Will Drought Impact the Renewable Fuel Standard?

Melissa Sandfort

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Should nutrition programs be split out of the Farm Bill?”

Our poll results: Seventy-seven percent said yes and twenty-three percent said no. What do you think? With all those nutrition programs is it really a “farm” bill?

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “How will drought impact the Renewable Fuel Standard?” With corn prices up nearly 50 percent in the last month and forecasts saying it will go higher in the near future, this summer is proving to be a rough one. Here are a few more stats: 1,000 counties in 26 states are deemed “natural disaster areas” because of drought; 61 percent of the land in the lower 48 states is currently affected by drought; 30 percent of the corn crop is in poor or very poor condition. So what do you think – will the drought and effect on the corn crop impact the RFS?

ZimmPoll is sponsored by Rhea+Kaiser, a full-service advertising/public relations agency.

ZimmPoll

KiOR Receives Approval to Sell Cellulosic Fuel

Joanna Schroeder

KiOR has been granted Part 79 registration by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its renewable gasoline blendstock 5, or cellulosic gasoline. This step is required before the sale of the fuel to be used in motor vehicles becomes legal.

“Part 79 registration is a landmark for KiOR and the renewable sector, as KiOR’s gasoline is the first renewable cellulosic gasoline that the EPA has registered for sale in the United States,” said Fred Cannon, KiOR’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “With this registration, KiOR’s breakthrough cellulosic gasoline will be fueling cars of American consumers this year, providing a truly renewable fuel option that uses only sustainable non-food feedstock, reduces greenhouse gases, creates American jobs, and reduces our dependence on imported oil.”

The company’s first production facility is scheduled to begin production later this year in Columbus, Mississippi. Cannon says that the facility will provide 150 new jobs and produce enough fuel to meet the transportation needs to 20,000 area families.

Cannon added, “This facility demonstrates how the Renewable Fuels Standard and forward-thinking states like Mississippi can combine to make a positive impact on both domestic energy policy and local rural economies.”

advanced biofuels, blends, Cellulosic

Ethanol Safety Seminars Stop in Idaho

Joanna Schroeder

Idaho is the next stop on the tracks for the Ethanol Safety Seminar series hosted by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), Federal Railroad Association TRANSCAER and Eastern Idaho Railroad. The first FREE seminar will take place on August 7, 2012 at the College of Southern Idaho in the Taylor Building located in Twin Falls. The second FREE seminar will be held on August 9, 2012 at the Eastern Idaho Technical College in the Alex D. Creek Building in Idaho Falls.

There will be both morning and evening sessions at both locations. The early seminar begins at 9 am and ends at 2 pm and the evening session begins at 5:30 pm and ends at 10 pm.

This course was developed to give first responders, hazmat teams, and safety personnel an in-depth look at proper training techniques needed when responding to an ethanol-related emergency. Lunch and dinner will be provided. Click here to register.

Education, Ethanol, RFA

DHL Express Integrates Propane Into Fleet

Joanna Schroeder

DHL Express is adding 100 propane autogas vans into its fleet. The Ford E-250 cargo vans will be on the road by the end of August 2012 and were outfitted with ROUSH CleanTech liquid propane autogas fuel systems. The vans will be operating in California, Florida, Georgia, Missouri and Texas.

“Customers in the U.S. and worldwide are increasingly demanding greener logistics and sustainable business procedures,” said Ian Clough, CEO of DHL Express U.S. “Initiatives like our all ‘green’ fleet in Manhattan and this propane autogas fleet not only lower our DHL carbon footprint, but are a smart, clean and cost-effective choice for our business.”

“Greener” vehicles are not new to DHL Express. As part of its GOREEN program, they are currently operating propane vehicles in Ohio, Tennessee and Louisiana. The goal of the program is to improve the company’s worldwide carbon efficiency 30 percent by 2020 using 2007 emissions as its baseline. According to ROUSH, the use of propane autogas in each van saves nearly 22,587 pounds of CO2 emission each year.

DHL Express will both use current propane infrastructure as well as add additional infrastructure to meet its needs. ROUSH says that the infrastructure for propane autogas is less expensive than any other alternative fuel, and propane autogas has the largest alternative public refueling infrastructure.

Propane

Biodiesel Gains New ASTM Standard

John Davis

In a bid to better meet the needs of customers, the biodiesel industry sought out and gained approval of a new voluntary No. 1-B grade for B100 from the ASTM D2 Committee on Petroleum Products and Lubricants. This news release from the National Biodiesel Board says the new standard will help make the green fuel better for customers with Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) and new diesel engine and after-treatment technology:

“The biodiesel industry took a proactive stance to improve the standards governing America’s Advanced Biofuel,” said Joe Jobe, CEO of the National Biodiesel Board. “For the large majority of biodiesel users, the current standard along with conventional industry management practices allow for biodiesel blend use year-round, even in extreme climates.” ASTM D6751, the ASTM standard for pure biodiesel (B100) prior to blending, was modified to create a new voluntary No. 1-B grade. The new grade provides more stringent controls for minor components in raw materials used to make biodiesel, such as vegetable oils and animal fats. The specification values of the current standard will become the No. 2-B grade in D6751 without change. Producers or blenders can continue to utilize the current specification under the No. 2-B grade at any time of the year exactly as done today, or they may opt to use the more stringent No 1-B grade. The finished blended fuel standards—D975 for on/off road diesel up to 5% biodiesel (B5), D7467 for B6-B20 on/off road applications, and D396 for heating oil up to 5% biodiesel—do not change. B100 used for D975, D7467, and D396 must continue to meet D6751 (either the No. 1-B or the No. 2-B grade) prior to blending.

The No. 1-B and No. 2-B designations are in line with the current No. 1 and No. 2 diesel fuel categories. This new designation stems from a handful of cases with the new Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel fuel experiencing un-expected filter clogging above the cloud point of the finished blend.

Biodiesel, NBB

iDiverse’s New Yeast Gene Boosts Ethanol Production

John Davis

Officials with biotech company iDiverse say they have discovered a yeast gene that can increase ethanol production yield by up to 34 percent:

“The gene functions by protecting the yeast against some of the lethal stresses encountered in the bioproduction process,” said John Serbin, Chief Business Officer at iDiverse. “In its current embodiment, it allows yeast to produce significantly more ethanol under the severe conditions of high concentrations of acetic acid and low pH. These critical conditions occur when fuel ethanol is produced from corn or sugarcane and are yet more severe in the newest generation of fermentation processes using lignocellulosic biomass as feedstock. Our constructs have been tested in several commercial yeasts. We believe that they can improve the performance of any yeast facing lethal bioproduction environments.”

Officials say the economic impact of this new gene could be huge, especially for the cellulosic ethanol industry, as well as other applications, such as the bioproduction of industrial enzymes, research reagents, and pharmaceuticals.

Ethanol, Ethanol News

Ag Chief: Biodiesel Driving, Revitalizing Rural Economy

John Davis

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack traveled back to Iowa today, praising biodiesel in his home state for driving and revitalizing rural America’s economy. In remarks during a meeting with Iowa biodiesel and farm industry representatives at the Soy Energy biodiesel production facility in Mason City, the USDA chief pointed to the green fuel as a demonstration of farmers bouncing back, according to this Iowa Biodiesel Board news release.

“This is the resilient face of agriculture we see here today,” Vilsack said, flanked by Soy Energy plant workers. “Biodiesel plants like this one are getting America back in the business of manufacturing. They are creating jobs and revitalizing the rural economy.”

The Iowa Biodiesel Board thanked the Secretary for his remarks and for his steadfast support of biodiesel.

“Iowa’s leadership in renewable energy production shows what we as a nation are capable of in building energy security and green jobs, and we’re equipped to do even more,” said Randy Olson, executive director of the Iowa Biodiesel Board.

Those meeting with Vilsack pressed for more gallons of biodiesel under the Renewable Fuel Standard-2 (RFS-2). The EPA wants to go from 1 billion gallons this year to 1.28 billion gallons in 2013, what the Iowa biodiesel industry sees as a modest increase from last year’s record nearly 1.1 billion gallons of production.

The Iowa Biodiesel Board points out that Soy Energy, LLC is a “multi-feedstock” plant, capable of producing biodiesel from many different fats and vegetable oils, including corn oil left over from ethanol production.

Biodiesel, Soybeans, USDA

Vilsack to Keynote American Coalition for Ethanol Conference

John Davis

News just in to Domestic Fuel this morning: U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack will be the keynote speaker for the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) conference, August 8-10, 2012 in Omaha, Nebraska.

“The Secretary has been the most effective spokesperson for ethanol in the administration,” Brian Jennings, Executive Vice President for ACE, told me in an interview, previewing the 25th anniversary of ACE’s conference. The theme this year is “Proud History, Bright Future.” He said they will be talking about some of the timely topics affecting ethanol producers, especially the issue surrounding E15 this summer. There will be at least two sessions dedicated to E15 on Thursday, August 9th. “We’ve got one of the best experts in the country right in our office to do that, [Senior Vice President] Ron Lamberty, who owns two gas stations himself.”

You can also register on location the days of the conference, but there is a discount for registering early. He adds that while so much is done online these days, this conference is a good opportunity to get some face-to-face time with an informal agenda and feel to the conference.

Cindy will be providing coverage from the conference. See you in Omaha!

Listen to my interview with Brian here: Brian Jennings, Executive Vice President, ACE

ACE, conferences, Ethanol, Ethanol News

EM Biofuels Rolls Out RINPlus

Joanna Schroeder

EM Biofuels LLC is rolling out RINPlus, a web-based platform that tracks the origin of Renewable Identification Numbers (RIN). The company says the platform will enable obligated parties to verify the genealogy of all RINs from feedstock to RIN generation and separation. RINPlus will document many areas including:

  • Facility’s engineering review
  • Corporate formation documents and operating permits
  • Validity checks including co-product monitoring, site audits and spot product testing

The system, according to EM Biofuels, will give obligated parties the due diligence and supporting documentation needed to ensure RINS are valid and meet RFS2 requirements.

“We began working with both producers and obligated parties in 2011, listening to their concerns and incorporating their ideas regarding the specific aspects a RIN assurance platform needed to address. The end result is a platform that has the capacity to become a secure and efficient marketplace for RINs,” said Ken Nelson, Senior Vice President of EM Biofuels.

The tool integrates real-time with a fuel producers’ facility operations. In addition, it allows the user to create reports summarizing their RIN portfolio and includes supporting documentation. EM Biofuels plans to launch additional functionality to the RINPlus platform in early 2013.

Biodiesel, biofuels, Ethanol

Elliott Sadler Wins STP 300

Chuck Zimmerman

Ethanol had another victory on the NASCAR track today when Elliott Sadler won the Nationwide Series STP 300. The race came out of caution with two laps to go so it made for an exciting finish. Placing 4th today was master agvocate Kenny Wallace, spokesperson for the Illinois Corn Growers Family Farmers.

After the race I asked Elliott what he thinks about racing on a fuel that’s made in part by Illinois corn
growers. He says the initiative that NASCAR has taken to go green in the last couple years is a great one. Since the track is surrounded by corn and soybeans he says, “It’s neat to see something in the field growing. I’m a farmer at home too.”

Then Richard Childress, RCR Racing, chimed in. “In NASCAR we’ve put in almost 4 million miles or maybe a little over by now on E15, American Ethanol blend of fuel. That says a lot for what E15 can do for your car.”

Listen to Elliott and Richard’s remarks here: Elliott Sadler & Richard Childress on Ethanol

Illinois Corn Growers NASCAR Weekend Photo Album

Audio, Ethanol, NASCAR