2.01.2006 ET

(CSRwire) ANN ARBOR - The Cleantech Capital Group LLC announced this week it has entered into an Agreement with the American Stock Exchange to begin publishing the Cleantech Index: a new index comprised of publicly traded companies engaged in the cleantech industry.

The Cleantech Index is comprised of 75 companies with a combined market capitalization in excess of $100 billion. Companies in the Cleantech Index have at least fifty percent of their sales obtained from cleantech products and services. Calculations from back-testing of the Cleantech Index suggest the past five and three years significantly outperformed the S&P 500 and Nasdaq indices.

"Cleantech" is defined as any knowledge-based product or service that improves operational performance, productivity or efficiency; while reducing costs, inputs, energy consumption, waste or pollution. The cleantech concept is not specific to a particular sector: it encompasses energy generation, energy storage, energy infrastructure, energy efficiency, transportation & logistics, water purification & management, air quality, materials & nanotechnology, manufacturing/industrial, agriculture & nutrition, enabling technologies, materials recovery & recycling and environmental IT. Cleantech markets represent annual global revenues greater than $150 billion, and segments such as wind and solar power boast 5-10 year compound annual revenue growth rates as high as 35%.

"The Cleantech Index will provide investors with a vehicle to diversify into the emerging "cleantech" investment category while helping bring greater liquidity to publicly traded cleantech companies and, by doing so, encouraging capital formation for privately-held cleantech enterprises with strong IPO potential" says Nicholas Parker, Chairman of the Cleantech Capital Group. Parker adds: "The Cleantech Index is the premier investment vehicle developed for capturing the opportunities associated with the substantial increase in the economic value of clean technologies. We believe this value will inevitably be unlocked as global markets adjust to the linkages between human health, economic development and resource sustainability."

Elias Azrak, co-founder of Cleantech Capital Indices LLC, said, "There has recently been an historic increase in the public awareness of global environmental issues. Given the investment needed to address these concerns, we believe the Cleantech Index represents the right product at the right time. We are delighted to partner with Amex in launching this product."

Discussions are underway relative to the licensing of the Cleantech Index for financial products, including an exchange traded fund which will track the index.

The index will be rebalanced each March, June, September and December.

An advisory board comprised of leading academics and thought leaders will be announced shortly.

About the Cleantech Capital Group, LLC
The Cleantech Capital Group LLC ("CCG") brought the "cleantech" concept to market in 2002 and organizes the Cleantech Venture Network, a global membership group of investors, entrepreneurs and service providers interested in clean technology. CCG's activities include advisory, research and online services and the Cleantech Venture Forum series of events. CCG has an organizational presence in Australia, China, Canada, Europe and the US.

The Cleantech Venture Network serves more than 900 affiliate investor member firms worldwide. The Network has tracked more than $7.3 billion invested in cleantech ventures since 1999 and over seven hundred cleantech IPO and M&A transactions. Further information can be found at www.cleantech.com or by calling (+1) 517-223-9607.

About Cleantech Capital Indices LLC
Cleantech Capital Indices LLC is a joint venture with Hydrogen Ventures LLC, a management advisory firm founded in 2001 that is lead by senior managing partner Elias Azrak. Hydrogen Ventures provides technical and financial services tailored to environmentally responsible companies. Hydrogen Ventures is also the creator of the Palisades Water Index. Mr. Elias Azrak is also the co-founder of the WilderHill Clean Energy Index and the Palomar Healthcare Technologies Index.

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