With Wall Street still not recovered from the economic downturn and banks keeping a tight hold of the credit purses’ drawstrings, the next generation of biofuels producers could have a rough time getting going and staying going.
Recently, the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO)… a group that represents more than 1,200 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and more than 30 other nations… gave some of its ideas on how to loosen the credit crunch. BIO’s vice president of its Industrial and Environmental Section, Brent Erickson, said that will come through the federal government’s leadership to coordinate and fund biofuel-friendly programs and help the development of the new feedstocks, transportation and delivery of products, alternative fuel distribution networks and vehicles. Joining him in this call were several of the nation’s leading biofuels companies.
During a news conference, the companies, such as Verenium, Aurora Biofuels, Abengoa Bioenergy, and Gevo, Inc… just to name a few… gave an update on how they’re doing. There was some good news and some not-so-good news with the overall tone upbeat… although most of them agreed that the tough economic times will make it impossible for the cellulosic ethanol industry to meet the government’s goal of 100 million gallons next year. But after that, they remain optimistic. In addition, many on the conference call pointed out that with a finite amount of non-renewable petroleum out there, growing demand and a growing desire to eliminate the fuels that contribute to global warming, there’s really no other choice but to develop these clean, renewable energy sources.
It was a pretty interesting conversation, and you can either go to BIO’s Web site and look up the information so you can listen to the hour-plus of the conference call… OR you can listen to our own Domestic Fuel Cast (just about 7 1/2 minutes of your busy day) where we have condensed it down to its most important points here: [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/domesticfuel/DFCast-4-22-09.mp3]
The choice is yours. Me… I’m a busy guy. I know which one I’d choose.
The Green Fleet Award went to Victor La Rosa, President of Total Transportation Services, Inc. (TTSI), was the first in line with alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) to operate in full-time drayage service at the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. 
The Green Giant Award went to T. Boone Pickens (right) who has pushed national attention on natural gas for transportation as a key tenet in lessening U.S. dependence on foreign oil. 
A group of experts are slated to speak on the commercialization of biofuels at the 31st Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals on May 3-6 in San Francisco. Speakers will include scientists from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), the Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI), the Department of Energy’s Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) and UC Berkeley, as well as private companies. 
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It’s appropriately named Independence Station because it’s located in Independence, Oregon. But it could be named for the independence from foreign energy sources, as the “world’s greenest building” will be fueled with biodiesel.
Many warmer parts of the world, including the American Southeast, have been cultivating the jatropha plant as a source material for biodiesel. But farmers in colder climates would like to look into the warm-loving, non-food feedstock, too. Well, if everything goes well with research at a Pennsylvania school, they might just get the chance.
State senators in Iowa have passed a standard that would require all diesel fuel sold in the state contain 5 percent biodiesel. The measure still needs to clear the State House and gain the governor’s signature to become law. If it does, the Hawkeye State would become the eighth state in the nation to have a biodiesel requirement, joining Minnesota, Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, New Mexico and Massachusetts, which all have biodiesel mandates.
“Iowa has been a leader in the helping to establish biodiesel as a reliable and renewable energy alternative,” said Joe Jobe, National Biodiesel Board CEO. “Biodiesel gives all Iowans an opportunity to use a renewable fuel made for, grown by, refined by, and distributed by Iowans. This is empowering the citizens of the state to choose to use less foreign oil.” 
The 2009 Alternative Fuels & Vehicles (AF&V) Conference and Expo has kicked off in Orlando, Florida. The industry event represents all fuels, vehicles and technologies that provide an alternative to petroleum including: natural gas, ethanol, biodiesel, propane, electricity, and hydrogen, and their companion vehicles. 
The exhibit hall opened yesterday and showcases booths from a variety of alternative fuel industry groups and automakers. An important workshop was held this afternoon and focused on the untruths of the alternative fuel industry. The session, Eco-Smackdown: Industry Addresses Untruths About Alternative Fuels, included a panel of experts from industries representing propane, compressed natural gas, biodiesel, and ethanol. An overview was given of each fuel and the audience was allowed to ask how to dispel their untruths and negativity, mainly from the media.
Ethanol breakthroughs were discussed mentioning cellulosic, using corn cobs in pilot plants and the efforts to move from E10 to E15. Curtis Donaldson of CleanFUEL USA said, “How great would it be to combine all these alternative fuels and successfully displace 35 billion gallons of gasoline by the year 2025. The group agreed that it will take all the fuels to displace gasoline. Although there are myths and untruths, we are in a transition. This can be done.”
Currently most fuel in Oregon contains ten percent ethanol. The Oregon State Marine Board cites caution for using ethanol blended fuel in boats. They say that ethanol can dissolve the inside of certain boat fuel tanks and ethanol absorbs more water.