SiliconBeat

Global investment in clean-energy projects in the year’s first quarter fell 44% from the fourth quarter of 2008 and 53% below 1Q 2008, according to New Energy Finance.

The London-based researcher said investment into solar, wind and biofuel plants fell to $13.3 billion in January-March of this year. The blame falls mainly on the credit crunch, the recession and the perilous stock markets worldwide.

New Energy Finance described the drop as unprecedented, and even the stimulus efforts worldwide aren’t helping — yet.

“Green stimulus plans may represent the light at the end of the tunnel for clean-energy companies, but meanwhile the sector has been hit by an oncoming train,” Michael Liebreich, CEO/chairman of New Energy Finance, said in a statement.

Some report highlights:

* VC and private equity spending fell 22% in 1Q 2009 vs. 4Q 2008.

* Stock-market investors contributed a measly $100 million to pure-play clean-energy companies.

* Merger, acquisition and refi activity fell to $8.8 billion the 4th quarter, down from $17.3B in the Q4 2008 and $18.8B in Q1 2008.

The report notes that $148 billion was invested into clean energy in 2007 and $155 billion in 2008. As the report says in a pithy note, “It will take a very sharp acceleration in investment in the remaing three quarters for this year to match 2008 levels.”

The Cleantech Group also has reported on the segment, saying VC investment into cleantech fell to $1 billion in the first quarter, down 48 percent from the same period a year ago. Its report covers venture investments in North America, Europe, China and India.

California’s Public Utilities Commission issued its Q1 2009 report on how we’re doing in reaching the state’s goal for renewable energy — 20% by 2010 and 33% by 2020 for investor-owned utilities (IOUs) such as PG&E.

The bottom line: Solicitation from PG&E, SouCal Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric for future generation resulted in bids for about 24,000 MW worth of renewable power, “more capacity than is needed to reach a 33% target by 2020.”

In 2008, the state added 516 MW of renewable generating capacity, and the CPUC approved contracts for another 2,800 MW. (One MW is enough power for 750 California homes, although many renewable sources are intermittent — solar energy when the sun shines, wind energy when the wind blows, etc.)

The CPUC approved 7 contracts for PG&E in 2008, representing 651 MW of new renewable generation.

The report is available here.

Coulomb Technologies, a maker of electric-vehicle chargers based in Campbell, will unveil more of its outlets this morning in downtown San Francisco.

The presser at SF City Hall, with SF Mayor Gavin Newsom, takes place at 10 a.m. City Car Share and Zip Car also are participating.

Here’s a link to a Web cast of the event.

Coulomb, which recently raised its first round of venture funding, has charge ports in San Jose’s 4th Street garage and one in front of City Hall.

Here is my recent story on the company.