USDA Announces Support for Advanced Biofuel Producers

Cindy Zimmerman

usda-logoUSDA announced Thursday that the agency is making nearly $15.5 million in payments to support the production of advanced biofuel.

At the National Advanced Biofuels Conference in Omaha, USDA Rural Development Acting Under Secretary Doug O’Brien said 188 producers will received payments through the Advanced Biofuel Payment Program.

“Producing advanced biofuels is a major component of the drive to take control of America’s energy future by developing domestic, renewable energy sources,” O’Brien said. “These payments represent the Obama Administration’s commitment to support an ‘all-of-the-above’ energy strategy.”

The funding is being provided through USDA’s Advanced Biofuel Payment Program, which was established in the 2008 Farm Bill. Under this program, payments are made to eligible producers based on the amount of advanced biofuels produced from renewable biomass, other than corn kernel starch. Examples of eligible feedstocks include but are not limited to: crop residue; animal, food and yard waste; vegetable oil; and animal fat.

Read more from USDA.

advanced biofuels, Biodiesel, Cellulosic, Government, USDA

USDA Increases Corn Crop Forecast

Cindy Zimmerman

Despite a slowly maturing corn crop impacted by late summer heat, USDA upped its production forecast for the crop this year by a little bit instead of lowering it.

corn-harvestCorn production is forecast at 13.8 billion bushels, up less than 1 percent from the August forecast and up 28 percent from 2012. If realized, this will be a new record production for the United States. Based on conditions as of September 1, yields are expected to average 155.3 bushels per acre, up 0.9 bushels from the August forecast and 31.9 bushels above the 2012 average. If realized, this will be the highest average yield since 2009.

“The ear count numbers are a lot higher than what we were looking at just a month ago,” said USDA Economist Joe Glauber. “We’re expecting prices to fall, for ending stocks to recover a lot from where they were.” USDA is now predicting an average price for 2013 of $4.80 per bushel, about $2 less than year.

“It is a huge improvement over last year when we produced less than 11 billion bushels,” said Geoff Cooper with the Renewable Fuels Association who said lower prices will help increase ethanol production next year. “As this new crop comes in and corn prices come down, it’s very likely we could see close to 14 billion gallons in production next year,” compared to just over 13 billion expected this year.

Brian Jennings of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) noted that a record corn crop on the heels of the worst drought in 50 years “is further proof the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is working and Congress should not repeal or reduce it.”

The corn harvest is just beginning in some areas this week but should be getting into full swing in the next few weeks as the crop hits maturity.

ACE, Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA, USDA

RFA’s Cooper on Corn Crop and E15

Cindy Zimmerman

fps13-rfa-cooperThis edition of “The Ethanol Report” features an interview from Farm Progress Show with Renewable Fuels Association Vice President of Research and Development Geoff Cooper on several timely topics, including corn and ethanol production this year, cellulosic ethanol, the importance of the RFS, and sales of E15 ramping up again as summer volatility requirements end.

ethanol-report-adCooper talks about how despite a slow maturing crop and adverse weather conditions, USDA is still calling for a record corn crop of 13.8 billion bushels. He also discusses how retail sales of E15 will be going up again next week after the summer volatility requirements end on September 15.Ethanol Report with RFA's Geoff Cooper

Subscribe to “The Ethanol Report” with this link.

Audio, corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, RFA

Tune in Live for Great RFS Debate

Cindy Zimmerman

rfa-ncba-debateRenewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen is live right now on AgriTalk in a debate with National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Executive Director of Legislative Affairs Kristina Butts over the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The Great RFS Debate is being co-hosted by Agri-Pulse.

Dinneen is pictured here, left, as the debate begins. Next to Dinneen is AgriTalk host Mike Adams, Agri-Pulse editor Sara Wyant, and Kristina Butts on the right.

Archived program available here.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, livestock, RFA, RFS

Biodiesel Maker Bently Biofuels Gets Got Grease

John Davis

bentlyA Nevada-based biodiesel maker has acquired its biggest supplier of feedstock the the San Francisco area. Bently Biofuels announced it bought Got Grease, a Bay Area waste oil and grease trap pumping company.

Got Grease collected used cooking oil throughout the San Francisco, peninsula, East Bay, and Marin areas up to Sacramento. This used cooking oil was then sold to biofuels producers. As one of Got Grease’s largest customers, it was a natural fit for Bently Biofuels Company to expand their used cooking oil collection services by purchasing the business assets. This expansion means an addition of approximately 12 jobs in the Bay Area.

Bently Biofuels has been producing biodiesel from recycled used cooking oil since 2005.

Biodiesel

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFLaw firm White & Case has announced the availability of the 2013 Global Renewable Energy Guide, a comprehensive publication that provides an overview of legislation and incentives available to renewable energy companies worldwide. It enables investors, lenders and government agencies to easily understand and compare renewable energy laws and incentives across 32 jurisdictions. The guide is edited and published by the White & Case Ankara Office.
  • The Nebraska Ethanol Board has applauded Frontier Co-op’s decision to offer E15 at four of its retail fuel locations in east central Nebraska. E15 is a higher-octane blend consisting of 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline. Beginning September 20th, it will be available at the Co-op’s stations in Brainard, Ceresco, Dwight and Weston.
  • The merger between DNV and GL has been approved and the new company, DNV GL, will be operational beginning September 12, 2013. According the the company, DNV GL will be the world’s largest ship and offshore classification society to the maritime industry and a leading expert in wind and power transmission and distribution. DNV GL also takes the position as one of the top three management system certification bodies in the world. The competition authorities in South Korea, USA, EU and China have cleared the merger. The new company will comprise 17,000 employees across 300 sites in more than 100 countries, and have revenues of EUR 2,500 million per year.
  • Admirals Bank has hired Ed Steins as the Bank’s Vice President and Director of National Sales for Renewable Energy Lending. Earlier this year Admirals Bank launched a new division titled, Admirals Alternatives, that is dedicated to financing residential solar and renewable energy systems across the United States.
Bioenergy Bytes

Europe Votes to Limit Crop-based Biofuels

John Davis

eu-flagBiofuel makers in Europe could be facing a real uphill battle, as the European Parliament votes to limit the amount of green fuels made from crops in transportation. Bloomberg reports the 6 percent limit on the use of crop-based biofuels comes from concerns about indirect land use change.

The vote … in Strasbourg, France, sets the stage for talks among EU governments on the issue. Any differences with the Parliament would have to be ironed out in negotiations that could add months to the process for reaching a final accord.

The EU wants to prevent a requirement that at least 10 percent of energy for road and rail transport in 2020 come from renewable sources from causing side-effects that undermine the battle against global warming.

Made primarily from crops such as rapeseed, wheat, corn and sugar, biofuels including ethanol and biodiesel are the main renewable energy for transport and offer the prospect of reducing the use of fossil fuels blamed for climate change.

The vote actually upped the previous cap of 5 percent on crop-based fuels. The European Parliament hopes that continuing to place limits on crop-based biofuels will encourage more second generation biofuels made from non-food sources. Those non-food sources are going to have to do it, because by 2020, the EU is supposed to have at least 10 percent of land-transport energy come from some type of non-petroleum source.

Biodiesel, biofuels, Ethanol, Indirect Land Use, International

Agronomic Data Shows Viability of Biomass Harvesting

Joanna Schroeder

The Advanced Biofuels Conference & Expo is in full swing in Omaha, Nebraska with several hundred industry members on hand for the event. Today POET-DSM, an event sponsor, has announced that according to the latest data from researchers with Iowa State University and the United States Department of Agriculture (UDSA) harvesting crop residue for cellulosic ethanol production is consistent with good farm management.

Biomass Harvest for Project LIBERTY

The work was commissioned by POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels to ensure the sustainability of the joint venture’s plans to build cellulosic ethanol plants and license technology to producers in the U.S. and abroad. The research, led by Dr. Doug Karlen with USDA and Dr. Stuart Birrell with ISU, was conducted in fields near Emmetsburg, Iowa, the site of Project LIBERTY, POET-DSM’s 20 million-gallon-per-year cellulosic ethanol plant currently under construction. The facility will use corn-crop residue – cobs, leaves, husk and some stalk – to produce renewable fuel. It is expected to come online in early 2014.

Now in its fifth year, the research evaluated the possible effects of biomass removal on soil nutrient levels and grain yields over various rates of removal. POET-DSM’s proposed rate of removal is approximately 1 ton per acre, which is 20-25 percent of the above-ground biomass.

“In summary, both grain yields and soil nutrient levels were not significantly affected by stover harvest treatments,” Birrell said in a research summary.

Fields with yields above 175 bushels per acre could remove up to 2 tons of biomass per acre, according to Birrell and Karlen. Based on the data, POET-DSM recommends no changes in nitrogen or phosphorous applications, due to residue removal. Some biomass providers could benefit from adding a small amount of potassium.Read More

advanced biofuels, Agribusiness, Cellulosic, Ethanol, POET

Do You Contact Your Members of Congress?

Talia Goes

zp-nhOur latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “How important is it to learn about farming in other countries?”

Our poll results:
· Very important 49%
· Somewhat important 28%
· Not important 10%
· Who cares 10%
· Other 3%

The ZimmComm team found their recent trip to Argentina valuable and we’re already looking forward to Scotland next year for the same conference. We’re glad you found the information they gleaned and shared to be important and interesting!

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question “Do you make contact with your members of Congress?” Many organizations pride themselves in grassroots involvement and encourage their membership to get in touch with their Congressional representatives at a local level. With a farm bill still undone and important legislation like immigration reform on the table, we want to know if you make the effort to let your members of Congress know how you feel. Let us know!

ZimmPoll

Navy Increases Support for Energy Excelerator

Joanna Schroeder

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) has announced it will increase its support for Energy Excelerator, a Hawaii-based program that funds development of new and innovative energy ideas. The program, part of ONR’s Asia-Pacific Technology and Education Program (APTEP), is an effort to discover groundbreaking energy technologies, and supports startup companies in bringing those technologies to the market.

ONR is investing an additional $30 million into the project that today, has 17 companies in its portfolio. Companies participating in the program have raised $38 million in additional funding over the past three years.

Energy Excelerator“In the modern era, technological breakthroughs offer unprecedented opportunities to move toward diversified energy sources,” said Dr. Richard Carlin, director of ONR’s Sea Warfare and Weapons Department. “It’s vital for our Sailors and Marines, and the nation, to discover and develop new sustainable sources of energy-as well as dramatically improve the way we manage energy.”

Hawaii is uniquely positioned for such research, experts say, with unparalleled wind, solar, bioenergy, wave and geothermal resources. Its population is also keenly aware of the need for alternatives to fossil fuels because the state is dependent on imported oil for its power and energy use, and residents face the highest electricity costs in the nation.Read More

Alternative energy, military, Renewable Energy