Biofuel News

According to a report out today from the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), failure to extend the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) would reduce U.S. ethanol production capacity by 38% and eliminate 112,000 jobs in rural communities already hemorrhaging employment opportunities.

“Ethanol has provided an unparalleled, value-added opportunity for agriculture and rural America,” said RFA President Bob Dinneen. “Supporting nearly 400,000 jobs, America’s ethanol industry is building a strong foundation for a robust renewable fuels industry in this country. Failure to provide the kind of assurance investors require to continue building out this industry by extending the tax incentives would be shortsighted, relegating future generations to a reliance on both foreign oil and foreign renewable fuels.”

The RFA is advocating for a long term extension of VEETC, the Small Producers Tax Credit, the Cellulosic Ethanol Tax Credit, and the offsetting tariff on imports. According to the study “Importance of the VEETC to the U.S. Economy and the Ethanol industry,” failing to extend the tax incentive would idle an additional 4.56 billion gallons of production, based upon the 2010 expectation of 12 billion gallons of domestic ethanol production.

Listen to or download a special Ethanol Report interview with Bob Dinneen on the study here:

A Hawaiian biofuels firm recently announced an agreement to build a commercial scale biorefinery facility in Tennessee for the production of renewable jet or diesel fuel out of wood.

Under the agreement between ClearFuels Technology of Aiea, Hawaii and Hughes Hardwood International of Collinwood, Tennessee, 1000 tons of wood product per day will be converted into approximately 16 million gallons of synthetic jet or diesel fuel and 4 million gallons of naphtha per year, as well as approximately 8 megawatts of excess renewable power. The project is currently expected to be operational by early 2014.

ClearFuels has begun project development of multiple commercial scale biomass-energy facilities in the southeastern United States, Hawaii and internationally to be located at sugar mills, wood mills and other biomass processing facilities.

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is set to release a new report today warning about the economic ramifications of allowing the tax incentive for ethanol blending to expire at the end of the year.

In a preview obtained by Domestic Fuel, allowing the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) to expire would cost the country more than 100,000 jobs and cut U.S. domestic production by more than a third. According to RFA president Bob Dinneen, the report shows that failure to extend the tax incentives would result in “relegating future generations to a reliance on both foreign oil and foreign renewable fuels.”

The report is scheduled to be released by RFA later this morning.

Over 100 fleet managers, city, state and county government representatives, fuel producers and distributors and fuel retailers gathered together Wednesday in Dothan, Alabama to become informed leaders for the state's emerging biofuels marketplace.

“We are gathered here today to bring you more awareness of the five alternative fuels of propane, compressed natural gas, E85, biodiesel and electric vehicles,” said Mark Bentley of Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition.

Speakers during the event included Dothan Mayor Mike Schmitz; Kathy Hornsby of Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs; Larry Fillmer, Executive Director of Auburn's Natural Resources Management & Development Institute; Michelle Kautz, Market Development Manager from Growth Energy speaking on E85 and ethanol blender pumps, and Rob Dascal of Renewable Energy Group (REG) speaking on biodiesel. REG currently produces over 25% of America's biodiesel.

Retailing biofuels in Alabama was discussed by Hayden Powers, Municipal Sales Manager for the McPherson Oil Company and the municipal use of alternative fuels was explored by David Lindon, Director of Hoover Fleet Management. The City of Hoover has been nationally & internationally recognized for its use of alternative fuels. Over 85% of Hoover's vehicles are powered by alternative fuels. Clean Energy (the Boone Pickens Company) was represented by Mason Ecker. Clean Energy is the largest provider of Natural Gas in North America with a broad customer base in the refuse, transit, port, shuttle, taxi, regional trucking, airport and municipal fleet markets.

Other topics included propane, electric vehicles and funding opportunities for alternative fuels.

Urban Concept: Vertical farming—could you grow biodiesel this way?

Vertical farming is an eye-popping construction to grace the world with a new and innovative concept of agriculture. Skyfarming, as it is also known, is a proposal to perform agriculture in urban high-rises. In these farmscrapers (high-rises) food such as vegetables, fruit, fish and even livestock can be raised by using greenhouse-growing methods. The idea is to grow food in urban areas by creating tall buildings where each floor is its own super greenhouse capable of growing crops to feed people.

This detailed article comes with a whole photo gallery of conceptual drawings like the one above. They are talking about growing food now, but this might also be a valuable biodiesel feedstock source.

Solarzyme wins at 2ndAnnual Sustainable Biofuels Awards held in Amsterdam

South San Francisco’s Solarzyme has just taken home the gold in the Sustainable Biofuels Technology category at the 2ndAnnual Sustainable Biofuels Awards held in Amsterdam. The international awards offer companies from around the world the ability to showcase significant accomplishments in the biofuels industry.

The company has many firsts to boast:
Since its beginnings in 2003,  Solayzme has produced the world’s first algal-based renewable diesel and the world’s first 100% algal-based jet fuel. It has also signed the largest production orders for commercial algae fuel contracts to date, supplying the U.S. Department of Defense with 21,500 gallons of fuel for Navy compatibility testing.

The company pioneered an unusual process, in that it makes algae indoors, without sunlight. CEO Harrison Dillon claims that their algae are 1000 times more efficient at producing oils from sugar compared to growth by sunlight. Distillation is an energy-intensive process, and by using cellulosic-ethanol processing – using sugars that are not part of the human food supply – with their algae processing, they avoid the use of fuels required for conversion and distillation of alcohol-based fuel.

Rob Joslin, ASA Pres., explains why biodiesel is the great American fuel

“Biodiesel is a great fuel. It’s a great success story,” said Rob Joslin, the President of the American Soybean Association when I asked him during an interview (see below for audio) why biodiesel is so important to our country. While the biodiesel has had great success, it is currently facing a challenge – the $1 per gallon tax credit expired at the end of 2009 and has yet to be extended, although it is close.

Great interview with the big man in the soybean association, and I suggest it to all. Here is one man who says we have all the growing power we need to fuel this country, and I don’t doubt him.

Ford plays on biodiesel B20 certification of Super Duty truck

The 2011 Ford Super Duty, with all-new diesel and gasoline engines, maintains best-in-class towing and payload.

Looking for an excuse to carry your St. Patrick's Day binging into tomorrow? Well, consider celebrating National Biodiesel Day, noting the birthday of engine inventor Rudolf Diesel.

So says Ford, which is using the anniversary as a reason to promote the 2011 Ford Super Duty pickup as a "green" vehicle, a bold move given that it's about the biggest thing on the road. Ford says it's one biodiesel-lovin' truck. What is there to love?

Biodiesel is diesel fuel made from renewable stuff like vegetable oil and animal fat. The monster 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel engine in the Super Duty is B20 compatible, meaning it can handle of blend of 20% biodiesel and 80% petroleum diesel.

A one-day conference is scheduled to provide information to Pennsylvania biodiesel producers on what should be expected when the state’s B2 mandate goes into effect.

Biodiesel Magazine reports the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and the National Biodiesel Board are holding the April 20 event, called the Pennsylvania Biofuel Development Conference:

The mandate is based on trigger points, so when instate production—not installed capacity but actual production volumes—reaches 100 MMgy, the Pennsylvania biodiesel standard will move from B2 to B5. Keystone Biofuels’ Ben Wootten, also president of the Pennsylvania Biodiesel Producers Group, said installed biodiesel production capacity in Pennsylvania is currently 114 MMgy.

The B2 mandate is for on-road diesel fuel only, but Wootten, who just accepted the position of regulatory chair for the National Biodiesel Board, said Bioheat legislation was just recently proposed, Senate Bill 1282, which would seek a B5 mandate for all heating oil sold in Pennsylvania beginning May 2011.

The event will feature sessions focusing on statewide biodiesel distribution systems, best practices to ensure fuel quality, testing methods and more. To register and for more information, contact Michael Radar at (717) 787-9089.

San Francisco-based Solazyme, Inc., a producer of algae-based fuels, has been recognized as the best in the Sustainable Biofuels Technology category at the 2nd Annual Sustainable Biofuels Awards.

This Solazyme press release says the award was handed out in Amsterdam at the World Biofuels Markets conference:

“Solazyme is honored to be nominated among some of the top biofuel technology companies in the world for this award,” said Jonathan Wolfson, CEO, Solazyme. “We are grateful to accept this top spot as our team has worked tirelessly to establish Solazyme’s technology platform as a viable alternative to traditional oil production methods.”

The World Biofuels Market selected a panel of independent judges to evaluate and analyze the nominations for these awards. Taken into consideration were sustainability benefits as measured by GHG savings, environmental impact and further societal benefits from each nomination’s operational or technological advances. Solazyme’s technology shows exponential benefits over petroleum in all of these categories.

In the seven years since its inception, Solayzme produced the world’s first algal-based renewable diesel, the world’s first 100 percent algal-based jet fuel, and road-tested the first algae-derived biodiesel. In addition, the company is supplying the U.S. Department of Defense with 21,500 gallons of fuel for Navy compatibility testing, making Solazyme the largest commercial algae fuel contractor to date.

OK, maybe it's not the drink of choice, but biodiesel is truly a fitting symbol for the 152nd birthday of Rudolf Diesel. Tomorrow, Thursday, March 18th, is the inventor's birthday, and since he designed that first diesel engine to run on vegetable oil, the National Biodiesel Board is taking the day to recognize the role the clean-burning fuel has played in the past and will play in the future by designating the day as National Biodiesel Day:

“Biodiesel is currently the only advanced biofuel that is commercially available in the US; it's the next generation of fuel, here now,” said National Biodiesel Board CEO Joe Jobe. “Rudolf Diesel originally designed diesel engines to use sustainable fuels. Today's biodiesel is a modern application of his innovation.”

From the early diesel engine, there have been many improvements made to help improve fuel economy, power and performance but one of the most effective improvements comes in the form of biodiesel fuel. Biodiesel is a cleaner burning, advanced biofuel made from readily available renewable resources. National Biodiesel Day is celebrated annually on March 18th, Rudolf Diesel's birthday.
Biodiesel users range from school districts to television studios and can be found in every corner of the country. Enterprise Holdings, which operates Alamo Rent A Car, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and National Car Rental, announced earlier this year that it will be converting its airport shuttle buses to run on biodiesel as part of its overall sustainability initiatives. The company is moving its entire fleet of more than 600 airport shuttle buses across 50 North American markets to at least 5 percent biodiesel (B5). The conversion to 20 percent biodiesel (B20) is happening immediately in nine markets, including Boston; Chicago; Denver; Detroit; Los Angeles; Miami; Raleigh/Durham; San Antonio and San Diego.

More information about Rudolf Diesel, biodiesel, and National Biodiesel Day is available at biodiesel.org.

Solar Power Inc. (SPI) has been selected by Temescal Canyon RV to build the largest elevated solar recreational vehicle (RV) parking structure in the world. The RV park, located in Riverside County adjacent to the City of Corona, will incorporate a 1.75 megawatt DC solar system utilizing SPI's solar modules. The system will provide both power generation as well as covered parking. The project is scheduled to begin later this month and will be completed by July.

“This is going to be a great project for our client and for us,” said Bradley Ferrell, President of Business Development for Solar Power, Inc. “It is especially rewarding because it is the result of our success with the first project we executed for them. It’s also a milestone as the largest photovoltaic solar structure of its kind anywhere. We look forward to working with them again in the future as they continue to include solar energy in their projects.”

The Temescal Canyon RV storage facility will be comprised of 400 stalls of which 280 will offer covered parking by the elevated solar system SPI is developing. While this is their largest project of its kind, SPI has worked with the property group overseeing the project. In 2008, they developed a 160 kw system for the Temescal Canyon Storage Center which is adjacent to the soon to be completed solar elevated RV parking structure.

“Solar Power, Inc. executed a cost-competitive, high-quality system installation at our self-storage facility. They were very easy to work with and we couldn’t be happier with the finished result. Their products and their design and installation teams are world-class,” concluded Sean McCoy, General Manager, Temescal Canyon RV, LLC. “We look forward to working with their team once again on this project.”

According to a recent article in Ethanol Producer Magazine, Canada's largest ethanol company, GreenField Ethanol located in Varennes, Quebec, will be receiving up to $79.75 million from the Canadian government. The funds are being distributed as part of the ecoENERGY for Biofuels program. The funds will be used to help the plant engage in future research and invest in additional investment projects.

The ecoENERGY program was a result of monitoring similar programs in the United States that support the development of biofuels. “By investing in this project,” said Steven Blaney, a Canadian member of parliament, “we are helping to create and sustain local jobs and economic opportunities while encouraging a healthier environment for all Canadians.”

Greenfield Ethanol has three additional corn-to-ethanol plants located in Chatham, Johnstown and Tiverton, Ontario with a fifth plant under construction. Once the plants are complete the company will have nearly 660 million gallons per year of production.

Last April, the Greenfield Ethanol plant received funding from Sustainable Development Technology Canada and the Johnston plant was awarded $117.5 million last June.

“Biodiesel is a great fuel. It's a great success story,” said Rob Joslin, the President of the American Soybean Association when I asked him during an interview (see below for audio) why biodiesel is so important to our country. While the biodiesel has had great success, it is currently facing a challenge – the $1 per gallon tax credit expired at the end of 2009 and has yet to be extended, although it is close.

Joslin explained to me that biodiesel is not just important for farmers and the industry itself, but also for consumers. A recent Department of Energy study showed that the biodiesel tax incentive saves consumers 35 cents per gallon at the pump. The biodiesel industry contributes $4 billion dollars to the country's gross domestic product and generated over $866 million in direct tax revenue back into the tax coffers. In addition the industry provides 29,000 direct jobs and the number exceeds 50,000 when you factor in the indirect jobs associated with the production of biodiesel.

However, with the tax credit off the table, more than 23,000 workers have been idled. “The majority of the industry is idled because you can't run a business on the hope that Congress will pass a bill in a future point in time,” said Joslin. “So the economies didn't work the plant managers had to put those people in unemployment.”

Anther conundrum the industry is facing is the lack of synergies between current pieces of legislation. The RFS mandates biodiesel use and the Low Carbon Fuel Standard recognizes its low-carbon benefit; yet, our government hasn't put into place the mechanisms for the industry to produce competitively priced fuel while it matures.

“It's hard to understand, but commonsense does not always end up as public policy. I hate to say that, but one way that Congress works is they put packages together to get them to move. We believe the biodiesel tax incentive has strong support across Congress,” said Joslin.

And it should have strong support when you understand how biodiesel benefits consumers.”I kind of feel like I've been to the alter a couple of times and haven't walked away with a ring on my finger. But I do believe we will get this passed.”

Joslin hopes that once it is passed it will become retroactive until January 1. From there, his organization will begin to work on a five-year tax extension so that the biodiesel industry is not idled again in the near future.

You can listen to my interview with Rob below.

Washington State: Grays Harbor biodiesel plant re-opens this week

GRAYS HARBOR, WA (N3) - The biggest biodiesel refinery in the West will ease back into production this week. Workers at the Grays Harbor plant have repaired the damage from an explosion in December. KPLU's Tom Banse reports the economics for the alternative fuel are looking up too.
Full story
Luckily, no one was injured three months ago when an over-pressurized tank of glycerin exploded at the Imperium Renewables refinery. Insurance covered the repairs. But another crucial factor for resumed production is a revival in demand. Company CEO John Plaza says Washington's neighbors to the north and south just started requiring a small percentage of biodiesel be blended into regular diesel fuel.

Peoria, IL: city runs buses on B20 biodiesel with great results

Biodiesel is making it where the old saying goes, “Will it play in Peoria?” That certainly is the case for the Illinois town’s transit system, CityLink.

This story from the Peoria Journal Star says the city has been so pleased with the past performance of lower biodiesel blends, they decided to become the first fleet in the state to go to B20 to help extend the life of their aging buses:

“Biodiesel has been good for us. The engine makes more power (using biodiesel) and there’s less smoke out of the exhaust,” said CityLink maintenance director John Anderson of a B-20 program that involves 58 buses and 21 paratransit vehicles.

Peoria’s transit district ran buses on B-11, an 11 percent biodiesel blend, in 2007 and 2008 but decided last year to increase the amount of vegetable oil in their fuel as part of “a green mandate,” said Anderson.

“(Assistant manager) Rick Tieken and I sat down last year to see what we could do. We’ve gone green as a facility on just about everything,” he said, referring to environmentally friendly products such as degreasers and soaps now used by CityLink.

Peoria is even buying the soybean-based biodiesel from a local supplier to help keep the money close to home.

Indio, CA: new continuous batch biodiesel plant opens soon

Photo from: http://www.diytrade.com/china/4/products/1773952/7_000T_Biodiesel_Plant.html

A new biodiesel project, Golden State Biofuel, is under development in southern California. Located in Indio, Calif., Golden State Biofuel is finalizing the permitting phase for its 1 MMgy biodiesel refinery being positioned in a preexisting Indio building.
Randall Lichner, chief operating officer for Hawaii Bioenergy—the parent company of Golden State Biofuel and Rocky Mountain Biodiesel in Parker, Colo.—said once permits are fully secured, the company will begin moving in its process equipment. Lichner said he anticipates the biodiesel plant to be fully operational by the middle of summer.
The Indio plant will employ continuous batch processing and be multifeedstock, even though Lichner added that used cooking oils will be the primary feedstock used.
Lichner also said the tax incentives available to biodiesel producers in California were a deciding factor in locating the project there, especially in an Enterprise Zone such as the one Golden State Biofuel is located in. Gross tax liability reductions, low interest loans and rebates on excise taxes are some of the incentives Lichner mentioned his project is taking advantage of.

Used cooking oil will start this plant off on a good footing, although they are prepared to use any other feedstock. Is there any more versatile fuel than biodiesel?

Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture to host biodiesel educational event

Figures 4a & b: Pilot biodiesel production plant at the UNALM (Photo: PA/UNALM) Photo from: http://www.hedon.info/BP56:SmallScaleBiodieselProductionInAmazonia

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is holding a one-day event, called the Pennsylvania Biofuel Development Conference, on April 20. The purpose of the conference will be to provide information to biodiesel producers on what should be expected when the state’s B2 mandate goes into effect May 1.
The mandate is based on trigger points, so when instate production—not installed capacity but actual production volumes—reaches 100 MMgy, the Pennsylvania biodiesel standard will move from B2 to B5. Keystone Biofuels’ Ben Wootten, also president of the Pennsylvania Biodiesel Producers Group, said installed biodiesel production capacity in Pennsylvania is currently 114 MMgy.
The B2 mandate is for on-road diesel fuel only, but Wootten, who just accepted the position of regulatory chair for the National Biodiesel Board, said Bioheat legislation was just recently proposed, Senate Bill 1282, which would seek a B5 mandate for all heating oil sold in Pennsylvania beginning May 2011.
Justin Fleming, press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, told Biodiesel Magazine that the April 20 event will host sessions focusing on statewide biodiesel distribution systems, best practices to ensure fuel quality, testing methods and more.
The conference will be held at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center in Pennsylvania’s capital city of Harrisburg. To register for the show, or for more information, contact Michael Radar at (717) 787-9089.

Nature has been making biodiesel from algae for millions of years

According to Texas A&M scientist Timothy Devarenne, making biofuel from algae is nothing new. He says nature has used green algae to produce hydrocarbon oil for hundreds of millions of years, and “Oils from the green algae Botryococcus braunii can be readily detected in petroleum deposits and coal deposits suggesting that B. braunii has been a contributor to developing these deposits and may be the major contributor.” [TAMU]

Like most green algae, B. braunii is capable of producing great amounts of hydrocarbon oils with very little input of raw materials. But scientists believe B. braunii shows particular promise not only because it produces a lot of oil, but also because of the type of oil it produces. While many high-oil-producing algae create vegetable-type oils, the oils from B. braunii – botryococcenes – are similar to petroleum, and the fuels derived from the hydrocarbons are chemically identical to gasoline, diesel and kerosene.

Argentina: Algae-based biodiesel production is the goal

Vats of farmed microalgae. (Photo: Mdp.utn.edu.ar)

A team of researchers at the National Technological University of Mar del Plata (UTN) is working on a research project to produce biodiesel from marine microalgae, with the aim of developing economically viable and environmentally sustainable processes.

The group already designed a low-cost production module of microalgae, from where it seeks to limit consumed energy to under 20 per cent of the energy produced.

"A fundamental factor of this project centres on the replacement of high-cost raw materials, like carbon dioxide and cultivation items, with the availing of environmental liabilities like industrial emissions and sewage mud,” the university informed.

This story reports one group of researchers in Argentina are very close to commercial production of biodiesel from sea algae, something that does not compete with the human need for fresh water and food. Are American researchers going to get scooped?

Utah: Mormon church partners with local agencies to grow safflower for biodiesel

Julie Peck-Dabling and Dallas Hanks stand Monday in the middle of a field where a biofuel feedstock pilot project will take place in Salt Lake City. (Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)

SALT LAKE CITY — The 200-acre chunk of land southwest of the airport is barren save for wisps of grass and dried-out thistle. And due to recent snow, it's boggy, too.

But give it some attention, and around July it will burst with bright oranges, yellows and reds as soon-to-be-planted safflower blooms. Soon after, the plants' seeds will become fuel to power local government fleets hungry for homegrown biodiesel.

Salt Lake County, Salt Lake City Public Utilities, the South Davis Sewer District, Utah State University and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints all are lending a hand for a pilot project to showcase the use of this publicly owned land to grow the feedstock for biodiesel fuel.

And it's a recycling project, as well. Biosolids generated by the wastewater treatment process will be spread over the land to fertilize the drought-tolerant safflower.

Renewable fuel comparisons: Biogas versus biodiesel and ethanol

Examined at a fundamental level, the universe seems to begin in lofty abstractions that lead to prosaic realities. Thus mathematics encompasses physics, physics encompasses chemistry, chemistry encompasses biology, and it all leads to… well, us.

But then it gets very abstract again as we move from us to our very non-physical creations such as economics and government policy.

Maybe those abstractions get in our way sometimes. Consider for example that millions, indeed billions, are being invested in ethanol production in the U.S., and biodiesel is getting its fair share as well. Apparently some of what’s been driving the investment is those pesky abstractions, such as policy, and maybe even mere convention.

No doubt, ethanol and biodiesel both have their place. My purpose is not to argue that there is no need to invest in these alternatives, but rather to suggest that if we think they are worth that much investment, we may want to take another look at biogas.

I ran into this cloud point data recently. As most of the commercial biodiesel recently available in this area is produced from an animal fat feedstock, this can help you determine a safe blending ratio based on expected low temperatures:

This is from the "SBA Good Book of Biodiesel" produced by the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance.

Cellulosic Ethanol: what is the current state of the art?

Like hydrogen, cellulosic ethanol has been tomorrow’s technology breakthrough for decades. But until recently this form of biofuel—which far surpasses corn ethanol in both efficiency and eco-friendliness—has been stuck in a purgatory of research labs and demonstration plants. That could be changing, as not one but two Danish-owned firms announce significant steps toward commercialization—and $2 a gallon eco-fuel.

Cellulosic ethanol is, finally, not only commercially viable, but mandated, too. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 requires 36 billion gallons of ethanol and other fuels by 2022, and 16 billion gallons are earmarked for cellulosic ethanol.

Cellulosic ethanol has long been touted by environmentalists because it is five times better in terms of its net energy balance than corn-based ethanol, and because it can be produced with fast-growing grasses such as switchgrass that absorb carbon dioxide as they grow. Another advantage is that cellulosic ethanol plants will be able to run their energy-intensive boilers on the plant waste from their own processes (corn ethanol plants use natural gas).

Cellulosic ethanol reminds me of biodiesel from WVO(waste vegetable oil) in that it can be made from the grass growing along the highway or the waste material from agriculture.

Iowa Soybean Association responds to negative remarks about biodiesel

Iowa Soybean Association president Delbert Christensen hand-delivered a letter on March 1 to the Iowa House Agriculture Committee and other sate legislative leaders at the State Capitol in Des Moines. Christensen's letter explained why ISA was taking exception to the anti-biodiesel message that was presented to legislators the week before by opponents of the proposed requirement for B5 usage in Iowa.

The Iowa Biodiesel Board and the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association also made presentations to the House Agriculture Committee in response to the negative biodiesel reports made by Decker Trucking and the Iowa Motor Truck Association. IBB and IFRA stressed the benefits of biodiesel to Iowa's economy and urged legislators to find ways to increase use within the state.

Setting state lawmakers straight on the benefits of biodiesel

Christensen, a farmer from Audubon in western Iowa, specifically wanted to set the lawmakers straight on the testimony of Steve Lursen, a representative of the trucking industry, who spoke to the legislators on February 25 regarding the "2 Million Mile Haul"—an over the road biodiesel test that was conducted by Decker Truck Line of Ft. Dodge. Lursen works for Decker and managed the test.

The reluctance of truckers to use biodiesel has been one of the main reasons the biodiesel industry has struggled. And the message Lursen gave to the legislators isn't likely to help the cause. The legislature is pondering a bill that would mandate biodiesel use in Iowa. It would require that B5, a 5% blend of biodiesel with petroleum diesel, be sold in all diesel fuel.

Ohio: Farmers Coop earns BQ9000 QA rating for blending and hauling biodiesel

Marion Oil, 517 Park Blvd., a division of Central Ohio Farmers Cooperative, has earned the BQ9000 quality assurance certification for blending and hauling biodiesel. (Bill Sinden/The Marion Star)

MARION - Customers of Central Ohio Farmers Cooperative receive their biodiesel fuel from one of only two BQ-9000 marketers in the state.

A quality assurance designation awarded by the National Biodiesel Board, the recognition offers customers of COFC and its Marion Oil division such as the Ohio Department of Transportation and the city of Columbus that they receive the industry standard in soy- and animal fat-based biodiesel, said Jim Bowman, Marion Oil manager.

"It's about quality, making sure from the time we buy the product to the time we mix it and the time we distribute it we're making sure it's done properly all the way through the whole process," Bowman said. "I decided as much biodiesel as we haul, I figured we should get the certification and with us getting contracts with the state get our credibility in line for the future."

California biodiesel cooperative puts out the call for WVO and grease

Todd Hill, founder of Promethean Biofuels, shows an unfiltered sample of biodiesel at the new biofuel plant in Temecula on Thursday. Promethean Biofuels is looking to produce 4,000 gallons of biodiesel per day when the facility starts operation in the next couple weeks. (Photo by Don Boomer -- Staff photographer)

TEMECULA ---- If you've got some used oil or cooking grease to dispose of, want to help the environment, or both, a new biofuel refinery wants to hear from you.

Promethean Biofuels Cooperative Corp. opened its doors Feb. 19 at 27635 Diaz Road in Temecula. The cooperative is looking for members, as well as interns from local schools, to help with its mission, said Todd Hill, managing principal and founder. The cost of one co-op share is $50 a year.

Promethean Biofuels is meant to operate on a modest scale, Hill said, suited to supply the surrounding communities with biodiesel made from their waste oil and grease. Funded with about $500,000 raised from investors and friends, the 17,000-square-foot refinery can make about 1.5 million gallons a year of "road grade" biodiesel, Hill said.

This is a great example of how a real go-getter can start a biodiesel production plant with the right spirit of conservation and community action. I would love to buy a share for 50 bucks, how about you?