The conditioning technology cleans and refines biomass-derived syngas so that it can be directly fired into internal combustion engines instead of natural gas to generate electricity. The technology will be packaged with Nexterra’s biomass gasification systems and internal combustion engines into modular CHP plants sized from 2 – 10 MWe. The new CHP System will be capable of achieving overall efficiencies up to 65% in cogeneration mode and over 30% in combined cycle mode. Future applications of conditioned syngas include conversion into biomethane and other synthetic fuels and chemicals.

“This is an important milestone for Nexterra and we are very pleased with the results,” said Dejan Sparica, Nexterra’s VP and Chief Engineer. “Trials conducted in the fourth quarter of 2009 verify that our combined gasification and conditioning technologies produce a clean, stable and consistent grade of syngas with more than 99% removal of tars and inorganics. The resulting syngas meets and exceeds the fuel specification for internal combustion engines. We will continue optimization and refinement of the process in 2010.”

“These are impressive results for Nexterra,” said John Hepburn, Vice President of Research and International for the University of British Columbia (“UBC”). “Over the past several years Nexterra has established itself as an international leader in biomass gasification. Their new CHP System has tremendous potential to help UBC, other campuses, communities and industry to achieve their green energy goals while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We look forward to collaborating with Nexterra to further develop the technology.”

The syngas conditioning technology is based on a closed-loop, thermal cracking and heat recovery process, which is designed to be simpler, cleaner, more reliable and lower cost than competing gas clean-up systems. Nexterra initiated development of the technology in 2007. Proof-of-concept testing was completed in 2008. The next step will be to operate a GE Jenbacher model 208 internal combustion engine on conditioned syngas in Q1 2010. This will be followed by full-scale demonstration projects. Nexterra will continue testing and optimization of the syngas conditioning technology process and the overall CHP System throughout 2010.

Nexterra has received funding assistance for development, testing and commercialization of the syngas conditioning technology and CHP System from the following: Sustainable Development Technology Canada, a not-for-profit corporation created by the Government of Canada, BC Bioenergy Network (BCBN), National Research Council of Canada – Industrial Research Assistance Program and Ethanol BC.

www.nexterra.ca

For further information, please contact :

Nexterra Systems Corp.

Annette Saliken

Director of Communications

Tel: 604.637.2507

Email: asaliken@nexterra.ca

Enel Green Power and the Marcegaglia Group signed an agreement for the installation of a photovoltaic system with a capacity of more than 4 MW on the roof-tops of the industrial facilities of the Marcegaglia Group, a world leader in the steel processing industry and, among other operations, also active in the production of energy from renewables.

The project, one of the largest innovative technology roof-top systems in Italy, will be implemented in Taranto on the roof-tops of the Marcegaglia Group’s plants, fully integrating the system into the existing architecture. The system will be mostly equipped with innovative flexible thin-film amorphous silicon photovoltaic modules. It is scheduled to start operating in 2010.

Once fully operational, the system – owned 51% by Enel Green Power and 49% by Marcegaglia Group – will be able to produce over 5 million kWh annually, enough to meet the energy needs of approximately 1,900 households, thereby avoiding the atmospheric emission of some 4,000 tons of CO2 per year.

“We are very pleased to have reached this agreement”, said Francesco Starace, Chairman of Enel Green Power, “with the first concrete implementation at the Taranto facilities of Marcegaglia, a major group that, like us, understands the considerable potential for the development of photovoltaics. Enel Green Power has an ambitious growth plan and a substantial pipeline of photovoltaic projects in Italy and abroad: this agreement enables us to further strengthen our presence in the steadily expanding domestic market, in which we firmly believe.”

“The agreement with Enel Green Power”, remarked Antonio Marcegaglia, Chief Executive Officer of the Marcegaglia Group, “is a significant one both for its scale and because it is the first project to be developed with Enel Green Power as part of the broader collaborative initiatives that our groups could pursue in the photovoltaic sector and in energy generation from renewables. An important part of the plant will be implemented with the BrolloSolar photovoltaic panel, manufactured in our Taranto facility, with which we have already carried out major roof systems, among the largest in Italy.”

Enel Green Power is the Enel Group company devoted to the development and management of power generation from renewable resources at the international level, with presence in Europe and the Americas. It is the European leader in its industry thanks to 17.2 billion kWh of electricity generated from water, the sun, wind and the heat of the earth, enough to meet the annual consumption needs of some 6.5 million households and avoid the emission of 13 million tonnes of CO2 each year. The company’s installed capacity totals about 4,700 MW, produced by more than 500 plants in operation around the world, with a generation mix that includes wind, solar, hydro, geothermal and biomass.

The core business of the Marcegaglia Group, wholly owned by the family of the same name, is steel processing. With 6,500 employees and 50 manufacturing plants in Italy, Europe, the Americas and Asia, it operates in markets around the world.

As part of its diversified activities, Marcegaglia Energy is the business unit devoted to generating electricity from renewable resources. It has been operating since 1995 in power generation from biomass and refuse- derived fuel (Euro Energy Group). In 2006 it introduced photovoltaic technologies: with Arendi in the area of thin-film on glass substrates and with Marcegaglia Buildtech for flexible thin-film systems.

Called ‘Pellet Zone Ltd’ (PZL), the new service is aimed primarily at medium to large scale users of biomass pellets, as well as producers of pellets able to supply sufficient quantities.

Operating from the UK, PZL is set up to buy and sell pellets internationally, and in so doing will help smooth the supply and price fluctuations that sometimes frustrate end users and also provide a ready market for pellet producers to assist them with their sales.

All forms of biomass pellets will be traded by PZL including wood pellets and those made from energy crops such as Miscanthus and Reed Canary Grass.

A Key asset of the new business is its multilingual web site at www.pellet-zone.com where pellet buyers and producers can register completely free, and also enter details of their pellet requirements or availability on-line.   (All company and personal information remain completely confidential).

PZL are highly experienced in International trade and shipping and are able to fulfil most requests from smaller local consignments by road, through to intercontinental dry bulk shipping.

Steve Garner, who heads up the new trading service, comments…

“Pellet-Zone is the culmination of our extensive market research in which reliability of supply and consistency in pricing we’re high up on user’s wish lists.   With our global footprint and sector expertise we can meet these requirements.

Steve continues…

“For pellet producers we fulfil a vital sales function – enabling PZL to place their pellets into a much wider market whilst reducing unsold stock and associated costs”.

The increasing requirement to prove pellet supplies are sourced only from sustainable materials and areas is a key factor in successful trade – and one that PZL take very seriously.