Hands-On Biodiesel Workshop at Piedmont Biofuels

Solar Energy International (SEI) is partnering with Piedmont Biofuels and Central Carolina Community College for a 5-day “hands-on” biodiesel workshop. Participants will learn the basics of fuel production, at small-scale, farm-scale, and commercial-scale from folks who have first hand experience.

Instructors
Matt Rudolf, Executive Director of Piedmont Biofuels Cooperative, a 580-member biodiesel cooperative in central North Carolina, will be leading discussions and hands-on demonstrations of biodiesel production techniques as well as on-farm production process including oil seed crushing.

Bob Armantrout, who has commercial scale biodiesel experience gained from working for two commercial producers of biodiesel fuel over the last five years will be assisting Matt and covering topics including biodiesel business basics, fuel quality, plant safety, and operational considerations in building a waste oil collection business.

Shaine Tyson, former Project Manager of NREL’s Biodiesel Program will be spending a day at the workshop to share her wealth of knowledge. Shaine knows most of the key players in the industry and government and has an extensive understanding of the biodiesel industry. She will be discussing the latest developments in feedstocks, as well as helping shed light on where the industry is headed.

Also on the agenda are guest lecturers including most of Piedmont Biofuels Industrial’s talented team. Lyle Estill will share insights from his latest book “Small is Possible” where he documents the evolution of the sustainability projects and their interconnectedness in the town of Pittsboro, NC, where the workshop will be held. Leif Forer, designer of the industrial plant will be on hand to present on the newly completed bio-refinery and the processes needed to remove contaminants to glycerin and turn a waste stream into a valuable co-product.

Also included will be presentations by David Thornton, head of Piedmont’s Design-Build group, who will discuss plant design and discuss different reaction technologies, including both batch and continuous flow reaction technologies. Greg Austic will discuss alternatives to KOH and NaOH, called heterogeneous catalysts, which are types of catalysts not consumed in the reaction and which do not produce a soap byproduct.

Tours of both the Industrial facility and the coop are scheduled, as well as a look at the analytical lab equipment in use at the local community college where a two-year biofuels program was recently started. Participants will also have an opportunity to tour and use the Piedmont Biofuels mobile oilseed crushing and biodiesel production plant. This mini-commercial plant contains all of the components of a commercial plant, from oilseed extraction, through biodiesel production, methanol recovery and both water and dry washing.

This workshop offers the participant an unparalleled opportunity to learn from and interact with some of the best that the appropriate scale biodiesel world has to offer, and promises to help those who attend get an up-close look at working facilities from those who are currently running them.

The Abundance Foundation will be coordinating logistics for the biodiesel workshop. The Abundance Foundation champions vibrant, diverse and innovative ideas surrounding renewable energy, local food systems, and community-aware businesses that create abundance and bring people together, and educates and empowers others to do the same. In a changing world, we help connect the dots

The workshop will be held in Pittsboro, North Carolina from October 13th through 17th 2008. The cost is $750 for the workshop (not including travel, lodging, and meals)
To register contact Solar Energy International (970) 963-8855
or register online at: www.solarenergy.org

ps., here is the tentative schedule for the workshop:

Solar Energy International
2008 Biodiesel Workshop
Draft Schedule

DAY 1 BIODIESEL BASICS
8:30 – 9am Registration (Tami)
9 – 10am Introductions
10 – Noon Pathways to Sustainability (Bob)
Noon – 1pm LUNCH
1 – 2:30pm Biodiesel 101 (Matt)
2:30 – 2:45pm BREAK
2:45 – 3pm Lab Safety (Matt)
3 – 3:30pm Titration and Mini Batch Demonstration (Mike + Spencer)
3:30 – 4:30pm LAB 1: Titrations and Minibatches (Matt + Mike + Spencer)
4:30 – 5pm Lab Clean up
DAY 2 POST PRODUCTION
9 – 10am Post-production- Glycerin prewash, MeOH recovery, Methods of H2O washing, Drying, Additives, etc… (Matt)
10 – 10:15am BREAK
10:15 – 11:15am Fuel Quality (Bob)
11:15 – 12:30pm LAB 2: Drain Glycerin, 27/3 tests, lab washing, lab drying
12:30 – 1:30pm LUNCH
1:30 – 2:15pm Tour Clean Tech at CCCC
2:15 – 2:30pm BREAK
2:30 – 3:30pm Methanol Recovery, Glycerin Refining, State of the Glycerin Market (Leif)
3:30 – 4pm Methanol Recovery in Action (Mike + Spencer w\ Clean Tech)
4 – 5pm Environmental and Sidestreams (Matt + Bob)
DAY 3 BUILDING THE RIGHT SCALE BIODIESEL BUSINESS
9 – 10am Biodiesel Business (Bob)
10 – 10:30am Running the Spreadsheets (Matt or Bob)
10:30 – 11:30am Biodiesel Plant Design (David)
11:30 – Noon Distribution and Taxes (Matt + Bob)
Noon – 1pm LUNCH
1 – 2pm Oil Collection (Greg)
2 – 2:30pm Tour Vacuum Truck at CCCC (Greg)
2:30 – 2:45pm Operational Considerations of WVO Collection (Bob)
2:45 – 4pm Quality Control (Bob)
4 – 5pm Plant Safety (Bob)

DAY 4 - GUEST LECTURER – Dr. Shaine Tyson
BRING MORINGA SEEDS
Ideas: Moringa vs. Jatropha
Algae Update
Traditional Feedstocks – Soy, Canola, Sunflower, Camelina, etc…
Economics of Crushing : Meal and Oil
Shaine’s take on appropriate scaling
Industry Trends – Where are we going?
Oil Extraction Presentation and Oil Pressing Demo (Matt)

DAY 5 PLANT TOUR DAY
9 – 10am Co-op Tour (Caleb)
10:15 – 11am Run Co-op Reactor
11 – 11:15am Drive to Industrial
11:15 – Noon Industrial Tour (Matt or Leif)
Noon – 1:15pm Local Lunch – Catered from Chatham Marketplace (TAMI)
1:30 – 2pm Reading from Biodiesel Power (LYLE) ???
2 – 3pm New technologies and R+D (Greg)
3 – 4pm Plant Design Exercise (Matt + Bob)
4 – 5pm Closing and Evaluations

This class was time well spent.

I would like to thank the staff at Piedmont Biofuels as well as CCCC for making this class a possibility.

Matt and Bob did an outstanding job keeping the class on track with time management while keeping the topics interesting.

All of the guest speakers were extremely informative and well received.

The tours were great.

Overall it was an eye opening experience from making biodiesel to seeing how a small tight nit community opens its doors to complete strangers and show them how not only make fuel but how they live.

It was outstanding and I can't thank all of those involved enough.

You all did a fantastic job.

I can't thank all of you enough for the knowledge that you shared as well as the hospitality and making us feel welcome and not like outsiders.

Good Luck in all of your endeavors and I look forward to crossing paths again.

Thank you,

Earle Collins

Thanks Earle.

I had a great time also!

One of the reasons I like hanging around biodiesel is that it attracts a very groovy crowd. Your group for the SEI Conference was no exception.

Good Luck with your (and Ryan's) future endeavors as well.

Bob in Moncure