Rahal Shares in Pre-Race Excitement

John Davis

Earlier today, Bobby Rahal addressed the members of EPIC who came out to enjoy the Roadrunner Turbo Indy 300. Rahal said he felt good about today’s race and he was confident in Team Ethanol Driver Ryan Hunter-Reay, despite the tendency for crowding out on the Kansas Speedway’s 1.5 mile oval. There’s already been three delays due to Indy cars bumping …

Audio, EPIC, Indy Racing, International, News

Turbo Racing

John Davis

The Roadrunner Turbo Indy 300 is officially underway and the ethanol flag once again signaled “green” for go. Ethanol has been the center of a lot of criticism in the media lately, but that couldn’t be further from the truth out here on the race track. In one of the media events earlier in the day, Team Ethanol Driver Ryan …

EPIC, Ethanol, Indy Racing, International, News, Racing

EBB, NBB Get Into Biodiesel Fight

John Davis

Members of the European Biodiesel Board have asked the European Union to impose punitive tariffs on American biodiesel over complaints that U.S. subsidies on the green fuel are unfair. But their American counterparts at the National Biodiesel Board aren’t taking the threats lightly as they promise to hit back on what the NBB says are unfair trade barriers by the …

Biodiesel, Government, International

US-Brazilian Companies Team Up for Sugar Cane Biodiesel

John Davis

With the Brazilian massive sugar cane crops being turned into ethanol and Americans leading the way in biodiesel production, it was just a matter of time before these two biofuels giants put their heads together to combine the best of both worlds. This Reuters story says U.S. company Amyris Biotechnologies and Brazil’s Crystalsev, a sugar and (naturally) ethanol producer to …

Biodiesel, International

Fuel Cell and Solar Vehicles Place in Shell Eco-Marathon

John Davis

Shell is touting its Eco-Marathon Americas race as a success in developing breakthroughs in fuel efficiency. The race also demonstrated the fuel-saving capabilities of alternative fuels, with hydrogen- and solar-powered cars making the top five. “Ladies and gentlemen, start your fuel-efficient engines” were the words that kicked off the 2008 Shell Eco-marathon(TM) Americas; and that’s exactly what more than 300 …

Hydrogen, International, News, Racing, Solar

Green Racing Showcases Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

St. Petersburg, Florida will be the site of the greenest racing event in history this weekend when both the IndyCar Series and the American Le Mans Series will compete on the streets in the Honda Grand Prix and Acura Sports Car Challenge. This is the second year that the IndyCar Series is racing on 100 percent ethanol and the first …

American LeMans, Cellulosic, E85, Ethanol, Indy Racing, International, News, Racing

Biodiesel from Tropical Paradise

John Davis

Americans might soon be fueling up with biodiesel from the Phillipines. Abundant Biofuels Corporation has received the green light for developing 300 million gallons of biodiesel fuel from the island of Mindanao each year. The Supreme Council of Datus Alimaong has reached agreement with Monterey, CA-based Abundant Biofuels Corporation to develop more than 1.2 million acres of ancestral domain for …

Agribusiness, Biodiesel, Energy, Farming, Government, International

London Slated to Fuel Up on Hydrogen

John Davis

London roadways could be supporting hydrogen fuel technology soon. Air Products and Transport for London have signed an agreement to introduce hydrogen to London drivers and passengers by 2010. This agreement includes the supply of hydrogen fuel and a dedicated fueling station for the 10 hydrogen powered buses, which form a central part of London’s hydrogen transport program. The hydrogen …

Energy, Facilities, Hydrogen, International, News

U.S. Biodiesel Producers Look to Europe

John Davis

American biodiesel producers, who are trying to keep their heads above water in a market of rising feedstocks, might have found a way to keep their doors open: send their biodiesel to Europe. This story in the Des Moines (IA) Register says a weak dollar, coupled with American and European incentives, makes biodiesel made in this country cheaper than its …

Biodiesel, International

Challenge to Argentine Export Tax System

John Davis

The American Soybean Association (ASA) is filing a World Trade Organization challenge to Argentina’s export tax system… a system the ASA says turns out to be an unfair subsidy for Argentine biodiesel exports. This story posted on Agriculture Online has details: The Argentine export tax system favors biodiesel with lower export taxes for the fuel than for exports of raw …

Biodiesel, International, Legislation