Using the Sun to Save Sea Turtles

Joanna Schroeder

Researchers in Panama are using the sun to save sea turtles. A new state-of-the-art clean solar energy system, installed and designed by FTL Global Solutions, is helping Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) protect Leatherback hatchlingsendangered turtles at its new research station on Soropta Beach, Panama. The rugged solar system provides electricity for lighting, security, water and cooking needs as STC biologists work throughout the night protecting endangered leatherback turtles and their hatchlings at one of the most important nesting beaches for this species in the Atlantic.

Soropta Beach, a remote black-sand beach on Panama’s Caribbean coast, is home to a large nesting colony of leatherback sea turtles. Unfortunately, for years Soropta’s leatherbacks and their nests have been illegally harvested by poachers who kill the turtles for their meat and raid nests to steal the eggs. STC’s conservation program is helping prevent poaching by protecting nests, monitoring nesting activity, and building support for turtle conservation with the local community. The work takes place out of a rustic station, where the lack of electricity made the work extremely challenging – until now.

“The new solar energy system installed by FTL New FTL Solar Energy Panels Global Solutions is making our conservation efforts more effective and safe,” said STC executive director David Godfrey.

STC’s conservation efforts began in 2013 when it acquired an old farm house and began upgrading it to FTL Solar Energy Panels at STCaccommodate a year-round turtle protection program. Part of the upgrades included LED lighting designed not to disorient the turtles. STC then hired and trained local community members to assist with the research and conservation work. However, without a year-round conservation presence at Soropta, poachers would move back in and threaten the survival of the turtles.

“Acquiring solar energy at a remote place like STC Staff at the Soropta Station Soropta Beach could not have been done without the expert advice and assistance of FTL,” added Godfrey. “Their team guided us through the process; helped deliver the system to our remote station and even sent an expert to install the system and train our staff in its use and maintenance.”

The FTL solar energy system now provides critical power needs to the station’s various buildings where staff members live, work and eat. Running water is now supplied to a restroom and shower facility, and the station compound and dock now have security lighting in place.

Environment, Renewable Energy, Solar

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFThe June 25, 2014 episode of SOCAL CONNECTED (airing at 8:00 pm) will feature the tug-of-war drama between homeowners who are using using solar energy versus big utility companies. With a growing number of homeowners installing solar panels on their roofs, and a portion of them selling excess power back to the utility, many utility companies are fighting back (see this Sun Tax story as an example) and do not want to see the trend grow. However, the solar industry is fighting back to keep the sun shining for home-based solar power generation. In the show, journalist Derrick Shore looks at two contrasting views on the future of solar energy. SOCAL CONNECTED collaborated on this story with KCET’s ReWire columnist, Chris Clarke.
  • Governor Terry McAuliffe has appointed Jackson E. Reasor, President and CEO of Old Dominion Electric Cooperative to the Virginia Energy Council. Governor McAuliffe signed Executive Order #16 establishing the Council on June 4, 2014. The Virginia Energy Council will assist in the development and implementation of a cohesive, comprehensive, and aggressive energy strategy for Virginia. The 25 member council is also charged with working to update the Virginia Energy Plan and is expected to deliver recommendations to the General Assembly on October 1, 2014.
  • Intermolecular has announced that Dr. Bruce McWilliams has been appointed Chairman of the Board, taking over the chairman position from Tom Baruch. Mr. Baruch has served as chairman for almost eight years, and he will remain on the Intermolecular board as an active director.
  • Maryland Governor O’Malley’s Energy Advisor Abigail Ross Hopper has released the Resiliency Through Microgrids Task Force Report, charting a path forward for microgrid deployment in Maryland. The report is the result of four roundtable meetings with representatives from sister states, project developers, utilities, and non-profit think tanks, as well as ratepayer advocates, legal thought leaders, and others. The Task Force began with the hypothesis that microgrids serving individual customers in a campus style setting are now practicable in Maryland and looked to technology and regulatory solutions that can serve several customers across multiple properties. Additionally, this effort looked to develop public purpose microgrid policies as part of a long-range, holistic vision for the state.
Bioenergy Bytes

Researchers Look to Turn Fish Waste into Biodiesel

John Davis

dave1Researchers in Canada are looking at ways to turn waste from processing fish into biodiesel. This article from the Grand Falls-Windsor Advertiser says work by Dr. Deepika Dave, a research scientist with the Marine Institute (MI) of Memorial University, could create biodiesel from salmon waste while cleaning up the environment.

The processing of salmon generates large amounts of solid wastes, up to 45 to 50 percent of the body weight of the processed salmon.

Research from the DFA has revealed that 12 percent of salmon aquaculture production within the province is turned out as waste every year due to disease and other factors which includes mortality.

The province’s salmon industry generates an average of 6276 tonnes of processing discards and 1,712 tonnes of mortalities from which valuable oil can be recovered. The province has the potential to produce 1,600 tonnes of salmon oil that can be converted into approximately 1,520 tonnes of biodiesel.

Salmon waste management is an issue, which has the greatest impact on the environment, especially the marine environment.

The researchers hope that one day the process would help keep the salmon waste out of landfills and provide remote fishing communities with a source of clean fuel to run generators and marine vessels.

Biodiesel, Research

FFV’s, Ethanol Featured During FlexFuel Campaign

Joanna Schroeder

The second week of the Georgia Alternative Fuel Road Rally is underway as part of the FlexFuel Awareness Campaign, and one message of focus delivered by the ethanol and agriculture industries was that of the benefits of high level ethanol blends and flex fuel vehicles (FFvs). FFVs and ethanol blends are an option for private and government fleets, according to the Clean Fuels Foundation, one of the lead sponsors of the event. FFVs and ethanol can be very competitive among the family of legally defined alternative fuels.

Alternative Fuel Vehicle RoadshowDuring the Georgia events, Clean Fuels Executive Director Doug Durante gave a series of presentations and media interviews and took the opportunity to remind people that this is about clean air, consumer choice and energy independence. “With prices jumping once again as a result of instability in the middle east, we can fight back with domestic alternatives. In the case of flex fuels this is an easy, immediate choice we can make to take advantage of the 20 million FFVs in use by fleets and consumers,” said Durante.

The Alternative Fuel Road Show, now in its 4th year, is America’s largest clean fuel vehicle educational tour and is designed to reach fleet managers, civic leaders, and state legislators to help them make informed decisions about transitioning to clean, alternative transportation fuels. The 2014 Georgia Alternative Fuel Road Show kicked off at the Georgia International Convention Center in Atlanta with a media event and a workshop for fleet managers. The Show will roar through 8 cities in total in Georgia, all with media and workshop events.

Durante praised the efforts of the military to lead by example as the tour visited the massive Warner Robins Air Force base in Georgia which is aggressively using E85 on base. The FlexFuel vehicles are required to fill up on E85 and the staff has implemented several creative approaches to ensure they do so.

He also commended Georgia Public Service Commissioner Tim Echols who created the tour and attends every session. “Mr. Echols is equally supportive of natural gas and propane, electric vehicles, and E85 and is working to get more flex fuel pumps in the state. He drives a personal FFV running on E85 and is on a mission to reduce petroleum use in every way possible. We truly appreciate what he is doing for the state and the alternative fuels movement,” said Durante.

“As part of an ‘all of the above’ approach, this Road Show showcases all the alternative fuels, and they all have their strengths and advantages in a given situation. We are pleased to be part of this successful effort and make sure biofuels like ethanol are in the mix,” Durante concluded.

Durante also noted that many of the city and fleet managers they met with were very interested in getting a better understanding of the options that FlexFuel Vehicles provide, including being able to use any combination of gasoline ethanol blends.

Alternative Vehicles, biofuels, E85, Education, Ethanol, Flex Fuel Vehicles

Houston Man Charged with Biodiesel RINs Fraud

John Davis

scalesofjustice1The feds are continuing their crackdown on Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) fraud. This story from Bloomberg says a Houston man has been charged with selling more than $29 million in fake RINs to several oil companies.

Philip Joseph Rivkin sold about 45 million fake renewable identification numbers representing millions of gallons of non-existent biofuel to oil companies that were required to buy them under federal energy law, according to charging documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas June 19.

The charges, which represent a string of cases of alleged scams involving fake fuel credits, comes as an Environmental Protection Agency program designed to ensure their validity has yet to be finalized by the Obama administration.

According to the indictment, Rivkin operated and controlled several companies in the fuel and biodiesel industries, including Green Diesel LLC, Fuel Streamers Inc. and Petro Constructors LLC, all based in Houston.

Rivkin also was charged with fraudulent tax credit claims based on fictitious biodiesel production, making Clean Air Act false statements and money laundering, according to charging documents.

The EPA is still working on finalizing its rule for verification of RINs.

Biodiesel, RINS

Genera Partners with Tennessee on Biomass Project

John Davis

genera1An innovator on biomass feedstock supplies has teamed up with the University of Tennessee (UT) on a program to develop regional systems for the sustainable production of bioenergy. This Genera Energy news release says part of the company’s partnership on the Integrated Biomass Supply Systems (IBSS) with UT’s Center for Renewable Carbon program includes bringing on two summer interns from Auburn University: Alexus Brown, from Birmingham, Alabama, a senior majoring in ecological engineering, and Mary Catherine Rubisch, from Weaverville, North Carolina, a senior majoring in biosystems engineering.

The internship program is part of the Southeastern Partnership for Integrated Biomass Supply Systems (IBSS), which also includes North Carolina State University, the University of Georgia, ArborGen, Inc., and Ceres, Inc. IBSS is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), which focuses on developing regional systems for the sustainable production of bioenergy and biobased products. The goal of the IBSS Partnership is to demonstrate the production of advanced biofuels from sustainable sources of lignocellulosic biomass. The program focuses on perennial switchgrass, and short-rotation woody crops such as eucalyptus and pine.

“We are thrilled to welcome Alexus and Mary Catherine to Genera Energy this summer as part of the IBSS Partnership,” said Kelly Tiller, president and CEO of Genera Energy. “They have both come to East Tennessee eager to learn about innovative biomass feedstock supply chain solutions. The IBSS program is a key resource in training the next generation of biomass industry leaders in the Southeast.”

IBSS partners aim to find cost-efficient, effective ways to fulfill the supply and demand for biofuels, while minimizing and managing risk, and providing satisfactory return on investment for farmers, to meet the USDA’s goal of producing 22 billion gallons of biofuel, annually, by 2022.

biomass

Las Vegas & Gresham OR Win Climate Protection Award

Joanna Schroeder

The 82nd annual United States Conference of Mayors is underway in Dallas, Texas and Las Vegas, Nevada (NV) Mayor Carolyn Goodman and Gresham, Oregon (OR) Mayor Shane Bemis were awarded the 2014 Mayors’ Climate Protection Awards. The climate protection award is an initiative sponsored by The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) and Walmart, and recognizes mayors for innovative programs that increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. An independent panel of judges selected the winners from a pool of applicants.

“Mayor Goodman and Mayor Bemis are changing the energy future of their cities and the nation, showing how local innovation can offer solutions to our growing climate challenges,” said Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, president of The U.S. Conference of Mayors. “Mayoral leadership and successful local initiatives are a crucial part of our nation’s arsenal in combating climate-harming emissions.”

U.S. CONFERENCE OF MAYORS LOGOCindi Marsiglio, Walmart’s vice president of U.S. Manufacturing and Sourcing, added, “We are proud to join with the Conference in honoring these cities and their mayors for their leadership in curbing greenhouse gas emissions and improving the quality of life for their citizens,” said “These local initiatives cut energy use, clean the air, reduce emissions, and save money, all of which helps build stronger communities and a stronger economy.

Las Vegas, Nevada won for its net zero initiative in the Large City Category. The City of Las Vegas is challenging itself to become the nation’s first net-zero energy, water, and waste municipality. This net zero initiative has seen the construction of more than 1 million square feet of municipal green buildings. Additionally, more than 80 percent of the city’s 50,000 streetlights have been upgraded to LEDs. The city now has more than 5.25 Megawatts of solar photovoltaic at 30 facilities. These systems have reduced city energy consumption by approximately 15 percent, saving the city more than $1 million dollars annually. Comingled recycling at all city facilities has raised recycling rates to 55 percent, up from 20 percent five years ago. The city has reduced its municipal water consumption by 27 percent since 2008, through turf conversions, xeriscaping, and equipment installations throughout city facilities.

“We are proud of our net zero initiative and the progress we are making,” said Las Vegas Carolyn Goodman. “What is happening here in Las Vegas on energy innovation shouldn’t just stay here. All cities, as well as the nation, can benefit from net zero initiatives.”Read More

Clean Energy, Climate Change, energy efficiency, Environment

Green Power Purchases 20MW Georgia Solar Project

Joanna Schroeder

Silicon Ranch Circle Solar FarmGreen Power EMC, the renewable energy supplier for 38 Georgia Electric Membership Corporations (EMCs), has reached an agreement to purchase the full output of a new 20 megawatt (MW) solar project planned for construction in Hazlehurst, Georgia. The solar farm will cover nearly 135 acres, and feature 87,000 ground-mounted solar modules.

Under an agreement with owner-operator Silicon Ranch Corporation, Green Power EMC will receive all the energy produced by the solar project over a 25-year period. Construction is scheduled to begin this year, and the facility will be ready to produce electricity in late 2015.

Jeff Pratt, president of Green Power EMC, said the Hazlehurst project is the result of a request for proposals issued in late 2013 to add more solar energy to Green Power EMC’s portfolio. The company already purchases the output of two solar projects, a 115 kilowatt (kW) rooftop array near Athens, Ga. and a 150 kW ground-mounted array near Warner Robins, Ga. He said the project will nearly double the total renewable capacity of Green Power EMC – from the current 32 MW to about 52 MW.

“This is a major solar power addition, not only to our portfolio but also to the state of Georgia,” said Pratt. “The project moves us further down the road to becoming a much more sustainable state.” According to Pratt, the 20 MW project will produce enough electricity to serve about 3,000 EMC households.

Matt Kisber, president of Silicon Ranch Corporation, who also owns and operates Georgia’s largest solar farm in Social Circle, Georgia, said, “We are excited about the opportunity to partner with Green Power EMC and their members in deploying their first, large-scale solar array. I commend the leadership and membership of Green Power EMC for creating this initiative to provide competitively priced, renewable power solar generation to their Georgia membership.”

Renewable Energy, Solar

New England Coast Offshore Wind Leases Available

Joanna Schroeder

Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Acting Director Walter Cruickshank joined Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick to announce more than 742,000 acres offshore Massachusetts will be available for commercial wind energy leasing. The proposed area is the largest in federal waters and will nearly double the federal offshore acreage available for commercial-scale wind energy projects.

“Massachusetts is leading the way toward building a clean and sustainable energy future that creates jobs, cuts carbon pollution and develops domestic clean energy resources,” said Secretary Jewell. “Thanks to Governor Patrick’s vision and leadership, the competitive lease sale in Massachusetts will reflect the extensive and productive input from a number of important stakeholders. This includes interests such as commercial fishing, shipping, cultural, historical, environmental, and local communities to minimize conflicts and bring clarity and certainty to potential wind energy developers.”

Mass Wind Energy AreaThe Massachusetts Wind Energy Area is located approximately 12 miles offshore Massachusetts – from its northern boundary, the area extends 33 nautical miles southward and has an east/west extent of approximately 47 nautical miles. BOEM proposes to auction the Wind Energy Area as four leases.

“Today’s announcement is a momentous occasion and the culmination of years of cooperation and hard work between the Commonwealth and federal officials,” said Governor Patrick. “Through our investments and proactive planning, Massachusetts is poised to lead the charge in offshore wind energy development, with the economic and environmental benefits that come with it.”

The Interior’s is working to develop a sustainable offshore wind program through its ‘Smart from the Start’ wind energy initiative for the Atlantic Coast. To date, BOEM has awarded five commercial wind energy leases off the Atlantic coast: two non-competitive leases (Cape Wind in Nantucket Sound off Massachusetts and an area off Delaware) and three competitive leases (two offshore Massachusetts-Rhode Island and another offshore Virginia). The competitive lease sales have generated about $5.4 million in high bids for about 277,550 acres in federal waters. BOEM is expected to hold additional competitive auctions for Wind Energy Areas offshore Maryland and New Jersey later this year.

“The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has been working hand in hand with BOEM to foster responsible commercial wind development in federal waters off Massachusetts,” said BOEM Acting Director Cruickshank. “Members of the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Task Force have been great partners in our planning process for the Wind Energy Area and the Proposed Sale Notice.”

In response to the announcement, Conservation Law Foundation, who is working to advance responsibly sited offshore wind energy, said, “This is a meaningful leap forward for New England and the nation to seize the unparalleled renewable energy opportunity of offshore wind,” said Sue Reid, Vice President of Conservation Law Foundation and Director, CLF Massachusetts. “Because of the sheer scale of offshore wind energy’s potential, it has unmatched ability to displace the dirtiest and costliest energy generation on the grid. It is an essential building block of our clean energy future—one that can deliver wide-ranging environmental and public health benefits while boosting our regional economy.”

offshore wind, Renewable Energy, Wind

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFOak Ridge National Laboratory will be home to two Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) announced by U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. The Department of Energy awarded a total of $100 million to 32 EFRC projects to accelerate the scientific breakthroughs needed to build the 21st-century energy economy. The two ORNL EFRCs are a renewal of the Fluid Interface Reactions, Structures and Transport (FIRST) Center, which is led by David Wesolowski, and a new award to the Energy Dissipation to Defect Evolution (EDDE) Center, led by Yanwen Zhang.
  • A decades-long partnership between Sandia National Laboratories and the Norwegian research organization SINTEF (Stiftelsen for industriell og teknisk forskning) will now tackle energy challenges such as renewable energy integration, electric grid modernization, gas technologies and algae-based biofuels, under an expanded agreement. The goal of the collaboration is to investigate various technical areas from an international perspective. The agreement enables the organizations to undertake joint research, seek new funding opportunities and establish multidisciplinary partnerships. Both research organizations are known for groundbreaking work in energy research.
  • Clean energy campaign Operation Free criticized three anti-clean energy amendments to the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2015 (H.R. 4870). The amendments were introduced by Rep. Mike Conaway (R-TX), Rep. Bill Flores (R-TX), and Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA), respectively. “If adopted, these amendments would irreparably harm DoD’s investments in clean energy and energy efficiency,” said Michael Breen, leader of Operation Free. “The Department of Defense needs the freedom to continue to address this vital strategic objective – without unnecessary hindrances from Congress. As the largest institutional consumer of fuel in the world, the U.S. military is dangerously vulnerable to the volatile global oil market. Domestically-produced renewable options improve American energy security, help supply our military around the world, and grow the economy here at home.”
  • A new “drop-in” aviation biofuel called farnesane, which is made from plant sugars, has now been approved for use in commercial jets by ASTM. It can now be blended up to 10 percent with conventional petroleum jet fuel (Jet A/A1). Some facts: Farnesane, which is made from plant sugars, is the third type of biofuel approved for use by airlines and other stakeholders in the commercial aviation industry. When produced sustainably, aviation biofuel reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 50 to 80 percent compared to petroleum Jet A/A1 through its lifecycle. The newly approved biofuel is made with a process called “direct fermentation of sugar” using an advanced biotechnology developed by California-based Amyris, Inc. and with support from TOTAL, S.A., the French oil company.
Bioenergy Bytes