Fuels
[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.]
Europe Closing in on 6% Lower Carbon Road Fuel Standard by 2020
November 30, 2008
Europe is moving closer to finalizing a new fuel quality law which will require fuel suppliers to cut full life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions from road fuels by 6% between 2010 and 2020.
ENDS (Environmental Data Services) reports that the cuts are expected to come from production efficiency improvements and a switch to biofuels and other cleaner fuels. Biofuel sustainability criteria will be added to the new law once they have been agreed in separate negotiations relating to the new Renewable Energy Directive.
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NREL and Petrobras to Collaborate on Advanced Biofuels Research
November 21, 2008
The US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras) have signed an agreement that could accelerate the development and international commercialization of advanced, second-generation biofuels. The announcement was made at the International Biofuels Conference in São Paulo, Brazil.
Petrobras and NREL have common interests in the development of next-generation biofuels technologies through biochemical and thermochemical routes from biomass. NREL conducts R&D related to techno-economic, environmental and sustainability evaluation of advanced biofuels in support of the US Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and other partners.
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Dimethoxymethane (DMM)/Diesel Blends as a Low-Cost Approach for Emissions Control
November 17, 2008
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| Relationship between NOx and smoke of the DMM blends under one set of speed and load conditions. Click to enlarge. Credit: ACS |
Researchers at Xi’an Jiaotong University in China have investigated the combustion, performance, and emissions of a direct-injection (DI) diesel engine fueled with dimethoxymethane (DMM)/diesel blends, with DMM content ranging from 0 to 50%.
Their results showed that, with no changes to the fuel injection system or modifications to the engine, smoke and CO emissions decrease and NOx remains almost unchanged, while hydrocarbons (HCs) increase. Brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) is higher (DMM has a smaller lower heating value than diesel), while thermal efficiency increases a little. A diesel engine fueled with a 30% DMM blend can deliver both satisfactory fuel efficiency and emissions levels, they conclude. A report on their study was published online 14 November in the ACS journal Energy & Fuels.
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Oklahoma EPSCoR Receives $20.5M for Cellulosic Biofuels Research
The Oklahoma Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) has received $15 million in new funding over five years from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) for cellulosic biofuels research. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education will provide an annual $1.1 million match, for a total of 20.5 million.
The NSF award is to support a multi-institutional collaborative project that includes researchers from Oklahoma State University, the University of Oklahoma and the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation.
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Amyris Opens First Pilot Plant for Renewable Diesel Fuel
November 12, 2008
Amyris Biotechnologies, Inc. has opened its first pilot plant producing renewable diesel fuel, which it brands “No Compromise”. Amyris engineers new metabolic pathways in industrial microbes (bacteria or yeast) to produce a large range of molecules (isoprenoids) used in energy, pharmaceutical, and chemical applications via fermentation of sugar from plant-based feedstocks. The end product can be a “drop-in” hydrocarbon fuel. The renewable diesel project uses a modified yeast.
The pilot plant, which was completed in September, is an important milestone for Amyris towards its goal of developing and commercializing its hydrocarbon-based fuel, which it expects to bring to market in 2010.
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Air New Zealand and Boeing Sustainable Biofuels Test Flight Set for 3 December
November 11, 2008
Air New Zealand and Boeing set 3 December as the date for the airline’s sustainable biofuels flight from Auckland using a 747-400 jetliner. Conducted in partnership with Rolls-Royce and UOP, one of the airplane’s four Rolls-Royce RB211 engines will run a 50/50 blend of Jet A-1 and UOP’s “green jet” fuel—a synthetic paraffinic kerosene (SPK) derived from jatropha. (Earlier post.)
Air New Zealand now becomes the first airline to use a commercially viable biofuel sourced using sustainability best practices. Boeing, Air New Zealand and UOP have worked diligently with growers and project developer Terasol Energy to identify sustainable jatropha in adequate quantities to conduct thorough preflight testing.
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Early Stage Algae Biofuel Company Closes $10.5M Funding Round; Additional $5M for Pilot Plant
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| Solix calculations on the theoretical maximum production of algal oil. (See below.) Click to enlarge. Source: Kristina Weyer, Solix Biofuels |
Solix Biofuels, a Fort Collins, Colo.-based early-stage company focused on algae-based intermediates for fuel and chemical production (earlier post), has raised $10.5 million in its first round of outside funding, and has reached an agreement with investors for an additional commitment of $5 million, to be used to build an algae biofuel facility near Durango, Colo. The pilot project is intended to showcase Solix’s ability to produce biofuel and feedstocks for the chemicals industry at commercially-feasible production levels and costs.
The funding will support Solix’s development of its fourth-generation technology, including a proprietary closed photo-bioreactor system intended to produce biocrude from algae cost-effectively. The $5 million follow-on commitment from the investor group will provide construction financing for the pilot plant, which will be developed jointly by Solix Biofuels and Southern Ute Alternative Energy LLC.
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EPA to Award Up to $1.35M to Projects to Advance Hydraulic Hybrid, Engine and Fuel Technology
November 06, 2008
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting applications from eligible entities to collaborate with EPA in a set of hybrid technology pilot projects that can span the optimization of Hydraulic Hybrid Vehicle (HHV) technology (including plug-in electric-hydraulic hybrids); unique clean and efficient engines for full-series hybrid vehicles; and clean lower greenhouse gas transportation fuels.
The EPA expects to select 5 programs. Estimated total program funding is $1,350,000, with an award ceiling of $450,000. The EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ) has identified the following as high priority specific technology projects:
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Jatropha-Derived Aviation Fuel in Testing at Rolls-Royce; Air NZ Test Flight Targeted for December
November 04, 2008
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| Properties of UOP’s jatropha-based JP-8 military jet fuel as presented earlier this year at AIChE. Click to enlarge. |
The jatropha-derived “green jet” fuel to power one of four engines on a test flight in an Air New Zealand Boeing 747-400 has arrived at the Rolls-Royce facility in Derby, UK, for testing prior to the flight.
Preliminary data shows the fuel meets all required specifications for use in commercial aviation and a technical team led by Rolls-Royce is now putting the fuel through further validation testing, according to Air New Zealand.
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Nearly All Gasoline in Maine Now E10, Without State Mandate
November 01, 2008
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| Current percentage use of E10 and projected use for 2010. Click to enlarge. Source: KinderMorgan |
Nearly all gasoline now distributed in the state of Maine is now an E10 blend (10% ethanol), according to the state’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The introduction of ethanol-blended gasoline in the market is not a state requirement, but resulted from a combination of state and federal regulations, state and federal tax incentives and current fuel market forces, DEP says.
As of August, 39 states provide incentives promoting ethanol production and use, according to the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. Twelve have also introduced their own Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS); of these, eight mandate E10 and one (Minnesota) has an E20 by 2013 requirement. Nationwide, however, the fuel industry is rapidly closing in on an almost universal use of E10, and should reach that within several years, given a combination of factors.
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Argonne and Three Area Universities Form Illinois Center for Advanced Tribology
October 31, 2008
The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory has teamed with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and Northwestern University to form the Illinois Center for Advanced Tribology (ICAT), which will develop solutions to technical issues related to transportation, health and systems that operate in extreme environments.
Tribology is the science and technology of friction, lubrication and interactive surfaces in relative motion that are evident in virtually everything that moves, including human beings.
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UOP Receives $1.5M for Pyrolysis Oil Project from DOE
October 29, 2008
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| Stabilized pyrolysis oil serves as a biocrude more easily transported than biomass for further refining to end products. Click to enlarge. |
UOP LLC has been awarded a $1.5 million grant from the US Department of Energy (DOE) to develop economically viable technology to stabilize pyrolysis oil from second generation biomass feedstocks for use as a renewable fuel source. The UOP award is one of five made by the DOE in this area. (Earlier post.)
UOP is also investigating a pyrolysis pathway as a component for its work on renewable JP-8 aviation fuel, an element of which is funded by DARPA. (Earlier post.) Although there is no direct linkage from the new DOE funding to the DARPA project, the results of the new effort will provide knowledge that can be used to support the JP-8 and other renewable projects across UOP, according to a company spokesperson.
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DLR Outlines Approaches for 40% Reduction in Global Light-Duty Vehicle GHG Emissions by 2050
October 27, 2008
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| Well-to-wheel CO2 emissions of light duty vehicles in the reference and energy [r]evolution scenarios from 2000 to 2050. Click to enlarge. |
A combination of higher efficiency vehicle technologies, a major switch to grid-connected electric vehicles and incentives for travellers to save CO2 could result in a reduction of well-to-wheel greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the global light-duty vehicle sector in 2050 by roughly 25% compared to 1990 and 40% compared to 2005, according to a new report produced by the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC) and Greenpeace International.
Total LDV sector energy consumption in total is reduced by 23% in 2050 compared to 2005, in spite of tremendous increases in some world regions. Even with the aggressive focus on new technologies and demand reduction, 74% of the final energy used in cars will still come from fossil fuel sources, 70% from gasoline and diesel, according to the findings. Renewable electricity covers 19% of total car energy demand, biofuels cover 5% and hydrogen 2%.
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Algae Biofuels Offer Enormous Promise, Face Tough Production and Cost Challenges to Scale
October 24, 2008
The 2008 Algae Biomass Summit (23-24 October), organized by the Algal Biomass Organization, drew more than 600 algae producers, scientists, engineers, investors and policy-makers from more than a dozen countries to Seattle to pitch, listen and network on emerging algae-based solutions to global energy, environmental, and economic issues.
Amid the tremendous enthusiasm was a recognition that the field, while extremely promising, also faces difficult technical and economic challenges if it is to scale to be a significant component of a global energy solution. Algae have the potential to help keep humanity from going over the cliff, said Dr. Mario Tredici, Professor of Microbiology, University of Florence, Italy, in his opening talk at the conference, “but there is a necessity to identify the limitations of the technology and establish its true potential.”
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Biofuel Companies Question ARB’s Inclusion of Indirect Effects in Low Carbon Fuel Standard
More than two-dozen advanced biofuel companies, joined by researchers and investors under the aegis of the New Fuels Alliance, submitted a letter to the California Air Resources Board (ARB) questioning ARB’s intent to include indirect land use change (ILUC)—or any kind of indirect effects enforcement against biofuels—as part of the agency’s Draft Regulation for the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) unveiled last week in Sacramento. (Earlier post.)
Signed by 25 biofuel company executives and CEOs, investor Vinod Khosla, and Dr. Frances H. Arnold, the letter notes that the biofuels industry generally supports indirect effects research, including its subset indirect land use change, but warns that enforcing indirect effects prematurely or in a piecemeal way would be catastrophic for advanced biofuel development.
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UK Carbon Trust Launches Algae Biofuels Challenge; Commercialization Targeted for 2020
October 23, 2008
The UK Carbon Trust has launched the Algae Biofuels Challenge with the mission of commercializing the use of algae biofuel as an alternative to fossil-based oil by 2020. The Algae Biofuels Challenge is a multi-million pound UK R&D initiative that could see the Carbon Trust commit £3-6 million (US$4.8-9.7 million) of funding in the first phase of the challenge, depending upon the number and quality of applications received. The UK Department for Transport also recently announced it will be contributing to the funding of this initiative.
For the Challenge, The Carbon Trust is now seeking to recruit expertise from algae specialists in the UK to develop ‘green oil’. The challenge is to produce this second generation algae-based biofuel cost effectively at scale. If successful, algae could deliver 6 to 10 times more energy per hectare than conventional cropland biofuels, while reducing carbon emissions by up to 80% relative to fossil fuels, the Trust said.
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Wisconsin Awards $7.3 Million in Biofuels, Clean Energy Funding
October 21, 2008
The state of Wisconsin recently awarded $7.3 million in grants and loans from the Wisconsin Energy Independence Fund (WEIF) for research and development and commercialization or adoption of new energy technologies, including biofuel and renewable hydrocarbon production.
The Wisconsin Energy Independence Fund is part of Clean Energy Wisconsin, Governor Jim Doyle’s strategy for promoting renewable energy, creating new jobs, increasing energy security and efficiency, and improving the environment. The Governor’s plans include generating 25% of electricity and 25% of transportation fuels from renewable sources by the year 2025; and capturing 10% of the market share for renewable energy and bioproducts. Funded fuels and transportation projects include:
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Study Suggests “Flexible Carbon to Liquid” Fuel Process Could Displace 15-20% of Transportation Fuels in the US
October 15, 2008
A preliminary analysis of a feedstock-flexible biomass waste/residue thermochemical pathway for liquid fuel production by researchers at Purdue University suggests that such a “flexible carbon to liquid” fuel (FCTL) process could replace 15%-20% of transportation fuels consumed in US and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 50% compared with petroleum-derived gasoline.
At the same time, it could be more environmentally sustainable since few changes would be needed in agricultural and forestry practices, and may be more resilient against external disturbances such as feedstock supply shocks and market demand changes, they say.
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Researchers Assess Lifecycle Water Intensity of a Range of Light-Duty Vehicle Fuels
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| Water consumption (left stacked bars read on left axis) and withdrawal (right stacked bars read on right axis) in gallons of water per mile (gal/mile) for various fuels for light duty vehicles. Water use from mining and farming is designated differently from that used for processing and refining. Click to enlarge. Credit: ACS |
Building on their prior studies (earlier post, earlier post), researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have assessed the lifecycle water intensity in “gallons of water per mile traveled” for light duty vehicle (LDV) travel using selected fuels based upon petroleum, natural gas, unconventional fossil fuels, hydrogen, electricity, and two biofuels (ethanol from corn and biodiesel from soy).
Carey King and Michael Webber analyzed the amount of water withdrawn (used and returned directly to its source) and consumed (not directly returned to its source) during the production and use of different fuels. Their findings suggest that producing alternative fuels could strain already limited water supplies in some regions of the country.
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California ARB Posts Draft Regulation for Low Carbon Fuel Standard
October 11, 2008
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| Proposed compliance schedule for gasoline and diesel fuels and substitutes. Click to enlarge. |
The staff of the California Air Resources Board has posted the Draft Regulation for the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) which contains the latest staff proposals on the regulatory approach following the March 2008 concept outline. (Earlier post.) ARB is seeking comments on this document, which will be discussed during the LCFS workshop on 16 October 2008, in Sacramento, California.
The draft LCFS maps out a 10.5% reduction in carbon intensity for gasoline or fuels used to substitute for gasoline from 2010 to 2020 (from 96.7 gCO2e/MJ to 86.5 gCO2e/MJ) and a 10% reduction in the carbon intensity of diesel or diesel substitutes (from 95.8 gCO2e/MJ to 86.2 gCO2e/MJ).
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Port Injection of Secondary Fuel Can Simultaneously Lower NOx and PM in a Direct Injection Biodiesel Engine
October 08, 2008
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| Effect of premixed fuels on the engine emissions at different equivalency ratios. Click to enlarge. Credit: ACS |
Researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University found that port fuel injection of a secondary fuel with a lower boiling point in a biodiesel-fueled, direct injection engine can simultaneously reduce both NOx and PM emissions. A paper on their work appeared online 4 October in the journal Energy & Fuels.
A number of studies have shown that the use of biodiesel in light- and heavy-duty diesel engines can lower PM, CO, SOx, and HC emissions compared to standard diesel fuel combustion with comparable or even slightly better engine efficiency. However, NOx levels can increase—a problem when confronting more stringent regulatory limits on NOx emissions.
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USDA & DOE Release National Biofuels Action Plan; UN FAO Report Calls For Review of Biofuels Policies
October 07, 2008
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| NBAP top-level advanced biofuels commercialization timeline. Click to enlarge. |
The US Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Energy (DOE) released the National Biofuels Action Plan (NBAP), an interagency plan detailing the collaborative efforts of Federal agencies to accelerate the development of a sustainable biofuels industry.
Separately, in a new edition of its annual publication The State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) 2008, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) called for an urgent review of biofuel policies and subsidies to preserve the goal of world food security, protect poor farmers, promote broad-based rural development and ensure environmental sustainability.
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California Implements Amendments to Reformulated Gasoline Regulations; Ethanol Blends Up to 10%, Lower Sulfur Cap
October 01, 2008
California’s Office of Administrative Law (OAL) recently approved the Air Resource Board ’s 2007 amendments to the Phase 3 California Reformulated Gasoline Regulations. (Earlier post.)
The regulation, which is now in effect in California, among other things enables blending of up to 10% ethanol from the current 5.7% level in gasoline—with the requirement that all emissions reduction requirements are met at the desired level of oxygenate blending—and lowers the sulfur cap from 30 parts per million by weight (ppmw) to 20 ppmw (21 ppmw for California reformulated gasoline blendstock for oxygenate blending [CARBOB]) to improve enforceability and facilitate new motor vehicle emissions control technology.
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EERC 100% Renewable Biojet Fuel Meets Key JP-8 Standards
September 29, 2008
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| Comparison of the composition of EERC’s renewable JP-8 with conventional petroleum-derived JP-8. Click to enlarge. Source: EERC |
A 100% renewable biojet fuel produced by the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) at the University of North Dakota (UND) has met seven key JP-8 specification parameters, including freeze point, density, flash point, and energy content. EERC created the fuel samples from multiple renewable feedstocks and submitted them to the US Air Force Research Labs (AFRL) for testing.
The EERC fuel was produced under a $4.7 million contract with the US Department of Defense’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Biofuel Program. (Earlier post.) DARPA opened up its first Biofuels Broad Agency Announcement (BAA06-43) in July 2006. DARPA also awarded contracts to General Electric (GE) and UOP under this BAA.
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Senator Bingaman Says Auto Loan Program Not to Be Limited to 30% of Facility Cost
The $25-billion loan program for automakers and suppliers to retool older facilities, passed by the Senate on Saturday and heading to President Bush for signature, does not intended to cap loans to 30% of the cost of a facility as reported here earlier (earlier post), according to Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Chairman of the Energy & Natural Resources Committee.
Loans will be uncapped and can go up to 100% but are typically limited by regulation to 80% of total costs, according to Michael Carr, Counsel for the Committee.
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Carbon Sciences Developing Technology to Convert CO2 to Fuel
September 26, 2008
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| Carbon Sciences is developing a biocatalytic process to convert CO2 to low-carbon hydrocarbons. Click to enlarge. |
Carbon Sciences, Inc., the developer of a CO2-to-carbonate technology that converts the gas into precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) for use in the production of paper, pharmaceuticals and plastics, is developing a process to transform CO2 into low-carbon hydrocarbons (C1 to C3) for subsequent upgrading into higher-carbon fuels such as gasoline and jet fuel.
Conventional processes for the conversion of CO2 to fuel include direct photolysis which uses light energy to break off the oxygen atoms in CO2; and chemically reacting CO2 with hydrogen to create methane or methanol. These processes require large amounts of energy due to high pressure and high temperature chemical processes, says Carbon Sciences, which reduce their economic viability for creating transportation fuels on a large scale.
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Reaction Design Launches Model Fuels Consortium II
September 15, 2008
Reaction Design announced the establishment of Model Fuels Consortium II (MFC-II). (Earlier post.) The MFC is a collaboration of engine companies, energy companies and research laboratories, led by Reaction Design, which is developing model fuels to support the development of cleaner-burning, more efficient engines and fuels by enabling accurate simulation results.
The goal of MFC-II is to create software models and tools that let engine designers predict and control soot particle size and number. Nano-particles are increasingly being linked to various medical conditions from asthma to pulmonary fibrosis. New and proposed regulations would limit the number and size of these particles that an engine can produce.
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Euro Parliament Maintains Target of 10% Renewables in Road Transport Fuel by 2020; 40% of That From Non-Food Biofuels, Electricity or H2
September 11, 2008
The European Parliament’s Industry Committee has approved a co-decision report that maintains a 10% renewables component in transportation fuels by 2020, but specifies that at least 40% of this overall share must be met by non-food second-generation biofuels, electricity or hydrogen.
The decision came in the context of growing pressure to reduce the biofuels obligation given concerns of rising food prices and sustainability.
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New Zealand Passes Climate Change Emissions Trading Bill; Coverage of Liquid Fossil Fuels for Transportation Begins in 2011
New Zealand’s Parliament passed the Climate Change (Emissions Trading and Renewable Preference) Bill, thereby establishing the framework for the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (NZ ETS).
The emissions trading scheme will include liquid fossil fuels used in New Zealand transportation beginning in 2011, and cover gasoline, diesel, aviation gasoline, jet kerosene, light fuel oil, and heavy fuel oil. The transportation sector accounts for 19.2% of New Zealand’s CO2emissions.
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US DOE to Invest Up to $4.4M in Six Advanced Biomass-to-Biofuels Projects at US Universities
September 10, 2008
The US Department of Energy (DOE) has selected six advanced biofuels projects in which DOE plans to invest up to $4.4 million, subject to annual appropriations. These awards to US institutions of higher education will support research and development (R&D) into biomass conversion technologies for turning non-food feedstocks into advanced biofuels. Combined with the minimum university cost share of 20%, more than $5.7 million is slated for investment in these six projects.
Additional biofuels R&D projects recently announced include: industrial enzymes improvements; pilot-scale 10% biorefineries to test novel refining processes; biomass gasification improvements; “ethanologen” development; four commercial-scale biorefineries; and three new DOE Bioenergy Research Centers established by the DOE Office of Science.
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Report: Global Refinery Octane Requirements to Decline
September 02, 2008
A new Global Refining Octane Outlook report by Hart Energy Consulting concludes that while the global gasoline market octane will gradually increase by half a point through 2020, requirements for global refinery octane will decline between 2007 and 2020, affected by outside component contributions—e.g., merchant ether and ethanol—and the impact of fuel quality requirements.
Global octane markets have been volatile as driven by refining capacity constraints, gasoline sulfur reductions (and related refinery processing octane loss), removal of MTBE from markets, upgrade of ultra low octane markets and final stages of lead removal. Markets have experienced periods of high octane premiums with US premiums peaking at 5 to 7 cents per octane-gallon.
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UNEP Report Urges Global Energy Subsidy Reform, Including Cutting Fossil Fuel Subsidies; Reductions in GHG Emissions and Increase in Global GDP
August 27, 2008
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| Economic value of energy subsidies in Non-OECD countries, 2005. Click to enlarge. Source: IEA World Energy Outlook 2006. |
Globally, approximately US$300 billion—0.7% of global GDP—is spent annually on energy subsidies. The bulk of this is being used to artificially lower or reduce the real price of fuels like oil, coal and gas or electricity generated from such fossil fuels.
A new report—Reforming Energy Subsidies: Opportunities to Contribute to the Climate Change Agenda—by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) calls for the elimination of these environmentally harmful subsidies and major reform in three main areas: (1) Reporting and compiling consistent data on energy subsidies as well as analyzing their effects (transparency and accountability); (2) enhancing mechanisms of communication with policymakers to show them the need for and benefits of reforming subsidies as well as to assist them in implementing policy reforms at the national level; and (3) capacity building for government officials and other stakeholders from both developed and developing countries, and assistance in reforming subsidies.
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Shifts in Energy Supply/Demand and Biofuels Capacity Challenging Refining Industry; US Could Become a Net Exporter of Gasoline
August 26, 2008
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| Refiners face changes in regional supply/demand balances, affecting global trade flows and refining margins. North America will reduce its need for gasoline; Europe will get shorter in diesel;, and Asia will continue to be thirsty for fuels in general. Click to enlarge. |
The refining industry is grappling with shifting scenarios for the future energy landscape, including one case in which the United States could become a net exporter of gasoline by 2010, according to a new analysis of the refining industry by global management consulting firm Booz & Company. In 2007, the US imported
The report, “Refining Trends: The Golden Age Or the Eye of The Storm? Part IV: Tough Choices,” explores rising demand for fuel in Asia and the BRIC nations (Brazil, Russia, India and China), mandates for biofuels, alternative technology vehicles, and the global introduction of ultra low-cost automobiles such as the $2,500 Tata Nano. This confluence of contradictory factors is confounding an industry that counts on 20-year predictions to guide investment decisions made today, according to the analysis.
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Argonne and KPM Developing New Efficient Process for Extracting Hydrogen from Hydrogen Sulfide in Unrefined Petroleum, Including Oil Sands
Researchers at the US Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory and Kingston Process Metallurgy Inc. (KPM) of Kingston, Ontario are developing a new process to extract and reuse pure hydrogen from the hydrogen sulfide that naturally contaminates unrefined oil, including oil sands. The hydrogen can then be used to upgrade and clean crude oil and petroleum products and aid in a number of refining processes.
The process uses a molten copper reactor invented by Argonne and KPM researchers. Hydrogen sulfide gas is first separated from the crude oil stock in the reactor, using technology already in place. This gas is then bubbled though molten copper, which releases pure hydrogen, which is captured. As the sulfur reacts with the copper, the copper is gradually turned into copper sulfide.
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Shell In-Situ Oil Shale Process Emits 21-47% More GHG on a Full Fuel Cycle Basis than Conventional Petroleum
August 25, 2008
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| Full-fuel-cycle emissions from low and high primary cases for Shell ICP, in grams of carbon equivalent per megajoule of refined fuel delivered as compared to conventional oil emissions. Click to enlarge. Credit: ACS. |
Shell’s in situ conversion process for oil shale produces an energy output of 1.2-1.6 times greater than the total primary energy inputs to the process, according to a new analysis by Dr. Adam Brandt at UC Berkeley.
However, in the absence of capturing CO2 generated from electricity produced to fuel the process, well-to-pump GHG emissions are in the range of 30.6-37.1 grams of carbon equivalent per megajoule of refined fuel delivered (gCequiv/MJ RFD). These full-fuel-cycle emissions are 21%-47% larger than those from conventionally produced petroleum-based fuels. Brandt’s study is published online in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.
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Changing World Technologies Files for IPO; Planned Expansion to 54M Gallons of Renewable Diesel Fuel Oil per Year
August 15, 2008
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| The basic Thermal Conversion Process. Click to enlarge. |
Changing World Technologies (CWT), developer of a non-combustion thermolytic deploymerization process for the conversion of organic waste into renewable diesel fuel oil and fertilizers (Thermal Conversion Process, TCP), has filed an S1 registration statement with the SEC for an IPO.
CWT currently operates a TCP production facility in Carthage, Missouri, that has the capacity to convert 78,000 tons of animal and food processing waste into approximately 4 - 9 million gallons of renewable diesel oil per year, depending on the feedstock mix used. The produced renewable diesel can be run as a straight, unblended low-sulfur fuel oil and has been EPA-approved as an additive in diesel fuel; full use as a transportation fuel will require upgrading.
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Lotus, QUB and Jaguar to Develop Variable Compression Ratio, 2-Stroke OMNIVORE Research Engine
August 12, 2008
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| An early sketch of the OMNIVORE single-cylinder concept. Click to enlarge. |
Lotus Engineering, the automotive consultancy division of Lotus, will collaborate with Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) and Jaguar Cars Ltd to develop an engine which maximizes fuel efficiency when running on renewable fuels. The OMNIVORE concept will employ novel engine architecture to achieve a high thermal efficiency when fuelled on any alcohols or gasoline. The OMNIVORE engine is being targeted for flex-fuel operation with a higher degree of optimization and fuel-efficiency than is possible with existing architectures.
The architecture features an innovative variable compression ratio system and uses a loop-scavenged two-stroke operating cycle with direct fuel injection operating in HCCI (homogeneous charge compression ignition) mode. In an earlier presentation on the concept, Lotus said that it believed compression ratios ranging from 8:1 to 40:1 are possible.
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Researchers Develop New Method for the Direct Liquefaction of Biomass to Biopetroleum
August 08, 2008
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| Schematic diagram of the deoxy-liquefaction reactor. Click to enlarge. Credit: ACS |
Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have developed a new method for the direct liquefaction of biomass to a bio-oil with an attractive heating value (HHV 46.9 MJ/kg) and consisting mainly of alkanes (C7-C19) and benzene and phenolic derivatives. The product has low oxygen content and an elemental analysis similar to that of petroleum. The product, which they term “biopetroleum”, can then be upgraded for use in transportation fuels or chemicals. A paper describing their work was published online 8 August as an ASAP article in the journal Energy & Fuels.
One of the challenges in using biomass efficiently to produce fuels is transporting enough of it economically to wherever it will be processed. As a result, direct liquefaction technologies such as pyrolysis are of increasing interest. The concept is that the biomass can be liquefied close to the source and then transported more efficiently in its more energy-dense liquid form for further processing.
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Researchers Develop New Process for Direct Conversion of Cellulose into Furanics
August 07, 2008
Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed a new method for the direct conversion of cellulose into furanics, which can become the basis for new biofuels. The simple, low-cost process delivers furanic compounds in yields not yet achieved, according to Mark Mascal and Edward B. Nikitin in an early view paper published online 1 August in the journal Angewandte Chemie.
Currently, biofuel producers primarily use starch, which is broken down to form sugars that are then fermented to give ethanol. Cellulose, however, is the most common form of photosynthetically fixed carbon. Exploiting that resource for fuels via a fermentation pathway—e.g., cellulosic ethanol—is difficult because the degradation of cellulose into its individual sugar components, which could then be fermented, is a slow and expensive process.
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DOE and USDA to Award More than $10 Million for Bioenergy Plant Feedstock Research
July 31, 2008
The US Departments of Energy (DOE) and Agriculture (USDA) plan to award 10 grants totaling more than $10 million to accelerate fundamental research in the development of cellulosic biofuels.
The grants will be awarded under a joint DOE-USDA program begun in 2006 which aims to accelerate fundamental research in biomass genomics to further the use of cellulosic plant material for bioenergy and biofuels. DOE’s Office of Biological and Environmental Research will provide $8.8 million while USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service will provide $2 million. The funded projects are:
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Researchers Suggest Changes to Biofuels Incentives Rather Than Rollbacks or Moratoria
July 30, 2008
Over the last six months, the focus of the biofuel debate in Europe and the United States has shifted from emphasizing the potential contribution of biofuels to increase energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to concern about the impact on food prices, possible increase in greenhouse gas emissions and the loss of forests and biodiversity.
A report from reserachers at Harvard Kennedy School concludes that despite growing pressure from biofuels critics, governments should avoid simplistic and precipitous changes in course such as rollback or moratoria on existing biofuels mandates or incentives. Instead, the report urges governments to initiate an orderly, “innovation-enhancing” transition towards incentives targeted on multi-dimensional goals for biofuels development.
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China Lake Researchers Develop Potential Biobutanol Pathway for Synthetic Jet Fuel
July 29, 2008
Researchers at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) at China Lake, California have developed an efficient batch catalysis process for the conversion of 1-butene (C4H8)—easily derived from butanol (C4H10O)—to a new class of potential synthetic jet fuel blends, with a specific focus on the requirements for the Navy’s JP-5. JP-5 has a significantly higher flash point (60°C) in comparison to the Air Force JP-8 and commercial jet fuel (~38°C).
The resulting product developed by the team of Michael Wright, Benjamin Harvey, and Roxanne Quintana is 100% iso-paraffinic, meets flash point and cold-flow requirements, and has a calculated power density (per volume) higher than similar fuels made by the GTL Fischer-Tropsch process. They report on their work in an ASAP paper published online 29 July 2008 in the journal Energy & Fuels.
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Jamison Report Calls for Fast-Tracking Development of Electric Vehicles in Australia
July 23, 2008
A report commissioned by Australia’s National Roads and Motorists’ Association (NRMA) calls on the Australian Government to set a target of reducing oil dependence by 20% by 2020; 30% by 2030 and 50% by 2050 and to do all it can to fast-track the development of the electric car in Australia, charged by renewable energy sources such as wind or solar.
The NRMA established the Jamison Group following the company’s Alternative Fuel Summit in 2006. The group, comprising David Lamb, Mark Diesendorf, John Mathews and Graeme Pearman, produced the report: A Road Map for Alternative Fuels in Australia: Ending our Dependence on Oil.
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Study: Minnesota Can Achieve Transportation GHG Reduction Goals Using a Combination of Vehicle Efficiency, Low Carbon Fuels and Reduced VMT
July 22, 2008
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| Minnesota LDV GHG emissions under different scenarios. The state’s 2015 and 2025 goals are represented by the horizontal dotted lines. Click to enlarge. |
A team of University of Minnesota transportation and public policy researchers concluded that the state’s transportation sector can nearly meet its share of Minnesota’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions goals in 2015 and can exceed them in 2025 using a combination of strategies targeted to reduce fuel consumption, vehicle-miles traveled (VMT), and fuel carbon content.
Strong action on all three fronts is needed sooner rather than later, according to the findings of the report Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Transportation Sources in Minnesota from the Center for Transportation Studies (CTS) at the university.
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Argonne’s “Omnivorous Engine”; Baselining Gasoline, Ethanol and Butanol
July 21, 2008
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| The test engine is based on an Opel 2.2L Ecotec Direct engine. Click to enlarge. |
Among the projects of Argonne National Laboratory’s Transportation Technology R&D Center is the development of the “omnivorous engine”. The project seeks to combine in-cylinder measurement technology and advanced controls to optimize spark timing, the quantity, and the timing of injected fuel to produce an engine that will be able to run on any liquid spark ignition fuel with optimal efficiency and low emissions.
Argonne is using in-cylinder ionization sensing to provide real-time analysis of fuel burn rates. This combustion signature analysis ability enables detection of the kind of fuel used to determine optimal spark timing. In addition, this information enables control of other engine parameters, such as boost to increase effective compression ratio and exhaust gas recirculation rates to control exhaust emissions.
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Researchers Develop Process for High-Yield Conversion of Lignin to Bio-Hydrocarbons and Methanol
July 18, 2008
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| Proposed routes for the conversion of lignin into alkanes and methanol. Click to enlarge. |
Researchers at Peking University (PKU) and the Institut des Sciences et Ingénierie Chimiques Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) have developed a two-step process for converting lignin—a key component of plant cell walls—to alkanes (hydrocarbons) and methanol that obtains about 42 wt% C8–C9 alkanes, 10 wt% C14–C18 alkanes, and 11 wt% methanol—close to the calculated maximum.
The researchers, led by Professor Yuan Kou at the PKU Green Chemistry Center, published a report on their work 9 July in the journal ChemSusChem.
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OECD Report: Government Biofuel Policies Costly and Ineffective
July 16, 2008
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| The estimated impact on ethanol production of the removal of biofuel support policies, 2013-2017 average. Click to enlarge. |
Government support of biofuel production in OECD countries is costly, has a limited impact on reducing greenhouse gases and improving energy security, and has an impact on world crop prices, according to a new study by the OECD’s Directorate of Trade and Agriculture.
The report, Economic Assessment of Biofuel Support Policies, estimates that in the US, Canada and the European Union, government support for the supply and use of biofuels will rise to around US$25 billion per year by 2015 from about US$11 billion in 2006. It is estimated that these support policies would reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transport fuel by only 0.5% to 0.8% by 2015.