Below is a list of some of the new bills introduced this year with brief excepts from the Legislative Counsel's Digest. CBA is engaging with bill authors and will report on our activities in future newsletters. 

AB 1032, as introduced, Salas. Diesel Fuel Tax Law: reimbursements

"This bill would allow a claim for refund for amounts of tax paid on the biodiesel fuel portion of dyed blended biodiesel fuel removed from an approved terminal at the terminal rack, as provided, to the extent a supplier can show that the tax on that biodiesel fuel has been paid by the same supplier." (See also lead article above.)

AB 655, as introduced, Quirk. Inedible kitchen grease: transporters: additional fee

This bill would increase the additional fee not to exceed $350 per year per vehicle that is operated to transport kitchen grease. By increasing this additional fee, which is required to be collected and deposited into a continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation. The bill would also make related findings and declarations.

AB 692, as introduced, Quirk. Low-carbon transportation fuels

"This bill, commencing January 1, 2017, would require the Department of Transportation, the Department of General Services, and any other state agency that is a buyer of transportation fuels to each procure an unspecified percentage of the total amount of fuel purchased from very low carbon transportation fuel sources. The bill would require the percentage to be increased each year thereafter. The bill would define low carbon transportation fuel for these purposes."

AB 1074, as amended, Cristina Garcia. Natural gas: Alternative fuels: infrastructure  

"This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to ensure that there is sufficient natural gas infrastructure and refueling infrastructure to accomplish the goals of the Natural Gas Act and the energy management plans described above. add a definition of "alternative fuel" and would provide that it is the policy of the state to help accelerate the adoption of vehicles using alternative fuels throughout the state by increasing the amount of charging and refueling options needed to facilitate electric, hydrogen, and natural gas vehicles traveling along all passenger and goods movement corridors on federal and state highways. The bill would, require the commission to conduct an assessment and develop an intergrated strategy to maximize the benefits and scope of an alternative refueling infrastructure, as defined, to help the state achieve its climate change, air quality, and economic goals and this newly stated policy." (Includes biodiesel.) 

AB 1176, as introduced, Perea. Vehicular air pollution

"This bill would establish the Advanced Low-Carbon Diesel Fuels Access Program, to be administered by the state board, for the purpose of reducing greenhouse gas emissions of diesel motor vehicles by providing capital assistance for projects that expand advanced low-carbon diesel fueling infrastructure in communities that are disproportionately impacted by environmental hazards and additionally where the greatest air quality impacts can be identified.

This bill would require the commission and the state board to allocate no less than 50% of the available moneys under the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program and the Air Quality Improvement Program to projects that provide direct benefits to or serve or are located in disadvantaged communities.

This bill would authorize the commission as part of the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program, to amend a contract, grant, loan, or other agreement or award to extend the terms of that contract, grant, loan, or other agreement or award by 2 years if the moneys are reprioritized by the commission to apply toward a project that provides benefits to disadvantaged communities."

AB 808, as introduced, Ridley-Thomas. Automotive fuels and products

"(1) Existing law regulates the sales of motor vehicle fuels and lubricants. Existing law requires the Department of Food and Agriculture to establish standards for motor vehicle fuels and other petroleum products that are offered for sale in the state and requires the department, through the Division of Measurement Standards to enforce regulations and standards for motor vehicle fuels and lubricants. A violation of this law and those regulations and standards is a crime.

This bill would revise and recast those provisions and would additionally subject the retail sale of electricity for the purposes of transferring electricity to, or storing onboard electricity, an electric vehicle primarily for the purpose of propulsion and other alternative fuels. The bill would authorize the department to establish interim specification for alternative fuels, as defined, until specified conditions are met. The bill would require the Secretary of Food and Agriculture to establish the method of sale of motor vehicle fuels and lubricants sold at retail to the public." (Includes alternative fuel definitions, which CBA has engaged with DMS on, and other provisions.)

Realizing the Vision to Reclaim, Recycle, Refuel

With help from Viesel Fuel, Novozymes and Tactical Fabrication, Buster Halterman, the CEO of Buster Biofuels, is on the cusp of fulfilling his mission in cutting-edge ways by building the first enzymatic biodiesel plant on the West Coast.

By Ron Kotrba | January 06, 2015

Like so many in this industry, Buster Biofuels CEO Weldon "Buster" Halterman's entrance into the commercial biodiesel world was fueled by frustration and passion. The frustration arose from his homebrewing experiences. His passion stemmed from a deep-rooted desire to tread lightly on this planet by reducing emissions-and empowering others to do the same.

"This all started when I became frustrated with making my own fuel," Halterman says. "It was time-consuming and surely not saving me money, but I was passionate about it and wanted to continue using biodiesel. Stopping my 50-gallon batches would mean that I'd have to stop refueling my vehicles since there was only one station-Pearson Fuels-in San Diego selling biodiesel. This was too far away.

Meanwhile, Halterman, a former professional skateboarder who held full-time positions in various corporate management and consulting roles, reached out to the market and spoke to friends, everyday consumers, companies and organizations such as the San Diego Padres and Legoland that care about the environment and product choices available. They all loved the idea of biodiesel but wondered, "Where can I get it?"

"Through my desire to make biodiesel more available to companies and consumers, Buster Biofuels was born," Halterman says.

Since late 2009, Buster Biofuels has been growing its feedstock collection base in the San Diego area with the mission to reclaim, recycle and refuel. "Since we were handicapped and unable to make biodiesel at a facility of our own, we chose to launch a pilot program to prove our ability to fulfill our mission," Halterman tells Biodiesel Magazine. The company outsourced production to a few biodiesel plants, which enabled it to deliver fuel in limited volumes to select, local entities such as the Padres, Legoland California and San Dieguito Union High School District. "We figured it wasn't going to make us any money at the time, but it was about showing both ourselves and our alliances that it was possible and within our means, no matter what adversity stood in front of us," he says. "It definitely boosted company morale at a time when our in-house plant was not in the foreseeable future." He says, in the end, it was fun creating marketing videos with key companies and individuals who believed in Buster Biofuels' entrepreneurial spirit.

Today Buster Biofuels' feedstock collection has spread to Los Angeles, and the company is nearing the end of a construction project that will establish the first enzymatic biodiesel production facility on the West Coast. Construction officially began in October 2013 when Buster Biofuels broke ground for the concrete foundation on which its "tank jungle" was built. "I call it a tank jungle because real estate was extremely tight and our tanks are tall and skinny," Halterman says. Nearly two years before a shovel was put in the ground though, Halterman had selected Tactical Fabrication to build his plant.

Tactical Fabrication entered the biodiesel space in 2005 as a result of Hurricane Katrina. The two principals, Franklin and his son Garrett, were given the responsibility to ensure regular fuel supplies for a contractor who was providing demolition and emergency infrastructure repair in Louisiana. Petroleum fuels were hard to obtain and deliveries were irregular. To help solve this problem, the two partnered with a small biodiesel producer outside of the destruction zone and quickly learned how to improve the efficiency and quality of the biodiesel, increasing production to a level that could meet the needs of the contractor. "In a matter of weeks we had converted a 6,000-gallon-per-week plant into a nearly 10,000-gallon-per-day plant," Mathis says. "That experience, together with the need for renewable and sustainable energy supplies, led Tactical Fabrication to focus on biodiesel from that point forward."

Mathis says, after years of experimentation and testing with Novozymes, Viesel Fuel and with the assistance of Purolite Corp., "We were able to improve the enzymatic process using a proprietary resin whereby no caustics are used and the FFA are converted to biodiesel with a minimum of losses. There is no question in our minds that this is the cutting-edge technology for the manufacture of biodiesel."

"Since most of the other elements of a traditional biodiesel plant are similar to an enzymatic plant, we can install this new process in existing facilities relatively seamlessly," Mathis says. "Upon conversion, the enzymatic process runs at an operating temperature of approximately 95 degrees Fahrenheit, which is a fraction of the energy requirements of a traditional plant. Further, there are no high pressure operations as most of the enzymatic processes function at atmospheric pressure with no special tank or mixing requirements. The downstream polishing process is very traditional in requiring methanol recovery, glycerin separation, and ion exchange, which all traditional plants do now."

Tactical Fabrication built its functioning skids in Georgia and transported them to San Diego for installation and commissioning at Buster Biofuels. "These skids make it possible to plug into a traditional facility, install the enzymatic process or otherwise expand a facility, and then dramatically increase production," Mathis says.

In addition to Tactical Fabrication, Buster Biofuels is using equipment from vendors including Eaton, Parker Boiler, Autrol and Central Valley Tank. Mathis says beyond Novozymes, Viesel Fuel and Purolite, his other partners include Industrial South for automation and attorney James M. Vernon for legal support. The principals of Tactical Fabrication are also involved and have an ownership interest with Vernon in the Florida-based engineering firm Renewable Fuel Consultants and Engineers Inc., which provides full site and process engineering services

Staying True  

Buster Biofuels will be the first commercial-scale facility to use the Viesel Enzymatic Process, and the first enzymatic plant on the West Coast. Lamb says while Buster Biofuels is the first plant installing its process, it's not the only one. "We are working on a 20 MMgy project in Boston as well as a 10 MMgy plant in Indiana," he says. When asked why Buster Biofuels ultimately decided to go enzymatic, Halterman says, "Our engineers and the Buster Biofuels team were continually challenged by traditional esterification. My partner Brian Sachau and I wanted to get on board with a more advanced process instead of traditional esterification and transesterification. We detested the thought of using sulfuric acid-from a safety and environmental perspective-and being selective in our feedstock purchasing due to FFA restrictions. I would say these two things were driving forces that helped us make the decision."

To help make Buster Biofuels' vision of operating a cutting-edge plant in San Diego a reality, the company received a $2.64 million grant from the California Energy Commission in 2013 to help construct its 5 MMgy facility. "Since we were self-funded to date, the CEC grant enabled us to pull the trigger on construction and surely gave our private investors and owners more confidence in Buster Biofuels' vertically integrated model," Halterman says.

The road Halterman has taken from his days of homebrewing and gauging the market years ago to nearly completing his advanced biodiesel processing facility has been a long one. "We have been growing with this foundation and desire as best we can at what seems to be a snail's pace as we bounce with the political and regulatory punches," he says. "Our mission is 'Reclaim, Recycle, Refuel.' This mission, or vision, gives us purpose on a daily basis."

The most important lessons Halterman and Sachau have learned about building a biodiesel plant are patience and perseverance. "This is one of the most challenging things that my partner and I have ever taken on," Halterman says. "I, personally, have learned that staying true to what you believe in is the best policy. In other words, keep the eyes on the prize. Sadly, and unfortunately, in the past five years-more than ever-I've learned that most businesses and most people think first and foremost about the mighty dollar instead of doing the right thing. It seems obvious that most are driven by money, right? However, it is a whole new level running a 'green' business that often requires educating and recruiting support from the mainstream. It is crazy how many people just don't care about the environment or doing the right thing. I'm sorry, but doing the right thing is rarely cheaper-and I can almost guarantee it won't be convenient."
 
Author: Ron Kotrba, Editor, Biodiesel Magazine, 218-745-8347, [email protected]

Note: This article was published in the 2015 Edition of Biodiesel Magazine: View the original article here: http://biodieselmagazine.com/articles/265452/realizing-the-vision-to-reclaim-recycle-refuel.

Consumers Everyday Tasks Help Cut Carbon on National Biodiesel Day

America's Advanced Biofuel "Plants" 1.9 Billion Trees

March 18, 2015

Since 2004, 8.2 billion gallons of biodiesel have replaced petroleum diesel to cut 75.5 million metric tons of carbon pollution. That's the equivalent of removing 15.9 million cars from American roadways OR planting 1.9 carbon-absorbing trees OR preserving 61.9 million acres of mature forests.

National Biodiesel Day is celebrated on March 18 -- the anniversary of Rudolf Diesel's birthday. Diesel, born in 1858, was a true pioneer. When Diesel developed the first diesel engine it ran on a biofuel, peanut oil. In fact, he envisioned a time when vegetable oils would one day be as important as petroleum among transportation fuels.

In the U.S. today, diesel engines move approximately 90 percent of the nation's goods. Last year nearly 1.8 billion gallons of cleaner burning biodiesel was in the mix, replacing petroleum diesel, and working with clean diesel technology to reduce carbon emissions even further. As a result, consumers, just doing what they do - buying stuff, eating stuff, using stuff - helped support biodiesel and reduce carbon.

But those who want to do more to support the advanced biofuel can. It is as easy as joining the Biodiesel Alliance. Alliance members range from farmers to fleet managers, and from trade organizations to municipal agencies and local businesses. Biodiesel Alliance members have easy access to news and information about biodiesel and related topics. Sign up is free and a click away.

"Biodiesel works behinds the scenes to deliver a better alternative. It is here now, working today across the country to improve our environment, support our economy and protect energy security," said Steven J. Levy, Chairman for the National Biodiesel Board. "It is impressive what we have achieved in ten years and clear that responsible policy and industry innovation is working to expand access to America's Advanced Biofuel while benefitting consumers."

This month, CBA submitted a letter in support of comments from the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) to the Department of Energy's Clean Cities Program weighing in on the Clean Cities Program strategic plan. NBB participated in the  DOE Clean Cities five-year strategic planning meeting in Washington, DC, and as a follow-up the comments were focused on strengthening the role of and support for biodiesel.  

According to NBB, recent Clean Cities funding opportunities have disproportionately benefited other alternative fuels and have not included funding for needed infrastructure, educational tools, training and outreach that support biodiesel. See the Clean Cities website for more information on the Strategic Planning Workshop and to download the briefing paper, Status and Issues for Biodiesel in the United States, and the biodiesel presentation. 

Biodiesel industry members are encouraged to send their Clean Cities coordinators content on biodiesel including new fleets, facility openings, and other developments of note. It's free press and outreach and a way to help coalitions provide more material on biodiesel. Click here to find your Clean Cities Coordinator.

NBB continues to work with regional coordinators across the country to leverage biodiesel information with their stakeholders and CBA looks forward to further engagement with Clean Cities going forward.