Clinton Strikes Nerve with Ethanol Comment

Cindy Zimmerman

Former President Bill Clinton struck a raw nerve with ethanol supporters with his comments at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s annual Outlook Forum today.

“We have to become energy independent but we don’t want to do it at the expense of food riots,” Clinton said, calling for a periodic reassessment of the industry “with 3-5 year time horizons based on the best evidence we have to maximize the availability of good food at affordable prices.”

That did not sit well with the ethanol industry or corn growers. “The driver behind rising food prices has been and remains oil,” said Matt Hartwig with the Renewable Fuels Association. “President Clinton is right that ethanol is a key to American energy security and we would welcome his support in advocating for the continued advancement and evolution of this industry to include a wide variety of feedstocks and technologies.”

Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis called Clinton’s concerns “well-intentioned” but noted, “There are over a billion acres of previously-tilled farmland in poor nations that can be brought back into production as ethanol makes farming this land cost-effective. Ethanol does not create food shortages, but instead gives these nations a way to get their own sovereign farming economies back on their feet so they can feed themselves.”

National Corn Growers Association President Bart Schott noted in reaction to Clinton’s comments, “New reports show that the rising cost of oil, not ethanol production, is a major cause of increased food prices. With the continuing unrest in the Middle East and Northern Africa, it is imperative that we continue to support a home-grown fuel industry that helps keep our country safe and creates jobs. The American farmer is very aware of the world’s rising demand for corn, and we will continue to meet those needs.”

corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Growth Energy, NCGA, RFA, USDA

GM Test Drive at Ethanol Conference

Cindy Zimmerman

2011 ethanol conferenceGM featured test drives in new Flex Fuel 2011 Buick Regal Turbos and GMC Terrains at the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) 2011 National Ethanol Conference and dozens of attendees took advantage of the opportunity. Pictured is RFA board member Ray Defenbaugh of Big River Resources West Burlington preparing to take a spin in a Regal Turbo.

I took a drive with Mark Maher, GM Executive Director for Powertrain and Vehicle Integration, to learn more about the company’s commitment to FFVs and what’s so new about the Buick Regal Turbo. “It’s got a 2.4 liter turbo-charged, E85 flex fuel vehicle engine and it’s also direct injected,” said Maher. “That helps with efficiency and it allows us to have a slightly higher compression ratio to improve efficiency. So, it’s a great match with high concentration ethanol fuels like E85 that are high octane.” Maher says 40 percent of GM vehicles were FFV, 45 percent this year, and they are hoping for 50 percent next year.

Maher had some great comments during his presentation to the NEC about E85 energy efficiency in FFVs and about the importance of not taking E85 for granted. “We need to make sure that ethanol gets credit for the CO2 reduction potential that it brings,” he explains.

Listen to or download my interview with Mark Maher here: Mark Maher Interview

2011 National Ethanol Conference Photo Album

Audio, E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Flex Fuel Vehicles, National Ethanol Conference, RFA

Offshore Wind Energy Cost Competitive by 2020

John Davis

Deepwater wind energy turbines off the coast of Maine could be producing electricity that is cost competitive with conventional generation techniques within the next 10 years.

The Portland (ME) Press Herald reports that a study from the University of Maine shows that floating giant wind turbines 10 miles off the coast could be producing electricity for just 8-10 cents a kilowatt hour, on par with current costs:

Building floating platforms on land and towing them to their deepwater locations will be much cheaper than erecting turbine towers on the sea floor, researchers say. Seabed turbines are common in Europe and are the preferred design for proposed wind farms in shallow waters off the East Coast of the United States.

These projections are part of an exhaustive study of the feasibility of offshore wind in Maine that’s aimed at energy developers around the world. The $1 million study, paid for by the federal Department of Energy, is meant to answer many questions that developers will have about whether it makes sense to invest in the Gulf of Maine…

This demonstration, with a total capacity of 25 megawatts, will be too small and experimental to produce market rate power, according to Habib Dagher, the UMaine professor overseeing the effort. But it will offer a chance for a developer to explore the potential of a commercial-scale project off the Maine coast around 2020.

Dagher and his associates are in touch with roughly four dozen companies around the world involved in offshore wind. The study, Dagher said, will save a prospective bidder years of research and millions of dollars. He is hopeful that the study’s detailed data will entice at least a couple of qualified developers to consider Maine over other locations where the potential for deepwater wind energy is being considered. “This will give Maine a major leg up,” he said.

Maine will test a 25-megawatt pilot floating offshore wind project off Monhegan Island with hopes of producing commercial-scale wind energy amounts by 2020.

Wind

National Ethanol Conference Wrap Up

Cindy Zimmerman

Ethanol Report Podcast
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) celebrated 30 years of advocating for ethanol this week during the 16th annual National Ethanol Conference in Phoenix.

NEC 2011 Bob DinneenThis edition of “The Ethanol Report” podcast features an interview with RFA president and CEO Bob Dinneen on the conference, the state of the ethanol industry, the new Advanced Ethanol Council and recent developments in Congress regarding funding for ethanol expansion, as well as thoughts about higher oil prices.

The 2011 National Ethanol Conference Photo Album is up to date with all the conference photos and more posts will be added in the days to come. It was a great conference and we would just like to say “Happy Anniversary RFA!”

Listen to or download the Ethanol Report on the 2011 NEC here: Ethanol Report on National Ethanol Conference

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, National Ethanol Conference, RFA

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