Category: Renewable Energy
Cleantech Competition – Chicago Qualifying for the GCCA Later Stage Awards
The Chicago Clean Energy Alliance (CCEA) announces its 3rd annual
The CCEA is one of over 50 global clusters that provide innovative cleantech companies with the rare opportunity to gain international visibility and access to professional investors. The CCEA is responsible for nominating 10 companies each year for the Global Cleantech Cluster Association’s Later Stage Awards competition. We invite later-stage companies, early-stage or pre-revenue companies with a defined business plan in the following cleantech sectors:
Bioenergy, Energy Storage, Lighting/Energy Efficiency, Solar Energy, Smart Grid/Sustainable IT, Tidal/Hydropower, Transportation, Waste Management, Water Treatment, Wind Energy
To qualify for this year’s event, send an executive summary of your business plan to the CCEA at: steven@theccea.org. There are no format or page length requirements for the submission. The submission should not include any personal confidential information.
Your submission must be received by 5:00 pm CST on April 11, 2013 to be considered for invitation to present to the judging panel. (Note: selected companies will be notified on an ongoing base until the deadline.)
If selected, your company will be invited to present to a panel of investors, scientists and industry leaders on April 22nd in Chicago (Location TBA). Ten finalists chosen by the panel will be nominated by the CCEA for participation in the Later Stage Awards, to be held in November 2013. These awards are judged by a panel of over 30 venture capitalists who collectively manage $3.5 billion in the clean tech space.
Please contact Steve Wolff at the above email with any questions.
We welcome your participation!
Chicago Clean Energy Alliance 2012 Nomination to the GCCA LSA 2012
200 companies ~ 30 semifinalist ~ 10 winners
BioEnergy
Turbulent Energy
Lighting/Energy Efficiency
Kelix
Xolve
Tidal/Hydropower
Resolute Marine Energy
Transportation
Power Generation Technologies
Chicago Clean Energy Alliance 2011 Nomination to the GCCA LSA 2012
185 companies ~ 30 semifinalist ~ 10 winners
Agriculture
Mercurius Biofuels
Soy Works Corporation
Energy Efficiency
Infinirel Corporation
Lumec Control Products
PearlLED – semifinalist
Power Generation Technologies
Renewable Energy
Bing Energy
Solar
Pure Solar Corp
Silicon Solar Solutions
Solaris Synergy – semifinalist, BEST of Solar Category Winner
Transportation
Arcimoto
Ventech
Water
Aqua-Nu
Flo-Matic
FogBusters
Portapure – semifinalist
Global Cleantech Cluster Association
http://www.globalcleantech.org
PP from Video from Illinois Renewable Energy at a Crossroads: Why 2013 will be a make or break year.
Please enjoy the PowerPoint from our panel presentation on March 11th.
The Chicago Clean Energy Alliance, in partnership with the Illinois Coalition to Advance Renewable Energy, Wind on the Wires, the Illinois Solar Energy Association, Clean Energy Trust, Clean Energy Illinois PAC, Environmental Law & Policy Center and hosted by Baker & McKenzie, invite you to attend a critical discussion about why renewable energy development in Illinois is in jeopardy – and how you can help.
Panel experts:
Richard M. Saines, Principal Baker & McKenzie LLP
Rick Saines heads the North America Climate Change and Environmental Markets Practice for Baker & McKenzie and will serve as event moderator. Rick is a widely published and globally recognized climate change lawyer with over a decade of experience on climate change policy, sustainable development and global corporate greenhouse gas compliance and management.
Eric Thumma, Director, Policy and Regulatory Affairs Iberdrola Renewables
Eric is an energy and environmental professional with over 15 year of experience. He joined Iberdrola Renewables in 2006 and focuses on renewable energy legislation, project siting, taxation, and competitive energy markets.
Barry Matchett, Co-Legislative Director & Policy Advocate The Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC)
Barry is a clean energy advocate in Springfield working on ELPC’s Energy Project, which promotes the development of polices and resources to advance renewable energy, energy efficiency, and global warming solutions. Barry is also Treasurer and co-founder of Clean Energy Illinois PAC.
Mark Pruitt, Principal Illinois Community Choice Aggregation Network
As the first Director of the Illinois Power Agency, Mark has intimate knowledge of energy policy and the regulatory framework in Illinois. Mark currently advises dozens of communities throughout Illinois, including the City of Chicago, on community choice aggregation.
Lisa Albrecht, Solar Service, Inc.
Lisa Albrecht previously served on the ISEA Board of Directors from 2007 thru 2010 and has worked for Solar Service for 6.5 years. Lisa’s knowledge of solar along with experience training and speaking has made her a recognized leader in Illinois solar. She organized Illinois Solar Energy Association solar tour for four years and is currently working on permitting and policy issues in Illinois municipalities to pave the way for an easier installation process. She has supervised numerous commercial and residential installations including some of the largest installed solar in the state. From her first science fair project in the 7th grade, to lobbying in the halls of the U.S. Congress and Illinois State Senate, Lisa’s passion for the environment is only superseded by her commitment to providing families, small and large companies with the best the sun has to offer.
Video from Illinois Renewable Energy at a Crossroads: Why 2013 will be a make or break year.
Please enjoy the video from our panel presentation on March 11th.
The Chicago Clean Energy Alliance, in partnership with the Illinois Coalition to Advance Renewable Energy, Wind on the Wires, the Illinois Solar Energy Association, Clean Energy Trust, Clean Energy Illinois PAC, Environmental Law & Policy Center and hosted by Baker & McKenzie, invite you to attend a critical discussion about why renewable energy development in Illinois is in jeopardy – and how you can help.
Panel experts:
Richard M. Saines, Principal Baker & McKenzie LLP
Rick Saines heads the North America Climate Change and Environmental Markets Practice for Baker & McKenzie and will serve as event moderator. Rick is a widely published and globally recognized climate change lawyer with over a decade of experience on climate change policy, sustainable development and global corporate greenhouse gas compliance and management.
Eric Thumma, Director, Policy and Regulatory Affairs Iberdrola Renewables
Eric is an energy and environmental professional with over 15 year of experience. He joined Iberdrola Renewables in 2006 and focuses on renewable energy legislation, project siting, taxation, and competitive energy markets.
Barry Matchett, Co-Legislative Director & Policy Advocate The Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC)
Barry is a clean energy advocate in Springfield working on ELPC’s Energy Project, which promotes the development of polices and resources to advance renewable energy, energy efficiency, and global warming solutions. Barry is also Treasurer and co-founder of Clean Energy Illinois PAC.
Mark Pruitt, Principal Illinois Community Choice Aggregation Network
As the first Director of the Illinois Power Agency, Mark has intimate knowledge of energy policy and the regulatory framework in Illinois. Mark currently advises dozens of communities throughout Illinois, including the City of Chicago, on community choice aggregation.
Lisa Albrecht, Solar Service, Inc.
Lisa Albrecht previously served on the ISEA Board of Directors from 2007 thru 2010 and has worked for Solar Service for 6.5 years. Lisa’s knowledge of solar along with experience training and speaking has made her a recognized leader in Illinois solar. She organized Illinois Solar Energy Association solar tour for four years and is currently working on permitting and policy issues in Illinois municipalities to pave the way for an easier installation process. She has supervised numerous commercial and residential installations including some of the largest installed solar in the state. From her first science fair project in the 7th grade, to lobbying in the halls of the U.S. Congress and Illinois State Senate, Lisa’s passion for the environment is only superseded by her commitment to providing families, small and large companies with the best the sun has to offer.
March 11th
| Illinois Renewable Energy at a Crossroads: Why 2013 will be a make or break year. March 11, 2013The Chicago Clean Energy Alliance, in partnership with the Illinois Coalition to Advance Renewable Energy, Wind on the Wires, the Illinois Solar Energy Association, Clean Energy Trust, Clean Energy Illinois PAC and hosted by Baker & McKenzie, invite you to attend a critical discussion about why renewable energy development in Illinois is in jeopardy – and how you can help. |  |
GCCA Late Stage Awards – Wrap-up
The GCCA hosted its second annual clean energy conference in Savannah, Georgia from November 11 to 13th this last week. The conference welcomed approximately 300 attendees representing 15 countries including delegations and dignitaries from Austria, Turkey, and Liberia.
Highlights included: Addresses from Nathan Deal (Georgia Governor), Johnny Isakson (U.S.Senator from Georgia), and Edna Jackson, (Mayor of Savannah).
Keynote speeches from Thomas Cain (Serial entrepreneur and principal at Greener Capital who’s invested 250MM in clean tech over the last 10 years), Dennis McGinn (Retired Vice Admiral and President of ACORE), and John Somerhalder (Chairman of AGL Resources, a Fortune 1000 company that distributes natural gas.)
Presentation of the GCCA Later Stage Awards to the 10 winners.
Thomas Cain provided an excellent overview of clean energy from an investment perspective. Despite a cumulative investment by angel investors, venture capitalists, and private equity firms of more than 40 billion dollars in the clean tech industry over the last 10 years, there have been only 27 exits for over 50MM. The average return on those few companies with an exit is a low multiple of 2.1 times the original investment. Consequently, investors are much more cautious and want to see proof-of-concept and revenue before making a commitment. Their focus has shifted to smaller projects, energy efficiency, and software.
The consensus among the speakers and attendees is that natural gas will be a game-changer. As late as 2006, the U.S. was projected to be a net importer of natural gas. Thanks to large discoveries in the U.S. and Canada, the supply of natural gas in North America is expected to last for over 100 years. There was disagreement as to whether or not the use of new fracking technology to extract shale oil would enable the U.S. to become a net exporter of oil within the next decade. Some experts went so far as to predict that the U.S. would exceed Saudi Arabia in oil production.
The GCCA is comprised of 47 clusters around the globe and growing. The clusters nominated 200 companies for the 2012 Later Stage Awards Competition. Peter Adriaens, Professor of Entrepreneurship at the U. of Michigan Ross School of Business, selected 30 semi-finalists and assigned groups of 3 to 10 different clean tech categories. The 10 winners were chosen by 28 venture capital and private equity investors who collectively manage 3.5 billion dollars in global clean tech investment. To see the 10 winners, go to: http://www.globalcleantech.
As the “Chicago Cluster,” the Chicago Clean Energy Alliance (CCEA) is responsible for nominating 10 companies each year for the GCCA Later Stage Awards competition. To qualify for next year’s event, send an executive summary or PowerPoint to the CCEA at: dstern@theccea.org. Although the GCCA annual competition focuses on later-stage companies, early-stage or pre-revenue companies are welcome to apply, too.
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