Cruise Car Rolls Out Solar Electric Car

Joanna Schroeder

Have an inkling to cruise around town in a fuel efficient car? Then check out the new ‘All American’ line of 15 solar electric Low Speed Vehicles (LSV) developed by Cruise Car, Inc. The cars are manufactured in the U.S. and use up to 50 percent recycled or certified re-manufactured parts and materials. The LSV line cars are constructed with welded aluminum space frames using custom aluminum-alloy extrusions and meets the requirements of Executive Order 13514 mandating that government agencies meet a number of energy, water and waste reduction targets, including a 30 percent reduction in vehicle fleet petroleum use by 2020 and a 50 percent recycling and waste diversion by 2015.

One of the biggest targets for the All American car is the U.S. military. Just last week, the company shipped 30 of the LSV’s to the U.S. Navy base in San Diego.

“Cruise Car’s entire mission is to provide solar powered transportation where it makes sense — from the neighborhood family transport to entire fleets of low speed maintenance or utility vehicles,” says Ken Chester, President of Cruise Car, Inc. “Our All American models are the most efficient solar electric vehicles in the world and we are especially proud to have engineered a unique electric vehicle that provides a measurable lowering of green house gas emissions and also meets market demand for high quality American-made products at competitive prices.”

Cruise Car and Eco Trans Alliance, who supplied the Sunray Solar Tops, will be showcasing the All American LSV’s and Sunray Solar Tops at Solar Power International 2010, the largest business-to-business solar conference and expo in North America from October 12th to 14th at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Tax incentives are available and the LSV’s are perfect for golf courses, college campuses resorts, and more.

“Our All American line offers several key benefits for LSV users, particularly in the large fleet environment,” stated Adam Sulimirski, Cruise Car General Manager. “They are reliable, will not rust, have extended driving range and all parts are interchangeable and widely available worldwide for optimum fleet operational efficiency.”

Electric Vehicles, Solar

NASA’s Space Center Goes Solar

Joanna Schroeder

The space center is going solar. This week, NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC), located on the East coast of Florida, has begun the installation of a 79 kilowatt solar array on their new Propellants North Facility. The solar panels selected were developed and manufactured by Sharp. Once completed, the solar array will generate enough energy to power the entire building with no net energy consumption and no carbon emissions. In addition, the building will become of only 150 projects to qualify for the LEED Platinum certification, a program under the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).

“NASA always has been about high efficiency and sustainability. Over the past 50 years NASA has been in the forefront of cutting edge solar technology for use in space.” said Frank Kline, project manager for the Propellants North Facility. “While part of NASA’s mission is to discover and explore other planets, the Propellants North Facility reflects our commitment to taking care of planet Earth too.”

The solar array includes 336 Sharp solar panels manufactured in Sharp’s Memphis TN plant. Each panel will produce 235 watts of clean energy. The majority of the array will be roof mounted on the curved aluminum roofing system utilizing next generation standing seam aluminum clamps eliminating the need for any other structural connections and roof penetrations. The remainder of the Sharp array is utilized as the power source for Kennedy’s first solar powered electric vehicle charging station. The new facility’s parking lot will house a solar panel covered canopy with six 240v electric vehicle charging stations for use by NASA’s fleet of electric vehicles.

“We are pleased to be a part of such a forward-thinking project as the Propellants North Facility at KSC. LEED Platinum certification highlights NASA’s commitment to green building and clean energy. Sharp is delighted to be a part of the team that assists NASA and helps pass the energy savings on to the taxpayer,” said Eric Hafter, senior vice president, Sharp Solar Energy Solutions Group.

This is not the first solar project on site. Last year, the Kennedy Solar Energy Center went online. SunPower Corp. designed and built the facility by mounting 3,344 panels atop 1,183 piers, and the structures are designed to withstand 130 mph winds.

Electric Vehicles, Electricity, Solar

US Fuel Convoys Under Attack, Amplifies Call for Renewable Energy

Joanna Schroeder

The beginning of October has brought at least 10 Pakistani attacks on oil tankers carrying fuel for NATO vehicles in Afghanistan. The NY Times reported today that fuel convoys are “sitting ducks” and as a result, have come under increasing attack. In response, U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords came out in support of bipartisan leaders of the House Armed Services Committee for urging Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates to study new ways of reducing energy use.

The U.S. government is the largest user of fuel in the country and has publicly committed to adopting the use of renewable fuels. Just this year, several test flights have already taken place using “bio” jet fuel. In addition, the military has acknowledged the vulnerability of its troops due to their dependence on fossil fuels, and last month, Biodiesel Industries announced the next phase in development of its system to create biodiesel right on military bases. This system could be built in military camps around the globe lessening the danger of U.S. troops who would no longer have to transport huge amounts of fossil fuels to and from its camps on a daily basis.

“Transporting fuel for operational use is one of the most dangerous assignments for our men and women serving in Afghanistan,” said Giffords, a member of the Armed Services Committee. “We must take immediate steps to find ways of reducing fuel use as a way of safeguarding our troops.”

“Our enemies know of our reliance on oil and they are using it to their advantage, and as a result, thousands of service members are dedicated to securing vulnerable supply lines instead of fighting the terrorists who threaten our way of life,” continued Giffords who has introduced legislation to address the issue.

Giffords’ bill, the Department of Defense Energy Security Act, would help reduce the Pentagon’s $20 billion annual fuel bill through a number of specific steps. Among them is accelerating the production of biofuels for aviation and promoting large-scale renewable energy projects at defense facilities. These steps would help make it safer for our troops.Read More

Biodiesel, biofuels, Electric Vehicles, Oil, politics, Solar

Bioheat Focus of National Biodiesel Board Webinar

John Davis

The success of New York City’s 2 percent biodiesel requirement in heating oil … a mix known as bioheat … was recently touted during a webinar hosted by the National Biodiesel Board (NBB).

City Councilman James F. Gennaro, who spearheaded the Big Apple’s bioheat mandate, explained that New York started with using biodiesel in its heavy duty truck fleets. That success led to including biodiesel in the city’s one billion gallon a year heating oil plans.

“I saw this as a great way to move in a very good direction and help us clean the air in New York City.”

After a couple of years of work on the city legislation, the council was able to agree on a 2 percent mandate that puts 20 million gallons a year of the cleaner-burning, renewable fuel into the heating systems. Gennaro tips his hat to several local New York City businesses that have worked to grow the local biodiesel industry, including Metro, Tri-State Biodiesel and Sprague Energy, among others. New York City Councilman James F. Gennaro

NBB’s Director of Sustainability Don Scott applauded the city’s efforts to clean the air, create jobs and reduce the country’s dependence on foreign oil.

“[The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)] found that biodiesel made from animal fat, recycled greases and waste products reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent (compared to conventional petroleum).” And biodiesel made for soybean oil reduced those greenhouse gas emissions by 86 percent … even 57 percent if you use the controversial indirect land use change formula, well above the EPA’s advanced biofuel standard. Plus, Scott points out that the biodiesel industry employs 23,000 Americans with the potential of those jobs climbing to 78,000 workers. Finally, he says it stems the country’s billion-dollar-a-day foreign oil habit.

Gennaro says he’d like to see New York’s model repeated elsewhere across the country.

“This is the direction that we should be moving in.”

Audio, Biodiesel, Government, NBB, Webinar

BlueFire Finalizes Contract for Cellulosic Plant

Joanna Schroeder

BlueFire Renewables (formerly BlueFire Ethanol) has announced that it has finalized and signed an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract to build a cellulosic ethanol facility in Fulton, MS. The $296 million biorefinery, which includes a $100 million biomass power plant as part of the facility, will be constructed by Wanzek Construction, a subsidiary of MasTec, Inc. This was an important last step for the company to receive both its DOE and USDA Loan Guarantee Program funding.

“Having recently announced off-take and feedstock agreements for our Fulton, Mississippi plant, BlueFire Renewables has now satisfied all stated requirements to move forward on an agreement with either the DOE or USDA for a loan guarantee to complete financing of the project,” stated Arnold Klann, CEO of BlueFire Renewables, Inc. “BlueFire now stands poised to finalize the government negotiations and affect the financing and construction of this commercial-sized cellulosic ethanol plant.”

This is the company’s first plant that has successfully achieved all the elements needed to begin construction of a commercial scale cellulosic facility sourcing non-food cellulosic waste as its primary feedstock. Once operational, the plant, which will specifically use local wood and green waste, will produce approximately 19 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year.

“We are excited about our involvement in the project with BlueFire Renewables and look forward to a long-term relationship. BlueFire’s proprietary technologies, which convert non-food cellulosic waste into fuel, should bring environmentally friendly facilities and increased long-term employment to the State of Mississippi. We are glad to be a part of the initial roll-out and we look forward to working with BlueFire on a number of other opportunities,” noted Jose Mas, MasTec, Inc.’s Chief Executive Officer.

Cellulosic, Ethanol

New Algae Incubator Program Launches

Joanna Schroeder

The National Algae Association is launching a new Algae Production Incubator Program for qualified algaepreneurs. The program begins on October 1, 2010 and is considered the first Algae Production Incubator starting in the U.S. More specifically, it will be a new algae farming cooperative.

For people and companies who are interested in developing algae for various markets including jet fuel, green diesel, biodiesel, biogasoline, bioplastics, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, organic fertilizer, and livestock, poultry and fish feed, then this program may be for you. It is aimed for entrepreneurs that have not been able to achieve funding through traditional means.

Coincidentally, I am in San Diego this week participating in an algae tour. The city has successfully built an algal research hub, and today, has more than 30 algae companies in various stages based in the region. I’ll will be bringing you stories throughout the week about the companies we visit.

Hopefully, the success of the Algae Production Incubator Program will lead to similar community biofuels programs throughout the country. To learn more about the program, contact the National Algae Association.

algae, Biodiesel, bioenergy

Ethanol Summit on Health, Environment & Safety

Joanna Schroeder

The Nebraska Ethanol Board is hosting a summit on October 7, 2010 called the 2010 Ethanol Summit on Health, Safety and Environment. The Summit is being held in Grand Island, Nebraska and is targeted to ethanol producers and related industries and will focus on environment and safety regulatory issues within the biofuels industry.

Sessions topics include: Recent Risk Management Plan & Process Safety Management Audit/Inspection Findings at Ethanol Facilities; Strategic Permitting & Compliance Considerations Related to Air Quality Regulations; What’s my Carbon Number and How Do I Get It?; Biofuel Training Programs; and Labor Job Training Programs.

There is no registration fee for the Summit, but attendees are encouraged to register to save their spot. You can get more information about the program and register online by clicking here.

conferences, Education, Ethanol

Book Review – Off The Grid

Joanna Schroeder

“Where is the debate about the smart grid? Are we just going to believe what GE and EEI tell us? Who can actually prove that the smart grid is going to be all that smart, or that it is even going to work?”And who has thought through all the implications?” These are a few of the questions that author Nick Rosen asks in “Off The Grid: Inside the Movement for More Space, Less Government, and True Independence in Modern America.”

This is definitely a set of questions that aren’t often asked in context with the smart grid. More often, there is a disagreement of who is going to pay for the smart grid or whether the smart grid will save consumers money or cost consumers money. However, Rosen has a definite opinion of the smart grid. He writes that privacy will be at risk (utilities will literally be able to ‘see’ into your house with the new technologies) but he also writes that utilities will make billions more in profits with this move.

Rosen explains that based on the track record of utilities, “…the smart grid is not in the country’s best interest nor are they concerned with Secretary Chu’s carbon-reduction targest when they enthuse about rolling out the smart grid. They are concerned with market dominance and profits.”

He continues by anticipating that smart technologies will eliminate the need for meter readers and many call centers, thus reducing the number of jobs in the space while making even more profits (most people estimate that utilities will pass along the costs of developing the smart grid to consumers in the form of higher energy costs).

I must say that while I do not disagree with Rosen as a whole, he does fall into a growing number of Americans who want less government and more individual control. Many of these people who are “anti-government” already live off the grid; however, it is unfair to say that all people who live off the grid are those who are hiding for some reason or other. Many people are looking for ways to become “energy independent” to save money, to have a back-up in case of a major electricity shortage or outage, or to just get-away from technology in general for a while.

For those people who are curious about what living off the grid would be like, or learning how to go “Off The Grid,” this is a very interesting book to read. It is also educational for those who are not convinced that the smart grid is all that smart.

book reviews, Electricity, Smart Grid

Ethanol Report With New RFA Chairman

Cindy Zimmerman

Kaapa EthanolThe board for directors for the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) last week elected Chuck Woodside, General Manager of farmer-owned KAAPA Ethanol in Minden, Nebraska as the new chairman for the organization. The election was held at RFA’s Annual Membership Meeting in Washington, DC. Woodside succeeds Chris Standlee, Executive Vice President of Abengoa Bioenergy, who served for three one-year terms.

Ethanol Report PodcastChuck Zimmerman interviewed Woodside for this edition of “The Ethanol Report” to find out what his goals are for the coming year and key issues facing the ethanol industry. He said that RFA will be most involved in the coming year in efforts to extend current tax incentives for ethanol use, expanding ethanol markets through higher ethanol blend such as E15 and above, modifying fuel regulations to allow greater ethanol blending, challenging regulation of biogenic emissions by EPA, addressing incomplete science with respect to low carbon fuel regulations, developing next generation ethanol technologies, and expanding the market for distillers grains and other ethanol coproducts.

“This is an exciting time for American ethanol production,” Woodside said. “If acted upon correctly, all of the challenges and opportunities before the industry will usher in a golden era of American ethanol production and help turn the corner toward true energy security in this country. The RFA and its members stand ready, as they always have, to help this industry build bridges and move ever forward.”

Listen to or download the Ethanol Report here: New RFA Chairman

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, RFA

Green Plains To Aquire Global Ethanol

Joanna Schroeder

Green Plains Renewable Energy (GPRE) has announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Global Ethanol’s two operating ethanol plants located in Lakota, Iowa and Riga, Michigan. The two plants have a combined operating capacity of 157 million gallons per year (mmgy). The acquisition will increase GPRE’s annual production capacity by 31 percent bringing them to an annual ethanol production of 657 mmgy. Once the transaction is closed, Green Plains will market and distribute more than one billion gallons of ethanol production on an annual basis.

The total value of the transaction is estimated to be $169.2 million, including $147.6 million for the ethanol production facilities and the balance in working capital, according to GPRE. In a company statement, the definitive agreement provides that the proposed acquisition will be accomplished through a merger of a newly formed wholly-owned subsidiary of Green Plains with Global. The transaction is expected to close during the 4th Quarter of 2010.

“This transaction demonstrates our ability to make acquisitions at attractive valuations utilizing a combination of our strong balance sheet and our stock, allowing us to meet the differing objectives of ethanol plant owners,” stated Todd Becker, President and CEO of Green Plains Renewable Energy. “The addition of the Global plants enables us to lower our average cost of ethanol production assets and to achieve greater economies of scale in our marketing, risk management and back office operations. We believe this acquisition will be accretive to 2011 earnings. Consistent with our strategy to expand our operations throughout the ethanol value chain, we continue to seek out consolidation opportunities within each of our business segments,” Becker concluded.

Ethanol, Ethanol News