REG Buys Tyson’s Share of Renewable Diesel Plant

John Davis

REG LogoBiodiesel giant Renewable Energy Group (REG) is buying Tyson Foods’ 50 percent share of a renewable diesel plant. REG says the deal gives the company full control of Syntroleum Corporation’s 75-million gallon per year nameplate capacity renewable diesel biorefinery in Geismar, Louisiana.

Tyson and Syntroleum formed Dynamic Fuels in 2007 as a 50/50 joint venture. The Geismar facility, completed in 2010, was the first large scale renewable diesel biorefinery built in the U.S.

“Upon closing, this is another milestone for REG in growing our core advanced biofuels business,” said Daniel J. Oh, REG President & CEO. “It gives us the opportunity to further expand our production capacity into new product lines, while growing our overall advanced biofuel manufacturing capability, and bringing on other renewable chemical applications.”

“Selling our interest in Dynamic Fuels to REG provides capital for Tyson to redeploy into other opportunities,” said Andrew Rojeski, Vice President-Renewable Energy for Tyson Foods. “REG is a long-term customer of ours, buying fats, oils and greases to make renewable fuel, and we hope to continue that relationship.”

The deal is expected to raise REG’s total renewable energy production, including its 257 million gallons at biodiesel plants in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota and Texas, to 332 million gallons.

Biodiesel

Researchers Find Better Way to Store Hydrogen

John Davis

hydrogenstorage1One of the challenges to using hydrogen as a clean fuel is how to store the gas. But an article in the American Chemical Society journal Chemistry of Materials says researchers have found a new solid, stable material that can pack in a large amount of hydrogen that can be used as a fuel.

Umit B. Demirci and colleagues explain that storing hydrogen in solids is a recent development and a promising step toward building a hydrogen economy. That’s the idea originated in the 1970s and promoted by former President George W. Bush that we replace fossil fuels with hydrogen, which can serve as a clean fuel. Although a promising alternative to conventional energy sources, hydrogen has posed a number of technological challenges that scientists are still overcoming. One of those issues has to do with storage. Previously, researchers were focused on developing hydrogen-containing liquids or compressing it in gas form. Now, solid storage is showing potential for holding hydrogen in a safe, stable and efficient way. In the latest development on this front, Demirci’s team looked to a new kind of material.

They figured out a way to make a novel crystal phase of a material containing lithium, boron and the key ingredient, hydrogen. To check how they could get the hydrogen back out of the material, the scientists heated it and found that it released hydrogen easily, quickly and only traces of unwanted by-products.

The researchers received funding from groups in France and Belgium.

Hydrogen, International

Iowa Gov Signs Biodiesel, Ethanol Measures into Law

John Davis

irfa-poetIowa Governor Terry Branstad has signed into law measures seen as good for ethanol and biodiesel in his state, a move much welcomed in an area that is a major player in the renewable fuel market. Branstad was joined by other state dignitaries, as well as officials from the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) and ethanol producer POET, which hosted the signing of Senate File 2344 at its Coon Rapids, Iowa refinery today. The new law extends the state’s biodiesel production tax credit and enhances the state’s E15 retailer tax credit.

“I’m proud to sign this renewable fuels bill that received such wide, bipartisan support from the entire Iowa legislature and promotes E15, biodiesel and bio-butanol” stated Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad. “I have been a staunch supporter of protecting Iowa jobs and Iowa motorists’ access to cleaner, locally-produced renewable fuels, and this bill does exactly that.”

“Today is a great day for Iowa’s renewable fuels community,” stated IRFA Policy Director Grant Menke. “We commend Gov. Branstad, Lt. Gov. Reynolds, and the entire Iowa legislature for standing beside renewable fuels, protecting Iowa jobs, and safeguarding consumer access to low-cost, homegrown biofuels.”

“We are excited Gov. Branstad selected our facility to mark the officially signing of this important bill,” said Bill Howell, General Manager of POET Biorefining – Coon Rapids. “The state of Iowa continues to be very supportive of the biofuels industry and this bill is yet another example of that support. Here at POET, we look forward to continued expansion of E15 throughout the state and nation, which will allow consumers to enjoy additional options at the pump.”

The law also defines biobutanol as a renewable fuel option for Iowans.

Biodiesel, E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government, Iowa RFA, Legislation, POET

Forecast for Greater GHG Reduction from Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

A new report forecasts global ethanol consumption will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions this year by over 106 million tons.

global-rfaThe Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA), in cooperation with (S&T)2 Consultants Inc., released their Global Green House Gas (GHG) Emissions Reduction Forecast for 2014 as the International Transport Forum Summit begins today in Germany.

The annual report shows the reduction in global GHG emissions from global ethanol production is increasing. This year’s figure reveals that 90.38 billion litres of global ethanol production and use in 2014 will reduce global GHG emissions by over 291,000 tonnes per day. Compared to 2013, this is an increase of over 7000 tonnes per day in GHG emission savings.

According to GRFA, the 106.4 million ton GHG emissions reduction is equal to over 21 million cars being removed from the world’s roads in 2014, about 58,000 per day.

“We believe International Transport Forum Summit participants should call for an increase in ethanol production and use given the significant contribution ethanol is making to reducing global GHG emissions today,” said GRFA spokesman Bliss Baker. This year’s theme for the International Transport Forum Summit is “Transport for a Changing World”.

Environment, Ethanol, Ethanol News, International, transportation

USDA Renews Biomass Crop Assistance

Cindy Zimmerman

Biomass producers and energy facilities can soon apply for assistance to turn renewable biomass materials into clean energy under the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) reauthorized by the 2014 Farm Bill.

usda-fsaThe Farm Bill authorizes $25 million annually for BCAP, requiring between 10 and 50 percent of the total funding to be used for harvest and transportation of biomass residues. Traditional food and feed crops are ineligible for assistance. The 2014 Farm Bill also enacted several modifications for BCAP, including higher incentives for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, and narrower biomass qualifications for matching payments, among other changes.

Farm Service Agency Administrator Juan Garcia says the initiative helps farmers and ranchers manage the financial risk of growing and harvesting energy biomass at commercial scale. “Investing in agricultural and forestry producers who cultivate energy biomass and supporting next-generation biofuels facilities make America more energy independent, help combat climate change and create jobs in rural America.”

“The potential to achieve transformational progress on biomass energy in rural America and generate tremendous economic opportunities is very promising,” added Garcia. “Energy crops occupy the space between production and conservation, providing opportunities for marginal land, crop diversity and more energy feedstock choices.”

The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), which administers BCAP, will coordinate BCAP enrollments. Information on funding availability will be published in an upcoming Federal Register notice.

biomass, Farming, feedstocks, USDA

Vestas Supplying Turbines for First Wind Project

John Davis

V112 installation, Macarthur Windfarm, AustraliaAs Maine’s First Wind project looks to move forward, a maker of the wind turbine blades will soon be delivering the technology to the New England location. Vestas Wind Systems will fulfill First Wind’s order of 148 MW for V112-3.0 MW turbines in the U.S. in the 2nd quarter of 2015 with the blades expected to be turning by the end of next year.

Vestas has received an order for 48 V112-3.0 MW turbines for the 148-MW Oakfield project in the state of Maine. The order is a call-off on the master supply agreement (MSA) announced in December 2013 for multiple U.S. projects, the potential of which totals 718 MW. With today’s order, Vestas has secured 298 MW under this MSA.

The highly popular V112-3.0 MW turbines – for which Vestas has already received almost 6 GW of orders – will be supplied for this project. The project will also include a 10-year Active Output Management (AOM) 5000 service agreement. AOM 5000 is an energy-based availability guarantee that ensures the turbines are operational when the wind is blowing. This service option includes the VestasOnline® surveillance system that remotely controls and monitors the turbines and minimizes lost production by predicting when maintenance may be required.

“We’re pleased to continue the construction of the Oakfield Wind project and look forward to installing Vestas’ V112-3.0 MW turbines there,” said First Wind CEO Paul Gaynor. “The Vestas turbines at our Bull Hill project in Maine and the Palouse project in Washington State have performed well and we expect the Oakfield project to enjoy similar success.”

This is the fourth project Vestas and First Wind have done together and their second in Maine. The other project in Maine has achieved 99 per cent availability since it was commissioned two years ago.

Wind

Transportation Biofuels to Hit Nearly $338 Bil by 2022

John Davis

biofuelsfortransBiodiesel and ethanol for vehicles is expected to hit nearly $338 billion in sales by 2022. A new report from Navigant Research expects that over the next 8 years, biofuels for road transportation will more than double, growing from $166.5 billion annually in 2014 to $337.8 billion worldwide, making up 7.5 percent of liquid fuels consumed in the sector by 2022.

“Over the last 10 years, growth in the biofuels sector has been driven by the increase in ethanol production capacity in the United States and Brazil, and in biodiesel in Europe,” says Scott Shepard, research analyst with Navigant Research. “Today, the industry is on the verge of entering a new phase of development focused on advanced and drop-in biofuels.”

Commercial-scale production of cellulosic feedstock biofuels is just getting underway, according to the report, and recent developments in drop-in biofuels propelled by the aviation industry and the U.S. Department of Defense are driving down the costs of these advanced biofuels, enabling commercial-scale drop-in biofuels production. Meanwhile, large oil-consuming nations concerned about energy security, climate change, and economic stagnation are driving global biofuels markets through a number of policy platforms, principally biofuels mandates.

The report, “Biofuels for Transportation Markets,” looks at what emerging markets will bring for biodiesel and ethanol, as well as future growth opportunities for biofuels. Vehicle sales, as well as technologies in producing the fuels, are also examined.

Biodiesel, biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News

How to be a Biodiesel Lobbyist: Be Honest

John Davis

nealLobbyist in government often times get a bad rap. The picture conjured up is a cigar-smoking, fat-cat with slick-backed hair, trying to grease the palms of lawmakers, lying at every opportunity possible. But in this very interesting piece from Biodiesel Magazine, the National Biodiesel Board’s (NBB) Director of State Governmental Affairs, Shelby Neal, makes the case that his job is to educate lawmakers. And with a product as good as biodiesel, he just needs to tell the truth.

I am occasionally asked, “What is the secret to being a good lobbyist?” It is a good and interesting question. The short answer is to simply “be honest and be yourself.” While I’d love to make it more complicated than that (for purposes of job security), the reality is that adherence to these five little words will get you most of the way there.

Before I delve into a longer and perhaps more satisfying answer, I would like to make an essential point, which is that the vast majority of “lobbying” is merely education by another name. We help influencers understand technical information related to biodiesel, its feedstocks, and whatever else might keep them from making informed decisions. The thrilling, vicious, high-stakes world of lobbying pretty much only exists on television. Disappointing, I know.

Real success in the field of government affairs relies on good, old-fashioned relationship-building. And just to be clear, I am not advocating for more toothy-grinned, alpha-networking. Everybody hates that. Or at least I do. No, what I am talking about is developing genuine working relationships based on trust and mutual respect. And maybe even friendships, if you’re lucky. Once someone knows you, likes you, and trusts you, they’ll lend you their time and an open mind. And this, my friends, is fertile ground for biodiesel education. Or lobbying. Whatever you want to call it.

Shelby adds that another “secret” to lobbying success is to be around a lot, be knowledgeable, be persistent but polite, and try to be a good person. In fact, you don’t have to be some kind of registered lobbyist to do that. When you get the opportunity to educate or at least set the record straight on biodiesel, do it. Tell people about how it’s good for the environment, their vehicles, and American jobs. Gee, maybe he’s right. Maybe this lobbying thing isn’t so tough… as long as we’re talking biodiesel.

Biodiesel, NBB

RFA Puts First Responders’ Safety First

John Davis

transcaer_logoThose folks who go into burning buildings and patch us up by the side of a road after a traffic accident are truly heroes in this country. Well, the folks at the people who help train those first responders how to handle going into hazardous materials (haz-mat) conditions are recognizing the people who advocate for biofuels… and try to help keep those brave men and women safe. For the third straight year, TRANSCAER, which provides that haz-mat training, has presented the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) with its “TRANSCAER National Achievement Award” for RFA’s dedication to educating first responders across the country.

Kristy Moore, RFA’s vice president of technical services, accepted the award on behalf of the RFA at the 27th Annual AAR/BOE Hazmat Seminar in Addison, Texas, stating, “The RFA always has and always will put safety front and center. Preparation is the key to effective emergency response. The RFA works hard to ensure these selfless men and women have the most up-to-date information to handle any hazmat scenario they encounter.”

The RFA recently released an updated version of “The Training Guide to Ethanol Emergency Response.” The training guide was first developed in 2006 to give first responders, safety personnel, and hazmat teams information on how to properly respond to an ethanol-related emergency. It has been distributed to more than 10,000 first responders and was converted into an Ethanol Safety Seminar. In 2010, RFA partnered with TRANSCAER® to conduct more than 100 Ethanol Safety Seminars in 21 states. Additional safety seminars will be announced in June.

To get your copy of “The Training Guide to Ethanol Emergency Response,” just email safety@ethanolrfa.org or visit www.ethanolresponse.com.

RFA, safety

Missouri to Allow E15 at the Gas Pumps

John Davis

E15 signMissouri is the latest state to allow retailers to sell a 15 percent blend of ethanol, E15. This article from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says a dozen other states allow, but don’t require, the higher blends.

Biofuel trade groups and state corn growing associations say E15 is just another blend of fuel that gas stations can offer price-conscious motorists. Despite auto industry groups warning of the fuel’s impact on engines, the Environmental Protection Agency has approved it for use in vehicle models 2001 and newer.

“It’s bringing in another low-cost fuel to consumers,” said Bradley Schad, director of market development with the Missouri Corn Growers Association. “It’s actually helping drive the economy here in Missouri because we produce ethanol in Missouri.”

Petroleum groups are still pushing back on the new option, trying to say that vehicle engines will be ruined by the higher blend, but with 12 other states already approving the higher blend, even with the small number of stations selling E15, wouldn’t we be hearing about all these cars stranded by the sides of roads? So far, I’m not hearing those kinds of stories.

E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government