September 25 2007

MMA Renewable Ventures

MMA Renewable Ventures is an exciting new company which specializes in financing, owning, and operating renewable energy generation facilities. The company focuses on solar power, but also deals with Energy Efficiency upgrades, Biogas, and Wind. It was recently purchased by MuniMae (Municipal Mortgage and Equity LLC) from Baltimore, MD.

MMA Renewable Ventures works by partnering with investors, energy project developers, and/or customers and then installing and operating renewable energy generation facilities under contract with those groups. MMA Renewable Ventures owns, operates, and maintains all of the renewable energy production equipment and supplies the partner organization with a reliable source of renewable energy. In exchange, the partnering organization is required to pay a fixed rate for the renewable energy supplied to it.

Here is an excerpt from a press release on one of their latest projects:

[MMA Renewable Ventures] ...today dedicated AC Transit’s new 621-kilowatt solar electric system. The system, located on AC Transit facilities in Hayward and Oakland, is expected to generate approximately 767,000 kilowatt hours of power each year. Over the 30-year life of the system, AC Transit expects to save $5 million in utility costs as a result of the clean, renewable solar power that the system will generate. It will offset the production of more than 14.5 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions -- equivalent to planting 2,000 acres of trees or removing 1,400 cars from California’s highways.

It is very exciting to see such innovative companies grow and learn how to profit off of renewable energy. There is no doubt in my mind that profit is a necessity if sustainable technologies and strategies are ever to become widespread. Until cost or green energy is equal to or less than the cost of traditional carbon or nuclear based energy, we will not see more than just a minor market encroachment of renewable technologies. Companies like this do even more by encouraging and investing in renewable technologies.

Here is a link to the company portfolio.

Here is a link to the company Web site.

September 25th, 2007 at 12:40 PM. Posted in Other. Share this post.