Most Think Partisanship Biggest Obstacle to Farm Bill

Talia Goes

zp-nhOur latest ZimmPoll asked the question, ”What’s the biggest threat to getting the Farm Bill done?”

Our poll results:
· Lack of bipartisanship – 39%
· Nutrition reform – 36%
· Other – 18%
· Animal ag issues – 7%

The farm bill conference committee has still only met once, but there is some hope they will have a compromise bill by Thanksgiving. In the meantime, fall means it’s hunting season in many areas of the country for various types of game and more hunters these days are using off-road vehicles. Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “Which vehicle do you prefer for hunting?” Are you good with the basic four wheel ATV or does a bigger utility terrain vehicle better suit your hunting needs? Let us know.

ZimmPoll

New Report Highlights the Power of Geothermal

Joanna Schroeder

The Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) and Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) have released a new joint report, “The Values of Geothermal Energy: A Discussion of the Benefits of Geothermal Power Provides to the Future of U.S. Power System“. The report addresses the role geothermal energy can play in states with Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) or Renewable Electricity Standards (RES) who are considering the full value of the power sources they use.

The Value of Geothermal ReportThe report was prepared by Ben Matek, GEA’s Industry Analyst, and Brian Schmidt, Librarian, GRC, and documents the many benefits of geothermal power.

“Geothermal power offers both firm and flexible solutions to the changing U.S. power system by providing a range of services including but not limited to baseload, regulation, load following or energy imbalance, spinning reserve, non-spinning reserve, and replacement or supplemental reserve,” the report begins.

Looking beyond the benefits to the power system, the report also summarizes other key benefits of geothermal power including economic and environmental benefits. “We are often asked about the full range of services and benefits available from geothermal,” Matek said. “So, we decided to join with GRC and put out a white paper that addresses these questions.”

“This is a timely report,” added Karl Gawell, GEA’s Executive Director. “The California PUC recently noted active questions before policy makers in California and elsewhere, specifically: ‘how increasing amounts of intermittent generation are impacting grid reliability, quantifying the impact and benefits of various resources to integrate intermittent generation, and what new policies should be adopted to manage the changing electric grid.’”

As the report indicates, these questions are gaining in importance as the United States expands its renewable power production, which today means “generating approximately 14% of the electricity” nationwide. Much of this is coming from wind and solar photovoltaic technologies that rely heavily on the prevailing weather conditions in order to generate power. However, the report note that “Geothermal energy is a renewable power source that can provide baseload and flexible power, quickly adjusting to fit the needs set by variable renewable energy technologies.

Alternative energy, Electricity, Geothermal, Research

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFLee Enterprises Consulting is hosting a webinar, “Maximizing and Stabilizing Your Rin Values in a Volatile Market,” on Thursday, November 14, 2013 beginning at 2:00 pm CST. The webinar will cover how RINS are sold; What is QAP Certification and how is it recognized; Why a producer would want to use a QAP program and what the the benefits are; and Which RIN sale method is best and what are the pros and cons of each. Click here for more information and to register.
  • Solectria Renewables is hosting a webinar to help EPC, project developers, integrators and other installs to understand what the process is to choose single-phase and three-phase inverters through 500kW.  During this webinar, the Solectria team will show how to string size a PV array and understand the technical details behind choosing an inverter for your array and the tools needed. Click here for more information.
  • California Ethanol & Power, LLC has announced that it has elevated Chief Operating Officer David R. Rubenstein to the positions of President and Chief Executive Officer. Current President, Jeffrey F. Lee, will assume the position of Manager Project Development/General Counsel.
  • John Jung, CEO of Greensmith Energy Management Systems has been recognized as a 2013 Smart Grid Pioneer by Smart Grid Today, for a second consecutive year. Greensmith Energy Management Systems is a provider of energy storage technologies and solutions with over 30 systems deployed utilizing its advanced, battery-agnostic technology platform. The company now offers “a la carte” energy storage software, design and grid integration services to a variety of energy storage participants.
Bioenergy Bytes

Renewable Fuels Video Contest: Enter Now

Joanna Schroeder

The 4th Annual “Fuel the Future” video contest has been official kicked off by the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA). The high school student contest is seeking the best student-produced video promoting the use of ethanol, E15 and/or biodiesel. The top three video entries will receive prizes in the amounts of $1,000, $600 and $400 respectively; will be aired at the 2014 Iowa Renewable Fuel Summit on January 28; and will be featured on IRFA’s YouTube channel.

“The IRFA is excited to announce the launch of the 4th Annual ‘Fuel the Future’ high school video contest,” said IRFA Communications Director T.J. Page. “With new fueling options like E15, and interest in renewable fuels continuing to grow, we can’t wait to see how Iowa high school students promote renewable fuels to today’s motorists.”

Need some inspiration? Then look no further than last year’s winning video.

The “Fuel the Future” contest is limited to students currently attending high school (grades 9-12 in a public, private or home school) in Iowa. Video entries may not exceed two minutes in length and must be submitted to IRFA via DVD, flash drive, or secure web link. All completed video entries must be received in the IRFA office by January 16, 2014, to be considered for the contest. For more information, including the official entry form and contest rules, please visit the IRFA website. IRFA also extends a sincere thank you to the law firm of Faegre Baker Daniels for sponsoring this contest for the fourth consecutive year.

Biodiesel, biofuels, Ethanol, Iowa RFA, Video

REG Boast Big 3rd Quarter for Biodiesel

John Davis

REG LogoBiodiesel producing giant Renewable Energy Group (REG) is boasting a big third quarter for its biodiesel operation. The Iowa-based company reports 77.6 million gallons of biodiesel sold in the third quarter 2013, an increase of 26 percent compared to the third quarter of 2012. In addition, revenues are up more than 40 percent compared to the same time a year ago for a total of $458.4 million. REG also achieved Adjusted EBITDA of $48.9 million during the third quarter 2013.

“We are pleased to report excellent performance in EBITDA, gallons produced, gallons sold, and revenues, driven by expanded nameplate production capacity and strong market demand,” said Daniel J. Oh, President and Chief Executive Officer.

“By July, we had upgraded Albert Lea and commenced operations at the New Boston biorefinery. During the quarter, we focused on increasing production at these new facilities. We now have eight biorefineries in production, including the recent addition of our Mason City, Iowa plant, with an annual nameplate capacity of 257 million gallons. In addition, network expansion enabled us to increase the gallons of biodiesel we market and sell from other biodiesel plants,” Oh added.

The 77.6 million gallons of biodiesel sold is a record for REG. Recently, the company increased and enhanced its production capabilities with the purchase of a 30 million gallon per year nameplate capacity biorefinery in Mason City, Iowa and REG’s New Boston, Texas plant coming on line this summer. This past quarter was also the first full quarter of a lower cost feedstock being used at the Albert Lea, Minn. facility.

Biodiesel, REG

Ohio Ethanol Plant Signs up for Enogen

Cindy Zimmerman

Corn featuring the Syngenta Enogen trait designed for ethanol production will soon be used at an Ohio biorefinery.

enogenSyngenta has signed a commercial agreement with Three Rivers Energy, LLC of Coshocton, Ohio, to use grain featuring Enogen trait technology following the 2014 corn harvest.

“We are thrilled to announce this agreement with Three Rivers Energy, as we extend our Enogen corn geography into Ohio, demonstrating the growing acceptance of Enogen technology and the value it is creating for ethanol plants, farmers and local communities,” said David Witherspoon, head of renewable fuels for Syngenta.

According to Syngenta, Enogen grain delivers alpha amylase enzyme in the corn kernel, eliminating the need for an ethanol plant to use liquid alpha amylase. The alpha amylase enzyme found in Enogen grain helps an ethanol plant reduce the viscosity of its corn mash and can lead to better levels of solids loading, which directly contributes to increased ethanol yields and throughput, as well as cost savings from reduced natural gas, energy, water and chemical usage.

Three Rivers Energy recently resumed ethanol production in Coshocton, Ohio. Its sister plant, Plymouth Energy, LLC (Merrill, Iowa) signed a commercial agreement with Syngenta in the fall of 2012 to use Enogen grain, and is currently completing its first year contracting with local growers to produce Enogen corn commercially. Three Rivers Energy and Plymouth Energy are operated by Lakeview Energy, LLC.

Three Rivers Energy is recruiting growers to produce Enogen corn in 2014 and will begin using the specialized corn grain in commercial production following the 2014 corn harvest. Growers under contract will deliver their Enogen grain to the ethanol plant and will be paid an average premium of 40 cents per bushel for their grain.

corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Facilities

LanzaTech’s Gas-to-Biofuel Earns RSB Certification

John Davis

lanzatechLanzaTech’s venture in China to turn steel mill waste gases into biofuel has earned an important sustainability certification. The company’s partnership with Shougang Jingtang Iron and Steel United Company and the Tang Ming Group is now Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) certified as sustainable for biofuels and biomaterials production. When commercially producing biofuels next year, the LanzaTech technology-enabled facility becomes the first RSB-certified biofuel plant in China.

“The joint venture uses a process that creates a sustainable biofuel and does so by efficiently reusing greenhouse gases that would have otherwise been released into the atmosphere,” said Peter Ryus, RSB Services’ CEO. “This solution, which does not impact the food chain or land use, meets the RSB principles and practices and serves as an example of how continued innovation in the industry will lead to sustainable biofuels in the future. We are honored to be working with LanzaTech and their joint venture partners on greenhouse gas reduction and global sustainability improvements.”

The use of novel gas fermentation technology to convert industrial waste gases into biofuels is aligned perfectly with the RSB Principles and Criteria, which go beyond greenhouse gas emissions reductions to focus on economic and social sustainability. By using a widely available waste resource located in areas typically unsuitable for agriculture, LanzaTech’s process reduces overall emissions without negatively impacting the food chain or causing land use changes. By enabling the production of fuels from available steelmaking waste, Beijing Shougang LanzaTech New Energy Science & Technology Co., Ltd. will help China balance economic growth with sustainability, as well as increase its supply of domestic biofuels.

“The RSB certification is an incredibly important step for the development of our commercial production facilities which we expect to bring online in 2014,” said Dr. Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of LanzaTech. “In addition, we trust this certification will help accelerate the acceptance of biofuels made through carbon capture technologies and serve to showcase the possibilities opened up by thinking of carbon emissions as an opportunity, not just a problem.”

LanzaTech is also partnering with Virgin Atlantic Airlines, one air travel company which prefers the RSB certification when getting sustainable biofuels for their operations.

biofuels, International, Waste-to-Energy

DuPont: Lowering RVO Targets Would Be a Mistake

John Davis

Jan KoninckxA company with experience successfully commercializing a variety of new technologies says it would be a mistake if government targets for renewable fuels are lowered. During yesterday’s Fuels America conference call on the prospect the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could drop renewable volume obligations (RVOs) next year from the statutory level of 14.4 billion gallons to between 12.36 and 13.18 billion, DuPont Global Business Director for Biorefineries Jan Koninckx said they were shocked by the leaked draft proposal.

“We’re very concerned about the RVO numbers that have been leaked,” although he admitted they’re not sure if those numbers are even factual. “But it’s a reversal, it’s something that very much surprises and disappoints us, and is something that will rob the country of a great opportunity.”

Koninckx also pointed out that DuPont has a long history of commercializing new technologies, and he’s sure advanced cellulosic will be successful as well. DuPont’s $200 million advanced cellulosic biorefinery in Nevada, Iowa is on target to start operations sometime next year, so the company has an obvious stake in the success of the technology, something that will be helped as long as the EPA sticks to its guns on the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS).

“If we implement the RFS as it is conceived and put in place, then we will see great benefits, as we already see from corn ethanol,” he said.

When asked if Congress will extend the cellulosic ethanol tax credit and how the possible lowering of the RVOs might have an impact, Koninckx said he just doesn’t know what Washington will do these days. But he thinks the extension would certainly promote more investment in the cellulosic industry, although DuPont has been in this business since the early 2000s and is staying in.

“Are we going to shift our strategy and change what we do on the basis of one EPA decision? No. We’re in this for the long haul. This is technology that is very viable and is going to see the light of day.”

You can here Koninckx’s opening remarks and response to the first question here: DuPont's Jan Koninckx

And you can listen to or download the entire conference call here: Fuels America press conference

advanced biofuels, Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Fuels America, RFA, RFS

Beetle-Infested Trees to be Turned into Biofuel

John Davis

usda-logoTrees lost to beetle infestations might not be a total loss; they could be turned into biofuels. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded nearly $10 million in grants to a consortium of academic, industry and government organizations led by Colorado State University (CSU) to see if insect-killed trees in the Rocky Mountains could be a sustainable feedstock for bioenergy.

“Infestations of pine and spruce bark beetles have impacted over 42 million acres of U.S. forests since 1996, and a changing climate threatens to expand the threat from bark beetle on our forest lands,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “As we take steps to fight the bark beetle, this innovative research will help take the biomass that results from bark beetle infestation and create clean, renewable energy that holds potential for job creation and promises a cleaner future for America.”

There are many benefits to using beetle-killed wood for renewable fuel production. It requires no cultivation, circumvents food-versus-fuel concerns and likely has a highly favorable carbon balance. However, there are some challenges that have been a barrier to its widespread use. The wood is typically located far from urban industrial centers, often in relatively inaccessible areas with challenging topography, which increases harvest and transportation costs. In addition to technical barriers, environmental impacts, social issues and local policy constraints to using beetle-killed wood and other forest residues remain largely unexplored.

CSU researchers, together with other scientists from universities, government and private industry in the region, created the Bioenergy Alliance Network of the Rockies (BANR) to address these challenges. The project will undertake comprehensive economic, environmental and social/policy assessment, and integrate research results into a web-based, user-friendly decision support system. CSU will collaborate with partners across four states to complete the project. Partners include: University of Idaho, University of Montana, Montana State University and the University of Wyoming, U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, National Renewable Energy Lab and Cool Planet Energy Systems.

The release goes on to say that they are exploring recent advances in scalable thermochemical conversion technologies to produce advanced liquid biofuel and co-products on-site.

Vilsack also points out that this type of program highlights why a new farm bill is needed.

biofuels, biomass, Cellulosic, farm bill, USDA

Lowering RFS Will Raise Big Oil Profits

Cindy Zimmerman

Big Oil will reap big profits if the Environmental Protection Agency actually proposes a substantial cut to the 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requirement for conventional biofuel blending, according to a new analysis released by the ethanol industry today.

The analysis finds that the oil industry stand to make an additional $9-14 billion in 2014 if the EPA were to change the renewable volume obligations (RVOs) next year from the statutory level of 14.4 billion gallons to between 12.36 and 13.18 billion.

fuels-americaDuring a telephone conference call organized by Fuels America this morning, biofuels stakeholders talked about the allegedly “leaked” EPA draft of the 2014 RVO plan and what the results could be if it actually happens.

“A decision to lower the RVO in 2014 would be a huge step backward for the corn ethanol industry and would amount to a substantial transfer of wealth away from America’s farmers and small businesses to oil and gas companies,” said said Geoff Cooper, Vice President for Research with the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), who presents the analysis on the RFA E-xchange blog.

Both DuPont Global Business Director for Biorefineries Jan Koninckx and Chris Standlee with Abengoa Bioenergy said changing the RVO would have a chilling effect on advanced biofuels investment. “Publication of this ‘leaked’ draft would force us to reexamine (our) investment plan and consider other countries that are more friendly for future investment,” said Standlee.

Koninckx called the oil industry is “a powerful incumbent industry that’s resisting innovation” and noted that “it is the RFS that brought leadership in biofuels.” He added, “What we need to see is leadership in simply implementing the law as it is.”

Listen to or download conference call here: Fuels America press conference

advanced biofuels, Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA, RFS