Quick hits:  Deals and other news

Cleantech deals over the past week:

• Dan Primack reported on Monday that ZeroPoint Clean Tech, a developer of biomass gasification technologies, has raised a $3.12mm Series B.  Investors weren’t disclosed.

•  LedEngin, a developer of LED packaging solutions for solid state lighting, has raised an $11mm Series C.  The round was led by Partech International, and previous investors WK Technology Fund and individual investor Dr. Lu also participated.

• Water management darling HydroPoint topped off their Series C round with an undisclosed additional amount of funding by Citi Alternative Investments.

•  Nordic Windpower has taken in a “significant investment” from Goldman Sachs.

• Is it a venture deal?  Unclear.  But wind developer EverPower took in $55mm from Good Energies.  Interesting to note the mention of Good Energies having a longer investment horizon than most venture capital firms.

Cleantech investors in the news:

• Tyler reports on the launch of the Canadian Cleantech Fund.

•  Belgian VC Capricorn Venture Partners has raised EUR 50mm so far for their Capricorn Cleantech Fund, with hopes to make a final close at EUR 75-100mm.

• Braemar Energy Ventures has closed on their second fund at $250mm.

• GreenTech Media has the scoop that Mark Huang appears to be leaving GE’s cleantech investing team.

• Cleantech (and especially the venture capital community) should have more women managers and investors.  Here’s a good list of 10 of the better known members of what is currently a very small club.  Of course, Lauren Bigelow of the Cleantech Network really should have been on the list as well—here’s a good recent column by Lauren on corporate cleantech activity.

Update on the New England cleantech cluster:  Here’s a good interview with Massachusett’s Ian Bowles on the state’s efforts to promote decoupling and other important energy policy changes.  It’s clear that there’s a lot of momentum in Massachusetts and around New England to promote the faster development of a strong clean energy economy—and as this article illustrates, cleantech can be an important driver of jobs growth.  That’s why it’s very encouraging to sense the state moving quickly beyond basic rhetoric toward real action.

Other news and notes:  Good venture exit trends across all categories…  It’s shameless promotion of an @Ventures portfolio company, but besides that this is a great article on the problems of biodiesel availability at the retail level…  Jennifer Kho notes that demand response and energy management is in a rapid-consolidation phase...  Here are a couple of interesting analyses on energy generation technologies and transportation fuel choices…  Neal writes some interesting thoughts on hybrids and the electric car...  Finally, they’re going to be using Grey’s Anatomy to measure energy use?