Ethanol Contributes to Happiness

Cindy Zimmerman

Three of the nation’s top ethanol producing states – Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas – are also the top three financially happiest states in the nation.

According to MainStreet.com’s new Happiness Index – which used unemployment figures, foreclosures and non-mortgage debt to determine a state’s overall financial well being – the Cornhusker state is the happiest place to live. The index found that Nebraska has the second lowest unemployment rate in the country at 4.2% and the second lowest number of foreclosures nationwide.

Nebraska’s overall “Happiness Index Value” was 9 – the lower the better – which far outranked number two Iowa with a value of 25 and number three Kansas with a value of 34.

Ethanol production got some of the credit for Nebraska’s happiness in a Good Morning America story aired on Monday morning, which noted that Nebraska’s “ethanol plants, in particular, have flourished and the ongoing effort to grow industry has enabled people who lose jobs to find new ones relatively easily.”

Ethanol

Virginia Governor to Visit Biodiesel Plant

Cindy Zimmerman

Governor KaineVirginia Governor Tim Kaine, along with his Cabinet and members of his staff will be visiting a biodiesel plant Thursday as part of the first “Cabinet Community Day” of 2009. The Governor holds four such events each year, visiting eight regions of the state twice over the course of the administration.

Red BirchThe governor will visit Red Birch Energy – the first and only “closed loop system” delivery system for biodiesel in the United States. Red Birch Energy grows the crop, produces the fuel and sells the fuel all in one location, minimizing transportation costs.

Governor Kaine will also visit the Virginia Employment Commission, the Virginia Museum of Natural History and the Martinsville Speedway as part of the event.

Biodiesel, Government

FFV/Electric Volt to Offer Smart Charging

voltThis summer, General Motors (GM) will begin testing prototypes of their electric flexible fuel Chevrolet Volt. The company is in discussions on its outreach efforts for the 2011 vehicle on how it will be attractive to buyers.

One of the attractions of the vehicle will allow the consumer to charge the Volt any time through their OnStar communication system.

“We will have a customer-selectable car-charging feature at a minimum,” Vehicle line director of the Volt, Tony Posawatz said. “We don’t have to put in smart meters to get those kinds of features and accommodations.”

E85, News

Labs Added to Biodiesel Quality Assurance Program

John Davis

bq-9000-laboratoryA new certification for commercial labs will help ensure the most reputable biodiesel quality program will be verifying the green fuel.

This press release from the National Biodiesel Board says the National Biodiesel Accreditation Commission (NBAC) has created the BQ-9000 Lab Program:

“Reliable lab results are a major factor in guaranteeing fuel quality,” Rod Lawrence, Manager of Quality Control for Magellan Midstream Partners L.P. “This rigorous program will offer biodiesel customers the confidence that the lab used to test the renewable fuel is using best practices and has met standards for excellence synonymous with the BQ-9000 program.”

The BQ-9000 Lab Program calls for quality management systems in commercial laboratories that analyze biodiesel and biodiesel blends. Laboratories must establish and maintain the quality management system to be eligible for the BQ-9000 Lab Program. Laboratories operated by BQ-9000 Producers and Marketers are also eligible to seek this certification.

The lab certification program focuses on several analytical related areas such as:

* test result reporting
* equipment calibration and maintenance
* quality control
* proficiency testing

The BQ-9000 program combines the ASTM standard for biodiesel, ASTM D6751, and a quality systems program that includes storage, sampling, testing, blending, shipping, distribution, and fuel management practices.

Biodiesel, NBB

“Wingless Flight” in a Nearly Emission-less Car

John Davis

apterapicIt’s named for the Greek phrase for wingless flight and practically slips through air nearly as effortlessly as Lance Armstrong bicycling through France (half the drag of a Toyota Prius). The beauty you see on the left is the battery-powered Aptera 2E… a three-wheeled, two-seater due out this fall.

Mother Nature News’ Jim Motavalli road along with Aptera CEO Paul Wilbur as they took the green car out for a spin in New York City:

apteralogoWilbur didn’t let me drive the car—it was New York, I guess—but I rode shotgun for enough miles to form an opinion. Like most EVs, it was fairly quiet, though noisier than most, and the potholes and cobblestones set off some rattles. The car was comfortable and felt stable on its three wheels, but a few minutes behind the wheel would have allowed more of a diagnosis.

A transmission dial allows the choice of efficiency and sport modes, and a screen displays charging options: The Aptera is ready for the “smart grid,” with programmable late-night charging and the ability to sell battery power to the local utility.

Despite the undeniable strangeness—the Aptera could have been made for a 1960s science-fiction film featuring people of the future in jump suits—the company is serious about building a mainstream vehicle. “Tesla is the new Ferrari,” says Wilbur, gunning past a startled pretzel vendor. “We want to be the volume player in a radical new arena.”

The company is making three differently-powered models… the battery model, a gas-electric series hybrid and a conventional .7-liter gasoline car… all priced between $25,000 and $45,000. The one that runs on batteries is the one out this fall, while the other two models come out next year.

Aptera says the gas-powered model will get 100 mpg and cruise for a thousand miles. And the 2H, the hybrid, will trickle-charge the batteries on the way.

The Aptera plant in California can churn out 20,000 vehicles a year but expect just a few thousand in the first year. Company officials hope to make up to 100,000 annually.

Car Makers, Miscellaneous

Just Scratching the Surface of Biodiesel’s Potential

John Davis

centerevergreenGrowing biodiesel oilseed feedstocks along the nation’s highways… capturing the power of the sun by growing algae for biodiesel production… finding multiple uses for the by-products of biodiesel refining… the U.S. is just scratching the surface of the potential biodiesel holds for this country. Those are just some of the findings of a new report.

Entitled “High Yield Pathways for Production,” from the St. Louis, Mo.-based Center for Evergreen Energy , it represents the center’s mission of linking global research, business and policy issues to sustainable energy solutions. This press release has details:

The report released today summarizes findings about biodiesel, which is already the only commercially available advanced biofuel and the most diverse fuel on the planet. The findings are the result of the first symposium hosted by the Center for Evergreen Energy that convened alternative fuels research, industry and policy representatives on Nov. 21, 2008 at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis.

“The Center for Evergreen Energy looks forward to aiding the biodiesel industry in strategies to meet the demand for renewable energy,” said Jay DeLong, Board Member of the Center for Evergreen Energy. The national center links global research, business and policy issues to improve products, processes, environmental acceptance and public adoption of sustainable energy solutions. “We plan on sharing this report with government agencies and the scientific community to give some direction to what research is needed to expand feestocks for biodiesel production.”

The algae working group, a promising source of biodiesel began their discussion with the important premise that a permanent energy solution depends on plants to capture some of the 20,000 terawatts of sunlight that fall on the earth.

You can read the full report for yourself at the center’s Web page: www.centergreen.org.

Biodiesel

Senate Hearing Focuses on Higher Blend Issue

Cindy Zimmerman

One of the key messages of a Senate committee hearing on the Renewable Fuels Standard this week was that more research needs to be conducted before mid-level blends of more than 10 percent are approved.

Senate Environment CommitteeMargo Oge, the director of the Environmental Protection Agency’s office of transportation and air quality, submitted written testimony to the committee that said the agency is working 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 non-road equipment, and hope to complete the testing over the course of the next year.”

According to the testimony, EPA may consider a “conditional or partial” waiver of up to 15 percent ethanol in gasoline, which would restrict its use to only certain types of vehicles. “If a conditional waiver were granted, it may necessitate changes in the fueling infrastructure to accommodate different blend levels,” said Oge. “New pump labeling requirements or other measures may be needed to ensure consumers use the appropriate fuel for their vehicles and equipment.”

EPA does intend to seek comment on both the ethanol blend waiver request and the proposal to implement RFS2, “as expeditiously as possible.”

The hearing this week featured a panel of witnesses speaking from both sides of the issue, including representatives from the petroleum industry, the American Lung Association and the Natural Resources Defense Council who all called for more testing to be done before higher blends are approved for use. Opening statements from all witnesses, as well as video from the hearing itself is available on-line at the committee’s website.

After the hearing, Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen told USDA radio news, “I’m not smart enough to know if 20 percent is the right number, or 15 percent, but I darn well know that more than 10 percent can be used in vehicles all across the country today and it will help to stimulate more demand, more renewable fuel use and that’s exactly what we need today,” especially if the country is expected to meet the RFS.

blends, Ethanol, Government

ICM Tapped to Manage AgStar Ethanol Plants

Joanna Schroeder

headerlogo1ICM has been tapped by AgStar Financial Services to oversee plant operations and maintenance for the six plants it acquired as part of the VeraSun Energy bankruptcy. AgStar is not allowed to operate the plants due to federal regulations. The Company plans on selling the plants, located in Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Michigan to other buyers over the next 2 months. AgStar had originally financed seven VeraSun plants but one was purchased by Valero Energy.

Paul DeBriyn, President and CEO of AgStar, which is headquartered in Mankato, Minnesota, was quoted in The Wichita Eagle as icm_logo4saying, “Our objective in retaining ICM is to maintain a positive environment ensuring all the plants are kept in top condition.”

Company sources says there is buyer interest in the ethanol facilities.

Agribusiness, Ethanol

Verenium Announces Organizational Changes

Joanna Schroeder

pic_global_header_logo3Changes are afoot at the Verenium Corporation due to its commercial joint venture with BP. The two companies are consolidating their research and development departments which includes the demonstration-scale biofuels facility located in Jennings, Louisiana. Gregory Powers, Ph.D., Executive Vice President R&D, will be the new head of this consolidated team.

Verenium is working to develop and bring to market cellulosic ethanol. The company also develops specialty enzymes for the biofuels industry. Its partnership with BP, which was announced in February of this year, was formed to bring advanced biofuels to the consumer market. These advanced biofuels will be developed and tested at their 1.4 million-gallon-per-year demonstration-scale facility.

John R. Malloy, former Executive Vice President of Biofuels, has left Verenium to pursue other opportunities, but according to company sources, he will continue to serve as a company consultant.

Ethanol

Ethanol Production Still Up

Cindy Zimmerman

Ethanol production was still up in January compared to the previous year, and down only slightly from the previous month.

According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), American ethanol facilities produced 630,000 barrels per day (b/d) in January, up 120,000 b/d from January 2008, but down 50,000 from December of 2008.

RFAEthanol demand, as calculated by the Renewable Fuels Association, also saw a year over year increase of 123,000 b/d from January 2008. Ethanol demand also outpaced production once again in January. Total production of ethanol in January was almost 821 million gallons, while use was 837.6 million gallons.

For the first time, the EIA also included import data. For January, ethanol imports totaled 15.6 million gallons, while exports were zero.

Ethanol, RFA