Murphy USA Expands Sale of E15

Joanna Schroeder

Murphy USA has expanded its support of E15 with stations opening in the suburbs of Chicago and Houston in 2015. E15 is a blend of gasoline and 15 percent ethanol and is approved by the EPA for use in 2001 and newer passenger vehicles and all flexible fuel vehicles. Nearly 80 percent of vehicles on U.S. roads are approved to use E15.

“We are excited to offer E15 in addition to our existing product offerings. Murphy USA will continue to pursue opportunities to offer the fuel our customers desire,” said a spokesperson for Murphy USA. E15, a blend of logo-murphy-usagasoline and 15 percent ethanol, is EPA-approved to be used by 2001 and newer passenger vehicles and all flexible fuel vehicles. Those vehicles account for 85 percent of fuel use in the United States.

Growth Energy welcomed the announcement. “Growth Energy applauds Murphy USA’s ongoing commitment to bring higher blends of homegrown renewable fuels to the American motorist,” said Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy. “Their dedication to providing the consumer with the best, most cost-effective product is commendable. Furthermore, we are thrilled to see Murphy USA’s success and decision to expand into new markets. Higher blends such as E15 are helping reduce our dependence on foreign oil, improve our environment through reduced emissions and support our domestic economy by creating jobs that cannot be outsourced.”

Buis said that retailers who offer E15 and other mid-level and higher blends of ethanol at competitive prices see increased sales and noted that consumers who use the fuel see better performance.

E15, Ethanol, Growth Energy, Renewable Energy

Clean Power Plan Won’t Affect Grid Reliability

Joanna Schroeder

Following the launch of the Clean Power Plan, concerns were raised about how adding renewable energy to the grid would affect reliability. According to a new report conducted by The Brattle Group, compliance is unlikely to materially affect reliability.  The report finds, “The combination of the ongoing transformation of the power sector, the steps already taken by system operators, the large and expanding set of technological and operational tools available and the flexibility under the CPP are likely sufficient to ensure that compliance will not come at the cost of reliability.

Battle Report - EPA Clean Power Plan Grid ReliabilityReport lead author Jurgen Weiss PhD, senior researcher and lead author said that while the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) focused on concerns about the feasibility of achieving emissions standards with the technologies used to set the standards, they did not address several mitigating factors. These include:

  • The impact of retiring older, inefficient coal plants, due to current environmental regulations and market trends, on emissions rates of the remaining fleet;
  • Various ways to address natural gas pipeline constraints; and
  • Evidence that that higher levels of variable renewable energy sources can be effectively managed.

“With the tools currently available for managing an electric power system that is already in flux, we think it unlikely that compliance with EPA carbon rules will have a significant impact on reliability,” reported Weiss.

In November 2014, NERC issued an Initial Reliability Review in which it identified elements of the Clean Power Plan that could lead to reliability concerns. Echoed by some grid operators and cited in comments to EPA submitted by states, utilities, and industry groups, the NERC study has made reliability a critical issue in finalizing, and then implementing, the Clean Power Plan. These concerns compelled AEE to respond to the concerns by commissioning the Brattle study.

“We see EPA’s Clean Power Plan as an historic opportunity to modernize the U.S. electric power system,” said Malcolm Woolf, Senior Vice President for Policy and Government Affairs for Advanced Energy Economy, a business association. “We believe that advanced energy technologies, put to work by policies and market rules that we see in action today, will increase the reliability and resiliency of the electric power system, not reduce it. This report from The Brattle Group confirms that the Clean Power Plan can be implemented without reliability concerns.”

Clean Energy, Clean Power Plan, Electricity, energy efficiency

Midwest Governors Pen NY Times Op-Ed

Cindy Zimmerman

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon and Iowa Governor Terry Branstad have an op-ed piece in the New York Times today rebutting a recent controversial, oil industry-funded report from the World Resources Institute about renewable fuels and the Renewable Fuel Standard.

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad

“The World Resources Institute’s report suggests that the world’s agricultural system can’t possibly meet future demands for food and bioenergy in a sustainable way,” the governors write. “We disagree, based on data and recent real-world experience. As governors of two states at the forefront of the nation’s bioeconomy, we have witnessed firsthand the sustainable development of robust and dynamic bioenergy industries.”

We recognize the need for future technological advancements and are optimistic that recent high-tech innovations in precision agriculture will continue to meet the future food and energy demands of a growing world population. Our agricultural system can — and will — continue to meet those demands in a way that is environmentally sustainable, socially responsible and economically efficient.

Read the whole op-ed here.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • http://energy.agwired.com/category/bioenergy-bytes/Commissioned by the EU, Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research is performing pre-normative research into standards for biobased products. Using laboratory research and its knowledge and experience with biobased products, Food & Biobased Research and project coordinator NEN are looking into the demand for specific labelling for and consumer information on biobased products. The project includes a total of 14 European research institutes and companies. Food & Biobased Research is performing specific research into quality requirements for biobased products based on laboratory tests into specific functional characteristics such as strength, flexibility, permeability, recyclability and organic degradability.
  • Scatec Solar ASA has entered into financing agreements totaling $157 million for construction of a 104 MW(dc) Red Hills solar power plant in Utah. When complete, the Red Hills solar project will be Scatec Solar’s largest developed and constructed project in North America. Total investment for the plant is estimated at $188 million with Google providing tax equity, Prudential Capital Group providing debt financing, and Scatec Solar providing sponsor equity. The power plant will be wholly-owned by a partnership jointly owned by Google and Scatec Solar.
  • TXU Energy is helping more of its customers go 100 percent green for their home electricity service. The company’s new TXU Energy GreenUpS option allows existing residential customers to maintain their current TXU Energy plans and benefits while adding renewable energy offsets for 100 percent of the electricity delivered to their homes. That means that for every kilowatt delivered to their homes, an equal number of kilowatts generated by Texas wind will be put onto the Texas electricity grid.
  • Duke Energy has signed 20-year agreements with three solar developers to purchase up to 20 megawatts of solar power for its Indiana customers. The company has filed a request with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to approve the agreements. Pending regulatory approval, the developers will build and operate four solar panel projects, each producing up to 5 megawatts of electric power. The projects include: Pastime Farm LLC in Clay County and McDonald Solar LLC in Vigo County, developed by Solexus Development and Strata Solar; Geres Energy LLC in Howard County, developed by Inovateus Solar; and Sullivan Solar LLC in Sullivan County, developed by juwi solar.
Bioenergy Bytes

Top 10 Tractors of All Time

Jamie Johansen

New Holland ZimmPollOur latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Farm & Ranch Magazine compiled a list of the Top 10 Tractors of All Time. Which is your favorite?”

Farm & Ranch Magazine gave us a long list of classic tractors to select from and it is clear we all have our favorites. However, the rising star in our poll was the John Deere Model 4020.

Here are the poll results:

  • FARMALL Model H – 4%
  • FORD Model 8N – 11%
  • FARMALL Model M – 10%
  • John Deere Model B – 11%
  • John Deere Model 4020 – 33%
  • John Deere A – 10%
  • FARMALL A – 0%
  • FORD NAA Golden Jubilee – 3%
  • Allis Chalmers WD-45 – 4%
  • Allis Chalmers WC – 3%
  • Other – 10%

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, Which crop insurance option will you be choosing?

The new farm bill has been in place a year now and one of the most talked about issues it addresses is crop insurance. As the bill brought about a few changes, many farmers are still in a quandary as to which crop insurance policy will be best for their operation. Have you decided if you will be selecting price loss coverage (PLC) or agriculture risk coverage (ARC)?

ZimmPoll

EIA: Ethanol, Biodiesel, Renewables to Grow in 2015

John Davis

The latest government numbers show the amount of ethanol and biodiesel, as well as energy produced from wind and solar will increase in 2015. The latest Short-Term Energy Outlook from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows growth for the biofuels, while total renewables used for electricity and heat generation will grow by 3.8 percent this year.
EIA11feb2015
Ethanol production averaged 933,000 bbl/d in 2014, and EIA expects it to average 938,000 bbl/d in 2015 and 936,000 bbl/d in 2016. Biodiesel production averaged an estimated 80,000 bbl/d in 2014 and is forecast to average 84,000 bbl/d in both 2015 and 2016.

In 2013, the electricity generation shares were 6.6% and 6.2% from hydropower and nonhydropower renewables, respectively. Wind is the largest source of nonhydropower renewable generation, and it is projected to contribute 5.2% of total electricity generation in 2016. Wind capacity, which grew by 7.7% in 2014, is forecast to increase by 16.1% in 2015 and by another 6.5% in 2016. Because wind is starting from a much larger base than solar, even though the growth rate is lower, the absolute amount of the increase in capacity is more than twice that of solar: 15 GW of wind versus 6 GW of utility-scale solar between 2014 and 2016.

EIA expects continued growth in utility-scale solar power generation, which is projected to average almost 80 gigawatthours (GWh) per day in 2016. Despite this growth, solar power averages only 0.7% of total U.S. electricity generation in 2016.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government, Solar, Wind

Bill Proposes to Up NYC’s Biodiesel Use for Heat

John Davis

BioHeatSome New York City residents could be using more biodiesel for heating their workplaces. This article from the New York Daily News says a bill just introduced before the city council would up the biodiesel percentage in heating oil for city buildings to 5 percent next year and up to 20 percent by 2030.

“It’s the equivalent of taking 45,000 cars off the road,” [bill sponsor Councilman Costa Constantinides (D-Queens)] said. “Buildings are a huge source of emissions, and we have to find a way of dealing with buildings.”

Current city law requires 2% of heating oil to come from biofuel.

The average household burns 600 gallons of heating oil a year.

The proposal would graduate in the increase – 10 percent blends in 2020, 15 percent by 2025 and 20 percent by 2030.

Biodiesel, Legislation

DOE Commits $13M in Community Solar Funds

Joanna Schroeder

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has allocated $13 million in funding as part of the Solar Powering America by Recognizing Communities (SPARC) program. The funds are designed to aid communities in reducing market and policy barriers to solar deployment and also recognize communities for taking solar initiatives. The DOE believes the program will make it faster, cheaper and easier for Americans to install affordable solar energy systems and spur solar development.

SPARC funding will establish a national recognition and technical assistance program for local governments to help them more effectively and efficiently deploy solar energy. Funding recipients will establish and administer a national recognition program and also SPARC iconprovide technical assistance and share best practices with communities seeking national recognition for cutting red tape and improving local solar market conditions.

Once the program is established, says DOE, communities that participate in SPARC will gain access to a network of nationally recognized leaders and receive expert assistance and national distinction while supporting local efforts to spur solar market growth and deploy solar energy faster and cheaper. Find more information about this funding opportunity, including application requirements.

This funding opportunity builds on the work of the Energy Department’s SunShot Initiative to support innovative, locally-driven solutions for cutting the “soft costs” of solar energy—often caused by delays in permitting, inspection, and interconnection—to build markets that support solar businesses, lower costs for consumers, and increase solar deployment. This announcement comes on the heels of DOE’s $59 million funding announcement to support solar energy acceleration and $14 million commitment to help communities develop multi-year solar deployment plans to install solar electricity in homes, businesses, and communities.

Electricity, Renewable Energy, Solar

Amazon Web Services Using Wind in Indiana

Joanna Schroeder

Amazon Web Services has announced it will power its Benton County, Indiana facility with 150 MW wind farm coined the Amazon Web Services Wind Farm (Fowler Ridge). Pattern Energy has been selected to support the construction and Screen Shot 2015-02-11 at 12.11.11 PMoperation of the wind farm that is expected to be in operation as early as January of 2016. The wind farm will generate nearly 500,000 megawatt hours per year and will be used to power both current and future AWS Cloud datacenters.

“Amazon Web Services Wind Farm (Fowler Ridge) will bring a new source of clean energy to the electric grid where we currently operate a large number of datacenters and have ongoing expansion plans to support our growing customer base,” said Jerry Hunter, vice president of infrastructure at Amazon Web Services. “This PPA helps to increase the renewable energy used to power our infrastructure in the US and is one of many sustainability activities and renewable energy projects for powering our datacenters that we currently have in the works.”

Pattern Development’s CEO, Mike Garland added, “We are excited to be working with Amazon Web Services and we commend the Company for its commitment to sustainability and its continued pioneering and leadership in cloud computing. We look forward to working with AWS as it progresses towards its goal of using 100 percent renewable energy.”

Electricity, Renewable Energy, Wind

Tanzania Action Roadmap for Energy Access

Joanna Schroeder

A recent two-day workshop held in Tanzania and hosted by the United Nations Foundation’s Energy Access Practitioner Network and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) gathered support of the UN’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative’s (SE4ALL) 2030 objectives delivering access to modern energy services for all. If the goal is met, it will double the rate of energy efficiency and also double the share of renewables in the global energy mix.

Screen Shot 2015-02-11 at 10.46.15 AMHon. George Simbachawene, Minister for Energy and Minerals, urged participants to discuss best practices and ways to meaningfully engage all stakeholders to achieve sustainable energy for all in Tanzania. “SE4ALL initiatives provide a working partnership with governments, parliamentarians, private sector companies, industries, and civil society towards a sustainable future free of poverty,” he urged.

Tanzania, one of SE4ALL’s 14 African current priority countries, is working to overcome challenges in providing access to energy for its entire population. According to the International Energy Agency’s World Energy Outlook 2014, 36 million people, some 76 percent of Tanzania’s population, do not have the benefits of electricity to power their homes, support education, deliver health care services, or drive economic development across commercial, agricultural and industrial sectors.

“The UN Sustainable Energy For All consultation provides a valuable opportunity to bring energy innovators and government to focus jointly on policy and implementation solutions to bring affordable and reliable energy services to Tanzania,” explained Richenda Van Leeuwen, executive director, Energy Access, UN Foundation. “It showcases how decentralized renewable energy solutions such as solar home systems and community micro-grids complement efforts underway on conventional grid extension.”

WWF Conservation Manager Amani Ngusaru notes that Tanzania will not achieve it vision of securing a middle income country status by 2025 and other goals unless the energy equation is solved. “Access to clean, safe and affordable sources of modern energy is critical for improving people’s livelihoods, and the Government is keen to adopt a mix of solutions to achieve Universal Access.”

Electricity, Energy, energy efficiency, International, Renewable Energy