Spring 2009 www.albertabiodiesel.org
• Olds College School of Innovation• Western Biodiesel Inc.• Green Way Fuels Inc.
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Client: CSDepartment: Corporate MarketingCode: 9_3406_CorpABBiodieselAssocMagPaper: Alberta Biodiesel Assoc. Magazine Paragon PublishingSize: 3.5 x 4.75Black and WhiteCost: $695.00Cost code center: 01 5100 INS
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9_3406_CorpABBiodieselAssoc.Mag.indd 1 3/10/09 11:13:45 AM
Alberta Biodiesel Association 3 Spring 2009
CONTENTSPresident’s Message ............................................................3
ABA Directors ..........................................................................3
ABA Committee Chair Statements ........................... 4
ABA Membership Form ..................................................... 5
Biofuels and Food ..................................................................6
Alberta Government Message ...................................7
Alberta Biodiesel Firsts .....................................................8
Industry News ........................................................................10
PUBLISHER Jim ThorntonART DIRECTOR Richart Bocxe
Published for Alberta Biodiesel Association by:PARAGON PUBLISHING INC.Calgary, AlbertaTel: [email protected]
Member of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business • All rights reserved ©2009 Printed in Canada
TM
“Advancing Biodiesel”[email protected]
(403) 770-9421
President’s Message
ABA Directors
Kelly BakerDirectorWestern BioFuels Ltd.
Ken FryerBQ9000 Auditor4Refuel Canada
Tanya McDonald, M.Sc.DirectorOlds College School of Innovation
Angela ReidDirectorBioStreet Canada Inc.
Curtis ChandlerDirectorDominion Energy Services
Jaimey FarneseSecretaryGreen Way Fuels Inc.
JP MontalvoChair, Development CommitteeADM Agri-Industries Co.
Reece WinterChair, Quality CommitteeSAIT Polytechnic
Kelsey PrenevostVice-PresidentKyoto Fuels Corp.
Reinhard Schuetz, P.Eng.Chair, Outreach CommitteeTankSafe Inc.
Geoff SmolkinTreasurerAlberta Processing Co.
The biodiesel industry in Alberta has grown substantially since we fi rst published in the spring of 2008. Two companies – Western Biodiesel and Kyoto Fuels – are respectively producing or preparing
to commission commercial-scale facilities to sell quality fuel into a growing market. On December 11/08, the Alberta government announced a Renewable Fuel Standard as part of its comprehensive Energy Strategy – precisely the kind of smart policy that will incent more production in our province.
Against that backdrop of good news and a proactive government loom the global credit crunch, slumping petroleum demand, and feedstock costs that pose, at least for the short term, challenging economics for producers of most renewable fuels. However, diversifi ed energies of all kind should and must be considered long term solutions. Few people predict sustained soft markets for existing energy, and the rebound will bring calls anew for sustainable energy. Alberta’s biodiesel producers are building today to meet tomorrow’s demand – and if US legislated demand for renewables materializes at the scale anticipated, Alberta is headed in the right direction.
The ABA continues to work both provincially and federally to maintain our momentum. We look forward to working with you in the year ahead.
Ian ThomsonPresident
Canadian Bioenergy Corporation
Bill WaughDirectorCummins Western Canada
4 Alberta Biodiesel Association Spring 2009
ABA Committee Chair Statements
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No Stopping Now
Biodiesel acceptance is definitely gain-ing momentum!
As with virtually any new industry, per-severance and education are the main contributors in promoting the benefits of biodiesel. Classified as a ‘biofuel’, biodiesel exhibits dramatic advantages as a renewable liquid fuel alternative, regarding existing infrastructure com-patibility, lower pollution, less toxicity, increased engine life, safer handling, and higher output vs. input energy ratio.
In 2008 Alberta witnessed a number of major biodiesel accomplishments – a production facility near High River, a retail fueling station in Turner Valley, the commencement of biodiesel use by a privately owned bus line operation in Banff, and a year-long field demonstra-tion project near Edmonton.
Dissemination of accurate biodiesel information remains critical. Thus, the ABA Outreach Committee encourages and respectfully invites all interested parties to become active participants in “Advancing Biodiesel” – and showcase Alberta as a major contributor in effec-tively reducing climate change.
Reinhard Schuetz, P.Eng.Chair, Outreach Committee
Specifications are Important
The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) recently issued four updates to provide product quality assur-ance for the biodiesel and petrodiesel in-dustry and diesel engine manufacturers. The multi-year revision process saw ex-tensive participation by petroleum com-panies and engine manufacturers.
1)ASTM D975-08a, for on-and-off road diesel applications, now references up to 5% biodiesel content;
2)ASTM D396-08b, for home heating/boiler applications, now references up to 5% biodiesel content;
3)ASTM D7467-08, a new specification covering 6% (B6) to 20% (B20) biodiesel content in fuel blends for on-and-off road diesel engine use;
4)ASTM D6751-08, which specifies pure biodiesel (B100) quality, was re-vised to include a new cold soak filter-ability test.
To biodiesel and petrodiesel produc-ers, as well as consumers, distributors and diesel engine manufacturers, these specifications establish product quality regardless of feedstock source or pro-duction process.
In Canada, the CGSB has also started development of a B6 to B20 biodiesel blend specification, which will open up the potential for higher biodiesel fuel blend acceptance, especially by Cana-dian fleet and heavy duty equipment op-erators.
Biofuels Remain Strong
This past year has been one of extremes in renewable fuels: a speculation-fueled commodity price surge, debates about ‘food or fuel’ (which subsided again with plummeting crop prices), and crude oil dropping 70% since its peak in July 2008.
Despite that, the BC and Alberta gov-ernments made huge moves in ‘renew-ables’. Last December, BC published regulations for a 5% renewables content in most fuels by 2010, and Alberta made official its Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) policy requiring 2% renewable con-tent in diesel fuel starting in July 2010. In addition, Alberta Energy is currently con-ducting a stakeholder review process to enable a successful RFS.
The role of the ABA in the year ahead will be critical. The association’s techni-cal and regulatory experience will sup-port the provincial government, and we will also contribute to federal and provin-cial efforts in establishing the criteria for assessing the sustainability of biofuels available in the marketplace.
Ian ThomsonChair, Policy Committee
The Alberta Biodiesel Association (ABA) is a non-profit organization established to assist in promoting biodiesel production and use through education, advocacy, regulatory
compliance and balanced conservation.Reece Winter
Chair, Quality Committee
Alberta Biodiesel Association 13 Spring 2009
INDUSTRY NEWS • INDUSTRY NEWS • INDUSTRY NEWS
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Biodiesel Quality
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JK TRUCKING
In June 2008, JK Trucking of Lethbridge embarked on an ambitious undertaking by launching a year long Biodiesel Integrated Study Pilot (BISP) for the purpose of evaluating the functionality of biodiesel on their own fleet of about 50 transport vehicles.
“To date, using a B10 biodiesel blend, we have experienced no mechanical difficulties or changes in performance under varying climate conditions while travelling throughout Western Canada and into the US,” explains John Koliaska, President and CEO of JK Trucking, as well as VP of Business Development for Kyoto Fuels Corporation.
All the vehicles are outfitted with GPS tracking units and on-board computers for data collection on a 24/7 basis.
The project has been undertaken in partnership and co-operation with the Alberta Government (funding provider); Kyoto Fuels
(biodiesel supply co-ordinator); Olds College (independent project data verification and evaluation); Cummins Western (diesel engine expertise); AGAT Laboratories (analytical fuel and lubricant services); EFG Solutions (information management system); and PeopleNet (real-time onboard computer data collection and reporting).
“This project is an excellent example of the joint work being done to create a sustainable biodiesel industry and determine its true operability within the existing fuel distribution infrastructure” says Kelsey Prenevost, President and CEO of Kyoto Fuels Corporation.
Contact:Ryan Dean-Rogers, CABISP Project ManagerPh: (403) [email protected]
additives, tocopherol, sterols and steryl esters. However, there are other component classes, based on feedstock type, for which the GC/MS library may not be able to find a compound match.
“To combat this issue, ARC has invested in a Liquid Chromatograph with Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (LC/MS/TOF) unit capable of determining the precise formula of higher molecular weight contaminants” says Wispinski.
To date, the LC/MS/TOF has successfully identified a class of compounds from tallow
feedstock, and work on two other classes is scheduled in the near future. This new unit will also be used to track minor components in various feedstock oils as they go through the biodiesel production process, in order to monitor and improve fuel quality over the long term.
Contact:Dan WispinskiPh: (780) [email protected]
14 Alberta Biodiesel Association Spring 2009
INDUSTRY NEWS • INDUSTRY NEWS • INDUSTRY NEWS
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MILLIGAN BIO-TECH
The world’s fi rst biodiesel jet drag truck was unveiled at the Farm Tech Show in Edmonton, AB in January 2009 by Kevin Therres of Prairieland Motorsports, a drag racing team out of Humboldt, Saskatchewan.
The unique truck is the fi rst ever of its kind for many reasons. The truck body resembles a 2009 Ford F-150 Pickup truck, but the engine is a J60 Pratt and Whitney jet engine commonly used in the T-2 Buckeye, an intermediate training aircraft for the US Navy.
The truck has been named Prairie Gold, due to the unique fuel being used in the jet engine. Prairie Gold runs on pure canola based B100 biodiesel supplied by Foam Lake, SK biodiesel producer Milligan Bio-Tech Inc. This fuel is made entirely from prairie grown canola - there are no petrochemical products in the fuel.
Running on biodiesel makes this truck not only one of the fastest F-150s you’ll ever see, but also the most environmentally friendly. After a run down the strip, spectators are treated to an aroma similar to fresh popped corn! Prairie Gold is expected to reach speeds of 250mph in about 6.5 seconds on a quarter mile drag racing track.
Sponsors include Winnipeg based AgriCard, Milligan Bio-Tech, and three Prairie Canola Associations; Alberta Canola Producers Commission, Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission and Manitoba Canola Growers Association.
Established in 1996 and based in Foam Lake, SK, Milligan Bio-Tech is not only a proud sponsor of this race team, but also a company deeply committed to leading edge biodiesel production with a strong emphasis on research and development.
In addition to quality biodiesel, Milligan’s other “Made in Canada” products include Diesel Fuel Conditioners, Penetrating Oil and Road Dust Suppressant, all of which are environmentally friendly and made from renewable, non-food grade canola.
Contact:Sheila McLeanPh: (306) [email protected]
ABA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The 2008 Alberta Biodiesel Association Annual General Meeting was hosted by RedDeer College on November 18th, 2008. In addition to ABA business, numerous corporations associated with the biodiesel industry were invited to make presentations to the ABA directors, members and guests.
Alberta Biodiesel Association 15 Spring 2009
“Prairie Gold” is expected to reach 250mph in about 6.5 seconds on B100 biodiesel.
INDUSTRY NEWS • INDUSTRY NEWS • INDUSTRY NEWS
16 Alberta Biodiesel Association Spring 2009
The development and exploitation of bioenergy sources can provide a sustainable
solution to growing energy demands. At Olds College we are applying our research
and advanced production capabilities to learn more about the potential of bioenergy,
including biodiesel, biogas and biomass.
The outcomes of our current biodiesel research including the use of varied
feedstocks, quality control, fuel upgrading, engine testing, by-product utilization and
economic feasibility are applied everyday in fleet vehicles in our community.
We welcome partners and collaboration. To learn more, visit www.oldscollege.ca
and click on research, or call Olds College School of Innovation at (403) 507-7973.
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