DuPont, Chinese Company Ink Solar Energy Deal

John Davis

DupontYinglisigning1DuPont and Chinese green power company Yingli Energy Company Limited have signed a one-year, $100 million solar energy deal. The strategic agreement includes the supply of advanced solar materials, the installation of a solar power plant and co-marketing initiatives and expands a previous $100 million supply agreement between the companies announced in February of last year.

“Materials are critical to help ensure our solar panels provide superior power output for their 25-year expected lifetime, or longer,” said Liansheng Miao, chairman and chief executive officer, Yingli Green Energy. “The agreement we have signed with DuPont assures our supply of high-quality materials that have proven performance and our continued collaboration on further technological advances to optimize the efficiency and durability of our products. Yingli Green Energy has long been committed to making solar affordable for everyone with superior quality products.”Read More

International, Solar

Groups Petition Cali to Evaluate Clean Energy Policy

Joanna Schroeder

Several organizations in California, including Californians Against Utilities Stopping Solar Energy (CAUSE), American Lung Association of California, California Environmental Justice Alliance (CEJA) and Presente.org are petitioning the California Energy Commission to quantify the air quality and economic benefits associated with the states “net energy metering” policy.

According to CAUSE, net metering provides solar consumers with fair credit for the energy they put back on the grid, which utilities then sell to other customers. The organization says monopoly utilities in California and across the country are trying to eliminate net metering in order to halt the consumer-driven popularity of rooftop solar.

Rooftop Solar Installation“By driving the expansion of rooftop solar, net metering helps improve the quality of the air we breathe while creating jobs in our community,” said Dr. Luis Pacheco, Medical Director of the Transitional Care Unit at California Hospital Medical Center and CAUSE co-chair. “These were key considerations when net metering was adopted, and should be included in an assessment of the policy’s overall effectiveness.”

The requested study would supplement analysis of the more limited impact of net metering on non-solar ratepayers’ electric bills and would also include various other benefits including: local job growth and increased employment throughout California; increased local economic activity that generates tax revenue for state and local governments; improved air quality through reduced need for fossil fuel power generation; reduced death and disease associated with fossil fuel power generation; reduced greenhouse gas emissions; lower wholesale market prices for electricity due to decreased demand; and improved grid security and reduced economic costs from power outages.

CAUSE says attention to these additional society impacts comes at a time when Investor-Owned Utilities (IOUs) have begun to diverge from one another on the impact of net-metered solar on the grid. In a recent ratepayer impact study conducted earlier this year by Crossborder Energy found that net metering will deliver net benefits of more than $92 million per year to California ratepayers.

“Air pollution poses a serious threat to our state’s health. Powering our buildings with on-site clean, renewable energy instead of burning fossil fuels can help reduce harmful air pollution and lower energy costs at the same time,” addedStrela Cervas, co-coordinator of the California Environmental Justice Alliance. “We should better understand the societal benefits associated with net metering before making policy changes.”

Alternative energy, Environment, Solar, Utilities

Price, Horsepower and Versatility

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 MOST important when buying a tractor?” It looks like price, horsepower, and versatility win this battle.

Our poll results: Twenty-two percent said Price and Horsepower, seventeen percent said versatility, fifteen percent said Customer Service, nine percent said Accessories, six percent said Warranty and Comfort, four percent said Color, and two percent said Size. The bells and whistles don’t seem to be a huge impact on purchasing decisions.

Untitled

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “How good was your first cutting of hay?” Weather hasn’t exactly been predictable this spring. With a cold and wet spring season across much of the country how did it affect your hay crop? Has it bounced back from last year’s drought? Let us know.
ZimmPoll is sponsored by New Holland Agriculture.

ZimmPoll

USTR Nominee Answers EU Ethanol Export Question

Cindy Zimmerman

fromanThe issue of the European Union’s treatment of ethanol imports from the United States came up during a Senate Finance Committee nomination hearing Thursday for U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) nominee Michael Froman.

Sen. John Thune (R-SD) noted that he and a number of other senators sent a letter in April to the Acting USTR asking for an investigation into the anti-dumping decision made by European Union regarding ethanol imports from the United States. “American ethanol producers believe that what the EU has done in imposing a countrywide anti-dumping duty on all U.S. ethanol imports is both unprecedented and unsupported from a legal standpoint,” Senator Thune said.

Forman answered in the affirmative when the senator asked him if he would commit to “carefully reviewing the EU’s action on ethanol” and pursue “every available remedy to ensure that U.S. ethanol exporters are treated fairly by the EU.”

The nominee said he was familiar with the issue and that his understanding is that “USTR is reviewing the methodology that the EU used in that case.”

Froman currently serves as the White House deputy national security advisor for international economic affairs.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Exports, Government

ICM Gen 1.5 Improves Ethanol Output, Oil Recovery

John Davis

ICMlogo1Kansas-based ICM Inc. announces a new process that promises to enhance yields and oil recovery for ethanol plant, while expecting to also produce the higher value Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) for the fuel that comes from those plants. In an interview with Joanna in advance of next week’s Fuel Ethanol Workshop in St. Louis, Mo., Kurt Dieker, ICM’s Director of Product Development, said their new integrated technology, dubbed Generation 1.5 Integrated Fiber to Cellulosic Ethanol Technology, will help produce cellulosic ethanol at existing grain ethanol plants.

ICMGen15-1“We have an enabling technology that is a yield-enhancing technology for starch-based ethanol that goes into our platform that enables us to concentrate and clean up the fibers taken out of the normal stream,” Kurt said. Then, they take that to their Generation 1.5 technology to boost the yields of ethanol. “The payback is a yield enhancement of 5-6 percent, as well as an oil enhancement of 20-50 percent higher rates [because] the technology frees up more starch for fermentation and release from mechanical bond from the germ itself to be later separated.”

The technology development was funded by a U.S. Department of Energy grant, and Kurt said the technology can be easily added to a current ethanol operation, boosting overall yields by as much as 10 percent. In addition, he believes the fuel produced from this process, made at a 60 percent reduction in the typical ethanol plant’s greenhouse gas emissions, will soon be approved as a cellulosic ethanol eligible for higher value RINs.

“If the EPA rules that the RINs should be given, then the value of the ethanol should be higher,” while also intensifying the protein in the co-products [such as dried distillers grains] and allows more oil to be taken off, Kurt said. Even if it doesn’t get the EPA approval, the net 10 percent increase in value for an ethanol plant would make it worth it.

Kurt said the technology is ready to go into standing ethanol plants today. He says ICM will be at next week’s FEW in St. Louis and ready to answer what he expects to be a lot of questions from ethanol producers there.

“If people are interested in talking about it, we’re definitely interested in talking to customers on how we can add value to their plants and their bottom lines.”

Listen to Joanna’s interview with Kurt here: Kurt Dieker, ICM

Audio, Cellulosic, Ethanol, RINS

API Files E15 Brief with Supreme Court

Joanna Schroeder

The American Petroleum Institute (API) filed a brief with the Supreme Court this week regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) approval of a blend of E15, 15 percent ethanol and 85 percent gasoline.  API claims that the ethanol fuel blend has been shown to damage millions of cars on the road.

“E15 could leave millions of consumers with broken down cars and high repair bills,” said Bob Greco, API group downstream director. “It could also put motorists in harm’s way when vehicles break down in the middle of a busy highway. We are asking the Supreme Court to step in and protect consumers by striking down EPA’s dangerous E15 mandate before it’s too late. ”

ks-e15Greco went on to say that ethanol and other renewable fuels play an important role in our transportation fuel mix, but we cannot allow a mandate for ethanol that exceeds what is safe for consumers. He is asking for the EPA to immediately finalize the 2013 ethanol mandate and lower the 2014 mandate.

The ethanol industry has been fighting claims that ethanol damages engines for many years even though E15 is the most tested fuel in the history of the U.S. Ron Lamberty, senior vice president for the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) said of API’s latest attempt: “API is basically presenting evidence to prove they will do whatever they can to keep from having to compete with any other fuels.”

“Big Oil will take any approach available to delay E15 implementation while continuing its public smear campaign against it,” continued Lamberty. “API’s press statement – ostensibly about their court petition – is instead a replay of anti-ethanol misinformation campaign “greatest hits” which have nothing to do with the legal issues continued in their appeal.”

Lamberty pointed out that EPA did its due diligence before approving E15. He concluded, “The DC Circuit Court was right to throw out Big Oil’s legal challenge, and the Supreme Court should reject this appeal as well.”

ACE, biofuels, E15, Ethanol

United Signs Biofuel Agreement with AltAir

John Davis

ecoskies1-medium1Flying giant United Airlines signs an agreement with aviation biofuel provider AltAir Fuels to buy 15 million gallons over three years with options for more of sustainable aviation biofuel to be used on flights from Los Angeles starting in 2014. This United news release says the move is expected to cut greenhouse gases from the flights in half:

With United’s strategic partnership, AltAir Fuels will retrofit part of an existing petroleum refinery to become a 30 million gallon, advanced biofuel refinery near Los Angeles, Calif. AltAir will produce low-carbon, renewable jet fuel and other renewable products. United has collaborated with AltAir Fuels since 2009…

“This is a great day for United and the aviation biofuels industry. This agreement underscores United’s efforts to be a leader in alternative fuels as well as our efforts to lead commercial aviation as an environmentally responsible company,” said United’s Managing Director for Global Environmental Affairs and Sustainability Jimmy Samartzis. “We’re excited about what this strategic partnership with AltAir means for United, the industry, the environment, and for our customers.”

“United Airlines has been a strategic partner for several years as we work to establish our biofuel facility,” said AltAir’s Chief Executive Officer Tom Todaro. “We cannot overestimate how important this milestone is for the commercialization of sustainable aviation biofuels, and we at AltAir are proud that United is our first customer.”

AltAir is taking idled refining equipment and retooling for biofuels purposes. The company is using Honeywell’s Green Jet process to become the first refinery internationally to be capable of in-line production of both renewable jet and diesel fuels.The facility will convert non-edible natural oils and agricultural wastes into approximately 30 million gallons of low-carbon, advanced biofuels and chemicals per year.

United Airlines is part of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group, an association that represents about a third of commercial aviation fuel demand and works for the advancement of drop-in aviation biofuels.

aviation biofuels

RFS Hearing – Study in Hyprocrisy

Joanna Schroeder

The U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Energy Policy, Health Care and Entitlements held a hearing to discuss the future of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS),”Up Against the Blend Wall: Examining EPA’s Role in the Renewable Fuel Standard.” While many were on the witness list, none actually worked in the biofuels industry. The ethanol industry was quick to respond and Chad Willis, ethanol committee chair for the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) noted, “It was a disappointment to hear the outcome of today’s hearing on the RFS and blend wall.”

JamesLankfordCapital“During the summer months, when gas prices are typically the highest, consumers could have benefited from a balanced discussion on the future and positive impacts of the renewable fuel industry,” continued Willis. “Unfortunately all we saw today were mistruths and a one-sided agenda.”

Many cite a problem with the RFS is lack of availability of advanced biofuels. However, first generation biofuels, such as ethanol made from corn, are a stepping stone to future fuels and the RFS is designed to foster the development of these fuels. “A number of stakeholder groups are attempting to create a view that the RFS is broken and should be wholesale repealed rather than allowing the EPA to utilize their authority to make any required adjustments,” said Michael McAdams, president of the Advanced Biofuels Association.

McAdams notes this would be a step backward in America’s energy future especially as many advanced and cellulosic companies are seeking to break ground or attempting to raise funds to build their first plants, and the discussions have a negative impact on the momentum.

One of the key experts was Jeremy I. Martin, Ph.D. senior scientist, Clean Vehicles Program, with the Union of Concerned Scientists. In response to his remarks, American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) Executive Vice President Brian Jennings pointed out, “While the oil industry will simply repeat their same worn-out attacks against the RFS during today’s hearing, I want to thank the Union of Concerned Scientists for reiterating our position that Congress should not make any legislative changes to the RFS.

Jennings continued, “ACE and UCS don’t agree on everything, but we proudly stand with them in support of the RFS. I also encourage Members of the Committee to ask oil industry representatives at the hearing the hard questions that they’d rather dodge.”

One question that was dodged: Why are gas prices are consistently near record levels?Read More

advanced biofuels, biofuels, Ethanol, RFS

Corn Growers React to Rice Climate & Corn Study

Joanna Schroeder

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is questioning the results of a recent study from Rice University and University of California that looked 40 years ahead at farming and climate change. The study finds corn ethanol has water issues that outweigh potential reductions in tailpipe emissions. In response, NCGA is saying they need to go back to the ncga-logo-new“research table”.

“At a time when meteorologists struggle to tell you what the weekend will be like, it’s odd to see a report that tries to so specifically pinpoint the weather 40 years from now,” said NCGA President Pam Johnson. “But that’s only one of the problems we have with this very problematic study.”

The report, forecasts that the yield of corn grown for ethanol in the U.S. would be reduced by an average of seven percent over the next four decades, and the amount of irrigation needed for the corn would increase by nine percent.

Among its other flaws, Johnson noted:

  • The report news release clearly states the bias of the authors, who “have long questioned the United States’ support of biofuels as a means to cut vehicle emissions,” the release said. It’s no wonder, then, that the report looks ahead a full four decades to criticize an ethanol policy, the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which only cover renewable fuels for the next nine years.
  • The report ignores any possible advances in technology to improve corn growing, such as new agronomic practices or technology. “Looking back 40 years, corn farming was so different in 1973 than it is today, and it’s a difference that could not have been predicted back then,” noted Johnson. Read More
biofuels, corn, Ethanol, NCGA

World Prepares for the Power of Global Wind Day

John Davis

GlobalwinddayPeople around the world will participate in hundreds of activities to discover the power of wind energy during Global Wind Day on June 15. This news release from the European Wind Energy Association says there will be a wide variety of things going on … from concerts to boat trips … as well as a big push through social media channels:

25,000 people have already shown their preference for wind energy over polluting fossil fuels by ‘Liking’ the Global Wind Day online app which calls on eight world leaders such as Angela Merkel and Barack Obama to stop giving six times more money to coal, oil and gas than to renewables.

The app allows you to choose which leader, in the run-up to their G8 meeting on 17-18 June, you want to tell to switch to renewable energy now.

People from 66 countries have also been busy sending pictures to the Global Wind Day photo competition, which closed earlier this month. The winning photos will be announced on 13 June – have a look at some of the entries.

You can find more information about Global Wind Day at www.globalwindday.org.

International, Wind