A Rice University researcher has been recognized for his work on the biodiesel by-product glycerin. Biodiesel Magazine reports that Dr. Ramon Gonzalez has picked up the 2010 Glycerin Innovation Award sponsored by the Soap and Detergent Association and the National Biodiesel Board at the Annual Meeting & Expo of the American Oil Chemists’ Society for his work using a non-pathogenic …
GM Offering Natural Gas Vans for Fleets
Automaker General Motors is offering some natural-gas-powered vans, but they won’t be for the average driver. USA Today reports GM will offer compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in versions of the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana full-size vans for commercial fleets: “We’re listening to our fleet customers and dealers about offering options that help them achieve …
DF Cast: Biodiesel Producers Reiterate Call for Incentive
Biodiesel producers, large and small, have renewed their call for Congress to move on the federal $1-a-gallon biodiesel tax incentive. During a recent webinar hosted by the National Biodiesel Board CEO Joe Jobe, Bernie Crowley of Delta American Fuel in Helena, Ark.; Gen-X Energy Group in Pasco, Washington President Scott Johnson; Bobby Heiser with Nittany Biodiesel; and Renewable Energy Group’s …
NextCAT’s Technology Could Cut Biodiesel Costs
A Detroit-based technology company is looking to help make biodiesel more competitive in the marketplace. Xconomy/Detroit says NextCAT wants to make a catalyst that will help convert some of the cheaper feedstocks, such as algae and recycled cooking oil, into biodiesel and hopes to get some funding to get the project going: NextCAT, which is located at the TechTown business …
No Bull(s) … Army Hosting Renewable Energy Rodeo
No bulls, not even the mechanical kind, but the U.S. Army is hosting a rodeo … the inaugural Renewable Energy Rodeo and Symposium (RERS), June 8-9, 2010, at Fort Bliss, Texas, evaluating the latest energy technologies that could reap immediate benefits for the military and the nation: RERS, co-hosted by the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM) Tank …
GM, Hawaiian Gas Co. Partner in Hydrogen Project
Auto giant General Motors (GM) has teamed up with Hawaii’s The Gas Company (TGC), the state’s major gas energy provider, to make hydrogen more available for GM’s growing fleet of hydrogen-powered vehicles. This GM press release says TGC will send the hydrogen, along with synthetic natural gas, through its utility gas stream and separate the hydrogen at key points along …
Using Computer Parts to Grow Algae for Biodiesel
Usually, we talk about using high-tech computer programs to help producers get more biodiesel out of their operations. But this time, it’s the low-tech components that are the platforms for growing a feedstock for the green fuel. Treehugger.com has this post about how students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have put together an algae bioreactor called the Bio-Grow …
San Antonio Airport Shuttles Run On Biodiesel
Three rental car companies at the San Antonio, Texas airport have decided to combine their efforts and run their shuttles on biodiesel. The San Antonio Business Journal says Alamo Rent A Car, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and National Car Rental are sharing shuttles, cutting the combined fleets from 16 to seven vehicles: All of the shuttle buses are also being fueled by …
REG Newton Biodiesel Plant is First “RFS2 Ready”
The Environmental Protection Agency has designated Renewable Energy Group’s biodiesel plant in Newton, Iowa as the nation’s first “RFS2 Ready” RINs generating facility. The facility has completed the first two steps in the three-part compliance preparedness timeline and is now listed as having “Completed & Accepted Registration” status: REG Newton’s engineering process review has been submitted to the EPA. This …
TVA Now Transmitting Wind Power
The Tennessee Valley Authority is now transmitting clean, wind energy to some of its customers. This TVA press release says 300 megawatts of power from Iberdrola Renewables Inc.’s Streator Cayuga Ridge wind park in Illinois is the first delivery under seven contracts that will total 1,380 megawatts from Midwest wind farms: “Activation of this new wind-power source is an important …