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Engine Products Group Appeals E15 Partial Waiver

Joanna Schroeder

The Engine Products Group (EPG) is challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to grant partial waivers approving the sale of gasoline containing E15 (fifteen percent ethanol, eighty-five percent gasoline) for 2001 model year and new passenger cars and light trucks. The Court of Appeals dismissed the case in August 2012 for lack of jurisdiction.

Today, EPG has filed a petition for certiorari today asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review the DC Circuit Court of Appeals’ August 2012 decision that none of the trade associations or parties had standing in the case. Members of the organization include the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (Alliance), The Association of Global Automakers, the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) and the National Marine Manufacturers Association.

AAMLogo“OPEI, as part of the Engine Products Group, has filed an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to review the DC Circuit Court of Appeals’ claim that we did not have standing to challenge the EPA on a partial waiver for E-15,” said Kris Kiser, President and CEO of Outdoor Power Equipment Institute. “This appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court reflects the seriousness of this issue for the outdoor power equipment and small engine industry.  We feel strongly that this challenge to the E-15 partial waiver needs to be considered on its merits, and not held back on a procedural issue.  We will push on to protect our consumers from the engine failure and product harm that comes from mis-fueling with E-15.”

The petition asks the Supreme Court to accept the case for review. If the Supreme Court accepts the case, the parties will then ask that court to reverse the Court of Appeal’s ruling and find the parties have the right to challenge EPA’s partial waiver decisions that allow sale of E15 for some passenger cars and light trucks but not older vehicles and not for use in motorcycles, boats and off road engines.

According to EPG, their concern is their customers. They say it is critical that consumers have a positive experience with renewable fuels, which are an important component of our national energy security. EPG concludes, that it is not in the longer term interest of consumers, the government, and all parties involved to discover, after the fact, that equipment or performance problems are occurring because a new fuel was rushed into the national marketplace.

E15, Equipment, Ethanol

Bioprocess Pilot Facility in Germany Attracts Attention

Joanna Schroeder

Bioprocess Pilot FacilityThe Bioprocess Pilot Facility B.V. (BPF), a scale-up plant located on the Biotech Campus Delft, is attracting the right kind of attention. The “first green Minister-President” Mr. Kretschmann, the Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg, one of the federal states of Germany, visited BPF’s facility to learn about their technology and contribution to the country’s bio-based economy. After his visit, Mr Kretschmann said that it is good that companies and knowledge institutions have the possibility to carry out scale-up research in a facility that is unique in its experience with this type of research.

The BPF performs scale-up research into the pre-treatment of biomass feedstock, fermentation, and purification. The facility’s objective is to show how to industrially make high-quality products like plastics from biomass. BPF says its scale-up research is an essential step towards the application of laboratory findings on an industrial scale.

Launched as an independent company mid-2012, the BPF will begin expanding its plant in May 2013. The extension will house additional equipment, mostly for the pre-treatment of biomass. During construction the fermentation and up-scaling facilities will operate as usual. The BPF is available to work with companies, universities and institutes that wish to explore the scaling-up of bio-processes. The BPF also offers its facilities to companies and knowledge institutes in Germany and other countries.

biomass, International

Sun Valley Solar Launches Homeowner Loan Program

Joanna Schroeder

solar-panels-on-arizona-homeSun Valley Solar Solutions is launching a new loan program for homeowners who would like to install solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in Arizona. The program is in partnership with aleo solar, part of the Bosch Group. According to Sun Valley Solar, PV systems can generate up to 100% of a home’s yearly kilowatt hour electricity usage from solar panels, usually installed on rooftops and tied into the grid. With more than 300 days a year of sunshine in southern Arizona, solar power is a good renewable energy choice.

Homeowners who don’t have ample cash on hand have found it difficult to finance solar PV systems. However, solar leasing, with terms between 20-25 years have provided an affordable way for homeowners to go solar. In 2012, 81 percent of solar systems installed in Arizona were leased. During 2012, Sun Vally solar says, solar lease prices for quality panel brands slowly crept up, while “prepaid” leases (paying one lump sum after installation) have been completely eliminated or virtually priced out of financial viability. An alternative option to a lease for some may the 30 percent federal tax credit (which can be spread out over five years).

Sun Valley Solar Solutions is finding that homeowners can pay as little as $90 a month for a 5kW system. The price depends on the system size needed, the amount of sunlight the panels get (south facing is best), what utility company area a home is in, and how much if any of the loan is taken as same-as-cash.

Alternative energy, Electricity, Energy, Solar

GRC Hosting Geothermal Workshop

Joanna Schroeder

The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) is holding a two-day geothermal workshop in Sacramento, California, on June 10-11, 2013. Titled “Resource Assessment and GRC WorkshopOptimization,” the workshop will provide practical information to anyone interested in geothermal energy, including developers, financiers, utilities, regulators, public-interest organizations, and members of the academic community.

The goal of the workshop is to educate attendees on how to assess the suitability of geothermal resources for development and expansion once initial exploration has been completed. Presentations will focus on insights to be gleaned from well testing, reservoir simulation, geochemistry, and ongoing resource monitoring. Experienced practitioners in these areas will discuss techniques, and several geothermal operators will present case studies illustrating how the techniques have been applied to their projects.

Speakers at the workshop will include Jim Lovekin, Minh Pham, Chris Klein, and Ethan Chabora, all of GeothermEx Inc. a Schlumberger Company; Paul Spielman of Ormat; and Magalay Flores and Helio Rodriguez of Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) of Mexico.

More information on the geothermal workshop can be found on the GRC website. Registration is now open. Seating is limited. After the short course on June 12 an optional field trip will visit The Geysers Geothermal Field including Calpine’s Geothermal Visitor’s Center, power plants and viewing some surface geothermal manifestations.

Alternative energy, Geothermal

Algae.Tec Using Shipping Containers to Grow Algae

John Davis

Algaetecbioreactor1When it comes to alternatives to some of the more conventional sources of oils for biofuels, many companies are looking to go green. And some, such as the folks at Algae.Tec, are looking to green shipping containers to grow a literal green feedstock.

“What we wanted was a significant bulk outcome, in other words fuels and possibly food, producing the algae for cents on the liter, where many of the pond solutions [cost] dollars per liter to make it work,” explains Roger Stroud, the Executive Chairman of the Australia-based company. He says Algae.Tec’s enclosed photo-bioreactor contained in 40-foot shipping containers is a way to produce the green pond scum for those pennies of what it costs in open-air ponds. And they’re looking at producing biodiesel, jet fuels, and even food sources from the algae grown. But Stroud says they are still working on the commercialization process with demonstration projects just south of Sydney, as well as research and development in Atlanta, Georgia. “We’re confident in the outcome.”

rogerstroud1So why is Stroud so confident their system will be successful? Well, besides the testing and work they’ve done, he’s Australian, and that means he’s used to having to do big things against sometimes great odds. “Although [Australia] is a large continent, we’ve got [a small population]. So, we tend to be on the outside looking in, where in the U.S., you tend to be on the inside looking out,” and Australians have to look more to the world economy. That’s why Algae.Tec has worked vigorously to network globally. Projects pending in Brazil and Texas, as well as one in New South Wales, point to that global reach. Plus, he’s encouraged by the Americans’ commitment to algae and biofuels. It all comes down to the Australian, and maybe the algae industry’s, way of making the best of the opportunity that comes your way.

“We’re focused on our task, and we believe we can achieve a profitable outcome, given time.”

Listen to Joanna’s interview with Roger here: Interview with Roger Stroud, Algae.Tec

algae, Audio, biofuels

Green Biologics Wins Biobutanol Funding

Joanna Schroeder

Green Biologics has received funding from the Technology Strategy Board (TSB), based in UK, to engineer a bacterial host for biobutanol production. The project is in collaboration with the Clostridia Research Group (CRG) at the University of Nottingham which is funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).

137_clostridiumThe goal of the 18 month project is to develop a novel bacterial host for the production of 1-butanol from renewable feedstocks. The strategy focuses on the modification of a clostridium species (Clostridium pasteurianum) for the fast growing renewable chemicals market. According to Green Biologics, this microbe has many desirable features that make it an attractive fermentation host including fast growth rates, robustness and good butanol tolerance, but suffers from technical limitations.

In this project, the partners will deploy advanced molecular biology tools for clostridia and introduce synthetic metabolic pathways that increase the range of feedstocks and also improve butanol production. The deliverable will be a novel engineered strain C. pasteurianum that ferments starch to butanol in high yield.

Sean Sutcliffe, CEO at Green Biologics (GBL), said, ”We are extremely pleased to receive grant funding from the TSB. This award recognises GBL’s leading technical and commercialisation leadership position and also facilitates collaboration with the CRG led by Professor Nigel Minton from the University of Nottingham, a world expert in clostridial gene technologies.”

The CRG, one of the largest labs at Nottingham, develops and patents advanced gene tools for the modification and manipulation of clostridial genomes focused on strain enhancements.

“Green Biologics is developing next generation products using clostridia as production hosts. This project builds on GBL’s extensive industrial strain collection and opens up longer term market opportunities,” added Dr. Edward Green, CSO at GBL. “We are greatly encouraged by the recent alignment between the TSB and the research councils for Industrial Biotechnology which enables meaningful collaboration between academics and SME’s. Funding initiatives are essential to maintain a UK leadership position.”

biobutanol, biochemicals, biofuels

Switchgrass Versus Heating Oil

Joanna Schroeder

According to a recent study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), using switchgrass pellets could be a cheaper source of energy, instead of fuel oil to heat homes and businesses in the Northeast. Agricultural Research Service (ARS) researcher Paul Adler led efforts on a lifecycle analysis that compared costs of energy generation from coal, natural gas, fuel oil, and switchgrass in the form of energy-dense cubes, briquettes, and pellets.

burning switchgrassThe researchers calculated the economic outlays associated with switchgrass production throughout the supply chain, as well as greenhouse gas emissions generated by switchgrass production, densification, and conversion to heat and power. This included the first lifecycle inventory of switchgrass seed production and greenhouse gas emissions associated with seed production.

The analysis indicated that 192 pounds of “carbon dioxide equivalent,” or CO2e, was emitted for every ton of switchgrass dry matter that was sown, harvested, and delivered to densification plants for processing into pellets. CO2e is a measurement used to compare the emissions from various greenhouse gases based upon their global warming potential.

The researchers calculated that using switchgrass pellets instead of petroleum fuel oil to generate one gigajoule of heat in residences would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 146 pounds of CO2e. Totaling all costs associated with installing an appropriate residential heating system and fuel consumption, the team concluded that each gigajoule of heat produced using switchgrass pellets would cost $21.36. Using fuel oil to produce the same amount of heat would cost $28.22.

Adler is now working with Plainview Growers to determine how the carbon footprint differs between heating greenhouses with biomass and heating them with fuel oil. The results of the research were published in the journal, Environmental Science & Technology.

Alternative energy, bioenergy, Research

Fracking Subject of Next Farm Foundation Forum

John Davis

farmfoundationlogo3Getting natural gas out of the ground, especially by using hydraulic fracturing, better known as “fracking,” has been a hot topic lately, especially in agricultural areas. Our friends at the Farm Foundation will sponsor a free forum to talk about the issue from 9-11 am EDT, Wednesday, April 3, at the National Press Club, Washington, D.C.

Issues and policies related to natural gas extraction will be discussed by Shannon Ferrell and Larry Sanders, both of Oklahoma State University. They are the authors of a policy brief, Natural Gas Extraction: Issues and Policy Options, published by the National Agricultural and Rural Development Policy Center (NARDeP).

Also presenting at the Forum will be Brian Rahm, a post doctoral associate at the New York State Water Resources Institute. Other speakers are to be named.

Former Texas Congressman Charlie Stenholm will moderate a discussion after the presentation.

Sign up for the free event here.

Farm Foundation, Natural Gas

AFPM Attack on RFS, Inaccurate, Typical

Joanna Schroeder

The American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) held teleconferences last week in an effort to discredit the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). During the call, AFPM blamed increased gas prices on renewable fuels, which, says, Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy, is false.

“Manipulating data and spreading misinformation is not the way to educate lawmakers and drive policy decisions. Our energy security is a matter of domestic and national Gas in Mt Pleasant Iowasecurity, and the fact is the fossil-fuel-only approach of oil companies and refiners will do nothing for our growing energy needs except continue to feed our addiction to foreign oil and line the pockets of oil executives,” said Buis, who released the following statement.

“It seems unconscionable that AFPM would state that the presence of E15, the most tested fuel ever, would limit consumer choice if offered in the marketplace. However, when it comes to oil companies and refiners, they will say and do anything to protect their interests and bottom line. While they pretend to advocate for the consumer, they are actually intentionally blocking a choice and savings at the pump, while taking in excessive profits at the consumer’s expense.

“With regards to RINs, what we have here is a classic example of unregulated market manipulated by oil companies running wild. The biofuels industry creates RINs, but they have no place in the trading market – that is between oil companies and refiners. They are the ones driving this entire process, intentionally driving up prices as a way to blame other industries for their increasing profits and unending costs at the pump. I welcome Congressional oversight and an investigation to shed some daylight on these questionable practices.

“It is time for oil companies and refiners to get out of the way and let consumers and retailers make the voluntary decision to use higher fuel blends, such as E15. I am confident that once E15 becomes widely available, consumers will chose the homegrown fuel that helps support our economy and is better for our environment. And that is exactly what oil companies and refiners are afraid of – losing market share through fair market competition. So, they will stop at nothing to distort the facts and bend the truth to maintain the near monopoly they have on the liquid fuels market.

“Enough is enough – it is time to identify this ongoing blame game for what it actually is – an orchestrated sham by the oil companies and refiners to manipulate markets, cause panic and attempt to use false data to blame an industry that has grown to be a threat to their record profits and bottom lines.

“Bottom line – ethanol saves consumers at the pump and any information stating otherwise is simply false.”

biofuels, Ethanol, Growth Energy, RFS

Suggestions to Obama to Address Climate Change

Joanna Schroeder

PCAST logoThe President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), a group of leading scientists and engineers who make policy recommendations to the White House, has released a detailed report outlining how the Obama Administration could address climate change in the near term. Climate change was a major topic during President Obama’s recent trip to Argonne National Laboratory as well as during his State of the Union.  The letter offers actions that would reduce emissions and better quantify climate-relates risks.

PCAST has called out these actions as “central” in addressing climate change:

  • Focus on national preparedness for climate change
  • Continue efforts to decarbonize the economy
  • Level the playing field for clean energy by removing regulatory obstacles, addressing market failures, adjusting tax policies and providing time-limited subsidies for clean energy when appropriate
  • Sustain research on next-generation clean energy technologies
  • Establish U.S. leadership on climate change internationally
  • Conduct an initial Quadrennial Energy Review (QER)

For each of the concept areas, PCAST offers precise steps on how President Obama can move forward. Example tactics include creating a national commission on climate preparedness, exploring a North American climate change agreement and improving energy efficiency standards using federal loan agencies. Click here to read the full report.

Climate Change, Environment