E15 Hot Topic at ACE Ethanol Conference

Joanna Schroeder

E15 will be a hot topic at the upcoming American Coalition for Ethanol Conference next week. The topic of how higher blends can help fuel retailers to succeed will be discussed during a panel in Omaha, Nebraksa August 19-21. Panelists include Todd Garner, CEO of ProTec Fuel and Jim Pirolli, VP of Fuels for Kum & Go. The August 20th dialogue will delve into the sale and handling of E15 and flex fuels.

aceAlso scheduled to speak August 20th is Kristi Moriarty, one of the authors of a National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) report investigating the true costs of E15 fueling infrastructure.

“The ethanol industry needs to understand the challenges facing fuel retailers who want to sell more ethanol-blended fuels. Last year’s conference presentation by single-station and small chain operators received overwhelmingly positive reviews, so we’re providing this year’s attendees with two additional perspectives from the ‘downstream’ fuel marketplace,” explained ACE Senior VP Ron Lamberty.

“Kum & Go is a large c-store retail chain with a history of leadership with E85, that can tell us why adding E15 isn’t as simple as decaling pumps and dropping fuel in the tank. ProTec is a fuel distributor with an interesting approach to expanding the availability of E15 and flex fuels by providing retailers with ethanol-blended fuels and the equipment needed to sell them,” he continued.

“And, Lamberty added, “on the topic of ‘equipment needed to sell E15,’ we’re excited to have NREL present their recent authoritative study on that very subject. It’s good news for fuel marketers, but fuel marketer groups seem strangely unhappy their $400,000 per store cost predictions have been proven wildly inaccurate.”

The theme of the August 19-21 ACE Conference is “Quiet Ingenuity, Bold Advance.” The event will also feature a talk on technology and advanced biofuel innovations involving Ray Defenbaugh, President and CEO of Big River Resources LLC, Delayne Johnson, CEO of Quad County Corn Processors, and Jeff Oestmann, President and CEO of East Kansas Agri-Energy, LLC, a progress report on ethanol and DDGs exports, ethanol plant board member training, and much more.

ACE, ACE Ethanol Conference, biofuels, E15, E85, Ethanol

Scottish Scientists Identify Algae Best for Biofuels

John Davis

stephenslocombe1Scientists in Scotland have identified which algae are the best for biofuels. This article from the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) says the researchers used a new technique to figure out which ocean-based strains had the highest oil content.

The screening revealed two marine strains, Nannochloropis oceanica and Chlorella vulgaris, which had a dry-weight oil content of more than 50 per cent. This makes them ideal sources of biofuel for vehicles and aircraft.

The results of the screening, part of the BioMara project, have been published in Nature’s online journal Scientific Reports and are likely to help bring forward research into algae as a source of biodiesel and other biofuels by a number of years.

SAMS scientists have demonstrated that Nannochloropsis, for example, is very efficient at converting nutrients, so it has the perfect combination of high levels of oil and high productivity.

The report’s lead author, Dr Stephen Slocombe, SAMS research associate in molecular biology, said: “In order to produce biofuels from micro-algae we will have to generate high yields, so we need to know which strains will produce the most oil.

“While there is a lot of work being done on micro-algae biotechnology – currently around 10,000 researchers across the world – no-one has identified a shortlist of the best performing strains and how their properties could be used.”

The research also identified algae varieties best for the health food industry.

algae, Biodiesel, biofuels, International, Research

What Iowa Legislators Support the RFS?

Joanna Schroeder

ARF-Logo-Retina-AltIn celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), America’s Renewable Future (ARF) has published a list of which legislators support the RFS in Iowa. Iowa is the top producing biodiesel and ethanol state and is also a leading cellulosic ethanol producing state. The bipartisan list includes city, county and state government officials who publicly support the policy.

The organization released the following statement today:

“The RFS is a commonsense, bipartisan issue that infuses competition into the motor fuel market, lowers consumers’ price at the pump, and strengthens rural communities. The 10-year old policy bolsters the national and state economy supporting over 852,000 American jobs and 73,000 jobs across the state of Iowa. 

These elected leaders know firsthand the benefits of the RFS, ethanol and biofuels, and they join supporters from every corner of the state coming together to ensure that the RFS is protected.”

Click here to read the full list.

Biodiesel, biofuels, Ethanol, RFS

Growth Energy Praises 10 Years of RFS

Joanna Schroeder

Saturday, August 8 marked the official 10th anniversary of President Bush signing the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) into law. The legislation promotes the use of biofuels in replacement of fossil fuels and is in effect until 2020. According to Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis, the RFS has been an overwhelming success and is accomplishing the goals it was designed to achieve.

Buis said, “The RFS has been an overwhelming success and it is important that we as a nation recognize how much this policy has done to help improve the lives of all Americans. This bipartisan law was passed in Congress in 2005 and strengthened in growth-energy-logo12007 with several policy goals: energy security, job creation and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. I am pleased to say that it has done that and more.”

He cited that America’s dependence on foreign oil has been reduced from 60 to 27 percent and said nearly 400,000 jobs have been created. “Furthermore, said Buis, “no beaches have ever been closed because of an ethanol spill – and that is something to celebrate as Americans across the country take their vacations over the summer to beaches near and far.”

Buis also using the levels set forth in the RFS will reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) in an equivalent of removing 27 million cars off the road. And in 2014, 13.4 billion gallons of ethanol was blended into fuel across the country, eliminating the equivalent of GHGs of removing 8 million cars off the road. In addition, he said farmers from across the country are celebrating the event as a milestone for opening new markets and creating economic opportunity for their families and communities and he encouraged consumers to also celebrate the anniversary because ethanol lowers the cost of fuel at the pump.

“The RFS is the only meaningful policy to help break Big Oil’s stranglehold on the liquid fuels marketplace. The RFS is working. It is doing exactly what it was intended to do, with great success,” added Buis. “That is why we should acknowledge this historic milestone, but more importantly, the success of the RFS should renew Congress’ and EPA’s faith in this program. They must ensure we continue down a path of renewable fuel innovation by continuing to support the RFS and refusing to accept the status quo of foreign oil and fossil fuels as our transportation energy future.”

biofuels, Ethanol, Growth Energy, RFS

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDF1The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a DOE-Labor Working group that will help unions maximize job creation as states develop Clean Power Plan compliance plans. The partnership is with the DOE, Utility Workers Union of America, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and United Steelworkers. The Quadrennial Energy Review noted that the energy sector is expected to produce 1.5 million new jobs over the next 15 years.
  • Bigbelly, Inc., the leader in smart waste and recycling management, today announced it has established a wholly-owned UK subsidiary effective August 1, 2015. The subsidiary, operating as Bigbelly UK, will have flagship offices in Bath, England, and will now directly serve all existing and future UK-based Bigbelly customers.
  • Abengoa and Toshiba Corporation, have been selected as preferred bidders to build the Tees Renewable Energy Plant owned by MGT Teesside. This will be the world’s newly built largest power and steam from biomass plant, and will be located in the Port of Teesside, Middlesbrough, United Kingdom. It will have a capacity of 299 MW of electricity and steam, both for self-sufficiency and to be exported to nearby industry and users.
Bioenergy Bytes

Time to Learn More about Biodiesel & Bioheat

Chuck Zimmerman

Biodiesel and Bioheat ForumNext week I’ll be attending the Biodiesel and Bioheat Forum, sponsored by the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council. Want to join me? Get registered now.

Home heating oil and biodiesel leaders will discuss a biodiesel blend with significant environmental and economic benefits and the role Minnesota soybean farmers can play in meeting the demand of this market.

“The Midwest use of biodiesel is lower in the winter while the East Coast use of heating oil is much higher,” said Tom Slunecka, CEO of the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council. “Minnesota has an opportunity to grow our supply and better serve both markets.”

Some of the panelists scheduled to appear include: Read More

Ag group, Biodiesel, biofuels, Soybeans

RFS Hits 10 Years, Celebrations Begin

John Davis

rfs-mess-2Celebrations for the 10th anniversary of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) began last Friday, with farmers and biofuels advocates beginning a series of grassroots events nationwide.

Over fifty grassroots events will take place at state and county fairs throughout the month of August… Farmers and consumers will have the chance to inform and educate elected officials, and local and national media on the successes of the RFS in the past decade.

… Monday, constituents from Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin are dropping off comments they submitted to the EPA on its proposed multiyear RVOs during the comment period at the district offices of their respective U.S. Senators to show the economic impact of the RFS on their communities and the importance of the RFS to everyday Americans – and to rally for clean, secure, American energy and point to the progress of the past decade under the bipartisan law.

In just the past 10 years, the renewable fuel industry has stimulated the economy, created American jobs, and helped farmers and rural communities get back on their feet:

Consumers: After ten years under the RFS, we have tripled production of homegrown renewable fuel, which now makes up nearly 10% of our motor fuel supply. As designed, the RFS has reduced our reliance on imports from an unstable global oil market, reducing the price of gas and insulating us from price shocks.

Economy: The RFS has spurred investment in biofuels and been a major stimulus to the nation’s economy, creating $184.5 billion in annual economic output and $46.2 billion in wages each year, and generating over 852,000 American jobs that can’t be outsourced.

Rural Communities: By promoting homegrown, renewable fuel the RFS is America’s most successful policy bolstering rural economies and family farmers by injecting more homegrown renewable fuel into our motor fuel supply, and less oil imported from hostile foreign regions. Thanks in large part to the RFS, farm income rose 88% from 2006 to last year—nearly doubling.

Environment: The RFS is the most effective policy reducing America’s greenhouse gas emissions. The RFS also cuts down on asthma- and cancer-causing pollution in the air we breathe and the water we drink. Using traditional corn ethanol represents a 34% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to regular gasoline, according to research by the Department of Energy. Advanced biofuels like cellulosic ethanol reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 88-108% compared to gasoline—and independent studies have proven we need renewable fuel volumes at statutory levels to keep the advanced biofuels industry moving forward. Last year, ethanol-blended gasoline was responsible for cutting greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 40 million metric tons, or the equivalent of 8 million cars removed from the road per year.

EPA, RFS

USDA Builds Rural Energy with Loans & Grants

John Davis

usda-logoThe U.S. Department of Agriculture is helping build renewable energy in rural areas. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced $63 million in loans and grants for 264 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects nationwide that USDA is supporting through its Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).

“This funding will have far-reaching economic and environmental impacts nationwide, particularly in rural communities,” Vilsack said. “Investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects supports home-grown energy sources, creates jobs, reduces greenhouse gas pollution and helps usher in a more secure energy future for the nation.”

These REAP projects are expected to generate and/or save 207.8 million kilowatt hours (KWh) of energy – enough to power more than 13,600 homes for a year.

The next application deadline for REAP grants is November 2, 2015.

Agribusiness, USDA

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDF1FuelCell Energy, Inc., a leader in the design, manufacture, operation and service of ultra‐clean, efficient and reliable fuel cell power plants, has announced the appointment of two new members to the Company’s Board of Directors, including Paul F. Browning, former President and Chief Executive Officer, Irving Oil Company Limited and Matthew F. Hilzinger, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, USG Corporation.
  • Tawau Green Energy (TGE) has provided updates on the geothermal power project in Malaysia. A PPA has been signed with the state utility and the project is approaching exploration drilling with an estimated 3 x 40 MWe gross progressive development. In an email to the Geothermal Energy Association, TGE representatives said they are open for interested partnering parties or investors for the project.
  • Isolux Corsan has delivered its first PV Solar project in Honduras. The Aura II PV Solar Plant, will produce 61.48 MWp and was built within a tight window of only 7 months. The PV Solar Plant, located in the region of Choluteca, will generate 109 million kWh per year, equivalent to supply clean energy to more than 80,000 Honduran families, and reducing the emission into the atmosphere of 40,000 tons of CO2 annually.
  • China Ming Yang Wind Power Group Limited has announced that it has signed a wind turbine purchase agreement with a Chinese state-owned enterprise to provide wind turbines to its wind farm project located in Pakistan with a total capacity of 49.5MW. Pursuant to the purchase agreement, Ming Yang will deliver 33 units of 1.5MW wind turbines in three batches starting from September 2015 and will provide five-year complimentary warranty services after the installation.
Bioenergy Bytes

Celebrating a Decade of Success with the RFS

Cindy Zimmerman

2005-energy-billAugust 8, 2015 marks the 10th anniversary of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct) containing the original Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) being signed into law by President George W. Bush.

The signing ceremony took place at the Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where President Bush noted that the bill he was signing into law would “…lead to greater diversity of fuels for cars and trucks. The bill includes tax incentives for producers of ethanol and biodiesel. The bill includes a flexible, cost-effective renewable fuel standard that will double the amount of ethanol and biodiesel in our fuel supply over the next seven years. Using ethanol and biodiesel will leave our air cleaner. And every time we use home-grown fuel, particularly these, we’re going to be helping our farmers, and at the same time, be less dependent on foreign sources of energy.”

ethanol-report-adRenewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Bob Dinneen remembers that day very well, particularly the support that the new law had from the oil industry. “It would not have happened without the support of the American Petroleum Institute,” said Dinneen. “They wanted out of MTBE, they wanted to have an argument in court that would protect them from the lawsuits against MTBE, so they were supportive of a growing market for renewable fuels.”

However, Dinneen notes that the oil industry underestimated the ability of farmers and the ethanol industry to gear up and produce such significant quantities of the domestic fuel that they surpassed the original goal of 7.5 billion gallons for 2012 six years early. “The program was an immediate and overwhelming success … and it led to RFS2 being passed in 2007,” said Dinneen.

Dinneen recounts the success of the RFS over the past decade and how it has changed energy, economic, and rural policy in this edition of The Ethanol Report. Ethanol Report on RFS 10th Anniversary

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, RFA, RFS