…Over the 2-day summit, much effort was made to suggest that ARPA-E needs to become “the Bell Labs of Energy Science.” It was argued that research hubs for the energy sector are a huge national priority, and that more PhDs and greater collaboration would be required along way.

John Doerr pointed out that Japan’s R&D spending is three times that of the U.S., and concluded that the U.S.’s R&D budget is “criminally” low. Dan Senor, author of Start-Up Nation, explained that the reason that Israel’s economy is “the most innovative in the world” is partly due to the fact that they dedicate the highest percentage of GDP to civilian R&D.

Dan Reicher, Director, Climate Change and Energy Initiatives at Google.org, suggested that “the fruits of the recession” are the stimulus funds directed at energy, but questioned if the federal government would continue to make needed investments in R&D next year, and beyond.

…China now has a system in place whereby mayors of the different regions have to report their “carbon scorecard” on a regular basis. Another panelist mentioned that China has had 30 IPOs in cleantech over the past several months, well beyond the number here in the States.   

…

Director Majumdar finished by saying that ARPA-E would be a success if the following happened:

• The agency can identify a mechanism for scaling these seed technologies
• More patents are filed
• Their investments receive a follow-on investment by the private sector
• Accelerated market entry (in general)
• An increase in the value of greentech companies occurs
• A new ecosystem of companies is established
• World-setting, best-in-class products are the result

It’s difficult to argue with any of these objectives, but is $400 million enough? China is spending billions.  READ MORE

   UNICA became the official fuel supplier for IRL in 2009, the same time that Apex-Brasil, the Brazilian government’s export development agency, became a major sponsor of the IndyCar Series, UNICA explained.

   “We’re pleased to continue our partnership with Indy, a global showcase for clean, renewable biofuels since 2007,” said Marcos Jank, UNICA’s President and CEO. “With sugarcane ethanol, the series is guaranteed the additional plus of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 61% compared to gasoline, as recently recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In addition to being green, ethanol’s higher octane rating also enhances racing performance,” he added.

   Specifically, the agreement calls for UNICA to cover the cost of approximately 200,000 liters (53,000 gallons) of the 100% ethanol to be used in 2010 by the IZOD IndyCar Series, as well as renewable diesel for the fleet of trucks that delivers cars, related gear and fuel for all races. The deal also calls for UNICA’s Sugarcane Ethanol brand to be featured at all Indy events.

   However, sugarcane ethanol will only fuel 16 of the 17 IZOD IndyCar series races this season, including the Indianapolis 500. The remaining race, the Iowa Corn Indy 250, will be sponsored by the Iowa Corn Growers Association, confirmed UNICA Chief Representative Joel Velasco.

   Meanwhile, it appears as though IRL has yet to decide which suppliers or producers it will purchase the ethanol from, Velasco explained, noting that IRL actually purchases the fuel since they handle the logistics.     At the inaugural Sao Paulo Indy 300, to be run on a street circuit in São Paulo, Brazil, on March 14, the ethanol will be supplied by one of UNICA’s member companies, Copersucar S.A., Brazil’s largest sugar, ethanol and bioenergy conglomerate, with 36 associated sugar and ethanol mills.  READ MORE

The funding will be used for the design of a demonstration system that will capture carbon dioxide from exhaust stacks at Honeywell’s manufacturing facility in Hopewell, Va., and deliver the captured CO2 to a cultivation system for algae.

…The project, managed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory, will realize further environmental benefit because wastewater from the manufacturing facility will be used in the algae cultivation system, allowing the algae to consume nitrogen in the wastewater.

“This project will demonstrate integrated concepts and technologies that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions while showing the viability of new sources of energy,” said Jennifer Holmgren, vice president and general manager of UOP’s Renewable Energy and Chemicals unit.  READ MORE

Researchers from UQ’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering & Nanotechnology (AIBN) will work with US firm Amyris Biotechnologies Inc., to explore potential business opportunities for the new fuel.

…The partnership allows Professor Nielsen and his team at AIBN to work in a collaborative fashion with Amyris scientists to develop yeast cells capable of converting sugar (sucrose) into long chain alkanes of use in sustainable jet fuels.  READ MORE

System architecture for Bye Energy’s EHPS includes an electric motor and controller, lithium-ion battery and management system, electric energy management system, auxiliarypower unit, thin film photovoltaic cells, variable pitch propeller and proprietary energy capture devices exclusive to the company.

George Bye, CEO of Bye Energy, said that although all-electric propulsion systems and aircraft are being developed, they do not yet compare to the potential utility and performance of a hybrid design. “Intelligent power management technology, greater lithium-ion energy density and more efficient light-weight engines have now matured to the point where integration of these components becomes extremely compelling,” he said. “We believe the general aviation market is at the same point the U.S. auto market was about a decade ago when the first affordable automotive hybrid alternatives became commercially available.”

Charlie Johnson, COO of Bye Energy and former President of Cessna, said the time to accelerate incorporation of new hybrid technology has arrived. “General aviation is a vital market that will benefit from the environmentally friendly, lower cost,more efficient and higher-performing aircraft,” he said.

Over the past year, Bye Energy has forged relationships with multiple technical partners including UQM Technologies, Inc. for the electric motor and controller, Vertical Power, Inc. for the energy management system, Porous Power Technologies, LLC  for the lithium-ion battery and separator technology, Scion Aviation, LLC for composite parts and materials, EEtrex  for the battery system and Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc., for thin film photovoltaics.   

Bye Energy is accepting support from sponsors for The Green Flight Project. Early sponsors supporting the project launch include Wings over the Rockies Air & Space Museum and Colorado Capital Bank.  READ MORE  and MORE

Hawaii-based ClearFuels Technology has agreed to partner with Hughes Hardwood to develop a biorefinery in Collinwood. ClearFuels will invest approximately $200 million to develop the facility, which will convert 1,000 tons a day of leftover wood products into diesel or jet fuel. It is expected to produce 16 million gallons of diesel and 4 million gallons naphtha, a hydrocarbon product that can be used in the production of gasoline. It is also expected to produce six to eight megawatts of electricity.

The biorefinery is expected to employ 50 people when it opens in late 2013 or early 2014. 

…“The concept of biomass harvesting will revolutionize the logging industry in the South,” said Mike Yeager, land manager, Hughes Hardwood said in a news release. “Landowners who prefer biomass contractors over a conventional harvest will see both economic advantages and a more attractive post-harvest site. Every landowner Hughes Hardwood has assisted has had an issue with disposing of the remaining residual fiber. Now I can offer a profitable solution to that problem.”   READ MORE

…In fuels, there is one basic spec in development: Bio-SPK, which is expected to receive final commercial flight approval this year.  Bio-SPK is made primarily from virgin oils such as algae, jatropha or camelina — but waste biomass will be a major factor in the future.

The major processor? UOP Honeywell, which commenced licensing a process that converts virgin oils to renewable jet fuel through hydrotreatment.

The major renewable oil developers. Solazyme, Sustainable Oils, Sapphire Energy and Terasol have been active to date in supplying crushed oils to UOP for processing.

…Sustainable Oils, a producer of camelina-based fuels, announced that it has been awarded a contract by the Defense Energy Support Center for 40,000 gallons of camelina-based jet fuel. The fuel will be delivered to the Naval Air Systems Command fuels team in 2009 and will support the Navy’s certification testing program of alternative fuels. The contract includes an option to supply up to an additional 150,000 gallons of camelina-based jet fuel. 

…Solazyme received an order from the Navy for 20,000 gallons of renewable algae derived F-76 Naval distillate fuel for use in Navy ships. In fulfillment of the jet fuel contract, Solazyme said it will partner with Honeywell’s UOP to use the latter’s renewable jet fuel processing technology. The contract calls for delivery of 1500 gallons of SolaHRJET-5 renewable algae derived jet fuel to the Navy for compatibility testing next year.   READ MORE