Tuesday, March 20, 2012

BioEnergy Symposium Wrap-up: Fuel Me Up!


One of the best things about attending a conference on renewable energy is the buzz. Regardless of size, there is an energy that you won’t find next door at the garden trade show. With the industry still in its development stage, there is an eagerness to share ideas and make connections.

Such was the case at the Second Annual BioEnergy Symposium in Charlotte last week. Hosted by UNC Charlotte’s IDEAS Center, the conference focused on transportation biofuels this year. Bringing together academics, industry professionals and government officials, the symposium also attracted a number of representatives from various nonprofits in the Southeast.

The Tar Heel state did not have a forum for the exchange of ideas until UNC Charlotte established one two years ago. With many in Charlotte looking to bring renewable energy projects to the city, the two-day conference acts as an excellent introduction to the industry.

“Biofuel in North Carolina is in the seed stage,” Lisa Lee Morgan, whose firm Calor Energy co-hosted the two-day conference, said. “Whether or not it actually gears up into a full-fledged industry in North Carolina is still unknown for a lot reasons.”

Morgan points out that until recently, biodiesel was still more expensive than petroleum diesel. Since the price off oil has shot through the roof there has been a renewed interest in biodiesel. Representatives from Piedmont Biofuels, National Biodiesel Board, Blue Ridge Biofuels and an EcoComplex research team from Appalachian State debated the various feedstocks and technology used in creating biodiesel.

Another afternoon session focused on compressed natural gas (CNG) and the validity of it for use as a biofuel. The consensus of the group was that although the building of infrastructure was moving slowly, the potential is significant. Representatives from Piedmont Natural Gas, Charlotte Truck Center, Geosyntec Consultants and TEA illustrated that CNG can come from a variety of sources including natural gas, landfill gas and gas derived from waste through thermal conversion. We found Dave Navey’s story of how he saved $5,000 over two years by purchasing a natural gas-powered Honda Civic GX while still averaging over 70 miles per day!

Although the majority of those in attendance seemed there to learn more about biodiesel and CNG, the session on ethanol was informative and enlightening for all. We learned that Congress and the EPA has recently cleared the way for E15 (a fuel made up from 15 percent bioethanol and 85 percent gasoline) after being hung up in government limbo for more than a year. It looks like you could see the option for E15 at gas stations as early as this summer.

While the forum was specific to North Carolina issues and many of the presenters were representatives from the Tar Heel State, we really felt this was a worthwhile for anyone looking to bone up on their biofuels knowledge. We hope some of you were able to make the trip!

Were you at the 2012 BioEnergy Symposium? Please feel free to post your feedback on our blog or send us a message at betterbtu@gmail.com! 

Friday, March 16, 2012

The Nuts and Bolts – Why We Do What We Do


We came across this question in one of our groups on LinkedIn and found it especially prudent. We wanted to share his question and our thoughts:

Q: What is the main reason for Biomass to Energy efforts? Biomass processing technologies are different and some of them are quite complicated and not even commercially viable without government support. So what is the main driver for investing in that effort? Is it the idea of getting rid of different wastes (manure, MSW, etc.), to get cheaper energy, to be prepared for a future fossil fuel deficit or...

So many of us in the field tend to get bogged down in the specifics that it's good to be reminded of why we push for biomass energy in the first place.

This gentleman is absolutely correct that at the moment there are many different technologies (some of which are, indeed, quite complicated) and that many of them aren't economically viable without government support...yet. The reason for that is because we're still in the development stage of the industry. The original computer and cell phone were also incredibly expensive and today almost everyone owns both. So many people fundamentally believe in this industry that they are working to get to the point of economic viability...and that involves a lot of trial and error

The question of why we do it is a good one. At the end of the day, the answer can be simplified in two points:

1. To greatly reduce the amount of trash being sent tot he landfill as well as take advantage of energy value of idled waste streams (waste wood, chicken litter, etc.)

2. To reduce pollution - both the greenhouse gases that emit from landfills and from burning dirtier elements like coal (currently we are literally burying one source of energy and digging up another.)

There are a lot of other positive reasons to push for the growth of the biomass industry as well as the renewable energy sector as a whole such as job growth, finding a cheaper source of energy that what we currently use, etc. But at the end of the day, it all boils down to those two reasons.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

BioEnergy Symposium 2012 - Transportation Biofuels


If you are looking to increase your knowledge of the renewable energy industry or to make some contacts in the field, we suggest you attend the Second Annual BioEnergy Symposium, held on Mar. 13-14 at UNC Charlotte. Hosted by the UNC Charlotte IDEAS Center and its Environmental Assistance Office, as well as local firm Calor Energy, this year’s conference will focus on the area of transportation biofuels.

The two-day summit is the brainchild of Dr. Helene Hilger, director of the UNC Charlotte IDEAS Center and Regina Guyer, director of the Environmental Assistance Office. Both will be on hand at the conference alongside colleagues and industry professionals from across the Tar Heel State and Washington, D.C.

Jennifer Roberts from the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners will kick off the events on Tuesday morning with a welcome address before morning discussions begin. Steven Burke from the Biofuels Center of North Carolina will deliver the keynote address at noon in addition to making a presentation on NC Policy vs. Reality earlier in the morning. The afternoon will consist of breakout sessions covering topics ranging from technology and feedstocks to policy and finance.

Wednesday will begin with an introduction by Jason Wagner of the Centralina COG/Clean Fuels Coalition, followed by a presentation by Kelly Reagan from the City of Columbus (Ohio). The final breakout sessions and lunch will end the conference.

Registration is just $150 for the two-day event and information can be found on the UNC Charlotte Environmental Assistance Office website. For those who can’t afford the fee, scholarship money is available and an evening session on Food vs. Fuel will be open to the public at UNC Charlotte Center City on 320 E. 9th Street from 7-8:30 p.m.

One or more members from Better BTU will be at the symposium so tune into our blog next week for updates from the conference. Follow us on Twitter @betterbtu for live updates as well.