Biofuel Production Boosted by High-Biomass Research

John Davis

Texas Agricultural Experiment Station of The Texas A&M University SystemEnergy crop company Ceres, Inc. and the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station of The Texas A&M University System are collaborating in high biomass sorghum production for biofuels, through an exclusive, multi-year joint research and commercialization agreement. The collaboration is meant to focus on plants that are not designed to produce grain, but extensive resources for biomass. Biomass is the latest raw material of stems, stalks and leaves being used in biofuel production.

Today, sorghum-to-ethanol production uses the grain, like corn, but the plants themselves hold the greatest potential for biofuel production, says Peter Mascia, Ceres Vice President of Product Development. He notes that new technologies are making it possible to utilize the carbohydrates that comprise plant cell walls, called cellulose.

Ceres“As these technologies mature, farmers will transition from growing as much grain per acre to producing as much biomass as they can per acre, with as little energy and agronomic inputs as possible. This means new crops and specialized hybrids like these high-biomass sorghum types will be needed,” Mascia said.

As part of this agreement, Ceres will obtain exclusive commercialization rights to TAES’s high biomass sorghum hybrids developed in the joint research program. The TAES program will receive royalties as well as financial and technology support from Ceres. Other aspects of the collaboration were not disclosed.
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Agribusiness, Biodiesel, Research

ConocoPhillips CEO to Share Thoughts on ‘Shared Energy Future’

John Davis

Detroit Economic Club“Our Shared Energy Future” is the topic ConocoPhillips Chairman and CEO James Mulva will be discussing on Wednesday October 3, 2007. Mulva will present his thoughts on U.S. energy policy and layout plans for incorporating renewable fuels before the Detroit Economic Club at Burton Manor in Livonia, MI.

Mr. Mulva will describe the shortcomings of current U.S. energy policy, and why this is a critical issue for other industries and all citizens. He will also call for a new, comprehensive national energy policy that incorporates four major tenets: diversifying our energy sources, including fossil fuels as well as renewable and alternative forms of energy; lowering the carbon intensity of our energy supplies; improving the efficiency of energy use throughout the U.S. economy; and the critical need for greater government and private investment in technology and education.

ConocoPhillipsConocoPhillips is the third-largest integrated energy company in the United States, based on market capitalization, oil and gas proved reserves and production; and the second-largest refiner in the United States.

The Detroit Economic Club was formed in 1934 as a platform for the discussion and debate of important business, government and social issues. It is known internationally as a top speaking forum for prominent business and government leaders, who address members and their guests at the Club’s 35 meetings a season.

Biodiesel, E85, Energy, Ethanol, Flex Fuel Vehicles, Government, News

Fueling the Petit Le Mans

John Davis

Petit Le Mans The American Le Mans Series is spotlighting the performance of ethanol fuel at the Petit Le Mans race in Atlanta, GA. This is the first year the Le Mans Series has used E10 fuel to power its highly profiled endurance racing challenges. I’ll be in Atlanta when the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council and the American Le Mans Series give consumers a chance to test the performance of ethanol by offering discounted ethanol fuel.

Atlanta motorists can follow in the footsteps of the highly-technical race cars in the American Le Mans Series and make a choice at the pump for higher performance and cleaner air. E10, a blend of 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline, will be available for $2.25 per gallon. The event will take place from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2007 at the Sam’s Mart/Shell station located at 5640 New Northside Drive NW, Atlanta, GA 30328. Several race car drivers will be on hand to pump gas and sign autographs including Peter Dumbreck, driver of the Ferrari F430 GT for Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing and Tom Milner, driver of the #18 Bell Micro Porsche for Rahal Letterman Racing. During the event, participants can register to win tickets for the race, take a look at an actual American Le Mans Series race car and enjoy free fountain drinks and coffee provided by Sam’s Mart.

Atlanta area sports fans will be treated to a weekend of spectacular racing as the American Le Mans Series comes to town for the 10th annual Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. The green flag will drop shortly after 11 a.m. for the 10-hour/1,000-mile endurance-racing classic on Saturday, October 6. This year, the American Le Mans Series has chosen E10 as “the official ethanol-enriched fuel” of the series, the first time a street legal renewable fuel has been used in any endurance format. E10 is warranted for use in any vehicle built after 1980. E85 is a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline and can only be used in Flex-Fuel Vehicles (FFVs). There are more than 6 million FFVs on the road today.

EPIC, Ethanol, News, Racing

IndyCar Test Run at Iowa Speedway

John Davis

Iowa Corn Indy 250The 2007 IndyCar Racing Series has concluded, but racing fans still have a chance to catch leading IndyCar Series drivers tearing around the track at Iowa Speedway. IndyCar Series officials are testing the new speedway on October 3rd and 4th and the public is welcome to catch a final glimpse of top IndyCar drivers for 2007.

Top IndyCar teams, drivers, and cars are scheduled to be in Newton, Iowa, next week for two days of “Testing with the Stars” on the 7/8 mile oval track designed by former NASCAR Champion, Rusty Wallace. And, Rusty is scheduled to be in Iowa to welcome back an elite group of race car drivers that include: Helio Castroneves, Danica Patrick, Marco Andretti, Tony Kanaan, Scott Dixon, and Dan Wheldon.

IndyCar® Series officials will conduct a technical test at Iowa Speedway at Iowa Speedway next Wednesday and Thursday, October 3-4. Drivers from Andretti Green Racing, Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Team Penske will test to refine the areodynamic package currently used at the .875-mile oval. The IndyCar Series held its inaugural race at Iowa Speedway in June with eventual series champion Dario Franchitti claiming victory by .0681 of a second over teammate Marco Andretti in the Iowa Corn Indy 250. The IndyCar Series is scheduled to return to Iowa Speedway June 22, 2008, and again in 2009.

The two-day event will be open to the public with food, beverages, and merchandise available for purchase. Tickets are $20 each for adults, 13 and over, and children 12 and under free with a paying adult – for both days of testing and any autograph sessions that may be available.
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corn, EPIC, Ethanol, Indy Racing, News, Promotion, Racing

The Future is Now

Cindy Zimmerman

RFAEthanol industry leaders want to tell the story that the future of cellulosic ethanol has arrived.

To that end, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is hosting a media event in Washington DC on October 2 featuring representatives from some of the pioneering companies that are making cellulosic ethanol a reality.

Among those companies are Abengoa Bioenergy, which is buidling the nation’s first commercial cellulosic ethanol plant in Kansas; POET, which is converting an existing 50 million gallon per year dry-mill ethanol plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa into a commercial cellulosic biorefinery; Verenium, a leading developer of biofuels derived from biomass and the developer of specialty enzyme products; and Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) which is working with Conoco-Phillips on the development of renewable transportation fuels from biomass.

Acting Secretary of Agriculture Chuck Conner is also scheduled to make remarks at the event.

Ethanol, News, RFA

ADM, ConocoPhillips Partnership

Cindy Zimmerman

ADMConocoPhillips and Archer Daniels Midland Company have agreed to collaborate on the development of renewable transportation fuels from biomass.

ConocoAccording to a joint press release, the alliance will research and seek to commercialize two components of a next-generation biofuel production process – the conversion of biomass from crops, wood or switchgrass into biocrude, a non-fossil substance that can be processed into fuel; and the refining of biocrude to produce transportation fuel.

Jim Mulva, chairman and chief executive officer, ConocoPhillips said, “We are hopeful that this collaboration will provide innovative technology toward the large-scale production of biofuels that can be moved efficiently and affordably through existing infrastructure.”

Patricia Woertz, chairman and chief executive officer, ADM, added, “As we advance our global bioenergy interests, this alliance with ConocoPhillips represents an important next step. Innovative collaboration like this will identify and bring to market feasible, economic and sustainable next-generation biofuels.”

Energy, Ethanol, News

Switchgrass Ethanol Near Reality

Cindy Zimmerman

Mascoma Corporation of Massachusettes has announced plans to establish the country’s first operating facility producing cellulosic ethanol utilizing switchgrass as feedstock. According to a company release, the project represents one of the largest commitments of capital yet made in support of the cellulosic biofuels industry.
Mascoma
Mascoma and The University of Tennessee plan to jointly build and operate the five million gallon per year cellulosic biorefinery. Construction is expected to begin by the end of 2007 and the facility will be operational in 2009. The business partnership and plans for the facility are a result of Tennessee Governor Bredesen’s Biofuels Initiative, a research and business model designed to reduce dependence on foreign oil and provide significant economic and environmental benefits for Tennessee’s farmers and communities. It includes a $40 million investment in facility construction and $27 million for research and development activities, including incentives for farmers to grow switchgrass funded by the State and The University of Tennessee. The large-scale demonstration facility will be located in Monroe County, Tennessee.

The Tennessee project is Mascoma’s third cellulosic biorefinery. Mascoma has begun construction on its first facility announced in 2006, a multi-feedstock demonstration-scale biorefinery located in Rome, New York. In July 2007, the company announced plans to build one of the nation’s first commercial scale biorefineries using wood as a feedstock in Michigan.

Cellulosic, Ethanol, News

Nova Tops List of Rising Green Stocks

John Davis

Nova Biosource FuelsFinancial web site Kiplinger.com has put a biodiesel producer which uses a unique feedstock for biodiesel at the top of its “Five Green Up-and-Comers” stocks.

The article says that Nova Biosource Fuels use of animal fat, which would normally be thrown out, is at the head of the class:

Rising prices for the raw materials used to make biodiesel, known as feedstock, work in Nova’s favor. At least 75% of U.S. biodiesel is made from soybean oil, which costs about 31 cents per pound, up from 23 cents last year, and is expected to rise to as high as 36 cents per pound by 2008. But animal tallow, the fatty waste from meat processing, costs as little as 20 cents a pound, in part because there aren’t as many commercial uses for tallow as there are for soybean oil. Nova’s patented process can use 25 different feedstocks, including animal tallow, to produce biodiesel.

The Texas-based company started its first biodiesel plant in Iowa a year ago and hopes to soon have six more.

Biodiesel

Willie’s on the Biodiesel Road Again

John Davis

Willie NelsonCountry music legend Willie Nelson has been a longtime advocate of the American farmer and the American biofuels industry. While he’s been using a biodiesel-powered bus for his cross-country tour, one of his recent stops included New York City.

This story on the CNN Money web site says he was there to promote a new, non-profit group that supports biofuels:

Nelson was in town supporting the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance, a non-profit group founded by his wife Annie and actors Daryl Hannah and Woody Harrelson, among others.

The alliance aims to create a certification standard for biodiesel to ensure the feedstocks are grown in an environmentally responsible mannner. With biodiesel use expanding – there were 1,000 pumps in the U.S. last year compared to 350 in 2005 – supporters say its important to ensure the budding industry doesn’t cause environmental problems of its own.

The group recently kicked off its official launch with a concert at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square, where Nelson played until well past midnight.

The article goes on to say that Nelson used biodiesel made from New York City cooking grease to fuel up his buses and get back on the road again.

Biodiesel

Wisconsin Lawmakers Getting Calls on Biofuels

John Davis

As legislators in Wisconsin continue their months-long wrangling over what should be in the state budget, biofuels advocates are making sure renewable energy is not left by the wayside.

The Wisconsin Legislature was supposed to have approved a budget starting by July 1st, but that process is not complete… making the state the only one without an approved budget right now. Universal healthcare and some tax increases have been the snagging points.

Wisconsin BiodieselBut backers of biodiesel and ethanol don’t want the lawmakers to leave out their projects when the budget is finally done. This story on Wisconsin Ag Connection says the Wisconsin Soybean Association and the Wisconsin Biodiesel Association have renewed their calls… and are asking farmers to call their lawmakers as well… to support Governor Jim Doyle’s proposed $30 million for renewable energy and a proposal that calls for a new program of incentives to stimulate the biodiesel fuel market in Wisconsin:

WSA Director Bob Karls says his group is asking members to call key legislators and ask them to support three other specific budget items.

Wisconsin Soybean Association“We are supporting infrastructure incentives including wholesale tax credits for in-line blending racks and retail tax credits, grants for soybean crushing facilities with Landmark committed to matching up to $4,000,000, and the income tax credit for biodiesel producers in Wisconsin,” Karls says.

A similar call has been put out by backers of ethanol.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, News