Kansas Drivers Have New E15 Retail Station

Joanna Schroeder

Drivers who live and travel through Ottawa, Kansas now have access to E15. The Zarco 66 station located at 2518 E. Logan (intersection of I-35 & HWY 68) has become the second retail gas station to offer E15 in the U.S. Earlier this summer, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gave final approval for the sale of E15 and customers are already showing great support for the higher blend of ethanol. On July 8, 2012 Zarco 66 began offering E15 to drivers in Lawrence, Kansas and the fuel sales are hitting high speeds.

“We are excited to add a high octane renewable fuel choice for our customers on the go in Ottawa, Kansas as we will continue to reduce our dependency on foreign oil through the use of renewable energy sources,” said Scott Zaremba, owner of Zarco 66 stations.

While ethanol has many advantages, one is that it has the ability to help motorists save money at the pump. According to an updated study authored by professors at the University of Wisconsin and Iowa State University, ethanol savings in the Midwest in 2011 were $1.69 per gallon while average savings across the county was $1.09 per gallon.

“American consumers are looking for a choice when it comes to fueling their vehicles, and they now have one more domestic, renewable fuel option with E15 becoming more commercially available,” said Renewable Fuels Association RFA) President and CEO Bob Dinneen. “Ethanol continues to help consumers during these difficult economic times by lowering prices at the pump and supporting more than 400,000 jobs across the country that can’t be outsourced.”

RFA is working with retailers as well as automakers and consumers to ensure E15 is used properly. Vehicles and light duty trucks manufactured after 2001 can take advantage of E15.

The association, along with the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) have been working together through their BYO Ethanol program to help interested gas retailers install pumps to sell higher blends of ethanol including E15 and E85. Those interested retailers can review the E15 Retailer Handbook for free to learn more about how to make additional revenue through the sale of E15.

biofuels, blends, Ethanol, RFA

POET & Agrivida Sign Technology Deal

Joanna Schroeder

POET Research has signed a technology collaboration joint development agreement for cellulosic ethanol with Agrivida, a developer of biotechnology platforms for feedstock and feedstock processing. As part of the four-year agreement, POET and Agrivida will develop Agrivida’s technology platforms as a means of reducing capital and operating costs of commercialized cellulosic ethanol biorefineries.

The first feedstock of focus will be corn stover, the key feedstock that POET has been focusing on to develop cellulosic ethanol at its plant under construction in Emmetsburg, Iowa known as Project Liberty. Agrivida is helping POET to develop traits engineered to improve the pretreatment of corn stover and make it easier to break down cellulose while reducing the cost of enzymatic application. These are key areas that need to be refined to help cellulosic ethanol reach price parity per gallon with other forms of first generation biofuels and traditional transportation fuels.

“POET is committed to working with new and innovative technologies that will improve the cost and value of cellulosic ethanol production,” said Dr. Wade Robey, POET Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. “If successful, Agrivida’s novel approach to increase the functionality and value delivery of corn stover will work well with other technologies being developed by POET.”

POET will evaluate and test Agrivida’s proprietary, low-severity corn stover feedstock processing technology, which is targeted to provide significant capital and operating cost savings at commercial facilities.

Mark Wong, Agrivida CEO said, “We are excited to be working with POET to improve the economics of advanced biofuels production. POET has one of the most advanced commercial cellulosic programs in the world with strong research, development and commercial deployment capabilities. POET will be a great partner as Agrivida transitions its technology from research and development to a commercialization phase.”

advanced biofuels, Cellulosic

Solar Energy Industry Gets Legislative Win in NY

Joanna Schroeder

The solar industry in New York state got a legislative win when Governor Andrew Cuomo approved several bills that give tax exemptions to solar projects in the state. Earlier this month the Governor announced $30 million in funding for 16 PV projects through an NY-Sun sub-program as well as $107 million in funding for customer-sited solar photovoltaic (PV) projects larger than 50 kW. The funding is being distributed over two years with $36.4 million available for 2012 and $70.5 million available in 2013 through the NY-Sun Competitive PV program.

“We applaud Governor Cuomo, as well as Senator George Maziarz and Assemblyman Cahill for their bipartisan work paving the way for solar to succeed in New York State,” said Carrie Cullen Hitt, Vice President for State Affairs at the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). “By making it more affordable for businesses and homeowners to install solar systems, these laws are vital to helping New York realize its goal of 45 percent renewable-powered electricity by 2015. We look forward to continuing to work with state leaders so that New York can meet its total solar market potential in the near future.”

Three bills were signed: Bill A 34-B provides tax credits for solar energy system equipment; Bill A 10620 provides for the amount of tax abatement for solar generating systems in cities of one million or more; and Bill A 5522-B exempts the sale and installation of commercial solar energy systems from state sales and compensating use taxes and allows municipalities to grant these systems a tax exemption as well.

The state also has several other policies in place to promote solar investment. These include a feed-in tariff through Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), a New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) customer-sited tiered program, and rules for net metering that allows customers credit for excess power generated and sent back to the grid.

Nearly 7,500 solar photovoltaic (PV) solar installations have been completed in New York making the state 6th in number of PV systems. When combined, the systems have the capacity to produce 121 megawatts of energy or enough to power around 20,000 average sized homes.

Electricity, Energy, Legislation, Solar

SAFUG Gains New Member

Joanna Schroeder

The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group (SAFUG) has added a new member – United Airlines. The group’s goal is to accelerate the development and commercialization of aviation biofuels. The members of SAFUG represents nearly 32 percent of commercial aviation fuel demand, and upon joining, commit to testing and using aviation biofuels.

United Airlines has been one of the leaders of the adoption of sustainable fuel with the airline testing aviation biofuels in November 2011 during a U.S. commercial flight. Prior to this, United Airlines held several demonstration flights dating back to 2009. In addition to joining SAFUG, the company also signed a letter of intent to purchase at least 50 million gallons of biofuels for use in its operations.

“We are excited to collaborate with other industry leaders in our shared quest to advance sustainable biofuels,” said Jimmy Samartzis, managing director of Global Environmental Affairs and Sustainability for United. “We will all benefit from our collective work to find solutions to make alternative fuel available at commercial scale and secure a sustainable future for aviation.”

This move is just one of several United is making to decrease its impact on the environment. The company has also been investing in more fuel-efficient aircraft and equipment and has more than 3,600 ground support equipment vehicles, or nearly 26 percent of its fleet of ground support equipment, is electric or alternatively fueled, among other initiatives.

advanced biofuels, aviation biofuels

EPA Requests Comment Period for RFS

Cindy Zimmerman

The Environmental Protection Agency has officially requested a comment period to start the process toward consideration of a waiver for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

EPA issued the request for comments in response to petitions from the Governors of Arkansas and North Carolina last week seeking a waiver of the volume requirements for corn ethanol under the RFS. The request was submitted for publication in the Federal Register and the EPA will decide on the waiver request “within 90 days of receiving it, in consultation with the Departments of Agriculture and Energy.”

EPA is requesting comment on any matter that might be relevant to review of the waiver request, including –

whether compliance with the RFS would severely harm the economy of Arkansas, North Carolina, other States, a region, or the United States; whether the relief requested will remedy the harm; to what extent, if any, a waiver would change demand for ethanol and affect prices of corn, other feedstocks, feed, and food; the amount of ethanol that is likely to be consumed in the U.S. during the relevant time period, based on its value to refiners for octane and other characteristics and other market conditions in the absence of the RFS volume requirements; and if a waiver were appropriate, the amount of required renewable fuel volume appropriate to waive, the date on which any waiver should commence and end, and to which compliance years it would apply.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government

Dynamic Fuels Get EPA Renewable Gas Registration

John Davis

Dynamic Fuels, in a joint venture with Syntroleum, has garnered the EPA’s Part 79 registration for its Renewable Gasoline Blendstock 10. This Syntroleum news release says the designation allows enables Dynamic Fuels to generate 1.5 Advanced Biofuel, or D5, RINS for each gallon of its renewable gasoline blendstock when blended at 10 percent. The Dynamic Fuels’ Renewable Gasoline Blendstock can be blended directly into gasoline.

At its design basis production rate of 75 million gallons per year, Dynamic Fuels’ Geismar Plant should produce approximately 7.5 million gallons of renewable gasoline blendstock, or 11.25 million Advanced Biofuel RINS, per year. Advanced Biofuel RINS have traded for as much as $0.83 per RIN during 2012 and are currently approximately $0.46.

Dynamic Fuels also received the EPA Part 79 Registration for drop-in renewable fuels for Renewable Diesel Blendstock up to a 20 percent blend with petroleum diesel in 2009 and for Renewable Diesel for use at up to a 100 percent in 2011.

biofuels, Environment, Government

Ethanol Safety Seminar Offered by RFA

John Davis

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), along with Norfolk Southern Corp., CN Railway and Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) will co-host an Ethanol Safety Seminar on August 22nd in Decatur, IL. The free seminar will give first responders, hazmat personnel, safety teams and the general public in-depth information on proper training techniques needed to effectively respond to an ethanol-related emergency.

“Ethanol is the highest volume commodity transported by rail each year,” said David Schoendorfer, Manager of Hazardous Materials for Norfolk Southern Corp. “In the event of an incident, it is imperative that local emergency responders are prepared, and providing this training is part of our community outreach effort to ensure they are.”

“Focusing on emergency measures to take in the event of an incident involving ethanol products is an important part of preplanning,” said Scott McLeod, Sr. Dangerous Goods Officer for CN Railway.

“Safety is a primary focus for the ethanol industry as this fuel is the number one hazardous material shipped on U.S. railways,” said Matt Bruns, VP of Corn Processing for Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM). “The Ethanol Safety Seminar focuses on numerous aspects of responding to an ethanol-related incident, helping those first on the scene to easily assess the situation and react appropriately.”

To register for one of the two seminars offered between 9:00am to 2:00pm and from 5:30-10:00pm on August 22nd, click here.

Other Ethanol Safety Seminars throughout 2012 are scheduled in Defiance, OH on August 29th; Willmar, MN on September 9th; Pittsburgh, PA on September 13th; Elgin, IL on October 2nd; Bessemer, AL on October 29th; and Fort Worth, TX on November 29th.

More information on ethanol emergency responses is available at www.EthanolResponse.com.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA, safety

Group Says No to Clean Energy Victory Bonds

Joanna Schroeder

Advanced Biofuels USA is saying no to Clean Energy Victory Bonds. Green America supporters have been working to gain support of the bonds as a way to raise money to be invested in clean energy technologies. Yet according to Advanced Biofuels USA’s Bob Kozak, there are several major flaws in the proposed legislation.

Here are several problems as outlined by Kozak:

1. Because the bonds will require immediate income from the projects to pay the interest income promised to the investor, bonding is not the appropriate method for funding renewable energy research and project prototypes. These bonds could only be used for projects that have already been proven to be commercially viable and would not provide funding where it is needed most in biofuel and other renewable energy development – at the research and commercialization stages.

2. Clean Energy Victory Bonds would duplicate other available funding mechanisms via the requirement to have a return on investment that is higher than current US bond issues, the only projects that would be eligible for funding are those that are relatively low risk that would be funded by existing commercial instruments.

3. Clean energy is not defined. Besides advanced transportation biofuels not being included in the legislation, it also seems that the “dirty” elements of projects would not be factored into a life cycle analysis of the environmental impact.

Kozak counters that there is legislation that could be developed that would be effective. He suggests a $200 billion, 10 year, science-heavy “Manhattan Project” for new renewable transportation, heating and electrical production of energy sources. He also recommends a makeover of accounting and taxation laws that would properly charge for Climate Change and other environmental costs. To learn more, click here.

advanced biofuels, bioenergy, Electric Vehicles, Electricity, Energy

Chrysler Helps “Tell the Story” of Ethanol

Joanna Schroeder

Chrysler sees great value in ethanol. James Frusti, Chrysler Group manager of Fuels, Energy and Regulatory Affairs, presented the company’s ethanol strategy as part of the auto industry’s greater efforts of collaboration during the 25th Annual Ethanol Conference.

Fursti said that center stage of bringing any technology to market is the customer and the technology must provide value to the customer. “Whether it be for vehicle technology, a new energy source, or a new fuel source, to us that’s all technology,” he said. Ethanol is one of these technologies.

At Chrysler, Fursti explained that they are trying to make the internal combustion engine as efficient as possible given the challenging fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas requirements. To do this, they are looking at ethanol and biodiesel. But in order for Chrysler to invest in the development of ethanol engine technology, several things need to happen.

1)   More flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs) need to be sold.

2)   Customers need to understand the value in ethanol. When this happens they will buy FFVs so they need to be more broadly available in the retail market.

3)   Automakers need to be able to obtain greenhouse gas credits and improve their ability to comply with challenging requirements. The soon to be published 2017-2025 Fuel Economy and Greenhouse Gas Rules by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will explain how this will work and it is believed automakers will receive greenhouse gas credits for FFVs.

The next step, said Fursti, is that they need to know with certainty when there is going to be enough mid-level blends of ethanol available at the retail level for them to invest in redesigning their engines.

To succeed, there will need to be effective collaboration between the industries. There will also need to be more communication with the customer and legislators, said Frusti. Stealing a quote from UDSA Ag Secretary Vilsack, you’ve got to tell the story to the customer and you’ve got to tell the story to the legislatures.

You can view James Frusti’s presentation here and also listen to his remarks: James Frusti Tells the Ethanol Story

ACE, Audio, biofuels, Car Makers, conferences, Ethanol

Ethanol Biorefining Innovations

Joanna Schroeder

There are many biorefining innovations taking place in the ethanol industry. During the 25th Annual Ethanol Conference, three company representatives discussed the research and technologies they were implementing or studying to increase the value of the ethanol production process.

Steve McNinch with Western Plains Energy said his company is looking at how to move into the advanced biofuels category of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2). The biorenfinery, which produces ethanol from sorghum (milo), is currently installing technology to produce methane. His plant is also researching anaerobic digestion technologies that convert waste to energy. In addition, the plant is adding methane technology that will allow the plant to stop using natural gas as its electricity source and improve the ethanol’s carbon intensity score.

You can view Steve McNinch’s presentation here and also listen to his remarks: click here: Ethanol and AD Integration to
Produce Advanced Biofuel

There are several ways you can make your biorefinery more efficient whether you operate a corn ethanol plant or a milo ethanol plant.  Dough Rivers with ICM presented one way you can get from first generation corn to second generation cellulose while using the same biorefinery infrastructure. The first way to get from a dry grind plant is to start doing some things to recover more of your starch to convert more of your targeted end product. ICM has developed a Selective Milling Technology that bolts onto the current plant and increases both ethanol yield and corn oil yield. The company is also developing a fiber separation technology. From here you can start thinking about converting fiber to ethanol and collecting cellulosic RINs (Renewable Identification Number). Today ICM is testing its technologies in its pilot plant and expects to be offering the ethanol industry bolt-on cellulosic technologies soon.

You can view Doug River’s presentation here and also listen to his remarks: click here: ICM Pathway from Gen 1 Ethanol to Gen 2 Ethanol

Highwater Ethanol is one of the last ethanol facilities built in the U.S and the biorefinery is looking at moving into advanced biofuels via isobutanol (biobutanol). CEO Brian Kletscher discussed the current challenges and opportunities with isobutanol. Today ethanol plants have financial pressures, marketing challenges and a cap on first generation ethanol in the RFS2. The industry needs a solution and Highwater Ethanol believes isobutanol is one solution. That is why they signed on as an early adopter with Butamax. Isobutanol has several advantages over ethanol: attractive gasoline blending opportunities; it enables the refineries to increase the use of gasoline out of a barrel of oil up to three percent; it also has some advantages in its molecule. Now that Highwater Ethanol is on board with the technology, its next step is to pursue permitting and begin retrofitting in 2013.

You can view Brian Kletscher’s presentation here and also listen to his remarks: click here: Highwater Ethanol Review of Isobutanol

ACE, advanced biofuels, Audio, biobutanol, Cellulosic, conferences, corn, Ethanol, Waste-to-Energy