Opponents of biofuels like to bang the drum of doom and gloom saying how green products, such as biodiesel, are causing world food shortages… especially in developing countries. But this article from Medill Reports – Chicago says that one man is helping poorer countries, such as Haiti, develop alternative energy solutions without tapping into those nations’ precious food supplies: Now, …
Algae-based Biodiesel Makers Getting Closer to Marketable
For a while, we’ve been telling you about one of the hottest trends in the biodiesel business: turning algae into biodiesel. This entry from C|Net.com’s Green Tech Blog says that at least three companies are close to making the green pond scum into green fuel with even more close on their heels. Florida-based PetroAlgae wants to test a commercial algae-biodiesel …
Biodiesel Helping Food and Feed Prices
So often lately, we’ve heard from biofuels naysayers who make all kinds of outrageous charges about how biodiesel and ethanol are pushing prices for human and livestock food through the roof. Too many times those complaints are coming from folks in the agriculture community, especially cattle and hog producers. But some are starting to recognize that biodiesel could actually help …
Florida Requires Ethanol Use
Despite all the outcry about ethanol in the media, Florida is bucking the trend and establishing a renewable fuel standard, requiring ethanol to make up 10 percent of Florida’s total fuel supply by 2010. Florida’s comprehensive “Green Energy” bill passed by the 2008 Florida Legislature last week includes a variety of other initiatives, prompted by Governor Charlie Crist, who praised …
Renewable Energy Bill Passes Florida Legislature
A comprehensive energy bill has passed the Florida legislature, and now goes to the governor for an expected signature. This story from the Orlando (FL) Sun-Sentinel says the measure has provisions specifically addressing renewable energy in the state: The bill, which addresses Gov. Charlie Crist’s call for policies that combat global warming, is made up of 112 sections that could …
Biofuels Digest Diverts Blame to China
China, not biofuels, are to blame for rising food costs. At least, that’s what The Biofuels Digest suggests. The online publication says their study finds that for every bushel of grain used to make U.S. ethanol, six are used to support Chinese meat demand. A change in Chinese meat consumption habits since 1995 is diverting eight billion bushels of grain …
NBB Helping Develop Soybean Oil Enhancement
Working with funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) is granting $1.2 million to the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, Mo. for a three-year project to enhance oil production from soybeans. This NBB press release says it’s just another step the group has taken to free this country from foreign oil dependence: …
Canadians Support Biofuels
The U.S. isn’t the only country in North America that’s trying to fuel change in fuel standards. The Canadian Renewable Fuels Association says a new poll suggests Canadians are just as bio-conscious… A new nationwide poll shows that Canadians overwhelmingly support the national renewable fuels strategy to blend biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel in Canada’s fuel supply. The national Praxicus …
Missing 500,000 Barrels a Day
An opinion piece in GreenEnergyWar.com asks an interesting question: Wouldn’t we miss the 500,000 barrels of oil that biofuels replace every day? Check out what former California Energy Commissioner John Geesman (who, by the way, has also been following California politics for more than 40 years) has to say: As debate continues to rage over the role which biofuels policies …
New Biodiesel Production Method Lands Student on GMA and Before Congress
A student from Augsburg College in Minnesota has come up with a new method of biodiesel that has landed his story on Good Morning America and before the Senate Agriculture Committee. This story from TwinCities.com says Brian Krohn, along with chemistry professor Arlin Gyberg, Krohn’s college adviser, are making biodiesel from non-food stocks like algae: Their research is drawing attention …