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First Major U.S. Institutional Investor Backs SRI

The California State Teacher’s Retirement System (CalSTRS), the second-largest pension fund in the U.S. has joined the Enhanced Analytics Initiative (EAI)- the first major U.S. public fund to do so. EAI is an international collaboration of asset owners and asset managers aimed at encouraging investment research that considers the impact of social and environmental issues on long-term company performance. CalSTRS provides retirement, disability and survivor benefits to California’s 776,000 public school educators from kindergarten through to community college. In joining EAI, CalSTRS, whose assets total US$156 billion, increases the Initiative’s total assets under management to approximately Euro 1.3 trillion (US$1.8 trillion). Christopher Ailman, Chief Investment Officer of CalSTRS, said: “CalSTRS has longed advocated, both to regulators such as the SEC and investment managers and securities analysts, for increased disclosure and analysis on material risks such as climate change. Membership in a network like EAI reinforces that investment policy aim and signals to our partners in the investment profession that this is a core issue for the fund. It is important for mainstream investment professionals and investors to be fully informed on issues that have value implications for the portfolio, and by extension, for our members.” Peter Moon, Chief Investment Officer […]

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groSolar Acquires Energy Outfitters

groSolar, a national solar energy firm, has acquired Energy Outfitters, an Oregon-based solar energy distribution company, making groSolar one of the largest solar distribution and installation firms in the U.S., with additional offices in western and eastern Canada. “We share the same values, mission and goals,” said Bob Maynard, President of Energy Outfitters. “And the strategic fit is great because groSolar has strength in the northeast while Energy Outfitters has strong west coast and Canadian operations.” groSolar, based in White River Junction, Vermont, was founded in 1998, by Jeff and Dorothy Wolfe as Global Resource Options. Energy Outfitters, of Grants Pass, Oregon; Calgary, Alberta and Barrie, Ontario, was owned by Maynard and Ray Ogden, who will remain actively involved with the business. Wolfe said the cultural fit between the two companies is seamless and should enable combined operations to move ahead without the typical integration delays. With five main points of distribution throughout North America, groSolar is now positioned to serve all customers in any market quickly and effectively. groSolar distributes solar hot water and solar air heating systems in addition to solar electric systems, providing a wider product base than other distributors. About GRO The company recently changed its […]

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Xethanol to Produce Ethanol from Waste Citrus Peels

Xethanol Corporation (AMEX: XNL), has formed a first-of-its-kind joint venture with Renewable Spirits, LLC to build a biomass-based pilot production facility that uses waste citrus peels as feedstock. The venture is located in Bartow, Florida, the heart of the state’s citrus industry. The parties expect a pilot plant to produce up to 50,000 gallons of ethanol this harvesting season, and then increasing to over 500,000 gallons per year (GPY). Slated to begin production by the second quarter of 2007, the production technology was developed through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the USDA that converts waste citrus biomass into ethanol, as well as other marketable co-products, such as limonene and citrus oil, to improve the economics of fuel production. Xethanol will use equipment and production processes from its Permeate Refining test facility in Cedar Rapids, Iowa to build the pilot plant. This facility had been a pilot plant for testing various sugar based feedstocks; the lessons learned and processing techniques from its operation will be applied to the new citrus project. The inclusion of the Permeate equipment will allow the Company to evaluate and maximize this technology in a much timelier manner. “Here’s what’s exciting: The next time […]

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BioteQ Signs JV Agreement with Jiangxi Copper

BioteQ Environmental Technologies Inc. (TSX-V:BQE) has signed a joint venture agreement with Jiangxi Copper Corporation (JCC). The 50/50 agreement, which will be called JCC-BioteQ Environmental Technologies Co. Ltd., will build and operate water treatment plants using BioteQ’s technology. The agreement includes a license contract whereby BioteQ will provide its patented technology on a royalty-free basis to the joint venture company for use at JCC’s Dexing mine in Jiangxi Province, China (currently under construction for operation in 2007) as well as five additional sites owned and operated by JCC. The agreement is a significant milestone for both companies to establish BioteQ’s waste water treatment technologies in China and provide a commercial demonstration of sustainable water treatment operation for the Chinese mining industry. JCC is the first mining company in China to use the BioteQ technology to enhance the environmental performance of its mining operations. The Dexing copper mine currently produces 120,000 tons of copper concentrate per year. Daily production at the mine is 100,000 tonnes of ore and the current resource provides 50 years of operation at current production rates. Mine drainage from waste dumps and low grade stockpiles is acidic and contains copper. The initial project for the joint venture […]

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Spire Offers Thin Film PV Production Line

Spire Corporation (Nasdaq: SPIR) has introduced a starter production line for the development of both organic and inorganic thin film photovoltaic modules. The development of thin film photovoltaic materials is accelerating, partly because of the worldwide shortage of polysilicon, a crucial ingredient for traditional, crystalline silicon solar cells. As a global leader in photovoltaic equipment development and sales, Spire has over 30 years of experience providing the production tools for building solar modules, and has been developing machines to address the specific needs of the new generation of thin film materials. Spire’s thin film production line uses customer-supplied thin film plates. Spire equipment is used to laminate, frame, test, and add electrical junction box connections to the thin film modules. The production line can be fitted with automation options to meet customer requirements. One component of this new thin film production line is Spire’s Single-Long Pulse Simulator, which is used to test photovoltaic modules. Earlier this year, Spire introduced an enhanced feature option for Spire’s line of solar simulators that incorporates a very stable, single long-pulse (SLP) of light during which the entire I-V measurement is performed. This feature is key to testing thin film modules accurately. Mr. Little said, […]

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