Domestic Fuel

The preliminary agenda for the 2010 Fuel Ethanol Workshop has been announced, along with incentive to register early. Register by March 16 to save $200 and be entered in a drawing to win an iPod Touch. The winner will be announced on March 17.

The 26th Annual Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo features more than 120 industry professionals delivering presentations across five topic tracks. This year’s line-up was assembled from over 240 abstracts which were vigorously reviewed by a panel of nearly 40 industry professionals. The result is a compilation of presenters addressing our industry’s most current concepts, processes, technologies, challenges, and opportunities. Topics as varied as plant optimization, advances in fermentation, carbon monetization, and industry salary trends are all available in this one, content-packed event.

The 2010 FEW will be held June 14-16 at the America’s Center in St. Louis.

Everyone needs an excuse to go to Italy and now you have one – Solarexpo. Solarexpo in an international conference and expo on renewable energy and distributed generation. The event will be held on May 5-7, 2010 in Italy and as part of the event, is launching the R4R – Research for Renewables event.

R4R is a “research consortium” of sorts representing Italy’s entire range of renewable energy technologies. Organizations involved in research, technology developments, university spinoffs and innovative startups have the opportunity to be involved. The concept has been developed and managed in partnership with Galileia, a spinoff from the engineering faculty of the University of Padua that specializes in the energy sector.

“With the R4R project, Solarexpo is building on its innovative approach and continuing to create new spaces in which the vast worlds of renewable energy can come together. R4R is our way of engaging with parts of the renewables sector that would only be marginally interested in a traditional exhibition event: the world of research and new companies in the renewable energy field,” said Luca Zigale, scientific director of Solarexpo. “This is an environment that is evolving rapidly and is full of new talents, ideas and projects, but isn’t very visible for more established companies and public sector decision makers.”

Another interesting twist of the R4R is that is will have a dedicated hall in Solarexpo and 20 of the most promising startup companies will be selected to exhibit at no charge. In conjunction with the expo, a series of networking events, informational sessions and workshops will take place around two themes: “Research Day” and “Green Financing Day”.

But what may be the coolest thing about 4R4 is its support of young, innovative companies that have great ideas but not enough funding. This event will give these companies that audience they need to attract investments and bring these cutting-edge technologies to market.

You can learn more about the conference by clicking here.

Back by popular demand, Phibro Ethanol Performance Group, along with Fremont, Fermentis and Novozymes are hosting the second Process Optimization Seminar targeted for plant managers, operations managers, technical managers, lab managers and general managers. This interactive seminar is focused on helping ethanol plants increase their efficiency and profitability through learning about new technologies available for the fermentation process. This two half-day seminar is being held in Indianapolis, Indiana on March 30-31 and the early registration deadline is March 10.

I was able to spend a few minutes with Tom Slunecka, the VP of Marketing for Phibro Ethanol Performance Group to learn more about the seminar and why fermentation is so important. “The life blood of the plant is optimizing alcohol production within that plant. That’s really what drives the profitability of a plant. Of course, we have to buy our corn right and sell our ethanol right and sell our distillers right but if we’re not optimizing every kernel of corn for every amount of ethanol it can possibly produce, we’re leaving money on the table.”

Slunecka continued, “That’s really what this seminar is all about. It’s making sure that the people involved with the most important details of the plant have the optimum information to maximize the profitability of the plant.”

The location of the seminar was designed to be within driving distance of many ethanol plants and Slunecka explained that the class size is small, and limited, so that the exchange between instructors and participants is high, yet the price point is low. Click here to learn more and to register.

Listen to my full interview with Tom below.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (2.0MB)

Another approach and discussion is emerging surrounding messaging and education of global climate change. Green communication specialists will gather in May for a summit to refine the cause that clean energy and sustainable business practices are good policy and good business.

The first-ever Green PR summit rEnergize Communications Summit will be held May 23-25 to discuss how corporate brands, products and initiatives will be best positioned for success in the new era of climate change and sustainability. Communication experts from corporations, organizations, trusts, foundations, and local and state government will be working together to create a unified messaging strategy that will prepare people for the global changes already under way to alleviate the destruction of climate change.

“There is a disconnect between the importance that people place on the environment and what sustainability actions they are willing to adopt,” said Joanna Schroeder, APR and Principal of 4R Communications, the company spearheading the summit. “Now that the world has embraced the issues surrounding climate change, and policy is underway to mitigate potential damage, we need a concerted communications effort that will help educate and prepare the public for these inevitable changes.”

Conference speakers include Cara Pike, Director of Our Social Capital Project and author of Climate Crossroads: A Research-Based Framing Guide; Autumn Salamack, Aveda; Greensburg, Kansas Mayor Bob Dixson; Brian Davis, CleanBiz Horizons; Jim Lane, Biofuels Digest; and Greg Pahl author of The Citizens Energy Handbook.

Register by March 15 to receive free registration to the webinar, “5 Key Barriers to Environmental Engagement,” as well as for conference registration discounts. For a full list of speakers, and to register, visit www.rEnergizeMedia.com. You can also follow news about the conference on Twitter at #GRPR.

During the National Biodiesel Conference, Renewable Energy Group (REG) held an outlook conference at which they provided an overview of the company as well as a look ahead. One of the speakers was Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Gary Haer.

Gary says the new RFS-2 gives the industry a good foundation for demand. He says the industry took a step back last year but he sees good market opportunities coming. Another driver for growth will be state initiatives like those in states like Minnesota. Some are in place now or are expected at a future date. He says REG assists in these state processes with staff that work on government relations. Other drivers include the biodiesel specifications that may require labeling in some states.

Gary says that the company plans to have a free webinar available on RFS-2 on February 24th. Information about it should be available on their website.

REG has released several reports that are available for download:

“Feedstock and Biodiesel Characteristics” (pdf)
Steryl Glucosides Study (pdf)
Moisture Study (pdf)
Soap Study (pdf)

You can listen to Gary’s comments below.

National Biodiesel Conference Photo Album

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.2MB)

The Next Generation Bio-Based Chemicals Summit is taking place in San Diego this week and Poet’s Vice President of Commercial Development, Scott Wishaar, will be discussing how new ethanol co-products can help ethanol plants become true biorefineries.

Photo Credit: Poet

Wishaar is participating in the panel discussion, “Perspectives of Biorefinery Owners and Development on the Bio-Based Chemicals Value Chain” taking place on Wednesday, February 10th.

According to Poet, co-products such as Inviz zein, open many new markets for producers today. Inviz is a biodegradable, low-nutrient protein found in corn and can be used as a gum base or in films, packaging, adhesives, coatings and glazes. Inviz zein is extracted using a patent-pending process developed by POET.

The company is also researching other co-products to further expand the value of corn and anticipates that bio-based chemicals and related products will likely emerge as viable co-products as part of the production process of Project LIBERTY. Poet is is using corn cobs to create cellulosic ethanol as part of this pilot project.

Retech 2010, the Renewable Energy Technology Conference and Exhibition, kicks off in Washington, DC tomorrow. The conference is co-produced by the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) and TradeFair Group. Nearly 300 exhibitors from all sectors of renewable energy are expected to participate.

In addition to the exhibition, there is a Business Conference that will feature more than 250 speakers sharing their insights and knowledge about alternative energy. There are several parallel tracks that will be held during the three days with concentrations on core areas including geothermal, wind, solar, hydro, biomass, biofuels, and waste energy. Additional hot topics encompass the  challenges and opportunities in the green electricity and green building sectors along with industry leaders discussing the innovative, comprehensive and entrepreneurial strategies that will be needed to ensure the sustained growth of the renewable energy industry.

Poet CEO Jeff Broin will discuss ethanol’s impacts during the opening plenary session on Wednesday along with Carol Browner, Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change as well as other leaders in the energy and the environmental arena. In addition, Doug Berven, Poet’s Director of Corporate Affairs, will also be speaking and is part of the panel discussion “Research and Development: Conventional Biofuels” to be held on Friday.

Click here to learn more about Retech 2010.

Geothermal energy is potentially the largest—and presently the most misunderstood—source of energy in the United States and the world today,” writes Al Gore in his new book, “Our Choice, A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis.”

According to the most recent draft of the National Geothermal Action Plan, geothermal resources could account for 100,000 MWe of base load electric generating capacity by 2050. The catch—the government and private investors must support the growth of the industry. This increased attention for geothermal power now offers new investment and exploration opportunities that will be discussed during the GeoPower Americas 2010 national conference in San Francisco, Cali. on February 16-17.

“Geothermal energy is often left off the table when discussing key alternatives to fossil fuel based energy,” said Sarah Ellis, Managing Director, Green Power Conferences. “What the experts don’t understand is that geothermal could, if properly developed and funded, provide enough energy to offset fossil fuel use.”

Partho Sanyal, Director of Energy & Power Investment Banking with Bank of America Merrill Lynch, will be speaking to industry experts during the GeoPower Americas conference. “2010 will likely follow the momentum gained in 2009 in the U.S. geothermal sector. Industry players are looking to either jump start stalled projects from the credit crisis or reexamine strategic alternatives. The market seems to be rewarding players with scale, proven reserves and the ability to fund development,” said Sanyal.

Additional speakers include the keynote address from the U.S. Department of Energy; Dian M. Grueneich, California Public Utilities Commission; Charles Visser, NREL; Charles Baron, Google.org; Elaine Sison-Lebrilla, Sacramento Municipal Utility District; Curt Robinson, Geothermal Resources Council; and more.

For a full list of speakers and to register, visit www.geopowerseries.com. Enter code 4RC-203 for 20 percent off the current registration rate.

The keynote speaker for next month’s 15th Annual National Ethanol Conference will address the issue of using mid-level ethanol blends from the automobile industry perspective.

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has announced that Thomas G. Stephens, General Motors Vice President for Global Product Operations, will keynote the conference in Orlando on February 15-17.

“The importance of a cooperative and constructive relationship with the auto industry to America’s ethanol producers and marketers cannot be overstated,” said RFA President Bob Dinneen. “Whether it is working on technical issues surrounding mid-level blends or expanding the infrastructure for blender pumps and higher level ethanol blends, having auto companies at the table is critical.”

Registration for the 2010 National Ethanol Conference is available on line.

During the Copenhagen Climate Conference, President Obama announced findings from the Environmental Protection Agency that the six major groups of greenhouse gas emissions are “an endangerment” to public health and welfare. This could lead to stricter emission regulations for vehicles, manufacturing and power plant emissions.

This also shines an even brighter light on low CO2 emitting technologies such as solar energy. Opportunities are ripe for policy makers to “get out of their own way” and help the industry grow by reducing the difficulties for projects including increased funding and smoother, reduced time for acquiring permits – especially now that the media are reporting that the “recession” has hit the solar industry.

Permit acquisition is one of the largest barriers to seeing solar utility projects come to fruition. Mike Nedd, Assistant Director – Minerals and Realty Management with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) notes that the BLM has received a large amount of proposed applications for renewable energy projects and have set in motion ways to respond to the applications in a timely manner.

“We have responded by partnering with the Department of Energy on the Solar PEIS, by working through the Federal budget cycle to fund Renewable Energy Coordination Offices and renewable energy related positions, and by developing a coordinated, focused effort to move projects through the environmental review and permitting process more quickly but without taking shortcuts,” said Nedd who will be a presenter at the upcoming Solar Power Generation USA conference in Las Vegas on January 20-21, 2010.

While the move to streamline the permitting process is needed, it shouldn’t happen to the detriment of the environment. Therefore, the solar industry and environmental organizations will need to forge stronger relationships to ensure solar energy sees the light of day.