Lund U Trying to Produce Solar Fuel

Joanna Schroeder March 13, 2015

Several researchers have come a step closer to producing solar fuel using artificial photosynthesis. The Lund University team has successfully tracked the electrons’ rapid transit through a light-converting molecule. The goal of the study is to discover a way to make fuel from water using sunlight, similar to photosynthesis. Researchers around the world are attempting to borrow ideas from photosynthesis in order to find a way to produce solar fuel artificially.

“Our study shows how it is possible to construct a molecule in which the conversion of light to chemical energy happens so fast that no energy is lost as heat. This means that all the energy in the light is stored in a molecule as chemical energy,” said Villy Sundström, professor of Chemical Physics at Lund University.

Today solar energy is harnessed in solar cells and solar thermal collectors. Solar cells convert solar energy to electricity and solar thermal collectors convert solar energy to heat. However, producing solar fuel, for example in the form of hydrogen gas or methanol, requires entirely different technology. The idea is that solar light can be used to extract electrons from water and use them to convert light energy to energy rich molecules, which are the constituent of the solar fuel.

“A device that can do this – a solar fuel cell – is a complicated machine with light-collecting molecules and catalysts,” said Sundström.Read More

Clean Energy, Research, Solar

Administration Releases Wind Energy Report

Cindy Zimmerman March 12, 2015

The Department of Energy today released a new analysis of America’s wind energy industry – Wind Vision: A New Era for Wind Power in the United States.

According to the report, the wind energy industry could support more than 600,000 jobs by 2050, including engineers, construction workers, truck drivers, factory workers, utility operators, maintenance technicians, electricians and other supporting services. Currently, the United States has utility-scale wind plants installed in 39 states. The report shows that with continuing technological advancements, cost reductions, and siting and transmission development, the nation can deploy wind power to economically provide 35% of our nation’s electricity and supply renewable power in all 50 states by 2050.

White House Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change Dan Utech and Under Secretary for Science and Energy Lynn Orr hosted a conference call this morning to highlight the new report.

Administration call on wind energy report

Audio, Government, Wind

Majority Urge Congress to Grant TPA

Jamie Johansen March 12, 2015

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Should Congress grant TPA?”

As Congress still considers granting Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) to our President, we asked what you thought on the issue. It looks like an easy majority believe it should be granted, however there are still a few in agricultural circles that question it. Hopefully, we will soon have a decision from Congress.

Here are the poll results:

Yes – 75%
No – 19%
Don’t care – 6%

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, Which potential presidential candidate would be best for ag?

Earlier this week we gave you highlights from the first Iowa Ag Summit. The event featured nine possible GOP presidential candidates as they shared their opinion on agricultural issues to the national media. Of the presidential hopefuls, who do you think will be best for agriculture?

ZimmPoll

Paper Calls for More Geothermal Recognition

Joanna Schroeder March 11, 2015

A paper recently published in the March 2015 edition of Electricity Journal argues that the value of geothermal energy as well as other baseload renewables need to be better recognized as current options for electricity. Authors Ben Matek with the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) and Karl Gawell, GEA executive director, write, “Misinformation about baseload renewables has distorted the discussion about the least-cost future renewable energy mix. There are renewable baseload power sources with generation profiles that can economically replace other retiring electricity sources megawatt for megawatt, thereby avoiding incurring additional costs from purchasing and then balancing renewable intermittent power sources with storage or new transmission.”

The article asserts that while there is no one-size-fits-all solution, the renewable energy sector will need to reevaluate the values of baseload renewables (traditionally, baseload power has been generated by nuclear, coal and natural gas) to address today’s power challenges and the dangers of climate change. These power options, argue the authors, provide numerous benefits that seem to have all but disappeared from the renewable energy conversation, including lower cost, better grid security, and a more optimal use of transmission infrastructure, they assert.

Instead of just looking at short-term least-cost criteria, broader questions need to be asked when choosing between technologies, the authors state in the article. “To determine the best path forward, a number of system-wide issues need to be addressed. First, what combination of technologies really produces lowest system-wide costs when considering emission profile and reliability? And second, what mix of electricity sources will have the lowest cost considering both replacement costs and operation and maintenance costs over a period of several decades?”

The article concludes that when a path to go forward is chosen, renewables such as geothermal power, must be in the mix. In addition, the value of diversity should be recognized and integrated into the planning process.

Clean Energy, Electricity, Geothermal

Offshore Wind Can Compete With Fossils in Decade

Joanna Schroeder March 11, 2015

A new study, “Offshore Wind in Europe: Walking the tightrope to success,” finds that the European offshore wind energy industry can compete with coal and natural gas by 2023. The Ernst & Young (EY) reports states that for this to occur, however, the industry must significantly reduce costs over the next five years.

Cost savings can be achieved in several ways including deploying larger turbines to increase energy capture (9%); fostering competition between industrial players (7%); commissioning new projects (7%); and tackling challenges in the supply chain such as construction facilities and installation equipment (3%). These actions, coupled with strong, long-term regulation will enable offshore wind energy to compete.

Parallel to release of the report, three of the biggest names in offshore wind have initiated a joint declaration – called ‘United Industry‘ – as part of a commitment to reducing costs in the sector. Dong Energy, MHI Vestas and Siemens Wind Power and Renewables have pledged to undertake joint and individual actions across the whole of the value chain to deliver “major long-term and tangible advancements.”

Michael Hannibal, CEO Offshore of Siemens Wind Power and Renewables, said, “Cost reduction remains a top priority of the offshore wind industry. We need to create profitable investments for offshore projects independent of subsidies. In a united industry, all stakeholders across the whole value chain are equally responsible to contribute and deliver. Siemens takes full ownership of this challenge. If we all do that, we will win.”Read More

Clean Energy, Electricity, offshore wind

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder March 11, 2015

Trina Solar Limited has announced that its Trinasmart panels are now part of the technology solution that Vivint Solar, Inc. offers to its customers. Trina Solar touts Trinasmart as a module-integrated solution that optimizes the energy output of PV systems, enhances solar array safety, improves installation speeds and reduces balance of system costs.
Yes! Solar Solutions has partnered with Dividend Solar to offer the $0-down EmpowerLoan in North Carolina for the first time. The full-service solar loan includes energy production guarantees, warranty management, hassle-free maintenance and performance monitoring at no additional cost – all with the significant financial upside of solar ownership.
First Solar, Inc. and SunPower Corp. have announced that 8point3 Energy Partners LP, a limited partnership formed by First Solar and SunPower to own and operate a portfolio of selected solar generation assets, has filed a Registration Statement on Form S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for an initial public offering (IPO) of Class A shares representing limited partner interests in 8point3 Energy Partners. The number of shares to be offered and the initial public offering price of the shares have not yet been determined.
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has launched the Lighting Africa program for Nigeria. The program, a joint initiative of IFC and the World Bank, will help increase access to affordable, clean and safer lighting for more than 30 percent of Nigeria’s population who live in rural areas, and have low incomes and no access to grid electricity.

Bioenergy Bytes

U.S. Solar Market Insight 2014 Hot off the Press

Joanna Schroeder March 11, 2015

The latest U.S. Solar Market Insight 2014 Year in Review has been released and solar had another banner year. Newly installed solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity for the year reached a record 6,201 megawatts, more than 30 percent higher than in 2013. An additional 767 MW of concentrating solar power (CSP) also came online during 2014. Solar accounted for 32 percent of the nation’s new generating capacity in 2014, beating out both wind energy and coal for the second year in a row. Only natural gas constituted a greater share of new generating capacity. The report was released by GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).

The solar industry broke the gigawatt (GW) level in 2011 and in 2014, 3.9 GW of utility-scale sized solar power projects came online with an additional 14 GW under contract. The commercial segment in the U.S. also first installed more than 1 GW in 2011 but has not shared the same success as the utility-scale segment. In 2014, the commercial segment installed just over 1 GW, down 6 percent from 2013. The report notes, “Many factors have contributed to this trend, ranging from tight economics to difficulty financing small commercial installations.” But GTM Research expects 2015 to be a bounce-back year for the commercial segment, highlighted by a resurgence in California.

The U.S. residential segment’s 1.2 GW in 2014 marks its first time surpassing 1 GW. Residential continues to be the fastest-growing market segment in the U.S., with 2014 marking three consecutive years of greater than 50 percent annual growth.

“Without question, the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) has helped to fuel our industry’s remarkable growth. Today the U.S. solar industry has more employees than tech giants Google, Apple, Facebook and Twitter combined,” said Rhone Resch, SEIA president and CEO. “Since the ITC was passed in 2006, more than 150,000 solar jobs have been created in America, and $66 billion has been invested in solar installations nationwide. We now have 20 gigawatts (GW) of installed solar capacity – enough to power 4 million U.S. homes – and we’re helping to reduce harmful carbon emissions by 20 million metric tons a year. By any measurement, the ITC has been a huge success for both our economy and environment.”

GTM Research forecasts the U.S. PV market to grow 31 percent in 2015. The utility segment is expected to account for 59 percent of the forecasted 8.1 GW of PV.

Clean Energy, Electricity, Research, Solar

Advanced Biofuels Group Would Reopen RFS

Cindy Zimmerman March 11, 2015

Advanced Biofuels Association President Michael McAdams today called on Congress to amend the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) to strengthen it for the “continued development of the advanced and cellulosic industry.”

In an address this morning to the 2015 Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference, McAdams said the “RFS simply doesn’t work as well for companies trying to move cutting-edge technology from a demonstration plant to commercial scale.” He called for changes in several areas, including minimum RIN value for cellulosic fuels, extending the program beyond 2022, and removing “the loop hole that allows the oil industry to opt out from buying a cellulosic gallon.”

The idea of reopening the RFS even to make positive changes is opposed by other biofuels organizations. “By opening up the RFS for legislative changes, you are opening a can of worms that will only create further uncertainty for the industry, which is the last thing biofuel producers of any kind need,” said Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis in a statement.

“We seriously question who ABFA is representing these days,” said Renewable Fuels Association president Bob Dinneen in response to a reporter’s question on a conference call this morning. “There’s nothing ABFA has identified as needed improvements to the program that the agency already does not have the authority to address.”

Novozymes president Adam Monroe added that ABFA “does not represent even the majority of advanced biofuels producers” and doesn’t believe their position is representative of the industry. “It’s the politics that are broken not the legislation,” said Monroe.

RFA and Novozymes comment on ABFA call to open RFS

advanced biofuels, Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Novozymes, RFA, RFS

Biofuels Leaders Defend RFS

Cindy Zimmerman March 11, 2015

Holding a press conference in advance of the American Petroleum Institute continuing its call to repeal the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), representatives of the ethanol and advanced biofuels industry and corn growers defended the law and the fuel.

Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis said the oil industry is making the same old arguments about ethanol that are simply not true, but he thinks the industry received a good boost over the weekend “when six out of nine of the Republican presidential candidates that came to the Ag Summit expressed support for the RFS.”

National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) first vice president Rob Elliott of Illinois talked about how the facts dispel the perpetual myths about food versus fuel. “Corn prices are now below cost of production … so obviously food prices have not followed a similar path,” he said.

Adam Monroe, president of enzyme producer Novozymes, said if Washington gives in to pressure by the oil industry to weaken the RFS it will keep second generation biofuels from going forward. “It makes it tremendously difficult for us to bring in new investors and spend more money,” he said.

Renewable Fuels Association president Bob Dinneen says no matter what ethanol critics say, there is now real world data that shows no detrimental effects have occurred as a result of the RFS and he encouraged reporters to question API. “Ask them to explain the fact that the price of corn is lower than it was when the RFS was passed,” he said, noting also that food price inflation has been lower, the dead zone has gotten smaller, and hunger worldwide has fallen.

Conference Call with Renewable Fuel Industry Leaders

advanced biofuels, Audio, corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Growth Energy, NCGA, Novozymes, RFA, RFS

ACE Fly-In Coming Soon

Cindy Zimmerman March 11, 2015

The American Coalition for Ethanol is holding its 7th annual DC Fly-In, also known as the Biofuels Beltway March, on March 24-25.

ACE executive vice president Brian Jennings says talking to Washington bureaucrats and lawmakers about ethanol is more important than ever. “We’re really going to be focusing on some new members of Congress and educating them on the RFS and E15 in particular,” he said. “There were over 70 new members of Congress elected, and when you look at the current members of Congress, just two in five were in office when RFS2 was enacted back in 2007.”

Members of the ethanol industry who attend the ACE Fly-In hear from members of the administration and discuss many current issues, and then go out in groups to visit members of Congress and their staffs. “Last year we had well over 200 meetings with members of Congress, both sides of the aisle and both houses,” said Jennings, who stressed that they encourage members to “tell their stories” to make an impression.

Jennings says registration is still open for the Fly-In and there is no fee to attend.

Listen to my interview with Brian at the recent National Ethanol Conference: Interview with Brian Jennings, American Coalition for Ethanol

ACE, Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFS

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