From william_stott at unc.edu Thu Oct 2 12:16:50 2008 From: william_stott at unc.edu (William Stott) Date: Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:16:50 -0400 Subject: [Biofuels_Interest_Group] alternative energy and the wall street shuffle In-Reply-To: <20080930.143917.10435.0@webmail04.dca.untd.com> References: <20080930.143917.10435.0@webmail04.dca.untd.com> Message-ID: <48E4F3F2.9080503@unc.edu> I have not posted anything on this list for some time (since I requested leads on literary texts that deal with energy and alternative energy), but I feel moved to post a link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S27yitK32ds I know this list is for issues and items focused on biofuels. I hope members will recognize connections between the present financial crisis - and proposed "bail out" strategies" - and attempts to find support for alternative fuels. It's not clear, to me anyway, how hastily concocted measures to alleviate the pain of financial mis-management will help make available funds for alternative energy initiatives. I have not had access to the wording of the legislation yet; but none of the discussions I've heard address the way alternative energy initiatives can create jobs, should the resources be available. Rep Kaptur's short speech identifies a need to think through job creation as part of the "bail out.." If you are so inclined, please pass this links along to other appropriate lists. rudolfdiesel at netzero.net wrote: > Hello Daniel > Wake tech will be conducting another of its almost famous BioDiesel/Diesel Technology Workshops Nov. 4 & 5, 2008. This is a daytime workshop, 8:30- 4:30 both days. The cost is $65.00. During this workshop the class will convert 25 gallons of WVO into Bio Diesel, conduct quality testing and discuss small plant production & quality issues. We will also learn about what happens inside the Diesel engine and how fuel, bio & petro, affects both efficiency and emissions. We will finish with a discussion of emissions, diesel after treatment devices, and the regulatory and marketing environment for the modern Diesel engine. this workshop has been well received by laypeople, Bio enthusiasts, engineers and chemists! > Let me know if you are interested! > > Regards; > > Rich Cregar, Instructor > Automotive Systems Technologies & > Green Transportation Technologies > Wake Technical Community College > Raleigh, N.C. > 919-866-5253 > recregar at waketech.edu > > > > ____________________________________________________________ > Start providing for your family by becoming a paralegal. Click Now. > http://thirdpartyoffers.netzero.net/TGL2241/fc/Ioyw6i4ua3inVKPtVK0XrVOE22rD5DTQFUcKWwC8HheWVxy7GzBx42/ > _______________________________________________ > Biofuels_Interest_Group mailing list > Biofuels_Interest_Group at lists.emji.net > http://lists.emji.net/mailman/listinfo/biofuels_interest_group > From bonitz at cleanenergy.org Fri Oct 3 11:21:39 2008 From: bonitz at cleanenergy.org (John Bonitz) Date: Fri, 03 Oct 2008 11:21:39 -0400 Subject: [Biofuels_Interest_Group] FW: Haiti has poisonous, spell casting plant that can be used for biofuel? In-Reply-To: <18DE7CDA-706E-43A1-B281-105CE34324EF@cleanenergy.org> Message-ID: > Voodoo priests? plant may also be source for biofuel > By Jacqueline Charles > > McClatchy Newspapers > > Friday, October 03, 2008 > > Miami ?- For generations, Voodoo practitioners in rural Haiti have sworn by > the mystic qualities of Jatropha, an indigenous plant believed to purge evil > spirits and release the trapped souls of the dead. > > But the shrub soon may be in bigger demand among the living. Jatropha shows > tremendous promise as a source of biofuel in Latin America and the Caribbean, > and especially Haiti, which suffers from chronic shortages of diesel fuel, > electricity ?- just about everything except Jatropha. > > In June, Miami hosted a Jatropha World 2008 Conference that trumpeted the > plant?s properties. And this week, alternative fuel sources such as Jatropha > probably will share the spotlight again at an energy panel during the annual > Americas Conference in Miami. > > It has been known for decades that the oil-producing seeds of the Jatropha > curcas, once they are crushed and processed, can be a potent source of energy. > But now the so-called ?miracle plant? is sparking heightened interest as oil > prices skyrocket and reports filter out of India and Nepal of power plants > there being fueled by Jatropha. > > The United States and Brazil ?- the world?s leading producer of ethanol ?- > signed an agreement last year to help Haiti, the Dominican Republic, El > Salvador and St. Kitts and Nevis explore the potential of Jatropha and other > biofuel-producing plants. Scientists from both nations have toured Haiti to > scout the potential for the plant?s commercial cultivation. > > ?Jatropha offers a great opportunity for Haiti,? said Mark Lambrides, chief of > the energy and climate change division at the Organization of American States. > > Jatropha, or Gwo Medsiyen, is everywhere in Haiti. For centuries, it has been > part of the medicinal arsenal of Voodoo priests and priestesses. They use it > in burial ceremonies to banish evil spirits, in ritual baths, as a remedy for > constipation and as an acne cure. > > It also can be used, Voodoo practitioners believe, to physically harm one?s > enemies, through incantations. The toxic seed is dropped into a kerosene lamp, > and the longer the lamp burns, the longer the harm is supposed to endure. > > Haitian farmers also use Jatropha as a ?living fence? to ward off > crop-devouring goats. The plant?s bitter taste is a goat repellent. And > because the plant is highly toxic, there is no conflict ?- as with corn and > sugar cane ?- over whether to use Jatropha to feed the hungry or fuel a diesel > engine. > > Nowhere in the region is the need to find a renewable source of energy more > glaring than in Haiti, where electricity is unreliable and often unavailable. > Decades of cutting trees for charcoal to cook with have transformed Haiti?s > once lush landscape into an environmental disaster. > > Last year, Haiti imported about $200 million in diesel fuel, with half going > for transportation and the rest to run generators. Burning nearly 3.5 million > gallons a month of diesel fuel and 219,976 gallons a month of other fuel oil, > Haiti?s electrical company eked out barely enough electricity to run the power > grid for eight hours a day in Port-au-Prince, according to a study prepared > for the U.S. government. > > The situation is far worse outside the capital. A little more than one in 10 > of the country?s nearly 9 million citizens have access to the limited > government supply of electricity, according to state-owned Electricite > d?Haiti. -- John Bonitz Farm Outreach & Policy Advocate Southern Alliance for Clean Energy P.O. Box 1833, Pittsboro, NC 27312 (O) 919.545.2920 (C) 919.360.2492 bonitz at cleanenergy.org http://www.cleanenergy.org From john.bonitz at gmail.com Thu Oct 9 19:40:34 2008 From: john.bonitz at gmail.com (John Bonitz) Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2008 19:40:34 -0400 Subject: [Biofuels_Interest_Group] "Something's fishy with China algae plant" Message-ID: <84a57a420810091640r86c2278vcdf930bbf1eafa6a@mail.gmail.com> Sad to read this. But glad to know more facts about it. -- John Bonitz Silk Hope, NC ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ http://www.cleantech.com/news/3650/third-time%E2%80%99s-charm Something's fishy with China algae plant October 7, 2008 - Exclusive By Emma Ritch, Cleantech Group With several other biofuel projects announced but not started, will PetroSun actually deliver this time? Fresh off the heels of delaying its Texas algae farm, slippery Pink Sheets-traded PetroSun (OTC: PSUD.PK) says it now plans to build a commercial pilot plant for algae-based fuels in China. Scottsdale, Ariz.-based PetroSun claims to have secured $40 million from Shanghai Jun Ya Yan Technology Development, but didn't respond to inquiries last week about the new partner, the capacity or projected opening of the China plant, or the status of its other projects. But a man who answered the phone at PetroSun who didn't want to be named admitted the company doesn't have a production facility for algae-based fuels yet. In March, the company said it was weeks away from opening an algae farm on the Texas Gulf Coast on April 1. The PetroSun employee said April 1 was actually the start date for the lease on the land?the company is still waiting on permits six months later to allow it to build the 1,100-acre salt-water, open-pond system. PetroSun has said it expected the farm near Harlingen to produce a minimum of 4.4 million gallons of algal oil and 110 million pounds of biomass a year. In 2007, PetroSun announced it licensed its technology to its own subsidiary in order to establish a refinery in the Australasia market to produce up to 20 million gallons of biodiesel per year (see PetroSun licensing biofuel-from-algae process to... itself?). Similarly, PetroSun has licensed its technology to another subsidiary for the proposed China plant. That 2007 venture into the Australasian market hasn't produced a refinery to date. In July, a release from the company said PetroSun and Icon Energy decided to terminate a letter of intent to form a joint venture for an algae-to-biofuels commercial farm system in Queensland, Australia. The release also said PetroSun is in talks to establish a commercial-scale algae farm system in New South Wales, Australia. Yesterday, another PetroSun subsidiary said it planned to work with Biomass Partners to find existing farm ponds to grow algae in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas. PetroSun also says it has plans for a pilot biofuels plant near a wastewater treatment facility in Arizona. A release from PetroSun said its officials planned to visit potential farm and plant locations near Shanghai starting today. PetroSun said it expects to open offices in Shanghai and Beijing. The company says it uses open ponds to grow algae but won't release other details about the process. The PetroSun employee said the company has not raised venture capital. PetroSun isn't considered a big player in the algae-biofuel market, which hit a record $95 million in venture investments in the third quarter of 2008. South San Francisco, Calif.-based Solazyme has raised $75 million in venture capital (see Solazyme joins algae elite with additional $45M). San Diego's Sapphire Energy said in September it has raised more than $150 million (see Bill Gates gets slimed). Other major players include Madison, Wis.-based Virent Energy Systems, which has raised $30 million (see Game-changing day for jet biofuels); Alameda, Calif.-based Aurora Biofuels, which has raised $23.2 million (see Aurora Biofuels lands $20M in Series B); GreenFuel Technologies, which raised nearly $14 million this year; LiveFuels, which has raised $10 million; and PetroAlgae of Florida, which agreed in September to be acquired by Delaware-based PetroTech Holdings. Despite the massive capital raised, no company has built a commercial-scale plant for algae-based biofuel production, said Will Coleman, a partner at San Francisco-based Mohr Davidow Ventures. "The promise of algae has driven an enormous amount of people to try to come up with a solution," Coleman said. "There are more challenges than I think people acknowledge, and I think we will get there, but I think we're further out than some of these companies are saying." One of the problems has been over-promising by companies as to the date of commercial production, he said. A biofuel-from-algae startup that boasted to large production claims, South Africa's de Beers Fuel, has been accused of fraudulent misrepresentation and squandering investors' funds (see Swimming with the fishes and Biofuel from algae startup on shaky ground). From silmanmr at wfu.edu Fri Oct 10 14:39:56 2008 From: silmanmr at wfu.edu (Miles Silman) Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:39:56 -0400 Subject: [Biofuels_Interest_Group] Mercedes 240D for sale Message-ID: Fellow Biodieselers, This was our biodiesel dream machine, and then our family got too big by one Mercedes 1978 240 S Diesel Only 158k miles, runs great. Engine in excellent condition. Fuel tank steam cleaned for use with biodiesel. Four doors, power locks and windows, sun-roof. Clean original vinyl seats in good condition. Original Tuner Radio and Woodgrain Dashboard in Excellent Condition. No NC property taxes since this is a "Classic" automobile. ? 4 New Tires (8400 miles) ? New brake master cylinder ($643 value), new rear brakes and rotors, new pads all around. ? New shocks front and rear ? New Battery. ? A/C system overhauled, including new compressor, expansion valve, etc. ? Front and Back Windshield Weather Strip Replaced ($500 value) ? Exterior Body Recently Buffed and Waxed, Interior Detailed ? Other: New Floor-Board Carpets, Mercedes Touch-up Paint Pen, New Master Key NADA Guide "Low" Retail Price is estimated at $3,175 Asking Price: $2,200.00 Please contact me by email if you're interested. All the best, Miles -- Miles R. Silman Associate Professor of Biology 226 Winston Hall, Gulley Drive Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC 27109-7325 Ph. 336.758.5596 From bonitz at cleanenergy.org Wed Oct 15 09:08:24 2008 From: bonitz at cleanenergy.org (John Bonitz) Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 09:08:24 -0400 Subject: [Biofuels_Interest_Group] FW: Three Positions at the Biofuels Center of North Carolina In-Reply-To: <8164C09B0AACC340B939F742E47EBAA407EB0C@exchsrvr01.biofuelscenter.org> Message-ID: ------ Forwarded Message From: Steven Burke Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 08:42:31 -0400 Subject: Three Positions at the Biofuels Center of North Carolina 10 October 2008 Dear Biofuels Community Colleague, Attached for your interest are descriptions of three positions at the Biofuels Center: Director of Farming and Forestry, Director of Business Development, and President. Each provides information on following up. The biofuels endeavor moves along well across North Carolina. The Center has in just nine months: gained its first staff and organized its funding and other programs; awarded $2.5 million to support 15 educational, capacity-building, and research projects statewide; set up web and other communicational activities; worked to assist in varied ways the growing number of persons and entities coming to biofuels statewide; established a thirty person board significant in range and experience; and received, this past summer, its second $5 million appropriation ? and clear endorsement of mission and goals ? from the North Carolina General Assembly. W. Steven Burke Board Chair and Acting President Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs North Carolina Biotechnology Center PO Box 13547 ? 15 T. W. Alexander Drive Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 USA Phone 919-541-9366 ? Fax 919-990-9544 Email: steven_burke at ncbiotech.org POSITION: President Job Purpose Leads and represents the Biofuels Center of North Carolina, implements North Carolina?s Strategic Plan for Biofuels Leadership, and serves as main Biofuels Center conduit to state, national, and international partners, constituencies, and programs. Provides vision and leadership as well as daily administration for a sustained, evolving, and enormously significant statewide endeavor. Provides short- and long-term direction through astute evaluation of needs and factors, learning from partners and constituencies, and strategic planning. Represents the Center and the biofuels endeavor to the North Carolina General Assembly and other state leaders, universities, federal and state agencies, industry, educational entities, and other varied parties, both in and beyond North Carolina. Serves at the pleasure of the Board of Directors and reports to the Chair of the Board. Key Responsibilities and Activity Areas ? Provide vision and leadership for ongoing and future Center programs. ? Articulate the needs, goals, and value of North Carolina?s biofuels endeavor as well as of the Center. ? Present Center?s programs and resource requirements to the North Carolina General Assembly and to state leadership in varied settings. ? Direct the short- and long-term goals of the Center through planning, initiating, and overseeing programs and activities. ? Foster and sustain mutually strategic and mutually advantageous public-private partnerships with university, industry, and governmental agencies. ? Build trust, engagement, and consensus when possible. ? Ensure sound financial and administrative oversight. ? Participate on state and national committees. ? Promote understanding and use of biofuels by North Carolina government, educational, industry, and public constituencies. ? Develop and undertake special assignments and reports requested by the Board of Directors; communicate regularly and comprehensively to the Board at scheduled meetings and at other times. The position, as for all Biofuels Center staff, demands: ? Experience and skills merged with imagination, bold thinking, and innovative confidence. ? Proven abilities to craft new endeavors with manifest outcomes. ? Proven disposition and abilities for internal and external partnership. Experience and Education At least ten years of senior development, administration, and project work in technology, public policy, governmental, business, or academic settings. Experience merging two or more of these vantage points is expected, as is a graduate degree in an appropriately related field. Other configurations of experience and education, if strong and distinctive, might also be considered. The Biofuels Center of North Carolina is an equal opportunity employer Salary To be determined, based on experience and skills. For information, questions, or submission of resume and letter of interest: W. Steven Burke Chair, Board of Directors Acting President Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs North Carolina Biotechnology Center PO Box 13547 ? 15 T. W. Alexander Drive Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 USA Phone 919-541-9366 ? Fax 919-990-9544 Email: steven_burke at ncbiotech.org Web site: www.ncbiotech.org Mobile 919-619-6041 1 October 2008 POSITION: Director, Business Development Job Purpose Represents the Biofuels Center of North Carolina, implements North Carolina?s Strategic Plan for Biofuels Leadership, and serves as key conduit to business and industry constituencies, partners, and activities. Performs senior level work and leadership to plan, develop, and oversee programs and activities to aid the development and operations of companies involved with biofuels and related biomass and feedstock applications. Works actively to catalyze and support new and entrepreneurial biofuels and related companies, and assists the growth and expansion of existing North Carolina companies. Reports to the President. Key Responsibilities and Activity Areas ? Identify, analyze, and report on existing and new areas for company and commercial development. ? Develop and coordinate business-directed strategies, goals, initiatives, partnerships, and programs. ? Target development, expansion, recruitment, and support of biofuels and biofuels- related companies and commercial enterprises across North Carolina. ? Assist North Carolina biofuels companies with: financing, networking, marketing strategies, site location, business planning, investment capital, strategic partnerships, and technology assessment. ? Plan and implement new innovative approaches to biofuels business development and assistance. ? Target technology transfer, joint ventures, and other means to accelerate commercial outcomes from science, companies, and production facilities. ? Assist biofuels companies in development and evaluation of funding applications to the Center or other sources. ? Provide business and referral services to North Carolina biofuels or related energy companies. ? Implement Biofuels Center funding and support programs to build biofuels capacity and commercial enterprises. ? Evaluate effectiveness of outcomes. The position, as for all Biofuels Center staff, demands: ? Experience and skills merged with imagination, bold thinking, and innovative confidence. ? Proven abilities to craft new endeavors with manifest outcomes. ? Proven disposition and abilities for internal and external partnership. Education and Experience A MBA degree or Masters degree in science with coursework in a science or biofuels related field; three years of experience in a commercial or financial enterprise with an energy or alternative fuels focus; at least two years experience with technology-based business development, technology transfer and/or commercialization of research; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. The Biofuels Center of North Carolina is an equal opportunity employer. Salary $70,000 ? $85,000 based on experience and education. For initial information, questions, or submission of resume and letter of interest: Ms. Remona Callair Director, Finance and Administration Biofuels Center of North Carolina 901 Hillsboro Street ? PO Box 1919 Oxford, NC 27565 Phone 919-693-3000 Fax 919-603-5600 hr at biofuelscenter.org www.biofuelscenter.org 1 October 2008 POSITION: Director, Farming and Forestry Job Purpose Represents the Biofuels Center of North Carolina, implements North Carolina?s Strategic Plan for Biofuels Leadership, and serves as key conduit to agricultural, farming, commodity, forestry, and forest products constituencies, partners, and activities. Performs senior level work and leadership to promote understanding, adoption, and growing or utilization of energy crops and biomass across North Carolina. Reports to the President. Key Responsibilities and Activity Areas ? Work for manifest change and improvement to the agricultural community and landscape of North Carolina from biofuels; help shape a significant new agricultural sector statewide. ? Identify, analyze, and report on capabilities and status of energy crops and biomass within the agricultural and forestry communities. ? Oversee, with partners at sites statewide, trial and contract growing to yield agronomic, economic, and other required data about a wide range of energy crop and biomass sources. ? Learn from and inform agricultural and forestry communities and participants about the reality of moving energy crops to their agenda, fields, and economic gain. ? Identify and lay out strategies and priorities to strengthen biofuels understanding, commitment, and capabilities within the farming and forestry communities. ? Convene events, discussion, and information sessions with engaged groups and constituencies. ? Identify opportunities, challenges, or needs to be addressed to ensure steady and increasing movement over time of energy crops and biomass from land to economic gain, including: agronomic, environmental, relationship to currently grown crops and markets, risk taking, investment, expanded rotations, niche growing capabilities across the state, creation of a comprehensive roster of crops, avoidance of reliance on too few crops or biomass sources, ensuring that biofuels are additive to an already rich agricultural roster, and corporate interactions. ? With partners, assist in matching developed or possible energy crops to communities and conditions statewide. ? Develop biofuels leadership advocacy within the agricultural and forestry communities. ? Form partnerships with commodity groups, agricultural organizations, corporations, and public entities. ? Determine necessary areas for education programs and support projects. ? Evaluate effectiveness of outcomes. The position, as for all Biofuels Center staff, demands: ? Experience and skills merged with imagination, bold thinking, and innovative confidence. ? Proven abilities to craft new endeavors with manifest outcomes. ? Proven disposition and abilities for internal and external partnership. Experience and Education Seasoned and varied experience in farming, agricultural policy, or agricultural industry. Experience in some combination of agricultural, agricultural technologies, biotechnology, commodities, or energy crops and biomass is desirable. Other configurations of experience and education might also be considered. The Biofuels Center of North Carolina is an equal opportunity employer. Salary $70,000 ? $85,000 based on experience and education. For initial information, questions, or submission of resume and letter of interest: Ms. Remona Callair Director, Finance and Administration Biofuels Center of North Carolina 901 Hillsboro Street ? PO Box 1919 Oxford, NC 27565 Phone 919-693-3000 Fax 919-603-5600 hr at biofuelscenter.org www.biofuelscenter.org 1 October 2008 ------ End of Forwarded Message ~ ~ ~ John Bonitz, Farm Outreach & Policy Advocate Southern Alliance for Clean Energy PO Box 1833, Pittsboro, NC 27312 Phone: 919-545-2920 Mobile: 919-360-2492 Email: bonitz at cleanenergy.org Web: http://www.cleanenergy.org From john.bonitz at gmail.com Tue Oct 21 09:56:08 2008 From: john.bonitz at gmail.com (John Bonitz) Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2008 09:56:08 -0400 Subject: [Biofuels_Interest_Group] news on Second Generation Biofuel Feedstocks Conversion Message-ID: <84a57a420810210656j3d7d3731v339bbca71f112ede@mail.gmail.com> Interesting news release. -- John Bonitz Silk Hope, NC ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Siemens and USDA/ARS Partner in Pilot to Convert Second Generation Biofuel Feedstocks to Fuels and Chemicals Last update: 11:25 a.m. EDT Oct. 14, 2008 ATLANTA, Oct 14, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc. and the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) that will improve the processes used to convert second generation, non-food-based, biofuel feedstocks, including perennial grasses, animal wastes and agricultural residues such as corn stover, into liquid bio-fuel intermediates, such as bio-oil. As part of the CRADA, Logical Innovations of Richmond, Va., will work with researchers at USDA/ARS's Eastern Regional Research Center (ERRC) in Wyndmoor, Pa., to improve on pyrolysis oil production via innovative control technologies. They will install a distributed control system (DCS) based on Siemens SIMATIC(R) PCS 7 Box technology on ERRC's bench scale, fluidized bed pyrolysis system that heats the biomass in a reactor and converts it to liquid bio-oil, bio-char, and synthetic gas. The project will be commissioned in late 2008. "We think distributed control will help accelerate second generation biofuels and biochemicals development by improving the repeatability, consistency and efficiency of our research processes," said USDA/ARS Research Leader Dr. Kevin Hicks. According to Dave Hankins, vice president of Siemens Chemical and Pharmaceutical Center of Competence, the PCS 7 Box technology provides a new level of flexibility to biofuels producers, as well as improves worker safety and equipment protection. "Siemens is proud to partner with the USDA in this important, environmentally friendly, pilot program," Hankins said. "This investment in the future of second generation feedstocks is another example of Siemens commitment to alternative fuel development and production. New feedstocks that can be quickly and easily processed will benefit the nation and the biochemicals and biofuels industries." From bonitz at cleanenergy.org Tue Oct 21 10:28:05 2008 From: bonitz at cleanenergy.org (John Bonitz) Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:28:05 -0400 Subject: [Biofuels_Interest_Group] First advanced biofuel pilot plant in Southeast, broke ground last week Message-ID: Friends, Our first pilot-scale cellulosic biofuels plant in the Southeast broke ground last week in Vonore, Tennessee. Article enclosed. Special thanks to BiobasedNews.com (Memphis) for this article. -- John Bonitz Farm Outreach & Policy Advocate Southern Alliance for Clean Energy P.O. Box 1833, Pittsboro, NC 27312 (O) 919.545.2920 (C) 919.360.2492 bonitz at cleanenergy.org http://www.cleanenergy.org Tennessee Breaks Ground for Innovative Cellulosic Ethanol Pilot Biorefinery http://biobasednews.com/node/18598 Oct 14, 2008 - BiobasedNews.com DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol LLC (DDCE) and the University of Tennessee (UT) Research Foundation, through Genera Energy, LLC, broke ground today for an innovative pilot-scale biorefinery and state-of-the-art research and development facility for cellulosic ethanol, or ethanol from non-food sources. DuPont Danisco and the University of Tennessee on fast track to complete construction and begin production in 2009 (VONORE, Tenn.) October 14, 2008 ? DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol LLC (DDCE) and the University of Tennessee (UT) Research Foundation, through Genera Energy, LLC, broke ground today for an innovative pilot-scale biorefinery and state-of-the-art research and development facility for cellulosic ethanol, or ethanol from non-food sources. On hand to celebrate the event were Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen and numerous other state and local officials as well as Tennessee Senator Bob Corker and U.S. Representatives Zach Wamp and John J. Duncan, Jr. In 2007 Governor Bredesen and the State Legislature supported the project with a $70.5 million commitment including $40.7 million for biorefinery construction. Those funds are being combined with a substantial investment from DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol to construct the high-tech research facility. ?This morning, we held our first-ever Summit on Clean Energy Technology in Knoxville, and now we are here to break ground on this world-class pilot biofuel refinery,? said Bredesen. ?When it comes to facing the challenges of the future, Tennessee isn?t just talking the talk about clean energy technology, we?re walking the walk, rolling up our sleeves and getting to work. The bottom line is that this plant and this partnership are going to do a lot of good for Tennessee?s future.? The pilot-scale biorefinery is expected to be a catalyst for a new biofuel industry for the state. Utilizing DDCE's leading cellulosic ethanol technology and the UT Institute of Agriculture?s world-class expertise in cellulosic feedstock production and co-product research, the facility will produce cellulosic ethanol as a transportation fuel from two different non-food biomass feedstocks: corn stover (cobs and fiber) and switchgrass. ?I am proud of the role the University of Tennessee is playing in this initiative. It is an important part of our responsibility and our mission as a land-grant university ? to impact the state?s economy and serve the public, in addition to educating the young people of Tennessee,? said UT President John Petersen. ?Thanks to Governor Bredesen and his willingness to make a bold commitment to economic development, we stand here today at the very forefront of biofuel research. I believe the result of that foresight and the return on that investment can be enormous for the people of Tennessee.? The pilot plant and process development unit (PDU) will be constructed in the Niles Ferry Industrial Park. A PDU is a research facility that enables both experimentation at larger-than-laboratory scale and more rapid adjustments to process components. With a plant capacity of 250,000 gallons of cellulosic ethanol annually, the facility is expected to produce cellulosic ethanol by the end of 2009. ?DuPont Danisco has the technology package that will lead the way in the market,? said DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol LLC President Joseph Skurla. ?We are ready to scale-up, we have economics that can?t be beat and, with the University of Tennessee and the farmers of this great state, we have a winning team that is going to help deliver sustainable, non-food biofuels to the market on an accelerated schedule.? The University has also invested state research dollars to develop switchgrass as a dedicated cellulosic energy crop. Sixteen east Tennessee farmers ? all of whom were scheduled to attend the groundbreaking ? participated in the first round of sponsored switchgrass production. The farmers worked a combined 723 acres in 2008 as part of the University?s research into supply chain logistics for cellulosic biorefineries. The first fruits of the spring planting, bales harvested from about three acres, were on display during the groundbreaking. In two more years the switchgrass established this year will produce even more biomass per acre, and the harvested switchgrass will be used as feedstock for the biorefinery. The pilot plant is also designed to convert corn stover from western Tennessee to ethanol. Corn stover is the plant material left in the field after the grain is harvested for use as food or feed for livestock. The biorefinery?s construction and switchgrass production are the first major components of the UT Biofuels Initiative, a farm-to-fuel business plan developed by UT Institute of Agriculture researchers. The Initiative models a biofuels industry with multiple commercial facilities supplied by locally grown feedstock and capable of supplementing 30 percent of Tennessee's current petroleum consumption. From jdorff at gmail.com Thu Oct 23 10:05:11 2008 From: jdorff at gmail.com (Jimmy Dorff) Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2008 10:05:11 -0400 Subject: [Biofuels_Interest_Group] Yikes! what came out at Angier Ave. pump Message-ID: <49008497.4050004@gmail.com> I stopped by Bull City Biodiesel Angier Ave. B100 pump this morning to see if there was any fuel yet (last week it pumped only air). I pumped a squirt of "something" into my tank. I'm hoping it was biodiesel.. but after the squirt the pump only dispensed air. I'm really hoping the ounce or so of "something" wasn't water or dirt (or both). I'm appreciate any advice. I'm considering having the fuel filter changed asap to be safe. Any other suggestions ? As a side note, it would be REALLY nice if BCBD could communicate that the tank is empty. Perhaps a sign, or a bag over the pump, or an e-mail, or any sort of communication at all! Thanks, Jimmy From john.bonitz at gmail.com Sat Oct 25 23:41:36 2008 From: john.bonitz at gmail.com (John Bonitz) Date: Sat, 25 Oct 2008 23:41:36 -0400 Subject: [Biofuels_Interest_Group] Off-Topic: funny discovery about the new Ford hybrid car... In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <84a57a420810252041tf5a9232l99967423189820b@mail.gmail.com> Friends, While googling this evening I discovered something quite funny about Ford's new hybrid car, the "Kuga," unveiled at last year's Frankfurt Auto Show. http://autoshows.ford.com/171/2007/10/01/ford-kuga-new-crossover-started-as-iosis-concept-ready-to-hit-the-road/ In several languages Kuga is the word for bubonic plague! This is not a joke! If you don't believe me, try the google language tool to see for yourself: I found it on a Croatian website, but I think the same meaning applies in Serbian and Slovenian, too.) Fortunately for U.S. homeland security, the Kuga is only available in Europe. (THAT was a joke.) I guess the incompetence at Ford is not limited to their U.S. operations! cheers! -- John Bonitz Silk Hope, NC ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From benwhite at mac.com Sun Oct 26 12:23:57 2008 From: benwhite at mac.com (Ben White) Date: Sun, 26 Oct 2008 13:23:57 -0400 Subject: [Biofuels_Interest_Group] Biofuels_Interest_Group Digest, Vol 39, Issue 2 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <64F6F393-D6D7-4326-A7EA-8F449FD1C943@mac.com> Forget about hiring these people, hire a technician that can get fuel in the Raleigh pumps! When is it going to be fixed and loaded with fuel. I am now running 100% petro diesel when I usually run a blend. As this forum has indicated in the past don't switch back and forth which I am now have to do. Sorry for the sermon! Ben White On Oct 25, 2008, at 11:09 PM, biofuels_interest_group-request at lists.emji.net wrote: > Send Biofuels_Interest_Group mailing list submissions to > biofuels_interest_group at lists.emji.net > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.emji.net/mailman/listinfo/biofuels_interest_group > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > biofuels_interest_group-request at lists.emji.net > > You can reach the person managing the list at > biofuels_interest_group-owner at lists.emji.net > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Biofuels_Interest_Group digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. FW: Three Positions at the Biofuels Center of North Carolina > (John Bonitz) > 2. news on Second Generation Biofuel Feedstocks Conversion > (John Bonitz) > 3. First advanced biofuel pilot plant in Southeast, broke ground > last week (John Bonitz) > 4. Yikes! what came out at Angier Ave. pump (Jimmy Dorff) > 5. Off-Topic: funny discovery about the new Ford hybrid car... > (John Bonitz) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 09:08:24 -0400 > From: John Bonitz > Subject: [Biofuels_Interest_Group] FW: Three Positions at the Biofuels > Center of North Carolina > To: "\"biofuels_interest_group at lists.emji.net\"" > , Forest Biomass Network > > Message-ID: > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > > ------ Forwarded Message > From: Steven Burke > Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 08:42:31 -0400 > Subject: Three Positions at the > Biofuels Center of North Carolina > > 10 October 2008 > > Dear Biofuels Community Colleague, > > Attached for your interest are descriptions of three positions at the > Biofuels Center: Director of Farming and Forestry, Director of > Business > Development, and President. Each provides information on following > up. > > The biofuels endeavor moves along well across North Carolina. The > Center > has in just nine months: gained its first staff and organized its > funding > and other programs; awarded $2.5 million to support 15 educational, > capacity-building, and research projects statewide; set up web and > other > communicational activities; worked to assist in varied ways the > growing > number of persons and entities coming to biofuels statewide; > established a > thirty person board significant in range and experience; and > received, this > past summer, its second $5 million appropriation ? and clear > endorsement of > mission and goals ? from the North Carolina General Assembly. > > W. Steven Burke > Board Chair and Acting President > > Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs North Carolina > Biotechnology Center > PO Box 13547 ? 15 T. W. Alexander Drive Research Triangle Park, NC > 27709 USA > Phone 919-541-9366 ? Fax 919-990-9544 Email: > steven_burke at ncbiotech.org > > > > > > > > POSITION: President > > Job Purpose Leads and represents the Biofuels Center of North > Carolina, > implements North Carolina?s Strategic Plan for Biofuels Leadership, > and > serves as main Biofuels Center conduit to state, national, and > international > partners, constituencies, and programs. > > Provides vision and leadership as well as daily administration for a > sustained, evolving, and enormously significant statewide endeavor. > Provides short- and long-term direction through astute evaluation of > needs > and factors, learning from partners and constituencies, and strategic > planning. Represents the Center and the biofuels endeavor to the > North > Carolina General Assembly and other state leaders, universities, > federal and > state agencies, industry, educational entities, and other varied > parties, > both in and beyond North Carolina. Serves at the pleasure of the > Board of > Directors and reports to the Chair of the Board. > > Key Responsibilities and Activity Areas ? Provide vision and > leadership for > ongoing and future Center programs. ? Articulate the needs, goals, > and value > of North Carolina?s biofuels endeavor as well as of the Center. ? > Present > Center?s programs and resource requirements to the North Carolina > General > Assembly and to state leadership in varied settings. ? Direct the > short- and > long-term goals of the Center through planning, initiating, and > overseeing > programs and activities. ? Foster and sustain mutually strategic and > mutually advantageous public-private partnerships with university, > industry, > and governmental agencies. ? Build trust, engagement, and consensus > when > possible. ? Ensure sound financial and administrative oversight. ? > Participate on state and national committees. ? Promote > understanding and > use of biofuels by North Carolina government, educational, industry, > and > public constituencies. ? Develop and undertake special assignments and > reports requested by the Board of Directors; communicate regularly and > comprehensively to the Board at scheduled meetings and at other times. > > The position, as for all Biofuels Center staff, demands: ? > Experience and > skills merged with imagination, bold thinking, and innovative > confidence. ? > Proven abilities to craft new endeavors with manifest outcomes. ? > Proven > disposition and abilities for internal and external partnership. > > > Experience and Education At least ten years of senior development, > administration, and project work in technology, public policy, > governmental, > business, or academic settings. Experience merging two or more of > these > vantage points is expected, as is a graduate degree in an > appropriately > related field. Other configurations of experience and education, if > strong > and distinctive, might also be considered. > > The Biofuels Center of North Carolina is an equal opportunity employer > > Salary To be determined, based on experience and skills. > > > For information, questions, or submission of resume and letter of > interest: > > W. Steven Burke > > Chair, Board of Directors Acting President > > Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs North Carolina > Biotechnology Center > PO Box 13547 ? 15 T. W. Alexander Drive Research Triangle Park, NC > 27709 USA > Phone 919-541-9366 ? Fax 919-990-9544 Email: steven_burke at ncbiotech.org > Web > site: www.ncbiotech.org > > Mobile 919-619-6041 > > 1 October 2008 > > > > > POSITION: Director, Business Development > > Job Purpose Represents the Biofuels Center of North Carolina, > implements > North Carolina?s Strategic Plan for Biofuels Leadership, and serves > as key > conduit to business and industry constituencies, partners, and > activities. > Performs senior level work and leadership to plan, develop, and > oversee > programs and activities to aid the development and operations of > companies > involved with biofuels and related biomass and feedstock applications. > Works actively to catalyze and support new and entrepreneurial > biofuels and > related companies, and assists the growth and expansion of existing > North > Carolina companies. Reports to the President. > > Key Responsibilities and Activity Areas ? Identify, analyze, and > report on > existing and new areas for company and commercial development. ? > Develop and > coordinate business-directed strategies, goals, initiatives, > partnerships, > and programs. ? Target development, expansion, recruitment, and > support of > biofuels and biofuels- related companies and commercial enterprises > across > North Carolina. ? Assist North Carolina biofuels companies with: > financing, > networking, marketing strategies, site location, business planning, > investment capital, strategic partnerships, and technology > assessment. ? > Plan and implement new innovative approaches to biofuels business > development and assistance. ? Target technology transfer, joint > ventures, > and other means to accelerate commercial outcomes from science, > companies, > and production facilities. ? Assist biofuels companies in > development and > evaluation of funding applications to the Center or other sources. ? > Provide > business and referral services to North Carolina biofuels or related > energy > companies. ? Implement Biofuels Center funding and support > programs to > build biofuels capacity and commercial enterprises. ? Evaluate > effectiveness > of outcomes. > > The position, as for all Biofuels Center staff, demands: ? > Experience and > skills merged with imagination, bold thinking, and innovative > confidence. ? > Proven abilities to craft new endeavors with manifest outcomes. ? > Proven > disposition and abilities for internal and external partnership. > > > Education and Experience A MBA degree or Masters degree in science > with > coursework in a science or biofuels related field; three years of > experience > in a commercial or financial enterprise with an energy or > alternative fuels > focus; at least two years experience with technology-based business > development, technology transfer and/or commercialization of > research; or an > equivalent combination of education and experience. > > The Biofuels Center of North Carolina is an equal opportunity > employer. > > Salary $70,000 ? $85,000 based on experience and education. > > > For initial information, questions, or submission of resume and > letter of > interest: > > Ms. Remona Callair Director, Finance and Administration Biofuels > Center of > North Carolina 901 Hillsboro Street ? PO Box 1919 Oxford, NC 27565 > Phone > 919-693-3000 Fax 919-603-5600 hr at biofuelscenter.org > > www.biofuelscenter.org > > 1 October 2008 > > > > > POSITION: Director, Farming and Forestry > > Job Purpose Represents the Biofuels Center of North Carolina, > implements > North Carolina?s Strategic Plan for Biofuels Leadership, and serves > as key > conduit to agricultural, farming, commodity, forestry, and forest > products > constituencies, partners, and activities. Performs senior level > work and > leadership to promote understanding, adoption, and growing or > utilization of > energy crops and biomass across North Carolina. Reports to the > President. > > Key Responsibilities and Activity Areas > > ? Work for manifest change and improvement to the agricultural > community and > landscape of North Carolina from biofuels; help shape a significant > new > agricultural sector statewide. ? Identify, analyze, and report on > capabilities and status of energy crops and biomass within the > agricultural > and forestry communities. ? Oversee, with partners at sites > statewide, trial > and contract growing to yield agronomic, economic, and other > required data > about a wide range of energy crop and biomass sources. ? Learn from > and > inform agricultural and forestry communities and participants about > the > reality of moving energy crops to their agenda, fields, and economic > gain. > ? Identify and lay out strategies and priorities to strengthen > biofuels > understanding, commitment, and capabilities within the farming and > forestry > communities. ? Convene events, discussion, and information sessions > with > engaged groups and constituencies. ? Identify opportunities, > challenges, or > needs to be addressed to ensure steady and increasing movement over > time of > energy crops and biomass from land to economic gain, including: > agronomic, > environmental, relationship to currently grown crops and markets, risk > taking, investment, expanded rotations, niche growing capabilities > across > the state, creation of a comprehensive roster of crops, avoidance of > reliance on too few crops or biomass sources, ensuring that biofuels > are > additive to an already rich agricultural roster, and corporate > interactions. > ? With partners, assist in matching developed or possible energy > crops to > communities and conditions statewide. ? Develop biofuels leadership > advocacy > within the agricultural and forestry communities. ? Form > partnerships with > commodity groups, agricultural organizations, corporations, and public > entities. ? Determine necessary areas for education programs and > support > projects. ? Evaluate effectiveness of outcomes. > > The position, as for all Biofuels Center staff, demands: > > ? Experience and skills merged with imagination, bold thinking, and > innovative confidence. ? Proven abilities to craft new endeavors with > manifest outcomes. ? Proven disposition and abilities for internal and > external partnership. > > Experience and Education Seasoned and varied experience in farming, > agricultural policy, or agricultural industry. Experience in some > combination of agricultural, agricultural technologies, biotechnology, > commodities, or energy crops and biomass is desirable. Other > configurations > of experience and education might also be considered. > > The Biofuels Center of North Carolina is an equal opportunity > employer. > > Salary $70,000 ? $85,000 based on experience and education. > > For initial information, questions, or submission of resume and > letter of > interest: > > Ms. Remona Callair Director, Finance and Administration Biofuels > Center of > North Carolina 901 Hillsboro Street ? PO Box 1919 Oxford, NC 27565 > Phone > 919-693-3000 Fax 919-603-5600 hr at biofuelscenter.org > > www.biofuelscenter.org > > 1 October 2008 > > > > ------ End of Forwarded Message > > ~ ~ ~ > > John Bonitz, > Farm Outreach & Policy Advocate > Southern Alliance for Clean Energy > PO Box 1833, Pittsboro, NC 27312 > Phone: 919-545-2920 > Mobile: 919-360-2492 > Email: bonitz at cleanenergy.org > Web: http://www.cleanenergy.org > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2008 09:56:08 -0400 > From: "John Bonitz" > Subject: [Biofuels_Interest_Group] news on Second Generation Biofuel > Feedstocks Conversion > To: BIG > Message-ID: > <84a57a420810210656j3d7d3731v339bbca71f112ede at mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > Interesting news release. > > -- > John Bonitz > Silk Hope, NC > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > > > Siemens and USDA/ARS Partner in Pilot to Convert Second Generation > Biofuel Feedstocks to Fuels and Chemicals > > Last update: 11:25 a.m. EDT Oct. 14, 2008 > ATLANTA, Oct 14, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Siemens > Energy & Automation, Inc. and the United States Department of > Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have entered > into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) that > will improve the processes used to convert second generation, > non-food-based, biofuel feedstocks, including perennial grasses, > animal wastes and agricultural residues such as corn stover, into > liquid bio-fuel intermediates, such as bio-oil. > As part of the CRADA, Logical Innovations of Richmond, Va., will work > with researchers at USDA/ARS's Eastern Regional Research Center (ERRC) > in Wyndmoor, Pa., to improve on pyrolysis oil production via > innovative control technologies. They will install a distributed > control system (DCS) based on Siemens SIMATIC(R) PCS 7 Box technology > on ERRC's bench scale, fluidized bed pyrolysis system that heats the > biomass in a reactor and converts it to liquid bio-oil, bio-char, and > synthetic gas. The project will be commissioned in late 2008. > "We think distributed control will help accelerate second generation > biofuels and biochemicals development by improving the repeatability, > consistency and efficiency of our research processes," said USDA/ARS > Research Leader Dr. Kevin Hicks. > According to Dave Hankins, vice president of Siemens Chemical and > Pharmaceutical Center of Competence, the PCS 7 Box technology provides > a new level of flexibility to biofuels producers, as well as improves > worker safety and equipment protection. > "Siemens is proud to partner with the USDA in this important, > environmentally friendly, pilot program," Hankins said. "This > investment in the future of second generation feedstocks is another > example of Siemens commitment to alternative fuel development and > production. New feedstocks that can be quickly and easily processed > will benefit the nation and the biochemicals and biofuels industries." > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:28:05 -0400 > From: John Bonitz > Subject: [Biofuels_Interest_Group] First advanced biofuel pilot plant > in Southeast, broke ground last week > To: "\"biofuels_interest_group at lists.emji.net\"" > > Message-ID: > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" > > Friends, > > Our first pilot-scale cellulosic biofuels plant in the Southeast broke > ground last week in Vonore, Tennessee. Article enclosed. Special > thanks to > BiobasedNews.com (Memphis) for this article. > > -- > John Bonitz > Farm Outreach & Policy Advocate > Southern Alliance for Clean Energy > P.O. Box 1833, Pittsboro, NC 27312 > (O) 919.545.2920 > (C) 919.360.2492 > bonitz at cleanenergy.org > http://www.cleanenergy.org > > > > > > > Tennessee Breaks Ground for Innovative Cellulosic Ethanol Pilot > Biorefinery > http://biobasednews.com/node/18598 > Oct 14, 2008 - BiobasedNews.com > > DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol LLC (DDCE) and the University of > Tennessee > (UT) Research Foundation, through Genera Energy, LLC, broke ground > today for > an innovative pilot-scale biorefinery and state-of-the-art research > and > development facility for cellulosic ethanol, or ethanol from non-food > sources. > > DuPont Danisco and the University of Tennessee on fast track to > complete > construction and begin production in 2009 > > (VONORE, Tenn.) October 14, 2008 ? DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol > LLC > (DDCE) and the University of Tennessee (UT) Research Foundation, > through > Genera Energy, LLC, broke ground today for an innovative pilot-scale > biorefinery and state-of-the-art research and development facility for > cellulosic ethanol, or ethanol from non-food sources. > > On hand to celebrate the event were Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen > and > numerous other state and local officials as well as Tennessee > Senator Bob > Corker and U.S. Representatives Zach Wamp and John J. Duncan, Jr. In > 2007 > Governor Bredesen and the State Legislature supported the project > with a > $70.5 million commitment including $40.7 million for biorefinery > construction. Those funds are being combined with a substantial > investment > from DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol to construct the high-tech > research > facility. > > ?This morning, we held our first-ever Summit on Clean Energy > Technology in > Knoxville, and now we are here to break ground on this world-class > pilot > biofuel refinery,? said Bredesen. ?When it comes to facing the > challenges of > the future, Tennessee isn?t just talking the talk about clean energy > technology, we?re walking the walk, rolling up our sleeves and > getting to > work. The bottom line is that this plant and this partnership are > going to > do a lot of good for Tennessee?s future.? > > The pilot-scale biorefinery is expected to be a catalyst for a new > biofuel > industry for the state. Utilizing DDCE's leading cellulosic ethanol > technology and the UT Institute of Agriculture?s world-class > expertise in > cellulosic feedstock production and co-product research, the > facility will > produce cellulosic ethanol as a transportation fuel from two different > non-food biomass feedstocks: corn stover (cobs and fiber) and > switchgrass. > > ?I am proud of the role the University of Tennessee is playing in this > initiative. It is an important part of our responsibility and our > mission as > a land-grant university ? to impact the state?s economy and serve the > public, in addition to educating the young people of Tennessee,? > said UT > President John Petersen. ?Thanks to Governor Bredesen and his > willingness to > make a bold commitment to economic development, we stand here today > at the > very forefront of biofuel research. I believe the result of that > foresight > and the return on that investment can be enormous for the people of > Tennessee.? > > The pilot plant and process development unit (PDU) will be > constructed in > the Niles Ferry Industrial Park. A PDU is a research facility that > enables > both experimentation at larger-than-laboratory scale and more rapid > adjustments to process components. With a plant capacity of 250,000 > gallons > of cellulosic ethanol annually, the facility is expected to produce > cellulosic ethanol by the end of 2009. > > ?DuPont Danisco has the technology package that will lead the way in > the > market,? said DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol LLC President Joseph > Skurla. > ?We are ready to scale-up, we have economics that can?t be beat and, > with > the University of Tennessee and the farmers of this great state, we > have a > winning team that is going to help deliver sustainable, non-food > biofuels to > the market on an accelerated schedule.? > > The University has also invested state research dollars to develop > switchgrass as a dedicated cellulosic energy crop. Sixteen east > Tennessee > farmers ? all of whom were scheduled to attend the groundbreaking ? > participated in the first round of sponsored switchgrass production. > The > farmers worked a combined 723 acres in 2008 as part of the > University?s > research into supply chain logistics for cellulosic biorefineries. > > The first fruits of the spring planting, bales harvested from about > three > acres, were on display during the groundbreaking. In two more years > the > switchgrass established this year will produce even more biomass per > acre, > and the harvested switchgrass will be used as feedstock for the > biorefinery. > > The pilot plant is also designed to convert corn stover from western > Tennessee to ethanol. Corn stover is the plant material left in the > field > after the grain is harvested for use as food or feed for livestock. > The > biorefinery?s construction and switchgrass production are the first > major > components of the UT Biofuels Initiative, a farm-to-fuel business plan > developed by UT Institute of Agriculture researchers. The Initiative > models > a biofuels industry with multiple commercial facilities supplied by > locally > grown feedstock and capable of supplementing 30 percent of Tennessee's > current petroleum consumption. > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 4 > Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2008 10:05:11 -0400 > From: Jimmy Dorff > Subject: [Biofuels_Interest_Group] Yikes! what came out at Angier Ave. > pump > To: Members at bullcitybiodiesel.org > Cc: "biofuels_interest_group at lists.emji.net" > > Message-ID: <49008497.4050004 at gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed > > I stopped by Bull City Biodiesel Angier Ave. B100 pump this morning to > see if there was any fuel yet (last week it pumped only air). I > pumped > a squirt of "something" into my tank. I'm hoping it was biodiesel.. > but > after the squirt the pump only dispensed air. I'm really hoping the > ounce or so of "something" wasn't water or dirt (or both). > > I'm appreciate any advice. I'm considering having the fuel filter > changed asap to be safe. Any other suggestions ? > > As a side note, it would be REALLY nice if BCBD could communicate that > the tank is empty. Perhaps a sign, or a bag over the pump, or an > e-mail, or any sort of communication at all! > > Thanks, > Jimmy > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 5 > Date: Sat, 25 Oct 2008 23:41:36 -0400 > From: "John Bonitz" > Subject: [Biofuels_Interest_Group] Off-Topic: funny discovery about > the new Ford hybrid car... > To: BIG > Message-ID: > <84a57a420810252041tf5a9232l99967423189820b at mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > Friends, > > While googling this evening I discovered something quite funny about > Ford's new hybrid car, the "Kuga," unveiled at last year's Frankfurt > Auto Show. > http://autoshows.ford.com/171/2007/10/01/ford-kuga-new-crossover-started-as-iosis-concept-ready-to-hit-the-road/ > > In several languages Kuga is the word for bubonic plague! This is > not a joke! > > If you don't believe me, try the google language tool to see for > yourself: I found it on a Croatian website, but I think the same > meaning applies in Serbian and Slovenian, too.) > > Fortunately for U.S. homeland security, the Kuga is only available in > Europe. (THAT was a joke.) I guess the incompetence at Ford is not > limited to their U.S. operations! > > cheers! > -- > John Bonitz > Silk Hope, NC > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > Biofuels_Interest_Group mailing list > Biofuels_Interest_Group at lists.emji.net > http://lists.emji.net/mailman/listinfo/biofuels_interest_group > > End of Biofuels_Interest_Group Digest, Vol 39, Issue 2 > ******************************************************