Brazilian President Makes Case for Biofuels at UN

John Davis

Leaders from all over the world have gathered at the United Nations in New York City for the annual high-level debate before the General Assembly. Part of that included the fuel-versus-food debate.

In this article from the UN News Centre, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva disputed the idea that biodiesel and ethanol are the cause of high food prices and part of the reason for the recent world economic woes:

He stressed that the world was facing many other “equally serious matters,” including the food crisis, the spike in energy prices, the deadlock on talks to reform international trade, and the continuing degradation of the environment.

The President said Brazil’s own experience illustrated that sugar cane ethanol and biodiesel production can reduce global dependency on fossil fuels and at the same time create jobs, regenerate degraded land and expand food production.

“Attempts to tie high food prices to the dissemination of biofuels do not stand up to an objective analysis of reality,” he added, calling for a multilateral approach to solve the food and energy crises.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, International, News

Tailgate Tour Takes Ethanol Message to College

Cindy Zimmerman

The Ethanol Promotion and Information Council is taking a fun and educational message about ethanol to college campuses this fall as part of the 2008 FOX Tailgate Tour presented by Ford and Sirius Satellite Radio.

Tailgate TourThe 14-week road trip to this season’s biggest college football games offers unique promotional opportunities for EPIC, according to marketing specialist Jennifer Powell.

“College students are an untapped audience for ethanol. They’re educated and often focused on environmentally friendly issues,” said Powell. “Our messaging will tap into the environmental and economic benefits of ethanol, encouraging them to become ethanol fans for life.”

The Fox Tailgate Tour provides 20 live, on-air ethanol promos each week, prominent mentions on the FOX Radio website, and promotion throughout the tour’s 32-page magazine, in addition to six hours of tailgate activities promoting ethanol at each game.

Promotions feature the ethanol mascot Edgar the E Man and reach out to college students through the popular on-line social network Facebook. “The first 85 people from each tailgate venue to sign up as friends of Edgar on Facebook receive a free gift,” said Powell.

The main grand prize being offered at each tailgate stop is a year of free ethanol-blended fuel for one lucky winner. To find out where the Fox Tailgate Tour will be this weekend, check out www.TailGateTour.com.

EPIC, Ethanol, News, Promotion

Farmers Evaluate Candidate Positions

Cindy Zimmerman

The American Farm Bureau Federation has released the results of a presidential election questionnaire completed by Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama. In the document, both candidates responded to AFBF’s inquiries about a number of issues important to agriculture, including renewable fuels.

McCain ObamaAnswering the question of renewable fuels, McCain responded in part that, “solving our energy crisis requires an “all of the above” approach. It will require aggressive development of alternative energies like wind, solar, tidal and biofuels.”

Obama answered the question by saying, “Farmers are pinched by record energy prices and feel firsthand the effects of our energy crisis, yet farmers also know that rural communities are on the cutting edge of efforts to end it, and it’s time Washington stepped up to help. That’s why I have established a goal to have 60 billion gallons of our fuel come from sustainable, affordable biofuels
by 2022.”

Maintaining tax incentives and fuel blending standards to encourage production and use of renewable fuels is top priority for Farm Bureau and analysts note that farmers and ranchers have a tough choice ahead of them in November.

Energy, Ethanol, Farming, News

2009 FFVs Now Listed on NEVC Website

The National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition (NEVC) website now lists all E85 compatible vehicles up to model year 2009. Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Mazda, Mercedes, Isuzu, Nissan and now Toyota flexible fuel vehicle (FFV) models are all listed here.

“It’s exciting to see nearly fifty FFV models available in 2009,” stated Executive Director of the NEVC, Phil Lampert. “New models like the Lincoln Navigator, Buick Lucerne, Toyota Sequoia and Toyota Tundra make an excellent addition to the vehicle line-up. We’ve come a long way since the introduction of the E85 compatible Ford Taurus in 1995.” NEVC member automakers have also placed badges on their new FFVs proudly displaying their E85 compatibility (as shown below).

Automakers have mentioned that additional 2009 models should be announced in future months.

Car Makers, E85, Flex Fuel Vehicles

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