By David A. Hill

We recently read a post from a financial specialist discussing investment in the cleantech sector while attending the Renewable Energy Finance Forum Wall Street. His unabashed enthusiasm for cleantech aside, what got our attention was the extremely revealing stuff  he shared in the form of statistics from the event. They provide an eye-opening overview of just how big the renewable energy, cleantech sector is going to become. Yes, it is already huge but it’s future growth can only be described as a mega-trend, here in the states and globally.

You think Governor Ritter was on to something when he launched his New Energy Economy concept a few years back?

Here are some of the numbers pulled right from Nick Hodge’s own notes, and in no particular order. The data comes from several primary sources, from Under Secretary of Energy, Kristina Johnson, to Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Nobuo Tanaka. 

“If you don’t want to invest in cleantech after reading these statistics, you may need to check your pulse,” says Hodge. Sure, he’s a Wall Street investment guy, but these figures are amazing, no matter what the motivation is for sharing them.

Cleantech Statistics from the REFF Wall Street

$56 billion.  That’s the amount of grants and tax incentives available to the renewable energy and efficiency industries-just in the U.S.

75%.  That’s the percentage growth of global renewable energy capacity since 2004.

2.8 gigawatts.  The amount of wind energy installed in the first quarter of 2009. 

1.4 gigawatts.  The amount of wind energy installed in the first quarter of 2008, pre-recession.

42%.  The amount of new power capacity installed in 2008 attributed to wind energy.

83%.  The current U.S. administration’s carbon dioxide reduction goal set for 2050.

3.6 million barrels.  The amount of oil we import from the Middle East every single day.

2.5%.  Renewable energy’s share of the energy mix in 2008, less hydropower.

30%.  Renewable energy’s share of the energy mix forecast for 2030.  Growth, anyone?

85,000 gigawatt-hours.  The amount of annual energy production potential for small scale hydro.

$0.05 per kilowatt-hour.  The target cost for solar energy by 2020.

$50 million.  Amount of funding for DoE home geothermal heat pump initiatives.

$100 billion.  Amount spent every year on heating and cooling buildings.

$6.5 billion.  Amount spent every year powering refrigerators.

18%.  The percentage lights attribute to a buildings energy cost.

75%. The efficiency advantage of LED and CFL lights.

87%.  The percentage of CO2 attributed to energy production per the EIA.

97%.  The percentage increase in CO2 emissions coming from non-OECD countries by 2030 per the EIA.  75% will come from China, India, and the Middle East alone.

$134 billion.  The amount of new investment capital coming cleantech’s way by 2011.

$217 billion.  The amount of new investment capital coming cleantech’s way by 2012.

$184 billion.  The amount of stimulus dollars afforded cleantech by global governments-China leads.

25%.  Percentage of GE Energy Financial Services’ portfolio dedicated to clean energy by 2010.

Always the pitchman, Hodge says, “The bottom line is that the use of renewable energy will double several times over in the next 15 to 20 years, from 2.5% of the global energy mix to well over 15%, attracting trillions of dollars in capital. By default, that means other fuels will lose market share. Where do you want your money:  in the energy sector certain to at least quadruple or in the energy sectors whose market share is slipping with every panel and turbine installed?”