NextCAT’s Technology Could Cut Biodiesel Costs

John Davis

A Detroit-based technology company is looking to help make biodiesel more competitive in the marketplace.

Xconomy/Detroit says NextCAT wants to make a catalyst that will help convert some of the cheaper feedstocks, such as algae and recycled cooking oil, into biodiesel and hopes to get some funding to get the project going:

NextCAT, which is located at the TechTown business incubator in Detroit, signed an option agreement to produce technology developed at the National Biofuels Energy Laboratory at Wayne State University in Detroit. The company also recently received $50,000 from the Michigan Microloan Fund and another $50,000 from the First Step Fund, newly created by the New Economy Initiative, a Detroit-based philanthropic partnership.

That $100,000 will take the company a long way—far enough to conduct its first pilot plant test sometime in the next 90 days. Leppek is a technology commercialization fellow at Wayne State on loan full-time to NextCAT. The university pays his salary. Founder Charles Salley and other executives are working without compensation.

Leppek says the company has “also received indications” that it will receive a Small Business Innovation Rearch Grant from the National Science Foundation as early as July.

NextCAT believes U.S. biodiesel plants can be retrofitted with the company’s new process and catalyst and can produce biodiesel cheaper.

Biodiesel

E85 Border Battle in Wisconsin and Minnesota

E85 will sell for 85 cents off on opposite sides of the St. Croix River on Thursday, May 27. One station in Westland Lake, Minnesota and another in Hudson, Wisconsin will hold the promotions for flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) from 4 – 6 p.m.

The promotions are supported by the Minnesota Corn Growers Association, Wisconsin Corn Growers Association, Holiday Companies, Erickson Oil, American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest and MN & WI Clean Air Choice Teams. Wisconsin’s Alice in Dairyland will also be on hand to help fuel FFVs on the east side of the border. The promotion locations are:
Holiday • 215 Manning Ave N, West Lakeland (Lake Elmo), MN
Freedom Valu Center • 210 South 2nd St, Hudson, WI

Minnesota Corn Growers Association President DeVonna Zeug recently made the statement, “Ethanol pumps $6 billion into Minnesota’s economy and is helping to sustain over 26,000 jobs. Ethanol is creating jobs and opportunity in communities across our state at the same time it is reducing our country’s dangerous and costly dependence on foreign oil.”

Brian Long, President of the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association stated similar for his state, “Ethanol pumps billions of dollars each year into Wisconsin’s economy and farm families, while also helping reduce our nation’s costly dependence on foreign oil.”

Currently, Minnesota has the most E85 locations throughout the country with 355. Wisconsin boasts 143 stations.

E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News

Corn Growers Want End to Indirect Land Use Change

Cindy Zimmerman

NCGAThe National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) believes that it’s time to throw out the whole debated theory of indirect land use change.

“In 2010, the U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts our corn farmers will produce more than 300 million more bushels than just three years ago, and do so on nearly 5 million fewer acres,” NCGA President Darrin Ihnen said in a news release. “International indirect land use change theory completely ignores or significantly downplays grower ingenuity and modern agronomy. This junk science needs to go the way of the horse-drawn plow.”

NCGAThe unproven theory and models related to it are being used by the California Air Resources Board to implement that state’s low carbon fuel standard in such a way that ethanol made from corn would not qualify for use. Ihnen points to the recent Purdue study that found California is overestimating the greenhouse-gas impact of land use changes related to corn ethanol by a factor of two.

“The inclusion of model results in policy before the science has been fully established is not just a problem of rushing to judgment; in this case, it goes against the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” Ihnen said. “By saddling corn-based ethanol with incorrect emissions, the California standard may actually increase its reliance on petroleum or foreign sources of ethanol, therefore worsening the environment and our national economy.”

The Purdue research also reflects the scientific community’s rejection of the initial paper that brought the land use change theory to the front burner in February 2008, according to the Renewable Fuels Association. Since then, the estimated emissions purportedly occurring from the indirect land use change penalty have fallen by nearly 90 percent.

corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Indirect Land Use, NCGA, RFA

Ask POET Video Series Debuts

Joanna Schroeder

Consumers. We all have questions about ethanol and oftentimes don’t know where to go to find the answers. Now, you have a new resource for information – the monthly video series “Ask POET,” hosted by Nathan Schock. The idea is that for each episode, Nathan will take a question from the public and then identify and interview the most appropriate person within POET to provide the answer.

I had the opportunity to ask POET a question and it became the kick off for the first episode. I asked, “When do you think consumers will be able to go to the gas station and fill up their cars with cellulosic ethanol?” A point of reference, POET is the farthest along in the U.S. on commercially producing cellulosic ethanol from corn stover with their project coined Project Liberty. My question was answered in great detail and with great insight from POET CEO Jeff Broin.

In the next episode, Broin responds to a question from Jim Lane, Editor of Biofuels Digest who asked what the industry can do after E15 to prevent another “blend wall.” Lane also asked Broin to explore how America can change its fleet over to flex fuel vehicles so that higher blends of ethanol can be more widespread and available.

“As the nation’s largest ethanol producer, we need to take an active and visible role in helping the public understand the many issues surrounding ethanol,” Schock, POET’s Director of Public Relations, said. “Although the ethanol industry is still relatively young, POET has been around for more than two decades and is in a great position to answer the many questions that come up regarding the renewable fuel that is being used in most cars today. ‘Ask POET’ will help do that.”

For upcoming episodes, no question is off limits. You can subscribe to POET’s RSS feed and get updates about the program here.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Video

Alliance AutoGas Launches Propane Conversion Program

Joanna Schroeder

Alliance AutoGas, with the support of the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), have received $8.6 million in funding from the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 to fund a Southeast Propane Autogas Development Program. The program will help to build at least 17 propane refueling stations as well as convert 1,200 vehicles to propane in nine southeast states. According to PERC, propane, when used to power on-road vehicles, is known worldwide as autogas. Nearly 90 percent of propane supplies are produced in the U.S. and 7 percent is imported from Canada.

“We are encouraged that this grant provides an opportunity to showcase the viability of autogas and its benefits,” said Stuart Weidie, president of Alliance AutoGas. “Autogas is recognized as the number one alternative fuel worldwide. It’s almost entirely domestically produced and is available right here, right now.”

Project management for the program will be shared by Virginia Clean Cities and James Madison University. Alliance AutoGas’ founding partners, Blossman Gas and American Alternative Fuel, along with certified conversion partners, will perform the vehicle conversions and provide the infrastructure for both private and public fueling stations. Vehicles that will be targeted for conversions include taxis, limousines and vans.

It is projected that the program will displace at least 15 million gallons of gasoline over four years as well as reduce harmful tailpipe emissions. A website that will track the conversion information along with the greenhouse gas emission reductions will launch later this year.

“The rollout of this Alliance AutoGas project will result in the wider use of propane vehicles, which will help us reach our county’s environmental and national energy security goals,” concluded Brian Feehan, vice president of PERC.

News, Propane

Book Review – No Impact Man

Joanna Schroeder

So you’re a bit frustrated with the state of the climate and pretty concerned with our fossil fuel use. So what do you do? You become the No Impact Man. Colin Beavan, a writer from New York who was struggling with how to deal with climate change, decided that he, along with his wife, two year old daughter and dog, would spend a year trying to have no negative impact on the climate. This experience, which he blogged about every day, led to the book, “No Impact Man The Adventures of a Guilty Liberal Who Attempts to Save the Planet.”

Beavan was extreme. No “throw away” products made from trees, rarely any motorized transportation including elevators (did I mention he lives in NY?), all locally grown food within 250 miles and no meat, no buying of new things (but they could purchase used items), and if that weren’t enough, no electricity for three months! So what did he learn? We should be able to keep the things that improve our lives, yet not at the expense of the environment. And yes, he says, this can be done.

As an energy writer there was one chapter that I felt was extremely compelling and that was when he and his family turned out the electricity. Yep – no electricity for three months with the exception of a solar panel he used to power his laptop. In this chapter, Beavan talks about the true cost of fossil fuel use – something that many are trying to get consumers to understand, including me.

He writes, “The fact of the matter is that fossil fuels are not less costly than renewable energy. Fossil fuels cost us and our planet much more to use. The problem is that the true costs of the use of coal and oil are not immediately apparent in the price.” Read More

book reviews, Energy, Environment, global warming

Ford’s 2011 Flexible Fuel Vehicles

Cindy Zimmerman

Ford has announced a handful of models for their 2011 flexible fuel line-up. The company, who began producing FFVs in the mid 1990’s will offer more than 12 models in the upcoming year, according to a Growth Energy press release.

“If we’re going to reduce emissions, clean the air, and increase our energy independence, we need to ensure that our entire vehicle fleet and fuel infrastructure are ready to use expanded U.S. ethanol production,” said Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy. “Each additional flex fuel vehicle model gives consumers the option of filling up with domestic, homegrown renewable fuel and enhances our national security, all while creating U.S. jobs and greening our environment. We commend Ford Motor Co. for their continued commitment to manufacture FFVs and we urge Congress to pass legislation that will encourage all vehicles to be flex-fuel and support the construction of blender pumps and ethanol dispensing equipment.”

Ford’s announcement was made this week at the Ford 2011 Model Year Advance Product Meeting in Minnesota in front of fleet and dealership representatives. At the meeting, Ford personnel provided an overview of their vehicle lineup for the coming model year which includes more than 12 Flex Fuel Vehicle models.

The new 2011 FFV models include:

3.0L Fusion3.0L Escape
F-150 (engine to be announced)5.4L Expedition & Expedition EL
5.4L Expedition EL Limo6.2L F-250 & F-350 Pickup and F-350 Chassis Cab
4.6L & 5.4L E-Series models4.6L Crown Victoria, Taxi & Police Interceptor
4.6L Lincoln Town Car5.4L Lincoln Navigator
5.4L Navigator L5.4L Navigator L Limo
3.0L Mercury Milan3.0L Mercury Mariner
4.6L Mercury Grand Marquis

Today, more than eight million vehicles on U.S. highways are flexible fuel vehicles, out of over 246 million vehicles on the road. Ford’s commitment to manufacture more Flex Fuel Vehicles will help ensure that we meet Congress’ goal of 36 billion gallons of biofuel production by 2022 as enacted in the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act, Buis said.

Car Makers, E85, Flex Fuel Vehicles, Growth Energy

No Bull(s) … Army Hosting Renewable Energy Rodeo

John Davis

No bulls, not even the mechanical kind, but the U.S. Army is hosting a rodeo … the inaugural Renewable Energy Rodeo and Symposium (RERS), June 8-9, 2010, at Fort Bliss, Texas, evaluating the latest energy technologies that could reap immediate benefits for the military and the nation:

RERS, co-hosted by the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM) Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) and Fort Bliss, serves to advance energy initiatives affecting all levels of the Department of Defense, from ground vehicles to installations.

During the two-day exposition, the latest mature technologies and innovations in renewable energy concepts and alternative fuel technologies will be displayed and demonstrated. Panel discussions and guest speakers will feature some of the Nation’s top experts in a variety of energy-related fields and technologies.

“Energy security remains a top priority for our warfighters and our Nation,” explained TARDEC Director Dr. Grace M. Bochenek. “As we aggressively pursue the latest in renewable energy capabilities and alternative energy technologies, it is vitally important we tap the best-of-the-best from industry, academia and government.”

It’s only fitting that Fort Bliss is hosting the energy rodeo, since the post is the Army’s Center for Renewable Energy. Officials expect some “game-changing technologies and innovative solutions.”

More information is available here.

Government

GM, Hawaiian Gas Co. Partner in Hydrogen Project

John Davis

Auto giant General Motors (GM) has teamed up with Hawaii’s The Gas Company (TGC), the state’s major gas energy provider, to make hydrogen more available for GM’s growing fleet of hydrogen-powered vehicles.

This GM press release says TGC will send the hydrogen, along with synthetic natural gas, through its utility gas stream and separate the hydrogen at key points along the 1,000 mile utility pipeline:

“This is the type of enabler that a hydrogen transportation infrastructure needs because it addresses both the source of the hydrogen and a feasible way to deliver it for fuel cell vehicle use,” said Charles Freese, executive director of GM Global Fuel Cell Activities. “The Hawaii infrastructure could eventually support tens of thousands of fuel cell vehicles.

“Hawaii is uniquely positioned and motivated to make hydrogen-powered fuel cell transportation a reality because it depends on imported petroleum for 90 percent of its energy,” he said.

The state is committed to reducing petroleum use by 70 percent through a combination of renewable energy resources, conservation and efficiency. The use of hydrogen as a transportation fuel could be a key contributor.

“We have been delivering as much as 12 percent hydrogen made from renewable sources to our gas customers over the last two to three years and expect we can deliver even greater quantities of hydrogen as demand increases,” said Jeffrey Kissel, president and CEO of TGC. “By delivering hydrogen through our existing infrastructure as vehicle fuel wherever we have gas, The Gas Company expands its key role of supporting Hawaii’s clean energy future.”

Officials believe the price for the hydrogen could be equal to or less than gasoline.

Car Makers, Hydrogen

Using Computer Parts to Grow Algae for Biodiesel

John Davis

Usually, we talk about using high-tech computer programs to help producers get more biodiesel out of their operations. But this time, it’s the low-tech components that are the platforms for growing a feedstock for the green fuel.

Treehugger.com has this post about how students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have put together an algae bioreactor called the Bio-Grow to cultivate large amounts of algae for biodiesel using old computer parts:

“If someone had one of these in their homes, they would cultivate algae and extract it,” says Megan Kenney, one of the members of the five-person undergraduate team. “Then they could take it into a gas company that was set up with an oil filtration facility and get credit off their gas.”

The Bio-Grow’s various components would include side panels from an Apple G4 CPU tower for the incubating tank, with PVC pipes for structural reinforcement and high density foam for insulation and stability. An old Apple iMac CRT provides the light needed for photosynthesis, while a modified Dell Latitude CPX laptop controls and adjusts the temperature and required light spectrums generated by the iMac CRT. The device also features a water pump to aerate the algae and a faucet that allows user to harvest the algae at any time.

“Algae’s best growth factors are within the red and blue spectrums of light at a ratio of four to one,” Kenney explains. “We also knew that it needed to be 62 to 82 degrees.”

The hope is that people will be able to grow algae as part of a larger system and take that algae to a central collection point. The lipids in the algae would be extracted and sent to a refinery to make biodiesel, while the by-products would go into livestock feed, fertilizer and pharmaceuticals. The Bio-Grow team believes just under 7 percent of American homes would need to have a device to grow enough algae to replace petroleum with algae biodiesel.

algae, Biodiesel