Fusion Corporate Partners

Nexamp has acquired SolVera Energy. The company also formed into two new business units, Renewable Energy Solutions and Clean Energy Advisory Services, which is focused on energy efficiency consulting services for commercial and industrial customers.

“The acquisition of SolVera Energy and realignment of Nexamp will enable us to address major growth opportunities in the energy marketplace by leveraging our core capabilities in renewable power and energy efficiency solutions,” stated Nexamp board chairman and co-founder Henri- Claude Bailly. According to fellow co-founder and board member, Daniel P. Leary, “This is an exciting next step for Nexamp that will build on our momentum in the two strategic businesses that will have the greatest impact on our success.”

Nexamp co-CEO and board member, Stuart R. Patterson, will head up the Clean Energy Advisory Services group. “The new business unit will allow us to build on the success of dozens of energy efficiency projects in Massachusetts and expand our efforts in the Northeast and beyond,” said Patterson.

With the SolVera Energy acquisition, Nexamp named John R. Malloy, Jr., former CEO of SolVera Energy, as co-CEO of Nexamp and a member of the board of directors. Mr. Malloy will head up Renewable Energy Solutions. Former SolVera Energy Executive Vice President and CFO, Patrick A.

Daly, has joined Nexamp as CFO of Renewable Energy Solutions. SolVera Energy brings to Nexamp broad expertise in energy project and technology developments, project and structured financing, marketing and trading, and asset management.“Nexamp is a highly respected brand in the renewable energy industry and I am excited to lead our expansion in the North American market,” said Malloy. “To make this happen, I am committed to working closely with an array of trusted development partners to deliver high-caliber renewable energy projects.”

Prior to founding SolVera Energy, Mr. Malloy was Executive Vice President at Verenium, a pioneering cellulosic ethanol clean-tech company. He also has served in executive leadership roles at Predictive Power, Edison Mission Energy, Citizens Power, Beacon Energy, and Wheelabrator Technologies. Mr. Malloy is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and holds a SMME degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Mr. Daly was a Managing Director at Alouette Capital in Boston, Managing Director in investment banking at Deutsche Bank in New York, and prior to that worked for Lehman Brothers, Kidder Peabody, Merrill Lynch, and Drexel Burnham Lambert. Mr. Daly is a graduate of Harvard University and holds an M.B.A. degree from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

USA, North Andover, MA

Plasco Energy Group has raised C$140 million in equity financing led by funds managed by Soros Fund Management LLC. Proceeds from the financing will be used to fund commercial projects in development in Canada, the United States (California), the United Kingdom, Poland, the Caribbean, and China. The new financing follows a C$110 million equity commitment led by Ares Management LLC in July 2010.

“The new round of capital bolsters our balance sheet and puts us in a position to execute on multiple projects that have emerged since our last round of financing,” Plasco CEO Rod Bryden said. “The performance of the company’s existing Ottawa plant and a strong pipeline of contract opportunities have allowed us to demonstrate to investors that our technology is proven and ready for commercial delivery.”

Plasco uses its proprietary technology to convert municipal solid waste (MSW) into PlascoSyngas, clean water and construction aggregate. PlascoSyngas is then used to fuel engines to produce electricity with a low emissions footprint, leaving less than two percent of the MSW processed for disposal to landfills.

“We are delighted to deepen the support for Plasco and to add an investor of the caliber of Soros Fund Management,” Jeff Serota, Senior Partner at Ares Management, stated. “The additional capital will allow Plasco to execute on a number of new opportunities, and we look forward to working with our new partners to build the market leader in the waste-to-energy industry.”

Canada, Ottawa

Google Ventures has made an undisclosed Series B investment in CoolPlanetBiofuels. The Camarillo, Calif.-based company previously raised $8 million in a round led by North Bridge Venture Partners with participation from GE Energy Financial Services.

CoolPlanetBiofuel’s technology converts low-grade biomass — such as grass and woodchips — into high-grade fuel. This process also produces a bi-product, which can be used to sequester carbon and act as a soil conditioner. This makes the CoolPlanetBioFuels product a negative carbon fuel.

“The company has come up with an innovative solution to one of the world’s biggest problems,” said Wesley Chan, partner at Google Ventures. “The technology is a win-win as the company is developing a sustainable and renewable energy source that also helps reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.”

The company’s approach toward converting biomass to high-quality fuel will accelerate the development and deployment of biofuels. Also, CoolPlanetBiofuels’ feedstock is available and plentiful, and has no impact on the food supply. The recent run up in gasoline prices underscores the importance of developing an alternative to fossil fuels. CoolPlanet operates at an interesting intersection of technical problem and business innovation attacking a large problem. That nexus is of particular interest to Google Ventures.

“We are very pleased to complete this financing with a high-caliber partner known for its tremendous support in helping companies grow,” said Mike Cheiky, CoolPlanetBiofuels President and Chief Executive Officer. “While we have made significant progress over the past couple of years, this new infusion of capital, coupled with the expertise of the Google Ventures team, enables our team to scale even faster.”

USA, Mountain View, CA & Camarillo, CA

Related links:

• Transphorm raises $20 million in round led by Google Ventures Posted on March 1, 2011

Energy service company OpTerra Energy Group has acquired Bluestone Energy Services. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Headquartered in Norwell, Massachusetts, Bluestone designs and implements comprehensive, turnkey energy efficiency solutions for a broad range of commercial and institutional customers in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes markets. they include data centres, hospitals, universities, supermarkets and manufacturing facilities. Additionally, Bluestone is an energy efficiency service provider for many utilities, including National Grid, NSTAR, BG&E, PPL and ComEd.

“Bluestone has a demonstrated track record of delivering energy efficiency projects with compelling economic paybacks for commercial customers across a number of industry verticals in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes regions,” said Raouf Abdel, OpTerra CEO. “We expect Bluestone to significantly contribute to OpTerra’s national expansion while adding deep experience with utility incentive programs and specialized expertise to address energy-intensive facilities such as data centers.”

OpTerra Energy Group is backed by the GFI Energy Group (part of Oaktree Capital Management). OpTerra Energy Group has also recently acquired Aircon Energy (Sacramento, CA) and Energy Control (Albuquerque, NM).

USA, Denver, CO & Norwell, MA

Green Bridge Industries has acquired a ten percent interest in the private Florida based corporation, Team Energy. The purchase price of $400,000 will be paid in the form of 4,000,000 shares of restricted common stock in Green Bridge Industries based on $0.10 per share. According to the terms of the agreement, Green Bridge will have the option to purchase the remaining equity stake in Team Energy for future cash consideration.

Team Energy is projected to generate an EBITDA of $3,635,180 in 2012 and total revenue of $4,320,000. The Company also projects an EBITDA of $43,551,800 and total revenue of $50,400,000 by 2016.

“This acquisition immediately enables Green Bridge Industries to enter various vertical markets,” stated William White, Chairman and CEO of Green Bridge Industries, Inc. “The experience both teams bring together positions the Company for tremendous growth throughout 2011.”

USA, Saranac, MI & Altamonte Springs, FL

Environmental business intelligence business FirstCarbon Solutions has acquired the utility optimisation practice of The Plan Consulting Group (TPCG), a full service strategic management and consulting firm that assists companies in their efforts to measure and manage utilities, waste and spending and create measurable value.

Jim Beall, former CEO of The Plan Consulting Group, joins FirstCarbon Solutions as Senior Vice President and will continue to lead The Plan Consulting Group as a member of the ADEC Group of Companies. TPCG will continue to specialise in strategy consulting and program management. Prior to The Plan Consulting Group, Mr. Beall held a variety of senior management and business development positions with CB Richard Ellis, EMCOR Group, and Johnson Controls. TPCG provides clients with strategy development and revenue expansion programs in order to increase efficiencies and decrease costs. TPCG will continue to provide services to Kraft Foods, Trane Corporation and Cummins, among others.

The acquisition of TCPG will enable FirstCarbon Solutions to further enhance return on investment for its clients by driving energy optimisation programs and delivering measurable cost savings. Although the trend to become sustainable has increased dramatically, many companies still have difficulty identifying, justifying and implementing sustainability programs due to the burden it places on internal resources and capital constraints. Combining energy process and tools of TPCG, FirstCarbon Solutions enhances its performance-based return on investment driven sustainability solutions.

“Our acquisition of The Plan Consulting Group broadens our offering and more closely links sustainability initiatives with bottom line impacts,” said Jim Donovan, CEO, FirstCarbon Solutions. “Companies have long struggled to define ROI and the implementation of energy management programs. In addition to helping clients make an environmental difference, FirstCarbon Solutions will continue to help companies be competitive, efficient and profitable.”

USA, West Chester, PA