Franklin Orr Shares Optimism for Bioenergy

Joanna Schroeder

Dr. Franklin Orr, Under Secretary for Science and Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, provided the keynote address at the recent BioEnergy 2015 Conference which took place in Washington, D.C. In his role, Dr. Orr is the principal advisor to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary on clean energy technologies and science and energy research initiatives. “If there is any technology that …

Audio, conferences, Government

Sen Klobuchar: Time to Govern by Opportunity

Joanna Schroeder

Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) keynoted the opening session of the BioEnergy 2015: Opportunities in a Changing Energy Landscape conference in Washington, D.C. During her remarks, she noted it isn’t an easy time to be in Washington in terms of energy policy and the country has “lost opportunities” in energy policy since 9-11. Sen Klobuchar explained that in the summer of …

advanced biofuels, Audio, Clean Energy, Renewable Electricty Standard (RES), Renewable Energy, RFS

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

Solar 3D, Inc. has announced that its common shares were included in the Russell Microcap® Growth Index on June 26, 2015. Membership in the Russell Microcap Index, which remains in place for one year, means automatic inclusion in the appropriate growth and value style indexes. FTSE Russell determines membership for its equity indexes primarily by objective, market-capitalization rankings and style attributes. Less than …

Bioenergy Bytes

Neste Races Across America on One Tank

Joanna Schroeder

History was made over the past two weeks as X-Games and Rallycross champion Tanner Foust crossed the finish line in Santa Monica, California after traveling 2,507 miles at an average speed of 68 miles per gallon using only 37.6 gallons, or one tank, of NEXBTL renewable diesel fuel. The event was sponsored by Neste, the producer of the NEXBTL renewable …

advanced biofuels, Alternative Vehicles, Racing

Urban Air Initiative: Ethanol Reduces Engine Wear

Joanna Schroeder

The Urban Air Initiative (UAI) has released a study that finds ethanol free gasoline blends actually increase the wear and tear on engines including hoses, seals and fuel tanks. In other words, the data supports ethanol blends lead to cleaner engines. The findings were presented at the semi-annual meeting of ASTM by Steve Vander Griend, technical director for UAI who …

biofuels, Ethanol, Video

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association has launched a “Minnesota Biofuels Locator” app that enables iPhone users to find stations throughout the state that offer E15, E85 and blender pumps. In April, the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association launched the app for Android users. Talen Energy has announced an agreement to sell Talen Renewable Energy, LLC to funds managed by California-based Energy Power Partners. The …

Bioenergy Bytes

Martifer Solar Opens PV Plant in Belgium

Joanna Schroeder

Martifer Solar has completed the construction and connection of a 738.45 kWp PV system on the rooftop of the Decathlon building in Evere, Belgium for the company Orka NV. The company handled all aspects of the plant development and construction. According to Martifer, The building hosts the largest Decathlon store in Europe and currently stands as one of their largest …

Clean Energy, International, Solar

DOE Invests in Sorghum

Joanna Schroeder

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has committed to investing up to $30 million in sorghum research through the Transportation Energy Resources from Renewable Agriculture (TERRA) program. The TERRA program seeks to develop technologies that can increase the precision, accuracy and throughput of energy crops breeding. Doing so, said DOE, will enable more detailed measurements of phenotyping, plant physiology and …

advanced biofuels, Ethanol, Renewable Energy, sorghum

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

Finavera Wind Energy Inc. has closed the previously announced acquisition of Solar Alliance of America. Under the terms of the Share Purchase Agreement, Finavera has acquired 100% of the equity in Solar Alliance for 11,915,238 shares of the Company and contingent payments of up to $4 million USD in cash comprised of up to four installments of $1 million USD. …

Bioenergy Bytes

#NEO2015 Identifies Five Power Trends

Joanna Schroeder

Worldwide power generation will experience five trends over the next 25 years according to the New Energy Outlook 2015 published by Bloomberg New Energy Finance. The report is based on analysis country-by-country and technology-by-technology of electricity demand, costs of generation and structural changes in the electricity system. “NEO 2015 draws together all of BNEF’s best data and information on energy costs, …

Clean Energy, Electricity, Solar, Wind