Wisconsin Bio Industry Alliance

Biodiesel is a renewable fuel which is made right here in Wisconsin. According to a report from Propel Inc. and Essential Baking Co., biodiesel performed better than regular diesel. Here are some facts from the study:

• B99 (which is 99% biodiesel, 1% diesel) offset 1,553 gallons of oil
• Carbon dioxide outputs were reduced by more than 43,000 pounds
• Production of harmful particulate matter was reduced by 78%
• Sulfur compounds were completely eliminated from vehicle exhaust with B99
  

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In light of tomorrow’s 39^th annual Earth Day celebration, it is important to know the role that ethanol plays in improving the environment. Here are some facts:

• Using E85, a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, instead of gasoline can reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 20% to 30%. CO2 is a primary contributor to global climate change.[Source: American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest, Clean Air Choice, http://www.cleanairchoice.org/fuels/e85_faq.cfm/, accessed 4/21/09]

• Greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) from ethanol are shown to be 48% to 59% lower than emissions from gasoline.[Source: University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Improvements in Life Cycle Energy Efficiency and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Corn-Ethanol, http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/121647166/HTMLSTART,  accessed 4/21/09]

• Ethanol-blended fuels reduce tailpipe emissions of volatile organic compounds by at least 12% and reduce tailpipe carbon monoxide emissions by as much as 30%. [Source: Renewable Fuels Association, Ethanol Facts, http://www.ethanolrfa.org/resource/facts/environment/, accessed 4/21/09]

According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, it takes only three gallons of water to produce one gallon of ethanol. Thing that’s a lot of water? Here are some water statistics from the U.S. Geological Survey:

• 1,000 gallons – amount needed to grow the wheat to make ONE loaf of bread
• 50 gallons – amount it takes to machine wash ONE load of clothes
• 2 gallons – amount that goes down the drain while waiting for cold water
• 1,800 gallons – amount needed to produce the cotton in ONE pair of jeans
• 39,000 gallons – amount needed to produce ONE automobile
• 150 gallons – amount needed to produce ONE average-sized Sunday newspaper

Most people know what biodiesel is – a renewable fuel made right here in Wisconsin from a variety of feedstocks.  But not as many people know how it is made.  Here are some facts:

• Biodiesel is made from a process called transesterification – which separates fat or vegetable oil into methyl esters glycerin.

• Methyl esters is the chemical name for biodiesel, which can be used in diesel engines, while glycerin is sold and used in soap, as a food preservative, or as a thickening agent, amongst other uses.

• While people frequently refer to vegetable oil used for fuel as “biodiesel,” it is not.  While straight vegetable oil (SVO) can be burned in specially modified diesel engines, biodiesel is a much more refined product that can be used in any diesel engine.

Ethanol has a positive energy balance – and that balance is constantly improving with new technologies. Here are some statistics:

• Gasoline requires 1.23 BTUs to produce 1 BTU of energy, while ethanol requires only 0.74 BTU to produce 1 BTU of energy. Ethanol has a positive energy output while gasoline requires more energy than it actually produces. [Source: US Department of Energy, “Ethanol Myths and Facts,” http://www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass/ethanol_myths_facts.html, accessed 4/7/09]

• Each gallon of ethanol produced from corn delivers 33% more energy than is used to produce it. [Source: US Department of Energy, “Ethanol Myths and Facts,” http://www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass/ethanol_myths_facts.html, accessed 4/7/09]

• Over the last 20 years, the amount of energy needed to produce ethanol from corn has significantly decreased because of improved farming techniques, more efficient use of fertilizers and pesticides, higher-yielding crops, and more energy-efficient conversion technology. [Source: US Department of Energy, “Ethanol Myths and Facts,” http://www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass/ethanol_myths_facts.html, accessed 4/7/09]

You are invited to join a public session organized by the UW System Task Force on Recovery and Reinvestment to learn more about the various energy related provisions of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. Gary Wolter of the Wisconsin State Office of Recovery and Reinvestment will provide an update on activities underway. Researchers and Wisconsin agency officials will be available to make comments and answer questions on what this important legislation may mean to our State and community.
Confirmed speakers include: Mike Corradini, UW-Madison, Faculty in College of Engineering Tim Donohue, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center David Jenkins, Wisconsin Office of Energy Independence Maliyakal E. John, WiSys Technology Foundation Gerald Kulcinski, UW-Madison, Associate Dean College of Engineering Gary Wolter, Wisconsin State Office of Recovery and Reinvestment

Webcast footage of this event will be available. Please visit www.wbi.wisc.edu for more information on this webcast the day of the event. For more information contact: Ben Miller at bmiller@cals.wisc.edu or (608) 262-5570.

The Wisconsin Bio Industry Alliance (WBIA) is pleased to announce that it has released an expert database for use by the media and other interested parties.
 
The database provides a listing of industry experts that can be contacted by the media, with a short biography of each individual and his or her areas of expertise.  The expert database is available online at:
 
http://www.wisconsinbioindustry.com/WBIAExpertDatabase.pdf.
 
“We are excited about the release of our expert database,” said Joshua Morby, Executive Director of the WBIA. “This tool will allow media to contact and learn from some of Wisconsin’s top experts in the bio industry. The database is a quick and easy point of reference for media looking for quotes or technical information.”
 
The Wisconsin Bio Industry Alliance is a diverse group of businesses, environmental groups, and statewide and local organizations that have come together to build both public and legislative awareness of the Bio Industry in Wisconsin.
 
For more information about the Alliance, or to find out how to join, please visit our website:  http://www.wisconsinbioindustry.com.