French Cleantech is partner of the next Innov’eco edition, a quarterly meet of cleantech business professionals and decision makers in the Paris Region, supported by an online exchange and sharing platform. Every three months, close to 300 professionals meet to discover, learn, share, network, and co-develop business opportunities within a specific sub sector of the cleantech space.

The next Innov’eco event on September 30th, 2010 will shine the light on Smart Grid & IT for Green.

PROGRAM

MORE INFORMATION

June 17th, 8:30 am– 1:00 pm
Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine
7 avenue Albert de Mun – 75116 Paris

Event open to professionals

Regular price: 140 € HT

Register here.

Fonroche is a french cleantech company which is one of the leading manufacturers design and produce complete systems in France for the production of solar energy. Its research and development department is now at the forefront of technological innovations on the market.

PRESENTATION

Founded in 2008 by Yann Maus, Fonroche is based in Roquefort, Lot-et-Garonne. The company ensures the manufacture of photovoltaic modules with a production expecting to meet the highest demands in terms of efficiency, durability and weather resistance.Fonroche displays the highest standards for quality product and quality service : skilled jobs, funding, innovation. Presently, the company expect to cover three parts of the value chain (assembly panels, installation, exploitation).

INNOVATION

Fonroche displays its determination to develop employment and innovation for businesses and individuals. Fonroche is also a strong promoter of sustainable development. It commits itself to optimizing its carbon footprint in panel production as well as contributing to the preservation of nature. For example, the company plants one tree for each panel that it produces (representing more than one million trees over five years), establishes educational programs and fights against deforestation in the Amazon.

MARKET

The company is focusing on installation of photovoltaic panels for professional clients and public entities.The company is developing partneships with recognized subcontractors in the building sector. Fonroche is also focusing on installation of photovoltaic panels for residential clients and is developing BIPV system sales and installation for individuals, directly or with franchisees through the Habitat Solaire network ( installations < 3 kW).

STRATEGY

Regarding its photovoltaic panels fabrication, Fonroche has signed a partnership with Pevafersa, number 3 spanish player in panel and cell fabrication.The company also recently opened in early June 2010 a second production line fully automated. Through this strategy, the company will be France’s largest assembler of panels by the end of 2010.

Regarding its installation activity and solar farm operations, Fonroche ’s objective is to develop a portfolio of directly held BIPV systems of 300 MWc. To boost this strategy, the company recently received €50 million in an equity deal from Eurazeo, a leading investment companies listed in Europe. Through this investment, Fonroche will finance strategic investments and facilities for key sectors of the economy which are other than agriculture, industry, services and local authorities. The agreement includes an immediate initial investment of €25 million and a commitment from Eurazeo to invest an additional €25 million before the end of 2011.

SOURCES

Led by François Vessière, Emmanuel Arcondara and Jean Carlos Fernandes,Vertaris is a french cleantech company which is kick-starting the paper industry in Isère by creating a new manufacturing activity of 120.000 tons/year based on the recycling of waste paper. 

PRESENTATION

Based in Voreppe (Rhone Alpes region), Vertaris is a french cleantech company which transforms and enhances the old papers from the collection of households, governments and businesses across three industrial activities.VERTARIS seeks to establish itself as a leading European manufacturer of 100% recycled top-of-the-range paper: A4 and offset paper which is intended for magazines and advertising media.Combined with the launching of a recycled product line next year intended for the building market, VERTARIS will be organized around three activities:  

- The production and marketing of white paper from 100% recycled waste paper intended for offices and magazines, a high-growth niche market of approximately 10% per year (against 80% for the news paper for instance);  

- The production and sale of 100% recycled paper pulp within a strong buyers’ market, particularly regarding the extra-white quality that only a high-performance de-inking unit such as the one from VERTARIS can undertake; 

- The production and sale of insulation materials intended for the construction and renovation of buildings, also a growth market in which the materials containing recycled products combine thermal and environmental solutions.  

INNOVATION

Thanks to an advanced process technology, particularly innovative and high performance, the recipe for making pulp and paper deinking uses no aggressive chemicals and has no harmful character.The process fully respects all environmental standards. It is the result of many months of research and new investments. Vertaris unique technology achieves levels of brightness from original woodpulp products. The assembly of several consecutive stages, treatment, de-inking and bleaching is a unique process that makes the power of Vertaris. Many patents have been filed.

MARKET 

With this innovative production of 100% recycled paper, the management team is focusing on  graphic paper market, but also on the West European market paper office. They plan to achieve a turnover of 47 million euros in 2010, and the double in 2012, and to employ 140 people by the end of the year. 

STRATEGY 

The Vertaris shareholders are the three founders-managers and the financial private investors. The equity capital financing was structured by the two leaders, Aloe Environnement 2 and Demeter 2, private equity funds specialized in the environmental field, followed by the venture private equity fund Rhone Dauphine Developpement. Aloe Environnement 2 is the lead in this operation.  The project also benefited from the support of the public authorities as well on a national level as on a regional level. The Rhone Alpes region also gave its support by allotting an investment subsidy. With the support of all private and public players, it is almost € 23 millions which have been invested to reopen the factory of Voreppe.  

SOURCES

Docea Power SAS is a rising actor in the field of EDA (Electronic Design Automation), specializing in tools for controlling the energy consumption of electronic systems. Founded in 2006 by two brothers, Ghislain Kaiser (CEO) and Sylvian Kaiser (Technical Director), experts in energy management systems on chip (SoC) and embedded systems, Docea Power develops solutions for analyzing and optimizing energy and thermal behaviors while take into account the consumption-temperature interdependence far upstream in the design cycle where energy gains can reach 70%. 

PRESENTATION

Founded in 2006, Docea Power is a privately held company based in Moirans, in the Grenoble area, France.. The Docea solutions are the result of an R & D conducted in partnership with international research centers – IMEC, CEA-Leti, Verimag, G2Elab – and industrial partnerships. DOCEA Power is member of the global competitiveness cluster Minalogic and the SPIRIT Consortium. The company has partnerships with several public laboratories and world’s largest semiconductor companies and is recognized for its expertise and professionalism.

Docea Power develops and markets software applications for ESL design (Electronic System Level) to secure and optimize the power and thermal specifications of electronic circuits. The Aceplorer product is the first solution to take into account the interdependence of consumption and dissipation at system level and offers a complete methodology for the exploration of architectural choices and optimization of power and thermal behaviors of electronic systems very early in the design project.

INNOVATION

Issues of packaging, cooling costs and power consumption are now keys to competitive success. DOCEA Power provides the first electronic system level (ESL) solution, based on the Aceplorer® (ACE for Abstract Concept of Energy) platform for modeling, simulating and optimizing power and thermal behavior of any electronic systems, either on-chip, on-board or with multiple boards. Whatever the complexity, whatever the system, whatever the application, Aceplorer® gives system architects the power of fast, secure and efficient handling of power and/or thermal issue at a higher level. Aceplorer includes a proprietary fast electro-thermal dynamic simulator enabling power and temperature computing into a single tool.

The Aceplorer model is a common XML-based description for capturing power behavior from informal requirements, even if the sources are heterogeneous (spreadsheet, datasheet, specification, IP-XACT description and library). Aceplorer automatically generates power intents according to the UPF (Unified Power Format) description. So users can secure power specification and manage power intents at any stage of the design flow. Thermal modeling in Aceplorer technology is based on a Dynamic Thermal Compact Model (DCTM) generated by proprietary mathematical algorithms. The user can build their own thermal model (in a Spice format) or run a dedicated tool which is currently provided as a DOCEA Power service.Once all the models are generated, users can build an entire system model and execute the power and/or thermal exploration.

The Docea solution allows electronic systems manufacturers meeting the growing demand for energy saving and reducing the risk of failure for new generations of nano-scale chips. The centerpiece of the Docea offering called Aceplorer (ACE stands for Abstract Concept of Energy), models, simulates and explores all aspects of thermal energy and the architecture of electronic systems whatever their complexity may be.

MARKET 

The DOCEA Power solution is suitable for Chip or Platform manufacturer. It can be used by system and specification engineers as well as software and hardware developers for applications where power consumption or heat dissipation are key factors like in mobile and multimedia applications, automotive, network and medical systems. Docea Clients are manufacturers of electronic systems on chips or on cards operating wireless communication applications or multimedia, consumer, networking and automotive applications. As of today, Aceplorer has been adopted by well known American and European semiconductor manufacturers and is deployed in production, by manufacturers developing integrated circuits for mobile applications. 

STRATEGY 

The company has already strong customer references obtained among the Top 5 manufacturers of semiconductors only few months after its inception. Docea Power recently secured $1.5M in VC money after the successful launch of its Aceplorer product in 2009. The funds, raised from Rhône-Alpes Création, Alps Development Sustainable Investment, Siparex, Octalfa, and private investors, will be used to expand the company’s product offering and to increase its commercial deployment abroad, notably in Asia and the United States.

SOURCES

The Stockholm Cleantech Venture Day combines the exhibition of 25 selected European Cleantech companies with presentations of their investment cases (pitching) along with a few interesting speakers as well as generous time for meetings – all held in the Kista Science Tower, Stockholm. The main theme of this year’s conference is: ”Cleantech Solutions for a Sustainable City” where it encourage all companies providing solutions for renewable energy, energy efficiency improvements, carbon dioxide emission reductions, energy storage, green IT and smart grid applications as well as water monitoring and treatment, waste management and air pollution reductions.

This event is a great opportunity for French Cleantech companies to reach out to a wide audience of investors and Cleantech professionals from across the world in case you are in the process of fund raising, and also to gain international visibility. Internationally well-known Cleantech entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, public financiers and policy makers from across the world will share their views and experience through presentations, panel debates and networking side events.

The participation fee is SEK 2, 000 and includes the following: 

- Participation for one company representative during the full event (including welcoming reception, conference day, networking lunch and gala dinner). You will also have the opportunity to bring a second participant to the cost of SEK 1,000. 

- Your company will have 2 minutes pitching time to the audience of leading Swedish and international investors (VC and equity) – a teaser that benefit further contacts during the day. There will be mandatory pitch training with our professional coaches in Kista on the 29th of September (the day before the main event). Your company will be one of 25 companies from across Europe that gets this opportunity. 

- An exhibition space in the networking area, including a high table, wireless Internet and electricity (you will be required to bring a roll-up). 

- A chance to be the winner of the “Cleantech Company of the Year Award” – a prize of SEK 100,000 presented at the evening dinner to the best of the selected 25 companies exhibited during the day. 

Selection process : 

- The company should have a product or service ready and market proven from earlier installations made by paying customers

- The company should have at least some initial on-going turnover from sales from several customers.

- The company should have an organisation in place including sales capacity and a board of directors with partially external directors.

- The company should have minimum one year’s of audited annual report.

- The company should have an initial funding (public or private) where other authorities/investors have approved the project.

- The company should have reached a “middle expansion phase” where funding and new investments are sought for further growth. 

If you are interested, please apply before the 30th of June 2010. Please be available on the telephone number entered in the application form for additional inquiries from the evaluation committee. The selection of the 25 Cleantech companies will be announced by the middle of July 2010. If you have any questions regarding the evaluation process, please contact Magnus Rehn, te :+46 (0)70 512 05 48

To apply, please fill in a short form following the link below:

Stockholm Cleantech Venture Day 

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Microphyt is producing microalgae and other small photosynthetic organisms in strictly controlled conditions. This biomass, stabilized by means of freezing or drying, will meet the demand of the first targeted commercial targets dermo-cosmetology and food complements, in addition it can also be utilised for pharmaceuticals, food and feed ingredients and energy. 

PRESENTATION

Microphyt develops microalgae and other photosynthetic micro-organisms. The company was incorporated in 2007 and is based in Baillargues, France. Microalgae are microscopic plants which play a discrete but outstanding role in our ecosystem. Present in all the surface environments, one owes them oil, the oxygen of the atmosphere, the cliffs of Dover, and also the products of the sea and the oceanic biofixation of gases with greenhouse effects. Their culture is easy when one lets the opportunist species develop, but becomes very complex when one wants to produce in mass a particular species: the majority are sensitive to the contaminations, and require rigorous conditions of asepsis.

Today, microalgae are mainly produced by culture in open vats or ponds where the low level of control of the conditions of growth restricts the number of producted species to the most resistant. The closed photobioreactors appeared more recently present increased performancesdue to the possibility of optimizing the conditions of the culture, and to the barriers separating it from the external environment which prevents the contaminations.

The photobioreactors of Microphyt are particularly adapted to the culture of the fragile microalgae.

INNOVATION

The photobioreactors project aims to maximize the absorption of CO2 during microalgae production. The idea is to make any confined photosynthetic system into an integral sink of the greenhouse gas CO2. The sink in turn makes bioremediation of emitted CO2 more efficient. Microphyt’s photobioreactors meet all the right criteria to produce good results. Biofixation potential increases rapidly with the production of microalgae in closed photobioreactors, at a rate of two tons of fixed CO2 per ton of dry biomass produced. Biofuel production is a notable application for the future, when it becomes possible to fix all the CO2 introduced in the closed photosynthetic systems. At present, only part is fixed, the rest being diluted in the stripping air. 

MARKET 

Microphyt potential markets cover the areas of :

- Dermo beauty car and food complements (Microalgae present biological activities such as hydrating, anti-UV, anti-pigmentation, slimming,… required in dermo-beauty care. Moreover, they contain antioxydants and essential fatty-acids of the series omega 3 and 6 which make of them food ingredients able to prevent certain pathologies in particular those related to aging or stress).

- Food (Oils rich in long chain fatty-acids and proteins of microalgae will take an increasing share in the animal and human feeds, to replace oils and fish meals which rarefy.  Other molecules, such as carotenoids, can be produced at the same time)

- Health (The technology of Microphyt allows an effective containment of the micro-organisms, avoiding the disseminations of modified genes in the environment. A considerable reduction in the costs of recombinant proteins can be expected from microalgae, which will widen the fields of application. Some species are remarkable by their post-translational modifications which resemble those of the animals).

- Energy (Microalgae are rich in oils suitable for making fuel for diesel engine. Some modified species will be able to produce hydrogen. Others produce hydrocarbons. On an equal biomass production basis, microalgae require 40 times less surface, of less quality, that the best oleaginous crops).

STRATEGY 

On April 15th, the company Microphyt delivers its first commercial production: a few tens of kilogrammes of biomass fraiche (18% of dry matter) of a microalga presenting a biological activity of interest. By doing this, Microphyt validates the majority of the choices retained for its economic model, and especially its system of production of microalgae. The first 5,000 liters photobioreactor is constructed in a greenhouse climate that can accommodate 10 fellows. It was commissioned in December. The second will be in July 2010 and the third at the end of the year. The following reactors, which require fundraising  3 Million euros, will complete a first production unit in 2011. Each photobioreactor is capable of producing between 1 and 3 kg of dry biomass per day, depending on the species and the period of the year.

SOURCES

French Cleantech is partner of Innov’eco, a quarterly meet of cleantech business professionals and decision makers in the Paris Region, supported by an online exchange and sharing platform.Every three months, close to 300 professionals meet to discover, learn, share, network, and co-develop business opportunities within a specific sub sector of the cleantech space.

The next Innov’eco event on June 17th, 2010 will shine the light on Biomass to Energy & Materials

PROGRAM

8:15 Reception at the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine in Paris 
8:30 to 9:00 Breakfast – Professional meetings between participants 

9:00 Introduction by Florent BARNABÉ, initiator and co-founder of INNOV’ECO 

9:10 Key note by David SAWAYA, Policy Analyst, OECD International Futures Programme 

9:30 Open Discussion led by Walid MALOUF, co-founder and Director of INNOV’ECO France of the Clinton Foundation Climate Initiative 
around: 
- Pierre DE MONTLIVAULT, Director of New Offers Energetic Dalkia 
- Michel Delmas, Scientific Director of the Company’s Industrial Plant Matter (CIMV) 
- William POIZAT, CEO and co-founder of the SME EO2 
- Jean-Pierre Burzynski, Director, Center Petrochemical Refining Results – IFP 

10:40 INNOV’ECO springboard for eco-innovative SMEs Paris region with the assistance of IFC, and Ecosys Oséo Group 
Reports and interviews with winners of three SMEs Springboard INNOV’ECO with their product / service and explain their markets and future prospects: 
 

- GLOBAL BIOENERGIE, bioprocess for converting renewable resources into isobutene, a gas and then converted into liquid fuel and various polymers 
- BOIS ET FUTURE, bioclimatic building systems 100% wood 
- KINOME, development of products and services from forests and development of woody crops for energy purpose (Very Short Rotation Coppice) 

11:30 End of Jean-Paul Huchon, President of the Ile-de-France 

11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Networking and business meetings around the Lunch Buffet 
The “one stop shop” eco-tech SMEs franciliennes growth 
Three meeting places: Financing, large and Partnership 

Showcase Eco-tech special Bioenergy and Biomaterials 
Demonstration of eco-innovative SMEs

MORE INFORMATION

June 17th, 8:30 am– 1:00 pm
Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine
7 avenue Albert de Mun – 75116 Paris

Event open to professionals

Regular price: 140 € HT

Register here.

European Company of Hydrogen Technologies (CETH) develops and manufactures innovative systems and components for the production and purification of hydrogen. CETH offers high efficiency hydrogen generators, emitting little or no CO2. The hydrogen production uses primary sources of renewable (wind, photovoltaic panels, ethanol, etc.). CETH products and services thus contribute to reduce or even eliminate the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs). 

The scope of the company technology and products are hydrogen production for industry-hydrogen production for Energy-recovery of CO2 - oxygen production for industry- the whole energy chain (reformer, electrolyzer, fuel cell, metal hydrides storage, MCP, purification, etc ..). 

PRESENTATION

CETH is a French cleantech SME, established in 1997.  It belongs to its founder and to the employees and is located at Marcoussis near Paris, close to the campus of the “Université Paris Sud” with which the company has established a strong relationship for several years.  The synergy between the Institut de Chimie Moléculaire et des Matériaux d’Orsay (Université Paris Sud) and the company has already made for innovative and performing developments which today lead to the marketing of world-class hydrogen products and job creation both in academic research and applied technologies. The university and the company share a common vision of a “clean” hydrogen economy, where hydrogen is the energy vector of the renewable energy sources.  Thus, hydrogen is seen as a strong catalyst for the expansion of renewable energies. The concept of clean hydrogen is also seen as a way of substituting fossil hydrogen by clean and sustainable hydrogen in all the market niches of both hydrogen energy and industrial hydrogen.

INNOVATION

The company’s industrial activity is organised into two business units: 

- Fuel reforming: The fuel conversion of pure hydrogen through a catalytic reactor integrating a hydrogen purification composite metallic membrane. 

- The membrane reactor allows for a highly efficient production of ultra pure hydrogen in very compact and efficient systems. For several years, CETH has been involved in the development of green hydrogen from bioethanol and today possesses unique expertise in that promising field. 

- Water Electrolysis: Pure hydrogen and oxygen production from water and electricity through PEM electrolysis. CETH designs, manufactures and markets innovative and efficient PEM electrolysis products, based on its relevant supplier and subcontractor network. CETH is in charge of the scale up and pre-industrialisation of the advanced and innovative research carried out in cooperation with the “Université d’Orsay” on alternative processes and materials for cost competitive PEM electrolysis, such as Membrane Electrode Assembly and electrochemical cell architecture. MEA are stacked in modules from 100 Nl/h to 10 Nm3/h; the electrolyser stack is then integrated into an automated electrolyser system.  Through its global hydrogen solution, the company integrates renewable energies, power conversion, the electrolyser, hydrogen purification, hydrogen storage in metal hydride, hydrogen compression and hydrogen delivery. In doing so, CETH has identified the key point and barriers to overcome in order to lower costs and improve efficiency in order to be able to provide competitive solutions. 

MARKET 

CETH markets are autonomous power supply in remote areas for telecom applications, power back up, hydrogen generator for laboratory, industrial (alternator cooling) and educational institution, hydrogen fuel station for fuel cell  vehicle demonstration and tri-generation (heat, electricity, oxygen) from renewable energies especially in developing countries. After safety, the main concern remains in the development and marketing of cost competitive, efficient and durable hydrogen source and purification components that would not use or use a minimum amount of rare raw materials. CETH is a market-driven company which expects to grow in B to B with major gas provider or energy companies. 

STRATEGY 

CETH has already completed development of its range of electrolysers in early 2009. Several industrial prototypes are already installed at customer sites. CETH has a new shareholder with SPTI, through its subsidiary, Marsot développement, which takes over the family of Claude Etiévant, founder of CETH ten years ago. It will enable the company CETH to evolve rapidly, from a universally recognized status of brilliant research company pioneering the hydrogen (H2) to an industrial company, specialized in hydrogen and oxygen generating industrial equipment without CO2, leader in France and Europe on its products. SPTI also brings his experience of industrialization of activities focused on Renewable Energy, especially in the field of photovoltaic energy, water and bio-methanation. Many synergies between the activities of the Group SPTI will also implement eco-industrial systems globally designed.  

Since July 2009, CETH initiated a process of industrialization of its range of clean electrolysers to produce hydrogen without CO2. It has relied since September 2009 on a joint development built with CETIM with two major objectives which are to minimize all pollutants used or generated by previous technologies (including alkaline) and increase the overall availability of system and its performance.CETIM offering its acquired skills and expertise in the areas of systems engineering, balance regulatory and eco-design. Based on these new products, CETH will implement ECOPARC concept based on which the company was winning the SIREME contest in June 2009. By engaging in joint development projects, taught by the Evaluation Committee of innovative projects (Cepi), CETIM also brings its multidisciplinary expertise, a network of experts in many fields, from design to marketing. CETH and CETIM plan to exploit together the industrial benefits of this work. 

SOURCES

Expert in LED solutions, Citiled is a french company specialized in the design and manufacture of lighting and image setting systems as powerful as daring. From highly specific lighting to the imaginary appealing light, Citiled products form part of a high quality, flexible process. Combining reliability with sensibility, they provide genuine technical solutions for architects, lighting designers, engineering and design offices, and all real estate professionals.

PRESENTATION

Created in 2006 by Gustavo Eli, Citiled is one of the world’s leaders and also one of the drivers of media platforms using LED technology incorporated in unique architectural facades, works and buildings. Citiled’s team understand the Solid State Lighting technology and how to integrate and manage the system within the whole project, in a coherent and coordinated manner, maximizing the return for the developer and contributing to deliver state-of-art building. The Company bring solutions for architects, real estate developers & investors, lighting designers and engineering firms.  From the lighting project of the Jean Nouvel’s Agbar Tower in Barcelona to the 6.000 sqm transparent video screen of United Office Tower in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Citiled propose customized products & media solutions individually developed for each client. Citiled have delivered outstanding installations across the world and are currently involved in some key projects worldwide. 

INNOVATION

Citiled recently announced the official launching of the latest patented technological innovation during Cityscape Saudi Arabia : the Digital MediaFacade 2.0. The Digital MediaFacade 2.0 is a patented technology that allows absolute architectural integration of video systems into the Facade of a building. By integrating LED circuits within the double-glazing of the windows and integrating all cables and connections within the mullions, the whole installation can be easily installed and controlled from one unique Control Room. This innovation is environmentally friendly.

Dedicated for advertising, branding and design applications, this technology is fully customizable and can thus support architectural uniqueness. The Digital MediaFacade 2.0 can be used to reach different kind of public; through different screen resolutions since the viewing distance can range from to 10 meters up to 2 kilometers. Many types of contents can also be imagined: advertising, spectacular design and architecture, corporate branding, national day celebration, governmental announcements, traffic information, cultural and art events, etc. The unlimited and customizable size and format of the Digital MediaFacade 2.0 offer never-seen-before advertising and branding opportunities. 

Conceived and created as a plug-and-play solution for real estate developers, investors, engineers and architects, the Digital MediaFacade 2.0 is environmentally friendly, lasting, safe, easy-to-manage and highly qualitative. With high performances like high color accuracy, dimmable brightness and a large variety of possible content formats, the Digital MediaFacade 2.0 can broadcast TV signal as well as accurate color branding. Citiled concept design expert approach and study combined with the uniqueness of the Digital MediaFacade 2.0 can create a stream of revenues like ever imagined before for iconic architectural works. By including a Digital MediaFacade into the design of an architectural project, one makes a statement for iconicity, innovation and eco-friendly approach of Real Estate.

MARKET

Citiled designs and manufactures lighting systems and video based on LED technology, for installations on major buildings such as offices, hotels, airports or sports equipment.

STRATEGY 

Citiled has developed strong links with world leaders glazing new generation and with suppliers high-end LED component. Citiled just raised funds from XAnge Private Equity which will enable it to accelerate its growth, develop new offerings, while remaining close to its markets with the upcoming opening of offices in SaudiArabia and Hong Kong after that of Dubai.

SOURCES

Ecoceane is a french company that has built on the experience within its shipyard in Paimpol, Brittany, in France to develop a range of oil spill and solid waste clean up vessels which are highly specialised and adapted to keeping the marine environment clean. In case of spill, the majority of oil is not picked up at sea but on land. Vessels involved in high seas are equipped with deployable arms and pumps connected to filtration system. But the pumping of oil creates an emulsion consisting of 80% sea water, which must be heated to 35 degrees to separate the oil from the water. 

PRESENTATION

Created in 2003 by Eric Vial and Robert Gastaldi, Ecoceane started from the idea that the existing means of fighting marine pollution are not efficient. Looking at the way major oil spills are managed, Ecoceane noticed that very little amounts of hydrocarbons are collected at sea. Actually, most quantity is collected when it lands on the shoreline, creating dramatic environmental issues as we all know. Solid waste are mainly collected by ships equipped with baskets. In order to operate, these boats need to sail through the polluted area, which makes them inappropriate for cleaning confined spaces, where pollution usually gathers. Liquid waste used to be recovered by conveyor belts, pumps or brushes. Considering oil thicknesses, these systems can appear completely inoperative and are furthermore unable to access narrow places. Vessels cleaning liquid pollution have a very limited recovery rate. Those in charge of solid waste are able to collect only that type of material.Most spill response vessels are not primarily designed for cleanup operations. The vessels are provided with sweeping arms and with pumps connected to skimmers.

INNOVATION

A turbine pulls a stream of water through a tank equipped with a mesh to filter out solid waste. The stream is then separated into two :  First stream : the turbine pumps away the clean water / Second stream: surface water, polluted with oil and hydrocarbons, is channeled into a hydrocarbon separator where the hydrocarbons are stored floating on the water. Clean water within the separator joins the main stream and is rejected through the turbine.

Ecoceane vessels all use this technology for collecting liquid and solid floating waste

Result : Ecoceane vessels recover 100 m³/h of hydrocarbons

MARKET

Ecoceane has representatives in more than 25 countries. The company is targeting  harbour managers and service providers. Ecoceane technology is used for multi-purpose vessels, both workboats equipped with a crane, boat cleaners, skimmers for major port areas and oil platforms.
As for CATAMAR, designed specifically for remediation offshore Ecoceane battle still to have it approved by the organizations that support the fight against marine pollution. “The European tenders charterers based on obsolete technologies that exclude us from the outset,” said Eric Vial, who hopes, however, they will soon sell its vessels in the UAE, Africa, and the managers of the Panama Canal and the Suez Canal.

STRATEGY 

Ecocean started it marketing activity in 2007. The company sold 50 boats Cataglop range, small boats depollution port. 85% for export. 28 orders were recorded in 2009. And for 2010, the company will easily 40 or 50 boats. The Ecoceane boats have the characteristic that they can be assembled in any site which carries the welding aluminum. 

Company revenues in 2009 was €3M with 25 employees.

SOURCES