The City of Birmingham, Alabama will test a transit bus that will run on hydrogen next year. This story from the Birmingham (AL) News says it’s the work of a University of Alabama-Birmingham engineering team, along with Auburn University… among others: “This testing in Birmingham gives us a chance to evaluate the fuel cell in a unique, real world setting,” …
Teaching Biodiesel Production On the Run
Students from the University of Colorado are spreading the good news of biodiesel… and going mobile to do it. This story from the Colorado Daily says the CU Biodiesel program is using donated, used restaurant cooking oil in a production facility that is contained in a trailer: “I’ve taught everyone from post-graduate students to second-graders how to brew their own …
Thinking Small for Big Biodiesel Production
Iowa State University has received an $885,000 U.S. Department of Energy grant to see how small particles can be used to help make biodiesel production bigger. This story from Biodiesel Magazine says the school’s Ames Laboratory is researching how nanoscale particles can be used to get chemical compounds (triglycerides, neutral lipids, and fatty acids) from microalgae for biodiesel production. According …
Wind Turbine Maker Locates in Arkansas
A German maker of wind turbines is locating to Arkansas, part of that state’s growing wind turbine manufacturing industry. This article from the Northwest Arkansas Morning News says Nordex USA Inc will build a $100 million plant, employing 700 people in Jonesboro and beginning production in January 2010: Nordex is an original equipment manufacturer, meaning some of its parts and …
Tampa Could Become Major Biodiesel Port
Tampa, Florida could become a major port for alternative fuels… just in time as an area just up the road is expanding its potential to produce biodiesel. Yesterday, I told you about how Groveland is expanding its biodiesel production capabilities and hopes to rival Houston, Texas in terms of green fuel refining. Now, GreenHunter Energy Inc. of Houston might be …
Credit Crunch Helps Wind Turbines Catch Up
It’s kind of a good news/bad news thing. One the one hand, the wait to get wind turbines seems to be easing. But as this article from Greentech Media says, the credit crunch is helping ease that backlog: “Turbines are available now, which is refreshing,” said Brad Johnson, director of business development at John Deere Renewables, on Thursday. “Before the …
Mustard Seed Biodiesel for Some CA Buses
Some locally grown mustard seeds could soon be powering buses in Monterey County, California. This story from the San Mateo County (CA) Times says the mustard seed oil could be turned into biodiesel by the end of this year: By December, Monterey-Salinas Transit officials hope to have refined mustard-seed oil — which will be mixed with regular diesel fuel — …
More Biodiesel for Central Florida
An area in Central Florida already touted as a mecca for biodiesel production could be getting another biodiesel plant. Back on August 15th, I told you how Groveland, just 30 miles west of Orlando in Lake County, was poised to have three biodiesel plants by the end of 2009. Now, this story in the Orlando Sentinel says yet another refinery …
Another Record Year for Wind Power
Another nearly 1,400 megawatts (MW) of wind energy has been installed during the last three months, putting the U.S. wind energy industry on a record-setting pace again this year. The American Wind Energy Association says the latest figure brings this year’s total to 4,204 MW: With even more reported under construction, the industry is on track to surpass the banner …
Cal Clean Air Plan Good for Biodiesel, Solar
A plan to reduce California’s greenhouse gas emissions is expected to be a boon for biodiesel and solar in the state. This story from Biodiesel Magazine says the California Air Resources Board has recently unveiled its Proposed Scoping Plan to reduce those emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 and is set to approve the final version in December: The principle …