Austin, Minnesota’s high school Go Green Club has dedicated the month of April to raise money for solar panels for the school. The students goal is to make their school a more environmentally-friendly place. This year, the Go Green Club’s goal is to install solar panels near their green roof. The club is nearly half way to its goal of raising $10,000. Click here to see their fundraising video and to donate to their Earth-friendly cause.- In conjunction with Washington State University Extension, USDA is co-hosting the Northwest Wood-Based Biofuels/Co-Products Conference. The conference will be April 28-30, 2014 in Seattle, Wash. The goal of the conference is to bring together the community of researchers, business leaders, government agencies, and economic development personnel to share and exchange research findings, ideas, and strategies for the common goal of sustainable development of wood-based bio-refineries for production of biofuels and co-products in the Pacific Northwest.
- Yingli Green Energy has announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Yingli Energy (China) Company Limited has signed a cooperation agreement with Shanghai Sailing Capital Management Co., Ltd. to jointly form a renewable energy fund in Shanghai with an aim to invest in downstream solar energy projects in China. The Fund will have an initial size of approximately RMB1 billion. The fund is expected to invest primarily in Yingli Green Energy’s solar PV projects through various portfolios.
- Crius Energy LLC has announced the launch of a new stand alone solar brand, Citra Solar, to focus on capturing value in the fast-growing solar sector and complement the company’s portfolio of energy brands, product offerings and distribution channels. Initially, Citra Solar services will be offered to customers of Frontier Communications, a strategic marketing partner of Crius Energy.
Renewable Electricity Could Reach 16% In Five Years
According to an early release review of the Annual Energy Outlook 2014 (the final report is slated for release on April 30th) published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), renewable energy could hit 16 percent of the net U.S. electrical generation by the year 2040. This includes biomass, geothermal, hydropower, solar and wind. But the SUN DAY Campaign challenges these predictions by asserting this could happen in the next five years.
When reviewing EIA’s own published data for the 11-year period January 1, 2003 through December 31, 2013 revealed that the percentage of the nation’s net electrical generation 
represented by renewable energy has expanded from less than 9 percent in 2004 to nearly 13 percent in 2013. Given the relatively consistent growth trends of the past decade or longer for most renewable energy sources and their rapidly declining costs, it seems improbable that it will require another 27 years to grow from 13 percent to 16 percent according to SUN DAY Campaign. Thus, EIA’s forecast is not just unduly conservative; almost certainly, it is simply wrong.
If the trends reflected in EIA data from the past decade continue, cite the SUN DAY campaign, renewable energy sources could increase to as much as 13.5 percent of net U.S. electrical generation in 2014, to 14.4 percent in 2015, to 15.3 percent in 2016, and reach or exceed 16.0 percent no later than 2018 — i.e., within five years and not the 27 years forecast by EIA. At worst, they would reach 16 percent by 2020.
“Inasmuch as policy makers in both the public and private sectors – as well as the media and others – rely heavily upon EIA data when making legislative, regulatory, investment, and other decisions, underestimation can have multiple adverse impacts on the renewable energy industry and, more broadly, on the nation’s environmental and energy future,” noted Ken Bossong, executive director of the SUN DAY Campaign. “Consequently, EIA is doing a serious disservice to the public by publishing analyses that are inherently inconsistent with its own historical data and near-term projections.”
The SUN DAY Campaign has published its own full 32-page report that includes the assumptions and projections made, on a technology-by-technology basis, using EIA data. In addition, following the projections provided for each technology is a listing of recent studies and news reports that offer alternative or complementary scenarios – many of which are more aggressive than those provided by the SUN DAY Campaign. These additional studies suggest that even SUN DAY’s analysis may prove to be unduly conservative.
May the Force (of Biodiesel) Be With You
Not so long, long ago, in a galaxy not very far, far away, a man dreamed of a owning a Millenium Falcon… powered by biodiesel! You can help make this Star Wars-themed dream come true, as author and filmmaker Luis Aponte has launched a crowd funding project on Indiegogo to build a Millennium Falcon Spaceship Car and have it run on the green fuel.
During an Earth Day presentation about creative alternative fuels at Okeeheelee Nature Center in West Palm Beach, FL, Aponte said of the project, “The United States currently consumes one out of every five barrels of oil produced in the world. In order to establish and protect our energy independence, what better way to inspire kids to think about the future of cars and alternative fuels than by building a Millennium Falcon Spaceship Car that will run on biodiesel?” Crowd funding support will allow Aponte to have the Star Wars-influenced car built in nine months and ready to travel when his children’s book is published next year.
In addition to helping promote biodiesel, fans will be able to pick the book tour locations, as well as what chapters will be included in the children’s book. The goal is to inspire children to think about the future of alternative cars and fuels by touring the Star Wars Millennium Falcon spaceship car and his children’s book across the country. If you want to contribute and be part of the project, you can either donate to your local droid (although these are NOT the droids you’re looking for), or, better yet, click here.
No word if it will be free of Chewbacca hair.
REG Sells One Billion Gallons of Biodiesel
Congratulations to our friends at Renewable Energy Group, Inc., as they have sold one billion gallons of biodiesel! The Iowa-based biodiesel behemoth thanked a lot of people who helped them reach this milestone of the company’s 17-year history.
“On behalf of the board of directors and employees of REG, I want to say thank you to all of our customers; vendors; investors; federal, state and local supporters; partners; and team members over the years without whom we could never have met this milestone,” said Daniel J. Oh, REG President and Chief Executive Officer.
“Since our inception we have endeavored to provide customers with a reliable and durable product that helps diversify the energy complex and increases energy security, improves our environment, and supports agriculture,” Oh said. “Our desire to continuously deliver quality products is a driving force behind REG reaching the billion gallon mark.”
REG officials credit their fully integrated value chain including manufacturing, sales & marketing, and supply chain management capabilities for the success, as well as a commitment to research and development and continuous improvement.
For those who might not know, REG’s roots come from its days when it was producing biodiesel as the West Central Coop in Ralston, Iowa. As a grad of good ol’ Glidden-Ralston (probably the BEST school in all of Western Iowa), I can tell you it’s no surprise of the success REG has become. Congrats, guys!
CSR Looks to Convert Used Railroad Ties to Biofuels
The Coalition for Sustainable Rail (CSR) has announced a new initiative to review the feasibility of “upcycling” used railroad ties into advanced biofuels. The research project is funded by a grant from the Indiana Rail Road (INRD). Working with the Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) of the University of Minnesota – Duluth, CSR aims to determine the viability of converting some of the 15 million ties replaced by U.S. railroads each year into a clean-burning coal alternative.
“CSR is thrilled to have the support of the Indiana Rail Road on this important, potentially historic opportunity,” said CSR President, Davidson Ward. “INRD is dedicated to innovation and technology, and its investment in our primary research is an inspiration to the entire team.”
Using a biomass processing technique known as torrefaction, the researchers at NRRI and CSR will convert the structure of used railroad ties, primarily made from hardwood species, into a clean, renewable, homogeneous, and densifiable biofuel. The final result is anticipated to be a pelletized biofuel that can be used in power plants. However, the biofuel will first powe CSR’s test bed steam locomotive, the Santa Fe Railway’s 1937-built No. 3463.
“As the son of a Santa Fe dispatcher and a lifelong student of that railway, I’m intrigued in CSR’s desire to rebuild and modernize such an innovative piece of technology as the 3463, and especially NRRI and CSR’s pursuit of energy, fuel and transportation development,” said INRD President and Chief Executive Officer, Thomas G. Hoback. “This important research impacts not only the future of energy in the U.S., but it honors the tradition of American innovation, from the reconstruction and modernization of an iconic steam locomotive to the biofuel development associated with our donation.”
This initial investigation aims to identify any hurdles involved with the conversion of railroad ties to fuel, including the handling of wood preservatives found in railroad ties. CSR will make results of the research known through its “White Paper Program“.
Hoback concluded, “This is something that I believe could lead to a key development in the future of the railroad industry. It is important to take pride in the history of where we’ve been, and the unique melding of research with preserving history, as championed by CSR, is a great way to honor the legacy of the Santa Fe.”
BioEnergy Bytes
Growth Energy, the leading coalition of U.S. ethanol supporters, welcomed Three Rivers Energy, LLC as its newest member, bringing total plant membership to 83, with another 85 associate members. Three Rivers Energy is located in Coshocton, Ohio.- The 2014 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo, the ethanol industry’s largest conference, released its agenda featuring more than 140 speakers and four comprehensive tracks. Now in its 30th year, the FEW is taking place June 9-12, 2014 at the Indiana Convention Center. Registration is open.
- Kyocera has announced plans to invest in a tax equity partnership for the development of solar photovoltaic (PV) projects valued at $38 million in New York state, leveraging the 30% federal energy investment tax credit. As part of the investment, Kyocera has also entered into an agreement with U.S. Light Energy to utilize high-quality, dependable Kyocera solar modules on all installations. USLE (formerly New York Light Energy) is in the final stages of installing 9.4 megawatts (MWDC) of PV systems, with the expectation that the installations will be completed by June 2014.
- Plug Power Inc. has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Hyundai Hysco Co. Ltd. (Hysco), to create a joint venture partnership to develop and sell hydrogen fuel cells in countries throughout Asia using Hysco’s advanced stack and plate technology. Specifically, the proposed five-year joint venture will develop, manufacture and sell fuel cell solutions, products and stacks for applications in Asian markets. Under the terms of the MOU, the companies must finalize the details of the joint venture by July 31, 2014.
10 Reasons to Transition to Sustainable Fuels
This week is Earth week and Advanced Biofuels USA is asking and answering the question, “Why Transition to Sustainable Renewable Fuels? The organization has published 10 reasons why the country should transition to renewable fuels in a handy handout for use by civic organizations, church stewardship groups, teachers, environmental groups and any and all who are interested in renewable transportation energy.
“By publishing this easy-to-understand handout, we are furthering this educational nonprofit’s mission to promote understanding, development and use of advanced biofuels,” said Executive Director, Joanne Ivancic.
The idea came from an honors presentation by biology major Agatha Macairan, an intern from Hood College based in Frederick, Maryland, explained Ivancic. Macairan has been working on an article about why we can’t already buy 100 percent sustainable renewable fuels for all our transportation needs and admitted to struggling with the complexities involved in answering the question so we began to look for a way to simplify the issue.
“So, working together, we came up with these 10 excellent reasons based on her work, her discussions with friends and our additional observations. Instead of asking ‘why can’t we?’ we pose the question ‘why should we?'” added Ivancic.
Why Transition to Sustainable Renewable Fuels?
- Climate Change –Recycle carbon. Don’t release “new” carbon from its underground storage.
- Energy Security – Peak Oil. We need to prepare for when oil runs out.
- Health Benefits – Ethanol can replace carcinogenic aromatics, and substantially reduce harmful emissions.
- More Efficient Engines Require Biofuels – Higher octane, higher ethanol transportation fuels. Engine manufacturers can maximize the efficiency of smaller, more efficient engines that utilize high combustion pressures and take advantage of other useful properties of ethanol. Cleaner, lower maintenance jet engines with renewable jetfuel. Less expensive maintenance for biodiesel hybrid buses.
- Environmental Benefits – Avoid deep water drilling oil spills, destruction of habitat from tar sands or fracking.
- National Security – Military do not have to protect feedstock sources or transportation routes of advanced biofuels.
- Jobs – Advanced biofuel production creates local jobs in agriculture, forestry, waste management, engineering, science and biorefineries. Not to mention the jobs which support these with food, shelter and services.
- Leadership in Science and Technology– Historically, the basis of economic success. Advanced biofuels is today’s frontier.
- Keep your money at home! – Do not spend your currency on foreign energy resources.
- Not Under Someone Else’s Control – Lessen foreign energy providers’ power.
Advanced Biofuels Group Questions Corn Stover Study
A new study about the climate impact of using corn residue for biofuel production raises more questions than it answers, according to Brooke Coleman, Executive Director of the Advanced Ethanol Council (AEC).
“In reality, the study confirms what we already know; that excessive agricultural residue removal is bad for the soil and has negative impacts on climate,” said Coleman in a statement, adding that the study uses corn stover removal rates far exceeding those used in the field. “The analysis also models a one-size-fits-all approach to managing soil carbon that, by definition, ignores how farmers manage their land.”
The study at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln used a supercomputer model to estimate the effect of residue removal on 128 million acres across 12 Corn Belt states. Researchers reported that “removing crop residue from cornfields generates an additional 50 to 70 grams of carbon dioxide per megajoule of biofuel energy produced.”
Total annual production emissions, averaged over five years, would equal about 100 grams of carbon dioxide per megajoule — which is 7 percent greater than gasoline emissions and 62 grams above the 60 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as required by the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act.
“Our industry is more than willing to engage in important discussions about the climate impacts of using agricultural residues to make fuel, but the headline-chasing strategy of trying to sell extreme modeling assumptions as the norm does not facilitate that process,” commented Coleman. “If you look at the full spectrum of peer-reviewed work, cellulosic biofuel is the lowest carbon fuel in the world.”
Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen believes the study is “fundamentally flawed and its conclusions are highly suspect. The results are based on sweeping generalizations, questionable assumptions, and an opaque methodology. The authors offer no robust explanation for why their findings contradict other recent, highly regarded research. Ultimately, this paper should be seen for what it truly is – a modeling exercise of a hypothetical scenario that bears no resemblance to the real world.”
Biodiesel Producer Uses CNG to Deliver Green Fuel
This could be considered double-dipping in the realm of alternative fuels, as a pork producer is using compressed natural gas (CNG) to deliver its waste fat-to-biodiesel fuel. According to this story in The Oklahoman, High Plains Bioenergy, a subsidiary of pork producer Seaboard Foods that turns waste fat into the green fuel, is using the CNG to get the product to service stations, as well as Seaboard Foods using CNG to get its pork products to market.
“Seaboard Foods continues to investigate other opportunities to integrate CNG into our fleet operations, and we are excited about the potential for expansion in the near future,” [Seaboard Foods CEO Terry Holton] said.
High Plains has contracted with TruStar Energy to build a large fast-fill CNG station in Guymon. The dual-compression station will be configured to serve a wide array of trucks that Seaboard and its subsidiaries use to move their products.
It will be California-based TruStar’s first fueling station in Oklahoma, but it has built more than 60 stations throughout the country since 2008.
“Building this station for High Plains Bioenergy and Seaboard Foods is very exciting to us at TruStar Energy because we’re working with another company with a strong commitment to renewable energy,” TruStar Vice President Scott Edelbach said.
Seaboard officials add that are putting together a database of fueling stations so they can work CNG trucks into their nationwide distribution network.
Spring is running late
Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Has spring sprung for you yet?”
It looks like many across the nation are still shoveling snow. Good thing Easter weekend looks warmer for most. Here in Missouri the Dogwoods are in full bloom and the grass is getting greener by the day.
Our poll results:
- Still snow on the ground – 27%
- Still too cold – 24%
- Seeing positive signs – 18%
- Late spring for sure – 15%
- Same as normal – 3%
- Too wet – 9%
- Too dry – 3%
Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “What’s your favorite use for Easter eggs?”
The incredible edible egg is in the spotlight this time of the year, but what do you do with all those hard boiled, multi-colored eggs on Monday? Eat them, toss them or watch them rot?