Aemetis’ Biodiesel Gains EPA, EU Approvals

John Davis

aemetislogo1A California-based company making biodiesel in India has gained important approvals from the U.S. government and the European Union. This news release from Aemetis, Inc. says the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved issuance of D4 Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) for Aemetis’ imported biodiesel produced from waste fats and oils (WFO) at Aemetis’ 50 million gallon per year plant on the East Coast of India, as well as the EU certification.

The superior quality and low carbon intensity biodiesel produced at the Aemetis India plant has recently earned [the EU’s] International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) Category 2 certification. With the recent construction and commissioning of a biodiesel distillation column at the India plant, the company is producing a colorless biodiesel with 99.5% esters and nearly no monoglycerides, water or other contaminants. Aemetis biodiesel has met and exceeds all D6751 biodiesel specifications, allowing for use in all diesel engines.

“Receiving ISCC Category 2 and EPA certifications are great steps in ramping up India to full capacity with the capability to grow and implement new technologies,” said Eric McAfee, Chairman and CEO of Aemetis. “After the successful installation of the India plant distillation unit, in June Aemetis made its first shipment of Category 2 biodiesel to customers in the E.U.” added McAfee.

Aemetis’ India plant is able to make biodiesel from a wide variety of feedstocks.

Biodiesel, EPA, International, RINS

Biodiesel, Hydrogen Studies Continue Despite Setback

John Davis

scstateA school in the southeast will continue its studies into biodiesel and hydrogen production, despite an academic setback. This story from the Orangeburg (SC) Times and Democrat says South Carolina State University was trying to get its multi-disciplinary study of energy accredited but was put on probation and denied approval of a new master’s in energy and environmental science program by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. But Dr. Kenneth Lewis, dean of the College of Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology, calls the decision a “minor setback,” and while the classes in the program scheduled for this fall won’t happen, the research the school does on biodiesel and hydrogen will go on.

Biodiesel from the cafeteria’s waste cooking oil has gone through various stages and is now at the point where it’s being tested, Lewis said.

“Right now we’re testing the fuel on small engines,” he said. But he’s looking at having the university’s vehicles operating on biodiesel produced at the center within three to five years. He noted that the lab can produce up to 40 gallons of fuel a day.

It’s a great advantage that the supplies for the process and that of the switchgrass/cow manure project [to make hydrogen] are practically free, according to Lewis.

“We can go to any farmer, any slaughterhouse and get the manure,” he said.

Lewis said that bacteria found in cow’s stomachs and manure break down cellulose in the switchgrass and produce hydrogen.

The school has also applied for a $300,000, three-year grant with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to pay for the aquatic tanks and other supplies to grow algae to turn into biodiesel. Lewis is also looking at Jatropha for biodiesel production noting that South Carolina’s climate matches that of the plant’s native home, Mozambique.

algae, Biodiesel, Hydrogen

Railways Not Required to Report Ethanol Delays

Cindy Zimmerman

stbA few weeks ago, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) directed Canadian Pacific Railway Company and BNSF Railway Company to report their plans to resolve the backlogs of grain car orders and to submit weekly status reports on grain car service.

However, the order failed to address rail service problems for the delivery of ethanol, and Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis has sent a letter to the STB asking why.

growth-energy-logo“With over 61 percent of all ethanol delivered by rail, it is imperative that these issues be directly addressed and given the same priority as grain shipments,” said Buis in the letter. “Earlier this year, we saw ethanol supply dwindle and prices skyrocket solely because of the inability to get rail cars to ship product – even to the point of having many plants reduce production. Ultimately, these service failures hurt the American consumer as these costs are borne in the form of higher gasoline prices, which impact every segment of the American economy.”

BNSF reported recently that they have been moving increasing volumes of grain and ethanol over the last several months and as of last month was “moving more year–to–date in 2014 than the same period in 2013.” In a statement, BNSF said they “have exceeded last year’s totals in ethanol…by 9% in latest year-to-date totals.”

The first report from the railroad companies was due to STB on June 27.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Growth Energy, transportation

Export Exchange 2014 Registration Open

Cindy Zimmerman

2014-export-exchangeRegistration is now open for Export Exchange 2014™, an international trade conference focused on the export of U.S. coarse grains and ethanol co-products.

Approximately 300 U.S. suppliers and agribusiness representatives and more than 180 international buyers are expected to attend Export Exchange 2014. The conference is being held Oct. 20-22 at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel and is co-sponsored by the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA).

“Export Exchange brings together a group of U.S. suppliers and international buyers in a unique event focused on the expansion of established export markets and the development of new markets for U.S. coarse grains, distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and other ethanol co-products,” said USGC Chairman Julius Schaaf.

“Over the past decade, the U.S. ethanol industry has emerged as a major producer of high quality animal feeds like DDGS and corn gluten feed,” said Bob Dinneen, RFA president and CEO. “Export Exchange is the premier forum for connecting the producers and marketers of those co-products with customers around the world.”

Export Exchange is held every two years. The 2012 event broke records in attendance and attracted buying teams from 33 countries, including all of the top U.S. international coarse grains and ethanol co-products markets. Attendance at this year’s event is expected to set a new record, creating more opportunities for U.S. merchandisers to connect with buyers and build business.

Early registration discounts end July 31. USGC and RFA members are eligible for discounted pricing and should identify themselves as such at the time of registration.

corn, Distillers Grains, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Export Exchange, Exports, RFA, USGC

Atlanta Now Has 12 E85 Pumps

Cindy Zimmerman

protectlogoThe Atlanta metro area now offers a dozen E85 locations for drivers of flex fuel vehicles (FFVs) as Ruby Shell & Protec Fuel joined forces to launch a new E85 station last week in Doraville, Georgia.

protec-e85This is the first E85 station for owner Maruf (Mike) Khan, but he also has a station in Buford, Ga. “I wanted to provide a choice for my customers and hopefully gain new customers looking to use the environmentally friendlier fuel made from U.S. resources,” said Khan.

“Many cars have flex-fuel capability, whether the drivers know it or not,” said Steve Walk, a VP of Protec Fuel. “Alternative fuels like this in any blend also benefit air quality in a sensitive area such as big cities like Atlanta. This station is another stepping stone for the use of ethanol blends in any gas vehicle, like E15.”

Ruby Shell is located at 5020 Winters Chapel Rd., Doraville, GA.

Protec Fuel, based in Florida, has partnered to help manage the E85 installation and provide fuel for the location’s new cleaner burning fuel offering of E85. Protec is a turnkey E85 company specializing in station conversions and fuel distribution.

E85, Equipment, Ethanol, Ethanol News

Vermont Low Sulphur Requirement is Biodiesel Boon

John Davis

As of July 1, Vermont has a new, low-sulfur requirement for all fuel oil in the state, and that could be a boon for biodiesel. In a news release from Gov. Peter Shumlin touting the new requirement of 500 parts per million on July 1, 2014, and 15 parts per million by 2018, along with a new Thermal Energy Finance Pilot Program to help Vermonters improve efficiency in their homes, the state says it is joining Massachusetts and New Jersey for such a requirement.

“Since more than half of all Vermont home owners currently choose oil heat, the low sulfur fuel mandate now in effect will greatly lower emissions and improve air quality,” said Matt Cota, Executive Director of the Vermont Fuel Dealers Association. “It will also maximize efficiency and reduce service calls on existing systems, while allowing more Vermonters to install high efficiency oil heat units that require low sulfur fuel.”

whitemtnThe Stowe (VT) Reporter says the governor got a chance to check out firsthand… and first-nose… just how much cleaner boidiesel will be in helping meet the low-sulfur requirement during a news conference at White Mountain Biodiesel.

[The goverrnor] took a big sniff of the new low-sulfur fuel — organizers encouraged people to stick their fingers in it and take a whiff; it’s nothing like the heating oil they’re used to.

Biodiesel heating fuel emits 89 percent less greenhouse gases than regular heating oil, said Bob Kuhsel, a managing member of White Mountain Biodiesel, LLC. The New Hampshire company supplies biodiesel created from leftover cooking oil to Bourne’s and other fuel dealers.

For more information on biodiesel-based heating oil, check out the National Biodiesel Board’s Bioheat website.

Biodiesel, Government

Iowa Biodeisel Maker Counters Tax Group Argument

John Davis

westerndubuque1A biodiesel producer is disputing claims by a taxpayer watchdog group that says producers of biofuels shouldn’t still be getting government assistance. This article in the Dubuque (IA) Telegraph Herald says a report by Taxpayers for Common Sense shows that Western Dubuque Biodiesel in Farley, Iowa received more than $2.5 million in tax-funded assistance between 2009 and 2014, and the group pushes for the elimination of the bioenergy program in the federal farm bill. But Tom Brooks, general manager of Western Dubuque Biodiesel points to the good biodiesel has done in Iowa alone, producing 230 million gallons of fuel in 2013 and more than 7,000 jobs in the state.

Brooks said the government assistance is necessary to level the playing field with oil companies.

“Government has always had a hand in to help starting industries. Big Oil has had a hand up for over 100 years to the tune of several hundred billion dollars in tax supports that they still draw today,” Brooks said.

The watchdog report also makes a point of highlighting large agribusinesses that are benefiting from government assistance. Companies like Renewable Energy Group, Louis Dreyfus and Cargill received roughly $10 million each or more between 2009 and 2014, the report says.

Brooks said it is unfair to lump Western Dubuque Biodiesel in with those companies.

“I’m in the big, booming metropolis of Farley,” Brooks joked. “The (report) suggests we’re paying all these big companies. The vast majority of these producers are small.”

The article goes on to say that Brooks argues the report doesn’t take into account the savings for the country when biofuels reduce the dependence on foreign oil.

“What’s the cost to our taxpayers for those soldiers in Afghanistan and the Middle East? For every gallon of oil we buy not from the U.S., you’re giving to a foreign country’s economy and they may not exactly share our political values, let alone our moral values,” Brooks said.

Biodiesel, farm bill, Government

DOE Allocates $4B in Loan Guarantees

Joanna Schroeder

The Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a loan guarantee solicitation making as much as $4 billion in loan guarantees available for innovative renewable energy and energy efficiency projects located in the U.S. that avoid, reduce, or sequester greenhouse gases.

DOE_logo1“As the President emphasized in his Climate Action Plan, it is critical that we take an all-of-the above approach to energy in order to cut carbon pollution, help address the effects of climate change and protect our children’s future,” said Secretary Ernest Moniz. “Investments in clean, low-carbon energy also provide an economic opportunity. Through previous loan guarantees and other investments, the Department is already helping launch or jumpstart entire industries in the U.S., from utility-scale wind and solar to nuclear and lower-carbon fossil energy. Today’s announcement will help build on and accelerate that success.”

The Renewable Energy and Efficient Energy Projects Loan Guarantee Solicitation is intended to support technologies that are catalytic, replicable, and market-ready. Within the solicitation, the Department has included a sample list illustrative of potential technologies for consideration. While any project that meets the appropriate requirements is eligible to apply, the Department has identified five key technology areas of interest: advanced grid integration and storage; drop-in biofuels; waste-to-energy; enhancement of existing facilities including micro-hydro or hydro updates to existing non-powered dams; and efficiency improvements.

advanced biofuels, energy efficiency, Hydro, Microgrid, Waste-to-Energy

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFThe Maryland Energy Administration is accepting applications for its Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Grant Program (EVIP). EVIP funds will facilitate the installation of Direct-Current (DC) Fast Charging Networks in Maryland. DC fast charging stations allow for speedy charging of electric cars, adding sixty to eighty miles of electric driving range in nearly twenty minutes. The program is intended to promote energy independence in the State by facilitating greater investment in clean fuel automobiles which can be produced in the United States. Widespread adoption of electric vehicles is also a critical tenet of Maryland Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Council, which seeks to have 60,000 electric vehicles in Maryland by 2020.
  • On July 2, 2014 the EPA finalized the quality assurance program (QAP) rule for verifying the validity of Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program. To assist the renewable fuels community in navigating this final ruling, Genscape will host a free educational webinar, “The QAP Final Rule Frontier,” to explore the content of the newly finalized QAP rule at 2 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 17, 2014.
  • SeaRoc Group has successfully completed the first major maintenance visit to Forewind’s Dogger Bank meteorological (met) masts in the North Sea at the beginning of June. The East (DB-MME) and West (DB-MMW) masts have been installed for 15 and 8 months respectively and scheduled structural inspection, instrumentation and cleaning tasks were undertaken. The met masts are collecting valuable wind, wave, atmospheric and marine traffic data for the proposed wind farms on Dogger Bank. The data will be used to help assess the technical options and economic viability of the projects in the zone.
  • PSEG Solar Source announced today that it will acquire a 13 megawatt (MWdc) solar energy facility near El Paso, TX from juwi solar (JSI). The project was originally developed by JSI and has a 30-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with El Paso Electric Company. The plant, to be called the PSEG El Paso Solar Energy Center is located 14 miles north of El Paso, adjacent to the existing El Paso Electric Newman Generating Station. The $22 million acquisition will increase PSEG’s Solar Source’s portfolio capacity to 106 MWdc.
Bioenergy Bytes

Many Still in the Heat of Hay

Jamie Johansen

New Holland ZimmPollOur latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Where are you in #hay14?”

It looks like farmers across the United States are all at different stages with this year’s hay crop. On our farm we started out with a bang. But were soon falling behind due to rain. No one is complaining about the rain though. I think I can easily speak for all involved in agriculture that we are very glad to be getting these early summer showers. Good luck to all those still in the heat of #hay14.

Our poll results:

  • Done – 25%
  • Right on schedule – 12.5%
  • Behind due to rain – 62.5%
  • Behind due to equipment – 0%

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “What will be on your Independence Day grill?”

The 4th of July typically equals family and friends gathering for a barbecue and barbecue’s equals meat. The choices for your grill are limitless. Will you be having the traditional meal of hamburgers and hot dogs? Or will you be showing off your culinary genius and serving Venison Osso Buco, Beer Grilled Chops or Thai Grilled Shrimp?

ZimmPoll