Thought Leader in Energy Dan Kuipers: Demonstrating what works
By Mark Sanchez
Business Review West Michigan, May 12, 2010

Dan Kuipers, Senior Carbon Specialist

Dan Kuipers started at Viability as an intern three years ago — a position he parlayed into a permanent job with the Holland company, where he works with clients on biomass energy projects.

“How do we find a way to actually effect change?” Kuipers said. “The way we do that is to demonstrate the technology actually works.”

What sparked your interest in alternative energy?

My background is in natural resources management. I view the world through an ecological lens with a keen understanding of the many interwoven complexities between energy, resources, people, the environment, and economic equality.

Working on the very simple pretense that more people equates to more resource consumption, and that more resource consumption typically leads to increased environmental degradation, financial incentives must be leveraged in order to generate new approaches to solving old problems, jump start promising technologies and projects, and to “level the playing field” for technologies that currently are not as financially attractive as traditional energy-generation technologies.

What is your greatest accomplishment in alternative energy?

Authoring the first project-design document in the United States validated under the Voluntary Carbon Standard utilizing AMS I.C. — “Thermal energy without electricity production” — for a large greenhouse production facility.

This project will create carbon credits annually for 10 years that the greenhouse will be able to use as an additional revenue stream to make the installation and implementation of a large biomass boiler system a financially feasible option.

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Resetting the Clock: RPS and Realizing Energy Independence
The most pressing questions surrounding energy policy now are: 1) How do we reach these goals? And 2) Are they even attainable? Advocates from both sides of the aisle and in many industries, such as wind, solar, biomass, nuclear, and even domestically sourced natural gas and clean coal, have all thrown their hats in the ring professing that their technological approach is the way to go if there is any hope of truly changing the energy landscape.

In 2007, the Energy Independence and Security Act was legislated by the US House and Senate as a means to promote petroleum based independence and alternative forms of energy in the United States. While originally intended to directly affect the federal and institutional subsidization of the oil industry, effectively “leveling” the playing field for new technologies and innovative ways of thinking, political negotiations necessary for the act’s passage significantly limited and altered the final version of the bill that we know today. Instead, this roadmap now focuses mainly on automobile fuel economy, development of bio-fuels and efficiency measures in public buildings.

The policy has steps in the right direction, and coupled with aggressive Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) mandates in at least 25 states, the future of those working in the renewable energy sector appears rather sunny (pun intended). Goals have now been set within the energy generation sector of our economy as they relate to increasing the use of renewable fuels, and a de facto line in the sand has been drawn. Meanwhile, the clock continues to tick and impending target dates, most notably the year 2020, are getting closer and closer.

Reassessing Priorities
The most pressing questions surrounding energy policy now are: 1) How do we reach these goals? And 2) Are they even attainable? Advocates from both sides of the aisle and in many industries, such as wind, solar, biomass, nuclear, and even domestically sourced natural gas and clean coal, have all thrown their hats in the ring professing that their technological approach is the way to go if there is any hope of truly changing the energy landscape. However, as this argument continues to be broadcast live on nightly news programs, CSPAN floor votes, and The Daily Show, no single front-runner has emerged. And the clock keeps ticking.

Author and NY Times columnist Thomas Friedman speaks of this quest for cheap, abundant, clean, reliable electrons as the next truly world changing industry. As global populations continue to grow exponentially and energy demand sets new records with each passing year, it is evident that there currently is no silver bullet when it comes to solving our looming energy and environmental crisis. In many ways it is very similar to the IT bubble of the 1990’s and the oil bubble at the turn of the century: AOL Search or Google, Betamax or VHS. Each had its own internally perceived competitive advantage and unique business model, but it’s clear who won out in these instances.

This illustrates that what is needed is a combination of public/private partnerships, interaction of market forces and new innovative companies offering superior solutions to carve out niches in ways that have defined the American Dream and the capitalistic ideals that this country was founded on. These are great words, but still there is no demonstrable proof that these goals will be met on time, despite state and federal progress reports indicating movement towards RPS attainment in some states.

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$113K grant to light up downtown
By Andrea Goodell, City Hall Reporter
The Holland Sentinel, Jan. 26, 2010

Holland, MI —LED light will soon illuminate the paths of downtown pedestrians.

A $113,000 grant announced by the state Monday will pay for the majority of the demonstration project along Eighth Street’s main business corridor.

The Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth awarded $17.4 million in grants to 125 municipalities for energy efficiency projects. The state Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants are funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

“This funding will support a pipeline of projects, offer the option of bulk purchasing and encourage increased manufacturing,” state agency Director Stanley Pruss said in a written statement released Monday.

The city worked with Viability LLC, an economic development and energy consulting firm, on the grant proposal. “The grant really helps to offset the investment amount, so the payoff is a lot sooner,” Viability grant writer Amanda Burmeister said.

Dennis R.J. Geppert/The Holland Sentinel

The LED, or light emitting diode, technology directs more light downward, reducing light pollution of the night sky and increasing efficiency, she said.

The projects are intended to create and retain jobs, save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions while they demonstrate market demand and attract LED and solid state lighting manufacturing to the state.

“These Recovery Act funds will assist our ongoing efforts in moving to a clean energy economy,” Gov. Jennifer Granholm said in a prepared statement.

The city of Holland’s proposal included as many LED pedestrian street lamps as the grant would buy depending on the market.

If 100 lamps are installed (assuming 74-watt fixtures), the project will save 136-watts per unit or 38,080 kilowatt hours and 59,519 pounds of carbon dioxide each year. The lights will save the city about $5,071 each year in electricity and maintenance costs.

An educational campaign will demonstrate the viability of LED technology. Work on the project will start as funding announcements have officially been made and will be wrapped up before the end of 2010.

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State RPS, Incentives Spur Development
Biomass project development could be expedited in 2010 and coming years, as developers contribute to state renewable portfolio standards and scramble to meet deadlines for funding opportunities.

By Lisa Gibson, Associate Editor
Biomass Magazine, Dec. 2009

The most influential factors for U.S. biomass development in 2010 most likely will be state renewable portfolio standards (RPS), along with financial incentives, perhaps none as effective as the Grants for Specified Energy Property in Lieu of Tax Credits program.

The incentive was established under Section 1603 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and is designed to fill the gap where the Production Tax Credit isn’t useful. It requires the U.S. Department of the Treasury to make a one-time payment to eligible renewable electricity developers in the amount of 30 percent of a project’s qualified capital cost, instead of the production tax credit, which is paid over a 10-year period. Statutory provisions specify that the property must be placed in service during 2009 or 2010. It can, however, be on line after 2010 by a statutory deadline, but only if construction began in 2009 or 2010. Thus, developers who want to reap its benefits are running out of time.

“We’re seeing a lot of biomass projects moving into the preconstruction phase because of the opportunity to get these grants,” says James Bertrand, a Leonard, Street and Deinard shareholder and head of the law firm’s energy group. “It significantly improves the overall financial picture.” The program is less complicated than the tax credits because there is no need for a tax credit investor, he adds…

[Viability is featured at the end of the More Federal Funding section and the beginning of Other Options]

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Holland company helps businesses go green
By Olivia Pulsinelli
Business Review West Michigan, Nov. 17, 2009

For companies that want to pursue energy efficiency or renewable sources of energy, financing the effort may be the biggest hurdle.

Holland-based Viability, an economic development consulting firm, provides consulting and grant-writing assistance for those companies. Last month, Viability helped five companies across the country win grants from the USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program. These federal grants fund portions of energy-efficiency or renewable-energy projects in designated rural areas.

Byrnes at the Knowledge Economy Event. Photo by Johnny Quirin

Viability President Chris Byrnes has seen an increased interest in clean-energy grants, but those available directly to businesses are “few and far between.” Most of the incentives available for improving energy efficiency go to municipalities.

Even when companies are very driven to lower their energy costs or move away from using fossil fuels, renewable-energy systems often do not pay for themselves as quickly as many companies need.

“A lot of times, these projects are more expensive than the standard option, so it won’t meet those kinds of returns,” Byrnes said. “So if we can knock off 25 to 50 percent of the project cost, then all of a sudden, this project that has a lot of great merits to it — which is why they started looking at it in the first place — now starts to fit with their corporate-investment structure a little bit better.”

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Holland firm secures USDA energy grants
By Pete Daly
Grand Rapids Business Journal, Nov. 9, 2009

In a thorough Grand Rapids Business Journal article, Viability’s Chris Byrnes and Greg Lam explain the company’s $1.3 million success through the USDA Rural Energy for America Program.

When asked regarding Viability’s most successful energy technologies, Byrnes clarifies the company’s typical client.

“Most of our clients are ag-related businesses,” said Byrnes. “They are a food processor, a greenhouse grower, wood processing …”

In essence, he said, the clients are either in agriculture or natural resources-related businesses “and they tend to be a lot of thermal energy projects.” Food processors, for example, use a great deal of heat in cooking food products during the canning process. Greenhouses also require a great deal of BTUs through the winter months to maintain growing temperatures.

Byrnes said Viability is sometimes involved in wind and solar energy projects but its work is mainly thermal energy. “The incentives for thermal energy are less prescriptive than the electric incentives,” he said.

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Driving Sales & Value
The next generation of van Wingerdens at Green Circle Growers has led the way in making the company a sales-driven organization and executed a vision to bring orchids to the masses

By Delilah Onofrey, Editor
Greenhouse Grower, November 2009

Well-established as a state-of-the-art production leader, Green Circle Growers in Oberlin, Ohio, remains on the cutting edge in a new era, partnering with retailers to drive sales and really zeroing in on what consumers are buying and their interests. This year marked its big entry into the phalaenopsis orchid market, with the first high volume shipments to stores in February for Valentine’s Day sales. Green Circle also continues to be a leader in green technologies and recently installed what may be the most modern biomass heating complex (video) for a greenhouse operation in the United States.

Founded by John van Wingerden in 1968, Green Circle has grown to span 90 acres of greenhouse production, producing plugs and liners, bedding plants and potted plants year round. The retail customer base is a mix of regional, national and international chains, including mass merchandisers, home improvement centers, supermarkets, wholesale clubs and independent garden centers. Green Circle also is a plug and liner powerhouse serving growers through sister brokerage company Express Seed.

(The rest of the article explores Green Circle Growers’ novel orchid marketing campaign, along with their expansion in sustainable production, and other great innovations)

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Viability makes mark in green grant world
By Peter Daining
The Holland Sentinel, Oct. 29, 2009

Holland, MI — The Holland-based firm Viability secured $1.3 million in clean energy grants for its clients through the Rural Energy for America Program.

The grant dollars will help leverage $31.5 million of green investment such as a biomass-fueled dryer for a biomass fuel facility. The Viability clients come from six states, Seymour said.

“Even though these energy projects pay for themselves in time, the grant helps overcome the initial capital investment that accompanies new technologies,” Viability President Chris Byrnes said.

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Broadcast by Shelley Irwin
WGVU Morning Show, Oct. 26, 2009

Viability’s Chris Byrnes and Dan Kuipers sat down with WGVU Morning Show host Shelley Irwin to talk carbon and energy and also feature the company’s growth.  Over the twenty-minute segment, Byrnes and Kuipers discussed how Viability develops energy projects through grants, incentives, and carbon credits.  Additionally, the Viability personnel foreshadowed upcoming projects, such as a carbon credit project Rwanda.

Click here to Download the mp3 of the interview or stream the audio

Experts: Carbon emission limits could present an opportunity
By Dave Alexander
Muskegon Chronicle, Sept. 29, 2009

MUSKEGON — With or without a carbon “cap and trade” system being considered by Congress and the president, limits on carbon emissions will surely become a reality.

That was the conclusion of a panel of experts brought to Grand Valley State University’s Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center in Muskegon this month to address the issues involving a “carbon-constrained economy.”

If federal legislation limiting greenhouse gas emissions now pending in the U.S. Senate fails to become law, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency already has the authority to regulate those emissions, according to Dan Kuipers of Viability — a Holland-based environmental consulting firm.

Whether it’s energy legislation or EPA regulations, “I am fairly certain something is going to happen,” Kuipers said.

Instead of a threat to businesses, the coming policy changes should be seen as an opportunity, said Ward Gahan of Danu Carbon and Energy Solutions LLC of South Haven.

The Obama Administration-led EPA concluded earlier this year that greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide are a danger to human health and can be regulated under the existing federal Clean Air Act. Most greenhouse gases — blamed by many as the cause of climate change — are generated when fossil fuels are burned such as in gasoline engines or coal-fired electrical power plants.

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