energy.agwired.com

Gulf Hydrocarbon recently opened a new biodiesel terminal at the Intercontinental Fuel Terminal in Houston, TX. The new terminal allows trucks from major local distributors and area truck stops to load diesel and biodiesel fuel and access its automated loading systems. Drivers are able to select a blend of their choice, from B10 to B100, drivers come with a partial load of diesel and “splash blend” the biodiesel on site.

Gulf Hydrocarbon president Jess Hewitt says, “With the demand for diesel at 55 billion gals annually and biodiesel production at 75,000,000 gals annually, there is a significant demand for biodiesel to be used as a diesel fuel blend stock.”

Thanks to Nicole Haagenson for sending me that information.

Another place Domestic Fuel will be on Wednesday is at a press conference where a group of Missouir farmer-investors will announce plans for a joint venture with Cargill “to enhance the future of Missouri’s biodiesel industry.” Missouri Senator Jim Talent will also be there at the Cargill Soybean Processing Facility in Kansas City, right after he gets an award at the ACE meeting – giving equal time for ethanol and biodiesel.

We hope to get that interview with a Cargill rep about food versus fuel while we are there.

The biodiesel boom is changing the dynamics of the global vegetable oil industry, according to a new report out by Rabobank’s Food and Agribusiness Research group. According to a news release, the report “finds that the increasing global appetite for biodiesel and other biofuels is driving demand for vegetable oils to historic levels in world markets, leading to higher prices for vegetable oils relative to meals and causing soybean crushers to reevaluate their business models.”

Alejandro Reca, PhD, Executive Director of Rabobank’s Food and Agribusiness Research group in the Americas says “The tremendous opportunities presented by biodiesel today are attracting non-traditional investors to the agribusiness sector, such as financial institutions and private equity firms, as well as traditional energy and agribusiness players. The result is that our energy and agricultural markets are becoming increasingly interrelated.”

Could it be that we might be able to produce BOTH food and fuel from crops and not have to choose one or the other???

The first 100-percent pure biodiesel race boat arrived last week in Seattle. Earthrace, “the World’s Coolest Boat,” is on a promotional tour in advance of its assault on the record for circumnavigating the globe, according to a release from Imperium Renewables, formally known as Seattle Biodiesel.

Not only is it cool-looking, it’s cool-burning — as its biodiesel engines emit 78 percent less carbon dioxide.

Through a sponsorship by the Port of Seattle, the boat was on display at Bell Harbor Marina through Sunday, August 6. It then heads down the Pacific Coast, stopping in Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego before cutting through the Panama Canal en route to the eastern United States. Stops are planned on the east coast in Annapolis, Richmond, New York and Portland, Maine.

Check out the port tour site for exact days when the cool Earthrace boat will be in your area.

Boat photo by John King courtesy of Earthrace.