ACE Conference 2026

Corn Ethanol Gets Boost Under Expanded RFS

Joanna Schroeder

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)  made an upwards revision today when releasing the expanded Renewable Fuels Standard. They gave corn-based ethanol a 21 percent advantage over conventional gasoline, more than what was originally slated. This new revision also qualifies all corn ethanol, including existing and new production, for the conventional biofuels targets in the RFS.

“While we’re pleased that the U.S. EPA recognizes corn ethanol’s distinct advantage over gasoline when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions and gratified that EPA modified ethanol’s carbon footprint calculation to more accurately reflect real-world data, we don’t believe the agency’s overall assessment of ethanol’s greenhouse gas reduction potential was good enough or accurate,” said Brian Jennings, Executive Vice President of ACE.  “By continuing to apply scientifically indefensible ‘international indirect land use’ penalties to corn ethanol, these regulations seriously underestimate ethanol’s greenhouse gas benefits over oil while completely ignoring the indirect emissions associated with petroleum – for example, the military protection of world oil supplies and oil transportation routes.”

One of the complaints of indirect land use change  (ILUC) theory is that it is not based on sound science or real data but simply derived using computer modeling. When ILUC theory is eliminated from the equation, corn-based ethanol’s GHG reductions are significantly higher – 61 percent according to ACE who comnissed the study, “Lifecycle Analysis of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Associated with Starch-Based Ethanol.”

Among the key findings of the report: “the scientific literature available to date shows a huge variation in estimates of carbon release from land clearing in general, on the order of 50 percent plus or minus – a huge margin of error that should not be relied upon to make policy.”

Jennings concluded, “America’s ethanol producers are committed to providing a clean, renewable fuel that supports the nation’s economy through job creation and reduces our dependence on foreign oil. The revisions in this proposed rule are a positive step by EPA, but corn-based ethanol must not be unfairly singled-out for penalty based on the indirect land use change theory.”

ACE, biofuels, Ethanol, Legislation, News

Ethanol Poised to Create Jobs in Expanded RFS

Joanna Schroeder

This afternoon, Growth Energy responded to the Environmental Protection Agency’s expanded Renewable Fuels Standard, that will create the platform for reaching 36 billions gallons of biofuels by 2022, and specifically praised the Obama administration and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson.

“Growth Energy commends the Obama White House and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson for recognizing the value of domestic ethanol both as a low-carbon fuel and as a U.S. jobs creator. The expanded Renewable Fuels Standard released today rightly puts an emphasis on America’s growth energy – ethanol – and that in turn will help our economic recovery, strengthen our national security and clean our skies,” Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy, said.

The Association noted several improvements to the rule including the decision to make volume levels of domestic ethanol retroactive to the first of the year. Technically, the blending levels for 2010 were to have been announced back in November but the EPA held off on determining those levels until they completed the new rules.

“Further, we’re pleased that EPA recognizes grain ethanol as a low-carbon fuel, and changed its indirect land use change penalty from its original proposal last year. However, while we appreciate that the EPA recognizes the uncertainty of ILUC, the fact remains that ILUC is still in the rule. This puts the cart before the horse, and our position is that ILUC should not be applied in regulation until we have a thorough, long-term study of the issue,” continued Buis.

Another area of concern lies in the fact that ILUC gives favoritism to Brazilian sugarcane ethanol, thus opening the door to a reliance on foreign energy once again.

Buis concluded, “Further, by using skewed ILUC calculations, the RFS gives Brazilian sugarcane ethanol preferred status as an advanced biofuel. I don’t think that was the intent of Congress when it passed the Energy Independence and Security Act. It won’t make the U.S. any more energy independent by switching our addiction from foreign oil to foreign ethanol.”

*Post update*
Listen to or download an interview with Tom Buis on Growth Energy reaction to the RFS2 rule here:

Audio, biofuels, Ethanol, Growth Energy, Legislation, News

Ethanol Report on RFS2 Rules

Cindy Zimmerman

Ethanol Report PodcastIndustry reaction to the Environmental Protection Agency announcement today of much-delayed rules for the second phase of the Renewable Fuel Standard has come quickly and is mostly positive.

In this edition of “The Ethanol Report” podcast, Matt Hartwig with the Renewable Fuels Association talks about their reaction and what the rule means for the industry.

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

Listen to or download the podcast here:

Audio, Cellulosic, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, Government

EPA Rules Confirm Ethanol’s Environmental Advantages

Joanna Schroeder

The ethanol and agriculture industry have a few things to celebrate today, one of which is EPA’s acknowledgment that ethanol, including corn-based ethanol, has greenhouse gas emission advantages over conventional gasoline. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its new released regulations for the implementation of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) which in part outlines the country’s move to 36 billion gallons of biofuels by 2022 while reducing GHG emissions in the fuel.

NCGA“We’re pleased the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognizes that corn ethanol provides a distinct advantage over conventional gasoline when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions, with a reduction of more than 21 percent in some cases,” said National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) President Darrin Ihnen. “This means that all corn ethanol including existing grandfathered capacity and new production will qualify to meet the conventional biofuels targets in the RFS.”

However, like others in the ethanol industry, NCGA is frustrated with EPA’s continued use of indirect land use theory, a piece of “flawed science” say industry supporters. Ihnen stressed that the EPA should reject the unproven theory of international indirect land use change, which assumes that growing more corn means planting corn on a proportionately greater amount of acreage and will impact other crops or natural resources on a global basis. Today’s yield trends show this to be false. 2009’s record corn yield was 165.2 bushels per acre, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 11 bushels higher than 2008 and nearly 15 bushels higher than 2007.

One of the inherent problems with indirect land use is that it is only applied in the case of corn ethanol. “This is the perfect example of bad science being applied unfairly,” said Ihnen. “Removing the impacts from the international indirect land use theory means that corn ethanol actually provides a 52 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, compared to gasoline. The EPA is not considering similar indirect impacts of petroleum-based fuels, so why are they so stringent when it comes to green, renewable corn ethanol?”

biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Legislation, NCGA

RFS2 Rules Released – Industry Reponds

Joanna Schroeder

After a two-month delay, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finally announced the final rule for the implementation of the second phase of the Renewable Fuel Standard, aka RFS2. As part of the rules, the EPA will both set the national mandatory blend levels as well as monitor compliance through its new reporting system. The monitoring system will also track carbon emissions of fuels which will be required to be reduced as the RFS progresses.

“EPA was right to recognize that ethanol from all sources provides significant carbon benefits compared to gasoline,” said Renewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen. “As structured, the RFS is a workable program that will achieve the stated policy goals of reduced oil dependence, economic opportunity, and environmental stewardship.”

Dinneen continued, “The RFS is the public policy building block upon which America’s renewable fuels industry will be built. Today’s industry and tomorrow’s ethanol producers require stable federal policy that provides them the market assurances they need to commercialize new technologies. To that end, EPA has achieved that goal.”

RFA expressed their disappointment once again with EPA’s reliance on unproven science and reiterated that regardless of what “science” is used for the GHG calculations, all ethanol boasts an improvement over gasoline. Despite the areas where RFA disagrees with the new rules, they stated, “At the end of the day, the RFS is public policy that can and will work effectively.”

Click here to read RFA’s full response to the rules.

Listen to “The Ethanol Report” for an interview with RFA’s Matt Hartwig on the decision.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Legislation, RFA

New Study Shows Soy-Biodiesel’s Green Ways

John Davis

While soybean-based biodiesel has been unfairly knocked at times for not being as environmentally friendly as it should be, a new study shows just how green fuel from the bean really is.

A new peer-reviewed life cycle profile released by the United Soybean Board (USB) documents multiple energy and environmental benefits of U.S. soybean farming and processing, including biodiesel. This press release has details:

“This profile is the first comprehensive life cycle study covering U.S. soybean production through four major biobased products,” said Wynne, Arkansas soybean farmer John Cooper, a USB Director and Member of the USB Domestic Marketing Committee. “U.S. soy already delivers environmental and energy benefits. It’s exciting to see the trends point to even more in the future.”

The study provides an important resource for companies to update life cycle assessments on their specific products made using U.S. soy.

“The United Soybean Board’s study sheds even more light on why biodiesel is good for the environment,” says National Biodiesel Board Director of Sustainability Don Scott. “Biodiesel production and use recognizes and builds on this progress.”

For example, biodiesel production facilities reduced their energy consumption by 27% compared to the 1998 data. Biodiesel has even more benefits when one calculates the emissions reductions when it is used to fuel a vehicle.

A key objective was to update life cycle inventory (LCI) databases for soybean production and processing as well as conversion into four key soy-derived feedstocks (methyl soyate, soy lube base stock, soy polyol, and soy resin) used in fuel and industrial products. Its cradle-to-gate scope begins with soybean farming (the cradle) and goes through processing of products (the gate).

Another important aspect of this study is that it’s based on U.S. agricultural data for the 2001-2007. The data the Department of Energy’s U.S. Life Cycle Inventory is based on comes from 1998 to 2001. And it contains soybean crushing information not previously available.

Biodiesel, Soybeans

OriginOil Unveils System for Algae Growth & Harvest

John Davis

Our friends at OriginOil, Inc. have developed a comprehensive pilot system for algae growth and harvesting.

This company press release says OriginOil unveiled the system during an event at its Los Angeles headquarters:

At the event, Riggs Eckelberry, OriginOil CEO, spoke to the assembled group of core investors, celebrities and members of the press. “I’m very proud of our team that has worked so hard over the months to make our technologies work in a complete pilot system,” he said. “Until now we have been in pure research and development. Now we have turned the corner to commercialization of our technologies. It’s a historic milestone for us.”

At the heart of the new system is a series of 200-gallon tanks which can be individually configured and managed for various strains, growth strategies, and lighting geometries. The tanks are now illuminated with LED light sticks submerged in icicle-like arrays. A stirrer circulates the algae slowly around the lights.

The system uses an integrated extraction system, a combination of ultrasound generation and low-power electromagnetic pulsing, which you can see in the link of the time-lapse video on the right. It will crank out 5 gallons a minute and also uses a series of settling tanks to separate the oils and biomass. Finally, a water recycling system completes the loop so the process can start again.

See more for yourself at www.originoil.com.

algae, Biodiesel

BAS, Mcgyan to Offer Turnkey Biodiesel Operations

John Davis

Ohio-based Biodiesel Analytical Solutions is teaming up with Minnesota’s Mcgyan Biodiesel, LLC to offer a commercial version of Mcgyan’s cutting-edge biodiesel process technology. A company press release touts the process as something that will “revolutionize an antiquated process and revitalize the withering industry,” and you can see the two companies kick-off their partnership next week at booth #906 at the 2010 National Biodiesel Conference & Expo, in Grapevine, Texas:

Mr. Steven Rupp, president of Mcgyan Biodiesel, LLC, explains, “Mcgyan and BAS will offer the world market a one-stop shop for the cutting-edge Mcgyan® biodiesel process technology. Our comprehensive package of value-added services will include site selection, technology licensing, plant design, plant engineering services, remote plant monitoring, supply of catalyst and other core plant equipment, plant management, plant operator training, feedstock prequalification & procurement, and final product marketing. By offering a turnkey solution to those passionate about investing in the creation of biodiesel production facilities, Mcgyan and BAS will ensure that the Mcgyan Biodiesel brand becomes synonymous with the highest quality biodiesel fuel product on the market.”

Mr. Mark Fashian, president of Biodiesel Analytical Solutions, notes, “the BAS sales force is excited to sell this technology. We believe this process will single-handedly revitalize the biofuels market worldwide.” Mr. Fashian went on to say that “BAS is the premier quality laboratory sales and service provider in the biodiesel industry. It is a perfect fit for our team to also sell a process that consistently
produces ASTM D6751 compliant biodiesel to an industry that has been struggling to meet compliance with the traditional process technologies that have been used since the 1930s.”

The Mcgyan® biodiesel process technology has been around for about three years and combines triglycerides or free fatty acids with an alcohol to produce biodiesel. Usually, large-scale production of biodiesel using triglycerides has some unwanted side reactions that produce soaps and uses numerous water-intensive neutralization and fuel washing steps. But the Mcgyan process overcomes most of these issues and allows for the ultrafast continuous production of biodiesel without waste and unwanted glycerol byproducts. Check ’em out at the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo!

Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference

ZeaChem Successful in Cellulosic Fermentation Tests

Joanna Schroeder

ZeaChem released the results of its recent fermentation results of acetic acid, used in the conversion of biomass to biofuels. According to the company, the results demonstrated successful process scaling to a level that is 10,000 time greater than the standard scale used in lab tests. Fermentation units were scaled from 0.5 liter to 5,000 liters. Acetogens, which are naturally occurring, are highly robust and unlike yeast, produce no carbon dioxide during the fermentation process.

A ZeaChem Inc. engineer stands in front of a 5,000 liter fermentation tank at Hazen Research, Inc

The company has been collaborating with Golden Colorado-based Hazen Research on the tests. Hazen constructed and hosted the initial front-end process unit and provided the infrastructure and operational support. The initial test exceeded ZeaChem’s time goals for achieving the concentration level, greater than 50 grams of acetic acid per liter in less than 100 hours, as well as exceeded commercial acceptable acetic concentration levels.

“ZeaChem has met and exceeded its concentration and rate fermentation targets,” said Jim Imbler, president and chief executive officer of ZeaChem. “We now have sufficient evidence, based on mixed sugars, to indicate that our results are scalable to industrial production levels. Our process, using naturally-occurring acetogen bacteria and existing processes, exceeds the commercially viable threshold for fermentation. ZeaChem is meeting its milestones and continuing to move forward in deploying cellulosic biorefinery technology.”

Acetic acid is the first step in the hybrid biochemical and thermochemical process for creating cellulosic ethanol and bio-based chemicals, and the company’s next step is to concentrate and purify the ZeaChem produced acetic acid into a salable product, using an energy efficient, non-distillation based process. The company plans on building a 250,000 gallon per year facility in Boardman, Oregon and anticipates that the facility will be in production by the end of 2010.

Cellulosic, Company Announcement, Ethanol

Retech 2010 Kicks Off in DC

Joanna Schroeder

Retech 2010, the Renewable Energy Technology Conference and Exhibition, kicks off in Washington, DC tomorrow. The conference is co-produced by the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) and TradeFair Group. Nearly 300 exhibitors from all sectors of renewable energy are expected to participate.

In addition to the exhibition, there is a Business Conference that will feature more than 250 speakers sharing their insights and knowledge about alternative energy. There are several parallel tracks that will be held during the three days with concentrations on core areas including geothermal, wind, solar, hydro, biomass, biofuels, and waste energy. Additional hot topics encompass the  challenges and opportunities in the green electricity and green building sectors along with industry leaders discussing the innovative, comprehensive and entrepreneurial strategies that will be needed to ensure the sustained growth of the renewable energy industry.

Poet CEO Jeff Broin will discuss ethanol’s impacts during the opening plenary session on Wednesday along with Carol Browner, Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change as well as other leaders in the energy and the environmental arena. In addition, Doug Berven, Poet’s Director of Corporate Affairs, will also be speaking and is part of the panel discussion “Research and Development: Conventional Biofuels” to be held on Friday.

Click here to learn more about Retech 2010.

conferences, Energy