Maryland Gets New E85 Station

Joanna Schroeder

Three Brothers/A1 Auto Repair and Protec Fuel joined forces to launch a new E85 station in Baltimore, Maryland. The public can now fuel with E85 at 3041 Frederick Avenue thanks to partners Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board (MGPUB) and the Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC, Clean Cities Coalitions.

Three Brothers Car Repair E85 pumpThis is the first E85 station for owner Paul Goeller whose stationhttp://www.a1autothreebroscarrepair.com/ also features an auto repair business: A1 Auto Repair. “I noticed all the flex-fuel vehicles coming through and was surprised there was nowhere to fuel with E85 in Baltimore,” said Goeller. “As a mechanic, I wanted to give a choice that not only is better for the environment and our country, but has certain engine benefits such as higher octane, performance and a cleaner engine.”

Paul Spies, eastern shore farmer and president of MGPUB said of E85, “We invest in projects that support U.S. jobs and protect our environment, and the opening of this E85 station well fits that mission. Ethanol is farm-grown and renewable, and today’s answer for replacing petroleum-based fuels from volatile foreign markets. As our domestic alternative fuel industry grows, we expect to provide even greater benefits for U.S. consumers, the environment, and our farmers.”

E85 is a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline that can be used in flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs), as can gasoline. Automobile manufacturers such as Ford, Chrysler, Nissan, Toyota and General Motors all produce FFVs.With more than 16.5 million FFVs on the road, there is strong need for more stations offering higher level blends of ethanol. Visit GoE85.com to check if your vehicle can run on E85 and find more station locations.

“Many cars have flex-fuel capability, whether the drivers know it or not,” added Steve Walk, a VP of Protec Fuel who helped the station add the E18 pump. “Alternative fuels like this, as well as E15 fuel or other ethanol blends, benefit air quality in sensitive areas such as big cities like Baltimore.”

biofuels, E85, Ethanol

DNV GL Releases Offshore Wind Transmission Guide

Joanna Schroeder

DNV GL, together with the Swedish Transmission Research Institute (STRI) and 10 wind industry companies have developed a methodology for technology qualification of offshore High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) technologies through a joint industry project.

With the development of wind farms further offshore there is an increasing need for long-distance underwater power transmission. The use of HDVC transmission allows power transmission through cables over longer DNV GL offshore wind transmission guidelinesdistances and higher capacities compared to what is feasible when using AC transmission. To date, though, companies have little experience using HVDC transmission technologies and as such, there are no relevant standard, guidelines or recommendations for its successful use.

Peter Vaessen, segment director future transmission grids at DNV GL said of the new guidelines, “Implementation of new technology always introduces uncertainties that imply risk for its developers, manufacturers and end-users. With this technology qualification, we enable our customers to provide the evidence that the technology used will function within the specified limits with an acceptable level of confidence. Customers can ensure that each step is agreed in advance with the technology provider and the buyer, whilst delivering projects on time.”

As a means to manage the technology risks associated with offshore HVDC transmission projects, the new recommended practice is based on DNV GL’s methodology for technology qualification, which has been used extensively for managing technology risks in the oil and gas industry for more than a decade. Technology qualification is a method for providing evidence that technical equipment will function within specified operational limits with an acceptable level of confidence, both for suppliers and buyers of the relevant equipment.

Companies that participated during the testing process included: ABB, Alstom Grid, DONG Energy, Elia, Europacable, Scottish Power, Statkraft, Statnett, Statoil, Svenska Kraftnät and Vattenfall.

International, offshore wind, Renewable Energy

Texas A&M Gets Grant for Biomass-to-Energy Project

John Davis

swregionaldairy1Texas A&M is part of a nearly $16 million nationwide grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in part to fund projects for turning biomass into power. This article from the Stephenville (TX) Empire-Tribune says A&M’s AgriLife Research received money under the USDA’s Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) to help fund a two-year program to demonstrate developing technologies for water purification, treatment and recycling and power generation using biomass at Tarleton State University’s Southwest Regional Dairy Center.

More than $780,000 has been allocated for the two-year project, which aims to demonstrate a proven water treatment and recycling technology developed by Global Restoration and a biomass conversion system developed by [AgriLife Research scientist Dr. Sergio Capareda, associate professor of biological and agricultural engineering at Texas A&M] and others at Texas A&M to produce electrical power.

Capareda says the technology demonstrations will convert dry manure produced by the milking herd at Tarleton’s dairy center into heat and electricity for on-site use. The project also plans to develop resource-conservation practices in handling wastewater and solids from animal manure at the facility while developing several spreadsheet-based monitoring systems.

“The Global Restoration group will take on the water coming out of the facility and the dairy’s lagoon, and purify the water so it may be recycled,” Capareda explained. “This generates large amounts of dry manure, which will be used by our system to generate heat and electrical power.”

Officials say the project could eliminate or at least reduce the size of open ponds, as well as offer another power and revenue stream for farmers.

biomass, dairy, USDA, Waste-to-Energy

Charged by Biodiesel, Electric Bike Sets Record

John Davis

killajoule1The world’s fastest electric motorcycle gets its power from a biodiesel-fueled generator. This article from Torque News says Eva Hakansson made a 270 mph run at Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah in the KillaJoule electric streamliner motorcycle, making it the the fastest electric motorcycle in the world, and its pilot the fastest woman on a motorcycle.

Making its runs and then returning for a recharge from a biodiesel generator as the chutes got repacked and the ice water cooling system was flushed and refilled, the KillaJoule needs little attention outside of these maintenance items between runs. Yet this motorcycle, one of the simplest machines on the raceway, beats all but the smallest handful in speed.

The Shootout had the KillaJoule smashing its own 240 mph record with a phenomenal 270.224 mph average. The team believes that this speed is as fast as the motorcycle can go in its current configuration. The team plans to call this a race year and return to the garage for more tinkering to see if they can’t improve aerodynamics, push a little more juice out of the batteries, and otherwise work towards a 300 mph goal for 2015.

Hakansson says she might shoot to break that 300 mph barrier as early as next year.

Biodiesel, Electric Vehicles

Biorefineries to Produce Advanced Biofuels for Military

Joanna Schroeder

Today the Departments of Navy, Energy and Agriculture announced that three companies have been awarded contracts to construct and commission biorefineries to produce “drop-in” biofuels for the military and private sectors. Made through the Department of Defense’s (DOD) Defense Protection Act (DPA) of 1950, the awards support the Administration’s goals to boost and diversify the domestic fuel supply base, make American warfighters less beholden to volatile oil markets, and strengthen national security.

us logos“The contracts being announced today will help expand the operational capability of our Navy and Marine Corps around the world,” said Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. “In today’s complex fiscal environment, we are balancing our mission with our resources and we must be innovative and forward-thinking. Programs like these help keep our operational capabilities on the cutting edge. This is how Sailors and Marines defend our great nation.”

In total, these projects will produce more than 100 million gallons of military grade fuel beginning in 2016 and 2017 at a price competitive with their petroleum counterparts.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said of the announcement, “This is a tremendous announcement for America’s national security and our economy. Any time our military can use more American grown fuels instead of relying on foreign sources it makes our armed forces more energy secure. And the expansion of our advanced biofuel sector means the creation of good jobs across the country, especially in many of our rural communities.”

The drop-in alternative fuels can be blended at a 50/50 ratio with traditional fossil fuels. This blend was successfully demonstrated during the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) demonstration in 2012 for ships and planes, showing firsthand that this fuel can be utilized in Navy’s warfighting platforms with no degradation to performance or mission. As these fuels become more available, the Department of the Navy will make advanced drop-in biofuel a regular part of its bulk fuel procurement, ushering in the “new normal” of Naval supremacy.

“Advanced biomass-based transportation fuels have the potential to provide a reliable and cost-effective alternative to traditional fuel sources,” said Deputy Energy Secretary Daniel Poneman. “By advancing technologies that reduce our carbon emissions, this multi-agency partnership is demonstrating that by protecting our energy and environmental security, we will enhance our national security as well.”

The companies receiving federal investments for the construction and commissioning of biorefineries are:

  • Emerald Biofuels: To build an 82 million gallon per year refinery on the Gulf Coast using waste fats to create military grade fuel.
  • Fulcrum BioEnergy: To build a 10 million gallon per year refinery in McCarran, Nev. using municipal solid waste as its feedstock and the Fischer-Tropsch process to create fuel. On Sept. 4, USDA announced a $105 million Biorefinery Assistance Program loan guarantee to Fulcrum BioEnergy for the construction of this facility.
  • Red Rock Biofuels: To build a 12 million gallon per year refinery in Lakeview, Ore. using woody biomass, or the by-products of forest management, as its feedstock and the Fischer-Tropsch process to create a refined product.

This effort brought by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Energy, and Navy, along with partners in the private sector, will expand military fuel sources, improving the reliability of our overall fuel supply, adding resilience against supply disruptions, and giving the military more fuel options to maintain its readiness and defend the national security interests of the United States.

advanced biofuels, aviation biofuels, biojet fuel

Volvo Releases All Electic Hybrid Bus

Joanna Schroeder

Volvo will be introducing its new 7900 Electric Hybrid during the International IAA Commercial Vehicles show in September 25-October 22 in Hannover. The EV bus is silent, cleaner and with significantly lower fuel consumption and Volvo has already signed contracts with several European cities for the first deliveries.

Volvo Electric Vehicle Hybrid Bus“I am very proud to launch this ground-breaking bus system. Electric-hybrid buses and full-electric buses are tomorrow’s solution for urban public transport. They will allow us to reduce energy consumption, air pollution, climate impact and noise, which are some of the biggest challenges facing large cities worldwide,” said Håkan Agnevall, President Volvo Bus Corporation.

Noise is a growing problem in many cities. The noise level beside an Electric Hybrid is 65 decibels, that is to say normal conversation level. The Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid runs in electric mode on average 70 percent of the route, silent and emission-free.

The Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid offers flexibility in operation; it can run as an electric bus in selected areas, but performs as a hybrid on any route. Charging at end stations takes 6 minutes. A number of European cities are showing a keen interest in Volvo’s Electric Hybrids. Hamburg, Luxembourg and Stockholm will implement the new bus system in 2014 and 2015. Series production is scheduled to start in early 2016.

Alternative Vehicles, Electric Vehicles

Gevo’s Plant Co-producing Isobutanol & Ethanol

Joanna Schroeder

Gevo’s plant in Luverne, Minnesota is now co-producing isobutanol and ethanol with one fermenter dedicated to isobutanol production and three fermenters dedicated to ethanol production. With the completion of the last phase of capital for SBS, Gevo has begun to produce and ship isobutanol in railcar volumes.gevo logo

This equipment facilitates the extraction of isobutanol from the plant, which should enable Gevo to boost production levels of isobutanol by debottlenecking the downstream side of the plant. This distillation equipment was commissioned in early September and is already showing improved results at the plant, such as:

  • A doubling of isobutanol batch sizes;
  • A 50% reduction in isobutanol batch turnaround times;
  • Consistent yields of >90% based on starch content; and
  • A continued decrease in isobutanol production costs towards targeted
    economic rates.

“We are on track with the SBS. We completed the installation of our isobutanol distillation column and it operates well. We are continuing to boost isobutanol production levels while simultaneously driving cost out of our production processes. We are pleased to be shipping both ethanol and isobutanol in railcar quantities. This isobutanol is destined for the solvents and specialty gasoline blendstock markets, as well as to supply our demo plant in Silsbee, TX, to convert our isobutanol into hydrocarbons such as bio-jet fuel and isooctane,” said Dr. Patrick Gruber, Gevo’s CEO.

Gruber continued, “By installing the last phase of capital at Luverne, we remain confident that we will be able to achieve production levels of 50-100 thousand gallons of isobutanol per month by the end of 2014. As we continue to learn and optimize the isobutanol production process, we believe we can ultimately increase our production rate to approximately 2-3 million gallons of isobutanol per annum under the SBS, while we are producing ethanol in the other three fermenters.”

biobutanol, biofuels, Ethanol, Renewable Energy

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFThe Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) has announced the launch of the third round of the Game Changer Competitive Grant Program. The Game Changer Competitive Grant Program is designed to support novel renewable energy (electric and/or thermal) systems or deployment strategies. Successful projects must result in additional renewable energy capacity installed in the state of Maryland, within the grant period. MEA expects to grant awards for successful proposals in the range of $50,000-$250,000 per project. MEA anticipates a cost sharing scheme with applicants whereby MEA would cover up to thirty percent.
  • Jess Hewitt with Gulf Hydrocarbon, Inc. will be leading a panel discussion about making and delivering renewable fuels in the Midwest during the Midwest International Energy Symposium taking place in Bettendorf, Iowa on October 9, 2014. Panel members include Jason Marquis of Marquis Energy, Dave Cepla of Envergent technologies, Judd Hulting of Patriot Fuels and Glenn Johnston of GEVO. Register now.
  • Alstom has announced the third shift of its wind turbines factory located in Camaçari, State of Bahia, Brazil, which will now reach a total manufacturing and assembly capacity of up to 900 MW per year. When the factory was inaugurated in 2011, its total production capacity was 300 MW. This was enhance in 2012 to 600 MW. Three years after its inauguration, the factory has thus tripled its capacity. As a consequence, the additional investment in Camaçari unit will be worth €3 million in the next 4 months.
  • Liberty Power announced that it will donate renewable energy certificates (RECs) to match 100 percent of the estimated electricity usage at the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s (USHCC) Annual Convention. This is the second year in a row the retail energy supply company will donate RECs as part of their sponsorship of the event. The USHCC Annual Convention will take place at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah, from September 21 – 23. Liberty Power will supply enough RECs from United States wind energy facilities to match the estimated consumption for the event’s venue throughout the three-day convention.
Bioenergy Bytes

10 Facts About Geothermal Energy in Oregon

Joanna Schroeder

geothermal power plantThe GRC Annul Meeting and Geothermal Energy Expo is taking place September 28-October 1, 2014 in Portland, Oregon. To get people excited, the Geothermal Energy Association has created 10 facts about geothermal energy in Oregon.

  1. There is about 33 MW of geothermal power on-line in Oregon producing 165 GWh in 2013.
  2. The latest industry survey identified 19 projects under development in Oregon with estimated subsurface resources of 340 MW that developers expect could provide 60 MW of additional power within the next few years if appropriate contracts are secured.
  3. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that there are an additional 500 MW of discovered geothermal power resources in Oregon and 1,800 MW of undiscovered resources.
  4. Geothermal power provides affordable power according to studies produced in 2014 by the Energy Information Agency, Bloomberg New Energy Finance, California Public Utilities Commission and others.
  5. Geothermal power provides significant numbers of permanent jobs. For every 100MW of geothermal power there are 170 permanent jobs supported and development of 100MW of new projects produces over 600 annual construction and manufacturing jobs.
  6. According to studies geothermal has the lowest life-cycle emission of any renewable technology besides hydropower.
  7. Geothermal power projects have the lowest land density compared to any other renewable power technology.
  8. Geothermal power plants can be engineered to be firm and flexible power sources in addition to being source of a renewable baseload power.
  9. Geothermal fields can operate for 30 years or longer, the largest geothermal field in North America, the Geysers in California celebrated its 50th birthday this year. Geothermal fields in Italy have been generating electricity since 1912.
  10. Every additional megawatt of geothermal power can enable the installation of 3 to 5 megawatt of additional intermittent power like solar and wind power.

Registration is still open. Click here for more information.

conferences, Electricity, Geothermal, Renewable Energy

Biodiesel Helps Iowa Football Make Winning Drive

John Davis

iowafootballbus1Iowa is one of the biggest biodiesel producing states in the country, so it makes sense that one of their flagship football teams uses the green fuel to get it to the field this year. The Iowa Soybean Association is touting the fact that biodiesel, mostly made from soybean oil, is being used to power the University of Iowa Hawkeyes’ team bus, and the association is a proud sponsor.

“Iowa farmers excel at providing food, fuel and fiber,” said Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) President Tom Oswald, who farms near Cleghorn. “Biodiesel is a win for the state’s economy and environment. Teaming up with the Hawkeyes to improve air quality by using America’s first advanced biofuel is a victory for all Iowans.”

University of Iowa Athletics Director Gary Barta said the Hawkeye family recognizes the continuous improvement of farmers and the quality products they grow and provide.

“We have a great respect for the role farmers play in feeding and fueling our state and the Hawkeye Nation,” he said. “We’re proud to partner with the Iowa Soybean Association. They’re a great addition to Hawkeye Game Day activities.”

Iowa has 13 biodiesel plants, producing about 184 million gallons per year.

Biodiesel