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| Biodiesel Industry on Pace for Record Year  Boosted by strong federal policy aimed at diversifying the transportation fuels market, the U.S. biodiesel industry reached a new production record for the first half of the year and is on pace for its best year ever, according to new EPA figures released July 25.
Biodiesel refiners across the country have produced more than 636 million gallons through the end of June, the EPA reported. That puts the industry on pace to break the previous annual biodiesel production record of just under 1.1 billion gallons and to significantly exceed this year's volume requirement under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).
"This is further proof that policies like the RFS are delivering," said Anne Steckel, vice president of federal affairs at the National Biodiesel Board, the U.S. biodiesel trade association. "This growth means good-paying jobs, fewer harmful emissions and a diversified fuel market that is helping consumers."
"Just this week, gas prices were the third highest on record, even as we're drilling more and more oil here at home," Steckel added. "It just shows that we need alternatives if we're ever going to escape this cycle of price spikes in the oil markets. The American people understand that we need to diversify and adopt an all-of-the-above energy approach, and we need strong domestic energy policy to do that."
To view the figures, visit the EPA's website here. | |
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| Biodiesel CEO Highlights Advanced Biofuel Success to Congress National Biodiesel Board CEO Joe Jobe told Congress in June that the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is helping consumers by stimulating the production of advanced biofuels like biodiesel.
Jobe emphasized that the law, first passed in 2005 with overwhelming bipartisan support, is working as Congress intended to diversify the transportation fuels market while boosting local economies and cutting harmful emissions. He pointed to persistent increases in gasoline prices amid the current North American oil boom as evidence of the continued need for alternatives at the pump.
"As we are seeing with this latest price spike, no matter how much oil we find here at home, consumers will continue to see rising gas prices until we diversify the market," Jobe said in testimony to the House Energy and Commerce Committee's subpanel on Energy and Power. "That is what the RFS is all about, and it is a success."
Jobe said the RFS has helped biodiesel become the first EPA-designated Advanced Biofuel to reach 1 billion gallons of annual production.
The hearing was part of a series conducted by the committee to assess the Renewable Fuel Standard that included representatives from US EPA, USDA, US DOE, the petroleum industry, and other biofuels stakeholders.
A copy of Jobe's testimony can be found on the House Energy and Commerce Committee website. | |
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| Petroleum industry professionals have a powerful new resource to stay up-to-date with the information, ideas and solutions to keep the biodiesel supply chain moving. The Biodiesel Education Network (BEN) Newsletter has had a makeover and is now available electronically. This quarterly newsletter augments Ask BEN, the online Biodiesel/Bioheat question and answer tool. Each quarterly issue will highlight key biodiesel industry topics, from a pool of industry areas, such as technical, legislative, production, markets and more. A Frequently Asked Question and the answer will accompany each topic. The newsletters will have embedded
links to additional information related to each topic as well as video Brain Shark presentations (PowerPoint presentations with voice-overs).
"The fresh new format for BEN positions education as a primary objective of the network," said Paul Nazzaro, petroleum liaison for the National Biodiesel Board. "Better information throughout the distribution chain means smarter and stronger industry growth and reliable results for biodiesel users."
Sign up and the newsletter will be delivered for your convenience as an interactive PDF file in your e-mail, so you can read it online at your desktop, tablet or phone, or print it out to take with you.
Sign up and download the latest issue at AskBen.info. | |
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| The BiodieselNow App, powered by the National Biodiesel Board, continues to grow in popularity as users log biodiesel fuel purchases at retail stations across the country. In just over six months since its launch, there have been more than 600 downloads of the app with more than 35,000 gallons of biodiesel logged and more than 8,500 articles read through the news feed feature.
In July, the first in a series of enhancements and upgrades were released. The two biggest enhancements were improvements to "Find a Retailer" map function and the addition of several new RSS feeds to the news section. Both of these enhancements were driven by feedback received from early users of the app. Future upgrades include the continued addition of biodiesel retailer stations and the addition of more biodiesel education available via the app.
"Because biodiesel pumps are being turned on at stations on almost a weekly basis, we encourage users to report to us new locations or locations that do not currently appear on the app," said Doug Whitehead, Director of Operations at National Biodiesel Board.
If you know of a station that is supplying biodiesel that doesn't appear on the app you can encourage them to submit their information through an online form here.
To download the app on either an Apple or Android device, simply go to iTunes or the GooglePlay store and search BiodieselNow. | |
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In Iowa, 158 new biodiesel retail pumps and 48 terminal locations have opened since 2006, giving all Iowans greater access to renewable biodiesel. State grants through the Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Board helped the projects come to fruition.
"Iowa produces the most biodiesel of any state, yet surveys show 47 percent of diesel vehicle owners here do not know where to find it," said Randy Olson, executive director of the Iowa Biodiesel Board. "This additional infrastructure helps biodiesel continue to become fully integrated into Iowa's fuel supply."
The Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program assists retail operators of motor fuel dispensing sites or fueling stations in the conversion of their equipment to allow for the expanded use of renewable fuels in Iowa. The 27 biodiesel projects in fiscal year 2013 received funding totaling about $1.2 million. This includes Diamond Oil Co., which used a $100,000 grant to open a heated terminal facility in Des Moines. That helps streamline the distribution process by offering pre-blended biodiesel to smaller distributors year-round.
"This program is good for Iowa because it empowers more consumers to use their own state's products rather than importing our energy," said Harold J. Hommes, program administrator with the Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship. "We don't have refineries or fossil fuels, but if we produce renewable energy here, those dollars are multiplied throughout Iowa."
The grants require matching funds. Agricultural cooperatives are also eligible for the grants, increasing on-farm availability. Click here to see a list of projects.
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| The Senate Agriculture Committee unanimously approved the nomination of Krysta Harden to be deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on July 24. Currently, chief of staff at USDA, Harden has been a tireless advocate for American agriculture, U.S. farmers and the rural economy.
"Krysta has worked closely with the biodiesel industry for many years and truly understands the environmental, energy security and economic benefit of America's Advanced Biofuel," said Anne Steckel, NBB's vice president of federal affairs. "We are thrilled about her nomination and the wealth of experience she brings to her new position."
Prior to being named chief of staff in 2011, Harden served as assistant secretary for congressional relations at USDA from 2009 to 2011. From 2004 to 2009, she served as the chief executive officer of the National Association of Conservation Districts. Previously, Ms. Harden was the senior vice president of Gordley Associates from 1993 to 2004. She served as staff director for the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture, Subcommittee on Peanuts and Tobacco from 1992 to 1993. From 1981 to 1992, she held a number of roles including legislative director, chief of staff, and press secretary for Congressman Charles Hatcher.
Harden was featured in NBB's 20-year anniversary video, which was unveiled at the 2013 National Biodiesel Conference & Expo.
Click here to watch Harden's testimony before the Senate Agriculture Committee or to read a transcript of her statement. As of press time, the full Senate was expected to approve her nomination in the near future. | |
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| As the largest single consumer of energy and fossil fuels on the planet, the U.S. military is working to reduce its consumption and biodiesel and other alternative fuels are playing an increasing role in that effort.
According to a recent report by Navigant Research, the Department of Defense (DOD) is on track to double its spending on alternative fuel vehicles by 2020 to more than $900 million. The report found that by the end of the decade, DOD will have acquired more than 155,000 alternative fuel vehicles, including B20 and E85 capable vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in electric vehicles and battery electric vehicles. The report states that these acquisitions are expected to result in more than $92 million in annual fuel savings for DOD.
With significant budget cuts continuing to loom in the years ahead, DOD, has been aggressively pursuing options to cut its fuel bill. While 55 percent of the DOD fleet can already run on alternative fuels, the General Services Administration reports that gasoline still accounts for 70 percent of fuel consumption for the non-tactical fleet.
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| The Biodiesel Education Program at the University of Idaho is offering two free curriculums: "Renewable Energy and Biodiesel," a 4-H curriculum for 8-12 year-olds that can easily be adapted for use in elementary schools, and "Biodiesel Fundamentals: A High School Chemistry Curriculum".
"Renewable Energy and Biodiesel" is a well-designed and easy-to-follow curriculum that includes both a student workbook and a comprehensive instructor's manual. Lessons are well laid out, and learning is achieved through the implementation of games, experiments, group work, and individual activities. Journaling is used at the end of each lesson to assess knowledge gained.
The seven lessons include: What is Energy?; Liquid Fuels as Energy Sources; Fossil Fuels; Renewable Energy; Vegetable Oil and Animal Fat as Sources of Energy; How is Biodiesel Made and Used?; and Scientists and Engineers. The Instructor's Manual provides lists of materials needed for each lesson as well as tips on facilitating activities, discussions, and journaling. The 4-H curriculum can be downloaded here
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"Biodiesel Fundamentals: A High School Chemistry Curriculum" includes eight hands-on chemistry labs as well as a teacher's guide. The labs are designed to be used during the second semester of a standard high school chemistry class and to show students how chemistry principles are used in the real-world industry of biodiesel production.
Lessons include: Chemicals in Biodiesel Preparation; Atomic and Molecular Weights and Their Calculations; Acid Values/pH of Vegetable Oils via Titration; Chemical Reaction Between Hydroxide and Alcohol (Catalyst Solution Preparation for Biodiesel Production); Reversible and Irreversible Chemical Reactions and Stoichiometry; Transesterification of Vegetable Oil and Alcohol to Produce Methyl Esters or Biodiesel; Extraction of Minerals from Organic Solution/Methyl Ester Washing; and Density Measurement of Pure and Mixtures of
Chemicals and Fuels. Copies may be downloaded here. | |
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