When he travels, David Rosenberg likes to take along chunks of concrete and an eyedropper full of water. He demonstrates to anyone who’s interested how water from the dropper seeps into one piece of concrete but rolls off the surface of the other. The difference, he says, is the product made by Hycrete, the Carlstadt, N.J. company he founded.

Hycrete sells an additive that makes concrete both waterproof and more environmentally friendly. The product eliminates the need for a petroleum-based membrane that encases concrete placed below the ground. The construction industry is typically averse to trying new products, but Hycrete has some nice selling points: reduced material costs and construction time, a patina of greenness and a prediction that it will keep rebars from rusting. The additive weakens concrete slightly, but the product still meets specifications.

Since Rosenberg started the company in 2005, Hycrete has made its way into 200 buildings, mostly in the U.S., including the new Nintendo headquarters, a building at the Amazon.com campus in Seattle and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation offices. “We remove the biggest pain of construction,” says Rosenberg, 37.

PETALUMA, CA–(Marketwire - February 25, 2010) - Enphase Energy, the leader in solar microinverter systems, was recognized by Renewable Energy World magazine with an award for innovation in renewable energy. These awards honor the most outstanding projects, programs and technologies in the wind, solar, biomass, geothermal and hydroelectric energy sectors. The winners were announced at the Renewable Energy World North America Conference & Expo in Austin on Feb. 23, 2010.

“We’re honored that the Enphase Microinverter System was recognized by Renewable Energy World as a breakthrough technology in energy innovation,” said Paul Nahi, president and chief executive officer, Enphase Energy. “The introduction of solar microinverters has redefined the inverter market, and is a game changer for the future of energy management.”

The Enphase Microinverter System is the first and only commercially available microinverter system. It dramatically improves the economic model of solar energy, helping advance the adoption of residential and commercial solar power. Enphase integrates state-of-the-art microinverters and power-line communications with Web-based monitoring, analysis and management services to create a new class of advanced solar energy solutions that are vastly more productive, reliable, safe and cost-effective than conventional approaches.

Enphase systems offer a number of advantages over traditional central inverters including a five- to 25-percent increase in energy harvest, increased system reliability as well as a simpler and safer installation. Enphase products also remove design constraints by allowing modules to be installed in any combination of type, age and location. In addition, a proprietary communication technology, Enphase Enlighten, is embedded into each microinverter enabling continuous, remote, per-module monitoring to maximize energy production.

Think announced Monday that EnerDel will be the exclusive supplier of lithium ion batteries for Think City’s U.S.cars and for 60 percent of its cars sold in Europe.

The company also announced that AeroVironment will be partnering with Think in the U.S. to build a series of “very-fast-charge stations.”

The result of the fast-charging stations, combined with EnerDel’s lithium ion batteries in Think City cars, will be electric cars that take only 15 minutes to charge from zero capacity to 80 percent capacity, according to Think.

As previously reported, the Think City all-electric car will have a range of about 112 miles per charge. It will be compatible with both a standard U.S. 110-volt household outlet, as well as a special 220-volt fast-charging outlet designed for home use.

Enphase Energy, the leader in microinverter systems, and Premier Power Renewable Energy, Inc. (OTCBB: PPRW), a leading global provider of solar power systems, announced the completion of a 123kW, ground-mounted solar power system for the Truckee Sanitary District, a wastewater utility in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains.

“The benefits of increased reliability while operating under harsh conditions, and the ability to manage the performance of each module, were key considerations in choosing the Enphase system,” says Mark Santos, Premier Power Senior Renewable Energy Specialist. “The Enphase Microinverter System was ideal for this installation, where altitude, temperature, snow and transient debris present frequent challenges to system performance.”

Enphase Microinverter Systems convert the DC output of a single solar module into grid-compliant AC power. Enphase systems maximize energy harvest, increase system reliability, are easier to design, install and manage, and are safer than systems installed with traditional inverters. Tests have demonstrated that Enphase Microinverters deliver five to 25 percent more energy harvest than traditional, centralized inverters. In addition, a proprietary communication technology is embedded into each microinverter, enabling continuous, remote, per-module monitoring to maximize energy production.

Premier Power installs system at the Truckee Sanitary District

Petaluma, Calif., and El Dorado Hills, Calif. – January 26, 2010 – – Enphase Energy, the leader in microinverter systems, and Premier Power Renewable Energy Inc. (OTC BB: PPRW), a leading global provider of solar power systems, announced the completion of a 123kW, ground-mounted solar power system for the Truckee Sanitary District, a wastewater utility in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains.

“The benefits of increased reliability while operating under harsh conditions, and the ability to manage the performance of each module, were key considerations in choosing the Enphase system,” says Mark Santos, Premier Power Senior Renewable Energy Specialist. “The Enphase Microinverter System was ideal for this installation, where altitude, temperature, snow and transient debris present frequent challenges to system performance.”

Enphase Microinverter Systems convert the DC output of a single solar module into grid-compliant AC power. Enphase systems maximize energy harvest, increase system reliability, are easier to design, install and manage, and are safer than systems installed with traditional inverters. Tests have demonstrated that Enphase Microinverters deliver five to 25 percent more energy harvest than traditional, centralized inverters. In addition, a proprietary communication technology is embedded into each microinverter, enabling continuous, remote, per-module monitoring to maximize energy production.

“Commercial facility owners value the increased productivity and reliability they get with an Enphase Microinverter system,” says Raghu Belur, vice president of marketing, Enphase. “Easier installation and dramatically lower balance-of-system (BOS) costs are compelling integrators to evaluate and deploy the Enphase technology in systems ranging from hundreds of kilowatts to megawatts in size.”

The Enphase Microinverter System allows solar installers to design systems based solely on customer needs, rather than around the physical restrictions imposed by traditional inverters. This is particularly valuable for larger commercial installations, where expansive systems would incur greater balance-of-system (BOS) and labor costs to locate, install, and house sizeable inverters. The Enphase Microinverter System dramatically improves system reliability and availability, a paramount concern for commercial site owners.

“The Truckee Sanitary District and Mother Nature placed some very demanding requirements on us, but the Premier Power design and operations team rose to each of these challenges and created a high output engineering marvel that we, TSD, and Enphase will view with pride for generations”, added Mr. Santos.

About Enphase

Enphase Energy provides solar energy management systems for residential and commercial markets. The company offers a system that includes highefficiency microinverters, communications and Web-based monitoring and analysis. The systems increase energy harvest, improve system reliability, and simplify design, installation and management. Founded in 2006 and based in Northern California, the company is led by veterans from the solar and high-tech industries and backed by industry leaders. For more information about Enphase, please visit www.enphaseenergy.com.

About Premier Power

Premier Power Renewable Energy, Inc. is a leading global EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) provider of solar power systems for small to large commercial, agricultural, utility, municipality and government applications. For more information, contact us at www.premierpower.com or 916-939-0400.

Premier Power PR Contact:                     Enphase PR Contact:
Rita Edwards                                              Monica Walsh Edelman
916.939.0400                                             650 762 2894
redwards@premierpower.com               monica.walsh@edelman.com

Another Bay Area company riding the surge of interest in energy efficiency is San Francisco-based Recurve, which provides detailed home energy audits and green energy remodeling to Bay Area homeowners.

“Five or six years ago, energy efficiency was such a backwater,” said president and co-founder Matt Golden, who remembers the days of being met with blank stares when he would talk about insulation and duct system leakage. “Everyone was like: There’s no money in energy efficiency.”

The company, which had 12 employees in 2007, has grown to 65. It is creating customized software that it plans to license to other contractors in the energy retrofit industry and is actively hiring software engineers. Golden, 35, is so sought after as a public policy leader that he spends much of his time in Washington these days.

Recurve, which raised a first round of venture funding in September 2008, is backed by RockPort Capital and Shasta Ventures.

Joseph K. Arimond
847-381-1205
jarimond@renaissancelighting.com

Maureen V. Reagan
217-244-4864
reagan@illinois.edu

RENAISSANCE LIGHTING AND UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
ANNOUNCE MASSIVE SOLID-STATE LED LIGHTING PROJECT

Annual savings of $70,000+ expected as U of I takes on biggest green project ever

HERNDON, VA.- January 19, 2010 - Renaissance Lighting, a leading innovator in the development and manufacture of energy-efficient, solid-state LED luminaires, is proud to support the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, birthplace of the Light Emitting Diode (LED) in completing its largest sustainable energy/energy-saving lighting project to date at the University’s Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.

The centerpiece of the almost 600 fixture solid-state lighting initiative is Krannert Center’s lobby, a mammoth 25,000 square foot space shared by four separate theater and concert venues. For 40 years this lobby has been illuminated by 625 energy-gulping incandescent light fixtures, consuming nearly 573.8 million watts annually.

“The university is a huge proponent of the green movement and we view Krannert Center as the crown jewel in that effort,” said Michael Williams, Krannert Center’s lighting director. “We’re focused on saving energy and sustainable energy initiatives, and if you look at how this project is being funded, all of the dots are green and they connect perfectly. The Renaissance Lighting luminaires provide us with energy efficiency and great cost savings in many areas and contain capabilities providing us incredible creativity and flexibility.” he said.

Half of the project funding is grant money from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation, according to Williams. The balance of the funding is a seven-year, zero-interest loan from the university’s Student Sustainability Committee whose income stems from a $2 clean energy fee that students pay every semester. Williams noted that the Krannert Center lighting project is the first major green effort to be backed financially by the student group.

By retrofitting the Krannert Center lobby ceiling with Renaissance Lighting luminaires, energy consumption will decrease dramatically - by about 460 million watts annually,” said Renaissance Lighting CEO, Barry Weinbaum. “By spending less on electricity and along with the impressive longevity of our luminaires, we expect Krannert Center will realize annual savings greater than $70,000 annually. The quality of the light produced by our fixtures surpasses any incandescent or fluorescent fixture on the market as each luminaire provides a glare-free, superior light throw and eliminates “hot spots”. Also, our color changing products provide for both efficiency and creativity unique to the lighting industry,” Weinbaum said.

Krannert Center can anticipate additional savings due to the fact that solid-state LED luminaires produce virtually no heat below the suspended ceiling where they are installed. By contrast, 90 percent of the energy consumed by incandescent bulbs is in the form of heat rather than light, which in turn increases air conditioning load and related costs. LED Luminaires far outlast their incandescent counterparts; 50,000-70,000 hours versus 2,000 hours for incandescent bulbs, thereby eliminating frequent and costly light replacement.

A key feature of the Renaissance Lighting color changing luminaires is the ability to produce more than 16.5 million different colors including white. Each fixture incorporates a circular array of RGB (red, green and blue) LEDs that illuminate in a color mixing dome before the blended light exits the fixture - a patented design called Constructive Occlusion^TM. Each fixture can be individually addressed with the entire illuminated space optionally controlled by Renaissance Lighting’s Rhapsody^TM Color Management System, which consists of controller hardware and proprietary software for creating dynamic effects such as color intensity, cross-fading and rainbow washes.

The simplicity of Renaissance Lighting’s Rhapsody Color Management technology relieves Krannert Center personnel from countless hours of tediously inserting multi-colored theatrical gels into and out of individual light fixtures in preparation for many of the 350 performing arts functions and the 100-plus special lobby functions held each year, which include weddings, corporate gatherings, receptions and private parties.

# # #

About Renaissance Lighting:
Renaissance Lighting is a global leader in the development of next-generation solid-state architectural downlights and controls, the result of on-going breakthroughs in the application of LED technology and Constructive Occlusion®, a patented technology for the unique mixing and blending of multiple LED light sources. The company’s innovation and unrelenting commitment to green technology are key forces driving the development of highly creative lighting products that deliver the solid-state industry’s purest light source with exceptional appearance, superior efficiency and glare-free illumination for all architectural applications. Headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, USA, Renaissance Lighting deploys a revolutionary approach to product engineering and design that is supported by 32 patents including its optical and feedback control technologies.

About the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts:
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts is dedicated to the advancement of education, research, and public engagement through the pursuit of excellence and innovation in the performing arts. Embracing the art of the past as well as the art of our time, the Center supports the belief that creativity is a core human characteristic and that the arts hold uniquely transformative potential. Through its multiple and integrated roles as classroom, laboratory, and public square, Krannert Center serves as a touchstone for the exploration and expansion of human experience. Construction of the $21 million center, which opened in 1969, was made possible by a gift from Herman Charles Krannert, a 1912 U of I engineering graduate, and his wife, Ellnora. It was Mrs. Krannert, in fact, whose idea it was to have a common lobby shared by all patrons of the performing arts, whether it be theater, opera, classical music, dance or jazz, so that all could come together to share their respective experiences while at the center.

Pre-fabricated buildings have come a long way. Far from shoddy double-wides delivered by flat-bed trucks, they have become the hallmark of the green building movement, tricked out with natural lighting, ventilation and organic materials. One company, Project Frog, is wagering that — in addition to being eco-friendly — these buildings can actually improve student performance in schools. And it just raised more money to prove its point.

According to a filing with the SEC, the San Francisco-based construction company has brought in $5.2 million of an expected $5.5 million round of debt financing and convertible promissory notes. This is the second time it has raised money in its three year history, having brought in $8 million from RockPort Capital Partners in November 2008. Project Frog did not respond to calls about the source of its newest funding or how it will be used.

Utility bills have always been a drag; but not until recently have they been a panic.

Homeowners are not content to turn off the lights or turn down the thermostats; they want to know where they are using energy, when and how much — right down to the appliance. And just as consumers are eager to control their energy use, investors are more interested in the energy management startups developing the technology to attract these consumers.

“Efficiency was kind of an unattractive orphan,” when the New England Clean Energy Council (NECEC) formed in early 2007, said NECEC president Nick d’Arbeloff. It just didn’t have the flash of wind or solar power. “But now it’s a very attractive investment target.”

“A huge part of the energy story is in home statistics,” said Chuck McDermott, a general partner at RockPort Capital Partners in Boston. “I think 40 percent of the energy we generate is to heat, light and cool homes; so if you improve the efficiency of homes by 10 percent, you’re talking about eliminating big power plants.”

Boston-based Rockport Capital Partners is a venture capital firm focused on cleantech. One of the firm’s general partners, Charles J. “Chuck” McDermott has been in the cleantech space for more than 20 years and has investments in companies such as Advanced Electron Beams Inc., Project FROG and Renaissance Lighting. He shared his thoughts on the direction of cleantech with Mass High Tech managing editor James M. Connolly.

In terms of cleantech, what lessons did we learn from the economic mess of the past year and a half?

We learned that the macro drivers for cleantech remain very powerful, not the least of which is that we now have a global population of 6.8 billion people, billions of which are becoming energy consumers for the first time.

So in terms of just the global provision under a sustainable framework of energy, water, food, all of those basics, the drivers remain strong from that perspective.

Corporate behavior, absent regulatory dictates, has been unprecedented in the last four or five years. The oft-cited examples of Wal-Mart, Coca-Cola and some others, their commercial and environmental footprints are sufficiently large that when they make decisions about reduction in packaging and the efficiency of the buildings that they use and things like this, it moves the needle. So corporate America has been very important in creating demand for cleantech.