The Wisconsin Biodiesel Association is opening its monthly meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 25th at 9:30 a.m. at the Wisconsin DNR office in Madison to the general public. This story on Wisconsin Ag Connection says it’s an effort to educate people about the benefits of biodiesel in the state: WBA President Jeff Pieterick says the group has prepared a particularly informative …
Former EU Ag Commissioner on Biofuels
Back in 2003, the European Union instituted some major reforms in its agricultural sector, which are now known as the “Fischler Reforms” after the Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries at the time, Franz Fischler. Among the policies instituted at the time was a very small incentive for farmers to produce crops on set aside land that could be …
Plains, GA Could Be Site for Biodiesel Plant
In a town most famous for peanuts and a president, biodiesel could be the next chapter for Plains, Georgia. This story from WRBL-TV in Columbus, Georgia says Alterra Energy is planning on opening the plant that will create 25 jobs next spring: Alterra plans to turn a combination of soy oil and chicken fat into Biodiesel fuel. The fuel can …
Biodiesel Plant Builders Offer to Renovate Neighborhood
The developers of what will be the biggest biodiesel plant in the U.S. have offered to give $5 million to renovate the neighborhood located near the plant. Smiling Earth Energy has offered the money to help the Chesapeake, Virginia neighborhood of South Hill, which has been cut off from the rest of the city since Interstate 464 bisected the area …
Chrysler Says: Buy Biodiesel!
Chrysler is encouraging its customers to buy its new line of diesel vehicles… and then run those vehicles on renewable biodiesel. This press release from the National Biodiesel Board says Chrysler says it would be good for farmers and the environment: “Modern clean diesel offers significant improvements in fuel economy, which also means a reduction in carbon dioxide greenhouse gas …
Biodiesel Boat Touring World Before Attempting Record
The biodiesel powerboat, the Earthrace, is making stops in 40 cities over 18 months before it makes another run at the world record for circumnavigating the globe. Right now, the boat is docked in Edinburgh, Scotland where the public can view this amazing machine. The BBC has this story on it: The current record of 75 days was set by …
Buff Buses Burning Biodiesel
University of Colorado officials have been experimenting with burning biodiesel in their campus mass transit system buses… the Buff Buses… and the results have been pretty “buff” in their own right. This article in the school’s online newspaper, the Campuspress.com, says it has been out performing other “clean”… but still petroleum-based… fuels: In 2003, students passed a referendum to increase …
USDA Hands Out $18.2 mil in Renewable Energy Grants & Loans
USDA Rural Development officials have announced that 345 proposals in 37 states have been tapped to get about $18.2 million for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. This release from the Ag Department says the $13.4 million in grants and $4.8 million in loan guarantee/grant combinations are being awarded through USDA’s Section 9006 Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements …
Biodiesel Featured at Wisconsin Farm Tech Days
Biodiesel was one of the stars at this year’s Wisconsin Farm Tech Days as the state’s biodiesel industry also pushes the green fuel as the source of energy for this year’s harvest. This story on Wisconsin Ag Connection has more details: Jeff Pieterick, president of the Wisconsin Biodiesel Association, acknowledges that Wisconsin farmers are already among the biggest advocates of …
Ethanol at the EC
Leaders of the biofuels industry in both Europe and the United States are calling on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to disavow a paper issued last week critical of world ethanol production. Europe is well behind the United States in biofuels production and use, but the European Commission is moving ahead with its plans to have biofuels …