Sun Microsystems (JAVA) today announced the first servers that deliver the compute power of up to 64 individual systems on a single server. The company says the performance is six times better, on a per-watt basis, vs. competing products.

The servers use Sun’s Solaris Operating System and virtualization technologies to help maximize the system. Warren Mootrey, senior director of volume SPARC systems products, told us that for server managers who do not want to switch to Sun’s operating system, the company will still offer a line of servers powered by quad-core Intel (INTC) Xeon processors.

Sun has been making a major effort recently to work on energy savings initiatives for its products, offices and data centers. The company even created Openeco.org, a community site for business and energy efficiency. Check out the actually compelling blog, written by Sun’s VP of Eco Responsibility David Douglas.

The bulb as we know it is dying a flickering death. OK, so that’s a tad dramatic but states and even entire continents are considering plans to ban the incandescent bulb. Here’s yet another sign: General Electric (GE) said late yesterday it will restructure its lighting business toward energy-efficient lighting technology, which will speed up the shrinking of its incandescent light-bulb business.

“The restructuring we are proposing, while very difficult due to the impact on employees, would be one of the most important things we’ve done in the 100-plus-year history of GE’s lighting business,” said Jim Campbell, president & CEO of GE’s consumer & industrial division, in a release.

Over the last four years, GE says it has invested more than $200 million in energy-efficient lighting. With the restructuring, the company will increase its focus on R&D in LED, organic LED and “high efficiency incandescent light bulbs.” The proposed restructuring would affect a number of GE facilities and positions globally, including some 1,400 employees, but the shift away from a business centered on inefficient incandescent lighting was inevitable.

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Roughly 22 percent of the electricity consumed in the U.S. goes toward lighting, according to the Department of Energy. With such a big market, companies big and small are working on developing and selling energy-efficient lighting. Durham, N.C.-based Cree (CREE), maker of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), sells its chips for use in a variety of applications, from displays to lights that illuminate parking garages.

On Wednesday, as CREE CEO Chuck Swoboda met with us to discuss his company’s progress in LEDs for energy efficient lighting, Bloomberg reported that the company’s stock had dropped the most in 10 months (falling more than 11 percent to close at $28.97) after Canaccord Adams analyst Jed Dorsheimer cut the stock to “sell” and noted that Cree was unlikely to meet sales estimates for the current quarter. Prior to that, Cree shares had soared on speculation that General Electric (GE) would buy the company.

Here’s an excerpt from our chat with Swoboda:

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Braemar Energy Ventures, a New York-based venture capital firm devoted to investing in early-to-mid-stage energy startups, has closed a second fund with $250 million in capital commitments, according to PE Hub.

Formed in 2002, nine of Braemar’s prior portfolio companies, including energy management firm EnerNOC (ENOC), have since gone public and an additional eight companies have been sold. Braemar’s current portfolio investments include Solicore (thin film batteries), Verenium (cellulosic ethanol), Stion (thin film solar), and Enerkem Technologies (syngas).

In the world of cleantech, women can be few and far between. Nancy Floyd, founder and managing director of cleantech VC firm Nth Power, knows this firsthand. Since founding Nth Power in 1993, she has sat on more than 15 boards — and only one of her fellow directors was a woman. When we asked her if she’s ever felt intimidated by the male dominance in the field, she first replied, “No,” and then added, “but I do over prepare.”

Compiling a list of the top 10 women in cleantech proved to be a difficult task. But as you’ll see from the brief profiles of those that we selected, their recognition is more than well-deserved.

1. Nancy Floyd, Founder and Managing Director of Nth Power: When Nancy Floyd started Nth Power in 1993, women were even less common in the industry that would become known as cleantech. A serial entrepreneur, Floyd decided to start her first venture firm with a focus on clean energy technology because she was already an expert in the space.

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Engineered Eggshell Fuel: Don’t feel like walking on eggshells? — how about driving on them. Ohio State University researchers have found a way to turn discarded chicken eggshells into hydrogen fuel. The process uses eggshells to “soak up” carbon dioxide from a reaction that produces the fuel – release.

Hydrogen Storage: Speaking of hydrogen fuel, researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, have developed a model that might help speed up the development of hydrogen-fueled vehicles. The UCLA team has developed an algorithm that helps fuel cell makers design and determine what materials work the best to store hydrogen – release.

Nano Energy: Mobile devices and the networks connecting them are going micro, and power sources are shrinking to accommodate the trend. Researchers at the University of Illinois have shown that a nanowire can produce power by “harvesting mechanical energy.” – release.

Wind energy developer EverPower Renewables says it has closed a $55 million financing commitment from Swiss cleantech investment firm Good Energies. This is the second deal of the week for Good Energies; it put more cash into thin film solar company Konarka.

It also marks the latest deal in the wind energy sector. Earlier this week, Goldman Sachs (GS) made a “significant investment” in wind turbine developer Nordic Windpower, and General Electric (GE) said it will supply SkyPower with 200 wind turbines in a deal valued at about $400 million.

New York-based EverPower, founded in 2002, is currently developing more than 1.5 gigawatts of projects in seven states. Some of the money raised will be used to secure turbines for projects totaling 130 megawatts in Pennsylvania and New York. The funding will also be used for six additional projects in the same region. Finally, funds will be used to support expansion into the west, with the opening of a development office in Portland, Ore., that will oversee projects in Oregon and its neighboring state of Washington.

Investment bank Goldman Sachs (GS) has made a “significant investment” in Nordic Windpower, a company that manufactures utility-scale wind turbines. The investment, according to the privately held company’s release, will be used to help Nordic expand production efforts to the U.S.

“The investment will enable Nordic Windpower to become a market and technology leader in the $20 billion global wind energy industry,” Steve Taber, Nordic Windpower CEO, was quoted as saying.

Goldman Sachs knows the benefit of investing in wind power. Last month, the investment bank reported third-quarter profits of $2.85 billion, which included a $900 million sale of wind power company Horizon Wind Energy.

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Comverge (COMV), an East Hanover, N.J.-based energy management company, said today it has acquired Public Energy Solutions in a $13.4 million deal consisting of cash, stock and convertible notes.

Comverge, like its competitors EnerNoc (ENOC) and ConsumerPowerline (which raised its Series A round last week), aims to keep the electric grid stable by using software and hardware that helps building managers turn off a limited amount of power when electricity demand on the grid exceeds available supply.

With this acquisition, Comverge brings the total amount of energy it manages to about 1,500 megawatts, double the 750 megawatts managed by EnerNOC. ConsumerPowerline also manages about 750 megawatts of power. The purchase also adds a 47-megawatt ConEd contract, expanding Comverge’s traction in the New York market.

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ConsumerPowerline, a New York-based energy management company, said today it has raised $17 million in Series A funding led by Expansion Capital Partners, with additional investment by Bessemer Venture Partners, Schneider Electric Ventures, the New York City Investment Fund, and Vantania Holdings.

Following a year of successful IPOs for competitors EnerNOC (ENOC) and Comverge (COMV), it may seem like in raising its first round, ConsumerPowerline is late to the game. But ConsumerPowerline is no newcomer to the energy management space. Founded in 2000, they’ve simply managed to survive, until now, on $350,000 in angel funding and revenues.

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