Welcome to the Arkansas Renewable Energy e-newsletter! This newsletter is a bi-monthly feature of the Arkansas Renewable Energy website. Visit the website at www.arkansasrenewableenergy.org for more information on solar, wind, biomass, and other renewable energy resources!
Arkansas Renewable Energy News
March/April 2007
"The sun provides the Earth with more energy in an hour than the globe consumes in fossil energy in a year." — James Barber, professor of biochemistry at Imperial College
In This Issue...
News...
- Arkansas Communities Receive EPA Grants to Help Cut Air Pollution from School Buses
- Methane Gas Recovery System in the Works for Little Rock Landfill
- Opinion Column Outlines Benefits of Biofuels for Arkansas
- Continuing Resolution Boosts Funding for Efficiency, Renewable Energy
- House Passes CLEAN Act
- Bill Extends Federal Energy Tax Credits
- IndyCar Switches to 100 Percent Ethanol
- Global Wind Power Capacity Grew Nearly One-Third in 2006
- ACEEE Names Greenest Vehicle
- 2007 Farm Bill Proposals Include Renewable Energy Research
- Construction Materials Developed From Manure Products
- New Protocol Will Help Standardize Manure Digester Evaluations
- Five Billion Gallons of Ethanol Produced Last Year
Funding Opportunities
Website Spotlight
Mark Your Calendars!
Tip of the Month
News
Arkansas Communities Receive EPA Grants to Help Cut Air Pollution from School Buses
The Environmental Protection Agency and its Blue Skyways Collaborative announced more than $678,000 in grants to communities in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas to help cut air pollution from school buses.
In Arkansas , the state Department of Environmental Quality was awarded $126,518 to implement a school bus retrofit project in Pulaski County . The project will focus on reducing the diesel emissions generated by up to 85 school buses that transport special needs children and is expected to reduce more than 35,000 pounds of smog-forming pollutants and 1,100 pounds of particulate matter per year.
The goal of the grant program is to reduce children's exposure to diesel exhaust and the amount of air pollution created by diesel school buses. While pollution from diesel vehicles has health implications for everyone, it is especially harmful to children. Diesel exhaust contains nitrogen oxides, fine particles (soot) and air toxics. Nitrogen oxides are precursors of ozone (smog) and, when breathed in, fine particles can lodge deep in the lungs.
yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/B025937D71B1C9EA8525728900655210
Methane Gas Recovery System in the Works for Little Rock Landfill
Little Rock will soon convert methane gas from its local landfill into a useable form of energy that will then be marketed to local businesses. Johnson Controls is developing the system, which will save the city some $1 million in operations, maintenance and energy costs, while also helping to protect the environment. According to this report on ArkansasBusiness.com, the new system will collect and resell some 90,000 MMBTUs of energy annually from landfill. Earnings are projected to reach $400,000 each year, or more than $7 million over the 15-year contract with Johnson Controls. arkansasbusiness.com/article.aspx?aID=96939.79015.109077&cID=7
Opinion Column Outlines Benefits of Biofuels for Arkansas
The Dewitt Era-Enterprise recently ran an opinion column by Troy Hornbeck, which effectively summarizes how biodiesel will benefit both the Arkansas ' economy and environment. The column also makes policy recommendations for the state legislature.
www.dewitt-ee.com/articles/2006/12/27/news/news07.txt
Continuing Resolution Boosts Funding for Efficiency, Renewable Energy
A newly approved bill provides a significant funding increase for the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) for the remainder of the current fiscal year. In mid-February, Congress passed and President Bush signed a bill that will provide continued funding for the federal government for the remainder of fiscal year (FY) 2007, which concludes at the end of September. Such "continuing resolutions" are enacted in lieu of the traditional budgetary process.
House Joint Resolution 20, also known as the "Revised Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2007," continues funding at FY 2006 levels for much of the federal government, but Section 20314 of the bill specifies that nearly $1.474 billion go to EERE. That represents a nearly 27 percent increase over the amount appropriated by Congress for FY 2006, but the effective increase is even greater, since the bill eliminates most if not all congressionally directed funds, or "earmarks." The lack of earmarks gives EERE a great amount of flexibility in how it directs the funds.
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.J.RES.20:
House Passes CLEAN Act 
The House of Representatives recently passed the Creating Long-Term Energy Alternatives for the Nation (CLEAN) Act, reports RenewableEnergyAccess.com. The bill will repeal nearly $14 billion in tax breaks for oil and natural gas companies and instead direct those funds toward renewable fuels and energy efficiency pr ograms. The CLEAN Act was passed by a vote of 264-163. www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story;jsessionid=836F13518C275D9CC96054257A6E98CB?id=47171
Bill Extends Federal Energy Tax Credits
President Bush has approved the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006, extending the production tax credit through 2008 for electricity produced from wind power, geothermal power, biomass, landfill gas, small irrigation power, and trash combustion facilities. The act provides a similar one-year tax credit extension for new properties that produce geothermal power or make use of solar energy; for homeowners that purchase solar water heating, solar photovoltaic, or fuel cell systems; for businesses that purchase fiber-optic lighting systems, solar energy systems, or fuel cell power plants; for new energy-efficient homes; and for energy-efficiency improvements to commercial buildings.
The act extends the Clean Renewable Energy Bonds program through 2008, and increases the total annual amount of tax-credit bonds to $1.2 billion. It extends special tax allowances for cellulosic ethanol facilities to include plants placed in service by 2012. It also extends the research and development tax credit, which encourages businesses to invest in new innovations.
www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/12/20061220-2.html
IndyCar Switches to 100 Percent Ethanol
F uel from corn is now powering some of the highest-tech race cars in the world, as the IndyCar Series has switched its fuel to 100 percent ethanol. IndyCar had been using methanol fuel but started using 10 percent ethanol last year and committed to switch to 100 percent ethanol this year. In a recent "Open Test" at Daytona International Speedway, all 17 drivers and their teams had their first chance to try out the fuel, and they gave it their approval and support. "I really didn't notice any difference at all, which I think is the point," said 2005 IndyCar Series champion Dan Wheldon.
www.drivingethanol.org/news_events/epic_news.aspx?id=110
Global Wind Power Capacity Grew Nearly One-Third in 2006
The global installed capacity to generate power from wind energy reached 74,223 megawatts (MW) in 2006, a 32 percent increase, according to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC). The United States now has the third-largest amount of installed wind power capacity, with 11,603 MW, just slightly behind Spain , which has 11,615 MW. Germany still leads the pack with 20,621 MW. Wind capacity is growing fastest in the United States , with 2,454 MW of new wind power plants, but Germany is also growing quickly, with 2,233 MW of new wind power. The GWEC notes that the industry faced supply constraints for new wind turbines in 2006, but it sees the rapid rate of growth as a sign that the global wind energy industry is responding quickly to its manufacturing challenges. www.gwec.net/index.php?id=30&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=50&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=4&cHash=7a562a4d4e
ACEEE Names Greenest Vehicle
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE)'s new Green Book online names the natural-gas-powered Honda Civic GX as the greenest car of the year. The Toyota Prius, the Honda Civic Hybrid, and the Nissan Altima Hybrid achieved second, third, and fourth place, respectively. The new subcompacts are also making their presence known, as the Toyota Yaris landed in fifth place. ACEEE rates the vehicles based on pollutant emissions, fuel consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions. A subscription is needed to see the full Green Book Online, but the top-twelve lists are available for free.
www.aceee.org/press/0702greenbook.htm
www.greenercars.com/bestof.html
2007 Farm Bill Proposals Include Renewable Energy Research
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns unveiled the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2007 farm bill proposals. The proposals correspond to the 2002 farm bill titles with additional special focus areas, including specialty crops, beginning farmers and ranchers, and socially disadvantaged producers. The more than 65 proposals represent the final phase of a nearly two-year development process. Proposal highlights include increasing conservation funding, providing new funding for renewable energy research, and increasing payments for beginning farmers and ranchers. www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usdafarmbill?navtype=SU&navid=FARM_BILL_FORUMS
Construction Materials Developed From Manure Products
A Michigan State University Extension educator has developed a way to turn manure into environmentally friendly construction materials. An anaerobic digester was used to break down manure solids into a fibrous material; the digester fiber was then combined with plastic to create a digester fiber/plastic composite product that can be used as decking and medium-density fiberboard. When tested, the fiber/plastic composite met or exceeded industry standards and even performed better than some wood/plastic composite products. The development of the fiber/plastic “lumber” was supported by a grant from the Michigan Biomass Energy Program. www.newsroom.msu.edu/site/indexer/2967/content.htm
New Protocol Will Help Standardize Manure Digester Evaluations
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a new protocol last week that intends to help standardize the process used to evaluate the performance of anaerobic digestion systems. Anaerobic digestion is a controlled process to produce methane from livestock manure. The methane can then be burned as a heat source or used to generate electricity. The new EPA protocol describes proper data collection to assess the performance of anaerobic digesters and establishes a uniform method of evaluating a project's operational reliability and economic viability. Meant for use by livestock producers, state agencies, project developers, and other involved parties, the protocol is intended to provide reliable, standardized information to system developers, the investment community, and farmers and ranchers. The protocol was developed jointly by the EPA's AgSTAR program, the Association of State Energy Research and Technology Transfer Institutions, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/4b729a23b12fa90c8525701c005e6d70/c9f1eb2189c4600d852572670065a77d!OpenDocument
Five Billion Gallons of Ethanol Produced Last Year
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) estimates that U.S. production of ethanol fuel reached 5 billion gallons in 2006, an increase of about 28 percent over 2005, when about 3.9 billion gallons were produced. RFA attributes the industry growth to the phase-out of MTBE as a fuel additive (with ethanol providing the best replacement option), federal renewable fuels production requirements, and growing demand for clean fuels. At year's end, the industry had 110 ethanol biorefineries with enough combined capacity to produce more than 5.3 billion gallons of ethanol per year, plus enough projects set to go online in the next 18 months to more than double that capacity. Ethanol is also finding new outlets to the consumer, as 1,000 fuel pumps in the United States are selling E85, a mixture of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. www.ethanolrfa.org/objects/documents/919/yearend2006.pdf
A new report from the Earth Policy Institute (EPI) says that RFA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are actually underestimating the growth of the ethanol fuel industry. According to EPI, the USDA expects ethanol fuel distilleries to require 60 million tons of corn from the 2008 harvest, while EPI estimates are more than twice that, at 139 million tons. Actually, the EPI data is close to what the RFA is anticipating in the near term, but its long-term projections include 200 planned ethanol distilleries that may or may not come to fruition. The EPI press release expresses concerns about the impact of the ethanol fuels market on corn prices. www.earth-policy.org/Updates/2007/Update63.htm
Funding Opportunities
Pollution Prevention Grants
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requests proposals for the Pollution Prevention Grants Program (P2), which seeks to assist businesses and industries to identify better environmental strategies and solutions for reducing or eliminating waste at the source. Areas of interest include but are not limited to the reduction or elimination of pollutants through increased efficiency in the use of raw materials, energy, water, or other resources. Some $4.5 million is expected to be available, with up to 60 awards anticipated. Responses are due April 2, 2007 . www.epa.gov/p2/pubs/grants/ppis/2007fpp2grant.htm
Website Spotlight
Windustry
Mark Your Calendars!
Here's a sample of the many upcoming events focusing on energy issues. For a more complete list, see our Events Calendar!
Investing in the Environment: Global Warming, Global Warning - Investing Today for Tomorrow's Future
March 21, 2007
Online
This online event will address the issues of energy independence, global warming and environmental concerns including pollution, water contamination and escalating shortages. Free to participants who register. www.renewableenergystocks.com/Forums/Portals/green.aspx
13th Alternative Fuels & Vehicles National Conference + Expo 2007
April 1-4, 2007
Anaheim, CA
The 13th national Alternative Fuels and Vehicles Conference and Expo offers timely, one-stop shopping for information, resources and products available today to help shape transportation decisions for fleets. The conference has long supported nonpetroleum fuels including natural gas, ethanol, biodiesel, propane, and electricity; and the alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) that can use those fuels. The conference has gone beyond strictly defined alternative fuels, embracing advanced technologies that result in fuel efficiency, petroleum displacement and emissions improvements. Included in the areas of interest are hybrid-electric and plug-in hybrid technologies; blends, including hydrogen; fuel cells; and, idle-reduction devices. www.afvi.org/NationalConference2007/index.html
The Energy Efficiency Finance Forum
April 12-13, 2007
New York, NY
Learn more about energy efficiency and financing, including successes and failures of energy efficiency technology and projects; regulatory drivers and inhibitors affecting the industry; where the experts see opportunities; new and innovative financing strategies impacting the industry today; and more. www.frallc.com/conference.aspx?ccode=b478
Tip of the Month:
Energy Efficiency First
Before undertaking a renewable energy project, you should first do everything you can to make your home or business energy-efficient. Energy efficiency is more cost-effective and could allow you to install a smaller renewable energy system. There are many available information sources that will help you save money and energy at the same time. For starters, check out these resources from the Arkansas Energy Office:
- Consumer's Guide to Lower Utility Bills
A series of guides that provide step-by-step suggestions and energy-saving tips for improving energy efficiency in your home and reducing your energy bills.
- Residential Energy Efficiency Information
Provides cost-effective solutions, offers creative alternatives, and identifies resources to help you make informed decisions to reduce your utility bills and increase your comfort level.
- Commercial Energy Efficiency Information
Design professionals, owners, and managers of commercial facilities will find a host of tools to help reduce energy costs.
- Industrial Energy Efficiency Information
Design professionals, owners, and managers of commercial and industrial facilities will find energy management tools and resources to help reduce utility bills and optimize energy use in their facilities.
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