Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti P.C. is pleased to announce results for the fourth quarter of 2009 for the Clean Energy Patent Growth Index (CEPGI) by the firm’s Cleantech Group, along with the year end 2009 results.
Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti P.C. is pleased to announce results for the fourth quarter of 2009 for the Clean Energy Patent Growth Index (CEPGI) by the firm’s Cleantech Group, along with the year end 2009 results.
In a landmark announcement the Indian Finance Minister, in his annual Budget speech, put forward the proposal of setting of National Clean Energy Fund which would be constituted through tax levied on coal usage in the country. The quantum of tax would be INR 50 per ton of coal used, which would generate an annual revenue of around $600 million.
The announcement is extremely important and a major step in India’s endeavor to promote renewable energy infrastructure. India is heavily dependent on coal for power generation with 75% of the power generated coming from coal-fired power plants.
That’s one way to help support a fledgling biodiesel business in India, but things are not so simple in the USA, I don’t our government has as much power to tax a business as does the largest democracy, India.
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Local governments in the UK are certainly pro-active when it comes to cracking down on CO2. In 2008, the West Sussex Council in the UK considered leveling £20 fines against drivers who sit in traffic jams with their engines running. There's an environmentally-sound reason to turn off your engine when stopped, even if it makes driving a bit more of a hassle. After all, if you let the engine run for ten seconds without moving, you would use less fuel had you turned the car off and then back on again (at least, if you're talking about the average recent model year vehicle).
No matter what fuel you are using in your vehicle, unless it is a hybrid you are wasting fuel when you let the engine idle, and as a California driver, I have often been stuck in traffic. But a fine for idling?
Since the biodiesel industry is in a struggle for the extension of its $1 per gallon tax credit, I thought I’d spend some time learning more about biodiesel. This week, I read “Biodiesel America,” by Josh Tickell, who also produced the award winning film, “FUEL.” While the book is a tad bit dated (it was published in 2006) the basic information is still good.
Many people perceive biodiesel as a niche fuel, but this is really not correct. Your clothes, food, electronics and toys were all brought to you through a transportation network that runs on diesel. Your children are taken to and from school on buses fueled by diesel. And diesel is highly toxic. According to Harvard University’s Alternative Fuel Vehicle Program, biodiesel emits no sulfur dioxide, 78 percent less life cyle carbon dioxide and as much as 50 percent fewer smog-producing compounds as compared to conventional diesel.
There are some great points brought out in favor of biodiesel, and one of them is that petroleum diesel is very toxic stuff, but just drive behind a semi-truck and the smell will convince you.
Photo from: http://www.extremebiodiesel.com/
ASTM International, a voluntary standards development organization, is considering ballots for changes to a biodiesel specification in response to isolated instances of filter clogging in cold weather, according to the National Biodiesel Board.
Through the ballot, the group will decide if changes need to be made within the specification, D6751. If changes are needed, the group will determine whether they should apply to all biodiesel, or whether the changes should apply to a new separate grade of biodiesel. According to the NBB, the new grade would be intended for use in extremely cold weather.
The ASTM Filter Clogging Work Group and the ASTM Biodiesel Task Force will decide the exact form of the ballot and its limits. The results will likely be presented at the June ASTM meeting.
This is research into cold-weather use of biodiesel that needs to be conducted. Once and for all, this country should be “squared away” on using biodiesel and blends of it in the cold weather we get in the USA, why has it taken so long?
