California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger unveiled the final production model of the world’s first home ethanol system last week at the California State Capitol. The E‐Fuel MicroFueler™, which we first reported on here at Domestic Fuel in May 2008, looks like a washing machine and creates ethanol fuel from organic waste or leftover alcoholic beverages. “Ethanol holds a promise of reducing …
More Time to Trade Ethanol Contracts
Early risers will now have a little more time to electronically trade futures contracts for ethanol on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT). Electronic trading hours for CBOT grains, oilseeds and ethanol contracts will be expanded in the morning by one hour and fifteen minutes, until 7:15 a.m., starting July 1. The new electronic trading hours will run from 6:00 …
Phoenix Airport Taxis Could Run on E85, Propane
Catching a cab at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport could soon be a greener proposition. The Arizona Republic reports that the city council has voted in a new rule that will require taxis at the airport to use one of several alternative fuels: Under the new rules taxicabs would have the choice of using compressed natural gas; liquid propane gas, …
Harkin: Indirect Land Use Rule Not Good Science
The chair of the U.S. Senate’s Ag Committee says the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Indirect Land Use Rule, which would make biodiesel ineligible for mandates and federal subsidies, is not good science… and he believes there are enough votes in Congress to keep it from going into effect. Agriculture Online reports that the EPA’s proposal would use the concept of …
DF Cast: Global Debate on Biofuels
Biodiesel and ethanol have borne the brunt of criticism in the food versus fuel debate… being blamed, unfairly as it turns out, for the spike in food prices last year. The issue was one that came up at the recent World Ag Forum in St. Louis (see our coverage of the event over at our sister Web site, AgWired.com) that …
“Funky Fresh Flex Fuel” Wins Online Ethanol Contest
Thousands of people across the country defined “What is renewable to you?” when they selected the video, “Funky Fresh Flex Fuel” created by Chip McAfee from Arizona as the winner of the E85 Flex-Fuel Challenge. The contest was launched by the Renewable Fuels Association in early March to get a new generation of Americans, mainly college students, engaged in the …
Pennsylvania Looks to Stimulus Money to Help Biofuels
Pennsylvania’s governor is looking to the federal government to help along his state’s biodiesel and alternative fuel vehicle industries. Governor Ed Rendell is asking the U.S. Department of Energy for $15 million in federal stimulus bucks for Alternative Fuel and Advanced Technology Vehicles Pilot Grants: “As part of Pennsylvania’s Energy Independence Strategy, the PennSecurity Fuels Initiative mandates the production and …
Clinton at Ethanol Summit 2009: Save the Trees
The Ethanol Summit 2009 is in full swing in Sao Paulo, Brazil with President Bill Clinton kicking off the festivities yesterday. His main message was that while biofuels are an important element in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, it cannot happen at the continued destruction of rainforests. In an article published by Reuters yesterday, Clinton was quoted as saying, …
Boeing: Biofuels Just Fine For Aircraft
One of the world’s biggest makers of aircraft says that in initial tests, biofuels don’t affect performance and present no technical or safety problems, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 50 percent. This story from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says that word comes from the top people at Boeing: “It meets all jet fuel requirements and then some,” …
WI Businessman Plans to Open Biofuels Stations
A Milwaukee businessman has big plans to bring biofuels to southern Wisconsin. This story in the the Business Journal of Milwaukee says Peter Grimes is opening a biodiesel and ethanol station in the southeast Wisconsin town of Cudahy next month… and there’s plans to open up at least six more over the next two years: Grimes, a managing partner of …