Feb 9, 2010 (2 hours ago)
Feb 9, 2010 (2 hours ago)
Feb 9, 2010 (2 hours ago)
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Feb 9, 2010 (10 hours ago)
Biodiesel tax credit may get a boost from jobs bill Photo from: http://www.greencar.com/articles/10-facts-biodiesel.php The fate of the lapsed tax subsidy for biodiesel may well lie with what happens to a jobs bill that Democrats want to get through Congress soon. Beth Pellett Levine, a spokeswoman for Sen. Charles Grassley, the senior Republican for the Senate Finance Committee, says he “has insisted that the biodiesel tax credit be a part of any discussions” on a jobs bill with the panel’s chairman, Montana Democrat Max Baucus. The $1-a-gallon tax credit for biodiesel “remains a top priority for Senator Grassley to extend the credit at the first available opportunity,” she added. Soybean growers are looking to Grassley to ensure that the biodiesel credit is part of any jobs bill to come out of the senate, according to John Gordley, a lobbyist for the American Soybean Association. Biodiesel helps make jobs for local workers, which is why countries like Indonesia can employ 3 million people producing palm oil for biodiesel. We need the jobs here in the US and we always will. Biodiesel from soy beans will benefit from the EPA’s new guidelines While some as..
Feb 9, 2010 (13 hours ago)
As the world continues its quest to use less fossil fuels, the latest possible solution comes from the most unlikely of sources: the tobacco plant. This latest news comes from the University of California, Berkley. It will be nice to see tobacco used for something other than lung cancer. This new discovery is based [...] Posted in: Biofuels , PhotoVoltaics , Solar Power
Feb 9, 2010 (15 hours ago)
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has issued a long-awaited legal analysis of how states could implement feed-in tariffs and still comply with federal law.
Feb 9, 2010 (15 hours ago)
POET Senior Vice President of Science and Technology Mark Stowers will outline POET\'s process for commercialization of cellulosic ethanol and a vision for the future of ethanol this week at the F.O. Licht\'s 3rd Annual Developing and Commercialising Next Generation Biofuels conference in London.
Feb 9, 2010 (15 hours ago)
A California-based solar company capable of building solar facilities that put out as much energy as a plant running on non-renewable fuels is being bought by a French engineering firm best known for its nuclear capabilities. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Areva will buy Ausra, a startup specializing in large-scale solar power: The deal will give Areva a way to break into the growing worldwide business for big solar facilities that can generate as much electricity as a fossil fuel power plant. Although Areva is best known for its nuclear expertise, the company has branched out into other forms of renewable power generation, such as biomass and wind. Ausra, in turn, will get a worldwide platform for its concentrated solar thermal technology, which uses mirrors to focus sunlight, boil water, generate steam and turn turbines. Ausra will form the basis of Areva\'s new global solar energy business, which will match Ausra\'s technology with Areva\'s track record for building large power plants. “By combining Areva\'s strengths and Ausra\'s technology, now we have the complete package we need to go to market,” said Robert Fishman, Ausra\'s chief executive officer. Ausra\'s..
Feb 9, 2010 (15 hours ago)
Two grants totaling $1.7 million have been approved for studying offshore wind technologies in Michigan. The Chicago Tribune reports the grants come from the state\'s Public Service Commission: Grand Valley State University\'s Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center and the University of Michigan\'s Memorial Phoenix Energy Institute are getting $1.3 million for jointly researching offshore wind and ice data on Lake Michigan. The Superior Watershed Partnership is to receive $350,000 for researching sites\' wind energy potential on Lake Michigan. The organization also will assess public opinion on offshore wind development. If the last post I had about an offshore wind energy project in Lake Michigan, where Scandia Wind was proposing a 1,000 megawatt Lake Michigan wind farm , is any indication, there should be plenty of discussion about this topic … on this site and elsewhere. Let\'s see what people have to say.
Feb 9, 2010 (16 hours ago)
As Congress debates (or tries to debate between blizzards) the jobs bill, the measure that would put lots biodiesel workers back on the job seems to be tied to that same bill\'s fate. This post on the Des Moines Register\'s blog says Democrats had hoped to get the jobs bill to the floor today, but the 30+ inches of snow over the weekend plowed under that bill … and the renewal of the lapsed federal biodiesel tax subsidy: Beth Pellett Levine, a spokeswoman for Sen. Charles Grassley, the senior Republican for the Senate Finance Committee, says he “has insisted that the biodiesel tax credit be a part of any discussions” on a jobs bill with the panel’s chairman, Montana Democrat Max Baucus. The $1-a-gallon tax credit for biodiesel “remains a top priority for Senator Grassley to extend the credit at the first available opportunity,” she added. Soybean growers are looking to Grassley to ensure that the biodiesel credit is part of any jobs bill to come out of the senate, according to John Gordley, a lobbyist for the American Soybean Association. Renewal of the federal biodiesel tax incentive is seen as the last element to put the biodiesel industry back on track. The other two elemen..
Feb 9, 2010 (16 hours ago)
The Chairman of the National Biodiesel Board is Ed Heglund, seen here as a guest on today\'s AgriTalk show. Ed says that attendance was something they were very concerned about here at the Conference due to the state of the industry and the weather but they had to bring in 100 extra chairs to the opening general session so he thinks attendance is better than expected. He\'s optimistic for the future because of the EPA RFS-2 ruling and the expectation that the biodiesel fuel credit will be re-instated soon. You can listen to my interview with Ed below. National Biodiesel Conference Photo Album
Feb 9, 2010 (17 hours ago)
Last week, the Southern California Association of Governments turned down $11 million in stimulus money for Pearson Fuels to install 55 E85 stations. Huh. And this shortly after the expanded rules were announced for the Renewable Fuels Standard not to mention the Low Carbon Fuel Standard that went into effect on January 1. What would cause the most notorious state, hailed around the world for its progressive environmental policies, to shun a lower carbon fuel? Hmmm…could it maybe, just possibly be that it is blinded by it\'s Big Love for Big Oil? Let us for a moment, take some time to reflect on California\'s torrid affair with oil. Last year California Lawyer Magazine Awarded its Clay Awards which are given to lawyers who show extraordinary achievements. Lawyers John Daum and Mary Nichols both won a Clay Award for two very different achievements. Daum won for his co-counsel regarding the worst oil spill in environmental history – the Exxon Valdez. But he didn\'t win for his work to hold Exxon accountable for its actions – he won the award because he was able to lower the punitive damages that were to be paid to fisherman, landowners and others by one-tenth of the o..
Feb 8, 2010 (20 hours ago)
Feb 8, 2010 (21 hours ago)
Last week, I wrote a story regarding President Obama\'s executive order for the federal government to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 28 percent by 2020. One goal of this program is to get other companies to follow suit, but many companies don\'t know where to start. Enter the Hondo Green Assessment Tool (HGAT) . To learn more about how companies can become more sustainable, I spoke with the Hondo Group\'s CEO Lynn Balinas . HGAT is an internet based tool for small to mid-sized companies that can measure a company\'s carbon footprint, manage its carbon footprint and maintain carbon footprint goals, explained Balinas. The tool measures five categories: water, energy, transportation, materials and waste. Ultimately the tool helps companies become not only more sustainable but more profitable as well. “People usually first think, it\'s about the environment, it\'s about global warming. That\'s part of it,” said Balinas. “But it\'s good governance and it\'s actually profitable for organizations.” A few years ago, people perceived that going green meant going broke. That is actually not the case. Going green will actually help you make more green. For example, if all..
Feb 8, 2010 (21 hours ago)
Feb 8, 2010 (1 day ago)
Economist Don Reynolds was the keynote speaker at the opening general session here at the National Biodiesel Conference. He appeared on stage two years ago and predicted the problems in our economy. Today he started out on a very optimistic note in part due to his belief that we\'ll continue to see a growing recovery of the economy. His comments were meant to help participants define what is the “new normal” in today\'s business environment. His style is very entertaining and filled with facts and figures that help you better understand what the future may look like. He thinks it\'s looking very good. You can listen to his speech below. National Biodiesel Conference Photo Album
Feb 8, 2010 (1 day ago)
The CEO of the National Biodiesel Board, Joe Jobe, was on stage to welcome a standing room only crowd at the opening general session to the Conference. He opened up with a political theme to his remarks. As the folks in the opening video stated very clearly, this last year has been a huge struggle for our industry. With the economic recession, volatile diesel prices, the credit crisis, the blocking of export markets, the delayed implementation of the RFS-2…., even with the tax credit in place, 2009 was really tough. I heard several NBB members say over the course of this year…. “well, the bright side is that it can’t get any worse”. I’ve learned its best not to say that. Because we’ve seen over last 39 days that it could get worse while we have had neither the RFS-2 nor the tax credit in place. The industry has shut down, businesses are going under, jobs are being lost. Its been like watching a train wreck in slow motion. Our top priority remains getting the tax credit reinstated retroactively as quickly as possible. Joe says that implementation of the new RFS-2 is going to be very complex so three of the sessions coming up will focus on the subject. He also went on to look ahead ..
Feb 8, 2010 (1 day ago)
Filed under: Biodiesel , Diesel , Chevrolet , GM , GMC , Chicago Auto Show The move to official automaker support for higher blends of biodiesel has been a slow one . One important step along the way were the establishment of American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards for B20 (20 percent biodiesel mixed with 80 percent petro diesel) in the middle of 2008. Last year, General Motors announced that the new 6.6-liter Duramax V8 engine would be factory certified to run on B20 sometime this spring. That time is now. GM officially announced today at the National Biodiesel Conference that the 2011 Duramax 6.6l turbo diesel engine will be able to accept B20 (more details here ). This engine will be used in the 2011 Chevy Silverado, the GMC Sierra heavy-duty pickups, the Chevrolet Express and the GMC Savana full-size vans. The Silverado will be unveiled this week at the Chicago Auto Show , so stay tuned for more from the Windy City. [Source: General Motors] Continue reading GM announces B20 compatibility for 2011 Duramax 6.6l turbo diesel engine GM announces B20 compatibility for 2011 Duramax 6.6l turbo diesel engine originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 08 Feb 2010..
Feb 8, 2010 (1 day ago)
The Next Generation Bio-Based Chemicals Summit is taking place in San Diego this week and Poet\'s Vice President of Commercial Development, Scott Wishaar, will be discussing how new ethanol co-products can help ethanol plants become true biorefineries. Photo Credit: Poet Wishaar is participating in the panel discussion, “Perspectives of Biorefinery Owners and Development on the Bio-Based Chemicals Value Chain” taking place on Wednesday, February 10th. According to Poet, co-products such as Inviz zein, open many new markets for producers today. Inviz is a biodegradable, low-nutrient protein found in corn and can be used as a gum base or in films, packaging, adhesives, coatings and glazes. Inviz zein is extracted using a patent-pending process developed by POET. The company is also researching other co-products to further expand the value of corn and anticipates that bio-based chemicals and related products will likely emerge as viable co-products as part of the production process of Project LIBERTY . Poet is is using corn cobs to create cellulosic ethanol as part of this pilot project.
Feb 8, 2010 (1 day ago)
GM’s new 2011 diesel-powered pickup trucks will be certified to burn B20 biodiesel GM's new 6.6-liter \"LML\" Duramax V-8 turbodiesel for its 2011 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Heavy Duty pickups will be capable of burning B20 biodiesel fuel, according to a GM press release issued early Monday. B20 is a blend of 80 percent conventional ultra-low-sulfur diesel and 20 percent biodiesel. “The 2007 federal energy bill mandates increased biodiesel production and more states and municipalities are requiring it,” said Mike Robinson, vice president, Environment, Energy and Safety Policy. “Biodiesel production is growing and GM is excited and ready to satisfy demand with our new B20 capable Duramax 6.6-liter engine.” We first reported about the B20 capability of the LML Duramax in August last year. That's up from a B5 biodiesel rating in the current \"LMM\" Duramax. Both the 2011 Ford Super Duty (with all-new 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8) and 2010 Ram Heavy Duty (with 6.7-liter Cummins inline-six cylinder) are also able to burn up to B20 biodiesel, though Cummins approves the use of B20 in Ram trucks for municipal, government, and commercial fleets only. Perhaps our members c..
Feb 8, 2010 (2 days ago)
President Barack Obama unveiled on February 1 a $28.4 billion budget request for DOE for fiscal year (FY) 2011, including $2.36 billion for the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). The proposed budget aims to reduce unnecessary energy use, boost renewable energy sources, and strengthen clean energy research as the United States moves toward a clean energy economy.
Feb 8, 2010 (2 days ago)
New ethanol co-products can help ethanol plants become true biorefineries, unlocking the additional potential of each kernel of corn.
Feb 8, 2010 (2 days ago)
A new study released by Navigant Consulting finads that a 25% by 2025 national Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) would support hundreds of thousands of new American jobs and prevent a near-term collapse in some industries. Job growth in the wind, solar, biomass, waste-to-energy and hydropower industries would particularly benefit the Southeastern U.S. and manufacturing states whose Congressional delegations have had a history of voting against incentives and other measures designed to support the renewable energy sector.
Feb 8, 2010 (2 days ago)
The media was treated to a biodiesel plant tour today at Direct Fuels Biodiesel in Euless, TX. It was a very comprehensive tour that included the facilities and learning about their process and even how they test for quality. Jacob McClernon, Quality Assurance Specialist showed us their cold soak filtration test. We also heard from Mark Farrer, Director Biodiesel Operations. He gave us a very thorough description of their process and I recorded a portion of it for you to listen to. There are photos from the tour in our photo album which you can access from the link below. You can listen to Mark\'s comments below. National Biodiesel Conference Photo Album
Feb 6, 2010 (3 days ago)
Filed under: Biodiesel , Green Culture Here\'s an idea: plaster your wall with \"useful information, titillating stories and inspiring highlights from around the country\" about biodiesel. Also, use the same space to show off a map featuring all of the places in the U.S. that sell 100 percent pure biodiesel. This is easily accomplished with the new B100 Map from Biodiesel Smarter magazine and designer David Huyck. The map is 34 inches wide by 22 inches tall and costs $20. Biodiesel Smarter bills itself as \"the magazine for biodiesel enthusiasts,\" and is rooted in the home-brewers mentality (a good thing). With articles like \" Algae: The New Snake Oil \" and \" Dumping Glycerine for Fun and for Profit ,\" it\'s not your standard biodiesel publication. Worth a read. [Source: Biodiesel Smarter ] Biodiesel Smarter now offering U.S. map of B100 sales locations originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sat, 06 Feb 2010 13:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments