Getting ready to take off on your summer vacation? Planning to drive 100… 200… 1,000 miles from home? How about 60,000 miles? That’s been Brian Brawdy’s 11-month long road trip fueled with biodiesel, solar and wind power… plus he captures rainwater when he can to drink. Brawdy has been using a Ford F-350 diesel pickup truck with a camper in …
Biodiesel Could Benefit from Higher CAFE Standards
President Barack Obama has proposed that vehicle fuel economy standards be substantially increased to 35.5 miles per gallon by the year 2016… and biodiesel could be a big benefactor of that change. This article from Biodiesel Magazine says auto industry folks, such as Dave Barthmuss, group manager for General Motors Environment and Energy Communications North America, believe the new Corporate …
Making Algae Commercially Viable Workshop Coming Up
Algae is being seen as the next great feedstock for biodiesel… if the industry can grow the algae and extract the oil in a commercially-viable way. To that end, our friends from the National Algae Association`s Mid-South Chapter are hosting a one-day workshop on algae commercialization on June 12, 2009 at the Doubletree Castle Hotel in Orlando, Florida. According to …
World Ag Congress Discusses Biofuels
Biofuels from the perspective of India and East Africa, as well as Europe and the United States, were part of the discussion at the World Ag Congress in St. Louis on Tuesday. Henk Joos with London-based D1 Oils moderated the panel focusing on an integrated approach to biofuels. He stressed that the purpose of the panel was to find solutions. …
EU Wants to Extend Biodiesel Tariffs
Temporary tariffs on American biodiesel imposed by the European Union could become more permanent. In March, the EU, citing what it called unfair subsidies by the U.S. government that help American biodiesel producers, slapped temporary duties on biodiesel coming from this side of the pond. And, according to this story on CNMoney.com, the duties, which typically last five years, could …
Imperium Might Re-start Biodiesel Plant… IF…
What a rollercoaster couple of years it has been for Seattle-based Imperium Renewables. Back in August, 2007, I was telling you about how Imperium was opening a 100-million-gallon-a-year biodiesel plant in the Pacific Northwest, representing 30 percent of all U.S. biodiesel production. A year later, the company was in trouble, canceling long-term contracts, cutting production and laying off almost all …
St. Paul Wastewater Plant to Grow Algae for Biomass
Officials in St. Paul, Minnesota believe a pilot project to grow algae at the city’s wastewater plant will clean the water before it’s pumped back into the Mississippi River and provide biomass for biofuels. Biomass Magazine reports the process will also take nitrogen and phosphorus out of the water that can be used to make fertilizer: A team of researchers …
Bill Could Renew Biodiesel Credit
The $1-a-gallon tax credit that biodiesel now enjoys… but is set to expire at the end of this year… could have new life if a new piece of legislation makes it through Congress this year. According to the Northwest Arkansas News, Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) has introduced legislation that will promote several renewable energy options, including the biodiesel credit: Lincoln …
House Bill Seeks to Improve Renewable Fuels Standard
The House Agriculture Committee last week introduced a bill to change provisions in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) that are “limiting the potential for clean, homegrown renewable biofuels to meet our nation’s energy needs.” The Renewable Fuel Standard Improvement Act (H.R. 2409) was introduced by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN) and Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK) along with …
Fourth Florida Farm to Fuel
Plans for the fourth Florida Farm to Fuel® Summit are progressing well and organizers expect the event on July 29-31 to be bigger and better than ever. This year’s summit will once again include leaders from the agricultural, government, academic, technology, and financial communities who will share their progress in reaching the commercial production of biofuels and renewable energy in …