Energy Roundup: StatoilHydro Strike, East Coast to Build $871m Ethanol Plant, Soliant Raises $21m, and More

(MoneyWatch)  StatoilHydro strikes more oil and gas in North Sea -- Back on Oct. 15, BNET Energy reported that StatoilHydro was given the green light to further explore in the North Sea. Today the company announced it had encountered oil and natural gas in the Pan/Pandora prospect, south of the Visund field. It is StatoilHydro's 20th discovery on the Norwegian Continental Shelf this year. Talk about luck. [Source: Energy Current]
East Coast Ethanol to build four new plants -- East Coast Ethanol is set to invest $871 million in four plants in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. The company hopes to produce some 440 million gallons per year of corn-based ethanol, making it the sixth largest ethanol producer in the U.S. Developer Fagen is to be the designer and builder. [Source: StrategyEye Cleantech]
Texas' Fluor to build $420 million solar factory in Singapore -- In a $240 million contract with Norway solar firm, Renewable Energy Corp, Texas-based Fluor is to build a solar manufacturing complex in Singapore beginning in 2010. Bovis Lend Lease is to be a partner in the project, which will require construction of roads and other infrastructure. [Source: StrategyEye Cleantech]

Soliant raises $21 million -- Monrovia, Calif.,-based solar concentrating firm Soliant Energy has raised $21 million. The round was led by Convexa Capital, including a $2.5 million from GE Energy Financial Services. Other backers included RockPort Capital Partners, Nth Power, Trinity Ventures and Rincon Venture Partners. Soliant plans to open a factory produced its dual action tracking concentrating systems in Tijuana, Mexico, with a hoped-for output of some 40 megawatts. [Source: StrategyEye Cleantech]

Radioactive leak at Vermont nuke plant revives safety concerns -- John McCain served on nuclear vessels in the Navy and knows they're safe. Evacuated workers at the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant run by Entergy Nuclear might think otherwise, however, after the accidental release of radioactive contaminants Monday. Though a minor mishap, the incident is sure to ding hopes for a resurgence of nuclear at least in the U.S. [Source: International Herald Tribune] In addition, a Swedish nuclear plant was shut down over concerns about cracks in its control rods, according to the AP.

(Image courtesy StatoilHydro)