Honeywell UOP Selected for Floating LNG Project

Joanna Schroeder April 23, 2013

UOP LLC, a Honeywell company, has been selected by Malaysia‘s Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS) to provide technology for acid gas removal on the world’s first Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) project, known as PETRONAS Floating LNG 1or PFLNG 1. The PFLNG 1 facility, which is designed to extract natural gas from offshore wells and liquefy and store it for later transport, will use Honeywell’s UOP Amine Guard FS process to remove carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide from the liquefied natural gas (LNG) feed streams.

“We are pleased to continue to grow UOP’s long-standing relationship with PETRONAS and for the opportunity to work with the company on its historic first floating LNG project,” said Rebecca Liebert, vice president and general manager for Honeywell’s UOP Gas Processing and Hydrogen business unit. “UOP offers a full suite of leading-edge, agile gas processing technologies, enabling us to design solutions for customers monetizing their gas resources. Together with PETRONAS, we are excited to bring continued improvements to meet the world’s growing demand for cleaner-burning and versatile natural gas energy in this new frontier of gas conditioning and treating.”

Scheduled for start-up by the end of 2015, the FLNG unit will be moored approximately 112 miles off the coast of Sarawak, Malaysia, and is designed to produce 1.2 million tons per year of LNG.

FLNG facilities such as PFLNG1 represent a step change because they allow these operations to be carried out far from land and closer to offshore gas sources. UOP says they will play a significant role in efforts to unlock gas reserves, particularly in remote and stranded fields previously deemed uneconomical to develop.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG)

Ten Ways Renewable Fuels are Enviro

Joanna Schroeder April 23, 2013

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) has unveiled a list of 10 ways the renewable fuels industry is helping to improve the environment. According to IRFA, renewable fuels offer positive impacts on the environment compared to petroleum-based counterparts.

“Renewable fuels make our planet a better place to live with healthier air and water, and that’s exactly what Earth Day is all about,” said IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw. “Smart energy policies like the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) encourage the production and use of cleaner, more environmentally friendly fuels like E15 and B20 that significantly reduce the environmental harm that is caused by petroleum-based fuels.”

The following Top 10 list highlights ways in which ethanol and biodiesel have benefited the environment over the past decade through improvements at the plant, on the farm, and out of the tailpipe.

1. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), for every unit of fossil energy needed to produce biodiesel, 5.5 units of energy are gained, while ethanol generates 2.3 units of energy for every unit of fossil energy input. By comparison, gasoline and diesel fuel have negative energy balances.

2. The adoption of regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTO) has significantly reduced volatile organic compound emissions from ethanol plants.

3. On a per gallon basis, today’s ethanol plants require 28% less thermal energy and 32% less electricity than a decade ago, according to the University of Illinois at Chicago.

4. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), biodiesel reduces greenhouse gases (GHG) by up to 86% compared to petroleum diesel, while Yale University found that ethanol reduces GHG by up to 59% compared to gasoline.

5. Water used to produce a gallon of ethanol has dropped 40% over the last decade, while biodiesel production reduces wastewater by 79% and hazardous waste by 96% when compared to petroleum diesel.

6. Increased income from ethanol demand for corn has allowed farmers to invest in precision farming equipment and stronger conservation and environmental protections.

7. The environmental footprint of U.S. corn production has improved greatly since the advent of the ethanol industry, including significant reductions in soil loss, irrigation, energy use and the amount of land required to produce a bushel of corn.

8. Ethanol and biodiesel are both biodegradable and non-toxic.

9. Biodiesel and ethanol significantly reduce tailpipe carbon monoxide emissions, air toxics, fine particulate matter and smog pollution compared to petroleum diesel and gasoline, making our air healthier to breathe.

10. Since the beginning of the RFS, biodiesel use alone has reduced lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by nearly 74 billion pounds, the equivalent of removing 5.4 million vehicles from U.S. roads.

Biodiesel, biofuels, Environment, Ethanol, Iowa RFA

PowerPot Turns Heat and Water into Electricity

Joanna Schroeder April 22, 2013

Although this story doesn’t fit the traditional mold of renewable energy, it does honor Earth Day. Power Practical, a student startup that sprang from research at the University of Utah (the U), is selling a portable cook pot, coined the PowerPot, that transforms heat and water into a power source. The technology uses thermoelectricity to generate power by capturing the electrons moving from the heated pot to the cooler water inside. The greater the temperature difference, the more electricity is generated.

The students behind the company have been surprised by its rapid growth and are struggling to keep up with growing interest and demand. David Toledo, co-inventor and founder said, “We knew we were on to something when we got requests from around the world and more than doubled our goal during our Kickstarter campaign. We just shipped all of those orders, and we are quickly getting our product into more stores.”

Paul Slusser is the other co-inventor and founder. Other members of the Power Practical team include Matt Ford, the CEO who graduated with a degree in finance from the U in 1990; Wafiq Ali, who is graduating this May with a business degree from the U; Caleb Light, a business graduate from University Valley University; and Kenyon Ellis, an international studies student at the U.

The company has already shipped more than 1,000 units after attracting $126,000 in funding from its debut on Kickstarter, a crowdfunding platform, and they recently raised an additional $750,000 in seed funding.

“David and Paul are examples of what makes engineering so exciting by mixing creativity, science, math and design education, they came up with a product that improves the quality of life for people around the world,” said Richard Brown, dean of the College of Engineering at the U. “Being entrepreneurial comes naturally to many engineers. In fact, 41 percent of the spinoff companies from the U are from engineering.”

The PowerPot is geared toward camping enthusiasts but also for those in developing countries who need electricity, such as to charge a cell phone. The company has a growing variety of PowerPots that serve different needs. The basic model, the PowerPot V, weighs less than a pound and produces 5 volts, enough to charge a cellphone in 60 to 90 minutes. Larger models, like the PowerPot X, produce 10 volts and can charge larger devices, like a tablet computer.

Alternative energy, Electricity, Environment

Walmart: 100% Renewable Energy by 2020

Joanna Schroeder April 22, 2013

Walmart President and CEO Mike Duke has announced the company’s next step on the path to achieving its goal of being supplied 100 percent by renewable energy. Unveiled at Walmart’s Global Sustainability Milestone Meeting, the company committed to achieving the following by Dec. 31, 2020: drive the production or procurement of 7 billion kWh of renewable energy globally every year, a 600 percent increase over 2010 levels; and reduce the kWh/sq. ft. energy intensity required to power Walmart’s buildings globally by 20 percent compared to 2010 levels.

“More than ever, we know that our goal to be supplied 100 percent by renewable energy is the right goal and that marrying up renewables with energy efficiency is especially powerful,” said Duke. “The math adds up pretty quickly – when we use less energy that’s less energy we have to buy, and that means less waste and more savings. These new commitments will make us a stronger business, and they’re great for our communities and the environment.”

Walmart’s six-fold increase in renewable energy projects is expected to be equal to eliminating the need for roughly two U.S. fossil fuel power plants. Based on external estimates of projected energy costs and other factors, the two new commitments are anticipated to generate more than $1 billion annually in energy savings once fully implemented. For the first time, the company is projecting this GHG decrease even with significant anticipated growth in stores and sales.

“When I look at the future, energy costs may grow as much as twice as fast as our anticipated store and club growth,” Duke said. “Finding cleaner and more affordable energy is important to our every day low cost business model and that makes it important to our customers’ pocketbooks. Our leadership in this area is something our customers can feel good about because the result is a cleaner environment. And savings we can pass on to them.”

In 2012 alone, Walmart added nearly 100 renewable energy projects, bringing the total number of projects in operation worldwide to nearly 300 today. According to the Solar Energy Industry Association, it has more solar power capacity and number of systems than any other company in America. Walmart has also been cited by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as America’s leading user of onsite renewables, using more onsite renewable power than any other company in the U.S. In addition to onsite solar, the company will continue to develop projects in wind, fuel cells and other technologies. It will also procure offsite renewable energy from utility-scale projects, such as large wind projects, micro-hydro projects and geothermal.

energy efficiency, Geothermal, Renewable Energy, Solar, Wind

Wind Energy Grows 28% in a Year

Joanna Schroeder April 22, 2013

According to the American Wind Energy Association’s (AWEA) U.S. Wind Industry Annual Market Report for 2012, wind energy grew 28 percent in America last year, setting a new installation record. Wind energy topped all energy sources with a 42 percent of all new electric generating capacity. Over 6,700 new wind turbines were erected that produce enough electricity to power the equivalent of 3.5 million homes. Overall, the U.S. finished the year with 45,100 wind turbines that can power 15.2 million homes.

AWEA says all 50 states benefited from the growth in wind energy through $25 billion in private investment in new U.S. wind farms, tens of millions of dollars paid to landowners and local communities in lease payments and property taxes, and billions in projected savings for electricity consumers. The impact of wind power development was so strong that an industry analyst said it caused a noticeable uptick in the entire U.S. economy in the fourth quarter.

Xcel Energy remains the number one utility provider of wind energy in the U.S. for the ninth consecutive year. At the end of 2012, Xcel Energy had nearly 4,900 megawatts of wind electricity generating capacity on its system, enough to power 1.5 million homes and at least 600 megawatts more than the next leading utility. Wind power currently represents about 12 percent of the energy the company supplies to its customers.

“I am proud that Xcel Energy is once again the nation’s leading clean energy utility,” said Ben Fowke, president, CEO and chairman of Xcel Energy. “Our customers and communities are strong supporters of renewable energy, and wind energy plays a vital role in our strategy to meet customers’ energy needs with clean, reliable, and affordable energy.”

AWEA says wind power also helped address the disaster-level drought affecting half of U.S. counties by saving over 35 billion gallons of fresh water (120 gallons for every American), versus other water-intensive energy sources. Wind energy also avoids over 4 percent of carbon dioxide emissions in the power sector annually.Read More

Alternative energy, Electricity, Energy, Wind

Pew Report: Clean Energy Capacity Up, Investment Down

Joanna Schroeder April 22, 2013

According to research released by The Pew Charitable Trusts, the global clean energy sector is undergoing geographic and technological shifts as new markets emerge renewable capacity grows. There were 88 gigawatts (GW) registered in 2012 even though investment levels declined 11 percent to $269 billion from 2011. Among the Group of Twenty (G-20) nations, the United Kingdom (UK) maintained its seventh place ranking despite a 17 percent drop in investment to $8.3 billion.

Who’s Winning the Clean Energy Race? 2012 Edition, found that the 11 percent decline in clean energy investments compared to 2011 levels was due in part to curtailed incentive programs in a number of countries, among them Spain, Italy, and Germany. Elsewhere, continuing support for clean energy led to record levels of investment in a number of nations, including China and South Africa. Renewable energy installations grew by more than 11 percent to 88 GW, which reflected price reductions in wind, solar, and other technologies.

“Clean energy trends demonstrate the ongoing resilience of this emerging sector in the global economy,” said Phyllis Cuttino, director of Pew’s clean energy program. “Investment declines in the UK and throughout Europe were offset by strong performance in the Asian region. Uncertainty surrounding the long-term direction and content of UK policies has given pause to investors. Looking ahead, the advent of a green investment bank and abundant offshore wind resources could help bolster clean energy trends in the UK in coming years.”

China reclaimed the top spot from the United States, attracting $65.1 billion, a 20 percent increase over 2011 and 30 percent of the total for the G-20. China established itself as the leader in attracting investment in wind, solar, and other renewables. It added 23 GW of clean energy generating capacity, bringing its total to 152 GW, the most of any nation.

The United States fell to No. 2 as investment in the sector declined 37 percent, to $35.6 billion. Read More

Alternative energy, Energy, Geothermal, Renewable Energy, Solar, Wind

American Ethanol Helps NASCAR Go Green

Cindy Zimmerman April 22, 2013

In honor of Earth Day, racing is shifting gears this month to focus attention on environmental awareness with the NASCAR RACE TO GREEN™ campaign and American Ethanol is part of the effort.

The campaign is hosting a National Tree Planting initiative this month encouraging racing teams, tracks, drivers, partners and fans to pledge to plant some trees today – Earth Day – to help offset carbon emissions produced over the three national series over the season. Through the course of one mature tree’s lifetime, it absorbs about one metric ton of carbon dioxide – the same amount of carbon dioxide emitted by a NASCAR Sprint Cup™ car driving 500 miles.

American Ethanol has pledged to plant a tree for every mile raced in April. With almost 4,000 miles fuels by Sunoco Green E15 over the month, the 4,000 trees planted will be enough to offset the carbon emissions of all the miles driven on American-made ethanol in practices and qualifying laps.

“American Ethanol shares the commitment of NASCAR to operate sustainably and do our part to protect and preserve the environment,” said National Corn Growers Association board member Jon Holzfaster of Nebraska. “Farmers manage their farms every day with the tandem goals of making a profit but doing it in a way that is better for the environment. So we are proud to expand our commitment to NASCAR Green.”

NASCAR has also released a 30-second TV ad featuring Roush Fenway driver Greg Biffle and spotlighting the use of ethanol. “So, wanna be eco-friendly?” the announcer asks Biffle, who answers “Of course.”

ANNCR: “Ok, got corn?”
BIFFLE: “We got that.”
ANNCR: “Got some of it blended into fuel?”
BIFFLE: “Got it.”
ANNCR: “Got a car to use that fuel?”
BIFFLE: “Sure do.”

Watch it here:

American Ethanol, corn, E15, Environment, Ethanol, Ethanol News, NASCAR, NCGA

Biodiesel-20 Ready Chevy Cruze Tops Hybrids in MPG

John Davis April 22, 2013

The latest Chevy to hit the streets, the new 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel, capable of using B20 biodiesel blends, is being touted as getting better mileage that some hybrids out there. This company news release points out the Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel gets an industry best EPA-estimated 46 MPG on the highway, better than any non-hybrid passenger car in America:

“We harnessed generations of diesel expertise to adapt our world-class global engine for the North American market,” said Gary Altman, chief engineer, Chevrolet Cruze Diesel. “The Cruze Diesel is the best diesel passenger car out there. Chevrolet is redefining the meaning of great fuel economy with this car.”

Cruze Diesel also beats its rivals in performance with a segment-leading estimated 148 horsepower (110 kW) and estimated 258 lb-ft of torque (350 Nm), and can go 0-60 in about 8.6 seconds. Its advanced 2.0L turbo-diesel engine has an overboost feature capable of increasing torque to an estimated 280 lb-ft (380 Nm) for short bursts of stronger acceleration when needed, such as entering freeway traffic.

While Chevy touts the Cruze Diesel as its cleanest diesel passenger car engine, generating 90 percent less Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) and particulate emissions when compared to previous-generation diesels. Just think how much cleaner it will be when you use clean-burning biodiesel in it.

Biodiesel, Car Makers

Bioenergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder April 22, 2013

Pattern Energy Group LP announced that both the National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP) and the California Association of Environmental Professionals have awarded the Ocotillo Wind project with awards for outstanding environmental analysis and documentation.
Duke Energy Renewables has acquired two commercial solar power projects near Twentynine Palms, Calif., from project developer SolarWorld. The twin projects, named Highlander Solar 1 and 2, are in close proximity and will be run as a single operation. It will collectively generate 21 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy, enough to power more than 4,000 average homes each year.
Clean Energy Trust (CET) has hired Erik G. Birkerts as executive vice president and chief operating officer, responsible for directing operational processes of the non-profit cleantech business accelerator while implementing new strategies and programs.
OPIS is holding a webinar on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 2:00 pm EST called, “Stop the RINSanity! Compliance, Chaos and Challenges: Strategies for the Wild RINs Market.”
LDK Solar Co. has announced that it has signed a module supply contract with EA Solar Nakornsawan Co., Ltd, a leading developer of photovoltaic (PV) projects in Thailand. Under the terms of the agreement, LDK Solar will provide 63 megawatts (MW) of PV modules with weekly shipments of approximately 6.3 MW expected to commence in August 2013.

Bioenergy Bytes

Biodiesel Board to Host Webinar on Food, Fuel & Feed

John Davis April 22, 2013

Our friends at the National Biodiesel Board are hosting a webinar on how making biodiesel from co-products of food production affects the cost of protein in the food supply on Monday, April 29, 2013 3:30 PM – 4:45 PM CDT:

We’ll also examine how to grow the current biodiesel feedstock supply responsibly and sustainably in the context of federal policies like the Renewable Fuels Standard. In addition, we’ll hear about some promising new research from the Danforth Plant Science Center which shows an increase in soybean oil yield, and its corresponding effect on protein.

Just how far can American agriculture take us in meeting our food, fuel and feed needs? Join this lively discussion on how integrated food and energy production can help agriculture live up to its full potential.

Speakers:
Alan Weber, Feedstock Programs Manager, National Biodiesel Board
Sam Wang, Professor of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri – St. Louis; and Member and PI, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Chris Schroeder, Director, Centrec Consulting Group, LLC

Biodiesel, NBB, Webinar

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