tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-142357252024-03-07T15:12:04.871-08:00BIOconversion BlogThe 2nd of 4 interlinked BIOenergy Blogs, this one covers international issues, process R&D, facility deployments, and new developments. The other three related blogs are the <a href="http://biostock.blogspot.com"><b>BIOstock Blog</b></a>, <a href="http://bioconversion.blogspot.com"><b>BIOoutput Blog</b></a>, and the <a href="http://biowaste.blogspot.com"><b>BIOwaste Blog</b></a>. Related <a href="http://twubs.com/bioconv">#bioconv tweets</a> @BIOblogger.C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.comBlogger373125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-78242038349199212782012-05-28T21:22:00.001-07:002012-05-29T06:54:39.603-07:00"Power Plays" Book Review
Power Plays: Energy Options in the Age of Peak Oil by Robert Rapier (Paperback - March 28, 2012)
Robert Rapier's "Power Plays: Energy Options in the Age of Peak Oil" is an important book to read for anyone who wants to engage in informed discussions on renewable energy and, more specifically, fuel alternatives to oil. It is an easy read, albeit focused on the facts without much C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-1603275492826723322011-08-15T08:07:00.000-07:002011-08-16T07:11:33.321-07:00"Freedom" Film promotes Choices at the Pump
It has been thirty months since Josh Tickell and Rebecca Harrell premiered their award-winning biofuels documentary "Fuel." That film tracked down alternative fuels that can help wean the U.S. from its "addiction" to oil (see my interview and reviews). After traveling the U.S. in his Veggie Van, Josh took a position that there were biofuels winners (biodiesel, algae, cellulosic ethanol, plug-in C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-14726972723182675782011-05-11T08:19:00.000-07:002011-06-24T09:00:06.745-07:00Social Media for biomass industriesLast week at the BBI International Biomass Conference and Expo Greg Veerman of Astronaut Studio, Matthew Spoor and John Nelson of BBI, and I held a two-hour conference panel titled "Social Media and PR Strategies to Grow Your Business and Win Over Industry Skeptics." I know panels on using social media are frequently held at conferences for business-to-consumer industries and I imagine that otherC. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-39850883160916706632011-05-09T14:15:00.000-07:002011-05-11T07:10:09.731-07:00Who controls the Social Media conversation?In a clarion call for more proactive thinking Abraham Lincoln said, "The best way to predict your future is to create it." Something must have been lost in translation in the last 35 years because the U.S. energy policy has been anything but proactive.In comparison, the digital media industry has been the beneficiary of the best and the brightest minds during this period. Its exponential C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-74489199979632839252011-05-08T17:33:00.000-07:002011-05-23T17:44:55.534-07:00Due diligence on content as well as technologyOn March 29, 2007 the biofuels industry witnessed an audacious transformation - Broin Companies President Jeff Broin announced the name change of his company to "Poet, LLC." There must be an important reason why a company the size and scale of the world's largest producer of corn ethanol decides to recast their corporate identity.Isn't "a rose by any other name still a rose"? Not at all. C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-33475779574921926652011-03-26T10:38:00.000-07:002011-04-14T07:33:11.114-07:00Will the GOP scuttle the second U.S. Manhattan Project?Tex Carter, CEO of biofuels developer New Planet Energy, reports that he recently participated in a roundtable discussion with a Republican congressman about funding for biomass conversion technologies (CTs) for the creation of biofuels. He was told that these loan guarantee programs were on the list of top ten expenses that the GOP is seeking to cut from the national budget through the C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-48748252849590883072011-01-12T12:04:00.000-08:002011-04-14T07:34:32.667-07:00Cross-country EcoTREK runs on cellulosic ethanolIt is not only the first cross-country promotional tour headlining "Cellulosic Ethanol", but it is also a timely one. Yesterday, The New York Times ran an article claiming that in the second half of 2010 "not a drop of cellulosic ethanol was commercially blended with gasoline." Coincidentally, EcoTREK began its cross country journey using a blend of E85 comprised of 5% gasoline and 85% POET Inc.'C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-66946372026073153782010-02-28T08:17:00.001-08:002010-02-28T08:17:29.510-08:00David Glass EUEC Presentation 02 02 10I recommend biomass conversion readers check out David Glass, Ph.D.'s excellent SlideShare Presentation overviewing technologies and companies involved in Genetic Engineering for 2nd and 3rd generation biofuels production. David Glass EUEC Presentation 02 02 10View more presentations from David Glass.C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-22849799577193989742009-05-28T18:07:00.000-07:002010-03-09T21:29:01.724-08:00Dirty oil's direct land change impactPhotograph by Peter Essick for National Geographic magazine.Once considered too expensive, as well as too damaging to the land, exploitation of Alberta's oil sands is now a gamble worth billions.So intones an article in this month's issue of National Geographic magazine titled "The Canadian Oil Boom: Scraping Bottom." Its opening shot shows how arbitrary standards that attribute direct and C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-56176963554187520822009-04-25T07:58:00.000-07:002009-06-14T07:13:16.106-07:00Bias in California's Low Carbon Fuel StandardCalifornia's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) is a good initiative but it is flawed in its current form. Consider:Ethanol is an alcohol with a fairly simple, universal formula regardless of how it is made. The great thing about all ethanol is that it is miscible in gasoline, oxygenates gasoline so that it burns more cleanly, and it is a renewable fuel whose carbon comes from the atmosphere, not C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-57509617962052236352009-04-14T07:44:00.000-07:002009-04-14T09:22:49.670-07:00Join ACORE's Biomass Coordinating CouncilThe Biomass Coordinating Council of the American Council of Renewable Energy is an ever-present resource and meeting place for biomass professionals - or anyone who wishes to be engaged in the issues at the heart of emerging biomass renewable energy industries. At the helm of the council is the renowned Bill Holmberg. Below is his recent appeal for members that explains the scope and objectives C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-75734042232259388722009-03-22T19:44:00.000-07:002009-03-22T20:18:15.395-07:00Economic Impacts of Biofuel DevelopmentThe impact of biofuel development should be significant to the economy of any nation that successfully deploys it. By becoming more energy self-sufficient, the balance of trade of otherwise energy-dependent nations should improve dramatically - as it has in Brazil.However, the impact on the economy of the region producing the biofuels is even more impressive. Iowa was one of the most energy C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-50370969033536363012009-03-16T18:04:00.000-07:002009-03-17T02:41:46.322-07:00Everyone Hates Ethanol?It is a sad day when even the Wall Street Journal takes a page from the petroleum industry playbook and chop blocks the only national defense that makes a dent in their monopoly on supplying fuel to Americans (accounting for less than 5% of transportation fuels sold here). Offensive foul - intentional roughing.The cheapest shot is the indiscriminant use of the term "ethanol." Ethanol, while C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-77907326337459757242009-02-16T10:28:00.000-08:002009-02-20T11:55:28.340-08:00"FUEL" - an interview with Josh Tickell and Rebecca HarrellIn January 2008, Josh Tickell screened his new documentary “Fields of Fuel” at the Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews (see trailer here). It won the Audience Award for Best Documentary. After a full year of more development, it has recently been released to a few theaters in the L.A. I was invited to attend a pre-premiere green carpet party at one of only two gas stations in Los Angeles that C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-51653545587225173012009-02-12T15:27:00.000-08:002009-02-20T11:47:56.248-08:00"Fuel" is a Galvanizing Vehicle"Fuel" is a film for our time - and also winner of the 2008 Sundance Audience Award for Best Documentary (see trailer here). It may help America wake up to the inexorable consequences of its fossil fuel addiction the way that "An Inconvenient Truth" did to global warming."Fuel" is the end product of an eleven year odyssey by Director Josh Tickell in his sunflower festooned, diesel Winnebago C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-91050225770980641832009-01-28T16:32:00.000-08:002009-02-08T14:03:18.024-08:00Perspectives on Sustainability Standards for Biofuel ProductionThis article is a response to a call for comments on Version Zero of the draft Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Biofuels written by the Roundtable for Sustainable Biofuels after extensive, multi-stakeholder, international collaboration. A running public dialog on these standards is available online at the Bioenergy Wiki.We need change to a renewable fuels paradigm and we need it to be C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-67895000425703821052009-01-06T11:11:00.000-08:002009-01-06T12:36:22.758-08:00The Impact on Renewable Energy from Obama's Nominations"Who ARE those guys?"The bad news is that the economic crisis threatens to suspend deployment of renewable energy facilities. Coupled with the meteoric drop in fossil fuel prices - one of the key drivers for developing alternative fuels - and it would not be surprising to see a new administration lose focus on renewable energy.The good news is that the incoming Obama administration's choices for C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-91219376337637241282008-12-16T08:02:00.000-08:002008-12-16T11:46:39.711-08:00Galvanizing Congress to move renewable energy forwardOn December 5th, the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) hosted its annual Phase II meeting in Washington D.C. in the U.S. House of Representatives Cannon Caucus Room. Its theme this year was "The Next Presidency and Congress." Distinguished speakers addressed the state of renewable energy policy today, presented a range of policy options, and made recommendations for the new C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-53207826851917871422008-10-26T19:43:00.000-07:002008-10-26T20:04:53.920-07:00Canada's biofuels promiseAn article giving an overview of Canada's bioenergy potential has been published on the Renewable Energy World.com website. The author, Douglas Bradley, is president of the Canadian Bioenergy Association (CANBIO) a national, industry-driven, non-profit organization supporting promotion and use of bioenergy.If possessing sustainable quantities of biomass alone is the measure of bioenergy potentialC. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-4291620824873753092008-09-23T09:55:00.000-07:002008-09-23T11:13:01.768-07:00Comments on Friedman's "Hot, Flat, and Crowded"Thomas Friedman has a terrific platform from which to interview energy experts globally, write opinion pieces that are distributed through the New York Times, and participate in the production of cable television documentaries. Occasionally he pumps out a book that coalesces all of his research and synthesizes his prescriptions for solving the energy, environment, and global warming challenges C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-12707342223926306702008-08-12T16:49:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:26.677-08:00Pulp & Paper Industry: The "bird's nest" of bioenergy?One prominent feature of the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) is its renewable fuel standard that sets the trajectory for satisfying America's newfound thirst for alternative fuels. 36 billion gallons per year production by the year 2022. Considering that the U.S.' current annual production of biofuels is about 8 billion gallons that is a considerable amount of growth being C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-41360526770835165802008-07-30T17:38:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:26.747-08:00The Case for BioenergyI am frequently asked why we should pursue the production of biofuels and biopower when we could substitute other seemingly simpler and "cleaner" alternatives - like wind and solar - that don't require such complicated biomass logistics. A recent article I found on the European-based Biopact Blog supplies a partial answer. Americans should heed the experience of the Europeans because they have C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-54140779779276351742008-07-24T14:00:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:26.995-08:00BlueFire Ethanol to build in CaliforniaBlueFire Ethanol Fuels Inc. received a conditional use permit from the County of Los Angeles, Department of Regional Planning, for the operation of a new biorefinery it will build on a 10 acre lot near a Lancaster, CA landfill. For anyone aware of the slow rate of permitting new facilities for waste conversion in the region, that is a major achievement.This is NOT the commercial-scale project forC. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-18141807283349155722008-07-22T20:37:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:27.452-08:00INEOS Bio to license syngas fermentation technologyINEOS Group Holdings PLC, one of the three largest chemical conglomerates in the world, has announced the July 1, 2008 formation of a new company, INEOS Bio, whose initial focus will be the commercialization of what they call "the World’s leading second generation bioethanol technology process" to serve the global renewable transport fuels market. The technology has been in development by C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-82157899544134598282008-07-17T15:45:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:27.667-08:00The "Bridge Builder" of biomass conversionLast night it was my privilege to attend a tribute to a decorated Marine who is an officer, a gentleman, and a war hero. He is also a towering luminary of the Biomass Conversion industry - who just happens to have reached the tender age of eighty. Bill Holmberg is the Chairman of the Biomass Coordinating Council (BCC) of the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE). ACORE, co-host with the C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0