Lumenpulse Inc., a leading manufacturer of high performance, specification-grade LED lighting solutions, announced today that S&P Dow Jones Canadian Index Services has added Lumenpulse to the S&P/TSX Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Index. The Index measures the performance of companies listed on the TSX whose core business is the development of green technologies and sustainable infrastructure solutions.- TerraForm Global, a globally diversified owner and operator of clean energy projects, has announced that it closed on the acquisition from Renova Energia of two operating wind energy projects that are part of the original TerraForm Global IPO portfolio. The Salvador and Bahia wind energy projects are located in Brazil and generate 294 megawatts (MW) AC of capacity in aggregate.
- NV Energy is seeking requests for proposals for up to 10 MW of solar photovoltaic resources to serve its newly proposed subscription solar pilot program that is pending Public Utilities Commission of Nevada approval. The company is specifically seeking proposals to secure between one and five megawatts of ground-mounted solar photovoltaic resources for northern Nevada and separate proposals for one to five megawatts of ground-mounted solar photovoltaic resources in southern Nevada. The submission deadline is October 21, 2015.
- At a dedication event in Coconino County, SunEdison celebrated the commissioning of 1.2 MW DC of solar carport and rooftop systems at four Coconino County, Ariz., government facilities. The buildings include the county’s King Street Community Services building, law enforcement administration facility, juvenile detention center and correctional facility. Coconino County is buying the solar power generated by the systems through a 25-year power purchase agreement, and estimates that they will save $2.7 million over the life of the agreement.
Companies Support Cali’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard
A group of major companies have come out in support of California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). Thirty-six companies sent a letter to California Air Resources Board (CARB) Chairman Mary Nichols expressing their support for the re-adoption of the program. They cited the standard’s positive influence on the development of cleaner transportation fuels.
“BICEP companies support a strong LCFS because it’s good for the economy and the environment,” said Anne Kelly, director of the Business for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy (BICEP), a project of the nonprofit sustainability advocacy organization, Ceres (BICEP). “In contrast to the oil industry, which has consistently opposed the LCFS and other efforts to reduce emissions from the transportation sector, BICEP companies are engaging in climate policy advocacy constructively, and recognize the value of the LCFS as a catalyst for innovation and investment in clean fuels.“
CARB approved the LCFS in 2009 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by achieving a 10 percent reduction in the carbon intensity of transportation fuels used in California by 2020. The standard was the first-of-its-kind, market-based approach to lowering transportation fuel emissions, and is part of a larger effort in California to tackle climate change and build a clean energy economy. Since the bill was passed, other states have used it as a foundation for similar clean energy legislation.
According to BICEP, since its implementation, the LCFS has reduced carbon emissions by approximately 9 million metric tons, or the equivalent of removing nearly 2 million passenger cars from the road for one year. Further, a report by consulting firm ICF International finds the LCFS is driving investment in cleaner fuels, including low carbon ethanol, biodiesel, renewable diesel, and biogas, as well as cleaner production processes. The analysis also found that the LCFS will result in $1.4-$4.8 billion in societal benefits by 2020 from reduced air pollution and increased energy security.
The businesses stressed that standards such as LCFS give regulatory certainty needed for investors.
Molecular Swiss Army Knife Improves Algae-Fuel
A molecular Swiss Army knife may hold the key to making blue-green algae biofuel and biochemical production more viable. A research team from Michigan State University (MSU) fabricated a synthetic protein that both improves the assembly of the carbon-fixing factory of cyanobacteria while providing proof of concept for a device that could potentially improve plant photosynthesis or be used to install new metabolic pathways in bacteria. Study results were published this month in The Plant Cell journal.
MSU scientists have built a molecular Swiss Army knife that makes biofuels and other green chemical production from algae more viable. Photo by G.L. Kohuth
“The multifunctional protein we’ve built can be compared to a Swiss Army knife,” explained Raul Gonzalez-Esquer, MSU doctoral researcher and the paper’s lead author. “From known, existing parts, we’ve built a new protein that does several essential functions.”
For this research, Gonzalez-Esquer worked with Cheryl Kerfeld, the Hannah Distinguished Professor of Structural Bioengineering in MSU’s-DOE Plant Research Lab, and Tyler Shubitowski, MSU undergraduate student. Kerfield’s lab studies bacterial microcompartments, or BMCs. These are self-assembling cellular organs that perform myriad metabolic functions. In other words, they can be though of as molecular factories with many different pieces of machinery.
The research team modernized the factory by creating, in essence, a hybrid protein in cyanobacteria, organisms that have many potential uses for making green chemicals or biofuels. Basically the protein speeds up the process of taking CO2 out of the athmosphere and converting it to sugars.
“It’s comparable to making coffee. Rather than getting an oven to roast the coffee beans, a grinder to process them and a brewing machine, we’ve built a single coffeemaker where it all happens in one place,” Gonzalez-Esquer said. “The new tool takes raw material and produces the finished product with a smaller investment.”
However, this altered cyanobacterial species won’t be taking over any ponds near you just yet. While the improved organisms excel at photosynthesis in a lab setting, the researchers said they are still ill prepared to compete with other bacteria. Hopefully, this will change as the team continues to develop and refine the photosynthesis process in algae.
Cup of Joe Provides Biomass for London Homes
While England might be better known for its tea, Londoners certainly have a taste for coffee. And the waste grounds will soon be heating home’s in the United Kingdom’s capital. This article from the London Evening Standard says Bio-bean is collecting waste coffee grounds to be turned into biomass pellets.
Although only a couple of hundred tonnes will be collected each week at first, Bio-bean spokesman Daniel Crockett expects the firm to be processing the equivalent of 50,000 tonnes a year by 2016.
“We wanted to build it inside London,” Mr Crockett told the Standard, “but we aren’t at that stage yet.
“We’re collecting from cafes, office blocks and transport hubs – we’re filling up the Monopoly board!”
While Bio-bean does not pay the coffee shops – which include cafes in big-name firms and all seven of London’s biggest rail stations – its collection service saves them coughing up potentially costly landfill fees.
At peak production, the Southwark business will be producing enough pellets to heat 15,000 homes. The pellets will be burnt in efficient biomass boilers to produce energy.
Bio-bean is also looking at turning the oil in the coffee grounds into biodiesel.
As Temps Cool, Propane Supplies Hit Record
Just in time for winter heating and agriculture crop drying seasons, the supplies of propane hit record levels in the U.S. This U.S. Energy Information Administration report says inventories of propane and propylene reached 97.7 million barrels as of September 11, the highest level in the 22 years.
During the first six months of 2015, production of propane at natural gas plants was 31.3 million barrels, or 172,000 barrels per day (b/d), higher than during the first half of 2014. Exports increased by 33.3 million barrels (182,000 b/d) over the same period.
In the United States, propane is mainly used for space heating and as a feedstock for petrochemical plants, as well as for drying agricultural crops. Relatively small amounts of propane are also used for fueling vehicles. Its heating and agricultural uses make propane consumption highly seasonal and weather dependent, rising in the fall and peaking in the winter. In addition to heating and agricultural use, propane is used by petrochemical plants to produce ethylene and propylene, key building blocks for the manufacturing of chemicals and plastics. Petrochemical propane consumption has little seasonality but can vary significantly based on plant operations.
Traditionally, propane and propylene stocks increase from the start of April to the end of September, and they are drawn down from October to March, when agricultural and heating demands increase. In 2015, inventories began increasing in mid-February, more than six weeks earlier than the historical average.
EIA expects propane and propylene inventories to begin the October heating season at record levels, reaching a high of 99.1 million barrels at the end of September.
ReNew Commissions Unique Wind Project in India
ReNew Power Ventures has completed installation of India’s tallest wind tower. The S97 stands at 120 m and according to company, offers a 33 percent increase in hub height when compared to the conventional tower design. In addition, ReNew said it is a revolutionary on-shore installation of lattice/tubular combination towers (hybrid towers) of 120 m height. The hybrid towers are manufactured by Suzlon and has been commercially erected, for the first time, anywhere in the world in India. It is a part of a 100.80 MW wind farm in Rajasthan, which is being commissioned alongside the 12.6 MW currently operation.
Suzlon said the S97 should have a gain in wind speed between 4-5 percent and industry research finds this should increase annual generation between 12-15 percent.
“As a leading energy company, ReNew Power is at the forefront of adopting the most innovative and technologically advanced equipment and systems available in the market today, while at the same time partnering with and encouraging OEM’s to explore new technologies and solutions,” said Sumant Sinha, Chairman and CEO, ReNew Power. “Industry estimates reveal that in India, approximately 400 million people do not have access to electricity. To meet the growing energy demands of the already highly strained energy infrastructure, the country requires a sustainable energy module. We are excited to be a first with this breakthrough installation in wind energy in the state of Rajasthan.”
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Tulsi Tanti, Chairman, Suzlon Group, added, “Suzlon’s R&D efforts are focused on developing high yield products that effectively bring down the cost of energy (COE) and improve customers return on investments. Our endeavour to provide sustainable and affordable energy solutions have resulted in the path-breaking S97-120 m (2.1MW) turbine with hybrid tower, which is designed to harness more energy from low wind sites. ReNew Power has always valued technology innovation and has been at the forefront of embracing and encouraging new technologies. We are delighted to partner with ReNew to enhance India’s clean energy output and contribute towards powering a greener tomorrow.”
This is ReNew Power’s fifth project in Rajasthan and the company already has more than 100 MW of installed and commissioned wind energy in the state.
BioEnergy Bytes
- Habitat for Humanity has dedicated 11 homes in the Washington DC’s Ivy City neighborhood. All of the homes feature “passive” construction. Passive homes use a combination of low-energy building techniques and efficient power generating technologies, such as solar energy, so that energy consumption is much lower than that of homes built to traditional codes. As a result, homeowners will be able to consume significantly less energy overall and greatly reduce their water usage. These benefits will not only save the homeowners money, but will empower them to create a more sustainable lifestyle.
- The International City/County Management Association has announced that it is the prime recipient of a multi-year cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative. The new award, part of the Solar Powering America by Recognizing Communities (SPARC) program, will establish a prominent national recognition program to energize local solar marketplaces.
- Southern Company recently hosted industry leaders and local dignitaries at a ribbon-cutting ceremony and facility tour at the largest battery storage research project in its operating system. Located in Cedartown, Georgia, the new research project will test and evaluate a 1-megawatt (MW)/2-megawatt-hour (MWh) battery storage system using lithium-ion battery technology – similar to the battery chemistry in electric vehicles and many of today’s consumer electronics.
- DuPont Microcircuit Materials (DuPont) was granted the 2015 Solar Industry Award in the photovoltaic (PV) Materials category for its DuPont Solamet PV19x series of PV metallization pastes, designed to help boost the power output of solar panels, lower overall system costs and improve the return on investments in solar energy systems. The company accepted the award at a ceremony held during the European PV Solar Energy Conference in Hamburg, Germany.
Greenpeace Study: 100% Renewable by 2050
According to a new Greenpeace report, “2015 Energy [r]evolution,” the world could be fueled by 100 percent renewable energy by 2050. The analysis, researched in collaboration with the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), finds that the transition to renewables would not only create jobs but be cost competitive. The necessary investment in clean energy, the report states, would be more than covered by future savings in fuel costs.
“The phase out of fossil fuels and transition to renewable energy is not only needed, but can be achieved globally by mid-century,” said Greenpeace USA Climate and Energy Campaign Director Kelly Mitchell. “In the US, we must prioritize keeping coal, oil and gas in the ground while accelerating the transition to clean energy like wind and solar. Doing so would both create new jobs and ensure a healthier planet for future generations.”
All eyes will be on Paris this December when world leaders will meet to discuss ongoing efforts to curb climate change. The report finds that globally, average additional investment needed in renewables is roughly $1 trillion a year until 2050. Because renewables don’t require fuel, the savings over the same period would be $1.07 trillion a year, which more than covers the costs of the required investment states the study.
“We must not let the fossil fuel industry’s lobbying stand in the way of a switch to renewable energy, the most effective and fairest way to deliver a clean and safe energy future,” said Greenpeace International Executive Director Kumi Naidoo. “I urge all those who say ‘it can’t be done’ to read this report and recognize that it can be done and must be done for the benefit of people around the world.”
Within 15 years, renewables’ share of electricity could triple from 21 percent to 64 percent, which would ensure almost two thirds of global electricity supply is delivered from clean energy. Despite the rapid development of countries like Brazil, China and India, CO2 emissions could fall from the current 30 gigatonnes a year to 20 gigatonnes by 2030. Read More
New Holland Focus on Clean Energy at Expo Milano
The centerpiece outside the New Holland Agriculture Sustainable Farm Pavilion at Expo Milano is a prototype methane-powered tractor that the company is developing to help farmers run their equipment on self-generated energy.
“We are a clean energy leader company,” said New Holland Agriculture Brand president Carlo Lambro. “Methane is really close to zero emission.”
In addition, Lambro says methane is very economical. “Methane is one of the cheapest fuels that can be found,” he told a group of agricultural bloggers from around the globe during an event at Expo Milano last week.
The prototype tractor on display at Expo is based on a New Holland T6.175 standard tractor and has a total capacity of 300 litres (52kg) compressed methane, enough to operate the tractor for half a day. The biomethane powered tractor can result in fuel savings of 20-40% and has 80% lower emissions than a standard diesel tractor.
Lambro says New Holland is also looking at other alternative fuels. “In North America, we’re working more on the ethanol side as a potential fuel,” Lambro told a group of agricultural bloggers from around the globe during an event at Expo Milano last week. “Methane in Europe, ethanol in the U.S., ethanol from sugarcane in Brazil.”
Listen to Carlo’s discussion with the bloggers here: Carlo Lambro, New Holland Brand President
Aemetis 100% Biodiesel Replaces Diesel in India
California-based Aemetis is replacing 100 percent diesel with 100 percent biodiesel in India. This news release from the company says the pure biodiesel reduces emissions by 80 percent in the warm climate areas of India.
Traditionally, in Europe and in the United States, biodiesel is blended in the range of 5% to 20% with petroleum diesel due to colder temperature conditions. With southern/western India’s tropical climate, Aemetis led the introduction of 100% distilled biodiesel in truck, bus, taxi and stationary generator sectors as a 100% replacement of petroleum diesel.
The 99.8% pure distilled biodiesel produced by Aemetis has superior attributes such as a high cetane number (66-68) compared to the regular biodiesel cetane number of about 51 along with excellent lubricating properties to reduce engine wear.
Aemetis now has multiple sales channels in India, directly selling to bulk businesses and selling through Government-owned oil marketing companies (OMC’s). Aemetis is currently selling biodiesel to a large OMC in addition to a number of major transportation and logistics businesses.
“We are excited to lead the replacement of 100% petroleum diesel with 100% distilled biodiesel in India where 13 Indian cities rank among the 20 most polluted cities in the world,” said Eric McAfee, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Aemetis.
“We have succeeded in working with major bulk fuel customers to convert their fleets to 100% distilled biodiesel to achieve significant cost benefits as well as help improve the environment,” said Sanjeev Gupta, Managing Director of Aemetis’ India biofuels subsidiary, Universal Biofuels, based in Hyderabad.
In India, diesel-based fuels are king, as diesel makes up 25 billion gallons per year, significantly larger than the current India gasoline market of 5 billion gallons per year. Biodiesel production in India is only about 250 million gallons. Aemetis owns and operates a biodiesel production facility with a capacity of approximately 50 million gallons per year in India.