As I reported to you back on March 17th, it looks like a bad batch of petroleum, not the biodiesel, was the real culprit with some recent problems with bioheat (a mix of biodiesel and home heating oil) in the Northeastern United States. This blog post from Biodiesel Magazine says testing has confirmed the petroleum’s role: Paul Nazzaro, petroleum liaison …
Energy Use Down, But Biofuels, Wind, Solar & Hydro Up
A new report from the feds says, due to the recession, overall energy consumption in the U.S. dropped in 2009. However, renewable energy … biodiesel, ethanol, wind, solar and hydro power … use during that same period actually increased. This report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows that overall energy consumption in 2009 dropped by 4.8 percent, the second …
Proposed Indiana Biodiesel Plant Gets Green Light
A planned $165 million biodiesel and soybean-processing facility in Indiana got a boost when a local commission approved the company building a storage facility so its air quality permit will stay current. This article from the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel says Ultra Soy of America got approval to put up a 21,450-square-foot steel storage building at its site near South Milford: …
Pennsylvania Biodiesel Plant on Track for Record Year
One of the country’s busiest biodiesel plants is on track to have a record year. This article from the Erie (PA) Times-News says Hero BX was part of a recent USDA tour checking out the plant’s success: Operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the plant on Erie’s lakefront is on track to produce 40 million gallons of …
ADM Acquires Missouri Biodiesel Plant
Agribusiness giant Archer Daniels Midland is acquiring Prairie Pride’s soybean crushing and biodiesel facility in Deerfield, Mo., a biodiesel plant idled since early 2010. This ADM press release says the company will form a partnership with Prairie Pride on the biodiesel side of the house. “The acquisition of Prairie Pride’s soybean facility and partnership for the biodiesel business were attractive …
Enzymatic Process Touted for Biodiesel Production
A Texas-based company claims its enzymatic process for turning waste grease into clean-burning biodiesel will save money and can be used on existing biodiesel plants. Biodiesel Experts International LLC of Pearland, near Houston, calls its process “revolutionary” and is offering to provide engineering, onsite supervision, startup, training, enzyme material, and complete plants: The enzymatic process consist of two (2) different …
Oregon Becomes 2nd State with 5% Biodiesel Mandate
Oregon has become the 2nd state in the nation to have a 5 percent biodiesel requirement. The state joins Minnesota in requiring the B5 mix and gained the praise of the National Biodiesel Board: “Policymakers in Oregon should be congratulated for displaying national leadership on clean energy issues,” said Shelby Neal, NBB regulatory affairs director. “As a result of the …
Farm, Biodiesel Maker Seek Canola Growers
DRM Farms and SunPower Biodiesel have teamed up to find farmers in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota and the Dakotas to grow canola for SunPower’s Cumberland, WI refining operation to make its Premium Cold Flow Biodiesel: Canola is quite adaptable with regard to soil type, and has shown profitability on marginal crop lands where other crops are not as feasible. It has …
Biodiesel Board Backs Obama’s Backing of Biofuels
The National Biodiesel Board has joined the chorus of biofuel groups applauding President Obama’s call for boosting the production of domestic fuels: “The biodiesel industry is already poised for a record year in which we will displace nearly a billion gallons of petroleum with a renewable fuel produced right here in the United States,” said Manning Feraci, NBB’s Vice President …
DF Cast: Community Solar a Good Choice for Individuals
Community solar projects have always been good for the environment, but a company in New Jersey is making them pay for individual investments, especially senior citizens living on fixed incomes. In this edition of the Domestic Fuel Cast, I talk with Pete Ramsey, the Director of Business Development for GeoGenix. He explains that having an entire neighborhood put in a …