UCR Harnesses the Sun to Power Education

Joanna Schroeder

University of California Riverside (UCR), who just announced they are hosting a solar summit on February 6, 2014, has unveiled plans for a large-scale 10.92 acre solar farm to be located on the West Campus. UCR is partnering with SunPower Corporation for the project that when completed sometime in July of this year, will generate nearly three megawatts of electricity. Back in 2009, UCR and SunPower worked with UC Merced to install a one-megawatt solar array.

“Three megawatts is about 30% of our base load on a daily basis. Our peak load is 17 or 18 megawatts,” Ken Mueller, director of Physical Plant Operations said. “This is a good start and the campus will use 100% of the power that we generate.”

UCR campussolarfarm2-356x237UCR signed a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) and site license agreement (SLA) that will allow SunPower to construct, operate and maintain the facility, and the university will purchase the power that is generated by the dozens of 435-watt solar panels that will track the path of the sun through the sky. Mueller said that UCR will spend about $350,000 on site clearing and preparation, as well as interconnections costs with the existing substation.

The projected savings to the university are estimated to be in the range of $4.3 million over the length of the contract. UCR will also receive carbon and LEED credits that provide additional financial and environmental savings.

When completed, the solar project will be the largest on any University of California campus and when combined with other solar power projects in Riverside, solar energy will generate nearly 40 percent of the city’s electricity needs. The solar project is one of many that UC campuses are undertaking to meet the university’s policy on sustainable practices that includes generating up to 10MW of on-site renewable power by 2014.

Mueller said that the university hadn’t previously utilized solar power on campus because it did not make financial sense.

“We have had very favorable electrical rates with Riverside Public Utilities, but recently the price of solar has come down to where it is competitive with that electrical rate,” Mueller said. “We will be getting the most cost-effective solar array on the market.”

Alternative energy, Education, Electricity, Solar

Texas Town to Get Biodiesel Plant

John Davis

txA 9-million-gallon-a-year biodiesel plant will soon be coming to Temple, Texas. This article from the Killeen (TX) Daily Herald says Thomas Biodiesel LLC will build the the $30 million refinery that will employ 30 full-time workers.

Thomas will manufacture biodiesel from waste cooking oils and other sources at the Temple plant. It is projected to generate 9 million gallons of biodiesel per year.

“With a design capacity of 9 million gallons per year of biodiesel, we are positioned to serve customers in this local market as well as the larger metroplex areas of Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio,” Thomas CEO Bill Burden said. “We are providing green jobs, and we are excited to partner with other progressive companies doing business here.”

The building permit still needs final approval from the Temple City Council.

Biodiesel

EPA Biodiesel Proposal to Impact RINs

John Davis

The proposal by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to cut the amount of biodiesel to be blended into the Nation’s fuel supply could have some pretty big impact on the Renewable Identification Number (RIN) situation in the coming year. In this piece in Biodiesel Magazine, the author looks at an analysis from the University of Illinois that shows how biomass-based diesel could be affected by what’s being proposed.
RINcarryover1
“[D4 biomass-based diesel] RIN generation has exceeded implied mandate needs for 2013 since March, following a pattern similar to that experienced under similar circumstances in 2011 as blenders provided incentives to increase biodiesel production to take advantage of a potentially expiring tax credit,” Paulson writes. “Assuming a D4 RIN generation level of 260 million gallons for December, total D4 RIN generation is estimated to exceed 2.65 billion gallons (1.77 billion biodiesel gallons) in 2013.”

[Nick Paulson, assistant professor in the University of Illinois Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics] said generation of D5 RINs peaked during the summer, averaging 70 million gallons per month from June through September. D5 RIN generation fell to 35 million gallons in October and just 23 million gallons in November. Assuming 30 million gallons are generated in December, Paulson says total D5 RIN generation for 2013 is projected at just less than 568 million gallons.

The EPA proposal suggests stalling the biodiesel mandate at 1.28 billion wet gallons, or 1.92 billion RIN gallons, and slashing the total advanced mandate from 3.75 to 2.2 billion gallons. Paulson says there’s potential for 806 million total advanced (D3, D4 and D5) RIN carryover into 2014, all of which are D4 biomass-based diesel RINs (equivalent to 537 million gallons of biodiesel). While the statutory and proposed limits for D4 RIN carryover into 2014 are both 384 million RIN gallons (256 million biodiesel gallons), he says statutory limits of total advanced rollover would be 750 million RIN gallons, meaning “56 million advanced RINs may be rolled into 2014 but would have to be demoted for use towards the renewable component of the mandate…”

The piece goes on to say that the EPA has ignored that RIN stock levels should remain positive to allow for the flexibility the system was intended to provide, making the carryover of RINs bump up against the 20 percent rollover limit provision.

Biodiesel, EPA, RINS

AEC Criticizes “60 Minutes” Piece

Joanna Schroeder

60 MinutesSunday nights in America are famous for families sitting down and watching 60 Minutes. And while many people today may consider the news program “old school” millions of people still get their news from the show. This past Sunday night, 60 Minutes aired a piece, “The Cleantech Crash,” criticizing the Department of Energy’s investments in clean energy and the lack of advancement in advanced biofuels.

Brooke Coleman, executive director of the Advanced Ethanol Council (AEC), responded to the negative portrayal of the cleantech industry and biofuels in general. “By engaging in a petty game of ‘gotcha’ with Silicon Valley, ‘60 Minutes’ missed the point when it comes to government support for innovation in the energy industry,” said Coleman. “The U.S. government helps companies get over the hump with new technologies not because they expect to succeed in all cases, but because a small number of successes can fundamentally change the American economy for decades.”

“The Department of Commerce recently found that ‘technological innovation’ is linked to three-quarters of the country’s post World War II economic growth rate. And while implying that clean energy investments are just too costly for the American taxpayer, ‘60 Minutes’ forgets to mention that 75 percent of Department of Energy (DOE) Research and Development dollars have been spent on nuclear and fossil fuel development over the last 60 years,” Coleman continued. “The picture has not changed all that much recently with 50 percent of those funds dedicated to fossil fuels and nuclear over the last decade. Renewable energy received less than 17 percent of DOE R&D expenditures from 2001-2010.”

60 Minutes Cleantech CrashColeman said that Leslie Stahl and ‘60 Minutes’ also failed to point out why these programs are so critical to the clean energy sector. “These programs don’t exist in a vacuum. The federal government has helped the fossil fuel industry develop new technologies, build out infrastructure and make tax free investments for nearly 100 years. The energy space, particularly motor fuels, is not competitive and therefore will not get measurably more efficient and innovative on its own. If there is a story about questionable taxpayer engagement in the energy sector, it should be about why the U.S. taxpayer continues to fund innovation research at multi-national oil companies when we have supported them for a century with grants, loan guarantees, tax loopholes and direct expenditures. At this point the clean energy industry is used to myopic reports on government support for energy innovation.

Coleman concluded, It’s just too bad that ‘60 Minutes’ has joined the club.”

advanced biofuels, AEC, Clean Energy

Iowa Gov Branstad to Speak at IRFA Summit

Joanna Schroeder

Biofuel advocate Iowa Governor Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds will address the 8th Annual Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit and Trade Show on January 28, 2014. Branstad has been a vocal supporter of the Renewable Fuel Standard, has participated in an RFS rally held last November and created a Protect the RFS Petition in support of the biofuel legislation that has been attacked by biofuel detractors. In addition, for the first time since the passage of the RFS in 2007, the Environmental Protection Agency has proposed to reduce the amount of renewable fuels blended in America’s transportation fuel.

Protect the RFS“Governor Branstad’s staunch, unwavering support of the federal RFS and Iowa’s renewable fuels industry has helped Iowa remain the nation’s leader in renewable fuels production,” said IRFA President Steve Bleyl. “Under Branstad, the state is at the forefront of proactive public policy for E15 and biodiesel. The renewable fuels community looks forward to hearing from the Governor on continuing Iowa’s renewable fuels leadership and urging the EPA to maintain a strong and growing RFS.”

The Summit is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is required. Click here to learn more about the event and to register.

Biodiesel, biofuels, conferences, Ethanol, Iowa RFA

Fast-Eating Enzymes Lunch on Cellulose

Joanna Schroeder

A microorganism first found in the Valley of Geysers on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia in 1990 may be a key to more efficient cellulosic biofuel production. The microoorganism can digest cellulose almost twice as fast as the current leading component cellulase enzyme on the market according to researchers at the Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

The researches have discovered if the enzyme continues to perform well in larger tests, it could help drive down the price of making lignocellulosic fuels, from ethanol to other biofuels that can be dropped into existing infrastructure. A paper reporting this finding, “Revealing Nature’s Cellulase Diversity: The Digestion Mechanism of Caldicellulosiruptor bescii CelA” appears in the journal Science.

The bacterium first found in heated freshwater pools, Caldicellulosiruptor bescii, secretes the cellulase, CelA, which has the complex arrangement of two catalytic domains Caldicellulosiruptor besciiseparated by linker peptides and cellulose binding modules.

NREL researchers put CelA to the test and found that it produced more sugars than the most abundant cellulase in the leading commercial mixtures, Cel7A, when acting on Avicel, which is an industry standard to test cellulose degradation. They found that CelA not only can digest cellulose in the more common surface removal, but that it also creates cavities in the material, which leads to greater synergy with more conventional cellulases, resulting in higher sugar release.

The bacteria that secrete the promising CelA thrive in temperatures of 75 to 90 degrees Celsius (167-194 degrees Farenheit). NREL Scientist Yannick Bomble, one of the paper’s authors, noted “Microorganisms and cellulases operating at such high temperatures have several biotechnological advantages.”

“CelA is the most efficient single cellulase we’ve ever studied – by a large margin,” Bomble continued. “It is an amazingly complex enzyme, combining two catalytic domains with three binding modules. The fact that it has two complementary catalytic domains working in concert most likely makes it such a good cellulose degrader.”Read More

advanced biofuels, biomass, Cellulosic, enzymes, Research

Calling All Ethanol Advocates!

Joanna Schroeder

With the new year well underway, there are only 23 days for ethanol and biofuel advocates to submit comments to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding the 2014 proposed Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Today Brian Jennings, Executive Vice ACElogoPresident for the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), is urging ethanol supporters to voice their concerns.

“We have just 23 days to submit comments to EPA by the January 28 deadline. It’s vitally important that EPA hears your personal story on how limiting ethanol use in 2014 would affect your family, your community, and your business,” said Jennings. “ACE hosted a webinar for our members on December 17 providing tips for how to make a convincing case to EPA during the comment period; if ethanol supporters need assistance they should contact ACE and we will provide this webinar to them.”

Already more than 10,000 comments have been submitted to EPA. ACE will be submitting formal comments to EPA by January 28, 2014 and has set up a digital RFS Action Center at so supporters can share their personal stories with EPA about the importance of the RFS.

ACE, biofuels, EPA, Ethanol, RFS

Ohioans Support Clean Energy

Joanna Schroeder

Ohio is voting “yes” for clean energy according to a new poll conducted by Yes for Ohio’s Energy Future. The survey found that Ohioans support the Ohio Jobs Initiative, the Ohio Clean Energy Initiative by a margin of 35 percent (64 percent likely to vote in favor versus 29 percent unlikely). The poll was conducted by Public Policy Polling (PPP), who found during the survey that 55 percent of respondents were not aware of the Jobs Initiative. The proposed policy needs 385,247 signatures by July 4, 2014 to be on the November 2014 ballot to enable Ohioans to vote on the bill.

According to Yes for Ohio’s Energy Future, who backs the initiative, the Jobs Initiative enacts an amendment that would provide $1.3 billion a year for 10 years from state general obligation bond funding in a comprehensive array of areas, including clean energy YES FOR OHIO'S ENERGY FUTURE CLEAN ENERGYindustries and energy-related public infrastructure projects in the areas of solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, biomass, smart grid, along with other technologies. Funding includes research and development, academic and educational development as well as vocational training support.

Beginning in January 2014, the Ohio Energy Initiative Commission (OEIC) will begin accepting a limited number of early project proposals as part of the Fast Start Program; however, funding is limited to one quarter of the annual budget. Early project proposals may be placed on a prioritized list for funding, which is contingent on passage of the Initiative. Eligible categories of applicants include individuals, companies, non-profits, municipalities, and state agencies.

Project proposals for funding will be reviewed by independent reviewers at the OEIC through a simple open, transparent, and publicly-published process that evaluates the technical, economic, financial and environmental merits of each proposal.

Yes for Ohio’s Clean Energy future says the Ohio Clean Energy Initiative mirrors the enormously successful bi-partisan jobs initiative, Ohio Third Frontier, which began in 2002 under Republican Governor Bob Taft and continued under Democratic Governor Ted Strickland. The program is credited with producing 55,000 jobs at an average salary of $65,000 per year and at an overall Return on Investment of 9:1.

biomass, Clean Energy, Geothermal, Hydro, Smart Grid, Solar, Wind

No Changes Needed to 2014/2015 RFS

Joanna Schroeder

According to a new analysis from Iowa State University’s Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD), the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposal to reduce the 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) blending requirements is unwarranted and economically irrational. “Feasibility and Cost of Increasing US Ethanol Consumption Beyond E10,” demonstrates that the 2014 statutory RFS requirements could be easily met with no new investment in refueling infrastructure, and 2014 requirements could be achieved with only modest infrastructure investments.

CARD LogoWhen EPA released the lower volume obligations for renewable fuel back in November 2013, the agency cited the so-called E10 “blend wall” as a key factor in its decision to propose the cut. Yet the authors of the report, Bruce Babcock an Sebastien Pouliot write, “…the assumption by EPA that a 14.4 billion gallon ethanol mandate in 2014 was not feasible is not correct. …meeting a 14.4 billion gallon ethanol mandate is feasible in 2014 with no new stations, modestly lower E85 prices, and judicious use of available carryover RINs.”

The analysis finds that cutting the 2014 blending requirements below the “blend wall” results in a “self-fulling prophecy that stunts any future growth potential in domestic ethanol consumption”. The report states that exceeding E10 levels (overcoming the ‘blend wall’ with higher blends of ethanol such as E15 and E85) is contingent on the EPA setting mandates sufficiently high to incentivize the investments in fueling infrastructure that allow the targets to be met.

In terms of 2015, the authors argue that, “Adopting a 14.4 billion gallon ethanol mandate would send a clear signal that EPA is not locked into keeping ethanol mandates below E10 levels. It would also increase RIN prices enough to incentivize investments in new E85 stations that would give EPA the freedom to move the ethanol mandate to 15 billion gallons in 2015.”

The authors conclude, “The 14.4 billion gallon mandate level in 2014 is feasible to achieve even if no new E85 stations are added. Adding stations would lower the cost of meeting the 14.4 billion gallon mandate and, more importantly, would allow EPA to increase mandates by even more in the future.”

The analysis also finds that if EPA set the 2014 requirement for renewable fuel at 14.4 billion gallons, and no new E85 or E15 stations were added, RIN prices could be expected to average 69 cents each. However, adding 500 additional E85 stations in 2014 would reduce RIN prices to just 18 cents apiece.

biofuels, E85, Ethanol, RFS, RINS

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFGevo has announced that the U.S. Army has successfully flown the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter on a 50/50 blend of Gevo’s ATJ-8 (Alcohol-to-Jet). ATJ is a renewable, drop in alternative fuel for JP8 that addresses the Army Energy Security Strategy and Plans mandate that the Army certify 100% of its air platforms on alternative/renewable fuels by 2016. This flight marks the first ever Army Aircraft to fly on the isobutanol ATJ blend. Flight testing is being conducted at Aviation Flight Test Directorate (AFTD) on Redstone Arsenal, AL and is anticipated to be complete by March 2014.
  • Hanwha SolarOne, a global photovoltaic manufacturer of solar modules, has announced that it will supply 11.5 MW of solar modules to Ikaros Solar Belgium NV. The modules are scheduled for delivery in January and February 2014. Ikaros intends to install the modules in a solar park in Norfolk County, United Kingdom. Hanwha SolarOne will supply its 72-cell module HSL-72 for the project.
  • The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission has approved a power purchase agreement (PPA) between the Hawaii Electric Light Co. Inc. (HELCO) and Hu Honua Bioenergy LLC for the Hu Honua biomass project. According to documentation published by the PUC, the proposed 21.5-megawatt (MW) Hu Honua plant is to be located on the site of the former Hilo Coast Power Co. in Pepeekeo, Hawaii.
  • The USDA has awarded nearly $10 million to a consortium of academic, industry and government organizations to research the use of insect-killed trees in the Rocky Mountains as bioenergy feedstock. The consortium, led by Colorado State University, will explore recent advances in thermochemical conversion technologies that enable the production of onsite liquid biofuel and coproduct production. The project is working with Greenwood Village, Colo.-based Cool Planet Energy Systems.
Bioenergy Bytes