GTM Research as released its U.S. PV Leaderboard report. The Leaderboard tracks the top commercial and residential installers and module/inverter supplies in both national and state-level solar markets. The report is designed to help solar companies benchmark against PV competitors; optimize strategies in leading state markets; equip your team new sales channels; and find partners across the supply chain.- Registration is open for the 2013 Cleantech Open Global Forum being held at the San Jose, California Convention Center November 20-21, 2013. The speaking lineup has been announced with the keynote speaker confirmed as Guy Kawasaki, a special advisor to the Motorola business unit of Google. He is also the author of APE, What the Plus!, Enchantment, and nine other books. Click here to see the full program and to register.
- The Delhi Metro will soon be partially fulfilling its power requirements with solar energy, officials said Tuesday. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to execute renewable solar power projects in its premises. As a result, the production of solar power will help DMRC partially fulfill its energy requirements as well as reduce carbon footprints. As per the MoU, the DMRC and SECI will collaborate for the development of solar projects which includes ground, rooftop and other possible mountings of solar panels at identified DMRC sites.
- Northwestern Michigan College is offering solar training classes in October for solar training month at the NMC Aero Park campus in Traverse City. The classes will vary from introduction classes to certificates and associate’s degree courses. The Solar Energy Industries Association estimated 1 in 230 new jobs created nationally are solar jobs.
Biodiesel’s Turn on the New York Catwalk
Models are known for strutting their stuff on the catwalks of New York’s Fashion Week, but a pretty green model (no, not jealous) made its way into the limelight: biodiesel. Biodiesel Magazine reports as supermodels strutted down runways, those catwalks were lit up by lights powered by B20.
Dehran Duckworth, a managing partner at Tri-State Biodiesel, said this was the first year Tri-State Biodiesel won the contract to supply the Aggreko plc generators and temperature control equipment for the virtual “tent city” with its 20 percent biodiesel fuel. “It was an uphill push getting them to agree to run on B20,” Duckworth told Biodiesel Magazine. Bidding against other suppliers, Duckworth said Tri-State Biodiesel was able to hit the right price point since New York State only taxes the petroleum portion of a B20 blend.
“They said, ‘Your fuel is so clean that it shut down our units, and we had to change the filters,” Duckworth said. Fortunately, Aggreko was savvy enough to understand that the cleansing properties of the biodiesel blend freed up residues left behind from years of petroleum use. He said in the future, Aggreko may dedicate some of its equipment for biodiesel blends to avoid similar issues.
Biodiesel is a good fit for New York. Last week, Tri-State Biodiesel also supplied the near B100 for the generators that supply the shafts of light for the September 11th tribute in New York City. Earlier this month, a mandate was signed into law that requires all city vehicles to soon use a biodiesel blend.
Army Awards Last MATOC Contracts
The Army has awarded the last of the Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC) to geothermal technology company New Generation Power Inc. based in Chicago, Illinois. This contract award adds New Generation Power Inc., a small business, to the pool of five other qualified contractors who will be eligible to bid on future individual geothermal technology project task orders.
“Today we are expanding the pool of potential contractors for geothermal projects to include a small business,” said Col. Robert Ruch, commander, U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville. “Including more potential contractors and small business allows us to further expand competition among qualified bidders and encourages the best value for renewable energy projects.”
The second round of MATOC awards is in keeping with the original September 2012 Request For Proposal (RFP) which allowed for immediate awards to firms within the competitive range and additional awards to firms that qualified after further evaluation by the government. This completes the geothermal MATOC awards for now, although the government may choose to allow additional firms to qualify in the future.
The MATOC involves third-party financed renewable energy acquisitions and involves no Army capital or Military Construction appropriation. The Army only purchases the power from contractors who own, operate or maintain the generating assets. The MATOC’s total estimated value of $7 billion refers to the total dollar value of energy available for purchase under all Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) task orders for their entire term (up to 30 years).
As renewable energy opportunities at Army installations are assessed and validated, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, will issue a competitive task order RFP to the pre-qualified MATOC companies for the specific technologies. Task orders will specify the type and amount of energy to be supplied to the Army installation or other federal user as well as other pertinent information for the developer to prepare a response that meets the government’s requirements.
Feds Bust Biodiesel RIN Frauder
Federal charges against a company accused of biodiesel Renewable Identification Number (RIN) looks to stop fraud of the green fuel’s federal program. Biodiesel Magazine reports the government is charging an Indiana biodiesel firm with 88 counts of conspiracy, wire fraud, false tax claims, false statements under the Clean Air Act, obstruction of justice, money laundering and securities fraud, for an investment scheme of more than $100 million.
The [U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission] alleges that when Imperial Petroleum purchased Middletown, Ind.-based e-Biofuels LLC as a subsidiary in 2010, e-Biofuels’ owners falsely represented that they were producing biodiesel from soybean oil and chicken fat. e-Biofuels received significant government incentives based on its biodiesel production representations. But e-Biofuels actually used middlemen to buy finished biodiesel and portrayed those purchases in fake invoices as the raw “feedstock” needed to produce biodiesel. e-Biofuels later sold the purchased biodiesel for as high as double the price it paid for it.
The government alleges that Craig Ducey, Chad Ducey, Chris Ducey and Brian Carmichael operated e-Biofuels and conspired with Joseph Furando and Evelyn Katirina Pattison (aka Katirina Tracy)—two executives with a pair of related New Jersey-based companies that operated under the names Caravan Trading Co. and Cima Green—to purchase RIN-stripped B99 from third parties, pretend that e-Biofuels had produced that fuel at its Middletown facility and fraudulently resell that fuel to customers as B100 with RINs and an available tax credit.
The SEC’s complaint filed in federal court in Indianapolis charges Imperial Petroleum and [its CEO Jeffrey] Wilson as well as Craig and Chad Ducey and Carmichael, who now lives in Bend, Ore. The complaint also charges Caravan Trading LLC, Cima Green LLC, and Cima Energy Group and their operators Furando and Pattison (Tracy) for acting as the middlemen in the scheme. They allegedly provided false and misleading documents to deceive government regulators and attract investors to Imperial.
“This investigation has been underway for at least two years, and we commend the EPA and other federal authorities for moving it closer to resolution,” said Ben Evans, director of public affairs and federal communications for the National Biodiesel Board. “In two other known cases of similar fraud from this period, the perpetrators are now serving significant time behind bars. If these charges are true, we hope to see similar justice in this case.”
Those indicted could be looking at up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.
Flex-Plant Opens In California
NRG Energy and Siemens Energy recently dedicated the country’s second Flex-Plant, the El Segundo Energy Center located near Los Angeles, California. The first Flex-Plant is located in Lodi and went into commercial operation last year. Siemens Energy supplied and commissioned the two Flex-Plant 10 
combined cycle power islands. In total they have an installed capacity of 550 megawatts (MW) – enough to supply efficient and flexible electricity to approximately 450,000 Californian homes.
El Segundo Energy Center is considered an environmentally conscious, combined cycle solution for peaking and intermediate load. The two units can achieve 300 MW in less than 10 minutes, allowing the plant to back up the electrical grid, including grids that are connected to wind and solar power. The Flex-Plant is a solution for supplementing energy should renewable power generation suddenly fall short.
During the dedication ceremony, Martin Tartibi, executive vice president at Siemens Energy Solutions Americas, noted, “NRG and the state of California today moved one step closer to realizing a greener future in California. Siemens Flex-Plant 10 technology is on the leading edge of where power generation in America is going in the future – fast, flexible and environmentally friendly.”
With the SGT6-5000F gas turbine integrated with a single-pressure, non-reheat bottoming cycle, and an air-
cooled heat exchanger for steam condensing, this Flex-Plant 10 provides a net efficiency of nearly 49 percent – much higher in efficiency than conventional simple cycle solutions. As compared to conventional combined cycle technology, this Flex Plant is more environmentally friendly with a reduction of 95 percent of CO2 start up emissions and low water consumption.
This plant also demonstrates the Siemens Clean-Ramp Technology, which reduces transient emissions, while the gas turbines ramp up and down to meet electricity demands.
“Flex-Plants with fast start technology are an environmentally friendly solution to seamlessly integrating renewable power into the grid. As a result of this project, the El Segundo Energy Center will be able to provide Californians with 550 MW of clean energy for decades to come,” added John Chillemi, President of NRG Energy’s West Region. “With Siemens as our partner, we were able to meet the challenges of permitting, constructing and operating in a highly populous and visible beach community in the South Bay Southern California area.”
Most Contact Lawmakers When Issues Matter
Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “ Do you contact your members of Congress?”
Our poll results:
• When issues are important to me 41%
• Never, what’s the point? 32%
• Who is my member of Congress? 14%
• Other 9%
• Often call or write 5%
• Visit offices and go to town hall meetings 0%
Looks like our poll respondents are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Almost half are motivated to act when issues arise and the other half would rather have nothing to do with grassroots policy matters.
Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question “Planning to buy new iPhone or upgrade?” Apple has announced two new iPhone models, the 5S and the 5C, and they will be available soon. Are you satisfied with an older model or do you camp out on the sidewalk in anticipation of the next new thing? Or are you still happy with a phone that just makes calls without the bells and whistles? Let us know.
Accusing RFS of Driving Food Prices is a Whopper
The National Council of Chain Restaurants (NCCR), the lobbying arm for the fast food industry, is returning to the Hill today to continue its anti-RFS (Renewable Fuel Standard) 
campaign. Food preparation is a tough job. With rising criticism for the industry’s high profits relative to low wage practices and advertising schemes, things for the industry are a bit rough these days.
Regardless, the association is continuing to dedicate efforts to ending the RFS. But according to Fuels America, unfortunately for them, the bad news continues. A new poll shows that Americans not only love fast food, they also support renewable fuels.
According to the poll:
- The majority of respondents, or 87%, believe the cost of oil/gasoline is a major factor driving food prices.
- Another large majority, 87%, agrees that fast food restaurants should support cost-saving alternative fuels.
- Americans love fast food. In fact, one in three (35%) eat fast food at least once a week.
- Another two-in-five (38%) say that they visit either once or several times per month. One in five (21%) say they eat at a fast food restaurant less than once a month and just 7% never eat fast food.
The poll also finds that American consumers also support policies that promote alternative sources of energy.
- An overwhelming majority of Americans (92%) say that it is important for the United States to support policies that promote alternative sources of energy, such as wind, solar, and renewable fuel, with 68% saying it is “very” important.
- 89% of Americans agree that restaurants that recycle their cooking oil into renewable fuel are helping to decrease greenhouse gas emissions.
- 87% of Americans believe the cost of oil/gasoline is a major factor driving food prices.
- 87% of Americans want the fast food industry to support alternative fuels to help lower the cost of the foods they love.
- 86% agree that fast food restaurants make large profits and should use a tiny fraction of their profits to include sustainable practices into their business models.
Fuels America says the bottom Line: the NCCR’s idea that renewable fuel drives food prices is a whopper. Their own consumers understand that oil drives the cost of food and that restaurants should incorporate alternative fuel for the environment and their own wallets.
Next-Gen Scientists to Attend Biodiesel Conference
The next-generation of scientists to advance biodiesel will get to network and look beyond the classrooms for educational opportunities. Thanks to donations from state soybean organizations and the United Soybean Board (USB), the National Biodiesel Board announced some selected students, such as Dan Browne from Texas A&M University, will get to attend the NBB’s Conference & Expo this January.
Browne has done just that by attending the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo twice on scholarship. He describes the conference as “a nexus of science, business, and policy where student scientists not only gain access to world-class biodiesel science and engineering, they get to observe the interplay between the key sectors that constitute the industry.”
Students studying a wide array of disciplines have a unique opportunity to grow their passion for biodiesel at the 2014 National Biodiesel Conference & Expo, January 20-23 in San Diego.
“Attending the conference has provided an unparalleled opportunity to absorb knowledge from industry leaders,” said Browne who is pursuing a Ph.D. in biochemistry [and who co-chairs the Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel, an NBB program that aims to educate and collaborate with young scientists.]. “This unique experience helped me to better understand the role of science within the greater framework, while giving me direct connections to the scientists at the cutting edge.”
The biodiesel industry views student participation as key to the future of the industry.
“Many students are already working on exciting biodiesel research that could have a lasting impact on the industry,” said Don Scott, NBB’s director of sustainability. “We believe student participation in our conference is an important investment with the potential for tremendous return in the form of information sharing and relationship building. Each year students bring something new to the table and we’re excited to see what’s in store for 2014.”
More information on the NGSB scholarship program is available at www.biodieselsustainability.com.
BioEnergy Bytes
- Balqon Corporation, a developer of electric drive system technology for commercial vehicles, announced that it has entered into a Joint Development Agreement with Polar Power Inc. to develop series plug in hybrid system for its line of heavy duty electric trucks and buses. Under this Agreement both companies will work towards development of a 40 kw on-board DC hybrid generator to charge batteries during daily drive cycle to increasing the range of the vehicles.
- The Icelandic International Development Agency (ICEIDA) has signed a Partnership Agreement with the Government of Ethiopia to enable both countries to work together in geothermal development and capacity building. The Geological Survey of Ethiopia and the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation will be leading the program. The agreement has been initiated under an Iceland – World Bank compact on geothermal energy. The project in Ethiopia is the second to be initiated by ICEIDA following one in Rwanda. Ethiopia has geothermal potential of 5000 MW but only limited geothermal development has taken place so far.
- Solar Power World has released its Top 250 Solar Contractors. Top of the list is First Solar followed by #2 SolarCity, #3 E Light Wind and Solar, #4 Swinerton Renewable Energy and #5 Quanta Power Generation. Click here to see the full list.
- Scatec Solar, a global solar energy provider, had its 75 MW solar PV plant, Kalkbult, in the Northern Cape region connected to the regional grid Friday, three months ahead of schedule, making the power plant the first REIPPPP project to be grid connected and operational in South Africa. Scatec Solar was awarded the Kalkbult project under the first round of the South African Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Program (REIPPPP). The completed plant consists of more than 312 000 solar panels mounted on 156 km of substructure, inverters, transformers and a HV sub-station. The power from the grid-connected PV plant will be sold through a 20 year Power Purchase Agreement with Eskom, the national utility company.
Report Ranks Energy Saving Efforts of Cities
Boston, Massachusetts took top honors for its energy saving efforts according to the 2013 City Energy Efficiency Scorecard, a report released by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE). In addition to city rankings, the report also includes strategies and recommendations for all cities to lower energy use.
“We couldn’t be more proud of our progress in creating a greener, healthier city,” said Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino. “Boston is a world-class city, and we know that our economic prosperity is tied to its ‘greenovation,’ which has helped create jobs and 
improve our bottom line. Reducing our energy use is just one smart step in improving the quality of life in Boston and around the world.”
In addition to Boston in the top spot, other top-scoring cities include Portland, Oregon; New York City, New York; San Francisco, California; Seattle, Washington; and Austin, Texas. The next tier of top-scoring cities (Washington, D.C., Minneapolis, Chicago, Philadelphia and Denver) have also developed efficiency initiatives and are poised to rise in the rankings in future years.
“Our report shows that cities are laboratories of innovation for energy-saving solutions that directly benefit people where they live, work and play,” said Eric Mackres, ACEEE’s local policy manager and the report’s lead author. “Local governments have great influence over energy use in their communities and many have initiatives that result in significant energy and cost savings.”
ACEEE said the report is the first to rank cities exclusively on energy efficiency efforts. Cities are evaluated on what actions they’re taking to reduce energy use in five key areas: buildings; transportation; energy and water utility efforts; local government operations; and community-wide initiatives.
Key findings include:
- Local leadership and commitment to energy efficiency is strong.
- Boston achieved the highest score overall, but other cities led in some policy areas. Portland scored highest in transportation and local government operations. Seattle ranked first in building policies. San Francisco tied with Boston for first in utility public benefits programs, and Austin is the city furthest ahead of its state on energy efficiency policy.
- All cities, even the highest scorers, have significant room for improvement. Boston, the highest scoring city, missed nearly a quarter of possible points.
Key recommendations for cities includes: lead by example by improving efficiency in local government operations and facilities; adopt energy savings goals; actively manage energy use, track and communicate progress toward goals, and enable access to data on energy usage; adopt policies to improve efficiency in new and existing buildings; partner with energy and water utilities to promote and expand energy efficiency programs; and adopt policies and programs to lower transportation energy use through location-efficient development and improved access to additional travel mode choices.
Steven Nadel, ACEEE’s executive director, concluded, “The good news is that cities across the country are saving money, creating local jobs, and protecting the environment by implementing energy efficiency measures.”