Senators Receive Recognition for Ethanol Support

Cindy Zimmerman

Senators John Thune (R-SD) and Amy Klobuchar were recognized for their support of the ethanol industry today with the “Fueling Growth” award from Growth Energy during the ethanol organization’s second annual Legislative Conference in Washington D.C.

According to Growth Energy, the awards are meant to recognize the leadership of policy makers “in fostering our country’s energy independence, through the production and use of ethanol as a fuel to displace foreign oil.” Senator Thune is pictured here receiving the award from Growth Energy co-chairman Jeff Broin of POET. In the photo below, Sen. Klobuchar poses with members of Growth Energy attending the legislative conference.

“We are grateful for the leadership and wisdom of these leaders,” said Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis. “This award serves as a reminder of our gratitude, and our continuing efforts to make this country’s national security and economic security stronger through a robust and viable alternative, renewable fuels industry. With their votes and actions in Congress, and their leadership within the administration, these individuals demonstrated loyalty and devotion to the cause of American energy independence.”

The two senators jointly sponsored a bi-partisan effort earlier this year that would have generated $2.5 billion in deficit reduction by reforming the ethanol tax credit and investing in renewable fuels infrastructure. Growth Energy also honored Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack with a Fueling Growth award.

Ethanol, Government, Growth Energy

RFA Urges Super Committee to Look at Oil Subsidies

Cindy Zimmerman

Renewable Fuels Association LogoIn a letter to the co-chairs of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, the so-called “super committee” assigned to find ways to cut the deficit, the Renewable Fuels Association today urged them to “focus on comprehensive energy tax policy” rather than simply end the ethanol tax credit a week earlier than it is due to expire.

“On behalf of the more than 300 member companies of the Renewable Fuels Association, I write to strongly urge you to ignore calls from various special interests to repeal the current Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit, or VEETC,” RFA General Counsel Edward Hubbard wrote to Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Representative Jeb Hensarling (R-TX). Hubbard noted that while the ethanol industry had proposed ending the VEETC August 1st when it would have saved nearly $2 billion for the remainder of 2011, with a deadline of December 23rd deadline for congressional action for deficit reduction, “barely $100 million would be saved by ending VEETC before its scheduled expiration” on December 31.

Instead, RFA encourages the committee to “take a comprehensive look at all existing energy tax policies and eliminate those ongoing policies that serve only to pad the balance sheets of already profitable and very mature industries.”

If the committee is truly seeking to eliminate wasteful and market-distorting spending, we urge you to begin by rescinding permanent tax subsidies for the oil industry. Several tax loopholes, such as the Section 199 deduction for all oil and gas activity, the deduction for intangible drilling costs, and the depletion allowance for oil and gas wells, are available only to oil and gas companies and further strengthen the monopoly these companies have on the nation’s gasoline market. Removing these and other provisions would save at least $40 billion over the next decade – a pittance compared to the annual profits of oil companies – and significantly contribute to debt reduction efforts while simultaneously helping level the playing field for existing and emerging renewable fuel technologies.

Read the letter here.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government, RFA

USDA Studies Yeast and Enzymes for Ethanol Production

Cindy Zimmerman

USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists are studying a new yeast that could help make cellulosic ethanol production less expensive and a commercial enzyme that could reduce overall costs linked with producing ethanol from grain.

Molecular biologist Zonglin Lewis Liu with ARS’ National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research in Peoria found a biorefinery yeast that successfully ferments plant sugars from cornstalks, wheat straw, and other rough, fibrous, harvest-time leftovers into cellulosic ethanol. According to Liu, the yeast overcomes some of the troublesome compounds in these materials that are created during dilute acid pre-treatment of the crop leftover. The compounds tend to damage yeast cell walls and membranes, disrupt yeast genetic material such as DNA and RNA, and interfere with yeast enzymes’ fermentation abilities, ultimately reducing potential cellulosic ethanol yields.

In research that began in 2003, Liu and his colleagues have worked with dozens of strains of S. cerevisiae, a yeast species already used to make ethanol from plant starch to speed up the microbe’s natural adaptation to the hostile environment created by the inhibitors.

Meanwhile, other research being done at the ARS Eastern Regional Research Center in Pennsylvania is looking at a commercial enzyme that helps extract water from an ethanol byproduct used to make dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS). This could significantly reduce the amount of electricity, natural gas, energy and water needed for production of grain ethanol and its marketable byproducts.

The study was conducted at Center Ethanol Company in Sauget, Ill., a commercial facility that produces 54 million gallons of ethanol and 172,000 tons of DDGS every year from corn. In the study, the scientists added one pound of an experimental dewatering enzyme for each 1,000 pounds of corn. The enzyme was supplied by Genencor, a major developer and manufacturer of industrial enzymes that is now part of DuPont Industrial Biosciences. After the grain had been fermented into ethanol, the researchers transferred the leftover slurry of corn solids and water, called “stillage,” into a centrifuge, where much of the water was extracted.Read More

Cellulosic, Distillers Grains, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Natural Gas, Research, USDA

Consumer Fuel Choice Campaign Launched

Cindy Zimmerman

Ethanol, biodiesel, propane, natural gas, electricity – even regular gasoline – consumers should have choices at the pump and a new campaign is urging lawmakers in Washington to make that happen.

More than 20 worldwide leaders in the effort to commercialize next-generation transportation fuels today announced the new campaign, called FuelChoiceNow. Among the companies that have joined the effort are Abengoa Bioenergy, Battery Ventures, Propel Fuels, and Qteros.

“The purpose behind FuelChoiceNow is to promote consumer choice at the pump,” said Susan Hager, vice president of corporate communications and government affairs for Qteros. “The advocacy group does not promote one alternative fuel over another, we’re here to advocate for consumer choice.”

The group intends to educate and urge lawmakers to enact policies that promote open fuel markets in the United States. “Today in the United States, the transportation fuel market is not an open market, it’s not competitive,” Hager said. “What we’re advocating is room for innovation and new technologies for consumers to choose from.”

FuelChoiceNow has launched a website, along with a Facebook fan page and Twitter account, to encourage a grassroots effort toward expanding fuel choices.

Listen to or download interview with Susan Hager here. Susan Hager of Qteros

AEC, Audio, Biodiesel, biofuels, Cellulosic, Electric Vehicles, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Natural Gas, Propane

Biodiesel Adds Value to Minnesota Soybeans

Cindy Zimmerman

Fields of soybeans surround the newly re-opened Renewable Energy Group REG Albert Lea biodiesel plant in southern Minnesota, serving as a reminder of where the renewable fuel is rooted.

Chris Hill, a soybean farmer who serves on the board of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association and the Minnesota Biodiesel Council, is pleased to see the plant re-open because it really adds value to the soybeans he grows. “The National Biodiesel Board did a study taking into account the benefit of biodiesel, it can add approximately $2 to every bushel from the farm,” said Hill. “On a 500 acre farm, that’s roughly $5000 added income.”

Hill, pictured here on the left with REG president Dan Oh, says the economic benefits of biodiesel production in a rural community have a multiplier effect. “From the farmer, to the elevator to the tire salesman, to the people buying the biodiesel to blend it, for trucks and everything else, it just helps everybody,” Hill said, adding that it helps all of agriculture, including livestock producers who benefit because it helps reduce the cost of soybean meal.

Listen to or download interview with Chris Hill here. Minnesota Farmer Chris Hill

REG Albert Lea biodiesel plant photo album

Audio, Biodiesel, NBB, REG, Soybeans

Growth Energy Honors Vilsack for Ethanol Support

Cindy Zimmerman

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack addressed members of Growth Energy at their Second Annual Legislative Conference in Washington DC this morning and was honored with the ethanol organization’s “Fueling Growth” award for his dedication and support of domestic, renewable fuels. Vilsack (left) is pictured here receiving the award from Growth Energy Co-Chairman Jeff Broin of POET and CEO Tom Buis.

Vilsack congratulated Growth Energy for the work the organization has done to help the biofuels industry. “Were it not for your advocacy and your work, this industry would be in far worse shape politically than it is today,” Vilsack said. “You want to strengthen America? You want to create jobs? You better be a supporter of biofuels.”

Listen to or download Vilsack’s comments to Growth Energy here. Secretary Tom Vilsack at Growth Energy Conference

Ethanol, Growth Energy, USDA

Canadian Co-op Happy With Corn Demand

Chuck Zimmerman

Last week I attended the 2011 IFAJ Congress in Canada. This is the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists. One of our stops was the Hensall District Co-operative. We were welcomed by CEO, Earl Wagner, who gave us an overview of the various business units of the co-operative.

HDC is a diversified farmer-owned Ontario Agricultural Co-operative. Established in 1937, HDC is the largest independent agricultural co-operative in Ontario with 4000 members who elect 10 Board of Directors. HDC employs 300 staff members with annual sales of 328 million.

One of our group asked him if HDC had gotten into the ethanol production business and he said that they have not. However, they did sell some land a few years ago to GreenField Ethanol who intended to build a plant but to date hasn’t done so. HDC does sell corn and Earl says that the demand for corn for ethanol production has been a good thing. As you can see from the pumps at the home base location, they sell ethanol blended gasoline. You can listen to my interview with Earl here: Interview with Earl Wagner

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, International

Registration Open for 2012 National Ethanol Conference

Cindy Zimmerman

Registration is now open for the Renewable Fuels Association 17th Annual National Ethanol Conference – Accelerating Industry Innovation. The conference will be held February 22-24 in Orlando, Florida at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center.

The program will highlight how the industry has and continues to evolve to meet the demands of a rapidly changing marketplace. With federal policy changing, the global, market-driven environment in which the industry must compete comes with new market challenges. Industry leaders and experts will address how we are meeting these new demands by accelerating innovation in technology, marketing, logistics and feedstocks for the production of advanced ethanol.

More information can be found on the conference website – NationalEthanolConference.com.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, National Ethanol Conference, RFA

Urbee Car Unveiled At Winnipeg Art Gallery

Joanna Schroeder

What might the future of transportation look like if fossil fuels cease to exist? If mechanical engineer Jim Kor, along with 11 other engineers and designers, is correct it will look like the Urbee Car. This visionary vehicle is an electric-ethanol hybrid that has been under development since 1996 and was finally unveiled at the Winnipeg Art Gallery over the weekend.

This two-passenger, aerodynamic car is ultra-lightweight and requires only one-eighth the energy of a small, conventional car. It features a single-cylinder, eight-horsepower engine. And the body is manufactured with a three-dimensional printer, yet it’s set to last up to three decades. What else is different about this car? It has no trunk.

Kor, president of Kor EcoLogic, believes one day all cars will be shaped like his. “True progress means using less horsepower,” said Kor in the Winnipeg Free Press.

Less power indeed. His car only has eight horsepower whereas even the smallest cars on the market have at least 68 horsepower. Today, Kor and his team are testing the Urbee to ensure that it is safe to drive on the road.

Several hurdles remain before the car can go “mainstream”. The company must raise at least $1 million to build a second prototype and from there they will build the first 12 working cars- one for each member of the team. Kor anticipates when the car comes to market, it will have a price tag between $30,000 – $50,00. He anticipates the price will go down when the car reaches mass production. In addition, the price will also go down because three-dimensional printing is faster and cheaper than moulds.

While it may take quite some time before this car hits the road, the concept of the electric-ethanol hybrid should take off faster.

biofuels, Electric Vehicles, Ethanol

Solar Takes Over St. Louis

Joanna Schroeder

Solar energy has taken over St. Louis. The St. Louis Housing Authority recently completed five solar energy projects that included powering its administrative building along with four affordable housing complexes. The 617 KW combined solar projects were designed, installed and engineered by Real Goods Solar and the energy produced is expected to reduce the complexes’ electricity use by more than 75 percent and reduce electricity use in the admin building by around 15 percent.

“Solar power isn’t just for large corporations or those with large incomes,” said Michael Steinbaum, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Sunwheel Energy Partners who developed the project. “It provides an opportunity for just about anyone to reduce costs and have a positive impact on the environment.”

The total combined systems are comprised of 405 SunPower and 2, 216 Sharp solar panels. The projects were funded through the federal Housing and Urban Development Green Communities stimulus funds along with energy and redevelopment tax credits and all parts of the solar system were manufactured in America. The system includes both roof-mounted and carport canopy solar arrays and are estimated to generate nearly 777,000 hours of energy each year. This is enough electricity to power 81 homes per year.

Tyson Grul, Director of Commercial Solar for Real Goods, added, “The coordination required to install systems on more than 90 buildings – in a wide variety of weather conditions – was no small feat. However, the result is the largest solar initiative in the state so far, and we believe it will open doors for many future projects – putting Missouri on the path to being a national renewable energy leader.”

Electricity, Energy, Solar