Wind Industry Applauds PTC, ITC Extension

Joanna Schroeder

U.S. Congress has voted to extend the wind energy Production Tax Credit (PTC) and Investment Tax Credit (ITC). On Friday morning, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve the 2016 spending package and that afternoon, the U.S. Senate followed suit.  As a result, the PTC and alternative ITC, that also includes solar and geothermal energy, will now be extended for 2015 and 2016, and continue at 80 percent of present value in 2017, 60 percent in 2018, and 40 percent in 2019. As before, the rules will allow wind projects to qualify so long as they start construction before the end of the period.

Dry Lake Wind Power Project, Arizona

Dry Lake Wind Power Project, Arizona

“We’re going to keep this American wind power success story going,” said Tom Kiernan, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). “With predictable policies now in place, we will continue advancing wind turbine technology, driving down our costs and passing the savings on to American families and businesses in all corners of the country. We look forward to building a future with more affordable, reliable, clean wind energy.”

According to Kiernan, Industry leaders reacted to the news favorably, saying the multi-year extension supplies their companies with a level of predictability needed to keep U.S. factories open while adding new wind projects to the pipeline.

“On behalf of the nearly 2,000 Siemens wind energy employees in the U.S., I applaud Congress for its leadership in providing clear, long-term certainty for renewable energy growth in America,” said Jacob Andersen, CEO, Siemens Onshore Americas. “The PTC has encouraged tremendous investment in wind energy, helping to reduce the cost of wind power while simultaneously creating a new American industry. This extension will bolster the continued growth of domestic wind energy and the jobs this growing industry supports, allowing our factories to plan for the future as we continue to deliver innovation that drives down the cost of wind power.”

According to data from AWEA, the performance-based PTC has helped to more than quadruple wind power in the U.S. since 2008 – up from 16,702 megawatts (MW) installed at the start of 2008 to 69,470 MW by the third quarter of 2015. This is enough power to supply over 18 million American homes.

In addition, AWEA says the PTC has helped spur innovation in wind turbine technology, causing wind’s costs to fall 66 percent in just six years. The multi-year predictability will help continue that trend and break the repeated boom-bust cycles the U.S. wind energy industry has weathered through two decades of uncertain tax policies.

Clean Energy, Electricity, politics, Wind

ExxonMobil, Wisc. Partner on Biomass-Biofuel Project

John Davis

exxonmobilOil giant ExxonMobil has partnered with the University of Wisconsin–Madison on a project to turn biomass into biofuel. This article from Lab Manager says the two inked a two-year research agreement.

UW–Madison long has been known for its expertise in biomass conversion, and the project leverages the university’s expertise alongside the resources and technology development of ExxonMobil. George Huber, the Harvey D. Spangler professor of chemical and biological engineering at UW–Madison, is working closely with ExxonMobil scientists to build a stronger understanding of the basic chemical transformations that occur during biomass conversion into diesel and jet fuels.

“The science of biomass conversion is very complicated,” Huber says. “In this project we are doing the long-term fundamental research to understand the chemistry involved in the catalytic process of converting biomass into diesel and jet fuel. Our goal is to generate knowledge about what’s possible, and what’s not possible.”

Researchers have used expensive precious metal catalysts such as platinum for biomass conversion. Huber’s group, however, has been working to develop new catalytic materials that are orders of magnitude cheaper than precious metal catalysts.

“The challenge is to make biomass-derived fuels cost-competitive with petroleum-derived diesel fuels,” says Huber, who also is affiliated with the Wisconsin Energy Institute at UW–Madison.

The project allows extensive collaboration between ExxonMobil scientists and UW–Madison students, who will gain experience collaborating with an industrial partner.

“This agreement continues ExxonMobil’s commitment to partner with top universities and scientists to research and discover next-generation energy solutions,” says Vijay Swarup, vice president of research and development for ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company. “We are continuously investigating new ideas and technologies and we are looking forward to working with the team at the University of Wisconsin on this project.”

This is the latest in a series of research partnerships ExxonMobil established with some of the leading universities around the world, including MIT, Princeton, Michigan State, Northwestern, Stanford and Iowa State University.

biofuels, biomass

Researchers Develop Glycerol-free Biodiesel Process

John Davis

tobin-marksResearchers at Northwestern University in Chicago have figured out how to produce biodiesel without making the by-product glycerol. This article from Chemistry World says the scientists, led by Tobin Marks, developed the method.

The process uses a tandem catalytic system, consisting of metal triflate and supported palladium catalysts, to selectively break down triglyceride esters into carboxylic acids, which can be converted to biodiesel, as well as propane and valuable C3-oxygenates. ‘We are coupling two different reactions, using two different catalysts in the same pot. One catalyst opens or breaks the carbon–oxygen bond and the other catalyst hydrogenates the product, which is unsaturated. That helps drive the reaction thermodynamically,’ explains Marks.

While recent years have seen a considerable body of research into ways of converting waste glycerol into more valuable chemicals, this new approach avoids making it entirely. As Tracy Lohr who worked on the project explains, ‘The advantage of our system is that we don’t form any glycerol, instead we’re forming more useful products. Going from the triglycerides to those more useful precursors eliminates steps, it’s more cost-effective and you get your product easier and faster.’

The article adds that biodiesel production has contributed to the glut of glycerol worldwide.

Biodiesel, Research, University

Report: Renewables Fastest Growing US Power Source

Joanna Schroeder

According to GlobalData, non-hydro renewable energy will be the fastest growing power source in the U.S. through 2025. Installed capacity is expected to increase from 121.9 gigawatts (GW) in 2015 to 216 GW in 2025. “US Power Market Outlook to 2025, Update 2015 – Market Trends, Regulations, and Competitive Landscape,” finds the strong rate of growth suggests that the current U.S. government fully supports the growth of clean generation technologies. The U.S. was one of signers of the most historic climate treaty agreed upon in Paris earlier this month during COP21.

GlobalData logoChiradeep Chatterjee, GlobalData’s senior analyst covering Power, warns that this positive forecast for non-hydro renewables could be subject to the result of the 2016 US presidential election, with a Republican victory likely to mean considerable changes to present policies due to the party’s lower support for green energy projects in general.

“There are several renewable power regulations that have been implemented or revised by the Obama administration in 2015 that will aid the production of renewable energy,” explained Chatterjee. “For example, the Fannie May Green Initiative provides smart energy through financing solutions, while the Weatherization Assistance Program, instituted by the Department of Energy, offers grants to improve the energy efficiency of resident low-income families. Such initiatives are positive steps to achieving green targets established by US states.”

Targets take the form of Renewable Portfolio Standards programs, state policies that mandate a certain percentage of energy supplied to consumers by a utility within the state should come from renewable sources.

“Generally, the objectives are ambitious, ranging from 10% to 40%, with a variety of target dates. However, there is considerable variation between individual states, as Hawaii is aiming for renewables to constitute 100% of all energy use by 2045, while South Carolina is targeting just 2 percent by 2021.” Chatterjee concluded, “Attitudes towards the growth of green energy differ throughout the US, and it must be acknowledged that other sources of power will remain dominant throughout the forecast period.”

biomass, Electricity, Renewable Energy, Research, Solar, Wind

SolarCity Awarded Multiagency PPA

Joanna Schroeder

SolarCity has been awarded a power purchase agreement (PPA) as part of the Federal Aggregated Solar Procurement Pilot (FASPP) program that combines multiple mid-sized PV installation projects in northern California and northern Nevada. The first-ever joint project was awarded by several agencies, including U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and U.S. Forest Service.

The FASPP is a contracting solution designed to take advantage of economies of scale in solar installation with no up-front cost to the government. This project brings together multiple federal agencies and one private company to demonstrate that combined procurement and project management resources results in greater efficiency and cost effectiveness. This multi-agency energy procurement will not only save the government $5 million in energy cost, says GSA, it will also help achieve the Administration’s 2025 Renewable Energy Goal as outlined in Executive Order 13693, Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade.

Solar InstallationFederal Chief Sustainability Officer, Christine Harada said of the first of its kind project, “This groundbreaking project will make it easier for federal agencies to use onsite renewable power while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and saving taxpayer dollars. This initiative is a great way to showcase how the federal government is leading by example and taking advantage of the incredible opportunities to build a clean energy economy, especially given the historic agreement in Paris.”

Under this PPA, SolarCity Corporation will install and operate the PV systems, spanning nine federal sites in San Jose, Menlo Park, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Bruno, Santa Rosa, Vallejo, Carson City and Reno, and sell power by the kilowatt-hour to the federal government.

DOE’s Federal Energy Management Program Director, Tim Unruh, added, “Innovative procurements like the FASPP effort are a critical element in DOE’s strategy to facilitate broad adoption of renewables at federal sites in order to achieve federal mandates, reduce taxpayer costs, increase the resiliency of power supplies, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The federal government leads by example, and the FASPP procurement has broad applicability in both the public and private sectors.”

Clean Energy, Electricity, Solar

Tafila Wind Farm Helps to Power Jordan

Joanna Schroeder

The Tafila Wind farm is now online and helping to power Jordan and the Middle East. This 117 MW wind farm is the first and largest utility wind power plant in the country, and is directly connected to the national grid. Estimates find that the farm should produce 400 gigawatt-hours of electricity each year.

His Majesty King Abdullah II inaugurates the Tafila Wind Farm (seen with Samer Judeh Chairman of Jordan Wind Project Company) (PRNewsFoto/Advvise)

His Majesty King Abdullah II inaugurates the Tafila Wind Farm (seen with Samer Judeh Chairman of Jordan Wind Project Company) (PRNewsFoto/Advvise)

The project is in line with a royal vision to diversify energy sources and promote greater reliance on renewable energy. The Tafila Wind Farm was developed in response to the 2010 renewable energy law, calling for around 10 percent of electricity to come from renewable sources by 2020. Jordan imports around 96 percent of its energy needs at a cost equivalent to 20 percent of the country’s GDP.

His Majesty King Abdullah II announced the official launch of the wind farm before taking a tour of the plant, which is owned and managed by the Jordan Wind Project Company. At JD85 per megawatt-hour, the wind turbines will produce electricity at less than half the cost of generation for conventional power sources. According to sources, the project will save the government around $50 million every year, and will supply approximately 3.5 percent of the country’s annual electricity consumption.

In his speech at the event, Chairman of the Jordan Wind Project Company, Samer Judeh, said the wind farm’s 38 massive turbines draped with the proud Jordanian flag would not be here had it not been for His Majesty King Abdullah’s vision and great leadership. Judeh added that His Majesty “spares no effort locally and internationally to promote investment in Jordan. This oasis of stability in an otherwise very rough neighborhood.”

“The Tafila Wind Farm will contribute towards achieving energy security. The project is a quantum leap not only for Jordan but the Arab world as a whole, as it is the first to implement an effective solution for Jordan’s energy challenges through a partnership between the public and private sectors,” added Judeh. “We believe the project will stimulate the investment climate for similar renewable energy projects in Jordan to take place and will make Jordan a new and important destination for renewable energy investments in the region.”

Clean Energy, Electricity, International, Wind

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDF1According to AgWeek magazine, Algeria-based Cevital plans to build a corn-based ethanol plant in Brazil’s leading grains producer Mato Grosso state. Cevital’s representatives met with Mato Grosso Governor Pedro Taques to detail their plans and negotiate terms of the investment, including environmental licensing and tax incentives. The proposed plant would be installed in the municipality of Vera, close to the main soy and corn hubs of Sorriso and Lucas do Rio Verde, along the BR-163 highway used to transport a large part of the state’s grain output to the main southern Brazilian ports of Santos and Paranagua.
  • SunPower Corp. and University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) have announced plans for 5.2 MW (DC) of SunPower systems to be installed on rooftops and in parking lots on the university’s campus. UCSB will buy the electricity produced by the systems at a competitive rate under a long-term power purchase agreement with SunPower. UCSB estimates the systems will generate about 12 percent of the campus’s total electricity use, and will reduce operational greenhouse gas emissions by six percent.
  • Georgia Power has announced its support of Georgia Public Broadcasting’s (GPB) two new, interactive in-classroom video series: Chemistry Matters and Physics Fundamentals. The company’s support is part of a longstanding dedication to improving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education in Georgia and includes a $500,000 donation by the Georgia Power Foundation.
  • BlueWave, a solar development and fintech company, headquartered in Boston, MA, and MS Solar Solutions Corp, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley, have announced they will develop, co-invest and jointly own a Community Solar portfolio of more than 25 MW in Massachusetts scheduled for completion in 2016. The relationship with Morgan Stanley represents BlueWave’s first major financing for its Community Solar product, a product it plans to launch elsewhere in the U.S. in 2016.
Uncategorized

Pacific Ethanol Begins Cellulosic Production

Joanna Schroeder

Pacific Ethanol biorefinery located in Stockton, California is now producing cellulosic ethanol using Edeniq, Inc.’s Pathway Technology. The Stockton plant, a facility with a production capacity of 60 million gallons per year, is expected to produce up to 750,000 gallons per year of cellulosic ethanol with the Pathway process.

corn

Photo Credit: Joanna Schroeder

Neil Koehler, president and CEO of Pacific Ethanol, said of the milestone, “We are now commercially producing cellulosic ethanol using Edeniq’s Pathway enzyme at our Stockton facility. This is an important step in our strategy to increase production yields at our plants and our mission to be the leading producer and marketer of low-carbon renewable fuels. We are working with Edeniq and the Environmental Protection Agency to qualify these gallons for generating D3 cellulosic RINs, which carry a premium over conventional ethanol, and we expect to receive EPA approval in the first quarter of 2016.”

Edeniq’s Pathway Technology integrates Edeniq’s Cellunator high shear equipment with cellulase enzymes to convert corn kernel fiber to fermentable sugars. According to the company, the pathway includes a proprietary technical validation process that enables customers to quantify the amount of cellulosic ethanol produced within their plants and comply with the registration, recordkeeping, and reporting required by the EPA to generate cellulosic D3 Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) as defined by the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

“Our Pathway Technology enables ethanol plants to produce cellulosic ethanol directly in existing fermentation vessels at a very low cost,” aded Brian Thome, President and CEO of Edeniq. “Pacific Ethanol’s production of cellulosic ethanol is an important landmark for both of our companies, and for the ethanol industry.”

advanced biofuels, Cellulosic, Ethanol, RFS

Seattle Airport Inks Deal for Aviation Biofuels

John Davis

Alaska-Biofuel1Officials at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport are partnering with Alaska Airlines and Boeing to aim to have all flights out of the hub use sustainable aviation biofuel. This news release from the port authority says Sea-Tac is the first U.S. airport to lay out a long-term roadmap to incorporate aviation biofuel into its infrastructure in a cost-effective, efficient manner.

At the Sea-Tac fuel farm today, executives for the port, Alaska Airlines, and Boeing signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to launch a $250,000 Biofuel Infrastructure Feasibility Study that will assess costs and infrastructure necessary to deliver a blend of aviation biofuel and conventional jet fuel to aircraft at Sea-Tac, a crucial step toward routine biofuel use in the future.

“The Port of Seattle has an important role in helping develop the state’s green energy economy,” said Port of Seattle Commissioner John Creighton. “Striving to make Sea-Tac Airport a national leader in developing aviation biofuel infrastructure and incentivizing the use of biofuels by our airline partners will grow jobs for our region, decrease our environmental footprint, and benefit both our fence line communities and the airlines that use the airport.”

The partners’ longer-term plan is to incorporate significant quantities of biofuel into Sea-Tac’s fuel infrastructure, which is used by all 26 airlines and more than 380,000 flights annually at the airport. Sea-Tac is the 13th busiest airport in the U.S. and will serve over 42 million domestic and international passengers this year.

Joe Sprague, senior vice president of communications and external relations for Alaska Airlines, Sea-Tac’s largest carrier and leader of the airport’s fueling consortium, said the airline wants to incorporate biofuel into flight operations at one or more of its hubs by 2020, with Sea-Tac as a first choice for the Seattle-based airline.

“Biofuel offers the greatest way to further reduce our emissions,” said Sprague. “This study is a critical step in advancing our environmental goals and stimulating aviation biofuel production in the Pacific Northwest.”

The Port of Seattle will manage the study and the engineering and integration of biofuel infrastructure, such as the airport’s fuel farm. An RFP for the infrastructure study will be issued in the spring of 2016, and the study is expected to be completed by late 2016.

aviation biofuels, biofuels

Olympia School District Goes to School with Propane

Joanna Schroeder

Olympia-Schools-Propane-Bus1-X2Stanford, Illinois students are traveling around town in school buses fueled by propane. The Olympia Community Unit #16 School District, a rural district covering 377 square miles, converted to propane-fueled buses to meet the district’s needs for reliable, lower-cost buses. The school buses travel an average of 20,000 miles per year.

According to John Olsen, assistant superintendent for Olympia, the district tested propane with two school buses and now has 12- nearly one-third of their 33 bus fleet. The remaining buses run on diesel fuel. He estimates each bus saves the district $2,500 per year in fuel and maintenance and is expected to serve the district for 10 years. He figures that the buses will save the school district $300,000 over the 10-year life of the buses.

According to information about propane autogas, propane engines do not require diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) and diesel particulate filters, and oil consumption can be reduced as much as 50 percent, making propane powered buses less expensive to operate and maintain. Propane fuel costs, currently lower than diesel fuel, make up the difference and more.

The savings are not the only benefit of the propane buses, says Olsen who notes they are also quiet and cleaner-burning. “I love the fact that when our buses pull up to the schools at the beginning or end of the day, we’re not sitting there creating a cloud of fumes right outside the school,” he added.

Evergreen FS, based in Bloomington, IL works closely with Olsen to supply the fuel. They also set up and continuously service and maintain the four 1,000 gallon propane tanks on-site. Typically the storage onsite provides a seven to eight day supply of propane. Olsen and the school district will continue to work with Evergreen FS, a member cooperative of GROWMARK, who keep him up-to-date on technical advances that will make the fleet even more cost efficient over time.

Alternative energy, Propane, Video