Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conf. Underway in DC

John Davis

Hello from the Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference, just a few miles south of the Nation’s capital at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center! A lot has been going on already this morning, but before it all got started, I caught up with Jim Lane, the editor for Biofuels Digest, who is putting on this event.

lane1He told me that today will feature the signing of the “Farm to Fly” agreement between Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood … an agreement that will extend helping develop viable renewable fuels for the aviation industry.

In addition, there are obviously lots of stakeholders from the biofuels industry, including ethanol and biodiesel makers, as well as the big oil companies which have to blend the green fuel into their non-renewable products and the folks from the finance industry who put the money into so many of these ventures. Jim said it’s important to get a diverse group of interests such as these together in one forum to talk about the way forward.

“You don’t have to reach out too hard [to get them together], because they all want to know each other and network like crazy,” he said. He added that policy, finance, production, research … they all come together in this forum.

If you’re not already here, you should try to make it down to the Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference, going on today, tomorrow and Wednesday (April 15-17). Hope to see you around!

Listen to my interview with Jim here: Jim Lane, Biofuels Digest

We’ll have more later!

advanced biofuels, AEC, Audio

Blend Wall Myth Buster

Joanna Schroeder

Biofuel opponents are crying wolf, so it would seem, claiming that the blend wall is insurmountable. However, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) today has published an infographic that busts the myths surrounding the blend wall.

9c345da53735509fb0_pem6bxffy“This graphic perfectly captures the ridiculous myth that an insurmountable blend wall exists,” said Bob Dinneen, RFA CEO and president. “The blend wall is a false façade built by the oil companies to protect their oil monopoly. The real walls are the ones they are building to keep legitimate, well-tested, cost-saving renewable fuel alternatives, like E85 and E15, out of the marketplace. They are building walls between consumers, gas stations, and the freedom to choose. Denial is the mortar holding these walls together — the denial that the Renewable Fuel Standard is a proven success and a powerful energy policy that needs to continue unchanged well into the future if the gains we have made in reducing our dependence on foreign oil, creating valuable jobs domestically, and improving our environment are to be sustained.”

Dinneen continued, “You could say oil companies are building a wall between America’s future and America’s petroleum-dependent past… but given recent events in Arkansas and New Hampshire, perhaps it is more of a moat of toxic ground water and spilled oil.”

Still need the thousand words behind the picture? A brief explanation of each brick in the wall blocking proper implementation by the oil industry of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and E15 is available here.

Miscellaneous

Passive Solar Conference Offers Free Public Lectures

Joanna Schroeder

Solar 2013As part of the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) National Solar Conference that is kicking off tomorrow, April 16-20 at the Baltimore Convention Center, the 38th Annual Passive Solar Conference will explore two broad themes – the emerging architectural discipline of passive solar design, and the rapidly growing science of building technology. A free lecture open to the public will be given by American Institute of Architects (AIA) Fellow and architect Travis Price, author of “The Archeology of Tomorrow: Architecture and the Spirit of Place,” on Friday April 19 at 3:30. Price will discuss “The Mythic Modern: Mythology, Ecology and Technology…the Spirit of Place.”

The Passive Solar Conference will cover a broad range of themes in emerging architecture, including the Department of Energy road map for Building Integrated Solar Technologies (BIST), which aims to double building efficiency by 2050. ASES notes that today buildings in the US consume more than 70 percent of the electricity and 50 percent of the natural gas produced, accounting for 40 percent of U.S. energy consumption.

Other sessions will explore “Passive Haus,” design, a concept originating in Germany to minimize energy consumption, the trend in Net Zero building, and the impact of climate change on regional design. In a series of sessions oriented around building technology, the conference will present the latest research on energy modeling for buildings, automated controls, and daylighting strategies. Finally, several forums will address important regulatory issues including building codes, zoning and the right to solar access.

The conference exhibition hall will be open to the public starting at 10:00 am from April 17-19 for $10, with a special public day on Saturday, April 20 priced at $5. On Thursday, April 18, two evening sessions, Young Professionals in Renewable Energy (YPiRE) and Emerging Transportation, beginning at 6:30 pm and 7:00 pm respectively, are free and open to the public. The Travis Price lecture on Friday April 19 at 3:30 pm is also free and open to the public.

conferences, Electricity, Energy, Solar

U.S.-Israel Bio-Energy Challenge Heads to DC

Joanna Schroeder

More than a dozen of Israel’s top academic and industrial biofuels research scientists and innovators will be arriving in Washington this week to begin a week-long dialogue with their American counterparts at the U.S. Departments of Energy (DOE) and Agriculture (USDA), as well as with the Navy, FAA and the private sector. Isreal Energy PartnershipThe group be meeting with White House officials and with top government energy program managers and scientists in Washington, DC and will also be meeting with researchers from DOE labs in Oak Ridge Tennessee and in California. The scientific exchange is designed to help build U.S.-Israel collaboration mechanisms for research and innovation to produce alternative fuels that can substitute for petroleum-based gasoline, diesel oil and aviation fuel currently produced from imported oil.

The elite Israeli delegation was chosen through a competition held over several months, ‘The U.S.-Israel Bio-Energy Challenge,‘ in which the initial selection was made in Israel and the final participants were selected with input from the U.S. agencies. The project has been sponsored and coordinated by two U.S. not-for-profit organizations, The Israel Energy Partnership (TIEP) and the U.S.-Israel Science and Technology Foundation (USISTF) and by the Israeli Industry Center for R&D (MATIMOP) on behalf of the Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) in the Ministry for Trade and Industry.

Project sponsors stress the importance of finding alternatives to petroleum imports at a time when high oil prices once again are a drag on the economy and some oil-producing nations are using oil revenues to develop weapons that threaten their neighbors.

“The one-half trillion dollars of oil revenue OPEC nations collect each year provides enormous geopolitical power to nations that oppose U.S. and Israeli interests, helps fund terrorism, undermines peace, and drains money from our economy,” said TIEP President Jack Halpern. “So, this effort to reduce the industrialized world’s dependence on oil imports will be of benefit to both Israel and the U.S. One of the most important benefits will be the reduction of income for Iran, half of whose government revenue comes from the sale of oil. Without that oil revenue, it will be much more difficult for them to pursue their nuclear ambitions.”

Neil Goldstein, Vice president of TIEP noted that Israel’s role as a scientific, engineering and entrepreneurial leader is well known. “Cutting-edge research and development is taking place in Israel in the selection, bio-engineering, and modification of fuel feed-stocks; in growing novel feed-stocks on non-arable land and without using fresh water; and in the more-efficient and cost effective production of fuels from feed-stocks using innovative chemical, physical and biological processes. Building on that research base, we are establishing a scientific, technical and economic collaboration between Israel and the U.S. to help both nations achieve our energy goals.”

advanced biofuels, Energy, International, Research

Climate Change Causing Americans Big Bucks

Joanna Schroeder

With Earth Day a week away (Monday, April 22) there is a greater focus on climate change and the environment. According to Ceres, a nonprofit organization Layout 1mobilizing business leadership on climate change, a growing chunk of American tax dollars is footing the bill for increasing floods, fires, droughts and other climate-related changes. Ceres compiled data showing rising costs to three federal programs, as well as growing financial exposure for state taxpayers in hurricane-prone states.

“Climate change is fundamentally changing the United States, and American taxpayers are paying a huge price for it,” said Ceres President Mindy Lubber. “The cost of withered crops, submerged streets, hurricane damage and wildfires eventually comes out of our own wallets. Crop insurance losses from last year’s drought alone cost every person in America $51.”

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is staggering under massive losses after Hurricane Sandy, which triggered more than 115,000 new claims in just the first two weeks after the storm. Although NFIP collects about $3.5 billion a year in premiums, the amount of claims the agency has paid out has exceeded the amount of premiums collected in four of the past eight years. Last year’s losses in Sandy’s wake are expected to approach $8 billion.

“That’s $25 for every American, and that figure doesn’t even include the $50 billion of disaster relief that Congress approved in January for Sandy-impacted states,” Lubber said. Read More

Climate Change, Environment

“Farm to Fly” Agreement to be Signed at ABLC

John Davis

ABLC2013-1As I mentioned earlier, I’ll be at the Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center near Washington, D.C. on Monday. And I just got this breaking news item in my email box from our friend, Jim Lane from Biofuels Digest:

vilsack-lahoodAgriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will announce that the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Federal Aviation Administration, along with other partners, are extending an agreement to help develop viable renewable fuels for the aviation industry.

Secretary Vilsack and Secretary LaHood will both deliver remarks at the 2013 Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference. This extension follows the initial success of the 2010-2012 “Farm to Fly” partnership to strengthen research and capacity building for aviation biofuels.

I’ll be there to get their comments on this agreement and more! Hope to see you at the ABLC!

advanced biofuels, biofuels, conferences

Reform Bill: Transparent Attempt to Protect Big Oil

Joanna Schroeder

fuels-americaYesterday Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner introduced legislation that would stall the roll-out of E15. Many in the renewable fuels industry responded to the proposed legislation including Fuels America who noted that the legislation ignores the long track record of successful, rigorous testing that E15 has undergone. “What the bill is clearly geared toward, however, is promoting the interest of oil compaines looking to retain control over America’s fuel option.”

“E15 is the most tested renewable fuel in history and to suggest otherwise ignores a wealth of facts. In multiple tests, E15 has been put through the paces in more than 6 million miles of testing. The results of these tests were so satisfactory that E15 is used in NASCAR vehicles – high-performance racecars that can top 200 miles an hour – have opted to use E15, continued the Fuels America statement.

“The reality is that E15 provides options to Americans and the choice to power their cars with clean and renewable fuel. Unfortunately, Rep. Sensenbrenner’s legislation would limit that choice by favoring the oil industry over hardworking American families and businesses.”

ACElogoThe American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) who recently had a team of more than 70 ethanol supporters meeting with Congressman in DC, noted that the legislation would require another 18 months of E15 testing at taxpayers expense. Senior Vice President Ron Lamberty called the bill “A transparent attempt to protect Big Oil’s profitable monopoly by taking away a driver’s right to choose which fuel to use in his or her own car.”

“Congressman Sensenbrenner is basing his opposition of E15 primarily on two studies that clearly selected vehicles and components based on their history of performing poorly regardless of the type of fuel that was in them,” said Lamberty. “All Mr. Sensenbrenner is proving is that he either doesn’t know what the studies actually say or he does know, and is misrepresenting the findings. Neither should be acceptable to those who serve with him on the House Science and Technology Committee. In the event the bill passes out of committee, we would hope Congress would recognize this bill for what it actually is and not pass it.”

Lamberty continued, “Jim Sensenbrenner has a well-known history of refusing to accept science that doesn’t agree with his personal opinions. And after repeatedly saying two years of E15 testing by EPA and DoE testing was a “rush to judgment,” does anyone think he’ll accept a smaller, shorter test from the National Academy of Sciences when it says E15 is safe? No, this isn’t about science, it’s about delaying to protect BP and Exxon-Mobil.”

“Congressman Sensenbrenner loves to talk about “individual choice and free-market competition” when he talks about health care, and “defending the freedom and individual responsibilities” of motorcycle riders to not wear helmets, but he doesn’t trust people to make their own choice at the gas pump? Ridiculous,” added Lamberty.

ACE, biofuels, Ethanol, Legislation

Bioenergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDFAdvanced Biofuels USA and the U.S. Department of Energy’s BioEnergy Technology Office are co-hosting Biomass 2013: How the Advanced BioIndustry is Reshaping American Energy. This year’s conference will be held July 31-August 1, 2013, at the Washington, D.C. Convention Center, in downtown Washington.
  • According to EIA data, ethanol production averaged 854,000 barrels per day (b/d) — or 35.87 million gallons daily. That is up 47,000 b/d from the week before and the highest rate since the week ending 6/29/2012. It is the largest week-to-week increase since October 2011. The four-week average for ethanol production stood at 819,000 b/d for an annualized rate of 12.56 billion gallons. Stocks of ethanol stood at 17.8 million barrels. That is a 1.8% increase from last week. Imports of ethanol showed zero b/d, down from last week. Gasoline demand for the week averaged 356.0 million gallons daily. Expressed as a percentage of daily gasoline demand, daily ethanol production was 10.07% — the highest since the first week of 2013.
  • Badger State Ethanol has become the newest member of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA).
  • Gevo, Inc. has announced that the United States District Court for the District of Delaware entered a final judgment in favor of Gevo and against Butamax Advanced Biofuels, LLC (Butamax), a 50/50 joint venture between DuPont and BP, ending the trial court proceedings on Butamax’s Patent Nos. 7,851,188 (‘188 Patent) and 7,993,889 (‘889 Patent).
  • The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) is calling for support of the “Race to the Top” for energy efficiency and grid modernization, which is included as part of the proposed Department of Energy budget. The energy race would create a competitive grant program for states and communities that adopt innovations in energy efficiency, clean energy deployment and smart grid technologies. The initiative would support the President’s goal of doubling energy productivity from 2010 levels by 2030.
Bioenergy Bytes

How to Recover from Algal Pond Crashes

Joanna Schroeder

Sandia National Laboratory has developed several complementary technologies to help the algae industry in detecting and recovering from pond crashes, and is Algal Pond Photomaking use of the AzCATI test-bed facility to collect data and apply its technologies. The research focuses on monitoring and diagnosing algal pond health and draws upon Sandia’s longstanding expertise in microfluidics technology, its strong bioscience research program and significant internal investments.

According to researchers, because of the way algae is grown and produced in most algal ponds, they are prone to attack by fungi, rotifers, viruses or other predators. Consequently, algal pond collapse is a critical issue that companies must solve to produce algal biofuels cost-effectively. The issue was identified as a key component in the Department of Energy’s National Algal Biofuels Technology Roadmap.

To address the problem, Sandia is addressing the algal pond crash issue in three complementary ways:

  • Developing a real-time monitoring tool for algal ponds that can detect indications of a problem days in advance of a crash;
  • Successfully applying pathogen detection and characterization technologies honed through the lab’s Rapid Threat Organism Recognition (RapTOR) work; and
  • Employing its innovative SpinDx diagnostic device to dig deeper into problems after they’ve occurred and help to identify specific biological agents responsible for crashes.

Sandia’s Tom Reichardt, a researcher who works in the lab’s remote sensing unit, led development of an online algal reflectance monitor through an internally funded project. The instruments are typically set up alongside the algal pond, continuously monitoring, analyzing the algae’s concentration levels, examining its photosynthesis and performing other diagnostics.

“In real-time, it will tell you if things are going well with the growth of your algae or whether it’s beginning to show signs of trouble,” said Reichardt.  However, he cautioned, while this real-time monitoring will warn pond operators when the ponds have been attacked, it may not be able to identify the attacker. He notes that quick identification of organisms in ponds is the key to mitigation.

Now that the core principles of pathogen detection and characterization technologies for pond crash forensics have been successfully proven, the next step for the team will be to conduct more robust demonstrations. The research team will be continuing their work as part of the Algae Testbed Public-Private Partnership (ATP3) led by Arizona State University (ASU), the first national algae testbed. The Sandia team will apply the technologies, collect more data and seek additional collaborations.

advanced biofuels, algae, Research

EU Looks to Tax Argentine, Indonesian Biodiesel

John Davis

eu-flag.gifThe European Union is targeting foreign biodiesel … again. Reuters reports this time the EU is looking to hit imports of biodiesel from Argentina and Indonesia with a duty to keep the green fuel out:

Those countries represent 90 percent of EU biodiesel imports and face retroactive duties from Thursday if an investigation finds the countries have benefited from illegal subsidies.

In an official publication, the European Commission said it had enough evidence that producer subsidies were “causing material injury to the (European) Union industry, which is difficult to repair”.

The European Union is already registering biodiesel from some companies in the two countries as part of a separate case on alleged price dumping – deliberately selling products for less abroad than at home, or for less than they cost to make.

For Argentina, the world’s No. 1 biodiesel exporter, EU regulators said taxes placed on exports of raw materials like soy bean oil used to make biodiesel, but not on the finished product, made it uneconomical to buy the fuel from European Union refiners.

A similar raw material export tax exists in Indonesia, which the Commission said undercuts European refiners.

Both Argentina and Indonesia say they are in line World Trade Organization rules.

U.S. renewable fuel producers have already had their own issues with the EU. Soybean-based biodiesel from the U.S. is banned in Europe, and anti-dumping measures were put on ethanol earlier this year.

Biodiesel, International