Solar co. Solyndra shines with $220M
Solar installation maker Solyndra has every reason to celebrate the new year, raising $219.2 million in fifth-round funding from a flock of 23 investors. This is the second largest investment received by any U.S. cleantech company in the last year, coming in behind the $300 million bagged by competitor Nanosolar. The amount breaks down into $96.6 million in working capital and $122.2 million in convertible promissory notes.
The Fremont, Calif. company has not disclosed its plans… Continue Reading
Solar: Solyndra finally shows its hand
Most of the heavily-funded solar panel makers out there have let the public know what they’re working on, if not all the specifics of their technology. So it’s somewhat remarkable that Solyndra has managed to stay stealthy for over three years, all while accumulating over half a billion dollars in funding.
Some details have emerged, to be sure. But the company has now opened up for the first time to give hard details on its product,… Continue Reading
Sustainable Spaces raises $6M for efficient, environmental homes
It’s difficult to nail down exactly what Sustainable Spaces does, because the San Francisco company seemingly has its fingers in every aspect of home construction and retrofitting. The company does everything from testing for leaks and dangerous gases, to replacing lighting with more efficient bulbs, to installing solar panels.
According to the company, it has worked on 400 homes since 2004, somewhat fewer than other local companies that work to make homes more energy efficient. However,… Continue Reading
Micro-inverters on the rise with Enphase funding
To a layman, electricity seems like a fairly straightforward proposition: It flows like water through wires and into gadgets, end of story. But the real story is a bit more complex, which is why Enphase Energy, a company that makes a device called micro-inverters for solar panels, has raised a new $15 million financing.
An inverter converts direct current (DC), which is what solar panels produce, into alternating current (AC), the type of electricity you’re usually… Continue Reading
Deerpath Energy raises $3.5M for small wind turbines
Deerpath Energy, a Marblehead, Mass.-based developer of micro-wind turbines, has raised $3.5 million in funding from RockPort Capital Partners. Little else is known about the wind startup, which was founded earlier this year by Kellogg Warner.
The company seeks to carve itself a niche in the booming wind market by appealing to small communities and businesses. By focusing on small, community-scale projects, Deerpath would largely avoid many of the logistical issues and costs attendant to building… Continue Reading
EcoSmart Technologies raises $5M for natural pesticides
EcoSmart Technologies wants to dispense with manufactured chemical compounds, and look to nature for ways to discourage unwanted insects. The Alpharetta, GA company has raised $5 million more to help commercialize its insecticides, according to a filing acquired by VentureBeat.
EcoSmart makes a line of pesticides derived from plants that have natural defenses against pests. Among the company’s products are insecticides for commercial and agricultural use, but it also sells aerosol sprays for use by consumers…. Continue Reading
Tioga Energy gets $10M to offer more solar power
Updated
Tioga Energy, a Sunnyvale, Calif. company that wants to makes solar power financing easier for mid-sized businesses, has raised $10 million in a first round of venture financing.
It is just the latest of several players entering the hot solar market to make it easier for companies to buy solar power. Chief executive Paul Detering says the market is so robust that new players focusing on a niche should have no problem attracting customers. Tioga’s niche… Continue Reading