REG Making $13.2 Million Upgrade to Biodiesel Plant

John Davis

REG LogoRenewable Energy Group, Inc. (REG) is making a $13.2 million improvement to one of its Iowa biodiesel plants. The Ames, Iowa-based biodiesel giant, already the country’s biggest producer of the green fuel, broke ground on the improvements at its Newton biodiesel refinery.

“This investment shows our continuing confidence in biodiesel for the long-term,” said Daniel J. Oh, President and CEO of Renewable Energy Group, Inc. “It furthers our efforts to enhance our lower-cost, multi-feedstock biodiesel business by continuing to broaden our customer base and provide more options for our customers to choose from.”

The upgraded process, including distillation, removes impurities and leaves behind the purest form of the fuel. The final product far exceeds quality standards set by the biodiesel industry, while meeting the company’s more rigorous REG-9000® quality specifications.

“This is a great investment for Newton,” [Iowa Rep. Dan] Kelley said. “I couldn’t be more pleased with the commitment that REG is showing our community. Biodiesel production is important to Iowa. By making biodiesel here in Newton, REG is providing quality jobs while contributing to energy security.”

REG officials added the upgrade allows them to use lower-cost raw materials. REG is already North America’s leading biodiesel producer, with eight active refineries in four states that have a combined nameplate production capacity of 257 million gallons.

Biodiesel, REG

We Have A Farm Bill!

Joanna Schroeder

baby-farm-billToday the U.S. Senate voted 68-32 to pass the 2014 farm bill after years of work by both Agriculture Committees. The House passed its version of a conference bill Jan. 29, and now the farm bill goes to President Obama’s desk.

The President is expected to sign the bill into law. The Agricultural Act of 2014 expands bio-energy production, supporting non-food based advanced biomass energy production such as cellulosic ethanol and woody biomass power. Specifically, the new Farm Bill funds biomass initiatives for the next five years:

  • Bio-Based Markets for $3 million per year
  • Biomass Research and Development for $3 million per year
  • Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical and Bio-Based Product Manufacturing Assistance Program for $100 million in 2014 and $50 million in 2015 and 2016
  • Biomass Crop Assistance Program for $25 million per year
  • Bioenergy for Advanced Biofuels for $15 million per year

“America’s farmers are core to the innovation that’s driven down our dependence on foreign oil – and this policy will keep them doing it, said Adam Monroe, regional president of the Americas for Novozymes, a global leader in bioenzyme production. There’s already enough concern about energy policy in America with EPA’s proposed revisions to the Renewable Fuel Standard. It’s a power sign to see policy certainty surrounding the energy programs in the farm bill. We thank Congress for taking action and we urge President Obama to swiftly sign it.

Growth Energy is also supportive of the Farm Bill with CEO Tom Buis commenting, “This legislation will encourage further development in biofuels by continuing to fund essential programs such as the Biorefinery Assistance Program, Rural Energy for America Program and Biomass Crop Assistance Program.

“The bottom line is that this bill helps create jobs in rural America and advances first and next generation biofuel production that will help improve our environment and reduce our dangerous addiction to foreign oil.

Agribusiness, biofuels, farm bill

Ormat Completes Kenyan Oklaria III Geothermal Plant

Joanna Schroeder

Ormat Technologies has successfully completed construction and reached commercial operation of Plant 3 in the Olkaria III geothermal power plant complex located in Naivasha, Kenya. With Plant 3 online, the complex’s total generation capacity has increased to 110 MW. The power generated by the Olkaria III is sold under a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Kenya Power and Lighting Company Limited (KPLC).

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThe Olkaria III complex was financed with a $310 million debt facility provided by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). In November 2013, Ormat drew down the remaining $45 million available under the project finance debt facility for the completion of Plant 3.

“Olkaria III is a prime example of our multi-stage approach to project development generating higher investment returns and reducing risk,” said Dita Bronicki, chief executive officer of Ormat. “In less than one year, we’ve completed construction of two additional plants and, over the course of five years, more than doubled the facility’s generating capacity.”

Bronicki added, “Due to our operational expertise and innovative technology, we’ve accomplished that growth ahead of schedule resulting in a significant increase in revenues. As we complete this project, we remain committed to support the growing power needs of Kenya with this indigenous, reliable and environmentally friendly source of electricity. Kenya is an important market for our future growth due to its high geothermal potential and we are focusing our efforts on increasing our operation in Kenya.”

Alternative energy, Geothermal, International

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFRandy Olson, executive director of the Iowa Biodiesel Board (IBB), has resigned to take a position with the U.S. Soybean Export Council. According to Mark Cobb, a biodiesel producer and petroleum distributor who serves as IBB Chair, Olson’s efforts leave the biodiesel industry in Iowa stronger.
  • ROUSH CleanTech has hired Ford Motor Company veteran Rob Stevens as its new vice president of strategy. In this position, Stevens will spearhead future product and customer strategy.
  • CEOs from the wind industry will debate how to get ‘back to business’ in the current climate and other business leaders such as Google will discuss new opportunities at the upcoming EWEA 2014 Annual Event, March 10-13, 2014 in Barcelona Spain. Portuguese Energy Minister Moreira da Silva and IEA chief Maria van der Hoeven will speak on the opening day on 10 March. There will be a range of press activities, thirty conference sessions and an exhibition hall with hundreds of companies present.
  • Iowa Governor Terry Branstad has been named the new Vice Chairman of the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition.
Bioenergy Bytes

Louis Dreyfus Purchases ICM SMT Technology

Joanna Schroeder

Louis Dreyfus Commodities has signed a contract to purchase two Selective Milling Technologies (SMT) from ICM. The systems will be installed at Louis Dreyfus Commodities Grand Junction, LLC, located in Grand Junction, Iowa, and Elkhorn Valley Ethanol, LLC, Louis Dreyfus Commodities logolocated in Norfolk, Nebraska. According to ICM, SMT is a value-added technology that increases ethanol yield, reduces viscosity and increases oil recovery.

“Our ethanol plants are both located in areas of high feedstock production and we are committed to responsibly investing in these assets to give them further strategic advantages in the industry,” said Bruce R. Chapin, Vice President – Chief Operating Officer, North American Region for Louis Dreyfus. “We are excited to choose Selective Milling Technology as a value-added technology not only because of its proven ability to increase ethanol and oil recovery yields, but also because of the potential we see with ICM’s line of sight that builds upon the SMT platform.”

Chris Mitchell, president of ICM, Inc., said, “ICM is very pleased to continue offering SMT as a yield enhancement solution for our ethanol plant customers. SMT is ICM’s platform technology to our proprietary Fiber Separation Technology and Generation 1.5 Technology. We appreciate the opportunity to work with Louis Dreyfus Commodities, a global merchandiser of commodities and processor of agricultural goods.”

biofuels, Ethanol, technology

Marathon Buying Ohio Biodiesel Plant

John Davis

marathonBig oil producer Marathon Petroleum Corp. is buying an Ohio biodiesel plant. This company news release says Marathon has agreed to buy the 60 million gallon per year Felda Iffco facility in Cincinnati

“MPC has been a producer and large blender of ethanol for many years, and this acquisition will broaden our renewable fuels portfolio with a quality asset,” said Mike Palmer, senior vice president of supply distribution and planning. “We continue to grow our biodiesel blending volumes and this acquisition will be a natural value chain fit. Also, the facility is located in the heart of MPC’s Midwest assets, providing efficiencies in our product supply logistics.”

The deal is expected to be finalized in April. No details were disclosed.

Biodiesel

Microorganism for Waste-to-Biodiesel Patented

John Davis

neol1A Spanish company has patented a microorganism that will help produce biodiesel from organic waste. Neol announced its patent on Neoleum, a microorganism that will produce oils for industrial use.

Obtained oils are highly versatile and their composition makes them ideal raw material for the production of biofuels such as biodiesel and biokerosene or for other industrial application such as biolubricants, surfactants …

Neoleum™ presents a significant advantage as it is extremely productive; with a one cubic meter bioreactor it is obtained the same oil as in one hectare of oil palm. This translates into environmental, economic and social benefits, in that food resources are not used for the production of energy and waste is managed in a more suitable way.

Neol officials went on to say this transformation process of industrial waste is called bioconversion and marks “a turning point in the production of second generation biofuels.”

Biodiesel

Princeton Power, EnStorage Awarded BIRD Grant

Joanna Schroeder

Princeton Power Systems and EnStorage have been awarded a $950,000 grant from the Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation (BIRD). The grant will support the commercialization and deployment of an energy storage system based on EnStorage’s proprietary hydrogen bromide (HBr) flow battery and Princeton Power Systems’ inverters and site controller. The first system will be deployed to support a photovoltaic (PV) installation and would be able to support the grid for at least six hours per day for a minBIRD winner logosimum of 20 years.

“The BIRD Foundation grant will enable our companies to develop a comprehensive solution for PV installations and various other applications,” said Marshall Cohen, Chairman of Princeton Power Systems. “We aim to develop inverters as well as software for EnStorage’s HBr technology to add to our long-term energy-storage offering.”

The commercial system will be a 150kW/900kWH containerized system, to be based on EnStorage’s grid connected 50kW/100kWH technology demonstrator.

“Our partnership with Princeton Power Systems will allow us to expedite the commercialization of our technology,” said Arnon Blum, CEO of EnStorage. “The ability to deploy our battery at a customer site and rely on Princeton Power Systems’ experience in optimizing the interaction between the grid and our battery’s performance will serve as a significant step for future deployments.”

Alternative energy, Energy Storage, Smart Grid, Solar

Solar Lights Up Students in Zambia

Joanna Schroeder

SolarAid and Yingli Green Energy have “lit up” Mayukwayukwa High School in Kaoma, Zambia by installing a solar PV system on the newly built UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) School. The project was successfully completed with partner contributions including Atama Solar Energy, Kingspan Energy and Solar Roof Systems. YINGLI GREEN ENERGY HOLDING COMPANY LIMITED ZAMBIA STUDENTSThe High School is located in the Mayukwayukwa Settlement, one of Africa’s oldest refugee camps that was established in 1966 following the break-out of Angola’s 27-year civil war, 300 km to the west of the capital city, Lusaka. About 15,500 refugees reside in the Mayukwayukwa camp at the moment and many of them know no other home, having been born in the camp.

UNHCR representative to Zambia, Laura Lo Castro, said in a statement that her organisation appreciated the solar lighting system and that it would help them meet the lighting needs at Mayukwayukwa High School. “At UNHCR, we appreciate the donation made by Yingli Green Energy and their partners, through SolarAid. We are aware that this school will greatly benefit the refugees and the host community, thereby enhancing co-existence,” said Lo Castro.

The construction of the high school started in September 2008 as UNHCR intends to provide education for refugee students who struggle to access day school because of the limited school places in the area. Thanks to the solar system installed, Mayukwayukwa High School is now able to light one of the school’s large classrooms, the Headmaster’s office and a dormitory, helping scholars with studying and providing security lighting at the same time. The solar system can also charge cellphones.

“The solar system, donated by Yingli Solar and their partners through SolarAid, will meet the lighting needs at the school and will provide safe and clean electricity, bringing huge benefits to the 600 students between 14 and 19 years old who are in the school, as well as staff and the host community around. Yingli Solar together with their partners support SolarAid to fund specific schools in Africa to provide lighting and get study lights into the hands of teachers and pupils through school campaigns. The solar lighting lengthens learning hours, improves education quality and reduces dependence on expensive and toxic kerosene lamps,” said Richard Turner, Chief Fundraiser at SolarAid.

Liansheng Miao, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Yingli Green Energy, added, “We are pleased to know that hundreds of students and teachers can now use the power of the sun to extend the time for study and other community activities. We are happy to support SolarAid’s ‘Lighter Learning’ program together with our partners. Bringing clean safe light to communities in Africa helps create brighter and better futures for students and families currently living without electricity.”

Only 9 percent of rural sub-Saharan residents in Africa have access to electricity and families can spend up to 25 percent of their income on toxic kerosene for lighting.

Alternative energy, International, Solar

2014 Propane Engine Fuel Summit

Joanna Schroeder

The fourth annual 2014 Propane Engine Fuel Summit will take place on March 27, 2014 in Irving, Texas. The event will include panels of industry experts discussing topics such as how fueling with propane autogas can benefit your company’s bottom line, which propane autogas vehicle technologies are available now, which OEMs offer propane applications, and more.

2014 Propane Engine Fuel SummitJoe Thompson, president of ROUSH CleanTech, will be a keynote speaker. Thompson plans to share his years of experience in the automotive industry while addressing technological advances in the field of propane autogas fuel systems in the session, “This Isn’t Your Grandpa’s Propane Vehicle.”

“The leaders in the propane industry have a wealth of new knowledge to share about our rapidly advancing industry,” Thompson said. “This domestic resource supports job creation, economic growth and energy security nationwide — all while providing both economical and environmental advantages.”

The agenda will include speakers ranging from fleet managers who have adopted propane autogas vehicles in their fleet, to executives from the Propane Education & Resource Council, CleanFUEL USA, the Industrial Truck Association and more.

According to the event hosts, TSN Communications, converting a corporate fleet to propane autogas can create a positive impact on the environment and sizeable savings for an organization. Propane fueling stations, both private and public, are attainable and accessible, and propane industry equipment, such as forklifts and lawn mowers, is now widely available.

The 2014 Propane Engine Fuel Summit can be attended in person or viewed live via the free online webcast on March 27. There is no charge for viewing the entire event online, courtesy of the North Central Texas Council of Governments. The summit kicks off the 5th Annual Texas Alternative Energy & Transportation Conference & Expo.

conferences, Propane