Colorado is hosting one of the country’s premier clean-energy investment forums for the first time, another sign the state is making strides on the renewable-energy front.
The 20th National Renewable Energy Laboratory Industry Growth Forum, which starts today and runs through Thursday, connects companies that develop clean-energy products and technologies with venture capitalists and corporate investors.
More than 450 people are expected to attend, and 32 companies – including five based in Colorado – will make presentations at the forum, to be held at the Adam’s Mark Hotel in Denver.
Twenty-three Colorado companies applied to present at the event, the most of any state, said Lawrence “Marty” Murphy, manager of enterprise-development programs for the NREL and the forum’s chairman.
“In previous years, California always had the most by a big margin,” Murphy said.
Colorado is an up-and-coming state in the clean-energy field, helped by the presence of the Golden-based NREL and the Colorado School of Mines, said Chuck McDermott, general partner with venture-capital firm RockPort Capital Partners.
“There’s no question that Colorado has both the will and the resources to become one of the clean-tech capitals of the country, if not the world,” said Peter Edwards, a partner with Altira Group, a Denver venture-capital firm that focuses on energy technologies.
Gov. Bill Ritter signed a bill in May that created a $7 million clean-energy fund to finance renewable-energy projects.
“We didn’t seem to have much interest here in the state until Gov. Ritter’s commitment to make clean technology a big area,” Murphy said.
Ritter is scheduled to give a keynote speech about his vision for a “Colorado Clean-Tech Cluster” at the event Wednesday.
Murphy said there are about 80 companies in Colorado that develop clean- energy products and technologies, up from about 55 a year ago.
The NREL forum began in 1995 and was previously held multiple times each year. It became an annual event seven or eight years ago, Murphy said. The forum was held in Philadelphia last year.
Andy Vuong: 303-954-1209 or avuong@denverpost.com
