Bioenergy 2007
International Bioenergy Conference & Exhibition
Sep 03-06, 2007
Jyväskylä, Finland
Details: http://seminaarit.ohoi.fi/default.asp?seminarID=6 or www.finbioenergy.fi

THE THIRD INTERNATIONAL BIOENERGY CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION
June 3-5, 2008 (Yes, 2008!)
Prince George, BC
Details: http://www.bioenergyconference.org/index.php

AGRICULTURAL LAND USED AS A CARBON SINK
Carbon Free, June 8, 2007
Agrichar is a black carbon byproduct of a process called pyrolysis, which involves heating green waste or other biomass without oxygen to generate renewable energy.  Trials of agrichar - a product hailed as a saviour of Australia’s carbon-depleted soils and the environment - have doubled and, in one case, tripled crop growth when applied at the rate of 10 tonnes per hectare.  For the environment, it means soil carbon emissions can be reduced because rapidly decomposing carbon forms are being replaced by stable ones in the form of agrichar.
Read more: http://www.carbonfree.co.uk/cf/news/wk23-07-0001.htm

ALGAE BLOOM AGAIN
Amanda Leigh Haag
Nature, May 31, 2007
Surging oil prices and a shortage of biofuel feedstocks are reviving interest in making fuel from algae.  According to figures compiled by the Global Petroleum Club, a business community for leaders in the oil, gas and energy industries, soya typically produces 450 litres of biodiesel per hectare per year; canola
1,200 litres; and oil palm 6,000 litres. Researchers predict that a hectare of algae could produce 90,000 litres of biodiesel, and have the potential to go even higher.  This article lists some of the benefits and challenges in this biofuel.
Read more: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v447/n7144/pdf/447520a.pdf

ASTM STANDARDS FOR ETHANOL & ETHANOL BLENDS
M. Herman, et al.
ASTM Standardization News, April 2007, p.32
Ethanol has been widely used for a number of years as a gasoline extender and octane enhancer.  ASTM's committee has established several standards governing the use of ethanol and ethanol blended fuels, as well as a research report on reformulated gasoline: ASTM D 4806, Specification for Denatured Fuel Ethanol for Blending with Gasolines for Use as Automotive Spark-Ignition Engine Fuel: Covers a fuel-grade ethanol that is suitable for blending with gasoline in levels up to 10 volume percent ethanol.

• ASTM D 4814, Specification for Automotive Spark-Ignition Engine Fuel: Covers gasoline and gasoline-oxygenate blends for use in automotive spark-ignition engines including gasoline-ethanol blends containing up to 10 volume percent ethanol.
• ASTM D 5798, Specification for Fuel Ethanol (Ed75-Ed85) for Automotive Spark-Ignition Engines: Covers a fuel blend, nominally 75 to 85 volume percent denatured fuel ethanol and 25 to 15 additional volume percent hydrocarbons for use in ground vehicles with automotive spark-ignition engines.
• ASTM Research Report D02:1347 — Research Report on Reformulated Spark-Ignition Engine Fuel: Provides information on the requirements of reformulated gasoline for ground vehicles equipped with the spark-ignition engines that are required by federal and state reformulated gasoline programs.
  

Read more: http://www.astm.org/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/SNEWS/APRIL_2007/hbg_apr07.html?L+mystore+xylr7297+1181236174

BIODIESEL & BIODIESEL BLENDS
R. McCormick, et al.
ASTM Standardization News, April 2007, p. 28
The ASTM International Committee on petroleum products and lubricants has been busy producing new and improved standards for biodiesel and blended biodiesel fuels.  The only ASTM standard that currently exists is D6751, Specification for Biodiesel Fuel Bland Stock (B100) for Middle Distillate Fuels.  This standard places limits on impurities that can remain after the production process; it limits methanol content; it limits free glycerin and total glycerin and more.  These limits and specifications are in place to protect the equipment used in the combustion process as well as to maintain consistence of product.
Read more: http://www.astm.org/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/SNEWS/APRIL_2007/mccwes_apr07.html?L+mystore+xylr7297+1181236174

BIOFUELS FROM GRAIN - DO WE EAT IT OR BURN IT?
Single Vision: Grains Australia
Single Vision's position on biofuels is that the Australian Grains Industry needs to take a leadership role in the alternative energy debate if it is to have a profitable and sustainable biofuels future.  Climate change, water and fuel security concerns are forcing the Australian Grains Industry to reconsider its traditional role as a food producer and begin exploring the prospect of biofuel production.
Read more: http://www.singlevision.com.au/

CELLULOSE: THE GREENER ALTERNATIVE TO CORN ETHANOL
S. Toman
Plant, May 14, 2007, p. 24
Some think that cellulose ethanol, the new biofuel star, could be Canada's ace in the new energy market, playing on our strengths while helping the forestry industry.  Corn ethanol won't be enough to meet the expectations and goals set by governments, such as that of the U.S. to have 35 billion gallons of renewable fuel by 2017.  Beside the whole world food issue for using corn to make ethanol, there is some evidence that corn ethanol is not all that efficient due to the energy required to produce just the crop.  On the other hand, cellulose ethanol is produced from a naturally occurring, complex carbohydrate polymer in plant cell walls and is found in much of the available biomass, such as waste from agriculture, corn stalks, switch grass, and forestry sources.
Find it at: www.plant.ca

CUTTING GREENHOUSE GASES: WOOD CHIPS IN, ALCOHOL OUT
First Science News, June 12, 2007
California researchers plan to make biofuels in a novel way that doesn’t involve food crops or microbial fermentation.  Researchers, along with West Biofuels LLC,  will develop a prototype research reactor that will use steam, sand and catalysts to efficiently convert forest, urban, and agricultural “cellulosic” wastes that would otherwise go to landfills into alcohol that can be used as a gasoline additive.
Read more: http://www.firstscience.com/home/news/agriculture/cutting-greenhouse-gases-wood-chips-in-alcohol-out_32355.html

DYNAMOTIVE TESTS BIOFUEL BYPRODUCT AS SOIL ENHANCER
Globe-Net, June 6, 2007
Dynamotive is taking part in a project to test biochar, a co-product of the company’s BioOil® biofuel, as a soil enhancer to increase fertility and corn crop yields. Dynamotive’s BioOil® biofuel is produced using carbon-neutral fast pyrolysis. However, the company believes the use of its biochar co-product as an agricultural soil enhancer means the production processes would be carbon negative – resulting in a net reduction of carbon by “sequestering” it in the soil.
Read more: http://www.globe-net.ca/search/display.cfm?NID=2907&CID=9

HOW TO MAKE BIOFUELS TRULY POPLAR
E. Kintisch
Science, February 9, 2007
Clint Chapple, a plant biochemist at Purdue University is exploring whether Poplar trees could replace corn as a crop for making ethanol for fuel.  Purdue University researchers are using genetic tools in an effort to design trees that readily and inexpensively can yield the substances needed to produce alternative transportation fuel. The scientists are focused on a compound in cell walls called lignin that contributes to plants' structural strength, but which hinders extraction of cellulose. Cellulose is the sugar-containing component needed to make the alternative fuel ethanol.
Read more: http://www.purdue.edu/dp/bbc/SCIENCE.pdf

PRODUCTION AND FUEL PROPERTIES OF PINE CHIP BIO-OIL/BIODIESEL BLENDS
Manuel Garcia-Perez, Thomas T. Adams,* John W. Goodrum, Daniel P. Geller, and K. C. Das
Energy Fuels, May 18, 2007
The use of pyrolysis-derived bio-oil as a diesel-fuel extender or substitute has long been a goal of the bio-oil research community. In this paper, a simple system to accomplish that goal is described. The production of pine-chip-derived bio-oils, the preparation, and fuel properties of bio-oil/biodiesel blends are presented.
Read more: http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/asap.cgi/enfuem/asap/html/ef060533e.html

U.S. ENERGY AND AGRICULTURE DEPTS. PROVIDE $8.3 MILLION FOR ENERGY CROPS RESEARCH
Biopact, 6/707
Department of Agriculture and the Department of Energy have jointly selected 11 projects for awards totaling US$8.3 million for biobased fuels research that will accelerate the development of alternative fuel resources. The research aims to take the U.S. beyond its reliance on corn as a biofuel feedstock.  In this second year of the program, new research projects on cordgrass, rice, switchgrass, sorghum, poplar, and perennial grasses join the portfolio of research on poplar, alfalfa, sorghum, and wheat.
Read more: http://biopact.com/2007/06/us-energy-and-agriculture-depts-provide.html

WHO WANTS TO HAUL ALL THAT BIOMASS?
Policy Economist, June 6, 2007
We read and hear a lot about the various materials and technologies used in biomass energy; but very little is said about how the collecting and transporting of the materials gets done.  Biojoule is a company that is working on that part of the solution.  They have developed an integrated pellet plant (~10,000 tpy) that includes drying, pellet manufacture and storage. It needs no water or power connection, and is fully automated with control via a web link.  The plant can be moved from one location to another in a matter of days.
Read more: http://policyeconomist.wordpress.com/2007/06/06/who-wants-to-haul-all-that-biomass/
More details: http://www.biojoule.co.uk/

UPM AND ANDRITZ/CARBONA TEAM UP TO DEVELOP SYNTHETIC BIOFUELS
Biopact, May 24, 2007
Global forestry company UPM, international technology group Andritz and its associated company Carbona intend to co-operate on the development of the technology for biomass gasification and synthetic gas purification, a recent news release stated.   Gasification technology is required for the production of synthetic gas that will feed the Fischer-Tropsch based second generation biodiesel production facility. The companies plan to start the joint testing project of Carbona's gasification technology at the Gas Technology Institute’s pilot plant located close to Chicago in the United States. The main raw material used in UPM's biodiesel production will be wood based biomass
Read more: http://biopact.com/2007/05/upm-and-andritzcarbona-team-up-to.html

BIOFUEL INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES
Aruvian Research, May 2007
This 100 page report looks at the basics of biofuels, the critical factors influencing demand and supply scenarios in the US, the regulatory policy initiatives in the US including a historical perspective on subsidies for ethanol and biodiesel, and the current and proposed production capacity of biofuels in the United States.  This research report is pricey, but the Table of Contents is very informative and lists the leading industry players.
Read more: http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c58554

SENATORS CANTWELL, KERRY AND SMITH INTRODUCE CLEAN ENERGY PACKAGE
May 31, 2007
Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced a new energy bill to U.S. Congress last week that would provide long term extensions of several key clean energy tax credits, including the Federal Production Tax Credit. The bill, the "Clean Energy Investment Assurance Act of 2007."
A Summary of the Bill can be found here: http://cantwell.senate.gov/news/Clean_Energy_Investment_Assurance.doc

ASSOCIATION OF ENERGY ENGINEERS
"The mission of AEE is “ to promote the scientific and educational interests of those engaged in the energy industry and to foster action for Sustainable Development.”
Learn more: https://www.aeecenter.org/index.html

BIODIESEL MAGAZINE
http://www.biodieselmagazine.com (free to qualified subscribers)

BIOFUELS UPDATE
International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications
May 25, 2007
This is a bi-weekly summary of world developments on biofuels.
http://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/biofuels/news/2007/05/25.html#

BIOMASS MAGAZINE
http://www.biomassmagazine.com/ (paid)

BIOMASS DOCUMENT DATABASE
The Biomass Document Database is a collection of public documents of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Biomass Program. This includes most documents prepared since 1980 by the Biofuels Technology Program, many of the more recent documents for the whole Biomass Program, and selected "related" documents that are relevant to the Biomass Program, even if not produced by it. Each citation contains a short abstract, and is coded to allow search by key words, author, and title.

As many documents as possible are attached as PDFs. However, many journal articles, book chapters, and other documents cannot be posted as PDFs because of their copyright status. These documents should be available from your library. The document database will indicate this while providing sufficient bibliographic information for you to locate them.
Check it out: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass/document_database.html

ETHANOL PRODUCER MAGAZINE
http://www.ethanolproducer.com (free to qualified subscribers)

UK BIOMASS STRATEGY
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
May 2007
Renewable fuels and materials have an important role to play in delivering the UK’s climate change objectives.    The Biomass Strategy is seeking to realise a major expansion in the supply and use of biomass in the UK.
Read more: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/uk/energy/renewablefuel/pdf/ukbiomassstrategy-0507.pdf

UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE 
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was held May 7-18, 2007 in Bonn.  The Workshop on Power generation was held May 15th on clean fossil fuels and renewable energy.  Presentations include: Second generation biofuel potential; Planned 60 MW wood power plant; Electricity generation with methane gas - Landfill methane recovery demonstration project located in Las Rosas
Read more: http://unfccc.int/methods_and_science/mitigation/items/3973.php

FOOD FOR THOUGHT …
In all this talk of alternative energy the assumption is that there is a pending shortage of petroleum and therefore we need to get going on replacements so that our society can keep running much as it is now.  There is a disconnect between the engineers who are busy working on the fuel supply problem and the social scientists who are thinking about what society will look like under the combined stresses of fuel and food shortages plus climate change.  Authors such Thomas Homer-Dixon are trying to plan for a future very unlike the present and the engineers and scientists should be thinking more about this.  There is no point designing systems for our present comparatively peaceful and prosperous society if that is not what we will be living in when the systems now being designed will be needed.
Learn more about Homer-Dixon: http://www.homerdixon.com/

POPLARS BLUR AG, FORESTRY LINES
Mateusz Perkowski
Capital Press, 6/6/07
Originally, poplar plantations were created in anticipation of a fiber shortage after management of federal lands began emphasizing conservation in the late 1980s .  But when does a poplar tree stop being a crop and turn into timber?  This seems to be the topic of debate as unlike forests, poplar farms are tightly controlled systems that need much greater inputs.  A longer growth period may subject the trees to the Forest Practices Act, such as leaving behind standing trees during harvest and postponing logging on adjacent tree blocks.  Legislation surrounding this may also impact the use of forest products in bioenergy.
Read more: http://www.capitalpress.info/main.asp?SectionID=94&SubSectionID=801&ArticleID=32748&TM=68560.73

THE REVENGE OF GAIA: WHY THE EARTH IS FIGHTING BACK - AND HOW WE CAN STILL SAVE HUMANITY
James Lovelock
Lovelock's unique authority and original perspective sets this book apart from other books on environmental change. He speaks as a planetary physician with more than forty years' experience of thinking about how to respond to the Earth's needs as a living organism. Illustrated with examples drawn from his experiences around the world, Lovelock draws many radical conclusions, most controversially a passionate advocacy of nuclear energy. This, he argues, is not only a secure, safe and reliable source of energy but also the only way to counter the lethal heat waves and rising sea levels, which will increasingly threaten civilisations. Lovelock argues that the only way for humankind to come to terms with Gaia now, and have a chance of surviving, is to embrace science and technology, not reject them. This is his passionate manifesto of how to do that and so lessen our impact on the Earth before it is too late.
More about the book: http://www.penguin.co.uk/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780713999143,00.html