Evolution Fuels Plans Dallas Ethanol Station

Cindy Zimmerman

The state known for its oil wells may be in for a fuel evolution.

ethanolDallas-based Evolution Fuels, Inc. is planning to start its new brand of renewable fuel stations in the heart of the Dallas metropolis.

The company has signed a letter of intent to lease a location for their first fuel station under the brand “Evolution Fuels” that will offer renewable fuel blends at the pump. The plan is to offer a variety of ethanol-gasoline blend levels, including E10, E20, E30, and E85, as well as 20 percent biodiesel blends (B20).

The fuel dispensers, to be provided by Dresser Wayne, are uniquely designed to blend petroleum fuels with renewable fuels from the underground storage tanks within the dispenser as the fuel is delivered into the vehicle.

The Company plans to uniquely image the station and offer specialty foods, beverages, and other products in order to help create a recognizable brand as it rolls out more stations according to its business plan.

blends, Ethanol, Ethanol News

National Wind Challenges President Obama

Joanna Schroeder

Earlier this week, National Wind CEO Leon Steinberg, challenged President Obama to take a stand by insisting that legislators pass an energy bill establishing a federal oversight committee to implement an interstate transmission highway. Steinberg likens the challenge as similar to President “Ike” Eisenhower’s initiative of creating a federal interstate system. The only difference is that while the nation’s interstate system is for cars, the transmission highway is for electricity.

Transmission_MapThe Midwest is prime real estate for wind energy, especially Nebraska, North and South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa enabling the states to produce more energy than the people need. However, today, it is nearly impossible to capture and transfer the excess energy from wind turbines for use in overpopulated areas like California. The next logical step is to design a way to do just this all while providing lower cost energy to consumers.

Just like the biofuels industry is struggling to increase the blend wall (if not the country can’t meet the 36 billion gallons of biofuels by 2022), the electrical industry cannot meet President Obama’s goal of 25 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2025 if the grid is not overhauled and upgraded.

Steinberg writes in an op-ed piece, “President Obama’s goal of securing 25 percent of our electricity from renewable sources by 2025 is restricted by state regulators who act only in the interests of their state and disregard the potential benefits of new, high capacity, interstate transmission line.” If the country is serious about energy security, he continues, then the President should emulate Eisenhower’s approach and, “demand action by Congress to bring our energy infrastructure into the 21st century.”

As many have said and will continue to say, including Steinberg, our government needs to get out of its own way in order to usher in new environmental and economic security for generations now and to come.


Commentary, Energy, Environment, Wind

Project Looks to Link Wind, Solar Projects to Rest of US

John Davis

One of the big knocks against solar and wind energy is the lack of infrastructure to connect the power generated in remote areas of the American West with the large population centers back east. But a project in New Mexico could change that.

TresAmigasmapGreenBeat reports that state’s governor has unveiled a plan to build a massive electric transmission station in Clovis, New Mexico. The Tres Amigas Super Station is designed to connect the U.S.’s three main power grids and better channel solar and wind energy:

The proposed project, which would take about five years to build beginning in 2011 or 2012, would be the largest power converter in the world, covering 22 square miles and fundamentally changing how electricity flows across the country. New Mexico, which would benefit tremendously from the jobs and revenue created by the facility, was chosen because it is located nearest to where the three power grids — referred to as the East, West and Texas interconnections — meet up. On top of that, conditions in the state would allow it to geenrate up to 27 gigawatts of solar and wind energy.

The $600 million project will have a capacity of 5 gigawatts to begin with and could be scaled up to 30 gigawatts. It’s expected to put $4 billion back into the local economy.

Solar, Wind

Future is Today for Five Producing Algae Biofuels

John Davis

AlgaeinbeakerWhile I know we’ve talked about the promise of algae-based biofuels, especially biodiesel, many of you have pointed in derision to the seemingly always present caveat: in about five years… the amount of time the ideas seem to take until they’re ready for the street.

But there are some companies that are not still five years away from making algae biofuels viable. They are on the verge of producing it in usable quantities now. This article in Popular Science profiles five companies that are making biofuels out of algae, although those companies are still working on making it commercially viable. Here are a couple of the projects now working in the United States:

Solix Biofuels
The Project /// A demonstration facility that could produce up to 3000 gallons of algal biofuels per acre per year by the end of 2009

The Location /// Coyote Gulch, Colo.

The Technology /// Solix uses specialized photo-bioreactors in which batches of microalgal cultures are grown in large, closed-growth chambers under controlled light and temperature conditions. The company claims its closed systems can produce up to seven times as much biomass as open-pond systems. Once the cultures are fully grown, their oil is extracted through the use of chemical solvents like benzene or ether. The solvents are mixed into the chambers to separate the oil from the algae, and it is then collected from the surface. Solix is also collaborating with the Los Alamos National Laboratory to use its acoustic-focusing technology to concentrate algal cells into a dense mixture by blasting them with sound waves. Oil can then be extracted from the mixture by squeezing it out; this makes the extraction process much easier and cheaper, obviating the need for chemical solvents.

To Market /// Tentatively by the winter of 2009.Read More

algae, biofuels

Corn Plus Awarded for Energy Efficiency

corn_plusCorn Plus, a 49 million gallon ethanol plant in Winnebago, Minnesota, has been granted an energy efficiency award. Shared-savings programs are offered by Alliant. They include low-cost financing and financial incentives to help purchase new energy efficient equipment.

There were three major projects that Corn Plus has taken on since 2004 that apply toward the shared-savings energy efficiency projects: a fluid bed reactor which has saved the company $24 million over the past four years; the use of variable frequency drives instead of standard motors which cut the company’s energy use by 35 percent and saved about $200,000 in the past four years; and the ethanol plant’s choice of a distillation upgrade which allowed them to grind the same amount of corn and produce more alcohol.

“Through these programs, that’s how we were awarded for energy efficiency,” said Keith Kor, general manager of Corn Plus.

The plant has taken small steps, too, to improve its efficiency: updating its lighting; installing energy-efficient centrifugal fans and compressed air; and adding a palletizing plant and ash plant.

Alliant estimates all those improvements have saved the company 37.5 million kWh of electricity – enough to power 3,906 typical homes for a year.

“We’re looking at another project that will help reduce our natural gas and increase energy savings and another to reduce our water usage,” Kor said. “There will be less evaporation load on our cooling towers. They’re not evaporating as much water – they don’t need to take up as much water in the cooling process.”

The energy efficiency awards were given to five businesses.

Energy, Ethanol, Ethanol News, News

KL Energy & Fair Energy Ink Cellulosic Deal

Joanna Schroeder

KL Energy Corp. has inked a deal with Fair Energy to move forward with a partnership that would produce cellulosic ethanol in both the U.S. and Europe. KL Energy was the first company to operate a commercial-size demonstration cellulosic ethanol plant located in Upton, Wyo.

CellulosePlant12In a press statement, Steve Corcoran, KL Energy’s CEO said, “As the industry continues moving toward the goal of commercializing production of cellulosic ethanol, KL Energy is pleased to have Fair Energy as our partner. The commitment by Fair Energy will allow our company to complete its goal of being the first firm in North America to produce cellulosic ethanol on a constant, commercial scale for use. As other companies begin projects trying to realize industrial scale production, KL Energy will have successfully achieved that goal and become the first cellulosic ethanol plant operating under a 24-hour production schedule this year.”

Earlier this year, KL Energy announced plans to enter the Brazilian market with partner blue Ltda.

Cellulosic, Company Announcement, Ethanol, Ethanol News

Book Review – the Citizen-Powered Energy Handbook

Joanna Schroeder

Citizen Powered Energy Book CoverI have written often that the best way for our country to transition to alternative energy is through the community – not through the government. As such, the book, “The Citizen-Powered Energy Handbook Community Solutions to a Global Crisis,” by Greg Pahl fits nicely into my thesis.

“Community-supported energy (CSE) is similar to community-supported agriculture (CSA), except that instead of investing in carrots, tomatoes, or chicken, local residents invest in greater energy security and a cleaner environment. Local ownership and control allows the community to create a project that meets its particular needs while addressing its concerns about size, scale, and location.”

Pahl covers all forms of energy from wind to solar to hydro-electric to biomass to biofuels. He even touches on the never-going-to-happen technologies, Thermal depolymerization (TDP), a process that turns virtually any carbon-based waste material like tires, old computers and plastic bottles into energy. The second form is zero point energy. This involves harnessing the universe’s “dark matter” and converting it into energy. Very interesting stuff.

The author definitely has some creds for the topic he chooses and he and his wife have installed various forms of solar energy and wind in several of their Vermont homes. But like the trap that Friedman finds himself stuck in, so is Pahl. Too much technical information bogs the reader down from the need to know info. But aside from that, if you are interested in helping your community create its own energy and economic wealth, then this book is a good place to start.

To read this book or any other book I’ve reviewed, visit this link.

book reviews

IEA: Global Biofuel Production to Rise Big by 2012

John Davis

Biodiesel production worldwide has risen by 10 times over the last eight years and could double again in just two more years, while global ethanol production has more than tripled over the same time period and could jump by another 50 percent by the year 2012.

Farmers Weekly Interactive reports a new report from the International Energy Agency says biodiesel went from about 1 billion liters (about 250 million gallons) in 2002 to 10.9 billion liters (about 2.75 billion gallons) in 2010 and is expected to double by the year 2012:

The review of 21 key biofuel producing countries by the International Energy Agency’s Bioenergy Task 39 also reveals bioethanol production has increased significantly, from less than 20bn litres per year in 2000 to 66bn litres per year by 2008.

Much of the growth in both fuel types is happening in just three countries; the United States, Brazil and Germany, which together account for over half of biodiesel and more than three-quarters of bioethanol production.

The IEA report suggests if recent trends continue, world production of biodiesel could top 20bn litres per year by 2012, while bioethanol production could exceed 90bn litres.

The report goes on to say that economic and ecological sustainability issues are now becoming the main drivers in biofuels production.

Biodiesel, biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, International, News

Grape & Almond Waste Being Turned into Biodiesel

John Davis

Menon&AssocA California company that makes biofuels out of several sources has received a state grant to work on turning the waste from grapes and almonds into biodiesel.

This story in the San Diego Business Journal says local contractor Menon & Associates picked up the $800,000 from the California Energy Commission to convert grape pulp and almond husks into the green fuel:

The Sorrento Valley company, which is putting up $500,000 of its own money towards the three-year program, plans to convert the pulp, known as “cellulosic waste,” into an oil-based triglyceride similar to palm or coconut oil.

“We make the intermediate product that can be used by the refinery to make fuel,” says President Suresh Menon. “Cellulosic materials have carbon in them. What we do is concentrate the carbon into the intermediate products that can be used by a refinery.”

Menon uses a combination of enzymes to break down the cellulosic material.

While they’ll be working with grape and almond waste materials in this program, almost any cellulosic material can eventually be converted, such as paper, cardboard, tree cuttings, switch grass or sugar cane waste, he says.

Officials point out that 80 percent of the world’s almonds are grown in California’s San Joaquin Valley, and of course, the state is a major producer of grapes, providing plenty of feedstock that would be otherwise filling landfills or being burned. The hope is that they’ll get 30 gallons of fuel for every ton of waste.

Menon & Associates is a subprime contractor on a $19.6 million Department of Defense contract to make jet fuel from cellulose.

Biodiesel

Sustainable Biodiesel Mythbuster Recognized for Efforts

John Davis

SVNA man who recycles restaurant grease into biodiesel while busting the myths the green fuel’s opponents have been spreading is being recognized by a network dedicated to sustainability issues.

Biodiesel Magazine reports that Brent Baker, the CEO of Tri-State Biodiesel LLC will receive the Social Venture Network’s 2009 Innovation Award at the group’s fall conference, starting October 22 in La Jolla, California:

BakerAs a representative of the biodiesel industry, Baker said he has been involved in dispelling the “myths” created by certain lobbying groups meant to confuse the public about the benefits and characteristics of biodiesel. “It’s been particularly bad the past two years,” Baker said. “One is that biodiesel production and use is worse for the environment, and takes more energy, than petroleum—and that simply is not true,” he said. “The first 15 years I was involved in this business, I never heard that.” Baker feels his role in education and the promotion of biodiesel led to Tri-State’s selection as an SVN Innovator. “There’s been a lot of negative publicity and I’ve been educating legislators and others about the positives.”

One of the controversies surrounding biodiesel lately has been its perceived role in the destruction of South American and Southeast Asian tropical forests. Biodiesel Magazine asked him if palm methyl esters were tarnishing the reputation of the industry. “The palm oil industry was an industry well before biodiesel,” Baker said. “And there is sustainable palm oil production, so we can’t let pictures of fires and abandoned villages color our whole perception of palm production.”

The article goes on to point out that by using the grease from 2,700 restaurants in the New York City area and turning it into biodiesel, Baker is practicing on of the cornerstones of the SVN: sustainability. But he also tips his hat to the first generation biofuels of corn-based ethanol and soybean-based biodiesel as paving the way.

Biodiesel