Biofuel to Hit the Skies

John Davis

Yahoo!NewsFrom the coverage we’ve provided on energy.agwired.com so far, I think it’s safe to say biofuels are continually gaining traction with ground transportation and machinery. So, it seems quite natural that air travel would be the next frontier for biofuels. Yahoo!News reports that Virgin Group CEO, Richard Branson plans to fuel one of his jets with biofuels in 2008. Here’s a small blurb from the Yahoo!News article:

Virgin will be conducting a test jet flight on renewable fuels. “Early next year we will fly one of our 747s without passengers with one of the fuels that we have developed,” Branson told the annual conference.

Virgin is developing biofuels for aircraft in conjunction with Boeing Co and engine-maker GE Aviation, a unit of General Electric Co. Previously, Branson had said the company would test the fuel sometime next year and that some people had said it would be late in the year.

But Virgin isn’t the only company seeking “cleaner” air travel. The article mentions that Branson is trying to beat Air New Zealand’s attempt to pilot a jet with biofuels.

Biodiesel, News

Biogas-powered Swiss Cheese Production

Cindy Zimmerman

PA Ag WolffThe Fairview Swiss Cheese Plant in Pennsylvania soon will be running in part on biogas made from its own waste products.

The plant broke ground last week on the renewable energy project, which converts food waste into gas, according to a release from the office of Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff.

“The Fairview Swiss Cheese Plant is just one more exciting example of how Pennsylvanians are developing ways to tap into a growing renewable energy market,” said. Wolff during the ceremony. “This project will not only save the company money on energy bills, it will help decrease overall dependency on foreign oil.”

Wolff said this renewable energy project falls in line with Governor Edward G. Rendell’s Energy
Independence Strategy, which is designed to cut the commonwealth’s reliance on imported oil and support development of homegrown energy sources. For more information on the strategy, visit www.depweb.state.pa.us.

The $2.2 million project involves constructing an anaerobic digester that will use cheese whey from the plant and cone batter waste from the Joy Cone Co. to make 40 million cubic feet of biogas annually – the equivalent of 28 million cubic feet of natural gas.

Energy

Flex Fuel Conversion Kit Receives EPA Certification

Cindy Zimmerman

Flex Fuel USAn alternative fuel conversion unit has received certification from the Environmental Protection Agency for use on certain types of fleet vehicles.

Flex Fuel U.S. of Chicago reports that its Flex-Box Smart Kit™ fuel conversion system is “the first and only E85 conversion unit has been certified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for fleet vehicles.”

The Flex-Box Smart Kit is mounted to the engine compartment and works by continuously monitoring engine and emission controls, allowing the vehicle to operate on all unleaded gasoline-ethanol blends. At this time Flex-Box Smart Kit has been approved for fleet vehicles made in the year 1995 or after, including the Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis and the Lincoln Town Car.

E85, Ethanol, Flex Fuel Vehicles, News

USDA Lowers Corn for Ethanol Forecast

Cindy Zimmerman

USDAOn Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s supply and demand forecast has lowered its estimate of how much of this year’s corn harvest the ethanol industry would use by another 100 million bushels. It was the second straight month the forecast has been reduced reflecting lower indicated plant capacity utilization and lower returns for ethanol producers due to recent declines in ethanol prices and continued strength in corn prices.

During a conference call from the Minneapolis Grain Exchange following the report release on Friday, market analyst Brian Hoops with Midwest Market Solutions noted that the decrease was in line with market expectations. “Over time in the next 12 months, if you look at the big picture, the trade would anticipate that ethanol usage would expand rather than contract,” Hoops told reporters. “But at this time it was believed that we would see a small contraction of the usage.”

Meanwhile, exports are projected to be a corresponding 100 million bushels higher on tighter foreign grain supplies and strong export sales. At the projected 2.35 billion bushels, 2007/08 exports would be the highest in 18 years.

It’s also interesting to note that USDA’s objective yield data report in this month’s crop forecast indicates that the number of ears per acre in the ten biggest corn producing states is the highest on record, surpassing the previous record set in 2004.

In summary, corn usage for ethanol is lower than expected this year because the market is adjusting, corn exports are higher than ever, and corn yields are higher than ever.

corn, Ethanol, Government, News

Wind Power Breezes into Kansas Schools

John Davis

National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Wind for Schools InitiativeRural school districts in Kansas are receiving small wind turbines as part of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Wind for Schools Initiative. The Kansas City Wind for Schools Program and the Wind Applications Center at Kansas State University have selected several schools in Kansas’ Concordia School District to receive a Skystream 3.7 wind turbine.

The small, 1.8 kilowatt turbines will become part of the curriculum at the schools. This is the first round of the three-year program; if all goes as planned, the program will place five turbines each year for the next two years at more schools.

The rural schools or districts selected to receive the initial turbines include the Concordia School District, USD 333, Cloud County; Walton Rural Life Charter Elementary School, Newton School District, USD 373, Harvey County; Fairfield High School, USD 310, Reno County; Sterling School District, USD 376, Rice County; and Ell-Saline School District, USD 307, Saline County.

In addition to the turbines, the Kansas Wind Applications Center will install an anemometer tower and instrumentation at the Southeast Kansas Educational Service Center in Greenbush, which is near Girard in Crawford County, said Miller, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at K-State. An anemometer measures the force or speed of wind.

The program aims to train young engineers for jobs in the rapidly growing wind industry, and to increase public awareness and understanding of wind power.

Schools receiving the turbines are expected to incorporate education about wind energy into their science curricula, including how turbines work and how to collect, process and understand the data the turbines will provide.

Energy, Wind

Iowa Gains Major Wind Turbine Maker

John Davis

hendricks.gifDenmark-based Hendricks Industries says it will build a $32 million plant in Keokuk, Iowa… the fifth wind turbine equipment maker to locate in the state that is also becoming a leader in wind energy production.

This story in the Des Moines Register says Iowa is riding the crest of the potential $10 billion wind energy market:

Already, Iowa has recruited heavy hitters such as Clipper Windpower, Acciona Energy and Siemens Power Generation.

“Iowa has a base that’s only going to grow as manufacturers like Siemens, Clipper and Acciona attract component suppliers,” said Randy Swisher, executive director of the American Wind Energy Association. He noted that wind turbines are made up of 8,000 components.

State and national leaders Wednesday said growth in the renewable energy industry has the potential to help revitalize areas of Iowa hard hit by manufacturing losses.

The deal also calls for Hendricks to spend $2.5 million upgrading the Southeast Iowa Port Terminal. The plant will employ about 380 workers making an average of more than $48,000 a year.

Wind

Texas Cuts Biofules Incentives

John Davis

Texas flagSurprise, surprise… petroleum giant Texas has cut some of the state’s incentives to biofuels makers.

The Dallas Morning News reports that lawmakers in the state legislature removed funding for biodiesel and ethanol because some complained that they were competing with the state’s petroleum industry. But some lawmakers see the move as short sighted:

swinford1.bmpRep. David Swinford, a Republican lawmaker from West Texas who wrote the original legislation, said Texas was betting the state’s future on “a depleting entity” by ignoring alternative fuels.

He said the program was meant to spur an industry in Texas, where “we did not get one [ethanol] plant in 10 years.”

“We have been subsidizing oil and gas in Texas for a long time, and I voted for it,” Mr. Swinford said. “But the federal government is saying, ‘We want everybody to go and do these things – we are willing to give incentives.’ It would be like Texas having its head in the ground … to say, ‘We don’t want to do that.’ “

The move is already causing some renewable fuel plant builders to reconsider plans for refineries in Texas, and it has drawn the ire of biofuel advocates:

“We can’t dally for a whole lot longer if we expect to have an industry in this state,” said Russel E. Smith, executive director of the Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association. “You have to lay the groundwork for producing the fuels in a state and help stimulate the market for them.”

Meanwhile, other states and the federal government seem to be going in the other direction… with no time to wait and see if Texas catches up.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, News

Canola Biodiesel Plant Opens in North Dakota

John Davis

ADMThe U.S.’s first wholly-owned canola biodiesel plant has opened near Velva, North Dakota. The ADM plant is right next to ADM’s crushing facility and will produce 85 million gallons of biodiesel when it’s fully operational.

This article from the Minot (ND) Daily News says the grand opening attracted company officials, local, state, and federal officials:

conrad.jpg“This is an exciting time for North Dakota,” said Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D. “Our state has the potential to serve as the nation’s powerhouse. North Dakota’s vast resources can be used to reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil, control energy prices and grow our state’s economy. This plant in Velva is leading the way.”

hoeven.jpgThe plant will use the equivalent of 600,000 acres of the state’s canola crop… a fact not lost on North Dakota’s Governor John Hoeven:

“The Northern Canola Growers (Association) will need a lot more canola, so there’s no coasting,” Hoeven said. “This is good for the economy because it’s creating jobs and it’s for the country.”

The plant is expected to do a lot to help meet the growing demand for biofuels.

Biodiesel

Ethanol Promotion Events

Cindy Zimmerman

Farmers CooperativeKansas flex-fuel motorists can take advantage of bargain prices while pumping up the local economy at an E85 grand opening in Manhattan, Kansas on Friday. E85 will be available for $1.85 a gallon at the Farmers Cooperative Association in Manhattan.

The first 50 cars to fill up with E85 will receive an IndyCar® Series #17 Team Ethanol diecast car. Free hot dogs and pop will be available to consumers throughout the entire promotion.

Kum & GoNext week, on Tuesday, Kum & Go, the Iowa Corn Growers Association and the Iowa Corn Promotion Board are partnering for an ethanol promotion event in Johnston.

IA Corn“This event is meant to celebrate ethanol use in Iowa and to ramp up excitement for ISU’s homecoming week,” said Jerry Main, a corn grower and chairman of the Usage and Production Committee at Iowa Corn. “This event marks a great set of anniversaries: Iowa State is celebrating 150 years and Iowa Corn has been promoting ethanol for 30 years. I am also glad to see the partnership between Iowa Corn and Kum & Go benefiting Iowa consumers.”

In Iowa, 75 percent of consumers use ethanol blends, and the market is growing for E85 fuel in flexible fuel vehicles.

corn, E85, Ethanol, News

“e” Marks the Spot in Illinois

Cindy Zimmerman

Representatives from the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) were on hand last week to introduce the “e” brand to Illinois at an Illinois Corn Marketing Board event in the Village of Northbrook.

EPIC’s Director of Operations, Robert White, says significant developments such as the Renewable Fuels Standard in the Energy Bill, higher gasoline prices and positive media coverage of ethanol have created a high level of consumer interest in ethanol.

IL Corn Branding“Switching to the new labels is voluntary but it enables fuel retailers to capitalize on growing consumer awareness and the national brand-building activities that are being spearheaded by EPIC,” said White. “More and more consumers are seeking out ethanol-enriched fuel and this branding program will help consumers find it simply by looking for the brand image that will be consistent from pump to pump and from city to city across Illinois — and, eventually, across the entire United States.”

Pictured are: Mark Lambert, Illinois Corn Marketing Board Communications Director; John Novinson, Northbrook Village Manager; Robert White of EPIC at the podium; and John DeRosa, Environmental Programs, American Lung Association of Illinois.

corn, EPIC, Ethanol, News