Investment Dollars Flow to Green Energy Start-Ups

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Investment Dollars Flow to Green Energy Start-Ups –
veebruar 4, 2010 · Lisa kommentaar

Green transportation is the hottest trend among investors in 2009.

Last year was “a very good year to be an electric car company,” said Dallas Kachan, managing director of consultant Clean Tech Group. The U.S. government was generous with grants and loans to this sector.

Tesla Motors Inc., a maker of high-end electric sports vehicles, secured $83 million in venture capital funding and $465 million in low-interest loans from the Energy Department last year. It is expanding its line to include a family sedan.

Another effort drawing interest from investors, in part for the mystery surrounding it, is V-Vehicle Co. It secured about $100 million in venture-capital financing last year and is currently expanding a facility in northern Louisiana to build a 725,000-square-foot plant.

Wall Street Journal

=> Investment Dollars Flow to Green Energy Start-Ups – Wall Street Journal.

FULL TEXT:
Start-ups developing products aimed at wringing every last drop of efficiency from green technologies have become the standouts in the increasingly crowded field of renewable energy.

These companies are gaining favor, in part because they don’t require a lot of cash to bootstrap, a big draw at a time when there’s not much financing available.

Other winners in the investor sweepstakes are companies seeking to replace existing power grids to allow utilities to interact with home appliances, turning them on when power demand is low and electricity is cheaper. Makers of more efficient electric cars are also getting cash, with the U.S. government providing large loan guarantees.

[CLEANTECH]Meanwhile, investor interest in turning inedible plants into liquid fuels has cooled. Building biorefineries can cost well over $100 million and venture capitalists aren’t ready to underwrite these experiments after some high profile crashes triggered in part by falling oil and natural gas prices.

Two big deals worth a combined $500 million highlight the changing sentiment. Industrial conglomerate United Technologies Corp., best known for its helicopters, jumped into the wind business. Another deal brought chip maker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. into solar.

In the third quarter of 2009, clean energy received 19% of venture capital investment in the U.S., second only to biotechnology, according to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association.

“There are multiple drivers,” said Neil S. Suslak, managing partner of Braemar Energy Ventures. Among them: a desire to cut greenhouse gas emissions, upgrade aging power systems and find domestic sources of energy.

Here’s a look at key sectors and companies in the clean-energy industry.
Energy Efficiency

Using technology to reduce energy consumption is by far the hottest sector right now. A big reason is that the companies behind this approach promise a shorter path to profitability.

Start-ups can move quickly to a revenue-producing business, said Joe Muscat, Ernst & Young’s Americas cleantech director, “so that has attracted a lot of people to that sector.”

In the public markets, companies such as energy-management firm EnerNOC Inc. and low-energy LED lighting specialist Cree Inc. were darlings last year. Both stocks more than quadrupled in 2009. Cree emerged as a leader in low-energy lighting as interest in replacing incandescent bulbs soared. EnerNOC sells low-cost ways to cut corporate power bills.

Private start-ups may have been even hotter among venture capitalists and private equity investors. One that has drawn a buzz from investors is Serious Materials Inc. It sells energy-efficient windows and later this year will add a type of drywall that emits less greenhouse gas during manufacturing than gypsum. Growing interest in “green” buildings has helped boost revenue.

Also triggering a lot of interest are companies such as Powervation Ltd., which is working on power-saving semiconductor chips and software to run computer servers and networks.
Solar

Some industry observers believe solar power is ready to rapidly mature and expand. But the sector faces challenges, including a glut of solar panels driving down prices and cutbacks in government subsidies.

None of this stopped Solyndra Inc. from filing in December for an IPO. It makes cylindrical solar-power generating tubes for commercial rooftops such as warehouses, a design it says offers a low installation costs and high electricity production per square foot.
Smart Grid

Improving outmoded electricity-delivery systems is a top priority for governments. Swiss-based Landis+Gyr AG raised $100 million last year to expand its smart-meter business.

Silver Spring Networks Inc. builds the networking equipment to enable smart meters to communicate with utilities. It also sells software and services to power utilities to manage all this data and make sense of it. The company is believed to be contemplating an IPO this year. Tendril Inc., a Colorado start-up that raised $30 million last year, is focused on energy-management equipment for home owners. “Most of the people we are working with are convinced that some form of carbon [emissions] cap or tax is coming,” said Chief Executive Adrian Tuck.
Wind

Turning the earth’s winds into electrical power is the most mature and well-developed renewable energy. Many of the companies in the sector are already quite large, such as Spanish wind farm developer Iberdrola Renovables SA and turbine maker General Electric Co.

This sector also hosted the largest renewable energy IPO last year. That was China Longyuan Electric Power Group’s $2.2 billion debut on the Hong Kong exchange. (The second largest was a $380 million offering by Boston-based A123 Systems Inc., a leader in the development of batteries for electric cars and hybrids.)
Transport

Last year was “a very good year to be an electric car company,” said Dallas Kachan, managing director of consultant Clean Tech Group. The U.S. government was generous with grants and loans to this sector.

Tesla Motors Inc., a maker of high-end electric sports vehicles, secured $83 million in venture capital funding and $465 million in low-interest loans from the Energy Department last year. It is expanding its line to include a family sedan.

Another effort drawing interest from investors, in part for the mystery surrounding it, is V-Vehicle Co. It secured about $100 million in venture-capital financing last year and is currently expanding a facility in northern Louisiana to build a 725,000-square-foot plant.
Biofuels

Once a red-hot sector, interest in turning plants and waste into liquid fuel has waned recently. The cost of building a commercial-scale biorefinery—needed to test novel approaches—is in the neighborhood of $100 million. Companies have found it hard to get support in the current economic environment.

One of the exceptions is Canadian Enerkem Corp. In December, it received a $50 million grant from the U.S. government to build a waste-to-ethanol facility in Mississippi. It is also building a biorefinery in Edmonton, Alberta.

Rubriigid: Ärimudelid
Sildistatud: Investeeringud
Events: Vehicle Battery Summit in Shanghai, September 2010
veebruar 4, 2010 · Lisa kommentaar

SAE International will hold a Vehicle Battery Summit in Shanghai, China, 1-2 September 2010. The event intends to bring together engineers, scientists and corporate decision makers from the battery, automotive, utility and lithium mining industries. The Summit is co-sponsored by the Society of Automotive Engineers of China (SAE-China), and organized in cooperation with Advanced Automotive Batteries USA and the China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC).

The Summit is designed to provide corporate-level engineering and business decision makers with an assessment of current and near term Li-ion battery systems alternatives and capabilities; as well as critical marketplace and supply chain information.

The program compares technological advances occurring worldwide, including developments in the Europe, Taiwan, Korea, the US and in particular China. It also examines growth projections for the electrified vehicle/battery markets and explores their implications for the global marketplace—thereby providing the insight required for optimum business decision-making. Reliability and safety issues as well as other challenges the industry faces, including standardization, will also be addressed.

Menahem Anderman, Ph.D., will serve as chairperson for the summit. Dr. Anderman, President of Advanced Automotive Batteries, USA and founder of Total Battery Consulting, Inc., is a broad-based battery expert who has taken both lithium- and nickel-based products from material research, through product development, and into the marketplace. He is a well-known inventor, speaker, and author, and is a recognized authority in technology assessment and battery technology legal cases.

More details will be published on the event website as they become available.

Green Car Congress

=> SAE International to Host Vehicle Battery Summit in Shanghai.

Rubriigid: Sündmused
Zongshen signals intent to invest in Mission Motors
veebruar 4, 2010 · Lisa kommentaar

Mission Motors Mission One – Click above for high-res image gallery

Powerhouse Chinese motorcycle manufacturer Zonghshen has signaled its intent to invest in California-basedMission Motors. At this point, nothing more than a letter of intent has been signed, but the deal would give Zongshen access to Mission’s proprietary electric drivetrain technology as well as allow Mission access into the Asian markets and give the start-up a fresh injection of cash.

Before any deal takes place, Zongshen has requested a full three-year business plan from Mission, due before the end of the month. If all goes well – which is still a very large ‘if’ at this point – some sort of deal could be completed by June of this year.

AutoblogGreen

=> Zongshen signals intent to invest in Mission Motors.

Rubriigid: E-rattad | Rollerid | Motikad
Sildistatud: Investeeringud
Is Chery designing an electric jeep for Better Place?
veebruar 4, 2010 · Lisa kommentaar

In reporting on a $350 million funding round for Better Place, we said that we doubted another automaker besides Nissan-Renault is building vehicles that would work with the company’s battery-swapping system. Might a report in Globes prove us wrong? According to the Israeli business news site, the “Chinese media” has disclosed that the Chery-Quantum joint venture (a 50 percent stake of which is held by Israel Corp., Better Place’s chief investor) is designing a compact electric jeep at a studio in Milan code-named T21. Said jeep would have a “double floor” that will accommodate a swappable battery they suggest may use cells from A123 and generally resemble a small version of the Chery Tiggo. Got all that? Is it true?

While we finally had to admit defeat in finding a Chinese media outlet discussing a creature exactly as described by Globes, we did find reference to a T21. From what we can tell from those reports, the T21 is not a jeep and not electric. Heck, it’s not even designed in Milan. According to the Chinese media sites (via Google translate) that we checked out, the T21 is actually a compact SUV dubbed the Chery Tiggo 5 (pictured above), designed in Turin, that had been axed but is now being put back on the menu. Now, perhaps there is a stone out there big enough to hide a jeep under that we left unturned but all signs seem to point this Better Place battery-swapper to be non-existent, though if you can prove otherwise, we’d be happy to hear about it.

As far as we know, plans are still in place for Chery to sell some eco-friendly cars, beginning with the electric S18 (though it may now be called the Riich M1 EV) as early as this June. And its batteries don’t swap.

AutoblogGreen

=> Is Chery designing an electric jeep for Better Place?.

Rubriigid: Elektriautod
Sildistatud: Better Place
Chinese electric car charging station standards to be announced in June
veebruar 3, 2010 · Lisa kommentaar

China is expected to release its standard for nation wide electric power stations in June this year. Shenzhen city, the home of electric pioneer BYD, is reportedly planning 20,000 electric charging stations which will make it the worlds pioneer in vehicle charging.

In 2010, the Chinese State Grid has set its eyes on the next big area for profits, they are working with Tianjin Qing Yuan, BYD, and Chery on setting a standard for charging that will be utilized in China, and more than likely across the rest of the world.

CCT will keep you updated on the progress of the talks.

China Car Times

=> Chinese electric car charging station standards to be announced in June.

Rubriigid: Laadimissüsteemid · Standardid
Sildistatud: Hiina
Arkema Showcasing Kynar PVDF Resins for Li-ion Batteries at Advanced Automotive Batteries Conference Europe
veebruar 3, 2010 · Lisa kommentaar

Arkema is showcasing its Kynar resins designed specifically for lithium-ion cells at the Advanced Automotive Batteries Conference (AABC) in Mainz, Germany (2-5 February). This is the first European version of the AABC conference, held annually in the US.

Arkema’s new binder for lithium-ion batteries, Kynar HSV 900 PVDF, is a high-molecular weight resin that provides improved adhesion with reduced loading in electrode constructions. This grade enhances the performance of both phosphates and metal oxides, according to the company.

Kynar polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) resins are highly stable polymers that offer a balance of performance properties. From the beginnings of lithium technology, Arkema has worked closely with scientists to design batteries with higher charge density. From this has come Kynar and Kynar Flex resins that are polymers for use in both polymer and liquid cell lithium batteries.

Benefits of Kynar and Kynar Flex resins include, according to Arkema:

* exceptional purity, which avoids interference with electrochemical reactions,
* high electrochemical, thermal and chemical stability,
* ease of processing,
* excellent adhesion within electrodes.

Arkema has more than 40 years experience in coating, film and polymer technologies.

Green Car Congress

=> Arkema Showcasing Kynar PVDF Resins for Li-ion Batteries at Advanced Automotive Batteries Conference Europe.

Rubriigid: Akutehnoloogiad
BikeAsia Turns Into Green Mobility Event
veebruar 3, 2010 · Lisa kommentaar

SINGAPORE – Having reached its third edition, the concept of BikeAsia is overhauled completely. Initially started as a two-wheeler show, it will now present the modern green mobility: two-wheel zero emission vehicles, hybrid and electric motorcycles and scooters, power-assisted bicycles, as well as traditional bicycles and accessories such as batteries.

BikeAsia 2010, taking place in Singapore from Friday 21 to Sunday 23 May is taking this huge step by concentrating on vehicles that will provide mobility in the future. It will not just present products and concepts but it will be a cultural event.

“The products will not be exhibited as people are used to in the industry”, said Jermaine Tan of BikeAsia. “No fair with one booth for each exhibitor, but one enormous stand where each exhibitor will present their main product or products using unusual forms: igloos, containers, curved walls, totems. One of the main advantages is that participating in BikeAsia will cost just a fraction of what you would pay to exhibit in a traditional event.

“BikeAsia is set to become the annual event to see, propose, and debate on pollution-free mobility. An exhibition-convention, an entirely new event accompanied by a high-level Forum.”

Singapore is called as the ideal workshop for the use and study of electrical vehicles because of the small, densely populated country, with an average distance covered of less than 55 kilometre per day, per vehicle, a robust and wide-reaching electrical and ITC industry and with local authorities committed to supporting the development of necessary infrastructures.

Bike Europe – Website for Bike Professionals

=> BikeAsia Turns Into Green Mobility Event.

Rubriigid: E-rattad | Rollerid | Motikad
Tajima shows off EV Mini Sport, a really expensive single-seat electric vehicle
veebruar 3, 2010 · Lisa kommentaar

The price tag for the new EV Mini Sport single-seat electric vehicle from Tajima Motor Corp. reads ¥2,079,000 (that’s about $23,024 U.S. at today’s exchange rate). This isn’t totally crazy for an electric vehicle, because we all know that advanced light and powerful batteries are pricey. Wait, what’d you say? That’s the price without a battery? Ouch.

Unveiled as part of the 1st EV & HEV Drive System Technology Expo in Tokyo this week, the EV Mini Sport weighs just 660 pounds and can use either lead acid batteries (for $2,500 extra) or lithium polymer batteries (at an additional price of $4,300). Those packs will push the little racer around for 25 kilometers with the lead acids or all the way to 90 km (range rated at 40 kilometers an hour). The vehicle, technically a motorized bicycle, has a top speed of 70 kmh. Longer and two-seat versions are possible, should Tajima decide to export the EV Mini Sport outside of Japan. We admit it’s pretty sweet, but $23k for a batteries-not-included toy? Wow. Check it out in the video after the break.

AutoblogGreen

=> Tajima shows off EV Mini Sport, a really expensive single-seat electric vehicle.

Rubriigid: prototüübid
New Coaxial Nanocables Show Enhanced Rate, Energy and Cycling Performance as Li-ion Electrode Materials; Yin-Yang Principle Extensible to Other Electrochemical Storage Devices
veebruar 3, 2010 · Lisa kommentaar

Researchers in China and Germany have coated carbon nanotubes (CNT) with a nanoporous layer of TiO2 to create coaxial nanocables for use as electrode materials in Li-ion batteries (LIB). The CNT@TiO2 coaxial nanocables show excellent rate capability, energy and cycling performance compared with both pure CNT and pure TiO2 when used as anode materials for LIBs.

Both the specific capacity in the CNT core and that in the TiO2 sheath are much higher than that of the TiO2-free CNT and that of the CNT-free TiO2 sample, respectively. A paper on the work was published online 22 January in the ACS journalChemistry of Materials.

While the carbon nanotubes assist the storage in TiO2 by providing electrons, the nanoporous TiO2 sheath assists the storage in the carbon nanotubes by enabling rapid access of Li+ from the liquid electrolyte. As the roles of ions and electrons are very different but complementing (compare acid-base activity with redox activity), the mutually beneficial role of the two intimately connected components TiO2 (providing Li+ for CNT) and CNT (providing electrons for TiO2) finds a picturesque metaphor in the Chinese yin-yang principle.

Green Car Congress

=> New Coaxial Nanocables Show Enhanced Rate, Energy and Cycling Performance as Li-ion Electrode Materials; Yin-Yang Principle Extensible to Other Electrochemical Storage Devices.

Rubriigid: Akutehnoloogiad
Sildistatud: Nanotehnoloogiad
365 Energy Enables Cross-border Billing and Roaming for EV Users in Amsterdam and Bochum
veebruar 2, 2010 · Lisa kommentaar

365 Energy and the cities of Amsterdam, the Netherlands and Bochum, Germany have started operations of a cross-country billing and roaming system for EV charging. The platform allows for electric vehicles (EVs) to be charged in various European cities by using a single customer ID card issued by the municipalities.

With the networked billing and roaming, EV users will not only be able to access ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations in Europe with the same ID, they will also receive an integrated invoice at the end of each billing period.

There will be no extra charge for roaming, since these cities open their ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations for each other. In the near future, this will enable EV drivers to buy the electricity from their preferred provider.

The city of Amsterdam and the city of Bochum’s public utility company Stadtwerke Bochum GmbH have been the first to install ChargePoint charging stations in the Netherlands and Germany, respectively, and are again front-runners to offer EV users this service. Other European cities, such as London and Lisbon and Milan are expected to follow.ChargePoint Networked Charging Stationsare developed by US-based Coulomb Technologies and exclusively marketed in Europe, the Middle East and Africa by 365 Energy. The ChargePoint Network is open to all drivers of electric vehicles and provides authentication, management, and real-time control through multiple web-based portals for hosts, fleet managers, drivers, and utilities.

365 Energy is the international partner of Coulomb Technologies and an investment management company belonging to Estag Capital AG in Berlin.

Green Car Congress

=> 365 Energy Enables Cross-border Billing and Roaming for EV Users in Amsterdam and Bochum.

Rubriigid: Ärimudelid
Sildistatud: 365 Energy, Coulomb
Jackie Chan hakkab müüma Brammo elektrimootorrattaid
veebruar 2, 2010 · Lisa kommentaar

JHan

Tuntud Hong Kongi näitleja Jackie Chan’i osalusel tegutsev firma JCAM Advanced Mobility Company Ltd. hakkab Hong Kong’is ja Singapuris Brammo elektrimootorrataste edasimüüjaks, edastab Plugbike.

Juba varem tegutses sama firma Segway personaalsõidukite müüjana Lõuna-Koreas, Hiinas, Hong Kong’is, Macau’s, Malaisias, Singapuris, Vietanamis, Filipiinidel ja Indoneesias.

Selles valguses ei tule üllatusena ka teade, et Chan’i uusimas filmis “Chinese Zodiac” on üheks ekraanil vilksatavaks sõiduriistaks Brammo Enertia elektrimootorratas.

MOTOMAANIA

=> Jackie Chan hakkab müüma Brammo elektrimootorrattaid.

Rubriigid: E-rattad | Rollerid | Motikad
Sildistatud: Brammo