American Biodiesel news

TriMet will fuel buses with biodiesel
Energy - The transit agency will put a 5 percent blend in all 611 of its fleet, reducing the area's harmful emissions

Saturday, October 28, 2006
JAMES MAYER


TriMet, Oregon's largest consumer of diesel fuel, will become the state's biggest user of biodiesel as well.


On Monday, Carson Oil Co. will deliver the first truckloads of a 5 percent biodiesel blend known as B5 for TriMet's fleet of 611 buses.


"I think it's a huge step forward," said Jeff Rouse, alternative fuels manager for Carson Oil. "This is a pivotal point in TriMet's relationship with alternative fuels."


TriMet's move fits with several other recent efforts in the Portland area to boost biofuels and tackle the environmental effects of diesel trucks. Biodiesel helps reduce harmful emissions and the nation's reliance on petroleum sources.


TriMet will use an estimated 327,000 gallons of biodiesel a year, more than the state's next three biggest biodiesel users combined, a spokeswoman, Mary Fetsch, said. Biodiesel comes from plant oils, used cooking oils and waste animal fats. The B5 fuel will consist of 5 percent biodiesel and 95 percent petroleum diesel.


A handful of other transit agencies have been more aggressive than TriMet in switching to biodiesel. Buses in St. Louis and Cincinnati burn B20 -- a 20 percent blend, and this year, the Central Ohio Transit Authority began using a 90 percent blend in its buses.


TriMet is sticking with B5 for now because the agency's engine manufacturers will only warranty their engines for use with the 5 percent blend, Fetsch said. "The industry is moving toward that. We hope to see an increased level of allowable biodiesel in the next year," she said.


"It will make a difference," to air quality in the Portland area, said Kevin Downing, clean diesel program coordinator for the state Department of Environmental Quality. A 5 percent biodiesel blend cuts particulate emissions by about 1 percent, Downing said. The higher the blend, the more it benefits air quality.


"The real strength in biodiesel is not so much on the air quality side," he said "It is in renewability, the global warming benefits, and the fact that you're not going to the Middle East, you're going to the Midwest."


During the past year, TriMet tested B5 biodiesel in its fleet of LIFT buses that serve people with disabilities and the elderly. Agency officials had concerns about the fuel gelling in cold weather. Fetsch said the tests showed no problems.


The Central Ohio Transit Authority uses a 90 percent blend during the warmer months, switching to 50 percent in October, and 20 percent in December.


As required by federal law, TriMet began using ultra-low sulfur diesel this month, which cuts the sulfur content by 97 percent.


The transit agency announcement is the latest in a series of recent biodiesel developments. The Portland City Council adopted an ordinance that will require gas stations to sell the 5 percent biodiesel blend next year, and the city's Water Bureau vehicles switched to B99 -- or 99 percent biodiesel blend last month.


The TriMet contract makes Carson the state's largest biodiesel distributor. "It allows us to continue to invest in growing the industry," Rouse said. TriMet's decision and the city's recent actions help build demand for biodiesel, he said.


Rouse said the city's requirement that gas stations sell biodiesel will send a message to motorists that it's OK to burn the fuel in their cars.


"And it's a matter of civic pride," he said. "All of a sudden you realize you're replacing 5 percent of the fuel you use with a renewable resource, and you're not contributing to foreign oil issues. It's a great American story."


James Mayer: 503-294-4109; jimmayer@news.oregonian.com

By: Matt Cota


In Santa Barbara, soybean-powered vehicles will soon be hitting the streets.


Beginning July 1, all city-owned vehicles with diesel engines will run on biodiesel, a blend of diesel fuel and soybean oil.


The next time Santa Barbara firefighters fill up their trucks, they will be using biodiesel. The city's entire fleet of 150 diesel cars, vans, trucks and tractors will run on the environmentally-friendly fuel.


"We have been selling biodiesel for several years, and not too many know about it yet," said Ken Olsen, McCormix Corporation.


Olsen has been selling the product at his McCormix gas station for years, and although his customers are loyal, they are few.


One of the reasons is that the soybean fuel blend can be up to a dollar more a gallon than regular diesel. But that is changing, now that the cost of oil is rising, now biodiesel is actually more cost-effective. It is only about 10 cents more, and a whole lot cleaner for cars.


"Hopefully with more demand, there will be more demand and consequently a lower price," said Olsen.


The decision to run its entire fleet on biodiesel makes Santa Barbara the first city in the county, and one of just a handful in the state, to exclusively use the environmentally-friendly fuel.

Less than 30 minutes before closing time, a large white box truck pulls up at BioFuel Oasis, a biodiesel fueling station in West Berkeley. Suzanne Joi, an activist with CodePINK Women for Peace, is about to drive to Washington, D.C., and needs to fill up her truck's 30-gallon tank.


It's a short wait as another customer finishes fueling up a vintage pale yellow Mercedes, at $3.60 a gallon, from the station's one pump. Joi can't make it all the way to D.C. just on biodiesel, a clean-burning substitute fuel for diesel engines made mostly from vegetable oil, but the renewable fuel is becoming more widely available.





"It's surprising how many places have sprung up," she said.


In the garage's adjoining office, a faded red love seat welcomes several other customers waiting to pay or fuel up. Singer Willie Nelson, who tours in a biodiesel-fueled bus, stops by when he's in town; his autograph decorates the wall, lending the women-owned and operated co-op business a hint of celebrity buzz.


Since opening 2 1/2 years ago, BioFuel Oasis has seen its sales triple, said co-owner Jennifer Radtke. For competitive reasons, she would not disclose how much biodiesel Oasis sells. She attributes the growth in sales to word of mouth and more biodiesel cars being on the road.


Many people who now own biodiesel vehicles, like Joi, owned diesel cars for years before switching to cars capable of using biodiesel. There's more awareness today, Radtke said.


"The state of California has been really concerned about greenhouse gas emissions, and that's the issue that biofuels address," Radtke said.


BioFuel Oasis, one of two biodiesel filling stations in the East Bay - the second is Martinez-based Bay Area Diablo Petroleum - is part of a burgeoning grass-roots movement that includes a one-year-old brokerage and three Richmond-based producers.


The Bioenergy Interagency Working Group, an alliance of 10 state agencies that includes the California Air Resources Board and the California Energy Commission, laid out an action plan in April to boost renewable fuel consumption, including ethanol and biodiesel.


The group is seeking a broad-based renewable fuel standard for the state's transportation sector and a consumption target of 2 billion gallons of biofuels by 2020, with 40 percent of that produced in-state. In 2004, Californians consumed about 5 million gallons of biodiesel.

Last week was a busy week for biodiesel in the nation’s capitol. President Bush on Tuesday said he supports biodiesel as part of his energy strategy to encourage conservation, expand domestic production, and develop alternative sources of energy.


“I think we need to follow suit on what we have been emphasizing, particularly through the energy bill, and that is to encourage conservation, to expand domestic production, and to develop alternative sources of energy like ethanol,” Bush said as part of his remarks at a summit hosted by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) in Washington D.C. He added, “I also support biodiesel fuel, which can substitute for regular diesel in cars, trucks, buses and farm equipment.”


President Bush also said that research and development has brought about new alternative sources of energy like biodiesel. “So that’s one of the reasons why I signed into law the first ever federal tax credit for biodiesel,” he said. To read the rest of the President’s speech, click here.


Tom LaSorda, President and CEO, Chrysler Group, and Member of the Board of Management, DaimlerChrysler AG, also presented that day. “A significant part of the solution to our energy, environment, and national security issues can be homegrown!” said LaSorda. “At DaimlerChrysler, we’ve long thought of biofuels as a win-win proposition.”


LaSorda also talked about working with industry towards a higher biodiesel blend acceptance, as well as the promise of clean diesel auto introductions in the U.S. DaimlerChrysler is a proponent of biodiesel, with a B5 factory fill of their diesel Jeep Liberties, as well as B20 acceptance for fleet-use Dodge Rams.


Click here for LaSorda’s comments.


Following Pres. Bush and LaSorda, Bob Dinneen, President of RFA, and Joe Jobe, CEO of National Biodiesel Board, spoke about ethanol and biodiesel. They moderated a discussion panel with members of Congress.

Long Beach, California [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] InnovaTek and Seattle BioFuels announce the first successful production of hydrogen from 100% biodiesel in a microchannel steam reformer. This is the first time a renewable fuel source has been used to produce hydrogen in a microchannel steam reformer to power emission-free fuel cells. InnovaTek's reforming system was initially developed to produce hydrogen from fossil fuels.


In addition to biodiesel, InnovaTek has also used its technology to produce hydrogen from glycerol (a byproduct of biodiesel production), and the raw soybean oil that is used to manufacture the biodiesel fuel. The use of glycerol as a source for hydrogen has the additional advantage of producing a valuable commodity from a byproduct of biodiesel production. This benefit contributes favorably to the economics of biodiesel as a fuel that is competitive with petroleum diesel fuel.


InnovaTek successfully demonstrated the ability to generate hydrogen from pure biodiesel (B100) produced at the Seattle Biodiesel production facility. One of the advantages of InnovaTek's technology is the use of micro- or millichannel geometries for the catalytic reactor and heat exchangers. Microchannel reactors offer some distinct advantages over conventional reactors (tubular or vessel), including inherent safety, compact size and high conversion rates. The microchannel reformer achieved a 100% conversion rate of the pure biodiesel (B100).


"The demonstration of the InnovaGen fuel processor with renewable liquid fuels further establishes the flexibility and value of InnovaTek's technology for sustainable power production," said Patricia Irving, CEO and founder of InnovaTek. "We are committed to the development and commercialization of innovative products that will reduce emissions and offer viable alternatives to petroleum."


InnovaTek's InnovaGen fuel processor, which can be used for a broad range of fuel choices, both liquid and gaseous, has been demonstrated to efficiently produce hydrogen from diesel, jet fuel, biodiesel, vegetable oil, glycerol, gasoline, propane, natural gas and methanol.


Seattle BioFuels claims to be the first company in the Pacific Northwest to open and operate a commercial scale (>5 mgy) biodiesel refinery certified by the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM). Using proprietary technology, the company produces a diesel fuel alternative made from vegetable oil.

Biodiesel, made primarily from soybeans pictured here, and ethanol will be mandated in Washington state once a new bill is signed into law.


Bipartisan cooperation for a major new energy policy can be hard to come by, but not when both parties agree on calling for new energy independence strategies. In legislative session, Senate Bill 6508 calling for a minimum renewable energy standard passed the Washington State Senate and is off to the Governor for an expected signature into law.


Senate Bill 6508 mandates fuel dealers to sell 2 percent biodiesel out of their total diesel sales and 2 percent ethanol out of total gasoline sales. This new state biofuels standard makes Washington a leader among other states that are moving in the direction of supporting renewable energy. It also complements a similar Federal law called the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) that mandates the US reach 7.5 billion gallons of biofuel use by 2012.


These figures also act as a baseline as the law is designed to increase biofuel use as the state's capacity to grow and produce biofuels increases. The standards start at 2%, and ramp up to 5% for biodiesel and 10% for ethanol. State vehicles will use higher percentages of biodiesel. The state also has a huge potential to produce advanced biofuels, like ethanol from wheat straw, that can provide major reductions in fossil fuel use and global warming pollution in the future.


In addition to establishing market access for ethanol and biodiesel, and a variety of incentives for in-state fuel crops and production facilities, the RFS will open a new market for biofuels in Washington State, attract jobs, provide farm income and relieve concerns about oil prices and global warming, say supporters of the bill.


"This is truly a bill the entire state can be proud of. We're talking about new jobs, cleaner air, and more independence from oil," said 13th District Rep. Janea Holmquist, R-Moses Lake. "That's a win-win for all citizens of Washington." Rep. Holmquist is also a member of the House Economic Development, Agriculture and Trade Committee and sponsored a similar House Bill 2738. She has been recognized as a leading proponent of biofuels legislation in the state. Earlier calls from Governor Christine Gregoire helped to drive the legislative effort.


Scheduled to take effect in 2008, after an advisory group helps the Department of Agriculture develop rules for implementation, the RFS, which industry experts anticipate will attract substantial investment in growing biofuel feedstocks and producing the fuel, is said to be one of the first in the nation.


The Washington State Apollo Alliance of Washington made the renewable fuel standard a priority this year, and the Washington State Labor Council, Washington's environmental community, Washington Agriculture, Washington Farm Bureau all endorsed the measure.

By: Matt Goerzen
The Manitoba government has eliminated an 11.5 cent-per-litre tax on biodiesel fuel production in the province as part of its 2006 budget in an effort to fuel growth in the industry.


The tax break was announced yesterday by Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives Minister Rosann Wowchuk.


"This tax reduction will be beneficial to the industry, " Wowchuk said. "We're hopeful this will result in the creation of at least five or six new plants throughout Manitoba. "


Effective immediately, the province will stop collecting both the road tax and provincial sales tax on pure biodiesel that meets the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) fuel-quality standard.


This five-year tax break provides Manitoba's fledgling biodiesel industry with an 11.5 cent-per-litre advantage over regular diesel. That's in addition to the four-cent-per-litre tax break currently offered by the federal government.


The announcement follows the recent appointment of an independent biodiesel board that will provide recommendations to the government about the $1.5-million provincial industry support program.


"The board is open to hear proposals, " Wowchuk said.


Those proposals will have to include plans for the large amounts of glycerol that result from the production of biodiesel. Glycerol is a byproduct sold to cosmetics, food and pharmaceutical industries.


"Those are some of the things that come out as you move along. "


Barbara Isman, president of the Canola Council of Canada, praised the government for its involvement in the industry.


"I absolutely want to congratulate the Manitoba government on taking a leadership role, " Isman said. "It's absolutely important to create a positive atmosphere. "


While it could take at least a year before biodiesel production sparks an improvement in low canola and soy bean market prices, Isman remains highly optimistic.


"This is actual new demand in the millions of tons that is going to be there consistently. For a good long time we will see production trying to catch up to demand. "


However, she said a further 14.5 cent incentive would be required to make Canadian biodiesel competitive with the United States, which is further ahead in research and production.


"The U.S. has significant funding and incentive plans. In order for us to attract large scale investment, we need to be competitive with the US. "


Isman would also like to see a Canadian set of standards applied to the biodiesel industry, instead of deferring to ASTM standards south of the border.


Gavin Reynolds, co-owner of Rapid City's Celtic Power - one of only two pre-commercial production facilities in Manitoba - said the tax incentive is "significant ".


"It gives you a distinct advantage right off the bat, " Reynolds said. "It's helping us here today. Yesterday we didn't have that advantage. Today we do. Yes it's very positive. "


For the moment Celtic Power is producing biodiesel on a small scale, but once its new processor is completed, the company will be producing 1.5 million litres per year.


Reynolds said Manitoba biodiesel is attracting a lot of attention outside the province.


"The number of phone calls have increased dramatically in the last few months. I just had a conversation with someone in San Antonio. They like the way we're approaching biodiesel. "


The tax break will also benefit up and coming facilities in Westman, including the joint proposal put forward by the Southwest Fibre Co-op and the Souris-Glenwood Community Development Corp.


"It's certainly really good news, " said Southwest's chairman David Stead. "It makes our business plan look even better. "



I think it's great that alternative fuels are being treated better.

While I'd like to eventually sell this site to a biodiesel or other alternative fuel business I'd still like to provide information relevant to biodiesel. Now I lack the proper programming skills to do some of the things I had in mind. A map of fueling stations that provide biodiesel would be the first step I'd like to take and that may be possible with frapper maps and enough headway with search engines. Any random viewer have any ideas?