By CEN Staff

GOLDEN - The U.S. Department of Energy’s (NREL) convened its most successful clean energy investment forum to date last week. The 21st Clean Energy Industry Growth Forum attracted nearly 500 investors, entrepreneurs, scientists, and policymakers.National Renewable Energy Laboratory

This year’s Forum, occurring amid unstable financial global markets, featured expert panels that offered advice to entrepreneurs seeking financing in this tumultuous environment. “The marriage of favorable clean energy policies, a receptive investment community and R&D successes are accelerating renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies in the marketplace,” said NREL Director Dan Arvizu.  “The clean energy investment discussion at the Forum is vital to our nation’s security and advancement of clean energy technologies.”

More than $1.2 billion has been raised by companies presenting at the Forum since 2004.

Four entrepreneurial companies were singled out from the 35 competitively-selected presenters to win the 2008 Best Venture Awards sponsored by Xcel Energy Foundation. Jay Herrmann, Vice President, Control Center of Xcel Energy, presented four cash awards for excellence totaling $25,000.

Porous Power Technologies, LLC in Lafayett took the top prize
receiving the Best Early Venture of the Year award ($10,000).
Porous Power Technologies, LLC, is commercializing
highly-efficient separator membranes that can dramatically
improve the performance and reduce the cost of lithium-ion
batteries.

“We’re pleased at the support we’ve gotten from NREL over the last two years and excited especially about the increased traction the NREL Industry Growth Forum is giving our financing
and commercialization efforts,” said Timothy Feaver,
CEO/President Porous Power Technologies, LLC.

The Best Early Venture of the Year second place award ($5,000)
went to bioenergy plants and algae company Evolutionary
Genomics, in Colorado. CEO Ginny Orndorff said, “I am honored
to be acknowledged by this very distinguished group, and
appreciate the great feedback I received from the panel.”

Colorado-based Tendril received the Best Late Stage Investment
of the Year Award ($5,000) for a software and hardware system
that allows utilities and their residential customers to manage
their consumption of energy.  “We are very honored and humbled
to receive this award from such a well-respected and
knowledgeable group,” said Tendril CEO Adrian Tuck.

The Best Early Seed Investment of the Year Award ($5,000) went
to Ampulse Corp., in Colorado. Ampulse is a Battelle
Ventures-funded company developing a low-cost, high efficiency
solar cell technology, utilizing unique silicon manufacturing
techniques and materials developed in research at NREL and Oak
Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

“I’m obviously very pleased that Ampulse has received this
award,” said Steve Hane, President and CEO of Ampulse Corp.
“It’s a vote of confidence not only for promising solar
technology, but also for the collaborative effort between NREL,
ORNL, Battelle Ventures and the U.S. Department of Energy in
launching this clean-technology company in Colorado”

“The growing interest in clean energy investments is
phenomenal.” said L. Marty Murphy, Forum co-chairman and NREL’s
manager of enterprise development.  “Public support for
increasing our energy options is at an all time high.  People
are concerned about increased energy costs, our reliance on
foreign oil, as well as the threat of climate change.  The
uncertainty in the credit markets will force emerging companies
to work twice as hard to attract investment dollars.”

NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) primary national
laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research
and development. NREL is operated for DOE by The Alliance for
Sustainable Energy, LLC.