St. Joseph, Missouri is becoming a center for renewable fuels in this country as the city will soon become home to its third biodiesel plant, joining an ethanol refinery in the area. This story in the St. Joseph News-Press says the groundbreaking ceremony this week was purey ceremonial as Terra Bioenergy has been busy for some time, pouring concrete slabs …
Texas Approves Major Wind Energy Infrastructure Project
The Public Utility Commission of Texas has approved $5 billion worth of new power lines that will carry wind energy from the western part of the state to more populated areas. This article in the Houston Chronicle says it will give a major boost to a state that is already leading the country in wind-generated power: It should boost the …
Blue Hawaii Using Green Algae for Biodiesel
While the waters along those world-famous Hawaiian beaches will still be picture-perfect blue, some folks in the Aloha State are banking on some murky-green H2O for power. This story from the Honolulu Star-Bulletin says three companies will team up to develop the world’s first commercial microalgae facility on Maui that will produce oil for biodiesel and and animal feed. Alexander …
Ethanol Key Issue in MO Governor’s Race
Ethanol has become the key issue in the race for the governor’s mansion in Missouri, as the two main Republican contenders square off over the state’s new ethanol mandate. Sarah Steelman, who is also the State Treasurer, has now switched her position to opposing Missouri’s mandate that requires that practically every gallon of gasoline sold in the state must contain …
Iowa College Offering Wind Turbine Technician Program
As the need for wind energy grows… expected to grow at double-digit rates in capacity over the next 20 years… the need for workers who can construct, repair and maintain those green energy systems grows as well. To help meet that need, a college in Northwest Iowa… an area known for its wind power generators… is offering a program to …
Consumer-Scale Wind Generators Gain Popularity
With utility rates rising… and expected to get even higher… it’s no wonder people are looking at generating their own electricity. This story from the Wall Street Journal’s Market Watch says backyard wind power generators are growing in popularity, despite their sometimes hefty price tag: “They are definitely growing [in popularity],” says Ron Stimmel of the AWEA, the national trade …
Wisconsin Paper Mill Turning Into Biodiesel Plant
A 100-year-old paper mill in Northern Wisconsin is being converted to make biodiesel. This press release posted on the Milwaukee Business Journal web site says Flambeau River BioFuels has received a $30 million U.S. Department of Energy grant to build and to operate a first-in-class refinery that will turn biomass from forestry and agricultural operations into biodiesel at an existing …
Maryland Biodiesel Plant Resumes Re-Opening Plans
Officials with a Maryland biodiesel plant, where a man was killed while working on bringing the idled refinery back on line in May, say they will continue to work to get the facility back in to production. This story from the Delmarva Daily Times says Greenlight Biofuels held a town meeting in the Princess Anne community to reassure residents that …
Blackhawk Buys Mothballed Illinois Biodiesel Plant
An Illinois biodiesel company has bought a biodiesel refinery that had been mothballed. Blackhawk Biofuels, LLC, with $19.8 million in financial backing from the state of Illinois, has bought the 45-million-gallon-a-year biodiesel plant at Danville, Illinois. This press release from Blackhawk’s web site says the company will upgrade the facility to accept a wider range of feedstocks in hopes of …
Biodiesel Favorite of Favorite Foods
New Hampshire-based Favorite Foods, a $20 million a year broadline foodservice distributor, is switching its fleet of trucks to biodiesel. This story from the Foster’s Daily Democrat says it is part of the company’s overall green plan: “As a business, we have always done everything we can to positively impact our customers and our economy,” stated Chris Barstow, president of …