into force in the EU and US in 2012-14.

We comment here on Enfis Group plc, LED International Holdings Ltd, Eruma plc and IQE plc.

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First published in Cleantech magazine, September 2008. Copyright Cleantech Investor Ltd. 2008

Jon Mainwaring

Cars and planes have long been held up as culprits by the environmental lobby and sections of the media concerned about climate change. And now that worries about energy security are rapidly moving up the agendas of governments around the world, not only are the automotive and aviation sectors having to contend with increasing scrutiny from regulators, but they are also suffering from taxation designed to limit the use of their products and services.

However, one industry that appears to be below the radar of the environmental lobby and regulators, but could be doing more to boost energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, is information technology. In fact, according to estimates produced last year by research group Gartner, the global IT industry accounts for approximately 2% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions – a figure that is equivalent to the aviation industry.

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First published in Cleantech magazine, September 2008. Copyright Cleantech Investor Ltd., 2008

A suite of investments from Google.org in a new generation of geothermal technology may be the start of a fresh wave of investment.

by Tim Chapman

Tim Chapman is a business and technology journalist, who tracks cleantech VC at www.cleanventures.co.uk

First published in Cleantech magazine, July 2008. Copyright Cleantech Investor, 2008

Simon Bennett continues the series on biorefineries with a look at the algal biorefinery.

Simon Bennett is a researcher in the Centre for Energy Policy and Technology (ICEPT), Imperial College London, and part of the EU Biopol biorefinery consortium. Bioscience for Business can be found at www.biosciencektn.com

Shell Hawaii, Biofuel Project USA, 2007 (image courtsey of Shell)

In a previous issue, Cleantech magazine reported on recent advances in algae research as being amongst the most exciting in the biofuels area. Since then the hype has continued apace, with references to the designer algae of the future confidently trailing almost every discussion of advanced biofuels. In April KLM hit the news by partnering Dutch firm AlgaeLink in the search for a future jet fuel. They have rather immodestly suggested that 7% of their fleet will be powered by 100% algal biofuel by 2010.

However, this news landed as some scientists are questioning the scales that can be sustained for algae-to-biofuels production without some major technological advances. In an article in American Scientist magazine, Gerald Cysewski, President of Cyanotech Corporation, is on record as saying that “in the laboratory, you can create some very efficient bioreactors, but it just isn't scalable.” Cyanotech currently produces food supplements from algae in Hawaii, where Shell began an algal biodiesel venture with HR Biopetroleum earlier this year.

Could incorporating low-volume, high-value chemical products as a step on the way to large-scale algal biofuels offer a business model for more rapid deployment?

Definition of Microalgae 

First published in Cleantech magazine, July 2008. Copyright Cleantech Investor, July 2008 

by Anne McIvor and Andrew Hore

Declining resources of fresh water are a global challenge. Water, in common with energy and air, is a major driver influencing clean technology investment strategies: and investment opportunities are opening up as a result.

An obvious focus for cleantech investment is energy resources for applications such as electric power and transportation. Alternative energy resources will be needed to replace fossil fuels if the current lifestyle standards of developed countries are to be maintained. Lower profile, but in fact more fundamental to the future of the world, is the maintenance of resources of fresh water. Water, like air, is crucial for life – of any style or standard.

Less than 1% of the water on the planet is potable – but fresh water resources are coming under pressure from the twin trends of population growth and economic development, which are challenging all of the world’s resources. According to United Nations projections, global water demand will rise by 40% between now and 2020. Global warming also impacts upon the supply of water.

Most dedicated cleantech funds incorporate water into their investment philosophy. In terms of the launch of dedicated water funds, Swiss fund management companies have led the field. Pictet Asset Management launched a water fund in 2000 and SAM (Sustainable Asset Management) initiated the SAM Sustainable Water Fund in 2001. More recently, the Sarasin Sustainable Water Fund was launched by UK based Sarasin at the end of last year. There are also a host of exchange traded water funds, such as the First Trust ISE Water Index Fund.