Sydney Int’l Airport Testing EV Passenger Bus

Joanna Schroeder

Carbridge Pty. Ltd., Australia’s leading airport ground transportation provider, has begun a six-month testing program with an Electric Bus at Sydney International Airport. BYD Company built the bus that was selected for the pilot program. The EV bus has been touted for its industry leading operational range and will be used as an airport passenger shuttle.

BYD Australia eBusDuring a launch ceremony held at Sydney International Airport, BYD Asia Pacific General Manager Liu Xueliang said, “Compared with fossil-fueled buses, BYD’s pure electric bus has zero emissions, doesn’t make noise and ensures a comfortable ride without disturbances associated with conventional buses of combustion engines. These characteristics will provide a great experience for visitors to the Airport.”

Some unique features of the bus include the BYD Iron-Phosphate battery, in-wheel hub motors and regenerative braking system. According to BYD, the iron-phosphate battery is fire-safe and non-toxic; there are no caustic materials contained in the battery, no toxic electrolytes or heavy metals and the battery can be completely recycled.

Sydney Airport plans to electrify their entire bus fleet in the coming years.

Alternative energy, Electric Vehicles

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFEnviroMission’s U.S. Solar Tower development subsidiary, EnviroMission, Inc., has signed a milestone Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Western Area Power Administration (Western) for its proposal based on the future transmission needs of a Solar Tower within Western’s territory. The project will service EnviroMission’s proposed La Paz Solar Tower development and provide regional transmission benefits to other projects and initially meets the statutory prerequisites set out within the Recovery Act, which is funding the project.
  • Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. has announced that it intends to proceed with a 10 MW project adjacent to its 20MW Bakersfield I Solar project in Kern County, California, which is currently under construction.
  • Ecovacs Robotics has been named a 2015 CES Innovation Awards Honoree for the RAYBOT, the Water-Free Solar Panel Cleaning Robot. Products entered in this program are judged by a preeminent panel of independent industrial designers, independent engineers and members of the trade media to honor outstanding design and engineering in cutting edge consumer electronics products across 28 product categories.
  • “Clean Valley: San Joaquin Valley Leveraging Natural Resources to Grow the Clean Economy,” a new analysis from the nonpartisan nonprofit group Next 10, finds the San Joaquin Valley is using a mix of natural, technological, governmental, human, and business resources to mold key building blocks in California’s clean economy. The region’s water cluster features more than 200 companies located in the valley and networked nationwide, ranging from farms to tech firms. Innovative partnerships have also helped the San Joaquin Valley become California’s leader in installed renewable energy capacity.
Bioenergy Bytes

Propane Autogas Ford Transit Expected in 2015

Cindy Zimmerman

ford-transitThe Ford Transit 3.7L engine conversion to propane autogas is in development and expected to go in for EPA certification by January 2015, according to Blossman Services, managing member of Alliance AutoGas and exclusive United States distributor of Prins Autogas products.

The Transit will be the first “bolt & plug” conversion to be installed by Blossman Services which says the bi-fuel Prins VSI system conversion will require no intake manifold drilling, cutting, or splicing of wiring. The Ford Transit conversion will go into testing this month.

Replacing the Ford E-Series, the Ford Transit vans and wagons are available in single and dual-rear wheels models, with three body lengths, and three roof heights to choose from. Configurations cover 8, 10, 12 and 15 passenger seating, providing flexible cargo volume and payload options. Compared with the previous Ford full-size E-Series van, the all-new Transit Wagon offers higher fuel economy ratings and is designed to haul cargo or carry people. The 3.7L Ti-VCT V6 surpasses the E-Series standard 4.6L V8 gas engine in EPA estimated highway mpg by 19 percent.

automotive, Propane

NEC Agenda Available

Cindy Zimmerman

rfa-nec-15The agenda for the 20th Annual National Ethanol Conference (NEC) is now available.

The theme for the 2014 conference, which will be held February 18-20 in Grapevine, Texas is “Gowing Global” with a focus on the export markets that are critical to the future growth and financial health of the ethanol industry.

Among the program highlights:

• Going Global: Building Ethanol Demand Internationally
• RFS and LCFS: Driving Demand or Stuck in Neutral?
• Advanced Ethanol Industry Breaks Through; Now What?
• Global Energy Market Outlook
• Global Grain Market Outlook
• The Road Ahead for Higher Blends
• How Rail Safety and Congestion are Impacting the Marketplace

As always, the agenda also includes the annual State of the Industry address by Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen, as well as the popular Washington Insiders Panel.

Early registration prior to January 30 saves $100 for both RFA members and non-members.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, National Ethanol Conference, RFA

Biodiesel Benefits Livestock Producers

John Davis

nafb14-nbb-weberWhile some have tried to pit the biofuels industry against livestock producers, the folks at the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) explain their green fuel is actually helping those producers.

“The livestock industry is a strong stakeholder. That’s how we view animal agriculture in terms of biodiesel production,” said Alan Weber, economic consultant for the NBB, during a recent interview with Cindy at the National Association of Farm Broadcasters convention.

Alan said that while soy oil still remains the main feedstock for biodiesel, the fuel is making inroads using animal tallow. In fact, he said that 25 percent of animal fat from livestock production now goes into biodiesel. He pointed out that while European demand has dropped for animal fats, biodiesel has helped maintain the market and keep money in farmers’ pockets. Alan also reiterated a point made many times before that with the crush of soybeans for biodiesel, it is actually helping keep feed for livestock plentiful.

“Every time we crush an additional bushel of soybeans, we also get more meal,” actually keeping down feed costs, he said. “It’s been a nice relationship, and we look forward to continuing that in the future.”

Listen to more of Cindy’s interview with Alan here: Interview with Alan Weber, economic consultant for the NBB
2014 NAFB Convention Photos

Coverage of the NAFB convention is sponsored by
NAFB Convention is sponsored by FMC
Audio, Biodiesel, Farming, NAFB, NBB

Kansas State Teaches Sustainability Through Biodiesel

John Davis

kstateBiodieselStudents from Kansas State University are learning about sustainability through biodiesel. This article from the school talks about the Biodiesel Initiative, which includes converting waste oil on campus into the green fuel and using it to power equipment and trucks, in particular a truck that picks up the waste oil.

“We have a number of diesel trucks on campus that consume our biodiesel, and other smaller engines can use it as well,” said Ron Madl, K-State emeritus research professor of grain science and a leader of the Biodiesel Initiative…

Madl wanted to get students more involved in research centered on sustainability when he served as co-director for K-State’s Center for Sustainable Energy. The K-State 2025 visionary plan also emphasizes sustainability planning as a way to help K-State become a top-50 public research university.

“All universities need to teach our young people how we can have a smaller footprint going forward,” Madl said. “Getting them involved in recycling—how we do it chemically and how we do it economically—is important.”

Madl’s biodiesel biodiesel conversion lab gets some of its funding the Kansas Soybean Commission and attracts students representing many different majors, including grain science, biological and agricultural engineering, chemical engineering, chemistry and biochemistry, getting hands-on experience in making biodiesel safely.

Biodiesel, University

Supporters Petition Chicago for E15 Ordinance

Cindy Zimmerman

chicago-e15The Chicago City Council is on the verge of passing the “Chicago Clean Air Choice Ordinance,” which was proposed by city aldermen earlier this year, but the oil industry is fighting it.

The ordinance allows city drivers to choose 15% ethanol at the pump. The original ordinance was introduced last summer, while the enhanced ordinance includes an exemption for filling stations selling less than 850,000 gallons of fuel per year and provides a phase-in period of nearly a year.

The law would require all filling stations in the city to provide dispensing pumps and offer mid-grade E15 for sale. The proposal offers as justification the fact that Chicago is dedicated to reducing fuel costs, that ethanol is a renewable domestic fuel that burns cleaner than gasoline, E15 is approved for use in model year 2001 and newer vehicles and is less expensive than gasoline, “with expected savings between 5 and 15 cents per gallon.”

In addition, the ordinance points out that “Illinois is the third largest ethanol producing state in the nation, with 14 ethanol plants that can produce 1.5 billion gallons of ethanol per year.”

With oil companies working against passage of the ordinance, supporters have started a petition drive to allow ethanol proponents to voice their opinions to the city council. Over 4,000 from around the country have already signed on and many have left messages to state their reasons.

“Big Oil has arrived on the scene and is ready to spend whatever it takes to keep this legislation from seeing the light of day,” says Gene Griffith, CEO of Patriot Renewable Fuels, one of the 14 ethanol plants in Illinois. He is urging supporters to sign the petition in support of the ordinance.

E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Patriot Renewable Fuels

Enel Green Power to Construct Geo/Biomass Plant

Joanna Schroeder

Geothermal energy in ItalyEnel Green Power has begun construction on its “Cornia 2” geothermal power plant in Tuscany. When complete, this will be what the company believes is the first plant in the world that will use biomass to heat the geothermal steam as a means to increase energy efficiency as well as electricity output of the geothermal cycle.

The biomass will be sourced locally within a 70 km radius from the plant and produce 5 MW of power. Utilizing the biomass, the steam entering the plant will be heated to raise the initial temperature to between 370°-380° from 150°-160°. This will increase net capacity for power generation due to the greater enthalpy of the steam and the enhanced efficiency of the cycle caused by lower humidity in the generation phase. Currently the plant has 13 MW installed capacity. When the upgrades are complete in early 2015 the biomass/geothermal plant will increase capacity by 37 Gwh.

“Thanks to its century-long experience in geothermal energy, Tuscany is already in the future,” said the CEO of Enel Green Power, Francesco Venturini, “Hybrid technologies are the new frontier of renewable energy in our efforts to optimize performance, and this facility, which offers an innovative approach to integrating biomass and geothermal energy, is a replicable model that can open new prospects for the development of energy, the economy and employment for local communities.”

Electricity, Geothermal, International, Renewable Energy

Wind Power Sees Gain in U.S.

Joanna Schroeder

Wind power provided over two-thirds (68.41%) of new electrical generating capacity in October 2014 in the U.S. according to the latest “Energy Infrastructure Update” report. Five wind farms came online during the month in Texas, Nebraska, Michigan, Kansas and Colorado. These projects added 574 MW of new capacity.

eiaIn addition, seven “units” of biomass (102 MW) and five units of solar (31 MW) came online accounting for 12.16% and 3.69% of new capacity respectively. The balance came from three units of natural gas (132 MW – 15.73%). Moreover, for the eighth time in the past ten months, renewable energy sources (i.e., biomass, geothermal, hydropower, solar, wind) accounted for the majority of new U.S. electrical generation brought into service. Natural gas took the lead in the other two months (April and August).

Renewable energy sources now account for 16.39 percent of total installed operating generating capacity in the U.S.:

  • hydro- 8.44%
  • wind – 5.39%
  • biomass – 1.38%
  • solar – 0.85%
  • geothermal steam – 0.33%

“Congress is debating whether to renew the production tax credit for wind and other renewable energy sources,” noted Ken Bossong, executive director of the SUN DAY Campaign. “The continued rapid growth of these technologies confirms that the PTC has proven to be a very sound investment.”

biomass, Hydro, Renewable Energy, Solar, Wind

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFThe Eilat-Eilot Renewable Energy Initiative, the leading body in the field of renewable energy development in Israel, has announced the agenda for its 6th International Eilat-Eilot Green Energy Conference and Exhibition taking place on December 7-9, 2014 in Eilat, Israel. The Conference will begin with an opening address from Silvan Shalom, Minister of Energy and Water Resources in Israel, and a keynote address from Peter Littlewood, Director of Argonne National Laboratory in the United States, in the opening plenary session on Towards Sustainable Energy – The Next Stage.
  • China can increase its use of renewable energy from 13 to 26 percent by 2030, according to a new report released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The growth in renewable energy use would represent nearly a fourfold increase in the share of modern renewables between 2010 and 2030. The report, Renewable Energy Prospects: China, prepared by IRENA in association with the China National Renewable Energy Centre, also says China can expand renewables in the power sector from 20 to 40 per cent by 2030, making it the world’s largest renewable energy user.
  • SunEdison, Inc. and Renova Energia S.A. announced that they have created an exclusive joint venture to develop, own, and operate 1 gigawatt of utility scale solar photovoltaic (PV) energy project which will supply the Brazilian Regulated Electricity Market. Renova and SunEdison will each own a 50% stake in the joint venture. The venture plans to build and operate four utility scale solar power plants in Bahia State, Brazil, by 2017. The joint venture will install 106.9 megawatts of solar by 2017 as part of contracts awarded by the Brazilian Energy Commercialization Authority, Camara Comercializadora de Energia Electrica (CCEE).
  • 8minutenergy Renewables, LLC and Gestamp Solar have announced the signing of a 25-year contract to sell 30 megawatts-ac (40MW-dc) of clean, renewable solar energy from its Midway III Solar Farm project in Imperial County, Calif., to the Imperial Irrigation District (IID), which serves Imperial County. The two companies have a joint development agreement to develop the Midway III Solar Farm project.
Bioenergy Bytes