Twelve clean technology companies were named semi-finalists in the Clean Tech Open Pacific Northwest business plan competition yesterday in Bellevue. The Puget Sound Business Journal reports that more than 150 people attended the award ceremony, which marked the first time that the Clean Tech Open competition has held an event in the Pacific Northwest region.

Selected from a pool of fifty-six companies, these twelve semi-finalists will compete for three $50,000 regional prizes this summer before moving on to the national competition later this year. Once at the national competition, they will have a chance to win a $250,000 prize that includes cash and business services.

The twelve semi-finalists included eight Washington companies, three Oregon companies, and one Idaho company.

• Clarian Technologies — Smart-grid enabled wind and solar appliances, Seattle.
• Extreme Caps — Energy storage, Olympia.
• GoNano — High surface area nanomaterials for energy storage, Moscow, Idaho.
• Green Lite Motors — 100 mpg commuter car/motorcycle vehicle, Portland.
• Hydrovolts — In-stream hydro turbines, Seattle.
• InnovaTek — Renewable hydrogen fuel cell technology, Richland, Wash.
• LivinGreen Materials — Advanced solar technology, Seattle.
• NHThree — Green anhydrous ammonia production, Richland, Wash.
• Pangreen — Mobile and web-based platforms enabling green living, Kirkland, Wash.
• Shorepower Technologies — Electric charging stations, Portland.
• Soluxra — Low-cost organic solar cells, Seattle.
• Veranda Solar — Plug and play solar appliances, Portland.

Congratulations to all of the Clean Tech Open semi-finalists! Greater Seattle’s growing reputation as a high-tech and clean-tech hub owes in part to the work of these innovative young companies.

Seattle’s Office of Economic Development is a proud City sponsor of the Clean Tech Open.