The CleanTech Group announced this week its preliminary 2008 findings for clean technology venture investments in North America, Europe, China and India. According to the report, VC investments totaled a record $8.4 billion in 2008, up 38% from $6.1 billion in 2007. Solar investments dwarfed other sectors, accounting for 40% of the total at $3.3 billion, with biofuels coming in second at $904 million, or 11%. Some reporting on this data focused on the fact that Q4 saw a 34% decrease from Q3, but that is only down 4% compared to Q4 2007, so I’m focusing on the $2.3 billion increase for the year.

So as we start the year amid this economic turmoil while at the same time ushering in a green-friendly Obama administration, it will be interesting to see if clean tech VC will have a similar jump in 2009…and it will be nice if our 401(k)’s did as well!