A new report coming out of Great Britain says using biodiesel in place of ultra-low sulfur diesel can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by an amazing 94%… and reduce energy use by up to 97%. Check out this story in Biofuel Review: A summary of the research was launched today (23rd May) at a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Renewable …
Imperium Seeks $345 Million IPO
Biodiesel giant Imperium Renewables is looking to get $345 million in investments in an initial public offering. You might remember Imperium from our previous posts about how the Seattle-based company is building a 100 million gallon a year refinery (Feb. 2nd) – one of the biggest in the nation – and how it secured a record $214 million investment (Feb. …
North Dakota Touted for Wind, Renewable Fuel Potential
Federal officials say North Dakota is poised to be an energy giant. This story in the Houston Chronicle quotes John Mizroch, the principal assistant secretary in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, as the keynote speaker Monday at a renewable fuels conference at Bismarck State College: “This state, it seems to me in particular _ which does have …
No-till, Biodiesel Helping Farmers’ Bottom Lines
Farmers are facing the same $3-plus-a-gallon fuel costs everyone else is today. According to this story in the Peoria (IL) Journal Star, Patrick Kirchhofer, manager of the Peoria County Farm Bureau says farmers can save by leaving residue on their fields, not plowing them. A University of Illinois study says a 1,000-acre farm that might normally spend $29,500 in fuel …
Truly Flexible Fuel Engines
Venture capitalists are dumping an unspecified amount of money into a company called Transonic Combustion… a company working on engine compnents that would be able to run on any type of fuel – biodiesel, ethanol, gasoline, vegetable oils – just about anything. Check out this story from the tech news blog section of C/Net.com: The somewhat secretive company has come …
Goodyear has Good Idea
The alternative fuel industry is getting a new product to help it move its products. According to a release on the Goodyear web site, the tire giant is producing a hose that will carry a greater variety of biodiesel and ethanol products: Goodyear Flexwing VersaFuel transfer hose meets the needs of expanding alternative fuel markets and conventional fuel markets. Unveiled …
Biodiesel Boat Back in Race
“The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated” is a famous Mark Twain quote, but it might apply to The Earthrace, a biodiesel boat trying to set a ’round-the-world record. Back on April 29th, I reported on a C/Net story that quoted the captain as saying breaking the record would be impossible. A few days ago, we received this …
Biofuel Producers Wary of Bush’s Goals
Producers of ethanol and biodiesel aren’t sure they can meet President Bush’s goal of 35 billion gallons of renewable or alternative fuels produced a year by 2017. Currently, just under a billion gallons a year of biodiesel and about six billion gallons of ethanol is produced. The American Agriculturalist web site says the debate came during an industry event last …
Colorado Coalition Success
When the Colorado Governor’s E85 Coalition was formed at the end of 2005 there were only ten E85 fueling stations available in the state. “We’re at 20 now and by the end of the year we expect to have over 50,” says Gerry Harrow, president of the coalition. “So, we’ve had some great success in a very short time.” Harrow …
Biodiesel, Tractors and Jay Leno’s Garage
This week I made a trip with Joe Jobe (left), CEO of the National Biodiesel Board to Jay Leno’s Garage. Jay’s on the New Holland tractor and next to him on the right is New Holland head of industry affairs, Gene Hemphill. We were there to tape a video for Jay’s website which should be published there sometime in the …