Free Fuel Happy Hour at Sturgis

Joanna Schroeder

During this year’s Sturgis event in Sturgis, South Dakota, bikers from across the country who were staying at the Buffalo Chip Campgrounds were treated to free ethanol-blended fuel compliments of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA).

The “Free Fuel Happy Hours” promotion enabled motorcyclists to fill their tank, free of charge, with 93 octane E10 (10 percent ethanol). This high octane fuel was not available in the area, and was brought in specifically for the event. The Free Fuel Happy Hours spanned three days – August 6-8, 2013 – from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.

During the event, RFA discussed ethanol blended fuel with riders and also heard some great feedback. Michael Price from Long Beach, Washington, said that he has the 93 octane ethanol blend in his hometown and has been using it for years. He said his engine runs great and he never had any trouble with the blend.

Ethanol urfa-sturgis-13-14se in motorcycles is not limited to the U.S. – a biker from New Zealand stopped by to fill up his Harley and said ethanol worked well for him.

You can hear what several riders had to say about ethanol in this audio clip. Free Fuel Happy Hour at Sturgis
2013 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Photo Album

Audio, biofuels, Ethanol, Motorcycle, RFA, Sturgis, Video

REAP Funding Announced

Joanna Schroeder

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced funding for 631 projects across the country – including 45 in North Carolina – that will help agricultural producers and rural small businesses reduce their energy consumption and costs, use renewable energy Vilsack in Amestechnologies in their operations and/or conduct feasibility studies for renewable energy projects. Grant and loan funding is made available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), which is authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill.

With this announcement, USDA is committing to more than $21 million in energy projects nationwide. Despite budget uncertainties, USDA remains focused on strengthening the rural economy.

“As part of the Obama Administration’s ‘all-of-the-above’ energy strategy, USDA continues to work with America’s farmers, ranchers and rural businesses to help them save energy and improve their bottom line,” Vilsack said. “This program and others like it would not be available without a Food, Farm and Jobs Bill, and again I urge members of Congress to pass a bill when they return to Washington next month.”

REAP helps producers reduce energy costs and increase production efficiency. Projects range from installing geothermal systems to adding anaerobic digester systems to installing solar panels.

Under the terms of REAP, up to 25 percent of an eligible energy production or conservation project can be funded through a grant, and additional support can be provided in the form of a loan. Since the start of the Obama Administration, REAP has helped fund nearly 7,000 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects nationwide.

Agribusiness, biodigester, bioenergy, energy efficiency, Renewable Energy

In the Land of Oil, Biodiesel Making Inroads

John Davis

UAEflagYou would think that in a country awash in petroleum, biodiesel just wouldn’t stand a chance. But here’s another story of biodiesel making some inroads in the oil-rich United Arab Emirates. The Post & Parcel reports that TNT Express is trying out biodiesel in its vehicle fleet.

The global integrator’s commercial vehicles in Dubai will use a kind of diesel that has 5% used cooking oil blended with the petroleum-based diesel.

The so-called B5 Biodiesel is supplied by local firm Lootah Biofuels, a subsidiary of Dubai-based SS Lootah Group.

TNT Express said using the alternative fuel would help reduce the amount of used cooking oil requiring disposal, and also cut carbon emissions compared to conventional diesel.

The company said its project with Lootah Biofuels would cut carbon emissions by about 32 tons each year.

This comes on the heels of last month’s story about how Del Monte in the UAE is using used cooking oil from McDonald’s made into biodiesel by Dubai-based Neutral Fuels.

Biodiesel, International

Biodiesel Buses Take American U. Students to Class

John Davis

AU shuttle1Students at a major Washington, D.C. university will be breathing a little easier on clean-burning biodiesel shuttle buses. The National Biodiesel Board says American University will run three new biodiesel-powered shuttle buses as students come back to campus this month.

“The new design is the perfect opportunity to showcase our shuttles in a way that also highlights our commitment to the education process and our branding for the university as well,” said Mark Feist, AU’s assistant director of grounds, vehicle maintenance and support services.

AU transitioned to biodiesel for its entire diesel fleet in December 2012, after obtaining an on-campus 1,000-gallon storage tank.

NBB went on to mention how the Nation’s nearly half a million school buses and the environment could benefit from the transportation running on biodiesel, not to mention the cleaner air more than 25 million students could be breathing every day. Many colleges, universities and school districts around the country are already using the green fuel to power their fleets. More information from NBB on biodiesel buses is available here.

Biodiesel

Government Lowers Cellulosic Biofuels Targets

John Davis

eiaIn the wake of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issuing its final rule for the 2013 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), the government revised down targets for cellulosic biofuel use this year. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports the new rule sets a 6 million gallon target for cellulosic biofuels use in 2013, less than half what was proposed just six months ago… and well below the 1 billion gallon target specified in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007:

By law, EPA can lower the required volumes of advanced biofuels and total renewable fuels by up to the amount that it reduces the required volume of cellulosic biofuels. EPA chose not to reduce the advanced biofuels and total renewable fuels targets for 2013, leaving the required volume of total renewable fuels in 2013 at the 16.55 billion gallons specified in EISA 2007. However, the final rule states that EPA anticipates the need to adjust those targets for the 2014 RFS program year, for which EISA 2007 specifies a total renewable fuels target of 18.15 billion gallons. EPA’s forthcoming notice of proposed rulemaking for the 2014 RFS program year will provide further information.

As discussed in previous TIE articles, a May 2013 letter from EIA cited in EPA’s final RFS rule, and recent testimony by EIA Administrator Adam Sieminski, production of cellulosic biofuels has grown at a much slower pace than envisioned in EISA 2007. The RFS consists of four nested volumetric targets for specific types of biofuels. By 2022, EISA 2007 specifies a 36 billion gallon target for total renewable fuels in transportation fuel, including 21 billion gallons of advanced biofuels, of which 16 billion gallons are cellulosic biofuels.
EIArfs
The EIA goes on to say that some parts of the RFS have been hard to implement because of lower-than-anticipated gasoline consumption, as well as issues with the E10 blend wall and using higher blends in current vehicles and infrastructure.

biofuels, Cellulosic, Government

Growth Areas in Ag-Related Jobs

Talia Goes

zp-nhOur latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What is the biggest growth area for ag jobs?”

Our poll results:

· Precision Technology 22%
· Management & Biotechnology 17%
· Agronomy 13%
· Biofuels, Engineering & Media 9%
· Advertising/PR 4%

If you are looking for a job in agriculture, or seeking to fill a position in your company or organization, check out AgCareers.com.

With the constant negative pushback from activists regarding the techniques and technologies being used to increase yields in both crops and livestock, our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question “How important are biotechnology and antibiotics for food production?”

ZimmPoll is sponsored by New Holland Agriculture.

ZimmPoll

In Center Ring: Biofuels Versus Big Oil

Joanna Schroeder

The National Conference of State Legislators kicked off in Atlanta, Georgia yesterday and today the group has invited Geoff Cooper with the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) along with Patrick Kelly of the American Petroleum Institute (API) to debate the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). According to Cooper, the invitation was extended because state legislators want to learn more about the program and how it affects its constituents throughout their states.

Biofuels v Big OilThe RFS, says Cooper, is one of the most successful, if not the most successful, energy policy the U.S. has ever legislated. Coupled with the rapid growth of the biofuels industry – biofuels have gone from around 2 percent of the fuel supply to 10 percent in a little over six years – the oil industry is now taking note of its lost market share and is now attempting to put their feet in the sand to keep from losing more.

While the biofuels industry continues to fight for the RFS while also educating consumers and legislators about biofuels and the success the policy is having, Cooper said the top priority of the industry right now is to expand the use of E15 and E85. E15 will get the industry over the so-called “blend wall” while higher blends such as E85 will enable all the fuel required by the RFS (36 billion gallons by 2022) to be blended with the fuel supply.

“I think a lot of people had written E85 off over the past several years, but we’re in an environment today where E85 prices are very competitive to E10 on a energy equivalent basis,” explained Cooper. “As a result, we are seeing renewed interest in E85, unlike anything we’ve seen in the last five to ten years. E85 sales are really jumping in markets where it is readily available and consumers understand it and there is some level of competition.”

Cooper is confident that the more legislators learn about now the RFS is working, the more supportive they will be in keeping the policy in place and moving forward.

Listen to my interview with Geoff Cooper here: Biofuels Versus Big Oil

Audio, biofuels, E15, E85, Ethanol, RFA, RFS

Thailand Plans to Up Biodiesel Output, Mandate

John Davis

803531.aiThailand plans to crank out more biodiesel and increase the amount of the green fuel required to be in the mix. This article from Platts says the Southeast Asian country will increase biodiesel production targets from 5.9 million liters per day to 7.3 million liters per day by 2021. Right now, Thailand cranks out 2.8 million liters per day.

Plans to increase the country’s biodiesel production target — which has to be approved by parliament — comes as the energy ministry announced last week its target to roll out B10 biodiesel — a blend of 10% palm-oil based biodiesel and 90% diesel — nationwide by 2019.

Thailand currently has a B5 biodiesel mandate in place, where diesel sold at the pump is blended with 5% palm methyl ester. The government is aiming to roll out a B7 mandate in January next year.

“We’ve sent clear signals to car makers and oil traders in Thailand that we’ll proceed with higher biofuel content in the coming years,” Energy Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal said at an energy forum last Thursday, according to a report by the Bangkok Post August 9.

Thailand’s 13 biodiesel refineries are capable of producing 5.4 million liters per day but could double capacity if farmimg inefficiencies are reduced.

Biodiesel, International

Big Oil Files Waiver to Cap Ethanol

Joanna Schroeder

Growth_Energy_logo-1Big Oil has been defeated time and time again in court related to the growth of the biofuels industry, but they have not been deterred. This week, the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) filed a partial waiver of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), requesting that total ethanol requirements be dropped to 9.7 percent.

According to a press statement, AFPM is calling on EPA to exercise its authority to waive the 3.35 billion gallons from the 18.15 billion gallon 2014 renewable fuel mandate to “avoid the severe economic harm that will result from exceeding the 10 percent ethanol blendwall.” Beyond 10 percent, says the statement, the corrosive nature of ethanol renders the blended fuel incompatible with today’s engines, vehicles and the multi-billion dollar infrastructure in place throughout the nation. Waiving the 2014 volumes is the only available solution to avert the potentially disastrous implications of the blendwall.

“The negative impacts of the RFS will be extreme and will undoubtedly hurt consumers. If EPA does not act, the inability to blend the statutory-mandated amount of ethanol could lead to domestic fuel supply shortages and ultimately cause severe economic harm to consumers and the economy,” said AFPM President Charles T. Drevna.

In response, Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy an organization representing the ethanol industry, said, “The actions by API and AFPM are designed with one goal in mind –to eliminate any competition from clean, green biofuels in the liquid transportation fuels marketplace. It is time that oil companies and special interests stop worrying about maintaining their monopolistic practices and allow competition and choice in the marketplace. Not only should we provide consumers a choice and savings at the pump, we must stop putting our eggs in one basket when it comes to a national energy policy.”

Buis concluded, “Biofuels are a clean burning, reliable and sustainable alternative and it is time we start recognizing their cost savings and numerous benefits and end our addiction to a fossil fuels and Big Oil’s price gouging.”

biofuels, E15, Ethanol, Growth Energy, RFS

American Ethanol Inducted in NASCAR Hall of Fame

Joanna Schroeder

766American Ethanol driver Austin Dillon unveiled a display at the NASCAR Hall of Fame to celebrate his win at the Mudsummer Classic held at the Eldora Speedway on July 25, 2013. The exhibit features a jar of dirt Dillon scooped up near the finish line with the Eldora golden shove, his winner’s trophy and the No. 39 American Ethanol truck he drove to victory, becoming the first driver to win a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on dirt.

“Dillon’s win in Eldora was not only a victory for the up-and-coming star, it was also a victory for American Ethanol,” said National Corn Growers Association NASCAR Advisory Committee Chair Jon Holzfaster, a farmer from Paxton, Neb. “By making history in the American Ethanol truck, Dillon drew a bright spotlight to ethanol’s ability to fuel victory even under the toughest of conditions. This attention is now compounded as NASCAR Hall of Fame visitors will clearly see how ethanol is not only a winner for NASCAR but for all Americans who want to drive using a high performance, lower emission fuel.”

This was the first NASCAR series race held on a dirt track in 43 years, featuring a mix of NASCAR Sprint Cup racers, dirt track veterans and rising stars. Dillon pulled out the victory overcoming a 19th place start.

The race in Eldora was much anticipated by NASCAR fans eager to see the return to dirt, with the race trending worldwide on Twitter and a ratings boost for SPEED network’s primetime coverage. SPEED’s coverage, which prominently featured the American Ethanol logo throughout the race, included commentary from racing greats Tony Stewart, Brad Keselowski and Clint Bowyer.

American Ethanol, corn, Ethanol, NASCAR, NCGA