Tesoro to Produce Biocrude from Biomass

John Davis

tesoroPetroleum refiner Tesoro Corporation plans to develop biocrude made from renewable biomass. This news release from the Texas-based company says the biocrude can be co-processed in its existing refineries, along with traditional crude oil.

Converting renewable biomass into biocrude is expected to enable existing refining assets to produce less carbon-intensive fuels at a significantly lower capital and operating cost than competing technologies. This approach could lower Tesoro’s compliance costs with the federal renewable fuel standard and California’s low carbon fuel standard by generating credits, while producing less carbon-intensive fuels which are fully compatible with the nation’s existing fuel infrastructure as well as current vehicle fleet warranties.

In order to support the development of biocrude, Tesoro is working collaboratively with several renewable energy companies to advance biomass-to-fuels technology, including:

– Fulcrum BioEnergy, Inc.: Fulcrum plans to supply biocrude produced from municipal solid waste to Tesoro Refining & Marketing Company LLC (“TRMC”) to process as a feedstock at its Martinez, California Refinery. An estimated 800 barrels of biocrude per day will be produced at Fulcrum’s Sierra BioFuels Plant in Reno, Nevada, which is expected to be operational in early 2018.

– Virent, Inc.: Tesoro and Virent are working to establish a strategic relationship to support scale-up and commercialization of Virent’s BioForming technology which produces low-carbon, biofuel and chemicals.

– Ensyn Corporation: Ensyn has applied for a pathway with the California Air Resources Board to co-process its biocrude, produced from tree residue – called Renewable Fuel Oil(TM) – in TRMC’s California refineries.

“We’ve established relationships such as those with Fulcrum, Virent, and Ensyn, to progress technologies which would enable our existing fuel manufacturing infrastructure to help meet the demand for low-carbon, advanced biofuels. Working with these companies, Tesoro seeks to create shared value that will benefit our communities, consumers and the environment, while allowing us to supply biofuels at a competitive price,” says CJ Warner, Executive Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at Tesoro.

biomass

Planting 2016 – Willing to Make Predictions?

Jamie Johansen

New Holland ZimmPollOur latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What do you think of new dietary guidelines?”

Referring to the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans, many of those who took our recent poll feel nothing has really changed from past dietary guidelines and even more simply don’t care.

Here are the poll results:

  • Fair – 0%
  • Nothing new – 37%
  • Good news – 0%
  • Disappointed- 0%
  • Who cares? – 63%

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, What’s your planting intentions prediction for 2016?

Planting season is getting closer and with lower prices and farm income down, the question is what will be planted this year? We’ll just focus on corn and soybeans and ask, what do you think?

ZimmPoll

USDA Scientists Develop Bio-Oil

Joanna Schroeder

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been working on creating better crude liquid from renewable resources to replace fossil-based fuel. Coined “bio-oil,” the renewable fuel is derived from agricultural waste such as non-food-grade plant matter procured from agricultural or household waste residue such as wood, switchgrass, and animal manures. The advanced biofuel is now a few steps closer to being able to be distilled at existing petroleum refineries.

TGRP mobile Unit

ARS scientists are testing this mobile pyrolysis system for on-farm production of bio-oil from agricultural waste.

The research team, headed by Agricultural Research Services (ARS) chemical engineer Akwasi Boateng with the Sustainable Biofuels and Coproducts Unit at the Eastern Regional Research Center in Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania, is working on a modified pyrolysis technique called “tail-gas reactive pyrolysis” (TGRP). Traditionally, pyrolysis is process that chemically decomposes plant and other organic matter using very high heat. This process is not compatible with current distillation equipment at petroleum biofineries due to its highly acidic and high oxygen content, and requires the addition of an expensive catalyst.

Now, however, using waste materials, bio-oils are being produced at an accelerated rate using a new high-output mobile processing unit funded by a Biomass Research and Development Initiative Grant from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.  Instead of shipping large amounts of agricultural waste to a refinery plant at high cost, the mobile reactor allows conversion of the biomass into energy-dense bio-oil right on the farm. In addition, this bio-oil is a higher quality bio-oil that is more marketable to biofuel producers than bio-oil made from traditional pyrolysis methods.

“Ideally, the biofuels added to gasoline would be identical to fuels produced at petroleum refineries,” Eklasabi told AgResearch Magazine. “The quality of TGRP deoxygenated liquids is equal to or better than the bio-oil produced by catalyst pyrolysis.” And, added Eklasabi, bringing the bio-oil one step closer to being able to be distilled at existing petroleum refineries.

advanced biofuels, Agribusiness, biomass, Research, Waste-to-Energy

Iowa Delegation Urges EPA to Get RFS on Track

Cindy Zimmerman

The entire Iowa congressional delegation this week urged the EPA to propose 2017 ethanol and 2018 biodiesel Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) consistent with enacted law.

A letter signed by Iowa Congressmen David Young, Rod Blum, Steve King, and Dave Loebsack, and Iowa Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, was sent to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy encouraging her to commit to getting the RFS back on track.

“Our agricultural base in Iowa, serving as feedstock for ethanol and biodiesel production, has near record supplies of excess corn,” the members of Congress wrote. “We believe the statutory levels are more than achievable in the coming year.”

irfa-iowa-delegationReps. Loebsack, Young and King all appeared Tuesday at the Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit to discuss the letter and the importance of the RFS.

“We’ll see if we get any results,” from the letter, said Rep. King. “But we’ve been saying consistently and persistently that the RFS is in statute – follow it.”

“It’s not totally out of the question for us to work together,” said Loebsack, the only Democrat of the three. “And on this issue it’s a complete no brainer … it’s about our economy, it’s about our farmers, it’s about national security, it’s about a lot of things.”

“We have farm income down about 35% and we have the EPA which seems to be on a warpath at times,” said Young. “We’re just asking the EPA to obey the law.”

Listen to the press conference here: Iowa congressmen at Iowa RFA

10th Annual Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit Photo Album

Audio, biofuels, EPA, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government, Iowa RFA, IRFA Renewable Fuels Summit, RFS

61st Anniversary of 1st American Solar House

Joanna Schroeder

US Census Bureau logoThis week marks the 61st anniversary of the first house in America with solar heating and radiation cooling. Located in Tuscon, Arizona, the house featured a large, slanting slab of steel and glass that coverts sunlight into heat that was ducted into the house. Today, many homes use solar panels to capture the natural heat of the sun and solar is currently the power source for around 83,000 U.S. homes according to the U.S. Census Census Bureau.

While solar accounts for a .7 percent of the power fueling American homes, its growing. However, of the 117 million occupied housing unit, gas remains the most heating fuel, outpacing electricity – about 57 million to 44 million.

The January 17th edition of Profile America focuses on solar power using data gathered as part of the American Community Survey. The program is produced by the Center for New Media and Promotions of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Profile America Looks at Solar
Audio, Electricity, energy efficiency, Solar

Great Green Fleet Deployed

Cindy Zimmerman

vilsack-navy-fleetSecretary of the Navy Ray Mabus and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack kicked off the Great Green Fleet with the deployment of the USS John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group (JCS CSG) during a ceremony Wednesday in California. At the end of the ceremony, the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Stockdale left the pier to begin its deployment, becoming the first U.S. Navy ship running on an alternative fuel blend as part of its regular operations.

The Great Green Fleet is a Department of the Navy initiative using energy efficiency and alternative fuels to increase combat capability and operational flexibility. “The Great Green Fleet shows how we are transforming our energy use to make us better warfighters, to go farther, stay longer, and deliver more firepower,” said Mabus. “Diversifying our energy sources arms us with operational flexibility and strengthens our ability to provide presence, turning the tables on those who would use energy as a weapon against us.”

The blend fueling the Navy ships contains alternative fuel made from waste beef fat provided by farmers in the Midwest purchased through a partnership between the Navy and USDA. “The Navy’s use of renewable energy in the Great Green Fleet represents its ability to diversify its energy sources, and also our nation’s ability to take what would be a waste product and create homegrown, clean, advanced biofuels to support a variety of transportation needs,” said Secretary Vilsack. “Today’s deployment proves that America is on its way to a secure, clean energy future, where both defense and commercial transportation can be fueled by our own hardworking farmers and ranchers, reduce landfill waste, and bring manufacturing jobs back to rural America.”

The advanced fuel blend was produced by California-based AltAir Fuels from a feedstock of beef tallow – waste beef fat – provided by Midwest farmers and ranchers, and traditional petroleum provided by Tesoro. Pursuant to Navy requirements, the alternative fuel is drop-in, meaning it requires no changes to ship engines, transport or delivery equipment, or operational procedures.

biofuels, Government, military, USDA

National Biodiesel CEO Keynotes Iowa RFA Summit

Cindy Zimmerman

irfa-jobeNational Biodiesel Board CEO Joe Jobe was the keynote speaker at the 10th annual Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit this week, highlighting the significance of the new volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for biodiesel.

“It signaled a strong commitment by the EPA that they not only wanted to get the program back on track but they want to keep it on track,” said Jobe. “Prior to this rulemaking, we only had a precedent of one year’s growth for biomass-based biodiesel…after this year, we have a precedent for five years’ growth.”

Jobe noted that the rulemaking doubled the volumes for biodiesel between 2012 to 2017. “That’s significant because in the next five year time frame, from 2018 to 2022, it’s our industry’s goal to double again,” he said. “It’s our industry’s vision to be 10 by 22, ten percent of the nation’s diesel fuel supply by 2022.”

Jobe invited everyone to the 2016 National Biodiesel Conference coming up next week in Tampa, promising all that it will be warmer there.

Listen to Jobe’s address here: NBB CEO Joe Jobe at Iowa RFA summit

10th Annual Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit Photo Album

Audio, Biodiesel, IRFA Renewable Fuels Summit, National Biodiesel Conference, NBB

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDF1Exel Solar, the largest independent distributor of PV products in Mexico, has announced a strategic partnership with Sunpreme Inc. to offer Smart Bi-facial PV Modules, the most technically advanced product available on the market.
  • A Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems (CSE)-led team has been selected for a $3.5M Sustainable and Holistic Integration of Energy Storage and Solar PV (SHINES) award from the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative. The three-year award will be used to design, develop, deploy a fully functional and integrated photovoltaic (PV), energy storage, and a facility load management system at the utility distribution scale and demonstrate in Massachusetts for at least one year. Fraunhofer CSE, with National Grid and its industry and state government partners, will match the award and put $3.5M towards the project.
  • SPI Energy Co., Ltd. has begun trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol “SPI”. Chairman Xiaofeng Peng, accompanied by members of SPI Energy’s leadership team, joined with employees, partners and investors to ring the opening bell at Nasdaq MarketSite in New York City to mark the occasion.
  • Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC has announced today that it has opened an office in Portland Maine to service the expanding portfolio of alternative energy assets held by the Company throughout North America. Coincident with the office opening, the Company is pleased to announce that Ms. Carol Lambert has joined the Company as a Vice President focusing on financial and asset management.
Bioenergy Bytes

Dupont, ADM Make Long Sought-After Biochemical

John Davis

dupont_admDuPont Industrial Biosciences and ADM have teamed up to develop a process to make a long sought-after molecule important for renewable biochemicals. This news release from DuPont says the technology has applications in packaging, textiles, engineering plastics and many other industries.

The companies have developed a method for producing furan dicarboxylic methyl ester (FDME) from fructose. FDME is a high-purity derivative of furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), one of the 12 building blocks identified by the U.S. Department of Energy that can be converted into a number of high-value, bio-based chemicals or materials that can deliver high performance in a number of applications. It has long been sought-after and researched, but has not yet been available at commercial scale and at reasonable cost. The new FDME technology is a more efficient and simple process than traditional conversion approaches and results in higher yields, lower energy usage and lower capital expenditures.

This partnership brings together ADM’s world-leading expertise in fructose production, and carbohydrate chemistry with DuPont’s biotechnology, chemistry, materials and applications expertise, all backed by a strong joint intellectual-property portfolio.

“This molecule is a game-changing platform technology. It will enable cost-efficient production of a variety of 100 percent renewable, high-performance chemicals and polymers with applications across a broad range of industries,” said Simon Herriot, global business director for biomaterials at DuPont. “ADM is an agribusiness powerhouse with strong technology development capabilities. They are the ideal partner with which to develop this new, renewable supply chain for FDME.”

One of the first polymers under development utilizing FDME is polytrimethylene furandicarboxylate (PTF), a novel polyester also made from DuPont’s proprietary Bio-PDO™ (1,3-propanediol). PTF is a 100-percent renewable and recyclable polymer that, when used to make bottles and other beverage packages, substantially improves gas-barrier properties compared to other polyesters. This makes PTF a great choice for customers in the beverage packaging industry looking to improve the shelf life of their products.

“We are excited about the potential FDME has to help our customers reach new markets and develop better-performing products, all made from sustainable, bio-based starting materials,” said Kevin Moore, president, renewable chemicals at ADM. “With their strong leadership in the biomaterials industry, DuPont is a great partner that can help us bring this product to market for our customers.”

The two companies plan to build an integrated 60 ton-per-year demonstration plant in Decatur, Illinois, which will provide potential customers with sufficient product quantities for testing and research.

biochemicals

Italian Company Debuts ‘Better Than Biodiesel’ Fuel

John Davis

eni2An Italian company is the first in the world to turn an oil refinery into a biofuel plant. This news release from energy company Eni says it has rolled out Eni Diesel + at more than 3,500 fuel stations all over Italy.

Using the Ecofining™ technology it owns (developed in 2006 in the San Donato Milanese laboratories, in cooperation with Honeywell UOP), Eni transforms plant oils into a complete hydrocarbon product that overcomes the qualitative problems of traditional biodiesel…

The numerous tests performed in the Eni research laboratories have shown that, compared to standard diesels comprising of 5% biodiesel, Eni Diesel + extends the life of car motors, ensures the highest power output thanks to clean injectors, improves motor performance reducing consumption by up to 4%, helps with cold starts and ensures motor noise reduction thanks to the high cetane number.

The product’s innovation impact is just as significant in environmental terms: Eni Diesel + has a more sustainable production cycle and so contributes to reducing CO2 emissions by 5% on average. Tests performed on Euro 5 vehicles in the Centro Ricerche Eni [research centre] in San Donato Milanese and the Istituto Motori del CNR [Motor Institute of the National Research Council] in Naples showed a significant reduction in polluting emissions (unburned hydrocarbons and carbon oxide reduced by up to 40 %, up to 20% less particulate matter).

Eni says as a promotion, the new Eni Diesel + is available at the same price of the premium Eni Blu Diesel + previously offered in its stations.

Biodiesel, renewable diesel