U of Akron Tackles Fuel Cell Technology

John Davis

firste.pngFirstEnergy has awarded the University of Akron in Nothern Ohio $2 million for an advanced energy research center. The center will focus on researching carbon capturing and fuel cell technologies.

The fund will be used to create the FirstEnergy Advanced Energy Research Center at the University and support development of carbon capture and coal-based fuel cells.

FirstEnergy also has secured a $250,000 contribution to the fund from CONSOL Energy, one of the nation’s leading coal producers and a major fuel supplier to the electric power industry in the northeast United States.

The Advanced Energy Research Center initially will focus on development of carbon capture technologies that could be used by fossil-fueled power plants and the development of coal-based fuel cells for commercial use.

The University also plans to expand the center’s work over time to include development of new electric grid technologies needed for end-use efficiency, demand response, distributed generation, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and energy storage, as well as advanced generation technologies such as renewables, clean-coal and other low- or zero-emissions technologies.

Energy, Facilities, Research

Wind Energy Sets Record in 2007

John Davis

awea.jpgThe amount of energy in the U.S. produced from wind has had another record year in 2007.

This story on the Fox Business web site says figures from the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) show the trend is continuing up for the industry:

The AWEA estimates the industry will install a record 3,000 MW of new wind power capacity in 2007 — and for the first time produce enough total energy to supply more than 3 million American homes.

2007 was also a year of other important wind energy milestones. Texas surpassed California as the nation’s largest generator of wind power and conventional oil and gas companies BP and Shell expanded into renewable wind energy.

The US wind power generation business continued to be led by integrated utilities in 2007. According to statistics published by the AWEA, Florida Power and Light was the nation’s leading wind power developer in 2007 and Xcel Energy, the largest purchaser of wind generated power.

Wind

SF Mayor Highlights Green in Inaugural Address

John Davis

newsominaug.jpgSan Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom highlighted green energy, including biodiesel, solar, and wind, in his inaugural address.

Here’s an excerpt from that speech from the mayor’s web site:

The most important step we can take is to make this city carbon neutral. And that is exactly what we are going to do. Today I am pledging to make city government carbon neutral by the year 2020.

It is a daring challenge, but we will make it a reality by building on our pioneering initiatives – a carbon tax and a local carbon offset plan, a 100% biodiesel fleet, a landmark solar incentive program, a green collar jobs tax credit and innovative green building requirements.

And that is just the beginning. We are not just a beacon for the world – we are going to light this city with renewable power. We are aggressively advancing to expand local renewable energy generation – tidal, wave, solar, wind and geothermal.

As you might remember from my November 29th, 2007 post, more than 1,500 vehicles including buses, several fire engines, ambulances, and street sweepers (just to name a few) the city runs are now running on biodiesel, proving that San Francisco is putting its money where its green mouth is.

Biodiesel, Government, Solar, Wind

Daimler Joins Bayer & ADM to Study Jatropha Biodiesel

John Davis

daimadmbayer.jpgGerman carmaker Daimler will join with Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) and Bayer CropScience to look at the feasibility of jatropha-based biodiesel.

This story from Reuters says the trio will study the tropical plant’s properties and how best to grow it for biofuel production:

“Biodiesel derived from Jatropha nut kernels has properties similar to those of biofuels obtained from oilseed rapes. It is also characterised by a positive CO2 balance and can thus contribute to protecting the climate,” the companies said in a statement.

jatropha.jpgThe partners aim to develop production and quality standards for Jatropha-based biofuel. ADM runs several biodiesel refineries worldwide, while Bayer CropScience plans to develop herbicides, insecticides and fungicides for Jatropha plants.

Daimler has already finished a long-term study that showed jatropha can be made into biodiesel. This latest test will be to see how well the green fuel works in engines.

Biodiesel, Car Makers

Detroit Auto Show Featuring Green-Fueled Vehicles

John Davis

detroitautoshow.jpgThe 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit will feature vehicles using a variety of green fuels, including ethanol, biodiesel, hydrogen, and fuel cells.

This story from The Auto Channel says when the public comes in to the annual gathering on January 19th-27th, 2008, they’ll see more clean fuels more than ever before:

Going green is no longer a choice — it’s a competitive and legal necessity.

With the passage late last year of new federal fuel-economy guidelines for the year 2020, automakers from Detroit to Stuttgart to Tokyo are under unprecedented pressure to bring green vehicles into the mainstream U.S. market.

Executives at General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co., and Chrysler LLC appreciate that consumers are wary of the promises that Detroit’s Big Three automakers are totally engaged in the race to build environmentally friendly vehicles.

“We can’t keep telling people we are in the game — we have to show them,” said Susan Cischke, Ford’s senior vice president responsible for sustainability, environment and safety engineering. “But we have to have realistic expectations.”

Following up on last year’s show sensation, the Chevrolet Volt, GM is expected to unveil a Saturn version of its Opel Flextreme, a plug-in, electric drive compact designed to travel more than 30 miles while producing zero carbon-dioxide emissions.

“I’d like to buy an American car that runs on alternative fuel (or) that runs on electricity,” said Christian Volz, a small-car owner in Hollywood, Calif. “We were the forerunners of making cars in the first place, so why do we have to take a back seat now?”

Executives at the Detroit automakers understand the skepticism, but see the arena of alternative fuels as a wide-open and spirited competition that has energized their engineers and designers.

“I have been in this business since 1960 and I have never seen such a time of upheaval and change,” said Bob Lutz, GM’s vice chairman of global product development. “It is absolutely unbelievable what is going on right now.”

The story goes on to say that vehicles capable of using higher and higher percentages of ethanol and biodiesel will be some of the biggest highlights of the show.

Biodiesel, Car Makers, Ethanol, Hydrogen, News

SD Gov Calls for Tax Cut on Biodiesel

John Davis

rounds.jpgSouth Dakota Governor Mike Rounds is calling for a two-cents-a-gallon cut to the state’s motor fuel tax on biodiesel.

This story posted on the KMEG-TV (Sioux City, IA) web site says it’s a plan to encourage the production of biodiesel:

The governor announced the proposed tax cut today during his annual State of the State speech to open the 2008 session of the South Dakota Legislature.

The 2-cent-a-gallon cut in biodiesel would be the same as the tax break currently given to gasoline containing ethanol.

Rounds is also proposing some energy-saving measures for state government.

Biodiesel

McCain’s & Clinton’s Alternative Energy Stands

John Davis

Last week after Sen. Barack Obama and former Arkansas Mike Huckabee posted wins in the Iowa caucuses, I posted their renewable energy stances from their web sites. Now, as it looks like Sens. Hillary Clinton and John McCain have posted wins in their respective Democratic and Republican primaries in New Hampshire, I wanted to give you their stands on alternative energy.

hillaryclinton.jpgFrom Clinton’s campaign web site:

Hillary has a bold and comprehensive plan to address America’s energy and environmental challenges that will establish a green, efficient economy and create as many as five million new jobs.

Hillary’s plan to promote energy independence, address global warming, and transform our economy includes:

Aggressive action to transition our economy toward renewable energy sources, with renewables generating 25 percent of electricity by 2025 and with 60 billion gallons of home-grown biofuels available for cars and trucks by 2030

johnmccain1.jpgAnd from McCain’s web site (not quite as easy to find, but it’s there):

Alcohol fuels made from corn, sugar, switch grass and many other sources, fuel cells, biodiesel derived from waste products, natural gas, and other technologies are all promising and available alternatives to oil. I won’t support subsidizing every alternative or tariffs that restrict the healthy competition that stimulates innovation and lower costs. But I’ll encourage the development of infrastructure and market growth necessary for these products to compete, and let consumers choose the winners. I’ve never known an American entrepreneur worthy of the name who wouldn’t rather compete for sales than subsidies.

Once again, it’s early in the election process, and I encourage everyone to check out all of the candidates out there and find the one you think will make the best president, especially in their stances toward renewable fuels.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, News

Good News Network

Cindy Zimmerman

Good NewsNot all the news out there about ethanol is negative, even though it sometimes seems that way.

The Ethanol Promotion and Information Council has started a new e-newsletter to spread the good press that ethanol is getting.

The “Ethanol Good News Network” communication is sent out twice weekly on Monday and Friday afternoons. EPIC members are automatically subscribed.

EPIC, Ethanol, News

Giving the Gift of Biomass

John Davis

Masada Resource GroupAuburn University is getting new biomass pilot plant facilities. Masada Resource Group is donating the technology and facilities to the Alabama university.

Masada Resource Group, LLC, a Birmingham, Alabama firm specializing in municipal solid waste-to-ethanol technology, has announced that it has donated biomass pilot plant facilities and equipment the company recently purchased from the Tennessee Valley Authority to Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. Last March, Masada was chosen as the successful bidder to purchase TVA’s biomass plant facilities and equipment in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Masada submitted its bid to TVA as the leader of a collaborative effort by Auburn University and PureVision Technology, Inc. of Ft. Lupton, Colorado.

The TVA biomass facilities and equipment were used by Masada to conduct tests on the company’s proprietary waste-to-ethanol process systems, and key vendor equipment the company is using in the Orange Recycling and Ethanol Production Facility Masada is preparing to build in Middletown, New York.

Auburn University is the exclusive research and development partner of Masada. Working with the Alabama Center for Paper and Bioresource Engineering and the Department of Chemical Engineering, Masada continues to refine its patented CES OxyNol process and explore the next generation of transportation fuels.

Energy, Facilities, News

Ethanol Production Moves Full Steam Ahead

John Davis

AE&EThe latest technology for producing ethanol is getting steamy. Literally. A new patent means more environmentally-friendly production of ethanol.

Interstate Power and Light Company, a subsidiary of Alliant Energy Corporation, and AE&E – Von Roll, Inc., a technology provider of steam generating systems using renewable, waste and conventional fuels, have together patented(*) a technology application that helps ethanol plants run more efficiently, reduce emissions and improve their overall energy balance. FCStone Carbon, LLC has joined the patent owners to provide marketing and arrange financing options for ethanol producers interested in the technology.

Alliant EnergyThe patented process involves the way steam is produced for the ethanol manufacturing process. Using AE&E-Von Roll’s fluidized bed reactor technology, residue and byproducts of making ethanol are used as fuel to generate steam used in the plant. This process reduces the amount of natural gas needed by the whole plant by more than 50 percent while reducing emissions at the plant. This means lower operating costs and a better environmental impact.

As ethanol production has more than doubled in the past eight years, energy balance is a key issue. This technology will help producers reduce energy consumption while increasing the efficiencies of ethanol production.

Management says the new technology will offer more risk management and cost reduction for the ethanol industry.

Agribusiness, Energy, Ethanol, News, Production