Future Scientists Support Biodiesel

John Davis

A group of college students who will be the next generation of scientists have joined together to support biodiesel.

This press release from the National Biodiesel Board, which is leading the effort with support from the United Soybean Board and soybean checkoff, says 28 students scientists from across the country have signed on to the new Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel initiative:

Lucas Ellis of Dartmouth, pursuing his Master of Science in Biochemical Engineering, is one of four co-chairs of the effort. “In college there is an eagerness to become an advocate or have a cause, and mine was the environment, science and educating others about sustainability,” Ellis said. “Biodiesel combined all of those and became my passion.”

Since then, his passion has led him to create biodiesel education projects in three states, including organizing laboratories to teach students about the chemistry of biodiesel. At West Virginia University, he created a biodiesel organization that today hosts biodiesel events to help recruit kids into studying science.

Ellis is just one of many such stories of student engagement. Selected by the National Biodiesel Board, the other co-chairs of Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel are:

– Bernardo del Campo, Iowa State University (Biorenewable Resources and Technologies)
– Mikkel Leslie, Oregon State University (Environmental Engineering)
– Jason Strull, University of Nevada – Reno (Material Sciences and Chemical Engineering)

“We’re bringing the next generation of scientists together with biodiesel, the only advancedbiofuel commercially available in the U.S.,” said Joe Jobe, NBB CEO. “Cementing supportamong future energy thought leaders is important to biodiesel’s future.”

NBB has created a forum where students who support biodiesel can collaborate and share ideas. Any student scientist can sign up at www.biodieselsustainability.org.

This idea is modeled after the NBB’s Scientists for Biodiesel campaign, which has 125 scientist members of its own and is also supported by the United Soybean Board and soybean checkoff.

Biodiesel, NBB

Charles Bronson “It’s Going to Work”

Joanna Schroeder

“I think people are going to catch on. That this thing is real and it going to work,” said Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles A. Bronson during an interview about Farm to Fuel. One of Bronson’s long-term goals has been to turn Florida into an alternative energy leader in areas such as biofuels.

This year marked the fifth year of the Farm to Fuel Summit, where academia, growers, investors, distributors and everyone in between came together for three days in Orlando, Florida “cut deals” that will grow the states biofuels industry.

“From the beginning we decided we wanted to include all potential sides of the alternative fuels business,” said Bronson. “Every single meeting we’ve had, a deal has been put into place. Every year we’ve had at least one big deal to come out of these meetings.”

Bronson believes that interest in biofuels has grown, in part, because people have become more informed. He also believes that the alternative energy revolution is going to happen. He stressed that new technologies will be more efficient and said, “We’re going to be growing crops that will be 8-10 times more efficient than corn ethanol production.”

While Bronson is in all the way for biofuels, he is not in for the reason that many may suspect. “I’ve never been a global warming theorist but I do believe in weather patterns,” said Bronson. “And sooner or later, we’ll run out of oil.”

You can listen to Bronson’s interview here with special thanks to Southeast AgNET. Bronson Discusses Success of Farm to Fuel

Audio, biofuels, Farming, feedstocks

California Apollo Program Formed to Create Green Jobs

Joanna Schroeder

Last week, Creighton University economist Ernie Goss was quoted on NPR saying the country is preparing itself for another wave of lay offs. It will start at the coasts and move its way to the Midwest. Not good news for the millions of people who are currently unemployed. Unfortunately, a good number of people have become unemployed in the alternative energy industry, but a group in California is set to reverse this trend.

A new alliance of California business, labor, environmental and community leaders have formed the California Apollo Program to help create clean energy jobs in the state. According to the organization, the program is a “blueprint for moving California toward broadly shared economic prosperity, energy security and climate stability, while reinforcing the state’s commitment to a new clean energy future.”

“By implementing the California Apollo Program, we will be making the right moves to secure our economic future, retain our global leadership in clean energy and technological innovation, and engage the workers and businesses who can keep the world’s eighth-largest economy growing,” said Phil Angelides, chairman of the national Apollo Alliance. “The Apollo Alliance will work with our diverse coalition of business, labor, community and environmental leaders to ensure our state seizes the opportunity to invest in California businesses and create new jobs producing the clean technologies of the future.”

The organizations blueprint has identified several key areas it believes will create and retain clean energy jobs including: modernizing the power grid to support clean energy generation and smart grid technology; revitalizing rural California by expanding environmentally sustainable renewable energy and carbon sequestration projects; investing in clean energy research and development; and helping manufacturers retool their factories and retrain their employees to produce clean energy product.

Several of California’s environmental and energy laws are under fire citing the “economic” costs of implementing the technologies required under the laws will cause financial destruction for companies in the state. The supporters of the policies claim that they will help generate up to $104 billion in economic activity by 2020.

Energy, Environment

Energy Use Down But Wind, Solar Power Production Up

John Davis

The U.S. is using less energy, but more of it is coming from renewable sources, such as wind and solar.

CNN Money reports a new report from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) says the 5 percent drop in American energy usage during 2009 is the largest annual drop on record. But wind energy production alone rose more than one-third during the same period:

Despite the drop in overall energy use, [A.J. Simon, an energy analyst at LLNL] said the study also showed a substantial increase in alternative sources of energy, including gains in solar, hydro and wind power.

“The increase in renewables is a really good story, especially in the wind arena,” said Simon. “It’s a result of very good incentives and technological advancements.”

The use of wind power rose “dramatically” to 0.7 quadrillion BTUs in 2009 from 0.51 quadrillion BTUs the year before, according to LLNL which compiles the data for the U.S. Department of Energy.

Under the 2009 economic recovery act, the Department of Energy has offered generous tax breaks and grants to help fund the development of wind energy. President Obama has set a target of doubling the country’s renewable energy capacity by 2012.

The article says the increase of wind power has directly helped reduce the amount of coal used in this country.

Solar, Wind

Ace Ethanol Scores Stimulus Funding

Cindy Zimmerman

A Wisconsin ethanol plant is receiving nearly $600,000 in stimulus money to help with expansion plans.

jim doyleWisconsin Governor Jim Doyle announced $595,000 in support for Ace Ethanol to expand its operations in Stanley and retain 40 jobs. “My Administration’s top priority continues to be helping Wisconsin businesses create jobs and giving workers the opportunities to get those jobs,” Governor Doyle said in a press release. “I’m proud to support Ace Ethanol in its efforts to produce clean energy that creates good jobs for our residents.”

The funds are part of the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and are being distributed through the Wisconsin State Energy Program. They will be used for the installation of heat exchange equipment to reduce waste heat and make the facility more efficient.

bio allianceAce Ethanol is a founding member of the Wisconsin Bio Industry Alliance (WBIA). “This is great news for Ace Ethanol and Wisconsin’s ethanol industry as a whole,” said Joshua Morby, Executive Director of the WBIA. “The ethanol industry has contributed over a billion dollars to our state economy, and it is vitally important that we keep this industry growing and thriving in our state.”

Completed in June 2002, the Ace facility was the first large-scale ethanol plant in Wisconsin, and currently produces over 40 million gallons of the fuel every year. Ace also produces wet and dry distillers grain with solubles and carbon dioxide as co-products of the ethanol production process.

Ethanol, Ethanol News

Brazil Sugarcane Ethanol Update

Cindy Zimmerman

This year’s Brazilian sugarcane crush figures are being revised downward, but still are higher than last year at the moment. Meanwhile, ethanol production is up from last year but exports are down significantly.

UNICAThat’s according to the latest report from the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA).

The new forecast projects that crushing will reach 570.191 million tons, 3.70% less than the estimate released by UNICA at the start of the harvest in April of 2010 (595.89 million tons), but 5.88% higher than the 541.96 million tons crushed in the 2009/2010 harvest.

Dry weather in the key growing regions is the reason for the lowered forecast, with rainfall significantly lower in some areas, affecting the harvest and reduced the overall availability of cane for crushing by 47 million tons. The State of São Paulo, where more than 60% of all of Brazil’s sugarcane is located, was the most affected region. The dry weather has also resulted in an early end to the harvest season.

According to UNICA Technical Director Antonio de Padua Rodrigues, “the dry weather has persisted through August and if the usual rainfall patterns for this time of year are not resumed in coming months, we will probably have an even deeper harvest failure, which may require a new, revised projection of the amount of cane available for the current harvest.”

Brazilian ethanol production is expected to reach 26.39 billion liters, down 3.66% from the original projection, but 11.40% higher than last year. However, ethanol exports remain below historical values and nearly 46 percent less than this time last year, while domestic use is up 50 percent.

Brazil, Ethanol, UNICA

Ethanol Groups to Participate in TX Future Conference

Because Texas has the most flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) of any state, a number of industry organizations and companies are getting together to promote ethanol in the Lone Star State next month.

Shaping Texas’ Fuel Ethanol Policy, sponsored by the Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association (TREIA), will be held on September 10 in Austin, Texas. TREIA has been bringing decision makers and industry leaders together in Texas for more than 26 years to build the foundation for developing renewable energy. “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 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.”

Participating in the event are: Growth Energy, the Clean Fuels Development Coalition, the Renewable Fuels Association, ICM, Abengoa Bioenergy and more.

More information on the conference including an agenda can be found online here.

E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Flex Fuel Vehicles, Growth Energy, RFA

Domestic Fuel Gets Alternative Energy Blog Award

Cindy Zimmerman

Domestic Fuel was named as one of the Top 30 Alternative Energy Blogs by Online Schools.

According to Online Schools, this award “highlights the very best blogs to learn about alternative energy and all things related on the internet that were nominated by the internet community, and is designed to thank the authors for their contribution toward the world wide web.”

Awards candidates were determined by anonymous nominations that are open to the internet community. After a list of candidates is compiled, they filter the list to ensure that each site qualifies for the category. “We then give the list to be scored by our panel of 5 judges. Each judge rates each blog across 20 different attributes, including content, frequency of updates, amount of advertising, length of posts, and readability.”

So, thanks to our readers for the nomination and to the judges for deciding that we were worthy.

Miscellaneous

Ethanol Promotion Success at Sturgis

Cindy Zimmerman

Promotion of ethanol to motorcycle lovers was a bigger success this year than last.

Ethanol Report PodcastThis edition of the “Ethanol Report” with Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) Director of Market Development Robert White takes a look at how their sponsorship at the 70th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally went this year.

RFA Sturgis Fueled with Pride 2010This is the second year that RFA partnered with the Legendary Buffalo Chip campgrounds which is the main venue for the huge motorcycle rally that draws hundreds of thousands each year, and this year was even bigger than last year. “We had a much larger than anticipated crowd,” Robert says. “Attendance was less than 500,000 last year and while the final numbers aren’t in, most are suggesting it was above 800,000 this year.”

That gave Robert lots of opportunities to talk with motorcycle owners about using ethanol in their engines, which most of them are doing without even knowing it. “There’s 16 states out there that don’t require labeling at the pump for anything 10 percent and below, so a lot of these guys and gals have been using ethanol for some time and just didn’t know it. So, they are their own case study.”

There was lots of ethanol signage and giveaways at the campground and during the concerts at the venue and RFA also utilized social media for promotions at the event. “I was giving away ethanol t-shirts that were Sturgis 2010 specific on Twitter and Facebook and we had a Facebook Fan Appreciation party where over 100 people showed up and the only way they were invited was through Facebook,” Robert says. Pictures of the event can be found here on RFA’s ethanolpics Flickr photo album.

Listen to Robert tell the story of promoting ethanol at Sturgis in this Ethanol Report podcast. Sturgis Recap Report

You can subscribe to this twice monthly podcast by following this link.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, Miscellaneous, Promotion, RFA

Farm Progress Show to Feature Biodiesel

John Davis

It seems only fitting that the nation’s greatest agricultural showcase will be featuring the world’s greenest fuel.

Renewable Energy Group says this year’s Farm Progress Show, slated for August 31 – September 2 in Boone, Iowa, will be demonstrating a B20 blend of biodiesel in all demonstration vehicles and agriculture equipment:

The B20 blend is provided through STAR Energy, the FS companies of Iowa and Renewable Energy Group, Ames, Iowa. The FS System is the official fuel sponsor of the show through its donation of the FS premium diesel fuel, Dieselex Gold. Dieselex Gold contains multi-functional additive chemistry that makes it the perfect partner for biodiesel blends. It is comprised of 8 components that contribute to engine performance, efficiency and protection.

Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) that have endorsed a B20 biodiesel blend in their diesel engines include Arctic Cat, Buhler, John Deere, Case IH, New Holland and Caterpillar.

“Continuing the use of the B20 blend at the Farm Progress Show demonstrates the commitment of the agriculture industry to renewable, sustainable fuels. B20 use at the Farm Progress show reinforces that it can be used on Iowa farms in diesel equipment,” said Jason Stauffer, Energy Management Specialist/ Area Sales Manager for Star Energy.

REG officials also point out that biodiesel adds value to American farm products, $9 to market cattle, $0.25 to every bushel of soybeans and adding additional value to ethanol through inedible corn oil use.

Biodiesel