Agriculture Department invests $25 million in bioenergy research

The USDA has awarded $25 million for bio-energy research and development.
Credit: Todd Johnson

The U.S. Department of agriculture (USDA) on 11 January awarded $25 million for four projects in four States for the financing of research and development of next-generation renewable energy and organic products from a variety of biomass. The projects will be funded by USDA National Institute of food and agriculture by the biomass research and development initiative and the Energy Ministry will make more awards from this program. Research helps to increase the availability of alternative renewable fuels and organic products of the country's energy resources to diversify. Each award has been through a competitive selection process.

Fellows shall contribute at least 20% of matching funds for research and development projects and 50% matching funds for demonstration projects. Winners must keep track of projects, the integration of science and research in three areas of Engineering: feedstocks development, development of bio-fuels and organic products and development analysis of biofuels and bioproducts.

The following projects were selected for the awards: Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas, are trying the rape crop camelina provide a low-cost bio-fuel and sunflower oils feedstock; Ohio State University in Wooster, Ohio, that an anaerobic digestion system for the production of liquid transportation fuels and electricity from animal dung, wood biomass, agricultural residues and energy crops to focus on; Ceramatec, Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah, the infrastructure compatible renewable diesel, biolubricants and BioPower lignocellulose converted; and the USDA Agricultural Research service in Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania, a distributed farm technology will develop for the conversion of waste wood, horse manure, switchgrass and other perennial grasses in bio-fuels and high-quality specialty chemicals. See the press release of the USDA.

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Phoenix Rising: Renewable energy good news comes to light after Hurricane sandy

Nashua, NH-as sandy devastated parts of North America three weeks ago, hundreds of current wealth generation were threatened. According to SNL, there were energy, 731 operational power stations above 10 MW or greater in the path of the storm. These facilities 20 nuclear power stations, 80 coal plants, 237 gas power plants and 394 plants of various other types of fuel, hydro power, solar energy, biomass and wind were power plants including.

Although Sandy left many customers in the dark, most of the power outages were to actual generating assets caused by distribution and transmission line damage rather than damage. In other words, were ramped at least three nuclear power plants on "Grid overload-garde", SNL, also, that a nuclear power plant, the Exelon's Oyster Creek in New Jersey reported an emergency declared said event during the storm, due to flooding of the work of the circulating water system. The emergency event was the third heaviest on the NRC event matrix.

How to survivors through the rubble and hit the hardest work seven restore a semblance of life, which they had before the storm, be we all remembered the power of mother nature and his ability to destroy, what man has several decades building. The damage that left behind by the storm many people request for further use "safer" forms of energy and meaningful measures to combat climate change.

Renewable energy takes both calls. Reducing our dependence on CO2 will serve spouting fossil fuel-fired power plants reduce the alarming pollution that our planet has been warming since the industrial revolution has. In addition, the renewable energy systems are strong, safe and resistant to damage.

We offer here a few tidbits of the encouraging news for renewable energy. Here many people are still suffering from the damage the storm caused one to inspire six ideas.

Caribbean and southeastern coast wind turbine rate even with sandy

Barely a week after Hurricane sandy, Northern power systems, that 74 of its wind turbines, including three in the Caribbean, was announced on the path the hurricane sandy and were not damaged by the high winds. According to Irene, a category 3 hurricane that hit Sandy was the second powerful Atlantic in 2011 storm, Northern power turbines within one year hit and run all turbines affected easily as expected.

"The losses from Hurricane Sandy experienced that how powerful nature can be a tragic reminder," said Troy Patton, Northern power systems President and CEO. "Directly into the path of many of our turbines on the East coast of the United States, the Caribbean, were the hurricane Sandy but none were damaged by the high winds. We have Northern power systems continue to produce the experience and commitment, which are safe and reliable."

As evidence for the design of the Northern power turbines of as soon as each turbine Sandys hurricane winds, recognized it entered automatically in safe mode. Conditions returned to normal, electricity resumed each turbine, the company said.

Asia report: One week of suffering for China Solar Panel manufacturers

Sydney-China's beleaguered solar panel manufacturer has another hit this week announcement either shipping demotions or job cuts in response to global oversupply and higher production costs at the last import prices, bound by the U.S. Government.

Trina solar, posted a loss for the past four consecutive quarters, slashed guidance quarter citing industry-wide oversupply and lower prices. The Chinese solar-panel maker now estimates shipments in the third quarter were the 375 MW to 385 MW range, compared to the previous guidance of 450 MW to 480 MW, as margins were squeezed by anti-dumping duties in the United States and an inventory write-down.

Trina said in September that it will cut an unknown number of jobs as part of a more comprehensive cost-saving measure was. This week the Suntech was set to announce job cuts, say it three production shifts to reduce and cut the workforce at its Goodyear, Arizona solar panel production facility.

The world's largest producer of solar cells, said by the U.S. Government increased the rising cost of the solar cells the costs for the production of solar cells in the US tariffs on solar cells come to rates, last year on aluminum frame, an important input for the manufacture of solar panel.

"Following our decision to invest in Arizona, have unnecessary upstream barriers more difficult and more expensive in the manufacture of solar cells in the United States made also this new tariffs limit our ability, the Suntech solar advanced imported from China, using technology," said Mick McDaniel, managing director of Suntech America.

Travis Hoium in the Motley Fool writes: "it should now be clear that Chinese solar companies are no longer powerful companies, as they are currently constructed. "Not only the edges are so low that it would be difficult to make a profit, they have all debt, which makes them less competitive than healthier suppliers."

Hoium has negative impact on Chinese solar stocks for some time, but in general such as LDK, Suntech and Yingli has kept, limited to that with so much debt that it is unlikely that she could ever compete, his strong negative opinions.

But a result report by Canadian solar, coupled with also updated instructions leads to believe Hoium ", that China's solar industry finally bankruptcy or be bailed in any form."

Renewable energy industry weighs for Obama win

Salt Lake City, UT--with the 2012 election over and President Barack Obama secured re-election, producers of renewable energy already provided search us, what they expect will be four more years of more support for their efforts.

A collective sigh of relief

According to Ed Feo, co-founder of USRG renewable finance (USRGRF), the last night of Obama brings victory "a continuation of politics, which are favourable to renewable energy." FEO is also, that one of the most important imminent expiration of wind power emits production tax credit on December 31 to the hand as one, as a consequence of the election result will probably robust support. "I think that will promote Obama management for the" FEO said.

FEO is not the only one that Obama to take victory as a new breath of life for a group of industries is 2012 can be occurred which during certain points concerning future during the election campaign. For Scott Sklar, President of the Stella group, the Obama has re-election "consequential positive impact on growth and development of the U.S.-energy efficiency and renewable energy."

"The President clean energy, one of the best three planks of his Administration has made," said Sklar in a press release today. "The President has extension of the wind energy production tax credit, supports, while his opponents the extension against and green jobs called, 'Imagination'." Sklar is forecasting double-digit growth in the market overall renewable energy as a result of ongoing procurement for energy efficiency of federal and national Governments, and shows announced report, the $282 billion of global private investments in 2012, as evidence of massive worldwide interest in renewables status on the this year's REN21 renewables global.

Industry experts give renewed hope

Rhone Resch, CEO of the solar energy industries Association (SEIA), shares the Sklar optimism and gets Obama "huge trailer of solar energy." Resch sees a continuation of support for solar power from the Obama management, he says that this significantly, the industry has been job growth. "Today, the solar industry employs more than 119,000 Americans at 5,600 companies, mostly small businesses in all 50 States - which is more than twice as many Americans in solar in 2009 work" Resch said in a press release published today.

Resch added that since Obama of the election in 2008, "the height the solar vehicle drive real estate, businesses and military bases of 1,100 megawatts in 2008 on more than 400 percent today - has 5,700 megawatts." "The Government issued a policy to allow the solar systems for the first time on public lands and target a large drivers of this growth was used to allow additional renewable energy projects on public land, to 10 gigawatts by the end of 2012." Resch cited also that figures show U.S. solar installations in 2012 will be "another year of record growth" for the solar industry.

Finding support from both sides of the political corridor, Denise Bode, CEO who was American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), which recently reported in 2012, the most profitable year for the U.S. wind industry, pointed to the last night renewal House representative Dave Reichert (R - WA), Steve King (R - IA), Tom Latham (R - IA) and Senator Dean Heller (R - NV) as positive steps for the wind industry. All four have offered support to the wind energy initiatives and potentially critical player for the extension of the PTC. "We saw election results, to authorize the Americans with an overwhelming majority of wind energy, and they vote for politicians who support them in the" bode said.

Addressing certain hurdles, the still in the way of the wind energy PTC's extension also lack of commitment under leadership in the House of representatives and suggestions that the PTC can only be extended if the tax credit finally expiring on agreement is available, said bode, "wind power will forever need a tax credit not." Bode added, "when the production tax credit for wind, wind support are the only energy source without federal income tax and that would be bad policy." Bode and the AWEA remain nevertheless optimistic that Obama provides the re-election, that the necessary leadership to ensure government support continued.

"We have more work to do"

Echo of Obama the words during his victory speech in Chicago last night - where the President "we have declared supporters, to do a lot" - FEO pointed out, that although profits are made, there is more to support the renewable energy initiatives to be carried out. "We need to expand financing instruments that represent other sectors - such as master limited partnerships - on renewable energy," said FEO.

Also, FEO stressed the need for investment in renewable energy by extending an incentive and continuous support the credit control systems such as PTC, and the investment tax credit (ITC) - the latter of which is planned, to see a significant decline in percentage terms at the end of 2016. "I think the Obama administration will push to extend or retain some support," said FEO.

Perhaps as a sign that it is not only the area of which, continued coal shares renewable energy that takes Obama seriously on his intention, the pursuit of more clean energy initiatives a steep jump on Wednesday after the election results. This news is no surprise that consciously the Obama plans stricter rules for oil and coal producers in his second term, including new EPA forced limits on CO2 emissions for coal-powered power plants, and even stricter restrictions on mercury and sulphur dioxide, is expected which to cause a sharp rise in the cost of the combustion of coal.

Helps higher heat content in trash waste energy stocks?

Administration (EIA) recently published an article the US energy information, describing an increase in the energy content of municipal solid waste (MSW). The reason for this increase is an increase in the proportion of waste from "Biogenic" sources (i.e. plastics) compared to biogenic sources (paper, cardboard, wood, food and yard waste, etc.). An average heat content of 11 MMBtu / ton, compared to 23 MMBtu / ton for non-biogenic waste has biogenic waste.

EIA attributes the relative drop in the amount of (biogenic) food containers and packaging (heat content 16.6 MMBtu / ton) and an increase of waste polypropylene (PP, 38 MMBtu / ton.) PP is the relatively tough recycled plastic #5 found in yogurt cups and other containers of wide neck, and has a much higher heat relatively easy to recycle this plastic content #1 #2 (PETE on the 20.5 MMBTu / ton and HDPE at 19.5 MMBtu.)

The higher heat content of MSW should improve the efficiency of production of electricity from MSW and margins of energy from waste companies such as MSW power generators such as Covanta (NYSE: CVA) and Algonquin Power and utilities (OTC: AQUNF, TSX: AQN), the thermal energy of MSW in addition to a large renewable energy generated give a slight boost.

If the boost is the energy content of waste to MSW-energy companies change of prices of stock this must be maintained in the long term, however. I doubt that the trend for long pauses. First of all MSW total volume are flat in the United States, and fall on a per capita basis, also during the recycling rates rise (EIA data.)

I expect, that to begin increased recycling, higher energy content materials are increasing the energy content of the remaining waste as less obtained used, reduce recycled. Currently, only 13.5% of the plastic containers in the waste stream are restored, in contrast to 71% paper and 33% of the glass. Further, high-energy PP WINS increasingly easy to recycle; I was delighted recently to that it and LDPE (plastic #4, also with a relative heating content of 24.1 MMBtu) are now accepted on my local transfer station.

While energy from waste companies a low margin thrust of higher MSW heat today content always maybe, should investors not on such an increase, which count as permanent. That is a big part of the reason, why my preferred investments in MSW integrated companies like waste management (NYSE: WM), which are from increased recycling and energy waste opportunities can benefit.