DuPont & MIAVIT Forge Biogas Enzyme Supply Contract

Joanna Schroeder

DuPont Industrial Biosciences and MIAVIT GmbH have forged a biogas enzyme supply contract. An integral part of the agreement will be DuPont supplying enzymes for incorporation in MIAVIT biogas boosting products. According to DuPont, its enzyme technology is proven to improve several production areas including biogas yields and process robustness. This, says DuPont, will increase revenues and profitability.

Enzymes break down large polymers into smaller sugars and amino acids more suitable for biogas-producing organisms.

Enzymes break down large polymers into smaller sugars and amino acids more suitable for biogas-producing organisms.

MIAVIT will be adding DuPont’s FIBREZYME® G4 enzyme biotechnology for inclusion in its MiaMethan® ProCut, a new biogas ingredient for the ag sector. The product, says MIAVIT, improves the breakdown of difficult to digest materials enabling more efficient biogas conversion. FIBREZYME G4 comes in a powder format to help reduce viscosity of hard to digest materials by over 60 percent, according to DuPont, thus enabling faster processing time.

“We are constantly innovating to offer our customers the latest technology to improve profitability and opportunity in the marketplace,” said Franz Otten, managing director of Sales at MIAVIT. “As new technology, like FIBREZYME® from DuPont, comes online, we see tremendous opportunity for our customers to improve efficiency and yields. This, in turn, provides the emerging biogas industry a new revenue stream, particularly for rural and farm communities, from materials that would ordinarily go to waste – reducing damaging environmental impacts and expanding renewable options for power generation.”

Enzymes are an important element to more effective and efficient biogas production. They serve to accelerate the breakdown of materials such as animal and food and farm waste, resulting in sugars and amino acids more pliable for conversion into biogas. The resulting renewable methane biogas can then to used to generate electricity or can be compressed and transported into a pipeline gas grid.

“DuPont is focused on continuous innovation for our customers,” added Conrad Burke, global marketing director at DuPont Industrial Biosciences. “Customers can expect this technology to increase biogas production, improve biogas quality, shorten process time and reduce the amount of feedstock required – all backed by our decades of experience in the global industrial enzyme and renewable energy businesses.”

This is not DuPont’s first enzyme entry for the biogas market. Back in July the company launched OPTIMASH® AD-100, a new liquid enzyme that DuPont says has been shown to produce up to a 13 percent increase in biogas yields in anaerobic digesters.

biodigester, biogas, enzymes

GRFA Calls For Global #Biofuels Commitment at COP22

Joanna Schroeder

With COP22 under way, the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) is calling for a global commitment to biofuels as countries transition to low-carbon economies. Bliss Baker, GRFA president, says that biofuels such as ethanol are proven to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from 40 percent to 90 percent as compared to fossil fuels.

GRFA logoPrior to COP22, the United Nations released an Environment Programme (UNEP) report that determined current global emission reduction commitments will fall far short of international temperature targets. The report called for global emissions reductions of at least a quarter by 2030.

“Negotiators are confronting the enormous challenge of identifying achievable policy options that will significantly, and affordably, reduce GHG emissions.” Baker said. “Biofuels represent the only commercially viable technology available to significantly offset emissions in the global transport sector. In 2014 alone global ethanol production and use reduced GHG emissions by 169 million tonnes CO2 equivalent.” he added.

Today nearly half the world’s oil consumption is by the global transportation sector that accounts for 25-30 percent of global emissions. According to GRFA, this sector also has the lowest renewable energy share. In light of this, the organization is highlighting studies that find significant potential for increased biofuel use.

“In order to achieve international targets, the negotiations at COP22 must result in decisive support for biofuels production and technology development.” added Baker. “To fully achieve the huge potential of biofuels to cut global transport emissions, the historic political commitments of the past year have to result in concrete, and ambitious action.”

biofuels, Ethanol

#Ethanol Report on Food Prices

Cindy Zimmerman

ethanol-report-adThe cost of Thanksgiving dinner this year is less than it was a year ago, with turkey leading the way in lower prices. At the same time, the amount of corn used to make ethanol will set a new record in 2016, up roughly 3% from last year. A new analysis from Informa Economics takes a look at food prices over the past ten years in the era of ethanol and finds food versus fuel is still a myth, even though ethanol detractors continue to bring it up.

In this Ethanol Report, Renewable Fuels Association senior vice president Geoff Cooper talks about the analysis and why it “knocks the stuffing out of ‘Food vs. Fuel’ turkeys”: Ethanol Report on Food Prices

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, food and fuel, Food prices, RFA, RFS

New Biodiesel Board in Place

Cindy Zimmerman

nbb-board-17Members of the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) members selected their leadership this week, electing six returning governing board members and one new member to serve in leadership roles, joining new NBB CEO Donnell Rehagen in moving the organization forward.

NBB members voted to fill seven board member spots:
• Greg Anderson, Nebraska Soybean Board
• Jennifer Case, New Leaf Biofuel, LLC
• Mike Cunningham, ASA
• Tim Keaveney, Hero BX
• Steven J. Levy, Sprague Operating Resources
• Mike Rath, Darling Ingredients, Inc.
• Ben Wooton, World Energy

Kent Engelbrecht, Ron Heck, Ed Hegland, Ron Marr, Steve Nogel, Amy Sigg Davis, Robert Stobaugh, and Chad Stone also continue to serve on the Governing Board. The board also took the opportunity to elect officers with Kent Englebrecht serving as the new chairman, Mike Cunningham as Vice Chairman, Greg Anderson as Treasurer and Chad Stone as Secretary.

“The biodiesel industry is fortunate to have a strong team of leaders from all sectors of the industry,” said Rehagen. “The membership is united, optimistic, and will continue to grow into the future under the direction of the board.” During the annual fall membership meeting NBB members discussed a number of important topics including the current state of federal policies impacting the industry, held meetings of standing committees, and began the annual program planning process.

Biodiesel, NBB

Ag Seems Positive With Trump Presidency

Jamie Johansen

zp-nh1Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What will Trump presidency mean for ag?”

The election is over, however we are still discussing what a Trump Administration will not only mean for agriculture, but for our nation as a whole. NAFB hosted an agriculture “Reaction to Election” panel last week highlighting insights from key agricultural leader opinions. Remarks from those leaders fell into place with our recent poll results. An overwhelming majority feel a Trump presidency will equal positivity for ag.

Here are the poll results:

  • All good – 43%
  • All bad – 17%
  • Bad for exports – 9%
  • Nothing will change – 17%
  • I’m moving to Canada – 14%

Our new ZimmPoll is live and asks the question, What are you most thankful for this year?

As we come off the high from political discussion overload, this week we want to take it easy and think back over 2016. Thanksgiving is a time of reflection, a time to remember and give thanks. Share with us what tops your charts when it comes to thankfulness this year.

ZimmPoll

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDF1Acting on behalf of North European Bio Tech Oy (NEB), St1 has begun the analysis and signed letters of intent with Alholmens Kraft and UPM on a sawdust-based ethanol plant in the Alholma industrial area in Pietarsaari. The planned production capacity of the plant is 50 million litres of advanced bioethanol per year. The Cellunolix® plant, which utilises sawdust and recycled wood, is planned for UPM’s Alholma industrial area. Alholmens Kraft and UPM would provide the project with the mill site’s services and commodities and where possible, would utilise the by-products of the ethanol production in their own processes.
  • Clean Energy Fuels Corp., has announced that the City of Torrance has awarded Clean Energy a new multiyear compressed natural gas (CNG) contract to fuel its fleet of vehicles. The six-year deal, which calls for 550,000 gasoline gallon equivalents, will enable the city to use Clean Energy’s Redeem™ brand of renewable natural gas (RNG), rated up to 70 percent cleaner than diesel and considered the cleanest transportation fuel available.
  • It’s been a year since President Obama and the leaders of 19 nations stood together in Paris to launch Mission Innovation (MI) to accelerate the pace of clean energy innovation and to support economic growth, energy access and security, and as an urgent and lasting global response to climate change with the goal of doubling public investment in clean energy research and development to reach $30 billion in five years. Members are taking another step forward with the announcement that the Obama Administration has created the Sustainable Biofuels Innovation Challenge – to develop ways to produce, at scale, widely affordable, advanced biofuels for transportation and industrial applications.
Bioenergy Bytes

USDA Releases $1.5M in BCAP for #Biomass Harvesting

Joanna Schroeder

Farmers and others who harvest biomass crops for renewable energy will have access to $1.5 million in FY2017 under the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP). The total funds available under the program for 2017 is $3 million with the other $1.5 allocated to growers who establish or maintain biomass crops to be used specifically for energy or biobased products.

bcap_logo_368“USDA investments in expanding biofuel feedstocks lay the foundation for more bioproducts made in rural America, supporting rural economic development, reducing carbon pollution and helping decrease our dependence on foreign energy,” said USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Val Dolcini.

Facilities seeking to be qualified by USDA to accept BCAP-funded biomass can begin enrollment Nov. 14 through Dec. 5, 2016. Also, between Jan. 9, 2017, through March 15, 2017, USDA will accept applications from foresters and farmers seeking incentives to remove biomass residues from fields or national forests for delivery to energy generation facilities. The retrieval payments are provided at match of $1 for $1, up to $20 per dry ton. Eligible crops include corn residue, orchard waste or diseased or insect-infested wood materials.

To enroll for BCAP funds click here. To contact your local FSA county office, click here.

advanced biofuels, biomass

Natural Chem Acquires Abengoa #Ethanol Plant

Joanna Schroeder

Photo Credit: Natural Chem

Photo Credit: Natural Chem Group

Another Abengoa plant has been sold. Natural Chem Group (NCG) has acquired the ethanol plant in Portales, New Mexico via a bidding process. The new owner has plans to re-purpose the facility into an Eco-Fuels Blend Terminal with the ability to produce 4.5 million gallons of B20 biodiesel each month. The biodiesel blend will be blended with diesel at the facility for use as a commercial transportation fuel.

Several years ago New Mexico passed a B5 mandate but has not enforced the legislation due to lack of local blending operations. Once the conversion is complete, NCG’s blending facility will be able to blend all the fuel to meet the mandate. The majority of vehicles in the state that will use the B5 include regional fleets and trucking companies.

“We look forward to beginning plant operations, creating jobs, providing revenue and boosting the local economy,” said Robert J. Salazar, Natural Chem’s CEO/President. “We envision multiple uses for our Portales facility involving renewable fuels and natural chemicals. We believe this will be a positive addition to Portales and the regional economy and help sustain the biofuels industry nationally,” added Salazar.

NCG acquired the property through the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri in St. Louis. The sale was approved after Abengoa Bioenergy, a Spanish renewable energy firm, filed for Chapter 11 protection earlier this year.

The company is reporting it will pay an outstanding tax bill owed to Roosevelt County. Prior to the ethanol plant being shuttered in 2012, it was the only ethanol facility in the state.

biofuels, Ethanol

KIPP Jacksonville Schools Go Propane

Joanna Schroeder

KIPP Jacksonville Schools has converted to propane – the first U.S. charter school to do so. The 100 percent propane fueled school bus fleet will be used to transport students to and from campus. The 14 Blue Bird Vision Propane buses will reduce the fleet’s carbon footprint; the buses emit 80 percent less smog-producing hydrocarbon and nearly eliminate particulate matter as compared to diesel fuel.

KIPP Jacksonville Schools deployed its first-ever fleet of school buses to transport students to and from the area campus. It's the first 100-percent propane-fueled fleet for a U.S. charter school.

KIPP Jacksonville Schools deployed its first-ever fleet of school buses to transport students to and from the area campus. It’s the first 100-percent propane-fueled fleet for a U.S. charter school.

“As the size of our campus expanded along with the number of students, it was time to have our own means of transportation,” said Bobby Kennedy, founding transportation manager of KIPP Jacksonville Schools. “We consulted with our Blue Bird dealer, Florida Transportation Systems, on available options, and were impressed by the safe and clean-operating properties of propane-fueled buses.”

According to ROUSH CleanTech, who installed the fuel systems, the propane autogas fuel systems are Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board certified.

“When compared with other fuel types, propane naturally runs cleaner, making for a more pleasant ride for both KIPP Jacksonville Schools’ passengers and drivers,” said Brian Carney, executive director of school bus and customer support for ROUSH CleanTech, manufacturer of the buses’ propane fuel system. “It also has noticeably quieter operation and increased maintenance savings overall.”

Performance of the buses have not been compromised in any way, according to Kennedy, who said the Ford 6.8L V10 engines in the propane buses are responsive to acceleration. In addition, drivers have also said the engines are quite and the buses don’t heat excessively at their feet as compared to diesel buses.

Kennedy said using propane has enabled the school system to save money in both lower fuel prices as well as in less maintenance costs.  Currently KIPP Jacksonville Schools pays nearly half the cost per gallon for propane as compared with the average cost for diesel. Kennedy also noted that going forward the school will continue to purchase propane-fueled buses.

Alternative energy, Propane

Partners Celebrate Alaska Airlines Cellulosic #Biofuels Flight

Joanna Schroeder

An Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle Sea-Tac International Airport to Washington, DC took off yesterday powered by a 20 percent cellulosic alcohol biofuel blend produced by Gevo. The aviation biofuel is branded as Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) fuel and is produced from woody residues in the Pacific Northwest including limbs, stumps and branches. The ATJ fuel for this flight was made from forest waste from sustainably managed forests owned by Weyerhaeuser (OR), the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe (WA), and the Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribes (MT). In addition, some of the rejected residues were provided from Cosmo Specialty Fibers (WA).

Photo Credit: Alaska Airlines

Photo Credit: Alaska Airlines

“This latest milestone in Alaska’s efforts to promote sustainable biofuels is especially exciting since it is uniquely sourced from the forest residuals in the Pacific Northwest,” said Joe Sprague, Alaska Airlines’ senior vice president of communications and external relations. “NARA’s accomplishments and the investment of the U.S. Department of Agriculture provide another key in helping Alaska Airlines and the aviation industry reduce its carbon footprint and dependency on fossil fuels.”

The flight used 1,080 gallons of biofuel and while it had a minimal impact on the airline’s overall GHG emission reductions, Alaska Airlines says if it were able to replace 20 percent of its entire fuel supply at just Sea-Tac Airport, it would reduce GHG emissions by 142,000 metric tons of CO2 or the equivalent of removing 30,000 cars off the road over the course of one year.  In June, Alaska Airlines also flew the friendly skies with a Gevo aviation biofuel.

Also celebrating the accomplishment were several organizations that had a hand in the production of the biofuel. While Gevo gets credit for producing the aviation biofuel, ICM’s integrated biorefinery pilot plant in St. Joseph, Missouri milled, enzymatically hydrolyzed to sugars and then fermented to isobutanol using pretreated hemlock and lodgepole pine. An element of the process was Gevo’s fermentation microorganism and GIFT process located at the plant. Once the isobutanol was recovered by distillation, it was then transported to Silsbee, Texas.

ICM’s Vice-President, Technology Development, Steve Hartig said, “ICM’s pilot plant provides customers like GEVO with access to high quality pilot plant equipment and people, in order to enable efficient process development and production campaigns. This project has been a tremendous success and required a mix of mechanical, chemical and biological skills which ICM’s team was able to bring.”

nara_3791

Photo credit: Alaska Airlines

Passengers had a surprise in Washington, DC where they were greeted by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. He highlighted the bioenergy breakthrough along with the benefits the bioenergy industry provides including supporting jobs and rural economies. The five-year project (from conception to flight) was supported in part by a $39.6 million research and education project from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The project was led by Washington State University and the Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance (NARA) that was launched in 2011.

“In 2011, USDA awarded our largest-ever competitive research grant to the Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance, betting on the promise that cellulose-rich, discarded wood products could be a viable renewable fuel source instead of going to waste. Today, we are able to celebrate the results of that investment, which is a major advancement for clean alternatives to conventional fossil fuels,” said Vilsack. “Over the course of the Obama Administration, USDA has invested $332 million to accelerate cutting-edge research and development on renewable energy, making it possible for planes, ships and automobiles to run on fuel made from municipal waste, beef fat, agricultural byproducts and other low-value sources. All of this creates extra income sources for farmers and ranchers, is bringing manufacturing jobs back to rural America, and is keeping our country at the forefront of clean energy and innovation. We must continue to focus on targeted investments to help the rural economy retool itself for the 21st century.”

aviation biofuels, biojet fuel, Cellulosic, isobutanol