The Ethanol Decade

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is calling the decade of the 2000’s “the era when biofuels came of age.” The ethanol advocacy organization reflects on the last ten years:

Renewable Fuels Association LogoAs we prepare to begin a new decade, the Renewable Fuels Association is taking just a moment to look back at the decade that saw ethanol emerge as the leading renewable fuel alternative to our dependence on foreign oil.

No matter what the calendar says, the decade of the 2000 aughts began on September 11, 2001. That tragic day ushered in a new consciousness of America’s vulnerability, to terrorist attack most assuredly, but also to the very high price we pay for our dependence on imported oil. When President Bush announced a few months later that we would break our addiction to oil, Americans knew well why it was necessary – national security was now linked to energy security and the consequence of inaction was now tangible. By decade’s end, concerns about climate change provided additional momentum to the effort to wean the world from oil and develop sustainable, secure alternatives to oil.

Thus it was that the past decade truly was the era when biofuels such as ethanol came of age. From just 1.4 billion gallons of production in 1999, the U.S. ethanol industry last year produced an astonishing 10.6 billion gallons. Ethanol is now, truly, a ubiquitous component of the U.S. motor fuel market, with ethanol blended in more than 80% of every gallon of fuel, and ethanol blends sold virtually coast to coast and border to border.

As ethanol production has increased, so have the industry’s contributions to the American economy. As recently as January, 2000, there were only 54 ethanol plants in the U.S. Nine years later, there were more than 200 plants in 26 states, with even more under construction.Read More

Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA

Iberdola Completes 149-mw North Dakota Wind Farm

John Davis

Iberdrola2Construction is complete on a 149-megawatt wind farm in North Dakota.

This post on RenewableEnergyWorld.com says the $300 million Iberdrola Renewables Rugby Wind Power Project near Rugby, North Dakota with 71 turbines created more than 250 construction jobs and will support 29 more jobs while in operation:

Missouri River Energy Services (MRES) purchases 40 MW of output from the Rugby project. MRES, based in Sioux Falls, is an organization of 60 member communities in the State.

Iberdrola Renewables Inc. now operates more than 3,500 MW of wind power in the U.S. It is part of Iberdrola Renovables, the largest provider of wind power in the world according to New Energy Finance, with more than 10,000 MW in operation in 23 countries.

The power purchased by Missouri River Energy Services will meet the energy demands of 11,000 subscribers.

Wind

Biodiesel Makers Could Get New Hedging Tool

John Davis

CMEBiodiesel producers could get a new trading instrument that will help them hedge against fluctuations in the price of feedstocks and the actual fuel.

Biodiesel Magazine reports that if a new trading instrument proposed by the Chicago Mercantile Exchange gets approved by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, green fuel makers could hedge both feedstocks and biodiesel production in a more liquid market with a single swap contract that ties a soybean oil futures contract with a heating oil futures contract:

John Stotts, director of agricultural trading for Infinium Capital Management LLC, explained that while a biodiesel swap does exist, “the volume and open interest are next to nothing. It looks like the ethanol market did five or six years ago.” Infinium has become more active in the ethanol markets in the last few months, he added, and is closely watching the development of the new tools for biodiesel.

With biodiesel futures nonexistent and the available swaps thinly traded, many producers have turned to hedging their biodiesel production through the heating oil market, which is used globally as a proxy for biodiesel because of the very high correlation in the two markets. While not quite as large as the soybean or corn markets, the heating oil futures market is more liquid than soybean oil futures. “You have a lot of participants in the heating oil market,” Stotts explained. “From the crude side, there are distillers and big oil that have a lot of participation—it’s definitely more robust in open interest and traded volume.”

Swaps give producers a cleaner hedge because they tie soybean oil futures contracts to heating oil futures contracts. In addition, swap contracts are listed monthly, as opposed to eight contracts for soybean oil or seven months listed for soybeans.

Biodiesel

Biodiesel Part of 11 States’ Low Carbon Fuel Standard

John Davis

Northeast Region MapEleven states in the New England and the Mid-Atlantic region have inked a deal to develop a comprehensive, regional low carbon fuel standard to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation fuels, including biodiesel.

This press release from the Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection says that state’s governor, Ed Rendell, sees alternative energy as a locally produced, clean source of fuel that creates jobs and lessens dependence of foreign oil:

Transportation fuels contribute about 30 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Based on letters of intent signed a year ago, Pennsylvania and the other states have already begun preliminary work toward designing a low carbon fuel standard. The Memorandum of Understanding is the next step, establishing a process to develop a regional framework by 2011 and examine the economic impacts of a standard program.

Pennsylvania already is making strides in the production of lower-carbon fuels, the Governor said. Starting in January, all diesel fuel sold in the state must contain at least 2 percent biodiesel, since in-state production capacity hit 40 million gallons a year at the end of 2008. Under a state law Governor Rendell signed in July 2008, as Pennsylvania capacity to produce biodiesel grows, the required percentage of biodiesel grows – reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating jobs in the biofuels industry. Over the next decade, Pennsylvania will replace 900 million gallons of transportation fuel with locally produced alternative resources such as ethanol and biodiesel, or with fuels derived from coal liquefaction.

In addition to Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont are part of the pact.

Biodiesel, Government

Sustainable Biodiesel Meets Before NBB Conference

John Davis

PrintSustainable biodiesel will get its voice heard right before the National Biodiesel Board holds its annual conference and exhibition in Texas in just over a month.

The seventh annual Sustainable Biodiesel Summit is set for February 6th and 7th, in Grapevine, Texas … right before the NBB’s big gig, Feb. 7-10. This press release says community activists, backyard brewers, farmers, and those with a passion for sustainable biodiesel are coming together to discuss sustainable, community-based biodiesel:

“The SBS is one of the few conferences where real people get together to talk about real things,” said Lyle Estill, president of Piedmont Biofuels. “If we are ever going to differentiate ourselves from ‘business as usual,’ it will be thanks to undertakings like the SBS,” Estill said.

The keynote speaker for this year’s event will be Bill Holmberg, long time champion of biofuels and sustainable new wealth industry. In addition, attendees will also be able to visit Carl’s Corner, home of Willie Nelson’s Biodiesel Plant.

We’ll have more as we get closer to the date, and I hope to see you there!

Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference, NBB

Biofuels Maker Files for $100 Mil IPO

John Davis

CodexisBiofuels maker Codexis Inc. has filed for a $100 million initial public offering on Nasdaq.

This blog post from the Wall Street Journal says the San Francisco-based company develops microbes that turn plants into sugars for ethanol and biodiesel production. Shell has a 20 percent stake in Codexis, a company that tried an IPO back in September 2008, but had to back off when the market crashed:

Will Codexis timing be any better this time around? There are still plenty of potholes.

The beauty of an IPO filing is that the company must file all sorts of risk factors laying out exactly what can go wrong. And in the biofuels business, that’s quite a lengthy list. Codexis (and its lawyers) cite: its sugar daddy Shell could decide it wants to stop bankrolling R&D efforts; “the development of technology for converting sugar derived from non-food renewable biomass sources into a commercially viable biofuel is still in its early stages, and we do not know whether this can be done commercially or at all”; “there are no commercial scale cellulosic biofuel production plants in operation. There can be no assurance that anyone will be able or willing to develop and operate biofuel production plants at commercial scale or that any biofuel facilities can be profitable”; new infrastructure is needed, such as rail lines; tax credits and other government subsidies could disappear; falling oil prices will pole axe revenue; fears of genetic engineering could pinch the company; and there might not be enough feedstock to turn into biofuels.

So is it time to get your Codexis stock now? Well, it all depends on your comfort level with risk. After all, it is a company headquartered on San Francisco’s earthquake zones.

biofuels

“Pimp My Ride” Uses Biodiesel

pimpmyrideCalifornia’s Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger along with MTV’s “Pimp My Ride” will be celebrating Earth Day with a green episode. The show to be aired on April 22 will focus on a 65 Chevy Impala that will be converted to use biodiesel. The Impala will be equipped with an 800 horsepower diesel engine that will run on biodiesel converting it into one ultra clean machine.

According to Eco Green Supplies this “Pimp My Ride” episode will be part of the MTV year long campaign with theme “Break the Addiction” which hopes to empower, engage, and educate the millions of young people to make smart, everyday choices that will help improve their lives and at the same reduce the impact of climate change and preserve the environment.

The Galpin Auto Sports (G.A.S) team who worked on the Impala had a personal visit from Gov. Schwarzenegger who helped with the final touches and provided his own eco-ideas to the car. After the testing of the vehicle, Gov. Schwarzenegger gave his blessing to present the eco-friendly vehicle to the owner.

Biodiesel, News

AWEA: More Businesses to Adopt Wind Power in 2010

John Davis

aweaA combination of more affordable wind turbines and more government incentives will make wind power more attractive to businesses, which should mean more will adopt the green energy source in the coming year … that assessment from the American Wind Energy Association.

This article from Environmental Leader says the AWEA has identified its top wind trends for 2010, including a continued increase in the federal investment tax credit on small wind systems and more clarity on environmental regulations regarding wind farm sites:

Here are some more predictions from AWEA:

– Wind power should continue its six-year trend as the second-leading source of new power generating capacity in the U.S., trailing natural gas power plants.

– Utilities and operators of electric grids will become more comfortable with integrating wind energy with minimal added costs. However, AWEA predicts that the fossil fuel industry may try some backdoor methods of imposing new or unfair costs on wind plants.

– Wind turbines will become more powerful in 2010, AWEA predicts. There are already more than 1,000 2 MW wind turbines in operation in the U.S., and a new wind project in Shephard’s Flat, Ore., ordered 338 2.5 MW turbines from GE.

The article goes on to say that AWEA saw strong support for a national renewable electricity standard in the House of Representatives as a highlight of 2009.

Wind

Alt Fuels Training Expands to Another College

John Davis

A group that trains technicians, fleet managers, law enforcement and first responders on how to handle today’s vehicles fueled by biodiesel, ethanol, hydrogen, propane and other renewables has added another college to its list of training sites.

BlueRidgeCCBlueRidgeNow.com reports that Blue Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave, Virginia is the latest member of the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC), the only nationwide alternative fuel vehicle and advanced technology vehicle training organization in the U.S.:

“Alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles, such as those powered by biodiesel, ethanol, natural gas, hydrogen, propane, fuel-cell, and hybrid electric systems, are a means for improving air quality and breaking America’s addiction to foreign oil,” said Al Ebron, NAFTC executive director. “NAFTC National Training Centers help promote the adoption of alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles through a variety of automotive training programs for technicians, fleet managers, public safety and first responder organizations and the public.”

The NAFTC is also the originator and event headquarters of National Alternative Fuel Vehicle Day Odyssey. This biennial event was first held in 2002, again in 2004 and 2006, and most recently on Oct. 3, 2008. Odyssey is the largest nationwide alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicle awareness event.

“Our faculty and staff have worked diligently to bring this leading automotive training to Blue Ridge Community College,” said Blue Ridge President Dr. Molly A. Parkhill. “During the next year, we will develop additional courses and programs in alternative fuels to prepare our students for jobs in this rapidly growing industry.”

The first class will be an Introduction to Alternative Fuel Vehicles, a short course geared for automotive technicians who want to expand their skills in alternative fuels. It begins January 19th.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Hydrogen, Miscellaneous, Natural Gas, News

Algae-Biodiesel Maker Looking at Food Biz

John Davis

solazyme-logoThe food-versus-fuel debate gets a bit of a twist as an algae-biodiesel maker decides it will make fuel AND food.

This story in the San Francisco Business Times says the Bay area’s Solazyme, which has been working on turning algae into biodiesel for the past seven years, recently has been developing the nutritionals side of its business and could have products out in 2010:

The decision to diversify into foods came almost by accident as the company successfully got algae to excrete oils, said chief technology officer and co-founder Harrison Dillon.

“We were running lipid profiles (on the algae) and observing that, ‘Wow this looks like olive oil,’” Dillon said. “Epiphany No. 2 was, ‘let’s stop thinking about ourselves as a diesel fuel company and starting thinking of ourselves as a renewable oil company.’”

Once Solazyme discovered the range of uses for algae oil, it structured its business in three units: fuels and chemicals; food products; and health sciences which includes cosmetics. Foods will likely be among the first products to market for the company, giving it some leeway — and revenue — before it can commercialize its fuels.

Some of the first food products being developed by Solazyme include mustard, a milk substitute and flour.

The diversity of their products should help Solazyme weather the current tough times the biodiesel industry is going through.

algae, Biodiesel