WALTHAM, MASS, May 3, 2012 – Harvest Power, a leader in harnessing the maximum value from organic materials, has launched Organic Connections, a thought leadership series on managing organics. Produced by Harvest in collaboration with Nature of Business, Organic Connections is a series of video interviews with some of the most knowledgeable people in organics management.

“Organic Connections serves as a fantastic springboard for leaders to have a fresh conversation around organics management,” said Paul Sellew, Harvest’s CEO. “We aim to inspire fundamental, permanent changes in the way North America thinks about the carbon, energy and nutrient values of its organic materials.”

The interview series showcases the interlocking connections between organics recycling, renewable energy, composting and soil revitalization. Guest experts interviewed for Organic Connections include Harvest’s Paul Sellew; Jonathan Bloom, author of American Wasteland; Carol Browner, former director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy; David William House, author of The Complete Biogas Handbook; Ian Bowles, former secretary, energy and environmental affairs for the State of Massachusetts; Jeff Moyer, farm director for the Rodale Institute, an organization dedicated to organic farming research; Pat Ricchiuti, owner of P-R Farms in California; and Eliot Coleman, a Maine farmer and the author of The New Organic Grower.

“The best part of Organic Connections is the thought provoking information viewers learn about materials they interact with every day,” said Chrissy Coughlin, founder of Nature of Business. “The interviewees are extremely knowledgeable and their passion comes through in facts that range from intriguing to downright shocking.”

Interview videos will be posted on Harvest’s YouTube channel where a trailer for the series and the first interview with Harvest’s Paul Sellew are already available. Organic Connections videos will also be placed on the Nature of Business website  and GreenBiz.com over the coming months. The series kicks off with Jonathan Bloom mid-May.

About Harvest Power

Harvest harnesses the maximum value from organic materials through the production of renewable energy and soils, mulches and natural fertilizers. Harvest’s vision is to find the highest and best use for the 500 million tons of organic materials produced in North America each year. The company operates facilities in the Mid-Atlantic and West Coast of the US, and in Ontario and British Columbia, Canada. Harvest has grown rapidly since its founding in 2008 and has garnered awards for its business of energy generation and soil revitalization: the company was twice named to the Cleantech 100 Top Global Cleantech companies, designated “Emerging Company of the Year” by the New England Clean Energy Council, and received an SBANE 2011 New England Innovation Award.

http://www.ctmirror.org/story/16094/looks-onion-skin-runs-electricity

http://gigaom.com/cleantech/organic-waste-recycling-draws-110m-from-gore-kleiner-first-solar-chief/

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/Harvest-Power-Profits-From-Biomass-and-Closes-110M-VC-Round/

http://blogs.wsj.com/venturecapital/2012/04/12/seeing-value-in-trash-harvest-power-raises-110m/

WALTHAM, MASS, April 12, 2012 – Harvest Power, a leader in harnessing the renewable energy, soil and fertilizer value from organic materials, today announced a $110 million financing. True North Venture Partners led the investment with American Refining and Biochemical, Inc. participating alongside existing investors including Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB), DAG Ventures, and Generation Investment Management among others. Harvest will use the funding to expand its capabilities to meet the growing demand from communities across North America seeking sustainable, economical solutions for managing their organic materials. Goldman, Sachs & Co. (NYSE: GS) served as the placement agent for the financing.

“The significant investor interest Harvest has received is the result of our dynamic partnerships, innovative approaches, and proven ability to build the first nationwide organics management company,” said Paul Sellew, CEO of Harvest. “By integrating organics recycling, renewable energy and the production of soils, mulches and natural fertilizers, Harvest has shown that we are a leader in a new kind of cleantech – one that lowers costs. We are proud to partner with True North and other investors that want to be part of this disruptive model.”

North America has a growing appetite for Harvest’s services and products. The company’s advanced technology platform for processing organic materials – including food scraps, yard trimmings, scrap wood and other organics – harnesses their maximum value by producing renewable energy as well as soil and natural fertilizer products. As evidence, Harvest sold millions of bags of organic soils and mulches at retail in 2011, and is building the two largest foodwaste to energy facilities in North America.

The new investment from True North Venture Partners further validates Harvest’s approach for sustainable and cost effective management of organic materials. “Harvest presents a game-changing investment opportunity for True North: The company intersects our core interests of energy, water, agriculture and waste, and its business model is also highly scalable,” said Michael Ahearn, Managing Partner of True North Venture Partners. Ahearn will join the Board of Directors of Harvest Power.

“Harvest is well positioned to change the way we manage organic materials,” said Amol Deshpande, a partner at Kleiner Perkins. “We have been working closely with the company since 2008, and are impressed by its world-class management team and its strategic roster of stakeholders.”

Founded in 2008, Harvest is a pioneer and leader in extracting energy and nutrient-rich soils from organic materials. The company expects to complete construction this year on the two largest anaerobic digestion facilities in North America.

About True North Venture Partners

True North Venture Partners invests in and supports early stage businesses that have the potential to transform, expand and lead global industries in sectors such as energy, water, agriculture and waste. True North’s goal is to identify exceptionally talented entrepreneurs with the vision, drive and business potential to significantly improve the world and help them realize their dreams by providing capital and expertise. For more information, please visit www.truenorthvp.com.

About Harvest Power

Harvest harnesses the maximum value from organic materials through the production of renewable energy and soils, mulches and natural fertilizers. Harvest’s vision is to find the highest and best use for the 500 million tons of organic materials produced in North America each year. The company operates facilities in the Mid-Atlantic and West Coast of the US, and in Ontario and British Columbia, Canada. Harvest has grown rapidly since its founding in 2008 and has garnered awards for its business of energy generation and soil revitalization: the company was twice named to the Cleantech 100 Top Global Cleantech companies, designated “Emerging Company of the Year” by the New England Clean Energy Council, and received an SBANE 2011 New England Innovation Award.

http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2012/04/08/sowing-seeds-reaping-energy-harvest-power

http://www.wickedlocal.com/waltham/news/x1231827199/Letter-to-the-editor-Celebrating-Clean-Energy-Day-2012#axzz1pqdcQLTx

 “The Harvest Landscape Calculator is a great way for us to empower our customers to make smart decisions about landscaping projects,” said Paul Sellew, CEO of Harvest Power. “There’s nothing more frustrating than taking an extra trip to the garden store after buying too little soil or mulch. This app takes the guesswork out of gardening, allowing our customers to focus on the projects they love.”

The Harvest Landscape Calculator includes simple, straightforward tools for gardening enthusiasts. The calculator translates garden dimensions into volumes of bagged or bulk products required for any landscaping project. Quick reference tables provide handy conversions for filling pots and hanging baskets. The app also provides tips for nourishing flowerbeds, gardens, lawns, turf surfaces, trees and shrubs. A unique element of the app includes the ability to flip through more than 150 inspirational quotes designed to inspire gardeners in any season or environment.

Harvest harnesses the maximum value from organic materials such as yard trimmings and food scraps by creating soils, mulches, natural fertilizers and renewable energy in the form of biogas. To download the app, or to learn more, please visit the iTunes Store or www.harvestpower.com.

About Harvest Power

Harvest harnesses the maximum value from organic materials through the production of renewable energy and soils, mulches and natural fertilizers. Harvest’s vision is to find the highest and best use for the 500 million tons of organic materials produced in North America each year. The company operates facilities in the Mid-Atlantic and West Coast of the US, and in Ontario and British Columbia, Canada. Harvest has grown rapidly since its founding in 2008 and has garnered awards for its business of energy generation and soil revitalization: the company was twice named to the Cleantech 100 Top Global Cleantech companies, designated “Emerging Company of the Year” by the New England Clean Energy Council, and received an SBANE 2011 New England Innovation Award.

http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/print-edition/2012/02/10/for-many-b-corp-is-good-business.html

The funding will support two components: a $1 M loan towards the commercial demonstration of a High Solids Anaerobic Digestion (HSAD) plant that will convert municipal green waste (food scraps and yard trimmings) to produce electricity under the BC Hydro Community Based Biomass Power Call, and a $500,000 grant towards acquiring a pilot scale mobile HSAD testing unit – a “Mobile Energy Harvester” – that will be used initially in Richmond and later toured throughout North America.  The Government of Canada has also invested $4 million for this project through its Clean Energy Fund. Over 50 jobs will be created through the construction phase and an additional 6 for ongoing operations.

“This leading-edge waste to energy technology demonstrates why British Columbia is at the forefront of clean energy technology development and utilization,” said Rich Coleman, Minister of Energy and Mines. “This energy garden will not only create B.C. jobs, it will provide a blueprint for other waste to energy projects in B.C., Canada and the U.S.”

“This first demonstration in British Columbia of the innovative HSAD technology is an all around winner: it solves a waste disposal problem, generates value added clean renewable energy in support of the province’s renewable energy goals, and creates green sector jobs right here in the Lower Mainland,” said Michael Weedon, Executive director of BC Bioenergy Network.  “We are very pleased to partner with a committed renewable energy leader like Fraser Richmond Soil and Fibre and Harvest Power, and work with them to demonstrate innovative technologies that hold great promise for application across British Columbia and North America.“

“British Columbia consistently demonstrates leadership in its management of organic materials and development of clean technologies, and it is an honour to be a part of the growing community of clean technology providers,” said Paul Sellew, CEO of Harvest Power. “We thank BC Bioenergy for their tremendous support, and look forward to continuing to build a resilient network of partnerships throughout the region.”

“About 40 per cent of all the solid waste currently disposed of, from homes and businesses in this region, is made up of organic materials such as food scraps, yard trimmings and soiled paper,” noted Metro Vancouver Board Chair Greg Moore.   “That’s a resource that should be recycled as a soil amendment or used to generate energy,” he said. “If we bury organic materials in landfills, they generate methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.”

The Richmond “Energy Garden,” a term coined by Harvest to refer to its anaerobic digesters, will process 27,000 tons of food scraps and yard debris each year, using an innovative anaerobic digestion process that converts those materials to biogas.  The biogas will then be used to produce more than 6,000 MWh of electricity per year, enough to power some 700 BC homes.  The residual organic materials remaining after the digestion process will be further composted and returned to local farms and gardens as nutrient rich soil amendments.

In addition, Harvest’s Mobile Energy Harvester, supported by a $500,000 grant, fits inside a shipping container on wheels and will feature small scale versions of HSAD equipment.  The Mobile Energy Harvester will initially be used at the Fraser Richmond Soil and Fibre facility, and then tour British Columbia and elsewhere in North America.  The testing unit will evaluate suitability of digestion of organic waste streams, enabling local communities to evaluate and assess the economics, benefits and risks of deploying this innovative system.  It will also educate communities on the direct connection between their plate scrapings, technologies that address recycling targets, and the contribution of such projects to the new bioenergy economy.

About BC Bioenergy Network

Established in April 2008 with a $25 million grant from the BC government, BC Bioenergy Network is an industry-led association that acts as a catalyst for deploying near-term bioenergy technologies and organizing mission-driven research for the development and demonstration of sustainable world class bioenergy capability in BC. Since inception, BCBN has made 21 investments that have a total project cost of nearly $75 million. For more information about BCBN, please visit www.bcbioenergy.ca.

About Harvest Power

Harvest harnesses the maximum value from organic materials through the production of renewable energy and soils, mulches and natural fertilizers. Harvest’s vision is to find the highest and best use for the 500 million tons of organic materials produced in North America each year. The company operates facilities in the Mid-Atlantic and West Coast of the US, and in Ontario and British Columbia, Canada. Harvest has grown rapidly since its founding in 2008 and has garnered awards for its business of energy generation and soil revitalization: the company was twice named to the Cleantech 100 Top Global Cleantech companies, designated “Emerging Company of the Year” by the New England Clean Energy Council, and received an SBANE 2011 New England Innovation Award. For more information about Harvest Power, please visit www.harvestpower.com.

For further information:

BC Bioenergy Network

Sandy Ferguson
Director of Marketing
Tel: 778-385-2750 Cell: 604 891 1260
Sandy.ferguson@bcbioenergy.ca

Harvest Power

Aaron Kellogg
Associate
Tel: 617.275.6526
akellogg@greenoughcom.com

• Part 1: Language, Visuals and Values
• Part 2: Stats, Reality and the Future

Online: http://www.renewableenergymagazine.com/energias/renovables/index/pag/interviews/colleft/colright/interviews/tip/articulo/pagid/18873/botid/54/)

Online: http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/18/1000-pounds-of-butter-warms-a-pennsylvania-farm/

“Harvest is proud to take the important step of B Corp certification,” said Paul Sellew, Harvest’s CEO. “The performance standards B Lab uses to evaluate companies are directly in line with our core values, and investors and employees alike support our pledge to incorporate social and environmental impacts into decision making at every level.”

Certified B Corporations meet higher standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. They must create a positive impact on society and the environment, consider non-financial interests when making decisions and report overall social and environmental impacts as assessed against a third-party standard. To obtain certification, Harvest passed an assessment of its company activities, structure, environmental diligence and community impact.

Companies with B Corp designation are reevaluated every two years to ensure on-going commitment to B Corp principles. Harvest, with its B Corp profile listed here, plans to implement new policies and initiatives that build on those principles. The B Corp community includes companies from 60 industries with $2.9 billion in revenue.

About Harvest Power

Harvest harnesses the maximum value from organic materials by providing recycling solutions, generating clean, renewable energy, and producing soils, mulches and natural fertilizers. Harvest owns and operates facilities in British Columbia, Ontario, California, and throughout Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and Northeast states. The company has a management team with deep experience in composting, renewable energy, supply chain management, engineering, law and finance. Harvest has grown rapidly since its founding in 2008 and has garnered awards for its systems of organics recycling, energy generation and soil revitalization: the company was twice named to the Cleantech 100 Top Global Cleantech companies, designated “Emerging Company of the Year” by the New England Clean Energy Council, and received an SBANE 2011 New England Innovation Award.

About B Corp

Certified B Corporations 1) meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance; 2) legally expand their corporate responsibilities to include consideration of stakeholder interests; and 3) build collective voice through the power of the unifying B Corporation brand.  As of January 2012, there are over 515 Certified B Corporations from over 60 industries, representing a diverse multi-billion marketplace.