Wave Energy Prize Entrants Move Forward

Joanna Schroeder

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) wave energy competition is moving toward the next phase with 92 teams. The Wave Energy Prize is a design-build-test competition encouraging the development of better innovations for wave energy conversion (WEC) devices that will double energy capture. When this is achieved, costs will be reduced making wave energy more competitive with established energy technologies.

The 91 American teams and one team from Denmark official will now begin working to double the energy captured from ocean waves and win a prize purse totaling more than $2 million.

“We’re extremely pleased with both the quantity of teams and the diversity of participants reflecting broad expertise from so many established companies in the ocean energy space, universities, anWave Energy Prize logod newcomers to the industry,” said Julie Zona, Wave Energy Prize administrator. “The composition of the participating teams truly demonstrates one of the benefits of a prize challenge, which is to encourage the inclusion of new perspectives. We’re very hopeful that the diverse backgrounds of these teams will help lead to the Prize’s goal of achieving game-changing performance enhancements to wave energy technologies.”

Team names and background information on the official registered teams can be found on the Wave Energy Prize website.

Clean Energy, ocean energy, water

Letter to Congress: No Changes to RFS

Joanna Schroeder

Screen Shot 2015-07-07 at 9.36.35 AMA broad group of companies supporting the renewable fuels industry sent a letter urging members of Congress to reject proposals that ‘amend, repeal, defund or otherwise modify or interfere with the Renewable Fuel Standard‘(RFS). This included the amendment from Rep. Barry Loudermilk that would defund the RFS.

The letter compares renewable fuel favorably to gasoline on environmental measures and argues that renewable fuel breaks the oil monopoly on gasoline. The letter also cites that in 2013, 33 percent of the petroleum consumed in the United States came from foreign sources, the lowest level since 1985.

Read the letter. Read More

Biodiesel, biofuels, Ethanol, RFS

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDF1ChargePoint Home electric vehicle (EV) charger will be available to order on Amazon later this summer. The price of the networked station ranges from $499 to $749. ChargePoint Home’s price varies based on power level, installation type and cord length. The station is available as a 32 amp station that can deliver a maximum of 25 miles of Range Per Hour (RPH), or a 16 amp station that can deliver a maximum of 12 RPH with a range of cord lengths. The station can be installed either indoors or outdoors.
  • Princeton Power Systems, a global designer and manufacturer of technology products and embedded software for energy storage, microgrid operations, and electric vehicle charging, has announced that their Brooklyn Army Terminal project is a finalist for the 2015 Intersolar Project of the Year Award.
  • Continental Energy Corporation, an emerging international energy developer, has announced that it has entered into a strategic alliance agreement with Indonesia based Bluline Group, a family owned group of companies that specialize in private equity investments in Food-Energy-Water related businesses and infrastructure projects throughout the Indonesian Archipelago. Under the Alliance, the Continental will act as the vehicle to implement Bluline’s “E for Energy” segment.
  • TerraForm Power, Inc. and SunEdison, Inc. have announced that TerraForm Power has signed a definitive agreement to acquire net ownership of 930 MW of wind power plants from Invenergy Wind LLC, the largest independent wind owner in the United States.
Bioenergy Bytes

Nebraska Ethanol Board to Talk Ag Careers

John Davis

NEethanolboardThe ethanol industry holds lots of job opportunities in agriculture-related businesses. That’s why the Nebraska Ethanol Board staff will be at the Nebraska Agriculture Youth Institute Career Fair this Thursday, July 9, at 3:30 p.m.

The Nebraska Agriculture Youth Institute (NAYI) is a weeklong experience – July 6-10 – for high school juniors and seniors from across Nebraska to learn about career opportunities within agriculture. This conference features speakers, workshops, agricultural education, networking with peers and industry leaders, professional development and leadership experience.

“NAYI is an opportunity for high school students to get a taste of the variety of opportunities in agriculture,” said Trent Mastny, Nebraska Agriculture Youth Council head counselor. “Youth from across the state can make connections and share their passion for agriculture and feeding the world.”

A recent impact study by University of Nebraska-Lincoln economists reveals Nebraska’s ethanol production growth was tenfold in the past two decades, which means high-quality jobs in the state. Nebraska’s 24 ethanol plants staff 1,300 full-time employees earning $71 million in annual wages and benefits.

“The ethanol industry has opportunities in agriculture fields, as well as careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), which are in high demand,” said Todd Sneller, Nebraska Ethanol Board administrator. “Ethanol plants provide jobs for educated youth in rural communities.”

Ethanol, Ethanol News

U.S. Energy Efficiency Increasing

Joanna Schroeder

Energy efficiency is improving in America. A new report find the country’s energy intensity, the measurement of energy used per dollar of gross domestic product, is down from 12.1 thousand Btus per dollar in 1980 to 6.1 thousand Btus per dollar in 2014. The report, Energy Efficiency in the United States: 35 Years and Counting, was released by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).

ACEEE energy reduction report infographicThe report found that nearly 60 percent of the improvement in energy intensity was due to energy efficiency and about 40 percent to major structural changes in the economy. The bottom line according to ACEEE:  Just the energy efficiency portion saved U.S. consumers and businesses about $800 billion in 2014, roughly $2,500 per capita. Even though U.S. energy use edged up by 26 percent from 1980 to 2014, the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 149 percent.

The report concludes that “while much progress has been made, there are large and cost effective energy efficiency opportunities that, by 2050, can collectively reduce energy use by 40-60 percent relative to current forecasts.”

Report co-author and ACEEE Executive Director Steven Nadel said: “Energy efficiency has made great strides in the past 35 years, and we have learned many important lessons on how markets and policies can work together to advance it. Looking forward, we find opportunities to reduce 2050 energy use by half relative to a business-as-usual reference case. In order to harvest these large efficiency opportunities, we need to take our efforts to a higher level. The challenges are many, but so are the benefits in terms of lower energy bills, a stronger economy, improved energy security, and a cleaner environment. The past has shown us what efficiency can do and it can guide us to even greater success in the future.”

In addition to highlighting the areas that have achieved most significant energy reduction, the report also recommends tactics to be taken to further improve energy efficiency.

Clean Energy, energy efficiency

Clean Jobs Continue to Rise

Joanna Schroeder

A new report finds that more than 9,800 clean energy and clean transportation jobs were announced in the U.S. in the first three months of 2015. This is nearly double the number of jobs announced during the same timeframe in 2014. The report was released by Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2).

E2 Q1 2015 top clean job statesThe top three states for the quarter were: Georgia (2,870 jobs), California (1,885) and Texas (1,612). New Mexico, Michigan, Colorado, Virginia, Utah, Maryland and Indiana rounded out the top 10. Georgia’s No. 1 ranking was its first since E2 began its clean energy job-tracking analysis in 2011. The vast majority of its jobs came in the solar sector.

“Nearly 10,000 new job announcements in one quarter shows just how fast clean energy is growing in America,” said Bob Keefe, executive director of E2. “But building an economy increasingly fueled by clean, renewable energy like wind and solar doesn’t happen in just one quarter. Smart policies like the federal Clean Power Plan – which will reduce carbon pollution from existing power plants and increase clean energy – will help keep the job growth going.” Final Clean Power Plan standards will be announced later this summer.

Nationally, solar was the top sector in Q1, with more than 6,600 jobs announced from nearly 20 projects in solar generation and solar manufacturing. The report attributed declining materials costs as a primary reason for the solar industry’s strong showing. In the wind energy sector, more than 1,400 jobs stemming from 11 projects were announced, while the biomass, energy storage, advanced vehicle and lighting efficiency sectors announced hundreds of jobs each.

Clean Energy, Solar, Wind

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDF1An upcoming episode of “In America” will cover the topic of water power and dams. The episode will be hosted by famous actor and voice-over specialist, James Earl Jones. The purpose of this episode is to inform viewers about how we obtain electricity from water. It’ll also cover the history of hydro-electric power and the future of associated endeavors.
  • IKEA has announced it officially has ‘flipped-the-switch’ on a fuel cell system installed at its retail location in Emeryville, CA. Slightly larger than the physical size of a commercial back-up generator, the 300-kW system will operate on biogas and produce approximately 2,497,651 kWh of electricity annually for the store. Combined with the solar energy system installed atop the store in 2011, these fuel cells will help generate more than a majority of the store’s energy onsite.
  • RGS Energy has completed the previously announced $5 million offering of units consisting of its Class A common stock and Series F common stock warrant at a price of $3.65 per unit.
  • The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) has launched a digital ad campaign thanking Rep. Cheri Bustos for her vote against Rep. Whitfield’s H.R. 2042, gutting the EPA’s Clean Power Plan. The $20,000 digital ad campaign aims to hold Members of Congress, including Rep. Bustos, accountable for their votes last week on Rep. Whitfield’s bill.
Bioenergy Bytes

Biodiesel Industry Testimony on RFS

Cindy Zimmerman

While ethanol got most of the attention at the recent EPA hearing on proposed volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), biodiesel producers had their say as well.

At least two dozen biodiesel representatives from across the country testified at the hearing to thank EPA for increasing volumes in the latest proposal while at the same time calling for further growth in the final rule set to be released in November.

epa-hearing-jobe“The biodiesel industry can do much more to make the whole program stronger,” said National Biodiesel Board (NBB) CEO Joe Jobe in an interview at the hearing. “Biodiesel is the only domestic, fully commercialized, advanced biofuel and we’ve helped the advanced biofuel category meet its goals nearly every year of the program.”

Biodiesel falls under the Biomass-based Diesel category of the RFS, which is a subset of the overall Advanced Biofuels category. The EPA proposal would gradually raise biodiesel volumes by about 100 million gallons per year to a standard of 1.9 billion gallons in 2017. Because of biodiesel’s higher energy content, this would count as 2.95 billion ethanol equivalent gallons under the RFS. The overall Advanced Biofuel standard would rise to 3.4 billion ethanol equivalent gallons in 2016. NBB had requested more aggressive growth to a biodiesel standard of 2.7 billion gallons by 2017, along with additional growth in the overall Advanced Biofuel category.

Listen to Jobe explain more in this interview: Interview with Joe Jobe, NBB

EPA RFS Public Hearing photo album

Coverage of EPA RFS Hearing is sponsored by
Coverage of EPA RFS Hearing sponsored by RFA
advanced biofuels, Audio, Biodiesel, biofuels, biomass, EPA, RFS

American Ethanol Driver Safe After Daytona Crash

Cindy Zimmerman

american-ethanol-dillonAmerican Ethanol driver Austin Dillon had a wild July 4th weekend, earning his first career win at Daytona in Friday night’s Xfinity Series race and then ending a rain-delayed Coke Zero 400 race with a car upside down and in pieces just moments before Dale Earnhardt, Jr. crossed the finish line after 2:40 am.

Dillon, who was not driving the American Ethanol car in the race, had only minor injuries in the horrific crash that tore down fencing and threw debris on fans. The grandson of racing legend Richard Childress, Dillon afterward thanked “the good Lord for taking care of me and for what NASCAR has done to make the sport this much safer.”

American Ethanol is a partnership with NASCAR and all races are run on 15% ethanol-blended fuel. Dillon is an official spokesperson for American Ethanol and drives the No. 3 American Ethanol Chevrolet SS in select races.

American Ethanol, Ethanol, NASCAR

American Farmers and Energy Independence

Cindy Zimmerman

flag-fuelThanks to American farmers, our nation is closer than ever to energy independence. As you celebrate this weekend, remember the farmers who have helped make this country great for nearly 240 years!

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Wishing you a safe and blessed Independence Day!

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