National Ethanol Conference Live

Cindy Zimmerman

Thanks to new media and social networking technology, proceedings at the 14th Annual National Ethanol Conference will be made available worldwide as they happen next week, live from San Antonio, Texas.

NEC 09For the first time, Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen’s State of the Industry Address will be webcast live on the official NEC blog, the Ethanol Report. In addition, video highlights of keynote speeches and other important sessions will be available, both on the official blog and here on Domestic Fuel.

The Ethanol Report will provide regular updates from the conference with an inside look as to what is being discussed throughout different breakout sessions and panel discussions, as well as view photos, videos, and audio interviews conducted by the Ethanol Report news team.

In addition, real-time information about panel discussions and speeches at the conference will be made through the RFA Twitter account. To receive short, active updates from this year’s NEC, please make sure to visit www.twitter.com/ethanolRFA and sign up.

Information and content provided on the Ethanol Report blog is also open to use by members of the media who are unable to attend the conference but would like to report on the event. There will be a frequently updated Flickr photo album link with high quality photos available, as well as downloadable audio.

communications, conferences, Ethanol, News, RFA

Wind, Solar & Geothermal Make Energy & Money for Utah Schools

John Davis

Students in Utah schools are having their classrooms lit up and warmed up by a combination of wind, solar and geothermal energy sources. Those classrooms are also being funded by those same renewable energy projects.

This story from the Salt Lake Tribune says Utah’s School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration could make millions of dollars for the school trust over the next several years from alternative energy projects:

“In the last nine months,” said John Andrews, SITLA’s associate director, “the level of interest in [renewables] has gone through the roof.”

In January, managers issued the first lease for a wind-energy development on trust lands. The first new geothermal project in Utah in the past 20 years lies on state land. And SITLA is venturing into new solar technology that incorporates compressed-air storage as a way to keep the watts churning even when the sun doesn’t shine.

The quasi-governmental agency has leased 1,560 acres to a subsidiary of First Wind Energy, the developer of the Milford Wind Project that straddles the line between Millard and Beaver counties. The wind turbines could generate 27.5 megawatts, enough for 27,500 households. The wind company plans to sell the power to Los Angeles, Burbank and Pasadena in Southern California.

SITLA says the wind-farm lease is expected to generate several million dollars in revenue to the school trust over the initial
30-year lease.

The article says the agency is looking for several more wind-related leasing opportunities. And why not? Green energy that generates green for schools! Talk about a real education!

Government, Miscellaneous, Solar, Wind

Algae Association to Hold Biofuels Workshop

John Davis

That little green pond scum is growing more and more every day as a feedstock for a green fuel. And a group backing the turning of algae into biodiesel is hosting a summit to help make the fuel some green… money.

naalogoThe National Algae Association‘s Mid-South Chapter is hosting the Atlanta Algae Workshop, entitled “Algae, Our New Biofuel,” at the Hampton Inn and Suites in Downtown Atlanta, Georgia on Friday, February 27th:

The event will kick off with a presentation by Barry Cohen, Director of the National Algae Association. Will Thurmond, Chairman of R&D for the NAA and author of Algae 2020 will be speaking and acting as moderator for several round-table discussions on innovations and scientific advancements in algae research and development.

For registration and more information, click on the workshop’s Web site.

algae, Biodiesel, Indy Racing

Europeans to Slap Duties on US Biodiesel

John Davis

useuflagsIt’s been building for more than a year, and now, it looks like the war of words between the U.S. and European biodiesel communities will turn into a duty war.

This story from CNNMoney says Dow Jones Newswires has obtained a document that says the European Commission will place temporary duties on American biodiesel imported onto the continent starting March 12th, 2009:

The decision comes in response to complaints from the European Biodiesel Board, which represents the main producers in the E.U., that a subsidy the U.S. government gives to its biodiesel companies is unfairly harming the E.U. biodiesel market.

The EBB said the subsidy, which amounts to $1 per gallon of biodiesel, had encouraged U.S. companies to flood the E.U. market with their biodiesel, driving down prices and forcing E.U. producers to shut down production. The E.U. is by far the world’s largest consumer of biodiesel.

Last summer when the two sides were really clashing heading toward these duties, Manning Feraci, the National Biodiesel Board’s Vice President of Federal Affairs, responded to the Europeans’ charges of unfair trade practices:

“The allegations of harm leveled by the European biodiesel industry in these trade complaints are baseless. It is disingenuous and hypocritical that several of the European biodiesel companies that joined in the complaints are the very entities actively involved in the trade of U.S. biodiesel.

“The European biodiesel industry is not being harmed by U.S. competition. High feedstock costs, changes to EU member policies – and in some cases – poor business practices are the true issues facing European biodiesel producers. It is unfortunate that the European Biodiesel Board (EBB) has found it politically expedient to blame the U.S. biodiesel industry instead of focusing its efforts on the true challenges facing its membership.

Representatives of the American and European governments will get a chance to meet one more time on March 3rd before the duties are imposed with hopes of settling this dispute.

Biodiesel, International

Communicating Renewables a Timely Topic

Cindy Zimmerman

The Communicating Renewables Summit coming up in Minneapolis April 21-23 is a timely event for those involved in the alternative energy arena. The conference is designed specifically for the challenging task of getting the positive message about all renewables out to consumers, stakeholders, policy leaders and the media.

Communicating Renewables SummitConference organizer Joanna Schroeder with 4RCommunications says she came up with the idea for the event because she sees a need for communications education in the renewable energy industry. “As President Obama implements new energy legislation, this conference is designed to help communicators develop the skills they’re going to need to educate consumers,” Schroeder said.

Schroeder, who served as Director of Communications for the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council, says all renewable energy producers need to be prepared to defend incentives designed to grow renewable energy options. “Ethanol and biodiesel have already been experiencing the negative media, but I think that wind and solar are going to find that as they receive more tax incentives and subsidies they will have to go on the defensive also,” she said.

The conference will feature a number seasoned renewable industry professionals, such as Tom Collina, executive director of 2020 Vision, a national membership organization focused on explaining how energy choices affect both the environment and national security. “How we talk about renewables and energy in general is very important,” Collina says about the summit. “With all the new energy legislation and policy being considered, it’s more important than ever that we explain to the American people what’s at stake.”

Early bird registration for the summit (before February 25) is just $695. Registration and additional information about the conference can be found on-line at communicatingrenewables.com.

Here is a promotional video for the Communicating Renewables Summit:

Biodiesel, communications, conferences, Ethanol, Solar, Wind

US and Canada Agree on Clean Energy

Cindy Zimmerman

President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced today that the United States and Canada will collaborate on developing clean energy technology to combat climate change. It was the only concrete agreement to come out of the first meeting between the two leaders this week.

Prior to the meeting, Canadian Renewable Fuels Association President Gordon Quaiattini and U.S. Renewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen issued a joint statement this week on the importance of the two neighboring countries to work together on energy security and the environment.

“As America and Canada look for ways to provide economic opportunity, reduce the impacts of climate change, and develop renewable energy sources, the role of biofuels in the energy plans of both nations is becoming increasingly important,” said Dinneen and Quaiattini. “We commend both Prime Minister Harper and President Obama on their commitment to a renewable energy future. And as representatives of our nation’s renewable fuels industry, we can proudly say that our industry is helping to lead the way.”

Ethanol, Government, International, News, RFA

Greater Ohio Ethanol Plant Sold

Cindy Zimmerman

An ethanol plant in Lima, Ohio has been granted a new lease on life with the approved sale of the bankrupt facility to a new owner.

Greater Ohio EthanolAccording to a story from the Lima News, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Ohio gave final approval this week for the sale of Greater Ohio (GO) Ethanol to Paladin Capital Group. The company reportedly intends to re-open the closed facility and operate it as a working ethanol plant.

Greater Ohio Ethanol began production last July and filed for bankruptcy protection less than five months later.

Ethanol, Facilities, News

Biofuels Council Founder Appointed to Advisory Board

Cindy Zimmerman

The Latin American biofuels development firm of Santiago & Sinclair has appointed Sean O’Hanlon, founder and executive director of the American Biofuels Council (ABC), to their advisory board. The firm is comprised of experts who assist organizations looking to enter the biofuels sector in Latin America.

O'Hanlon“As the founder of one of the most influential biofuels associations in America, Sean O’Hanlon will bring an invaluable level of expertise to our clients through his position on our advisory board,” said Carlos St. James, Managing Director. “His knowledge base about biofuels is as broad as it is deep and he has spent a good portion of his career developing coalitions. These skills will be essential to the success of Latin America’s biofuels industry. It’s a strategic competitive advantage to have him on board.”

With the enormous agricultural opportunities in Latin America, the region will play an important part in developing energy sources that will ultimately impact the world. Cross country collaboration will be critical in helping the world reduce its reliance on petroleum in part through the development of clean, renewable, forms of energy, especially biofuels.

Biodiesel, Energy, Ethanol, International, News

Energy Department and OriginOil Team Up for Algae Biodiesel

John Davis

origindoeA company working to make algae biodiesel comercially mainstream has teamed up with the U.S. government to come closer to that goal.

Biodiesel Magazine reports OriginOil Inc. inked an agreement with the U.S. DOE’s Idaho National Laboratory to validate and commercialize the Los Angeles-based company’s algae-to-oil technology into the mainstream market:

The multi-phase research program will focus on commercial scaling of OriginOil’s technology in the production of algae-based fuels by utilizing state-of-the-art equipment, capabilities, scientists and engineers of the Idaho National Laboratory. The initial phase will focus on the collaborative development of an energy balance model for photobioreactor-based algae systems. The company expects to use this model in the optimization of its algae-to-oil technology as early as the first quarter of this year. Subsequent phases will center on validation of OriginOil’s processes and piloting specific commercial applications.

“Our primary challenge is cost-effective and scalable industrial processes and our partnership with OriginOil will help us find solutions to this challenge in the promising area of algae-to-oil technology,” said Thomas Ulrich, advisory scientist for Idaho National Laboratory’s Biofuels and Renewable Energy Department.

In operation since 1949, Idaho National Laboratory is a science-based, applied engineering national laboratory dedicated to supporting the DOE’s energy research and national defense efforts. “Partnerships with innovators like OriginOil will accelerate our pursuit of national energy independence initiatives,” Ulrich said.

The magazine had reported late last year that OriginOil has been able to automate its algae cultivation and oil extraction system so it can grow algae to produce oil for biodiesel production.

algae, Biodiesel

Atlanta Recycles Grease Into Biodiesel

John Davis

zerowastezoneatlantaAtlanta, Georgia is the latest city to set up a program to turn waste restaurant grease into biodiesel as part of the city’s “Atlanta Recycles” program… an effort with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to create the Southeast United State’s first waste-free zone.

This EPA press release explains the biofuel phase of the program is part of a larger composting plan:

Zero Waste Zones are designed to reduce the environmental impact of waste in homes, workplaces and in the community. Phase One of the Zero Waste Zone will focus on downtown Atlanta’s convention district and participating foodservice operations. More than 10 participants, including the Georgia World Congress Center, the Hyatt Regency and Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse have already pledged to recycle, reuse spent grease for the local production of biofuel and compost or donate food residuals to drastically decrease the amount of waste going to landfills.

No word on how much biodiesel could be produced, but for every gallon of grease you keep out of the sewers or landfills is one you can burn cleanly. Makes sense to me.

Biodiesel