Navy Announces Unmanned Flight On Biofuel

Cindy Zimmerman

The Navy has reached a milestone in the quest to gain energy independence with the first unmanned biofueled flight of an MQ-8B Fire Scout at Webster Field in St. Inigoes, Md. The unmanned helicopter was fueled with a combination of JP-5 aviation fuel and plant-based camelina.

The MQ-8B Fire Scout Vertical Take-Off and Landing Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle provides critical situational awareness, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and targeting data to the forward deployed warfighter. Fire Scout is designed to operate from all air capable ships and is currently providing ISR support during its first-land based deployment in U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.

Fire Scout is the seventh aircraft to demonstrate the versatility of biofuel through its use in all facets of naval aviation. The completion of aircraft biofuel testing at Pax River is another example of the Navy’s determination in achieving its goal of launching the “Great Green Fleet.”

Watch the YouTube video of the successful biofueled UAV flight here:

advanced biofuels, Government

BIO Encourages Commercializing Advanced Biofuels for Military

Cindy Zimmerman

BIOAdvanced biofuels can be commercialized rapidly for military use, on military timelines, with adequate support and coordination of efforts by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Defense and Energy, according to comments submitted by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) to the Air Force’s Request for Information on the commercial status and market for advanced drop-in biofuels.

“The U.S. military and the nation as a whole face a significant national security threat from U.S. dependence on foreign sources of energy and ongoing price volatility. The military requires access to adequate fuel supplies in strategic locations, and biorefineries producing advanced biofuels from multiple feedstocks represent perhaps the best option for meeting this military need,” said Brent Erickson, executive vice president of BIO’s Industrial & Environmental Section.

Erickson noted that while individual advanced biofuel producers have achieved milestones toward commercial development of a diverse array of feedstock and technology combinations, full commercialization has been limited by the severely constrained market for private capital. “Coordination of efforts by the USDA, DOE and DOD to address the market challenges could significantly accelerate production of the volumes necessary to meet the energy security needs of the U.S. military,” Erickson said. “Some advanced biofuel companies already have worked with the Department of Defense (DOD) or with commercial airlines to test and certify advanced biofuel/petroleum blends, and more are poised to do so.”

advanced biofuels, BIO, biofuels, biojet fuel

Farm Foundation Hosts Renewable Energy Webinar

Cindy Zimmerman

The use of anaerobic digesters for livestock operations in the Southwest is the focus of the Renewable Energy Education Field Day webinar planned for later this month.

The webinar will be presented on Wednesday October 26 and will examine technical, environmental and financial factors to consider when installing an anaerobic digester on a livestock operation and specifically the use of digesters with dry manure and the unique environmental issues and climatic conditions of the Southwest.

The virtual Field Day is free of charge and targeted to dairy and beef producers in New Mexico, Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Representatives of environmental and agricultural organizations working with livestock producers, as well as staff from state and federal agencies, are also encouraged to participate.

farmfoundationlogo3The webinar’s origination site will be the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum, Las Cruces, N.M., where anyone interested in the area is invited to attend live. Five viewing sites have been set up across the Southwest at Lamar Community College, Lamar, Colo.; Otero County Extension Office, Rocky Ford, Colo.; Arizona State University, Polytechnic Campus, Mesa, Ariz.; the U.S. EPA Region 9 Office, San Francisco, Calif.; and the Texas A&M’s AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Amarillo, Texas. Additional sites may be added.

Farm Foundation, NFP is organizing this webinar in collaboration with USDA Rural Development, USDA’s Office of Energy Policy and New Uses, and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. There is no charge to participate in this webinar, but registration is required by going to the FarmFoundation.org website. This is the second Renewable Energy Education Field Day presented by Farm Foundation, NFP and USDA agencies. Biomass was the subject of the first Field Day in November 2010.

biodigester, biogas, biomethane, dairy, Energy, Farm Foundation, Webinar

Southeast Partnership Formed for Biomass Development

Cindy Zimmerman

Development of biomass for energy in the southeast was also included in the USDA grants announced this week in the Pacific Northwest.

Among the grants is $15 million for research to be led by the University of Tennessee to develop sustainable feedstock production systems using switchgrass and woody biomass that will “produce low-cost, easily converted sugars for biochemical conversion to butanol, lignin byproducts and forest and mill residues, and dedicated energy crop feedstocks to produce diesel, heat and power.” Created to implement the research project is the Southeast Partnership for Integrated Biomass Supply Systems (IBSS) and one of the core partners of that group is ArborGen, a South Carolina-based company that specializes in the development and commercialization of technologies that improve the productivity of trees for wood, fiber and energy.

According to ArborGen officials, the company’s expertise will be utilized to explore the performance and cost advantages of short-rotation woody crops such as Eucalyptus, Pine and Poplar, matching the economic and environmental performance of each feedstock with a preferred conversion platform.

ArborGen’s focus in the IBSS partnership will be on optimizing wood characteristics for optimal conversion to advanced “drop in” biofuels and on developing sustainable methods for harvesting, transporting and storing purpose grown trees. ArborGen will also work closely with IBSS on ensuring that technology developed at IBSS will benefit rural economies. A key component of the IBSS partnership will be to ensure that information is developed to help land owners, rural communities and the emerging biofuels industry make decisions that promote sustainable development.

advanced biofuels, biomass, Research, USDA

SunPower Opens Biodiesel Fueling Station in Duluth

Cindy Zimmerman

SunPower Biodiesel has announced the opening of their first biodiesel fueling station in Minnesota.

The company’s original prototype FuelMaster® biodiesel station is located at SunPower’s production facility, based in Cumberland, Wisconsin. The newest addition is located in Duluth, MN and offers B99 (99% biodiesel and 1% petroleum diesel, the first station in Northern Minnesota to offer a B99 blend.

Jamie Helgeson of SunPower says they are excited to share the benefits of SunPower Premium Cold Flow Biodiesel with Northern Minnesota. “You can expect cooler running engines, ten times the lubrication of regular diesel, higher cetane and longer engine and parts life.”

According to the company, as the temperatures get colder, SunPower adapts by offering a winter blend of biodiesel, which also contains a fuel additive and has been tested to operate down to -30°F. SunPower Biodiesel, LLC produces premium cold flow biodiesel made mostly of canola, which maintains many of its cold flow properties when converted into biodiesel.

Biodiesel

Indiana Corn Growers Offer Ethanol Blender Pump Grants

Cindy Zimmerman

Hoosier consumers will soon be seeing new flex fuel pumps at fuel retailers across the state thanks to a new program launched by the Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC).

The Flex Fuel Pump Program, unveiled during the Indiana Ethanol Forum in Indianapolis earlier this summer, awarded cost-share dollars to Indiana fuel retailers looking to install flex fuel pumps.

Recipients of the grants include Little Point Auto and Truck Stop, Inc. in Stilesville; Austin West-Side Sunoco in Austin; Eddie’s Service, Inc., in West Baden; and Capital Express Mart, LLC in Granger. Each of the stations will receive up to $20,000 in grant funds from ICMC.

“Hoosier corn farmers believe consumers should have the opportunity to have choices at the gas pump when filling up their vehicles,” said David Howell, ICMC vice president and farmer from Middletown, Ind. “The Flex Fuel Pump Program allows consumers to select the type of ethanol blend they want to use in their flex fuel vehicle and take advantage of the potential cost benefits of using ethanol.”

Read more.

blends, corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News

Renewable Energy Group Transitions Leadership

Cindy Zimmerman

The board of Renewable Energy Group (REG) today announced the succession plan for a seamless transition of the company’s leadership positions. The board offered unanimous approval of Jeff Stroburg’s request to transition from the dual position of Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer to the sole role of Chairman of the Board. Daniel Oh, currently President and Chief Operating Officer, will transition to the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and President and join the Board of Directors.

According to a statement from the board, “Mr. Stroburg and Mr. Oh have worked together closely throughout the last six years to manage the company’s strategic development. With more than twelve years at the helm of the company and an impressive resume of agricultural and energy industry leadership, we are pleased Mr. Stroburg will remain on the board to share his vision and leadership as the Chairman.”

“Working closely with Mr. Stroburg has been a remarkable learning experience,” said Oh. “More than a decade ago he had a vision for a value-added agricultural business that would move our country away from imported petroleum. I look forward to maintaining our relationship as he continues to lend his experience and expertise as the Chairman of the Board.”

Mr. Stroburg currently serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of West Central Cooperative, one of the Midwest’s largest farmer-owned cooperatives.

REG recently re-opened a biodiesel plant near Albert Lea, MN. In a post from that event, you can listen to an interview with Dan Oh.

Biodiesel, REG

Sorghum Could be Aviation Biofuel Feedstock

Cindy Zimmerman

SorghumLouisiana State University is getting $17 million from USDA to study how to turn sugar cane and sorghum into biofuels.

The project is one of the five announced yesterday by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, focused on developing aviation biofuels from various types of biomass. “We have an incredible opportunity to create thousands of new jobs and drive economic development in rural communities across America by continuing to build the framework for a competitively-priced, American-made biofuels industry,” said Vilsack. “Over the past two years, USDA has worked to help our nation develop a national biofuels economy that continues to help us out-innovate and out-compete the rest of the world while moving our nation toward a clean energy economy.”

Through new and existing industrial partnerships, this project will use energy cane and sorghum to help reinvigorate the Louisiana sugar and chemical industries.

SorghumThis new project is in addition to a study funded this year at LSU by the Sorghum Checkoff to demonstrate sweet sorghum’s potential for significant yield in a relatively short growing period and its ability to be a steady feedstock supply for biorefineries through improved production management.

“Results from these studies would provide information producers need to most effectively plant and harvest sweet sorghum,” said Kun Jun Han, LSU sweet sorghum specialist. “It would also be useful to biofuel industry personnel when considering site locations, as well as local community leaders working to encourage biorefineries to locate in their area.”

Han said the study will investigate a wide range of planting dates for sweet sorghum to determine the impact on biofuel properties, such as biomass yield, sugar yield and fermentable sugar composition.

From mid-March to May 2011, sweet sorghum was planted at two-week intervals and again during June and July. Some sweet sorghum will be harvested in the early seedhead development stage, which should allow for multiple harvests per year. Meanwhile, other sorghum plants will be harvested at the more traditional stage of late seed development. Results from both harvests will be studied to find which is most effective.

Read more.

advanced biofuels, biofuels, biojet fuel, sorghum, USDA

USDA Announces New Aviation Biofuels Projects

Cindy Zimmerman

At the Seattle-Tacoma Airport on Wednesday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced five major agricultural research projects “aimed at developing regional, renewable energy markets, generating rural jobs, and decreasing America’s dependence on foreign oil.”

Altogether, the five-year program will deliver more than $136 million in research and development grants to public and private sector partners in 22 states. University partners from the states of Washington, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Iowa will lead the projects, which focus in part on developing aviation biofuels from tall grasses, crop residues and forest resources. Vilsack made the announcement with partners from private industry, research institutions, and the biofuels industry.

Among the five projects are two $40 million grants to Washington State University and the University of Washington to study the feasibility of producing jet biofuel from woody feedstocks in the Pacific Northwest. “This is a significant investment in biofuel production research, and the work at both Washington State University and the University of Washington will help ensure that Washington state remains a national leader in renewable energy research and development,” said U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA).

Senator Maria Cantwell added, “The investment announced today will leverage the resources of our entire region, helping build up a biofuels supply chain and boost clean energy job growth across the nation.”

The WSU project will focus on converting closed timber mills into bioenergy development centers to develop a regional source of renewable aviation fuel for the Sea-Tac Airport. Weyerhaeuser Company is a participant in the WSU project as part of the Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance. As a subcontractor to the WSU-led grant, Weyerhaeuser will focus on determining the feasibility of sustainable production of woody feedstocks for use in biofuel and value-added products and exploring ways to convert woody biomass lignin components into value-added bio products.

“This region has a wealth of research capability and knowledge,” said Sea-Tac Airport Managing Director Mark Reis. “We recognize in order for us to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we cannot do it without aviation biofuels.”

Read more here.

biofuels, biojet fuel, biomass, USDA

New DOE Report Asseses Energy Technology

Cindy Zimmerman

The U.S. Department of Energy has released a brand new report that recognizes the importance of renewable energy for the nation’s future.

The inaugural Quadrennial Technology Review report (DOE-QTR) is billed as “an assessment of the Department’s energy technology research and development portfolios” establishing a framework for energy technology activities and priorities.

“Innovation in energy technology is going to be central to solving our energy challenges,” said John P. Holdren, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. “New energy technologies can reduce the cost of energy services to firms and families, improve the productivity of manufacturing, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, increase the reliability and resilience of our energy infrastructure, and reduce the risks from climate change, even as they strengthen and sustain U.S. competitiveness in global markets.”

The DOE-QTR defines six key strategies: increase vehicle efficiency; electrification of the light duty fleet; deploy alternative fuels; increase building and industrial efficiency; modernize the electrical grid; and deploy clean electricity. According to the report, “Reliance on oil is the greatest immediate threat to U.S. economic and national security, and also contributes to the long-term threat of climate change.” The DOE-QTR promotes “out of the box” ideas for improving all types of energy alternatives, including battery and fuel cells, biofuels, solar, and wind, with a strong emphasis on modernization and efficiency.

Read the report here.

bioenergy, biofuels, Energy, energy efficiency, Government