NJR Clean Energy Ventures, the unregulated distributed power subsidiary of New Jersey Resources, has announced the completion of the Alexander Wind Farm, its third – and largest – onshore wind project. Located in Rush County, Kansas, approximately 120 miles northwest of Wichita, the $83 million project consists of 21 turbines with a total capacity of 48.3 MW.- Ford is investing an additional $4.5 billion in electrified vehicle solutions. The auto making is adding 13 new electrified vehicles to its portfolio by 2020, when more than 40 percent of the company’s global nameplates will come in electrified versions. This represents Ford’s largest-ever electrified vehicle investment in a five-year period. On the way next year is a new Focus Electric, which features all-new DC fast-charge capability delivering an 80 percent charge in an estimated 30 minutes and projected 100-mile range – an estimated two hours faster than today’s Focus Electric.
- Constellation, a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation, and the Archdiocese of Baltimore have announced the construction of a 5.4-megawatt (DC) aggregate solar generation project. The solar power system, located at Perryman Station in Harford County, Maryland, is expected to generate enough electricity to meet approximately 20 percent of the Archdiocese’s electricity needs.
- The Geothermal Energy Association has announced the third U.S. and International Geothermal Energy Showcase on March 17, 2016 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC. The Showcase will feature industry and governmental leaders from across the geothermal marketplace. In other news, GEA is one of the organizations supporting the new Global Geothermal Alliance that was launched during COP21.
New Officers Elected for Iowa RFA
The 2016 Board of Directors, Officer and Executive Committee have been elected for the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA). The votes took place during their annual meeting on December 10, 2015. Each producer member has a seat on the Board and votes on officers. New officers will serve a one-year term during the 2016 calendar year. Iowa is the leading producer of biofuels including ethanol, biodiesel and cellulosic ethanol.
2016 IRFA Board of Directors Officers:
- President: Tom Brooks, Western Dubuque Biodiesel
- Vice President: Eamonn Byrne, Plymouth Energy
- Treasurer: Rick Schwarck, Absolute Energy
- Secretary: Steve Bleyl, Green Plains, Inc.
- Executive Director: Monte Shaw (non-voting)
The IRFA Executive Committee is comprised of the IRFA Officers and other members as elected by the Board. Elected to join the IRFA Officers on the Executive Committee for 2016 are:
- Past President: Brian Cahill, Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy
- At-Large: Derek Winkel, Renewable Energy Group
- At-Large: Craig Willis, Archer Daniels Midland
- At-Large: Bill Howell, POET – Coon Rapids
“For renewable fuels in Iowa, 2015 was both a great and challenging year,” said IRFA President-elect Tom Brooks. “I’m looking forward to leading IRFA, and continuing to build upon our progress as a leader in renewable fuels production and use.”
Mass. to Get First Community-Owned Biodiesel Plant
Massachusetts is on the verge of getting its first community-owned biodiesel plant. This article from Public News Service says the Northeast Biodiesel plant in Greenfield will open in early 2016.
Co-op Power CEO Lynn Benander says the plant will take cooking oil waste from restaurants, schools and institutions in the area and convert it into millions of gallons of a clean source of energy that works in both vehicles and for heating homes.
“The way that biodiesel is clean is that it cuts the carbon emissions by 86 percent, cuts down particulate emissions over diesel fuel,” she explains. “So, it is a clean alternative to the fossil fuels that we are using to stay warm and get around.”
Benander says the Northeast Biodiesel Plant in Greenfield is not the first refinery of this type in the region, but it will be the first that is locally owned. She says a big reason that Co-op Power got involved in the project was that there was very little access to this type of clean fuel in the region.
Isaac Baker, director of Community Shared Solar programs at Co-op Power, says there were opportunities to allow outside investors to get involved in the project, but co-op officials decided it made more sense to keep the investment local. He says those outside investors would have limited community control.
“Someone might decide to go and sell the asset to a foreign company, where we would have no control over who was receiving the lowest cost benefit, or whether or not the plant was just shut down,” he explains. “So, that’s what the cooperative brings.”
Cruz Talks Ethanol at Iowa Event
Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas has gotten a sudden bump in the polls, showing him now leading front runner Donald Trump among committed Iowa caucus goers.
On Friday, Trump criticized Cruz’s lack of support for ethanol, but on December 5 the senator appeared at the FreedomWorks Rising Tide Summit in Cedar Rapids and spoke very favorably about ethanol, saying in his speech that as president he would “take on the EPA’s blend wall that is preventing ethanol and biofuels from having a larger share of the marketplace.”
Asked about ethanol by reporters at the event, Cruz expanded on that comment. “One of the things I am committed to doing is expanding market access to ethanol,” he said. “Right now you see federal regulatory barriers, you see EPA blocking ethanol’s ability to access the market. As president, I will remove those barriers.”
Cruz specifically said he supports all sources of energy, including ethanol. “I think God has blessed this country with abundant natural resources,” he said. “But you shouldn’t have government picking winners and losers. My tax plan that I’ve introduced eliminates every subsidy across the board for energy,” he added, including oil.
Asked if ethanol can survive without the Renewable Fuel Standard, Cruz said, “Not only would ethanol survive without the RFS, ethanol can and will grow. There is a market demand for ethanol. Ethanol adds octane to gasoline in an environmentally responsible matter, and right now the barrier to ethanol expanding is the federal government.”
Listen to Cruz’s comments here: Cruz comments on ethanol in Iowa
Ethanol Promo in Little Rock, AK This Week
Kum & Go and Growth Energy are partnering to bring $1.15 per gallon of E15 fuel to the residents of Greater Little Rock, Arkansas. The two-day promotion will take place from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on Wednesday, December 16 – Store 143 – 1303 South Pine Street, Cabot, AR; and Thursday, December 17 – Store 144 – 5216 JFK Blvd, North Little Rock, AR. During these promotions customers can fuel up with E15 for only $1.15 per gallon, as well as learn more about the benefits of this alternative fuel.
Kum & Go station in Des Moines offering E15. Photo Credit: Joanna Schroeder
“We’re happy to deliver a little something extra to our customers during the busy and expensive holiday season,” said Jim Pirolli, vice president Fuels, Kum & Go. “This is a great opportunity for our customers to learn more about the benefits of E15, while at the same time saving a bit of money.”
Over the next two years, Kum & Go plans to make E15 available at more than 65 stores across Iowa, Nebraska, Arkansas, Colorado, Missouri, Oklahoma, and South Dakota. “As the leading coalition of U.S. ethanol supporters, Growth Energy is committed to accelerating the use of renewable fuel, increasing energy security, creating U.S. jobs and improving the environment through the use of alternative fuels,” added Retired General Wesley Clark, board member of Growth Energy.
BioEnergy Bytes
- Innovative Solar Systems and John E. Green, CEO for ISS, have announced preparations for a large capital raise. With close to 2GW of projects its current pipeline, ISS plans to expand that pipeline to 5GW in the next 24-36 months. There are few, if any, solar farm companies in the U.S. with the magnitude of projects that ISS has in the company’s pipeline.
- The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is offering rebates to Pennsylvania residents to assist with the cost of purchasing an alternative fuel vehicle. These rebates are funded by the Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant Program, which is supported by a gross receipts tax on utilities. To qualify, the vehicle must be registered in Pennsylvania, operated primarily in-state, and be purchased no more than six months before the rebate application is submitted.
- Continental European power prices tumbled in November as exceptional wind power output combined with mild temperatures and unexceptional demand, according to a data analysis released by Platts, a leading global provider of energy, petrochemicals, metals and agriculture information.
- The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) has announced six new members of the Board: Dave Boden, Marcelo DeCamargo, Kevin Kitz, Danielle Matthews Seperas, Kevin Wallace and Patrick Walsh.
Americans United for Change New Climate Video
COP21 will go down in history as nearly 200 countries came together to reach an historic climate agreement. Despite the efforts, there is still a political contingency of “climate deniers” (check out the Climate Deniers Anthem spoof released by Funny or Die last week) and Americans United for Change noted they will be taking the presidential debate stage tomorrow in Nevada. Today the organization released a new video called ‘Still Not a Scientist’, a sequel to the Webby Award nominated video ‘Not A Scientist’.
According to Americans United for Change, ‘Still Not A Scientist’ features numerous Republican leaders and presidential hopefuls all singing from the same climate denial hymnal, all refusing to acknowledge the overwhelming scientific data that climate change is happening and is man-made. The truth, the organization says, is 99.99 percent of peer-reviewed climate science papers have concluded that climate change is happening and that it’s man-made, but that doesn’t matter when the Koch brothers own 99.99 percent of the GOP.
Under President Obama, the U.S. has made huge strides on climate, cites Americans United for Change, leading here at home with the Clean Power Plan and leading abroad by helping negotiate key commitments from countries like India, Brazil and China ahead of the Paris agreement. However, that could change, says the group, if the presidential candidates show their commitment to Big Oil. Because of the Koch brothers hold, Americans United for Change said, President Obama sent actual scientists and negotiators like Secretary of State John Kerry to Paris. While Ted Cruz, the group said, was showing he’ll rely on conservative shock jock radio host fill-ins for Rush Limbaugh for counsel on climate science, because Republicans know the further they drive their heads into the sand on climate change, the bigger the “Hero” they are to their big polluter donors.
USDA Gives $70 Mil Loan Guarantee for Biofuel Plant
A cellulosic biofuel plant in Georgia will get built, thanks in part to a $70 million U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) loan guarantee. This news release from USDA says the money is being made available through the agency’s Biorefinery Assistance Program.
“There is a clear consumer demand for clean, American-made, renewable fuels, which our rural communities stand ready to meet,” said [Ag Secretary Tom] Vilsack. “USDA is proud to support environmentally and technologically sound projects like this one, which will increase biofuel availability nationwide and create jobs in rural Georgia. This loan commitment is the most recent example of our support for President Obama’s ‘all-of-the-above’ energy strategy, which includes alternative and renewable fuel sources.”
Ensyn Georgia Biorefinery I, LLC (Ensyn) will construct and operate a cellulosic biofuel refinery in Dooly County, Georgia. The company will produce 20 million gallons of renewable fuel per year employing its Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) technology. RTP uses a fast thermal process to convert non-food-based feedstocks into biobased fuels.
Ensyn will convert 440 dry tons of woody biomass into a renewable fuel oil (RFO) product. There is an abundant supply of woody biomass near the plant due to excess forest materials in the region. However, Ensyn can use a variety of other non-food cellulosic feedstocks as well.
The renewable fuel oil will be used as a heating oil replacement and as a renewable feedstock for diesel and gasoline production at refineries.
Trump Hits Cruz on Ethanol
During an appearance at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on Friday, Republican presidential front runner Donald Trump talked about his support for ethanol and how his primary rival in the state, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, supports oil.
“Where are the ethanol people?” Trump asked the crowd, which cheered in return. “I was here a month ago, I met with them all and they do a fantastic job – I toured the plants….it’s so important.”
Trump says he doesn’t understand why Sen. Cruz is doing so well in Iowa when he is against ethanol. “He’s got to come a long way because he’s right now for the oil,” Trump said. “I understand it. Oil pays him a lot of money. He’s got to be for oil, right? The oil companies give him a lot of money. But I’m with you. I’m with everybody. Look, I’m self-funding. I have no oil company. I have no special interest.”
After a question about Cruz and his lack of support for ethanol, Trump added, “If Ted Cruz is against ethanol, how does he win in Iowa, because that’s very anti-Iowa.”
Listen to Trump’s comments here: Trump comments on ethanol in Iowa
San Fran Change to Renewable Diesel Complete
San Francisco’s city fleet is off of petroleum. This news release from Mayor Edwin M. Lee says the City and County of San Francisco has completely replaced it with renewable diesel, a change that will achieve a significant 50 percent greenhouse gas emissions reduction.
“As the global climate negotiations conclude, San Francisco and cities worldwide must continue to lead by taking bold actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions immediately,” said Mayor Lee. “These actions cannot wait. San Francisco has ended its use of petroleum diesel to fill up the City’s fleet of vehicles and will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality for our residents immediately today.”
Mayor Lee first made the announcement in Vatican City at the Pontifical Academies of Sciences and Social Sciences’ Modern Slavery & Climate Change: The Commitment of the Cities conference, joining Pope Francis, Governor Jerry Brown, representatives of the United Nations and mayors and local governors from around the world to drive awareness, dialogue and action at the local level on climate change and modern slavery – two pressing, interconnected issues highlighted in the Pope’s encyclical, Laudato Si’.
San Francisco completed the switch to renewable diesel at all of the City’s fueling sites. The City’s Fleet Management Division estimates a 50 percent reduction, or 50,000 metric tons, in greenhouse gas emission as a result of ending the use of petroleum diesel and replacing it with renewable diesel. Using renewable diesel will also reduce the emissions of harmful air pollutants that harm the health of local residents and which disproportionately hurt San Francisco’s low-income communities because so much heavy duty vehicle traffic occurs in and near those communities.
“San Francisco is leading by example through the innovative management of our fleet of vehicles to combat climate change,” said City Administrator Naomi M. Kelly. “The use of renewable diesel is cost-neutral to San Francisco due to state and federal incentives to use renewable diesel. And it will also result in cleaner air for our transit operators, firefighters, and men and women in our bus yards and garages.”