Despite Record Offshore Wind Projects, Industry Slows

Joanna Schroeder

Despite record offshore wind energy projects coming online in 2013, a recent report shows that new projects have slowed. Last year, 418 offshore turbines came online in Europe making a record 1,567 Megawatts (MW) of new capacity. This is one-third more than the capacity installed in 2012. This makes a new total of 6,562 MW of offshore wind power – …

Alternative energy, Electricity, offshore wind, Wind

Greenercars.org Releases Environmental Ratings

Joanna Schroeder

Greenercars.org has released its 17th annual 2014 Environmental Scores with the Smart ForTwo Electric Drive topping the list with the hightest-ever score of 59 out of 100. The vehicle will be rolled out nationally this year. The GreenerCars initiative is part of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). The next two “greenest” cars were the Toyota Prius C …

Alternative Vehicles, automotive, Electric Vehicles, Environment, Natural Gas

Iowa RFA President Steve Bleyl Seeks Advocates

Joanna Schroeder

The new Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (Iowa RFA) President Steve Bleyl is seeking advocates for biofuels. While giving his remarks to kick off the 8th Annual Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit held in Altoona, Iowa, he had people who were driving flex-fuel vehicles, using E15 or mid-level ethanol blends and driving biodiesel vehicles stand up. Most of the 600 plus attendees …

Audio, Biodiesel, biofuels, E15, E85, Ethanol, Iowa RFA

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

The Clean Energy States Alliance has released a new report titled “Potential RPS Markets for Renewable Energy Generators“. The report, written by Ed Holt of Ed Holt & Associates, provides information regarding where a renewable energy generator in a particular state or Canadian province can possibly sell its renewable energy certificates in order to meet the demand created by a …

Bioenergy Bytes

Animal Fat-to-Biodiesel Plant Going Into Saudi Arabia

John Davis

A Portuguese company will be building a 40,000 MT/year (about 12 million gallons) biodiesel plant in the Middle East. Engineering company IncBio, which specializes in state-of-the-art fully automated industrial ultrasonic biodiesel plants, announced the deal with Saudi Arabia’s Bio Renewable Energy Factory. It will incorporate IncBio’s ultrasonic technology to produce Biodiesel from animal fats collected from rendering plants in the …

Biodiesel, International

School Teaching About Energy with Biodiesel Maker

John Davis

A school in Mississippi has chosen a biodiesel maker from a company in Florida to teach its students about renewable energy. This news release from Florida Biodiesel, Inc. says it sold a B-60 Biodiesel Processor made by 70centsagallon.com to Oxford High School, Miss. The Biodiesel production equipment will be used to demonstrate Green Fuel technology for on-campus activities. Oxford High …

Biodiesel

First Magma-Enhanced Geothermal System Created

Joanna Schroeder

During the Icelandic Deep Drilling (IDDP) project that began in 2009, a borehole drilled at Krafla in northeast Iceland unexpectedly hit magma at 2100 meters with a temperature of 900-1000 Celsius. This borehole was the first of several wells being drilled in search of high-temperature geothermal resources. Fast forward four years later and the efforts of the IDDP project were …

Alternative energy, Electricity, Geothermal

Economic Impact Study Released During IRFA Summit

Joanna Schroeder

A new economic impact study was released this week during the 8th Annual Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit hosted by the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (Iowa RFA). The study was conducted by ABF Economics economist John Urbanchuk highlighting the impact of the renewable fuels industry on Iowa’s economy. During 2013, spending on new cellulosic plant construction and research and development offset …

advanced biofuels, Biodiesel, EPA, Ethanol, Iowa RFA, RFS

Study Finds U.S. Solar Jobs Grew 20% in 2013

Joanna Schroeder

The Solar Foundation (TSF) has released its fourth annual National Solar Jobs Census, which found that the U.S. solar industry employed 142,698 Americans in 2013. This figure includes the addition of 23,682 solar jobs over the previous year, representing a 19.9 percent growth in employment since September 2012. Solar employment grew 10 times faster than the national average employment growth …

Alternative energy, Clean Energy, Electricity, Solar

Biodiesel Giant Fuels Biggest Game of the Year

John Davis

This weekend a Midwest biodiesel giant will fuel the biggest game of the year – the Super Bowl. Iowa-based Renewable Energy Group, Inc. says it will provide up to 15,000 gallons of biodiesel blends from B5 to B20 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey during Super Bowl XLVIII on Sunday, as well as powering more than 18 generators …

Biodiesel, REG