Energy Fuels Big Year for GROWMARK

John Davis

Energy was a big reason that regional cooperative GROWMARK had such a big year this year. This company news release says Fiscal Year 2014 was in the top five income years in company history, and a lot of the credit goes to record volumes in the company’s propane and biofuels business. Marshall Bohbrink, vice president and chief financial officer, reported …

Agribusiness, biofuels, Energy, GROWMARK, Propane, Renewable Energy

REG Sells First Gallons of Renewable Diesel from La. Plant

John Davis

Biodiesel behemoth Renewable Energy Group, Inc. (REG) rolled out the first commercial-scale quantities of renewable diesel from its Geismar, Louisiana biorefinery. This company news release says that fuel is now available for sale. The first truckloads of REG-9000™/RHD produced at the 75-million gallon nameplate biorefinery since REG acquired it in June left the plant October 23. The advanced biofuel from …

Biodiesel, REG

Tri-State Biodiesel Expanding Operations

John Davis

A New York City biodiesel maker is expanding its operation at its Connecticut location. This story from the Connecticut Post says Tri-State’s operation, Bridgeport Biodiesel, which Tri-State bought last year, had a groundbreaking ceremony for a 12,000-square-foot addition. With the added capacity, the company’s workforce will increase from five employees to 25 next year. Construction should begin within the next …

Biodiesel

REG Finishes Upgrade at 30 Mil Gallon Biodiesel Plant

John Davis

Biodiesel giant Renewable Energy Group will be able to crank out high quality biodiesel from a wide variety of raw materials at its Mason City, Iowa plant, thanks to a major upgrade to the 30 million gallon per year facility. This $20 million project has been a year in the making, and the ribbon cutting attracted several state and local …

Biodiesel, REG

Biodiesel Researcher Flys High with Scholarship

John Davis

A University of Colorado student who includes biodiesel in her research will be flying high – WAYYYY high – as she is awarded a $10,000 scholarship from the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Senior Jeni Sorli picks up the scholarship when former NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless presents the honor on campus on Thursday, Oct. 30. Sorli, a chemical engineering major from Billings, …

Biodiesel, Research

Bioenergy Day Recognizes Importance of Biomass

John Davis

Yesterday was the Second Annual National Bioenergy Day, and more than 40 facilities and organizations throughout the U.S. and Canada opened their doors to show folks the benefits of using woody biomass for heating and electrical power production. U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has continued to support bioenergy’s role in protecting the health of forests on federal lands, …

bioenergy, biomass

Cooper Looks to Get Tires & Biofuels from Biomass

John Davis

A tire maker is looking to get tires and biofuels to keep those wheels rolling from the biomass of a plant. This news release from Cooper Tire says the company completed tire builds using rubber derived from guayule plants and new guayule related materials and also hopes to get biofuels from those plant materials. This development was reported by Cooper …

biofuels, biomass

Biodiesel By-Product Makes Viable Marine Fuel

John Davis

A by-product of biodiesel refining could make for a viable alternative fuel for ships. This article from Seatrade Global says the Glycerine Fuel for Engines and Marine Sustainability (GLEAMS) project has concluded that glycerine is fine to use in marine vessels. The group, comprising Lloyd’s Register EMEA, Marine South East, Aquafuel Research, Gardline Marine Sciences, and Redwing Environmental, proved that …

Biodiesel, International

German Firm to Optimize California Biodiesel Plant

John Davis

German firm BDI – BioEnergy International AG will optimize the operations at a California biodiesel plant. The company says it will retrofit the Crimson Renewable Energy LP refinery in Bakersfield, turning waste oil and grease into the green fuel. BDI will supply engineering services and equipment for several important process phases in order to increase plant capacity to 75,000 tons …

Biodiesel

Pacific Biodiesel Once Again Fueling Boats

John Davis

After the last couple of years filling up vehicles for dry land transportation, Hawaii-based Pacific Biodiesel is once again topping off boat tanks. This article from Pacific Business News says Pacific Biodiesel got a new permit and has expanded its production of the green fuel so everyone can enjoy clean-burning biodiesel. “Now that we have the larger capacity, and advanced …

Biodiesel