DOE Announces New $30 Billion In Loan Guarantees

Joanna Schroeder

PD*28924131More good news for ethanol. U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu has announced up to $30 billion in new load guarantees funded in part, through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and in part through 2009 appropriations. Once again, next generation biofuels projects get an additional boost as the lending authority includes up to $500 million in subsidy costs to support loans for these groups. These dollars are coming specifically from the Recovery Act.

Just last week, the DOE announced $85 million for Algal and Advanced Biofuels, the funding also coming from the Recovery Act.

As reported first by Biofuels Digest, the solicitation is the seventh rounds of solicitations by the Department’s Loan Guarantee Program, which encourages the commercial use of new or improved energy technologies to help foster clean energy projects. Applications will be accepted over the next 45 days.

If it is at all possible to speed up the federal government, the DOE has said that is has created a streamlined process to accelerate the loans. In addition, they are absorbing up to $3 billion in loan guarantee administration costs that were originally charged back to former loan recipients. The DOE will announce more details regarding the load guarantee solicitations funded by the Recovery Act soon.

biofuels, Ethanol News, Legislation

Verenium and BP Launch Cellulosic Ethanol Venture

Cindy Zimmerman

The joint cellulosic ethanol venture between BP and Verenium Corporation now has a name – Vercipia.

VercipiaThe two companies announced that their 50-50 joint venture company will operate under the name Vercipia Biofuels, and corporate headquarters will be in Florida.

Vercipia continues to focus on the development of one of the nation‟s first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol facilities, located in Highlands County, Florida. The company is also developing a second commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol site in the Gulf Coast region.

“I continue to be pleased and enthusiastic with the progress our joint venture – Vercipia – has made in only a few short months, and I look forward to a highly productive and successful next two years as we move toward bringing a first commercial facility into production,” said Carlos Riva, President and Chief Executive Officer at Verenium.

“BP’s ‘all of the above’ approach to meeting America’s future energy needs includes a significant investment in biofuels development, as this project demonstrates,” said Susan Ellerbusch, President of BP Biofuels North America. “We believe Vercipia will be a key player in the biofuels supply chain in the coming years.”

Since announcing the formation of the joint venture company in February, Vercipia has applied for and been selected to move forward with due diligence on a Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Guarantee for the Highlands project, which is now underway. In addition, the team has continued to advance development activity in Florida and on a second site in the Gulf Coast region.

Cellulosic, Energy, Ethanol, Ethanol News

Report: Biofuels Market to Triple by 2020

John Davis

PikeResearchA new report shows some pretty strong growth in the biofuels market in the next decade, especially in the biodiesel sector.


This article from Biodiesel Magazine says Boulder, Colorado-based Pike Research sees the biofuels market tripling by the year 2020, growing from $76 billion to $240 billion:

“The study started out as an assessment of technologies in the biofuels industries, but then it grew into a more of a market analysis,” said Robert McDonald, author of the report.

Growth on the supply side was linked to game changing technologies related to biofuels processing. “In the biofuels world, feedstock is king and any technology that provides additional feedstock is a game changer to me,” McDonald told Biodiesel Magazine. “I think the technology developed by Clayton McNeff [of Ever Cat Fuels in Isanti, Minn.] for making biodiesel from trap grease is one of the developments that is very exciting.”

Recycled greases, however, do not have the same potential that algae or jatropha holds for the biodiesel industry over the long term, the Pike Report said. “They’re planting a lot of jatropha right now, but it will take four to five years to mature, so we’re looking at 2013-2014 before it starts to make an impact,” McDonald said.

The article goes on to says that while algae-based biodiesel is still about five years away from being commercially viable, the number of breakthroughs and the amount of investment in the pond scum energy will make it a matter of “when” and not just “if.”

Biodiesel

New Biodiesel Plant Nearly Doubles California’s Output

John Davis

crimsonA Colorado biodiesel company has nearly doubled California’s total output of the green fuel.

Denver-based Crimson Renewable Energy has completed a 30-million-gallon-a-year biodiesel and glycerin plant near Bakersfield, California, the largest biodiesel facility in the state. Previously, California had only 34 million gallons a year of biodiesel production:

Crimson’s new Bakersfield production facility can utilize a wide variety of feed stocks such as waste inedible animal fats, used cooking oil, and virgin vegetable oils to produce low carbon and ultra-low carbon fuels to meet California’s new Low Carbon Fuel Standard requirements for fuels with reduced carbon / GHG emissions. Using lifecycle carbon / GHG emissions calculations released by the California Air Resources Board, biodiesel produced at the Crimson Bakersfield facility can reduce carbon /GHG emissions by to 337,000 metric tons per year. The facility also includes the capacity to process up to 50 million pounds per year of crude glycerin, to produce high-quality, refined glycerin, which is an important ingredient in a variety of industrial, personal care, pharmaceutical and food applications.

Crimson officials say they have taken a sustainable approach to their biodiesel plants. This plant near Bakersfield will serve California’s Central Valley, Central Coast and Los Angeles Basin areas.

Biodiesel

Petra Solar to Mount Panels on NJ Utility Poles

John Davis

PetraSolarA solar panel company will be mounting 200,000 smart solar photovoltaic panels on the poles of a New Jersey utility, making it the largest pole-attached solar installation in the world.

This press release from Petra Solar, Inc., says the project to mount the systems on New Jersey’s PSE&G utility poles and street light poles will create 100 green jobs in installation, research and development, operations and manufacturing:

In a contract of about $200 million with PSE&G, Petra Solar will make units for 200,000 poles in New Jersey’s six largest cities and 300 rural and suburban communities in PSE&G’s service territory. Over the 3½ year life of the contract, Petra will add the green jobs to its employee base of 40-plus employees, most of whom work in the company’s South Plainfield headquarters and manufacturing facility.

Shihab Kuran, President and CEO of Petra Solar, said, “This contract is transformational for us. We are tripling in size and will start hiring immediately. We invite those interested in applying for positions to visit the company’s website at www.petrasolar.com.”

“Our SunWave™ pole-mounted, grid-connected PV generation system delivers true technological innovation,” Kuran said. “Our product will enable PSE&G to enhance the reliability of its delivery of electricity to customers. ”

Petra’s SunWave system uses a combination of highly distributed, grid connected photovoltaic generation and smart grid communications capabilities, while providing enhancement of electric distribution grid reliability through a host of functions such as voltage support.

Solar

Going Green One Tank at a Time

Joanna Schroeder

Earlier today, Matt Horton, CEO of California based Propel Fuels was featured on CNBC’s “The Tech Effect”.  The title of the piece: Going Green One Tank at a Time. The premise is how air quality officials in Sacramento, California are spending millions so owners of flex fuel vehicles can find gas stations offering environmentally friendlier fuels. Horton noted that ‘today’ they sell E85 and biodiesel and ‘tomorrow’ they’ll also sell hydrogen.

Ethanol enthusiast and Propel Fuels customer Paul Wikoff was interviewed. He noted that not only does he use ethanol for its environmental benefits and because it costs less, but because it helps America get one step closer to energy independence.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Ethanol News

AltWheels Fleet Day in Massachusetts

altwheelsThe 5th annual AltWheels Fleet Day will be held Monday, October 5, 2009 at Staples World Headquarters in Framingham, MA.

This is a don’t miss event for individuals wanting to understand the latest in alternative transportation technologies, costs, best practices, funding, and fuel options. This is the largest alternative transportation event of its kind in New England.

The day will consist of more than 30 leading experts, interactive workshops, more than 40 alternative vehicles of all sizes and types, half of which are available for ride and drives, as well as exhibits covering hybrids, electric vehicles, alternative fuel vehicles, CNG vehicles, hydrogen/fuel cell, and more efficient vehicle technologies. Fleet managers will speak on how they have switched their fleets to alternatives and about the real dollar savings and the learning process involved with this transition. A special panel this year will focus on the stimulus spending and new sources of funding for fleet and vehicle conversions. One can explore ways to reduce fuel costs while getting ahead of the next generation of regulations. This event is designed for corporate fleet managers, small business executives who want to understand vehicle options, municipal fleet and facilities managers, government officials, and interested individuals.

Visit the website at www.altwheels.org for more information and to pre-register.

Car Makers, News

White House Responds to Brazilian Tariff Questions

Cindy Zimmerman

Ethanol groups expressed concern and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) called for clarification this week on the White House’s position regarding the U.S. tariff on imported ethanol after a statement in favor of lifting the tariff was made by the President’s nominee for ambassador to Brazil.

Chuck GrassleyDuring his confirmation process, ambassador nominee Thomas Shannon said that removing the tariff would be “beneficial,” however as the official voice of the United States in Brazil, Shannon also stated that he will support the position of the Obama Administration.

“As a senator and as a presidential candidate, President Obama supported keeping the U.S. tariff on imported ethanol,” Grassley said. “It’s important to know whether the Administration’s position has changed before this nomination goes forward.”

In response, the White House issued a statement yesterday regarding the administration’s position on the ethanol tariff:

“The Obama Administration is committed to developing our domestic biofuels industry, and to help the international market for biofuels grow. Biofuels are an important renewable energy resource, which will help diversify our energy matrix and reduce our dependence on imported oil. Regarding the U.S. tariff on Brazilian ethanol, the administration has no plans to change it.”

Both the Renewable Fuels Association and Growth Energy expressed concern and confusion over Shannon’s statements. “During his tenure in the U.S. Senate and as a presidential candidate, President Obama has been a strong supporter of America’s evolving ethanol industry,” said RFA President Bob Dinneen. “Removing the tariff would have a chilling impact on the development of next generation technologies and unfairly require Americans to subsidize foreign industry.”

Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis was pleased to see the quick response from the White House. “We applaud the Obama administration for reinforcing its commitment to homegrown ethanol,” Buis said in a statement. “Keeping the tariff on Brazilian ethanol will ensure the development of a domestic renewable fuel industry, which creates green collar jobs, reduces our dependence on foreign oil, strengthens our national security, and improves the environment.”

Ethanol, Government, International

CARB Updates LCFS Numbers in Favor of Sugarcane Ethanol

Joanna Schroeder

For months the ethanol industry has been working with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to update their calculations of ethanol’s emissions reductions. A victory has finally been achieved as California has updated its calculations of sugarcane ethanol’s emission reductions. The Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) welcomed the announcement.

Joel Velasco, UNICA’s chief representative for North America, said, “UNICA applauds CARB’s decision to revisit the data. The new proposal recognizes the science and gives reasonable credits to the mechanization of the sugarcane harvest, as well as the generation of bioelectricity with the burning of sugarcane bagasse.”

In March of this year, CARB approved its Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), the first in the world, which aims at reducing the “carbon intensity” of all fuels used in the state. Beginning in 2011, California’s LCFS will reduce the carbon intensity of fuels, reaching at least a 10% reduction by 2020.

The new analysis released by CARB allows Brazilian ethanol to receive a credit of more than 15 gCO2/MJ, due to the use of bioelectricity from sugarcane cogeneration (7 gCO2/MJ) and the mechanization of sugarcane harvest  (8.2 gCO2/MJ). See table below.

tabela

The general public will have until August 19 to submit any comment they might have about the new credits given to sugarcane ethanol. On August 5, 2009 there will be a public hearing in California about this issue.

UNICA’s next goal is to continue to work to change the ethanol calucations related in indirect land use.

Ethanol, Indirect Land Use, News

Solar-Powered Airship to Fly from New York to Paris

John Davis

In the footsteps of Charles Lindbergh (but in a much more comfortable ride), a Spanish company plans to offer rides between New York City and Paris aboard a luxurious airship powered by the sun.

CleanTechnica.com reports that the Turtle Airships vessel will use lightweight photovoltaic cells and will be able to put down on land or water:

SolarAirshipThe first blimp prototype will be propelled in two nontraditional ways. The outside of the ship will be covered with Cadmium-Indium-Germanium (CIG) photovoltaic cells, picked for their their light weight. The cells should generate enough power to move the blimp at around 40 mph in average conditions, or at around 70 horsepower. Meanwhile, a diesel drivetrain will generate the rest of the power, and ideally the designers will look to an adapted hybrid electric model for that. And because blimps fly at low altitudes, they don’t have to deal with problems that plague diesel engines at elevations over 30,000 ft.

The only thing currently keeping this visionary project from flying is funding. But Turtle Airships hopes that will change after the completion of a genuine prototype that will demonstrate the project’s viability to funders. “Our goal in flying this remote control model is to get some video of it onto the Web and hopefully attract some financing that will enable us to move on from there to a genuine, manned, demonstration model of a Turtle Airship,” said one spokesperson.

The only thing that Turtle Airships insists on is not calling it a “blimp.” Guess there’s too many images of the Hindenburg… oh the humanity!

Solar