Ag Processing Shuts Its Doors

Joanna Schroeder

Screen Shot 2013-05-22 at 8.54.31 AMAg Processing Inc a cooperative (AGP) announced it has permanently shut down operations of its corn processing plant at Hastings, Nebraska. The plant had been on an extended shutdown since February 1, 2013 amid challenging economic conditions. At that time, the company said it would continue to evaluate the future of the plant. This week the decision to permanently close the corn processing operations was made public.

The cooperative also operates a soybean processing plant, a vegetable oil refinery and an AminoPlus production facility at its industrial complex in Hastings. Company officials reiterated that those operations will not be impacted by the closing of the ethanol plant operations.

AGP is the largest farmer‐owned soybean processor in the world, is owned by 178 local and regional cooperatives representing over 250,000 farmers from 15 states throughout the United States. Corporate headquarters are located Omaha,Nebraska.

biofuels, Ethanol

JinkoSolar Partners with GRID Alternatives

Joanna Schroeder

Grid Alternatives ProjectJinkoSolar has entered in to a partnership with GRID Alternatives, a U.S. nonprofit solar installer, to donate 150kW of its solar modules towards the installation and training of volunteers of solar electric systems exclusively for low-income homeowners. The company says its donation will provide savings of over $2 million for low-income families over the systems’ lifetimes, and support more than 700 hours of hands-on installation training.

“JinkoSolar is delighted to have the opportunity to provide installation and training experience in clean solar energy to US low-income communities,” said Mr.Nigel Cockroft, General Manager of JinkoSolar USA. “Having participated in numerous other charitable projects across the globe, we applaud GRID Alternatives for their contribution to sustainable energy development.”

GRID Alternatives’ mission is to empower communities in need by providing renewable energy and energy efficiency services, equipment and training. Since 2004, GRID Alternatives has installed more than 8.5 MW of clean, renewable power for over 3000 families and has provided over 11,000 volunteers and job trainees with solar installation experience.

“The donation of equipment from our manufacturing partners provides benefits to families who save on energy; Workers who need jobs; and an industry that needs skilled labor,” added Ms. Erica Mackie, GRID Alternatives co-founder and Chief Executive Officer. “We’re thrilled to have JinkoSolar as a partner.”

Alternative energy, Electricity, Energy, Solar

Canada to Fund Algae-to-Biodiesel Project

John Davis

NRCalgae1A joint project between the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) and industry partners could result in technology to grow algae to be made into several items, including biodiesel, in the heart of the Canadian petroleum industry: oil sands facilities.

The Algal Carbon Conversion Pilot Project, a partnership among the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), Canadian Natural Resources Limited (Canadian Natural) and Pond Biofuels, will result in the construction of a unique, $19 million facility in Alberta.

“This discovery has tremendous potential to benefit our environment and our economy, and further establish Canada as a leader in managing CO2 emissions,” said the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology). “What the results of this project could mean for the future of the oil sands and Canadian businesses makes this a significant day for Canada.”

In the coming months, a demonstration-scale algal biorefinery will be established at Canadian Natural’s Primrose South oil sands site, near Bonnyville, Alberta. This facility will recycle industrial emissions from their oil sands facility by using carbon dioxide to grow algal biomass, which will undergo further processing into products, such as biofuels, livestock feed and fertilizer.

Officials say the project will lessen the oil industry’s carbon footprint, while marking this unique partnership between fossil fuels and renewable industries.

algae, Biodiesel, International

Investors Interested in Fossil Fuel-Free Portfolios

Joanna Schroeder

According to a recent survey conducted by SRI, 65 percent of retail investors and 53 percent of institutional investors are currently expressing interest in fossil fuel-free portfolios in reaction to climate change. More than 2,000 SRI industry professionals took the First Affirmative Financial Network’s Fossil Fuels Divestment Survey in anticipation of the 24th annual SRI Conference taking place October 28-30 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Other key survey findings include:

  • 77 percent see growing risks for investors associated with fossil fuel company holdings in their investment portfolios.
  • 30 percent of those surveyed either already do – or are getting ready to – offer fossil-fuel free portfolios to investors.
  • 63 percent believe that investors will in the next 10 years start divesting in meaningful numbers from fossil-fuel companies due to climate change implications of such energy sources.

SRI Conference Logo“The survey findings strongly suggest that fossil fuel free investing is one of the SRI industry’s next big issues. Ours is an incredibly dynamic field, and as we develop the agenda for the 24th annual SRI Conference in October, we are working hard to present speakers and sessions focused on the most timely, important, and pressing topics,” said First Affirmative President Steve Schueth, producer of The SRI Conference. “Fossil fuel free investing is already becoming a nationwide movement, and it’s likely to gain momentum as the impacts of climate destabilization are felt far and wide.”

Sixty-seven percent of respondents believe that 2013 is the right time for investors to assess and perhaps alter their approach to investing in traditional energy companies, while 40 percent of those surveyed worry about increased diversification risk in fossil fuel free portfolios, in their role as a fiduciary to clients. In addition, 24 percent of those surveyed said they would be able to adequately replace the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel companies in portfolios they managed/advised with holdings that exhibit similar risk/return characteristics.

Carbon, Clean Energy, Climate Change

RFA Honored for Emergency Readiness Training

Cindy Zimmerman

rfa-moore-awardThe Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) was honored today with the “2012 TRANSCAER® National Achievement Award,” at the Association of American Railroads/Bureau of Explosives HazMat Seminar in Addison, Texas.

RFA received the award for its commitment to the goals of TRANSCAER® and for its role in educating communities on how to handle chemical transportation emergencies. TRANSCAER® (Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response) is a voluntary outreach initiative that works to keep communities safe and prepares them for possible hazardous transportation emergencies.

“I have worked with TRANSCAER® for many years and am honored to receive this award on behalf of the Renewable Fuels Association,” said RFA Vice President for Technical Services Kristy Moore who accepted the award on behalf of the organization. “I have been involved in planning safety seminars and know that the value of a coordinated response can be the difference between a fire and full out disaster.”

The RFA partners with railroad companies and local industry associates to hold safety seminars on how to handle ethanol related emergencies. The seminars examine everything from how to handle tank farm and bulk storage fire incidents to the transportation and transfer of ethanol blended fuels. The RFA began safety seminars in 2010 and continues to host sessions throughout the United States. To date, the RFA has hosted 69 safety seminars in 20 different states, including Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas and Tennessee. Ten more seminars are planned this year and the RFA intends to continue this important program next year. The free seminars are open to everyone, including first responders, emergency planners and the general public.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA, safety, transportation

EPA Proposes RFS Amendments

Cindy Zimmerman

The Environmental Protection Agency has announced proposed Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) amendments and clarifications, which include new pathway determinations for advanced biofuels such as isobutanol and ethanol from crop residues.

epaThe EPA proposal also includes “various changes to the E15 misfueling mitigation regulations (E15 MMR) which are minor technical corrections and amendments to sections dealing with labeling, E15 surveys, product transfer documents, and prohibited acts” as well as changes to the survey requirements associated with the ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) program.

EPA is proposing to allow renewable diesel, renewable naphtha, and renewable electricity (used in electric vehicles) produced from landfill biogas to generate cellulosic or advanced biofuel RINs. Renewable compressed natural gas (CNG)/liquified natural gas (LNG) produced from landfill biogas are also proposed to generate cellulosic RINs. EPA is also proposing to allow butanol that meets the 50% GHG emission reduction threshold to qualify as advanced biofuel. The rulemaking also proposes a clarification regarding the definition of crop residue to include corn kernel fiber and proposes an approach to determining the volume of cellulosic renewable identification numbers (RINs) produced from various cellulosic feedstocks. Further, this proposal discusses and seeks comment on the potential to allow for commingling of compliant products at the retail facility level as long as the environmental perfor­mance of the commingled fuels would not be detrimental. The action also addresses “nameplate capacity” issues for certain production facilities that do not claim ex­emption from the 20% GHG reduction threshold. Several other amendments to the RFS program are included.

“This proposed rulemaking package is essentially a collection of ‘housekeeping amendments’ that will address several odds and ends that needed to be addressed in the regulatory text,” commented Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen. “We are pleased that among these proposed amendments is a provision clarifying that ethanol produced from the cellulosic portions of the corn kernel can qualify as cellulosic biofuel under the RFS2.”

“Companies continue to make investments, put steel in the ground, create jobs and develop technologies that reduce dependence on foreign oil and contribute to a cleaner environment,” said Brent Erickson, executive vice president of the Biotechnology Industry Organization’s (BIO) Industrial & Environmental Section. “They are preparing to make additional investments with assurance that U.S. policy is committed to energy security and production of biofuels.”

The proposal has been submitted to the Federal Register for public comment.

advanced biofuels, BIO, Cellulosic, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government, RFA, RFS

Rebuffed in EU, Argentina Aims for US Biodiesel Market

John Davis

argentinaflagShut out of selling biodiesel the the European Union, Argentina is now trying its hand at getting into the U.S. biodiesel market. Reuters reports the Argentinians believe it will be easier to meet U.S. environmental laws than overcome Europe’s block

“We’re going through the process of getting EPA approval, which takes some time,” Luis Zubizarreta, president of the Argentine Biofuels Chamber, told the Reuters Latin America Investment Summit.

“We’re well-positioned and we’re very confident of achieving this. In the next few months, we should have that approval.”

Argentina is the world’s top exporter of biodiesel – made from soybean oil – but shipments to its main client, the EU, plunged this year after the bloc launched investigations into possible dumping by Argentine suppliers.

The European block on the South American green fuel has cut in half Argentina’s production. If the EPA approves Argentinian bodiesel for RINs, the article says it would obviously help that country’s market while helping U.S. refiners, importers and others comply with biofuel blending requirements.

Biodiesel, International

New Colorado Biodiesel Plant to Run on Cooking Oil

John Davis

ClearEcos1A new Colorado biodiesel plant will be supplied with used cooking oil as its feedstock. Bio Plant Technologies LLC (operating as ClearEcos) and GHP Biodiesel USA Inc. are joining forces to set up an 11.5 million gallon refinery in conjunction with ClearEcos’ Boulder, Colorado used cooking oil (UCO) collection business.

Kurt Lange, CEO of Bio Plant Technologies states: “Together with our restaurant partners, we will create a cleaner environment and cleaner communities in Colorado. The usage of local restaurants’ grease to create biodiesel for our municipal fleets ensures that the economic and environmental benefits of our business stay in the region. As our business grows, we will continue to create jobs for Colorado.”

Gregory Gettinger, CEO of GHP Biodiesel USA states: ”We are happy to announce this strategic merger between the UCO collection and the biodiesel production. The synergies in production and logistics are striking. Moving up the value chain from used oil collection to an integrated energy provider is a logical strategic step in this industry.”

Bio Plant Technologies touts itself as the only closed loop UCO-biodiesel-return to local communities system in Colorado.

Biodiesel

Wind Changes Course in Texas

Joanna Schroeder

Wind components for export in Corpus ChristiPort Corpus Christi is a leader in import facilities for major manufacturers including wind energy component cargo from global markets. But the wind is changing course. New wind energy market trends have created a reverse trade this year, and on May 18, 2013, wind components destined for export markets were loaded at Port Corpus Cristi for the first time.

Vessel carrier NYK-Hinode’s m/v Kuwana loaded 36 Mitsubishi wind blades destined for Japan at Port Corpus Christi’s cargo dock 9. The operation marks a first-time export opportunity for wind cargo components via the Port. The blades were staged at Mitsubishi’s laydown yard located in Santa Teresa, New Mexico and manufactured in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. In April, the blades were trucked from New Mexico to a Port Corpus Christi open storage area to await the export operation.

“The Port anticipates additional wind cargo export opportunities within the upcoming months. We continue our commitment to better serve the logistics of wind energy markets,” said John LaRue, Executive Director, Port Corpus Christi.

Alternative energy, Electricity, Energy, Wind

Energy Exec Survey: Energy Independence by 2030

Joanna Schroeder

According to the 11th annual Energy Industry Outlook Survey conducted by the KPMG Global Energy Institute, 62 percent of energy executives believe the U.S. can attain energy independence by 2030, eliminating dependency on foreign oil. The survey polled more than 100 senior energy executives in the U.S. and found that this is a 10 percent increase from last year’s survey. Of this number, 23 percent believe the country can attain energy independence as soon as 2020.

Utility owned Wind-farmIn addition, 17 percent of respondents believe that U.S. energy independence will never happen, a drop of 10 percent.

“Increased domestic production, particularly from shale assets, is having a profound impact on the global energy sector, introducing new sources to the energy matrix,” said John Kunasek, national sector leader for energy and natural resources for KPMG LLP.

He continued, “This ‘shale gale’ is certainly contributing to the increased optimism among energy executives on the potential for U.S. energy independence and driving large investments into the development and production from these shale assets, including ‘Greenfield’ investment plays.”

The survey shows that natural gas is predicted to play an important role and 79 percent of those surveyed agree that the energy industry’s emphasis in developing environmentally friendly technologies should focus on natural gas, followed by nuclear (39 percent), solar (33 percent), and clean coal technologies (32 percent), indicating a slight shift away from the total bullishness around natural gas seen in the 2012 survey results, to a more balanced view with solar and wind technologies making gains.

Ninety-five percent of energy executives expect continued R&D investment in alternative energy projects this year while 55 percent anticipate investments will remain unchanged in 2013. However, the percentage of respondents predicting a 10 percent increase in R&D investment nearly tripled, from 11 percent in 2012 to 30 percent in 2013.Read More

Alternative energy, biofuels, Natural Gas, Nuclear Energy, Oil, Solar, Wind