The largest community-owned wind facility on the East Coast and the largest off-shore wind farm in New England is now open for business. This press release says the Fox Islands Wind Project in Maine features three large-scale wind turbines that will generate 4.5 megawatts of electricity for the islands of Vinalhaven and North Haven, providing cheap, clean energy to the …
BlueFire Ethanol Awaits Feds $56 Mil Loan Decision
Cellulosic ethanol producer BlueFire Ethanol Fuels, Inc. has cleared the first hurdle in its quest to get a $56 million government loan guarantee for its Lancaster, California ethanol plant. As you might remember from my Domestic Fuel Cast earlier this month, BlueFire uses a process called Concentrated Acid Hydrolysis Technology that can turn many feedstocks into ethanol, including garbage. I …
Texas to Get Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
Oil-rich Texas is beginning to look like an alternative fuel paradise. Drivers in Texas will soon have more opportunities … thanks to new infrastructure … to run their electric vehicles. Reliant Energy and Nissan Motor Company have announced that the two companies will work together to establish infrastructure, policies and services to support electric vehicle owners across Texas. The Dallas …
Mid-Atlantic Offshore Wind Farm Gains Traction
A couple of events this week could bring the hope of wind farms off the coasts of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia … better known as the Delmarva … closer to reality. The Ocean City (MD) Dispatch reports that on Monday, Bluewater Wind, which already has an offshore wind farm project well underway in Delaware and a conceptual plan for a …
DOE Official: Algae and Biomass Future of Biofuels
Oil from algae and the biomass from the green microbes could be the future for advanced biofuels… that word from a top U.S. Department of Energy official. Biomass Magazine reports that Valerie Reed of the U.S. DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy said at the Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy held this week in Honolulu, …
California Town to Get Two New Biodiesel Plants
Two new biodiesel plants are slated for opening in a Southern California town just outside of Los Angeles. Canada-based Sunx Energy and San Diego-based Dynasty Energy will open 3.5 million-gallons-per-year and 15-million-gallons-per-year facilities, respectively, in Adelanto. The Victorville (CA) Daily Press says city officials see the two plants as paving the way for more green industries: “It’s always good to …
Future of Algae-Biodiesel Could be in Open Ponds
The future of algae-biodiesel could come in catfish ponds that have lost their fish. That’s the topic of discussion for the National Algae Association Mid-South Chapter’s workshop next week. Experts in open pond production of algae will talk about the challenges and opportunities their industry faces in making biofuels and biomass for animal feedstocks, bioplastics, fertilizers, and other bioproducts, Nov. …
Canadian Biofuelers to Ask for Bigger Mandates
Ethanol and biodiesel producers in Canada will ask their government early next year to increase the amount of the green fuels produced and added to fossil fuels… even as there are doubts the industry can meet current mandates and production incentives. Reuters reports that the industry has not decided what those levels should be: Canada has given annual incentives for …
Founder and CEO Out at Denver Biodiesel Firm
The man who founded and served as the CEO of one of Denver’s first biodiesel firms is out. This article from the Denver Business Journal says Blue Sun Energy Inc.’s Jeff Probst, resigned from the company at the end of October… but offers few details about the split: Probst, who couldn’t be reached for comment Wednesday, also left the director …
Food Deliveries in Georgia to Ride on Biodiesel
One of the country’s premier foodservice distributors has converted another one of its delivery fleets to run on biodiesel. This press release posted on the EarthTimes.org Web site says U.S. Foodservice-Atlanta is running its 185 tractors and 210 trailers on B5, joining U.S. Foodservices’ Streator, Ill., and Plymouth, Minn. divisions burning the green fuel: “Utilizing biodiesel is a continuation of …