AgWired Gets a Facelift

Joanna Schroeder

When you visit the ZimmComm New Media websites dedicated to agriculture, you will see a new integrated AgWired brand Animal.AgWired.comand new website names to better serve the animal agriculture segment of the industry.

WorldDairyDiary.com will now be known as Animal.Agwired.com, which will offer news and information about all segments of livestock and poultry. “We regularly cover events such as the International Production and Processing Expo, World Pork Expo, and national beef cattle meetings, in addition to World Dairy Expo,” said ZimmComm president Chuck Zimmerman. “We wanted to consolidate all of our animal agriculture coverage into one site to make it easier for our readers to access.”

Precision.AgWired.comPrecisionPays.com is now Precision.Agwired.com and will continue to include the latest news and information about precision agriculture, conservation, biotechnology and more. “Both websites (PrecisionPays and WorldDairyDiary) will remain accessible under the old URLs,” explained Zimmerman. “But they will now also be prominently featured on the AgWired.com home page.”

In addition, the AgWired App for the iOS and Android store has also been innovated and users can now create the AgWired App on their mobile device themselves. To do this, just visit AgWired.com on your mobile device of choice and a popup will ask if you want to create a desktop icon. AgWired will then open with a click of the app in a very user-friendly format. Full instructions are included in an instructional video on YouTube.

The New AgWired.comAgWired.com is ZimmComm’s flagship agribusiness news and information site, started in August of 2004. WorldDairyDiary began the following year and Precision Pays was started in February 2007. “The new design will provide consistency in the look of ZimmComm’s major agricultural websites,” Zimmerman added. energy.agwired.com, started in September 2005, will also sport a new look consistent with the other sites, but will remain under its current name. So keep an eye out for a DF Facelift as well.

Other ZimmComm online services of interest include AgNewsWire.com dedicated to news release distribution and audio combined from all websites and available to all agricultural media.

Agribusiness, Company Announcement

DEINOVE & SUEZ Enter Into Waste to Ethanol Project

Joanna Schroeder

DEINOVE has entered into a collaborative agreement with SUEZ ENVIRONMENT Group to explore the potential for developing a new industrial sector for transforming urban organic waste into ethanol through the use of Deinococcus bacteria. The goal of the two-year agreement is to define the optimum conditions for producing ethanol on a per-industrious scale.

Today, organic waste is essentially recycled through composting and methanization. The abundant availability of this source of carbon, its cost and its composition, which is favorable to the growth of microorganisms, make it a realistic candidate for innovative recycling into molecules of industrial interest, including commodities, according to DEINOVE.

Deinoccoccus bacteria“With its amazing capacity for effectively degrading all types of biomass, Deinococcus creates value from waste that is little used today,” said Emmanuel Petiot, CEO of DEINOVE. “In cooperation with SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT, one of the world leaders in processing and recycling waste, we are expanding our potential markets and are contributing to the development of a real circular economy.”

During the past six months, DEINOVE has been working with SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT who has been providing various types of waste coming from its processing units. The results of this upstream research phase have confirmed that these substrates can be transformed into interesting molecules, including ethanol, by Deinococcus bacteria.

As a result of the R&D, the partners have decided to undertake a two-year collaborative extension of their DEINOL programme. The first phase will focus on optimizing the main stages of the process’ development including: choice of substrates supplied by SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT and pretreatment conditions; choice of a Deinococcus strain adapted to these substrates; and the definition of the conditions for fermentative production in order to achieve a satisfactory ethanol production rate in 20-L bioreactors.

advanced biofuels, enzymes, Ethanol, Waste-to-Energy

Maryland Energy Admin Releases Wind Energy Survey

Joanna Schroeder

The Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) has released a report detailing a high-resolution geophysical and oceanographic survey of the entire Maryland Wind Energy Area. The survey, focused on opportunities for offshore wind development, is believed by MEA to be the first by any state to map the seafloor geology of a complete Wind Energy Area. This information is critical to optimizing the siting, design and layout of an offshore wind project.

MEA Offshore Wind Energy AreaMEA contracted with Coastal Planning & Engineering to pilot the Scarlett Isabella along lines set 150 feet apart, over 1,500 nautical miles. The team gathered data characterizing the depth, seafloor conditions and seabed geology, as well as looking for submerged cultural resources such as shipwrecks.

MEA Director Abigail Ross Hopper said of the report launch, “MEA is excited to issue this groundbreaking report on our geophysical survey campaign. The data we are making available will reduce the risks and costs of offshore wind energy development, protect the marine environment, and contribute to our scientific understanding of the oceans off our coast.”

This report outlines the physical environment of the Wind Energy Area, including the composition of geological layers, the location and nature of hazards, and distribution of cultural resources. The project trained students at University of Maryland Eastern Shore to serve as federally certified Protected Species Observers on the mission, ensuring that marine mammals and other protected species were not impacted, while providing students with skills in high demand. Teams of scientists from University of Maryland Baltimore County deployed LIDAR, weather balloons and other tools to gather valuable data for refining power production and climate models of the Wind Energy Area.

offshore wind, Renewable Energy, Research

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFThe Maryland Energy Administration has announced that 25 organizations will receive $4 million in grants through the EmPOWER Maryland Commercial & Industrial Grant Program. The funding will assist in the development of sustainable energy business and manufacturing building projects in 12 counties throughout Maryland and will leverage an additional $16 million in capital improvements to their buildings. Each project selected includes includes energy efficiency measures aimed at a 20% electricity usage reduction in the structures or areas where they are installed.
  • This is the last week for Early Bird registration and to save up to 14 percent over standard online registration for the 43rd National Solar Conference being held July 6-10, 2014 in San Francisco. Click here for the event agenda and to register.
  • DEINOVE, a cleantech company that designs and develops a new generation of industrial processes based on the exploitation of Deinococcus bacteria, has announced the signing of a collaboration agreement with ABENGOA, one of the world’s leading bioethanol producer, with the support of Bpifrance. The agreement is concluded for up to 36 months and focuses on the development with its industrial partner of DEINOVE’s consolidated bioprocess (CBP) using Deinococcus bacterium selected by DEINOVE to digest and convert agricultural residues to ethanol at a competitive cost. Performances obtained with substrates supplied to DEINOVE by ABENGOA will be evaluated in order to set up a process that can be implemented, subject to adequate performance, in full-size factories.
  • According to U.S. Energy Information Administration’s new “Today in Energy,” total U.S. energy production reached 81.7 quadrillion British thermal units (quads) in 2013, enough to satisfy 84% of total U.S. energy demand, which totaled 97.5 quads. Natural gas was the largest domestically produced energy resource for the third year in a row and, together with the other fossil fuels (coal, crude oil, and hydrocarbon gas liquids), accounted for more than three quarters of U.S. energy production. In total, the United States consumed 97.5 quads of energy, 82% of which was fossil fuels. Renewable and nuclear energy made up 10% and 8%, respectively, of U.S. energy consumption.
Bioenergy Bytes

B Ready For B10 Biodiesel Workshops Coming to MN

John Davis

Cleanairchoicelogo2As Minnesota gets ready to become the first state in the nation to require a 10 percent blend of biodiesel, B10, the folks at the American Lung Association in Minnesota wants everyone to be properly prepared. That’s why they set up a series of free workshops, B Ready For B10.

What does this mean for you? To help diesel retailers, fleets, farmers, and others better understand the state requirements for diesel and biodiesel fuel and provide strategies for successful storage and use of biodiesel blends, the American Lung Association in Minnesota is hosting a series of workshops featuring Hoon Ge of MEG Corp. Special guest speakers may also include representatives from Weights & Measures and/or the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.

The workshops take place starting in Rochester and Mankato on Tuesday, June 10th; Saint Paul, Wednesday, June 11th; Duluth, Monday, June 23rd; International Falls and Grand Rapids, Tuesday, June 24th; Crookston, Wednesday, June 25th; Alexandria and Saint Cloud, Thursday, June 26th; and Lake Benton, Tuesday, July 22nd. Click here for times and more information.

Minnesota moves to B10 beginning July 1 until September 30 this year and from April 1 to September 30 starting next year. The rest of the year a 5 percent biodiesel blend is in place.

Biodiesel

Brazilian Beans Feeding Biodiesel Could be Good

John Davis

soybeans1Increased demand for soybeans in the U.S., driven in part by the biodiesel industry, is prompting some Brazilian imports of the feedstock. And while importing agricultural products normally covered by domestic producers usually is seen as a negative, this article from the Herald-Review in Decatur, Ill. says it could actually work in American farmers’ favor this time.

Irony? Travesty? Unthinkable for the United States to be importing Brazilian soybeans? Most people would agree to one of those. After all, traders at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange will likely devalue soybeans when the ships arrive in port and begin unloading. After all, it is a psychological thing.

But a different way of looking at it came last week from John Baize. Baize has been a long time consultant to the soybean industry about government treatment of soybeans and international issues affecting the soybean economy. He isn’t upset at all about the impor of Brazilian soybeans.

Baize looks at it as the perfect scenario for soybean economics. Scenario, not storm. According to his calculations, farmers sold their 2013 crop soybeans early in the marketing year at very high prices. He says we are short of soybeans now, and will be bringing soybeans into the United States from Brazil at much cheaper prices than what farmers sold their soybeans for. In his words, “It’s a good situation that I think we will see often in the future.”

This follows the basic economic theory buying low and selling high. Farmers were able to sell their beans for high prices, and now those beans are being replaced at lower prices. Keep an eye on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange to see if it agrees.

Biodiesel, International, Soybeans

South Africa Lights Up With 2 New Solar Projects

Joanna Schroeder

SunPower Corp. and AE-AMD Renewable Energy, a joint venture between the Spanish and the AMDA energía South African Alt-E Technologies, as well as its partners have completed two South African ground-mounted solar projects. The solar power systems are now feeding 33 megawatts (MW) into the grid. Both projects, which were constructed by SunPower, are located near Douglas, South Africa in the Northern Cape Province.

“The successful completion of these projects, on time, demonstrates what can be achieved with committed and professional partners,” said Piero Granelli, AE-AMD CEO. “The projects not only help SunPower Corp Herbert power plantto alleviate pressure on the country’s power supply, but also provide much needed support to the local communities over the lifetime of the plants.”

Herbert, a 22-MW project, and the 11-MW project Greefspan, were both part of the South African government’s Independent Power Producer Procurement Program. Combined, the solar projects cover more than 160 hectares, or 395 acres, of land and feature 138,000 solar photovoltaic panels on single-axis trackers. The trackers are programmed to follow the sun throughout the day, ensuring the maximum amount of power is being generated.

“With the completion of the Herbert and Greefspan projects, SunPower continues its track record of building highly efficient and reliable solar power plants around the globe,” said Howard Wenger, SunPower president, regions. “We’re now looking forward to continuing our efforts in South Africa as we prepare to begin work on an even larger solar power project in Prieska.”

Both systems are owned by AE-AMD Renewable Energy and its partners, including the IDEAS Fund, an infrastructure fund managed by Old Mutual Investment Group of South Africa. Electricity generated from the solar power projects will be sold to Eskom.

International, Renewable Energy, Solar

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFBloomberg is offering two new alerts for companies who will be most affected by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Clean Power Plan Proposal that is anticipated to lower carbon pollution by 30 percent by 2030. The two alerts include: BGOV First Word: EPA Power Plant Rule (designed to capture breaking news) and Energy: EPA Power Plant Rule (designed to track the issue). In addition, Bloomberg will host a webinar on June 4, 2014 “Analyzing EPA’s New GHG Rules for Power Plants,” to discuss the impact it will have on business.
  • SolarEdge Technologies is unveiling an expanded product portfolio. On display for the first time during Intersolar Europe in Munich, the company will showcase its smart energy management solution which reduces electricity costs by maximizing self-consumption. As part of its smart energy management solution, SolarEdge is launching a Feed-in Limitation feature that is integrated into the company’s inverter firmware. This feature dynamically adjusts PV power production, ensuring that power output to the grid does not exceed the pre-set limit, thus enabling larger installations and increasing the potential of PV self-consumption.
  • Intersolar Europe is taking place in Munich June 4-6, 2014 and according to Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI), German solar photovoltaic generation peaked at around 15 GW on May 11, 2014 – a record high that caused prices to sink briefly into the negative. Tobias Rothacher, renewable energies manager at GTAI, noted that balancing supply with demand in the grid presents operators with a significant challenge and leads to market price fluctuations. That is where storage solutions come into play, he notes and said storage will be a major topic at this year’s event.
  • Reshaping the European energy system could reduce energy expenditure by a range of €27 billion to €81 billion a year by 2030, according to a new study, “Forging a joint commitment to sustainable and cost-efficient energy transition in Europe,” carried out by Accenture for EURELECTRIC. The study shows that European expenditure on electricity and gas, the product of prices and the volumes consumed, has surged by more than 18 percent in recent years, from €450 billion in 2008 to €532 billion in 2012, with electricity accounting for most of this increase. Rising prices were almost solely responsible for the jump, driven largely by charges for renewables support, while the volumes consumed remained largely stable. Without a concerted effort by the industry, policymakers and consumers to more effectively manage the energy system, total energy expenditure could be 50 percent higher by 2030.
Bioenergy Bytes

American Ethanol Brings Troops to Tracks

Cindy Zimmerman

am-eth-troopsAmerican Ethanol “Troops to the Track” program welcomed members of the Armed Forces to the “Monster Mile” at Dover International Speedway this past weekend.

The program, which is administered by the Armed Forces Foundation, welcomed service members and their families from Dover Air Force Base (AFB) to the Sprint Cup Series race that was won by Jimmie Johnson on Sunday. American Ethanol partner Growth Energy is a supporter of the Armed Forces Foundation. Through the Fueling Our Forces program, Growth Energy raises more than $100,000 annually for the organization and programs that go to support this generation of servicemen and women.

“Support of our service members is a key goal for American Ethanol,” said Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis. “We recognize their sacrifice and work, and we will continue to expanded ethanol choices for consumers, which will take more of our troops out of harm’s way in the future.”

American Ethanol, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Growth Energy, NASCAR

EPA Officially Releases Clean Power Plan Proposal

Joanna Schroeder

In what could be an unprecedented move by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the agency has released a proposed plan to reduce carbon pollution from existing power plants by 30 percent nationwide below 2005 levels by 2030. The Clean Power Plan is the first proposed policy that would cut CO2 from existing power plants – the single largest source of carbon pollution in the U.S. Possible solutions to cutting carbon include integrating renewable power to the grid from sources such as geothermal, solar, wind and bioenergy (biomass or pellets derived from waste).

According to the EPA, power plants account for nearly one-third of all domestic greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Although there are current limits in place for the level of arsenic, mercury, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particle pollution that power plants can emit, there are currently no national limits on carbon pollution levels.

EPA Gina McCarthy“Climate change, fueled by carbon pollution, supercharges risks to our health, our economy, and our way of life,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. “EPA is delivering on a vital piece of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan by proposing a Clean Power Plan that will cut harmful carbon pollution from our largest source–power plants.”

“By leveraging cleaner energy sources and cutting energy waste, this plan will clean the air we breathe while helping slow climate change so we can leave a safe and healthy future for our kids. We don’t have to choose between a healthy economy and a healthy environment–our action will sharpen America’s competitive edge, spur innovation, and create jobs,” added McCarthy.

Building upon trends already underway to reduce GHG emissions (including carbon) in other industry sectors including the transportation sector (cars, planes, etc.) as well as working along side states who have already put carbon policies in place for their utility sectors, the goal is to create a nationwide plan to cut pollution while make power plants more energy efficient. In addition, the plan fits within the steps laid out in President Obama’s Climate Action Plan and his June 2013 Presidential Memorandum.

In 2009, the EPA determined that greenhouse gas pollution threatens Americans’ health and welfare by leading to long lasting changes in our climate that can have a range of negative effects on human health and the environment. By 2030, The Clean Power Plan specifically calls for:

  • Cutting carbon emission from the power sector by 30 percent nationwide below 2005 levels, which is equal to the emissions from powering more than half the homes in the United States for one year;
  • Cutting particle pollution, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide by more than 25 percent as a co-benefit;
  • Avoiding up to 6,600 premature deaths, up to 150,000 asthma attacks in children, and up to 490,000 missed work or school days—providing up to $93 billion in climate and public health benefits; and
  • Shrink electricity bills roughly 8 percent by increasing energy efficiency and reducing demand in the electricity system.

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Alternative energy, bioenergy, Carbon, Clean Energy, Clean Power Plan, Climate Change, energy efficiency, Environment