Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi committed $250 million to a green-focused venture capital fund—one of the goals is to plan a city that derives all of its electricity from solar power. Photo by NASA

The Cleantech Forum, an annual conference bringing together green-focused companies and investors, has acquired a distinctly global appearance this year. Business leaders launched a new organization designed to boost green startups in India; and Singapore and Abu Dhabi courted investors, suggesting they’d be ideal locations for this "industry of the future" to grow.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, it’s a seriously hot business—green companies won nearly 50 percent of a total of $3.95 billion venture capital funding last year. This trend is just as evident outside the States. The government of Abu Dhabi has committed $250 million to a green-focused venture capital fund—one of the goals is to plan a city that derives all of its electricity from solar power.

Even retail giant Wal-Mart is trying to clean up its environmental impact. The company is on the lookout for better batteries for its forklifts and new ways of managing its solid waste.

Via SF Gate