Spanning nearly 500 acres in western Martin County, Florida the first ever hybrid solar power plant connects a field of more than 190,000 solar thermal mirrors to an existing combined cycle natural gas power plant to produce energy. Known as the Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center, the one of a kind facility is owned by Florida Power & Light …
New Study – More Ethanol Commitment Needed to Meet RFS2
In a new study from Air Improvement Resource, Inc. (AIR) commissioned by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), the requirements of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS2) can be met with ethanol if more infrastructure is put into place. In addition, more flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs) are needed. The report concludes that if “blender pumps” are made available at nearly one-third of the …
Propane Ford E-Series Vans Recieves CARB Approval
ROUSH CleanTech’s propane Ford E-Series passenger and cargo vans have been granted California Air Resources Board (CARB) certification status. With the strictest emission standards in the country, all vehicles have to have CARB approval before they can be sold and operated on California roads. Once CARB gives its stamp of approval, many other states follow suit. “This is truly exciting …
Coalition Urges Congress To Axe Ethanol Tax
The fight over the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) continues. Earlier this week, a coalition of “usual suspects” made up of 90 business associations, taxpayer advocates, hunger and development organizations, agricultural groups, free-market groups, religious organizations, environmental groups, ‘budget hawks’, and public interest groups sent a letter to the Congressional leadership asking them to axe the tax. In addition, …
Chemists Engineer Bacteria for Biofuels
Several chemists at the University of California, Berkeley have engineered bacteria for biofuels. More specifically, they have created bacteria that will churn out a gasoline-like biofuel at about 10 times the rate of competing microbes. The researchers believe this breakthrough could soon provide “green” gas. The research was published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology and authored by Assistant Professor …
Volvo Unveils 3-Mode Hybrid
Volvo has introduce the first three-mode hybrid in the world during the 81st Geneva International Motor Show this week. During a media preview, the hybrid diesel V60 sedan was unveiled. It’s a plug-in electric vehicle concept car that the company hopes to have on European roads by 2012. The driver chooses the preferred driving mode via three buttons on the …
Ron Miller Wins RFA 2011 Membership Award
“To many of you, Ron Miller requires no introduction. He has been ethanol long before ethanol was cool,” began Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) Chairman Chuck Woodside during his introduction of Ron Miller who won the 2011 RFA Membership Award during the National Ethanol Conference that recently took place in Phoenix, Arizona. Miller has been the Chairman of RFA three times …
Jeff Lautt Named President of POET
Jeff Lautt has been named President of POET. He has been with the company since 2005 and prior to this promotion, served as Executive Vice President of Corporate Operations. Jeff Broin, the founder of POET, will remain as CEO and Chairman of the Board. “Over his six-year career at POET, Jeff Lautt has continually taken on more and more of …
“Say No to OPEC” Campaign Launches
Just in time for Congressional lawmakers to return to work, Growth Energy launched a DC advertising blitz, “Say No to OPEC, Say Yes to America.” According to the organization, the campaign includes a display ad in Roll Call and online ads – including home-page takeovers – on TheHill.com and on the daily E&E Newsletter. Chris Thorne, Public Affairs Director for …
2010 – Another Banner Year for Ethanol
According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2010 was another record breaking year for American ethanol producers. Average daily ethanol production averaged nearly 863,000 barrels per day ( b/d). That represents 36.24 million gallons of daily production and nearly 13.23 billion gallons of production for calendar year 2010. 2009 ethanol production was 10.75 billion gallons. Imports for …