About
New Energy Farms (NEF) is a technology licensing company, developing crop scale up and establishment systems. NEF was established in 2010, initially focusing on developing solutions for plantations of perennial grasses used for fuel and fibre. The management of NEF have extensive (over 20 years) of experience developing and commercialising vegetative propagation systems for perennial grasses in the EU, North and South America, experiencing at first hand establishing vegetatively multiplied crops at large scale. This work focused NEF research activities on developing technology to establish perennial grasses like row crops. As most of the important perennial grasses are sterile (they do not produce seeds) the challenge was to make vegetative propagation easier and cheaper and the solution is NEF CEEDSTM technology.
Management
Dr Paul Carver, CEO
 |
Paul has over 20 years experience of the development and commercialization of perennial energy grasses in the EU, North and South America. Paul holds a PhD in crop physiology of the energy grass Miscanthus. After 2 years in government research into energy crops from 2000 he worked on commercial research and scale up of energy crops from farm end user contracting to farm implementation, prior to co founding NEF in 2010. Since 2012 he has worked on tropical energy grasses including Sugarcane. |
Dr Mike Carver, Director
 |
After graduating from Bangor University with a Degree in Agricultural Botany, Mike completed his Doctorate in ‘Seed Physiology’ at the University of Stirling.Before being involved in the creation of New Energy Farms in 2010, Mike spent his whole career in agricultural R&D and technology transfer and was previously the Director of Arable Research Centres (ARC) and then The Arable Group (TAG) for 22 years.The role of Technical Manager in New Energy Farms involves patents, trademarking, project development and being part of the internal R&D team at NEF. |
Dean Tiessen 1967-2013
Dean was the pioneer for Energy crops, particularly Miscanthus, in North America. He spoke extensively in North America on Miscanthus, the development of New Energy Farms and the exciting possibility of a breakthrough in the understanding of how to make the multiplication and establishment of vegetatively produced energy crops less costly and more practical.
In 2011 Dean was awarded the Ontario Premier’s Award for Agrifood Excellence for his work on Miscanthus.
Demonstrating their enthusiasm for renewable energy, the Tiessen family of farms converted their heating system on their 40 Acre glasshouse tomato operation to using 30,000 t/yr of biomass from purpose grown energy crops.
During 2012 and 2013 it became clear that NEF was indeed developing industry leading propagation systems for rapid multiplication of a range of energy grasses, and this exciting development, plus extensive relationships with genetics providers for access to new cultivars, was placing NEF in a pivotal position in the renewable energy sector.
Dean Tiessen was tragically killed in December 2013, NEF continues the work and vision that he and Paul started.
Michael Summers, Advisor
 |
Michael SUMMERS received his BSc. in Botany from Exeter University (UK) in 1964. He brings more than 45 years of broad, worldwide, hands-on general management experience in plant breeding, biotechnology and seeds. His consultancy activity and experience in non-executive director positions provide an unusually broad vision. After graduation he joined Fisons Limited (UK) Management Training Scheme followed by experience in agricultural and industrial chemicals, fertilizers and pharmaceuticals. In 1971 he joined the Nickerson Seed Company, already partly owned by Shell, originally in marketing and then in UK General Management.In 1979, in France, Mr. SUMMERS established Shell’s field crop breeding, production and marketing subsidiary. Profitability was achieved in only four years and he led the business for 8 years. In 1987 he was appointed General Manger of Shell’s ailing vegetable seed subsidiary, Nickerson Zwaan (NL), and helped to achieve a turnaround in two years. In 1989 he returned to the UK to join the team responsible for Shell’s divestment of plant breeding and biotech, and its sale to Groupe Limagrain.In 1990 he set up SUMMERS ASSOCIATES – a worldwide consultancy focussed on biotechnology licensing and plant breeding technology in a uniquely wide range of feed, food and industrial crops, vegetables and ornamentals. In addition to a number of non-executive board positions Mr. SUMMERS has carried out missions for numerous financial investors and companies including Japan Tobacco, Groupe Limagrain, Seminis, Innotech Investments, Agricultural Genetics Company (UK), Paradigm Genetics, Anawah (now Arcadia), Norsk Hydro, Groupe Plan, Sakata, NIAB, Elsoms, Preesman and many others .Also in 1990 he became part-time Managing Director of Floranova Ltd (UK). He negotiated the acquisition of the Clause flower seeds business in 1995 and took the combined company from significant losses to a high level of profitability. He retired from Floranova at the end of 2006, after more than 16 years, having helped achieve its sale to a private investor.Mr. SUMMERS now focuses on a very small group of clients – specifically BenchBio, New Energy Farms, Synpromics and Plastid. |
David Buckeridge, Advisor
 |
David Buckeridge is a Partner of Paine Schwartz Partners and has more than 25 years of management experience in the life science and agribusiness industries. He was an Operating Director at the Predecessor Firm, which he joined in 2006.
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About
New Energy Farms (NEF) is a technology licensing company, developing crop scale up and establishment systems. NEF was established in 2010, initially focusing on developing solutions for plantations of perennial grasses used for fuel and fibre. The management of NEF have extensive (over 20 years) of experience developing and commercialising vegetative propagation systems for perennial grasses in the EU, North and South America, experiencing at first hand establishing vegetatively multiplied crops at large scale. This work focused NEF research activities on developing technology to establish perennial grasses like row crops. As most of the important perennial grasses are sterile (they do not produce seeds) the challenge was to make vegetative propagation easier and cheaper and the solution is NEF CEEDSTM technology.
Management
Dr Paul Carver, CEO
|
Paul has over 20 years experience of the development and commercialization of perennial energy grasses in the EU, North and South America. Paul holds a PhD in crop physiology of the energy grass Miscanthus. After 2 years in government research into energy crops from 2000 he worked on commercial research and scale up of energy crops from farm end user contracting to farm implementation, prior to co founding NEF in 2010. Since 2012 he has worked on tropical energy grasses including Sugarcane. |
Dr Mike Carver, Director
|
After graduating from Bangor University with a Degree in Agricultural Botany, Mike completed his Doctorate in ‘Seed Physiology’ at the University of Stirling.Before being involved in the creation of New Energy Farms in 2010, Mike spent his whole career in agricultural R&D and technology transfer and was previously the Director of Arable Research Centres (ARC) and then The Arable Group (TAG) for 22 years.The role of Technical Manager in New Energy Farms involves patents, trademarking, project development and being part of the internal R&D team at NEF. |
Dean Tiessen 1967-2013
Dean was the pioneer for Energy crops, particularly Miscanthus, in North America. He spoke extensively in North America on Miscanthus, the development of New Energy Farms and the exciting possibility of a breakthrough in the understanding of how to make the multiplication and establishment of vegetatively produced energy crops less costly and more practical.
In 2011 Dean was awarded the Ontario Premier’s Award for Agrifood Excellence for his work on Miscanthus.
Demonstrating their enthusiasm for renewable energy, the Tiessen family of farms converted their heating system on their 40 Acre glasshouse tomato operation to using 30,000 t/yr of biomass from purpose grown energy crops.
During 2012 and 2013 it became clear that NEF was indeed developing industry leading propagation systems for rapid multiplication of a range of energy grasses, and this exciting development, plus extensive relationships with genetics providers for access to new cultivars, was placing NEF in a pivotal position in the renewable energy sector.
Dean Tiessen was tragically killed in December 2013, NEF continues the work and vision that he and Paul started.
Michael Summers, Advisor
|
Michael SUMMERS received his BSc. in Botany from Exeter University (UK) in 1964. He brings more than 45 years of broad, worldwide, hands-on general management experience in plant breeding, biotechnology and seeds. His consultancy activity and experience in non-executive director positions provide an unusually broad vision. After graduation he joined Fisons Limited (UK) Management Training Scheme followed by experience in agricultural and industrial chemicals, fertilizers and pharmaceuticals. In 1971 he joined the Nickerson Seed Company, already partly owned by Shell, originally in marketing and then in UK General Management.In 1979, in France, Mr. SUMMERS established Shell’s field crop breeding, production and marketing subsidiary. Profitability was achieved in only four years and he led the business for 8 years. In 1987 he was appointed General Manger of Shell’s ailing vegetable seed subsidiary, Nickerson Zwaan (NL), and helped to achieve a turnaround in two years. In 1989 he returned to the UK to join the team responsible for Shell’s divestment of plant breeding and biotech, and its sale to Groupe Limagrain.In 1990 he set up SUMMERS ASSOCIATES – a worldwide consultancy focussed on biotechnology licensing and plant breeding technology in a uniquely wide range of feed, food and industrial crops, vegetables and ornamentals. In addition to a number of non-executive board positions Mr. SUMMERS has carried out missions for numerous financial investors and companies including Japan Tobacco, Groupe Limagrain, Seminis, Innotech Investments, Agricultural Genetics Company (UK), Paradigm Genetics, Anawah (now Arcadia), Norsk Hydro, Groupe Plan, Sakata, NIAB, Elsoms, Preesman and many others .Also in 1990 he became part-time Managing Director of Floranova Ltd (UK). He negotiated the acquisition of the Clause flower seeds business in 1995 and took the combined company from significant losses to a high level of profitability. He retired from Floranova at the end of 2006, after more than 16 years, having helped achieve its sale to a private investor.Mr. SUMMERS now focuses on a very small group of clients – specifically BenchBio, New Energy Farms, Synpromics and Plastid. |
David Buckeridge, Advisor
|
David Buckeridge is a Partner of Paine Schwartz Partners and has more than 25 years of management experience in the life science and agribusiness industries. He was an Operating Director at the Predecessor Firm, which he joined in 2006.
|
About
New Energy Farms (NEF) is a technology licensing company, developing crop scale up and establishment systems. NEF was established in 2010, initially focusing on developing solutions for plantations of perennial grasses used for fuel and fibre. The management of NEF have extensive (over 20 years) of experience developing and commercialising vegetative propagation systems for perennial grasses in the EU, North and South America, experiencing at first hand establishing vegetatively multiplied crops at large scale. This work focused NEF research activities on developing technology to establish perennial grasses like row crops. As most of the important perennial grasses are sterile (they do not produce seeds) the challenge was to make vegetative propagation easier and cheaper and the solution is NEF CEEDSTM technology.
Management
Dr Paul Carver, CEO
Paul has over 20 years experience of the development and commercialization of perennial energy grasses in the EU, North and South America. Paul holds a PhD in crop physiology of the energy grass Miscanthus. After 2 years in government research into energy crops from 2000 he worked on commercial research and scale up of energy crops from farm end user contracting to farm implementation, prior to co founding NEF in 2010. Since 2012 he has worked on tropical energy grasses including Sugarcane.
Dr Mike Carver, Director
After graduating from Bangor University with a Degree in Agricultural Botany, Mike completed his Doctorate in ‘Seed Physiology’ at the University of Stirling.Before being involved in the creation of New Energy Farms in 2010, Mike spent his whole career in agricultural R&D and technology transfer and was previously the Director of Arable Research Centres (ARC) and then The Arable Group (TAG) for 22 years.The role of Technical Manager in New Energy Farms involves patents, trademarking, project development and being part of the internal R&D team at NEF.
Dean Tiessen 1967-2013
Dean was the pioneer for Energy crops, particularly Miscanthus, in North America. He spoke extensively in North America on Miscanthus, the development of New Energy Farms and the exciting possibility of a breakthrough in the understanding of how to make the multiplication and establishment of vegetatively produced energy crops less costly and more practical.
In 2011 Dean was awarded the Ontario Premier’s Award for Agrifood Excellence for his work on Miscanthus.
Demonstrating their enthusiasm for renewable energy, the Tiessen family of farms converted their heating system on their 40 Acre glasshouse tomato operation to using 30,000 t/yr of biomass from purpose grown energy crops.
During 2012 and 2013 it became clear that NEF was indeed developing industry leading propagation systems for rapid multiplication of a range of energy grasses, and this exciting development, plus extensive relationships with genetics providers for access to new cultivars, was placing NEF in a pivotal position in the renewable energy sector.
Dean Tiessen was tragically killed in December 2013, NEF continues the work and vision that he and Paul started.
Michael Summers, Advisor
Michael SUMMERS received his BSc. in Botany from Exeter University (UK) in 1964. He brings more than 45 years of broad, worldwide, hands-on general management experience in plant breeding, biotechnology and seeds. His consultancy activity and experience in non-executive director positions provide an unusually broad vision. After graduation he joined Fisons Limited (UK) Management Training Scheme followed by experience in agricultural and industrial chemicals, fertilizers and pharmaceuticals. In 1971 he joined the Nickerson Seed Company, already partly owned by Shell, originally in marketing and then in UK General Management.
In 1979, in France, Mr. SUMMERS established Shell’s field crop breeding, production and marketing subsidiary. Profitability was achieved in only four years and he led the business for 8 years. In 1987 he was appointed General Manger of Shell’s ailing vegetable seed subsidiary, Nickerson Zwaan (NL), and helped to achieve a turnaround in two years. In 1989 he returned to the UK to join the team responsible for Shell’s divestment of plant breeding and biotech, and its sale to Groupe Limagrain.
In 1990 he set up SUMMERS ASSOCIATES – a worldwide consultancy focussed on biotechnology licensing and plant breeding technology in a uniquely wide range of feed, food and industrial crops, vegetables and ornamentals. In addition to a number of non-executive board positions Mr. SUMMERS has carried out missions for numerous financial investors and companies including Japan Tobacco, Groupe Limagrain, Seminis, Innotech Investments, Agricultural Genetics Company (UK), Paradigm Genetics, Anawah (now Arcadia), Norsk Hydro, Groupe Plan, Sakata, NIAB, Elsoms, Preesman and many others .
Also in 1990 he became part-time Managing Director of Floranova Ltd (UK). He negotiated the acquisition of the Clause flower seeds business in 1995 and took the combined company from significant losses to a high level of profitability. He retired from Floranova at the end of 2006, after more than 16 years, having helped achieve its sale to a private investor.
Mr. SUMMERS now focuses on a very small group of clients – specifically BenchBio, New Energy Farms, Synpromics and Plastid.
David Buckeridge, Advisor