5 Cleantech Wishes for 2011

Five things I’d like to see in cleantech 2011.

1. A fuel cell in one of my blogger’s houses.  This one’s actually in progress, so hopefully it’s a gimme.  So come on Marc, we’re waiting for the pictures and the blog!
2. More cleantech IPOs.  Come on guys, the market’s been rolling, we ought to be able to deliver ONE good IPO or two?  We did see RigNet (NASDAQ:RNET) get out in a $60 mm IPO.  RigNet’s a telecommunications for remote and offshore oil and gas markets but maybe no one outside of Texas counts it.  Of course, a nine year old c. $80 mm in revenues/$25 mm in EBITDA company backed by long time cleantech investor Altira, ought to to make the list.  And Chinese LED maker SemiLEDS (NASDAQ:LEDS) made it out in an $89 mm IPO.  So maybe the IPO market isn’t dead to cleantech, and after market performance is guaranteed to go badly, at least for profitable companies.
3. And speaking of LEDs, I’d like to see lots more of them next year – in houses, on street lights, hanging from Christmas trees.  And I’d like to see them brighter and cheaper.  And I probably will!
4. A major cleantech conference in Houston.  Perhaps someday rivaling the OTC – Offshore Technology Conference.  When that happens, perhaps we’ll know cleantech has arrived as a real sector.
5. Lots of EVs!  I admit it, I don’t think much of venture backed EV startups, but I’m really excited to see some EVs.  I imagine them like the herd of tractors in the tractor tipping scene from the movie Cars (don’t ask why, that’s just the mental image I have).  And since I’m testing driving an Nissan Leaf Electric Vehicle a couple of weeks, this wish is bound to come true.  I will definitely be blogging it.

Here’s thanking all our Cleantech Blog and readers and Cleantech.org members for your support. Happy holidays, and good luck in a new year!