Municipal Solar Project Underway in Brea, CA

Joanna Schroeder

The City of of Brea is soon to be the home of what is believed to be the largest municipal solar power project in Orange County, California. The solar project is under construction at the city’s Community Center, Civic and Cultural Center and Reservoir City Pump Yard. Once complete, this year, there will be 7,854 Sharp NU-235F1 solar modules providing 1.8 megawatts of energy per year.

The project is being designed by and constructed by Chevron Energy Solutions and in conjunction with several other city efficiency initiatives, is expected to reduce the city’s energy use by nearly 40 percent and save them more than $13 million over the life of the project.

“Sharp is happy to provide solar panels to Chevron Energy Solutions in their work to help the City of Brea to become the largest municipal producer of solar energy in Orange County,” said Eric Hafter, senior vice president of Sharp Solar Energy Solutions Group. “We’re delighted to add the City of Brea to our growing portfolio of municipal solar power projects.”

Electricity, Solar

Ethanol Emergency Safety Seminars Being Held

Cindy Zimmerman

Renewable Fuels Association LogoTo help ensure that safety remains top priority for those who transport and bring ethanol to the marketplace, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and numerous Clean Cities Coalitions (CCCs) are hosting a series of Ethanol Safety Seminars at several locations throughout the United States in 2011. These seminars are free of charge, and while primarily targeting first responders, hazmat teams, safety managers, and local emergency planning committees, they are also open to the general public.

Renewable Fuels Association EERCAs a part of the Alternative Fuels Trade Alliance, the RFA and CCCs are able to hold these Ethanol Safety Seminars through the $1.6 million grant received from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). This grant has been used to raise public awareness and foster understanding of alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies across the country. The goal of these seminars is for attendees to gain a full ethanol emergency response training experience that they can put to use immediately in the field, as well as pass along to other first response teams. A majority of this training is based on the Complete Training Guide to Ethanol Emergency Response, a training package created by the Ethanol Emergency Response Coalition (EERC) that has been distributed throughout the United States and to several countries worldwide.

“America is nearing a 100 percent saturation point with E10 in our nation’s fuel supply,” said RFA Market Development Director, Robert White. “As ethanol continues to flow across the country through railways and trucks into fuel retail stations, it is important for first responders in these areas to be well prepared and trained for ethanol related emergencies.”

The seminar has already been held in Harrisburg, PA and will be held at eight more locations in 2011 including Boston Metropolitan area, MA; Charlotte, NC; Houston and Beaumont, TX; Portland, OR; Stockton, CA; Indianapolis, IN and in Northeastern, OH. Since over half of the nation’s fire departments are volunteer based, each location will have a morning and afternoon session to accommodate schedules and reach as many participants as possible. Each safety seminar is conducted with the local Clean Cities Coordinator and is taught by a professional trainer with a background in firefighter/hazmat materials response. The RFA has been working diligently with the State Fire Academies to offer certificates of training or participation that can be used toward their local department’s training requirements.

For more information or to sign up for the Ethanol Safety Seminars, visit www.rfa.traincaster.com.

Education, Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA

American Ethanol “Countdown to Daytona” Campaign

Cindy Zimmerman

With NASCAR set to run an ethanol-blend fuel in 2011, Growth Energy has announced a 15-day “Countdown to Daytona” campaign, leading up to the Daytona 500 on February 20, the premiere race to open the 2011 NASCAR season and the sport’s partnership with American Ethanol.

“We’re reaching out to our base of ethanol supporters and bringing them along for this exciting ride,” said Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis. “Over the next couple weeks, as we roll up to Daytona 500, you’ll see a series of American Ethanol promotions and outreach efforts. This is really a first-time event for our industry – and an exciting time to be part of ethanol.”

Growth EnergyThe American Ethanol marketing agreement, led by Growth Energy in partnership with the National Corn Growers Association, allows the U.S. ethanol industry to reach the tens of millions of loyal NASCAR fans with the positive story about ethanol – how it creates jobs here in the United States, helps clean the air by reducing emissions, and strengthens our national security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil.

The launch of NASCAR’s 2011 racing season includes the introduction of Sunoco Green E15 as the racing fuel for NASCAR’s three national racing series. This comes just weeks after a final decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Growth Energy’s Green Jobs Waiver, approving E15 for all passenger vehicles made in the last decade.

The Countdown to Daytona Campaign will highlight events and news around the American Ethanol partnership, with a focus on the new American Ethanol Contingency award to be given to drivers and the use of the American Ethanol logo on the racing vehicles and on the green flag. Information on the Countdown to Daytona Campaign can be received as it is announced by becoming a member of Growth Force.

The 53rd running of “The Great American Race” is on Sunday, Feb. 20, and will be aired on Fox at 1 pm.

American Ethanol, Ethanol, Growth Energy, NASCAR

Opening Remarks – Joe Jobe at Biodiesel Conference

Chuck Zimmerman

John HeishorfferThe opening general session of the National Biodiesel Conference is now taking place and NBB CEO Joe Jobe just left the stage. Joe gave us a rousing opening speech and I’ve recorded it for you so that you can listen or download below.

Joe says the conference will rock and he hopes that all the attendees will have opportunities to conduct some real business as we look at an optimistic year for the industry. He pledges to use all resources to get the biodiesel tax credit extended this year.

You can listen Joe’s opening remarks here: Opening Comments - Joe Jobe

2011 National Biodiesel Conference Photo Album

Audio, Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference, NBB

National Biodiesel Conference Photos

Chuck Zimmerman

Joe JobeAfter the opening Super Bowl Party at the National Biodiesel Conference we had music on stage from Emily Richards and Jason Brock, long time attendees and performers. Joining them were several members of the Biodiesel Jam Band. Here’s NBB CEO Joe Jobe with Scottie Nisula on guitar. We had a number of other folks join in on stage too.

I’ve now got a photo album started which I’ll be adding to during the convention. Our opening general session is about to start so I’ve got to get over there. I’ll be doing some posts afterward that will include audio from the session. Check back here often for updates.

Post Update: Check out what you missed on stage last night in the video.

2011 National Biodiesel Conference Photo Album

Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference, NBB

National Biodiesel Foundation Needs Your Support

Chuck Zimmerman

John HeishorfferDuring the Super Bowl party at the National Biodiesel Conference you could support the National Biodiesel Foundation in several ways that included buying raffle tickets for a post-half time raffle. Also in progress is a silent auction for some very incredible items like an autographed album by the Beatles. If you’re at the conference the silent auction runs through Tuesday. Hint, hint.

I spoke about supporting the foundation with John Hiesdorffer, Iowa Soybean Association, pictured center. He describes the purpose of the foundation and how you can support it even if you’re not at the conference.

You can listen to my interview with John here: Interview with John Hiesdorffer

Audio, Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference, Education, NBB

National Biodiesel Conference Outlook Bright

Chuck Zimmerman

Joe JobeThe 2011 National Biodiesel Conference is underway and the party has started. The Super Bowl Party that is. Before the game the CEO of the National Biodiesel Board, Joe Jobe, played meet the press in the media room. He’s seen here being interviewed. I’ll be biodiesel blogging once again here on Domestic Fuel and on the Biodiesel Conference Blog.

I spoke with Joe to get an “advance” look at this year’s conference. Joe starts out by explaining what the ADVANCE theme means. He also says that there will be a good crowd of the right people who are here to get down to business at the beginning of what looks like a very promising year for the industry.

You can listen to my interview with Joe here: Interview with Joe Jobe

Audio, Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference, NBB

NBB Invests in Next Generation Biofuel Scientists

Joanna Schroeder

The 2011 National Biodiesel Conference & Expo kicks off today in Phoenix and there will be some new faces on hand – some biofuel scientists of tomorrow. This year, the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) helped to bring around 10 of these budding researchers to the conference.

A full-ride scholarship was awarded to Evan Le, a senior studying mechanical engineering at the University of Nevada. Le was chosen by the Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel, an organization launched in 2009, to help encourage young students to pursue biofuels research.

“As an aspiring Ph.D. student, this scholarship will be a great opportunity for me to expand my knowledge of biodiesel and enhance my skills, so that I can make a meaningful contribution to bioenergy research,” Le said.

Le’s scholarship is supported by the United Soybean Board and the soybean checkoff, and the Ohio Soybean Council has also provided a partial scholarship to Qingshi Tu, a University of Cincinnati Environmental Engineering student. In addition, NBB has contributed partial scholarships to several other students, including the four co-chairs of the Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel:

• Mikkel Leslie, Oregon State University (Environmental Engineering)
• Lucas Ellis, Dartmouth (Biochemical Engineering)
• Jason Strull, University of Nevada – Reno (Material Sciences and Chemical Engineering)
• Bernardo del Campo, Iowa State University (Biorenewable Resources and Technologies)

“These students are the future scientists who will develop and improve energy solutions, and bringing them into the biodiesel community now is a small investment that could yield huge returns,” said Don Scott, NBB director of sustainability. “They have demonstrated such an inspiring commitment to biodiesel, which promises to be here for decades to come, and we look forward to working with them.”

Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference

Why Reducing Middle Eastern Oil is Good US Foreign Policy

Joanna Schroeder

The renewable fuels industry is taking the opportunity to let the country know the value of domestically produced fuels. Last week, oil prices spiked to $100 per barrel amid fears that there may be oil flow disruptions due to political unrest in Egypt and surrounding regions. There is now speculation that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak could relinquish power over the weekend and with that speculation are slightly lower crude oil prices. Experts believe that despite what transpires this weekend, prices will hold steady.

As higher oil prices translate to higher prices at the pump, T. Boone Pickens, along with others in the renewable energy field, have once again taken the opportunity to urge Congress and President Obama’s administration to pass comprehensive energy policy that will reduce the countries reliance on Middle Eastern oil. Pickens was out of the gate first with a statement last week.

“The question isn’t whether there will be more uncertainty in the Middle East. That’s a question of when not if. The greater question is whether our leadership is ready to solve this problem once and for all,” said Pickens. “I urge Congress and the Obama Administration to enact energy legislation now that gets America on our own resources. We have a tremendous supply of natural gas that can be used as a transportation fuel and is an immediate alternative to OPEC oil.”

Then earlier this week, Growth Energy’s Director of Public Affairs came out with a statement in response to some rumblings that ethanol was to blame for the rioting and upheaval in Cairo, Egypt and elsewhere. The link, ethanol opponents claim, is between wheat prices in the Middle East with demand for corn starch for ethanol in the U.S.

“These are people who want to play parlor games instead of looking at the facts and really finding out how markets work, or what’s motivating protesters in the Middle East. Seeing some of the distortions and pretzel logic these folks are going through, I’d encourage them to pick up Twister, instead,” said Thorne.

And today, Gen. Wesley K. Clark, former NATO Supreme Commander, and Co-Chairman of Growth Energy, responded to the threat of “contagion” in the Middle East.

Gen. Wesley Clark (Ret.) Talks about Egypt from Growth Energy on Vimeo.

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Ethanol, International, Natural Gas, Opinion

Update on DDCE Cellulosic Ethanol Projects

Joanna Schroeder

Two and a half years ago DuPont partnered with Danisco (whom DuPont is now acquiring) to create DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol (DDCE). In just a short amount of time, the venture has come a long way in bringing cellulosic fuels closer to commercial scale. During the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association’s (IRFA) annual conference, Kyle Althoff, DDCE’s Director of feedstock development gave an update on where the company was in the process of pilot to commercial scale fuels.

The company is currently focusing on two feedstocks: stover in the Midwest and switchgrass in a partnership with University of Tennessee. Today, DDCE is looking for cost-effective biochemical solutions to convert those feedstocks into fuels, chemicals and biofuel products. They currently have a 250,000 gallon demonstration plant near Vonore, TN up and operating and they plan on having a commercial scale plant in operation by 2013. It looks like the future site of that plant may be somewhere in Iowa.

This past year, DDCE did a corn stover test harvest in several states where they monitored everything from the storage of the materials and different moisture contents through the logistics of the equipment in the field, to collecting data on the GPS movements, to speed and fuel usage of these implements. The program this year is focused on providing answers not only to for their plant, but also for their customers’ plants.

Today, Althoff said they are “focused on creating good technology for the industry and working with customers that can bring that technology into production.” They are also working on optimizing the technology to harvest biomass feedstocks, the economics as well as sustainability and working on best practices to ensure the company meets all of these needs.

Listen to or download Kyle’s presentation at the IRFA here: Kyle Althoff presentation. Download Kyle’s slides here.

IOWA RENEWABLE FUELS SUMMIT PHOTO ALBUM

Audio, biofuels, Cellulosic, Ethanol