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 …
NextCAT to Commercially Produce Biodiesel Catalyst
A Detroit-based biodiesel technology developer will commercially produce a new catalyst designed to help produce biodiesel more cheaply. Biodiesel Magazine reports NextCAT Inc. will produce the catalyst developed at the National Biofuels Energy Laboratory at Wayne State University and integrate it into existing biodiesel plants: According to NextCAT President Charles Salley, NextCAT intends to leverage $800,000 in total funding that …
Enzyme Helps Argentine Soybean Plant’s Oil Production
The world’s largest soybean processing plant, which produces biodiesel, soybean oil and meal, is using an enzyme that is helping increase edible oil production. This press release from Verenium Corporation says that Argentina’s Terminal 6 is using Verenium’s Purifine enzymatic degumming process at its Puerto General San Martin facility. Not only does the process increase oil yields, but it also …
Enervation to Open Second Iowa Biodiesel Plant
A company that is bringing one idled biodiesel plant in Iowa back to life is working one getting a second one operational. The Keokuk (IA) Daily Gate City reports that Enervation, which is already getting the former Tri-City Energy plant back up to speed (see Joanna’s post from Jan. 25, 2011), has acquired a 60 million gallon per year biodiesel …