Farm Foundation Forum to Examine Energy, Ag

John Davis

farmfoundationlogo3Our friends at Farm Foundation will host another one of their thought-provoking discussions, this time, talking about the energy and agricultural markets and their relationship. Titled, “Geopolitical Uncertainty in Agriculture and Energy Markets,” the April 9 Forum will be held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. EDT.

Current political unrest in numerous locations across the world is having a profound effect across agricultural and energy markets and generating supply chain uncertainties.

The April 9 Farm Foundation® Forum will examine the potential consequences of sudden policy changes, production issues, and unforeseen price fluctuations in a turbulent global marketplace. Panelists for this Forum will include:

Former U.S.Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman will moderate the panel.
Vincent Smith, scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and professor at Montana State University.
Gary Blumenthal of World Perspectives, Inc.
Brian Oleson, professor at the University of Manitoba.
Charles Doran, professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies

There’s no charge for the forum, and you can register to attend here. In addition, a webcast, including audio and slides, is available here.

Farm Foundation, Miscellaneous

Synthetic Chromosome Could Help Biodiesel, Ethanol

John Davis

boekeThe scientific world today is all a-buzz about the world’s first yeast synthetic chromosome, and the discovery could help the biodiesel and ethanol industries. This article from the Christian Science Monitor says researchers have put together man-made DNA into the synthetic version of a chromosome, a development expected to have implications for the green fuels.

“For me, one of most exciting aspects is the fact that we’ve so extensively edited the sequence of natural chromosome and then synthesized the entire thing from scratch,” said study leader Jef Boeke, a synthetic biologist at NYU Langone Medical Center, who was previously at Johns Hopkins University.

Using a technique known as “scrambling,” the scientists can shuffle the yeast genes like a deck of cards. The researchers could make millions and millions of different decks of genetic cards, which could give yeast totally new properties.

For example, researchers could make synthetic strains of yeast to produce rare medicines such as the malarial drug artemisinin, or vaccines like the hepatitis B vaccine. Synthetic yeast could also churn out more efficient biofuels, such as alcohol, butanol or biodiesel, which could enable humanity to transition off of a petroleum economy, Boeke said.

For now, the costs are prohibitive for the biofuels industry, or any industry for that matter, to use. But the scientists are hopeful they’ll be able to get the costs down as the technology improves.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Research

Husky Nozzle Certified Good for Biodiesel

John Davis

husky-logoA manufacturer of fueling components receives certification that its equipment is ok to use with biodiesel. This article from Biofuels Journal says the Husky Corporation VIII Heavy Duty Diesel Automatic Nozzle, 5812 Safe-T-Brake®, and 4860 swivel is UL certified for use with biodiesel fuel blends.

The Husky VIII nozzle and accessories are popular products among heavy duty diesel customers and have been used in biodiesel applications for some time.

“Husky uses top quality materials in our VIII nozzles, corresponding Safe-T-Breaks, and swivels. As a result, they stand up to the designated UL testing regimen for biodiesel,” said Husky Product Design Engineer Jerry Mahn. “We demonstrated our standard diesel hanging hardware equipment is safe for handling biodiesel fuel blends without any modifications.”

The Husky VIII nozzle features an aluminum body, fluorocarbon seals, dual-poppet design, Delrin-tipped stem, automatic shut-off, and unique Flo-Stop® device. The Husky VIII is the ideal nozzle for truck stops, high volume self-service locations, full-service facilities, and unattended stations.

Some of the funding for the testing came from the National Renewable Energy Lab and the National Biodiesel Board and shows there are no adverse environmental issues associated with using biodiesel.

Biodiesel

Ag Advocates Nationwide Celebrate Ag Day

Jamie Johansen

New Holland ZimmPollOur latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “How will you celebrate Ag Day?”

National Ag Day is nothing new to the agriculture community, but that doesn’t weaken the importance of it’s purpose. Our poll results showed an even spread of those heading to D.C. to celebrate Ag Day, participating via social media and taking a farmer to lunch. It was also evident that there were many state and local events happening nationwide. Others shared that eating good food while toasting American farmers was on their schedule. We all took part in festivities no matter big or small.

Our poll results:

  • In Washington DC – 21%
  • State or local event – 17%
  • Through social media – 21%
  • Take a farmer to lunch – 21%
  • Other – 13%

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “Do you think farm movies can help the public image of agriculture?”

National Ag Day activities were special this year because of of two great documentary films about farming. There was a private advance screening of Farmland and the national premier of The Great American Wheat Harvest for those lucky enough to get a sneak peek. There is no question we in the agriculture community need to stop sitting on our hands and tell our ag story so it is not told by others inaccurately. Are these movies doing just that? Do you think farm movies will help improve the public’s opinion of agriculture?

ZimmPoll

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFGladstein, Neandross and Associates, organizers of the Alternative Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo, have announced the keynotes and full speaker lineup for the 2014 ACT Expo and co-located 2014 NGV Global event. Taking place at the Long Beach Convention Center, May 5-8, 2014, the conferences will bring together more than 3,500 industry stakeholders.
  • According to a new report from Navigant Research/BTM Consult, worldwide wind power installations reached 36.13 gigawatts (GW) in 2013 – a 20-percent decline from 2012. Driven by government incentives and by falling prices of electricity generated by wind turbines, the global wind industry expanded steadily, and dramatically, from 2004 through 2012. In 2013, however, negative conditions in several key countries, particularly the United States and Spain, were unconducive to the continued growth of the market.
  • Panasonic Eco Solutions North America and its strategic partner Coronal Group have teamed up with Global Investment Renewable to create Coronal Municipal Energy Services. GIR has developed more than 600 Megawatts (MW) of solar projects and has developed a 2 Gigawatt (GW) pipeline of U.S. public power projects. The company model allows public power authorities to procure solar electricity and its associated renewable attributes at prices that are competitive with brown power alternatives.
  • A Bechtel-led team, BBE Hydro Constructors Limited Partnership, has been awarded a contract worth approximately CAN $1.4 billion by Manitoba Hydro to build the Keeyask Generating Station on the lower Nelson River in northern Manitoba, Canada. The Keeyask Generating Station will have a 695-megawatt capacity and produce on average 4,400 gigawatt hours of electricity—enough to power 400,000 homes.
Bioenergy Bytes

The Littlest Lobbyist for Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

ace14-dc-ethan1Wearing a tie and sporting a “Don’t Mess with the RFS” button, 10-year-old Ethan Fagen was the youngest of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) Biofuels Beltway marchers this week on Capitol Hill.

Ethan came along with his grandfather, Ron Fagen of Fagen, Inc., and was right in the trenches handing out materials and talking about the benefits of ethanol, like how good it is for the environment compared to fossil fuels. “Think in 200 years if you run ethanol there will be cleaner air for the next generation,” said Ethan, who is part of that next generation.

ace14-dc-fagensSitting in the front as the ACE Fly-in participants heard from government officials, Ethan caught the attention of Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, who thought it was “pretty cool” he was there for the event.

In my interview with Ethan, he told me that he would like to be a farmer someday and grow corn and have cattle. It’s interesting that if you add two letters to Ethan’s name, it becomes ethanol. Interview with Ethan Fagen, ACE Fly-in Participant


2014 ACE Biofuels Beltway March photo album

Coverage is sponsored in part by Patriot Renewable Fuels

ACE, Audio, Biofuels Beltway, Ethanol, Ethanol News

SolarEdge Selected for EV Fast-Charging Stations

Joanna Schroeder

Fastned has selected the SolarEdge solution, solar power technology developed by SolarEdge, for a nationwide network of 200 electric car fast-charging stations. The electric vehicle (EV) network will be strategically located throughout the Netherlands’ highways and will be partially 2013-11-30-145powered by 3 MW of distributed solar power. Fastned said they selected SolarEdge due to its lower installation, operation and maintenance costs when compared to other systems along with its increased energy yield.

SolarEdge said its module-level monitoring system provides Fastned with real-time performance data on each individual module and gives immediate alerts on any irregularities that may occur, pinpointed on a virtual site map. This offers increased system uptime by allowing Fastned to monitor all of its 200 fast-charging electric stations from one centralized location.

“Fastned is founded on a big vision with a simple solution and so is SolarEdge, which is what makes SolarEdge our ideal partner. SolarEdge took a new look at traditional PV systems and its simple solution of module-level optimization is revolutionizing the industry, just as Fastned plans to transform transportation,” stated Joost Hoffman, Fastned’s Operations Manager.

Installed by Solar Today, the projects consist of 10 kWp and 20 kWp PV stations that include 20 and 40 power optimizers respectively and one SolarEdge inverter. Solar Today installed P600 power optimizers, SolarEdge’s one power optimizer per two panel solution, that is specifically designed to decrease the costs of large projects. SolarEdge technology allowed Fastned to double the string length compared to a traditional inverter, therefore decreasing the amount of strings by 50 percent.

“A standard feature in all PV system categories, SolarEdge technology continues to prove that module-level electronics are a simple solution for improving the bottom line of projects,” said Lior Handelsman, VP Marketing & Product Strategy SolarEdge. “Being selected by Fastned, a company that understands how disruptive technologies can turn a vision into a reality, demonstrates the innovative power of SolarEdge’s technology. This project continues the positive trend of SolarEdge penetration into the strategic Dutch PV market.”

Alternative energy, Electric Vehicles, International

Blue Sun Project Achieves Milestone

Joanna Schroeder

A key development milestone has been achieved by the collaborative project between Blue Sun Energy, ARA Inc. and Chevron Lummus Global (CLG) in their 100 barrel/day (4,200 gallons/ per day) demonstration-scale Biofuels ISOCONVERSION (BIC) facility located in St. Joseph Missouri. The plant has now been commissioned and is producing biofuels.

“This is a key milestone toward commercial scale production, with initial results showing comparable system performance in the scale-up from our 4 barrel/day pilot system in Panama City, Florida to the 100 BBL/day demonstration system in St. Joseph,” said Rob Sues, CEO of ARA.

biofuel_demoAccording to press materials, the BIC process seamlessly processes renewable feedstocks such as plant oils, tallow, and waste vegetable oil into 100% drop-in diesel and jet fuels. The subsequent biofuels meet petroleum specs without blending. In addition, the naphtha produced during the process can be used as a gasoline blend stock.

Leigh Freeman, CEO of Blue Sun CEO said, “Operation of the demonstration system is critical in terms of scaling the process and technology and garnering the insights and experience needed to begin construction on our first commercial facility, which will truly be a landmark for the emerging next-generation biofuels industry.”

The team will continue to test the system with various feedstocks, including Resonance, an industrial oil feedstock from Agrisoma Biosciences as well as fatty acid distillate, distillers grain corn oil, and tallow to ensure reliable and cost effective operation. The demonstration system will be operated in campaigns to produce tens of thousands of gallons of jet fuel and diesel for certification testing, endurance testing, and test flights through the end of this year.

“We are enthusiastic about the early success that Blue Sun, CLG, and ARA have achieved at the demonstration facility in St. Joseph. Production of completely fungible jet and diesel fuels from renewable industrial oils and waste oils is a game changer,” added Leon DeBruyn, Managing Director of CLG.

advanced biofuels, aviation biofuels, biochemicals, biojet fuel

German Biodiesel Exports Set Record

John Davis

GermanflagGerman biodiesel sales might be down, but the country’s exports of the green fuel set a record last year. About a week ago, I reported how Germany’s biodiesel sales were down last year, about 300,000 tonnes below the five-year average. But this article in Biodiesel Magazine says Germany exported 480.3 million gallons (just under 1.6 million metric tons) in 2013, a jump of 20 percent from 2012.

The Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP) notes that, in the same period, biodiesel imports fell from 228.1 million gallons to 168.1 million gallons.

The UFOP states several reasons are responsible for this. The tariffs put on Argentine and Indonesian biodiesel are now showing their effect. Less than only 2.25 million gallons of biodiesel was imported from Indonesia. UFOP also says the export balance “confirmed the competitiveness of the German biodiesel industry and consequently its international marketing expertise.”

The UFOP states that the U.S., with 54 million gallons, is its most important partner outside the EU.

Biodiesel, International

IBB Asks for Iowa Biodiesel Tax Credit Extension

John Davis

IowaBiodieselBoardLogoWhile we’ve heard a lot about the federal $1-a-gallon biodiesel tax incentive, there’s some state credits that could help producers stay competitive. The Iowa Biodiesel Board has asked lawmakers in Des Moines to extend the .02 per gallon refundable credit for the first 25 million gallons of biodiesel produced in any single plant.

The incentive is set to expire at the end of calendar year 2014, but Senate File 2333 would extend the credit through 2019.

During the Iowa Biodiesel Board’s annual Biodiesel Day on the Hill event today, IBB said the state legislation is necessary to mitigate impact from potential changes to the federal Renewable Fuel Standard, provide some market certainty and keep Iowa competitive with surrounding states.

“Unless changes are made to current federal biodiesel policy, we will likely see significant nationwide consolidation of production capacity,” said Grant Kimberley, executive director of IBB. “The extension of the biodiesel producer incentive will encourage production to remain in Iowa, substantially benefiting Iowa’s economy and biofuels leadership position.”

The Iowans point out that their neighboring states have become more aggressive in their promotion of biodiesel, such as Missouri’s production incentive of $.30 per gallon on the first 15 million gallons produced and Illinois’ exemption from state sales tax on blends of biodiesel higher than 10 percent, and producers in the Hawkeye State need this incentive to stay competitive.

The bill to extend the credit passed out of the state Senate Ways and Means Committee earlier this week.

Biodiesel, Government, Legislation