Domestic Fuel

I know I posted an interview I did with POET CEO Jeff Broin this week but I also recorded his speech to the attendees at their Project LIBERTY Field Day. I thought you would enjoy hearing what he has to say. He starts out pointing to the RFS as a huge opportunity for the ethanol industry and agriculture. He says that legislation is solid and “there’s no risk of that legislation going away.”

He says there is almost a billion tons of ag residue available as biomass to convert to ethanol. That’s the largest source of biomass available for this purpose. He says it’s a little known fact that “over the next 20 years ethanol can almost replace gasoline.” This can be attributed in part to the projected increases in corn yields in the next 10 years.

POET Project LIBERTY Field Day Photo Album

Mark your calendar for Tuesday, November 17th, for what’s being billed as the Midwest’s premier energy, economic and environmental conference. E3 2009 is sponsored by the University of Minnesota and will be held at the St. Paul RiverCentre:

NREL’s Larry Kazmerski, a pioneer in the field of solar photovoltaics, will offer the keynote presentation for this year’s conference. Other highlights include a super panel discussion with national experts, track sessions focused on the big questions of the 21st century, and a series of Green on the Ground workshops.

Hosted annually by the University of Minnesota’s Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment, a signature program of the Institute on the Environment, the E3 conference showcases current technologies, environmental benefits and market opportunities in renewable energy.

And for those who have an extra day to spend in the Twin Cities, there is also a separate session on how to build a smart grid coalition on Nov 18th.

A green fuel will be used to haul the nation’s foremost evergreen cross-country.

This story from The Explorer newspaper out of Tuscon, Arizona says this year’s U.S. Capitol Christmas tree will be hauled from Arizona’s White Mountains to Washington, D.C., all on a truck running on biodiesel:

“We are thrilled to be a part of history, and bringing biodiesel as the fuel of choice into that history,” said Mike Monfred, compliance officer of Southwest Industrial Rigging [the company hauling the tree] in Phoenix.

“This is a great undertaking, and one that Arizona should be proud of,” said Tom Verry, executive director of the National Biodiesel Foundation.

If you want to be part of this historic biodiesel moment and help pay for the green fuel to haul the tree across the country, contact Clean Cities Manager Colleen Crowninshield at ccrowninshield@pagnet.org.

A major oil producer is looking to get into the biofuels business.

This story from Reuters says BP could start ethanol and biobutanol operations next year:

BP could launch commercial production of grass-based ethanol in the United States in 2010 with partner Verenium, which already has a demonstration cellulosic ethanol facility, Philip New, Chief Executive of BP Biofuels, said.

The oil company is building a wheat-based ethanol plant near Hull in eastern England in partnership with British Sugar and chemicals group Dupont that is due to come online next year, and plans subsequently to retrofit the facility to convert it to biobutanol output.

The article goes on to say that the plant in England is part of a $200 million BP-Dupont joint research venture.

I’m writing this review as I fly on a plane and I’m feeling guilty about the amount of CO2 that is emitted when flying – on average, flying contributes about 10 times as much carbon dioxide to the atmosphere as a similar journey by train. And no, I didn’t buy carbon offsets for this trip….

The guilt is being fostered by this week’s read, a Green Series, published by Chelsea Green Publishing. I read four in the series, all co-written by Jon Clift and Amanda Cuthbert: Energy; Water; Greening Your Office; and Climate Change. Also in the series: Reduce Reuse Recycle; Composting; and Biking to Work.

I liked how easy the series is to read, many bullets points and quick facts, as well as their, “If you do one thing” pointers and the way they have the, “spend nothing save less,” and spend little, save more.” On the negative side, the books don’t have any real background on the issues, but the authors do have a list of resources at the end of each book.

I’m going to leave you with this thought, since many who are pushing environmental responsibility often go to far as they live further and further off the grid. (Let’s get a grip. It is not in our country’s best interest to revert back to the pioneer days).

“We can take control of the situation and reduce our energy and reduce our consumption. We don’t have to live shivering in an unheated room with no modern appliances; we’re just talking about being more energy efficient – reducing the need for so much power.”

To read these books or any I review, click here, and if you have a book you’d like me to review, email me at jomschro2071@gmail.com.

Corn growers heard from Iowa Lt. Governor Patty Judge at POET’s Project LIBERTY Field Day. She said, “We are seeing for ourselves that cellulosic ethanol is here, that it is viable and that it will transform renewable fuel as we know it today”. It was a cold, breezy day and she talked General Wesley Clark out of his jacket.

She reminded attendees about how they tried to hold meetings like this back in the early 1990′s to promote ethanol and how it was a slow process but she said they knew it would become a viable reality. So as a farmer and Lt. Gov. she says a lot of work has gone in to making a day like this happen. She says this POET project is helping keep Iowa at the forefront of renewable energy production. She says the state has made a total investment in this project of $20 million and that the funds will make the project a reality and help create new jobs. She pledged that she and the Governor would do all they can to increase the demand for ethanol.

POET Project LIBERTY Field Day Photo Album

You can listen to Judge’s speech below:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (2.7MB)

Chicago-based Zenergy International has bought the Greenlight Biofuels biodiesel plant near Lubbock, Texas.

This Zenergy press release says the deal should be finalized in the next few weeks:

Greenlight Biofuels Ltd. has developed a robust, proprietary, and proven technology capable of processing a variety of feedstock. In alignment with the corporate strategy, having technology that can use flexible feedstock is particularly advantageous, as upon market pricing fluctuation the feedstock sources can be changed in accordance with where the best value lies.

Zenergy International has recently embarked on a biodiesel facility acquisition strategy. With Greenlight Biofuels, Ltd. the company has invested in an operation capable of producing five million gallons per year, with 40 acres of land, providing considerable room for expansion.

The release goes on to say the Greenlight Biofuels plant is on a transport corridor, close to a number of transport fueling depots, that should help it provide significant local revenues.

A new solid catalyst could save some green fuel makers some green in their wallets.

Biodiesel Magazine reports that a study of Catilin Inc.’s new T300 solid catalyst process saves biodiesel producers 13 cents a gallon over a traditional catalytic process… and up to 19 cents a gallon if you figure in capital expense savings:

“This thorough analysis validated our T300 catalyst as a real breakthrough in current and future biodiesel production for use with first-, second- and third-generation feedstocks,” said Larry Lenhart, president and CEO.

Catilin is commercializing the research done in developing the new catalyst at Iowa State University in Ames and the U.S. DOE’s Ames Laboratory. The T300 heterogeneous catalyst is nontoxic and can be a direct replacement for conventional catalysts used in biodiesel production. The drop-in solid catalyst operates at industry standard pressures and temperatures and is removed with filtration. As a result, current producers can retrofit their plants in a matter of days at very low cost. Another key advantage is that the glycerin coproduct has purity greater than 98 percent and qualifies as technical grade, which significantly enhances its overall value.

Someone interested in the potential this new solid catalyst holds is biodiesel giant Renewable Energy Group. Officials at the Iowa-based company say they have been closely following the development of the catalyst since work began by a team led by Victor Lin at ISU and the Ames Laboratory.

One of the stars on hand to address the crowd at POET’s Project LIBERTY Field Day was former four-star General Wesley Clark. He spoke about the important role they would play in providing more homegrown fuel for the nation.

“We are involved in something that is historic,” Clark said. “We are going to significantly reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources, and we will strengthen America’s national security.” He says it’s a big step for American agriculture but the work is not done and encouraged attendees to get involved and join Growth Force to help influence what is being done in Washington, DC. Clark told me after his speech how much he enjoys getting out and interacting with farmers. I think he really likes “the field” although he excelled in a different one than you’ll find here in Iowa.

Clark is Co-Chairman for Growth Energy, a ZimmComm sponsor.

POET Project LIBERTY Field Day Photo Album

You can listen to Clark’s speech below and special thanks to Ken Anderson, Brownfield Network, for helping me out with the audio:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.1MB)

“It’s what we do. We sell blenders to everyone,” said Scott Negley, director of alternative energy products at Dresser Wayne. Blender pumps are gaining momentum across the country. They allow a retailer the flexibility to dispense various forms of gasoline and biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. Negley told me during the NACS show that 80 percent of the dispensers they sell are blender pumps.

“There is significant demand for blender pumps. That’s what we do best. We’ve been doing it for years,” said Negley. Actually, the company sold its first mechanical blender back in the mid-50s. Today, they have just debuted their new Eco-fuels blender series.

This series has the latest innovation in hydraulic technology that allows retailers to sell blended products from two hoses at the same fueling point. This allows for separation (which many states have legislated) of low and high-blend ethanol or biodiesel. The dispenser is customizable in 1 percent increments allowing retailers to sell the most popular blends of fuels, such as E30.

Another unique feature of the Eco-fuel series is that the dispensers have not only been designed for what fuels we have today, but the fuels we may have in the future. Negley noted that oil companies are working on fuels that will meet the CARB and RFS2 requirements. In addition, Dresser Wayne has products designed to dispense propane in Europe and is now in the process of developing a compressed natural gas (CNG) product.

You can listen to my full interview with Scott where he also discusses where UL is in the certification process and how that effects retailers.

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

If you’ve followed some of the motorsports coverage on DomesticFuel over the past few years, then you’ve probably read about Roush. Today, Roush announced that it is going to introduce a new concept into drag racing: a propane fueled Mustang. The Mustang, and its twin, will be ready to compete for the NMRA championship next season.

The cars are the result of the work Roush has been doing with propane in gasoline Ford pickups and vans. Jack Roush, the founder of the company that bears his name, cites several benefits in using propane as a “right here, right now” alternative fuel. First, propane, Roush says, is the third most popular motor fuel behind gasoline and diesel and there are currently more than 12 million propane-fueled vehicles on the roads around the world. (There are approximately 8 million flex-fuel vehicles on American roads today that can use up to E85).

When Roush was asked, why propane, he responded by saying, “It’s as American as NASCAR. More than 90 percent of the propane used in the United States is produced in North America, much of it from the U.S. natural gas supply. Propane has so many positive aspects and it is finally getting the recognition it deserves as an alternative fuel. Propane can help to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. Propane can help to clean up our environment. And propane can help to create new ‘Green Collar Jobs’ for displaced auto workers who can return to the lines to build alternative fuel vehicles.”

Propane has an advantage in high-performance applications such as drag racing due to its octane rating of 106. Both cars will use an all-aluminum 5.4L, V-8 Ford engine. The first propane fueled Mustang will be driven by Donnie Bowles and is slated to be tested in Mid-November. Roush’s daughter, Susan Roush-McClenaghan, will drive the second Mustang set to begin testing in February 2010. Until next season, the cars can be seen during the SEMA Show in Las Vegas November 3-5, 2009.

POET CEO Jeff Broin, seen here being interviewed in the field this morning, is glad for sunshine. At last year’s Project LIBERTY Field Day we had a wet one.

We watched several different equipment manufacturers display their latest products to handle collecting the corn cobs for use in cellulosic ethanol production. I’ve got video clips of them in action which I’ll be posting in coming days. In the meantime you can see photos in the photo album which I just updated.

POET Project LIBERTY Field Day Photo Album

Before we got started I interviewed Jeff about what we should expect. He emphasizes the importance of cellulosic ethanol production and what utilizing corn cobs as a biomass will mean to farmers and rural America. You can listen to my interview with Jeff below or watch the video:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (1.7MB)

Verenium Corporation has entered into a joint research collaboration with Syngenta AG of Switzerland.

Under the agreement, Verenium gained additional exclusive rights to an array of proprietary biomolecules expressed microbially, as well as non-exclusive rights to the same biomolecules expressed through non-plant and non-microbial means. Syngenta will retain exclusive rights to the biomolecules expressed in plants, as well as nonexclusive rights to the same biomolecules expressed through non-plant, non-microbial means.

Verenium has also obtained the rights to several late-stage enzyme development candidates, including alpha amylases and glucoamylases for starch processing in biofuels production, as well as three for use in the animal feed industry and thermostable phytases also for use in the animal feed industry. The animal feed industry is the second largest market for enzymes, with an estimated 7% rate of underlying growth per year.

An Iowa State University researcher has been named “Innovator of the Year” for his work on biofuels.

This press release from the school says Hans van Leeuwen, whose research teams have been awarded back-to-back R&D 100 awards for biofuels developments, has also been named R&D Magazine’s 2009 Innovator of the Year:

Lindsay Hock, the magazine’s managing editor, wrote that the magazine’s awards honor “the people behind some of the greatest innovations and discoveries in science.” And the Chicago Tribune once called the magazine’s awards the “Oscars of Invention.”

Earlier this year, a research team led by van Leeuwen won one of the magazine’s R&D 100 awards for using a fungus to convert wastes from biomass processing into biodiesel.

Last year, one of van Leeuwen’s research teams won an R&D 100 Award for its work to grow microscopic fungi in leftovers from ethanol production.

This latest award will be given out Nov. 12 at the Renaissance Orlando Hotel at SeaWorld in Florida.

The Kerry-Boxer climate bill is set for markup tomorrow (Tuesday, Nov. 3) in the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee… whether or not any Republicans decide to come along.

The “Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act,” introduced by Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and John Kerry (D-Mass.) is set for passage out of committee.

According to this story from Renewable Energy World, some are happy to see the bill progressing:

While substantially similar in structure to the climate legislation approved by the House this summer, the Kerry-Boxer bill proposes more stringent near-term greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction requirements than the House bill, with reductions required below 2005 levels of 20% by 2020 and 83% by 2050…

Putting a price on carbon in this way and raising the price of fossil fuels is expected to help make renewable energy more cost competitive.

But, according to the Washington Post, the bill will have to go forward without any Republican support due to the minority members boycotting tomorrow’s committee meeting because they feel it’s being rushed without proper consideration:

Matt Dempsey, spokesman for the committee Republicans, said the minority was united in its opposition to moving forward.

“The EPW Republicans would like a markup of the Kerry-Boxer bill, but are disappointed that the majority seems intent on moving forward with a markup before receiving a full analysis from the EPA,” he said. “Given the sheer size and significant economic impacts of the bill on the American people, we feel it is our duty to insist on having the analysis before members are to vote on the bill.”
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