With the explosive growth expected in the biodiesel industry this year, many investors are looking to update their technologies as they bring their biodiesel plants online. Those looking for a “one-stop shop” for an entire biodiesel plant should look at two seemingly unlikely partners: McGyan Biodiesel and Biodiesel Analytical Solutions (BAS). There is much talk in the biodiesel industry that …
Unconventional Reality of Press & Public Opinion
They say that imitation is the highest form of flattery and if this is true, than the biofuels industry should be flattered that their communication messages have been hijacked: biofuels are good for the country, good for our economy and good for the environment. But the industry having its messages hijacked by others – natural gas, coal, the petroleum industry, …
Book Review – The Frugal Superpower
This week I read the book “The Frugal Superpower,” by Michael Mandelbaum. For much of the beginning, I couldn’t quite figure out what this book had to do with energy. But I kept on going and was rewarded by some true insights as to other good reasons why reducing our dependence on Middle Eastern oil can help our country out …
Canadian Biodiesel Industry Will Triple in Two Years
The Canadian biodiesel industry got a huge push last week when the federal government fulfilled its commitment to move forward with the Renewable Diesel Standard beginning July 1, 2011. According to Canadian Renewable Fuels Association President (CRFA) Gordon Quaiattini, the requirement to meet a 2 percent renewable diesel mandate in Canada will require nearly 600 million liters of biodiesel annually. …
Republicans Turn Their Ire Toward Ethanol
Rep. John Sullivan (R-OK) has submitted a proposed amendment to the House Continuing Resolution, a short-term resolution that was enacted during the lame duck session last year that would fund the government through March 2011, that would block E15 from gaining market share throughout the U.S. This past January, the EPA approved the use of E15, a blend of 15 …
Biodiesel Poised to Have an Explosive Year
The mood was optimistic during Advance: 2011 Biodiesel Conference & Expo last week. Why? Because all signs are pointing to the industry growing by leaps and bounds this year. I spoke with Donald Nelson, Director, National Sales with REG (Renewable Energy Group), the largest biodiesel company in the U.S. about RINS and how, if at all, they can signal positive …
Mexico Partners with OriginOil on Algae Project
The Mexican government is getting into the renewable fuels game – they are funding a pilot scale algae project spearheaded by OriginOil to develop renewable jet fuel. The government is using the project to demonstrate industrial algae production and then hopes to launch the project into a substantial investment in large-scale jet fuels production. “We are excited to support Mexico’s …
2011 Emerging Issues Forum Set for April 7th & 8th
Save the date. Nebraska Ethanol Board’s (NEB) 2011 Emerging Issues Forum is set for April 7-8, 2011 in Omaha, Nebraska. The event is being held at the Magnolia hotel. While the agenda is still coming together and registration is not yet open (but soon), confirmed speakers already include: • Jan Koninckx, Global Business Director-Biofuels, DuPont: Fuel production opportunities for the …
Hangin’ With Some Next Gen Biodiesel Scientists
During the National Biodiesel Board Conference (NBB) last week, I had the opportunity to hang out with some “Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel“. There were 10 in attendance at this year’s conference and the two that I spent time with were Evan Le, a senior studying mechanical engineering at the University of Nevada and Lucas Ellis, in a graduate Biochemical …
Elixir Bio-Tech Wins Award
A New Mexico Algae Biotech company, Elixir Bio-Tech Inc. (EBT), has been named one of the top 50 winners of the FundingPost’s 7th annual “Pitching Across America” competition. EBT is attempting to demonstrate accelerated approaches in producing algal biofuels with its Algae Biomass Feedstock project and has a patent pending on its Open and Closed Algae Biomass Systems. FundingPost is …