In what’s being touted as a first of its kind for the country, a city in Georgia says it will use its wastewater to grow algae to make into biodiesel.
The Daily Citizen of Dalton, Georgia reports Dalton Utilities plans to build a pilot project to use with its land application system along the Conasauga River:
“We are working on the design now,” said Mark Marlowe, Dalton Utilities’ vice president of water and wastewater engineering. “We hope to start construction in the fall or winter of this year, and complete construction in fall or winter. The startup will take several months. But it should be fully operational by the spring of 2010.”
The pilot facility will be about an acre in size, capable of treating roughly 200 to 500 gallons of wastewater a day with algae that will feed on the nutrients in the water.
The utility has partnered with the University of Georgia in the effort. And K.C. Das, director of the university’s Biorefinery and Carbon Cycling Program, says the facility will be the first of its kind in the nation…
Das said they expect to get about 430 to 450 gallons of biodiesel per acre per year to start. And larger facilities may be able to make even more.
“The target is 2,000 gallons (per acre per year),” Das said.
DU officials say they the algae will eat the phosphorous in the water, removing it from the wastewater… growing fuel while cleaning up the environment!
Update your passport and book your ticket for Green Power’s 5th 
The World Bank received a failing grade this week for its lack of support to developing countries trying to implement biofuels project. The “F” comes from the 
Tom Buis, CEO of 
The blunder occurred when Rep. Aaron Schock (R-IL) asked Ms. Oge, who is responsible for regulating all emissions within the United States, about the indirect land use issue. “It’s my understanding that the EPA’s Renewable Fuels Standard 2 methodology assumes that for every acre of soybean crop that is used to produce biofuel, an equal acre of ground is used in the Brazilian rainforest to replace that acreage, is that correct?” asked Schock.
In one of three recent videos posted by the ethanol organization, RFA Vice President of Research Geoff Cooper says the 2009 corn crop is going to be another huge crop. “Probably the second or third largest crop in history,” Cooper says. “Which will be more than sufficient to meet very strong demand for livestock feed, for exports and what will likely be record demand for ethanol production. All of those demands will be met and there will still be a healthy surplus of corn left.”
Two Arizona State University researchers working on biodiesel projects have been nominated for the 2009 World Technology Award, which recognizes individuals and corporations from 20 technology-related sectors.
Scientists Qiang Hu and Milton Sommerfeld in the College of Technology and Innovation at ASU’s Polytechnic campus, have been selected as nominees for the award for their work with algal feedstocks and biodiesel fuel. In November 2008, TIME magazine selected the researchers’ work as one of the top 10 best innovations for 2008. 
According to Terry Francl, senior economist with the 
In a move to fight a proposed change that would basically shut out soy-based biodiesel… the bulk of the nation’s biodiesel production… from the Renewable Fuels Standard, the National Biodiesel Board has launched a Web site to give people the tools to make comments on the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal.
Dear Biodiesel Stakeholder: