ACE Conference 2026

Today is Global Wind Day

Joanna Schroeder

Today is Global Wind Day (June 15) and thousands of people will be participating in more than 200 events in at least 40 countries. With the focus on wind at a peak, many are using the events to put pressure on world leaders who will gather next week for RIO +20 Summit. It is anticipated that leaders will commit to doubling the amount of renewable energy generated by 2030.

Wind power has been gaining favor and today at least 75 countries use more than 1000 MW of wind power as part of their energy mix. This is more than 30 times the amount of capacity since 1997 when the Kyoto protocol was signed. Projections continue to predict growth over the next 20 years with the doubling of capacity by 2015 and again by the end of this decade. If this is achieved, between 9-12 percent of the world’s power would be generated by wind power.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s will be speaking in Rio about his Sustainable Energy for All initiative that calls for universal energy access with a doubling of renewable energy by 2030. More wind power would reduce the use and spending on fossil fuels, create millions of jobs, clean the air, and address issues related to global climate change.

“We need to double the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix by 2030,” said Kandeh K. Yumkella, the Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the leader of the Secretary General’s initiative. “This can be achieved with significant contribution from wind energy, both grid connected and for small-scale decentralised systems.”

“The ‘Global Wind Day‘ on 15 June, does play a central role in contributing to the UNSG’s Sustainable Energy For All initiative through galvanising the much needed support for the wind energy industry from political leaders around the globe,” added Yumkella. This is the 4th Anniversary of the world wide event.

Steve Sawyer, Secretary General of the Global Wind Energy Council concluded, “Wind energy provides a solution to some of the most critical challenges we face today: climate change, and fresh water scarcity. The power sector is the single largest contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, and is also one of the largest consumers of fresh water. Wind energy produces no carbon dioxide, and consumes no water.”

Electricity, Energy, Wind

Higher Renewable Energy Mandate Expected for Europe

Joanna Schroeder

There are energy talks scheduled in Luxembourg tomorrow and EU Energy ministers are expected to adopt higher mandates of renewable energy beyond 2020. To support the goal, there will need to be post 2020 strategies put into place now that include a 2030 policy framework.

“The European Parliament, European Commission and now all EU Energy Ministers agree on substantially increasing renewables beyond 2020 and the need for a 2030 policy framework,” said Christian Kjaer, CEO of the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA). “That is a good start. But investors need EU Ministers to move beyond generalities very soon.”

Kjaer, whose organization is in support of higher renewable energy goals that include wind power, has been attending the open meetings of EU Energy ministers. He cautions that even if they agree to increase renewable energy goals after 2020, the first date initial goals are to be met, without strict policy in place the initiative won’t succeed.

“If the politicians want private sector investment in renewable energy and its economic benefits including those from European technological leadership, they urgently need to agree on a target for renewable energy for 2030,” concluded Kjaer.

Electricity, Energy, Wind

Free Biodiesel Workshops

Joanna Schroeder

The American Lung Association in Minnesota is hosting two free workshops on biodiesel, a renewable fuel alternative to diesel. The workgroups will take place Thursday, June 21 from 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm and Friday, June 22nd from 9:00 am to 11:30 am at the AmericInn at 1500 Highway 71, International Falls.

National fuel expert Hoon Ge of MEG Corporation will be the key speaker and he will cover recent refining changes in diesel fuels, how to prevent, identify and respond to issues with diesel and the growing role of biodiesel in the transportation industry.

The United Soybean Board, Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council and Twin Cities Clean Cities Coalition are sponsoring the workshop. The workshops are free but space is limited to so Lisa Thurstin to secure you spot.

advanced biofuels, Biodiesel

IRFA to Celebrate 10th Anniversary

Joanna Schroeder

Although ethanol has been used in Iowa for many decades, an Iowa-focused organization dedicated to the use of renewable fuels didn’t begin until 2002 – The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA). To celebrate the 10 year milestone,  IRFA is hosting an event coinciding with the 34th anniversary of the first retail sale of E10, which just so happened to take place in Iowa. Today, through its educational and promotional efforts, IRFA has helped the state more than double its use of biodiesel and ethanol.

Tomorrow, along with Iowa Gov. Terry Brandstad, IRFA is releasing a new study detailing the positive impact renewable fuels has had on Iowa’s economy. In addition, Gov. Brandstad has declared June 15th “Iowa Ethanol Day” to mark 34 years of ethanol sales across the state.

Also on hand for the event will be Iowa Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds; IRFA President Brad Albin (who works for REG, Inc.); and IRFA founding member Bill Couser (who works for Lincolnway Energy).  DomesticFuel will be on hand to cover the event, being held at the Iowa State Capitol at 9:00 am on June 15, 2012.

advanced biofuels, Biodiesel, biofuels, Ethanol, Iowa RFA

$1.8 Mil Grant to Fund New Tech at Cal Biodiesel Plant

John Davis

A California biodiesel maker receives a $1.8 million state grant to fund some new technologies at an existing refinery at a military base.

A press release from its parent corporation, Biodico, says Biodiesel Industries of Ventura, LLC got the grant to use at Biodico’s 10 million gallon per year facility at the National Environmental Technology Demonstration Site, at Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme, California:

“We create subsidiaries for each of our facilities so that local investors can become involved in what we are doing in their communities,” explained JJ Rothgery, chairman of the Biodico’s board of directors, “and so that national investors with interests in environmentally sustainable energy can become involved in our new projects. Currently we are working on two projects in California, one at Naval Base Ventura, and the other at Red Rock Ranch in California’s Central Valley. Both projects will benefit from the technology developed under the new Energy Commission grant.” Each 10 million gallon per year facility costs approximately $12.5 million from inception to completion.

The research from this money will be focused on using new non-food crops for biodiesel and will be done in cooperation with Dr. Stephen Kaffka, Director of the California Biomass Collaborative at the University of California Davis, and John Diener, president of Red Rock Ranch. In addition, the Biodico production facility will be able to produce all its own heat and power, and Biodico will use it as a blueprint for making its other facilities self-sustaining.

Biodiesel, Government

Power of Propane Continues Demos Through Southeast

John Davis

Propane continues to show its versatility and ability to step up as a mainline automobile fuel during the Southeast Propane Autogas Development Program‘s latest stop during this year’s roadshow appearance at the Maryland International Speedway in Mechanicsville.

During the visit, attendees got to see a variety of autogas-powered fleet vehicles, as well as meet Susan Roush-McClenaghan, driver for the ROUSH Drag Team, who talked about her propane-powered Ford Mustang race car and her experience racing the high-performance vehicle.

For those who missed the stop in Maryland, your next opportunity comes next week when the roadshow series stops in Birmingham, Alabama on June 21, 2012. Check out the Southeast Propane Autogas Development Program roadshow series website for more information.

Propane

9,000 Acres to be Dedicated to Non-Food Energy Crops

John Davis

An additional 9,000 acres in New York and North Carolina, and the expansion of an area in Arkansas, is being set aside as part of the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) project. USDA announced $9.6 million will be spent to fund this latest effort to use more non-food crops for the production of biofuels, such as biodiesel and ethanol:

“Increasing the production of renewable, home-grown fuels is vital to reducing our country’s reliance on foreign oil, while creating good-paying jobs and diversifying the agriculture economy,” said [Agriculture Secretary Tom] Vilsack. “These projects are the foundation for an even stronger energy future in rural America. Because most energy crops are perennial and take time to mature before harvest, BCAP is designed so that sufficient quantities of feedstock will be available to meet future demand. Most importantly: these crops can grow where other crops cannot, providing farmers with new opportunities to diversify into more markets.”

In North Carolina, 4,000 acres is being put into Freedom® Giant Miscanthus and switch grass to support Chemtex International Inc.’s Project Alpha, a cellulosic biorefinery expected to produce 20 million gallons of ethanol and sustainable chemicals. Upstate New York will be seeing up to 3,500 acres in fast growing shrub willow to generate more than 100 megawatts of electricity for ReEnergy Holdings LLC. Finally, BCAP Project Area 2 in northeast Arkansas is expanding its enrollment up to nearly 8,000 acres of Giant Miscanthus, sponsored Missouri-based MFA Oil Biomass.

Under BCAP, producers get reimbursed up to 75 percent of what it costs to establish these perennial energy crops, plus five years of maintenance payments for herbaceous crops and up to 11 years for woody crops.

USDA officials point out that this program helps the Renewable Fuels Standard, which calls for 20 billion gallons more in just 10 years of non-corn based biofuels.

Biodiesel, biofuels, Ethanol, USDA

LS9 Opens Biodiesel Demo Plant in Florida

John Davis

Renewable energy and chemical producer LS9 has opened it’s demonstration plant in Okeechobee, Florida and is expected to be producing 75,000 gallons of biodiesel and biochemicals from local feedstocks in the coming months. This company press release says the retrofit of the plant was completed last month:

“The opening of our demonstration plant in Florida moves LS9 from a development company towards becoming a fully integrated commercial organization,” said Ed Dineen, LS9 President and CEO. “Florida’s strong agricultural resources will allow us to source locally grown feedstocks for testing and processing into renewable biofuels and biochemicals. We are grateful to those who attended our event today, and recognize that this would not have been possible without the support from Enterprise Florida, the Florida Opportunity Fund’s Clean Energy Investment Program, and the community of Okeechobee that has gone above and beyond to welcome LS9 to the state.”

LS9 officials highlighted the company’s single-step fermentation technology that allows the plant to move easily from one type of product to another. The retrofit of the facility was helped with $4.5 million of Florida Opportunity Fund (FOF) Clean Energy Investment Program money.

Biodiesel

New Energy Farms Announces Development of CEEDS

New Energy Farms (NEF) has developed a revolutionary new method of propagating energy grasses that will reduce farmer establishment costs by 50 percent or more.

Cost effective scaling of perennial energy grasses such as Miscanthus, Arundo donax and energy cane has previously inhibited expansion. NEF has developed a new planting product for vegetative energy crops called CEEDS. These are small capsules that are established using automatic min till or no-till planters, like seed. The process applies to a number of energy grasses and is currently being evaluated by companies in the U.S. and Canada. The existing range of NEF energy crops will be available in the CEEDS format commencing from 2013 to 2014 depending on the cultivar and region.

“The focus was to make establishing vegetative energy crops as easy as other arable crops, to do this we started to look how to reverse engineer a seed, and the result was CEEDS,” says Dean Tiessen, president of New Energy Farms.

“CEEDS represents a step forward in energy crop establishment; that has been many years in the development, but solves all the issues that have previously made scaling energy crops difficult,” adds Dr. Paul Carver, CEO New Energy Farms.

The CEEDS planting system works alongside the NEF energy crop plantation management system, Biomass Direct to provide a farm to end user service for our customers.

The main advantages of CEEDS are
• New cultivars can be bulked up to market volumes 3 times faster.
• Establishment cost for crops like Miscanthus can be reduced by over 50 percent.
• Min / No till, fully automatic precision planting (no planting staff required).
• Substantially lower cost of planting, less ground cultivation.
• Reduction by up to 80% in transport logistics for planting material.
• Greater vigor after planting, more shoots produced.
• This system delivers the maximum yield from a cultivar.
• Makes planting energy grasses as simple as drilling conventional arable crops.

advanced biofuels, bioenergy, biomass

Has Your Business Considered Using Pinterest

Chuck Zimmerman

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Do you prefer corn sugar to high fructose corn syrup?” In what is a first for our poll, the response was split evenly! See the chart below.

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. Their 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 either cane or corn sugar is how much someone consumes. Nothing wrong with cane sugar or corn sugar, regardless what you call it, in my opinion. I like them both. Apparently consumers like HFCS better according to this story. What do you think? We like all uses of corn and sweetener is one of them as well as ethanol!

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “Does your business have an interest in Pinterest?” This online pinboard is now being used by political campaigns to target key demographics. Even President Obama’s wife is using it! Seems like there might be some good reason for agribusinesses, farm and food groups to start pinning away. How about it biofuels groups? Are you using it to help educate the public?

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

ZimmPoll