NEC 2027

Global Wind Day 2013 Photo Competition

Joanna Schroeder

Global Wind Day logoThe European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) and the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) have launched a global photo competition – ‘Discover the stories behind wind energy’. Deadline for submissions is May 5, 2013. The first prize winner will receive a 1,000 Euro voucher. Second prizes of 250 Euros will be awarded by region. The winning photographs will be displayed in the European Parliament in Brussels in June. They will also be published in the renewable energy newspaper ‘Recharge‘ and EWEA’s magazine ‘Wind Directions‘.

Prize winners will be announced on Global Wind Day, the worldwide day ‘to discover the power of wind energy’ that occurs annually on June 15 with several hundred events, exhibitions, open wind farms and local activities organized in about 40 countries all around the globe, as well as online actions.

You can find information on the photo competition here.

International, Wind

SE Region of Cleantech Open Launches in Miami

Joanna Schroeder

A new Southeast Region of Cleantech Open is launching in Miami and Sean O’Hanlon has been named the Area Director for Florida, the Caribbean and Latin America. The Cleantech Open is a source of potential funding for cleantech entrepreneurs. Startups submit their ideas and technologies and compete for funding and along the way experts help mentor the entrepreneurs on how to take their ideas to market.

Cleantech Open logo“Cleantech Open is the world’s oldest and largest cleantech accelerator that is currently working with entrepreneurs in more than 30 countries,” said O’Hanlon. “It’s the most effective way for promising startups to reach a broad national and international network to receive the investment and mentoring support in order to truly be transformative and provide solutions in diverse areas such as energy, agriculture, and water/wastewater.”

Together with Cleantech Open business development co-chairs, Marianne Canero and Sonia Succar Ferré, O’Hanlon is launching Cleantech Open in South Florida during an event on March 28th starting at 6pm and will be hosted in partnership with Wexford Science & Technology at the state-of-the-art University of Miami Life Science & Technology Park.

William D. Hunter, Wexford Project Leasing Manager who is currently leading the $110 million Phase 1 project for the urban research park said, “This is an ideal synergy to bring together innovators in the cleantech industry to our facilities where we provide the infrastructure and interdisciplinary opportunities to foster the development of life sciences, technology, and biotechnology innovations. We are excited to be part of the Cleantech Open initiative.”

The launch event will be the start of an eight-month business accelerator program in which clean and green entrepreneurs from around Florida, the Caribbean, and Latin America are invited to submit their business concept to receive training and mentoring from business leaders that cultivate into funding for their business. The accelerator program will culminate in November when finalists go on to compete at the national level competition.

Clean Energy

Kalaeloa Solar Farm Now Generating Power on Oahu

Joanna Schroeder

Kalaeloa Solar FarmThe new 5MW Kalaeloa Solar Farm has gone online in West Oahu, Hawaii. Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie joined representatives of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) and Hawaiian Electric Company during during an event hosted by Bright Plain Renewable Energy (BPRE), who manages the solar farm.

“Hawaii has growing energy demand and abundant sunshine, and it makes sense for the state to maximize our use of this clean, reliable and affordable solar resource,” said Governor Abercrombie. “I applaud partners Bright Plain Renewable Energy, SunPower, Hawaiian Electric Company, and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for uniting to build this project. As the largest, most productive solar farm on Oahu to date, it will have significant positive impact on the state’s renewable portfolio standards goal of 40 percent by 2030.”

At the 36-acre site, SunPower installed its SunPower solar panels on a SunPower T0 Tracker system. According to SunPower, the Tracker positions solar panels to follow the sun’s movement during the day, increasing sunlight capture by up to 25 percent over conventional fixed-tilt systems, while significantly reducing land requirements.

“Solar is a valuable source of power and attractive investment opportunity, particularly in Hawaii, as it cleanly and reliably serves our growing energy demand without imported fossil fuels, while providing a predictable, low risk return to investors over a long period of time,” said David Buzby, CEO of BPRE. “We’re confident that, with SunPower’s leading solar power plant technology, this project will benefit the residents of Oahu for years to come.”

The solar farm is the first utility-scale solar project on state land, located on 36-acres leased from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Hawaiian Electric will buy the power produced by the solar farm under a fixed-price contract for 20 years.

Alternative energy, Electricity, Energy, Solar

Bioenergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFMass Megawatts Wind Power will be exhibiting a prototype of its new patented, ‘Wind Electric Power Generator’ with only seven moving components at the Denver Home Show being held at the National Western Complex in Denver, Colorado on the weekend of March 15, 2013 through March 17, 2013.  This wind-based, power system produces reliable, low-cost, and clean energy that’s well suited at remote and rural locations, including agricultural and commercial facilities.
  • The National Algae Association has made a last call for presentations for it’s Commercial Algae Farming Workshop being held April 11-12, 2013. Presentations will include growing for Nutraceuticals (Omega 3, EPA, DHA), pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, feed, food, bioplastics and organic fertilizer, CO2 and nutrients, harvesting and extraction methods and financing opportunities.
  • DuPont has joined the Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor Global Enterprise R&D Cooperation Framework.  The OCS provides a one-stop-shop to enable new opportunities for collaboration between DuPont and Israeli start-up companies focused on food, energy and protection.
  • The European Parliament has called for the “successful” 2020 renewable energy target to be prolonged to 2030. The European Commission will be publishing its Green Paper on 2030 energy policy soon.
  • Steve Hartig, currently Vice President Bio-Energy with DSM’s Bio-based Products & Services unit, has been named General Manager POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels LLC, and is responsible for the roll-out and licensing of the JV’s integrated technology packages.
Bioenergy Bytes

America Poised to Take Control of Energy Future

Joanna Schroeder

According to President Obama, America is poised to take control of our energy future, but this could be compromised due to the arbitrary cuts caused by the so-called “sequestration” now taking place. During his speech last Friday at Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago, Illinois, the President pointed out the cuts would affect the federal research projects, “at a time when the country is poised to take control of our energy future.”

obama-argonne-national-lab from cbs“After years of talking about it, we’re finally poised to take control of our energy future. We produce more oil than we have in 15 years. We import less oil than we have in 20 years. We’ve doubled the amount of renewable energy that we generate from sources like wind and solar — with tens of thousands of good jobs to show for it.  We’re producing more natural gas than we ever have before — with hundreds of thousands of good jobs to show for it.  We supported the first new nuclear power plant in America since the 1970s. And we’re sending less carbon pollution into the environment than we have in nearly 20 years.”

While focusing much of his speech on his proposed actions to replace the cuts, he also discussed his proposal to create an Energy Security Trust that would use revenues generated by oil and gas development on federal lands to support new research and technologies that will shift cars and trucks to non-oil fuels. With gas prices high during the past month, Obama urged Congress to adopt his approach.

The renewable energy industry responded to the President’s remarks as well as his proposed Energy Security Trust.Read More

advanced biofuels, Alternative energy, Natural Gas, Oil, Solar, Wind

Biodiesel Use on the Rise

Joanna Schroeder

Biodiesel use is on the rise. From the delivery of food and goods, to city fleets and transit systems, to construction and other heavy equipment, diesel-power is driving the economy. And on National Biodiesel Day, the anniversary of Rudolf Diesel’s birthday, Gary Haer, National Biodiesel Board Chairman, says that even if you don’t use biodiesel in your car, biodiesel still has a huge impact on your life.

rudolph diesel engine“You don’t have to drive a diesel vehicle to feel the impact of diesel as it moves the freight that drives the economy,” said Haer, who is also the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Renewable Energy Group (REG). “Clean diesel technology, growing biodiesel production, and more light duty diesels on the market today are something to celebrate. It means more opportunities for biodiesel, more American jobs, and cleaner air.”

This past year biodiesel production topped 1 billion gallons for the second consecutive year. With plants in nearly every state in the country, the industry supports more than 64,000 jobs nationwide and recently announced its new 10-year vision: 10 percent of the on-road diesel market by 2022.

Continued growth is expected with the increasing demand for diesel vehicles in the U.S, market.  More than 33 light- and medium-duty diesel passenger cars and trucks, as well as heavy-duty diesel models from nearly 20 different brands, will be available in the market this year. According to recent published reports, clean diesel auto sales increased by 24 percent in 2012 over 2011, while the overall U.S. auto market increased by 13.5 percent.  The Diesel Technology Forum (DTF) predicts that diesel vehicle sales will increase to as much as 10 percent of the American market by 2020.

Want to support the biodiesel industry? Join the Biodiesel Alliance & Backers and visit NBB on Facebook for contest and prizes.

advanced biofuels, Biodiesel, NBB

2013 – 100 Year Anniversary for Oil Tax Subsidies

Joanna Schroeder

Did you know that the oldest, continuous tax subsidy for oil companies was enacted by Congress in 1913, making 2013 the 100th year of federal tax subsidies specific to the oil industry? Shouldn’t this event garner a party? The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) and the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) thought so and on March 14, 2013 held a “Century of Subsidies” birthday party for big oil in Washington, DC. On hand for the event were Rick Schwarck, president of the IRFA and CEO of Absolute Energy, Monte Shaw, executive director for IRFA and Brian Jennings, executive vice president of ACE.

Schwark noted that they are not saying all the tax subsidies are necessarily bad and should be discontinued, but rather, that oil has had 100 years of an unfair advantage over all other fuels, including ethanol, and when discussing policies such as the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), the debate should be a full, fair and factual discussion that looks at how to level the playing field.

Today, here are the current oil specific tax subsidies: Expensing of Intangible Drilling Costs; Percentage Depletion Allowance; Deduction for Tertiary Injectants; Geological and Geophysical Expenditures; Exception for passive loss limitations for oil and gas; Enhanced oil recovery credit; and Marginal oil well credit.

To counterbalance the “Century of Subsidies” and other policies that favor petroleum, ACE and IRFA called upon Congress to protect the federal Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). The RFS cracks open the petroleum monopoly to give consumers non-petroleum choices at the pump. Consumers benefit from market access to lower cost renewable fuels like E15 and E85.

“If oil companies cannot stand on their own two feet after 100 years of clinging to certain taxpayer subsidies, Congress shouldn’t hurt American consumers by repealing the RFS, a policy that helps level the playing field with oil a little bit by giving people affordable and renewable fuel choices,” said ACE Executive Vice President Brian Jennings. “ACE members met with Congress during our fly-in this week to emphasize how the RFS costs taxpayers nothing and has succeeded in delivering benefits for all Americans.”

View the ACE Biofuels Beltway March 2013 Photo Album.

ACE, Ethanol, Iowa RFA, RFS, Video

Genera Awarded for Sustainable Feedstock Innovations

Joanna Schroeder

Genera Energy Inc. (Genera) was awarded the 2013 Sustainable Biofuels Award in the Sustainable Feedstock Innovation category at the World Biofuels Markets 2013 Congress and Exhibition, held in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The award recognizes outstanding achievement for a project that displays “innovation to enhance sustainability in feedstock supply.” According to Genera, it’s integrated solution covers the full biomass system from the farm to the biorefinery including: energy crop selection, land acquisition, production, harvest, collection and logistics.

“Taking the time to celebrate the innovation and invention in this industry is really the heart of these Awards,” said Nadim Chaudhry, Chief Executive Officer of Green Genera World Biofuels Photo- Green Power ConfPower Conferences, organizer of both the awards and the conference. “Our industry has such outstanding leaders, innovative technology and groundbreaking partnerships happening all the time, every year the nominations increase and the judges find it more difficult to choose a winner.”

Over the last six years, Genera, has worked with the University of Tennessee, to establish a comprehensive program for purpose‐grown energy crops, contracting with more than 60 farmers to produce more than 2,000 hectares (5,100 acres) of switchgrass. According to the company, with a focus on sustainability, farms were carefully selected to represent a wide cross section of what a full‐scale commercial energy crop supply region, or bioshed, would look like.

Throughout the development of its integrated system, Genera has tested more than 30 separate energy crop and logistic system alternative and has identified the optimum energy crop supply chain—a system that is cost efficient and meets robust sustainability performance criteria. Genera’s says it’s solution focuses on managing an integrated commercial supply chain to reliably supply a biorefinery with cost competitive, uniform, industrial biomass feedstock.

“It is an honor to receive the 2013 Sustainable Biofuels Award,” said Kelly Tiller, CEO of Genera. “Building a bulletproof biomass supply chain system requires unique skills and experience. We were lucky to have forward‐looking partners at the University of Tennessee and in the State capital. They all contributed to our success here today and we are very grateful to them.”

advanced biofuels, Ethanol, feedstocks, Renewable Energy

KiOR Delivers Cellulosic Diesel

Joanna Schroeder

KiOR, Inc. has announced the initial shipments of cellulosic diesel from its commercial scale facility in Columbus, Mississippi. The biorefinery uses pine wood chips and produces gasoline and diesel, the first renewable hydrocarbon fuels in the U.S. manufactured at commercial scale with no compatibility issues. KiOR’s renewable gasoline is also the first renewable cellulosic gasoline ever registered by the Environmental Protection Agency for sale in the U.S.

kior_logo_CMYK“This is a major step forward for KiOR, the biofuels industry and the entire renewable fuels sector,” said Fred Cannon, KiOR’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “With first production at Columbus, KiOR has technology with the potential to resurrect each and every shut down paper mill in the country and to replace imported oil on a cost effective basis while creating American jobs.”

Cannon continued, “This facility demonstrates the efficacy of KiOR’s proprietary catalytic biomass-to-fuel process with the potential to deliver cellulosic gasoline and diesel to the U.S. We are proud to be making history in Mississippi. The technology is simply scalable and we believe sufficient excess feedstock exists in the Southeast alone to build almost fifty KiOR commercial scale facilities.”

Haley Barbour, former Governor of Mississippi, was instrumental in attracting KiOR to Mississippi. He said of the event, “The shipment of this first fuel from KiOR’s Columbus, Mississippi, facility is the culmination of a vision to establish Mississippi as the birthplace of the wood-to-fuels production technology. This progress highlights our highly skilled labor force, abundant natural resources and supportive government climate for innovative companies like KiOR seeking a home to expand their businesses.”

advanced biofuels, Cellulosic

It’s National Biodiesel Day!

Joanna Schroeder

Today is National Biodiesel Day! The Iowa Biodiesel Board is asking Iowans to reflect on the contribution the biodiesel industry is making to Iowa and to the nation. March rudolf-diesel_394645698109109557518 is National Biodiesel Day because it is Rudolf Diesel’s birthday, the man who invented the engine that bears his name. He ran early models on peanut oil, and was a visionary for the renewable fuel that would one day be called biodiesel.

In a 1912 speech, Diesel said: “The use of vegetable oils for engine fuels may seem insignificant today, but such oils may become, in the course of time, as important as petroleum and the coal tar products of the present time.”

Iowa has been leading the way with 12 biodiesel plants that produced 184 million gallons of biodiesel in 2012.  This accounts for about 17 percent of all U.S. biodiesel.

“With biodiesel, Iowans are leading an agricultural revolution that is making a meaningful difference in our nation’s energy security and helping our economy rebound,” said Randy Olson, executive director of the Iowa Biodiesel Board. “We truly are at the forefront of innovative American agriculture driving American energy independence.”

Recent economic studies show in 2012, Iowa biodiesel:

  • Supported nearly 5,000 jobs in the state
  • Contributed nearly $400 million to the state’s GDP
  • Generated $236.8 million of household income

Biodiesel also benefits consumers in other ways.  According to a study measuring the impact of the Iowa biodiesel industry on the Iowa agricultural economy, corn, soybean, and livestock  producers all benefit from biodiesel production. Demand for vegetable oils reduces soybean meal prices, to the benefit of Iowa’s livestock producers – and that ultimately benefits the consumer at the grocery store.

Want to show your support for biodiesel today or any day?  Join the Biodiesel Backers!

advanced biofuels, Biodiesel