Dole Harvesters Running on Biodiesel

John Davis

dole.jpgFresh food giant Dole has a fresh idea about how it is fueling its fresh vegetable harvesters in the western United States: use biodiesel.

This company press release says the fresh vegetable division has switched its harvesters in Salinas, California and in Yuma, Arizona over to B20:

Kevin Fiori, Dole’s Senior Vice President Agriculture Operations said “being good stewards of the environment is very important to Dole and this includes reducing emissions and using alternative sources of energy.” Dole has been testing B20 Bio Diesel since August in farm equipment and off road vehicles with very positive results.

Mr. Fiori also commented that “those of us in agriculture, who depend on the environment, land, water, and air quality to grow foods, are keenly aware of the importance of applying sustainable agricultural practices.”

Dole is the world’s largest producer and marketer of high-quality fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, and fresh-cut flowers, selling $6.2 billion a year.

Biodiesel

New Approach to Cellulosic Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

ZeachemA California company claims to have a new way to convert biomass into ethanol.

According to an article in the San Jose Mercury News, ZeaChem’s technique uses a proprietary combination of biotechnology and chemistry.

Zeachem’s “secret sauce,” according to co-founder and research executive vice president Dan Verser, is both how it breaks down biomass – waste wood from poplar trees at first – as well as how it uses wood residue to produce the hydrogen it mixes with acetic acid to make ethanol.

One key: A bacteria commonly found in the gut of a termite or in pond scum helps convert the trees to fuel. “Our bug is very tough,” said Jim Imbler, Zeachem’s president and chief executive officer.

ZeaChem has reported started designing a small-scale production facility in Oregon where they hopes to start making cellulosic ethanol using the process next year.

Cellulosic, Ethanol, News

Corvette Racing on E85

Cindy Zimmerman

Corvette will continue its legacy of being a platform for introducing and developing new technology this year as Corvette Racing will be powered by E85 in the 2008 American Le Mans Series.

E85 CorvetteDuring the announcement at the North American International Auto Show earlier this month, Chevrolet general manager Ed Peper said, “Like the Corvette Z06 E85 concept car that will pace the 2008 Indianapolis 500, the use of E85 ethanol fuel by America’s premier production sports car racing team in a high-profile, high-tech racing series like the ALMS shows that Chevy is continuing to lead by example.”

“By showcasing the capabilities of E85 ethanol before an audience of knowledgeable and technically astute race fans, we can demonstrate the benefits of a renewable fuel that helps to reduce dependence on petroleum, helps to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, and helps to create greater diversity in energy supplies,” Peper said. “Of course, performance is what counts in racing, so E85 ethanol’s higher octane rating than gasoline wasn’t overlooked by the Corvette Racing engineers.”

Corvette Racing has formed a technical partnership with the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) to spotlight E85 in the ALMS.

American LeMans, E85, EPIC, Ethanol, News, Racing

Illinois to Consider Ethanol Blends

Cindy Zimmerman

Illinois SchockLegislation is being proposed in Illinois for ethanol blends between 10 and 85 percent.

According to the Peoria Journal Star, State Rep. Aaron Schock said at a news conference Thursday that he would like to see the current 10 percent ethanol blend in gasoline increased to 15 percent and, eventually, 20 percent.

“Throughout the 20-county (18th Congressional) District, farmers have had relatively good years with high prices and high yields, but a number of them are concerned about what the future may hold with any type of dip in yields and prices,” Schock said. “There are things we can do as a government and policy makers to keep prices strong, the markets strong for agriculture and lessen our dependency on Mideast oil.”

Ethanol, Government, News

New Clean Fuels Blog

Cindy Zimmerman

With the new year, the Clean Fuels Development Coalition (CFDC) launched a new blog on its website: http://blog.cleanfuelsdc.org.

CFDCThe goal of the new CFDC blog is to create an informative and ongoing public discussion about the numerous facts, myths, and highly emotional issues which will coattail the development and expansion of the nation’s increased RFS in the years to come.

“The internet in general and blogging specifically are transforming the way researchers, activists, voters, consumers, the media and policy makers learn about many subjects, including ethanol and alternative fuel vehicles. It levels the historically one-sided consumer outreach playing field, draped with full-page advertisements in the nation’s top newspapers, to a level playing field which is fair, interactive and provides access to the majority of people who care to learn more about issues,” said Burl Haigwood, director of program development and author of the new Clean Fuels Development blog.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, News

Iowa’s Oldest Ethanol Plant Completes Expansion

Cindy Zimmerman

SELCSiouxland Energy and Livestock Cooperative (SELC) has completed a major expansion of its ethanol plant in Sioux City, increasing production capacity of the corn-based fuel to 60 million gallons annually.

The larger plant can now process more than 20 million bushels of corn. In addition to 60 million gallons of ethanol, the factory produces 400,000 tons of wet distiller’s grains and 140,000 tons of condensed distiller’s solubles (syrup) annually.

The plant, Iowa’s oldest operating farmer-owned ethanol plant, had an annual capacity of 25 million gallons when it opened in 2001.

Ethanol, Facilities, News

Arkansas Biodiesel Plant Soon to Open

John Davis

A biodiesel plant in Eastern Arkansas near the towns of Helena-West Helena on the Mississippi River is set to open April 1st… after nearly two and a half years of planning and building.

This story in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette says the plant will be able to produce 40 million gallons a year… making it Arkansas’ largest biodiesel plant:

“We started researching the project in late 2005,” Crowley said of the venture, which is being undertaken by Patrick Burks, Crowley’s grandfather, and David Griffin, a Phillips County farmer.

The last two-and-a-half years have been a roller coaster, Crowley said, as the price of soybean oil — the most commonly used raw material for biodiesel production — has skyrocketed. Soybean oil for March delivery on the Chicago Board of Trade reached a record 54. 36 cents a pound on Jan. 14, up 67 percent during the past year due to increased demand for alternative fuels made from oilseeds.

Although Delta American had not planned to do so, it will begin by making biodiesel from animal fat because that remains profitable, Crowley said.

“We’ve got a long way to go before [soybean oil ] is affordable again,” he said.

The plant will join to smaller refineries in the state… FutureFuel Chemical Co. near Batesville, able to produce 24 million gallons a year, and Patriot BioFuels Inc. in Stuttgart, producing three million gallons a year. Another 7.5-million-gallon plant run by Arkansas SoyEnergy Group will also start up on April 1st.

Biodiesel

Westport-Kenworth Building LNG Trucks

John Davis

kenworthwestport.gifSemi-truck manufacturer Kenworth is teaming up with Westport Innovations… a maker of engines that run on compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG), hydrogen, and hydrogen-enriched compressed natural gas (HCNG)… to build trucks that run on LNG.

A Westport press release says that they will begin producing Kenworth T800 LNG trucks at the Kenworth manufacturing plant in Renton, Washington, supported by Westport’s new LNG Fuel System Assembly Center in British Columbia in 2009. Wesport’s technology will be used on a Cummins ISX-15-liter engine:

“This agreement with Kenworth creates a dramatic increase in LNG truck delivery capacity and further strengthens Westport’s ability to efficiently meet the significant growth in market demand for environmentally clean LNG trucks from the ports and other fleet customers,” said Michael Gallagher, president and chief operating officer of Westport.

“The Kenworth T800, equipped with a Cummins ISX and Westport’s HPDI fuel system, offers an industry-leading solution with world-class low emissions and greenhouse gases, while delivering outstanding horsepower, torque, and efficiency comparable to a diesel engine,” said Bob Christensen, Kenworth general manager and PACCAR vice president. “Kenworth is recognized as a technology leader in the commercial vehicle market and the exclusive ability to offer this technology reinforces Kenworth’s reputation as The World’s Best.”

The move coincides with the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach announcement to approve a new $1.6 billion Clean Truck Superfund. The money will go toward replacing many of the 16,800 Class 8 trucks serving the ports with LNG-powered vehicles. Westport’s LNG fuel system is the only alternative fuel technology currently qualified for financial support under the ports’ Clean Truck program.

Miscellaneous

Algae Biodiesel Running at Sundance

John Davis

solazyme-logo.gifWhile the movie “Fields of Fuel” is giving people plenty to talk about regarding biofuels at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah (see Cindy’s Jan. 24th post), some are putting the talk into action.

This blog posting on Wired.com says California-based biotech firm Solazyme is driving around the festival in a car running on its own algae-based biodiesel called Soladiesel:

Solazyme says tooling around Park City, Utah in a Mercedes Benz C320 diesel will be the first real-world road test of biodiesel made from algae. The car is straight off the showroom floor (Solazyme says Mercedes is not involved in the company or the test in any way), and the company says Soladiesel will work in any diesel engine, in almost any climate.

“In demonstrating this new fuel alternative, we’re responding to the need for a near-term solution that will also be cost effective and sustainable,” Harrison Dillon, the company’s president, said in a statement. “Our technology combines all the key components: low carbon footprint, environmental sustainability, certified compatability with existing vehicles and infrastructure and energy security for our country.”

Solazyme hopes to begin mass-producing Soladiesel at a competitive price within three years. That could be a tad optimistic, but Chevron Corp. is sufficiently impressed that it’s joining Solazyme to perfect the technology.

Of course, Solazyme is featured in “Fields of Fuel,” so it sure makes sense that the company would want to be present.

Biodiesel

Long Beach Looking at Biodiesel

John Davis

longbeach.gifThe City of Long Beach, California might be the latest municipality to join the ranks of those that are switching their fleets to biodiesel.

The Long Beach Gazette reports the city is trying to reduce its carbon footprint:

The City Council directed City Manager Pat West to investigate the feasibility of using biodiesel to power its 361 city-owned trucks, large cars and other diesel vehicles. The fuel allows engines to get about 400 miles out of each tank and is 35% more energy efficient than petroleum diesel.

“I think it’s a wonderful time for the city to explore the use of biodiesel, because it has tremendous benefits,” said Vice Mayor Bonnie Lowenthal. “All of us in city government are committed to improving the environment in every way we can.”

Lowenthal got behind the wheel of a biodiesel-converted Volkswagen Beetle this week after winning a three-day test run of the car at a Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters event. She spent some of the time taking environmentalists and other interested community members on excursions through different parts of the city.

“Anyone interested (took) a ride around the block to see that a car with biofuel acts the same way as any other car would and vastly improves the environment,” she said.

Vehicles that run on biodiesel get about 47 miles per gallon and provide a renewable, cleaner alternative fuel with lower toxic exhaust emissions than petroleum. Lowenthal said she supports its use, because it would help reduce the city’s dependence on fossil fuels.

Officials expect little effort to actually make the change. Right now, Long Beach uses more than 21,600 gallons of diesel a year in its vehicles. If the city makes the conversion, it would be eligible for state and federal incentives, tax credits, and other programs.

Biodiesel