Ontario approves more than 500 renewable energy projects under new feed-in tariff
11th March 2010
The first 510 large-scale projects have been given the go-ahead under a new feed-in tariff (FIT) programme launched in Ontario, Canada.
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biomass/biofuel
Technology developer Sensata in $569m IPO
11th March 2010
Sensata Technologies, a maker of sensor and controls technology for applications including alternative fuel vehicles and solar panels, has raised $568.8m from its initial public offering, with shares to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange tomorrow.
Imperium Renewables resumes production of biodiesel at Grays Harbor facility
11th March 2010
Us biodiesel producer Imperium Renewables has restarted production at its Grays Harbor facility. The plant, which had paused production after a glycerin tank ruptured in December, is producing biodiesel from regionally-grown canola to meet demand from British Columbia and Oregon.
US electricity provider NV Energy to buy power from Waste Management’s landfill site
11th March 2010
US electricity provider NV Energy has signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with waste collector and recycler Waste Management for the sale of renewable energy produced from a landfill site located in Nevada.
US Senate’s biodiesel tax credits welcomed by industry
11th March 2010
The US Senate has approved the extension of the $1-a-gallon tax credit for biodiesel, which had expired at the end of 2009, in a move that domestic biofuel producer Renewable Energy Group (REG) has described as critical to a successful energy policy.
Materials veteran James Kirsch joins Cliffs Natural Resources as director
10th March 2010
Mining and natural resources company Cliffs Natural Resources has appointed James F Kirsch as a director. Kirsch also currently serves as chairman, president and chief executive officer of Ferro Corporation.
UK waste management company rejects Carlyle’s bid
9th March 2010
Sales talks between US buy-out giant Carlyle and UK private waste treatment company Shanks have broken down after the private equity firm’s 120 pence per share bid was rejected.
Bridges Ventures leads investment in waste energy company AeroThermal Group
9th March 2010
UK investment group Bridges Ventures has led an investment with green venture capital investor Carbon Trust Investments in AeroThermal Group, a Dorset, UK-based developer of an autoclave-based steam treatment technology for waste.
Waste management firm Biffa to sell landfill gas business for £350m
8th March 2010
Waste management group Biffa has put its landfill gas business up for sale at a price of £350m, according to reports.
Future Fuels acquires UK biofuel plant site
8th March 2010
Future Fuels, an investment product focusing on renewable transport fuel from alternative investment boutique Future Capital Partners (FCP), has acquired a site and planning permission consent for its industrial scale plant in Grimsby, England.
ESE changes name to Renaissance BioEnergy
5th March 2010
Listed US renewable energy company ESE Corp is to change its name to Renaissance BioEnergy.
Bioenergy industry urges US to provide tax parity to algae-based biofuels
5th March 2010
Industry group the Algal Biomass Organization (ABO) has urged Congress and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus and Ranking Member Charles Grassley to adopt an amendment to ensure algae-based fuels receive the financial and regulatory benefits currently afforded to other advanced biofuel feedstocks. The adoption of this amendment will be a significant step in creating new jobs, increasing energy security and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the group said.
International Energy Forum calls for urgent review of biofuel policies
4th March 2010
An urgent review of global biofuel policies is needed, with current targets over ambitious or unsustainable, according to a report by the International Energy Forum.
United Green Technologies signs distribution agreement with Chinese food processor
2nd March 2010
United Green Technology, a subsidiary of ONE Bio, which utilises green process manufacturing to produce raw chemicals and other products, has signed a distribution agreement with food processing manufacturer Shineway Group for distribution of the company’s organic bamboo shoots.
World’s largest biogas test plant in Denmark uses specialised pumps to release gas
2nd March 2010
The world’s largest biogas plant for research purposes has been built at the University of Aarhus research centre in Foulum, Denmark.
German renewable energy company juwi eyes Americas as international turnover exceeds domestic base
2nd March 2010
The 2009 turnover of renewable energy project development firm juwi was dominated for the first time by its international business instead of domestic activity in Germany and told NewNet it plans to increase its American wind business in the coming year.
Pulp industry increases biomass usage, report says
1st March 2010
The global pulp and paper industry has witnessed a rapid worldwide expansion in the use of biomass for its energy generation, according to a report by forest industry consultancy Wood Resources International.
SG Biofuels launches optimised jatropha cultivar
1st March 2010
Sustainable plant oil company SG Biofuels, which specialises in the development of jatropha as a sustainable source of oil, has launched JMax 100, a proprietary cultivar of jatropha optimised for growing conditions in Guatemala.
Nigeria’s Ekiti state inaugurates construction of cassava-biofuel plant
1st March 2010
The Nigerian state of Ekiti has launched the construction of a third biofuel refinery, at Ipao-Ekiti in the Ikole local government area, according to reports.
European biomass industry supports European Commission’s new directive
26th February 2010
The consortium of European Biomass Associations (AEBIOM and EUBIA), European forest owner associations (EUSTAFOR, CEPF and NSF) and European Biogas Association (EBA) have praised the non-binding measures proposed in the European Commission’s report on sustainability criteria for solid and gaseous biomass for heat and electricity to ensure the sustainability of biomass.
A tree in your tank? $3.2m NSF grant funds tree-to-biofuel research
26th February 2010
A team of researchers at the University of Maryland, College Park and Bowie State University has received a $3.2m, four-year grant from the National Science Foundation’s Plant Genome Research Project to find ways to turn poplar trees into high-yield crops for biofuels including ethanol.
ClearFuels to develop biorefinery in Tennessee, US
26th February 2010
US bioenergy company ClearFuels Technology and timber company Hughes Hardwood International have agreed to develop a commercial-scale biorefinery facility for the production of renewable jet or diesel fuel.
Bus biofuel company Green Plains proposes public offering
25th February 2010
NASDAQ-listed biofuel company Green Plains Renewable Energy has proposed a public offering of five million shares of its common stock and granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 750,000 shares of common stock to cover over-allotments.
EU states employ variety of incentives as renewables remain strong focus, study finds
25th February 2010
Renewable energy sources remain a strong focus of European governments with a variety of incentive schemes being deployed, according to a new study by commercial law firm CMS Hasche Sigle.
Australian biodiesel company Mission NewEnergy completes $7.9m private placement
25th February 2010
Australian biodiesel refiner Mission NewEnergy has completed a private placement of AUD$9m ($7.9m).
Waste to energy presents unique investment challenges, law firm says
25th February 2010
Waste to energy technologies present a very different challenge to other renewable energy or resource efficiency proposition, according to international law firm Denton Wilde Sapte.
Drax’s switch to co-firing would hurt UK renewables sector, analyst says
25th February 2010
If the operator of the UK’s largest power plant Drax was to go ahead with its co-firing plans, which have been the topic of debate this week, the move may kill investment into other forms of renewable technology, an analyst told NewNet.
US biofuel company Green Energy Live to acquire solar installer Peck Electric
25th February 2010
US bio-conversion-technology engineering company Green Energy Live has signed a letter of intent to acquire Vermont-based solar energy installer Peck Electric of Vermont.
US biofuel company BlueFire Ethanol seeks DOE loan guarantee to complete funding for Mississippi biorefinery
24th February 2010
US biofuel company BlueFire Ethanol Fuels has submitted an application for a $250m loan guarantee for the company’s planned cellulosic ethanol biorefinery in Fulton, Mississippi, US.
XcelPlus Global Holdings appoints CFO
24th February 2010
XcelPlus Global Holdings, a Pink Sheets-listed manufacturer and distributor of industrial biofuels, has engaged Beringer Financial Services Group to provide financial consulting and appointed Beringer’s Charles Blackmon as its CFO.
Enerkem closes $51m funding round
24th February 2010
Canadian waste-to-biofuel developer Enerkem has raised CAN$53.8m ($51m) in a new round of funding from existing investors Rho Ventures, Braemar Energy Ventures and BDR Capital as well as from new investors, Waste Management and Cycle Capital.
US biofuel developer GreenShift and European biodiesel producer Alternativa target Ukraine for new refinery
23rd February 2010
Recently established biodiesel producer Alternativa (IOM) and US biofuel developer GreenShift jointly have entered into an exclusive supply and cooperation agreement to design and develop sustainable integrated feedstock and renewable energy production facilities in the Ukraine.
US renewable crop converter Archer Daniels aims to purchase outstanding debt
23rd February 2010
NYSE-listed US renewable crop converter Archer Daniels Midland Company has increased the maximum aggregate principal amount of the following debentures subject to its previously announced cash tender offers from $400m to $500m.
Green Plains’ year-on-year revenues rise
22nd February 2010
International renewable energy group NTR’s bioethanol business, NASDAQ-listed Green Plains Renewable Energy’s year-on-year revenues sharply increased in the fourth quarter of 2009, according to the company’s financial results for the fourth quarter and full-year ended 31 December 2009.
US renewable fuels provider New Generation Biofuels to replace $1m licensing payment with common stock and cash
22nd February 2010
US renewable fuels provider New Generation Biofuels has reached an agreement with Ferdinando Petrucci and PTJ Bioenergy Holdings to replace the upcoming $1m cash payment for its technology license due in equal installments on 20 February and 20 March 2010 with 1.1 million shares of the company’s common stock and $120,000 in cash.
Brazilian ethanol producer ETH acquires domestic rival Brenco
19th February 2010
Four months after signing a memorandum of understanding, Brazilian ethanol producer ETH has agreed to take over domestic rival Companhia Brasileira de Energia Renovável (Brenco) to form one of the world’s largest ethanol companies. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Drax Power halts increase biomass electricity due to lack of incentive
19th February 2010
Drax Power has halted plans to increase the proportion of electricity it produces from biomass at its co-firing power plant in the UK county of North Yorkshire because of a lack of incentives to switch to the more expensive fuel, according to reports.
Enerkem appoints new CFO
19th February 2010
US waste-to-biofuel technology company Enerkem has appointed Patrice Ouimet as its vice president and CFO.
Dong Energy looks to develop 300MW biomass plant in UK
19th February 2010
Dong Energy, traditionally a developer of oil fields and offshore wind farms, has announced it is looking to develop a 300MW biomass plant in the UK.
UBC selects Nexterra and GE biomass power system for campus energy project
18th February 2010
The University of British Columbia (UBC) is to install and demonstrate an on-site biomass-fuelled combined heat and power (CHP) system developed by biomass gasification company Nexterra and GE Power & Water’s gas engine division.
Novozymes launches first commercially viable agricultural waste-to-biofuel enzyme
18th February 2010
Global biofuel catalyst developer Novozymes has launched the first commercially viable enzymes for production of biofuel from agricultural waste.
Peru to sign 412MW of renewable energy contracts in March
18th February 2010
Peru will sign a number of contracts to secure its renewable energy supply for the next 20 years in March, in what it has been described as an important milestone in the history of the country’s energy.
Tortoise subsidiary Mowood sells landfill gas to energy firm Timberline Energy
17th February 2010
US energy investment firm Tortoise Capital Resources said its portfolio company Mowood closed the sale of subsidiary firm Timberline Energy, which owns and develops projects that convert landfill gas to energy, to Landfill Energy Systems.
Tortoise said it will use a portion of the proceeds to pay-off its $3.8m credit facility and will invest the remainder [...]
Stratus Group invests $5.4m in Brazilian arm of Amyris Biotechnologies
17th February 2010
US venture capital firm Stratus Group said it will invest BRL10m ($5.4m) in the Brazilian arm of US biofuel producer Amyris Biotechnologies.
Bionersis completes acquisition of Vietnamese biogas consortium
17th February 2010
Global landfill gas valorisation company Bionersis has acquired Vietnamese biogas consortium PJI-LFGC, which is in charge of biogas capture and treatment in Nam Son landfill near Hanoi.
US biomass company Zeachem produces saleable bioethanol precursor
17th February 2010
Biomass biorefinery developer ZeaChem has produced bio-based acetic acid, which the company said is the building block for cellulosic ethanol and bio-based chemicals, at the purity concentration level of a saleable product.
Arcadis joins with Solena and British Airways for sustainable jet fuel plant
15th February 2010
Consultancy group Arcadis will team with British Airways for the development of a sustainable jet fuel plant to be developed by Solena Group.
GreenShift subsidary sues Cardinal for biofuel patent infringement
15th February 2010
GS CleanTech, a wholly-owned subsidiary of clean technology company GreenShift, has begun legal action against Cardinal Ethanol for patent infringement of its corn oil extraction technology.
US venture firm Craton Equity Partners invests in renewable fuel company Propel Fuels
11th February 2010
US renewable fuel company Propel Fuels has raised $20m from investors, including an $8m investment from Craton Equity Partners. Other investors include US venture investors Nth Power and @Ventures.
Energy Composites gains access to tax-advantaged financing for new wind blade facility
11th February 2010
Using newly enacted legislation introduced by Senator Julie Lassa, Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker, Legislators, Louie Molepske, Marlin Schneider, Amy Sue Vruwink, Mayor Mary Jo Carson and Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle,US energy company Energy Composites Corporation took a step forward in its development of a new wind blade manufacturing facility in Wisconsin, US.
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