Free Webinar on USDA Biorefinery Assistance Program

Joanna Schroeder May 8, 2015

Calling those interested in producing advanced biofuels and biochemicals. An upcoming free webinar, “USDA’s 9003 Biorefinery Assistance Program,” will discuss how to take advantage of the program. The webinar will take place Wednesday, June 3, 2015 at 1:00 pm ET. The event is hosted by Stern Brothers & Co., Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, and B2BWebinars.com.

USDA’s 9003 Biorefinery Assistance Program is open and offering loan guarantees for advanced biofuel and renewable chemical production facilities. Up to $1 billion in loan guarantee authority is anticipated over the next few years, including FY14 and FY15 Farm Bill funding. The USDA is offering this source of financing to projects, but demand is expected to be high. In the webinar, panelists will discuss the upcoming opportunity and how companies can submit successful projects.

The panel will address the following topics:

Past winners and lessons learned from past 9003 releases;
Assessment of the competitive landscape and projects that are a good fit for 9003;
How renewable chemicals projects fit in under 9003 program rules;
Application requirements, including a Feasibility Study, Environmental Report, Technical Report (including pilot data) and Business Plan;
How to prepare for outreach to lenders of record; and
Status of program interactions with Office of Management and Budge.

Click here to view the full agenda. Click here for registration information.

advanced biofuels, biochemicals, Biodiesel, Ethanol

DOE’s Moniz to Speak at WINDPOWER 2015

Joanna Schroeder May 8, 2015

For the first time, U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Secretary Ernest Moniz will speaking at WINDPOWER, the largest wind industry event in the U.S. The annual conference and expo is hosted by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) and will be held this year in Orlando, Florida May 18-21, 2015.

Secretary Moniz will speak during the Welcome & Opening General Session on Tuesday, May 19, starting at 8:30 am. He is expected to discuss Wind Vision, the DOE’s definitive new report that shows how wind energy can create ample economic, environmental and health benefits and continue to provide key contributions to the nation’s energy portfolio. He will also explore advancements in wind turbine technology that could open up economic wind opportunities in many parts of the country.

Doug Greenholz, President of IKEA Property Inc., also confirmed he will be speaking during the Welcome & Opening General Session. Greenholz manages IKEA’s 40 existing stores and support units in the U.S. He is expected to talk about IKEA’s investment in U.S. wind farms and wind energy across the globe. The company announced late last year the purchase of a 165-megawatt Texas wind farm, the single largest renewable energy investment made by the company ever. The company is one of many to recognize the benefits of stably-priced, affordable wind power in recent years.

Click here for more information and to register.

Clean Energy, conferences, Wind

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder May 8, 2015

Trina Solar Limited has announced that it has set up Trina Solar Science & Technology (Thailand) Ltd., a subsidiary company in Thailand to build a manufacturing facility with 500 MW of module and 700 MW of cell production capacity. Trina Solar will invest US $160 million in the facility, which is located in Rayong of Thailand. Production is projected to commence in late 2015 or early 2016.
Agility Fuel Systems, a designer and producer of natural gas fuel storage and delivery systems for heavy duty trucks and buses, announced today it will be opening a 204,000 square foot production facility in Salisbury, North Carolina. The new facility, expected to commence production later in 2015, is strategically located north of Charlotte, North Carolina, in order to be in close proximity to heavy duty truck and bus OEM assembly plants.
In a new report, “U.S. Distributed PV O&M and Asset Management: Services, Markets and Competitors,” GTM Research and SoliChamba Consulting identify a wide range of competitors entering the distributed PV operations and maintenance and asset management market, which the duo forecasts to reach $803 million by 2020. According to the report, asset management encompasses the ongoing financial, commercial and administrative tasks related to a PV installation. Operations and maintenance (O&M), also covered in the report, encompass the array of technical activities that enable PV systems to produce energy efficiently and within regulatory guidelines.
The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded Penske Truck Leasing a $400,000 grant for the company’s Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV) Demonstration and Enhanced Driver Experience Project, to be administered by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Penske will utilize the funds to further introduce alternative fuel vehicles to its customer base.

Bioenergy Bytes

MN Ethanol Industry Contributed $2.3B in 2014

Joanna Schroeder May 8, 2015

According to a new study, “Contribution of the Ethanol Industry to the Economy of Minnesota,” found that Minnesota’s ethanol industry accounted for $2.34 billion of the state’s gross domestic product (GDP) during 2014. The report was published by ABF Economics and found that the industry generated $7 billion in gross sales for state businesses and supported 18,630 full-time jobs. This in turn, cites the report, generated $1.74 billion in household income in Minnesota in 2014 as well as $132 million to state and local government tax rolls.

“This study by ABF Economics clearly shows how significant the ethanol industry is to Minnesota’s economy, especially in rural areas where it supports other industries,” said Tim Rudnicki, executive director of the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association who commissioned the study.

For the study, ABF Economics estimated the impact of the ethanol industry on Minnesota’s economy by applying expenditures by the relevant supplying industry to the final demand multipliers for value added output, earnings and employment.

“In this study, ABF used the IMPLAN (Impact Analysis for Planning) economic model to construct a model of the Minnesota economy including the sectors that support the ethanol industry, the links between them, and the level of economic activity,” noted John Urbanchuk, managing partner for ABF Economics, in the study.

The IMPLAN model evaluated the gross output, value added (GDP), household earnings and employment generated by the ethanol industry in 2014.

In 2014, the study notes, Minnesota’s ethanol industry spent $2.7 billion to produce 1.1 billion gallons of ethanol, 3.3 million tons of dried distiller’s grains (DDGs) and 184 million pounds of corn oil.The ethanol industry’s expenditure included corn, industrial chemicals, electricity, natural gas, water, labor and services such as maintenance, insurance and general overheads. Spending for these goods and services represented the purchase of output of other industries that operate in Minnesota, ABF Economics said.Read More

biofuels, Ethanol, Renewable Energy

Bipartisan Bill Expands RVP Ethanol Waiver for 10%+

John Davis May 8, 2015

A bipartisan bill that increases the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) wavier for ethanol blends above 10 percent has been introduced in the U.S. Senate. Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-IN) was joined by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Deb Fischer (R-NE). The legislation would allow for more retailers to sell E15 gasoline/ethanol blended fuel year-round.

Donnelly said, “Biofuels like ethanol are renewable domestic energy sources, create more economic opportunities, and give consumers more options at the gas pump. This legislation would expand the RVP waiver for ethanol blends, increasing the market for ethanol producers in Indiana and around the country and making more clean fuels available to consumers year-round. We should be pursuing an all-in approach toward American energy production that includes ethanol and other biofuels because it helps our economy and increases our national security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil. I am proud my colleagues Senator Grassley and Senator Fischer are joining me in this bipartisan effort to reduce the burden of regulations on ethanol producers and consumers.”

Grassley said, “Consumers appreciate having choices, whether it’s at the grocery store or the fuel pump. Those of us who live in biofuels-producing states understand the appeal of cleaner, domestic, renewable fuels. The EPA should be consistent in the way it treats different fuel blends as a matter of fairness and to give consumers more options for fueling their vehicles. The EPA has never acted on its authority to grant a Reid vapor pressure waiver for E15. This bill proposes a legislative fix to fill the void.”

Tom Buis, Growth Energy CEO, said, “We applaud this strong bipartisan effort to remove the largest regulatory hurdle standing between consumers and access to a cleaner, less expensive and higher performing fuel. Senators Donnelly, Grassley and Fischer recognize that higher ethanol blends such as E15 benefit our environment, our economy and our rural communities, and are working together to bring those benefits to every American and move our nation forward. We commend them for taking the lead on this important issue in Congress.”

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) also welcomed the news:

“We applaud Senators Donnelly, Grassley, and Fischer for their bipartisan efforts to increase the market for ethanol producers and give consumers more choices at the pump,” said NCGA President Chip Bowling. “June 1 is rapidly approaching, and we should ensure consumers will continue to have access to energy that is clean, renewable, and American-grown. We urge Congress to pass this legislation.”

Agribusiness, corn, E15, E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government, Growth Energy, Legislation, NCGA

Pacific Ethanol Produces Corn Oil at Madera Plant

John Davis May 8, 2015

A West Coast ethanol producer is cashing in on a co-product of the green fuel’s prodcution. Pacific Ethanol has begun commercial production of corn oil using Valicor’s proprietary VFRAC™ corn oil recovery system at its Madera, California plant.

Neil Koehler, the company’s president and CEO, stated: “We are pleased to be producing corn oil at our Madera plant, which further diversifies our plant revenue streams and significantly improves operating income. In addition, plans are underway for corn oil production to begin at our Boardman, Oregon plant in the second quarter, at which time all four of Pacific Ethanol’s ethanol production facilities will be producing and benefitting from this high-value co-product.”

corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News

New Ad from ACE Uses ‘Power by People’ for RFS

John Davis May 8, 2015

Looking to capitalize on President Obama’s visit to Watertown, South Dakota, the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) placed a full page advertisement in the May 8 Watertown Public Opinion. The ad uses the Power by People campaign which highlights the personal stories and persuasiveness of ACE’s grassroots members.

The ad features Marietta Lakness, a farmer, rancher, and investor in Glacial Lakes Energy, an ACE-member ethanol company that owns and operates facilities in Watertown and Mina, South Dakota. It focuses on how the RFS has supported Watertown’s economic growth and success. The text of the ad reads:

“Sometimes policy makers in DC get it right. Watertown, South Dakota is proof. So is Marietta Lakness. She raised a family in Hamlin County and has seen up close the challenges rural communities face. That’s why Marietta joined with her neighbors to build Glacial Lakes Energy, their very own home town biorefinery. Thanks to a policy called the Renewable Fuel Standard, today Watertown and places like it across the country produce clean renewable fuel for all Americans. The RFS also helped Marietta and 4,000 people like her who invested in Glacial Lakes Energy unleash a new chapter of hope and prosperity for the region. Today there’s a new market for her crops, new feed for her livestock, new fuel for her neighbors, and new dollars circulating throughout the region. It’s a jolt that’s plain to see all over town. Even though they live well outside the Beltway, the people of Watertown – folks like Marietta – are proof that good things come when Washington gets it right. And that’s worth keeping. Mr. President, help keep the RFS on track.”

You can read Marietta’s ethanol story here.

ACE, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government, RFS

Senators Show Support for Biodiesel Industry

Cindy Zimmerman May 7, 2015

Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) led a number of her Democratic colleagues in calling on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to stop the continued delays of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) rule and highlighted the impact that the uncertainty of the past two years has had on biodiesel industry.

“We stand together as Democratic Senators who care about this industry, care about energy independence, care about farm country, and care about the diversity of our energy sources to plead with the President of the United States to participate in this discussion,” said Sen. Heitkamp. “If you really are serious about a diverse energy mix, why do what we’re doing to the biodiesel industry?”

Joining Sen. Heitkamp were Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Al Franken (D-MN), as well as biodiesel producers, who also stressed how the uncertainty caused by EPA’s misguided 2013 rule and delays on farmers and biodiesel workers.

Kent Engelbrecht, the manager of the biodiesel division at ADM, which has a biodiesel plant in Velva, North Dakota and is headquartered in Illinois, as well as Todd Ellis, vice president at Imperium Renewables near Seattle, Washington, discussed how the delays have impacted their own operations and others.

“2014 was poised to be a breakout year for biodiesel, until the 2014 RVO proposal intervened,” said Engelbrecht. “With the subsequent expiration of the biodiesel tax credit, we were forced to cease or slow production at all of our facilities.”

Listen to or download audio here: Comments from Senators and Biodiesel Industry on RFS Delays

The senators’ press conference was held as word came out Thursday that EPA has sent its new RFS volume obligation proposal, which is due to be released on June 1, on to the Office of Management and Budget for review.

National Biodiesel Board Vice President of Federal Affairs Anne Steckel thanked the senators for their support and was optimistic about news that EPA may be getting the RFS back on track. “What’s most important, however, is that we see volume growth in this pending proposal,” said Steckel. “The Obama Administration says regularly that it supports renewable fuels and wants America to lead, particularly in the development of Advanced Biofuels like biodiesel. This proposal will show if that’s true. The proof will be in the numbers.”

Audio, Biodiesel, Government, NBB, RFS

NY-Sun MW Block Incentive Program Kicks Offs

Joanna Schroeder May 7, 2015

New York is set to launch its NY-Sun Commercial/Industrial MW Block Incentive Program that is designed to create new jobs and improve economic development throughout the state. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is calling the program a “key step” in expanding the use of solar.

“Once again, New York is showing how effective public policies can pay big dividends for the state’s economy and its environment,” said SEIA President and CEO Rhone Resch. “We applaud Gov. Cuomo, his administration, legislative leaders and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) for the successful launch of the MW Block Incentive Program and for their commitment to New York’s clean energy future. We also want to give a ‘shout-out’ to Con Edison, PSEG and the other utilities which are taking part in this exciting new program.”

Dykes Lumber Company solar power project with assistance from the NY-Sun program.

Dykes Lumber Company solar power project completed with assistance from the NY-Sun program.

NYSERDA says the $1 billion program is designed to expand solar deployment through public-private partnerships, as well as training programs for installers and public officials, standardized permitting, customer aggregation, consumer education and systems development.

Resch said the NY-Sun Initiative is clearly working. Growing by 105 percent, New York had the seventh most new solar capacity added last year in the nation, according to a recent report. The state also maintained its Top 10 ranking in total installed capacity, finishing the year behind only New Jersey and Massachusetts among Northeastern states. In 2014, New York added 147 megawatts (MW) of solar electric capacity, bringing its total to 397 MW.

“To put the state’s remarkable progress in some context, the 397 MW of solar installed today in New York is more than our entire country had installed by 2007. That’s an amazing achievement,” Resch added. “What’s more, we expect 2015 to be New York’s best year ever for new PV installations, with more than 250 MW on new capacity projected to come online.”

Clean Energy, Electricity, Solar

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder May 7, 2015

The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) has appointed Kristian Ruby as Chief Policy Officer. Ruby is a widely recognised expert in sustainability communication and political affairs. He joins EWEA from Danish consultancy Operate, where he was manager in the sustainability team, specialising in climate, environment and energy issues.
IKEA has announced it had officially plugged-in Kansas’ largest rooftop solar array, atop the recently opened IKEA Merriam. The 92,000-square-foot solar array consists of a 730.17-kW DC system, comprised of 2,394 panels, and will produce approximately 986,800 kWh of electricity annually for the store.
Germany will become the world’s leading market for annual offshore wind turbine installations in 2015, with the country set to add an impressive 2,071 Megawatts (MW) this year, an almost fourfold increase from the 529 MW added in 2014, according to research and consulting firm GlobalData. “Wind Regains Momentum in 2014 and Industry Outlook Improves,” finds that global annual offshore wind installations will more than double, from 1,681 MW in 2014 to 3,903 MW in 2015, with a dip to 3,255 MW forecast for 2016.
Weekend Business Report, hosted by Ileana Bravo, will air a Special Report featuring Ryder System, CNG 4 America, Consolidate Energy Solutions and more where they will look at many of today’s critical energy and environment issues. The report will take an in-depth Deep Dive look at natural gas and how clean burning fuels like Compressed Natural Gas [CNG] and Liquid Natural Gas [LNG] are not only having a positive environmental impact and helping to secure our energy future, but doing so using clean domestic natural gas while creating jobs and saving money for enterprises.

Bioenergy Bytes

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