Imperium On Schedule

John Davis

ImperiumBiodiesel giant Imperium Renewables is on schedule to open a 100-million-gallon-a-year biodiesel refinery next month at Gray’s Harbor in Washington state… although there’s been some rumors there might be delays .

This article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer explains the mixup seems to be a matter of when the party to celebrate the opening will be:

Imperium spokesman John Williams said the company has decided to hold its grand opening celebration in August in order to accommodate the schedules of politicians and other dignitaries. But he said the plant itself is “on course” to open in July.

Imperium is planning a big event for the ribbon cutting on the $73 million facility, which the company is calling the largest biodiesel plant in the U.S.

In fact, the article hints that they might be saving time for President Bush to attend.

Biodiesel

Report: Biodiesel to be Cheaper than Light Oil

John Davis

A report from the Korean Energy Economics Institute (KEEI) says, as early as 2011, biodiesel will cost less than its petroleum counterpart.

This story from the English-language version of Dong-A.com says the report is titled “Prospects on the Economic Feasibility of Biodiesel and Improving the Support System.” Right now in Korea, biodiesel costs about $.87 per liter to produce… compared to light oil at about $.64 per liter. But that is about to change:

It is estimated that the production cost of biodiesel will drop to ($.73) per liter by 2011, providing greater economic feasibility than light oil – the production cost of which will be ($.77). This prospect is based on the preposition that the price of oil will continue to rise, and that the amount of biodiesel supplied will increase from the current 0.5% of light oil consumption to 5.5% gradually by 2017.

“Biodiesel will become economically feasible between 2011 and 2015,” says Bae Jeong-hwan, a researcher at KEEI. “It is necessary to maintain its exemption from transportation taxes until 2010, and then begin lifting it gradually from 2011.”

Another report by KEEI says that ethanol won’t stay economically feasible if the price of a barrell of oil drops below $50.

Biodiesel

Big Biodiesel Plant Groundbreaking in Kansas

John Davis

REG logoIowa-based Renewable Energy Group has broken ground on what will be a 60-million-gallon-a-year biodiesel plant in Emporia, Kansas.

This story is from the Emporia Gazette:

Actual construction work will begin in about two weeks, according to Chief Executive Officer Jeff Stroburg. The company expects to have the $70 million plant up and running by September or October of 2008. Once completed, it will be capable of making 60 million gallons of biodiesel fuel a year, using soybean oil supplied by Bunge.

“You can name just about any state in the union and biodiesel from this plant will probably find its way there eventually,” Stroburg told an audience of around 60 people at the ceremony.

This is the second announcement in two weeks for REG, as company officials said last week they were starting construction of another 60 MGY plant near New Orleans.

Biodiesel

$4 Mill for TX, Mass. Wind Projects

John Davis

DOE logoWind energy projects in Texas and Massachusetts have been chosen for two, $2-million grants from the U.S. Department of Energy.

According to this press release from the agency, DOE Secretary Samuel Bodman has announced the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Partnership in Massachusetts, and the Lone Star Wind Alliance in Texas will receive up to $2 million each in test equipment to develop large-scale wind blade test facilities, expected to be operational in 2009:

Sec. of Energy Samuel Bodman“These two testing facilities represent an important next step in the expansion of competitiveness of the U.S. domestic wind energy industry,” Secretary Bodman said, while hosting a press conference with Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. “We congratulate Massachusetts and Texas for their outstanding proposals and we believe this work will build upon the Administration’s goal of prompting states to research, develop and deploy more clean energy technologies.”

Ultimately, they hope to test wind turbine blades 100 yards long with the potential of producing 20% of the nation’s energy needs.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Partnership wants to build its test facility at the Boston Autoport in Boston Harbor. The Lone Star Wind Alliance test facility would be in Ingleside, Texas.

Wind

First Algae-Biodiesel Plant to Open in Alabama

John Davis

PetroSunThe world’s first biodiesel plant using algae as its feedstock is set to open within a year at a location in Alabama.

This story on Checkbiotech.org says the CEO of energy company PetroSun, Inc. has been working for some time to build the plant fueled with pond scum:

Gordon M. LeBlanc Jr., CEO of PetroSun Inc., believes America’s energy future lies not beneath the sands of the Middle East, but on top of ponds across Alabama and the Southeast.

The Phoenix (Arizona)-based company has spent years and hundreds of thousands of dollars, some of it in Lee County, trying to perfect the technology of drawing oil from pond algae to produce biodiesel fuel.

LeBlanc, 55, said his considerable investment and work will pay off when the Alabama plant starts making 30 million gallons of biodiesel fuel a year. LeBlanc, a geologist, said plans call for similar facilities to be built in Arizona and Australia.

While he didn’t name a site where he might put the Alabama plant, a hint may be found in that much of the groundwork for the PetroSun algae initiative has been done on a farm just outside of Opelika, near Phenix City (Alabama).

Those close to the project say biodiesel is a better source for energy than ethanol, and algae is easier to grow than just about any other feedstock.

Biodiesel

Momentum Rolling in Texas

John Davis

Momentum logoThe first 50,000 gallons of biodiesel has rolled off the line at the new Momentum Biofuels, Inc. refinery at LaPorte, Texas.

This story posted on Grainnet.com says it cost less than 25 cents/gallon to build the facility, not including the costs for the building and land:

Management believes this CAPEX is significantly lower than what is typical in the industry and could permit the Company to achieve a higher than average return on investment.

Jim O’Neal, the Company’s COO, stated, “2007 was a time of transition and significant development for Momentum.

“Having proven our technology, combined with the strength of our new management team, we are now ready for full-scale commercial production.”

Full scale production is expected to begin later this summer.

Biodiesel

Tyson Expands Biodiesel Partnerships

John Davis

TysonMeat-producing giant Tyson is making a bid to be a player in the burgeoning biodiesel market.

This story posted on the Meatingplace.com says Tyson has announced a joint venture with Syntroleum Corp., a Tulsa-based synthetic fuels technology company:

The move creates Dynamic Fuels LLC, which will produce synthetic fuels targeting the renewable diesel, jet and military fuel markets.

Tyson, the nation’s largest protein processor, will supply feedstock derived from animal fats, greases and vegetable oils for the 50/50 joint venture, which aims to construct and operate multiple stand-alone commercial facilities.

The first facility, expected to start construction in 2008 at a yet-to-be-determined site in the south central United States, will produce about 75 million gallons of synthetic fuel annually using a process patented by Syntroleum, with production set to begin in 2010.

The $150 million project adds to Tyson’s growing biodiesel ventures. You might remember last April, Tyson announced a partnership with ConocoPhillips to produce biodiesel. That partnership has drawn the ire of the National Biodiesel Board and some lawmakers who say the companies are trying to take advantage of a tax credit intended for up-and-coming biodiesel producers, not big oil companies (see my posts on April 18th and April 20th).

Biodiesel

Report: Ethanol Production Nears 6 Billion Gallons/year

John Davis

RFA logoThe latest report from the Renewable Fuels Association shows that a strong production trend continues in the U.S. ethanol industry, producing 391,000 barrels per day in April. That’s and increase of more than 100,000 barrels per day from the same time a year ago and brings the annual output at nearly six billion gallons. Ethanol demand remained constant at 410,000 b/d as did U.S. fuel ethanol imports, at 35 million gallons for the month.

The RFA released the following statistics:

RFA stats

Right now, more than 120 ethanol biorefineries in the U.S. have the capacity to produce more than 6.3 billion gallons annually. Another 75 biorefineries are under construction and seven more are expanding which will about double new production capacity by early 2009.

Ethanol, News

Another POET Groundbreaking

John Davis

POETSouth Dakota-based ethanol producer POET is adding another plant to its list of 20 active ethanol refineries and seven more under construction.

According to this release on the company’s web site, the latest one will be near North Manchester, Indiana… about 40 miles west of Fort Wayne. POET will hold a groundbreaking on July 13th at 1:30 PM in the Otho Winger Memorial Building at Manchester College:

POET mapAt 65 million gallons of ethanol per year (MGPY), POET Biorefining – North Manchester will consume 21 million bushels of locally grown corn and produce 178,000 tons of premium Dakota Gold Enhanced Nutrition Distillers Products™. Ethanol marketing for the facility will be provided by POET Ethanol Products and byproducts will be marketed by POET Nutrition. The facility will utilize Norfolk Southern rail service.

North Manchester will be the third site in the state of Indiana where POET has an ethanol plant under construction. A facility in Portland will be completed later this year and one in Alexandria will begin operations early next year. Cumulatively, the three projects represent an investment of more than $350 million in Indiana and will produce 190 MGPY.

WHAT: POET Biorefining – North Manchester, IN ethanol plant groundbreaking
WHERE: To start, Otho Winger Memorial Building at Manchester College, with shuttles to the groundbreaking site.
WHEN: July 13th, 1:30 PM

Ethanol, News

IndyCar Practice

Chuck Zimmerman

IndyCar PracticeThe IndyCars are really exciting to watch. At the Iowa Corn Indy 250 they were a little more exciting than normal due to all the bang-ups.

I’ve been very thrilled to have the opportunity to shoot pictures at a number of races now thanks to our sponsor, the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council and the Indy Racing League. This was the first race where I could shoot through the cut outs in the fence on the outside perimeter of the track. I realize now that I need a faster lens and am researching which one as we speak.

To give you a taste of what it’s like being in this spot from where I got this photo I have a short video clip for you. It helps bring home the high performance value of ethanol in these Honda engines. Since it was so humid out during this practice session you can see vapor trails coming off the rear foils of the cars.

EPIC, Ethanol, Indy Racing, News, Video