ACE Conference 2026

Biomass Demand in Europe to Reach 44% by 2020

Joanna Schroeder

According to a new report released today in the European Biomass Review, and conducted by RISI, lignocellulosic biomass demand will reach 44% between 2010 and 2020. This increase in biomass need will be spurred by renewable energy policy. The majority of the biomass will be used in the energy sector, but will also be used in industrial and residential sectors.

The report highlights the potential of biomass production and aims to identify where the biomass may come from including forest and agricultural residues and energy crops. However, despite availability, one key to success, says the report, is the ability to mobilize, or harvest, transport and store the biomass. The report lays out three scenarios for mobilization of new biomass sources by 2020, based on various regions. In addition, a cost-curve analysis for each region and each scenario illustrates the implications for biomass pricing and imports.

According to RISI, lignocellulosic biomass is currently the largest renewable energy source (RES) although wind, solar and geothermal are rapidly developing. Therefore, the study also analyzes the economics of biomass versus other RES’s using macro demand drivers and the National Renewable Energy Action Plans (NREAPs) to forecast biomass demand by sector through 2020.

“The NREAPs offer insights into how governments plan to meet the renewable energy targets by 2020,” said Glen O’Kelly, author of the study. “But forecast biomass demand is based on announced investments, carbon costs and the relative economics of biomass, as well as an analysis of macro drivers: forecast GDP, population, household energy use, forest industry production – all considered in this study.”

The European Biomass Review covers EU27 countries as well as Norway and Switzerland with six regional designations including North, West, East & South Europe, UK, and Ireland.

biofuels, biomass, Research

Report Finds “No Strict Food Versus Fuel Tradeoff”

Cindy Zimmerman

A new report from Informa Economics released today concludes that ethanol production is not causing a “strict food-versus-fuel tradeoff” that automatically drives consumer food prices higher.

InformaThe report, which was prepared for the Renewable Fuels Foundation, is an historical analysis of corn, commodity and consumer prices from 1985-2010. One of the key findings of the study was that no single factor has been responsible for higher consumer food prices over time, “but rather, there is a complex and interrelated set of factors that contribute to food prices.”

The report also found that other supply and demand factor besides ethanol, such as increased exports, have also contributed to the rise in the commodity price for corn. “Furthermore, corn prices have a relatively weak correlation with food prices, as the farm share is a relatively small portion of the overall retail food dollar and for many products corn is only a portion of the farm value,” said report author Bruce Scherr, CEO and Chairman of Informa Economics.

“Yet again, sound analysis has demonstrated that the farcical food-versus-fuel debate is just that – a joke,” said Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen. “Unfortunately, the effort to scapegoat ethanol in order to continue our addiction to imported oil is not funny. The fact remains that no statistical evidence exists demonstrating a significant link between ethanol, corn prices, and rising food costs.”

Ethanol, Ethanol News, food and fuel, Food prices, RFA

Is Europe’s Biodiesel Industry in Jeopardy?

Joanna Schroeder

Europe’s $13 billion biodiesel industry could be in jeopardy according to an article published by Reuters that claims that the European Union (EU) plans to tackle unwanted side effects of biofuel production. The turn-about in support of biodiesel has been in part spurred by fear over climate change and several recent papers leaked from the European Commission that purport that biodiesel’s indirect impacts cancel out the majority of its benefits.

As the EU looks to increase current biodiesel use from 3 percent to 10 percent by 2020, they are also concerned that such a move would increase environmental damage rather than reduce environmental concerns. Their own analysis concludes that a 10 percent biodiesel mandate could lead to “an indirect one-off release of around 1,000 megatonnes of carbon dioxide — more than twice the annual emissions of Germany.” In addition, one report concludes that more use of biofuels could “squeeze food supplies and increase global hunger.”

The studies to which Reuters is referring have not been released by the European Commission and the authors surmise it is because it would “have significant implications for the existing EU biodiesel industry.”

These negative impacts could include a reduction of investments in plants and infrastructure. It could also cause a reduction of biodiesel use, rather than what the country has been aiming for since 2003, an increase in biodiesel use.Read More

Biodiesel, biofuels, Indirect Land Use, International, Opinion

UNICA Supports End of Ethanol Tariff

Joanna Schroeder

Earlier this week, the Senate compromised on some ethanol legislation that would eliminate the ethanol blenders tax credit (VEETC) at the end of this month. The agreement also eliminates the ethanol tariff on July 31, 2011, five months ahead of the original expiration date of December 31, 2011. The bipartisan Ethanol Reform and Deficit Reduction Act was submitted by U.S. Senators John Thune (R-SD) and Amy Kobuchar (D-MN) and sought to transition to a more sustainable model of renewable fuel incentives.

The Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) was pleased with the news and has been lobbying for several years to eliminate the ethanol tariff. Brazil eliminated its ethanol tariff early last year. Leticia Phillips, UNICA’s representative in North America said, “As the world’s top producers of ethanol, the U.S. and Brazil should lead by example in creating a free market for clean, renewable energy.”

Phillips noted that last month, the U.S. Senate voted to end ethanol subsidies and UNICA looks forward to continue to work with Congressional leaders to accomplish that goal.

“We thank Senator Feinstein for her leadership on this important issue and urge Congress to pass it as soon as possible,” continued Phillips. “Ending the 30-year-old tariff on imported ethanol will help lower fuel prices and provide Americans with greater access to clean and affordable renewable fuels like sugarcane ethanol.”

She concluded, “Consumers win when businesses have to compete in an open market, because competition produces higher quality products at lower costs. The same principle holds true for renewable fuels. Allowing other alternative fuels like sugarcane ethanol to compete fairly in the U.S. will save Americans money, cut dependence on Middle East oil and improve the environment.”

Ironically, earlier this week Bloomberg reported that the Brazilian government is considering lowering the country’s ethanol requirement from 25 percent to 18 percent due to several back-to-back reduced sugarcane harvests.

Brazil, Ethanol, Legislation, UNICA

Solar Powered EV Charging Station Debuts

Joanna Schroeder

Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA along with Mitsubishi Motors of North America (MMNA) has debuted an electric vehicle (EV) solar-powered charging station at its MMNA headquarters in Cypress, California. This is the city’s first of its kind EV charging station and the debut signals the company’s commitment to developing and launching its first plug-in electric vehicle, the Mitsubishi i in all 50 states. The EV will be available this November. The charging station is powered by 96, 175W photovoltaic modules produced by Mitsubishi Electric. The solar panels are made with 100 percent lead-free solder, and according to the company, have one of the higher sunlight-to-energy conversion ratios in the industry.

The EV charger is able to charge up to four PHEV’s simultaneously and features three types of chargers with different voltages: standard level 1 (110v) will fully charge an EV in 22 hours; level 2 (220v) that can fully charge an PHEV in six hours; and level 3 CHAdeMO Quick Charger that can charge the battery up to 80 percent in 25 minutes.

“This project will build awareness of solar power’s versatility and efficiency,” said Katsuya Takamiya, president and chief executive officer, Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA. “As electric vehicles’ popularity grows, we expect to see more charging stations at large employers, automobile dealerships, shopping centers and schools, where cars can charge while people work, shop or study.”

The DC Quick Charger used for the Cypress charging station is manufactured by Eaton Corporation, and is the first-of-its-kind CHAdeMO Quick Charger certified for U.S. sale and public utility. Mitsubishi hopes that consumers who purchase the Mitsubishi i will use the charging station as gateway charging pad when commuting between Los Angeles and Orange Counties.

Mitsubishi Motors North America President Yoichi Yokozawa added, “We hope that our dealers, learning institutions, and municipalities will look to this technology with a keen eye towards the future, and bear in mind that the gradual acceptance of the pure-EV transportation will be aided by increasing the number of facilities like this one.”

Electric Vehicles, Solar

Spain’s First Wave Power Plant Goes Online

Joanna Schroeder

Spain’s first wave power plant has gone into production in the Basque seaport of Mutriku, located between Bilbao and San Sebastian. The Mutriku wave power plant, consisting of 16 units, will generate an estimated 300 kilowatts in power, enough electricity to supply 250 homes. Utility Ente Vasco de la Energia (EVE) inaugurated the wave power plant today in a special event.

“The rising global demand for green energy proves to be a strong catalyst for the implementations of innovative forms of renewable energy,” said Dr. Roland Muench, Chief Executive Officer of Voith Hydro Holding who provided the equipment for the wave power plant. “The Mutriku project shows: Our wave power technology is commercially viable and ready for wide deployment on the global markets. To further this development, adequate feed-in-tariffs for wave power, as they already exist for a number of renewables, can now set the right legal framework.”

According to Voith Hydro, its wave power technology can be deployed in both new and existing breakwater as well as in purpose-built structures. The company says its oscillating water column (OWC) technology is the only one that has been successfully proven with regard to commercial utilization. The company has been operating the Limpet wave power plant on the Scottish island of Islay for more than a decade and the plant has been running for more than 65,000 grid-connected hours.

It is estimated that worldwide potential of ocean energies is 1.8 terawatts and today still remains largely untapped.

Electricity, Energy, Hydro

Salt Loving Microbe May Aid Biofuel Production

Joanna Schroeder

Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Genome Institute (JGI) and the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) at DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory are trying to discover salt-loving organisms that may be more efficient in treating biomass and improve sugar yield for biofuel production. The class of solvents known as ionic liquids, are liquid forms of salt that will inactivate enzymes by interfering with the folding of polypeptides—the building-blocks of proteins. These solvents are useful for breaking down biomass; however, they can also hinder the ability of cellulases used to produce sugars after pretreatment.

To break this code, the researchers are turning to those found in the complete genome sequences of halophilic (salt-tolerant) organisms. As a test of this bioenergy-related application of DNA sequencing and enzyme discovery, researchers led by the Director of the DOE JGI, Eddy Rubin, and the Vice-President of the JBEI Deconstruction Division, Blake Simmons, employed a cellulose-degrading enzyme from a salt-tolerant microbe that was isolated from the Great Salt Lake.

The microbe in question, Halorhabdus utahensis, is from the branch of the tree of life known as Archaea. It was isolated from the natural environment at the Great Salt Lake and sequenced as part of the Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea (GEBA) project. The researchers believe that salt -tolerant enzymes may offer significant advantages over conventional enzymes. They can tolerate high temperatures and are resistant to ionic liquids.

“This is one of the only reports of salt-tolerant cellulases, and the only one that represents a true ‘genome-to-function’ relevant to ionic liquids from a halophilic environment,” said Simmons. “This strategy enhances the possibility of identifying true obligatory halophilic enzymes. This project has established a very important link between genomic science and the realization of enzymes that can handle very demanding chemical environments, such as those present in a biorefinery,” said Simmons.

Results of the study were published June 30, 2011 in Green Chemistry. The next step is for the research team to expand this research to develop a full complement of enzymes that are tailored for the ionic liquid process technology. Their ultimate goal is to demonstrate a complete biomass-to-sugar process, one they hope can enable the commercial viability of advanced biofuels.

advanced biofuels, biofuels, biomass, Research

Kelp Studied as Possible Biofuels Feedstock

Joanna Schroeder

Researchers at Aberystwyth University are looking at seaweed, more specifically kelp (Laminaria digitata), as a potential feedstock for biofuels. Lead Researcher, Dr. Jessica Adams, says that seaweed may be a viable feedstock, especially if harvested in the summer as suitability of its chemical composition varies by season. The research found that July is the best time to harvest kelp as its carbohydrate levels are at their highest ensuring optimal sugar release for biofuel production. Metal content is also at its lowest.

“The storage carbohydrate and soluble sugars get converted into ethanol in the fermentation process, so we need as much as possible,” said Adams. “Metals can inhibit the yeast too so we also want these to be as low as possible.”

Welsh coast researchers collected monthly samples of kelp and then used chemical analysis to assess the seasonal variability. The results of the study were presented during the Experimental Biology Annual Conference in Glasgow on July 4th.

The research team noted that kelp can be converted to biofuel in various ways including fermentation or anaerobic digestion that produces ethanol or through methane or pyrolysis that produces bio-oil. The chemical composition of the seaweed is important in both of these processes. Researchers believe that marine ecosystems are an untapped resource and are capable of producing more biomass per square metre than fast growing terrestrial plants such as sugarcane.

“Seaweed biofuel could be very important in future energy production,” said Adams. “What biofuels provide that other renewables such as wind power cannot is a storable energy source that we can use when the wind drops.”

The next focus of the research will be to work to improve the viability of the process by identifying and extracting high value substances, such as pigments and phenols, before the rest of the seaweed is used to produce biofuel.

biofuels, feedstocks, Research

Ethanol Report on Senate Compromise

Cindy Zimmerman

Ethanol Report PodcastAn agreement was announced Thursday by U.S. Senators John Thune (R-S.D.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) that would end the existing 45 cent per gallon Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit and associated import tariff at the end of this month, reducing the nation’s deficit by $1.3 billion while still providing $668 million for renewable fuel incentives such as blender pumps.

In this “Ethanol Report” interview, Matt Hartwig with the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) explains what the compromise includes, why the industry supports it, concerns the industry has, and how and when it might become law.

Listen to or download the Ethanol Report here: Ethanol Report on Senate Compromise

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, RFA

Electric Vehicles Will Soon Be Charged Wirelessly

Joanna Schroeder

Today consumers who support electric vehicles (EV) are pushing for plug-in electric vehicles (PHEVs). But in the not too distant future, EV owners will be able to charge their cars wirelessly. Utah State University Research Foundation’s Energy Dynamics Laboratory, located in North Logan, Utah, has successfully operated the first high-power, high-efficiency wireless power transfer system. This system is able to transfer enough energy to rapidly charge an EV, demonstrating 90 percent electrical transfer technology of five kilowatts over an air gap of 10 inches.

“This demonstration is an extraordinary and historic step in providing technologies to electric vehicle owners who will be able to pull their cars into garages at home and charge without having to plug in with cords,” said Jeff Muhs, director of the Energy Dynamics Laboratory. “Our scientists and engineers have proven that enough power can be transferred over large distances to safely and efficiently charge electric car batteries from a pad under the ground to a receiver attached to the undercarriage of a vehicle – and this is just the beginning.”

As a base, EDL expanded on the theory that enables consumers to wirelessly charge toothbrushes and cell phones. According to the company, their wireless power transfer system is tolerant within six inches in any direction if the user accidentally misaligns the car with the receiver. They also say the power level and efficiency specifications are firsts in the U.S. for a system of this kind and that there is no other similar system in the world.

Muhs added, “In the not-so-distant future, we will see vehicles go from being charged by plugging into the electric grid, to wirelessly charging in garages, shopping centers and dedicated refueling stations, to mass transit vehicles that are charged as they are in motion and eventually wireless electric roadways where cars will travel at 75 miles per hour while being charged.”

“Future versions of the system architecture developed at EDL have the unique potential to be embedded under pavement and transfer power wirelessly to vehicles at speeds of 75 mph or more and provide enough power to completely eliminate the range anxiety of electric vehicles. Wireless power transfer represents the disruptive technology that will eventually enable the safe and efficient electrification of highways, end our dependence on foreign oil, and enable a new era of enhanced mobility,” Muhs concluded.

Electric Vehicles