EPA Hearing in Chicago on E15 Pump Label Regulation

The U.S. EPA will hold a public hearing next week in Chicago on a regulation to help ensure that E15 (gasoline containing greater than 10 percent by volume ethanol up to 15 percent) is only used in approved motor vehicles.

EPA has proposed regulations to help consumers easily identify E15 when filling up at the pump. E15 fuel can be used for model year 2007 and newer cars and light trucks.

The regulation includes E15 pump labeling requirements and requires the fuel industry to specify the ethanol content of gasoline sold to retailers. EPA also proposed a quarterly survey of retail stations to help ensure that gas pumps are properly labeled.

The Agency is holding the hearing to gain public input on the pump label regulation.

Time: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or until everyone has had a chance to speak
Date: Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Place: Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel Chicago, 163 East Walton Place

View proposed rule and labels

Listen to the Hearings over the Phone: 150 lines will be available for those who wish to listen to the hearings, but are unable to attend in person. Note: you will not be able to present testimony over the phone. When each of the above hearings is occurring, you may call the following toll-free number: 1-866-299-3188. At the prompt, enter conference code 7342144423 followed by the # sign.

EPA Proposes Guidance for Underground Storage Tanks

As part of its commitment to help ensure that biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, are safely stored in underground storage tanks (USTs), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released draft guidance for UST owners and operators who wish to store these fuels.

EPA is requesting comments on the proposed guidance that clarifies how an UST owner or operator can comply with the federal compatibility requirement for UST systems storing gasoline containing greater than 10 percent ethanol, and diesel containing a percent of biodiesel yet to be determined. After reviewing comments, EPA intends to issue the final guidance in early 2011.

More information on the guidance

Secretary Chu Announces $93 Million from Recovery Act to Support Wind Energy Projects

National Renewable Energy Laboratory to receive more than $100 million from Recovery Act

GOLDEN, CO – In an ongoing effort to expand domestic renewable energy, U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu today announced plans to provide $93 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support further development of wind energy in the United States during a visit to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory today. Secretary Chu also announced more than $100 million in funding from the Recovery Act for NREL facility and infrastructure improvements.
The funding will leverage the Department of Energy’s national laboratories, universities, and the private sector to help improve reliability and overcome key technical challenges for the wind industry. These projects will create green jobs, promote economic recovery, and provide the investments needed to increase renewable energy generation.

$45 million for wind turbine drivetrain R&D and testingDOE will provide $45 million directed toward enhancing the federal government’s ability to support the wind industry through testing the performance and reliability of current and next generation wind turbine drivetrain systems.This investment will deliver dependable and cost effective hardware for utility scale wind turbines with over a 20 year design life. Overall, this project will help to improve the country’s competitiveness in wind energy technology, lower capital costs of wind systems, and maintain a high level of wind energy capacity growth.

$14 million for technology developmentTo strengthen its support of the wind industry, DOE will make available $14 million to advance technology development in the private sector. This effort will aim to improve the quality and use of lighter weight, advanced materials for turbine blades, towers, and other components. Another area of emphasis will be process controls for lamination, blade finishing, trimming, grind, painting, materials handling and inspection.

$24 million for wind power research and developmentDOE will provide $24 million for the development of up to three consortia between universities and industry to focus on critical wind energy challenges. These partnerships will allow universities to establish research and development programs to advance material design, performance measurements, analytical models, and work with the industry to improve power systems operations, maintenance and repair, and component manufacturing.

$10 million for National Wind Technology CenterDOE will invest $10 million at its own National Wind Technology Center in Colorado. This funding will enhance the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s ability to support the wind industry through testing current and next generation wind turbine drive train systems for better performance and reliability. Additionally, upgrades to the electrical distribution system will permit cost recovery of the power produced by two new utility-scale wind turbines being installed there for testing and evaluation.

Additionally, under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory will also receive:

$68 million for Research Support FacilityThis project will create the nation’s most energy efficient office building at the same cost of low efficiency commercial construction today. It will achieve LEED Platinum and 50% energy use reduction over standard commercial office buildings. The goal is to create a design process that can be replicated by future construction projects.

$19.2 million for Renewable Energy and Site InfrastructureWill use solar and potentially geothermal and fuel cells to replace power currently purchased from utilities and reduce our carbon use.

$13.5 million for upgrades to the Integrated Biorefinery Research FacilityNew funding will create a continuous process research and development capability to develop commercial scale cellulose to ethanol technologies. It will also accelerate the development of commercially viable conversion processes.

Wind energy is among the fastest growing energy technologies in the United States. The U.S. now leads the world in wind energy generation and has led the globe in new wind energy capacity installations for the past four years. Last year, wind energy accounted for 42 percent of all new energy generation capacity in the United States. In 2008, DOE published the 20% Wind Energy by 2030 report which examines the technical feasibility of using wind energy to generate 20 percent of the nation's electricity demand by 2030.

Recovery Act (DOE)

DOE

Indiana Bioenergy, Wind and Ethanol Pipeline News

Bioenergy Company Moves Into New Facility

A company that works to produce fuel oil from algae has opened a new pilot production facility and corporate headquarters in Indianapolis. Stellarwind Bio Energy LLC's new location will include a greenhouse and an advanced research and development facility. The company uses proprietary technology to extract oil from algae and then convert it into methane, industrial grade charcoal and fertilizer.

Indiana Firm Lands Wind Farm Contract

Fishers-based Bowen Engineering Corp. has won a contract for the first wind farm being developed by Horizon Wind Energy in the state. The Meadow Lake wind farm will include 121 turbine generators that will be erected in farm fields and connected to a new electrical substation. Horizon also has projects planned in Randolph and Howard counties.

POET Explores Possible Ethanol Pipeline

The operator of three ethanol plants in Indiana is entering into a partnership to assess the feasibility of building an ethanol pipeline. POET LLC has signed a joint agreement with Magellan Midstream Partners L.P. to possibly develop a system to deliver ethanol from the Midwest to terminals in the northeastern U.S. POET has facilities in Alexandria, North Manchester and Portland.

50,000 Tons of Carbon Dioxide in Michigan Basin

A U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) team of regional partners has begun injecting 50,000 additional tons into the formation, which is believed capable of storing hundreds of years worth of CO2, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. DOE’s Midwest Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (MRCSP), led by Battelle of Columbus, Ohio, began injecting the CO2 this week in the Michigan Basin near Gaylord, Mich., in a deep saline formation, the Silurian-age Bass Island dolomite. The MRCSP is one of seven partnerships in DOE’s Carbon Sequestration Partnership Program, which was created to assess optimal CO2 storage approaches in each region of the country. The program is managed for DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy by the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL).

When the current project is completed, the total 60,000 metric ton injection at the Michigan site will mark the largest deep saline reservoir injection in the United States to date and will allow scientists to more fully evaluate how CO2 moves through the basin’s geologic formation. Injections are expected to take place at an average rate of 250 tons per day up to a maximum rate of 600 tons. The 6-month project and related activities of the MRCSP are expected to create more than 230 jobs and 2,900 total project job years.

Since the test is taking place within an existing oil and gas field, continuing enhanced oil recovery operations — which are being conducted by well owner, Core Energy LLC — makes this area ideal for the injection test. The area already contains much of the needed infrastructure, such as CO2 compressors, injection systems, existing wells, and pipelines, including an 8-mile-long transport pipeline.

The CO2 being injected comes from a natural gas processing plant owned by DTE Energy, located near Gaylord, where the CO2 will be transported via the 8-mile pipeline to the well. The depth of the injection (3,500 feet) is significantly below the 1,000-foot level of drinking water sources and does not pose any danger to them.

DOE launched the Carbon Sequestration Partnership Program in 2003 to develop and validate technologies to store and monitor CO2 in various geologic formations around the country as part of a national strategy to combat global climate change.

The MRCSP team includes more than 30 partners from state and federal organizations, leading universities, state geological surveys, nongovernmental organizations, and private companies in the eight-state region of Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. In addition to Battelle, Core Energy, and DTE, other participants include the Michigan Geological Repository for Research and Education at Western Michigan University, Stanford University Geophysics Department, Schlumberger, and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s Office of Geological Survey. (DOE)

Alternative Energy Roundtable - Summary Report

Summary Report

On September 8, 2008, EnviroKinetics, Inc. and the Carver Community Organization Inc. presented an Alternative Energy Roundtable Workshop at the Centre in Evansville, Indiana. The one-day workshop consisted of: 1) a Panel discussion for industry experts who addressed key energy and environmental issues; 2) a Career Development session for High School and College students; and 3) an Exhibition Hall showcasing innovative residential and commercial products, and demonstrations on low-cost home energy saving tips on the emerging technologies in the energy field. The workshop featured hourly raffles of energy saving products and $50 gasoline coupon give-aways.

Carver’s Environmental Resource Center, funded in 1999 by a US EPA grant, is dedicated to protecting the air, soil and water in Southwest Indiana. Carver delivers environmental information and services directly into communities. Through a partnership spearheaded by EnviroKinetics, it works to clean up neighborhoods by promoting the efficient use of natural resources, energy conservation and implementation of environmental protection programs. The public participation programs are the creation of community-based policies, plans, programs and projects that reflect a shared vision of the future. EnviroKinetics assembled an exciting team of organizations, colleges and universities, industry executives and state and local officials to exchange ideas and discuss sustainable solutions to our current energy challenges.

The primary goal was for industry experts to share information and knowledge on a broad range of energy conservation initiatives, renewable/alternative energy resources and clean energy research technologies, as well as present an overview of the enforcement and accountability of the US Environmental Laws from the Federal and State levels.

FULL REPORT

Alternative Energy Roundtable

The Carver Community Organization, Inc. and
EnviroKinetics, Inc. will present the Alternative Energy Roundtable

September 8, 2008
8:00am - 1:00pm
The Centre
Evansville, Indiana

The one-day workshop will consist of: 1) a Panel discussion for industry experts addressing key energy and environmental issues; 2) a Career Development session for High School and College students; and 3) an Exhibition Hall showcasing innovative residential and commercial products, free demonstrations on low-cost energy saving tips for homes, hourly raffles of energy saving products and gasoline coupon give-aways.

The Career Development component of the workshop will focus on exposing students and recent college graduates to environmental and alternative energy opportunities/initiatives at colleges, community organizations and local industries. The career networking session will also include lunch. The luncheon is the first step in a process to increase participation and awareness of the environmental and energy fields and to prepare students for gainful careers in the technical, industrial and energy conservation fields. It will allow an exchange between academia/local industry and students to examine interests and explore career possibilities. EnviroKinetics, Inc. will coordinate outreach efforts to identify technology-oriented students for participation in this segment. To highlight this event, a scholarship award will be presented to high school students who embodies the academic discipline, community participation and vision to continue the path as a future environmentalist and/or scientist.

Carver’s Environmental Resource Center, funded in 1999 by a US EPA grant, is
dedicated to protecting the air, soil and water in Southwest Indiana. The objective of the Center is to assess environmental hazards and develop strategies to promote sustainable communities through increased outreach, education, and participation throughout diverse neighborhoods in Evansville, Indiana.

Carver delivers environmental information and services directly into communities. Through a partnership spearheaded by EnviroKinetics, it works to clean up neighborhoods by promoting the efficient use of natural resources, energy conservation and implementation of environmental protection programs. The public participation programs are the creation of community-based policies, plans, programs and projects that reflect a shared vision of the future. EnviroKinetics has assembled an exciting team of organizations, colleges and universities, industry executives and state and local officials to exchange ideas and discuss sustainable solutions to our current
energy challenges.

Industry experts will share information and knowledge on a broad range of energy conservation initiatives, renewable/alternative energy resources and clean energy research technologies, as well as an overview of the enforcement and accountability of the US Environmental Laws from the Federal and State levels.

Session I
Dr. Joanne Alexandrovich, Office of Ozone, Vanderburgh County Health Department
Laura Ann Arnold, President, Indiana Renewable Energy Association
Donald J. Challman, Associate Director & General Manager
University of Kentucky, Center for Applied Energy Research
Paul D. Medcalf, Corporate Services Manager, Workforce & Economic
Development, Ivy Tech Community College

Session II
Dona Bergman, Director, Evansville’s Office of EPA
John A. Rupp, Assistant Director

The Exhibition Hall is open to the public from 9:00am - 1:00pm. Due to limited seating @ the Alternative Energy Roundtable panel discussion, RSVP is required. For more information, please contact enviroSeries@yahoo.com.
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Sponsors
Center for Environment, Commerce & Energy (CECE), Vectren, IVY Tech, KAY, Morton Energy