When we think of cleantech, minds immediately go to solar, wind, and maybe even electric vehicles.  Yet the second part of the word – tech – invokes a whole meaning. 

A little over a year ago, in the span of twenty-four hours, I attended two high-impact events: TechStars' Demo Day and the New England Clean Energy Council's Greentie Gala.  The first is a magnet for the who’s who of the Boston tech scene, while the latter is one of the signature annual events of the Commonwealth’s thriving clean energy sector.  The cross-pollination of individuals at the two events was minimal.  In fact, it was so striking that Walter Frick covered it in BostInno. 

Over the last few years, a sector has emerged to bridge this gap by applying software development skills to solve the world’s pressing needs for solutions to energy and water issues. This field, branded by Sunil Paul in 2011 as the “cleanweb”, has emerged as one of the most promising, flexible and engaging markets in the clean energy sector.