TOM WILBER / Staff Photo
Giff Foster pours biodiesel into his tractor, "Big John," at his Chenango County farm. Foster is part of a group of Southern Tier farmers trying to make the fuel commercially to help the economy and foster energy independence.
According to a report in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a peer-reviewed journal, biodiesel provides 93 percent more energy per gallon than required for its production, while ethanol generates only 25 percent. Biodiesel, when compared with gasoline, reduces greenhouse emissions by 41 percent, while ethanol yields only a 12 percent reduction.
Great photo and story about the use of waste cooking oil to produce “low conflict” fuel for use on the farm and many other diesel applications, if not all.
Roy L. Benton III of FL BioFuels LLC pictured above, from: http://www.news-press.com/article/20090524/GREEN/905240382/1133
Co-owner Roy Benton III said because of the site’s existing building, the start-up process will be sped up. If there are no permitting hold-ups, Benton estimates the plant could produce its first gallon of biofuel by October, two months earlier than expected.
“By the state accepting us here, it shows not only local government but state government is participating in green initiatives,” Benton said.
Biodiesel is created by removing glycerin from vegetable oil. It is refined and blended in tanks, and, when burned by trucks, creates reduced emissions, compared to tradition fuels.
Lee County agreed in April to give the company $500,000 from a government grant for the plant.
Do I detect a trend of biodiesel producer not only being small companies, but also, family companies? The news seems to point toward such trends in the industry, if I am not mistaken.
Scott Johnson, Sustainable Oils Company President & General Manager, said, "One of the values of camelina (is that) it was brought into North America specifically for biofuels. So, we need to develop that and continue that perception on the oil."
Johnson estimates Montana will produce 275 gallons of camelina-based biodiesel this year, which will go toward further development of aviation fuel.
Have you heard of camelina? This article points out that it does not displace food crops and it is aimed directly at the aviation fuel market. We shall hear more about this venture.
Photo of Vale mine from: http://www.geosoft.com/resources/casestudies/casestudy-vale.asp
SAO PAULO, June 23 (Reuters) - Vale, (VALE.N)(VALE5.SA) the world's largest iron ore producer, said on Tuesday it would begin to produce biodiesel from palm oil from 2014 to fuel its Carajas mine and railway operations in Brazil's north.
Rail and mining, perfect for biodiesel, will be produced by Vale. Never thought about it, but just think how many and how huge the diesel engines are on large mining equipment. Big consumers of diesel.