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The term cleantech therefore tends to be a more amorphous industry group than, say, environmental services, and a less rigid investment asset class than, say, financial services.Sectors that appear to fit into the definition of cleantech without dispute include:Renewable energy – wind, solar thermal and photovoltaics, wave, tidal, hydro, geothermal, biomass and biogas;Water technologies that increase efficiency;Energy efficiency, green buildings and biomaterials;Waste management and recycling;Energy storage and fuel cell technologies;Low emission vehicle technologies; andEnvironmental Services

Two news items from Reuters: Total U.S. ethanol capacity will hit 9.25 billion gallons in 2008. Six new ethanol plants opened this month alone. "About a dozen" biofuel plants have filed for bankruptcy, victims of high prices for corn and soybeans.

The lesson here? The prophets of slow food can preach its benefits all they want, and as eloquently as they want, but nothing will make the case for buying locally better than price.

Team SOAK (Smart Operational Agricultural ToolKit) impressed the judges with its unique software designed to help farmers monitor their water usage. Team member David Burela, 24, said about six months was spent consulting with engineers and farmers and developing the software. It gives farmers a virtual image of their farms and the ability to work out how much moisture is in their fields and what their dam storage levels are.