Joe Jobe Meets the Press

Chuck Zimmerman

Joe Jobe and PressAfter this morning’s general session during the National Biodiesel Conference NBB CEO Joe Jobe met with the press. This gave reporters a chance to ask specific questions about not only his earlier speech but also more background and details on what is happening (or not happening) with the RFS and tax credits.

I thought it was interesting that a point was made in reference to this being a republican vs. democrat issue that it’s more of a regional issue where you have many areas with bipartisan agreement and others that don’t.

Learn more about these issues by listening in on the press conference.

You can listen to the press conference here: NBB CEO Joe Jobe Press Conference

2015 National Biodiesel Conference Photo Album

Audio, Biodiesel, National Biodiesel Conference, NBB, RFS

Fiery Biodiesel Industry Speech

Chuck Zimmerman

Joe JobeTalking about how much the truth matters and calling for cooperation from the petroleum industry Joe Jobe, CEO, National Biodiesel Board, got attendees fired up this morning during his opening general session speech. He received a standing ovation at the end of the speech when he loudly proclaimed:

2015 is the year we get back to the future of this program. Back to the future of this industry and this country. We are the ones on the right side of history, and we have a powerful force on our side. The truth. So rise up with me people. Rise up and tell our story. Rise up and take the RFS back in 2015.

Only by diversifying the transportation fuels market and providing competition to crude oil can the U.S. truly achieve energy security, he explained.

“The RFS is a good policy – it is pro-competitive, pro-consumer, free-market capitalist policy,” Jobe said. And, “2015 was intended to be a turning point for the RFS,” he said. “For the first seven years, conventional biofuel was designed to lead the growth in volumes until 2015 where conventional biofuel is statutorily capped at 15 billion gallons. From 2015 on, advanced biofuels are intended to lead the growth of the program. And so far, biomass-based diesel has emerged as the only domestically-produced, fully commercialized advanced biofuel.”

You can listen to Joe’s full speech here: NBB CEO Joe Jobe Speech

2015 National Biodiesel Conference Photo Album

Audio, Biodiesel, National Biodiesel Conference, NBB

Retailers Expand E15 Availability

Cindy Zimmerman

sheetzPennsylvania-based convenience store and gas station chain Sheetz has announced that 60 of its locations in North Carolina will offer 15% ethanol blended fuel (E15) by the spring of 2016.

Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis says the company has over 400 locations across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio and North Carolina. “Sheetz is a well-known leader in the fuel retail business and their decision to offer E15 shows they are in tune with an ever changing marketplace where consumers are demanding higher performance, lower cost renewable fuels grown right here at home,” said Buis.

“This is great news for the nation’s corn farmers who have been promoting the benefits of ethanol blended fuel for more than 30 years,” said National Corn Growers Association president Chip Bowling, a farmer from Maryland. “This is a fantastic development for the rural economy and consumers who want a real choice in fuel.”

Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen notes that the announcement comes on the heels of E15’s expansion into 15 states. “It’s invigorating to see a major North Carolina retailer like Sheetz actively decide to do what is best for their consumers by giving drivers access to additional fuel options,” said Dinneen. “Sheetz clearly sees the benefits of E15 and it is my hope that all other retailers in North Carolina will follow Sheetz’s exemplary example.”

Also, Miami-based CR Caraf Oil is opening the first E15 pump in South Florida this week, working in partnership with Protec Fuel.

corn, E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Growth Energy, NCGA, RFA

Wind Investments to Top $101B by 2020

Joanna Schroeder

Global wind power investments are predicted to rise from $70 billion in 2013 to $101 billion by the end of 2020. The new report, “Global Wind Turbine Value Chain – Production, Market Share, Competitive Landscape and Market Size to 2020,” also finds that installed capacity should rise from around 364.9 GW in 2014 to 650.8 GW by 2020. © Ximinez | Dreamstime.com - Wind Turbine PhotoAlthough demand is on the rise, says Global Data who authored the report,” there may be a low growth rate for wind turbine components over the forecast period.

Wind turbine manufacturers produced approximately 11 percent of wind turbine gearboxes, 48 percent of rotor blades and 43 percent of generators in-house in 2013. Meanwhile, 10 percent, 62 percent and 37 percent of gearboxes, rotor blades and generators, respectively, were manufactured in-house in 2006.

Prasad Tanikella, GlobalData’s Senior Analyst covering Power, said, “Depending on wind power component supplies, turbine manufacturers make strategic decisions over whether or not to produce the equipment in-house. Some of the major manufacturers, such as Enercon and Vestas, prefer to develop components within their business structure, to avoid issues with quality control and design confidentiality.”

Tanikella cautions that constant growth in the global wind power market is forcing turbine manufacturers to seek multiple component suppliers to ensure smooth production. Indeed, several long-term agreements are currently being drawn up between turbine manufacturers and their suppliers. As such, component prices are decreasing thus the predicted low growth rate for component manufacturers.

Electricity, Renewable Energy, Research, Wind

Are Solar Investments Better Than Stocks?

Joanna Schroeder

Investing in a 5 kilowatt solar system may be a better investment than investing in a stock market index fund according to a new report, “Going Solar in America: A Guide for Homeowners Considering Solar PV in America’s 50 Largest Cities,” released by the NC Clean Energy Technology Center. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-funded study finds that solar is a “real opportunity for anyone looking to take greater control over their monthly utility bills and make a long-term, relatively low-risk investment.”

The first Going Solar in America report ranked America’s 50 largest cities by the financial value rooftop solar offers residential customers. According to the authors’ calculations, a financed solar PV system can be a better investment than Going Solar in America reportthe S&P 500 in 46 of the 50 cities. The report fins that many homeowners are unaware of solar PV’s value because they don’t have a personal point of reference of understanding how much it will cost them.

The second report provides actionable information to homeowners as a follow-up to these rankings. The guide includes descriptions of the policy and incentive options available to homeowners considering solar and information on how to get started. Among topics addressed are solar PV technology, financing options (loans, leases and power purchase agreements), and net metering and “value of solar” tariffs.

“We wanted to first draw attention to the financial value that solar offers today and then have a resource available to assist homeowners who are interested in taking the next step,” said Autumn Proudlove, co-author of the Going Solar in America reports.

Jim Kennerly, lead author and project manager of the Going solar reports notes that the upfront costs of a typical size solar PV system, not factoring into tax credits and other financing options, is about the same as the upfront cost of buying a 2015 Toyota Corolla. “Given that a car’s upfront cost does not include ongoing gas and maintenance costs, it really shows that going solar right now is a great financial value, no matter who you are, or where you live.”

Education, Electricity, Renewable Energy, Solar

Clean Energy Investments Jump

Joanna Schroeder

According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF), clean energy investment rose for the first time in three years in 2014. New funds for wind, solar, biofuels and other low-carbon energy technologies gained 16 percent to $310 billion last year. It was the first growth since 2011, erasing the impact of lower solar-panel prices and falling subsides in the U.S. and Europe that hurt the industry in previous years.

The study reported that clean energy benefited from a number of trends that will be difficult to replicate in 2015. For example, with China’s commitment to renewables, funding increased 32 percent. In addition, a record $19.4 billion was committed to offshore wind projects during the year.

BNEF Trends in Renewable Energy ReportThe industry benefited from a number of trends that will be challenging to replicate this year. Funding surged because of a 32 percent expansion in China’s commitment to renewables, as well as a record $19.4 billion committed to offshore wind projects that were years in the making. And prior to the major drop in gas prices, investments were on the rise for electric vehicle development.

“Healthy investment in clean energy may surprise some commentators, who have been predicting trouble for renewables as a result of the oil price collapse,” said Michael Liebreich, chairman of the advisory board of the London-based researcher. “Our answer is that 2014 was too early to see any noticeable effect on investment. The impact of cheaper crude will be felt much more in road transport than in electricity generation.”

However, the BNEF, there may be trouble on the horizon for electric cars and offshore wind but even with lower oil prices, they predict installations for solar and wind power to grow about 10 percent in 2015. BNEF says the findings ease concerns that the oil price rout that began in the middle of last year would lead to a sharp reduction in funds for low-carbon energy, which is more costly than fossil fuels.

“This increase in renewable energy investment demonstrates the resilience of the sector in the face of tumbling oil prices,” said Ben Warren, head of environmental finance at the consulting firm EY. “This trend is set to continue as technology around renewables becomes more affordable. The increasing role that renewable energy plays in emerging markets will also help ensure sustainable growth for the sector.”

 

Electric Vehicles, offshore wind, Renewable Energy, Solar, Wind

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • http://energy.agwired.com/category/bioenergy-bytes/In a move designed to reflect their specialized expertise with solar racks and installations, Daetwyler Clean Energy has shifted its solar brand to DCE Solar. “We believe in all renewable forms of energy,” said CEO Bill Taylor. “Our name shift is about emphasizing our focus on solar instead of the much broader spectrum of different kinds of clean energy which Daetwyler also supports.”
  • Ecolab Inc. is the first major corporate participant in Minnesota’s newest alternative energy program, which uses community solar gardens — shared solar panel sites with grid-connected subscribers — to offset electricity use. SunEdison will develop the solar gardens under the Xcel Energy Solar*Rewards Community Program, which launched in December 2014 in Minnesota. The solar gardens will deliver electricity to Minnesota’s local grid, and as a subscriber, Ecolab will offset the electricity it purchases for its corporate and research, development and engineering campuses in Minnesota.
  • ReportsnReports.com has added the report, “Global Wind Turbine Value Chain – Production, Market Share, Competitive Landscape and Market Size to 2020”. According to this wind power market and wind turbine industry report, more blades are being outsourced than are being produced in-house, Asian tower manufacturers pose threat to American counterparts and Europe as well as Asia-Pacific combined generate more than 90% of global wind power generators. This research provides global data and information analysis for wind power market, wind turbine, wind turbine rotor blade market, wind turbine gearbox industry, the wind turbine tower as well as generator markets.
  • Transparency Market Research has released a new market report titled “Waste to Energy Market: Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 – 2019,” that defines and segments the global waste to energy market with analysis and forecast of the global revenues. This report observes that the annual revenue of the waste to energy market was USD 18,472.3 million in 2012 and is expected to reach USD 31,892.9 million by 2019, growing at a CAGR of 8.1% from 2013 to 2019.
Bioenergy Bytes

Local Information and Music on Biodiesel

John Davis

theislandBiodiesel has been convincing folks of the environmental value it holds. Now, a radio station in Canada is using the green fuel to get out local information and music… and serving as one more success story. This story from the Sudbury (ON) Star says Manitoulin’s radio station, The Island, 100.7, is running 12 hours a day on biodiesel made from french fry grease.

KT [Timmermanns] tells me, “Back in 2012, after our Manitoulin Country Fest was over, Craig [Timmermanns, her husband] was shocked at how much waste vegetable oil was going into the landfill from all the vendors. He thought he could turn a negative into a positive. You know Craig: he began to research and develop a system to utilize this waste. You know Craig; his goal is always to use technology to help offset our always increasing energy costs “¦ in operating our radio station.”

KT tells me, “Several approvals were needed. Ontario Power Authority, (OPA) to put the excess energy on the grid, then from the Electrical Safety Authority,(ESA) and Hydro One. OPA approved all Craig’s technical information. Last up was ESA. The inspector was in last week and final approval was granted, with Hydro One coming in this week to install a new bi-directional meter.”

“Bi-directional allows for power to go back onto the grid when the biodiesel is running. We’ll receive a credit, which we use at night or regular power. Now, The Island 100.7 is now running on French fry oil daily from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.”

The Timmermanns are putting in a license for a new station at 50,000 watts. Let’s see if they can pull off that boost with some help from biodiesel.

Biodiesel

Study: Animal Fat Biodiesel Cuts GHGs by 85%

John Davis

cattle eating distillers grainsBiodiesel made from animal fat produces 85 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions. This news release from the European Fat Processors and Renderers Association says new finding from the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (IFEU) in Germany confirm a long-held belief that animal fat biodiesel would have significant positive effects on the environment.

The latest calculations carried out in the context of the ISCC sustainability certification process reveal that producing biodiesel from animal fat achieves a remarkable 85% saving in greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil diesel fuel…

Public health restrictions mean that animal by-products are subject to special disposal regulations and as a consequence have a negative market value. Therefore, according to the IFEU, all emissions relating to treatment necessary for compliance with public health requirements in sterilised preliminary products should not count towards the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions generated during production of the associated biofuel.

Niels Leth Nielsen, EFPRA president, commented: “Biodiesel made from animal fat not only conserves resources, it also achieves very high savings in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. That means we already have access to an advanced biofuel.”

Biodiesel, International

Getting Started with National Biodiesel Conference

Chuck Zimmerman

National Biodiesel ConferenceThe 2015 National Biodiesel Conference & Expo is just kicking off in Ft. Worth, Tx. Here’s the communications team that is helping make it easy for the media to get the stories they need.

I’ll be working out of the media room as the Biodiesel Blogger again this year. That means I’ll be sharing stories here on Domestic Fuel but also on the National Biodiesel Conference Blog.

So, let’s get things started with some pictures. I’ve got an online conference album started for your viewing and sharing pleasure: 2015 National Biodiesel Conference Photo Album

advanced biofuels, Biodiesel, National Biodiesel Conference, NBB