Iowa ethanol facility wants to grow algae for biodiesel production

Green Plains Renewable Energy Inc. in Shenendoah, Iowa has applied for a grant to help with an algae to biofuels pilot project. Research has already shown that huge yields per acre of mainly biodiesel and some ethanol can be had from algae grown in water. Why do this next to an ethanol biorefinery? The carbon dioxide by-product from making ethanol can be used to help the algae grow faster--a very nice symbiotic relationship. The local newspaper has very good in-depth article here:
SW Iowa News - 'Green scum' at GPRE plant could be key to energy crisis: "'What's exciting is it's taking waste products from an ethanol plant, like water and carbon dioxide, 148,000 tons of which is dispensed into the air as a green house gas,' said Connell. 'They'll use that to produce massive amounts of algae.

'To put it in prospective, if you had a diesel car, one acre of algae would allow you to drive that car 370,000 miles, compared to about 2,400 miles on soybean oil, which is the basis for most bio-diesel.'"

Firm wants to make electricity from cane

A Louisiana Comany has developed a special variety of sugar cane with high biomass for making electricity. They say it is easier to replant and more weather resistant than common cane varieties.
News : Cane-fueled (New Iberia, LA)

Company to make ethanol from sweet sorghum juice in south

Renergie, Inc. will make ethanol from sweet sorghum juice in Louisiana and Florida. This presents several advantages over corn kernel ethanol, including lower energy use for processing and cultivation. Sorghum also thrives with less water and fertilization, while yielding more ethanol per acre than corn kernels. It also tolerates poor soils and widely varied soil types, including soils that are not very well suited for food production.
Biofuels News (Green Portal)

Foundation to plant 1,000 acres of switchgrass in Oklahoma for ethanol

Planting large-scale for commercial production will accelerate the development of growing techniques and varieties that will maximize cellulosic ethanol profits, energy balance, and yield/acre. The Noble foundation is organizing these plantings on farms in the Oklahoma panhandle. 
Foundation to plant 1,000 acres of switchgrass in Oklahoma - Examiner.com

Ethanol from poplar with expected net energy ratio of at least ten

Corn-derived ethanol is usually considered to have a net energy ratio of around 2 or less. This new process will have a much better energy ratio. It will use fast-growing poplar trees as feedstock. These can be grown in regions and on soils unsuitable for row crops like corn and many other food crops.
The Energy Blog: ZeaChem Announces Poplar Tree Feed Stock Agreement for High Yield, High Efficiency Bio-Refinery

New process for cellulosic ethanol, butanol

ZeaChem, a U.S. company, claims they can produce cellulosic ethanol for 80 cents per gallon (wholesale) by extracting acetic acid from cellulose and hemicellulose, while also extracting hydrogen from lignin. The hydrogen and acetic acid are them combined to make ethanol. They say this process extracts more ethanol from a tone of material. They plant to use fast-growing poplar trees as the feedstock. They also claim to be able to easily switch to producing butanol or other fuel types should the market warrant a switch. This could be quite significant considering the advantages of butanol with regard to automobile and pipeline compatibility. More information at:
Is vinegar the secret ingredient for biofuels? | Green Tech blog - CNET News.com

Company estimates up to 1/3 of transport fuel needs could be satisfied by ethanol from trash

Considering all the worry in the media about ethanol taking land and resources from food production, the possiblility of producing large amounts of ethanol from trash that would otherwise go to landfills is tantalizing. It wouldn't require more cropland and it would keep valuable biomass from going to landfills.
Trash-Based Biofuels: From Landfill to Full Tank of Gas: Scientific American

Dairy farm could make ethanol from manure

There are ethanol biorefineries using methane from cow manure as a power source for the facility, but this if the first I've heard about actually making ethanol from manure. Methane also derived from the manure would provide power at the facility in this case as well. The process not only results in a renewable motor fuel, but odor is reduced at the farm as well. This is a major concern in some areas, and could make the process more attractive to farmers.
The Sturgis Online Community - News

Specialty gas stations tout biofuels as ‘earth-friendly’

Specialty gas stations are beginning to open across the nation specializing in biofuels. These retailers can use biofuels as a marketing angle, branding their operations as earth-friendly. The latest example is Zarco 66 in Topeka, Kansas:
LJWorld.com / New gas station touts its biofuels as ‘earth-friendly’

Ethanol pipeline from midwest to east coast proposed

This is the first proposal I've heard of for a large-scale ethanol pipeline. The initial cost would be high, but it would lessen the cost of ethanol transport over time. Currently, most ethanol is moved by truck or train. More info here:
Business News for the Central Pennsylvania region including the Harrisburg, York and Lancaster areas - CentralPennBusiness.com

LifeLine Foods to Supply 100% Ethanol for IndyCar Series

Lifeline foods in St. Joseph Missouri was founded by farmers long ago to process corn kernels into food for animals and humans. They still do that, but now they separate the starches that aren't so good for eating and make that part into ethanol. They are also pioneers in energy efficiency. They get a lot out of every bushel of corn. Now they have been chosen to supplu ethanol fuel for the Indy Racing League.
LifeLine Foods Becomes 2008 Official Supplier of 100% Ethanol for IndyCar Series

Coskata and GM Partnership and Process

The article linked below contains details on the Coskata and GM partenership and the process they will use to make cellulosic ethanol. The numbers look impressive for net energy balance, low water use, low cost, and flexibility in feedstocks used.

Coskata and GM Partnership - History and Process � GroovyGreen.com - Start Today :: Save Tomorrow

Thousands of acres of cellulosic energy crops to be planted near St. Joseph MO

Farmers near St. Joseph, Missouri will have the chance to be in on the next big thing in biofuels. Ceres, Inc. Will be supplying seeds and agronomic guidance for switchgrass, sorghum, and other energy crops designed for cellulosic biofuel production in a biorefinery to be engineered by ICM, Inc. This scale of production will allow for rapid advances in crop variety selection, agronomic practices, and processing technology.
Ceres to Supply ICM With Seeds For Cellulosic Biofuels Project

Company producing biodiesel from algae

Solazyme is a company making biodiesel from algae. If perfected, this could push biodiesel production well past what is possible with oil crops such as soybeans. Read more at:
Domestic Fuel » Archives » World’s First Oil Producers At It Again

First American Cellulosic Plant in Production

KL Process Design Group appears to be the first company to build a commercial cellulosic ethanol biorefinery in the U.S. This Wyoming company is using waste wood, but could use cardboard and other waste paper products as well.
Domestic Fuel » Archives » First American Cellulosic Plant in Production

Iowa Power Fund to support energy independence projects

Iowans involved in renewable energy research and development might look into this new source of funding.
Sioux City Journal: Days of cheap energy are over, lawmaker says: "The Iowa Power Fund is charged with distributing $100 million in grants and loans over the next four years for projects which will help the state become energy independent."

Energy expert proposes mandating flex-fuel for all U.S. sold cars

This is an interesting idea. I would only add that if we do this mandate, we should consider also mandating that these flex-fuel vehicles or a certain percentage of them be optimized for better fuel economy on ethanol. By taking advantage of ethanol's high octane, this would reduce our use of fossil fuels much more than just using standard flex technology that uses ethanol relatively inefficiently.
Energy expert touts 'flex-fuel': The author-engineer says vehicles that run on biofuels will help the U.S. break its oil addiction.

cellulosic ethanol from switchgrass promises good energy balance

An abstract from a study by researchers at the USDA and University of Nebraska indicates ethanol from switchgrass should result in "540% more renewable than nonrenewable energy consumed" and overall emmissions of greenhouse gases would be 94% lower than from ethanol-free gasoline. Switchgrass field for this study were established on 10 farms across widely varied locations in the middle portion of North America. These results still need to be reproduced on a commercial scale, but this is perhaps the best indication to date that ethanol from switchgrass could be highly renewable and reduce greenhouse gases significantly. Soil erosion would be less as compared to traditional row crops as well.
Net energy of cellulosic ethanol from switchgrass -- Schmer et al., 10.1073/pnas.0704767105 -- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

E. Coli for making butanol fuel

Scientists at the National Renewable Energy Lab are closing in on a better way to make butanol, an alcohol that has a higher BTU content than ethanol and better compatibility with gasoline. It can even be mixed with ethanol to improve its compatibility with gasoline. It also has a high octane rating, similar to ethanol, great for turbo-boosted engines. Butanol research deserves close attention as it could advance the use of biofuels considerably. Read more at: Biofuels News (Green Portal) -- Januaty 17, 2008 article by Alexandra M. Goho on checkbiotech.org.

Research confirms prairie grass could be good source of ethanol

A study by the USDA and the University of Nebraska found that switchgrass grown on marginal farmland in Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota could yield 300 gallons of ethanol per acre. An acre of corn kernels grown in those same states, says an AP article, yields about 350 gallons of ethanol per acre on average. Many of the corn acres in those states are irrigated, however, while the switchgrass will not need irrigation. Fertilizer and pesticide inputs will likely be much less as well, and erosion will greatly reduced since switchgrass is a perennial and does not require annual tillage. In fact, soil planted in grasses tends to be improved over time. All in all, then, switchgrass could prove to be a profitable and beneficial crop for farmers and the quality of our soils and environment. The last remaining challenge is to design a viable system for cellulosic ethanol production. Several possibilities are about to be implimented.
from the High Plains Journal:
Research confirms prairie grass could be good source of ethanol

Florida company hopes to make ethanol from sweet sorghum

It's high time more was done with ethanol from sorghum. The potential yield per acre and energy balance could easily top ethanol from corn kernels, and without the need for cellulosic processing technologies. Sweet sorghum stems contain readily available simple sugars. This Florida venture seeks to replace dwindling citrus acres with sorghum for ethanol. -- Jeff Goettemoeller
Plan makes Brevard an ethanol producer | floridatoday.com | Serving Brevard County and Florida’s Space Coast

Cellulosic ethanol production could fight Gulf Dead Zone, help fisheries

This article discusses a benefit of cellulosic ethanol production that should be receiving more publicity. The perennial grasses and trees that could be used as feedstock do not require large amounts of nitrogen fertilizers. Widespresad production then, could reduce the "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico caused by fertilizer runnoff from corn and other annual row crops. At the same time, soil planted to perennials tends to gain in fertility, even when some biomass is removed periodically. -- Jeff Goettemoeller
January 16, 2008 -- by Rhett A. Butler:
Cellulosic ethanol production could fight Gulf Dead Zone, help fisheries

Process gasifies biomass for ethanol production

This ethanol production process has the potential to be flexible and efficient. They claim they will produce ethanol for $1.00 per gallon. The intermediate product could possibly be upgraded to replace natural gas instead of reforming to ethanol this flexibility would be good for the economic viability of the operation. The company is Coskata. The press release is here:
Press Release - Launch

Turbo, direct injection combo could make ethanol a fuel economy winner

Ford Motor Company has announced a major initiative to put a new engine design in a wide range of cars and trucks starting with model year 2009. Dubbed Ecoboost, the new design combines turbo boosting and direct injection, allowing a small engine to produce the same power and performance as a much larger engine. This article from Associated Press mentions the ecoboost engines will be "ethanol compatible." I assume this means they would be E85 compatible. If so, this is big news. If done properly, this kind of engine could actually get better fuel economy on E85 as compared to ethanol-free gasoline, thanks to the very high octane of ethanol. This concept is described in my book, Sustainable Ethanol, and on some of my previous blogs on EnergyAnswers. MIT developed an ethanol direct injection concept and I believe they were working with Ford. I can't find any mention of whether the Ecoboost in particular would do better on E85, but if it did, that would be a big boost for ethanol use. E85 is less expensive than standard gasoline in many areas of the country. If it provided equivalent or better fuel economy, that would be a huge incentive for motorists to seek it out and for more fuel station owners to begin offering E85 as an option.

Cellulosic ethanol crops could improve soil quality

One of the important points made in my new book, Sustainable Ethanol," is that ethanol can be produced from perennial crops while improving soil quality at the same time. This view is backed by USDA's ARS National Soil Tilth Laboratory in Ames, Iowa. In a study published in the 2006 Agronomy Journal, they found that a rotation including forage crops is better for soil quality as compared to traditional corn/soybean rotations or continuous corn. Perennial forage crops could be used as ethanol feedstock when cellulosic conversion technologies are perfected. Ethanol production could then spur improvements in soil quality which would improve long-term food security as well. Learn more about the study at:
Iowa Farmer Today

Aptera goes for 300 mpg for under 30k

This airplane-inspired electric or plug-in hybrid car looks really cool and actually sound practical and reliable. I hope it lives up to the billing and becomes widely available. They say rollout will be in 2008. -- Jeff G.
Aptera: The 'Wingless Bird' - MSN Autos

Branches from Ice Storm become Biomass Biofuel in Maryville Missouri

Residents of Northwest Missouri experienced their biggest ice storm in at least 40 years this December. Thousands of households were without power for a week or more as tree branches and power lines came crashing down from the weight. Northwest Missouri State University  in Maryville found  a way to help residents and save on fuel costs at the same. Years ago they built a bioenergy center that is fueled by wood or paper waste. They are 
accepting all the wood waste they can get, allowing residents to drop off branches on University property. They will then transform the debris into wood chips for fuel that can be used in place of fossil fuels to heat the campus. Residents would need to haul their branches somewhere, so this is a very efficient way to make use of biomass fuels on a local basis without incurring any extra cost for transporting the biomass. If cities, schools, hospitals, and other institutions would develop similar projects all
over North America, fossil fuel use would be curtailed considerably. Find out more about the NWMSU biomass program through this case study: Wood to Energy: Wood and Paper Trim the Energy Bill.