Finnish #Climate Report Phases out Coal, Ups #Biofuels

Joanna Schroeder December 1, 2016

On November 30, 2016, the Finnish Government began discussing its approved National Energy and Climate Strategy that was released on November 24th. “National Energy and Climate Strategy to 2030,” outlines the country’s strategies and gives detailed actions that will be undertaken for the country to reach European Union (EU) climate objectives through 2030 as well as to help Finland to meet its Paris Climate Change Agreement. The biggest action, and the first of its kind for any country, is the complete phasing out of coal during the 2020s. A proposal on how to accomplish this goal will be prepared and may include the recommendations of “strong tax steering” or “legally prohibiting the use of coal” may be offered.

Finnish Government unveiling its National Energy and Climate Strategy during a press event. Photo Credit: Finnish Government

“We are facing a global and fundamental change of the whole energy economy. The National Energy and Climate Strategy adopted by the Finnish Government today is our response to this serious challenge,” said Minister of Economic Affairs Olli Rehn during a press conference to unveil the plan. Also on hand for the press event were Minister of Agriculture and the Environment Kimmo Tiilikainen, Minister of Transport and Communications Anne Berner, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Kai Mykkänen, and Minister of Justice and Employment Jari Lindström who presented the high-level strategies and objectives.

According to the report, the share of renewable energy of total energy consumption will increase to more than 50 percent in the 2020s. With this in mind, the overall goal of the energy plan is for Finland’s energy system to become carbon neutral with the majority of energy provided by sustainable, low carbon renewable sources. The energy plan outlines several measures to reduce GHG emissions in sectors outside of emissions trading with the majority in land and air transportation. In addition, the country’s large amount of biomass, or waste wood, will be a key feedstock to meet renewable energy goals.

Specific to biofuels, the country’s use of imported oil as well as jet fuel and kerosene will be cut in half during the 2020s as compared to the total energy consumption of 2005. This includes a transition away from fossil energy in the transport, heating and machinery sectors. According to energy plan, the percentage of biofuel in fuels sold to road transport will be increased to 30 percent by 2030.

With the increased role of biofuels, the report finds that there will also be an increase in the use of forest-industry by-products and forest chips. However, the plan states that raw material suitable for the wood processing industry will not be used for energy production and the plan calls for sustainability programs to be put in place to preserve the forests.

Also of note, in an effort to support the conversion to renewable energy, the energy plan calls for investment subsidies that will mainly be focused on commercializing new technologies especially those producing advanced biofuels for the transportation sector and technologies that use waste as feedstocks will also be supported.

advanced biofuels, Alternative energy, bioenergy, biojet fuel, Climate Change

Growth Energy, Retailers Pink Out Program Raises $40K

Joanna Schroeder December 1, 2016

This past October Growth Energy partnered with several retailers who sell E15 for a Pink Out campaign to raise money and awareness for breast cancer. When a consumer purchased E15 during the month, each retailer donated 2 cents per gallon with the campaign raising $40,465.64 Participating retailers included Sheetz, Minnoco, Protec Fuel and Murphy USA.

“We are thrilled to have such incredible partners with whom we were able to donate $40,465.64 to deserving organizations working to find a cure for breast cancer and help those affected by it,” said Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy. “The ethanol industry is proud to help in the fight against cancer by replacing toxic carcinogens that were previously blended in gasoline. By partnering with leading retailers such as Sheetz, Minnoco, Protec Fuel and Murphy USA, this program ensures we continue to take up the fight on behalf of mothers, daughters and families everywhere.”

More than 700 dispensers pumped E15 at participating retailers with locations in Arkansas, Florida, Illinois and North Carolina. Of the funds raised, Sheetz donated its portion to the American Cancer Society, Minnoco donated its funds to Hope Chest for Breast Cancer, Protec Fuel donated its funds to the Florida Breast Cancer Foundation and Murphy USA donated its funds to Susan G. Komen.

E15, Ethanol, Growth Energy, Retailers

Biogreen Diesel Wins #Biofuels Company of the Year

Joanna Schroeder December 1, 2016

Biogreen Diesel has been awarded the 2016 South Africa Biofuels Company of the Year by Frost & Sullivan for its work in the biofuel industry producing biodiesel from waste cooking oil. Biogreen began processing between 3,000 to 5,000 litres each month in Cape Town and today is processing between 20,000 to 25,000 litres per month. The company has announced plans for two new biodiesel facilities in Johannesburg and Durban. Once these plants are completed and in operation, Biogreen will be producing more than 300,000 litres per month.

South African restaurateur Roy de Gouveia established the company when he realized the need that biodiesel was providing local communities. He set up his own plant to meet both the needs of South African consumers but also to ensure that waste cooking oil was not recycled and sold to poorer communities.

Roy de Gouveia says that margins in the recycling business tend to be sparse but because his company uses waste cooking oil as its feedstock, the highest costs in biodiesel production, his biodiesel is affordable. He sells high quality biodiesel based on manufacturers’ warranties that can range from 5 percent to 100 percent in industrial motors. In addition, Biogreen offers suppliers and customers set contracts that are not tied to oil prices, and the company offers end-to-end services for select customers – collecting their used oil and re-delivering it as biodiesel.

“Receiving the Frost & Sullivan Award is a great milestone in our journey. We are humbled and honored to receive the Award. We strive daily to better the processes of eradicating waste oil being re-sold into poorer communities, as well as being exported which has a higher carbon footprint than fossil fuels,” said Roy de Gouveia, Biogreen founder.

“Under a license agreement, Biogreen uses locally developed and patented jet reactor technology to make SANS1935 specification biodiesel,” said Frost & Sullivan Industry Analyst Constance Nyambayo. “While the standard trans-esterification process is conducted at 60 degrees Celsius, Biogreen’s technology allows it to run its processes at 45 degrees Celsius. It uses 16% methanol, which is lower than what other reactors use, making it even more environmentally friendly. Furthermore, its biodiesel is of higher quality and requires less time for conversion.”

Nyambayo added, “Biogreen enables customers to bolster their brand and corporate image by marketing their use of sustainable fuels,” “This visionary leadership, exemplified by its focus on driving business performance by innovating for the future, has made Biogreen a worthy recipient of Frost & Sullivan’s honour.”

advanced biofuels, Biodiesel, International, Waste-to-Energy

RFA Analysis Finds 80% Cars Warrantied for #E15

Joanna Schroeder November 30, 2016

A new analysis of warranty statements and owner’s manuals conducted by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) finds that more than 80 percent of vehicles model year 2017 are approved for the use of E15 by the manufacturer. This is an increase of 10 percent from model year 2016. Model Year 2017 is the first for Hyundai Motor Company and Kia to have expressively approved the ethanol blend. Combined the two auto companies represent slightly more than 8 percent of the U.S. light-duty auto market.

While the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved E15 as a legal fuel for use in cars manufactured in 2001 or later, auto manufacturers didn’t retroactively endorse E15 in vehicles already on the road.

“This analysis demonstrates that automaker acceptance and approval of E15 continues to expand rapidly,” said RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen. “More than four out of every five new vehicles carries the manufacturer’s explicit endorsement of E15, putting to rest the myth propagated by the American Petroleum Institute that automakers don’t allow or warranty the use of this lower-cost, higher-octane fuel blend. We applaud Hyundai for joining the ‘E15 Club’ with its model year 2017 vehicles, and we’re thrilled to see Mini going above and beyond to offer E25-compatible vehicles. At the same time, we encourage Nissan, Mazda, Subaru and Daimler to get with the times and offer their customers greater freedom and flexibility when it comes to making a fuel choice at the pump,” Dinneen added.

Other key points from the analysis include:

The Detroit Three (Chrysler, General Motors and Ford), which collectively represent 45 percent of U.S. market share, all clearly allow E15 in their vehicles. GM started approving the use of E15 with its MY 2012 vehicles, while Ford joined the following year and Chrysler began E15 approval with its MY 2016 vehicles.
Other automakers explicitly offering E15 approval for MY 2017 vehicles include Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen Group, and Tata Motors (maker of Land Rover and Jaguar). Altogether, auto manufacturers with approximately 81 percent of the U.S. market share now approve the use of E15 in their MY 2017 vehicles.
With 9 percent of the U.S. market share, Nissan Motor Corporation remains the largest vehicle manufacturer that does not explicitly approve E15 in its vehicles. Despite announcing earlier this year that it is developing a vehicle powered by an ethanol fuel cell, the automaker only approves the use of E10 in its vehicles. Curiously, Nissan approves the use of gasoline containing up to 15 percent MTBE, a toxic additive that is banned in more than two dozen states.
Mazda, Subaru and The Daimler Group (maker of Mercedes-Benz) also continue to exclude E15 from fuel approvals and warranty statements. Together, these three manufacturers own about 7.5 percent of the U.S. market share.
Of note, BMW Group’s Mini vehicles again allow the use of 25 percent ethanol blends. The manufacturer states, “Fuels with a maximum ethanol content of 25 percent, i.e., E10 or E25, may be used for refueling.”
While neither automaker approves the use of E15, both Mercedes-Benz and Nissan produce some flex fuel vehicle models that are capable of operating on up to 85 percent ethanol blends (E85).

According to RFA estimates, around 25-30 percent of the 230 million vehicles on the road today are clearly approved by automakers to use E15; whereas, around 90 percent of cars on the road were built in 2001 or later so are legally allowed to use E15. Today nearly 400 retail stations in 28 states sell E15 including several major retail chains including Kum & Go, Murphy USA, RaceTrac and Thorntons.

automotive, E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA

Biodico Begins #Biodiesel Delivery to UCSB

Joanna Schroeder November 30, 2016

Biodico is now delivering biodiesel to the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), that was produced from used cooking oil collected at UCSB. The biodiesel will be used to fuel tractors and other diesel-powered equipment on campus. The renewable fuel was produced at Biodico’s “Zero Net Energy Farm” that went online in December of 2015 in the San Joaquin Valley.

“Producing biodiesel for UCSB is symbolic of our philosophy at Biodico to provide sustainable solutions that are economically viable, good for the environment, and support the needs of local communities,” said Russ Teall, president and founder of Biodico. “As an alumnus I am proud to say that UCSB serves as an excellent example of a forward-thinking institution that puts into practice what many of its environmental studies courses are teaching: We need to find practical alternatives to fossil fuels.”

Mark Rousseau, Energy and Environmental Manager of UCSB Housing, Dining & Auxiliary Enterprises stated that the university’s relationship with Biodico is focused on sustainability and closing the loop – used cooking oil is collected from campus and then returned as biodiesel to be “re-used” on campus. “Biodiesel is not only cleaner for the environment and non-toxic to store, it reduces our fossil fuel purchases. This helps meet a UC-wide goal of carbon neutrality by 2025 since biodiesel is a low carbon intensity fuel,” Rousseau noted.

JJ Rothgery, Chairman of Biodico, added, “We are thrilled to work with UCSB to help implement a program that is changing the narrative in how universities and other organizations utilize byproducts to create biofuel that is cost effective and environmentally sound. As Biodico’s ZNEF concept continues to gain traction, we look forward to implementing fully sustainable solutions in similar settings across the country.”

advanced biofuels, Biodiesel

Research Develops Cold Tolerant #Bioenergy Grass

Joanna Schroeder November 30, 2016

University of Illinois agronomist D.K. Lee has developed a bioenergy grass that is tolerant to freezing. Current bioenergy crops such as Miscanthus and switchgrass grown in the Midwest are prone to freezing. When Lee discovered one morning in Mid-April that the only grass not frozen was prairie cordgrass he and his team began to research what molecular changes keep cordgrass, Spartina pectinata, from freezing in cold weather.

Prairie cordgrass. Photo Credit: University of Illinois.

This discovery could be important for bioenergy crops due to their often being grown on marginal land where conditions are not ideal. Cordgrass, with its tolerance to several major stress factors including flooding and salt, has the potential, says Lee, to be grown in more places than other perennial crops.

“Unlike salt and flooding stress, freezing usually happens abruptly,” Lee explains. “The plant has to react quickly. To find out what was happening at the molecular level, we grew cordgrass in a growth chamber at 25 degrees Celsius and then abruptly moved them into another growth chamber set to -5 degrees. We looked at gene expression within five minutes after exposure to freezing temperatures. We found some unique genes being activated right away and then different ones turning on 30 minutes later,” added Lee.

The initial genetic response is what the researchers believe protects the cell from freezing. When a plant is exposed to freezing temperatures, crystals typically form in the spaces outside the cell. Once these “seed crystals” form, they quickly grow and burst the living cells. However, to avoid this action, the researchers believe the cordgrass may quickly pump ions outside the cell in an effort to keep ice crystals from forming or growing.

From here, the scientists surmise that in around 30 minutes secondary reactions occur that may have to do with repairing damaged cells. This would in turn allow the plant to recover more quickly.

These findings are just the beginning, says Lee, and much more needs to be done to fully understand the genetic mechanisms that enable cordgrass to avoid tissue damage during cold spells. Once the cordgrass’s system is fully understood, Lee hopes the knowledge can then be applied to other crops.

“Corn farmers are always looking to plant earlier in the spring,” said Lee. “They think if they plant early, they could see a yield benefit. Currently, crop insurance won’t cover corn if farmers plant before a certain date, because there’s a big risk of frost. If we understand more about freezing tolerance, we could eventually apply it to annual crops and potentially expand the production area for crops such as corn,” Lee concluded.

advanced biofuels, bioenergy, biomass, Research

New Engineered Bacteria Aids #Ethanol

Joanna Schroeder November 30, 2016

University of Wisconsin-Madison professor James Steele has engineered and patented a new bacteria that aids in ethanol production. The Winder Bascom professor of food science specializes in food, beverage and biofuel fermentation and as such seen first hand how during the fermentation process beer and wine can often be contaminated with lactic acid bacteria. When this occurs lactic acid is produced rather than alcohol. This same problems, says Steele, affects the ethanol industry whose company, Lactic Solutions, is using genetic engineering to transform adversary into a friend.

UW-Madison food science Professor James Steele with homemade fermenters he’s using to explore genetic engineering of lactic acid bacteria, a common contaminant of many fermentation processes, including cheese, wine, beer and biofuel production. PHOTO: SEVIE KENYON

In Steele’s process, rather than killing lactic acid bacteria with antibiotics, a common approach in the ethanol industry today, he is splicing in genes for ethanol production. When he does this, these organisms, traditionally foes, become allies and produce ethanol instead of lactic acid.

“We are taking the problem and trying to turn it into a solution,” Steele says. The company will sell bags of bacteria to the ethanol industry to be added to the fermenter alongside the yeast that presently makes ethanol.”

General antibiotic resistance is a global concern and some groups are concerned with traces of antibiotics in foods. In the case of ethanol – where nearly 70 percent of biorefineries use antibiotics to fight lactic acid bacteria while some ethanol plants use hops – this could be a concern because a co-product of ethanol production is distillers grains (DDGs) – a common feed for animals.

“Distillers grains can carry antibiotics or bacteria that evolved in the fermentation facility to resist antibiotics,” says Steele who adds the result could be dangerous drugs, or rather dangerous bugs, in the human food supply chain.“Tyson Foods, McDonald’s, Panera, Perdue, etc. say they will, by the end of this year or next year, eliminate the use of meat from animals fed antibiotics, so the primary way to control lactic acid bacteria in the ethanol industry is going away.”Read More

biofuels, Distillers Grains, Ethanol, Research

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder November 29, 2016

A new report, Motor Vehicle Biofuels: United States, looks at the U.S. market for motor vehicle biofuels. It is forecast to total 395 million barrels in 2020, representing annual increases of 0.7% from 382 million barrels in 2015. Advances will primarily stem from regulatory quotas for biofuel in the U.S. fuel supply. At the same time, rising crude oil prices will incentivize consumers to purchase bioethanol blends beyond those mandated by the government. However, further increases in biofuel blend concentrations will be restrained by motor vehicle specifications and a limited infrastructure for distributing these fuels.
Researchers are actively studying polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a family of natural polyesters produced by microorganisms that may represent biodegradable and biocompatible substitutes for petroleum-based plastics. For the past 30 years, investigators have been striving to determine the crystal structure of an important enzyme in the production of PHAs– called PHA synthase– but without success. Now a team publishing two articles in Biotechnology Journal reports success, while also elucidating mechanisms of the enzyme reaction involved in PHA production.
American Electric Technologies, Inc has announced that its M&I Electric business has recently been selected to provide a turnkey power delivery solution for a land fill gas reclamation project in the United States. M&I will provide a turnkey power delivery solution including a M&I Power Distribution Center with Medium Voltage Switchgear, Medium Voltage Motor Controllers, Low Voltage MCC, transformers and other ancillary power distribution equipment.
Biofuels International is reporting that Shell and Brazilian ethanol company Cosan have reached an agreement to strengthen their sugarcane ethanol joint venture (JV), Raízen, in Brazil, through a change in its contractual structure. The partners have agreed to remove the mutual time-bound buyout options included in the original JV agreement, signed in June 2011, and in doing so have transformed Raízen from a temporary to a permanent joint venture.

Bioenergy Bytes

Research Turns Old Tires into New #Biofuels

Joanna Schroeder November 29, 2016

Researchers at the QUT’s Biofuel Engine Research Facility have created a way to turn old tires into biofuels. Facility Professor Richard Brown and PhD student Farhad Hossain tested the oil’s emissions and output and found the biofuel reduced emissions with no loss of engine performance.

Farhad Hossain, Professor Richard Brown and GDT’s Trevor Bayley in QUT’s Biofuel Engine Research Facility with a truck tyre that would yield 460litres of reclaimed oil.

“Globally, 1.5 billion tonnes of tyres are discarded each year. Australia, alone, will generate 55 million disused tyres a year by 2020,” said Professor Brown. “Getting rid of old tyres in an environment-friendly way is a universal nightmare. Stockpiles of used tyres around the world are a health hazard, as demonstrated by the recent Broadmeadows fire in Victoria, which was difficult to put out and generated huge amounts of toxic smoke.”

Tests on the oil produced from old tires was performed by Hossain along the QUT engineering team that included process engineer Dr. Tom Rainey, and air-quality expert Professor Zoran Ristovski.

“We tested the oil which GDT produces from both recycled natural and synthetic rubber tyres in 10 percent and 20 percent diesel blends,” Hossain explained. “We tested the tyre oil blends in a turbocharged, common rail, direct injection, six-cylinder engine in the Biofuel Engine Research Facility at QUT. The engine is typical of engine types used in the transport industry.”

He continued, “Our experiments were performed with a constant speed and four different engine loads of 25, 50, 75 and 100 percent of full load. We found a 30 percent reduction in nitrogen oxide which contributes to photochemical smog, and lower particle mass which means fewer problems for emission treatment systems.”

According to Trevor Bayley, GDT COO, the oil can also be used as a heating fuel or further refined into diesel or aviation jet fuel.

“The process recycles end-of-life tyres into oil, carbon and steel, leaving nothing wasted and even uses some of the recovered oil as the heat source,” said Bayley. “Carbon is the most common recovered ingredient and the steel rim and framework is the third most common ingredient, while the oil is the most valuable. We are delighted at the findings of the QUT research as it will help us promote the sustainable use for end-of-life tyres.”

Bayley continued, “The potential of this source of biofuel feedstock is immense, and it is more sustainable than other bio-oils from plants such as corn, or algae. A recycled 10kg car tyre yields 4 litres of oil, 1.5kg of steel and 4 kg of oil, and a 70kg truck tyre provides 28 litres of oil, 11kg of steel and 28kg of carbon. GDT plans to have the first fully operational commercial plant delivering eight million litres of oil a year from mid-2017, followed by a world-first mining tyre processing plant in either Qld or WA,” he added.

advanced biofuels, aviation biofuels, Biodiesel, Research, Waste-to-Energy

UPM BioVerno Performs on the Road

Joanna Schroeder November 29, 2016

Finnish biofuel company UPM has announced the successful completion of several lab and on road tests on its UPM BioVerno diesel. The company is reporting the tests showed that their renewable wood-based diesel fuel performs as well as traditional diesel fuels. Lab tests were conducted in the VTT Technical Research Centre (VTT) and the on road tests were performed in bus traffic in the Helsinki region in conjunction with the Helsinki Region Transport (HSL). The field tests, supported by Transdev Findland Oy, Volvo and St1, spanned one year and the results were calculated by VTT.

The first set of lab tests were done with Euro III Class buses and UPM says its UPM BioVerno diesel produced lower emissions than fossil-based diesel. When compared to other advanced fuels, the renewable diesel’s emissions demonstrated equal emission reductions.

Photo Credit: UPM

“The use of UPM BioVerno diesel in the current bus fleet instead of fossil diesel would lower emissions from public transport significantly. This is good news as this Finnish wood-based fuel could immediately – and positively – affect the air quality in the Helsinki region,” said Sari Mannonen, vice president of UPM Biofuels.

On-road tests with the buses were conducted by Transdev Finland using a regular bus route between the cities of Kerava and Helsinki using Volvo Euro VI Class buses. These vehicles are manufactured to have lower emissions and more efficient engines. The tests used blends of 20 percent, 50 percent and 100 percent UPM BioVerno diesel, and were conducted by St1. The results showed that UPM BioVerno diesel worked well across all blends with consistent fuel consumption of traditional diesel fuel. In total, the buses traveled nearly 400,000 km with no fuel-related incidents.

“We are happy with the test results – they show that UPM BioVerno could fully replace fossil diesel in current bus traffic. Biofuels have a significant role in our company’s targets, as we are aiming for carbon-free public transportation in the Helsinki region,” said Reijo Mäkinen, head of the Traffic Services department in HSL.

The latest set of tests were part of a larger BioPilot project overseen by VTT to encourage companies to commercialize the use of renewable fuels in vehicles.

advanced biofuels, Biodiesel, International

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