Oil Prices Have Greatest Impact on Renewables

John Davis

e32007.jpgA survey conducted at the recent University of Minnesota’s E3 2007 Conference: The Midwest’s Premier Energy, Economic and Environmental Conference says attendees believe oil prices will be the primary driver of sustainable energy development and commercialization in the Midwest.

The survey was conducted by Millenium Research, Inc. asking the opinions of the more than 400 experts, representing research, government, business, and nonprofit sectors, who attended the conference.

millenniumresearch.jpgForty percent of the attendees surveyed believe oil prices will be the primary driver of sustainable energy development and commercialization.

The survey shows that attendees were almost evenly split on two additional drivers: Government mandates (36 percent) and profitability of alternative/renewable energy production (35 percent). Rounding out the data, 29 percent believe government incentives and public demand for renewable energy sources will be the main driver.

Nearly one-quarter of attendees believe that cellulosic bio-fuels will be the next big development in sustainable energy, while an additional 16% believe that solar technology has the most potential. One in ten think sustainable energy will become more efficient to produce, and 8% believe that algae to energy has the most potential for reducing fossil fuel consumption.

The University of Minnesota’s Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment (IREE), a public/private partnership designed to promote sustainable energy in Minnesota, presented this year’s conference. IREE has supported 135 renewable energy projects since its inception in 2003.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, News

DOE to Capture CO2 from Coal Power Plants

John Davis

Powerspan Corp.Powerspan Corp has unleashed new technology to capture carbon dioxide from coal-fueled power plants. Powerspan, a clean energy technology company, owns the exclusive rights to this breakthrough in coal-based energy production.

Powerspan Corp. has exclusively licensed a patent to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from conventional coal-fueled electric power plants. Patented by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), the post-combustion, regenerative process uses an ammonia- based solution to capture CO2 from flue gas and release it in a form that is ready for safe transportation and permanent geological storage.

Recently, Powerspan and NRG Energy, Inc., (NRG) announced a memorandum of understanding to demonstrate at commercial scale the CO2 capture process at NRG’s WA Parish plant near Sugar Land, Texas. The demonstration is expected to be operational in 2012 and will be conducted on flue gas equivalent in quantity to that which is released from a 125 megawatt unit (approximately one million tons of CO2 to be captured annually).

The CO2 capture takes place after the NOx, SO2, mercury, and fine particulate matter are captured. Once the CO2 is captured, the ammonia-based solution is regenerated to release the CO2 in a form that renders it ready for geological storage. The ammonia solution is recovered and sent back through the scrubbing process. Ammonia is not consumed in the CO2 scrubbing process, and no separate by-product is created. The process can be applied to both existing and new coal-fueled power plants and is particularly advantageous for sites where ammonia-based scrubbing of power plant emissions is employed.

Powerspan and NRG plan to demonstrate a commercial scale CO2 capture by 2012.

Energy, Research

Energy in the Farm Bill

Cindy Zimmerman

ChamblissThe Food and Energy Security Act of 2007 passed by the Senate last week includes increased funding for alternative energy sources.

“I’m particularly excited about the energy title,” said Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), ranking Republican on the Senate Ag Committee. “The energy title gives farmers in my part of the country an opportunity to participate in alternative energy, ethanol and biodiesel, like we’ve never had before.”

The energy title provides investments in farm-based energy by creating initiatives with financial incentives to help farmers transition into biomass crops, and supports the construction of biorefineries from cellulose ethanol with a loan guarantee program that will provide up to 80 percent of total project cost with a loan cap of $250 million. The bill expands markets for biobased products, and invests in farm-based energy R&D, and in helping farmers, ranchers and rural small businesses move to renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Biodiesel, Energy, Ethanol, Legislation, News

Pioneer Joins Iowa Corn Indy

Cindy Zimmerman

Iowa Corn IndyPioneer Hi-Bred has teamed up with the Iowa Corn Promotion Board and Corn Growers Association to sponsor the Iowa Corn Indy 250 in 2008 and 2009.

Pioneer“We are excited about the opportunity to help showcase the advances being made in biofuels and the role they can play in the effort to reduce our nation’s reliance on petroleum,” said Paul Schickler, Pioneer president and DuPont vice president and general manager.

The Pioneer commitment is one part of a three-part strategy by DuPont to deliver new technologies to the growing biofuels market while continuing to meet growing demand for grain corn, soybeans and other crops. The strategy includes: improving the yield of grain ethanol production through the research and technology expertise of Pioneer; developing technologies to convert cellulosic feedstocks into biofuels; and discovering new technologies to make improved biofuels with enhanced fuel properties such as biobutanol.

Ethanol, Indy Racing, News

Ethanol on Ice

Cindy Zimmerman

E95 ZamboniA new message accompanies the ice resurfacing machine at University of Minnesota hockey games. The new “E85 Zamboni” debuted this month during a game between the Gopher Men and the University of Alaska-Anchorage.

“The message is as “black and white” as we can make it. We hope you agree,” said Tim Gerlach of the Minnesota E85 Team. “This consumer education project was made possible with support from the Minnesota E85 Team, for which we are grateful. Thank you, also, to Portage Marketing for their assistance.”

The Minnesota E85 Team consists of the American Lung Association of Minnesota, Minnesota Corn Growers Association, Minnesota Department of Commerce, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition, Clean Cities and General Motors.

See more E85 Zamboni pictures here.

E85, Ethanol, News

Educating NC about FFVs

Cindy Zimmerman

NEVC NCThe National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition, along with General Motors, CleanFUEL Distribution and Clean Fuel Advanced Technology, traveled the state of North Carolina this month in an effort to educate retailers and marketers regarding the potential of E85 and flexible fuel vehicles.

“The event allowed North Carolina gasoline marketers the chance to learn more about E85 and the use of alternative fuels for the almost 140,000 FFVs in the state,” noted NEVC Deputy Director Michelle Kautz. “We would like to thank GM, CleanFUEL Distribution and CFAT for the opportunity to present on the national perspective.”

E85, Ethanol, Flex Fuel Vehicles, News

Philly Area Moms Help Buses Fuel with Biodiesel

John Davis

krapfschoolbus.jpgAbout 55,000 students in the Philadelphia area will be riding to school on more than 500 buses fueled with biodiesel starting next year.

This story in the Philadelphia Inquirer says the enironmentally-friendly fuel is being brought to buses in the Coatesville Area, Downingtown Area, Kennett Consolidated and West Chester Area School Districts thanks to help from a local organization:

The switch was made possible in large part due to the efforts of Moms for the Future, a local grassroots organization; the Energy Cooperative, a nonprofit, member-owned energy supplier; and Krapf Bus Companies. A $300,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection didn’t hurt, either.

momsforfuture3.gifDiane Herrin, a West Chester mother of two, founded Moms for the Future with a few other mothers as an advocacy group. Environmental issues top the group’s docket at the moment.

Herrin explained that in addition to environmental advantages, biodiesel has economic advantages, despite a higher cost, as a domestic energy source as opposed to foreign oil.

“And what better way to show that we can have a really sustainable future than to work through our schools?” Herrin said.

The only drawback to using biodiesel is the higher cost for the green fuel. That’s where Moms for the Future, the Energy Cooperative, and Krapf Bus Service, which serves the area, came in. They helped the districts win a $300,000 state grant that will cover the extra cost for the biodiesel over the next two years.

Biodiesel

National Wind Expanding South Dakota Investment

John Davis

nationalwind.jpgNational Wind, LLC, a leader in large-scale community-owned wind power projects is getting a boost in its capital from South Dakota-based Harmony Equity Income Fund.

This National Wind press release says the unspecified amount will be sunk back in to community wind projects in South Dakota:

“This investment allows us to devote a significant amount of our resources to promote community-owned wind projects in South Dakota,” says Leon Steinberg, CEO of National Wind. “We expect to launch several sizable South Dakota wind projects in the near future. Our projects allow the community to retain most of the economic benefit, with a higher probability of overall success than traditional developer-owned projects.”

“We chose to invest in National Wind because it is a high-growth company with a unique business model that can capitalize on South Dakota’s wind potential,” says Gene McGowan, President of Harmony Equity Income Fund and McGowan Capital Group. “National Wind’s valuable business model creates a win-win situation, allowing community wind farm profits to stay in our state, helping both the environment and the local economy.”

It’s estimated that South Dakota has the potential to generate half of the nation’s electrical needs with most of that capacity remaining untapped at this point.

National Wind has two community-based large wind projects in the works announced in just the last six months: a 300-megawatt development in Minnesota, called High Country Energy, LLC, and a 280-megawatt development in North Dakota, called M-Power, LLC.

Wind

Corn Myths Exposed

Cindy Zimmerman

Corn MythsAs part of its campaign to educate consumers and the news media, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) has developed a one-page document responding to the top 10 myths about corn production and ethanol production.

The document addresses such myths as:
Ethanol is bad for your car’s engine, ethanol is not energy efficient, corn and ethanol production waste water, increased corn acreage squeezes out other crops or natural open space, and that ethanol is bad for the environment.

The Top Ten Corn and Ethanol Myths publication is available on-line.

corn, Ethanol, News

NBB Praises Energy Bill Passage

John Davis

nbb-logo.jpgThe National Biodiesel Board is applauding the U.S. Senate’s passage of the Energy Bill… especially the section of the bill that expands the Renewable Fuels Standard:

The expanded RFS requires a specific renewable requirement for diesel fuel that will be met by biodiesel and other renewable biomass-based diesel fuels. Increasing the minimum renewable requirement in the diesel pool from 500 million gallons in 2009 to 1 billion gallons in 2012 will create a stable, viable domestic market for biodiesel. In addition, the fuel labeling requirements in the bill will promote consumer confidence in renewable fuels and help ensure that only quality fuels are entered into commerce.
joe-jobethumbnail2.jpg
“Passage of H.R. 6 is a significant achievement that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil and increase the use of clean-burning, domestically produced biodiesel,” said NBB CEO Joe Jobe. “The biodiesel industry stands ready to meet the aggressive renewable goals provided for in this bill.”

The bill goes back to the U.S. House for final approval before being sent to the president.

Biodiesel, Government, Legislation