Mercedes Offers Biodiesel-Compatible Engines Again

John Davis

Biodiesel lovers might soon be singing a the line from the old Janis Joplin song, “Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz?” The German car maker will once again offer its line of biodiesel-compatible vehicles. This news release from EINNews.com says that after several years of not selling its BlueTEC diesel engines, the clean burners are back. Improving …

Biodiesel

Darling Buys Biodiesel Feedstock Renderer

John Davis

Texas-based Darling International Inc. has closed the deal to buy a Canadian company dealing with rendering and biodiesel. This company news release says Darling bought Rothsay, the rendering and biodiesel division of Maple Leaf Foods Inc., for about $618 million. Darling International Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Randall Stuewe said, “We are excited to add the Rothsay assets and employees …

Biodiesel

ShockWave Reactor Helps Biodiesel Efficiency

John Davis

A new video demonstration is showing how the new ShockWave Power Biodiesel Reactor (SPR) is making production of the green fuel more efficient. Hydro Dynamics, Inc. (HDI) posted the video to show how its product will make the transesterification process go better. Although not a complete replacement for seeing the technology in person, video is becoming commonplace on the web …

Biodiesel, Video

REG’s Haer: Biodiesel Helps Break Big Oil Monopoly

John Davis

As we recently recognized the 40th anniversary of the Arab Oil Embargo, which back then, showed how vulnerable the U.S. was working under foreign petroleum, one of the leaders at the nation’s biodiesel leader says his industry’s green fuel is a pathway to break the Big Oil monopoly. In this piece for the political blog, The Hill.com, Renewable Energy Group …

Biodiesel, REG

InfraCal 2 Analyzer Offers Better Biodiesel Features

John Davis

A new analyzer will give biodiesel producers more and better features for the industry. This piece from Biodiesel Magazine talks about the new InfraCal 2 Analyzer, recently introduced by Wilks, that provides better repeatability, multiple calibrations, unlimited data storage, optional internal battery pack, touch screen display and password protection for instrument settings for biodiesel in diesel measurements. The InfraCal 2 …

Biodiesel

Biodiesel Tops 1 Billion Gallon Mark

John Davis

New numbers from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) show that biodiesel has once again broken the 1-billion-gallon mark. Biodiesel production hit 140 million gallons in September, pushing the year-to-date biodiesel total of nearly 1.1 billion gallons, the third year it has reached that milestone. The news was welcomed by the National Biodiesel Board: “This is a tremendous achievement that is …

Biodiesel

Biodiesel Essay Contest Offers College Cash

John Davis

The American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest is giving some high school seniors a chance to earn some cash for college by showing their knowledge about biodiesel. The organization announced at the recent Education Minnesota Professional Conference in St. Paul, Minn. that high school seniors in the state could win scholarship money of $1,000 for first place and $500 …

Biodiesel, Soybeans

EU Puts Duties on Argentine, Indonesian Biodiesel

John Davis

The European Union voted to impose punitive duties on biodiesel from Argentina and Indonesia. This article from Reuters on GlobalPost.com says the two countries are accused of dumping – selling at below market value – biodiesel on the European market. The European Commission has proposed duties of between 217 and 246 euros ($300-$340) per tonne on biodiesel imports from Argentina …

Biodiesel, International

More Oil from Plants Could Increase Biodiesel Output

John Davis

Government scientists have found the genes that increase the oil production in plant leaves, and that could increase the amount of biodiesel that can be squeezed out of plants. This news release from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory says finding a way to enhance that oil expression in those parts of the plant could have significant implications …

Biodiesel, Research

Biodiesel Board Asks for Your Letter of RFS Support

John Davis

Our friends at the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) are asking for your letter of support of the Renewable Fuels Standard. NBB has launched a letter-writing campaign to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to discourage the agency from cutting the amount of biomass-based diesel in the RFS: As a supporter of the U.S. biodiesel industry, I want to express my alarm …

Biodiesel, RFS