Granite Hacarmel to invest in Indian renewable energy projects

Granite Hacarmel Investments Ltd. has signed an memorandum of understanding (MOU) to participate in the setting up of a company that will invest in renewable energy projects in India. Granite Hacarmel will provide $6 million of the venture's initial investment of at least $20 million.

Granite Hacarmel CEO Ami Sagis told "Globes", "We decided to build on the company's strengths in areas complementary to our regular business, including energy and especially renewable energy. We've accumulated extensive experience in the water and energy industries in Israel."

Sagis added, "In India, there is a severe shortfall between energy needs and energy supply, which creates a great opportunity to enter this market, while utilizing Granite Harcarmel's capabilities."

Granite Hacarmel's cleantech business is carried out through subsidiary GES Global Environmental Solutions Ltd., which focuses on water technologies. GES is a partner in the Palmachim seawater desalination facility. Last week, it was reported that GES planned to increase its holding in UniqKleen Technologies Ltd., a start-up developing technologies for treating industrial effluent with magnets.

According to Sagis, "We'll invest in all renewable energy sectors, from cogeneration, wind farms, and pumped storage hydroelectric power. We think that expanding our holding in this field is the right thing to do worldwide, and in India in particular."

Wastewater treament co. UniqKleen raises additional funds from GES

"Globes" reports that water treatment technology company GES - Global Environmental Solutions Ltd., a subsidiary of Granite Hacarmel Investments, is set to increase its holding in UniqKleen Technologies Ltd., a start-up developing technologies for treating industrial effluent with magnets. GES will raise its stake in UniqKleen to more than 60% from 51%, at a value of several million dollars. GES VP of Marketing, Water & Wastewater and UniqKleen CEO Anat Halgoa confirmed the report but declined to comment on the size of GES's additional investment or the value at which it will be made.

UniqKleen was founded in 2002 within the framework of the Yozmot HaEmek incubator by a team of new immigrant scientists from Russia - Dr Edward Brook-Levinson, Dr. David Gurevich, and Dr. Yevgenia Dobrokhotov. They have remained shareholders in UniqKleen but GES has taken over the management of the company, which graduated from the incubator in 2006 and is located at GES's site in Akko.

GES is UniqKleen's largest investor, and it first acquired 30% of the company in January 2006 for a few hundred thousand dollars.

Thailand seeks Israeli water technologies

"Globes" reports that a delegation of senior Bangkok municipal officials will visit Israel this week as guests of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor. The delegation is seeking ways to cooperate with Israeli water technology and sewage treatment solutions companies.

The current trip follows the visit by a Thai delegation to the International Water Technologies and Environmental Control Exhibition and Conference - Watec 2007 in Tel Aviv last November. The present delegation will visit companies with technologies and systems that can be utilized by the Bangkok municipal water system.

Israel's commercial attache to Thailand Etty Levy said, "Thailand in general, and Bangkok in particular, suffers from severe water problems because of a lack of water management tools. The Thais admire Israel's achievements in water technology and talk about the country as a 'green desert' thanks to its drip irrigation and other technologies."

Levy added that the Bangkok municipality had recently published tenders for the construction of water treatment facilities worth an aggregate $600 million.

The Bangkok delegation will visit Amiad Filtration Systems Ltd., Tahal Group, Global Environmental Solutions Ltd. (GES) and other companies.