Renewable Power News » Biofuels

Metso Supplying one of the World’s Largest Biomass Boilers to US Power Producer

Jimmy Eriksson — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 22:52:39 +0000

Metso is a global technology corporation formed in 1999 for the supply of process industry machinery, power, paper, mineral resources, automation solutions and equipment. Their primary role as a service industry is to the processing of pulp and paper industry, acting as a power producer, retain a strong expertise in mining, construction, energy and environmental technology.

Metso’s paper technology is well known to the world for it refined covers of pulp and fibre technology. Metso’s Paper production systems are used to perform paper production to a one third of the global paper production domain. Their principal market area covers Europe, Asia and North America. The company operates in more than fifty countries across the globe and its production occurs in more than seventeen countries or so. Metso’s services or business line mainly focuses on the maintenance of machinery, supply of spare parts, equipment and so on. Metso’s acquisition programme follows the company’s rigorous and strategic aim to sustain stable growth and compatibility between customers for their most valued products and services across the globe.

Metso Corporation had come up with a new speculation most recently in order to renew energy projects for the US, reckoning smooth supply of electricity to 70,000 households. It has planned to supply a 100 MWe biomass boiler island and plant automation system to GREC, which is most commonly known as Gainesville Renewable Energy Centre and situated in Gainesville FL, USA. GREC has collected approximately $500 million while 25 percent comes from Metso. Metso agreed to deliver a 30 year smooth power supply to Gainesville for a new power plant installation.

Jim Gordon, president of GREC remarked says that GREC is going to evolve at a faster pace henceforth ensuring benefits in both environmental and financial aspects of Gainesville by adopting renewable energy facility.

The plant is planned for the year 2013 for commercial operations. And this 100 MW biomass boiler is going to be one of the world’s largest & most efficient biomass generators of electricity. Thereby employment opportunities within the community will definitely be increasing.

GREC’s success is mainly due to the high watts boiler power project called the Nacogdoches Power situated in east Texas for which Metso was selected as the sole producer of boiler island and plant automation systems. Fagen Inc. which is one of the leading green energy design-builders forms a team will work with GREC to realise the project.

GREC and the Fagen Inc., have developed high confidence in Metso as a strong business partner. These two companies expected Metso to provide them with another 100 MW BFB boiler project in North America. Once built, it is going to be one of the biggest and cleanest power supply plants in the history of biomass combustion. Dave King, president of the Metso in North America declared Metso, which has the long standing strength to continue to be the leader in the supply of power production.

Source: Reuters

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Financial Crisis; Pressuring Being Imposed on Subsidies for Renewable Energy in Spain

Jimmy Eriksson — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 22:32:30 +0000

Until a few days before Christmas, Spain’s solar industry had a dream. That dream was to be part of a generously funded plan – considered as the world’s best – to hugely increase the amount of solar energy generated in Spain. But then the government drastically cut back the funding and subsidies that the new – and extant- solar energy generation projects would be receiving. The really bad news is that the existing utility companies, traditionally opposed to alternative energy sources, fear that the results of the cramping of solar energy development could have extremely far reaching effects.

Spain’s three biggest utility companies – Iberdrola, Endesa and Gas Natural – who have long been lobbying the Spanish government to stop subsidising the increase of solar and other alternative energy projects is now being challenged by the renewable energy source lobby.

There are even deeper divisions between the traditional energy industry and the alternative sector than elsewhere in the world, according to the Director for Regulation of Iberdrola, Carlos Salle. In an interview with The Guardian said that there are disagreements between renewable and non-renewable sources in Spain. The worse is that it steaming concerns.

The relations between the two sectors were somewhat funny – but only just – it was commonly referred to as being like a “war”, by a Madrid businessman from one of Spain’s top companies. Spain’s solar industry body, Asif – Asociación de la Industria Fotovoltaica – has accused politicians of justifying subsidy cuts by falsely overstating the costs of solar generated energy.

Spain’s utility companies have already subsidised solar and wind energy projects to the tune of €20bn of which the solar sector received €2.6bn (£2.28bn) These funds, which have yet to be paid back by the government, are more than the country or utility companies can easily afford.

The utility companies’ credit rating is in danger of being demoted if their tariff deficit is not addressed.

About a decade ago power black-outs caused the government to encourage the utility companies to build gas and coal generating plants. These are now generating at only about 50% of capacity and consequently, are steadily losing money. But rather than closing half of them down, the government insists that all must be kept on standby for times when alternative energy generation is impossible, such as at night and on windless days.

The main problem seems to lie in the fact that the alternative energy generation schemes grew far too quickly, due to a massive injection of subsidy and other investment capital. Even though solar projects generated a maximum of 4% of Spain’s energy needs last summer, they could cut costs fast – about 70% since 2004 alone. The subsidy funding was too generous.

It attracted a huge amount of investment and a sudden surge in the installation of generating capacity in 2008, before a tariff cut was introduced in 2009.

The net result was that by 2010 Spain had 10 times more, solar energy generating capacity than it was planned for, and a much larger bill than ever thought possible.

Challenging the tariff cuts in court will not provide a speedy solution, and by the time the issues have been resolved many smaller solar producers will have been forced out of business, said Asif’s president Javier Anta. He continued by adding that investors are losing faith in the government and consequently, refraining from new investment.

The fact that the government has decided to retroactively cut subsidies, which had been promised to extant generating projects, will scare off new investors. This is the one area that all generators – traditional or alternative – agree upon.

Changing Standards

Using experience gained in 70 years of business, a Spanish engineering firm – Abengoa – is continuing development of solar energy projects. It is working on a new method of solar energy generation using towers of pipes rather than more traditional pipe layouts. Its solar power generating plant employs 23,000 workers, and has a turnover exceeding €3bn (£2.6bn).

The sustainability of potential projects is carefully audited and any that does not measure up to severe standards are rejected. Even though bio-fuels are a hot potato due to their potential for depriving poor people in the developing world of food sources, Abengoa stands strongly behind them.

Abengoa removed seeds and fruit from plant material before processing into bio-fuel. Carlos Bousoño, Abengoa’s director of corporate social responsibility, affirmed that only stalks and waste material were fermented into bio-fuels, and the soya, corn and other food types were saved for nutritional purposes.

Source: Guradian

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Solar Cells Are Better than Plants in harnessing Solar Energy: Enhanced Photosynthesis

Jimmy Eriksson — Tue, 24 May 2011 23:09:17 +0000

David Kramer at Michigan State University gave a statement in Science daily on May 12, 2011.
He said that the new paper in science claims that during the harvesting process of sun’s energy, solar cells can kill plants. However, scientists argue that they can balance it. Plants are not as good as solar cells when it comes to capturing sunlight. This is due to the fact that, plants are living creatures, and solar cells need solar energy for electricity purpose, which is generated from it.

The difference is huge, as if something gets wrong in photosynthesis for plants, poisonous element, which eliminates the organism emerges. But photosynthesis should operate in that manner. This is why artificial solar cells are more efficient..

The situation is somehow critical as this process gives life to the ecosystem. As a renowned professor Mr. Kramer a professor of photosynthesis and biogenetics said that the related capability of the photosynthesis and its improvement by the scientists is dangerous for the belief about the viability of the bio fuel industry.

He said that the photovoltaic electrolysis which is based on silicones as semiconductors has a capacity of 10 percent for making fuel as hydrogen. This was a year based estimate, whereas the same capacity of plants to produce biomass for fuel purpose is only 1 or 2 %. Plants are mostly busy in their reproduction, according to the evolution process. Their ability for energy storage from sun is not taken as important, but it can be altered.

Experiments can be done as the Native Americans did, by converting the nutrient free Teosinte in to Healthy and juicy Kernel corn. So likewise plants can also be used as an improved energy source.

A researcher, named Arthur J Nozik explained how the tandem solar cells, which is multi junction and produces hydrogen, can generate a 40 percent efficient through semiconductors. The merger of various materials at various times shows that the photons can be converted into energy after being absorbed.

Nozaik said that in the tandem arrangement different color bands are required so that the ability to Store energy is increased and this is how various parts of the solar spectrum can be well used.
If the gap is constant, then an equal amount of energy is absorbed. In photosynthesis two types of gaps are used, which are based on chlorophyll molecules. However, natural photosynthesis isn’t that effective as a certain amount of energy generated is solely used to save the plant from any kind of damage. There is thus, an unexploited or spare capacity which can be maximized.

The role of NREL at the workshop of DOE was also to clarify that the ability of photosynthesis can be increased by improving plant structure. This can be done with the help of newly developed synthetic biology and genetics ways, using high energy photovoltaic cells. Nozik also said that synthetic biology can grow plants from scratch, by using the blocks of amino acid thus producing best possible band gaps.

These new plant developments would be darker and would have an ability to absorb light from red and infrared parts of the solar spectrum. As its natural phenomenon that dark plants absorb more solar light and energy, which later can be used.

When plants become able to store solar energy, they can then become an ideal solution for renewable storage.

This new development can lead the science to make more energy absorbing plants while equally reducing carbon dioxide emission. The process could encourage the growth of blue algae, which makes one fourth of a plant, and it can also easily be genetically altered. As they absorb light from completely different part of the solar spectrum unlike other plants.

Robert Blankenship, who is an author in a science paper, said that his development would be biologically equal to tandem photovoltaic cells. Currently, Professor Robert is doing research on photosynthesis at Washington University in St. Louis.

Source: Science Daily

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Bio-Fuel Can Be Increased In Brazil According to A Purdue Conference

Jimmy Eriksson — Sat, 21 May 2011 16:22:14 +0000

In South America’s largest country, Brazil, ethanol is something that is pervasively used.

Since 1931, gasoline mixed with ethanol has been a compulsory practice. Nowadays, in Brazil, alone, more than 30 million cars are using ethanol, which has been generated from wood, sugar cane and waste biomass.

At Perdue University, interesting facts concerning ethanol was presented on the six annual conference on Frontiers in Bioenergy, entitled U.S – Brazil Symposium on Bio-energy Production.

Brazil is the world’s fifth largest country with a population of 190 million. The nation is proud of its engagement in renewable energy and affirms its commitment to the use of ethanol as well as other types of bio-energy. In the years ahead, the country does even expect to increase the use of ethanol.

According to Luis Horta Nogueira, coming from the University of Itajuba in Brazil, says that there is a great potential to increase the production capacity of sugar cane. The land used to generate low productivity pastures could be transformed into sugar cane fields.

The key to higher ethanol production lies in the enhancement in productivity methods. In other terms, efficiency is what will make the difference.

A report released from Purdue Department of Chemical Engineering based on cellulose research provided some fascinating news. This is what the main author of the report said, Fabio Ribeiro, from the West Lafayette Campus.

Ribeiro says that it is possible to increase the efficiency of ethanol production in Brazil.

The symposium was sponsored by Discovery Park, National Science Foundation, the U.S Department of Energy and Purdue Energy Center.

During the workshop, topics such as genomics and genetics, landscape sustainability, feedstock logistics, biochemical and thermo-chemical conversation were discussed.

However, an Assistant professor in bio-products and bio-systems from the University of Minnesota, Jason Hill said that it isn’t wise to bet all the resources on bio-energy.

Hill said that there are other means that should be envisaged to reduce the dependency on foreign oil. The possible options are conservation and efficiency.

Hill was also worried that boosting up the production of ethanol production could worsen the situation. It isn’t certain that ‘bio-fuel’ will be the ‘a cure-to-all’. There will definitely be some trade-off that we should expect, if we increase the production of ethanol from sugar cane production.

Source: Indy Star

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Biodiesel: How Is It produced?

Jimmy Eriksson — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 23:26:19 +0000

To be able to successfully produce biodiesel, transesterification is required. What, then, is this process called “Transesterification”? This is the method used for converting used oil into biodiesel with the use of methanol (a type of alcohol) reacting to triglyceride oils found in greases and fats, producing formation of fatty acid alkyl esters (biodiesel) and glycerine. This process requires a potent base catalyst and high temperature. Below are the major steps needed to process oil for the conversion of biodiesel:

1. The first step is to filter used cooking oils through the wire mesh to get rid of food particles and other impurities. The oil is set aside and left to stand for a number of hours for any residue to settle in the liquid.

2. Second step is to pour the oil using a funnel-shape vessel. During this step, a titration test is done to determine the concentration of free fatty acids found in the oil, which is important in the preparation of catalyst required for the process.

3. The next step is to trigger a transesterification reaction. Sodium hydroxide, a catalyst, is added slowly to methanol to form sodium metaoxide. This is being infused to the oil container, which is being heated with a temperature of 55 degrees Celsius. This mixing together of oil and catalyst would last for about four to five hours to completely synthesize the mixture.

4. After eight to 10 hours, the glycerin would simply descend at the bottom of the settling vessel, separating itself from the biodiesel in the oil.

5 When glycerine is taken out, the next step would be purifying the biodiesel. To remove the methan

6 Old deposits, air bubbles are administered through the substance. For further eradication of contaminants, the biodiesel goes through a process of a resin-contained filter called “dry wash”.

7 After an hour of the purification process, the production of biodiesel is accomplished. It is now transferred into large containers, which will be distributed to consumers. It takes between 12 to 16 hours to complete the whole transesterification process.

Source: The Star

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A survey on Canadian canola/soy growers’ standpoint on biodiesel

Jimmy Eriksson — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 23:47:15 +0000

When it comes to the use of biodiesel, over 300 Canadian growers of canola and soybean have shown their compelling support for this alternative fuel source. This was based on AgCall Inc.’s survey on growers’ perspective on biodiesel, which was done on a seven day time frame through the means of a telephone. On March 1, 2011 the results of the survey have been gathered and acquired the following results:

- 66% of the participants implied they have knowledge of Canada’s 2 percent renewable fuel standard for biodiesel.

- 87% of the participants endorse the use of Canadian produced canola/soybeans in biodiesel production.

- 90% of the participants affirm that higher demand for canola/soybeans generated by the production of biodiesel would be beneficial to growers.

-81% of the participants agree to a federal renewable plan that would encourage the utilization of canola/soybeans in biodiesel production.

As stated by Ed Mazurkewich, AgCall’s business development consultant, the findings that came from the study demonstrate solid support from growers for a federal renewable fuel plan that would make use of canola/soybeans. Production of biodiesel will take place in Canada, and these growers would prefer the 2% of the bio-content source to be locally grown crops. He also pointed out that the respondents were solely assisted when they asked for clarification on some questions during the survey. Mazurkewich further explained that they could take notes of any remarks the growers shared with them. However, there were only a few comments made. The most common was about the utilization of the canola/soy seeds for biodiesel would provide growers more options for marketing their products.

This research was performed for the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association and Canadian Canola Growers Association. Mazurkewich asserted that he feels that this effort is notably important since this survey is the only one he is aware of that speaks for the growers of plants that can be used for bio-diesel production in Canada.

Yet, its real value will depend largely on the perspective of biodiesel companies of Canada.

Source: Bio Diesel Magazine

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Plug-in electric hybrid Cars – Cost Efficient and Environmentally Friendly

Jimmy Eriksson — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 17:46:24 +0000

New modern plug-in electric hybrid vehicles are similar to conventional cars such as Toyota Prius and Lexus. The only difference is the size of the batteries used in these modern cars. In addition, these batteries are more expensive. They have an advanced system which even allows re-charging to be done at a parking. This would increase the volume of kilometres that can be covered solely with the electric engine. The vehicles have the advantage of typical hybrid as well as electric vehicles. These car models can also help in the introduction process of transport electrification.

There exists two different types of hybrid cars. There is the plug-in hybrid model where diesel and gasoline engines take over when the battery of the electric engine is finished. The second type of plug-in hybrid work together with the gasoline engine in the sense that the diesel or gasoline engine will charge the electric engine to improve the autonomity of the car.

Unfortunately, due to technical disadvantages the electric engine is currently only appropriate for short distance. However, the conventional engines can help by constantly recharging the electric engines while driving. This will boost the potential distance that the electric engine can cover; it can go up to 450 Km or even more. The best part with electric engines is that they produce no emissions.

The use of electric engines can make the transport sector really green. Let’s say that cars are recharged during the evening with electricity coming from pure sources such as wind energy. ‘More advanced electric vehicles do even generate energy from braking’. This is a source of energy, which is wasted by conventional gasoline or diesel vehicles. This makes electric engines perfect for short and urban distance where lots of braking is done.

http://www.renewablepowernews.com/archives/2216

A new model produced by General Motors is Volt. It has an electric engine which can provide 64 Kms of daily travelling simply by its advanced autonomy. In case the car is used to travel across long distances than the gasoline engine will simply help in charging the battery for the electric engine.

General Motors estimates that the cost of driving a Volt with the use of battery energy will only cost about two cents of a euro in comparison to 12 cents of a euro for a typical gasoline vehicle. The cost difference is gigantic. A typical driver who covers 60 kms a day or 22,000 km per annum will save 2,200 € every year. This could help to pay for the additional cost associated with the battery of the car. In other words, driving a Volt is six times cheaper than a conventional vehicle per km.

On average, the cars that are sold in Europe – 2006 – consume roughly 6.5 liters for every 100 kms covered. On the other hand, a plug-in hybrid vehicle can drive 50 kms with electricity, and the remaining 50 would be covered with around 2.5 liters.

A daily trip is usually less than 60km. Using hybrid vehicles could generate remarkable changes in terms of cost. For short distance recharging could be done at parking. This means that fossil fuel wouldn’t be needed when travelling in urban regions.

Electric or hybrid vehicles are definitely cost-efficient. The car is cost-efficient and doesn’t generate emissions while driving on the electric engine.

Source: EV Wind

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Price of Bio-Diesel Likely To Rise in India

Jimmy Eriksson — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:24:02 +0000

Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) says that the government is likely going to increase the price of bio-diesel produced at Jatropha plant. This will help to boost the growth of the bio-diesel industry.

A suggestion to increase the price of bio-diesel from Rs. 26.50 to Rs. 36 per litre was proposed to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

The industry lobby says that the procurement price set at Rs. 26.50 per bio-diesel litre should be scrutinized and rectified to assure a sustainable expansion of the sector.

According to the CII, a hike in the price of bio-diesel will help to match an annual growth of 2 percent for 2011 to 2012. In addition, it will help to generate an estimated Rs. 5,500 crore of revenues and cut expenditure by Rs. 3,000 crore for the rural economy.

The reported also stated that the green energy initiative is going to reduce greenhouse gas emission with nearly 3 million metric tons.

Moreover, the report produced by CII does propose that the government should review and create a long-term framework for the industry. It should include new grants, incentives and distribution mechanisms to assure that the bio-diesel industry can operate on its own.

The heavy upswing and volatility of oil price are making it much easier to integrate the use of bio-fuels into India’s energy portfolio.

The report suggests that bio-diesel can be used to reduce the threat caused by volatility of oil prices while equally augmenting safety and sustainability of the economy.

CII considers that the right financial, technology and governmental policies must be set in place to promote sustainable efforts of the industry.

Source: Economic Times India

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Bioengineers could augment the production of Ethanol through the development of bacterial strain

Jimmy Eriksson — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 01:04:42 +0000

In United States, a group of bioengineers have altered bacterial strain in order to enhance its capability to produce ethanol. A publication of this research can be found in Biotechnology and Bioengineering. The latter reveals the way metabolic and adaptation engineering can be mutually used for improving strain. This is an advance in the biofuel industry.

The group of bioengineers discovered that by modifying the strain, the time taken to ferment the sugar was brought down; from more than 110 hours to around 35 hours. This enhancement in the fermentation of the sugar permitted the strain to ferment more concentrations of xylose.

The research that was carried out concentrated on Zymomonas mobilis. The latter is a bacterium known for its potential of producing bio-ethanol. Nevertheless, the bioengineers were convinced that the production of the ethanol could be augmented by enhancing the fermentation of xylose.

In accordance to the main author, Rachel Chen, Zymomonas mobilis is an excellent producer of ethanol, with productivity surpassing yeast strains by a number of times. Chen stated that, in this research, they have tried to search for an improvement in the production of ethanol by improving the capability of Zymomonas mobilis to make use and ferment xylose. The fermentation of xylose at increased concentration can in turn augment the concentration of ethanol, thus resulting in a much better productivity.

Chen furthermore declared that this showed an increase in the xylose utilization and fermentation that allowed then to generate ethanol up to a concentration of 9% (w/v); the greatest ever demonstrated for this organism in merged sugar fermentation.

The research carried out also examined the fundamental mechanism for the progress. Fascinatingly, by changing a strain in an elevated concentration of xylose, considerable modifications of metabolism took place.

An evident alteration was the reduction in the levels of xylitol. Xylitol is a derivative of the fermentation of xylose; it can slow down the strain in the metabolism of the xylose. Additionally, the initial step of the xylose metabolism, which is considered to be the rate-limiting phase, was speeded up by four to eight times in the altered strain, with the net impact of directing xylose to ethanol in the place of xylitol.

Chen concluded that the research demonstrated the influence of alteration in strain improvement. It provides the confirmation that xylitol metabolism is the means to effective use of xylose in this bacterium, which can prove to be crucial for the production of ethanol. This illustrates that adaptation is not solely helpful in the improvement of strains but also for indicating main blockages in strains that are metabolically engineered.

Source: Renewable Energy World and Wiley Online Library

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Upcoming EPA Regulation Opposing Biomass Energy Projects In The U.S.

Jimmy Eriksson — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 23:55:09 +0000

In the U.S, more electricity is produced from burning of biomass than from combining solar, geothermal and wind energy together. However, a new regulation brought forward by U.S Environmental Protection Agency might change this trend. The regulation is expected to be enforced on the 2nd of January 2011.

Burning biomass has been considered as being environmentally friendly. However, the EPA will treat burning of biomass in the same way as fossil fuel as a new step to try to hamper greenhouse gas emission.

Source: Fossil Fuel VS. Renewable: U.S. Energy Information Administration electricity production data

The upcoming regulation will motivate U.S biomass fuel companies to export biomass pallets to European countries like the United Kingdom. Burning biomass for the production of electricity is being supported by the European governments.

It was reported in EnergyBoom that in UK high-priced of coal is pushing biomass as a competitive alternative source to generate electricity. Besides, the Western Europe’s largest coal-fired power plants are likely going to transit from coal to biomass. It was claimed that such a change would eliminate coal from the current energy mix while replacing it with a sustainable renewable source: Biomass.

For instance, Duke Energy Corp is one of the power companies that are currently waiting to be granted with permits to change its current coal-fired Buck Steam Station in North Carolina to biomass. However, greenhouse gas regulations will oppose the use of biomass.

Moreover, Southern Company is another power company, which claims that biomass, natural gas and nuclear energy are competitive sources to replace coal-fired power plants. However, EPA opposition against biomass might stop the growth of biomass.

Recent statistic information from U.S Energy Information Agency (EIA) claims that the largest renewable source in America is Biomass waste, corn ethanol and wood derived fuels. Hydroelectric power is the second largest clean energy source. However, if corn ethanol is not considered, then hydro power would be the largest renewable source of energy.

Nevertheless, wood derivates and biomass waste do currently represent three times more electricity than what both wind and solar power produce together.

According to the EPA, biomass doesn’t have any severe ramification on the environment. However, burning biomass does cause the emission of carbon dioxide. Moreover, burning biomass does form part of the natural carbon cycle of our planet. For instance, carbon dioxide is consumed while growing plants and returned to the atmosphere while burning biomass. There is therefore, no net gain.

‘EPA explains that biomass is considered as fossil fuels due to a bureaucratic catch 22’.

EPA agrees that biogenic fuels, biomass and feedstock do significantly contribute in decreasing the level of anthropogenic GHG emissions. However, the emission of CO2 must be treated alike to that of fossil fuel. This is why the new regulations are putting a halt for carbon emission generated by biomass.

Source: Renewable Energy World

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