Visioning 2026 Blog
The Hottest 50 Companies in Bioenergy--Part of Our Future in Northeast Nebraska?
PRNewswire, reported Deceember 22, 2008, Biofuels Digest, the online daily bioenergy news service that US companies dominate; genomics, cellulosic ethanol and algae-based technologies prominent among honorees.
"Innovation in renewable energy is gaining speed," said
The algae farming and energy producing technologies appear to have a longer term impact on our country as these facilities could be collocated with existing distillations and distribution networks as well as large CO2 emitters (e.g., coal fired electric generators) since algae needs CO2 for growth. A plentiful water supply will also be necessary.
Cellulosic produced ethanol also looks promising as there are several competing processes to produce the lowest cost result.
The Hottest 50 Companies in Bioenergy with website references, trading symbols, a few notes.
1. Coskata http://www.coskata.com/
2. Sapphire Energy http://www.sapphireenergy.com/
3. Virent Energy Systems http://www.virent.com/
4. POET http://www.poetenergy.com/
5. Range Fuels http://www.rangefuels.com/
6. Solazyme http://www.solazyme.com/
7. Amyris Biotechnologies http://www.amyrisbiotech.com/
8. Mascoma http://www.mascoma.com/
9. DuPont Danisco http://www.ddce.com/
10. UOP http://www.uop.com/
11. ZeaChem http://www.zeachem.com/
12. Aquaflow Bionomic http://www.aquaflowgroup.com/
13. Bluefire Ethanol http://bluefireethanol.com/OTCBB BFRE
14. Novozymes http://www.novozymes.com/en NASDAQ OMX Copenhagen NZYM B
15. Qteros http://www.qteros.com/
16. Petrobras http://www2.petrobras.com.br/ingles/index.aspNYSE ADR ON
17. Cobalt Biofuels http://www.cobaltbiofuels.com/
18. Iogen http://www.iogen.ca/
19. Synthetic Genomics http://www.syntheticgenomics.com/
20. Abengoa Energy http://www.abengoabioenergy.com/sites/bioenergy/en/
21. KL Energy http://www.klenergy.com/
22. INEOS http://www.ineos.com/index.php
23. GreenFuel http://www.greenfuelonline.com/ recycles carbon dioxide from flue gases to produce biofuels and feed
24. Vital Renewable Energy http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS230267+10-Nov-2008+PRN20081110
25. LS9 http://www.ls9.com/
26. Raven Biofuels http://www.ravenbiofuels.com/NASD OTC BB RVBF
27. Gevo http://www.gevo.com/
28. St.1 Biofuels Oy http://www.st1.eu/index.php?id=2386
29. Primafuel http://www.primafuel.com/
30. Taurus Energy http://www.epuron.com.au/desktopdefault.aspx
31. Ceres http://www.ceres.net/
32. Syngenta http://www.syngenta.com/en/index.html NYSE SYT
33. Aurora Biofuels http://www.aurorabiofuels.com/ Algae Feed Stock based
34. Bionavitas http://www.bionavitas.com/
35. Algenol http://www.algenolbiofuels.com/ Algae Farms
36. Verenium http://www.diversa.com/ Cellulosic Nasdaq VRNM
37. Simply Green http://www.seacoastbiofuels.com/
38. Carbon Green http://www.carbongreenllc.com/ carbon credit program
39. SEKAB http://www.sekab.com/default.asp?id=1484 Swedish
40. Osage Bioenergy http://www.osagebioenergy.com/ barley based ethanol
41. Dynamotive http://www.dynamotive.com/ OTCBB DYMTF
42. Sustainable Power http://www.sstp.us/ QuoteMedia SSTP
43. ETH Bioenergia http://www.eth.com/website/default.asp Brazil
44. Choren http://www.choren.com/en/ gasification from biomass
45. Origin Oil http://www.originoil.com/NASD OTCBB OOIL.OB Good description of algae process
46. Propel Fuels http://www.propelfuels.com/content/
47. GEM Biofuels http://www.gembiofuels.com/
48. Lake Erie Biofuels http://www.lakeeriebiofuels.com/
49. Cavitation Technologies http://www.cavitationtechnologies.com/ NASD OTCBB CVAT.OB
50. Lotus/Jaguar – Omnivore http://www.grouplotus.com/mediacentre_pressreleases/view/407
A Nuclear Reactor in your Community
From a NASA e-letter on Dec 1, 2008:
A company in New Mexico has started producing hot-tub-sized nuclear generators they hope will soon provide communities throughout America with affordable energy. Powered by low-enriched uranium fuel, each Hyperion Power Module will reportedly produce enough clean, safe, and environmentally friendly energy to reliably power 20,000 standard American homes for 10 cents per watt. The units will be factory sealed, buried underground, and guarded for maximum security. Each module will produce a softball-sized amount of recyclable waste every five years, no greenhouse gases whatsoever, and there is no risk of meltdown because the fuel cools instantly if a module is opened. 75% of NASA e-letter readers polled said they wouldn't mind having a small nuclear reactor in their community to power their homes with nuclear energy.
Very interesting break through. I read a similar article. Here are a couple website references.
http://www.hyperionpowergeneration.com/
http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf33.html
This will further reinforce the need for distributed and local transmission systems geared closer to customer consumption. I make this connection with the value of network theory described in the book "Linked, How Everything Is Connected to Everything Else and What it Means for Business, Science, and Everyday Life," by Albert-Laszlo Barabasi. This book is also supporting what we are experiencing with social networking websites.
I suspect this will put some pressure on the coal powered electric generations systems that support the rail transportation systems and associated mining companies and states. Instead of building coal powered generators to pickup the growing peak loads this new technology should direct a more decentralized funding and development effort. It will be interesting to see if NPPD jumps on the bandwagon since they are currently promoting coal gasification projects since we are close to the coal fields in Wyoming. Given the pricing for one of these units it is well within a community's thresholds for issuing bonds to pay for a community system. Now tie in solar and wind power at the local level, even at the home site, and we have lower costs for supporting electric vehicles and producing hydrogen for future transportation systems.
Could we see Nucor Steel investing and installing several of these units to reduce their energy costs? This could give them a better control on costs and make them more competitive in the world market. Or does it make more since for Nucor to build a steel facility closer to their source of material and customers and include their own power generation source? How could this affect Nucor operations in Norfolk?
Wow.... the world around us is changing even faster than ever.
Mark
Solar Power Impacts and Recommendations for Norfolk, NE -- Transformational Learning Process Project Presentation
One of three 2007-2008 Leadership Norfolk process project groups investigated the solar power trend and the potential future impact to Norfolk, Nebraska and the surrounding Northeast Nebraska communities.
Read their 26 page report on Solar Power, The Key to Solving Our Current Energy Crisis. (PDF 1.3MB)
Technology is quickly making solar power a more economic and feasible enery source. The three technologies, Passive Solar, Active Solar Heating, and Solar PV (Photovoltaic) Systems along with an aging and under capacity nationwide electrical grid will support change to more a local and decentralized electrical generation and distribution system in the future. Their presentation stated, "The use of solar power can ease the pressures on our overtaxed power grid. Solar power is a “distributed generation” energy source, meaning electricity is produced at or close to the source of consumption. This reduces the distance electricity must travel to get to the end user. Excess power can be feed back into the grid."
They reported a potentially very substantial technology breakthrough that will increase the effeciency of photovoltaic systems by using a paper thin material that absorbs 99.95% of the light that strikes it.
Also stated in the report was a reference to California Green Industry and the City of Berkeley paying for the upfront costs for a resident’s solar installation and recoup the money over 20 years through additional property taxes on a resident’s home. This would be similar to a tax increment financing model that would be applicable to individuals as well as for economic development purposes.
The process group provided how the future impacts of solar technology can be applied to Norfolk, NE.
* Transformational learning will help us develop these resources faster. We can introduce to the City of Norfolk communities already implementing such changes, and learn from any challenges they face and the obstacles they overcome. It may help people in our community if they can be shown actual energy cost savings.
* The North Fork River Development project could build “green” buildings that incorporate solar panels. Perhaps a recycling center and informational center about being better stewards of our community and of the planet could be incorporated.
* The Water Park, whose peak operating times would naturally coincide with sunny periods, would be an obvious candidate for the use of solar power. Solar power could help save the Water Park in energy costs and the energy it doesn’t use (during the off-season), could be sold back to the utility company.
From an community education perspective the group stated, "If possible, it would be beneficial to focus a part of the semester on renewable energy and incorporate into the curriculum information about fossil fuels, ethanol, nuclear power, wind energy, and solar energy."
Numerous organizations were indentified that could help generate more community awareness and pilot projects.
* City Council – Will need to win the hearts of the council and is the first step in trying to bring the concept of solar power to a reality.
* CLIC (Chamber's young professional group) – This group’s involvement with the younger generation can help spread the word of this great concept of bringing solar energy to the community.
* Chamber of Commerce –The Chamber can encourage the business community to adopt solar energy.
* Neighbor Works – Perhaps this organization could have few solar homes.
* Local Habitat for Humanity Groups – Perhaps they could build one or more solar homes.
* Northeast Nebraska Economic Development – Could help provide grants or assistance in receiving rebates that Nebraska has for going “green” or using alternative energy. http://www.neo.ne.gov/loan/
* Northeast Community College – The College has a good history of working with the community. Possibly the Building Construction program could assist in building some solar homes and use new technology to be environmentally friendly.
* Norfolk Area Home Builders Association – This association could encourage their customers to consider solar energy. Information could be provided to area contractors through this entity.