Colorado’s Biodiesel Pickle

John Davis February 9, 2007

Southeast Colorado is getting its first biodiesel plant as a group of investors has bought an old pickle factory with the intention of re-opening the vacant plant as a 10-million gallon/year refinery. The project is expected to be up and running in June. From this story in the Pueblo (CO) Chieftain:

Wayne Snider, director of economic development in La Junta, [says], “They will use local crops – their plan is to produce 5 million gallons using soy beans and 5 million gallons utilizing sunflowers.”

The announcement comes nearly one year to the day the pickle factory closed… and 118 people were suddenly without jobs. Local officials say the new biodiesel plant will be a boon to the economy.

Biodiesel, News

Biodiesel to Help Connect Unconnected in India

John Davis February 9, 2007

This story on the BBC’s web site says GSMA, a fund to help people in developing countries gain access to wireless phone service, will be using locally-produced biodiesel to fuel mobile base stations in India. The project is expected to help the vast majority of India’s 1.2 billion people living in areas with, at best, fragmented coverage get phone service.

“It is about connecting the unconnected,” said Dawn Hartley, development fund manager at the GSMA.

Backers of the plan say one of the biggest issues has been fueling these base stations. Conventional fuels are expensive and dirty for the environment. Biodiesel, made from locally-grown Jatropha trees, offers a clean, affordable alternative. Ten base stations in Western India are expected to be open by mid-year.

Biodiesel, International

Team Ethanol Le Mans Entry

Cindy Zimmerman February 8, 2007

Not only will ethanol enrich the fuel for this year’s American Le Mans Series (ALMS), it will also sponsor one of the entries.

In conjunction with the announcement Wednesday that ALMS will begin using a ten percent ethanol blend this season, Rahal Letterman Racing announced that ethanol, through the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC), will be sponsoring their entry in the series.

“We are very pleased to announce an expansion of our commercial relationship with EPIC and ethanol into the American Le Mans Series with our Porsche RSR,” said owner Bobby Rahal. “Bringing ethanol into that mix is only the right thing to do because it has been proven in the IRL, certainly there’s been no drop off in performance by the cars switching in fact this year to 100 percent ethanol. So I think that message needs to get out through the ALMS because of its relevance to the street market.”

Ethanol also sponsors one of Rahal Letterman’s IndyCar Series cars.

EPIC, Ethanol, News, Racing

US and Brazil Seek Ethanol Partnership

Cindy Zimmerman February 8, 2007

Officials from the world’s two largest ethanol producers, the United States and Brazil, have been meeting this week to discuss the possibility of a new “energy partnership.”

According to a Washington Post report, U.S. officials said they expect to sign accords within a year that would promote technology-sharing with Brazil and encourage more Latin American neighbors to become biofuel producers and consumers.

“It’s clearly in our interests — Brazil’s and the United States’s — that we expand the global market for biofuels, particularly ethanol, and that it become a global commodity of sorts,” said R. Nicholas Burns, the U.S. undersecretary of state, who led discussions with Brazilian government officials on Wednesday.

Ethanol, International, News

Making Hydrogen More Mainstream

John Davis February 8, 2007

A deal between two companies could make the mass production of hydrogen-fueled vehicles more feasible. In a press release on their web site, Dynetek officials say they will make seven million Canadian dollars (nearly US $ 6 mil) worth of compressed hydrogen storage systems for Magna Steyr connected to DaimlerChrysler’s fuel cell program. Dynetek officials say the deal will ultimately lead to storage systems that allow the compressed hydrogen to be at a pressure of 700bar… and that allows for extended driving ranges… one of the knocks on hydrogen-powered cars:

“This contract is a significant step forward in direction of mass production and it underlines Dynetek’s technical leadership in storage of compressed hydrogen”, says Chris Rasche, President and CEO.

Dynetek will deliver the storage systems for testing later this year.

Hydrogen, International

Talking AllThingsBiodiesel.com

Chuck Zimmerman February 8, 2007

The National Biodiesel Board has launched a one-stop marketplace for biodiesel interests to do business over the Internet. It’s AllThingsBiodiesel.com, and was introduced at the National Biodiesel Conference.

AllThingsBiodiesel.com takes its place as the world’s largest biodiesel marketplace, focusing on products, services and industry-related companies. A variety of services assembled within it include online ads and classified ads, the biodiesel store and a biodiesel directory, in which companies can be listed for free.

Additional features on AllThingsBiodiesel.com include:

• A biodiesel store with offerings that range from apparel to books and promotional materials.
• A continually-updated biodiesel directory that is searchable various ways, including by name or category. Businesses can sign up now at www.AllThingsBiodiesel.com for a free spot in the directory.
• Services include real estate listings, business services, feedstock purchases and shows and meetings, to name a few.
• Banner ads and other levels of advertising are available. For more information, contact Doug Whitehead, NBB Project Manager (pictured), at dwhitehead@biodiesel.org. Advertising space is limited.

“AllThingsBiodiesel.com is for companies who want to get the word out on their product on a large scale,” said Whitehead, “to companies who need to know where to turn for services and products helping their biodiesel business, to consumers wanting to make biodiesel-related purchases.”

Listen to my interview with Doug here: Doug Whitehead Interview (3 min MP3)

Domestic Fuel coverage of the
National Biodiesel Conference is sponsored by

Audio, Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference

Eye on Biodiesel Award – Sprague Energy – Steve Levy

Chuck Zimmerman February 8, 2007

Each year the National Biodiesel Board bestows the “Eye on Biodiesel” awards, designed to recognize individuals and groups who have advanced the board’s mission of public education and industry growth. The awards were presented by NBB Chairman Darryl Brinkmann (left) and NBB CEO Joe Jobe (right). Award for:

Impact – Sprague Energy – Steve Levy.
A progressive Northeastern petroleum distributor has become the first petroleum company in the nation to earn the status of BQ-9000 “certified marketer.” The New Hampshire-based energy wholesaler also opened the first rack-blended biodiesel terminal in New York. The terminal stores and supplies 40,000 gallons of pure biodiesel for blending in over-the-road applications and #2 heating oil (Bioheat® heating oil) in several states.

Listen to the presentation with Steve here: Sprague Energy Presentation (3 min MP3)

Domestic Fuel coverage of the
National Biodiesel Conference is sponsored by

Audio, Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference

Eye on Biodiesel Award – Brie Mathews & Mike Ferry

Chuck Zimmerman February 8, 2007

Each year the National Biodiesel Board bestows the “Eye on Biodiesel” awards, designed to recognize individuals and groups who have advanced the board’s mission of public education and industry growth. The awards were presented by NBB Chairman Darryl Brinkmann (left) and NBB CEO Joe Jobe (right). Award for:

Inspiration – Brie Mathews and Mike Ferry/San Francisco Fire Department.
The San Francisco Fire Department has been conducting a pilot program to use B20 in some of its fire trucks, engines and an ambulance, with plans to go department-wide. The program takes place in the southeastern section of San Francisco, an area that consistently experiences the city’s poorest air quality. Ferry’s and Mathew’s idea served as a springboard for expected citywide use of B20 by the end of 2007.

Listen to the presentation with Brie & Mike here: Brie Mathews & Mike Ferry Presentation (3 min MP3)

Domestic Fuel coverage of the
National Biodiesel Conference is sponsored by

Audio, Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference

Eye on Biodiesel Award – Gene Hemphill

Chuck Zimmerman February 8, 2007

Each year the National Biodiesel Board bestows the “Eye on Biodiesel” awards, designed to recognize individuals and groups who have advanced the board’s mission of public education and industry growth. The awards were presented by NBB Chairman Darryl Brinkmann (left) and NBB CEO Joe Jobe (right). Michael Peterson is pictured in the hat. Award for:

Innovation – Gene Hemphill/New Holland Co., Manager North American Industry Affairs.
New Holland in 2006 approved the use of 20 percent biodiesel (B20) in all of its equipment using New Holland engines. It is the first Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to announce full support of B20 in all of the diesel engines that it produces. Hemphill is a big reason for New Holland’s support; he was advocating its use in their equipment almost a decade ago. Also, in 2003, New Holland was the first large farm equipment company to join the Biodiesel Alliance that connects the widespread support base for biodiesel. New Holland also awarded use of its tractors to the nation’s two top recruiters of the Biodiesel Alliance.

Listen to the presentation with Gene here: Gene Hemphill Presentation (4 min MP3)

Domestic Fuel coverage of the
National Biodiesel Conference sponsored by

Audio, Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference

Eye on Biodiesel Award – Bill & Cindy Mack

Chuck Zimmerman February 8, 2007

Each year the National Biodiesel Board bestows the “Eye on Biodiesel” awards, designed to recognize individuals and groups who have advanced the board’s mission of public education and industry growth. The awards were presented by NBB Chairman Darryl Brinkmann (left) and NBB CEO Joe Jobe (right). Award for:

Influencer – Bill and Cindy Mack.
Bill and Cindy Mack, known and admired by U.S. truckers, have significantly increased the awareness of biodiesel in that large market. Bill Mack, XM Radio’s “Satellite Cowboy,” not only recently helped kick off the Biodiesel Hotline, 866-BIODIESEL, but he and Cindy have spoken about biodiesel on “Open Road” the past few years. “Truckers are committed to using biodiesel and we get a lot of calls from truckers looking for biodiesel on the road,” said Bill. “We want to do whatever we can to help them find biodiesel. We believe it is the right thing for America.” They often send listeners to NBB’s Web site, biodiesel.org, as well as to NBB’s “Biotrucker” information; and they have regularly spent entire shows discussing only biodiesel, often with guest Willie Nelson.

Listen to the presentation with Cindy & Bill here: Cindy & Bill Mack Presentation (4 min MP3)

Domestic Fuel coverage of the
National Biodiesel Conference is sponsored by

Audio, Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference

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