Solar Beats Soy by Miles as Top Energy Source

Below are the results of a study conducted by Ken Regelson of Five Star Consultants that looks at the "yield in miles driven per acre of land per year," in comparing sources of alternative fuels/energy.

2,400 miles per acre = Soy BioDiesel

18,000 miles per acre = Corn Ethanol

31,000 miles per acre = Palm Oil BioDiesel

32,000 miles per acre = Swithgrass Ethanol

180,000 miles per acre = Wind

370,000 miles per acre = Algae Biodiesel

2,250,000 miles per acre = Solar Photovoltaics

See the Source:

EV World

Biofuels Sustainability: Nation's Ecological Scientists Weigh in on Biofuels

The Ecological Society of America, the nation's professional organization of 10,000 ecological scientists, today released a position statement that offers the ecological principles necessary for biofuels to help decrease dependence on fossil fuels and reduce carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to global climate change. The Society warns that the current mode of biofuels production will degrade the nation's natural resources and will keep biofuels from becoming a viable energy option.

"Current grain-based ethanol production systems damage soil and water resources in the U.S. and are only profitable in the context of tax breaks and tariffs," says ESA. "Future systems based on a combination of cellulosic materials and grain could be equally degrading to the environment, with potentially little carbon savings, unless steps are taken now that incorporate principles of ecological sustainability."

Three ecological principles are necessary:
1 - Systems Thinking: Looking at the complete picture of how much energy is produced versus how much is consumed by extracting and transporting the crops used for biofuels. A systems approach seeks to avoid or minimize undesirable production side effects such as soil erosion and contamination of groundwater. Consistent monitoring is critical to ensure that biofuel production is sustainable.

2 - Conservation of Ecosystem Services: Maximizing crop yield without regard to negative side effects is easy. On the other hand, growing crops and retaining the other services provided by the land is far more challenging, but very much worth the effort. For example, lower yields from an unfertilized native prairie may be acceptable in light of the other benefits, such as minimized flooding, fewer pests, groundwater recharge, and improved water quality because no fertilizer is needed.

3 - Scale Alignment: How agriculture is managed matters at the individual farm, regional, and global level. Policies must provide incentives for managing land in a sustainable way. They should also encourage the development of biofuels from various sources.

"The current focus on ethanol from corn illustrates the risks of exploiting a single source of biomass for biofuel production," says ESA.

Continuously-grown corn leads to heavy use of fertilizers, early return of land in conservation programs to production, and the conversion of marginal lands to high-intensity cropping. All of these bring with them well-known environmental problems associated with intensive farming: persistent pest insects and weeds, pollution of groundwater, greater irrigation demands, less wildlife diversity, and the release of more carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global climate change. Ironically, one of the touted benefits of biofuels is to help alleviate global climate change, a benefit that is considerably diluted under a high-intensity agriculture scenario.

The Ecological Society of America will contribute more to this timely issue in a few months when it convenes a conference devoted to the ecological dimensions of biofuels.

Like other organizations, ESA is also concerned about the hardship on the nation's poor communities as higher crop prices drive up the cost of food.

It has been said that biofuels have achieved cult-like status and in the rush it is only too easy to overlook the big picture of environmental implications. Iowa alone has planted more than a third of its land surface with corn and, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, the federal government has some 20 laws and incentives to boost ethanol use.

A biofuels infrastructure that incorporates systems thinking, conserves ecosystem services, and encompasses multiple scales can best serve U.S. citizens, the economy, and the environment.

See the Source:
Ecological Society of America

environmental news

Biofuels at Bottom of List of Low-Carbon Technologies

BBC Reports on the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Low-Carbon Technology Survey

- “Of 18 technologies suggested by IUCN, the current generation of biofuels came bottom of the list, with only 21% believing in its potential to ‘lower overall carbon levels in the atmosphere without unacceptable side effects’ over the next 25 years.” (Richard Black, “Tackling climate change – Bali summit,” BBC News Web site, December 11, 2007)

- “Although the EU and the US are attempting to boost the expansion of biofuels, recent evidence is equivocal about their potential. Studies show they may produce only marginal carbon savings compared to conventional petrol and diesel.” (Richard Black, “Tackling climate change – Bali summit,” BBC News Web site, December 11, 2007)

- “In Indonesia and elsewhere, forests are being cleared for palm oil plantations, partly to produce biofuels. There is evidence that leaving forests intact results in greater climate benefits while protecting biodiversity.” (Richard Black, “Tackling climate change – Bali summit,” BBC News Web site, December 11, 2007)


Highlight from the Survey – Bicycles, Clean Coal, Co-Generation Rank Higher Than Biofuels
Survey respondents ranked “Human-powered vehicles,” “Co-generation (electricity and heat),” and “Clean coal technology – new build” higher than “First generation bio-fuels from agricultural crops.” (Climate Decision Maker Survey, World Conservation Union, November 22 – December 5, 2007, 1000 Respondents from 105 Countries)

N2O Emissions Negate Potential CO2 Savings
“…[D]epending on N content, the use of several agricultural crops for energy production can readily lead to N2O emissions large enough to cause climate warming instead of cooling by ‘saved fossil CO2’.” (P. J. Crutzen, A. R. Mosier, K. A. Smith, and W. Winiwarter, “N2O Release from Agro-Biofuel Production Negates Global Warming Reduction by Replacing Fossil Fuels,” Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions, August 1, 2007)

See the Source:
Business Wire/NPRA

Find out:
How to reduce NOx emissions by up to 95% from lean burn engines, gas turbines and coal power plants.

environmental news
global-warming

Researchers Examine World's Potential to Produce Biodiesel

What do the countries of Thailand, Uruguay and Ghana have in common? They all could become leading producers of the emerging renewable fuel known as biodiesel, says a study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies.

The ease of manufacturing biodiesel from vegetable oils and animal fats has made it one of the most promising, near-term alternatives to fossil fuels. Seeking to understand which nations are best positioned today to enter the burgeoning biodiesel market, researchers Matt Johnston and Tracey Holloway of the Nelson Institute's Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE) ranked 226 countries according to their potential to make large volumes of biodiesel at low cost.

Reported Oct. 17th in Environmental Science and Technology, the analysis uncovered many of the usual suspects, including the United States, a top soybean grower; and Brazil, already a major biodiesel producer. The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Spain also cracked the top ten in overall volume potential.

But the researchers say the study's true motivation was to identify developing countries that already export significant amounts of vegetable oil for profit, but may not have considered refining it into biodiesel. By exporting biodiesel - a higher value commodity - these countries could improve their trade balances, says Johnston, or use the fuel to offset their own energy needs.

"A lot of these countries don't have any petroleum resources and so they're having to import petroleum," he says. "At the same time, they're exporting vegetable oil that they could be turning into biodiesel and using domestically."

Overall, the study ranked Malaysia, Thailand, Colombia, Uruguay and Ghana as the developing nations most likely to attract biodiesel investment, not only because of their strong agricultural industries, but also due to their relative safety and stability, lack of debt, among other economic factors.

Johnston emphasizes, however, that the set of criteria he and Holloway used is just one among many.

"As long as they're profitable and have large volumes of vegetable oils, all the countries on our list - even if they aren't on our top ten list - they could do this," he says.

The idea for the analysis first struck Johnston on a visit to a remote island of Fiji, where people rely primarily on petroleum diesel to run generators for electricity. Transported in by boat, the fuel cost the equivalent of $20 per gallon. Meanwhile, the islanders were growing coconuts and processing them into oil that sold for 50 cents a liter.

"The price disparity was just incredible," says Johnston, "and it prompted me to think about where else in the world countries might have this biofuels potential, but not necessarily realize it."

At the same time, many agencies - chief among them the United Nations - have raised concerns about the biofuel industry's possible impact on the world's poor, as vegetable oils, now used for food, are increasingly diverted to fuel production. Rampant growth of biofuels could also negatively affect the environment; a soaring demand for palm oil, for example, has already led to deforestation in Southeast Asia.

By highlighting the places in the world where biodiesel development will likely happen, Johnston and Holloway hope their analysis will help people foresee these problems and make plans to mitigate them.

"We're not saying, 'There's all this potential out there, go get it,'" says Johnston. "Instead, we're looking at which vegetable oil feed stocks are most likely to be affected and which countries will most likely be doing this at a large-scale. That way, we can anticipate some of the impacts, as opposed to having to react after the fact."

Of all the vegetable oils and animal fats examined in the study, soybean and palm oil were by far the most common. In fact, the world's top five soybean and palm oil producers - Malaysia, Indonesia, Argentina, the United States and Brazil - accounted for 80 percent of the potential global biodiesel production, the researchers found.

Based on current export volumes of vegetable oil from 119 countries, Johnston also estimated that a grand total of 51 billion liters of biodiesel could be produced annually - enough to meet roughly 4-5 percent of the world's existing demand for petroleum diesel. Yet, although interesting, these numbers aren't the main point.

"We're not suggesting that all exported vegetable oil should be converted into biodiesel, because that would fundamentally upset the food supply," says Holloway. "We're looking at this more from each individual country's perspective: They're already exporting one thing, could they be exporting something else?"

Because the study employed data from online, public sources - primarily the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Statistics Division - Holloway points out that any country could repeat the calculations or do its own analysis of the biodiesel opportunity. And she and Johnston hope they will."I'd love to see some of these development opportunities come to fruition for some of these countries," Johnston says.

See the Source:
SAGE

Find out:

How to reduce emissions of diesel and biodiesel using diesel particulate filters from CleanAIR Systems.

green news

In the News: Carbon Reporting and Biodiesel

National Express Group Biodiesel Trials
National Express Group (The Group), one of UK's leading transport groups, announced on August 6th that it has suspended its ‘first generation’ UK biodiesel bus trial due to concerns over whether the benefits outweigh the risk to the sustainability of food crop sources.

The Group has called a halt to the trial on its UK buses until so called ‘second generation’ biofuels, which use non food crops such as wood chips and straw, are available or issues relating to the sustainability of the production have been addressed.

The move follows an internal review of the benefits of biofuels and consultation with a number of environmental organizations including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, WWF and the Climate Group who have also raised a number of issues associated with the use of first generation biofuels.

Chief Executive Richard Bowker said: “Biofuels may well have a role to play in helping us reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases arising from transport operations in the future. We are not dismissing the role they may play in the future, but based on the evidence today I think it is vital that we wait for issues relating to the sustainability of supply are resolved before we press ahead with trials of biodiesel.

“Moving forward, we will continue to look at the options for biodiesel. We will work with our supply chain to ensure that there will be proven technology available which we can use for second generation biofuels when these are available in a few years’ time.

“The issue with biofuels is complex and what appears to be the green option may not actually be green after all. NX will continue to focus on delivering the commitments for improving efficiency and making the point that our coach operations are already a low carbon transport network.”

See the Source:
National Express Group


California requires CO2 Reporting
The California Air Resources Board has issued a new requirement for vehicle and engine manufacturers to report CO2 emissions. The new requirements apply to all off-road and on-road engine and vehicle categories for 2008 and subsequent model years. A letter detailing the reporting requirements has been sent to manufacturers of passenger cars, trucks, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, and on-road, off-road, and marine engines.

See the Source:
Association of Emissions Control by Catalyst - AECC Newsletter


U.S Biodiesel Production Capacity
There are currently 165 companies that have invested millions of dollars into the development of biodiesel manufacturing plants and are actively marketing biodiesel. The annual production capacity from these plants is 1.85 billion gallons per year.

Eighty companies have reported plants under construction and are scheduled to be completed within the next 18 months. An additional four plants are expanding existing operations. Combined capacity of all plants, if realized, would result in another 1.37 billion gallons per year of biodiesel production.

See the Source:
National Biodiesel Board

Volvo Displays Carbon-Dioxide-Free Trucks

Press Release:
STOCKHOLM, Sweden - The Volvo Group is the first vehicle manufacturer to produce seven demonstration trucks that can all be driven without emitting any environmentally harmful carbon dioxide. These trucks were exhibited for the first time today in Stockholm and are equipped with diesel engines that have been modified to operate on seven different types of renewable liquid and gaseous fuels. “Volvo is part of the climate problem, but today we have shown that carbon-dioxide free transports are a possibility and that we as a vehicle manufacturer both can and will be part for the solution to the climate issue,” says Leif Johansson, CEO of the Volvo Group.

The seven Volvo FM trucks are equipped with Volvo’s own 9-liter engines that have been specially modified by the Group’s engineers to illustrate the possibilities of carbon-dioxide-free transport. According to the widely publicized Stern report, approximately 14 percent of total global carbon-dioxide emissions will come from the transport sector, with road transport accounting for a total of 10 percent. However, there is no information on the percentage of these emission levels that in turn originate from cargo transport. A calculation based on European conditions and statistics, whereby passenger cars represent 60% of carbon-dioxide emissions and cargo transport for the remaining 40%, indicates that cargo transport will account for about 4-5% of total global carbon-dioxide emissions.

Part of the solution
“As one of the world’s largest manufacturers of heavy trucks, diesel engines and buses, the Volvo Group is part of the climate problem,” says Leif Johansson, CEO of Volvo. “But environmental issues are one of the areas which we have assigned the very highest priority, and based on our resources and knowledge, we both can and will be part of the solution.”

The seven trucks exhibited in Stockholm can be operated on the same number of different renewable fuels and/or combinations of fuels: biodiesel, biogas combined with biodiesel, ethanol/methanol, DME, synthetic diesel and hydrogen gas combined with biogas. Since all of these fuels are produced from renewable raw materials, they provide no carbon-dioxide contributions to the ecosystem when combusted and, accordingly, do not impact the environment.

“The diesel engine is an extremely efficient energy converter that is perfectly suited to many different renewable fuels, liquid or gaseous,” says Jan-Eric Sundgren, member of Volvo Group Management and Senior Vice President, Public and Environmental Affairs. “With our know-how in engine technology and our large volumes, we can manufacture engines for several different renewable fuels, and also create possibilities for carbon-dioxide-free transports in such other product areas as buses, construction equipment and boats.”

However, the supply of different renewable fuels is significantly limited and there is no large-scale production or distribution for the majority of the alternatives that could be utilized in carbon-dioxide-free transports.

“With these vehicles, we have shown that Volvo is ready, that we possess the technology and the resources for carbon-dioxide-free transport, but we cannot do this alone,” says Leif Johansson. “We also require large-scale production of renewable fuels and putting such production in operation requires extensive investments in research and development, and also well-defined, common guidelines from authorities in as many countries as possible.”

Volvo has carried out its own analyses of the renewable fuels that are most suitable for carbon-dioxide-free transports. In these analyses, Volvo considered important aspects such as the impact on the environment, energy efficiency, the efficiency level in the use of the land for cultivating crops for the respective fuels, the amounts of the different fuels that can potentially be produced, the level of vehicle adaptation required in purely technical terms, the costs of the fuels and how easy it is to distribute the fuels.

“We know that in the foreseeable future there will be insufficient biomass or renewable fuels to fully replace fossil fuels,” says Jan-Eric Sundgren. “That is why it is important that decisions on the production of future fuels are preceded by such comprehensive assessments – otherwise there is the risk that we focus on too many and quite simply unsuitable alternatives, which will delay the introduction of carbon-dioxide-free transport.”

Despite the current shortage of both biomass for the production of renewable fuels, and finished fuels, the Volvo Group does not view carbon-dioxide-free transport as a utopian idea. One of the reasons for this is the second generation of renewable fuels that are produced through gasification and that generate both large volumes and a greater number of fuels to choose between.

“Gasification is a promising line that may lead to a significantly larger substitution than today’s technology,” says Leif Johansson. “Our own history has taught us that much of what we once thought impossible we have since been able to solve a few years later. This can be applied to such important areas as energy efficiency and exhaust emission control. I am an optimist and believe in a similar trend in carbon-dioxide-free transport.”

Seven different cars – seven different fuels
The trucks exhibited in Stockholm were operated on the seven following renewable fuels/fuel combinations:

Biodiesel is produced by the esterification of vegetable oils. Rapeseed oil and sunflower seed oil are the most common raw materials in Europe.

Biogas is a gaseous fuel that is largely comprised of hydrocarboned methane.
Biogas can be extracted in sewage treatment works, at garbage dumps, and at other sites at which biodegradable materials are found.

Biogas + biodiesel are combined in separate tanks and injection systems. A small percentage (10 percent) of biodiesel, or synthetic diesel, is used for achieving compression ignition. The biogas in this alternative is in a cooled and liquid form that increases its range.

DME – Dimethyl ether Dimethyl ether is a gas that is handled in liquid form under low pressure. DME is produced through the gasification of biomass.

Ethanol/Methanol is produced through the gasification of biomass and ethanol through the fermentation of crops rich in sugar and starch.

Synthetic Diesel is a mixture of synthetically manufactured hydrocarbon produced through the gasification of biomass. Synthetic diesel can be mixed with conventional diesel fuel without problem.

Hydrogen gas + Biogas - this vehicle operates on a combination of hydrogen gas and biogas whereby the hydrogen gas is mixed in small volumes with compressed biogas (8% volume). Higher mixture levels are also possible. The hydrogen gas can be produced through the gasification of biomass or electrolysis of water with renewable electricity.

Information about renewable fuels is available at:

http://www.volvo.com/group/global/en-gb/Volvo+Group/ourvalues/environment/renewable_fuels/

New Catalyst May Revolutionize Biodiesel Production

Press Release from Iowa State University:

Line up 250 billion of Victor Lin’s nanospheres and you’ve traveled a meter. But those particles – and just the right chemistry filling the channels that run through them – could make a big difference in biodiesel production.

They could make production cheaper, faster and less toxic. They could produce a cleaner fuel and a cleaner glycerol co-product. And they could be used in existing biodiesel plants.

“This technology could change how biodiesel is produced,” said Victor Lin, an Iowa State University professor of chemistry, a program director for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory and the inventor of a nanosphere-based catalyst that reacts vegetable oils and animal fats with methanol to produce biodiesel. “

Lin is working with Mohr Davidow Ventures, an early stage venture capital firm based in Menlo Park, Calif., the Iowa State University Research Foundation and three members of his research team to establish a startup company to produce, develop and market the biodiesel technology he invented at Iowa State.

The company, Catilin Inc., is just getting started in Ames. Catilin employees are now working out of two labs and a small office in the Roy J. Carver Co-Laboratory on the Iowa State campus. The company will also build a biodiesel pilot plant at the Iowa Energy Center’s Biomass Energy Conversion Facility in Nevada.

Lin said the company’s goal over the next 18 months is to produce enough of the nanosphere catalysts to increase biodiesel production from a lab scale to a pilot-plant scale of 300 gallons per day.

Lin will work with three company researchers and co-founders to develop and demonstrate the biodiesel technology and production process. They are Project Manager Jennifer Nieweg, who will earn a doctorate in chemistry from Iowa State this summer; Research Scientist Yang Cai, who earned a doctorate in chemistry from Iowa State in 2004 and worked on campus as a post-doctoral research associate; and Research Scientist Carla Wilkinson, a former Iowa State post-doctoral research associate and a former faculty member at Centro Universitario UNIVATES in Brazil.

Larry Lenhart, the president and chief executive officer of Catilin, said the company is now up and running. It has a research history. It has employees. It has facilities. It has money in the bank.

And he said the company has proven technology to work with.

The technology allows efficient conversion of vegetable oils or animal fats into fuel by using Lin’s nanospheres with acidic catalysts to react with the free fatty acids and basic catalysts for the oils.

All that makes biodiesel production “dramatically better, cheaper, faster,” Lenhart said.
The technology replaces sodium methoxide – a toxic, corrosive and flammable catalyst – in biodiesel production. And that eliminates several production steps including acid neutralization, water washes and separations. All those steps dissolve the toxic catalyst so it can’t be used again.

Catilin’s nanospheres are solid and that makes them easier to handle, Lenhart said. They can also be recovered from the chemical mixture and recycled. And they can be used in existing biodiesel plants without major equipment changes.

Lin said the catalyst has been under development for the past four years. The company will market the third generation of the catalyst – a version that’s much cheaper to produce than earlier, more uniform versions.

The technology was developed with the support of grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Basic Energy Sciences and the state’s Grow Iowa Values Fund. Patents for the technology are pending. Catilin has signed licensing agreements with Iowa State’s research foundation that allows the company to commercialize Lin’s invention.

As the company grows and demonstrates its technology, Lin said company leaders will have to decide whether the company will become a catalyst company, will work with partners to develop biodiesel plants or will produce its own biodiesel.

Even though he expects plenty of worldwide business for the new company, Lin said he’ll continue to work as an Iowa State professor.

“I’m not going to quit my day job,” he said. “And I’ll continue to do research in the catalysis and biorenewables area.”

See the Source:
Iowa State University

current issues
environment

Keep on Truckin’- B20 vs. Diesel in the Two Million Mile Haul

The Two Million Mile Haul is the first major study in a real-world setting comparing the performance of B20 biodiesel (a mixture of 20% soy biodiesel and 80% diesel) with diesel on long haul trucks on an over-the-road test covering 2 million miles. To date the test has completed 350,000 miles of its goal with favorable results and only minor issues.

Observations so far have shown:

• Cleaner engine oil
  
  
• Positive impact on engine wear
  
  
• Decreased maintenance due to increased lubricity
  
  
• No cold weather issues – even with temperatures in the teens and single digits

Organizations and companies participating in the study include:
- Caterpillar
- Decker Truck Line
- The National Biodiesel Board
- Iowa Central Community College
- Soy Power Biodiesel
- United States Department of Agriculture
- Iowa Soybean Association

Dale Decker, Industry & Government Relations Director for Decker Truck Line explains “What we’ve observed so far is great performance in the particularly cold winter we just experienced, and reduced maintenance and engine wear benefits that equal or outweigh the slightly higher cost of the biodiesel blend.”

Final conclusions and assessments concerning mileage and fuel efficiency will not be available until the 2 million mile mark has been reach.

See the Source:
2 Million Mile Haul

Find out:
How diesel particulate filters work to decrease particulate pollution from diesel and biodiesel fuels.

diesel emissions

Give Me a Bucket of Extra Crunchy - Diesel?

Tyson Foods, Inc. and ConocoPhillips have announced an alliance to produce and market renewable diesel fuel from animal fat. Using beef, pork and poultry by-product fat, the two corporations will cooperate in manufacturing a diesel fuel mixture that meets all federal standards for ultra-low-sulfur diesel, with an expected future production of 175 million gallons per year.

“We are firmly committed to leveraging our leadership position in the food industry to identify and commercialize renewable energy opportunities,” said Richard L. Bond, Tyson president and chief executive officer. “This strategic alliance is a big win for the entire agricultural sector because it paves the way for greater participation of fats and oils in renewable fuels.”

“ConocoPhillips believes the key to a secure energy future is the development and efficient use of diverse energy sources,” said Jim Mulva, ConocoPhillips chairman and chief executive officer. “This alliance will provide a new and significant contribution to our nation’s domestic renewable fuel supply. It also offers an excellent opportunity to use our company’s manufacturing expertise and advanced technology to help increase the supply of renewable fuels and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

See the Source:
Conoco Phillips-Tyson Alliance

Town, City, University to Use Biodiesel Fuel

Illustrating their commitment to sustaining the environment and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the Town of Blacksburg, City of Roanoke, and Virginia Tech are converting their diesel fuel-powered public works and facilities vehicles and power equipment to biodiesel fuel — a cleaner-burning, renewable diesel fuel replacement made primarily from soybean oil.

The biodiesel initiative is tied to the Town of Blacksburg and City of Roanoke’s membership in the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) — Local Governments for Sustainability. Members of ICLEI agree to complete a greenhouse gas emissions inventory, formulate an action plan for greenhouse gas mitigation, and implement the changes and monitor the resulting progress.

The City of Roanoke has converted 365 pieces of equipment – 100 percent of its diesel vehicles and equipment – to biodiesel. This includes school buses, trucks, fire trucks, front-end loaders as well as assorted smaller equipment. The Town of Blacksburg plans to convert 100 percent of its Public Works Department diesel powered fleet by August 2007. Virginia Tech will also convert the majority of its Physical Plant Operations fleet to biodiesel by August.

City of Roanoke among pioneers of renewable resources in Southwest Virginia
The City of Roanoke began using B2 biodiesel fuel in December 2006 in diesel powered fleet vehicles and Roanoke City School buses. B2 is a blending of two percent biodiesel and 98 percent diesel fuel.

“Protecting the environment is one of the most important issues in Southwest Virginia and in America today,” said Harris. “This action taken by Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, and Roanoke is a significant step in the right direction. The use of biodiesel will help us reduce the carbon footprint in the Roanoke Valley and New River Valley.”

Town of Blacksburg, Virginia Tech partner in B20 biodiesel conversion
Virginia Tech will work closely with the Town of Blacksburg in support of the Cool Cities Coalition (http://www.coolcities.us/) initiative. Combined, the Town of Blacksburg and Virginia Tech will convert more than 70 diesel fueled vehicles and equipment to B20 biodiesel fuel – a blend of 20 percent by volume biodiesel with 80 percent by volume petroleum diesel.

B20 biodiesel has demonstrated significant environmental benefits with a minimum increase in cost. Use of biodiesel fuel reduces environmentally harmful emissions. This biodegradable, low toxicity fuel is a fully renewable energy source produced in the United States.

“We’re honored to share this biodiesel initiative with the City of Roanoke and Virginia Tech” said Rordam. “The environment is everyone’s responsibility and it’s through partnerships such as these that we will make an indelible impact on the future for generations to come.”

The Town of Blacksburg will convert more than 50 fleet vehicles and equipment to B20 biodiesel. The Town plans to utilize an existing compartmentalized 10,000 gallon above ground fuel storage tank with two 5,000 gallon storage sections and separate dispensing pumps for the biodiesel initiative, with one 5,000 gallon section dedicated to biodiesel fuel and the other to diesel.

The town is also considering a proposal to convert Blacksburg Transit (BT) vehicles to the alternative fuel source. BT will initiate a pilot project with one van this summer and a bus in August, before deciding to convert the entire fleet.

Virginia Tech plans to convert approximately 20 vehicles used by Physical Plant Operations to biodiesel fuel by August 2007. In addition, the university plans to convert some off-road equipment (large lawn mowers, for example) once the conversion of these vehicles is complete.

“Virginia Tech is committed to creating a sustainable environment both on and off campus,” said James Hyatt, Virginia Tech’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. “We welcome the opportunity to partner with local municipalities in hopes of broadening the positive impact on the environment through this biodiesel initiative.”

Initially, Virginia Tech will fuel its newly converted biodiesel vehicles and equipment at the Town of Blacksburg’s fuel tank. Webb Oil Corporation of Roanoke will supply B20 biodiesel fuel to the town and the university. B20 biodiesel fuel is typically slightly more expensive than regular diesel fuel.

Blacksburg joins Alexandria, Charlottesville, Richmond, Virginia Beach and Williamsburg as those municipalities in Virginia participating in the Cool Cities initiative.

To announce the initiative, the Town of Blacksburg, City of Roanoke and Virginia Tech will host an environmental celebration at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 17 in Blacksburg. The event will be held at the Five Chimney’s Lawn (corner of Washington Street and Draper Road). Roanoke Mayor Nelson Harris, Blacksburg Mayor Ron Rordam, and Larry Hincker, associate vice president for university relations at Virginia Tech, will announce the biodiesel initiative. In the event of inclement weather, the event will be held in the Blacksburg Police Department Training Room (200 Clay Street).

See the Source:
VirginiaTech
Cool Cities Coalition

Presidential Contender, Gov. Richardson Enacts Major Clean Energy Bills in New Mexico

Governor Bill Richardson wants to make New Mexico the “Clean Energy State” and has recently enacted four state bills that promote investment in clean electricity generation and reduction in New Mexico’s dependence on foreign oil. In the past he has aggressively promoted wind power, solar energy and biofuels, as well as new technologies being developed in New Mexico to provide clean energy and emissions control technology.

“These bills will keep New Mexico’s rapidly growing clean energy economy moving forward,” said Governor Richardson. “New Mexico is showing that we can create jobs through spurring significant investment in electricity generation from our world-class solar and wind resources, promoting advanced coal technologies, building more efficient homes and offices, and increasing the production and use of biodiesel.”

Bills recently signed are as follows:

SB 994 (Cisneros) Advanced Energy Tax Credit
Is the first tax credit in the nation to cover carbon capture technology and include specific capture goals for coal-fired power plants.

SB 489 (Ortiz y Pino) Biodiesel Blend Required by 2012
Requires by 2012 that 5% of every gallon of diesel fuel sold in New Mexico come from an agricultural source.

HB 318 (Wirth) Power plant mercury emissions control
Protects New Mexico citizens from the damaging effects of mercury pollution by passing higher state standards than allowed by the federal government.

SB 463 (Cisneros) Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit Amendments
Contains six tax incentives to promote clean energy.

“These vital pieces of legislation will work hand in glove with the other major clean energy bills I enacted earlier this session – the Renewable Energy Transmission Authority and the quadrupling of the Renewable Portfolio Standard – to continue to make New Mexico the nation’s Clean Energy State,” said Governor Richardson.

See the Source:
Office of New Mexico Governor Richardson

Find out:
About a New Mexico company at the forefront of emissions control technology

Bush Administration Establishes Program to Reduce Foreign Oil Dependency, Greenhouse Gases

Washington, D.C. – April 10, 2007 -- In step with the Bush Administration’s call to increase the supply of alternative and renewable fuels nationwide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today established the nation’s first comprehensive Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program.

At a press conference today, EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson, joined by Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman and National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator Nicole Nason, discussed the RFS program, increasing the use of alternative fuels and modernizing CAFÉ standards for cars.

“The Renewable Fuel Standard offers the American people a hat trick – it protects the environment, strengthens our energy security, and supports America’s farmers,” said EPA Administrator Johnson. “Today, we’re taking an important first step toward meeting President Bush’s “20 in 10” goal of jumping off the treadmill of foreign oil dependency.”

"Increasing the use of renewable and alternative fuels to power our nation's vehicles will help meet the President's Twenty in Ten goal of reducing gasoline usage by 20 percent in ten years," Secretary Bodman said. "The Administration's sustained commitment to technology investment will bring a variety of alternative fuel sources to market and further reduce our nation's dependence on foreign sources of energy."

“While we must look at increasing the availability of renewable and alternative fuels, we must also continue to improve the fuel efficiency of our passenger cars and light trucks,” said Nicole R. Nason, Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “As a part of the President’s “20 in 10” energy security plan, we need Congress to give the Secretary of Transportation the authority to reform the current passenger car fuel economy standard.”

Authorized by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the RFS program requires that the equivalent of at least 7.5 billion gallons of renewable fuel be blended into motor vehicle fuel sold in the U.S. by 2012. The program is estimated to cut petroleum use by up to 3.9 billion gallons and cut annual greenhouse gas emissions by up to 13.1 million metric tons by 2012 -- the equivalent of preventing the emissions of 2.3 million cars. The RFS is an important first step toward meeting President Bush’s call on our nation to reduce gasoline use by 20-percent within 10 years by growing our renewable and alternative fuel use to 35 billion gallons by the year 2017.

The RFS program will promote the use of fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel, which are largely produced from American crops. The program will create new markets for farm products, increase energy security, and promote the development of advanced technologies that will help make renewable fuel cost-competitive with conventional gasoline. In particular, the RFS program establishes special incentives for producing and using fuels produced from cellulosic biomass, such as switchgrass and woodchips.

The RFS program requires major American refiners, blenders, and importers to use a minimum volume of renewable fuel each year between 2007 and 2012. The minimum level or “standard” which is determined as a percentage of the total volume of fuel a company produces or imports, will increase every year. For 2007, 4.02 percent of all the fuel sold or dispensed to U.S. motorists will have to come from renewable sources, roughly 4.7 billion gallons.

The RFS program is based on a trading system that provides a flexible means for industry to comply with the annual standard by allowing renewable fuels to be used where they are most economical. Various renewable fuels can be used to meet the requirements of the program. While the RFS program establishes that a minimum amount of renewable fuel be used in the United States, more fuel can be used if producers and blenders choose to do so.

The RFS brings the nation closer to President Bush’s Twenty in Ten goal to reduce gasoline consumption 20 percent in ten years. To achieve this goal, the Bush Administration’s Alternative Fuel Standard (AFS) proposal builds on the RFS and requires use of 35 billion gallons of renewable and alternative fuels in 2017 - nearly five times the RFS target of 2012. The AFS proposal will displace 15 percent of projected annual gasoline use in 2017 through the use of fuels, including corn ethanol, cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel, methanol, butanol, hydrogen, and other alternative fuels. The Twenty in Ten plan also calls for reforming and modernizing CAFÉ standards to increase the fuel economy of cars. This will reduce projected annual gasoline use by up to 8.5 billion gallons, a further 5 percent reduction that will bring the total reduction in projected annual gasoline use to 20 percent. President Bush has called on Congress to act on these proposals by the start of the summer driving season this year.

See the Source:
EPA Renewable Fuels

Cummins Announces Approval of B20 Biodiesel Blends

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--March 21, 2007--Cummins Inc. today announced the approval of biodiesel B20 blends for use in its 2002 and later emissions-compliant ISX, ISM, ISL, ISC and ISB engines. This includes the recently released 2007 products.

Cummins is able to upgrade its previous position on the use of biodiesel fuel, which limited the use to B5 blends only, up to B20 for three key reasons. First, the American Society of Testing Materials specification ASTM D6751 now includes an important stability specification for B100 biodiesel. Second, the availability of quality fuels from BQ-9000 Certified Marketers and Accredited Producers is growing rapidly; and third, Cummins has completed the necessary testing and evaluations to ensure that customers can reliably operate their equipment with confidence using B20 fuel.

“We have completed exhaustive analysis and test evaluations which enable Cummins to provide the necessary guidance and information to our customers for the proper and successful use of this fuel in our engine,” said Edward Lyford-Pike, Chief Engineer – Advanced Alternative Fuel Programs. “This will enable our customers to have a choice that includes renewable fuel.”

The popularity and use of biodiesel fuel continues to climb. Recent studies predict that, by 2008, 1.2 billion gallons of B100 biodiesel will be produced in the United States. Cummins will continue its efforts to ensure that future products will be compatible with biodiesel fuels, and will continue to participate in industry efforts aimed at the development of consistent quality throughout the biodiesel industry.

Further information about the use of biodiesel for both on-highway and off-highway Cummins products can be found on the Web at everytime.cummins.com.

Cummins Inc., a global power leader, is a corporation of complementary business units that design, manufacture, distribute and service engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission solutions and electrical power generation systems. Headquartered in Columbus, Indiana (USA), Cummins serves customers in more than 160 countries through its network of 550 company-owned and independent distributor facilities and more than 5,000 dealer locations. Cummins reported net income of $715 million on sales of $11.4 billion in 2006.

See the Source:
Cummins, Inc.

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About diesel particulate filters from CleanAIR Systems that reduce biodiesel emissions

Small Businesses: Big Payoffs in New Technologies for America

Washington, D.C. -- March 8, 2007 -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced $2.52 million in contracts to 36 small businesses to develop new technologies that will protect human health and the environment. Recipients of these awards will research issues that range from protecting the Great Lakes to homeland security to nanotechnology and more.

President Bush understands the health and prosperity of our nation is due to the strength and ingenuity of our small businesses," said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. "These grants will help spur innovation from America's small businesses so they can continue driving our economy and powering our environmental successes."

The awards were given to businesses in 22 states under EPA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. SBIR was established to ensure that new technologies are developed to solve priority environmental problems. EPA is one of 12 federal agencies that participate in the SBIR program, enacted in 1982 to strengthen the role of small businesses in federal research and development, create jobs, and promote U.S. technical innovation in the United States.

These awards will focus on 14 key environmental areas: protecting the Great Lakes; improving air quality; monitoring metals from incinerators; developing sensors to determine whether waters are safe for swimming; finding new techniques for "green" buildings; managing mining wastes; reducing pollution from animal feeding operations; treating drinking water; managing wastewater; finding innovations in manufacturing for environmental protection; protecting the environment using nanotechnology; reducing engine and vehicle emissions; improving homeland security; and developing new methods to produce biodiesel, butanol and ethanol.

There are approximately 25 million small businesses in the United States that employ more than 50 percent of workers and develop most of the country's new technologies. To participate in SBIR, a small business must have fewer than 500 employees, and at least 51 percent of the business must be owned by U.S. citizens.

From March 15 to May 23, 2007, EPA will again be requesting applications for the development of new environmental technologies.

See the Source:
EPA's SBIR web site

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How to reduce stationary diesel engine emissions with diesel particulate filters from CleanAIR Systems

Global Clean Energy Markets Expand to $55 Billion in 2006 and Projected to Exceed $220 Billion by 2016, Reports Clean Edge

U.S. Energy-Tech Investments Grow to $2.4 Billion in 2006, Representing 9.4 Percent of Total VC Activity

PORTLAND, Ore. & OAKLAND, Calif--Global clean-energy markets are poised to quadruple in the next decade, growing from $55.4 billion in revenues in 2006 to more than $226.5 billion by 2016 for four benchmark technologies, according to the sixth annual Clean Energy Trends report. The report was released today by clean-tech research and publishing firm Clean Edge, Inc.

As highlighted in the report, “Clean Energy Trends 2007,” a number of factors are contributing to this extensive growth, including an influx of venture capital (VC); a new level of commitment by politicians at regional, state, and federal levels; and significant corporate investments in clean-energy acquisitions and expansion initiatives. The free report can be downloaded at http://www.cleanedge.com/.

For the second year in a row, the global biofuels market was slightly larger than both solar and wind, reaching $20.5 billion in 2006 and projected to grow to more than $80 billion by 2016. Clean Edge projects solar photovoltaics (modules, system components, and installations) will grow from a $15.6 billion market in 2006 to $69.3 billion by 2016; wind power installations will expand from $17.9 billion in 2006 to $60.8 billion in 2016; and the markets for fuel cells and distributed hydrogen will grow from $1.4 billion in 2006 to $15.6 billion over the next decade.

“At $55 billion, the global market for biofuels, solar, wind, and fuel cells are now considerably larger than the global recorded music industry,” explains Clean Edge co-founder and principal Ron Pernick. “Within a decade we predict these clean-energy markets will exceed $220 billion and that the global annual production of biofuels will increase from around 13 billion gallons last year to 50 billion gallons, solar will jump from 2 GW of production to nearly 20 GW, and wind power will increase from 15 GW to 67 GW.”

Clean Edge, in collaboration with Nth Power, a leading energy-tech VC firm, also released the firms’ annual energy-tech venture data. This year’s findings show that VC investments in energy-tech start-ups rose 262 percent to $2.4 billion in 2006. These investments, primarily in transportation and fuels, distributed energy, energy intelligence, and power reliability, eclipsed the previous high-water mark set in 2000 for energy-tech investing by more than $1 billion. The figures represent 9.4 percent of total US venture capital investments in 2006.

“Energy tech investing in the U.S. now represents nearly ten percent of the total venture activity,” explains Rodrigo Prudencio, partner, Nth Power. “With a growing number of investors actively seeking energy-tech deals, the capital to fund biofuel and solar expansion was readily available. 2007 will clearly be an indicator of whether the aggressive growth in energy-tech investment can be sustained.”

“Clean Energy Trends 2007” also names five key trends that are shaping the clean-energy landscape this year. They include:
- Carbon Finally Has a Price … and a Market
- Biorefineries Begin to Close the Loop
- Advanced Battery Makers Take Charge
- Wal-Mart Becomes a Clean-Energy Market Maker
- Utilities Get Enlightened

About Clean Edge, Inc.
Clean Edge, Inc. is a leading research and publishing firm that helps companies, investors, and policymakers understand and profit from clean-energy technologies. Since 2001, the company has been providing market research and reports, conferences and events, and strategic consulting services to the clean-tech industry. Among its many activities, the company publishes the annual Clean Energy Trends report, produces the annual Clean-Tech Investor Summit (along with IBF), and maintains the NASDAQ® Clean Edge® U.S. Index which tracks U.S.-listed clean-energy companies. Founded by environmental and high-tech business pioneers Ron Pernick and Joel Makower, Clean Edge and its network of partners and affiliates offer unparalleled insight and intelligence for a range of clean-tech stakeholders.

See the Source:
Clean Edge’s “Clean Energy Trends 2007”

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About diesel particulate filters that also work with biodiesel fuels to further reduce emissions of particulate matter, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons