The third edition of one of the world’s top events dedicated to renewable energies, with special focus on ethanol and other sugarcane by-products, is confirmed for June 6th and 7th. Dignifying for all Latin-American subjects, it is not based on any city of the northern hemisphere, in contrast, the Ethanol Summit, launched in 2007 and held every two years, is organized by the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA)  at Sao Paulo’s Grand Hyatt Hotel.
The defining phrase adopted this year – “Solutions for a Low-Carbon Economy” – sounds promising on a regional scale, and demonstrates that the sustainability battle is tackled all around the world.  Yet, the question is, how did this attainment came to happen?

Key Elements On Ethanol Blooming

The ethanol industry in Brazil is more than 30 year-old and even though it is no longer subsidized, production and use of ethanol was stimulated through the following main factors:

Low-interest loans for the construction of ethanol distilleries.

Guaranteed purchase of ethanol by the state-owned oil company at a reasonable price.

Retail pricing of neat ethanol so it is competitive if not slightly favorable to the gasoline-ethanol blend.

Tax incentives provided during the 1980s to stimulate the purchase of neat ethanol vehicles.

Nowadays, Brazil is considered to have the world’s first sustainable bio-fuels economy and the bio-fuel industry leader, a policy model for other countries; and its sugarcane ethanol “the most successful alternative fuel to date.” [According to the economist, The New York Times, and Sperling, Daniel and Deborah Gordon (2009). "4 Brazilian Cane Ethanol: A Policy Model”]

What about the environmental gain? Ethanol Fuel Benefits

Ethanol produced from sugarcane provides energy that is renewable and less carbon intensive than oil. Bio-ethanol reduces air pollution thanks to its cleaner emissions, and also contributes to mitigate global warming by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions compared to gasoline, is very significant, because, as much carbon dioxide is taken up by the growing plants as is produced when the bio-ethanol is burnt, with a zero theoretical net contribution. Several studies have shown that sugarcane based ethanol reduces greenhouse gases by 86 to 90% if there is no significant land use change, and ethanol from sugarcane is regarded the most efficient bio-fuel currently under commercial production in terms of GHG emission reduction.

UK estimates for the carbon intensity of bioethanol and fossil fuels. As shown, Brazilian ethanol from sugarcane is the most efficient biofuel currently under commercial production in terms of GHG emission reduction.

Air pollution

The widespread use of ethanol brought several environmental benefits to urban centers regarding air pollution. Lead additives to gasoline were reduced through the 1980s as the amount of ethanol blended in the fuel was increased, and these additives were completely eliminated by 1991.

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Even though the development seems promising, some people say the industry is going through a mid-life crisis, as recent fluctuations in the price of sugar obliged Brazil to import Ethanol from the U.S. (another gigantic ethanol producer), added to other contextual factors. Yet, the nation is not letting down the matter and enormous quantities of funds are being injected by the Development Bank (BNDES) and the Brazilian Innovation Agency (FINEP) to support the Technological Innovation in the sugar-based Energy and Chemical Sectors (PAISS).
The PAISS will focus on three key areas:

1. Second Generation Bioethanol,

2.New Sugarcane Products (including development from sugarcane biomass through biotechnological processes)

3. Gasification (with an emphasis on technology, equipment and processes).With the support of the PAISS and Brazil’s massive supply of low-priced biomass, the country hopes to become a pioneer in the production of cellulose-ethanol and other advanced biofuels in order to keep its leadership in the sector. Let’s hope this helps as an example for the rest of the developing region, and for the rest of the world.

Under the EU Renewable Energy Directive, established in 2009, the 27 members set the target of ensuring that 20% of its energy consumption will come from renewable sources by 2020. The directive also required nations to ensure that renewables accounted for 10% of the energy used in the transport sector. According to the EU, renewables include solid biomass, wind, solar energy and hydro power as well as biofuels.

In a statement realeased last June 10th, the European Commission declared that only biofuels that meet the EU’s sustainability requirements can count towards the targets in the Directive, to be fulfilled in 2020.

Production of biofuels is under debate since several studies have shown that some biofuels are more polluting that the fossil fuels they replace. For this reason Mr Oettinger, Comissioner responsible for Energy, stresses: “We have to ensure that the biofuels used are also sustainable. Our certification scheme is the most stringent in the world and will make sure that our biofuels meet the highest environmental standards. It will have positive effects also on other regions as it covers imported biofuels".

The package adopted last week, which consists of two Communications and a Decision, focus especially on the sustainability criteria for biofuels. It contains three measures:

Sustainable Biofuel Certificates: it encourages industry, governments and NGOs to set up "voluntary schemes" to certify biofuel sustainability. Independent auditors are required to check the whole production chain (from the farmer to the supplier).

Protecting untouched nature: biofuels should not be made from raw materials from tropical forests or recently deforested areas, drained peatland, wetland or highly biodiverse areas. The conversion of a forest to a palm oil plantation would not meet the sustainability requirements.

Promote only biofuels with high greenhouse gas savings: only those biofuels with high greenhouse gas savings count for the national targets for renewable energy. Tus, biofuels must deliver greenhouse gas savings of at least 35% compared to fossil fuels, rising to 50% in 2017 and to 60%, for biofuels from new plants, in 2018.

In 2007, approximately 26% of biodiesel and 31% of bioethanol used in the EU was imported, mostly from Brazil and the US.

Via: Europa.eu | BBC

Now, there are scientists and people around the world who are already studying and exploring waste as an energy source. Among them is the University of Zaragoza, in Spain, where researchers have analyzed “the energy and economic potential of urban solid waste, sludge from water treatment plants and livestock slurry for generating electricity in Spain”. It turns out waste could generate up to 7% of electricity in Spain. Huh…

Researchers of the University of Zaragoza published a study in which they show that waste in Spain has the potential of generating between 8.13 and 20.95 TWh (terawatt hours). And this represents 7.2% of electricity demand in 2008.

The researchers studied and tried out different methods, in different areas of the country to weigh the potential and cost of electricity generation. In municipal areas, they used solid urban waste and sludge from water treatment plants, and in regional areas, livestock slurry. They discovered that the centre and south of Spain, plus the Balearic and Canary Islands tend to prefer developing solid urban waste. On the other hand, coastal areas and parts of the south and centre were interested in using sludge from water treatment plants. Regarding livestock slurry as a power source, potentially effective areas include parts of Aragon, Galicia and Andalucía.

The research is related to the European Union’s goal of replacing 20% of the energy consumed in Spain for renewable energy, to reduce CO2 emissions by 20% compared to 1990 levels, to increase the usage of biofuels in transport by 10% and to reduce energy usage in 20%.

The study also states that the least expensive electricity generation technologies are waste incineration and degasification of landfill sites. When turning waste into energy, we can either burn it, using the resulting heat to boil water with which to power steam generators. Otherwise, we can produce a combustible fuel commodity, such as methane, methanol, ethanol or synthetic fuel.

VIA: ScienceDaily

The Spanish researchers’ idea is to make a diesel that’s more efficient and ecological than traditional diesel, if possible. This fuel will not be created from petroleum, but from the mud from waste water treatment plants, with the help of bacteria.

María Victoria Martínez and Maximino Manzanera from the Environmental Microbiology Group want to develop a type of diesel called micro-diesel since it is produced by microorganisms. To do this, they evaluated previous studies that already showed the viability of using bacteria as an alternative source in the production of biodiesel.

The most interesting thing is the novel raw material they use: sludge produced from waste water treatment. As we saw in the other article mentioned above, this sludge is rich in organic materials such as fats and oils. These serve to nourish certain bacteria so they produce the biodiesel.

It’s not simple, and for now they are looking for the most suitable bacteria for the job, a job that consists of making different chemical reactions that allow them to synthesize biodiesel.

“We will study different types of bacteria for their reactions or subprocesses so that they all integrate to work together and produce the micro-diesel in the most efficient way possible,” said María Victoria Martínez.

According to the researchers, the most complicated part is the first step, which involves identifying the ideal bacteria, since “the development of the technology on a large scale for treatment and use of the sludge will be simple.”

The biodiesel has an ecological advantage over diesel made using petroleum as a base. This advantage is that it produces less pollutant gasses. The production process in itself is clean, avoiding greenhouse gas emissions. This doesn’t even count the fact that they would be making use of contaminated water, which thankfully the bacteria convert into fuel.

Source: SINC

1) Community Renewable Energy Deployment

This project will on the whole receive $20.5 million. It includes five projects that will work to deploy renewable energy in different communities. To allow this, clean energy infrastructures will be developed, which will in turn create jobs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save consumers money. Among them is the project of the city of Montpelier, Vermont, where a cogeneration plant will be installed, and the University of California at Davis, that will develop a system to convert waste to energy.

2) Biomass

Through two main projects; Advanced biofuels research and fueling infrastructure and advanced biorefinery, the aim is to enhance the development of a clean and sustainable transportation sector. Among other things, selected projects will research algae-based and advanced biofuels. In so doing, dependence on foreign oil will decrease, while job creation will increase. Another important task which will be addressed is the development of compatible infrastructure. Further, biorefinery projects are expected to help foster a national biomass industry. The are of biomass energy will receive $644 million.

3) Geothermal

The US has “vast geothermal energy resources, which hold enormous potential to heat our homes and power our economy”, according to Energy Secretary Steven Chu. About $388 million will go to more than 100 projects that will develop new geothermal fields and research advanced geothermal technologies. All these investments will help lower the cost of capturing geothermal energy. Besides, some other projects will focus on developing geothermal heating pumps, so as to advance commercial deployment of the renewable heating and cooling systems.

4) Fuel cells

This sector will receive $41.9 million, with the goal of deploying fuel cells, by improving their potential to provide power in stationary, portable and specialty vehicle applications. Thanks to the Recovery Act funding, around 1,000 fuel cell systems will be deployed for emergency backup power and material handling applications. These two are becoming important early markets, in which fuel cells can even compete with traditional power. Fuel cell manufacturers will get funding, and increased manufacture will help lower costs. One particular project will replace batteries with fuel cell systems in one of FedEx’s fleets of electric lift trucks in a service center in Springfield, Missouri.

5) Solar energy

Solar energy will receive $65 million in funding. Projects will work to investigate the impact of photovoltaics on the electrical grid, so as to ensure reliability. Others will focus on training solar workers to be able to install and maintain solar systems. Further, more than 10 cities will study the obstacles to urban deployment of solar energy. And other groups will work to further develop photovoltaic energy and concentrating solar power (CSP). One of the main goals is to “achieve cost-competitive solar electricity by 2015”.

6) Water power

Seven hydropower projects will receive $30.6 million to modernize hydropower infrastructure. They will increase efficiency and reduce environmental impacts, by implementing fish-friendly turbines, for example.

7) Wind energy

Wind energy will receive $118 million to improve turbine technology, making it more durable, and of a higher performance. Other aims include reducing costs, and speeding deployment of wind energy technology.

In one of the numerous speeches he gave to announce all of the funding, Chu said: “we are laying the foundation for a green energy economy”. And I think they are at least, starting to do so. By showing the industry and even society that energy efficiency and renewable energies are considered important enough as to receive all this funding, the government is making a statement; that it is slowly getting ready to evolve to a greener system. Let’s hope funding continues, and that it grows, and goes to the sources of energy with the most potential.

More: US Department of Energy – Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy

Walmart has three main, very demanding goals. These are to be supplied 100% by renewable energy, to eliminate waste and to sell more sustainable products.

Regarding its first goal; using solely renewable energy, Walmart has been investing in both wind and solar power. The company has made a four-year purchase agreement with Duke Energy, a wind farm in Notrees, Texas. Since April 2009, Duke Energy is providing approximately 15% of Walmart’s total energy load in around 350 Texas stores and some other facilities.

Walmart is also looking to solar power to green its ways. Between 2009 and 2010 solar panels will be installed on 10 to 20 of its stores. 18 solar arrays are already in place. When all of the new panels are installed, solar power will provide between 20 and 30% of each location’s total energy needs.

The company is also trying to increase its use of biofuels. The fuel it uses in its multiple operations, such as with its fleet of trucks, is increasingly being blended with ethanol.

On the whole, by using renewable energy, Walmart is expected to avoid producing more than 139,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year.

The company has a global aim of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions at its stores, operations, transportation, and distribution centers around the world by 20% by 2012, compared to 2005 levels. It is also looking to help suppliers, and consumers reduce their own emissions. How is it helping consumers? By offering more energy efficient products, and more sustainable disposal options.

One interesting project is being carried out in Phoenix, Arizona; 15 trucks are being adapted to run on waste cooking grease, which is collected from Walmart stores.

To achieve its aim of zero waste, Walmart is working on different projects. It is using a process dubbed “sandwich baling”, which consists of sandwiching loose plastic between layers of cardboard and putting it together making up bales that are sent to certified recyclers. Thanks to this process, 1100 tons of waste that would have been sent to landfills were recycled.

On the other hand, Walmart is trying to reduce its packaging, or to make it reusable or recyclable. It is also encouraging its suppliers to use less packaging. Less packaging means less waste, and less space. Less space means more products fitting in a shipping container, and that means less contamination generated by transportation.

Another strategy to help reduce waste are the different partnerships Walmart has established with different organizations, so as to make recycling easier for consumers. Among others, it has partnered with Samsung and Gazelle to enhance the recycling of electronic products.

Walmart is yet another example that succeeding in business can go hand in hand with being sustainable.

VIA: Walmart

Some of the initiatives they have agreed on are the following:

The US and India will foster development and deployment of clean energy technologies. An Indo-US Clean Energy Research and Deployment Initiative has been launched. This includes a Joint Research Center. Some of the priorities of this initiative include energy efficiency, smart grid, second-generation biofuels, and clean coal technologies such as carbon capture and storage. Also solar energy, sustainable transportation, and wind energy development.

Specifically, concerning solar energy, the U.S. National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) will work with Indian Solar Energy Centre so as to create a nation-wide map of solar energy potential.

On the other hand, both Singh and Obama will try to encourage investment in clean energy projects in India.

They will also help each other regarding adaptation to climate change, looking for ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from forests and land use.

Both leaders said that Copenhagen must result in a treaty that covers mitigation, adaptation, finance, and technology. Further, they both claimed to be determined to reduce emissions and said they are most willing to accomplish these pledges.

Another interesting project is the idea India has of creating a National Environmental Protection Authority, which will receive help and guidance from US Environmental Protection Agency. India’s project has the objective of establishing a more effective system of environmental governance, regulation and enforcement.

And lastly, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will work with India’s Ministry of Earth Sciences to help forecast monsoons and prevent risks related to climate change, which could harm both people and crops.

Let’s hope all these fantastic initiatives and ideas are put into practice and inspire other nations to get together to fight climate change, and develop renewable energies.

Via: America.gov

Climate Progress

Biofuels have gone from being called the “great green hope” to being considered an ecological problem. Why? The reason is that industrialized countries are only interested in biofuels because they are cheaper, and to them it doesn’t matter where these come from. The problem is that if they are assured of buyers, and the buyers buy a lot, developing countries will use fields that were previously used to grow food to grow crops for biofuels instead.

Basically, there are less and less crops devoted to food, and as if that weren’t bad enough, in countries like Brazil, hundreds and hundreds of acres of the Amazon rainforest are being cut down in order to have more farmland reserved for growing crops of biofuels.

And even worse, since biofuel crops are so lucrative, crops are not rotated, so the land becomes less fertile, and since there are no areas used for pasture in order to not “waste” space, there are less cattle.

This is how an ecological idea is becoming dangerous for the economy and health of many countries. At the Argentine Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial (INTI), the “food versus fuel” debate has taken hold as well; let’s look at the conclusions at which they have arrived.

They have seen one of the main problems brought on by biofuels, which is the abuse of fertilizers. Since there is no crop rotation, the land needs the fertilizers because it loses its natural fertility. Fertilizer abuse translates into surface and underground water pollution, since rain carries pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorous to rivers and underground wells.

The proliferation of these nutrients in the water causes harmful algae to flourish on coasts and statuaries, and finally results in low water oxygen concentration, which causes a chain of problems for ecosystems, since fish can no longer live in water low in oxygen.

The recommendation for sustainable agriculture from the INTI is to support the development of perennial pastures or the cellulose ethanol industry (biofuel) based on wastes, so that biofuel production is sustainable in the long term.

These days we are not prepared to produce ethanol from materials with cellulose, such as plant wastes, corncobs, etc, which are recycled from agricultural wastes, not as replacements for agriculture.

Since this sustainable technique is not viable at this time due to lack of infrastructure, it is interesting that it has government support.

“Perennial grasses such as switch grass take two or three seasons without harvesting to establish themselves. Once established, they can grow for 20 years or more without replanting, if managed correctly,” states the INTI. However, once established, they can provide a source of income for the producer, and it is not an agricultural pollutant, since it requires less fertilizers.

We must look for a way to get out of this problem for rural developing countries.

Source: INTI