Cleantech news you might have missed: 6 Feb. 2009

So much cleantech news, so little time. If you haven’t been able to keep up with all the recent headlines, here’s a recap of some highlights:

• The Eastern Sugar Group of Thailand has started trial operations of an ethanol plant that will use molasses and cassava as fuel stocks, MarketWatch reports. The country, which is the top sugar exporter in Asia, has been seeking ways to reduce its reliance on imported energy;
• Officials in the Canadian province of Ontario have announced plans to build a smart grid system that would better be able to take advantage of renewable energy sources. The proposal — price-tag as yet unknown — is expected to be part of the Green Energy Act to be considered by Ontario legislators later this month;
• The Timex Group USA this week dedicated a $2.5 million, 800-panel solar array at its headquarters in Middlebury, Connecticut. The 244-kilowatt system, expected to reduce carbon emissionx by 6.6 million pounds over its lifetime, is billed as one of the largest ground-mounted solar-electric installations in the state;
• The BBC reports that Swedish officials are proposing to lift the nation’s longtime ban on new nuclear plants, which had been approved by voters in 1980. The plan, which still requires the approval of parliament, is aimed at reducing greenhous gas emissions and boosting Sweden’s energy security;
• Singapore-based Atlantis Resources Corporation and Internet Villages International of Scotland are joining together to develop a tidal-energy-powered data centre in the far north of Scotland. The project could be completed by 2012;
• How could butterflies help people develop a better solar cell? Researchers in China and Japan say better dye-sensitized solar cells could be made by taking cues from the scales on butterflies’ wings, which act like miniature solar collectors.