REG Execs Receive Entrepreneur of Year Award

Joanna Schroeder

Renewable Energy Group’s (REG) Chairman, Jeff Stroburg and President & CEO Daniel J. Oh, have been awarded the Entrepreneur of The Year Award in the Central Midwest by Earnst & Young. The winners were selected by an independent judging panel comprised of past award winners.

The awards were given during a gala on June 5, 2012 in Kansas City, Kansas and after receiving the honor Oh and Stroburg recognized REG’s employees for driving positive organizational results and attributed the company’s excellent status to their team. Stroburg and Oh also recognized and thanked the company’s shareholders during the ceremony.

“Ernst & Young has honored outstanding entrepreneurs like this year’s winners for the past 26 years,” said Randolph Buseman, Ernst & Young LLP Entrepreneur Of The Year Program Director for Central Midwest. “These business leaders have accomplished so much and contributed a tremendous amount to the community.”

REG is the largest biodiesel producer in the United States with six biorefineries producing more than 210 million gallons of biodiesel per year.

Biodiesel, biofuels, REG, Video

Waste to Biogas Mapping Tool Launched

Joanna Schroeder

An online “waste to biogas” mapping tool has been launched by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Pacific Southwest Region. The tool maps energy projects that use organic waste as a feedstock. The maps link food and other biodegradable waste sources with facilities such as wastewater treatment plants that produce energy.

“This innovative mapping tool, the first of its kind in the nation, helps restaurants, hotels and other food waste generators to connect with large energy producers,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “Harvesting this energy prevents waste from ending up in landfills or clogging sewer lines.”

Many businesses produce waste including dairy farms and waste water treatment plants. These operations manage waste such as food scraps, fats, oils and grease, by using anaerobic digesters that produce methane. Methane can then be used as an energy source by the operation or sold to others adding another profit stream to their business.

The tool enables users to determine the types of facilities in their area, where clusters are located and the distance between a waste producer and an anaerobic digester.  The tool also functions in reverse – allowing generators of organic waste to find partner facilities that will accept it. In a 2008 study conducted by the Northern California Power Agency, it was determined that agricultural, wastewater, and food processing wastes could be digested and produce 453 megawatts of energy – enough power to run a utility-scale power plant.

biogas, dairy, Electricity, Energy, Waste-to-Energy

Junior Solar Sprint Races to Middle Schools

Joanna Schroeder

The San Diego Renewable Energy Society (SDRES) has announced a new science educational program that focuses on solar power for middle school students and teachers. Junior Solar Sprint is a hands-on educational program that gives students the ability to design, build and race their own solar powered model cars. The program is currently limited to San Diego middle schools and 45 teams are participating. Awards will be given for speed, design and innovation.

“The multi-disciplinary project motivates students and illustrates how pursuing careers in the fields of science, math and engineering can be exciting and highly rewarding particularly when applied to renewable energy sources,” said Bruce Rogow, coordinator of the event for SDRES.

This is the third year for the program and is made possible by SDRES along with Sullivan Solar Power and the San Diego Electrical Training Center. Sullivan Power donated solar cell kits to power the student’s cars and the races will take place on the campus of the San Diego Electrical Training Center. The center also teaches kids about 90W rooftop solar installation.

Daniel Sullivan, founder and president of Sullivan Power said of their participation, “Junior Solar Sprint teaches our local youth in their formative years the potential that solar power represents for our country. It shows teens we can power our vehicles, homes and businesses with the power of the sun. The hope is to inspire these young individuals with education in solar technology but also make it something exciting in the process.”

The students love the program and local science teacher, Elaine Gillum has 137 students at Marshall Middle School in 24 teams producing solar racing cars. “Kids learn about solar energy, engineering, building and team work,” said Gillum. “All of those are very important for our students to learn. And, they learn it doing something fun! How cool is that?”

The Junior Solar Sprint race will take place on Saturday, June 9 at 11 a.m. in the parking lot of the San Diego Electrical Training Center, at 4675 Viewridge Ave., San Diego, California.

Education, Energy, Solar

Legally Bind Renewable Energy Targets in Europe

Joanna Schroeder

The European Commission in Brussels met yesterday to discuss the country’s Renewable Energy Strategy. The Commission is in support of creating legally binding renewable energy targets for 2030. The strategy states legislation for renewable energy would generate over 3 million jobs and could save in 2050 between 518 to 550 billion Euros on spending for fossil fuel imports. The continuation of an EU-side specific renewable energy framework beyond 2020 would result in a net GDP growth by 0.36%-0.40%. The strategy said, “This increases our security of supply.”

“European Ministers must turn this message into action and back a renewable energy target for 2030, as supported by the Strategy’s Impact Assessment,” said Stephane Bourgeois, Head of Regulatory Affairs of the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) in Brussels. “A legally binding renewable energy target for 2030 is crucial if we want to foster Europe’s leadership in wind energy, and in particular offshore wind.”

EWEA is also backing the European Commission’s criticism of abrupt changes that took place recently regarding support mechanisms for renewable energies in several EU member states.

Bourgeois said, “Retroactive changes in support mechanisms undermine investor confidence in the sector and could put the 2020 renewable energy targets at risk. We share the Commission’s concerns, but the Commission must now take all legal means to prevent this.”

Energy, Wind

Biodiesel Leaders Call on Congress and Administration

More than 120 biodiesel leaders are in Washington D.C. this week to call on Congress to extend the expired biodiesel tax incentive and to urge the Obama Administration to quickly finalize the EPA’s proposal to grow biodiesel volumes under the Renewable Fuel Standard next year.

Industry leaders met with White House officials and members of Congress. They will specifically be calling for the Obama Administration to follow through with the EPA’s proposal to increase the biodiesel volume requirement under the RFS to 1.28 billion gallons in 2013 – up from 1 billion gallons this year. Late last year, the Obama Administration delayed the decision.

“Washington’s failure to act on these two issues has effectively halted the momentum our industry built last year in producing a record of nearly 1.1 billion gallons,” said Anne Steckel, vice president of federal affairs at the National Biodiesel Board. “It is locking up millions of dollars in investments that could be creating jobs, purchasing equipment and feedstock, and driving economic growth.”

The Administration’s delay on the RFS rule has come as Congress allowed the biodiesel tax incentive to expire on Dec. 31. The tax incentive has broad bipartisan support, and biodiesel leaders will be urging lawmakers on Capitol Hill to pass an extension as soon as possible.

“This is a proposal that has strong support from the EPA and USDA, and yet it has been caught up in a bureaucratic delay for nearly a year, without any explanation or justification,” Steckel said. “It is blocking significant investment and hiring, so we are pleading with the Obama Administration to follow through with its ‘all of the above’ energy rhetoric by finalizing this proposal. It is something the Administration can do tomorrow, without waiting on Congress.”

Biodiesel, Legislation, NBB

Producers Discuss Life After VEETC at the 2012 FEW

Jamie Johansen

The general session panel was a highlight for many Monday morning at the 28th Annual International Fuel Ethanol Workshop. Tom Bryan, Vice President BBI International, served as the moderator for the group with panelists Mark Marquis, President and General Manager Marquis Energy Inc., Ray Defenbaugh, President and CEO Big River Resources, Randy Doyal, CEO Al-Corn Clean Fuels and Walt Wendland, President and CEO Golden Grain Energy.

Topics varied from the future of RFS and E15 to traits these industry leaders take to continue their success. But the theme for the event centered around how U.S. ethanol producers are achieving profitability without VEETC. These ethanal plant CEOs and general managers shared their early experiences in this new reality and outlined operational and financial strategies for staying not just on line, but in the black.

Listen to the full panel discussion here: FEW Panel Discussion

2012 Fuel Ethanol Workshop Photo Album

Audio, corn, Ethanol, FEW

Ag Facility Early Adopter of Solar Technology

Joanna Schroeder

Kirschenman Enterprises, an agricultural company that grows, packs ands ships potatoes, grapes and watermelon, has installed a solar system at their cold storage facility in Bakersfield, California. The fixed tilt ground and roof-mounted 510kW solar electric installation features Coenergy Solar’s PH235P solar modules and SunTop and SolarLinea II mounting systems. The solar system has the capacity to produce 768,182 kWh of energy each year.

While another solar system may not seem like news, in fact, this is the first system installed in the region using Coenergy’s “Elevated Agricultural Solar Structure“. The structure is 20 feet tall and at the lowest point does not interfere with loading dock operations taking place directly beneath the solar array. The installation included two ground mounted systems, three roof mounted systems and the Elevated Agricultural Solar Structure.

Kirschenman has been looking for ways to increase long term sustainability of its farming operations, an extremely important challenge for growers in the San Joaquin Valley.

“The Elevated Ag Solar Structure design is cutting edge and really works well for agricultural facilities who might not otherwise have the room for solar,” said Conergy Project Development Manager David Vincent. “It is a great concept and I expect to see many other Agricultural facilities utilizing the design.”

Agribusiness, Electricity, Energy, Solar

UnicaData Goes Live Providing Cane Industry Data

Joanna Schroeder

The Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) has unveiled new industry data and statistics. UnicaData is a customizable tool designed to provide detailed industry information focused on the cane industry in Brazil. The free data is derived from third party institutions and features information on areas such as:

 

  • Sugarcane harvest
  • Quality of harvested cane
  • Harvest projections
  • Sugarcane production and processing
  • Sugarcane acreage
  • Consumption
  • Exports and imports

Luciano Rodrigues, manager of UNICA’s Economics Department, said most of the data available should provide nearly all the information on the sugarcane industry needed. “On this first stage, we added the most sought after data as indicated by web searches involving our industry. We will continue to analyse the demand and gradually enhance and expand the content.”

Along with the ability to search for published reports, the tool can also develop customized reports as requested by a user. In the future, UNICA will enhance and expand the data provided.

advanced biofuels, biofuels, Brazil, Ethanol, UNICA

14 POET Plants Producing Voila

Joanna Schroeder

POET is off and running with the installation and production of Voilà, its branded corn oil that is used to produce biodiesel. Fourteen plants have installed the technology increasing annual production capacity to nearly 235 million pounds per year. This is enough corn oil to produce nearly 31 million gallons of biodiesel. Voilà technology was first installed in January 2011 at the POET Biorefining-Hudson facility.

“We’ve had a great response from Voilà customers, and I’m excited to be able to expand production to meet more of the demand,” POET CEO Jeff Lautt said.

POET has been expanding the use of each kernel of corn for many years and today the company produces animal feed including Dakota Gold distillers dried grains. In addition, five plants capture carbon dioxide and are sold to companies such as beverage producers.

Lautt added,  “At POET, we’re focused on getting the most value from corn as we possibly can. Ethanol is obviously a big part of that, but the many other products we produce are also very important to our business. We’re also working hard to develop even more biorefined products.”

Biodiesel, corn, POET

Farmers Benefit From Atrazine Settlement

Chuck Zimmerman

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Is Atrazine lawsuit settlement good for farmers?” We posed this question after a lawsuit against Syngenta related to the herbicide was settled with an offer of over $100 million by the company, even thought there has been no evidence of harm in drinking water caused by the product and the plaintiffs in the lawsuit acknowledged they had not commissioned any research on the subject or seen any new research to the contrary either.

Our poll results: Sixty percent said Yes, time to move on; twenty eight percent said No, still other challenges and twelve percent chose Other.

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “Do you prefer corn sugar to high fructose corn syrup?” Recently the FDA denied a request from the Corn Refiners Association to allow food labels to use the term corn sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. Nutritionally, there is no difference in regular table sugar and HFCS so I don’t see why FDA ruled like they did. There reasoning had to do with their definition of sugar as a crystalline solid. This is basically a public relations war over words since the “problem” with both substances is how much someone consumes. Nothing wrong with cane sugar or corn sugar in my opinion. I like them both. Apparently consumers like HFCS better according to this story. What do you think?

ZimmPoll is sponsored by Rhea+Kaiser, a full-service advertising/public relations agency.

ZimmPoll