Biomass 2009: Fueling Our Future Conference Provides Opportunity for Discussion and Debate about the Future of Biofuels

Sara Boyd, BCS, Incorporated

The Biomass 2009: Fueling Our Future conference was hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s (EERE) Biomass Program in National Harbor, Maryland, on March 17-18, 2009.

Over 600 people attended the conference, representing a wide range of industries and perspectivesâ€"including the investment community, environmental organizations, agriculture, biofuels, petroleum and automotive industries, and federal and state governments. The participants expressed diverse opinions regarding pathways to improved energy security and methods for sustainable development of biofuels. During the technical sessions and active open discussions, several common themes arose:

• Biofuels must be a component of our nation’s energy strategy to reduce oil import. Progress has been made in recent years, but we have a long way to go.
• There are very promising opportunities to develop renewable fuels from an increasing, diverse set of feedstocks and vital research must be continued to pursue these opportunities.
• Long-term sustainability studies are needed to evaluate the full costs and benefits of biofuels and fossil-based fuels in order to make valid comparisons of our fuel supply options.
• There is a continued need to better educate the public and decision-makers on biofuels and eliminate the many misconceptions that remain.

Jacques Beaudry-Losique, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Renewable Energy at DOE, provided welcoming remarks and an overview of the direction of EERE. Mr. Beaudry-Losique discussed EERE’s commitment to Administration goals, including job creation and the doubling of energy from clean renewable resources like advanced biofuels.

The conference featured keynote and guest speakers, including Senator Benjamin Nelson (D-NE) and Representative Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD). During the “View from the Hill” session, held on the morning of March 17, Representative Bartlett and Senator Nelson discussed the role of biofuels in the U.S. energy portfolio and the policy and research, development and demonstration required for future advances.

Senator Nelson provided his perspective as former governor of Nebraska, a state that he helped move to the forefront of ethanol production in 1997 by increasing production from 15 million gallons to more than 300 million gallons. As a proponent of biofuels, Senator Nelson spoke to the need for increased research, development, and support from a legislative standpoint.

Representative Bartlett, a scientist and former educator, encouraged conservation as an overarching goal for the energy sector. He acknowledged the need for energy security and challenged conference attendees to discover innovations and new opportunities in sustainable alternative energy.

Other activities during the first day included a plenary session titled “Recognizing and Addressing the Challenges,” during which panelists discussed issues related to biofuel development, such as indirect land use. Panelists spoke about challenges in market demand and production and called for an increase in biomass crop yield, citing the need for innovation in the areas of salt and drought tolerance.

Later that day, representatives from biofuel industry trade organizations participated in a roundtable discussion, “Perspectives on Outlook and Priorities from Biofuels Industries.” Here, panelists discussed the role of industry in biofuels research, development, and production.

On March 18, Sue Ellerbusch, President of BP Biofuels, North America, shared insight on strategies for developing biofuels in a sustainable manner and outlook for global biofuels development. Ms. Ellerbusch also noted the need for transitional technology focused on advantaged molecules as a way to link the current technology of sugar-based biofuels to future cellulosic biofuels.

Panelists from the “Long Term Industry Outlook for Transportation Fuels” session on day two provided insight on the potential of future biofuels to achieve market acceptance based on cost, environmental, and demand/supply issues. In an active Q&A session, participants discussed the market and policy challenges unique to the United States that are slowing market penetration of biofuel vehicles as compared to Brazil or Europe.

In addition to plenary sessions, attendees participated in smaller breakout sessions throughout the conference, focusing on five technical tracks: Sustainability, Biofuels Commercialization, Advanced Biofuels Technologies, Regulation and Policy, and International Outlook. Each of the sessions offered insight and generated dialogue among attendees.

Valri Lightner, Acting Program Manager of the Biomass Program, noted the success of Biomass 2009: “We had almost twice as many attendees this year as we did last year. It’s clear there is a strong interest from the biofuels community and I’m glad we could provide a forum for discussion of critical issues.”

Information about the conference, including speaker and panelist presentations and a summary of the technical tracks, is available at www.eere.energy.gov/biomass/biomass_2009.html.

Algal Biofuels Technology Roadmap Currently Under Development 

Dan Fishman, BCS, Incorporated

On December 9 and 10, 2008, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Office of the Biomass Program sponsored a technology roadmap workshop to stimulate the development of commercial algal biofuels. The workshop successfully brought together the interdisciplinary expertise of more than 200 scientists, engineers, research managers, industry representatives, academics, lawyers, financiers, and regulators to fully discuss the promise and challenges of a commercial algal biofuels industry. Workshop participants’ insight was captured on a range of technical challenges related to topics such as:

• Algal Biology
• Cultivation
• Harvesting/Dewatering
• Extraction/Fractionation
• Conversion to Fuels
• Coâ€"Products
• Systems Integration
• Siting & Resources
• Regulation & Policy

In discussions throughout the workshop, industry, academic, and national lab partners suggested that to develop algal biofuels, the coordination and support of fundamental research, infrastructure development, technology deployment, and information management at a national level by DOE will be necessary. A complete workshop summary is now available at  http://www.orau.gov/algae2008pro  and the results of the workshop are being used to develop a technology roadmap, which is expected to be published Summer/Fall 2009.

Biomass Spotlight: Hawaii

Ninety percent of Hawaii’s current energy supply depends on imported fossil fuels. Not surprising, the state has the highest utility rates and transportation costs in the country. Hawaii’s abundant natural resourcesâ€"including steady sunshine, strong ocean winds and waves, volcanic activity, and a climate that creates a year-round growing seasonâ€"offer great potential for the state to move away from expensive fossil fuels and invest in alternative energy resources.

This potential motivated State Governor Linda Lingle to partner with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative, which aims for at least 70% of Hawaii’s power to come from clean energy by 2030., If achieved, the state would become a worldwide model for a clean energy economy. One focus in accomplishing the initiative will be enhancing Hawaii’s biofuel capabilities using “locally grown crops and byproducts for producing fuel and electricity.” The Clean Energy Initiative will also help achieve the renewable portfolio standard (RPS), which mandates that 20% of the state’s transportation fuels be generated from renewable resources (including biofuels) by the end of 2020.

Hawaii consumed 461 million gallons of gasoline (equivalent to 670 million gallons of ethanol) in 2005 but has the potential to produce 400â€"700 million gallons of ethanol per year, making the initiative and the RPS very attainable goals., One challenge facing researchers is determining the best combination of lands, crops, and conversion technologies to maximize production potential. In order to meet this challenge, Hawaii’s Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism kicked off the Bioenergy Master Plan (in response to Hawaii Session Laws 2007, Acts 159 & 253), in which various state departments, universities, industries, and other groups compiled research on issues facing the development of biofuels in the stateâ€"particularly regarding which feedstocks to grow. Table 1 lists the different feedstocks being considered for oilseed production, and Figure 1 displays the potential for ethanol production depending on land usage.,

Table 1: Potential Oilseed Production of Selected Tree Crops and Herbaceous Row Crops.

Figure 1: State of Hawaii’s potential ethanol production.  Zoned Ag = zoned agriculture; SOH = State of Hawaii; LLO = large land owners (includes public and private ownership of at least 1000 acres on a given island); ALISH = Agricultural Lands of Importance to the State of Hawaii (land identified under agricultural productivity rating system adopted by the Board of Agriculture on January 28, 1977).

Beyond these steps, Hawaii has taken other actions to encourage bioenergy production. A law recently signed by Governor Lingle will promote biofuel production by extending the definition of renewable energy producer to include “growers and producers of organic materials used primarily for the production of biofuels”â€"this allows growers to lease public land through direct negotiations. By including growers in the definition, the new law makes it easier for producers to grow the crops on agriculturally zoned land while having the processing plant in an industrial or commercial zone. Under the previous law, the biomass had to come from the same location as the plant. Furthermore, the new law clarifies that other organic products remaining on the land could be used for mulch or feed without violating the conditions of the negotiation.

Hawaii also provides a tax incentive for investments in qualified high tech business (QHTB), defined as pertaining to "non-fossil fuel energy-related technology" and includes biofuels. Businesses that carry out over 50% of their activities in qualified research can receive a 100% tax credit over a four-year period.

In addition to the Clean Energy Initiative, the Federal government provides the Federal Renewable Energy Production Incentive (REPI), an annual payment of 1.5¢ per kilowatt-hour of electricity produced to qualifying renewable energy facilities (including biomass facilities) for the first 10 years they operate. DOE also helps fund Hawaii’s energy programs and provides objective, third-party technical assistance to state policymakers and stakeholders participating and investing in the bioenergy industry. The DOE Office of the Biomass Program is working, in particular, on feedstock trials in the state, including energy cane, banagrass, and guinea grass, through the Sun Grant Initiative and by funding work at the University of Hawaii.

Currently, there are no operating ethanol plants in Hawaii; however, construction of the first plant should commence soon in Kauai. This plant would be the first in the United States to produce ethanol from sugar juice and molasses. There are also no E85 stations in Hawaii, but law dictates that at least 85% percent of the gasoline must contain 10% percent ethanol. In regards to biodiesel, there are two operating production plants and seven fueling stations in Hawaii.,

Given the extensive support for bioenergy development in Hawaii by the state and Federal governments, and the universities, industries, and organizations that participated in the Bioenergy Master Plan kickoff, Hawaii has put in place the measures for increasing its energy independence and will be a worthwhile model to monitor for application elsewhere.

. Hawaii’s State Governor’s website.  Administration Leads by Example in Clean Energy.  Accessed July 2, 2008. http://hawaii.gov/gov/energy

. State of Hawaii Press release.  Released January 28, 2008.  Accessed July 2, 2008.   http://hawaii.gov/gov/news/releases/2008/hawaii-and-u.s.-department-of-energy-partner-to

. DOE Press release. Accessed July 2, 2008.  http://www.energy.gov/news/5902.htm

. Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency.  Renewable Portfolio Standard. http://www.dsireusa.org/library/includes/tabsrch.cfm?state=HI&type=RPS&back=regtab&Sector=S&CurrentPageID=7&EE=0&RE=1

.  Kheffer, Vheissu, Donald Evans, Scott Turn. Potential for Ethanol Production in Hawaii. December 2006. Accessed July 2, 2008.  http://hawaii.gov/dbedt/info/energy/publications/ethanol-hnei-06.pdf

.  EIA. Hawaii State Energy Profile. Accessed July 2, 2008.  http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=HI

. DBEDT.  Kickoff Meeting for the Development of the Bioenergy Master Plan.  Accessed July 2, 2008.  http://hawaii.gov/dbedt/info/energy/renewable/bioenergy/kickoff/index_html

. Poteet, Michael.  Biodiesel Crop Implementation in Hawaii.  Hawaii Agriculture Resource Center. Accessed July 2, 2008.  https://www.eere-pmc.energy.gov/states/Hawaii_Docs/biodiesel_report-revised.pdf   

. Turn, Scott. Hawaii Bioenergy Master Plan. Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, University of Hawaii

May 21, 2008. Accessed July 1, 2008. http://hawaii.gov/dbedt/info/energy/renewable/bioenergy/kickoff/11-turn.pdf

. State of Hawaii Press release.  Governor Lingle Signs Bill to Encourage Biofuel Production. Accessed July 2, 2008.  http://hawaii.gov/gov/news/releases/2008/governor-lingle-signs-bill-to-encourage-biofuel

. Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency.  High Technology Business Investment Tax Credit. Accessed July 2, 2008.  http://www.dsireusa.org/library/includes/tabsrch.cfm?state=HI&type=Recruitment&back=fintab&Sector=S&CurrentPageID=7&EE=0&RE=1

. Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency.  High Technology Business Investment Tax Credit.  Accessed July 2, 2008.  http://www.dsireusa.org/library/includes/tabsrch.cfm?state=US&type=Production&back=fintab&Sector=F&CurrentPageID=7&EE=0&RE=1

. Eagle, Nathan.  Comission Approves Biomass Plant.  The Garden Island. 26 Feb 2008.  Accessed July 2, 2008.   http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2008/02/27/news/news02.txtroves

. Finnegan, Tom.  Kauai ethanol plant is planned for 2008. Honolulu Star-Bulletin. 10 July 2007. Accessed 2 July 2008.   http://starbulletin.com/2007/07/10/news/story01.html

. Commercial Biodiesel Production Plants.  Accessed 2 July 2008.  http://www.biodiesel.org/pdf_files/fuelfactsheets/Producers%20Map%20-%20existing.pdf

. Alternative Fueling Station Total Counts by State and Fuel Type.  Accessed 2 July 2008.  http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/fuels/stations_counts.html

. Hawaii Administrative Rules. Title 15, Chapter 35.  Accessed 2 July 2008.  http://hawaii.gov/dbedt/main/about/admin-rules/15-35.pdf.

From Bacon to Biofuel (3/31)

Brown greaseâ€"a nasty mélange of leftover animal fat, pan scrapings and other gunky residueâ€"is a sewer pipe’s worst enemy. In San Francisco, a pilot project led by two Berkeley Engineering alumni is in the works to explore for the first time how wastewater treatment plants throughout California might turn the unappealing stuff into biodiesel fuel.

Link: http://innovations.coe.berkeley.edu/vol3-issue3-mar09/browngrease

NCGA Establishes Farmer-Led Climate Change Task Force (3/26)

The National Corn Growers Association’s Ethanol Committee has established a task force of corn farmers to focus on climate issues, such as land use change, greenhouse gas emissions, cap-and-trade policies, carbon sequestration and low carbon fuel standards.

Link: http://www.cattlenetwork.com/Content.asp?ContentID=301872

Trash Crops to Cash Crops (3/21)

When cattle and hay farmer Wayne Keith took a road trip from his spread in Springville, Alabama, to Northern California, his first stop wasn't a gas station; it was a umpster behind a furniture factory. He emptied the half-ton of wood scrap into an open trailer, fed some into a boiler-like device mounted on the trailer hitched to his 1991 Dodge Dakota and took off on the 7,000-mile round-trip journey, stopping every 90 miles or so to pop some more wood into the burner. "That's a cheap ride, on somebody's garbage," he said.

Link: http://www.miller-mccune.com/science_environment/trash-crops-to-cash-crops-1078

Buckthorn Biomass to be Converted Into Electricity (3/18)

It was brought to the United States as a hedge and is now more of a nuisance. Buckthorn multiplies so fast it literally chokes native plants and trees, but the Department of Natural Resources has come up with a powerful pilot plan to make use of the plant…his time around the woody buckthorn will be shredded and used as energy.

Link: http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=542632

San Antonio Goes Green by Growing Green (3/16)

When San Antonio researcher Kyle Murray peers into the future, he sees the land of black gold turning bright green. Algae green. Murray, an assistant professor of geology at the University of Texas at San Antonio, thinks the city is perfectly poised to become a research and production hotbed for literally one of the greenest fuels around, mined from the slippery marine life that thrives in the shallow ponds and warm, sunny weather that are hallmarks of this region.

Link: http://www.kvue.com/projectgreen/greenarticles/stories/031609kvue_SA_green-cb.3f4dc078.html

High-Ethanol Fuel Gets First Buyers Pumped (3/14)

It looks like gasoline, though a little clearer. It smells like gas, though a little sweeter. But it's not gas. It's E85 - 85 percent ethanol - and, for the first time, this alternative fuel can be purchased in Hampton Roads. The first public E85 pump in the region, and just the second in Virginia, was christened Friday [March 13th] at a Navy Exchange gas station, 1449 Tomcat Blvd., outside the gates of Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach.

Link: http://ethanol-news.newslib.com/story/6938-31614/

Governors Envision Eco-Friendly Fuels at I-5 Rest Stops (3/8)

Gov. Chris Gregoire and her counterparts in Oregon and California are considering a plan they hope would help transform Interstate 5 from a freeway ruled by gasoline burners to a haven for eco-friendly cars and trucks. The three governors envision a series of alternative fueling stations stretching from the Canadian border to Mexico, creating what has been dubbed a "green freeway."

Link: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008827158_greenfreeway08m.html

Colleges Convert Cooking Oil into Biodiesel Fuel (1/23)

Forgive the students at Sinclair Community College [in Dayton, Ohio] if they get the munchies when they pass the tractors that cut grass, blow leaves or sweep snow on campus: Oil that once cooked french fries and onion rings is being used to power the vehicles. Students have begun making biodiesel fuel by converting used cooking oil from the dining hall. Biodiesel saves the school a little money on gasoline, gives the students lessons in engineering and chemistry, and removes oil from the waste stream.

Link: http://bioenergy.checkbiotech.org/news/colleges_convert_cooking_oil_biodiesel_fuel

Biofuels Sold Here (1/4)

What first drove Chris Caseber to fuel her Volkswagen Jetta with biodiesel was an ethic â€" one she later combined with the entrepreneurship that prompted her to open Clark County, ’s first stations to pump new alternative fuels (as well as the old petroleum standards) with a good dose of old-fashioned service.

Link: http://www.columbian.com/article/20090105/BIZ01/701059992/-1/BIZ