VoteVets Launches RFS TV Campaign

Joanna Schroeder

VoteVets.org has launched a new television ad in Iowa aimed at protecting the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The ad will also be aired in Washington D.C. where hundreds of biofuel supporters have flown to the beltway in the last few months to meet with legislators in support of the clean energy and jobs legislation.

The TV ad features an Iraq War Veteran, Michael Connolly, making the case that gutting the RFS would allow for a greater flow of oil dollars to America’s enemies, who use that money for weaponry that has targeted our troops. Connolly, who served in Iraq from 2007 to 2008, lived in Glenwood, Iowa from 2010 to 2012, and now lives just across the border, in Nebraska.

The ad opens with a massive explosion in front of a military convoy. Connolly says, “War is dangerous. I know. I was there. Now, people ask me all the time how they can support the troops.” Holding a yellow ribbon, Connolly says, “By putting one of these on your car? Sure…” And then in front of an ethanol gas pump, “By putting this in your tank? Even better… More renewable fuels, like the kind grown here in Iowa, means we use less foreign oil. And that means less money for our enemies. But the oil companies are trying to kill renewable fuels.”

The facts, say VoteVets.org back up Connolly’s words. Although the United States often does not directly buy oil from hostile nations, like Iran, America’s dependence on oil drives up demand, and prices of oil on the world market, which benefits all oil-rich nations. Those oil dollars allowed Iran, for instance, to produce and ship Explosively Formed Penetrators (EFPs) to Iraqi insurgents, who used them to target American troops.

Additionally, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates for every one billion gallons of ethanol produced, 10,000 to 20,000 jobs are added to our domestic economy. According to the Iowa Corn Growers Association, the ethanol Industry supports around 55,000 jobs in Iowa, and accounts for $5.4 billion of Iowa’s GDP. Gutting the RFS, says VoteVets,org, would threaten the development of next generation biofuels, including cellulosic ethanol plants in Iowa scheduled to start operation next year. Rather than using kernels of corn, these advanced plants will make the fuel from the “biomass” of various low-value plant material including corn stalks and wood chips.

VoteVets.org is collecting petition signatures from everyday Americans who want to see America reduce its dependence on foreign oil, protect our troops, and create jobs.

advanced biofuels, Biodiesel, corn, Ethanol, Miscellaneous, RFS, Video

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFSave the date for the Solar Summit 2014 taking place April 14-16, 2014 in Phoenix, Arizona. Sponsored by Greentech Media, the solar conference will focus on global market trends, relevant technologies and project finance. Key themes include: The Global Solar Market in 2015; The Future of the Module: Costs, Technologies and Strategies; Inverters and the Balance of Systems: The Next Wave of Innovation; Latin America Solar: Opportunities, Barriers and Channels; and The U.S. Solar Market: Finding the Signal Amongst the Noise.
  • Solectria Renewables, LLC, a U.S. PV inverter manufacturer, has announced record results for 2013, including seven years of consecutive profitability, a 43% year-over-year growth in Megawatts (MW) shipped, and 40% year-over-year growth in revenues. In combination with its strong financial position, technological advances, long history, and project successes, Solectria Renewables is among the most bankable inverter manufacturers today.
  • Hanwha SolarOne Co., Ltd., a photovoltaic manufacturer of solar modules, has announced it has reached a memorandum of understanding with OneRoof Energy, a complete solar services provider, to supply up to 50 megawatts of Photovoltaic modules. The companies intend to enter a supply agreement to establish a reliable supply of modules for OneRoof Energy, as well as to work together to identify and develop new and next generation products for the residential market that will enhance energy yield, improve bankability and increase residual value, and engage with downstream suppliers to improve PV system efficiencies and lower the levelized cost of energy to homeowners.
  • Early registration rates are still available for the Climate Leadership Conference taking place from February 24-16, 2014 at the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay in San Diego, California. The conference will convene global senior executives and public officials who are addressing climate change and offers networking opportunities with Federal and state officials, business and industry leaders as well as academics and non-profit experts.
Bioenergy Bytes

EU to Miss Its Climate Objectives

Joanna Schroeder

According to the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), the European Commission’s “EU Energy, Transport and GHG Emissions Trends to 2050,” published during the holiday shows that on the basis of current policies the European Union (EU) will fail to meet is 2050 commitment of 80 percent to 90 percent greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reductions.

The European Commission’s latest reference scenario, based on current trends and adopted policies, shows that EU GHG emissions would fall by 24 percent in 2020, but by EU Trends to 2050just 44 percent in 2050 (compared to 1990 levels), with energy import dependency increasing during the period to almost 57 percent.

“With the EU’s power sector expected to be still pumping out almost 400 million tonnes of CO2 annually by 2050, and the EU in an even worse energy security situation, an ambitious 2030 climate and energy framework, with targets for renewable energy and GHG reductions, is more critical than ever. Without such targets energy security and a zero-carbon power sector will be impossible,” said Justin Wilkes, EWEA’s Deputy CEO.

The scenario shows that even under current trends and policies, more wind power capacity will be installed over the next 20 years than any other generating technology – accounting for 37 percent of new installations – with the result that wind energy will be the leading generating technology in Europe by 2040.

“The European Commission’s scenario highlights a positive medium- and long-term outlook for the wind industry. However, a sharp decline in new installations of wind power from 2021 onwards of 27% highlights the vital importance of a long-term stable regulatory framework for the sector, underpinned by a 2030 renewable energy target,” continued Wilkes.

In the European Commission’s scenario, wind and other renewables together account for 59 percent of all new electricity generating installations over the 20 year period to 2035.

Alternative energy, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Wind

API’s State of American Energy Same Old, Same Old

Joanna Schroeder

Yesterday American Petroleum Institute (API) President and CEO Jack Gerard outlined “The State of American Energy” and the role the oil and natural gas industry in economic growth, job creation and energy security.

api_logoDuring his speech, Gerard stressed the role that oil and natural gas would play in the country’s energy policy but he cautioned that the country must “get our nation’s energy policy right today”.

“If we are to continue our nation’s current positive energy production trends, we must
implement energy policies based on current reality and our potential as an energy leader, not the outdated political ideology of the professional environmental fringe or
political dilettantes,” said Gerard. “American energy policy should reflect the reality that someone will benefit from helping to meet the world’s ever growing need for energy.”

“Because make no mistake; energy, specifically oil and natural gas, will remain foundational to our way of life. Broadly, demand for energy worldwide will continue its upward trajectory. For the foreseeable future, we will need more energy from all sources: wind, solar, oil, natural gas, nuclear power, coal and biofuels to meet the world’s ever growing need for energy,” Gerard added.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 25 years from now, oil and natural gas will provide nearly 60 percent of the country’s energy and more than 90 percent of the country’s transportation fuels.

In reaction to Gerard’s speech, Growth Energy’s CEO Tom Buis responded, “API’s ‘State of American Energy’ speech, brought to you by Big Oil, is nothing new. While oil companies talk about the future of energy in this country, they seem fixated on a finite resource and fail to acknowledge that renewable fuels play a critical role in meeting the nation’s growing energy needs of the future.”Read More

biofuels, Ethanol, Growth Energy, Natural Gas, Oil, RFS

Biodiesel Maker Expands Beyond Mideast & McD’s

John Davis

Neutral-Fuels-logoA biodiesel maker in Dubai in the oil-rich Middle East is looking to expand out of its region and expand out of its primary feedstock supplier: McDonald’s. This article from the Wall Street Journal says for the last couple of years, Neutral Fuels has been turning used french fry cooking oil into the green fuel, while expanding from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Asia, Africa and the Pacific.

That was 2011, and McDonald’s trucks have now travelled more than 2 million kilometers on biodiesel in the U.A.E. British citizen Mr. [Karl] Feilder has since agreed to help McDonald’s roll out a similar process in the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa region where the chain is rapidly opening new stores. At the end of 2012, Neutral Fuels, the SME’s biodiesel subsidiary, set up a production facility in Melbourne to serve 152 McDonald’s outlets in the state of Victoria, and eventually aims to integrate 1,000 outlets in the wider Australia market.

Then in September, Neutral Fuels received 4 million Australian dollars from Lignol Energy Corporation, listed on Canada’s TSX Ventures Exchange, to acquire a 40% equity stake in the SME and a 51% interest in its Australia and New Zealand biodiesel operation. This year, Mr. Feilder wants to expand further. “There are two to three new countries on our list,” he said in an interview. “We want to be in five countries by the end of the year.”

China, Japan and Australia are currently McDonald’s biggest markets in the APMEA region, he said, without disclosing in which countries operations would next be started. Based in Dubai, The Neutral Group has set up offices in Australia, China, Hong Kong, New Zealand and South Africa.

The Neutral Group is also turning used cooking oil from Atlantis The Palm, one of Dubai’s signature hotels, into biodiesel and sells all its fuel on the open market in competition with petroleum-based diesel. A deal with Emirates Group and Etihad Airways is also in the works.

Biodiesel, International

Simadan Investing $88.6 Mil in Dutch Biodiesel Plant

John Davis

biodieselamsterdam1About $88.6 million is going into a Dutch biodiesel plant. This article from Biodiesel Magazine says Simadan Holding is putting the money into its subsidiary’s Biodiesel Amsterdam’s 45 million gallon a year refinery.

The new plant is part of the largest ecological industrial complex in Europe, according to Simadan Holding. The 12-acre complex now includes a biodiesel plant, a storage terminal, a 2-acre recycling plant, a biogas plant and tank cleaning. More than 99 percent of the incoming organic waste is converted into useful second-generation products, the company says. “Our biodiesel is of the highest quality and reduces CO2 emissions by more than 85 percent compared to fossil fuels,” said Peter Bakker, owner and founder of Simadan.

The project will also include a 50,000 ton a year glycerin distillation operation that will turn out a pharmaceutical-grade product.

Biodiesel, International

CleanFUEL USA Secures UL Autogas Dispenser Listing

Joanna Schroeder

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) has approved the Gilbarco Encore S liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) retail fuel dispenser used to dispense propane autogas. The dispenser also holds National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM) approval.

gI_81713_CleanFUEL USA Retail Autogas Dispenser Jan 2014CleanFUEL USA receives Encore 700 S and Encore S cabinets and electronics directly from Gilbarco, and completes the autogas dispenser with UL-listed components. The finished product results in an autogas dispenser, typically installed at retail settings with public access and controlled clientele, and features full retail capabilities for Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance. The dispenser is also available as a single or dual-sided unit.

CleanFuel cites propane auto gs as the leading alternative fuel in the U.S. and says it costs an average of 30 to 40 percent less than gasoline and up to 50 percent less than diesel.

“As we continue to install autogas refueling stations throughout the world, we must
take steps to validate our technology performance and safety,” said Curtis Donaldson,
founder and managing partner of CleanFUEL USA. “Partnering with Gilbarco and adding
a UL-listed dispenser to our product lineup signifies our commitment to exceeding
customer expectations in alternative fuel dispensing, and highlights our continued
leadership in the autogas industry.”

Equipment, Propane

RINS Had No Impact on 2013 Gas Prices

Cindy Zimmerman

gaspricesDespite all the “RINsanity” caused in early 2013 when gas prices spiked and the oil industry pointed fingers at volatile Renewable Identification Numbers, a report out today exonerates RINS from blame.

The detailed statistical analysis conducted by Informa Economics and released today by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) finds that retail gasoline prices were “unaffected by the erratic surge in prices for Renewable Identification Number (RIN) credits in 2013.”

“Changes in prices of renewable identification numbers (RINs) did not cause changes in retail gasoline prices in 2013,” according to Informa’s report. “Retail gasoline prices were driven primarily by movements in crude oil prices and secondarily by changes in the spread between domestic and international crude oil prices and the level of vehicle miles driven in the U.S., which varies seasonally.”

Overall, gas prices in 2013 average less than the previous year, at $3.49 per gallon according to AAA. That is the lowest price since 2010. The highest one-day national average was $3.79 per gallon on February 27.

RFA president and CEO Bob Dinneen, Informa Senior VP Scott Richman and analyst Crystal Carpenter, and Geoff Cooper, RFA’s Vice President of Research and Analysis, held a press conference today to discuss the analysis. RINS report media call

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Oil, Research, RFA, RFS, RINS

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFHeliae, a developer of advanced algae production technologies, commenced operations at its first commercial facility in Arizona. Using its Volaris-brand platform, the commercial facility will initially operate at 33% of its capacity to produce high-value algae products for nutraceutical and personal care products but biofuels represents another business avenue for consideration. The start-up, which aims to be at full capacity before the end of the first quarter this year, represents the first phase of Heliae’s plant with further expansion slated for late 2014.
  • The Board of Directors of Sinav Ltd., the owners of GTL Resources and Illinois River Energy, have retained Ascendant Financial Partners LLC to assist them in the sale of the GTL/IRE business. IRE is an ethanol production facility located in Rochelle, Illinois, that owns and operates a 125 million gallon per year ethanol plant that commenced operations in September of 2006.
  • Ergon, Inc. has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Ergon Ethanol, Inc., acquired Bunge North America, Inc.’s interest in and now owns 100% of Ergon BioFuels, LLC located in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Financial terms were not disclosed. Effective December 31, 2013, Bunge-Ergon Vicksburg, LLC changed its name to Ergon BioFuels, LLC.
  • According to a Bluefire Renewables 8K filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the Department of Energy (DOE) will no longer provide funding to the company that is developing a cellulosic waste facility in Fulton, Mississippi. In the Dec. 23 filing, Bluefire says it received noticed that the DOE was pulling its grant funding because it failed to comply with DOE deadlines related to providing information about the company’s future financing arrangements for the Fulton project. The company says it is seeking to re-establish funding under the DOE grant and has initiated the appeals process.
Bioenergy Bytes

Dynamometer Test Facility Sets Wind on New Course

Joanna Schroeder

Days before the holiday season, the Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) set the wind industry on a new course with the addition of a new 5MW Dynamometer Test Facility at its National Wind Technology Center (NWTC). The new facility will better enable NWTC engineers and their industry partners to verify the performance and reliability of wind turbine drivetrain prototypes and commercial machines. Increased performance and realiability will lead to more competitively cost wind energy.

The facility will be able to test virtually any land-based turbine in more “real time” conditions that turbines experience out on the “farm”.

“These new capabilities make this a very special facility, one of the largest and finest of its kind in the world,” said NWTC Director Fort Felker. “It gives NREL an enhanced ability to do comprehensive testing of modern multi-megawatt wind turbine systems in a laboratory environment to verify their performance and reliability before they are widely deployed.”

A dynamometer system replaces the rotor and blades of a wind turbine and allows researchers to control the turbine drivetrain’s mechanical and electrical systems while simulating normal and extreme operating conditions. Historically, this testing has been done under torque (rotating) loads only. However, the NWTC facility incorporates a non-torque loading s20131226_dynamometer_28229ystem into the testing regimen, a hydraulic device that allows for simulation of both the rotational and bending loads that a wind turbine rotor places on a drivetrain.

“The non-torque loading system is what really sets this facility apart from other comparable test sites,” explained NWTC Dynamometer Project Manager Mark McDade. “This allows us to test the drivetrain system with the types of loads that it will see in a real-world application. It’s a very important feature for a test apparatus because the adverse impacts these types of loads can have on a system are significant.”

The system features a 6-MW motor, which provides the power to a turbine during testing. The motor turns at very high speed and low torque. The motor drives a gearbox, which transforms the output to the high torque and low speed that is appropriate for a wind turbine drivetrain. This provides the rotating loads on the test article. Add to this motorized torque testing the non-torque loading capability unique to the NWTC, and NREL is able to put a wind turbine drivetrain through the most realistic loading tests possible in a laboratory.

“These machines are expected to operate reliably in the field, often in harsh conditions, for 20 years or more,” Felker said. “The ability to comprehensively test these systems in the lab, to verify their reliability and performance before they go into service, is a critically important capability for the wind industry.”Read More

Alternative energy, Electricity, Smart Grid, Wind