Gotta give props right up front to the readers of Domestic Fuel who passed along this story to us. What was a big waste product for the biodiesel industry could soon be fueling turbines and industrial boilers and offsetting coal use at power plants.
They found this story in Biodiesel Magazine about how Virginia-based Xcelplus Global Holdings Inc. is beginning commercial production of two fuels made from glycerin: GlyClene, for standard turbine engines and industrial boilers… and GlyCoal, to replace coal at power plants. Both are liquid fuels:
Crude glycerin directly out of the biodiesel process is the primary component of both GlyClene and GlyCoal. “We take 100 percent waste glycerin from a biodiesel plant, and we crack it, so the components are really all glycerin,” said Bill Smith, Xcelplus Global Holding’s chairman. The glycerin is treated with a chemical and thermal heat process to create the fuels. The chemical facilitating compound accounts for less than one percent of the formula, Smith continued. Patents are pending on the proprietary technology.
Xcelplus Global Holdings recently tested GlyClene as a boiler fuel source in Sony International’s Dothan, Ala.-based plant, Smith said. That test showed the fuel produced 119,000 British thermal units per gallon. Additional testing is pending at a variety of other facilities, including a chicken plant, a carpet company and an asphalt company. In addition, GlyCoal was recently tested at an 80 megawatt power plant in West Virginia. The fuel was injected directly into the boiler system, said Smith, and resulted in a 10 percent offset of the plant’s coal consumption.
And this story from EnergyCurrent.com says there is definitely a market for the fuel. Construction contractor Oldcastle Materials has entered into a contract to buy Glycoal and GlyClene, while poultry giant Perdue Farms will be buying GlyClene.
The world faces some serious challenges… as pointed out in a Farm Foundation report released last December (see 
According to the Detroit News, California’s top air regulator said her state could agree to the nationwide carbon-emissions standards that the auto industry seeks. But the details of such a plan, which could supersede the attempt by California and 13 other states to impose their own rules, are likely to bring their own contentious debate, even as years of fighting over California’s rules begins to ebb. 
Clark talked about the ethanol industry’s petition to the Environmental Protection Agency for a waiver to allow the use of up to 15 percent ethanol in gasoline. “When you are talking about energy, you’re talking about the fundamentals of national security,” said the retired general and former presidential candidate.
A broad alliance of ethanol industry groups have joined together to formally petition the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to allow the use of up to 15 percent ethanol in gasoline for motor vehicles, according to the 
In addition to ACE, the alliance includes 
“The American Coalition for Ethanol is pleased to be part of this unified effort to submit scientific data to EPA so they may approve the use of mid-level blends of ethanol, such as E15, in motor vehicles nationwide,” said Brian Jennings, Executive Vice President of ACE. To encourage greater support in Congress for the mid-level blend waiver, ACE and 30 of its grassroots members traveled to Capitol Hill on March 2-3 as part of its “Biofuels Beltway March.” A varied group of ethanol advocates – including ethanol producers, farmers, investors, lenders, engineering and technology firms, agriculture groups, and rural electric cooperatives – met with more than 70 Members of Congress and with Lisa Jackson, Administrator of the EPA, to discuss E15 and other issues.
The 
As part of the NEVC staff, I was pleased to see such an intense interest from every state on ethanol policy. Our group appreciates the support of the National Corn Growers Association and each of our fourteen corn grower state organizations.
According to Reuters, members of the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition said they want the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to issue a waiver to allow the sale of 13 percent ethanol blends. U.S. governors who want to see more ethanol production said they are optimistic regulators will soon boost the allowed blend rate for ethanol in gasoline to 13 percent from 10 percent.
Alternative fuels, such as biodiesel and natural gas, and hybrid electric vehicles could be the keys to cleaning up the world’s ports, polluted by the running of petroleum diesel enginesto onload and offload the goods coming and going through these points of commerce.
The Chicago Farmers, a group that provides educational forums between its members and those allied to agribusiness, will talk energy matters during its next meeting on Monday, March 16th at the University of Northern Illinois-Naperville campus.
According to a