The state that started the move toward petroleum is now joining the movement to help reduce our nation’s addiction to oil. With the cooperation of the state of Pennsylvania and the full-throated support of Governor Ed Rendell, BioEnergy International is breaking ground on the state’s first ethanol biorefinery.
Located in Clearfield, the facility, once completed, will produce 110 million gallons of ethanol annually. Beginning as a corn-based ethanol production facility, BioEnergy will also conduct onsite research and testing to integrate cellulosic ethanol production technology into its operations. Cellulosic ethanol production is the conversion of nonfood biomass materials such as switchgrass, corn stalks, wood chips and other agricultural waste materials into fuel ethanol.
“It is apropos that the state that gave birth to the petroleum industry is now front and center in our nation’s efforts to reduce our dependence on imported oil,� said RFA President Bob Dinneen. “Led by Governor Rendell and the forward-thinking leaders of the state, Pennsylvania is poised to capitalize on the productivity of its farmers to supply a wide range of feedstocks for an ever-evolving domestic ethanol industry. As a result, rural Pennsylvania will see the kind of economic opportunities witnessed by countless small communities across the country and our nation will be another step closer toward energy self-sufficiency. I congratulate Governor Rendell, the people of Pennsylvania, and BioEnergy International for working constructively together to bring the benefits of ethanol production to mid-Atlantic.�
In this “Ethanol Report” podcast, Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) Chairman Chris Standlee, executive vice president of Abengoa Bioenergy, discusses developments in cellulosic ethanol, disputes with the recent “Science” article studies, and the upcoming 13th annual National Ethanol Conference in Orlando, February 25-27
You can subscribe to “The Ethanol Report” by following this link.
Or you can listen to it on-line here: 
Ethanol Report 7 (8:00 MP3 file)
The Department of Energy today announced the investment of more than $84 million in three small-scale cellulosic ethanol projects designed to be the proving grounds for full-scale, commercial production of ethanol from cellulose. The four projects each will produce around 2.5 million gallons of ethanol from cellulosic material annually.
“This kind of partnership between the government and private industry is critical to accelerating the commercialization of cellulosic ethanol technology and ensuring the promise of the recently passed energy bill is realized,� said Renewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen. “Without ethanol production from a host of feedstocks including grain and cellulose, our nation cannot meet the energy and environmental challenges it faces. The work that will be done at these facilities will yield commercially-produced ethanol from cellulosic material much sooner than naysayers and conventional wisdom suggest.�
According to a DOE release, the three ethanol projects receiving funding are:
ICM Incorporated of Colwich, Kansas DOE will provide up to $30 million for a proposed plant that will be located in St. Joseph, Missouri, and will utilize diverse and relevant feedstocks including agricultural residues, such as corn fiber, corn stover, switchgrass and sorghum. ICM, Inc. will integrate biochemical and thermochemical processing and demonstrate energy recycling within the same facility.
Lignol Innovations Inc., of Berwyn, Pennsylvania DOE will provide up to $30 million for a proposed plant, co-located with a petroleum refinery, which will be located in Commerce City, Colorado, and using biochem-organisolve, will convert hard and soft wood residues into ethanol and commercial products, co-located with a petroleum refinery.
Pacific Ethanol Inc., of Sacramento, California DOE will provide up to $24.3 million for a proposed plant to be located in Boardman, Oregon, and will convert agricultural and forest product residues to ethanol using BioGasol’s proprietary conversion process.
The Ethanol Promotion and Information Council and KL Process Design Group teamed up today to announce the first use of cellulosic ethanol in the 2008 American Le Mans Series. Corvette Racing, sponsored by EPIC, will be the first team to use the cellulosic-based E85 in competition.
“We could really find no greater stage to have the first use of cellulosic ethanol than the American Le Mans Series,� said Reece Nanfito, senior director of marketing for EPIC. “Obviously this is going to be a great demonstration that this fuel is available here and now, it is not a fuel that is five years or ten years down the road. The next generation of ethanol has really arrived today with this announcement.�
Tom Slunecka, Vice President of Business Development for KL Process Design Group, says providing cellulosic ethanol for the Le Mans Series brings it one step closer to consumer use.
“The reason that we brought the very first, very valuable gallons of this fuel to the American Le Mans Series was to demonstrate the power that this fuel has at home with every consumer,� Slunecka said. “Because the American Le Mans Series cars are the closest to production-style cars in the world of racing the relevancy of performance here is immediate and direct to that of consumers.�
Listen to Reece and Tom make the announcement in a press conference today from Sebring, Florida.
Cellulosic Le Mans Announcment (9:30 min mp3)
General Motors has announced a partnership with Illinois-based Coskata Inc. to use the company’s new technology for making ethanol from nearly any renewable source, including garbage, old tires and plant waste.
“Coskata’s announcement is a perfect example of the evolutionary state of the ethanol industry,” said Bob Dinneen, president of the Renewable Fuels Association, the national trade association for the U.S. ethanol industry. “Building on the solid foundation grain-based ethanol production has provided, and partnering with companies like General Motors that have demonstrated a commitment to renewable fuels, Coskata demonstrates what is possible when financial and intellectual capital are applied to solving the growing energy crisis in the United States.”
The Coskata process can produce ethanol almost anywhere in the world, using a wide range of feedstock, for less than US $1.00 per gallon. This technology makes the widespread use and availability of ethanol much more achievable.
The announcement was made Sunday during GM’s opening press conference at the North American International Auto Show.
Members of Congress and representatives from a variety of organizations held a media event Wednesday morning in support of an increased Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) in the Energy Bill.
House Ag Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN) says House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is in full support of the RFS.
“The speaker understands that this is critical for this industry,” Peterson said. “She gets it and she understands what the problem is and she understands why this needs to be done.”
Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY) described his conversion to being an ethanol supporter. “As a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee for many years I voted against the ethanol mandate,” Engel said. “I changed my position 180 degrees, and I changed my position because it’s good for America.”
All of the speakers noted the importance of the RFS to cellulosic ethanol development, which is still in its infancy. In the meantime, Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD) said, “Conventional corn ethanol is the bridge we need to move forward.”
It was a long press conference, which got underway late, and the lawmakers had to leave by the time the supporting organizations got to give their statements - which meant many of the media who were there also left. But, those who did stick around heard first from the unusual suspects in the lineup of those supporting the RFS. They were the AMVETS, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and the Truman National Security Project.
RFA President Bob Dinneen was among the “usual suspects” supporting the standard - biofuels and agricultural organizations. He congratulated the media that remained for the press conference after more than an hour, “Now you get to write that ‘dog bites man’ story that you’ve been waiting to write because the Renewable Fuels Association supports this bill.”
Dinneen pointed out the diversity of the people speaking on behalf of the RFS in terms of geography, with lawmakers from Washington State to New York and Massachusetts to Florida. “They’re reflecting all of America today,” he said. “Seventy-four percent of Americans want to see us doing as much as we possibly can to reduce our dependence on imported oil and to promote renewables like ethanol and biodiesel and others that will be developed.”
“This bill is about stimulating the second generation of ethanol production. It’s about assuring that cellulosic production can be commercialized effectively.”
A vote on the Energy Bill could come as early as this afternoon in the House.
Listen to Bob’s statement here: Bob Dinneen (2:30 min mp3)
Our own “Reverend of Renewable Fuels,” Bob Dinneen has been chairing the Cellulosic Ethanol Summit. Bob welcomed everyone to the conference and has been emceeing the activities here.
I sat down with him for a chat to get his perspective on cellulosic production and energy legislation. Bob says that RFA is sponsoring this event because the companies that the organization represents are involved and that they’re looking at new developments like cellulose. He says RFA will represent ethanol and that the organization is feedstock neutral. He wants to remind people that “ethanol is ethanol is ethanol.” That there’s no good or bad ethanol.
Bob says that cellulosic is part of the present and the future of the ethanol industry. He wants people to take away from the conference that cellulosic ethanol is much closer to commercial reality than conventional wisdom would suggest. He also wants people to realize how much the oil industry is working against the development of ethanol regardless of what feedstock it’s made from. He’s also pretty confident we’ll have an energy bill by the end of the year.
You can listen to my interview with Bob here: 
Bob Dinneen Interview (9:00 MP3 file)
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