Tiny acorns – 3 smaller options in biofuels with big potential.
This week, we’ve heard from three groups in Nevada, Wisconsin and North Carolina that have projects and/or results that have the potential to change outcomes and accelerate progress in biofuels.
Start small, go big in biodiesel
In Nevada, International Procurement Tools announced a phased financing that would provide anyone interested in developing a biodiesel facility to start a small facility and swap it out for large unit after 18 months of operation. The initial installation of an 8,000 Metric ton Ultrasonic Cavitation biodiesel production unit is offered at $1.1 million and allows the producer access to a wide variety of feedstock from virgin oils to animal fats and waste vegetable oils with up to 100% FFAs. The unit is shipped in a standard 40 foot container to the site and installed 8 weeks after the order is placed. Production starts two weeks later.
After 18 months of operation and after the newer 80,000 ton unit is installed and tested, IPT will recover the smaller unit and production starts with an installation built around the experience already gained. Since the larger unit is a carbon copy of the original, only ten times larger, scaling up will be both painless and easy. Additional modules can be attached to meet specific issues uncovered during the first stage. Glycerin purifiers, crushing or extraction units, distillation columns, solar power units can be implemented based on experience and demand.
The second stage is offered for $5 million installed for the basic processor which permits it to be bought with the profit generated by the original equipment Certain infrastructure upgrades will have to be taken into consideration.
RFP from the Biofuels Center of North Carolina aims to strengthen North Carolina biobased feedstocks, production, products
In North Carolina, the Biofuels Center of North Carolina has issued an RFP for its 2012-2013 grants program , entitled Strengthening Feedstocks, Production, and Products in Western North Carolina, the Center will award $1,140,000 for competitive, peer-reviewed proposals. These projects and activities support its legislatively mandated mission of implementing North Carolina’s Strategic Plan for Biofuels Leadership. The Center works to implement the state’s biofuels goal: by 2017, 10 percent of North Carolina’s liquid transportation fuels will be grown and produced across the state every year. The Request for Proposals Program and Submission Information can be found on the Biofuels Center’s website. Required pre-proposals are due Monday, 15 October 2012 and, if invited to proceed, detailed proposals are due Monday, 19 November 2012.
Small word changes make big difference in talking about biofuels, ethanol – especially with Democrats
In Wisconsin, a research team at the University of Wisconsin examined public opinion of biofuels — and found that surveyed respondents reacted more favorably to “biofuels” as compared to the term “ethanol.” Also, the research team found that “self-identifying Democrats showing more positive attitudes overall,” and that Democrats fluctuated more than Republicans, “in their assessments depending upon whether they were asked to evaluate “biofuels” or “ethanol.”
Category: Top Stories
