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Clean-tech venture capital jumps 54% in first quarter 2011

By Tiffany Hsu
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Venture capitalists spent the first quarter of the year dousing the clean-tech industry with attention, giving more money to fewer companies and hiking investment 54%.

Green companies raised $1.1 billion in the first three months of 2011 compared to $743.3 million in the same period last year, according to Ernst & Young and data from DowJones Venture Source. The number of deals fell to 69 from 79.

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Santa Clara-based MiaSole, which makes thin-film photovoltaic solar panels, raised $106 million in one deal in February and is considering going public.

In the lead since at least 2005, California had by far the most deals -- 30, compared to seven in Massachusetts. The state’s clean-tech companies attracted $637 million in investment in this year’s first quarter, nearly 42% higher year over year.

Northern California’s 24 deals pulled in $505 million compared to 32 deals drawing $332 million over the same period last year. Six deals total in Southern California ended up with $132 million -- $84 million from the Los Angeles metro area, $48 million from San Diego and a sliver from Orange County.

The energy-generation sector was the major player over the quarter, reeling in $450 million compared to $158 million year over year. Solar power companies alone hooked $363 million compared to last year’s $139 million pot.

Energy storage was also hot -- venture capitalists put in $262 million, a whopping 670% increase from the $34 million raised during the first quarter of 2010. Both the battery and fuel-cell segments saw similar booms.

The $50 million poured into natural gas companies in the first quarter exceeded the $40 million invested over all of 2010.

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-- Tiffany Hsu

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Tiffany Hsu

Tiffany Hsu is a former staff writer for the Los Angeles Times. Previously, she wrote about the California economy, fast food, restaurants, retail and alternative energy for the Business section. A Bay Area native, UC Berkeley graduate and eternal Nor-Cal fan, she once worked for the San Francisco Bay Guardian. She also did a stint at the Richmond Times-Dispatch, where she developed a passion for sweet tea. She still has faith that someday she’ll find two economists who agree.

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