Wasserstoff- und Brennstoffzellenentwicklung in Österreich

Das Bundesministerium für Verkehr, Innovation und Technolgie stellt in der Broschüre "energy innovation austria", Ausgaba 2/2015, fünf Projekte zu Wasserstoff- und Brennstoffzellentechnologie vor:

- Underground SUN.STORE: Überprüfung der Wasserstoffverträglichkeit von Ergas-Untertagspeichern

- Wind2Hydrogen-Pilotanlage

- HylyPure: Wasserstoffrückgewinnung aus einem Gemisch mit Erdgas

- E-LOG-BioFleet: Steigerung der Reichweite von E-Gabelstaplern mittels Brennstoffzelle

- ASys I&II: mobile Brennstoffzelle als Ersatz für ineffiziente Standheizungen- und klimaanlagen

Quelle/ Download: nachhaltigwirtschaften.at

Lingofuels 2016

20/21 Jan 2016, Munich

Already on its 8th edition, this two day conference will bring together key lignofuels stakeholders to join our in-depth discussions and excellent networking, including leaders from advanced generation biofuels companies from across the globe.

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US: decline in natural gas production

Natural gas production across all major shale regions in the US Drilling Productivity Report (DPR) is projected to decrease for the first time in September. Production from these seven shale regions reached a high in May at 46 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) and is expected to decline to 45 Bcf/d in September. In each region, production from new wells is not large enough to offset production declines from existing, legacy wells.

In any given month, new-well production depends on the number of drilling rigs and the productivity of those rigs and the wells added through their use. As rig counts fall, increases in rig productivity are necessary not only to compensate for the reduced rig total, but also for rising levels of legacy-well declines. Several external factors could affect the estimates, such as bad weather, shut-ins based on environmental or economic issues, variations in the quality and frequency of state production data, and infrastructure constraints.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

Nature article on screening for oleaginous algae

Micro-algae synthesize high levels of lipids, carbohydrates and proteins photoautotrophically, thus attracting considerable interest for the biotechnological production of fuels, environmental remediation, functional foods and nutraceuticals. Currently, only a few micro-algae species are grown commercially at large-scale, primarily for “health-foods” and pigments. For “fuel to pharma” products, high lipid productivity strains are required. The authors present a screen concentrating on marine micro-algal strains, which are suitable for scale-up. Mass-Spectrophotometric analysis (MS) of nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) was subsequently validated by measurement of total fatty acids (TFA) by Gas-Chromatography (GC). This identified a rapid and accurate screening strategy based on elemental analysis. The screen identified Nannochloropsis oceanica and a marine isolate of Chlorella vulgaris as the best lipid producers. Analysis of C, N, protein, carbohydrate and Fatty Acid (FA) composition identified a suite of strains for further biotechnological applications e.g. Dunaliella polymorpha, significantly the most productive for carbohydrates, and Cyclotella cryptica.

Source: Nature

IEA Bioenergy Conference 2015 on bio-kerosene

27-29 October 2015, Berlin

The target of international aviation industry is halving the sector’s CO₂ emissions by 2050 compared to 2005, despite an annual increase in passenger numbers of 5%. The uncertainty concerning the sustainably available biomass potential but also the lack of competitiveness of sustainable bio-kerosene is currently hindering its deployment.

This year’s IEA Bioenergy Conference 2015 comprehensively addresses the thematic field of bioenergy in a variety of presentations, panel discussions and workshops. A focus of the conference will be alternative, bio-based aviation fuels – from the sustainable cultivation of energy crops, to economic and political framework conditions. Thomas Rötger from the International Air Transport Association will address in his presentation the global development of the use of bio-kerosene. Michael Lakeman will outline developments at Boeing, and Maarten van Dijk representing the Dutch producer of bio-based aviation fuels skyNRG will examine the profitability of different production pathways.

Registration is open until 29 September 2015.

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Global Electric Vehicle Outlook 2015

The Global Electric Vehicle Outlook represents the collective effort of seven years of primary data gathering and analysis from the Electric Vehicle Initiative’s 16 member governments. Overall, electric vehicles and charging infrastructure deployment has continued growing since the 2013 outlook. Battery costs have come down while energy density has climbed; vehicle electrification has gone multi-modal with 46,000 electric buses and 235 million electric two-wheelers deployed; and total electric vehicle spending by the member governments equaled 16 billion USD between 2008-2014.

Source: International Energy Agency

Strom-Tanken an Biogasanlagen

20. Okt 2015/ Viechtach (Bayern)

C.A.R.M.E.N. e.V. (Centrales Agrar-Rohstoff Marketing- und Energie-Netzwerk e.V.) informiert über Voraussetzungen und Möglichkeiten zur Einrichtung einer E-Schnellladesäule an einer Biogasanlage. Die Veranstaltung richtet sich an Biogasanlagenbetreiber, Her-steller von Biogasanlagen und Schnellladesäulen, Planungsbüros, Journalisten und alle fachlich Interessierten.

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Growing US Ethanol Exports

This marketing year’s U.S. ethanol exports are expected to be the second largest on record as ethanol export promotion efforts ramp up by the U.S. Grains Council (USGC). “Efforts to promote increased exports of U.S. ethanol are showing progress, with global ethanol exports during the first 10 months of the current marketing year posting an 11 percent gain over last year’s numbers. The Council now expects full year 2014/2015 ethanol exports to reach 850 million gallons and to be valued at $1.9 billion, up from 768 million gallons just last year.” said USGC Chief Economist Mike Dwyer.

While 2015 exports to Canada - are down 26 %, all other major markets have shown increases due to strong demand and U.S. ethanol supplies that are competitively priced. Brazil and the Philippines, have grown 71 % and 44 %. Other markets seeing significant growth include Korea, Mexico, the EU and Tunisia. Korea, which imports U.S. ethanol primarily for industrial purposes.

Source: US Grains Council

Indian Oil plans $2.4 billion ethanol investment

Indian Oil Corp. Ltd., the nation’s biggest refiner, plans to spend US $2.4 billion to build a plant for producing synthetic ethanol. The company is studying the project to produce 1 mio. tonnes of ethanol annually for blending with gasoline. The refiner will partner with US-based Celanese Corp. for the ethanol project.

India is facing a supply shortage of the biofuel, hindering plans to achieve mandatory 5 % blending, oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan said. In December, the Union government allowed ethanol production from non-food feedstock including petrochemicals to improve availability.

Indian Oil, which also runs the biggest network of fuel stations in the country, bought about 186 000 m³ of ethanol for blending through the year to 31 March. In India, ethanol is primarily produced from molasses, a byproduct of sugar-making. Molasses output depends on the sugarcane crop, which varies each year.

Source: Bloomberg.com

Biofuel Use in International Markets: The Importance of Trade

A report of the United States Department of Agriculture

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) explains: Global biofuel production rose tremendously over 2001-13, led largely by rapid growth in the United States and the European Union (EU). Brazil, the second largest biofuel producer, doubled its production in that span. A favorable business and policy climate from 2001 to 2010 helped fuel the large increase in biofuel production. After 2011, U.S. consumption of biofuels was slowed by falling prices of traditional transportation fuels, a decrease in biofuel feedstock prices, and logistical and infrastructure challenges. The dropoff in U.S. biofuel use and an increase in biofuel demand from the EU and Brazil led to the United States becoming a net exporter of biofuels for the first time in 2010. In addition to the United States exporting ethanol, it concurrently imports ethanol to meet mandates for biofuels. With the EU imposing countervailing duties, recent U.S. biofuel exports have gone to Canada and other countries. U.S. ethanol production and exports both remained strong in the face of falling gasoline prices in 2014. However, continuation
of a strong export market is contingent on plant capacity and biofuel policies.

Source: USDA

Neste breaks ground on world's first Bio LPG facility in Rotterdam

The ground-breaking ceremony held today at Neste's renewable product refinery in Rotterdam marks the beginning of construction for the world's first Bio LPG production facility. The EUR 60 million facility will start production of Bio LPG in the end of 2016. SHV Energy will market and sell Bio LPG to be produced at Neste's Rotterdam refinery.

Bio LPG will enable users of existing fossil fuels to reduce their carbon footprint without any modifications to existing gas applications technology. Bio LPG can be used within a full range of existing LPG applications, from transport and commercial heating to retail leisure cylinders.

The new facility will have a production capacity of 40,000 tonnes per year of Bio LPG for the European market. SHV Energy will be the exclusive distributor, supplying the 160,000 tonnes over four years.

Source: Neste