Primus Green Energy Achieves Production Milestone

Joanna Schroeder

Primus Green Energy, an alternative fuel company that converts natural gas and other feedstocks directly into drop-in transportation fuels, has announced that its natural gas-to-gasoline demonstration plant has achieved 720 hours of continuous operation, a milestone, they say, that confirms the reliability and stability of its STG+ technology. In addition, Primus has received independent verification of gasoline quality, process Primus Green Energy Demo plantefficiency and system economics. As verified by Bureau Veritas, an independent, multinational inspection, sampling and testing company, Primus’ gasoline was found to meet or exceed all ASTM specifications, the gold standard used to measure gasoline quality.

An independent engineer’s report prepared by E3 Consulting, LLC, concluded that STG+ system and catalyst performance exceeded expectations during plant operation. The report noted that the demo plant has substantially met the goal of fully integrated operations; is a successful demonstration of scalability of the technology; and the gasoline quality consistently met or exceeded industry standards.

“We think that gas-to-liquids processes like Primus’ will be instrumental in using low-cost natural gas to create a new supply of domestically produced clean liquid fuels like drop-in gasoline, jet fuel and diesel without spending billions of dollars on engine modifications and new infrastructure,” said Yom Tov Samia, chairman of Primus Green Energy and CEO of IC Green Energy, Primus’ main shareholder. “The success of the demonstration plant not only validates the scalability of the technology, but also Primus’ leading position in an important emerging industry of great geopolitical importance.”

According to Primus’ their demonstration plant is designed as a “scaled-down” version of the first commercial plant. Primus worked with top-tier engineering firms to optimize the design of the demonstration plant to eliminate the technology risks of scale-up, which in the past have been a major obstacle for competitors in the alternative fuels space.

“The independent engineers’ report provides critical validation of our technology and of our value proposition, and the data suggests that our technology is more economical than competing gas-to-liquids processes available today,” said Robert Johnsen, CEO of Primus Green Energy. “We can now focus on optimizing our process even further and on working toward construction of our first commercial plant, which like the demonstration plant will use natural gas as a feedstock for the production of drop-in transportation fuels.”

Paul Plath, President at E3 Consulting added, “The data resulting from the initial 720-hour continuous operation of Primus’ natural gas-to-gasoline demonstration plant has exceeded initial expectations. The data shows that Primus’ STG+ technology, when applied at commercial scale, can be expected to be efficient, cost-effective and able to produce a premium transportation fuel product.”

Alternative energy, Natural Gas

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFSave the date for the 2014 Propane Engine Fuel Summit taking place on March 27, 2014 in Irving, Texas. The Propane Engine Fuel Summit brings together the largest gathering of the nation’s propane autogas experts to discuss the challenges and benefits of operating this clean, economical, domestically produced transportation fuel. Now in its fourth year, the event will include the latest on- and off-road propane autogas technologies, product offerings, industry partnerships, funding opportunities, end-user fleet applications and more.
  • The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway will co-host a free Ethanol Safety Seminar on Nov. 14 at the Pipestone Fire Hall in Pipestone, Minnesota To accommodate all schedules, there will be a morning session from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and an evening session from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Registration is limited to the first 50 people. Lunch and dinner will be provided. While primarily targeting first responders, hazmat teams, safety managers, and local emergency planning committees, it is also open to the general public.
  • According to a recent report from Navigant Research, “Solar PV Market Forecasts,” annual installations of new solar PV capacity will more than double, in terms of capacity, by 2020, growing from 35.9 gigawatts (GW) in 2013 to 73.4 GW in 2020.
  • Global Trade and Development Consulting together with its Project Development Partner, Energy Ventures, both Maryland-based companies, announced that they have been awarded the contract by the Ethiopian Ministry of Water and Energy and the Board of Directors of the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation to build, operate, and transfer three (3), one hundred (100) megawatt solar sites, in the eastern region of Ethiopia. The site selection, due diligence and Feasibility Study were completed earlier this year, receiving both technical and financial approval from both the Minister of Water and Energy and EEPCo.
Bioenergy Bytes

Study Aims to Debunk Indirect Land Use Change

Joanna Schroeder

A new paper, “Wood Bioenergy and Land Use,” authored by Roger A. Sedjo, Brent L. Sohngen, Anne Riddle on behalf of Resources for the Future attempts to debunk indirect land use change theory (ILUC). The paper looks at how the use of biomass energy will affect the forests.

Wood BioEnergy and Land Use paperBack in 2008, Timothy Searchinger examined the issue related to corn ethanol and posited that substituting corn ethanol for petroleum would increase carbon emissions associated with the land conversion in other areas, such as Brazil. In other words, what would the indirect impact be of planting corn on an acre of land that used to be virgin forest and how would this affect the carbon “savings” of using ethanol, an environmental concern tied to climate change.

The authors point out that the issue is broader than simply corn. If agricultural croplands are drawn into the production of biofuel feedstocks, commodity prices are expected to rise, triggering land conversions overseas, releasing carbon emissions, and offsetting the carbon reductions expected from bioenergy.

Using a general stylized forest sector management model, the study examines the economic potential of traditional industrial forests and supplemental dedicated fuelwood plantations to produce biomass on submarginal lands. It finds that these sources can economically produce large levels of biomass without compromising crop production, thereby mitigating the land conversion and carbon emissions effects posited by the Searchinger hypothesis.

Click here to download the paper.

bioenergy, biofuels, Indirect Land Use, Research

Ennovor Aims to be Biodiesel Leader with New Mgmt

John Davis

ennovorSingapore-based Ennovor Biofuels announced a trio of new managers as part of the company’s effort to become the world’s second largest second generation global biodiesel producer by 2015. This news release posted on the Sacramento Bee’s website says a new chairman, managing director and plant manager were put in place for Ennovor.

Chairman John Markham will take responsibility for guiding the strategic development of the business. He has held executive management positions with organisations such as ICI, Albright and Wilson and Hickson International. In January 1995, John was awarded the OBE for services to industry in West Cumbria, and also has significant experience in the regeneration sector…

David Frohnsdorff has been appointed managing director to coordinate all aspects of the company’s production, sales, feedstock development and purchasing, as well as fund raising and infrastructure development for the group. He has over four years of direct experience within the biodiesel industry, having first acquired the facility in Bromborough in 2009…

New plant manager David Jackson will manage plant operations. His experience includes managing ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, as well as environmental monitoring and technical problem resolution. Prior to joining Ennovor Group, David worked at Sellafield, where he managed the process engineering design and technology transfer processes on a number of projects based at the Capenhurst and Risley sites…

Established in 2010, Ennovor has facilities throughout Europe and Asia.

Biodiesel, International

Alt Fuel Finder? Yep, There’s an App for That

John Davis

appFinding the right place to fill up on alternative fuels might be as close as your iPhone. The Energy Department’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) developed a new, free mobile application for DOE’s Clean Cities program that helps users find a place to top off their tanks, whether it’s electricity, natural gas, biodiesel, e85 Ethanol, propane or hydrogen.

The Alternative Fueling Station Locator App, now available through Apple’s App Store, allows iPhone users to select an alternative fuel and find the 20 closest stations within a 30-mile radius. Users can view the locations on a map or as a list containing station addresses, phone numbers and hours of operation.

“If you drive an electric vehicle, for example, you can now use your iPhone to easily identify, contact and navigate to the charging station that is most convenient to you,” NREL Project Manager Trish Cozart said. “Generally, people don’t search for a station while they are sitting at a computer; they need this information while they are out and about, which makes a mobile application the ideal means to deliver it.”

“The number of alternative fuel vehicles on the road has been increasing steadily over the last two decades,” Cozart said. “Drivers and fleets have an unprecedented array of options to cut or eliminate petroleum use, and this new app serves as one more tool to make that easier.”

The app draws information from Clean Cities’ Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC), which contains a database of information for more than 15,000 alternative fueling stations throughout the country.

App, Biodiesel, E85, Electric Vehicles, Ethanol, Government, Hydrogen, Natural Gas, Propane

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