Montana might be known as Big Sky country, but this past weekend, it could certainly also take on the Clean Sky moniker. The Billings (MT) Gazette reports a couple of small projects featuring biodiesel and solar were part of Saturday’s Montana Clean Energy Fair at the National Center for Appropriate Technology. [Matt] Elsaesser is the executive director of the S.A.V.E. …
Michigan Research: Diesel Saves Money
A new study shows that vehicles that run on diesel save their owners money. While the research didn’t specifically mention biodiesel, the green fuel would also be part of that savings. Biodiesel Magazine reports the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute found that the total cost of ownership (TCO) is lower for diesel vehicles compared to their gasoline-powered counterparts. “Our …
Viesel Fuel Upgrades Enzymatic Biodiesel Plant
Florida-based Viesel Fuel, LLC has upgraded its enzymatic biodiesel plant using technology from Danish company Novozymes. This BioFuels Journal article says Viesel’s green fuel is considered an approved biomass-based diesel under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), meets ASTM International D6751 standards and is on track to be approved for BQ9000 quality assurance. The Novozymes enzymatic process requires less energy than …
Groups Applaud EPA’s McCarthy Confirmation
The U.S. Senate has approved Gina McCarthy as the next administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on a 59-40 vote. Renewable energy and environmental groups, as well as commercial companies, welcomed her confirmation. The National Biodiesel Board said it was thrilled by the vote: “Gina McCarthy is a strong, dynamic leader who knows the intersection of environment and energy …
Biodiesel Board Welcomes RI Bioheat Mandate
Folks in Rhode Island will be staying warm in future winters with some help from Bioheat, a blend of biodiesel and heating oil. The governor of that state signed legislation to mandate a 2 percent blend requirement starting in July of 2014 with plans to expand that to 5 percent in 2017. The news was welcomed by the National Biodiesel …
Iowa Grants Help Expand Biodiesel
Since 2006, 158 new biodiesel retail pumps and 48 terminal locations have opened around the state. The growth has been helped along by state grants managed through the Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Board. Iowa has several progressive biodiesel policies on the books, including this investment in the infrastructure needed for statewide distribution of cleaner burning biofuels. “Iowa produces the most …
Double-Cropped Feedstocks Tested for Biodiesel
A college in the Minneapolis, Minn., suburbs is testing whether double-cropped camelina could be a good alternative for biodiesel feedstocks. Minnesota Farm Guide reports Anoka-Ramsey Community College’s Cambridge Campus has a 24-acre double-crop plot of camelina and soybeans to see if the non-food camelina will produce enough oil in the double-crop environment. “This is a true energy crop that isn’t …
Biodiesel Research Looks at Jatropha Genes
Jatropha plants with their high oil content are seen as potentially a good alternative to some food crops as a feedstock for biodiesel. But the shrub’s nature makes it just as intensive to raise as a food crop, as well as having issues with drought resistance. Researchers at Penn State University believe they have found the gene that will help …
Chem Students Use Syrris for Biodiesel Research
A group of chemical engineering students in Massachusetts have used technology from UK-based Syrris to investigate the production of biodiesel. Syrris officals say the Worcester Polytechnic University students used Syrris’ Globe jacketed reactor system that allowed for a safe project: “As part of their senior thesis, some of our undergraduate students suggested a ‘green’ experiment; converting vegetable oil into biodiesel. …
UFOP: Sustainability Ups Biodiesel Content Choices
A study from a group in Germany says sustainability certification systems have opened up market access for vegetable oils from countries outside the European Union. The study from the Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen e.V. (UFOP) surveyed 60 filling stations across Germany and found that rapeseed oil remains the most important raw material source for the production of …