Utah Field Holds Promise for US Army’s Biodiesel Efforts

John Davis

A small patch of safflower near the Salt Lake City International Airport has caught the attention of the U.S. Army as part of the military’s efforts to implement more biodiesel into its operations.

The Salt Lake Tribune says about 20 acres of the prickly leafed crop, planted as part of Salt Lake County’s urban-farming initiative, could be a feedstock for the green fuel:

Jeffrey Ward, deputy engineer for the U.S. Army Installation Management Command, inspected the safflower crop Monday with a National Biodiesel Board representative and a consultant from the environmental engineering and restoration firm Louis Berger Group to determine whether to seed a similar program on military lands.

“We are very interested in getting biodiesel and using our lands to support our own energy needs,” Ward said. “We want to use what you have learned to potentially go onto Army installations and see what might be possible.”

It is a welcome recognition to a program pursued jointly by Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah State University, the South Davis Sewer District and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to put fallow public lands to good use.

The safflower now stands on a dusty grassland on the south side of Salt Lake International Airport — a property the city will someday use for a wastewater treatment plant. That transformation is decades away, however. So officials have decided to cultivate the land, growing a drought-resistant crop capable of producing 50 gallons of biofuel per acre.

Officials started with 20 acres, as a test. But ultimately, biofuel production is expected to spread to the entire 200-acre property.

Utah is also home to the FreeWays to Fuel program, which would plant safflower, canola, flax and other biofuel crops along highways. Researchers at Utah State University believe the country could produce a billion gallons of biodiesel a year from the roadside crops.

Biodiesel, Government, NBB

New Incentives Proposed for ND Biodiesel Plants

John Davis

Some biodiesel plants in North Dakota could be enjoying new operations incentives, if a proposed bill passes that state’s legislature and gains the governor’s signature.

The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead reports the measure, currently before the state legislature’s Energy Development and Transmission Committee, would give up to $1.5 million in incentives annually:

The amount would be determined by multiplying the number of gallons of biodiesel sold by 5 cents.

The second incentive relates to biodiesel plants operating in the state before July 2011 and with a production capacity of more than 1 million gallons.

The plant could receive incentive payments if production is increased by the lesser of 10 million gallons or 50 percent of its production capacity during a 12-month period.

The incentives are similar to what was done with the ethanol industry, said Shane Goettle, the state’s commerce commissioner and chairman of the EmPower North Dakota Commission.

Some lawmakers questioned the wisdom of the legislation that doesn’t take into account market conditions. The committee is expected to discuss the measure more next month.

Biodiesel, Legislation

BlueFire Ethanol Rebrands as BlueFire Renewables

Cindy Zimmerman

Blue Fire EthanolBlueFire Ethanol Fuels is rebranding itself as BlueFire Renewables “to more clearly illustrate the company’s vast capabilities in renewable energy,” according to the company.

“BlueFire is more than just an ethanol company. We’re happy to at last announce the expansion of our capabilities, and feel that this name captures our spirit for innovation and development of cleaner alternatives to fossil fuels,” says Arnold Klann, CEO of BlueFire Renewables, Inc. “Our goal with this name change is to demonstrate the company’s potential to vertically integrate our technology into other areas of renewable energy and help us avoid the confusion with traditional ethanol producers.”

BlueFire is capable of producing a number of biofuels, including biodiesel, bioJet Fuel and drop-in directs, and has developed relationships with key industry partners, such as Solazyme to produce biofuels from new feedstocks like algae. BlueFire Renewables is also currently in the process of developing two cellulosic ethanol facilities in Lancaster, CA and Fulton, MS.

Biodiesel, biofuels, Cellulosic, Company Announcement, Ethanol, Ethanol News

Thorntons and KY Corn to Give Away $17K in E85

Thorntons, Inc., a leading, independent gasoline/convenience-chain retailer carrying E85 fuel throughout the Midwest, is teaming up with the Kentucky Corn Growers Association (KyCGA) and the Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition (KCFC) to give away $17,000 in free E85 fuel at the 2010 Kentucky State Fair.

From August 19 until August 29, flex fuel vehicle owners can visit the Kentucky corn Shack, under the Great Kentucky Cookout Tent, to pick up free E85 fuel gift cards. The first 106 who stop by the shack each day will receive a $5, $20 or $100 promotional card. These cards can be used at any of the 11 Thornton’s E85 fueling facilities in Kentucky and Southern Indiana – including the nine in the state of Kentucky, two of which will be open by the end of August.

“We are very excited about the expansion of E85 fuel in our stores,” said Matt Thornton, Chief Executive Officer of Thorntons. “We support the use of ethanol, wherever it is economically available”.

“Not only are corn farmers feeding the world’s people and livestock, they are producing enough corn for all-American fuel ethanol. While ethanol can be found in 10 percent blends in all of Louisville’s gasoline, KyCGA, Thorntons, and KCFC have partnered to increase awareness about E85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline,” said Executive Director of KyCGA, Laura Knoth. “This fuel can only be used in Flexible Fuel Vehicles, but there are nearly 100,000 of these vehicles on Kentucky’s highways today, and vehicle manufacturers continue to make more.”

Growth Energy recently partnered with Thorntons to open 20 E85 stations within five states through their 2010 E85 and Blender Pump program. You can find the listing of these stations at www.E85Refueling.com.

E85, Ethanol, News

RFA Successfully Promotes Ethanol At Sturgis

Joanna Schroeder

There is nothing more American than motorcycles and Sturgis, South Dakota in the summer. There is also nothing more American than ethanol. This year, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) roared back into Sturgis for another round of ethanol promotion. Hundreds of thousands of people from all over America descend on Sturgis each summer for the largest motorcycle enthusiast event in the country.

cutcRFA’s Director of Market Development Robert White (pictured here with the Buffalo Chip poster model showing off an ethanol “Fueled with Pride” t-shirt), attended Sturgis to help oversee the ethanol promotion. “The Buffalo Chip once again provided the RFA a perfect setting to educate hundreds of thousands of riders on the benefits of ethanol, not only for their motorcycles, but for their vehicles and small engines at home,” White said. “With an attendance of more than 800,000, I cannot think of a better place to educate that many people at one time.”

The RFA partnered with the Buffalo Chip Campground and the unofficial scribe of Sturgis, the Buffalo Chip Gazette, to promote the use of ethanol blended fuels as a way to combat our increasing dependence on foreign oil. Often mischaracterized as being a problem of engines like those found in motorcycles, the Sturgis rally offered an opportunity to highlight the efficacy of ethanol-blends in all engine types through education and ethanol merchandise.

You can view photos of the event and other RFA events here.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA

Powers Energy of America Looks to Add Solar

Joanna Schroeder

Last year, Powers Energy of America announced that it would build a $254 million waste-to-energy ethanol plant in Schneider, Indiana. According to an article published in the Post-Tribune, the bioethanol plant has received full commitments for funding. In addition to funding this plant, the investors have also now committed to supporting a $75 million solar plant. The solar plant will not be fully completed for five years, but upon completion will produce nearly 100 megawatts of electricity. According to the company, this will be one of the largest solar facilities in the country.

According to company President, Earl Powers, the solar plant could be operational by early next year. However, it will take some time yet for the bioethanol plant to break ground since it has yet to receive the appropriate environmental approvals. Regardless, Power notes that the two projects will provide much needed employment opportunities for the community.

Ethanol, Solar, Waste-to-Energy

AZ Congresswoman & DOE Zoi Attend Solar Events

Joanna Schroeder

Yesterday, Arizona Rep Gabrielle Giffords attended three solar events to promote solar development in her state. The first event took place at Global Solar, located in Tuscon, where Giffords toured the facility along with Cathy Zoi, Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy for the U.S. Department of Energy.

Dr. Jeffrey Britt, Global Solar, gives Giffords and Zoi tour

From there, the two visited several projects underway on the University of Arizona (UA) campus including the Energy Frontier Research Center, where they received an update on an algae to biofuel project and met with Dr. Roger Angel who has developed a telescope mirror and is currently researching concentrated photovoltaic power for solar electricity production.

The events culminated in a wide-ranging discussion about the future of solar energy held at the university’s student union. Giffords and Zoi were joined during this event by UA President Robert Shelton and UA’s VP for Research, Leslie Tolbert. During the discussion, Shelton called the congresswoman a “passionate advocate” for solar energy and praised her “assertive agenda” for advancing the use of solar through various pieces of legislation.

Congresswoman Giffords and Assistant Secretary Zoi

Giffords noted that Arizona has all the elements needed to become a leader in solar energy including ample sun, large tracts of land and numerous skilled workers.

This was Zoi’s first trip to Tuscon and she left impressed with the solar work underway in the state and stated that she was “completely wowed” with Dr. Angel’s research. She also noted that her day was “a magic moment” in DC for the advancement of renewable energy and concluded that it is “a perfect storm of opportunity”.

algae, biofuels, Solar

Learn About the Texas Ethanol Fuel Revolution

Joanna Schroeder

Is Texas fully capitalizing on the ethanol fuel revolution? You can find out by attending the new conference, Shaping Texas’ Fuel Ethanol Policy Conference on September 10, 2010 from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm at the Omni Hotel downtown Austin, Texas. The Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association will be bringing decision makers and industry leaders together to help the state develop and strengthen its biofuels programs.

The conference will feature national, state and local leaders from companies such as General Motors, CleanFuel USA, Ceres, Inc., and Abengoa Bioenergy. Several leading biofuels organizations along with government associations will also be on hand including the Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, Texas Dept. of Agriculture, Texas Farm Bureau, Texas Grain Sorghum Producers Board, Corn Producers Association of Texas, and the Clean Fuels Development Coalition.

“This conference offers a clear picture of today’s realities and opportunities in a growing renewable energy sector that some may have written off,” said Russel Smith, Executive Director of the Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association (TREIA). “The nation’s use of ethanol will continue to increase, and Texas has huge production possibilities and more flex fuel vehicles capable of running on E85 than any other state. Our current approach to this important industry may leave money on the table.”

The Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association, organizer of the conference, is the oldest renewable energy trade organization in Texas. Click here to learn more about the event and to register.

biofuels, conferences, Ethanol

Yet Another E85 Pump for New York

Cindy Zimmerman

A fifth E85 station for Long Island has opened this month, making it the 64th outlet for flex fuel vehicle (FFV) drivers in New York to fill up with 85 percent ethanol.

Bridgehampton Service Station opened the new E85 pump on Montauk Highway in Bridgehampton. “One of the main reasons we decided to install E85 was because we have hundreds of FFV’s in our surrounding cities that can fuel up. We built a station that offers E85 because we recognize the local demand to do things ‘green’,” said station owner Albert McCoy. “An added incentive is that there was funding available to assist with infrastructure.” Since the installation of the E85 pump this summer, Bridgehampton has been pumping 300-400 gallons of E85 fuel daily.

The station was installed with help from Growth Energy’s 2010 E85 and Blender Pump funding program. “We are pleased to partner with Bridgehampton Service Station to provide greater access to high level blends of ethanol for New York drivers,” said Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis. “Increased consumption of ethanol will reduce our dependence on foreign oil, clean our air and help create jobs in Bridgehampton and across the country.”

E85, Ethanol, Growth Energy

Corn Growers Stress Ethanol Efficiency Gains

Cindy Zimmerman

cutcRecent studies show the significant efficiencies spurred by growth and development in the ethanol industry, according to the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA).

“As we see it, this is just the tip of the iceberg,” said NCGA First Vice President Bart Schott. “Ethanol has proven to be an advantageous green alternative to foreign and ecologically precarious sources of petroleum. These studies illustrate that innovations in agriculture and ethanol production will only further enhance ethanol’s desirability as an energy resource worthy of continued support.”

Some of that research was presented at the recent 2010 Corn Utilization and Technology Conference (CUTC) in Atlanta. Dr. Steffen Mueller, Principal Research Economist for the Energy Resources Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago, did two presentations at the CUTC, both related to the increasing efficiency of ethanol production that continues to improve its carbon footprint under life cycle analysis. For one, Mueller says, the more useful co-products that can result from ethanol production, the better its carbon footprint.

cutc“With corn ethanol you also produce an animal feed product simultaneously, to which you have to assign a co-product credit, meaning you subtract the emissions to produce that feed product from the life cycle of corn ethanol,” Steffen explained in an interview. “Now, we’re also looking at other co-products. For example, a lactate which is a solvent that can substitute for petroleum-based solvents in the marketplace.”

Mueller also presented his findings from a recent study showing how ethanol plants are improving in efficiency. “We did a large survey of corn ethanol plants and assessed the energy consumption and showed that the thermal and electric energy that plants require to turn bushels of corn into corn ethanol has decreased by 30 percent over the last eight years,” he said. (read about that survey here)

Mueller says there is a lot of updated industry data coming together that shows that corn ethanol is becoming more efficient, which should help when it comes to regulations for low carbon emissions on both the national level and in states like California.

Listen to or download an interview Chuck Zimmerman did with Steffen Mueller at CUTC here: Steffen Mueller Interview

Audio, corn, CUTC, Ethanol, Ethanol News, NCGA