According to a recent report by Worldwatch Institute, global use of solar and wind energy continued to grow significantly in 2012. Solar power consumption increased by 58 percent, to 93 terrawatt-hours (TWh), and the use of wind power increased by 18 percent, to 521 TWh. Although hydropower remains the world’s leading renewable energy, solar and wind continue to dominate investment …
Quad County: The Ethanol Plant That Could
Remember the story about the little train that could? Well, Quad County Corn Processors should be known as the “smallest plant that did the greatest things“. Yesterday the ethanol plant broke ground on its bolt-on cellulosic ethanol technology coined Adding Cellulosic Ethanol “ACE” project. On hand for the event, along with a standing room only crowd, was Monte Shaw, executive …
Mercer County Community College Goes Solar
Mercer County Community College (MCCC) located in West Windsor, New Jersey is going solar. The project was developed by MasTec, who selected Solectria Renewables’ SGI 500 inverters for the 8MW solar system located on a 45 parcel of land. The project is estimated to save MCCC nearly $750,000 in energy costs per year. “We’ve worked with Solectria Renewables on other …
Sapphire Energy Pays Off USDA Loan
Sapphire Energy has paid off the entire loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In December 2009, the company was awarded $54.5 million through the Biorefinery Assistance Program, administered by the USDA Rural Development-Cooperative Service (and one of the energy programs in jeopardy in the current House version of its farm bill). The funds were to be used …
RFA Congrats Quad County Corn Processors
There was great news for the biofuels industry yesterday afternoon as Quad County Corn Processors, a biorefinery based in Galva, Iowa, broke ground on its Adding Cellulosic Ethanol (ACE) project. There were dozens from the local community on hand for the celebration and joining them was Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) President and CEO, Bob Dinneen. In speaking to the crowd …
Quad County: Versatile Renewable Energy
“I’m listening to the presentation that Delayne [Johnson] gave you and looking around at the faces of the people I know that have stepped up for years – you put your capital on the line, you put your ideas on the line, and you put your hard work on the line,” began Congressman Steve King during his remarks at the …
Quad County Breaks Ground on “ACE” Project
Quad County Corn Processors officially broke ground today in Galva, Iowa on its Adding Cellulosic Ethanol “ACE” project. Dozens of local community members joined ethanol industry reps and local politicians to celebrate the milestone that ethanol plant General Manager Delayne Johnson said was four years in the making in the R&D lab. Delayne explained during his remarks, “With the addition …
ACE to Congress: Big Oil Manipulating RIN Market
In response to the release of the fifth white paper on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) from the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the Executive Vice President of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) Brian Jennings submitted comments showing how the RFS is working and Big Oil companies are desperate to repeal it so they can control the fuel market. …
Pipelines to Iowa Could Shift Fuel Choice At Pump
According to a new study commissioned by the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA), a pending shift in the fuels carried in pipeline to Iowa will likely increase the cost of non-ethanol blended gasoline forcing retailers to choose between offering a relatively high priced traditional E0 (100 percent gasoline) and a lower-cost E15 (a blend of 15 percent ethanol and 85 …
UConn Establishes New Fraunhofer Center
The University of Connecticut (UConn), has established a new Fraunhofer Center for Energy Innovation (CEI). The role of the center is to develop advanced technologies related to energy storage, fuel cells, in-stream hydro, power management and distribution through contact research. “The sustainable, efficient and environmentally friendly use of energy is one of the major global challenges of the future,” said …