NEC 2027

Biodiesel Board Congratulates MN on Requirement

John Davis

nbb-logoMinnesota has upped its biodiesel requirement today from 2 percent to 5 percent, making the state the first in the nation to move to that high of blend of the green fuel.

The state is being recognized by the National Biodiesel Board for its efforts to keep valuable jobs in the U.S., decrease dependence on foreign oil and lessen environmental impacts:

“Increasing biodiesel in our diesel fuel allows us to take advantage of a renewable fuel made in Minnesota, which in addition to being environmentally responsible also adds to our state’s bottom line,” said Ed Hegland, a Minnesota soybean farmer and Chairman of the National Biodiesel Board. “I’m proud to live in a state that is leading energy innovations and taking part in valuable solutions like biodiesel.”

“This standard empowers the citizens of the state to support Minnesota’s economy and use less foreign oil,” said Joe Jobe, National Biodiesel Board CEO.

The NBB says the Minnesota was able to overcome some early concerns about its B2 requirement by making sure there was proper quality control.

Last winter, biodiesel was wrongly accused of causing some buses in Bloomington to not run. The NBB points out that biodiesel can perform well at 20 percent blends, even in the coldest of climates, so the new 5 percent requirement should not be an issue in the chilly Minnesota winters.

Minnesota joins Washington state, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, New Mexico and Massachusetts, which have also passed biodiesel requirements.

Biodiesel, NBB

Senate Bill Would Curb Unproven Indirect Land Use Measures

Cindy Zimmerman

U.S. Senator John Thune has introduced a bill designed to strengthen the Renewable Fuels Standard and prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from using inaccurate indirect land use models to discredit the positive environmental impacts of ethanol.

Thune“Following California’s recent decision to use flawed models to estimate ethanol’s environmental impact, I am concerned that the EPA could soon apply similar standards that will handicap renewable fuel relative to regular gasoline,” said Thune. “Congress has asked EPA to apply greenhouse gas emission standards that reflect ethanol’s proven environmental benefits. However, with the EPA’s current decision that is pending at the White House, I am concerned that EPA’s action could have a detrimental impact on our renewable fuel industry and efforts to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.”

Thune’s bill directs the EPA to focus on direct lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions, which would level the playing field between ethanol and regular gasoline and bring more regulatory certainty to the ethanol industry. Additionally, the bill would require EPA to publicize the model for measuring lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions before taking any regulatory action. The bill would also allow individual ethanol producers with a unique production method to apply to the EPA for a lower carbon score which would provide an incentive for ethanol companies to develop innovative ways to produce ethanol.

Ethanol, Government, Indirect Land Use

NRDC Launches Good Vs. Bad Biofuels Campaign

Joanna Schroeder

image_2A new campaign funded by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has created controversy in the biofuels industry. The campaign was developed, according to a blog post by Nathanael Greene, “to sharpen the distinction between biofuels done right and biofuels done wrong.” The campaign cites that ethanol plants using coal power is “wrong” as well as biofuels that “pillage” natural resources are done “wrong”. How to do them right? Use crops like switchgrass that use less water and fertilizer.

Sean O’Hanlon, the executive director of the American Biofuels Council (ABC), responded to the campaign by noting that NRDC made an error in that they just made themselves feedstock specific.

However, in an article published by OPIS, Greene clarified the intention of the campaign. “Congress and the country are working now to create a clean energy future and grow green jobs. If biofuels are going to be part of that future, we need to get them right. All biofuels — first generation, advanced, cellulosic, algae, you name it — they all need to be done right and measured against strict performance standards.”

“Today, environmental groups are the ones who are dictating what fuels, methodology and technology the biofuels industry should be developing.” said O’Hanlon. “What the biofuels industry should have been doing from day one is producing its fuel using wind, solar, hydo-electric, and geothermal power.”

O’Hanlon concluded by saying, “In order to produce biofuels sustainably, there are additional issues we are going to face including water use. The industry needs to start preparing for this now.” There are many experts who would agree that water use is going to come under fire in the next few months. Let’s hope the industry gets out ahead of the issue and doesn’t face another crisis similar to food versus fuel.

Cellulosic, Energy, Environment, Ethanol

Book Review – The Party’s Over

Joanna Schroeder

partys-over-cover-vsmI went back in time this week (if you can call five years ago back in time) and read Richard Heinberg’s, “The Party’s Over“.  I was curious to see how the thinking about our addiction to fossil fuels and the need to adopt renewable energy has changed. Well, it really hasn’t.

Like many other authors who wrote books about oil during this time frame, Heinberg talked a lot about America’s (and the world’s) love affair with oil and discussed, at length, when America and the world would succumb to peak oil. Since most people have come to terms with the theory that we’ve already seen peak oil, most authors don’t focus on this issue any longer. From there he focused on the current and future technologies of renewable energy sources.

It’s interesting to note that Heinberg is a follower of population reduction, a concept that is mentioned in several occasions in the book I reviewed last week, “Green Hell”. Heinberg argues that the ideal population level is around two billion people. This would be a reduction of nearly four billion people. Based on the fact that the world has limited resources (he disagrees with the fact that we can keep saving ourselves with technology) he lists five things our leaders should logically and morally be compelled to do.

  1. Adopt the ethic of sustainability in all aspects of thinking.
  2. Institute systematic efforts to improve efficiency in the use of efforts.
  3. Encourage the rapid development and deployment of all varieties of renewable energy.
  4. Systematically discourage (through taxes) the consumption of nonrenewable resources.
  5. Find humane ways to encourage a reduction in human fertility in all countries, so as to reduce the population over time.

The first four in the list are a common theme among authors but where he differs is calling for leaders to reduce the popluation in a humane way. I’m not convinced forced population reduction is humane, period.

Heinberg may have been a little ahead of the energy debate so he published follow-up to this book – “Power Down“. Heinberg powerdown-cover-vsmhas been writing and teaching in sustainability and energy for many years to agree or disagree with him, he is one to watch.

You can buy this book or any book I review here. Also, if there is a book you’d like me to review, contact me at jms@4RCommunications.com.

book reviews

New Iowa Ethanol Plant Begins Production

Cindy Zimmerman

In a time when many plants are shutting down, a new ethanol plant near New Hampton, Iowa has started production.

homeland energyThe Homeland Energy Solutions will produce 100 million gallons of ethanol annually, according to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA), which congratulated the company for its accomplisment this week.

“It’s been a difficult time for the ethanol industry, but Homeland Energy Solutions is proof that we are working through it and finding ways to succeed,” said IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw. “This locally-owned ethanol refinery will buy Iowa corn and provide good paying jobs in rural Iowa. Homeland Energy Solutions is a welcome addition to Iowa’s growing industry.”

Homeland Energy Solutions Board Chair Steve Eastman said they are excited to start production. “And we are grateful that we missed the commodity boom and bust of 2008 that whiplashed so much of the ethanol industry,” said Eastman. “While margins remain tight, we feel well positioned going forward.”

Fagen, Inc., the Granite Falls, Minnesota design-build contractor, oversaw the construction and incorporated a process design provided by ICM, Inc. of Colwich, Kansas.

Ethanol, Facilities

Sign Petition for 15 Percent Ethanol Blend

Cindy Zimmerman

ACEThe American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) has launched a petition drive calling on EPA to allow blends of up to 15 percent ethanol in regular gasoline.

According to ACE organizers, the on-line petition has gathered over 4500 signatures from nearly every state. “ACE wants to gather as many signatures as possible to demonstrate to Congress, the White House, EPA, and the media that Americans want more ethanol,” they said.

The petition states:

I believe we should be allowed to choose more clean, American-made renewable fuel for our cars. The federal government arbitrarily limits the use of ethanol in a gallon of gasoline to just 10 percent, a regulation that is standing in the way of new green jobs, jeopardizing progress toward advanced biofuels, and putting energy security at risk. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is currently considering whether to allow the use of up to 15 percent ethanol, which would enable consumers to choose between fuels that contain no ethanol and any blend up to 15%.

Sign the petition on-line here.

ACE, Ethanol

Local Lung Associations: Biodiesel Key to Clean Air

John Davis

americanlungassocA report by the American Lung Association says that the air in America is pretty bad. But local associations of that parent organization believe that biodiesel is key to cleaning it up.

The State of the Air Report 2009 was shown during the American Lung Association of the District of Columbia’s recent (ALADC) news conference, as touted in this National Biodiesel Board press release:

stateof-theair2009“Give your support to any effort to advance technology that emit lower levels of pollution like biodiesel,” said [Professor of Environmental and Occupational Medicine at the Howard University College of Medicine and Vice Chairman-Elect of ALADC Dr. Bailus Walker, Jr.]. He also showed attendees the Journal of Inhalation and Toxicology published issue on biodiesel that resulted from a summit the ALADC and the American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest convened in 2006.

nbb-logo2National Biodiesel Board member Ben Wootton of Keystone Biodiesel attended the ALADC news conference. The company will be supplying fuel for the District of Columbia, which is preparing to switch to a biodiesel blend. Wootton, an asthma sufferer, became interested in working in the biodiesel industry after learning about biodiesel’s air quality benefits.

Biodiesel is a sustainable, renewable alternative to diesel fuel that reduces most regulated emissions substantially, including carbon monoxide, particulate matter and unburned hydrocarbons.

“With biodiesel, America can produce its own cleaner-burning diesel alternative that helps clean up the air with existing vehicles,” said Joe Jobe, National Biodiesel Board CEO. “Biodiesel is a natural solution to help achieve lung associations’ goals to reduce air pollution and safeguard our health. We are grateful for their support and applaud their vision for a cleaner future.”

The NBB points out that biodiesel reduces air toxins by 90 percent and significantly cuts down on the compounds linked to cancer. In addition, breathing the smoke from petroleum diesel exhaust can trigger an asthma attack, while biodiesel reduces that particulate matter triggering those attacks up to 40 percent.

Biodiesel, NBB

Alt Energy Part of Farm Foundation Competition

John Davis

30-yearchallengeMeeting the challenge of providing the world’s food, feed, fiber and, especially, fuel is what’s facing the American farmer today, and it’s part of a competition the Farm Foundation is sponsoring.

Last December, the Farm Foundation put out a report entitled The 30-Year Challenge: Agriculture’s Strategic Role in Feeding and Fueling a Growing World, where the group outlined six challenge areas facing American farmers: global financial markets and recession; global food security; global energy security; climate change; competition for natural resources; and global economic development (see my posts on Domestic Fuel and AgWired.com). To help come up with solutions, earlier this spring the Farm Foundation came up with a competition, which will hand out cash prizes totaling $20,000 and has a looming deadline of June 1, 2009:

“Agriculture globally faces the challenge of how to provide food to a world that is expected to have 9 billion people by 2040,” says Farm Foundation President Neil Conklin. “This challenge exists at the same time that we are already seeing pressures on global resources, as well as increased demand for agriculture to provide not only food, but feed, fiber and fuel.

“It is not clear that today’s public policies-designed to deal with issues of the last century-provide appropriate tools and incentives to address the challenges of the next 30 years,” Conklin continues. “Farm Foundation is offering this competition as a catalyst for innovative ideas and approaches.”

For more information, check the Farm Foundation’s 30-Year Challenge Web site.

Farm Foundation

Criticisms of Sperling’s Role in the LCFS Heating Up

Joanna Schroeder

Two weeks ago I reviewed, “Two Billion Cars” by Daniel Sperling and Deborah Gordon. I focused on several aspects but I did not tie together this important point: Daniel Sperling vehemently dislikes corn ethanol and he is the lead researcher for the California Air Resources Board (CARB) that just passed the Low Carbon Fuels Standard (LCFS). The LCFS was a huge set-back for the corn-ethanol industry in California, but even more so in light that other states and/or the federal government may adopt similar if not identical standards.

So, how does someone with such an outspoken, biased view have such prominent role in developing this legislation? Most people would consider this a conflict of interest.

I don’t have a crystal ball so I can’t answer that question, but I can tell you that Sperling founded and runs the Institute for Governor Schwarzenegger UCD visitTransportation Studies whose main research focus is hydrogen fuels (including from coal), natural gas fuels and fuel cells. Don’t forget California’s Hydrogen Highway and Gov. Schwarzenegger’s hydrogen powered Hummer. I surmise that Sperling had a major role in the support of a statewide hydrogen initiative.

Now I can’t criticize Sperling for supporting hydrogen. Many supporters of renewable energy support hydrogen for valid reasons but according to experts it is still 20 years away. Everyone must understand that it’s going to take all kinds of technologies to help us move away from fossil fuels – there is no silver bullet. Corn-ethanol is not perfect but it has a positive impact on the reduction of CO2 emissions and has offset some of our need to purchase foreign oil. In the future, biofuels will continue to play a major role. It is not in the best interest of our country to adopt the attitude, “Let’s wait and see. Something will save us.” We don’t have to wait. We have great technology right now.

So the moral? When making policy decisions, we need people who have an open mind, and are willing to review both current and future technologies and the roles they will play in our new energy economy.

biofuels, Hydrogen, Opinion

FedEx Announces “30 by 30” Initiative

Joanna Schroeder

fedex-logojpeg1During a recent session of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce aviation forum, FedEx announced that it has a goal of using renewable fuels for 30 percent of its fuel needs by 2030. The company is confident that this action will both reduce air-transportation costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

According to a New York Times article published yesterday, CEO Fred Smith cited using biodiesel derived from jatropha, ethanol produced from switchgrass and other second-generation biofuels to help reduce CO2 emissions and other greenhouse gases that are prevalent in petroleum based fuels.

However, Smith did cite a caveat for adoption and use of biofuels, “These non-fossil fuels must be capable of being easily mixed with existing petroleum aviation fuels that use existing infrastructure,” he said.

President Obama has demonstrated his strong support of environmental and renewable energy initiatives during his first 100 days in office, and most experts have given him high praise. But with the majority of federal legislation favoring next generation biofuels, Smith suggested to the administration that they need to dedicate more significant dollars to fund research, development and deployment of these alternative fuels.

Another effort to curb FedEx’s energy use is to also replace older planes with new ones that use less fuel and fewer emissions. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, aviation fuel use accounts for approximately 10 percent greenhouse gas emisions from the transportaton sector.

It is hoped that Fed-Ex’s annoncement will encourage others in the aviation industry to follow suit.

Biodiesel, Company Announcement, Ethanol