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 energy company CleanTech Biofuels announces new addition to board

11th February 2010

CleanTech Biofuels, an early-stage provider of technology to convert municipal solid waste into sustainable biomass for renewable energy, has appointed Jose Bared Sr to its board of directors.

Veolia Environmental Services appoints new senior vice president

27th January 2010

US waste and environmental company Veolia Environmental Services North America (VESNA) has appointed Michael Slattery as its senior vice president and general counsel.

Asset managers Titanium and Impax launch environmental funds

16th December 2009

Asset management firm Titanium Asset Management and environmental investment manager Impax Asset Management Group have launched two new funds, the Impax Green Markets Fund, and the Titanium Impax International Green Fund. Both funds will invest globally in quoted companies that, according to Titanium and Impax, ‘provide cleaner or more efficient delivery of services in the alternative energy, water and waste sectors’. The funds will be distributed to US institutional investors.

Carbon Trust invests £4m into UK waste energy developer New Earth Solutions Group

10th December 2009

UK waste treatment and renewable energy company, New Earth Solutions Group has received a £4m investment from UK environmental investor Carbon Trust Investments.

Spectrum Blue Steel partners with environmental waste expert

4th December 2009

Waste-to-energy company Spectrum Blue Steel has appointed Eugene B Jones, executive director of environmental waste company Southern Waste Information exchange, as partner.

M&A waste sector deals halve in Q3 2009

3rd December 2009

M&A deal volumes in the UK waste sector fell by over 50 per cent in Q3 2009, according to financial and business adviser Grant Thornton UK’s latest quarterly update on waste sector M&A activity.

Deal volumes in Q3 2009 declined to only five deals when compared with the volumes seen in each of the first two quarters of 2009 where 13 transactions in Q1 and 11 deals in Q2 2009 were seen. Additionally, deal volumes in Q3 were down by 64 per cent compared to those that took place in the same period in 2008 where 14 transactions took place.

Waste2Tricity appoints John Hall as managing director

12th November 2009

Waste2Tricity has appointed John Hall, who has 27 years experience in marketing and commercial management, as managing director, having joined as a consultant to Waste2Tricity in 2008.

Manufacturers call for radical overhaul of UK waste strategy

13th October 2009

Manufacturers have called for a radical overhaul of government waste strategy to ensure business and the UK economy as a whole can benefit from opportunities through sustainable waste management and resource efficiency.

UK renewable energy company Novera rejects £90.5m takeover bid from Infinis Energy

7th October 2009

UK renewable energy company Novera has rejected a £90.5m takeover bid from private equity-backed renewable energy generator Infinis Energy.

Ludgate Environmental Fund invests £5m in UK waste and renewable energy company New Earth

6th October 2009

UK waste treatment and renewable energy company New Earth Solutions Group has completed a first close of its £15m equity fundraising announced in August 2009 with a £5m investment by AIM-listed cleantech investment company Ludgate Environmental Fund.

Environmental technology company Monsal completes first phase of anaerobic digestion plant in Cambridgeshire, UK

29th September 2009

Environmental technology company Monsal has finished the first phase of planning, pre-design and support for a food anaerobic digestion and renewable energy plant located in the town of March in Cambridgeshire, UK that will power 1,500 homes.

British landfill gas company ENER-G lands third Lithuanian contract

28th September 2009

British landfill gas generation company ENER-G has been contracted to construct a third landfill waste disposal facility in Lithuania to convert landfill gases into electricity.

Water treatment company Microvi Biotech raises Series A equity financing

26th August 2009

Microvi Biotech, a California-based water treatment technology company, has completed its first round of equity financing. The company plans to use the proceeds from the Series A financing to expand product development, grow the company’s team, enhance the company R&D pipeline, and pave the way for the launch and commercialisation of new, one-of-a-kind water technologies. The specific terms of the financing were not disclosed.

NewNet Innovator Profile: Duncan Grierson, Sterecycle

26th August 2009

Duncan Grierson discusses the challenges in gaining venture funding for a cleantech start-up, the growth of opportunities in the waste and recycling space across Europe and the need for governments to provide drivers to encourage investment in emerging environmental technologies.

‘It is extremely important for governments to put in place these broad economic drivers. But it would be a mistake for governments to make technology choices. Once the financial drivers and mechanisms are in place, then governments should leave the market to decide which are technically and commercially the best technologies to build out.’

Scotland drafts plan on how to become a zero waste society

20th August 2009

Scotland will unveil a new plan on how it is to achieve a zero waste society, which in turn will create a wealth of jobs, reduce waste and improve facilities.

NewNet Investor Profile: Vivek Tandon, Aloe Group

20th August 2009

Vivek Tandon discusses the importance of strong management, why he feels the recycling sector is underveloped, and the opportunities for investment in Asia.

‘Whereas previously our model was taking a lot of European companies into Asia and expanding in that way, in the future I see it going the other way. Great technology developed in Asia and companies doing very well in Asia will acquire European companies and expand into Europe, even if there is a global slowdown.’

CH Energy Group to supply New York with renewable power

20th August 2009

CH Energy Group, through its subsidiary CH-Auburn Energy, has signed a 15-year contract to supply the City of Auburn, New York, with a portion of its electric needs through a 3MW landfill waste facility.

Tree Top complete the acquisition of green solutions company Bioenergy Applied Technologies

14th August 2009

Environmentally-friendly technology developer Bioenergy Applied Technologies (BAT) has been acquired by Tree Top Industries in a stock-for-stock exchange deal.This acquisition provides an opportunity for Tree Top to increase its involvement in the global-clean technology industry by utilising BAT’s existing properties, the company said.

NewNet Investor Profile: Gijsbert Nollen, Prime Energy Investments

13th August 2009

Gijsbert Nollen discusses the opportunities for clean energy investments in Southeast Asia, why he is turned off by biofuels, and what the future holds for the region.

‘If the past two years is any precedent more and more Asian domestic companies will be established developing and refining their technologies in the bioenergy sector and ramping up development. The real success stories will be centered around locally adapted and developed technologies and research and local business entrepreneurs.’

Energy efficiency company Cascal’s quarterly results show a rise in revenues

12th August 2009

Cascal, a provider of water and wastewater services, has posted its financial results for the first quarter ended June 30, 2009 showing a rise in revenue.

Alpine Energy Group chosen to provide alternative energy for US Virgin Islands

12th August 2009

Denver, US-based Alpine Energy Group has signed two 20-year power purchase agreements with Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA) to build, own and operate two alternative energy facilities to serve the residents of St. Thomas/St. John’s and St. Croix.

British waste management company New Earth Group to raise £15m to accelerate growth

10th August 2009

British waste treatment and renewable energy company New Earth Group is to raise a minimum of £15m in equity in exchange for a minority stake. Incoming funds will be used to accelerate the growth of the established waste treatment business and to develop power plants that recover renewable energy from waste, the company said.

Waste Management to acquire stake in Chinese environmental services group Shanghai Environment Group

6th August 2009

Waste Management has agreed to acquire 40 percent of environmental services group Shanghai Environment Group from Shanghai Chengtou Holding.

Neal Isaacson joins venture-backed clean energy company Ze-gen as CFO

5th August 2009

Ze-gen, Inc., a clean energy company providing advanced gasification technology to convert waste streams into synthesis gas, has hired Neal Isaacson as chief financial officer, replacing George McMillan who has filled this position on a transitional basis since January 2009.

Energos and Biogen Power build £75m UK waste-to-energy facility

31st July 2009

UK-based energy from waste business Energos has received its sixth UK planning consent at Kirk Sandall, Doncaster, for its thermal conversion process.

NewNet Investor Profile: Nigel Meir, Ludgate Environmental Fund

21st July 2009

Nigel Meir of Ludgate Environmental Fund looks at which areas are particularly attractive in the economic downturn, which countries are soaring ahead in the clean energy race and why management plays such an important role.

‘You are far, far better off with a decent idea but a fantastic management team than with the greatest idea anyone has ever had, but with a poor management team.’

Mitsubishi Corp and ACCIONA join forces to develop renewable energy projects across the world

15th July 2009

Mitsubishi Corporation, the Japanese general trading company, and ACCIONA, a Spanish renewable energy company, have partnered to develop and operate renewable energy projects across the globe.

GE Energy and ECOS to demonstrate waste-heat recovery system in Slovenia

10th July 2009

GE Energy, a US-based power supplier, and energy developer ECOS plan to launch an industrial waste-heat recovery system demonstration that will increase the output of a 7.2MW biogas plant in Slovenia.

Veolia Greentree Landfill to ramp up refined gas production rates by 2010

10th July 2009

Veolia Environmental Services Solid Waste said Greentree Landfill Gas will ramp up production of refined Btu gas at the Veolia Greentree Landfill. The site currently converts landfill gas into pipeline quality natural gas.

US bioenergy company Vega announces developments

8th July 2009

US bioenergy Vega Promotional Systems, Inc. has named Michael Ray Knauff to replace William Jacobson as the Company’s CEO. Knauff takes over the position on an interim basis and will guide the company in the coming months as it initiates various power generating projects in the US.

Waste energy company Enerkem to form energy research centre with City of Edmonton and Alberta Energy Research Institute

8th July 2009

Enerkem, a waste-to-biofuels and green chemicals technology company, is to jointly form an advanced energy research centre with the City of Edmonton and the Alberta Energy Research Institute (AERI).

Siemens Venture Capital focuses on green investment with acquisition of stake in India’s Transparent Energy Systems

8th July 2009

Siemens Venture Capital (SVC), a subsidiary of Siemens, has acquired a minority stake in Indian waste heat recovery company Transparent Energy Systems. Financial details were not disclosed.

Veolia Environnement to sell North American portfolio of waste-to-energy contracts, Montenay International

6th July 2009

Veolia Environnement has agreed to sell Montenay International, its North American portfolio of waste-to-energy contracts, to Covanta Holding Corporation for $450m, including debt assumption.

Standard Chartered invests in South Korean water treatment company Environmental Facilities Management

30th June 2009

Standard Chartered Private Equity has announced a US$40m equity investment in a leading environmental company affiliated with Kolon Group. SCPEL, the private equity arm of Standard Chartered Bank, will invest $32m to acquire a 40 per cent stake in Environmental Facilities Management Corporation (EFMC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kolon Group, and an additional $8m to expand the newly acquired business.

Dedicated alternative energy and cleantech focused investment bank Greentech Capital Advisors launches

30th June 2009

Dedicated alternative energy and cleantech focused investment bank Greentech Capital Advisors has launched, offering a singular focus on alternative energy and cleantech companies.

Energy policy expert Susan Tierney joins waste energy company Ze-gen’s board of directors

23rd June 2009

Ze-gen, Inc., a clean energy company developing advanced gasification technology to convert waste streams into synthesis gas, has appointed energy policy expert Dr Susan Tierney to its board of directors.

Triodos Bank launches EIS Green Fund to invest in growing UK green businesses

23rd June 2009

Triodos Bank has launched the Triodos EIS Green Fund, targeting small and growing green businesses in the UK.

Australian energy company Energy Developments receives AUS$280m private equity offer for landfill gas assets

23rd June 2009

Integrated energy company ENERGY Developments has received a AUS$280m offer for landfill gas assets from a group of private equity investors, led by Australian private equity house Archer Capital, according to reports.

San Jose unveils plans for new waste energy biogas facility

19th June 2009

The San Jose City Council has executed a memorandum of understanding to develop guidelines and potential lease terms for the development of an organics‐to‐energy biogas facility on a 40‐acre site near the San Jose/Santa Clara Water Pollution Control Plant

Global biofuels market to reach $247bn by 2020, according to report

19th June 2009

The widespread excitement surrounding the biofuels market opportunity has been tempered somewhat by its many challenges, which include limited availability of inexpensive feedstocks, ethical questions of food versus fuel, petroleum price volatility, global recession, and overcapacity of production, according to a new report from Pike Research. The report forecasts that, despite these significant challenges, the combined biodiesel and ethanol markets will reach $247bn in sales by 2020, up from just $76bn in 2010.

NewNet CSR Profile: Standard Chartered

18th June 2009

Standard Chartered has been financing renewable and clean technology projects for over five years. Yulanda Chung, head of sustainable business, discusses the bank’s approach to sustainable finance, energy efficiency and environmental strategy.

‘Our role as financers provides us with a significant opportunity to promote responsible environmental stewardship, socially responsible development and good governance. By bringing international standards to emerging markets and working with our clients to help them meet these standards we are able to be a force for good and open up new markets for them.’

US technology company MagneGas secures agreement to begin commercial sale of renewable fuel

16th June 2009

MagneGas Corporation, a US-producer of a metal cutting fuel and natural gas alternative made from liquid waste, has signed a fuel distribution agreement with Florida-based Crumpton Welding Supply.

Swedish waste energy company EcoEnergy and Ukrainian government sign €20bn agreement on construction of green energy facilities

15th June 2009

Swedish waste energy company EcoEnergy Scandinavia and the Ukrainian government have signed an agreement on constructing and operating waste incineration plants in the country.

New Earth Solutions awarded £40m waste management and recycling contract by West of England Partnership

15th June 2009

New Earth Solutions Group, the Dorset, UK-based waste treatment and renewable energy company, has been awarded a waste management contract by the West of England Partnership, a partnership of four local authorities, to handle a substantial part of the sub-region’s waste.

UK waste recycling technology company Sterecycle launches £200m expansion drive with new equity

15th June 2009

UK waste recycling technology company Sterecycle has announced a £200m expansion programme. As part of the programme, the company is raising £50m in new equity capital from institutional investors.

Private equity-backed waste water company Ostara opens US treatment facility

12th June 2009

Waste water technology company Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies has opened the first waste water treatment facility in the US to incorporate its technology on a commercial scale. The company is backed by Frog Capital, the London-based private equity firm that invests growth capital in cleantech and ICT businesses.

Global private equity firm Warburg Pincus in recapitalisation of Australian recycling and waste management company TransPacific

11th June 2009

Global private equity firm Warburg Pincus is to invest AUS$65m ($53m) in troubled waste management services company Transpacific as part of a recapitalisation.

PDM establishes UK food-chain recycling joint venture with SARIA Bio-Industries

11th June 2009

PDM Group has joined forces with European food-chain recycling businesses, SARIA Bio-Industries, to introduce its anaerobic digestion operation to the UK, operating under the name ReFood UK.