A new high-speed passenger train between Chicago and Iowa City could end up running on biodiesel. Medill Reports Chicago has this piece on a high-speed rail line that the Iowa and Illinois departments of transportation just received $230 million to build, part of the federal government’s $8 billion plan to modernize the rail system with nine high speed rail lines …
Small Biodieselers Look to Small Business Loans
In February 2009, when the Recovery Act was signed into law, the federal government set up $56.1 million for microloans for small businesses … maybe to make up a little bit for the billions that was handed out to the big banks. One of the groups able to take advantage of that money has been the small biodiesel producers. This …
Magnifying Power of the Sun, Lowering Solar Cell Costs
A California company has found a way to magnify the power of the sun and could end up cutting the cost of solar panels in half. HyperSolar, Inc. is developing a breakthrough technology that actually magnifies the power of the sun, getting more energy into a solar cell and getting more energy out. “The way we’re doing that is by …
Parking Company to Run Biodiesel Shuttles at Denver Airport
Canopy Airport Parking has partnered with Frontier Airlines to offer fliers a chance to ride to and from their green parking facility and the Frontier ticket counters on one of Canopy’s seven biodiesel and hybrid shuttles. Biodiesel Magazine reports the service will begin in late November: A 3,000-gallon tank will be installed on-site to refuel the bus fleet, according to …
Cosmetics Company Tours North America on Biodiesel
A cosmetic company that touts its products as “honestly natural, truly beautiful” is using a pretty beautiful fuel to spread its message. Organic and natural skin and baby care products company Weleda has been taking a biodiesel-powered truck across North America to promote its cosmetics and to help raise awareness for the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010: We’re driving our …
Navy Leaders Discuss Role of Biofuels for “Green Fleet”
Leaders of the U.S. Navy recently met to discuss ways to get those who sail the oceans blue into GREENER alternative fuels, including biodiesel. Participants in the recent Navy Energy Forum in Washington, D.C. included Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus as the group discussed his goal of making sure that half of the service’s total energy consumption comes from …
States Producing Domestic Fuel had Less Recession
Parts of the U.S. that had a healthy energy producing sector, including the biofuels ethanol and biodiesel, took less of a hit during the recession or even avoided the economic downturn altogether. A new report from Biofuels Digest details how areas that were able to produce enough energy to meet internal gasoline demands grew their economies at 2.5 times the …
Want to Help Biodiesel? Take Your Omega-3s!
If you want to help the biodiesel industry, a California company says you should take health food supplements, particularly Omega-3s. SmartPlanet.com reports biofuel maker Aurora Algae says the algae it grows for its biodiesel production can also be made into a high-value food supplement: It intends to use algae to produce high-concentration Omega-3 fatty acids for use in pharmaceutical and …
Biodiesel Part of the Walk on the Green Carpet
We hear a lot about the celebrities who walk on the red carpet during Hollywood award ceremonies, but our friend biodiesel was recently featured on the GREEN carpet. This article from Reuters says the environmentally friendly fuel was part of the reason why Fox Filmed Entertainment was honored during the recent 20th Annual Environmental Media Association Awards, paying tribute to …
Report: US Military to Get Off Petroleum by 2040
A group that develops national security and defense policies says the American military needs to be ready for a future without petroleum. If recent tests … and testing to come … are any indication, our warfighters are already preparing for that contingency through the use of biofuels. This article from EV World says the Center for New American Security’s (CNAS) …