Xcel Energy has accelerated its energy engine into utility markets across the US. The utility holding company distributes electricity to 3.4 million customers and natural gas to 1.9 million in eight states; Colorado and Minnesota account for the majority of its customers. Its regulated utilities -- Northern States Power, Public Service Company of Colorado, and Southwestern Public Service -- have more than 20,500 MW of primarily fossil-fueled generating capacity. Xcel also has 35,200 miles of natural gas transmission and distribution pipelines. Pushing green energy sources, in 2008 Xcel announced that it would develop solar-generated power plants in Colorado as part of its green energy initiative.

South East Water distributes water to some 2.1 million people in England's South East region. The company provides 565 million liters of drinking water daily. Its service territory includes Berkshire, Hampshire, Kent, Sussex, and Surrey, and its Dynamco unit provides engineering services for water companies. The company offers customers its E-metering service, an online application enabling customers to track and view the status of their water consumption; it also conducts water efficiency audits for its customers. In 2006 South East Water, formerly owned by Australia's Macquarie Bank, was bought by Hastings Diversified Utilities Fund, and Utilities Trust of Australia. It acquired Mid Kent Water in 2007.

Power and light give a lot of independence to people, and City of Independence Power & Light Department (commonly referred to as Independence Power & Light) makes sure that citizens of Independence, Missouri, have all the power and light they need. The municipal electric utility company generates, purchases, transmits, and distributes reliable and affordable electricity to more than 50,000 customers. The utility, which maintains 12 generating units, 13 major substations, and more than 650 miles of power lines, serves the entire City of Independence, with the exception of Lake City Arsenal.

Carbtrol doesn't care about your carbohydrate consumption; instead, the company works to protect the health of the environment. Carbtrol makes activated carbon filters for air and water treatment, along equipment used for groundwater remediation and soil vapor extraction. In addition, the company supplies treatment systems designed to allow golf courses and car washes to recycle water. Carbtrol was founded in 1983. The company's primary product in the early years was activated carbon systems. It expanded its product line to include engineered packages using air stripping, vapor extraction technologies, and ion exchange treatment.

Aquilex speaks softly and carries a big wrench. Through its operating subsidiaries, Aquilex Corporation provides maintenance, repair services and technical support to heavy industry worldwide. Customers include power generation facilities and other industrial plants, including cement, chemical, petrochemical, oil and natural gas processing, pulp and paper, metal refining, and steel manufacturing operations. The company was controlled by private equity firm Harvest Partners (which bought the company from First Reserve in 2007). In 2008 Harvest Partners sold the company to Teachers' Private Capital, the private investment arm of the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan.

Zephyr Environmental provides consulting, training, and data systems services relating to such areas as air quality, water quality, business protection programs, environmental health and safety, risk management, waste management, and regulatory tracking. The company has undertaken projects for clients in North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia/Pacific region. Customers have included oil and gas companies, as well as companies in the cement manufacturing, chemical, pharmaceutical, and semiconductor industries. Zephyr Environmental operates from offices in Texas (Austin and Houston) and in Maryland. It also maintains an office in Dubai.

Plambeck Neue Energien develops and operates renewable power wind farms in Germany and other European countries. The company has developed 74 wind farms in Germany. Plambeck developed its first wind farm -- Windpark Marschland -- in 1995. The company bought SSP Technology A/S, a maker of light and efficient rotor blades based in Denmark. Plambeck has sold its solar business in order to focus on its wind farm operations. In 2006 the company announced plans to join with Evelop to develop an 80-wind turbine offshore wind farm project, Gode Wind I, in Germany. In 2008 Plambeck established a subsidiary in the US.

United Air Specialists has ESP, and the company knows just when to cause static. The company's industrial air pollution control unit makes electrostatic precipitators (ESP) that electrify airborne particles and remove them from the air. United Air Specialists also makes commercial air-cleaning systems, including kitchen emissions systems. In addition, the company makes electrostatic fluid control and high-precision spraying equipment. The company's products are used in offices, hospitals, bars, schools, and industrial settings. United Air Specialists, founded in 1966, is part of the industrial and environmental filtration business unit of manufacturing group CLARCOR.

ReliOn relies on its ability to produce hydrogen fuel cells in order to make money. The company claims to be the world's leading developer and marketer of modular, cartridge-based, proton exchange membrane fuel cell technology. ReliOn markets a range of stationary fuel cells for emergency and back up power systems, uninterruptible power supplies, digital power needs and a range of off grid power requirements. The company has sold and installed more than 2 MW of products with private and public entities in the energy, telecommunications, and transportation segments. Investors include Avista, Enterprise Partners Venture Capital, and Wall Street Technology Partners.

Privatization is the light at the end of the tunnel for Companhia Energetica de Sao Paulo, one of Brazil's largest power generators. Known as CESP, the company is the largest generator of electricity used in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo. CESP's six hydroelectric facilities (57 generation units) have a capacity of more than 7,456 MW. It gets most of its revenues from distribution utilities. Sao Paulo state government-controlled CESP previously had 22 power plants, but it spun off two generating companies and a transmission company in 1999. The slimmer CESP was targeted for auction, but the state government postponed the sale. CESP is restructuring its debt and is focusing on operational efficiency.

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