(Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) The world can no longer afford to ignore the environmental cost of economic growth and must redefine the very concept of national wealth, a UN panel of heads of state and environment ministers said Monday. The panel called for a stronger interface between science and policy to, in part, define what scientists refer to as planetary boundaries beyond which human activity could wreck the planet. The panel challenged leaders to recognise that “current global development is unsustainable.” (more…)

(Asheville, N.C.) Dr. Mark Ledyard, along with the other veterinarians and staff at the Charlotte Street Animal Hospital in Asheville, NC have announced that the practice is “going green” as part of its ongoing efforts to be environmentally mindful and reduce its carbon footprint. The team of animal healthcare professionals acknowledges that it has always had a deeply-held commitment to the environment and the community, trying to be as paperless and resource conscious as possible. As they welcome the New Year, the staff is taking their stewardship to the next level by installing solar panels and replacing the hospital’s existing fluorescent light bulbs with an energy-saving T5 lighting system. (more…)

(Wake Forest, N.C.) PowerSecure International, Inc. (Nasdaq: POWR) will present at the Baird 2011 Clean Technology Conference on Wednesday, November 30, 2011 at 4:15 p.m. pacific time/7:15 p.m. eastern time, at the Four Seasons San Francisco, 757 Market Street, San Francisco, CA. The presentation will include a discussion of the Company’s business operations, financial results, strategic initiatives and prospects for the future. The slide presentation and a link to an audio webcast of the event will be available beginning November 30, 2011, on the Investor Relations section of the Company’s web site at www.powersecure.com. (more…)

(Maiden, N.C.) Apple is beginning construction on the “Project Dolphin Solar Farm” for its $1 billion data center that rivals the largest such facilities in the world. The company has been granted a permit to start preparing 171 acres according to news reports. (more…)

(Durham, N.C.) SJF Institute, in partnership with Appalachia Regional Commission,  is proud to announce an exciting opportunity for Appalachian-based cleantech entrepreneurs to participate in the SJF Cleantech Mentorship Program.  All early stage entrepreneurs located within the Appalachia region helping to grow businesses serving the fields of energy & efficiency, recycling & waste, sustainable agriculture, water management, green building, environmental services and other related cleantech fields are encouraged to apply.  (more…)

(Raleigh, N.C.) Gov. Bev Perdue and officials from Enviva LP on Thursday announced plans to construct a new wood pellet manufacturing plant in Garysburg that will employ 62 people. Enviva is a leading manufacturer of high-quality utility scale wood pellets.  These pellets are used by energy companies to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide at coal fired power plants.  The wood pellets manufactured at the facility in Garysburg will be used in power plants across the United States and Europe.  (more…)

(Henderson, N.C.) The North Carolina Department of Commerce today announced that Semprius, Inc., a leading innovator in high concentration photovoltaic (HCPV) solar modules, received an incentives package to build a pilot production plant in Henderson, N.C. The incentives package includes a State of North Carolina Job Development Investment Grant, and grants from the Golden LEAF Foundation, Vance County, the One North Carolina Fund, and the North Carolina Community College System, and totals more than $7.88 million. The incentives package comes on the heels of Semprius securing $20 million in its first tranche of Series C venture fundraising led by Siemens Venture Capital earlier this month. Semprius will use the incentives package and venture funding to construct the pilot HCPV module production plant beginning later this month. (more…)

(Charlotte, N.C.) Over the next three years, Time Warner Cable (TWC) will hire an additional 225 employees at its Charlotte Corporate Campus and invest more than $101 million dollars to construct two new buildings. In support of TWC’s green initiative, both buildings will seek LEED certification. (more…)

(Durham, N.C.) Semprius, Inc., a leading innovator in high concentration photovoltaic (HCPV) solar modules, recently secured $20 million in its first tranche of Series C venture fundraising. Siemens Venture Capital led the investment round and was joined by ARCH Venture Partners, Applied Ventures, Illinois VENTURES, Intersouth Partners, In-Q-Tel and GVC Investment. Semprius will use the funding to construct a pilot HCPV module production plant, which will allow the company to scale up and optimize its process for subsequent large-capacity plants. (more…)

(Melbourne, Fla. and Greensboro, N.C.) National Solar Power today announced the names of seven communities in the southeast U.S. that are in serious contention to be the one chosen by the company as the site for the construction and operation of the world’s largest solar farm. The finalists’ list of communities includes four in Florida, two in Georgia and one in North Carolina. (more…)

(Providence, R.I. and Charlotte, N.C.) Nautic Partners, LLC, and Pamlico Capital today announced that they have sold their portfolio company MACTEC, Inc. (MACTEC) to AMEC plc (LSE: AMEC) for a purchase price of $280 million. Inclusive of prior distributions, the transaction will yield a return for Nautic and Pamlico of 2.7x their investments. Headquartered in Alpharetta, GA, MACTEC is an industry leader in engineering, environmental, and construction services to public and private clients worldwide. MACTEC’s services include environmental planning, assessment and remediation, infrastructure engineering, water resources and construction support services. A broad range of high-quality, long-term MACTEC clients operate in the energy, commercial/industrial, transportation/infrastructure and federal sectors. The Company has over 2,500 employees in more than 70 locations throughout the United States. (more…)

(Wilmington, N.C.) Efficient Energy America, Inc. (E2America) was announced the winner today of the prestigious Coastal Entrepreneur Award during the 15th Annual Coastal Entrepreneurship Awards. E2America was honored as the overall winner based on the company’s HVAC control, optimization and real-time reporting systems, and the technology’s ability to reduce electricity costs, usage and carbon emissions for commercial buildings. UNCW Entrepreneurship Center and the Greater Wilmington Business Journal chose E2America as the most distinguished entrepreneur from 10 finalists, which were judged earlier this year in a variety of categories. At that time, E2America was selected as the winner in the technology category. The Coastal Entrepreneur Award recognizes businesses for their ability to help stimulate the local economy with innovative ideas. More than 300 business leaders attended the award ceremony and breakfast, held at the UNCW Cameron School of Business, to honor E2America and the other finalists for their originality and success. (more…)