Pattern Energy Group LP has announced the completion of C$393 million in financing of its 180 MW Meikle Wind power project located in British Columbia, approximately 33 km north of Tumbler Ridge. Meikle Wind, which is expected to commence commercial operation in late 2016, is the largest wind power project in British Columbia.- The Geothermal Energy Association is on the committee, speaker list and exhibition floor at the upcoming Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Expo, July 9, 2015 in Washington, DC. This event showcases renewables and energy efficient technologies in a unified event on Capitol Hill. This is an event of the Sustainable Energy Coalition, with the U.S. House Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Caucus and the U.S. Senate Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Caucus supporting as honorary hosts.
- Celtic Bank has announced that it has funded the first commercial project utilizing PACE in the state of Utah. Proceeds from the bond issuance will be used by Hunt Electric to construct a solar canopy utilizing smart grid technology at their offices in West Valley City, UT. Celtic Bank worked in conjunction with Hunt Electric, Utah Clean Energy, and the Governor’s Office of Energy Development to bring the PACE funding structure to Utah.
- Gardner Capital, Inc., an investment and solar project developer, and MC Power Companies, have announced the commercial operation of a solar farm in Macon, Missouri, as well as the groundbreaking and development plans for an additional solar utility-scale photovoltaic power generation system 80 miles away in Trenton, both totaling 6.5 MW.
Ethanol Report on RFS Hearing and Rally
Hundreds of ethanol supporters turned out for a rally and public hearing in Kansas City, Kansas last week on the EPA’s proposed volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). In this edition of the Ethanol Report, we hear from some of those who attended.
The report includes comments and testimony from Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon, Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) senior vice president Geoff Cooper, RFA chairman Randy Doyal of Al-Corn Clean Fuel in Minnesota, Jeff Oestmann of East Kansas Agri-Energy and Chris Grundler, Director of EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality.
Listen to or download the Ethanol Report here: Ethanol Report from EPA RFS Hearing and Rally
Pacific Ethanol, Aventine Finalize Merger
Pacific Ethanol and Aventine have completed their merger. This Pacific Ethanol news release says the merger will make a large impact for both companies and their customers.
Neil Koehler, the company’s president and CEO, stated: “We are pleased to complete this transformative acquisition, establishing Pacific Ethanol as the sixth largest producer of ethanol in the United States. In addition to more than doubling our ethanol production capacity, this synergistic transaction expands our geographic footprint, leverages our existing infrastructure to reach new markets and customers and enhances our overall scale and co-product diversification. We look forward to working with the Aventine employees to achieve a smooth integration and accelerate the growth of our combined company.”
Per the terms of the definitive merger agreement, Aventine stockholders received 1.25 shares of Pacific Ethanol common stock for each share of Aventine common stock owned at closing. As a result, Pacific Ethanol issued approximately 17.76 million shares in the merger, resulting in 42.5 million total shares outstanding as of July 1, 2015. Aventine had term debt of approximately $145 million as of July 1, 2015. Pacific Ethanol will provide information regarding capital plans and synergies when it releases its second quarter 2015 financial results anticipated in late July 2015.
Aventine brings a 100 million gallon per year wet mill and 60 million gallon per year ethanol dry mill located in Pekin, Illinois, and its 110 million gallon per year and 45 million gallon per year dry mills in Aurora, Nebraska, to the deal. Combined with Pacific Ethanol’s current ethanol production capacity of 200 million gallons per year, the combined company will have a total ethanol production capacity of 515 million gallons per year and, together with Pacific Ethanol’s marketing business, is expected to sell over 800 million gallons of ethanol annually.
Biodiesel to Power Swedish Train Line
A train line in Sweden has plans to convert its fleet to run on biodiesel. This article from Global Rail News says Inlandsbanan AB wants to make the conversion by the year by 2020.
Inlandsbanan AB has received funding from the EU to assess the feasibility of converting its diesel trains to RME, a biodiesel produced from rapeseed.
The initiative would allow Inlandsbanan AB to commit to cutting its greenhouse gas emissions without footing the substantial cost of electrifying the 1,300-kilometre railway between Kristinehamn and Gällivare.
Conversion to biodiesel would reduce the operator’s carbon emissions by 60 per cent, Inlandsbanan AB has said.
Testing will begin later this year.
Williamsburg Students Win BioenergizeME Challenge
BioenergizeME Infographic Challenge winning team from Williamsburg High School for Architecture and Design. From left to right: Nicholas Shannon, Najee Neil, Xavier Abreu Negron, Alfredo Sanchez III and Victor Perry. Photo credit: Joanna Schroeder
The future looks bright for the bioenergy industry as the next generation is already showing great enthusiasm and talent for sustainable fuels and products. This past spring, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) kicked off a pilot program for high school aged teams (grades 9-12) to use technology and their creative mojo to design bioenergy-based infographics. The BioenergizeME Infographic Challenge theme was “Exploring the Future of American Energy Landscape,” and the winner was announced during the BioEnergy 2015 Conference to great applause.
The w
inning team was a group of 14 year old freshman students from Williamsburg High School for Architecture and Design located Brooklyn, New York: Nicholas Shannon, Najee Neil, Xavier Abreu Negron, Alfredo Sanchez III and Victor Perry. There were 76 teams that submitted entries and 50 teams shared their infographics through social media channels including Facebook and Twitter garnering more than 12,000 page views. Infographics from all competitors can be viewed on the BioenergizeME Infographic Challenge Map.
Teams were given four topic areas to choose from: Bioenergy History, Workforce and Education, Science and Technology and Environmental Impacts. Once a team selected their topic area, they conducted research and then developed an infographic that visually explained a specific area within a topic such as cellulosic energy or how algae is used to produce biofuels. With the success of the program, the BioenergizeME Infographic Challenge will be rolled out nationwide next spring.
Golf Course Repurposed to Solar Farm
Abandoned golf course in Japan that will be repurposed into a 23 MW solar farm.
The joint venture between Kyocera TCL Solar and Century Tokyo Leasing Corporation has birthed a solar farm on an abandoned golf course in Koyto Prefecture, Japan. Once complete, the 23 MW solar power plant will generated an estimated 26,312 megawatt hours per year.
In addition to this project, Kyocera and Century Tokyo Leasing, along with two other companies, are developing a 92MW solar power plant at another abandoned golf course in the region. Not limited to Japan, several states in the U.S. including Florida, Utah and Kansas are also considering re-purposing abandoned golf courses for solar development among other uses.
Rendering of the Kanoya Osaki Solar Hills Solar Power Plant in Japan.
Solar, said Kyocera, can provide a particularly productive and environmentally friendly use for defunct golf courses, which are characterized by expansive land mass, high sun exposure, and a low concentration of shade trees.
When completed, the new plant will become the largest solar power installation in Japan’s Kyoto Prefecture. The site is located in Fushimi Ward, where Kyocera established its first major solar energy research center in the mid-1970s. This year marks the 40th anniversary of Kyocera’s entry into the solar energy business.
United Airlines Invests in Fulcrum BioEnergy
United Airlines has made a $30 million equity investment in U.S.-based waste-to-energy company Fulcrum BioEnergy, Inc., According to United Airlines, this is the single largest investment by a U.S. airline in alternative fuels and sets them apart in 
the aviation industry in the advancement of aviation biofuels and carbon emissions reductions. In addition to the equity investment, United and Fulcrum have entered into an agreement that will study the feasibility of developing up to five projects located near United’s hubs. If the projects come to fruition, the facilities would produce up to 180 million gallons of aviation biofuels per year.
“We know alternative fuels is an emerging industry that is vital to the future of aviation and this is just one of our initiatives to help make these fuels saleable and scalable,” said United’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel Brett Hart. “Investing in alternative fuels is not only good for the environment, it’s a smart move for our company as biofuels have the potential to hedge against future oil price volatility and carbon regulations.”
As part of the partnership, United has negotiated a long-term supply agreement with Fulcrum and, subject to availability, will have the opportunity to purchase at least 90 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel a year for a minimum of 10 years at a 
cost that is competitive with conventional jet fuel. Fulcrum anticipates its first alternative fuels plant will begin commercial operation in 2017.
According to Fulcrum, their technology converts household trash, or municipal solid waste (MSW), into renewable jet fuel. Fulcrum’s renewable jet fuel is expected to provide a greater than 80 percent reduction in lifecycle carbon emissions when compared to conventional jet fuel.
“United Airlines just demonstrated why they are one of the leaders in commercial aviation,” added E. James Macias, Fulcrum’s president and CEO. “United’s investment and participation in our projects is a tremendous boost to our program. Their support, commitment and backing accelerate our schedule to bring large volumes of competitively-priced, sustainable fuels to United and the rest of the aviation industry.”
BioEnergy Bytes
- Pacific Ethanol announced it completed its merger with Aventine Renewable Energy Holdings, Inc. Per the terms of the definitive merger agreement, Aventine stockholders
received 1.25 shares of Pacific Ethanol common stock for each share of Aventine common stock owned at closing. As a result, Pacific Ethanol issued approximately 17.76 million shares in the merger, resulting in 42.5 million total shares outstanding as of July 1, 2015. - Georgia Power has announced the launch of a new solar sales and installation service for customers beginning July 1. As an unregulated offering, the program will be administered by Georgia Power Energy Services, a business unit more than 20 years old focused on providing turnkey installation of energy efficiency products for customers.
- Alterra Power Corp. and Starwood Energy Group Global, LLC have announced the completion of a $287 million construction loan facility for the 204 MW Shannon wind project. The facility was supplied by affiliates of Citi, Santander Bank, N.A. and the Royal Bank of Canada, and consists of a $212 million loan plus $75 million in various letters of credit. The loan is supported by a $219 million tax equity investment commitment supplied by subsidiaries of Citi and Berkshire Hathaway Energy.
- While China’s installed wind capacity will treble from 115.6 GW in 2014 to an estimated 347.2 GW by 2025, global growth will begin to level off towards the end of the forecast period, with annual installations peaking at 56.8 GW in 2022, says research and consulting firm GlobalData. The company’s latest report states that China’s wind power landscape in 2025 will be dominated by onshore capacity, which will account for 334.7 GW, representing just over 96% of all installations, with offshore wind accounting for a mere 12.4 GW of installed capacity.
Despite Fewer Acres, Plenty of Corn for Ethanol
The number of acres corn planted is down this year. But the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) says there’s plenty of the crop for ethanol and all the other uses from the grain. Citing the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Acreage report, NCGA says total corn planting in the United States totals 88.9 million acres, the lowest planted acreage since 2010 but the sixth-largest U.S. corn acreage planted since 1944.
“Corn farmers produced an abundance in 2014 that resulted in a large carry over into this year,” National Corn Growers Association President Chip Bowling said. “While planted acreage has decreased as farmers in many parts of the country face unrelentingly wet conditions, U.S. farmers have steadily increased our ability to grow more corn on every acre. Americans can rest assured that we will be able to meet all needs, be they for food, fuel or fiber, for years to come.”
USDA projects 13.5 billion acres of corn to be harvested this fall.
Franklin Orr Shares Optimism for Bioenergy
Dr. Franklin Orr, Under Secretary for Science and Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, provided the keynote address at the recent BioEnergy 2015 Conference which took place in Washington, D.C. In his role, Dr. Orr is the principal advisor to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary on clean energy technologies and science and energy research initiatives.
“If there is any technology that we are working on that illustrates the facets of innovation that we are trying to foster, it’s bioenergy. It goes from the fundamental science side of the house, to development, to demonstration and deployment. And we have lots of activities going on in all these areas.”
Dr. Orr said he truly believes that biofuels are a very important part of America’s energy and economic future. He added that this is clear when you look at the global context of energy.
He mentioned a few examples which indicate broader global challenges that we are going to face. “Energy security is one of those, creating good paying jobs in the United States is very important for us and of course reducing the emissions that lead to climate change.” Dr. Orr admits these are all big challenges, but stresses that biofuels can help in each of these measures.
Listen to Dr. Franklin Orr’s complete remarks to learn more about the future role of biofuels when it comes to science and energy across the United States: Franklin Orr's Remarks