Commissioners in Santa Rosa County, California are considering whether to use the county’s name to help back bonds for a proposed biodiesel plant. Biofuels Digest reports the chairman of the commission wants more information before signing off on the Integrated Energy Partners’ proposed biodiesel facility: The facility intends to run year-round using camelina and other crops including cotton seed to …
Biodiesel-Fueled Beetles Give Green Rides in Paradise
Hawaii is already known as a lush, green, tropical paradise, but one rental car company on the islands is turning that green up a notch. This article from BNET.com says the Bio-Beetle company in Maui focuses on biodiesel vehicles and looks to expand into electric vehicles one day: President Shaun Stenshol presides over a 20-car fleet that includes diesel-powered Beetles, …
Utah Field Holds Promise for US Army’s Biodiesel Efforts
A small patch of safflower near the Salt Lake City International Airport has caught the attention of the U.S. Army as part of the military’s efforts to implement more biodiesel into its operations. The Salt Lake Tribune says about 20 acres of the prickly leafed crop, planted as part of Salt Lake County’s urban-farming initiative, could be a feedstock for …
New Incentives Proposed for ND Biodiesel Plants
Some biodiesel plants in North Dakota could be enjoying new operations incentives, if a proposed bill passes that state’s legislature and gains the governor’s signature. The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead reports the measure, currently before the state legislature’s Energy Development and Transmission Committee, would give up to $1.5 million in incentives annually: The amount would be determined by multiplying the number …
BlueFire Ethanol Rebrands as BlueFire Renewables
BlueFire Ethanol Fuels is rebranding itself as BlueFire Renewables “to more clearly illustrate the company’s vast capabilities in renewable energy,” according to the company. “BlueFire is more than just an ethanol company. We’re happy to at last announce the expansion of our capabilities, and feel that this name captures our spirit for innovation and development of cleaner alternatives to fossil …
Who Are the Next Biofuels IPOs?
On the heels of their great story yesterday on the investment in algal-biodiesel players PetroAlgae and Solazyme (not to mention Joanna’s piece on Gevo preparing for a $150 million IPO), our friends over at Biofuels Digest have put together a list of the top 10 most likely next IPOs in the biofuels sector. The list includes many Domestic Fuel regulars, …
NBB, Marketers Welcome Biodiesel Heating Bill Signing
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has made it official, signing a bill that will require all diesel heating oil in the city contain at least 2 percent biodiesel: “The final bill before me today is Introductory Number 194-A … [which] will significantly reduce pollution, promote the use of alternative fuels, create new ‘green’ jobs and vastly improve air quality …
Investments Spark Speculation on Algal-Biodiesel
Recent multi-million dollar investments in algae-biofuel companies ($200 million IPO for PetroAlgae and $52 million to help commercialize Solazyme) is fueling some speculation of its own on how soon algae-based biofuels, in particular, biodiesel, might be available for consumers and when it would be commercially competitive. This article from Biofuel Digest breaks down the “bears” and “bulls” views of these …
First Load of Illinois Plant’s REG Biodiesel Rolls Out
Iowa-based Renewable Energy Group (REG) has held a grand re-opening of its Seneca, Illinois biodiesel plant after taking over the 60 million-gallon-a-year biodiesel and glycerin facility from Nova Biosource Fuels. REG celebrated the occasion with a ribbon cutting ceremony and by selling the first load of REG-9000 biodiesel from the refinery to Meier Oil of Ashkum Illinois last Thursday. The …
USDA Proposes Blending Solar and Wind Power
A USDA scientist believes wind and solar power generating systems could be set up to complement each other. A study by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) agricultural engineer Brian Vick at the agency’s Renewable Energy and Manure Management Research Unit in Bushland, Texas says that by using solar power during doldrum days and wind at night could help offset the two …