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Teacher & Students Complete Cross-Country Biodiesel Trip

John Davis

A group of students and a teacher from Ponaganset High School in Rhode Island has completed a cross-country trip running their 1997 GMC pickup truck, that had been donated by Con Edison Solutions, on recycled cooking oil made into biodiesel.

This story from the Providence (RI) Journal has details:

“The vehicle handled really great,” teacher Ross McCurdy said when the group marked its return to Rhode Island yesterday at Roger Williams Park.

“We had one catastrophic problem,” said Zane Lewis, a former Ponaganset student. “It was a headlight. We had to change it.”

The foursome left Rhode Island two weeks ago with the truck’s tank full of biodiesel and three reserve tanks holding 250 gallons in the bed of the pickup.

“That was plenty of fuel to get us all the way to California, right down to the water,” said Wylie Smith, another former student.

“We did this to demonstrate that biodiesel is a viable fuel that’s easy to use and it works and it’s reliable,” said McCurdy.

The trip turned out to be more than simply a demonstration of biodiesel, though. The travelers saw a big slice of America.

“There were probably about 50 in ‘coolest things we saw,’ ” said Lewis.

Among the coolest things in the trip from Rhode Island to Los Angeles was a chance to see the Northern California coast and the opportunity to run the truck on the Bonneville Salt Flats.

So what did you do on your summer break?

Biodiesel

Nation’s Largest Biodiesel Refinery Hits 50% of Potential

John Davis

GreenHunter Biofuels has announced that its Houston biodiesel refinery has hit 50 percent of its 105 million gallon per year capacity at the nation’s largest biodiesel refinery.

This company press release says the plant uses mostly animal fats, primarily poultry fat and beef tallow to make the green fuel:

GreenHunter BioFuels is currently contracting for sale its first 4000 metric ton parcel of B100, or 100% biodiesel, to a purchaser with an anticipated ultimate delivery into the international markets.

Commenting on GreenHunter BioFuels’ recent operational achievements, Bruce Baughman, Senior Vice President of Engineering and Technology, stated, “Successfully achieving 50% of nameplate capacity at such a highly technical refinery is a testimony not only to the quality of this unique asset, but to the outstanding work conducted by our plant personnel during this start-up period. By designing a refinery that has the ability to take a multitude of different feedstocks, GreenHunter has the ability to source and procure the least expensive raw materials possible around the world. This allows our Company to achieve the greatest possible operating margins within the business today. We believe the distilled, ‘water-white’ quality performance of the GreenHunter Biofuels facility will contribute to a new quality standard in the global biodiesel marketplace.”

GreenHunter Biofuels is a subsidiary of GreenHunter Energy, a company focused on renewable energy sources, such as wind, hydro, geothermal, solar, biofuels, and biomass power plants. It has plans for wind energy projects in Montana, New Mexico, Wyoming, California, Texas, and China.

Biodiesel

Minnesota E85 Sales Up 16%

According to the American Lung Association of Minnesota, gasoline sales have decreased 10 percent and E85 sales have increased 16 percent within the past year. The Minnesota Department of Commerce reports that motorists bought 211,982,582 gallons of gasoline in July 2008, compared to 233,081,981 gallons in July 2007. E85 sales are averaging an astonishing 2 – 2.5 million gallons a month. The state has approximately 200,000 E85 compatible vehicles and just over 350 out of the 1,735 E85 stations throughout the country.

“A year ago, I don’t think anyone would have predicted Minnesota could achieve a trifecta of fuel conservation, increased use of mass transit, and increased sales of cleaner-burning alternative fuels in the middle of what has historically been the peak driving season,” said Robert Moffitt, communications director for the American Lung Association of Minnesota. “Since vehicle exhaust is the single largest source of air pollution in Minnesota, the positive impact of these three elements coming together can’t help but improve air quality this summer.”

The American Lung Association of Minnesota is currently accepting grant applications from fuel retailers who wish to add an E85 or biodiesel pump to their station.

Biodiesel, E85, Ethanol, News

Cellulosic Ethanol Close to Commercial

John Davis

Domestic Fuel CastDoubts about commercial opportunities for cellulosic ethanol are evaporating:

“It is no longer a question of if we are able to produce cellulosic ethanol, but when,” POET CEO Jeff Broin said.

Jeff announced POET’s commitment to develop a commercial cellulosic ethanol plant in Elmersville, Iowa at the Ethanol Conference and Trade Show in Omaha, Nebraska earlier this month. Construction on what POET is calling “Project Liberty” will begin in 2009 and the company expects the facility to be online by 2011. But, POET promises to have a smaller pilot-scale facility up and running by the end of this year.

Jeff says now is an optimal time to take advantage of cellulosic energy because, as he sees it, the industry has sustained strong progress with investments from private industry and academia:

“The stars are beginning to align for cellulosic ethanol,” Jeff said.

POET’s commercial cellulosic plants will process feed stock corn cobs and corn fiber. But, corn isn’t the only source for cellulosic ethanol production that’s poised to go commercial. Bill Schafer, senior vice president of business development Range Fuels, says his company is investing in processing woody biomass for cellulosic ethanol production in Georgia.

In this DomesticFuel Cast, we hear from Jeff Broin, CEO of POET, and Bill Schafer, senior vice president of business development Range Fuels. Here is the Domestic Fuel Cast #8:
[audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/domesticfuel/df-podcast-08.mp3]

You can also subscribe to the DomesticFuel Cast using the following url/feed link: http://www.zimmcomm.biz/domesticfuel/domestic-fuel-cast.xml.

Audio, biomass, Cellulosic, corn, Energy, Ethanol, News, Production

Supporters Sign Up For Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

Ethanol SignHundreds of supporters have been “signing up for ethanol” on a website sponsored by the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council.

The website is tied in to an advertising campaign which started running in South Dakota at the beginning of August. The campaign highlights the role of ethanol in increased energy security, economic development and decreased gas prices.

The goal for the group is to get at least 4,000 state residents to register their support at the web site signupforethanol.com. However, the website is attracting ethanol supporters nationwide, not just South Dakota. Names of people from at least 25 other states are listed on the website ethanol supporter scroll. States from coast to coast are represented – including California, New York, Florida, New Hampshire, Washington, Arizona and more.

The site also offers links to information about ethanol and ideas for how supporters can take action.

Ethanol, News

Turning Ethanol Into Hydrogen

Cindy Zimmerman

Researchers at Ohio State University say they have found a way to efficiently convert ethanol and other biofuels into hydrogen.

Umit OzkanAccording to OSU professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering Umit Ozkan, a new catalyst can makes hydrogen from ethanol with 90 percent yield, at a workable temperature, and using inexpensive ingredients.

Ozkan says the catalyst could help make the use of hydrogen-powered cars more practical in the future, she said.

“There are many practical issues that need to be resolved before we can use hydrogen as fuel — how to make it, how to transport it, how to create the infrastructure for people to fill their cars with it,” Ozkan explained.

The process starts with a liquid biofuel such as ethanol, which is heated and pumped into a reactor, where the catalyst spurs a series of chemical reactions that ultimately convert the liquid to a hydrogen-rich gas.

The new catalyst is much less expensive than others being developed around the world, because it does not contain precious metals, such as platinum or rhodium.

The research was presented last week at the American Chemical Society meeting in Philadelphia.

Ethanol, Hydrogen, News, Research

Ethanol Fuels Debate in Nebraska

Cindy Zimmerman

Candidates for an open U.S. Senate seat in Nebraska faced off at the state fair in Lincoln this weekend and ethanol was a topic of debate.

Nebraska Senate DebateRepublican Mike Johanns, Democrat Scott Kleeb and Green Party candidate Steve Larrick all discussed the important issues of energy, climate change and renewable fuels – although most of the sparks flew between Johanns and Kleeb.

Former Nebraska governor Johanns, who resigned as US Secretary of Agriculture last year to run for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Chuck Hagel, accused Kleeb of being quoted as saying that “corn based ethanol will not be a part of our future.” Johanns noted that new breakthroughs in corn genetics will soon bring a 40 percent increase in the yield of dryland corn, making corn-based ethanol even more viable.

Kleeb claimed he was misquoted and has “always been a supporter of ethanol.” However, he believes the country also needs to develop other “green” energy solutions, such as solar, wind and other technologies such as cellulosic ethanol production.

The biggest clash between the two came over the proposed Warner-Lieberman Climate Security Act, which Johanns opposes and Kleeb supports.

Ethanol, Government, News

Propane Touted as Fuel for Fleets

John Davis

Motorsports legend Jack Roush joined a group of auto company executives, fleet operators and propane marketers to demostrate to the press and public some propane-fueled vehicles in New York City.

The event was hosted by the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), and this press release from the council says a Ford propane F-150 pickup developed by Roush Industries was the demonstration vehicle:

“Aside from its superb engineering, this F-150 is a propane alternative-fueled vehicle that has an established refueling infrastructure to support it,” said Jack Roush, chairman of the board of Roush Enterprises and CEO and co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing, Livonia, Michigan. “It has lower greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline and diesel pickups and costs less to operate, and it contributes to the reduction of America’s dependency on foreign oil.”

The other propane-fueled on-road vehicles on display also drew a great deal of interest from fleet operators: a Blue Bird Vision school bus, a medium-duty General Motors truck, a Ford Crown Victoria police cruiser, and a Chrysler 300 sedan. “School administrators using the propane-fueled bus like its performance and its low operating costs,” said PERC Vice President Brian Feehan. The Blue Bird Propane-Powered Vision is factory-built to operate on propane and features the GM 8.1-liter V8 engine with a liquid propane injection system.

The release goes on to point out that, for a long time, propane has been a popular fuel for vehicles such as forklifts and some off-road vehicles. It’s now gaining more acceptance in fleet vehicles, such as buses, taxis and police vehicles. While propane is currently in 11 million vehicles, that number is expected to grow as the cost of conventional fuels and worries over greenhouse gases continue to rise. It’s estimated that propane could trim up to 30 percent of fleets’ fuel costs.

Propane

Show Me Ethanol Grand Opening

Cindy Zimmerman

Show Me EthanolShow Me Ethanol, a new farmer-owned ethanol plant in Missouri, will be celebrate its grand opening this weekend.

Show Me Ethanol in Carrollton started production in May of this year and is opening its doors to members of the community on Saturday. The 55 million gallons per year plant is the sixth ethanol plant in the state, joining facilities in Macon, Craig, Malta Bend, Laddonia and St. Joseph.

The grand opening event will begin with guided plant tours and a ribbon cutting ceremony, followed by a complementary lunch at noon and additional plant tours until 2 p.m.

Ethanol, Facilities, News

Purdue Study Show Biodiesel Benefits in Buses

John Davis

A new study from Purdue University shows that buses that have been running 10 percent biodiesel are reducing pollution without any loss of fuel economy.

This press release from the school says the report, prepared by Gregory Shaver, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering, doctoral student Dave Snyder and undergraduate Chris Satkoski, found that upping that mix to 20 percent would have even greater results:

The university’s Technical Assistance Program at the Purdue Research Park arranged for the engineers to prepare the study for IndyGo Public Transportation Corp., which provides mass transit in Indianapolis. The report was presented to Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard earlier this month at Purdue’s Ray W. Herrick Laboratories in a visit organized by the university’s Energy Center.

The report compared bus operations in April 2006 and April 2007 to determine the impact of switching from standard diesel fuel, referred to as B0, to B10, which contains 10 percent biodiesel. IndyGo switched its entire fleet to B10 in 2007.

“In our assessment, we would recommend going to B20,” Shaver said. “We also saw a significant benefit to using the diesel-electric hybrid buses, so we would recommend increasing the number of hybrids in the fleet. The best bang for your buck might be running B20 in hybrid buses, depending on the initial cost of hybrids compared to standard buses.”

The researchers say switching to B20 could save Indianapolis 360,000 gallons a year, while significantly reducing its carbon footprint.

Biodiesel