BrightSource cancels I.P.O.

California-based solar thermal company BrightSource Energy, Inc. canceled its planned initial public offering, citing “adverse market conditions.”

“While we received significant interest from potential investors, the continued market and economic volatility are not optimal conditions for an I.P.O.,” said John Woolard, president and chief executive of BrightSource.

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Sapphire clinches $144 million for New Mexico algae biorefinery

San Diego-based Sapphire Energy secured $144 million in investment funding for the development of their commercial demonstration-scale algae-to-energy facility in New Mexico. The amount came from a Series C investment round which included main backers Arrowpoint Partners and Monsanto. All in all, Sapphire Energy has received a total of around $300 million in funding from private and public sources for its “Green Crude Farm.”

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Primus Green Energy gets new funding; eyes I.P.O. in 2013

New Jersey-based Primus Green Energy Inc., a developer of renewable drop-in fuels from biomass, completed its third round of funding with $12 million in investments from long-term backer IC Green Energy Ltd., the renewable energy arm of Israel Corp. Ltd. The amount completes the company’s financing for their integrated single-loop demonstration plant currently under construction at Primus Green Energy’s Hillsborough, New Jersey site, where they already have a pilot test plant.

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Bio-based chemicals company collects $100 million for refineries

A company which processes biomass into useful chemicals scooped up around $100 million in combined public and private financing which will be used in building its cellulosic refineries for converting biomass to sugars and lignin in Mississippi. Virdia, another California-based company, closed its latest round of financing taking over $20 million from its partners Khosla Ventures, Burril & Company and Tamar Ventures.

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Shipments up but Yingli experiences loss in 2011

China’s Yingli Green Energy Holding Company may be seeing a consistent increase in their PV module shipments, cumulating in 1,603.8 megawatts for the year 2011, although not enough to turn a profit. The solar product provider announced its unaudited consolidated financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2011, which gave its total net revenues at $408 million and $2.332 million, respectively.

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Solar Junction bags $19.2 million in Series D

San Jose, California-based solar cell manufacturer Solar Junction closed its Series D financial round with $19.2 million from investors to scale up the manufacturing of their record-breaking solar cells for the concentrating photovoltaic market. The company closed its largest round to date with investments from venture capital and growth equity firm New Enterprise Associates; venture capital firm Advanced Technology Ventures; investment firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson; and IQE, a supplier of advanced semiconductor wafers.

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Venture capital in ‘cleantech’ down by 4.5 percent last year

Venture capital investment in “cleantech” companies in the United States reached $4.9 billion in 2011, 4.5 percent down compared with investments in 2010, according to Ernst & Young L.L.P. The category refers to activities in alternative fuels, energy generation and storage, energy efficiency, water, environment and “industry focused products and services” in agriculture, construction, and other sectors. Natural gas is included in alternative fuels.

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U.K. food company to tap food waste for power; invests £40 million

British meat processing and food distribution company PDM Group will be investing £40 million ($62.2 million) to boost its network of ReFood anaerobic digestion plants in Doncaster, Widnes and East London.

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Joule raises $70 million to fund construction of novel biofuel plant

Biofuel startup Joule Unlimited Inc. raised $70 million in its third and largest funding round to date to fund the construction of a test facility proposed in Hobbs, New Mexico. The facility was meant to test and optimize Joule’s refining process at large scale. The Hobbs facility could be expanded to cover 1,000 acres for initial commercial production, according to a statement.

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Lithium-sulfur potential gets $50 million funding boost from BASF

Battery technology developer Sion Power announced yesterday that it brought on board a $50 million equity investment from German chemicals giant BASF S.E., for its lithium-sulfur storage. Arizona-based Sion Power, a spin-off from the Brookhaven National Laboratories, is developing lithium-sulfur-based batteries intended for electric and plug-in electric vehicles.

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