The Week in Cleantech: Oct. 14 – 20

There was a great deal of news pouring out of clean technology sectors last week. From the electric transportation market, Tesla Motors announced a partnership with AT&T in which the wireless carrier’s wireless network will be accessible in Tesla’s vehicles and drive connected-car features.

Electric bus maker Proterra raised $24 million in a growth funding round led by new utility investors Edison International and Constellation Energy, and joined by existing investors including Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, GM Ventures, Mitsui and others. The round reportedly values the company at around $200 million.

Home energy management start-up EcoFactor closed on $10 million in new funding from new investor NRG Energy, as well as existing investors Claremont Creek Ventures, RockPort Capital Partners, and Aster Capital. The company says the new round will be used for growing the business and launching new products.

1366 Technologies, a developer of manufacturing technology that reduces costs and increases the efficiency of silicon wafer production for solar cells, raised $15 million in its Series C round from new investor and strategic partner Tokuyama Corporation. The round was joined by existing investors VantagePoint Capital Partners, North Bridge Venture Partners, Polaris Venture Partners, and Energy Technology Ventures. The new funds are earmarked for the construction of a new full-scale manufacturing facility.

Vivint Solar closed on $540 million in new project funding from an undisclosed set of large banks. Other downstream financing companies to have raised such funds recently include Sunrun, SolarCity, OneRoof Energy, and SunEdison.

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