Did you know that if Iowa were a country, it would be the fourth largest producer of corn in the world behind the U.S., China, and Brazil? Iowa also produces more than the entire European Union – comprised of 27 countries. And Iowa has a tiny footprint in comparison to America, U.S. and Brazil. Talk about producing more on less …
Obama Picks New Cabinet Heads for Energy and EPA
President Obama has announced his picks for Secretary of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency administrator. The President nominated MIT professor Ernest Moniz as energy secretary and EPA official Gina McCarthy as administrator for the agency. Renewable Fuels Association president Bob Dinneen welcomed the nomination of McCarthy as a solid choice and is interested in getting to know Moniz. “(McCarthy) is …
Biodiesel Quality Reaches All Time High
According to a National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) biodiesel fuel quality survey, a record 97 percent of the samples tested met requirements in ASTM D6751, the biodiesel fuel quality specification. NREL obtained B100 samples from 53 producers and 14 terminals between August 2011 and February 2011 and according to Teresa Alleman, a senior chemist with NREL’s Fuels Performance Group, the samples …
Clean Diesel Technology, 20 Years in the Making
This year marks the 20th Anniversary of the National Biodiesel Board and much of the focus on their 10th annual NBB Conference and Expo held in Las Vegas was spent on reminiscing over the past 20 years and looking forward to the next 20 years. “It’s amazing how far we’ve come in 20 years,” said Steve Howell, NBB’s Technical Director …
History of Renewable Fuels in Iowa
The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) has released an online version of an industry scrapbook that illustrates how far the renewable fuels industry has come and how profound its impact on Iowa has been over the past decade. “Progress and Prosperity: A Look Into Iowa’s Renewable Fuels Industry,” provides anecdotes and fact-based information on the vast accomplishments and benefits of …
Maryland Man Sentenced for Biodiesel Fraud
In a case that shows prosecutors are cracking down on sellers of fake biodiesel credits, a Maryland man got 12 1/2 years prison and has been ordered to pay more than $42 million in restitution after being convicted of selling $9 million worth of the fake credits to oil companies and commodities brokers. This Baltimore Sun article says Rodney R. …
Austin Biodiesel Maker Offers Grease Pickup Service
Folks in the Lonestar State don’t have to feel so lonely and left out in the cold when it comes to wanting to do the right thing with used cooking grease. Austin-based grease-to-biodiesel maker DieselGreen Fuels has a new service to help residents, schools, churches and other small producers of oil avoid dumping their used grease in landfills or sewers. …
EPA Approves New Biofuel Pathways Under RFS
Camelina, energy cane and renewable gasoline are now added to the list of qualifying feedstocks and fuels approved by the Environmental Protection Agency for use under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). EPA released its final rule to identify additional fuel pathways that meet the “lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction requirements for biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel, and cellulosic biofuel” under the …
EcoEngineers Offers Help with RIN & RFS Compliance
Navigating the regulatory compliance path of the Renewable Fuels Standard and the associated Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) can be a daunting task for ethanol, biodiesel and other renewable fuel producers. During the recent Iowa Renewable Fuels Associaton’s conference, Joanna caught up with Jim Ramm (pictured in the middle of the group) with EcoEngineers, a Des Moines-based firm that offers technical …
DF Cast: Biodiesel Innovators Recognized in BioVegas
When you think of Las Vegas, you probably picture the bright lights, wild nightlife and gambling… probably not a home for environmentally friendly biodiesel innovation. But if you think about it, the gambling aspect really came out for a group that was an early adopter of the green fuel. In this edition of the Domestic Fuel Cast, we talk to …