Cellulosic Ethanol Plant to be Closer to UF

Cindy Zimmerman

Plans for a new cellulosic ethanol research and demonstration plant to be built by the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences are being revamped for a location closer to Gainesville.

IFAS officials announced that they have modified their agreement for the plant, which originally was slated to be built at a Florida Crystals site in Okeelanta, Fla. The new plans call for a smaller facility, which will better meet the $20 million budget allocated by the Florida Legislature. In addition, a location closer to UF will help draw upon the expertise of the university’s faculty and staff to expedite next-generation ethanol technology.

The plant will now focus on new parallel processes that produce cellulosic ethanol as well as organic acid co-products in the form of plastics. The plant will also experiment with a wider variety of feedstocks, including forest products, various types of sugarcane, sugar processing byproducts and many others.

Cellulosic, Ethanol, Research

Navy Exchange Opens New E85 Station

navalA grand opening celebration will be held tomorrow, June 11 at 11:00 a.m. to celebrate the opening of a new Navy E85 fuel pump. The dispenser will be located at the Navel Station in Everett, Washington. This is the first NEX E85 dispenser available on the west coast to not only official vehicles, but to both military and civilians who have access to military installations.

The E85 now available at Naval Station Everett supports Executive Order 13149, “Greening the Government Through Federal Fleet and Transportation Efficiency.” The purpose of the order is to ensure the Federal government exercises leadership in the reduction of petroleum consumption through improvements in fleet fuel efficiency and the use of alternative fuels.

“This is a major step forward in our goal of reducing petroleum consumption in fleet vehicles by 2% annually through 2015,” said CAPT Gregory Harshberger, Executive Officer, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest.

The contract for the installation of the E85 tank was awarded on September 24, 2008 to Weston Solutions and construction started on February 26. The cost of the contract was $387,225.

“The availability of an alternative fuel supply on base clearly helps decrease NAVSTA’s “carbon footprint.” Plus, we now have an opportunity to do something for the environment every single day of the year, and not just an annual event to observe Earth Day-type programs,” said CAPT Thomas Mascolo, NAVSTA Everett Commanding Officer.

E85, Ethanol

CPV to ‘Mothball’ Hereford Ethanol Plant

Joanna Schroeder

cpv2Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) has been selected by Ethanol Acquisition, LLC to manage its 105 million-gallon-per-year Hereford Texas ethanol plant under contract to be acquired through the bankruptcy of Hereford Biofuels, L.P. In April of this year, Ethanol Acquisition, who is owned by Societe Generale, acquired the Hereford ethanol plant from Panda Ethanol Inc. for a $25 million credit bid in bankruptcy court.

Dave Magill, Senior Vice President, Asset Management for CPV, stated in a company release, “We are pleased to have been selected by Ethanol Acquisition to manage their Hereford plant. Our objective is to properly maintain and preserve the facility in anticipation of a future start-up or eventual sale.”

CPV is assisting Ethanol Aquisition with closing the aquisition, and will be overseeing the plant’s transition to ‘mothball’ status and liquidating physical commodity positions.

Company Announcement, Ethanol

Shell to sell Advanced Biofuels in Canada

Joanna Schroeder

_mg_5612Shell has become the first retailer to begin selling cellulosic ethanol in Ottawa, Ontario made from wheat straw. The E10 blend will be available for one month, beginning today, at all Shell stations across the city. The advanced biofuel is produced locally from non-food raw materials at Iogen Energy Corporation’s demonstration plant, using advanced conversion processes. Iogen and Shell are partners in the plant, which now produces 40,000 liters of fuel per month.

While all ethanol reduces carbon dioxide, cellulosic ethanol can reduce CO2 tailpipe emissions by up to 90 percent as compared to gasoline. Shell has been working for several years, in conjunction with Iogen, to develop and bring to market advanced biofuels.

“I am excited we are leading the pack in cellulosic ethanol production technology and, with this event, showing what is possible in the future,” said Dr. Graeme Sweeney, Shell Executive Vice President Future Fuels and CO2. “While it will be some time before general customers can buy this product at local service stations, we are working with governments to make large-scale production economic.”

Iogen’s CEO, Brian Foody noted that, “With the volumes we’re producing today, we’re confident about the future.”

Cellulosic, Company Announcement, News

One-Day Passes Available for FEW

Joanna Schroeder

fuel-ethanol-workshop-sublogoWe’re less than a week away from the 25th annual Fuel Ethanol Workshop and this year, they are offering people one-day passes for $225. Registrants will have the ability to go to sessions, attend the expo and participate in networking opportunity.

Don’t miss the opening session with BBI International CEO, Mike Bryan, keynote speaker General Wesley Clark, Co-Chairman of Growth Energy and Bob Dineen, President of the Renewable Fuels Association who will be delivering a state of the industry address.

To register, visit www.fuelethanolworkshop.com. The conference begins June 15 and ends June 18 is being held in Denver, Colo. at the Colorado Convention Center.

conferences

Eco-Boost Engines Improve Fuel Economy with Ethanol

Joanna Schroeder

Ford Motor Company has been making news recently with its announcement that using ethanol in its “Eco-Boost” engines can increase fuel economy. The system which is known as Direct Injection Octane Boost, has the potential to increase fuel economy between five to 10 percent. The improved fuel economy is realized by injecting a quick burst of ethanol into the combustion chamber prior to a regular injection of unleaded gasoline. Ford is already working on its second generation Eco-Boost V6 engines.

ford-eco-boost-engine

It appears that the technology will debut in the U.S. market in the Lincoln MKS. This technology is one of a kind and Ford has filed documents with the Department of Energy confirming that their “Bobcat” V8 engines will be brought to market in the F-truck series range.

The technology was developed in conjunction with Ethanol Boosting Systems and capitalizes on ethanol’s higher octane rating to improve power and fuel economy. This is similar to a driver of a flex-fuel vehicle who is burning E85 getting a power boost when stepping on the accelerating.

The system uses to separate tanks, one for ethanol and one for gasoline but according to company sources the ethanol tank will only require periodic filling due to the small amount of ethanol used.

While better fuel economy is always a benefit, especially with the volatility of gas prices, there is a drawback–the car sporting the Eco-Boost technology still uses gas as its primary fuel.

Car Makers, Ethanol, News

Russia Calls for More Regulation In Global Ag Exports

Joanna Schroeder

logo_engAfter becoming one of the top three wheat exporters in 2008, Russia is now determined to play a pivotal role in the flow of worldwide agriculture markets. Russian Federation’s President Dmitry Medvedev has proposed closer coordination between global grain exporters and said, “excessive protectionism had encouraged speculation in global grain markets,” during the World Grain Forum which took place over the weekend in Saint-Petersburg. This challenge was spurred in part by the number of people globally  who are stricken with extreme starvation: 1 billion.

Russia is also the second largest oil supplier and intends to get into the biofuels game. However, Medvedev said to the more than 1,000 forum attendees that the country would only support sustainable fuels developed from non-food sources.

“The technology now exists and we think the world community has to find a compromise between the issues of energy and food security,” Medvedev said in Rueters’ article Kremlin urges grain exporters to tackle world hunger. “The growth of biofuels should not become a reason for a growing deficit of food grain.” The country plans on more than doubling its agriculture land and production over the next few years.

Syngenta Chief Operating Office Crop Protection, John Atkin was also a speaker during the World Grain Forum and during his presentation emphasized the critical role of technology in meeting current and future global food needs.

“The world must work together, Atkin said, “to accelerate technology adoption. We could already realize significant yield
potential within the next three years by comprehensively deploying existing technologies.”

biofuels, conferences, food and fuel, Food prices

EPA Hears Concerns at RFS Hearing

Cindy Zimmerman

Numerous biofuels representatives testified at a day-long hearing Tuesday in Washington DC on the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rulemaking for the Renewable Fuels Standard.

ncga ruh National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) testified that corn growers have serious concerns about assumptions in the proposed rule regarding indirect land use changes. Ethanol Committee Chairman Steve Ruh says EPA has failed to take into account modern agricultural practices and biotechnology that are increasing both corn yields and ethanol production.

“Over the past nine years, a time when ethanol production grew dramatically, for every bushel required for the increased ethanol market, 2.89 new bushels were grown on the same acres, thus requiring no additional acres be brought into production for the purpose of ethanol,” Ruh testified.

POET VP for science and technology Dr. Mark Stowers told EPA that the model for calculating indirect land use changes is “flawed and has no basis in law or science.”

Stowers urged EPA officials to visit a modern ethanol plant to “obtain real data about the industry, rather than relying on unproven models, hypotheses and assumptions.”

About 60 people testified at the hearing yesterday, split about evenly between those who supported the rule and those who wanted to see changes.

corn, Ethanol, Government, NCGA, POET

Lean, Mean AND Green Marines

John Davis

usmclogo1While I’ve always admired U.S. Marines for their ability to go anywhere, anytime, under any conditions – and kick some serious butt!!! – you have to admire the way they are also looking out for the environment.

This article from the San Diego News Network says Marines at nearby Camp Pendelton are adopting lots of alternative energy choices, including some hydrogen-powered vehicles and a filling station:

The base is also participating in a study with General Motors to test its prototype hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, called the Chevy Equinox, which cost a cool $1.2 million apiece. Workers are putting the finishing touches on a hydrogen fuel dispensing station next to Interstate 5, which will be the only one of its kind in San Diego County once it’s up and running, said Camp Pendleton fleet manager Jim Seaman.

“In my opinion, that’s where we’re going,” said Seaman of the fuel cell vehicles, which are used by base personnel for administrative errands. “The question is how long to get them and what type of fuel vehicles will we use until we get to hydrogen? These other vehicles and fuel types are just bridges until we get to hydrogen fuel cells.”

The base is also expecting to receive a 12-person hydrogen fuel cell van from the state of California, which will be used as a shuttle between Camp Pendleton and San Diego.

Base officials decided to put the hydrogen fuel station just off Interstate 5 so that in the future, it may be opened for access by the general public, as part of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “hydrogen highway” initiative.

Other efforts by the Marines at Camp Pendelton include using wind and solar power and fueling some of their vehicles with natural gas.

Sempre fidelis and, now, sempre viridis (Always faithful and, now, always green).

Government, Hydrogen, Solar, Wind

Greenhunter Energy’s Stock Sees Huge Jump

John Davis

greenhunterThe stock in a company that seemed to be wiped out by Hurricane Ike last year has taken a dramatic jump. While Texas-based renewable energy company Greenhunter Energy Inc won’t say anything about Tuesday’s 62 percent surge in price, this story in the Wall Street Journal tries to clear up some of the mystery of why Greenhunter closed at $1.86:

The company, which focuses on the renewable energy sectors of wind, hydro, solar and biofuels, saw shares rise an additional 16% to $2.15 in after-hours trading.

The company said that its policy was “not to comment on unusual market activity.”

Pavel Molchanov, an energy analyst with Raymond James, said the market could be reacting to speculation that the company has made progress with its credit negotiations with its primary lender, WestLB AG, a German-based commercial bank.

“Even though the company hasn’t given specific updates with discussions with the lender, which are ongoing, its possible the market is anticipating a positive resolution to those discussions that would alleviate the company’s liquidity crisis,” said Molchanov.

The jump comes after Greenhunter’s stock dropped to its lowest level… just 91 cents… last Thursday.

Miscellaneous