Former Imperium VP Joins Harris Group

John Davis

harrisgroup.gifInternational engineering firm Harris Group, which has a stake in the alternative energy game, has named former Imperium Renewables Vice President Mark Warner as the company’s director of the program management services.

A company press release says Warner’s experience with Imperium will serve him well at Seattle-based Harris Group:

Mr. Warner led the effort to build the largest biodiesel production facility constructed in the US, which was permitted, designed and constructed in 14 months. He is a chemical engineer with extensive background in chemical plant operations and maintenance, as well as environmental consulting. Mr. Warner will be the Director of Program Management Services for HGI’s Process Solutions Business Unit. In that role he will help develop and expand the services we can offer HGI’s biofuels customers.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, News

Government Dispels Biofuels Myths

John Davis

doe.jpgA new paper from the U.S. Department of Energy tries to put to rest some of the myths that still swirl around biofuels.

The document, posted on the DOE web site, takes on some of the most-often repeated arguments against renewable energy with solid facts:

doereport1.jpgMYTH: In terms of emissions, biofuels emit the same amount as gasoline or more.
FACT: Biofuels burn cleaner than gasoline, resulting in fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and are fully biodegradable, unlike some fuel additives.

MYTH: Ethanol cannot be produced from corn in large enough quantities to make a real difference without disrupting food and feed supplies.
FACT: Corn-based ethanol is only one source of biofuel. As we address the technical hurdles associated with the efficient and cost-effective production of biofuels, ethanol will increasingly play a more significant role.

doereport2.jpgMYTH: Ethanol gasoline blends can lower fuel economy and may harm your engine.
FACT: Ethanol blends in use today have little impact on fuel economy or vehicle performance.

MYTH: More energy goes into producing ethanol than it delivers as a fuel.
FACT: Each gallon of corn ethanol today delivers as much as 67% more energy than is used to produce it.

Although the document is just a couple of pages long, it should be must reading for anyone in the biofuels industry so they can dispel the myths with the facts.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Government, News

Report: World Biofuel Demand Will Continue to Skyrocket

John Davis

freedonia.jpgA study by the Freedonia Group Inc. says that demand for biofuels throughout the world will grow by 20 percent a year to 92 million metric tons in 2011.

This article from the International Business Times says the Cleveland-based industry research firm says the demand will increase despite the current food-versus-fuel and environmental debates:

Market expansion will come from a more than doubling of the world market for bioethanol, and even faster increases in global biodiesel demand, the study said.

Other biofuels will also experience strong growth, though much slower than either biodiesel or bioethanol.

The world market for biofuels has expanded rapidly in recent years as combination of domestic politics, rising oil prices, increasing concerns about global warming, and potential economic opportunity have spurred a broad range of countries to pass laws that support biofuel industries.

World biofuel production will track increases in demand as most countries seek to foster domestic biofuel industries, both to reduce reliance upon imported oil and to spur domestic economic development.

This will continue to favor the development of cereal based (maize and wheat) bioethanol capacity in North America and Western Europe, as well as sugarcane based bioethanol production in Latin America.

The article goes on to say in America, biodiesel production will center on soybean oil, while rapeseed oil will be the feedstock of choice in Europe. Asia and the Pacific region will feature palm oil with jatropha increasing in popularity. In addition, ethanol from cellulose and algae-based biodiesel will gain commercial significance in the long term.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, News

Farm Foundation to Host Carbon Footprint Forum

John Davis

carbonfootprint.JPGFarm Foundation, a non-profit group that works as a catalyst for farm policy discussion, is holding a forum on the lifecycle carbon footprint analysis of biofuels, this coming Tuesday, April 8 from 9 am to 11 am in the First Amendment Lounge of the National Press Club in Washington D.C.

Speakers providing opening comments will be:

* Bruce McCarl of Texas A&M University, discussing lifecycle analysis.
* Brooke Coleman of the Renewable Energy Action Project, presenting the renewable fuels perspective.
* Laurent Javaudin, Delegation of the European Commission to the United States, addressing European Commission proposals on biofuels sustainability and GHG methodology.

This discussion will be opened up to the floor with Charlie Stenholm moderating.

The forum is free, but you are asked to RSVP by 10 a.m. CDT, this coming Friday, April 4, to Mary Thompson, Farm Foundation Director of Communication, mary@farmfoundation.org.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Government, Miscellaneous, News

New Iowa Plant Gets Approval

Cindy Zimmerman

Ethanol start-up, Red Rock Renewables LLC, is moving into the next phase of development on a new fuel ethanol plant to be located in Pleasantville, Iowa.

Last week, the company received approval on a final development agreement with the city of Pleasantville and the plant will now move into the next and most critical phase for ethanol plant construction, funding.

Iowa RFAAccording to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, only two Iowa ethanol plants started construction in 2007, the lowest number of starts since 1999. But there are at least four ethanol projects, including Red Rock Renewables, that have a good chance of getting launched this year.

Iowa currently has 28 operating ethanol plants and is the number one ethanol producing state with an annual capacity of 2.2 billion gallons.

Ethanol, Facilities, News

Senator Pushes for Higher Ethanol Blends

Cindy Zimmerman

Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) is continuing to push for the use of higher ethanol blends in regular car engines.

Chuck GrassleyLast fall, Grassley and several other senators wrote the Environmental Protection Agency requesting testing of blends of ethanol above 10% for non-flexible fuel vehicles. Now Grassley is asking car makers what they are doing in the area of research and testing on higher ethanol blends.

“It is becoming even more important as we see the maximum market demand for E-10 blends quickly approaching,” Grassley told reporters Tuesday. “It is believed that the E-10 market will be saturated by 2012 or 2013 at about 12 or 14 billion gallons a year. That’s about twice what we producer right now. It is critical that timely approvals be made for intermediate blends of ethanol-blended gasoline for non-flexible fuel vehicles.”

Grassley cites a year-long study by the state of Minnesota and the Renewable Fuels Association showing no problems with ethanol blends of up to 20 percent.

“When I was in Brazil in 2006 I saw first hand, non-Flex Fuel vehicles capable on running on blends of 20 percent to 25 percent ethanol,” he said.

Grassley says movement to higher ethanol blends requires cooperation between the public and private sectors.

Ethanol, Government, News, RFA

Partnership for Cellulosic Technology

Cindy Zimmerman

ConocoISUThe U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has entered into partnership with ConocoPhillips and Iowa State University to identify promising cellulosic biomass conversion technologies for the future. The collaboration will bring three independently established programs together to help identify the most efficient and cost-effective methods for making liquid transportation fuels from plants.

NREL“Research cooperation among government, industry and academia is needed to efficiently address the many questions about how to find the best ways to convert biomass to liquid transportation fuels,” said Tom Foust, technology manager for NREL’s National Bioenergy Center.

Each party is providing its own time and resources and the collaboration is expected to produce an initial report by January 2009.

Cellulosic, Ethanol, Government, News, Research

Biodiesel Additive Approved by Texas

John Davis

oryxe.jpgAn additive to biodiesel has been approved by the State of Texas for its low-emission program.

ORYXE Energy International’s ORYXE(R) LED for Biodiesel has received an unprecedented approval for use in the Texas Low Emission Diesel Program (TxLED). This press release from the company says it means fuel producers will be able to use the additive at a lower treat rate in biodiesel blends up to B20:

Under extensive testing at the West Virginia University Engine and Emissions Research Laboratory, ORYXE LED for Biodiesel eliminated the bump in oxides of nitrogen (NOx) associated with biodiesel. A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report summarizing published studies shows that biodiesel reduces all regulated emissions, with the exception of NOx.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) recently developed an alternative testing protocol for biodiesel blends. Under the original protocol, B20 fuel (80% EPA diesel and 20% biodiesel) treated with the ORYXE additive was tested against a clean, prescriptively blended TxLED fuel. The significant difference in the new protocol is that the petroleum diesel component of the B20 fuel can now be TxLED-compliant, instead of EPA diesel. Therefore, the additive only has to address the increased NOx created from the biodiesel portion of the blend.

“The additional approval is great news for Texas air quality as well as our customers. They can now utilize ORYXE technology more economically to comply with the low-emission diesel standards established for Texas,” said James M. Cleary, ORYXE Energy chairman and chief executive officer. “The fact that our product is the only additive to pass two different tests says a great deal about the effectiveness of our technology to reduce NOx.”

Company officials say the key is the lower treat rate at 1.25 milliliters per gallon of the biodiesel blend, which will mean biodiesel and regular diesel sellers can use the one additive for either fuel.

Biodiesel

Nilsson Named President of DMI Industries

John Davis

dmi.jpgDMI Industries, a leading manufacturer of wind generator towers, has named Stefan Nilsson as president of the West Fargo, North Dakota-based company.

A company press release says he’ll lead a company that has its fingers in several other alternative energy sources:

“I am impressed with DMI’s recent expansion activity and excited to help guide the company’s strategic direction and future success,” Nilsson said. “The wind energy sector holds tremendous opportunity, and DMI will continue to grow as a leader in tower manufacturing.”

A native of Sweden, Nilsson moved to the United States more than 20 years ago. He holds a master’s in mechanical engineering and received his MBA in International Business Management from the University of Uppsala, Sweden. He will relocate from Michigan to the Fargo area.

DMI is a heavy steel wind tower manufacturer with plants located in North Dakota, Oklahoma and Ontario, Canada. The company also has capabilities to produce equipment for a wide variety of industries, including agricultural processing; ethanol production; oil and gas extraction, processing and refining; and water and waste water processing.

You can read more about the company at www.dmiindustries.com.

Wind

Albany Ethanol Plant Approved

Cindy Zimmerman

Port of AlbanyThe Albany Port District Commission has approved a proposal to build an ethanol plant on port property which officials say it the largest development project in the history of the port.

According to the Albany Times-Union, the developer, Albany Renewable Energy LLC, would bring in 60 million bushels of corn annually — about what is produced in all of New York state — from regional and Midwest farmers.

The plant still needs to obtain financing and permits from the state Department of Environmental Conservation before construction can begin. Company officials say construction would take 6 to 12 months.

The Schenectady Gazette reports that the plant will be designed and built by ICM Inc. of Kansas, and that the company is also looking to acquire the rights to build another smaller production facility at the port. The total cost of the two plants could reach $350 million.

Albany Renewable Energy plans to send processed ethanol from its plant by barge to terminals at the major ports in Boston, New York City and Philadelphia.

Ethanol, News