Groups in Colorado are not happy with the new law that Governor John Hickenlooper signed, SB13-252, that mandates 20 percent of all electricity used by rural Colorado come from renewable sources. Hickenlooper signed an executive order relating to the measure that create an advisory committee to the Director of the Colorado Energy Office on the effective of SB13-252. The Colorado …
Quest for Oil
In an age when oil is becoming harder and harder to find and many are calling for more renewable energy, Maersk, a shipping and oil company, has released a new game ‘Quest for Oil’. The game allows players to experience the stresses and strains of successfully managing an oil company. Maersk said one reason the game was created was because …
BioEnergy Bytes
Clean Energy Collective has been awarded three new community solar garden projects through Xcel Energy’s Solar Rewards Community program. The 500 kW arrays will be located in Boulder County, Colorado and Denver County, Colorado. POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels has hired Kevin Potas as its new Business Development Manager. In his position, he will be responsible for outlining licensing options for the …
Innovative Microgrid Project: SkyGrid Energy
An innovative off-grid water pumping system powered by a Northern Power NPS 100 wind turbine is now benefiting several farmers in North Kohola, Hawaii. This microgrid project, known as SkyGrid Energy, is an alternative to using diesel to generate power. According to Northern Power, the turbine is specifically designed to support microgrids with its sophisticated voltage controls and no inrush …
Solar Project on Federal Land Gets “Green Light
The Quartzsite Solar Energy Project located in La Paz County, Arizona has received approval from the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to proceed. The 100 megawatt project will be located on Bureau of Land (BLM) managed land. The Quartzsite Project will be utilizing SolarReserve’s concentrated solar power (CSP) technology with integrated storage which allows the facility to operate like a …
RFA Offers Communications Training Webinar
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) will host a free Communications Training webinar on Wednesday, June 19 at 1 p.m. CT. The training session is open to all RFA member companies and anyone interested in helping local ethanol plants promote the value of ethanol is encouraged to participate. The webinar will focus on different methods of community engagement: Website and Newsletter …
BMW Boasts Largest Hydrogen Fuel Cell Fleet
BMW Manufacturing has expanded its use of Plug Power hydrogen fuel cells at its Spartanburg, South facility to power all material handle trucks and forklifts. The company now has 272 units in its fleet, making it the largest such fleet in North America. In 2010, BMW installed a storage and distribution area for hydrogen supplied by Linde Industrial Gases near …
World Bank: Crude Oil Biggest Driver of Food Prices
According to a recent study by the World Bank, “Long-Term Drivers of Food Prices,” oil prices are the biggest driver of higher food prices. The study, using data from 1960-2012, applied an economic model to five internationally-traded food commodities (maize/corn, wheat, rice, soybeans and palm oil) and studied the impact of several food-price drivers. These included energy prices, exchange rates, …
Groups Petition Cali to Evaluate Clean Energy Policy
Several organizations in California, including Californians Against Utilities Stopping Solar Energy (CAUSE), American Lung Association of California, California Environmental Justice Alliance (CEJA) and Presente.org are petitioning the California Energy Commission to quantify the air quality and economic benefits associated with the states “net energy metering” policy. According to CAUSE, net metering provides solar consumers with fair credit for the energy …
API Files E15 Brief with Supreme Court
The American Petroleum Institute (API) filed a brief with the Supreme Court this week regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) approval of a blend of E15, 15 percent ethanol and 85 percent gasoline. API claims that the ethanol fuel blend has been shown to damage millions of cars on the road. “E15 could leave millions of consumers with broken down …