Solar on the Farm

Cindy Zimmerman

spgc13-solar“Making Sustainability Work” was the theme of the 2013 Southern Peanut Growers Conference this past week and one of the sessions was devoted to energy efficiency, including the use of solar on the farm.

Peter Marte with Hannah Solar of Atlanta, Georgia says solar energy is getting to be more popular for farming operations because costs have come down. “It’s no longer expensive, the price has dropped 80% over the last three years,” he said. For that reason, Marte encourages farmers to take another look at the possibilities for their operations. “If you haven’t gotten a quote for solar this week – not last month, not a year ago, this week – you don’t have a quote for solar.”

hannah-solar-2Marte says Hannah Solar has completed a number of agricultural projects around the state of Georgia and many that have benefited from utility company buy back programs. “We’ve done a lot with peanut farmers,” he said, highlighting one example of an irrigation pivot offset system. “So in the winter months when he’s not using the irrigation pivot … he’s still getting compensated for that energy at a fair rate.”

Other projects include the American Peanut Growers shelling plant, which is one of the biggest rooftop solar arrays in the state, solar barns and more. Find out more in this interview with Marte from the peanut growers conference – Interview with Peter Marte, Hannah Solar

Audio, Farming, Solar

RES America to Construct Minnesota Wind Farm

Joanna Schroeder

Xcel Energy Nobles 4RES America Developments Inc., a subsidiary of Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc. (RES Americas), will be working with Xcel Energy to construct the 200 megawatt (MW) Pleasant Valley Wind Farm. The project is near Austin, Minnesota, adjacent to the Grand Meadow wind project owned by Xcel Energy.

“RES Americas is pleased to once again work with Xcel Energy to provide an additional 200 megawatts of affordable and clean energy to the region,” said Susan Reilly, president and CEO of RES Americas. “This is an excellent example of the realized benefits of the Production Tax Credit. This project will generate clean, renewable energy, and provide one of the lowest cost power resources currently available in the region.”

RES Americas will continue its role as developer and constructor of Pleasant Valley. Once the project is complete, RES Americas will transfer ownership of Pleasant Valley to Xcel Energy, who will own and operate the project. The development and construction schedules remain on track to be completed by the end of 2015, with development activities into 2014 and plans to break ground in mid-2014.

“The Pleasant Valley Wind Project along with the other wind purchases we are making will lower our customers’ bills, offer protection from rising fuel costs, and provide significant environmental benefits,” said Dave Sparby, president and CEO of Northern States Power Co.-Minnesota, an Xcel Energy company.

Pleasant Valley Wind Farm is part of 600 megawatts of wind power recently announced by Xcel Energy in its Upper Midwest service territory. According to RES, when combined, the projects will produce enough energy to serve 180,000 homes and over the lives of the projects, lower customer costs an estimated $180 million. At the same time, the projects will reduce carbon emissions by 1.2 million tons each year in Xcel Energy’s Upper Midwest service territory, where the company already is on track to reduce carbon emissions 30 percent by 2020 from 2005 levels.

Alternative energy, Electricity, Energy, Wind

Kawa Capital to Buy Conergy

Joanna Schroeder

U.S. based financial investor Kawa Capital Management has announced it intends to acquire the majority of sales units from Conergy as well as necessary associated Kawa Logo copyadministrative, management and infrastructure functions of Conergy AG, including the “Conergy” brand. Production subsidiaries Mounting Systems GmbH and Conergy SolarModule GmbH & Co. KG are not part of this transaction.

Kawa, the Conergy Management Board and the preliminary insolvency administrator have signed a letter of intent. The parties intend to finalize the details of the envisaged transaction and the purchase agreement in the next four weeks. The purchase agreement is expected to be executed in the second half of August, subject to a number of conditions precedent including the approval of Conergy’s creditor committee.

“Kawa is our preferred partner. We have been in intense negotiations about an investment in Conergy for months and have agreed on the future concept for Conergy already a long time ago,” said Conergy CEO Dr. Philip Comberg. “Our expertise is highly complementary. Conergy logoIn the last two years we have consistently focused Conergy on our strengths in international sales and services. At the same time, we have developed new financing and asset management services.”

Comberg continued, “With this setup, Conergy is ideally suited for the future challenges in the global solar growth markets. We want to sustainably implement this ‘downstream strategy’ in the international solar markets with a strong financial and strategic partner who is investing in the company for the long term. Kawa’s financing and structuring capabilities combined with Conergy’s global platform, track record and unparalleled expertise in downstream solar PV creates a unique and leading market player.”

Kawa’s objective is to acquire the two German entities Conergy Deutschland GmbH and Conergy Services GmbH as well as the subsidiaries in the U.S. and Canada, Singapore and Thailand, Australia, Spain, Italy, France, Greece, Cyprus and the United Kingdom. Read More

Alternative energy, Company Announcement, Solar

Chrysler & NextEnergy Explore Battery Power

Joanna Schroeder

Chrysler Group has partnered with NextEnergy, a Detroit-based non-profit energy-technology and business accelerator, to evaluate vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology using four all-electric minivans. If the EVs prove to be viable storehouses of electricity, they could provide energy savings by sending surplus power to the grid.

“This program is indicative of our broad-based approach to powertrain development,” said Bob Lee, Chrysler Group Vice President and Head of Engine and Electrified Propulsion Engineering. “Advanced internal-combustion technology remains at the core of our efforts, but the present regulatory climate we live in compels all auto makers to explore V2G_minivan__midalternatives such as electrification. We’re choosing to go the extra mile by also exploring how electric vehicles might mesh with our energy infrastructure.”

The battery-powered minivans are connected to a charging module that, thanks to unique NextEnergy technology, can simulate any electrical grid in the world.

“This, when coupled with Chrysler Group’s powertrain expertise, has enabled leading-edge business-model and technology demonstrations,” said NextEnergy President and CEO Jean Redfield.

Among the scenarios under study is reduced reliance on “spinning reserves” – the expensive practice of having huge generators at the ready to balance spikes in energy demand. According to Chrysler, if EVs were linked together in sufficient numbers and their combined surplus power was sold to utility companies, they could conceivably offset demand surges. The expectation is that tapping such a reservoir would cut costs for utility companies, while also putting money into the pockets of EV owners.Read More

Alternative Vehicles, automotive, Electric Vehicles

Jam the Stands

Joanna Schroeder

Jam at the StandsThe “Jam the Stands” racing series continues on Sunday, July 28, 2013 at the Granite City Speedway in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota. During the event, fans will enjoy a free evening of high octane stock car racing and learn about biofuels. Gates open at 2:00 pm and racing begins at 5:30 pm.

The Biofuel Mobile Education Center will be at the Speedway, thanks to the Minnesota Corn Growers Association, which is sponsoring the “Jam the Stands” racing series across Minnesota. The Biofuel Mobile Education Center gives race fans the opportunity to learn more about ethanol fuels using touch screen computers, educational displays, videos, and flex fuel station locaters.

The American Lung Association in Minnesota will also be in attendance to help share the clean air benefits of E85. Some fans who drive flex fuel vehicles will receive a coupon for $2 off a tankful of E85 at the Short Stop Quick Mart at 4725 Quail Road, Sauk Rapids. The event also features a $50 Visa cash card giveaway as well as a Husqvarna equipment give away from Mimbach Fleet.

biofuels, E85, Education, Racing

DF Cast: Geothermal Potential Just Below Surface

John Davis

Geothermal energy is seen as one of the cleanest and most efficient in the world, ranking right up there with the likes of wind energy. But growth in the energy source has been slow but steady.

KarlGawell1In this edition of the Domestic Fuel Cast, we hear from Executive Director of the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) Karl Gawell who believes the trend away from coal-fired plants and toward other renewable energy sources could see things pick up for geothermal. He says geothermal’s steady supply is the perfect complement to wind and solar energy plants that might have intermittent gaps that geothermal can easily and quickly fill.

GEAMGM1In addition, he talks about the GEA’s Geothermal Energy Expo 2013, September 29-October 2 at the MGM Grand Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas. He says with the growing international market in geothermal hotspots, this gathering is the perfect opportunity to meet with people with geothermal interests around the world. Registration is available here. And you can find out more about geothermal energy at his group’s website, www.geo-energy.org.

Hear more of the conversation here: Domestic Fuel Cast - Geothermal's Potential

You can also subscribe to the DomesticFuel Cast here.

Audio, Domestic Fuel Cast, Geothermal

Michigan Research: Diesel Saves Money

John Davis

UMTRIA new study shows that vehicles that run on diesel save their owners money. While the research didn’t specifically mention biodiesel, the green fuel would also be part of that savings. Biodiesel Magazine reports the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute found that the total cost of ownership (TCO) is lower for diesel vehicles compared to their gasoline-powered counterparts.

“Our results show that clean diesel vehicles generally provide a return on investment in both the three- and five-year timeframes, though there are differences in the amounts of return among mass market vehicles, medium duty trucks, and luxury vehicles,” authors Bruce M. Belzowski and Paul Green, assistant research scientists with UMTRI, state in their report. “The estimates of savings for three and five years of ownership vary from a low of $67 in three years to a high of $15,619 in five years, but most of the savings are in the $2,000 to $6,000 range, which also include the extra cost that is usually added to the diesel version of a vehicle.”

The report concludes that diesel vehicles can and do compete well in the U.S. market and are at an advantage when fuel economy regulations for 2016 and 2025 are considered.

Biodiesel, Research, University

AlsoEnergy Launches New Solar PV Tools

Joanna Schroeder

AlsoEnergy, a company focused on renewable energy monitoring and portfolio management software, unveiled two new offerings at last week’s Intersolar North America 2013. The two new products are PowerOperations, an operations management workflow module and PowerRes, a residential pacakge, are both designed and tailored for the financial community and developers of residential lease programs for the solar market.

AlsoEnergy logoAccording to Robert Schaefer, CEO of AlsoEnergy, when integrated with PowerTrack – the company’s advanced cloud-based software platform for monitoring renewable energy system performance – there are additional efficiencies realized. The portfolio of tools help automate key functions and processes associated with operating and maintaining a portfolio of solar photovoltaic fields.

“If a site shows that there is low production, the PowerTrack system sends this alert to the appropriate people and creates an associated task, thus enabling timely performance management that minimizes system downtime and lost production,” explained Schaefer.

PowerRes, added Schaefer, is a low-cost, portfolio management and monitoring system for solar developers that is ideal for the residential marketplace. It incorporates an easy to install, cellular-based Itron Sentinel socket meter. When integrated with PowerTrack and PowerOperations, it allows developers to deploy and manage thousands of residential sites. Schaefer said PowerRes also includes operations and maintenance of distributed energy assets and can also track performance guarantees.

“Our renewable energy customers and conference attendees indicated that they want to go way beyond simple measuring,” added Schaefer. “So we have successfully integrated management, operations and maintenance for residential, commercial and utility installations. At Intersolar North America we emphasized again how AlsoEnergy can lower the cost, improve the efficiency and improve the performance of renewable energy generation for developers, operators, financiers and EPCs.”

Energy, energy efficiency, Renewable Energy, Solar

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFRocky Mountain Institute (RMI) has chosen Jules Kortenhorst to be the organization’s new CEO. As the founding CEO of the European Climate Foundation, Kortenhorst brings significant experience and understanding of the global energy issues RMI works to solve. As CEO, Kortenhorst will report to RMI’s Board and will be primarily responsible for further developing the organization’s strategic vision, the overall fiscal management and stability of the organization, and ensuring RMI’s programmatic initiatives have continued and increasing impact.
  • Frost & Sullivan is hosting a free webinar on August 6, 2013 to discuss the key trends and opportunities in the renewable energy market in Latin America. The key speaker will be Gustavo Stainoh, research analyst for Frost and Sullivan’s Energy & Environment Practice. The briefing will investigate the key trends within the Latin America renewable energy industry, as well as identify its main drivers and restraints. To attend the briefing, email Francesca Valente and include your full name, job title, company name, company telephone number, company email address and website, city, state and country.
  • HMC Farms, is moving forward with Cenergy Power on a 10 acre solar photovoltaic (PV) farm. The 2.2MW solar system will span across 390,000 square feet of ground space and will enable HMC to significantly hedge against rising electric utility charges on two cold storage and packaging meters. An additional 70kW solar carport will be added to supplant HMC’s energy use at the main office building on the property.
  • The Worldwatch Institute is assisting the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in developing a Caribbean Sustainable Energy Roadmap and Strategy to provide a more strategic approach to implementing renewable energy and energy efficiency measures in the region. The overall goals are to address the inadequate energy security of most CARICOM member states and to establish them as climate-compatible economies through greater diversification of the energy supply away from heavy dependence on imported petroleum products and toward smarter, more-sustainable energy technologies. The report will be released later this month.
  • The OnSite Energy Conference & Trade Show, being held in Brisbane, Queensland (Australia) September 23-35 as announced its agenda. The conference will cover solar, wind, biomass, algae, anaerobic digestion and the biofuels industries.
Bioenergy Bytes

Viesel Fuel Upgrades Enzymatic Biodiesel Plant

John Davis

ViesellogoFlorida-based Viesel Fuel, LLC has upgraded its enzymatic biodiesel plant using technology from Danish company Novozymes. This BioFuels Journal article says Viesel’s green fuel is considered an approved biomass-based diesel under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), meets ASTM International D6751 standards and is on track to be approved for BQ9000 quality assurance.

The Novozymes enzymatic process requires less energy than traditional biodiesel processes, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions at a higher rate.

“Novozymes’ leadership in enzymatic processes will change the way the world produces biofuel and we at Viesel Fuel are very enthusiastic to be pioneering their technology to install a commercial scale biodiesel facility,” stated Stuart Lamb, CEO of Viesel Fuel.

The article goes on to say that Novozymes’ enzymatic process is also helping produce a higher value glycerin as a byproduct. Viesel Fuel is one of the first to use Novozymes technology on a commercial scale in North America.

Biodiesel