As Pacific Biodiesel celebrates its deal to provide biodiesel to power generators for the state utility Hawaiian Electric Co., the Maui-based green fuel provider is also celebrating the cheapest diesel available at the pump in Hawaii. This article from Maui Now says Pacific Biodiesel’s Hobron fueling station is selling biodiesel for $3.79 per gallon.

Company officials attribute the drop to the falling price of petroleum worldwide.

Representatives with the company say biodiesel is safe for all diesel engines and is registered with the US Environmental Protection Agency as both a fuel and a fuel additive.

Biodiesel is marketed as a cleaner-burning, renewable alternative fuel. The Pacific Biodiesel brand is produced at Big Island Biodiesel from recycled waste vegetable oil.

“A 20% blend of biodiesel offers significant greenhouse gas emission reductions compared with straight fossil diesel,” company officials said in the announcement.

Tell us about your organization and it’s role in the advanced bioeconomy.

Peloton Technologies, LLC specializes in technologies for the production of bio-based fermentable sugars, advanced transportation fuels and biopolymer monomers used in the production of biosynthetic rubber.

Tell us about your role and what you are focused on in the next 12 months.

My primary role as president of the company is to drive technology development and commercialization forward. Liquid fuels remain essential to the US transportation energy infrastructure. Cars, trucks, ships, and aircraft rely on the high energy density of liquid fuels to perform at optimal levels. Chemicals, both commodity and specialty, and polymers are key components of the many commercial, industrial, and consumer products used here and worldwide on a daily basis. All of these are currently highly dependent on the precarious supply of petroleum. Peloton believes in an “all of the above” approach and fully supports domestic oil and gas production, but limited and finite access to these traditional sources, environmental and economic imperatives, and national security concerns mean supply must be addressed by developing alternatives to petroleum-based products.

What do you feel are the most important milestones the industry must achieve in the next 5 years?

Producing next generation energy and chemicals requires novel (but practical) technologies, sustainable and accessible feedstocks, and efficient production methods. When the industry can demonstrate and communicate these as realities, we will have reached a major milestone. Until then, critics have a foundation on which to strike from.

If you could snap your fingers and change one thing about the Advanced Bioeconomy, what would you change?

Reluctance is always a major challenge and certainly reluctance of investors is tangible. Also, reluctance of government, industry, and the public to realize that complex technologies aren’t developed overnight, and to thwart development in low demand times will find us fruitlessly scurrying to expedite product in high demand times.

Of all the reasons that influenced you to join the Advanced Bioeconomy industry, what single reason stands out for you as still being compelling and important to you.

I’m a firm believer in autonomy and minimizing dependence on others for basic needs such as energy and other items crucial for stability and basic survival. Worldwide biomass resources are ubiquitous and Peloton’s technologies can be deployed accordingly to assist countries in becoming more independent and economically viable.

Where are you from? 

I am from the great state of Ohio and love the people and doing business there.

What was your undergraduate major in college, and where did you attend? Why did you choose that school and that pathway? 

I love to hike and listen to live music.

What 3 books would you take to read, if stranded on a desert island?

I’m a big Michael Crichton fan, so any three of his books are fine with me

What books or articles are on your reading list right now, or you just completed and really enjoyed?

Who has time to read?

What’s your favorite city or place to visit, for a holiday?

I don’t really prefer visiting cities so much as small towns. The journey is often as fun or better than the destination, so we often drive to places. I really enjoy historical sites, small mountain towns, and others with historical significance are what I gravitate towards.

 Tell us about your organization and it’s role in the advanced bioeconomy.

Homestead Engineering has been a biodiesel producer and for the past 14 years has sold Yellow Brand Biodiesel, always B-100, retail throughout Western Massachusetts, both packaged and bulk deliveries. For road fuel or for off-road, Yellow Biodiesel comes with full support to assist in any transition to this advanced biofuel.

Tell us about your role and what you are focused on in the next 12 months.

Thomas Leue has been advised by the USPTO that a patent will be awarded in the near future to the Yellow Heat oil burner. Yellow Heat is the only oil burner gun that easily handles unfiltered and un-preheated waste vegetable oil as available from local restaurants. This opens up millions of gallons of low cost fuel to be used for space heating that were mostly unusable by other technologies. Based on Babington technology, the conventional looking burner is a low cost waste oil burner for any liquid oil type fuel. By burning waste vegetable oil, low cost can be matched with low environmental impact and ease of operation. Safer to use than conventional oil burners, burning vegetable oil eliminates the concerns of other waste based fuels, or even conventional fuels that are known to be toxic.

What do you feel are the most important milestones the industry must achieve in the next 5 years?

Homestead Inc. is the development consultant for Northeast Biodiesel Co. located in Greenfield, MA. Opening spring of 2015, NBC will start at the rate of production of 5000 gallons per day. All feedstocks are recycled vegetable oils. Homestead Inc. will be a major retail distributor for the wholesale NBC production.

If you could snap your fingers and change one thing about the Advanced Bioeconomy, what would you change?

I would like to promote the idea that alternative energy is safer and more practical than conventional. Any Diesel engine can get the benefits of biodiesel fuel to reduce impact on climate and reduce wear. Now space heating or industrial process heat can also be based on lower cost and cleaner burning vegetable oil fuel, saving money and the world.

Of all the reasons that influenced you to join the Advanced Bioeconomy industry, what single reason stands out for you as still being compelling and important to you.

I have grandchildren who want to enjoy the world like I always have. I want to tell them I did what I could to reduce my ecological footprint to the extent possible. Saving resources for the future or helping towards cleaner air today, alternative fuels are the best hope for sustainability.

Where are you from? 

Born in Maine, I moved to Texas at 4 years to ride horses and collect wildlife, horny toads and tarantulas, mostly. Now located on an old farm in the Berkshire hills with the fifth generation of my family running around.

What was your undergraduate major in college, and where did you attend? Why did you choose that school and that pathway? 

I studied Ecology at Antioch College. But 3-1/2 years of living in Alaska made me an energy conservation fanatic.

Who do you consider your mentors. What have you learned from them?

My early hero was Pete Seeger. He showed us a way towards right livelihood. My current hero is Chris Martenson, who lives not far from here, learning, like me, to become self sufficient in the things that matter: food and energy production and the value of community.

What’s the biggest lesson you ever learned during a period of adversity?

I burned down my original biodiesel refinery on the farm about 8 years ago. I learned more respect for proper technology and safety. But it was a blessing in disguise for biodiesel is not really a backyard tinker sort of thing. As a current distributor I am able to help others make the transition to a practical alternative energy system and by keeping it local we help others in our community create a degree of self sufficiency and energy independence. Our new biorefinery is owned by hundreds of individuals who have invested in our co-op and will enjoy the benefits of lower costs and lower environmental impact for a more sustainable future. NortheastBiodiesel.com, CoopPower.coop, and YellowBiodiesel.com

What hobbies do you pursue, away from your work in the industry? 

I am not sure they are called hobbies on the farm. Gardening, growing fruit, making cider, raising rabbits and cutting firewood all have a purpose that fill the time at a relaxed pace. It is a kind of lifestyle that harkens back to an earlier time.

What 3 books would you take to read, if stranded on a desert island?

What I actually need is my trusty Ipad and enough batteries and an internet signal to keep in touch with the fascinating world. Lacking those, I would take a bird identification guide, a book on tying knots, and a long Dickens novel.

What books or articles are on your reading list right now, or you just completed and really enjoyed?

The Crash Course by Chris Martenson

What’s your favorite city or place to visit, for a holiday?

The coast of Maine.

US biodiesel leader heads for the EU – what’s up with used cooking oil, and what is REG’s path forward with the German-based biodiesel producer?

In Iowa, Renewable Energy Group and IC Green Energy announced that REG will acquire ICG’s majority equity ownership position in German biodiesel producer Petrotec AG (XETRA: PT8). Closing of the transaction is expected before year end.

REG CEO Dan Oh

Last month, REG CEO Dan Oh told The Digest, “We’re not done growing, that’s for sure! We’ve done something of consequence every quarter. We tend to be product and logistics focused when looking at a new market — right now we are long biomass based diesel, and the two biggest markets are the US and EU, and our strength in lipids might feed into a number of products there.

“But it’s not just a case of looking for a good market, there are lot of good technologies developed overseas, too. We look far and wide, we’ve not done anything but we do state that “we are actively looking”, and we will lead with things we do well, and we want to retain a fantastic group of people that we have built up.”

Deal terms

ICG, Israel Corporation’s vehicle for investing in the alternative energy market, accepted an offer from REG European Holdings B.V. to purchase ICG’s 69 percent equity ownership in Petrotec AG for US $20.9 million, or US $1.235 per share, to be paid in newly issued REG shares valued at the 30 trading day volume-weighted average for the day prior to signing. The REG subsidiary will also purchase ICG’s loan to Petrotec AG in the amount of approximately US $15.4 million.

Next steps

In the next several weeks, REG European Holdings B.V. intends to make a cash tender offer for all other Petrotec shares at a price no less than the value per share to be received by ICG.

More about Petrotec

Petrotec is a fully-integrated company utilizing more than 15,000 collection points to gather used cooking oil and other waste feedstocks to produce biodiesel at its two biorefineries in Emden and Oeding, Germany. Petrotec’s nameplate production capacity is 55.5 million gallons (185,000 MT) per year, produced predominantly from UCO. Petrotec’s collection service, treatment processes, and biorefineries, are certified by both German and European regulators. Its biodiesel is compliant with EU standard EN 14214 and is one of the most sustainable biofuels marketed in Europe.

The company has been benefitting of late from premiums awarded for using waste-based biodiesel that count towards renewable fuel obligations under the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive. Last year, we reported that with the Renewable Energy Directive’s double-counting feature for waste-based biofuels and the proposed quadruple counting for second generation biofuels in the RED reform proposals, Petrotec saw Q2 2013 production rise by 22%.

Back in 2012, we reported that Petrotec had moved into the Spanish market via a local office in Barcelona, after concluding there was existing market for the production of biodiesel from used cooking oil, especially now with the market gap left by policy prohibiting Argentine biodiesel. The company had started collecting used cooking oil and producing biodiesel on a tolling basis.

The company found itself mixed up in a bizarre dioxin scare back in 2011 when Petrotec sold dioxin contaminated fatty acids to an unnamed Dutch company for use as an industrial lubricant. Then, the Dutch intermediary sold the product to Harles and Jentzsh for use in animal feed. HJ mixed the biodiesel waste products into animal feed, leading to the destruction of “thousands of chickens” and instructions to “a thousand farms” to refrain from selling contaminated feed.

About ICG

ICG is best known in the sector as the lead investor in Primus Green Energy, which last year commissioned its 100,000 gallon-per-year natural gas-to-gasoline pre-commercial demonstration plant at its Hillsborough facility.

The demonstration plant utilizes Primus’ proprietary STG+ technology, which is a four-reactor catalytic process that converts syngas derived from natural gas or other feedstocks  to gasoline, jet fuel, diesel or aromatic chemicals directly, without the need for further treatment. The process produces drop-in fuels that are ready for immediate distribution, sale and consumption using the existing fuel distribution infrastructure.

Reaction from REG

“REG’s investment in Petrotec is a natural extension of our business strategy which should enable us to better capture value from international trade flows and to participate in European biofuel markets,” said Daniel J. Oh, REG President and CEO.

“Petrotec’s people, culture, business model and technology are similar to ours at REG. We look forward to working with the Petrotec team as REG expands its business into Europe and further delivers the key benefits of our international industry: energy security and diversity, environmental stewardship and food security.”

More about Petrotec.

Contract manufacturing agreement with DTI speeds Rivertop’s time to market for its novel performance chemicals

In Montana, Rivertop Renewables announced that it has begun construction of its first commercial plant, located at DanChem Technologies’ facility in Danville, Virginia.

DTI, a custom manufacturer of fine and specialty chemical products, is expected to begin production of Rivertop’s sustainable, high performing, cost-competitive, glucaric acid-derived products beginning in the summer of 2015. At full capacity, the plant will produce up to 10 million pounds of product per year.

The initial product line-up

Rivertop’s Riose detergent builder. Designed for the consumer segment of the automatic dishwashing detergent market, the sugar-derived product is an effective detergent builder and enables a lower total cost of formulation.  Detergent builders have several functions in detergents, the most visible of which is improving detergent performance by solubilizing hard water chemicals, thus preventing spotting on glassware.

Headwaters corrosion inhibitor. States, municipalities and snow removal contractors can blend Headwaters with salt brine to help reduce the corrosive impacts of deicer on roads, bridges and vehicles. Derived from renewable sugars, the Headwaters inhibitor is biodegradable, cost-effective and consistently performs at high levels. It is a finalist for Materials Performance magazine’s 2015 Corrosion Innovation of the Year. Rivertop has supplied the Montana Department of Transportation with corrosion inhibitors for the past three winters and is expanding sales beyond Montana this season.

More about Rivertop and its process

The company was recently voted the #3 Hottest Small Comnpany in th Advanced Bioeconomy by the Digest’s readers.

These products are based on salts of glucaric acid. The U.S. Department of Energy has recognized glucaric acid as one of the top 12 “biobased building block chemicals.” Traditional pathways of producing glucaric, other sugar acids and their salts have been costly, energy intensive and environmentally challenging, relegating their use to pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. By applying proven science to renewable resources, Rivertop is creating an abundant and far more economical supply of glucaric acid and other green chemicals and bioproducts.

Rivertop’s Montana Headwaters contracts

In September, we reported that the Montana Department of Transportation selected Rivertop to supply the Headwaters 40F corrosion inhibitor to reduce the corrosive impacts of the low-cost salt de-icer on roads, bridges and vehicles. This is the fourth consecutive year that Rivertop has come up with a winning bid for MDT. Derived from renewable sugars, the Headwaters inhibitor has been demonstrated to perform with a high level of consistency and is cost-effective.

The MDT and other highway departments across the country are increasing their use of brine rather than solid road salt to prevent and eliminate ice and snow build-up on winter roads. Salt brine is inexpensive to produce and easy to apply, melts ice and snow on contact, and can be inhibited against corrosion. The MDT applied over 5 million gallons of brine during the past winter.

“Winning a competitive bid three years in a row is a testament to the quality and performance of our product, as well as our ability to meet MDT’s cost imperatives,” said Mike Knauf, Chief Executive Officer of Rivertop. “By utilizing the Headwaters inhibitor, MDT can help ensure the safety of our state’s drivers while reducing the impact of salt brine on vehicles and infrastructure as well as the pristine natural environment Montanans cherish.”

Rivertop’s big capital raise

In April, we reported that Rivertop had raised $26 million in its Series B investment round from Cargill, First Green Partners and existing investors. AT the time, the company said that it would initially focus on the dishwasher detergent and corrosion inhibitor markets — but would explore additional opportunities from among several large industries including home and personal care products, oil and gas, building and infrastructure, agriculture and food.

At the time we noted that, also last spring, ADM committed to a $25 million equity investment in Rennovia, which develops catalysts and processes for the cost-advantaged production of renewable chemicals, and has an initial focus on bio-based adipic acid and glucaric acid. So, there’s been a sense of “gold rush times” in the glucaric sector.

Reaction from the partners

“Partnering with DTI for contract manufacturing both lowers the cost and speeds time-to-market for our novel performance chemicals,” said Mike Knauf, Rivertop’s CEO. “The volumes produced will enable us to not only meet the needs of our existing customers, but also enable us to unlock new markets with ample supply for testing and co-development with partners.”

“By leveraging our facility which has unique capabilities to manufacture these products very efficiently, Rivertop can accelerate its growth,” said Paul Bacon, President of DTI. “We’re looking forward to helping them serve a real need in the detergent industry for sustainable, high performance chemicals derived from renewable sources.”

About Rivertop Renewables

About DanChem Technologies

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Air and Radiation Acting Assistant Administrator Janet McCabe testified before a House oversight subcommittee today on the agency’s management of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program.

“The EPA recognizes that the delay in issuing the 2014 standards has exacerbated uncertainty in the market for both renewable fuel producers and obligated parties,” said McCabe in her prepared remarks. “Issuing rules every year has proven to be a significant implementation challenge, particularly in the last several years as cellulosic biofuels have continued to face challenges in scaling up to commercial production and the fuel pool has become saturated with E10, raising concerns about the E10 blend wall.”

Facing questioning by lawmakers about the delay and EPA’s pledge to get the standards for 2014, 2015 and 2016 released some time next year, McCabe was unable to provide any time frame when that might be accomplished. Subcommittee Chair James Lankford (R-OK) expressed his doubt EPA can get it done. “My concern is that this is going to come out November 30 of 2015 and we’ll literally have two years in a row that we will not have anything,” he said. “It cannot take that long to promulgate a rule.”

Biofuels organizations reacted to McCabe’s testimony. “While it’s important for EPA to put the annual RFS rulemaking process back on schedule, it’s much more important for the Agency to get the RFS right,” said Brian Jennings with the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE). “We look forward to working with EPA to ensure they use their authority to hold oil companies legally responsible for making cleaner and less expensive renewable fuel choices, such as E15 and E85, available to consumers as they issue the final 2014 rule, and RFS proposals for 2015 and 2016.”

Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis also stressed the importance of EPA getting the methodology right. “The EPA’s proposed rule was flawed from the beginning. There was no way the methodology in the proposed rule would ever work, as it went against the very purpose and policy goals of the RFS,” said Buis. “Hopefully, the EPA can get back on track, establish certainty among stakeholders and implement the RFS as it was originally envisioned.”

Click here to watch the hearing.

Green Power EMC has released an updated curriculum and enhanced in-class learning laboratory featuring solar power. The program was developed by schools participating in their SunPower for Schools partnership program. The curriculum provides solar arrays on school grounds and software for use in the classroom that when used together allow students to monitor real-time data on solar energy production. Currently, 35 middle and high schools in EMC service territories around Georgia are participating in the program.

The program supports STEM standards (science, technology, engineering and math) and includes 57 lesson plans that cover four main areas for middle and high school students: physical science, physics and chemistry; math; life science, biology and environmental science; and earth science. Additional lesson plans are being developed for other subjects and grade levels as well.

“This professionally developed curriculum and upgraded hardware and software not only help students learn about solar energy but also provide a hands-on laboratory to apply math and science standards taught in Georgia schools,” said Green Power EMC President Jeff Pratt. “In addition, we created the curriculum as an off-the-shelf program that teachers can use with a minimum of preparation.”

The new curriculum was developed by the University of West Georgia in partnership with Green Power EMC and was reviewed this summer in a teacher’s workshop in Savannah to test and evaluate the program. Forty-four middle and high school teachers participated in the three-day seminar and provided feedback that is being incorporated into the curriculum. It will be utilized during the 2014 – 2015 school year.

Pratt said Green Power EMC and the EMCs in Georgia who own the renewable energy cooperative hope to further enhance the program in the near future to provide more hands-on learning opportunities for Georgia’s students. “We’re excited to have developed a curriculum that is like no other in the state,” said Pratt. “We expect that teacher and student feedback received during this first year of implementation will allow us to make it even better in future years.”

Three new utility-scale solar farms have been added to North Carolina’s energy mix. The solar projects are located on rural farmland in Erwin, Efland and Hickory, North Carolina and total 18 MW of solar energy. The projects were completed by a partnership of Sol Systems, National Cooperative Bank and Strata Solar. These projects follow the successful deployment of 18.2 MW that went online earlier this year.

“North Carolina is a robust market for tax structured investments, which have been instrumental in stimulating the state’s solar growth,” said Dan Yonkin, director of Tax Equity at Sol Systems. “Equally, in an industry where long-term relationships are essential for keeping transaction costs low, we are vigilant in working with such esteemed partners.”

Sol Systems managed the investment on behalf of an international bank as part of the firm’s tax equity initiative to produce secure, sustainable solar investments for banks, insurance companies, utilities, and Fortune 100 clients. Strata Solar developed the project opportunities provided EPC services, and National Cooperative Bank served as the lender in the transactions.

North Carolina now ranks fourth in the country in terms of installed solar capacity according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. The 2013 Solar Jobs Census counted 3,100 solar jobs in the Tar Heel State, which will likely be even higher for 2014.

“Reliable, long-term relationships are a key component of success in this industry. Strata Solar chooses partners that are credible and allow us to move our business forward with confidence,” said David Scoglio, CFO of Strata Solar. “Sol Systems and NCB are fine examples of some of the partnerships that help us continue to create great opportunities for business development and investment.”

Matthew Wright, Senior Vice President, National Cooperative Bank added, “The solar industry in the United States is booming, and National Cooperative Bank has been committed to supporting this important sector since 2008, having financed over $300 million and 250 Megawatts. We look forward to working with Strata Solar and Sol Systems in the future.”

NRG eVgo has announced plans to expand its comprehensive electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure to Atlanta, Georgia. According to IHS Automotive, Atlanta emerged as the second major metropolitan market for EV sales, following San Francisco. Atlanta is geographically large, meaning most people commute to work, and have a need for a sustainable, reliable charging infrastructure.

NRG eVgo says its DC fast chargers are the fastest chargers available today and can charge an EV in less than 30 minutes. The charging network will be located along major roads in retail locations. The company will also be providing comprehensive EV infrastructure covering workplaces, multi-family buildings, and residences in the Greater Atlanta metropolitan area.

“We are pleased that NRG has chosen to expand its eVgo charging network in the City of Atlanta,” said Mayor Kasim Reed. “Establishing a robust fast-charging network is essential to even broader adoption of electric vehicle use, both here in Atlanta and across the country.”

This fast charging network supports eVgo’s partnership with Nissan to expand the “No Charge to Charge” program to the Atlanta market. Already in 13 markets, “No Charge to Charge” is a first-of-its-kind partnership that provides Nissan LEAF buyers with complimentary 24-month access to the eVgo network, as well as other EV charging networks, using a single EZ-Charge access card.

Arun Banskota, President of NRG eVgo said of the announcement, “Atlanta drivers have embraced cleaner, more efficient vehicles to make their city one of the fastest growing EV markets in the country. Combining Atlanta’s enthusiasm for driving electric with the range confidence of a fast charging infrastructure will create an unbeatable combination that sets the stage for further EV adoption across the metro area and country.”