Ground has broken on a 50-million-gallon-a-year canola biodiesel refinery northeast of Edmonton, Alberta… the first large-scale canola biodiesel plant in Canada. This story on Canadian Press says the Canadian Bioenergy refinery will be built next door to a canola crushing facility… on the province’s refining and pipeline hub: “We are building a state-of-the-art facility capable of producing a large quantity …
U.S. Consumers Support Renewable Fuels
Ask the American public about renewable fuels and odds are you’ll get two thumbs up. At least, that’s what a poll conducted by Harris Interactive found. A new poll conducted by Harris Interactive(R) shows overwhelming American support for expanding renewable fuel options with nine in 10 U.S. adults (88 percent) agreeing the U.S. should pursue renewable energy sources. The poll, …
Biofuel to Hit the Skies
From the coverage we’ve provided on energy.agwired.com so far, I think it’s safe to say biofuels are continually gaining traction with ground transportation and machinery. So, it seems quite natural that air travel would be the next frontier for biofuels. Yahoo!News reports that Virgin Group CEO, Richard Branson plans to fuel one of his jets with biofuels in 2008. Here’s …
Wind Power Breezes into Kansas Schools
Rural school districts in Kansas are receiving small wind turbines as part of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Wind for Schools Initiative. The Kansas City Wind for Schools Program and the Wind Applications Center at Kansas State University have selected several schools in Kansas’ Concordia School District to receive a Skystream 3.7 wind turbine. The small, 1.8 kilowatt turbines will …
Iowa Gains Major Wind Turbine Maker
Denmark-based Hendricks Industries says it will build a $32 million plant in Keokuk, Iowa… the fifth wind turbine equipment maker to locate in the state that is also becoming a leader in wind energy production. This story in the Des Moines Register says Iowa is riding the crest of the potential $10 billion wind energy market: Already, Iowa has recruited …
Texas Cuts Biofules Incentives
Surprise, surprise… petroleum giant Texas has cut some of the state’s incentives to biofuels makers. The Dallas Morning News reports that lawmakers in the state legislature removed funding for biodiesel and ethanol because some complained that they were competing with the state’s petroleum industry. But some lawmakers see the move as short sighted: Rep. David Swinford, a Republican lawmaker from …
Canola Biodiesel Plant Opens in North Dakota
The U.S.’s first wholly-owned canola biodiesel plant has opened near Velva, North Dakota. The ADM plant is right next to ADM’s crushing facility and will produce 85 million gallons of biodiesel when it’s fully operational. This article from the Minot (ND) Daily News says the grand opening attracted company officials, local, state, and federal officials: “This is an exciting time …
Iowa Lawmaker Proposes 20% Renewable Standard
As Iowa Governor Chet Culver wants to make the Hawkeye State the renewable energy capitol of the world, one legislator says he will propose legislation to achieve that goal. This story on WHO-TV (Des Moines) says Senator Jack Hatch says he will propose a 20 percent renewable energy standard for the state when legislature comes back together during the next …
Biodiesel Blender Holds Open House in Iowa
U.S. Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) was among those attending a a grand opening and open house this week at Magellan Midstream Partners’ biodiesel blending facility in Mason City, Iowa. This article in the Mason City Globe Gazette says the new facility is the first biodiesel blending system located inside a petroleum terminal in Iowa: “This is a perfect example of …
Pepco Whips Up Renewable Wind Energy for D.C. Hotel
Gusts of energy from Pepco Energy Services are securing an environmentally-conscious energy commitment for Willard Intercontinental Hotel in Washington D.C. The Willard has awarded Pepco a contract to provide the hotel with 100% wind renewable energy credits. The one-year contract which began in June calls for Pepco Energy Services to provide the 332-room Willard InterContinental Washington nearly 7.1 million kilowatt …