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

DuPont Expands Technology Center

Joanna Schroeder

DuPont is expanding its Silicon Valley Technology Center to include new innovations and collaborations in the energy and electronics industry. The company plans to use the center to further accelerate product and process development, as well as increase application support to customers around the world.

“For DuPont, this expansion is about collaborating more closely on developing technological innovations for the broad base of industry sectors we serve, including solar energy and consumer electronics,” said David B. Miller, president, DSVTC-Cell-LineDuPont Electronics & Communications. “We have a comprehensive ability to perform research, product development, testing and application support all under one roof and we’re excited about the new innovations now on our horizon. A stronger presence in the Silicon Valley community means we can build even stronger relationships that support our customers’ success globally.”

In 2011, DuPont acquired Innovalight, a Sunnyvale based start-up company located at the same site. Since the acquisition, DuPont has continued to invest in facilities, tools as well as lab improvements to enhance the site capabilities.

The extended capabilities of this recently renamed DuPont Silicon Valley Technology Center include commercial-grade tools and process capabilities to produce solar cells and solar panels. A rooftop testing station for solar panels is planned for later this year. A new technology lab has been added to explore the formulation of new DuPont™ Solamet® photovoltaic metallization pastes for more efficient solar cells.

Alternative energy, Electricity, Energy, Solar

Wind Farm Costs Stabilizing

Joanna Schroeder

According to Wind Energy Update, wind farm projects have indicated that costs have stabilized at around £140 / €160 per MWh and regulators have put forward a challenge that offshore wind should reach a LCOE of £100 / €120 MWh by 2020. An achievement of this goals would maximize the size of the industry.

Wind Energy Update further says opportunities for savings across offshore wind finance, technology and supply chain have now been recognized and there are many, diverse ways in which costs can be driven down. The key areas where cost Wind Energy Update Logo2reduction can be achieved in project execution have been identified as the type of foundations, substation design and installation, cable installation and logistical strategy.

However, says the company, the level of cost reduction required won’t happen unless new technology innovations are properly tested in situ to provide developers and financiers with technical assurance before undertaking major multi-billion pound procurement programmes. Offshore wind grid connection is one of the greatest bottlenecks to offshore wind development.

Grid infrastructure, investment and access are key financial challenges in all countries trying to realize offshore wind capacity. In addition, weather and seabed conditions are seen as some of the other, more significant risks. Offshore marine environments often result in complex hurdles and have a huge impact on the construction process. The weather usually provides most of the challenges, especially the harsh winters Europe has been experiencing.

All of these issues along with opportunities will be discussed during the Offshore Wind Construction, Installation and Commissioning Conference October 14-15, 2013 in Hamburg, Germany. According to Wind Energy Update, this area is a hub of offshore wind development. The event will bring together wind installation experts from around the world to share successes and discuss challenges.

Electricity, Energy, Wind

Iowa Algae Plant Welcomes Congressman, Officials

John Davis

BioProcess Algae pic1An Iowa congressman and the state’s ag secretary, which is fed from the CO2 of the nearby ethanol plant. KMA in Shenandoah says Iowa Congressman Tom Latham and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey toured the Bio Process Algae plant, part of the Green Plains Renewable Energy facility:

Congressman Latham says the Bio Process Algae plant does not live up to what most people think of when they think of algae.

“When people typically think of Algae, they maybe think of scum on water. This is so far removed from that. What they are doing here is remarkable. The potential this has for the future is just amazing. It is incredible what they are doing here and while it is still under development, I think they are going to be successful.”

Northey says the plant continues to impress him. “It’s amazing to see. I have been here a couple of times before. I’ve seen different stages that just continues to grow. With the Department of Energy grant, they are entering a new phase and to see the young people here finding new ways to use technology, I am very impressed.”

The adjoining ethanol plant pumps out 65 million gallons a year of the green fuel and has been in operation since 2005. The algae plant was added in 2009.

algae, Biodiesel

ICM & INPASA Strengthen Partnership

Joanna Schroeder

ICM, Inc. has signed a contract with Industria Paraguaya de Alcoholes S.A. (INPASA) for sale of an evaporator and dryer system at its plant in Nueva Esperanza, Paraguay. INPASA was founded in 2006 to produce fuel ethanol derived from several feedstock including a_inpasasorghum, corn, and sugarcane. INPASA’s plant in Nueva Esperanza produces approximately 400,000 liters of ethanol per day, and is the largest producer of sugar and maize-based ethanol in Latin America.

“Today’s announcement illustrates the strength of continued collaboration between ICM and INPASA and our shared commitment to improving the sustainability of agriculture worldwide. We appreciate the opportunity to broaden our relationship with INPASA and we are thankful for the continued trust they place with us as we work to support their plant operations,” said Chris Mitchell, president of ICM.

ICM has previously fulfilled other contracts in 2012 for INPASA related to engineering services and other value-added products. Following a successful deployment of ICM’s engineering and corn oil recovery system technologies, INPASA purchased the evaporator and dryer system which is estimated to be installed by the second quarter of 2014.

José Odvar Lopes, president of INPASA, added, “INPASA is very pleased to have established contracts with ICM regarding the design and fabrication of an evaporator, dryer and corn oil recovery systems. We are very satisfied with the service and technology provided by ICM. INPASA is confident that the top quality work performed by ICM will be repeated in this INPASA project,”

advanced biofuels, Ethanol, International

New British Columbia Biodiesel Blender Pump Opens

John Davis

CowichanlogoA cooperative in British Columbia, Canada opens a new biodiesel blender pump. This story from the Cowichan Valley (BC) Citizen says the area’s first blender pump opened to an enthusiastic crowd at the Bings Creek Solid Waste Facility:

“It’s taken a little while to get here but we’ve done it and now I’d like to welcome you to Phase 1 of what we call a bio-diesel blending station. I think it’s the first of its kind in North America as a cooperative between local government and a non-profit, with significant help from Van City Credit Union,” [Brian Roberts, president of the Cowichan Biodiesel Co-op] said.

The idea is to allow the regional district to fuel up its vehicles with biodiesel right at Bings Creek.

“CVRD vehicles will be able to use a blend of biodiesel, anywhere from five per cent up to 50 per cent and 100 per cent biodiesel. This allows the CVRD to maximize the amount of biodiesel they can use in any one vehicle to whatever the warranty limitations may be, and if there are no limitations, we can go to 100 per cent biodiesel to make that vehicle carbon neutral,” Roberts said.

The cooperative uses local waste cooking oil as its feedstock.

Biodiesel, blends, International

SolarStrong Provides Solar for Military Families

Joanna Schroeder

SolarCity has begun a project to provide solar electricity to more than 500 military homes at Soaring Heights Communities, a lend-lease community, on Holloman Air Force Base in Otero County, New Mexico. The project, expected to provide 3.4 megawatts of generation capacity, is the latest to be announced under SolarCity’s SolarStrong initiative. The project is also part of Lend Lease’s commitment to President Obama’s Better Building’s Challenge, which is expected to result in Lend Lease reducing energy consumption by minimum 20 percent within the next two–five years for its entire military housing portfolio.

solarcityhollomaninstallThe SolarStrong project includes a five-year plan to provide solar power to up to 120,000 military homes.

“The children who grow up in these neighborhoods will have a glimpse of the future before any of us—neighborhoods in which the majority of roofs have solar panels on them,” said Aaron Gillmore, SolarCity’s vice president of solar development. “It’s the foresight and strategic know-how of the Department of Defense that is making this future a reality today.”

In addition to the projects announced today, SolarStrong projects are underway at Fort Bliss in Texas, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Navy Region Hawaii, and Tierra Vista Communities – a Lend Lease community with locations on Los Angeles Air Force Base and Peterson and Schriever Air Force Bases in Colorado. A 900-home project at Soaring Heights Communities on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona, announced in 2009, provided the initial blueprint for SolarStrong.

These projects will contribute to a goal set in 2007 by the Department of Defense, currently the largest energy consumer in the United States, to have 25 percent of its energy requirements met by renewable energy by 2025. As of early 2013, there are more than 130 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) energy systems powering military bases, according to a May 2013 report by the Solar Energy Industries Association.

Alternative energy, Electricity, Energy, Solar

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFThe Algae Biomass Organization (ABO), has announced the agenda for the 7th Annual Algae Biomass Summit. The event is being held October 3, 2013 in Orlando, Florida. An opening panel on the latest developments in algae-derived biofuels will include Paul Woods, Chief Executive Officer of Algenol Biofuels and CJ Warner, Chief Executive Officer and President of Sapphire Energy. A second opening panel featuring companies commercializing high-value algae-based feeds, nutritional products and specialty chemicals will include Tim Burns, President of BioProcess Algae; Dan Simon, President of Heliae; and Mike VanDrunen, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Algix, LLC.
  • ZephIR Lidar is a winner of the prestigious 2013 Institute of Physics Innovation (IOP) Award. The prize is one of the most coveted honours in British science, and was awarded for “developing and commercialising a novel ‘lidar’ anemometry system for use in wind farm siting and construction.”
  • BP Amoco Marketers Association (BPAMA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to representing the collective voice of BP jobber marketers, has partnered with RINAlliance. The program allows blenders access to nation-wide renewable fuel production and top tier pricing of their RINs.
  • Solectria Renewables is hosting a series of webinars including Web-Based Monitoring Webinar being held on Tuesday, July 23, 2013 at 2:00 pm EST and Medium Voltage PV Systems Webinar, being held on Tuesday, August 27, 2013 at 2:00 pm EST.
Bioenergy Bytes