On March 28, His Serene Highness, Prince Albert II of Monaco bestowed innovation awards for excellence in the field of environmental technology to three emerging technology companies — Mango Materials, Frigesco, and One Earth Designs — out of a field of 22 companies from 11 countries that participated in the annual three-day CleanEquity Monaco conference in Monte Carlo.

The award winning companies featured vastly different technologies to earn awards in three different categories:

  • Mango Materials, a San Francisco-area research stage company that produces biodegradable plastics from waste biogas (methane) that are economically competitive with conventional oil-based plastics, earned the award excellence in the field of environmental technology research;
  • Frigesco, a UK-based development stage company focused on improving the energy efficiency of commercial refrigeration systems and in particular defrost technology, through innovative and patented engineering solutions, won the award for excellence in the field of environmental technology development; and
  • One Earth Designs a Hong Kong-based company that is commercializing SolSource, a high performance parabolic solar cooker designed as a low cost, environmentally benign platform technology to replace traditional wood, charcoal or peat fired cooking that persists in many areas of developing world that lack reliable access to electricity, won the award for excellence in the field of environmental technology commercialization. SolSource can also be combined with a thermoelectric generator to power small appliances or to charge batteries.

CleanEquity, billed as the World’s Leading Emerging Cleantech Conference, invites 20-30 companies each year from approximately 400 that are considered to present to delegates representing a wide range of venture firms, private equity firms, corporate venture arms, and sovereign investors. Over the seven years of its existence, CleanEquity has brought forward multiple energy and environmental technology companies that have executed on public offerings or strategic transactions. Presenting companies this year showcased innovative technologies for grid-connected renewable energy storage and demand response, hydrogen storage and fuel cells, water treatment and water conservation, gas-to-liquid fuels, air treatment, vehicle electrification and electric vehicle telemetry, energy efficiency, cloud computing, thin-film organic solar pv, and nanoparticle magnets that do not use rare earth elements. The conference also features thought leadership panel discussions, including, this year, sessions on cutting edge energy efficiency and sustainability developments in commercial automotive innovation through motorsport trickledown technologies, water technologies, home automation, and digital manufacturing.

Covington has been the sole law firm sponsor of CleanEquity each year for the past five years.

Tags: environmental technology, Solar
Print:
Email this postTweet this postLike this postShare this post on LinkedIn
Photo of W. Andrew Jack W. Andrew Jack

Andy Jack is a broad gauge corporate and securities lawyer who leads multidisciplinary teams to help clients achieve complex business objectives and solve complex business problems.

Andy often serves in outside general counsel or senior strategist roles working closely on strategic matters with…

Andy Jack is a broad gauge corporate and securities lawyer who leads multidisciplinary teams to help clients achieve complex business objectives and solve complex business problems.

Andy often serves in outside general counsel or senior strategist roles working closely on strategic matters with C-suites and boards. His practice spans mergers and acquisitions, strategic alliances and joint ventures, venture capital, capital markets, securities compliance, corporate governance counseling, crisis management and dispute settlements.

With deep experience in the energy, diversified industrials, transportation, technology, sports and hospitality industries, much of Andy’s recent transactional and advisory work focuses on issues arising from global sustainability trends and ESG considerations, including the energy transition, vehicle electrification and advanced mobility.

Some examples of this trending work include:

  • Energy
    • Structuring and negotiating joint ventures to produce sustainable aviation fuels and to develop and deploy shared resources to respond to offshore well blowouts.
    • Advising on a carbon capture project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.
    • M&A, finance, capital raising and commercial projects for solar PV panel suppliers.
    • Representing corporate offtakers in virtual power purchase agreements to procure renewable energy in support of wind and solar power projects.
    • Advising on U.S. public policy matters affecting the energy transition.
  • Vehicle Electrification and Advanced Mobility
    • A capital markets transaction for an industry leader in advanced mobility.
    • Multiple venture capital financing rounds for an electric truck manufacturer.
    • Joint venture restructuring and M&A transactions for EV battery manufacturers.
    • Collaboration agreements among vehicle electrification technology providers and OEMs.
    • M&A of advanced vehicle components suppliers and engineering service providers.
  • Other industries
    • Advising on board governance structures to address ESG and Sustainability oversight.
    • Assisting clients in developing voluntary sustainability reports and improving SEC reports and proxy statements to address these topics.
    • Responding to shareholder proposals on various ESG issues.

Andy co-chairs the firm’s multidisciplinary global Energy Industry Group and multidisciplinary Sustainability Solutions Initiative. He also serves as pro bono outside general counsel to the American Council on Renewable Energy and as a member of the World Resources Institute Global Leadership Council. With this background and experience, Andy frequently speaks at industry conferences and publishes on these topics. He also serves as an editor of the firm’s Inside Energy & Environment blog

He is Chambers-ranked in Corporate M&A & Private Equity, where clients report that Andy “gives practical advice with commercially reasonable solutions to problems.” He also has been ranked in Legal 500, both for Energy – Renewable/Alternative and Mergers & Acquisitions.

Read more about W. Andrew JackEmail
Show more Show less