CleanTech OC Daily - 12/26/12

ClearEdge Buys UTC Power’s Fuel Cell Business
ClearEdge Power is acquiring fuel cell industry veteran UTC Power, maker of large-scale phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFCs). ClearEdge has raised over$100 million in VC funding since its inception in 2006 and has fewer employees and presumably less revenue than UTC. Details of the terms or structure of the acquisition were not disclosed but Neal Starling, ClearEdge Senior VP of Sales and Marketing, said "This acquisition will help solidify our position as a leading provider of cost-effective, clean, continuous, distributed power solutions."

Tesla’s solar powered super chargers hit the east coast
Model S drivers in Connecticut and Delaware now have access to Tesla’s solar-powered electric car chargers that enable a 30 minute charge time. The charging station locations enable drivers to easily go between Boston and Washington D.C. Back in September, Tesla unveiled the first six fast chargers in California and had aggressive plans to expand in the U.S. and in Europe.

Looking Back On 2012 Cleantech Investing Predictions
GTM looks back on some of the cleantech investing predictions that were made...many of which did not go as expected.

"1. Both dollar totals and deal totals for U.S. cleantech venture capital will be up more than 20% over 2011."
VERDICT: WRONG
 
"2. At least one 'brand-name IT entrepreneur' will launch or join a cleantech effort."
VERDICT: DIRECTIONALLY CORRECT, BUT WRONG ON SPECIFICS
 
"3. There will be at least one additional major syndicate of family offices launched to target cleantech (or a synonymous label for the sector)"
VERDICT: DIRECTIONALLY CORRECT, BUT WRONG ON SPECIFICS
 
"4. There will be no progress made on U.S. federal energy policy, and there will be a rollback of state-level policy."
VERDICT: HALF-RIGHT
 
"5. Significant and visible consolidation within the solar industry will occur."
VERDICT: CORRECT
 
"6. 2012 will see the emergence of multiple 'roll-up' efforts."
VERDICT: ANECDOTALLY CORRECT
 
"7. New hybrid investment models will emerge."
VERDICT: STILL HASN'T HAPPENED
 
"8. 2012 will see a big wave of corporate M&A in the cleantech sector."
VERDICT: WRONG
 
"9. A major geopolitical event will spike oil prices above $120/barrel."
VERDICT: WRONG
 
"10. Several 'environmental markets' will collapse and shut down."
VERDICT: WRONG
 
"11. There will be an overall pullback in non-U.S. cleantech venture capital deal counts, but an increase in project finance."
VERDICT: TOO EARLY TO TELL, BUT SEEMINGLY CORRECT