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

GE Inks $1 Bil Wind Energy Deal

John Davis

ge-invenergy.gifGE Energy has agreed to deliver $1 billion worth of wind turbines to Chicago-based Invenergy LLC for projects in North America and Europe.

In this article posted on the Business Review website, says GE cites it as the biggest commitment ever for wind turbines in one year:

Under the deal, GE Energy, based in Atlanta, will deliver 400 of its 1.5 megawatt wind turbines to Chicago-based Invenergy for projects in North America, and 200 megawatts, or 80 turbines, for projects in Europe.

The turbines are scheduled to be shipped in 2009. The 800 megawatts of wind energy will provide power to 275,000 households.

Some of the work will be done at GE Energy’s Schenectady plant. Victor Abate, GE Energy’s vice president of renewables, called the deal “a milestone agreement.”

The article goes on to say that GE has increased it’s wind turbine production by 500 percent since 2004.

Wind

The “e” on TV

Cindy Zimmerman

E on TVThe ABC sitcom “Carpoolers,” which airs on Tuesday nights, featured the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council’s “e” logo in this week’s episode entitled “First Fight.”

As the name implies, Carpoolers is about a group of guys who carpool to work together from their suburban homes. The gas-saving connection makes it a great show for the ethanol brand’s first product placement.

The producers of Carpoolers contacted EPIC in September to ask permission to use the “e” logo. The photo shows how the “e” was used during the show – as “Baby Ethanol Farmer.”

Won’t spoil any of the plot, but if you want to see the “e” in action and find out who Baby Ethanol Farmer is and what happens to he/she, watch the entire episode of Carpoolers at www.abc.com.

EPIC, Ethanol, News

“Fields of Fuel” Reviews

Cindy Zimmerman

The biofuels documentary “Fields of Fuel” made its debut this week at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah to mixed reviews.

Fields of FuelAFP reports that the biodiesel film is “not to everyone’s tastes at Sundance.” The reviewer, who interviewed film director and activist Josh Tickell, focused on the food versus fuel controversy rather than the film itself, saying “not everyone is buying into his (Tickell’s) message.” The review discusses both biodiesel and ethanol, brings up the energy bill and quotes an economist saying that ethanol is causing higher food prices.

CNET News reporter Michelle Meyers offers a better review of the movie itself, noting that it “received a long standing ovation at its first public screening” Monday.

Josh TickellIn the film, director Josh Tickell tells the story of his life as an activist pushing for the use of biodiesel and other alternative fuels in an effort to reduce our dependency on foreign oil and protect the environment.

I tend to be wary of advocacy docs for fear they’ll be feature-length brainwashers. But Tickell’s film is fair, honest, informative and–a biggie for me–nicely edited. And I suppose it was convincing, too–it got me thinking about buying a car with a diesel engine and I went online to find the nearest biodiesel fuel pumps.

MTV also gives the film a good review with a liberal light, although it does confuse biodiesel and ethanol.

If you are a fan of “An Inconvienient Truth,” “SICKO,” or any Michael Moore-esque film than you are going to love this film. It urges the power of the vote, the power of change, and the power of you. You have the momentum to make certain small changes that can impact this world. We are currently in a war where most Americans think it is for the control of oil. This film just gives the voice that this war is not needed and we do not need oil – we can use bio-diesel fuel made from corn, wood chips, algae and alleviate the pressure we put on this earth. Final say: watch the film, learn from it, and make it happen.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, News

Domestic Fuel Survey 2008 Contest Giveaway

Chuck Zimmerman

DomesticFuel Survey 2008We’d like to encourage you to take our first ever (maybe annual) Domestic Fuel Survey. There’s only about 12 easy questions so it will only take a minute and we’d really appreciate your participation. Our supporters would just like to get a better idea of who our readers and subscribers are and we want to provide you with another opportunity for feedback so we can further develop the site.

To get you excited we’re going to pick one lucky winner from all the people who participate in our survey for a brand new, personalized 4G iPod Nano. Yes, you’ve wanted one, now you have a chance to win one by completing our online survey. It’s the Domestic Fuel Survey 2008 Contest Giveaway. The questions are simple and we need as many responses as we can get.

Domestic Fuel is about as open a source of industry news and information as you’re going to find. We don’t ask you to fill out cards on an annual basis to keep your subscription current, etc. However, the companies and organizations that support us really want some demographic data we can’t provide any other way. It’s really important to us that you take just a few moments sometime over the next month to fill out a survey form.

Even if you already have a Nano they make a great gift for your favorite person who doesn’t have one. Believe me, the odds will be pretty good in this contest compared to the Lottery.

To keep the legal people happy you can find The Official Rules here (Word doc). It’s not rocket science. The Survey Contest starts now and ends at 12pm on February 22, 2008. So you’ve got plenty of time to get it done.

And thank you very much for participating!

Miscellaneous, News

WI Governor Proposes Energy Independence Plan

John Davis

doyle.jpgWisconsin’s governor is proposing an aggressive plan to make his state a leader in renewable energy.

From the text of Gov. Jim Doyle’s speech, he has called for lawmakers to approve his strategy to increase his state’s homegrown power through the Wisconsin Energy Independence Fund:

Over the next 10 years Wisconsin will invest $150 million to help our businesses, our farmers, our foresters, and our manufacturers produce and promote renewable energy.

Our strong manufacturing base and rich agricultural industries, along with the wealth of resources in our vast northern forests and world-leading research universities, position Wisconsin to become the Saudi Arabia of renewable energy.

From manufacturing wind turbines and solar panels to retro-fitting fuel pumps and exploring the latest clean technologies, we will seize green opportunities and create good jobs for our citizens.

But we won’t stop there.

Tonight we’ll launch a new campaign to increase the availability of renewable fuel by 1 billion gallons. First we’ll provide new tax credits for biodiesel fuel producers and add 400 new renewable fuel pumps to our roads. Second let’s pass a renewable fuel standard sponsored by Senator Kreitlow and Representative Suder to require oil companies to provide renewable fuel for our consumers.

Doyle pointed out that ethanol production in Wisconsin has gone from none to half a billion gallons a year since he took office. He says this country needs to depend more on the Midwest… and less on the Mideast.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Government, Legislation, Wind

MO Governor Makes Surprise Announcement

Cindy Zimmerman

Missouri’s youngest governor has decided not to run for a second term, saying he has accomplished all the goals he had when he took office in 2005. Among those goals was a ten percent ethanol mandate for gasoline, which took effect this month.

Matt BluntBlunt recently announced proposals for $2 million in tax incentives for retailers who install E-85 ethanol pumps and a statewide five percent biodiesel standard.

“Governor Blunt has been as progressive as any public official in the nation on renewable fuels policy,” said Missouri Soybean Association Executive Director Dale Ludwig. “This year, he became the first governor in the country to publicly support a statewide five percent biodiesel standard. He has also shown great leadership by fully funding the biodiesel incentive fund, which helps place biodiesel producers on a level playing field with petroleum companies that receive federal tax incentives.”

The 37-year-old governor’s announcement stunned the state of Missouri since he had already been collecting campaign contributions and even running commercials. Blunt says he has spent 20 years in government service, ten in the Navy and ten in public office, and he wants to spend more time with his wife and young son who was born about the same time he became governor.

Wonder if this means his brother Andy can now keep his shares in the Show Me Ethanol plant without a conflict of interest? (See yesterday’s post on that story)

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Government, News

SD Biodiesel Tax Break Moves Forward

John Davis

A plan to cut state fuel taxes for biodiesel is moving forward in South Dakota’s legislature.

rounds.jpgThis story from Forbes says the state Senate’s State Affairs Committee voted unanimously to move Governor Mike Rounds’ plan to the full Senate:

The bill would cut the 22-cent-a-gallon tax on diesel to 20 cents for diesel fuel that contains at least a 5 percent blend made from soybeans or other organic material.

The 2-cent-a-gallon tax break would be the same as that given to ethanol, which is a gasoline blend generally made from corn.

The tax break would not start until biodiesel facilities in South Dakota reach a capacity of 20 million gallons a year and produce at least 10 million gallons a year. It would end when production reaches about 20 percent of diesel fuel sold, state Agriculture Secretary Bill Even said.

If passed, the bill would encourage the development of soybean-based biodiesel plants in South Dakota. The state is home to just one small facility now.

Biodiesel, Government, Legislation

ND Biomass Research Work

Cindy Zimmerman

NDSUNorth Dakota State University and USDA’s Agricultural Research Service are working on ways to convert cropland to biomass production for energy use.

According to a university news release, the research is working to determine what crops would maximize biofuels production and to develop economically feasible management systems for transitioning in and out of bioenergy crop production.

“This project will strengthen and enhance ongoing research efforts on dedicated energy crop production,” says D.C. Coston, NDSU vice president for Agriculture and University Extension. “This agreement continues our effort to pull together the full set of capabilities within NDSU and position ourselves to be partners with others, such as the ARS’s Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory, to develop and grow biobased production.”

Cellulosic, Ethanol, News, Research