Hybrid News

Filed under: Biodiesel, Ethanol, Flex-Fuel, Legislation and Policy, USA

In 2009, the U.S. will use at least 11.1 billion gallons of renewable fuel. This was the pronouncement of the EPA today regarding an increase in the Renewable Fuel Standard Increased from 7.76 percent (the 2008 number) to 10.21 percent, an increase of 2.45 percentage points or about 2 billion gallons. The 11-plus billion gallons will be blended into transportation gasoline as E10, E85 and different types of biodiesel blends. The raise continues the EPA’s policy of gradual increases in the annual use of biofuels until the target of 36 billion gallons in 2022, set by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), is reached.

[Source: EPA]

Continue reading EPA ups America’s Renewable Fuel Standard to 10.21 percent for 2009

EPA ups America’s Renewable Fuel Standard to 10.21 percent for 2009 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Ethanol, AutoblogGreen Exclusive

As promised, we got a chance to sit down with Wes Bolsen, the CMO and vice president at Coskata, during last week’s Platts Cellulosic Ethanol Conference in Chicago. We wanted a little more information on the $1/gallon number for the Coskata process “cellulosic” ethanol (yes, Bolsen pointed out that it’s really carbon ethanol, but he’s OK with people using the cellulosic term, even though he prefers to call it “next generation” ethanol). About half of the cost is set aside for feedstocks, the rest is for things like utilities, maintenance, water, and nutrients. The Coskata process does not require buying enzymes, there’s no pre-treateament, and there’s no high-pressure chamber. Eliminating these items simplifies the process and, therefore, reduces the running cost to less than $1/gallon. I’m not sure if the fee for the microorganisms is included in this estimate or is part of the plant building fee (which is not part of the $1/gallon).

Because the Coskata process does not require sugars/cellulose, it can use input sources like trashed plastic bottles, tires, landfill gas, and steel mill gasses. Bolsen said that some estimates say 40 or 50 billion gallons of fuel could be created each year from these sources. Oh, and if you think ethanol will die out when we move away from liquid fuels, check out Bolsen’s idea to use ethanol to produce hydrogen for fuel cellls. Want to hear more? Go ahead and listen in (13 min):

Our travel and lodging for this event was provided by GM.

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Ethanol, Flex-Fuel, AutoblogGreen Exclusive

Thursday at the Platts Cellulosic Ethanol Conference saw three of the cellulosic ethanol plant builders give updates on their strategy for converting biomass to fuel and where their companies are today. The speakers were Wes Bolsen, CMO and vp at Coskata, Christopher Veit, senior marketing manager, biomass, for Novozymes, Inc., and Murray Burke, president and CTO of SunOpta. The short version of each of their speeches: we’re doing amazing things, you should really take another look at our technology. The longer versions are spelled out after the jump.

Continue reading Platts Cellulosic Ethanol Conference - updates from Coskata, Novozymes and SunOpta

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Ethanol, Flex-Fuel, AutoblogGreen Exclusive

If you get into a room with a lot of people who make up part of the cellulosic ethanol industry, things can get a little technical. This is the situation here in Chicago for the Platts 3rd Annual Cellulosic Ethanol and Biofuels conference. A few hundred representatives from a lot of companies in the cellulosic ethanol “space” (I hear this term so often these days - the green tech space, the green car space, etc. Why?) are here and the rapid-fire presentations are truly talking to the choir, as it were. Sure, attendees disagree exactly how to best make cellulosic ethanol, but they all understand, well, the space.

So, join me as I share a bit about what was said and done at the conference. This post will cover the first few seminars, when some of the broader questions about cellulosic ethanol and the market were taken up. I’ll have more posts later about other aspects of the discussion. Jump past the fold for more.

Continue reading Platts Cellulosic Ethanol Conference - industry overview

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Ethanol, GM, AutoblogGreen Exclusive

When Toyota invited reporters to Portland last month for the Sustainable Mobility Seminar, we were greeted at the baggage claim with tickets for the Portland public rail system. Here in Chicago for GM’s biofuels conference, we were met at the airport by a driver in an Escalade (and not the hybrid one that’s pictured above, either). I know that Portland’s public transportation system is one of the best in the country, but still.

GM had specified that only GM vehicles be used in getting us to the hotel, the driver told me and when I asked if there was any ethanol in the tank, he said there’s probably E10, because that’s what the pump sticker says, but no go on E85. He admitted that his company doesn′t even have any vehicles that run on E85. I appreciated the ride to the hotel, but couldn′t pass up the chance to share this little tidbit. Some real coverage of the conference coming right up.

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Ethanol, GM, AutoblogGreen Exclusive

When Toyota invited reporters to Portland last month for the Sustainable Mobility Seminar, we were greeted at the baggage claim with tickets for the Portland public rail system. Here in Chicago for GM’s biofuels conference, we were met at the airport by a driver in an Escalade (and not the hybrid one that’s pictured above, either). I know that Portland’s public transportation system is one of the best in the country, but still.

GM had specified that only GM vehicles be used in getting us to the hotel, the driver told me and when I asked if there was any ethanol in the tank, he said there’s probably E10, because that’s what the pump sticker says, but no go on E85. He admitted that his company doesn’t even have any vehicles that run on E85. I appreciated the ride to the hotel, but couldn’t pass up the chance to share this little tidbit. Some real coverage of the conference coming right up.

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Ethanol, Flex-Fuel

I wonder just how much money and time has been spent by national organizations promoting flexfuel vehicles - even though we all know that E85 fuel is pretty hard to find. Whatever the calculation, we need to add in the cost of a new F150 crew cab flexible-fuel vehicle (around $36,000) and a year’s worth of E85 (around $6,000). This was a bonus prize awarded to the Dirk Devries family in Minnesota, which recently won ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The local Dave Syverson Ford is providing the vehicle and the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC), along with local POET biorefineries, is providing the biofuel. According to the local paper, the Devries family hasn’t had it easy recently and a friend of the family submitted their story to the TV show for consideration. Along with a new home, a new truck might make things better for them. We’ll see how they feel when they have to pay to fill it up next year.

[Source: Ethanol Promotion and Information Council]

Continue reading ABC Extreme Makeover winner gets flexfuel F-150 and a year’s supply of E85

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Ethanol, Flex-Fuel

Photo by Pixthree. Licensed under Creative Commons license 2.0.

While Hurricane Ike caused gas to shoot up to $5 a gallon in some areas, one problem in the direct path of the storm was a total lack of gasoline. But, for one University of Houston mechanical engineering student, the absence of gasoline didn’t stop his evacuation: he just filled up with ᭉ and kept on moving. A story on Expo TV about senior Chris Reudelhuber’s flexfuel dash to safety reads a bit too anti-hybrid to take seriously, but it does point out one aspect of flexfuel vehicles that certainly doesn′t get much attention: the ability to fill up with whatever is available when supply gets tight. Thanks to Adam B. for the tip.

[Source: Expo TV]

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Ethanol, Flex-Fuel

One of the problems major automakers cite as a reason that more ethanol isn’t used in their flex-fuel vehicles is that the people who own the cars just don’t know that you can put E85 into the tank. But there is another problem: not having any E85 available in your area. If you want to find out if you can get E85 locally, there has long been an ethanol station search available at the website of the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition. Douglas Cottrell over at Drive Flex Fuel thought that another E85 station locater was in order.

A quick check using my home Zip code turned up 80 E85 stations from NEVC and almost twice that (157) on Drive Flex Fuel within a 200 mile range. DFF allows you to limit your search to 10 miles (or 25 or other limits) of your home while the NEVC site only allows you to search for stations within 200 miles of your home (and how useful is that?). From the looks of it, it doesn’t seem that DFF discriminates between public and industrial sites. Cottrell wrote to AutoblogGreen to say that he updates the station list every month and has all states and zip codes listed.

[Source: Drive Flex Fuel]

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Ethanol, Legislation and Policy

Not to be outdone by those Coors ethanol vehicles at the DNC, Republicans will get their own ethanol-dose during their national convention this week. On Tuesday night in the Twin Cities, the Minnesota Agri-Growth Council will host a “celebration” called AgNite (because you know that farmers are the first to ditch old school and correct spellings of words like night). The self-styled non-partisan AgNite will celibrate “America’s food and agricultural industry with key policymakers, convention delegates, media, and top industry leaders” and will feature an ethanol angle thanks to the sponsorship of the Renewable Fuels Association.

Ethanol promoters have a lot of work to do to get Republican delegates on the same page. The National Review’s Corner says that the GOP′s party platform recently voted against strong ethanol mandates, following strong discussion.

[Source: AgNite via Domestic Fuel, National Review]

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Biodiesel, Emerging Technologies, Ethanol, Flex-Fuel, Hybrid, Transportation Alternatives, Toyota

You’ve heard about plug-in hybrid conversions to the Toyota Prius. Now, a new company offers another eco-upgrade - ᭉ conversions. A Dutch firm named GreenFuelSystems has created an E85 bio-ethanol conversion kit that is available for 549 Euros. While the English-language version of the company’s site is lacking in substantive information, they are currently being hailed as the first group to bring an E85 conversion kit to the market.

What would be truly remarkable is to see a Prius with both types of conversions: a flex-fuel, plug-in hybrid. While there is much talk about the possibilities of converging both alternative fuel and electric charging capabilities, we have yet to see entrepreneurs and innovators bring such projects to the public. With the emergence of this E85 conversion kit (if it is functional and viable), we may possibly begin to see a new wave of green vehicle renovations. Note: In some respects it is harder to do a flex-fuel hybrid than a plug-in.

[Source: Autoblog.nl]

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Original post by Shannon Arvizu

Filed under: Ethanol, Green Daily, Holidash

Is the ethanol lobby prepared to be the grinch of Christmas present? According to a recent article in The Economist, growing more profitable corn (for the ethanol market ) turned many Pacific Northwest farmers away from hops and barley and onto corn. Therefore, small beer brewers are having a hard time finding enough hops to make their beer. This in turn, is making some beers more expensive or simply not available. A Santa without beer? Tragedy.

According to the article, hop prices for at least one small brewer jumped up to five times as expensive as before. While larger beermakers have long-term contracts that have sheltered them thus far, The Economist writes that, “Without their supply of hops, some smaller producers are going out of business, bringing to a halt the fastest-growing segment of the industry. Other craft brewers and brewpubs are experimenting with new recipes, hoping their customers will adapt.”

The shift away from beer crops is not the only thing that threatens small breweries at the present time, but who knew that filing the tank with ethanol could have such wide-ranging effects? Merry Christmas!

[Source: The Economist via TTAC]

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Ethanol, Flex-Fuel, MPG

In the video above from the Sundance Channel show, Big Ideas for a Small Planet, an Indy race car driver says he gets better mileage on ethanol. First he says racing can be green, that the car gets more power on ethanol and then he says he gets a lot better mileage. So much better mileage, in fact, they had to shrink the size of the fuel tank. Here is the exact quote:

First thing that we′ve noticed with the transition, from the ten percent to hundred percent ethanol this year, is that we have a broader power band and more torque. So the car is pulling better and accelerating better out of the corner. We also have gotten a lot better mileage, so we are reducing the size of the fuel cell from 30 gallons down to 22 gallons. We are out there testing this under the toughest conditions that we can and that’s going to make better-performing cars that can run ethanol more efficiently out on the road.

FYI, “fuel cell” in Indy race cars are just fuel tanks and have nothing to do with hydrogen fuel cells. Anyway, this is the tipping point for me. I think it’s high time we get some serious money behind researching and getting to market technology that makes ethanol more efficient than gas. If half of what this Indy racer (and this study) says are true, ethanol engine technology should be the first and central focus ahead of hybrids or hydrogen.

Related:

• Study: non-flex fuel cars get better fuel economy on ethanol
• Video: Toyota racing series the first to use cars powered by E85
• Can any car use ᭉ?
• Is Biowillie misleading customers?

[Source: Sundance Channel via Hulu on AOL]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Original post by Lascelles Linton

Filed under: Ethanol, Flex-Fuel, Chevrolet, GM

While sitting around a table speaking to some of General Motors performance-minded engineers, I decided to bring up the topic of using ᭉ as both a green and a performance fuel. I was a little surprised to hear that they had already debated this topic. Of course, GM is already making quite a few vehicles which are ᭉ-capable, but the vehicles have not been given any modifications to take advantage of the higher-performing properties of the alcohol, they have been changed only to be capable of running on the fuel. What are the chances that we’ll be seeing high-performance GM vehicles set up to run ᭉ? It’s a distinct possibility as more and more fuel stations begin to carry the fuel, but we don’t suggest holding your breath for any alcohol-based performance changes being made to the vehicle. The Chevy HHR SS would have been a perfect candidate for such an option, as the vehicle features a turbocharged engine. GM went ahead and offered the launch-control and the no-lift shifting but did not decide to make it ethanol-capable. Ah well, can’t win ‘em all, right?

FYI - that would be your humble narrator autocrossing the HHR. Good times!

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Ethanol, Legislation and Policy

Following the passage of the Senate energy bill, what’s the future of corn ethanol in the U.S.? We already know that the marketplace is not too keen on corn ethanol these days, thanks to a glut of the stuff. According to this article in the Chicago Tribune, corn ethanol’s declining role will be hastened by the bill - in favor of ethanol made from the non-edible parts of the corn cob and other cellulosic feedstocks. As Tribune reporter Joshua Boak writes, “Of the 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels ordered for vehicles by 2022, 21 billion would come from biomass diesel and cellulosic sources that are still under development.” That’s almost 60 percent of the expected biofuel. Good news for, as Boak says, creating “commercial opportunities for finding new ways of unlocking ethanol from a harvest’s remainders, reinforcing a young industry that views its chief adversary as big oil.” There are plenty of companies already trying to make cellulosic ethanol in a commercially-viable way (Range Fuels and Mascoma, for example), and if this legislation can make that happen sooner, you can trust it will shift the ethanol debate once again. E85 haters get ready.

[Source: Joshua Boak, Chicago Tribune]

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Original post by Sebastian Blanco