ARISE Technologies Corporation (TSX: APV) announced late last week that Founder, Ian MacLellan will retire immediately from the ARISE Board.  Since his departure as Founder and Chief Technology Officer from ARISE in early September, Ian has come to the conclusion that retiring from the Board is best for his family and himself. Not being on the ARISE Board will free him up to pursue new entrepreneurial activities. He will be available to the Company on a consulting basis to assist with transitional issues.

Hydrogenics Corporation (Nasdaq:HYGS; TSX:HYG.TO), has been given the news they have been selected by the City of Herten, Germany to provide a wind-hydrogen energy storage solution. Located in North Rhine Westphalia, Herten is recognized as a major German hydrogen cluster for electro-mobility as well as renewable energy projects.

In Germany,  wind energy is considered to have significant potential as part of Germany’s announced commitment to phase out all nuclear power by 2020. By incorporating a hydrogen energy storage system, excess wind power can be stored and redeployed when the wind is not blowing, ultimately supplying a greater percentage of the community’s overall power requirements with improved stability and reliability. This is accomplished with zero carbon emissions.

As part of the deal, Hydrogenics will provide one HySTAT(TM)30 hydrogen generation unit and a HyPM(TM) 50 kW fuel cell power system, to the City of Herten in 2012. This combination will demonstrate the distinct advantage of hydrogen energy storage with its ability to be highly scalable and capable of storing significant amounts of energy for long periods of time with negligible loss. From storage, the energy will be redeployed through fuel cells as electricity to the grid, or be used to fuel zero carbon emission vehicles and other devices such as industrial equipment.

Westport Innovations Inc. (TSX:WPT / NASDAQ:WPRT), yesterday that is has acquired Alternative Fuel Vehicle Sweden AB (AFV) of Gothenburg, Sweden for approximately SEK 51 million (approximately US$7.6 million). AFV is the sole supplier of natural gas fuel systems to Volvo Car Company (VCC).

“Natural gas technology is playing an increasingly important role in European automotive markets, where there is a longstanding interest in cleaner, more economical transportation solutions,” said Ian Scott, President of Westport Light Duty (LD). “We have seen steadily growing demand in Sweden, particularly from corporate and fleet customers. As fuelling infrastructure continues to expand and more automakers offer natural gas options, we expect to see that trend to continue across Europe.”

Volvo dealers in Sweden have offered a bi-fuel 231-hp 2.5 litre turbocharged version of the popular V70 wagon, with the natural gas fuel system engineered and installed by AFV, since 2009. The Volvo V70 Bi-Fuel has been approved as a company car for Swedish businesses, and Swedish drivers can fuel up at more than one hundred public natural gas filling stations. In addition to emissions benefits, corporate and private customers are eligible for tax incentives that make natural gas an even more economical alternative. AFV now aims to expand into other European markets.

AFV was founded in 2009 by a team of former Volvo employees, AFV builds and installs the natural gas systems at facilities located inside VCC’s main production center in Gothenburg. In addition to close ties to management at both VCC and heavy duty vehicle producer Volvo AB, AFV has had strong support from one of Sweden’s leading energy suppliers, Göteborg Energi.

Nexterra Systems Corp. announced today that it has promoted Mike Scott to the role of President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Scott, formerly Nexterra’s Senior Vice President Corporate Development, replaces Jonathan Rhone who served as President and CEO of Nexterra since the company was founded in 2003.

Mike has has had a distinguished 20 year career as a senior executive and lawyer. He began his career as a corporate and securities lawyer with McCarthy Tétrault. In 1998, he joined Raymond James Canada, one of Canada’s leading independent investment banks. In his eight years there, he held a number of senior roles including Executive Vice President – Head of Capital Markets. As Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at Nexterra, he was involved in all of the company’s major transactions and initiatives.

In response to a release issued by Western Wind, Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. has now responded to the acquisition offer issued earlier.  Here is their response:

OAKVILLE, Ontario – October 11, 2011- Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. (“APUC”) (TSX : AQN) expressly disavows any assertions made in the press release issued today by Western Wind Energy Corp. (“Western Wind”) regarding an unsolicited offer being made by APUC for the shares of Western Wind.

In a confidential communication with the Western Wind Board of Directors, APUC provided a non-binding expression of interest in engaging in discussions with Western Wind to determine whether an opportunity exists to create shareholder value. Further, the communication was clear that any offer would only be made following completion of substantial due diligence by APUC, execution of a definitive support agreement between Western Wind and APUC and approval of the APUC Board; none of which have been completed.

During its analysis of Western Wind based on publicly available information, APUC has held discussions with a number of Western Wind’s largest shareholders regarding a potential $2.50 per share offer for Western Wind and from these discussions is confident that these shareholders would be supportive of such an initiative.

It is now up to Western Wind’s Board of Directors to initiate an appropriate process to provide access for any interested party to perform a due diligence review.

Well continue to update you on the story as it continues.

Western Wind Energy Corp. — (Toronto Venture Exchange — “WND”) (OTCQX — “WNDEF”), issued a press release yesterday earlier today announcing that Algonquin Power and Utilities (“Algonquin”), has made an “unsolicited bid.” They went on to say that management and the Board of Directors were not satisfied with the offered and considered it “extremely low-ball bid to purchase 100% of the common shares of Western Wind Energy for $2.50 per share, either all cash or a combination of cash and Algonquin common shares.”

Western Wind Energy has conducted two major independent valuations by both DAI Consulting and Deloitte regarding our major assets. The DAI Report values Western Wind Energy, on a fully diluted basis, at over $5.06 per share and the Deloitte Report is extremely consistent in its asset valuations of Western Wind.

Sounds like a bidding war might be starting here…

Vertility Energy Corp. announced plans to acquire Apollo Power & Light (“APL”). The acquisition is expected to close on or before November 1, 2011. APL provides electricity to the Texas Consumer Energy Market.
“The sale of Apollo Power & Light to Vertility Energy Corp, and subsequent financial backing, is pivotal to enabling our accelerated growth and market consolidation strategy,” said Brian Bolinger CEO of Apollo. “Vertility Energy Corp. and its affiliated companies will provide Apollo with the financial platform to acquire additional customers through organic growth as well as growth through acquisition. Apollo has identified several key acquisition targets that are expected to be accretive immediately upon closing. The Vertility Integrated Solutions operating platform enables our entire back office and call center to scale at a lower cost-basis, driving greater cash flow which enables us to grow quickly with minimal incremental overhead. We are delighted to be part of the group.”
The acquisition is subject to Public Utility Commission’s approval.

Samsung announced last week that it has signed a $3 billion contract to build wind and solar energy plants in Ontario.
Under the terms, Samsung C&T will build 520-megawatt projects in the Haldimand and Chatham-Kent regions and 550-MW projects in Kingston and Bruce. Korea Electric Power Corp. will design the plants’ electrical wiring and operate the plants.
Samsung C&T said the contract represents the first two steps of a five-step plan over two decades to build and operate 2,000 MW of wind capacity and 500 MW of solar power capacity in the province.
Construction is expected to begin in 2012 and be completed by 2014.

In 2010, Samsung committed to invest $7 billion ($7.07 billion American) under Ontario’s Green Energy Act. That investment pledge came in exchange for $110 million ($111.17 million) in subsidies over the next 25 years.

Day4 Energy Inc. (TSX: DFE), reported their second quarter 2011 earnings yesterday, and $23.3 million declined by $21.5 million, or 48%, from the same period in 2010 and increased by $4.4 million, or 23%, from the first quarter 2011.

“During the second quarter we made further progress toward becoming a technology and brand licensing model. Since the end of Q1 2011 we have expanded the reach of our technology and brand platform by securing license agreements with PV Products GmbH in Austria and Solar Modules Netherlands (SMN) in Holland. With PVP and SMN joining our first licensee Gebäude-Solarsysteme GmbH (GSS) we were able to reach a contracted level of 75 MW of annualized manufacturing capacity licensed to produce PV modules based on Day4 DNA technology and brand platform,” said George Rubin, President of Day4 Energy. “

Quantum Solar Power Corp. (OTCBB: QSPW), recently announced announced Stella Guo has been appointed as a Director and Vice President of Corporate Development.  As part of her role, Ms. Guo will assist the Company with its operations in Asia, including, but not limited to, strategic planning, developing strategic partnerships, and facilitating agreements with Asian manufacturing partners.  Prior to joining, she was Regional Director for BP Solar.  Ms. Guo held a series of management positions over the past fifteen years with British Petroleum, who benefited from her general management, business development, merger and acquisitions and corporate legal expertise.