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Obama Picks New Cabinet Heads for Energy and EPA

Cindy Zimmerman

nomineesPresident Obama has announced his picks for Secretary of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency administrator. The President nominated MIT professor Ernest Moniz as energy secretary and EPA official Gina McCarthy as administrator for the agency.

Renewable Fuels Association president Bob Dinneen welcomed the nomination of McCarthy as a solid choice and is interested in getting to know Moniz. “(McCarthy) is knowledgeable, willing to listen, and straight-forward. She knows the EPA inside and out and has typically approached challenges with a common-sense determination to resolve them in a timely manner,” said Dinneen. “(We) look forward to meeting with Secretary-designee Moniz to update him on the state of the U.S. ethanol industry, our track record of success in fostering greater energy independence, and the exciting results of ongoing investment in next generation biofuels.”

Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis added that “McCarty has been a strong supporter of biofuels and we look forward to working with her to bring sustainable, clean, homegrown American fuels to the consumer.” Brooke Coleman, Executive Director of the Advanced Ethanol Council (AEC), said McCarthy is “the perfect choice” because she has been “very engaged on the development of the cellulosic biofuels industry and the administration of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).”

Back in 2009, McCarthy was one of two high-ranking EPA officials to visit farm operations and biofuel facilities in Iowa, including Renewable Energy Group‘s (REG) Central Iowa Energy biodiesel plant in Newton.

AEC, Biodiesel, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government, Growth Energy, RFA

NASA Researching Alternative Biofuels

Joanna Schroeder

NASA researchers are conducting a series of lights using the agency’s DC-8 flying laboratory to study the effects of biofuels on engine performance, emissions and aircraft generated contrails at altitude. The Alternative Fuel Effects on Contrails and Cruise Emissions (ACCESS) research involves flying the DC-8 as high as 40,000 feet while an instrumented NASA Falcon HU-25 aircraft trails behind at distances ranging from 300 feet to more than 10 miles. Research began February 28, 2013 and is expected to take 3 weeks to complete.

NASA DC-8 Aircraft“We believe this study will improve understanding of contrails formation and quantify potential benefits of renewable alternate fuels in terms of aviation’s impact on the environment,” said Ruben Del Rosario, manager of NASA’s Fixed Wing Project.

ACCESS flight operations are being staged from NASA’s Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif., and will take place mostly within restricted airspace over Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. During the flights, the DC-8’s four CFM56 engines will be powered by conventional JP-8 jet fuel, or a 50-50 blend of JP-8 and an alternative fuel of hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids that comes from camelina plants. While the flight are occurring, more than a dozen instruments mounted on the Falcon jet will characterize the soot and gases streaming from the DC-8, monitor the way exhaust plumes change in composition as they mix with air, and investigate the role emissions play in contrail formation.

If weather conditions permit, the Falcon jet will trail commercial aircraft flying in the Southern California region, in coordination with air traffic controllers, to survey the exhaust emissions from a safe distance of 10 miles.

ACCESS follows a pair of Alternative Aviation Fuel Experiment studies conducted in 2009 and 2011 in which ground-based instruments measured the DC-8’s exhaust emissions as the aircraft burned alternative fuels while parked on the ramp at the Palmdale facility. A second phase of ACCESS flights is planned for 2014. It will capitalize on lessons learned from the 2013 flights and include a more extensive set of measurements.

The ACCESS study is a joint project involving researchers at Dryden, NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland and NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virgina. The Fixed Wing Project within the Fundamental Aeronautics Program of NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate manages ACCESS.

advanced biofuels, aviation biofuels, Research

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFThe Federal District Court for the Southern District of California ruled in favor of the Ocotillo Wind project, being developed by Pattern Energy Group, and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in two separate suits before the Court.  The Court granted Pattern’s and the BLM’s summary judgment motions in a case brought by the Quechan Tribe of the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation and in a separate case brought by several other parties, including the Desert Protective Council.
  • Siemens Nederland has signed a contract with Ballast Nedam and Mammoet for the Near Shore Wind farm Noordoostpolder in the IJsselmeer in the Netherlands. Ballast Nedam’s contribution will consist of the engineering, supply and installation of the foundations for the 48 turbines. Afterwards, Mammoet will transport and install the 48 turbines.
  • Dominion has acquired a solar energy development project in Georgia from Smart Energy Capital and Jacoby Development. The project is to begin commercial operation late this year. Dominion’s Azalea Solar Power Facility, near Augusta in east-central Georgia, is planned to produce approximately 7.7 megawatts (AC) using photovoltaic technology.
  • RMT, a renewable energy engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor, completed the design and construction of 555 megawatts of renewable energy in 2012.
Bioenergy Bytes

Biodiesel Quality Reaches All Time High

Joanna Schroeder

AllemanNRELLabAccording to a National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) biodiesel fuel quality survey, a record 97 percent of the samples tested met requirements in ASTM D6751, the biodiesel fuel quality specification. NREL obtained B100 samples from 53 producers and 14 terminals between August 2011 and February 2011 and according to Teresa Alleman, a senior chemist with NREL’s Fuels Performance Group, the samples represented 94 percent of the biodiesel volume currently in the marketplace.

“This is a huge improvement over previous years,” Alleman said. She explained that in 2006, only 40 percent of samples in the survey were on spec, a major drop from 2004 when 85 percent met the ASTM spec. However, there were far fewer producers in 2004 with only a fraction of production capacity compared to 2006.

The 2006 quality results led to the passage of the Cold Soak Filtration Test, which she called one of the best improvements to the specification and to biodiesel quality. Since 2004 there have been 15 modifications to D6751, which demonstrates the industry’s efforts to continually improve biodiesel fuel quality.

For more on biodiesel fuel quality, including the industry’s voluntary BQ9000 quality assurance program visit, www.bq-9000.org.

advanced biofuels, Biodiesel

Cellulosic Biofuels Begin to Flow

Joanna Schroeder

U.S. cellulosic biofuels production totaled about 20,000 gallons last year, way below the 500 million gallons target set by Congress. In a recent addition of “Today in Energy,” the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) looks at the American cellulosic biofuels industry and how production may sharply rise in 2013.

According to the brief, several companies combined to produce about 20,000 gallons of fuels using cellulosic biomass (e.g., wood waste, sugarcane bagasse) from commercial-scale facilities in late 2012. EIA estimates this output could grow to more than 5 million gallons in 2013, as operations ramp up at several plants. By 2015, EPA estimates that another 250 million gallons could be online by 2015.

biomasscapAlthough cellulosic biofuels volumes are expected to grow significantly relative to current levels, according to the brief, they will likely remain well below the targets envisioned in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. That law set a target level of 500 million gallons of cellulosic biofuels for 2012 and 1 billion gallons for 2013, growing to 16 billion gallons by 2022.

As many have rightly point out, the path the commercial cellulosic biofuels production has not been straight or smooth. Several biofuel projects, including one from BP Biofuels in Highlands County, Florida, have been canceled before starting major construction. Other projects have experienced delays in their commercialization attempts. According to Today in Energy, several reasons underpin slow growth in the commercialization of biofuels; Difficulties obtaining financing in the aftermath of the debt crisis; Technology scale-up difficulties at start-up companies; and strategic corporate shifts because of increased availability of low-cost natural gas.

The brief concludes that all EIA forecasts and projections have been too optimistic as anticipated large shortfalls are expected to continue.

advanced biofuels, Cellulosic, Renewable Energy

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFRINAlliance has been selected as a 2013 Prometheus Awards finalist in the Clean Energy Innovation and Software Company of the Year categories. The Prometheus Awards showcase Iowa’s top technology innovators and entrepreneurs and is sponsored by the Technology Association of Iowa. Winners will be announced at the annual awards dinner on Tuesday, April 9, 2013.
  • Lee Enterprises had added Michael Heinemann to its group of experts. Heinemann has over 13 years’ of management experience in the biofuels and alternative energy industry, most recently as a General Manager with Beacon Energy.
  • MARC-IV, a longtime technical consulting firm for the National Biodiesel Board, has announced the addition of Rachel Burton. Prior to this position, she was with Piedmont Biofuels in North Carolina for 10 years.
  • Baker Tilly Capital, LLC, a subsidiary of Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP, served as a consultant to GreenWhey Energy, Inc. in the recent closing of $28.5 million in construction and long term financing for an innovative anaerobic digester facility in Turtle Lake, Wisconsin.  When completed in the summer of 2013, the project is expected to be one of the largest facilities of its kind in the United States.
  • Don’t forget to register for the Ethanol 2013: Emerging Issues Forum taking place in Omaha, Nebraska April 18-19, 2013. New speakers have been announced. Attendees can register online here.
Bioenergy Bytes

EPA Announces Climate Leadership Awards

Joanna Schroeder

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Center for Corporate Climate Leadership has announced the winners of its second annual Climate Leadership Awards, with the Association of Climate Change Officers (ACCO), the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) and The Climate Registry (TCR). Twenty three winners were given awards for their leadership in reducing carbon pollution and addressing climate change.

Screen Shot 2013-03-01 at 10.43.44 AM“Our Climate Leadership Award winners are leading by example with their outstanding actions to reduce carbon pollution,” said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “These organizations are tackling the challenge of climate change with practical, common-sense, and cost-saving solutions to improve efficiency and cut waste.”

The national awards program honors corporate, organizational, and individual leadership in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in internal operations and throughout the supply chain. A wide array of industries are represented by these organizations, including construction, finance, defense, transportation, retail, energy and technology.

The Organizational Leadership Award were given to: Boulder County, Colo.; City of Austin, Texas; Intel Corporation; Port of San Diego and Sonoma County Water Agency. The Individual Leadership Award was awarded to: Tamara ‘TJ’ DiCaprio, Senior Director of Environmental Sustainability, Microsoft Corporation; and J. Wayne Leonard, Former Chairman and CEO of Entergy Corporation. A list of all the winners is here.

“The 2013 Climate Leadership Award winners are leading the way on integrating climate response into their organizational culture,” said Daniel Kreeger, ACCO executive director. “They are demonstrating true commitment to managing and reducing GHG emissions in internal operations and throughout the supply chain, as well as integrating climate related risk management into their operational strategies. The winners are not only exemplary corporate, organizational, and individual leaders, but their actions provide a blueprint to catalyze the efforts of other organizations and individuals.”

Carbon, Climate Change

Do-It-Yourself Solar

Joanna Schroeder

DYI Solar may be good option for residential homeowners who believe that a traditional solar PV system is outside of their budget or living in a state with little incentives. The on-going program Solar Citizen, launched earlier this year, is highlighting consumers who have successfully installed Do-It-Yourself solar projects.

Solar Barn RaisingThe American Solar Energy Society (ASES) says DIYing a solar system can be a chance to learn more about how the technology works, experiment with a new design, or go solar for a fraction of the cost. There are hundreds of DIY solar project options, ranging from putting together a simple DIY solar charger to installing a complete system, or even building a solar panel from scratch.

There are also groups of solar enthusiasts all over the country that are building their own solar systems and they have been sending in photos to ASES. For example, New Vision Renewable Energy in Philippi, West Virginia is helping community members build panels for their homes using a timebank approach. Plymouth Area Renewable Energy Initiative uses a barn-raising model where members help each other with the installation process. Other groups partner with solar installers, offer discounts on materials, and loans on tools and equipment for members to use while installing their systems.

ASES says DIY projects are also a great way to build an organization, educate students, and engage your neighbors about solar. It is a great tool for building the renewable energy movement from the ground up. Several of these projects along with other Solar Citizens will be featured during ASES’s upcoming conference, Solar 2013, taking place in Baltimore from April 16-20.

Alternative energy, Education, Electricity, Energy, Solar

Rusty Wallace Named Honorary Iowan

Joanna Schroeder

NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Rusty Wallace is now an “Honorary Iowan”. Iowa Governor Terry Branstad gave him this honor due to his work in highlighting the importance of ethanol and E15. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series both use E15.

“Iowa is one of the largest producers of ethanol. All the NASCAR cars are running on 15 percent ethanol, and I hope that one of these days all Iowans can run on 15 percent ethanol also,” said Wallace.

biofuels, E15, Ethanol, NASCAR, Video

EDF & Citi’s Energy Conference Succussful

Joanna Schroeder

The Environmental Defense Fund and Citi teamed up to host an energy conference, “Innovations in Energy Efficiency and Distributed Generation Finance II,” earlier this week. The event will bring together experts from around the country to explore innovative ways to fund energy efficiency projects in California.

EDF logo copy“California continues to take bold steps toward clean energy and provide the private sector with clear opportunities to invest in energy efficiency and renewables, a critical part to growing our nation’s economy,” said former Governor Bill Ritter during his keynote presentation. “A key part of achieving our clean energy potential, and creating jobs in America, is ensuring access to quality financing for homes and businesses that want to participate in the new energy economy.”

Ritters is currently the director of the Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University. The Center’s mission is to incorporate best practices from around the world to help guide the country to a more secure, sustainable and affordable energy future.

citi logoCalifornia State Sen. de León focused on SB 37, a key bill he currently authors that would establish a first-in-the nation On-Bill Repayment (OBR) program allowing consumers a creative way to save money and energy by financing energy efficiency retrofits and renewable energy projects through their utility bills. “We need to continue with the bold action that has made California a leader in energy efficiency,” Sen. De León said. “This is a priority because it helps build an economy that is forward thinking.”

Using data from a 2009 McKinsey study, EDF estimates that there are at least $40 billion of investment opportunities for energy efficiency projects in commercial buildings in the U.S. alone that will provide annual returns in excess of 20 percent. Yet despite this attractive potential, few of these projects are being funded. Today’s conference was designed to facilitate discussion of current and emerging innovative solutions, new partnerships, lessons from recent transactions and remaining obstacles to developing and scaling the market.

conferences, Electricity, Energy