OSCEOLA COUNTY, FL -- A series of explosions has occurred at an Osceola County biodiesel plant. According to Orlando television station WFTV, the explosions happened at New Eden Energy LLC near Saint Cloud. Osceola County Fire Rescue was on the scene. According to officials, the facility houses 3,000 gallons of methanol, 500 gallons of sodium methane, 55 gallons of sulfuric acid, and 4,000 gallons of biodiesel, among other chemicals. No injuries have been reported and everyone got out of the facility safely.
A biodiesel plant containing thousands of gallons of biodiesel fuel and methanol burned to the ground Thursday.Image 1 of 4
Above photo from: http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2009/9/24/biodiesel_plant_explodes.html
Fortunately, nobody was injured in this fire. Let us always remember safety first in working with biodiesel and associated chemicals. Does anyone wish to impart any biodiesel home-brew safety tips for our members?
A Texas-based company that has made its living rendering grease and animal carcasses has seen a recent boost to its bottom line… thanks to biodiesel. CNNMoney reports that Darling International, a company that picks up the waste at 116,000 restaurants and slaughterhouses and is the largest independent renderer in the nation, has also turned profits of $55 million. That makes it CNNMoney’s 13th fastest growing company of 2009, in part, because of its investment in the green fuel:
Now Darling is eyeing a potentially lucrative new market: renewable fuels. The industrial giant Honeywell approached Darling 2½ years ago offering to license technology to make “green diesel” fuel using animal fats.
This is a very interesting twist in the biodiesel industry, we haven’t got much in our forum about animal fat biodiesel, and I am wondering how the process of making it differs from vegetable oil-based biodiesel. Comments?
ODESSA, WA. - For years the United States has been talking about how to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and one company in the small farming town of Odessa is working to be part of that solution.
Inland Empire Oilseeds in Odessa became fully operational this month and is pumping out thousands of gallons of biodiesel fuel for local use.
The whole process starts with canola seed grown on local farms throughout Eastern Washington and Idaho. By the time the seed makes it's way through the Inland Empire Oilseeds plant it's processed into biodiesel and is used to help the state satisfy a Senate mandate.
"We're able to raise a crop in Washington, process a crop in Washington and use byproducts in the Pacific Northwest," Pearson Burke with Inland Empire Oilseeds said.
Inland is living the biodiesel dream, handling the entire process from seed to finished biodiesel product. I hope we hear about more such plants, especially in the Midwest where grain grows like crazy.
Back at the end of August, I told you about how Ford was getting ready to debut a new engine that would be compatible with more blends of fuels, including B20 biodiesel. Today, at the State Fair of Texas, the automaker unveiled its new line of F Series trucks that will not only take the higher blend of biodiesel but also a line of engines that will take E85 ethanol
Looks like Ford is down with biodiesel, and I have heard about a few hybrid Fords coming out. If you get a bio-fuel compatible new Ford, please give up the scoop on how you like it. Nice work, Ford.