Oilseed growers, led by the American Soybean Association (ASA), have raised concerns with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk over the European Union’s (EU) Renewable Energy Directive (RED), particularly the part that is keeping American soybeans out of Europe for biofuel production. The ASA is asking to meet with Vilsack’s and …
Sen. Klobuchar Introduces Ethanol Legislation
A bill introduced yesterday by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tim Johnson (D-SD) called the Securing America’s Future with Energy and Sustainable Technologies (SAFEST) Act establishes strong renewable energy and energy-efficiency standards, incentives for developing biofuels and biofuel infrastructure, and targets for the availability of advanced vehicle technologies. More specifically, the legislation would establish new incentives for biofuels infrastructure and …
Researcher Makes Foam from Biodiesel By-Product
A researcher from The Ohio State University has found a way to make a polyurethane foam from a by-product of biodiesel. Yebo Li, a biosystems engineer with the university’s Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) in Wooster, has found a way to turn glycerin into a renewable, cheaper foam: “Polyurethane foam made with our bio-polyol is renewable, biodegradable and …
Biodiesel, Ethanol Maker Signs ex-Oil Exec to Board
A company that is producing ethanol and biodiesel from non-food cellulosic wastes has welcomed a former oil industry executive to its board of directors. BlueFire Renewables, Inc. announced that Joe Sparano, a former President and, subsequently, Executive Advisor to the Chairman of the Board of the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA), as well as former president of Tesoro Petroleum’s West …
Propel Fuels Hosts USDA’s Judith Canales
Propel Fuels hosted Judith Canales, Administrator for Rural Business and Cooperative Programs for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), yesterday at one of the fuel retailer’s stations in Oakland, California yesterday to promote the positive and economic and environmental impacts biofuels has on the US. Propel is the leading retailer in the US installing biofuel infrastructure for both ethanol and …
Florida Companies Ink $18 Mil Grease for Biodiesel Deal
Two Florida companies have signed a deal potentially worth $18 million to provide yellow grease for biodiesel production. Freedom Environmental Services and Clean Fuel of Lakeland, FL, a Florida biodiesel producer, inked the three-year deal: President and CEO Michael Borish stated, “We are excited to build on our relationship with Mr. Maher’s Clean Fuel companies by supplying recycled yellow grease …
Sinclair Oil to Make More REG Biodiesel Available
Sinclair Oil Corporation will make more biodiesel available for fuel distributors and consumers in Iowa, Illinois and Missouri. The company is making dyed and clear biodiesel-blends of Renewable Energy Group’s REG-9000TM biodiesel available at Sinclair’s Ft. Madison, Iowa terminal, available 24 hours daily for carded drivers: “Sinclair has a long history of providing business solutions for petroleum distributors and retailers. …
Vilsack: US Farms Producing Enough for Food & Biofuels
The man in charge at the USDA says American farmers are producing enough to provide the food AND fuel, in particular ethanol and biodiesel, this country needs. During the recent Commodity Classic, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack took on the food vs. fuel debate head-on. “It is irritating to me that we have to read about this all the time, …
Biodiesel Helps Make Livestock Feed More Affordable
While there have been some in the livestock industry that have had some real heartburn with biofuels, a new report shows that biodiesel has actually made animal feed more affordable. The National Biodiesel Board has released a new study that shows how soybean oil and meal economics favor the livestock industry, potentially saving farmers and ranchers $4.8 billion from 2005 …
Volvo Unveils 3-Mode Hybrid
Volvo has introduce the first three-mode hybrid in the world during the 81st Geneva International Motor Show this week. During a media preview, the hybrid diesel V60 sedan was unveiled. It’s a plug-in electric vehicle concept car that the company hopes to have on European roads by 2012. The driver chooses the preferred driving mode via three buttons on the …