David Eagleson Signs on as Vice President of Sales at Solicore

Lakeland, FL—Solicore, a global leader in embedded power solutions, has named David Eagleson as Vice President of Sales and Strategic Accounts. With more than 20 years of experience in sales and sales management in enterprise software and automatic identification-based solutions, Eagleson brings a deep understanding of driving revenue in emerging technology markets for continued market penetration of Solicore’s pioneering ultra-thin Flexion® batteries. Link.

GE Helps Commercialize Electric Car with Sixth Investment in Battery Manufacturer A123Systems

NISKAYUNA, N.Y.-- GE (NYSE: GE) is recharging the electrification of transportation by making its sixth equity investment in lithium-ion battery manufacturer A123Systems. GE invested $30 million in A123’s $102 million Series E financing, making it the battery manufacturer’s largest single cash investor – at 9 percent ownership. The investments were made by GE Commercial Finance - Equity and GE Energy Financial Services, bringing GE’s combined total investment in A123Systems to $55 million. Link.

Rentech Appoints Dan J. Cohrs as Chief Financial Officer

LOS ANGELES -- Rentech, Inc. (AMEX: RTK) today announced the appointment of Dan J. Cohrs as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Mr. Cohrs' appointment is effective on October 22, 2008. Doug Miller, who served as Interim Chief Financial Officer during the past few months, will continue his duties as Chief Operating Officer of Rentech. Link. Chart.

GridPoint Appoints Michael R. Lach Chief Operating Officer

ARLINGTON, VA – GridPoint, Inc., a leading clean tech company whose smart grid software platform benefits electric utilities, consumers and the environment, announced that it has appointed Michael R. Lach Chief Operating Officer. Previously, Lach served as President and Chief Operating Officer for NeuStar, which was named 2005 Technology IPO of the Year. Link.

SunPower Names Dennis V. Arriola Chief Financial Officer

SAN JOSE, -- SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWRA, SPWRB), a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of high-efficiency solar cells, solar panels and solar systems, announced that utilities veteran Dennis V. Arriola has been named SunPower's senior vice president and chief financial officer (CFO). Arriola will join SunPower in November, reporting to CEO Tom Werner. In this strategic role, Arriola will lead the company's global finance, planning and accounting organizations, as SunPower continues its growth in the residential, commercial and utility solar markets. Link. Chart.

Novomer Set to Continue Strong Momentum with New CEO and Corporate Headquarters

Boston, Mass. – – Novomer Inc., a materials company pioneering a family of high-performance, biodegradable plastics, polymers and other chemicals from renewable substances, today announced the appointment of Jim Mahoney as its new chief executive officer and the relocation of company headquarters from Ithaca, N.Y. to Boston, Mass. Today the company also announced the appointment of industry veteran Peter Shepard as vice president of business development. Link.

SemiSouth Appoints Kenney Roberts as CEO

Austin, Texas, – SemiSouth Laboratories, Inc., a clean energy enabler specializing in silicon carbide (SiC) based power management, announced today the appointment of Kenney Roberts as President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Roberts previously served as SemiSouth’s Chief Operating Officer since joining the company in early 2008. Link.

SJF Ventures Invests in CleanScapes $10MM Financing

Durham, NC & Seattle, WA – SJF Ventures II, LP closed today on a $1,600,000 investment as part of a $10,000,000 Series A preferred financing for CleanScapes, Inc. CleanScapes is a recycling, organics, and waste collection company with operations in Seattle and Shoreline, WA, Portland, OR and San Francisco, CA. The ten-year-old company initially provided innovative ‘Dumpster Free Alley’ streetscape services and has since expanded to provide municipal collection services. CleanScapes recently won contracts totaling $40MM annually in Shoreline and Seattle, WA. Link.

Evergreen Solar Appoints William "Smitty" Ovitt as Director of Sales

MARLBORO, Mass.-- Evergreen Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: ESLR), a manufacturer of STRING RIBBON(TM) solar power panels with its proprietary, low-cost wafer manufacturing technology, announced it has appointed William "Smitty" Ovitt as Director of Sales, Asia Pacific. In this newly-created role, Ovitt will oversee the sales and marketing in the Asia Pacific region, a key geographic area in Evergreen Solar's global expansion plan. Link. Chart.

Silver Spring Networks Appoints Warren Jenson Chief Financial Officer

Redwood City, Calif., - Silver Spring Networks announced the appointment of Warren Jenson as Chief Financial Officer. Warren joins the Silver Spring executive team after having served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Electronic Arts. Warren will report to Silver Spring Networks’ President and Chief Executive Officer, Scott Lang. Link.

GE Gives Jolt to Solar Power Pioneer Soliant Solar Power International

SAN DIEGO & MONROVIA, Calif.--GE Energy Financial Services, a unit of GE (NYSE: GE), is giving a jolt to solar power pioneer Soliant Energy by joining a group providing the company with nearly $21 million in venture capital. GE Energy Financial Services announced today at Solar Power International ’08 in San Diego that it is investing $2.5 million and providing the power of GE’s ecomagination program to Soliant. The Monrovia, CA-based company -- founded by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientists and engineers -- is developing what it intends to be the most efficient and lowest cost technology to generate electricity from the sunlight that shines on commercial rooftops, a market it estimates will reach $13.2 billion by 2010. GE estimates that commercial and industrial buildings comprise 60 percent of the total roof area in the United States. Link.

Tigo Energy Opens Israeli Office & Names Industry Veteran Modi Avrutsky To Oversee Operation

Los Gatos, CA – Tigo Energy, the solar company whose unique technology significantly increases efficiency in photovoltaic solar installations, announced the opening of its first international office. The facility which is in Kfar Saba, just outside of Tel Aviv, will focus on the company’s engineering activities. Tigo has recruited Mordechay (Modi) Avrutsky to head the operation. Avrutsky will serve as the Vice President of Engineering and site General Manager. Link.

Wind Energy Industry Operations Leader Joins Nordic Windpower Board

Berkeley, CA, -- Nordic Windpower, Ltd., a leading manufacturer of innovative and cost-competitive utility-scale wind turbines, today announced that Dr. Hansjörg Müller, former Chief Operating Officer of Nordex AG, a major international wind turbine manufacturer based in Europe, has been appointed to its Board. Link.

SunEdison Appoints Reed Hundt to the Board of Directors

BELTSVILLE, Md.--SunEdison, North America’s largest solar energy services provider, today named former Federal Communications Commission Chairman Reed Hundt as a non-executive, independent board member. Link.

Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers Leads $75 Million Investment in Silver Spring Networks

Redwood City, Calif., - Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB) and Silver Spring Networks, a leading provider of Smart Grid technology solutions, announced today that KPCB’s Green Growth Fund led a $75 million investment round into Silver Spring Networks. The new funding, a portion of which has been reserved for strategic partners, included returning investors Foundation Capital, JVB Properties, and Northgate Capital. Link.

Verenium Appoints Gregory Powers Executive Vice President of Research and Development

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., -- Verenium Corporation (Nasdaq: VRNM), a pioneer in the development of next-generation cellulosic ethanol and high-performance specialty enzymes, today announced the appointment of Gregory Powers, Ph.D., to the position of Executive Vice President, Research and Development. Powers will report directly to Carlos A. Riva, Verenium's President and Chief Executive Officer. Link. Chart.

GreenVolts Adds 20-Year Industry Expert as VP and General Counsel

San Francisco, Calif. -- GreenVolts (www.greenvolts.com), a leader in concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) technology, today introduced Richard Raushenbush as the company’s Vice President and General Counsel. Mr. Raushenbush’s extensive experience working with public utilities and government agencies makes him ideally suited to help guide GreenVolts’ continued growth and new utility-scale solar projects around the world. Link.

Ausra Secures $60.6 Million in Funding

Palo Alto, CA—Ausra, Inc., the provider of large-scale solar thermal energy systems for industrial processes and utility electricity generation, has secured $60.6 million in its latest preferred equity financing. Investors in this closing were led by KERN Partners of Calgary, Alberta, Canada; and also included Generation Investment Management, based in London, England; Starfish Ventures of Melbourne, Australia; and Ausra's founding investors Khosla Ventures and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. The investor group committed these funds in support of Ausra's reliable, cost-competitive technology, seasoned management team and global expansion. Link.

Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Raises U.S. $10.5 Million

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Inc., developer and marketer of proprietary technologies that recover resources from wastewater and recycle them into valuable products, announced today the completion of a U.S. $10.5 million private equity financing. The financing was led by VantagePoint Venture Partners, a leading international CleanTech investor based in Silicon Valley. Also participating was Foursome Investments Limited, a London-based venture investor that focuses on environmental and clean technology. Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Inc. was founded in 2005. Link.

International Rectifier Names Ilan Daskal Chief Financial Officer

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--International Rectifier Corporation (NYSE:IRF) today announced the appointment of Ilan Daskal as Chief Financial Officer, effective October 6, 2008. Daskal will report directly to Oleg Khaykin, President and Chief Executive Officer, and will be responsible for all finance and accounting functions at the Company. Link. Chart.

Codexis Names Vice President, Intellectual Property

Redwood City - Codexis, Inc., today announced the appointment of Lynn Marcus-Wyner, Ph.D., as Vice President, Intellectual Property. She will be responsible for managing the company’s intellectual property strategy, activities, and patent portfolio and will report to Douglas Sheehy, Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary. Link.

Medis Technologies Ltd. Appoints Jose Mejia as President and Chief Executive Officer

New York, NY, - Medis Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ:MDTL) announced today the appointment of Jose Mejia as its President and Chief Executive Officer. Robert K. Lifton, who had held the position of CEO, will continue as Chairman. Jacob Weiss, who had held the position of President, has been named Executive Vice President. Link. Chart.

Octillion Appoints Director to Develop New Technologies for Generating Electricity

Auburn Hills, MI –– Octillion Corp. (Symbol: OCTL), a next-generation alternative and renewable energy technology incubator, today announced the appointment of Mr. Meetesh V. Patel, Esq. to the Company’s Board of Directors, and as the new President of Kinetic Power Corp., a recently formed wholly-owned subsidiary specifically focused on generating electricity from moving vehicles. Link. Chart.

GreenVolts Closes $30 Million From Oak Investment Partners in Series B Financing

San Francisco, Calif. -- GreenVolts (www.greenvolts.com), a leader in concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) technology, today announced that it has secured $30 million in Series B funding from Oak Investment Partners. Link.

Cree Names Steve Kelley as Chief Operating Officer

DURHAM, N.C., — Cree, Inc. (Nasdaq: CREE), a market leader in LED lighting, announces that Steve Kelley will join the company as executive vice president and chief operating officer, effective today. In this newly created position, Kelley will be responsible for business development, global manufacturing, technology and administrative operations of the company. Link. Chart.

Comverge Announces Re-Organization to Streamline Business

EAST HANOVER, N.J., -- Comverge, Inc. (Nasdaq: COMV) announced today that it will consolidate its three current business groups into one group to be named the Comverge Clean Energy Solutions Group ("Solutions Group") to more effectively manage its rapidly growing clean energy portfolio and to optimize synergistic benefits from its acquisitions. At the same time, Comverge announced the formation of a new group to be called the Comverge Clean Energy Enterprise Group ("Enterprise Group") to serve as the clean energy research and development arm of Comverge. Link. Chart.

HelioVolt Hires VP of Sales and Marketing to Lead Global Energy Market Expansion

AUSTIN, Texas -- HelioVolt Corporation, a producer of highly efficient thin film solar energy products, appointed Haresh P. Patel as vice president of sales and marketing. Patel joins HelioVolt with more than 20 years of experience driving high revenue growth through sales at both emerging and established electronics technology companies, including Agilent Technology, PMC Sierra and Texas Instruments. In this newly created position at HelioVolt, Patel will direct the planning and execution of global sales and marketing efforts along with related technology development for the company's advanced solar products. Link.

POWERGENIX Closes $30M Venture Round

SAN DIEGO--PowerGenix, manufacturer of nontoxic, high performance rechargeable Nickel-Zinc (NiZn) batteries, today announced the close of its $30 million Series D financing round. The round was led by Bessemer Venture Partners and included existing investors: Advent International, Angeleno Group, Braemar Energy Ventures, Granite Ventures, OnPoint Technologies and Technology Partners. Link.

GE Invests in Advanced Electron Beams

STAMFORD, Conn. and WILMINGTON, Mass. -- GE Energy Financial Services, a unit of GE (NYSE: GE), announced today a venture capital investment of $4 million in Advanced Electron Beams, whose technology helps traditional manufacturers become more environmentally sustainable while improving profitability. The technology uses a stream of electrons to initiate chemical reactions or break chemical bonds more efficiently than existing thermal and chemical approaches. Link.

Intelligent Energy appoints Murali (Lee) Arikara Head of US Operations

Long Beach, California, 16 September 2008 -- Intelligent Energy (IE), a leading fuel cell power systems company, announced today that it has appointed Murali (Lee) Arikara as head of its US operations. “We are delighted to have someone of Lee’s calibre in this important position,” said Henri Winand, CEO of Intelligent Energy. “His background in the fuel cell industry and his experience as an entrepreneur, combined with his passion for clean energy, will be critical as we transform our US operations.” Link.

Algenol Biofuels Appoints Chief Science Officer

NAPLES, Fla., -- Algenol Biofuels, developers of DIRECT TO ETHANOL(TM), the most advanced third generation biofuels technology, today announced the appointment of Dr. John R. Coleman as Chief Science Officer. Dr. Coleman, currently the Vice-Principal Research and Graduate Studies at the University of Toronto, has over 20 years of experience in the fields of molecular biology and biochemistry of photosynthetic carbon metabolism in higher plants and cyanobacteria. Link.

Ausra Announces High-Profile Senior Management Additions

Palo Alto, CA — Ausra, Inc., the provider of large-scale solar thermal energy systems for industrial processes and utility electricity generation, has announced three high-profile new additions to its senior management. Benjamin Montoya joins Ausra as a new board member, Debra A. Olson as general counsel, and Jeffrey J. Melby as senior vice president for research and product development. Their experience and abilities expand an already strong management team with decades of experience in the global technology, wind power, and electric utility business. Link.

Energy Conversion Devices Appoints Alan E. Barton as Independent Director

ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich., -- Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (Nasdaq: ENER), the leading global manufacturer of thin-film flexible solar laminate products for the building integrated and commercial rooftop markets, today announced the appointment of Dr. Alan E. Barton to its Board of Directors, effective September 1, 2008. Dr. Barton is presently an Executive Vice President at Rohm and Haas. Link. Chart.

SunEdison Appoints Martin T. Hart to the Board of Directors

BELTSVILLE, Md.--SunEdison, North America’s largest solar energy services provider, today named Martin T. Hart as non-executive, independent board member and chairman of the audit committee. Hart brings more than 30 years of independent board and executive management experience to SunEdison. He has served on the boards of many companies, including restaurant chains such as Pizza Hut, financial institutions such as Pacific National Bank Financial Group, and various companies within the technology, construction and internet industries. Hart currently serves on the boards of five public companies namely: Mass Mutual Corporate Investors, MassMutual Participation Investors, ValueClick, Spectranetics, and Texas Roadhouse. He has also served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Regis University in Denver, Colorado. Link.

Xunlight Receives $11 Million Additional Financing

Toledo, Ohio –– Xunlight Corporation, a leader in the development of low-cost and flexible thin-film silicon solar modules, today announced it has received $11 million of additional financing from institutional investors. The investment was led by Rabo Ventures, a division of Rabobank, a top 25 global financial institution based in the Netherlands. Existing investors Trident Capital and Emerald Technology Ventures also participated in the financing. Link.

MIOX Scores $19 Million Investment

Albuquerque, NM -- MIOX Corporation, a provider of advanced water treatment systems, announced that DCM, a leading international venture capital firm, has led a series C investment round totaling $19 million with participation from existing investors Sierra Ventures and Flywheel Ventures. Over the past year, MIOX has experienced strong growth in the U.S. municipal drinking water disinfection market and is leveraging this success to pursue opportunities in institutional and industrial markets. MIOX has successfully developed and brought to market technology for a variety of other applications in market segments including personalized handheld water purification, cooling towers, food and beverage and aquatics. Link.

Nanosolar Ups Funding To $500 Million

San Jose, CA -- As part of a strategic $300 million equity financing, Nanosolar has added new capital and brought its total amount of funding to date to just below half a billion U.S. dollars. Last December, the Company introduced the Nanosolar Utility Panel(TM) to enable solar utility power — i.e. giving utility-scale power producers the solar panel technology to build and operate cost efficient solar power plants. The Company has received strategic backing by partners ideally suited to accelerate the implementation of this business — in the form of product supply agreements, strategic collaboration, and equity investments. Link.

AVA Solar Completes $104 Million Equity Financing

Fort Collins, Colorado –– AVA Solar, an advanced thin-film photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturer located in Fort Collins, Colorado, announced today it has completed its second institutional equity round of financing. This $104 million funding was led by DCM and included new investors Technology Partners, GLG Partners and Bohemian Companies, LLC as well as prior investors, including Invus, LP. The funds will be used to complete AVA Solar’s first production facility in Longmont, Colorado, which will have the capacity to produce 200 megawatts of PV modules annually. Link.

Nexterra Completes Fourth Round Equity Financing of $3.8 Million

Vancouver, BC –– Nexterra Energy Corp. (www.nexterra.ca) announced today that it has completed a $3.8 million fourth round of equity financing. The financing was led by ARC Financial Corp. (“ARC”) of Calgary, Alberta. This brings ARC’s total investment in Nexterra to over $20 million. ARC is Canada’s largest investment management firm focused on the energy sector. Nexterra Energy is a leading developer and supplier of advanced gasification systems that enable customers to self-generate clean, low cost heat and/or power using waste fuels "inside-the fence" at industrial and institutional facilities. Link.

BTU International Appoints Frank Bottari as Director of Solar Applications

NORTH BILLERICA, Mass.--BTU International, Inc. (Nasdaq: BTUI), a leading supplier of advanced thermal processing equipment for the alternative energy and electronics manufacturing markets, today announced the appointment of Frank Bottari, Ph.D., as director of solar applications. Link. Chart.

Bruce Hazeltine Joins GT Solar as Director of Process Development

MERRIMACK, N.H., -- GT Solar Incorporated, a global provider of specialized equipment and technology for the solar power industry, today announced that Bruce Hazeltine has joined the company as director of process development for its silicon group, a new role within the company. In this position, Mr. Hazeltine will undertake engineering initiatives aimed at helping customers design efficient and cost-effective Trichlorosilane (TCS) and silane gas manufacturing plants. TCS and silane are essential components of polysilicon, a key raw material utilized to produce solar cells. Link. Chart.

Trilliant Incorporated Secures $40 Million Equity Financing

Redwood City, California, – Trilliant Incorporated, a leader in delivering intelligent network solutions that form the nervous system of the Smart Grid, announced that it has closed a $40 million equity investment from an affiliate of MissionPoint Capital Partners and zouk ventures. MissionPoint and zouk are leading international investors in the low-carbon and clean energy markets. The proceeds from the financing, which was led by MissionPoint, will be used to accelerate Trilliant’s continued growth and market expansion globally. This investment represents one of the largest investments to date in an independent Smart Grid technology provider, reflecting Trilliant’s position as a leading provider of Smart Grid communication infrastructure that enables major improvements in energy efficiency and grid reliability, while giving utilities the ability to provide new services and empower customer choice. Link.

Ener1 Chairman Adds CEO Title

NEW YORK, -- Charles Gassenheimer, Chairman of lithium-ion automotive battery manufacturer Ener1, Inc. (Amex: HEV), assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer. Company founder and former CEO Dr. Peter Novak moved into the new position of Chief Technology Officer and President. Dr. Novak will oversee the further development of Ener1 subsidiaries, NanoEner and EnerFuel, while continuing to provide technical leadership for Ener1's advanced automotive battery division, EnerDel. Link. Chart.

Cree Names Steve Kelley as Chief Operating Officer

DURHAM, N.C., — Cree, Inc. (Nasdaq: CREE), a market leader in LED lighting, announces that Steve Kelley will join the company as executive vice president and chief operating officer, effective immediately. In this newly created position, Kelley will be responsible for business development, global manufacturing, technology and administrative operations of the company. Link. Chart.

APX Appoints Kari Lynn Decker as Managing Director

Santa Clara, CA -- APX, Inc., the leading infrastructure provider for environmental and energy markets, today announced the appointment of Kari Lynn Decker as Managing Director. Ms. Decker will be primarily focused on APX’s regulatory and government affairs program, including the Western Climate Initiative and California’s implementation of AB 32, its landmark greenhouse gas legislation. She will report to Gary Guzy, APX’s General Counsel. Link.

Boston-Power Adds Dell’s Recently Retired Top Supply Chain Executive to Board

Westborough, Mass. –– Boston-Power, Inc., the rapidly growing provider of Lithium-ion batteries that redefine portable power, today announced the addition of internationally recognized supply chain and procurement executive Martin J. Garvin to its board of directors. Mr. Garvin, 56, most recently served as senior vice president of worldwide procurement and global customer experience for Dell, Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL). During his 11-year tenure, he is credited with establishing North America’s top provider of notebook computers as the thought leader in capitalizing on supply chain and procurement strategies to dominate the market. He retired from Dell in May 2008. Link.

Electric Moto Corp. Announces Appointment of Abbie Zands to COO

ASHLAND, Ore., -- Electric Moto Corp., Inc. (Pink Sheets:EMOT), a U.S.-based designer, manufacturer and retailer of highly efficient electric battery-powered motorcycles, scooters and ATVs, today announced the appointment of Abbie Zands as Chief Operations Officer, effective immediately. Link.

SolFocus Names Former Lockheed Martin Executive Mark Crowley as President

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – SolFocus, Inc. announced that Mark Crowley has joined the company as President, reporting to Chairman and CEO Gary D. Conley. This expansion of the leadership team marks the shift of the company from R&D and product development, into the commercialization and volume deployment phase of its business. Mr. Crowley joins SolFocus from Lockheed Martin Space Systems where he was Vice President of West Coast Operations. Mr. Crowley will be taking over responsibilities for product development, delivery, support and execution of the company’s operations. Link.

SunPower Elects Uwe-Ernst Bufe to its Board of Directors

SAN JOSE, Calif., -- SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWR), a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of high-efficiency solar cells, solar panels and solar systems, today announced that it has elected Uwe-Ernst Bufe, Ph.D., to its board of directors. Bufe is currently a member of various international councils and supervisory boards, including UBS Investment Banking. Link. Chart.

Ford's Richard Canny Joins Think Global

Norwegian electric vehicle manufacturer Think Global has appointed Ford Motor Company executive Richard Canny as its President and Chief Operating Officer. Think’s leadership team is also further strengthened by two Swedish automotive veterans, Mikael Ekholm, and Arne Degermosse. The appointment of the Australian born Canny will help Think accelerate its growth plans and compete globally in the rapidly emerging electric vehicle market. Link.

Aquus Energy, Inc. Completes Series 1 Convertible Preferred Financing

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y.— Aquus Energy, Inc. a provider of solar energy systems to commercial and residential customers in the Mid Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the U.S., announced the completion of its Series 1 offering of convertible preferred equity. The Company plans to grow organically by expanding its geographic footprint around anchor acquisitions and by offering creative financing options and a wide variety of products and services. Aquus Energy intends to acquire leading well-respected solar energy system integrators and to build a well financed and technically savvy company, while building a recognized brand name known for quality and reliability. Link.

Robert Machlin Joins Echelon as Senior Vice President

San Jose, CA -- Echelon Corporation (NASDAQ: ELON) today announced that Robert Machlin has joined the company as Senior Vice President, Products, replacing Robert Maxfield who has filled the position on an interim basis since April of this year. In this role, Machlin will lead Echelon’s product management and engineering teams. Link. Chart.

Franz von Holzhausen Joins Tesla Motors as Chief Designer

SAN CARLOS, CA – Franz von Holzhausen, former Director of Design for Mazda North America, has joined Tesla Motors as Chief Designer. In addition to driving the design direction of Tesla Motors in the short term, Franz is charged with building a world class design competency at Tesla Motors. Link.

Marrone Organic Innovations Closes $10 Million Series B Financing

DAVIS, Calif. - Marrone Organic Innovations, Inc. (MOI) is pleased to announce the closing of a $10 million private round of financing led by Stuart Mill Venture Partners (SMVP) (Falls Church, VA). Lawrence A. Hough, managing director of Stuart Mill and former president and CEO of Sallie Mae, will join MOI’s Board of Directors. Co-investing with SMVP is Contrarian Group (Newport Beach, CA). A second closing for an additional $1 million is anticipated for later this month. Link.

BP and Verenium Announce Significant Partnership

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., -- BP and Verenium Corporation (Nasdaq: VRNM) today announced the creation of a strategic partnership to accelerate the development and commercialization of cellulosic ethanol. The partnership combines a broad technology platform and operational capabilities in an effort to advance the development of a portfolio of low-cost, environmentally sound cellulosic ethanol production facilities in the United States, and potentially throughout the world. Under the initial phase of the strategic alliance, Verenium is to receive $90 million in total funding from BP over the next 18 months for rights to current and future technology held within the partnership. Link. Chart.

Sunrise Solar Appoints Dr. K. Jun Kim as Chairman of Solar Technology Advisory Board

SAN ANTONIO--Sunrise Solar Corp. (OTCBB:SSLR) announced today the appointment of Dr. K. Jun Kim as Chairman of the Company’s recently formed Solar Technology Advisory Board. Dr. Kim holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Han Yang University in Seoul, Korea and a Masters in Electrical Engineering from the University of Missouri. As part of his duties, he will head the Company’s product evaluation team and be responsible for its internal product development and commercialization projects. Link. Chart.

SiCortex, Inc. Names Christopher Stone President and CEO

Maynard, Mass. — SiCortex, Inc., a leading provider of energy efficient, plug-in-anywhere high performance computers, today announced the appointment of Christopher Stone as president and chief executive officer. John Mucci, the founding CEO, will continue to serve on the SiCortex board of directors. Link.

Deepak Ahuja Joins Tesla Motors as CFO

SAN CARLOS, CA – Deepak Ahuja, a seasoned auto industry finance executive with 15 years experience at Ford Motor Company, has joined Tesla Motors as Chief Financial Officer. Deepak was previously the controller for Ford’s small cars product development program, a strategic initiative to bring several fuel efficient cars to Ford’s lineup in the United States. Previously, Deepak was CFO for Ford of Southern Africa, a $3 Billion subsidiary where he oversaw the finance, legal and IT functions. Prior to that, Deepak served as CFO for Auto Alliance International, a joint venture between Ford and Mazda with over $4 billion in revenue. Link.

Power-One Appoints New Chief Financial Officer

CAMARILLO, Calif.--Power-One, Inc. (NASDAQ:PWER), a leading provider of power conversion and power management solutions, announced the appointment of Linda C. Heller as Senior Vice President, Finance, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer, replacing Jeffrey J. Kyle, effective today. Mr. Kyle has resigned from the company to pursue other opportunities. Link. Chart.

Advent Solar announces Semiconductor Industry Veterans to Lead Technology Development and Strategic Marketing

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA –– Advent Solar, Inc., a manufacturer of innovative solar cells and modules, announced today the appointment of two new executives, Fares Bagh and Naresh Baliga. Bagh serves as Advent Solar’s vice president of engineering and technology. He is responsible for architecting Advent Solar’s next generation of innovative solar modules, developing manufacturing technology processes and building technical alliances. As Advent Solar’s vice president of strategic marketing, Baliga creates product marketing strategies and leads Advent Solar’s initiatives in emerging markets. Link.

Voltaix Receives $12.5 Million in Financing from Intel Capital

Branchburg, NJ - Voltaix, a leading provider of materials that enhance the performance of semiconductor chips and solar cells, announced today that it has received $12.5 million in financing from Intel Capital, the global investment arm of Intel Corporation. The investment will accelerate the company's manufacturing capacity expansion. Link.

H2scan Secures $4 Million in Series D Funding

VALENCIA, CA -- H2scan Corporation today announced the Company has secured $4 million in Series D funding from Chrysalix Energy Venture Capital, H5 Capital, L.P., Tri-Strip Associates, LLC, TGB Partners and Ravinia Venture Fund. This round of financing also includes members of the Tech Coast and Pasadena Angels. All but TGB Partners had previously been investors in H2scan from prior series financing. Link.

Xunlight Appoints Vice President and General Counsel

TOLEDO, OH -- Xunlight Corporation, a leader in the development of low-cost and flexible thin-film silicon solar modules, announced the appointment of W. Granger Souder, Jr. as its Vice President and General Counsel. Mr. Souder will be responsible for the Company's legal and regulatory affairs including corporate compliance and governance, contract administration, and the legal aspects of joint ventures, strategic partnerships and financing activities. Link.

Denham to Invest $145 Million in Vulcan Power

BEND, Ore. and BOSTON, –– Vulcan Power Company and Denham Capital announced today that Denham will invest $145 million in newly issued preferred equity securities of Vulcan. In addition, Merrill Lynch Commodity Partners (“MLCP”), a principal investment fund of Merrill Lynch, will convert its outstanding notes into Vulcan preferred equity. Vulcan owns one of the largest geothermal property portfolios in the United States including properties in California, Nevada, Oregon, and Arizona. The Denham investment will allow Vulcan to continue to develop prime geothermal property with potential to generate 900 to 2,000 megawatts (MW) of natural steam fuel – enough to provide baseload renewable energy for up to two million people. Link.

ActaCell Closes $5.8 Million Series A Financing

AUSTIN, Texas –– ActaCell, Inc. announced today that it secured $5.8 million in Series A financing. DFJ Mercury led the round with syndicate investment from Google.org’s RechargeIT program, Applied Ventures, LLC, the venture capital arm of Applied Materials, Inc. and Good Energies, a leading global investor in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industry. The proceeds from the Series A financing will be used to hire key technical talent and to further develop ActaCell’s innovative lithium-ion battery technology for commercial purposes. Link.

Amadeus Backs GreenRoad

REDWOOD SHORES, Calif. and LONDON – GreenRoad Technologies, a world leader in driver safety technologies, today announced that Amadeus Capital Partners, the European technology investor, has joined Virgin Green Fund, Benchmark Capital, and Balderton Capital in providing C round financing of $17.5 million. The funding will be used to expand the company’s R&D, sales and marketing efforts. Richard Anton, Amadeus Partner, becomes the newest member of GreenRoad’s Board of Directors. Link.

Carbonetworks Announces First Close of $5 Million Series A Financing

VICTORIA, British Columbia, -- Carbonetworks Corporation, a pioneering provider of enterprise greenhouse gas emissions management software and services, today announced the first close of its $5 Million Series A round of financing. The funding was provided by NGEN II, L.P., part of the NGEN Partners group of leading cleantech venture funds. Link.

Xethanol Hires Dr. Rom Papadopoulos as New Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer

Atlanta, GA -- Xethanol Corporation (AMEX: XNL), a renewable energy company, announced that it has hired Dr. Rom Papadopoulos, former Managing Director of The Jacoby Group, an Atlanta based investment group, to serve as its Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. In those roles, Dr. Papadopoulos will explore growth alternatives for Xethanol’s business. Those alternatives include mergers and acquisitions, investments, and new product lines in renewable energy. The company also announced that its previous Chief Financial Officer, Gary Flicker, will pursue other career interests. Link. Chart.

ReneSola Appoints Mr. Robert Naii Lee as Independent Director

JIASHAN, China, – ReneSola Ltd, a leading global manufacturer of solar wafers, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Robert Naii Lee to its board as an independent director. Mr. Lee replaces Mr. Binghua Huang who has retired as director and chief technology officer. Link. Chart.

Xunlight Receives $4.9 million Award from State of Ohio

Toledo, Ohio –– Xunlight Corporation, a leader in the development of low cost and flexible thin-film silicon solar modules, announced it has been awarded $4.9 million from the State of Ohio’s Research Commercialization Program to leverage its technology into Ohio-based manufacturing lines and bring new products to market. The proposed project has three primary objectives: develop an improved, advanced thin-film solar-cell fabrication technology; develop an improved, advanced flexible solar module manufacturing process, with the necessary equipment; and develop advanced photovoltaic products targeted to markets to leverage the competitive characteristics of their thin-film solar cells. Link.

Wakonda Raises $9.5 Million in Series A Financing

MEDFORD, Mass., -- Wakonda Technologies, Inc., a developer of solar photovoltaic (PV) products, today announced it has raised $9.5 million in Series A financing from ATV (Advanced Technology
Ventures), General Catalyst Partners, Polaris Venture Partners, Applied Ventures, LLC (the venture capital arm of Applied Materials, Inc.) and the Massachusetts Green Energy Fund. Link.

Recurrent Energy Nabs $75 Million for Solar as a Service

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, and TEANECK, NJ –– Recurrent Energy, a leading solar power developer and the pioneer in Solar as a ServiceSM, announced at the Intersolar North America conference that it has partnered with Hudson Clean Energy Partners. Hudson has committed an initial $75MM to fund the expansion of Recurrent Energy’s business providing Solar as a Service to commercial and industrial properties, as well as utility and government markets in North America, and emerging markets worldwide. Link.

Arisdyne Systems Completes Series A Financing

CLEVELAND, OH – Arisdyne Systems, an alternative fuel, cavitation technology and equipment company headquartered in Cleveland, recently raised $5.3 million in new equity financing to facilitate research on biofuel production methods. The completed financing confirms Arisdyne’s initial success, and augments previous funding from the core group of investors. Capital was raised as part of the restructuring that established Arisdyne as an entity independent from parent company Five Star Technologies. Link.

Clean Harbors Appoints Simon Gerlin Senior Vice President of Finance

Norwell, MA –– Clean Harbors, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLHB), the leading provider of environmental and hazardous waste management services throughout North America, announced the Company has named Simon R. Gerlin, 50, to the newly created position of Senior Vice President of Finance, effective immediately. Gerlin will report to Clean Harbors’ Chief Financial Officer, James M. Rutledge. Gerlin will oversee all of the Company’s controllership functions, including the corporate controller function and the business unit controller functions. Additionally, Gerlin will play a key role in the Company’s internal audit function going forward. Link. Chart.

JA Solar Appoints New Chief Operating Officer

HEBEI, China, -- JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. (Nasdaq:JASO) today announced the appointment of Dr. Elmer Hsu as Chief Operating Officer. Dr. Hsu will be replacing Dr. Kang Sun and will assume the role of new COO effective August 1, 2008. Link. Chart.

International Rectifier Names Tim Bixler Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- International Rectifier Corporation (NYSE:IRF) announced the appointment of Tim Bixler as Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, effective immediately. In this role, Tim will be responsible for management of the legal function of the Company including directing the Company's legal affairs, providing legal counsel to the Board of Directors, management and employees and creating strong working relationships with the business units and functions. Mr. Bixler will report to the Company's Chief Administrative Officer, Don Dancer. Link. Chart.

eSolar Taps New CFO

PASADENA, Calif. -- eSolar™, a producer of modular, scalable solar thermal power plants, announced the addition of Merrick Kerr as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). As CFO, Mr. Kerr will oversee the financial and administrative functions of the Company as it expands its presence across the southwest United States and globally. Mr. Kerr joins the Company following the closing of $130 million in funding from Idealab, Oak Investment Partners and Google.org, as well as a recently announced power purchase agreement (PPA) with Southern California Edison to produce 245 MW of solar thermal power. Link.

Intel Expands Its Cleantech Portfolio with Sulfurcell Investment

MUNICH, Germany and SANTA CLARA, Calif., – As an important part of its cleantech investing, Intel Capital, Intel's global investment organization, has invested € 24 million in Sulfurcell, a leading German developer and manufacturer of thin-film, electricity-generating solar modules. Sulfurcell will use the new investment to significantly expand production with a new plant in Berlin. Intel Capital led the € 85 million total equity round, with a € 24 million investment. European cleantech investors including Climate Change Capital Private Equity (London), AIG (Zurich), Demeter Partners (Paris), Zouk Ventures (London) and BankInvest (Copenhagen) invested € 38 million with the remainder of the round coming from existing investors. Link. Chart.

iWatt, Inc. Raises $12.4 Million in Series E Financing

Los Gatos, CA – iWatt, Inc., a leader in digital power IC and Systems products and technology, announced today the closing of a $12.4 Million Series E financing round, led by a strategic investor. Existing investors VantagePoint Venture Partners, Sigma Partners and Horizon Ventures, as well as several private investors, also participated in the round. The funding will be used to enhance the company's working capital to facilitate the rapid growth of its green technology products focused on AC-DC and DC-DC applications. Link.

Mike Donoughe Joins Tesla Motors as EVP Vehicle Engineering and Manufacturing

SAN CARLOS, Calif. -- Mike Donoughe, a veteran auto industry executive, has joined Tesla Motors as Executive Vice President, Vehicle Engineering and Manufacturing. In this role, Mike will be responsible for manufacturing, supply chain, quality and operations for the company. In addition, Mike will oversee both the Roadster Program and the ‘Model S’ program, a 4 door, 5 passenger electric sports sedan. Link.

Raychem Founder Paul M. Cook Joins Energy Recovery, Inc. (ERI) Board of Directors

SAN LEANDRO, Calif. -- Energy Recovery, Inc. (NASDAQ:ERII), a global leader of ultra-high-efficiency energy recovery products and technology for sea water desalination, announced today that legendary radiation-chemistry pioneer Paul M. Cook joined the Company's Board of Directors. Link. Chart.

Cyber-Rain Announces Round of Funding

AGOURA HILLS, Calif. -- Cyber-Rain, makers of a unique and easy-to-use smart sprinkler controller system, today announced an agreement with a group of current and new investors to provide Series A financing. The announcement comes amid soaring water prices and the need for better water conservation on the part of individuals and municipalities alike. Link.

Eka Systems Receives $18.5 Million Financing to Broaden Utility Networking Capabilities

Germantown, MD, -- Eka Systems, a global leader in providing Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and Smart Grid solutions for electric, gas, and water utilities, today announced they have closed an $18.5 million Series D round of funding. Led by Flybridge Capital Partners, the investment included participation from Angeleno Group, RockPort Capital Partners, The Westly Group, and Metropolitan Investment. Eka Systems’ solutions are targeted at the expanding $100 billion energy worldwide market where utilities are seeking the benefits of smart metering and Smart Grid solutions. Link.

Advent Solar Appoints New Chief Strategic Officer

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA -- Advent Solar, Inc., a manufacturer of innovative solar cells and modules, announced today the hiring of Martin Hermann as the company's new Chief Strategic Officer. Hermann is a successful entrepreneur with 17 years of executive management experience in international start-up and Fortune 100 companies. Link.

ATEL Ventures Commits $5.0 Million in Equipment Lease Financing to Innovalight, Inc.

SAN FRANCISCO -- ATEL Ventures, a leading provider of secured financing to emerging growth companies, has announced that they have committed $5.0 million in equipment lease financing to Innovalight, Inc., a privately held company focused on making inexpensive, portable solar power systems using nanotechnology. Link.

Paul Ciandrini Joins HydroPoint Data Systems, Inc. as President and CEO

Petaluma, Calif., – HydroPoint Data Systems, Inc., provider of the WeatherTRAK® smart water management solution, today announced the appointment of Paul Ciandrini as president and chief executive officer. In this role, Mr. Ciandrini will be responsible for day-to-day operations and the strategic development of the company's proven water-saving technology. Former HydroPoint CEO and founder Chris Spain will serve as chairman of the company's board of directors and chief strategy officer. Link.

Tigo Energy Scores $6 Million

Los Gatos, CA –– Tigo Energy, a solar company whose technology enables increased efficiency in commercial and residential solar installations, announced today it has raised $6 million in a round co-led by and Matrix Partners and OVP Venture Partners. Link.

Intelligent Energy Funding Round Completed

Loughborough, UK -- Intelligent Energy has raised $13.6 m from a recent round of private funding. The funds will be used to provide for Intelligent Energy’s growth plans as it moves towards commercialisation of its clean and efficient hydrogen fuel cell technology in applications across a broad range of global target markets. Link.

Energy Recovery, Inc. Prices Initial Public Offering

SAN LEANDRO, Calif.-- Energy Recovery, Inc. (NASDAQ:ERII) announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 14,000,000 shares of its common stock at $8.50 per share. Of these shares, 8,078,566 were sold by ERI and 5,921,434 were sold by selling stockholders. The initial public offering valued the Company at about $400 million. Energy Recovery, Inc., a leading global developer and manufacturer of highly efficient energy recovery devices utilized in the water desalination industry, operates primarily in the sea water reverse osmosis, or SWRO, segment of the industry. Link. Chart.

VeraSun Energy Names Duane Gilliam Chairman

BROOKINGS, S.D., -- VeraSun Energy Corp. (NYSE: VSE), one of the nation's largest ethanol producers, announced today that Gordon Ommen has resigned as the Company's Chairman. Duane Gilliam will assume the role of Chairman of the Board of Directors. He joined the board in 2005 and currently serves as Chairman of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. Link. Chart.

Arcapita Ventures Leads $37M Investment in Aspen Aerogels

ATLANTA, -- Arcapita Ventures announced today that it has led a $37 million round of investment in Aspen Aerogels, Inc., a leading provider of advanced insulation materials. Joining Arcapita in the round were existing investors Lehman Brothers Venture Partners, Reservoir Capital Group and Rockport Capital Partners. Link.

SunRun Secures $12 Million in Financing to Accelerate "Solar as a Service" Model for Homeowners

SAN FRANCISCO – SunRun, the nation’s first residential solar electricity provider, announced today it has raised $12 million in a financing led by Foundation Capital. SunRun's vision of making solar electricity accessible to a greater number of homeowners through its unique "solar as a service" model dovetails with Foundation Capital's commitment to cleantech investing. Despite struggles on Capitol Hill over energy policy, Silicon Valley innovation is paving the way to energy independence and environmental security. Link.

Basin Water Announces Changes in Management Team

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., -- Basin Water, Inc. (NASDAQ:BWTR) announced organizational changes including the appointment of Thomas C. Tekulve as Vice President of Finance - Business Development and W. Christopher Chisholm as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the company. With over 30 years of professional experience, Mr. Tekulve, Basin Water's former Chief Financial Officer, will guide the expansion of Basin Water's sales and service operations by directing project risk assessment, financing and development of new business based upon the company's low lifecycle cost and pay-for-performance model. Mr. Chisholm is a financial executive with over 27 years of experience in financial management, including work in public offerings, acquisitions, and divestitures, financial reporting and risk management. Prior to joining Basin Water, Mr. Chisholm was Executive Vice-President, Finance of United States Filter Corporation and Executive Vice-President, Finance & Administration and Chief Financial Officer of Veolia Water North America. Link. Chart.

Nordic Windpower Appoints New Chief Financial Officer

BERKELEY, Calif. -- Nordic Windpower Ltd., the leading company manufacturing and selling innovative, utility-scale wind turbines based on proven Swedish technology, announced that Prakash Ramachandran, a finance expert in growth-oriented technology businesses and international markets, has joined the company as Chief Financial Officer and member of its Board of Directors. Link.

Tendril Expands Executive Team

Boulder, Colo. – Tendril, a leading provider of Residential Energy Management Systems (REMS) for the utilities industry and their consumers, announced the addition of three new executives to the company’s management team, representing more than 50 years of experience in product engineering, business unit expansion and IT and wireless systems design. Tendril has hired Andy Wheeler as chief technology officer (CTO), Kent Dickson as vice president of engineering and Marcelo Bergquist as vice president of operations. Their appointments and breadth and depth of expertise help put Tendril in an even stronger position to address the growing market demand for comprehensive and innovative technologies that allow customers to manage their energy consumption. Link.

Medis Technologies Appoints Frank Romero as Sr. VP

NEW YORK -- Medis Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ:MDTL) announced that it appointed Mr. Frank Romero as its Sr. VP of Sales and Market Development. Mr. Romero brings to Medis 15 years of broad industry experience that spans product management, marketing, and sales development in the telecommunications and IT industries. Mr. Romero joins Medis from Hewlett-Packard Corporation where he most recently held the position of Group Manager, Accessories & Options, for the iPAQ handheld business. In that position, he led and managed the iPAQ accessories portfolio. He developed the category roadmap and made significant contributions in business planning, partner and product development efforts, and creating sales and marketing tools for the accessory products for iPAQ smart phones, iPAQ portable GPS navigation devices, and iPAQ PDA handhelds. Link. Chart.

Terry Copeland Appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Altair Nanotechnologies

RENO, NV -- Altair Nanotechnologies Inc. (Nasdaq: ALTI), a leading provider of advanced nanomaterials technology for use in energy, life sciences and industrial applications, announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Terry Copeland, Ph.D., as its President and Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Copeland has been serving as interim President since March 2008. Link. Chart.

Franz Kemper Appointed General Manager, EPV SOLAR Germany GmbH

Robbinsville, NJ, USA: EPV SOLAR, Inc., a thin-film solar module manufacturer and technology developer headquartered in Robbinsville, NJ, announced its appointment of Mr. Franz Kemper as General Manager of its newly established Senftenberg, Germany, facility. Mr. Kemper, who comes to EPV SOLAR with over 25 years of experience in the semiconductor industry, is presently overseeing the facility’s start-up operations--including the hiring of management, engineers, technical teams, and more than 200 production workers--and will assume overall responsibility for the plant’s operations and profitability. Link.

Vycon Appoints New Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director

Yorba Linda, CA -- The Board of Vycon, Inc, the AIM listed, designer and manufacturer of high-speed flywheel based energy storage systems, is pleased to announce that Craig T. Glynn has been appointed as Chief Financial Officer and as an Executive Director of Vycon, with immediate effect. Mr. Glynn succeeds Dennis Whittler, who is retiring and has stepped down as a director of Vycon. Craig Glynn brings to Vycon twenty-three years of extensive hands-on experience in financial management and reporting, financial and strategic planning and mergers and acquisitions. Craig most recently served as Chief Financial Officer for Hilex Poly Co. LLC (‘Hilex’), a plastics manufacturer with annual sales of $500 million, eleven manufacturing facilities and approximately 2,500 employees. Craig was instrumental in the re-capitalisation of Hilex, with private equity backing, and the subsequent purchase of the company’s largest domestic competitor, financed primarily with debt. Link.

Simon Upfill-Brown Joins GreenFuel as CEO and Director

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--GreenFuel Technologies Corporation, a private company developing algae farming technologies for recycling CO2 emissions, has recruited Simon Upfill-Brown to be Chief Executive Officer (CEO), starting July 14. The former Dow Chemical executive will also be elected to GreenFuel’s Board of Directors on July 23. Upfill-Brown comes to GreenFuel from Haltermann Custom Processing, of which he was CEO starting in 1993. After Dow Chemical bought the $50 million Houston company in 2001, he was General Manager of Dow Haltermann until it was spun out in 2008 with international operations employing 435 people and earning $230 million in annual revenues. Haltermann provides specialty chemical manufacturing services, including biodiesel, for which GreenFuel plans to be an algae oil feedstock supplier. Link.

SET Venture Partners announces investment in Epyon B.V.

Amsterdam, the Netherlands – SET Venture Partners ("SET VP") announced today the investment in Epyon B.V. by SET VP, Chrysalix Energy Limited Partnership ("Chrysalix") and the management of Epyon B.V. SET VP is the General Partner of the Sustainable Energy Technology ("SET") Fund, which invests in innovative companies with entrepreneurial management teams actively developing new technologies for the production of clean energy, alternative fuels, CO2 reductions and energy savings. Chrysalix, located in Vancouver, is a global leader in cleantech venture capital investing. Epyon B.V., a spin-off company of the Delft University of Technology, develops technology and IP in the field of ultra fast charging of advanced lithium-ion batteries. Their strength is their knowledge of state-of-the-art energy storage media and super capacitors in combination with their in-house capabilities to create intelligent computer-controlled power conversion systems. Epyon B.V. supports three different markets. The primary market is clean Electrical Vehicles (EV) for professional use, where ultra fast charging is the solution to lower the total cost of ownership through increased efficiency. The second market is the in-car (on-board) plug-in charger solutions for EVs and Plug-in Hybrid Electrical Vehicles. Thirdly, the company has a white label consumer product, called Flash Pack, for delivering back-up power for mobile devices like cell phones, PDAs, MP3 players including iPods and some digital photo cameras. Link.

SunEdison Names Brian Jacolick General Manager

Beltsville, MD – SunEdison, North America’s largest solar energy services provider, today announced that Brian Jacolick has been named General Manager – North America. Based in Beltsville, Jacolick will report directly to SunEdison CEO Thomas (Tom) Rainwater and will oversee all business operations for SunEdison in North America, including U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean. Jacolick previously served as Vice President of Sales, leading the development of solar programs for marquee organizations including Kohl’s, Staples, Wal-Mart, the State of California, and most recently Duke Energy. Link.

GE Increases Share in PrimeStar Solar

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. -- GE Energy today announced that it has increased its equity share in PrimeStar Solar, Inc., an emerging solar thin-film technology and manufacturing company. GE already held a minority equity share of PrimeStar Solar, as announced in September 2007. PrimeStar Solar, headquartered in Golden, Colo., was formed in June 2006 to develop and commercialize thin-film photovoltaic modules. The company has 60 employees, including a core management team with more than 100 years of thin-film equipment and process experience. Link.

SunPower Names Marty T. Neese Chief Operating Officer

SAN JOSE, Calif., -- SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWR), a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of high-efficiency solar cells, solar panels and solar systems, today announced that Marty T. Neese is joining the company as its chief operating officer. Neese will be responsible for leading SunPower's global strategic operations and worldwide materials sourcing, and will oversee the execution of its recently announced solar cell fabrication plant in Malaysia. Neese brings more than 25 years of experience driving cost effective, scalable manufacturing processes and policies. A proponent of Kaizen, the Japanese strategy for continuous improvement, Neese successfully executed the Lean Six Sigma methodology at Flextronics International, a $30+ billion company, and received the 2007 Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence. Link. Chart.

Fat Spaniel Technologies Adds New VP of Operations

San Jose, Calif. ––Fat Spaniel Technologies, Inc., the market leader in monitoring and reporting services for distributed renewable energy systems, today announced that cleantech market veteran Ron Lloyd has joined the executive team as vice president of operations. Lloyd has more than 20 years of experience in high technology process management including leadership roles at Hewlett Packard, Sun Microsystems and Tesla Motors, Inc. At Fat Spaniel Technologies, Lloyd will guide the operational ramp-up of the company’s independent monitoring services for renewable energy OEMs, integrators and PPA service providers worldwide. Link.

Tigo Energy Scores $6 Million Funding

Los Gatos, CA –– Tigo Energy, a solar company whose technology enables increased efficiency in commercial and residential solar installations, announced today it has raised $6 million in a round co-led by and Matrix Partners and OVP Venture Partners. Link.

FTL Solar Closes Successful Series A Financing

NEW YORK, -- FTL Solar, a developer of lightweight, flexible tensile structures embedded with thin-film solar cells providing military and commercial enterprises with economical, scalable and portable sources of electrical power and shelter, announced today that the Company had closed a successful first round of funding, as Phase I of the Company's $50 million capital acquisition initiative. Link.

Jeff Tester and Mert Flemings Join Ze-gen Advisory Board

Boston, MA – Ze-gen, Inc., a clean energy company providing advanced gasification technology to convert industrial and municipal waste streams into synthesis gas and low emissions electricity, announced today that it will welcome Dr. Jeff Tester and Dr. Mert Flemings to the company’s Scientific Advisory Board. The Scientific Advisory Board focuses on overseeing and driving the technical development of Ze-gen’s advanced gasification technology and offers scientific guidance on the company’s technical direction. Link.

Pacific Ethanol Closes $28.5 Million Financing

Sacramento, California, — Pacific Ethanol, Inc. (NASDAQ GM: PEIX) announced that it has completed a Registered Direct Offering, which was previously announced on May 23, 2008. This transaction raised $28.5 million in gross proceeds, before deducting placement agent’s fees and estimated offering expenses, through the sale of 6.0 million units, each unit consisting of one share of common stock and one warrant to purchase 0.50 shares of common stock, at a purchase price of $4.75 per unit. The warrants will first become exercisable after six months from the closing of the financing at a price of $7.10 per share. Link. Chart.

Active Power Appoints Martin Olsen Vice President of Business Development

AUSTIN, Texas – Critical backup power systems inventor and manufacturer Active Power, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACPW), announced the appointment of Martin Olsen as vice president of Business Development. Having previously served as director of Product Management and Development for the company, Olsen will structure and lead all global business development activities to help grow Active Power’s distribution channels. Link. Chart.

SunEdison Closes $161 Million in Financing

BELTSVILLE, MD – SunEdison, North America’s largest solar energy services provider, today announced that it has closed $131 million of private equity and $30 million of debt financing with new and existing investors over the last six months. Investors include Greylock Partners; HSH Nordbank AG; Applied Ventures, LLC; Black River Commodity Clean Energy Investment Fund, a fund managed by Black River Asset Management; MissionPoint Capital Partners; and Allco Renewable Energy Limited. These financings are designated to support the operational resources of SunEdison. Link.

Mechanical Technology, Inc. Elects New Chairman

Albany, N.Y., — The Board of Directors of Mechanical Technology, Incorporated ("MTI") (NASDAQ: MKTY) today announced the election of Chief Executive Officer Peng Lim to the position of Chairman of the Board, effective as of May 15, 2008. Mr. Lim replaces outgoing Chairman Steven N. Fischer. Link. Chart.

Credit Suisse Invests $20 Million in SmartSynch

JACKSON, Miss.--SmartSynch, a global leader in public wireless smart metering technology, announced today that it has raised $20 million dollars in expansion financing. New investor Credit Suisse, a leading international financial institution based in New York, invested in the financing through its Customized Fund Investment Group. This round also provided an opportunity for a new investor, Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company, to participate in SmartSynch’s success, along with a host of existing investors, such as: Battelle Ventures, Beacon Group, Endeavor Capital Management, GulfSouth Capital, Innovation Valley Partners, Kinetic Ventures, OPG Ventures and Siemens Venture Capital. To date, SmartSynch has raised a total of $80 million since its inception in 2000. It will use this latest round to fund working capital growth, expand market presence and accelerate the product roadmap for new Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and Smart Grid Intelligence solutions. Link.

BioFuel Appoints New CFO

DENVER, -- BIOFUEL ENERGY CORP. (Nasdaq: BIOF), a development stage ethanol production company, today announced that Kelly G. Maguire would become its Vice President-Finance and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Maguire will replace David J. Kornder in that capacity. Mr. Kornder is resigning to pursue an opportunity to become the Chief Executive of an oil and gas company. Mr. Kornder will remain with the Company through June 30th and has agreed to make himself available thereafter to the extent required and practical. Link. Chart.

Dr. Randhir Thakur Joining Applied Materials as General Manager of Strategic Operations

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--Applied Materials, Inc. today announced that Randhir Thakur, Ph.D. is re-joining the company as senior vice president and general manager of Strategic Operations, initially helping to lead operations for the company's Applied SunFab(TM) Thin Film Line for producing solar photovoltaic (PV) modules. Dr. Thakur was most recently executive vice president of technology and fab operations at SanDisk Corporation, the world's largest supplier of flash memory data storage products. Prior to SanDisk, he worked at Applied Materials for five years in executive roles within semiconductor product groups. Link. Chart.

ECORE International Attracts $29 Million Equity Investment

Lancaster, PA. -- ECORE International, a leader in manufacturing and marketing innovative, environmentally sustainable products and solutions for the global marketplace, has received $29 million in equity financing from Element Partners, a Philadelphia, Pa., based venture capital fund. Element Partners invests in high-growth companies with clean technology solutions to global resource and environmental constraints. Link.

Featured Company: VRB Power Systems, Inc.

We're introducing a new feature to our blog. From time to time we intend to write about companies that we feel are strategically well positioned, are near the point of capitalizing on their strong position and have recently added to their management teams. The first in this series of write-ups is VRB Power Systems, Inc., of Richmond, BC, Canada.

Recently, we interviewed Justin K. Lacey, VP of Sales and Marketing at VRB Power Systems. He joined the company in March of this year after more than 10 years at Bombardier, a company with 60,000 employees and $20 billion in sales. At Bombardier he served as VP for marketing and sales in the business jets division. His focus there was to build the company's brand and increase sales in international markets. At VRB, he looks forward to applying many of the lessons learned in his big company experience to creating success in a much smaller company on its way to becoming a large one.

The markets for VRB Power Systems product, VRB-ESS, an energy storage system featuring a flow battery using vanadium-based electrolyte, may be near a growth inflection point where a few large orders lead to higher volume manufacturing and reduced manufacturing costs, lower selling prices, which in turn lead to increased market share and additional new orders.

The overall market for energy storage in the USA is estimated to be about 10GW per annum until 2010 (Distributed Utility Resources, Wachovia Securities 2002 energy report, et al) and over 100GWh. This includes applications of energy arbitrage, power quality and load leveling (peak shaving). Using these figures and a projected sales price for the VRB-ESS of $450/kWh, the market potential is estimated at approximately $4.5 Billion/year. [DOE estimates of market benefits are $3.8 Billion/year and Pearl Street $11 Billion/year]

VRB Power Systems' proprietary technology (20 - 25 patents) has attracted selling agents around the globe. The company's own sales force has had good success booking orders from telecommunications companies using VRB-ESS to power remote transmission and receiving stations. The competing technology for the telecommunications market is lead acid batteries. The company has received an order from the US Department of Energy to build, together with Chevron Energy and others, a demonstration solar and wind power system in the Santa Rita Jail in Northern California. The competing technology for these large wind farm and solar projects is either zinc bromine or sodium sulfur batteries. The company's vanadium based system competes favorably with these alternatives because of its capacity for a high number of charge and discharge cycles and because it relies on relatively benign materials for its technology.

Longer term, the company has plans to establish VRB-ESS as the brand to turn to for energy storage systems worldwide. Also, the company has the intention and ability to enter the very large market for electric power load leveling and peak shaving systems. So, the market opportunities for VRB-ESS are varied and potentially enormous, but will require achieving the right cost/benefit relationship to fully exploit. On the other hand, wind and solar farms are large markets that already can use a VRB-ESS type solution in order to deliver on their potential as steady, reliable power sources.

Principle Power Closes $2.3M Seed Funding Convertible Note Round

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, - Principle Power, Inc. is pleased to announce that it has successfully closed its convertible note offering. The company had been seeking $1,500,000 in convertible debt to consolidate its position with key licensed renewable energy technologies and initiate development of projects. Link.

BrightSource Energy Exceeds $115 Million in Latest Round of Funding

Oakland, CA – BrightSource Energy, Inc., developer of utility-scale solar energy projects, has secured $115 million in additional corporate funding from its Series C round of financing, bringing the total the company has raised to date to over $160 million. These additional funds will enable the company to accelerate its plans to deliver utility-grade solar power at a time when many utilities are searching for reliable sources of renewable energy. Link.

Greenfuel Raises $13.9 Million

Cambridge, MA – GreenFuel Technologies Corporation, a privately held company developing algae farm technologies for recycling CO2 emissions, has closed a $13.9M venture capital round led by Access Private Equity, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, and Polaris Venture Partners. GreenFuel intends to use these funds to prepare for algae farm technology development and scaling projects during 2008. Link.

Geoffrey J. Brooks Joins the Solazyme Management Team

South San Francisco, CA – Solazyme, Inc., a biotechnology company unleashing the power of aquatic microbes to create clean and scalable solutions for biofuel, industrial chemical, and health and wellness markets, today announced that it has named Geoffrey J. Brooks as Vice President an General Manager Health and Wellness. Mr. Brooks will lead Solazyme’s development and commercialization of novel ingredients and consumer products emerging from its core algal technology platform with applications in personal care and beauty products, nutritional supplements, and functional foods. Link.

GreenTech Media Raises $2.75 Million

Cambridge, Mass. – Greentech Media, Inc., the industry leading online media company covering green technology news and analysis today announced that it has raised $2.75M in Series B financing. New investors EGORA Holding and The Massachusetts Green Energy Fund co-led the round. Existing investors Lightspeed Venture Partners and Northport Private Equity also participated, along with King Hill Capital a new investor as part of the Series B round. Link.

New Directors for Maxwell Technologies

San Diego, CA — Maxwell Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: MXWL) announced today that Yon Yoon Jorden, who has served as chief financial officer of four publicly traded companies, and Roger L. Howsmon, a seasoned corporate executive with extensive international and transportation industry experience, have been appointed to Maxwell’s board of directors. Link. Chart.

Canadian Solar Appoints New Chief Financial Officer

JIANGSU, China, -- Canadian Solar Inc. (Nasdaq: CSIQ) announced today the board of directors has appointed Mr. Arthur Chien, the current Vice-President, Finance and Secretary of the Company to Chief Financial Officer and Director, effective June 7th, 2008. The appointment of Mr. Chien comes in response to Mr. Bing Zhu's decision to resign as a Director and Chief Financial Officer of the Company. Link. Chart.

Verenium Appoints John F. Dee to Board of Directors

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., - Verenium Corporation (Nasdaq: VRNM), a pioneer in the development of next-generation cellulosic ethanol and high-performance specialty enzymes, today announced the appointment of John F. Dee to its Board of Directors. The Company also announced that Geoffrey Hazlewood, Ph.D., Senior Vice President of Research, has resigned for personal reasons effective May 31, 2008 and will be returning to his native England. Dr. Hazlewood will remain as an exclusive consultant to the Company and will also join its scientific advisory board, enabling him to play an ongoing role in bringing many of Verenium's important research projects to a successful conclusion. Link. Chart.

Keith Hartley Joins PureSense to Lead Sales & Marketing

OAKLAND, Calif.--PureSense, the leader in real-time irrigation and water management solutions for agriculture announced today a new executive member joining the PureSense team, Keith Hartley, as the company’s VP of Sales & Marketing. PureSense CEO Craig Buxton underscored the significance of Hartley’s position – "Keith’s background is perfect for expanding sales of our value-base services into this rapidly emerging market for water efficiency. His first stop," says Buxton, "is getting as many growers as possible to benefit from using our award-winning solution - PureSense Irrigation Manager – dramatically raising productivity, yields and quality through efficient water use." Link.

Basin Water Names Susan Hegarty Snow to Board of Directors

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., -- Basin Water, Inc. (NASDAQ:BWTR) today announced the appointment of Susan Hegarty Snow to its Board of Directors effective May 6, 2008. Ms. Snow has been appointed as a Class I Director with an initial term expiring in 2010. Ms. Snow was also appointed to serve on the Company's Audit Committee and Nominating and Governance Committee. Link. Chart.

Kellogg L. Warner Joins Eka Systems Board of Directors

Germantown, MD -- Eka Systems, a global provider of Smart Grid solutions and Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) for electric, gas and water utilities, today announced that Kellogg Warner has joined its Board of Directors. Link.

APX Appoints Gary Guzy as General Counsel

Santa Clara, CA --APX, Inc., the leading infrastructure provider for environmental and energy markets, today announced the appointment of Gary S. Guzy to the newly created position of General Counsel. He will be responsible for directing APX’s legal strategy and leading the Company’s worldwide regulatory and government affairs program. Link.

Sunova Completes $12 Million Mezzanine Round

SARASOTA, Fla. and BOLINGBROOK, Ill.-- Sunovia Energy Technologies, Inc. (NASD OTC Bulletin Board: SUNV) is pleased to announce that it has completed its mezzanine round of financing. The company has currently raised a total of $12 million, and continues to allocate proceeds to the development of the scalable CdTe-based solar cell manufacturing facility and sales of the EvoLucia™ LED-based solid-state lighting solutions. Link. Chart.

Ze-gen Appoints George McMillan As CFO and COO

BOSTON--Ze-gen, Inc., a clean energy company providing advanced gasification technology to convert waste streams into synthesis gas and low emissions electrical energy, announced the addition of George McMillan to the Ze-gen team. Mr. McMillan is joining Ze-gen as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Link.

SkyFuel Secures $17 Million in Funding

Albuquerque, New Mexico - SkyFuel, Inc. is pleased to announce the closing of a $17 million Series B equity financing from investors led by Leaf Clean Energy Company [LSE: LEAF.L], a publicly traded $400 million clean energy company advised by Energy & Climate Advisors, a joint venture between Shaw Capital, Inc. and EEA Group. SkyFuel is a technology leader for next-generation utility-scale concentrating solar thermal power (CSP) systems and is revolutionizing the industry with advanced materials and components. Link

ReliOn Secures "C" Round Financing

Spokane, Wash.: ReliOn, the leading provider of high-reliability fuel cell solutions for backup power applications, announced today that it has secured an additional U.S. $23 million in equity financing as a result of Series C funding activities. ReliOn welcomed two new investors into the C round: the PCG Clean Energy & Technology Fund, LLC of La Jolla, California, and Robeco Clean Tech Private Equity II (“Robeco”) of Rotterdam, Netherlands. Link.

Xunlight Appoints Two Vice Presidents

Toledo, Ohio – Xunlight Corporation, a leader in the development of low cost and flexible thin-film silicon solar modules, announced it has strengthened its senior management team with the appointments of Dr. Masat Izu as Senior Vice President of Engineering and Mr. Matthew Longthorne as Vice President of Corporate Development and Strategies. Link.

Xunlight Raises $22 million in Series B Financing

Toledo, Ohio – Xunlight Corporation, a leader in the development of low cost and flexible thin-film silicon solar modules, announced it has raised $22 million in a Series B financing. The investment was led by Trident Capital, a leading private equity and venture capital firm that has over $1.6 billion under management. Existing investors, Emerald Technology Ventures and NGP Energy Technology Partners, participated in the round. The proceeds will be used to build commercial manufacturing capacity for the production of lightweight and flexible thin film silicon solar modules. Link.

Verdiem Appoints Steve Gordon as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Operations

SEATTLE, -- Verdiem, the leading developer of power management software for PC networks, announced the addition of Steve Gordon as chief financial officer and vice president of operations. Gordon brings to Verdiem 25 years of experience in general, operational, administrative and financial business management. While his primary role at Verdiem focuses on driving financial performance, he will also be responsible for human resources, administration, operations, infrastructure development and legal affairs. Link.

Ambient Secures $3.0 Million in Funding

Boston, MA, -- Ambient Corporation (OTCBB: ABTG) announced that it has raised an additional investment of $3 million from Vicis Capital Master Fund (Vicis). In return for the investment, Vicis received warrants for 135 million shares of Ambient common stock and other consideration. Link. Chart.

SunOpta Announces Appointment of Tony Tavares as Chief Operating Officer

TORONTO, -- SunOpta Inc. (Nasdaq:STKL) (TSX:SOY) today announced the appointment of Tony Tavares to the position of Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, SunOpta Inc., effective June 1, 2008. In this role, Mr. Tavares will report to Steve Bromley, President and Chief Executive Officer, SunOpta Inc., and assume operational and strategic responsibility for the Company's SunOpta Food Group operations and global supply chain initiatives. Link. Chart.

Ze-gen Appoints Jason Hardebeck Vice President of Business Development

BOSTON--Ze-gen, Inc., a clean energy company providing advanced gasification technology to convert waste streams into synthesis gas and low emissions electrical energy, today announced the addition of Jason Hardebeck to their expanding team. Mr. Hardebeck is joining Ze-gen as the Vice President of Business Development and will spearhead project development efforts along the east coast. Link.

HelioVolt Hires Former DuPont Executive as CTO

AUSTIN, Texas--HelioVolt Corporation, a producer of highly-efficient thin film solar energy products, announced that Louay Eldada, Ph.D., has joined as chief technical officer. A technical leader with proven track record at both small and large companies, Dr. Eldada joins HelioVolt from E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (DuPont) where he served as CTO, vice president of technology, vice president of engineering and board director for DuPont Photonics Technologies. In the new position at HelioVolt, Dr. Eldada will direct strategic technology planning and development for the company’s advanced thin film solar energy products. Link.

Akeena Solar Promotes Steve Daniel to Executive V.P. of Sales and Marketing

LOS GATOS, Calif.--Akeena Solar, Inc., (NASDAQ:AKNS), a leading designer and installer of solar power systems, today announced the promotion of Steve Daniel to executive vice president of sales and marketing. Daniel joined Akeena in January 2007 as vice president of sales. In one year, Daniel added new regional managers, built a commercial sales team and helped increase revenue from $13 million to $32 million. Link. Chart.

eSolar Raises $130 Million from Idealab, Oak, Google

Pasadena, Calif. – Today, eSolar™, a producer of scalable solar thermal power plants, announced that is has closed $130 million in funding from Idealab, Google.org, Oak Investment Partners, and other investors for the construction and deployment of pre-fabricated power plants. Designed to address the complex issues surrounding large or utility-scale power projects, eSolar’s distributed solar thermal plants achieve economies of scale at 33 MW, and are modularly scaled to fit the needs of large and small utilities. Link.

International Rectifier Names Peter Knepper Acting Chief Financial Officer

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--International Rectifier Corporation (NYSE:IRF) today announced that Peter B. Knepper will serve as Acting Chief Financial Officer, assuming the responsibility for all finance and accounting functions. Mr. Knepper has been assisting International Rectifier since January 2008 and will focus on managing the functions as the Company transitions to a new Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Knepper will report to Oleg Khaykin, International Rectifier’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Linda J. Pahl, who has been serving as the Company’s Acting Chief Financial Officer, will remain with the Company as a consultant to focus on the completion of the reconstruction and restatement of financial statements described in the Company’s public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Link. Chart.