NRG Energy & MGM Install Rooftop Solar System

Joanna Schroeder

NRG Energy, Inc. and MGM Resorts International have completed installation of what they believe is the world’s largest rooftop solar array on a convention center. Covering approximately 20 acres atop the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, the 6.4 MW photovoltaic array will produce enough electricity to power the equivalent of 1,000 average sized U.S. homes each year and is the …

Electricity, Renewable Energy, Solar

Propane – There’s an App for That

Joanna Schroeder

There is a new app for propane. The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) released a suite of cost calculator tools designed for customers in three of the industry’s fastest-growing markets: agriculture, commercial landscape, and on road fleets. The calculators estimate potential fuel savings and ROI when using propane as compared with conventional fuels such as gasoline and diesel. “One …

Alternative energy, Propane

BlueFire Renewables to Receive $270M

Joanna Schroeder

BlueFire Renewables has received a Letter of Intent from the Export Import Bank of China to provide up to $270 million in debt financing for its bioenergy project located in Fulton, Mississippi. As advanced bioenergy companies struggle with private financing, BlueFire said the the financing is “unprecedented” and significant for the U.S. market. “This is a significant feat, not just …

advanced biofuels, Company Announcement

Ansell Installs Biomass Boiler to Reduce Energy Costs

Joanna Schroeder

The Ansell factory complex in Biyagama, Sri Lanka has installed its second biomass boiler as part of company initiatives to be greener. The new boiler has a capacity of 12.5MW and will be the largest hot water boiler in Sri Lanka. Ansell Lanka already has a 10.5MW boiler installed at its premises, which reduced CO2 emissions by 11,000 MT per …

biomass, Carbon, energy efficiency, Environment, Renewable Energy

Study: Leasing Ups Interest in Residential Solar

Joanna Schroeder

A national poll by EnviroMedia finds that a large majority of Americans are definitely or somewhat interested in new solar leasing programs offering installation for little or no money down and a low monthly fee. “It’s no surprise we found 70 percent of Americans perceived ‘cost’ was a barrier to installing solar panels,” said EnviroMedia president and behavior change expert …

Electricity, Renewable Energy, Solar

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

Governor Cuomo has announced the New York Green Bank’s first tranche of deals, totaling $800 million in clean energy investments across the state. Rather than providing grants to stimulate clean energy investment, green banks use attractive interest rates and other incentives to leverage money from the private sector. The NY Green Bank’s initial investment of $200 million galvanized $600 million …

Bioenergy Bytes

Pacific Ag Bales Bundles of Energy

Joanna Schroeder

Last week Abengoa’s cellulosic ethanol biorefinery went online and is expected to produce 25 million gallons of advanced ethanol per year as well as 21 MW of bioenergy. But how exactly does the corn and wheat residue get from the fields to the biorefinery in a economical and efficient way? Enter Pacific Ag. The company was founded by Bill Levy …

advanced biofuels, Agribusiness, Audio, bioenergy, biomass, Cellulosic, Ethanol, Renewable Energy

Allison Details Abengoa’s Cellulosic Plant

Joanna Schroeder

Who better to learn about how Abengoa’s cellulosic ethanol plant works then from Plant Manager Danny Allison. He explained to the standing room only crowd during Abengoa’s grand opening celebration, how the state-of-the-art biorefinery will produce cellulosic ethanol, bioenergy and other byproducts including ash that farmers can use as organic fertilizer on their fields. Here is how the plant works: …

advanced biofuels, Audio, bioenergy, biomass, Cellulosic, Ethanol

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

EcoEngineers, a company that provides compliance and market access solutions to the renewable energy industry, is the winner of the 2014 Best Kept Secret Award, which spotlights a Des Moines, Iowa business that is quietly building a reputation for excellence on a national or global scale, but often flies under the radar locally due to the nature of the industry …

Bioenergy Bytes

Sierra Club Releases EV Finder Tool

Joanna Schroeder

Consumers interested in electric vehicles (EVs) now have a way to do their research. A new ‘pick-a-plug‘ web tool has been released by the Sierra Club. The app asks the user a few questions about driving habits and vehicle needs, and then generates a list of EVs that fit the bill. Sierra Club said there is no overall best EV …

Alternative Vehicles, Electric Vehicles