It’s no secret that Israeli cleantech companies and their products are hot commodities. Now in: the Cleantech Group just announced their global list, the Global Cleantech 100 for the second year running, and it’s no surprise that Israeli companies earned 8 of the 100 spots (I correct myself for the 7 I had originally posted). Six are based in Israel; two of them, though founded by Israelis are based in the United States. I have interviewed and written feature stories on all of them, except CellEra. The list is: drumroll please…
1. BrightSource – based in the US: solar thermal energy company now building a power plant in California. They’ve been all over the press recently thanks to the Obama plug. Just announced business with Siemens.
2. Tigo Energy – develops a box solution to monitor solar power output. In short, they make solar installations more efficient. (Great management, very friendly and accessible).
3. Aqwise – I was one of the first to write about Aqwise, a company that uses plastic knobs to makes wastewater treatment plants more efficient. The founders then went on to form Emefy. See below.
4. Better Place – This company needs no introduction. Switchable batteries. Electric cars. Shai Agassi. Hot.
5. CellEra – Never returned my interview request. That was last year. Developing a fuel cell technology.
6. Emefcy – The founders of Aqwise went on to build this company. Use electric currents to digest microbes in wastewater.
7. GreenRoad – Develops a solution to help truck drivers reduce fuel consumption. (Great management, very friendly and accessible).
8. TaKaDu – A company with a catchy name has developed “brains” for a smart water grid.
This is the second year that the Cleantech Group put out the Top 100 list. Presumably all of the companies listed above are members of the forum.
According to a press release I’ve seen Emefcy says this: “We are honoured to be one of the Global Cleantech 100. The growing interest in Emefcy’s breakthrough technology enhances our confidence in Emefcy’s ability to revolutionize the energy economy of wastewater treatment by utilizing the organic contamination in wastewater as a new source of renewable energy.” (Eytan Levy, CEO at Emefcy)
CNET acknowledged Emefcy as one of the 5 companies that will contribute to the reduction of the world dependence on fossil fuel. Sustainable World Capital described Emefcy as a Cleantech startup that one should keep its eyes on and Artemis -BlueTech Summit qualified Emefcy as a top 50 water technology company.
According to the Cleantech Group, the Global Cleantech 100 highlights the most promising private clean technology companies – those companies which are the most likely to make the most significant market impact over the next 5-10 years, in the eyes of the world’s cleantech experts. Winners are chosen by a 60-strong, international expert panel. I’ve always suspected that those companies who are members of the forum make the list, but I’d have to do more research to say that definitively.
“The second Global Cleantech 100 shines a spotlight on which companies and which technology areas the global innovation community is currently most excited about, from a commercial standpoint,” said Richard Youngman, MD, Europe & VP, Global Research at Cleantech Group.
The list is produced as part of the Global Cleantech 100 program, run in collaboration with the Guardian News. You can go over to the Guardian for an interactive map (links to blog), and more about the companies.
Last year Aqwise, Solel (bought by Siemens), EnStorage, IQWind, Better Place, BrightSource and Tigo made the Global Cleantech 100 2009 list, with an Israeli connection.
Karin Kloosterman is the founder and editor of Green Prophet. For inquiries, you can email her karin (dot) kloosterman @gmail.com.
Above image via Tigo
