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 …
Hydro-Power Luxury for Leno
The latest addition to Jay Leno’s Burbank, CA car garage is a high-class, hydrogen-powered ride. The Beamer fits well with Leno’s environmentally-conscious garage. BMW has announced that Jay Leno became the latest person to receive keys to a BMW Hydrogen 7 — the first hydrogen-powered luxury sedan. The Emmy-winning comedian and host of The Tonight Show received his BMW Hydrogen …
New Ethanol Plant Slated for OK Panhandle
A new ethanol plant planned for the Oklahoma panhandle town of Guymon will produce the green fuel… and also help the oil industry. This story in the Hays (Kansas) Daily News says it’s designed to be a more efficient model: The plant, to be built by Mainline Fuels LLC and its partner, ICM Inc. of Colwich, Kan., would produce 40 …
Expert Predicts Shakeout in Ethanol Industry
Change is on the way for the ethanol industry… and it could be quite dramatic. That word comes from a leading biofuels venture capitalist, and this story in the Des Moines Register says it could lead to more plants being owned by fewer and bigger investors: Sano Shimoda of BioScience Securities Inc. in Venice, Calif., said at the first Renewable …
U.S.; European Biofuel Makers Blast Anti-ethanol Report
A paper critical of world ethanol production, written by the chair of the Round Table on Sustainable Development at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)… but not officially the view of the OECD… has been blasted by the leaders of the European Bioethanol Fuel Association (eBio) and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). Those biofuels leaders are asking the …
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 …