Solenis has been named one of “America’s Safest Companies” by EHS Today magazine, a foremost publication covering safety leadership, risk management, industrial hygiene, sustainability and corporate responsibility topics. Solenis was recognized for its excellence in creating a world-class safety culture following the principles and ethics of Responsible Care for environmental health, safety and security, which are essential elements in its business success.- Amyris has been recognized by the East Bay Chapter of the United Nations Association (UNA) with a Global Citizen Award during the UN’s 70th Anniversary celebration and the UNA’s 10th Annual Global Citizen Awards dinner held on October 25, 2015, at the University of California, Berkeley. Amyris received the award based on its contributions toward several aspects of the UN’s overall Millennium Development Goals, which are aligned toward reversing the global poverty, hunger and disease affecting billions of people.
- Sustainable Energy Strategies, Inc. (SESI) has announced that Virginia and Maryland were selected as one of 20 projects in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership (BIP) to give $100 million in grants to install ethanol refueling infrastructure in 21 states. SESI was integral in developing the grant proposal and has worked closely with the states on ethanol infrastructure and education in the region. Maryland and Virginia will partner with private sector companies to add 41 or more ethanol refueling stations and nearly 200 additional pumps throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.
- The Worldwatch Institute has launched the Caribbean Sustainable Energy Roadmap and Strategy (C-SERMS) Baseline Assessment and Report. Submitted to the Energy Unit of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), with input from all 15 member countries and support from the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the report is a first-of-its-kind regional assessment of the existing energy situation in the Caribbean. It suggests ambitious targets for renewable energy, energy efficiency, and climate mitigation and outlines concrete steps for how they can be achieved.
Survey Says Consumers Consider Buying EVs
According to a new survey, 54 percent of Americans have a positive view of electric vehicles (EVs) while 31 percent say they will consider buying an EV for their next car purchase. This despite only one percent of vehicles sold in the U.S. today are EVs. The survey was released by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA).
“While the current market penetration of EVs is small, there are currently 12 automakers currently offering a wide variety of EVs, so these consumers already have choices,” said Jack Gillis, CFA’s Director of Public Affairs and author, The Car Book and the new Snapshot Guide to Electric Vehicles.
The survey also found that the more information a consumer knew about EVs, the more likely he/she would consider purchasing an EV. However, only 6 percent of respondents said they new a great deal of about EV and 21 percent said they knew a fair amount. The survey also found that wealthier respondents and those with more education said they knew more about EVs and were more likely to express an intention in purchasing as were males and older adults.
“Clearly, there is a tremendous opportunity for EV sellers to take advantage of this interest as long as they engage in the same effective marketing that has moved millions of gas powered vehicles,” said Mark Cooper, CFA’s director of research. Our research shows a clear, statistically significant, correlation between knowledge about EVs and positive attitudes towards EVs. The more one knows about EVs, the more positively one feels about these vehicles. Furthermore, there is a statistically significant correlation between positive attitudes about EVs and a willingness to purchase them—those who feel positively about EVs are more likely to consider purchasing one.”
In light of automakers dedicated millions of dollars into developing and launching EVs, and the need for more consumer education about the vehicles, Gillis has written a free guide, The Car Book’s Snapshot Guide to Electric Vehicles.
“Our goal is to expose the public to the options available and thereby increase interest in learning more about these vehicles. With battery prices coming down, disruptive innovators like Tesla and Apple entering the EV market, and consumers looking for ways to reduce their dependence on the gas pump, there is no question that EVs are poised to become the next big thing in the automotive marketplace,” Gillis added.
Santorum Visits Quad County Cellulosic Ethanol Plant
Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum visited the site of the first commercial cellulosic ethanol production in the state of Iowa at Quad County Corn Processors (QCCP) Friday.
“One of the things that’s helped rural small towns and farmers, particularly in Iowa, is the Renewable Fuel Standard,” said Santorum, who met with met with plant representatives, including QCCP CEO Delayne Johnson, who share how they recently passed the two-million gallon milestone for cellulosic ethanol production using Syngenta’s Cellerate™ process technology.
“We are excited to have achieved our goal of producing 2 million gallons per year of cellulosic ethanol, and are on target to continue, or increase, this production level going forward,” Johnson said. “We’re now focusing on growing alliances and relationships within the industry.”
During 2014, QCCP achieved EPA certification to generate D3 Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) for cellulosic ethanol. According to Johnson, the generation of D3 RINs helps fulfill advanced and cellulosic requirements set forth by the RFS. QCCP is among the first companies to issue D3 RINs, which has also enabled the company to expand sales into racing and advanced biofuels markets.
Santorum met with Johnson and others at the plant to discuss renewable fuels policy and see first-hand the innovative process technology that has enabled QCCP to become a leader in cellulosic ethanol production. Sen. Santorum also called for investment in flex fuel infrastructure to increase access to biofuels – which he believes would provide consumers with increased access to the fuel marketplace and allow greater market competition.
French Biodiesel Maker Expands Output
A French biodiesel maker is expanding its production capacity to help meet increased blending requirements in the European country. Reuters reports Avril, the European Union’s largest maker of biodiesel, has opened a 100,000-tonne-per-year refinery on France’s Mediterranean coast.
The facility at Sete, where Avril’s Saipol oilseed processing and refining branch already has a plant, will allow the group to raise biodiesel capacity to 1.7 million tonnes, Jean-Philippe Puig told Reuters in a phone interview.
Avril shut two plants in northern France in 2013, reducing its French capacity by 20 percent, after the government said it wanted to pause the rise in biofuel blending in fuels at 7 percent.
It raised the level by one percent for biodiesel late last year.
“The rise in capacity follows a rise in blending levels in France to 8 percent. Even if it’s not the case today in all gas stations, we should stretch towards 8 percent in the coming months,” Puig said.
Avril chose southern France over the north, where competition is high with Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands, which are facing overcapacity.
American Ethanol Helps Celebrate Higher Blends
The American Ethanol No. 3 NASCAR display provided the perfect backdrop last week in Florida for the Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership announcement that means 5,000 new higher blend ethanol pumps in 21 states.
Growth Energy co-chairman Tom Buis says the American Ethanol NASCAR racing sponsorship has proven the performance of 15 percent ethanol blends over the past five years. “Almost eight million miles have been put on the NASCAR race cars in that five year time frame and not a single problem,” said Buis as the race car revved up to be loaded back on the trailer.
Buis congratulated Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack for his vision in helping to coordinate public-private partnerships to increase higher ethanol blends in the market place. “That creates competition,” said Buis. “Let the consumer make the choice. No one’s forced to buy higher blends.”
Interview with Tom Buis, Growth EnergyEthanol Report on Latest Industry News
There were some big ethanol industry announcements this week, most of them good, and I caught up with Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Bob Dinneen to get his comments on the latest news.
In this edition of the Ethanol Report, Dinneen comments on the DuPont cellulosic plant opening, how USDA and Protec Fuel are helping to increase higher ethanol blend pumps, attacks on the RFS by the oil industry and the new Fuels America campaign to fight back, and Dr. Ben Carson’s answer to an ethanol-related question during the GOP debate. Dinneen also talks about what he will be doing in the month ahead as the days countdown to the EPA’s scheduled release of volume obligations under the RFS.
Listen to this edition of the Ethanol Report here: Ethanol Report on current ethanol news
DuPont Celebrates Opening of Cellulosic Ethanol Plant
DuPont celebrated the opening of its cellulosic biofuel facility in Nevada, Iowa on Friday with a ceremony including industry representatives and many dignitaries. The biorefinery is now officially the world’s largest commercial cellulosic ethanol plant, with the capacity to produce 30 million gallons per year from corn stover – the stalks, leaves and cobs left in a field after harvest.
“Iowa has a rich history of innovation in agriculture,” said Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad. “Today we celebrate the next chapter in that story, using agricultural residue as a feedstock for fuel, which brings both tremendous environmental benefits to society and economic benefits to the state. The opening of DuPont’s biorefinery represents a great example of the innovation that is possible when rural communities, their government and private industry work together toward a common goal.”
“Today, we fulfill our promise to the global biofuels industry with the dedication of our Iowa facility,” said William F. Feehery, president of DuPont Industrial Biosciences. “And perhaps more significantly, we fulfill our promise to society to bring scientific innovation to the market that positively impacts people’s lives. Cellulosic biofuel is joining ranks with wind and solar as true alternatives to fossil fuels, reducing damaging environmental impacts and increasing our energy security.”
The majority of the fuel produced at the Nevada, Iowa, facility will be bound for California to fulfill the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard where the state has adopted a policy to reduce carbon intensity in transportation fuels. The plant also will serve as a commercial-scale demonstration of the cellulosic technology where investors from all over the world can see firsthand how to replicate this model in their home regions.
#Ethanol Blends Help Consumers and Retailers
The price sign at the Citgo station in Kissimmee Wednesday told the real story of how higher ethanol blends can save consumers money at the pump and it helps the retailers as well.
“It’s been a great thing for us,” said Paul Przychocki of Mid-State Energy, which owns the Kissimmee station and several others. “This store is considerably up over last year, in the last 4-5 months since we put the E85/E15 combination in.”
Przychocki partnered with Protec Fuel to install the new pumps at the Kissimmee station with the help of USDA Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership funding. “This is the third site that we’ve done with Protec and every time we’ve done a site it’s taken off,” he said.
Listen to an interview with Przychocki here: Interview with Paul Przychocki, Mid-State Energy
Protec Fuel’s Steve Walk, Citgo station owner Paul Przychocki, and Protec CEO Todd Garner
Garner says continued support for the Renewable Fuel Standard is crucial to increase market penetration for renewable fuels. “It’s really important because it’s going to allow us to beat that blend wall,” he said. “I think we just need to come to a middle ground and make both sides fairly happy because ultimately the consumer is going to benefit.”
Listen to my interview with Todd here: Interview with Protec Fuel CEO Todd Garner
BIP Announcement Welcome News by Ethanol Industry
This week Big Oil launched yet another anti-RFS campaign and has also been calling for an end to programs that support the development of biofuel infrastructure. As such, it was welcomed news this week when USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced while at a Protec Fuel station in Florida, $100 million in funding to increase retail pumps for higher ethanol blends in 21 states through the Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership (BIP). Private partners have matched the funding 1 to 1 with another $100 million in commitments.
Ron Lamberty, American Coalition for Ethanol’s senior vice president was happy to hear the news as well as shared support for Protec who has been a leader in the southeast in bringing higher ethanol blends to drivers.
“This is a great day for petroleum marketers who want to offer cleaner fuels, and an even better day for drivers, who will save money with more biofuel options at the pump,” said Lamberty. “The USDA-BIP program funds will assist station owners who want to stand out from the competition and offer fuel blends like E15 and E85 to consumers. Making higher ethanol blends available in more stations from coast to coast has been a priority of Secretary Vilsack, and this program does that, by offering funds to retailers from Pennsylvania to Texas, and from Florida to Colorado.”
Once such matching infrastructure program is the Prime the Pump Fund. Organizers of the campaign thanked USDA for their commitment to helping drivers have access to cleaner, greener domestically produced fuels.
“The investment the USDA and other industries are making to give consumers more choices at the pump goes a long way to break Big Oil’s stranglehold on the fuel market,” said Ray Defenbaugh, chairman of the Prime the Pump Fund following the BIP announcement. “America’s farmers and biofuel producers can provide a cleaner, greener, higher octane fuel that actually lowers the price of gasoline at the pump. We’re now seeing several of the nation’s leading fuel retailers making these fuel blends available to consumers and these USDA funds will help to make this continue to happen. I would like to thank the USDA and specifically Secretary Vilsack for their leadership and commitment to rural America.”
View the USDA-Protec Fuel Biofuel Pump Funding Announcement photo album.
Novozymes Ranked Best Science Employer
Science Magazine has ranked Novozymes at the top of its Top Employers list. The publication polled employees in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and related industries to determine the 20 best employers globally. The key characteristics the magazine was looking for in the ranking were ‘Innovative leader in the industry,’ ‘Treats employees with respect’ and ‘Is socially responsible’.
“We are very proud to be recognized as the best employer by this leading scientific journal,” said Per Falholt, chief science officer at Novozymes. “We develop biological answers to some of the greatest challenges of our time. Our growing world needs more food, better farming, renewable energy, and clean air and water. Our products really make a difference, and I believe that is a great motivation for everyone at Novozymes.”
Novozymes has been a major player in the field since the 1940s. One in five of its 6,500 employees work in research and development (R&D), with the company’s main research centers located in Denmark, China, U.S. and India. Novozymes invests 13-14% of its total revenue into R&D each year. The company is the largest maker of industrial enzymes and microorganisms, and their biotechnology is used by companies around the world to save energy, water and raw materials in the production of a wide range of products from laundry detergents, textiles and beer, to biofuels, animal feed and crops. Earlier this week, Novozymes launched their next gen enzyme product Avantec Amp.