Title: Venture capitalists seeing green - Boston Globe

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Venture capitalists seeing green
Conservation, energy start-ups could lead investment rebound

By D.C. Denison

After spending last year in the doldrums, venture capitalists are optimistic that a rebound will occur this year, particularly in the so-called green-tech energy and conservation sector, according to a recent survey from the tax and advisory firm KPMG LLP. The survey indicated that venture capitalists may be moving away from investments in businesses that produce electricity with wind or solar power, in favor of companies that specialize in energy storage and conservation.

The survey, which polled 200 venture capitalists, investors, entrepreneurs, and bankers, found 67 percent of respondents indicating that they expect venture investment in start-up and growth companies to increase in 2010 from 2009 levels - a drastic shift from a similar survey last year, when 23 percent predicted an increase.

Read the full story in The Boston Globe.

...Nick d’Arbeloff, president of the New England Clean Energy Council, said he doesn’t see the survey as confirming “a run from renewables.’’

“A lot of the efficiency and storage technologies are just getting mature, so they are attracting the interest of investors,’’ he said. “But I don’t think there’s any doubt that venture capitalists recognize that the entire clean-tech sector is going to be a very big area for investing, worth some very big bets.’’