Used cooking oil is in high demand. Cream City Grecycling, a division of Fushion Renewables, is in search of used cooking grease from local Milwaukee, Wisconsin restaurants. After collecting the used cooking oil, the company will then turn it into biodiesel. The company has a goal of collecting at least 30,000 gallons a month by the end of the year …
Improving Safety at Biorefineries
Many of us have had the opportunity to visit an ethanol or biodiesel plant and have experienced first hand the safety measures a plant has in place to keep its workers, and visitors safe. Yet despite precautions, accidents can still happen. Unfortunately for the biofuels industry, these rare occurrences tend to get major media play while the hundreds of days …
Rapeseed Research to Help Optimize Plant Oil Production
New energy department research is aiming to increase the use of plant oils as renewable resource by optimize the production of oil in the seeds. Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed a computational model for analyzing the metabolic processes in rapeseed plants — particularly those related to the production of oils in their …
Recruiting for Biofuels Careers
Development of next generation biofuels means companies like Novozymes are growing and creating jobs at a rapid pace. The key is finding qualified people to fill those roles. Novozymes was one of the companies that participated in the AgCareers.com 2011 North American Ag HR Roundtable held this week at Purdue University. Novozymes Recruitment and Employer Branding Manager Darlene Godsey says …
Peter Matrai Joins Butamax as COO
Peter Matrai has joined Butamax Advanced Biofuels as the company’s new Chief Operating Officer (COO). He will be responsible for the development and implementation of Butamax strategy and business plan. He will also be in charge of leading the company’s global commercial team which is currently engaged in activities in the U.S., Brazil, Europe and Asia. Prior to joining Butamax, …
The Simpson’s Go Off-Grid
It seems like I just don’t have enough time to watch TV, unless of course I’m holed up in a hotel room as I am tonight. I just happen to be flipping channels when I stopped on a rerun of the Simpson’s, “The Squirt and the Whale.” This episode was created in honor of the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day …
How Do Coffee & Biodiesel Mix? Besspresso.
Raise your mug if you love coffee. For you coffee lovers in Iowa, you can now get your fix from Dave Bess and Anna Erickson’s mobile coffee shop that is fueled by biodiesel. The Iowa City couple has been traveling around the country to public events this summer including the world famous Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) sponsored by …
Propel Offers San Francisco Drivers B20
As diesel vehicles become more popular in the U.S., especially in states such as California, Propel Fuels has been offering biodiesel blends to fuel drivers’ commutes. Today, Propel began selling B20 (20 percent biodiesel, 80 percent low-sulfur diesel) at three of its stations located in the Bay Area (San Francisco). The company plans to add B20 blends to several stations …
U.S. Auto Club Endorses Ethanol
The U.S. Auto Club (USAC) made a surprise announcement at the Lucas Oil Raceway last week when they announced they are switching to “Ignite High Performance Ethanol,” an ethanol racing blend distributed by National Biofuels Distribution (NBD). USAC President & CEO Kevin Miller said during his presentation that his organization is “excited to take this direction toward environmentally-friendly fuel usage.” …
New Catalyst For Biomass Production
A new catalyst for biomass production has been developed by researchers from the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and Washington State University (WSU). These catalysts could turn ethanol into other products by converting it into a chemical called isobutene. This feat can be accomplished in one step, and the process can use water-diluted ethanol rather than purifying …