ACE Thanks Motorclubs’ Endorsement of E15

Joanna Schroeder

Gene Hammond and Mark Muncey, co-owners of Travelers Motor Club and Association Motor Club Marketing have endorsed E15 (15 percent ethanol and 85 percent petroleum in motor gasoline). American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) Senior Vice President Ron Lamberty thanked the motorclubs, who have members in all 50 states, for setting the record straight on E15. Hammond, who has worked in …

ACE, automotive, biofuels, E15

Renewables Continue to Gain Ground

Joanna Schroeder

Renewables continue to gain ground according to the latest “Energy Infrastructure Update” report renewable energy sources including biomass, geothermal, hydropower, solar and wind, account for more than 40.61 percent of all new U.S. electrical generating capacity installed during the first nine months of 2014. Only natural gas provided more new generating capacity. The report was published by the Federal Energy …

biomass, Electricity, Geothermal, Hydro, Natural Gas, Renewable Energy, Solar, Wind

SEIA Launches Campaign to Extend Solar Tax Credits

Joanna Schroeder

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has launched a national campaign designed to get Congress to extend the 30 percent solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) beyond 2016. The campaign focuses on ‘tax fairness’. SEIA President and CEO Rhone Resch announced the campaign during the opening session of Solar Power International (SPI). The campaign will begin in full stream in 2015, …

Electricity, politics, Renewable Energy, Solar

EU Leaders Lack Climate & Energy Leadership

Joanna Schroeder

According to several organizations, although European Union Heads of State agreed upon a climate and energy framework, it fails to provide industrial leadership for Europe. Both Ocean Energy Europe (OEE) and the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) criticized the plan. OEE said the new greenhouse gas emission targets, renewable energy and energy efficiency will do little to capitalize on the …

Climate Change, Electricity, International, ocean energy, offshore wind, Renewable Energy, Wind

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

ICM, Inc. has announced that the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana issued a sealed order on October 23, 2014 holding all asserted GS CleanTech’s corn oil separation patents invalid and not infringed. Magic Dirt, an organic peat moss replacement and byproduct of DVO’s anaerobic digestion (AD) process, won the 2014 Bioproduct Innovation of the Year …

Bioenergy Bytes

Patriot Renewable Fuels Signs Cellulosic Deal

Joanna Schroeder

Patriot Renewable Fuels has signed a Professional Services Agreement to install ICM’s Fiber Seperation Technology (FST) as well as their Generation 1.5 Grain Fiber to Cellulosic Ethanol Technology (Gen 1.5) for its biorefinery. According to Gene Griffith, Patriot’s CEO says they are considering beginning construction in February 2015 upon board approval. According to ICM, FST is a value-added technology that …

advanced biofuels, Cellulosic, corn, Patriot Renewable Fuels

CEC Funds Geyser Study

Joanna Schroeder

The California Energy Commission (CEC) has awarded a $3 million grant to Calpine Corporation’s subsidiary Geyers Power Company for their “Advancing Utility-Scale Clean Energy” proposal. The grant will be matched by Calpine. The focus of the study is to determine how The Geysers may be modified to improve flexibility and address greater demands on the grid due to intermittent renewables. …

Electricity, Geothermal, Renewable Energy

Boeing, COMAC to Open Biojet Demo Facility

Joanna Schroeder

Boeing and Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC) have opened a demonstration facility that will produce aviation biofuels from used cooking oil or “gutter oil” as it is called in China. The companies estimate gutter oil could produce 500 million gallons (1.8 billion liters) of aviation biofuels each year. “Strong and continuing teamwork between Boeing and COMAC is helping our …

advanced biofuels, aviation biofuels, biojet fuel

Oil Barons Polluting Iowa’s Airwaves

Joanna Schroeder

Americans United for Change (AUC) is saying Iowa has become the latest victim of a Big Oil spill. According to the organization it was reported that Koch brothers-affiliated Super PAC is saturating Iowa’s airwaves with a dishonest attack ad on Iowa Senate hopeful Joni Ernt’s behalf. In the words of Americans United, “Call it a friend doing a friend a …

Americans United for Change, biofuels, Ethanol, RFS

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) approved an USD 12.7 million African Development Fund partial risk guarantee for the 105 MW Menengai Independent Power Producers project. The global Menengai project will exploit a portion of Kenya’s geothermal potential to provide power to about 500,000 households and 300,000 businesses. Ground has been broken for a the $10 …

Bioenergy Bytes