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Friday, January 11, 2013

Report: 2013 green tech investments to focus on agriculture, water, biofuel

Although global green tech investments were down in 2012, but interest in the eco-friendly water and agriculture sectors grew, according to data released by the CleanTech group last week.

Venture capital deals were down 33 percent in 2012, year over year. Solar accounted for 11.8 percent of 2012 investments, down from 60 percent in 2011. The Solyndra bankruptcy in 2011 unlined the fact that solar had yet to bring in substantive returns, and the supply of solar panels remains greater than the demand, prompting further factory closures.

Only three sectors saw an increase in the number of deals, according to the report--biofuel, water/wastewater and agriculture/forestry. Investors are looking at technology that produces healthy crops efficiently and fosters local consumption, to help address the challenge of managing land, water and other resources to feed a growing global population.

"The world of agriculture hasn't benefited from the IT revolution, and there is a whole host of companies that are making Ag more efficient, healthier, more local and better eating," said Sheeraz Haji, CEO of Cleantech Group, to reporters on Thursday.

Haji said the five green tech sectors that will trend in 2013 include water, clean web (using mobile apps and software in new ways to manage resources), oil gas, waste-to-energy, and agriculture and food.

For more of the Forbes story: forbes.com

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