Germany Takes Lead in Offshore Wind

Joanna Schroeder

Germany is taking the lead in offshore wind development and believes they have secured number one status with its new offshore wind park located off the Baltic Sea coast. The project is set to enter the testing phase. This week, the country is wooing renewable energy and environmental technologies to Germany during the AMERICANA conference in Montreal, Canada.

“For decades Germany has shown a dedicated commitment to environmental technologies. Only through sustainable industrial policy can we continue to foster innovation and generate economic growth independent of resource consumption. With this philosophy, Germany has created the ideal conditions for innovative cleantech companies to reach a large and sophisticated market,” said Thomas Grigoleit, Director of Renewable Energies and Resources at Germany Trade & Invest in Berlin.

Germany is arguably one of the few countries that has not only met but surpassed its climate goals. It surpassed its environmental goals in 2010 – two years early- and is on track to meet is 2020 goals. One way the country has met its initiatives is through the use of renewable energy such as wind and solar. As Europe’s leading wind energy generator and the world’s top solar power producer, Germany is now tackling some of the industries leading challenges including energy storage to compensate for a fluctuating renewable energy supply and smart energy management technologies. The country is also looking at electric mobility as an important component, with renewable electricity slated to increase as a proportion of total energy consumption.

Yet energy is not the only area upon which Germany has set its sights. The country is also researching water efficiency in agriculture and food production. With the introduction of various new research and development incentives with significant funds behind them, Germany is supporting projects contributing to the reduction of water consumption in the food supply chain.

Electricity, Energy, Solar, Wind

Biodiesel Processor Maker to Locate in Nevada

John Davis

A company that builds the machines to turn raw materials into the green fuel biodiesel will put in a factory in the Reno/Carson City region of Nevada.

This press release posted on AltEnergyMag.com says Green Fuels America, known for its 5,000 gallon a day FuelMatic biodiesel processor, will help bring jobs to the state, according to Lieutenant Governor Brian Krolicki:

“Jobs are being imported from the UK because of the tax and business friendly environment, and vendor skill base here in Nevada. Biodiesel is a sustainable replacement for petroleum diesel made from crushed oil seed crops (such as soybean, camelina, etc), waste cooking oil, and animal fats (chicken and beef fat). When burned it’s CO2 emissions are 85% less than those of petroleum diesel…

Currently there are 21 FuelMatic processors running world-wide in England, Hong Kong, Mexico, Ireland, and Croatia. The FuelMatic you see here today will be installed in Massachusetts in the spring. Green Fuels America, Inc., incorporated in Nevada, taken together with its parent company Green Fuels Ltd. (UK) is the world-wide leader in commercial biodiesel processors that are factory built, and shipped in sea containers to customers sites.”

“We believe that we will be able to manufacture six of these commercial biodiesel processors in Nevada this year using local sub-contractors, the majority will be for export,” said Greg Springer, VP and GM, of Green Fuels America.

While the factory will create just 10 new jobs this year, think of the potential as more biodiesel makers either get back or come online, thanks to the renewal of the federal $1-a-gallon biodiesel tax credit.

Biodiesel

Butamax Issued Another Biobutanol Patent

Joanna Schroeder

Butamax has received another patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) number 7,910,342 entitled “FERMENTIVE PRODUCTION OF ISOBUTANOL USING HIGHLY ACTIVE KETOL-ACID REDUCTOISOMERASE ENZYMES.” The patent was awarded to protect a key step in the company’s biobutanol production pathway using genetic constructs with highly active enzymes. This is one of several patents that Butamax has been awarded for its biobutanol production technology.

“We pioneered microbial production of isobutanol as a single fermentative product and we are pleased that the U.S. patent office has recognized our inventive contributions in this field again,” said Tim Potter, Butamax CEO. “This patent protected technology is important because it enables commercially viable production rates.”

Just last December, Butamax was awarded a patent that covered various recombinant microorganisms, including yeast host cells, expressing classes of enzymes that catalyze the metabolic pathway for producing biobutanol at commercial scale. According to the company, the patent also protects methods for producing biobutanol as well as the fermentation medium in which the biobutanol is produced.

Butamax Vice President and Chief Counsel, Christine Lhulier, said, “We are the only company to hold issued patents for this technology. By obtaining and protecting our intellectual property portfolio, we ensure the highest sustainable value for our customers and licensees. Because our technology is not dependent on on-going royalties to multitudes of third party technology providers, Butamax is able to provide higher financial returns for converting ethanol capacity to biobutanol production.”

Lhulier also noted that Butamax is the only company to own all of its intellectual property. She said they are also the only company that can offer ethanol producers a technology that is clear of third party rights and obligations.

“We are uniquely positioned to provide unfettered access to the most advanced technology for producing biobutanol. We will continue to secure for our customers and licensees the ability to modify their production capacity to ensure sustainable growth for the biofuels industry,” concluded Lhulier.

biobutanol, biofuels, Company Announcement

It’s Almost Planting Time

Chuck Zimmerman

The latest ZimmPoll results are in. So your answer to the question, “When will planting season start this year?” is as follows: 37 percent say later than average, 36 percent say at the five year average (late March) and 27 percent say sooner than average. I’m guessing that some of those “sooner” folks are already out in the field!

Our next ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “How will Japan disaster affect US exports?” Our hearts go out to the people in Japan by the way. It is a disaster of monumental proportions. There are many organizations providing assistance and we hope you’ll support them. Let us know what you think and thank you for participating.

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

ZimmPoll

Juhl Wind Completes Wind Project in Minnesota

Joanna Schroeder

Juhl Wind has completed a utility scale wind project in Meeker County Minnesota near the city of Atwater. The Danielson Wind Project, which is estimated to produce 19.8 megawatts (MW) of wind energy per year, cost nearly $42 million. The project was built in conjunction with the Adams Wind Project, also a 19.8 MW wind project and located in Meeker County, Minn. Juhl Wind served as both the developer and owner’s representative for the construction phase for both projects.

“We are very pleased with the startup and initial operation of the Alstom ECO 86 wind turbines and expect a very solid long-term operation,” stated Dan Juhl, CEO of Juhl Wind, Inc. “For Juhl as a company, Danielson is one of six projects we have been developing and constructing in the past couple of years. We recently announced the sale of our 20 MW Grant County wind farm, completion of the Adams Wind Project and we expect to wrap up our other projects in the next few months. Taken together, we believe this group of projects will result in very strong financial performance for our company in 2011 and will put us in a very strong position for the next few years of our growth.”

The Danielson Wind Project began construction in October of 2010 and consists of 12 Alstom ECO 86 Wind Turbines. The energy produced is being sold to Xcel Energy under a 20 year, 19.8 MW power purchase agreement. The wind farm incorporates one of the company’s “community wind” structures where ownership is shared with the local residents and farmers who own the land that the project is located on.

Andy Geissbuehler, the vice president and general manager with Alstom Wind Business North America, noted that his company appreciated the opportunity to work with Dan Juhl and his team “in order to bring the proven performance and environmental benefits of Alstom’s technology” to the project.

“As we have pointed out in our last couple of announcements, the Danielson project represents the success we have had in moving six major projects forward in the past couple of years,” added Juhl Wind President John Mitola. “In spite of the 2008 recession, we found a way to move almost $150 million in projects forward and we are pleased we are beginning to see the financial results and the project outcomes we targeted at the outset. We believe this level of performance puts Juhl into a class by itself when compared to other independent developers of wind power.”

Electricity, Energy, Wind

CHOREN Makes Progess on Biofuel Plant

Joanna Schroeder

Rainer Bomba, Undersecretary of State in the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development, visited CHOREN’s Beta plant at Freiberg in the German state of Saxony. His purpose of the visit was to discuss the progress of CHOREN on producing sustainable advanced biofuels and their role in achieving climate protection targets.

“Last year, the Beta plant completed several campaigns of synthesis gas trial production, successfully producing from wood a synthesis gas that is free of tar and aromatics on an industrial scale,” said CHOREN’s CEO Marcell Ulrichs.

Bomba said of his visit, “Industrial-scale BTL production may turn into a milestone in the future use of bioenergy. Therefore I very much hope that the development work of recent years will be rewarded and that the plant will run smoothly. We are planning to make greater use of renewable energies in the transportation sector, too. That includes biofuels – and BTL has particularly high potential in this respect, because far more biological material can be used than is currently the case.”

CHOREN said that there are several benefits of their biosynthetic fuel including significant CO2 reduction, no competition with food production and excellent compatibility with existing drive systems. The Beta plant in Freiberg has an annual capacity of 18 million litres of BTL (biomass to liquid) fuel. CHOREN said they are very active in various projects around the world to construct more BTL plants due to the need for sustainable biofuels.

Professor Dr. Jürgen Leohold, Head of Group Research at Volkswagen AG and a member of the CHOREN supervisory board, added, “BTL is a key technology in reducing greenhouse gas emissions sustainably in the transportation sector.”

bioenergy, biofuels, biomass, International

Hawaiian Electric Company & SunPower Sign Solar Deal

Joanna Schroeder

Hawaiian Electric Company and SunPower Corporation have announced an agreement for SunPower to sell solar photovoltaic (PV) power to Hawaiian Electric for 20 years under a fixed price contract. The power will be generated from a 5 MW solar farm that SunPower will design, build and operate at Kalaeloa in West Oahu. The agreement still needs approval from the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (PUC) but once the word is handed down, SunPower plans on having the solar farm, located on 40 acres leased from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, up and running within five months.

“We welcome this agreement for another solar facility for Oahu, part of our continuing effort to get as much renewable energy on our island grid as possible,” said Robbie Alm, Hawaiian Electric executive vice president. “Hawaii already leads the nation in solar watts per person, much of it generated by customer-sited roof-top PV arrays. This and other large-scale projects will increase our solar leadership and help us meet our clean energy goals.”

Back in 2008, PUC sent out a request for proposal and this agreement is the result of that process. SunPower, the winning contractor, will install its solar panels on its SunPower Tracker system, which they believe are the most productive on the market today. The company says the system “tracks” the sun capturing up to 25 percent more sunlight than conventional fixed-tilt systems all on less land.

“With SunPower’s high-efficiency technology, Hawaiian Electric will benefit from reliable, cost-effective, guaranteed performance,” said SunPower Business Unit President Jim Pape. “The solar farm will contribute clean, renewable solar power to Oahu while generating welcome revenues for the important work of the Hawaiian Homelands department on behalf of native Hawaiians.”

When completed, this solar farm will join several other renewable energy projects on Oahu including an expanding waste-to-energy plant, a waste gasification plant currently under development; a wind farm, and several other solar farms under development.

Electricity, Energy, Solar

“Keep It Fresh” Tour Kicks Off

Joanna Schroeder

Today is World Water Day and Green For All, an environmental non-profit organization, has partnered with SIGG USA, the maker of reusable aluminum water bottles, to kick off the “Keep It Fresh” public education campaign as part of the 2011 Campus Consciousness Tour. The campaign features hip-hop superstar Wiz Khalifa. The campaign kicked off today and ends on Earth Day, April 22, 2011.

Today, approximately 1 percent of the Earth’s freshwater is easily accessible. In the United States alone, 36 states are already experiencing or expect to experience water challenges that include pollution and shortages. Globally, 70 percent of all water used goes to agriculture followed by water used to create energy. According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, on at least one-third of the world’s cropland, water rather than land is the binding constraint – a real challenge as the world looks to feed 9 billion people by 2045-2050.

The goal of the Keep It Fresh campaign is to educate communities about today’s water challenges using interactive online tools as well as onsite activities. The campaign is designed to raise awareness about the crisis-level water shortages, create personal action around water conservation and advocated for improving local water situations.

“We are proud to partner with the Campus Consciousness Tour featuring Wiz Khalifa for the ‘Keep It Fresh’ campaign to raise awareness about our clean water crisis and the economic opportunity provided in protecting our fresh water supply,” stated Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, CEO of Green For All. “Access to clean water isn’t a future problem, it’s a current problem facing many of us, particularly, many of our nation’s low-income communities and communities of color. I am excited about this partnership’s potential to create change through action.”

The campaign chose Wiz Khalifa as a spokesperson because of his positive environmental stance on current issues facing America coupled with his unique ability to reach young adults throughout the country. As part of the promotions surrounding the campaign, people can register to win prizes including a free IPad2 and custom SIGG bottles on their Facebook fan page as well as the Keep It Fresh website.

Rob Dewar, President of SIGG North America concluded, “SIGG is proud to be partnering with Green For All in its mission to improve drinking water availability and awareness about the necessary steps needed to insure continued access to this basic necessity.”

Environment, water

GRFA Highlights Biofuel Reduction on GHGs

Joanna Schroeder

The World Biofuels Markets conference has kicked off in Rotterdam, Netherlands and the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) is taking the opportunity to highlight the positive influence ethanol production is having on reducing global greenhouse gas (GHGs) reductions.

A third party consulting firm, (S&T)2 Consultants Inc. has produced data that shows estimated world ethanol production for 2011 will reduce global GHG emissions by 105 million tonnes. This equals a reduction of approximately 287,000 tonnes per day.

“This is very promising news,” explained Bliss Baker, spokesperson for the GRFA. “These figures clearly show that biofuels are playing a critical role in reducing harmful GHG emissions around the globe. Biofuels can curb our global addiction to oil – especially considering today’s rising oil prices – and in the wake of the recent United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference in Cancun, this data is proof that biofuels are vital in the fight against climate change.

Of special note:

  • • World ethanol production is currently replacing the need for a million barrels of crude oil per day which would otherwise create 545,000 tonnes of GHG emissions daily.
  • • In 2010, world ethanol production was 85.7 billion litres and is estimated to have reduced GHG emissions by 101 million tonnes – a GHG reduction of more than 276,000 tonnes per day.
  • • GHG emission reductions of 101 million tonnes represents the equivalent of 18.7 million cars being taken off the road or the total GHG emissions reported by Austria in 2005.
  • • In cooperation with F.O. Licht the GRFA are predicting global ethanol production in 2011 to grow by over 3% to 88.7 billion litres. This increase in production will result in a 9% growth in GHG reductions.
biofuels, Environment, Ethanol, International

Grassley Hopes to Avoid Vote on Ethanol Tax Credit

Cindy Zimmerman

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) is hoping to avoid a vote in the Senate on the amendment introduced last week by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) that would repeal the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC).

Grassley said today during his weekly agricultural media conference call that there are two ways the vote can be avoided. “Either talking him out of it, or denying unanimous consent to bring it up, and I think we can do the latter,” he said. Grassley say he is trying to “reason with” Coburn and urge him to take up the issue within the context of energy legislation so to “have ethanol be viewed as part of an overall energy program” instead of having it be part of the spending bill debate.

According to Grassley, Coburn says he has 55 votes. “He probably needs 60 votes. I think we can probably keep him from getting 60 votes. But, quite frankly, I don’t want anybody on record, if we can avoid it, on the ethanol issue until we get down to discussing it as part of the energy debate.”

Listen to Grassley’s comments in answer to a question by Dan Looker of Successful Farming. Sen. Grassley

Meanwhile, as the future of the VEETC remains unsure in Congress, ethanol interests are reportedly in negotiations on a proposal for moving beyond the VEETC. According to DTN/The Progressive Farmer, representatives from the American Coalition for Ethanol, Growth Energy, National Corn Growers Association and Renewable Fuels Association have been working on a compromise proposal this week, getting input from lawmakers in Washington.

ACE, Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Geothermal, Growth Energy, NCGA, politics, RFA