SunPower Corp. and Tendril, Inc. have announced that SunPower has invested $20 million of growth capital into Tendril and will license its Energy Services Management (ESM) Platform software. Enhanced by SunPower’s vast amount of solar related data, the ESM Platform will power the development of new Smart Energy applications for a broader set of consumers and utilities.- According to a report from TrendForce, the worldwide solar market demand in 2014 was approximately at 44GW, even though the China market did not perform as well as expectations, due to the continuous growth in Japan and the U.S. market, the supply and demand remained stable. At the end of 2014, the overall supply chain maintained a solid utilization rate, while China’s tier-one module manufacturers also continued to break shipment records. The 2015 worldwide solar demand is projected at 51.4GW, with the key markets remaining in China, United States, and Japan, taking up 57% of the overall share.
- SunEdison Inc. has announced the closing of an approximately $146 million USD non-recourse debt financing arrangement with the International Finance Corporation, the Central American Bank for Economic Integration and the OPEC Fund for International Development. The debt proceeds will be used to fund construction of three solar photovoltaic power plants totaling 81.7 megawatts in the Republic of Honduras.
- Consumers Energy’s $255 million Cross Winds Energy Park in Michigan’s Upper Thumb has begun serving electric customers. With completion of Cross Winds, Consumers Energy now meets Michigan’s renewable energy standard of 10 percent, one year ahead of the scheduled requirement. Cross Winds is Consumers Energy’s second wind park and has a generating capacity of 111 megawatts. It consists of 62 wind turbine generators, all located in Akron and Columbia townships in Tuscola County.
New Iowa RFA Officers
The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) today announced its Board of Directors, Officers and Executive Committee for 2015, elected at last week’s annual meeting. New officers will serve a one-year term during the 2015 calendar year.
The new officers are:
President Brian Cahill, Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy
Vice President Tom Brooks, Western Dubuque Biodiesel
Treasurer Eamonn Byrne, Plymouth Energy
Secretary Rick Schwarck, Absolute Energy
“The renewable fuels industry had many accomplishments this past year, but many challenges remain for 2015,” says IRFA President-elect Brian Cahill. “Providing certainty in the marketplace and leveling the energy playing field through the restoration of a strong and growing Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), and allowing greater consumer choice at the pump through wider availability of E15 and higher biodiesel blends will be crucial to building upon the progress we’ve made.”
Elected to join the IRFA officers on the executive committee for 2015 are, Past President Steve Bleyl of Green Plains, Inc.; and at-large members Brad Albin of Renewable Energy Group and Craig Willis, Archer Daniels Midland.
Philippines Looks to Increase Biodiesel Blends
Government officials in the Philippines are looking to increase biodiesel blends in the coming year. This article from Business World says that country’s Department of Energy (DoE) is hopeful the country will be able to move from a 2 percent to 5 percent blend in 2015 and possibly up to a 20 percent blend by 2030.
“We are still considering several factors right now like the economic impact [of increasing the blend] and some technical issues,” Mario C. Marasigan, director of the department’s Renewable Energy Management Bureau, said at the sidelines of a solar project inauguration in Manila.
Mr. Marasigan said his departmetn asked the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to study the overall impact of an increased blend.
“We want to confirm the claims of the coconut farmers that the increase can help their socioeconomic development. At the same time, we want to know the cost to consumers and overall impact of increasing the blend,” the official explained.
Officials hope to get results on the study of the data by early next year.
MN Company Finds Cheaper Way to Brew Biodiesel
A company in Minnesota has found a way to brew biodiesel cheaper and more efficiently. This article from the Minneapolis Star Tribune says Superior Process Technologies figured out how to refine grease, tallow and other waste oils into biodiesel and hopes to take the process to a commercial level.
Superior Process engineers Kirk Cobb and Joe Valdespino, whose innovations draw on decades of experience in the paper and oleochemical industries, now are working toward a big step: constructing a commercial-scale biodiesel refinery.
[Parent company] Baker Commodities plans next year to start building a 20-million-gallon-per-year biodiesel plant in Vernon, Calif., to recycle waste grease into fuel, said Doug Smith, general manager of Superior Process and assistant vice president for R&D at the parent company.“Our process is superior to the traditional method,” said Valdespino in an interview at the company’s lab and office on NE. Broadway. “It saves energy. It increases yield. … It enables you to use cheaper feedstocks.”
The article goes on to say the process is able to take better advantage of cheaper feedstocks, such as used deep-fryer oils, rendered animal fats and the contents of grease traps in sewer lines, hoping that when the process is commercialized, they’re able to make the green fuel for less than $2 per gallon.
Platts Awards “Oscars” of Energy
The “Oscars” of energy were distributed this week during the 16th annual Platts Global Energy Awards. The honors were given to companies in the renewable and sustainable energy sector and included 17 performance categories along with “Energy Company of the Year,” going to Peabody Energy. The Awards were aligned to strategic vision, industry leadership, stewardship, premier projects and leading technology initiatives. Winners were chosen by an independent panel of judges.
“We congratulate each of the 2014 Platts Global Energy Awards winners and finalists alike for their individual accomplishments and their contributions to the betterment of the industry as a whole,” said Larry Neal, president of Platts, a leading global energy and commodities information provider and host of the Awards.
Winners of the Industry Leadership category:
- “Industry Leadership – Biofuels,” Florida-based biotechnology company Algenol Biofuels won for its algae-based fuel-production method. The patented process, which converts more than 85% of carbon dioxide (CO2) feedstock into ethanol, gasoline, jet fuel and diesel, was hailed by judges as a “forward-thinking way to use CO2 directly from manufacturing, before it hits the atmosphere.”
- “Industry Leadership – Grid Optimization” went to Germany’s 50Hertz Transmission GmbH, which, according to judges, “set a new model of performance” following a government-mandated ban on nuclear power plants. The company planned an expanded grid serving approximately 18 million people in northern and eastern Germany and has been a notable contributor to the country’s renewables initiative.
- “Industry Leadership – Electricity Generation” was awarded to Sempra U.S. Gas & Power, LLC for its commitment to renewable energy production. The California-based, clean-energy company and its partners generate power for more than one million homes and businesses using sun, wind, and low-emission natural gas.
- “Industry Leadership – Exploration & Production” went to Netherlands-based Royal Dutch Shell plc for its Mars B project to expand oil exploration in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico’s Mars Field. Judges noted that Shell employed the latest technology to develop significant new infrastructure ahead of schedule, despite economic, supply and regulatory challenges.
- “Industry Leadership – Midstream” was taken by Switzerland-based Nord Stream AG, which successfully linked Russia’s pipeline grid directly to Western Europe. The judges said the company surmounted significant technical, environmental and political hurdles in the name of supply security.
DOE Honors Alabama Clean Cities Leaders
Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition Executive Director Mark Bentley and President Phillip Wiedmeyer have been honored for their work in making Alabama cities cleaner places to live, work and play by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). National Clean Cities Co-Director Linda Bluestein recently inducted the pair into the Clean Cities Hall of Fame where representatives from nearly 100 Clean Cities coalitions from across the country gathered for the 2014 Clean Cities Coordinator Workshop.
In 2013 alone, the Alabama coalition saved more than 3 million gallons of petroleum and averted more than 12,000 tons of greenhouse gases through the deployment of alternative and renewable fuels, advanced vehicles, idle reduction and fuel economy improvements. The coalition has developed effective programs to support fuels such as ethanol, biodiesel, natural 
gas, propane, electricity and hydrogen. These accomplishments contributed to Clean Cities’ major milestone in 2013 of reducing U.S. petroleum consumption by one billion gallons in a single year for the first time ever.
“For many years, Mark and Phillip have proved themselves to be true pioneers and have made a significant impact in the deployment of alternative fuels and advanced vehicles, both in their coalition area as well as nationally,” said Bluestein.
Bentley has been the executive director of the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition since 2006. Wiedmeyer has served as president for the coalition since 2002.
“It’s been our privilege over the years to promote the use of alternative fuels that are better for our environment, easier on our wallets, good for our local economy and a step toward energy independence for our country,” Bentley said. “We are delighted to be recognized for this important work.”
The Evolution of Minnesota’s Ethanol Industry
The Minnesota ethanol industry is evolving even in the face of growth challenges including continued uncertainty around the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Since 2007 the industry has improved by leaps and bounds in terms of technological advancements, energy efficiency and sustainability.
“Minnesota ethanol producers are continually evolving with respect to the use of technology and processes to decrease the inputs of energy and water while increasing their output of ethanol and co-products such as DDGs and corn oil,” explains Tim Rudnicki, executive director of the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association.
According to a 2011 report from the Argonne National Laboratory, ethanol producers have cut water use in half within a 10-year period. In fact, Rudnicki notes that some producers are using less than two gallons of water to produce 1 gallon of ethanol. When comparing water use with the production of oil, depending on where the oil is extracted, oil production can require more than seven times that much water to produce one gallon of gas. Other ways ethanol producers are infusing sustainability within water use is by using storm water and treated municipal wastewater.
Specifically, the Al-Corn Clean Fuel ethanol plant has completely eliminated any process water discharge. Randall Doyal CEO of the Claremont, Minnesota-based plant says, “This cut our water consumption down to just over two gallons per gallon of ethanol. The water that is used is for cooling and is evaporated, so it returns to the atmosphere to recycle back as rain. We continually recover water in the process to reuse again and again.”Read More
BioEnergy Bytes
- Renewable energy expert Deyang Qu has been named as the Johnson Controls Endowed Professor in Energy Storage Research, a collaborative appointment between the company, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the Wisconsin Energy Institute in the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s College of Engineering. He begins his new duties in Milwaukee January 15, 2015.
- Boralex Inc. has announced that its subsidiary Boralex Europe S.A. has completed commercial commissioning of the Fortel-Bonnières wind farm with a total installed capacity of 23 MW. In addition, construction of the St-François 23 MW wind farm is progressing on schedule, with commissioning planned for the first quarter of 2015. Also, in Canada, Boralex and partner Côte-de-Beaupré RCM have obtained government approvals to commence work on the Côte-de-Beaupré community wind power project. Commissioning of its 25 MW is slated for late 2015.
- eSolar, a leading developer of modular, scalable concentrating solar power (CSP) technology, has been contracted by Aalborg CSP A/S (Aalborg, Denmark) to provide a solar collector system (SCS) product in support of a recently announced commercial expansion of Sundrop Farms’ greenhouse facility in Port Augusta, South Australia. Construction of the expansion facility begins this month and is due for completion in 2016.
- The Geothermal Energy Association is hosting its 2015 State of the Geothermal Industry Briefing on Tuesday, February 24, 2015 in Washington, D.C. Register before the end of 2014 to receive $20 off the cost of registration. The Briefing will provide an update on the U.S. and international geothermal industry featuring release of the 2015 Annual Geothermal Industry Update and presentations and panel discussions by key leaders in U.S. and international development, finance, technology, policy and regulatory issues.
Hydrogen Fueling Arrives in Sacramento, CA
The Ramos Oil Company located in West Sacramento, California is now offering drivers the ability to fuel their hydrogen powered vehicles. The new hydrogen station is equipped with state-of-the-art technology developed by Linde North America.
To mark completion of its retail hydrogen fueling station, Ramos held a ribbon cutting ceremony at the site and hosted representatives of Linde and local and state dignitaries — including Cliff Caldwell, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Bulk Markets at 
Linde; Nitin Natesan, Business Development manager for Linde Hydrogen Fueling; Mark Johannessen, Mayor Pro Tem City of West Sacramento; Bill Elrick, California Fuel Cell Partnership; Commissioner Janea Scott, California Energy Commission; Phil Serna, California Air Resources Board; and Fred Joseck, Department of Energy.
“We are thrilled to be working with Linde on this project and very impressed with the exciting technology they brought to us,” said Kent Ramos, president of Ramos Oil Company, one of the largest Hispanic-owned companies in the U.S. “We have been serving the Sacramento Valley market with a variety of fuels for over 60 years. The prospect of hydrogen’s zero emissions technology fits perfectly into our multi-fuel platform concept and I believe will prove that hydrogen has a place in the transportation fuel mix.” Ramos Oil is one of the first petroleum retailers in California to embrace clean fuels. In addition to conventional fuels, the company offers bio-diesel, ethanol-85, methanol and now hydrogen. The company also uses solar panels to power the entire facility.”
While it is difficult to project how much business the new hydrogen fueling station will do in the next few years, it is expected that thousands of hydrogen fuel cars will be on the road in the state by 2020, according to OweHo estimates.
“Linde is building hydrogen stations today that can meet this projected rapid growth in the near future without the need for extensive station upgrades,” said Linde’s Natesan. “It used to be a chicken and egg question, but realistically the stations must come first so an infrastructure is in place for the initial consumers.”
At the heart of the hydrogen fueling system is the Linde IC 90 ionic compressor — the next generation of hydrogen compression technology which enables higher throughput and enhanced back to back fueling. “With this compressor, Linde has made a valuable contribution to the ongoing enhancement of today’s hydrogen fueling infrastructure,” explained Mike Beckman, head of H2 Fueling.
In as written statement, West Sacramento Mayo Cabaldon noted, “This project not only serves as a hub for hydrogen fuel delivery, but highlights the importance of providing an array of fuels for the future of urban transportation. The station is an asset to both our residents and the region as a whole.”