Study Shows Biodiesel Reduces CO2 Emissions

John Davis

Just in case you need more evidence of the clean-burning nature of biodiesel, a new study once again confirms the fuel’s green nature.

A six-month demonstration by California-based fleet States Logistics’ saw carbon dioxide reduction of 72.9 tons compared to straight petroleum diesel. This National Biodisel Board press release says the company will be able to use the information to market to customers, and eventually, may use it to sell carbon offsets on the voluntary markets:

stateslogistics“We were really pleased to see the quantified reduction of CO2 and other pollutants,” said Ryan Donovan, VP of Operations and Business Development of States Logistics. “This is something that we can take to our customers, like Clif Bar & Company, and they can show their customers. We all benefit from having this information available to show the efforts being made to reduce carbon footprint throughout the supply chain.”

States Logistics ran seven trucks: four on soy-based B5 (5% biodiesel and 95% petroleum diesel) and three on B99 (99% biodiesel and 1% petroleum diesel). The B99 trucks (three-axle International model 8600) ran 48,198 miles and consumed 8,770 gallons over the six month period. The equivalent straight petroleum diesel output would have been 89.9 tons, but with B99, the output was 19.8 tons for a savings of 70.1 tons. The B5 fleet (two-axle flat bed) traveled 61,433 miles and consumed 7,090 gallons of B5. Equivalent petroleum CO2 output would have been 71.4, with B5 the output was reduced to 68.6 for 2.8 tons of CO2 reduction. In addition to CO2 reduction, an estimated 119 pounds of particulate matter were eliminated from the exhaust during the six month period. Carbon monoxide (CO) was reduced by over 500 pounds, hydrocarbons (HC) by over 50 pounds, and sulfur dioxide (SO2) by close to 40 pounds.

nbb-logo2“This information is valuable to any fleet using biodiesel,” said Tom Verry, Director of Outreach and Development for NBB. “We picture eventually offering this as a value-add report for BioTrucker Fuel Card holders.”

The NBB released the results of the test during the recent Mid America Trucking Show (MATS)… the largest U.S. based trucking show, attracting nearly 60,000 truckers to Louisville, Ky. every year.

The organization also used the event to release the results of an online survey of owner-operators, independent and company drivers. NBB found: only 8 percent were not familiar with biodiesel; 75.8 percent have a positive impression of biodiesel; 57 percent have at least tried biodiesel and 94 percent would use biodiesel in the future; supporting American farmers tops the list of reasons for using biodiesel with 59 percent choosing this and 40 percent choosing energy independence.

Biodiesel, NBB

Gulf Ethanol Changes Name to Encompass Added Company Focus

gulf_alternative_energyGulf Ethanol Corporation has annouced the change of its name to Gulf Alternative Energy Corporation. The name change encompasses the added focus of the company’s biomass processing technology.

gulf_alternative_energyprocessingWith their main office in Houston, Texas, Gulf Alternative Energy develops cellulosic ethanol pre-processing and production technologies for the ethanol producers in North America. The Company plans to use its patented, exclusive technology to retrofit existing corn-based ethanol plants for cellulosic ethanol production and also for use in the design and construction of its own cellulosic ethanol production facility.

Gulf Alternative Energy is working to transform America’s renewable and abundant biomass resources into cost competitive, high performance biofuels such as E85.

biomass, Cellulosic, Ethanol, News

Ethanol Report on Indirect Land Use

Cindy Zimmerman

Ethanol Report PodcastThis edition of the “Ethanol Report” discusses the critical decisions being made regarding renewable fuels and indirect land use on both the federal and state level. Comments are from Renewable Fuels Association Vice President of Research Geoff Cooper, Air Improvement Resource President Tom Darlington and Nathanael Greene, Senior Policy Analyst with the Natural Resources Defense Council.

You can listen to “The Ethanol Report” on-line here:
[audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/rfa/ethanol-report-29.mp3]

Or you can subscribe to this podcast by following this link.

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol Report, Indirect Land Use, RFA

Ethanol Producer Defends Product

Cindy Zimmerman

In a very well-written opinion piece for the Omaha World-Herald, a Nebraska ethanol producer defends his product, the industry and American agriculture.

Kaapa EthanolChuck Woodside, chief executive officer of KAAPA Ethanol in Minden, NE and secretary of the Renewable Fuels Association, says attacks upon corn ethanol are becoming more frequent and fanciful – but “there’s scarcely a kernel of truth in any of them.”

“Their fundamental flaw is underestimating the ingenuity of the American ethanol industry — and American agriculture as well. Both are becoming more technologically advanced and more efficient in every way, including their use of energy, water and land,” writes Woodside.

Because of efficiency improvements at American ethanol plants, there have been dramatic reductions in the use of water and energy. While production increased at ethanol facilities in the United States from 2001 to 2006, their water consumption decreased by 27 percent, electricity usage declined by 16 percent and total energy use went down by 22 percent.

Not only is ethanol a clean-burning energy source, but its production is also increasingly efficient in its use of resources.

Similarly, producing increased amounts of grain ethanol requires remarkably little land in this country and exerts a negligible impact on land use throughout the world. The total amount of cropland dedicated to American ethanol production in 2007 was only 0.6 percent of the worldwide total.

Moreover, the total amount of agricultural land required to produce 15 billion gallons of grain ethanol in the United States by 2015, as required by the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act, would most likely be less than 1 percent of world cropland.

Read the entire op-ed here.

Ethanol, Opinion

Corn Growers Establish Climate Task Force

Cindy Zimmerman

The National Corn Growers Association Ethanol Committee has established a task force of corn farmers to focus on climate issues, such as land use change, greenhouse gas emissions, cap-and-trade policies, carbon sequestration and low carbon fuel standards. The team includes farmers from Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and Ohio.

NCGA“There is a wealth of information and research on climate change that we need to gather and communicate to our members and policymakers,” said Steve Ruh, chairman of the task force and a farmer in Sugar Grove, Ill. “We also know there is a need for more research to fill the gaps for policy and legislative initiatives that will help us maintain economic and environmental sustainability.”

One immediate project for the task force is a response to the controversial low carbon fuel standard proposed by the California Air Resources Board.

corn, Ethanol, global warming, Indirect Land Use, NCGA

New Partnership for Cellulosic Ethanol Technology

Cindy Zimmerman

AE BiofuelsCalifornia-based AE Biofuels is partnering with Merrick & Company to commercially implement its enzyme-based technology for the production of cellulosic ethanol.

MerrickMerrick provides engineering and architectural design-build, procurement, construction management, and geospatial services.

According to a press release, the companies will work together “to rapidly deploy AE Biofuels’ next-generation biofuels technology to address the significant demand for cellulosic ethanol created by the revised Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS).”

The combination of AE Biofuels’ industry-leading technology and Merrick’s leading position as a world-class engineering and services provider brings to the market a solution that is both cost-effective and commercially viable to address the growing demand for non-food, advanced biofuels.

Cellulosic, Ethanol, technology

Myrtle Beach Area to Get Biodiesel Plant

John Davis

coastalbiodieselA new biodiesel plant is set to open in the Myrtle Beach area of South Carolina.

This story from WCBD-TV in Charleston says Coastal Biodiesel Group, Inc. is opening a $4.5 million facility in Horry County that will employ 50 people making the green fuel from used cooking oils:

“We are pleased to begin operations in South Carolina with our Conway facility. Horry County provides us with a positive business environment and excellent labor pool, as well as giving us excellent market access. We appreciate all the support we’ve received from state and local officials,” said Mark L. Hefner, president of Coastal Biodiesel Group.

Coastal Biodiesel will take used cooking oils from restaurants and commercial cooking firms to produce biodiesel. The company has purchased a 28,000 square foot facility in Conway, and estimates it could produce up to 4 million gallons of biodiesel annually.

“Coastal Biodiesel Group is an innovative start-up company that recycles used cooking oils and grease trap waste to produce biodiesel. The company’s decision to establish its operations in South Carolina is a strong testament that our state’s business-friendly climate, strong workforce and growing alternative energy sector are working to attract new investment. We welcome Coastal Biodiesel Group to South Carolina’s business community and wish them success in their new venture. Thanks to the team effort by state and local officials, Horry County will benefit from this investment with new jobs,” said Joe Taylor, Secretary of Commerce.

The company will start picking up the used oil this week with hopes of beginning biodiesel production in the next few months.

Biodiesel

Tulsa Trucker Faces Charges After Dumping Ethanol

A trucker from Tulsa, Oklahoma has been charged in Willow Springs, Missouri for dumping nearly 500 gallons of ethanol fuel in a ditch. Carl Wescott is faced with a year in jail and/or a fine not less than $2,500 but not greater than $25,000. The incident took place in March of 2008.

Missouri Highway Patrol noted that Wescott admitted to dumping the fuel because his load was too heavy and he needed to meet truck weight limits.

modnrThe Missouri Department of Natural Resources tested the area where the fuel was dumped and found high levels of explosive vapors. Although ethanol burns cleaner than the hydrocarbons found in gasoline, its vapor can burn with explosive speed when mixed with air in the correct fuel/air mixture.

Ethanol

More Criticism of CA Low Carbon Fuel Standard

Cindy Zimmerman

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger received at least two more letters this week protesting the state’s proposed Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS).

Over 65 retired members of the U.S. armed forces and intelligence community wrote to the governor about their concerns that applying the LCFS in its current state would penalize renewable fuels to the benefit of petroleum and other fossil fuel.

This is not simply a scientific or environmental matter. It is a matter of national security, which is threatened by our reliance on oil and the effects of climate change. That is why we, as former members of the United States armed forces and intelligence services are writing to you on this important subject. Biofuels play a critical role in breaking our dependence on oil and mitigating the impact of climate change. The links between national security, fossil fuels, and climate change are many and they are severe.

The letter, which came through the Truman National Security Project, concluded, “We are calling on the state of California to lend us a hand in keeping America safe by enacting a fuel regulation that is unbiased and does not enforce indirect carbon effects against only one type of fuel.”

Meanwhile, the president of the American Farm Bureau Federation also wrote to Gov. Schwarzenegger this week, calling for a “level playing field” in the development of that state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS).

AFBF president Bob Stallman noted that the agricultural community is eager to play a central role in the increased use of biofuels, but warned, “If adopted as currently proposed, the LCFS will uniformly dissuade the production and use of all forms of biofuels that utilize land and undercut what is a tremendous opportunity to spur economic growth in agricultural communities and reduce carbon emissions with American farming.”

Ethanol, Government, Indirect Land Use

Defense Department Looking for Alt Fuels for Alaska

John Davis

eielsonexerciseAirmen and soldiers in Alaska could one day be using alternative fuels for their operations.

The Alaska Journal of Commerce reports the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency has announced it wants contractors to bid on a long-term deal to supply for those Air Force and Army cold weather warriors:

Mark Iden, deputy operations director of the Defense Energy Support Center, a part of the Defense Logistics Agency, said his agency is soliciting proposals from industry to supply a 50-50 blend of alternative and conventional fuels.

The agency wants the alternative fuels made through the Fischer-Tropsch process, a chemical process that converts carbon-based material like biomass, natural gas or coal to high-quality liquid products.

Officials say they want to let a minimum five-year purchase contract with options for extensions… a great departure from the agency’s typical one-year fuel purchase contracts.

Hmmm… maybe if the DoD wants to get a fuel that is earth-friendly and can stand up to the rigors of an Alaskan winter, maybe they should talk to our friends at the Indiana Soybean Alliance. As you might remember from the latest Domestic Fuel podcast, the ISA just recently successfully tested a 100 percent blend of biodiesel during a trip from Anchorage to the Arctic Circle… in temperatures well under 20 degrees below zero!

biomass