Following in step with Boeing’s prophecy for future aviation biofuels, the Department of Defense (DOD) has awarded a $1.1 million contract to Shell Oil to produce synfuel for the U.S. Air Force and one NASA facility. The contract, signed on June 6th, requires Shell to produce and ship 315,000 gallons of synfuel through August 1-31, 2007.

What, you might ask, is ’synfuel’? As noted previously, ’synfuel’ is a synthetic fuel most commonly made from coal or natural gas. Ok, master of the obvious I know, but let me provide a little more detail: coal, natural gas, or in some cases, biomass, can be converted into a mixture of gases through a process known as gasification. Gasification is basically burning something (at >400 C) in the presence of a limited amount of oxygen to produce a specific mixture of gases, namely carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), and hydrogen (H2).

Ok, stay with me here, and don’t forget about the carbon dioxide that’s produced during gasification - that’s important.

This gaseous mixture of CO, CO2, and H2 is the precursor to making synthetic liquid diesel fuel (synfuel), via another production method known as the ‘Fischer Tropsch‘ process. The reaction uses a catalyst to convert carbon monoxide and hydrogen into hydrocarbon chains, which composes the basic structure of diesel fuel. This is a historically important process: German researchers Franz Fischer and Hans Tropsch developed the reaction in 1923, and it provided Nazi Germany with as much as 124,000 barrels of synthetic diesel per day during WWII (1).

To recap:

Coal =(gasification)=> CO + H2 + CO2
CO + H2 =(Fischer Tropsch)=> synthetic diesel + CO2

Now, keep that in mind as we jump back to the Air Force, which plans on testing synthetic diesel in a 50/50 blend with regular jet fuel:

“The acquisition of these 315,000 gallons of synthetic fuel this year is one more step toward meeting the Air Force goal of testing and certifying the entire fleet for use of the fuel by 2010. Additional acquisitions of synthetic fuel will be made for testing and certification over the next three years. The ultimate goal of the Air Force is to acquire 50 percent of its [Continental United States] fuel by 2016 from domestic sources producing a synthetic fuel-blend and using carbon capture and sequestration technology,” said William C. Anderson, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Environment & Logistics.”

Boeing’s prediction seems right on the money: The short-term fuel replacement, at least for the Air Force, will be synthetic diesel. Whether or not that’s a good idea is hazier. Synfuel actually burns a bit cleaner than regular fuel, because it doesn’t contain the sulfur and aromatics contained in diesel. But there’s one major problem, if you remember the chemical equation above. The standard conversion of coal to synthetic fuel nearly doubles life-cycle emissions of the fuel it replaces. If synthetic diesel from coal was widely implemented for air travel, it would double the greenhouse gas emissions for that form of travel.

Fortunately, according the the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), this problem could be mitigated or even overcome by the use of biomass as a feedstock, instead of coal. NREL states in one report that synfuel from biomass can be ‘largely carbon neutral’. (3)

While a transition to synthetic aviation fuel seems inevitable, it must once again be highlighted that the sustainability of alternative fuels depends entirely on their source materials and production methods. Nevertheless, welcome to the future of aviation…

Southwest Nebraska News: Synfuel Contract Awarded by Defense Department (June 11, 2007)
(1) U.S. DOE: The Early Days of Coal Research
(2) U.S. DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy: Catalytic Conversion
(3) NREL: Improving the technical, environmental and social performance of wind energy systems using biomass-based energy storage
(4) Clean Diesel from Coal A novel catalytic method could let you fill up your tank with coal-derived diesel, cutting U.S. dependence on foreign oil.

Another municipality has discovered the potential of small-scale biodiesel production. Utah State University (USU), in conjunction with the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), has decided to experiment with growing oil-seed crops in the grassy medians dividing I-15.

The unusual idea came from Dallas Hanks, a 44-year-old biologist who is working on his doctoral degree at USU. With an initial $50,000 boost fromUDOT , Hanks aims to prove the 2,500 miles of state-owned highway right-of-way could yield an annual average of 500,000 gallons of 100 percent biodiesel, also known as B100.”

Maintaining those ubiquitous, out-of-place strips of lawn comes at a surprising price - over a million dollars each year in mowing costs alone - and keeping that grass weed-free (as if that was really necessary) generally involves considerable herbicide applications. In the spirit of turning liabilities into assets, converting that sod into a renewable fuel source would have substantial benefits. USU and UDOT’s researchers plan on starting out with a 1 mile test strip of various oil-seed crops, which will later be compared on a productivity basis to a flat, fertile farm plot.

Hanks, a former Utah Valley State College biology instructor, said he conservatively estimates planting swaths of safflower, camelina, canola and perennial flax will save about $1.6 million per year in mowing costs. UDOT officials said they wouldn’t know the total taxpayer savings until the project’s first-year experiment is finished.”

“It’s really a great opportunity to show some leadership,” said UDOT Executive Director John Njord.
By addressing efficiency, energy development and climate-change concerns, the project “has it all,” said Laura Nelson, Huntsman’s energy policy adviser.”

State agencies in Utah recently began pushing for innovation and conservation under the Governor’s order to increase energy efficiency 20% by 2015. If this experiment is successful, UDOT plans on using biodiesel produced from the freeway crops (or FREE-Diesel) in government vehicles.

For more information, see the Salt Lake Tribune.

My personal take:

This is about as cool as San Francisco’s recent decision to start making biodiesel from the city’s used restaurant oil. Depending on how much energy is used in the production of the crops, UDOT has the potential to reduced CO2 emissions by several million tons each year.

Has your city started producing its own biodiesel? If so, I’d be interested to hear and/or write about it.

This post is out of date! See the new version at Gas 2.0: Biodiesel Mythbuster 2.0: Twenty-Two Biodiesel Myths Dispelled (Apr. 2008)

Editor’s note: Our first installment of Green Myth-Busting comes from GO’s resident biofuels expert Clayton Bodie Cornell. As I’ve come to expect from Clayton, he’s covered the subject very thoroughly!

The poster-child for biofuels, biodiesel, is easily the most popular alternative fuel available. Despite the best efforts of biodiesel enthusiasts, the fuel is still engulfed in a morass of misinformation. This Myth-Buster is intended to dispel some of the most common myths associated with using biodiesel - the myths that may keep you from using the fuel.

In case you’re new to the topic, biodiesel is a renewable fuel made from plant oils and occasionally animal fat. It can be made from both used and unused sources of oil, such as freshly-pressed soybean oil, or oil left-over from the deep fryer at your local burger joint. Biodiesel can only be used in diesel engines - no gasoline engines allowed. Biodiesel can be blended into regular diesel in any amount, such as 20% biodiesel/80% diesel (B20), or used pure 100% (B100, aka ‘neat’). As a disclaimer, this post does not address homemade biodiesel (aka homebrew), which usually does not meet the quality standards of ASTM-certified biodiesel.

MYTH: Biodiesel is ethanol (or vice versa).
FACT: Ethanol and Biodiesel are completely different. Ethanol is a fermentation product, primarily made from corn grain and sugarcane. Biodiesel is chemically-converted fat or oil. Ethanol is blended into gasoline. Biodiesel is blended into diesel fuel.

MYTH: Ethanol is better than biodiesel.
FACT: We shouldn’t bicker over this - biodiesel has clear environmental, energetic, and sustainability advantages over corn-grain ethanol. Read on.

MYTH: You must convert your vehicle to run biodiesel.
FACT: Let me describe the conversion process: Drive to the nearest biodiesel pump, put the spout in the side of the car, and pump the biodiesel into your fuel tank (provided it’s diesel). That’s it. You can use biodiesel in any diesel engine without modification. In fact, if you own a diesel vehicle you can fill it up today with 100% biodiesel (B100) and should experience no problems whatsoever. Let me repeat this: you can use ANY amount of biodiesel, from B2 to B100, in a diesel engine with NO modification to the engine. This myth is commonly perpetuated by the hypothetical possibility that biodiesel will clean out diesel sludge that has accumulated in older fuel lines. If you drive an old diesel vehicle, this hypothetically could happen and your fuel filter could subsequently clog. I’ve never actually heard of this happening and can easily be avoided by switching out the fuel filter after a few tanks of biodiesel (take it to your local Jiffy Lube). My 25 year old Datsun pickup truck did just fine when I switched to B100.

MYTH: You have to be a diesel mechanic to use biodiesel.
FACT: No, all you have to do fill up with a different fuel, just like switching between regular and premium.

MYTH: Biodiesel will wreck your engine.
FACT: Nope. This is completely false. There have been reports of biodiesel damaging gasoline engines, and that’s why some mechanics rail against using the fuel - they’ve had to deal with these hapless folks, but we already covered that. Engine manufacturers are especially cautious about new fuels, but some of biggest names in the diesel world (like Cummings) have cleared B20 from doing any harm. Biodiesel and diesel fuel are similar in chemical structure and have similar properties, so they burn similarly in diesel engines. But biodiesel has some specific advantages. Biodiesel adds significant lubricity to the fuel (something that sulfur formally did in diesel fuel, but has since been reduced, hence low-sulfur diesel), reducing engine wear and reportedly extending engine life. Biodiesel has a higher cetane number (higher ignitability) and combusts more completely. Biodiesel is also a good solvent and will clean out diesel fuel residue left in the fuel tank and lines. Over time, because it’s such a good solvent, biodiesel can degrade rubber fuel lines and gaskets. Most post-1990 vehicles don’t have rubber lines and gaskets, but some older vehicles do. I have driven for a year now on B100 and B50 with no visible deterioration of my rubber fuel lines.

MYTH: Biodiesel will cause a noticeable power decrease.
FACT: Biodiesel contains about 8% less energy per gallon than petroleum diesel. For someone using B20, this means a 1-2% loss in power, torque, and fuel efficiency. To put things into perspective, that’s about a 2 mph difference on the freeway at 55. Millions of miles of onroad tests (aka trucking) have shown that B20 and diesel are practically indistinguishable. B100 users may notice a slight drop in fuel mileage, but torque and power are usually comparable. I have noticed a 1-3 mpg drop in fuel efficiency running B100. As an FYI, biodiesel has the highest BTU (energy) content of any alternative fuel (falling somewhere between diesel #1 and #2).

MYTH: Biodiesel use will void your warranty.
FACT: Some manufacturers have approached biodiesel cautiously, but now almost everyone recognizes B20 as a viable fuel, and it should not void warranties. According to the National Biodiesel Board (NBB), “The use of biodiesel in existing diesel engines does not void parts and materials workmanship warranties of any major US engine manufacturer.” Apparently, Federal law prohibits the voiding of a warranty just because biodiesel was used - it must be the cause of the damage. Warranties generally don’t cover problems caused by external sources, i.e. bad fuel, but can’t be voided if the problem was unrelated (see NREL’s Biodiesel Handling and Use Guidelines p. 53). Most manufacturers support B5 or B20, but that doesn’t mean they prohibit higher blends. Double-check with your manufacturer. I know some manufacturers haveexplicitly stated they won’t support higher biodiesel blends.

MYTH: Biodiesel doesn’t work in cold weather.
FACT: Ok, so maybe you read my personal experience with biodiesel in cold weather [post] - let me reiterate that operator error led to the breakdown. It’s true that biodiesel clouds up (starts to freeze) at higher temperatures when compared to regular diesel, and therefore it’s important to use a lower blend of biodiesel in the winter. B100 can be used down to about 40 degrees F, B50 between 20-40 degrees F, and B20 below that. Remember that the cold-flow properties (as they’re called) vary depending on what the biodiesel is made from (feedstocks with more saturated fat, like coconut oil or animal fat tend to freeze earlier). Local producers should be able to give you more information about this, though most biodiesel you will find is going to be good ol’ soy biodiesel. I typically use B100 between March and November, then switch to B50 for the winter, unless I plan on hitting much colder temperatures (I mean anything approaching 0 F).

MYTH: Biodiesel is hard to find.
FACT: Biodiesel is likely to be readily available in your area. The first thing is to check is if there’s a retail pumping station nearby. Try the National Biodiesel Board’s Station locator map, or search by city on the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s website. If you can’t find a station, there may be a biodiesel cooperative in the area that resells wholesale fuel. Biodiesel is the most widely available renewable fuel and can be found in most major metropolitan areas.

MYTH: Biodiesel is too expensive.
FACT: Biodiesel generally costs around $2.80 to $3.30/gallon. Last time I checked, regular gasoline in some parts of California was $3.70/gallon! Biodiesel is nearly price competitive with premium gasoline, and certainly won’t seem that expensive in the middle of summer.

MYTH: Biodiesel requires more energy to produce than is provided by the fuel.
FACT: The vast majority of literature out there shows a positive energy balance, meaning that more energy is produced in the fuel than is used to grow the crop, press the seeds, process the oil into biodiesel, and distribute the product. The most common numbers I’ve seen say about 2-3x more energy is produced, or 1 unit of energy in equals 2-3 units of energy out. [don't leave it to me, see for yourself: (1), (2)]. Compare this to corn-grain ethanol, which optimistically produces 25% more energy than is put into it (1 unit in equals 1.25 units out).

MYTH: Biodiesel’s increases net emissions when the entire production process is taken into account (farming, distribution, etc).
FACT: According to the University of Minnesota in 2006 (1), the production and use of soybean biodiesel decreases life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 41% over regular diesel, and also decreases other pollutants like Carbon monoxide, PM10, and SOx. To compare, the life-cycle of corn-grain ethanol reduces GHG emissions by 12% and actually increases emissions of five major pollutants.

MYTH: Biodiesel causes deforestation of the rain forest.
FACT: You may have read my posts on biodiesel destroying the Brazilian and Malaysian rain forests. What’s true there is not true in the United States. The US already produces a great deal of biodiesel from domestically-grown soybeans. But don’t forget that biodiesel can be made from many other feedstocks, like rapeseed (Canola) and waste-vegetable oil (WVO). In some areas, WVO is the primary source for making biodiesel. Like any other crops, these can be grown sustainably or unsustainably.

MYTH: Biodiesel exhaust smells bad.
FACT: Well, this one is personal preference. I have had people tell me that they think the smell is disgusting (as if they would prefer diesel exhaust). I think B100 exhaust smells great. Sort of like french fries but somehow…cleaner, and not as potentially nauseating. One thing is certain: once you know what it smells like you’ll grin from ear to ear whenever you catch a whiff.

MYTH: Biodiesel exhaust produces more harmful emissions than diesel.
FACT: Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel that has completed all the testing requirements of the Clean Air Act. Biodiesel contains oxygen and burns more completely than diesel fuel, hence reduced emissions. All major pollutants are reduced dramatically in biodiesel exhaust (most of them at least 50% for B100), except one (NOx), and that’s only for blends over B20 (see my post on the subject). B20 reduces air toxics (the most damaging pollutants for human health) by 20-40%, while B100 reduces them by as much as 90%. Sulfur oxides and sulfates (major contributors to acid rain) are almost completely eliminated. The only caveat is that nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions can increase up to 10% with B100. If you would like to evaluate this for yourself, see the National Biodiesel Board’s emissions fact sheet. New diesel technology has the potential to eliminate this problem.

MYTH: Diesel engines are more polluting than gasoline engines, so selling my car and buying a diesel is a bad idea.
FACT: It’s true that traditional diesel engines are 10-100x more polluting than their gasoline counterparts. New model diesel engines, however, are more efficient and have advanced catalytic converters allowing them to approach the emissions ofcomparable gasoline models. When combined with biodiesel newer engines should offer significant emissions reductions. Additionally, older diesels are currently in use and will continue to be used (due to long engine life). Switching these vehicles to biodiesel still provides tangible benefits. While local air pollution is an important consideration, so are greenhouse gas emissions. Biodiesel offers a significant reduction in CO2 emissions.

MYTH: Biodiesel is only used by crazy hippies and Willie Nelson.
FACT: Tell that to the Military, Department of Defense, Postal Service, National Park Service, city governments and school districts across the country, and a whole lot of truckers and farmers who all use and promote biodiesel.
That should be enough information to get you started. The first time you use biodiesel can be a thrilling experience, and I highly recommend it. Clearly, I can’t cover every issue in this post, but don’t stop here. Take a look at the following resources for more information:

Journey To Forever’s Biodiesel resources page (most comprehensive)
National Biodiesel Board (The main industry group)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) - Non-petroleum Based Fuels
National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service - Biodiesel-A Primer

Studies:

(1) Environmental, economic, and energetic costs and benefits of biodiesel and ethanol biofuels
Jason Hill, Erik Nelson, David Tilman, Stephen Polasky, and Douglas Tiffany. PNAS published July 12, 2006, 10.1073/pnas.0604600103

(2) Sheehan et al. May 1998. A Life Cycle Inventory of Biodiesel and Petroleum Diesel for Use in an Urban Bus. NREL/SR-580-24089.

Did I forget something? Let me know and I might be able to expand this list.

Know of a green myth that needs dispelling? Heard something about green living that doesn’t seem quite right? Pass it along, and we may feature it on Green Myth-Busting.

Photo Credit: Clayton B. Cornell (That’s his truck.)

Oregon: Land of good microbrews, biofuels, and… sustainable gas stations?

Back in August of last year, SeQuential Biofuels of Oregon launched the Pacific Northwest’s first retail biofuel station in Eugene. As if that wasn’t admirable enough, the station also serves as a veritable oasis of “renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable design”. Incorporating almost every green building practice I’ve ever heard of (including some that I hadn’t), the project centers on the concept that “commerce and the natural environment can co-exist”. Although this may be troubling to economists everywhere, I assure you, it’s real.

Here are the details:

“Approaching the site, the dominant features are the 244 solar panels that cover the fueling islands and the 4800 plants installed in five inches of soil on the roof of the convenience store. The 33kW solar array will provide 30% to 50% of the electrical power that the station will require annually. The “living roof” will help to control rainwater runoff on the site and will help cool the convenience store during the summer. Other eco-friendly design elements include storm-water detention “bioswales” where plants will filter pollutants from rainwater that rinses the roadways and parking areas and will clean the water before it leaves the site. SeQuential also has made a significant effort to source building materials that are made in the Pacific Northwest region. “

The site was built on a former EPA “Brownfield” site - a location so polluted it was originally abandoned - but you would never believe it today. With it’s moat of living green plants and futuristic-looking solar panels, the station appears more like a NASA space colonization prototype than an old fuel dump. It’s a breath of fresh air in one of I-5’s many roadside industrial sloughs.

Meticulous attention to detail and ecological conscientiousness abounds indoors too. Don’t look too hard for Cheetos, Doritos, or Twinkies - you won’t find them here. The aisles are instead loaded with Kettle chips, freshly-made Cornucopia sand- wiches, and other quality local products. Traditional personal- care items like paper towels have been replaced with brands like Seventh Generation. The fridge is stocked with Northwest beer and wine, and organic dairy products. Even the standard soda machine has been replaced by Blue Sky soda with compostable plastic cups (I was so excited I went straight home and threw my cup in the compost bin). The station also houses an annex of a local coffee and pastry shop with fresh made goods and delicious coffee. It’s the only gas station I’ve ever been to that I didn’t want to leave immediately.

In fact, I make a point of stopping there whenever I can.

In terms of biofuels, the station offers several fueling options including E10 (10% ethanol/ 90% gasoline blend) usable in any gasoline engine, and an E85 blend (85% ethanol and 15% gasoline) for flex-fuel vehicles. There are also three different biodiesel blends: B5 (5% biodiesel, 95% diesel), B20 (20% biodiesel, 80% diesel), and B99 (99% biodiesel, 1% diesel). E10 prices are competitive, and I was fortunate enough to get a 15-cent/gallon discount on biodiesel for attending the opening-day festivities. This made B99 $3.15/ gallon - quite a bargain for a clear conscience.

Hands down, this is one of the coolest projects I’ve ever seen. I managed to snap some photos during the site’s official opening celebration (see my album here). I also met Ian Hill, the station’s project developer and SeQuential Biofuels co-founder, who gave me a short tour of the facility. When I asked where the biodiesel was coming from, he said Sequential was currently processing Eastern-Oregon grown canola (the other side of the Cascades from my previous post on the subject). As far as I’ve been told, most of SeQuential’s biodiesel comes from waste-cooking-oil from companies like Kettle Chips in Salem, Oregon. Yesterday, I emailed Sequential and confirmed this. They also told me that due to a lack of in-state production, SeQuential has already used up this years canola harvest and relies on used-cooking-oil at their SeQuential-Pacific Biodiesel plant. When demand spikes, biodiesel is shipped in from virgin Midwest sources, and all the BioEthanol is brought in by rail. In case you were wondering, fuel prices yesterday were:

• E10 gasoline (10% BIOETHANOL)– $2.39
• E85 BIOETHANOL – $2.89
• B5 diesel (5% BIODIESEL)– $2.75
• B20 BLEND (20% BIODIESEL) – $2.79
• B99 BIODIESEL – $3.29

Visiting the station was an experience that left me feeling charged and optimistic. It really was an experience in the integration of green business, building, and technology. I never thought a gas station would do that to me.

Businesses and individuals are increasingly aware of the impact that their choices have on our economy and on our natural environment,” Hill said. “SeQuential is dedicated to setting an example of responsible, sustainable development and to offering product options that create the most positive impact on people’s lives and communities.”

Take a look for yourself:

• SeQuential Biofuels
• Press Release
• Original News Article
• See more pictures here

An important stumbling block to the
incorporation of B20 biodiesel
(20% biodiesel/80% diesel) into the nation’s fleet of heavy-duty diesels has been concern over nitrogen oxides (NOx), a group of pollutants initially found to increase in biodiesel exhaust. In 2002, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tests concluded that B20 causes a 2% increase in NOx when burned in standard heavy-duty diesel engines, though this figure approaches 10% for higher biodiesel blends. Nitric oxides are produced when nitrogen from the air is drawn into the hot combustion chamber and reacts with oxygen. NOx contribute to acid rain, smog, and ground-level ozone formation. Generally speaking, an acceptable “green” fuel should reduce pollution, not increase it, and running city fleets on B20 where smog is already endemic could be a bad idea.

Good news for biodiesel advocates came from an October 2006 report from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The report not only reviewed the EPA’s work, but also tested 8 heavy-duty diesel vehicles including several transit buses, school buses, Class 8 trucks, and a motor coach. NREL researchers found that smaller vehicle testing showed no significant impact on NOx emissions, while larger trucks varied by engine model:

Our study shows that the NOx impact of B20 varies with engine design, such that some engines show a small increase while others show a small decrease. The EPA’s 2002 review was based on a data set made up primarily of data from one engine model that produces a small NOx increase. EPA uses these data to draw a general conclusion for on-highway engines that B20 causes a 2% increase in NOx,” McCormick said. “The chassis dynamometer testing along with careful review of previously published data suggest that their conclusion is not correct, and that on average B20 has no effect on NOx. According to the report, some state governments had previously considered banning B20 due to concerns over NOx emissions. These new findings may relieve those concerns and increase the proportion of diesel fleets using the renewable fuel blend.

For the vehicles tested, NREL’s experiments also found that B20 caused an average reduction of 16% to 17% for Particulate Matter (PM, i.e. soot) and Carbon Monoxide (CO) emissions, respectively*. Interestingly enough, there was no significant change in emissions between regular diesel and B20 for vehicles equipped with a diesel particulate filter, underscoring the importance of newer technology in reducing diesel-engine emissions.

*Biodiesel also contains no sulfur (a major factor in acid rain caused by sulfuric acid) and, depending on how it’s produced, causes a significant decrease in net CO2 emissions. Higher blends of biodiesel such as B50 or B100 emit 2-3x less CO, PM, and unburned hydrocarbons. To see a complete emissions profile, visit the National Biodiesel Board (NBB).

Photo Credit: National Renewable Energy Laboratory