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A biodiesel plant in Seneca, Illinois has hit the one-million-gallon mark in just the first 25 days of operation.

In a press release, Nova Biosource Fuels says this is just the start of the projected 60 million gallons annual production from the refinery of animal fats and vegetable oils into the green fuel:

“We are pleased with the progress at the Seneca, Illinois refinery,” said Kenneth T. Hern, Chairman and CEO of Nova. “Plant commissioning is proceeding as planned. Train One has operated at nameplate capacity and has exceeded all our performance objectives for yield, throughput and quality. The refinery has successfully demonstrated conversion of feedstocks with free fatty acid levels above 6%. To date, we’ve produced more than 1.25 million gallons, and we expect to begin working on Train Two by the end of the month and Train Three will follow shortly thereafter.”

The Seneca refinery layout incorporates three process trains, each rated at 20 million gallons per year. “Our startup and commissioning plan has been developed using our experience gained during the startup of the two similar 20 million gallons per year refineries we built for third parties in Wisconsin and Mississippi,” said Mr. Hern. “Our plan is to commission the Seneca refinery one train at a time, spaced at 45 to 60 day intervals to smoothly integrate equipment shakedown, staff training, logistical support, markets and overall refinery operations to ramp up production at a methodical and structured pace. We could not be more pleased with the progress on the first train and are looking forward with great anticipation to the startup of the remaining trains.”

Nova has plans to open a total of seven biodiesel plants in the next three years with expected capacity of nearly 200 million gallons of biodiesel a year.

Detroit, Michigan-based DTE Energy has announced that it is converting its fleet of 800 service trucks and vehicles to biodiesel.

A company press release says the energy company that serves 3.5 million customers will be able to serve them just a little bit greener:

“Converting to biodiesel is a win-win for DTE Energy and the environment,” said Bill Pettit, director of fleet administration and operation for the company. “Biodiesel is simple to use, biodegradable and nontoxic. By using this recycled fuel, we’ll be able to reduce emissions and help move DTE Energy toward a ‘greener’ motor vehicle fleet.”

“DTE Energy has 800 diesel-fueled vehicles ranging from construction equipment and bucket trucks to light duty vehicles,” Pettit said. “Converting our fleet to biodiesel is the environmental equivalent of taking about 120 of those vehicles off the road and out of service,” Pettit said.

DTE Energy expects to save $600,000 a year using biodiesel.

The biodiesel-powered speed boat, the Earthrace, was two days ahead of schedule to set a record for circumnavigating the globe as it has just finished its leg across the Atlantic Ocean… docking in San Juan, Puerto Rico after traveling 3,300 nautical miles from Sagunto, Spain.

This story from Powerboat-World.com says the first part of the journey was pretty exciting:

This journey was not without its moments. 24 hours short of the Azores, Earthrace lost her autopilot hydraulic pump and the crew had to hand steer, then her starboard fuel lift pump starved her of fuel and she slowed for the last hours of the leg.

The carbon fibre hatch lid was temporarily repaired with a hydraulic jack braced against a bunk to hold it closed.

Now that it has stopped in Puerto Rico, the troubles aren’t necessarily over for the Earthrace. It’s Spanish biodiesel was not dockside as expected and delayed for 24 hours the next leg by 24 hours. The good news is: it’s given the crew some time to make some much-needed repairs.

You can follow the Earthrace’s progress at www.earthrace.net.

Opponents of biofuels like to bang the drum of doom and gloom saying how green products, such as biodiesel, are causing world food shortages… especially in developing countries.

But this article from Medill Reports – Chicago says that one man is helping poorer countries, such as Haiti, develop alternative energy solutions without tapping into those nations’ precious food supplies:

Now, many around the world are blaming biofuels, including biodiesel, for increasing international food prices and leading to starvation in developing nations just like Haiti.

Haitians currently use the plant for fencing because it is thorny and inedible, so goats stay away from it. But Rice and others see a possible cash crop in jatropha for biodiesel that could bring investment and jobs to a nation that greatly needs both.

The article goes on to say that Rice’s family has been producing biodiesel for three generations, so he knows plenty about the business. He also realizes that the price of the main feedstock, soybean oil, has tripled in the last three years. That’s why he sees additional feedstocks, such as jatropha, as important… especially for the Developing World.