OREGON BOUND?

TREASURY Holdings, the property and wind energy firm owned by Johnny Ronan and Richard Barrett, is rumoured to be poised to announce investments in wind farms in the US Pacific northwest.

Treasury Holdings' subsidiary Eco Wind Power has wind farms in Roscommon and Donegal with capacity to generate 19MW of electricity. It is developing a large wind farm off the Wicklow coast and has a partnership with Coillte to develop wind farms on state forestry land. Last year Treasury Holdings bought a 26% stake in Indian wind energy compay GI Power for an undisclosed amount.

Asked to confirm details of the investment, a spokesman for Treasury Holdings said, "it's too soon to talk about that".

WELSHMEN SAY ALGAE CAN SAVE THE WORLD

THREE Welsh fishing enthusiasts claim to have stumbled on a method to transform greenhouse gases into water vapour while trying to find a way of boosting algae growth for fish farmers.

Organic chemist Derek Palmer and engineers Ian Houston and John Jones have developed a 'Greenbox' which they say can be fixed under a car in place of the exhaust to trap carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. The gases are then fed to genetically-modi"ed algae which, when processed, can be turned into bio fuel. This biodiesel may be fed into a car's diesel engine and the emptied Greenbox reattached to the car.

The men have set up a company and said they are in contact with two Asian car makers.

PORTUGESE POWER FIRM CIRCLES BRAZIL

EDP-ENERGIAS de Portugal, the biggest electricity firm in Portugal, may buy ventures in Brazil as it tries to generate more power in Latin America's largest economy.

"Our priority is to grow in generation, " CEO Antonio Mexia said. "We are open to consolidation in the sector or to acquisitions that will give us a greater weight in generation."

Medium-sized hydropower plants of 200MW-400MW are its main interest, Mexia said. "The main challenge Brazil is facing is obtaining environmental permission to take advantage of hydropower."