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Unlisted Companies Environmental
Markets Opportunity New Cleantech
Seed Fund Pangaea
Impact Investments Invests in Pollinate Energy Two
Investments by Southern Cross Ventures Nano-Nouvelle
Boosts Lithium Battery Performance E Buys
Daintree Networks Australia's
First Commercial Graphene Plant
New
Clean Innovation Fund Stirs Controversy Energy
Efficient Signage Ready to Light Up 
Solar Blue Innovations
is finalizing R&D and commencing commercialization for its innovative
modular solar desalination system that can deliver up to 65,000 litres of
potable water per year at a capital cost of less than 10 cents per litre.
The SolarWell is similar in size to a solar hot water system. It uses a
thermal MED (multi effect distillation) technology and can easily desalinate
grey water, sea water, bore water or water tainted by pathogens or heavy
metals. More
Cleaning
the Oceans Takes Off New
$200 Million Bioenergy Fund  Plastics
recycler Newtecpoly Pty Ltd has raised $500,000 of seed capital from a strategic
investor who will join the board and management team. Tauro Capital Partners,
which is assisting with the capital raising and introduced the investor,
said the investment was at a valuation attractive to the founders and the
deal is a big win for the company. More
Organic
Fast Food Opportunities for Investors Community
Energy Project Extends Offer Custom
Solar Car on Display New
Plants for Green Distillation Technologies $6
Million Venture Capital for Battery Storage Company Inventor
Offers over 70 Projects for Sale
Australian
Tyre Recycler in Edison Awards A new technology called PolyWaste that can cost-effectively turn used plastics including low grade plastics and film that go to landfill into a substance that can be extruded into affordable but high quality products is being commercialized by Newtecpoly Pty Ltd. More Is
this the Future for Tyre Recycling? Electric
Bike Raises $120,000 on Kickstarter Quarterly
and Half Yearly Prepayment of R&D Tax Refund Remotely
Monitored Industrial LEDs
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Search Eco Investor |
It's
not often an investment presents itself which concurrently generates both
high financial and environmental returns. Today I am writing about an
investment which is focused upon ticking both of these boxes, EnviroCap
(short for Environmental Capital). EnviroCap is aiming to establish a
market leading position within Australia's environmental investment sector...
A
leading Australian social enterprise that is bringing solar energy to
the makeshift slums of India has won an investment from Pangaea Impact
Investments. Pollinate Energy sells products such solar lights and water
filters to the very poor in four Indian cities. Its best selling product
is an environmentally friendly solar light that reduces the harmful effects
of kerosene and over time is significantly cheaper. 
Battery
technology innovator Nano-Nouvelle has developed world-leading nanotechnology
that can boost the energy storage capacity of lithium ion batteries by
up to 50 per cent, and is aiming to have its first sales within two years.
Chief executive, Stephanie Moroz said the company is working with battery
manufacturers in Japan, Korea, China, Europe, USA and Israel to integrate
its technology with their cell designs and manufacturing processes. 
The
discoverers of graphene won the Nobel Prize in 2010, but if you haven't
heard of graphene you're not alone. It's a high-tech material that can
be used as an ultra thin coating - think half a dozen atoms or so, yet
is said to be a hundred times stronger than steel. Graphene is described
as the first two dimensional material, and is classed as a ‘super-material'
due to its extremely high electrical and thermal conductivity, its strength,
its ability not to interact or dissolve in water, its impermeability to
all gases, and its ability to stretch like rubber... 
The
inventor of an energy efficient and easy-to-change signage system is now
ready to start manufacturing and distributing the technology. John Brennan
says his Rotosign uses minimal power and can run off a simple D cell battery
as well as from the mains and solar power, offering significant cost savings
over conventional neon and fluorescent backlit signage which can use over
15 times more power and have issues with toxic waste. 
Two young entrepreneurs
have created an impressive amount of media coverage and had their youtube
videos viewed over 2 million times with an innovation that can help capture
plastics and other pollution in the oceans and keep them cleaner. The
founders of Seabin Pty Ltd, Andrew Turton and Pete Ceglinski, have also
raised US$267,767 from 7,360 backers to fund their innovation through
a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo. This is already over their target.
The
Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) has made available $100 million
for a new Australian Bioenergy Fund to accelerate investment in the sector
and unlock its potential. The Fund will be managed by the Foresight Group
which is aiming raise over $200 million in equity. The Fund will invest
in a wide range of projects across the agricultural, council, forestry
and mining waste industries. 
We
are all used to seeing the usual junk food shops on our intercity travels
but increasingly motorists as well as investors are also likely to see
organic fast food shops that want us to park and eat there instead. 
The
developer of a portable and community-sized biodiesel processor called
the BioCube has sold its first unit in Africa and is raising $3 million
to make more units and take advantage of joint venture opportunities.
A
community energy project in the Northern Rivers region of NSW has raised
$1.1 million and has extended its offer period to help it reach its target
of $3 million. Enova Community Energy Ltd is aiming to be Australia's
first community-owned, renewable energy retailer and installation business.
Melbourne electric
vehicle technology startup EVX Ventures will exhibit a one quarter scale
model of a custom solar sports car at the world's largest automotive speciality
parts trade show in Las Vegas. The exhibition is a step to gain exposure
and hopefully pre-orders as part of the company's plan to become a maker
of bespoke solar powered sports cars for the high net worth market. 
One of Australia's
most prolific inventors, Andy Karpisek, is offering over 70 projects,
including some key cleantech projects, for sale due to his age. Mr Karpisek
is now 91 years of age and says he will not be here forever. 
A
company soon to list in ASSOB has developed patented and proven technology
that addresses the major international problem of how to manage and recycle
waste tyres. Ecoflex Ltd has developed expertise in using recycled tyres
in all types of civil engineering and construction projects, and has been
recognized by the Global Tyre Recycling Association as having one of the
world's best methods of tyre recycling. It also uses very little energy
compared to other tyre recycling methods. 
Early
stage electric bike company Dillenger Pty Ltd has raised $119,659 from
222 backers in 15 days on crowd funding platform Kickstarter. The company
had initially sought $30,000 but has now increased the target to $250,000.
The Kickstarter project will be funded on 28 February. 
When
Australia’s fossil fuel loving Federal Government and Industry Minister
realize they need to know what real leadership looks like, they can turn
to the United Nations and the European Commission and read their new report,
The Business Case for Eco-Innovation. Published in Paris, the report “demonstrates
the compelling case for companies to embark on ecoinnovation”. 
A
Tasmanian company has developed what it says is the lowest whole-of-life
cost industrial LED fitting with advanced LED and several world first
features. 
Solarplaza
and the upcoming Renewable Energy Crowd Funding Conference in London have
published a list of the top five renewable energy crowdfunding platforms
in the world based on the money they have raised so far. 
Back
in February 2010 Eco Investor suggested that the Federal Government commence
an angel coinvestment fund along the lines of those in New Zealand and
Scotland; had it done so Australian start-ups might be enjoying the sort
of support and growth that New Zealand start-ups are enjoying. The New
Zealand Government’s Seed Coinvestment Fund is now investing over
NZ$5 million a year into start-ups alongside angel investors, and recently
invested into its 115th company. 
