Domestic Fuel

My Dear Friends,

For the past four-and-a-half years, I’ve had the distinct pleasure of blogging about this nation’s and world’s efforts to wean itself from non-renewable energy. It’s been an absolutely fantastic experience, taking me down the blogging highway, sometimes from the comfort of my own living room chair. But, sadly, I will not be able to continue writing for this blog.

I have been offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go to Afghanistan to help the Afghans start a radio journalism/production program, so they can get good information to the people of that country and not just what some mullah wants to tell them. Don’t worry about my safety; I’ll be warm and safe and dry in the cozy confines of Kandahar Air Base, protected by the finest collection of fighting men and women the world has ever seen. I only hope that my efforts will make their jobs a little easier and help Afghanistan recover from decades of war and strife.

In the meantime, I hope to check in from time to time and give you a glimpse of our efforts there.

I can’t tell you how much I have appreciated Chuck’s and Cindy’s efforts and opportunities they have afforded me. They are true friends. I also feel confident that between them and their pool of talented, sophisticated freelance journalists, they’ll continue to spread the good news of renewable energy.

I thank you for reading my posts and providing comments. Even when (and probably especially when) we disagreed, I think it made for some great conversation … the real key to solving this nation’s energy issues. Keep reading Domestic Fuel, and keep putting in that great feedback!

Until we see each other again, take care!

John

Scientists in the St. Louis, Missouri area are hoping to get some help from local residents in finding the ideal algae to turn into biodiesel.

During the upcoming 2nd annual Algaepalooza, held Saturday, May 7, 2011 from 10am to 4pm in the Life Science Lab at the Saint Louis Science Center, people will be able to pick up algae-collecting kits as part of the Backyard Biofuels citizen science research project:

Last year, 1,000 families and individuals were given collection kits, and approximately 170 samples were cultured in the Life Science Lab to isolate individual algae species that produce oil. More than 100 of those isolated strains were sent to the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Institute for Renewable Fuels at the Danforth Plant Science Center, where they were tested for how much oil could be made and used for biofuel production. Those that showed promise are undergoing additional tests.

“Ten samples from last year’s algae gave high readings of oil production. Such encouraging results wouldn’t be possible without the help of citizen scientists.” said Matthew Stevens, senior lab technician at the Danforth Plant Science Center who conducts the research for the Backyard Biofuels program. “This year we have a goal to identify an algae species that boast better oil productivity than last year.”

And since folks will have the option of mailing in their collection kits, organizers expect more samples this year.

Algaepalooza gives visitors the chance to talk with the research scientists behind the project and learn why algae have the potential to be a sustainable source of fuel used to power cars, trucks and jet airplanes. More information is available at backyardbiofuels.org.

Builder of solar power systems Solis Partners, will put in a rooftop solar array able to generate 1.2 megawatts (MW) of electricity for Shore Point Distributing Company, Inc.’s corporate headquarters and central distribution location in Freehold, N.J.

This Solis press release says the array on top of Shore Point’s 267,000-square-foot facility will offset approximately 75 percent of the building’s annual electric load:

“We are proud to be actively improving the environment while maintaining our reputation as one of New Jersey’s premier distribution companies,” said Rick Lonardo, vice president of operations at Shore Point. “This project will help us continue to provide the freshest and best quality beer while strengthening our commitment to the environment, our suppliers and our customers.”

“We’re delighted to be working with Shore Point.” said Jamie Hahn, managing director of Solis Partners. “As one of the leaders in the New Jersey beverage distribution industry, Shore Point’s solar initiative is sure to lead the way for companies that are interested in going solar. Their system will provide clean, low cost energy for up to 25 years, serving as a hedge against electricity rate increases.”

The system is to be completed this June. This follows Solis’ project I told you about back in March where the company put in a 921-kilowatt rooftop solar array for New Jersey’s Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G).

Some researchers say that, at current production levels, algae biodiesel is not a commercially viable product. But some algae advocates believe researchers might have some ulterior motives for coming to that conclusion.

One of the study’s authors, Dr. Peter Pfromm, a professor in Kansas State University’s department of chemical engineering, says that while they found that it’s possible to produce enough biodiesel to make it a net energy gain over the amount of energy that goes into the green fuel’s production, it won’t make money. In fact, he says the algae would have to produce perhaps three times the amount of oil it currently does in order for algae-for-biodiesel production to be economically feasible, and it would take a pond 11 square kilometers big just to grow enough algae for the green fuel to replace just .1 percent of this nation’s diesel use. Pfromm says the real work needs to go into boosting the level of oil output from the algae.

But But Barry Cohen, the executive director of the advocacy group, the National Algae Association, says Pfromm is not looking at real-world conditions, and Cohen says Pfromm’s assumption that the algae would be grown in open ponds is an old, out-dated technology, and most algae growers are using vertical photo bioreactors and fermenters. He also contends that algae researchers have a financial reason for not seeing algae commercialized as the U.S. Department of Energy is only funding research, not production, done on algae-biodiesel. He says that if researchers ever found a way to make algae-biodiesel commercially viable, that federal money for the research would dry up.

Pfromm says they received no outside money, especially no DOE money, for this project.

Hear more of what both men had to say here: Domestic Fuel Cast

You can also subscribe to the DomesticFuel Cast here.:

The U.S. military plans to up its share of biofuels, including biodiesel and ethanol, by nearly a billion gallons over the next few years.

But this article from Biofuels Digest says officials warn that won’t be enough to be the sole driver in the market:

Mark Iden of the Defense Logistics Agency confirmed that the US government proposed to purchase several hundred million gallons of drop-in advanced biofuels by 2016, citing an expected demand of 336 million gallons from the Navy and 587 million gallons from the Air Force.

But Iden, likened the government, although a large customer, to a large commercial airline in terms of purchasing power, and cautioned biofuels producers that the Department of Defense would be a large buyer but not in enough quantity to “singlehandedly drive a market.”

Meanwhile, Navy officials say they will be undertaking a “biorefinery development analysis” to gauge the Navy’s participation in green fuels development.

As we sit on the eve of Earth Day (Friday, April 22, 2011), our friends at the National Biodiesel Board have pointed out several tourist destinations that are friendly to the environment by using the green fuel biodiesel:

“Green tourism is more popular than ever, and biodiesel’s ease-of-use and greenhouse gas reductions have made it a big part of that movement,” said Joe Jobe, National Biodiesel Board CEO.

Read the rest of this post…

Researchers at Iowa State University have developed a simulator that allows them to replicate all the functions of biodiesel and ethanol plants.

According to this article from the school, the I-BOS (the Interactive Biorefinery Operations Simulator) will help students in Iowa State’s biorenewable resources and technology program learn about biofuel production, as well as helping the biofuel industry train employees:

“This could be the major component of a curriculum for teaching biofuels operators how to run a plant,” [David Grewell, an associate professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering] said. “It’s like a flight simulator for pilots.”

The virtual control room is now written to simulate the operation of ethanol and biodiesel plants. It keeps track of energy consumption, production efficiency and fuel quality. It also features interactive video clips from real biofuel plants that give students a good look at the entire production process.

Grewell says the simulator will also help operators in case of an emergency at the plant.

A company that develops 10-15 million gallon per year refining systems has signed a deal with North Carolina State University to use the school’s technology for producing biofuels from triglycerides (fats) and for producing products from genetically modified marine microalgae.

Avjet Biotech, Inc. (ABI), parent company of Red Wolf Refining, will use the technology to make aviation biofuels:

“We are delighted to have completed a license agreement with NC State following several months of discussions with the university on its advanced biofuel research,” said Marty Oliver, president of ABI. “We anticipate a major biofuel refining model will be the result of this landmark deal.”

“Following talks with the management of Avjet Biotech, I am happy to announce that we have arrived at an agreement that favors all parties involved,” said Dr. Terry Bray, senior licensing associate at NC State’s Office of Technology Transfer. “On behalf of the university, we look forward to our continuing involvement with Avjet.”

Red Wolf Refining uses a thermal catalytic process to refine any triglyceride into aviation biofuels and promotes itself as “dedicated to supporting the U.S. military in its goal to eliminate dependence on foreign oil.”

A new film released this week offers biodiesel as part of the solution for this country’s energy woes.

The documentary “Gashole” (gotta love the name!), according to reviews and trailers, sees the green fuel as David taking on the petroleum Goliath.

One of the reviews from Variety posted on the film’s website:

Conspiracy theorizing, though, is kept to a relative minimum as contempo interviewees — from economic historian Les Manns to “biodiesel fuel consumer” and “Dawson’s Creek” alum Joshua Jackson — help sketch the century-old rapacity of Standard Oil and the increasingly incestuous relations between auto and oil industries. Coming across as a George Clooney-in-training, Jackson smartly acknowledges Big Oil’s basic moneymaking agenda while accusing price-gouging corporations of exploiting working people and doing undue damage to both environment and economy.

Check it out!

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has released its fiscal year 2010 scorecard on sustainability and energy performance, and biodiesel is part of the goals in this scorecard.

This Army press release says the service is identifying the best ways to reduce pollution, improve efficiency, and cut costs, and testing the green fuel in the Corps’ floating plant fleet is part of that plan:

“This scorecard serves as an important tool to help us develop targets to reduce waste and increase efficiency in our operations,” said Jo-Ellen Darcy, Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works), USACE’s Sustainability Officer. “We are now armed with data to know where we are so that we can address areas needing improvement, and to expand on successes.”

USACE is on its way to meeting goals to decrease energy, potable water and fleet petroleum use; incorporate sustainable building practices; and increase renewable energy use at USACE-owned facilities. USACE’s progress thus far in meeting energy and sustainability goals includes: development of the USACE comprehensive Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventories for FY08 (baseline) and FY10; incorporating federal sustainability and energy metrics into the USACE Strategic Management System to provide commanders throughout USACE a dashboard tool to track their sustainability performance; apportioning of USACE Scope 1&2 GHG reduction targets so Major Subordinate Commanders have a clear understanding of the GHG reductions they are required to achieve; completion of biodiesel testing in several vessels in the USACE floating plant fleet; and completion of facility energy and water evaluations at five of the USACE’s most energy intensive facilities.

The USACE says it needs to increase the amount of renewable energy it uses. That can be achieved by implementing all Federal, DoD, and Army policies and regulations that promote green energy and by educating staff about environmentally friendly practices.

A San Francisco Bay Area biodiesel producer will offer its locally produced green fuel starting this Friday, April 22, Earth Day.

Sirona Fuels says the biodiesel will save consumers more than 25 cents a gallon compared to petroleum diesel, and local businesses that recycle their used cooking oil with Sirona Fuels, 20 percent of the sale price biodiesel goes to The Sirona Cares Foundation, which supports local education programs:

“With diesel prices at an all-time high, consumers and businesses are being crippled,” said Paul Lacourciere, CEO of Sirona Fuels and 20 year veteran of the energy industry. “Used cooking oil is considered a waste stream by many in the restaurant industry and as a local fuel producer we recognize its potential value through its conversion to ultra low-carbon fuel. We pass the saving on to consumers and businesses alike, enabling businesses to lower operating costs and create more local jobs while improving the environment.”

It is estimated that there are 10 million gallons of used cooking oil produced each year in the Bay Area, but less than 10% of that oil goes to the production of sustainable biofuels. Even those who do sell their oil for biodiesel production sell most of it to producers outside of the Bay Area or out of state. The vast majority of the cooking oil that goes into production at the Blue Sky refinery is collected in the Bay Area.

A proposed biodiesel plant in Virginia has gotten a boost after a city commission gave it a green light to proceed.

The Virginian-Pilot reports that the Chesapeake city planning commission gave Tidewater Biodiesel a conditional-use permit for a 10-million-gallon-a-year biodiesel plant:

Wednesday night, residents spoke in support of the project, with one opposed to the potential detriment to home values – though she said she supports the project itself.

“This won’t be any danger to our community,” she told the Planning Commission. “I do feel confident that we will be in capable hands.”

About four years ago, another biodiesel plant in the area, Smiling Earth Energy LLC in South Norfolk won building approval, but the developer wasn’t able to build the 320 million-gallon-per-year plant, which would have made it the largest in the nation.

Since we’re rapidly approaching tax deadline day, it seems only appropriate to talk about taxes and biodiesel. A Maryland biodiesel plant recovering from a devastating explosion that killed a worker in 2008 and the struggles the biodiesel industry in general has faced in the past couple of years is now facing a new foe: the tax man.

This story from delmarvanow.com says officials with the Greenlight Biofuels plant in Princess Anne, MD have asked Somerset County Commissioners to waive a portion of a personal property tax bill to help get the facility fully operational by the end of the year:

“We are really trying hard with this plant,” James Kingdon, president of Greenlight Biofuels, said during a meeting Tuesday.

It also owes $58,000 plus $10,000 interest on its 2009-10 tax bill but missed the deadline for an appeal, so company officials are appealing it to the county in hope of an abatement.

In fairness to the commissioners, they’re not sure if the law would even allow them to grant the waiver. County codes say tax credits can be awarded only to manufacturers with 10 or more employees; Greenlight has just seven right now.

California-based Solar3D has announced completion of a key component of its new solar cell.

This company press release says it has finished the design of the Light Collector section, part of its 3-dimensional solar cells:

“Our innovative solar cell design has two main sections: a Light Collector section coupled with a Micro-Photovoltaic section. The completion of the Light Collector design is the key to expediting the entire project,” commented Jim Nelson, President and CEO of Solar3D. “The structure of every other element of the cell is dictated by the Light Collector and flows from its design. While the design element is complete now, we expect minor modifications to further fabricate a prototype.”

“The Light Collector was the first giant step. We will now be able to know how much of the light will come through to the absorbing structure,” continued Nelson “With that understanding, we will soon know what the increase in efficiency will be with our new cell relative to current technology.”

Solar3D officials hope to have a working prototype by the end of this year.

The man in charge of a company that sells biodiesel and E85 ethanol to the public has told Congress that it needs to keep funding programs to help offset the costs of infrastructure that make the green fuels available to the public.

This post from Biodiesel Magazine says Matt Horton, CEO of Propel Fuels, told the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources how important it is for consumers to have access to renewable fuels and how S. 187, the Biofuels Expansion Act of 2011 would help that:

“With the primary location of the existing E85 and biodiesel fueling sites in the upper Midwest, much of the balance of the nation remains without such fueling facilities while Chrysler, General Motors, and Ford continue to produce almost 50 percent of their entire production as Flexible Fuel Vehicles,” Horton said.

“According to the DOE Alternative Fuel Data Center, there are approximately 2,350 public E85 fueling stations across the entire nation. This small number of sites serves an E85 vehicle population exceeding 9 million vehicles,” said Horton. “While it is not the government’s role to choose the fuel of the future, government can and should assist the private sector with offsetting the costs of such new infrastructure. We believe that the establishment of an infrastructure income tax credit represents the most appropriate role of government in this effort.”

Horton recommended a 50 percent tax credit (up to $100,000 per site) for putting in infrastructure with the ability to transfer that credit to third parties to help pay for the equipment, among other recommendations.