2005 Cleantech Awards recipients

Cleantech Leader of the Year – 2005
CalPERS
http://www.calpers.ca.gov/

CalPERS is the largest public pension fund in the United States, with assets of more than $250 billion. The fund administers retirement and health benefits for 1.5 million current and retired California public employees and their families on behalf of 2,600 State and local government employers. For a number of years, CalPERS has held educational forums for leading institutional investors and other fund trustees to learn about investment opportunities in the cleantech arena.

Richard Feldt, president and CEO
Evergreen Solar
Browse the Cleantech Group's coverage of Evergreen »

Feldt joined Evergreen in December 2003, and shepherded the company's transition from a research and development organization to an emerging manufacturer in the solar power industry. Under Feldt's leadership, Evergreen increased its revenues by more than 370 percent, from $9.3 million for full year 2003 to more than $44 million for full year 2005. Evergreen's String Ribbon technology holds promise for more efficient use of silicon than conventional sliced crystalline technologies, but profits have been "elusive," analysts have since noted.

Zhengrong Shi, CEO
Suntech
Browse the Cleantech Group's coverage of Suntech »

Suntech, which makes both solar cells and completed panels, was an asterisk in overall market share in 2002. By 2005, when founder and CEO Zhengrong Shi received Cleantech's Leader of the Year award, it was the eighth largest solar cell maker in the world. The company went public in the U.S. later that year, and has has had continued success—it's now the number three maker of solar cells in the world, and founder Shi has become the wealthiest man in China.

Cleantech Pioneer Award Winners – 2005

Don Ye, President & CEO of Tsinghua Venture Capital Management (THVC) and General Partner of China Environment Fund, LP
http://www.tsinghuavc.com

Ye is the President & CEO of Tsinghua Venture Capital Management (THVC), the leading venture capital firm in China. Prior to founding THVC, he was a founding partner of V2V Ventures in Silicon Valley. In 2001, Ye returned to China to establish the China Environment Funds (CEF) including China Environment Fund 2002 and China Environment Fund 2004, which are the first and most prominent Cleantech funds in China.

Philip LaRocco E & Co., Founder and Executive Director, E+Co.
http://www.eandco.net

LaRocco brings more than 25 years experience in international business and project development. E+Co is the pioneer and leading practitioner of the enterprise-centered model of clean energy implementation, having made more than ninety investments in energy enterprises in over thirty developing countries. LaRocco was formerly Director of World Trade and Economic Development for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, where he oversaw the World Trade Center and a network of international offices.

Tyler Hamilton, The Toronto Star
Toronto Star Clean Break columns »
Clean Break blog »

A recognizable name in cleantech journalism today, Hamilton was one of the few reporters covering the sector in 2005. He's is an energy reporter and business columnist for the Toronto Star, Canada's largest daily newspaper. For a number of years, Hamilton has written a weekly column and corresponding blog, called "Clean Break," which focuses on emerging trends, technologies and investment opportunities in the North American cleantech space.

Most Promising Technology – 2005
MBA Polymers
Browse the Cleantech Group's coverage of MBA Polymers »

MBA Polymers has taken principles from the mining and food processing industries to come up with technology that can sort durable plastics from electronic goods such as computers and Xboxes. The Richmond, California-based company is currently building factories in China and Austria and has financial backing from Flextronics, GE Plastics, and VC firm Asia West. Voted most promising technology at Cleantech Forums in San Francisco and Paris in 2005, and in London in 2006.