ECOSMART-2012 2nd International Forum of Clean Technologies in Kiev Ukraine

From the ECOSMART website (www.ecosmart-ua.com):

"In continuation of the success of the ECOSMART-2011 forum, which Ukrainian Event Awards titled as the best international event in Ukraine for the previous year, ECOSMART-2012 gathers top management of environmentally responsible companies and organizations, as well as owners and managers of “green” business, to create a powerful impetus for sustainable economic development and stimulation the development of new niches in the leading industries of Ukraine, development of high-grade segment of clean technologies in Eastern Europe."

This promises to be another great event this year, so if you haven't already RSVPd and you will be in Kiev during this time period, you should go for it!

Cheers
Jon

Green Energy Firm Raises $12 Million For Renewable Gasoline Venture

Primus Green Energy Inc. (www.primusge.com), a firm that has developed a special process to produce gasoline from biomass and natural gas, recently announced it has finalized a $12 million investment funding by IC Green Energy Ltd. This recent funding adds to $28 million raised by the company since 2007. The company has a Norh Carolina test facility in operation and seeks to commence construction of a commercial production plant in 2013.

The company's proprietary technology takes synthetic gas (or "Syngas") derived from either biomass or natural gas gasification processes, and converts it to gasoline and other usable fuels. Its end products have been independently lab tested to generate the equivalent of 93 octane gasoline.  Primus estimates that its fuel will sell at similar market prices as commercial gasoline once commercial production has begun.

Historically, syngas conversion has been challenging to bring into commercial production due to low efficiency conversion rates. But according to company sources, in the case of Primus's proprietary technology, the conversion  rate can approach 33% which would make commercial production profitable and scalable.

Could this the the future of fuel at the pump? Time will tell! If things keep going on track, the company could consider conducting an IPO by 2014 if market conditions are favorable, according to sources.

Kind regards from Kiev,
Jon

Renewable Energy IPO in USA - first of hopefully several during 2012

Greetings from Kiev!

It's a cold winter in Ukraine but a hot market, it seems,  for renewable energy companies tapping into the capital markets.  Two weeks ago, in climate change skeptical USA, an Iowa company named Renewable Energy Group Inc. completed its 72 million dollar IPO on Nasdaq (ticker: REGI).  While the book closed at the low end of the projected raise, the successful placement in January (typically a quiet month for IPOs) shows demonstrably strong continued investor interest in alternative energy as a growth market in America.  The global economic picture is not conducive to bull market placements at this time, with the market weighed down by macroeconomic concerns in the Europe and with other alternative fuel companies trading below their IPO prices last year (such as Gevo Inc. and KiOR Inc. and notably Solazyme Inc.)

Renewable Energy claims to be the largest producer of biodiesel in the U.S., using low cost feedstocks (such as inedible animal fat, used cooking oil, and inedible corn oil) to create fuel. Over the first 3Q of 2011, total revenue nearly quadrupled to $557 million compared to the same period a year earlier, but its loss widened to $27 million from $25 million in the 2010 period. 

This recent IPO underscores the growth potential in the alternative fuels sector, and it will be interesting to see how similarly situated companies in Central and Eastern Europe, with their superior access to feedstock and fuel supply inputs, can take advantage of the global capital markets to undertake their own IPOs and private placements.

Cheers from Kiev,

Jon