New Biofuels Projects Announced by DOE

Joanna Schroeder

During remarks at the Energy Department’s (DOE) Biomass 2013 annual conference, Secretary Ernest Moniz highlighted the important role biofuels play in the Administration’s Climate Action Plan to increase our energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions algae photobioreactorsfrom the transportation sector. During the event, Secretary Moniz announced over $22 million in new investments to help develop cost-competitive algae fuels and streamline the biomass feedstock supply chain for advanced biofuels.

“By partnering with industry and universities, we can help make clean, renewable biofuels cost-competitive with gasoline, give drivers more options at the pump and cut harmful carbon pollution,” said Moniz.

The research projects announced build on the DOE’s broader efforts to bring next generation biofuels online, with the goal of producing cost-competitive drop-in biofuels by 2017 and algae biofuels by 2022.

Nearly $16.5 million was given to four projects located in California, Hawaii and New Mexico aimed at breaking down technical barriers and accelerating the development of sustainable, affordable algae biofuels. The projects will help boost the productivity of sustainable algae, while cutting capital and operating costs of commercial-scale production. The projects include:

  • Hawaii Bioenergy ($5 million DOE investment): Based in Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii Bioenergy will develop a cost-effective photosynthetic open pond system to produce algal oil. The project will also demonstrate preprocessing technologies that reduce energy use and the overall cost of extracting lipids and producing fuel intermediates.
  • Sapphire Energy ($5 million DOE investment): Headquartered in San Diego, California, Sapphire Energy will develop a new process to produce algae-based fuel that is compatible with existing refineries. The project will also work on improving algae strains and increasing yield through cultivation improvements.
  • New Mexico State University ($5 million DOE investment): For its project, New Mexico State University will increase the yield of a microalgae, while developing harvesting and cultivation processes that lower costs and support year-round production.
  • California Polytechnic State University ($1.5 million DOE investment): California Polytechnic State University will conduct research and development work to increase the productivity of algae strains and compare two separate processing technologies. The project will be based at a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Delhi, California that has six acres of algae ponds. Read More
advanced biofuels, algae, biomass

Feedstock Flexibility Program Final Rule Published

Joanna Schroeder

The Farm Service Agency has made the final Feedstock Flexibility Program (FFP) public and was published in the Federal Register on Monday, July 29, 2013. Congress created the FFP in the 2008 Farm Bill, allowing for the purchase of excess sugar to produce Screen Shot 2013-08-02 at 9.10.14 AMbioenergy in order to avoid forfeiture of sugar pledged as collateral by processors when securing short-term commodity loans from United States Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC).

Federal law allows sugar processors to obtain loans from the CCC with maturities of up to nine months when the sugarcane or sugar beet harvest begins. Upon loan maturity, the sugar processor may repay the loan in full or forfeit the collateral (sugar) to the government to satisfy the loan. The last time sugar forfeitures occurred was in 2004 but atypical market conditions have necessitated USDA to take a number of actions this crop year to manage the sugar supply at the least cost to the federal government. If needed, FFP is an additional tool to manage the domestic sugar surplus.

As part of continuing efforts to manage the surplus, USDA is currently operating a purchase of sugar from domestic sugarcane processors under the Cost Reduction Options of the Food Security Act of 1985, and simultaneously will exchange this sugar for credits offered by refiners holding licenses under the Refined Sugar Re-export Program.

bioenergy, feedstocks

Biodiesel Part of Soybean Demand Success

John Davis

goodThe domestic crush of soybeans is more during each of the first five months of the current marketing year (September 2012 through January 2013) than it was for the same time a year earlier. According to this analysis from Darrel Good at the University of Illinois, part of that success can be attributed to biodiesel:

The amount of soybean oil used for biodiesel production in the year ahead, and beyond, depends on a large number of factors. These include U.S. biofuels policy; the pace of expansion in the domestic ethanol blend wall; and the competition from other biodiesel feedstocks, particularly imported palm oil. The USDA currently projects that soybean oil used for biodiesel will reach 5.5 billion pounds in 2013-14, up from 4.8 billion pounds this year and 4.87 billion pounds last year. The projection represents nearly 28 percent of total projected domestic use and exports of U.S soybean oil.

The analysis goes on to say that in the future, soybean demand is expected to stay strong, once again, helped by the biodiesel demand.

Biodiesel, Soybeans

Purdue Jet to Fly on Camelina-based Biofuel

John Davis

purduejet1A jet from Purdue University will fly on a camelina-based biofuel at an international air show today. This story from the school says the Embraer Phenom 100 jet takes part in the Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture in Oshkosh using the jet biofuel developed by the U.S. Air Force.

“Aviation biofuels, some of which are approved for use today, are of interest due to their potential to reduce carbon emissions and be derived from non-petroleum sources such as renewable biomass,” said Denver Lopp, professor of aviation technology and co-director of Purdue’s Air Transport Institute for Environmental Sustainability (Air TIES).

The demonstration flight will be one of the first in the United States in which a university-owned jet will be powered by biofuels, said Air TIES co-director David Stanley, and represents an important milestone toward the long-term vision of operating a green training fleet at Purdue University.

The biofuel used will be a Camelina-based HEFA (hydroprocessed esters and fatty acid), developed in partnership with the U.S. Air Force and the Air Force Research Lab. Results from the flight will be studied.

biofuels, Research, University

ZeaChem Recieves EPA Approval on Cellulosic RINS

Joanna Schroeder

zeachemlogoZeaChem Inc. has announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has given registration approval for the cellulosic biofuel produced at the company’s demonstration biorefinery in Boardman, Oregon. The EPA Fuels Programs Registered Company/Facility ID List has been updated accordingly with ZeaChem’s biorefinery verified as an approved registered facility for the production of Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) qualifying D3 cellulosic biofuel RINs. Carbon Solutions Group, a project development, environmental asset management and advisory firm in Chicago, Ill., provided registration services to ZeaChem.

ZeaChem is a producer of sustainable and economical advanced biofuels and bio-based chemicals from domestic, renewable agricultural and forestry resources. Earlier this year, ZeaChem successfully produced the first volumes of cellulosic chemicals and ethanol at its demonstration biorefinery on the path to commercialization. With facility registration complete, cellulosic ethanol production will now generate RINs to achieve the national RFS2.

advanced biofuels, Cellulosic, RINS

Gevo Puts GIFT System Online

Joanna Schroeder

Gevo has announced that it has brought its second million liter fermenter and GIFT system online at its Luverne, Minnesota isobutanol facility.

gevo“We have been successful in operating full-scale fermentations using our GIFT(R) system — which separates the isobutanol from the fermentation broth — on a second million-liter fermenter and GIFT system,” said Patrick Gruber, Gevo’s chief executive officer. “This serves to further validate our technology and plant know-how. We plan to bring the final fermenters and GIFT(R) system online at Luverne later this year, testing run rates, then ramping up production and sales over the balance of 2013 and in 2014.”

Gevo plans on selling the isobutanol it produces in the specialty chemicals and specialty oxygenated fuel blendstock markets, and use it as a building block to make jet fuel and chemical products, such as paraxylene, which is converted into PET and used in the production of bottles and fibers.

ICMlogo1Dave Vander Griend, ICM’s chief executive officer, noted, “We’re pleased to congratulate Gevo on their exciting announcement. Through our collaboration over the years, ICM has supported Gevo’s efforts to become the global first commercial producer of renewable isobutanol. We were thrilled to test Gevo’s GIFT(R) technology at our pilot plant in St. Joseph, Mo., in addition to constructing new portions of their facility in Luverne. In doing this, it enabled us to implement a model of retrofitting existing assets and implementing new technology with broad market capabilities.

Our combined efforts enabled us to support Gevo in bringing their first million-liter fermenter online, and then achieving the next critical step of bringing a second fermenter online, which we’re celebrating today,” Vander Griend concluded.

advanced biofuels, biobutanol

Biodiesel-Ready Chevy Cruze Gets Even Cleaner

John Davis

cruze-diesel1Chevy’s Cruze is already a pretty clean burner, as it takes the green fuel biodiesel. Now with the 2014 Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel, the company says the advanced 2.0L engine with its variable-swirl intake system creates a “perfect storm” of air and fuel that helps enhance performance while reducing emissions.

“Variable swirl helps put the ‘clean’ in Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel. It increases the mixture-motion of air and fuel in low-speed, low-load driving, like when you’re doing the commuter crawl to work every day,” said Mike Siegrist, 2.0L turbo diesel assistant chief engineer. “It contributes to Cruze Diesel’s great fuel economy, and helps give drivers the most torque for the least amount of fuel at the lowest emission and noise levels.”

The all-new 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Clean Turbo DieselIn Cruze’s variable-swirl intake manifold, each cylinder has two separate intake ports, with one of them controlled by a valve. During variable swirl, each throttle valve varies how much it opens to create mixture-motion of air and fuel within each cylinder. General Motors’ Powertrain team devoted countless hours to calibrating the actuator to precisely open and close the valves for optimal performance.

This technology and other innovations has made the Cruze the leader in its segment in highway mileage, seeing a whopping 46 miles per gallon out on the highway and range of more than 700 miles per tank – better than any non-hybrid or gasoline-powered passenger car vehicle in America.

Biodiesel, Car Makers

DOE Heralds Cellulosic Benchmark

Joanna Schroeder

The Department of Energy (DOE) is thrilled with the announcement that INEOS Bio’s Indian River BioEnergy Center in Vero Beach, Florida is producing cellulosic ethanol at commercial scale. Often hailed as the “phantom fuel,” the success of the plant is demonstrating that advanced biofuels are “no longer around the corner” and here today. The company’s technology was originally developed with DOE support back in the 1990’s – to convert grass clippings photo scottswood scraps, grass clippings and other waste materials into transportation fuels as well as energy for heat and power.

“Unlocking the potential for the responsible development of all of America’s rich energy resources is a critical part of our all-of-the-above energy strategy,” said Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. “Today’s announcement of commercial-scale cellulosic production represents an important benchmark for American leadership in this growing global industry. It also demonstrates the need for early-stage investment in innovative technologies that will help diversify our energy portfolio, reduce carbon pollution and lead to tomorrow’s energy breakthroughs.”

The Indian River County BioEnergy Center (Center) will have an annual output of eight million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year from vegetative, yard and municipal solid waste as well as six megawatts of clean, renewable power annually – enough to run the entire facility and provide excess power to the local community.

The project’s gasification-fermentation technology – which produces fuel, heat and power – has its roots in a University of Arkansas research project, supported by a $5 million DOE investment over fifteen years. The Department’s early support helped this technology obtain a number of patents, with the core intellectual property purchased by INEOS Bio in 2008.

advanced biofuels, Cellulosic, Ethanol

Now This Is Interesting…

Joanna Schroeder

Now this I find interesting. Yesterday I brought you the story about how Xcel Energy is taking aim at net metering, one of the most important tools to increase solar power adoption on homes. Yet the company is the top wind energy provider and has announced plans to expand its wind power production to “reduce customer costs, protect against rising and volatile fuel prices, and benefit the environment. Ironically, these are also benefits of solar power.

Yet I understand the dichotomy of support. For the most part, you can’t put a wind turbine on the roof of your home, although there are some up and coming home wind turbine technologies that would face the same challenges if changes were made to net metering regulations. The problem is simple – utility companies don’t make money on renewable energy projects that reduce bills or even provide enough power to sell excess energy to the grid. And the biggest threat to utilities’ bottom lines today is solar energy.

Here is another reason why wind is “good” for utilities. With the significant growth of the industry, prices are competitive and then there is the federal Production Tax Credit that was renewed just in the nick of time at the end of last year.

XCEL ENERGY WIND GROWTH“Wind energy is a valuable, low-cost substitute for natural gas and other fuels right now,” said Ben Fowke, chairman, president and CEO of Xcel Energy in a press statement detailing their intentions for wind energy. “These projects will lower customer costs by at least $800 million over their lives and will provide a valuable hedge to rising and volatile fuel prices for well into the future.”

The company has submitted to state regulators throughout its service area proposals to purchase at least 1,500 megawatts of wind resources, a 30 percent increase in overall wind capacity. The wind power expansion, along with previous conservation, renewable energy and power plant improvement projects, according to the company, puts them on track to reduce its carbon emissions by 28 million tons, or more than 31 percent by 2020.

“These projects demonstrate how to do environmental leadership the right way,” Fowke continued. “Both economic and environmental benefits can and should be achieved.”

If the projects are approved, the company expects that more than 20 percent of its total energy mix will be supplied by wind. While this would be a great accomplishment that other utilities could and should follow, let’s hope other utilities don’t follow their lead on net metering – a move that could stall solar power adoption in the residential sector.

Alternative energy, Electricity, Opinion, Solar, Wind

Ethanol Report on ACE Project

Cindy Zimmerman

ethanol-report-adThis edition of “The Ethanol Report” features comments from the groundbreaking of a new cellulosic project in Galva, Iowa where first and second generations of ethanol are literally ‘bolted’ together. Quad County Corn Processors biorefinery broke ground Monday on its Adding Cellulosic Ethanol (ACE) project and this report includes comments from plant general manager Delayne Johnson, Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen and Congressman Steve King (R-IA).

Listen to or download the Ethanol Report here: Ethanol Report on ACE Project

Subscribe to “The Ethanol Report” with this link.

Audio, Cellulosic, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, RFA