Youth to Take Up Shell Fueling the Future Challenge

John Davis

2008 Shell Eco-MarathonThe future of energy and fuel isn´t just in the hands of Congress. This spring, the 2008 Shell Eco-Marathon Americas will give today´s youth the chance to develop their own technologies for the transportation of tomorrow.

50 student teams from North and South America? Check. Young engineers bringing innovative thinking to the future of transportation? Check. Prototype vehicles that travel nearly two thousand miles per gallon as part of a global effort to change the way the world uses energy? Check, and check. The Shell Eco-marathon(TM) Americas may not be the fastest race you’ve ever seen, but it’s probably the most fuel-efficient. In 2008, the stakes are high as student teams prepare their eco-friendly vehicles to drive the farthest distance using the least amount of fuel and break the 1,902.7 miles per gallon record set by Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 2007.

“Shell is working aggressively to help meet the energy challenge head-on and long-term, and we understand the importance of encouraging technology and innovation in the minds of tomorrow’s leaders and engineers,” said David Sexton, President of Shell Oil Products U.S. “The Shell Eco-marathon promotes fuel efficiency, and we’re challenging students from North and South America to build environmentally friendly vehicles to inspire future transportation.”

Student teams will take up the 2008 Shell Eco-marathon Americas challenge April 10-13 at the California Speedway in Fontanta, CA. The winning team will receive a grand prize of $10,000, which will be awarded to the team´s educational institution.

Energy, Production, Promotion, Racing, Science

Continential Aqcuires Biofuels Corp.

John Davis

Continental Energy CorporationBiofuels is the biz to be in for Continental Energy Corporation. The energy company is expanding to incorporate biofuels in Delaware.

Continental Energy Corporation has announced that it has cofounded a new, partially-owned, special purpose, joint venture subsidiary incorporated in Delaware named Continental Biofuels Corporation. The Company subscribed and purchased 1,000 shares of the 2,500 issued and fully paid share capital of CBC representing a 40% stake, and largest single shareholding, in CBC. The remaining 60% stake in CBC is held by a cofounder group of five private investors led by Casimir Capital Group LLC of New York which includes two Directors of the Company, each of whom purchased a 10% stake.

The Company and its management have a long track record in oil and gas exploration in remote areas of Indonesia. This experience provides contacts, knowledge of local business practices, and long standing personal relationships with Indonesian and Malaysian palm oil plantation owners and local government plantation permit providers. As a result, the Company is in a unique position to act in the role of facilitator and strengthen CBC’s SE Asian operational capability and assist CBC to capitalize on palm oil plantation acquisition or development opportunities.

Continental Energy Corporation describes itself as an international oil and gas exploration company, focused on making major oil or gas discoveries in Indonesia.

Agribusiness, Energy, Facilities, International, Production

New B20 Specifications Could Mean Greater Acceptance

John Davis

New quality specifications for 6-20 percent blends of biodiesel have been unveiled by ASTM, the organization that standardizes specifications for products in the marketplace.

nbb-logo.jpgThis press release from the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) says the standards came during ASTM meetings this week in Phoenix after six years of collaboration by industry representatives and will mean more automakers will approve B20 in their engines:

“This is a huge step forward for the biodiesel industry, as major engine companies and petroleum refiners joined the biodiesel industry in voting for passage of this ballot,” said Steve Howell, chairman of the ASTM Biodiesel Task Force. “We have known for years that B20 made with in-spec biodiesel is a good quality, reliable fuel, but OEMs, regulators and customers have demanded formal ASTM passage of a B20 blend spec in order to broaden their support for biodiesel blends. The biodiesel industry is delivering that.”

The majority of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) view the adoption of an ASTM blended fuel specification as a key component for full, universal acceptance of B20, a blend of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent petrodiesel. Chrysler has previously announced the company plans to issue formal support for B20 once ASTM has formally approved B20 specifications.

The measure will still need approval by the ASTM’s Main Committee when it meets in June.

Biodiesel, Car Makers

Senate Stops Energy Bill Roll

Cindy Zimmerman

The energy bill was on a roll after passing the House Thursday, but a failed vote on Friday to end debate in the Senate puts the bill back in limbo.

Domenici In urging Senators to block a vote on the bill, Sen. Pete Domenici of New Mexico, the ranking Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, argued: “This is not a good bill, but it can be turned into a great bill.”

The White House threatened a veto over the bill because of provisions that increase taxes for oil companies and require utilities to generate more electricity from sources such as solar and wind energy.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called the bill, which would require an increase in the Renewable Fuel Standard to 36 billion gallons by 2022, “a shot heard ’round the world for energy independence for our country.”

Biodiesel, Energy, Ethanol, News

Ethanol, Biodiesel Large Part of Support for Bull Market

John Davis

Chris Hurt, ag economist at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana says ethanol and biodiesel… and the demands for the feedstocks to make the biofuels… are a big reason for the current bull market.

This story in the Bluffton (IN) News-Banner says Hurt made the remarks at a recent ag outlook breakfast:

chrishurt.jpgHurt sees continual price rises in the corn, soybean and wheat markets through 2010 with a gradual settling leading up to that time and then a leveling off period.

But predicting how the markets will react to various factors remains as difficult now as it has always been,.

Hurt explained to the audience of 40-plus farmers, bankers and agribusiness people Wednesday that today’s bull market stands on four legs—ethanol, biodiesel, worldwide demand and the cheap dollar.

What the federal government does in the upcoming energy bill will keep those first two legs standing, noted Hurt. What that bill requires as far as renewable fuels from corn starch will likely keep the ethanol market strong, in spite of the media indication that the ethanol market will go bust.

“Nobody knows how long the boom will last,” observed Hurt, adding that the bill calls for 15 billion gallons of ethanol from corn starch by 2015. “That’s a guaranteed market,” he said.

The article goes on to point out that about two-thirds of the ethanol production capacity to meet that demand is already built with more refineries going up every day.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, News

Two Companies Combine for WI Biodiesel Plant

John Davis

bestsanimax.jpgThe two biggest biodiesel producers in Wisconsin have combined forces to put the state’s second largest biodiesel plant online by the end of the year.

BEST Energies and Sanimax are in the joint venture, according to this BEST Energies press release:

BEST Energies Inc. is beginning start-up of a new 10 million gallon biodiesel plant located in Cashton, Wisconsin with new partner Sanimax Energy. BEST Energies will continue to operate the biodiesel plant while Sanimax Energy will market all of the production from the Cashton plant, in addition to their existing 20 million gallon facility in DeForest, Wisconsin. The BEST BioDiesel, Cashton plant will be using primarily by-product corn oil from ethanol production and other crude feedstocks in its proprietary technology platform, with biodiesel available for sale in December.

Biodiesel

Energy Bill Passes with Expanded RFS

John Davis

The U.S. House has passed the Energy Independence and Security Act (H.R. 6) by a vote of 235 to 181. The measure expands the Renewable Fuel Standard by seven times to 36 billion gallons a year by 2022… with 21 billion gallons of ethanol coming from cellulosic feedstocks, such as wood scraps… and requiring that 500 million gallons of biodiesel and biomass-based diesel fuel be blended into the diesel pool in 2009, gradually ramping up to one billion gallons by 2012.

The bill also extends the biodiesel tax incentive through the end of 2010. The incentive helps make biodiesel competitive with petroleum diesel fuel. It will also close the “splash and dash” loophole, ensuring that foreign-produced biodiesel cannot be transshipped through the U.S. just to claim the biodiesel tax incentive.

The news is welcomed by the National Biodiesel Board and the Renewable Fuels Association:

nbb-logo.jpg“This legislation is an all-around win for achieving America’s energy and environmental goals,” said Joe Jobe, NBB CEO. “We appreciate the House’s willingness to support the U.S. biodiesel industry and the important role biodiesel will play in reducing our dependence on foreign oil and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

rfa-logo.gifCommending those supporting this shift in energy policy direction in this country, Renewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen issued the following statement:

“The House of Representatives took an important step forward today in ensuring a stronger and more sustainable energy and environmental future for this country. This bill recognizes the critical importance of diversifying our nation’s motor fuel supply by increasing the use of renewable fuels like ethanol.

“Importantly, the renewable fuels provisions of this bill take a pragmatic approach to ensuring that the promise of advanced biofuels like cellulosic ethanol is realized. By requiring that nearly two-thirds of the new 36 billion gallon goal must come from advanced biofuels, House leaders have provided the necessary market to foster the continued investment and development of the cellulosic arm of the U.S. ethanol industry.

The measure is paid for by $21 billion in new taxes, mostly on oil companies… which, according to this story in the International Herald Tribune, could cause trouble in the U.S. Senate:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he will try to bring it up Friday. Senate Republicans said they will try to strip out the new oil taxes and a requirement that utilities generate more electricity from windmills, solar panels and other renewable sources.

“I don’t think anybody can predict what will happen in the Senate,” (Speaker of the House Nancy) Pelosi conceded after the vote, but added confidently — and with a hint of possible further compromise: “We will have a bill.”

The White House has promised to veto the bill if the House version passes the Senate.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Government, Legislation, News, Solar, Wind

NBB Conference to Focus on Feedstock Development

John Davis

biodieselconference.gifThe upcoming National Biodiesel Board’s 2008 National Biodiesel Conference & Expo, February 3-6th at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, will be focusing on developing the feedstocks to make the green fuel.

The NBB’s December, 2007 newsletter has more details:

Alan Weber, economic consultant to National Biodiesel Board, will lead the final general session of the conference, Wednesday’s “Biodiesel: The Next Generation.”

What innovations in feedstock development appear on the horizon? Many view algae as biodiesel’s answer to cellulosic ethanol, but just how close is it? This panel of experts, from both academic and private sector worlds, will discuss algae and several other exciting potential sources for biodiesel as the “next generation” of biodiesel enters the vast frontier. One such panelist will be Jack Brown, a prominent plant scientist at the University of Idaho, with discussion on emerging feedstocks such as camelina.

You need to make your room reservation by January 3rd if you want to receive the hotel’s special discount rate of $220/night. More information is available on the conferenced web site, http://www.biodieselconference.org/2008/.

Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference

Rallying for RFS

John Davis

nbb-logo.jpg The National Biodiesel Board has joined some key members of the House Agriculture Committee to rally for the expansion of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS).

This NBB press release says the biodiesel group joined Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN), Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY) and Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD) during the rally:

joe-jobethumbnail1.jpgThe Energy Bill scheduled for consideration in the U.S. House contains a provision to use clean-burning, domestically produced renewable fuels to promote energy independence by expanding the existing RFS to 36 billion gallons by 2022. The proposal would also provide for a renewable requirement in diesel fuel. It would be met by biodiesel and other biomass-based diesel fuels. The legislation specifically requires that 500 million gallons of biodiesel and biomass-based diesel fuel be blended into the diesel pool in 2009, gradually ramping up to one billion gallons by 2012.

“This legislation recognizes, for the first time, the importance of ensuring that at least a portion of our nation’s diesel fuel needs are met through renewable, domestically produced fuels,” said Joe Jobe, CEO of the NBB, who spoke at the Washington event. “This will truly help diversify our nation’s fuel supply by setting a floor for usage of biodiesel and other biomass-based diesel products. We commend Congress for making a strong commitment to energy security.”

Biodiesel

New Study Supports Mid Range Ethanol Blends

Cindy Zimmerman

ACEA new study released today by the American Coalition for Ethanol shows that mid-range ethanol blends – fuel mixtures with more ethanol than E10 but less than E85 – can in some cases provide better fuel economy than regular unleaded gasoline, even in standard, non-flex-fuel vehicles.

The new research strongly suggests that there is an “optimal blend level” of ethanol and gasoline – most likely E20 or E30 – at which cars will get better mileage than predicted based strictly on the fuel’s per-gallon Btu content. The new study, co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), also found that mid-range ethanol blends reduce harmful tailpipe emissions.

The University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) and the Minnesota Center for Automotive Research (MnCAR) conducted the research using four 2007 model vehicles: a Toyota Camry, a Ford Fusion, and two Chevrolet Impalas, one flex-fuel and one non-flex-fuel. Researchers used the EPA Highway Fuel Economy Test (HWFET) to examine a range of ethanol-gasoline blends from straight Tier 2 gasoline up to 85 percent ethanol. All of the vehicles got better mileage with ethanol blends than the ethanol’s energy content would predict, and three out of four actually traveled farther on a mid-level ethanol blend than on unleaded gasoline.

PDF file of the report can be found here.

Ethanol, News