Oracle Energy Report

Biofuels GREAT for high performance cars!

2008-04-30T00:08:00.001-04:00

Cellulosic ethanol needs to be in the mix of "clean fuels" our country needs. As long as waste agricultural materials are used (waste wood, corn husks etc.), we won't increase food prices.

clipped from domesticfuel.com

Listen to an interview with Tom Slunecka here:

KL Process Design Group was the first company to get a small-scale cellulosic ethanol plant on-line using waste-wood material to produce about 1.5 million gallons of ethanol a year. The company is currently providing teams in the American LeMans Series with an 85 percent cellulosic ethanol racing fuel.

Slunecka explained that there are several different processes that can be used to convert biomass into biofuels. “Our process is a heat and mechanical pre-treatment process. There is a biochemical process, there is a syngas process, and then there are combinations of all the above,” he said. “There is no silver bullet. We’re gonna need them all to produce the amount of fuel that is needed.”

And that would be the amount of cellulosic ethanol required under the energy bill passed by Congress last year. “The Renewable Fuels Standard does require that we have over 21 billion gallons of renewable fuels created from biomass over the next ten years,”

No Bigger Energy Waste

2008-04-20T21:49:00.001-04:00

Technology capable of converting flared gas to usable commodity is worth $50billion/year

clipped from www.theage.com.au

World Bank calls on oil producers to cut $50bn gas fire

THE world's oil producers are wasting more than $50 billion a year of natural gas by burning it off in flares — and adding significantly to the world's greenhouse gas emissions in the process.

The bank said the amount was equivalent to 27 per cent of the entire US consumption of natural gas, and 5.5 per cent of global gas output. Had it been sold in the US at 2006 prices, it would have been worth $US40 billion ($A53 billion at 2006 exchange rates).

"In Africa alone, about 40 billion cubic metres of gas are burned every year, which, if put to use, could generate half the electricity needed in that continent."

The bank is trying to generate common action by all stakeholders to reduce gas flaring, and find markets and infrastructure to put the surplus gas to use.

The Case For Clean Fuel From Coal and Municpal Waste

2008-04-20T10:26:00.002-04:00

It's amazing how long it took people to realize than surrendering farmland to "fuel farm" would drive up the price of food.

clipped from images.google.com

clipped from uk.reuters.com

Biofuels won't solve world energy problem: Shell

The remarks follow protests in Brazil and Europe against fuels derived from food crops. Food shortages and rising costs have set off rioting and protests in countries including Haiti, Cameroon, Niger and Indonesia.

"Now the world is facing a shortage of food," Qatar's Abdullah al-Attiyah said, answering a question at a news conference.

"I don't think we should blame oil, we should blame biofuels."

clipped from uk.reuters.com

But concern over meeting the biofuels targets has fuelled fears that sky-high food prices may rise even further if fertile arable land in Europe is turned over to growing "energy crops".

First-generation biofuels usually come from food crops such as wheat, maize, sugar or vegetable oils. They need energy-intensive inputs like fertilizer, which make it harder to cut emissions contributing to climate change.

Air Force Committing Lots of Land For Fuel Developers

2008-04-19T18:21:00.001-04:00

The Air Force is doing what it can to pave the way for environmentally superior products that are "home grown". They have completed much testing and are providing substantial land and forward contracts to get developers to take part.

clipped from eyeball-series.org

clipped from www.flightglobal.com

USAF to provide facilities for private synthetic fuel development

Commercial synthetic fuel production and research into reducing the carbon dioxide output of the synthesis process could take place at the US Air Force's Malmstrom AFB in Montana under the USAF's Enhanced Use Lease programme.

Work at Malmstrom AFB could include carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) technologies to solve synthetic fuel's CO₂ problem. Carbon capture could involve injecting the waste CO₂ into the ground for storage.

"If the air force is contributing to that research and can liquefy coal and capture the greenhouse gasses and store those safely underground that would be a big boon for [coal-to-liquid] technology," says the US Senate's committee on energy and natural resources.

Meanwhile, the USAF continues its drive to certificate its entire fleet to use synthetic fuel by 2011. A Boeing B-1 bomber flew with synthetic fuel on 19 March.

Air Force Flies Another "Bird" on Coal

2008-04-19T18:06:00.001-04:00

The Air Force is very comfortable using Synthetic fuel now in its aircraft. It's technology of choice to date is fuel synthesized from coal.

clipped from www.flightglobal.com

US Air Force B-1 to fly supersonic on synfuel

The US Air Force plans make the first supersonic flight on synthetic jet fuel this week, using a Rockwell B-1B bomber powered by General Electric F101 afterburning engines.

The flight will be another milestone in USAF plans to certify its entire inventory of aircraft to use a 50:50 blend of synthetic and conventional jet fuel by early 2011.

A B-1B Lancer based at Dyess AFB in Texas will make the supersonic demonstration flight. The USAF has already certified the Boeing B-52 bomber and C-17 airlifter to fly on synthetic fuel.

The B-52 flew with the blended fuel in two engines in September 2006, and all eight engines in December that year. The C-17 completed the first transcontinental flight on blended fuel in December 2007.

the USAF plans to meet half its domestic requirements with US-produced coal-to-liquid synthetic fuel by 2016.

University Creates Fuel Technology for Commercialization

2008-04-19T17:51:00.001-04:00

Universities are a gold mine for great product innovation. Development companies lead the charge to make it work in the commercial marketplace.

clipped from www.bizjournals.com

CleanTech, HFTA sign licensing agreement

CleanTech Biofuels Inc. said Tuesday it entered into a licensing agreement with HFTA of Livermore, Calif., to license technology developed by scientists at the University of California-Berkeley (UCB).

HFTA was formed by the UCB scientists who developed technology using nitric acid to hydrolyze biomass.

University City, Mo.-based CleanTech Biofuels Inc. (OTCBB: CLTH) is a development stage company working on technologies to convert cellulosic material in municipal solid waste, green waste, and other cellulosic waste materials into fermentable sugars for the production of fuel-grade ethanol.

Government Supports Saving Money on Biomass

2008-04-19T17:37:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.energycurrent.com

U.S. DOE invites applications for biomass research fund

USA: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently unveiled more than US$4 million of research funding to projects focusing on develping cost effective and environmentally friendly biomass conversion technologies.

Combined with a university cost share of 20 percent, up to US$4.8 million will be made available to new projects aimed at developing biochemical, thermochemical, and chemical processes to reduce costs and improve the energy yields from biomass conversion.

The U.S. DOE expects to select 12 projects under this new round of funding. Applications for the new research fund will close on June 2, 2008.

Of Course We Can Have Fuel for Under $2.00

2008-04-19T17:33:00.001-04:00

There are various ways of making ethanol or other alcohol fuels under $2.00 or even $1.00/gallon. Using microbes saves energy when breaking down organic materials.

clipped from wot.motortrend.com

Company claims its ethanol could sell for $1.50 a gallon

Developed by experts from the Coors brewery, crude oil refining, and other chemical industries, the process involves joining biomass in a fermenter with a naturally occurring microorganism (found in sources such as termites or horse manure) that unlike other methods uses all fractions of the plant, meaning the energy of all fractions of the biomass end up in the product.

According to the company, their process will theoretically produce a maximum 160 gallons of ethanol for every ton of biomass, and a biomass farm with an eight-mile radius could support a refinery producing approximately 300 million gallons of the fuel per year.

Well, according to ZeaChem CEO James Imber, the company will be able to produce ethanol at 80 cents per gallon at the plant, which he estimates would equal a price of about $1.50 at the pump.

Major Distribution for Ethanol Blended Fuels

2008-04-16T16:01:00.001-04:00

Distribution of alternative fuels is key to their continued development. Alcohol fuels in particular do necessitate some distribution changes. Marathon sees the light...

clipped from www.csdecisions.com

April 2008

Marathon Commits To Alternative Fuels

By CSD Staff

Marathon Oil Corp. said that 16 terminals located in five Midwestern states will convert to ethanol-blended fuel by May 1. Unblended gas products will no longer be offered at any of the terminals. Seven of the terminals are in Michigan, five are in Ohio and two are in Indiana. The remaining terminals are in Louisville, Ky. and Milwaukee, Wis.

Mary Ellen Peters, Marathon’s senior vice president of marketing, said the terminals will convert to 100% ethanol blended gas to help meet the "changing needs of our customers. It also supports our renewable fuels goals, which were recently increased by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to 9 billion gallons of renewable fuel in 2008 and 36 billion gallons by 2022."

Marathon expanded its ethanol blend to 625 million gallons in 2007, largely in response to 2007 legislation and the increase in customer demand for the blended fuel. The company has 6,000 locations in 18 states

First Flight of Commerial Aircraft on Biofuel

2008-04-15T22:41:00.001-04:00

If Virgin can do it, so can everyone else. Once the tests are completed, all commercial aircraft will run on some mixture of clean fuels. Military Aircraft have already complete successful tests where synthetic clean fuel was the only fuel on board. WE ARE ALMOST THERE.

clipped from www.youtube.com

World Bank Weighs in on Biofuels Impact on Food

2008-04-15T21:37:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.topnews.in

Washington- Efforts by industrialized countries to reduce their dependence on foreign energy sources and cut climate-changing emissions has prompted a strong backlash from some developing nations dealing with a worsening food crisis.

The problem lies in bio-fuels, an alternative source of energy that is often made from food crops. The World Bank last week said that a boost in bio-fuels production was largely to blame for an 83- per-cent increase in food prices over the last three years.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, head of the World Bank's sister-lender, the International Monetary Fund, said that many ministers expressed similar concerns to him privately over the weekend - some labelling food-to-fuel production a "crisis of humanity."

Wheat, soy and palm oil prices have all been hit by increased bio- fuel production, the World Bank said.

"While many are worried about filling their gas tanks, many others around the world are struggling to fill their stomachs," Zoellick said Thursday. (dpa)

"Transport Fuel: Oil vs Coal" An Economic Look

2008-04-14T10:03:00.006-04:00

COAL BECOMES MORE ATTRACTIVE, GIVEN HIDDEN COSTS OF IMPORTED OIL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Leo Turcotte, Ph.D., The Center Forensic Studies 800-966-6099. John W. Rich, Jr., WMPI Pty., LLC 570-874-1602 www.ultracleanfuels.com

January 31, 2008

PHILADELPHIA, January 31, 2008 -- Coal, which the United State has in abundance, can lead the United States out of its dependence on foreign oil and act as a stimulant to the economy. It is especially attractive given the hidden costs of foreign oil.

An analysis commissioned by WMPI Pty., LLC , Gilberton, PA, and performed by the Center for Forensic Economic Studies, a Philadelphia based consulting firm, shows that when the true cost of imported oil is considered, domestically produced waste coal-to-liquid fuel (CTL) offers a compelling alternative to imported crude.

The US sits atop 270.7 billion tons of coal reserves. In terms of potential usable energy this is equivalent to at least twice the reserves of Saudi Arabia. Currently, analysts say, CTL would sell at about $18/barrel less than crude oil based liquids.

Oil reached $100 a barrel recently, but this market price does not include the societal costs of imported oil. These costs, not reflected in the price consumers pay at the pump, are borne by the economy at large in the form of higher taxes, higher unemployment and a weaker economy.

What economists call the "import premium" on imported oil includes inefficiencies due to the noncompetitive nature of the oil market. Prices set by the OPEC cartel lead to disruptive "price shocks," which unsettle the economy and interfere with national productivity. The US also pays a military cost to insure steady access to foreign oil. The Center for Forensic Economic Studies analysis places this "import premium" at $24 per barrel of imported oil, over and above market price.

In addition to the import premium, the analysis also considered the "import multiplier" -- the loss to the US economy when dollars are spent overseas. Just as every dollar spent in the US causes a beneficial ripple effect in the economy, every dollar lost to the economy by being spent overseas causes a negative ripple effect. In its analysis, the Center for Forensic Economic Studies put this negative multiplier at 1.55, or 155% of the cost of a barrel of oil. For each $80 barrel of foreign crude oil purchased, this negative import multiplier removes $124 from the U.S. economy. With the import premium and the cost to refine the imported foreign crude oil, the actual cost-per barrel of $80-per-barrel imported crude oil is $238, or $5.67 per finished gallon.

Actual cost of foreign oil:

Market Price (per barrel) of Imported Crude Oil	Import Premium (per barrel)	Import Multiplier (per barrel)	Refining & Markup (per barrel)	Total Barrel Price of Imported Oil	Actual Price per Gallon of Imported Oil
80.00	24.00	124.00	10.00	238.00	5.67
90.00	24.00	139.50	10.00	263.50	6.27
100.00	24.00	155.00	10.00	289.00	6.88

For every dollar spent on foreign crude oil an additional $1.55 is removed from the U.S. economy. However, spending a dollar on domestic CTL stimulates the U.S. economy to the tune of six dollars by generating jobs in America for Americans. By replacing the 12 million barrels of oil imported daily with domestically produced CTL, the U.S. economy would reap a net benefit of $4.8 billion per day.

2008-04-13T17:58:00.004-04:00

NYC’s Hidden $4 Billion A Year Trash Treasure An economic study of New York’s Waste-to-Fuel Potential

NYC generates enough municipal solid waste (MSW) to produce approximately one billion gallons a year of alcohol suitable for use as fuel in gasoline and diesel powered vehicles (including jet aircraft). Every gallon of this fuel directly displaces one gallon of imported fuel from outside New York City’s boroughs. Assuming an imported value of only $2.00/gallon, NYC production of fuel using its current MSW flow and modern WTF technology can displace $ 2 billion worth of fuel imports annually.

For every gallon of import fuel eliminated, NYC would have to produce a gallon locally. NYC would realize the multiplier effect of replacing imports with local production. The local economy would increase its production of transportation fuel by 1 billion gallons ($ 2 billion) triggering a host of other economic multipliers including increased employment, corporate taxes and more.

New York City pays among the highest tipping fees in the country at around $ 70/ton. Approximately half of this or $ 35/ton is spent transporting waste materials as far away as Ohio, Pennsylvania and Georgia. Saving this transportation expense alone will put $150 million/year back in the city’s coffers.

As existing landfills can be mined for their energy content (MSW would be excavated and used as fuel), the land can be returned to productive commercial or residential use. These properties could begin generating a larger tax base while eliminating the threat of water, soil and air contamination in the future. Staten Island’s Fish Kills landfill (currently closed) is the largest landfill in the world. MSW buried there will generate billions of dollars in clean fuels for generations. Its safe removal will ultimately return the land to it best and highest use.

New York needs to take advantage of its hidden trash economy now. There are at least a billion reasons to do so now.

Playing in Landfill Theatre Soon!

2008-04-12T01:11:00.000-04:00

Clean Energy From Trash in Queens

2008-04-11T23:03:00.001-04:00

News - Clean Edge - The Clean-Tech Market Authority

US Liberty and Vista International to Develop Waste-to-Liquid Fuels Project in New York City

March 19, 2008 Source: Clean Edge News Vista International, Inc. recently signed a letter of intent with US. Liberty Ashes, Inc, a commercial waste hauler located in Elmont, New York, for the construction of a waste-to-liquid fuel project in the New York City metropolitan area which would deploy VVIT's gasification technology. The joint venture project is to be located in Jamaica, Queens, at a permitted transfer station currently owned and operated by Liberty. Liberty would provide the site as well as municipal solid waste, up to 1000 tons per day, as feedstock. Barry Kemble, CEO of Vista International Technologies Inc. commented, "This opportunity to showcase our gasification technology in a market such as New York City and work with a company like Liberty Ashes allows us to address serious waste disposal issues and will serve as a model for future projects in the area. It will utilize VVIT's Thermal Gasifier technology, and will demonstrate the technology's usefulness in dealing with the growing problem of overcrowded landfills."