The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that buses in the city and the surrounding county ran on biodiesel, saving the city $450,000 last year. (The metro area’s) 390 buses used about 3.6 million gallons of fuel last year – half of which was biodiesel. But, there is one adjustment that has to be made for the city’s cold winters… During warm months, …
Arkansas Ag Chief Pushes Biodiesel
The Secretary of the Arkansas Agriculture Department wants his state to focus on biodiesel, not ethanol. The Arkansas News Bureau reports Richard Bell told state lawmakers other states that produce more corn are already dominating the ethanol field. Bell told the House Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development Committee that Arkansas will have a chance to break into the ethanol market …
Iowa to Get Second Biodiesel Plant
The opening of Iowa’s first biodiesel plant is set for this April in Newton, and now a second one will be built in Huxley. According to the Des Moines Register, a $15.4 million dollar facility, will be built by Ames-based Technochem. The plant, which will employ 51 people, is expected to produce about 5 million gallons of biodiesel annually, and …
Florida Legislature Urged to Support Biofuels Production
Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture is a man on a mission – to make Florida the nation’s leader in biofuels production. To that end, Commissioner Charles Bronson appeared before a joint meeting of the House Agribusiness and House Energy Committees on Wednesday urging them to consider tax incentives or some form of financial assistance that the state can provide to encourage …
Getting to a Biofuels Future
The Governors’ Ethanol Coalition has released a new report called Ethanol from Biomass: How to Get to a Biofuels Future. The report asks the President and members of Congress to adopt four recommendations: 1. Expand the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) to include a short-term target of 12 billion gallons a year of ethanol and biodiesel utilization by 2010, and longer-term …
Wisconsin Soybean Growers Seek Biodiesel Incentives
The Wisconsin Soybean Association is urging widespread support for their biodiesel policy initiative. The association is specifically asking the state legislature this year for help in four areas: 1. Expand the distribution network for biodiesel fuel throughout the state by instituting tax incentives for wholesale and retail distributors and bulk fuel users. 2. Encourage consumption of biodiesel fuel via incentives …
Chicken Fat For Fuel
Chickens could provide a cheaper feedstock for biodiesel than soybeans. A new biodiesel plant being constructed in Southeast Missouri plans to refine chicken fat from a nearby Tyson plant into the fuel, according to an Associated Press report. Today, only a fraction of U.S. biodiesel is made from chicken fat, but that seems likely to change. The rising cost of …
Biofuels Legislation Introduced
First day of the new Congress and already biofuels legislation has been introduced. According to the American Coalition for Ethanol, U.S. Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Richard Lugar (R-IN) have introduced the Biofuels Security Act of 2007. Including many of the legislative priorities called for by the American Coalition for Ethanol, the bill places homegrown biofuels at the center of …
Clif Bar Promotes Cool Commute
Clif Bar – a California-based environmental advocacy company that makes energy bars – is paying cash to employees who buy cars that run on biodiesel. According to a company release, Clif Bar is paying 5-thousand dollars to employees who switch to 100 percent biodiesel for their commutes. The company also offers the same incentive for hybrid vehicles and other incentives …
Biofuels Info From John Deere
John Deere is now featuring biofuels information for agricultural producers on its web site. The information includes a detailed biofuels reference report and 6.5-minute video that overviews John Deere’s position on the use of biodiesel. “John Deere has been an early advocate for biodiesel and continues to actively support its use,” says Don Borgman, director of agricultural industry relations for …