Domestic Fuel

Brazil-based GranBio has announced plans to expand to the U.S. with an office in San Francisco and has name Vonnie Estes as the managing director. In this new role, Ms. Estes will lead GranBio’s efforts to access new technologies and establish key public and private collaborations for the company’s continued global expansion in advanced biorefinery development.

Ms. Estes joins GranBio from Codexis, a developer of engineered enzymes for pharmaceutical, biofuel and chemical production, where she most recently was Vice President of Corporate Development. Prior to Codexis, she was the Chief Commercial Officer at DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol (DDCE)as Executive Vice President, Business Development. Prior to joining DDCE, she led DuPont’s commercialization program for cellulosic ethanol. Her multifunctional team was responsible for the $140 million joint venture between DuPont and Danisco.

“GranBio intends to expand its profile in North America and our new office in the United States will allow us to build a team and execute our strategy,” said Alan Hiltner, Executive Vice President, GranBio. “We are extremely pleased that Ms. Estes will lead our effort. Her track record of success at large, established multi-national and early stage start-up companies is the mark of a true entrepreneurial spirit and savvy industry trendsetter. These are exactly the qualities we want to be known for as GranBio begins its strategic global expansion.”

In April, GranBio completed the acquisition of a 25 percent equity investment in the North American Cleantech pioneer American Process Inc. (API). Under the agreement, GranBio will have access to a proprietary biomass pretreatment platform that makes it possible to cost-effectively develop cellulosic sugars as a feedstock for conversion to a variety of biochemicals and biofuels.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded Novozymes an award of up to $2.5 million to find new and more efficient enzymes for turning corn stover into fuel for cars and trucks. The specific project that was awarded funds by the DOE is called ‘SynTec,’ and is a two-year collaborative project between Novozymes and MBI. The companies will screen natural enzyme diversity for the best performing enzymes. Each enzyme combination will then be tested on pretreated agricultural waste that can first be converted into sugars and then into bio-based products and advanced biofuels.

According to Novozymes, many chemical-based industrial processes have inherent drawbacks from a commercial and environmental point of view. These drawbacks can be nearly eliminated with enzymes:

• Enzymes can be used in mild conditions such as moderate temperatures and pH levels.
• Only small amounts of enzymes are needed in order to carry out chemical reactions on an industrial scale.
• Enzymes reduce the impact of manufacturing on the environment by reducing the use of chemicals, water and energy, and the subsequent generation of waste.

Novozymes’ work will support DOE’s focus on research, development and demonstration efforts to achieve affordable, scalable and sustainable advanced biofuels. According to the company, it has already reduced the cost of enzyme production for biofuels by 90 percent. Once the new screening process is proven, it can be used to rapidly develop tailored cost-effective enzyme solutions for specific industrial biorefineries. This is the third time Novozymes has partnered with the D.O.E. for bioenergy enzyme development.

International company Abengoa has announced the creation of a new American subsidiary, Abengoa, US, which will be responsible for all its business in the country. The formation of the new subsidiary supports the company’s strong commitment to the U.S. market.

According to the company, Abengoa US has assets in excess of $5.8 billion, more than $1.7 billion in shareholders’ equity, and its revenues account for approximately 20 percent of the company’s total sales.  Today, U.S. projects are coordinated from three offices located in Washington D.C., St. Louis and Denver with R&D+i centers in Denver and St. Louis. In addition, the company has projects completed or underway in 12 sates.

Currently,, Abengoa US is engaged in various landmark projects in the country, including Solana, the world’s largest solar plant using parabolic-trough solar-thermal technology based in the Arizona desert, which has up to six hours of electricity storage, and one of the first commercial second-generation bioethanol plants located in Hugoton, Kansas, which will come into operation at the end of this year.

Appy New Year from the ZimmComm Team here on Domestic Fuel.

We’re betting that many of you now have a new smartphone or tablet. So whether it’s an iPad of any version or an Android you can get your Domestic Fuil on it most easily via the AgWired App! Within the app you’ll also find the news feeds from our other ZimmComm News Network websites, AgWired.com; PrecisionPays.com and WorldDairyDiary.com. You’ll also find our main Twitter feeds and the feed from our YouTube and Flickr accounts.

Best of all it’s Free!

So click here to find out where you can get the AgWired App and have an Appy New Year.

Amyris has announced that it has completed a $42.25 million private placement of its common stock. The company has also begun production of its industrial fermentation facility in Brazil and is producing Biofene, its brand of renewable farnesene, a fragrant oil chemical. When adding a hydrogen molecule to farnesene, you get farnesane, which is the foundation molecule for renewable diesel.

“We are encouraged by the continued, strong commitment from our major investors, particularly as we start up our new industrial fermentation facility for the production of our renewable hydrocarbons in Brazil,” said John Melo, Amyris President & CEO. ”Our own farnesene plant at Paraiso has been successfully commissioned, with initial farnesene production underway. We anticipate sales from this facility during the first quarter of 2013.”

The Company sold 14,177,849 shares of common stock in a private placement to existing Amyris investors. The transaction included $37.25 million in cash proceeds and the conversion by Total Gas & Power USA, SAS of $5 million from an outstanding senior unsecured convertible promissory note.

Renewable Energy Group (REG) has announced that its REG Newton, LLC loan with AgStar Financial Service, PCA was extended for one additional year. The biodiesel facility entered into this debt agreement with AgStar in conjunction with the related March 2010 acquisition of the assets of Central Iowa Energy, LLC.

“We’re pleased that the lender syndicate saw fit to extend this note in a routine manner,” said REG Chief Financial Officer, Chad Stone.

The new maturity date is March 2014, and all material terms remain the same for the 30 million gallon per year biorefinery.

Green Plains Renewable Energy (GPRE) has completed the sale of 12 grain elevators located in northwestern Iowa and western Tennessee to The Andersons. The sale include approximately 32.6 million bushels of GPRE’s reported agribusiness grain storage capacity and all of its agronomy and retail petroleum operations. GPRE expects to report a pre-tax gain from this sale in the fourth quarter of 2012 of around $46 million. XMS Capital Partners served as financial advisor to Green Plains in the transaction.

Of the many foods we have to be thankful for in this nation, I’ll bet there are lots of people who are thankful every day for the gift of chocolate! Oh yeah!

This is an image of our sweet Thanksgiving greetings sent this year to some of our clients. Hopefully most received them before leaving for the holiday, but if not, it will be waiting for you at your desk on Monday. Some other clients will be receiving a sweet bag of Florida citrus next week. We want you to know how much we appreciate not only your business, but your friendship as well.

We also are very grateful for the hundreds of other business associates and Domestic Fuel readers that we count as our friends. Wish we could send everyone a whole bushel of Florida citrus and sweet chocolate to let you know how much we appreciate you! You are all in our prayers of gratitude this holiday and we wish you the sweetest joys of the season!

Vidaris Inc. has expanded its Vadaris Renewable Energy Division to address the growing demand for renewable energy solutions. The company’s industry list includes solar photovoltaic, building-integrated building-integrated photovoltaic, building-applied photovoltaic, wind, and solar thermal integrated technologies. More specifically, the company has expertise in renewable energy systems including solar photovoltaic, BIPV, BAPV, wind, and solar thermal systems for both new construction projects and existing building upgrades.

The company provides clients with an independent, third-party advisor to evaluate project opportunities and assist in the design, integration and implementation of renewable energy technologies.

“Our Renewable Energy Division enables clients to strategically navigate the renewable energy marketplace and take advantage of the many benefits renewable energy offers to building value,” concluded John Hannum, PE, VP of Energy Services.

A new partnership has been formed in the biofuels industry. Lallemand Ethanol Technology and North American Bioproducts Corporation (NABC) have joined together to form a new business: Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits (LBDS).  According to a company statement, the name change reflects their continued commitment to both of these industries by combining the best elements from both companies to form a more “fermentation focused” entity.

Kevin Dailey, President of LBDS says this combination makes them the clear #1 fermentation ingredient supplier to both the fuel ethanol and distilled spirits industries.

With the fall harvest ending in the near future it’s time to look at winterizing all that equipment. That means you need a good lubricant and that means you might want to check out Slip Plate. You can find out all they ways you can use this product from Superior Graphite on their website. Go ahead. Visit now. Here are a few places where you can use Slip Plate:

SLIP Plate dry film graphite coatings (SLIP Plate No. 1, SLIP Plate No. 3, SLIP Plate No. 4, and SLIP Plate Aerosol) significantly reduce sliding friction on corn picker heads, combine cutter bars, hay elevators, planter plates, hay bailers, gravity wagons, and many more applications around the farm.

Slip Plate is a dry lubricant that is very environmentally friendly unlike petroleum based products. More reasons to use Slip Plate!

I visited with Barry Lee, Superior Graphite, once again to talk about Slip Plate products for the agricultural market. This is part of a periodic series of interviews I’m doing to help the ag industry come to know this company and their products. In our interview Barry not only talks about products for specific farm applications but also one I think you hunters out there should know about and that is Black Ice.

A unique formulation combining a unique solvent cleaner with a friction reducing mineral that first cleans the surface, and then deposits a layer of pure, lubricous graphite powder.

This makes it perfect for gun cleaning!

Our discussion also focused on “What’s inside a can of graphite?” You might think all cans of graphite are the same but they are not. Barry did some research on this subject that finds two things that govern the performance of the graphite product you are using: amount of graphite and the type of graphite. You can find details of his research findings on the Slip Plate website.

Listen to my interview with Barry here: Interview with Barry Lee

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) held its annual meeting in Omaha, Nebraska this week and during the event, members elected new Officers of the Board of Directors. The new Chairman of the RFA Board of Directors is Neill McKinstray, President of the Ethanol Division, The Andersons, Inc. as Chairman of the RFA Board of Directors. McKinstray previously served as the Vice Chairman for two terms, and will be succeeding Chuck Woodside, General Manager of farmer-owned KAAPA Ethanol. Woodside served as Chairman for two terms.

“Today, ethanol is presenting the U.S. with a critical opportunity to expand domestic energy production and reduce foreign oil imports by millions of barrels. The future of energy independence and a stronger America is being realized right here, right now, every day, in ethanol plants across the country,” said McKinstray. “It is important that the industry continues to drive forward, ensuring that we maintain critical policies like the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), extend key tax policies for new fuel commercialization and investment in renewable fuel infrastructure so that we can continue to provide American consumers with more clean fuel options.”

McKinstray complemented RFA and its members for their work in ensuring growth and evolution of the ethanol industry. He also noted that the future holds great promise for the ethanol, and concluded by saying he was honored to be elected and looks forward to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”

Other elected RFS officers include:

• Vice Chairman Randall J. Doyal, CEO of Al-Corn Clean Fuel in Claremont, Minnesota
• Treasurer Walter Wendland, CEO of Golden Grain Energy in Mason City, Iowa
• Secretary Mick Henderson, General Manager of Commonwealth Agri-Energy in Hopkinsville, Kentucky
• President Bob Dinneen, CEO of Renewable Fuels Association, Washington, DC

Tom Slunecka has been named the new executive director for the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA) and Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council. Prior to taking the helm of the soybean team on August 27, 2012, Slunecka was the vice president of marketing for PhibroChem where he focused on ethanol and animal agriculture. He also served as the executive director of the organization Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC).

“I am very happy to have the opportunity to work with these strong groups and look forward to the challenges and opportunities that agriculture will be faced with in the coming years,” said Slunecka, a long-time member of the biofuels and agricultural industry. “I am excited to help execute current and future research projects to bring new opportunities to Minnesota producers’ farm gate. Equally important is to continue to work with the strong leaders developing and implementing farm policies necessary to support soybean farmers’ profitability. I appreciate the opportunity to play a part in fulfilling the visions set forth by Minnesota Soybean.”

Slunecka is moving to Minnesota from Omaha and is a native of South Dakota. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Agriculture from South Dakota State University in Brookings and will bring his vast experience to the soybean industry.

“We are very happy to add a leader of the quality that Tom provides,” said MSGA President and Dodge County farmer Bruce Schmoll. “He is visionary and will help establish and achieve goals that will benefit soybean growers across Minnesota.”

Kelly Davis is joining the Renewable Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) as Director of Regulatory Affairs. She is an ethanol veteran and before joining RFA full time, Davis chaired the RFA Technical Committee while working for Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company located in Benson, Minnesota. Davis will start with RFA on September 4, 2012 and be based out of the St. Louis, Missouri office.

“Kelly will add immediate value to the members of the RFA, helping them to navigate the myriad of regulatory issues that come down from the federal government,” said RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen.

“Kelly’s expertise will add greater depth to the RFA’s already deep knowledge of the regulatory and technical issues that can be the difference between profit and not for many RFA members. In particular, Kelly has tremendous expertise in ethanol exports, the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED), and carbon accounting here and abroad. With her recent experience working with an ethanol marketing firm, she will also be a great asset to the RFA’s E15 regulatory team. We are thrilled to welcome Kelly to the RFA and are proud that she will continue to serve this industry as a member of our staff,” concluded Dinneen.