Domestic Fuel

Earlier this week, we told you how Washington state was going to fall short on its goal using 20 percent biofuels in all state vehicles. But there’s better news from the Midwest.

According to the Redwood Falls (MN) Gazette, Minnesota is on target of meeting its own lofty goal of having all diesel sold in the state to be a 20 percent blend by the year 2015. At the beginning of this month, the state jumped from a 2 percent to a 5 percent biodiesel blend. And the biodiesel industry in the state seems to be ready for the next two steps: a 10 percent blend in 2012 and 20 percent in 2015:

“We will easily be able to meet the demands on the in-creased production for this step up to five percent,” said Chuck Neece of Farmers Union Industries. “In 2012, that will increase to 10 percent biodiesel, which means there will need to be about 80 million gallons of bio-diesel to blend.

So, the need would only have to increase another five million gallons to ensure the demands for 2012, ex-plained Neece.

There are some “safety valves” built into the targets, such as a flexible approval process, involving the legislature, biodiesel producers and other stakeholders, for each step along the way to make sure the state is not committed to something it can’t meet due to unforeseen circumstances down the road. But, for now, it looks likes everything so far is so good.

While the chief of Exxon Mobil believes the U.S. demand for gasoline has peaked, he thinks the global demand for gasoline will continue to grow. And Rex Tillerson thinks that alternative fuels will help meet that growing demand.

This story in the Dallas Morning News says Tillerson made the pitch for investing more in renewable energy during the company’s annual shareholder meeting this week in Dallas:

“Half a billion people have moved out of abject poverty to a minimum acceptable standard of existence, and that’s due to energy,” Tillerson said to the crowd of investors gathered at the Meyerson Symphony Center, adding that the world will continue to rely on fossil fuels for decades to come.

“That’s where the real rapid growth in fuels is,” he said.

A shareholder proposal to invest in renewable energy failed to win this time, but it does show that some in the oil business are starting to see the end of burning hydrocarbons and want to make sure they’re on the train for the next energy development… and indicators point to that being in renewable fuels.

Burning deadfalls and brush in your stove or in your car might be a better option than having that same forest waste burn down your home.

One of the issues that the national forests and park lands run into each year is what to do with the fallen trees and underbrush that contribute to forest fires that threaten surrounding communities and the forest itself. While a certain amount of that material is needed to replenish the soil in the forests, too much of it leads to devastating forest fires (although I’m sure there’s another line of debate on how devastating or for whom).

Biomass Magazine reports the U.S. Department of Interior is investing $15 million of the stimulus bill into 55 projects in 12 states to reduce those hazardous fuels on federal lands that will protect at-risk communities while supporting local efforts to produce fuel (and jobs) from the biomass gathered:

The final selection criteria ensured project planning and environmental compliance work was complete or substantially complete and that projects have the potential to provide additional economic benefits to support local or regional employment through post-treatment use of biomass in wood products or power generation.

California and its large amount of trees is getting the biggest amount of funding at $3.3 million. Not surprisingly, Montana and Arizona, states with large forests as well, picked up the next biggest amounts at $2 million and $1.3 million, respectively.

You can see the complete list of projects and awards by state at this Interior Web site.

The city of Toledo, Ohio is testing cellulosic ethanol in city vehicles this summer.

In partnership with Virginia-based SuGanit Systems, the city will test the company’s formula for ethanol from biomass feedstock on three city fleet vehicles. The tests will measure emissions, miles per gallon and cost differentials, among other factors, according to city officials.

The Toledo Free Press reports that the biofuel will be used as a 10 percent mix with gasoline for the pilot program with city vehicles. During a press conference in Toledo this week, SuGanit Systems founder Praveen Paripati said the biomass ethanol product was being developed from research being conducted at the University of Toledo.

Some farmers in Tennessee are testing out the first switchgrass seed varieties specifically developed for biofuels production.

Their goal is to learn first-hand how to manage this new crop, and then use that knowledge to facilitate the development of the bioenergy industry in Tennessee. Tennessee growers Tony and Tim Brannon – pictured here getting some planting done last week – are part of the 25Farmer Network, a group evaluating the potential of alternative crops in western Tennessee organized by the Memphis Bioworks Foundation.

Energy crop company Ceres is developing many of the varieties being tested. Company officials believe switchgrass can produce substantially more biomass and higher yields than many believe.

The company reports results from national field trials have shown average biomass yields among switchgrass seed varieties tested last season were as much as 50% more than the government’s projected yields for 2022. The highest yield was reported in California, where a Ceres experimental variety produced 19 tons per acre. Ceres switchgrass product manager Cory Christensen says this result “demonstrates the genetic potential of switchgrass grown under favorable conditions” and he predicts that they will continue to increase average yields in the future.

South Florida motorists who drive flex fuel vehicles now have at least 12 stations where they can fill up with E85 fuel. The Renewable Fuels Association joined Urbieta Oil in celebrating the grand opening of the nation’s 2000th E85 fueling station this week in Davie, Florida.

This edition of “The Ethanol Report” includes comments from RFA Director of Market Development Robert White, Urbieta Oil president Edwin Flores, and Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Charles Bronson.

You can listen to “The Ethanol Report” on-line here:
ethanol-report-33.mp3

Download audio for broadcast use here: Ethanol Report on Miami E85

Or you can subscribe to this podcast by following this link.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (3.3MB)

National Wind, LLC, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has received the 2009 Minnesota Environmental Initiative (MEI) Green Business and Environmental Management Award. The award recognizes National Wind’s for partnering with communities to build utility-scale wind farms. MEI is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to build partnerships that create solutions to environmental problems throughout Minnesota.

MEI’s Executive Director, Mike Harley congratulated National Wind. “National Wind’s partnerships with communities are excellent examples of green business developments that help preserve the environment for future generations. Their grassroots wind energy projects start with local communities. By creating opportunities for community members to influence the development process and own a stake in the project, National Wind engenders broad support for clean energy and environmental stewardship.”

National Wind is currently developing twelve families of wind projects across the Midwest and Plains States. The company has more than 1000 landowner partners and over 1300 megawatts (MW) of locally-owned wind projects in development or operation in Minnesota alone. The key component to their success is that they offer joint ownership with local landowners to develop utility-scale wind farms. This enables local communities to have a positive financial stake in their investment in renewable energy.

Leon Steinberg, the CEO of National Wind was on had to recieve the award along with sevearl members of his team. “We have accepted this award on behalf of our 50 employees, our 450 rural farmer-partners and the thousands of landowners that will participate in our projects. Without all of their involvement, this award would not be possible. We want to acknowledge MEI’s success in building consensus to tackle important environmental issues. We also want to thank the utility sponsors of the 2009 awards, namely Great River Energy, Xcel Energy and Minnesota Power.”

A six-foot tall box behind a restaurant in Massachusetts is a solution to two problems: what to do with leftover cooking oil and how to power the fryers that produce all that grease in the first place.

This article from Popular Science says the Vegawatt Power System that turns used cooking oil into an energy source for Finz restaurant in Dedham, Massachusetts has been picked as one of the magazine’s Invention Awards:

Engineer James Peret’s Vegawatt is the first all-in-one device that processes grease to continuously provide a building with electricity and hot water, heralding a significant change in alternative-fuel applications. “It’s a brilliant idea,” says Josh Tickell, author of Biodiesel America. “A waste stream to an energy source, with no intermediary.”

Last December, after a year of 80-hour weeks on the development, Peret, 33, installed the first Vegawatt at Finz, a joint that offers loads of fried seafood. With patents still pending, he’s reluctant to give specifics on its inner workings, but it begins with staff members pouring in 10 to 12 gallons of used deep-fryer oil each day. Before going into the Vegawatt’s generator, the bread-crumb-filled muck is deposited into a reservoir and undergoes a multi-stage cleaning, treatment and filtration process. At this stage, the oil is prepared for combustion with a method Peret devised that draws heat from the exhaust system. After that, the processed grease moves into a tank that feeds the modified 15-horsepower diesel generator. Heat from the Vegawatt’s engine coolant is used to warm the water in the building’s pipes, further reducing the restaurant’s energy needs.

The Vegawatt goes through about 80 gallons of grease a week and puts out five kilowatts of energy an hour. That could save restaurants $1,000 a month in energy costs. You can find out more by going to the Vegawatt Web site.

Instead of bringing an apple for teacher, students in Montgomery, Alabama schools will be encouraged to bring in used cooking oil that the city’s public schools will turn into biodiesel to run their school buses.

The Montgomery Advertiser reports it’s part of a new initiative where the school has partnered with Alabama State University and the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries to figure out a green way to run the district’s school buses, school maintenance vehicles and equipment:

State Reps. Thad McClammy, D-Montgomery, and John Knight, D-Montgomery, along with officials from ASU, the state agriculture department and Montgomery schools, on Wednesday praised the initiative as cost-saving and efficient. The officials gathered at the Center for Alternative Fuels at the State Farmers Market to announce the new project.

Each member of the coalition will play a role in seeing that used cooking oil donated by Montgomery schoolchildren and saved from school cafeterias makes its way to the biodiesel production facility at the Center for Alternative Fuels.

School officials expect to save $43,000 a year in fuel costs PLUS another $20,000 annually that it won’t have to spend on having the old cooking oil from the cafeteria hauled away.

New York City is going to get a little cleaner thanks to a clean-running garbage truck.

Mack Trucks delivered its diesel-electric hybrid MACK® TerraPro™ Low Entry model refuse truck to the Big Apple. This company press release says it is the first production intent parallel diesel-electric hybrid truck in the U.S. designed specifically for Class 8 heavy-duty applications and meeting the EPA’10 emission regulations:

Regarding the truck to be evaluated in everyday operations by the city’s Department of Sanitation, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said, “We are very proud to be the first city in the country with a Mack truck of this type. We all want clean neighborhoods, clean air, a clean environment. And clean trucks like this are essential in delivering on that promise.”

The Mack diesel-electric hybrid powertrain used in the truck features an integrated starter, alternator and electric motor. The system captures energy from braking, converts the energy to electricity, stores the electricity in lithium ion batteries, and uses it to power the electric motor, which assists the MP7 diesel engine with propulsion of the truck.

Mack officials say the truck gets 30 percent better fuel economy than a conventional garbage truck while reducing greenhouse gases.

The state of Washington will not meet its target of state vehicles and ferries using biofuels for at least 20 percent of its fuel usage, the Seattle Times reports. The state has a June 1 deadline for alternative fuels to compromise a fifth of its fuel usage. As of the end of 2008, biofuels captured a mere 2.1 percent of fuel usage — the best since the goal became law three years ago.

Gov. Chris Gregoire said her staff has meetings scheduled with department heads in June to talk about how to incorporate more biofuel usage. “I don’t want to lose the momentum that we’ve built up,” said Gregoire in The Herald of Everett. “We’re going to get there but it’s going to take more time than what was originally projected.”

In January 2005, then-Gov. Gary Locke gave state agencies until September 1, 2009, to use at least 20 percent biofuel. Gregoire signed a law in 2006 that required a blend of not less than 2 percent biofuel starting June 1, 2006, and culminating in a 20 percent blend by June 1, 2009.

No penalties are associated with noncompliance of the law. A study looking into biofuel usage found that high prices and limited supplies contributed to the slow adoption of the alternative fuels.

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) celebrated the grand opening of the nation’s 2000th E85 fueling station Thursday in south Florida.

RFA Director of Market Development Robert White says this is a milestone in E85 history. “Being in the Miami metro area promoting E85 shows that this is not a Midwest niche fuel any longer,” White said. “This is a product that can be distributed and sold anywhere in the country and we are able to take E85 where the people and the flex-fuel vehicles are.”

Urbieta Oil owns and operates 12 U-Gas fuel stations in the south Florida area, including the location in Davie which held its grand opening on Thursday. President Edwin Flores says they were the first company to offer E85 in the Miami area in 2007 and they are very committed to renewable fuels. “We think its the right thing to do, not only for our country but for our children’s future,” Flores said. “Fossil fuels are limited and eventually I think we all have to seek alternative fuels.”

Thunderstorms in the area put a little bit of a damper on the grand opening festivities and kept Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson from attending as planned, but in a telephone interview with Domestic Fuel he expressed his pleasure with the progress Florida is making as a leader in renewable fuels. “Florida growers are ready to grow the crops needed for ethanol and biodiesel production,” Bronson said. “We have the capability to produce up to three billion gallons of fuel in the state.”

Increasing the availability of alternative fuels like E85 is part of the Florida Farm to Fuel program, according to Bronson, and having another E85 pump in the state certainly helps. “Gives an opportunity for those with flex-fuel vehicles one more place they can stop in and fill up,” he said.

To celebrate the grand opening, all 12 U Gas locations in south Florida offered E85 for just $1 a gallon between 4 and 6 pm on Thursday.

President Barack Obama sent a letter this week to the Governor’s Biofuels Coalition supporting corn-based ethanol as the foundation for the next generation of biofuels.

“My administration is committed to moving as quickly as possible to commercialize an array of emerging cellulosic technologies so that tomorrow’s biofuels will be produced from sustainable biomass feedstocks and waste materials rather than corn,” Obama said in the letter. “But this transition will be successful only if the first-generation biofuels industry remains viable in the near term.”

Obama was responding to a letter sent to him by the coalition in February asking him to take steps to support biofuels and reduce our dependency on foreign oil. Those steps include establishing a task force to address biofuels’ greenhouse gas emissions and increase the blend percentage of ethanol in gasoline to at least 13 percent. Obama noted in his response that the letter from the governors was “helpful” in the development of his Presidential Biofuels Directive issued earlier this month.

Meanwhile, during his visit to Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada yesterday, Obama talked up the promise of clean energy for creating green jobs in America.

“We have to lay a new foundation for prosperity — a foundation constructed on the pillars that will grow our economy and help America compete in the 21st century,” said Obama. “And a renewable energy revolution is one of those pillars. We know the cost of our oil addiction all too well. It’s the cost measured by the billions of dollars we send to nations with unstable or unfriendly regimes. We help to fund both sides of the war on terror because of our addiction to oil. It’s the cost of our vulnerability to the volatility of the oil markets.”

President Obama was talking about the power of the sun today at the nation’s largest solar array.

This story from Wired.com says the president visited Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada to highlight the base’s king-sized solar array as part of the military’s green efforts, which has included biodiesel generators in Baghdad, thousands of electric vehicles and wind farms at bases around the country:

The 140-acre array, made from more than 72,000 solar panels, went online in December, 2007. It’s designed to generate more than 30 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year.

“That’s the equivalent of powering about 13,200 homes during the day. It’s a project that took about half a year to complete, created 200 jobs, and will save the U.S. Air Force, which is the largest consumer of energy in the federal government, nearly $1 million a year,” Obama said. “It will also reduce harmful carbon pollution by 24,000 tons a year, which is the equivalent of removing 4,000 cars from our roads. Most importantly, this base serves as a shining example of what’s possible when we harness the power of clean, renewable energy to build a new, firmer foundation for economic growth.”

The article goes on to point out that the stimulus bill has given the military $300 million to fund more than 50 energy research projects. Another solar array, this time a 500-megawatt solar array at Ft. Irwin, California that would dwarf the Nellis project, is in the works.

Our friends at the National Algae Association’s Mid-South Chapter has snagged some impressive speakers for their upcoming workshop, “Algae: The Race for New Oil,” on June 12, in Orlando, Florida. Among those speaking will be Ronald Pate of Sandia National Laboratories, who will talk about the U.S. Department of Energy’s take on the OBP’s Recovery Act Funding Opportunities:

The recent news of $50 million in proposed funding for grants related to algal biofuels has spurred great interest in developing algae biofuels partnerships and initiating the data gathering process for grant applications. Pate will address these topics and offer valuable insight into algae research based on his past work at Sandia Labs.

Tamra Fakhoorian, president of the NAA Mid-South Chapter says, “We have seen amazing developments in algae commercialization during this past year. NAA conferences and workshops have played an important role in bringing together the history-makers who are turning ‘algae for biofuels’ into a household phrase.”

More information about this workshop is available at www.NationalAlgaeAssociation.com.