Ag-Waste-to-Energy Technology Licensed by HB Energy

Joanna Schroeder

Homeland Biogas Energy (HB Energy) has announced they have signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Achor Anaerobic LLC to use their “achorlytic” enzyme and digestion-inoculating technology to increase the productivity of its anaerobic digestion projects. HB Energy is a division of Homeland Renewable Energy (HRE), a company focused on producing energy from agricultural waste and they will also work with Achor to license the technology to third parties.

“With the benefit of Achor’s technology and our project design, construction and operating skills, we are well placed to develop our pipeline of new large-scale AD plants, serving our customers in livestock farming and food processing,” said Rupert Fraser, Chief Executive Officer of HRE. “Achor’s technology will enable us to build larger scale anaerobic digestion plants with more competitive economics, so that we can produce truly renewable energy while removing waste problems for farmers and food companies.”

The enzymes increase biogas production from digestible materials including animal and food wastes. The two companies are currently in the process of testing the enzyme at HB Energy’s facility in Wisconsin and preliminary indications are that the improvements are significant. HB Energy uses the ag waste to produce energy including biogas or electricity. To date, they have more than 15 large scale development projects in the works ranging from 3 MW to 20 MW.

Chris Barry, cofounder of Achor and originator of the achorlytic approach to accelerating and enhancing anaerobic digestion, added “Achor Anaerobic is delighted to be working in partnership with HB Energy. The business, engineering and planning base provided by HB Energy provides the perfect platform for the exploitation and expansion of our technology. We aim to make HB Energy the most advanced and profitable AD company in the US and beyond through enabling them to get the very best from the feedstocks available. We will work with them on innovative design and development that will be ‘game-changing’ in the field of anaerobic digestion and bioenergy.”

Agribusiness, bioenergy, biogas, Electricity

US Military Solar Project Completed

Joanna Schroeder

A solar project has been completed at Marine Corps Base in Camp Pendleton (San Diego) that consists of a 936 kW solar electric car port. The system was designed by Independent Energy Solutions (IES) and the system is located at Pendleton’s new Bachelor Enlisted Quarters. The solar project is estimated to produce nearly 1.3 million kilowatt hours per year and will also serve as a shade structure and cover for parked cars.

The finished project consists of 15 custom steel shade canopies, 4,352 Kyocera solar modules, 4 Satcon inverters and a customized racking system. It produces the equivalent power to 120 average single-family homes and will offset about 860 tons of greenhouse gases annually. The CO2 reduction is similar to removing 215 cars from the road.

“IES has been working with the United States military on a wide range of solar projects for the past decade – everything from high-tech experimental systems to large-scale generation plants such as this. As a woman-owned business, we are so pleased the military and our contracting partners like Harper Construction continue to take advantage of our ability to deliver and self-perform a quality product on-time and on-budget,” concluded IES President and CEO, Linda Strand.

Electricity, Energy, Solar

Navy Seahawk Helicopter Flies with Algae

Joanna Schroeder

The US Navy has successfully flown an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter test flight using a 50/50 blend of biojet fuel using Solazyme’s Solajet HRJ-5, derived 100 percent from algae. This test flight, which took place on June 20, marks the first military aircraft ever to fly on algal-based biojet fuel. Just last week, ASTM International gave preliminary specs and approval for biojet fuels derived from renewable feedstocks including algae. Formal approval is expected sometime in July.

“We applaud ASTM International and the ATA and CAAFI for their efforts to advance the world’s newest and most sustainable fuels for aviation,” said Jonathan Wolfson, CEO, Solazyme. “The aviation industry has demonstrated a strong leadership position in fuel supply diversification and sustainability, and today’s announcement is a major step in its efforts to commercialize advanced low-carbon biofuels.”

He continued by noting that Solazyme is honored to be working with the US Navy and DLA-Energy to drive forward the certification and approvals needed for advanced biofuels to play a major role in aviation. “The successful flight demonstration of the Seahawk helicopter on a 50/50 blend of Solajet®HRJ-5 and petroleum-derived jet fuel marks a significant milestone in this process, and reinforces the Navy’s commitment to securing our nation’s energy supply,” added Wolfson.

Solazyme has a partnership with Honeywell UOP to refine the fuel and has been working with them since 2009 on various US military contracts. The drop-in fuel requires no modifications to current engine technology or military logistics infrastructure.

algae, biofuels, biojet fuel, Video

Iowa Corn Indy 250 Going Green for Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

The Iowa Speedway will experience a “green out” under the lights on Saturday night with the fifth running of the Iowa Corn Indy 250, presented by Pioneer and powered by 100 percent home grown ethanol.

Officials and fans will be wearing green apparel to the first Iowa Corn Indy 250 presented under the lights, with the green flag dropping at 8 p.m.

“Ethanol is a ‘green’ energy source and our race sponsors’ corporate colors are green,” explains Iowa Speedway Vice-President of Sales and Marketing Chuck Spicer. “So, we want fans to pack the stands in a field of green to celebrate the 5th annual Iowa Corn Indy 250 presented by Pioneer.”

The Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB) and the Iowa Corn Grower’s Association have been partnering sponsors with Pioneer and the speedway since the inaugural race in 2007.

“We are excited to once again showcase the power and performance of 100% corn-ethanol with the Iowa Corn Indy 250,” said ICPB Chairman Dick Gallagher, a farmer from Washington, Iowa. “We think that it is important for consumers to know we have a renewable fuel source that is grown in Iowa and if 100% corn-based ethanol is good for Indy, than it’s good for consumers.”

Iowa corn growers are encouraging everyone to be a part of the “Corn Power” team by signing up and being entered to win $100 in ethanol blended fuel. You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Domestic Fuel will be covering the race once again, as well as the pre-race promotional activities sponsored by the Iowa corn growers.

corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, IA Corn Indy, Indy Racing

Site Prep Completed for BlueFire Cellulosic Plant

Joanna Schroeder

The site preparation has been completed for BlueFire Renewables’ cellulosic ethanol plant in Fulton, Mississippi. The work was conducted by Century Construction and the site is now ready for the construction of the plant to begin.

“With support from the County of Itawamba and the City of Fulton and excellent work done by Century Construction, the Fulton site is ready for facility construction,” said Arnold Klann, CEO of BlueFire Renewables, Inc. “We are happy to be working with the County and City to bring renewable fuel production into reality and, in the process, create local jobs.”

Klann said his company is working on various financing options including a pending loan guarantee application with the United State Department of Agriculture.

“Itawamba County is very pleased to join BlueFire Renewables in the effort to alleviate our dependence on foreign fuels, preserve our environment and spur our economy, said Greg Deakle, Itawamba County Executive Director. “BlueFire’s first phase of construction has already created 52 jobs in Fulton and, as BlueFire moves into its next phase of construction, will create numerous more.”

When the project is completed, BlueFire will produce 19 million gallons per year of cellulosic ethanol from green and wood wastes collected from the local region.

Cellulosic, Ethanol

Synder’s-Lance Snack Food Production Gets Sunny

Joanna Schroeder

Synder’s-Lance, a snack food company, has completed its 3.5 MW Solar Farm located at its headquarters in Hanover, Pennsylvania. The project covers 26 acres and is comprised of 15,092 solar panels. The solar farm has the ability to generate up to 4,453,136-kilowatt hours (kWH) and save close to 30 percent of the facility’s energy costs. The project took nine months to complete beginning last September and was managed by RMK Solar.

“This is a very exciting time in the history of our company,” said Carl Lee, president and COO of Snyder’s-Lance. “The solar farm shows the commitment that Snyder’s-Lance has made to creating snack products in a more sustainable way. Our goal has always been to make ‘better for you’ snacks and now they are also better for the earth as well.”

It is estimated that the solar farm will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 230 million pounds of carbon dioxide over a 25-year period. In comparison, the energy created from the solar field equals more than 111 million miles not driven by a medium-sized car, and more than 11 million trees would need to be planted to equal the same level of carbon dioxide reduction.

Electricity, Energy, Solar

“Propane Days” Rally Held in DC

Joanna Schroeder

The National Propane Gas Association held its “Propane Days” rally on Capital Hill last week and Autogas for America stakeholders were on hand for the event. The goal of the rally is to inform legislators about the benefits of propane. Alliance AutoGas President, Autogas for America founder and NPGA Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman, Stuart Weidie was a featured keynote speaker.

“Propane Days has been a valuable opportunity to reach lawmakers interested in addressing America’s energy challenges,” said Weidie. “Autogas for America doesn’t promote legislative favoritism for any particular fuel. However, we believe autogas should have equal opportunity to succeed in the marketplace alongside other alternative fuels already receiving attention in Washington D.C. The environmental and cost benefits of autogas will take it from there.”

Part of the efforts of the propane industry was to lobby for passage of the Propane Green Autogas Solutions Act of 2011 (Propane GAS Act). The industry hopes that autogas will achieve parity with other alternative fuels as part of the solution to energy independence. Other organizations participating in the event included the Propane Education and Research Council, Ferrellgas, AmeriGas, ROUSH CleanTech, Blossman Gas, and Blue Star Gas. In addition to meeting with lawmakers, the group also engaged in a social media campaign.

George Koloroutis, president of Ferrellgas North America, added, “Utilizing clean, American-made fuels like autogas for our nation’s vehicle fleets ultimately reduces our dependence on foreign oil. America has been lagging behind the rest of the world in using this environmentally friendly, economical fuel, and it’s time we started investing in U.S. energy security with autogas.”

Propane

Solena To Provide BioJet Fuel to ATA Members

Joanna Schroeder

Solena Fuels has received multiple letters of intent from members of Air Transport Association of America, Inc. (ATA) to supply biojet fuel made from biomass produced in Northern California. The biojet fuel will be produced at Solena’s “GreenSky California” biomass-to-liquids biorefinery in Santa Clara County and utilize post-recycled urban and agricultural wastes to produce nearly 16 million gallons each year by 2015. The biojet fuel will be used by airlines at the Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose airports.

“We applaud the airlines’ pledge to use our lower-emissions fuel to support their northern California operations, and we look forward to partnering with them to develop a facility that allows them to more sustainably operate their business,” said Dr. Robert Do, Chairman and Chief Executive of Solena Fuels.

This initiative is a result of ATA’s role in the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI), whose goal is to develop and deploy commercially viable, environmentally friendly alternative aviation fuels.

“Today’s announcement reinforces the ongoing steps that ATA member airlines are taking to stimulate competition in jet fuel production, contribute to the creation of green jobs, and promote energy security through economically viable alternatives that also demonstrate global and local environmental benefits,” said ATA President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio.

The agreement was led by American Airlines and United Holdings and the two airlines were joined by Alaska Airlines, FedEx, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, and US Airways. Also signing the letter of intent include Air Canada, Frontier Airlines, and Lufthansa German Airlines. This is not the first biojet fuel initiative for many of these airlines. Alaska Airlines is a also a member of Sustainable Aviation Fuels Northwest and FedEx has been experimenting with biofuels in many areas of their transportation network.

biofuels, biojet fuel

Is Ethanol An Issue For Political Race

Chuck Zimmerman

So, “Will ethanol be an issue in presidential race?” Maybe, maybe not. But I’m here to tell you, when I talk to anyone in agriculture this is a very hot topic. So it will be interesting to see how the candidates deal with it. In response to our survey, 58% say yes and 42% say no. What do you think? Should it be an issue?

Our new ZimmPoll is now live. We’re asking the question, “What can G20 ag ministers do to stabilize food prices?” Let us know what you think. I’ll bet you have an opinion on this one.

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

ZimmPoll

EPA Proposes 2012 Renewable Fuel Standards

Cindy Zimmerman

Cellulosic ethanol targets were reduced while biodiesel was increased under the latest standards proposed by the federal government for the Renewable Fuel Standard program (RFS2).

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed the 2012 percentage standards for four fuel categories under the RFS2 based on the annual renewable fuel volume targets. EPA once again lowered the target for cellulosic ethanol, which was set at 500 million gallons in 2012, to somewhere between 3.45 and 12.9 million gallons. The agency “remains optimistic that the commercial availability of cellulosic biofuel will continue to grow in the years ahead” and so does the Advanced Ethanol Council, provided there is stable policy to allow the industry to invest in technology to make it possible.

“The most immediate term solution to this problem is to enact meaningful and long-term tax incentives to spur construction of the first-commercial advanced biofuel plants, in much the same way that Congress has stood behind oil and gas production for nearly 100 years,” said AEC Executive Director Brooke Coleman. “The cellulosic and advanced ethanol industry will hit the mark and achieve the goals of the RFS if Congress aligns our tax code with the RFS and sends a clear message to the marketplace that advanced biofuels will be a cornerstone of a broader strategy to create jobs and reduce oil dependence.”

EPA is also proposing to increase the volume requirement for biomass-based diesel from 800 million gallons this year to 1 billion gallons in 2012 and almost 1.3 billion gallons in 2013. The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) notes that since biodiesel qualifies as an advanced biofuel it is also eligible to exceed the biomass-based diesel targets and help meet general advanced biofuels requirements under the program. “As America’s first advanced biofuel being produced on a commercial scale nationwide, we have done extensive research to assess the various feedstocks that are used to make biodiesel, including agricultural oils, recycled cooking oil, animal fats, algae and camelina,” said NBB CEO Joe Jobe said. “We are confident we can meet these targets and we anticipate that we will likely exceed them.”

The EPA proposes to maintain the 2012 advanced biofuel requirements under the RFS at 2 billion gallons as federal law requires. The mandate for convention renewable biofuel also remained consistent with the statute at 13.2 billion gallons.

advanced biofuels, AEC, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government, NBB, RFA