ABO Goes to Washington

Joanna Schroeder

The Algal Biomass Organization (ABO) may be relatively young, having been formed in March of 2006, but they have made some significant strides in Washington, D.C. in lobbying for advanced biofuels such as algae, to play on the same field as cellulosic biofuels. I caught up with Mary Rosenthal, ABO’s executive director after her multi-day trip to D.C. to learn more about their efforts. While in DC, the 26 members met with 51 Congressional leaders from both houses. Compared to last year, Rosenthal said they doubled the amount of meetings and of those they met with, nearly 60 percent had a good base of knowledge about advanced biofuels and specifically algae. However, she noted that there was still some Algae 101 that needed to take place.

While on the ground, the ABO team had three main messages. Maybe the biggest issue is helping algal biofuels achieve parody with cellulosic fuels. Back in 2007, when the Renewable Fuels Standard was passed and since updated (RFS2), algae wasn’t really in the game. As a consequence, Rosenthal and her members are working hard to get algal biofuels included in the advanced biofuels category. In addition, cellulosic fuels currently receive a $1.01 per gallon tax credit but algal biofuels receive no tax credit. Therefore, the organization is lobbying hard to get the same tax credit extended to algae fuels. Bill HR 1149 was introduced in the Congress by Brian Bilbray (R-CA.) and this bill would give algal biofuels the same tax credit. Rosenthal said they expect a companion bill to be introduced in the Senate by Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Bill Nelson (D-FL).

“Let’s let innovation led the way. Let’s be technology agnostic and feedstock neutral. Let’s not pick winner’s and losers. Take out the 16 billion carve out for cellulosic and open it up to any type of advanced biofuels including algae,” said Rosenthal.

In addition to these two messages, ABO also spent time reinforcing that the industry is here to create jobs. “We have more than 20,000 jobs either directly or indirectly associated with the algae industry today and we feel we can grow that more than ten-fold in 10 years,” said Rosenthal. She also said an important message was that algae is a new agricultural crop that would help rural economies.

Listen to my interview with Mary Rosenthal here: The Algal Biomass Organization Goes to Washington

I asked Rosenthal how long it would be before we see commercial scale algal biofuel production. While it’s hard to know for sure, Rosenthal is excited about the technology breakthroughs that are happening and she believes we’re about 5 years away. She has the opportunity to see what’s in the pipeline before others and she’s really excited about what’s coming next. Rosenthal participated in BioProcess Algae’s dedication of their Grower Harvester bioreactors on April 15 and she said more major technology breakthrough’s will be announced during their 5th Algae Biomass Summit October 25-27, 2011 in Minneapolis, Minn.

The next step for the group is to continue monitoring HR 1149 and its companion bill and they will also be paying close attention to the upcoming farm bill. She believes that policy makers are now aware of algae and open to its benefits and as a result, anticipates that algae will be included in energy and agricultural policy moving forward.

advanced biofuels, algae, Audio, Legislation

Ag Will Have a Role in Growing Alt Energy

Joanna Schroeder

Recently, Dr. Richard Newell from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) testified during a Senate Ag Committee Hearing to discuss high gas prices and the role agriculture may play in developing energy sources for America. Newell believes that agriculture could have a very prominent role in the country’s energy production over the next 20 years.

“Starting with a high level overview of the linkages with agriculture and energy, EIA estimates that energy use on farms accounts for about 1 percent of total U.S. energy consumption. In addition to direct farm use energy, agriculture is indirectly affected by energy requirements in the fertilizer industry. Agriculture has also current and potential future role as an energy supplier,” said Newell in his testimony. “Ethanol use in motor vehicles as grown from 1.7 billion gallons per year in 2001 to an estimated 13.2 billion gallons per year in 2010. Other important energy supply opportunities for agriculture include biodiesel, energy sources from waste, and the siting of wind farms on farms with attractive wind resources.”

Listen to Dr. Richard Newell’s testimony here: Dr. Richard Newell's Testimony to the Senate Ag Committee

Newell said that the EIA expects continued tightening in world oil markets over the next two years. particular in light of recent events in North Africa and the Middle East, the world’s largest oil producing region. The organization’s forecast, issued in March, projects retail gasoline prices at the pump will average $3.77 per gallon this summer and $3.56 per gallon for the entire year. This is about 77 cents per gallon higher than last year’s level. Highway diesel prices are expected to be nearly $1.00 per gallon higher than in 2010. This month the EIA issued an updated forecast and called for a 40 percent increase in pump prices this summer.

During his testimony, Newell cautioned that there are regional price variations as well as significant uncertainties in these forecasts. He then went on to forecast what role his agency thinks ethanol might play in the coming years.

“While ethanol production has grown nearly eight fold since 2001, EIA expects slow growth in ethanol production over the next two years with forecast production of 13.8 billion gallons in 2011 and 14 billion gallons in 2012, about 9.9 percent of the forecast volume of gasoline sales in those years,” said Newell.

Although the EPA has granted waivers for the use of E15 in vehicles model year 2011 and newer, the EIA expects both slow growth in E15 and also E85 (as explained in detail in his written testimony). In conclusion, the EIA expects biofuels to grow to 24 billion gallons of ethanol equivalent by 2022 and 39 billion gallons in 2035.

Agribusiness, Audio, biofuels, Ethanol, Wind

BioProcess Algae Dedicates Grower Harvester Bioreactors

Joanna Schroeder

On Friday April 15, BioProcess Algae, dedicated its Grower Harvester bioreactors signaling the final phase of construction for its commercial scale algae biorefinery. On hand for the event in Shenandoah, Iowa, were USDA Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack along with Green Plains Renewable Energy (GRPE) CEO Todd Becker and Mary Rosenthal, the executive director of the Algal Biomass Association. After touring the biorefinery, Vilsack delivered the keynote address to a standing room only crowd, despite the cold and raining Iowa weather.

The BioProcess Algae technology is unique in several ways; one in that it is sited next to a first generation corn-ethanol plant owned by GPRE. The algae plant utilizes the carbon dioxide (CO2) from the ethanol process to grow the algae. The plant also utilizes the waste heat and waste water from the ethanol plant, creating in essence, one symbiotic biorefinery that will produce biofuels, feed and fiber.

Tim Burns, CEO of BioProcess Algae said during his presentation that they couldn’t have a better partnership in GPRE. He also said that in terms of co-location, he sees the modern day future in farms. “When you fly over Iowa 10 or 15 years from now, you’re going to see corn and soy but you’re going to see concentric circles of algae farms taking the

“This is going to become the big source for feed and fuel for our country and its also going to have a trajectory, in our opinion, similar to the ethanol industry.” Burns believes that the costs to produce algal biofuels will lower dramatically as more and more technologies come to market just as they have with corn-ethanol production over the past 30 plus years.

The first concentric circle of algae will be located right in Shenandoah. “The next step for us is to take our commercial scale reactors and build out an algae farm at our ethanol plant in Shenandoah, which can provide inputs needed for feed, food and next generation algae-based fuels,” said Todd Becker, CEO of GPRE. “The co-location at an ethanol plant has proven to be the right platform to rapidly commercialize the technology.”

As Vilsack and Burns “cut the ribbon,” simultaneously the Grower Harvester bioreactors lit up in the background. With Phase II officially under way, Burns believes commercial scale algae fuels production is less than 2 years away.

You can see photos from the event in my Flickr Photo Album.

algae, biofuels, corn, Ethanol, USDA

Book Review – The Biochar Solution

Joanna Schroeder

Can biochar singlehandedly save the world from all of its carbon dioxide, global warming woes? Well, the jury is still out but there may be some potential. This I learned from reading the book, “The Biochar Solution: Climate Farming and Climate Change,” by Albert Bates. First, I should explain what biochar is. Biochar is charcoal, a cellulosic material that has been pyrolyzed (to pyrolyze something you burn it a low oxygen environment, such as a kiln, burning off everything but the carbon). The resulting charcoal is black and largely devoid of any nutritional value, yet it can be burned in a high oxygen environment without producing much smoke. These attributes make it a good option for burning in cooking stoves.

But Bates believes the real value of biochar lies in that it has a unique ability to condition soil. Bates explains that if it is turned in a nutrient pile and then tilled into the ground, it immediately becomes colonized by soil microbes. These microbes attract fungi, which connect to the roots of the plants, carrying nutrients to the place they are most needed. Biochar is also a water solution – it provides a reservoir and conduit for soil moisture, soaking up water from oversaturated areas and moving it to dyer areas (it can also be used to purify water). Bates says that one gram of charcoal has the surface area of one small house, or 1,000 to 2,500 square meters, because of all its micropores. In terms of soil health, after several years, biochar helps soil return to its natural state and eliminates the need for inputs such as nitrogen or phosphorous – another major environmental benefit.

There is also a connection between biochar and biofuels. When converting biomass to biofuels, not all of the biomass is consumed. At this point, the remaining biomass can be burned and turned into biochar and then the biochar can be tilled into the biomass fields to aid in soil sustainability. In this example, biochar becomes both a biofuels and agriculture solution.

There are several views of biochar one being those who truly believe that biochar alone can reduce CO2 emissions faster and more completely than any other solution.Read More

biofuels, book reviews, Environment, water

Abengoa Secures Biomass for Cellulosic Plant

Joanna Schroeder

Build the plant and the biomass will come. Abengoa has announced that they have signed contracts with several biomass producers farming in and around Hugoton, Kansas, to provide 315,000 tons of cellulosic biomass by the end of 2011. Construction of the biorefinery is scheduled for this summer and expected to be fully operational sometime in 2013. Once in production, the plant will utilize 315,000 tons of biomass each year to produce 25 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol. The plant will also produce 25 megawatts of electricity, enough to power the ethanol conversion process. Once complete, the biorefinery will be Abengoa’s first second-generation facility and seventh bioethanol facility in the U.S., bringing the company’s total U.S. biofuel production to more than 400 million gallons.

Abengoa recognized early in the process that the company would need to ensure a steady stream of biomass in order for the plant to produce the maximum amount of biofuels each year. Therefore, they ensured the necessary amount of feedstocks would be available taking several issues into account.

First, they needed to determine that adequate amounts of biomass were available within an economical transportation distance of the projected facility site. In addition, they needed to make sure that the biomass supply would be available during normal fluctuations of weather and different growing conditions. Second, they needed to ensure that the biomass could be harvested in a sustainable manner over the projected lifetime of the project. Third, they needed to work with the local producers to ensure that the biomass harvest would meet expectations in terms of quantity, quality and cost.

Abengoa will accept the bounty of the first biomass harvest this fall and will continue to accept biomass through the summer and fall of 2012. During the past three years, the company conducted various tests to determine best practices for harvesting the biomass in a sustainable manner that meets or exceeds Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) minimum standards. These are aimed at preventing soil erosion and protecting soil health. Also during the testing phase, the company evaluated the best methods for storage, transportation and harvesting of the biomass.

biofuels, biomass, Cellulosic, Ethanol

Sticker Shock at the Pump on Summer Travel Agenda

Joanna Schroeder

According to AAA’s fuel-gauge report, this week the national average for one gallon of regular unleaded is $3.79 up from $2.86 last year, a 33 percent price hike. While it is higher in some areas and lower in others, price jumps at the pump are far from over. As the summer driving season nears, a new study estimates that pump prices will be more than 40 percent higher than last summer’s gas prices.

According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), regular-grade gasoline will average $3.86 across the country from April this September. Last year it averaged $2.76 per gallon throughout the summer driving months. The EIA also said that in some areas, monthly average prices could top the national average by at least 25 cents per gallon. This price trend appears to be accurate considering many cities have seen per gallon pump prices over the $4 mark since March.

The EIA report states, “The continuing economic recovery tends to boost gasoline and diesel fuel consumption, while the effect of higher retail prices tends to dampen it. These counterbalancing forces are expected to be prominent features of the summer driving season.”

Also a concern – if gas prices continue to skyrocket, people will have to tighten the budgets and stop spending. This could spiral the country back into the recession.

So how badly will this hit the pocketbook? The EIA estimates that summer fuel costs will increase approximately $825 from last year’s travel bringing the 2011 family’s fuel bill to $3,360 this year. In addition, the report expects refiner acquisition costs of crude oil to average $112.50 per barrel this summer a 50 percent increase from summer 2010. With respect to wholesale gasoline margins (the difference between the wholesale price of gas and the refiner acquisition cost of crude) are forecast to be 47 percent higher than last year with an average of 53 cents a gallon.

The EIA believes the driving force behind the higher prices of oil and at the pump is the “continuing strength in worldwide liquid fuels consumption.”

Miscellaneous, Oil

Corn Ethanol Policy Forum Held in DC

Joanna Schroeder

There have been numerous Senates hearings recently discussing elements of the country’s energy plan. A recent forum on Corn Ethanol Policy took place in the 112th Congress. While the forum was not broadcast, expected to give the opening remarks were Representative Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Representative Joe Crowley (D-NY) and Representative Earl Blumenauer. Flake’s aniti-ethanol amendment was passed in the House as part of the Continuing Resolution and if passes as part of the Senate Resolution, would prohibit government funds to be used to install blender pumps and ethanol storage facilities.

Also expected to speak were some of the organizations who have been outspoken for several years against the ethanol tax credit (VEETC) that actually goes to the blender of record, not to the ethanol industry, as well as the “food and fuel” debate. These groups included the International Food Policy Research Institute, Environmental Working Group and Taxpayers for Common Sense.

The ethanol industry responded to the forum with one voice. The Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, the National Corn Growers Association and American Coalition for Ethanol released a statement. The organizations also noted that according to the Institute for Local Self Reliance, 75 cents of every dollar spent on biofuels re‐circulates through the local economy while 75 cents of every dollar spent on oil exits the local economy and, in most cases, the country.

“Any energy policy forum must include comprehensive and adult conversations about America’s entire energy agenda, including subsidies and other supportive policies for mature and aging technologies like petroleum. Unfortunately, it is unlikely this ‘forum’ will include any of those discussions. Rather, this is yet another example of defenders of the status quo wasting the time of Congress focusing on bogus claims against the ethanol industry instead of finding solutions to the real problems.

“Anyone who has filled a gas tank the last few months has unwittingly witnessed the prime cause of soaring prices for all consumer goods, especially food. The last time corn and food prices rose, the Congressional Budget Office found that factors other than biofuels were responsible for as much as 90 percent of the hike. The World Bank and the government of the United Kingdom have concluded that speculation and energy prices were chief drivers of the 2007-08 spikes in commodity and food prices. How anyone can point fingers at farmers for driving up food prices when they receive less than 12 cents of every food dollar defies common sense.

“Ethanol is the only viable solution we have today to help with our country’s energy security and independence. Today, when it can easily cost over $50 to fill a gas tank, critics would be wise to remember that domestic ethanol actually has helped motorists by lowering gas prices by estimates as high as 40 cents per gallon. To put it in even better perspective, the value of the crude oil displaced by U.S. ethanol amounted to $34 billion in 2010 – money that stayed in the American economy. In the end, that’s the best way to support food and energy security, not through holding make-believe one-sided policy forums.”

ACE, corn, Ethanol, Growth Energy, NCGA, RFA

Tidewater Biodiesel Gets Green Light on Proposed Plant

John Davis

A proposed biodiesel plant in Virginia has gotten a boost after a city commission gave it a green light to proceed.

The Virginian-Pilot reports that the Chesapeake city planning commission gave Tidewater Biodiesel a conditional-use permit for a 10-million-gallon-a-year biodiesel plant:

Wednesday night, residents spoke in support of the project, with one opposed to the potential detriment to home values – though she said she supports the project itself.

Susan Bell, a resident of the Forest Cove/Raintree area, helped get word out about a meeting between the public and the company on April 2. She said neighbors who attended the meeting were “very pleased with what they were presented.”

“This won’t be any danger to our community,” she told the Planning Commission. “I do feel confident that we will be in capable hands.”

About four years ago, another biodiesel plant in the area, Smiling Earth Energy LLC in South Norfolk won building approval, but the developer wasn’t able to build the 320 million-gallon-per-year plant, which would have made it the largest in the nation.

Biodiesel

Hawaii Home to Another Solar Project

Joanna Schroeder

Hawaii is home to another completed solar project. Chevron Energy Solutions, Oceanic Time Warner Cable and Tioga Energy have officially unveiled the 865-kilowatt solar system located at Oceanic’s Mililani Tech Park. With the completion of the project, it marks the state’s largest solar parking canopy project. The project was designed, engineered and constructed by Chevron Energy Solutions, a division of Chevron Corporation. The solar project includes solar photovoltaic panels on two buildings and parking canopies. The project was financed by Tioga Energy who also owns and will now operated the project under a 20-year solar power purchase agreement. The energy produced will be sold back to Oceanic at “predicable rates less than those of the local utility.”

“We are proud of our collaboration with Chevron Energy Solutions and Tioga Energy to help us incorporate sustainability in our business,” said Norman Santos, vice president of operations for Oceanic Time Warner Cable. “This project helps to provide budget predictability for our energy costs and the opportunity to use renewable power.”

Jim Davis, president of Chevron Energy Solutions added, “Oceanic Time Warner Cable is demonstrating how it can be a good business practice for companies to help the State of Hawaii meet its clean energy goals. We are pleased we had the opportunity to work with Oceanic Time Warner Cable and Tioga Energy to make this project a reality.”

Under the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative, the state has a goal of generating 70 percent of its power from clean energy sources by 2030. This project is estimated to reduce CO2 emissions equal to that of the amount sequestered per year by 225 trees. Following in the footsteps of other corporations integrating renewable energy into their building, Oceanic is seeking LEED Gold certification.

“In offering affordable renewable energy options, Tioga Energy and Chevron Energy Solutions are helping organizations to alleviate budgetary stress while simultaneously meeting their sustainability goals,” concluded Paul Detering, CEO of Tioga Energy. “We commend Oceanic Time Warner Cable for its commitment to sustainable business practices and anticipate a successful relationship for years to come.”

Electricity, Energy, Solar

Ethanol Production, Ethanol & DDG Exports Remain Steady

Joanna Schroeder

Ethanol production for April remains fairly steady with the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reporting daily ethanol production falling slightly to 898,000 barrels per day (b/d) or 37.7 million gallons per day for the week ending April 8, 2011. The four-week average for ethanol production at the time of the report was 904,000 b/d, with the annualized rate equating to 13.85 billion gallons. Stocks of ethanol have also remained virtually steady ending at 20.5 million barrels.

As part of the ethanol production process, several co-products are produced including distillers grains. For the week ending April 8, ethanol producers consumed 13.62 million bushels of corn daily to produce ethanol and 101,346 metric tons of livestock feed of which 89,484 metric tons were distillers grains (DDGs). Ethanol producers were also supplying 3.88 million pounds of corn oil which can be utilized in the feed or biodiesel markets.

The U.S. ethanol exports and DDG market report was also released and Renewable Fuel Association (RFA) VP of Research and Analysis, Geoff Cooper analyzed the information.

U.S. ethanol exports totaled 59.7 million gallons in February, up 4 percent from January. Exports of undenatured (non-beverage) ethanol increased to 21.8 million gallons in February, nearly double the amount shipped in January. Meanwhile denatured ethanol exports were 37.9 million gallons, down from 45.4 million in January. Because this ethanol is not blended with gasoline prior to exportation, it does not qualify for the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC), also known as the blender’s credit. Through the first two months of the year, ethanol exports stand at 116.9 million gallons. If the current pace is maintained all year, exports for 2011 could total more than 700 million gallons (compared to 400 million in 2010).

The number one exporter of U.S. denatured ethanol was Canada at nearly 15 million gallons followed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), United Kingdom, and Brazil. In regards to undenatured ethanol, more than 11 million gallons went to the Netherlands in February. The second- and third-leading destinations for undenatured ethanol were the OPEC nations of UAE and Nigeria.

Distillers grains exports for February totaled 619,744 metric tons, down 13 percent compared to January, but slightly above February 2010 totals. China was the leading importer of U.S. DDGs with 110,976 metric tons. Exports to China were down 14 percent from January and less than half of the amount shipped as recently as October 2010. According to Cooper, erosion of exports to China is likely the result of the nation’s ongoing anti-dumping investigation against U.S. DDGs. Mexico was the second-leading destination, receiving 102,450 metric tons in February. This was less than half of the 223,000 metric tons shipped to Mexico in January. Canada, Spain and Vietnam rounded out the top five.

corn, Distillers Grains, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Exports, RFA