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About

Clean Edge, Inc. is a publisher of thematic research on clean energy, transportation, water, and the grid. The firm is a joint developer of and contributor to the Nasdaq Clean Edge Green Energy Index (CELS) (tracking U.S.-listed clean-energy companies), which was launched in partnership with Nasdaq in 2006. Other indexes include the Nasdaq OMX Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastructure Index (QGRD), the ISE Clean Edge Global Wind Energy Index (GWE), and the ISE Clean Edge Water Index (HHO). All tracking financial products of Nasdaq Clean Edge indexes exceed $4 billion in assets under management (as of October 2022 based on FactSet data). Managing director Ron Pernick is the co-author of two books, including The Clean Tech Revolution (HarperCollins, 2007), the first book to chronicle the growth and investment opportunity of the clean-tech market. To learn more about the company’s stock indexing, contact 503-493-8681 or send us a message

Below you can view key company milestones and learn more about our team and offerings.

Our Story: Key Milestones

2022:

Samsung KODEX licenses Nasdaq Clean Edge Green Energy Index for distribution in Korea.

2021:

Financial products tracking the firm’s indexes and universes exceed $4 billion in assets under management (as of March 2021).

2021:

First Trust launches ETFs in Canada and London based on the Nasdaq Clean Edge Green Energy Index.

2020:

Tachlit licenses equal weight version of the Nasdaq Clean Edge Green Energy Index for distribution in Israel.

2020:

Clean Edge and the GridWise Alliance announce the launch of gridCONNEXT 2020 as a virtual event (in the face of COVID-19) for December 8-10, 2020.

2020:

First Trust ETFs tracking Nasdaq Clean Edge indexes exceed more than $1 billion in assets under management (AUM) (as of August 2020).

2019:

First Trust ETFs tracking Nasdaq Clean Edge indexes exceed more than $800 million in assets under management (AUM).

2019:

Third-annual gridCONNEXT conference in Washington, D.C. convenes speakers including Angelina Galiteva (Vice Chair, California ISO), Bill Ritter Jr. (Former Governor, CO), Jeff Merkley (Senator, OR), and Richard Kauffman (Chair, NYSERDA).

2018:

Co-host second-annual gridCONNEXT conference in Washington, D.C., convening leaders from government, industry, and utilities.

2018:

Clean Edge, in partnership with FFI and Alpha Vee Solutions, releases Energy Transition Long-Short Strategy.

2017:

Partnership with GridWise Alliance to co-host gridCONNEXT, a new industry event focused on bringing policy and business leaders together to build the next-generation grid.

2017:

Clean Edge, in partnership with Nasdaq, adds water (HHO) and wind energy (GWE) to its family of clean-tech index offerings.

2017:

Production and release of the Corporate Clean Energy Procurement Index on behalf of Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) and the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI).

2016:

Partnership with Gridwise Alliance to help produce and release the Grid Modernization Index.

2015:

Publication of Getting to 100, covering the rise in commitments among governments and corporates to reach 100% renewable electricity in their operations. Report highlights the actions and goals of current leaders, and presents a toolkit for others considering similar targets.

2014:

Release of Benchmarking Utility Clean Energy Deployment, the first report tracking U.S. utilities and their clean-energy activities, co-produced with Ceres.

2014:

Launch annual U.S. Homeowners on Clean Energy: A National Survey, looking at American attitudes toward clean energy and the broader energy marketplace with SolarCity.

2013:

With partner SolarCity, co-produce the first Inside Energy conference, the annual event at NASDAQ MarketSite in New York featuring Elon Musk, Lyndon Rive, and other clean-tech leaders.

2013:

Working with World Resources Institute, Clean Edge helps convene meetings between major corporate energy users and utilities around renewables deployment.

2013:

Launch of Clean Tech Nation webinar series, focused on convening stakeholders around the industry’s most important topics.

2012:

Clean Edge begins tracking the 50 largest metro regions as part of its U.S. Clean Tech Leadership Index .

2012:

Pernick and Wilder release their second book, Clean Tech Nation , with a cover blurb by former President Bill Clinton.

2011:

Clean Edge celebrates a decade tracking the sector with the release of its annual 2011 Clean Energy Trends report.

2010:

Launch of the first U.S. Clean Tech Leadership Index , tracking the clean-tech activities and performance of all 50 states.

2009:

Clean Edge and NASDAQ launch QGRD, a new benchmark for the global smart grid and electric infrastructure sector. First Trust licenses index for ETF.

2008:

Clean Edge releases Carbon Free Prosperity 2025 , highlighting how Oregon and Washington can lead the nation in clean-tech progress. The report highlights five clean-tech opportunities for the region and a 10-point action plan.

2007:

Co-founder/managing director Ron Pernick and senior editor Clint Wilder release the first book on the business case for clean tech, The Clean Tech Revolution . The book, published by HarperCollins, is translated into seven languages.

2006:

Clean Edge and NASDAQ launch CELS, their first stock index tracking U.S.-listed clean-energy companies. First Trust licenses index for ETF.

2005:

Launch of the Clean Tech Investor Summit, the high-level investment conference in Palm Springs which Clean Edge co-produced for eight years.

2004:

Clean Edge develops 10-point action plan for the city of San Francisco focused on clean energy and transportation. Published first assessment, Harnessing San Francisco's Clean-Tech Future , in October 2004 and issues status update in November 2005.

2003:

Clean Edge releases the Solar Opportunity Assessment Report, highlighting the opportunity for solar PV in the U.S., including one of the earliest published accounts of the PPA model and distributed solar utility concept.

2001:

Co-produced (with Global Business Network) first event focused on the intersection of multinationals and clean-tech opportunities. Participants include around a dozen companies including Dow, DuPont, Hewlett Packard, Herman Miller, Procter & Gamble, and Texaco.

2001:

Launch of first report Clean Tech: Profits & Potential (coauthored by Makower and Pernick) and Clean Edge website highlighting the business and economic case for clean tech and clean energy.

2000:

Cofounders Ron Pernick and Joel Makower incorporate Clean Edge Inc., the first U.S. research and consulting firm focused on providing market insights on the clean-tech sector.

1999:

On plane ride back from U.N. environment event in Geneva Switzerland, Ron Pernick comes up with the name Clean Edge and drafts initial business plan and concept.