Cape Wind Secures Another Legal Victory

Joanna Schroeder

Cape Wind has won another legal battle. Once completed, the project will be the first offshore wind farm in U.S waters. Federal Judge Richard Stearns dismissed the lawsuit that challenged Cape Wind’s Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with NSTAR. The District Court’s decision rejected all claims against the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, NSTAR and Cape Wind.

Judge Stearns noted in his decision that the lawsuit would violate the 11th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States that gives states immunity from being sued for past actions in Federal Court. Judge Stearns also rejected the premise of the opponents’ lawsuit: “The allegation that DPU dictated that NSTAR procure power from Cape Wind at a specified price is misleading and ultimately untrue.” While Judge Stearns identified the 11th Amendment as sufficient grounsplash_picds to dismiss the lawsuit, he noted it could also have been dismissed on various other grounds.

Judge Stearns concluded his Decision by observing: “But in this case, the Governor, the Legislature, the relevant public agencies, and numerous courts have reviewed and approved the project and the PPA with NSTAR and have done so according to and within the confines of the law. There comes a point at which the right to litigate can become a vexatious abuse of the democratic process. For that reason, I have dealt with this matter as expeditiously as possible.”

Cape Wind President Jim Gordon said, “This important legal victory provides further momentum for Cape Wind to secure project financing and produce the energy, economic and environmental benefits to the region and the United States by launching a domestic offshore wind industry.”

Bill Koch, Chairman and largest funder of the opposition group, and a coal and petroleum coke billionaire, has stated publicly that his organization’s strategy is “delay, delay, delay” and to try to use the courts to serve his strategy. Taxpayers have had to bear a considerable cost of staff time at agencies and courts defending against Koch’s litigation.Read More

offshore wind, Renewable Energy

EIA Report: Solar Making Large Gains

John Davis

eiaThe latest Short-Term Energy Outlook from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows that the growth of solar power will continue to make good gains. EIA Administrator Adam Sieminski made the following comments in the May report:

Renewables:“U.S. solar-electric generation capacity has increased significantly in the last four years. EIA expects continued robust growth in solar electricity generation. EIA currently expects that utility-scale solar capacity will increase by over 50% between 2013 and 2015, with utility-scale solar providing about one half of 1% of total electricity generation in 2015. Growth in customer-sited solar capacity is expected to exceed utility-scale solar growth over this same period. Customer-sited units provide most of the nation’s solar power.”

Meanwhile, underground storage of natural gas supplies remains well below average but is expected to rebound through the summer and fall.

The report has some good news for drivers as well. Record U.S. crude oil inventories are expected to help push down gasoline prices by as much as 20 cents per gallon by September.

Government, Natural Gas, Solar

EPA Chief Explains RFS Proposal

Cindy Zimmerman

epa-mccarthyThe administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency explained her agency’s proposal to lower the volume requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) to members of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting meeting in Washington DC this week.

“Let me begin by reiterating that this administration sees renewable fuels as a big part of our way to adapt to climate change,” said Gina McCarthy. “I also know that it helps to provide some certainty in the rural economy and to create jobs.”

McCarthy explained that she went through the “gestation period” of renewable fuels. “It was my job to get the Renewable Fuel Standard originally done,” she said. “We were significantly challenged this year because of the high increase in the numbers in the statute and what we believed an inability to get all of the ethanol into the system and usable” which was why she said they “took a re-look at the numbers.”

She says they know “that re-look was not appreciated” by the agriculture community and others, but that’s why they are considering the comments received on the proposal very carefully. “I think you will see those comments reflected in the final rule,” she concluded.

Listen to McCarthy’s comments here: McCarthy RFS comments to farm broadcasters

Audio, EPA, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government, RFS

Biodiesel Board Praises Denial of RFS Challenge

John Davis

nbb-logoThe National Biodiesel Board (NBB) joined the chorus of biofuel groups happy with the decision handed down by the District of Columbia Circuit Court rejecting a petition filed by Monroe Energy, LLC that challenged the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2013 Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS).

“The court’s decision today is only the latest in a long series of cases in which the courts have found that the RFS is a fair and reasonable program for achieving our national energy objectives, including promoting more Advanced Biofuel such as biodiesel. The bottom line is that there was more than enough EPA-designated Advanced Biofuel available last year to meet the standards.

The RFS is working, and we strongly encourage the petroleum industry to get on board. There is plenty of room for fossil fuels and renewable fuels in the United States, and consumers will be better off with a choice.” – Anne Steckel, vice president of federal affairs for the National Biodiesel Board.

The court rejected Monroe’s arguments that the 2013 standards were invalid because the EPA was late in finalizing the volumes, and that the EPA should have reduced overall and Advanced Biofuel volume requirements when it reduced cellulosic ethanol volumes last year.

Biodiesel, NBB

Ag Secretary Blames Oil Industry for RFS Attacks

Cindy Zimmerman

vilsack-nafbDuring a meeting with members of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting on Tuesday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack had strong words for the oil industry and its attacks on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

“The oil industry has made a concerted, organized, well-financed attack on the Renewable Fuel Standard,” said Vilsack when asked about the EPA’s proposal to lower volume requirements for the RFS. “A lot of focus has been on the EPA and the administration, but it is the oil industry that has gone to court to try to limit the impact of the RFS. It is the oil industry that has gone to Capitol Hill to try to insert in appropriations bills and other bills an elimination or curtailment or restriction of the Renewable Fuel Standard.”

“It’s the oil industry working in concert with others that’s made it very difficult to expand higher blend availability,” the secretary continued. “So, what the EPA is doing I think is responding to the need to make sure that there is a strong, defensible RFS.” Vilsack says USDA shares that desire with the EPA. “Because there is no question there is a concerted attack and it is well-financed – and there is no question where the money is coming from.”

Listen to Vilsack’s comments here: Vilsack RFS comments to farm broadcasters

Thanks to Gary Cooper, AgNet West, for providing the audio.

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFS, USDA

USDA Announces REAP Funding

Joanna Schroeder

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that the agency is seeking applications from rural small businesses and agricultural producers for funding to make energy efficiency improvements or to install renewable energy systems. The funding announced today is being provided through USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).

“Developing renewable energy presents an enormous economic opportunity for rural America,” Vilsack said. “This funding will help farmers, ranchers and rural small business owners incorporate renewable energy and energy efficiency technology into their operations, create jobs and help America become more energy independent. When small rural businesses and farmers cut their energy costs with cleaner and more efficient energy, we are both helping their bottom lines and reducing the amount of greenhouse gas pollution that affects our climate.”

USDA Reap ProgramAccording to the USDA, investments from programs like REAP help support the true engine of America’s economic growth – a thriving middle class. REAP is one of many USDA programs and initiatives to support an expanded domestic energy economy. In addition to helping to increase renewable energy production, USDA makes investments in the bioeconomy, provides support for the emerging biobased products industry, supports new technologies, and supports energy efficiency improvements.

REAP funding has helped farmers expand renewable energy use in recent years. The new Census of Agriculture shows the number of farms utilizing renewable energy production has doubled in the last five years. More than 57,000 farms reported using a renewable energy system in 2012, while 23,451 operations reported doing so in 2007. Solar panels accounted for 63 percent of renewable energy systems on farms, with 36,331 farms reporting their use.

Created by the 2008 Farm Bill, REAP was reauthorized by the recently passed 2014 Farm Bill. For fiscal year (FY) 2014, USDA plans to award up to $12.3 million in grants and $57.8 million in loan guarantees. Additional REAP funds provided by the Farm Bill will be made available with a subsequent notice.

USDA is accepting applications for:

  • Renewable energy system and energy efficiency improvement loan guarantee and grant combinations;
  • Renewable energy system and energy efficiency improvement loan guarantees; and
  • Renewable energy system and energy efficiency improvement grants.
  • Requests for grants may not exceed 25 percent of a project’s cost – either for stand-alone grant requests or for grants combined with loan guarantees.
Agribusiness, energy efficiency, Renewable Energy

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFAgriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced funding for projects in 18 states to improve electric service to business and residential consumers in rural areas. The $540 million in loan guarantees to fund these projects are made available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) rural utilities program. They include more than $35 million for smart grid projects to improve rural electric system communications technology.
  • New speakers have been announced for Hydropower Development: Europe 2014 Summit, taking place in Porto (Portugal) on September 17-18, 2014. Speakers include: Klaus Krüger, Head of R&D, Voith Hydro; Michael Detering, Head of Asset Management Hydro, RWE Innogy; Hendrik Eden, Head of Asset Management International, RWE Innogy; and Tor Inge Akselsen, SVP International Affairs, Statnett. Attendees can also sign up to tour Energias de Portugal – edp Alto Lindoso power plant.
  • Orion Energy Systems has been selected as a finalist in the Innovative category for the 2014 Star of Energy Efficiency Awards for its breakthrough energy efficient LED troffer retrofit technology (LDR) that is completely assembled within the frame and reuses the original existing troffer housing. The Alliance to Save Energy ‘Star of Energy Efficiency Awards’ are bestowed upon companies that have demonstrated a significant and tangible commitment to the cause of energy efficiency and recognizes an emerging technology that has the potential to transform the energy efficiency market.
  • According to the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Today in Energy, U.S. imports of sugarcane ethanol from Brazil fell by 40% last year, to 242 million gallons. Because Brazil is the largest source of ethanol imports into the United States, this drop led the United States to be a net exporter of the product for the year. Export volumes of corn-based ethanol to Brazil declined, but were more than offset by higher export volumes to Canada and a number of other countries. Although the net level has varied from month to month, since 2011 the United States has both imported ethanol from and exported ethanol to Brazil.
Bioenergy Bytes

Biofuel Groups Welcome Court’s RFS Decision

Joanna Schroeder

Biofuel groups are happy today with the decision handed down by the District of Columbia Circuit Court rejecting a petition filed by Monroe Energy, LLC that challenged the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2013 Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS). Several biofuel organizations intervened in the case including the Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy and the Biotechnology Industry Organization.

logo-dc-circuit-of-appealsAfter EPA reduced the cellulosic biofuel volume for 2013, Monroe Energy challenged EPA’s decision not to reduce the renewable fuel and advanced biofuel volumes by the same or a lesser amount. The Court rejected Monroe Energy’s argument that EPA’s decision served no “statutory purpose,” and reaffirmed Congress’s directive that EPA ensure that U.S. transportation fuel contains at least the volumes provided in the statute. The Court also rejected Monroe Energy’s attempts to revisit decisions about the RFS program that EPA made in earlier years, stating that “the time to challenge that decision has passed.”

The biofuel groups said that today’s decision is a victory for American consumers, renewable fuel advocates, and the RFS program. Once again, they note, the Court has rejected attempts of the anti-biofuel parties to undermine the RFS in court. The RFS is arguably the nation’s most effective energy policy. It has spurred the development of a domestic biofuels industry that is creating hundreds of thousands of jobs that cannot be outsourced. In addition, it is providing environmental benefits, helping to decrease the nation’s reliance on imported oil, and reducing prices at the pump, as Congress intended.

BIO, biofuels, EPA, Ethanol, Growth Energy, RFA, RFS

Iowans Increase Use of Higher Blends of Renewables

Joanna Schroeder

New data from the Iowa Department of Revenue shows major growth in the use of Iowa Dept of Revenue Logohigher-level blends of ethanol and biodiesel in 2013. The report showed 2013 sales of pure biodiesel (B100) increased 24 percent over 2012, setting a new record of 28.9 million gallons. Biodiesel also saw a 21 percent increase in blended gallons sold, with immense growth in B10 (a fuel blend containing 10 percent biodiesel). Sales of B10 increased by nearly 121 percent, from 32.8 million gallons sold in 2012 to more than 72.4 million gallons sold in 2013. Nearly half of the diesel sold in Iowa is now blended with biodiesel.

The report also showed sales of mid-level ethanol blends, from E15 to E69, increased more than 158 percent in 2013, totaling more than 5.4 million gallons sold. Sales of E85 also hit an all-time high with more than 11.1 million gallons sold, an increase of 18 percent over 2012.

“Iowa motorists and retailers showed a serious commitment to higher-level ethanol and biodiesel blends in 2013,” said Monte Shaw, Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) executive director. “The biodiesel sector realized the most growth, with retail locations moving away from low-level blends like B2 to offer consumers B5, B10, and B20. This shows biodiesel is a proven, high-quality fuel and consumers will choose it when offered.”

Shaw added, “Across the board increases in the use of ethanol blends above E10 prove, despite the petroleum industry’s well-funded scare campaign, consumers prefer low-cost, homegrown ethanol. The EPA’s proposal to slash 2014 targets under the Renewable Fuel Standard would be detrimental to the great progress we’ve made improving air quality and increasing our energy security through domestically produced, less expensive ethanol and biodiesel blends.”

Biodiesel, biofuels, blends, Ethanol, Iowa RFA

SolarEdge Solar Array Completed at Challenger Site

Joanna Schroeder

Bouygues Construction has completed the installation of 2.5 MWs of PV modules at the Challenger site near Versailles, France. Several key technological components of the solar project, including inverters and power optimizers, was from SolarEdge, selected, said Bouygues Construction, for their 20 percent increase in energy yield.

“Bouygues Construction was looking, on the one hand, for technology that would make PV installation safe by allowing the immediate shutdown of energy production on demand, and Challenger 2on the other hand, technology that would simplify maintenance by allowing a faulty PV module to be easily pinpointed,” said Phillippe Metgès, Director of the Center for General Affairs at Bouygues S.A. “This is the reason we chose SolarEdge power optimizers. In addition, SolarEdge technology increases our installation’s yield.”

Bouygues Construction installed six SolarEdge firefighter gateways, which are designed to enable firefighters to immediately stop energy production including decreasing the system voltage to safe DC levels, either manually through an emergency stop button or automatically through a Fire Alarm Control Panel System.

On a total surface of 25,000 m2, the Challenger’s PV installation consists of ground-mounted and roof-mounted sections. With 12,180 SolarEdge power optimizers and 202 SolarEdge inverters optimizing part of the installation, the system is expected to produce a simulated 2,500 MWh annually. The fixed-string voltage in SolarEdge technology allows an increase in the number of modules per string of at least 43 percent compared to a traditional inverter, according to SolarEdge.

“SolarEdge technology is becoming a standard feature in commercial systems because it improves the bottom line of large projects,” stated Lior Handelsman, VP Marketing & Product Strategy SolarEdge. “Being selected by Bouygues Construction, a leader in its field, demonstrates the growing trend to use module-level optimization in large PV systems in order to protect these significant investments.”

International, Renewable Energy, Solar