IKEA has completed the installation of South Florida’s largest solar array, which will be plugged-in officially atop the future Miami-Dade IKEA store opening this summer in Sweetwater, FL. Combined with rooftop arrays in Orlando, Tampa and Sunrise, this fourth solar project will keep IKEA as the state’s largest non-utility solar owner. The 178,000-square-foot solar array consists of a 1,178-kW system, built with 4,620 panels, and will produce approximately 1,738,876 kWh of electricity annually for the store. For the development, design and installation of the Miami-Dade store’s customized solar power system, IKEA contracted with REC Solar.- Vista Solar has promoted Jaymes Callinan from Vice President to President of the Company. Callinan co-founded Vista Solar in 2007 with his father Pat Callinan (president of global silicon distributor SVM, Inc.). Since the company’s inception, Jaymes has grown Vista Solar from a residential solar startup to a multi-million dollar commercial solar installation firm.
- Homeowners anywhere in the United States can now purchase Andalay Solar’s high-performing, easy-to-install solar panels online at Amazon.com. With a 60 perfect annual growth of residential solar power system installations in the U.S. in 2013, the move to sell on Amazon particularly targets the do-it-yourself market. Andalay Solar offers grid-tied AC solar system kits either with 4 panels or with 1, making it quick and easy for go-getting DIYers to customize the size of their solar power system by simply purchasing then tying together the amount of kits necessary to fit their roofs. Furthermore, Andalay’s kits allow for DIYers to install a renewable energy system at a lower cost than a third-party installer.
- China Ming Yang Wind Power has announced its subsidiary, Jiangsu Mingyang Wind Power Technology Limited, has been approved by Rudong Energy Bureau in Jiangsu Province, China, to exclusively develop and operate a 300MW off-shore wind power project off the coast of Rudong in Jiangsu Province, China, subject to certain conditions.
Spider ST Solar Roof Mount System Seeing Success
Patriot Solar Group (PSG) has announced they are seeing success with their recently launched Spider ST roof mount system. The Spider ST is a polypropylene polymer-based roof mount for commercial flat roof applications. Because of its design and ease of use, the company says it offers solar installers unique cost saving features.
Although mounting systems are defined as “hardware costs,” the the company says Spider ST reduces soft costs, which account for a large percentage of installed system costs for roof-top solar projects.
Patriot Solar Group explains its “snap together” design requires no tools for assembly and comes standard with integrated grounding – significantly lowering associated mechanical and electrical labor. The design to build process is shortened due to zero roof penetrations and lighter roof loading because of its airfoil wind deflector design.
“Projects are getting financed quicker and more easily because of our extensive research data, wind tunnel testing and UL 2703 compliance – thus further reducing associated soft costs,” said Jeff Mathie, president of Patriot Solar Group, “Developers, building owners, roof manufacturers and financiers feel very comfortable using the Spider ST and we are seeing a stronger market acceptance towards polymer based materials for racking.”
Summer Means No E15
It’s summer vacation time for 15% ethanol blends but not by choice.
“The Environmental Protection Agency’s outdated interpretation of Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) regulations is preventing the sale of E15 in most of the country during the busy summer driving season, adding billions to travelers’ fuel costs,” said American Coalition for Ethanol senior vice president Ron Lamberty. By unnecessarily limiting the sale of E15 to only flex-fuel vehicle (FFV) owners from June 1 to September 15
in areas where most gasoline is used, Lamberty says EPA is effectively requiring drivers to purchase lower octane fuel for 5 to 40 cents.
Iowa leads the nation with 20 registered E15 stations and Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Managing Director Lucy Norton says they have to shut down the pumps in the summertime. “If oil refiners chose to ship gasoline with the proper vapor pressure into our state, Iowa motorists could have expanded access to cleaner-burning, lower-cost E15 year-round, instead of it being temporarily restricted to only flex-fuel vehicles during the summer,” said Norton.
The Iowa legislature passed legislation to help ease costs Iowa retailers may incur when obtaining gasoline suitable for blending with 15 percent ethanol during the summer months. Under the legislation, Iowa’s E15 retailer tax credit to 10 cents from June 1 to September 15, up from the three cents it is the rest of the year.
“Ironically, E15 has a lower RVP than the fuel 95% of drivers are using, so EPA’s unwillingness to change a 25 year-old regulation effectively mandates higher evaporative emissions and higher prices during the busiest driving season of the year,” said Lamberty.
Best Way to Curb Harmful Emissions? Restore the RFS.
The renewable fuels industry has not weighed in much on the debate surrounding the recent unveiling of the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed regulation: Clean Power Plan. The proposed mandate, that is now open for comment, would reduce power plant emissions by 30 percent by 2030 using 2005 levels. According to Brian Jennings, executive vice president for the American 
Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), while acknowledging the ambitions rule to limit GHG emissions from power plants, it must be noted that the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) has been successfully reducing GHG emissions from the transportation sector since 2007 when the legislation was enacted.
Jennings said that in 2013 alone, the use of biofuels cut 38 million metric tons of GHG emissions from the transportation sector – the equivalent of the emissions from removing 8 million cars on the road or permanently parking every motor vehicle in Florida. “In other words, the RFS is the strongest and most successful law ever enacted to reduce dangerous GHG emissions from transportation fuels,” said Jennings.
“If the Administration is serious about using the Clean Air Act to implement a broad-based effort to reduce GHGs across various sectors, the best and most important way to do that is to ensure that the RFS works as intended to drive higher usage of renewable fuels versus how EPA has proposed to reduce the RFS for 2014,” continued Jennings. “EPA’s current RFS proposal sets a dangerous precedent by letting oil companies off the hook when it comes to compliance with Clean Air Act GHG standards for transportation fuel. If the Administration expects power plants to comply with this new proposal by curbing their emissions, how can it let oil companies shirk responsibility for complying with the Clean Air Act RFS provision by refusing to allow consumer access to higher blends of ethanol?”
BioEnergy Bytes
- The Green Power Academy has released a new training course calendar that includes 25 new courses. One popular class is the Renewable Energy Mini-MBA. In addition, there are multiple courses about bioenergy and bioproducts, solar energy, wind energy, geothermal, clean technologies and project business & finance planning. Click here to get details on all the courses.
- The Fuels America Coalition has sponsored Politico’s Morning Energy for the second week in a row, underscoring that gutting the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) would pose an enormous threat to America’s emerging cellulosic ethanol and advanced biofuel industry. “Caving to oil industry pressure and reducing the market for renewable fuels would undercut the industry’s ability to make investments in advanced biofuels,” the advertisement pointed pointed out. “Especially if the administration’s rationale for the reduction is the fact that the oil industry is refusing to provide the infrastructure to sell renewable fuels in spite of a law requiring them to do so.”
- Royal DSM has announced that it has joined the Solliance CIGS Research program. It has entered into a 3-year agreement to participate in this alliance that focuses on developing new solutions for solar modules. DSM is already developing proprietary innovative materials for the solar industry to increase module efficiencies to lower the cost of the energy produced, allowing for a further penetration of solar energy. Solliance is an alliance of TNO, TU/e, Holst Centre, ECN, imec and Forschungszentrum Jülich for research and development in the field of thin film photovoltaic solar energy (PV) in the ELAT-region (Eindhoven-Leuven-Aachen triangle).
- AMSC, a global solutions provider serving wind and power grid industry leaders, has announced that it has received a $40 million order for wind turbine electrical control systems (ECS) from Inox Wind Limited, part of India’s Inox Group of Companies. AMSC expects to begin shipments under this new order during the second quarter of fiscal 2014 and expects to complete shipments during calendar year 2015. This is the sixth and largest order that AMSC has received from Inox since the company began volume production of its 2 megawatt (MW) wind turbines, which were licensed from AMSC in May 2009.
Clean Power Plan Should Give Utility Industry a Boost
Earlier this week the EPA announced a legacy proposal that would reduce carbon pollution from power plants by 30 percent below 2005 numbers. While much of the response from organizations was positive, may associations believe the proposed Clean Power Plan regulation will harm rural areas, not help.
According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, the reduction in carbon will lead to higher energy prices; but not only would farmers face higher prices for electricity, but any energy-related input such as fertilizer. They also claim rural electric cooperatives that rely on old coal plants for cheap electricity would be hit especially hit hard.
“U.S. agriculture will pay more for energy and fertilizer under this plan, but the harm won’t stop there,” American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman said. “Effects will especially hit home in rural America.”
Yet according to Lux Research, the Clean Power Plan have noted that while the proposed regulation has spurred furious debate, what is missing from the conversation it the role of innovation. The firm said these rules can help spur innovation that will make it easier for the world to reduce its emissions.
The new EPA rules are unlikely to have a dramatic impact on global emissions on their own, said Lux Research, given that almost all future growth in carbon emissions will come from developing and underdeveloped countries – most notably China, which became the largest carbon emitter in 2007. Hence, much of the debate about the rules has centered on how likely they are to help induce China and other nations to agree to binding targets of their own.
“The political discussion about climate change misses a critical point; whatever their role in climate negotiations, these new rules will accelerate technology development and deployment, making it more practical and affordable for nations everywhere to reduce emissions,” said Aditya Ranade, Senior Analyst at Lux Research. “Their influence on innovation is where they will need to have the biggest impact for the world to achieve its CO2 reduction goals.”
Lux Research analysts predict that four major technology sectors will get a boost:Read More
Methes Energies’ Biodiesel Earns BQ-9000 Status
Methes Energies’ biodiesel has earned an important quality status. This company news release says it has received BQ-9000 Producer and Marketer status from the National Biodiesel Accreditation Commission (NBAC).
The National Biodiesel Accreditation Program is a cooperative and voluntary program for the accreditation of producers and marketers of biodiesel fuel called BQ-9000®. The program is a unique combination of the ASTM standard for biodiesel, ASTM D6751, and a quality systems program that includes storage, sampling, testing, blending, shipping, distribution, and fuel management practices.
Nicholas Ng, President of Methes Energies, said, “We are very proud of this achievement. There are not many companies that are both accredited as a producer and a marketer by the NBAC. Our team has done a great job over the last several months to place the company in this unique position. Both accreditations send a strong message to our clients that we take quality and processes very seriously.”
Meanwhile, in another quality note, Methes has chosen Genscape Inc. as its Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) provider for Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) verification.
Genscape’s robust program is registered with the EPA and ensures Methes Energies’ RINs will maintain a high standard for quality and reliability while providing the flexibility to offer both QAP A and QAP B RINs. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is set to implement a quality assurance program for RINs generated on biofuels produced at foreign facilities and imported into the U.S. as well as for U.S. facilities that generate their own RINs. The EPA expects the program to promote greater liquidity in the transfer and use of RINs, especially for smaller producers.
Waste Management Converts Trucks to CNG
While you might not see a garbage truck as one of the cleanest vehicles on the road, one company is trying to make sure that at least its emissions are clean. Waste Management, in a partnership with the American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest (ALAUM), the American Lung Association in Utah (ALAUT) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, converted seven diesel engine waste haulers to compressed natural gas (CNG) engines.
By switching to CNG, Waste Management is reducing over 14,000 tons of lifetime tailpipe emissions, benefitting the residential neighborhoods and schools these trucks frequently operate near. The waste haulers will reduce 47.31 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx), 2.38 tons of particulate matter (PM), 2.22 tons of hydrocarbons (HC), 10.84 tons of carbon monoxide (CO) and 13,944.49 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).
Mobile source emissions are the leading cause of outdoor air pollution. This project achieved significant emission reductions, helping the American Lung Associations mission to fight lung disease and improve lung health, said Glenn Lanham, Executive Director, American Lung Association in Utah.
In addition to helping people breathe easier, the CNG-powered vehicles beat Waste Management’s emissions reductions and fuel efficiency goals set in the company’s corporate sustainability program.
REG Completes Deal to Buy Renewable Diesel Plant
Iowa-based Renewable Energy has closed on the deal to buy all of the assets of a renewable diesel plant owner. REG was able to finalize the deal when a majority of Syntroleum shareholders voted to approve the asset sale to REG.
The assets acquired from Syntroleum include a 50% ownership interest in Dynamic Fuels, LLC, which owns a 75 million gallon per year nameplate capacity renewable diesel biorefinery located in Geismar, Louisiana. REG has a separate pending agreement with Tyson Foods, Inc. to acquire the remaining interests in Dynamic Fuels.
Most of the employees at Syntroleum’s Tulsa headquarters will join REG as part of the newly formed REG Synthetic Fuels.
“We are very pleased to bring new advanced biofuel technologies into the REG portfolio of products that will expand our biomass-based diesel business and launch us into new customer segments,” said Daniel J. Oh, Renewable Energy Group, Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer. “We welcome the newest members of our team in Tulsa to REG Synthetic Fuels.”
REG owns and operates nine active biorefineries in five states and distributes biodiesel through a national network of distribution terminals.
Verdicts in on Co-existence of Organic & GMO Crops
Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Can organic & GMO crops co-exist?”
It’s clear everyone has their own opinion on this topic. And it’s important that farmers are able to voice their opinions and farm the way they see fit. Many pollers believe that organic and GMO crops can live harmoniously on the same or neighboring farms. But cross pollination is still a fear of many. Believe what you want, but let’s not put farmers against farmers.
Our poll results:
- Yes – without legal regulation – 25%
- Yes – with legal regulation – 7%
- Yes – farmers choice to grow – 26%
- No – due to cross pollination – 30%
- No – it’s one or the other – 3%
- Don’t know – 3%
- Don’t care – 2%
- Other – 4%
Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “What do you think about the new AgWired look?”
As you can tell the ZimmComm Team has been busy changing things up a bit. Don’t worry, we are still covering everything agriculture. AgWired.com has just undergone a complete transformation on the back end and now incorporates WorldDairyDiary.com as Animal.AgWired.com and PrecisionPays.com as Precision.AgWired.com. And new features including a built in mobile app that you create on your device when you browse to AgWired.com.