Philly Area Moms Help Buses Fuel with Biodiesel

John Davis

krapfschoolbus.jpgAbout 55,000 students in the Philadelphia area will be riding to school on more than 500 buses fueled with biodiesel starting next year.

This story in the Philadelphia Inquirer says the enironmentally-friendly fuel is being brought to buses in the Coatesville Area, Downingtown Area, Kennett Consolidated and West Chester Area School Districts thanks to help from a local organization:

The switch was made possible in large part due to the efforts of Moms for the Future, a local grassroots organization; the Energy Cooperative, a nonprofit, member-owned energy supplier; and Krapf Bus Companies. A $300,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection didn’t hurt, either.

momsforfuture3.gifDiane Herrin, a West Chester mother of two, founded Moms for the Future with a few other mothers as an advocacy group. Environmental issues top the group’s docket at the moment.

Herrin explained that in addition to environmental advantages, biodiesel has economic advantages, despite a higher cost, as a domestic energy source as opposed to foreign oil.

“And what better way to show that we can have a really sustainable future than to work through our schools?” Herrin said.

The only drawback to using biodiesel is the higher cost for the green fuel. That’s where Moms for the Future, the Energy Cooperative, and Krapf Bus Service, which serves the area, came in. They helped the districts win a $300,000 state grant that will cover the extra cost for the biodiesel over the next two years.

Biodiesel

National Wind Expanding South Dakota Investment

John Davis

nationalwind.jpgNational Wind, LLC, a leader in large-scale community-owned wind power projects is getting a boost in its capital from South Dakota-based Harmony Equity Income Fund.

This National Wind press release says the unspecified amount will be sunk back in to community wind projects in South Dakota:

“This investment allows us to devote a significant amount of our resources to promote community-owned wind projects in South Dakota,” says Leon Steinberg, CEO of National Wind. “We expect to launch several sizable South Dakota wind projects in the near future. Our projects allow the community to retain most of the economic benefit, with a higher probability of overall success than traditional developer-owned projects.”

“We chose to invest in National Wind because it is a high-growth company with a unique business model that can capitalize on South Dakota’s wind potential,” says Gene McGowan, President of Harmony Equity Income Fund and McGowan Capital Group. “National Wind’s valuable business model creates a win-win situation, allowing community wind farm profits to stay in our state, helping both the environment and the local economy.”

It’s estimated that South Dakota has the potential to generate half of the nation’s electrical needs with most of that capacity remaining untapped at this point.

National Wind has two community-based large wind projects in the works announced in just the last six months: a 300-megawatt development in Minnesota, called High Country Energy, LLC, and a 280-megawatt development in North Dakota, called M-Power, LLC.

Wind

Corn Myths Exposed

Cindy Zimmerman

Corn MythsAs part of its campaign to educate consumers and the news media, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) has developed a one-page document responding to the top 10 myths about corn production and ethanol production.

The document addresses such myths as:
Ethanol is bad for your car’s engine, ethanol is not energy efficient, corn and ethanol production waste water, increased corn acreage squeezes out other crops or natural open space, and that ethanol is bad for the environment.

The Top Ten Corn and Ethanol Myths publication is available on-line.

corn, Ethanol, News

NBB Praises Energy Bill Passage

John Davis

nbb-logo.jpgThe National Biodiesel Board is applauding the U.S. Senate’s passage of the Energy Bill… especially the section of the bill that expands the Renewable Fuels Standard:

The expanded RFS requires a specific renewable requirement for diesel fuel that will be met by biodiesel and other renewable biomass-based diesel fuels. Increasing the minimum renewable requirement in the diesel pool from 500 million gallons in 2009 to 1 billion gallons in 2012 will create a stable, viable domestic market for biodiesel. In addition, the fuel labeling requirements in the bill will promote consumer confidence in renewable fuels and help ensure that only quality fuels are entered into commerce.
joe-jobethumbnail2.jpg
“Passage of H.R. 6 is a significant achievement that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil and increase the use of clean-burning, domestically produced biodiesel,” said NBB CEO Joe Jobe. “The biodiesel industry stands ready to meet the aggressive renewable goals provided for in this bill.”

The bill goes back to the U.S. House for final approval before being sent to the president.

Biodiesel, Government, Legislation

Downtown Seattle Gets First Biodiesel Station

John Davis

propelbiodiesel.gifPropel Biodiesel is setting up shop in downtown Seattle, the first biodiesel fueling station in that city’s downtown area.

This story in the Seattle (WA) Post-Intelligencer has more details:

The 9,000 square foot biodiesel station — to open at the southwest corner of Westlake Avenue and Valley Street in March 2008 — is slated to feature four biodiesel pumps offering B 99 and B 20 biodiesel from Seattle’s Imperium Renewables. The station will be open 24 hours, seven days a week.

Propel also has two locations in the Seattle area. Company officials believe the downtown station will be perfect to serve drivers and commercial fleets.

Biodiesel

Author Outlines “Energy Victory”

Cindy Zimmerman

Energy VictoryAn aerospace engineer and author thinks the country needs a new direction in energy policy to “break the economic stranglehold that the OPEC oil cartel has on our country.”

Robert Zubrin is president of Pioneer Astronautics, a private company that does research and development on innovative aerospace technologies, and author of several books including his most recent, “Energy Victory,” in which he advocates Congress passed a law requiring that all new cars sold in the USA be flex-fueled.

“If we create the market by mandating that the cars be flex-fueled, it will break the monopoly,” Zubrin says. “Right now the only fuel that American consumers can buy is what the enemy is selling.”

Zubrin believes the American public is getting tired of being beholden to foreign oil interests. “This has gone on long enough. In 1973, we were 30 percent dependent on foreign oil, now we are 60 percent dependent. At the same time, Brazil – which has had an ethanol policy – went from 80 percent to zero. This is the most important issue affecting our national security and our economic well-being.”

Listen to some of Dr. Zubrin’s comments from an interview here.
[audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/audio/zubrin-cut.mp3]

Audio, E85, Energy, EPIC, Ethanol, Flex Fuel Vehicles, Government

El Paso Gives Biodiesel Producer Tax Break

John Davis

gaf.jpgThe City of El Paso, Texas has given its first biodiesel producer a property tax break. City council members have given Global Alternative Fuels, which is planning on building a $9 million biodiesel plant on a 30-acre site, according to this story in the El Paso Times:

By a 5-1 vote, the council approved a five-year, 50 percent refund on property taxes that will be worth $37,518 in the first year and $172,935 for a five-year period.

Northeast city Rep. Melina Castro voted no, and East Valley Rep. Eddie Holguin abstained.

Kathy Dodson, the city’s economic development director, recommended the tax break for the company, which said it expected to create 22 jobs with an average salary of $37,500 in the first year.

The company’s president is Carlos Guzmán, a 32-year-old former Army captain who said he ended up in El Paso when he left the military in 2006.

“El Paso is right smack in the middle of two areas of the country, and the business traffic that goes through here on I-10 is huge,” he said.

Guzmán said he expected to have the Doniphan plant operating by March with financial backing from the Las Cruces-based Mesilla Valley Transportation, which operates 1,000 trucks.

The plant will use virgin oils as well as waste grease to make B20 biodiesel.

Biodiesel

Senate Passes Energy Bill

Cindy Zimmerman

After stripping the bill of a $21 billion tax package, he U.S. Senate has passed an amended energy bill that includes an expansion of the Renewable Fuels Standard to 36 billion gallons of annual renewable fuel use by 2022. The bill now goes back to the House of Representatives for approval before it can be sent to the president for his signature. Removal of the tax increases for oil companies should remove the threat of a presidential veto. The Senate also removed another provision the White House had objected to which would have required that 15 percent of America’s electricity come from renewable sources by 2020.

RFARenewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen says the Senate bill takes a big step forward in making the nation more energy stable and environmentally sustainable.

“This bill, and the Renewable Fuels Standard specifically, is an affirmation of what is possible when we work together to achieve a common goal,” said Dinneen in a statement. “By relying more heavily on domestically produced renewable fuels, including next generation technologies such as cellulosic ethanol, we can begin the hard work necessary to mitigate the impact of global climate changes, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and leave a more stable and sustainable future for generations that follow.”

ACEBrian Jennings, Executive Vice President of the American Ethanol Coalition, commended the Senate for its action. “This may be the most profoundly important step in support of energy security ever taken by the U.S., an unmistakable shift toward renewable fuels and energy conservation and away from our dangerous and expensive reliance on fossil fuels,” Jennings said.

Cellulosic, Energy, Ethanol, Government

Senate to Change Energy Bill

Cindy Zimmerman

The Senate fell one vote short in a procedural vote to move the Energy Bill passed by the House that includes tax increases for oil companies. The White House had threatened to veto the bill over that issue.

Majority Leader Harry Reid now says they will eliminate the tax title to get a revised energy package approved later today. “We must begin to break our country’s addiction to oil,” Reid said.

The bill will still include an increased Renewable Fuels Standard and higher CAFE standards.

Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky predicted the revised bill would be approved with wide bipartisan support.

The legislation, if passed by the Senate, would have to be voted on by the House.

Energy, Government

Pennsylvania Senate Passes Energy & Biodiesel Bills

John Davis

Pennsylvania’s State Senate has passed several bills in the last couple of days that will help renewable energy efforts in the Keystone State.

The Houston (TX) Chronicle reports a $650 million omnibus energy bill and two biodiesel measures received passage on the last day of business for Senate for the year:

senwhite.jpg“This is a wonderful start and is a great way to end our calendar year with what I think is a great success under our belt,” said Sen. Mary Jo White, the Venango County Republican who was a sponsor of all three bills.

The energy bill would divide the $650 million among different sectors of the energy industry and residents and business owners.

The biggest chunk, $380 million, would go to companies that produce energy, manufacture equipment for the industry or research and develop new technologies. Among the energy sectors that could benefit are wind, biofuels, solar, geothermal and coal. Some of the money also would be available to local governments for renewable energy and conservation projects.

Another $165 million would be available for reimbursements and rebates for consumers who buy solar panels, hybrid vehicles and home conservation items such as energy efficient furnaces, air conditioners, windows and doors.

The biodiesel measures would mandate biodiesel be in each gallon of diesel sold in the state, increasing as production in Pennsylvania increases, and would raise the in-state biodiesel production subsidy from 5 cents to 75 cents a gallon.

The bills could face changes when they hit the Pennsylvania House, and the governor has indicated he’s not ecstatic about all the provisions.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Government, Legislation, News, Solar, Wind