Follow the money and appointments taking place in the cleantech sector this week:

• The chairman of Canada’s BC Hydro, Mossadiq Umedaly, has joined Ventures West to help it raise money for a new $157.6 million (US) clean energy fund, Earth2Tech reports;
• The Iowa Power Fund Board this week approved a $14.75 million (US) contract with POET to develop a commercial cellulosic ethanol plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa;
• Ethanol firm Growth Energy this week named Tom Buis as its new CEO; Buis, formerly president of the National Farmers Union, also served as senior agriculture policy advisor to Democratic Senator Tom Daschle of South Dakota;
• Venture capital investor Matt Horton has been brought on as the new CEO of biofuels firm Propel Fuels Inc.;
• Earth2Tech reports that green building firm Green Wizard is seeking $4.5 million (US) to help develop a cost-comparison platform for building professionals seeking LEED certification;
• Synthetic biology company Verdezyne has named Damien Perriman as its new vice president of business development;
• Ze-gen, a provider of advanced gasification technology, this week named Mark Prendergast as vice president, controller;
• Sage Electrochromics, which creates windows that change tint for energy efficiency, has secured $20 million in funding;
• Financial management firm The Brenner Group has appointed Joseph A. Moran as vice president for its interim finance and accounting group focused on the cleantech industry.

Tags: cleantech