Renewable World Energies: Announces financing of upper peninsula project upgrades using innovative turbine technology

Renewable World Energies LLC Announces Financing of Upper Peninsula Project Upgrades Using Innovative Turbine Technology

Neshkoro, WI – November 26, 2013 – Renewable World Energies LLC (“RWE”), a Wisconsin based leader in the ownership and operations of small hydroelectric facilities, today announced that it has completed a $2.3 million debt financing through a new strategic investment arrangement with the Geo Investors Renewable Infrastructure Fund.

The proceeds will be used largely to fund upgrades to the Cataract project near Gwinn, MI and for supporting the ongoing operation and maintenance of the Au Train project near Munising, MI. The facilities have a combined capacity to produce 3 megawatts of clean, renewable energy that is sold to Upper Peninsula Power Company (“UPPCO”), a subsidiary of Integrys Energy Group, Inc. (NYSE: TEG) through a long-term, power purchase agreement. The upgrade to the Cataract project includes the installation of an innovative new and more efficient turbine that is designed and manufactured by Kiser Hydro LLC, a sister company of RWE.

“We are pleased to have brought on a quality financing partner like the Geo Investors Fund that understands the energy business and is interested in working with relatively small companies like ours. The combined investment between our firms will ensure the on-time completion of the refurbishment and upgrades to the Cataract project,” stated Tom Berutti, Chief Financial Officer of RWE and Kiser Hydro. Berutti added, “Our company supports the economies of both the Michigan UP and Northern Wisconsin through direct employment, construction jobs, and as a local and reliable generator of electricity used by other industries.”

RWE currently employs a workforce of 40 people with plans to continue to grow. In addition, the upgrades to the Cataract facility have supported an estimated 50 construction and manufacturing jobs in the Wisconsin – Michigan border region around Iron Mountain, Michigan and Niagara, Wisconsin.

Both Michigan facilities date back to the 1920’s and were originally constructed by a local mining company to provide power for mining operations. They were subsequently acquired by the local utility and then sold to a predecessor of RWE in 2010. “Both Cataract and Au Train have long and successful operating histories of providing power to the people of Upper Michigan. In the case of Cataract, it just required some additional investment, time and attention to get it back in good operating condition and to get the most efficient production out of it,” commented Bill Harris, President and CEO of RWE and Kiser Hydro. “By replacing the old turbine with the innovative design from Kiser, we are able to almost double our expected annual production without any additional environmental impact or changes to the community’s recreational access to the water resource,” stated Harris.

The newly designed Kiser Hydro turbine replaces a Francis type runner with a variable pitch 6- blade Kaplan style runner while using the existing scroll case, wicket gates and generator making this upgrade very cost effective. This innovative design allows the turbine to produce energy at a wide variety of river flows at a high efficiency. Annual energy production is estimated to be 80% greater than historic levels due this this proprietary Kiser Hydro design.

“We are very pleased to make this our first investment in small hydro assets,” stated William Fitzgerald, Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer of Global Infrastructure Asset Management, the manager of the Geo Investors Renewable Infrastructure Fund I, LP. “We are excited about being part the Cataract and Au Train projects and also about working with an industry leader like Bill Harris and Renewable World Energies. We look forward to working with them to identify additional projects and hopefully expand our relationship further.”

About Renewable World Energies, LLC

Renewable World Energies (RWE) was founded in March 2012 by William (Bill) Harris, who serves as President and CEO. Harris was a co-founder of North American Hydro in 1978, which operated until it was sold in 2012. Under that sale transaction, Renewable World Energies was formed with ownership of 19 hydroelectric facilities. Those facilities produce approximately 70,000 MWh of clean renewable energy in a typical year and are located throughout the States of Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa and Illinois. Renewable World Energies LLC has its Corporate Headquarters in Neshkoro, WI and an Administrative Office in Norway, MI.

RWE continues to purchase and operate hydroelectric facilities throughout the Midwest. The knowledgeable, experienced professionals at RWE are dedicated to providing clean, reliable, safe and renewable hydroelectric power. RWE is family owned and operated and has employees with over 100 years of combined industry experience. RWE has redeveloped previous hydroelectric sites and rehabilitated original infrastructure turning non-productive assets into sustainable supplemental energy sources in many communities. With this base of expertise and high quality employees, RWE is positioned as a leader in hydropower production. Additional information is available at the company’s website at: http://www.renewableworldenergies.com

About Kiser Hydro LLC

Kiser Hydro LLC (KH), located in Norway, MI, was founded in the 1960’s by Joe and Jeff Kiser and was acquired by Bill Harris in 2004. KH is a union manufacturer and field service company specializing in the hydroelectric industry. KH has 72 full time employees, including 53 union members and 7 engineers. KH provides custom manufactured turbines, engineering and field services to most of the major public utilities operating hydroelectric power plants across the Mid-west and nationwide.

About the Geo Investors Renewable Infrastructure Fund I, LP

The Geo Investors Renewable Infrastructure Fund I, LP is a private investment partnership managed by Global Infrastructure Asset Management LLC. It was founded in 2010 by William Fitzgerald and Clay Norrbom and is headquartered in Chicago with an additional office in Madison, WI. The Geo Investors Fund focuses on direct investments in small to mid-sized renewable energy assets in the U.S. The fund has current investments in operating wind, biogas and small hydroelectric projects. Additional information is available at the fund’s website: http://geo-investors.com

For more information, contact:

Renewable World Energies, LLC and

Kiser Hydro LLC

Tom Berutti, EVP and CFO

Phone: (855) 994 9376 x101

Email: tom@rwehydro.com

Global Infrastructure Asset Management LLC
Clay Norrbom, Co-founder and Managing Director

Phone: (646) 379-1049

Email: clay@globalinfrastructurellc.com