NREL Calculates Emissions, Cost of Wind & Solar

Joanna Schroeder

According to new research from the Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), found that carbon emissions induced by more frequent cycling are negligible (<0.2%) when compared with the carbon reductions achieved through wind and solar power generation. Cycling occurs when a utility, to accommodate higher amounts of wind and solar power on the electric grid, must ramp down and ramp up or stop and start conventional generators more frequently to provide reliable power.

In addition, the study found sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions reductions from wind and solar are 5 percent less than expected because of cycling of fossil-fueled generators. Emissions Emission Impacts of Cycling1of nitrogen oxides (NOX) are reduced 2 percent more than expected. The study also finds that high levels of wind and solar power would reduce fossil fuel costs by approximately $7 billion per year across the West, while incurring cycling costs of $35 million to $157 million per year. For the average fossil-fueled plant, this results in an increase in operations and maintenance costs of $0.47 to $1.28 per megawatt-hour (MWh) of generation.

“Grid operators have always cycled power plants to accommodate fluctuations in electricity demand as well as abrupt outages at conventional power plants, and grid operators use the same tool to accommodate high levels of wind and solar generation,” said Debra Lew, NREL project manager for the study. “Increased cycling to accommodate high levels of wind and solar generation increases operating costs by 2% to 5% for the average fossil-fueled plant. However, our simulations show that from a system perspective, avoided fuel costs are far greater than the increased cycling costs for fossil-fueled plants.”

Phase 2 of the Western Wind and Solar Integration Study (WWSIS-2) is a follow up to the WWSIS released in May 2010, which examined the viability, benefits, and challenges of integrating high concentrations of wind and solar power into the western electricity grid. WWSIS found it to be technically feasible if certain operational changes could be made, but the first study raised questions about the impact of cycling on wear-and-tear costs and emissions.

To calculate wear-and-tear costs and emissions impacts for the new study, NREL designed five hypothetical scenarios to examine generating up to 33 percent wind and solar energy on the U.S. portion of the Western Interconnection power system for the year 2020. This is equivalent to a quarter of the power in the Western Interconnection (including Canada and Mexico) coming from wind and solar energy on an annual basis. The study models cycling impacts representing a range of wind and solar concentrations between none and 33 percent, and is not an endorsement of any particular level.

The study assumes a future average natural gas price of $4.60/MMBtu, significant cooperation between balancing authorities, and optimal usage of transmission capacity (i.e., not reserving transmission for contractual obligations). Read More

Alternative energy, Electricity, Research, Solar, Wind

U of Cincy Team Captures Grease for Biodiesel

John Davis

cincy1A student team from the University of Cincinnati is being recognized for their idea to capture waste grease and turn it into biodiesel. The school’s Team Effuelent, led by students Ron Gillespie, Ethan Jacobs, and Qingshi Tu won the $40,000 prize in the Odebrecht Award for Sustainability Development Competition with their concept of “Using Trap Grease As the Raw Material for Biodiesel Feedstock Production.”

The team’s innovative Waste Grease Extraction process extracts substances such as fats, oils, and greases from the municipal wastewater stream and converts them into a low-cost biodiesel feedstock using processes compatible to the current biodiesel industry.

Not only does the WGE process generate a marketable product of value, it also results in lowered landfill costs for wastewater treatment plants and positively contributes to the environmental, economic, and energy sustainability of the United States.

Mingming Lu, associate professor in CEAS’ Department of Biomedical, Chemical, and Environmental Engineering, originally developed the novel process and serves as the team’s advisor. The students were awarded $20,000, Professor Lu receives $10,000, and another $10,000 goes to the University of Cincinnati.

Team Effuelent is now working on building a prototype system for the Waste Grease Extraction process.

Biodiesel, Research, University

Argentine Biodiesel Makers Vow to Fight EU Duties

John Davis

areu-flagCalling European Union punitive duties on their biodiesel bad for biodiesel overall on the continent, Argentine producers say they will fight them. This story from Reuters says the proposed $330-per-tonne duties on biodiesel imports from Argentina are seen by the Argentinians as unfair and bad for biodiesel in Europe as well.

“We will seek to defend ourselves against this decision, which we consider unfair,” Luis Zubizarreta, head of Argentinian biofuel body CARBIO, told Reuters.

“Clearly, Argentina will not be able to export so much as a litre to Europe, and European biodiesel prices will rise. We will have to produce less biodiesel,” he said.

If backed by EU governments at a vote later this month, the duties could be imposed by the end of November.

Similar duties are being proposed against Indonesian biodiesel. The two countries produce 90 percent of EU biodiesel imports.

Biodiesel, International

Study Refutes Land Use Change Myth

Joanna Schroeder

A recent report released from researchers in the Netherlands shows that current models assessing the impact of crops grown for biofuel production on land use (indirect land use change /ILUC) do not accurately reflect current production and land use realities. Given the impact of these models on bioenergy policy, the paper, “Biomass Research,” makes a strong case for updating the way in which the true benefits of biofuels are assessed. This Corn crop August 2013would help insure policy decisions and made with the understanding and consideration of the ethanol’s environmental benefits.

National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Ethanol Committee Chair Chad Willis said, “Ethanol advocates have long understood the major impact that relying upon outdated data or inaccurate models can have on our nation’s biofuels policy and, at NCGA we work to correct the information and models. This study provides an academically rigorous examination of the specific areas in which ethanol modeling and data are currently lacking on a large scope.”

Farmers have made amazing strides to increase efficiency and sustainability in the past few decades,” continued Willis, and the models and information used to assess the impact of biofuel production should reflect these gains. American ethanol benefits our environment as well as our economy and our energy security. It only makes sense that our energy policy should take these incredible benefits into account thus maximizing them for the good of all Americans.”

Looking at land use and biomass production balances in 34 major biofuel-producing nations, the report concludes that increases in acreage devoted to biofuel feedstock production were more than offset by productivity gains on acreage devoted to food production between 2000 and 2010. These productivity gains were the result of the use of double cropping practices, yield gains and other increased efficiencies.

Additionally, the study also notes that during the same period, urbanization and other causes were responsible for the loss of much more agricultural land than biofuel feedstock production.Read More

Agribusiness, biofuels, corn, Environment, Indirect Land Use, NCGA

Call for Brazil to Reinstate Fuel Tax Policy

Joanna Schroeder

The Brazilian Industry Sugarcane Association (UNICA) is calling for the return of the ICMS tax policy that creates incentives to use ethanol over gasoline. When the tax policy is in place, funds generated from the fuel tax are used to subsidize public transportation. UNICA notes that the policy is a way to generate positive economic, social, environmental and public health benefits. The Association’s recommendation came on the heels of a study conducted by the Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV) on behalf of UNICA.

“We insisted that the recognition of so-called positive externalities of ethanol, through public policy and differentiated taxation, would be an important step towards returning to the competitiveness clean and renewable fuel to the base of cane sugar. The FGV study sugarcaneshows that it is possible to start down this path, with important benefits for society,” said Elizabeth Farina, the president of UNICA.

Until 2007, fossil fuels (gas) were taxed more heavily than renewable fuels (ethanol). Farina notes that reinstating this tax structure would also have significant environmental impacts, something that has not been considered as part of the benefits of the tax policy.

“We often hear very naturally that the calculation to be done in time to fuel the car is 70 percent, i.e. ethanol should not cost more than 70 percent of the price of gasoline. Except that this calculation does not take into account the severe environmental damage caused by the increase in the use of gasoline and reduction in the use of ethanol, especially in large cities,” said Farina.

A recent study released by the Health and Sustainability Institute points out that 4,655 people died due to poor air quality in the state capital in 2011 – a total more than three times the number of deaths in traffic accidents. Farina says that the damage goes beyond environmental issues. Currencies are wasted to import gasoline, as demand could be being fueled by ethanol, a industry employing more than a million Brazilians and benefits over a thousand municipalities throughout the country.Read More

advanced biofuels, Brazil, Ethanol

Clean Energy Fuels Distributing “Waste” Natural Gas

Joanna Schroeder

Clean Energy Fuels Corp. has announced that it will be the first company to commercially distribute a renewable natural gas vehicle fuel, called Redeem, made from waste streams such as landfills, large dairies and sewage plants, directly to fleets around the country. In addition, natural gas fleets will be able to purchase Redeem at the 35 public Clean Energy stations throughout California.

“It’s a landmark day for Clean Energy as the first company to make this revolutionary and renewable transportation fuel made from waste available to our customers,” said Andrew J. Littlefair, president and CEO of Clean Energy. “Our goal is to produce and distribute 15 CE-Sacramento-CA-Refuse-Truck-RedeemSticker-1million gallons of Redeem in our first year, which can make significant progress towards achieving California’s climate change goals and prove that this is a viable, cleaner and abundant alternative fuel source for our future.”

Clean Energy is staking its position in the renewable fuels market through a significant investment in natural gas fueling infrastructure, including 400 fueling stations throughout the nation, as well as in the development of multiple biomethane production facilities that will produce Redeem.

“California’s leadership in addressing the threat of climate change and its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions makes it the ideal state to launch Clean Energy’s Redeem fuel,” said Harrison Clay, president of Clean Energy subsidiary Clean Energy Renewable Fuels. “Redeem is the lowest carbon footprint fuel commercially available and the only affordable renewable fuel for heavy duty trucks. We believe this creates an environmental and economic incentive for companies inside and outside California who are looking to make a major reduction in the greenhouse gas emissions from their fleet operations while still saving on their fuel bill. Redeem makes that possible.”

According to California Air Resource Board CARB( estimates, Redeem sourced from landfill gas can enable up to a 90 percent reduction in carbon emissions when displacing diesel or gasoline in compressed natural gas (CNG). Clean Energy Fuels estimates a fleet that consumes 1,000,000 gallons of gasoline per year can reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 9,700 metric tons by switching to Redeem.Read More

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Waste-to-Energy

Darling Closing Deal to Buy Renderer for Biodiesel

John Davis

darlingBack in August, we told you about Darling International Inc.’s bid to buy Canada-based Rothsay, the rendering and biodiesel division of Maple Leaf Foods Inc. Darling is now expected to close that deal to give the company animal fats for biodiesel feedstock on October 28, 2013.

Rothsay is the leading recycler of animal by-products in Canada and provides an essential service for the efficient and environmentally responsible collecting, processing and recapturing of edible and inedible by-products. Rothsay processes raw materials into finished products of fats and proteins. Rothsay has a network of five rendering plants in Manitoba, Ontario and Nova Scotia and a biodiesel operation in Quebec, Canada. Rothsay employs approximately 550 people, who will transition to Darling once the transaction closes.

Darling International Inc. is the largest and only publicly traded provider of rendering and bakery residuals recycling solutions to the nation’s food industry. The Company recycles beef, poultry and pork by-product streams into useable ingredients such as tallow, feed-grade fats, meat and bone meal, poultry meal and hides. The Company also recovers and converts used cooking oil and commercial bakery residuals into valuable feed and fuel ingredients. These products are primarily sold to agricultural, pet food, leather, oleo-chemical and biodiesel manufacturers around the world. In addition, the Company provides grease trap collection services and sells used cooking oil collection equipment to restaurants.

Earlier this year, Texas-based Darling opened a joint venture renewable diesel plant with energy giant Valero in Louisiana. That plant also uses animal fat to make the renewable diesel, as well as using waste cooking oil and corn oil.

Biodiesel, International

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFEdeniq, Inc., has announced the receipt of notice of allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for the patent, “Materials and Methods for Converting Biomass to Biofuel.” The patent covers certain core equipment and process technology used in Edeniq’s Cellunator offering, Pathway integrated platform, and continuous cellulosic sugar production process. Cellunator increases ethanol yield by two to four percent by optimizing starch conversion. The Pathway platform combines the Cellunator technology with an enzyme cocktail to break down corn kernel fiber, releasing cellulosic sugars into the fermentation process.
  • Don’t miss out on the F.O. Licht’s Ethanol Latin America 2013, being held December 2-4, 2013 in Cali, Columbia. Attendees will receive a free copy of F.O. Lichts Sugar & Ethanol 2014 report. In addition to the conference, there is a pre-conference ethanol technology production day where attendees will visit an ethanol plant followed by a production efficiency workshop. Click here for more information and to register.
  • BlueFire Renewables has integrated a synergistic wood pellet production plant to its facility in Fulton, Mississippi. The reconfigured design will be a 9 million gallon per year ethanol plant integrated with a 400,000 ton per year wood pellet plant. The pellets will be sold under long term contracts into the European mandated renewable energy market.
  • Intermolecular and RUSNANO, the Fund for Infrastructure and Educational Programs, has announced the signing of a joint development agreement between Intermolecular and Ulnanotech, the leading Russian Federation nanocenter based in Ulyanovsk. Ulnanotech will leverage leading-edge development platforms purchased from Intermolecular to accelerate research and development (R&D) efforts around glass coatings, advanced power electronics, photovoltaics and displays. In addition to providing advanced development platforms to Ulnanotech, Silicon Valley-based Intermolecular will assist the company in developing and executing new business opportunities and programs. Intermolecular will share in potential future profits from service and licensing revenue associated with those activities.
Bioenergy Bytes

Biodiesel Imports Drop Sharply in July

John Davis

eiaNumbers from the U.S. government show biodiesel imports, including all biomass-based diesel like renewable diesel, dropped sharply in July. This story in Biodiesel Magazine says the Energy Information Administration (EIA) showed imports of biomass-based diesel at about 14.2 million gallons in July, less than half of June’s 28.6 million gallons.

Indonesian biodiesel made up the majority of July’s imports, coming in at slightly more than 8.5 million gallons. Imports from Germany totaled 3.15 million gallons, while Norway and Canada together shipped about 2.5 million gallons to the U.S.

U.S. biodiesel exports also fell from June, although not by quite as much. The EIA data shows a total of 17.9 million gallons of exports in July, although the administration only explicitly lists roughly 16.4 million gallons of biomass-based diesel destined to specific countries. These figures are down from nearly 25 million gallons in June. More than 11 million gallons of U.S. exports went north to Canada, while close to 4.5 million gallons was shipped to Gibraltar. Taiwan received 630,000 gallons of U.S. biodiesel, while Australia was sent 168,000 gallons.

Other renewable diesel imports also fell in July, with 15.3 million gallons imported in July versus nearly 22 million gallons in June.

Biodiesel, Government

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