Desert Sunlight Solar Farm Commissioned

Joanna Schroeder February 10, 2015

The 550 MW Desert Sunlight Solar Farm, located in Desert Center, Riverside County, California has been commissioned. On hand for the “flipping of the switch” was U.S. Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell along with nearly 150 federal, state and local officials, and energy industry leaders. Project owners include NextEra Energy Resources, GE Energy Financial Services and Sumitomo Corporation of Americas.

“Solar projects like Desert Sunlight are helping create American jobs, develop domestic renewable energy and cut carbon pollution,” said Secretary Jewell. “I applaud the project proponents for their vision and entrepreneurial spirit to build this solar project, and commend Governor Brown for implementing policies that take action on climate change and help move our nation toward a renewable energy future.”

The Desert Sunlight Solar Farm is located on approximately 3,600 acres of land managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in Riverside County, and is capable of generating enough clean energy to power about 160,000 California homes. First Solar permitted, constructed and is now operating the plant, which uses over 8 million First Solar modules. The power generated is being provided to Pacific Gas & Electric Company and Southern California Edison both under long-term contracts.

“We wouldn’t be here today without the hard work and cooperation of all our partners,” added Armando Pimentel, president and chief executive officer of NextEra Energy Resources, the managing owner of the plant. “We are proud that Desert Sunlight will help California meet its renewable energy goals and has helped bring much needed jobs and economic benefits to families and businesses throughout Riverside County.”

Electricity, Renewable Energy, Solar

Global Wind Energy Installations Surpass Gas, Coal

Joanna Schroeder February 10, 2015

According to new research, the European (EU) wind energy industry installed more new capacity than gas and coal combined in 2014. Across the 28 Member States, the wind industry connected a total of 11,791 MW to the grid with coal and gas adding 3,305 MW and 2,338 MW respectively. In addition, the coal and gas industries in Europe both retired more capacity than they commissioned in 2014. In comparison, wind energy capacity in Europe increased 5.3 percent year on year from 2013, with cumulative installations now standing at 128.8 GW in the EU.

Thomas Becker, chief executive officer of the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), said, “Europe is at a turning point for investment in renewables and particularly wind. Ploughing financial capital into the industries of old in Europe is beginning to look unwise. By contrast, renewables are pushing ahead and investments in wind remain attractive.”

The report found renewable power plants accounted for 79.1 percent of new installations during 2014; 21.3GW of a total 26.9GW. Today, grid-connected wind power is enough to cover 10 percent of the EU’s electricity consumption, up from 8 percent the year before. On a country-by-country breakdown, Germany and the United Kingdom accounted for 59.5 percent of total EU wind energy installations in 2014, installing 5,279MW and 1,736MW respectively.

Becker continued, “These numbers very much show Europe’s continued commitment to renewable and wind energy. But this is no time for complacency. The uncertainty over the regulatory framework for the energy sector is a threat to the continued drive toward sustainable and homegrown energy that will guarantee Europe’s energy security and competitiveness for the long-term. It’s time for Europe’s political leaders to create a truly European Energy Union and send a clear signal of their support for the shift to a secure and sustainable energy system. Political will on their part is an essential piece of the puzzle.”

Ultimately the report finds a concentration of new wind energy installations in several countries while markets in eastern and southern Europe continue to struggle and expects this trend to continue throughout 2015.

Electricity, International, Renewable Energy, Wind

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder February 10, 2015

Duke Energy has announced the acquisition of a majority interest in REC Solar, a provider of comprehensive commercial solar and energy solutions nationwide. In addition, over several years, Duke Energy will invest up to $225 million in commercial solar projects developed by REC Solar and supported by long-term power purchase agreements. REC Solar will deliver a simple sales and financing process for commercial-scale customers, similar to that provided by residential solar companies. REC Solar serves key sectors including retail, manufacturing, agriculture, technology, government and nonprofits.
ICM, Inc. has announced that Kansas Ethanol LLC, of Lyons, Kansas, has signed an agreement for purchase, license to operate, and full-scale installation of ICM’s patent-pending Fiber Separation Technology. FST is a value-added platform technology that removes fiber from a standard ethanol process, allowing increased ethanol and oil recovery yields, unlocking throughput and efficiency for each gallon of ethanol produced, and creating options for diversified co-products with high-protein feeds and fiber.
Robert (Bob) Briscoe, chairman of Lallemand Inc., has announced the nominations of Antoine Chagnon as president and chief executive officer and of William (Bill) Nankervis as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Lallemand Inc. effective February 1st 2015. Antoine succeeds his father Jean Chagnon who has led the company as its CEO for the past 34 years. Jean will remain a board member and available to support the leadership team as one of its senior vice presidents and special advisors.
Blue Sphere Corporation, a clean energy company that develops, manages and owns waste-to-energy projects, has announced the closing of a joint venture to develop, construct and operate a 5.2 MW biogas generation facility in Charlotte, NC with affiliates of York Capital Management. Under the terms of the joint venture, Blue Sphere owns 25% of the Project and received an initial payment of $1,250,000 in cash at the Closing with a second payment of $1,175,000 to be paid in two equal installments of $587,500 later in 2015 upon the Project’s achievement of each of mechanical completion and commercial operation.

Bioenergy Bytes

American Coalition for Ethanol Elects New Officers

John Davis February 10, 2015

The American Coalition for Ethanol has elected its board officers for 2015:

* President – Ron Alverson, representing Dakota Ethanol, LLC
* Vice President – Duane Kristensen, representing Chief Ethanol Fuels Inc.
* Secretary – Dave Sovereign, representing Golden Grain Energy, LLC
* Treasurer – Owen Jones, representing Full Circle Ag Cooperative

Alverson is a corn and soybean farmer and was the founding chairman of Lake Area Corn Processors, LLC (Dakota Ethanol), a 60 mgy ethanol plant and South Dakota’s first farmer-owned ethanol facility. He served on the Board of the National Corn Growers Association and is an agronomic expert who recently authored a White Paper entitled “Re-thinking the Carbon Reduction Value of Corn Ethanol.”

Kristensen has nearly 30 years of experience in the ethanol industry and since 2004 has served as General Manager of Chief Ethanol Fuels Inc., a 62 mgy plant near Hastings, Nebraska, which is the state’s first dry-mill ethanol production facility. He also serves on the U.S. Grains Council Ethanol “A-team” which develops export demand for U.S. ethanol.

Sovereign farms and is the founding chairman of Golden Grain Energy, LLC, a 120 mgy ethanol plant in Mason City, Iowa. He also owns Cresco Fast Stop, a convenience store that offers E15, E30 and E85. Sovereign was instrumental in developing the Biofuels Mobile Education Center, a 45-foot traveling trailer designed to educate the public about biofuels. He also serves on the board of Absolute Energy, a 115 mgy ethanol plant in Lyle, Minnesota.

Jones is a farmer, rancher, and cooperative business leader who was the driving force behind the installation of the first blender pump in the nation in 2006 at Four Seasons Cooperative (later renamed Full Circle Ag) in Britton, South Dakota.

ACE also elected South Dakota farmer and rancher Lars Herseth and East River Electric Cooperative representative Scott Parsley as two additional representatives to serve the ACE Executive Committee.

ACE, Ag group, Agribusiness, Ethanol, Ethanol News

New President for POET-DSM Joint Venture

Cindy Zimmerman February 9, 2015

POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels has announced that Dan Cummings will serve as first president for the joint venture.

“Dan has more than 25 years of experience in the energy sector, and we’re excited to have him leveraging that knowledge to grow cellulosic ethanol production for the world,” said Jeff Lautt, Chairman of the POET-DSM Board. “We look forward to Dan taking the reins and leading this joint venture into 2015.”

Cummings, who previously served as President and Director of INEOS New Planet BioEnergy, will oversee day-to-day operations of POET-DSM, represent the joint venture publicly, and coordinate functions between the parent companies. He will also act as the central point of contact for external relations, which includes all technology licensing activities for POET-DSM worldwide.

“This joint venture has already proven it can change the world, and I look forward to working with the individuals who helped make that happen,” Cummings said. “After two decades in the energy and clean tech sectors, I’m excited to start this new journey with POET-DSM.”

POET-DSM announced the startup phase in September for its 20 million-gallon-per-year cellulosic ethanol plant, which will later ramp up to 25 million gallons per year. The Emmetsburg, Iowa plant, dubbed “Project LIBERTY,” uses corn cobs, leaves, husk and some stalk to make renewable fuel. The joint venture is now marketing its LIBERTYTM Technology package to third parties for continued energy development.

biofuels, Cellulosic, Ethanol, Ethanol News, POET

Senators Urge EPA to Approve Biodiesel Volumes

Cindy Zimmerman February 9, 2015

A bipartisan group of senators is urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to quickly approve strong biodiesel volumes under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for 2014, 2015 and 2016.

The group of 32 senators, led by Sens. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) sent a letter Monday to EPA administrator Gina McCarthy noting that the agency’s delay in issuing Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOSs) for 2014 and now 2015 have created “tremendous uncertainty and hardship for the U.S. biodiesel industry and its thousands of employees.”

“Plants have reduced production and some have been forced to shut down, resulting in layoffs and lost economic productivity,” the senators wrote. “We urge you to get biodiesel back on schedule under the statutorily prescribed Renewable Volume Obligations (RVO) process and quickly issue volumes for 2014 at the actual 2014 production numbers. We also hope you move forward on the 2015 and 2016 biodiesel volumes in a timely manner.”

The senators’ letter also said EPA should take into account the anticipated increase in Argentinian imports in setting biodiesel volumes to prevent the displacement of domestic production. “Two weeks ago I called on the agency to stop prioritizing the imports of foreign competitors over our workers here at home, and to recommit itself fully to supporting American energy by providing certainty to the American workers who contribute to our national goal of energy independence,” said Sen. Heitkamp in a news release.

Anne Steckel, vice president of federal affairs at the National Biodiesel Board, praised the senators’ action and hopes EPA’s McCarthy will respond quickly. “There is absolutely no reason for continued delays in the biodiesel volumes in the RFS,” said Steckel. “This could be done tomorrow.”

Biodiesel, Government, NBB, RFS

Solar Farm Commissioned In East Malaysia

Joanna Schroeder February 9, 2015

One of East Malaysia’s first solar power plants has been commissioned. The 1 MW solar farm in located in the state of Sabah on the island of Borneo. The project was developed by Cahaya Metro Sdn. Bhd. (Cahaya Metro), a solar energy company in East Malaysia.

“We are pleased to have selected Yingli as our panel supplier for Sabah’s first solar power plant with interconnection facilities and license to export power and we believe that Yingli is undoubtedly our best solar panel provider,” Sean Tay, project director of Cahaya Metro. “We selected Yingli because their track record for product quality is validated by independent testing and assessments – and that gave us the strong assurance in Yingli Solar panels’ long-term reliability.”

The solar farm spans an area of approximately four acres in in Kg. Nyaris Nyaris, Bongawan, Sabah, Malaysia. It utilizes nearly 4,000 multicrystalline YGE 60 Cell Series panels that are estimated to generate approximately 1.5 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean electricity per year. The opening ceremony of the project was officiated by Y.B Datuk Seri Panglima Dr. Maximus Johnity Ongkili of the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water of Malaysia.

Angie Koh, managing director of Yingli Singapore, added, “We are witnessing sustainable growth on the island of Borneo, particularly in Sabah where there are plans to make PV a pillar of the state’s energy mix. We anticipate continued solar power plant development across the region.”

Electricity, International, Renewable Energy, Solar

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder February 9, 2015

VIASPACE Inc. has announced that the comprehensive, independent feasibility study conducted by Pelican SA of the 12 MW biomass power plant and co-located 834 hectare (2,060 acre) Giant King Grass plantation project in Nicaragua has been completed. The feasibility study addresses the technical and economic issues of both the plantation and power plant, including connection to the Nicaraguan power grid. The feasibility study is now being provided on a confidential basis to bankers and potential investors in the project. Energia Reino Verde (Green Kingdom Energy in English) is the special-purpose company formed to own and operate the Nicaragua power plant and plantation.
ET Solar Energy Corp. has announced that it has partnered with TechAccess to co-invest and construct 2 solar power plants totaling 21.5MW in Pind Dadan Khan, Punjab, Pakistan. Acting as the EPC/O&M provider and a minority investor, ET Solar will be offering turnkey solutions including engineering and design, off-shore equipment supply, on-shore civil and electrical construction, project operations and maintenance. The ground-mounted projects, one in 11.5 MW and the other 10 MW, will be built on saline-alkali lands with the grid connection to be completed in the first half of 2016. These projects are within the first 50 MW quota approved in January 2014 by Alternative Energy Development Board, Pakistan, under the country’s Solar PV Tariff Determination. Furthermore, they are also within the first batch of solar projects approved under the upfront tariff regime by National Electric Power Regulatory Authority of Pakistan.
Pattern Energy Group Inc. has announced that it has closed the previously announced underwritten public offering of its Class A common stock. In total, 12,000,000 shares of its Class A common stock were sold at a price of US $29.25 per share, for total gross proceeds of US $351.00 million. The Company will use the net proceeds from its portion of the offering for working capital and general corporate purposes, which may include one or more acquisition opportunities which the Company is considering and the potential repayment of outstanding indebtedness.
NEXTracker, Inc., designer and manufacturer of single axis PV trackers, has announced the completion of $25 million in equity and growth capital financing. The funding round, which closed in December, includes investments from SJF Ventures, Tennenbaum Capital Partners and earlier investors Sigma Partners and DBL Investors. NEXTracker provides state-of-the-art solar trackers that maximize system energy output while reducing installation and operating costs, resulting in substantially increased solar project profits.

Bioenergy Bytes

Atlantic Biodiesel to Re-Open Ontario Plant

John Davis February 9, 2015

A Canadian biodiesel plant has officially been taken over by a New Hampshire maker of the green fuel. This story from the Pelham News says Atlantic Biodiesel, a new subsidiary of Luxembourg-based Heridge SARL, which won Great Lakes Biodesel’s assets in a recent bankruptcy auction, has begun managerial operations of the $50-million facility.

Michael Paszti has assumed the role of chief operating officer of the subsidiary struck to operate the Welland plant.

“We are strongly committed to the facility’s success and Michael will be an integral, on-the-ground team member whose priority will be to quickly get operations up and running to full capacity,” the company said in a news release issued Wednesday.

“Welland is our home, and Atlantic Biodiesel is focused on continued engagement with local elected and community officials as we work to renew discussions with the federal government. With the support of the community and various levels of government, Atlantic Biodiesel will fulfil its goal of becoming a world-class producer of biodiesel fuel targeting the unique needs of the Canadian fuels complex, and play a critical part in provincial and federal greenhouse gas reduction efforts.”

The plant is capable of producing about 40 million gallons of biodiesel per year. Local officials plan to pressure the federal Canadian government to reinstate some funding that helps keep the refinery afloat.

Biodiesel, International

DOE Announces $59M for Solar Support

Joanna Schroeder February 6, 2015

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced more than $59 million in funding to support solar energy acceleration. DOE is allocating $45 million in funding to quickly move innovative solar manufacturing technologies to market, and is also awarding more than $14 million for 15 new projects to help communities develop multi-year solar deployment plans to install solar electricity in homes, businesses, and communities.

“As President Obama noted in his State of the Union address, the U.S. brings as much solar power online every three weeks as we did in all of 2008,” said Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. “As the price of solar continues to drop, the Energy Department is committed to supporting a robust domestic solar manufacturing sector that will help American business meet growing demand and help American families and businesses save money by making solar a cheaper and more accessible source of clean electricity.”

The $45 million Technology to Market funding opportunity is part of the DOE’s Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative, aimed at boosting American competitiveness and supporting a strong domestic, clean energy manufacturing sector. This funding opportunity combines three historically separate SunShot Initiative funding programs—Incubator, Solar Manufacturing Technology, and Scaling Up Nascent PV at Home— into one that will support projects with the potential to significantly reduce the costs for solar energy systems across a variety of technology areas.

The 15 Solar Market Pathways projects pursue various approaches to developing actionable solar deployment plans and strategies to promote deployment at residential, community, and commercial scales—from expanding shared or community solar programs and local financing mechanisms to integrating solar energy generation into communities’ emergency response plans. The awardees include not-for-profits, utilities, industry associations, universities, and state and local jurisdictions in California, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.

“We applaud President Obama and Secretary Moniz for their continued commitment to increasing the use of clean, reliable solar energy. Investing in new ways to quickly move innovative solar manufacturing technologies to market will only help build on the nearly 175,000 American jobs in solar today, and investing in cutting ‘soft costs,’ such as permitting and financing, will also help make the solar industry – coming off yet another record year – even stronger,” said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).

Resch notes that today the U.S. has an estimated 20 GW of installed solar capacity with another 20 GW in the pipeline for 2015 and 2016. “This tremendous growth is due, in large part, to smart, effective public policies, such as the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), Net Energy Metering (NEM) and Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS). By any measurement, these policies are paying huge dividends for both the economy and environment,” Resch concluded.

Electricity, Renewable Energy, Solar

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