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

ACE Announces 2009 Awards

Joanna Schroeder

If you missed the 22nd Ethanol Conference & Trade Show hosted by the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) then you probably haven’t heard who won the 2009 awards. So I’ll fill you in.

Award Winners

The Merle Anderson Award went to David Hallberg who formed the Renewable Fuels Association in 1981. In addition, he is a director of the Nebraska Ethanol Board and a former director of ACE.

The Policy & Legislative Leadership Award went to Undersecretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack. Vilsack is the former Governor of Iowa.

The Grassroots Award went to Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company. Based in Benson, Minn., the plant is one of the longest-tenured of the cooperative ethanol facilities in the country.

The Media Excellence Award went to Peter Rohde, editor of Kiplinger’s Biofuels Market Alert based in Washington, D.C.

The Paul Dana Marketing Vision Award was given to Kwik Trip, Inc. They were one of the first to offer E85 in Minnesota and today have 60 E85 stations and counting.

The 2009 ACE Scholarship Winners and the ACE Scholarship Fund was awarded to: Jordyn Mallo, Tony Newman, Ryan Truax, and Jessica Weitgenant.

Congrats to all the winners!

You can see all the photos from the conference in our Flickr photo album.

ACE, conferences, Ethanol, News

Barley Ethanol Business Building

Cindy Zimmerman

Osage Bio Energy has a barley business partner and a winning bin builder.

Osage PerdueThe Virginia-based company just announced an agreement with Perdue AgriBusiness to source barley to operate its first barley-to-ethanol bioprocessing facility. Perdue, a leading grain supplier in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, is committed to working with local farmers to supply Osage Bio Energy with its barley needs for the Appomattox Bio Energy plant in Hopewell, Va., the first of its kind on the East Coast.

Osage barley winnerOsage Bio Energy, with co-sponsors Perdue AgriBusiness, the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation and General Motors, also announced the overall grand prize winner of the 2009 Barley Bin Builder Yield Contest. Bobby Hutchison of Hutchison Brothers Farms in Cordova, MD, won the grand prize of a brand new GM Flex Fuel pickup truck with his yield of 130 bushels per acre. Cash prizes of between $500 and $1000 were also awarded to the top-yielding farmers in Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia.

“We are thrilled to reward these leading farmers for their outstanding barley yields in what was a tough year for small grains in the Mid-Atlantic,” said Craig Shealy, president and CEO of Osage Bio Energy. “The average yield per acre among all entrants to the yield contest was over 100 bushels an acre, with an average yield in Virginia of approximately 109 bushels an acre. These are nice results, especially considering the weather prior to harvest.”

Osage Bio Energy plans to sponsor another yield contest next year. Details will be available this fall through the company’s Web site, www.osagebioenergy.com, and through local extension agents.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Farming, feedstocks

Ma Bell Uses Alternatives to Cut 300 Tons of Emissions

John Davis

AT&TEfforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions are paying off for AT&T.

This story posted on EnvironmentalLeader.com says the telephone behemoth’s conversion of some of its fleet vehicles in California to alternative fuels are part of a bigger plan that also includes solar panels and recycling scrap metals:

AT&T also introduced a new fleet of alternative-fuel vehicles that will lower its vehicle operating costs while reducing emissions. In 2008, the roll out of more that 105 alternative-fuel vehicles saved the company nearly 34,395 gallons of fuel, and reduced emissions by more than 300 metric tons.

The communications company expects to roll out 43 alternative-fuel vehicles in 14 California cities in 2009. This is part of a company-wide plan announced in March, to invest up to $565 million nationally over the next 10 years on alternative-fuel vehicles, reaching more than 15,000 by 2019.

AT&T is also planning to install and operate a 1-megawatt solar power system at its San Ramon campus, producing power equal up to 25 percent of peak power and 5.5 percent of the facility’s annual electricity consumption… about the same amount of energy to power more than 165 California homes each year.

Miscellaneous, Solar