NEC 2027

Concept Bike to Run on Biodiesel

John Davis

While they haven’t received as much press as their alternatively fueled cousins, motorcycles that run on biodiesel are carving out a bit of a niche. Well, maybe this next design will punch a hole right through everyone’s thinking!

This post on Gas 2.0 introduces us what could be the next generation of bad motor scooters:

MetalbackMeet the Metalback motorcycle concept. Designed by Jordan Meadows, a man with plenty of street cred when it comes to vehicular design. The Metalback concept combines alternative fuels and recycled materials in a missle-shaped machine drawn straight from some science fiction dystopian future. And it just plain old looks cool.

This is purely a concept right now, so don’t go expecting to buy one of these anytime soon. But it does seem practical. The Metalback is powered by a V4 engine that runs on biodiesel, which many would argue is more practical than electric motorcycles currently are due to their range limit and high cost (though I doubt this machine would be very cheap either).

The Metalback is even “painted” green, as the recycled aluminum is treated with just a patina that allows a little natural oxidation that actually protects the metal … kind of like how a statue turns green. Check out more information at JordanMeadowsDesign.com.

Biodiesel

Biodiesel Maker Contends Study Proves Algae’s Worth

John Davis

A recent study that contends algae-based biodiesel is no more environmentally friendly than conventional row-crop feedstocks has generated some controversy, as well as quite a few comments. And even the algal-biofuel industry seems to be split on the issue.

As you might remember from my story last week, University of Virginia researchers have concluded that algae’s environmental footprint is larger than other terrestrial crops, and the environmental impact of algal-based biofuels needs to be better studied before major investments in algae production are made.

ABOLogoThe Algal Biomass Organization has taken exception with the study with the group’s executive director, Mary Rosenthal, pointing out several concerns about the report:

· Assumptions about algae growth systems. The report uses a first generation, raceway-style pond system as its benchmark. Many leading algae companies abandoned that approach years ago and have a variety of more advanced cultivation systems, some of which are unrelated to the methods the authors sought to assess.
· Assumptions about co-location. By assuming the production facility is not co-located with a large CO2 emitter, calculations for sourcing CO2 are flawed, resulting in a higher attribution of CO2 for algae plants. Most commercial-scale algae projects are being developed alongside major emitters in order to beneficially reuse CO2 that will take the place of equivalent carbon emissions from petroleum fuels.
· Assumptions about water use. The study assumes fresh water and non-potable salt water are equal. A sustainable industrial algae production model uses non-potable, non-agricultural water in the process of making liquid fuels.

OriginOilWhile agreeing with ABO’s contentions with the study, Riggs Eckelberry, CEO of algae-biofuel maker Origin Oil, says the research does prove that the old way of turning algae into biodiesel is not a valid method anymore. And it’s not a method his company practices.

“It basically puts a tombstone on those earlier approaches [to algal-biodiesel production].”

riggsEckelberry says the Virginia study confirms earlier research that OriginOil did that found you need to co-locate algae-growing operations with other CO2 producers, you can’t use vast amounts of land, and non-potable water must be used, among other things. But Eckelberry says the algae industry has done a poor job getting that word out, with his own company’s research all but ignored months ago. He hopes this will serve as a wake-up call for the algae industry’s advocacy group.

“I think they’ve been looking for a focus and some traction as an organization. And from the e-mails I’ve received and forwarded [from the ABO’s Rosenthal], I think they’ve found it.”

Eckelberry says he’s forwarding his information to the ABO in hopes the industry can work together to show that algae-based biofuels are truly the greenest fuels on the planet.

You can hear my entire conversation with Riggs here: [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/domesticfuel/Riggsinterview.mp3]

algae, Audio, Biodiesel, biofuels

Waste Management & Harvest Power to Partner

Joanna Schroeder

Waste Management continues to build its reputation in the development of alternative energy with the announcement that they have partnered with Harvest Power to expand next generation organics recycling facilities across the United States and Canada. Waste Management now joins founding investors Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Munich Venture Partners, as investors in the project.

IMG_4666The largest food and yard waste composting facility in North America, located in Richmond, British Columbia, is owned and operated by Harvest Power. In addition to building and operating large-scale organics recycling facilities, the company is also developing several high-solids aerobic and anaerobic digestion and composting technologies which will accelerate the decomposition of organic materials to produce renewable energy or biogas. Once the biogas is formed, it can be converted into electricity, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and into high quality, nutrient-rich compost products.

In a release today, Tim Cesarek, Managing Director of Organic Growth at Waste Management said, “We want to extract more value from the materials we manage than anyone else in our industry through new and emerging processing and conversion technologies. Combining Waste Management’s industry leadership and expertise in the collection and management of a wide range of segmented waste streams with Harvest’s leading technologies and industry knowledge will be key to developing new, higher value added end markets for organic materials and accelerating the growth of organics recycling across North America.”

North America generates over 180 million tons of organic waste each year and is a valuable resource for the production of renewable energy.

“Through partnerships with leaders like Waste Management, and by designing, building, owning and operating our own facilities, we will be turning more organic waste into renewable energy and high quality compost,” added Paul Sellew, Co-Founder and CEO of Harvest Power. “Our goal is to harvest the power in organic materials to create more sustainable communities, and we look forward to expanding our business with our new partner.”

bioenergy, biogas, Company Announcement, Liquefied natural gas (LNG), Waste-to-Energy

Biodiesel Goes Underground

John Davis

It’s not a move to put the green fuel incognito … biodiesel is literally going underground.

This article in Biodiesel Magazine says a new, 206-page report from the Mine Safety Health Administration talks about how miners have found that biodiesel keeps clean a precious commodity underground: air:

After testing multiple biodiesel blends, MSHA concluded that biodiesel reduces emissions—especially when combined with the use of aftertreatment devices on diesel engines. “The result is a cleaner and healthier working environment for miners,” MSHA states.

hutchinson_saltmine1Hutchinson Salt was the first mine of any kind to use B99. Since 2003, the company has used between 17,000 and 30,000 gallons of B99 a year, depending on the demand for salt.

Its employees noted cleaner air in the mines within days after the switch to biodiesel. B99 powers all its underground diesel equipment, ranging from loaders to diesel pickups to tractors. Max Liby, vice president of manufacturing, says they have seen no reduction in performance even when machines run 20 consecutive hours.

The article goes on to say that the National Biodiesel Board has identified mines that use biodiesel and is spreading the news of the clean air the green fuel is bringing below ground.

Biodiesel

Algae Might Not Be as Green as Crops for Biodiesel

John Davis

We’ve talked a lot about the potential of turning algae into biodiesel, especially how it could be better for the environment than more conventional feedstocks, such as farm crops like soybeans and canola. But researchers at the University of Virginia are casting some doubt on that assumption.

This story on Greenbang.com says their new study finds that growing algae for fuel is more energy- and water-intensive than other biofuel crops, including switchgrass, canola and corn … plus, it could produce more greenhouse gasses:

clarens“Given what we know about algae production pilot projects over the past 10 to 15 years, we’ve found that algae’s environmental footprint is larger than other terrestrial crops,” said Andres Clarens, the study’s lead author. “Before we make major investments in algae production, we should really know the environmental impact of this technology.”

But algae for biodiesel could still be a green venture if it is grown in ponds behind wastewater treatment facilities. That would also provide a source of feedstock that isn’t competing with food sources. The bottom line is: we need to look a little bit before leaping too far into algae-based biodiesel.

algae, Biodiesel

Tobacco Tapped for Biodiesel

John Davis

TJUResearchers at a school in Philadelphia have figured out how to get more oil from a decidedly non-food source: tobacco leaves.

Professors from the Biotechnology Foundation Laboratories at Thomas Jefferson University have found out how to increase the oil in tobacco plant leaves, and according to this school press release, that might just be the next step in using the plants for biofuel:

According to Vyacheslav Andrianov, Ph.D., assistant professor of Cancer Biology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, tobacco can generate biofuel more efficiently than other agricultural crops. However, most of the oil is typically found in the seeds – tobacco seeds are composed of about 40 percent oil per dry weight.

Although the seed oil has been tested for use as fuel for diesel engines, tobacco plants yield a modest amount of seeds, at only about 600 kg of seeds per acre. Dr. Andrianov and his colleagues sought to find ways to engineer tobacco plants, so that their leaves expressed the oil.

“Tobacco is very attractive as a biofuel because the idea is to use plants that aren’t used in food production,” Dr. Andrianov said. “We have found ways to genetically engineer the plants so that their leaves express more oil. In some instances, the modified plants produced 20-fold more oil in the leaves.”

The researchers work appeared online in Plant Biotechnology Journal.

Biodiesel, Research

FFV Powered by Waste at Washington Auto Show

2010_wa_autoshowThe Washington Auto Show, operating as the “Public Policy Show”, plans to showcase many new and exciting automobiles. For the first time, flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) powered by government waste will be displayed by Novozymes, the world’s largest enzyme producer for advanced biofuels.

novozymesAccording to their press release, the group will offer an opportunity of a Ride n’ Drive on January 26 — a test drive of a Chevrolet HHR powered by E85 made from paper waste. The Ride ‘n Drive will allow media, government officials and other VIP guests can to drive the vehicle between 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Novozymes will make an address to the crowd from 2:35 – 2:45 p.m.

The Washinton Auto Show will officially begin January 27 and conclude January 31. It will take place at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center at 801 Mount Vernon Place, N.W. in Washington, DC 20001. Novozymes will display a FFV Ford F150 inside the convention center on these days.

Car Makers, E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News, News

Culver Makes Case for Biodiesel Incentive in DC

John Davis

ChetCulverThe governor of a state that has a big stake in the biodiesel biz traveled to Washington, DC to make the case for renewal of the federal $1-a-gallon biodiesel tax incentive.

Iowa Governor Chet Culver testified before a Senate Subcommittee just how important the incentive is to the Iowa biofuels industry, an $8 billion operation supporting about 80,000 jobs:

“This is an exciting time for our country and we have to keep those industries alive that have had a positive environmental and economic influence on our country,” Governor Culver said, who is Chair of the Governors‚ Biofuels Coalition.

IowaBiodiesellogowebThe Iowa Biodiesel Board commended Governor Culver on the testimony. “Governor Culver clearly recognizes the important role biodiesel plays, both nationally and at home in Iowa,” said Randy Olson, Executive Director of IBB. “We applaud his leadership and hope for that same level of support in Iowa for state biodiesel legislation.”

At the same time, the IBB also made the case to state lawmakers back in Des Moines to support the proposed Iowa Biodiesel Fuel Quality Standard measure, which would require petroleum companies to blend 5 percent biodiesel (B5) into the state’s diesel fuel. That is expected to create demand for 45 million gallons of Iowa-made biodiesel annually.

Biodiesel, Government

USDA, Navy to Work on Advanced Biofuels

John Davis

VilsackNavyThe USDA and the Department of the Navy (DoN) have agreed to work together to develop advanced biofuels and other renewable energy systems.

This USDA press release says the agreement is part of the government’s plan to build a clean energy economy, create new jobs and reduce American dependence on foreign oil, while building a strike force that will run on green power in the near future:

Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus emphasized how partnering with USDA supports his vision for energy reform. Mabus’ overarching goal is to increase warfighting capability. “In order to secure the strategic energy future of the United States, create a more nimble and effective fighting force, and protect our planet from destabilizing climate changes, I have committed the Navy and Marine Corps to meet aggressive energy targets that go far beyond previous measures.”

From a strategic perspective the objective is to reduce reliance on fossil fuels from volatile areas of the world. Tactically, on the battlefield, the costs of transporting fuel is exponentially increased; in extreme cases a gallon of gasoline could cost up to $400. Mabus continued “Even more serious and sobering, we are putting our Sailors and Marines in harms way as fuel convoys often meet a lethal enemy.”

In two years, the Navy wants to have a Green Strike Group composed of nuclear vessels and ships powered by biofuel and a Great Green Fleet that has nuclear ships, surface combatants equipped with hybrid electric alternative power systems running on biofuel, and aircraft running on biofuel by 2016.

biofuels, Government

Timing Key with this Year’s Biodiesel Conference

John Davis

2010NBBlogoOutside of location, location, location (for real estate, at least), the three most important words in business might be timing, timing, timing. You get both when you attend the National Biodiesel Conference and Expo, Feb. 7-10 in the Dallas-Forth Worth area (actually Grapevine’s Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center).

The NBB points to location, in the 30 biodiesel plants that make Texas home … and timing, as the EPA is expected to implement the new Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS-2) just before the conference and Congress soon could renew the $1-a-gallon biodiesel tax incentive:

Soon to be finalized, the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS-2) will set new minimums for biodiesel use. The National Biodiesel Board (NBB), which hosts the seventh annual conference beginning February 7th, has invited regulators to Grapevine to explain the complex compliance issues of the new program to stakeholders from across the country.

The biodiesel tax credit, which expired at the end of the year, has helped nurture the industry from a niche market favorite to a widely used alternative fuel that is chipping away at global warming.

“The tax credit is the biodiesel industry’s single most important market driver, and the RFS-2 is the safety net that insures energy investors of demand for our American made, sustainable fuel,” [Joe Jobe, CEO of the National Biodiesel Board] said. “Without that market certainty, as well as other factors like the steep fall in oil prices, 2009 was a very difficult year.
bogo
“However, I am convinced that 2010 promises to bring stability to the industry and at the very least gets us back to where we were in 2008,” he said.

Jobe said the opportunity to learn about the new RFS is the most important reason biodiesel stakeholders will not want to miss this year’s conference and expo at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, but stressed there will be much more to see and do.

Don’t forget, you can still bring a friend for free to the conference. The NBB is offering a “buy one, get one free” registration when both people are registered at the conference hotel. Get more information here.

Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference, NBB