NEC 2027

Government Awards $600 Million in Advanced Biorefinery Projects

doe2According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), DOE Secretary Steven Chu and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the selection of 19 integrated biorefinery projects to receive up to $564 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to accelerate the construction and operation of pilot, demonstration, and commercial scale facilities. Fifteen states will house these projects and help lay the foundation for full commercial-scale development of a biomass industry in the United States.

“Advanced biofuels are critical to building a cleaner, more sustainable transportation system in the U.S.” said Secretary Chu. “These projects will help establish a domestic industry that will create jobs here at home and open new markets across rural America.”

usdaJoining Secretary Chu, Agriculture Secretary Vilsack noted that USDA Rural Development has selected San Diego, California based Sapphire Energy to receive a loan guarantee for up to $54.5 million through the Biorefinery Assistance Program to demonstrate an integrated algal biorefinery process that will cultivate algae in ponds, and will use dewatering and oil extraction technology to produce an intermediate that will then be processed into drop-in green fuels such as jet fuel and diesel. The actual project will be constructed in Columbus, New Mexico.

“The development of renewable energy is a critical component of our efforts to rebuild and revitalize rural America,” said Secretary Vilsack.

For a complete listing of projects awarded, click here.

bioenergy, News

Book Review – Cool It

Joanna Schroeder

CoolItWhat is the greatest crisis in the history of civilization? Global warming. Well, at least according to the media’s portrayal. However, according to Bjorn Lomborg, the author of “Cool It“, and the second review in my Copenhagen Climate Conference three views in seven days series, while global warming is an concern, it is not the most pressing worldwide issue.

Lomborg writes, “That humanity has caused a substantial rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels over the past centuries, thereby contributing to global warming, is beyond debate. What is debatable, however, is whether hysteria and headlong spending on extravagant CO2-cutting programs at an unprecedented price is the only possible response.”

He continues, “Such a course is especially debatable in a world where billions of people live in poverty, where millions die of curable diseases, and where these lives could be saved, societies strengthened, and environments improved at a fraction of the cost.”

Has the worldwide frenzy surrounding global warming caused us to lose our common sense?Read More

book reviews, Environment, global warming

Clean-Up Underway After Biodiesel Plant Explosion

John Davis

imperium-logoSome workers are back on the job after a large explosion at a Seattle, Washington-area biodiesel plant.

The Grays Harbor (WA) Daily World reports that Imperium Renewable’s employees were back at the company’s bioiesel plant after an explosion that sent at least one piece of a tank through a chain link fence 100 feet away:

The blast hit the plant, which is in Hoquiam near the city’s border with Aberdeen, at about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, rattling windows in the area and sending out a boom that could be heard for miles.

No one was injured in the blast, said Hoquiam Assistant Fire Chief Paul Dean. There were six employees at the plant when the explosion occurred.

The explosion started when a 10,000 gallon tank being used to mix glycerin and sulfuric acid apparently became overpressurized, according to John Williams, Imperium spokesman, in a press release. The tank was completely destroyed.

“We don’t know why it was overpressurized,” Williams said today.

He said glycerin is not an explosive substance, and in the mixing tank it is neutralized further by the addition of acid. He added that there was no fire at any point. Black streaks on nearby tanks looked like charring in news footage and photos, but Williams said that was the glycerin, which he described as similar in color and texture to molasses.

Officials say the explosion ruptured one tank containing sulphuric acid, but the acid was contained. The state Department of Ecology later said that the air quality in nearby neighborhoods was safe.

Biodiesel

Waste-to-Biodiesel Producer Chosen as Tech Pioneer

John Davis

BioFuelBoxA California-based biodiesel producer that makes the green fuel out of contaminated wastewater fats, oils and greases … better known as wastewater FOG … has been recognized internationally as a Technology Pioneer.

This press release from BioFuelBox says the World Economic Forum in Switzerland has selected the company as a 2010 Technology Pioneer:

The only waste-to-energy company to win this year’s prestigious award, BioFuelBox is being recognized for helping industrial and municipal partners reduce pollution and increase energy independence by transforming their highly contaminated wastewater
fats, oils and greases (wastewater FOG) into clean-burning biodiesel.

To be selected as a Technology Pioneer, a company must be involved in the development of a life-changing technology innovation and have the potential for long-term impact on business and society. In addition, it must demonstrate visionary leadership and show all the signs of a long-standing and sustainable market leader with proven technology…

“We are proud to be honored by this award and for the recognition of BioFuelBox’s commitment and achievements addressing global waste-to-energy challenges,” said Steven Perricone, BioFuelBox’s CEO. “BioFuelBox Corporation’s proprietary NovoStream™ technology provides the most environmentally friendly solution for remediating wastewater FOG like trap grease, wastewater scum, industrial food processing DAF, and other wastewater FOG sources.”

Some other past winners of the Technology Pioneer award include Twitter, Google and PayPal.

Biodiesel, International

World Biodiesel Demand Predicted to Double by 2015

John Davis

CRFA1The demand for biodiesel worldwide is expected to double by the year 2015. Fortunately, the supply is supposed to triple. Those predictions came from Tammy Klein, executive director of global biofuels services for Hart Energy Consulting, as she spoke at the recent Canadian Renewable Fuels Summit earlier this week in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Biodiesel Magazine reports that Klein told the group that North America is not the only place for biodiesel growth. Asia-Pacific and Latin America also have great potential:

Thirty countries are implementing biofuels targets in 2010 alone, she said, with many of these countries in the developing world encouraging biofuels as a means of building energy security and improving their rural economies. Biodiesel demand is expected to double between 2009 and 2015, while supply is expected to grow threefold. “Currently there is massive overcapacity on a global basis in the biodiesel industry and utilization rates are generally below 50 percent,” she added. Current global biodiesel capacity is already large enough to supply the demand projected for 2015 of 10 billion gallons per year.Read More

Biodiesel, International

Winter 2009 Issue of Ethanol Retailer Released

Cindy Zimmerman

ethanolretailer_winter09Growth Energy’s Winter 2009 issue of the Ethanol Retailer has just hit the streets. The NACS Report issue focuses on what retailers need to know when opening an ethenol blender pump station.

The cover story of this issue tells how retailers gave and took information about increased use of renewable fuels at the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) conference in Las Vegas in October. “There is a lot of interest from significant retailers that is driven, in part, by their need to comply with RFS2. I know a number of retailers that are doing everything they can to comply with that rule,” noted Scott Negley, Director of Alternative Energy for Dresser Wayne.

Other main features in the Ethanol Retailer magazine include the introduction of the Ethanol Retailer website; info on the 2010 FFV Purchasing Guide; how to clean a fuel tank in the conversion process; the MO Blender Pump Program; a first person story on a Hutchinson, Kansas blender pump retailer; and much more.

To view the Winter 2009 issue of the Ethanol Retailer, click here.

Ethanol, Growth Energy

Gen. Wesley Clark to Speak at White House Jobs Summit

Joanna Schroeder

headshotcloseupWesClark_3Ret. General Wesley K. Clark, who is the Co-Chairman of Growth Energy, will be speaking at the White House jobs summit today.

“Green Jobs” has been a hot topic since the new administration took office; yet not much traction has been gained in turning around unemployment rates, which are currently the highest since 1983. The summit was convened by President Barack Obama who took office during one of the country’s worst ever economic recessions. The goal of the forum is to conjugate business executives, economists and labor leaders to discuss ways to improve the economy and create jobs.

According to Growth Energy, Gen. Clark will be making remarks about the Administration’s plans to focus on stimulating the renewable energy industry, in an effort to remake the nation’s economy for more sustainable growth that is less dependent on debt and foreign sources of energy. Clark said that for too long, imported oil has held the nation’s economy “over a barrel.”

“Ethanol is the model for all successful renewable energy industries:  driven by technological innovation and with enormous potential for growth and job creation,” said Gen. Clark. “Ethanol is the only viable renewable, sustainable fuel we have in this country that is an alternative to gasoline refined from imported oil. It is being used today. And we can make it cleaner and greener every year – while creating jobs right here that can’t be outsourced.”

In other news, Tuesday Growth Energy recieved a letter from the EPA postponing the decision to act on the Green Jobs Waiver, until mid0-2010.

Ethanol, Government, Growth Energy

RFA Questions EPA Decision on Increasing Ethanol Blend Level

Cindy Zimmerman

Renewable Fuels Association LogoThe Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is seeking more clarification from EPA on its apparent focus on vehicles model year 2001 and newer when it comes to increasing the allowable ethanol blend level in gasoline to 15 percent. Such a limitation could potentially limit once again the market for ethanol by excluding some 40% of the vehicle market and causing both consumer confusion and retailer unwillingness to offer the product.

In its letter, the EPA stated, “Although all of the studies have not been completed, our engineering assessment to date indicates that the robust fuel, engine and emissions control systems on newer vehicles (likely 2001 and newer model years) will likely be able to accommodate higher ethanol blends, such as E15.”
The RFA wrote EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson today seeking more details on this apparent limitation to the waiver.

Ethanol Report PodcastAccording to RFA President Bob Dinneen, “Such a bifurcation would create unnecessary and burdensome requirements for fuel retailers, as well as confusion for consumers. It is unlikely that retailers would be willing to offer both an E15 blend for newer model vehicles and E10 or less for older models. This scenario could effectively result in no increase in ethanol use, despite an approval of higher level blends.”

Listen to comments from Dinneen about this issue in this edition of “The Ethanol Report.”

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

Listen to or download the podcast here:

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, RFA

TomTom GPS Finds 85 Percent Ethanol Fuel

Cindy Zimmerman

The “smart choice in personal navigation” just got smarter.

tomtomThe Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has released a new GPS application for TomTom users that maps out the location of E85 stations for flex-fuel vehicle (FFV) drivers. RFA also released a similar GPS application for the Garmin GPS device last week.

“We are continuing to explore new ways to connect the consumer with ethanol-blended fuels,” says Robert White, RFA Director of Market Development. “TomTom and Garmin represent 67% of all GPS devices sold in the United States, and with our cooperation with the Department of Energy on station locations, this will continue to yield great results.”

The TomTom application will sort the closest E85 fueling stations to the user’s location and their chosen destination. This application is available as a national database, which includes all E85 fueling locations across the United States. FFV owners can download this application to their GPS device, either TomTom or Garmin, with a few simple steps by going to ChooseEthanol.com.

E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA

Time to Register for Biodiesel Conference!

John Davis

2010NBBlogoIt’s that magical time of year when the mailman delivers those magical season cards that we all look forward to seeing. No, I’m not talking about Christmas cards. I mean those cards reminding us that the 2010 National Biodiesel Conference & Expo is just around the corner.

This year’s premier event for the biodiesel industry is being held Feb. 7-10, 2010 at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas, just a few minutes from the DFW airport. NBB officials say they have listened to past attendees and exhibitors to make the conference even better:

From our new Monday evening reception in the Exhibit Hall, the addition of a new Biodiesel Networking Center in the Exhibit Hall, a new and improved NBB Connections social networking system to the numerous open forum “round table sessions” that will be offered this year, NBB wants to assist in these efforts to connect and learn! We believe these additions and changes to the program will create boundless networking opportunities and allow you to meet new people with some of the same biodiesel interests. Where better to meet than the premier biodiesel conference in the country?

Make your reservations here. Hope I get to see you in Texas!

Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference, NBB