Close Vote On Man Made Climate Change ZimmPoll

Chuck Zimmerman

I am not surprised by the results of our latest ZimmPoll. The question was, “Do you believe in man made climate change?” If this doesn’t show a divided viewpoint then I don’t know what does. We just wanted a simple yes/no without trying to get into arguments over what science is better than another. Fifty two percent said yes and forty eight percent said no. This also attracted one of the highest numbers of responses to a ZimmPoll. So, I just wonder why there seems to be such a big push to create legislation and regulations when there is so much disagreement on the issue. What do you think?

Our next ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “How many apps on your smartphone?” They don’t have to be “ag” apps, just any apps. I can tell you I’ve got more than 90 on my iPhone but I’m doubting I’m normal.

Feel free to post a comment on either the results of our last poll or on the new one. What smartphone apps are your favorites and why. Thank you for participating.

And if you have any questions you want to suggest for future ZimmPolls please let us know.

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

ZimmPoll

Florida Farm to Fuel Summit Postponed

Cindy Zimmerman

FL Farm to FuelFlorida’s annual Farm to Fuel Summit has been postponed.

adam putnamFlorida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam sent out an announcement today saying that a bill passed during the recently concluded Florida legislative session prompted the decision.

The Florida legislature approved the transfer of the State Energy Office from the Executive Office of the Governor to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services effective July 1, a move which is currently awaiting the governor’s signature. “In light of this potential transfer, we have decided to postpone the 2011 Farm to Fuel Summit,” Putnam said. “If the transfer is approved, we will immediately begin to plan a conference that takes a more comprehensive approach to energy policy in Florida and reflects the expanded role of the Department. We expect this conference will be scheduled for the fall of 2011.”

The 6th annual Farm to Fuel Summit had been scheduled for August 3-5 in Orlando.

biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Farming

Ethanol Potential in Giant Sweet Potatoes

Cindy Zimmerman

CAREnergy etuber At the International Biomass Conference and Expo last week, Dr. Janice Ryan-Bohac attracted a lot of attention carrying around a sweet potato the size of a newborn baby.

Ryan-Bohac is president of CAREnergy, Carolina Advanced Renewable Energy, located in South Carolina and dedicated to the development of dedicated energy crops for the southeast, such as the eTuber™ sweet potato and sweet sorghum. “We are looking at feedstocks for ethanol and other fuels for the southeastern states because corn is not a crop that does well in the southeast. So, what we want is a very efficient crop for water, nitrogen, very high yielding,” she said, and the eTuber meets those qualifications. “These are very dry sweet potatoes, these are not in the food market, it would be a dedicated energy crop,” she explained. “We would like to build or takeover a corn ethanol plant to show that these feedstocks work, in combination with sweet sorghum, which does very well in the southeast. We want to get in the ethanol game and create clean, green jobs in one of the poorest areas of the United States.”

Ryan-Bohac says the tubers can grow to be over 20 pounds, which would translate into enough starch to produce 1500-1800 gallons of ethanol per acre. “The longer you grow them, the bigger they get. This crop never dies until the frost kills it.”

Listen to my interview with Dr. Janice Ryan-Bohac here: Dr. Janice Ryan-Bohac, CAREnergy

biomass, Ethanol, Ethanol News, feedstocks

RFA Report Highlights Ethanol Feed Production

Cindy Zimmerman

The livestock feed generated as a by-product of ethanol production is enough to make 50 billion quarter-pound hamburgers each year, according to a new report from the Renewable Fuels Association.

RFAAccording to the report, America’s ethanol producers supplied nearly 35 million metric tons (mmt) of livestock feed in the 2009/2010 marketing year, which is greater than the total amount of grain consumed by all of the beef cattle in the nation’s feedlots. For the current 2010/2011 marketing year, feed production from the ethanol industry is projected at 39 mmt.

According to RFA, that amount is equivalent to the 4th largest corn crop in the world, enough feed to produce 50 billion quarter-pound hamburgers – seven patties for each person on the planet – or enough to produce one chicken breast for every American every day for a year

Read the RFA report “Fueling a Nation; Feeding the World.”

Distillers Grains, Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA

ICM Spotlights Biomass Gasification at Conference

Cindy Zimmerman

The announcement by ICM last week on the commercial deployment of its biomass gasification system came just prior to the 4th International Biomass Conference and Expo in St. Louis last week, which gave the company much to talk about with attendees.

ICMThe technology has the capacity to covert 150 tons of biomass per day to a syngas that can then be used a a fuel for industrial power and heating applications and Dr. Bert Bennett, ICM Principal Scientist and Process Engineer, says they have been working on it for over three years. “We actually put it in development in 2007. We built the unit and put it into action in 2009 and have been operating for over two years,” he said. “We’re really pleased with how the unit’s performed and now we’ve officially begun to commercialize it.”

The system provides a new commercial platform to provide other energy sources for ethanol plants and other industries. “We’re interested in biomass, refuse-derived fuels, industrial processes – steam, heat, power, integrating our system into current plants and a broad base of power production,” said Bennett.

ICMICM tested more than 13 feedstocks and processed 7,000 tons of biomass over the past two years. “We put close to 4,000 tons of wood chips, that’s sort of the standard, a very easy fuel to do,” Bennett said. Other “hits” included refuse-derived fuels (RDF), tire chips, and corn stover. Some of the more challenging fuels they tested included manure, such as poultry litter.

In addition to producing syngas, ICM’s biomass gasification platform can co-produce biochar, a type of charcoal that can be used to lock carbon in the soil.

Listen to my interview with Dr. Bert Bennett here: Dr. Bert Bennett, ICM

biofuels, biomass, Ethanol, Ethanol News

New Corn Oil Extraction Technology Increases Yield

Joanna Schroeder

Inedible corn oil is an emerging co-product for the ethanol industry. Today, about 1/3 of all ethanol plants in production are producing some type of inedible corn oil. However, many current technologies on the market don’t deliver high yields. This may change with the announcement from Ashland Hercules Water Technologies who has released a patent-pending corn oil extraction aid, PTV M-5309, that improves yield. The product is easily added to a plant’s current technology and requires no additional capital expenditure.

“The customers we’ve worked with in developing this value-added product have documented a number of benefits from using the PTV M-5309 corn oil extraction aid,” said McCord Pankonen, global biorefining marketing manager, Water Technologies. “The real beauty of the product is that refiners don’t have to change their process. Many of those who are using our corn oil extraction aid are producing up to three times more corn oil than they previously achieved.”

The technology works by improving the release of oil during mechanical extraction. The aid is added to the process after distillation, and at this point, it also reduces solids in the oil, resulting in a cleaner, higher-quality oil. Lastly, the aid helps keep the system cleaner and results in less downtime for cleaning and maintenance. Inedible corn oil has become an emerging feedstock for the biodiesel industry but many plants are not equipped to use the feedstock because it is harder to convert than other feedstocks and needs special treatment.

“The results we have been able to achieve for our customers during testing prompted us to accelerate our efforts to bring this to market,” said Eugenia Erlij, director of global marketing for Food and Beverage, Water Technologies. “By enabling ethanol producers to capture more corn oil without increasing capital expenditures, PTV M-5309 provides an added value that delivers bottom-line performance.”

Biodiesel, biofuels, corn, Ethanol

DSM & Roquette Announce Plans for Biochemical Plant

Joanna Schroeder

Royal DSM used the 2011 BIO World Congress as a platform to announcement several new initiatives. Yesterday, DSM CEO Ferke Sijbesma received the George Washington Carver Award for Innovation in Industrial Biotechnology. In addition, the company was part of a funding round for Verdezyne. The latest news is that they have announced a partnership with French company Roquette Frères to build a commercial scale plant in Cassano Spinola, Italy for the production of bio-based succinic acid sourcing local biomass as their feedstocks. The bio-based chemical alternative can be used in a broad range of applications including packaging and footwear. The plant is expected to be online in the second half of 2012.

Succinic acid is a chemical building block used in the manufacture of polymers, resins, food and pharmaceuticals among other products. Bio-based succinic acid, a renewable and versatile chemical building block, is an alternative to petroleum-derived chemical building blocks such as adipic acid and 1.4-butanediol. DSM is able to produce the biochemical at a lower cost than the conventional fossil-fuel based chemical giving it an economic advantage in the marketplace.

Rob van Leen, Chief Innovation Officer of DSM, said, “The time is right to capitalize on the tremendous progress we have made together with Roquette in the last two years. Our proprietary yeast-based fermentation process not only allows cost effective production; it also eliminates salt waste and other by-products and thus improves the overall eco-footprint of end-products. This bio-based chemical building block is a substitute for various fossil feedstock derived monomers and proves that the bio-based economy is no longer a distant prospect.”

This announcement is the next in a series since the partnership began in 2008. In 2010 DSM and Roquette opened a demonstration plant in Lestrem (France), which has been running at full capacity. The two companies have also announced their intention to establish a joint venture, which will be carrying out business under the name Reverdia).

“We are very encouraged with the development efforts in several new applications and are receiving favorable feedback from customers who have sampled ton quantities from our demonstration plant in Lestrem. The new plant in Italy will allow customers in Europe, North America and Asia to make larger volume commitments to their customers,” added Jean-Bernard Leleu, Deputy CEO and RID Director of Roquette.

To view photos from the 2011 BIO World Congress visit my flickr photo album.

BIO, biochemicals, Biotech

Rancho California Water District to Add Solar

Joanna Schroeder

The Rancho California Water District (RCWD) is going solar. They have hired SunPower to design and construct two solar power systems that will total 1.7 megawatts (mW) at two of their facilities. It is anticipated that the solar systems will save RCWD nearly $8.5 million in energy costs over the next 25 years. Back in 2009, SunPower completed a 1.1 mW solar project for RCWD’s Santa Rosa Water Reclamation Facility in Murrieta, California.

“The system that SunPower completed for us in 2009 reliably delivers significant monthly savings on our electricity costs, which we pass on to our customers,” said Andrew Webster, RCWD’s chief engineer. “As a result, we chose to work with SunPower again when we expanded our commitment to solar power, and further maximize our savings and the environmental benefits for our community.”

The first system located at the Senga Doherty Pump Station in Murrieta, will be a 1.1 mW system comprised of SunPower’s T0 Tracker system. The trackers allow for solar panels to move with the sun increasing sunlight capture by up to 25 percent while reducing land requirements. The second system will be installed at RCWD’s headquarters in Temecula. This will be a 610 kilowatt solar parking canopy structure that will provide power to their building.

“With SunPower systems operating at more than 20 water agencies, representing approximately 19 megawatts in total, our experience and ability to deliver guaranteed performance sets us apart,” said Jim Pape, president of SunPower’s residential and commercial business group. “We applaud RCWD’s leadership in taking advantage of the QECB program. Clean, reliable solar power makes good sense today for public agencies and our environment.”

Funding for the project will be through qualified energy conservation bonds that are issued by the state of California. RCWD will own the renewable energy credits associated with the systems. Construction is set for this summer and should be completed by the end of 2011.

Electricity, Energy, Solar

Hybrid Ford F150 Launched

Joanna Schroeder

The F150 pickup truck, the best selling truck in America, now comes in a hybrid version. Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide has launched a new line of hybrid vehicles including a plug-in hybrid F150. The trucks were specifically designed for fleet operators.

The PHEV F150 will provide drivers with the same performance from a conventional truck, but with higher fuel economy and lower emissions. The PHEV F150 uses Quantum’s new “F-Drive” hybrid system which will have a 35 mile electric range before shifting to a hybrid mode where it can continue for a total range of over 400 miles. The Quantum “F-Drive” hybrid system is available in 2 and 4 wheel drive. To meet the requirements of fleet customers, the F-Drive has been integrated in the F150 vehicle such that there is no impingement into the cab or bed and it maintains full ground clearance.

Alan Niedzwiecki, CEO Quantum Technologies added, “We believe this vehicle fills an important niche for fleet customers desiring a largely electric pick-up truck with extended range capability.”

Electric Vehicles

BP Backs Verdezyne

Joanna Schroeder

BP Alternative Energy Ventures and DSM Venturing B.V. have both invested in renewable fuel and chemical company Verdezyne. The two companies were part of a funding round that also included additional monies from existing investors OVP Venture Partners and Monitor Ventures. The announcement was made today during the BIO World Congress underway in Toronto.

“We are thrilled to have these two industry leaders validate Verdezyne’s technology and its business strategy by taking a stake in the company,” said E. William Radany, Verdezyne’s CEO and president. “This new funding, along with the support from existing investors, will enable the company to execute on its goal of creating and deploying first-in-class engineered yeast strains that efficiently produce biobased fuels and platform chemicals.”

According to Verdezyne, they have significantly advanced its robust yeast production platform for their ethanol and adipic acid processes. The additional financing will allow the company to continue to build its yeast metabolic engineering capabilities to produce a pipeline of renewable transportation fuels and platform chemicals.

DSM VP of Biobased Chemicals and Fuels, James Lademarco, added, “Over the past year, we have been impressed with Verdezyne’s progress in its yeast platform for both fuels and biobased chemicals. We see this investment as strategic given the complementary activities to our own portfolio within Biobased Products and Services.”

You can view photos of the 2011 BIO World Congress in my flickr photo album.

BIO, biochemicals, biofuels, Biotech, Ethanol