Austin Dillion Wins Rookie of Year Award

Joanna Schroeder

American Ethanol sponsored driver Austin Dillion has won the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year award. The ethanol industry has congratulated him and now fans have an opportunity to congratulate Dillion during the American Ethanol live Twitter chat that he will host Monday, December 10, 2012 from 10:30 am to 11:30 am CST.

Dillon was officially named the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He joins his younger brother, Ty Dillon, as a 2012 Sunoco Rookie of the Year. The younger Dillon clinched the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series version of the award on Friday evening.

“All of the American Ethanol partners are so excited for Austin,” said National Corn Growers Association NASCAR Advisory Committee Chairman Jon Holzfaster. “Rookie of the Year is a big win both for him personally and for farmers across the country. With all eyes on Austin, NASCAR fans also get to see the performance and benefits another homegrown winner offers when E15 fuels the race. Every car in every series races to the finish with E15 in the tank, but we are particularly proud that such a talented young driver speaks on our behalf.”

Austin Dillon, who drives the No. 3 car for Richard Childress Racing, culminated his first full season in NASCAR’s No. 2 tour with two race wins, sweeping both Kentucky Speedway events, along with 16 top-five finishes, 27-top-10s and 3 pole awards. Dillon finished third in the championship point standings and was formally honored for his 2012 accolades at the NASCAR Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series championship awards banquet.

American Ethanol, Ethanol, NCGA

Caring for Animals is Main Winter Duty

Melissa Sandfort

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, ”With harvest over what are your winter plans?”

Our poll results: Thirty-one percent said feed and care for animals; twenty-five percent said paperwork!; twenty-five percent also said catch up on sleep; nineteen percent said repair existing equipment; no one responded research/buy new equipment.

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “What will expiring biotech patents mean for agriculture?” This issue has been building for a few years now as the patent for the first generation of Roundup soybeans is set to expire in 2014. Let us know what you think.

ZimmPoll is sponsored by Rhea+Kaiser, a full-service advertising/public relations agency.

ZimmPoll

Pacific Successfully Produces Sorghum Ethanol

Joanna Schroeder

Yesterday the EPA announced that grain sorghum is now an official pathway for a renewable fuel under the RFS. Currently, Pacific Ethanol has successfully produced ethanol from sorghum feedstock that was bred by Chromatin. According to Chromatin, this achievement paves the way for future opportunities to use locally grown sorghum as a versatile and resilient crop that is a more energy efficient and lower cost alternative to corn. Due to the positive results, Chromatin plans to expand its sorghum acres in 2013.

R Mussi Farms of Stockton, CA produced 40 acres of sorghum that were harvested and delivered to Pacific Ethanol’s ethanol production plant in Stockton, CA. “We were pleasantly surprised by sorghum’s flexibility. It’s a high-yielding, easy to grow crop regardless of environmental conditions, and it uses less fertilizer and less water than corn,” said Rudy Mussi co-owner of Mussi Farms.

Daphne Preuss, Chromatin’s CEO noted that growers were able to plant and produce high quality sorghum with minimal modifications to their current practices. He also commented that Pacific’s ethanol plants encountered no difficulties when substituting sorghum for corn. Additionally, he said the residue left over after the harvest of sorghum grain can be used as high quality animal feed.

Although sorghum imported from other regions has been used in California ethanol plants in the past, Chromatin’s program is the first instance of supplying locally grown grain to the Pacific Ethanol plant in Stockton, CA. Initial results show greater cost efficiency and an improved carbon footprint.

“During the third quarter, Pacific Ethanol used sorghum for approximately 30 percent of the feedstock at our Stockton plant,” added Neil Koehler, CEO of Pacific Ethanol. Blended with corn, sorghum has similar conversion properties to corn and produces even lower carbon ethanol.”

advanced biofuels, Alternative energy, Ethanol, feedstocks, sorghum

Offshore Wind Within Reach Off Eastern US Shores

Joanna Schroeder

The Obama administration has announced competitive lease sales for wind energy development off the eastern coasts of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Virginia. This is the first time that a portion of the outer continental shelf will be leased for renewable energy development.

There are several areas proposed for leasing: the Virginia coast could support more than 2,000 megawatts of wind generation; Massachusetts and Rhode Island could support about 2,000 megawatts of wind generation. When combined, these offshore wind farms could generate enough electricity to power an estimated 1.4 million average sized homes.

“We have enormous potential for harnessing pollution-free wind energy off our coasts, and now are closer than ever to making this vision a reality in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Virginia. We are thrilled that the Obama administration has announced another critical step forward for offshore wind development and look forward to continuing to work with state and federal leaders to see turbines spinning off our coasts soon,” said Courtney Abrams, Clean Energy Advocate for Environment America.

The organization applauded Obama for his leadership and established its support for responsibly-sited offshore wind energy projects.  Abrams said offshore wind resources are vital to ensuring a future with cleaner air and fewer extreme weather events.  She cited the statistic that along the Atlantic coast alone, reaching the Department of Energy’s goal of 54 gigawatts of offshore wind power would reduce global warming pollution by the equivalent of taking roughly 18 million cars off the road.  In addition, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, meeting this benchmark would generate $200 billion in new economic activity while creating more than 43,000 permanent, high-paying jobs in manufacturing, construction, engineering, operations, and maintenance.

Alternative energy, Carbon, offshore wind, Renewable Energy, Wind

World Energy Trilemma Report Released at Doha

Joanna Schroeder

According to the World Energy Council (WEC), the world is far away from achieving environmentally sustainable energy systems. According to the organization’s global ranking of country energy sustainability performance, over 90 countries assessed are still far from achieving fully sustainable energy systems.

The 2012 Energy Sustainability Index, published within the WEC’s 2012 World Energy Trilemma report, “Time to get real – the case for sustainable energy policy,” finds that most countries still have not managed to balance the energy trilemma. The WEC argues that countries must balance the trade-offs between the three challenges of the trilemma: energy security, social equity, and environmental impact mitigation, if they are to provide sustainable energy systems.

The Index reveals that:

  • Environmental impact mitigation remains a universal problem;
  • Providing high-quality and affordable energy access remains a significant challenge for developing and emerging economies; and
  • Countries at various stages of development struggle with energy security.

“The message of the Energy Sustainability Index is clear: all countries are facing challenges in their transition towards more secure, environmentally friendly, and equitable energy systems,” said Pierre Gadonneix, Chairman of the World Energy Council. “What makes the difference is how they set their final goals, how they balance market economics and public policies, and how they design the smartest policies in order to promote efficiency and to optimise costs, resources and investments for the long term. If we are to have any chance of delivering sustainable energy for all and meeting the +2°C goal, we need to get real.”Read More

Alternative energy, Carbon, Climate Change, Environment, global warming

WindMade Label Expands

Joanna Schroeder

During the COP18 climate talks in Doha, The WindMade organization announced the development of a new consumer label for companies and products made using renewable energy. The label is backed by UN Global Compact, WWF, Vestas Wind Systems and the Global Wind Energy Council. WindMade was launched in 2011 as the first global consumer label for companies powered with wind energy.

“Expanding WindMade is a natural progression, and this move follows strong demand from the market,” said Steve Sawyer, WindMade’s Chairman. “Today’s announcement will allow us to engage a wider range of interested partners and supporters for this new renewable energy label, which is built on the success of WindMade.”

The new label will recognize a wide variety of renewable energy sources, including wind, solar, and geothermal, as well as hydro power and biomass from approved certification programs. This will offer added flexibility to companies that use multiple renewable energy technologies in their energy mix.

Georg Kell, executive director of the UN Global Compact, added, “This new label continues the progress made by WindMade to successfully engage companies in addressing the impacts of climate change. It is fully aligned with the UN Global Compact’s efforts to promote greater corporate sustainability through the use renewable energy.”

A global survey of 24,000 consumers across 20 countries, conducted earlier this year, showed that 92 percent of consumers believe that renewable energy is a good solution to mitigating climate change, and that if presented with a choice, most of them would prefer products made with renewable energy, even at a premium. As a result of the survey, the new label, that will be launched in 2013, will build on the technical foundations of the WindMade standard and will be applicable to organizations, buildings, events and eventually products.

Alternative energy, Climate Change, Geothermal, Hydro, Renewable Energy, Solar, Wind

EPA Approves RFS Path for Grain Sorghum

Joanna Schroeder

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has just announced it’s approval of grain sorghum as an approved pathway for a renewable fuel as part of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). According to EPA, ethanol produced from grain sorghum emits 32 percent less greenhouse gas than the baseline petroleum it replaces and uses one-third less water than some other biofuel feedstocks.

The EPA report states: “EPA’s analysis indicates that ethanol made from grain sorghum at dry mill facilities that use natural gas for process energy meets the lifecycle GHG emissions reduction threshold of 20% compared to the  baseline petroleum fuel it would replace, and therefore qualifies as a renewable fuel. It also contains our regulatory determination that  grain sorghum ethanol produced at dry mill facilities using specified forms of biogas for both process energy and most electricity production, has lifecycle GHG emission reductions of more than 50% compared to the baseline petroleum fuel it would replace, and that such grain sorghum ethanol qualifies as an advanced biofuel under the RFS program.”

Bill Kubecka, chairman of the Sorghum Checkoff and a sorghum producer from Palacios, Texas said, “This is a significant step forward for the sorghum industry. This pathway for grain sorghum will make sorghum a more profitable biofuel feedstock for the renewables industry, thus increasing the value and demand for sorghum.”

The EPA’s ruling further affirms the Sorghum Checkoff’s belief that grain sorghum is a feedstock perfectly suited for starch-based ethanol production.

“We believe this new opportunity to produce advanced biofuel will increase demand for the crop and lead to greater profitability for producers across the nation,” added Sorghum Checkoff Renewables Director, John Duff. “Furthermore, it gives us great pride that these producers will play a key role in supplying homegrown advanced biofuel, and we look forward to supporting them in these efforts going forward.”

advanced biofuels, Alternative energy, Ethanol, RFS, sorghum

Green Plains Sells Agribusiness Assets

Joanna Schroeder

Green Plains Renewable Energy (GPRE) has completed the sale of 12 grain elevators located in northwestern Iowa and western Tennessee to The Andersons. The sale include approximately 32.6 million bushels of GPRE’s reported agribusiness grain storage capacity and all of its agronomy and retail petroleum operations. GPRE expects to report a pre-tax gain from this sale in the fourth quarter of 2012 of around $46 million. XMS Capital Partners served as financial advisor to Green Plains in the transaction.

Agribusiness, biofuels, Company Announcement, Ethanol

EU Commissioner Encourages Geothermal Energy

Joanna Schroeder

During a speech at the European Workshop on geothermal energy focused on urban areas, European Union (EU) Commissioner for Energy Günther Oettinger said that, ”The development of geothermal energy should be encouraged.” The European geothermal energy industry came out in support of the Commissioner urging decision makers to pay more attention to the potential role of geothermal energy in heating and cooling applications.

The event was held last week in Brussels to focus on the role geothermal energy can play as part of Europe’s renewable energy mix. If properly encouraged, the geothermal energy industry says geothermal can provide continuously provide electricity, heating and cooling. Geothermal energy is also advantages because underground thermal storage systems can be developed that are well suited to the concept of a smart city.

However,  the geothermal industry, now more than ever, is in need “of a clear regulatory framework for investing in new equipment, such as drilling,” said Philippe Dumas, director at the Council of European Geothermal (EGEC – European Geothermal Energy Council).  “And that is why we are asking for new binding targets for renewable energy beyond 2020. “

Dumas also noted that “policy makers, local authorities and utilities have become more aware of the range of the geothermal resource and their possible applications.”

The EU is currently working on an internal report on renewable energy so the EGEC took the opportunity to urge the them to ensure greater transparency in relation to the costs of each energy technology. The EGEC also asked the EU to evaluate the key bottlenecks for the further development of the geothermal sector.

Alternative energy, Geothermal, International, Renewable Energy

Hydrogen Fueling Station Opens in Turkey

Joanna Schroeder

Hydrogenics Corporation has announced that a Hydrogenics electrolysis-based hydrogen fueling station has been officially opened in Turkey in the presence of Kadir Tobass, Mayor of Istanbul, as well as interested members of the public. The fueling station is located at Golden Horn, the historic inlet of the Bosphorus straight, and can fuel up to 65 kilograms per day of hydrogen at 350 bar. The station is for both land and sea transportation applications where Hydrogenics’ 8kW fuel cells can be used.

“We are very pleased to see the high level of interest shown by the Turkish government in hydrogen technology as a future fuel,” said Daryl Wilson, Hydrogenics President and CEO. “This first hydrogen fueling station in Turkey demonstrates Hydrogenics’ ability to respond to the increasing demand for hydrogen fueling stations across Europe. Our ability to deliver a complete offering addressing quality, safety and economic requirements further validates Hydrogenics as the company with the expertise to manufacture and install hydrogen fueling stations wherever needed.”

The station was financed by the International Centre for Hydrogen Energy Technologies (ICHET), a project of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). ICHET was founded in Istanbul in 2004 and is supported by the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. ICHET seeks to initiate projects in the developing world that establish or enhance hydrogen production.

Alternative energy, Hydrogen, Renewable Energy