Biodiesel Focus of Diesel Tech Forum Webinar

John Davis

If you’re reading this before 10 am EST today, there’s still time to get in on the free Diesel Technology Forum that will feature plenty of talk about biodiesel:

Biodiesel usage has grown significantly in recent years and many states are considering legislation or programs to promote renewable fuels as a means of reducing U.S. dependence on fossil fuels. As the first state to implement a biodiesel mandate, Minnesota had its share of problems. Many of these have been overcome, yet additional challenges remain, as evidenced by Massachusetts’ recent decision to postpone its mandate in favor of a voluntary program.

Renewable fuels, including biodiesel, will play an important role in the pursuit of greener transportation solutions. Biodiesel usage can and will continue to grow, however efforts to promote its use can be complicated. Join us for 90 minutes to hear more about state efforts to encourage biodiesel use, the lessons they’ve learned and ideas for consideration from a European perspective.

Biodiesel Magazine says there will be five speakers closely associated with the industry: Shelby Neal of the National Biodiesel Board who will present an overview of state biodiesel policies across the country and on the impact of the RFS2; Dwayne Breger, director of renewable energy for Massachusetts’s department of energy resources, talking about his state’s recent suspension of its biodiesel mandate; Ralph Groschen from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture addressing Minnesota’s biodiesel experience and the state’s recent move to a B5 mandate; Randy Jennings, from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, talking about programs to promote fuel quality and the importance of policy enforcement; and Dr. Juergen Fischer who will give an overview of the biodiesel quality management system in Germany and its relevance for the U.S.

More information and registration is available here.

Biodiesel, Webinar

Company Studies Grease-to-Biodiesel Feasibility

John Davis

A Missouri company is looking into the feasibility of turning fat, oil and grease (FOG) in urban sewers into clean-burning biodiesel.

Biodiesel magazine reports that H2O’C Engineering’s study is funded by $50,000 from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources:

The study will focus collecting FOG from two Missouri metropolitan areas, Kansas City and St. Louis. “We are looking at what they call the ‘grease-shed,’” [Tom O’Connor, the owner of H2O’C Engineering] said. Similar to a watershed, a grease-shed is essentially the pattern of where FOG originates and how it flows into the sewer system. “We’ve also got a particular eye on waste water treatment facilities,” O’Connor said, which will include quantifying how much FOG is present in the wastewater systems and whether or not it is feasible to convert that material into biodiesel.

“[FOG] is problematic nasty stuff,” O’Connor said. “They have problems with it throughout the sewers, all of the collection pipes. It tends to clog up pipes and pump stations and that sort of thing. Optimally, it wouldn’t be there. It’s a complete nuisance, and we’re going to capitalize on the fact that it is there. When it gets to the water treatment plants, it’s generally skimmed off and landfilled. It’s pretty nasty stuff, but it does have energy content, and with enough cleanup, we think we can make it into on-spec biodiesel.”

However, O’Connor also noted that it’s important not to encourage people to think it is okay to put FOG down the drain. Ideally, the better option would be to capture that material before it ends up in the sewer. “We’re going to look at capturing it whenever and wherever we can,” O’Connor continued. “Optimally that would be more upstream than downstream.”

The study is looking at what restaurants and other FOG producers are doing with their grease, and where it is flowing. The study is to be completed by January 2011.

Biodiesel

Researchers: Develop Biofuels and Advanced Engines

John Davis

The next generation of biofuels must be developed in conjunction with advanced combustion engines, if there is to be long-term success of those biofuels. That word comes from researchers at the Sandia National Laboratories.

The recommendations were made following a Sandia-hosted workshop held in November, Next Generation Biofuels and Advanced Engines for Tomorrow’s Transportation Needs. Participants included researchers at the Department of Energy’s Combustion Research Facility (CRF) and Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), as well as representatives from oil companies, biofuel developers, engine manufacturers, suppliers and experts from the university, regulatory, finance and national laboratory communities.

The full report is now available online at http://www.sandia.gov/news/publications/white-papers/index.html.

The workshop, said Ron Stoltz, manager of Sandia’s Advanced Energy Initiatives, was designed to identify opportunities for co-development of biofuels and engines, an often-overlooked issue.

“The oil companies and the automobile and truck engine companies have engaged in a dialogue and collaboration on fuel and engine issues for almost 100 years,” Stoltz said. “But the same cannot be said for the majority of biofuel start-up companies, especially those that are thinking ‘beyond ethanol’. The report highlights how fragmented the biofuels industry is today and how, by putting serious thought behind some key issues like fuel chemistry linked to engine performance, great strides can be made.”

The workshop was designed to help get a dialog going between researchers and experts from industry, academia and government, with the goal to figure out how to accelerate the transition to biofuels. Those participating did agree that the next generation of biofuels needed to be clean (at or below EPA-designated pollutants criteria); sustainable (with a smaller carbon footprint than the petroleum-based fuels being displaced); and compatible with current and future engine designs, and with current and future distribution infrastructure.

The group also recommended modernizing the testing, specification, and certification of all fuels; plan and integrate the research and development of next-generation biofuels in conjunction with the development of advanced engines; develop specific guidelines, roadmaps, and objectives for co-development of next-generation biofuels and advanced engines; and convene an International Fuels and Engines Summit, sponsored by industry with government and university participation.

biofuels, Research

Ride for Renewables

Joanna Schroeder

This past Sunday, Tom Weis left Boulder, Colorado on a hybrid electric-assist recumbent trike on a 2,500 mile journey that will end in Washington, DC. Coined the Ride for Renewables, Weis is set out to gain support for his plan that calls for a 100% renewable electricity grid for the U.S. by 2020.

Weis believes that 2010 is the year America needs to set the agenda to address climate change and he is so passionate about making change, that he is willing to pedal across the country to build grassroots support for his plan. He writes on his website, “This is about everyday Americans “taking back our power” by demanding a green industrial revolution that will put unemployed Americans back to work, reestablish our role as world economic leader, and help ensure future generations a livable planet.”

Weis will be traveling through Colorado, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland and ending in Washington, DC. Along the way, he will highlight local renewable projects, bring attention to old, dirty technologies that need to be replaced and solicit signatures for his petition that he will present to DC legislators. You can follow his journey online at www.climatecrisissolutions.com where he will post photos and videos and he will also be posting to various social media sites.

Electricity, Environment, Promotion, Solar, Wind

Book Review – Food Wars

Joanna Schroeder

This week I read a book about the ongoing discussions regarding the causes of the food crisis. It should come as no surprise that several of the main reasons the globe is in the midst of a food crisis, according to a The Food Wars author Walden Bello, are commodity speculation, biofuels,  increased demand for food in Asia brought on by prosperity, and most influential, the massive ag policy reorientation known as structural adjustment.

In this case, I’m going to focus on Bello’s explanation of how biofuels contributed to rising food costs. Bello states that biofuels have been blamed for the food price increases over the past few years, but continues by saying while they were a contributing factor, they were not the cause of the volatility of food prices.

He writes, “More central as root causes have been structural adjustment, free trade, and policies extracting surplus from agriculture for industrialization, all of which have destroyed or eroded the agricultural sector of many countries. No one factor can be pinpointed as the cause of the global food crisis. It is the confluence of these conditions that has made the contemporary food price crisis so threatening and difficult to solve.”

But despite this concession, he is still not a supporter of biofuels, at least in the context of environmental benefits, and he says, “Indeed agrofuels contribute to global warming and certainly do not provide a solution to climate change.”Read More

biofuels, book reviews, Environment, food and fuel

PERC Partners for Clean Air

Joanna Schroeder

The Propane Education and Research Council (PERC) is partnering for cleaner air. The organization will be sponsoring EPA’s upcoming Clean Diesel 10 conference on October 19 and 20th being held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C. As part of its promotional efforts during the event, PERC will be helping to celebrate the success of the National Clean Diesel Campaign through its involvement in presentations. PERC will also showcase its latest autogas products including research, development and training programs.

According to PERC, propane autogas has been used in vehicles since 1913 and today, a wide range of vehicles are now available that can use propane including trucks, vans, shuttles, and school buses. For those who convert to propane autogas, there are various federal and state rebates and incentives to help offset conversion costs. In addition, there is currently an alternative fuel tax credit for fleet vehicles of 50 cents per gallon.

“We congratulate the National Clean Diesel Campaign for its effort and progress to help clean our air, and we are pleased to sponsor this event,” said Brian Feehan, vice president of PERC, who will make a presentation during a panel discussion on state and local leaders working with communities. “Propane autogas is already helping Americans reduce their impact on the environment, and it stands ready to do more.”

The purpose of the National Clean Diesel Campaign is to reduce diesel emissions. According to the EPA, every dollar spent on clean diesel projects produces public health benefits worth up to $13.

Conference attendees include government policy makers, environmental project managers and those working in and around the diesel and auto industries. To register or for more information on the conference, visit www.cleandiesel10.com.

conferences, Propane

RFA Disputes EPA’s Inclusion of Biogenic Carbon Emissions

Joanna Schroeder

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering equating biogenic carbon emissions with fossil fuel emissions under the Tailoring Rule, which requires the accounting and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions under the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS2). Biogenic carbon emissions are those that are naturally created during the combustion and decay of woody biomass and up until now, have always been considered carbon neutral by the EPA. As such, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is disputing this clause in the rule.

In a letter to the EPA, RFA wrote, “While RFA generally supports a national policy to address climate change, we believe biogenic emissions must be exempt from GHG accounting schemes and regulatory frameworks. Specifically, inclusion of biogenic GHG emissions in determinations of applicability of the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (“PSD”) or Title V Permitting Programs is not scientifically justified, runs afoul of accepted national and international GHG accounting methods, and is contrary to public policies enacted to encourage development of a robust renewable fuels industry in the United States.”

According the the RFA, it is “indisputable that CO2 emissions resulting from the combustion, fermentation, and decay of biomass, are by nature, carbon neutral in that those emissions are naturally offset when the biomass removes an equivalent amount of CO2 from the atmosphere via photosynthesis during growth.”

Therefore, RFA is calling for the EPA to reconfirm that the carbon neutrality convention for accounting of biogenic GHG emissions is both scientifically justified and appropriate for regulatory contexts.Read More

Ethanol, Ethanol News, global warming, Indirect Land Use, RFA

Study Finds 15 Percent Ethanol Safe for Older Vehicles

Cindy Zimmerman

Landmark research by an internationally recognized engineering firm finds that E15 should be safe for older vehicles.

ricardoAccording to the study, carried out by Ricardo, Inc. on behalf of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), moving from 10 percent ethanol in gasoline to 15 percent will mean little, if any, change on the performance of older cars and light trucks, those manufactured between 1994 and 2000. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently considering a fuel waiver request to allow ethanol to be blended up to 15 percent, but the agency has indicated it may only approve the waiver for 2001 and newer vehicles only.

The study analyzed the vehicles manufactured by six companies and which represent 25% (62.8 million vehicles) of light duty vehicles on the road today, concluded “that the adoption and use of E15 in the motor vehicle fleet from the studied model years should not adversely affect these vehicles or cause them to perform in a sub-optimal manner when compared with their performance using the E10 blend that is currently available.”

Renewable Fuels Association Logo“This analysis provides conclusive evidence for the EPA that there is no reason to limit the availability of E15 to newer vehicles only,” said RFA president and CEO Bob Dinneen. “This analysis together with affirmative results in reports from the Department of Energy and other academic and private testing institutions show that there are no significant issues with the use of E15 in virtually all vehicles on the road today.”

In analyzing the various vehicles, the Ricardo analysis found minimal effects on engine components and materials, emission systems (including catalytic converters) and overall performance of raising the ethanol percentage from 10 percent to 15 percent.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA

Seaweed-to-Ethanol Startup Partners With Statoil

Joanna Schroeder

Berkley-California based start-up venture Bio Architecture Lab (BAL) has announced a partnership with the one of the world’s largest offshore oil and gas producers, Statoil. The partnership will help fund the research & development of seaweed-to-ethanol using macro algae grown off the coast of Norway. Today, Statoil offers Norwegian drivers a 5 percent bioethanol blend at the pump. Should the technology prove successful, Statoil will also fund the commercialization of BAL’s technology in Norway and elsewhere in Europe. BAL will have the right to equity participation and will receive royalties on all ethanol and by-products produced by the partnership.

“This game changing partnership will allow Bio Architecture Lab to accelerate our path toward commercialization and establish our technology in key markets in Europe,” said Daniel Trunfio, CEO of Bio Architecture Lab. “The significant commitment of resources and funds from Statoil further validates BAL’s market opportunity and puts us with an elite group of companies in our industry who have partnered with established oil and gas companies to bring technology to market.”

The first phase of the partnership will focus on BAL developing the technology and process to convert Norwegian seaweed into ethanol while Statoil will be responsible for developing and managing the aquafarms. From there, the next phase of the project will be to develop a demonstration scale biorefinery in Norway with the goal of building a commercial scale facility.

“Statoil has a unique competitive advantage in energy production in the marine environment. We are very impressed with the science and the progress BAL has made and we believe their approach to low cost and sustainable biomass feedstock solutions is among the most promising we have seen,” said Guntis Aboltins-Abolins, Head of the Future Fuel unit at Statoil. “We look forward to partnering with BAL on such an important strategic initiative that has the potential to provide Europe with low carbon renewable fuels.”

BAL is developing a similar program off the coast of Chile as part of a program funded by the Chilean government.  In addition, BAL has partnered with DuPont in a project funded by the Advanced Research Program Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) to convert macro algae into isobutanol.

algae, Ethanol, News

Ethanol – Right Here, Right Now

Cindy Zimmerman

A new ad campaign by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) says ethanol is the answer to energy independence that’s “Right Here, Right Now.”

Renewable Fuels Association LogoThe thirty second ad began airing this morning on MSNBC’s Morning Joe news program in the Washington, DC media market and will continue through October 12 with nine spots per week. The target audience is policy makers in the nation’s capitol.

The ad educates viewers that ethanol is an American-made product produced from coast-to-coast, in over 200 ethanol plants – from Rancho Cucamonga, California to Peoria, Illinois to Shelby, New York – creating over 12 billion gallons of clean, renewable energy fueling nearly 400,000 jobs across the economy.

“After a historic oil spill off our shores and in the midst of both an economic slowdown and two wars, ethanol has never been more important. Ethanol is creating and sustaining good paying jobs in rural communities where job-creation is especially difficult. Ethanol is providing consumers with a clean, green, American-made alternative to petroleum, often from hostile countries like Iraq and Venezuela. Right here, right now is the time for the ethanol industry to tell its story,” explained Bob Dinneen, RFA President and CEO.

Watch the ad here:

Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA