News

• Kior raises $150m on lower offer price

  24 June 2011

  Texas-based biofuels company Kior raised $150 million after it dropped its initial public offering (IPO) price by nearly 30%.

• GE announces $63m in clean-tech investment

  23 June 2011

  General Electric and its venture capital partners will invest $63 million across ten home energy companies in areas such as solar and LED lighting, as part of the second phase of the technology giant's sustainable business strategy.

• Clean-tech private equity not 'overfunded' - SAM

  23 June 2011

  Zurich-based investment group SAM has challenged the idea that the clean-tech sector is overfunded, saying "many billions" of dollars of private equity capital investment is needed by 2020, in order to meet energy targets.

• 'Carnage' in European carbon market as prices fall to 15-month low

  23 June 2011

  EU carbon prices have slumped 15% in one week, as a slew of bearish news took its toll on the markets.

• Wealthy US families pool resources in $1.4bn clean-tech fund

  23 June 2011

  Eleven wealthy US families have formed the Cleantech Syndicate, to invest $1.4 billion in clean technology companies over the next five years.

• Google, Citi pour more money into giant US wind project

  23 June 2011

  Google and investment bank Citi have boosted their investments in the largest wind farm in the US.

• Kior raises IPO target, appoints Condi

  23 June 2011

  Former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is to join the board of biofuels company Kior, as the firm aims to raise more than $241 million in an initial public offering (IPO).

• EU energy efficiency proposal 'destined for failure', say enviros

  23 June 2011

  The European Commission has put forward a proposal which it claims will enable the EU to meets its 2020 energy efficiency target. But the EU executive body has shied away from making the target binding and environmental lobbyists claim that the proposal is therefore destined for failure.

• Renewables developers urged to set up 'captive' insurance firms

  23 June 2011

  Renewable energy project developers should consider using 'captive' insurance companies to cover risks that are difficult or expensive to insure in the commercial market, according to a top insurance broker.

• $800m solar fund to build 1GW of PV

  23 June 2011

  A new renewable energy fund will invest $800 million to bring more than 1GW of photovoltaic (PV) projects online in North America over the next five years.