Page 15 - PPGA Propane Post Winter

ers can grow the plant between other crops, not to take the place of a main crop like corn, wheat or soybeans. It’s a cover crop, where it’s planted in the winter (survives harsh winters) or spring and can be harvested as a cash crop for biofuel or feed use. Camelina holds nutrients in the soil, and because roots don’t get harvested, it puts carbon and organic material back into the field requiring less fertilizer. The plant is hearty, relatively pest and disease tolerant, therefore requires less pesticides.
RENEWABLE PROPANE
To produce renewable propane, biorefineries are retrofitted to use feedstocks including soybean oil, camellia seed oil, field crop stover, animal tallow and cooking oil. More energy groups around the country are increasing their production of renewable propane through their renewable diesel plants. For example, Global Clean Energy owns a refinery in Bakersfield, California, where they’re retrofitting their plant to become a renewable fuels refinery to eventually process Camelina into ultra-low carbon renewable fuels, including renewable diesel and renewable propane.
In Sacramento, California, Elk Grove School District uses renewable propane-powered school buses. They began a few years ago and plan to expand their fleet. “We’re currently run- ning about 20 to 30 school buses on renewable propane, and will consider more when older buses are retired,” according to Anthony Willis, supervisor of fleet maintenance.
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
In 2011, Detroit Metro Airport and Willow Run Airport teamed up with Michigan State University Extension (MSU) to grow up to 1,700 acres of Camelina, with over $400,000 in grant fund- ing from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. In December 2022, MSU announced their $2 million Department of Energy grant to maximize Camelina’s oilseed yield, and its use as a clean jet fuel. The additional benefit of biofuel made from Camellia is that it won’t freeze at 30,000 feet.
The MPGA has reached out to MSU to learn more about their Camelina-Jet Fuel project and do a future video with them.
In 2010, the EPA established a process for companies to peti- tion for new fuels pathways to qualify for Renewable Fuel Stan- dard (RFS). Camelina Sativa is an approved crop to produce propane.
DEREK DALLING IS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE PACIFIC PROPANE GAS ASSOCIATION. HE CAN BE REACHED AT DEREK@KDAFIRM.COM. RESOURCES: PROPANE.COM, MSUTODAY.MSU.EDU, CFANS UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, MDPI.COM, MWSMAG.COM, SCIENCEDIRECT.COM.
THE PROPANE POST • WINTER 2023
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Camelina (Camellia Sativa) is one substance that is positioned to be a game changer in the renewable propane industry.