12 January 2008

Background

Many of these companies make it into our expanded list as ‘low carbon pioneers’ because they are risk takers who sincerely believe they hold the solutions to tomorrow’s low carbon economy. The list boasts 14 solar energy and technology companies; 10 biofuel/ biomass players; 6 wind; 5 wave and 2 tidal.

These numbers are not meant to be representative of the global state of these technologies, yet they reflect the fact that solar is on the verge of a breakthrough in thin-film technology that will make solar applications vastly cheaper and more ubiquitous in the near future. Solar mobile phone chargers will transform some communities in emerging markets. By contrast, wind is already established while tidal and wave energy remain much more experimental.

#23
G24i
Cardiff, UK
Private
Clean tech
J Clemens Betzel, [President]

Americans Ed Stevenson and Bob Hertzberg invested the proceeds from their previous company, Solar Integrated Technologies, in start up G24i two years ago. UK-based production of the company’s Swiss-derived, dye-sensitized thin film solar cells began late last year. G24i is remarkable for its large-scale production techniques and global game plan. Its first product is a mobile phone recharger, but CEO Clemens Betzel foresees over 600 product applications. Sales began in Kenya where the absence of power infrastructure allows small scale recharging technology to completely transform lives. Surely a possible future IPO?