OnStar & TimberRock Partner on EV Solar Charging

Joanna Schroeder

OnStar-TimberRock-mediumOnStar is partnering with TimberRock Energy Solutions to develop advanced EV solar charging technologies. TimberRock uses aggregation software and solar charging canopies with integrated storage to manage the flow of solar power to the electric grid. The project will be the first “real-world” use of OnStar’s Smart Grid solutions.

As part of the project, TimberRock will monitor the output of its solar charging stations, how much stored energy is available and when it can sell energy back to the grid to help meet peak demand. To help balance this system, TimberRock will then manage its fleet of four Chevrolet Volts to help regulate energy flow. This practice is known as Market-Based Regulation.

“The future of electric vehicle charging will be a marriage of renewable energy and battery storage as we look to address the intermittency of renewable solar and wind power,” said Rob Threlkeld, General Motors’ manager of renewable energy. “This project supports GM’s goal of using all factors of the charging equation: electric vehicles, solar power, and battery storage.”

The ability to control the Volts’ charging using software algorithms is made possible by an OnStar solution called Demand Response, accessed through OnStar’s Smart Grid application programming interface, or APIs. OnStar has given TimberRock access to this solution so that it can start, stop and modulate the amount of charge going to a particular Volt in coordination with energy need. TimberRock’s software determines when the EVs can be used to support the grid.Read More

Electric Vehicles, Electricity, Renewable Energy, Solar

EDP Adds Natural Gas to Fleet

Joanna Schroeder

Portuguese energy company EDP is adding a compressed natural gas (CNG) refueling station to fuel it’s fleet with natural gas. In addition, the company plans on purchasing 20 natural gas vehicles. Ballast Nedam IPM has been hired to install the CNG station in Porto, Portugal and the CNG station is expected to be online by August 2013.

Ballast Nedam has designed a customized fast-fill refueling installation for CNG. The rapid and complete handling of the vehicles will require the compressor installation to be Ballast Nedamequipped with a storage facility, and there will also be a specially designed dispenser with fast-fill connector. A release and recording system will also be installed, allowing only authorized EDP users to operate the installation, and supporting the periodic remote reading of volume and consumption information by the company.

According to Ballast Nedam, the market for natural gas as a vehicle fuel is growing in Portugal. There are only a few natural gas refueling stations in Portugal currently, but increasing awareness of the environmental and financial benefits of running on natural gas is creating expectations of a sharp increase in the number of stations over the next few years.

Ballast Nedam has selected a Portuguese partner for the local work. ERI Engenharia S.A. will take responsibility for the permit acquisition, civil engineering and technical installation on the project site. After commissioning, the company will continue to handle the service and maintenance for the station.

Alternative energy, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)

Interested in Online Ag News Programs?

Talia Goes

Before we get to our new ZimmPoll let’s look at the results of our latest one which asked the question, “What is the greatest threat to our freedom to farm”. Our poll results suggest that environmental and anti-agriculture groups are the greatest threat to our freedom to farm at this time.

Our poll results: Twenty percent say All of the Above, eighteen percent say Groups Like HSUS as well as Environmental Wackos, fifteen percent say Climate Change, eleven percent said EPA as well as Congress, and two percent said Labor Force, Supreme Court, No Threats and Other. Results show that there is more than one major threat to our freedom to farm. Now the question is: which one will be the first to take that freedom away?

Untitled

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “Do you watch or want to watch live or recorded ag news television programs online?” Many things are being done via online resources due to technological advances and improvements. Daily lives are becoming so busy that there doesn’t leave much time to sit down to watch television or read the newspaper. People resort to going “online” for news resources and TV episodes using smart phones and tablets while they are on the “run”. Does this sound like you? Let us know.

ZimmPoll is sponsored by New Holland Agriculture.

ZimmPoll

State RPS’s Hold Steady

Joanna Schroeder

The Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University has released its most recent white paper, “State Renewable Portfolio Standards Hold Steady or Expand in 2013 Session,” as part of its series on legislative policy trends in advanced Energy. The white paper was based on data analyzed in the AEL Tracker dataset.

Center for New Economy at CSUAccording to the report, at the beginning of 2013, there was a great deal of public discourse around efforts to roll back state renewable energy generation standards. These efforts appear to have failed thus far in the 2013 legislative session. While more than 30 states voted on or considered legislation this session to change their Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS), only eight have enacted modifications or increases to existing policies and no state has rolled back an existing standard.

The Center for the New Energy Economy’s Advanced Energy Legislation Tracker database contains a comprehensive inventory of over 2,300 state advanced energy bills including the 121 bills introduced this session that would increase, modify or decrease RPS policies. Of those 121 introduced bills, 16 have been enacted to date, none of which would repeal or delay RPS statutory requirements or generation deadlines.

“Despite attempts to roll back state renewable energy policies this year, the net impact thus far in the 2013 session is that the U.S. renewable energy market is stronger, particularly in the three states that increased their RPS standards – Nevada, Colorado and Minnesota,” said Bill Ritter, Jr. Director of the Center. “States are clearly defending their RPS policies and in some cases, increasing them,” Ritter added.

Electricity, energy efficiency, Legislation, Renewable Energy

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFIMPCO Automotive, a subsidiary of Fuel Systems Solutions, Inc., has received ship to commerce approval from General Motors to release completed model year 2014 2500 GM Crew Cab Bi-Fuel Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fuel systems for shipment. IMPCO also obtained certification by the California Air Resources Board and Environmental Protective Agency for its bi-fuel systems installed in the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD and GMC Sierra 2500HD pickup trucks.
  • Canadian Solar has completed construction on two utility-scale solar power projects in North Carolina with a third expected to be completed in mid-July. The projects, Lenoir 1, Lenoir 2 and Wilson 1, total 18 MW and are part of a 15-project portfolio totaling 85 MW being jointly developed with Strata Solar.
  • Register now for the ACORE U.S. Military & Renewable Energy Industry Forum to be held in Washington, D.C. on July 18, 2013. The event will include discussions with military and industry leaders, as the military services and renewable energy industry continue to strategize ways to address the challenges that remain for renewable energy in military operations, transportation and at bases.
  • Solectria Renewables has introduced the PVI 14TL and PVI 20TL, three-phase transformerless, 600 VDC inverter. The inverters are designed to maximize return on investment through their lightweight design, high efficiencies, easy installation, dual MPPT zones and wide MPPT range.
  • ET Solar Group Corp is supplying 10.8MW photovoltaic modules to Ormat Technologies, for their first photovoltaic power plant in California. The PV plant is located near Ormat’s geothermal power plant in Imperial Valley.
Bioenergy Bytes

Big Green Biodiesel, Solar Bus on Gulf Coast Swing

John Davis

biggreenbus1Students spreading the gospel of biodiesel and solar are on the southern Gulf Coast swing of their country-wide tour of the U.S. WLOX-TV reports the Big Green Bus, an environmental project from Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, stopped in Biloxi, Miss., using biodiesel and solar power to teach about how to go green.

“This summer, we are traveling the country and we are learning about sustainability and environmental issues in different areas. And how they affect different communities,” said Meegan Daigler, the 21-year-old manager of the Big Green Bus project.

Big Green runs on bio-diesel. Solar panels transfer power to ten batteries which convert the sun’s energy to electricity.

“Solar powers the fridge and all the electronics. So, all these outlets. They are all powered by solar panels,” said Daigler.

Grand Biloxi, a local casino, hosted The Big Green Bus, as part of its efforts to go green and save some green.

The Big Green Bus will make its way to and then up the West Coast before turning east, through the Rockies, across the Midwest and back to New England.

Biodiesel, Solar

Biodiesel’s Date with the Queen

John Davis

One of our favorite renewable energy sources will have to practice its curtsy, as biodiesel is on the guest list for the Queen of England’s coronation 60th anniversary. Biodiesel Magazine reports UK-based Green Fuels, a pioneer in sustainable biofuel and biofuel technology manufacturer, will be part of the July 11-14 event:

The Coronation Festival will celebrate innovation, excellence and industry showcasing the broad range of fine brands, including Green Fuels, which have earned the recognition of a Royal Warrant over the years.

Royal Warrants are a mark of recognition to individuals or companies who have supplied goods or services for at least five years to the Households of The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh or The Prince of Wales Warrants have always been regarded as hallmarks of quality, excellence and service.

Green Fuels was awarded its Royal Warrant in January and its prestigious Royal appointment now sees Green Fuels join more than 200 Royal Warrant Holders at this unique event.

The Royal Train and other vehicles in the royal fleet in the use biodiesel made by Green Fuels equipment. Company officials say the coronation festival will be a great showcase for their technology.

Seeing how my invitation must have been lost in the mail, we’ll just have to have rely on Green Fuels to give our best to the Queen. That’s ok… my curtsy is not that good.

Biodiesel, International

RFA Initiates Talks with Brazilian Ethanol Industry

Cindy Zimmerman

ed-brazilRepresentatives of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) recently took part in UNICA’s Worldwide Ethanol Summit in Brazil with a two-fold mission. First, RFA represented American ethanol interests at the global event, but it also offered them an opportunity to sit down with their Brazilian ethanol counterparts and discuss how they can work together in a growing international marketplace.

“It was kind of the first step in trying to forge an era of collaboration on issues important to our industry,” said RFA General Counsel Ed Hubbard, noting that it would be in the best interest of the two largest ethanol producing nations to provide supply assurances to other countries considering the increased use of biofuels. “Countries like China, India, and the Philippines and Nigeria that are looking at establishing 5-10% blend mandates.”

ethanol-report-adHubbard says they are being supported in the effort by several agencies of the federal government. “We went down there with the help and assistance of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Foreign Ag Service, as well as our friends at the Department of Commerce,” he said. “(The Brazilians) saw that there’s a commitment not only from industry but also from the U.S. government to try to help promote…our commodity around the globe.”

The next step will be more formal talks with Brazil and other countries to work toward a cooperative effort.

Find out more in this Ethanol Report with Hubbard: Ethanol Report on Talks with Brazil

Subscribe to “The Ethanol Report” with this link.

Audio, Brazil, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, International, RFA

PSEG Open Largest EV Charging Station in NJ

Joanna Schroeder

PSEG has opened the largest electric vehicle (EV) charging facility in New Jersey with 13 electric charging stations in its headquarter garage. Eleven of the spots are designated for employees’ use and two spots are used for company electric cars.

This week also marks the start of the PSEG Employee Electric Car Incentive Program at three company locations: PSEG Headquarters in Newark, the PSEG Edison Training Center and the PSEG Energy and Environment Resource Center in Salem New Jersey. Participants in the program have access to no-cost charging through July 2016 and in Newark, have access to no cost parking through July 2016.

“This is a great example of ‘if you build it they will come.’ In just a few weeks since this program was announced, we have had nine people sign up for the program – and most of them have gone out and bought an electric car because MAL_5803of the program,” said Randy Mehrberg, executive vice-president of strategy, PSEG.

All participants agree to complete regular surveys about their electric car experience. The first was on motivations for purchasing an electric car. Reasons listed included helping the environment, liking to be on the cutting edge of technology or saving money on gas or parking. Cars bought by initial participants included Chevy Volts, Honda Fit, Nissan Leaf, plug-in Toyota Priuses and a plug-in Ford Fusion.

“PSEG has been a leader in reducing pollution from our power plants but that will not be enough,” said Ralph Izzo, chairman, president and CEO of PSEG. “It is important that we also make efforts to reduce emission from transportation – be it from electrifying our ports or increasing the use of electric cars. I am proud that our employees – as is so often the case – are leading the way.”

Electric Vehicles

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFThe National Algae Association (NAA) is hosting a workshop on September 27, 2013 focused on algae cultivation, extraction and harvesting technologies. NAA is currently accepting presentation abstracts. Deadline is August 15, 2013.
  • Exhibitor and attendee registration is now open for the Geothermal Energy Expo 2013 being held September 29-October 2 in Las Vegas.
  • The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has elected Nat Kreamer, president and CEO of Clean Power Finance, to serve on SEIA’s board of directors’ executive committee as vice-chairman.
  • MarketResearchReports.Biz has announced the addition of the new report, “Analyzing Renewable Energy in the United States.” The report analyzes the following energy sources in the U.S.: wind power, solar power, biomass power, biofuels, fuel cells, geothermal power, hydropower, distributed generation technologies, microgrids, combined heat and power/cogeneration, waste-to-energy, waste management, and the smart grid.
Bioenergy Bytes