Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa and House Ag Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte of Virginia today introduced a concurrent resolution in both houses of Congress calling for 25-percent of the nation’s total energy to come from renewable sources by the year 2025. The 25X’25 plan has also gained the endorsement of numerous state legislators and Governors – as …
World Congress to Focus on BioFuels
New research and commercial production methods to meet increased demand for biofuels will be one focus of the third annual World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing, to be held July 11-14, 2006 at the Toronto Westin Harbour Castle Hotel, according to a press release from the Biotechnology Industry Organization, or BIO. Sessions include: An International Perspective on Biofuels and …
Cowboys Coach Invests in Biodiesel
TexCom, Inc. has received a $6 million project finance equity commitment to expand its Biodiesel operations into the state of Oklahoma, according to a news release. A group led by former University of Oklahoma and Dallas Cowboys Coach Barry Switzer has committed $6 million as the equity component for a Biodiesel plant to be constructed for purposes of serving the …
Coconuts for Biodiesel
It may not be just for suntan lotion anymore. International Fuel Technology Inc. of St. Louis and CIIF Oil Mills Group of the Philippines, the world’s largest coconut producer, have begun a research and development program to expand the use of coconut oil in biofuels blended with diesel fuel. According to a company release, the administration of Philippine President Gloria …
Music Festivals Go Green
According to MTV news, some big name summer music festivals are making themselves more environmentally friendly by using biodiesel in fleets and generators. For example, organizers of the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee June 16-18 plan to use 25,000 gallons of cleaner-burning biodiesel fuel for all its non-music stage generators. The Warped Tour, whatever that is, plans …
Chevron Goes Bio
Chevron Corporation has formed a biofuels business unit to advance technology and pursue commercial opportunities related to the production and distribution of ethanol and biodiesel in the United States, according to a company release. Chevron officially announced the business unit at a groundbreaking ceremony in Galveston, Texas to inaugurate construction of one of the first large-scale biodiesel plants in the …
States Pass Biodiesel Laws
Nearly a dozen states passed legislation this year that will help increase the use of biodiesel, according to the National Biodiesel Board. Among them was Iowa, where Gov. Tom Vilsack today signed into law two renewable fuels and infrastructure bills. One will give point-of-sale retailers a three cent income tax credit on each gallon of a two percent (B2) blend …
CA Motorist Saves With Biodiesel
Tied in with the last story, here’s an article from the Lompoc (CA) Record about a restaurant owner who is saving over $500 a month in fuel costs by using recycled peanut oil in his Mercedes. According to the story – Gary Mead, who communtes about an hour each way from his home to his business, adds a 16-percent mixture …
Bay-o Fuel
Bay Area Biofuel is striking oil in the San Francisco bay area “fueled by a new partnership with 150 of San Francisco’s oil-rich restaurateurs.” MSNBC gave them a nice write-up about the operation which “pumps close to 12,000 gallons of biodiesel automobile fuel each month, up from virtually none six months ago.”
Gas Prices Fuel Web Searches
People who keep track of such things say that higher gas prices are causing a major increase in web searches for domestic fuel terms such as ethanol and biodiesel. According to Hitwise, the share of U.S. internet searches for the term ‘ethanol’ was up 212 percent for the four weeks ending May 13, 2006 versus the four weeks ending April …