Iowa Blazes Trail From Cornfields to Wind Fields

Iowa innovation and leadership moving wind energy toward next stage of transmission frontier

Iowa's leadership in wind energy continues to gain momentum as the state looks to ramp up efforts to export wind energy beyond its state lines – all while moving toward exceeding national goals of the amount of energy produced from wind. With 14 percent of Iowa's in-state energy produced by wind, the state is looking to make significant strides in transmission infrastructure policy as the industry matures in the United States.

As a result of Iowa's efforts, regions looking to increase their renewable energy portfolios, like the Tennessee Valley Authority and WE Energies of Milwaukee, can tap into wind energy from Iowa to meet their renewable energy standards. The next frontier will be efficient transmission of wind power across multiple state lines to East Coast population centers that need wind power most.

"As wind energy matures from a revolutionary idea into a dependable and pivotal resource for our nation, it only makes sense to ensure its availability where energy demand is greatest," said Iowa Gov. Chet Culver. "In the last five years, eight wind manufactures have relocated to Iowa, further demonstrating our state's strength in the industry.

"TPI Composite's plan for an additional facility in Sioux City is the most recent example of increased momentum and continued growth of Iowa's wind manufacturing capacity," Culver added.

In fact, Iowa leads the nation in wind industry manufacturing facilities and workers employed in wind industry manufacturing, and the state comes in second in the nation in wind industry construction and operations management jobs. More jobs are on the horizon, with approximately 14,569 more megawatts of generating capacity projects planned.

In keeping with the world's growing demand for wind power, Iowa has unveiled a new, aggressive plan to generate 50 percent of its electricity from wind, using 20 percent within state lines and exporting the additional 30 percent to other states. To meet the infrastructure demands of this goal, Iowa's government, economic development department and business leaders have focused efforts to attract wind turbine production companies and the accompanying logistics support to the state.

The results include up to 10,000 jobs in the wind energy sector, supported in 2009 with annual property tax payments by wind project owners of $16.5 million, and annual land lease payments of $11 million.

Iowa's educational system has also ramped up to meet the demand for skilled workers. The first and only two-year training program in wind energy and turbine technology in the country is offered at Iowa Lakes Community College. The first-of-its-kind Iowa Alliance for Wind Innovation and Novel Development (IAWIND) connects Iowa's three Regents universities, seven of its community colleges, the state government, and the wind energy industry to offer options ranging from certifications to bachelor's and master's degrees that support wind energy companies and their research and training needs.

All of these efforts are building on the momentum from nearly three decades of pioneering efforts in wind energy policy. Iowa was one of the first states to enact a renewable energy standard by passing the Alternative Energy Production Law in 1983. The law requires investor-owned utilities to purchase a shared total of 105 MW of in-state renewable generating capacity and associated energy production.

Today, Iowa has a wealth of wind energy to sell. In 2009, Iowa produced more wind energy as a percentage of overall production than any other state and was second only to Texas in total amount of energy produced from wind, with 3,670 MW of installed capacity.

Iowa generated 14.2 percent of the state's overall electricity from wind in 2009, far ahead of the nation's figure of 1.8 percent. The U.S. Department of Energy established a national goal of generating 20 percent of the nation's energy from wind by 2030 and Iowa is well on its way of exceeding that goal.

"Iowa's standard for wind energy propelled the industry into the robust economy it is today and is helping to fuel future growth," said Bret Mills, director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED). "Consumers want more renewable energy sources, and Iowa leaders in the private and public sectors are making that happen."

Follow the latest news from the Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) on Twitter (@IowaWind) and Facebook (Facebook.com/IowaWind) before and during AWEA's 2010 WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition. For more information visit www.IowaLifeChanging.com

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NJ Teachers Can Apply for PSEG Environmental Education Grants

New Jersey teachers are encouraged to apply for funding through PSEG's Environmental Education Grant Program. The program provides funding to educators who can link their students' understanding of math, science, computer science, and technology with an enthusiasm and appreciation for the environment.

"We've long been committed to education and the environment, and this program, which provides direct funding for hands-on environmental education, is one we're particularly proud of," said Vaughn McKoy, president of the PSEG Foundation. "Now in its 20th year, this program is a prime example of PSEG's commitment to sustainability, and of the ways in which we're working to improve the communities in which our employees live and work."

Teachers of grades K-9 are encouraged to apply. The grants, which may be as large as $3,500, can be used to purchase materials and equipment, fund field trips, and develop curriculum-related activities. Applications that focus on the development of one or more classroom units, the expansion of an existing course or curriculum, or the extension of classroom work to community or after-school activities will be considered. Projects must be conducted over at least two years.

Teachers from schools in PSE&G's utility service area, PSEG's estuary enhancement program area and PSEG's emergency planning zone may apply. Applications, which are available online, must be postmarked by Wednesday, June 30th. For more information on the towns, and to download an application, visit www.pseg.com/eegrants.

PSEG has awarded more than $335,000 to 143 project grantees since the program began twenty years ago.

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Major Business Leaders Pressure Senators to Enact Comprehensive Climate and Energy Legislation

The US Chamber of Commerce may be opposed to climate change and energy legislation, but that does not mean that it speaks for the entire US business community. In fact, some of the largest companies in the US are emphatically in favor of proposed legislation to address climate change and energy.

This week more than 200 businesses in targeted states around the country called on key Senators to pass clean energy and climate legislation upon return to Washington, D.C. In the letters to Senators the business leaders highlighted the economic and job creation benefits of national climate and energy legislation.

"Today, the United States is falling behind in the global race to lead the new clean energy economy," they said in the letter. "In order for American business to unleash a new industrial revolution in energy, we need cooperative and coordinated action in the public policy and business arenas. We are ready to compete in the global marketplace, and we urge you to act so that we can win the race for a new clean energy economy. We stand ready to work with you to build this vital and growing economic sector."

Under the banner of a "We Can Lead" campaign, these corporations argue that legislation to address climate change and energy is essential to the future prosperity of the nation. "Energy is the largest industry, by revenue, in the world. It represents the next breakout technology sector," said Rose Lige, chief financial officer for Gary's Wynter Power Services, LLC, a full-service energy management company located in Indiana. "Clean energy technology will do for energy what IT has done for information and communications -- grow jobs and spur innovation."

We Can Lead is sponsored by the Clean Economy Network and Ceres' Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP). Ceres is the largest coalition of investors, environmental and public interest organizations in North America. Ceres launched the BICEP coalition, whose members include Levi Strauss & Co., Nike, Starbucks, Sun Microsystems, The Timberland Company, Aspen Skiing Company, Clif Bar & Company, eBay, Gap Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle, The North Face, Seventh Generation, Ben and Jerry's, Eileen Fisher, Stonyfield Farm Inc., and Symantec.

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European Commission's 2010 Sustainable Energy Europe Competition Recognizes Alcatel's Alternative Energy Program

Alcatel-Lucent's "Alternative Energy Program for Global Green Telecommunications" was named as a winner in the 2010 European Commission's Sustainable Energy Europe (SEE) campaign. Alcatel-Lucent was recognized in the "Market Transformation-Voluntary Commitments" category.

The Sustainable Energy Europe (SEE) campaign ( http://www.sustenergy.org/tpl/page.cfm?pageName=home) is an initiative of the European Commission managed by the Executive Agency for Competitiveness & Innovation (EACI), under the authority of Commissioner for Energy Mr. Gunther H. Oettinger. The winners of the annual competition were announced at an awards ceremony in Brussels on March 23 as part of the European Union's Sustainable Energy Week (http://www.eusew.eu/).

Alcatel-Lucent entry outlined its program to develop and build wireless telecommunications base stations powered with alternative energies, such as solar, wind and fuel cells. This program, announced in February 2009, is designed to enable communications service providers to extend the reach of their wireless services to areas not served by an electrical grid, making it possible to provide telephone and broadband communications services to the more than 1 billion people who are still cut off from this vital tool for economic and social development. The program will also make it possible for service providers in developed regions to retrofit their wireless base stations so that they can take advantage of advances in alternative energy technology.

The program makes it possible to address a market estimated at more than 100,000 mobile base stations that could be powered with alternative energy solutions between 2010 and 2012, representing a yearly savings of about 7 million tons of CO2.

"The Alcatel-Lucent program is bringing the advantages of alternative energies to telecom networks, a key component in our strategy to bridge the energy and the telecom worlds," said Jean-Philippe Poirault, president of Alcatel-Lucent's Network and Systems Integration activities. "As growing telecom traffic sparks more demand for energy and as electricity transport and distribution grids face growing challenges that information and communication technologies can help solve, these two essential industry sectors have a lot to bring to each other."

The program includes the Alcatel-Lucent Alternative Energy Laboratory (http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/alternative-energy/) and Pilot Station, the world's first such facility for the telecom market. Bringing together industrial, institutional and academic partners from the telecommunications world and the alternative energy world, this laboratory has the facilities to analyse, test and validate solutions being offered by the dynamic alternative energy market and how they might meet the needs of the telecommunications industry.

In addition to the advanced research, Alcatel-Lucent is developing a multi-year roadmap to enable its telecom customers to benefit from the best possible alternative energy solutions as soon as the technology becomes available while creating a new market for alternative energy systems vendors.

"The renewable energy base stations developed by Alcatel-Lucent will result in a paradigm shift in the global telecommunications industry. Stakeholders of global IT companies will now see this as the gold standard in triple bottom line innovation. Alcatel-Lucent's proactive commitment to sustainability has resulted in a solution that will resonate in all markets improving access to global communication and internet services," said analyst Brad Allen, TBR Program Manager for Global Business Sustainability. "We believe that these base stations when fully deployed, will serve as community-based examples of the potential of progressive renewable energy applications that may promote further development of sustainable energy technologies."

Leveraging its "Sustainable Power" services suite, Alcatel-Lucent provides consulting to help operators build a comprehensive deployment plan tailored to their specific environment, and then manages design, dimensioning, installation, transformation and integration of the entire network, for new deployments or retrofit programs of any base stations.

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World's First Biogasoline Production Plant

Virent Energy Systems, Inc., (Virent^®) and Shell today announced the successful start of production at the world's first demonstration plant converting plant sugars into gasoline and gasoline blend components, rather than ethanol.

The demonstration plant, located at Virent's facilities in Madison, Wisconsin, is the latest step in a joint biogasoline research and development effort, announced by both companies in March 2008. The demonstration plant has the capacity to produce up to 38,000 litres (10,000 U.S. gallons) per year, which will be used for engine and fleet testing.

This new biofuel can be blended with gasoline in high concentrations for use in standard gasoline engines. The new product has the potential to eliminate the need for specialized infrastructure, engine modifications, and blending equipment necessary for the use of gasoline containing more than 10% ethanol.

Virent's patented BioForming^® platform technology uses catalysts to convert plant sugars into hydrocarbon molecules like those produced at a petroleum refinery. Traditionally, sugars have been fermented into ethanol and distilled. Virent's 'biogasoline' fuel molecules have higher energy content than ethanol and deliver better fuel economy. They can be blended seamlessly to make conventional gasoline or combined with gasoline containing ethanol.

The sugars can be sourced from non-food feedstocks such as corn stover, wheat straw and sugarcane pulp, in addition to conventional biofuel feedstocks such as wheat, corn and sugarcane. The demonstration plant is currently using beet sugar.

"Moving from lab-scale to a demonstration production plant is an important milestone for biogasoline,'' said Luis Scoffone, Vice President of Alternative Energies at Shell. ''There is some way to go on the route to commercialisation, but we have been delighted with the speed of progress achieved by our collaboration with Virent.''

"The successful start-up, which was on-time and budget, demonstrates the potential for scalable, commercial manufacturing of premium, high quality renewable fuels. Renewable fuels that provide high performance, reliability, and lower emissions are now closer to reality as a viable alternative for transportation fuels from crude oil," said Lee Edwards, CEO of Virent. "Virent's industry leading collaboration with Shell is focused on delivering material solutions to global challenges in energy security, environment sustainability and job creation."

Virent's BioForming process is a leading technology for the production of fungible advanced biofuels, including renewable biogasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. Virent has won numerous technology and innovation awards including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge and the World Economic Forum's Technology Pioneer awards. Virent is based in Madison, WI, with 80 employees in a world class catalytic biorefining development facility. Virent counts Cargill and Honda among its leading investors and Royal Dutch Shell as a strategic collaboration partner. The BioForming technology is based on the Aqueous Phase Reforming process. To learn more, visit: www.virent.com.

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Future of Alternative Aviation Fuels

The Defense Logistics Agency's Defense Energy Support Center and Air Transport Association of America, Inc., signed a strategic alliance agreement today in Washington, D.C., recognizing a partnership for the development and deployment of alternative aviation fuels.

The agreement highlights the shared goals of the Department of Defense and the principal U.S. airlines to advance the development and deployment of commercially viable, environmentally friendly, alternative aviation fuels.

"This is a significant step forward in the alternative fuels arena, and further shows commitment by the Department of Defense and the commercial aviation industry in our mutual goal of promoting energy security and safeguarding the health of our environment," DESC Commander Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel said.

The intent of the strategic alliance is to establish a collaborative forum focused on spurring aviation alternative fuels market growth.

"By collaborating, we reinforce our commitment to fostering the widespread commercialization of alternative jet fuel," said James C. May, president and CEO of ATA. "In the evolving landscape of alternative energy, it is in our collective interest to see aviation at the forefront.

"The airline industry and DoD collectively require more than 1.5 million barrels of jet fuel per day," added May. "By combining our talents and experience, we are better positioned to explore cooperative market engagement for fuel, improve the financial prospects for alternative fuels infrastructure, accelerate fuel certification efforts and refine our methodology for determining environmental impacts."

Kunkel noted that energy security impacts all DoD readiness, operations and business decisions. The DESC, along with the Federal Government and the rest of DoD, is transforming with regard to alternative fuel and renewable energy.

"Doing what is right for our armed forces is an ingrained piece of our mission at the Defense Logistics Agency and DESC. It drives us forward. Doing what is right also means doing what is efficient and in the best interest of our environment, while continuing to move forward with technology and energy advancements," Kunkel said. "The strategic alliance represents this commitment."

The alliance directs the formation of three collaborative teams composed of ATA and DESC representatives, with each team focused on specific developmental and marketing models of the alternative fuels goals.

May said that the Environment Team will identify common methodologies for life cycle assessment of greenhouse gas emissions for alternative aviation fuels. The Deployment and Logistics team will identify locations or regions suitable for alternative fuels production and deployment, as well as means of distribution to and from those locations. The Contracting and Finance team will jointly publicize supply opportunities, explore opportunities for complementary fuel-supply agreements and develop compatible pricing and finance mechanisms.

Already, the alliance teams are scheduled to participate in a special aviation session at the Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference, Apr. 27-29 in Washington, D.C. They will also hold an industry forum at the 2010 DESC Worldwide Energy Conference where they will meet jointly with alternative fuel suppliers to discuss an array of projects across the country to deploy alternative aviation fuels. The Worldwide Conference is scheduled for May 10-12 in National Harbor, Md.

Working together in the area of alternative fuels is not new between DESC and ATA.

May added, "today's announcement is a key step forward in a long-standing relationship of collaboration between our nation's airlines and the military, and this alliance will generate tangible, long-lasting benefits for the entire country."

Through the combined efforts of the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiatives, a working group composed of ATA and DESC, fuels produced using the Fischer-Tropsch process were approved for use in commercial aviation in September. Additionally, approval of a new class of fuels -- hydrotreated renewable jet -- is expected in the second half of 2010.

"Development of alternative fuels as an energy solution to our customers and the commercial aviation industry is still in the initial stages, but actions such as this alliance will make those potential solutions a reality as we work together and leverage our capabilities," said Kunkel. "We have outstanding, committed goals for alternative fuel and renewable energy in the future, but reaching our goals is a team and collaborative effort -- no one can do it alone. This strategic alliance is creating one of those teams and we are happy to be part of it."

The DESC, a field activity of the Defense Logistics Agency, is responsible for the end-to-end supply chain management of petroleum products for the Department of Defense's customer base. The center's mission is to provide energy solutions worldwide in the most effective and economical manner possible.

ATA is the premier trade association for the principal U.S. airlines. The association serves the airline industry and its customers in providing the world's safest system of transportation, communicating technical expertise and operational knowledge to improve safety, service and efficiency; advocating fair airline taxation and regulation worldwide to foster a healthy, competitive industry; and by developing and coordinating industry actions that are environmentally beneficial, economically reasonable and technologically feasible.

SOURCE Defense Logistics Agency and PRNewswire.com