US Department of Energy: $786 Million for Biofuels Research & Commercialization

photo: Steve Jurvetson via flickr

The latest allocation of funds from the stimulus bill by the Department of Energy has been announced. This time it’s for biofuels and in the amount of $786.5 million. Here’s where it’s all going:

$480 Million for Integrated Pilot- and Demonstration-Scale Facilities

Projects selected under this Funding Opportunity Announcement will work to validate integrated biorefinery technologies that produce advanced biofuels, bioproducts, and heat and power in an integrated system, thus enabling private financing of commercial-scale replications.

DOE anticipates making 10 to 20 awards for refineries at various scales and designs, all to be operational in the next three years.  The DOE funding ceiling is $25 million for pilot-scale projects and $50 million for demonstration scale projects.

These integrated biorefineries will reduce dependence on petroleum-based transportation fuels and chemicals. They will also facilitate the development of an “advanced biofuels” industry to meet the federal Renewable Fuel Standards.

$176.5 Million for Commercial-Scale Biorefinery Projects

$176.5 million will be used to increase the federal funding ceiling on two or more demonstration- or commercial-scale biorefinery projects that were selected and awarded within the last two years.

The goal of these efforts is to reduce the risk of the development and deployment of these first-of-a-kind operations. These funds are expected to expedite the construction phase of these projects and ultimately accelerate the timeline for start up and commissioning.

$110 Million for Fundamental Research
This allocation will be further divided as follows,

Expand the resources available for sustainability research through the Office of Science Bioenergy Research Centers and establish a user-facility/small-scale integrated pilot plant ($25 million).

Create an advanced research consortium to develop technologies and facilitate subsequent demonstration of infrastructure-compatible biofuels through a competitive solicitation ($35 million).

Create an algal biofuels consortium to accelerate demonstration of algal biofuels through a competitive solicitation ($50 million).

$20 Million for Ethanol Research

The Biomass Program is planning to use $20 million of the Recovery Act funding in a competitive solicitation to achieve the following:

• Optimize flex-fuel vehicles operating on high octane E85 fuel (85 percent ethanol, 15 percent gasoline blend).
• Evaluate the impact of higher ethanol blends in conventional vehicles
• Upgrade existing refueling infrastructure to be compatible with fuels up to E85.

More: Department of Energy – Recovery and Reinvestment

My Bottom Line is Green: McCain v. Obama on Renewable Energy

 

Source: “My Bottom Line is Green: McCain v. Obama on Renewable Energy”, treehugger.com, Business & Politics, Matthew McDermott, 17th Sept 2008

In politics everyone has their bottom line issue: The issue for them which is the ultimate deciding factor when comparing candidates running for office. For me, and I suspect many TreeHugger readers, that issue is the environment.

In that spirit, over the next couple of weeks I’m going to be presenting a series of posts comparing the proposed policies of Barack Obama and John McCain, mostly in their own words and with my take on them at the end. Many people have already made up their minds, but for those who haven’t I hope this comparison proves useful. Renewable Energy is up first:

Before we get into the heart of this everyone needs to keep in mind that both candidates undoubtedly place energy policy high on their list of priorities, which is a good thing. How each prioritizes the co-joined issues of energy independence and greening our energy mix, not to mention the best way to go about doing each, vary considerably.

John McCain on Renewable Energy

The first thing about the McCain renewable energy policy in the official campaign literature is that any reference to it occurs after mentioning expanding domestic oil and natural gas production, after expanding nuclear power, and after mention of clean coal—all of which will be tackled in future posts—and when he does get around to talking about renewable energy it is in fairly general terms:

“Even-handed” System of Tax Credits to Promote Renewables

According to the Department of Energy, wind could provide as much as one-fifth of electricity by 2030. The U.S. solar energy industry continued its double-digit annual growth rate in 2006. To develop these and other sources of renewable energy will require that we rationalize the current patchwork of temporary tax credits that provide commercial feasibility. John McCain believes in an even-handed system of tax credits that will remain in place until the market transforms sufficiently to the point where renewable energy no longer merits the taxpayers’ dollars. (McCain-Palin 2008)

 

Biofuels Show Promise
On biofuels, McCain’s official position is similarly succinct:

…Alcohol-based fuels hold great promise as an alternative to gasoline and as a means of expanding consumer choices. Some choices such as ethanol are on the market right now. The second generation of alcohol-based fuels like cellulosic ethanol, which won’t compete with food crops, are showing great potential.(McCain-Palin 2008)

 

No Federal Renewable Portfolio Standard
In regards to any mandatory federal Renewable Portfolio Standard, McCain has indicated that he would prefer the market to decide the best solution and states to set standards as they deem appropriate:

As a strong supporter of a greenhouse gas cap and trade system, I believe that such an approach is a better way to diversify and cleanup up the nation’s energy mix by harnessing the power of market forces. I believe that government’s role is to set appropriate standards to protect the environment and allow the market to determine the best means of achieving them. To the extent that state and local policymakers identify useful ways to augment this architecture, I believe that governors, mayors, county supervisors, public utility commission and other authorities can better tailor such policies to local conditions and resources. (‘08 On The Record)

 

When asked recently by Science Debate 2008 how government should support renewable energy he said:

Government must be an ally but not an arbiter. [...] I’ve voted against the current patchwork of tax credits for renewable power because they were temporary, and often the result of who had the best lobbyist instead of who had the best ideas. But the objective itself was right and urgent. [...] We will reform the effort so that it is fair, rational and permanent, letting the market decide which ideas can move us toward clean and renewable energy.

 

In a broader perspective , The League of Conservation Voters has given John McCain’s lifetime environmental voting record a score of 24 out of 100, adding that he has repeated “rejected even the weakest renewable energy programs.”

Sarah Palin’s Position on Renewable Energy
There’s no doubt that Sarah Palin speaks out far more about expanding production of fossil fuels than on the benefits of renewable energy and her now oft-cited quote,“alternative energy solutions are far from imminent and would require more than 10 years to develop” (The Post & Courier), does little to promote any other viewpoint.

That said, last year she did add her name to a letter to the Senate Committee on Agriculture which isn’t so hostile towards, and frankly ignorant about, renewable energy:

If the nation is to pursue energy independence, we must look beyond traditional biofuels production. [...] Local production of renewable biomass energy benefits the national economy, promotes national and regional energy security and stimulates the rural economy through the creation of high quality jobs. Encouraging such production will require increased federal investment in programs that support cellulosic biofuels research, increased biodiesel production and use, increases in wind and solar energy and energy from animal wastes, improvements in energy efficiency, bio-based product development, effective carbon storage, and other renewable technologies. (On The Issues 2008)

Barack Obama on Renewable Energy

Low Carbon Fuel Standard
In addition to the 25% by 2025 Renewable Portfolio Standard mentioned above, Obama would:

Establish a National Low Carbon Fuel Standard to speed the introduction of low-carbon non-petroleum fuels. The standard requires fuel suppliers in 2010 to begin to reduce the carbon of their fuels by 5% within 5 years and 10% within 10 years. The Obama plan will incentivize increased private sector investment in advanced low-carbon fuels and has a sustainability provision to ensure that increased biofuel production does not come at the expense of environmental conservation. (Barack Obama and Joe Biden)

 

Food Versus Fuel
On May 4th of this year on Meet the Press Obama weighed in on the food versus fuel debate. He was asked whether he would consider changing the current ethanol subsidy program:

We’ve got rising food prices here in the US. In other countries we’re seeing riots because of the lack of food supplies. So this is something that we’re going to have to deal with. [...] My top priority is making sure that people are able to get enough to eat. And if it turns out that we’ve got to make changes in our ethanol policy to help people get something to eat, then that’s got to be the step we take. But I also believe that ethanol has been a important transitional tool for us to start dealing with our long-term energy crisis ultimately. Over time we’re going to shift to cellulosic ethanol, where we’re not using food stocks but we’re using wood chips & prairie grass.

 

The League of Conservation Voters has given Obama’s lifetime environmental voting record a score of 96 out of 100.

How Does Joe Biden Play Into This?
According to the LCV, Joe Biden has a lifetime environmental voting record score of 84, which compares to a Senate average of 52. When asked about a federal Renewable Portfolio Standard by LCV he said,

I support setting a national renewable fuel standard of 20% to increase the use of renewable fuels. We should have a national policy that encourages the development of clean, renewable energy and we should invest in developing renewable energy technology. The US should be a world leader not only in using renewable energy but also in developing and exporting renewable technology to the rest of the world.

Barack Obama’s position on renewable energy is well publicized in his campaign documents. He has promised to invest $150 billion over 10 years in renewable energy technologies; he has said that by 2030 he will require at least 60 billion gallons of advanced biofuels be incorporated into the national fuel mix; by 2025 Obama would require that 25% of the US electricity supply be generated from “clean, sustainable energy sources, like solar, wind and geothermal; and he would extend the federal production tax credit for five years to assist in making this happen.

To my knowledge, he’s not offered any definitive plan as to how US developed technology will be exported to the rest of the world—is he referring to technology transfer to developing countries or just the normal trade that already goes on?—but either way it’s good to see this mentioned.

McCain & Obama Head to Head

Obama supports strong national policies promoting renewable energy, including a strong Renewable Portfolio Standard; McCain would leave many such decisions to the states and has expressed no support for a national RPS. Obama has a clear position on how long renewable energy tax credits would be extended; McCain only states that an “even-handed system” is needed until renewable energy no longer needs support. Both candidates support biofuels, and seem to have gotten the message that first generation biofuels aren’t quite the thing we thought they were, but here too Obama’s position is more detailed and clear. In terms of running-mates, Joe Biden is far more articulate on the issue of renewable energy than Sarah Palin and is clearly a supporter; whereas Palin is ambivalent at best and at worst simply doesn’t get it.McCain Talks Renewable Energy But Clearly Prioritizes Other Energy Sources
Overall though, I think the starkest contrast between the campaigns is that the McCain platform clearly prioritizes increasing domestic fossil fuel production and expansion of nuclear power over renewable energy. It is somewhat supportive of renewables in its rhetoric—though it seems as though he thinks the current renewable energy tax credits are some sort of command economy lite, which they simply aren’t—but this is secondary to the issue of increasing energy independence.

Obama Places Renewables on More Even Footing
The Obama campaign clearly envisions renewable energy occupying a greater portion of the United States’ energy supply in a shorter time period than does the McCain campaign. While it too mentions nuclear and the oxymoronic clean coal these are prioritized far differently than in the McCain campaign. Obama has clearly expressed that the federal government should take the lead in promoting renewable energy, again a stark difference. While it may not be perfect—$150 billion over ten years is an genuine increase in government investment in renewables, but it is a small fraction of overall investment that is needed—the Obama position on renewable energy is simply stronger.

2008 US Presidential Elections
John McCain on Amtrak
John McCain’s Bear Problem
“Drill Baby Drill” Screams Punctuate McCain’s Energy Policy in Acceptance Speech
Economic Advantages of Green Energy Take Precedence Over Environmental Benefits in Obama Acceptance Speech
What Green Words Are Obama and McCain Really Saying? Ask SpeechWars
Offshore Oil Drilling Will Still Not Lower Gasoline Prices: Barack Obama and Legislative Compromise

Singapore’s First “Clean Coal” Power Plant to be Built

TUAS Power, the third-largest power generator here, plans to build a $2 billion steam and electricity production plant.

It will be the first plant here to run on clean coal and biomass, ensuring the efficient and non-polluting use of coal to power industries on Jurong Island.

Given the nod by the National Environment Agency, construction of the Tembusu Multi-Utilities Complex will start soon, Tuas Power said yesterday.

The company believes if the plant proves successful, it could pave the way for greater use here of clean coal combined with other fuel sources.

Hastening this change: soaring global oil and gas prices.

Tuas Power said the new complex will start operating in 2011, to supply steam, chilled water and electricity, and treat industrial waste for up to 10 petrochemical companies on Jurong Island.

The plant will be powered by 80 per cent low-ash, low-sulphur coal and 20 per cent biomass, which is waste woodchips and palm kernel shells. Coal is the world’s most abundant fuel but is controversial for its high carbon emissions.

Tuas Power plans to keep emission levels down with the latest biomass and clean coal boiler technology from Japan. Biomass is a renewable, zero-emissions energy source.

‘Overall, we are able to produce one unit of energy at a more competitive cost,’ said Tuas Power president and CEO Lim Kong Puay.

It will translate into cost savings of about 10 per cent of a factory’s utilities bill compared to energy generated by a gas-fired plant, he told The Straits Times.

With the plant, clean coal will contribute 15 per cent to Tuas Power’s revenue by 2012. It is now wholly reliant on gas.

‘The approach we are taking is to incorporate very efficient energy processes and renewable biomass to minimise the impact on the environment,’ said Mr Lim.

Its diversification into other fuel sources was welcomed by the Energy Market Authority (EMA), which said in a statement yesterday the move would ’serve as a hedge against rising oil prices’.

Currently, about 80 per cent of Singapore’s electricity is generated from natural gas, the cleanest available fossil fuel, and the rest from oil.

However, the EMA stressed the Government is not about to allow the use of coal for power generation ’solely or on a large scale’ any time soon.

This stems from its decision two years ago to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) and build an LNG terminal, to diversify Singapore’s sources of natural gas.

‘We will not allow any entry of coal to adversely affect and jeopardise the viability of the LNG project,’ it said.

Apart from moving into new fuel sources, Tuas Power is the first of the big three power-generating companies (gencos) to offer utilities beyond just electricity. These multi-utilities would include steam or chilled water power.

Tuas Power is expanding beyond its core business of electricity production after being acquired earlier this year by China Huaneng, China’s largest coal-fuelled power producer.

Last week, the Singapore genco won a contract to supply multi-utilities to Finnish company Neste Oil Corp’s $1.2 billion plant which produces renewable diesel.

Mr Lim believes his company has the ‘core skills’ to go into multi-utilities as ‘the production of electricity involves the production of steam as well as very high-grade water for boilers’.

The integrated supply of different utilities to clients is expected to contribute about 30 per cent of Tuas Power’s total revenue by 2012.

 

Green features

# No exposure of coal to the environment: Coal from neighbouring countries is transported in covered barges, unloaded through fully enclosed conveyors and stored in covered silos.

# Biomass clean coal boilers: This technology allows combustion to take place at lower temperatures, keeping emissions to a minimum.

# Total carbon emissions are around 400g per kilowatt of power, which is lower than the 700g per kilowatt emitted by an oil-fired power plant.

# Filters have been installed to ensure particulate matter emitted meets National Environment Agency requirements. Ash generated will be reused in the plant.

# High-energy efficiency: 70 per cent of energy fed into the plant can be turned into useful energy in the form of steam and electricity. This is comparable to the 40 to 50 per cent efficiency of steam or gas-fired power plants. 

Source:

“Tuas Power to build $2b ‘clean’ plant”, The Straits Times, Clarissa Oon (clare@sph.com.sg), 26th Sept 2008

Greener fuel for Jurong Island
 

 

High oil prices are pushing Singapore power suppliers to embrace more efficient energy generation technologies, in order to help industries cut costs.

Tuas Power, for one, is investing $2 billion to build a state-of-the-art complex on Jurong Island featuring three different plants, which will provide cogeneration, desalination and waste water treatment to corporate clients located there.

The Tembusu Multi-Utilities Complex will be the first such facility in Singapore to use biomass and clean coal technology.

The biomass burnt will be comprise mostly waste woodchips and palm kernel shells, which will be sourced both locally and from neighbouring countries.

Tuas Power said this will make energy cheaper by as much as 10 per cent for petrochemical firms on Jurong Island.

Mr Lim Kong Puay, chief executive of Tuas Power, said: “The efficient use of the cogeneration technology coupled with biomass and clean coalallows us to achieve savings, and this saving will be passed on to our industrial consumers.”

The new technology uses 20 per cent biomass and 80 per cent coal to produce steam and electricity.

As a result, system efficiency can reach as high as 70 per cent, 30 per cent more than an oil-powered plant.

Some residual energy will also be produced, half of which will be channelled back into the plant for internal consumption, while the rest will be exported to the national grid.

It is also expected to reduce carbon emissions by roughly20 per cent compared to a coal-fired plant.

Mr Lim said: “By providing centralised multi-utility services, we are able to offer competitive solutions, and this provides an attraction for investors to Jurong Island.”

Construction for the complex will start next year and it is expected to start operations by 2011.

Currently, Tuas Power has a market share of 24 per cent of the power generation market in Singapore.

Source:

“Greener fuel for Jurong Island”, Today Online, 26th Sept 2008

Obama’s Energy Plan

 

Many of you have probably seen, heard or read about Barack Obama’s acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention in Denver last night. For those who haven’t seen it and who have 45 minutes to spare, a video of the entire speech is embedded above. However for those with less time on their hands, here are the relevant portions in regards to what Mr Obama has said in regards to energy policy. 

Environmental and climate change policy were not mentioned.The fact that these are absent from this speech is slightly disconcerting, but if pushing forward the economic benefits of renewable energy is what it takes to convince more people of its virtues (and the end result is lowered greenhouse gas emissions), then I won’t begrudge Barack for not mentioning them in this venue.

Ending Oil Dependency

And for the sake of our economy, our security, and the future of our planet, I will set a clear goal as president: In 10 years, we will finally end our dependence on oil from the Middle East. We will do this. 

Washington — Washington has been talking about our oil addiction for the last 30 years. And, by the way, John McCain has been there for 26 of them. And in that time, he has said no to higher fuel-efficiency standards for cars, no to investments in renewable energy, no to renewable fuels.And today, we import triple the amount of oil than we had on the day that Senator McCain took office.

Now is the time to end this addiction and to understand that drilling is a stop-gap measure, not a long-term solution, not even close.

 

It probably goes without saying that better fuel efficiency standards, more investment in renewable energy and more consistent government policy on incentives (too bad this last one wasn’t mentioned…) are all perennial themes on TreeHugger. It’s also good to see that Obama has said that simply drilling for more oil is not a realistic proposition for kicking the oil habit.

Energy Security/Independence

As president, as president, I will tap our natural gas reserves, invest in clean coal technology, and find ways to safely harness nuclear power. I’ll help our auto companies re-tool, so that the fuel-efficient cars of the future are built right here in America. I’ll make it easier for the American people to afford these new cars. [...] Yes, government must lead on energy independence, but each of us must do our part to make our homes and businesses more efficient.

 

I would have liked to see renewable energy come first in the speech—and as we’ve said before, there’s really no such thing as clean coal— but then again I don’t have to carry coal-producing states. I guess we’ll have to see how this one pans out if Obama is elected.

In regards to the government leading on energy policy, but all of us having to do our part to improve how efficiently we use energy: It sounds like he’s been reading TreeHugger.

On Renewable Energy

And I’ll invest $150 billion over the next decade in affordable, renewable sources of energy — wind power, and solar power, and the next generation of biofuels — an investment that will lead to new industries and 5 million new jobs that pay well and can’t be outsourced.

 

Can’t complain here, especially considering there’s mention of the next generation of biofuels, rather than the support he’s previously shown for corn ethanol.

Obviously there’s no specific policy to comment upon here, but the fact that he recognizes the economic benefits of increasing renewable energy investment is good to see. As I said at the outset, while I might argue that the environmental benefits of renewable energy are even more important than the real economic benefits, in uncertain economic times if that’s what it takes to sell the concept, then so be it.

:: Barack Obama

Offshore Oil Drilling, Fuel Efficiency, Renewable Energy, More…
Offshore Oil Drilling Will Still Not Lower Gasoline Prices: Barack Obama and Legislative Compromise
Bush’s New Fuel Economy Rules Look Good…Until You Read All 417 Pages
Important U.S. Renewable Energy Incentive Package Still Stalled in Senate
New Generation of Nuclear Power Plants More Expensive than Expected
There Is No Such Thing As Clean Coal
First Commercial-Scale Cellulosic Ethanol Plant Approved for California
Mapping the Alternative Energy Potential of the United States

Source:

“Economic Advantages of Green Energy Take Precedence over Environmental Benefits in Obama Acceptance Speech“, treehugger.com, Business & Politics, Matthew McDermott, 29th August 2008 

Rising Biofuel and Food Demands Threaten Wetlands

Demand for biofuels could lead to wetlands being converted to farmland

The recent surge in demand for food and biofuel has increased the risks facing the world’s wetlands, warn scientists.

A declaration by 700 scientists said the habitats faced a growing risk of being converted into farmland.

It also stated that the current knowledge of the extent of the world’s wetlands was “unacceptable” and called for a global inventory to be set up.

The document was produced at the end of a UN-convened major scientific conference in Cuiaba, Brazil.

In their statement, the scientists highlighted other activities that were degrading the habitats, such as peat extraction and the construction of hydro-electricity dams.

“It is time to recognise the incalculable value of wetlands to all species – including ours,” said Paulo Teixeira, co-chairman of the 8th Intecol International Wetlands Conference.

“If we don’t plan and invest properly now, the cost to recreate artificially the services wetlands provide will dwarf the cost of preserving and protecting them in the first place.”

In their declaration, the scientists called on the 158 countries that were party to the international wetlands agreement, known as the Ramsar Convention, to adhere to the global framework.

“Some countries have high standards for wetlands management, restoration and protection; however, many others are far behind,” it said.

Fuelling the problem

They also warned against increasing farmland that encroached on the habitat, which caused damage through sediment, fertiliser and pesticide pollution.

There has been a boom in the number of farmers planting corn

“Biofuel production has led to a large loss of wetlands in the US already,” explained Eugene Turner from Louisiana State University.

“They are now growing as much corn to produce biofuels as they used to export out of the country.”

Professor Turner told BBC News that the surge in demand for the crop had resulted in agreements to conserve areas on the margins of farmland being broken.

“It is more profitable now to farm right up to the edge of a stream, so we are losing wetlands in the US from this alone.”

“Of course, there are knock-on effects,” he added. “If you do not grow the corn while the price is high, then somebody else is going to produce it – maybe on a key wetland site.

“This is an example of how interrelationships are not considered when we make decisions.”

Carbon concerns

Another topic that was high on the conference agenda was the role the landscapes played in the global carbon cycle.

“Although that they may be 3-5% of the terrestrial surface, wetlands store about 20% of all terrestrial carbon, which amounts to 500-700 gigatonnes,” explained Professor Turner.

“We are releasing, on a net basis, about 3.5 gigatonnes into the atmosphere, so any small change in the carbon from wetlands going into the atmosphere has a big impact.”

He added that the future well-being of wetlands in the Arctic region was of particular concern.

“The places where it is going to proportionally warm the greatest is towards the Arctic; that region has an awful lot of wetlands.

“You put food in a refrigerator at home to keep it cool; if you don’t, it begins to rot.

“The same thing applies in the Arctic,” he explained. “The carbon is stored under the permafrost, meaning it is permanently frozen.

“The ice is receding, so the carbon that is stored there is going to be released and that is a problem.”

Source:

“Rising demands threaten wetlands”, BBC News Online, Science & Nature, Mark Kinver, 25th July 2008

Plant on Abandoned Farmlands to Make Biofuels Work, Study Says

by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 24th June 2008 for treehugger.com

Image from Thiru Murugan

Biofuels could yet play a pivotal role in future energy generation if done right, according to a study released by scientists from Stanford University’s Carnegie Institution. To avoid the need to displace agricultural production or forests, abandoned or depleted farmlands should be used to plant energy crops. This strategy could prove particularly fruitful for developing countries, where the potential exists to produce large quantities of bioenergy that would far outstrip their current needs.

Image from Randy OHC

The energy potential of abandoned farmland crop biofuel production
Elliott Campbell, a postdoctoral fellow in the department of Global Ecology, and his colleagues calculated that there may be up to 4.7 million square kilometers, or 1.8 million square miles, of abandoned farmlands available worldwide. The potential yield could be as much as 2.1 billion tons of dry biomass, enough to produce 41 exajoules’ (1 exajoule = 1 billion billion joules) worth of bioenergy — roughly equivalent to the energy content of 170 million barrels of oil.

The researchers used historical land-use data, satellite images and ecosystem models to calculate the amount of abandoned or degraded agricultural lands and estimate their biofuel potential. Land that had been converted to urban areas or reverted back to forests wasn’t factored into their calculations.

Finding opportunities in the developing world
At best, then, this would still only supply approximately 8 percent of current global energy needs. In some developing countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, Campbell believes biomass could provide up to 37 times the amount of energy used now. Thanks to their low fossil fuel consumption and highly productive grassland systems, this can all be done without compromising either food production or forest integrity, the authors argue.

“At the national scale, the bioenergy potential is largest in the United States, Brazil, and Australia. These countries have the most extensive areas of abandoned crop and pasture lands. Eastern North America has the largest area of abandoned croplands, and the Midwest has the biggest expanse of abandoned pastureland. Even so, if 100% of these lands were used for bioenergy, they would still only yield enough for about 6% of our national energy needs,” said Campbell.

Via ::ScienceDaily: Abandoned Farmlands Are Key To Sustainable Bioenergy (news website)

More Biofuel Woes
::Biofuel Crop Expansion Will Destroy Important Kenyan Coastal Wetland
::Biofuel Comparison Chart: The “Good,” the Bad and the (Really) Ugly

Alternatives to Food Crop Biofuels
::Algae-based Biofuels from Power Plant Emissions, Redux
::Sixty Thousand Bushels Beneath The Sea: The Biofuels Potential Of Mariculture

First Cellulosic Ethanol Biorefinery in the U.S. Opens

by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada, for treehugger.com

First Cellulosic Ethanol Plant in the US
The first demonstration-scale cellulosic ethanol plant in the United States is now open! The verenium biorefinery in Jennings, Louisiana, will produce 1.4 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol a year with agricultural waste left over after sugarcane production.

What are Second Generation Biofuels?
Ethanol made from cellulose, as opposed to ethanol made from corn, is a second generation biofuel. The difference, and it’s an important one, is that second generation biofuels use non-food residual biomass like the stems, leaves, wood chips, and husks, or they use non-food crops that can be grown without high energy inputs, like switchgrass.

Verenium’s Cellulosic Ethanol Goals
Verenium wants to create cellulosic ethanol at $2 per gallon, which right now would make it fairly competitive with corn ethanol and regular gasoline.

But this demonstration plant is just the beginning: Next year, Verenium wants to built several commercial plants that would each produce 20 to 30 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol yearly. That’s still a fairly small drop in the bucket of gasoline consumption, but it would be much better than corn ethanol, and certainly better than fossil fuels.

Cellulosic Ethanol Feedstock and Process

Verenium will use a combination of acid pretreatments, enzymes, and two types of bacteria to make ethanol from the plant matter–called bagasse–that’s left over from processing sugarcane to make sugar.

 

It will also process a relative of the sugar cane called the energy cane. It produces less sugar, but more fiber and grows taller, increasing yield.

What to do with Corn Ethanol?
One question that remains is: What do we do with all that corn ethanol?

The best hope would be to convert corn ethanol biorefineries into second generation biofuel plants. That might or might not be possible on a technical level, but we suspect that on a political level it will be even harder. The farm lobby is very good at keeping subsidies forever. When food prices are low, they ask for subsidies, when prices are high (as now), they ask for more. So who knows if the fat corn ethanol subsidies will ever be repelled?

Ethanol
Green Basics: Ethanol
Cellulosic Ethanol in Japan: BioEthanol & Celunol
Iogen’s Cellulose Ethanol – Straw-Powered Cars

Biodiesel
Green Basics: Biodiesel
Solazyme B100 Algae Biodiesel Goes on the Road
i-Spec Q-100: A Biodiesel Analyzer in Your Pocket

More on Verenium Cellulosic Ethanol Plant
Verenium Begins Commissioning of Nation’s First Cellulosic Ethanol Demonstration-Scale Plant
Cellulosic Ethanol Plant Opens
CELLULOSIC ETHANOL: FUELING THE FUTURE

Green Star Creates Breakthrough Micronutrient that Boosts Algae Growth

by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 05.22.08 for treehugger.com

First Generation Biofuels Need to Go
While an almost universal scientific consensus is developing around the downsides of first generation biofuels (f.ex. corn ethanol), entrepreneurs and scientists are working on biofuels that require less energy inputs to make and don’t compete for agricultural land with food crops. One of the most promising feedstocks is algae, with which biodiesel can be made.

One of the companies working on making algal fuels viable is Green Star, and they just announced the creation of a new micronutrient that can help boost algae daily growth rate by 34% and “increase the total biomass quantity in a harvest algae growth cycle by well over 100%.”

Researchers Want to Make Biodiesel form Algae
Research took place in Biotech Research’s lab facility at the UABC University in Ensenada, Mexico.

The UABC testing has shown that 1:10,000 nutrient dilution rates were very productive (i.e. one gallon of MMB mixed with 10,000 gallons of water). Even at 1:20,000 dilution levels, the MMB was still effective.Green Star will make available 12-oz sample bottles to all universities [either at no cost or with $50 shipping fees], research institutes and commercial facilities for testing on their specific strains of algae.

 

This is quite a smart move. This way they can find quickly which kinds of algaes work with the micronutrient, and their product will get more scientific scrutiny from many unbiased observers.

Biofuels are Entangled in Politics
The fast second generation biofuels come to market, the faster we can convince politicians that they should drop all those counter-productive corn subsidies. The farm lobby will fight back, but if it is publicly known that a viable alternative that is both greener and doesn’t make food prices shoot up exists, their position will be a lot harder to defend.

Here’s a two minute video produced by Green Star about algae-based biodiesel:

 

Links by treehugger.com:

Algae Biofuels
::Solazyme B100 Algae Biodiesel Goes on the Road
::15 Algae Biofuels Startups to Watch
::First Commercial Algae-to-Biofuels Facility Goes Online

Other Alternative Fuels
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Biofuels: Process Used To Roast Coffee Beans May Give Biomass A Power Boost

ScienceDaily, 210508 — A process used to roast coffee beans could give Britain’s biomass a power boost, increasing the energy content of some of the UK’s leading energy crops by up to 20 per cent.

The study, carried out by engineers from the University of Leeds, examined the combustion behaviour of crops grown specifically for energy creation when put through a mild thermal process called ‘torrefaction’ – more usually associated with coffee production.

Torrefaction is increasingly seen as a desirable treatment for biomass because it creates a solid product which is easier to store, transport and mill than raw biomass.

The study examined the energy crops willow, canary grass and agricultural residue wheat straw to see what happened when they went through the torrefaction process and how they behaved at a range of temperatures when they were heated to create an energy-enhanced fuel.

Results showed that the treated materials needed less time and energy to heat to burning point, and also that they offered increased energy yields upon burning.

Willow emerged as having the most favourable properties, in that it retained more of its mass in the torrefaction process and also performed best in terms of its energy yield. As an example, willow was shown to have an 86 per cent energy yield, compared with 77 per cent for wheat straw and 78 per cent for reed canary grass.

“Raw biomass takes up a lot of space and has a low energy density which makes it costly – environmentally and economically – to transport. Plus you need more of it than say, coal, to produce energy efficiently,” says Professor Jenny Jones who worked on this study with PhD student Toby Bridgeman.

“Torrefaction is not currently used in the UK in either the agricultural or the energy sectors,” says Bridgeman. “But our paper shows that it has a lot of benefits, besides those to do with fuel handling, so we feel it’s definitely something we’d like to explore further.”

This research was supported by the Supergen Bioenergy Consortium, an initiative created by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council as part of its commitment to funding research which will help the UK reach EU targets for the reduction of CO₂ emissions and increased use of renewable energy.

References:

T.G. Bridgemana, J.M. Jonesa, I. Shieldb and P.T. Williams. Torrefaction of reed canary grass, wheat straw and willow to enhance solid fuel qualities and combustion properties. Fuel. Volume 87, Issue 6, May 2008, Pages 844-856. doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2007.05.041

University of Leeds (2008, May 21). Biofuels: Process Used To Roast Coffee Beans May Give Biomass A Power Boost. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 23, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080521102826.htm

Image courtesy of FreeWine via flickr