This has definitely been a summer of solar – both in terms of oppressive heat as well as dozens upon dozens of new solar power systems going online. Recently Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) along with the Matrix Group, commissioned a 3 megawatt (MW) solar power project in South Brunswick, New Jersey that is part of PSE&G’s Solar …
Solar Project in Greece Features Yingli PV Panels
I ran into Yingli Green Energy during the InterSolar North America conference a few weeks back in San Francisco. Today Yingli Solar, the brand that the company markets its photovoltaic (PV) products under, announced that its PV modules were installed in the largest solar plant in Greece. Yes, it would be odd if a solar plant did not create its …
Advanced Biofuel Action Plan Released
A new advanced biofuels action plan for the automotive/light duty truck sector has been released by Advanced Biofuels USA. “The Pathway to a Sustainable “Total Biomass” Advanced Ethanol Industry,” identifies six steps the cellulosic and advanced ethanol producers should take in order to build a long-term higher blend ethanol market (E30, 30 percent advanced biofuel, 70 percent petroleum). Advanced Biofuels …
Lufthansa to Begin Commerical BioJet Fuel Flights
On Friday, July 15th, Lufthansa flew using a biofuel blend produced by Neste Oil. The NExBTL renewable aviation fuel was such a resounding success that now Airbus A321 Lufthansa-operated flights flying between Hamburg and Frankfurt will use this fuel, in both directions four times a day. One engine will run on a 50-50 NExBTL/fossil fuel blend while the other engine …
Dominican Republic To Build 2 Wind Farms
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved two loans totaling $78.3 million to help build two wind farms in the Dominican Republic. Once completed, the renewable energy projects will combined provide 80.6 megawatts to the grid. The wind farms are being developed by private companies, and demonstrate the growing confidence in the Dominican energy sector. The Corporación Dominicana de Empresas …
Is Europe’s Biodiesel Industry in Jeopardy?
Europe’s $13 billion biodiesel industry could be in jeopardy according to an article published by Reuters that claims that the European Union (EU) plans to tackle unwanted side effects of biofuel production. The turn-about in support of biodiesel has been in part spurred by fear over climate change and several recent papers leaked from the European Commission that purport that …
Industry Questions Ethanol Hearing Witness List
The House Committee on Science, Space and Technology’s Subcommittee on Energy and Environment is holding a hearing today on “examining the science” of 15% ethanol in fuel, but the corn ethanol industry is questioning the list of witnesses, which appears to be somewhat lopsided. “The Environmental Protection Agency has been thorough in its work on the E15 waiver request and …
Corn Growers Proud to Promote American Ethanol
At the 2011 Fuel Ethanol Workshop last week, the CEO of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) accepted an award for promoting the advancement of ethanol on behalf of the corn industry as a whole. “It’s more of an award for the people that I work with, the farmers, our leaders, our great staff, the state groups,” said Rick Tolman …
Biofuels Survive G20 Ag Ministers Meeting
Biofuels survived a challenge on the international level this week as agriculture ministers meeting in France declined to recommend countries limit production to avoid impacting food prices. The agreement reached by the ministers mainly focuses on creation of an agricultural market information system and removing barriers to food exports for humanitarian purposes. The ministers did call for further analysis of …
US Ag Secretary to Defend Biofuels at G20 Meeting
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says he intends to defend biofuels at the G-20 Summit of Agricultural Ministers in Paris this week, stressing their importance to the economy and the environment. “America is working on developing new feedstocks that don’t pit food versus fuel but that create new rural economic opportunities and allow us to continue to expand on our efforts …