A $1.3 million State of Connecticut grant will help a private company build a biodiesel refinery. This press release from Greenleaf Biofuels, LLC, says the company inked the deal to build a waste-grease feedstock biodiesel plant in New Haven harbor: The grant to Greenleaf is the largest of several announced by Connecticut late last year and is part of the …
Algae Biodiesel Maker Announces Opening of Plant
Green pond scum will become green fuel at a new pilot production plant in Indiana. Stellarwind Bio Energy, LLC, a producer of fuel oil from algae, announced the opening of its new small scale pilot production facility and corporate headquarters in Indianapolis. The plant has a 1/10th acre greenhouse, along with offices and an advanced research and development Leveraging two …
Encore Energy Buying Troubled Biodiesel Plants
Mississippi-based Encore Energy has announced it is buying up biodiesel plants that are not producing at their capacity. Biofuels International reports the move comes on the heels of the company’s move to team up with another firm to provide plant management and feedstock allocation… moves that I’m sure are not just coincidental: This represents a major component of the company’s …
Biodiesel Maker Imperium Lays Off 24 to Weather Economic Storm
In a bid to stay afloat in these tough economic times, Seattle-based Imperium Renewables has laid off more than half of its staff at its Grays Harbor biodiesel plant. This story from the Seattle Times says the laying off of the 24 workers is due to the economic downturn and recent tariffs on American biodiesel implemented by the European Union: …
Biodiesel Rocket Failure Proves Fuel’s Worth
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 …