Ethanol in Focus at Farm Progress Show

Cindy Zimmerman

Illinois EthanolEverywhere you go at the 2009 Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Illinois this week, people are talking about ethanol.

Over at the corn grower tent marked by 30+ foot high corn stalks and an E85 blimp hovering overhead, they have information about how the carbon footprint of corn production has declined substantially in recent years and they are encouraging farmers to submit comments to Environmental Protection Agency about the Renewable Fuel Standard.

Bob DinneenRenewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen toured the Farm Progress Show on Wednesday and was able to visit many of the exhibits, talk with farmers and do interviews with agricultural media representatives. Dinneen says most of the corn growers are telling him the crop looks very good this year. “I wish that there were more policy makers, government officials, regulators here at this event to see how much progress has been made and see what modern agriculture is all about,” said Dinneen. “This is not your grandfather’s farm anymore!” He says with the second largest corn crop on record expected to be harvested this year, American farmers continue to prove that they can produce enough corn to make ethanol and feed the world as well.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Farming, RFA

Biotricity Turning Waste into Fuel

John Davis

BiotricitySaying it is on a path less taken, a Houston, Texas company is looking for alternatives to alternative energy.

To that end, Biotricity Corporation has announced through this press release poster on Reuters.com that it is pursuing a strategy to make energy out of biomass:

Biotricity’s technology can take raw waste products such as sawdust, wood chips, corn stover or begasse and convert them directly into electricity. Our feedstocks are abundant and cheap, and our estimated future cash flow compared to capital costs exhibits a far superior return on capital invested. By keeping our feedstock costs relatively low, we plan to produce green power faster and
cheaper than our competitors.

“At Biotricity, we believe America needs practical solutions to generating its energy at home in order to reduce our enormous dependence on foreign imports,” stated Tyson Rohde, CEO. “Many ethanol and biodiesel processes make for an interesting story, but often don’t make sense with current economic conditions,” he added. Biotricity has developed a new combustion technology for the burning of woody biomass to generate electricity to address America’s growing demand for green power. Biotricity will generate green power from renewable energy sources and expects to reduce carbon emissions that would otherwise result from the natural decay of the biomass it burns.

Biotricity is also touting its proprietary Biotricity Power Generator that makes electricity from biomass.

biomass

New Washington State Biodiesel Plant Comes On Line

John Davis

InlandEmpireOilseeds2A new, eight-million-gallon-a-year biodiesel plant in Washington state has come on line with the opening of the facility’s canola crusher, joining its biodiesel brewer that began refining last November.

This article from the Ritzville Adams County Journal says the Inland Empire Oilseeds plant in Odessa, Washington is a one-stop shop for the green fuel:

“With the addition of the crusher, IEO becomes the first biodiesel company in Washington to fully integrate all production steps into one place – from crushing to rail tank car,” said Steve Starr, company general manager.

“Our new crush line reduces production costs. That results in savings we can pass on to our customers. Those savings, plus the recent rise in oil prices, make our biodiesel more competitive than ever with petroleum-based diesel.”

Starr said that because the company has taken advantage of existing infrastructure and carefully managed its equipment procurement costs, IEO also has a lower capital cost per gallon than its competitors.

IEO’s crushing and refining facility is housed in a 28,000-square-foot preexisting building situated next to a grain elevator and a 26-car rail siding that adjoins the Burlington Northern Santa Fe mainline. IEO also recently added 60,000 gallons of storage to better manage deliveries as demand has grown. IEO’s annual production capacity is eight million gallons.

The plant was founded after a 2006 law encouraged in-state oilseed production and refinement into biodiesel. A $4.3 million low-interest loan from Washington state’s Energy Freedom Fund helped the project get off the ground.

Biodiesel

Illinois Ups Biodiesel Mandate to 5 Percent

John Davis

QuinnLegislation that increases the amount of biodiesel state and local governments in Illinois must use has been signed into law by Gov. Pat Quinn.

Biodiesel Magazine reports now the biodiesel blend for use by diesel-powered vehicles owned by the state or local governments when refueling at a bulk central fueling facility moves up from 2 to 5 percent:

The Illinois Soybean Association applauded the legislative leaders who supported the pro-biodiesel legislation. “Illinois is a model for how states can stimulate their economies by opening doors for greater biodiesel use and production,” said Ron Moore, chairperson.

Illinois also has an incentive that cuts sales taxes by 20 percent on biodiesel blends up to B10 and a full exemption from the state sales tax of 6.25 percent for B11 and above.

Biodiesel, Government

California Groups Awarded DOE Funds for 55 E85 Stations

ae_biofuelsAE Biofuels, Inc., a global vertically integrated biofuels company, and Pearson Fuels, an alternative fuels provider, have been awarded $6.9 million by the US Department of Energy to build 55 E85 fueling facilities in the state of California. The alternative fueling sites will be built within the next 42 months.

The Southern California Association of Governments applied for the money through their Clean Cities Coalition, The Partnership. Since 1994, The Partnership has been facilitating the creation of public/private business relationships and endeavors that serve to accelerate the deployment and market acceptance of Advanced Transportation Technologies throughout Southern California. In addition, The Partnership has received preliminary approval for a $4 million from the California Energy Commission, through its AB-118 matching grant program.

pearson-fuelsMike Lewis of Pearson Fuels said, “I am excited to see that we are now in a stronger position to bring alternative fuel infrastructure to the hundreds of thousands of flexible fuel vehicles already on the California roads while measurably reducing the State`s dependence on foreign oil imports.” Pearson Fuels already has 13 E85 stations within California. He claims that construction of the projects should begin by the end of 2009.

The USDOE estimates that the initiative will help displace approximately 3.5 million gallons of petroleum annually.

“We are excited about the grant award, and we look forward to working with Pearson Fuels to bring our next-generation cellulosic ethanol to consumers,” said Eric McAfee, chairman and CEO of AE Biofuels. “California has over 300,000 flexible fuel vehicles already on the road today, but only a handful of E85 pumps at the state`s 9,000 stations. This grant will allow us to bring cellulosic E85 fuel to drivers around the state and meet the demand for carbon reducing fuels.”

E85, Ethanol, Government

Grassley to Host EPA Officials at Iowa Biodiesel Plant

John Davis

grassley3U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) will play host to a pair of EPA officials at an Iowa biodiesel plant this coming Thursday at 3 pm. Let’s hope he can use the opportunity to teach them the REAL math behind the amount of corn and soybeans it takes to make ethanol and biodiesel.

This story from Biodiesel Magazine says Grassley will talk biofuels at the 30-million-gallon-a-year Central Iowa Energy biodiesel plant in Newton, Iowa with EPA assistant administrator of the Office of Air and Radiation, Gina McCarthy, and EPA director of the Office of Transportation and Air Quality, Margo Oge, who will also visit a family farm and agricultural businesses:

The purpose of Grassley’s invitation was to highlight how EPA policies and regulations impact his constituents in Iowa. Jeff Stroburg, CEO and chairman of Renewable Energy Group Inc., the plant’s managing company, and others in the business will discuss the proposed RFS2 ruling with the senator and two EPA officials.

Many in the industry are calling on EPA to install interim rules to trigger the biomass-based diesel volume requirements sooner rather than later, and to reconsider how the agency negatively views soy-based biodiesel in its faulty indirect land use assumptions.

As you might remember… and you can see in the clip below… Oge is the goofus who believes that it takes 64 acres of corn to make one gallon of ethanol and 400 acres of soybeans for each gallon of biodiesel. Actually, one acre of soybeans makes 64 gallons of biodiesel and one acre of corn makes over 400 gallons of ethanol. And these are the folks deciding Indirect Land Use formulas? Let’s hope Grassley sets her straight.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government, News

Second Biodiesel Boat to Shuttle Pearl Harbor Visitors

John Davis

USSArizonaLast April, I told you about how visitors to one of the most sacred places in U.S. history, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, were now being shuttled out to the USS Arizona Memorial by a boat that runs on biodiesel.

This U.S. Navy press release says a second biodiesel boat, USS Arizona Ferry Boat #39-2, “Samuel G. Fuqua,” is now taking people to that hallowed place:

090825-N-3666S-080The new boats will eventually replace the existing 20-year-old U.S. Navy-operated tour boats that shuttle visitors to and from the USS Arizona Memorial as part of the National Park Service’s (NPS) World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument tours.

The design of the environmentally friendly boats will reduce the carbon footprint of the ferry service, contributing to the Navy’s efforts toward affordable and clean naval power. The clean fuel technology components include twin diesel engines that fully comply with EPA emissions standards, and a complex fuel system optimized for biodiesel fuel and designed to further reduce emissions. The diesel oxidation system is engineered to chemically convert hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide into water and carbon dioxide. The new boats use locally produced, 100 percent renewable biodiesel.

While most U.S. Navy boats have hull registration numbers only and no names, the five new Arizona ferry boats are unique because they are named after five Medal of Honor recipients of the Pearl Harbor attack. The boats are numbered 39-1 through 39-5 to reflect Battleship Arizona’s hull designation, BB-39. The remaining boats, #39-3 Cassin Young and #39-4 Donald K. Ross, will arrive in the next several months, with the fifth and final boat, #39-5 Jackson C. Pharris, to be delivered in the summer of 2010.

This latest ferry boat is named in honor of Samuel Glenn Fuqua. Nearly 60 years ago on that “day that would live in infamy,” Lt. Commander Fuqua showed tremendous courage trying to save as many lives as possible on the ill-fated USS Arizona. Despite being knocked unconscious by a bomb that slammed into the Arizona, Fuqua was able to recover to direct the fighting of fire and rescue of wounded and injured personnel. Being the senior surviving officer, Fuqua realized the ship could not be saved, ordered the ship abandoned, and remained on the quarterdeck to save the ship’s remaining crewmen. I think the biodiesel industry should be proud to have such a high-profile transport named after a true American hero burning its green fuel.

Biodiesel

Ford’s B20 Biodiesel-compatible Engine Cheered by NBB

John Davis

NBB-logoThe news that Ford has developed a new diesel engine… code-named Scorpion… to put in its 2011 F-Series Super Duty diesel pickups will be fully compatible with a 20 percent biodiesel blend (B20) (see my post from yesterday) is being welcomed by the National Biodiesel Board:

“This is the first of what we expect to be many formal announcements of B20 approval in new clean diesel technology,” said Steve Howell, technical director for the National Biodiesel Board. “With the formal approval and acceptance of B20 in the 2011 Super Duty, Ford now has a clean and green engine of tomorrow that will also reduce NOx emissions by more than 80 percent. NBB already has inquiries from biodiesel fans wanting to purchase a new B20 pickup!”

The NBB and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have spent more than $10 million testing B20 and understanding how it works in the new diesel engines and after-treatment technology during the last five years. That’s in addition to research and development efforts by the individual Original Equipment Manufacturers like Ford. The new F-Series engines were torture-tested internally by Ford to more than 250,000 miles to test their durability cycles with multiple biodiesel blends, according to the company.

“It’s rewarding to see the efforts by NBB and NREL start to pay off,” said Howell, noting that most of the NBB funding for the testing was provided by U.S. soybean farmers through the soybean checkoff program. “The engine makers asked for an ASTM B20 blended standard, in addition to the pure biodiesel standard, and we worked hard to get it passed.”

NBB goes on to point out that Ford has nearly half of the on-road diesel truck market in this country, so there could be some big implications with this news. Can’t wait to see the reactions when these engines start arriving in new trucks in the first half of next year!

Biodiesel, Car Makers, NBB

The U.S. Needs to Transition to Hydrous Ethanol

Joanna Schroeder

Our nation needs to transition to hydrous ethanol as the primary renewable transportation fuel, writes Brian J. Donovan with Renergie, Inc. Many of you may be thinking that this is no different than what many people are proposing – the move to ethanol- but Donovan is proposing the use of hydrous ethanol versus anhydrous ethanol. Simply put, anhydrous ethanol has a purity of at least 99 percent and meets the standard specification for ethanol used as a motor fuel. Hydrous (or wet) ethanol can be produced by simple distillation (think in your backyard) without the dehydration step (which then produces anhydrous ethanol) and is between 93-96 percent ethanol and 7-4 percent water.

gassy.jpegIn February, 2009, the U.S. EPA granted Renergie a first-of-its-kind waiver for the purpose of testing hydrous E10, E20, E30 & E85 ethanol blends in non-flex-fuel vehicles and flex-fuel vehicles in the State of Louisiana. Under this test program, Renergie will use variable blending pumps, not splash blending, to precisely dispense hydrous ethanol blends of E10, E20, E30, and E85 to test vehicles for the purpose of testing for blend optimization with respect to fuel economy, engine emissions, and vehicle drivability.

Initial tests conducted in Europe have confirmed that hydrous ethanol can be blended effectively with gasoline without phase separation or other problems. But why is this important you ask? According to Donovan, hydrous ethanol may be better suited for mid-level blends used in FFVs and non-FFVs.

He writes that due to emissions and durability testing requirements, ethanol producers are having difficulty with assessing the economic and environmental impacts of midlevel anhydrous ethanol blends on current auto engines in order to increase blending rates and the RFS. In contrast to higher percentage anhydrous ethanol blends, HE15 and higher blends can be utilized in legacy vehicles (existing auto engines) as well as FFVs. Once parallel testing has been conducted for midlevel and E85/HE85 anhydrous and hydrous ethanol blends, further fuel efficiency and emissions testing may not be necessary.

Should that be the case, then this is good news for both consumers and the ethanol industry – consumers get more choice at the pump and the ethanol industry has a larger home for its product.

blends, Ethanol, News

Growth Energy Press Conference at Farm Progress Show

Chuck Zimmerman

General Wesley ClarkGen. Wesley Clark, Growth Energy, made an announcement this morning at the Farm Progress Show. The organization is calling for country of origin labeling for fuel. I would call that COOL for fuel! Hey, we do it with food, why not fuel?

General Wesley Clark, Co-Chairman of Growth Energy, today called on the United States Congress and the White House to take action to dramatically enhance the market transparency of the nation’s fuel supply by requiring a national standard of country of origin labeling (COOL) for fuel.

The Label My Fuel initiative would create a COOL standard similar to requirements already in place for common consumer items, including apples, beef, cars and coffee. The goal is to help create consumer awareness of the costs and national security implications of the nation’s addiction to foreign oil.

Clark also unveiled Growth Energy’s labelmyfuel.com, which showcases the costs of American dependence on foreign oil, and serves to rally grassroots support for Congressional action on COOL for fuel legislation.

You can find photos from the press conference in our Farm Progress Show photo album and you can listen to the press conference below:

Audio, Farm Progress Show, Growth Energy