Renewable energy projects in five states and a U.S. territory will share in $141 million in Recovery Act… aka the “stimulus”… funding. This U.S. Department of Energy press release says that Secretary Steven Chu made the announcement that includes energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in Hawaii, Maine, Nebraska, New Mexico, the Northern Mariana Islands and Texas: Under DOE’s State …
Wash. State Slated for $2 Mil in Algae Biofuels Research
Washington State University is set to get $2 million for its algae-biofuels research, thanks to that state’s senior senator. This press release from U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) says she was able to use her position on the Senate Appropriations Committee to put the money in the fiscal year 2010 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill: “This funding will support …
Having Your Manure and Energy, Too
A new report from the USDA says that farmers and ranchers could turn manure into energy without taking too much of it out of the fertilizer market. This story from Biomass Magazine says the report, entitled “Manure Use for Fertilizer and for Energy,” points out that turning manure into energy is really underused in this country: Interest is growing in …
Making Biodiesel from Microbes and Sugarcane
A California biotechnology company has found a way to turn the waste from microbes eating sugar into biodiesel. This story from DailyTech.com says that the Amyris Biotechnologies plant is capable of producing 10,000 gallons a year and is being tested in Brazil. In addition, it could make biodiesel even more price competitive: While biodiesel and biofuels are not exactly a …
DF Cast: Midwest a Good Place for Algae Biodiesel
While producing a green fuel from a green pond scum… turning algae into biodiesel… isn’t anything new, doing it in the nation’s breadbasket, where plenty of soybeans for biodiesel are already being grown, is a bit more of a novel concept. In this edition of the Domestic Fuel Cast, we talk to Dr. Richard Sayre, the Director of the Enterprise …
Hydrogen Maker Gets Patent for Breakthrough
A Connecticut-based hydrogen technology maker has received a patent on a system that will help regulate the purity and pressure of hydrogen gas used to cool large electric generators. This company press release says Proton Energy Systems’ StableFlow system is considered a real breakthrough because it actively controls purity and dew point, monitors pressure and, enables more efficient power production …
Blackhawk Biofuels Meets Ultimate Biodiesel Quality
Renewable Energy Group’s Blackhawk Biofuels has earned BQ-9000 Producer status from the National Biodiesel Board and the National Biodiesel Accreditation Committee. This press release from the Iowa-based REG says the biodiesel from the Danville, Illinois Blackhawk Biofuels plant meets what is considered the ultimate standard for the green fuel’s production: “Today the petroleum industry is demanding biodiesel from BQ-9000 Producers,” …
Lack of Capital Shelves Pickens Wind Plan
Plans to build the world’s largest wind farm have been put on hold, as billionaire oil man T. Boone Pickens cites a lack of capital and infrastructure. CNN reports that Pickens has announced that his 4,000 megawatt Pampa Wind Project planned for the Texas panhandle is on hold: “I had hoped that Pampa would be the starting point, but transmission …
Missouri Could Be Wind, Biofuels & Biomass Center
A new report says Missouri could become a real center for wind power, biomass, biogas and other sources of renewable energy, while creating thousands of jobs and more tax revenues, especially in rural areas of the state. This story in the St. Louis Business Journal says the Natural Resources Defense Council report points out that Missourians spend more than $18 …
Tri-State, Duke Energy Ink Colorado Wind Deal
A power company that serves portions of Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming has inked a 20-year deal to sell power from a 51-megawatt wind energy farm that will be built in East Central Colorado. This company press release says Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association and a subsidiary of Duke Energy Corp. signed the deal that will help Tri-State meet …