Drake University Teaching Wind Law

John Davis

As I mentioned in my previous post, wind energy is making some big gains in this country… so big that lawyers are getting involved.

Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa has become just one of a handful of schools that is now teaching a course in wind energy law, according to this article in the Des Moines Register:

hamilton.jpgDrake University law professor Neil Hamilton, the director of the school’s Agricultural Law Center, has just finished teaching the school’s first class in wind law to eight law school students and three practicing attorneys.

The students are taking their exams this week, and Drake plans to make the law class permanent.

Hamilton’s wind law course covers the gamut of the legal nitty-gritty about wind energy, including easements and leases, property issues, land-use regulations, utility regulation, metering and financing, and state and federal tax, energy and environmental policies.

Hamilton’s class is one of three in the United States. The University of Texas at Austin has a wind law class and so does the University of Oregon in Eugene.

“With turbine farms going up all over Iowa, it’s the next logical step,” said Hamilton, who grew up on an Adams County farm and has taught agricultural law at the Drake Law School for 25 years.

It makes sense that this type of class would be taught in Iowa. The state has become a mecca for wind energy production as the American Wind Energy Association ranks the Hawkeye State first in the percentage of wind generation on its electrical grid. Right now, Iowa gets 5.5 percent of its electricity on the grid coming from wind power.

Wind

Wind Energy on Record Pace

John Davis

A new report out today says the U.S. wind industry is on pace to set a record for energy production this year.

This story from the Wall Street Journal’s Marketwatch.com web site says the industry put in 1,400 megawatts of new generating capacity in the first quarter of this year ending March 21:

awea.jpgIf the pace continues, a total of 5,600 megawatts of generating power will be installed in 2008, eclipsing the record of 5,300 megawatts, according to figures from the American Wind Energy Association.

The new wind power plans installed in the first quarter of this year produce enough electricity to serve the equivalent of 400,000 homes.

AWEA Executive Director Randall Swisher said he expects a big swell of projects to go on line by the fourth quarter as utilities and others hedge against the possibility that the production tax credit expires by the end of the year with no renewal from a divided Congress.

The AWEA maintains that 76,000 jobs and more than $11.5 billion in investment could be at risk if the measure doesn’t pass.

The article goes on to say that while land-based wind farms will continue to make up a large part of the growth, off-shore wind turbines will become more and more attractive to companies looking to harness the power of the wind.

Wind

Illinois Biodiesel Plant Hits Million Gallon Mark

John Davis

A biodiesel plant in Seneca, Illinois has hit the one-million-gallon mark in just the first 25 days of operation.

novalogo.jpgIn a press release, Nova Biosource Fuels says this is just the start of the projected 60 million gallons annual production from the refinery of animal fats and vegetable oils into the green fuel:

“We are pleased with the progress at the Seneca, Illinois refinery,” said Kenneth T. Hern, Chairman and CEO of Nova. “Plant commissioning is proceeding as planned. Train One has operated at nameplate capacity and has exceeded all our performance objectives for yield, throughput and quality. The refinery has successfully demonstrated conversion of feedstocks with free fatty acid levels above 6%. To date, we’ve produced more than 1.25 million gallons, and we expect to begin working on Train Two by the end of the month and Train Three will follow shortly thereafter.”

The Seneca refinery layout incorporates three process trains, each rated at 20 million gallons per year. “Our startup and commissioning plan has been developed using our experience gained during the startup of the two similar 20 million gallons per year refineries we built for third parties in Wisconsin and Mississippi,” said Mr. Hern. “Our plan is to commission the Seneca refinery one train at a time, spaced at 45 to 60 day intervals to smoothly integrate equipment shakedown, staff training, logistical support, markets and overall refinery operations to ramp up production at a methodical and structured pace. We could not be more pleased with the progress on the first train and are looking forward with great anticipation to the startup of the remaining trains.”

Nova has plans to open a total of seven biodiesel plants in the next three years with expected capacity of nearly 200 million gallons of biodiesel a year.

Biodiesel

Cellulosic Ethanol Focus at Hearing

Cindy Zimmerman

A South Dakota lawmaker is urging Congress to allow cellulosic ethanol derived from woody biomass on federal lands to count towards the Renewable Fuels Standard. Current law prevents biofuels made from biomass that originates on public lands or any biomass from private land that is not ‘planted’ and ‘actively managed’ from being counted toward the RFS.

Herseth SandlinDuring a hearing this week on the RFS, Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD) talked about the issue and how it is impacting KL Process Design Group of Rapid City, which is using waste wood product from the Black Hills forest to produce cellulosic ethanol.

“They would like to participate in the renewable energy movement the energy bill fosters and they have no interest in turning the Black Hills into a so-called ‘fuel farm’,” Herseth Sandlin told the committee.

She noted that KL’s plant in Upton, Wyoming uses Ponderosa pine waste from the forest floor which is part of forest management thinning to prevent forest fires. “Leaving slash piles to rot or burning them leads to negative environmental effects that far outweigh any benefit gained when waste returns to soil,” she said.

KL Process DesignRandy Kramer, president and co-founder of KL Process Design, also testified before the committee.

“With a Black Hills National Forest supervisor, our research is dedicated to forest stewardship that includes finding better uses for gathered forest and mill waste that otherwise provides added fuel for forest fires,” said Kramer. “Existing timber harvest and thinning programs already allow for the removal of material from national forests.”

He spoke strongly in support of corn ethanol as the only large volume biofuels bridge to the 2022 cellulose ethanol goal. “We must protect this bridge as a strategic component to allow companies like ours to improve cellulose technology,” Kramer said.

Renewable Fuels Association president Bob Dinneen echoed that sentiment under questioning by committee members. “If you are going to have a second generation ethanol industry, you have to make sure that you have not eviscerated the first generation ethanol industry that is providing the foundation from which those new technologies will be able to flourish.”

Cellulosic, Ethanol, Government, News, RFA

DuPont Powers Solar Plant in Hong Kong

John Davis

dupontpng.pngHong Kong and Shenzhen will be homes to two new DuPont research centers. DuPont will use the new facilities for continued development of photovoltaic (PV) solar energy.

DuPont expects growth in the photovoltaic market to exceed 30 percent in each of the next several years. The company has made significant investments in product development and capacity expansions to help keep pace with the demand.

Accelerating its capability to meet emerging materials requirements is critical for DuPont, which has long been a leading supplier of materials primarily serving the crystalline silicon (c-Si) cell and module markets. The expansions in Hong Kong and Shenzhen will provide new offerings to serve the amorphous silicon (a-Si) thin film market.

Thin film technology is well-suited for large-scale utility applications such as “solar farms” and industrial installations. The growth rate for thin film is projected to be approximately twice as high as demand for c-Si, and DuPont expects this increase to drive specifications for both new and existing products that serve the thin film industry. These include DuPont(TM) Butacite(R) PV sheet based on polyvinyl butyral (PVB), DuPont(TM) SentryGlas(R) PV sheet based on ionomer and DuPont(TM) Elvax(R) ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) that are offered as encapsulation materials for thin film modules.

Energy, International, Solar

Report on Role of Ethanol in Food Prices

Cindy Zimmerman

RFA PodcastThe Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) held a press conference last week at the National Press Club in Washington DC to counter claims that ethanol production is causing higher food prices.

RFA’s “Ethanol Report” podcast features comments from the four agriculture and ethanol industry leaders who participated in the press conference. Featured are former Agriculture Secretary John Block, National Corn Growers Association CEO Rick Tolman, National Farmers Union president Tom Buis and RFA president Bob Dinneen.

You can subscribe to the twice-monthly “The Ethanol Report” by following this link.

Or you can listen to it on-line here: [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/rfa/ethanol-report-12.mp3]

Audio, corn, Ethanol, Food prices, RFA

Ohio Invests One Million in Wind Power

John Davis

third.jpgWind power is a worthy investment for Ohio. The state is expanding its wind industry through continued investment in its Ohio Third Frontier Program. The Third Frontier Program is a $1.6 billion initiative awards grants to companies that develop innovative technology that drives the acceleration of the state’s emerging energy industry. The latest company to win, Parker Hannifin, will further Ohio’s wind development.

Cleveland, Ohio-based Parker Hannifin was awarded $1 million for the commercialization of a hydraulic system developed by Parker for use in wind turbines. Parker’s hydraulic wind turbine effort will improve overall wind-to-electricity energy generating efficiency while also reducing maintenance expenses.

Ohio’s emerging wind energy boom is also fueled by the state’s long history as a manufacturing powerhouse. Ohio is No. 2 in the United States in potential for manufacturing wind turbines and components. Currently home to more than 60 companies in the wind turbine supply chain; Ohio has already become a leading supplier for the U.S. wind industry. Hundreds of large-scale industrial manufacturing operations stand poised to participate in Ohio’s wind industry growth.

Energy, Wind

Quebec Boosts Wind Power

John Davis

boralex.pngTwo companies have been awarded the development of wind power projects about 60 km north-east of Quebec City. Boralex Inc. and Gaz Metro Limited Partnership will take on Hydro-Quebec‘s two wind power projects totaling 272 megawatts of energy.

These two wind farms, located on the private property of Seminaire de Quebec, will be operational by the end of 2013 at the latest. The Seigneurie de Beaupre, host of the Consortium projects, gives them distinctive advantages. In fact, it offers exceptional wind fields due to the quality of the wind itself.

gaz.pngThe Consortium has teamed up with Enercon, a world-renowned leading manufacturer in the wind power sector. Enercon plans on opening a factory of high quality wind power components in Quebec. Boralex already benefits from Enercon’s expertise. More than half of Boralex’s wind power installations operate with Enercon’s technology.

Boralex is a major private electricity producer that operates power stations run on renewable energy. Gaz Metro is operates in New England through Vermont Gas Systems, the sole natural gas distributor in Vermont, and Green Mountain Power Corporation, the second largest electricity distributor in that State.

Energy, Wind

A Little Green to Change Rush’s Mind

John Davis

Now don’t get me wrong. I like Rush Limbaugh. I really do. He’s given a voice to the conservative cause for many years… even when things looked pretty bleak for his side. And he does GOOD radio. He knows how to communicate to his audience, and my hat is off to him for his radio skills.

Gold EIB MicrophoneBut when it comes to his position on biofuels, he’s just plain wrong. Not every day, but many days I catch his short commentary on the local radio station on my way to work, and I’ll catch him if I’m out running errands during my lunch hour. And, increasingly, he’s been taking potshots at ethanol and biodiesel. He says it’s bad for your engines… it’s costing you extra at the gas pumps and grocery store… there’s food riots because of the green fuels… and billions of those poor souls in the Developing World will starve to death because of biofuels. I’m amazed that the same scientists who have been bashing his friends in the oil industry, which Limbaugh has dismissed as “junk science,” are now being quoted by Rush as if they brought word from Moses himself! Give me a break!

So what can we do? Well, I think the first thing is to keep putting out factual information about the benefits of ethanol and biodiesel. Tell people how the green fuels are saving the world millions of gallons of non-renewable petroleum. Point out that the biggest cost inputs for the price of food come in the fuel used to plant, harvest, and deliver that food to your store. Keep researching to find more feedstocks to eliminate the food vs. fuel debate. In other words, keep doing what this web site and many others continue to do every day.

But what about the Maha-Rush-ee? This harmless, lovable, little fuzz ball has a huge audience. And he’s got a forum (which he has every right to have) for his Big-Oil fueled rants against biofuels. What else can we do? I say: just pay him!

Look, it might not be very palatable, but I really think that Limbaugh’s viewpoints are for sale. Just look at the example of his most recent sponsor, Chevrolet. For years, Rush has railed against the little four-cylinder cars that get great gas mileage as pretty much worthless death traps for those unfortunate enough to get behind the wheel. But wait, now he’s touting the benefits of a four-cylinder Chevy Malibu. Hmmm… new sponsor, new attitude. I think it could work for the ethanol and biodiesel industries.

Just think, grease (with bio-based oil) his palms a little, and soon enough, he’s singing the benefits of our beloved green fuels: “Folks, this stuff is great… and I should know… I am the smartest man to whom you’ve ever listened.” Then we hear him take a big swig of ethanol, smack his lips, and claim that it’s the tastiest thing he’s had since the pain pills he sent his housekeeper to get. Well, OK, maybe that’s using a bit of dramatic license. But it’s just crazy enough to work. We’ve got to do something. This guy’s just too full of hot air to let it go to waste.

I’m just saying…

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Opinion

Energy Company’s Trucks Running on Biodiesel

John Davis

dteenergy.gifDetroit, Michigan-based DTE Energy has announced that it is converting its fleet of 800 service trucks and vehicles to biodiesel.

A company press release says the energy company that serves 3.5 million customers will be able to serve them just a little bit greener:

“Converting to biodiesel is a win-win for DTE Energy and the environment,” said Bill Pettit, director of fleet administration and operation for the company. “Biodiesel is simple to use, biodegradable and nontoxic. By using this recycled fuel, we’ll be able to reduce emissions and help move DTE Energy toward a ‘greener’ motor vehicle fleet.”

DTE Energy began using biodiesel in its vehicles earlier this year, blending five percent of the renewable fuel with 95 percent conventional diesel. The company is gradually increasing the blend to 20 percent biodiesel — the industry standard — and expects to complete that conversion by mid- year.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a 20 percent blend of biodiesel fuel reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 15 percent compared to petroleum diesel fuel. Biodiesel also reduces particulate matter — an emission linked to asthma and other diseases — and carbon monoxide, when compared to conventional diesel fuel.

“DTE Energy has 800 diesel-fueled vehicles ranging from construction equipment and bucket trucks to light duty vehicles,” Pettit said. “Converting our fleet to biodiesel is the environmental equivalent of taking about 120 of those vehicles off the road and out of service,” Pettit said.

DTE Energy expects to save $600,000 a year using biodiesel.

Biodiesel