DF Cast: Hearing in the Heartland Talks EPA & RFS

DF Cast: Hearing in the Heartland Talks EPA & RFS

John Davis February 10, 2014

Unable to get the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to come to the heart of where biodiesel and ethanol are produced, leaders in the Midwest decided to hold their own “field hearing” to let the Obama Administration know they are unhappy with what proposed cuts to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The comment period for this proposal has recently ended, but now comes the possible months-long decision process by the EPA.

In this edition of the Domestic Fuel Cast, we listen in on some of what was said at Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad’s “Hearing in the Heartland,” a gathering of politicians, biodiesel and ethanol advocates, energy experts, and those who will be affected if this proposal to cut the amount of ethanol and biodiesel to be blended into the Nation’s fuel supply comes to fruition.

You can hear more of what was said during the hearing in the Heartland it in the latest Domestic Fuel Cast: Domestic Fuel Cast - Hearing in the Heartland

You can also subscribe to the DomesticFuel Cast here.

Audio, Biodiesel, Domestic Fuel Cast, EPA, Ethanol, Government, RFS

Distilers Grains Exports Record High in 2013

Cindy Zimmerman February 9, 2014

U.S. exports of the ethanol co-product distillers grains set a new record last year and exports of ethanol were lower but still strong.

According to the latest government statistics, exports of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) totaled a record 9.7 million metric tons (mmt) last year, up 31% from 2012 and well above the previous record of 9.0 mmt set in 2010. China was the leading destination for U.S. distillers grains, taking 46% of the total, with Mexico and Canada a distant second and third.

U.S. exports of ethanol totaled 621.5 million gallons in 2013, down from the previous year but still the third-highest annual total on record. Canada was by far the leading export market for the year, receiving 52% of the total. The Philippines ranked second, followed by Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, and Mexico. Meanwhile, U.S. ethanol imports were down 27% from 2012, making the United States a net exporter of 226.3 mg in 2013, roughly a 24% increase over 2012 net exports.

“U.S. produced ethanol is the world’s lowest cost liquid transportation fuel. As such, we anticipate that export opportunities will continue to grow as countries across the globe recognize the air quality, high octane and superior performance of renewable ethanol,” said Bob Dinneen, President and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association.

Distillers Grains, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Exports, RFA

Both Farm Bill and RFS Important

Cindy Zimmerman February 7, 2014

Signing the new farm bill into law on Friday, President Obama commented that the legislation “supports businesses working to develop cutting edge biofuels” which have the “potential to create jobs and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.” The president also announced a new “Made in Rural America” export and investment initiative “to help more rural businesses expand and hire and sell more products.”

In response, Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president Bob Dinneen noted the great economic benefit biofuels production has brought to rural America. “Under the Renewable Fuel Standard, the U.S. ethanol industry created and supported over 386,000 jobs in the past year,” said Dinneen. “To build on the success of the Farm Bill, we call on President Obama and the Environmental Protection Agency to protect the RFS and restore the 2014 conventional ethanol requirement to its statutory level.”

During a press call about the benefits of the farm bill for bioenergy, Matt Carr with the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), also pointed out the importance of the RFS. “The Renewable Fuel Standard is really the fundamental policy foundation for the growth of the advanced biofuels industry,” said Carr, noting that BIO submitted comments to EPA regarding the proposal to lower the volume requirements under the law. “That proposal puts at serious risk the investment (our members) have made in advanced biofuels projects.”

“We like to say that the farm bill policy as well as the tax code work hand in hand with the RFS to help accelerate the adoption and deployment of advanced biofuels,” Carr added.

advanced biofuels, BIO, Ethanol, Ethanol News, farm bill, RFA, RFS

Farm Bill Biofuel Benefits

Cindy Zimmerman February 7, 2014

Just as President Obama was preparing to sign the Agricultural Act of 2014 into law today, the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) held a media conference to highlight how expansion of the new farm bill’s energy programs to include renewable chemical technologies can help advanced biofuel producers.

“Renewable chemicals are now defined in the farm bill, an important and long overdue change,” said Matt Carr, BIO Industrial and Environmental Director about that inclusion in the Biorefinery Assistance Program and Biomass Research and Development Program, which had been primarily for advanced biofuel projects.

One of the participants in the call was Hugh Welsh, President of DSM North America, the Netherlands-based company that partnered with POET two years ago on cellulosic ethanol production. “We’ve made significant investments in the United States over the past three years,” said Welsh. “Some of that, in excess of $150 million, has been directly into the biofuels base and we’re encouraged by the inclusion of biochemicals in the farm bill.”

While DSM used its own funds for investment rather than taking advantage of the program, Welsh says it will help others. “We see the loan guarantee program now extended to biochemicals as something that offers greater opportunity for the development of this technology going forward,” in licensing the technology to others and “ultimately creating a true biorefinery.”

Welsh noted that the two technologies will work together. “We’re looking to grow both the advanced biofuels business and the biochemistry business,” he said.

Also participating in the call were Agriculture Energy Coalition co-director Lloyd Ritter, and Renmatix Senior VP Mark Schweiker.

Listen to or download the call here: BIO farm bill call

advanced biofuels, Audio, BIO, biochemicals, Cellulosic, Ethanol, Ethanol News

President Signs Farm Bill

Cindy Zimmerman February 7, 2014

President Barack Obama traveled to Michigan State University to sign the Agricultural Act of 2014 at the alma mater of Senate Agriculture Committee chair Debbie Stabenow (D-MI).

“Despite its name, the farm bill is not just about helping farmers,” President Obama told the small crowd invited for the signing. “Secretary Vilsack calls it a jobs bill, an innovation bill, an infrastructure bill, a research bill, a conservation bill. It’s like a Swiss Army knife.”

The president also gave a shout out to biofuels production in Michigan in his address prior to the bill signing. “I just got a tour of a facility where you’re working with local businesses to produce renewable fuels,” said Obama. “This bill supports businesses working to develop cutting edge biofuels, like some of the work being done here at Michigan State.”

Listen to the president’s speech here: President Obama farm bill signing

What do you think of the new farm bill? Which part is most important to you? Tell us in this week’s ZimmPoll.

Audio, biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, farm bill, Government

DOE Awards $3M for Geothermal Development

Joanna Schroeder February 7, 2014

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $3 million to spur geothermal energy development using play fairway analysis. This technique identifies prospective geothermal resources in areas with no obvious surface expression by mapping the most favorable intersections of heat, permeability, and fluid. The technique is commonly used in oil and gas exploration but has of yet, has not been widely used in the geothermal industry. By improving success rates for exploration drilling, this data-mapping tool could help attract investment in geothermal energy projects and significantly lower the costs of geothermal energy.

The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that 30 gigawatts of undiscovered hydrothermal energy potential exist untapped beneath the Earth’s surface – nearly 10 times the current installed capacity of geothermal energy in the United States. One of the keys to tapping this clean resource is reducing the cost and risk of locating it. Play fairway analysis projects could unlock significant geothermal energy resources and accelerate industry-wide adoption of this tool, by quantifying and reducing the risk of exploratory drilling,

The DOE will support one-year collaborative research and development projects, especially in new, unexplored areas, that adapt play fairway analysis to geothermal exploration. These projects selected will focus on using existing geologic and geophysical data to develop maps that identify areas with a higher probability of containing a geothermal resource. The research also seeks to develop a methodology for exploration of geothermal resources in a particular region, or play.

Alternative energy, Geothermal

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder February 7, 2014

RGS Energy and Altus Power America Management have formed a new joint venture, RGS Energy Asset Management LLC. The purpose of the joint venture is to develop, finance and manage up to $150 million of commercial solar projects.
SolarCity is expanding to Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland to make it possible for many area homeowners and businesses to install solar panels for free and pay less for solar electricity than they pay for utility power. SolarCity opened a new, 9,600 square-foot operations center in Seaford, Del., this week.
The U.S. Department of Energy is hosting a Webinar, “Incorporating Solar in Green Power Offers from Coast to Coast,” on Febraury 25, 2014 from 3:00 pm–4:00 p.m. EST. The webinar will discuss how utility green pricing programs and other voluntary green power offers have incorporated solar into their product mix. Leslie Brown will discuss how Silicon Valley Power in CA, has developed a product with 20% solar from CA. Jay Carlis will share how Community Energy has been engaged with developing solar, buying and selling solar renewable energy certificates, and supplying solar to voluntary program.
According to a recent report, “Energy Harvesting,” from Navigant Research, worldwide revenue from energy harvesting systems will grow from $283 million in 2014 to nearly $375 million in 2020. Energy harvesting systems convert ambient energy to useable electrical energy and offer an attractive alternative to battery power for portable devices. Using a variety of energy sources including electromagnetic radiation, thermal energy, kinetic energy, and mechanical energy, energy harvesting technology is already powering a range of consumer products, such as laptops and mobile phones.

Bioenergy Bytes

Primus Green’s STG Technology Awarded Patent

Joanna Schroeder February 7, 2014

Primus Green Energy has been awarded a patent by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for its STG+ liquid fuel synthesis technology. The company says its STG+ produces high quality, cost-effective, drop-in liquid transportation fuels such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel directly from syngas derived from natural gas and other carbon-rich feedstocks in a single-loop process.

STG+ represents a cost breakthrough for the GTL industry, says the company, as it demonstrates compelling economics at scales of less than 6,000 barrels per day. The patented process is far simpler and more efficient than existing GTL technologies as it transforms syngas to liquid fuels with only one condensation step and also recycles untransformed gases. These efficiencies result in a high-yield process – STG+ can convert one MMBtu of natural gas into more than five gallons of 90+-octane, drop-in gasoline.

“STG+ is a new, proprietary thermochemical GTL process that fundamentally transforms the efficiency and economics of liquid fuel synthesis technologies,” said Robert Johnsen, CEO of Primus Green Energy. “The allowance of this patent application validates the novelty of the technology we have developed and proven at scale in our research facilities and commercial demonstration plant here in Hillsborough. Further, it greatly strengthens our intellectual property portfolio, an important step as we look toward construction of our first commercial GTL plant.”

In October 2013, Primus successfully commissioned its 100,000 gallon-per-year natural gas-to-gasoline demonstration plant. A recently concluded independent engineers report found that both catalyst performance and STG+ system economics exceeded expectations during demonstration plant operation. The company is now working toward construction of its first commercial plant, which is expected to produce 27.8 million gallons per year of drop-in gasoline from natural gas. The company expects to break ground on the plant in 2014.

advanced biofuels, Biodiesel, biojet fuel, Natural Gas

Advancing Solar Energy in Saudi Arabia

Joanna Schroeder February 7, 2014

An agreement to jointly fund a feasibility study for the establishment of a vertically integrated solar PV (photovoltaic) manufacturing complex at Wa’ad Al Shammal in Saudi Arabia has been signed. SunEdison, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of the Government of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Arabian Investment Company hope to move forward with a project to produce polysilicon through modules. The feasbility study is the next step in the process following a preliminary study between the National Industrial Clusters Development Program (NICDP) and SunEdison in 2013.

“We anticipate substantial growth of solar PV within the Kingdom and the region. This project will support that growth, and the growth aspirations of SunEdison and our Saudi partners,” said Ahmad Chatila, CEO of SunEdison. “The combination of SunEdison technology, and the Kingdom’s world-class manufacturing and energy sector expertise will enable us to capitalize on substantial growth in the Kingdom and the region, and maximize the value of solar PV projects supported by this venture.”

If developed, the complex would utilize both SunEdison’s proprietary high pressure silane fluidized bed reactor (HP-FBR) polysilicon, and continuous Czochralski (CCz) crystal ingot technology and equipment, as well as include solar wafer, cell and module manufacturing, employ attractive debt financing for the approximately $6.4B project, and would begin production in 2017, ramping to 3 GW (gigawatts) annually.

A significant percentage of polysilicon and ingot production would support the 3 GW planned module output. Should the project go forward, the Ministry of Petroleum and Minerals said it will provide the required quantities of natural gas, and the Saudi Electrical Company (SEC) committed to providing the needed power requirements for the project.

“This project will be capable of building a complete industrial eco-system that is sustainable and able to compete on a global level by utilizing pioneering technology developed by SunEdison to produce high purity polysilicon, and high-efficiency, low-cost mono-crystalline ingots, in addition to benefiting from economies of scale given the size and vertically integrated nature of the complex,” said Eng. Azzam Shalabi, President of NICDP.

Chatila added, “We will bring our downstream solar PV development expertise to the region, and will partner with the Kingdom to build a large and dynamic solar energy industry. This agreement represents our ongoing strategy to accelerate our growth, maximize the value of our PV projects, and strengthen our balance sheet to enable both. We are very proud to take this next step with our Saudi partners as the Kingdom becomes a world leader in solar energy.”

Alternative energy, International, Solar

BDI Retrofits Greek Biodiesel Plant to Take Grease

John Davis February 7, 2014

A Greek biodiesel plant gets retrofitted to take a wider range of lower quality feedstocks, including grease. BDI-BioEnergy International AG announced the retrofit of the Elin Biofuels S.A refinery in Volos, Greece.

The aim of the RetroFit optimisation project was to increase both raw material flexibility and the quality of the final biodiesel product via the remodelling, expansion and process optimisation of an existing biodiesel plant that was based on outdated German technology.

As a result of the optimisation exercise, not only vegetable oils but also raw materials of lower quality, such as used cooking oil and animal fats, can now be processed into high-quality biodiesel with a capacity of about 33,000 tonnes/year. The quality of the distilled biodiesel satisfies the stricter quality requirements that will have to be met in future (new biodiesel standard in the EU, CEN 14214/2013). The project has now been handed over to the satisfied Greek customer Elin Biofuels S.A officially on time and on budget.

“We are very enthusiastic about BDI’s technical skills and the professional way in which the company carried out the project. Co-operation with BDI proved to be a very effective partnership throughout the project. The final outcome is better than we expected”, said Yannis Courouclis, CEO of Elin Biofuels S.A, at the official opening of the optimised plant.

BDI officials point out that they were able to make the changes without interrupting the current biodiesel operation.

Biodiesel, International

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