The U.S. government may not be able to figure out how to save our country from it’s multi-trillion dollar debt, but for the second time during his administration, President Obama has increased CAFE standards or the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards. The goal for all new cars and light duty trucks manufactured in 2025 and beyond must be at least …
Summer of Solar
This has definitely been a summer of solar – both in terms of oppressive heat as well as dozens upon dozens of new solar power systems going online. Recently Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) along with the Matrix Group, commissioned a 3 megawatt (MW) solar power project in South Brunswick, New Jersey that is part of PSE&G’s Solar …
Genomatica Voted As Hottest Company in Renewable Chemicals
Biofuels Digest’s debut of “The 30 Hottest Companies in Renewable Chemicals and Materials” saw the top spot go to Genomatica. This honor, however, is not the first for the company. They also received the EPA Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award for its strategy and progress in producing industrial biochemicals. The “biochemical” market is a multi-billion dollar industry and they offer …
New Propane School Bus Unveiled
School bus transportation is heading for a new future of fuel choices with the unveiling the Blue Bird Next Generation Propane-Powered Vision school bus that is fueled by propane autogas. The Blue Bird’s grand entrance occurred during the School Transportation News (STN) Expo at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada. The propane autogas bus is built on a Blue …
U.S. Foodservice Activates Solar System
U.S. Foodservice, located in La Mirada, Californa, has activated its new rooftop solar system consisting of 5,000 DelSolar modules. The system is powerful enough to provide 16 percent of the facility’s power needs each year, or about the equivalent of powering 150 average sized homes annually. The solar system was designed and installed by California-based Stellar Solar who has a …
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin to Keynote ACE Conference
Former South Dakota Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin will be a keynote speaker at the upcoming American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) conference being held in Des Moines Iowa August 22-24 in the Marriott Hotel. Her speech, “Our Sons’ and Daughters’ Ethanol Industry: Adjusting to New Realities and Enlisting More Allies,” will be given at 12:15 pm CST on August 23rd. “The …
Industry Urges Opposition to Anti-Ethanol Amendments
The renewable energy and agricultural industry today sent a letter to all Members of the House of Representatives urging them to vote no against amendments that would harm the growth of the ethanol industry. The coalition says moves such as prohibiting the Environmental Protection Agency from implementing the E15 waiver would “weaken efforts to reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign …
Ethanol Safety Seminar Aug. 3 in Indiana
The next Ethanol Safety Seminar will be held on August 3rd, in Indianapolis, Indiana. The event is sponsored by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and the Greater Indiana Clean Cities. This free seminar will be offered during two sessions: 9:00 am – 2:00 pm and 5:30 pm – 10:00 pm, at the Indiana Soybean Alliance/Indiana Corn Marketing Council. Attendees will …
Book Review – The Vertical Farm
I switched gears this week and spent some time learning about ways the world can feed a burgeoning population. One emerging idea is through a “vertical farm,” an idea that has been promoted by Dr. Dickson Despommier, a former professor of microbiology and public health in environmental sciences at Columbia. He recently authored, “The Vertical Farm Feeding the World in …
Solar Project in Greece Features Yingli PV Panels
I ran into Yingli Green Energy during the InterSolar North America conference a few weeks back in San Francisco. Today Yingli Solar, the brand that the company markets its photovoltaic (PV) products under, announced that its PV modules were installed in the largest solar plant in Greece. Yes, it would be odd if a solar plant did not create its …