Biodiesel Plant Opens in the Heart of Oil Country

John Davis

At a point where much of the nation’s petroleum oil flows in and out of port, a biodiesel plant is making its stand to knock off the non-renewable energy source as the fuel of choice for a nation looking to wean itself from petroleum oil dependence.

The Houston Chronicle reports that Iowa-based Renewable Energy Group, one of the biggest biodiesel producers in the country, has opened a 35-million-gallon-a-year biodiesel plant right on the Houston Ship Channel:

The Seabrook plant, known as REG Houston, is the ninth biodiesel production site owned or managed by Renewable Energy Group. Added up, the company either produces or markets more than 300 million gallons of biodiesel per year, about half of U.S. production…

Renewable Energy Group executives in Houston Wednesday for the local plant opening said if the industry is going to keep growing it must convince customers that it is no longer an upstart business. It also must make the case more forcefully that biodiesel can play a role in reducing U.S. petroleum consumption, cleaning the air and providing “green collar” jobs.

“We really believe that biodiesel and ethanol and wind and solar are going to change the way we look at the energy complex in the U.S.,” said Jeffrey Stroburg, chairman and CEO of Renewable Energy Group.

The article points out that the new national biodiesel mandate that requires 500 million gallons of the green fuel be used in 2009, growing to one billion gallons in 2012, has helped the biodiesel industry go from a small industry to a major player in America’s energy future.

Biodiesel

San Francisco Getting Biodiesel Plant

John Davis

A couple of days ago, I told you about how San Francisco Bay would be home to a fast ride around the bay on a biodiesel-powered boat. Now, it looks like the boat won’t have to go far to get the fuel it needs to make the quick journey.

San Francisco Port Commissioners have approved construction of a $10 million plant biodiesel plant at the site of an old rendering facility that will turn fats, waste grease, and tallow into 7.5-10 million gallons of the green fuel a year. This post on inhabitat.com has details:

San Francisco’s proposed biodiesel plant would be situated within on old rendering facility in the Hunter’s Point district owned by Darling International. Under the plan the facility will be renovated to turn grease waste into useable, sustainable energy. Although the agreement has not yet been signed, it is expected that the city will purchase the fuel to cut down on shipments from the Midwest while feeding San Francisco’s biodiesel fleet of 1,500 vehicles.

Last week, Mayor Gavin Newsom announced the deal, pending the approval of the port commissioners:

“This facility will serve as a model for cities throughout the world who aim to reduce their carbon footprint and transform their grease waste into useable, sustainable energy,” said Mayor Newsom. “Turning waste generated by local restaurants and other businesses into a sustainable fuel source is yet another major step in reaching our goals of carbon neutrality for City Government by 2020, zero emission public transit by 2020, a 75% recycling rate by 2010, and zero waste in 2020.”

Biodiesel

Biodiesel Board Gets Green Building

John Davis

The National Biodiesel Board has officially cut the ribbon on its new building at 605 Clark Avenue in Jefferson City, MO. The facility is as eco-friendly and green as the fuel the employees inside promote as the carpet comes from recycled materials, the paint is nontoxic, and even the parking lot lights are powered by the sun. Even the building itself is a renovated, old building that used to belong to the Catholic Church.

During the ceremony today at the new location, a variety of speakers, including NBB CEO Joe Jobe, NBB Chairman and Minnesota soybean farmer Ed Hegland, Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt and Rep. Kenny Hulshof… all big backers of biodiesel… extolled the virtues of the green fuel and the beautiful new building.

Jobe told the crowd how the NBB was practicing what it preached in making the building as eco-friendly as possible. He also pointed out how the biodiesel industry is doing something to help the environment and America’s pressing energy needs.

“The petroleum industry has not built a new refinery in the last 30 years,” said Jobe. “However, the U.S. biodiesel industry has built more than 150 renewable refineries in the last three years, which support an estimated 20,000 jobs across the country.”

Hear some of Joe’s remarks here: [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/domesticfuel/JoeJobeceremony1.mp3] Read More

Biodiesel

Broad Coalition Encourages Pelosi to Advance E85 Infrastructure

In a first of a kind effort, a broad coalition of ethanol producers, automakers, agricultural advocates, convenience store owners, petroleum marketers, and equipment manufactures, are encouraging the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives to include tax credits that support new alternative fuel infrastructure in any pending energy bill or stimulus package.

“Both Presidential candidates and several members of Congress have recently called for mandatory production of flexible fuel vehicles,” stated Executive Director of the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition, Phil Lampert. “We support increased production of flexible fuel vehicles or FFVs, but frankly, that overlooks the primary issue which is the lack of sites to fuel these vehicles.”

The broad coalition sending the letter to the Speaker is encouraging that H.R. 6734, the E85 and Biodiesel Access Act introduced by Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin (D-SD) and Congressman John Shimkus (R-IL), be included in any energy legislation that may be approved during this session of Congress. This act would enhance the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit.

“The inclusion of the E85 and Biodiesel Access Act in any energy bill or potential stimulus package is critical as it provides fuel retailers with more meaningful assistance in making clean-burning biofuels available to motorists,” stated Executive Vice President for the American Coalition for Ethanol, Brian Jennings.

Vice President for Government Relations of the National Association of Convenience Stores, John Eichberger, stated that the legislation would, “overcome one of the major obstacles to the availability of alternative and renewable fuels infrastructure by offsetting a major portion of the expense of such equipment.”

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

Ag Secretary on Ethanol Incentives

Cindy Zimmerman

Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer says that ethanol is an important part of the nation’s plan for energy security, but he expects that ethanol incentives such as the blenders tax credit will eventually be phased out.

Florida Farm to Fuel Ed SchaferDuring an appearance this week in Kansas City, Schafer said ethanol producers need to prepare for an eventual end to these kinds of incentives. “Because they have been built in today, I think we can’t just shut them off,” Schafer said. “I think it’s important to say here’s the target, we are going to gradually reduce them so that you can adjust your operations to operate without them.”

He says that should start happening when the ethanol industry becomes profitable enough to operate on its own and when production begins to approach 34 billion gallons per year – which could be 13-14 years down the road.

Schafer also defended the Renewable Fuels Standard and noted that ethanol blended gasoline actually saves consumers between 20 cents and 35 cents a gallon. And he said that there continue to be promising developments in cellulosic ethanol.

Ethanol, Government, News

New Ethanol Plant Openings

Cindy Zimmerman

POETThe world’s largest ethanol producer is opening two new 65 million gallon per year ethanol production plants this month.

POET will host a grand opening event for POET Biorefining – North Manchester, Indiana on Thursday, September 11. The $105 million ethanol production facility will be the 24th POET production facility.

On September 30, POET will host a grand opening event for POET Biorefining – Fostoria, Ohio. The $130 million plant will be the 25th POET production facility and the second in the state of Ohio, making POET the largest ethanol producer in the state of Ohio, in addition to being the largest producer in the world.

Both events will feature the Vanguard Squadron – the world’s only 100 percent ethanol-powered aerobatic fleet, as well as speakers and plant tours open to the public.

Ethanol, News

Feds Approve First Offshore Wind Projects

John Davis

The federal government has granted leases for America’s first offshore wind projects.

This story from CNNMoney.com says officials with the U.S. Mineral Management Service (MMS) have moved ahead with plans to lease the outer continental shelf to several companies:

Maureen Bornholdt, program manager of the MMS offshore alternative energy program, said the Interior Department remains on track to complete drafting the rules by the end of the year, wrapping up a three-year process.

There is a “very strong level of interest,” she said. “We received a lot of substantial, constructive comments after workshops around the nation. We’ll hunker down for the next several weeks.”

Bornholdt declined to offer a specific dollar value on the leases that the government will be awarding, but she pointed out that the Energy Policy Act requires the federal government to receive a “fair return” through rents and operating fees, and competitive lease auctions.

“It’s not free,” she said of the leases. “We need to get a return there.”

The article goes on to point out the increased interest in offshore wind energy projects, exhibited by the large turnout at an American Wind Energy Association offshore wind conference in Delaware this week.

The first off-shore wind farms are expected to go up in the ocean just off the coasts of Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and California.

Wind

Algae Biodiesel Could Fuel the Friendly Skies

John Davis

Biodiesel maker Solazyme, which uses algae as its feedstock for the truly green fuel, has announced that its variety of biodiesel is good enough for the airline industry.

Back on June 11th, I told you how Solazyme’s algae-based biodiesel now meets the strict American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D-975 specifications… the first algal-biodiesel to meet the same standard set for all regular diesel. Now, according to this story from greentechmedia.com, Solazyme has developed an algal-based jet fuel that passed another rigorous standard that will help the company enter the jet-fuel market:

The announcement marked the first time Solazyme discussed the jet-fuel market publicly, which has attracted a slew of companies developing fuels using a variety of plants, from jatropha to soybeans. Solazyme previously talked about selling its algal oils to biodiesel, food and cosmetic makers…

The jet-fuel market presents a lucrative opportunity as rising crude-oil prices pressure airlines to look for alternatives. Fuel costs account for about 40 percent of the airline industry’s expenses, according to John Heimlich, vice president and chief economist at the Air Transport Association of America.

Solazyme sent samples to the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas, where the lab found it met the ASTM D1655 standard for aviation turbine fuel.

Company officials believe they can produce the fuel for $40-80 a barrel… quite a savings considering the current cost of petroleum oil.

Biodiesel

Now You See It… Now You Don’t

John Davis

It appears that someone might have jumped the gun a bit when General Motors released the first pictures of the production version of its much-anticipated electric car, the Chevrolet Volt, earlier today.

According to this article in the Detroit News, the pictures of the Volt (seen on the right here, thanks to a quick blogger at TheCarConnection.com who was smart enough and in the right place at the right time to save the pictures before they could be taken off GM’s web site) were supposed to go out next week:

Ten photos were briefly posted on GM’s media Web site, and an external site, and promptly picked up by auto bloggers around the world.

“Those were put up in error and taken down quickly thereafter,” Chevrolet spokesman Terry Rhadigan said. “It was not intentional.”

The release comes a week ahead of the automaker’s 100th anniversary celebration, during which the Volt is expected to be unveiled officially.

But how much the posting was an accident remains to be seen:

The blogger who found the photos Monday before they were taken down suspects the release was a publicity move by the automaker.

“I think they’re getting very good at playing the game of public relations,” said Marty Padgett, editor of thecarconnection.com. “Everyone is interested (in the Volt), so why not let some teases float out there?”

It looks like TheCarConnection.com is getting a lot of feedback on the new pictures… some good, some bad. You can see more of the photos and read the comments by clicking here.

Car Makers, Miscellaneous

Colorado Station Reports Higher E85 Sales

According to the Glenwood Springs Post Independent, the owner of the Basalt Center Fuel site at 122 Midland Ave. in Basalt, Colorado, stated that E85 sales are up from last year. Bruce Ross said that E85 sales grew with some initial publicity, settled down a bit and then grew steadily.

Ross noted that about eight percent of total sales last year after the center began selling E85 in March. E85 sales made up about 12 percent of sales last month at 6,000 gallons. Additional figures weren’t immediately available.

One of the reasons Ross purchased the fueling facility in October 2006 was to sell E85. “We thought it was a really good thing that needed to be in the valley,” he said. “I thought it was important. I thought that this valley would support it being the kind of place that we are. To the extent that people who can use it do use it, I think I was right.”

E85 is being sold for nearly a dollar less than regular unleaded gasoline at Basalt Center Fuel.

E85, Ethanol, Facilities, News