Biofuels eked out solar again this week, with California's Amyris Biotechnologies giving it all for the team, taking in $70 million.

San Francisco fuel from algae company Solazyme also made some cash, raising $5 million for its green slime system.

And while ethanol made a proud showing, with Dallas-based Southridge Enterprises securing $3.3 million, there's no stopping solar.

Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Solar Notion raised $10 million, Mill Valley, Calif.'s Solar Power Partners pulled in $6 million, and PrimeStar Solar, based in Golden, Colo., is getting a golden partner in GE Energy, which is taking a minority stake in the company.

Deals we saw this week:

• Amyris Biotechnologies, an Emeryville, Calif.-based startup that's developing hydrocarbon biofuels, pulled in $70 million in a Series B round. The funding was led by Duff Ackerman & Goodrich Ventures, with returning investors Khosla Ventures, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, and TPG Ventures. Amyris plans to use the cash to build a pilot plant. (see Cleantech.com's Amyris pulls in $70M for unique biofuel).
• Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Solar Notion raised $10 million in a Series A funding. The company's first round was led by hedge fund Third Point. The company said it is developing "disruptive technologies" to reduce the manufacturing cost of solar panels by over 500 percent, while achieving the efficiency and reliability of single crystal silicon solar panels.
• Solazyme, a San Francisco company developing biofuels and health products from algae, raised $5 million in debt from BlueCrest Capital Finance. In June, the company signed a feedstock development agreement to supply algal oil for Imperium Renewable's biodiesel production process.
• PrimeStar Solar, based in Golden, Colo., said GE Energy agreed to acquire a minority stake in the company. The amount of the investment was not disclosed. PrimeStar was formed in June 2006 to develop and commercialize thin-film photovoltaic modules. GE has said it would invest $1.5 billion annually in clean technologies by 2010.
• Los Angeles-based Pure Biofuels, which operates in the South American biofuel industry, raised $30 million in private financing. The funding consisted of a $10 million convertible note and a $20 million secured credit facility. The company said it plans to use the money to complete the construction of its 52.5 million gallon per year production facility in Peru.
• Amminex, a Danish developer of ammonia storage and delivery systems for cleaner emissions, raised €7 million in Series C funding. Conduit Ventures led the deal, joined by return backer Seed Capital KS. Amminex said the funding will be used to finance further testing on vehicles and to mature its prototypes for series production.
• Mill Valley, Calif.-based Solar Power Partners pulled in $6 million in Series A funding led by Globespan Capital Partners. Solar Power is a provider of commercial solar power purchase agreement solutions and is a developer, owner and operator of distributed solar energy facilities. The company said the cash will be used to expand business operations and accelerate sales and marketing of its PPA solutions in partnership with solar integrators in the U.S.
• Pentadyne Power of Chatsworth, Calif., raised $14 million led by Loudwater Investment Partners. Pentadyne makes clean energy storage systems using composite flywheel technology. The company said it plans to use the financing for company growth and product development. Pentadyne designs and manufactures its products at its factory in Los Angeles.
• Dallas-based Southridge Enterprises secured $3.3 million in financing for the development of an ethanol plant in Mississippi. Southridge would only say the funding was from a private investment firm. The company said its Quitman county plant will be able to produce up to 60 million gallons of ethanol per year. Southridge plans to break ground by the end of the year and begin production in 2008.
• Abraaj Capital sold its majority stake in Septech Holdings, a Sharjah, United Arab Emirates-based maker of water and wastewater-related systems. The buyer was Septch founder and CEO David Heffernan. No financial terms were disclosed, except that Abraaj reported a 39 percent internal rate of return over its three year holding period.
• Geysir Green Energy, an Iceland geothermal investment group, is in late stage talks to sell an 8.5 percent stake to Goldman Sachs and Time Warner executive Olafur Johann Olafsson for $30 million. Geysir has holdings in Iceland Drilling, Enex, Exorka International, Hitaveita Sudurnesja and Western GeoPower.

Browse previous deals here.

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