Big Oil is out astroturfing once again, this time under the guise of the group “Energy Citizens,” a front group set up by their Washington lobbying arm, the American Petroleum Institute. The goal of this effort is to stage rallies across the country in an attempt to kill the clean energy and climate plan now being considered by Congress. It’s …
Ford Offers Rival to GM Biodiesel-ready Engine
Previously, I told you about how General Motors was soon to debut a new heavy-duty, diesel engine designed to burn B20 biodiesel (see my post from Aug. 11, 2009). Well it looks like Ford is going to give GM a run for its money in the green, heavy-hauling pickup engine race. This story from green.autoblog.com says Ford’s V8 diesel… code-named …
How to Shift to a Bio-Based Economy
Interested in getting a little insight into how the country will shift from a petroleum-based economy to a bio-based economy? Then look no further than DomesticFuel, or to be more exact, Dyadic International CEO, Mark Emalfarb. Emalfarb was interviewed during the Sixth Annual World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing which took place in Canada this past July. The interview …
Missouri Facility Gets First Biomass Assistance Payment
A Missouri plant that turns agricultural waste products into fuel pellets is the first to receive a payment from the USDA’s Farm Service Agency’s new Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP). This USDA press release says the Show Me Energy Cooperative of Missouri conversion facility will get the funds aimed at paying producers for biomass materials for collection, harvest, storage and …
Waste Management Investment in Terrabon Technology
Waste Management, Inc. has become the latest company to invest in waste-to-fuel conversion technology developed by Terrabon. Waste Management, the leading provider of comprehensive waste management and environmental services in North America, joins Valero Energy Corporation, the largest refiner in North America, which also invested in Terrabon in April 2009 and recently increased its investment in Terrabon. This investment from …
Construction to Start on Southern California Ethanol Hub
A Houston-based company is starting work on a new ethanol transport hub in southern California. U.S. Development Group (USDG) will begin construction on the West Colton Rail Terminal, a new ethanol hub located in the Inland Empire area of southern California. Construction of the facility will occur in two phases. The first phase, located in Rialto, Calif., will consist of …
Biodiesel Powers Sleds and Tractors
What do you think of when you hear that there’s a sled running on biodiesel? Probably not thinking tractor pull sled are you? Unless you’re a tractor pull fan. Well those big machines that the tractors and trucks pull are also diesel powered and in Jefferson City, MO there’s a company that manufactures them and runs them on biodiesel. The …
Ethanol Report on Corn Grower Conference
This edition of “The Ethanol Report” features comments from the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) “Land Use and Carbon Impacts of Corn-based Ethanol Conference” held August 25-26 in St. Louis. Comments come from National Corn Growers Association Director of Biofuels & Business Development Jamey Cline, NCGA CEO Rick Tolman, North Dakota grower Bart Schott, and Geoff Cooper with the Renewable …
Tractor Pulling With Biodiesel
Thanks to an invite from the United Soybean Board I met this Missouri soybean grower. He’s Dennis Shramek and one of the competitors in this weekend’s NTPA Midwest Extreme Truck and Tractor Pull in Jefferson City, MO. He’s one of several competitors who use a biodiesel blend in their tractors. I met him early Friday evening long before his class …
Book Review – Two Cents Per Mile
One of the things I love about America is “freedom of the press” and the ability for people to disseminate “conspiracy theories”. Conspiracies are driving amuck in the quest for the ‘winning’ technology to replace gas guzzlers. The best way forward, according to author Nevres Cefo – electric vehicles. The worst way forward – hydrogen. In his new book, “Two …