Private equity firm Good Energies led the largest solar investment in the first quarter of 2009, with a $71.6 million round for Norwegian solar company Norsun, according to an analysis of 1st quarter  clean-technology venture investments by Deloitte.On the other hand, the study concluded that “cleantech ventureinvestments have declined for two consecutive quarters since peaking at$2.6 billion in 3Q08, representing the lowest level of venture capital investment in clean technology companies in two years.”

Good Energies, founded in2001 and led by renewable industry veterans, has developed animpressive international investment portfolio of public and privateclean energy companies. The firm’s portfolio companies includes playersin solar energy, turbine-based renewables (wind, ocean), green buildingtechnologies and other emerging areas within clean energy. Among the better known investments made by Good Energies include the Solarfun Power Holdings Co. (NASDAQ: SOLF); Germany’s publicly traded Q-Cells (the world’s largest manufacturer of photovoltaic (PV) cells); Trina Solar Limited(NYSE: TSL); as well as early stage renewable energy and energyefficiency technology companies throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia.These privately held companies including Konarka Technologies(develops and manufactures solar plastic films that convert light toenergy) and SAGE Electrochromics (maker of smart glass products), amongmany others.

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