CleanTech stands for “Clean Technology”. Although neither the German nor English languages offer an exact definition, the term is generally used to explain the concept that both efficiency and productivity can be increased by using new processes, products and services, while at the same time reducing greenhouse gas emissions and protecting natural resources. To align the growing demand for goods and services with the need to protect both the environment and the world’s resources, it is necessary for the economical and ecological aspects of the economy to work in harmony. The use of CleanTech helps to achieve this by providing a method for sustainable and environmentally friendly economic growth.

CleanTech combines the use of clean technologies with the meeting of both ecological and economical requirements along with a sense of social responsibility. A continuing process of adaptation is required in order to constantly improve the state of technology.

Therefore, the DCTI considers CleanTech to be an emerging economic sector in which the social, economical and ecological challenges of the 21st century will be met by the use and further development of clean technologies. Some of the most important upcoming challenges include: the creation of alternative energy supplies and their efficiency, concepts to improve and secure mobility as well as the use of “cleaner” raw-materials in the production of goods and services.

To achieve this, CleanTech makes use of pioneering innovations from, among others, the fields of nanotechnology, biotechnology and environmental technology, and encompasses the areas: energy, raw-materials, water, mobility and CleanTech services.

“End of Pipe Solutions” which render the by-products of industrial production (waste materials, emissions) harmless, only deal with the symptoms not the causes, and, are therefore not considered under the heading of CleanTech.

A CleanTech company is a business which, irrespective of it’s branch or product, produces or makes use of a significant number of CleanTech products, or which embraces the CleanTech philosophy and criteria and makes them their own.

Here, the DCTI differentiates between:

The DCTI only certifies companies which belong to one of these three groups and who show, by means of a continuing process of improvement, their commitment to the CleanTech philosophy. We do not consider the efforts of companies who were already using up-to-date technology at the time of the evaluation, although their goals may include preserving resources energy efficiency and reduction of emissions.