Saudi Oil Minister Blasts Biofuels

Cindy Zimmerman

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources last week denounced ethanol as an alternative to petroleum-based motor fuels.

Al-NaimiIn a speech to the International Oil Summit in Paris, Minister Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Naimi said, “Let’s be realistic, ethanol and biofuels will not contribute to the protection of the global environment by reducing (carbon dioxide) emissions, they will not increase energy security, nor will they reduce dependency on fossil fuels to any appreciable degree.”

“Their cultivation eats into the human food supply, reduces the absorption of carbon dioxide as forests are cut down, has not improved the security of energy supply and has not reduced petrol prices,” he added.

Bob DinneenNot surprisingly, Renewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen took exception to Minister Al-Naimi’s assertions about the energy, economic and environmental impacts of ethanol.

“For the Saudi Oil Minister to assert that biofuels are not an effective energy alternative is no different from the wolf complaining that Little Red Riding Hood was interrupting his dinner plans,” Dinneen wrote. “As a leader of a country that opposes strict limits on carbon emissions and favors continued expansion of petroleum production, it is not surprising that you express opposition to the development of biofuels.”

“What is also galling about your statement is the claim that biofuels negatively impact the ‘food market.’ The evidence demonstrates that the number one negative impact on the food market is the high price of your primary export – oil,” Dinneen continued. “One hundred dollar per barrel oil has driven up the cost of everything from fertilizer to diesel oil used to transport food, to plastics used in food packaging.”

Energy, Ethanol, News, RFA

Deadline Approaching for Ethanol Video Contest

Cindy Zimmerman

EPIC contestThe deadline for the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council’s “Fuel the Change” sweepstakes is fast approaching and new entries have been rolling in. The final deadline for entries is April 21.

The contest calls for a 30 second video about how ethanol is a part of your life and how you’re fueling American independence and a greener, cleaner future one tank at a time. The producer of the Grand Prize winning video will receive a $10,000 cash prize and have the chance to have his or her commercial aired during the 2008 Indianapolis 500 on ABC.

The winner will be determined in part by people who go to the website and vote on their favorite videos. There will also be a $5000 “People’s Choice” award solely determined by popular vote. Voting on your favorite video also makes you eligible for weekly drawings for $500.

Entries so far have run the spectrum from animated to music videos, patriotic to amusing. Here’s a one of the latest entries from the site:

EPIC, Ethanol, News

Texas Report Studies Ethanol and Food Prices

Cindy Zimmerman

A study done by Texas A&M’s Agricultural and Food Policy Center concludes that corn prices have had little to do with rising food costs.

The report, “The Effects of Ethanol on Texas Food and Fuel,” also finds that relaxing the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) would not result in lower corn prices for livestock and poultry feeders.

According to the study, “important food items like bread, eggs, and milk have high prices that are largely unrelated to ethanol or corn prices, but correspond to fundamental supply/demand relationships in the world.” The study points to higher oil prices as the underlying force impacting consumer prices and agriculture. The report was issued in response to mounting questions about the impact of increased ethanol production on the Texas agriculture sector and overall economy.

NCGANational Corn Growers Association president Ron Litterer said, “The Texas A&M study dispels the food versus fuel debate. This study shows there are many forces creating increases in food costs and ethanol is not a major factor. Clearly, corn is meeting the demands for biofuels.”

The analysis also examined the potential effect of relaxing the RFS on corn prices and found that any action to relax the standard would not significantly reduce corn prices.

“This is due to the ethanol infrastructure already in place and the generally positive economics for the industry,” the study states. “The ethanol industry has grown in excess of the RFS, indicating that relaxing the standard would not cause a contraction in the industry.”

The analysis found that there are many important economic factors driving agricultural commodity markets and that higher energy costs are the fundamental drivers of changes in the agriculture industry.

corn, Energy, Ethanol, News

Ethanol Racing History

Cindy Zimmerman

St. Petersburg, Florida was the site of the greenest racing event in history April 5-6 when ethanol was featured in both the IndyCar Series Honda Grand Prix and the American Le Mans Series Acura Sports Car Challenge.

e-podcastThe edition of “Fill up, Feel Good” features comments from Doug Robinson of the International Motor Sports Association; GM Racing program manager Doug Fehan; Corvette Racing team driver Johnny O’Connell; and Team Ethanol Indy Car Ryan Hunter-Reay.

The Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) has been the leader in bringing “green” fuels to motorsports and the organization was instrumental in the IndyCar Series switch to 100 percent ethanol last year and the Corvette Racing Team usage of cellulosic E85 racing fuel this year.

The podcast is available to download by subscription (see our sidebar link) or you can listen to it by clicking here (5:00 MP3 File):
[audio:http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3?http://www.zimmcomm.biz/epic/epic-podcast-4-11-08-racing.mp3]

The Fill Up, Feel Good theme music is “Tribute to Joe Satriani” by Alan Renkl, thanks to the Podsafe Music Network.

“Fill up, Feel Good” is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.

American LeMans, Audio, Car Makers, Cellulosic, E85, EPIC, Ethanol, Fill Up Feel Good, Indy Racing, Racing

Flying High on Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

An ethanol-powered aerobatic plane caught the eye of the media over the weekend.

Ethanol PlaneAmong the news reports was one from NBC News Channel, featuring video of the high-performance stunt place sponsored by ethanol plant builder Fagen, Inc.

When aerobatic pilot Greg Poe thinks about going green he thinks about his red MX2 aircraft.

It’s a high performance airplane fueled by ethanol.

Poe brought his MX2 to Florida for the Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In in Lakeland, where the Ledger did a feature on the ethanol-powered plane.

Poe, the pilot for the only ethanol-powered aerobatic plane at the Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In, said ethanol produces fewer harmful emissions and has a cooler-running engine than a gasoline-fueled plane.

Read more about Greg Poe Air Shows here.

Ethanol, News

E85 Goes Redneck

Cindy Zimmerman

This just in from the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition: E85 has gone Redneck.

According to NEVC, Thom Shepherd, co-writer of the hit country song, Redneck Yacht Club, is one of the newest supporters of the domestically grown fuel. “I support anything our country can do to reduce our dependency on the Middle East,” noted Shepherd. He stands by his word and has even entertained U.S. troops in the Middle East, Alaska, Europe, Iceland and Greenland for Armed Forces Entertainment.
Redneck Yacht Club
Shepherd is the proud owner of a 2004 FFV Suburban. Alongside his Redneckyachtclub.com static sticker, he sports a “Corn Fed E85” bumper sticker.

“I fueled up with E85 last week and was pleased by the performance,” he stated. “I just wish we had more E85 availability in Nashville.”

Shepherd, originally from St. Louis, MO, moved to a suburb outside of Nashville 15 years ago. His first number one song, Riding with Private Malone, recorded by David Ball, won an Achievement Award from the Nashville Songwriters Association. His second number one song, co-written by Steve Williams and recorded by Craig Morgan, is the foundation of their company, RedneckYachtClub.com. The website sells merchandise relating to the song and the boating lifestyle.

E85, Ethanol, News

E85 on a Roll in Missouri and Colorado

Cindy Zimmerman

Fulton E85 SignA BreakTime gas station in Fulton, Missouri sold E85 for 85 cents below unleaded during a grand opening event on Friday. Officials say E85 will sell for 20% below regular unleaded as a normal pricing.

Representatives from the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition (NEVC), the Missouri Corn Growers Association and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources attended the grand opening event.

BreakTime is owned by MFA Oil Company, which now has over 50 outlets in the state of Missouri selling E85.

Meanwhile, NEVC reports that sales of E85 fuel in Longmont, Colorado have steadily increased at both gas stations in the city which are selling the alternative fuel.

“We’ve had a very good public response to E85 in Longmont,” said Renee Shellhorse, marketing manager for Greenwood Village-based Pester Marketing, which owns fifty-three 1st Stop stations in Colorado and Kansas. “Even the people who can’t use E85 because they don’t have a flex-fuel vehicle will come in and talk to store personnel (about it).

“It’s probably one of our higher-volume E85 locations,” Shellhorse said.

Ten of the company’s 53 stations offer E85 and the company plans to open three more this year.

E85, Ethanol, News

Alternative Wine

John Davis

Parducci Wine Cellars is harnessing all sorts of alternative energy to produce its wine. The carbon neutral vintner now uses solar power, wind power and biodiesel tractors.

Parducci effectively transferred all of its energy needs to non-polluting, renewable sources by supplementing its on-site solar power with Green-E(R) certified wind energy purchased from the Bonneville Environmental Foundation. The annual positive environmental impact of the winery’s 100% green power use is equivalent to:

— removing 172 cars from the road for a year, or
— planting 242 acres of trees, or
— not driving a passenger vehicle 2,171,450 miles.

The oldest family-owned winery in Northern California’s Mendocino County, Parducci Wine Cellars is committed to responsible land stewardship, sustainable viticulture and green business practices that yield superior wines while protecting the environment.

In 2007 Parducci received the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award, California’s highest environmental honor, for the company’s efforts to combat climate change. In addition to buying grapes from local family farmers, Parducci uses sustainable farming practices including bio-diesel tractors in the vineyards and 100% green power as well as earth friendly packaging at the winery. Parducci’s respect for the land yields quality wines as evident by recent 90+ point scores in several national wine publications.

Biodiesel, Energy, Farming, Production, Solar, Wind

BASF Podcast Tackles Clean Diesel

John Davis

basf.pngThis week’s Chemical of Innovations podcast from BASF explores how consumers can make exhaust fumes of their diesel vehicles cleaner through catalysts technology.

In terms of design a diesel is much more efficient: It uses less fuel and emits less CO2. To purify diesel exhaust fumes is a challenge and only possible because manufacturers of catalytic converters like BASF Catalysts are continually improving their exhaust gas after treatment systems.

Listen to the audio reportage with the experts Andreas Binder and Dr. Frank Monkeberg of BASF Catalysts.

Direct subscription via RSS-Feed or iTunes (search for “basf”): http://corporate.basf.com/en/podcast/innovation.xml

Agribusiness, Energy, transportation

Iowa Could Get First Algae-Biodiesel Plant

John Davis

While Iowa might be best known for its large amount of corn and soybeans being turned into ethanol and biodiesel, the Hawkeye State might get into a feedstock more associated with the layer of scum that grows on its many farm ponds.

According to this story in the Cedar Rapids Gazette, the Iowa Power Fund board is looking into funding the state’s first algae-to-biodiesel project:

gpre.gifA pilot plant proposed by Green Plains Renewable Energy would use three byproducts from the company’s Shenandoah plant – waste water, waste carbon dioxide, and waste heat from dryers – as feedstock to grow algae. The algae would then be harvested and processed into biodiesel

The Iowa Power Fund board authorized final negotiations for $2,190,407 state grant for phase I of the two-phase project.

“The availability of new technologies and new feedstocks for renewable fuels is critical to our state and regional economies,” said Scott Poor, corporate counsel and director of external communications for Green Plains Renewable Energy.

The project would initially involve the development of a 100-square-meter pilot plot for algae growth. If the project is developed at commercial scale, it would cover about 250 acres with algae impoundments covered by movable greenhouse-like structures to sequester carbon.

GreenFuel Technologies, Green Plains’ partner in this project, is not new to the algae-biodiesel game. The company has been involved in other algae projects in Arizona and Kansas.

Green Plains’ ethanol plant in Shenandoah has already been pretty successful since opening last August, producing even more than its initially-projected 50 million gallons of ethanol a year. The company plans to open another ethanol plant in Superior later this year.

Biodiesel