Larry Fillmer and Steve Taylor attend 2008 Annual Meeting of the Energy Council

Auburn University's Mobile Biomass Gasification Unit used to demonstrate conversion of biomass into electrical power, heat, and liquid fuels.

On September 25^th and 26^th, Mr. Larry Fillmer, Executive Director of the Natural Resources Management & Development Institute at Auburn University and Dr. Steve Taylor, Director of the Center for Bioenergy and Bioproducts attended the 2008 Annual Meeting of The Energy Council in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.  The Energy Council is a legislative organization comprised of eleven member states and six international affiliates drawn from the major energy producing regions of the United States and Canda.  It provides a forum for discussion government policies regarding energy and the environment.

Dr. Taylor was among the presenters and addressed attendees on the subject of biomass gasification as part of a discussion on commercialization of biofuels technologies.

Biomass gasification technology is one of the platforms available for conversion of biomass to electrical power, heat, and liquid fuels.  While research and development projects are finding ways to refine and implement large-scale gasification systems, small-scale systems are being used today to successfully convert agricultural and forest wastes to electrical power and heat.  Modular downdraft gasification units are available to convert on-site residues like agricultural processing wastes, small-diameter trees and logging residues, and municipal green waster into on-site power and heat.

Dr. Taylor’s presentation included a demonstration biomass gasification and power generation using Auburn University’s Mobile Biomass Gasification Unit.  The unit, sponsored in part by Alabama Power, travels widely for both research and demonstration purposes.

To learn more about biomass gasification or Auburn University’s Mobile Unit, contact Dr. Steve Taylor at taylost@auburn.edu or visit our website at www.nrmdi.auburn.edu.

Auburn Energy Partner, Fultondale, AL, receives significant energy grant

Auburn University's Mobile Biomass Gasification Unit will be used to convert muncipal green waste to energy as part of a unique alternative energy project in Fultondale, AL.

Last week, Fultondale was one of several Alabama communities awarded a significant grant from the Alabama Department of Environmental and Community Affairs in support of a unique alternative energy project involving Auburn University.

Fultondale, an Auburn Energy Partner, will work with researchers from the Center for Bioenergy and Bioproducts (part of the Natural Resources Management & Development Institute) to determine the feasibility of turning municpal green waste into energy.

Adam Smith covered the story for The North Jefferson News.  Following is an excerpt from his story:

Larry Fillmer, executive director of the Natural Resources Management & Development Institute at Auburn University, said the city’s affiliation with the school is part of the Auburn Energy Partners Program. “We work with communities and small businesses to help find solutions to provide low cost applications for producing power, biofuels and using natural resources in the state to do that,” he said.

 The university’s mobile gasification unit is co-sponsored by Alabama Power who provides funds to support travel throught the region to explore new energy opportunities.

 Fillmer said the mobile unit would likely be at the landfill site for a brief period of time and return at a later date for more extensive research. He said the goal is to provide the city with long-term energy solutions.

To read Adam Smith’s entire story, visit the North Jefferson News online.

To learn more about the Auburn Energy Partner’s Program, contact Steve Taylor, the director of the Center for Bioenergy and Bioproducts at (334) 844-3534 or visit our website at www.nrmdi.auburn.edu.

Six Alabama Communities Receive Funds for Alternative Fuel Projects

“We were very pleased to learn this week that of the six community grants awarded by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs for alternative energy and biofuels projects, five were associated with Auburn University. 

The grants for Fultondale, Enterprise and Henry County are the result of joint efforts by the Auburn University Center for Bioenergy and Bioproducts, under the direction of Dr. Steve Taylor, who directs the Center, Mr. Mark Hall, Regional Extension Agent for Renewable Energy for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, and staff members from each of the municipalities involved. 

The Fultondale project will employ our mobile gasification unit to help evaluate opportunities for converting municipal green waste into electricity and eventually liquid fuels.  Today, the green waste material goes to a landfill. 

Both the Enterprise and Henry County projects involve collecting and recycling used cooking oil and converting it into biodiesel.  We also have similar projects currently underway with the City of Gadsden and on campus.  All three projects represent initial steps to use the abundant resource available in Alabama for renewable energy and biofuels produced from materials other than petroleum.  We celebrate the willingness of these communities to work with us to find solutions for our growing energy issues.”

Larry Fillmer
Executive Director
Natural Resources Mangament & Development Institute
Auburn University

To learn more about these alternative fuel projects, contact: Steve Taylor of the Center for Bioenergy and Bioproducts at Auburn University, or Mark Hall of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, or visit our website at: www.nrmdi.auburn.edu.

Enterprise, AL: An Auburn Energy Partner

This week, the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs awarded six grants to communities around the state.  Five of those six grants were associated with Auburn University.  One community identified to receive a $200,000 grant was Enterprise, Alabama. 

Kelly Tabor covered the story for the Enterprise Ledger.  Check it out below:

Enterprise Wins Biodiesel Grant

By Kelly Tabor

Published: September 18, 2008

Governor Bob Riley awarded the City of Enterprise a $200,000 grant this week to help pay for a facility to convert cooking oil into biodiesel fuel for the city’s vehicles.

Auburn University’s Center for Bioenergy and Bioproducts will assist with the process of the producing the fuel which can then be used to power Enterprise’s 220-vehicle fleet and diesel equipment for less than $1 per gallon. Biodiesel is a non-petroleum-based fuel made by chemically altering vegetable oil, which can then be used alone, or blended with conventional diesel, in diesel-engine vehicles.

Public Works Director Jimmy Kilgore said the city will follow through with plans to collect used cooking oil, supplied mainly by local restaurants and possibly individual residents, and process it into a 20 percent biodiesel blend.

“There’s a lot to do. We’ve got to look at municipal rules and regulations, work up specifications and open up bidding,” said Kilgore, who hopes to have the facility running in less than a year. “We’ll be busy updating the filters on these vehicles so they’re up to speed. But it’s a good challenge and I’m enjoying it.”

Mayor Kenneth Boswell, who had expected the city to receive the grant, saw a low turnout last month when he called restaurant owners to a special meeting to discuss the oil collection plan. Kilgore said more people have since come on board with the project after realizing it would eliminate costs for having the used oil hauled away and for clearing out grease traps.

“I had 650 gallons delivered by an Enterprise resident just yesterday,” said Kilgore. “It should give them some pride to know they’re benefitting the city. When we reduce our costs, it will decrease theirs.”

Other grants totaling $900,000 were awarded to Bay Minette, Fultondale, Henry County, Lee County and Tuscaloosa, each of which will work with a state university on biofuel or alternative energy projects. The results will hopefully inspire other governments to replicate the technology, reducing fuel and energy costs and building revenue, according to a press release from Riley’s office announcing the grants.

“Innovative approaches are needed to make our nation energy independent and to free us from our dependence on foreign oil,” Riley said in the release. “By generating alternative energy from renewable sources, these projects will serve as an example that other governments may follow to cut energy costs and stretch taxpayer dollars.”

The grants, which were awarded from the Alabama Research Alliance Trust Fund, are being administered by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. According to the governor’s press release, interest earned from the $10 million trust fund is used to support alternative energy research in Alabama.

To learn more about the Auburn Energy Partner’s Program contact: Steve Taylor, Director of the Center for Bioenergy and Bioproducts or Mark Hall, Renewable Energy Specialist, Alabama Cooperative Extension System.

NRMDI’s Larry Fillmer and Steve Taylor part of trade delegation to South America

Larry Fillmer, Executive Director of the Natural Resources Management & Development Institute, and Steve Taylor, Director of the Center for Bioenergy and Bioproducts, have recently returned from a ten day trip to South America as part of a trade mission led by Alabama Agriculture and Industries Commissioner Ron Sparks.

The purpose of the mission was to meet with agricultural, biofuel, and agribusiness companies in order to identify opportunities to link Alabama agriculture with its counterparts in Brazil and Argentina.

In addition to trade opportunities, the delegation examined opportunities to heat poultry houses with biomass and the production of ethanol from sugar cane.

The delegation met with cattle ranchers and commodity producers from the Buenos Aires province of Argentina. After the visit in Argentina, Commissioner Sparks’ delegation traveled to Brazil and met with agribusiness companies currently utilizing Alabama products/technology in their production practices.

The State of Alabama will host a delegation of Argentine leaders in October.

Below, please find a bulleted summary of trip highlights and observations provided by Larry Fillmer:

OVERVIEW OF STATE OF ALABAMA
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & INDUSTRIES
SOUTH AMERICA TRADE MISSION
SEPTEMBER 4 -14, 2008

ARGENTINA:

• Visited Buenos Aires, Canuelas, Santa Susana, and Parana Delta
• Met with cattle ranchers, commodity producers and Vice Governor of Buenos Aires Province
• Predominantly agricultural economy (Soybeans, Corn, Wheat, Sunflower, Beef)
• Government has power to manipulate markets
• Largest export soybeans
• Strong commercial ties to China, India, Europe and Southeast Asia
• Potential collaboration on biofuels and purchase of Alabama products

 

BRAZIL:

• Visited Cascavel, Toledo, Palotina, Foz do Iguacu, Piracicaba and Rio de Janeiro
• Economic outlook – Vibrant
• COPACOL Tilapia processing plant – using many techniques developed by Auburn University Fisheries Department
• C.VALE Cooperative
• o Grain and feed mill processing
• o Poultry processing
• o Heavy utilization of biomass (eucalyptus) in processing operations
• ARCA DE NOE Farm – Self sufficient broiler houses (gasification of eucalyptus) grown on farm

UNIVERSIDADE DE SAO PAULO

• o Agriculture, Forestry, Environmental Management
• o Significant involvement with Brazilian biofuels industry
• o Close ties with Auburn University Colleg of Agriculture and School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences
• o Discussed possibility of collaborative agreement on bioenergy research (past agreement with Fisheries Department)

INTERNATIONAL PAPER – Mogi Guacu

• o Eucalyptus Forest (Total of 250K acres in Brazil)
• o Laboratory and Nursery
• o Trees used exclusively for paper not biomass for fuel
• o Grow to harvest in approximately 7 years
• o Hybrid development – self pruning, disease and insect resistance, drought tolerance and rapid growth
• o Continuous improvement process with a pipeline of 30 years

COSAN ETHANOL AND SUGAR PLANT – Piracicaba

• o Plant built in mid 1930s for sugar production
• o Ethanol production started in mid 1970s
• o Production switches between sugar and ethanol depending upon market prices
• o 100K acres of sugar cane immediately surround plant
• o From harvest to production in average of 11 hours
• o Continuous process – 24/7/365
• o Fermentation process used for ethanol production – similar to brewery
• o Annual production approximately 50 million gallons
• o Capital investment for ethanol production approximately $200 million

 SOME OBSERVATIONS ABOUT BIOFUEL PRODUCTION IN BRAZIL

• o Virtually energy independent from liquid fuel perspective
• o 90 % of cars are “FlexFuel” and very few SUVs
• o Majority of focus is on ethanol but not ignoring biodiesel
• o Sugar cane is the “Regionally appropriate feedstock”
• o COSAN has 19 ethanol plants in Brazil
• o Would like to export more to U. S. and Alabama

The Water Energy Matrix: An Interview with Mike Kensler

In June, Mike Kensler of the AU Water Resources Center gave a presentation on the linkages between water and energy at the southern regional meeting of the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI) in Orlando, Florida.  Afterwards, he was interviewed for the NCASI podcast series concerning the relationship of biomass energy to water metrics.  Discussed was the relationship of bio mass production and water availability, the relationship between biomass production and water quality and the relationship between bio-mass policy and water quality and availability.  Listen to a podcast of that interview here.