Michigan Energy Report - February, 2008
 
Wednesday, February 27, 2008

 

This Just In … Renewable Energy Has Over 6 Million Michigan Advocates

And Those Who Aren't (Yet) Just Need To Be Informed

by James A. Croce, CEO NextEnergy

The good news is that research suggests that two-thirds of Michigan residents believe that renewable energy is important to our state’s future. The bad news is that one-third of our population does not yet understand what renewable energy is. So we’ve all got some educating to do.

Sometimes the army we know marching behind us is not as large as we want to believe. Such is the case with renewable energy in Michigan, as shown by a recent Michigan State University research report titled “Public Attitudes to Renewable Energy,” which was undertaken in fall 2007 and released last month. Researchers used telephone interviews and contacted just over 1,000 Michigan residents across the state. The study, conducted by the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research at MSU, found that while nearly 70 percent of Michiganders know what renewable energy is and support it, about 31 percent of Michigan residents surveyed don’t even know the meaning of the term “renewable energy.”

Twenty-two percent don’t know a thing about hydroelectric power, solar power, or wind power. Fifteen percent had never heard of biofuels … one of the the new fuels we are asking them to embrace when they drive their cars in the future. Eight percent still don’t know what recycling is.

Okay, that’s the bad news. But it’s bad news that can be corrected. Because when the researchers were able to explain these issues and technologies to the less-informed or uninformed, they got an overwhelmingly positive response. Once the term “renewable energy” was explained, 54 percent considered renewable energy “very important” to themselves and their families. An additional 33 percent considered renewable energy “somewhat important” and less than 7 percent considered renewable energy “not very important” or “not important.” (I cannot help but ask myself who would believe that renewable energy is not important … but that’s just me.)

Also on the “plus” side, when asked about the importance of using energy efficiently, an impressive 78 percent of Michigan residents considered energy efficiency very important, while 21 percent considered energy efficiency somewhat important. Fortunately, zero percent said energy efficiency was not important at all.

In summary, the report clearly found that Michigan residents, once informed, consider using renewable energy and practicing energy efficiency to be important issues. Likewise, once informed, the study indicates that there is huge public support for standards and incentives that would help the renewable industry grow in Michigan.

The problem, however, is that a lot of Michigan residents are still NOT informed. So what can we do? Well. We have phones. We write e-mails. And we are all probably a member of a church or synagogue or PTA or book club or Rotary Club or Kiwanis or Elks or VFW or Teamsters or an alumni association or bowling league or Trout Unlimited or some other group or groups. So the next time you are in contact with your group … just ask if anyone is unfamiliar with the concept of renewable energy. And if they aren’t, please tell them about it. I’m sure that they will be eager to learn what you know.

 

Universities to fund renewable energy research
Michigan's University Research Corridor is investing up to $900,000 of its own resources in seed grants to speed up the development of "revolutionary but feasible" alternative energy research involving researchers at two or more of the URC universities -- Michigan State University, the University of Michigan and Wayne State University. The universities will consider proposals from faculty related to novel research in energy policy, materials (including nanomaterials), clean energy sources, transmission and storage that is environmentally safe, cost-effective, and secure. A panel of experts from the three universities will select grant recipients, giving preference to projects that show the best potential for feasibility and impact. For more details on the proposal, visit www.urcmich.org/commentary/urc_est_2008.pdf. More on the URC at www.urcmich.org.

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Biodiesel firm offers custom blends in an instant
A Grosse Pointe biodiesel technology startup has installed its first test fuel blending unit at the NextEnergy Center in Detroit. Officials at Clean Emission Fluids Inc. say the device is an on-demand, variable-ratio biodiesel blending and dispensing unit. It allows users to blend B100 biodiesel fuel with petroleum diesel fuel on the fly, in any proportion, such as B2 (2 percent biodiesel, 98 percent petroleum diesel) to B5, B20 or B100. It also allows the user to select from several different types of biodiesel -- rapeseed (Canola) oil, soybean oil, or recycled restaurant oil, called "select white grease." Company co-founder Oliver Baer said the unit is intended for travel centers, truck stops or fleet operations centers. The unit's cost ranges from $16,500 to $28,000 depending on features selected. Its brand name is FAST, an acronym for Fluids Affordably Stored. The company is a participant in the United States Department of Energy's National Biofuels Energy Laboratory, which is housed at NextEnergy. For more information, visit www.cleanemissionfluids.com or call (888) WOW-DIESEL.

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Uni-Solar gets 'substantial' sale from Japan
Auburn Hills-based United Solar Ovonic LLC, a subsidiary of Rochester Hills-based Energy Conversion Devices Inc., announced Tuesday that it has entered into a multi-year agreement to supply its Uni-Solar laminates to Tokyo-based Itochu Corp. for use on large-scale rooftop installations on industrial and commercial buildings worldwide. The company didn't disclose the size of the order in dollars or megawatts of generating capacity. Spokesman Mac McNeer said he could say only that the order was "substantial." More at www.ovonic.com or www.itochu.co.jp.

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NextEnergy in hunt for solar suppliers
NextEnergy's Michigan Manufacturing Supplier Network is looking for Michigan companies that can act as suppliers for Infinia Corp. Kennewick, Wash.-based Infinia manufactures a solar generator comprised of a solar energy collection dish that looks much like a satellite dish. In the center of the dish is a Stirling engine power generator that spins off the heat created by concentrated sunlight. Interested potential suppliers should contact Dan Radomski, vice president of industry services at NextEnergy, danr@nextenergy.org or (313) 833-0100, ext. 150.

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Encore Energy gets Texas partner
Brighton-based Encore Energy Systems announced it has entered into a formal agreement with Energy America Geothermal Texas LLC to collaborate on future commercial geothermal installations. Under the terms of the Teaming Agreement, Encore Energy and Energy America Geothermal will jointly cooperate on high value commercial geothermal installations. Furthermore, Encore will grant Energy America Geothermal non-exclusive rights to promote the companies' patented Energy Miser System. Encore said the deal calls for the two companies to combine their resources and expertise on a case by case basis. The aim of the teaming agreement is to capitalize on the strengths of both companies and speed up the turnaround of Encore's multi million dollar sales pipeline. More at www.encoreenergyinc.com or www.energyamericainc.com.

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UM study: Michiganders willing to pay more for green power
Three out of four residents in the auto industry-dominated state of Michigan would be willing to pay for ways to increase the role of renewable energy sources, a new University of Michigan survey says. Many states have enacted policies that mandate increased use of renewable energy as well as other policies that could reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Michigan, however, has been among the least active states, which makes these latest findings surprising, said Barry Rabe, a professor in the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and School of Natural Resources and Environment. In fact, while the costs estimated to reduce global warming vary, nearly half of Michigan residents surveyed said they would be willing to pay more than $50 annually in order to produce more renewable energy. Most Michigan residents support state requirements to increase the level of renewable energy in the state's electricity supply. Rabe co-authored the survey of 1,001 adults with Christopher Borick, professor of political science at Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania. It is the first known survey of its kind to ask Michigan residents about global warming issues and climate policy options. These issues have moved rapidly from the back-burner toward the front of the American public policy agenda.

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Ferndale firm to fuel greener snowmobiles at Michigan Tech
Ferndale-based Gage Products Co. will be an official sponsor for a sixth consecutive year of the annual Society of Automotive Engineers Clean Snowmobile Challenge, scheduled for March 10-15 at Michigan Technological University in Houghton. The event, an engineering design competition for college and university SAE student members, is organized and sponsored by SAE and the Keweenaw Research Center of MTU. Engineering students are challenged to re-engineer an existing snowmobile for improved emissions and noise without sacrificing the performance of the original snowmobile. Further details about the 2008 SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge may be found at www.sae.org.

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Ricardo assisting in developing unique wind farms
Ricardo Inc., the Van Buren Township-based subsidiary of the British auto supplier Ricardo plc, said its engineering and development expertise has been tapped by the Newton, Mass.-based wind energy manufacturer General Compression Inc. General Compression's proprietary Dispatchable Wind system substitutes the electric generators in its wind turbines with advanced air compressor systems. The compressed air can be passed through an expander plant in order to generate electricity whenever it's needed -- not just when the wind is blowing. The system uses a compressor manufactured by Attleboro, Mass.-based Mechanology Inc. Ricardo has been chosen by Mechanology to be one of its key product development partners to assist in developing the compressor, called the Dragonfly, so it will meet or exceed the rigors of round-the-clock operation with an expected life in excess of 20 years.

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Carbon sequestration test begins
A research team that includes partners from industry, academia and government has begun a test of injecting high pressure carbon dioxide into a geologic formation more that 3,000 feet underground, 11 miles east of Gaylord. The experiment is designed to provide better understanding of the potential for deep-underground storage as a means to prevent carbon dioxide from being emitted to the atmosphere. Partners in the in addition to Battelle and the site operator, Core Energy LLC, include DTE Energy, the Michigan Geological Repository for Research and Education at Western Michigan University, and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality's Office of Geological Survey.

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NextDiesel gets more biodiesel production capacity
New York City-based GreenShift Corp. announced an agreement with Adrian-based Biofuel Industries Group LLC, which does business at NextDiesel. Under the deal, GreenShift will design and build more than $10 million worth of biodiesel production, feedstock pre-treatment and related process equipment based on GreenShift’s proprietary biofuel technologies. GreenShift had previously sold NextDiesel an early version of its 10 million gallon per year biodiesel production system. NextDiesel is using this equipment today to produce and sell biodiesel out of pork fat, crude vegetable oils and other feedstocks. Under the new agreements, GreenShift will design, build and commission an additional 20 million gallons per year of biodiesel production capacity with full alternative feedstock processing capabilities. In addition, GreenShift’s process engineers will manage plant operations during the construction of the increased capacity in return for a fee based upon NextDiesel’s earnings through Dec. 31, 2008.

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Company offers new wrinkle in small-scale wind power
Not all wind turbines look like big pinwheels. Some of them look like spinning sails, or a whirling shaft of light. A new company in Ortonville is marketing a $3,995 vertical axis wind turbine capable of generating approximately 1,200 watts of power. Unlike huge commercial wind turbines, the Windspire is only 30 feet tall and takes up only four square feet of ground space. The Windspire, manufactured by Reno, Nev.-based Mariah Power, is being marketed in the Midwest by Southern Exposure Renewable Energy Co. Southern Exposure was founded by Jim Bates, a veteran electrician. More about the Windspire at http://mariahpower.com or www.seenergyco.com.

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