DETROIT -- Cleantech Venture Network® reported today that North American venture capital investment in the cleantech category totaled a record $2.9 billion for 2006, representing a 78% increase over 2005 cleantech investment of $1.6 billion, and a 140% increase over 2004 investment of $1.2 billion. About $613 million was invested in cleantech in Q4 2006, a 22% increase over the Q4 2005 investment of $502 million. The fourth quarter 2006 was down from the record invested in Q3 2006 of $933 million.

Energy-related investment accounted for $2.1 billion, or 74%, of the total 2006 cleantech venture investment. This represented a 1.9x increase over the $739 million invested in the energy category in 2005 and a 2.9x increase over 2004 energy investment. The Energy Generation segment totaled $1.3 billion, a 2.1x increase from 2005. Energy Storage attracted $354 million, representing a 2x increase over 2005.

“While energy was certainly the top area of interest, some other categories posted good gains as well,” said Nicholas Parker, chairman and co-founder of the Cleantech Venture Network®. Recycling & Waste deals totaled $192 million, a 2.9x increase over 2005, and Transportation investments hit $164 million, up 2.5x over 2005, indicating growing interest in other cleantech segments.

Cleantech Venture Network® researchers will be presenting in-depth research data for North America and Europe as it relates to venture investing at the Cleantech Forum™ February 19-22 in San Francisco.

About Cleantech Venture Network®, LLC
The Cleantech Venture Network® LLC is a membership group that catalyzes investment, business opportunities and relationships driving the growth of cleantech globally. The Cleantech Venture Network® popularized the term cleantech in 2002 and defined the category, providing investors, executives, government agencies and media accurate and consistent data dating from 1999. The network has over 7,000 cleantech investors and 7,700 companies worldwide that take advantage of the global Cleantech Forums™, comprehensive market research services and reports, online proprietary deal flow, and an investor directory. In addition, CVN provides information services, including the twice-a-month market intelligence newsletter Cleantech Capital Alert™ and the quarterly Cleantech Investment Monitor™ report that tracks and analyzes all cleantech investments, M&As and IPOs in North America and Europe.