Domestic Fuel

USDA is seeking applications to increase the production and use of renewable energy sources. Funding is available from four USDA Rural Development renewable energy programs authorized by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill).

“This funding will help spur investments in technologies that will reduce reliance on fossil fuels, conserve natural resources and help build a sustained renewable energy industry in rural America,” says Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. “Support provided by USDA through these programs will not only benefit the environment, it will create green jobs and help America become more energy self-sufficient.”

Eligible projects include installing renewable energy systems such as wind turbines, solar, geothermal, biomass, anaerobic digesters, hydroelectric, and ocean or hydrogen systems. Funding may also be used to purchase energy-efficient equipment, add insulation, and improve heating and cooling systems. USDA is accepting applications for grants and loan guarantees in the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) until June 30, 2010.

An interesting issue has come up with a by-product of biodiesel and whether it meets strict Jewish dietary laws.

Glycerin, made plentiful from what used to be ramped-up biodiesel production, is now being used in a variety of foods. Sweet, natural glycerin is being used in many food products. And Autobloggreen says the fact that the glycerin could be coming from either plant or animal sources is causing some concern for those rabbis verifying how kosher that glycerin is:

This is not easy to figure out, especially if the biodiesel was made from waste restaurant fats – one important question: “was the oil used to fry pork?” – or if the glycerin is a blend of many biodiesel production streams. Over time, the rabbis have worked with biodiesel production facilities to track the fat source in order to verify just what is in the glycerin and, thus, can confidently say whether the resulting foods are kosher or not.

The best news is, biodiesel is always kosher to use in your diesel engine … and you don’t even have to cut off the end of your tailpipe!

Two federal agencies are teaming up to capture the methane U.S. farms produce and turn that greenhouse gas into fuel.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Agriculture have a new interagency agreement that will promote the biogas as a renewable energy source, while cutting those gas emissions from livestock operations. This EPA press release says the agreement is an expansion of the AgStar program:

“We want to seize every opportunity to confront climate change and move into the clean economy of the future. This is a smart way to transform what would be a harmful greenhouse pollutant into a source of renewable energy — and make a profit for American farmers,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “We have the technology and the expertise, all we need now is to act. The AgStar program brings real benefits to our air and creates new opportunities for our farming community.”

“The farms and ranches that dot our countryside can contribute greatly to addressing America’s long-term energy challenges and the partnership we are announcing today will not only help generate renewable energy, but provide new income opportunities for farmers and ranchers,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

The EPA and USDA believe the $3.9 million their collaboration will provide over the next five years will help farms overcome obstacles preventing them from recovering and using biogas. Right now, there are about 150 on-farm manure digesters across the country that turn methane into biogas. Estimates are that 8,000 farms could put in digesters and recover the equivalent of the greenhouse gases of 6.5 million passenger vehicles a year while producing 1,500 megawatts of energy.

The 2011 Buick Regals will soon join the line as being E85 compatible. Starting in the fall months, Buick retailers will have on their lots the Regal and the Lucerne as being able to use the clean burning product.

According to Autoblog.com, the E85 capable 2.0-liter direct injected turbo four will begin arriving on lots in late August, along with the 2.4-liter. The turbo will be GM’s first production E85-capable turbocharged and direct injected engine. The engine was originally developed for the new Saab 9-5, which rides on the same Epsilon II platform as the Regal, and GM decided to install it in the U.S.-spec Buick as well. The new Regal has been available in China since late 2008.

According Jim Federico, vehicle line executive for the global midsize platform, combining direct injection and turbocharging will allow the new engine to get much closer to the volumetric fuel efficiency of gasoline while running on ethanol. Until now, normally aspirated flex-fuel engines typically have gotten about 15 percent worse fuel efficiency on ethanol. The Regal engine should cut that deficit to the mid-single digits and future versions should be just about even.

General Motors now offers a large selection of E85 compatible vehicles for purchase including the Chevrolet HHR, Malibu, Taho, Avalanche, Express, Impala and Suburban along with the GMC Yukon, Sierra, and Savana among others.

American Lung Association in North Dakota will be hosting an ethanol workshop at the National Energy Center of Excellence at Bismarck State College from 1-4:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 27.

The workshop is one of many that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is leading to inform industry, public and private fleet personnel, government employees, fuel retailers and providers, vehicle manufacturers and students on biodiesel, ethanol, natural gas, propane, fuel economy and idle reduction. The workshops are part of the Clean Transportation Education Project (CTEP) — a 2 year initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Energy to provide 48 alternative fuel and advanced transportation technology workshops across the U.S.

The workshops are also sponsored by the North Dakota Department of Commerce Office of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, Great Plains Energy Corridor and North Dakota Corn Council.

The state of North Dakota is offering $2 million for ethanol blender pump infrastructure. They are offering $5,000 per pump with a cap of $40,000 per station. For more information on this grant opportunity, click here.

For more information on the free workshop, contact Don Kaiser at (701) 225-4143.

NASCAR teams are testing 15 percent ethanol blended fuel for use in the 2011 Sprint Cup series.

FoxSports reports that Hendrick Motorsports is already testing the fuel and Roush Yates engines will start development with E15 in the next few weeks. The Fox story also indicates that POET could be under consideration as a possible supplier for the fuel.

According to SceneDaily.com, Sprint Cup Series Director John Darby says the work is still “a research project” and that officials are considering a variety of fuels with different percentages of ethanol.

“Once we had an actual blended ethanol fuel,” Darby said, “you have to have a fair amount of time for the teams to test and work whatever concerns they may have. … Is six months a fair guess? Yeah, but it’s a guess at best.”

Last month, NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton was quoted as saying about ethanol in the series, “We’re still looking at the fuel and what ratio percentage that we will use when we get there. Our goal when we set out… was to happen in 2011.”

In the meantime, Furniture Row Racing is introducing a Heartland agriculture-themed car pictured above in a few races starting this summer. The concept car was developed to promote American farmers and ranchers. The car is scheduled to run in three races later this year.

U.S. ethanol production continued on a record pace in February. According to information from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), February 2010 ethanol production averaged more than 833,000 barrels per day, 186,000 more than February 2009.

Ethanol demand, as calculated by the Renewable Fuels Association, also reached an all time high of 795,000 barrels per day in February. However, production continues to outpace demand at this point since the allowable blend level of ten percent ethanol in gasoline has basically been reached, according to RFA president Bob Dinneen. “American ethanol markets are nearly full do to the arbitrary 10% restriction EPA currently enforces on ethanol blending,” said Dinneen. “EPA must approve the use of up to 15% ethanol in all vehicles.”

It is expected to be later this summer before EPA rules on the E15 waiver to allow up to 15 percent ethanol blends in regular gasoline.