Clenergen Corporation is focused on using a proprietary biomass process to generate renewable electricity. The company has identified two fast growing species of tree and applied a proprietary Tree Adaption Process for rapidly increasing the growth rate 30?40%. This substantial growth rate will enable the production of an economically viable source of feedstock/biomass for creating a renewable source of electricity.
The company anticipates the implementation of a 71MW per hour biomass power plant in Tamilnadu, India, which will be phased over a 42 month period. It is expected that by 2010, the power plant will generate 15MW per hour. Utilizing 6,500 acres of land for the cultivation of feedstock, the project is scalable and capable of expanding to 121MW per hour within a 5 year period.
Because the company will be using renewable biomass, organic material derived from plant matter not related to food production, it is able to produce clean, sustainable energy without endangering the food supply. Additionally, unlike fossil fuels that only add CO2 to the atmosphere, biomass generates positive carbon emissions credits through the process of photosynthesis.
Clenergen is backed by an experienced management team with a track record of success and operational expertise. The company has also established third party partnerships to enable the business to achieve its business goals and enable it to meet or exceed its financial forecasts and projections. To date, Clenergen has begun operations in the following markets: Guyana, Ghana, Uganda, Brazil Russia and South Africa.
Clenergen Corp. CEO Mark Quinn announced today before the opening that the company has acquired an exclusive intellectual property license for use in India and Sri Lanka from Star Biotechnology Ltd. This license will provide immediate access to the technology and knowledge required to increase the rate of biomass production, assisting in the generation of clean electricity through gasification.
“This is a significant source of plant science and expertise for Clenergen and will literally accelerate the development of our ambitions in the field. We have been working with the science team for the past six months and I am glad to have now reached this milestone”, stated Mr. Quinn today.
Using mother strains of Paulownia originating from Australia, the Polyploidy Technology Plant Adaption Process (PTPAP) will be applied to produce an entirely new species of fast growing tree, specifically cultivated to thrive in the climate and soils of land leased by Clenergen in India and Sri Lanka. It is projected that the application of PTPAP will result in up to a 40% increase in the growth of saplings within two years from planting.
On granting the license to Clenergen, Star Biotechnology’s Stephen Von Peltz commented, “This is an exciting new license for an exciting, young company and we are proud to supply the necessary knowledge and expertise required by Clenergen and their partners.”
The company also announced that Arbour Technologies Ltd of Queensland, Australia has been engaged to provide research, development and agronomy management for the cultivation of this biomass feedstock for gasification and the production of clean electricity by Clenergen.
Speaking of their involvement, Arbour Technologies’ Malcolm Lamont said, “We look forward to working on this innovative project and with all of the Clenergen team”
Within six months of the exclusive license being effective, 18,000 polyploidy Paulownia saplings and 6,000 parent (non-polyploidy) saplings will be ready to plant and support Clenergen’s clean electricity projects. The company’s subsidiary, Clenergen India Private Limited, has signed a 71 MW Power Purchase Agreement with the Power Trading Corporation of India and is currently in the first phase of development in the Tamilnadu region of India. When built, this facility will be able to utilize the biomass of the saplings for the production of electricity.
Clenergen Corp.’s (CRGE.OB) $1.2 Billion Contract to Supply Clean Power to India
Earlier this year, Clenergen Corp. announced its first major power purchase agreement with the Power Trading Corporation (NASDAQ: PTC) of India for the purchase and sale of 71 MW of power, which is to be generated by Clenergen’s new biomass based power project in Tamilnadu. This purchase agreement has a value of up to $80.0 MM USD per year for 15 years, totaling to $1.2 Billion.
Clenergen India’s Honorary Chairman Dr. Arvind Pandalai, who has helped formulate various policies of the Government of India over a 32 year career, believes that his home country is the ideal place for Clenergen to initiate its global agenda. He stated, “The expertise of Clenergen’s management team and the strength of its proposition at a time when India and the rest of the world is demanding cleaner, more accessible electricity are truly compelling.”
The residential and business communities of India will benefit tremendously from the uninterrupted supply of clean, sustainable energy, including job creation to service the project from launch in 2010. The project is planned to scale up in three Phases; Phase I of 6 MW followed by Phase II of 15 MW and Phase III of 50 MW.
Mark LM Quinn, CEO of Clenergen Corporation Limited, commented, “This will be the first of many long-term agreements with major power purchasers, utilities and industrial clients. Locally managed transactions like this one with PTC India, are at the core of our business model and can be duplicated in many countries of the world where energy supplies do not satisfy demand.”
Clenergen Corporation (CRGE.OB) Leases 5,000 Acres of Land and Option Rights for 150,000 Acres for Biomass Cultivation in Guyana
Clenergen Corp.’s CEO Mark Quinn announced today that the company has signed a 90 year lease for 5,000 acres of land and the option rights to buy 145,000 more in the Co-operative Republic of Guyana in South America. The company will be using this land to cultivate fast growing micro-propagated elite strains of Paulownia for producing wood chips (biomass) for the production of clean electricity in the USA and Europe.
According to the press release, Clenergen secured the long lease of land after extensive research and development into various forms of feedstock for the purpose of generating clean electricity directly cultivated from plantation sources.
Mr. Quinn commented, “On a conservative estimate of 40 tonnes of biomass per acre, the company projects an annual supply of 6 (six) million tonnes by 2016. With the overwhelming demand for coal fired power plants to blend biomass to reduce carbon emissions, Clenergen intends to be a global supplier of high calorific wood chips for gasification and clean energy generation, particularly in Europe and the USA. GCI has experience with this species of tree since 1991 and is recognized has a world leader in Paulownia plantations.”
Earlier this year, Clenergen Corporation Ltd. acquired the assets of Enhanced Biofuels and Technologies Limited (EBT), which included but were not limited to three year’s research and development of non edible vegetable oils, algae, and biomass feedstock for the purpose of producing bio fuels and bio energy.
This combined expertise has concluded that the cultivation of high-density, short-rotation biomass crops on a commercial scale will result in:
(I) A cost of production competitive to the price of coal (measured in energy terms – MM/Btu)
(II) The effective use of a proprietary integrated plantation model
(III) The production of natural organic fertilizers from the byproducts produced at the site of the 1.5MW per hour Anaerobic Digestive Power plant in Tuticorn, Tamilnadu India. Operations are expected to commence in October-November 2009 and will produce an estimated 9000 tons of Ammonium Sulphate Fertilizer, which will be transported to the land under lease in India and shipped from the port of Tuticorin to port of Guyana.
(IV) A clean source of electricity through advanced gasification technologies.
Clenergen Corp. (CRGE.OB) Lauds Management Team for List of Accomplishments
Clenergen Corporation is dedicated to researching and developing renewable electricity techniques. The company attributes its success to its experienced management team, all of whose members bring a track record of success and operational expertise. Clenergen consistently upholds the standards of a great team and recognizes its members for their accomplishments and dedication to the company’s mission.
Clenergen’s Non-Executive Group Chairman, Dr. Arvind Pandalai, has 32 years of experience in international trading, export and import management, market research, counter trade, off-shore trade, joint ventures, project management, financial management and strategic planning. In 2004, he received the IMM Award for Excellence as a Top Professional by the Institute of Marketing & Management, New Delhi, India. He was also awarded Certificate of Excellence in Productivity, Quality, Innovation & Management by the Institute of Economic Studies, New Delhi, India.
Robert Kohn, Clenergen’s Non Executive Vice-Chairman, has served as Chairman/CEO, President/COO, and co-founder of three start-up public companies, with a combined market cap of over $1.5 Billion. In his tenure, the equity and debt raised for these companies exceeded $400 million. He was President of a subsidiary of Exelon, an electric utility ranked #1 in U.S., and President and founder of entrade.com (Energy Trading) at Exelon.
Mark LM Quinn, Chief Executive Officer, brings to Clenergen extensive international business experience in South East Asia, Russia, the Middle East and Africa. Mark was co-founder and CEO of D1 Oils Plc. He successfully floated the company on the Alternative Investment Market in October 2004, raising £40 million in funding over the course of the first year.
Acting Chief Financial Officer Abhilash Kamti is a finance professional with experience in the banking & financial sector in various roles of Credit / Risk underwriting, and Structuring & Corporate Finance. Kamti was part of GE Capital in India with a focus on high end asset leasing. Prior to Clenergen, he was part of the senior management of a leading Non Banking company in the Infrastructure sector handling Treasury & Strategic funding.
Finally, Jessica Hatfield, Executive Vice President, created The Media Vehicle in 1994, a company that provided advertising alternatives to traditional above the line media. Hatfield’s personal interests and passions lie in organizing initiatives for the advocacy of environmentally protective projects, thus co-founding STARO (Save the Amazon Rainforest Organization). Hatfield was recently elected to the United Nations Environmental Program Hall of Fame recognizing her work in the field of Amazon Rainforest conservation.
Clenergen’s success directly stems from the strong core of its management team. Looking forward, Clenergen aims to stay focused on environmentally sound electricity techniques. To date, the company has begun operations Guyana, Ghana, Uganda, Brazil Russia and South Africa, and is anticipating expanding its endeavors.
There are three words that sum up the primary goal of the global environmental movement, clean renewable energy. Ever since it began to dawn on people that fossil fuels, like every other resource, had limits, there has been an ongoing search for a fuel that would never go away. Granted, the fears expressed early on about fossil fuels now seem a bit naïve. Remember back in the 70s when they said that by the year 2000 the world would run out of oil? It turns out that fossil fuels don’t really go away, they just get more and more expensive to get.
Unfortunately, once a society gets hooked on something, building everything around it, it becomes easier to accept the gradual price increases rather than change it all. But eventually there comes a time when people start to realize that the emperor has no clothes, and that there’s got to be a better way. One by one, people begin to look for, and then demand, alternatives. Once the trickle starts to become an avalanche, the flow of money begins to turn with it.
Today, one of the places money is beginning to turn to is biomass. Biomass represents the idea of growing our energy, essentially harvesting the suns rays indirectly, but on a continuous (renewable) basis. It’s a little like solar energy, using the suns rays to produce heat or electricity, except that plants, and perhaps animals, are used as a go-between. After all, plants are the oldest and still the most efficient solar collectors and converters on the planet. They’ve had ages to perfect the process. So why not farm energy crops the way we now farm food crops?
Of course, it’s never as easy as it sounds. Wood is the oldest energy source we have, a renewable biomass, but nobody is suggesting we go back to that, at least as a sole solution. In order for biomass to work, it has to be efficient and at least somewhat be economically competitive with fossil fuels, cleaner in a number of ways, and relatively easy to distribute to where it is needed.
There are many proposed biomass solutions, all of them hotly debated, and much of the debate is fueled by all of the unknowns that are involved. Biomass fuels have sometimes proven tricky to process, requiring the trial and error development of new equipment and handling techniques. In addition, the use of biomass results in emissions and the best solutions to that are still unclear. Still, biomass does have at least one significant advantage over wind and solar: it’s available 24 hours a day, every day, regardless of the weather. And there are economic advantages too, part of the reason Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell recently announced that it is shelving investments in wind and solar in favor of biofuels.
Currently, most biomass power plants burn lumber and agricultural waste, sometimes directly to produce steam for generating electricity and sometimes indirectly after turning the waste into gas. Biomass is currently the second largest renewable energy source in the country. In Brazil, nearly 40% of all motor vehicles run on alcohol made from sugar cane. In fact, almost any biological matter, including wood chips, animal manure, seaweed, and even garbage, can be used to produce power.
Some of the relatively few publicly traded biomass related stocks include Andritz Group (PINKSHEETS: ADRZF), Macquarie Power & Infrastructure Income Fund (PINKSHEETS: MCQPF), and Renegy (PINKSHEETS: RGYH). But one of the most exciting prospects is a company out of Florida called Clenergen Corp. (OTCBB: CRGE).
Clenergen has identified Bamboo and Marjestica, a fast growing species of tree, as the most reliable feedstock/biomass source for gasification and the continuous generation of clean energy. Their plan is to produce high-density, short-rotation biomass crops on a commercial scale, at a cost of production equivalent to or less than the price of coal, and to produce a renewable and sustainable source of electricity through advanced gasification technologies. But it’s more than just theory. The company installs, owns, and operates small to medium sized Distributed Environmental Power Systems (DEPS) to local municipalities, manufacturers, and national grids. They’re already developing a major project in India, and have just purchased a 90-year leasehold for 5,000 acres of land in South America for growing and exporting biomass to generate electricity in the U.S. and Europe.
Clenergen Corp. (CRGE.OB) Announces Launch of Biomass Research Project with Leading Indian University
Today, Clenergen Corp. announced that it has received approval from Madurai Kamaraj University, a respected University established in 1966, to inititate a research project on behalf of Clenergen to develop and apply new scientific techniques to enhance growth of biomass crops and to develop superior agronomical practices for best possible utilization of available natural resources to maximize yield.
Clenergen told investors today that it has accepted the terms of the technical engagement and that the project will commence during the first week of October 2009. The Department of Bioenergy, School of Energy, Environment and Natural Resources of the University will execute the project for Clenergen. Currently, Dr K. Muthuchelian is currently Director for Biodiversity and Forest Studies at the Madurai Kamaraj University, and Professor and Head of the School of Energy, Environment and Natural Resources at Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai.
Prof. K. Muthuchelian has been nominated as Fellow of International Energy Foundation (FIEF) by International Energy Foundation, Saskatchewan, Canada, elected as Fellow of National Academy of Biological Sciences (FNABS) by National Academy of Biological Sciences, India and awarded the academically high Prestigious Degree of “Doctor of Science” (D.Sc.) by Madurai Kamaraj University.
Accredited as an A Category University, Madurai Kamaraj University is one of the oldest and prestigious Universities of South India and is recognized for its ground-breaking, pioneering efforts in development of agriculture in Tamilnadu. The School of Energy, Environment and Natural Resources has a dedicated Department of Bioenergy which specializes in Biomass Crops and undertakes various projects on behalf of the Government of Tamilnadu. With state of the art infrastructure and laboratories, the school is home to eminent professors and alumni who have spearheaded the advancement made by Tamilnadu in Biomass crops.
Dr. Arvind Pandalai, Non Executive Group Chairman of Clenergen Corporation, commented, ” It is a matter of great privilege to have been chosen by the University for undertaking such a project which brings immense value to Clenergen and its projects not just in India but worldwide.”
Mark Quinn, CEO of Clenergen stated, “This is a great moment for Clenergen to be in a position to gain from the great resources of the University. The project will be funded by Clenergen, but serves to benefit the company in order to maximize the output and optimize the usage of the available resources.”
Clenergen Corp. (CRGE.OB) Appoints Dale Shepherd as CFO and Abillish Kamti as CFO of Clenergen India Private Ltd.
Chief Executive Mark Quinn announced this morning that the company has appointed Dale Shepherd as its Chief Financial Officer and Abillish Kamti as the Chief Executive of Clenergen India Private Ltd.
Working from 1973 to 1991 for one of the world’s premier global networks, the General Electric Company, Dale’s career has focused on hands on problem resolution, acquisitions, joint venture start ups and entering new business areas. During his time at GE, he held the positions of Director of Finance, GEM Polymers Ltd. Vice President, GE Plastics Japan Ltd. and Managing Director, GEM Chemicals, Inc. From there he joined Kawasaki LNP NC in the Engineering Plastics subsidiary of Kawasaki Steel Corporation. Kawasaki Steel Corporation appointed Dale as Vice President Business Planning and Corporate Secretary to drive entry into the plastics industry by way of acquisitions. Over the 8 years he was at Kawasaki, he negotiated and integrated acquisitions in USA, U.K., France and Germany which resulted in tripling of European sales over five years. Dale also developed the Asia-Pacific expansion strategy and assisted in set up of a green fields manufacturing facility in Malaysia with other offices in Asia-Pacific countries.
Abillish Kamti worked for GE Capitol Finance from 2001 to 2004 where he managed the portfolio of investments in leases, project financings, and securitizations of aircrafts, helicopters, power plants and rolling-stock. In 2005 he joined Paramount Airways as Head of Finance where he was involved in structuring and negotiating financial deals with various funding agencies and had key involvement in new business approval process and liasing with key stakeholders across the business. He then joined SREI Infrastructure Finance in 2008 as Senior Vice President –Treasury, assuming a leading role in all treasury activities and investor management issues for SREI Group companies. His duties included managing the strategic funding of their overseas subsidiary in Russia and the Middle East, raising overseas funds for the group, and identifying partnership opportunities and joint initiatives with investors, banks, and international investment institutions overseas and in India.
Mark Quinn commented on the appointments, “Dale and Abillish both bring a strong background of corporate finance to the company and their mix of experience is very relevant to our business. We look forward to welcoming them to Clenergen and helping us meet our strategic ends.”
Clenergen Corp. (CRGE.OB) Appoints Dale Shepherd as CFO and Abillish Kamti as CFO of Clenergen India Private Ltd.
Chief Executive Mark Quinn announced yesterday that the company has appointed Dale Shepherd as its Chief Financial Officer and Abillish Kamti as the Chief Executive of Clenergen India Private Ltd.
Working from 1973 to 1991 for one of the world’s premier global networks, the General Electric Company, Dale’s career has focused on hands on problem resolution, acquisitions, joint venture start ups and entering new business areas. During his time at GE, he held the positions of Director of Finance, GEM Polymers Ltd. Vice President, GE Plastics Japan Ltd. and Managing Director, GEM Chemicals, Inc. From there he joined Kawasaki LNP NC in the Engineering Plastics subsidiary of Kawasaki Steel Corporation. Kawasaki Steel Corporation appointed Dale as Vice President Business Planning and Corporate Secretary to drive entry into the plastics industry by way of acquisitions. Over the 8 years he was at Kawasaki, he negotiated and integrated acquisitions in USA, U.K., France and Germany which resulted in tripling of European sales over five years. Dale also developed the Asia-Pacific expansion strategy and assisted in set up of a green fields manufacturing facility in Malaysia with other offices in Asia-Pacific countries.
Abillish Kamti worked for GE Capitol Finance from 2001 to 2004 where he managed the portfolio of investments in leases, project financings, and securitizations of aircrafts, helicopters, power plants and rolling-stock. In 2005 he joined Paramount Airways as Head of Finance where he was involved in structuring and negotiating financial deals with various funding agencies and had key involvement in new business approval process and liasing with key stakeholders across the business. He then joined SREI Infrastructure Finance in 2008 as Senior Vice President –Treasury, assuming a leading role in all treasury activities and investor management issues for SREI Group companies. His duties included managing the strategic funding of their overseas subsidiary in Russia and the Middle East, raising overseas funds for the group, and identifying partnership opportunities and joint initiatives with investors, banks, and international investment institutions overseas and in India.
Mark Quinn commented on the appointments, “Dale and Abillish both bring a strong background of corporate finance to the company and their mix of experience is very relevant to our business. We look forward to welcoming them to Clenergen and helping us meet our strategic ends.”
Clenergen Corp. (CRGE.OB) Has an Outstanding Group of Directors and Scientific Advisors
Clenergen Corp. has developed a unique system of co-gasification and localized plantation management using proprietary and mixed biomass feedstocks to implement sustainable supplies of clean energy to regional, independent clients and national electric grids. The “distributed environmental power system” or DEPS combines significant proprietary advancements in plant science with proven, long-standing engineering technologies to achieve the goal of renewable and sustainable supplies of electricity.
Clenergen has an absolutely outstanding group of scientific advisors and non-executive directors to guide them on a path to future success. Here is a brief overview of the group:
Dr. N. Barathi – Biotechnology Science Advisor
Dr. N. Barathi has 25 years of experience in plant propagation by tissue culture and cultivation of plants. He has conducted research in bamboo for the past 10 years and identified an ideal bamboo clone for energy plantation and standardized agronomical management and agriculture inputs to maximize the biomass yield. Dr. Barathi is a founding director of Growmore Biotech Ltd., the only propagator of trpoical energy bamboo in the world. The company produces over 200,000 plants per week of bamboo and Paulownia for high density energy plantation. Dr. Barathi has been recognized for this work in countries including India, China and Australia.
Dr. K. Muthuchelian – Chief Scientific Advisor, Biomass Energy Crops
Dr. K. Muthuchelian is currently the director for Biodiversity and Forest Studies at the Madurai Kamaraj University, and also professor and head of the School of Energy, Environment and Natural Resources at the same university in India. He has been nominated as Fellow of International Energy Foundation by the International Energy Foundation in Saskatchewan, Canada; Elected as Fellow of National Academy of Biological Sciences by the National Academy of Biological Sciences in India; and awarded the prestigious degree of ‘Doctor of Science’ by Madurai Kamaraj University.
Jack Dickey – Non-Executive Director
In 1969, Mr. Dickey founded the Dickey Seed Company, which later became the largest producer, processor and marketer of certified soybean seed in the southeastern United States. In 1992, he bought a major interest in Guyana Timber Sales, a company joint ventured with Guyana’s Plywood Industries Ltd. The purpose of the joint venture was for the harvesting, milling and marketing of wood and wood products from a company-acquired 95,000 acre timber tract along the Berbice River in Guyana. Mr. Dickey has continued working to convert Dickey Seed Company into an international, agro-forestry company.
David Sonnenberg – Non-Executive Director
Mr. Sonnenberg is currently executive director of Energy Technologies Limited, a South African company that is exploiting the potential of agricultural waste to produce renewable and sustainable electricity. He was the director of D1 Oil Plc and responsible for the agronomy department of Jatropha as a non-edible feedstock for the processing and production of biodiesel.
Mike Starkie – Non-Executive Director
Mr. Starkie is group vice-president and chief accounting officer of oil giant BP. In that position, he plays a leading role in BP’s mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Starkie is also responsible for BP’s financial statements, the company’s SEC filings and compliance with other financial reporting requirements.
Clenergen Corp. (CRGE.OB) Leases 2,000+ Additional Acres in India for Biomass Plantations
Clenergen Corp. announced today that it has secured long term leases effective 25 years on plantation land parcels in the Tirunelveli District of Tamilnadu for cultivation of its feedstock. The company has already begun working on the first parcel of 850 acres for a detailed survey prior to designing the irrigation system and commercial planting. The lease has been provided by Emberumanar Jeer Trust, an entity regulated by the Government of Tamilnadu.
The company has also been granted a lease of 1,200 acres from a similar Government of Tamilnadu, which is anticipated to be closed by October 30th 2009 after completion of the formalities relating to contour mapping. Clenergen plans to cultivate Beema Bamboo over these land parcels once a detailed assessment of the soil conditions and water availability is complete. Beema Bamboo planting is scheduled to commence in November 2009 since the plant is not affected by the monsoon rains.
Estimated to yield 80,000 Metric Tonnes per annum, Clenergen is confident it will meet the requirements of the first 8MW unit of the 16 MW power stations being establishing in Tuticorin, Tamilnadu. Clenergen has leased a 10 acre site for the power plant which includes structural buildings suitable for storage. According to the press release, the power plant is located within 2KM of a major highway and 10 Km of the nearest substation for power evacuation.
Until the harvests begin, Clenergen has signed midterm supply contracts for biomass wood chips sourced from Prosperous Juliaflora bushes to meet its feedstock requirements in Tamilnadu.
Commenting on the land leases, Mark Quinn, CEO stated, “Execution of our feedstock program is a critical component in meeting the supply requirements of our Biomass power plants. By securing lease agreements at this stage allows the company to immediately start planting Beema Bamboo which will yield its first harvest in 2011.”
Clenergen Corp. (CRGE.OB) Announces Memorandum of Agreement with Leading Scientific Research and Development Company
Clenergen Corp. announced that it has entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Enhanced Biofuels & Technologies India Ltd (EBTI) to form a new research and development company. Called Biomass2Biopower Private Limited (B2B), the new company will be focused on bio energy research and development, evaluating a variety of tree species for future potential supplies of cultivated non edible biomass feedstocks.
B2B has evolved a highly integrated complimentary operational profile that embraces a team of scientific and technical skills drawn from some of the world’s foremost research, academic, Industrial, policy and financial sectors. The Scientific Advisory Council, headed up by Dr. W. Selvamurthy (Distinguished Scientist and Chief Controller for the Defense Research and Development Organization, Ministry of Defence, Govt of India), consists of many eminent scientists.
Commenting on the new Joint Venture Company, Mark Quinn, CEO of Clenergen stated, “The wealth of scientific knowledge of the Scientific Advisory Council provides Clenergen the best possible plant science resources for its feedstock cultivation program, along with a variety of alternative species of tree and grass which can be adopted for specific climatic conditions. B2B will generate revenue from the sale of its bio pesticides and bio fertilizers as well as out sourcing planting materials to third parties for the purpose of cultivating biomass feedstock on behalf of Clenergen Corporation”.
Doctor Ganapathy Arumugam, Managing Director & Group Science Director of EBTI, commented, “Our partnership with Clenergen allows for the commercialization of our plant science expertise in the field of genetic plant breeding, agronomy and microbiology. We can now provide a strong foundation for the production and supply of high yielding planting materials and crop based bioinputs. Together we aim to increase the productivity per unit area on a global scale for the cultivation of biomass as a non edible feedstock to be utilized as a source of renewable energy”.
Clenergen Corp. (CRGE.OB) Creates Renewable Energy Solutions Using Biomass & Advanced Gasification Technologies
Clenergen Corp., developer of innovative clean energy generation systems, has created a way to produce power, steam, hydrogen, and various other useful products, all through the use of advanced gasification and steam technologies. Instead of dealing with the issue of energy resources – specifically biomass processing – by simply applying engineering principles, Clenergen approaches it from an agronomy/microbiology and plantation management perspective. By so doing, the company is able to deliver a standard, uniform virgin biomass on a commercial scale, at regular intervals, for use in the generation of electricity.
The electricity is generated using proven gasification technology, which disintegrates the biomass releasing syngas. This can then be combusted to power gas turbine generators, or can be burned to release all tar while producing steam to run the turbine generators. The high levels of efficiency and energy conversion produces a consistent source of electricity, without any carbon emissions, resulting in carbon emission credits, the value of which can be applied toward offsetting the cost of production.
The technology has a rugged modular design, able to withstand adverse operating conditions, yet can produce from 8 megawatts per hour up to 100 megawatts per hour. Units of 8 MW create the most efficient economies of scale, and can be scaled up as the supply of biomass increases.
Clenergen Corporation India Private Limited, headquartered in Chennai Tamilnadu, India, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Clenergen Corporation, UK. The Indian subsidiary has been set up to produce high-density, short-rotation biomass crops on a commercial scale at a cost equal to or less than the price of coal (measured in terms of energy), and to produce power and other useful products using the advanced gasification and steam technologies.
Clenergen management recognized early on that there was a gap in the area of co-generation and co-gasification, using cultivated biomass in conjunction with standard hydrocarbon fuels. Using advanced gasification techniques, together with the controlled sourcing available with cultivated biomass, the company has achieved a vital component in the future of co-gasification.
Clenergen Corp.’s (CRGE.OB) Board Leads Push into Biofuels
Clenergen Corp. is a biofuels company that is approaching the sector from a different perspective – from an agronomy/biology and plantation standpoint. The company’s goal is to produce high-density, short-rotation biomass crops on a commercial scale which will then be used to power, steam and perhaps produce other products from advanced gasification and steam technologies.
The company is led by an eminent Board of Directors and Advisors. Here is a brief overview of the members:
Dr. Arvind Pandalai – Non-Executive Group Chairman
Dr. Pandalai has 32 years of experience in international trading, export and import management, joint ventures, project and financial management along with strategic planning. He has numerous prestigious management awards in his native India.
Robert Kohn – Non-Executive Vice-Chairman, North America
Mr. Kohn has been chairman/CEO, president/COO, and co-founder of three start-up public companies, with a combined market cap of over $1.5 billion. He was also president of utility giant Exelon and president and founder of entrade.com (energy trading) at Exelon.
Mark LM Quinn – CEO
Mr. Quinn has extensive international business experience in Southeast Asia, particularly in India and the Philippines, along with Russia, the Middle East and Africa. Mark was co-founder and CEO of D1 Oils, PLC where he developed D1 into the global market leader in biodiesel. D1 was successfully floated on London’s AIM stock market in October 2004.
Jessica Hatfield – Executive Vice-President, Sales and Marketing
Ms. Hatfield created The Media Vehicle in 1994, a company that provided advertising alternatives to traditional media. Her interests today lie in organizing initiatives for the advocacy of environmentally protected projects. She was recently elected to the United Nations Environmental Program Hall of Fame recognizing her work in the field of Amazon rainforest conservation.
Mike Starkie – Non-Executive Director
Mr. Starkie is group vice-president and chief accounting officer of oil giant, BP. He plays a leading role in BP’s mergers and Acquisitions and is also responsible for the group’s financial statements, SEC filings and other financial reporting requirements.
David Sonnenberg – Non-Executive Director
Mr. Sonnenberg is currently executive director of Energy Technologies Limited, a South African firm that is exploiting the potential of agricultural waste to produce renewable and sustainable electricity. He was director of D1 Oil and responsible for the agronomy development of Jatropha as a non-edible feedstock for the processing and production of biodiesel.
Dr. K. Muthuchelian – Chief Scientific Advisor for Biomass Energy Crops
Dr. Muthuchelian is currently the director for Biodiversity and Forest Studies, professor and head of the School of Energy, Environment and Natural Resources, and holds a “Doctor of Science” degree at Madurai Kamaraj University in Madurai, India.
Jack Dickey – Non-Executive Director
Mr. Dickey began his agriculture career in 1963 and founded the Dickey Seed Company in 1969. This company is now the largest producer, processor and marketer of certified soybean seed in the southeastern United States. In 1992, he bought a major stake in Guyana Timer Sales, a venture involved in the harvesting, milling and marketing of wood and wood products from a company-acquired 95,000 acre timber tract in Guyana.
Clenergen Corp. (CRGE.OB) Moves Forward with Biomass Power Projects in India
Clenergen Corp., developer of clean biomass power generation systems using specifically grown biomass crops, is actively engaged in developing its first project in India. The plan is to develop a 10 megawatt/hour power plant in Namakkal, Tamilnadu, on the southern tip of India. The plant will be fed by a biomass gasification facility using biomass supplied by Clenergen’s plantations in Tamilnadu.
The first step was the agreement to allow Clenergen to acquire an existing 1.5 megawatt/hour biomass power generating plant in Namakkal. The plant uses anerobic digestion technology to process agricultural waste using GE Jenbacher Gas engines. The unit, which successfully demonstrated the use of the technology as part of India’s National Demonstration Project, was shut down earlier due to cash flow constraints related to the sale of power to the State Government Utility. More favorable tariffs have since been put in place, and an agreement for acquisition was finalized between Clenergen and shareholders of the plant.
The plan now is to ramp up the plant’s capacity to 10 MW/hr by setting up a biomass gasification facility, using biomass supplied initially from already contracted agricultural waste sources, but eventually from proprietary feedstock from Clenergen’s plantations in Tamilnadu. The unit will be entirely carbon neutral, and has already been assessed for carbon credits, both for electricity production and methane capture. It is expected to generate annual net revenue of $1.2 million.
Clenergen’s plantations are located in Tuticorin and Tirunelveli districts in southern India, and total 4,000 acres, of which 1,200 acres are earmarked for cultivation of bamboo and 2,800 acres for paulownia, two carefully researched and chosen biomass crops.
Clenergen is also setting up two additional power projects in India, a 16 MW/hr plant in Tamilnadu, and a 64 MW/hr plant in Karnataka, also in southern India.
Clenergen Corp. (CRGE.OB) Reaches Agreement to Terms to Acquire 1.5MW Biomass Power Plant in Tamil Nadu, India
Today it was announced that Clenergen Corporation India Private Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Clenergen Corporation, has agreed on the terms to acquire a 1.5MW/Hr biomass power plant in Namakkal, Tamilnadu, which will be operational by yearend 2009.
Recognized as one of India’s National Demonstration Projects, the plant was shut down in 2007 due to operational cash flow constraints and its inability to remain profitable at a low tariff rate. However, under a Power Purchase Agreement between Power Trading Corporation of India Limited (PTC) and Clenergen India Private Limited, a higher tariff rate has now been agreed.
The unit is expected to generate net revenue of approximately US$1 million in its first year of operation. During the first phase of its operations in India, Clenergen will ramp up the capacity of this power plant to 10MW/Hr while installing two new biomass power projects: a 16MW/Hr in Tuticorin Tamilnadu and a 64MW/Hr in Karnataka. The total project cost of the new plants has been estimated at US$236 million.
Clenergen’s Tuticorin power plant is expected to be in commercial operation sometime in the last quarter of 2010. The company is proposing to raise US$83 million in equity financing from the Indian stock markets. The 16MW/Hr power plant will require 4,000 acres of land to cultivate biomass feedstock required for its 24/7 operation, of which 800 acres has already been secured under sublease. Until the cultivated feedstocks reach first harvest, local supplies of wood chips will be contracted.
Clenergen also announced that it has identified an efficient system of power generation using gasification technology/gas turbines generators and power generation through Pyrolisis/steam turbine generators. These systems can produce power, steam, hydrogen, chemicals and other important products through advanced gasification and Pyrolisis/combustion steam technologies. The company also produces high-density, short-rotation biomass crops on a commercial scale at a cost of production equivalent to or less than the price of coal (measured in energy terms – MMBtu) using a proprietary integrated farming model.
Announcing the company’s plans for India here at a press conference, Dr. Arvind Pandalai, Non Executive Group Chairman, said, “The Namakkal unit, which is entirely carbon neutral, successfully demonstrated the ‘anaerobic digestive technology’ to process agri-biomass to renewable energy. The unit has already been assessed for carbon credits.”
Dr Pandalai added, “Clenergen new biomass power plants at Tamil Nadu and Karnataka will be based on the feedstock of `Beema Bamboo’, a grass species, and `Marjestica’, a micro propagated species of Paulownia native to China and parts of Asia. The company has partnered with Growmore Biotech Limited, Hosur, for the production and supply of the micro propagated Beema Bamboo. Additionally, Clenergen has licensed a Tree Adaption Process that increases the growth rate of Majestica by up to 40% and will be conducting field trials of the improved strain in Tamilnadu in the first quarter 2010.
Clenergen Corp. (CRGE.OB) – Biomass2Biopower Private Ltd. Commences High Density Biomass Trials of Eucalyptus, Casuarinas, and “Vanashree”
Today, Biomass2Biopower Private Ltd. (“B2B”) announced that it has completed the first stage of its R&D program which is focused on the use of indigenous species of trees as viable sources of feedstock for the production of biomass for gasification power plant projects being implemented by Clenergen Corporation. The program aims to provide validation of the yield, production cycles and agronomy requirements as well as offer diversification to Clenergen’s integrated feedstock supply chain.
“Vanashree” was specifically highlighted in the press release for demonstrating an output of more than 40 tons per acre after 2 years of growth in a variety of soil conditions and relatively low water irrigation requirements. B2B will also develop and produce proprietary Bio pesticides, Bio fertilizers and other high value commodities from the processing of biomass resources. It is estimated that under controlled agronomy practices and fertilization programs, yields will be increased up to 20% on an annual basis.
As previously announced, Clenergen has already reached agreement on the terms to acquire a 1.5MW/Hr biomass power plant in Namakkal, Tamilnadu, which is anticipated to be operational by year end 2009. Once operational, the company will initiate efforts to ramp up the capacity to 10MW/Hr while installing two new biomass power projects: a 16MW/Hr in Tuticorin Tamilnadu and a 64MW/Hr in Karnataka. The total project cost of the new plants has been estimated at US$236 million.
Mark Quinn, CEO of Clenergen, commented, “The wealth of scientific knowledge of the Scientific Advisory Council provides Clenergen the best possible plant science resources for its feedstock cultivation program, along with a variety of alternative indigenous species of trees in India, which can be adopted for specific climatic conditions. B2B will generate revenue from the sale of its bio pesticides and bio fertilizers as well as out sourcing planting materials to third parties for the purpose of cultivating biomass feedstock on behalf of Clenergen Corporation”.
Doctor Ganapathy Arumugam, Managing Director & Group Science Director of EBTI, stated, “Our partnership with Clenergen allows for the commercialization of our classic science expertise in the field of Plant breeding, Agronomy, and Microbiology and can provide a strong foundation for the production and supply of high yielding indigenous planting materials and crop based bio inputs to increase the productivity per unit area for the cultivation of biomass a Non edible feedstock as a source of renewable energy”.
Clenergen Corp. (CRGE.OB) Is Taking a Unique Approach to Using Biomass for Power Production
Clenergen Corporation has taken a unique approach to the problem of using biomass as fuel for power production facilities. The company has approached the issue from an agronomy and plantation management perspective rather than solely from an engineering perspective. Clenergen has achieved the ability to deliver a standard, uniform virgin biomass on a commercial scale at regular intervals over a long period of time.
The company has contractually secured access to the feedstock required for cultivation. One feedstock is a species of grass named ‘Beema Bamboo’ which has been developed and test planted for Clenergen by its partner Growmore Biotech Limited from India. The plant is a perennial with a life span of 50 years and the harvestable biomass yield ranges from 20 million tons per acre in the second year to 60 million tons after four years of cultivation.
A second feedstock is a species of trees native to China and parts of Asia called ‘Paulownia’. Validated records indicate that this tree can potentially yield a biomass equivalent of over 50 million tons and no re-plantation of the tree is required for nine years.
In addition to the yield of biomass from traditional cultivation, Clenergen is using plant science to increase the rate of growth of the trees and therefore increase its biomass yield. The process that the company is using is called polyploidisation. Plant stock is genetically pre-screened for specific polyploidy chromosomes. Once identified, the selected trees are entered into an active breeding program. No genetic engineering is utilized, as polyploidy is a naturally occurring evolutionary event. This process, although new to the forestry industry, has been used since the 1970s in the agri-food business as a way to encourage faster rates of growth in crops such as corn and wheat.
The company and Growmore Biotech have entered into a binding agreement under which Gromore will apply the polyoloidisation process on the mother stock of Paulownia supplied from plantations in both India and Guyana which are owned by Clenergen. Gromore will also provide micro propagated saplings of its elite strain of Beema bamboo for mass cultivation.
Clenergen Corp. (CRGE.OB) Aiming For Over 80 Megawatts of Power in India
Clenergen Corp., biomass power developer, recently announced that it has entered into a 15-year power purchase agreement with PTC India Ltd. The agreement is through Clenergen’s wholly owned subsidiary, Clenergen India. PTC India, a public-private partnership company, is the leading provider of power trading solutions in India, and is focused on developing a commercially vibrant power market in the country.
Clenergen currently has plantations in the Tuticorin and Tirunelveli districts in southern India, totaling 4,000 acres, of which 1,200 acres are earmarked for cultivation of bamboo and 2,800 acres for paulownia, two carefully researched and chosen biomass crops. The company plans to lease a total of 16,000 acres for biomass plantations in India, supplying various power plants operating on gasification technology.
Clenergen CEO, Mark Quinn, indicated that the first of the power plants has already started operation in Tuticorin. The 1.5 megawatt facility will be expanded to about 10 megawatts within one year. The company also plans to set up a 16 megawatt plant in Tamil Nadu, and a 64 megawatt plant in Karnataka, both in southern India.
The agreement calls for PTC India to pay Clenergen a guaranteed rate for supplied power, plus 90% of whatever PTC gets over and above that guaranteed price. PTC will pay on a monthly basis, with its payments backed by an irrevocable letter of credit with Indian Overseas Bank. Clenergen expects an internal rate of return of at least 30%, over and above any benefits from carbon trading.
Clenergen will require approximately 200 acres of land, producing 40 metric tons of biomass per acre (a total of about 8,000 metric tons), for every megawatt generated. The company is working with Bangalor-based Growmore Biotech to source Beema Bamboo, a high-yielding bamboo variety developed by Growmore, with a potential yield of 60 metric tons per acre. Anything over 40 metric tons increases Clenergen’s profits.
Clenergen Corp.’s (CRGE.OB) Total Solution for Bio-Energy
Clenergen Corp. is a developer of clean biomass power generation systems, with its current focus on the nation of India. The company is using a unique approach to use specifically-grown biomass feedstock in order to power its generators.
The company has gained access to acreage in India for plantations in which to grow specific plants as biomass feedstock for power generation plants. A footprint of only 4,000 acres is sufficient to generate up to 16MW per hour of electricity on an annual basis.
The first plant that Clenergen has identified is a high calorific strain of bamboo (Beema Bamboo) which is capable of producing over 60 tons of biomass a year after year 3 and can be coppiced – cutting it down to near ground level so that many new shoots will appear – on an annual basis.
Clenergen has also identified a fast-growing species of tree – Marjestica – and has applied a ‘tree adaption process’ for rapidly increasing its exponential growth rate from 28% to 35%. This process is a natural phenomenon in which organisms respond to environmental stress by increasing the number of homologous sets of chromosomes or genomes in each cell. This process is NOT genetic modification, as it involves NO foreign DNA being introduced.
The whole idea, of course, is to generate renewable electricity. This is produced from synthetic fuel generated by a gasification process which disintegrates the biomass at very high temperatures and channels the syngas to specially designed “low calorific gas” turbine engines.
This proven gasification technology’s high levels of efficiency and energy conversion creates a consistent source of electricity production without generating any carbon emissions from the process. This generates ‘carbon credits’. Both the sequestration value from cultivation of the feedstock along with the displacement value of the electricity produced earns carbon credits. These credits can then be sold and help offset the cost of production.
Clenergen Corp. (CRGE.OB) Plans to Have Operations Across the Globe
Clenergen Corp. is focused on installing, owning and operating small to medium-sized distributed environmental power systems (DEPS) which will sell power to companies, power grids and local municipalities around the world.
The company is looking to produce a renewable and sustainable source of electricity through advanced gasification technologies. Clenergen is unique in the biomass energy industry in that their goal is to power their power plants using biomass crops which they will produce on a commercial scale at a cost of production similar to the cost of coal. The company will do this by using high-density, short-rotation biomass crops such as bamboo and the Marjestica tree.
With regard to their biomass production, Clenergen has taken on a sublease of 150,000 acres of savannah grasslands in the South American nation of Guyana. In Guyana, there will be plantations of bamboo and Marjestica undertaken in a phased manner starting from an initial 5,000 acres with an additional 5,000 acres added annually. The biomass yield from this plantation will be exported under a long-term supply agreement to the United Kingdom. In the UK, the biomass will be used for co-firing with coal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
A large part of Clenergen’s business model involves deploying 17 megawatts and 11 megawatts per hour DEPS to large commercial end users, such as manufacturing and mining operations. The company projects that they will have operational power plants around the globe generating 503 megawatts per hour within the next five years.
The company has identified large mining and manufacturing operations in the emerging world such as Africa, Russia, Brazil and China as potential lucrative markets. Many areas in these locales still have limited infrastructure and acute energy shortages, so Clenergen should be able to charge well for providing power.
One example of Clenergen’s emerging market strategy can be seen in the West African nation of Ghana. The company plans to locate a 16 megawatt per hour biomass power plant on behalf of a leading mining company and a 56 megawatt per hour project for feeding power into the national grid of Ghana. It is projected that once the 16 MW power plant is operational, sixteen additional power plants, totaling 272 megawatts per hour capacity, will be installed in order to service the energy requirement of the mining companies in Ghana.
Clenergen Corp. (CRGE.OB) Announces Acquisition of Clenergen Corporation Ltd.
Clenergen Corporation was pleased to announce yesterday that it has closed the previously announced share exchange agreement with Clenergen Corporation Limited, a United Kingdom Corporation (”Clenergen UK”). As previously agreed upon, the company issued 13,643,045 restricted shares of its common stock to the former shareholders of Clenergen UK.
Clenergen was also pleased to announce that it has appointed Dr. Arvind Pandalai, Mr. Robert Kohn, Mr. David Sonnenberg, Mr. Mike Starkie, Mr Dale Shepherd and Mr. Jack Dickey to its board of directors. Details regarding the closing of the share exchange agreement can be found in the company’s continuous disclosure documents as filed on www.sec.gov.
Clenergen Corp. (CRGE.OB) Subsidiary Selects Merchant Bank for Public Floatation in India and Listing on National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exhange Limited (BSE)
The Chennai (India) based Clenergen India Private Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Clenergen Corporation, announced today that ICICI Securities Limited has agreed to be the Lead Merchant Banker for the fund raising exercise through issuance of equity shares in India for Clenergen’s 16MW and 64MW gasification technology based power plants.
The cost of the two projects, which together will generate 80MW/Hr of clean, renewable electricity, has been projected to total US$ 236.47 million, out of which a sum of US$ 153.70 million is planned to be raised in the form of long term debt. This assignment has been mandated to Ernst and Young in India.
Out of the total equity component of US$82.76 million, US$65 million will be raised through a public floatation on the Indian Capital Markets, the rest being a combination of contribution to equity by Clenergen Corporation, USA and private placement of shares before floatation. Post closure of the public offering, the shares of Clenergen India will be listed for trading on the National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange Limited (BSE).
ICICI Securities Limited (I-Sec), part of the ICICI Bank’s financial services conglomerate, has agreed to act as a Lead Merchant Banker (private equity placement, pre-IPO and the public floatation of Clenergen India). I-Sec is recognized as one of India’s premier merchant bankers, successfully handling many of the largest public flotations in India.
The proposed public flotation is being planned to hit the Indian markets in March 2010.
Clenergen Corp. (CRGE.OB) Uses Tree Adaptation Process to Increase Yields on Biomass Feedstocks
Clenergen Corp. is one of the first companies to incorporate the efficiency gained from the direct cultivation of feedstock as a source of biomass for gasification processes and the generation of renewable electricity. Electric power generated from such power plants will then be sold by the company to local municipalities and industries, particularly in areas of the globe that have a poor energy infrastructure.
One source of biomass that Clenergen will grow on their own plantations is bamboo. The company has identified a high calorific, high-density strain of micro-propagated bamboo that is capable of producing upwards of 45 tons per annum after the third year of cultivation. The bamboo can be grown in regions where the soil quality is less suitable for arable crops and with minimal agronomy requirements. This bamboo grows 9 to 10 new shoots annually for up to 50 years before replanting is required.
Another source of biomass that the company will grow on their plantations is the Marjestica tree. The tree reaches in excess of 20 feet in height in its first year and re-grows from its stub each year for a minimum of 8 coppicing (cutting the tree to its stub) cycles, before replanting is required. Yields after the first 18 months are expected to exceed 40 tons per acre, and steadily increase year after year.
The company has secured exclusive territorial licensing rights to a ‘tree adaptation process’. This process, when applied to the mother stock of the Marjestica strain, results in an increase in the rate of growth of between 23-40%. This is a natural process, used with many food crops that we eat, in which organisms respond to environmental stress by increasing the number of homologous (same) sets of chromosomes or genomes in each cell. This process is not considered to be genetic modification, as no foreign DNA is introduced into the plants.
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