RFA E-15 Ad

NY Landfill Solar Project Completed

Joanna Schroeder

Here is unique use of solar. Carlisle Energy Services (CES) has completed its Sepctro PowerCap Exposed Geomembrane Solar Cover system in Madison County, New York. This technology will “cover” the landfill for up to 30 years. The eight-acre demonstration system feature’s the GeoTPO Geomembrane with a south-facing 40kWp DC integrated solar photovoltaic array powered by Uni-Solar. The system is expected to offset almost all of the power requirements of the Madison County ARC Recycling Facility located on site.

The Madison County landfill is the first in the country to apply this technology in a closure project and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority provided a grant in an effort to showcase the technology to other landfill owners.

“Carlisle Energy Services is proud to have helped Madison County develop a sustainable landfill closure system that generates clean solar energy,” said Carlisle’s Director of Landfill Solutions Arthur Mohr Jr. “This project demonstrates the merits of our GeoTPO Geomembrane as a viable long-term closure system for landfill owners.”

Other plans for the site include a landfill gas system that captures the heat generated by the turbine engines to dry lumber on site. This energy will be used to heat the building. In addition, the owners are considering adding other alternative energy elements such as a windmill, hydroponic greenhouses and/or additional solar systems.

“The photovoltaic landfill cover will play an integral role in Madison County’s growing renewable energy initiative, and we are proud to demonstrate the technical and commercial feasibility of Carlisle’s unique landfill closure system,” added James Zecca, Madison County Solid Waste Department Director.

Electricity, Energy, Environment, Solar

Youth in South Africa to Attend Solar Training

Joanna Schroeder

Local youth in Durban, South Africa will be participating in a two-week solar training course compliments of Greenpeace. The 30 youth will learn about solar photovoltaic (PV) and other renewable energy technologies in addition to completing course modules covering social entrepreneurship and Greenpeace’s Energy (R)evolution report.

The PV panels were donated by the SunPower Foundation and will be installed as part of the solar training course. Once installed, the four SunPower solar panels will generate energy for two Greenpeace Africa mobile solar showcase units. They will be on display during the 17th session of the Conference of Parties (COP 17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNGCCC) taking place in Durban November 28-December 9, 2011. Each unit will utilize solar-powered multi-media technology devices, including televisions, laptops and sound systems.

“With this donation, the SunPower Foundation remains true to its mission — to empower the world’s next generation of solar leaders,” said Tom Werner, SunPower president and CEO. “We hope that the Greenpeace Solar Training course will inspire local youth to explore solar technology and create renewable solutions for energy needs in this part of the world and beyond.”

In addition to the donation of the four panels. SunPower Foundation has also announced its plans to solarize the Greenpeach Africa Johannesburg headquarters with a SunPower rooftop system later this year. Olivia Langhoff, campaigns director for Greenpeace Africa added, “This donation provides an impetus for investment and is a demonstration that renewable energy solutions are feasible.”

Education, Electricity, Energy, International, Solar

Renewable Fuels Month Proclaimed in Nebraska

Cindy Zimmerman

September is officially Renewable Fuels Month in Nebraska now after a proclamation signing by the governor today at Husker Harvest Days.

Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman joined state soybean board chair Lisa Lunz, NASCAR Nationwide driver Kenny Wallace and Alan Tiemann, chairman of the Nebraska Corn Board, in making the declaration. “Nebraska’s renewable fuels sector contributes to local communities by providing good paying jobs for thousands of Nebraskans,” said Gov. Heineman. “Renewable fuels are a critical component of becoming energy independent and by providing an alternative to imported oil. We are fortunate to have a strong biofuels industry with thousands of Nebraskans working to fuel America.”

The proclamation was coordinated through the Nebraska Corn Board and Nebraska Soybean Board, who hosted the event at Husker Harvest Days to recognize the contributions of Nebraska farmers and agribusinesses to the nation’s renewable fuel supply.

Biodiesel, biofuels, corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Soybeans

Ethanol Industry Responds to Feed Availability Concerns

Cindy Zimmerman

Representatives of the U.S. livestock and poultry industries testified before a House agriculture subcommittee today that changes in ethanol policy are necessary to ensure the availability of corn for animal feed, but the ethanol industry disagrees.

According to the Renewable Fuels Association, America’s ethanol producers are on pace to produce nearly 40 million metric tons of livestock feed in 2011 – a volume greater than all the corn used on cattle feedlots all across the country. “When a bushel of corn enters an ethanol plant, fully one third of that bushel gets returned to the livestock feed market in the form of distillers grains,” said RFA’s Matt Hartwig, who adds that the industry wants to work with livestock producers to increase efficiency and usage of distillers grains.

Ethanol Report PodcastThe hearing by the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry on Wednesday included no representatives from the corn or ethanol industries and raised the food versus fuel flag again, but Hartwig encourages lawmakers to look beyond the price of corn as the cause of higher food prices. “A pound of pork chops retails for around $3.50 and in that pound, there is roughly 30 cents worth of corn at today’s prices,” Hartwig says. “So there are other factors after that pig leaves the farm that influence the prices consumers pay at the retail level” like higher energy prices, labor and manufacturing.

Listen to Hartwig’s comments in this edition of “The Ethanol Report”: Ethanol Report on Feed Availability

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, RFA

How to Properly Handle Chemicals in a Biorefinery

Joanna Schroeder

I’ve spent the last few weeks speaking with people in the biorefining industry in an effort to learn more about safety issues and best practices. The result is a series on Biorefinery Plant Safety and part one focuses on chemical safety. Chemicals are a necessary component of producing ethanol or biodiesel. On the ethanol side, some plants use chlorine dioxide or sulfuric acid in various aspects of the process – both in fermentation (to kill infections) and as a cleaning agent. On the biodiesel side, methanol is a commonly used.

Many things can happen when working with chemicals – slips, burns, fires, and explosions- and the biofuels industry has not been immune from any of these issues. While no one would tell me exactly what has caused some recent fires or explosions, I believe understanding cause and effect of mishandling chemicals/or properly handling chemicals, should reduce chemical accidents.

To learn more, I spoke with Scott Berger, with the Center for Chemical Process Safety, formed by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Their goal is to improve guidelines and improve practices to prevent major chemical accidents such as fires, explosions and toxic gas release. Formed in 1985, they have published more than 100 guidelines with the work being done by their 140 plus members in the chemical, refining, biorefining, and other similar manufacturing businesses.

Berger noted that it doesn’t matter which chemical you decide to use in your facility, every material has a hazard. “If you don’t respect that hazard, don’t identify that hazard, don’t manage the hazard properly, then you can have a problem.”

What is the right way to communicate chemical safety? Berger said the first thing is that management has to recognize that they’re dealing with hazardous materials and then they have to commit that they are going to manage those hazards. He said because without that recognition and that commitment, nothing will happen. From there they need to implement a management system for managing the hazardous materials and the hazardous process.

Listen to my interview with Scott Berger here: Ethanol Safety Series Part I: How to Properly Handle Chemicals in a BiorefineryRead More

advanced biofuels, Audio, Biodiesel, biofuels, Ethanol, safety

How To Accelerate Wind Energy Development

Joanna Schroeder

Renewable energy is one of the fastest growing sectors of energy in the U.S. Last year wind energy was only second to natural gas in terms of providing new electric generation. Bill White with David Gardiner & Associates told me during an interview that it won’t be long before wind energy surpasses all other forms of energy for new electric energy installed.

White said that policies are very important to help create jobs, lower electricity costs and increase dependence on domestic sources of energy. Several policies to pay attention to include the federal production tax credit, which is set to expire at the end of 2012. He stressed that it is important for Congress to extend the tax credit.

“Leaving it to the last minute will create a lot of uncertainty in the market and make investors a little less comfortable,” said White. “It would really have a negative effect on the boom in the industry that’s going on despite the recession.”

Listen to my interview with Bill White here: How to Accelerate Wind Energy Development

Another key policy is the investment tax credit that was enacted in 2009 as part of the Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This gives developers the option to take a 30 percent investment tax credit for a new facility in lieu of the tax credit. To be eligible, construction must begin by the end of 2011.

One of the biggest barriers to developing wind energy, says White is the ability to move the power from where it is most cost effective to produce to where people use a lot of electricity. FERC recently issued a series of orders that takes important steps in the way companies share and plan new transmission projects.

White concluded that the wind industry has been very successful and he believes it will be more successful in the future. “If we’re really able to build the infrastructure under this new FERC order, than we’ll really see this industry take off.”

You can learn more about the wind industry at the upcoming Wind & Transmission Leadership Summit in Blue Sky, Montana September 26-28.

Audio, Electricity, Energy, Wind

Broadband Internet Wins Over GPS Service

Chuck Zimmerman

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Which is more important to rural America: GPS Service or Broadband Internet?” A majority of 66% said Broadband Internet with 34% choosing GPS Service. So perhaps most of you place more importance on being able to use the internet for whatever reason than having the ability to use your GPS device, which would include location based services on your mobile phone? Interesting. What do you think?

Our new ZimmPoll is now live. We’re asking the question, “What is best for ag to add jobs to the economy?” Jobs is a political key word right now and the economy sure needs a boost. Let us know what you think and thank you.

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

ZimmPoll

Embraer & GE Test BioJet Fuel

Joanna Schroeder

It seems like it won’t be long before aircraft flying with biofuels is an everyday occurrence. The latest test flights were conducted by Embraer and GE flying a EMBRAER 170 jet from the Company’s Gavião Peixoto facilities. The purpose of the tests were to benchmark the operational characteristics of the airplane and its GE CF34-8 engines when flying with a HEFA fuel – a biofuel blend comprised of hydro-processed esters and fatty acids.

The 50 percent HEFA biojet fuel blend, derived from camelina, has received recent approval by ASTM. As a result, Embraer said they are stepping up their efforts to develop a broader range of sustainable biofuels for aviation. To date, the tests of the biojet blend have been successful and future tests are planned.

“We have a strong and longstanding commitment to developing efficient and environmentally responsible products,” said Mauro Kern, Embraer Executive Vice President of Engineering and Technology. “This series of tests, and their very positive results, gives us a lot of new information to continue our sustainability program as it relates to future products. Supporting the development and deployment of sustainable aviation biofuels is one of the industry’s top priorities, and we are firmly engaged in that effort.”

Next steps for the two partners include testing other feedstocks and production pathways for production of the biofuels.

“This could encompass a broad range of pursuits, from testing of additional fuel production pathways and feedstocks, to potentially increasing HEFA blend levels,” added Laurent Rouaud, Chief Marketing Office, GE Aviation. “These flights have also demonstrated that the aircraft and engine manufacturers are also interested in limiting net carbon emissions from their ongoing product development activities, and in working with producers to establish early production demand for the benefit of the entire aviation enterprise.”

advanced biofuels, Biodiesel, biojet fuel, International

Algae Industry Gets Sneak Peak of OriginOil Technology

Joanna Schroeder

The biofuel industry was invited to tour OriginOil’s algae technology during the recent Algae World Australia conference. The end-to-end algae production project is located in North Queensland, Australia. Riggs Eckelberry, company CEO, spoke during the conference and joined the visitors touring the facility, which is operated by their partner MBD Energy on the James Cook University campus (JCU) in Townsville.

“We were incredibly impressed with the professionalism that the joint MBD and JCU team showed in putting on this site visit,” said Eckelberry. “Next-generation algae production has been integrated into an end-to-end system for the first time, and we’re proud to be part of this effort.”

The tour also included the Tarong Power Station, near Brisbane, where visited were able to check out a new industrial demonstration site that MBD is building to capture flue-gas CO2 produced by the coal-fired power plant. MBD plans to use the large-scale OriginOil Single Step Extraction systems to harvest algae at the one hectare site.

advanced biofuels, algae, International

Arizona State Leads Way in Use of Solar

Joanna Schroeder

The U.S.-based University that uses the most solar energy in its mix is Arizona State University (ASU), which exceeds 10 megawatts (MW) of solar-energy capacity. The solar energy produced is enough to power 2,500 average sized homes. This is according to Ameresco Southwest, Inc.

“Surpassing 10 megawatts of solar energy capacity is a tremendous accomplishment for ASU and our partners,” said ASU President Michael Crow. “Over the years we have made several major commitments to sustainability, such as establishing the first school devoted to sustainability, raising awareness of how to live sustainable lives and finding ways to harness natural resources, like our abundance of sunshine. By doing these things, we are making a brighter future for ourselves and the place in which we live.”

When looking at ASU’s total energy use, the solar energy generates about 20 percent of their needs. The first solar energy product took place in October 2004 with a 34-kW installation at one of its parking structures on the Tempe campus. The university reached the 10 MW milestone after installing a 700 panel, 168-kilowatt (kW) ground-mounted photovoltaic installation on Tempe campus. Another solar installation is located at ASU’s West campus.

David Brixen, ASU’s associate vice president of Facilities Development and Management added, “Ten megawatts is a pinnacle for ASU and represents years of dedication to working toward our campus sustainability goals. To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest solar installation at a single university in the United States.”

Electricity, Energy, Solar