United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim have announced a concerted effort by governments, international agencies, civil society and private sector to mobilize financing to deliver universal access to modern energy services such as lighting, clean cooking solutions, and power for productive uses in developing countries, as well as scaled-up energy efficiency, especially …
Alliant Energy Cuts Energy Efficiency Goals
The Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) today approved Alliant Energy’s plan to scale back energy efficiency goals at the same time the utility is pursuing a new $920 million plant in Marshalltown, Iowa. According to the Environmental Law & Policy Center Alliant is punting on a chance to lead on energy efficiency and ensuring the utility’s Iowa customers will pay higher …
BioEnergy Bytes
The benefits of energy efficiency have been largely out of reach for many of the more than 20 million U.S. families living in apartment or condo buildings that are often underserved by energy efficiency programs. A new report, Apartment Hunters: Programs Searching for Energy Savings in Multifamily Buildings, released by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), offers advice …
EPA RFS Proposal: A Slap in the Face of Vets
Darrell Rakestraw joined the military in 1982. A local boy who grew up on a centennial farm near Annawan, Illinois, he served his country in the army for nearly 20 years before retiring and moving back home with his family. During the time he was stationed in Germany, he came home on leave and heard everyone talking about how America …
Book Review – Ruminations on the Distortion of Oil
I recently finished reading the book, “Ruminations on the Distortion of Oil Prices & Crony Capitalism,” by Raymond J. Learsy. The book was a historical review of his writings dealing with Big Oil and why oil prices are so high. In other words, “an overview of…our enslavement to oil and the money inextricably tied to it.” A former commodity trader, …
Nominate A Great Fuel Retailer Today
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey is encouraging Iowa fuel retailers and gas stations to submit nominations for the Secretary’s Renewable Fuels Marketing Awards, which recognize fuel retailers that have gone above and beyond in their efforts to sell renewable fuels. Awards are presented for both the marketing of ethanol and biodiesel. “Fuel retailers continue to take steps to make …
Energy Access Practioner Network Directory Launched
The United Nations Foundation has launched an Energy Access Practitioner Network’s Directory, “Investing for Energy Access: 2013 Directory of Investment and Funding Opportunities.” This new directory provides an overview of opportunities to invest in more than 140 companies and organizations delivering a range of decentralized energy solutions in developing countries, as a contribution to the Sustainable Energy for All objective …
ACE to Testify in Support of RFS at EPA Hearing
Brian Jennings, executive vice president for the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), along with ACE officials and members will be testifying against the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard rule during the EPA’s public hearing in Crystal City, Virginia on December 5th. Jennings says ACE’s Washington D.C. advisor Jonathon Lehman and Bruce Vollan, owner of Vollan Oil …
Staggering Wind Turbines Produces More Energy
According to the University of Delaware’s Cristina Archer and her Atmosphere and Energy Research Group, staggering and spacing out turbines in an offshore wind farm can improve performance by as much as 33 percent. The findings, which appeared in Geophysical Research Letters, could help engineers plan improved offshore wind farms. “Staggering every other row was amazingly efficient,” said Archer, associate …
BioEnergy Bytes
Avantha Group Company, CG was awarded the certification from Germanischer Lloyd Renewables Certification (GL RC), for its liquid immersed SLIM® and Bio-SLIM® distribution transformers. The testing for adherence to certification norms was carried out according to GL’s Guidelines for the Certification of Offshore Wind Turbines, Edition 2012. The transformers are hermetically sealed with bio-degradable fluid which reduces the risk of …