European truck maker Scania has approved hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) for use in its Euro 6 range of trucks. This news release from the company says the green fuel can cut carbon dioxide emissions by 90 percent. Örjan Åslund is Head of Product Affairs at Scania. “We have decided to give our blessing to the use of HVO biodiesel in …
New Seattle Ferry Running on Biodiesel
The newest ferry for the Seattle area is running on biodiesel. This article from Marine Log says the M/V Doc Maynard, started service at the end of September, replacing her sister ship, the M/V Sally Fox, which is undergoing some scheduled warranty work. Both the Sally Fox and Doc Maynard were built by All American Marine, Inc. (AAM), Bellingham, WA. …
Virginia School Reviving Algae-to-Biodiesel Operation
A Virginia farm that grew algae for biodiesel has been shut down, but researchers at a nearby university are helping the operation produce the green fuel from the green slime again. This article from the Richmond Times-Dispatch says Old Dominion University is working on the issue and hoping to make it commercially viable. Patrick G. Hatcher, an Old Dominion University …
Alliance BioEnergy Converts Coastal Hay to Sugar
Ek Laboratories, located in Longwood, Florida, has achieved a 63 percent conversion of Coastal Hay, at commercial scale, into fermentable sugars in less than 30 minutes. The Alliance BioEnergy Plus subsidiary used it licensed and patented mechanical/chemical CTS (Cellulose to Sugar) process. According to Ek Laboratories, unlike most cellulose to sugar technologies, their CTS process does not use liquid acids, …
Nebraska Firefighters Train on Safety with Biodiesel
Firefighters across the country have been getting special training to work with renewable fuels, such as biodiesel and ethanol. One example is in Beatrice, Nebraska, where local firefighters are working with the Duonix Biodiesel plant. This article from the Beatrice Daily Sun says they want to make sure they are ready when the plant goes into production later this year. …
Biodiesel Helps Keep Heating Oil Prices Down
Good news going into the fall and winter chill: heating oil prices are expected to stay lower throughout the winter. And part of the reason for that is biodiesel. The National Oilheat Research Alliance says increases in production and the addition of biodiesel into the supply chain is helping keep the price of home heating oil down to levels not …
German Quality Group to Test Biodiesel Heating Oil
The German quality group AGQM (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Qualitaetsmanagement Biodiesel e. V.) will offer a test to assess oxidation stabilisers for Biodiesel (FAME) intended as blend component for heating oil. This news release from the group says the tests are meant to rule out probable harmful effects of the fuel itself as well as undesired interactions with other fuel components. Since 2008 …
Deal to Provide Biodiesel to Utility Approved
A deal that would provide locally produced biodiesel to a Hawaiian utility received approval from regulators. This article from Pacific Business News says the deal was approved by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission and has Pacific Biodiesel Technologies providing the green fuel to Hawaiian Electric Co. for a 110-megawatt power generation facility. The contract calls for Pacific Biodiesel to supply …
MSU, ExxonMobil Partner for Algae Biodiesel
One of the nation’s premier research universities is partnering with one of the biggest oil producers to make renewable, algae-based biodiesel. This news release from Michigan State says the school and ExxonMobil will expand research designed to progress the fundamental science required to advance algae-based fuels. David Kramer, MSU’s John Hannah Distinguished Professor in Photosynthesis and Bioenergetics at the MSU-DOE …
Men Accused of Running Religious Biodiesel Scam
Federal prosecutors are going after two men they accuse of running a scam to get money for a biodiesel operation by using religious persuasion. This article from The Oregonian says Jack Holden and Lloyd A. Sharp posed as devout Christians to get a Portland area Christian men’s group to invest more than $1 million in a biodiesel operation with no …