Ethanol Producer on Capitol Hill

Cindy Zimmerman

Considering Republication opposition to ethanol initiatives in the House Continuing Resolution, some ethanol producers are taking to Capitol Hill for face-to-face discussions with their lawmakers about the importance of ethanol to the country.

Marquis SchockTwo representatives from Marquis Energy of Hennepin, Illinois were in Washington, D.C. this week for personal meetings with representatives from their state, including Robert Schilling (R-17), Aaron Schock (R-18), Randy Hultgren (R-14), John Shimkus (R-19) and Adam Kinzinger (R-11). Mark Marquis, President of Marquis Energy (left), is pictured meeting with Rep. Schock in this photo provided by Growth Energy, of which Marquis Energy is a member.

“These meetings present us with a unique opportunity to speak candidly with our policy makers about the benefits of homegrown ethanol,” said Marquis. “These benefits include reduced emissions, stronger national security and job creation not only in Hennepin, but throughout the state of Illinois and across the country.”

Marquis says his meetings with lawmakers included discussion about Growth Energy’s Fueling Freedom proposal to develop the infrastructure to deliver ethanol to consumers. “By reforming the market for alternative fuels, ethanol can strengthen the Illinois economy and clean its environment.”

Ethanol, Government, Growth Energy

NAFTC – A Leader in Alt Fuels Training

Joanna Schroeder

The National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC) has been training renewable fuel industry members, technicians and consumers for more than a decade and chances are you’ve encountered their work but may not have realized it. The consortium was founded in 1992 initially to train and educate the natural gas industry. This was when the first natural gas vehicles were coming on the scene and there was a need to train technicians to work on these vehicles. Thus, West Virginia University formed NAFTC.

Today, the organization has expanded to other gaseous fuels, renewable fuels and advanced technology vehicles. Executive Director Al Ebron said that they have three key areas that they focus on: project management where they manage large projects in the renewable fuels and advanced technology vehicle areas, curricula development and subsequently turning that curriculum into training programs, and outreach and education.

With the support of key members comprised of national training centers (that are made up of community colleges, universities and private training institutions), and their associate members that include high schools, NAFTC goes around the country and conducts specialized training workshops. Ebron explained that when they do technical training, they focus on one fuel. However, there are some courses, for example when they do first responder safety training, where they focus on multiple fuels.

Today, NAFTC, a nonprofit organization, is doing a lot of work with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). They have several major initiatives including the Clean Cities Learning Program where they are developing first responder safety training programs and they are developing petroleum reduction technologies, manuals and training programs. In addition, they are working on the Advanced Electric Drive Education Program. This is a very large program focusing on electric drive vehicle programs and the first elements of this program will be launched in the coming months.

The majority of their training sessions are in the summer when more people have the flexibility to attend and for those interested, you can view a schedule on NAFTC’s website. You can also obtain more information about how to become involved in supporting various programs in which the consortium is currently engaged.

To learn more about all of the work of NAFTC, listen to my interview with Al here: Interview with Al Ebron

2011 National Biodiesel Conference Photo Album

Audio, Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference, Education, Electric Vehicles, Ethanol, Natural Gas

Flat Water Wind Project Completed in Nebraska & Kansas

Joanna Schroeder

Photo Courtesy of RES Americas

The Flat Water Wind project has been completed in Southern Nebraska’s Richardson County and Kansas’ Nemaha County. This 60 megawatt (MW) wind farm is comprised of 40 1.5 MW GE wind turbines and was completed on November 15, 2010 – one month ahead of schedule. The wind farm was developed and constructed by Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc. (RES) for Flat Water Wind Farm LLC, which is a partnership between Gestamp Wind North America, a subsidiary of Gestamp Renewables and Banco Santander, S.A.

“We are delighted to be working with Gestamp Wind North America and look forward to a continued partnership in the future. Working together we have successfully completed a project that will bring clean, renewable energy to the Omaha Public Power District,” said Susan Reilly, President and CEO for RES Americas. “Harvesting the wind has and will continue to be rewarding to the communities of Richardson and Nemaha Counties, bringing economic benefits and jobs, and contributing to a clean energy future.”

Javier Mateache, President and CEO of Gestamp Wind North America, added, “The construction of this wind farm was a remarkable success. Teaming up with RES Americas in this endeavor surpassed our expectations. At the peak of construction the project employed up to 150 skilled American workers, who demonstrated the highest level of performance and execution. Gestamp Wind is very proud to be a part of the Nebraskan community for the next year and will continue to work to become a significant player in the US wind industry.”

Electricity, Energy, Wind

GROWMARK To Help Grow Biodiesel Use In Illinois

Joanna Schroeder

GROWMARK, based in Bloomington, Illinois has a long history with selling renewable fuels. The company began marketing ethanol back in the late 1970s. Today, they are a major player in Illinois in selling high quality biodiesel. I had the chance to sit down with Mark Dehner, the company’s marketing manager of refined and renewable fuels during the National Biodiesel Board Conference. Although ethanol is a big part of their business, we focused on how biodiesel has helped to grow their business.

Dehner said that the company sells a performance blend of diesel fuel called Dieselex Gold that helps improve fuel efficiency and protects the fuel while in the hands of GROWMARK’s customers. From there, GROWMARK adds various biodiesel blends to that fuel, whether it be B2, B5, B11, which is typical in Illinois, or B20.

Illinois has been very progressive when it comes to the use of biodiesel. The state has a sales tax motor fuels between 6 1/4 percent up to 7 1/2 percent. However, the state passed a waiver that if you use a blend of biodiesel of B10 or higher, effectively B11, there is no sales tax. This becomes very cost effective for the user.

When factoring in this state incentive, the state biodiesel mandate, along with other state biodiesel mandates, the federal Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS2) and the blenders tax credit, Dehner sees good growth for their business this year and in years to come. Yet he said that to ensure this happens, there still needs to be some consumer education. In his experience, he’s found that when you have a chance to speak one-on-one with a customer or potential customer to address misperceptions and perceived issues about the fuel, you are usually able to clear them up and get them on board with using the fuel. But ultimately, as with any product, the fuel must be handled properly and used correctly.

GROWMARK is a huge supporter of renewable fuels and they believe that when a consumer understands the benefits they will be for the same reasons: its homegrown, its good for the environment; and it reduces our dependence on foreign oil. That’s why the company will continue to sell renewable fuels – because it the right thing to do.

You can listen to my full interview with Mark here: Interview with Mark Dehner

2011 National Biodiesel Conference Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference, Ethanol, NBB

Biofuels Part of Bright Outlook for Farm Economy

Cindy Zimmerman

The full House Agriculture Committee held a hearing today to hear from Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack about the outlook for the farm economy, which is being supported by strong demand for ethanol and biodiesel.

vilsackVilsack told the committee that the farm economy continues to remain strong with U.S. agricultural exports, farm cash receipts and net farm income projected at or above previous record levels. “With biofuel demand expected to continue growing, although at a slower pace in the future, a big challenge will be responding to that demand by developing new feedstocks, producing on more acres, and producing more per acre while protecting the environment,” he said. “I have the utmost confidence that our farmers and ranchers along with the assistance of USDA will be able to meet these challenges.”

In his written testimony, Vilsack expanded on the outlook for ethanol production as it relates to the farm economy. “U.S. ethanol production capacity is now estimated at 14 billion gallons. Production capacity is expected to increase modestly over the coming 18-24 months. New construction could add 560 million gallons of additional ethanol production capacity, bringing total capacity to about 14.6 billion gallons.”

Vilsack noted that returns for the biodiesel industry are expected to improve this year. “Fifteen percent of 2010/11 soybean oil production is expected to be used to produce about 380 million gallons of biodiesel. Soybean oil is the feedstock for about 50 percent of domestically produced biodiesel. The amount of soybean oil used in biodiesel production fell by 17 percent in 2009/10 to 1.7 billion pounds, but is expected to increase to 2.9 billion pounds in 2010/11.”

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government, USDA

Chromatin Sorghum Hybrids Topping the Charts

Joanna Schroeder

In 2010 biomass and sugar testing programs, Chromatin sorghum hybrids have demonstrated top performance when compared to other materials from public, private and commercial sorghum collections. This according to a company press release. Chromatin is a biotechnology company and its subsidiary, Sorghum Partners, LLC, sells sorghum seed products to growers.

Several trials were conducted. In the first trial, 50 biomass sorghum hybrids were planted in four replicate plots and tested for total yield, moisture, energy, and ash content. In a second trial, Chromatin tested 50 types of sweet sorghum, measuring total biomass yield and fermentable carbohydrate in harvested juice. The results of the trials have indicated that Chromatin’s hybrids provide the three top-yielding biomass sorghum hybrids. In addition, these hybrids also demonstrated very high energy content (BTU’s), low ash content and low moisture retention. Another notable characteristic – several of the company’s hybrid’s generated more fermentable sugar per acre than many of the competitors.

“These results are highly significant,” said Dave Jessen, Chromatin’s CTO. “With a range in the biomass testing program of 18.8 to 4.3 dry tons per acre (entry mean = 10.6), we are very confident that our best materials will deliver superior biomass yields. Further, two of our sorghum hybrids have sugar yields per acre that surpass many sweet sorghum cultivars that are used today.”

While the test were conducted in small scale, Jessen is confident that the company’s hybrids will still perform as well on larger scale tests.

“These tests show that our biomass has a combination of qualities that are high priority for thermochemical processors, and that our sweet sorghum provide solutions that can meet today’s growing demand for soluble sugar,” said Daphne Preuss, CEO of Chromatin. “BTU values ranged over $1000 / acre between the biomass at the extremes in the trial. This clearly shows that a key economic driver for cleantech projects will be the ability to access a high-performance feedstock.”

Ethanol, Ethanol News, sorghum

New Ethanol Fuel Finder App from RFA

Cindy Zimmerman

iphone appThe Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is excited to announce the release of a new Flex-Fuel Station Locator application for iPhones, iPads and the iPod Touch – free and available from the App Store.

The Flex-Fuel Station Locator iPhone application will help users pinpoint any E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline) station in the United States, providing the user with station locations, fuel prices, directions and a phone number to each station. The main screen features three buttons: Nearest, Favorites and About.

The app was developed by RFA utilizing the E85 station database hosted by the Alternative Fuels & Advanced Vehicles Data Center and the U.S. Department of Energy. This data is continuously updated to help users locate over 2,600 E85 fueling stations across the United States. To download the Flex-Fuel Station Locator, visit the Apple App Store and search “Flex-Fuel Station Locator” for a free and easy download directly to your iPhone, iPad or iTouch.

In addition to the Flex-Fuel Station Locator for iPhone, the RFA has developed a similar application for the Android series phones. This application is available at no cost on the Android Marketplace. For GPS users, the RFA also has an E85 Points of Interest (POIs) application for Garmin and TomTom GPS users.

E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Flex Fuel Vehicles, RFA

National Biodiesel Foundation Silent Auction Raises $50K

John Davis

Biodiesel outreach, education, research and demonstration activities have gotten a big boost as the National Biodiesel Foundation‘s 3rd Annual Silent Auction netted nearly $50,000 during last week’s National Biodiesel Conference & Expo in Phoenix.

The Foundation is also recognizing Cima Green Energy Services for a very generous $25,000 donation at the opening of the auction:

Executive Director of the National Biodiesel Foundation (NBF) Tom Verry was pleased with the auction results. “The generosity of both donors and bidders this year shows the level of commitment and optimism of the future of the biodiesel industry,” said Verry. “We are thrilled to see the auction grow each year. With donations like those from Cima Green Energy Services and our other donors, we are now able to contribute significantly toward industry goals.”

Funds raised by the 2011 Silent Auction will support Foundation goals and activities for the coming year such as Biodiesel Sustainability Awareness. This program includes vital research contributing to the fuel’s long-term sustainability, such as lifecycle analysis, land use analysis, and water usage. Other programs it supports include Bioheat Education and Infrastructure Development. The Bioheat market alone represents potentially seven million biodiesel gallons annually. Infrastructure Development is another program supported by the NBF. This program includes jet aircraft testing, installing 150 biodiesel terminals nationwide and environmental certifications.

To make a donation or for more information about the National Biodiesel Foundation, check out its website: www.biodieselfoundation.org.

Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference, NBB

Trojan Battery Sponsors PV Solar Training Program

Joanna Schroeder

Trojan Battery Company has become a new sponsor of the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP). This is an entry-level certification program for renewable energy professionals based in North America. One of Trojan’s goal’s with this sponsorship is to provide support for the continuing development of industry standards for certification of photovoltaic (PV) system professionals. The company believes it is critical to have qualified professionals building and installing PV systems and gives consumers the knowledge that proper installation will preserve the longevity of the batteries that may power the systems and confidence that their system will function properly.

“As the renewable energy market continues its rapid growth, demand for skilled installation professionals will continue to be needed,” said Dean Middleton, Trojan director of renewable energy sales, Americas. “Trojan’s sponsorship of NABCEP will assist in expanding the knowledge and expertise of renewable energy system professionals which will greatly support the adoption of alternative energy applications. The more qualified the installer is, the less failures in the field.

As part of its support for NABCEP programs, Trojan will provide product literature, technical support and sample batteries to the many training organizations that help prepare PV professionals for NABCEP certification exams. Trojan also will offer its expertise in deep cycle battery technology by developing continuing education programs which are offered to PV industry professionals.

“Trojan has a long history of leadership in the renewable energy marketplace and the company’s generous support of NABCEP is one more example of its commitment to continuous improvement and growth of the industry,” said Ezra Auerbach, executive director of NABCEP.  “Trojan already has an excellent relationship with our organization and its installer training on batteries is a valuable contribution to the continuing education of our certified professionals.

In other recent news, Trojan launched a new renewable energy website focusing on renewable energy and backup power solutions the company provides with its deep cycle battery lines. The site is designed to be a premiere source of information for installers, integrators, distributors and end users of energy storage systems to specifically address their unique requirements.

Electricity, Energy, Solar

CARB Tackling Crude Oil’s Carbon Intensity in LCFS

Joanna Schroeder

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is getting ready to move forward with determining the carbon intensity of crude oil. On February 17, they are holding a Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) Crude Oil Screening Workgroup Meeting. For those following the LCFS debate, you’ll note that still under fire is CARB’s final ruling on the carbon intensity levels given for ethanol and biodiesel. When CARB determined the original levels of corn ethanol, it essentially barred the fuel from qualifying as a low carbon fuel. While CARB has amended corn ethanol’s carbon intensity levels, basically allowing corn ethanol back into the marketplace, the amendment doesn’t take take effect until July 1 although LCFS took effect on January 1 of this year.

Now it’s oil turn to be under fire. In California, 40 percent of the state’s fuel supply comes from TEOR petroleum, while 10 percent of the gasoline is blended with ethanol. Life Cycle Associates have found the value for Thermally Enhanced Oil Recovery (TEOR) to be at least 109, though it might approach 120, and to have a carbon intensity value of 20 for total production and transportation. Ironically, this is in the same ballpark as corn ethanol. They are critical of the original GREET model, which found the value to be much lower originally, near 96.

The Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) submitted a letter to CARB with their recommendations of how crude oil should be treated under LCFS. They believe that crude oils should not be differentiated. So oil produced from tar sands should be treated the same as oil drilled in Alaska. Second, they believe that “future production from the same geographical areas and using the same techniques as represented in the 2006 California baseline, are extensions of that baseline and should receive the same treatment.” In other words, new oil fields should not be subject to a screening process and this is important because the state is moving to open new TEOR oil fields that were once considered too uneconomical to extract the oil.

Third, WSPA is arguing that given that the regulations currently call for differentiation of crudes that are not included in the 2006 baseline into high carbon intensity crude oil (HCICO) and non-HCICO categories, WSPA has been working with staff and other stakeholders in the HCICO Workgroup to develop a process to make the necessary categorizations. Finally, once the categorizations are in place, they are asking for a retroactive application of the carbon intensity of re-classified crudes. Ultimately, WSPA offered up a proposed model for the crude oil screening process.

What the ethanol industry is lobbying for as a result of the meeting is that it will be determined that TEOR is required to be submitted to a full “Method 2B” carbon intensity determination, which opens the fuel pathway up to a thorough review including public comment.Read More

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Oil, Opinion