Daily News—09/18
Algae versus soybeans, what is the best biodiesel feedstock?
Algae is all the rage as the next great feedstock for biodiesel… although the longtime champion for the green fuel, soybeans, might not be ready to give up its crown to the green pond scum.
One the one hand, you have guys like Riggs Eckelberry, the CEO of Origin Oil… a company that develops technology to turn algae into oil that can be turned into biodiesel. He was featured in a recent episode of PBS’s Nova Science Now talking about the potential of algae being made into the renewable fuel. I talked to him about the future of algae as the ultimate biodiesel feedstock. Eckelberry believes that soybean-based biodiesel, while a great start for the industry, is not sustainable in the long run.
Don’t miss the Domestic Fuel podcast after you read the article, this is probably one of the best sources of information you can ever find, actual industry movers and shakers talking about biodiesel.
Documentary film “Fuel” wins at Sundance, opens soon
Greenlight Theatrical Josh Tickell in “Fuel.” from: http://movies.nytimes.com/2009/09/18/movies/18fuel.html
The Sundance award winning documentary, “FUEL” is set to open up in 150 theaters across the U.S. tomorrow. The “FUEL” team will be on hand in New York for the nationwide premiere, which is being hailed by people who have had the opportunity to pre-screen the film as “eye opening,” “insightful,” and “powerful”. The film was directed by Josh Tickell (who is also the star) and produced by Rebecca Harrell.
This is one film I will see, according to this story about the film, it is about one of our “biodiesel people” who take up the fight and talk to people about biodiesel everywhere they go. Another BiodieselNow potential member. Another review may be found here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/18/MVHE19MQA2.DTL
Hurricane-recovery bonds pay for new biodiesel plant in St. Rose, LA
(Brett Duke / The Times-Picayune) A Destrehan student peers out of the window of a bus that is being powered by biodiesel fuel in St. Rose.
With no debate, the State Bond Commission gave unanimous support to the use of $100 million in hurricane-recovery bonds to help finance construction of a biodiesel plant in St. Rose.
The project will be developed by the Renewable Energy Group of Ames, Iowa, in conjunction with Bunge North America and International-Matex Tank terminals, two companies with a presence in the River Parishes. The project will be located on property on IMTT's St. Rose terminal.
REG spokeswoman Alicia Clancy said Thursday that the 60 million-gallon-per-year plant on the IMTT St. Rose site was about 50 percent complete.
I like the idea that this plant will use different feedstocks, and if we can go by the included photo, school buses are going to using biodiesel to a greater and greater extent. May every child in this country know about biodiesel and why it is good for the country.
San Diego, CA: a hotbed of algae-based biodiesel research
General Atomics of San Diego produces a large quantity of algae in a pool of circulating water. The goal for scientists is to separate the oil from the algae and create a clean biofuel. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
To many, algae is little more than pond scum, a nuisance to swimmers and a frustration to boaters.
But to a growing community of scientists and investors in Southern California, there is oil locked in all that slimy stuff, and several dozen companies are racing to try to figure how best to unleash it and produce an affordable biofuel. The companies and several research labs have set up shop in the San Diego area, many of them in an area nicknamed Biotech Beach. There, about 200 biotech companies of all kinds are clustered near La Jolla on the mesa above Torrey Pines State Beach.
The climate is really special in San Diego, I’ll bet algae grows like crazy. It seems the main problem is getting the oil out of the algae, and there are companies working on that problem. An algae farm looks beautiful, but somehow, I don’t think it smells too good. Just a guess.
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