Corporate/Finance | Renewbl.com

Category: Corporate/Finance

Envision Solar, GRID Solar announce solar alliance

May 7th, 2010 | Posted in Solar

Envision Solar International announces a partnership with GRID Solar to help property owners to create environmentally sustainable commercial, retail and industrial installations.

The partnership enables companies to incorporate large-scale solar developments without the need for major upfront investment, making clean energy a sound environmental solution that is financially attractive. The alliance will provide financing options for commercial developments to integrate Envision Solar's innovative products, which include Solar Trees, Solar Rows and others.

Envision Solar has an extensive portfolio of solar parking arrays and solar integrated building solutions at several locations including Dell, Kyocera, Centocor, University of California and others.

On the other hand, GRID Solar and its parent GRID Partners have a strong track record of providing a range of consultancy, installation and financial services for major commercial and industrial developments, and are renowned for working with innovative companies.

[source: Envision Solar]

Hilti acquires Unirac, U.S.-based solar company

May 7th, 2010 | Posted in Solar

Hilti Group is extending its North American presence with the purchase of Unirac, U.S. based provider of PV solar mounting solutions.

The combination of Hilti and Unirac broadens both companies' product portfolio and enhances their current market reach and service to provide unique opportunities for customers as they develop their solar sites. While Hilti gains significant share in the PV mounting business in North America, Unirac extends its reach through Hilti's global presence.

Unirac will continue to be based in Albuquerque, N.M., and operate under its existing name and management structure led by President and CEO Doug May.

And for the record, Hilti is purchasing Unirac from the Global Environment Fund (GEF), a U.S.-based private equity firm.

[source: Hilti Group]

Linamar and NCB Lohmann form strategic partnership for wind turbine component production in America

May 7th, 2010 | Posted in Wind

Linamar Corporation, a global manufacturing company for highly engineered products, and NCB Lohmann, a manufacturer of wind turbine components based in Germany, have announced the formation of a strategic alliance, under which the two companies will get involved in wind turbine component production for customers in North America.

Both companies feel the synergy of Linamar's engineering and manufacture capabilities and know-how and Lohmann's experience in the global wind industry will help the alliance achieve growth. Linamar will continue to manufacture wind turbine components at its facility in Guelph. The components, such as gearbox housings, planetary carriers, bearings housings and torque arms for large turbines, will be supplied to customers in North America, according to their specific needs.

Full capacity production, under the new alliance conditions, will begin later this year.

[source: Linamar]

EDF Energies Nouvelles Canada acquires larger share in Saint-Laurent Énergies

May 6th, 2010 | Posted in General

The Canadian subsidary of EDF Energies Nouvelles has acquired a larger stake in Saint-Laurent Énergies, previously belonging to Hydroméga Services. Saint-Laurent Énergies is a Montreal based wind energy developer.

Saint-Laurent Énergies was originally formed by EDF Energies Nouvelles Canada, RES Canada and Hydroméga Services to manage five Quebec based wind energy projects. Back in 2007, the company won development rights for 907 MW of capacity.

[source: EDF EN]

Van Oord opens office in Texas

May 4th, 2010 | Posted in General

Van Oord announced it will be officially opening its Houston, Texas office during the OTC Conference & Exhibition in Houston (May 3-6). The company is nesting its North American operation in the oil and gas capital of the Western Hemisphere. Houston is home to major oil and gas, engineering and other energy companies.

The company states the main goal of the new office is to reinforce Van Oord's business development capabilities for its worldwide offshore activities. Since Van Oord is also involved in offshore wind development activities, we will allow ourselves to speculate the Texas office will support these activities as well. If for no other reason, the offshore wind energy industry is just beginning to take off in North America, and a lot of activities are going to be happening along the east coast of the US.

[source: Van Oord]

Raser Technologies deepens collaboration with Hyundai Heavy Industries on renewable energy and EV tech

May 3rd, 2010 | Posted in General

Raser Technologies recently announced its plans for deeper collaboration with Hyundai Heavy Industries on renewable energy and electric vehicle technology. After a series of meetings in Korea and then in the company's headquarters in Provo, Utah, the two companies have announced they will work on clean energy and electric transportation, the two global trends which are gaining ever more momentum. The companies are hoping to be able to combine Raser's advanced electric motor and generator technology and HHI's experience in renewable energy development and generation.

The collaboration between the two companies has roots in 2006, when the initial agreement for RE and electric transportation development was conceived. Additional plans for the electric vehicle industry include the introduction of Raser's motor technology to the trucks and SUVs, which happen to be the highest selling class of vehicle in the US.

[source: Raser Technologies]

Guangdong MingYang Wind Power trialing China Wind Systems' products in 3 MW wind turbines

April 30th, 2010 | Posted in Wind

Guangdong MingYang Wind Power Technology has entered into an agreement with China Wind Systems (CWS) under which CWS is to supply Guangdong MingYang with forged products on a trial basis, which CWS will use in its 3 MW wind turbines.

The forged products in question are yaw brake discs and yaw sleeve gaskets. Once Guangdong MingYang has been satisfied with the performance of the installed parts, a much larger order is anticipated. China Wind Systems is looking forward to setting up a long-term partnership with Guangdong MingYang, which has seen a rise in demand for its wind turbines in the recent months, due to the strong expansion of wind energy in the region.

This agreement is another testament to the growing significance of the Chinese wind industry. Apart from the many global wind turbine manufacturers who are present on that market, such as Vestas or GE, domestic manufacturers are taking an ever more active participation in the Chinese market. With the growing demand, it wouldn't be surprising that Chinese wind companies become much stronger, and take a much larger portion of the global wind energy market.

[source: China Wind Systems, image: Guangdong MingYang Wind Power Technology]

DuPont: Our PV sales will grow more than 50% this year

April 29th, 2010 | Posted in Solar

DuPont expects its PV sales to grow over 50% this year as the solar industry experiences strong growth as a result of increased market demand for new installations in Europe, North America and parts of Asia. When put in numbers, DuPont talks about more than $1 billion in 2011, which is a year ahead of plan. The new plan is to exceed $2 billion in sales by 2014.

Last year, DuPont sales to the PV market exceeded $550 million – an increase of over 25% from the previous year – and outperformed the broader industry wich had an estimated growth of about 10%.

DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions touts its offering as the "broadest portfolio in the solar energy industry," with more than 10 products critical to PV production.

[source: DuPont]

AWS Truewind becomes AWS Truepower – expands strategic focus

April 28th, 2010 | Posted in General

AWS Truewind, long time leader in renewable energy consulting services, has taken a turn and rebranded the company into AWS Truepower. The new identity reflects the company's change in strategy, to include a broader range of products and solutions for the renewable energy industry mostly in the direction of the solar energy industry. Along with the change in name, the company announced a new suite of services aimed at solar project developers. The new tools will help developers assess, streamline and maximize deployment of solar energy systemes, as well as their operation.

Some of the new products and services are:

Resource Assessment: Desktop analysis and solar resource assessment campaigns
Energy Assessment: Conceptual design and energy production analysis
Project Consulting: Independent engineering and due diligence, as well as contract review
Operational Assessments: Solar plant performance evaluations
Solar Power Forecasting
Feasibility Studies

[source: AWS Truepower]

Activities taking place in order to support the Climate Bill in the US

April 28th, 2010 | Posted in General

The anticipated Climate Bill that was supposed to have been adopted by the US Congress, and bring a whole new set of rules to the climate change and energy management game, has been recalled for review. This puts the US government's effort to push the Climate Bill at a temporary stop. Meanwhile, activities are taking place that are supposed to provide additional support for the bill until the next upcoming voting session.

President Obama is doing his part by having visited the Siemens wind turbine production facility yesterday, at Ford Madison, Iowa. The president toured the facility and witnessed the production process for manufacturing a 2.3 Mw wind turbine. He then addressed an auditorium of some 300 employees, visitors and local representatives. He highlighted the facility as a good example of how clean energy technology can help revive local economies. The production facility has been in operation for three years now, and has enjoyed many benefits from the incentives and situmalae package provided by the US government, such as tax credits and additional stimulus funds from the state level.

Another big wind turbine manufacturer is also taking action – GE is touring the country with a giant 131 foot (~40 meters) wind turbine blade, made using the latest technology, which is to cruise around the country for 28 days, and provide a surface for signatures that will be used to support the petition. The message being promoted is "I am helping to build America's energy future". GE hopes the petition will influence governement leaders' view of renewable energy in America's future.

The Climate Bill has been regarded by supporters as the necessary change that will support the US' effort towards more energy independence and energy supply security, as well as job security for the long term.

[source: GE and Siemens]