Oil Pipeline Industry Expands Ethanol R&D

The Association of Oil Pipe Lines (AOPL) recently announced that an expansion of ongoing research into the feasibility of transporting ethanol blends up to E20 through existing pipelines.

The thing that strikes me about this is that it now seems that all the statements we have heard back in the past about ethanol not being compatible with existing pipelines were made before any testing was done. In the press release it says that initial results are expected in 12-18 months and at that time we may learn that the whole pipeline issue has been just another bit of misinformation levied against ethanol.

Oil Pipeline Industry Expands Ethanol R&D

Where to Buy E85 and Biodiesel

Probably one of the most common questions surrounding biofuels is where can they be bought. Here are some sites that list locations.

E85

National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition
NearE85

Biodiesel

National Biodiesel Board
NearBio

E10 - There are no national sites that I know of that lists locations where E10 can be found. To find E10 in your area may require some searching. Here are a few that I know of.

East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition Alternative Fuels Locator
Florida's Alternative and Renewable Fuel Station Locator
Kansas E10 Locations
Kentucky Ethanol Loactions
Montana Ethanol Locations

Koenigsegg to Produce E85 Supercar

Koenigsegg is set to produce it's most powerful car to date, the CCXR. The CCXR will be powered by a twin supercharged 4.7L putting out 1,018 hp on E85. Just for reference that is 210 hp greater than the same engine in the CCX designed to run on 91 octane gasoline.

While this isn't exactly a car for the masses, it does show pretty well the performance potential a car designed for E85 can have.

Koenigsegg CCXR Specifications

French fry oil to be tested on Guantanamo fleet

The Guantanamo Bay U.S. Naval Base in Cuba is home to about 4000 people and produces about 1500 gallons per month of used cooking oil. Now instead of sending that oil to the landfill the Navy is starting to convert it to biodiesel to help offset some of their fuel needs.

French fry oil to be tested on Guantanamo fleet

Alternative Fueled Alternative Fuel Plants

So much is being said about the use of fossil fuels in the production of ethanol that I thought it would be interesting to look at some plants that are using alternative energy sources for their production process.

POET - Chancellor, SD

This plant is undergoing an expansion that will allow it to make 100 million gallons of ethanol per year. As part of the expansion a solid waste boiler is being installed that will allow POET to provide about 60% of the energy needs for the plant from the burning of wood wastes from a local pallet company.

POET also announced that it has reached an agreement with the City of Sioux Falls to purchase landfill gas (methane) from the Sioux Falls Regional Sanitary Landfill. Initially the landfill gas will displace 10% of the plants natural gas needs rising to 30% in 2025 as the volume of gas the landfill creates increases.

POET - Scotland, SD

Scotland is the site of POET's 9 million gallon per year cellulosic ethanol research plant. The plant is now run on biogas produced by the anaerobic digestion of the waste stream left over after cellulosic ethanol has been produced.

Calgren Renewable Fuels - Pixley, CA

52 million gallon per year ethanol plant that uses waste heat from a cogeneration plant at the site to reduce natural gas use by 20 percent and the addition of biogas produced by the anaerobic digestion of cow manure will cut natural gas usage overall another eight percent in the production process.

Blue Flint Ethanol - Underwood, ND

This plant is located next to a coal fired electric producing plant and uses waste heat from that plant to produce 50 million gallons per year of ethanol.

Siouxland Ethanol - Jackson, NE

50 million gallon per year ethanol plant uses methane recovered from a nearby landfill to offset about 10% of it's natural gas requirements.

Corn Plus Cooperative - Winnebago, MN

44 million gallon per year ethanol plant that burns biomass to reduce it's natural gas needs by about 50%. This plant has also installed two electric producing wind turbines that produce about 45% of the plants electrical needs.

Central Minnesota Ethanol Co-op - Little Falls, MN

21.5 million gallon per year plant that uses a biomass gasification system to replace all of it's natural gas needs and also provides about 33% of it's electric needs (through the use of cogeneration). The system uses wood wastes from local industries for fuel.

Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company - Benson, MN

33 million gallon ethanol that is installing a biomass gasification system that will eventually replace about 90% of the plants natural gas needs. The first phase of the process is expected to be completed in early 2008 and will replace about 20% of the plants natural gas needs. The entire project is divided into 3 phases and will take about 3 years to complete.

Abengoa Bioenergy - Colwich, KS

25 million gallon ethanol plant that uses landfill gas from the Brooks Landfill to offset some of it's natural gas needs. Annual natural gas savings are estimated at $1.4 million per year.

Mid-Missouri Ethanol - Malta Bend, MO

40 million gallon per year ethanol plant that is using landfill gas from nearby Shawnee landfill to offset more than 90% of it's natural gas needs.

E3 Biofuels - Meade, NE

24 million gallon per year ethanol plant that uses an anaerobic digester to convert cow manure to methane to power the plant.

E3 had initial problems that limited their production output to about half. The company claims poor construction and has sued the contractor. This lead to E3 filing for bankruptcy and has not resumed production.

Renova Energy - Heyburn, ID

20 Million gallon per year ethanol plant that is using an anaerobic digester to produce methane to displace all of it's natural gas needs and a some of it's electricity. The digester will be fed the thin stillage from the ethanol making process and whey wastes from a nearby cheese plant.

Renova ran into cost overruns on this project and has filed for bankruptcy. The plant is yet to be completed.

Panda Ethanol - Hereford, TX

105 million gallon per year ethanol plant currently under construction. It will use gasified cow manure to provide energy for the production process.

In 2009 Panda ran into cost overruns and the Hereford facility files for bankruptcy. The plant has yet to be finished.