Obama Talks Clean Energy But Little About Renewables

John Davis

ObamafirstunionIf renewable energy advocates had hoped for a big mention during Pres. Barack Obama’s first State of the Union address, they probably are walking away from tonight’s speech feeling a bit left out.

While the president did make quick mentions of solar, biofuels and clean energy, Obama did not unveil any grand plan to use renewable energy to help move the nation forward. The Washington Times reports that, unlike his predecessor, Pres. George W. Bush, who in 2006 talked about the need to stop the nation’s “addiction” to foreign oil and to embrace ethanol and other renewable fuel sources, Obama seemed to leave most talk about renewable energy, especially biodiesel and ethanol, by the wayside. And while it might seem trivial, a mention in the State of the Union can make a big difference:

“It can have a very significant impact,” said Bob Dinneen, chief executive officer of the Renewable Fuels Association.

“It really teed up a discussion about energy policy and led to the passage of the energy bill in 2007 that resulted in the renewable-fuel standard in this country,” Mr. Dinneen said. “So it was an important catalyst.”

But of course, one speech is not the end-all and be-all for any program, and we’ll really need to see how Obama does make clean energy a priority … and the role renewables will play.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government, RFA

OH Gov. Advocates Ethanol in Speech

stricklandIn his 2010 State of the State address, Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland focused on the state’s ecomic challenges but named ethanol as a way to create green jobs.

“I believe in Ohio because we have made a commitment to advanced energy and we are seeing results,” noted Gov. Strickland. “When I took office Ohio had the nation’s weakest advanced energy standard for electricity production. Today, Ohio has the nation’s seventh most aggressive standard. In 2007, not one drop of ethanol was produced in Ohio. Today, four ethanol facilities in Ohio are producing 295 million gallons annually. In renewable and advanced energy manufacturing projects, Ohio now ranks first among the 50 states. The Council of State Governments scoured the nation to tally the total number of new green jobs created last year. And what did they find? Ohio ranks first. We’ve made it this far, this fast on advanced energy because we pursued smart, responsible policies and we made smart, responsible investments.”

Opisnet.com reports that there are five ethanol plants in Ohio producing this renewable product in Leipsic, Fostoria, Marion, Greenville, and in Bloomingburg plant.

Gov. Strickland will be able to speak more on Ohio’s energy rich status in just over a month. He is expected to be the keynote speaker in an energy leadership forum on March 1 in Washington, D.C. The event is a gathering of national industry leaders and policy makers in the area of advanced and renewable energy.

Energy, Ethanol, Ethanol News, News

Geothermal Energy Gets New Steam

Joanna Schroeder

GeothermalPlantGeothermal energy is potentially the largest—and presently the most misunderstood—source of energy in the United States and the world today,” writes Al Gore in his new book, “Our Choice, A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis.”

According to the most recent draft of the National Geothermal Action Plan, geothermal resources could account for 100,000 MWe of base load electric generating capacity by 2050. The catch—the government and private investors must support the growth of the industry. This increased attention for geothermal power now offers new investment and exploration opportunities that will be discussed during the GeoPower Americas 2010 national conference in San Francisco, Cali. on February 16-17.

geopoweramericas“Geothermal energy is often left off the table when discussing key alternatives to fossil fuel based energy,” said Sarah Ellis, Managing Director, Green Power Conferences. “What the experts don’t understand is that geothermal could, if properly developed and funded, provide enough energy to offset fossil fuel use.”

Partho Sanyal, Director of Energy & Power Investment Banking with Bank of America Merrill Lynch, will be speaking to industry experts during the GeoPower Americas conference. “2010 will likely follow the momentum gained in 2009 in the U.S. geothermal sector. Industry players are looking to either jump start stalled projects from the credit crisis or reexamine strategic alternatives. The market seems to be rewarding players with scale, proven reserves and the ability to fund development,” said Sanyal.

Additional speakers include the keynote address from the U.S. Department of Energy; Dian M. Grueneich, California Public Utilities Commission; Charles Visser, NREL; Charles Baron, Google.org; Elaine Sison-Lebrilla, Sacramento Municipal Utility District; Curt Robinson, Geothermal Resources Council; and more.

For a full list of speakers and to register, visit www.geopowerseries.com. Enter code 4RC-203 for 20 percent off the current registration rate.

conferences, Geothermal

US Wind Industry Breaks Installation Record in ’09

Joanna Schroeder

WindTurbineThe U.S. wind industry has broken all records with the announcement that nearly 10,000 megawatts (MW) of new generating capacity was installed in 2009–enough to serve more than 2.4 million homes for one year. This according to the Q4 report released by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). However, not all the news was good as the U.S. still lags in manufacturing; yet the recent announcement of Recovery Act manufacturing incentives are designed to improve this situation.

These new projects put wind energy in a tie with natural gas as the leading sources of new electricity generation for the country, which together account for 80 percent of all new capacity.

“The U.S. wind energy industry shattered all installation records in 2009, chalking up the Recovery Act as a historic success in creating jobs, avoiding carbon, and protecting consumers,” said AWEA CEO Denise Bode. “But U.S. wind turbine manufacturing – the canary in the mine — is down compared to last year’s levels, and needs long-term policy certainty and market pull in order to grow.  We need to set hard targets, in the form of a national Renewable Electricity Standard (RES), in order to provide the necessary stability for manufacturers to expand their U.S. operations and to seize the historic opportunity we have today to build up a thriving renewable energy industry.”

This was a welcome surprise as many analysts predicted that wind development might drop as much as 50 percent as compared with 2008. Although new generating capacity for the 4th quarter was slightly down as compared to 2009 (4,041 MW completed), the total for the year was up. The industry also expects the passing of a national Renewable Electricity Standard will also help the development of the industry.

In other news, the report showed that Texas is still the leader in wind energy followed by Iowa, California and Washington, who pulled ahead of Minnesota last year. The full report can be accessed on AWEA’s website.

Company Announcement, Wind

IDED Approves $5.25 Million Project LIBERTY Grant

Joanna Schroeder

Photo Credit: West Central Tribune

Photo Credit: West Central Tribune

The Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) has approved an agreement for the final $5.25 million in financial assistance for Project LIBERTY, Poet’s cellulosic pilot project that will convert corn cobs to ethanol. The announcement ups the total of Iowa’s financial contributions to the project to $20 million. Poet and IDED has been in talks since 2008.

“The state has shown vision and leadership in helping our nation continue down this important path to eliminate the need for dirty and imported oil,” said Project LIBERTY Director Jim Sturdevant. “We appreciate the opportunity to partner with Iowa in commercializing cellulosic ethanol.”

Project LIBERTY is a 25 million gallon-per-year cellulosic ethanol plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa that uses corn cobs as feedstock. POET plans to begin construction this year on the plant, which will be co-located with POET’s current grain-ethanol plant at the site. POET’s pilot-scale plant in Scotland, S.D. is already producing cellulosic ethanol at a rate of approximately 20,000 gallons per year.

In addition to the funds from the state of Iowa, the project has also received funds from the Department of Energy.

*post update* See more photos from the POET Project Liberty media event here.

Cellulosic, Company Announcement, corn, Ethanol, POET

Biodiesel, Ethanol Part of Illinois Sustainability Award

John Davis

IDOTBiodiesel and ethanol, along with some gas/electric hybrids, are credited with helping the Illinois Department of Transportation win a sustainability award in that state.

This press release from IDOT says the agency made exceptional progress in 2009 in a statewide effort to become a more sustainable agency and win the Green Government Award from the Illinois Green Government Coordinating Council:

“We are pleased to have received this award,” said [Illinois Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig]. “We work hard each day to ensure our construction projects adhere to the highest environmental standards, while maintaining the safety and effectiveness of our roads. Our efforts to improve construction methods, promote fuel conservation and enhance green practices all are a part of our overall effort to build a cleaner, greener Illinois.”

The award was based on several practices and efforts that IDOT initiated. One of the strides that IDOT made was creating a more environmentally friendly vehicle fleet. The fleet includes 741 alternative vehicles, 36 gas/electric hybrids and one E85/electric. The diesel fleet is now 100 percent capable of burning biodiesel fuel.

The agency made several other efforts to make its roads and rest stops greener. You can read more about Illinois’ sustainability efforts here.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Ethanol News, News

Propane Buses to be Tested in Minnesota Cold

John Davis

KrapfschoolbusSome students in Minnesota will soon be breathing easier on their way to school … no, not because they won’t be hit up with that big algebra test. A school in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area is testing propane in one of its buses.

The Star-Tribune reports that Eastern Carver County school drivers have been testing the propane bus to see if can hold up to that “special kind of cold” that only a Minnesota winter can bring:

Should it pass the test, starting up every morning and running well all day, district leaders say they’ll likely make the switch this spring with most of their buses when their new busing contract goes out to bid.

That would make Eastern Carver County Schools the first Minnesota district to convert from diesel to propane-fueled buses, and it could pave the way for other districts to follow suit.

The St. Francis School District has already ordered a smaller school bus that runs on propane for transporting special education students, and it’s set to arrive as early as next month.

Other Minnesota school districts eagerly waiting to try out the new bus include Minneapolis, Bloomington, Waconia and Pequot Lakes.

Propane is already being used in school districts in California and Texas, but, of course, they don’t have the kind of weather Minnesota basks in during the winter. Now, some bus drivers in the land of 10,000 lakes remember trying to use propane in the winter back during the 1970s and ’80s and the trouble with stalling during the cold. But these new propane-fueled buses seem to have those cold weather blues licked.

Plus, with the cheaper cost for propane … it runs just between $1.50 and $1.75 a gallon – much less than diesel’s $2.85 a gallon – plus a federal tax refund is available for propane … you can see why the schools are testing the clean-burning fuel to further offset the cost of the fuel purchase. No need to test your algebra skills too hard to see that it adds up to savings for schools and easier breathing for students (especially if it’s test day).

Biodiesel, Propane

Biodiesel Conference BOGO Registration Extended

John Davis

NBB10 logoThe new Renewable Fuels Standard … aka RFS-2 … is set to be released in just the next few days. That’s why the National Biodiesel Board has extended the regular registration rates, as well as the “buy one, get one (BOGO)” offer to bring a friend for free to the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo, Feb. 7-10, at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Conference Center in the Dallas suburb of Grapevine, Texas.

bogoThere’ll be no better place and time to talk about what RFS-2 will mean to the biodiesel industry, and our friends at NBB have invited six EPA senior policy analysts and officials to the conference to explain the ramifications of the ruling. In the meantime, the NBB has this Web site and this video from Joe Jobe to act as a primer, so you can ask better questions at the conference.

Of course, Domestic Fuel will be there, and we’ll have all the updates on the conference blog, including what the RFS-2 will bring.

Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference, NBB

Government Paper Waste Fuels Truck in DC

Joanna Schroeder

The Washington Auto Show is in full swing and for the first time ever, a car is being fueled on government paper waste. The two companies behind this feat are Novozymes and Fiberight. Novozymes has been a partner on many cutting edge biofuels projects so I reached out to both companies to learn a bit more about creating ethanol from paper waste.

Novozymes_NA_DFMy first question for Fiberight CEO Craig Stuart-Paul was how they selected Novozymes as their project partner. He said that they needed a company that could supply commercial quantities of enzymes for their project and Novozymes was able to do that. However, Stuart-Paul noted that was not the only reason they were selected. The company was very willing and open to working with Fiberight’s technology and came out to their facilities in Blairstown, Iowa and Lawrenceville, VA to see the technology first hand. He also added that the quality and reactivity of Novozymes’ enzymes work well with their substrates and enzyme recycling processes.

The specific enzymes that was used in the process were the Cellic CTec and HTec. According to information provided by Novozymes, these are advanced enzymes for hydrolysis of lignocellulosic materials. As the technologies for advanced biofuels are developed, the pilot plants will require significant enzyme volumes and stable formulations to aid the researchers. Cellic CTec and HTec are able to do that and this ability represents a major step towards commercialization of next generations biofuels.

Effective enzymes also help reduce the cost of production – a major barrier for advanced biofuels to overcome in order to be competitive. I asked Stuart-Paul what their current cost per gallon was today, and what he thought it would be as the technology is refined.

“We believe (given the price support discussed) we are below $2.80 per gallon as of today. We believe we will get below $1.50/gal once the plant in Blairstown is running with all unit processes in operation including enzyme recycling,” said Stuart-Paul. “To make this happen we will need to prove that volume production is possible using our pilot plant experience as design basis. Fiberight is fortunate that our Blairstown plant will enable us to prove this during 2010.”

Cellulosic, Company Announcement, Ethanol

Growth Energy Works With Ricardo to Optimize Fuel Economy

Cindy Zimmerman

growth energyEthanol advocacy organization Growth Energy will be working with automotive technology provider Ricardo to optimize flexible fuel vehicles with ethanol boosted direct injection (EBDI). The ten month project will use Ricardo’s EBDI flex fuel engine, developed from a production V6 gasoline engine, to re-power two GMC Sierra 3500 HD pickup trucks to demonstrate how highly optimized engines fueled on ethanol can provide a cost-effective, low-carbon alternative to fossil fuel.

growth energyMaking the announcement at the Washington Auto Show Tuesday morning were Ricardo President Kent Niederhofer (left) and Growth Energy Co-Chairman (Ret.) Gen. Wesley Clark, pictured here with the engine. “EBDI engine technology offers a uniquely American solution for a wide range of vehicle applications, combining extreme optimized flex-fuel engine technology offering high fuel economy, low emissions and uncompromised performance using a source of renewable fuel produced here in the United States,” said Niederhofer.

Clark added, “Through this project with Ricardo we aim to be able to put potential customers in the driving seat and demonstrate to them that with EBDI technology, ethanol can deliver performance and fuel economy and offers an attractive and sustainable transport solution using an American produced renewable fuel. Consumers should have a choice at the pump – and domestic ethanol should be one of those options for fuel.”

Read more from Growth Energy.

Ethanol, Flex Fuel Vehicles, Growth Energy