Rhode Island Mapping Wind Energy Future

John Davis

Rhode Island is looking to literally map out its wind energy future.

This story from the Providence (RI) Journal says that the state has enlisted oceanographers, engineers and other experts from the University of Rhode Island to determine where would the best places be for off-shore wind turbines… a massive $3.2-million effort:

Soon, the state is scheduled to select one of seven companies that have submitted proposals to build and operate wind turbines designed to meet Governor Carcieri’s goal of providing enough power to supply 15 percent of the state’s electricity. Cost estimates have run as high as $1.9 billion.

Rhode Island’s plan is to have the state’s Ocean Special Area Management Plan find the most suitable sites for wind turbines so Rhode Island can avoid the lengthy and costly controversy that has surrounded the Cape Wind project proposed for waters off Nantucket. Most other states have their energy offices or economic development personnel leading their wind-farm siting efforts. Massachusetts just enacted a law this year to plan uses of its coastal waters, but Rhode Island officials believe they are ahead because they have been doing such planning for decades.

Rhode Island officials believe this plan will make them the most competitive in the off-shore wind energy game.

Wind

Cross-Country Biodiesel Trip Rolling

John Davis

Two guys and a Volkswagen Jetta running on biodiesel are trying to re-create the crazy coast-to-coast run made famous in the movie “Cannonball Run,” while proving the value of the green fuel they’re running on.

Hopefully, they’ll still be rolling along when you’re reading this, but right now (Monday evening at about 9:45 CST), two ad execs from Atlanta are in their first hour of what’s expected to be a 36-hour journey from New York City to Los Angeles… running on Willie Nelson’s BioWillie biodiesel… non-stop, except for switching drivers. In fact, Nik Bristow and Brian Pierce from Atlanta’s Fitzgerald+CO advertising firm won’t even stop for bathroom breaks (Check out some of their hilarious videos regarding the condom catheters they’ll be using).

If you’re tuning in before Wednesday, Sept. 24th at about 9 a.m., you might be able to catch some of their live UStream.tv video and chat with them from their web site: willierun.com.

Here’s a quick screen capture of what I saw when I tuned in Monday evening:

The video is pretty dark, but some of the comments are pretty funny (I love the one that I saw at about 30 minutes into the 36-hour drive “Are you there yet?”).

The important thing is Bristow and Pierce are drawing attention to biodiesel and its great fuel-saving abilities.

Biodiesel

New Spokesman at Biodiesel Board’s DC Office

John Davis

There’s someone new for you to meet at the National Biodiesel Board.

The group has announced Michael C. Frohlich is the new Director of Communications at NBB’s Washington, DC office:

“Michael has diverse experience and knowledge in the communications field,” Manning Feraci, Vice President of Federal Affairs stated. “I am confident he is the right person for the position, and I have no doubt he will be a valuable asset to the NBB and its members.” Feraci continued. Frohlich brings nearly six years of communications experience in Washington, DC to NBB. Prior to joining the organization, Frohlich served as U.S. Representative Randy Neugebauer’s (TX-19) Communications Director and Chief Spokesman. In Neugebauer’s office, Frohlich worked in depth with local and national media on energy and agriculture issues.

Joe Jobe, the CEO of the NBB, stated, “I am pleased that Michael is joining our Washington DC team. I know that Michael will work closely with the media and effectively highlight the importance of the biodiesel industry and the environmental, economic, and energy security benefits of our fuel.”

Forgive Michael the casual picture… I kind of pressed him on short notice so you could see him. But, coming from a guy who blogs from the comfort of his couch, I like the look. In addition, you’ll notice that he’s in San Francisco during this picture. Maybe he’s scoping things out ahead of time for next February’s National Biodiesel Conference.

Good to have you aboard, Michael!

Biodiesel

Petit LeMans Features Green Challenge

Cindy Zimmerman

Petit LeMansRoad Atlanta’s Petit Le Mans, the American Le Mans Series signature endurance racing classic, will feature a race within a race next week as car manufacturers compete to excel in fuel efficiency and environmental impact in addition to performance.

In conjunction with the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC), U.S. Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Society of Automotive Engineers, the “Green Challenge” puts the spotlight on emerging fuel technologies, including the worldwide debut of a hybrid electric prototype race car featuring cellulosic E85 racing ethanol. The Series can now boast that every one of its race cars compete using one of four alternative fuels – either clean sulfur-free diesel, E10, cellulosic E85 racing ethanol, or electric hybrid.

EPIC LeMansLast year, EPIC and fuel supplier VP Racing Fuels introduced E10 to the Series. This season, EPIC brought in E85 as one of the fuel options. Corvette Racing and Aston Martin Racing have chosen to use only E85 during the racing season.

“The auto manufacturers competing in the American Le Mans Series have made it very clear that this is a direction and an overall initiative that is important to them,” said Scott Atherton, president and CEO of the Series. “We are the only series in which manufacturers can aggressively develop breakthrough technologies for automobiles that consumers will ultimately buy and drive, reinforcing the American Le Mans Series as the most relevant racing series in the world.”

Monitored criteria in the Green Challenge will include race car performance, fuel efficiency and environmental impacts, such as greenhouse gasses emitted and petroleum displaced. The 11th Annual Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta opens October 1 with practice and qualifying, leading up to the October 4 start of the 1,000-mile, 10-hour American Le Mans Series signature race.

Cellulosic, Energy, EPIC, Ethanol, News, Racing

Saab’s Futuristic FFV

Saab plans to display a new E85 concept vehicle at the Paris autoshow in October. The futuristic Saab 9-X Air BioHybrid concept is a four-seat convertible that features wrap-around glass. It is designed to include a 1.4-liter Saab BioPower engine with turbocharging.

The wraparound “glasshouse” is tinted and is part of a system Saab calls a Canopy Top. A retractable hard top slides underneath the rear deck for what Saab promises would be “fresh air motoring free from buffeting.” With the top raised, says Saab, “it assumes the look of a true sports coupe.”

Also announced recently is that GM will offer its five-door, hatchback Pontiac G3 as E85 compatible in Spring 2009. The G3 is now sold in Canada and Mexico. The 106-horsepower small car will get an estimated 27 miles per gallon in the city and 34 mpg on the highway using a 1.6L Ecotec four-cylinder engine with a five-speed manual transmission or optional four-speed automatic transmission.

Car Makers, E85, Ethanol, Flex Fuel Vehicles, News

Florida to Host Third Cellulosic Ethanol Summit

Cindy Zimmerman

Florida will host the 3rd annual Infocast Cellulosic Ethanol Summit to be held in November.

Cellulosic Summit 08The first two summits were held in Washington DC, but organizers say “the transitional stasis of a federal election year and the accelerated ambition of the states to pursue their own alternative fuel programs, prompted a venue change to Florida which is rapidly proving to be a pioneer in the quest for renewable energy.”

Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen is once again serving as chairman of the summit, which will feature both US Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer and Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture Charles Bronson as keynote speakers.

A variety of hot-topic issues will be addressed at the summit, including the impact of the biofuels debate on the industry, the burgeoning variety of feedstock supply lines, the growing interest from the financial sector in commercializing industry growth and a trio of reports from the frontline by leading developers from the biochemical, non-enzymatic and industrial biotech communities.

The event will take place November 17-19 at the Westin Colonnade Hotel in Coral Gables, Florida, including a pre-summit briefing on “Developing A Sustainable Cellulosic Ethanol Industry” that will kick off the summit on Monday. Registration and other information can be found here.

Cellulosic, conferences, Ethanol

Virginia Plant to Make Ethanol From Barley

Cindy Zimmerman

A Virginia company is moving forward with plans to construct a barley-based ethanol facility which would be the first large-scale fuel ethanol plant in the state.

Osage Bio EnergyOsage Bio Energy plans to build Appomattox Bio Energy facility in Hopewell, Virginia with groundbreaking scheduled for Friday, October 3.

BarleyThe ABE facility is designed to produce 65 million gallons per year of ethanol using regionally grown barley as the primary feedstock. According to the company, barley can be grown in double-crop systems with established food crops such as soybeans in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Osage Bio Energy also intends to capture the energy value of barley hulls through conversion to fuel pellets that can either be used for process heat in the ethanol process or marketed as a green energy fuel in domestic or export markets. In addition, the facility will produce a barley protein meal as a co-product for animal feed.

Ethanol, News

New Ethanol Ad Campaign

Cindy Zimmerman

RFA TV adThe Renewable Fuels Association has launched two new television commercials this week stressing the benefits of today’s domestic renewable fuels industry.

Entitled “Faces” and “Places,” the two 30-second spots feature real Americans from Hereford, Texas who are actively leading America toward a more secure energy future.

RFA TV adIn “Faces,” local Hereford residents explain why ethanol is critical to America’s energy future. In “Places,” the geographic diversity of America’s ethanol industry is on display as the self-proclaimed “Beef Capital of the World” is also home to two ethanol biorefineries.

RFA President Bob Dinneen says the purpose of the campaign is to spotlight the nation’s ethanol producers and give them the credit they deserve. “This industry is about real people all across the nation committed to doing their part to ensure a brighter energy future for generations to come,” Dinneen said. “Hereford, Texas, with 1.5 million cattle and two ethanol biorefineries epitomizes the importance of ethanol to America’s energy and economic security.”

See the two ads here.

Places – TV Ad from GoodFuels on Vimeo.


Faces – TV Ad from GoodFuels on Vimeo.

Ethanol, Promotion, RFA

E85 with a Ford Mustang

A 1999 Ford Mustang GT has been converted to run on the alternative fuel bend of 85 percent ethanol. The engine was changed by the owner, Steve Shrader of Mount Holly, NC.

“The Mustang ran great for more than a year,” noted Shrader. “In the quest for more horsepower, we pulled the engine out of the car to see just how far we could push the horsepower level out of a 4.6L Mustang engine which is street legal and still has a cold A/C. The most recent results were staggering. Running on summer blend E85, the car made 640 horsepower, measured at the rear wheels. With a typical 15 percent driveline loss, that is about 750 hp, if measured at the engine, compared to Ford’s dismal factory output of 260 hp.”

Although this car is not a daily driver nor built to be a commuter car, Shrader said it makes a nice weekend cruising toy and it still makes trips to the dragstrip for fun runs.

Shrader added, “The great results are largely contributed to E85’s 105 octane and cooler-burning characteristics, which allow us to really push the engine beyond what a gasoline engine can safely handle.”

Automobile manufacturers do not recommend converting a gasoline powered vehicle to run on E85.

Car Makers, E85, Ethanol, News

15 Percent Ethanol Solution

Cindy Zimmerman

The American Coalition for Ethanol is proposing a solution to gasoline disruptions and higher prices caused by recent hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico – a 15 percent solution of ethanol.

ACE logoIn a posting on the ACE blog this week, they note that Hurricanes Gustav and Ike have caused nearly a quarter of U.S. fuel production to be shut down, and about 20% of U.S. refining capacity could be lost for months.


In response, states are seeking and the government is granting temporary waivers for certain requirements for gasoline, essentially providing more flexibility to blenders in an attempt to help supply keep up with demand.

While officials wring their hands trying to tinker around the edges to free up more gasoline, a largely overlooked source of meaningful relief comes in the form of ethanol – more of it, to be exact.

State and federal officials should look at increasing the percentage of ethanol allowed in gasoline from 10% up to 15% or even 20%. Even if it’s a temporary measure, this would be an immediate solution to increase the availability of fuel.

ACE is encouraging people to ask their state and federal lawmakers to consider E15 an option to deal with the fuel shortages caused by the hurricanes.

Ethanol