Venture capital investment in cleantech companies reached $4.9 billion in the United States last year, according to an analysis by Ernst & Young. That’s a drop from 2010 of 4.5 percent and zero growth in the number of overall deals.
Of the 2011 investments, energy generation led with $1.5 billion, and products and services for the renewable energy industry came in second with $1 billion invested. The report also showed that California companies garnered the most cleantech investments, accounting for $2.8 billion of the total raised; Massachusetts was second with $465 million, followed by Colorado with $363.3 million.