Haiti-based Sonamar, S.A. and Bangalore-based VayuGrid have entered into a partnership to develop BioEnergy Zones across Haiti. These bioenergy pockets will produce renewable energy through elite biofuel trees developed by VayuGrid. The two companies believe the project will deliver social, environmental and economic benefit to the country. The zones will be developed in non-arable land across Haiti to supply biodiesel, …
Better Biodiesel Lab for Loyola
Loyola University Chicago is giving its biodiesel lab an upgrade. This Biodiesel Magazine story says the school has given students hands-on, real-world, experiential learning in sustainability education for the past five years. But it was time to update the whole lab. “We were space-constrained, and limited to what we could do in that space,” said [Lab manager Zach] Waickman. The …
Pacific Biodiesel to Use Hawaiian Jatropha
Pacific Biodiesel will soon be using oil from jatropha. Biofuels Journal reports the feedstock will come from the 200 acre Hawaii Pure Plant Oil (HIPPO) farm started in 2008. Now, five years after the farm’s inception, the [father and son partners Christian and James Twigg- Smith] have formed a direct collaboration with Pacific Biodiesel Technologies (PBT) under its federally funded …
Algae Int’l, Gulf Hydrocarbon Ink Biodiesel Deal
A commercial scale algae producer and a biodiesel maker ink a deal that will end up turning algae oil into biodiesel. Biodiesel Magazine reports Gulf Hydrocarbon will represent Algae International Group in sales and distribution of its algal oils and products created with the algal oils, including biodiesel, and precedes Algae International Group’s commercial production at its pilot facility located …
Investing Big Bucks in Biodiesel from Down Under
The owner of Australia’s biggest biodiesel plant is seeing more greenbacks (or, well, whatever the nickname is for Down Under Dollars) for its company. Lignol Energy Corporation, already a leader in advanced biofuels and renewable chemicals, is putting another nearly $1 million US dollars into Territory Biofuels Limited, increasing LEC’s share of TBF to about two-thirds of its holdings. “We …
Alberta Looks to Become Canada’s Biofuel Leader
A Canadian province most well-known for its petroleum products could be that country’s leader in non-petroleum energy. According to this article in the Edmonton Journal, Alberta, in all the headlines for its oilsands, could end up leading Canada by replacing half of its transportation fuels with biodiesel and ethanol. “We now have ethanol from grain and biodiesel from oilseeds, and …
Deal Struck to Research Pongamia for Biodiesel
A deal to research the potential of an oil feedstock has been struck. Biodiesel Magazine reports Tree Oils India Ltd. (TOIL) will collaborate for the next five years with the Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA) to look into the feasibility of using pongamia for biodiesel, in addition to several other projects dealing with sustainable agriculture. The locations of …
In the Land of Oil, Biodiesel Making Inroads
You would think that in a country awash in petroleum, biodiesel just wouldn’t stand a chance. But here’s another story of biodiesel making some inroads in the oil-rich United Arab Emirates. The Post & Parcel reports that TNT Express is trying out biodiesel in its vehicle fleet. The global integrator’s commercial vehicles in Dubai will use a kind of diesel …
Biodiesel Buses Take American U. Students to Class
Students at a major Washington, D.C. university will be breathing a little easier on clean-burning biodiesel shuttle buses. The National Biodiesel Board says American University will run three new biodiesel-powered shuttle buses as students come back to campus this month. “The new design is the perfect opportunity to showcase our shuttles in a way that also highlights our commitment to …
Thailand Plans to Up Biodiesel Output, Mandate
Thailand plans to crank out more biodiesel and increase the amount of the green fuel required to be in the mix. This article from Platts says the Southeast Asian country will increase biodiesel production targets from 5.9 million liters per day to 7.3 million liters per day by 2021. Right now, Thailand cranks out 2.8 million liters per day. Plans …

