Extreme Bentley to Run on Biofuels

John Davis

British carmaker Bentley is known for its high-end, performance vehicles that will set you back some green. Now, the company is introducing a car that will run green.

bentleybiofuel1
The photo above of the “extreme Bentley” is just a sneak peak at its latest speed demon… one that will run on ethanol. From the Bentley Web site:

On March 3rd at the 2009 International Geneva Motor Show, Bentley will reveal its fastest, most powerful production car ever.

Delivering supercar performance, this new model is very much the extreme Bentley.

Importantly, it will be capable of running on biofuel, delivering on a key component of Bentley’s environmental commitment and pioneering the use of this fuel in the luxury sector.

Maybe I should talk Chuck and Cindy into sending me to Geneva for the March auto show so I can test it for myself. Or, just rent me one of these bad boys for a test-driving year or so! The sacrifices I would make just to bring you the best information.

Car Makers, Ethanol, News

Unlocking Genome Unlocks Sorghum’s Ethanol Potential

John Davis

Scientists have mapped the genome of sorghum, and the discovery could open the door for even greater use of the crop in biofuel, especially ethanol, production.

This story from the USDA’s Radio Newsline says since sorghum grows in drier climates and is more resistant to disease than corn, researchers are looking at ways to transfer some of sorghum’s traits over to corn.

messingRutgers University molecular scientist Joachim Messing says the discovery could allow a more efficient use of corn. “And we wouldn’t have the competition between using corn for feed and food and biofuels.”

Messing says the use of cellulose from corn stalks to make ethanol has required an extra step to turn it into ethanol. But sorghum already has a sugar that can be fermented into ethanol, making a more effective biofuel feedstock.

Ethanol, News, Research

Communicating Renewables Summit Set

Cindy Zimmerman

Communicating RenewablesA summit aimed at helping renewable energy professionals communicate the good, green news about this growing industry is coming up this April in Minneapolis. This timely event is the first of it’s kind dedicated specifically to the success of communicators working in the alternative energy industry.

The Communicating Renewables Summit 2009 will feature presentations on topics such as, How to Develop Effective Media Relationships; A Strategic Approach to Fundraising; Pit Bull Media Tactics; Green Noise; Social Media: The New Range War?; Unification of Messages Through Coalition Building; A Reality Check: What Consumers Really Think of Green; and much more.

The event will be held April 21-23 at the Hotel Minneapolis. Registration is now open and more information can be found here.

Domestic Fuel is proud to be a sponsor of this event to help encourage more effective communications for the alternative energy industry.

Biodiesel, communications, conferences, Energy, Ethanol

Stimulus Bill’s Alt Energy Provisions Survive House Vote, Need Senate Support

John Davis

uscapitol1Pres. Obama’s economic stimulus bill passed the U.S. House, but its provisions that will help renewable energy, especially solar and wind power, are still in jeopardy unless lawmakers in the Senate and House can get together on their differences in their two versions of the bill.

This story from Greentech Media says the biggest difference in the two bills deals with allowing renewable energy projects to get direct payments instead of tax credits, a provision which solar and wind power industry groups say will be critical to jump-start funding:

Along with a host of plums for renewable energy – $8 billion in loans for renewable energy power generation and transmission projects and $2 billion for energy efficiency and renewable energy research – the House version of the stimulus bill contained a provision to convert investment tax credits that solar power developers rely on into direct payments to investors for the next two years.

Under the provision, the Department of Energy would pay grants equal to the amount of tax credits – 30 percent of qualifying costs of a project – directly to renewable power developers. The problem with using tax credits to lure investors today is that Wall Street banks and other renewable energy investors that saw big losses last year don’t have taxable income to offset, and thus no appetite for them.

Adding the DOE program would be a huge boon to a renewable energy sector that’s seen both debt and equity financing for projects dry up in the past few months, industry leaders say. Last year saw about $5.5 billion in tax equity deals, but without changes to the way the credit works, that could fall to $2 billion to $4 billion – and that for a solar industry expected to need more than $10 billion for projects in 2009.

But a version of the bill now being circulated in the Senate doesn’t contain the DOE grant provision, Chris O’Brien, head of North America market development for Swiss solar equipment maker Oerlikon Solar, said Wednesday.

Of course, the bills have to be reconciled before anything can go to the president for his signature. Plenty of us will be watching to see what happens.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, News, Solar, Wind

Biodiesel Board Previews Conference

John Davis

nbb-conf-091This weekend is the beginning of the 2009 National Biodiesel Conference & Expo in San Francisco!

Just before he heads out to the conference bright and early Thursday morning, I caught up with National Biodiesel Board Chief Operating Officer Donnell Rehagen, as he was hurrying around NBB headquarters, putting the finishing touches on the details for the four-day conference.

rehagenI’ve got to tell you, he’s really excited about holding the premier event for biodiesel in San Francisco… a city known for its support of biodiesel. In fact, nearly the entire municipal fleet runs on B20.

As always, those attending will have plenty of chances to hear from a wide variety of experts in production, marketing, regulatory issues, and of course, sustainability. In fact, there’s a Sustainable Biofuels Summit starting a day early, Saturday.

But not everything’s strictly business. There’s a golf tournament and a couple of entertainment superstars to see as well. Rocker Melissa Etheridge and actress Daryl Hannah, both big backers of biodiesel, will be at the conference.

Donnell says there’s still time for you to sign up and attend. You can do it through the conference Web site or in person at San Francisco’s Moscone Center starting Sunday, running through February 4th.

You can hear my entire interview with Donnell here: [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/nbb/Rehagenintvw.mp3]

Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference

Kansas Makes Blender Pump Guidelines Permanent

ks-dept-agKansas Secretary of Agriculture Adrian Polansky announced today that he is making permanent the guidelines his department developed for a pilot project to allow at-the-pump blending of biofuels, including blending ethanol with gasoline in percentages ranging from 10 percent to 85 percent.

Blending under the guidelines was allowed on a trial basis under a pilot project that ran throughout 2008.

“Information we collected during the pilot project confirm that blending pumps can consistently and accurately dispense a range of ethanol blends from a single pump,” Polansky said. “This is a real boon for owners of flexible fuel vehicles who want more choice than either 10 percent or 85 percent ethanol that are the blends most frequently offered. These blender pumps allow vehicle owners to select the blend that works best for them based on performance and price.”

To prevent consumers who aren’t driving a flexible fuel vehicle from dispensing a higher ethanol blend than is appropriate for their vehicle, the pumps feature a bright orange label with the message, “For use in flexible fuel vehicles only.”

E85, Equipment, Ethanol, Government, Miscellaneous

Wind Energy Shatters Record

John Davis

aweaIt’s been another record-breaking year for wind energy in the United States.

A new report from the American Wind Energy Association says that the country’s wind energy industry in 2008 shattered the previous year’s record generating capacity by installing 8,358 megawatts (MW) of new capacity. That’s enough to light and heat more than 2 million homes! But at the same time, the association warns of an uncertain future because of the country’s financial bind:

The massive growth in 2008 swelled the nation’s total wind power generating capacity by 50% and channeled an investment of some $17 billion into the economy, positioning wind power as one of the leading sources of new power generation in the country today along with natural gas, AWEA added. At year’s end, however, financing for new projects and orders for turbine components slowed to a trickle and layoffs began to hit the wind turbine manufacturing sector.

“Our numbers are both exciting and sobering,” said AWEA CEO Denise Bode. “The U.S. wind energy industry’s performance in 2008 confirms that wind is an economic and job creation dynamo, ready to deliver on the President’s call to double renewable energy production in three years. At the same time, it is clear that the economic and financial downturn have begun to take a serious toll on new wind development. We are already seeing layoffs in the area where wind’s promise is greatest for our economy: the wind power manufacturing sector. Quick action in the stimulus bill is vital to restore the industry’s momentum and create jobs as we help make our country more secure and leave a more stable climate for our children.”

The new wind projects completed in 2008 account for about 42% of the entire new power-producing capacity added nationally last year, according to initial estimates, and will avoid nearly 44 million tons of carbon emissions, the equivalent of taking over 7 million cars off of the road.

The AWEA says quick action on Pres. Obama’s economic recovery plan, which includes some provisions that would help the wind industry is needed as wind turbine makers and construction outfits are getting nervous about the future. The group points out that wind energy jobs grew dramatically in 2008 to 85,000… up from 50,000 a year ago.

The past year also marked a bit of the changing of the guard as Iowa surpassed California in the amount of wind power generating capacity, with Iowa having 2,790 MW and California with 2,517 MW. Of course, both are still far behind Texas, which has a whopping 7,116 MW.

Wind

Propel Holds Grand Openings at 5 Biofuel Sites in California

propel_grandopeningPropel now offers biodiesel and E85 at many additional locations in the state of California. Propel will celebrate the opening of these five sites at an event on January 28:

Rocklin:
Stanford Ranch Rd & Five Star Blvd.

Citrus Heights:
Auburn Blvd & Antelope Rd.

Sacramento:
Folsom Blvd & Howe Ave.

Sacramento:
Florin Road & Power Inn Road

Elk Grove:
Bond Road & E Stockton Blvd.

The grand opening celebration will take place at 6700 Five Star Blvd. in Rocklin, California from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Visitors will see the latest green vehicles including the 2009 “Green Car of the Year”, meet advanced fuel industry leaders and public officials that make clean fuels happen and food and prizes will be offered. For more information or to RSVP to the event, email info@propelfuels.com.

Biodiesel, E85

Study: Biodiesel, Ethanol Key to Economic Recovery

John Davis

iowarfaA new study put out by a leading advocate of biofuels finds that green energy sources have been key to keeping the economy on a somewhat even keel and more production would help further economic recovery in at least one state… and you have to believe that it would apply to many more.

At the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association meeting in Des Moines this week, the group released a new study that shows how big of an impact the renewable fuels industry has on Iowa’s economy. Furthermore, idled capacity that goes back into production could boost that state’s economic turnaround:

“2008 was a year of unprecedented challenges for the biofuels industry,” said economist John Urbanchuk, a director with LECG, LLC. “Despite the challenge to profitability, the biofuels industry continued to grow and met the Renewable Fuel Standard target of nine billion gallons for 2008. Iowa leads the Nation in biofuels output accounting for 26 percent of U.S. ethanol and 12 percent of biodiesel production capacity.”

According to the report, “Contribution of the Biofuels Industry to the Economy of Iowa,” Urbanchuk found that ethanol and biodiesel producers are part of a manufacturing sector that adds substantial value to agricultural commodities produced in Iowa and makes a significant contribution to the Iowa economy. Based on the renewable fuels refineries operating at year-end 2008, ethanol and biodiesel:

* Adds nearly $12.0 billion, or about 9 percent, to Iowa GDP
* Generates $2.8 billion of household income for Iowa households
* Supports nearly 83,000 jobs through the entire Iowa economy (or 5.4% of private, non-farm employment), and
* Generates $576 million in state tax revenue.

IRFA officials add that if the nine idled biodiesel and ethanol plants in Iowa were brought back on line, they would add $300 million to Iowans’ income, create over 9,000 new direct and indirect jobs and put over $70 million in additional tax revenues into the state coffers.

You can read the entire report here.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, News

Ag Secretary Answers Ethanol Questions

Cindy Zimmerman

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack got questions about ethanol during his first official press conference Monday.

VilsackVilsack says he favors improving efficiency in ethanol plants in order to ensure that the industry survives the economic downturn. “We need to make sure that the biofuels industry has the necessary support to survive the recent downturn,” Vilsack told reporters.

“The USDA should research, develop and promote best practices to improve efficiency at corn-based ethanol plants, which have been hit hard by volatile corn prices, followed by a sharp drop in demand for the biofuel, which is more expensive than gasoline,” Vilsack said.

The secretary was also asked if sound science and data supports an expansion of the ethanol blending cap. He didn’t really directly answer that but said that USDA would support accelerating research on ethanol production and promoting second and third generation feedstocks.

“Obviously, we have a serious challenge that has been put forward by Congress to meet the various mandates for renewable fuel within our system. In order to do that, we’re going to have to figure out ways to incorporate ethanol into the fuel system at even greater levels over the course of time.” Vilsack said. “And it’s also clear that within a very short number of years we are going to have to be relying on something other than solely corn-based ethanol, based on the mandates and directives. So all of that is to say, there needs to be lines of communication; there needs to be an effort to promote and extend ethanol use in a variety of ways; and there needs to be a recognition that there are challenges to the expansion of that use, and USDA needs to help meet those challenges.”

You can listen to the Secretary’s entire answer to that question here: [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/usda/vilsack-ethanol-cap.mp3]
Read a transcript of the secretary press conference here.

Ethanol, News, USDA