Ground Broken at New Biodiesel Plant in Wisconsin

John Davis

North Prairie Production logo Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle and officials with North Prairie Productions, LLC were among those at a groundbreaking ceremony in Evansville for the state’s latest biodiesel plant. According to this article posted on the Wisconsin Technology Network web site, when completed, the plant will produce 45 million gallons of biodiesel a year:

Gov Jim Doyle “Our state has the ideal resources to be a national model for renewable energy – from agriculture and forestry, to manufacturing and cutting-edge innovation,” Doyle said in prepared remarks.

Doyle brought the state’s checkbook with him giving NPP $250-thousand in funding. But the bulk of the money to build and run the plant is coming from private investors:

Mike Robinson Mike Robinson, president of North Prairie Productions, is delighted with the state’s support, but even more grateful to investors. While biofuels have plenty of detractors, Robinson said about 800 investors, all Wisconsin residents, have committed an average of $30,000 to the company as part of an equity drive that will close on April 5.

No single investor has more than a five percent stake. “It really is a broad-based Wisconsin ownership,” Robinson said, “and we’re proud of that.”

Soybeans will be the feedstock for the biodiesel. Construction is expected to continue over the next year.

Biodiesel

Fueling Station Interview With Khosla

Cindy Zimmerman

Fueling Station Our friends at “The Fueling Station” in St. Petersburg, Florida alerted us to an in-depth interview they did with biofuels venture capitalist Vinod Khosla.

I did a post about this blog when they first got started in August of last year. Still love the name and the logo. The authors, St. Petersburg Times reporters David Adams and Craig Pittman, do a great job reporting on biofuels in the Sunshine State. That’s where they interviewed Khosla – he was in Orlando for the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) conference.

In case you have never heard of Mr. Khosla, his company Khosla Ventures is investing heavily in new energy technology companies in the United States, as well as places like Brazil and India. An Indian-American, he was one of the co-founders of Sun Microsystems and has gone on to make a name for himself as a promoter of ethanol investments.

BIO, Ethanol

Remembering Paul Dana

Cindy Zimmerman

It was one year ago today that one of ethanol’s strongest advocates died tragically doing what he loved best – racing. It is a significant tribute to Paul Dana that he accomplished a major goal in his life, getting the IndyCar Series to switch to ethanol, before he passed away.

This past weekend’s inaugural race on 100 percent fuel grade ethanol at Homestead-Miami Speedway was bittersweet to many on Team Ethanol who worked with Paul and helped him to make his dream come true. “Early on Paul Dana saw the potential that ethanol and renewable fuels could bring to racing, the greening of the racing platform,” said Ethanol Promotion and Information Council Executive Director Tom Slunecka. “Paul worked tirelessly to help bring the ethanol industry together with the racing industry.”

In Memory of Paul Dana
Paul

EPIC board member Greg Krissek of ICM met Paul early in his quest to move ethanol into the IRL. “His vision helped us start this process and that vision is being carried on by many others today,” said Krissek. “It was a great start and we are carrying that legacy forward for him.”

Paul Dana was a native of St. Louis and in an interview Domestic Fuel did with him in January 2006 he said, “I’ve always been a little bit of a weird duck in racing in that I have been an environmentalist and thought about ways that we could take our leadership position as drivers and put that at the disposal of something useful.”

“Racing exists as an industry to sell cars and tires and motor oil and here we’ve got this great American success story in ethanol,” Dana continued. “The ag industry has developed a very viable fuel industry as a secondary product and with the IndyCar Series being based in the midwest, its a natural fit.”

In his very last interview, done with Domestic Fuel the night before last year’s Homestead race, Dana was happy and enthusiastic about the future. “It’s a whole new world and a bright new day and I can’t wait for the season to start tomorrow,” he said.

Besides the legacy Paul left behind with IndyCar Series moving to 100 percent ethanol, he left an even more important legacy to his wife and family – his son, Conor Paul, who was born in December, just a few weeks shy of nine months after Paul’s death. Paul’s wife, Tonya Bergeson-Dana, bravely endured a few media interviews over the weekend marking the anniversary, one of which aired during the Homestead race broadcast on ESPN2. One story in particular by the Miami Herald is well worth reading.

We miss you, Paul.

Audio, EPIC, Ethanol, Indy Racing, News, Racing

E is Indy

Cindy Zimmerman

I am Indy The Indy Car Series is very proud of its new alliance with the ethanol industry.

If you check out the official IndyCar website, you’ll find some great information about how the IndyCar Series is “going green” with ethanol.

There’s great video from last week’s press conference on Capitol Hill honoring the IndyCar Series switch from methanol to ethanol, as well as a nice piece on what the drivers have to say about the switch.

Danica Patrick says, “I think it’s a good accomplishment and something we should say out loud, we’re all green in the fuel department.”

Tony Kaanan sums it up by saying, “If we can run them in our race cars at 240 miles an hour, I think they can run in their street cars.”

EPIC, Ethanol, Indy Racing, News, Racing

Crops for Fuel

Cindy Zimmerman

During a renewable energy roundtable discussion at Purdue University last week, the question was posed, why are we using food for fuel?

USDA Chief Economist Dr. Keith Collins had the chance to respond to the questioner with an important point.

Purdue Roundtable 1“I first would say that I don’t think about using food for fuel. I think about using crops for fuel. I say that because this use has been an objective of agriculture for a long, long time. Henry Ford built a car out of plastic made from soybeans a long, long time ago. We’ve been trying to utilize agricultural commodities in industrial uses for decades precisely because the productive capacity of American agriculture has been so great. It’s often overwhelmed demand and created lower prices. That’s why we have this elaborate system of price and income support programs at USDA. So it’s not a new thing to use crops for fuel.”

Dr. Collins was one of several panelists on that roundtable. In the photo from Purdue’s Ag Communications, Collins is flanked by two Purdue professors – Dr. Bernie Tao, who’s a professor in agriculture and biological engineering and holds the Indiana Soybean Alliance chair for New Uses of Soybeans, and Dr. Michael Ladisch, distinguished professor of Agriculture and Biological Engineering, and the director of the Laboratory for Renewable Resource Engineering. Both noted that important research is being done now at Purdue and other universities to find new crops that can be used for renewable energy sources.

Read the full transcript of the roundtable, which also included Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns, Purdue University President Martin Jischke, Purdue Dean of Agriculture Randy Woodson, Indiana Director of Agriculture Andy Miller, USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development Tom Dorr and Renewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen.

Biodiesel, Cellulosic, Ethanol, Government, News, Research

Bush and the Big Three

Cindy Zimmerman

President George W. Bush participated in a demonstration of alternative fuel vehicles on the South Lawn drive of the White House Monday with the CEOs of the three largest auto makers.

The president said he “found it very interesting that by 2012, 50 percent of the automobiles in America will be flex-fuel vehicles. That means that the American consumer will be able to either use gasoline or ethanol, depending upon, obviously, price and convenience.”

Car Makers Rick Wagoner, Chairman and CEO, General Motors Corporation said that flex fuel vehicles offer the best opportunity right now for America to lessen its dependence on foreign oil. “There are millions on the road today. As a group, we’ve agreed to double our production by the year 2010, and then have 50 percent of our production E85-capable by the year 2012.”

According to Alan Mulally, President and CEO, Ford Motor Company, there are more ways to help coming soon. “And the fact that we have ethanol solutions today, hybrids coming along, and plus hydrogen and fuel cells and new battery technology, gives some great options to satisfy our need for flexibility, as well as being good stewards of the environment.”

Tom LaSorda, President and CEO, DaimlerChrysler Corporation said their company has “committed, as well, by 2012, to have 50 percent of our production not only in E85, but biodiesel. This Jeep Grand Cherokee here today is going into production as we speak, being shipped from the factory with B5.”

Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters also met with the group.

Biodiesel, E85, Ethanol, Flex Fuel Vehicles, Government, News

Wisconsin Taxing Home-brewed Biodiesel

John Davis

In what might be some concerning news to those trying to be truly independent of foreign oil and good for the environment, the State of Wisconsin is taxing the biodiesel home-brewed by two Manitowoc men.

According to this AP story posted on WFRV-TV Green Bay web site, Steven Griesbach and Paul Simon received letters from the state Department of Revenue that say they would owe state fuel tax on any fuel they make and burn in their vehicles:

“I’m going to still (make biofuel), but I’m not too happy about the whole thing,” said Simon, who has been burning a modified form of vegetable oil in his 1982 diesel-powered Mercedes-Benz 240D for two years.

WI Revenue logo Vegetable oil converted to motor-vehicle fuel is considered a biodiesel, which is taxable under state law, said Meredith Helgerson, spokeswoman for the Revenue Department.

Apparently, biodiesel makers have to pay an inspection fee of two cents a gallon. Plus, if it’s blended with diesel that is used on the roads, the makers also have to pay another 31 cents a gallon.

Simon thought the tax would apply to big makers and not hobbyists such as himself.

“I guess that I’m opposed to it overall for a hobbyist to be charged,” he said. “It’s getting to the point in our culture that almost everything that we do is going to be illegal, or you need a fee or a license.”

Gov Jim Doyle Ironically, this news comes after the state extension service offers workshops on how to make home-brewed biodiesel and not long after after Gov. Jim Doyle said he wanted to replace 25% of the energy used in the state with energy from renewable sources, such as biodiesel and ethanol, by the year 2025.

Biodiesel

Montreal Latest City to Fuel Buses with Biodiesel

John Davis

Montreal logo Montreal, Canada will run its entire bus fleet on biodiesel by 2008 and will buy eight hybrid buses to test in the city’s cold climate.

According to this story posted on the CBC’s web site, it should be an affordable proposition for the city:

Montreal bus All Société de transport de Montréal (STM) buses will run on biodiesel fuel by 2008, and the transition should be fairly inexpensive, said president Claude Trudel.

Bus engines can run on biodiesel fuel without requiring any modifications, and the cost of a fill-up should be the same. The STM even stands to save money on maintenance, because biodiesel is “a cleanser, so it will keep your engines and your cylinders cleaner,” said spokesman Luc Tremblay.

Plus, instead of smelling like burning petroleum, the exhaust will smell more like french fries.

Officials believe the move will be the environmental equivilant of taking 1,400 cars off the road and will help the city attain its goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 20% over the next five years.

Biodiesel, International

West Coast Biodiesel Giant Looks to Expand Into Hawaii

John Davis

Imperium Seattle-based Imperium Renewables, ready to put the country’s largest biodiesel plant into operation and holder of the record for investment in a biodiesel company (see my posts on Feb. 2nd and Feb. 21st), is reportedly planning to build a $90-million refinery in Hawaii scheduled to open in April 2008.

Although few details are forthcoming just yet, this story in the Puget Sound Business Journal, says its indicative of Imperium’s planned expansions into Hawaii, the Northeast U.S., and Argentina.

Biodiesel

Ethanol IndyCar 300

Cindy Zimmerman

E-Indy The official name for Saturday’s IndyCar Series opener may have been the XM Satellite Radio Indy 300, but on ESPN2 it was the 2007 Ethanol IndyCar 300 Presented by XM.

Ethanol could not have been more prominent in the ESPN2 coverage of the race, which included the “e” brand on graphics, features about the fuel, regular mentions that the drivers were “filling up with ethanol” and the brand new 30-second ethanol television spots. ESPN2 on-line coverage includes side and top banners for ethanol. People watching the race could hardly fail to know that the cars are now running on 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol.

BY THE NUMBERS:
– 5,000 – The number of gallons of ethanol that were shipped to Homestead-Miami Speedway for use by IndyCar Series teams this weekend.

– One – The number of plants that produce ethanol for the IndyCar Series. Renova Energy in Torrington, Wyo., is the exclusive supplier.

– 2005 – The year the IndyCar Series first announced plans for use of ethanol, after years of running on methanol.

– 10 – The percentage of ethanol blended with methanol in 2006, to prepare the IndyCar Series to the move to 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol in 2007.

– 22 – The size of an IndyCar Series car fuel tank. Since ethanol is more efficient than methanol, the IndyCar Series has reduced the size of its fuel tanks to 22 gallons this season.

– 6,372 – The number of laps run during the preseason Open Tests using 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol and the new 3.5 liter Honda HI7R V-8 Indy engine with no failures.

EPIC, Ethanol, Indy Racing, News