Driving The Bioeconomy Highway

Joanna Schroeder

The National Bioeconomy Blueprint was recently released by the Obama Administration.  The report outlines the steps that agencies need to take to drive the bioeconomy highway.  The Administration recognized the growing sector has a priority due to its potential for growth and job creation.  The bioeconomy will also help drive new sources of bioenergy, improve the agricultural industry, change the face of manufacturing and address key environmental issues, among other benefits.

America’s economy is slowing transforming to a biobased economy.  “Home-grown” bioproducts already developed include food, feed and fiber as well as chemical substitutes for petroleum-based products; yet the industry has barely emerged. Research is critical to the future of the industry, but it is also important, according to the report, to equip the workforce with the education, training and skills they need to have thriving careers in the sector.

Another step that needs to be taken is to reduce the troublesome regulatory barriers in order to accelerate the advancement of bioinventions and bring them to market.  There are concerns, both health and ethical, that are a result of work being done with biological systems.

The Bioeconomy Blueprint outlines “five strategic imperatives” for a bioeconomy with the potential to generate new markets and economic growth:

  • Support R&D investments that will provide the foundation for the future bioeconomy.
  • Facilitate the transition of bioinventions from research lab to market, including an increased focus on translational and regulatory sciences.
  • Develop and reform regulations to reduce barriers, increase the speed and predictability of regulatory processes, and reduce costs while protecting human and environmental health.
  • Update training programs and align academic institution incentives with student training for national workforce needs.
  • Identify and support opportunities for the development of public-private partnerships and precompetitive collaborations—where competitors pool resources, knowledge, and expertise to learn from successes and failures.

In conclusion, the Blueprint calls upon Federal agencies to accelerate their support of the bioeconomy sector for the benefit of the country.

advanced biofuels, biochemicals, bioenergy, biomaterials, Government

Trina Solar Donates Solar Panels to Lung Association

Joanna Schroeder

It’s good that not all things good for the environment happen on Earth Day only. Recently, Trina Solar announced that they will be donating 10.5 kW of solar modules for the offices of the American Lung Association of California.  Everyday Energy will install the cost-saving solar system, and solar distributor Sonepar will provide the balance of system equipment for the project.  The announcement came hand-in-hand with the Lung Association’s release of its State of the Air report.

“Clean renewable technologies like solar energy help reduce the serious health threat of air pollution,” said Jane Warner, President and CEO of the American Lung Association in California. “We thank Trina Solar for making this generous donation to help our organization put our energy use where our lungs are.”

The report shows that although clean air laws and investments have helped to decrease ozone and particulate matter, there is still work do be done – air pollution is still a problem for millions of Californians.  This message seems to be a good fit for Trina Solar, the company’s efforts to improve its manufacturing footprint have resulted in an approximately 60 percent reduction in energy and water use per unit of solar power manufactured.

Delette Olberg, U.S. Director of Public Affairs for Trina Solar said of the donation, “Solar power is an effective solution to the critical issues facing the nation’s population and environment. We are committed to developing high-quality panels that provide an alternative to fossil fuel energy and are proud to partner with Sonepar and Everyday Energy to help the American Lung Association fight for cleaner air.”

Electricity, Energy, Environment, Solar

Blue Star Gas Hosts Panel at GoGreen Conference

At the GoGreen ’12 Seattle conference last week, Blue Star Gas hosted a panel discussing the most clean, cost-effective alternative vehicle fuel options for fleets, like propane autogas.
Blue Star Gas is the West Coast fuel provider of the national Alliance AutoGas network. The GoGreen ’12 Seattle Conference, held at the Washington State Convention Center, is designed to educate, motivate and inspire business leaders to take their green programs to the next level by giving them actionable steps to make their organizations more sustainable.

The Blue Star Gas panel, “Green Your Fleet: Integrating Alternative Vehicle Strategies into Your Business,” provided expert insight on how switching fleets to operating on alternative fuels can help businesses cut back on fuel and maintenance costs while also reducing their carbon footprint. Participants included representatives from the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, Waste Management, and the fleets of Seattle Children’s Hospital and Coinstar/Redbox.

“Switching to propane autogas is an affordable way for businesses to green their fleets and start saving on fuel costs right away, but many may not realize propane vehicle fuel is an option,” said Darren Engle, marketing director of Blue Star Gas and also chairman of the Propane Education and Research Council’s Research and Technology Development Working Group. “Not only does running on an American-made clean fuel like propane autogas significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and harmful pollutants, it also allows fleets to avoid the gasoline price spikes we have come to expect year after year.”

Fleets running on autogas are currently saving more than $1.25 per gallon compared to gasoline, and autogas is 30 percent cleaner. Propane autogas is the most widely used alternative fuel in the world, powering more than 17 million vehicles globally. With 98 percent of the U.S. autogas supply produced in North America, autogas plays a vital role in enhancing national energy security.

advanced biofuels, Fleet, Propane

Energy “Partisan Divide” Is A Myth

Joanna Schroeder

According to a new survey, those who believe clean energy support is divided among party lines are wrong.  Instead the survey found that the majority of Republicans, Independents and Democrats believe that the U.S. should transition away from dirty energy sources to clean energy sources.  The survey was conducted by OCR International on behalf of the Civil Society Institute (CSI).

One finding: 76 percent of Americans, including 58 percent Republicans, 88 percent Democrats and 83 percent Independents, said the U.S. should embrace sustainable energy through “a reduction in our reliance on nuclear power, natural gas and coal, and instead, launch a national initiative to boost renewable energy and energy efficiency.”

A few other interesting findings:

  • People don’t believe investment for clean energy should be put on hold during the economic crisis.
  • People believe the energy industry’s extensive and well funded public relations campaign, lobbying and campaign contributions are a major barrier to moving beyond business as usual when it comes to America’s energy policy.
  • People believe the time is now for a new, grassroots-driven politics to realize a renewable energy future.
  • People believe water use should be a factor in development of different types of clean energy.
  • People believe sources such as wind and solar should be developed before sources such as nuclear energy.

Another nugget I pulled out for our audience: “A majority of Americans (81%) think the other energy producing options should be explored first before biomass energy production is explored.” Only 14 percent are in favor of proceeding with biomass energy production before other options are explored.

A conclusion derived from the survey said Pam Solo, founder and president of Civil Society Institute, is that people are ready for leadership and they want a clean energy path that will protect public health including air and water. “Our survey is a call to action: Americans across the political spectrum think that it is time for decisive action toward a renewable energy future that will protect health and provide reliable and cost effective energy.”

“Americans believe the partisan gridlock can only be challenged by a grassroots-driven process that challenges the undue political influence of the fossil fuel and nuclear power interests,” added Solo.

biomass, Energy, energy efficiency, Solar, Wind

Bioheat Part of Atlantic Region Energy Expo

Bioheat® is now be part of the largest energy events in the Northeast as they will join the Atlantic Region Energy Expo, reflecting a unique partnership with the National Biodiesel Board. The Atlantic Region Energy Expo and Bioheat is hosting the AREE 2012 event in Atlantic City, New Jersey, May 1 – 3. The conference, billed as the best energy, petroleum and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) industry tradeshow in the Northeast, will explore the evolving world of home and building comfort, efficiency and environmental responsibility.

The event features an educational track of five Bioheat sessions, which do not require a registration fee, thanks to funding from the South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council.

“We’re proud that AREE is the first industry trade show and convention officially combining traditional fuels with the renewable biodiesel found in Bioheat,” said Eric DeGesero, executive vice president, Fuel Merchants Association of New Jersey. The association was the catalyst for the founding of AREE 19 years ago. “But this represents more than a conference name change. It’s a sign of changing times for oilheat dealers, who recognize that Bioheat is their best option to adapt their businesses in the 21st century.”

The need for change is a powerful theme at this year’s conference as the oilheat industry works to remain competitive. That’s why the Bioheat team, led by Paul Nazzaro, the National Biodiesel Board’s liaison to the petroleum industry, is bringing in a keynote speaker to talk about change at the event. Michael Rogers, a renowned technology author and futurist, most recently served as futurist-in-residence for The New York Times. He focuses on how companies can think about the future in useful ways.

“As their market share contracts, doing nothing is not an option for oilheat dealers,” Nazzaro said. “Bioheat is the first real opportunity for them to make a progressive shift in decades. Bioheat is a more desirable product to their customers, offering enhanced energy security, benefits to health and the environment, and American jobs.”

Biodiesel, bioenergy, conferences

Protec Fuel Launches New Web Site

Just in time to celebrate Earth Week, Protec Fuel Management, a turnkey E85 ethanol company specializing in station conversions and fuel distribution nationwide, has a new web site.

The site features a new logo and look, social media links, and a press page, just to name a few. E85 fuel can run in gasoline flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs), is better for the environment and supports our U.S. and local economies.

ProtecFuel.com differentiates between how it can serve fuel retailers, fleets and distributors, as well as showcases the.risk management side of its business and its management team. It also coordinates its new, green-colored logo with the site.

Protec Fuel, based in Florida, manages E85 installations and provides fuel for convenience stores and other companies’ greener burning fuel offerings. E85 is a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.

“We are pleased to offer an updated web site to our customers and those interested in the E85 industry this Earth Day week,” said Todd Garner, CEO of Protec Fuel. “We hope that people look into ways to become more Earth-friendly this week, and our Web site is now more accessible to all.”

Company Announcement, Ethanol

New Tool for Solar, Wind Projects on Contaminated Site

Joanna Schroeder

A series of “decision trees” are now available to help companies develop projects on contaminated lands owned by the Bureau of Land Management. Developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) along with the Department of Energy (DOE), the decision trees can be used to evaluate sites for renewable energy development ranging from solar to wind to geothermal and everything in between.  There are nearly 490,000 sites and 15 million acres across America that may be options for renewable energy projects.

EPA spokesperson Mary Simms, said of the decision trees, “They can be used for evaluating former coal mine sites and nuclear waste sites.  This decision tree targets sites such as brownfields, Superfund sites, RCRA sites, mining sites, landfills, abandoned parcels, parking lots, and commercial or industrial rooftops. Coal mines and nuclear waste sites are potentially contaminated lands that fit within the list of targeted sites.”

Another advantage of the decision trees is that they can show project financiers, without needing to have specific renewable energy expertise, that the sites have already been pre-screened by a set of standard factors. This tool can save both time and money – a site assessment alone traditionally costs between $1,000 to $2,000. However, the tool does not eliminate the need for further investigation once you have your eye on a tract of land.

Simms said there are some benefits of choosing contaminated lands. One, they may be cheaper to lease for purposed of renewable energy projects, especially if the site still needs a bit of cleanup.  Second, they may already have power infrastructure in place on the land or nearby. Third, the renewable energy can be used to power the cleanup.

For more information on the decision trees, click here. The EPA is hosting a webinar on May 22, 2012 at 2 pm EST to help local governments get renewable energy projects built on contaminated land in their community.

Electricity, Energy, Geothermal, Government, Solar, Wind

HERO BX Adopts New Biodiesel Technology

Joanna Schroeder

HERO BX has adopted a new biodiesel technology developed by Arisdyne Systems called the Controlled Flow Cavitation (CFC) process, which reduces catalyst consumption by more than 25%. This also contributes to the reduction of monoglycerides.  These two factors have helped HERO BX reduce costs and produce better biodiesel.

“HERO BX and Desmet Ballestra worked together with Arisdyne to test Arisdyne’s cavitation process. After two months of testing, we proved that the technology demonstrated significant cost savings, streamlined operations and improved overall output of biodiesel at our plant,” said John Schenker, plant manager of HERO BX.

The CFC process creates intense energy peaks that result in nano-sized droplets.  This enables a more effective mass transfer for instantaneous transesterification, or biodiesel production.  Ultimately this leads to greater catalyst savings.  According to Arisdyne, the technology can be used in most biodiesel plant and can be installed without having to shut down production.

“In today’s weak economic conditions, margin improvement is everything,” said Dr. Peter Reimers, president and CEO of Arisdyne. “CFC can be applied to the entire value chain for Oleochemical processes starting with yield enhancement in the refining/degumming step and now as well in biodiesel catalyst savings.  Having catalyst savings and yield improvements in degumming, neutralization of crude oils is crucial to the oils and fat processing industries.”

Biodiesel, biofuels

EcoEngineers Launches New RIN Service

Joanna Schroeder

A new Renewable Identification Number (RIN) pricing service has been launched by EcoEngineers Indexing Services LLC.  According to the company, the daily index is based on continuously updated pricing data submitted by biofuels brokers, marketers, obligated parties, and producers.  The company already offers third-party data verification and distribution and this new service expands their business into pricing data.

“Our existing relationships in the marketplace have resulted in a robust sourcing of data for the compilation of the daily index,” said Shashi Menon, Managing Partner of EcoEngineers.  “RINS are a critical component of biofuel economics.  A reliable RIN index will lead to the eventual formation of a RINSWAP and allow industry to freely enter into over-the-counter swap transactions against the Eco indices.”

In a statement, EcoEngineers said it has compiled historical RIN data back to July 2010. As a result, they are able to provide comprehensive reports on historical price movements as well as daily and monthly averages.

In addition, the company said it is in discussions with the CME group to clear it indices. Menon said of the talks, “Being able to clear the Eco indices will allow the market to operate in an environment where counter party credit risk is virtually eliminated, and we are excited to move forward with this initiative.”

Biodiesel, biofuels, Ethanol

Biodiesel Industry Urges Renewal of Tax Incentive

Cindy Zimmerman

The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) called on Congress this week to reinstate the biodiesel tax incentive “to avoid further disruption to an emerging American industry that is creating jobs across the country while diversifying U.S. energy supplies.”

In written testimony submitted to the House Ways and Means Committee’s Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures for a hearing on expiring tax provisions, NBB Vice President Anne Steckel emphasized that the biodiesel industry achieved record production of nearly 1.1 billion gallons last year before the $1-per-gallon tax incentive expired on Dec. 31. She urged lawmakers to pass an extension as quickly as possible to prevent a drop in production and potential layoffs.

“This is a bipartisan tax provision that is a proven job-creator and has strong support in Congress,” Steckel said. “With petroleum prices where they are now, we shouldn’t need any reminders about how important it is to continue developing new American energy sources.”

Biodiesel, Government, NBB