Bioenergy Could Provide Benefits for Rural Poor

Cindy Zimmerman

A new international study indicates that small-scale bioenergy plants can play a significant role in rural development for poorer nations.

FAOThe new report, “Small Scale Bioenergy Initiatives: Brief Description and Preliminary Lessons on Livelihood Impacts from Case Studies in Latin America, Asia and Africa,” was published jointly by the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UK’s Department for International Development. The study covers 15 different “start-up” bioenergy projects from 12 countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia involving a diverse array of technologies.

“The furious debate around bioenergy has largely concerned liquid fuels used for transport,” said Oliver Dubois, a bioenergy expert in FAO’s Natural Resources Department. “Yet more than 80 percent of bioenergy usage in the world involves other sources, mainly wood, which are used for basic household cooking and heating in poor areas of the world.”

According to FAO, concern over the impact these transportation biofuels will have on the environment, water resources and food security has obscured many of the positive benefits for poor rural people. The study shows a number of significant benefits of using new technologies for biomass-based rural energy, such as the creation of useful by-products such as affordable fertilizer from biogas production, the possibility of simultaneously producing food and fuel through intercropping, and the creation of new financial capital with growth cycles by making use of marginal land.

Energy, International

Illinois Biodiesel Plant Expands Feedstock Choices

John Davis

blackhawkbiofuelsAn Illinois biodiesel plant has made some upgrades and can now use a wider variety of feedstocks.

Hoosier Ag Today reports that the improvements made by Renewable Energy Group to the 45-million-gallon-a-year Blackhawk Biofuels plant in Danville, Ill., will be able to turn more fats and oils, such as used cooking grease, into biodiesel:

“These upgrades enhance local production of clean-burning renewable fuel, support 28 green-collar employees and offer petroleum distributors additional choices for high quality biodiesel,” explained Ron Mapes, chairman of the Blackhawk Biofuels, LLC.

“Upgrades began in September to enhance the plant’s vegetable oil-only process technology with new proprietary pretreatment and production technology,” Mapes added. “Plant startup and vegetable oil-only biodiesel production began in November. These recent upgrades offer cutting-edge technology for producing high quality biodiesel from a variety of oils and high free fatty acid feedstock.”

The $12 million project included the multiple feedstock pretreatment and production upgrades, enhanced laboratory and testing facilities, and improvements for storage and logistics capabilities. The construction project employed 68 full-time workers.

Officials are proud to say that the upgrade and startup were on schedule, cranking out the green fuel made from a high free fatty acid feedstock within just a few days of installation… exceeding all ASTM quality specifications. The addition of the new feedstocks will help keep the facility in the black.

Biodiesel

Biodiesel’s New Cold Soak Method Gets ASTM Number

John Davis

astmlogoThe new Cold Soak Filtration Test method for B100 biodiesel finally has an official number.

This story from Biodiesel Magazine says the ASTM’s Committee of Standards has given the method the an official number – ASTM D 7501, due to be published later this month:

The CSFT method currently in effect was developed as a result of the Minnesota experience in 2005-2006 of statewide filter cloggings shortly after a state B2 mandate was triggered. The CSFT was developed as an attempt to keep contaminated biodiesel – or biodiesel laden with sterol glucosides, mono and di glycerides, metals, soaps, water – out of the marketplace. Those contaminants can react in such a way to cause a “snow-globe” effect wherein precipitates fall out of solution from the fuel at temperatures above the cloud point. However, the precise mechanisms behind how the contaminants react with one another to cause precipitate formation above the cloud point are still largely unknown.

The new method takes into account the changes in states of matter B100 goes through during the chill. If the test sample becomes solid during cool down, it will be given a four-hour warm up time instead of two hours. In addition, samples will be warmed to 25 degrees C, as opposed to just warming on the bench. The article points out that the CFST was designed for soy biodiesel.

Biodiesel

VIASPACE Increases Production of Giant King Grass

Joanna Schroeder

viaspaceAmid concerns and criticisms of the near-term viability of cellulosic ethanol, VIASPACE Inc. has announced plans to expand production of its proprietary grass feedstock Giant King Grass. The Company’s goal is to supply nonfood feedstocks for the production of cellulosic ethanol, methanol and “green gasoline.”

The first major Giant King Grass crop was planted in October 2008 in Guangdong Province China and to date, is demonstrating survivability in all weather conditions. The perennial grass is propagated by seedling rather than seeds and each plant can generate between five to 10 new seedlings. Another advantage of this plant is that is can be harvested four times a year. VIASPACE is negotiating to lease more land and anticipates to have 300 acres growing by September.

Several petroleum companies have made recent plays in the biofuels market including BP’s recent announcement that it would build a cellulosic plant in Florida using grass as the primary feedstock. In addition, Shell has significant investments in cellulosic ethanol produced from switchgrass.

Despite uncertainty, fast-tracking cellulosic ethanol to market is gaining political support as research demonstrates its starring role in the recently proposed low-carbon fuel standard economy.

Carl Kukkonen, VIASPACE’s Chief Executive stated in a company release, “We see this renewable energy segment of our business as an opportunity to participate in the expected growth of cellulosic biofuels as an environmentally friendly, non-petroleum source of energy.”

Cellulosic, Ethanol, Miscellaneous

First Bentley FFV to be Introduced

bentleyIn 2010, an E85 Bentley will begin production in North America. The Continental GT will be introduced at the Geneva motor show as a production model. Its 630-hp turbocharged W12 will make it the fastest and most-powerful Bentley ever. The vehicle will exceed 200 mph.

The Supersports will be the first of Bentley’s to be E85 compatible. “The changes to make the Supersports run on E85 should not be underestimated,” said Uli Eichhorn, Bentley chief engineer. “As well as re-engineering the fuel system to cope with the corrosive ethanol, all the electronic subsystems had to be reprogrammed and revalidated.”

The main change to the engine to increase power above 600 hp is extra boost from the twin turbos, whose airflow is eased by 10 percent larger intercoolers. Bentley quotes a 0-to-60-mph time of 3.7 seconds and 50 to 70 mph in 2.1 seconds.

Car Makers, E85, Ethanol, News

EPA Recognizes POET Facility

ladonia_plant1EPA recently held a ceremony and awarded Missouri Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission (MJMEUC) with an ENERGY STAR Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Award. This award was in recognition for their reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions at the POET Biorefining – Laddonia, Mo., ethanol plant.

“EPA is proud to recognize the outstanding pollution reduction and energy efficiency innovations of this project by presenting this award. The heat recovery system is contributing to a cleaner and healthier environment,” said Acting Regional Administrator William Rice.

By using a natural gas-fired turbine, about 26 percent less fuel is used at the Laddonia plant. This equates to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 31,000 tons per year.

POET CEO Jeff Broin said, “We want to thank the Missouri Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission for helping POET in its mission to further reduce the environmental impacts of transportation fuel. As this partnership demonstrates, we are committed to making the production of ethanol even more efficient.”

corn, Ethanol, News, POET

Ethanol is Second Place for Valero

Cindy Zimmerman

Valero may be in the ethanol business now with its purchase of eight former VeraSun plants, but oil is still the company’s first priority. That’s why they are not backing the ethanol industry’s request for an increase in the ethanol blend level to 15 percent.

ValeroAccording to an article in Ethanol Producer Magazine, Valero maintains its membership in the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association (NPRA) and stands behind the organization’s position against raising the ethanol blend level. They have not yet joined any of the ethanol organizations as a producer member, even though they now rank as the nation’s third largest ethanol producer.

Bill Day, director of media relations for Valero, told the magazine that “what we said about ethanol before we were an ethanol producer remains true: ethanol is an industry that is relying on government subsidies, a government renewable fuel mandate, and tariffs on imported ethanol.” However, he says that they recognize that ethanol is going to be an important part of the fuel mix in the country “and so as long as we’re required to buy ethanol, we might as well make it.”

Valero has also made some corn farmers unhappy by announcing it will not honor the high-priced corn contracts entered into by bankrupt Verasun. The Argus Leader reports that farmers in South Dakota were not surprised, but were disappointed by the decision. Still, they are happy that Valero is getting the plants back on line and fully operational.

Ethanol

Silver Anniversary for Ethanol Workshop

Cindy Zimmerman

The ethanol industry has grown tremendously in the last 25 years – and so has the International Fuel Ethanol Workshop and Expo (FEW).

FEW 25“The first event in 1985 had four tabletop exhibits and 36 people,” according to Mike Bryan, CEO of BBI International, which organizes the FEW. Last year, FEW 2008 featured over 4,000 attendees and nearly 1,000 exhibits. It is the world’s largest, longest-running ethanol conference.

This year, FEW has joined with the 2009 International Distillers Grains Conference & Trade Show and the Advanced Biofuels Workshop, to give industry professionals the ability to attend all three shows in one trip. All three events will be held at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, with the Distillers Grains Conference kicking it off on June 14-15. The Advance Biofuels Workshop will be held on June 15 and the 2009 FEW on June 15-18.

Registration information and details for all three events, which are all organized by BBI International, can be found on-line here.

conferences, Ethanol, FEW

Midwest Senators Sponsor Biofuels Pipeline Bill

John Davis

The Midwest has plenty of ethanol and biodiesel… the big population centers in the Eastern United States needs those renewable fuels. You’d think it would be a match made in heaven, but the lack of infrastructure to move those biofuels has been a problem, adding extra transportation costs. But a new piece of legislation looks to rectify that.

According to this story from Midwest AGNet, a bill sponsored by U.S. Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), John Thune (R-SD) and Tim Johnson (D-SD) looks to give loan guarantees for the construction of renewable fuel pipeline projects:

harkin“We must seize control of our energy future and take major steps towards the use of clean, renewable home-grown sources of energy,” said Harkin. “Promoting the planning and development of projects that transport renewable fuels efficiently and inexpensively helps enlarge the market for biofuels like ethanol, reduces our dependence on foreign fuels and will provide good construction jobs.”

thune“Pipelines are the safest, most reliable, and cost effective way to move biofuels from the areas they are produced to the markets where they are consumed,” said Thune. “These pipelines will reduce energy costs across the country as well as create an estimated 25 jobs for every $1 million of construction. Access to ethanol-dedicated pipelines will benefit both consumers and the ethanol industry for years to come.”

johnson“Many experts believe that a pipeline network to transport biofuels is necessary to achieve the aggressive renewable fuel requirements. But limited transportation options of truck, rail and barge will only get us so far. Pipelines are necessary to get this fuel moving to where the people are. These loan guarantees will spur pipeline development and help create new jobs and lower our dependence on foreign sources of energy,” said Johnson.

The importance of a pipeline is not just the lower costs of transportation. The article goes on to point out that they have 30 percent less emissions than railcars and 87 percent less than trucks. Plus, it’s just a safer way to get fuel from point A to point B. Finally, construction of renewable fuel pipelines could create up to 25,000 jobs nationwide.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, News

Ethanol Blending Tests May Take Another Year

A senior agency official with the U.S. EPA says they may need another year to determine how blending ethanol in gasoline over the current 10 percent limit would affect vehicles and nonroad equipment.

EPA is working with the Energy Department to try to determine whether “mid-level” blends at 13 or 15 percent will affect emissions controls and engine durability. EPA is under ethanol-industry pressure to allow blends up to 15 percent, especially as the “blendwall” — the point at which the market is saturated at the current 10 percent limit — looms.

Margo Oge, head of EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality, said her agency has been analyzing the issue for years but that more work remains. “We have been working especially closely with the Department of Energy (DOE) to evaluate the impacts of the use of higher blends on the in-use fleet of highway vehicles and nonroad equipment, and hope to complete the testing over the course of the next year,” she said in a statement for a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee panel, which held a hearing on biofuels today. She also noted that DOE is conducting tests on a sampling of newer vehicles to gauge the emissions effects of higher blends.

The 10 percent blend, or E10, is the highest amount that can be blended into most vehicles and equipment, but auto companies are also making flex-fuel vehicles that can run on a much higher blend, up to 85 percent ethanol.

Energy, Environment, Ethanol, Government