A group that trains technicians, fleet managers, law enforcement and first responders on how to handle today’s vehicles fueled by biodiesel, ethanol, hydrogen, propane and other renewables has added another college to its list of training sites. BlueRidgeNow.com reports that Blue Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave, Virginia is the latest member of the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC), …
Algae Biodiesel Maker Teams with Japanese
California-based algae biodiesel producer OriginOil Inc. has signed a memorandum of understanding with Japan’s Research Institute of Tsukuba Bio-Tech (RITB) to develop algae-to-jet fuel technologies. This article from Biomass Magazine says the deal comes on the heels of RITB getting money from the Japan Science and Technology Agency to develop algae-to-jet fuel applications: Headed by Tsukuba University professor emeritus and …
ACE Confident EPA Will Approve E15 by Mid-2010
The ethanol industry continues to let the EPA know its thoughts on the postponement of the decision regarding the E15 Waiver request, but like many other organization, is confident that the EPA will approve up to E15 blends by mid-2010. Brian Jennings, the Executive Vice President of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) and one of the ethanol groups to …
Growth Energy Press Conference at Farm Progress Show
Gen. Wesley Clark, Growth Energy, made an announcement this morning at the Farm Progress Show. The organization is calling for country of origin labeling for fuel. I would call that COOL for fuel! Hey, we do it with food, why not fuel? General Wesley Clark, Co-Chairman of Growth Energy, today called on the United States Congress and the White House …
Hawaii Commission Deals Blow to Biodiesel Deal
A deal that would have provided biodiesel to a Hawaiian Electric Co. plant has been dealt a tough blow that in all intents and purposes kills the project. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin reports that the state Public Utilities Commission has denied HECO’s request to change where it would have gotten the green fuel for its plant: According to the contract terms, …
Synthetic Biology for Next-Generation Biofuels
The 2009 World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing, is in full swing in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and I had the opportunity to listen in to a webinar sponsored by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO). The session focused on the technical and commercial advances in the use of synthetic biology for next-generation biofuels. Four companies participated in the panel and …
Proposed Ethanol Pipeline to Extend into SD
f built, the route would begin in Davison County, S.D. — further west than O’Brien County, Iowa, as originally planned — and deliver the alternative fuel from plants in Iowa, South Dakota, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio to distribution terminals in the northeastern United States. Magellan has been working with the Association of Oil Pipe Lines for years on how …
BP to Focus on Ethanol Only
Just when ExxonMobil finally gets into the biofuels game with its announcement of $300 million in funding for Synthetic Genomics, BP quits its biodiesel efforts. BP has extracted itself from a jatropha biofuel project with D1 Oils to focus on production of ethanol in both the United States and Brazil. The company will also pursue the development of advanced biobutanol …
Lack of Capital Shelves Pickens Wind Plan
Plans to build the world’s largest wind farm have been put on hold, as billionaire oil man T. Boone Pickens cites a lack of capital and infrastructure. CNN reports that Pickens has announced that his 4,000 megawatt Pampa Wind Project planned for the Texas panhandle is on hold: “I had hoped that Pampa would be the starting point, but transmission …