Two Cambridge companies in the Guardian Cleantech 100

Two companies based on University of Cambridge research have been included on the Guardian’s Cleantech 100 list, designed to recognise the most exciting, innovative and up-and-coming clean technology companies in the world.

Enecsys Limited, based on research from the Department of Engineering, is developing reliable, long-life solar micro inverter systems for residential and commercial applications.

The Enecsys micro inverter represents a breakthrough in inverter design for residential and commercial solar PV installations as its technology has, for the first time, eliminated components that limit inverter life.

Additionally, the Enecsys micro inverter enables solar PV systems to harvest between 5% and 20% more energy; it makes planning and installation of PV systems easier and safer due to the elimination of high voltage DC wiring, and it enhances system optimisation by monitoring the performance of each solar module.

Enecsys has recently launched its products in Europe and North America and earlier this year secured £25 million in equity financing, representing the largest private equity raise in the European cleantech sector this year.

Amantys, based on the research of Dr Patrick Palmer, Reader in Electrical Engineering, has developed technology that will simplify the design of medium voltage power electronic equipment using insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs).

Amantys’ technology allows power transistors to be configured more easily to construct systems to switch medium and high voltages. This allows the designer to continue to use existing design topologies to build medium voltage inverters with higher efficiency and without the need to move to more complicated systems. Products which use Amantys’ technology will benefit from greater efficiency, improved reliability, ease of design and reduced cost.

This year's Cleantech 100 received a record number of nominations, up over 2,000 on last year. The list is a three year-old joint venture between the Guardian and the Cleantech Group.