EIA: Ethanol, Biodiesel, Renewables to Grow in 2015

John Davis February 12, 2015

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.

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 February 12, 2015

Some 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 February 11, 2015

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 provide 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 February 11, 2015

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 operation 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 February 11, 2015

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.

Hon. 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

Alstom to Build a Geothermal Plant in Indonesia

Joanna Schroeder February 11, 2015

PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy has awarded Alstom a €61 million contract to supply and install a 30 MW geothermal plant for the Karaha Power Plant in West Java, Indonesia. Alstom will design, supply, install and commission the entire power plant expected to be complete by the end of 2016.

According to Alstom, Indonesia houses the world’s largest potential geothermal source which is estimated to be nearly 30,000 MW. However, recent figures indicated that Indonesia is not harnessing the potential of geothermal energy, with the source contributing only 5 percent of its estimated capacity into the power mix. The Indonesian Authority has been taking advantage of its natural assets and has committed to building several geothermal-related contracts in the past few years.

“We are delighted to play a key role in helping Indonesia achieve its energy goals,” said Steven Moss, Vice President in charge of Renewable Steam Plants at Alstom. “This installation reinforces Alstom’s continued commitment to the geothermal markets and the importance of this renewable fuel source.”

Rony Gunawan, CEO of PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy added, “The competitiveness of Alstom’s offer including quality, environment, health and safety, was key in the awarding of the contract. We are looking forward Alstom improving capability and effectiveness to manage the project.”

Electricity, Geothermal, International, Renewable Energy

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder February 11, 2015

UBM India, host of the annual Renewable Energy India (REI) exposition, announced its maiden Solar Energy Investment and Technology Forum, to showcase the potential and provide opportunities of solar energy business in the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The one-day event will take place on March 4, 2015 at The Taj Banjara Hotel.
National Algae Association’s (NAA) Algae Production next Networking Workshop will focus on Nutraceutical – Omega 3 EPA / DHA, the highest value product made from algae. NAA will highlight best practices in inoculation, commercial cultivation, harvesting and extraction methods in an attempt to create standards for commercially grown Haematococcus pluvialis for astaxanthin. NAA is calling for papers for the Workshop taking place in Richmond, California April 23-24, 2015 Click here for more information.
In a new report, the Department of Energy (DOE) has highlighted the success of the Loan Programs Office’s solar projects, saying that since it financed its first five utility-scale projects in 2011, 17 additional projects have come on line without the use of loan guarantees. The report coincides with the dedication ceremony of Desert Sunlight, a 550-megawatt (MW) solar project in Riverside County, California.
The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) has announced the election of Maria Richards as President-Elect. She will become the 26th President of the global geothermal energy organization in January 2017 after the term of current President Paul Brophy ends.

Bioenergy Bytes

Anchors Aweigh with Biodiesel

John Davis February 11, 2015

Biodiesel is making more inroads in the marine industry. This article from the nautical magazine, The Triton, says that while it’s still not that common to see biodiesel fueling a boat motor, it is gaining popularity.

Cummins, which manufactures marine engines up to about 700 hp, approves the use of B20 biodiesel on many of its high horsepower products that are fitted with common rail fuel injection systems. For larger engines with the horsepower needed for superyachts, manufacturers such as MTU allow their engines to be run on a maximum of B07 (7 percent biodiesel). MTU’s intention is to have its newer engine designs run on B100.

Caterpillar engines, on the other hand, can now operate with B20 on its complete line of marine engines. In Europe, MAN common rail engines are certified to run on B05. However, in the United States MAN will not approve the use of biodiesel blends on its common rail engines. Stateside, its engineers will only allow the use of these blends in older, non-common rail engines. The reason? MAN believes the quality of biodiesel manufactured in Europe is more consistent than in the U.S., but they do believe that will change.

Biodiesel blends, which are approved for use in marine engines, have at least one advantage over petrodiesel. Biodiesel has a higher lubricity, which results in less wear to parts such as fuel injectors. Traditional diesel fuel uses sulfur for lubrication, and much of that component has been removed from the refined fuel to reduce emissions and the resulting air pollution.

The author does caution about a couple of possible pitfalls with biodiesel. First, it will degrade three times faster than petroleum-based diesel, so proper fuel handling and storage techniques must be followed. Second, since it is since a clean-running fuel, it will dissolve and loosen many of the gum and tar deposits in the fuel system, leading to potential fuel filter clogging. Boat owners converting from pertoleum-based diesel to biodiesel are just encouraged to change fuel filters a bit more frequently.

Biodiesel

Biomass Could Make Western US Carbon Neutral

John Davis February 11, 2015

A new study says that using biomass to make electricity could make the Western United States carbon-neutral. This article from the University of California-Berkley says researchers there have shown that if biomass electricity production is combined with carbon capture and sequestration, power generators could actually store more carbon than they emit.

By capturing carbon from burning biomass – termed bioenergy with carbon capture and sequestration (BECCS) – power generators could become carbon-negative even while retaining gas- or coal-burning plants with carbon capture technology. The carbon reduction might even offset the emissions from fossil fuel used in transportation, said study leader Daniel Sanchez, a graduate student in UC Berkeley’s Energy and Resources Group.

“There are a lot of commercial uncertainties about carbon capture and sequestration technologies,” Sanchez admitted. “Nevertheless, we’re taking this technology and showing that in the Western United States 35 years from now, BECCS doesn’t merely let you reduce emissions by 80 percent – the current 2050 goal in California – but gets the power system to negative carbon emissions: you store more carbon than you create.”

BECCS may be one of the few cost-effective carbon-negative opportunities available to mitigate the worst effects of anthropogenic climate change, said energy expert Daniel Kammen, who directed the research. This strategy will be particularly important should climate change be worse than anticipated, or emissions reductions in other portions of the economy prove particularly difficult to achieve.

“Biomass, if managed sustainably can provide the ‘sink’ for carbon that, if utilized in concert with low-carbon generation technologies, can enable us to reduce carbon in the atmosphere,” said Kammen, a Professor of Energy in UC Berkeley’s Energy and Resources Group and director of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory (RAEL) in which the work was conducted.

The findings are published in the online journal Nature Climate Change.

biomass, Research

USDA Announces REAP Funding

Joanna Schroeder February 10, 2015

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced new funding under the Rural Energy for America (REAP) program under the 2014 Farm Bill. The more than $280 million in funds are open to rural agricultural producers and small business owners to install renewable energy systems or make energy efficiency improvements.

“Developing renewable energy presents an enormous economic opportunity for rural America,” Vilsack said during a press call this morning. “The funding we are making available will help farmers, ranchers, business owners, tribal organizations and other entities incorporate renewable energy and energy efficiency technology into their operations. Doing so can help a business reduce energy use and costs while improving its bottom line. While saving producers money and creating jobs, these investments reduce dependence on foreign oil and cut carbon pollution as well.”

USDA is offering grants for up to 25 percent of total project costs and loan guarantees for up to 75 percent of total project costs for renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements. USDA will now accept and review loan and grant applications year-round through an REAP application expansion.

Eligible renewable energy projects must incorporate commercially available technology. This includes renewable energy from wind, solar, ocean, small hydropower, hydrogen, geothermal and renewable biomass (including anaerobic digesters). The maximum grant amount is $500,000, and the maximum loan amount is $25 million per applicant. Energy efficiency improvement projects eligible for REAP funding include lighting, heating, cooling, ventilation, fans, automated controls and insulation upgrades that reduce energy consumption. The maximum grant amount is $250,000, and the maximum loan amount is $25 million per applicant.

USDA is offering a second type of grant to aid organizations that help farmers, ranchers and small businesses conduct energy audits and operate renewable energy projects. Eligible applicants include: units of state, tribal or local governments; colleges, universities and other institutions of higher learning; rural electric cooperatives and public power entities, and conservation and development districts. The maximum grant is $100,000.

Application deadlines vary by project type and the type of assistance requested. Details on how to apply are on page 78029 of the December 29, 2014 Federal Register or are available by contacting state Rural Development offices.

Listen to the press conference that includes Secretary Vilsack’s remarks as well as comments from Jennifer Womble, owner of James’ Supersave Foods and Jeffrey Marstaller, owner of Cozy Acres Greenhouse, here: USDA Announces REAP Funding

Audio, Electricity, Energy, energy efficiency, Renewable Energy

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