IKEA has announced plans to nearly double the solar array atop its Perryville, Maryland distribution center, the state’s largest such solar energy system. Installation of the new panels will begin this month with completion expected after the New Year. The 467,618-square-foot solar addition will consist of a 2.2-MW system, built with 7,337 modules, and will produce 2,695,355 kWh of electricity annually for the facility. Including the existing system, this distribution center’s total 4.9-MW solar installation of 25,913 panels soon will generate 6,092,533 kWh of clean electricity yearly.- Dyadic International has announced that it has been issued U.S. Patent No. 8,551,751 B2 entitled, “BX11 Enzymes Having Xylosidase Activity” by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The invention relates to methods of developing and producing novel enzymes, more specifically for the development of a variety of fungal enzymes. Also described in the patent is the encoding of nucleic acid molecules for such enzymes, compositions, recombinant, and genetically modified host cells, and methods of use, and also addresses methods to convert lignocellulosic biomass into fermentable sugars with enzymes that degrade the lignocellulosic material and novel combinations of enzymes, including those that provide a synergistic release of sugars from plant biomass.
- First Power and Light, LLC (FPL) has signed a Letter of Intent to acquire SolPower Renewables, Inc. a Florida corporation in a stock only transaction. SolPower sells Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) services in Florida, South and Central America as well as the Caribbean. FPL intends for SolPower to operate as a wholly owned subsidiary allowing it to maintain its focus on these geographic areas that are not currently serviced by FPL.
- Ennovor Biofuels has appointed a new chairman, managing director and plant manager. Chairman John Markham will take responsibility for guiding the strategic development of the business. David Frohnsdorff has been appointed managing director to coordinate all aspects of the company’s production, sales, feedstock development and purchasing, as well as fund raising and infrastructure development for the group. New plant manager David Jackson will manage plant operations.
