Welcome to CLEANWATCH. Each issue offers the latest news, events, and other resources on clean energy, transportation, water, and materials.
The Best of Times / Worst of Times Balance Sheet
by Clint Wilder
Since I’m writing this over the holiday season, the spirit of Charles Dickens is very much present. I’ve even seen some observers noting the Dickensian flavor of the infamous names — Madoff and Blagojevich — dominating the news headlines in late December. So forgive me, in looking at what the New Year is likely to bring for the clean tech industry, for indulging in that oft-quoted line once penned by Dickens:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
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1/5 Solyndra Raises Nearly $220 Million
Solyndra has raised $219.2 million in a Series E financing from 23 investors, according to a regulatory filing, making it the second largest U.S. cleantech financing in 2008.
PE Week
12/30 Acciona Energy Connects $367 Million PV Power Plant in Portugal
ACCIONA Energy has put into service its photovoltaic power plant in Amareleja (Moura, Portugal).
Clean Edge News
12/24 First Solar Completes Construction of the Largest Thin-Film Solar Plant in North America
First Solar, Inc. recently announced the completion of its first 10 megawatt (MW) ground-mounted photovoltaic power plant for Sempra Generation near Boulder City, Nevada.
Clean Edge News
12/24 DOE Awards 16 Contracts for up to $80 Billion in Projects at Federal Facilities
DOE announced on December 18 that it will award sixteen new Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) that could result in up to $80 billion in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and water conservation projects at federally-owned buildings and facilities.
EERE News
12/19 Evonik and Daimler Establish Lithium-Ion Battery JV
German companies Daimler and industrial group Evonik have joined forces to develop and produce lithium- ion batteries for electric vehicles.
New Energy Finance
12/18 Dow Corning Corporation to Invest Billions of Dollars in Solar
Dow Corning Corporation recently announced several billion dollars of investment to provide critical materials to the fast-growing solar technology industry.
Clean Edge News
12/10 Clean Edge Jobs to Accelerate Transition to Clean-Energy and Clean-Tech Economy
A new industry-specific jobs board aims to accelerate the transition to a vibrant clean-energy and clean-tech economy.
Clean Edge News
12/5 3TIER Releases 5 km Wind Map of the World
3TIER, a provider of global renewable energy assessment and forecasting, recently unveiled a 5 kilometer resolution global wind map based upon what it claims is the most accurate, consistent and comprehensive dataset ever created of global wind resources and their spatial and temporal variability.
New Energy Finance spotlight
What’s in Store for Clean Tech as Part of the Economic Stimulus Package?
On Saturday, President-Elect Obama made the case for his American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan during his weekly video address. Without too many details, he said he planned to “double renewable energy production and renovate public buildings to make them more efficient”. We will be hearing much more about this in the week to come, but here are some specifics compiled by our friends at Greentech Media on what various clean-tech industries are asking for.