A new American Wind Energy Association report shows that in 2006, more than 2,400 megawatts of new power generation was installed in the U.S.. According to an association news release, that represents a $4 billion investment. Texas leads the way with nearly 2,800 MW of wind energy production in the state. California is in second place with Iowa, Minnesota, and …
Eagles Making Philly Windy City
The Philadelphia Eagles color is green, and officials with the organization also want to make it a way of life. According to a press release on the team’s web site, owner Christina Lurie says employees living in the Philadelphia area and New Jersey will be reimbursed for buying wind energy. The announcement came during the NFL’s Business Summit being held …
Biodiesel Beats Lamborghini
Recently, I told you about an upcoming episode of MTV’s “Pimp My Ride” where a 1965 Chevy Impala is souped up with a biodiesel engine and blows away a Lamborghini in the quarter mile. Now, I’ve had a chance to talk to the man behind that Impala, Johnathan Goodwin, co-partner of SAE Energy… a company that specializes in converting gas-guzzlers …
More Uses for Biodiesel By-products
While animal feed products from the production of ethanol have caught most of the attention, researchers are looking at finding more uses for the by-products of biodiesel. According to this article posted on posted on ThePoultrySite.com, Iowa State University and the USDA’s Agricultural Research Services are looking at using glycerin in poultry and swine feed: “With an increase in biodiesel …
BC Buses Switch to Biodiesel
City buses in Victoria, British Columbia are now running on 5% biodiesel. The Victoria Times Colonist reports the move will save green in two ways… in the environment and the city budget: No mechanical modifications are required to the fleet, said transit senior vice-president Ron Drolet. “You can do it without any capital outlay. You get a supply that will …
Hydrogen Bus Debuts in CT
A new, hydrogen-powered bus has hit the streets of Hartford, Connecticut as a test of the technology that emits nothing but water vapor. The Hartford (CT) Courant reports the 30-passenger bus will be checked for fuel economy, maintenance costs and reliability and compared to three other fuel cell buses in California: The Greater Hartford Transit District signed a contract with …
WI’s First Commercial Biodiesel
Wisconsin’s first commercial biodiesel plant has started producing the renewable fuel… and a second refinery will open in about a week. According to this story in the Wisconsin State Journal, the Sanimax plant in DeForest began testing the production of beef tallow-based biodiesel: The first batch of biodiesel is expected to be ready in one week. Plant manager Russ Read …
Biodiesel on “Pimp My Ride”
The hit MTV show “Pimp My Ride” will feature a 1965 Chevy Impala coverted to run on biodiesel for its Earth Day show on April 22nd. According to this story posted on CNET News, as part of the show, the converted Impala goes up against a Lamborghini in a quarter-mile drag race. And the Impala wins! “You don’t have to …
Mitsubishi Wind and Solar Efforts
Mechanical giant Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will build a wind turbine model bigger than anything else in the industry in Europe by the year 2010 and establish more solar panel manufacturing bases overseas. According to this article in Forbes, the move is part of Mitsubishi’s change in focus from the U.S. to European markets: The wind turbine for the European market …
Military Bio-Trash Becomes Biofuel
Interesting little article for a vet like me popped up in the International Herald-Tribune. According to the story, Richard Gross, a chemistry professor at Polytechnic University in New York is working on making plastics out of plant oils… and that plastic packaging would be used by the military and then converted to biodiesel out in the field: The process does …