Seawater to Jet Fuel? The U.S. Navy Thinks So

Joanna Schroeder

dn17632-1_300The search for renewable energy sources is varied and sometimes strange and here is another one to add to the strange category: turning seawater into kerosene-based jet fuel. Who would research something like this? Look no further than our very own U.S. Navy. Navy chemists have processed seawater into unsaturated short-chain hydrocarbons that with further refining could be made into jet fuel. The catch? They will now have to discover a clean energy source to power the reaction if the end product is to be carbon neutral.

The process, according to a report from New Scientist, involves extracting CO2 dissolved in the water and then combining it with hydrogen. The hydrogen is produced by splitting water molecules using electricity (hopefully not coal based) to make a hydrocarbon fuel. For those scientists out there, you’ve probably already figured out that this is a variant of the Fischer-Tropsch process which is currently used to produce a gasoline-like hydrocarbon fuel for syngas.

The project is headed by Robert Dorner who is a chemist with the Naval Research Laboratory based in Washington, D.C. Dorner, along with several other researchers have published a paper on the project, “Catalytic CO2 hydrogenation to feedstock chemicals for jet fuel synthesis“.

Dorner notes that CO2 is not often used in the Fischer-Tropsch process due to its instability but due to its abundance and concerns about global climate change, it becomes a feedstock of interest.

Energy, Environment, News, water

Kentucky Biodiesel Plant Set to Open This Month

John Davis

BluegrassBiodieselA 14-million-gallon-a-year biodiesel plant in Kentucky is on schedule for opening later this month.

Biodiesel Magazine reports that the multi-feedstock Bluegrass BioDiesel plant at Falmouth, Ky. is about halfway through testing all of its systems and should be up and running by the end of August:

General Manager Rich Wojtkowski described a number of features used in the plant to reduce the capital investment such as using stainless steel only where required, substituting lower cost carbon steel. Flexible hoses will give the ability to reroute product streams. Gravity separation will be used, eliminating the cost of centrifuges. While using standard acid pretreatment and base transesterification, the plant is capable of handling 2 to 22 percent free fatty acids with three stages where water can be removed. “Our objective is to produce a very pure product that we can market as B100 ultra, removing all impurities,” Wojtkowski said. The plant also includes a methanol recovery and glycerin purification. “We will push for BQ9000 certification,” he added. “I have experience with ISO certification, so I know the policies and quality control that has to be in place.”

Bluegrass Biodiesel plans to offer B90 or B99 blends as well as B100 to its regional customers. “Some want a blended product, which they can blend further,” Wojtkowski said. “We handle the government issues, the filings, etcetera.”

The plant has been a work in progress for the last five years with starts and stops along the way, including running out of construction funds about a year ago. But local officials say they are pleased the company has persisted, and the plant is now on the verge of opening.

Biodiesel

The Science of Algae Biodiesel Explored on Nova

John Davis

NovaScienceNowOne of the benefits of doing this job is that I can do it from the comfort of my easy chair, while watching some of my favorite programs with one eye and searching for stories with the other (hey, God gave me two eyes… just consider it multi-tasking). But tonight, my eyes are firmly fixed on the tube, as one of my favorite programs, Nova Science Now, is featuring the really green fuel, algae biodiesel.

In this episode (on TV tonight but available on the PBS Nova Science Now Web site tomorrow, August 19th), they showed how algae is available everywhere, how the little green one-celled organisms actually turn sunlight into energy, and how to release that energy by making biodiesel out of the algae’s oil.

While the story was a good primer on how algae can be turned into biodiesel and how it will become a viable feedstock for fuel, I do have to take issue with the dig the show took on other biofuels, including corn-based ethanol and soy-based biodiesel, are contributing to the food vs. fuel debate. Reporter Andrea Kissack made some pretty big leaps in her proclamations that those crop-based renewable fuels were causing food prices to spike and contributing to the destruction of the rain forests. It might have been nice if she could have talked to some folks who know that we can get both food and fuel from crops, while getting more and more from less and less land. But, this time, it was not to be.

I suggest you take a look at the story on Nova’s Web site and judge for yourself. And if you’d like to set the record straight, there’s even a place for feedback on the story.

algae, Biodiesel

Airlines Ink Deal to Buy Biodiesel

John Davis

RentechBannerEight major U.S. airlines have signed a deal that will see them buying 1.5 million gallons of renewable biodiesel a year to use in ground equipment starting in 2012.

This press release from the Air Transport Association of America, an industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, says Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, UPS Airlines and US Airways, will buy the green fuel from Rentech, Inc. with the potential for more to join later:

“We are proud to take part in this innovative, collective endeavor that over time, will further reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve local air quality through the use of greener fuels,” said Glenn Tilton, ATA board chairman and UAL Corporation chairman, president and CEO. “This transaction promises to be the first of many such green fuel purchase agreements by the commercial aviation industry. It exemplifies the ongoing commitment of airlines and energy suppliers to diversify our fuel sources while contributing to a cleaner environment and adding new jobs to the economy.”

The renewable RenDiesel will be produced at the commercial-scale facility that Rentech is developing in Rialto, Calif., primarily from urban woody green waste such as yard clippings. The fuel is expected to have a low carbon footprint and minimal particulate and other emissions while meeting or exceeding all applicable fuel standards. ASIG, which provides fueling services to many airlines that operate at LAX, will handle receipt and dispensing of the RenDiesel. Other discussions regarding potential alternative fuels agreements are continuing through the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative, of which ATA is a founding member.

“This commercial purchase contract among Rentech, ASIG and the airlines validates the growing demand for synthetic fuels produced by the Rentech Process,” said D. Hunt Ramsbottom, Rentech president and chief executive officer. “The low-emissions profile and near-zero carbon footprint of our renewable RenDiesel will guarantee that the LAX ground service vehicles using this fuel will be among the cleanest and greenest of their kind.”

The agreement is expected to be a model for other renewable fuel suppliers and airports and airlines in the future.

Biodiesel

USDA Rural Tour in Iowa

vilsackAgriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, along with Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar, will visit Des Moines, Iowa tomorrow, Wednesday, August 19th as part of the USDA Rural Tour, a townhall tour of America’s heartland. The Iowa State Fair will host Vilsack as he aims to engage local citizens to open the dialogue between policymakers and rural America.

Growth Energy has asked many of their members to attend the open forum to thank Secretary Vilsack for his continued support of ethanol, America’s clean, green, renewable fuel and to up for ethanol by asking the secretary to encourage a move to E15.

usda_rural_tourAdditional tour stops to discuss green jobs and a new energy economy, with a focus on renewable energies will be upcoming in Sedalia, MO on Aug. 21 in Zanesville, OH.

For more information regarding the USDA Rural tour, click here.

blends, Ethanol, Government, Growth Energy

ZAP Secures $25 Million in Funding for EVs

Joanna Schroeder

zaptruckpkZAP, a company leading the way in electric vehicle (EV) development, announced that it has secured $25 million in new financing with Cathaya Capital, L.P. Ultimately the investment will be managed by its affiliate partner Better World International who is developing EV charging infrastructure. ZAP will use a portion of the funding to pursue longer-term contract production and assembly commitments, and to accelerate deliveries of trucks and vans to fill current fleet and government orders. With the addition of this funding, ZAP has now raised up to $31 million in new financing for ZAP’s electric vehicle capital expansion since June.

“This is a critical juncture for ZAP as we now have the means and resources to begin addressing the opportunities at hand on a global basis and to fully realize the leadership position possible in the electric vehicle marketplace,” said Steven Schneider, CEO of ZAP.

ZAP has 15 years of experience in the distribution and sale of 100 percent electric vehicles. They are leveraging this with their expertise in the design and manufacture of electric vehicles to improve on the current technology and accelerate development of powertrain technology that improves overall performance of its vehicles while achieving cost reductions.

The proceeds of this financing also will enable ZAP to expand its vehicle distribution network into the European Union (EU) where recent government incentives supporting the adoption of electric vehicles have increased demand for practical models at affordable prices. In addition to targeting market opportunities in the EU, ZAP intends to pursue automotive opportunities in China. Last month, the China Daily called for government incentives on the purchase of vehicles that reduce pollution and minimize dependency on oil.

Company Announcement, Electric Vehicles, News

Cars Using Cellulosic E85 Have Lowest CO2 Emissions

Joanna Schroeder

WorldAutoSteel has released a 2nd iteration of the automotive materials parametric Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) model, which allows for broader evaluations of automotive materials, powertrains, fuels, and vehicle total energy consumed. The study showed that celluosic E85 is the best fuel to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as compared to all other alternatives, including hybrid technology and fuel cells. This phase 2 LCA model is a successor to the Phase 1 model and was released under the expertise of Dr. Roland Geyer of the University of California’s Bren School for Environmental Science.

“This report reinforces the promise of ethanol as the cleanest, greenest fuel for our cars even when compared to hybrid and fuel cell technology,” said Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy.” Today’s ethanol plants are 60 percent better than gasoline and cellulosic ethanol can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by even more – as much as 86 percent. Unfortunately, an arbitrary government cap on the amount of ethanol that can be blended with gasoline is stifling the development and commercialization of second-generation biofuels and needs to be increased. Further, we need automakers to manufacture more flex-fuel vehicles so they can utilize higher blends of ethanol. These common sense solutions can speed up the introduction of cellulosic ethanol to the marketplace, making America’s homegrown fuel even cleaner and greener, while creating green collar jobs and reducing our dependence on foreign oil.”

fig5_webThe Phase 2 model incorporated several new features including adding magnesium and several composites to the materials that may now be evaluated for their emissions from manufacturing through use and end-of-life; advanced powertrains including diesel and fuel cells; the ability to evaluate the impact of biofuels and other ag sources for the production of these fuels; and the capability to produce an analysis of total energy consumed over a car’s life cycle to compliment the total greenhouse gas emission analysis.

You can download the model here.

biofuels, Cellulosic, Ethanol, Growth Energy, News, Research

The Time is Now to Apply for a USDA Loan Guarantee

Joanna Schroeder

TonsagerFor the past several months, grants and incentives have been released to help keep the biofuels industry moving forward and successful. One set of programs that were launched through the stimulus package gave $1.7 billion dollars for business and industry loan guarantees – but very few are taking advantage of this program. This according to Dallas Tonsager, keynote speaker during the 22nd Ethanol Conference & Trade Show, and Under Secretary for Rural Development with the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA).

Under this program businesses are eligible for working capital refinancing, machinery and equipment, real estate and construction, business development, and expansion. Also under this initiative, USDA Rural Development will consider loan term adjustments as part of a comprehensive business stabilization strategy including adjustments in interest rates, principal reduction and loan terms.

According to Tonsager, another action item of his department is to implement the renewable energy provisions of the 2008 Farm Bill. In addition to the $1.7 billion mentioned above, these provisions provide another $1 billion in funding. In addition, the American Recovery Act funding provides $11 billion to develop a smarter grid, $6.3 billion for state and local renewable energy and energy efficiency efforts, and $600 million in green job training. Tonsager pointed out that updating technologies at current ethanol plants that will increase the plants energy efficiencies qualify for this funding.

The funds will expire on September 30, 2010 so the time is now to learn more about them, and Tonsager encourages people to contact their local state office. You can see pictures from Tonsager’s presentation as well as pictures from the entire conference in our Flickr photo album.

ACE, biofuels, conferences, Ethanol News

Wisconsin School to Hold Biofuels Symposium

John Davis

BEIS2009The University of Wisconsin-Superior will play host to the upcoming Bio-Fuels and Energy Independence Symposium, bringing together researchers from laboratories, universities and businesses around the Midwest to talk about the latest work in biofuels technology.

This story from KBJR-TV in Duluth, Minnesota says the symposium runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3, at UW-Superior’s Rothwell Student Center:

The symposium is organized by American Science and Technology, based in Chicago.

Scientists from AST and UW-Superior are working collaboratively on federally funded research to develop cold-tolerant bio-fuels using plants from northern Wisconsin and northern Minnesota.

Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton will deliver the symposium’s keynote address.

The symposium will be held in the Rothwell Student Center Ballroom and rooms 217 and 218.

The event is free and open to the public.

Go to the meeting’s Web site, www.amsnt.com/BEIS.htm, for more information.

biofuels, Research

Advanced Biofuels Group Tax Exempt

Cindy Zimmerman

advance biofuelsAdvanced Biofuels USA is now officially recognized as exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue code making the organization qualified to receive tax deductible donations.

The purpose of the organizations is to promote public understanding, acceptance, and use of advanced biofuels; to promote research, development and improvement of production, marketing and delivery of advanced biofuels; and to improve advanced biofuels crops and products.

The organization is in the process of fundraising for a number of special projects, including the development of a curriculum-based educational series for K-12 science classes to help students and teachers understand the basics of plants, algae and other organic materials and how they can be converted to advanced biofuels, as well as expanded online educational products such as webinars and educational videos on advanced biofuels.

biofuels, Energy