Thomas R. Burton Brady Berg Evan M. Bienstock Faith L. Charles Ralph A. Child Daniel I. DeWolf David P. Dutil Susan L. Foster Jeremy B. Hayden Richard A. Kanoff Patrick J. Kealy Jonathan L. Kravetz Carl A. Kukkonen III David J. Leiter David L. O’Connor Chuck A. Samuels Paul J. Scapicchio Gabriel Schnitzler Sahir C. Surmeli Stanley A. Twarog Michael D. Van Loy Peter Zlotnick
|
In the November edition of Mintz Levin’s Energy and Clean Tech Connections, we’ve gathered recent information from a wide variety of sources in an effort to keep you abreast of what’s new in the world of clean energy. We draw your attention to the latest industry developments, news from Beacon Hill to Capitol Hill, grant opportunities, and upcoming events. We bring this newsletter to you amidst a torrent of clean-energy-related events in the Boston area this week. As the 4th Annual Cleantech Conference wraps up tonight, Ignite Clean Energy will host the 2009 Kickoff of its business plan competition. Today also saw the start of the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, which will feature industry leaders and experts in the green building revolution. Finally, on Thursday the Harvard Business School will host “Biofuels: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” a presentation featuring Israeli scientist Dr. Isaac Berzin. For more information on these conferences and events, please see Events below. The Energy and Clean Technology practice group would also like to alert you to two clean tech events that Mintz Levin will be sponsoring in the coming weeks. On Wednesday, December 3rd, the MIT Enterprise Forum of Cambridge and the MIT Energy Club will host “The War for Water” on MIT’s campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The event will highlight the opportunities and challenges facing start-ups in the water arena. In addition, on December 16th, our San Diego office will present “Biofuels as an Alternative to Fossil Fuel,” a seminar at which Professor Shimon Gepstein will speak on new developments in the production of biofuels, as well as their industrial and business applications. We are pleased to announce that Mintz Levin attorneys Jeremy Hayden and Carl A. Kukkonen III recently authored the San Diego Daily Transcript article, “Solar and Small Wind - Poised to Weather the Economic Storm,” which argues that the clean tech sector is well positioned for continued growth despite the current global financial crisis, highlighting factors such as the “bailout” tax incentives and green job growth. We hope that you enjoy this month’s edition of the newsletter. In This Edition Acquisitions in Smart Grid: Get Used to It Greentech Media - November 7, 2008 BP Plans to Focus on US Wind Market Renewable Energy World - November 10, 2008 Funding Roundup: CaliSolar, ENN Solar Grab Millions Greentech Media - November 10, 2008 Robeco Raises $650 Million and Wants More Greentech Media - November 7, 2008 ENN Solar Gets $136 Million from World Bank Member Greentech Media - November 6, 2008 Ethanol Industry Update: VeraSun Files for Bankruptcy, Poet & KL Energy Move Forward Renewable Energy World - November 4, 2008 CaliSolar Snags $101.9 Million for UMG-Silicon Cells Greentech Media - November 3, 2008 Money, Research Spur Race for Algae as Fuel Source The Seattle Times - November 1, 2008 Utilities Putting New Energy into Geothermal Sources Los Angeles Times - November 3, 2008 SolarCity Gets $30 Million in Funding from First Solar, Other Investors Los Angeles Times - October 30, 2008 Clean Energy Angel Fund Makes First Investments Greentech Media - October 30, 2008 VCs Predict Greentech Investment Slowdown Greentech Media - October 28, 2008 Wind Industry Installs 1,400 MW in Third Quarter of 2008 Renewable Energy World - October 24, 2008 Duke Halves Its US $100 Million Solar Energy Plan Renewable Energy World - October 24, 2008 Wind Turbine Shortage Over? Greentech Media - October 23, 2008 Energy Financing Gone with the Wind Greentech Media - October 22, 2008 China Pulls in Green Energy Investment Greentech Media - October 22, 2008 Cobalt Biofuels Gets $25 Million Cleantech Group - October 20, 2008 Israeli Greentech Companies Make Their Pitch Greentech Media - November 11, 2008 Meltdown 101: The Effect of the Economic Crisis on Alternative Energy Companies Chicago Tribune - November 12, 2008 US Electric Utility Industry Needs US $2 Trillion Investment by 2030 Renewable Energy World - November 11, 2008 Global Investors Urge Action on Climate Change The Washington Post - November 11, 2008 Vattenfall Buys Rights to Build £780 Million Offshore Wind Farm Cleantech Group - November 11, 2008 LG Shoots Down Conergy Deal Greentech Media - November 7, 2008 UK Overtakes Denmark in Offshore Wind and Announces Feed-in Tariff Plans Renewable Energy World - October 24, 2008 SolFocus Inks $103 Million CPV Deal in Spain Cleantech Group - November 3, 2008 Funding Roundup: UK, Qatar Team on £250 Million Fund Greentech Media - November 3, 2008 UK Group Plans to Cut the Costs of Offshore Wind Renewable Energy World - October 31, 2008 Dutch Farmers Ready for Wind Energy Renewable Energy World - October 31, 2008 Solaria Has a Solar Park Deal for You Greentech Media - October 27, 2008 Drax, Siemens Plan £2 Billion Biomass Venture Cleantech Group - October 24, 2008 Norway Fast-Tracks Hydrogen Highway Cleantech Group - October 20, 2008 Ocean Power Technologies Goes Hawaiian Greentech Media - November 12, 2008 Ontario Puts CAN $5 Million into Renewable Energy and Cleantech Research Renewable Energy World - November 11, 2008 California PUC to Allow Greater Flexibility in RPS Compliance via Use of Unbundled RECs Renewable Energy World - November 10, 2008 Missouri Votes Yes on 15% Renewable Portfolio Standard Renewable Energy World - November 7, 2008 DOE Extends Application Deadline for Renewable Energy Loan Guarantee Solicitation Press Release, US Department of Energy - October 29, 2008 FPL Energy Cuts 400 MW of Wind Energy Plans Renewable Energy World - October 27, 2008 California Sinks Its First Wave Energy Project Greentech Media - October 24, 2008 Department of Energy Announces $7 Million in Funding for Climate Research Field Studies Press Release, US Department of Energy - October 23, 2008 More State, County, City Governments Expected to Offer Residential Financing Renewable Energy World - October 17, 2008 Electricity Prices in Northeast Not Likely to Increase from Carbon Costs Energy and Clean Technology Alert, Mintz Levin - November 12, 2008 Breaking News: Massachusetts Extends Deadline to Comply with Data Security Standards to May 1, 2009 Privacy and Security Alert, Mintz Levin - November 14, 2008 Federal Circuit Narrows Scope of Patentable Business Methods IP Advisory, Mintz Levin - November 5, 2008 Elizabeth B. Burnett and Tracy A. Miner Inducted As Fellows into Prestigious Litigation Counsel of America Press Release, Mintz Levin - November 4, 2008 Navigating the Current Financial Crisis Global Financial Crisis Advisory, Mintz Levin - October 31, 2008 Fifth Circuit Reiterates That Participants in Standard Setting Must Take the Bad with the Good Antitrust Advisory, Mintz Levin - October 30, 2008 Mintz Levin Financial Advisors Robert Glovsky Elected as Chair-Elect of Certified Financial Planners Board Press Release, Mintz Levin - October 29, 2008 Forty-Six Mintz Levin Attorneys Recognized Press Release, Mintz Levin - October 29, 2008 Venture Capital and Private Equity Funds Need to Reconsider the Indemnification Rights of its Director Designees Venture Capital Advisory, Mintz Levin - October 29, 2008 Mintz Levin Expands its Nationally Recognized Domestic Violence Pro Bono Program to San Diego Press Release, Mintz Levin - October 27, 2008 Breaking News: FTC “Red Flags Rule” Enforcement Delayed Privacy and Security Alert, Mintz Levin - October 22, 2008 Bureau of Industry and Security Announces Intra-Company Transfer License Exception International Trade Alert, Mintz Levin - October 21, 2008 New York State Energy Research and Development Authority NYSERDA seeks proposals to support the development, demonstration, and commercialization of environmentally preferred power systems and energy storage technologies. The solicitation includes four categories: new product development (funding up to $1,000,000); early stage innovative product feasibility and technology transfer studies (funding up to $250,000); energy storage demonstration projects (funding up to $1,500,000); and other demonstration projects (funding up to $1,500,000). Application Deadline: January 14, 2009 The Clean Coal Power Initiative The CCPI Round 3 Announcement seeks advanced coal-based projects that have progressed beyond the research and development stage to a point of readiness for operation at a scale that, once demonstrated, can be readily replicated and deployed into commercial practice within the electric power industry. The announcement is specifically targeting advanced coal-based systems and subsystems that capture and sequester, or put to beneficial reuse, carbon dioxide emissions. The announcement is also open to any coal-based, advanced carbon capture technologies that result in co-benefits with respect to efficiency, environmental, or economic improvements potentially capable of achieving CCPI coal technology performance levels specified in the EPACT 2005, Title IV, Subtitle A, Section 402 (Table 1). DOE’s goals in this Announcement are to demonstrate at commercial scale in a commercial setting technologies that (1) operate at 90% carbon capture efficiency (2) make progress toward capture and sequestration at less than 10% increase in the COE, and (3) make progress toward capture and sequestration of 50% of plant CO2 output at a scale sufficient to evaluate impact of the carbon capture technology on plant operations, economics, and performance. At least 300,000 tons per year of carbon dioxide emissions from the demonstration plant must be captured and sequestered or put to beneficial reuse. The carbon capture process must operate at a capture efficiency of at least 90%. Application Deadline: January 15, 2009 The Energy Foundation Grants The Energy Foundation is a partnership of major donors interested in solving the world’s energy problems. Their mission is to advance energy efficiency and renewable energy—new technologies that are essential components of a clean energy future. The Renewable Fuels Foundation Offers The Renewable Fuels Foundation (RFF) Board of Directors funds those research projects that have clear goals and measurable outcomes with benchmarks that will advance the science of ethanol production. While sound research should be the basis for all grant applications, the RFF will only support projects that directly enhance domestic production of ethanol and the efficient use of co-products. One grant will be awarded for $150,000, of which $75,000 will be made available over two years. Viable projects may qualify for continued funding past this time frame. Research project proposals must have a national implication, not local. The RFF prefers to fund national model projects, thereby making a bigger impact to the US ethanol market. Business Expansion Initiative Business Expansion Initiative (BEI) supports the development and expansion of the production capacity of renewable energy technology firms in Massachusetts. BEI provides secured debt capital to expansion-stage companies for new renewable energy product design and manufacturing financing. BEI loans may only be made to companies located within Massachusetts. The Carbon Trust The Carbon Trust, via an incubator scheme, helps prepare promising early stage companies in the UK to raise the investment needed to grow their business. They work with early-stage companies who have developed innovative carbon-saving technologies, demonstrating commercial potential and high-growth potential. The Carbon Trust is funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR), the Scottish Government, the Welsh Assembly Government and Invest Northern Ireland. The scheme aims to create investment opportunities in technology start-up companies developing low-carbon technologies. Companies accepted for incubation will receive up to £60,000 of financial support from the Carbon Trust over a 12–18 month period. The Carbon Trust incubator scheme, which accelerates the commercialization of promising low-carbon businesses, has announced partnerships with business advisory firm Grant Thornton and a commercial law firm local to Cambridge (Mills & Reeve LLP), to provide corporate finance and legal advisory support to its incubator companies. Greenbuild in Massachusetts November 19, 2008 Ignite Clean Energy 09 Kickoff November 19, 2008 Clean and Green Entrepreneurship and the Environment MIT Enterprise Forum Greenbuild International Conference and Expo 2008 November 19–21, 2008 AWEA Wind Energy Fall Symposium 2008 November 19–21, 2008 Biofuels: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly November 20, 2008 2008 CleanICT Summit November 20–21, 2008 9th Forum Solarpraxis November 20–21, 2008 Energy-Photovoltaic 2008 November 20–23, 2008 ISES 3rd Asia Pacific Conference November 25–28, 2008 Casa Energia Expo November 25–December 8, 2008 USEA Dialogue: Promoting Energy Efficiency Through Deploying Combined Heat & Power Systems December 1, 2008 2nd Energy Efficiency Finance and Investment Forum December 1–2, 2008 Solar Convention Las Vegas 2008 December 1–4, 2008 Corporate Water Footprinting December 2–3, 2008 Solar Innovation and Investment USA December 2–3, 2008 First PHOTON PV Thin-Film and Utility Conference December 2–4, 2009 AWCA 2008 Fall Conference & Exposition December 2–4, 2008 The War for Water December 3, 2008 Houston Facilities & Sustainable Building December 3–4, 2008 Cleantech Forum XX December 3–5, 2008 Tech Conference 2008 December 4, 2008 Energaia International Renewable Energies Exhibition December 10–12, 2008 Renewable Energy Asia 2008 December 11–13, 2008 Biofuels as an Alternative to Fossil Fuel December 16, 2008 Carbon Markets North America 2009 January 15–16, 2009 Voluntary Carbon Markets USA January 22–23, 2009 3rd European Renewable Energy Policy Conference February 9–11, 2008 BioPower Generation February 12–13, 2009 International Solar Energy Expo & Conference 2009 February 25–27, 2009 Green Energy Summit March 3–7 2009 Renewable Energy World Conference & Expo North America March 10–12, 2009 World Biofuels Markets March 16–18, 2009 Biomass 2009: Fueling Our Future March 17–18, 2009 |
||
| Boston | Washington | New York | Stamford | Los Angeles | Palo Alto | San Diego | London | |||
|
Copyright © 2008 Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. This communication may be considered attorney advertising under the rules of some states. The information and materials contained herein have been provided as a service by the law firm of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.; however, the information and materials do not, and are not intended to, constitute legal advice. Neither transmission nor receipt of such information and materials will create an attorney-client relationship between the sender and receiver. The hiring of an attorney is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements or solicitations. Users are advised not to take, or refrain from taking, any action based upon the information and materials contained herein without consulting legal counsel engaged for a particular matter. Furthermore, prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. The distribution
list is maintained at Mintz Levin’s main office, located at One Financial
Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02111. If you no longer wish to receive electronic
mailings from the firm, please visit http:// |
|||