http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/biodiesel/ en-us Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:49:57 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2407175/posts DES MOINES, Iowa — A central Iowa plant could soon begin producing jet fuel from poultry fat. Bolingbrook, Ill.-based Elevance Renewable Sciences plans to build a $15 million plant in Newton, adding onto an existing biodiesel operation. The experimental operation plans to use plant oils and poultry fat as building blocks to replace petroleum-based chemicals used to make myriad products, including jet fuel, lubricants, adhesives and even cosmetics and candles. "It allows us to make a very interesting slate of products, which is different and somewhat in contrast to how poultry fat is used today," said K'Lynne Johnson, Elevance's chief... www.google.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2407175/posts#comment Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:49:57 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2400927/posts The federal government on Friday committed to award as much as $564 million to 19 projects nationwide that aim to transform wood chips, algae and plant parts into renewable fuel, including a planned biorefinery in Freeport. At the same time, the Energy Department announced $350 million in spending to propel technology that captures and stores carbon dioxide, with $350 million set aside for a 400-megawatt plant near Midland. All of the spending comes from the $787 billion economic stimulus bill enacted in February and is designed to help close the gap between current biofuel energy production and the future goals... Houston Chronicle http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2400927/posts#comment Sat, 5 Dec 2009 14:18:46 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2364003/posts Link only due to copyright............. http://www.wired.com/autopia/2009/10/biodiesel-hybrid-bu/ www.wired.com/autopia http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2364003/posts#comment Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:10:03 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2321531/posts It appears that the EPA, under the "RFS2 - Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007," is going to cause problems with how biodiesel will be viewed as a source of pollution, rather than as a means to reduce it. According to the National Biodiesel Board, the EPA has wrongly calculated the negative impact of biodiesel. As a result, the Board would like to enlist the help of supporters of biodiesel in a mail campaign to the EPA and, I assume, others. The points they most want to drive home are mentioned in the following letter: Honorable Lisa Jackson Administrator... Biodiesel.org http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2321531/posts#comment Fri, 21 Aug 2009 20:37:00 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2314593/posts There are two big problems associated with extracting liquid fuel from algae: getting the algae out of the water, and then getting the oil out of the algae. The pumps and centrifuges required to do this consume a lot of energy. A California company, LiveFuels, is trying out a new, less energy-intensive approach: It is feeding the algae to small fish — and letting them do the job of harvesting. After the fish fatten up, workers catch them in nets and process them for oil (as well as protein for animal feed). This is a bit like gathering whale oil,... The New York Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2314593/posts#comment Wed, 12 Aug 2009 23:29:54 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2312671/posts One of the persistent, shallow global food myths is that the world could feed more people if we gave up eating meat. Ezra Klein wrote another misguided column about this--"The Meat of the Problem"--in the Washington Post of July 29. Klein cites as his authority a naive "study" by the kids at Carnegie-Mellon University. Klein asserts, "It is more energy efficient to grow grain and feed it to people than it is to grow grain and turn it into feed that we give to calves until they become adults that we then slaughter to feed to people." No, Mr. Klein,... Right Wing News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2312671/posts#comment Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:55:34 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2306138/posts We first saw Jay Leno's EcoJet mid-engine turbine coupe at the 2006 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Leno, with General Motors' Design Chief, Ed Welburn, and Frank Saucedo, who heads the automaker's west coast studio, penned the design concept. Leno has both a motorcycle and a pickup truck powered by "jet" turbine engines, so the plan was to create an automobile that would run on a similar powerplant fueled by biodiesel. The EcoJet was initially a static exhibit, but one thing about Jay's Garage is that everything runs. So Jim Hall, Bernard Juchli and the other wizards in the Burbank... Yahoo! Autos / Road & Track Magazine http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2306138/posts#comment Sat, 1 Aug 2009 21:13:09 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2261426/posts Another bold Locke/Gregoire move. Set a high goal, then miss it by a mile. Then say... What do they say? Governor Locke set the goal of the state's fleet of vehicles using 20% biodiesel by June 1, 2009. No single agency will meet that goal, let alone the total fleet. They got to 2.1%. Hey, that's over 10% of their goal! A subsequent law, HB2424, signed by Chris Gregoire in 2006 has no penalties for noncompliance. This is the government! Penalties are for citizens and private industry. What does Chris Gregoire say now? "I don't want to lose the momentum... Sound Politics http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2261426/posts#comment Sun, 31 May 2009 01:04:51 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2235298/posts Plans to build San Francisco's first biodiesel plant have been tripped up by environmentalists who argue that the city failed to consider hazards associated with converting fat into fuel. A group of environmentalists and neighbors became concerned when the city's Planning Department concluded that Darling's new biodiesel operations required no environmental review. That decision was appealed to the Board of Supervisors. "Once constructed, Darling's proposed biodiesel facility will cause air pollution, wastewater discharges, hazardous waste and increased truck, rail and boat traffic in a neighborhood already over-burdened with a high level of industrial activities," stated the appeal by a group... SFGate http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2235298/posts#comment Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:49:25 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2228968/posts Two years ago Imperium Renewables feted U.S. senators and other bigwigs at the opening of a biodiesel plant at the port of Grays Harbor, Wash. The $88 million plant was heralded as a great green hope in the fight against global warming. At the event, Imperium chief executive Martin Tobias dipped his finger in a container of biodiesel and took a taste for the crowd. Imperium's prospects aren't looking so sweet today. The plant at Grays Harbor is sitting idle. Most of Imperium's employees (110 two years ago), including Tobias, have been sent packing. The company has not much to... Forbes http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2228968/posts#comment Tue, 14 Apr 2009 18:28:15 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2212528/posts The U.S. biodiesel industry will suffer from new trade barriers that threaten to end its lucrative export business to Europe, and in Texas the measure could be devastating. As the largest U.S. producer of the alternative fuel, Texas has a number of companies that relied heavily on selling biodiesel in Europe and now face gaping holes in their businesses that may prove difficult to fill. In addition, the Port of Houston has been a major hub for storing, handling and shipping biodiesel overseas, and companies in those businesses also stand to lose. “The impact on Texas is going to be... Houston Chronicle http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2212528/posts#comment Mon, 23 Mar 2009 11:48:56 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2198436/posts President Obama drew rave reviews for his unorthodox selection of Dr. Sanjay Gupta as the nation's surgeon general. Not only is Dr. Gupta an accomplished neurosurgeon, but as CNN's in-house doc he has also proven himself a bona fide celebrity. People magazine tagged him as one of 2003's "Sexiest Men Alive," and the swooning that met Obama's announcement suggests... --snip-- TAKING THE IDEA mainstream has brought its share of problems, though. The Los Angeles Times profiled a mechanic last year who has converted his fleet of vehicles to be fueled by fryer grease from a local chowder house. Then Sacramento... American Spectator http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2198436/posts#comment Tue, 3 Mar 2009 22:02:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2168718/posts Proper biodiesel blending can prevent flow performance problems in freezing conditions and should not inhibit the use of the fuel in cold climates, trade sources in Asia said Wednesday. On Friday, schools in one Minnesota district had to close because the biodiesel in its school buses was not cooperating with the frigid weather. Elements in the biodiesel fuel turned into gel-like substance due to subzero temperatures, and the problem left dozens of students stranded in frigid weather, a district's spokesperson was quoted as saying by local reports. "It just reinforces the need to use the correct biodiesel blends in the... Platts http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2168718/posts#comment Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:36:39 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2167375/posts US-subsidized biodiesel exports which have overshadowed growth in the European biodiesel industry could be blocked by Europe's biggest fuel market in the next few months, according to industry sources. The German government proposed a bill in October to turn away biofuels manufactured from imported soybean oil (SME) and palm (PME) and which benefit from foreign tax relief. Soya-based biodiesel imports from the US are the subject of formal EU anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigation after European biofuel makers said last year they were hurting Europe's fast-growing biofuel industry. But in Germany a timeframe has been adopted towards completion of proposed alterations... Platts http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2167375/posts#comment Mon, 19 Jan 2009 15:49:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2166362/posts Minnesota officials are coming to the defense of biodiesel after the Bloomington, MN schools cancelled classes when buses couldn't run in cold weather. Classes were cancelled in the Bloomington School District on Friday when 12 of its buses wouldn't start. The problem was clogged fuel lines and filters. First Student bus company blamed the problem on the biodiesel fuel required by the state but the State of Minnesota argued that condensation in the fuel tanks or lines was the culprit and not biodiesel. KSTP TV http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2166362/posts#comment Sat, 17 Jan 2009 14:10:57 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2166262/posts For those who lament the demise of American manufacturing, Innovation Fuels offers a glimmer of optimism. The privately held Newark company converted a 120-year-old former Standard Oil terminal on the banks of the Passaic River into a "refinery" that produces up to 950,000 barrels of biodiesel a year, with approximately 80 percent of it exported to Europe. "There's not a whole lot of companies doing that these days, and it's something we're really proud of," Chuck Weinberg, senior vice president, said of the conversion of a five-acre "brownfield" site into a manufacturing hub. Biodiesel, one of the fastest-growing alternative fuels,... star ledger http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2166262/posts#comment Sat, 17 Jan 2009 06:15:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2165917/posts All schools in the Bloomington School District will be closed today after state-required biodiesel fuel clogged in school buses Thursday morning and left dozens of students stranded in frigid weather, the district said late Thursday. Rick Kaufman, the district's spokesman, said elements in the biodiesel fuel that turn into a gel-like substance at temperatures below 10 degrees clogged about a dozen district buses Thursday morning. Some buses weren't able to operate at all and others experienced problems while picking up students, he said. "We had students at bus stops longer than we think is acceptable, and that's too dangerous in... Star Tribune http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2165917/posts#comment Fri, 16 Jan 2009 19:25:50 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2165802/posts All schools in the Bloomington School District will be closed today after state-required biodiesel fuel clogged in school buses Thursday morning and left dozens of students stranded in frigid weather, the district said late Thursday. Rick Kaufman, the district's spokesman, said elements in the biodiesel fuel that turn into a gel-like substance at temperatures below 10 degrees clogged about a dozen district buses Thursday morning. Some buses weren't able to operate at all and others experienced problems while picking up students, he said. "We had students at bus stops longer than we think is acceptable, and that's too dangerous in... Minneapolis StarTribune (aka The Red Star) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2165802/posts#comment Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:35:57 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2165707/posts BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- The Bloomington School District is closing schools Friday, after extremely cold temperatures caused the biodiesel fuel in school buses to clog. The problem left dozens of students stranded Thursday -- some for up to 30 minutes in the dangerous cold. Superintendent Les Fujitake said the district could not ensure the buses would not encounter the same issues Friday mornning as temperatures remain below zero in the Twin Cities and therefore they decided to close schools in Bloomington. Elements in biodiesel fuel turn into a gel-like substance at temperatures below 10 degrees. District spokesman Rick Kaufman said some... Kare11 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2165707/posts#comment Fri, 16 Jan 2009 14:05:20 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2156858/posts Jaguar is introducing a new 3.0-liter diesel engine—the AJ-V6D Gen III—in two power levels in its XF Diesel S sedan for the European market. The new V6 engine, derived from the 2.7-liter diesel, improves fuel economy by 12% and produces 10% less CO2 (179 g/km) than the 2.7L, while increasing power by 33%. The new 3.0L engines are Euro-5 compliant. The 275PS (271 hp, 202 kW) version delivers 600 Nm of torque, accelerates the sedan from 0-60 mph in 5.9 seconds, and has combined fuel economy of 35 mpg US (42 mpg UK, 6.7 L/100km)—a 12% improvement in fuel economy... www.greencarcongress.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2156858/posts#comment Wed, 31 Dec 2008 19:16:45 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2154304/posts Winter Cold Puts a Chill on Green Energy By KATE GALBRAITH Old Man Winter, it turns out, is no friend of renewable energy. This time of year, wind turbine blades ice up, biodiesel congeals in tanks and solar panels produce less power because there is not as much sun. And perhaps most irritating to the people who own them, the panels become covered with snow, rendering them useless even in bright winter sunshine. So in regions where homeowners have long rolled their eyes at shoveling driveways, add another cold-weather chore: cleaning off the solar panels. “At least I can get... New York Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2154304/posts#comment Fri, 26 Dec 2008 03:05:58 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2153387/posts A top Beverly Hills cosmetic surgeon says he used fat he removed from patients in liposuction operations to power his 'green' 4x4 car.U.S. authorities have launched an inquiry into claims made by Dr Alan Bittner that the fat he had sucked out of patients in liposuction operations was turned into biodiesel.Bittner wrote on his website: 'The vast majority of my patients request that I use their fat for fuel -- and I have more fat than I can use.'Not only do they get to lose their love handles or chubby belly, but they get to take part in saving... The Daily Mail (U.K.) / various http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2153387/posts#comment Tue, 23 Dec 2008 21:05:32 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2153335/posts When a manufacturer expressly tells you that using certain types of fuel in a vehicle will cause damage and using said fuel will void the warranty, it's probably a good idea not to use the fuel in question. The city of Portland, Oregon certainly deserves credit for its aggressive use of biodiesel in its municipal truck fleet. However, if Portland or any other city is going to pursue such a program, they really should make sure the diesel engines in its vehicles are compatible with the fuel. Six of the 50 2008 Ford Super-Duty trucks purchased by Portland have suffered... www.autobloggreen.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2153335/posts#comment Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:04:11 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2152592/posts Liposuctioning unwanted blubber out of pampered Los Angelenos may not seem like a dream job, but it has its perks. Free fuel is one of them. For a time, Beverly Hills doctor Craig Alan Bittner turned the fat he removed from patients into biodiesel that fueled his Ford SUV and his girlfriend's Lincoln Navigator. Love handles can power a car? Frighteningly, yes. Fat--whether animal or vegetable--contains triglycerides that can be extracted and turned into diesel. .... A gallon of grease will get you about a gallon of fuel, and drivers can get about the same amount of mileage from fat... forbes.com/technology http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2152592/posts#comment Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:40:59 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2150053/posts A jury sentenced a Lakeview man to 10 years in prison for growing nearly 7,500 marijuana plants. Andrew Stever, 40, was sentenced on Monday after a three-day trial in the Federal District Court in Medford.Ten years is the mandatory minimum sentence for anyone convicted of growing 1,000 or more pot plants. In July 2007, officers from several local, state and federal agencies found 7,459 plants growing on Stever's Lakeview property, which bordered Forest Service land. Two men fled the scene, leaving behind personal property and three firearms, according to the U.S. attorney's office in Portland. Physical evidence and testimony linked... The Oregonian http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2150053/posts#comment Wed, 17 Dec 2008 06:36:28 GMT