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

Propel’s Iacoponi Appointed to LCFS Advisory Panel

Joanna Schroeder

Jim Iacoponi, Vice President of Operations for Propel Fuels has been appointed to the California Air Resources Board (CARB’s) Low Carbon Fuels Standard (LCFS) Advisory Panel. Alongside other qualified industry members of the panel, Iacoponi will provide guidance to CARB as they monitor and evaluate progress of the LCFS program. Propel, as California’s largest retail provider of alternative fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel, is uniquely positioned to provide CARB with key insights into the fueling habits of low-carbon fuel consumers and fleets in order to better implement the state’s carbon reduction strategies.

“Through this panel, we aim to support CARB with market data and trends on the use of low-carbon fuels directly from our pumps and customers,” said Iacoponi. “This also provides an opportunity for all parts of this industry, from advanced fuel producers to vehicle manufacturers, to better align around California’s emissions reduction goals.”

According to Propel they source the cleanest, most sustainable fuels on the market that meet their cost and quality targets. As commercial scale cellulosic facilities prepare to break ground in California, the company believes their fueling infrastructure is a critical link between California’s drivers and the next generation of low-carbon fuels.

CARB held the first meeting of the LCFS Advisory Panel today in Sacramento. The panel reviewed progress towards the LCFS targets, advised CARB’s Board of Directors on advances in fuels and production technology, vehicle technologies and availability, the program’s impact on the state’s fuel supplies, and other issues.

Biodiesel, Ethanol

The “One-Stop” Shop Biodiesel Plant

Joanna Schroeder

With the explosive growth expected in the biodiesel industry this year, many investors are looking to update their technologies as they bring their biodiesel plants online. Those looking for a “one-stop shop” for an entire biodiesel plant should look at two seemingly unlikely partners: McGyan Biodiesel and Biodiesel Analytical Solutions (BAS).

There is much talk in the biodiesel industry that the days of the single feedstock producer are nearing an end. The new emerging technology – multiple feedstock technologies. One such technology is the McGyan technology, a multi-feedstock technology that was first proven out in Ever Cat Fuels, a biodiesel producer located in Isanti, Minn. The plant went online in November of 2009 and was one of only two biodiesel plants that stayed in production last year.

So what is unique about this technology? David Wendorf, Director of Marketing for McGyan said that they use a transferication process. This allows them to use a wide variety of feedstocks ranging from 0 percent FFAs to 100 percent FFAs. The advantage is that the plant can always use the most cost-effective feedstocks. In addition, their technology uses no harsh chemicals, no water, produces no waste products and is scalable. And since it can use a full range of FFAs, it hasn’t meet an oil-based feedstock that it doesn’t like.

Another option with the McGyan technology is that you can add it to an ethanol plant that has corn oil extraction technology. Wendorf explained that you can use the corn oil to create biodiesel and the process also uses ethanol. In addition, you can actually create biodiesel from the excess ethanol if there is a situation where the market has too much ethanol and not enough demand. Wendorf explained that this would be another revenue stream for an ethanol plant, using the corn oil as a hedge – if the price of corn oil does go up, you can simply substitute other low cost feedstocks.

So what’s the tie with BAS? Read More

Audio, Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference, NBB

Air Force C-17s Certified for Unlimited Use of Biofuels

John Davis

The big, beautiful cargo plane you see here is the C-17 Globemaster III, capable of bringing in everything from beans to bullets, as well as taking to war and bringing back home the men and women who serve our country so proudly. And U.S. Air Force officials have certified it for unlimited usage of biofuels, more specifically, hydrotreated renewable jet (HRJ) fuels, the first aircraft to receive such a certification.

“This certification marks the Air Force’s first platform to be fully certified using an HRJ blend,” said Dr. Kevin Geiss, the deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for energy. “This marks a significant achievement for the Air Force, our alternative fuel certification office and our partners in both industry and across the Department of Defense.”

The certification for usage of HRJ biofuel blended with petroleum-based JP-8 fuel represents part of ongoing efforts by Air Force officials to certify and test biofuels from non-petroleum sources.

The move to certify the fleet using the HRJ blend of fuel represents the Air Force’s commitment to assuring the supply, no matter the source, meets the service’s required standards, and demonstrates the Air Force’s commitment to reducing its dependency on foreign sources of oil, Dr. Geiss added.

“We’re very proud of this certification,” said Terry Yonkers, the assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and logistics. “By using a ‘pathfinder’ approach, we’ve taken the success of our processes developed in our previous alternative fuel certifications work and learned how to efficiently streamline our HRJ certification efforts, while guaranteeing the fuel blend will work without notable difference to the pilots.”

According to Jeff Braun, the Air Force’s alternative fuel certification office chief, the blended fuel evaluation that combined additional analyses from Boeing, Parker ESD and Pratt & Whitney resulted in no significant differences in engine stability, thrust response or engine steady-state performance.

This means that C-17s will be able to fly on a 50 percent mix of the biofuel when using JP-8, the military’s long-time standard fuel for aircraft and a 25 percent blend of HRJ when mixed with synthetic paraffinic kerosene fuel (25 percent) and JP-8 (50 percent). Officials say there will be no need for any aircraft modifications or special handling with the blends.

biofuels, biojet fuel, Government

New Energy Tech. Debuts SolarWindow Application

John Davis

A Maryland company has taken a big technological step forward in the solar power generation field. New Energy Technologies has announced it has moved up to a 12″x12″ square of a spray-on type of coating, known as SolarWindow. While a 12″x12″ square doesn’t sound very big, it wasn’t very long ago the company was working with areas smaller than a grain of rice and hopes to soon be able to use SolarWindow on a large scale, such as an office building.

In the first in a two-part series with New Energy Technologies (tomorrow, we’ll talk about the company’s MotionPower technology to get energy from the movement of cars and trucks on highways), I talk with John Conklin, President and CEO of New Energy Technologies about this breakthrough. He says this milestone is part of their road map toward commercializing this new technology.

“Part of that road map was our committment to not only commercializing but also expanding the way by which we are going to be applying the types of solar window we are going to be installing,” says Conklin. To that end, New Energy has spray applied the coating and produced the 12″x12″ working array. He said that coating should help eliminate some of the more brittle, and expensive materials usually used for solar energy. The lower cost liquid is see-through and can be applied to a window at room temperature without the use of high-vacuum, important to making it commercially viable.

Conklin says this electricity-generating coating works in natural, artificial and low-light conditions, making the solar array much more flexible. “Under very low-light conditions, such as an early morning or late day, it gives us the ability to produce electricity,” giving them the option of placing the photovoltaic material on east and west faces of structures, as well as the interior light in the entire building envelope, increasing the area on a building able to produce electricity.

Conklin can’t give specifics about when they hope this technology will be commercially viable, but he says 2011 will be a very productive year for New Energy.

You can hear more of Conklin’s remarks here: John Conklin, New Energy Technologies.

Plus, I’ll have part two of my conversation with him about New Energy’s MotionPower right here tomorrow.

Audio, Solar

Ethanol Report on New Advanced Ethanol Council

Cindy Zimmerman

Ethanol Report PodcastIn this edition of “The Ethanol Report” podcast, we hear from the executive director of the newly formed Advanced Ethanol Council (AEC), Brooke Coleman.

Brooke ColemanColeman has been involved with the ethanol industry for over a decade, most recently as Executive Director of the New Fuels Alliance. He says that the new organization came together around a common theme. “The common theme is that both existing corn ethanol producers and tomorrow’s cellulose and advanced ethanol producers have a common interest – opening up U.S. fuel markets to the use of ethanol.”

“Advanced ethanol is truly on the cusp of commercialization,” he continued. “It’s a fuel that is not 15 years down the road, it’s a realistic option and there are plants in the ground already today producing advanced ethanol at demonstration and commercial scale.”

Coleman points out that the organization encompasses all types of advanced ethanol, not just cellulosic, which is a process that specifically uses cellulose to create ethanol. “At the end of the day, we want to make sure we develop market places for advanced ethanol – not just one type,” he said.

The AEC represents a wide range of advanced ethanol technologies utilizing feedstock from grasses and corn stalks to wood waste, municipal solid waste and algae to produce ethanol. The industry leaders founding the AEC include Abengoa Bioenergy , BlueFire Renewables, Coskata, Enerkem , Fulcrum BioEnergy, Inbicon, Iogen, Mascoma, Osage Bio Energy and Qteros, together with the Renewable Fuels Association.

Listen to or download the Ethanol Report on the new AEC here: Ethanol Report on Advanced Ethanol Council

advanced biofuels, AEC, Audio, Cellulosic, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, RFA

Smartphone Platforms of Choice

Chuck Zimmerman

When it comes to smartphone platforms our audience is using a mix with iPhone/Android/Blackberry on top. According to our poll 32% say they use iPhone, 32% are using Android, 28 % are using Blackberry and way back we have 5% saying Other and only 3% saying Windows. Interesting and I think we’ll have to ask this question again later this year since there are going to be a lot of changes in mobile phone carrier systems and phones. So, does this surprise you? About what you expected?

Our next ZimmPoll is now live and asks a question we hope our Domestic Fuel readers will like, “What biofuel feedstock do you think has best future?” 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

HyperSolar Makes Thin Solar Concentrator Prototype

John Davis

Innovative solar cell maker HyperSolar has completed a prototype design of its new thin solar concentrator.

As you might remember from my post from Oct. 26, 2010, the company is focusing increasing solar cell output by magnifying the sun’s rays:

Tim Young, CEO of HyperSolar, commented, “Our ultimate goal is to develop an inexpensive and thin solar concentrator for use in replacing expensive solar cells in conventional flat solar panels. After a year of intense research and development, we are excited to report that we have finally achieved a prototype design that we believe can be refined into a commercial product. While this initial prototype is designed to provide 300% light magnification, we are aiming for at least 400% in our final commercial product.”

The company anticipates the commercial version of the HyperSolar concentrator will be approximately 1 centimeter thick and will be applied as the top sheet on flat solar panels. The initial prototype will be a single micro-concentrator module fabricated at a larger size to facilitate testing and validation of its real-life performance. Once the photonic and optical characteristics of the micro-concentrator module are validated and refined, the design can be easily miniaturized for use in the mass production of the commercial version HyperSolar concentrator.

HyperSolar officials say their concentrator will reduce the number of solar cells necessary in a panel by 75 percent.

Solar

Unconventional Reality of Press & Public Opinion

Joanna Schroeder

They say that imitation is the highest form of flattery and if this is true, than the biofuels industry should be flattered that their communication messages have been hijacked: biofuels are good for the country, good for our economy and good for the environment. But the industry having its messages hijacked by others – natural gas, coal, the petroleum industry, propane to name a few-  creates confusion in the marketplace among consumers. How does a consumer know to choose ethanol or biodiesel at the pump if all the fuels have the same benefits? (And we know they don’t.)

So what do we do? We must learn to tell our story better. I recently presented a free webinar, “Back to Basics,” sponsored by Biofuels Journal and you can listen to the archive here that touched on this very issue.

This was also the topic of a the panel discussion, “Unconventional Reality of Press and Public Opinion,” during Advance: 2011 Biodiesel Conference & Expo in Phoenix last week. I sat on this panel with my esteemed colleague and fellow journalist Jim Lane, the editor of Biofuels Digest, as well as Karen Coble-Edwards with KICE Public Affairs Associates and Craig Sutherland with Dewey Square Group. Shannon Shea, with the U.S. Department of Energy moderated the panel discussion.

While those of us on the panel agreed that the biofuels industry needs to update its messages and tell a better story, we didn’t agree on how that should be done. But one thing I’ve found in my personal research, is that our opponents REALLY know how to tell a story. It’s time our industry learned how to do the same and just last week, this very thing began to happen.

Propel Fuels along with Biofuels Digest, launched a Faces of Biofuels campaign that features the people who use biofuels. Propel is based in California and sells ethanol and biodiesel in the Northwest. This is a really great grassroots campaign that should be stolen by biofuel friendly retailers across the U.S. In this case, imitation will definitely be welcome form of flattery.

There is definitely a movement within the biodiesel and ethanol industries to work more effectively together and at the upcoming Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference being held in Washington, D.C. on April 19-21 will discuss just how to do this. So if you want to be a part of this movement, and get connected to others who have also joined this movement, consider attending this conference.

Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference, Ethanol, Opinion

Book Review – The Frugal Superpower

Joanna Schroeder

This week I read the book “The Frugal Superpower,” by Michael Mandelbaum. For much of the beginning, I couldn’t quite figure out what this book had to do with energy. But I kept on going and was rewarded by some true insights as to other good reasons why reducing our dependence on Middle Eastern oil can help our country out of some if its current mess.

In the book, Mandelbaum takes on the challenge of laying out why America’s expansive foreign policy is coming to an end and the consequences of such an action. Let’s face it, America needs to tighten it’s purse strings – the country has phenomenal deficits, is still trying to recover from a financial crash and its entitlement programs such as Social Security, are running out of money. So what should go by the wayside? America’s underwriting of global security that dates back to the 1940s.

Mandelbaum is not naive to what could happen when the U.S. stops fighting the wars of others, but he is also very aware of what will happen if the U.S. continues to fight all the wars of others. It will put our “Superpower” status in more jeopardy. Whereas realigning our foreign policy could actually strengthen our position.

The war in Iraq is over oil – a commodity that our country cannot live without.

Mandelbaum writes, “Because the United States accounts for so much of the world’s oil usage, a major reduction in American consumption could lower overall consumption enough to reduce the global price of the commodity. This would decrease the money accruing to the governments that depend heavily, in some cases almost exclusively, on the sale of oil to finance their operations. Iran is one such country. The sale of oil account for 80 percent of its annual revenue. Reducing the income of the Islamic Republic would give its rulers less money to spend on the policies that threaten the rest of the region and the world….Restricting the stream of Iranian oil revenue would have an even more powerful effect on the regime: It would undermine its internal stability.”Read More

biofuels, book reviews, Oil, politics