Kansas Project Turning Algae into Biodiesel

John Davis

JayHawkResearchers in the land of sunflowers are looking for a way to convert sunshine into algae… and then into biodiesel.

The Lawrence (KS) Journal-World & News reports University of Kansas scientists are working on one of just a few in the world functioning, pilot-scale bioreactors connected to a municipal wastewater treatment plant, where they’re turning sewer waste into the green fuel:

“From the point of view of the EPA, this should be like heaven,” said Val Smith, a KU professor of ecology and evolutionary biology. “We’re harnessing a waste, making it do work for America, and purifying it all at the same time.

“It’s like a win-win-win-win-win.”

The KU effort is being financed by the university’s Transportation Research Institute, using money from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Bob Honea, the institute’s director, is confident that the work of KU researchers — collaborating on a “Feedstock to Tailpipe” program that includes a wide variety of biofuel efforts — is on the right track. Gasoline prices eventually will return to $4 a gallon or more, he said, and the world will continue to seek ways to lessen a reliance on petroleum.

Using algae to make biodiesel simply makes sense, Honea said, given the aquatic organisms’ built-in advantages compared with traditional crops: higher yields on less land.

KU officials believe they are the verge of a major breakthrough.

algae, Biodiesel, Research

Utica Energy Pays Penalties for Water Pollution Claims

utica-energyUtica Energy, an ethanol plant operating in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, has agreed to pay $480,000 to settle state alleged water pollution violation claims. The state of Wisconsin originally granted the 48-million gallon per year ethanol plant a permit to discharge their wastewater to a tributary of Sawyer Creek or in the Land Butte des Mortes Watershed. However, as reported in Opis Biofuels the complaint was that Utica Energy violated terms of the permit by failing to conduct wastewater samples, exceeding effluent limits and failing to report their noncompliance in a timely matter.

“As soon as the issue was discovered, we addressed the issue,” Utica Energy spokesman Jay Stoflet explained to OPIS. “This is just part of the settlement,” he continued.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Utica Energy has agreed to pay $280,000 in penalties, plus at least $200,000 to connect to the City of Oshkosh wastewater treatment system. In addition to its penalties and fines, the company will pay stipulated forfeitures of $25-$1,000 for each day that its wastewater discharge exceeds permit limits, until it completes the connection with the city sewer system. If Utica Energy does not connect to the city sewer system by September 2010, it shall promptly take all steps necessary to come into complete compliance with its current permit conditions.

This is not the first time Utica Energy has been in trouble with the state. In June 2008 Utica Energy violated air pollutant control requirements and paid $75,000 in fines and penalties.

corn, Environment, Ethanol, Ethanol News, News

Biomass Baler From AGCO

Chuck Zimmerman

AGCO Biomass One PassAGCO is one of the companies working on a prototype biomass harvest/transport system. At POET’s Project LIBERTY Field Day they demonstrated a pulled behind baler system to harvest corn cobs and stover.

Dean Morrell, Product Marketing Manager for Hay and Forage Harvesting, was on site and talked with me about their system. He says it’s a one pass system which utilizes combine technology and durable large square baler technology. He says the material doesn’t touch the ground and makes for a very clean bale product. They had to do some major customization on the equipment and they have two units out working in the field as part of the development process.

You can listen to my interview with Dean below.

POET Project LIBERTY Field Day Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, biomass, Cellulosic, corn, Equipment, Ethanol, POET

#FuelChat Session Tuesday

Cindy Zimmerman

fuel chatThe Renewable Fuels Association will be hosting an online Twitter chat session on Tuesday, November 10 at 3:00 pm Eastern time.

FuelChat will feature RFA president Bob Dinneen talking about ethanol from a global perspective and what he learned during his trip to F.O. Licht’s World Ethanol 2009 12th annual conference in Paris last week.

Follow along and participate by using any Twitter on-line service such as TweetChat.com, and enter the search term, #fuelchat to see a live list of Twitter posts using that hashtag term. Another useful mechanism is Twitterfall.

Follow RFA’s official twitter (@ethanolRFA), or Bob Dinneen on twitter (@ethanolbob).

Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA

Verenium Optimistic Despite Decline in Revenue

Cindy Zimmerman

VereniumVerenium Corporation reports lower revenues so far this year, but lots of accomplishments.

According to the cellulosic ethanol company, total revenues for the nine months ended September 30 were $49.3 million compared to $49.9 million last year, with product revenues representing more than 55 percent of total revenues in all periods. Product revenues for the this year are $32.1 million, compared to $37.0 million for same period in 2008, representing a 13 percent decrease, “reflecting the impact of the current economic recession.”

Accomplishments for the company so far this year include, continued development of the demonstration and pilot plants in Jennings, LA; and forming Vercipia, a joint venture with BP for the commercial cellulosic ethanol project in Highlands County, Florida. Verenium has entered the due diligence phase of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Title XVII Loan Guarantee Program for the Florida plant.

President and CEO Carlos Riva says he is pleased with the progress the company has made. “I am particularly enthusiastic about the ongoing discussions with the DOE for a loan guarantee for our first commercial facility, as well as the significant improvements we made to our overall capital structure,” he said in a statement.

Cellulosic, Ethanol, Ethanol News

Cellulosic Biofuels Summit Fast Approaching

Joanna Schroeder

Dr. Kristina M. Johnson, Under Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy

Dr. Kristina M. Johnson, Under Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy

The 4th Annual Cellulosic Biofuels Summit will be held in Washington D.C. on November 16-19th. Attendees will represent the feedstock, industrial biotech, biofuel technology, plant developer, finance, and oil and transportation sectors. The main goal of the conference is to share information on the perspectives and progress in reaching commercial production of cellulosic biofuels.

There will be three forums:

  • *Forum 1: Finance & Investment, November 16th
  • *Forum 2: Cellulosic Biofuels, November 17-18th
  • *Forum 3: Feedstock Supply Chain, November 19th

The keynote speaker is Dr. Kristina M. Johnson, Under Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy.

For more information, visit the conference website.

Cellulosic, conferences, Ethanol

Hummer Goes Green and a Few Other Colors for 2010

2010-hummerHummer has always been known as a gas guzzling vehicle that was anything but eco-friendly. Well, it’s nearly 2010 and times are a changin’! HUMMER announced today that updates to their 2010 HUMMER H3 and H3T midsize all-terrain vehicles will be flexible fuel and include new exterior colors.

“In 2007, HUMMER committed to offer a biofuel powertrain in every vehicle by 2010 and follows through on that promise with the addition of a new 300-horsepower, E85 Flex Fuel capable 5.3L V8,” says James Taylor, HUMMER CEO. “This is just the first step in HUMMER’s evolution to offer responsible, yet highly capable all-terrain vehicles. Future models will be lighter, more efficient and will continue to offer the best blend of off-road capability and on-road performance.”

According to Hummer’s press release, the new 5.3L V8 Flex Fuel engine is standard in all 2010 Alpha series’ models. The Hydra-Matic 4L60 electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission has a 5.3L engine. Flat towing is enabled on all H3 and H3T models.

The new colors available will include Red Rock Metallic, Silver Stone Metallic, and Canyon Metallic. The 2010 HUMMER H3 and H3T should arrive in in dealerships by next month.

E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Flex Fuel Vehicles, News

EPA Offers Mandatory GHG Reporting Webinar

Cindy Zimmerman

EPAThe Environmental Protection Agency will provide an overview of the Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule for ethanol producers who might be affected by the new regulation.

The webinar was set up at the request of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and Growth Energy on behalf of their membership. It will consist of a short overview of the final rule with an emphasis on General Provisions and Stationary Combustion. The remaining time will be spent answering questions that have been submitted ahead of time by the organizations. Pre-submitted questions can be sent to Kristy Moore of RFA at kmoore@ethanolrfa.org. RFA has also published an industry fact sheet to assist with the reporting requirements and site preparation ahead of the regulation implementation date of Jan. 1.

The webinar will be held Thursday, Nov. 19, from 2 to 4 p.m. EST. The webinar is open to any party that registers to attend, and participation is unlimited. Registration and more information can be found on-line here.

Environment, Ethanol, Government, Growth Energy, RFA

World Biofuels Group Urges Action at Climate Change Conference

Cindy Zimmerman

A global biofuels organization is urging world leaders to recognize the environmental benefits of renewable fuels like ethanol and biodiesel.

Global RFAThe Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) is calling on delegates to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen December 7-18 “to seize the historic opportunity to recognize the environmental importance of biofuels and begin to develop strategies to ensure that biofuels play an even greater role in meeting global climate change objectives.”

UN Climate ConferenceGRFA released an position paper this week summarizing greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction strategies in the transportation sector that take advantage of the verifiable emission reductions available from biofuels. “With transportation responsible for 25% of the world’s GHG emissions and rising, it is critical that biofuels form the core of any future mitigation strategy in this important sector,“ said GRFA spokesman Bliss Baker. “Adopting sustainable biofuels programs can deliver real GHG reductions while reducing a crippling reliance on imported fossil fuels for many developing nations.”

GRFA outlines several actions to be recommended at the conference, including the adoption by governments of biofuels-friendly policies in the transport sector, and that policies take into account the increasing efficiency of global biofuels production in developing policies as opposed to relying on out-of-date data and outdated arguments. They also urge all governments to base an indirect land use change (ILUC) policy on transparent and unequivocal scientific evidence only.

GRFA also continues to call on the World Bank, the United Nations and other international bodies to increase investment in the agricultural sector of developing nations and to support expanded biofuels production in these regions.

Read the GRFA position paper here.

biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Indirect Land Use, International, RFA

CASE IH Developing Biomass Harvesting System

Chuck Zimmerman

Case IHOne of the companies exhibiting their developmental corn cob harvest/collection equipment at the POET Project LIBERTY Field Day was Case IH. Representing them again this year was Sam Acker, pictured sitting in their booth during the speeches. I first met him last year and got an update on what’s new from the company this year.

Sam says they’re demonstrating an Axial-Flow 8120 combine and biomass harvesting system. The combine features a massive 350 bushel grain tank and has an attached biomass cart which is receives power from the combine. The cart has an adjustable cleaning system to tailor the cob/stover sample how you want it.

You can listen to my interview with Sam below and watch a video clip of the equipment lined up and waiting demonstration starting with Case IH.

POET Project LIBERTY Field Day Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, biofuels, biomass, Cellulosic, corn, Equipment, Ethanol, Video