Kinder Morgan reports that it will soon begin blending biodiesel at its Las Vegas and Phoenix terminals. According to a Reuters report, a rise in Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) values was a consideration in the company's plans. Kinder Morgan generates 700,000 gal/month of excess RINs. Biodiesel RINs have risen from 45 cents/RIN at the beginning of this year to current prices of about 80-90 cents/RIN. (Source: Kinder Morgan, Domestic Fuel, 23 April, 2013) Contact: Kinder Morgan, Richard Kinder, CEO, www.kindermorgan.com

Tags RINs news,  Biodiesel news,  Biodiesel Blending news,  

In the UK, biomass boiler technology provider Rural Energy has unveiled a new cutting-edge management system on all of its small and medium-sized biomass boilers as part of its partnership with leading European manufacturer Herz. The new Herz T-Control provides an interactive way of managing the functionality of biomass boilers. The operational performance of the Rural Energy Herz boiler can be controlled with a touch of the user-friendly screen.

The high-tech controller is being provided on all future Herz pellet and chip boilers up to 300 kW supplied by Rural Energy, from the end of April. T-Control means the system can also be remotely monitored. (Source: Rural Energy, H&VNews, April 24, 2013) Contact: Rural Energy, http://www.rural-energy.eu; Myriad CEG, www.myriadceg.com

Tags Biomass news,  Wood Pellet news,  Woody Biomass news,  

Nova Scotia Power reports that construction of its new, $183 million biomass-fueled power plant in Point Tupper Cape Breton, Nova Scotia is now completed and the plant is expected to begin generating electricity in May.

The privately owned utility is expected to purchase approximately 500,000 tonnes of biomass fuel annually for the 60-megawatt plant. The project is expected to create more than 200 direct and indirect jobs (Source: Nova Scotia Power, Herald , 25 April, 2013) Contact: Nova Scotia, Roger Burton, Director of Projects, (902) 428-6474, www.nspower.ca

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Brazilian conglomerate Odebrecht plans to employ Finland-based VTT's biomass processing technology to produce second generation ethanol from sugar cane at a demonstration plant in Brazil. VTT will act as Odebrecht's research partner and develop the technology used in the company's processes. VTT's research center in Brazil has been granted approximately €3.8 million (BRL 10 million) in funding by the PAISS programme, which supports the Brazilian sugar-energy industry reform, for the development of production technology for Odebrecht's new demonstration plant.

The development project is aimed at combining cellulose-based second generation ethanol production with first generation ethanol production and integrating these with electricity production.

VTT works with local companies and research institutes in the use of biomass as a resource in the production of chemicals, energy and cellulose-based products. VTT Brasil, established in 2010, is a research center that cooperates with Finnish companies operating in Brazil, and with local universities and research institutes. (Source: VTT, AZO CleanTech, 26 April, 2013) Contact: Odebrecht, www.odebrecht.com; VTT, www.vtt.fi

Tags Sugar Cane news,  Ethanol news,  Biomass news,  

Who's Winning the Clean Energy Race? 2012 Edition Apr 16, 2013 In less than a decade, clean energy transitioned from novelty products to the mainstream of world energy markets. The sector emerged not so much in a linear fashion as episodic—in fits and starts associated with the worldwide economic downturn, continent-wide debt crises, national policy uncertainty, and intense industry competition. Through it all, however, the clean energy sector moved inexorably forward, with overall investment in 2012 five times greater than it was in 2004.

Although 2012 investment levels worldwide declined 11 percent, to $269 billion, the clean energy sector weathered the withdrawal of priority incentives and initiatives offered by governments in numerous key markets, demonstrating its resilience. Reliable clean energy investment data have been collected for nine years now. Looking at the data in three-year increments, average clean energy investment increased by at least $90 billion triennially—from an average of $64 billion in the 2004-06 period to an average of $156 billion in 2007-09 and $245 billion in 2010-12. Beyond its resilience, the clean energy sector also continues to demonstrate dynamism as the cost of wind, solar, and other sources declines in the global marketplace. Individuals, businesses, and countries seeking clean, secure, and affordable sources of power and fuel are finding clean energy an increasingly attractive alternative to conventional sources, which are unpredictable in price and generate local, regional, and global air pollutants. As a result, economic, environmental, and security imperatives are driving clean energy deployment forward.

Who's Winning the Clean Energy Race: 2012 Edition documents how the old order is changing technologically and geographically. Clean energy is gaining ground in the global energy mix. Even as several pioneering countries have stumbled, new markets have opened, and the center of gravity for clean energy investment has shifted from West to East

Access full report at http://www.pewtrusts.org/our_work_report_detail.aspx?id=85899469014. (Source: Pew Trusts, April, 2013)

In Hawaii, Maui County has awarded Burlington, Ontario-based Anaergia Inc. subsidiary Anaergia Services the Integrated Waste Conversion and Energy Project at the Central Maui Landfill in Puunene. Anaergia Inc. will design, build, own, operate and privately finance a renewable fuel facility that converts Maui's waste streams including municipal solid waste, food waste, sewage sludge, oils, and grease into renewable liquefied natural gas and refuse derived fuel. The Anaergia facility will divert roughly 85 percent of Maui's waste from landfill and reduce over 100,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually.

Anaergia Inc. provides sustainable solutions for the conversion of waste to renewable resources through a proven portfolio of proprietary technological solutions. Anaergia maximizes the generation of renewable energy, clean water and organic fertilizer while increasing diversion of waste from landfill and reducing greenhouse gases for customers across the municipal, industrial, commercial and agricultural sectors. Through its subsidiaries, including Anaergia Services, Anaergia Asia and UTS Biogastechnick GmbH, Anaergia operates more than 1,600 operational renewable energy projects globally. (Source: Anaergia Inc., PR, 26 April, 2013). Contact: Anaergia Inc., Kurt Rohman, Marketing, (905) 766-3333, [email protected], www.anaergia.com

Tags Biofuel news,  Renewable Fuels news,  

he Climate Commission's report examining escalating global action on climate change, released today, reveals emissions from electricity generation in 2012 dropped by 4.7 per cent on the previous year. And emissions from electricity hit the lowest levels seen since 2001-02 in the last six months of last year. Coal-use is being scaled back as gas and green energy grows, with Australia nearly doubling its renewable energy capacity since 2001. Other reasons behind the fall include price-conscience households and businesses cutting down on power use, an embracing of energy-saving equipment and a run on rooftop solar panels, which hit one million households last year. A decline in demand for electricity was also partially driven by a decline in some manufacturing sectors, it said. Australia's experience came in the context of "a fundamental global shift" to renewable energy, Professor Flannery said. The report found accelerating action on climate change worldwide, including by the world's biggest polluters, China and the US. It notes China halved its growth in energy demand in 2012 as it invested US$65.1 billion in clean energy - a massive 30 per cent of the entire G20 nations' investment in the same year. That was ahead of the introduction of seven emissions trading schemes this year crossing the country that would cover a quarter of a billion people and be the largest trading scheme on the planet. Meanwhile, US emissions were declining and the country was second to China in investing in renewable energy, spending US$35.6 billion last year. "The action is happening, the giants are moving, so if that's a sign for action, it should be all systems go in Australia," Professor Flannery said. Thirty-five countries have emissions trading schemes and 98 countries have committed to limit their greenhouse gas emissions. (Source: Herald Sun, 29 April, 2013)

A $2 million donation from the Enterprise Holdings Foundation, the philanthropic arm of St. Louis-based Enterprise car-rental company, will fund research related to biofuels, biomass and energy efficiency at the University of Missouri in Columbia. Missouri Chancellor Brady Deaton said the money will be used to create an endowment "to support the work of our sustainable energy initiative," a core component of the Mizzou Advantage effort to promote cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Enterprise Holdings, which owns Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car brands, was founded in 1957 by St. Louis native Jack Taylor who named the company after the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier which Taylor served on during World War II. (Source: Columbia Daily Tribune, Enterprise Holdings, 28 April, 2013) Contact: Enterprise Holdings, www.enterpriseholdings.com; University of Missouri, www.missouri.edu

Tags Biofuel news,  

Czech Republic-based GreenHeart Energy LLC, has found an abundant, long-term source of woody biomass energy in South Texas -- the much maligned mesquite wood. GreenHeart plans to open an office in San Antonio for legal, banking and accounting purposes, but most of its activities will occur near and in Corpus Christi.

GreenHeart Energy, founded in 2008, plans to harvest mesquite in South Texas, chip the wood, and ship it from Corpus Christi in bulk to a european port from whence it will be distributed to European utilities and burned for power production.

Because burning mesquite chips produces less pollution than the coal the utilities have been burning, the utilities can sell some of their pollution permits back to their governments. Mayer lists Poland as the country with the greatest potential for mesquite chips. Utilities in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Holland, Italy, Sweden, Norway and Denmark also are likely customers, Mayer said. Mesquite wood has a low moisture content and an energy level, when burned, of somewhere between that of brown and black coal, Mayer said.

GreenHeart Energy estimates more than 500,000 acres of mesquite exists within 100 miles of Corpus Christi, with a yearly availability of 19 million tons. The company wants to harvest mesquite within only 100 miles of Corpus Christi to control transportation costs. Every 35 metric tons of mesquite chips will cost the company about $2 million in payments to landowners, the ports and logistics. The company plans to begin its Texas operations within the next month of two. (Source: GreenHeart Energy, San Antonio Express, 26 April, 2013) Contact: GreenHeart Energy, Zdenek Mayer, CEO, [email protected], http://www.greenheartenergy.com

Tags Woody Biomass news,