Last week after we wrapped up Cleantech Forum Munich, I got to spend a few days in the gorgeous city of Amsterdam. And in between Belgian beers and rediscovering the Golden Age of Amsterdam (the Dutch kinda ran the world for a while there…), I came face to face with clean technology in action, a real-life example of saving energy while improving performance.

In this case, I visited the Rijksmuseum and saw Rembrandt’s masterpiece, The Night Watch, illuminated by special LEDs provided by Philips, the lighting leader based in the Netherlands. According to a press release on the new lighting, installed in October 2011, the “innovative LED light, [brings] out the best of the painting’s color palette while offering increased sustainability and energy efficiency.”

Coming out of the dark galleries preceding the room that held this painting, the colors really did seem more vivid, and the LEDs brought out the contrasting areas of light and dark (chiaroscuro) that Rembrandt is known for.

Wikipedia claims that the museum saves 80% on energy and protects the painting from damage from UV radiation and heat. According to Artdaily.org, “previously, the painting had been under halogen spotlights that had the …

Last Sunday, members of the Cleantech Group team were invited to beautiful AT&T Park in downtown San Francisco to watch the Giants play the Pittsburgh Pirates in an opening game sponsored by Hanwha Solar, the Korean PV cells and modules manufacturer. Emmanuel Burriss’ beautiful 9th-inning run (Go Giants!) was not the only remarkable feat of the night. Speeches by executives and a post-game fireworks show served as introductions to a new partnership between the team and Hanwha that includes PV installations and a recycling program in the stadium. If the actual amount of energy offset by the program is minor, the impact on public awareness – not to mention brand recognition for Hanwha – is substantial. Considering the unmatched worldwide audience that sports like baseball, football and soccer have, we decided to take a closer look at how cleantech companies and sports teams have partnered up and whether these partnerships are a good use of money and time.

The Giants’ upcoming Hanwha solar array isn’t the first green effort by a Major League Baseball team. A number of teams have undertaken renewable energy, recycling & waste and energy efficiency measures.

• The Giants have previously partnered with PG&E to install solar panels

…

This morning at Cleantech Forum Europe in Munich, our Managing Director of Europe & Asia, Richard Youngman, announced that nominations are open for the Global Cleantech 100.  This will be our 4th annual list of the 100 top private companies in cleantech as nominated by the public and chosen through a rigorous process including data analysis and input from a select panel of worldwide judges.  Read the press release.

Nominations are open through June 30.

As with last year’s list, Cleantech Group will debut the 2012 100 at the Global Cleantech 100 Summit & Gala in Washington DC.  The Summit & Gala will be held October 1-2 and will feature Global Cleantech 100 CEOs, investors and venture capitalists, policy-makers and corporate leaders.   Save the date and submit your nominations today.

Registration for the Global Cleantech 100 Summit & Gala opens in May.…