Shipping giant UPS has added to its fleet of alternative-fueled vehicles with 200 next-generation hybrid electric delivery trucks in eight U.S. cities. This company press release says the HEVs will be used in Austin, Houston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Long Island, Minneapolis and Louisville, and they will add to UPS’ fleet of about 20,000 low-emission and alternative-fuel vehicles already in …
Navy Gets Advanced Biodiesel Production System
On the heels of the U.S. Navy announcing closer cooperation with the USDA in the use of biofuels, an advanced biodiesel production system has been delivered to a Navy installation in California. This press release from Biodiesel Industries says Naval Base Ventura County has received the first ARIES biodiesel production system … a joint effort by the Navy, Biodiesel Industries …
Ethanol Starts 2010 With Record Production
U.S. ethanol production began 2010 on a record pace. The latest report from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) puts January 2010 ethanol production at an average of more than 818,000 barrels per day, compared to 188,000 in January 2009. EIA also reports fuel ethanol imports of 1.4 million gallons in January. Ethanol demand, as calculated by the Renewable Fuels Association …
USDA Biomass Crop Assistance Program Successful
According to Jonathan Coppess, USDA Farm Service Agency Administrator, biomass producers, energy facilities and communities are benefiting from USDA’s Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP). Through April 2, 2010, USDA has approved 4,605 agreements for the delivery of more than 4.18 million tons of biomass and paid eligible biomass owners $165,274,695 in matching payments under BCAP’s first phase. BCAP was established …
Biofuels Benchmarking Annual Report Released
Today, Christianson & Associates, PLLP (C&A) has released a new in-depth report that looks into ethanol plant efficiency and financial viability. The Biofuels Benchmarking Annual Report is in its 7th year and analyzed the operational and financial performance of more than 50 ethanol plants along five major “bench” areas: overall ethanol industry analysis, regional ethanol plant analysis, production capacity analysis, …
Constellation Energy Buys Maryland Wind Project
Constellation Energy has finished a deal to buy the 70-megawatt Western Maryland Criterion wind project from Clipper Windpower, Inc. This Constellation press release says the deal includes purchasing 28 Clipper Liberty 2.5-megawatt wind turbines for the project: “Maryland’s clean energy goals are among the most ambitious in the nation and we’re committed to working with the state to achieve them …
USDA Watching and Waiting on Biodiesel Incentive
Federal ag department officials seem to be rooting for renewal of the $1-a-gallon biodiesel tax incentive to finally pass Congress … but no one from USDA is pressuring lawmakers to get the deal done. During yesterday’s event in Hawaii, where the U.S. Navy and USDA pledged to work together to produce more biofuels for the service’s renewable energy goals, reporters …
Heartland Develops Biodiesel Purification Column System
An Iowa-based maker of biodiesel production equipment has come up with a purification method that makes the handling and removal of purification media easier, safer and more efficient for biodiesel plant operators. This article from Biodiesel Magazine says Heartland Biodiesel Supply’s patent-pending design got its inspiration from the water treatment industry where ion exchange resin is widely used: The same …
E85 for 85 Cents Off in Vestavia Hills, Alabama
In addition to the ethanol promotion, E85 customers can win one of five $100 fuel cards. The first 20 will receive two tickets to the race. UNICA renewed its fuel supply agreement with the Indy Racing League for the 2010 season in November of last year. Under the new agreement, the IZOD IndyCar Series will continue to utilize sugarcane ethanol …
‘Heavy Oil’ Working Group to Launch
Big Oil baffles me. They are running full-scale ad campaigns touting their work in developing alternative energy sources, (you couldn’t miss them if you watched the Winter Olympics) and then they turn around and file a suit against the EPA for the expanded Renewable Fuels Standard. They claim it is “unlawful and unfair.” Well, today, according to an article in …