Busting Big Oil’s Bogus Claim with Real Ethanol Test

John Davis

irfadc1Members of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) made a 1,000-mile trip from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. to use a real world situation to bust a bogus claim by Big Oil. In an effort to scare consumers away from ethanol in general and E15 in particular, the oil companies put together a report that showed vehicles using ethanol had a 10 percent cylinder leakdown that could potentially leave motorists stranded by the side of the road. But the IRFA says their real world testing of vehicles, as well as the fact that millions of vehicles across the country are running just fine on ethanol, and presumably the same amount of cylinder leakdown, shows that it’s just a scare tactic.

“If they were right, the car we drove from Des Moines, Iowa to Washington, D.C. would not have run. It would have stranded us on the side of the road,” says Monte Shaw, IRFA Executive Director. “The testing they did doesn’t exactly equate to anything meaningful in the real world.”

Monte says they duplicated the oil companies’ Coordinating Research Council (CRC) testing of eight vehicles and did find the cylinder leakdown, but he points out that can be a problem with any fuel, and it doesn’t mean the vehicle will die on you.

“Every day [the cars running on E10] are taking kids to school, they’re driving people to work, they’re taking families on vacation, and in the case of the vehicle we used, just about every weekend the owner of it uses it to pull his 21-foot pontoon boat to a lake anywhere in the Midwest. These are cars that work,” he says.

irfadc2Monte says the real goal of the petroleum companies is to scare people, in particular members of Congress, into not allowing E15, even though it has proved as reliable as E10 ethanol is. The IRFA group even toured around D.C. a bit, talking to congressional aids and tourists, telling them about the benefits of ethanol, and even taking a little time to stop at one famous landmark to show “Tugger,” the Jeep’s nickname, a monument to a pretty truthful guy.

“When we were in front of the Washington Monument, we distinctly heard the car say, ‘I cannot tell a lie. Big Oil is misleading Congress about E15.'”

Listen to my entire conversation with Monte here: Monte Shaw, IRFA

Audio, E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Iowa RFA, Oil

Consumer Funding Opportunity for Military Solar Project

Joanna Schroeder

Mosaic is offering an opportunity for consumers to invest in a U.S. military solar project. Accredited Investors throughout the country, along with non-accredited investors in California, can put their dollars to work by investing in the addition of solar panels on military housing. Mosaic is offering investments in a 12.3 Megawatt solar photovoltaic (PV) energy installation across 547 homes at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. This base, located in New Jersey, is the first joint Army, Air Force and Navy base in the United States. Investors will earn a competitive rate of return while bringing homegrown renewable power to military families.

Investors can invest as little as $25 in the project. They will earn estimated net returns at a variable interest rate of LIBOR plus 2.25% annually for the first four years, rising to 1 month LIBOR + 2.50% for the final three years of the seven-year term. Newly registered investors can earn a $10 investment bonus through October 10, 2013.

Mosiac Fort Dix solar project“Our nation’s energy sources and our national security go hand in hand. The military is at the forefront of developing and deploying clean energy technologies that support troop readiness and energy independence,” said Tonya Johnson, who lives on the military base with her family. “I love having solar on my rooftop.”

The solar panels will be secured on the rooftops of 547 homes of U.S. service members and their families. The solar installations will meet 30 percent of their electricity needs and save the housing developer and owner, United Communities, $1.3 million per year in energy costs.

The Department of Defense has committed to deploying renewable energy and has a goal of powering at least 750,000 home by 2025 with solar energy. The Sunshot program was created to help reduce the cost of solar, and Mosaic was granted $2 million in June 2013.

“The US military knows better than anyone the importance of energy independence,” said Billy Parish, President of Mosaic. “Mosaic is pleased to offer more Americans the opportunity to tangibly support this by investing in rooftop solar energy for military families. As a father, I’m working everyday to create a secure home, nation, and planet for my children.”

Mosaic is financing this new solar housing project in partnership with True Green Capital Management, a New York-based private investment firm, and CIT, a bank holding company with more than $44 billion in assets. The installation is owned by equity sponsor True Green Capital Management. In addition, CIT Energy served as Sole Lead Arranger in a $24 million senior secured credit facility provided by CIT Bank, the U.S. commercial bank subsidiary of CIT Group Inc.

Alternative energy, Electricity, military, Solar

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFMounting Systems is introducing two new PV racking systems during the Solar Power International trade show October 21-24, 2013 being held in Chicago, Illinois. Dubbed Alpha+ (Alpha plus) and Tau+ (Tau plus), the new pitched roof racking systems employ Mounting Systems’ all-new Clickstone technology. This new connection technology gives Photovoltaic system owners and installers a higher level of installation speed, simplicity and economy. An updated version of the Mounting Systems Quick Configurator planning tool with greater functionality and an improved user interface will also be introduced.
  • Good & Quick located in Nevada, Iowa has announced it has sent in its registration to offer E15 to 2001 and newer vehicles.
  • Valeo is inviting engineering students to take part in the global Valeo Innovation Challenge. The goal is to design equipment that, between now and 2030, will make the car more intelligent and intuitive. For the initial selection rounds, engineering students are to develop bold, revolutionary solutions for the society of tomorrow. The 20 finalist teams will then create a model in the format of their choice. Each team will be given €5,000 to put their idea into practice and build a functioning demonstrator. The three finalist teams will present their projects to the Challenge jury of Valeo experts and external partners, chaired by Valeo CEO Jacques Aschenbroich, at the 2014 Paris Motor Show.
  • The 14th Annual Alberta Power Summit will take place November 12-13, 2013 at the Metropolitan Conference Centre in Calgary (Canada). Registration is open and keynote speakers include The Honourable Ken Hughes (invited), Alberta Minister of Energy; and Dana Woodworth, Alberta Deputy Minister of Environment.
Bioenergy Bytes

BDI Upgrading Biodiesel Plants in US & UK

John Davis

BDIlogoA pair of biodiesel plants, one in the U.S. and the other in the UK are being upgraded. Biodiesel Magazine reports Austria-based BDI-BioEnergy International AG will upgrade and get back to running an unnamed plant in Atlanta (suspected to be Renewable Energy Group’s currently idled 15 MMgy Atlanta-based biodiesel facility) and beef up the British plant’s (also unnamed) purification capabilities.

BDI stated it has been commissioned to carry out basic engineering assignments at the Atlanta-based biodiesel plant, a prerequisite for successfully implementing its RetroFit Program at the site. “The aim is to modernize the plant, which is out of operation at the moment, in such a way that a profitable restart of production can be guaranteed,” BDI stated.

BDI has also been commissioned by an unnamed British biodiesel manufacturer to implement a biodiesel purification unit. With the help of this optimization unit, the contaminant content of the biodiesel, particularly the residual monoglycerides, will be reduced to a level that is far lower than the relevant limits specified by the strict European biodiesel quality standard. This project will guarantee not only a considerable improvement in quality but also an increase in the output of the biodiesel plant.

The two jobs have a value of about $540,000.

Biodiesel, International

Report: Renewable Energy Gains Market Share

John Davis

Renewable energy sources, particularly solar, wind, and biofuels, continue to make gains when it comes to the share of energy produced and used in this country. According to SUN DAY Campaign, a non-profit research and educational organization, the latest numbers from U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows through the first half of this year, renewable energy made up 10 percent of U.S. energy consumption, 12 percent of domestic production and 14 percent of net electrical generation.

eiaCompared to the same time frame in 2012, overall renewable energy production, including conventional hydropower, was 2.00% higher while production from non-hydro renewables grew by 4.13%. Specifically, solar grew by 32.46% in 2013, wind by 20.14%, geothermal by 0.89%, and biomass by 0.42%. Hydropower slipped by 2.59% and biofuels by 5.92%.

Among the renewable energy sources, hydropower’s share during the first half of 2013 was 30.18%, biomass 25.26%, biofuels 20.18%, wind 18.80%, solar 3.19%, and geothermal 2.39%.

Production from all renewable energy sources, including conventional hydropower, is about 60% higher in 2013 than it was in 2003 while production from non-hydro renewable energy sources has more than doubled.

Over the past decade, domestic energy production from wind has increased by a factor of nearly 16 while output from both biofuels and solar is now about five times higher than in 2003. Geothermal has also grown – by about 30% – while biomass and hydropower have remained largely unchanged.

Domestic renewable energy production is outpacing both fossil fuels (11 percent) and nuclear (about 1 percent). Ken Bossong, Executive Director of the SUN DAY Campaign, says renewables are the real growth industries in the energy market over the past decade.

“If recent trends continue, they will eventually eclipse both fossil fuels and nuclear power.”

biofuels, biomass, Geothermal, Hydro, Solar, Wind

Cellulosic’s First Community Advisory Panel to Meet

John Davis

The Nation’s first Community Advisory Panel (CAP) on cellulosic biofuels will meet early next week in Iowa. Officials from DuPont’s cellulosic ethanol facility in Nevada, Iowa will talk with more than 30 Central Iowa residents including business leaders, farmers, conservationists and educators Tuesday, Oct. 8, at Nevada’s SCORE Pavilion from 6:30-8:30 pm.

dupontcornstoverDesigned to provide an ongoing dialogue between DuPont and the surrounding community, the CAP will meet up to four times each year Dr. Mark Edelman, CAP Facilitator, has more than 32 years of experience as a professor of economics and extension specialist in agricultural policy analysis, community entrepreneurship, and economic development. Edelman also teaches an economic development course and serves as Community Vitality Center Director at Iowa State University. During this inaugural meeting, CAP members will discuss the panel’s goals and objectives, and a process for ongoing engagement with the new facility’s management team.

DuPont’s commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol facility is expected to produce 30 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year after it comes online in the second half of 2014. The $200 million facility will be among the first and largest commercial-scale cellulosic biorefineries in the world. Corn stover is expected to be the main feedstock.

biofuels, Cellulosic, Ethanol, Ethanol News, News

Butamax Starts Biobutanol Retrofit on Ethanol Plant

John Davis

butamaxDelaware-based Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC has begun work with Highwater Ethanol LLC, to retrofit Highwater’s ethanol plant in Lamberton, Minnesota for the production of biobutanol. This Butamax news release says its cutting edge technology package will include the installation of novel corn oil separation technology, an important part of the full retrofit to biobutanol production.

Butamax CEO Paul Beckwith said “This is an important milestone for Butamax and its partners. We formulated a strategy to provide the most advanced technology to improve current biofuel production, offer better co-product profiles, and pave the way for near-term, large-scale isobutanol production. Today, our vision is becoming reality.”

Highwater Ethanol CEO, Brian Kletscher stated, “We investigated other options for corn oil recovery, but we had the advantage of seeing the Butamax system first-hand and we were impressed with what we saw. Not only was the production class leading, but the expertise Butamax assembled is unparalleled, including experts from BP, DuPont and Fagen. We are very excited to execute this stage and move to negotiations for biobutanol production.”

Commercial production is expected to start this winter.

biobutanol, Ethanol, Ethanol News

House Hears Debate on Wind Production Credit

John Davis

USCapitolSome pretty ill winds are blowing around Washington, D.C. these days, and some of those are directed at the wind energy industry. As I told you yesterday about what would come, Republicans launched their attack in the House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee on Energy Policy, arguing, according to this blog post from The Hill, that the production tax credit for wind farms is not worth the money being invested. They point to an analysis that shows a one-year extension of the tax credit would cost about $6.1 billion over 10 years. But Democrats on the committee argue it’s a bigger bargain than what we’re getting from the oil companies’ subsidies and tax credits.

“Big oil still gets subsidies even though just the biggest five oil companies … made a combined $118 billion in profits in 2012,” Rep. Jackie Speier (Calif.), the top Democrat on the subcommittee, said. “Oil and gas have received over $4.8 billion each year in government subsidies over 90 years.”

She added, “If you want to get rid of the PTC, then let’s get rid of all the subsidies for all the various forms of energy. We need to give as much support to clean renewable energy sources as we have provided and continue to provide for the fossil fuel industry.”

Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.) said that “the detractors of the wind industry are asking the government to pick winners and losers by removing federal subsidies for only one particular sector of the energy capacity, which is wind energy, but leaving all the other subsidies intact.”

The credit was extended at the beginning of this year as part of the deal to avoid sending the country over the fiscal cliff. But wind energy backers say now is the time to extend the credit for years to give the industry better stability and encourage more private investment and growth.

Government, Legislation, Wind

RFA, Growth Energy Call Out Big Oil’s Lies

John Davis

rfagrowthWhile a new poll from Big Oil tries to paint biofuels and the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in a bad light, the Renewable Fuels Association and Growth Energy are trying to shine a little truth on the subject.

The poll from the American Petroleum Institute (API), aka “Big Oil,” tries to make it look like Americans don’t support the RFS and don’t want to use E15. But RFA points to another poll that shows 73 percent of Americans support the RFS, and three out of four Americans want a renewable fuels choice at their gas station… all coming while many are already using E15 where available.

fps13-dinneen“If Big Oil push polled any harder, they would have broken respondents’ arms to get the biased answers they sought. This poll is yet another insincere stunt concocted by API to attack the RFS and higher level ethanol blends. If you want to see scary numbers, just look at the outrageous profits oil companies are posting thanks to their monopoly on the fuel market. It is bad enough that Americans are held hostage to environmentally damaging, expensive oil,” stated Bob Dinneen, President and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association.

Dinneen goes on to point out that ethanol is helping lower gas prices by $1 per gallon on average this year and last year. He adds that instead of scaring people, Big Oil should invest in the infrastructure to expand choice at the pump.

buis1Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis chimed in his agreement:

“The oil industry’s cycle of mistruth continues, how much longer can they attempt to deceive the public before the facts catch up to them? Higher blends like E15 are a choice – voluntary for the consumer and the retailer. And they are safe for all vehicles 2001 and newer. E15 has been the most tested fuel in our nation’s history. All the biofuels industry is asking for is the opportunity to compete in a fair and open marketplace.

Buis also countered API’s claims that biofuels are raising food prices, pointing out that, according to numbers from the World Bank, petroleum prices are the biggest driver in food prices. He invited consumers to get more of the facts at www.yourenodummy.com.

Biodiesel, biofuels, E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Growth Energy, RFA

Florida Tow Truck Driver Looks to Hook Up Biodiesel

John Davis

westwaytowIn a sign of the growing trend for more entrepreneurs to go more green and save some green, I ran across this article about a tow truck driver in Florida who wants to run his fleet on biodiesel. This story from the Ft. Lauderdale Sun Sentinel tells the tale of Westway Towing owner Craig Goldstein, who also has a side business, Oil Recovery Interests, collecting used cooking oil to sell to biodiesel refiners. Now, he wants to be the source of his own fuel.

No longer content with being the middleman, he wants to start a biodiesel plant at his location. He would use the biodiesel to fuel his fleet of 40 tow trucks and market it to others, he said.

“It’s environmentally friendly,” he said, adding that the federal government provides $2.50 in tax credits and renewable energy certificates for every gallon produced. “It’s the wave of the future.”

Turning used french-fry oil into truck fuel sounds like something out of Back to the Future, says employee Deron Key, recalling when Christopher Lloyd’s character, Doc Brown, returns from the future and is able to use banana peels and other garbage to fuel his time-traveling DeLorean.

“That’s what I see. That’s awesome,” said Key, who found out about the operation after being hired to paint some of the tanks.

Goldstein, who already has the biodiesel brewing equipment, just needs approval from city commissioners, who have already indicated support. If he gets it up and running, he could brew up to 2,500 gallons of biodiesel a week.

Biodiesel