Cosmetics may help  biodiesel producers stay in the green

elevance

The next great by-product that could help biodiesel plants stay profitable could be put right on the tip of your shiny nose.

Elevance Renewable Sciences, with backing from Cargill, Dow Corning and the $45 billion Texas Pacific Group investment fund, is working with Iowa-based Renewable Energy Group to put technology in REG’s Newton, Iowa biodiesel plant to use biodiesel and soybean, corn and animal oils processed there to produce polymers, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. The Des Moines Register reports that Elevance has asked the Iowa Power Fund to help with the money for the $8.1 million demonstration project:

We did run the story on this plant earlier, but I failed to see the significance of the cosmetic connection. In fact, the cosmetics might bring in more money than the biodiesel. No by-product should go to waste, use every bit of this green fuel—biodiesel.

McDonalds, besides their biodiesel efforts, goes green

McDonald's has been working on its image as a "green" company for some time, and it gets some credit for its efforts by some environmental groups. However, in a move that I would find hard to believe if today's date was 1 April, McDonald's has announced that it will turn literally green in Germany: the Golden Arch will be used on a green background in German McDonald's restaurants.

If you Google McDonald’s Biodiesel, up comes an article in BDN: http://www.biodieselnow.com/general_biodiesel_21/f/5/p/19345/139829.aspx#139829 This story only refers to their logo in Germany—that is what is going green.

South Dakota: Sioux Falls area will offer more biodiesel blends

biodiesel pumps at the gas station

PIERRE, S.D. – Agriculture officials in South Dakota and Minnesota are applauding a decision by a petroleum distribution company to increase the availability of biodiesel in their states.

South Dakota Secretary of Agriculture Bill Even and Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Gene Hugoson say the decision of Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. to install biodiesel blending equipment at their Sioux Falls terminal is a win-win situation for farmers and biodiesel consumers in both states.

How can people purchase biodiesel in their area if no one sells it? Not everyone is brave enough to brew the fuel at home, but every diesel engine owner should know where to buy biodiesel.

Corona, California: ENVIROTEK to expand Extreme Biodiesel plant

Image from: http://www.envirotekusa.org/coming_soon2.jpg

ENVIROTEK (PINKSHEETS: ENTK) today announced the company's Board of Directors has agreed to the expansion of the company's Extreme Biodiesel facility in Corona, California.

ENVIROTEK's Board of Directors today commented that expansion of the existing facility is already under way for the production of 10,000 gallons per day of Biodiesel fuel. The revised expansion will allow for the production of 20,000 gallons per day and is hoped to be fully completed during the 2nd quarter 2010.

When complete, the Corona facility is expected to operate 6 days per week with an approximate output of almost 500,000 gallons per month of premium Biodiesel. Based on current market pricing, the annual revenues, along with the Government subsidy program, would equate to be in excess of $15,000,000 annually.

This company is ready to gamble a lot on the future of biodiesel in California, and with all the many diesel vehicles here, there is huge room to advance in the West Coast biodiesel market.