Lignol Energy Buying Stake in Dubai Biodiesel Maker

John Davis

Lignol Energy logoAn Australian biodiesel producer is expanding its reach, this time to Dubai on the Arabian Peninsula. Lignol Energy Corp. is paying $3.73 million to acquire 40 percent of Neutral Fuels Parent Company and a 51 percent interest in Neutral Fuels’ Australia and New Zealand biodiesel operation. As you might remember from earlier this summer, Neutral Fuels currently operates two closed-loop biorefineries located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Melbourne, Australia, and the Dubai facility makes biodiesel out of used cooking oil from McDonald’s restaurants.

“Neutral Fuels has developed world-class biorefineries employing state-of-the-art processing technology, which has established them as an emerging leader in the niche of small scale biofuel operators,” said Ross MacLachlan, CEO and chairman of LEC. “We are excited to be involved in this commercial venture. Their novel business model and collaboration with McDonald’s is an attractive and sustainable model both in terms of the environment and in commercial terms.”

“Partnering with LEC is the logical next step for Neutral Fuels,” said Karl W. Feilder, CEO and chairman of The Neutral Group. “Our current technology is able to efficiently convert used cooking oil to biodiesel today, and LEC’s next-generation technology provides us with some exciting options for the future.”

Neutral Fuels’ closed-loop business model was developed specifically for McDonald’s. The supply trucks in the UAE have driven more than a million miles on Neutral Fuels B100 biodiesel.

Biodiesel, International

Ethanol Safety Seminar Heads to Boardman, Oregon

Joanna Schroeder

There will be a free Ethanol Safety Seminar on September 16, 2013 at the SAGE Center in Boardman, Oregon. The event is sponsored by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and the Oregon State Police — Office of State Fire Marshal. There will be a morning session from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm and an evening session from 5:30 pm to 10:00 pm. The morning session will be followed by an optional tour of the Pacific Ethanol, Inc. production plant at the Port of Morrow.

Ethanol Safety SeminarThis course was developed to give first responders, hazmat teams, and safety personnel an in-depth look at proper training techniques needed when responding to an ethanol-related emergency. A majority of this training is based on the “Complete Training Guide to Ethanol Emergency Response,” a training package created by the Ethanol Emergency Response Coalition (EERC) that has been distributed throughout the United States and to several countries worldwide.

“Safety within the ethanol industry is of the utmost importance,” said Kristy Moore, RFA’s vice president of technical services. “Preparation in education must be the first step for first responders, and we strongly encourage all those with responsibilities inside their communities pertaining to the industry to attend this seminar.”

The Ethanol Safety Seminar focuses on numerous important areas of ethanol safety including an introduction to ethanol and ethanol-blended fuels, chemical and physical characteristics of ethanol and hydrocarbon fuels, transportation and transfer of ethanol-blended fuels, storage and dispensing locations, firefighting foam principles and ethanol-blended fuel, health and safety considerations for ethanol-blended fuel emergencies and tank farm and bulk storage fire incidents.

Registration is limited to the first 100 people per session. Lunch and dinner will be provided. Certificates of Attendance will be awarded to attendees at the completion of the course. Click here to register for this seminar.

biofuels, Education, Ethanol, RFA

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFThe Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has updated and greatly expanded the “Reports and Studies” section of its web site, offering fast and easy access to more than 230 research papers, technical analyses, and studies on a wide variety of ethanol-related issues.
  • Ocean Power Technologies, Inc. has announced that it has won a $1.0 million funding award from the U.S. Department of Energy to enhance the commercial viability of its PowerBuoy wave-energy systems through mechanical component design changes to maximize power-to-weight output ratios and reduce overall installed capital costs.
  • Atlantic Wind and Solar Inc. has announce the commencement of construction on portfolio 101 representing 12 utility scale rooftop solar PV assets in Ontario, Canada. The utility scale projects, comprising 12 commercial buildings in Mississauga and Brampton in Ontario, represent 1.582 MW AC and approximately 1.9 MW DC of peak power production. Capital cost on the projects are approximately CAD $9.5 million. The projects are expected to generate 39.1 megawatt hours of clean electricity over the next 20 years. The energy produced will be sold to the Ontario Power Authority under the province’s Feed-In-Tariff at a rates of $.635/kWh for two of the projects (250 kW) and $0.713/kWh for the remaining ten.
  • Dominion Virginia Power, a subsidiary of Dominion bid $1.6 million to win the lease for 112,800 acres of federal land off the coast of Virginia to develop an offshore wind turbine farm capable of generating up to 2,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for 700,000 homes. The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) conducted the auction. Eight companies, including Dominion, were approved to bid, but only two firms participated. The auction lasted six rounds.
Bioenergy Bytes

Renewable Fuel Standard Debate This Week

Cindy Zimmerman

Representatives of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) will be squaring off to debate on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) this week in Washington D.C.

AgriTalk and Agri-Pulse will be hosting the debate via broadcast and the web on September 12 starting at 11:00 am Eastern time live from the Longworth Building, Room 1300. Participants will be RFA president and CEO Bob Dinneen and NCBA Vice President Government Affairs Colin Woodall.

RFA-logo-13“The Renewable Fuel Standard is decreasing our dependence on foreign oil, creating jobs, and revitalizing rural communities. I am all geared up to explain the facts and debunk the negative attacks,” Dinneen says. “It is an excellent time for this debate. USDA is expecting a robust corn crop and just last month USDA issued a report showing that food prices are rising at a slower rate than expected.”

ncba-logo“We appreciate the opportunity to discuss the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). America’s cattlemen and women are not opposed to renewable fuels; it’s the arbitrary mandate of their use that is at issue,” says Woodall. “This mandates places cattle feeders and the entire cattle sector on an un-level playing field for the finite amount of corn produced.”

Questions from AgriTalk and Agri-Pulse listeners and readers will be included in the debate led by Mike Adams and Sara Wyant. If you have questions on this topic, please submit them to Host@AgriTalk.com or to Sara@Agri-Pulse.com no later than Wednesday, September 11. The Agri-Pulse team will be live tweeting from the event @AgriPulse. Look for the hashtag #RFSdebate.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, livestock, RFA, RFS

GROWMARK Terminal Gets Biodiesel Certification

John Davis

BQ9000GROWMARK‘s Menard Terminal, near Petersburg, Ill., is being recognized for its quality biodiesel. The company received BQ-9000 certification by the National Biodiesel Accreditation Committee.

The National Biodiesel Accreditation Program, called BQ-9000, is a cooperative and voluntary program for the accreditation of producers and marketers of biodiesel fuel. The program’s criteria for certification combine the ASTM standard for biodiesel, ASTM D6751, with a quality systems program that includes storage, sampling, testing, blending, shipping, distribution, and fuel management practices.

The facility features include heated storage, insulated piping, filtration and a pulse blending system. Biodiesel offered at Menard is 100% soy-based and meets all of the requirements of the industry standard, ASTM D6751, and the more stringent GROWMARK Quality Assurance Program. Blends in 2%, 5%, 11% and 20% for both clear and dyed diesel fuel are available. Dieselex Gold and SURE-FLO IV are also available for blending at the rack.

GROWMARK bought the Menard Terminal facility five years ago. It has storage capacity of more than 10 million gallons for gasoline, diesel fuel, ethanol and biodiesel, with the ability to custom blend biodiesel.

Biodiesel, GROWMARK

Ngatamariki Geothermal Power Plant Completed

Joanna Schroeder

ormat-ngatamariki-plant-1100x520Ormat has announced the successful completion of the 100 MW installed capacity Ngatamariki geothermal power plant in New Zealand. Mighty River Power’s modular Ngatamariki geothermal power plant is the largest singular binary power plant ever constructed. The Ormat Energy Converters are directly fed by a high temperature (380°F / 193 ºC) geothermal fluid. Until now, on such resources, only steam turbines or Geothermal Combined Cycle plants were used. In this configuration, 100 percent of the exploited geothermal fluid is reinjected with zero water consumption and low emissions, minimizing the impact on the environment with no depletion of the underground reservoir explained Ormat.

Dr. Doug Heffernan, Mighty River Power’s CEO, said, “The plant near Taupo was completed within the forecast and had proven performance above design specifications in testing over the past three months. We’re delighted with a project of this scale – the largest of its type in the world – to see it successfully completed, and with power output now expected to be 3MW (4%) higher than spec, which will be positive for the plant’s economics into the future. We also expect the project to come in slightly under the total cost forecast.”

The new station would add close to 700 GWh of annual electricity production, equivalent to the electricity use of about 80,000 households,” added Dr. Heffernan.

Ngatamariki was built in a record time of 24 months from the contract award. During commissioning, the power plant generated 150GWh and produced its first income stream for MRP.

“We are pleased with the outperformance of the Ngatamariki power plant and we are confident that the effectiveness and reliability of Ormat’s technology will continue to benefit our clients,” said Dita Bronicki, CEO of Ormat Technologies. “During the last 25 years, Ormat has installed in New Zealand approximately 350 MW in 14 power plants, 60% of the new geothermal capacity. We look forward to expanding our activity with our partners in New Zealand and share our accumulated knowledge and experience in future geothermal development in that county and around the world.”

Alternative energy, Electricity, Geothermal, International

Legislation Would Save $65B In Energy Costs

Joanna Schroeder

According to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE), proposed bipartisan energy efficiency legislation has the potential to save the nation billions while creating domestic jobs and reducing energy waste. The Energy Savings & Industrial Competitiveness Act of 2013 (S. 1392) was introduced by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Rob Portman (R-OH) and is pending floor consideration when the Senate returns from recess.

“Energy efficiency is an excellent, bipartisan and affordable way to immediately grow our economy and create the kind of jobs the 21st century economy demands,” said Senator Shaheen. “The bipartisan energy efficiency plan Senator Portman and I have introduced will help address our country’s energy needs in a way that boosts our economy and also saves taxpayers dollars.”

The ACEEE analysis looked at the impacts of several provisions in the bill as well as a group of related amendments under consideration. These provisions cut government and industrial energy waste and help homeowners finance energy efficiency improvements, among other energy-saving measures. ACEEE found that the proposals being considered could, in combination, save consumers and businesses over $65 billion on their energy bills by 2030.

ACEEE New Jobs EstimateThese savings also translate into a stronger economy says ACEEE. Consumers who save money on their energy bills can reinvest this money to buy goods and services where they live, stimulating their local economies. The energy efficiency measures proposed by the legislation would also help create new jobs. Altogether, these provisions would support an estimated 152,000 new jobs in 2025, increasing to 174,000 jobs by 2030.

In addition to providing economic benefits, the provisions would prevent unnecessary electric generation and natural gas consumption. Energy savings from these provisions would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 676 million metric tons by 2030.

“The Senate should act quickly to pass this important legislation,” said Steven Nadel, ACEEE executive director. “The provisions we analyzed have the power to save consumers money, stimulate the economy, and protect the environment.”

Energy, energy efficiency, Legislation

Rothes II Wind Farm in Scotland Powers Up

Joanna Schroeder

Fred. Olsen Renewables (FOR) has announced that the Rothes II Wind Farm in Scotland has commenced operation. The wind farm has an installed operational capacity of  41.4 MW, equivalent to generating enough electricity to power over 20,500 homes.

Rothe Wind Farm Photo Credit- Kevin MouldThe project is located adjacent to the existing Rothes Wind Farm, 20km south west of Elgin and consists of 18 x Siemens 2.3 MW turbines. The operational site takes FOR’s onshore operational portfolio to 430.5 MW, representing 7 percent of the UK’s total onshore installed wind capacity or 11 percent of Scotland’s onshore installed wind capacity. A further 60MW of wind energy is either under construction or due to shortly enter construction.

FOR’s overall strategy is to participate in projects from an early stage. The company is involved in site selection, planning and construction and aims to operate the projects over their lifetime. For this project, FOR has appointed Natural Power to provide operational services on the site including 24/7 control room services, NP/ControlCentre.

David Brunt, CEO at Fred. Olsen Renewables, said, “We are very pleased to confirm that Rothes II Wind Farm construction has now concluded successfully and the site has entered into operation. Rothes I and Rothes II provide a combined installed capacity of almost 100 MW which alone represent 2.5% of Scotland’s total onshore wind capacity, helping to meet the country’s ambitious renewable energy targets.”

These projects affirm the company’s position as the UK’s leading Independent Renewable Power Producer.

Electricity, International, Renewable Energy, Wind

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFShow Me Ethanol has become a member of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). The ethanol plant is located in Carrollton, Missouri, with a 55 million gallons per year capacity, 38 employees, and more than 500 investors. The company produces ethanol along with high protein livestock feed and corn oil. They broke ground in March of 2007 and began production in May 2008.
  • Verenium Corporation has announced that Jeffrey Black, Chief Financial Officer, will present at the Rodman & Renshaw Annual Global Investment Conference. The presentation is scheduled to begin at 10:50 a.m. ET on Tuesday September 10, 2013 at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York City.
  • Gevo, Inc. has announced that Greg Roda has joined the company as Chief Commercial Officer. In this role, Roda will be responsible for all business development activities for the Company.
  • SolarCity is providing solar electricity directly to the town of East Bridgewater, Massachusetts. SolarCity has provided the town with more than 10,000 solar panels, and the town pays SolarCity for the electricity the panels produce at a discount to its local utility rates. At 2.45 megawatts of generation capacity, East Bridgewater’s project is among the largest solar installations in Massachusetts. The solar panels are expected to produce more than 3 million kilowatt hours of electricity each year–enough power to supply about 350 homes. The town is expected to save as much as $2 million on energy costs over 25 years.
Bioenergy Bytes

GRFA: Leave RED Alone

Joanna Schroeder

The European Parliament will begin its fall session soon, and the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) is calling on the members to vote against any changes to the Renewable Energy Directive (RED). GRFA says the proposed changes are based on unproven theories and will restrict the biofuel industry’s critical access to transportation fuel markets, negatively impacting the economy and environment.

Biomassa-Jatropha-plantThe GRFA and its largest members sent a joint letter to Parliamentarians outlining how the proposed changes to the Directive will severely hamper the tremendous economic and environmental potential that comes with developing the biofuels industry.

The RED in its current form is ground-breaking legislation that is being used to shape future biofuels policies in the European Union and around the world. It helps establish crucial investor confidence, says GRFA, that plays a major role in the development of the European biofuels industry. In addition, the Directive includes requirements that guarantee that only biofuels produced in a sustainable manner are part of the European Union energy mix and will help bring advanced biofuels to full commercialization.

The GRFA supports the sustainable development of biofuels and encourages the development of science-based research that advances the industry and continuously improves the GHG footprint of our fuels. In its letter, the GRFA criticizes proposals to impose criteria such as Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC) on biofuels and warned Members about voting in favor of changes based on unproven theories and flawed scientific work.

“Although the RED is a European mandate, it is a model for programs around the world and will have a significant impact on the future of the global biofuels industry,” said Baker. “The proposed amendments before Parliamentarians are extremely short sighted and would only serve to increase Europe’s reliance on crude oil and increase GHG emissions,”

“Hurting a growing biofuels industry that employs millions and contributes billions is reckless when the economy is struggling to recover,” concluded Baker.

Biodiesel, biofuels, Ethanol, International