County farmers and businesses to benefit from growth
Biofuel production is ramping up in Washington, and Clark County is a little busier as a result.
Interest in biofuel production has grown considerably in the last decade. As a result of initiatives and mandates in many states, including Washington, biodiesel consumption is expected to exceed 80 million gallons this year, and some analysts put that number near 125 million gallons.
Biofuel production is ramping up in Washington, and Clark County is a little busier as a result.
Interest in biofuel production has grown considerably in the last decade. As a result of initiatives and mandates in many states, including Washington, biodiesel consumption is expected to exceed 80 million gallons this year, and some analysts put that number near 125 million gallons.
As part of her vision to make the state a leader in the biofuel industry, Senator Maria Cantwell recently brokered an agreement with the Port of Seattle and its clients to purchase one million gallons of biodiesel each year. The Port of Vancouver as well runs biofuel in all of its diesel-powered service vehicles. The facility in July completed the conversion of its fleet, and expects to consume close to 10,000 gallons of biofuel annually. Also, the newly commissioned crane at the port is biodiesel compatible, and would add another 6,000 gallons to the port’s consumption if run on the fuel.
Growing independence
In her efforts to bolster the biofuel infrastructure, Cantwell helped establish a $550 million Advanced Biofuel Technologies Program as part of the 2005 comprehensive energy bill, which promotes research and grants for production of such fuels. She has also launched the Washington Biofuels Business Collaborative, an organization of entities interested in developing the industry.
In a statement, Cantwell said with the right incentives and investments, the state can use local crops and feedstocks to develop a strong biofuels industry.
"By putting Washington’s farmers and workers in the biofuels business, we can create jobs, provide some competition at the gas pump and help break America’s dangerous dependence on foreign oil," she said.
Cantwell also wants biofuels to spill over into the consumer arena. The senator in May unveiled the Clean Edge Act, which, if embraced by the Senate, would mandate development of renewable energy sources, and 25 percent of new vehicles sold in the United States by the year 2010 to be capable of running on biofuel. Such "flexible fuel" vehicles can run on higher blends of biofuels. The goals of the legislation are to emancipate the nation from dependency on foreign oil and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The state requires, under the Renewable Fuel Standard initiative, that 2 percent of the volume of diesel fuel sold must be biodiesel. That number could climb to 5 percent if the feed stock for the fuel is grown in-state. To this end, the senator offers subsidies to farmers who grow these crops, which include canola, soy and mustard seed for biodiesel, and corn and wheat for ethanol.
Getting into the game
The growth in alternative fuel development and state incentives has given some unlikely players interesting notions. Great Western Malting Co. hopes to build an ethanol refinery on 4.8 acres at the Port of Vancouver. It has the option to lease the property near its malting facility from the port by the end of the year. The proposed plant would generate 50 million gallons of fuel per year. The heat generated by the plant would be used, company officials say, to aid in the malting process. Currently, the plant uses
natural gas to generate the required heat for malting.
"The heat application (for the malting) was an afterthought," said Great Western Business Development Director Jay Hamachek. "It was a collective idea, to get the heat by-product through the back door."
Hamachek said the company is currently working with engineers to develop a plan for construction.
Of the more than 50 companies producing biofuels nationwide, more than 500 million gallons annually, one makes its home in Washington. Seattle Biofuels operates a refinery in Seattle, and recently received a $7.5 million investment to build a second facility in Aberdeen. Longview-based contractor JH Kelly will build the $4.3 million facility, with completion scheduled for the second quarter of next year.
Future possibilities
In the meantime, Tidewater Barge Lines on Tuesday christened a new barge specifically for the conveyance of refined biofuels. The double-hulled 284-foot vessel has a 42-foot beam and room for 26,000 barrels of fuel.
"The barge will serve us in a new era as we endeavor to meet the needs of the rapidly growing biofuels industry," said Tidewater President Dennis McVicker at the christening. McVicker said he’s looking forward to serving the needs of existing refineries as well as others that will be locating along the Columbia and Snake River systems. He’s likely talking about Pasco. Carl Adrian, president of the Tri City Development Council, said recent legislation regarding biofuels has created an upsurge in interested parties, and that it is very likely that an outside company will put a plant there in the next few years.
"We’ve seen some expression of interest from around a half dozen people," he said.
With the Aberdeen plant and the almost certain addition of another refinery in Pasco, the state of Washington’s alternative fuel market will no doubt get a little sporty. Adrian said it’s not a question of whether a company will build there, but rather a question of when and of whom.
Regardless of who it is, Seattle Biofuels CEO Martin Tobias is ready for action when it comes to competition.
"We’re gonna beat them like a dog," he said.
