Pathway to Develop Sustainable Aviation Biofuels Industry

Joanna Schroeder

In 2010, the Sustainable Aviation Fuels Northwest (SAFN) was formed to determine how the Pacific Northwest could create a viable and robust biofuels industry with the goal of creating fuels for the aviation industry. Yesterday, a 10 month study conducted by Climate Solutions has determined that the Pacific Northwest has the diverse feedstock, fuel-delivery infrastructure and political will needed to …

biofuels, biojet fuel, Research

EPA, DOT Unveil Hip, New Fuel Economy Labels

Joanna Schroeder

Amidst high gas prices consumers, legislators and NGO’s (non government organization) have all called for stricter fuel economy standards. Yesterday the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Transportation unveiled new fuel economy labels designed to help consumers take advantage of increased efficiency standards enacted under the Obama Administration. The increased fuel economy standards are designed to help …

Electric Vehicles, Environment, Flex Fuel Vehicles

Lakeside Dairy Goes Solar

Joanna Schroeder

Agriculture gets greener everyday. Lakeside Dairy in Hanford, Cali. has gone solar. The dairy installed a new solar energy system to power its milking barn and other dairy operations. With the system in place, they expect to cut their conventional energy use by 75 percent. The family-owned dairy has 7,000 head of cattle and a custom farming business. I don’t …

Agribusiness, Electricity, Energy, Solar

Sabine Biofuels Formed to Produce Biodiesel

Joanna Schroeder

A new venture was announced today between Endicott Biofuels (EBF) and Holly Biofuels, a subsidiary of Dallas-based petroleum refiner Holly Corporation. The two companies formed Sabine Biofuels LLC to build and operate a 30 million-gallon-per-year biorefinergy to produce biodiesel from inedible fats. The facility is currently under construction in Port Arthur, Texas. “This joint venture will assist Holly in meeting …

Biodiesel, biofuels

GRFA- Diversification of Global Fuel Supply Needed

Joanna Schroeder

The G8 Summit and the OECD’s annual International Transport Forum has kicked off today in Leipzig, Germany to discuss the future of transportation on a global scale. During the event, the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) is calling on them to immediately adopt the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Technology Roadmap: Biofuels for Transport. This roadmap suggests that biofuels could account …

biofuels, Ethanol, International

Waste Management Opens CNG Station in Chicago

Joanna Schroeder

Waste Management (WM) of Illinois has opened a new filling station for compressed natural gas (CNG) in Chicago. The refueling station is equipped with 40 filling bays to fuel WM’s CNG vehicles. Today, the company operates six CNG-powered vehicles in the northern suburbs of Chicago and this summer will add 10 additional CNG vehicles to its fleet. The natural gas …

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)

Major Doubt Over USDA Corn Forecast

Chuck Zimmerman

Well there is certainly a healthy dose of skepticism shown in our latest ZimmPoll in answer to the question, “Will USDA forecast for record 13.5 billion bushels of corn come true?” An overwhelming majority (61 percent) say NO. Only 30 percent say yes and 9 percent say maybe. In light of the weather we’ve had so far this year I …

ZimmPoll

New Wind Measurement System Available

Joanna Schroeder

Vaisala has released the new WTS Wind Management System that has been specifically engineered for wind resource assessment, power curve measurement and monitoring of wind farms. The system was designed to help wind farm managers better understand and manage the impact of weather on operations. Vaisala wind sensors can be found at the National Weather Service’s Automated Surface Observing System …

Electricity, Energy, Wind

California Fuels Report Released

Joanna Schroeder

A new report, “Projected Outlook for Next Generation and Alternative Transportation Fuels in California 2010-2030,” has been released. The report concludes that with current investments and advances in alternative fuels over the past several years should lead to a significant displacement of petroleum-based fuels like diesel and gasoline. The report was released by Fueling California and Orange County Business Council …

Biodiesel, biofuels, biojet fuel, Electric Vehicles, Research