Ethanol
[Due to the increasing size of the archives, each topic page now contains only the prior 365 days of content. Access to older stories is now solely through the Monthly Archive pages or the site search function.]
Minnesota Enacts B20 Mandate for 2015; Begins Work for Mid-Range Ethanol Blends
May 14, 2008
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty has signed an omnibus bill, among the provisions of which are an increase in the state’s current 2% biodiesel mandate to 20% by 2015. According to the legislation, the mandate will increase to 5% on 1 May 2009; to 10% on 1 May 2012; and to 20% on 1 May 2015.
The bill also directs the appropriate state agencies to begin work to obtain Federal approval for the use of E20 and additional mid-range blends including, but not limited to, E30 and E50.
More... | Comments (8) | TrackBack (0)
Volvo Introduces New Higher-Powered FlexiFuel Versions of V70 and S80
May 13, 2008
The Volvo V70 and S80 are now available with a five-cylinder, 2.5-liter turbocharged E85-capable Flexifuel engine with a power output of 200 hp (147 kW) and 300 Nm (221 lb-ft) of torque. Both the S80 and V70 have been available with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder, naturally aspirated Flexifuel engine since the end of 2007. The 2.0F produces 145 hp (107 kW) and 185 Nm (135 lb-ft) of torque.
Although it was technically feasible to reach a higher power output, the higher power would have required more fuel in the upper rev range, resulting in considerably higher fuel consumption, according to Volvo.
More... | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Indiana to Build Waste-to-Ethanol Facility Using Gravity Pressure Vessel Process
April 28, 2008
 |
| The GeneSyst process is based on the use of a gravity pressure vessel to convert municipal solid waste to ethanol. Click to enlarge. |
Indiana Ethanol Power LLC (IEP) has begun contract negotiations with the Lake County Solid Waste Management District (LCSWMD) to build a facility to convert commercial municipal solid waste (MSW) to ethanol using the GeneSyst International gravity pressure vessel process. This will be the first facility in the United States using the GeneSyst process. The LCSWMD plans to review the final contract with IEP at its board meeting in May.
The 1,500 ton per day facility is expected to produce 20 million gallons of fuel-grade ethanol and other products each year.
More... | Comments (17) | TrackBack (0)
Texas Governor Requests EPA Cut Renewable Fuel Standard Requirements in Half Due to Grain Costs
April 26, 2008
 |
| An analysis by Texas A&M concluded that a waiver in the RFS would likely have only a small impact on the price of corn. (See below.) Click to enlarge. |
Texas Governor Rick Perry has requested that the US Environmental Protection Agency grant a national 50% waiver from the federal renewable fuel standard (RFS) mandate for ethanol produced from grain because of rising grain costs. The RFS currently requires 9.0 billion gallons of renewable fuel in 2008.
In his letter, the Governor states that the “artificial demand for grain-derived ethanol is devastating the livestock industry in Texas and needlessly creating a negative impact on our state’s otherwise strong economy while driving up food prices around the world.”
More... | Comments (55) | TrackBack (0)
Coskata Chooses Site for Demo Syngas-to-Ethanol Plant
April 25, 2008
|
| Coskata will use WPC plasma torches for the initial gasification of feedstock. Coskata proprietary microorganisms will ferment the cooled syngas to ethanol. Click to enlarge. |
Coskata Inc., a developer of syngas-to-ethanol technology, has announced the location of a 40,000 gallon per year cellulosic ethanol pilot plant. The $25 million project will be located at the Westinghouse Plasma Center in Madison, PA, the current site of a pilot-plant gasifier owned and operated by Westinghouse Plasma Corporation (WPC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Alter Nrg Corp.
The plant, located about 30 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, is expected to begin delivering ethanol in early 2009 utilizing a variety of input materials, including woody biomass as well as agricultural and industrial wastes. General Motors, a strategic partner and investor in Coskata (earlier post), will use the next generation ethanol for testing in flex-fuel vehicles at its Milford, Mich., Proving Grounds.
More... | Comments (23) | TrackBack (0)
BP To Take 50% Stake in Brazilian Ethanol Company Tropical BioEnergia SA
April 24, 2008
BP announced today that it intends to take a 50% stake in Tropical BioEnergia SA, a joint venture established by Brazilian companies Santelisa Vale and Maeda Group, which is constructing a 435 million liter (115 million gallons) a year ethanol refinery in Edéia, Goias State, Brazil. The joint venture, in which Santelisa Vale and Maeda Group would each hold 25%, also intends to build a second ethanol refinery, investing a total of approximately R$1.66 billion (US$1 billion) in the two refineries.
Assuming all the required approvals are received, BP will pay around R$100 million (US$59.8 million) for the 50%, subject to working capital adjustments, and provide funding for agreed future investment in line with its shareholding. The parties said that they hoped to be able to complete the transaction before the end of June 2008.
More... | Comments (10) | TrackBack (0)
US Corn Ethanol Plants Show Efficiency Gains Since 2001
April 23, 2008
An analysis by Argonne National Laboratory of survey data collected by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) shows that the ethanol industry in the US has become more efficient since 2001, with per gallon of ethanol produced consumption of water, grid electricity, and total energy decreasing in both dry and wet mills. The Argonne analysis compares ethanol industry data from 2001 to 2006.
During that same period, US ethanol production rose from 1.77 billion gallons to 4.9 billion gallons—an increase of 276%.
More... | Comments (31) | TrackBack (0)
Scania Double-Decker Ethanol Hybrid Bus to Go On Trial in the UK
April 22, 2008
|
| Reading Buses’ single-decker ethanol-hybrid prototype. |
Reading Buses, the transport company owned by Reading Borough Council in the UK, says it will have a double-decker ethanol-electric hybrid bus from Scania fully operational and on the roads within the next 2 years. The concept bus has been going through refinements since last year and is currently only a single-decker bus.
Reading Buses currently has successfully trialed a double-decker bus that uses Scania’s heavy-duty ethanol engine, and will introduce a further 14 ethanol buses into service from this month. Scania, which has built more than 600 ethanol-powered city buses since 1989, currently has four single-decker ethanol hybrid buses on trial in Stockholm.
More... | Comments (9) | TrackBack (0)
Scania Extending Heavy-Duty Ethanol Engine Technology to Trucks
April 15, 2008
 |
| Scania’s third-generation CI ethanol engine. |
Scania is now extending the application of its third-generation heavy-duty, ethanol-fueled engines to a range of trucks.
Scania’s ethanol engines work according to the diesel principle (compression-ignition, CI). At 43%, the thermal efficiency of Scania’s new ethanol engine is on a par with its diesel engines (44% thermal efficiency). The ethanol used for diesel combustion contains 5-7% additives that improve ignition and lubrication.
More... | Comments (20) | TrackBack (0)
European Environment Agency Scientific Committee Calls for Suspension of Europe’s 10% Biofuels Target
April 10, 2008
The European Environment Agency (EEA) Scientific Committee has called for the suspension of the EU target of 10% biofuels use in transportation by 2020, and is recommending a new, comprehensive scientific study on the environmental risks and benefits of biofuels.
The Scientific Committee assists the management board and executive director of the EEA by providing scientific advice and delivering professional opinions on any scientific matter in the areas of work undertaken by the Agency. The committee comprises 20 independent scientists from 15 EEA member countries, covering a variety of environmental fields.
More... | Comments (10) | TrackBack (0)
EIA Expects US Liquid Fuel Consumption to Decrease in 2008; Increase Again in 2009
April 08, 2008
 |
| The EIA forecasts a decline in gasoline and diesel consumption in 2008. Click to enlarge. |
Based on projections of weak economic growth and continuing record high crude oil and product prices, the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Energy Information Administration (EIA) is forecasting a decrease in consumption of gasoline, diesel and other petroleum products in 2008 by about 85,000 barrels per day (bbl/d). This represents the first year-on-year decline of consumption of motor gasoline in the US since 1991.
The EIA expects that a modest economic recovery in 2009, combined with slightly lower petroleum prices (an average $92.50 per barrel in 2009, compared to an average $101 per barrel in 2008) will boost total US liquid fuels and other petroleum consumption by about 200,000 bbl/d next year.
More... | Comments (11) | TrackBack (0)
Germany Cancels Plans to Introduce E10 in 2009
April 03, 2008
by Rafael Seidl
German environment minister Sigmar Gabriel has canceled plans to raise the mandatory ethanol content of all Euro91 and Euro95 gasoline grade fuel sold in the country from the current 5% to 10% in 2009.
Meanwhile, the German oil industry is withdrawing Euro91 from the market as global demand has driven its wholesale prices level with those of the higher-octane Euro95 product. Owners of vehicles whose fuel systems were not designed for E10 compatibility would have to fill up on premium Euro98 instead, which currently costs ~12% more at the pump but yields only ~6% more miles per gallon (thanks to energy density, not octane rating).
More... | Comments (25) | TrackBack (0)
For Europe, A Second Look At Biofuels?
March 16, 2008
by Jack Rosebro
Remarks made by European heads of state following the European Council’s annual Spring Summit, which was held last week in Brussels, indicate that the European Commission’s aspirations to boost the use of biofuels in European transport to 10% of total use by 2020 may well be revised to address concerns that increased biofuel production is already impacting food costs and water supplies, while accelerating deforestation and reducing the biosphere’s carbon sinks, creating a resultant intensification of man-made greenhouse gas production.
According to Euractiv1, Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, observed after the summit: “We’re not excluding the possibility that we’ll have to amend or revise our [biofuel] goals.” Regarding the viability of biofuels, EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer-Boël stated “I know that various objections have been raised, and the Commission takes them seriously. But we believe we can answer them.”
More... | Comments (31) | TrackBack (0)
Study: Meeting RFS Goals for Corn Ethanol Production Will Worsen “Dead Zone” in Gulf of Mexico
March 11, 2008
Ramping up the production of corn ethanol to meet the targets set by the new US Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) will worsen pollution in the Gulf of Mexico, increasing the “Dead Zone”—a growing hypoxic region in the Northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOM)—that kills fish and aquatic life, according to a Canadian-American research team.
Simon Donner of the University of British Columbia and Chris Kucharik of the University of Wisconsin quantified the effect of projected biofuel production on the problem of nutrient pollution in a waterway. Their findings are published in the Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Journal of Sciences.
More... | Comments (23) | TrackBack (0)
Renergie, Inc. Receives $1.5M Grant for Sweet Sorghum Ethanol Plant
March 07, 2008
Renergie, Inc. is receiving $1,500,483 (partial funding) in grant money from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Renewable Energy Technologies Grants Program to design and build Florida’s first sweet sorghum juice mechanical harvesting system and ethanol plant capable of producing fuel-grade ethanol solely from sweet sorghum juice.
Renergie, a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Florida, was formed in 2006 for the purpose of raising capital to develop, construct, own and operate ethanol plants in the parishes of the State of Louisiana which were devastated by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Each ethanol plant in Louisiana has a production capacity of 5 million gallons per year of fuel-grade ethanol. Renergie plans an initial network of 10 plants with a combined production capacity of 50 million gallons. Renergie intends to replicate its Louisiana decentralized network of ethanol plants in Florida.
More... | Comments (17) | TrackBack (0)
Minnesota Study Finds E20 Passes Materials Compatibility and Driving Performance Tests
March 05, 2008
Increasing the amount of ethanol blended into gasoline from 10% (E10) to 20% (E20) does not present problems for materials used in current vehicles or fuel dispensing equipment and provides similar power and performance, according to a new study released by the State of Minnesota.
This initial scoping study for E20 consists of three main areas of investigation: materials compatibility, drivability, and emissions. The emissions testing is still being conducted and the results will be released as soon as the testing is complete.
More... | Comments (23) | TrackBack (0)
EIA Forecasts Significant Shortfall in Cellulosic Biofuel Production Compared to Target Set by Renewable Fuel Standard
March 04, 2008
 |
| Under the EIA AEO2008 forecast, a shortfall in cellulosic ethanol production will trigger an adjustment of the RFS target. Click to enlarge. |
The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) is forecasting a significant shortfall in the production of cellulosic biofuels required to meet the targets of the Renewable Fuel Standard established in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA2007).
In testimony before the US Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources today, EIA Administrator Guy Caruso provided a summary of the agency’s Annual Energy Outlook 2008 (AEO2008) forecast, revised to factor in the different provisions of EISA2007, including the new RFS target of 36 billion gallons by 2022 and new CAFE requirements.
More... | Comments (15) | TrackBack (0)
GM Introduces Saab 9-X E-85 Optimized BioHybrid Concept at Geneva Motor Show
March 03, 2008
 |
| The Saab 9-X BioHybrid. |
GM unveiled its Saab 9-X BioHybrid concept car at the Geneva Motor Show. The vehicle combines a downsized 1.4-liter, E85-optimized 200 hp BioPower turbo engine with the next-generation of the GM Hybrid System (the Belt Alterantor Starter system applied in the non-two-mode hybrid vehicles) and a six-speed manual gearbox with an automatic clutch and steering wheel controls.
The turbocharged 1.4-liter BioPower turbo engine generates 200 hp (147 kW) on E85 and 280 Nm (207 lb-ft) of torque, as well as reducing CO2 emissions compared to gasoline. Projected fuel consumption when running on gasoline over the combined cycle is 4.9 L/100 km (48 mpg US) and 117 g CO2/km. When running on E85, CO2 emissions are projected to be lower at 105 g/km, with estimated fuel consumption of 6.4 L/100 km (37 mpg US).
More... | Comments (21) | TrackBack (0)
Figuring Out How to Absorb 36B Gallons of Biofuel
February 27, 2008
The US Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) mandates, among its many components, an aggressive ramp-up in the use of renewable fuels, culminating in a 36 billion gallon renewable fuel standard (RFS) by 2022. Of that, corn ethanol production is capped at 15 billion gallons per year starting in 2015; the remainder is expected to be provided by “advanced biofuels”, the majority of which are cellulosic biofuels. (Earlier post.)
That much ethanol poses the challenge of how to use it. Accordingly, the Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Office of Vehicle Technologies (OVT) has quickly ramped up its financial support for research to figure out the best solutions for absorbing that quantity of ethanol into the US market. The status of the various projects in this area were presented during this week’s Annual Merit Review. (Earlier post.)
More... | Comments (24) | TrackBack (0)
Researchers Unveil Draft Sequence of Corn Genome
February 25, 2008
|
| DNA from the human and corn (maize) genomes contain dispersed arrangements of genes (green in maize.) The number and size of repeated DNA segments (brown) between the genes in maize presented unique challenges for the sequencing team. Click to enlarge. Credit: Nicolle Rager Fuller, NSF |
A team of scientists led by Washington University in St. Louis have completed a working draft of the corn genome, an accomplishment likely to accelerate efforts to develop crop varieties to meet society’s growing demands for food, livestock feed and fuel.
The genetic blueprint will be announced on 28 February by the project’s leader, Richard K. Wilson, Ph.D., director of Washington University’s Genome Sequencing Center, at the 50th Annual Maize Genetics Conference in Washington, D.C.
More... | Comments (9) | TrackBack (0)
UK Transport Secretary Announces Review of Indirect Impacts of Biofuel Production
February 21, 2008
UK Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly has asked the UK’s Renewable Fuels Agency (RFA) to lead a study of the wider economic and environmental impacts—particularly the indirect impacts—of different forms of biofuel production. The UK created the Renewable Fuels Agency in November 2007 to administer the Government’s Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) and to report to Ministers and to Parliament on its impacts. The RTFO directs that 5% of all the fuels sold in the UK should come from biofuels by 2010.
The results of the study will help inform the development of both the UK and EU’s policies in this area, and will underpin the consideration of EU biofuel targets after 2010.
More... | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0)
POET Funds Starch to Ethanol Research Collaboration with Iowa State University
A research collaboration with Iowa State University into starch for ethanol production is receiving funds from POET. Through the collaboration with POET research, ISU researcher Jay-lin Jane is hoping to find starches to further improve the efficiency of POET’s patent-pending BPX process.
BPX is a raw starch hydrolysis that converts starch to sugar and then ferments to ethanol without the use of heat. It is utilized in 20 of POET’s 22 ethanol production facilities. Benefits include reduced energy costs, increased ethanol yields, increased nutrient quality in the feed co-products and decreased plant emissions.
More... | Comments (20) | TrackBack (0)
Magellan Midstream Partners and Buckeye Partners Assessing $3B Dedicated Ethanol Pipeline System
February 20, 2008
 |
| Proposed dedicated ethanol pipeline route. The black and green dots represent existing and planned ethanol facilities. Click to enlarge. |
Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. and Buckeye Partners, L.P. have begun a joint assessment to determine the feasibility of constructing a dedicated $3-billion ethanol pipeline system to deliver fuel ethanol from the Midwest to distribution terminals in the northeastern United States.
The proposed pipeline could have the capacity to supply more than 10 million gallons of ethanol per day, enough to meet the needs of millions of northeastern motorists who purchase 10% ethanol blended gasoline or higher ethanol blends such as E85.
More... | Comments (9) | TrackBack (0)
AE Biofuels Building Integrated Cellulose and Starch Ethanol Commercial Demonstration Plant
February 19, 2008
 |
| AE Biofuels integrated cellulose/starch ethanol process. Click to enlarge. |
AE Biofuels, Inc., a company that is developing ethanol and biodiesel production in the US and India, has begun construction of an integrated cellulose and starch ethanol commercial demonstration facility in Butte, Montana.
The plant will use patent-pending Ambient Temperature Cellulose Starch Hydrolysis (ATCSH) enzyme technology to optimize process conditions for multiple cellulosic feedstocks. Non-food ethanol feedstocks used by the facility are expected to include switch grass, grass seed straw, small grain straw, and corn stalks alone and in combination with a variety of traditional starch and sugar sources. AE Biofuels expects the 9,000 square foot pilot plant facility to be fully operational in the second calendar quarter of 2008.
More... | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)
New Studies Identify Change in Land Use Associated with Biofuel Production as Major Contributor of Greenhouse Gases, Far Offsetting Benefits of Most Current Biofuels
February 08, 2008
Two separate studies published in the current online edition of the journal Science identify land use change—the conversion of rainforests, peatlands, savannas, or grasslands to produce food-based biofuels or to replace existing cropland diverted to biofuel crop production—as a major source of increased carbon dioxide emissions, far offsetting the presumed greenhouse gas benefits of using most current biofuels.
The studies stress the importance of using biomass waste or biomass grown on non-agricultural lands as feedstock for biofuel production to avoid this problem.
More... | Comments (44) | TrackBack (0)
Researchers Develop New Hybrid Membrane With High Hydrothermal Stability; Potential Energy-Efficient Replacement for Distillation Techniques in Biofuel Production
February 07, 2008
 |
| The cylinder is the carrier of a hybrid membrane: a layer of about 100 nanometer thickness. The insert is a close-up of the layer showing the organic links and pores. From the left of the tube, only water molecules leave the sieve. Click to enlarge. |
Researchers at the University of Twente in The Netherlands have developed a new hybrid organic–inorganic nanosieve membrane with high hydrothermal stability that enables energy-efficient molecular separations, including dehydration up to at least 150° C, even after long periods of continuous exposure to water.
The hybrid membranes are suitable for dehydrating solvents and biofuels, an application for which there is a large potential market worldwide. The main advantage of membrane technology is that it consumes far less energy than common distillation techniques. The scientists also foresee opportunities in separating hydrogen gas from gas mixtures and also in water desalinization applications.
More... | Comments (20) | TrackBack (0)
GM Introduces Flex-Fuel Version of Chevrolet HHR; First Four-Cylinder Flex-Fuel Engine from GM in North America
February 06, 2008
 |
| The FlexFuel Chevy HHR. |
GM has introduced a flex-fuel version of the Chevrolet HHR, marking the first introduction of a four-cylinder model in GM’s North American lineup that can run on either gasoline or E85 ethanol.
The HHR will be available with an Ecotec 2.2-liter or Ecotec 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, both of which will be compatible with E85. For the first time, the Ecotec 2.2L is equipped with variable valve timing (VVT) to improve engine performance and efficiency. The Ecotec 2.4L continues to offer VVT.
More... | Comments (32) | TrackBack (0)
Coskata Forms Strategic Alliance with ICM for Design and Construction of Syngas Fermentation Ethanol Plant
Coskata Inc., the second-generation ethanol startup with which GM announced a partnership and investment at the Detroit Auto Show (earlier post), has entered a strategic alliance with ICM, Inc. to design and construct a commercial ethanol plant using Coskata’s syngas fermentation technology.
ICM is North America’s leading ethanol plant design, engineering and support firm, and is responsible for approximately 50% of North American ethanol production from plants constructed by Fagen, Inc. and ICM.
More... | Comments (39) | TrackBack (0)
GMC to Introduce New Hybrid Pickup Concept and Production Sierra Hybrid Pickup at Chicago Auto Show
February 03, 2008
 |
| The Denali XT. |
GMC will introduce a new hybrid sport-utility truck concept—the Denali XT—at the upcoming 2008 Chicago Auto Show, 6-17 February 2008. GM will also announce the 2009 GMC Sierra Hybrid, another application of the two-mode hybrid system.
The Denali XT is based on a unibody architecture rather than body-on-frame construction and combines GM’s rear wheel drive two-mode hybrid transmission with a downsized E85-capable version of GM’s small block V-8.
More... | Comments (55) | TrackBack (0)
Report Compares Existing Global Standards Specifications for Bioethanol and Biodiesel
February 02, 2008
The governments of the United States, Brazil and the European Union (EU)—the world’s major producers of biofuels—released an analysis of current biofuel specifications with the goal of facilitating expanded trade of these renewable energy sources.
One potential obstacle to achieving greater efficiency in the global biofuels market is confusion over differing—and sometimes conflicting—standards for characterizing the make-up and properties of biofuels. To clarify the current situation and identify potential roadblocks to improved compatibility, the US and Brazilian governments and the EC convened a task force of experts from standards developing organizations (SDOs) to compare critical specifications in existing standards used globally (factors such as content, physical characteristics and contaminant levels that govern a fuel’s quality) for pure bioethanol and biodiesel.
More... | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Study Compares Use of Hydrous and Anhydrous Ethanol Fuels in Direct-injection, Turbocharged Engine
January 31, 2008
Comparative testing by engineers at Orbital Corporation of hydrous (E93h, E87h, E80h) and anhydrous (E100) ethanol fuels on a direct injection multi-cylinder turbocharged engine found that the engine may be operated at high load with the same output and efficiency, with either hydrous or anhydrous ethanol. Orbital published its results in an SAE paper presented at Congresso SAE Brasil in late November, 2007.
In ethanol production, the “beer” resulting from the fermentation is processed in distillation columns where an azeotropic mixture of ethanol and water is separated out from the rest of the stillage. This product is referred to as hydrous ethanol—about 95% ethanol and 5% water. To be used as a supplementary blend in low levels with gasoline, this hydrous ethanol needs to be dehydrated, resulting in anhydrous ethanol.
More... | Comments (17) | TrackBack (0)
UK Environmental Audit Committee Calls for Moratorium on Biofuel Targets
January 21, 2008
 |
| Greenhouse gas emissions plotted against overall environmental impacts of 29 transport fuels, scaled relative to gasoline. Fuels in the shaded area are considered advantageous in both their overall environmental impacts and greenhouse gas emissions. Adapted by Scharlemann and Laurance from Zah et. al. Click to enlarge. |
In a report released today, the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) of the UK House of Commons concludes that the UK government and the European Union should not have pursued targets to increase the use of biofuels in the absence of robust sustainability standards and mechanisms to prevent damaging land use change. The EAC calls for a moratorium on biofuel targets in the UK and in Europe.
The EAC report—Are biofuels sustainable?—also concludes that biofuels are generally an expensive and ineffective way to cut greenhouse gas emissions when compared to other policies. Emissions from road transport can be cut cost-effectively, and with lower environmental risk, by implementing a range of other policies, the report concludes.
More... | Comments (25) | TrackBack (0)
GM Introduces Saab 9-4X BioPower Concept Flexfuel Crossover; Engine Optimized for E85
January 14, 2008
 |
| The crossover 9-4x features a turbocharged, direct injection, VVT engine. |
GM introduced its Saab 9-4X BioPower Concept at the North American International Auto Show, confirming Saab’s plans to enter the growing crossover market segment.
The 2.0-liter, all-aluminum, four-cylinder BioPower flexfuel engine combines the benefits of turbocharging, direct injection and variable valve timing for the first time with high-octane E85 fuel.
More... | Comments (10) | TrackBack (0)
GM and Coskata Partner In Syngas-to-Ethanol Technology
January 13, 2008
 |
| The Coskata process can combine a variety of gasification technologies with Coskata proprietary microorganisms and bioreactors. Click to enlarge. |
Emphasizing on one hand the importance of ethanol as a shorter-term solution to reducing oil dependence and emissions, and on the other to coming up with alternatives to corn-based ethanol, GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner announced a partnership with Coskata Inc., a second-generation ethanol startup, during his opening press conference at the North American International Auto Show.
Coskata uses a proprietary process that leverages patented microorganisms and bioreactor designs to produce ethanol from practically any carbon-based feedstock, including garbage, old tires and plant waste, for less than $1 a gallon—about half of today’s cost of producing gasoline. The partnership includes an undisclosed equity stake for GM, joint research and development into emissions technology and investigation into making ethanol from GM facilities’ waste and non-recyclable vehicle parts.
More... | Comments (37) | TrackBack (0)
Oxford Catalysts and Novus in Strategic Alliance for Biogas-to-Ethanol Processing
January 07, 2008
Oxford Catalysts Group PLC has signed a Strategic Alliance Agreement with Novus Energy, LLC, to develop technology for the conversion of biogas derived from organic wastes to ethanol and higher-chain alcohols.
Oxford Catalysts offers a novel class of catalysts made from metal carbides which can match or exceed the benefits of traditional precious metal catalysts for applications such as Fischer-Tropsch processing or hydro-desulfurization (HDS) at a lower cost. (Earlier post.)
More... | Comments (9) | TrackBack (0)
Kansas Launches Pilot Project Retailing Multiple Blends of Ethanol
December 28, 2007
The Kansas Department of Agriculture is launching a one-year pilot project that will allow flexible-fuel vehicle owners to purchase a range of ethanol blends such as E20, E30, E50 or E85. Currently there are 28 stations in Kansas selling E85 fuel.
To ensure that owners of conventional vehicles don’t accidentally pump a higher ethanol blend into their vehicle, the pumps will feature a bright orange label with the message “For use in flexible fuel vehicles only.”
More... | Comments (9) | TrackBack (0)
São Paolo Puts Ethanol Bus into Service in BEST Project; E25 Prius Hybrids Under Test
December 23, 2007
 |
| The Scania-based E95 bus in São Paolo. |
São Paulo, Brazil’s Sistema Metropolitano de Transporte (Metra—Metropolitan Transport System), has put into operation the first Scania-based E95 ethanol bus it will test as one element of Brazil’s two-part involvement in the BioEthanol for Sustainable Transport (BEST) project. (Earlier post.)
Scania delivered the bus chassis in May 2007; the bus was completed in Brazil. The Scania ethanol bus uses 95% ethanol with 5% ignition improver in a modified diesel engine, the third-generation variant of the E95 application. Scania has raised the compression ratio from 18:1 to 28:1, added larger fuel injection nozzles, and altered the injection timing.
More... | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)
Report: Combined Heat and Power can Significantly Alter Energy Consumption and Carbon Emissions for Corn Ethanol Production
December 20, 2007
|
| Total net fuel consumption for dry mill ethanol plants, Btu/Gallon. Click to enlarge. |
The adoption of combined heat and power (CHP) in dry mill ethanol plants can reduce total energy use by up to almost 55% over state-of-the-art dry mill ethanol plants that purchase central station power and can result in negative net CO2 emissions depending upon the fuel type used and CHP configuration, according to an updated report by the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) CHP Partnership.
The analysis only considers the energy consumed in the plant itself; it does not consider the energy consumed in growing, harvesting, and transporting the feedstock corn, or in transporting the ethanol product.
More... | Comments (16) | TrackBack (0)
Study Finds Certain Ethanol Blends Can Provide Better Fuel Economy Than Gasoline
December 05, 2007
|
| Highway fuel economy improvement, E20 and E30 vs. Tier 2 gasoline. Click to enlarge. |
Research findings released today indicate that mid-range ethanol blends—fuel mixtures with more ethanol than 10% (E10) but less than 85% (E85)—can in some cases provide better fuel economy than regular unleaded gasoline, even in standard, non-flex-fuel vehicles. The new study, co-sponsored by the US Department of Energy and the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), also found that mid-range ethanol blends reduce harmful tailpipe emissions.
Previous assumptions held that ethanol’s lower energy content directly correlates with lower fuel economy for drivers. Those assumptions were found to be incorrect. Instead, the new research suggests that there is an optimal blend level of ethanol and gasoline—most likely E20 or E30—at which cars will get better mileage than predicted based strictly on the fuel’s per-gallon Btu content. The optimal blend varies with the vehicle, according to the findings.
More... | Comments (26) | TrackBack (0)
Researchers Identify New Hydrogen- and Ethanol-Producing Bacteria That Withstand High Temperatures
December 03, 2007
A team of researchers from Finland, Iceland and Taiwan have found new strains of bacteria with the potential of producing hydrogen or ethanol fuels from wastewater now discharged from factories that process sugar beets, potatoes and other plant material.
Fermentations can produce fuels such as hydrogen and ethanol (EtOH) from biomass or organic waste materials. The goal of this research, reported in the Jan./Feb. issue of Energy & Fuels, a bi-monthly journal of the American Chemical Society, was to prospect efficient H2- and EtOH-producing thermophilic microorganisms derived from hot spring environments in Iceland that could withstand higher temperatures than microbes now in use.
More... | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
VeraSun Energy and US BioEnergy to Merge; 1.6B Gallons of Combined Ethanol Production Capacity by End of 2008
November 29, 2007
VeraSun Energy Corp. and US BioEnergy Corp. have entered into a definitive merger agreement, which has been unanimously approved by the board of directors of each company. The merger is expected to close during the first quarter of 2008, pending shareholder approval, anti-trust regulatory clearance and the completion of other customary conditions.
Upon completion of the merger, the combined company will have nine ethanol production facilities in operation and seven additional facilities under construction. By the end of 2008, the company is expected to have a total production capacity of more than 1.6 billion gallons per year (BGY) and 16 facilities constructed by Fagen, Inc. and utilizing ICM process technology.
More... | Comments (15) | TrackBack (0)
RAND Study Finds Diesel and Hybrid Vehicles Can Provide More Societal and Private Benefits than Gasoline and E85 Vehicles
November 08, 2007
 |
| Rising fuel costs, as expressed in the cost of the energy security externality, significantly change the outcome for E85-powered vehicles. Click to enlarge. |
Cars and light trucks powered by advanced diesel technology or hybrid technology can provide larger private (consumer) and societal benefits than traditional gasoline-powered automobiles, according to a RAND Corporation working paper presented today.
The paper by RAND, “The Benefits and Costs of New Fuels and Engines for Cars and Light Trucks”, also found that cars and light trucks continuously fueled by a mixture of E85 compare unfavorably with the other two alternatives. That finding, however, changes dramatically if the cost of fuel rises sharply.
More... | Comments (26) | TrackBack (0)
CIBC Report: US Corn Ethanol Policy Will Fuel Inflation
October 23, 2007
 |
| Trend in US ethanol subsidies. Click to enlarge. |
US policy focused on adding more corn ethanol to the nation’s gas tanks in an effort to increase energy self-sufficiency will do little but drive food prices skywards, according to a new report from CIBC World Markets, the the wholesale and corporate banking arm of CIBC.
The report states that to meet the policy goal of significantly increasing US production of ethanol to reduce dependence on imported oil, federal and state governments are extending huge subsidies to ethanol producers to expand capacity and to corn farmers to supply the crops needed to make the fuel. This diversion of an ever-increasing share of the American corn crop from human consumption and livestock feed to energy production is putting steady and unrelenting pressure on food prices, according to the report.
More... | Comments (40) | TrackBack (0)
NOAA Initiates Three-Year Project on Gulf Dead Zone
October 20, 2007
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded first-year funding of $284,000 to researchers at the University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute (UTMSI) as part of a three-year $781,000 project to develop a better understanding of how nutrient pollution from the Mississippi River affects the large area of low oxygen water called the “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico.
The project will also look at how the dead zone affects commercially and recreationally important fish and shellfish. Funds were awarded through NOAA’s Northern Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia and Ecosystems Research Program.
More... | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)
Researcher Investigates Tropical Maize as Biofuel Crop; “Sugarcane of the Midwest”
October 16, 2007
Early results from research by University of Illinois crop scientist Fred Below indicate that tropical maize—the form of corn grown in the tropics—may be an efficient biofuel crop for the US Midwest. Below began investigating maize in search of novel genes for the utilization of nitrogen fertilizer and was hoping to discover information that could be useful to American corn producers.
Maize requires few crop inputs such as nitrogen fertilizer. It also is easier for farmers to integrate into their current operations than some other dedicated energy crops because it can be easily rotated with corn or soybeans, and can be planted, cultivated and harvested with the same equipment that US farmers current utilize. Finally, tropical maize stalks are believed to require less processing than corn grain, corn stover, switchgrass, Miscanthus giganteus and the scores of other plants now being studied for biofuel production.
More... | Comments (14) | TrackBack (0)
IWMI Report Concludes That Conventional Biofuels Not Sustainable for India or China Due to Water Issues
October 11, 2007
A scenario analysis by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) indicates that although the increasing production of biofuels are, in the global aggregate, of “minor concern” to water resources, the local and regional impacts could be substantial.
The strain on water resources in China and India in particular—two countries on which the analysis specifically focuses—would be such that the report authors conclude it unlikely that policy makers there will pursue biofuel options based on traditional field crops—e.g., bioethanol from corn or sugarcane.
More... | Comments (16) | TrackBack (0)
National Research Council Warns on Water Impact of Accelerating Biofuels Production
October 10, 2007
 |
| Irrigated land in the US. Click to enlarge. Source: NRC |
Although biofuels production currently entails a marginal additional stress on water supplies at the regional to local scale, the significant acceleration of biofuels production could cause much greater water quantity problems depending on where the crops are grown, according to a new report from the National Research Council of the US National Academies.
Growing biofuel crops in areas requiring additional irrigation water from already depleted aquifers is a major concern. Furthermore, if projected future increases in the use of corn for ethanol production do occur, the increase in harm to water quality could be considerable, the report authors conclude.
More... | Comments (15) | TrackBack (0)
EPA Grants Certification for First Time to E85 Conversion Kit
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded certification for the first time to an automobile conversion kit that allows non-flexible fuel vehicles to safely and efficiently run on E85: the Flex-Box Smart Kit from Flex Fuel US.
The first Flex-Box Smart Kit to be certified is for the most common fleet vehicles: the Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car with the Ford 4.6-liter engine. The company anticipates receiving approval for passenger vehicle Flex-Box Smart Kits, including consumer, truck and performance vehicles.
More... | Comments (10) | TrackBack (0)
EPA Science Advisory Board Suggests Revisions to Ethanol Incentives Necessary to Reduce Gulf of Mexico “Dead Zone”
October 08, 2007
 |
| The Mississippi and Atchafalaya River Basin is one of the largest river systems in the world, drains approximately 40% of the contiguous Unites States and is the largest contributor of freshwater and nutrients to the northern Gulf. Click to enlarge. Source: Rabalais. |
A draft report from the Science Advisory Board (SAB) to the US Environmental Protection Agency suggests that changes to the current structure of economic incentives favoring corn-based ethanol may be necessary to prevent a dramatic increase in nutrient loadings in the Mississippi and Atchafalaya River Basin (MARB) that would lead to an expansion of the annual “Dead Zone”—a hypoxic region in the Northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOM).
For more than 20 years, scientists have been documenting the annual appearance and expansion of a hypoxic zone—an area of low dissolved oxygen (<2 mg/L) that cannot support marine life—in the Gulf. The average size of the zone is increasing, with the exception of heavy hurricane years (such as 2005 with Katrina and Rita).
More... |