Pellet Maker Gets New Deep Water Port

John Davis

An American maker of wood pellets has acquired a deep water port, and that should help the company receive, store and load more than 3 million tons of woody biomass for export each year.

Biomass Magazine reports that Enviva LP will expand its shipping capacity with the deep water port terminal in Chesapeake, Virginia:

The location is one of a few on the Eastern Seaboard suitable for the export of wood pellets and will serve as the shipment point for pellets manufactured at Enviva’s recently announced plant in nearby Ahoskie, N.C. The new plant will produce 330,000 tons of wood pellets annually from more than 600,000 tons of raw supplies, according to Enviva.

The Chesapeake port is Enviva’s second and the company will continue to ship pellets made at its Gulf region plants from its Mobile, Ala., port. The Virginia terminal was formerly owned by Giant Cement Co., which will continue to use a portion of it for cement sales. Expansion of the terminal will require 40 to 60 skilled workers and contractors during the initial phase of construction, and its permanent staff of 12 is expected to double by the third year of operation. Upgrades are expected to be complete in November, coinciding with pellet production at the new Ahoskie facility, according to Enviva.

“The Chesapeake region has for a long time been a key nexus of international trade in the United States,” said Enviva CEO John Keppler. “We are particularly excited to be one of the first green economy manufacturers to rebalance the flow of trade in favor of exports from this port in Virginia.” The company said the terminal purchase is a reflection of its commitment to ensuring the safety, reliability, sustainability and quality of its product. It also allows the company to better satisfy growing overseas demand for wood pellets.

The port will be able to handle ships with more than 44,000 tons of Enviva pellets on board. Most of Enviva’s customers are in Europe, but company has been expanding its U.S. base.

biomass

National Ethanol Scholarship Winners

Cindy Zimmerman

2011 ethanol conferenceFor the second year, the Renewable Fuels Association and the Renewable Fuels Foundation sponsored the National Ethanol Conference Scholarship program to help students pursuing advanced education in ethanol related careers to attend the conference.

This year’s five winners hailed from all over the country and are interested in a variety of areas related to the ethanol industry. From left to right, they are: Kai Nortey, a graduate student of Integrated Marketing and PR at Golden Gate University in California; Ethanol Kenney, who is pursuing a mechanical engineering degree at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Anuradha Mukherjee pursuing her PhD in chemical engineering at Oklahoma State; Julia O’Rourke, a second year MS/PhD student in mechanical engineering at the University of Texas; and Derek Latil de Ros, who recently graduated from the University of Illinois with the first Master’s degree in the U.S. focused on Bioenergy.

This talented group of young people are energetic and enthusiastic about the future of ethanol in the nation. I had a chance to interview Kai and found her to be overflowing with passion for the industry and focused on sharing her excitement with others. “We have to use alternative media sources to help get the message out there,” Kai says. She has her own blog about ethanol – evolvewithe85.blogspot.com – and she also has a Facebook page and Twitter account devoted to E85 in particular. In addition, she is in the process of using a Flex Fuel converter to make her 2005 Honda Civic capable of using up to 85 percent ethanol.

Listen to or download my interview with Kai Nortey here to hear her enthusiasm for ethanol: Kai Nortey Interview

2011 National Ethanol Conference Photo Album

Audio, E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News, National Ethanol Conference, RFA

USDA: Wind, Solar & Methane Hits on the Farm

John Davis

Solar panels, wind turbines and methane digesters are big hits on American farms and ranches, that according to a new survey from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The 2009 On-Farm Renewable Energy Production Survey, the first-ever nationwide survey that looked at renewable energy practices on America’s farms and ranches, shows that these types of energy sources have increased significantly over the last 10 years, with 8,569 operations making renewable energy across the country:

“These results indicate that farmers and ranchers are increasingly adopting renewable energy practices on their operations and reaping the important economic and environmental benefits,” said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “At USDA we are committed to natural resource conservation, prosperity and energy independence in rural America. This survey gives us a benchmark against which we can measure our future successes.”

According to the survey results, solar panels were the most prominent way to produce on-farm energy. In 2009, farmers on 7,968 operations nationwide reported using photovoltaic and thermal solar panels. The use of wind turbines was reported by farmers on 1,420 operations across 48 states. The use of methane digesters was reported by 121 operations in 29 states.

On the state level, California leads the nation with 1,956 operations producing renewable energy, accounting for nearly a quarter of all operations in the United States participating in this practice. Texas, Hawaii and Colorado were the other major states where farmers on at least 500 or more operations were producing their own renewable energy.

The survey goes on to show that farmers in nearly every state were able to save money by using their own, homegrown, renewable energy. More information is available here.

Solar, USDA, Wind

ZenithSolar to Build Two CHP Solar Stations in China

Joanna Schroeder

ZenithSolar Ltd. has announced plans to build two 10 megawatt (MW) combined heat and power (CHP) solar station in the Gansu province of China. Gansu is the home of 30 million people and is located in the northwestern part of the country, at the edge of the Gobi desert. As such, it has the best solar energy conditions in China and is among the best in the world. The memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed with the Energy Bureau of Gansu Provincial Development and Reform Commission of the People’s Republic of China during a ceremony in the provincial capital Lanzhou.

Under the agreement, ZenithSolar will provide the technology for the installation of two 10 megawatt (MW) cogeneration plants based on ZenithSolar’s Z20 CHP system. The agreement is focused on two planned facilities which are to be located in the cities of Jiayuguan and Jinchang with construction beginning this year. One of the installations will be used to provide electricity and process heat for an industrial plant and the other for a large neighborhood. The Gansu project represents the first large-scale solar collaboration between China and the Israeli company ZenithSolar in the field of CHP solar energy.

“ZenithSolar is honored to initiate the Gansu project in a province of China that is demonstrating leadership, vision and a long term commitment to renewable energy, said Roy Segev the CEO of ZenithSolar Ltd. We look forward to the collaboration in order to turn the Gansu project into a reality and thereby contribute to China’s ambitious renewable energy goals.”

Segey continued, “ZenithSolar’s system has proven its reliability and effectiveness in providing electric power and heat for over a year in an existing facility in Israel and we view the Gansu project as a tremendous opportunity to demonstrate the technology on a global scale.

Mr. Wang Yongqian, Chairman of Gansu Foreign Affair Office added, “We are very pleased to be partnering with ZenithSolar, a leader in solar CHP technology, in developing the first significant solar project to adopt advanced CPV technology in China.”

Electricity, Energy, Solar

Biofuel Feedstocks Provide Opportunity For Debate

Chuck Zimmerman

It’s hard to believe we’ve been conducting the ZimmPoll for almost 3 months now! We’re always looking for question ideas so please feel free to use comments here to suggest one or just email me. These polls are all archived so that you can easily review them anytime by clicking on the ZimmPoll Category. Over time they will become a good historical resource and we can’t thank Rhea + Kaiser enough for helping make it possible.

In the last couple weeks we’ve been very involved in two of the main biofuels events of the year, the National Biodiesel Conference and National Ethanol Conference. Last week’s question was very timely and received the most activity of any ZimmPoll to date.

We asked the question, “Which biofuel feedstock do you think has best future?” This is a very important question that is hotly debated and the answer will have a major impact in the biofuels industry and agribusiness as well. So what did you say? Energy Crops (Switchgrass, etc.) received the most votes at 26% followed by, Waste Material 24%, Corn 23%, Other 13%, Woody Biomass 10% and Soybean 4%. I really would not have predicted these results. If you clicked on “Other” what was on your mind? Something yet to be discovered? Feel free to post your comments.

Our next ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “Is agricultural marketing and communications a profession?” Let us know what you think and thank you for participating.

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

ZimmPoll

Brazilian Ethanol Summit June 6-7, 2011

Joanna Schroeder

“The Ethanol Summit has been confirmed for June 6th and 7th at Sao Paulo’s Grand Hyatt Hotel (Brazil) hosted by the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) and Scania, a Swedish heavy truck manufacturer that has developed and manufactured ethanol powered buses and trucks, has signed on as a major sponsor for the event. This year’s theme is “Solutions for a Low-Carbon Economy.”

“We will further broaden the debate, bringing to the table a growing variety of cane by-products that contribute directly to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, making sugarcane and ethanol increasingly important tools in the pursuit of the so-called low-carbon economy,” said UNICA President Marcos Jank.

The summit, held every two years, will bring together leading business executives, experts, investors, NGO representatives and government officials from Brazil and other countries, whose expertise and activities are directly relevant to the Brazilian and global sugar and ethanol industries. The event will feature nearly 120 speakers in four plenary sessions with 15 panels, along with two major ceremonies, parallel meetings and side events.

“Brazil has taken a leading role in global alternative energy discussions. UNICA has been working to create awareness and disseminate information on renewable energies,” added Jank. “New and emerging technologies and applications can benefit both developed and emerging economies, because energy affects the entire planet. “The Ethanol Summit is a key channel of global dissemination for both the impressive results achieved in Brazil and the prospects of this success being repeated in many other parts of the world.”

Registration for the 2011 Ethanol Summit are now open at www.ethanolsummit.com.br.

Brazil, conferences, Ethanol, UNICA

DF Cast: Study Shows E15 OK in Older Vehicles

John Davis

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has given the green light for E15 ethanol to be used in vehicle years 2001-2007. But what about older cars and trucks?

In this edition of the Domestic Fuel Cast, we listen in to part of the presentation by Ricardo, an internationally recognized automotive and engineering firm, at the Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit, where the company made the case that E15 is OK for vehicles made between 1994 and 2000.

We hear from Ricardo’s Rod Beazley, who explains why they looked at this group of cars and trucks, the challenges involved in the testing, and why the fuel tanks were actually more likely to corrode from the outside and not from the E15 on the inside (the picture on the right is quite telling).

It’s an interesting presentation, and you can see the slide show here and hear what Beazley has to say here: Domestic Fuel Cast

You can also subscribe to the DomesticFuel Cast here.:

Audio, conferences, Domestic Fuel Cast, Ethanol, Ethanol News, News

NASCAR Season Kicks Off With Ethanol

Joanna Schroeder

Although ethanol’s “driver” Clint Bowyer didn’t win the Daytona 500 this weekend, ethanol scored a victory as the “The Great American Race” this past Sunday was the first time all the cars raced using Sunoco Green E15. There were more than 120,000 fans at the race and millions of fans watched the action on TV and witnessed the ethanol partnership between NASCAR and the National Corn Growers Association and Growth Energy.

“This is just the beginning of the racing season, and NASCAR’s 75 million race fans will see the benefits of an ethanol blend for more power and less emissions,” said NCGA President Bart Schott, on hand for the race in Daytona Beach, Fla., with growers and others for an up-close look at how a NASCAR race operates. “This has been a great experience for us to learn more about NASCAR’s drivers, staff and fans and to help spread the word about ethanol.”

American-Ethanol-sponsored driver Clint Bowyer, driver of the #33 Chevrolet, performed well this weekend, winning a pole position for Saturday’s Drive4COPD 300 race and coming in second, and scoring the sixth starting position for the Daytona 500 on Sunday. Bowyer led that premier event 11 times for 31 laps and then finished 17th, after a massive pileup only four laps before the end of the race.

During the Daytona 500, race fans were provided miniature American Ethanol green flags to wave at the start of the race and take home. In addition, NASCAR aired a minute-long spot during the Fox broadcast focused on the farm connection to ethanol. In addition, ethanol is branded on the track: ethanol logos encircle the fuel ports of all race cars. The NASCAR American Ethanol partnership also involves a multi-year agreement through which American Ethanol will sponsor a new award each race and be featured on-site for race days.

“This showcase of ethanol will really help us educate Americans about the value of a domestic, renewable fuel blend that creates jobs, provides energy independence and helps clear the air,” Schott said. “NASCAR’s endorsement of ethanol is an important one because they appreciate the value of good fuel for their machines.”

While you will be able to see ethanol on track in all three NASCAR series throughout the 2011 season, American Ethanol will be the primary sponsor of the No. 33 Chevrolet car at the Kansas Speedway 400 on June 5, and an associate sponsor of the car for the rest of the season.

American Ethanol, Ethanol, Growth Energy, NASCAR, NCGA, Racing

Corn Forecast Bright for Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

2011 ethanol conferenceCorn stocks may be a little tight right now, but National Corn Growers Association CEO Rick Tolman thinks that is probably a short term situation

“Still our biggest challenge is that we can overproduce the market,” Tolman said during an interview after a presentation at the National Ethanol Conference on Monday. “Farmers respond to incentives, there’s an incentive right now to produce. I can guarantee we’ll have a big crop in 2011.”

Tolman makes that confident prediction after an informal survey of the NCGA farmer board members, who are mostly ahead of the game right now as far as being ready for spring planting, compared to where they were a year ago. “We had a great fall, farmers got their crop out of the field, they did their fall tillage, they did their application of inputs. We’re coming into the season in about as perfect a condition as you can have,” he said, adding that odds favor significant yields in 2011 and a larger carryover in 2012.

Tolman says NCGA is in the midst of a study commissioned by Informa Economics to look out to 2020 with different scenarios, including one in which there would be 20 billion gallons of corn ethanol produced. “The key point here is, even under a 20 billion gallon scenario, we see stocks continuing to grow because of this productivity equation,” Tolman said during his presentation.

Listen to or download my interview with Rick Tolman here: Rick Tolman Interview

Listen to or download Tolman’s presentation: Rick Tolman NEC Presentation

2011 National Ethanol Conference Photo Album

Audio, corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, National Ethanol Conference, NCGA, RFA

Green Floyd Debuts New Ethanol Song

Cindy Zimmerman

2011 ethanol conferenceA gorgeous desert sunset provided the perfect backdrop for the National Ethanol Conference networking reception Monday night, featuring the ethanol industry’s own “Green Floyd.”

The Green Floyd band is made up of Frontline Bioenergy CEO Bill Lee, Neil and Tom Koehler with Pacific Ethanol and Paul Kamp with Inbicon. The group played a variety of songs from blues to folk to rock, and entertained with a couple of original parodies designed with the ethanol audience in mind. Here’s some of the lyrics to their latest Pink Floyd parody to the tune of “Wish You Were Here” – and a short video clip to enjoy.

Hey, so you think you can tell,
Heaven from Hell
Blue skies from rain?
Can you tell a Corn field from a Tar Sand Hell,
a Seed from a Drill – Do you think you can tell?

Ethanol, Ethanol News, National Ethanol Conference, RFA, Video