Ascent Partners

Sunlogics to Acquire EPV Solar Germany and New Millennium Solar Equipment

October 10, 2011
Source: Clean Edge News

Sunlogics PLC, a vertically integrated global solar energy systems provider specializing in solar project development and installation, recently announced that it has acquired privately-held Phoenix Solar Holdings Corp and its operating subsidiaries, including EPV Solar Germany GmbH and New Millennium Solar Equipment Corp. With the completion of this transaction, Sunlogics now has the ability to manufacture solar panels, using its proprietary technology, in Europe, Asia and North America. The transaction included investments by GLG Partners LP, Tenor Capital, Atlas Investment Fund and Catalyst Investment Management Co LLC. Exact financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed, but did include Sunlogics receiving a $6 million equity investment.

The acquisition includes the photovoltaic manufacturing facility located in Senftenberg, Brandenburg, Germany. The 55,000 square feet, 30 MW plant entered production in 2008. The Company is in the process of finalizing an existing government grant and once resolved will increase production, staffing levels and project development initiatives. The Company also intends to invest up to $6 million in additional, proprietary manufacturing technology over the next few years. Moreover, the Senftenberg location will serve as the base for projected expansion in Europe. The Company has announced plans to relocate the acquired U.S. panel manufacturing equipment, representing 20MW of production, from New Jersey to Detroit, Michigan and Ontario, Canada.

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Completion of this transaction is evidence that big oil continues to nibble away at the biofuel business. While this is a tiny bite for BP, it supports the future trajectory of cellulosic biofuel demand if only related to increased requirements by the EPA to bring ethanol up to 15% of the gasoline blend.

Company to focus on growing commercial enzyme business –

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept 02, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX News Network/ — Verenium Corporation (Nasdaq: VRNM), a pioneer in the development and commercialization of high-performance industrial enzyme solutions, today announced the closing of the sale of its cellulosic biofuels business to BP Biofuels North America for $98.3 million, subject to the additional financial terms of the transaction announced on July 15, 2010.

In the transaction, BP acquired the Company’s facilities in Jennings, LA, including the pilot plant and demonstration-scale facility, the San Diego, CA R&D facilities, as well as cellulosic biofuels and cellulosic enzyme technology and related IP. In addition, BP retained select personnel needed to continue the cellulosic biofuels development program. BP also became the sole owner of Vercipia Biofuels and Galaxy Biofuels, the 50-50 joint ventures created by the Company and BP.

Verenium retains its commercial enzyme business, including its biofuels enzyme products, and has the right to develop its own cellulosic enzyme program. Verenium also retains select R&D capabilities, as well as the potential option to access select biofuels technology developed by BP using the technology acquired from Verenium through this transaction.

UBS Investment Bank acted as financial advisor to Verenium in connection with this transaction.

The material terms of the transaction are described in greater detail in the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 19, 2010.

Verenium Corporation is a pioneer in the development and commercialization of high-performance enzymes for use in industrial processes. Verenium currently sells enzymes developed using its R&D capabilities to industrial customers globally for use in markets including grain and oilseed processing, biofuels, animal health and nutrition and other specialty industrial processes. Verenium has built a world-class R&D organization renowned for its capabilities in the rapid screening, identification, evolution and bioengineering of novel enzymes that act as catalysts for biochemical reactions. The company harnesses the power of nature and uses its unique, patented technology to create products that transform industries by maximizing efficiency while improving environmental performance. For more information on Verenium, visit http://www.verenium.com.

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EnerNOC, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENOC), a leading provider of clean and intelligent energy solutions, today announced that it has acquired Monitoring-Based Commissioning (MBCx) firm Cogent Energy, Inc. By integrating Cogent Energy’s extensive commissioning and engineering experience into EnerNOC’s MBCx energy efficiency application, EnerNOC will be able to deliver even more value to its rapidly growing customer base.

“We’re excited to combine forces with EnerNOC, helping to enhance the functionality of EnerNOC’s MBCx energy efficiency application and to introduce EnerNOC’s leading product suite to our existing customer base,” said Tom Riley, Co-founder of Cogent Energy, who along with his team, has joined the energy efficiency business unit at EnerNOC.

Cogent Energy’s solutions enable EnerNOC to service smaller facilities with less sophisticated controls systems, which significantly increases the size of the addressable market for EnerNOC’s MBCx energy efficiency application. EnerNOC plans to build on Cogent Energy’s present and past work with more than 200 customers nationwide, including California State University, University of California, the City and County of San Francisco, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the State of California. Cogent Energy’s experienced engineers will leverage their deep energy expertise to enhance the proprietary analytic filters within EnerNOC’s MBCx application that process energy data captured from building management systems and automatically identify, quantify, and track energy savings opportunities.

“The market for MBCx represents a huge growth opportunity for EnerNOC. We’ve already experienced early successes with our in-house built application and established ourselves as a leader in the rapidly evolving MBCx industry,” said Tim Healy, Chairman and CEO of EnerNOC. “Combining Cogent Energy’s expertise with the automated power of MBCx will enable EnerNOC to deliver one of the most powerful energy efficiency offerings in the world.”

“Assisting our clients in their pursuit of operating efficient facilities while helping to promote a sustainable environment is our number one priority,” said Tom Arnold, Vice President of Energy Efficiency and Carbon Management Solutions at EnerNOC. “Cogent Energy has worked with universities, local governments, commercial properties, utilities, and dozens of other industries to extract significant value from energy efficiency investments.”

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