Indonesia Aims to Increase Biodiesel Use

John Davis

Indonesia flag1Indonesia wants to increase its use of biodiesel. This story from The Jakarta Post says the government’s finance and energy ministries came up with the plan to be greener and solve a fiscal deficit.

“The policy is being finalized with an aim to reduce oil and gas imports significantly,” [Deputy Finance Minister Mahendra Siregar] said as quoted by Antara news agency.

Mahendra further explained that the policy was aimed at reducing the current account deficit and to maintain the stability of rupiah exchange rate, the first of four policies in the government’s economic package issued on Friday.

In the second quarter of 2013, the current account deficit reached 4.4 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Mahendra said the mandatory biodiesel use of 10 percent would be implemented starting from September 2013 to replace subsidized diesel fuel in Bali, Java, Kalimantan and Sumatra.

The rest of the country will see the 10 percent mandate starting at the beginning of 2014. The Indonesian legislature is expected to discuss the new regulation.

Biodiesel, International

Waste-to-Energy Insider Interviews

Joanna Schroeder

Renewable Waste Intelligence has just released a report, RWI Insider Interviews:
The Municipal Perspective on Waste Conversion Projects, that features five in-depth interviews with executives that focus on waste management to energy. Interviews featured RWI Insider Interviewsare with the County of Maui; the City of San Jose; Humboldt Waste Management Authority;, Monterey Regional Waste Management District; and the City of Glendale. The interviews provide insight into the experience of companies currently undergoing municipal waste conversion projects including opportunities and challenges the projects face.

The goal of the brief is to give the reader insight into how municipalities deal with regulatory & technical issues, have changed public perception, utilised public-private partnerships and financed projects; and understand how municipalities go about selecting project partners and technology providers.

For instance, Kyle Ginoza, Director of the Department of Environmental Management in the
County of Maui, Hawaii, notes, “The greatest challenge is perhaps ensuring that a waste conversion project is economically viable. We face constraints in acceptability of the project from an electricity generation perspective, since there is a multitude of existing renewable energy projects in the region. Consequently, our waste conversion project will entail generating liquid and solid fuels as the output marketable products.”

The paper was launched as a prelude to the upcoming Waste Conversion Congress taking place December 3-4, 2013 in San Diego, California. Click here for more information and to register.

conferences, Waste-to-Energy

Biodiesel Maker Hits Milestone, Makes Univ. Deal

John Davis

sequentialpacificA biodiesel maker in the Pacific Northwest hits a milestone in making the green fuel and strikes a deal with a major collegiate athletic program in the area. SeQuential Pacific Biodiesel, which turns waste cooking oil into biodiesel, has produced its 20 millionth gallon of the fuel. And this company news release says the region’s longest-running commercial biodiesel producer has struck a deal with the University of Oregon to recycle the athletic department’s cooking oil into biodiesel.

The University of Oregon joins more than 7,000 Northwest organizations in working with SeQuential Pacific Biodiesel to recycle cooking oil. SeQuential Pacific’s fuel is made from used cooking oil collected from local restaurants, businesses, hospitals and schools. These relationships help benefit the environment by diverting a waste stream – keeping used oil out of landfills or the sewer system – and by producing a cleaner-burning fuel. Biodiesel made from used cooking oil is significantly cleaner than petroleum diesel, emitting up to 78 percent less carbon dioxide and other harmful gasses.

“Oregon Athletics is committed to playing a leadership role in the university’s greening efforts,” said Craig Pintens, Senior Associate Athletic Director for Marketing & Public Relations. “From individual offices to our complex of athletic venues, our staff, student-athletes, and supporters are making a difference for the environment. We are excited to be working with SeQuential Pacific Biodiesel to ensure that the waste oil generated by our athletics concessions will be put to good use for the environment as well as for the community.”

“Twenty million gallons is a major milestone for us and a testament to the partnerships we work to foster between our team, our customers and the community,” said Tyson Keever, general manager for SeQuential Pacific Biodiesel. “Our relationships are critical to what we do. We’re particularly excited about this agreement with the University of Oregon because it has already played a big role in shaping our story.”

What also makes the deal even better is that many of SeQuential’s founding members are also Oregon alumni.

Biodiesel

ACE on Ethanol: Keep it Simple, Say What You Know

John Davis

Larry JohnsonAs members of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) gather in Des Moines, Iowa this week to “Unite and Ignite” for their 26th annual conference, there’s some simple advice for those advocating for the green fuel.

“Keep it simple … say what you know … be able to back it up,” advised Larry Johnson, a lead consultant with LLJ, Cologne, Minn., when asked by Joanna how he talked to legislators in Washington, D.C. during last March’s ACE Biofuels Beltway event when about 70 ethanol backers gathered on Capitol Hill to tell ethanol’s story.

Larry said the lawmakers earlier this year had lots of questions many Americans have about ethanol: asking about things such as the food-versus-fuel debate and ethanol blends in off-road and marine engines. He also made the point that advanced biofuels are not just something that are coming sometime in the future.

“Advanced biofuels are definitely here now,” he said, specifically pointing out that cellulosic ethanol is past the days when advocates kept promising that it was “just around the corner.” “We have several companies, Abengoa, POET, DuPont, Ineos down in Florida, that [are] building and even one is in production down in Florida. The other plants have got steel in the ground. By the end of this year, we’ll have our first production facilities from corn stover and other products.”

While he admitted it’s been a long process to get here, Larry believes once the cellulosic process is tweaked, things will really take off.

“It’s going to boom again, and we’ll see a lot of this.”

Listen to Joanna’s interview with Larry here: Larry Johnson, LLJ, Lead Consultant

Visit the ACE 26th Annual Ethanol Conference photo album.

ACE, ACE Ethanol Conference, advanced biofuels, Audio, Government

ACE: Infographic Tells a Thousand Words of Ethanol

John Davis

Greg Veerman Astronaut Brand StudioYou’ve heard the expression that “a picture tells a thousand words.” Well, some advocates of ethanol believe a well-done picture coupled with compelling facts can tell that thousand words even better (which falls in line with our latest ZimmComm poll results about infographics). American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) members are gathering this week as they “Unite and Ignite” for this year’ 26th annual conference in Des Moines, Iowa, and hopefully, they’re armed to tell ethanol’s story with an engaging infographic touting the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) developed by Greg Veerman’s Astronaut Brand Studio:”An American Success.”

“There are a lot of smart people in this industry who have been serving up a laundry list of features and benefits behind ethanol and the technology, and it’s been kind of a repeated script. What we’re trying to do with the infographic we developed is to use design as a tool,” Greg told Joanna during ACE’s Beltway Biofuels March earlier this year, as about 70 ethanol advocates descended on the nation’s capital to talk with lawmakers. “Design is meant to solve problems, and that’s what we’re doing here with the infographic, [reframing] those features and benefits in a way that engages the audience.”

aceinfographic1Greg went on to say that this infographic helps cut through the noise, and it invites exploration by the reader, giving more visual energy than a white paper, without replacing the necessity and information of a white paper but giving people a chance to better relate to the data.

He continued, pointing out that many of the arguments against ethanol are predictable. But he believes if ethanol advocates are able to use the infographic and the facts behind it, they’ll sway audiences because there are some real compelling reasons to support the green fuel. It just needs to be told properly.

“We need to wrap our data with the human dimension and the human benefits that this industry has delivered to so many communities all over the country … and not just in the cornbelt. There are people paying their bills and putting food in their cupboards who are working on the science, the biotechnology and the engineering, and I think the personal human dimension and benefit that represents for American families really in every state is a critical component to this.”

Listen to Joanna’s interview with Greg here: Greg Veerman, Astronaut Brand Studio

Visit the ACE 26th Annual Ethanol Conference photo album.

ACE, ACE Ethanol Conference, Audio, biofuels

ACE: When Telling the Truth About Ethanol, It’s Easy

John Davis

Troy Prescott Cardinal EthanolAs members of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) gather in Des Moines, Iowa this week to “Unite and Ignite” for their 26th annual conference, we’re reminded of some previous advice from Troy Prescott with Cardinal Ethanol about telling the good news story of ethanol.

“When you’re telling the truth, it isn’t hard to keep telling the story,” he told Joanna back when she talked to him during ACE’s Biofuels Beltway event last March in Washington, D.C., as about 70 ethanol backers gathered on Capitol Hill to tell that ethanol story (and you thought no one ever spoke the truth in Washington!).

Troy said they faced some real doubters in the Nation’s capital, including Utah Senator Orrin Hatch, who had just sponsored legislation to keep E15 from going to the marketplace. But he said they stuck to the facts about ethanol, and giving credit to the senator, Hatch’s office listened. Troy explained that while Utah is not a cornbelt state, it’s still in the senator’s and his constituents’ best interests to see ethanol succeed now, because today’s support of corn ethanol will pay off when the industry is able to move more to cellulosic, and places like Utah can reap the benefits.

“You just have to find the niche that gets them to start thinking, ‘Hey, this could be good for my state.'”

While he realizes he’s not going to convert everyone, Troy believes continuing to tell ethanol’s factual story, even to those in the cornbelt, will pay off in the long run, bit-by-bit.

“You just gotta keep chippin’ away, getting your word out,” he concluded.

Listen to Joanna’s interview with Troy here: Troy Prescott, Cardinal Ethanol

Visit the ACE 26th Annual Ethanol Conference photo album.

ACE, ACE Ethanol Conference, Audio, biofuels, Cellulosic, conferences, corn, Ethanol, Government

Most People Love Infographics

Talia Goes

zp-nhOur latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What is your opinion on farm info graphics?”

Our poll results:
· Love them, they are helpful 69%
· Waste of energy 6%
· Confusing 13%
· Other 13%

It looks like the time spent creating these easy-to-use, quick-to-read infographics is worthwhile. Keep up the good work.

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question “Why do you attend farm shows?” A lot of companies spend a lot of money promoting their products, answering questions and launching new products at trade shows, but we want to know why YOU go! Let us know.

ZimmPoll

EPA: Reject 2014 RFS Partial Waiver

Joanna Schroeder

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is today urging Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy to reject the partial waiver of 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The American Petroleum Institute (API) and the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM).

“Big Oil’s attempt to completely rewrite and redefine the statute pertaining to RFS waivers is just another shameless example of how far they’ll go to protect their market share and block larger volumes of renewable fuel from reaching the consumer,” wrote Bob Dinneen, RFA’s President and CEO in a letter to McCarthy. “Not only do API and AFPM blatantly contort the meaning and intent of the statute, but, as trade associations, they aren’t even entitled to file a petition for a waiver in the first place.”

Fass-Füllanlage Drum fillingAccording to RFA’s letter, the petition from API and AFPM obscures the fundamental purpose and intent of the RFS, which is to drive the production and use of renewable fuels beyond their traditional role as fuel additives.

“The need to move beyond E10 in 2014 for the purposes of RFS compliance should hardly come as a surprise to obligated parties,” wrote Dinneen, pointing out that it was clear as early as 2009 that the so-called E10 “blend wall” would occur in 2013 or 2014. “Unfortunately, many obligated parties chose to blatantly ignore the strong signals compelling them to begin preparations for higher volumes of renewable fuels and to increase investments in storage and distribution infrastructure. Now, the members of API and AFPM seek relief from their renewable fuel blending obligations, arguing that their failure to prepare for 2014 RFS requirements somehow merits reprieve. EPA should not reward such blatant disregard for resoundingly clear policy signals.”

The RFA comments conclude that the combination of increased E85 and E15 sales, carry-over Renewable Identification Number (RINs) from 2013, and likely administrative adjustments to the 2014 advanced biofuel standard will allow obligated parties to easily meet their RFS requirements without adverse economic consequences.

“EPA should act swiftly to reject the petition submitted by API and AFPM. The conditions outlined in the Clean Air Act under which EPA may grant a waiver simply do not exist,” Dinneen concluded. “The RFS is working precisely as intended—EPA is exercising its authority to adjust annual blending requirements, RINs are sending clear signals to the marketplace to expand renewable fuels infrastructure and consumption, and RIN banking and trading provisions are providing compliance flexibility to obligated parties. In short, oil refiners and importers should have no difficulty in meeting their 2014 blending requirements.”

biofuels, Ethanol, RFA, RFS, RINS

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFJoule, a company focused on developing direct CO2-to-fuels solar conversion technology, has announced changes in its executive leadership. After four years of leading Joule’s early development as CEO, William J. Sims will step out of his management role but will remain a member of the company’s board. Noubar Afeyan, co-founder and Chairman, is assuming the role of interim-CEO while Paul Snaith, who joined the company in 2012, will be promoted to President and COO of Joule.
  • SolarCity has opened its first operations center in the San Fernando Valley to accommodate customers as far north as Santa Barbara County. The 16,800 square-foot facility is staffed by 61 full-time employees today, and SolarCity currently has 15 job openings at this location. SolarCity already has approximately The company has also begun or completed projects to provide solar power to some 60 school facilities within the Los Angeles, Glendale and Simi Valley Unified School Districts, and will be providing solar electricity to the headquarters of the Las Virgenes-Triunfo Municipal Water District within the next year.
  • Rentech, a U.S. supplier of wood pellets and nitrogen fertilizer, has scrapped plans to build a cellulosic biomass to synthetic gas facility in Adams County, Mississippi. The company has sold about 450 acres of land where it had planned to build the renewable-energy project.
  • A new commercial algae production cultivation system developed at the National Algae Association’s (NAA) Test Center in The Woodlands, Texas is ready for market. The Algae Growth Cell (G-Cell)™ was developed by AlgaeEquip, LLC, and according to NAA,the G-Cell is the world’s largest custom commercial algae production closed-loop cultivation semi-continuous system for universities and indoor and outdoor commercial algae farmers. It helps reduce the daily contamination issues and low production from open raceway ponds and reduces the high cost of using expensive clear PVC tube photobioreactors.
Bioenergy Bytes

Farmers Cooperative To Offer E15

Joanna Schroeder

Farmers Cooperative Company has announced it will be offering E15 beginning this fall at its Creston, Iowa station.

This car can use E15“The customer is of the utmost importance at Farmers Cooperative,” said Farmers Cooperative Creston Branch Manager Darin Schlapia. “With that in mind, we strive to offer the highest-quality products at an affordable price. Bringing E15 to our product line-up will give our customers another low-cost fuel choice that also benefits our rural economy.”

Farmers Cooperative will be offering E15 as a registered fuel at its station located at 304 North Osage Street in Creston, Iowa. E15, a blend of gasoline and 15 percent ethanol, can be used by all 2001 and newer passenger vehicles, which account for about 85 percent of fuel use in the United States. In order to offer E15, a retailer must register with the EPA. IRFA assisted Farmers Cooperative in the registration process to ensure they comply with all federal and state E15 regulations. In addition, IRFA will be co-sponsoring a consumer education campaign in September to introduce E15 to Creston residents.

“Thanks to Farmers Cooperative, southwest Iowa residents will now have access to the newest ethanol-blended fuel,” added IRFA Managing Director Lucy Norton. “The growth in E15 availability means more consumers can reap the benefits of this high-performance, low-cost fuel produced right here in Iowa.”

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) recently released the results of a new analysis that shows a pending shift in the fuels carried in pipelines that service Iowa will lead to E15 being the lowest-cost option for many retailers.

biofuels, E15, Ethanol, Iowa RFA