A series of recent policy-related developments within the biofuels industry may have set the stage for what could prove to be a significant shift in biofuel geopolitics over the next decade.

To recap: the European Court of Justice (ECJ) affirmed an earlier ruling that held the imposition of carbon taxes on flights touching down or taking off on EU soil did not infringe international law or the Open Skies Agreement; a U.S. District Court ruled that California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) violates the U.S. Constitution; and the long-standing U.S. ethanol producer credit (aka “VEETC”) slipped quietly into the history books.

Where do these developments leave the industry?

While the inclusion of airline emissions in the EU’s ETS indicates that the buzz around aviation biofuels won’t fade anytime soon, the threat of costly trade wars by the United States and China in response to the ruling could put a crimp on the expansion of international biofuel trade flows.

Meanwhile, just as the expiration of VEETC eliminates an estimated $6 billion worth of annual subsidies to the ethanol industry, the lucrative California fuel market is (at least for now) once again open for Midwest ethanol producers, and likely at the expense of Brazilian ethanol (more on this below).

On the whole, the decisions are generally good for advanced biofuels and corn-based ethanol alike.

Aviation Biofuels Lack Production Volumes, Not Willing Buyers

In the case of advanced biofuels, the decision to uphold the carbon fee suggests that international carriers will not escape the added costs associated with doing business in Europe, adding further incentive to integrate carbon-cutting technologies. As I discussed in an earlier blog, the combination of impending offset purchases and high oil prices appears to be forcing the aviation industry’s hand when it comes to fossil fuel alternatives, which has been signaling strong demand for sustainable advanced biofuels in recent years (note that first-generation biofuels lack the performance characteristics necessary to power commercial and military aircraft).

Although expected, the ruling is generally good news for energy feedstock producers looking to commercialize next generation feedstocks like camelina, jatropha, switchgrass, and algae, and seeking reliable markets and off-take contracts to offset the risk associated with growing relatively unknown crops.

But the advanced biofuels story is not about lack of demand, which suggests that the ECJ decision may actually not have much impact at all. In the case of the aviation industry, rising oil prices mean that demand for biofuel alternatives is deep, durable, and widespread. Even without the EU tax, assuming adequate supply, price parity with petroleum-based fuels, and sufficient distribution logistics, aviation fuel buyers would be clamoring to lock-up every last drop of advanced biofuels production.

Meanwhile, with the threat of trade wars from the United States and China among others, costly tariffs and other punitive measures could actually stifle biofuels development, an unintended consequence of the aviation tax.

Corn-based Ethanol Gets a Boost

Over on the other side of the pond, Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill’s December 29 decision declaring California’s carbon fuel standard unconstitutional represents a significant victory for Midwest corn ethanol producers (see my 2010 article on the LCFS and Green Federalism for more on the legal issues). The California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) policy, introduced in 2007, aims for a reduction in the “life-cycle carbon intensity” of fuels consumed in the state by 10 percent over the next decade. Due to corn ethanol’s inherent inefficiencies, the policy excludes most of the corn-ethanol produced in the United States from one of the world’s largest fuel markets.

Implementation of the policy had led to the peculiar situation where Midwest ethanol producers were shipping their offending product 6,000 miles to Brazil to make up for a shortfall in sugarcane ethanol production. Midwest corn’s exclusion from California, coupled with a national blending wall policy, put a serious constraint on U.S. producers’ scale-up ambitions. The ruling may put corn ethanol back in the domestic driver’s seat, at least for now.

Looking Beyond 2012

As discussed in Pike Research’s report, Biofuels Markets and Technologies, we expect the production of conventional biofuels – namely corn- and sugarcane-based ethanol – to increase steadily over the next decade as demand for alternatives to petroleum-based fuel outstrips advanced biofuels production volumes. The corn-based ethanol industry appears to have established viability, and even without the VEETC, we foresee an increase in production as access to markets like California and the likely raising of U.S. blend walls (e.g. implementation of E15 or expansion of E85) opens up new opportunities for producers.

The key question raised by these decisions: where will the production go over the next decade? As corn-based ethanol ventures beyond VEETC, the industry will need to fight for market access at home and abroad despite this most recent victory. Meanwhile, the EU may be positioning itself as the primary market for advanced biofuels at the expense of U.S. and China.

Article by Mackinnon Lawrence, appearing courtesy the Matter Network.

Related posts:

• As Saudi Crude Flows to China, U.S. Need for Biofuels Grows
• AHRI defeats the City of Albequerque, Complicating Matters for Local Governments
• Betting on Algae and Big Oil?
• Advanced Biofuels Face Uncertain Financing Future
• Stewart Brand Raising Eyebrows in Supporting Nuclear Power

Joachim Buse, Lufthansa airline’s head of aviation biofuel, last week said at an industry event in Washington, D.C. that biofuels could be the industry’s standard fuel in five to seven years.

According to Air Transport World, the airline executive said his company’s burnFAIR project has shown that biofuels are a feasible proposition for commercial flights from a technological point of view. What needs to be done now is to make sure there is enough production and from sustainable feedstocks. He told ATW that “from now on, it’s purely a commercial issue.”

One day before Joachim’s talk, a flight between Frankfurt and Washington using a Boeing 747 400 carried 40 tons of a biosynthetic fuel mix. Between mid-July and late December, Lufthansa had four daily roundtrip flights between Hamburg and Frankfurt as part of burnFAIR.

Joachim said that in order for biofuels to become a routine within the aviation industry, government assistance and commercial practices will be necessary. burnFAIR cost Lufthansa €6.6 million ($8.4 million). Out of the total, €2.5 million were covered with subsidies from the German government.

The use of biofuels by airlines is likely to revive the ‘food versus fuel’ debate. What do you think? Are biofuels a green solution for airlines, who account for an estimated two percent of the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions?

Article by Antonio Pasolini, a Brazilian writer and video art curator based in London, UK. He holds a BA in journalism and an MA in film and television.

Related posts:

• Australian Firm to Provide Jatropha Biofuel to Lufthansa for Testing
• Lufthansa Will Offer a Local Biofuel Powered Flight in 2011
• Qantas to Produce the World’s Second Commercial Biofuel Plant
• Scaling Biofuels for Aviation ‘Not so difficult,’ Branson Says
• Greener Aviation Industry Deemed Feasible for Australia and Region

As the founder of the Bay Area networking group, Women In Cleantech & Sustainability, I am keenly interested in learning about who the media thinks as being the most influential women in the field. However, it feels like every top ten list for women in Cleantech always lists the same lovely ladies. This is not to say that the women are not contributing massively to the effort of clean technology, they are. And there are so many more women in the field!

Clean technology is ever-changing, with new innovators, particularly among women, making their mark in a traditionally male-dominated field. In this occasional series, we shine the spotlight on the most savvy and accomplished women pioneers in cleantech and sustainability. Some are building their own start-ups, others are climbing the ranks of high-profile companies, and still others are investors. Whether they are on the front lines or behind the scenes, they inspire us to keep striving forward, to break the ever existent glass ceiling, and change how the world lives.

As always we are open to your suggestions of who you feel are the female game-changers. Who do you think should be on the list?

*Special thanks to Shawn Lesser of Watershed Capital for his support and mentorship for this series.

1. Virginia Klausmeier, CEO, Sylvatex

Quite possibly the youngest CEO in the biofuel/Green chemistry industry, Virginia Klausmeier has spent the past five years developing the Sylvatex fuel technology with her late father, Dr. William Klausmeier. Sylvatex is currently commercializing a proprietary renewable fuel for the US diesel and biodiesel markets. The company has won numerous awards at industry conferences and venture funding competitions, including Silicon Valley LAUNCH and PortTechLA, as well as funding and support through San Francisco’s Greenstart accelerator program. Virginia earned her B.S in Chemistry and Physiology and M.S. in Biomechanics at the University of Oregon and has is also active in San Francisco’s BioDiesel Task force and Biodiesel Coop.

2. Kef Kasdin, CEO, Proterro BioFuels

Kef Kasdin is CEO of Proterro, a venture-backed start-up located in Princeton, New Jersey. It develops non-plant-based, noncellulosic fermentation-ready sugar feedstock, which enables the economical and scalable production of biofuels and chemicals. The company, which is transitioning from discovery to the engineering phase, has functioning prototype sucrose-producing organisms and a working model bioreactor system. Proterro’s Protose sugar is a sustainable, inexpensive, geoflexible, feedstock that can be used to produce a variety of commercial scale fuels and chemicals through standard industrial fermentation methods. Before Proterro, Kef spent nine years at 3Com Corp, including managing $1B division. She also spent 10 years as venture capitalist, and is general partner/cofounder of Battelle Ventures and affiliate Innovation Valley Partners, with company-creation, lab-spinout, and energy-market expertise.

3. Lissa Morgenthaler-Jones, CEO and Co-Founder, LiveFuels

Lissa Morgenthalter-Jones leads strategic planning and corporate development for the LiveFuels, a company with the goal of developing the most efficient and scalable algae-based biofuel process. Since 1990, she has also specialized in biotechnology investing since 1990. After learning about turning algae and animal waste into fuel, she started her own clean energy venture capital fund in 2004. She raised $10 million from the Quercus Trust and individual investors in May 2007. To date, her company has established pilot operations across the U.S., generated extensive intellectual property, and is well on its way to producing an economically feasible and sustainable algal fuel.

4. K’ Lynne Johnson, CEO, Elevance Renewable Sciences

K’Lynne is leading Illinois based Elevance, with her 19 years of experience in the oil and petrochemicals industry (Amoco, BP and Innovene). The company is striving to be the first to successfully bridge the renewables and chemicals industries. With its Nobel-prize winning technology the company transforms natural plant-based oils, like soybean, rapeseed (canola), palm, corn, or algae, into specialty high-performance, cost-effective commercial products, such as advanced biofuels, deterents and cleaners, personal care products, and others.

5. Jennifer Case, co-founder and CEO, New Leaf Biofuel

In 2010, co-founder Jennifer Case took the helm at New Leaf Biofuel as CEO. She has helped grow the company to 24 employees and increase its customer base, including US Navy, the City of Chula Vista, Allied Waste, and dozens of other commercial and municipal fleets in Southern California. Jennifer Case obtained a BA in Political Science from UC San Diego, and a law degree from Pepperdine University. In her legal practice, Jennifer represented individuals, business and public entity clients in such areas as general business litigation, real estate, construction and technology. Prior to attending law school, Ms. Case was an administrator of a start-up fiber optics company in the Silicon Valley.

6. Pamela R. Contag, Ph.D, microbiologist, Founder of Xenogen Corp and Cobalt Biofuels

Cobalt Technologies, located in Mountain View, CA, is leading the transportation industry for cleaner, more efficient renewable fuels. It is a venture-backed company that produces biobutanol from renewable feedstock. Xenogen Corp, located in Alameda, CA, was founded in 1998, and is a leader in the field of biophotonic imaging. Pamela R. Contag, Ph.D., is a microbiologist who has been called a “serial entrepreneur,” having founded two biotech and two biofuel startups. She is the founder of Xenogen Corp. and Cobalt Biofuels, Inc. She is also the founder and CEO of Cygnet Biofuels and ConcentRX, Inc., a biotechnology company developing a unique cancer therapy. She founded Xenogen Corporation with two colleagues while at Stanford University, where they invented in vivo biophotonic imaging. Pamela has filed a patent on a process she developed that utilizes algae to produce polysaccharides that can be easily converted to alcohol fuels or to biolipids, and then to biodiesel. She was also named one of the “Top 25 Women in Small Business” by Fortune Magazine.

7. Cynthia (CJ) Warner, President, of Sapphire Energy

Cynthia (C.J.) Warner joined Sapphire Energy in February 2009 as President. She brings more than 27 years of experience in the energy, refining and transportation industries. At Sapphire Energy, Ms. Warner is tasked with driving the company’s initiative to transition technology trials and research into commercial-scale crude oil operations. Using only sunlight, CO2 and non-potable water, Sapphire Energy is one of the world’s largest leaders in algae-based crude oil. A chemical engineer by training and one of the very few senior women in the oil and gas industry, CJ served as an executive with energy industry giants British Petroleum, Amoco Oil Company and UOP. CJ is currently a member of the National Petroleum Council. She is a featured leader in the 2008 book ‘Becoming a Resonant Leader: Develop Your Emotional Intelligence′ (Harvard Business School Press). CJ has a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from Illinois Institute of Technology.

8. Dr. Claire Kinlaw, Lead Product Development, TerViva BioEnergy

Claire is an MBA-trained scientist and currently Project Lead for TerViva BioEnergy, a startup commercializing the high oil seed tree pongamia in the US as a feedstock for biodiesel refining. Pongamia pinnata, a nitrogen fixing tree native to India that grows on marginal soils. TerVia is working to commercialize this tree as a renewable source of diesel fuel, planting across the southern USA on pasturelands and other lands not used for food production. Claire leads the R&D effort to improve the underlying asset, the tree for even greater, more predictable oil production and good growth characteristics in US locations. Prior to joining TerViva in 2010, Claire developed commercial strategies for biotechnology startups and small businesses, negotiated and managed research and business agreements, directed the USDA Institute of Forest Genetics, and led life science research projects with molecular genetics and genomic science focus. Claire holds an MBA from UC Berkeley, a PhD in biochemistry from Rice University, and a BA in chemistry from the University of Virginia.

9. Nicole Kennard, co-founder and former CEO, New Leaf Biofuel

Nicole Kennard founded New Leaf Biofuel in 2006 with four co-founders, with the aim to be the biggest provider of biodiesel in San Diego County, a dream that involves trucking tons of used fryer grease from 900 area restaurants to New Leaf’s San Diego processing facility and converting it into B99 (99 percent biodiesel fuel), which is then purchased by government and business fleets across the county, such as Sun Diego Charter Co and C & D Towing, and the Regional Transportation Center, San Diego’s only alternative fueling station. She built the company to 10 employees and a company capacity to produce 140,000 gallons of fuel a month. Nicole has BA in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science from UC San Diego and an MS in Mechanical Engineering with an emphasis on Renewable Energy from San Diego State University. Formerly, Nicole was the Coordinator of the Department of Energy’s Industrial Assessment Center (IAC), located at San Diego State University. She is also a renewable energy adviser and biodiesel consultant for the San Diego City School District and a co-founder of the Biofuels Action and Awareness Network, a student action group at UCSD focused on community outreach and education.

10. Susan B. Leschine, Founder and Chief Scientist, SunEthanol

Susan Leschine founded and was the Chief Scientist of SunEthanol, now QTeros. Currently, Dr. Leschine is a senior faculty member in the Microbiology Department at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Dr. Leschine is internationally-known as an authority on the biology and diversity of cellulose-digesting microbes. Her research formed the basis for SunEthanol’s Q Microbe biodigesting technology.

Article by Lisa Ann Pinkerton, founder of Women In Cleantech & Sustainability, a networking and career development group dedicated to the advancement of women in various environmental technology sectors. She is also Founder and President of Technica Communications, where she handles public relations and marketing strategies for cleantech and biotech companies. Lisa Ann is a former award-winning broadcast journalist who reported for National Public Radio, PBS Television, WPXI-NBC, American Public Media, and Free Speech TV.

Related posts:

• Can Women Take on Men in Demolition and Construction?
• Where Are The Green Jobs For Women?
• Are Women Greener Than Men?
• The Role of Women in Combatting Climate Change
• Lufthansa: Biofuels Could Be Aviation’s Standard in Five Years

Poland, in accordance with the 2007 European Council directive requiring that European Union Member states reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 through investments made into renewable energy sources, creates its own energy policy. The objectives include increase in the share of renewable energy sources by 15 percent by 2020 and 20 percent by 2030, achieve ten percent share of biofuels in the transportation market by 2020, and protect forests and promote sustainable farmland use. The potential of Poland to grow in the field of renewable energy is evolving and if it continues to follow the path right now, they could reach 48 percent renewable energy use by 2050.

1 ) Meeting the Need for Wastewater Treatment Plant Facility in Warsaw. French company Veolia and WTE, a German water company, won a contract to upgrade as well as extend the Czajka wastewater treatment plant located in Poland’s capital of Warsaw. The plant will provide treatment for 435,000 cubic meters of wastewater daily, which is good for a city that is already meeting and exceeding the current plant’s 200,000 cubic meters of wastewater daily. The upgrade and extension was carried out in smaller phases to allow the plant to continue operation.

2 ) Outside investment into Biomass. Chinese biomass developer, DP Cleantech, made a significant investment end of 2010 by providing them with a new biomass production facility in the town of Jedrzejow. The new facility will be utilized in the manufacturing of energy conversion boilers and pressure parts which will then serve the European biomass and waste-to-energy market. According to Simon Parker, DP Cleantech CEO, “On-time and on-budget project delivery is something that we take very seriously at DP Cleantech, the expansion of our manufacturing in Poland will help facilitate this in Europe, combining the benefits of both localization and our global philosophy.”

3 ) ERBD Promotion of Energy Efficiency in Poland. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (ERBD) is assisting Poland in reaching its renewable energy and energy efficiency goals by providing the country with 50 million Euro loan to Bank BGZ and another loan of 35 million Euro to Bank Millennium for on-lending to local SMEs (small and medium enterprises) undertaking investments in sustainable energy. “The proceeds of the EBRD loans will be used to finance eligible energy efficiency and small-scale renewable energy projects with up to €1 million. Such investments include industrial energy efficiency improvements, energy efficiency and/or renewable energy measures in commercial buildings and small-scale renewable energy production. The project will help local SMEs improve their competitivness and overall efficiency, and will contribute to reducing the Polish economy’s energy intensity,” EBRD says.

4 ) The Polish Economic Chamber of Renewable Energy. The Polish Economic Chamber of Renewable Energy is an economic self-government organization that brings together various companies that have expressed their desire to cooperate in the development of renewable energy sources. They integrate businesses, institutions, and persons who act toward the development of renewable energy sources in Poland. They also have a say on the law regulations relating to renewable energy sources market, monitoring, implementation, and intervention. The chamber also influences over the coordination and coherence of various sector policies in the scope of the renewable energy sources market.

5 ) Polish Wind Energy Association. As a non-governmental organization, the Polish Wind Energy Association was established by a group of interested Polish citizens who displayed interest in the implementation of wind power technologies. This association has actually becomes the most effective organization that is lobbying for the creation of a suitable legal framework permitting the development, as well as operation of renewable energy sources. The strategic target is, “The superior goal of the Association is to improve existing and create new legal provisions and to increase political and social awareness insofar as wind power to enable its dynamic development and increased use in Poland.”

6 ) Polish Foundation for Energy Efficiency. FEWE, the Polish Foundation for Energy Efficiency is a nongovernmental organization that looks to promote energy efficiency and the production of environmentally friendly energy. One of the projects is the Polish Energy Efficient Motor Program, an organization that encourages sustainable electricity management and investments into energy efficiency.

7 ) Polish Solar Energy Society. The Polish Solar Energy Society is a nongovernmental organization established in 1994 to “foster the sciences and technology in the application of solar energy; to encourage solar energy fundamentals and applied research, and development in the country.” The society’s main activities center around the encouragement of technical solar energy know-how and information dissemination of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

8 ) Polish Wind Energy Society. The Polish Wind Energy Society is a nongovernmental organization involved in the spreading of wind energy use knowledge, publishing information on wind generators, lobbying the promotion of renewable energy, especially on-shore and offshore wind energy, participation and initiation of demonstrations in wind energy, and organizing research studies. The society has cooperated with numerous organizations, institutions and companies, including the Warsaw Foundation for Sustainable Energy, the Institute for Renewable Energy in Warsaw, and the Polish Economic Chamber of Renewable Energy.

9 ) Increase in Wind Energy Use. Currently, wind energy accounts for more than six percent of the net electric energy production. Frost and Sullivan analysts have indicated that the wind energy sector has seen the most significant increase in installed power among all renewable energy sources currently being utilized in Poland. According to Frost and Sullivan, this increase was due in large part to the accessibility of new finance sources, as well as the increase in foreign investors attracted to Poland because of the high price of their certificates.

10 ) United Kingdom Investment into Polish Cleantech. The United Kingdom has realized the need of Poland to increase its renewable energy sources and provided large opportunities. Martin Oxley, CEO of the British Polish Chamber of Commerce said, “If there are two areas of greatest interest when it comes to the Polish economy these days, they are infrastructure and energy. If Poland is to increase its share of energy generated through renewables to 20% by 2020, from 3% today, it means a vast amount of investment will be required.” One example is Torftech’s biowaste powered combined heat and power plant in the town of Swidnica.

Article by Shawn Lesser, Co-founder & Managing Partner of Atlanta-based Watershed Capital Group – an investment bank assisting sustainable fund and companies raise capital, perform acquisitions, and in other strategic financial decisions. He is also a Co-founder of the GCCA Global Cleantech Cluster Association ”The Global Voice of Cleantech”. He writes for various cleantech publications and is known as the David Letterman of Cleantech for his “Top 10″ series. He can be reached at shawn@watershedcapital.com

Related posts:

• Coming Attractions: CleanTechies Events Highlights
• Poland to Introduce Recyclable Subway Cars in 2012
• The Bull is Bullish on CleanTech… So?
• Fuel Cell Startup EnStorage Raises $15M Series B Financing
• Big Oil Redraws the Energy Map

A wave of reports trumpeting the oil industry’s shift to unconventional fuels has appeared in recent weeks. The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times are among the major publications covering changes in the global fossil fuel industry. With their investments in new technologies and new resources, the world’s largest fossil fuel companies are rapidly redrawing the map of the global energy industry, at a global and local scale. Unfortunately, this changing map leaves significantly reduced territory for the cleantech industry.

In the last several years the world’s largest oil companies have shifted their upstream fossil fuel production investments back to OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries, typically the largest importers of fossil fuels. What used to look like a 50-50 division of investments between OECD and non-OECD, is now closer to 70-30 for some oil companies, according to The Wall Street Journal. From Australia to Canada, and from the United States to Poland, the exploration and production of oil and gas in the developed world is exploding. Thanks to innovative (and often controversial) new technologies such as horizontal drilling, ultra-deepwater wells, and hydraulic fracturing, oil companies are now exploiting the market for previously inaccessible fossil fuels. A majority of the future value for Big Oil companies – as much as $1.7 trillion, according to energy consulting firm Wood Mackenzie – is anticipated to come from Australia, Europe, and North America.

Oil companies are leveraging technology innovation to become diversified energy companies. That does not necessarily translate into additional investment in cleantech. Oil company investments are rapidly moving them toward the production of liquefied natural gas, shale oil, and coal gasification, not wind or biofuels. In a time when the future of the Section 1603 tax breaks, which benefit clean energy and mass transit programs, is up in the air, massive new investment in fossil fuels may dampen the momentum the cleantech sector has built over the last couple years.

It certainly does when investment in unconventional oil and gas actively displaces investment in the cleantech industry. This may be the case in Colorado, where ConocoPhillips, the US’s third largest oil company, has indefinitely postponed its plans for a technology research and education campus in the Denver-Boulder area. Following significant investments in the local biofuels industry through 2008, ConocoPhillips (which is in the process of splitting into two companies, ConocoPhillips and Phillips 66) now appears to be more actively pursuing the “unconventional” opportunity. Not until later in 2012 will the full effects of the transformation of Big Oil on the cleantech sector become apparent.

Article by Brittany Gibson, appearing courtesy the Matter Network.

Universities house the future, no one will deny that. Universities house the next generation of thinkers and doers, the ones that will work to make the planet better for the following generations to come. One of the primary universities that is taking clean technology to heart, understanding that its development is key for the future of not just the United States, but the world, is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT as it is more commonly known across the globe. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, MIT is a powerhouse when it comes to clean technology. Below are just ten of the highlights associated with MIT and all it has done for the clean technology sector.

1 ) MIT Clean Energy Prize. The MIT Clean Energy Prize is one of the foremost university competitions in the world that provides applicants with the opportunity to demonstrate new and exceptional ways to effectively make clean energy a cost-effective concept that will bring about positive environmental impacts. Its mission statement says thus, “The MIT Clean Energy Prize will catalyze a new generation of clean energy solutions to meet the world’s energy challenge through innovation and entrepreneurship.” Since established in 2008, this innovation and venture creation competition has aided in the startup of a number of energy ventures, including Covalent Solar and Levant Power.

2 ) Sustainable Design. MIT has long been integrating various innovative systems and technologies into renovations of current buildings and creation of new buildings. This has put the university at the very head of sustainable building. MIT created a number of standards and goals to ensure that all new capital projects as well as renovations earn the LEED Silver Plus certification from the US Green Building Council. Two recent projects, the Brain and Cognitive Sciences Building and the Stata Center are LEED registered and are planning for certification. For example, the Brain and Cognitive Sciences Building uses heat recovery techniques that are incorporated into all HVAC systems, thereby reducing energy consumption.

3 ) MIT Finds New Way to turn Heat from the Sun to Electricity. In May of 2011, a number of MIT researchers and collaborators determined a way to create a high performance, and even less expensive way of creating electricity from the heat of the sun. This new system is able to produce power with a level of efficiency that is approximately eight times higher than what has been reported in the past for solar thermoelectric devices. While this new system cannot substitute current solar photovoltaics, it will be another way to tap into solar energy in an inexpensive fashion.

4 ) Creating New Opportunities in Renewable Energy. MIT understands that developing renewable energy sources to provide power to the campus and all campus operations is crucial for their sustainable energy portfolio. MIT has explored a number of practical, viable options for the development of new innovative projects for renewable energy. For instance, departmental collaboration between Health and Safety, the Environmental Programs Office, Environment, Lab for Energy and the Environment, and the Bates Laboratory are looking at the feasibility associated with installing technology for wind turbine power generation at the Middleton, Massachusetts MIT Bates Laboratory.

5 ) Increase in Solar Photovoltaic Power Systems. Just recently, the MIT Community Solar Power Initiative finished the installation of 25 advanced solar photovoltaic systems throughout the campus as well as the surrounding community. The initiative is supported by a grant given by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative. The three systems on the campus at MIT has led the university to reach a very important milestone – this is the very first large scale renewable power systems that are inter-connected to the power grid at MIT. This project has showcased MITs capabilities in providing renewable energy to the campus in a practical and reliable fashion.

6 ) MIT Receives Recognition for their Energy Programs. In 2011, the energy programs supported by MIT have garnered recognition from two separate organizations. For example, MIT was awarded the 2011 Go Green Award from the City of Cambridge for its numerous campus programs that address climate and energy concerns. As well, the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnership named the university a Business Leader for its partnership with NSTAR, a local utility provider, in creating the innovative MIT Efficiency Forward program.

7 ) MIT Energy Initiative. The MIT Energy Initiative, abbreviated as MITEI, was created in 2006. It is a campus-wide initiative that was designed to aid in the transformation of the global energy system into one that can meet future energy needs and improve current energy systems for tomorrow. Susan Hockfield, MIT president, said at her inaugural address in relation to the initiative, “[It is] our institutional responsibility to address the challenges of energy and the environment…Tackling the problems that energy and the environment present will require contributions from all our departments and schools…bringing scientists, engineers, and social scientists together to envision the best energy policies for the future.”

8 ) MIT and NSTAR Partner up for an Energy Efficiency Program. In 2010 MIT and NSTAR partnered together to create the MIT Efficiency Forward project to cut electricity use throughout the university by 15 percent in three years. It will be done through new and innovative programs, engagement by the staff, faculty, and students, as well as creating new approaches and technologies throughout MIT. In this three year time span, the university looks to save 34 million kilowatt hours.
“MIT Efficiency Forward will capitalize on one of MIT’s core strengths: the passion of our faculty, staff and students to tackle the world’s most challenging problems,” said MIT President Susan Hockfield. “Through this exciting new program, right here on the MIT campus, we will pursue one of the major opportunities to reduce energy consumption: finding smart, sensible, economic approaches to energy efficiency. Our participation in the program signals that the solutions for today’s climate and energy challenges will come not only from our research laboratories and classrooms, but also from practice-based management innovations.”

9 ) MIT Enhances their Bio-Based Energy Innovations. Recently, MIT has been hosting a new and innovative algae group at the roof of the Central Utility Plant. The algae being used is actually sequestering a portion of emitted carbon dioxide coming from the emission stream at the power plant. The algae also removes some of the nitrogen oxides, also known for polluting. The algae feeds on the carbon dioxide as well as the other pollutants, producing a type of biomass that may be converted into a number of biofuels, including biodiesel.

10 ) Turning MIT into a Learning Laboratory. A lot of MIT’s operations, including transportation fleets, systems for power generation, programs for recycling, and the building initiatives provide great opportunities to test and study new energy and environmental solutions. For instance, the Education Program of the Laboratory for Energy and the Environment and the Environmental Programs Office teamed together to develop the Campus Sustainability UROP program. This program looks to increase educational involvement of all MIT undergraduate in terms of sustainability initiatives throughout the campus.

Article by Shawn Lesser, Co-founder & Managing Partner of Atlanta-based Watershed Capital Group – an investment bank assisting sustainable fund and companies raise capital, perform acquisitions, and in other strategic financial decisions. He is also a Co-founder of the GCCA Global Cleantech Cluster Association ”The Global Voice of Cleantech”. He writes for various cleantech publications and is known as the David Letterman of Cleantech for his “Top 10″ series. He can be reached at shawn@watershedcapital.com

Related posts:

• Top Ten Reason Massachusetts is a Cleantech Leader
• Do Wind Farms Pose Health Threat to Neighbors?
• Coming Attractions: CleanTechies Events Highlights
• The 10 Best Universities for Studying Cleantech
• Top 10 Reasons Why Boston is a Cleantech City

The commercial aviation industry could go from being one of the dirtiest to being one of the cleanest in ten years, according to one of the industry’s best-known figures.

Richard Branson says the world’s 7,000 airlines could switch to low-carbon jet fuels much faster than other forms of transportation because airplanes have very few “filling stations.”

“Unlike cars where there are millions of filling stations, there are only about 1,700 aviation stations in the world. So if you can get the right fuel, like mass-produced algae, then getting it to 1,700 outlets is not so difficult,” Branson said in an interview with The Guardian.

Branson’s Virgin Group, which owns a majority stake in Virgin Atlantic Airways, said the industry should aim for 50% sustainable fuels by 2020.

“Aviation fuel is 25-40% of the running costs of airlines so the industry is open to new fuels,” said Branson, who also heads up the Carbon War Room, an effort to work with and reward businesses that lead reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Some airlines are way ahead of others in the quest to make biofuels a regular part of the commercial aviation fuel mix. Several European airlines have tested or incorporated low-carbon fuels, as required by the EU program to reduce emissions from the aviation sector. But in North America, in the absence of such laws, progress is much slower.

Last month, Alaska Air chairman and CEO Bill Ayer lauded sustainable biofuels as “key to aviation’s future,” at the start of Alaska Air’s biofuel trial period of 75 regularly-scheduled commercial flights running on a biofuel blend. Alaska was on course to be the first airline in the U.S. to fly a commercial flight powered by biofuel but two days before they were scheduled to do so, United edged out Alaska Air to take the honors.

Unlike Alaska Air, however, United has no immediate plans to procure a long-term supply of biofuels for use in their domestic aviation operations.

Article by Timothy Hurst, appearing courtesy Earth & Industry.

Related posts:

• Lufthansa: Biofuels Could Be Aviation’s Standard in Five Years
• Greener Aviation Industry Deemed Feasible for Australia and Region
• Aviation Biofuels Industry Materializing in Brazil
• With Aviation Biofuel Deals on the Rise, Camelina in the Spotlight
• Aviation Biofuels: Caught Between a Rock and Hard Place

Facing an uncertain future with biofuels policy under scrutiny, the advanced biofuels industry convened for a three day conference in San Francisco earlier this month. Jointly organized by Green Power Conferences and Biofuels Digest, the Advanced Biofuels Markets conference is one of the few industry events bringing together industry leaders from all shades of advanced biofuel interests – algae, cellulosic biofuels, advanced biodiesel, aviation biofuels, and others – as well as key public-sector stakeholders.

Coming off several years of steady industry growth but facing a difficult 2012, Advanced Biofuels Markets 2011 was tinged with exigency. With deficit reduction at the forefront of policy objectives for Congress, a reexamination of cornerstone policies supporting biofuels growth is expected. At risk of being scrapped altogether, the checkerboard foundation of biofuels policy initiatives spanning EPA, USDA, the Department of Energy (DOE), the Department of Defense, Treasury and others – including RFS2, Title IX programs under the Farm Bill, DOE loan guarantees, VEETC, etc. – may be placed on the chopping block one by one (or in the most dramatic scenario, slashed all at once).

What does this mean for an industry on the cusp of commercialization, but still a few nickels to several dollars shy of price parity with a gallon of petroleum fuel? For the most part, it adds a great deal of uncertainty, making an already difficult financing story even more risky for would-be investors. In the more extreme case, the sentiment among conference panelists was that the industry is now fighting for its future existence in the U.S.

The Lost Years

With an unresolved deficit crisis casting an ominous shadow over 2012, the coming year is shaping up to be challenging for advanced biofuel companies still navigating the funding “valley of death” and facing a particularly daunting scale-up challenge. Just as many advanced ethanol projects are beginning to break ground, a number of incentive and loan programs are likely to be nixed. Energy provisions in the 2012 Farm Bill are of primary concern. Programs, including USDA loan guarantees for biorefinery projects, Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP), and Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), are all critical lifelines for an industry still looking to establish a foothold.

Addressing the so far undelivered promise of cellulosic biofuels – biofuels derived from the lignocellulose portion of plant matter – Alan Shaw, CEO of Codexis, explained that the technology is “late to its own party.” After lobbying for nearly a decade for R&D funding, inclusion in biofuels mandates, and subsidy parity with conventional biofuels, the cellulosic biofuels industry has received a great deal of support over the last couple of years. While not necessarily on equal footing with conventional (corn-based) ethanol, cellulosic biofuels were given a commercialization runway to 16 billion gallon by 2022 under the EPA’s RFS2 mandate. But only a few million gallons of cellulosic biofuels have been produced and the first facilities are still under construction, forcing policymakers to question the viability of the technology in the near-term.

The failure of cellulosic biofuels to capitalize on its opportunity thus far has led to increased attention to technologies such as pyrolysis and thermo-catalytic or advanced sugar fermentation. As a result, cellulosic biofuels – once the priority advanced conversion pathway for the DOE – are now finding it difficult to raise capital to support widespread scale-up. Many panelists at the conference concurred that it’s time to deliver or risk losing priority status among advanced biofuel conversion pathways.

In our Biofuels Markets and Technologies report, we forecast growth rates in the U.S. biofuels industry to lag behind other regions.

“Don’t Mess with the RFS”

Of particular concern among industry stakeholders at the conference is the battle to hold the line on the EPA’s RFS2 biofuels mandate, which aims to boost biofuel production in the United States through 2022. Although RFS2 has proved to be a complex rule to implement, it is one of the few mandates worldwide that carves out specific volume requirements for various biofuel conversion pathways.

While some in the advanced biofuels industry are calling for opening up the mandate to more advanced pathways (such as algae-based biofuels, waste-derived fuels, etc.), most warn that doing so would mean opening up the standard entirely, which could jeopardize its continued existence. In any case, within the broader battle for favorable treatment of advanced biofuels in Washington, RFS2 is seen as the last line of defense for an industry still struggling to gain a foothold.

Key Takeaways

To turn the corner on advanced biofuels commercialization, conference panelists urged producers to remain flexible with respect to feedstock and end-product. With policy up in the air, the ability to shift production to advanced chemicals, aviation biofuels, and ground transportation fuel depending on market forces and prevailing policy sentiment will make projects a far more attractive bet for skittish investors. Partnering, especially with oil majors, multinational chemical and consumer product companies, and other end-market players, is increasingly seen as the way forward in a challenging financing environment.

Article by Mackinnon Lawrence, appearing courtesy the Matter Network.

Related posts:

• Advanced Biofuels Face Uncertain Financing Future
• Algae Biofuel Industry Seeks Tax Incentive
• Investing in Advanced Biofuels to Create Jobs
• BP-DuPont Biofuels JV Takes Gevo to Court
• Lufthansa: Biofuels Could Be Aviation’s Standard in Five Years

The Global Cleantech Cluster Association is pleased to announce its winners for the 2011 Later Stage Award. They were judged by 28 cleantech venture capitalists, investors and serial entrepreneurs who collectively manage $3.5 billion in clean technology investment, lead by Head Judge Dr. Peter Adriaens. In each category, these companies are making both broad strides in their global industries as well as working closely with their regional cleantech clusters to build sustainable green economies and jobs.

The GCCA Later Stage Award Top 10 winners were selected from an original pool of 4000 eligible companies represented by the GCCA’s 33 member clusters. Each cluster conducted internal evaluations to nominate up to 10 companies in the 10 categories. In total, these member clusters nominated 185 companies for the 2011 Later Stage Award. That number was later narrowed to the Global Top 30 semi-finalists and the Top 10 winners.

The Global Top 10 Later Stage Award Winners – 2011

Best in Biofuels – Imperative Energy

Dublin, Ireland (cluster: An sTli Ghlas – The Green Way)

With offices in Ireland and the UK, Imperative Energy Ltd (IEL) is a bioenergy project developer with 35 active installations. Partnering with best-in-class technology providers from across Europe, IEL is expanding rapidly in terms of turnover and profitability. Having completed one round of fundraising (€29m) in 2009, IEL is embarking on a further round of fundraising to accelerate growth in UK and Ireland and prepare for entry into the US market.

Best of Energy Efficiency/Green Buildings – Albeo Technologies

Boulder, CO (cluster: Colorado Cleantech IA)
Albeo Technologies is a leading manufacturer of white-LED lighting systems for general illumination. The company has grown 775% over three years. Albeo’s deployments include high-bay LED lighting for Apple’s iCloud data center and Caterpillar’s large engine manufacturing facility.

Best of New Materials – Beneq

Vantaa, Finland (cluster: Finnish Cleantech)

Beneq is a supplier of equipment and coating technology. Beneq develops applications and equipment for cleantech and renewable energy fields, especially in glass, solar and emerging thin film markets. Coating applications include optics, barriers and passivation layers, as well as energy generation and conservation. Beneq also offers complete coating services.

Best of Renewable Energy – OpenHydro

Dublin, Ireland (cluster: An sTli Ghlas – The Green Way)

An Irish tidal energy technology company, OpenHydro’s business is the design and manufacture of marine turbines for generating renewable energy from tidal streams. The company’s vision is to deploy arrays of tidal turbines under the world’s oceans, silently and invisibly generating electricity at no cost to the environment. OpenHydro has a project portfolio spanning the USA, Canada, France, Scotland and the UK’s Channel Islands with utility partners including EDF, Nova Scotia Power and SSE Renewables. For further information please visit .

Best of Solar – Solaris Energy Solutions

Chicago, Illinois USA (cluster: Chicago Clean Energy)

Solaris Energy Solutions provides reliable and advanced solar technology for water/space heating, ventilation systems and photovoltaic electricity generation. As a founding member of the ISEA (Irish Solar Energy Association) and associated members of the German Solar Association, SES see itself at the forefront of helping to make progress towards a sustainable future with the emphasis on renewable energy.

Best of Storage/Smart Grid – PowerGenix

San Diego, California USA (cluster: CleanTECH San Diego)

PowerGenix is the leading developer of Nickel-Zinc (NiZn) batteries, which boast significant advantages over other advanced batteries in energy and power density, cost, safety, toxicity and recyclability. NiZn batteries are an ideal solution for applications that demand large amounts of power in a small, lightweight and safe package, especially micro-hybrid (start/stop) vehicles.

Best of Transportation – SAM Group

Zurich, Switzerland, (cluster: swisscleantech)

The Swiss company developed, built and launched the electric vehicle Sam EV II. Over 120 vehicles at a net price of EUR 14’000 were sold in several European countries yet. As a forerunner, Sam has a long term strategy in the field of lightweight, energy efficient and affordable electric vehicles.

Best of Waste – Newalta

Brossard, Quebec (cluster: EcoTech Quebec)

Newalta is Canada’s leading industrial waste management and environmental services company. The company pushes beyond conventional thinking about waste, to find solutions that transform waste into new products that will contribute to a customer’s bottom line and reduce their environmental footprint. Where product recovery isn’t possible, Newalta find ways to reduce the production of waste at the source.

Best of Water – Rentricity

New York, New York USA (cluster: NYC Acre)

Rentricity recovers energy from excess water pressure in pipes to produce clean,renewable electricity. Rentricity targets water, wastewater and industrial infrastructure to integrate its Flow-to-Wire configurations. Electricity produced can either be sold into the electric grid or used behind-the-meter.

Best of Wind – Moventas

Jyväskylä, Finland (cluster: Finnish Cleantech)

Finnish Moventas is one of the largest manufacturers of wind turbine gears in the world. Moventas also provides extensive services for gear overhaul and maintenance. Moventas’ expertise is based on combining decades of experience with leading-edge technologies. The Moventas brand stands for reliability, responsiveness and assurance as a dependable partner.

Related posts:

• Global Cleantech Cluster Association Announces the 2011 Later Stage Award Global Top 30 Finalists
• Top Ten Highlights of Colorado Cleantech Industry Association
• Obama’s win: Bright future for CleanTech?
• Global Cleantech Cluster Association Announces 185 Nominations For 2011 Later Stage Awards
• 10 Reasons Why San Diego is a Cleantech Leader

There is no doubt that climate change poses a grave danger, if there are any questions to be raised, they should be on our level of preparedness to face this challenge head on. We need to identify innovative ways of coming up with the most effective solutions in renewable energy and sustainability.

One of the most effective ways of combating climate change would be to improve specific aspects of our everyday interaction with the environment, transportation is a case in point.

The transport sector globally is the single highest energy consumer (around 19% ) producing around a quarter of the world’s CO2 emissions, this is probably not surprising given that much of the world depends on one form of motorised transport or another in their day-to-day lives.

Although road transport accounts for 75% of worldwide transport CO2 emissions according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), aviation and shipping are rapidly catching up . If we continue on the current path, the amount of energy we use and the associated CO2 emissions that are likely to be produced could increase by 50% by 2030, clearly an unsustainable prospect.

To mitigate this scenario, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recommends that CO2 emissions be reduced by 50% by 2050, this may seem like a tall order particularly for the world’s governments, vehicle manufacturers, aircraft makers and ship builders but we are already seeing meaningful progress in these areas.

For example, the global aviation industry today contributes around 2.1% of CO2 emissions and initiatives in the use of alternative fuels for air transport are beginning to really take off!

Here in the Middle East, aviation is a particularly strong growing transport sector, as the region rapidly develops economically and emerges as the modern world’s crossroads between East and West. As transit hubs in the UAE and Qatar see their respective airline fleets rapidly swell, we could witness an increasing interest and investment in reducing their carbon footprints.

Indeed, we have seen real steps being taken in this direction, in my role as Assistant Professor at the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology I have been fortunate enough to lead a unique study into jet fuel made from saltwater plants – which are abundant in this region – in partnership with Abu Dhabi based Etihad Airlines, Boeing and Honeywell’s oil and gas processing arm, UOP. Other international carriers such as KLM, Lufthansa and Continental Airlines have been testing various types of biofuels with Aeromexico launching the world’s first transcontinental flight powered partially by oil from the Jatropha Curcas oilseed plant.

Back on the ground, the world’s first carbon-neutral city, Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, began a year-long electric vehicle pilot project with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to look into the feasibility of having a point-to-point transport system. If successful, the scheme could not only have major implications for the future of road transport at Masdar City but for the Middle East region at large.

These are just the kinds of initiatives that have the potential to impact our daily lives but they also need the encouragement and support of the world community in order to make the journey from the drawing board or the testing stage into real world sustainable transportation solutions. Recognising this, the Zayed Future Energy Prize seeks to not only highlight but stimulate and inspire renewable energy and sustainable solutions every year by awarding innovative and deserving candidates in this field from all around the world.

This year once again, I have had the privilege to chair the Review Committee meeting which was held last week to shortlist the top 33 candidates for the $4 million 2012 Prize. Over the course of the two-day meeting, we had the chance to review some excellent submissions representing parts of the renewable energy and sustainability community that are either directly or indirectly related to transportation. In 2010 we saw Toyota awarded for bringing us all one major step closer to sustainable transport with its efforts in mass-producing the world’s first hybrid fuel, the Prius since 1997.

The Zayed Future Energy Prize represents the latest in a whole host of bold moves for the UAE in renewable energy and sustainability, with the increase in the number of candidates who have submitted their green initiatives for the 2012 Prize, it’s clear that there is a genuine hunger for clean and sustainable innovations.

Article by Dr. Sgouris Sgouridis, Assistant Professor at the Masdar Institute of Science & Technology. Sustainable transportation is one of his research areas.

References
(i) TRANSPORT ENERGY EFFICIENCY (information paper), Implementation of IEA Recommendations since 2009 and next steps (Sept 2010)
(ii) IEA – Transport, energy and CO2 – Moving toward sustainability (2009
(iii) IEA -Transport, energy and CO2 – Moving toward sustainability (2009)

Related posts:

• What Brings Sustainable Transport in Urban Centers?
• EU Must Fully Switch to Renewable Energy by 2050, Experts Say
• Dutch Cabinet Approves Driving Tax — Will the U.S. Do the Same?
• How Does Green Transportation Pay Dividends?
• Focus on Fuel Economy Would Boost Profits for U.S. Car Makers