President Barack Obama lauded the scientific and entrepreneurial spirit at MIT and across America in creating a clean energy economy, and expressed his confidence that the country will be the dominant force in the industry.

Speaking at what the president called “the greatest university in this part of Cambridge” Friday afternoon, Obama called clean energy the major challenge of this era and one that is looking to be answered through a global “peaceful competition.”

“The nation that wins this competition will be the nation that leads the global economy, and I want America to be that nation,” he said.

In a 20-minute speech, the Harvard University-educated president cited some of the technologies he saw during his brief tour of MIT’s energy research labs, from windows that generate solar energy to batteries fueled by organic materials.

“That was neat stuff,” he quipped.

But Obama also focused on his administration and Congress’ support of clean energy research and development through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, including a boost in funding for university cleantech research and a budget proposal to make a research tax credit permenant.

One beneficiary of the stimulus, a wind blade testing facility in Boston’s Charlestown neighborhood, is expected to break ground in the coming weeks.

The speech also doted upon Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, a close friend of Obama’s, and Sen. John Kerry’s efforts to support clean energy. Patrick signed five energy-related bills into law last year, and Kerry is sponsoring a climate change bill with California Sen. Barbara Boxer in the Senate.

“You don’t have to be a booster,” Obama recalled telling Patrick in the car on the way to MIT. “I already love the state.”

After the address ended at roughly 1 p.m., Obama headed to a fundraising luncheon for Patrick and state Democrats.

In the audience was a who’s who of Massachusetts business and political circles. Attorney General Martha Coakley, candidate for late Sen. Edward Kennedy’s seat, was seen talking public transportation policy; her opponent, U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano, was expected to attend as well.

While Patrick waited for the president to land at Logan International Airport, his top environmental staffers were working the room at Kresge Auditorium including Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Ian Bowles and Commissioner of Energy Resources Philip Giudice.

From the business side, New England Clean Energy Council president Nick D’Arbeloff was seen chatting it up with RockPort Capital Partners general partner Chuck McDermott. Also hobnobbing with VCs were EnerNOC’s Tim Healy and Gregg Dixon. EMC Corp.’s public policy head Chris Goode and local Cisco Systems Inc. head Paul Bosco were also seen before the event.

www.masshightech.com