Algae Project at Iowa Ethanol Plant Closer to Reality

John Davis

gpreAn ethanol plant in Southwest Iowa is closer to being able to produce algae, most likely to turn into biodiesel.

This press release from Green Plains Renewable Energy says the company and BioProcessAlgae LLC, a joint venture between Green Plains, CLARCOR Inc. (NYSE: CLC), BioProcessH2O LLC and NTR plc., have executed a grant award agreement with the Iowa Office of Energy Independence for a $2.1 million research and development grant from the Iowa Power Fund to build a project to use the water, heat and carbon dioxide from the production of ethanol to make algae at Green Plains’ ethanol plant in Shenandoah, Iowa:

“Algae has the potential to become an important carbon sequestration solution, biofuel feedstock and feed product,” said Todd Becker, President and Chief Executive Officer of Green Plains. “If the pilot project is successful, BioProcessAlgae will move to expand the photobioreactor system to full commercial scale. We believe that this pilot project will be one of the first operational installations of a photobioreactor system at an industrial plant in the United Sates utilizing emerging technology out of the laboratory.”

The Iowa Power Fund grant provides matching funds to install a series of photobioreactor units at Green Plains’ Shenandoah ethanol plant. Water, heat and carbon dioxide will be recycled from the ethanol manufacturing process to support continuous algae production. The grant provides funding through the end of the first quarter of calendar year 2010 with installation of the pilot project expected in the third quarter of 2009.

Now, while the press release never directly says what the algae would be used for, one would have to assume it would be for biodiesel. BioProcessAlgae officials believe the photobioreactor system is a very important step toward system commercialization of algae technology.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, News

New Company Buys Former VeraSun Ethanol Plant

Cindy Zimmerman

AgStar Financial Services has agreed to sell one of the six former VeraSun ethanol plants it purchased to the newly-formed Carbon Green BioEnergy of Chicago.

According to a news release, the 40-million gallon plant in Woodbury, Michigan will be the first direct ownership of ethanol production for Carbon Green BioEnergy when the sale closes in the next 30 days.

“This acquisition is particularly rewarding because it is a win, win,” said Jim Murphy, president of Carbon Green BioEnergy. “Clearly it represents a sustainable business opportunity for us and our partners. But importantly, it also demonstrates our tangible commitment to the Woodbury and neighboring communities with our focus on buying corn and selling ethanol and its
by-products locally, while reducing our carbon footprint.”

AgStar lending group continues ongoing discussions with qualified buyers for the five other acquired ethanol plants. “It takes a fair amount of time to work through the sales process for this size of facility. We look forward to making announcements on some of the remaining plants in the very near future,” said Paul DeBriyn, president and chief financial officer of AgStar Financial Services.

Ethanol, News

Corn Growers Adding Value to Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

Iowa corn growers are investing in a corn oil and animal feed processor plant to add value to corn ethanol.

The investment in Merrill, IA-based Plymouth Oil Company is being made through Iowa Corn Opportunities, an equity fund established by the Iowa Corn Growers Association for investment and business development. “Plymouth Oil Company represents an important step forward for the corn ethanol industry which is currently suffering from depressed margins. Adding value to corn made ethanol is critical right now,” says Pam Johnson, President of ICO and corn grower from Floyd, Iowa. “Plymouth Oil Company is creating high value human food, high value animal feed while demonstrating that both food and fuel can be economically produced from the same kernel of corn.”

“We are able to increase the protein content of the distillers’ grains, making them more useable as a feed source in the poultry, swine and dairy markets,” says Dave Hoffman, President of POC. Hoffman also says that “corn oil is a high value vegetable oil product that is increasing in demand as food processors switch from hydrogenated soybean oil in an effort to reduce trans-fats.”

Iowa Corn Opportunities made the decision to invest in Plymouth Oil Company because it “ultimately represents an important value added opportunity for the ethanol industry, livestock producers, consumers and corn growers alike.”

corn, Ethanol

Wind Energy Web Conference

Cindy Zimmerman

More than 25 North American experts will discuss opportunities, trends and challenges related to community wind energy projects during an online web conference May 26 and 27 offered by Green Energy Web Conferences.

Presenters at the web conference include experts from organizations ranging from the American Wind Energy Association, Windustry and the World Wind Energy Association to the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy to Atlantic County Utilities Authority and Citibank. Organizers say the web conference is designed for people who are interested in learning more about community wind projects as well as for professionals already in the business wanting to keep up with this fast-changing alternative energy technology.

“When you include the savings from travel, hotel, and restaurant costs, a web conference costs only 10 percent of attendance at a traditional conference,” says Mathijs Gajentaan, CEO of Green Energy Web Conferences. “We’ve set it up interactively, so you can ask the speaker questions, browse the attendees’ profiles to see what they are doing and looking for, and connect with them. And if you can’t attend any of the live sessions, you can review the presentations at your convenience.”

Other upcoming Green Energy conferences will focus on Solar, Bio and Hydro power. The agenda and registration information for the wind energy conference is available on-line here.

conferences, Energy, Wind

Company to Produce Synthetic Diesel

Cindy Zimmerman

A California company has announced plans to build a plant in Rialto, California for the production of ultra-clean synthetic fuels and electric power from renewable waste biomass feedstocks.

Rentech, Inc. is working on what they are calling the Rialto Renewable Energy Center, or Rialto Project, which is designed to produce approximately 600 barrels per day of pure renewable synthetic fuels and export approximately 35 megawatts of renewable electric power. According to the company, “RenDieselTM, the renewable synthetic diesel to be produced at the facility, meets all applicable fuels standards, is compatible with existing engines and pipelines and burns cleanly, with emissions of particulates and other regulated pollutants significantly lower than the emissions from the combustion of CARB ultra-low sulfur diesel.”

The primary feedstock for the Rialto Project will be urban woody green waste such as yard clippings, for which Rentech is currently negotiating supply agreements. The location of the project will provide local green waste haulers with a cost-effective alternative to increasingly scarce landfills for the disposal of woody green waste. The plant is designed to also use bio-solids for a portion of the feedstock which is expected to be provided under a supply agreement with EnerTech Environmental.

biomass, Energy

Gen. Wesley Clark to Present Keynote at FEW‏

wesley_clarkGrowth Energy Co-Chairman Gen. Wesley Clark will present the keynote address at the 25th annual International Fuel Ethanol Workshop (FEW) & Expo. Clark is expected to follow Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, who has been invited to give the FEW welcome address.

The FEW conference will take place June 15-18 in Denver, Colorado. The focus of the conference will be on commercial-scale ethanol production, new technology, and near-term research and development. FEW expects more than 700 booths at their expo and boasts that they are the world’s largest, longest-running ethanol conference.

few2009After opening remarks and a welcome, the conference will be in full swing. A few of the sessions will include the following: The Future of Ethanol Production in America — Part 1: The Next Three Years; The Future of Ethanol Production in America — Part 2: 2012 and Beyond; and Cellulosic Ethanol Project Development.

For more information on FEW, go to http://www.fuelethanolworkshop.com/.

Ethanol, FEW, Growth Energy, News

Minnesota State Auction to Include FFVs

mnMore than 100 surplus vehicles will be sold at public auction on May 16 in Arden Hills, Minnesota including 40 flexible fuel vehicles. The vehicles are primarily from the 2001 through 2006 model years, with varying mileage.

The auction opens for inspection and registration at 8 a.m., with bidding beginning about 9:30 a.m., at the Department of Administration fleet and surplus services building, 5420 Old Hwy 8 in Arden Hills. All goods are sold as is; sales are final and must be settled in full via cash or personal check on the day of the auction.

The state conducts about 12 surplus goods auctions a year and sells surplus continuously online. In addition to eight live auctions slated for the Twin Cities this year, sales will be held in Bemidji, Luverne and Grand Rapids; a calendar is available here.

ffvlogoMinnesota has 360 of the 1,994 E85 fueling stations across the nation. Minnesota has more E85 outlets than any other state.

E85, Flex Fuel Vehicles

DF Cast: Climbing Over Ethanol’s Blend Wall

John Davis

df-logoEthanol seems to have hit a bit of wall. While it has been great for mixing with regular unleaded gasoline at a 10 percent blend, the industry wants to up that amount to 15 percent, overcoming what is being called a “blending wall” that is keeping the green fuel from growing beyond its current levels.

While some might worry what 15 percent ethanol would do to their engines, ethanol advocates, such as Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy… an advocacy group for ethanol… says America’s drivers can rely on higher blends of ethanol even in non-flex fuel vehicles without worrying about damage to engines and pipes.

growth-energy-smallerThe federal government is considering changing the rules to allow the higher blend. The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed raising the amount to 15 percent and is looking for comments about that idea. The comment period is currently until May 21st, but several ethanol groups are asking to extend that for 60 days. The American Coalition for Ethanol has a petition here that you can sign to encourage the upping of the ethanol blend.

In this edition of the Domestic Fuel podcast, you’ll hear from several of these groups pushing for the change, including Bob Dinneen, President of the Renewable Fuels Association, National Corn Growers Association first vice president Darrin Ihnen and Jessica Bennett, Director of Public Policy at NCGA, Buis with Growth Energy, as well as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.

Pretty interesting conversation and you can here it hear: [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/domesticfuel/DFCast-5-08-09.mp3]

You can also subscribe to the DomesticFuel Cast here.

You can find more information about the proposed rule change at the Growth Energy Web site.

Audio, Domestic Fuel Cast, Ethanol, Growth Energy, News, RFA

A Bigger Bang for the Buck: Bioelectricty or Biofuels?

Joanna Schroeder

ScienceDaily.com broke a story today about an article that will published in the May 22, 2009 issue of Science. The article focuses on what is more efficient – converting biomass to fuel or converting biomass to electricity? The study authors wrote in the online edition of the journal that the best bet is to convert the biomass to electricity rather than ethanol.

Credit: Photo by Stephen Ausmus, USDA/Agricultural Research Service

Credit: Photo by Stephen Ausmus, USDA/Agricultural Research Service

They calculate that, “compared to ethanol used for internal combustion engines, bioelectricity used for battery-powered vehicles would deliver an average of 80% more miles of transportation per acre of crops, while also providing double the greenhouse gas offsets to mitigate climate change.” Producing biomass for electricity would also provide another option to replace coal, highly criticized for its contribution of  greenhouse gas emissions and other climate change gases.

Chris Field, co-author of the study and director of the Department of Global Ecology at Carnegie Institution, said nobody has asked nor answered the question which is relatively obvious. “The kinds of motivations that have driven people to think about developing ethanol as a vehicle fuel have been somewhat different from those that have been motivating people to think about battery electric vehicles, but the overlap is in the area of maximizing efficiency and minimizing adverse impacts on climate.”

Here is what they did: they performed a life-cycle analysis of both bioelectricity and ethanol technologies, taking into account not only the energy produced by each technology, but also the energy consumed in producing the vehicles and fuels.

Here is what they found: Bioelectricity wins in the transportation-miles-per-acre comparison, regardless of whether the energy was produced from corn or from switchgrass.

They also discovered: Bioelectricity and ethanol differ in their potential impact on climate change. Some approaches make the problem worse, some make the problem better.

Although the researchers acknowledge that bioelectricity is the winner, they caution that the issue facing society in choosing an energy strategy are complex. Bioelectricity may win in terms of transportation and climate but could lose in other categories like water consumption, air pollution and economic costs.

The study, “Greater Transportation Energy and GHG Offsets from Bioelectricity Than Ethanol,” is available on Science’s website.

biomass, Energy, Environment, Miscellaneous, Research

NREL Recipient of Recovery Act Funding

Joanna Schroeder

“The goal is to set America on a course for a secure and sustainable energy future.” DOE Energy Secretary Steven Chu

20090501_chu_group1

The alternative energy industry is already receiving the monies set aside to help spur the economy and reduce America’s dependence on fossil-fuel based energy sources. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory was the recipient of $110 million in funding, announced by U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu. The funds were allocated as part of the Recovery and Investment Act.

The funds have been designated to accelerate the completion of the construction of NREL’s Golden Colorado campus. Once completed, this research facility will dramatically expand NREL’s capacity for renewable energy research. The facility will be equiped with the latest technologies to reduce energy consumption, a model for future buildings across America.

The remaining $10 million in funds will be used to improve NREL’s National Wind Technology Center located near Boulder, Colorado. NREL’s Director Dan Arvizu said, “These investments are an unmistakable signal from DOE about the Laboratory’s central role in advancing President Obama’s clean energy agenda. It is a significant investment in NREL’s future.”

The announcement was part of a half-day tour of NREL by Secretary Chu and included Colorado Governor Bill Ritter. Colorado has been positioning itself as a leader in renewable energy, and earlier this year President Obama went to Colorado where he signed the Recovery and Investment Act into law.

biofuels, Energy, Government, Legislation, News, Wind