Due to technological developments, and substantial recent investment in the emerging algae-based biofuels industry by Exxon Mobil Corp. and other companies, H.R. 3460 a bipartisan bill that proposes amendments to the national renewable fuel program to allow renewable fuel standards to be met, in part, by algae-based biofuels was introduced by Representative Brian Bilbray (R-CA), Jay Inslee (D-Wa), Harry Teague (D-NM), and six other California lawmakers both Republican and Democrats. On July 31, 2009 it was referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
While the national renewable fuel program currently does not contain specific provisions for the use of algal-based biomass to meet renewable fuel standards, the proponents of H.R. 3460 and the supporters of algae-based biofuel are asking Congress to specifically include algae-based biofuels placing them on equal footing with other fuel and renewable energy sources.
Hawaii has taken great steps to transition from its reliance on imported fossil fuels to renewable energy through the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative and Energy Agreement. With a commitment to a goal of “70 percent clean, renewable energy for electricity and transportation by 2030,” the State and Hawaiian Electric Company declared “[t]he future of Hawaii requires that we move more decisively and irreversibly away from imported fossil fuel for electricity and transportation and towards indigenously produced renewable energy and an ethic of energy efficiency,” as “[t]he very future of our land, our economy and our quality of life is at risk if we don not make this move and we do so for the future of Hawaii and of the generations to come.” http://hawaii.gov/dbedt/info/energy/agreement/signed2008oct20.pdf
See also http://www.hawaiicleanenergyinitiative.org
The national renewable fuel program also promotes blending renewable fuels into transportation fuel and establishes annual renewable fuel standards for the calendar years 2006 through 2022 and specifically requires the EPA to ensure that transportation fuel sold or dispensed to consumers in the United States contains 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels by 2022. 42 U.S.C. § 7545(o)(2)(B)(i)(I). Of this 36 billion gallons, 21.0 billion gallons of renewable fuels is to come from “advanced biofuels,” which include ethanol derived from cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, sugar or starch (excluding corn starch), biomass-based diesel, biogas, and other fuels “that have lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions … that are at least 50 percent less than baseline lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions.” 42 U.S.C. § 7545(o)(2)(B)(i)(II) and 42 U.S.C. § 7545(o)(1)(B)(i).
Hawaii has a history of aquaculture and suffers from the effects of invasive algal species which “jumped tank” and made home in areas unintended. See http://bigislandlandblawg.blogspot.com/2009/07/invasive-alien-algae-in-main-hawaiian.html As a result, given this new push for alternative energy sources and interest in algae-based biofuel on the national level, it begs the question, is algae-based biofuel a possibility for Hawaii? It seems so. See http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-9832304-54.html. Which announces the creation of a joint venture of the fuel giant Royal Dutch Shell and HR Biopetroleum called Cellana to make biodiesel from algae in Hawaii. According to the report "[t]he plans call for growing algae in ponds of seawater using strains of algae that are native to Hawaii." If biodiesel from alage is possible in Hawaii, is it also a feasible solution to control and or eradicate our invasive algal species? Ideally, if algae-based biofuel is to be pursued in Hawaii it would include a proposal to eradicate invasive algal species using them for fuel while intentionally cultivating native species for sustained fuel generation purposes.
While the national renewable fuel program currently does not contain specific provisions for the use of algal-based biomass to meet renewable fuel standards, the proponents of H.R. 3460 and the supporters of algae-based biofuel are asking Congress to specifically include algae-based biofuels placing them on equal footing with other fuel and renewable energy sources.
Hawaii has taken great steps to transition from its reliance on imported fossil fuels to renewable energy through the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative and Energy Agreement. With a commitment to a goal of “70 percent clean, renewable energy for electricity and transportation by 2030,” the State and Hawaiian Electric Company declared “[t]he future of Hawaii requires that we move more decisively and irreversibly away from imported fossil fuel for electricity and transportation and towards indigenously produced renewable energy and an ethic of energy efficiency,” as “[t]he very future of our land, our economy and our quality of life is at risk if we don not make this move and we do so for the future of Hawaii and of the generations to come.” http://hawaii.gov/dbedt/info/energy/agreement/signed2008oct20.pdf
See also http://www.hawaiicleanenergyinitiative.org
The national renewable fuel program also promotes blending renewable fuels into transportation fuel and establishes annual renewable fuel standards for the calendar years 2006 through 2022 and specifically requires the EPA to ensure that transportation fuel sold or dispensed to consumers in the United States contains 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels by 2022. 42 U.S.C. § 7545(o)(2)(B)(i)(I). Of this 36 billion gallons, 21.0 billion gallons of renewable fuels is to come from “advanced biofuels,” which include ethanol derived from cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, sugar or starch (excluding corn starch), biomass-based diesel, biogas, and other fuels “that have lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions … that are at least 50 percent less than baseline lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions.” 42 U.S.C. § 7545(o)(2)(B)(i)(II) and 42 U.S.C. § 7545(o)(1)(B)(i).
Hawaii has a history of aquaculture and suffers from the effects of invasive algal species which “jumped tank” and made home in areas unintended. See http://bigislandlandblawg.blogspot.com/2009/07/invasive-alien-algae-in-main-hawaiian.html As a result, given this new push for alternative energy sources and interest in algae-based biofuel on the national level, it begs the question, is algae-based biofuel a possibility for Hawaii? It seems so. See http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-9832304-54.html. Which announces the creation of a joint venture of the fuel giant Royal Dutch Shell and HR Biopetroleum called Cellana to make biodiesel from algae in Hawaii. According to the report "[t]he plans call for growing algae in ponds of seawater using strains of algae that are native to Hawaii." If biodiesel from alage is possible in Hawaii, is it also a feasible solution to control and or eradicate our invasive algal species? Ideally, if algae-based biofuel is to be pursued in Hawaii it would include a proposal to eradicate invasive algal species using them for fuel while intentionally cultivating native species for sustained fuel generation purposes.
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