Corn Plus is exploring the possibility of using treated wastewater from the city of Winnebago in it's ethanol plant.
The city of Winnebago discharges a minimum of about 350,000 gallons of treated wastewater into the Blue Earth River each day.
The ethanol plant just east of town uses up to 350,000 gallons of fresh groundwater daily to produce its fuel.
Ethanol plants have taken a lot of criticism lately for their water usage. This arrangement would help to divert some of that criticism and would be a new revenue source for the city of Winnebago.
Source : Mankato Free Press
March 30, 2009
March 29, 2009
Oregon State Researchers Using Algae To Produce Hydrogen
OSU researchers successfully got one type of cyanobacteria – more commonly known as blue-green algae – to live, grow and produce hydrogen while the cells were “encapsulated” in a solid state system, an important preliminary step to controlling this interaction of water, light and bacteria for practical use.
Significant progress still needs to be made in making the process more efficient and using light energy more effectively, but the advance demonstrates the feasibility of using these biological processes to produce hydrogen – which could be used directly as a fuel, or in hydrogen fuel cells to power the electric automobiles of the future.
The recent findings were published in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. Based on this and other progress, the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research also recently awarded a grant of $938,000 to OSU, the University of Oregon and Indiana University to continue research.
Source : Oregon State Press Release
Significant progress still needs to be made in making the process more efficient and using light energy more effectively, but the advance demonstrates the feasibility of using these biological processes to produce hydrogen – which could be used directly as a fuel, or in hydrogen fuel cells to power the electric automobiles of the future.
The recent findings were published in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. Based on this and other progress, the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research also recently awarded a grant of $938,000 to OSU, the University of Oregon and Indiana University to continue research.
Source : Oregon State Press Release
Posted by
Michael A. Gregory
at
12:29 AM
March 27, 2009
POET Chancellor Ethanol Plant Powered By Landfill Gas
Chancellor, S.D. and the city of Sioux Falls, S.D. have taken "green" to a new level with the completion of a landfill gas pipeline that is now providing methane gas to help power daily operations of the 105 million gallon per year (MGPY) POET ethanol plant.
The 10-mile, low-pressure pipeline from the Sioux Falls Regional Sanitary Landfill began supplying methane to the plant at the end of February, ahead of the expected completion date. The POET plant will utilize the landfill gas in a wood waste-fuel boiler to generate process steam. Combined, the two alternative energy sources will initially offset up to 90 percent of the plant’s process steam needs currently met using natural gas and has the potential to replace 90 percent of the plant’s total energy needs (combined with waste wood) over time.
The methane is produced when solid waste decomposes at the landfill. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the annual environmental benefits from using this gas for power is equal to removing emissions from more than 27,000 passenger vehicles, removing carbon dioxide emissions from more than 344,000 barrels of oil or sequestering carbon with nearly 34,000 acres of pine or fir forests. Besides reducing greenhouse gasses, the partnership provides additional revenue to Sioux Falls and lowers energy costs at the Chancellor plant.
"At POET, we take a lot of pride in helping reduce the human impact on our environment," POET CEO Jeff Broin said. "Ethanol already cuts greenhouse gasses significantly compared to gasoline. This partnership makes that process even cleaner."
Sioux Falls Mayor Dave Munson said the new Methane Gas Compressor system provides a benefit for everyone in the area.
"Not only is this now allowing us to reuse the methane, but with POET as our customer we have added a revenue stream to the landfill which is going to keep rates low for the entire region," Munson said.
POET and the City of Sioux Falls are members of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP). The program aims to reduce methane emissions from landfills by encouraging development of cost-effective and environmentally sound landfill gas projects.
Source : POET Press Release
The 10-mile, low-pressure pipeline from the Sioux Falls Regional Sanitary Landfill began supplying methane to the plant at the end of February, ahead of the expected completion date. The POET plant will utilize the landfill gas in a wood waste-fuel boiler to generate process steam. Combined, the two alternative energy sources will initially offset up to 90 percent of the plant’s process steam needs currently met using natural gas and has the potential to replace 90 percent of the plant’s total energy needs (combined with waste wood) over time.
The methane is produced when solid waste decomposes at the landfill. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the annual environmental benefits from using this gas for power is equal to removing emissions from more than 27,000 passenger vehicles, removing carbon dioxide emissions from more than 344,000 barrels of oil or sequestering carbon with nearly 34,000 acres of pine or fir forests. Besides reducing greenhouse gasses, the partnership provides additional revenue to Sioux Falls and lowers energy costs at the Chancellor plant.
"At POET, we take a lot of pride in helping reduce the human impact on our environment," POET CEO Jeff Broin said. "Ethanol already cuts greenhouse gasses significantly compared to gasoline. This partnership makes that process even cleaner."
Sioux Falls Mayor Dave Munson said the new Methane Gas Compressor system provides a benefit for everyone in the area.
"Not only is this now allowing us to reuse the methane, but with POET as our customer we have added a revenue stream to the landfill which is going to keep rates low for the entire region," Munson said.
POET and the City of Sioux Falls are members of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP). The program aims to reduce methane emissions from landfills by encouraging development of cost-effective and environmentally sound landfill gas projects.
Source : POET Press Release
Posted by
Michael A. Gregory
at
9:28 PM
March 25, 2009
Minnesota State Study : E20 No Harder On Engines Than Gasoline
The fruits, so far, of a $497,000 grant to Minnesota State University to study ethanol: A 20 percent blend appears to be no harder on vehicles than regular gasoline.
The study, led by Bruce Jones and Jim Rife in MSU’s automotive engineering technology department, has tested the effects of different blends of ethanol on the raw materials of a vehicle as well as fuel system parts.
Today all gas sold in Minnesota includes 10 percent ethanol. Some gas is 85 percent ethanol ( called E85). It’s the intermediate blends — between 10 percent and 85 percent — that MSU is studying.
It’s using regular vehicles, not the “flex fuel” models specifically designed to run on high ethanol blends. Jones said research into the 20 percent blend has just been completed.
Tests on raw materials — the metals, plastics and rubber- like substances — found no problems with the E20 blend.
Likewise, fuel pumps using regular gasoline, E10 and E20 were run for 5,000 hours and there was no more wear and tear on the higher- ethanol blend.
The research is being done to support a Minnesota proposal to move to a 20 percent blend in all gasoline by 2012.
Source : Minnesota State
The study, led by Bruce Jones and Jim Rife in MSU’s automotive engineering technology department, has tested the effects of different blends of ethanol on the raw materials of a vehicle as well as fuel system parts.
Today all gas sold in Minnesota includes 10 percent ethanol. Some gas is 85 percent ethanol ( called E85). It’s the intermediate blends — between 10 percent and 85 percent — that MSU is studying.
It’s using regular vehicles, not the “flex fuel” models specifically designed to run on high ethanol blends. Jones said research into the 20 percent blend has just been completed.
Tests on raw materials — the metals, plastics and rubber- like substances — found no problems with the E20 blend.
Likewise, fuel pumps using regular gasoline, E10 and E20 were run for 5,000 hours and there was no more wear and tear on the higher- ethanol blend.
The research is being done to support a Minnesota proposal to move to a 20 percent blend in all gasoline by 2012.
Source : Minnesota State
Posted by
Michael A. Gregory
at
1:11 AM
March 22, 2009
Kohler Introduces Industry’s First E85 Compatable Small Engine Line
Fuel efficient, cleaner burning engines will soon be the standard – not an option – on all KOHLER Command PRO® and Aegis® twin-cylinder engines.
Starting with its Command PRO 30 gasoline, twin-cylinder model in March, Kohler will introduce the first flex-fuel, electronic fuel injection(EFI) engine. Over the next two years, Kohler will convert its entire Command PRO air-cooled and Aegis liquid-cooled engines with this technology. And at a competitive price with traditional carbureted engines.
Kohler partnered with Delphi – a leading global supplier of mobile electronics and transportation systems – to design this new flex-fuel EFI system with patent-pending technology that will offer significant fuel savings, improved performance and reduced emissions.
KOHLER flex-fuel EFI models will be available on 26 twin-cylinder models ranging from 19-41 hp, and will operate efficiently and without excessive wear on the engine when E-85 or any other alternative fuel is used. An additional benefit of the new Kohler flex-fuel EFI engines is instant load response. The Kohler exclusive EFI system allows the engine to respond with peak Kohler performance even in changing altitudes and load requirements, which in turn, operates at top efficiency.
Kohler also designed this new line of engines within the same footprint as its current Command PRO and Aegis models, so that OEMs can easily drop in the newest Kohler engine without altering the end equipment design to accommodate the engine.
This is accommodated by Kohler’s exclusive self-contained EFI design, which features only one fuel line rather than an additional return fuel line with a special harness. The fuel module, electronic control unit and sensors are also all engine-mounted.
“Kohler introduces this new technology not only at a time when fuel prices are hitting all-time highs, but there’s also been movement of diesel-powered users looking more carefully at spark-ignited engines and what they can now bring to the table,” said Rich Koehl, director of marketing and quality, Kohler Engines. “Depending on the application, end users can realize a 17% to 28% fuel efficiency savings. And, Kohler will be within the EPA phase 3/CARB Tier 3 levels immediately, with extremely low levels of HC and NOx being produced. If the engines run on E-85, those emissions levels are reduced even further compared to operating with gasoline.”
Also true to Kohler Engines, the “closed-loop” system will continue to be a standard feature on these new engines. In most EFI engines, when an EFI engine is started, it operates in an “open loop” mode mapped by the electronic control unit (ECU). Only KOHLER EFI engines include an oxygen sensor that analyzes the air/fuel mixture in the exhaust. If the oxygen level strays from the ideal air/fuel mixture, the sensor triggers adjustments in the ECU map to adjust the amount of fuel injected into the system. Only KOHLER EFI engines then “close the loop” between the air/fuel intake and the exhaust output to provide a constant steam of critical feedback - and optimal power and fuel economy. The closed loop advantage also means that only KOHLER EFI engines automatically adapt to air cleaner conditions and altitude changes.
Kohler was the first small-engine manufacturer to introduce EFI with closed loop on its engines in the mid 1990s, featuring the EFI system as an option and just a few select air- and liquid-cooled models, which carried a higher price tag over its carbureted models. Since then, KOHLER has found a way to take the EFI technology – long used in the automotive industry – and integrate it among multiple horsepower levels at an extremely competitive price.
Source : Kohler
Update June 2010 : The above press release is no longer available on the Kohler website but according to this February 2010 press release the flex fuel option is still planned but won't be available until sometime later this year.
Starting with its Command PRO 30 gasoline, twin-cylinder model in March, Kohler will introduce the first flex-fuel, electronic fuel injection(EFI) engine. Over the next two years, Kohler will convert its entire Command PRO air-cooled and Aegis liquid-cooled engines with this technology. And at a competitive price with traditional carbureted engines.
Kohler partnered with Delphi – a leading global supplier of mobile electronics and transportation systems – to design this new flex-fuel EFI system with patent-pending technology that will offer significant fuel savings, improved performance and reduced emissions.
KOHLER flex-fuel EFI models will be available on 26 twin-cylinder models ranging from 19-41 hp, and will operate efficiently and without excessive wear on the engine when E-85 or any other alternative fuel is used. An additional benefit of the new Kohler flex-fuel EFI engines is instant load response. The Kohler exclusive EFI system allows the engine to respond with peak Kohler performance even in changing altitudes and load requirements, which in turn, operates at top efficiency.
Kohler also designed this new line of engines within the same footprint as its current Command PRO and Aegis models, so that OEMs can easily drop in the newest Kohler engine without altering the end equipment design to accommodate the engine.
This is accommodated by Kohler’s exclusive self-contained EFI design, which features only one fuel line rather than an additional return fuel line with a special harness. The fuel module, electronic control unit and sensors are also all engine-mounted.
“Kohler introduces this new technology not only at a time when fuel prices are hitting all-time highs, but there’s also been movement of diesel-powered users looking more carefully at spark-ignited engines and what they can now bring to the table,” said Rich Koehl, director of marketing and quality, Kohler Engines. “Depending on the application, end users can realize a 17% to 28% fuel efficiency savings. And, Kohler will be within the EPA phase 3/CARB Tier 3 levels immediately, with extremely low levels of HC and NOx being produced. If the engines run on E-85, those emissions levels are reduced even further compared to operating with gasoline.”
Also true to Kohler Engines, the “closed-loop” system will continue to be a standard feature on these new engines. In most EFI engines, when an EFI engine is started, it operates in an “open loop” mode mapped by the electronic control unit (ECU). Only KOHLER EFI engines include an oxygen sensor that analyzes the air/fuel mixture in the exhaust. If the oxygen level strays from the ideal air/fuel mixture, the sensor triggers adjustments in the ECU map to adjust the amount of fuel injected into the system. Only KOHLER EFI engines then “close the loop” between the air/fuel intake and the exhaust output to provide a constant steam of critical feedback - and optimal power and fuel economy. The closed loop advantage also means that only KOHLER EFI engines automatically adapt to air cleaner conditions and altitude changes.
Kohler was the first small-engine manufacturer to introduce EFI with closed loop on its engines in the mid 1990s, featuring the EFI system as an option and just a few select air- and liquid-cooled models, which carried a higher price tag over its carbureted models. Since then, KOHLER has found a way to take the EFI technology – long used in the automotive industry – and integrate it among multiple horsepower levels at an extremely competitive price.
Source : Kohler
Update June 2010 : The above press release is no longer available on the Kohler website but according to this February 2010 press release the flex fuel option is still planned but won't be available until sometime later this year.
Flex fuel program forthcoming
In 2008, Kohler also announced plans to develop the industry’s first EFI engines with a flex-fuel option. According to Litt (Cam Litt, marketing manager), this alternate fuel option, such as E-85, could be available to OEMs some time in 2010, once the business has completed the EFI conversion across the entire Command PRO twin-cylinder line. Added Litt: “In the future, our KOHLER EFI engines will also be E-85 capable, meaning the engine will be more adaptable to varying fuel formulations.”
Posted by
Michael A. Gregory
at
1:09 PM