Abengoa has announced that it has closed, together with its partner the Israeli global infrastructure group Shikun & Binui, the non-recourse project financing for Ashalim. The total investment of the project will be approximately USD 1 billion. The 110 MW Solar Thermal Electricity (STE) plant Ashalim will be able to store energy in order to produce electricity whenever required after sunset. It will be the largest solar plant in Israel and it will feature parabolic trough technology with a 4.5 hour thermal energy storage system using molten salts.- TerraForm Global Operating, LLC, intends to offer, in a private transaction, up to $800 million aggregate principal amount of senior notes due 2022. The offering is subject to market conditions and other factors. TeraForm intends to use the net proceeds of the offering, in whole or in part, to fund renewable energy projects that includes the financing or refinancing of, or investments in, equipment and systems which generate or facilitate the generation of energy from renewable sources, such as solar, wind and hydroelectric energy.
- SunEdison will acquire Vivint Solar for approximately $2.2 billion. In connection with SunEdison’s proposed acquisition of Vivint Solar, SunEdison has entered into a definitive purchase agreement with a subsidiary of TerraForm Power which, concurrently with the completion of SunEdison’s acquisition of Vivint Solar, will acquire Vivint Solar’s rooftop solar portfolio, consisting of 523 MW expected to be installed by year-end 2015, for $922 million in cash.
- Nor-Cal Controls is releasing a new product which will increase efficiency and reduce costs to wind project owners and operators. The “WindTalker-1000” is an innovative smart relay device designed to allow any existing sensor to integrate seamlessly into an existing wind turbine control platform, no matter the age, type or communication characteristics of the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). Nor-Cal Controls partnered with Lufft, manufacturer of the VENTUS ultrasonic wind sensor, to provide a state of the art, turnkey wind sensor replacement solution resistant to the elements as well as time.
Mycogen Supports Ethanol at Brickyard 400
Mycogen Seeds and Richard Childress Racing (RCR) have unveiled a new paint scheme for the No. 3 Mycogen Seeds Chevrolet SS, which Austin Dillon will drive at the Brickyard 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on July 26.
“Mycogen Seeds is proud to partner with RCR to support the legacy of the No. 3 car,” says Damon Palmer, U.S. Seeds marketing director, Dow AgroSciences. “As one of America’s fastest-growing seed companies, we’re excited to be at the Brickyard 400 to cheer on one of the quickest-rising stars in NASCAR, Austin Dillon.”
Palmer says the company’s support of the No. 3 Mycogen Seeds Chevrolet SS goes deeper than its new red paint scheme. The car runs on 15 percent ethanol-blended fuel, which has powered every NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race car since 2011. In 2014, ethanol production used more than 5 billion bushels of American-grown corn.
NASCAR drivers have traveled more than 7 million miles on the track with ethanol-blended fuel since its adoption. Ethanol use increases race car horsepower and reduces emissions.
“Just as NASCAR is improving efficiency on the track, Mycogen Seeds is improving productivity in the field,” Palmer says. “We provide American farmers with high-performance grain corn hybrids. Ethanol, which helps fuel the Brickyard 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, is an important market for U.S. corn.”
The 2015 Brickyard 400 is set for Sunday, July 26, at 3:30 p.m. ET at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and is scheduled to air live on NBC Sports.
Hope for Renewable Energy Tax Credits
The Senate Finance Committee is set to vote Tuesday on a two-year extension of tax benefits, including the production tax credit for wind power, and credits for biodiesel and cellulosic biofuels production.
“This markup will give the Committee a timely opportunity to act on extending a number of expired provisions in the tax code that help families, individuals and small businesses,” Hatch said. “This is the first time in 20 years where a new Congress has started with extenders legislation having already expired, and given that these provisions are meant to be incentives, we need to advance a package as soon as possible.”
“The tax code should work for, not against, Americans,” Wyden said. “We need to extend these tax provisions now in order to provide greater certainty and predictability for middle class families and businesses alike. However as we look beyond next week, it’s critical we all recognize and take action to end this stop and go approach to tax policy through extenders.”
A group of biofuel trade organizations have sent a letter to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) encouraging extension of the critical advanced biofuel tax incentives. The incentives include the Second Generation Biofuel Producer Tax Credit, the Special Depreciation Allowance for Second Generation Biofuel Plant Property, the Biodiesel and Renewable Diesel Fuels Credit, and the Alternative Fuel and Alternative Fuel Mixture Excise Tax Credit. Groups supporting the extensions are the Advanced Ethanol Council, Advanced Biofuels Association, Algae Biomass Organization, Biotechnology Industry Organization, Growth Energy, National Biodiesel Board, and Renewable Fuels Association.
REG Upgrading Illinois Biodiesel Plant
Renewable Energy Group is investing $31 million to upgrade and enhance the company’s Danville, Illinois biodiesel refinery. This company news release says the improvements will add biodiesel distillation capabilities to the 45-million gallon nameplate capacity biorefinery, as well as making pretreat capacity improvements, along with storage, logistics and other optimization enhancements.
“REG Danville already has a proven record of success as part of our network of multi-feedstock biorefineries,” said Daniel J. Oh, President and CEO. “Enhancing the capabilities here, as we have done at several of our other plants, can allow REG to provide greater volumes of lower cost, lower carbon, higher quality advanced biofuel to our customers that increases energy security, food security and environmental benefits for North America.”
The distillation process removes impurities and leaves behind a pure form of biomass-based diesel that far exceeds industry quality standards, while meeting REG’s more rigorous REG-9000™ specifications. The fuel also performs better in colder temperatures.
“These upgrades increase this biorefinery’s strong and healthy appetite for lower cost, waste feedstocks which are sourced locally and regionally from our supply chain partners,” said Brad Albin, Vice President, Manufacturing.
REG bought the Danville biorefinery in 2010. During the upgrade, 80-100 full-time contract workers will add to the current 34 full-time workers at the plant.
This is the sixth major biorefinery enhancement REG has undertaken since late 2012, following completed upgrades at their Albert Lea, Minnesota, Seneca, Ilinois, Mason City and Newton, Iowa biodiesel plants and ongoing improvements at the Company’s renewable hydrocarbon diesel biorefinery in Geismar, Louisiana.
Santa Monica Converts Buses to Natural Gas
The City of Santa Monica, California, is the one of the first municipal transit systems to convert its fleet to renewable natural gas (RNG). This news release from Clean Energy says it is supplying the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to the Big Blue Bus fleet.
Big Blue Bus has been fueling its LNG and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fleet of motor coaches with fuel supplied by Clean Energy since 2012. The process of harvesting and processing Redeem™ provides a product that has fewer impurities than conventional natural gas and is a cleaner burning fuel source.
“City Council has voiced its support for non-fracked, sustainable sources of fuel, and Redeem™ delivers a fuel made entirely of waste; a more sustainable product at an equal cost. This makes BBB’s partnership with Clean Energy to use the Redeem™ fuel a win-win solution,” said BBB’s Transit Director, Ed King.
“Big Blue Bus is a leader in sustainability and our ability to partner with it and provide a completely recyclable natural gas fueling option helps reduce emissions locally and shows other cities the power in using Redeem™ renewable fuel,” said Peter Grace, Clean Energy’s senior vice president for sales and finance.
BioEnergy Bytes
- Alliance BioEnergy Plus, Inc. has announced that Charles Sills has been formally elected to its Board of Directors by unanimous vote.
- The total onshore wind installed capacity in Serbia will rise from 102.5 MW in 2015 to an estimated 522 MW by 2025, boosted by several new projects and the government’s new Energy Law, which came into effect in January 2015, says research and consulting firm GlobalData. “Serbia Wind Market: Unblocking Opportunities in the Electricity Generation Mix,” states that while this increase will occur at an impressive Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 48%, Serbia will reach approximately 250 MW of onshore installed capacity by 2020: only half of its 500 MW capacity cap for wind energy by that year.
- Trina Solar Limited has announced that it has signed an agreement to supply 51 MW of its Dual Glass Modules to Yunnan Electric Power Design Institute and the EPC provider for the agricultural PV power plant project located in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan province in China. The plant will be used to power equipment in tea plantations, and will be the first of its kind within China. The agricultural PV project has the capacity of 100 MW totally.
- The Dutch Postcode Lottery has announced 25 nominees for its ninth annual Postcode Lottery Green Challenge, the sustainable business plan competition that aims to promote a low carbon economy and a greener environment. This year’s challenge attracted 271 sustainability-focused entrants from 56 countries, with the selected nominees from England, Germany, Kenya, Netherlands, Nigeria, Spain, South Africa, Switzerland, Sweden, and the United States.
HydroPower Opportunities Abound in Oregon
HydroVision took place this week in Oregon and during the event, Voith Hydro President and CEO Bob Gallo said that the state provides, “the perfect setting to shine a light on the value of hydropower”. The company has an office in Springfield, Oregon in addition to offices in several other states.
“Oregon is the perfect showcase for hydropower’s past, as well as its future potential,” said Gallo. “Though hydropower accounts for over 50% of Oregon’s power generation, the state has the capacity to double the clean and renewable hydropower it already provides to power its homes and businesses. With the right policies in place, we can truly unleash hydropower’s vast untapped potential, and Voith Hydro has the environmentally-friendly hydropower equipment and technology to power the future.”
Francis-Turbine for the hydro power plant Bratsk, Siberia.
Awarded picture of the year and product image of the year at the German “PR Bild Award 2014”.
Hydroelectric power provides Oregon with half of the state’s power. According to a 2014 Department of Energy New Stream-reach Development report, Oregon could more than double its current 8,000 MW in installed capacity and its potential, finds the report, is greater than any other state. The potential capacity is part of 65,000 MW of available but untapped hydropower across the country.
The same report said the U.S. can develop this potential by powering many of the approximately 80,000 dams that currently do not produce hydroelectric power and spread up the process to hydropower by streamlining an often burdensome and timely licensing process. Congress is currently attempting to build on 2013 legislation that streamlined the process for many small hydropower projects by exploring further regulatory reforms that will reduce inefficiencies and redundancies in the licensing process for projects both large and small. The need, agress Gallo, for timely reform is important given that 250 projects representing 11,000 MW of installed capacity are up for relicensing over the next 10 years.
While hydropower’s direct environmental benefits are immense, explained Gallo, its other attributes are significant. It supports the development of other renewables through baseload power generation, provides for flood control, creates recreational opportunities, and supports irrigation projects. It also creates jobs. By one estimate, with the proper policies in place, hydropower could create 1.4 million cumulative jobs by 2025, on top of the 300,000 jobs already supported by American hydropower.
“Hydropower is a win-win for both the environment and the economy,” Gallo concluded. “Voith Hydro looks forward to continued progress to bring more of America’s largest renewable resource online.”
EPA Chief Defends RFS Proposal to Corn Growers
Speaking to members of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) meeting in Washington DC this week, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy defended her agency’s proposed volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) while at the same time thanking farmers for their strong voice on the issue.
“I know RFS matters deeply to corn growers,” said McCarthy. “You know we held a hearing in Kansas and I know you knew it because you showed up. Last month you were there in force. And I want to thank you for being out there.”
McCarthy told the farmers that “EPA is deeply committed to the RFS” and to the industry. “You might have heard that we are trying to shrink or kill this program, but the truth is we are committed to growing it,” she said. “The volumes we’ve proposed for 2015 and 2016 are designed to bust through any blend wall – even if you don’t believe it exists!”
McCarthy was invited to address the summer Corn Congress session by NCGA President Chip Bowling, a farmer from Newburg, Maryland. “I invited her to Corn Congress because I wanted farmers to hear from her directly,” said Bowling. “To her credit, she had the courage to show up and talk to farmers face to face.”
In her address, McCarthy also talked about the EPA’s Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule, which is also a major issue of concern for corn farmers. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy at NCGA Corn Congress
Enogen Corn for Ethanol Growers to Get Rebates
Growers of Syngenta‘s Enogen corn, especially designed for ethanol production, will get rebates on some of their agricultural equipment. Chief Agri/Industrial Division will provide Enogen corn growers rebates on grain bins and other equipment.
A growing demand for high ethanol-yielding grain is creating the potential for corn growers to increase their income per acre. Earlier this year, Syngenta introduced the Ethanol Grain Quality Solution (EGQS), an initiative that includes agronomic protocols and best practices specifically designed to contribute to higher yields, improved grain quality and more ethanol per bushel.
“Grain quality requires attention to detail,” said Roger Townsend, President of Chief Agri/Industrial Division. “The goal should be to minimize quality deterioration at each step of production and during postharvest. We look forward to working with Enogen growers to help them maximize grain quality and return on investment.”
“Corn is the single biggest input cost for an ethanol plant, and ethanol yield per bushel is one of the biggest drivers of plant profitability,” said Guy Hartwig, head of Enogen grain operations at Syngenta. “Increasingly, ethanol plants are seeking not just clean, dry corn with little or no damage and foreign material, but also grain with quality characteristics that can maximize ethanol production per bushel, including more accessible starch. Chief’s industry-leading grain-handling technology and best-in-class customer service will help Enogen growers maximize profitability, while helping to support the ethanol industry.”
Chief’s stiffened bins have a great reputation for superior strength, durability and ease of installation. Greater access to technology and expertise from Chief will enable Enogen growers to provide ethanol plants with more high-quality corn.
DuPont Signs Cellulosic Ethanol Deal with Chinese Co.
DuPont and Chinese company New Tianlong Industry Co. (NTL) have signed an historic deal that will bring cellulosic ethanol to China. This DuPont news release says the agreement allows NTL to license DuPont’s cellulosic ethanol technology and use DuPont Accellerase enzymes to produce renewable biofuel from the leftover biomass on Jilin Province’s highly productive corn farms.
Combining NTL’s ethanol production expertise with processing technology, technical support and world-class enzymes supplied by DuPont, NTL will be able to produce cellulosic renewable fuel for the rapidly growing Chinese liquid biofuel market, which is projected to exceed 1.7 billion gallons per year by 2020.
“As we bring online the largest and most sophisticated cellulosic facility in the world in the State of Iowa in the United States, we are simultaneously working with leaders who share the same vision of producing the next generation of clean renewable fuels in their region,” said Jan Koninckx, global biofuels leader for DuPont Industrial Biosciences. “We are honored to have found such a strong partner in NTL. The company’s reputation for producing world-class grain ethanol makes it a superior candidate to put DuPont’s advanced technology to work to realize the additional economic and environmental benefits of cellulosic biofuel in China.”
“With its history of scientific innovation, collaboration and commitment to the ethanol industry, DuPont is an ideal partner for New Tianlong in our quest to bring the cleanest renewable fuel on the planet to China,” said SUN Guojing, general manager of NTL. “We look forward to working with DuPont over the coming years as we develop the biomass supply chain, construct a world-class facility, and produce fuel that delivers on the promise of reduced pollution and greenhouse gases. This project will augment our current excellent grade ethanol offerings and business and will make NTL the preeminent biofuel product supplier in China.”
This deal is expected to fill China’s aggressive goals for renewable energy, cutting its reliance on foreign oil and increasing employment opportunities for its large rural population.