Since it was the biggest gathering of the year for corn and soybean growers, it’s only natural that Commodity Classic was also a good place to talk about the state of the ethanol and biodiesel industries, especially when you consider the two grains are still the biggest feedstocks for the biofuels. In this edition, we listen in on the conversation …
Alabama Biofuels Workshop Focuses on Emerging Market
Over 100 fleet managers, city, state and county government representatives, fuel producers and distributors and fuel retailers gathered together Wednesday in Dothan, Alabama to become informed leaders for the state’s emerging biofuels marketplace. “We are gathered here today to bring you more awareness of the five alternative fuels of propane, compressed natural gas, E85, biodiesel and electric vehicles,” said Mark …
Pennsylvania Slated for Biofuel Conference
A one-day conference is scheduled to provide information to Pennsylvania biodiesel producers on what should be expected when the state’s B2 mandate goes into effect. Biodiesel Magazine reports the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and the National Biodiesel Board are holding the April 20 event, called the Pennsylvania Biofuel Development Conference: The mandate is based on trigger points, so when instate …
Solazyme Top Sustainable Biofuel
San Francisco-based Solazyme, Inc., a producer of algae-based fuels, has been recognized as the best in the Sustainable Biofuels Technology category at the 2nd Annual Sustainable Biofuels Awards. This Solazyme press release says the award was handed out in Amsterdam at the World Biofuels Markets conference: “Solazyme is honored to be nominated among some of the top biofuel technology companies …
Toasting Biodiesel and Herr Diesel!
OK, maybe it’s not the drink of choice, but biodiesel is truly a fitting symbol for the 152nd birthday of Rudolf Diesel. Tomorrow, Thursday, March 18th, is the inventor’s birthday, and since he designed that first diesel engine to run on vegetable oil, the National Biodiesel Board is taking the day to recognize the role the clean-burning fuel has played …
Biodiesel – A Great Success Story
“Biodiesel is a great fuel. It’s a great success story,” said Rob Joslin, the President of the American Soybean Association when I asked him during an interview (see below for audio) why biodiesel is so important to our country. While the biodiesel has had great success, it is currently facing a challenge – the $1 per gallon tax credit expired …
Biodiesel Plays Well in Peoria
Biodiesel is making it where the old saying goes, “Will it play in Peoria?” That certainly is the case for the Illinois town’s transit system, CityLink. This story from the Peoria Journal Star says the city has been so pleased with the past performance of lower biodiesel blends, they decided to become the first fleet in the state to go …
Thermex HeatProbe Keeps Biodiesel Flowing at -40
Forty degrees below zero can be pretty common across the northern tier of states in the U.S. and Canada, especially this past winter. Those extremes can wreak havoc on biodiesel, and, for that matter, any diesel product. But this article from Biodiesel Magazine says Thermex Engineered Systems Inc. has come up with a way to heat biodiesel during transit that …
Biofuels Alliance Disputes Virginia Research
A recent study by some University of Virginia researchers who say that algae might not be as environmentally friendly as some regular row crops when it comes to making biodiesel is coming under fire by algae and algal-biofuel organizations. As you might remember from my post back on January 22, 2010, a study headed by Andres Clarens said that “algae’s …
REG Becomes North America’s Largest Biodiesel Maker
It’s come a long ways since its early days as part of West Central CO-OP’s Ralston, Iowa (right next to this author’s hometown of Glidden, Iowa) operation, and now Renewable Energy Group has become North America’s largest wholly-owned biodiesel manufacturing and marketing source. This company press release says REG gained that status after recently acquiring biodiesel plants in Iowa and …