Optinergy will be the Operations and Maintenance providers to the BVP Wind Bond.

AGENDA

21^st May 2013

16.00 to 18.00

Bewleys Hotel – Newlands Cross

  The objective of the seminar is to inform investors and advisers about the BVP Wind Bond.

Attendance

Please use the contact form below to register your interest in attending or contact Mark Richardson on (01) 657 2900 or by email at info@bvp.ie

Please click here for more information.

Should you have any companies seeking investment, please do not hesitate to contact us.

2012 was a busy year for BVP and the Simple Green BES & EII Funds. We closed our fifth annual fund in early 2012 with a total raise of €1.45 million. The 5^th fund made 8 investments throughout the year, two investments were made into new companies and we made 6 follow-on investments. This comes in a year where we reviewed over 60 potential investments in all areas of clean tech.

During 2012 we added a new member to our Board of Directors. Stephen Cloonan joins BVP as a non-executive director. Stephen is a successful entrepreneur and has been, chairman and director of, and advisor to a number of technology companies in Ireland and the US. Stephen, an experienced investor and company executive, has also mentored some of Ireland’s leading technology investment professionals.

Our Portfolio

During 2012 we completed two new investments; Sunengen Limited and Biotricity Limited.

Sunengen are developing a significantly improved ammonia absorption refrigeration process. This enhanced process, called EARS™, can be driven by a variety of thermal sources and produces refrigeration output down to -18°. The Coefficient of performance comfortably outperforms existing solutions.

Biotricity’s sole focus is the financing and construction of a high efficiency 15MW Biomass CHP plant in Co. Offaly. The plant will sell 15 MW of electricity to the national grid and will use the excess energy to dry and pelletise energy crops for sale. The company expects the project to reach financial close within the next 6 to 12 months.

In addition, we re-invested in 6 of our existing portfolio companies. These are:

• Hybrid Energy Solutions – Off-grid electricity generation
• CM Ventures – High Efficiency Low cost water disinfection
• EFT Control Systems – Building energy management software
• Optinery – Windfarm maintenance
• Nines Engineering – production efficiencies in solar PV panels
• Ikon Semiconductor – Control chips for LED lighting

Further information is available on each of our portfolio companies by clicking here.

• Sunengen Limited
• Optinergy Limited
• Ultra High Vacuum Solutions Limited t/a Nines Engineering
• Ikon Semiconductor Limited

Some details on each of these companies is available here. We look forward to working with each of the companies in the near future.

The article provides a brief overview of the EII scheme. In addition it details the workings of a designated fund within the bounds of the EII scheme

Please click here for a copy of the article.

http://www.letsrecycle.com/news/latest-news/councils/shanks-reaches-financial-close-on-ps750m-bdr-contract

“This plant will process municipal solid and organic waste to recover recyclables, solid recovered fuel (SRF), biogas and digestate. Shanks will operate the facility over the 25-year period of the contract until 2040″

• Funding to build first industrial scale silicon wafer processing tool

• Plans to double staff headcount

• €2.5 million raised to date

(22 February 2012) Dublin based solar cell manufacturing design company, Nines Photovoltaics, today announced the closing of a €750,000 round of funding. The round of funding was led by Irish clean tech investor, Simple.ie, through its Green Employment & Investment Incentive (EII) Fund and was supported by a number of key private investors including the Irish State via Enterprise Ireland. This brings the total funding raised by the company to date to over €2.5m including €1.2m through FP7 European Funding, which was announced in June 2011.

The funding will be used to recruit additional staff and to build the company’s first industrial silicon wafer processing tool, which will house the disruptive technology that has been developed by the Nines Photovoltaics’ team. This tool will be validated in a pilot production line in Fraunhofer ISE (Freiburg Germany) – one of only two places in the world that can certify solar cell efficiencies.

Through its breakthrough proprietary technology and equipment, the company aims to dramatically change the processes used to manufacture Solar Cells, reducing the production cost whilst also increasing cell efficiencies.

Commenting on the fundraising Edward Duffy, CEO, Nines Photovoltaics said “These are exciting times. We are innovating in a truly global market with enormous potential and are planning to export 100% of our products. We plan to equip our first production lines in Q4 2012 whilst working with Photovoltaic (PV) manufacturers across the globe.”

Solar Cell manufacturers have been impacted by the global downturn, which has led to much consolidation within the industry over the last 12 months according to Simon Forsyth, CFO, Nines Photovoltaics, who explained “Our investors have seen the opportunity that this consolidation phase presents for our core proposition. Industry wide there has been a change of focus away from investment in production capacity to investment in technologies that result in cost reduction and increased cell efficiencies. This shift in focus is critical if cell manufacturers are to have an edge in this highly competitive market and our technology offers this advantage”.

In addition to the cost savings, this technology will dramatically lower cell manufacturer’s water consumption, enabling investment in the further scaling of their manufacturing facilities. Nines Photovoltaics is the first company to offer a processing solution, which uses a fully dry process using only Zero Global Warming Potential chemicals. Its technology will also assist in moving the solar industry closer to “Grid Parity” – a point where solar electricity can compete on level terms with electricity generated from the burning of fossil fuels.

Commenting on the investment Elliott Griffin, CEO, BVP Investments, the investment manager for Simple.ie, said “BVP is delighted to be involved with Nines Photovoltaics. We have been tracking their progress for the past 2 years. We believe the strength of the team and their trial customers based in the heart of the German solar technology industry is a very exciting combination.”

Welcoming the announcement Greg Treston, Enterprise Ireland Head of High Potential Start ups said: “This is a very innovative and exciting high tech company and a strong example of the type of entrepreneurial businesses that contribute so much to the Irish economy. This announcement is one that we greatly welcome and we look forward to working closely with Nines Photovoltaics in further developing their business”.

About Nines Photovoltaics

In 2008 the founders of Nines identified a niche area in the Photovoltaic (PV) industry to which they could apply their expertise from the Semiconductor Industry. In 2010 they collaborated with a leading German Research Institute – the Fraunhofer Institute to develop the offering further.

Nines Photovoltaics does not manufacture electricity generating solar cells but rather production enhancing technology and processes. This funding round will help build the next generation of Photovoltaic production lines.

Based in the Synergy Centre on the Tallaght IT Campus, the company is headed up by Edward Duffy CEO, Laurent Clochard CTO and Simon Forsyth CFO.

Innovation Recognised at Water Industry Awards
2nd December 2011

The Institute of Water Welsh Area Innovation Awards were presented at a lavish ceremony on Wednesday 23 November at the Holland House Hotel in Cardiff. The Awards were open to everyone working in the water industry in Wales and this year judges received strong entries from all parts of Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, its partners and supply chain.

 
The Process & Systems Award went to C M Ventures Ltd who have developed a unique low carbon disinfectant system which produces ELIMBAC, a highly effective Mixed Oxidant used for the disinfection of wastewater. ELIMBAC is a sporocidal high performance anti-microbial that eliminates and future proofs against all types of pathogens without generating environmentally harmful chemistry.

 
Tim Williams, Head of Asset Strategy & Planning at Welsh Water and the Institute of Water’s Area President in Wales said: “This is our sixth year hosting these Awards and the standard of entries has remained exceptionally high. This is testament to the wealth of talent that is out there in the water industry.”

 
Tim continued: “With the continuing economic challenge, we have to deliver better service and improve the environment but at the best value for our customers. Innovation is one way we can do this, and these Awards serve to recognise original ideas and talent.”

The winners of these Awards together with other regional finalists will go forward to the Institute of Water National Innovation Awards, sponsored by Northumbrian Water. Professor Martin Cave will present these Awards at the Institute of Water President’s Dinner on Friday 18 May 2012. Entries are currently open for a number of other regional awards. Please contact Lyndsey Gilmartin on 0191 422 0088 or e-mail: lyndsey@institutofwater.org.uk for details on how to enter, or to book places at the National Awards Dinner.