Global Leaders Want Action During World Climate Summit

Joanna Schroeder

International business leaders are calling for immediate action during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP-16) and the World Climate Summit (WCS) that are both set to begin on November 29, 2010 in Cancun Mexico. A group of global investors with collective assets worth more than $15 billion are asking global leaders to “take action now in the fight against global warming or risk economic disruptions far more severe than the recent financial crisis.”

The group is pushing for the passage of policies that limit carbon and spur the development and growth of low-carbon technologies. In a statement they cite potential climate-related GDP losses of up to 20 percent by 2050 and highlight the economic benefits of shifting to low-carbon and resource-efficient economies.

However, there is little hope that global policies will be passed, and less so that they will be enforced, in part due to the hesitation of the U.S. government in passing any policy to limit CO2 emissions such as cap and trade.

According to Mindy Lubber, president of Ceres, an organization representing investors and environmentalists, “Current investment levels fall well short of what is needed to stem the rise of global temperatures and adapt to a warming world. Strong government policies that reward clean technologies and discourage dirty technologies are essential for closing the climate investment gap and building a low-carbon global economy.

California scored a minor victory during the November elections when Prop 23, a regulation that would in essence have undone California’s environmental and low-carbon policies was defeated. Those supporting Prop 23 wanted green polices scaled back claiming that the companies footing the bills to install low-carbon technology would go bankrupt and employees would lose jobs – the opposite of what policy makers are aiming for during an economic recession.Read More

conferences, Energy, Environment, International

Happy Thanksgiving!

Cindy Zimmerman

If you have food on your table today – thank God and thank our nation’s fabulous farmers and ranchers for the affordable, safe and abundant food supply they produce for the world.

I found this poem online that gives good reasons to give thanks today for those who produce the food, fuel and fiber that we all enjoy everyday:

I’m Just a Farmer, Plain and Simple
By Bobby Collier

Happy Thanksgiving From ZimmComm New MediaI’m just a farmer,
Plain and simple.
Not of a royal birth
But rather, a worker of the earth.
I know not of riches
But rather, of patches on my britches
I know of drought and rain,
Of pleasure and pain.
I know of the good and the bad,
The happy and the sad.
I am a man of emotions.
A man who loves this land,
And the beauty of its sand.
I know of a spring’s fresh flow
And autumn’s golden glow,
Of a newborn calf’s hesitation,
And the eagle’s destination.
I know of tall pines,
And long, waiting lines.
Of the warmth of campfires,
And the agony of flat tires.
But I am a man who loves his job
And the life I live.
I am a man who works with God,
I cannot succeed without his help,
For you see,
I’m just a farmer
Plain and simple.

Miscellaneous

Verenium Partners With Desmet Ballestra, Launches Webinar Series

Joanna Schroeder

Verenium announced this week that they have reached an agreement with Desmet Ballestra Group, s.a. to jointly market the Purifine enzymatic degumming process that combines Verenium’s Purifine PLC enzyme and Desmet Ballestra’s engineering services and equipment. As part of the agreement, Desmet has a license to market Purifine PCL along with its processing equipment and engineering services for processing vegetable oil for edible, biodiesel and other non-edible uses. Verenium already sells Purifine directly to customers.

“Verenium is pleased to be working with Desmet Ballestra, a world leader in the engineering and construction of oil extraction and refining plants,” said Janet Roemer, Verenium’s President and Chief Operating Officer. “By entering into joint marketing agreements with leading engineering service firms like Desmet Ballestra, we are able to accelerate the growth of our Purifine PLC product without incurring substantial incremental marketing expenses. I look forward to working with such an experienced and reputable player in the significant and growing edible oils industry.”

Olivier Hanne, the sales director for Desmet also expressed excitement over the partnership. “We are excited to partner with Verenium and to be able to market the Company’s novel Purifine PLC product in tandem with our leading engineering services to our customer base. Desmet Ballestra’s valuable international experience in the design, development and implementation of various process technologies for the edible and non-edible oil processing industries will greatly enhance Verenium’s ability to further penetrate target markets with their leading enzymatic degumming technology.”

Also this week, Verenium launched a monthly webinar series. The first webinar is presented by Sr. Director of R&D, David Weiner, and provides an overview of Verenium’s unique and robust technology platform. It also details how their technology and expertise is utilized to develop tailored enzyme products to solve various industrial market needs, including those of the biofuels industry.

Biodiesel, biofuels, Company Announcement

Black Friday E85 Promotions at Thorntons

Select Thorntons stores in the states of Kentucky and Indiana will be holding an E85 promotion on Black Friday. Thorton’s will be selling E85 for 85 cents per gallon from 7AM to 3PM on Friday, November 26.

“We are very excited about the expansion of E85 fuel in our stores and are promotion its availability to raise consumer awareness on savings as well as educating consumers on protecting our environment,” said Matt Thornton, Chief Executive Officer of Thorntons. “We support the use of ethanol, wherever it is economically available”.

Thorntons will be holding their E85 promotion at the following locations:

401 W Court Ave in Jeffersonville, IN
2700 Fern Valley Rd. in Louisville, KY
2291 Elkhorn Drive in Lexington, KY
5760 Crawfordsville Rd. in Speedway, IN
6880 W Washington St. in Indianapolis, IN
4015 E 82nd St. in Indianapolis, IN
7020 Pendleton Pike in Lawrence, IN
3909 Hwy 31E in Clarksville, IN
12001 N US 31 in Edinburgh, IN

Thorntons Inc. is a leading independent gasoline/convenience chain retailer, marketing throughout the Midwest. They operate 165 gasoline/convenience stores and carry E85 at many locations.

E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News, News

Biomass for Biofuels Will Promote ‘Earth Grab’

Joanna Schroeder

Experts estimate that the biofuels boom could grow to be worth more than $1 trillion and has brought agriculture back to center stage, but according to advocates with Food Secure Canada (FSC), this movement will not feed people nor mitigate climate change. On Friday, November 26, 2010, FSC is hosting Earth Grab, a community forum that will discuss the growth of biomass for biofuels, their impact on food security and climate change and offer alternatives ideas and solutions.

According to Jim Thomas of ETC Group, an international research institute located in Ottawa, Canada the fossil fuel economy is transforming rapidly into a bio-economy. “Plants, trees and forests are the new oil fields. They’re above the ground, and they’re easy to grab,” said Thomas.

Thomas, along with other leaders spearheading the global farm movement from Brazil, Mali and Haiti will be presenting during Earth Grab. The forum officially kicks off the Food Secure Canada national conference that takes place at University of Montreal from November 26-28.

Earlier this month, ETC Group released a new report, “The New Biomassters,” that detailed how global energy, forestry, agribusiness, chemical, and biotech companies are creating a bio-economy built on converting biomass into fuels and other products. According to the report, the result has been a “global grab” of plants, lands, ecosystems, and traditional cultures.

“The emerging global bio-economy is worth trillions, and it threatens to eat up our crops, forests and other plant life,” said Thomas. “However, what’s being sold as a ‘green’ switch from fossil fuels to plant-based production, is in fact a red-hot resource grab on the lands, livelihoods, knowledge and resources of the peoples of the Global South.”

Based on this scenario, Brazil is seen as one of the worst offenders, Read More

biofuels, biomass, conferences, food and fuel

Seaweed’s Promise for Algal Fuels

Joanna Schroeder

There just might be gold in algal biofuels and the team from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, based at the University of California San Diego (UCSD-SIO), is intent on finding it. UCSD-SIO has been researching micro and macro algae (seaweeds) for their potential to produce biofuels for more than 40 years. Researcher Greg Mitchell believes the search will be well rewarded in the benefits it will provide the country including offering solutions for energy security, hunger, water use, land use, biodiversity, and climate.

Seaweeds, a macro form of algae, hold great promise because of their potential for very high yields and high oil production while thriving on non-arable land. Another benefit is that they grow well in saline water. Traditionally crops will not excel in salt water and in some areas of the country valuable agricultural land has been taken out of production due to high concentrations of salt.

But as all researchers know, not all algae is created equal. There are strains of seaweeds that hold great promise for bio-energy and others that hold great promise for producing other products such as high protein meals for replacing non-sustainable ocean-caught fishmeals in aquaculture and other animal diets.

In fact, many algae companies that began with the mission of producing algal fuels have now refocused on producing algae products for the pharmaceutical, plastics, health, and agricultural feed industries. For example, there are strains of seaweeds that UCSD-SIO has been studying that grow well inland and can be used to recycle artificial seawater and waste nutrients from chicken ranches or pig farms. Algae has also been used in farm fish operations from cleaning the ponds to providing feed.Read More

algae, biofuels

Guidance on Ethanol, Biodiesel in Underground Tanks

John Davis

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is putting out a draft copy of its guidance for the storage of ethanol- and biodiesel-blended fuels in underground storage tanks (USTs).

This article from Biodiesel Magazine says that while the agency seems to have a handle on gasoline with more than 10 percent ethanol, there’s a bit more gray area when it comes to biodiesel:

While the draft guidance issued by the EPA would apply to USTs delivering gasoline containing more than 10 percent ethanol, no specific percentage threshold has yet been identified by the agency for biodiesel. According to the agency, it is aware that there may be compatibility issues with UST system equipment used to store biodiesel, but does not have any sufficient data on the compatibility of various biodiesel blends with UST system equipment that is currently in use. In other words, much of the research that has been carried out on this type of equipment for ethanol fuel blends has not addressed biodiesel fuel blends. For example, the agency notes that the U.S. DOE is currently testing the compatibility of UST systems with midlevel blends, but to the EPA’s knowledge no equivalent testing is being conducted for biodiesel-blended fuels.

The EPA also states that it acknowledges that no UST equipment has been listed by Underwriter Laboratories for use with biodiesel, but also notes that UL has issued a statement indicating that biodiesel blends of up to 5 percent will not require UL investigation. However, the UL statement cited by EPA also said that fuel blends containing higher percentages of biodiesel may have significant impacts on UST materials and components. For these reasons, the EPA said it will be seeking comments on what percentage of biodiesel in fuel blends should be included in the proposed guidance.

You can read the proposed guidance here.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Growth Energy, News

Biodiesel Board Offers Scholarship to Feb. Conference

John Davis

They say education is expensive (but ignorance is even more so!), so our friends at the National Biodiesel Board are offering a scholarship to their upcoming conference to better educate students about the importance of biodiesel.

One fortunate student scientist with an interest in biodiesel will get a full-ride scholarship to the biggest biodiesel event of the year – the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo, Feb. 6 – 9 in Phoenix, Ariz.:

The scholarship will include:

* Conference registration (a $725 value);
* Three nights hotel;
* Airfare (domestic travel only);
* Networking opportunities with some of the brightest minds in biodiesel research;
* Recognition in conference materials.

The NBB will also be offering several other scholarships to the conference that reduce the registration fee to just $100.

This latest move to encourage student interest in biodiesel comes on the heels of the NBB launching the Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel initiative, a student group formed to demonstrate and grow support for biodiesel among tomorrow’s scientific leaders.

Applicants must be a college/university student in a scientific field of study and must have signed the Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel initiative’s online declaration of support. Students need to submit:

* A resume
* A 500-word summary of your experience with biodiesel, commitment to biodiesel, and career plans
* Optional: a biodiesel-related photograph of yourself
* Optional: an I Believe in Biodiesel video clip

Application deadline is December 15, 2010. More information is available here.

This project is supported by the National Biodiesel Board and the United Soybean Board through the soybean checkoff.

Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference, conferences, NBB, Soybeans

Military, Biobased Products Seen as Top Trends for 2011

John Davis

Military interests and biobased product value streams are seen as the biggest drivers for the biofuel industry in the coming year … that’s according to a new poll from the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) and Biofuels Digest.

The poll looked at “11 Hot Trends for 2011” and was launched during the recent Advanced Biofuels Markets 2010 conference in San Francisco:

Brent Erickson, executive vice president of BIO’s Industrial & Environmental Section, said, “The biofuels industry is optimistic that the economy will recover this year, increasing opportunities for advanced biofuel producers to finance construction of new projects. Production of renewable chemicals and biobased products as additional value streams should make these projects attractive investments within the renewable sector. The industry also believes that Congress has a role to play, by crafting energy and tax policies that recognize production of advanced biofuels, renewable chemicals and biobased products as vital to the nation’s economic competitiveness as well as national and energy security.”Read More

BIO, Government

Survey Says…Growers Ready to Grow Energy Crops

Joanna Schroeder

America’s growers are ready and willing to produce biomass for advanced biofuels and biopower and have the land to do so according to a survey released by Ceres, Inc. The survey of U.S. growers showed that 71 percent of respondents were very interested or interested in growing dedicated energy crops. In addition, 77 percent of the respondents said they had underutilized land on which they could grow energy grasses like miscanthus, switchgrass or sorghum.

This survey comes on the tail of a recent announcement by the USDA regarding the final rules for the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP). The program pays eligible growers a incentive to grow biomass crops for use for biopower or to create biofuels.

Ceres is counting on the growth of biomass for bioenergy and most recently announced that they have developed the first salt tolerant crop, switchgrass. This is a huge advancement especially for agricultural areas that have ceased to produce crops due to the high levels of salt in the water supply. Eventually, Ceres will be looking for farmers to grow their proprietary energy crops.

One of the main reasons survey respondents had for growing energy crops was the ability to diversify their current operations. Other reasons given were better use of marginal land and spending less time, money and resources on crop management. In addition, 70 percent of respondents were open to engaging in long-term contracts and 48 percent said they would anticipate putting at least half of their acreage in long-term contracts.

“This is one of the areas where we were interested in learning more about, since reliable feedstock supplies will be critical for new bioenergy facilities to obtain project financing,” said Gary Koppenjan who directs communications and product marketing for Ceres. “What constitutes a long-term contract will likely be an area for discussion, but it appears the suppliers and users are on the same page.”

This non-scientific survey was completed during the summer of 2010 and was skewed to growers in the Southeast United States since that is an area particularly suited to grow energy crops.

bioenergy, biofuels, biomass