Biodiesel processor manufacturer Methes Energies has unveiled a new catalyst for biodiesel production. This company news release says the Methes PP-MEC catalyst will provide a new pre-treatment process for high free fatty acid (FFA) biodiesel feedstocks, including non-food grade corn oil, and Dorf Ketal Speciality Catalysts LLC (“Dorf Ketal”) will make the new catalyst for Methes. The PP-MEC catalyst is …
AMRC Looks at Ethanol Plant Profitability Projections
Don Hofstrand, retired agriculture extension economist with the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center (AMRC) located at Iowa State University, has recently published projections for ethanol plant profitability over the next several years. When the ethanol boom really took off, Hofstrand noted that most farmers purchased shares in ethanol plants as a way to hedge against low corn prices. So AMRC began …
FAPRI: Corn Prices Down, Ethanol Future Depends on EPA
Corn prices are down, and the future of ethanol seems to hinge upon what the government does on the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). A new report from the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) at the University of Missouri shows that there have been sharp declines in the price for grains and oilseeds used to make ethanol and biodiesel. …
OriginOil to Take Demo System on the Road
As extreme drought continues to grip most of California, the maker of a system that cleans up water to gather algae (for later applications, such as biodiesel) and take out contaminants from industries such as oil and gas, will be taking a demonstration of its technologies on the road. OriginOil says it will show off an industrial system already cleaning …
DF Cast: Ethanol Innovators Talk New Tech at ACE Conf.
Any manufacturer is looking to get more out of their operations, and it’s certainly no different for biofuel makers. In this edition of the Domestic Fuel Cast, we hear from four innovators who talked about their operations and how they are on the cutting edge of biofuel producing technologies during the recent at the American Coalition for Ethanol conference. Among …
Fuels America Celebrates Labor Day
Labor Day in America is this weekend and Fuels America is celebrating by highlighting a recent report on American workers in the U.S. biofuels industry. According to the organization, the renewable fuels industry has tremendously grown since the passage of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). Today, the sector supports more than 850,000 jobs and generates $46.2 billion in wages. Combined, the …
Iowa GOP Under Fire on RFS Stance
The Iowa GOP is under fire this week from biofuel supporters including the pro-biofuel association, Americans United for Change for its stance on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The Iowa Republican Party published on its site that the “perfect world” is one devoid of the RFS and their site actually called for a repeal of the RFS, until today that …
Wastes-for-Biodiesel Firm Gets Sustainability Certification
A company that turns waste materials into feedstocks for several products, including biodiesel, has earned an important sustainability certification. Switzerland-based MBP Trading SA earned the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) sustainability certification for their waste material collection, trading and distribution activities. “MBP Group was built on a sustainable background, adding as much value as possible to industrial by-products. Sustainability was …
RIN Academy Focuses on RFS
EcoEngineers is hosting its RIN Academy 2014 on Tuesday, September, 16, 2014 at the Embassy Suites in Des Moines, Iowa from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. The conference is designed to help unravel the world of Renewable Identification Numbers (RINS). RINS are used to monitor the use of biofuels or renewable volume obligations for obligated parties as part of the …
Iowa Lawmakers Recognized for Renewable Fuel Support
Sixteen state lawmakers in Iowa are being recognized for their support of renewable fuels, such as biodiesel and ethanol. The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) PAC announced the 16 recipients of its “Champion of Renewable Fuels” awards for state legislators, recognizing their voting records and leadership in support of the green fuels. “The IRFA PAC is proud to support these …