Green tech investing is not for the faint of heart. Competing takes money (lots of it), patience and technical know-how (lots of it, too).
In its formative pre-public years, Google required only $25 million of venture capital. Secretive fuel-cell start-up Bloom Energy has already raised $250 million. And after seven years it is still in stealth development. Another two years may be needed.
Green tech investing takes more money and its take more time, says venture capitalist John Doerr
Green tech investing “takes more money (and) it takes more time,” says legendary venture capitalists John Doerr. “You’re messing with atoms and molecules.”
Nevertheless, Doerr says he’s got patience – and the expectation of handsome returns.
At the GreenBeat 2009 conference, Doerr laid out his favorite investment themes and dropped the news that smart grid start-up Silver Spring Networks could go public next year.
“I hope it does,” he said of the company he funded at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.
When it comes to his favorite investment ideas, Doerr highlighted:
*Low cost ways to make biofuels;
*Innovations in large-scale grid energy storage;
*Solar cell development to achieve price parity with fossil fuels;
*And technology to lower the cost of wind turbines.
In the area of next-generation lighting, Doerr says he has found nothing of interest yet. But then, there is always tomorrow.
Posted by Mark Boslet 
