Money intended to help rebuild economic activity in parts of the Gulf Coast hit by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita will be used to build a biodiesel plant in St. Rose, Louisiana. The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports that the State Bond Commission has unanimously approved $100 million in hurricane-recovery bonds to help finance the project: The $100 million will come from …
Heating Oil Industry Adopts Biodiesel Plan
More homes across the country, especially along the East Coast, could soon be burning a combination of biodiesel and heating oil better known as Bioheat®. This press release from the National Biodiesel Board says oilheat industry leaders from Maine to South Carolina met and set a plan for wider adoption of the green fuel: At the national oilheat industry policy …
DF Cast: The Past and Future of Biodiesel Feedstocks
Algae is all the rage as the next great feedstock for biodiesel… although the longtime champion for the green fuel, soybeans, might not be ready to give up its crown to the green pond scum. One the one hand, you have guys like Riggs Eckelberry, the CEO of Origin Oil… a company that develops technology to turn algae into oil …
Movie Review – “FUEL”
The Sundance award winning documentary, “FUEL” is set to open up in 150 theaters across the U.S. tomorrow. The “FUEL” team will be on hand in New York for the nationwide premiere, which is being hailed by people who have had the opportunity to pre-screen the film as “eye opening,” “insightful,” and “powerful”. The film was directed by Josh Tickell …
EPA, NHTSA Declare B20 Vehicles as Flex-Fuel
In what’s being characterized as an “historic national program” that would dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve fuel economy for new cars and trucks sold in the United States… vehicles that can run on B20, a 20 percent blend of biodiesel… will be considered flexible fuel vehicles. Biodiesel Magazine reports the 1,200 page proposal issued by the EPA and …
Ditches Providing Land for Biodiesel Feedstock
A couple of years ago, I told you about how the Utah Department of Transportation was planting safflower, camelina, canola and perennial flax in a safety strip along Interstate 15 and then crushing the seeds to make biodiesel (see my post from May 9, 2007). The “Freeways-to-Fuel” project, sponsored by the Utah Department of Transportation, the National Biodiesel Board and …
BMW Shows New Biodiesel-Ready Vehicles in Frankfurt
It’s one of the biggest auto shows in the world, and biodiesel-ready cars from one of the world’s biggest makers seem to be getting some good attention at the venue. Biodiesel Magazine reports that the 63rd International Auto Show underway Frankfurt, Germany has opened with several interesting diesel debuts from BMW… and all are compatible with biodiesel: Receiving a lot …
University of Georgia to Make Biodiesel from Biomass
Researchers at University of Georgia will be turning forest and agricultural waste into biodiesel. The Atlanta Business Chronicle reports that the school has licensed technology to Sacramento, Calif.-based Tolero Energy LLC to turn the waste into the green fuel: The process turned waste biomass — dead trees, agricultural waste and lumber byproducts — into a liquid fuel to power conventional …
Valero Announces Biodiesel Venture
Last week, I told you how petroleum company Valero Energy Corp. could be looking at getting into the biodiesel business (see my post from Sept. 11, 2009). Now, it looks like the company is doing more than just looking. This story from the San Antonio Business Journal says Valero has teamed up with Darling International Inc. to develop an animal …
Big Oil Predicts Big Growth for Ethanol, Biodiesel
The largest oil and gas producer in the country is predicting that in 20 years, there will be more ethanol and biodiesel than gasoline and diesel produced in the U.S. Bloomberg.com reports that Katrina Landis, head of BP’s alternative-energy unit, made the claim that biofuels will replace about 25 percent of gasoline and 8 percent of diesel in 2030, raising …