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Archive for the ‘Company News’ Category
Apr
ClearSign Combustion IPO Raises $12 Million
Posted by Tom Ranken | No Comments | Categories: Company News, Complete Digest
Source: Drew DeSilver, Seattle Times, April 26, 2012.
ClearSign Combustion raised $12 million in an Initial Public Offering. ClearSign is a development stage company that designs and develops technologies that aim to improve key performance characteristics of combustion systems including 1 energy efficiency, emissions control, fuel flexibility, and overall cost effectiveness. There is no information on the company’s website.
Apr
Wells Fargo Increasing Cleantech Investing
Posted by Tom Ranken | No Comments | Categories: Company News, Complete Digest
Source: Wells Fargo Press Release, April 23, 2012.
WCTA Member Wells Fargo is expanding its cleantech commitment with targets to be achieved by 2020. The company intends to deploy $30 billion in cleantech loans and investments, $100 million for community environmental grants, and a 40% increase in the energy efficiency at Wells Fargo.
Apr
INRIX adds Chief Legal Officer
Posted by Tom Ranken | No Comments | Categories: Company News, Complete Digest
Source: Todd Bishop, Geekwire, April 25, 2012.
Tracy Dawis the new general counsel at INRIX, which intends to eventually go public. Dawis was RealNetworks’ chief legal officer. “We are thrilled to have him join our executive team,” said Bryan Mistele, INRIX President and CEO. “Tracy’s extensive experience in corporate governance, securities, M&A, and intellectual property will be invaluable as we grow and expand our business worldwide.”
INRIX is a spin-out of Microsoft Research. The company provides traffic information, directions and driver services, as well as apps and tools designed for traffic-powered solutions.
Apr
Washington Ranks Fifth, Sixth in Venture Capital
Posted by Tom Ranken | No Comments | Categories: Company News, Complete Digest
Source: John Cook, Geekwire, April 20, 2012.
DowJones Venture Source reports that twenty-seven Washington State companies raised $164 million during the first quarter of 2012. This put Washington at the No. 5 ranking among states. New York, Texas, Massachusetts, and California ranked ahead. The quarter total was up 12 percent over the same period in the prior year.
Nationally, VC funding dropped 18 percent.
Bellevue-based software company Apptio raised $50 million during the quarter.
Apr
PNNL: Buildings Could Save 38% of HVAC Bills
Posted by Tom Ranken | 1 Comment | Categories: Company News, Complete Digest
Source: PNNL Press Release, April 19, 2012.
According to PNNL research, U.S. commercial building owners could save 38 percent of their heating and cooling bills if they installed a handful of energy efficiency controls that make their heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems more efficient. The savings were based on modeling and simulation of building energy usage. The controls that provide these savings are not widely available commercially, but it is hoped that the research will encourage expanded production.
Apr
Microsoft Reaches Carbon Goal
Posted by Tom Ranken | No Comments | Categories: Company News, Complete Digest
“I’m pleased to report that we’ve met this goal through a combination of energy efficiency measures and an investment in high-quality externally verified renewable energy and carbon reduction projects,” said Rob Bernard, chief environmental strategist, in a blog.
The company will be recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency for its commitment to renewable energy.
Apr
WA Ranked High for Entrepreneur/Small Business Tax System
Posted by Tom Ranken | No Comments | Categories: Company News, Industry News
Source: John Cook, Geekwire, April 17, 2012.
Washington state has one of the best tax systems in the US for supporting entrepreneurship and small businesses, according to the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council. Washington state, which has no income tax system, ranked fifth behind South Dakota, Texas, Nevada, and Wyoming. The bottom states included California, Maine, Iowa, New York, New Jersey, Minnesota, and District of Columbia.
Read the full report here.
Apr
Hydrovolts Deploys Big Canal Turbine
Posted by Tom Ranken | No Comments | Categories: Company News, Complete Digest
The Big Canal Turbine, designed to produce five kilowatt output in a flow of two meters per second, was successfully deployed by Hydrovolts in the Roza Canal on March 8, 2012. It has been operating continuously and is now making more than six kilowatts as the water flow in the canal has increased. The operation is supervised by the US Bureau of Reclamation, Yakima field office.
Apr
UW Environmental Innovation Challenge Awards
Posted by Tom Ranken | No Comments | Categories: Company News, Complete Digest
Twenty-three student teams from Washington pitched their innovations at the UW Environmental Innovation Challenge addressing today’s energy, urban agriculture, recycling, built environment and water-related problems with novel solutions. Now in its fourth year, the Challenge focuses on the development of prototypes that solve some of today’s biggest problems AND have market impact.
The 2012 winners are:
- $10,000 UW Center for Commercialization Grand Prize: GIST, University of Washington (Alternative to concrete highway jersey barriers using tires from landfills.)
- $5,000 Puget Sound Energy Second Prize: Barrels of Hope, University of Washington (Transitional housing with a sturdy and sustainable building.)
- $2,500 Honorable Mention sponsored by Starbucks: UrbanHarvest, University of Washington (Build and operate commercial hydroponic greenhouses in urban areas to grow fruit and vegetables for local consumers.)
- $2,500 Honorable Mention sponsored by Siemens: LumiSands, University of Washington (Wavelength-tunable silicon quantum dot phosphors as a cost-effective substitute to white-LEDs based on InGaN blue-LEDs.)
- $2,500 Honorable Mention sponsored by Fenwick & West: OmniOff, University of Washington (A non-stick cookware that uses zero toxic chemicals-an alternative to Teflon.)
Apr
WWU Installs Solar Panels
Posted by Tom Ranken | No Comments | Categories: Company News, Complete Digest
Source: Western Today, Solar panels installed atop Environmental Studies, March 30, 2012.
A Western Washington University student-funded solar array is being installed atop the Environmental Studies Building in Bellingham. The 5kWh array will cost $167,500 and is paid for from the student paid Green Energy Fee. It is one of four projects being installed this year through the program.
