Report: Range Fuels to Shut Down Plant
By Ucilia Wang Jan. 14, 2011,
...The story quoted Bud Klepper, who’s not only Range Fuels’ technical advisor but also the original founder of the company that became Range Fuels (previously called Kergy). Klepper told the publication that Range Fuels is laying off most of its employees at its plant near Soperton, Ga, after it makes a single batch of ethanol, and the company will shut down the plant while it tackles technical problems and raises more money...see post #79
http://gigaom.com/cleantech/report-range-fuels-to-shut-down-plant/
VINOD KHOSLA:
Vinod Khosla founded Range Fuels through his firm, Khosla Ventures. Vinod is widely recognized as an influential advocate for the increased use of ethanol. His outspoken advocacy of ethanol production as a means to achieve greater political and economic security has secured increasing coverage from major media sources. Political instability in oil-producing countries and high prices for petroleum have garnered new attention for his message. He is perennially appointed to prestigious lists of entrepreneurs by various business publications, including Forbes, and featured in interviews by major television networks and newspapers. A consistent theme of his interviews is the advantage ethanol provides through continued utilization of existing infrastructure and vehicles, as well as the benefit accruing from redirecting petrodollars currently heading overseas to domestic producers. Vinod founded Khosla Ventures in 2004 and was joined in 2006 by general partners David Weiden and Samir Kaul, as well as chief scientific officer Doug Cameron.
http://www.rangefuels.com/founders-directors.html
Khosla didn’t just invest in Range Fuels he was its founder. It’s confusing, similar to Dubko Worldwide, as described above. It was a well-known and respected company, taken-over by Huntsman at the end of 2008 due to a lack of referrals from the Dems, it leaves one under the impression it’s still a Republican Lobbyist Company yet it’s a “third way” group with Terry McAuliffe and Tom Daschle on the board.
Khosler obviously bought out Bud Klepper and Kergy but since it didn’t have a “growth” name in the industry Khosler changed it to Range Fuels. It’s difficult to keep track of them especially if one isn’t in the business.
Khosler was a Republican during the Bush years and now he’s an Obama fan - he believes Obama has a better handle of climate change. Yeah, whatever lines the pocket.
Areva to Buy Solar Thermal Startup Ausra
By Katie Fehrenbacher Feb. 8, 2010
French power giant Areva says it’s agreed to buy solar thermal startup Ausra. Back in November there were several media reports that said Ausra was in talks to be acquired by one of three companies, and it looks like Areva won the deal. Terms of the acquisition weren’t disclosed.
Areva, which has a large nuclear portfolio, says it will use the Ausra acquisition to become “the world leader in concentrated solar power,” and will sell solar thermal tech to utilities and independent power producers. Solar thermal technology uses mirrors and lenses to concentrate the sun rays to power turbines, and utilities have been turning to it in droves as of late.
During 2009 Ausra changed its strategy from looking to build and operate its own solar thermal power plants to providing its equipment to solar power producers. Building and operating these solar power plants would have taken a ton of financing, which, in a hard economy, would have proven to be a difficult route. Proof of that came at the end of last year when Ausra announced that it will sell its Carrizo Energy Solar Farm Project, a proposed 177MW project still under development in San Luis Obispo, Calif., to industry thin-film solar giant First Solar. And in September Ausra said it had been chosen to provide its equipment for a 100MW concentrated solar thermal power project being developed in Ma’an, Jordan.
When Ausra’s acquisition talks emerged in the media, Katherine Potter, its VP of communications, told us: “As our recent string of announcements have shown, our business strategy of focusing on being a solar steam systems provider is working and producing results.”
Ausra’s investors include KLEINER PERKINS, KHOSLA VENTURES, Al GORE’s GENERATION INVESTMENT, Alberta, Canada-based KERN Partners and Melbourne, Australia-based STARFISH VENTURES. The 4-year-old company has raised around $130 million to date. I’ll do more digging, but I think this is the first (or one of the first) exits for Kleiner Perkins in the cleantech market.
Areva will have to compete in an increasingly crowded market including eSolar, BrightSource, Infinia (which is raising $75 million) and Stirling Energy. The acquisition is expected to close in the next couple of months and is subject to regulatory approval.
http://gigaom.com/cleantech/areva-to-buy-solar-thermal-startup-ausra/
Ausra was founded in 2006 and sold to AREVA for around $400 million. AREVA was granted a conditional guaranteed loan for $2 billion on May 10, 2010. No surprise that Khosla brought in Tony Blair. Blackrock is somehow in the middle of it though haven’t seen their name crop up - yet.
Kleiner-Perkins-Caufield-Byers:
http://www.muckety.com/Kleiner-Perkins-Caufield-Byers/5001073.muckety
AREVA lobbying:
http://www.implu.com/lobby_client/13125
Areva Capital Increase Approved
Published Friday, December 24, 2010
Shareholders in the French nuclear energy group Areva have approved a €900-million ($1.2-billion) capital increase, the company said in a statement. (around the same amount the DOE handed to them in May 2010.)
The increase, approved on Thursday, includes a €600-million investment by the Kuwait Investment Authority.
The Kuwaiti sovereign fund will acquire a 4.8 per cent stake in Areva, becoming the company’s third largest shareholder, after the French atomic energy agency and the government.
STANDARD AND POOR’s warned earlier this month that it would likely downgrade France’s state-owned nuclear services group as the €900 million in fresh capital was significantly less than it had expected.
However, the French government has said that Areva’s sale of non-strategic assets had, along with the capital increase, raised €6.3 billion in funds to invest in the company’s development.
http://www.emirates247.com/business/corporate/areva-capital-increase-approved-2010-12-24-1.333477
Europe is broke because of these crooks and liars, and as we’re probably the only country left to have a few dollars of our own, ie, pensions and 401k’s. they won’t rest until they get their hands on it.
The talks between AREVA and Ausra began in November 2009. November 2009 Jonathan Silver was appointed to head up the Department of Energy’s loan guarantee program. Febuary 2010 they closed the deal. May 2010 they (AREVA) got a $2 billion deal. A coincidence?
“Jonathon Silver was an adviser to the secretaries of Commerce, Interior and Treasury under president Bill Clinton. Silver started his career at consulting firm McKinsey, which also produced DOE senior adviser Matt Rogers... Check out another partner at Core - Wheeler, fundraiser for Obama and follow an investment sourcefire”:
http://www.muckety.com/Jonathan-Silver/13148.muckety
Solyndra files for insolvency in Switzerland & Germany
Solyndra LLC announced on August 31, 2011 to suspend its manufacturing operations.
With the discontinuation of operations and ceasing of business by Solyndra LLC in the United States, Solyndra’s subsidiary, Solyndra International AG in Baar, Switzerland and its subsidiary Solyndra GmbH in Holzkirchen, Germany, NO LONGER HAVE ACCESS TO FUNDING. As a result, Solyndra International AG and Solyndra GmbH have similarly ceased operations and are expected to file for insolvency under the laws of their respective jurisdictions in the coming days.
Read more: http://evertiq.com/news/20385
I wonder what business’ they had over there because I thought the money was to be used here. If it was offices why the need to file for bankrupcy.