ACE Conference 2026

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

3rd Party Certification For Sustainable Biofuels

Joanna Schroeder

Led in part by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB) has launched the first global third-party certification system for sustainable biofuels. To be certified “sustainable” the fuel must meet a set of environmental, social and economic principles and criteria set forth by the group. The certification process takes place online and there are online tools available to assist in the process.

“It’s one thing to say your product is sustainable and another to prove it,” said Barbara Bramble, Senior Advisor for the International Climate and Energy Program at the National Wildlife Federation. “This new system makes it easy to differentiate between biofuels that are environmentally destructive and biofuels that deliver on the promise of sustainability.”

Many groups and organizations have lobbied global concerns over the development of biofuels including indirect land use, food versus fuel, biogenic emissions and land grabbing. The certification system covers all of these major issues and more including their contribution to climate change mitigation and rural development; their protection of land and labor rights; and their impacts on biodiversity, soil and water pollution, water availability and food security.

“All biofuels are not created equal,” said Bramble. “Bringing accountability, consistency and transparency to the global biofuels market is a giant first step toward stopping those practices that result in tropical deforestation, habitat destruction and increased pollution. The RSB is all about enabling biofuels markets to reward those producers who protect natural resources and avoid negative impacts on local communities.”

The certification system will be operated by RSB Services, which is the “business arm” of the RSB, providing access to the certification process, licensing, and auditors’ training among other activities. During the meetings to approve the certification, more than 120 organizations that included farmers, refiners, retailers, and NGOs came to an agreement. Now the group is asking the marketplace to recognize the industry leaders who are producing sustainable biofuels.

biofuels, Environment, International

Dyadic Introduces Advanced Biofuels Enzyme

Cindy Zimmerman

DyadicBiotech firm Dyadic International has introduced a new advanced biofuels enzyme at this week the World Biofuels Markets exhibition in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

According to the company, AlternaFuel® CMAX™ has proven to be effective in converting multiple forms of biomass into fermentable sugars which is the critical step in the production of cellulosic ethanol and other advanced biofuels and biochemicals from non-food feedstocks.

The World Biofuels Markets is Europe’s largest biofuels congress and exhibition, supporting the world’s development and search for alternative energy sources. Dyadic’s President and CEO, Mark Emalfarb, will also be presenting the most recent data regarding the performance of AlternaFuel® CMAX™ at the World Biofuels Markets on Wednesday, March 23rd at the Biobased Chemicals session and on Thursday, March 24th at the Advanced Biofuels session.

advanced biofuels, biochemicals, biofuels, Cellulosic, Ethanol, Ethanol News

One Block Off The Grid Helps Neighborhoods Go Solar

Joanna Schroeder

Gas prices aren’t the only thing on the rise. Utility prices are also going up, up and away. Pennsylvania largest power utility is getting ready to raise rates. As a result, One Block Off the Grid, a clean energy group, has announced the launch of two 90-day group deals on home solar systems. One in Philadelphia and one in Long Island. Using group purchasing power, One Block Off the Grid is offering a 15 percent discount on both solar panels and installation on behalf of Philly and Long Islanders in partnership with panel manufacturer Canadian Solar and installer Mercury Solar Systems.

“With the utility rate hike in Philadelphia and no more cap to prevent further increases, now is definitely the time to go solar,” said Dave Llorens, CEO and founder of One Block Off the Grid. “Our group deal allows homeowners to get panels on the roof much less expensively than they could on their own, but it only lasts 90 days, so we’re urging Philadelphia homeowners who’ve been considering solar to move forward now.”

The way One Block Off the Grid works is around the country, they organize group deals in markets where there are strong incentives and programs in place supporting solar energy. For example, in Philly, homeowners can couple the One Block Off the Grid discount with the state’s Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC) program. The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) has a program where a homeowner can have $17,500 of his or her solar installation costs covered. And the federal tax credit is still available for homeowners to receive 30 percent of the cost for going solar.

“We are pleased to assist One Block Off the Grid in the drive to make solar available to homes and businesses,” said Alan King, vice president of Canadian Solar USA. “This opportunity provides the community a cost-saving advantage to install clean, renewable solar power.”

Jared Haines, president of Mercury Solar Systems added, “We have partnered with One Block Off The Grid in several markets, including Philadelphia last year. We believe our success is driven by our ability to offer local homeowners the best product on the market: a top-of-the-line solar system at great price, installed by one of the most experienced companies.”

The Philadelphia and Long Island group discount on solar kicks off on March 21, 2011 and is available until June 21, 2011. To participate and get a free evaluation for solar over the phone, homeowners should sign up on the One Block Off the Grid website.

Electricity, Energy, Solar

Companies to Produce Edible Ethanol Co-Product

Cindy Zimmerman

Two Illinois companies are working together to produce an ethanol co-product that has a variety of food, industrial and chemical product applications.

Prairie Gold (PGI) of Bloomington, and GTL Resources USA of Itasca, Illinois have agreed to collaborate on the construction of a zein protein production plant. Zein is a high valued co-product that can be produced from the corn ethanol process. Zein is a natural food-based polymer that can be used to make coatings for candies, gum, and pills, as well as confectioners glaze, flexible films, and biodegradable plastics and fibers. Zein is edible and in its pure form is colorless and odorless which makes it ideal for many applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and specialty chemical industries. It has already been used for many years in the pharmaceutical industry and as a textile fiber substitute, but interest in the product is growing because it is a natural substitute for existing fossil fuel based alternatives. However, until now zein has been too expensive to enter into high volume applications.

PGI, a technology development company, has been testing their propriatary Corn Oil and Protein Extraction (COPE) process at GTL’s 110 million gallon ethanol plant located near Rochelle, IL. GTL, in concert with their ethanol subsidiary Illinois River Energy, provides the space, utilities, and feedstock to extract zein protein from corn. In 2009 GTL and PGI constructed a 2400 sq. ft. pilot plant on GTL’s ethanol plant site. The objective of the pilot plant project was to demonstrate the efficient extraction and purification of soluble zein protein from the corn kernel, prior to fermentation. The pilot trials have also provided zein samples for market development activities with customers.

Ethanol, Ethanol News

Isuzu Debuts Biodiesel-Compatible Van

John Davis

Japan-based auto maker Isuzu has debuted a utility van that will be more compatible with higher blends of biodiesel.

This company press release says the new Reach will not only be green, but it will last a long time, too:

Powering the Reach is Isuzu’s state-of-the-art, biodiesel fuel compatible 4JJ1-TC 3.0-liter turbocharged engine generating 150 horsepower, mated to a Aisin medium-duty six-speed automatic transmission with double overdrive, lock-up torque converter and power take-off (PTO) function. In independent testing, this powertrain achieved a whopping 35 percent better mileage than traditional commercial vans. This impressive fuel economy does not come at the expense of long-term durability; the engine has class-leading B10 durability ratings of 310,000 miles, meaning that 90% will reach that mileage before requiring an overhaul…

Combining efficiency, performance and durability with clean-diesel technology, the Reach offers both low cost of ownership and environmental friendliness—the ideal combination for our times.

You can get the Reach in 10-, 12- and 14-foot versions.

Biodiesel, Car Makers

UConn Researchers Find Better Way to Brew Biodiesel

John Davis

Researchers from the University of Connecticut have come up with a better way to brew up biodiesel.

This article from PHYSORG.com says Professor Richard Parnas, who you might remember from my story last October also is finding a way to use hemp as a biodiesel feedstock, has developed a patented biodiesel reactor that uses gravity, heat, and natural chemical reactions to make the biodiesel and separate the glycerol in one step:

As the chemical reactions take place inside the giant tube, temperatures reach more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The glycerol starts to coagulate in opaque swirls inside the tube. Because the glycerol droplets are heavier than the biodiesel fuel, they gradually sink to the bottom, where they are siphoned off. At the same time, the biodiesel fuel floats to the top of the tube and is pumped into a holding tank, where it undergoes refinement before being mixed with petroleum-based diesel fuel and used in the University’s bus fleet.

“What is unique about our reactor and why we have a patent on it, is that it gives a much better performance for the separation of the glycerol, and we don’t need a special separate step as is used in most other processes,” says Parnas, who also serves as chairman of UConn’s biodiesel consortium research group.

“That motion and those swirls you are seeing when you look at the reactor are the result of both a chemical reaction and phase separation in real time,” Parnas says. “Phase separation is like what happens when you have an oil and vinegar salad dressing … In other biodiesel processes out there, the reactants are very highly mixed and come out of the reactor together.”

While Parnas’ refinery is producing only about 2,000 gallons of biodiesel a year right now, he hopes a $1.8 million grant from the Department of Energy will help them move that production up to commercial quantities soon.

Biodiesel, Research