A company that is producing ethanol and biodiesel from non-food cellulosic wastes has welcomed a former oil industry executive to its board of directors. BlueFire Renewables, Inc. announced that Joe Sparano, a former President and, subsequently, Executive Advisor to the Chairman of the Board of the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA), as well as former president of Tesoro Petroleum’s West …
Florida Companies Ink $18 Mil Grease for Biodiesel Deal
Two Florida companies have signed a deal potentially worth $18 million to provide yellow grease for biodiesel production. Freedom Environmental Services and Clean Fuel of Lakeland, FL, a Florida biodiesel producer, inked the three-year deal: President and CEO Michael Borish stated, “We are excited to build on our relationship with Mr. Maher’s Clean Fuel companies by supplying recycled yellow grease …
Sinclair Oil to Make More REG Biodiesel Available
Sinclair Oil Corporation will make more biodiesel available for fuel distributors and consumers in Iowa, Illinois and Missouri. The company is making dyed and clear biodiesel-blends of Renewable Energy Group’s REG-9000TM biodiesel available at Sinclair’s Ft. Madison, Iowa terminal, available 24 hours daily for carded drivers: “Sinclair has a long history of providing business solutions for petroleum distributors and retailers. …
Vilsack: US Farms Producing Enough for Food & Biofuels
The man in charge at the USDA says American farmers are producing enough to provide the food AND fuel, in particular ethanol and biodiesel, this country needs. During the recent Commodity Classic, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack took on the food vs. fuel debate head-on. “It is irritating to me that we have to read about this all the time, …
Biodiesel Helps Make Livestock Feed More Affordable
While there have been some in the livestock industry that have had some real heartburn with biofuels, a new report shows that biodiesel has actually made animal feed more affordable. The National Biodiesel Board has released a new study that shows how soybean oil and meal economics favor the livestock industry, potentially saving farmers and ranchers $4.8 billion from 2005 …
GAO: Difference Between Policy & Practice on Alt. Fuels
A new report from the Government Accountability Office shows there seems to be a disconnect between what the U.S. government’s policy is regarding using alternatively fueled vehicles and what the actual practices are. This article from the Pittsburgh Business Times says the GAO has found that decision makers are faced with “confusing and, at times, contradicting mandates” that end up …
NextCAT to Commercially Produce Biodiesel Catalyst
A Detroit-based biodiesel technology developer will commercially produce a new catalyst designed to help produce biodiesel more cheaply. Biodiesel Magazine reports NextCAT Inc. will produce the catalyst developed at the National Biofuels Energy Laboratory at Wayne State University and integrate it into existing biodiesel plants: According to NextCAT President Charles Salley, NextCAT intends to leverage $800,000 in total funding that …
Solar Cell Developer Moving Toward Mass Production
The developer of a three-dimensional solar cell says it will be using the same low-cost processes for semiconductors to help them produce their energy cell on a mass scale. California-based Solar3D, who I profiled back in November, has announced it will use the semiconductor processes to build its unique solar cell design that traps sunlight inside micro-photovoltaic structures where photons …
Vilsack to Sign Biofuels Agreement
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will encourage development of bio-based products, including biodiesel and ethanol. This USDA release says Vilsack will sign the MOU with the 36-state Governors’ Biofuels Coalition, a group dedicated to providing leadership on ethanol and biodiesel policy development: “This agreement will strengthen public, private and academic partnerships that are …
Enzyme Helps Argentine Soybean Plant’s Oil Production
The world’s largest soybean processing plant, which produces biodiesel, soybean oil and meal, is using an enzyme that is helping increase edible oil production. This press release from Verenium Corporation says that Argentina’s Terminal 6 is using Verenium’s Purifine enzymatic degumming process at its Puerto General San Martin facility. Not only does the process increase oil yields, but it also …