Domestic Fuel

Renault has introduced an FFV in France. Renault has focused on electric powered vehicles to lessen gasoline use in the past, but now the Romania based Dacia Logan MCV, now offers a vehicle that can use 100 percent gasoline up to 85 percent ethanol fuel.

The moderately priced 1.6-liter four cylinder FFV Renault replaces the former 1.6 MPI 90 version and, in France, purchase of the vehicle will be tax free. Renault reports that the CO2 emissions are much less so it will qualify for the badging for a low emissions vehicle.

The Logan MCV is available with either a five- or seven-seat configuration. The vehicle is manufactured by the brand’s ISO 14001-certified plant in Pitesti, Romania. It is available now in France.

A team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison have figured out how to get the the sugar molecules trapped inside inedible plant biomass, a key step in the creation of cellulosic biofuels.

This press release from the school says the process, featured in the latest issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, converts up to three-quarters of the sugars locked up in raw corn stover into simple, fermentable sugars … an attractive alternative to the enzyme-based approaches currently favored by biofuels researchers:

“Our chemical process is extremely efficient,” says Ron Raines, a UW-Madison professor of biochemistry and chemistry. “It also has marked advantages over the existing processes-both chemical or enzymatic-for producing sugars from biomass.”

Raines’ chemical approach, which he developed with graduate student Joe Binder, a doctoral candidate in the chemistry department, on the other hand, relies on a mixture of an ionic liquid and dilute acid-both of which can slip past lignin-to dissolve the long chains of sugars in biomass and break them up into individual molecules of glucose and xylose.

The article goes on to say that the researchers were able to get about the same amount of sugar out of the biomass as the more-expensive enzymes usually used. This could significantly cut the cost of cellulosic ethanol, helping move that industry forward.

There’s only one week left to get the early registration discount for the Ethanol 2010: Emerging Issues Forum. The event will be held at the Magnolia Hotel on April 8 and 9 in Omaha, Nebraska.

The fifth annual forum features a number of experts on topics including marketing, transportation, RINS and lifecycle emissions of the ethanol production process. This two-day conference is designed to encourage dialogue between speakers and participants, and seating is limited to 125.

Guest speakers include USDA Undersecretary for Rural Development Dallas Tonsager; RINstar founder Clayton McMartin; Marty Ruikka of PRX Geographic on feedstock supply and demand issues; and Trevor Hinz of ICM on enhancing production efficiency and capacity.

The Nebraska Ethanol Board will be hosting the forum. The Ethanol Board assists ethanol producers with programs and strategies for marketing ethanol and related co-products. The Board supports organizations and policies that advocate the increased use of ethanol fuels – and administers public information, education and ethanol research projects. The Board also assists companies and organizations in the development of ethanol production facilities in Nebraska.

To register for the conference, click here.

Pilot Travel Centers has added three more locations where Ethanol 85 can be purchased. Pilot now offers E85 at five locations statewide. E85 contains 85 percent ethanol and is for Flex Fuel vehicles only.

The stations include Strawberry Plains Pike and Crossville locations in East Tennessee and in Dickson, Tenn., along Interstate 40 west of Nashville. Earlier locations were in Knoxville at Northshore Drive at Pellissippi Parkway, and Walker Springs Road. They offered the fuel beginning in 2007. Pilot, based in Knoxville, bills itself as the largest operator of travel centers in the country with more than 300 locations in 40 states.

Last Friday, four of the Tennessee Pilot locations offered special pricing on E85 as part of its introduction of new east Tennessee stations. Jimmy Haslam, CEO of Pilot Travel Centers said, “We are committed to our customers, our community and our environment. Providing E85 meets a strong consumer demand and helps the environment—a win-win for all involved. We plan to continue installing E85 pumps as it is feasible.”

A bill that will allow $1 million to retailers in the State of South Dakota to install ethanol blender pumps has passed legislation. House Bill 1192 will use funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The prime sponsor of the bill was Representative Mitch Fargen.

Up to $10,000 can be used at each fueling facility to install blends of ethanol up to E85, but must be used between April 1 and May 28. Stations are allowed to use more than $10,000 if installing more than one blender pump.

As first reported by the South Dakota Corn Growers Association, Owen Jones, a farmer and rancher from Britton, South Dakota said, “With the incentives outlined in HB 1192, the State of South Dakota can play a significant role in getting the proper distribution system in place for the future of renewable fuels. Instead of dispensing one product, five different products can be dispensed from one pump. Another reason I am very supportive of this Bill is the fact that this legislation is not only good for the ethanol industry, but it is good for our nation. We need to rid ourselves of the addiction on foreign oil and change to a renewable fuel system which our nation controls.”

South Dakota currently has about 40 ethanol blender pumps throughout the state and nearly 100 E85 stations.

E85 infrastructure legislation that will extend grants of $100,000 up to 50% is one step closer to being a reality. According to BrighterEnergy.org, House Bill 1261 was voted through without opposition in the Indiana state Senate.

The “Agricultural Biomass Infrastructure Grant Fund” now will return to the state’s House of Representatives for consideration. The grant will extend the eligibility of governments, retailers, school corporations and state universities to tale advanatage of this funding.

State Senator Sue Errington (D-Muncie), one of the sponsors of the Bill, said: “Biomass and biofuels are going to be an important part of our future energy market. This bill gives biomass producers the tools they need to build and expand the infrastructure required to deliver these renewable energy products.”

“By opening up more grant opportunities, we can encourage further development and use of alternative energy in Indiana,” State Sen. Stutzman said. “With today’s vote, the Senate helped move our state toward greater energy independence.”

The state of Indiana currently has 129 E85 refueling locations.

E85 sold for 85 cents a gallon on Wednesday, February 24 at five Propel stations throughout California. Facilities in Sacramento, Rocklin, Citrus Heights and Elk Grove held a promotion from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in partnership with CALSTART.

The event’s intent was to educate Sacramento drivers and bring new FFV owners to Propel stations. The event had media coverage from all local broadcast affiliates, as well as the key daily and business publications in the area.

Chris LaPlante Marketing Director, Propel Fuels said, “The customer turnout exceeded our expectations with over 400 hundred participants in the E85 promotion across five locations. These customers reduced approximately 30,000 lbs of CO2 that day, and saved over $10,000 at the pump. What a day!”

“Given the cost savings and carbon reductions our fleet has realized through Propel’s Sacramento stations, we are looking forward to broader statewide access from Propel,” said Larry Paris, Fleet Manager, Sacramento District of the U.S. Postal Service. “Working with Propel to identify future locations that best serve our fleet is vital to meeting the renewable fuel goals of the U.S. Postal Service.”

Matt Horton, CEO of Propel noted, “Consumers and fleets see considerable savings at the pump by using E85, and reduce dependence on foreign oil,” said Matt Horton, CEO of Propel. “Propel’s average E85 price is $.50 per gallon lower than gasoline, so checking your car’s Flex Fuel compatibility can lead to significant savings at the pump.”

According to a press release by Green Plains Renewable Energy, Inc. (GPRE), the company has announced its fourth quarter 2009 income profit of $23.1 million compared to a net loss of $1.8 million in fourth quarter 2008. The quarterly income is that of $0.91 per share compared to $0.08 per share in 2008.

“All of our businesses performed well in the fourth quarter,” said Todd Becker, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We generated significantly higher operating income during the quarter primarily due to a strong performance from our ethanol production segment. In the fourth quarter, we produced 122 million gallons of ethanol which exceeds our expected capacity. The combination of higher production volumes, a stronger margin environment, and harvest activities for agribusiness resulted in a record quarter.”

Accomplishments that attributed to the profit include:
1. In October 2009, the group unveiled BioProcessAlgae, LLC’s Phase I Grower Harvester TM pilot project.
2. In late 3rd quarter of 2009, the group entered into an agreement with Lincolnway Energy, LLC to provide ethanol marketing services.
3. On July 2, 2009, Green Plains completed the acquisition of two Nebraska ethanol plants located near Central City and Ord.
4. On January 15, 2009, Green Plains Trade entered into an agreement to provide third-party ethanol marketing services to Bushmills Ethanol, Inc. of Atwater, Minnesota.
5. On January 1, 2009 Green Plains acquired majority interest in Houston-based biofuel terminal operator Blendstar, LLC.

“I am proud of the many accomplishments our team achieved during 2009. We fortified our operating, administrative and commercial activities while at the same time demonstrated our ability to significantly grow our operating segments. Our business model has been tested through one of the most challenging environments the ethanol industry has seen and continues to prove itself. As a result, we were able to reach profitability for the full year. We believe our industry, and more importantly, our company is on solid footing for the coming years,” said Becker.

Today, in an effort to increase fueling location options for flex fuel vehicle owners, the Martin-Eagle Oil Company announced the installation of a new E85 refueling site located at their headquarters facility at 2700 James Street in Denton, TX. The new site will supply E85 to both retail customers and to wholesale accounts.

Motorists operating flexible fuel vehicles can fuel up at the 2700 James Street location and take advantage of the cost savings of approximately 25 cents per gallon and use a domestically produced renewable fuel.

“We have made a significant investment to establish this new retail site adjacent to our office and look forward to offering E85 to other retail vendors through our wholesale operations,” said Stephen Martin, President of Martin-Eagle Oil Company. “E85 can only be used in flexible fuel vehicles that have been designed to operate on high level blends of ethanol, and we calculate there are more than 102,000 FFVS operating in the metroplex. With only 6 current E85 fueling stations throughout the area, we anticipate significant demand for the product once motorists become aware of its availability.”

The new fully automated E85 fueling site is open 24 hours and accepts all major credit cards.

According to Martin, “While there is still a great deal of oil produced in Texas, the fact is that we import more than 70% of our transportation fuels. We believe that the use of E85 in flexible fuel vehicles can be part of the solution to both cleaner air and local job creation.”

Mindy Mize, Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities Co-Coordinator added, “We are very pleased that Martin-Eagle Oil has chosen to open a new E85 refueling facility in the Metroplex. With so many flexible fuel vehicles in the region this new site will add to the fueling location options available to motorists.”

Martin-Eagle Oil will also be offering E85 to wholesale customers.

Protec Fuel Management, a company out of Boca Raton, Florida that offers retailers a turnkey option in ethanol infrastructure, has received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to open thirty E85 stations throughout Florida, Georgia andd Alabama.

According to their press release, Protec has teamed up with General Motors, the Renewable Fuels Association and Urbieta Oil to open these alternative fueling outfits. A total of eighteen stations will be installed in Florida, ten in Georgia and two in Alabama. Eight E85 stations have already been opened under this funding:

Site #1 – Pembroke Road U-Gas, 6810 Pembroke Road, Miramar, FL 33023
Site #2 – West Hialeah U-Gas, 7950 West 28th Avenue, Hialeah, FL 33018
Site #3 – North 2nd U-Gas, 19570 NW 2nd Avenue, Miami Gardens, FL 33169
Site #4 – Coral Way UGas, 2200 SW 22nd Street, Miami, FL 33135
Site #5 – Deerfield Marathon, 1900 South Powerline Road, Deerfield, FL 33432
Site #6 – Coral Ridge Valero, 11600 Wiles Road, Coral Springs, FL 33065
Site #7 – Palm Avenue Marathon, 2090 Palm Ave., Hialeah, FL 33010
Site #8 – Red Road Marathon, 16701 NW 57th Avenue, Miami, FL 33055

“We’re pleased to work with Protec to increase E85 pumps across the country. GM has over 4 million flex-fuel vehicles in the U.S. and Florida is one of the most populated flex fuel vehicle markets. Today, Florida has hundreds of thousands of GM flex-fuel vehicle drivers supporting the rapid expansion of E85 infrastructure,” said Mary Beth Stanek, Director of Environment and Energy Policy and Commercialization for General Motors.