Novozymes Introduces Latest Enzyme Technology

Novozymes has introduced its next-generation of enzyme technology for cellulosic biofuels, Cellic CTec3, an advanced cellulase and hemicellulase complex. The enzyme enables more cost-efficient conversion of biomass to ethanol and performs 1.5 times better than its predecessor, Cellic CTec2.
Novozymes
Using Cellic CTec3, biofuel producers need only one-fifth of the enzyme dose compared to competing enzymes. Cellic CTec3 allows the cost of producing ethanol from biomass to approach the level of corn ethanol and gasoline, according to the company.

“The first plants start commercial production of advanced biofuels this year,” says Novozymes’ CEO Steen Riisgaard. “Novozymes has signed supply deals with a number of the leading players in this field, and we’re thrilled to supply the enzymes that will enable an advanced biofuels industry and contribute to job creation, economic growth, and energy security. With our new product, Cellic CTec3, and the first plants starting commercial production, this is a huge step forward in the transition from an oil-based economy to a bio-based economy. We will continue to develop more efficient enzymes to further reduce the total cost of producing advanced biofuels.”

Among the first-movers are M&G and Fiberight. Both companies will use Cellic CTec3 in their operations and are set to begin production this year. M&G Group is scheduled to open a facility in Crescentino, Italy, producing 13 million gallons of ethanol per year from wheat straw, energy crops, and other locally available feedstocks. Fiberight will open a small-scale plant in Lawrenceville, Virginia, this year, and a plant producing 6 million gallons per year in Blairstown, Iowa, in 2013. Both plants will convert municipal solid waste into biofuel.

advanced biofuels, Cellulosic

Futurist Sees Future in Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

Futurist Dr. James Canton says the biggest national security risk today is what he calls the “Petro-Risk” – and only biofuels hold the key to alleviating that risk.

“Clearly, biofuels are the future,” Canton said Thursday at the opening session of the 17th annual National Ethanol Conference. “For all intents and purposes, there’s not an alternative energy that’s non-CO2 that is ready today other than biofuel and the only biofuel that can scale and give us the energy we need is ethanol.”

Canton told the ethanol industry to get ready for “the battle for the barrel” and consider a bolder future that includes a complete biofuels infrastructure. “You have to vertically and horizontally integrate to create the next energy grid, the next vehicles – a complete infrastructure,” he said.

Canton, founder of the Institute for Global Futures, says advanced biofuels will protect America’s future economy and security. “Think different, think big,” he says. “This petro-risk is going to continue and we need to be ready. Petro-risk is geopolitical suicide.”

Listen to Canton’s address to the NEC here: Dr. James Canton at 2012 National Ethanol Conference

2012 National Ethanol Conference Photo Album

Audio, biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, National Ethanol Conference, RFA

The State of the Ethanol Industry

Chuck Zimmerman

Hello from the 2012 National Ethanol Conference. At approximately 8:10am eastern time we’ll be broadcasting live the State of the Industry Address from Bob Dinneen, President/CEO or the Renewable Fuels Association. Just click on the player below to start the broadcast in your browser. We will record the address and post the recorded version afterward.

Post Update: Thanks to all who tuned in to our live broadcast. Here is the recording (started couple moments late). I’m adding the full audio for you to listen to shortly.

Listen to opening remarks from Chuck Woodside, RFA Chairman: Chuck Woodside Opening Remarks

Listen to State of Industry from Bob Dinneen with introduction by Chuck Woodside: Bob Dinneen State of Industry Address

The full text of the speech as prepared for delivery can be read here (pdf).

Check out our conference photos: 2012 National Ethanol Conference Photo Album

biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, National Ethanol Conference, RFA, Video

The National Ethanol Conference Outlook

Chuck Zimmerman

Renewable Fuels Association Chairman, Chuck Woodside (pictured right), CEO KAAPA Ethanol LLC, provides a look at the 2012 National Ethanol Conference in a short interview I conducted with him this morning just prior to the annual golf tournament. Chuck says there will be a lot of optimism and discussion about E15. In fact, he sees E15 as a big focus here and for the rest of this year.

You can listen to my interview with Chuck here: Interview with Chuck Woodside

I’ve also got a photo album started for the conference which Cindy and I will be adding to over the next several days. You can find it here: 2012 National Ethanol Conference Photo Album

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, National Ethanol Conference, RFA

Smartphones/Mobile Apps Are Where It’s At

Chuck Zimmerman

In our latest ZimmPoll we asked the question, “What’s the next “big” thing in ag comm/social media?” Your responses are: Smartphone/Mobile Apps at 49%; Pinterest at 17%; Farm reality tv show at 15%; Not created yet at 11%; Expanded 4G LTE at 4%; Mobile/Online games at 2% and Other at 2%. Surprised? Got any other ideas you’d like to share?

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “What will be planted this year?” We’re getting close to that time as National Agriculture Day is just around the corner. Let us know what you think.

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

ZimmPoll

GROWMARK Announces Dieselex Gold Reformulation

Cindy Zimmerman

GROWMARK and its member cooperatives are excited about the latest formulation of their flagship fuel, Dieselex Gold.

“It’s time to get excited and it’s time to show some passion,” said Kevin Carroll, GROWMARK Vice President for Energy, at the new reformulation “Gold Rush” kick off event for FS member cooperatives in East Peoria on Tuesday.

“Dieselex Gold is a product that has it’s beginning roots at least as Dieselex back in 1952,” he continued. “It really goes back to the beginning of our system, which was founded to provide quality petroleum products to our farmer patrons.” Carroll got a kick out of showing the 400 attendees at the event a receipt for the purchase of Dieselex from 1959. “Can you believe Dieselex at that time was under 15 and a half cents a gallon?”

Kevin Carrol opening remarks

Four specific areas were upgraded in the new Dieselex Gold formulation – detergency, corrosion inhibitors, stabilizing agents, and demulsifiers. In combination, these work together to fight sticky deposits known as Internal Diesel Injector Deposits (IDID) and improve the performance of ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD) and biodiesel blended fuels.


Dieselex Gold Rush Photos

Audio, Biodiesel, FS Energy, GROWMARK

2012 National Ethanol Conference Fueled With Pride

Chuck Zimmerman

The 2012 National Ethanol Conference is ready to go at the Gaylord Palms near Orlando, FL. Your Domestic Fuel team will be on location once again. I got in this afternoon and Cindy gets in late tomorrow.

We’ll be bringing you the sights and sounds of the conference and stories where and when we find them. Right now we’re planning to live stream opening comments from Renewable Fuels Association President/CEO, Bob Dinneen on Thursday morning. More on that to come.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, National Ethanol Conference, RFA

Former Speaker of House on Energy Policy

Cindy Zimmerman

The 59th Speaker of the House, who played an active role in the development of current energy policy, spoke about leadership and the importance of the nation’s energy security during an appearance at the GROWMARK, FS System “Gold Rush” event in East Peoria, Illinois to introduce re-formulated Dieselex Gold.

Dennis Hastert, a native of Illinois, told the group that growing up on a farm taught him the responsibility and leadership that helped serve him well in public life. He spoke of being an “accidental Speaker” and becoming a “war-time Speaker” after 9/11.

When asked by a member of the audience about energy policy, Hastert was adamant about the importance of renewable fuels and ethanol in particular. “We need to use ethanol,” he said. “I fought for ethanol from the time that I was in Congress for 15 years and finally got through the Ways and Means Committee along with a guy named Nussle from Iowa and we got ethanol with the tax credits so it could be a viable product. If we sit back and don’t do anything about it, we’re going to lose it.”

Listen to Speaker Hastert’s address to the FS Gold Rush event: Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert

I also had the opportunity to interview Hastert after his address about his comments, energy and farm policy. Listen to that interview here: Dennis Hastert Interview
See photos from the FS Dieselex Gold Rush event

Audio, Energy, Ethanol, Ethanol News, FS Energy, Government, GROWMARK

AEC Asks EPA Not to Grant Waiver to Oil Industry

RFA AECThe Advanced Ethanol Council (AEC) is asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) not to grant a retroactive waiver to the oil industry for the cellulosic requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in 2011.

Under the 2011 RFS, the EPA required petroleum refiners and importers to blend 6.6 million gallons of cellulosic biofuels in 2011 or buy waiver credits by the end of February 2012 to make up for the difference.

In January, trade groups for refiners and oil producers asked EPA for a waiver from that requirement, because of the absence of cellulosic biofuel production last year.

In a letter to the EPA, Brooke Coleman, Advanced Ethanol Council Executive Director, made very clear that Congress anticipated potential shortfalls in cellulosic ethanol production in the early years and created a mechanism, with the blessing of petroleum interests, to address such a situation.

“We are well‐aware that the commercialization of cellulosic biofuels is behind the schedule set forth by the federal RFS. However, Congress anticipated the inevitable uncertainties and variability inherent with the commercialization of new technologies and set up a credit waiver system to account for variances from the established schedule for advanced biofuels,” wrote Coleman.

Coleman says the purpose of the RFS was to be forward-looking and drive the commercialization of new renewable fuel technology. Moreover, Coleman notes, oil interests and other obligated parties have multiple options available to them to comply with RFS mandated volumes.

Read the entire letter here.

AEC, Cellulosic, Ethanol, Oil

Marinette, Wis. Using Propane Autogas Police Cruiser

The City of Marinette, Wis. Police Department is driving a propane autogas cruiser to save taxpayer dollars and use a clean-burning fuel alternative. With an estimated savings of more than $25 each time the vehicle refills, the city will potentially save $5,000 in fuel costs annually with just one propane vehicle on the road.

Charter Fuels, a Wisconsin-based partner in the national Alliance AutoGas network, coordinated the vehicle conversion and will provide clean-burning, affordable autogas fuel as part of the Alliance AutoGas complete program for fleets. Charter also held a training session to show Marinette police how to safely, effectively operate and fuel the new autogas-powered Ford Crown Victoria.

“We are extremely pleased to help the Marinette Police Department run on the most cost-effective alternative fuel technology on the market today,” said Bill Langlois of Charter Fuels. “The city will cut fuel costs by thousands of dollars, and the savings will be even greater if gasoline prices reach the $4 mark this year as many predict.”

Autogas is historically around $1 per gallon less than gasoline, and autogas fleets also report savings from reduced vehicle maintenance needs because autogas burns cleaner. Autogas conversions from Alliance utilize the bi-fuel Prins Vapor Sequential Injection (VSI) system, which allows drivers to revert to gasoline if an autogas fueling station cannot be reached when the tank is running low. The unique ability of the vapor system to be transferred from one vehicle to another, unlike many propane-dedicated liquid systems on the market today, makes it an especially viable option for fleets.

“We were able to lock in the price of propane autogas for an entire year, and not having to worry about the fluctuating price of gasoline and what it has done to our budget in the recent past was a big plus,” said Lt. Bryan Knapp with the City of Marinette. “Autogas is also a cleaner-burning fuel, reducing emissions into the environment, as well as causing less wear and tear on the engine. The useful life of the oil, spark plugs and other engine components is extended, saving money on vehicle maintenance.”

Fleet, Propane