Renewable Energy Group acquires Tellurian Biodiesel, Inc. and American BDF, LLC

A long, sometimes painful and ultimately rewarding journey comes to an end for Tellurian as it folds into the country's leading biodiesel company - REG. A new dawn for sustainable biodiesel is around the corner.

Eric

Here is the press release.

(LOS ANGELES, Calif.) July XX, 2010—The nation’s leading biodiesel producer and marketer today announced two acquisitions and assumption of a used cooking oil supply agreement that helps the quick-service restaurant industry and the entire nation move closer to clean energy sustainability goals.

Renewable Energy Group (REG®), headquartered in Ames, Iowa, today announced it is acquiring Tellurian Biodiesel, Inc., a California-based biodiesel company and marketer, and American BDF, LLC. ABDF— a joint-venture owned by Golden State Service Industries, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Golden State Foods of Irvine, Calif.; Restaurant Technologies Inc. (RTI) of Eagan, Minn.; and Tellurian Biodiesel—previously focused on building a national array of small biodiesel plants that would convert used cooking oil as its core biodiesel feedstock.

The acquisition connects a national collection system for used cooking oil —including RTI’s national clientele of more than 16,000 installations —with REG’s national network of proven, commercial-scale biodiesel manufacturing facilities in order to produce high performing, clean liquid fuel.

“Turning used cooking oil into biodiesel at REG’s network of manufacturing facilities is another good outlet for our client’s waste products to power a simple, green, and safe solution for fueling our nation’s progress toward clean energy goals,” explained RTI CEO Jeff Kiesel.

Analysts have long looked to used cooking oil as an excellent low-carbon feedstock source for the biodiesel industry. “Just by gaining access to this nationwide system of waste cooking oil collection depots, REG has the potential, over time, to replace more than a half million barrels of imported crude oil with sustainable, domestically produced biodiesel,” explained vice president of supply chain management, Dave Elsenbast.

Leaders involved in the deal cite reduction of dependence on imported oil as just one of the many benefits of this new relationship. “REG’s plans and capabilities to turn waste cooking r oil into green house gas-reducing biodiesel is another sustainable solution that we that we can share with our customers,” said Golden State Service Industries president, Bill Sanderson. “This is a wonderful example of a commercialized, national sustainable biofuel platform that our customers can really get behind.”

Process technology played a role in the acquisition decision, Tellurian’s Eric Bowen explained. “Even the least desirable feedstocks which come from grill and fryer traps will be converted into biodiesel,” explained former Tellurian chief Eric Bowen of the used cooking oil from the former ABDF venture that will now augment REG’s feedstock supplies.

REG’s national production network includes commercial-scale, multi-feedstock-capable biodiesel facilities with total combined annual production capacity of more than 200 million gallons. REG plans to market high quality finished biodiesel under its REG-9000TM branded biodiesel platform to petroleum distributors and refiners through its existing nationwide infrastructure.
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What do San Francisco, President Obama, Darryl Hannah, and Melissa Etheridge have in common?

They all appear in another great story from my friend, biodiesel advocate and journelist, Eric Smith.

Chron:http://www.beyondchron.org/articles/The_2009_National_Biodiesel_Board_Conference_in_San_Francisco_6574.html


The world of biodiesel producers, advocates, retailers and scientists,descended on San Francisco this week for the annual 2009 NationalBiodiesel Board Conference and the Sustainable Biodiesel Summit at theMoscone Center.San Francisco is perhaps the largest city in the worldto employ biodiesel in its diesel fleet, including MUNI and the SFFire Department, as well as private companies like the Red and Whitefleet at Fisherman's Wharf and the locomotives of the San FranciscoBay Railroad. With luminaries from around the globe and advocates likeactress Darryl Hannah in attendance, the NBB's executive director Joe Jobe opened the conference and spoke of the many challenges facingthis alternative fuel, including an assault from junk scientists andlobbyists from the petroleum industry.

To showcase San Francisco for the event, Jobe scouted the city severalmonths ago, filming San Francisco's wide array of successful biodieseluses, from the SFPUC's successful Greasecycle, to Berkeley's Biofuel Oasis. What transpired was an unforgettable week of biodieseleducation, networking and the resolve to join together in facing oneof the planet's biggest challenges, our dependance on oil.

"I can't believe they are going sustainable", proclaimed a jubilant Hannah, upon hearing the NBB's adoption of the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance's sustainable principles. The grassroot offsprings of theNBB, the SBA and the California Biodiesel Alliance, once languished in"shadow conferences" preceding the traditional NBB meetings. Nolonger. Now these groups have a seat at the table and the NBB and it'senergetic director Jobe have recognized the work of these biodieselpioneers on the front lines. "Make no mistake, we are out manned andout gunned by an extremely well funded petroleum industry who will doanything they can to stop us", says Jobe. "We have science and thefacts are on our side". Indeed, the petroleum industry as well as thegrocery manufacturers have hired an army of lobbyists and marketers tosell the public on the fuel vs. food myth, despite overwhelmingevidence to the contrary.

The City of SF was honored appropriately and a few members of itsbiodiesel community were brought on to the stage by Jobe to begin theconference. Dr. Randall von Wedel of the biodiesel testing labCytoCulture, received the NBB's "Impact" award for his outstandingachievements in biodiesel; MUNI's Marty Mallera, SF Fire Department's Mike Ferry, SF Department of the Environment's Vanadana Bali, and theSFPUC's Karri Ving of the SF Greasecycle program, all helped toconvert the city to biodiesel and make Mayor Gavin Newsom's B20mandate a reality. Panelists during many of the NBB's sessionsincluded Tellurian Biodiesel CEO and SF Biodiesel Access Taskforce Chair Eric Bowen, Community Fuel's Ryan Lamberg, Jennifer Ratke ofBerkeley's Biofuel Oasis and myself as the Director of Green Depot.

This conference had it all; debates on feedstock issues,sustainability, quality, calculating life cycle analysis and indirectland use assessments, the latest diesel vehicles, and saw a showcaseof some of California and the country's best and brightest biodieselpioneers. Ben Jordan, founder of the Biofuels Recycling Cooperativeand architect of the SF Greasecycle, Hawaii's Bob and Kelly King ofPacific Biodiesel, Jeff Plowman and Annie Nelson of the SBA, KumarPlochar of Yokayo Biofuels, Colorado's K. Shain, Dr. Dan Freeman ofSeattle, Rachel Burton of Piedmont Biofuels, Biofuel Oasis co-founderSara Hope Smith of Oregon and Biofuel Station's Kimber Holmes whohosted the weekend's Sustainable Biodiesel Summit. These folks hadworked tirelessly and sacrificed much to see the grassroots biodieselmovement take it's rightful place among the NBB.

Biodiesel Magazine's Ron Kotrba observed in his web column this weekthat "the second of three general sessions was as moving as it wasinformative. The National Biodiesel Board shared the stage withactress Darryl Hannah and singer Melissa Etheridge, who are bothpassionate about using renewable energy and biodiesel. Starting themorning, NBB chairman Ed Hegland said the board's goal is to havebiodiesel make up 5 percent of the national diesel fuel pool by 2015,a plan called 5 x 15. "And we're well on our way there," he said. Thetheme of the day's general session was sustainability, which Heglandcalled the "defining word of our time."

Kotrba also wrote that Hannah, "a familiar face to regulars at theannual biodiesel event, gave a heartfelt talk to the audience about adocumentary she's been working on, regarding sex slaves and theinternational trafficking of minors for the purpose of selling sex.Her moving speech, which wasn't read off a teleprompter but rathercrumpled pieces of paper she held in her hands, went from humantrafficking, to the state of the oceans, to the burning ofrainforests, to the "toxic patchwork" of unsustainable agriculture, tobiodiesel exports. Hannah said she knew a man who lived near a largebiodiesel plant and he was excited to start using it, but couldn'tfind any locally because all of the fuel was being exported out of thecountry. She said a situation like that needs to change; however, Jobehumorously cautioned that her views aren't necessarily the views ofthe NBB."

One of the most moving moments of the conference involved singer Melissa Etheridge, who performed during the conference's secondgeneral session and according to Kotrba, "Gave a spectacularperformance of her song, "If not now, when?" After the song, she toldthe audience the story about her rise to stardom, and once she made itthere, she asked herself, is this it? After years of being a recordingartist, her name being bought and sold from record company to recordcompany – she jokingly said one day she found out unbeknownst to hershe was the property of Seagram's Gin – she felt like there should besomething more. Shortly afterwards, she felt a lump in her breast andshe was diagnosed with breast cancer.Etheridge said after weeks and weeks of chemotherapy, lying in her bedthe whole time because light hurt, sound hurt, she was taken to ahigher place of awareness and understanding; similar to a monk whomeditates himself to supreme enlightenment. "I started to understandwhat we are," she said. Al Gore called her one day, she said, andasked her to "check out his slide show," called "An InconvenientTruth." She eventually wrote the song for that documentary and won anOscar. She then realized that in order to be healthy people, we need ahealthy planet. "I asked myself, `What can I do?'" Later, she ran intoWillie Nelson, who was heavily promoting biodiesel then, and the restis history."

Yesterday saw the closing of the conference and coincided with Mayor Newsom's press conference about a new biofuel collection planinvolving "brown grease", in other words, the waste found in greasetraps. Now even this waste can be turned into biodiesel. The biodieselmovement in San Francisco and California indeed rolls on, however manyreal challenges face this fledgling alternative fuel. There is thecontinuing debate on NOx emissions and how best to combat them; TheCalifornia State Water Board still has issues with the "UST's",otherwise known as underground storage tanks. As of today, only blendsof B5 biodiesel (5% biodiesel, 95% petroleum), are rated to be in themuntil UL, (Underwriters Laboratories), certifies them for higherblends. Meantime, biodiesel distributors are in limbo until atemporary agreement can be reached. The EPA, CARB, the CaliforniaBiodiesel Alliance and the NBB continue to meet with the Water Boardto resolve this issue; The petroleum industry, the grocerymanufacturers and their lobbyists continue to fund "junk" scientiststo try and debunk the benefits of biodiesel and continue theirill-conceived fuel vs. food fight. Lastly, some of the automakers aremaking the 2010 models more difficult to use pure biodiesel by makingthem even more petroleum diesel friendly. If they don't change theirways, many states may act to ban those vehicles from being sold andsend a clear message that all diesel vehicles must continue to be ableto use biodiesel without any potential fuel injection issues.

One thing is clear. In July of 2008, the United States saw its oilsupply reach "peak production". That means from here on out, no matterhow much we drill, or how many new provinces may yet be mined, we havereached our peak. We will never see oil production at those levelsever again. It is projected that the world's peak production,(Including Saudi Arabia, Russia, South America, etc.), could reachpeak production by as early as 2050. Until a new technologies, perhapselectric, can be perfected, the diesel engine is still the world'sbest motor and biodiesel, of all of the of the alternative fuels,continues to have the best energy ratio and sustainability.

President Barack Obama understands this dilemma and has spoken aboutthe need to use more biofuels. We really need to listen and heed hisadvice before it's too late.

Eric "Doc" Smith is the Director of Green Depot, a non-profit thatpromotes the use of biodiesel in communities challenged byenvironmental justice issues. He is also Vice-Chair of the SanFrancisco Biodiesel Access Taskforce and a board member of theBiofuels Recycling Cooperative, architects of the SFPUC's GreasecycleProgram. He drives a 2001 VW Beetle that runs exclusively on biodiesel.

Biodiesel Tax Credit Extension

The biodiesel tax credit is set to expire 12/31/08. Without an extension, the biodiesel industry will be dealt another devestating blow. Congress needs to extend the credit ASAP. Here is CBA's letter to the House stressing the importance of passing an extension before the end of the year.

Testimony of Eric M. Bowen
Chairman of the California Biodiesel Alliance
Submitted to the U.S. House Committee on Small Business
September 12, 2008

Chairwoman Velazquez, Ranking Member Chabot and Members of the Committee, I thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony today on behalf of the California Biodiesel Alliance (CBA) about the importance of the biodiesel tax incentive to the many small businesses that comprise the U.S. biofuels industry.

About the CBA: The California Biodiesel Alliance (CBA) is a non-profit corporation dedicated to promoting biodiesel in California. CBA was founded in 2006 by California biodiesel pioneers and industry leaders and represents the biodiesel industry in government relations in California and Washington, D.C. We believe that biodiesel can be a significant contributor to improving local air quality, reducing California’s dependence on foreign oil and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Economic & Environmental Benefits of Biodiesel to California: The economic impact to California from biodiesel development can be substantial. California is the largest state with a population of 36.6 million (12.2% of US population) and home to one of the world’s largest economies with a Gross State Product of >$1.5 trillion. California is also the largest consumer of fuel in the United States, using over 10 percent of the nation’s fuel. California is the home to 13 biodiesel plants that are either in operation or under construction. The direct, indirect, and induced increase in annual economic activity to California from a thriving biodiesel industry would be significant.

In 2007 alone, the U.S. biodiesel industry contributed over $4.1 billion to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and supported 21,803 jobs. In addition, economic modeling suggests that a vibrant biodiesel industry will positively impact the U.S. economy in multiple ways. America’s biodiesel industry will add $26 billion to the U.S. economy between 2007 and 2012, assuming biodiesel growth reaches 1 billion gallons of annual production by 2012. Biodiesel production will create a projected 38,856 new jobs in all sectors of the economy and additional tax revenues from biodiesel production will more than pay for the federal tax incentives provided to the industry. Equally as important, it will keep billions of dollars in America that would otherwise be spent on foreign oil. As such, there is a compelling public policy argument to be made to justify increased biodiesel production and use in U.S. (and California), and the biodiesel tax incentive is an integral part of a sound public policy framework that will allow biodiesel to play a constructive role as part of the nation’s overall energy strategy.

California Biodiesel Market: In California, demand for petroleum based transportation fuels exceeds 20 billion gallons/year. Diesel demand accounts for roughly 20% of this amount, or 4 billion gallons/year. According to the California Energy Commission, demand for diesel in California is expected to increase at a rate of 2.8% annually, outpacing the growth in demand for gasoline at 0.7%/year. According to the Energy Information Administration, transportation fuels in California account for 73.5% of total petroleum consumption as compared to 62.9% nationally. State-wide adoption of a 5% blend of biodiesel (B5), the ASTM D 975 petroleum diesel equivalent, California could support a market of over 200 million gallons/year today.

Small Business Impact: Nationally, the biodiesel tax incentive has helped increase the production and use of biodiesel from 25 million gallons in 2004 to 500 million gallons in 2007. It has established the industry as we know it, providing the stability necessary for new research and development into the next generation of fuels and fuel sources. If the biodiesel tax incentive was to lapse, biodiesel production in California would halt and the development of new production and distribution facilities would be curtailed or lost. This would have a devastating impact on the numerous small businesses that comprise all facets of the industry and jeopardize their long-term viability. Additionally, it would send negative signals to the private investment community that continues to play a crucial role in supporting the small businesses that comprise California’s biodiesel industry. This would severely disrupt the development of the State’s biodiesel industry which, in turn, would impede the State’s ability to comply with its own aggressive regulatory goals. If California’s fledgling biodiesel industry is hampered by a lapse in the tax incentive it would cripple the substantial in-state development activities and creating ripple effect that will be felt across the entire U.S. and renewable fuels industry.

Environmental Impacts: California, a proven leader in the advancement of environmental regulations that become standard practice throughout the U.S., is currently developing their Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) which will achieve significant carbon and GHG emission reductions. Biodiesel is expected to play an integral role in achieving these goals but the economic fallout from a lapse in the tax credit will have a direct effect on California’s ability to meet its own environmental targets.

In California, 42% of the GHG emissions are from transportation fuels and petroleum based diesel is the leading cause of emissions related respiratory illnesses. Biodiesel provides a simple and highly effective solution to these problems. The adoption of biodiesel as an alternative fuel requires minimal efforts and changes in existing infrastructure.

Biodiesel is an environmentally safe fuel, and is the most viable transportation fuel when measuring its carbon footprint, life cycle and energy balance. The USDA/DoE lifecycle study shows a 78% reduction in lifecycle CO2 for B100. The use of 200 million gallons of biodiesel in California would reduce current life cycle greenhouse gas emissions by 3.2 billion pounds, the equivalent of removing 280,000 passenger vehicles from our roads.

Biodiesel’s emissions significantly outperform petroleum based diesel. Research conducted in the U.S. shows biodiesel emissions have decreased levels of all target polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and nitrited PAH compounds, as compared to petroleum diesel exhaust. These compounds have been identified as potential cancer causing compounds.

Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel to voluntarily perform EPA Tier I and Tier II testing to quantify emission characteristics and health effects. That study found that B20 (20% biodiesel blended with 80% petroleum diesel) provided significant reductions in the total hydrocarbons; carbon monoxide; and total particulate matter. Typically, emissions of nitrogen oxides are either slightly reduced or slightly increased depending on the duty cycle of the engine and testing methods used. Research also documents the fact that the ozone forming potential of the hydrocarbon emissions of pure biodiesel is nearly 50% less than that of petroleum fuel. Pure biodiesel typically does not contain sulfur and therefore reduces sulfur dioxide exhaust from diesel engines to virtually zero.

Energy Strategy: Together, biodiesel & California are critical to any responsible energy strategy that seeks to reduce dependence on foreign petroleum. Through the increased production and use of renewable transportation fuels such as biodiesel, California could have a significant role in the reduction of the United State’s dependency on foreign oil. California serves as the major petroleum import hub on the West Coast supplying much of the Western U.S. via Nevada, Arizona, and Oregon. California is home to 21 petroleum refineries that account for roughly 12% of U.S. refining capacity, exceeding 2 billion barrels/day, importing 36% of its refining capacity from foreign sources.

The goal of California AB 1007 (State Alternative Fuels Plan) is to reduce petroleum consumption and GHG emissions through the increased use and in-state production of biofuels. California can readily produce significant volumes of biodiesel from waste sources such as recycled cooking oils (yellow & brown grease), animal fats, and other biomass-based waste sources via traditional and developing technologies. Furthermore, the opportunity for agricultural development of dedicated energy crops such as Camelina, Jatropha, and Algae is very promising. These next generation energy crops also have numerous sustainable benefits – high oil yields, can be grown on marginal lands, require minimal inputs such as water and fertilizer, and do not compete with existing agricultural systems. With the use of B5 (5% biodiesel blended with 95% petroleum diesel), the ASTM D 975 petroleum diesel equivalent, California could support a market of over 200 million gallons/year and displace more than 8 million barrels of foreign oil. In addition, biodiesel is an extremely efficient fuel that creates 3.5 units of energy for every unit of fuel that is required to produce the fuel. For these reasons, the use of biodiesel can greatly contribute to domestic energy security.

Failing to Extend the Tax Incentive Unjustly Penalizes California: A comprehensive and fair energy policy requires tax incentives that do not reward one area of the country while penalizing another. We applaud support for all biofuels, including incentives for ethanol, but respectfully point out that at this time, crops best suited for production of biofuels are also well suited to be grown in California. As you are aware, the federal Farm Bill that passed this session included tax incentives for ethanol, thus providing strong support for agriculture and the biofuels produced in the Midwest and Farm Belt region of our country. If the biodiesel tax credit is not extended, small businesses in California that comprise the State’s biodiesel industry will be placed in an unequal and unfair position relative to our fellow citizens to the North and East who can produce biofuels from more water-intensive crops such as corn and soybeans.

It is important to note that the CBA strongly advocates for an energy strategy that benefits the entire country, and not one particular region. We believe a balanced and fair energy policy should be ecology neutral and reward each region for its contribution to our domestic energy supply. Tax law should be even-handed, and provide incentives that benefit the ability to produce biofuels from all of our nation’s diverse ecologies. Federal policy also must be cognizant of a region’s energy needs and ability to deliver its “homegrown” fuel. Biodiesel can be produced on California’s marginal lands, and can be made readily available to consumers if the Congress provides the essential tax incentives necessary for its development.

Extension of the Biodiesel Tax Incentive Is A National Priority: The biodiesel tax incentive is set to expire on December 31, 2008. Expiration of the incentive would have a catastrophic impact on the U.S. biodiesel industry, and the CBA urges Congress to approve and the President to sign an extension of the incentive before the end of the year.

The biodiesel blenders excise tax is structured in a manner that helps make biodiesel price competitive with conventional diesel fuel. If the tax incentive is allowed to expire at the end of the year, the price of biodiesel will be significantly higher than petroleum diesel, thus significantly reducing demand and making it nearly impossible for biodiesel plants to produce fuel at a profit. Thus, it is safe to assume that if the biodiesel tax incentive lapses, biodiesel production in California and the U.S. will halt or at a minimum be severely curtailed, and the energy security, environmental, and job creation benefits that the nation realizes from biodiesel production will be lost.

I would note that both the Baucus/Reid and McConnell/Grassley energy and tax extenders packages that have been unveiled in the Senate contain similar biodiesel provisions as those contained in H.R. 6049. For the sake of the biodiesel industry and the sake of America’s need to achieve energy independence, the CBA urges Congress to extend the biodiesel tax incentive prior to adjournment. A lapse in the incentive will be a devastating setback to an industry that has the capacity to make a positive contribution in breaking our dependence on foreign oil.

Again, Chairwoman Velazquez, Ranking Member Chabot and Members of the Committee, I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to submit testimony, and would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

/s/ Eric M. Bowen

Eric M. Bowen
Chairman, California Biodiesel Alliance
President & CEO Tellurian Biodiesel, Inc.

Biodiesel Letter To San Francisco Gas Stations

I thought I would share this letter from the San Francisco Biodiesel Taskforce to gas stations in San Francisco encouraging them to consider selling biodiesel at the pump.

Go San Francisco, Go!



June 6, 2007


Gas Station Owner
San Francisco, California

RE: Biodiesel: Environmentally Friendly, Renewable Diesel Fuel – Available Today

Dear Sir or Madam,

We would like to bring to your attention the exciting opportunity provided by America’s fastest growing alternative fuel, biodiesel. The City of San Francisco has adopted a policy to promote the use of biodiesel throughout the City and is considering adopting financial incentives to encourage existing gas stations to provide biodiesel at the pump. The City would greatly appreciate your consideration of offering biodiesel for sale at your San Francisco filling station.

Biodiesel is a safe, nontoxic and biodegradable substitute for petroleum diesel that is made from renewable vegetable oils, recycled cooking greases or animal fats. Biodiesel is designated under federal law as an ‘alternative fuel' and is registered with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a fuel and fuel additive. It can be blended with traditional petroleum diesel in any ratio, can be used in any diesel engine without need for mechanical alterations and is compatible with the existing petroleum diesel distribution and dispensing infrastructure.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has recognized biodiesel as the fastest growing alternative fuel. The biodiesel market is expected to grow from a couple hundred million gallons per year today to over one billion gallons per year by 2010. The DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), US EPA and Department of Transportation (DOT) have all embraced biodiesel as a means of reducing diesel engine emissions, lowering our dependence on imported petroleum fuel, and boosting the agricultural sector for our country.

Biodiesel is currently cost competitive with petroleum diesel. The City’s Biodiesel Access Taskforce is ready to help, free-of-charge, all interested station owners explore the potential of dispensing biodiesel at their stations. For more information, please contact Monica Fish, the Taskforce’s secretary at (415) 355-3709 or Monica.Fish@sfgov.org.

You can find more information on biodiesel at http://www.biodiesel.org/ and you can find more information on the SF Biodiesel Taskforce at http://www.sfenvironment.com/aboutus/innovative/biodiesel.

Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,



Eric M. Bowen
Chair, San Francisco Biodiesel Access Taskforce