Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc., and Otter Tail Power Company have announced they will develop the Langdon Wind Project… which will become the largest wind farm in North Dakota. According to a company press release, the 25-year agreements say Minnkota will purchase 99 megawatts of wind-generated power and Otter Tail Power Company will buy 19.5 MW of wind power. Also, Otter …
Soyoil Futures Rise on Crude Oil Spike
May soyoil futures on the Chicago Board of Trade rose to a high of 33 cents per pound Thursday.. the highest for a nearby contract in nearly three years. Those nearby soyoil futures have appreciated more than 10% over the last three weeks. According to this AP story in the Houston Chronicle, the rise has been fueled by the jump …
Minnesota Biodiesel Shows Improvement
A year ago, clogged fuel filters and angry truckers were a big part of the biodiesel scene in Minnesota, where the state had just implemented a biodiesel requirement. But according to this story in the St. Paul Pioneer Press, this past winter was much better: Truckers in Minnesota still experienced lots of clogged fuel filters over the winter, but an …
Biodiesel Part of Latest Illinois State Agribusiness Grants
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has given out $240,000 in Opportunity Returns grants including money for a feasibility study to find new uses for a by-product of biodiesel production. Northern Illinois University in DeKalb received $16,850, to identify and evaluate new uses for glycerin to use as an energy feedstock. This from a governor’s press release: “This investment demonstrates Gov. Blagojevich’s …
Homebrew Biodiesel Makers Running Afoul of Tax Laws
The other day I told you about a pair of Wisconsin biodiesel homebrewers who have been sent a tax bill by the state for about 33 cents a gallon of what they’ve been making and using in their vehicles. Now, a Virginia man has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor tax evasion on biodiesel he’s been making and selling. According to this …
Ground Broken at New Biodiesel Plant in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle and officials with North Prairie Productions, LLC were among those at a groundbreaking ceremony in Evansville for the state’s latest biodiesel plant. According to this article posted on the Wisconsin Technology Network web site, when completed, the plant will produce 45 million gallons of biodiesel a year: “Our state has the ideal resources to be a …
Wisconsin Taxing Home-brewed Biodiesel
In what might be some concerning news to those trying to be truly independent of foreign oil and good for the environment, the State of Wisconsin is taxing the biodiesel home-brewed by two Manitowoc men. According to this AP story posted on WFRV-TV Green Bay web site, Steven Griesbach and Paul Simon received letters from the state Department of Revenue …
Montreal Latest City to Fuel Buses with Biodiesel
Montreal, Canada will run its entire bus fleet on biodiesel by 2008 and will buy eight hybrid buses to test in the city’s cold climate. According to this story posted on the CBC’s web site, it should be an affordable proposition for the city: All Société de transport de Montréal (STM) buses will run on biodiesel fuel by 2008, and …
West Coast Biodiesel Giant Looks to Expand Into Hawaii
Seattle-based Imperium Renewables, ready to put the country’s largest biodiesel plant into operation and holder of the record for investment in a biodiesel company (see my posts on Feb. 2nd and Feb. 21st), is reportedly planning to build a $90-million refinery in Hawaii scheduled to open in April 2008. Although few details are forthcoming just yet, this story in the …
Oilseed Summit to Focus on Food and Fuel
The rise in popularity in biodiesel has caused some concerns that foodstuffs might be syphoned off to produce energy sources. To talk about those concerns, Soyatech… publisher of the Soya & Oilseed Bluebook… is sponsoring a summit November 11-13th in Chicago to discuss how to balance the needs for food and fuel with available oilseeds. From the Soyatech web site: …