Washington University in St. Louis is playing host to a seminar on the role biofuels will play in a sustainable economics world. Jim McLaren, President and founder of StrathKirn, Inc, a science and biotech business consulting firm in nearby Chesterfield, MO, will conduct the seminar on the “state of biofuels development in the Midwest,” at Simon Hall on the Wash …
NBB Chief Likes Bush’s Speech
The head of the National Biodiesel Board liked what he heard from last week’s State of the Union speech. CEO Joe Jobe says he was pleased that alternative fuels… in particular, biodiesel… took such a prominent position in President Bush’s annual address to Congress. “Obviously, we were very excited to hear him lay out his 20 in 10 plan [reducing …
Fayetteville, AR Switching to Biodiesel
Fayetteville is switching its 300-vehicle fleet… from garbage trucks to city maintenance pickups… to biodiesel. This article from the Northwest Arkansas Times explains the city will get a two-fold benefit… more freedom from foreign oil and a cleaner burning diesel: “We’ve always been a very environmentally conscious and responsible community,” said David Bragg, fleet manager for the city. The plan …
NBB Conference to Feature One Bad Motor Scooter
Think biodiesel is just for slow-moving tractors? Check out this picture of a motorcycle Greenline Industries will be showcasing at the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo in San Antonio, TX later this week. Built by Oakland, California-based The Crucible, a non-profit educational collaboration of arts, industry and community, this thing will attempt to break the land-speed record for a diesel-powered …
Hedging Risks with Asian Biodiesel
The makers of biodiesel in Asia are taking steps to make sure they aren’t burned by the drop in oil prices. Biodiesel production has been pretty profitable for them when oil has pushed above $70 a barrel, but this Reuters story in the Hong Kong-based The Standard gives some advice on how the operations can stay profitable now that oil …
Hungary’s Largest Biodiesel Plant to Start in May
Europeans seem to be as keen on alternative fuels as their American counterparts… maybe even more so. This article from the Budapest-based on-line financial journal, Portfolio.hu, says the country is about to open it’s biggest biodiesel operation to date. Öko-Line Hungary Kft. will start production at the country’s largest biodiesel plant near Bábolna (northwest Hungary) in May, with an initial …
State Legislatures Across Country Taking Up Biodiesel
Interesting little thing I noticed over the weekend… a BUNCH of articles about a BUNCH of state legislatures taking up biodiesel measures. Last week, we told you about Missouri’s legislature taking up a biodiesel requirement. My news alerts have clued me in to similar measures in California, Arkansas, Washington state, and Wisconsin (just to cite a few). Of course, this …
Power from Peanuts
The National Peanut Research Lab is looking at how farmers may be able to make their own peanut-based on-farm fuel. Research agronomist Wilson Faircloth says they have spent the past two years field testing different peanut varieties that can be used to make biodiesel. “We are now at the point where we are beginning to build a biodiesel pilot plant …
New York Investors Buy Planned North Dakota Biodiesel Plant
What might be a measure of how successful biodiesel will be? Well, some might argue the number of investors willing to plunk down money in these ventures. Earlier this week, I told you about how Missouri saw a sharp increase in biofuels investors. Now, New York investors are buying a biodiesel plant still just in the planning stages near Minot, …