Intel Capital has announced its first investments in Chinese cleantech companies, including a $20 million injection into Trony, a solar venture based in Shenzhen, and an undisclosed amount for NP Holdings (affiliated with Net Power of Changchun and Beijing), a specialist in massive electric energy storage. Both firms being engaged in R&D and building holdings of patents, the stated aim is to foster innovation that will help China’s transition to a sustainable energy system.

Intel Capital has traditionally focused on investing in fledgling companies developing smart concepts, but mainly in IT — a sector having direct synergies with Intel’s core semiconductor business. Cleantech, apparently, has been added to its “strategic focus” areas, too, but the link to selling more silicon eludes me at this point. Just jumping on the green bandwagon? We’ll see.

Read the full press release here.