Navitas Systems LLC, a leading provider of energy-enabled system solutions, energy storage products, and power electronics for commercial, industrial and government/military customers, has been awarded its first Department of Energy (DOE) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II grant. The $1M SBIR Phase II award will support the development of innovative battery technology to reduce cost and extend range, overcoming two prominent challenges which limit electric vehicle adoption. Navitas is focused on removing these barriers.- REFF-West, a renewable energy financing forum in the western United States, will take place September 16th & 17th in San Francisco. Silicon Valley meets Wall Street as industry leaders convene for panels and discussions to highlight financing trends for renewable energy, with a focus on one of the hottest regions for clean tech in the world: the western U.S.
- Clean Energy Collective (CEC) and Midwest Energy (MWE), a customer-owned electric and natural gas cooperative serving central and western Kansas, have broken ground on the Midwest Energy Community Solar Array, a 1.2 megawatt, state-of-the-art solar PV facility that will make solar ownership available to Midwest Energy’s 50,000+ electric members. Midwest Energy is the first utility in the state to offer the community-owned solar solution to its customers, bringing accessibility and affordability to solar ownership in Kansas. CEC will manage construction, operation, and sales of the 3,960-panel facility being built on six acres in Colby, Kan. on land owned by MWE.
- In honor of National Wildlife Day, San Francisco-based nonprofit Everybody Solar has announced they will crowdsource a new commercial solar project for Wildlife Associates, the wildlife sanctuary located in Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco. The 25 kW solar array will help Wildlife Associates cut their annual electric bill by $10,000 annually and enable them to reallocate these funds to their core mission, e.g., taking care of wild animals like cougars, condors, ant-eaters, etc., and educating the community about the importance of wildlife conservation and sustainability.
US Solar Nears 16GW of Installed Capacity
According to a new report from GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the U.S. installed 1,133 MW of solar photovoltaics (PV) in the second quarter of this year. Q2 2014 U.S. Solar Market Insight report finds that more than half-million homes and business are now generating solar energy and they account for nearly half of all solar PV installation in the quarter. The residential market has seen the most consistent growth of any segment for years and its momentum shows no signs of slowing down.
Across the U.S., cumulative PV and concentrating solar power (CSP) operating capacity has exceeded 15.9 gigawatts, enough to power more than 3.2 million homes.
“Solar continues to soar, providing more and more homes, businesses, schools and government entities across the United States with clean, reliable and affordable electricity,” said SEIA President and CEO Rhone Resch. “Today, the solar industry employs 143,000 Americans and pumps nearly $15 billion a year into our economy. This remarkable growth is due in large part to smart and effective public policies, such as the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), net energy metering (NEM) and renewable portfolio standards (RPS). By any measure, these policies are paying huge dividends for both the U.S. economy and the environment, and they should be maintained, if not expanded, given their tremendous success, as well as their importance to America’s future.”
Showing continued strength, the utility PV segment made up 55 percent of U.S. solar installations in the second quarter of the year. It has accounted for more than half of national PV installations for the fifth straight quarter. In just two years, the utility segment has quadrupled its cumulative size, growing from 1,784 megawatts in the first half of 2012 to 7,308 megawatts today.
Shayle Kann, Senior Vice President of GTM Research added, “Solar continues to be a primary source of new electric generation capacity in the U.S.” said “With new sources of capital being unlocked, design and engineering innovations reducing system prices, and sales channels rapidly diversifying, the solar market is quickly gaining steam to drive significant growth for the next few years.”
GTM Research and SEIA forecast 6.5 gigawatts of PV will be installed in the United States by the end of this year, up 36 percent over 2013.
Equipment Sales Down Due To Commodity Prices
Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “How do you think commodity prices are impacting farm equipment sales?”
Looks like the majority of us believe that since prices are down, sales will also be down. And the other majority polled don’t see this changing in the near future.
Here are the poll results:
- Prices down, sales down – 38%
- Temporary slump – 8%
- Good crops, sales ok – 10%
- Downward trend will continure – 35%
- No idea – 9%
Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, How important is it to know about farming in other countries?
Chuck is quite the world traveler these days. No, he isn’t on vacation. He is actually working…we think. Over the year’s the ZimmComm duo has brought you stories about farming from many various countries from around the world. That leads us to wondering how important you think it is to know how farming differs in other countries. Can you learn from them? Should we be sharing more of our knowledge?
NBB Offers Webinar on Biodiesel Classroom Safety
Lots of the next generation of biodiesel producers today are biodiesel students. But making biodiesel can require handling of some hazardous material, so that’s why the National Biodiesel Board is offering the webinar, Biodiesel in the Class Lab: Ensuring Safety, on Sept. 25th from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. Central time:
NBB is teaming up with the Methanol Institute to present this interactive webinar, which will help students and teachers understand the basics of biodiesel production and safety. You’ll also hear from a high school chemistry teacher who built a biodiesel lab, helping him earn the Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators for 2014.
Speakers:
Mike Morgan, Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel Co-Chair/Utah State
University/Biochemistry Undergrad
Scott Fenwick, National Biodiesel Board Technical Director
Larry Lavin, Methanol Institute Senior Manager for Government & Public Affairs
Darrin Peters, Rockwood Summit High School Chemistry Teacher
For more information and to reserve your webinar seat, click here. Better hurry, though, because space is limited!
Waste-to-Biodiesel Jet Fuel Project Gets Loan Guarantee
A company that plans to turn municipal waste into renewable jet fuel has received a government loan guarantee for the project. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced the $105 Million loan guarantee provided through the Biorefinery Assistance Program for Fulcrum Sierra Biofuels, LLC to build a biorefinery to produce jet fuel from municipal solid waste.
“This represents a huge step forward in the development of clean, renewable, job-creating American fuels,” Vilsack said during a speech at the National Clean Energy Conference. “The nation is entering a new energy age that will make us more energy independent, cut carbon pollution and strengthen our economy, especially in rural communities where clean fuels will be produced.”
USDA is awarding Fulcrum a $105 million Biorefinery Assistance Program loan guarantee through Bank of America, N.A. to construct a facility in McCarran, Nev., to convert municipal solid waste to biodiesel jet fuel. USDA Rural Development’s loan guarantee represents less than half of the $266 million project cost. The plant is expected to produce 11 million gallons of fuel annually.
This is the first loan guarantee USDA has made for the production of bio jet fuel.
Last month, we told you how Fulcrum got investment backing from China’s Cathay Pacific Airways and negotiated a long-term supply agreement with Fulcrum for an initial 375 million U.S. gallons of sustainable aviation fuel over 10 years… about 2 percent of the airline’s current fuel consumption.
USDA is working on three more loans for biorefineries in Iowa, North Carolina and Oregon, turning woody biomass, municipal solid waste and energy grasses into renewable fuels.
New Holland’s Biomass Experience
Have you had the opportunity to participate in the biomass experience from New Holland? Thousands of farmers from around the country were able to do just this during the Farm Progress Show. In addition, attendees of the Project LIBERTY grand opening were also able to experience all things biomass. But for those who were unable to attend, Chuck Zimmerman is bringing the biomass experience to you.
Zimmerman spoke with Jarrod Angstadt, manager growth initiatives biomass and specialty products, who said New Holland is working with various biomass projects and research institutions across the country to work on the biomass industry and get a better handle on what’s going on and move it forward. “We want to be prepared to help their customers. Obviously they have needs and we have solutions,” Angstadt told Zimmerman.
He pointed out some new and current products that are available for growers looking at providing biomass to the biofuels industry. They have new round balers launched this year. In addition there are products growers have been using already including the BigBaler and the combine with the corn rower and forage harvester as well.
Zimmerman asked Angstadt was the future of biomass looked like. “The whole biomass market is wide open right now. There are a lot of people getting in to it and it is forging forward. Exactly where the end is is really unknown but that is what is really exciting about the industry,” answered Angstadt.
To learn more about the full biomass experience, listen to Chuck’s interview with Jarrod Angstadt: Interview with Jarrod Angstadt, New Holland
View the Farm Progress 2014 Flicker photo album.
Kyocera’s Largest Floating Solar Farm Underway
Kyocera Corporation, Century Tokyo Leasing Corporation and Ciel et Terre International will begin construction this month on what they say is the world’s largest floating solar installation. Kyocera TCL Solar will develop and operate utility-scale floating solar power plants utilizing Ciel et Terre’s Hydrelio floating solar platforms in two installations, totaling 2.9 megawatts (MW) at Nishihira Pond and Higashihira Pond in Kato City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The 1.7 MW plant planned at Nishihira Pond will become the world’s largest solar power generating system installed on water.
Kyocera and Century Tokyo Leasing jointly established Kyocera TCL Solar LLC in August 2012 for the purpose of constructing and operating multiple utility-scale solar power plants in Japan under the country’s feed-in-tariff system, which commenced in July 2012. Since the company launch, it has constructed 28 solar power plants, of which 11 plants have begun operation.
Kyocera notes that due to the rapid implementation of solar power, securing tracts of land suitable for utility-scale solar power plants is becoming more difficult in Japan. In addition to ground-mount systems and rooftop systems for factory buildings and warehouses, Kyocera TCL Solar will start the floating solar power generation business utilizing the country’s abundant water surfaces. Due to great variation in the amount of rainfall by season, there are many reservoirs throughout Japan for agricultural and flood-control purposes.
Kyocera TCL Solar plans to develop floating installations for reservoirs in the country totaling approximately 60MW by the end of this fiscal year (March 31, 2015). The installations will utilize floating solar platforms developed and patented by Ciel et Terre, which have a proven record of success during more than three years of operation in France.
Duke Energy to Build Los Vientos V Wind Project
Duke Energy Renewables has announced it will build, own and operate a 110 MW wind power project known as Los Vientos V located in Starr County, Texas. Garland Power & Light, Greenville Electric Utility System and Bryan Texas Utilities (BTU) have signed 25-year agreements to purchase the power produced by the project. With an expected completion date in late 2015,
“We’re proud to be partnering with these progressive utilities to make renewable energy more widely available to their customers,” said Duke Energy Renewables President Greg Wolf. “One of the key advantages of our Los Vientos projects is they generate the majority of their power during the day, when customer demand is greatest.”
Vestas will supply 55 2-MW turbines for the project and once complete, Los Vientos V will produce enough emissions-free electricity to power about 33,000 homes.
“We are pleased to have contracted with Duke Energy Renewables for additional wind power for our customers,” said Jeff Janke, senior managing director of Garland Power & Light. “This coastal wind will help diversify our power supply portfolio.”
Milton Howard, Duke Energy Renewables executive, renewables development added, “We couldn’t have done it without the foresight of the leaders, landowners and people of Starr County. Thanks to them, we will be bringing significant construction jobs to the area, boosting economic development and supporting the local school district through dependable tax revenue for years to come.”
Once completed, Los Vientos III and IV — announced last year — and Los Vientos V will bring Duke Energy’s total wind-generated capacity to more than 2,100 MW.
Groups Congratulate Project LIBERTY’s Success
Groups from all around the country are congratulating POET-DSM Advanced Bioenergy on their successful start-up of Project LIBERTY, a 25 million per gallon per year cellulosic ethanol plant located in Emmetsburg, Iowa. This is the first commercial-scale biorefinery in the country that uses agricultural waste, such as residue from corn fields, to produce cellulosic ethanol.
The Department of Energy helped to support the project with approximately $100 million in investments and research. The Project LIBERTY ethanol plant uses biochemical conversion technologies such as yeast and enzymes to convert cellulosic biomass into transportation fuels.
“The Energy Department’s investments in projects like the LIBERTY biorefinery are helping to bring innovative, cost-cutting biofuel technologies online and diversify our transportation fueling options,” said DOE Secretary Ernest Moniz. “Home-grown biofuels have the potential to further increase our energy security, stimulate rural economic development, and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector.”
The biofuels industry came out in force to congratulate POET-DSM for their achievement. Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy, of which POET is a member, said of the milestone, “Congratulations to POET-DSM. Growth Energy and the entire biofuels industry recognizes this massive achievement in the development and commercial scale production of cellulosic ethanol, as well as the steadfast determination of innovative thinkers and leaders like those at POET-DSM who have made it possible. Years of research, ingenuity, perseverance and sheer determination have built the game changing cellulosic ethanol plant we are celebrating today.”
Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, vice chairman of the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition, was at the event and while 
onsite called on the nation to recognize the accomplishment of the Poet-DSM Advanced Biofuels cellulosic ethanol plant, and other plants that have now come into production, in helping transform the nation’s energy future.
“The cellulosic ethanol industry has arrived and is an important avenue for adding value to agricultural products and spurring economic and family income growth in rural America,” said Governor Branstad said. Companies such as Poet and DSM have invested more than $1 billion to build the next generation of ethanol plants that can make biofuels from non-grain feedstocks. In addition, companies like Poet-DSM, Abengoa, DuPont and others have constructed advanced biofuel plants, putting thousands of Americans to work in building these plants,” Governor Branstad remarked.
Attendees were able to tour the plant and Gov. Brandstad said of this experience, “Walking through this complex biorefinery today is inspiring. This plant demonstrates the innovative spirit and technological skill needed to meet the nation’s energy challenge. It’s an important milestone on the nation’s road to clean fuels, diversifying our nation’s energy portfolio, rural economic growth, giving consumers choices at the fuel pump.”
BioEnergy Bytes
- Consumers Energy is providing Michigan students and their parents with a new, engaging way to learn how energy is generated and travels to their home with a new smartphone app and classroom program called EmPOWERed Kids. The EmPOWERed Kids app is free and available for all smartphone devices and iPads. It guides elementary school students and their parents through ideas that touch on their everyday lives, and it includes games and exercises to keep them connected.
- SunEdison, Inc. and Los Pelambres mine, have announced that they have reached an agreement for the long-term sale of power to Los Pelambres. The mine is owned by Antofagasta Minerals S.A., the largest private mining group inChile and one of the nine largest copper-producers in the world. Under the agreement SunEdison will supply the power produced by the Javiera solar photovoltaic project, with a capacity of 69.5 megawatts (MW) DC, for operations at Los Pelambres mine.
- BayWa r.e. announced today that through its wholly owned BayWa r.e. Wind, LLC it acquired all rights to the 80MW B&H project and secured 43 GE 1.85-87 wind turbines. The project, located in Charles Mix, Bon Homme, and Hutchinson Counties, South Dakota, will sell energy to NorthWestern Energy. Construction commenced in 2013 and BayWa r.e. intends to achieve commercial operation of the self-funded project in 2015. GE will provide operations and maintenance support through a five-year service agreement. This is the first Turbine Supply Agreement signed between GE and the BayWa r.e. group.
- AWS Truepower, an international leader in renewable energy consulting and engineering services, has been hired to act as Independent Engineer to support the financing and construction of the Ventika I & Ventika II wind projects in Nuevo Leon, Mexico. The Ventika Wind Project consists of two 126 MW wind projects, for a total capacity of 252 MW, making it the largest wind project in Mexico at the time of financing.