ACE Conference 2026

Innovative Microgrid Project: SkyGrid Energy

Joanna Schroeder

An innovative off-grid water pumping system powered by a Northern Power NPS 100 wind turbine is now benefiting several farmers in North Kohola, Hawaii. This microgrid project, known as SkyGrid Energy, is an alternative to using diesel to generate power. According to Northern Power, the turbine is specifically designed to support microgrids with its sophisticated voltage controls and no inrush NPS SkyGrid Energy microgridcurrent, relieving stress to the system. In addition, the company said the NPS 100’s ability to control reactive power independently of wind speed more reliably meets energy demands, a crucial component of microgrids.

The SkyGrid Energy microgrid has been fully operational since April 2013. In addition to the NPS 100 wind turbine, which is the primary source of energy production, the system also includes a battery bank and solar panels. The system is capable of pumping more than 30 million gallons of water annually and is being used to irrigate 400 acres of agricultural land and support 14 participating farms and agricultural businesses.

The project was partially funded by the U.S. Department of Energy through the Hawaii Renewable Energy Development Venture. Gen‐X Energy Development LLC, the project developer, plans to replicate and deploy this microgrid solution throughout Hawaii and other island communities.

“Besides providing innovation for a better world and helping increase our independence from fossil fuels, the new microgrid is also helping provide a reliable and cost‐effective solution for Hawaii’s agriculture industry. This Northern Power turbine is critical to this microgrid’s success,” said Fred Brown, Gen‐X Energy Development LLC co‐founder.

Alternative energy, Electricity, Microgrid, Wind

Solar Project on Federal Land Gets “Green Light

Joanna Schroeder

The Quartzsite Solar Energy Project located in La Paz County, Arizona has received approval from the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to proceed. The 100 megawatt project will be located on Bureau of Land (BLM) managed land. The Quartzsite Project will be utilizing SolarReserve’s concentrated solar power (CSP) technology with integrated storage which allows the facility to operate like a conventional power plant.

CSP Cresent Dunes Project“These projects reflect the Obama Administration’s commitment to expand responsible domestic energy production on our public lands and diversify our nation’s energy portfolio,” Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell said. “Today’s approvals will help bolster rural economies by generating good jobs and reliable power and advance our national energy security.”

With more than $600 million of direct investment in Arizona, the Quartzsite Solar Energy Plant will generate approximately 440 jobs during peak construction and 50 full-time jobs for operations and maintenance. In addition, the project is expected to create local economic stimulus in the form of $15.7 million in sales tax during the construction period, with construction spending injecting another $46.3 million into the local and regional economy.

“The BLM has done a tremendous job of administering a rigorous and fair permitting process for this project,” said Kevin Smith, CEO of SolarReserve. “We appreciate the agency’s support of this and other renewable energy projects that are critical to reducing harmful emissions from conventional power plants while creating real employment opportunities. The Quartzsite project will be SolarReserve’s second major project successfully permitted on BLM land which demonstrates that industry and government can collaborate effectively.”

The Quartzite Solar Energy Project has completed all major permitting necessary for advancing the project into construction and is actively engaged in power marketing efforts. The project is slated to begin construction in 2014, once a Power Purchase Agreement has been contracted and financing for the project complete.

Alternative energy, Electricity, Energy, Solar

RFA Offers Communications Training Webinar

Joanna Schroeder

RFA-logo-13The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) will host a free Communications Training webinar on Wednesday, June 19 at 1 p.m. CT. The training session is open to all RFA member companies and anyone interested in helping local ethanol plants promote the value of ethanol is encouraged to participate. The webinar will focus on different methods of community engagement:

  • Website and Newsletter Content
  • Social Media
  • Reporter Outreach
  • Community Events & RFA Materials
  • Congressional Visits
  • Local Advertising Ideas
  • Idea Exchange

Click here to register.

biofuels, communications, Ethanol, RFA

BMW Boasts Largest Hydrogen Fuel Cell Fleet

Joanna Schroeder

BMW Manufacturing has expanded its use of Plug Power hydrogen fuel cells at its Spartanburg, South facility to power all material handle trucks and forklifts. The company now has 272 units in its fleet, making it the largest such fleet in North America. In 2010, BMW installed a storage and distribution area for BMW's Plug Power GenDrive hydrogen systemhydrogen supplied by Linde Industrial Gases near its 4-million square foot production facility and then equipped 100 forklift trucks and pallet jacks in its X3 assembly hall with Plug Power’s GenDrive hydrogen fuel cell system.

“BMW’s ongoing commitment to clean production is evident in our recent expansion of our hydrogen fuel cell program,” said Duncan Seaman, BMW Group, Head of Market Operations, Americas. “We appreciate Linde’s partnership in supporting the expansion, making our entire operation more sustainable.”

GenDrive hydrogen fuel cells are an alternative to lead-acid batteries in the $20 billion global material handling market. According to Plug Power, use of the fuel cells lowers operational costs, produces zero emissions and improves reliability. Fuel cell usage also eliminates the need for large battery storage and charging rooms, freeing up valuable production space and removing any lead and sulfuric acid contamination from the work environment. Since battery charging is no longer required, total electricity demand is reduced and the fees associated with battery recycling and disposal are eliminated.“The expansion of BMW’s hydrogen fuel cell material handling fleet in Spartanburg makes BMW one of the world’s largest users of hydrogen fuel cells at a single site,” added Andy Marsh, CEO at Plug Power. “This milestone is significant because it demonstrates that a GenDrive solution can profitably scale to bring enormous benefits to the organization including increased productivity, cost savings and carbon-footprint reductions.”

Alternative energy, automotive, Hydrogen

World Bank: Crude Oil Biggest Driver of Food Prices

Joanna Schroeder

According to a recent study by the World Bank, “Long-Term Drivers of Food Prices,” oil prices are the biggest driver of higher food prices. The study, using data from 1960-2012, applied an economic model to five internationally-traded food commodities (maize/corn, wheat, rice, soybeans and palm oil) and studied the impact of several food-price drivers. These included energy prices, exchange rates, interest rates, inflation, income and a variable reflecting World Food Bank Food Price Studymarket fundamentals.

The study also paid special attention to two time periods: 1997-2004 and 2005-2007. Between the two time frames, the price of energy, fertilizers and precious metals tripled. In addition, most food prices doubled. Of all the drivers of food prices, crude oil prices had the biggest impact.

Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy noted that also during this time, food and energy price increases also coincided with record profits for the oil industry.

“Not only has the oil industry been responsible for the sky-rocketing gas prices each time you fill up your car, now it turns out they are responsible for the price increases you face at the grocery store. While they enjoy record profits, populations around the world suffer at their expense and struggle to pay for the basic staples of life.”

“The World Bank found that crude oil is responsible for more than half of the increase in food prices,” Buis added. “Couple that with the nearly 100 percent increase in domestic gas prices over the same time frame, and the cost of oil has truly affected the well-being of all Americans in a very expensive way.”

Alternative energy, Food prices, Growth Energy, Oil, Research

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