Since the biodiesel industry is in a struggle for the extension of its $1 per gallon tax credit, I thought I’d spend some time learning more about biodiesel. This week, I read “Biodiesel America,” by Josh Tickell, who also produced the award winning film, “FUEL.” While the book is a tad bit dated (it was published in 2006) the basic …
Biodiesel Turns Sesame Street Green
Sunny days … and biodiesel … will be sweeping the clouds … and the smog … away as the studio that produces Sesame Street will switch to the green fuel for heat. The New York Daily News reports Kaufman Astoria Studios just became the greenest studio in town as it switches from traditional heating oil to “Greenheat,” a new blend …
Iowa Biodiesel Mandate Dies, But Could Be Reborn
A proposal to mandate a 5 percent biodiesel blend in every gallon of diesel sold in Iowa has died in one legislative committee … but could be reborn in another. The Fort Dodge (IA) Messenger reports that the House environmental protection committee’s ranking member, Rep. Steve Olson, R-DeWitt, declared the bill dead: Olson said the GOP caucus was opposed to …
Petroleum Company Buying Indiana Biodiesel Plant
Indiana-based e-biofuels, LLC is being sold to Imperial Petroleum, Inc. This press release posted on MarketWatch.com says Imperial will keep on e-biofuels principal management and make the 15-million-gallon-a-year biodiesel maker a wholly-owned subsidiary of Imperial: “We’re very excited about e-biofuels and its management joining our Company,” said Jeffrey T. Wilson, President of Imperial. “Through our research and development efforts over …
Ford Unveils Biodiesel-Compatible F-Series Truck
The new Ford F-Series Super Duty truck will be able to run on a 20 percent blend of biodiesel. This article from Fleet Owner says the 2011 model year also features an optional Ford-designed and built 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbodiesel rated at 390 hp and 735 ft-lbs torque … making green and mean: Ed Waszczenko, Ford lead engine durability …
Propel Fuels’ E85 for 85 Cents Event Draws Attention
Earlier this week, my colleague posted a story about Propel Fuels’ E85 promotion that took place on February 24 and several of its stations in Sacramento. It was a big success, drawing quite a bit of attention from both consumers and the media alike. Biofuels enthusiast, Paul Wikoff participated in the event and sent DomestcFuel some photos including one of …
New Ideas for Funding Sustainable Biofuels
If you did a survey among the biofuels industry and asked if the funding programs for biofuels research and development were working, most would say no. Actually, many outside of the industry would say no. As the country continues forward on the federal goals set out in the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) things will need to change if we’re going …
Obama Changes Tune from Biodiesel to Biofuels
Some others have started to notice something I told you about back in January. It seems that while he campaigned on the word “biodiesel,” President Barack Obama is now talking “biofuels” … a more ambiguous term that is leaving some biodiesel producers scratching their heads wondering whether the president backs them. This piece from Biodiesel Magazine points out that Stimulus …
Iowa Biodiesel Board Refutes Truckers’ Claims
Things are getting a bit tough in the fight to get a biodiesel mandate implemented in Iowa. This post from the Des Moines Register says a letter that Decker Trucking of Fort Dodge sent to the legislature outlining the company’s two million mile biodiesel study that hurts biodiesel’s case is being refuted by the Iowa Biodiesel Board. The letter says …
Researcher to Genetically Modify Algae for Biodiesel
A researcher at Iowa State University is genetically modifying algae to make it a better feedstock for biodiesel. This article from Biodiesel Magazine says Martin Spalding, ISU professor of genetics, development and cell biology,has received a $4.37 million grant U.S. Department of Energy to stack traits in algae, specifically, one type of alga, Chlamydomonas, whose genome has already been mapped …