You wouldn’t normally think that a flop would be a great opportunity, but the recent failure of a biodiesel-powered rocket actually shows that the green fuel could end up being a great asset for space travelers. This article from Biodiesel Magazine says a mechanical failure during the March 7th test-launch of the Flometrics rocket caused some biodiesel to flow into …
Iowa Eyes Biodiesel Mandate
A measure that promises to promote biodiesel gowth in Iowa, create green collar jobs and reduce dependence on foreign oil has passed a key committee in the Iowa legislature. This article from the Des Moines (IA) Register says Sen. Daryl Beall’s (D-Fort Dodge) biodiesel mandate bill cleared the Senate Transportation Committee. And if it passes the full legislature and is …
Ag Secretary, Biodiesel Board Meet Over RFS
The National Biodiesel Board seems happy with what it heard from USDA regarding what the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS-2) will bring in the future. Members of the NBB’s Governing Board had a meeting today with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack: “Implementation of a workable RFS-2 program is consistent with a national energy strategy that values the replacement of petroleum …
Colleges Smarten Up to Alternative Fuels
Harvesting willow trees for biomass in Vermont… turning corn stover into biofuels in Minnesota… these are just a couple examples of projects sponsored by the growing number of colleges and universities in the country that are finding greener alternatives to non-renewable petroleum sources of fuel. There’s a fascinating story in the Christian Science Monitor about how some of these institutions …
Kansas Ethanol, Biodiesel Retailer Wins Green Design Award
A Kansas biodiesel and ethanol seller has been recognized for its efforts to sell the green fuels in a station that reflects that commitment to a better environment. Zarco 66, which boast eight gas stations and convenience stores in Lawrence, Kansas, has picked up the Convenience Store Petroleum (CSP) Excellence in Green Design Award for its innovation to bring biofuels …
Finding a Gel-Free Biodiesel at the Arctic Circle
Biodiesel is a great, clean-burning fuel for most of the country for most of the year, but there are some issues regarding gelling in extremely low temperatures. Just like petroleum diesel, biodiesel will gel when the temperatures drop. But a group from Indiana thinks it has the answer and is testing it in one of the harshest cold climates this …
Oregon Looks to Build Biofuels Research and Processing Plant
The folks in Salem, Oregon are hoping to get some of federal money to build a new biofuels research and processing plant… the first of its kind in the state. This story from the Salem Statesman Journal says a group of biofuel advocates, a local college and businessmen are hoping to get $10 million from Washington, DC to build the …
Company Turning Biodiesel By-Product into Two Fuels
Gotta give props right up front to the readers of Domestic Fuel who passed along this story to us. What was a big waste product for the biodiesel industry could soon be fueling turbines and industrial boilers and offsetting coal use at power plants. They found this story in Biodiesel Magazine about how Virginia-based Xcelplus Global Holdings Inc. is beginning …
Report: Alt Fuels Could Clean Up Ports
Alternative fuels, such as biodiesel and natural gas, and hybrid electric vehicles could be the keys to cleaning up the world’s ports, polluted by the running of petroleum diesel enginesto onload and offload the goods coming and going through these points of commerce. This story from NGVGlobal.com quotes a study, “Container Ports and Air Pollution,” published by Energy Futures, Inc.: …
Chicago Farmers to Meet About Energy Matters
The Chicago Farmers, a group that provides educational forums between its members and those allied to agribusiness, will talk energy matters during its next meeting on Monday, March 16th at the University of Northern Illinois-Naperville campus. According to the group’s Web site, the “Renewable Energy: Agriculture’s Impact Present & Future” is a must-attend event for those who own farmland in …