Petroleum Industry Files Suit Over Renewable Fuel Standard

Cindy Zimmerman

The petroleum industry has filed a legal challenge over the expanded Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2), which was just finalized by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Both the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association (NPRA) filed the lawsuit Monday with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia challenging the EPA rule, officially published in the Federal Register on Friday.

Both organizations issued similar statements regarding the legal action, which focus on the retroactive provisions of the rule. “We believe this rule unlawful and unfair, and we filed a petition for review in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to challenge the legality of EPA’s actions,” said the API statement. “EPA made the rule effective on July 1, 2010 while setting unreasonable mandates on refiners that reach back to 2009 for bio-based diesel and to January 1 for the other advanced biofuels.”

“The petition NPRA filed today does not challenge the overall RFS2 program and does not call into question the important role renewable fuels play in our nation’s transportation fuel mix,” NPRA President Charles T. Drevna said. “Simply put, the fact that EPA failed to meet its statutory obligations under current energy law does not give the Agency license to impose retroactively additional compliance burdens on obligated parties. At the least, such action calls into serious question the fundamental fairness of EPA’s RFS2 rulemaking process.”

biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News

Cellulosic Ethanol Fuel in 12 Hours of Sebring

Cindy Zimmerman

Cellulosic ethanol from Iogen Energy was part of the 58th running of Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring earlier this month.

It was the first time Iogen Energy’s cellulosic ethanol was blended into an E85 fuel for the demanding American Le Mans Series (ALMS) presented by Tequila Patrón. The 500 gallons of cellulosic ethanol supplied were produced from wheat straw at Iogen Energy’s world leading demonstration facility in Ottawa and fueled the Drayson Racing “Lola-Judd” prototype in the race.

According to ALMS, Drayson Racing was riding a wave of momentum entering the race with two-time Sebring winner Emanuele Pirro who had the No. 8 Lola Coupé in second place early. However, at three and a half hours into the 12 hour race, the alternator failed and eventually the team finished fourth in Le Mans Prototype One (LMP1) class and twelfth overall in a field of thirty-four.

“In the critical Michelin® Green X® Challenge, the team finished as the highest non-diesel powered entry. Taking third in this important environmental award was the result of the team’s use of second generation, cellulosic E85 ethanol and its efficient combination of Judd V10 engine and Lola’s closed cockpit chassis.”

The second round of the ALMS season will be April 17 in Long Beach, California.

American LeMans, Cellulosic, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Racing

RFA Offers RFS2 Information for Producers

Cindy Zimmerman

Renewable Fuels Association LogoUnder the expanded Renewable Fuels Standard, or RFS2, all producers of ethanol regardless of feedstock will be required to register with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In an effort to help ethanol producers understand what they need to do, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has created two documents intended to provide producers with information they need to comply.

First, there is a comprehensive 29-page summary that includes detailed explanations of the steps necessary to help guide both grain ethanol and cellulosic ethanol producers through the process. RFA has also developed a shorter registration checklist that includes all the key steps and deadlines for ethanol producers to register and begin generating Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) necessary to track the required use of ethanol.

Many of the dates for compliance are approaching quickly and RFA officials encourage producers to review these documents for information as soon as possible and to consult with legal counsel for specific questions related to individual operations.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA

Record Global Ethanol Production Forecast

Cindy Zimmerman

Global RFAThe Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) has released its 2010 production forecast for ethanol which indicates a positive trend for growth in the industry.

Total ethanol production for 2009 was 73.9 billion litres (19.5 billion gallons) according to data assembled by F.O. Licht. The GRFA predicts global production will reach 85.9 billion litres (22.7 billion gallons) in 2010, up more than 16 percent over last year. GRFA notes that level of production would displace the need for 370 million equivalent barrels of oil globally.

According to the organization, the United States is still the world leader in ethanol manufacturing with more than 45 billion litres (12 billion gallons) of ethanol production projected for this year. At the other end of the spectrum, many developing countries including Nigeria and Malawi are turning to ethanol to boost their economies and secure their future energy needs.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, International

Company Promotes In-Field Production of “Sorganol”

Cindy Zimmerman

An Iowa inventor and entrepreneur is promoting a harvester he developed that can produce ethanol from sweet sorghum right in the field.

Lee McClune of Knoxville, Iowa invented the SORGANOL® Process (PatPend) and Sor-Cane Harvester after studying research done at Iowa State University in the 80s on the potential of producing ethanol from sorghum. According to McClune, the harvester acidifies and filters the juice from the sorghum stalks as they are harvested. “The appropriate yeast agents are added or metered in as the juice is pumped from the transporter into the storage containers,” he explains in a promotional brochure. “A few hours later the sugar conversion to ethanol is complete.” McClure claims some varieties of sweet sorghum can produce as much as 1000 gallons of ethanol per acre and he calls it “America’s Sugarcane Ethanol.”

Oklahoma State University started studying the process a couple of years ago and found some merit to the concept of actually fermenting the juice in the field to make ethanol. McClune believes the process can be utilized to make ethanol production more sustainable and potentially even carbon-neutral.

For more information, contact McClune at leemcclune@hotmail.com.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, sorghum

Growth Energy Offers Brochure on Pumps for Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

Growth Energy has introduced their new 2010 E85/blender pump brochure. The six panel brochure includes frequently asked questions on E85, blender pumps and flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs). The entire inside of the brochure includes a matrix-like listing of FFVs offered since 1995.

Although many newer model FFVs are labeled on the back of the vehicle, these brochures are the marketing tool Growth Energy recommends for a retailer to inform customers of which vehicles are E85 compatible. They assist with the problem of consumer “misfueling” at the pump. Currently there are over eight million FFVs on American roads. They include newer models by General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Nissan, Toyota and Mercedes. Older models include Mazda and Isuzu.

To order the 2010 E85/blender pump brochure, click here. Growth Energy also offers various other items for ethanol fuel retailers, such stickers, banners, pump toppers and marquees. In addition, there’s some just for fun stuff available on the website, including bumper stickers, key chains, hats and decals.

E85, Ethanol, Growth Energy

Daryl Hannah Promotes E85 in California

Cindy Zimmerman

Actress/activist Daryl Hannah went on the road for ethanol in California this week with her “Kill Bill” 1979 Pontiac Trans Am, which was converted to run on up to 85 percent ethanol.

Hannah was in Santa Cruz Tuesday to appear on a local Community TV live call-in show called “Eco-Review” and then traveled to Sacramento for a promotional appearance at Flyer’s fuel station. She appeared with ethanol advocate David Blume, author of “Alcohol Can Be a Gas” and founder of the International Institute for Ecological Agriculture (IIEA).

Together they presented a briefing on emissions test results from a study conducted at a California certified smog station using Hannah’s 1979 Pontiac Trans-Am, which appeared in the movie “Kill Bill.” The testing compared exhaust emissions of the vehicle using unleaded gas with E-10, E-15, and E-85 fuel blends and found significant reductions of carbon monoxide, hydro carbons and nitrous oxide as the ethanol blends increased.

Sacramento biofuels correspondent Paul Wikoff reports, “Hannah and Blume expressed the virtues of ethanol fuel, as well as stressing the importance of E15 being accepted by the EPA this summer as an allowable fuel blend for all vehicles. As their 1979 Trans Am demonstrates, higher ethanol fuel blends can be safely and successfully used in older vehicles. Blume stressed that he and thousands of other U.S. citizens have been filling their fuel tanks of such older vehicles for years without trouble, while reducing air pollution and dependence on foreign oil.”

Thanks to Wikoff for the photos and information.

blends, E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News

Bipartisan Bill Would Save Jobs and Help Ethanol Grow

Cindy Zimmerman

Bipartisan legislation introduced Thursday will help preserve jobs in the renewable energy industry and accelerate the development of cellulosic ethanol, according to its sponsors. The Renewable Fuels Reinvestment Act sponsored by Reps. Earl Pomeroy (D-ND) and John Shimkus (R-IL) unveiled legislation would extend the current Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC), the Small Ethanol Producers Tax Credit and tariff on imported ethanol for five years and extend the Cellulosic Ethanol Production Tax Credit for three years.

Congressman Pomeroy said, “At a time when our economy is struggling, we cannot afford to let these tax incentives expire and stymie the growth we have seen in our ethanol industry.”

“Extending the ethanol and cellulosic tax credits helps give much needed certainty to the industry and will continue to help our nation’s energy security,” said Congressman Shimkus.

Leaders of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), Growth Energy and the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), joined the congressmen in a Thursday afternoon press conference at the Capitol to introduce the bill. Pictured from left to right are RFA President Bob Dinneen, Congressman John Shimkus (R-Ill.), Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis, Congressman Earl Pomeroy (D- N.D.), with NCGA president Darrin Ihnen at the podium.

“The extension of VEETC would contribute to energy independence, create and secure thousands of jobs in rural America and allow for a stronger agriculture sector,” said Ihnen, a grower from South Dakota.　

Growth Energy just released a study showing that if the tariff on foreign ethanol is allowed to expire at the end of the year, extreme job losses and the loss of billions of dollars in economic activity would follow. The 10 year projection, calculated by the University of Missouri’s Community Policy Analysis Center, found 39,506 jobs would be lost in the first year after the tariff lapses, 115,642 in the second year, and 161,384 in the third year. The decline in economic activity following the lapse of the tariff was calculated at $9.2 billion the first year, $26.4 billion the second year, and $36.7 billion the third year – and remaining in the double digits during the 10-year projection, hitting $21.2 billion in 2021.

“Without the tariff, American taxpayers will be allowing foreign-subsidized ethanol to subvert American companies and American workers,” said Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis. “It would replace our nation’s addiction to foreign oil with dependence on foreign ethanol – and not make our nation one bit more energy secure.”

Joining Reps. Pomeroy and Shimkus as co-sponsors of the bill are 27 other members of Congress. A companion bill in the Senate is expected soon.

ACE, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government, Growth Energy, NCGA, RFA

Buckeye Wind Project Given Green Light, But…

John Davis

Fifty wind turbines could soon be turning, cranking out green power in East Central Ohio’s Champaign County … but there are some caveats.

This story from Springfield (OH) News-Sun says the Ohio Power Siting Board has given Everpower Wind Holdings Inc. the green light for the Buckeye Wind Project, which will be one of the first utility-scale wind projects in the state:

Originally, the application submitted to the OPSB sought to build about 70 turbines, but the board voted not to permit 16 of the proposed turbines because they are viewed as a potential hazard to aviation at Grimes and Weller air fields near Urbana. Two additional turbines will not be sited because they did not meet minimum setback requirements. The turbines are supposed to be built 1,000 feet back from roads and structures. In all, there were about 70 conditions required for the project.

Everpower officials say there’s more to be done before groundbreaking, but this decision from the board moves the project forward.

Wind

Camelina to Produce 1 Bil Gallons of Biodiesel by 2025

John Davis

A market research and advisory firm is predicting that camelina will be the feedstock for a billion gallons of biofuels a year by the year 2025.

In their new report, entitled “Camelina Aviation Biofuels Market Opportunity and Renewable Energy Strategy Report,” researchers at Biomass Advisors say the non-food energy crop will be producing biofuels for the aviation and biodiesel sectors, accounting for 25,000 new jobs, more than $5.5 billion in new revenues and $3.5 billion in new agricultural income for U.S. and Canadian farmers:

The report follows recent announcements by Sustainable Oils and Alt-Air, among others, to provide 100 million gallons of Camelina-based jet fuel to a consortium of 15 airlines starting in 2014. Camelina Aviation Biofuels provides an objective, in-depth assessment of Camelina and the market drivers behind aviation industry activity…

The forecast is based on multiple factors including available land, historical trends in land-use change, and crop yields. It also includes an overview of relevant biofuel market and policy drivers, as well as emerging legislation and regulation creating a market for sustainable energy crops like Camelina. The report provides a detailed analysis of Camelina economics, including biofuel feedstock costs, petroleum parity analysis, and a summary of more than 75 Camelina research projects in over 20 U.S. states.

The researchers credit what looks like the upcoming renewal of the federal $1-a-gallon biodiesel tax incentive and camelina’s ability to defuse the food versus fuel argument for their optimism about the grain.

Biodiesel