The Argentinians are not sitting by and letting the European Union block their exports of biodiesel. Bloomberg reports the country filed a challenge against the EU with the World Trade Organization: The EU is studying whether to levy import tariffs on countries including Argentina and Indonesia that may be exporting biodiesel with state aid like it did for U.S.-based ethanol …
Tractor Pullers to Run On 100% Biodiesel
Those high-powered tractors that scream down the track will have even more sternum-rumbling power as they’ll soon be running on 100 percent biodiesel. This United Soybean Board news release says the National Tractor Pullers Association (NTPA) will allow for the pure green fuel in all of their diesel pulling classes this season. It’s good news for the pullers, who will …
Iowa Biodiesel Plants at Just Over Half Capacity
Iowa’s biodiesel plants are at just over half capacity … leaving a lot of room for growth of the green fuel in the state. The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) says the refineries are at 54 percent capacity in the first quarter of 2013, producing 42.7 million gallons. Nine of the state’s 12 biodiesel plants reported production. If all 12 …
NBB Welcomes Progress on Farm Bill’s Energy Parts
By a 15-5 vote, the Senate Agriculture Committee sent the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013 and its commitment to renewable energy to the full Senate, which could take it up next week. The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) welcomed the move, especially the part that funds the Biodiesel Fuel Education Program to the tune of $1 million a …
Methes Energies & BioFuel Aruba Ink Deal
Methes Energies Canada, a subsidiary of Methes Engeries International, has signed a Purchase and Cooperation Agreement with BioFuel Aruba of Oranjestad, Aruba to purchase one Denami 600 biodiesel processor. The agreement was signed during the “Europe Meets the Americas” business conference in Aruba earlier this month. Mr. Abe Dyck a cofounder and shareholder of Methes Energies was in Aruba for …
Biodiesel Ups Bean Prices Without Raising Food Prices
Soybean growers are getting more for their beans because of biodiesel, but consumers aren’t being pinched by higher food prices at the grocery stores. According to the United Soybean Board, a new study done for soybean checkoffs in Minnesota, Nebraska and the Dakotas show that biodiesel production has pushed U.S. soy oil prices higher than they were before the green …
Sanimax Building Capacity at Wisconsin Biodiesel Plant
Renderer-turned-biodiesel-maker Sanimax increases capacity at its 20 MMgy biodiesel refinery in DeForest, Wisconsin… although the company won’t say by how much. This Biodiesel Magazine article says Apache Stainless Equipment Corp. will provide the stainless steel tanks: Apache supported Sanimax’s need for increased capacity by supplying an atmospheric stainless tank and three pressure vessels within the past month. Sanimax would not …
Beef Ranches as Biodiesel Refineries
The next set of biodiesel refineries will probably continue to be in rural America, but they might be part of livestock operations. This article from BeefProducer.com says Arkansas State University researcher Kevin Humphrey sees real potential for ranchers to produce their own biodiesel from oil seed crops, waste oil or tallow: “If all you want to do is extract oil …
Intertek Biodiesel Lab Earns BQ-9000 Certification
The Intertek biofuels lab in Romeoville, Illinois has earned an important designation from the National Biodiesel Board (NBB). This company news release says the Intertek lab is now listed as a testing facility on the BQ-9000® website and is a preferred lab for BQ-9000® producers and marketers by the National Biodiesel Accreditation Commission (NBAC): NBAC, a committee of the NBB, …
Wilks’ Biodiesel Analyzer to Meet ASTM Standards
Meeting ASTM methods D7371 and EN 14078 for biodiesel standards usually requires FTIR spectrometers, an expensive proposition considering the equipment would be placed on a loading dock. This article in Biodiesel Magazine says Wilks Enterprises has something that could help producers meet those ASTM standards with a fast, easy-to-use and inexpensive infrared method: The InfraCal Biodiesel Blend Analyzer is a …