Twenty teams have successfully navigated the first technology gate of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Wave Energy Prize to become official qualified teams. The 20 qualified teams, selected from the field of 92 official registered teams announced on July 6, will continue their quest to double the energy captured from ocean waves and win a prize purse totaling more …
Poll Finds Biodiesel Matters
A new poll commissioned by the Iowa Biodiesel Board finds that 76 percent of voters in Iowa widely support expanding the Renewable Fuel Standard to increase biodiesel use in the U.S. The poll comes out during the Iowa State Fair where presidential hopefuls are taking the Des Moines Register Soapbox and speaking to the crowd. The majority of voters surveyed …
Santorum, Sanders Miss Energy Boat, Chafee Pro Hydro
There are a lot of candidates vying to be the next president of the United States floating around the Iowa State Fair, but for being in Iowa, many are missing the boat on two very important issues to the state – energy and agriculture. This weekend, presidential candidates Rick Santorum, former U.S. Senator of Pennsylvania (Republican); Lincoln Chafee, former Governor …
Republicans Carson, Pataki on the Soapbox
Republican presidential hopefuls Dr. Ben Carson and former New York Governor George Pataki took the Des Moines Register Soapbox during the Iowa State Fair this weekend with a common message of reducing America’s debt. Dr. Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, focused much of his remarks on personal stories yet engaged the crowd with lessons learned. For example, he said, “The person …
RFA to EPA: Provide Consumers Relief at Pump
In light of a refinery shutdown of the BP plant in Whiting, Indiana that produces 240,000-barrels-per-day, the Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen is asking the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide consumers relief at the pump. Late last week, gas prices jumped an average of 80 cents per gallon overnight in several states including Illinois, Michigan Indiana, …
BioEnergy Bytes
Consumers Energy is moving forward with plans to add new sources of renewable energy in Michigan, launching its community solar program called Solar Gardens. Solar Gardens is the first program of its kind for Consumers Energy, and customers will be able to participate. Solar3D, a provider of solar power solutions and the developer of a proprietary high efficiency solar cell, …
API Releases “Flawed Study”
A new published study from the University of Michigan and funded by the American Petroleum Institute (API) finds that when using annual basis carbon (ABC) accounting, corn-ethanol is not better than its petroleum counterpart. ABC accounting uses spatially and temporally explicit analysis of the direct greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) exchanges between the atmosphere and a physical vehicle-fuel system. LCA is …
Jeb Bush Kicks off Fair Speech on Energy
Republican Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida and presidential hopeful, kicked off his time on the Presidential Soapbox promoting his support of renewable energy and agriculture. Florida has a huge agriculture community and is home to one of the first advanced cellulosic facilities, Ineos Bio located in Vera Beach, that began production in May of 2013. The plant uses wood, …
BioEnergy Bytes
Governor Charlie Baker and leaders from Bristol Community College (BCC) and its partners unveiled New England’s largest solar parking canopy to date, a 3.2 megawatt solar array covering 800-parking spaces on five acres of the College’s Fall River Campus. Built in partnership with the nonprofit energy-buying consortium PowerOptions and its solar partner SunEdison the solar array will generate more than …
Dems Webb & O’Malley Take the Soapbox
Democratic hopeful presidential candidates Jim Webb and Martin O’Malley both appeared on the Des Moines Register’s Presidential Soapbox yesterday afternoon speaking to hundreds of Iowans attending the Iowa State Fair. They have some fundamental issues in common, including both the need for better education and to bring the American dream, aka the economy, back to Americans. While Webb’s plans to …