Katrina Helps Big Easy Go Green

John Davis

neworleansbus.jpgThe City of New Orleans will be running the buses that replace the losses from Hurricane Katrina on biodiesel.

The New Orleans CityBusiness reports that the new buses will arrive this spring:

The first of 39 new RTA buses will be delivered in April, a $15-million step toward replenishing a 372-bus fleet Hurricane Katrina cut by 205 ruined buses.

Each of the new $385,000 buses will run on biodiesel, a cleaner-burning alternative fuel comprised of specially processed plant or animal fat often blended with petroleum diesel.

“We started looking into the alternative options and so far biodiesel is the option that best fits our needs so we can strike a compromise between efficient transportation and a greener city,” Burgos said.

New Orleans is not alone as San Francisco, CA; Columbus, Ohio; Houston, Texas; and Bloomington, Indiana… among others… have all switched either their bus or city vehicle fleets or both to biodiesel.

Officials also hope the switch to biodiesel, made cheaper by certain tax incentives, will help the city transit system get back on track to its pre-Katrina days. Right now, ridership is only about one-fourth what it used to be.

Biodiesel

Alabama City Collecting Used Oil for Biodiesel

John Davis

gadsden.gifGadsden, Alabama is getting into the swing of biodiesel… and it’s depending on the community to help fuel the green move.

This story in the Gadsden Times says the city is handing out jugs to residents to get them to collect their used cooking grease so it can be turned into biodiesel:

The city is a partner in the program with the Gadsden Water Works and Sewer Board, which purchased collection jugs and labels, and Auburn University, which bought the equipment used to turn the cooking oil into biodiesel fuel.

Auburn President Jack Gogue will be at the fleet management facility in Gadsden at 11 a.m. March 7 to talk about the biodiesel program here and in the state. The university bought the equipment, which cost about $14,000, to promote the use of biodiesel fuels.

The city will spend about 70 cents a gallon to produce the diesel fuel from cooking oil and grease. The fuel then can be used in the city’s diesel vehicles.

Officials hope to get the local restaurants involved as well so they can collect enough used grease to fuel the $14,000-bill Gadsden spends on diesel each year. In addition, they hope they’ll keep the grease out of the city’s sewer system, which has been a big problem clogging the pipes.

Biodiesel

National Ethanol Conference Opening Reception

Chuck Zimmerman

Opening ReceptionIt has been a great first day here at the National Ethanol Conference.

The opening reception was held outside just before sunset and it was a big party. According to RFA President, Bob Dinneen, this is the biggest ever with over 2,300 attending. It seemed like they all came out to the opening reception.

I spoke with a lot of industry representatives today getting an idea of how things are going and the mood is upbeat even with all the challenges out there. Tomorrow kicks off the serious sessions and I’ll have a lot more interviews at that point.

National Ethanol Conference Photo Album

National Ethanol Conference, News

Midwest Governors Pick New Leaders

John Davis

mga.pngThe new leaders of the Midwest Governors Association (MGA) are committing their group to the advancement of the biofuels they see as the future for their region.

South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds will serve as chair with Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm as vice-chair:

Under its new leadership, the Midwestern Governors Association will focus on strengthening state and federal efforts to build and maintain our transportation network. This effort will center on using energy produced in the Midwest to fuel the vehicles that use our roads and rails, helping Midwestern businesses move their products more efficiently and improving travel for Midwestern residents and visitors. The MGA will also build on its recent efforts to make the region a leader in domestically produced energy and facilitate several states’ efforts to address climate stewardship.

rounds1.jpg“I am honored to lead the Midwestern Governors Association over the next year,” said Rounds. “Our region has been blessed with many resources that we can use to address the challenges facing our states. Specifically, I am eager to work with my fellow governors to make sure the Midwest’s transportation infrastructure is maintained in the new federal Transportation Bill.”

granholm.jpg“As governors of our respective Midwestern states, we are committed to building a stronger alternative-energy economy that lessens our dependence on foreign oil and creates jobs in the process, said Granholm. By working with Gov. Rounds to improve our region’s transportation needs, we will make Midwestern states more competitive in this global economy.”

Biodiesel, Ethanol, News

Bob and Jack Kick Off National Ethanol Conference Golf

Chuck Zimmerman

Bob DinneenHere at the National Ethanol Conference golf is the first activity. RFA President Bob Dinneen got everyone started here this morning out at ChampionsGate golf course. Just before he gave everyone the send off I spoke to him about the Conference.

Bob says that this is the biggest and best Conference ever with over 2,300 people attending. He says they’ll be talking about the challenges ahead including climate change and the food vs. fuel debate that keeps raging.

Bob says the future is bright and the industry is on solid footing.

You can listen to my interview with Bob here: [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/rfa/nec-08-dinneen-1.mp3]

Jack YoungbloodNFL Hall of Famer Jack Youngblood is also on hand with us here today at the golf tournament. He welcomed everyone out at the start of the event.

Jack played with the Rams in 5 NFC Championship games and in Super Bowl XIV. He’s a tough guy but very friendly. Today he’s out on hole number 2 helping teams out since he takes a drive and they can use his if needed.

I spoke to Jack in between groups on his hole. He says that here in Florida they’ve had their hand in the ethanol business for several years. He’s really pleased to see the enthusiasm on the part of the people involved in the industry and is looking forward to seeing what’s going on in the business here at the Conference.

Jack wants consumers to know that ethanol is a renewable resource that can take us in the direction we want to go. As he puts it, when it comes to fuel, “we want to grow our own.” He thinks it’s the most common sense approach to relieving our dependence on foreign oil that there is.

You can listen to my interview with Jack here: [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/rfa/nec-08-youngblood-1.mp3]

National Ethanol Conference Photo Album

Audio, National Ethanol Conference, News

Outlook Puts Biofuels in Focus

Cindy Zimmerman

Biofuels had a seat on the plenary panel entitled, “Getting It Right: Responding to Market Forces” at USDA’s 2008 Outlook Forum last week.

USDA Outlook DinneenRenewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen noted that while ethanol is “not a silver bullet” for all of America’s energy, economic and environmental issues, but “biofuels are absolutely a part of addressing each of them to some extent.”

Dinneen talked about how ethanol production has revitalized rural economies and offset the increased gasoline demand over the past few years. “We have stemmed the tide of increased gasoline imports into this country,” he said.

USDA Outlook 2008And he talked about cellulosic ethanol. “We recognize that in order to grow our industry we need to move beyond grain,” and Dinneen says it is already happening.

Other panelists were Paul Schickler of DuPont/Pioneer Hi-Bred, C. Larry Pope of Smithfield Foods and Tom Stenzel with United Fresh Produce Association. The entire webcast of the panel is posted on USDA’s website.

There was also a panel on new sources for biofuels, focusing on biodiesel and featuring presentations from the National Biodiesel Board and Agriculture Blue Sun Biodiesel. (The links will take you to their presentations.)

And a panel focusing specifically on sustainability of ethanol with presenters including Dr. Mark Stowers of POET and Rick Tolman of National Corn Growers Association.

And that was just the first day. The second day saw panels on wind, solar, biomass and more. Most presentations are available on USDA’s site.

Biodiesel, corn, Ethanol, News, RFA

Time For The National Ethanol Conference

Chuck Zimmerman

National Ethanol ConferenceIt’s time for the National Ethanol Conference. I’ll be providing on the scene coverage once again this year and working closely with the Renewable Fuels Association again, including posting onto their blog site.

So far we’ve just had registration taking place this afternoon and tomorrow we’ll have the annual golf tournament as the first scheduled activity before tomorrow evening’s opening reception. You can count on interviews and lots of pictures.

In fact you can keep up with things if you’d like with my Conference Photo Album which is already started.

National Ethanol Conference, News

Wind Industry Short of Workers

John Davis

If you’re looking for a career change or you’re just joining the workforce, you might consider a job in the wind industry.

This story in the Seattle Times says while the industry has taken off like a shot, installing 3,200 turbines last year alone… and that number expected to be repeated this year, the number of workers has not kept pace:

[W]ind-power officials see a much larger obstacle coming in the form of its own work force, a highly specialized group of technicians that combines working knowledge of mechanics, hydraulics, computers and meteorology with the willingness to climb 200 feet in the air in all kinds of weather.

That work force isn’t keeping up with the future demand, partly because the industry is so new that the oldest independent training programs are less than five years old.

awea.jpgThe American Wind Energy Association, a Washington, D.C.-based trade group, estimates the industry employs about 20,000 people, not including those making turbines or other equipment.

Future need is harder to quantify, given the uncertainties of the industry’s growth. But with two-man teams generally responsible for seven to 10 turbines, the industry would need up to 800 technicians to serve the turbines expected to be installed this year alone.

Park developers, turbine manufacturers and utilities are investing in training programs, attempting to lure workers with wages of up to $25 an hour, or teaming up with the growing number of wind-energy training programs offered at community and technical colleges.

The article goes on to say that some wind energy companies are so in need of skilled workers, they are snatching up those in the technical programs at colleges before they even finish their training.

So if you’re career future is still up in the air, you might consider the industry that is gaining a whirlwind of support: wind power.

Wind

Canadians Bemoan the Lack of Availability of Biofuels

John Davis

Canadians seem to be willing to use ethanol and biodiesel… if they can get the green fuels.

This story in the Vancouver Sun says there are only TWO E85 ethanol pumps in the country, and biodiesel seems to be available mostly just for farmers and large fleets. But some groups are trying to change that:

crfaandcvma.jpgThe Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association and the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association have lobbied government for programs and tax incentives not only to increase production of biofuels, but also to get them to customers.

“You’ve got to be able to allow them to source the fuel,” said Gordon Quaiattini, president of the renewable fuels group.

Robert Sicard, president of UPI Energy which opened the first E85 pump in Guelph, Ont., last January, said it costs $30,000 to convert a gas pump to handle E85 and a government incentive program would help spread them across Canada much faster, as it has done in the U.S.

There are some 600,000 flex-fuel vehicles on Canada’s roads.

Any vehicle can take up to E10 without any engine modifications. Higher ethanol blends require a flex-fuel vehicle and there are 28 models available in Canada today, most from Daimler Chrysler, Ford and GM.

Many Canadians don’t even know they own a flex-fuel vehicle (the gas cap will be yellow), which isn’t surprising because many car salespeople don’t know what they are either, said Sicard.

“They didn’t know they had flex-fuel vehicles on the floor,” said Sicard, who supplied Guelph and Chatham car dealerships with yellow tags to hang on the rear-view mirrors saying “You are sitting in a flex-fuel vehicle” with a map on the reverse to the fuel station. Sales have picked up. Who doesn’t like this stuff? Who can find fault with environmentally friendlier products?”

In addition, the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association has stepped up its efforts to refute what it considers the false claims that biofuels add to world hunger. So, they’re trying to educate on two fronts: the government into providing the incentives to help make biofuels available… and the public so they can be assured they’re getting an environmentally-friendly fuel.

Biodiesel, E85, Ethanol, News

Virgin Flies Green

John Davis

virginplane.jpgUK-based Virgin Atlantic airlines has flown the world’s first flight of a commercial airlines running on biofuel today.

This story from Fox News says the flight from England to The Netherlands ran on a fuel made from coconut and babassu oils:

branson.jpg“This breakthrough will help Virgin Atlantic to fly its planes using clean fuel sooner than expected,” Sir Richard Branson, the airline’s president, said before the Boeing 747 flew from London’s Heathrow Airport to Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport.

He said the flight would provide “crucial knowledge that we can use to dramatically reduce our carbon footprint,” he said.

Sunday’s flight was partially fueled with a biofuel mixture of coconut and babassu oil in one of its four main fuel tanks. The jet carried pilots and several technicians, but no passengers.

Virgin Atlantic spokesman Paul Charles predicted this biofuel would produce much less CO2 than regular jet fuel, but said it will take weeks to analyze the data from Sunday’s flight.

The article goes on to say that the flight comes as airlines are trying to find ways to beat the high price of oil while also reducing their carbon footprint. Virgin officials point out that they had to make no modifications to the aircraft for the biofuel.

Biodiesel