Biodiesel at Universities

If you're interested in biodiesel use on University campuses, check out the University of Colorado at Boulder's CU Biodiesel site. From their About page:

"In the fall semester of 2002, 5 students from a CU engineering class designed and created a biodiesel processor. With this asset, CU Biodiesel was formed to implement biodiesel at the University. CU Biodiesel worked with campus officials to produce and test biodiesel made from waste cafeteria grease. In March 2003 one campus Buff Bus began running on 100% biodiesel. Later that spring the students of CU overwhelmingly voted on a referenda ballot to fund CU Biodiesel 49 cents per student per semester for four years in order to implement biodiesel on campus and in the surrounding community."

"CU Biodiesel has worked and continues to work with the City of Boulder and the University to switch their fuel of choice to biodiesel. All of the 13 diesel busses in CU's fleet now run on either 100% or 20% biodiesel. The City has made significant advances toward a similar change. In September the first public biodiesel pump in the Rocky Mountain region was opened with the help of CU Biodiesel."

[via a post to PaloAltoBiodiesel]

ChangeThis: "The Answer is Biodiesel"

Seth Godin's ChangeThis.com has a section on biodiesel, which includes a free, 24-page pdf article by Michael Briggs of the UNH Biodiesel Group. The article discusses research the Group has done on Algae Ponds as biodiesel-producers, as well as some hydrogen economy myth-busting and a bunch of raw facts & numbers.

It's an excellent read — download it here.

[via Suhit Andula of WorldIsGreen]

South Africa (followup)

I recently asked if anyone had info about biodiesel in South Africa. Simon Wilson (simon.wilson [at] adelphi-env.com) replied with the following via email:

There's a good deal of interest in biodiesel in SA at the moment, but very few actual users it seems.

Here are a few useful URLS:

• http://www.biodieselsa.co.za/Biodieselsa%20home.htm
• http://www.parallaxonline.net/biofuel.html
• http://www.dme.gov.za/home.asp?menu=main: they have a draft strategy on renewable energy which mentions biodiesel.
• http://www.edg.co.za/
• http://www.reeep.org/
• http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/eng/features/sasol/?show=50327

The City of Cape Town has published a state of the environment report that includes a section on renewable energy in the transport sector.

My interest is in seeing how to get hold of biodiesel here, and if its not available, why on earth is it not?!

Saab BioPower

Saab just announced a new 'BioPower-fuled' car, which runs on ethanol:

"In Sweden, Saab 9-5 BioPower customers will be able to use E85 fuel (85% ethanol/15% gasoline) which costs about 25 per cent less per liter at the pumps. They will also be exempt from projected city congestion and parking charges. In addition, company car drivers will qualify for a 20 per cent reduction in car benefit tax."

[via Treehugger]

Biodiesel in Barcelona

Via my sister comes this photo advertising biodiesel at-the-pump, near the Salvador Dalí museum in Barcelona.

TerraPass

Last week I heard from Adam Stein of TerraPass via email:

"The idea behind TerraPass is simple. TerraPass allows individual consumers to tap into the growing market for carbon emission credits traded by large companies such as DuPont and IBM. These markets are structured in the same way as as the markets for sulfur emissions that were so successful in reducing acid rain."

I promptly read through their entire site — the concept is fascinating. Their FAQ sums it up nicely:

Isn't buying a TerraPass essentially just a donation to preserve the environment?

Let's put that question in another context. Is cleaning up after your dog essentially just a donation? Is picking up your trash in the woods essentially just a donation? Cars make a mess; even if not as visibly as your dog. Clean up after your car.

Does TerraPass physically modify my car?

No. TerraPass is a market mechanism that tips the economic balance in favor of efficiency and renewable energy. This mechanism results in exactly counterbalancing the carbon emissions of your driving, without modifying your car physically.

Trucking fleets?

I received email from a BiodieselBlog reader inquiring about trucking fleets that use biodiesel — the reader is a truck driver and is interested in driving for one of these fleets. Does anybody know of any, or know where we could locate more details about biodiesel fleets?

I posted about this back in April, but unfortunately the NBB's Fleet Report URL is broken.

Some quick Googling revealed a few sites:

• NBB Diesel Users
• NBB Business/Corporate Members
• NBB site search: trucking
• TruckingInfo.com sitesearch: biodiesel

If you have any more info, leave a comment.

Documenting a Biodiesel Business

If you're interested in finding out what goes on behind the scenes at a small-scale biodiesel business, check out Yokayo Biofuels' weblog at LiveJournal. (newsreader users can subscribe to their feed, too). They're based in Ukiah, California, just a bit north of San Francisco, and supply biodiesel products and services to the Northern California region. From their company site:

"Today's fledgling biofuel industry is a long way from being fully sustainable. It is the goal of Yokayo Biofuels to help this industry evolve and expand, ibncreasing general awareness about fuel alternatives and their production. By keeping our business small scale and local we will be able to focus on empowering individuals, farms, and businesses in our community with the information, equipment, products, and services necessary. We will strive to offer the most sustainable products at the best prices possible."

Recently they've posted a number of insightful entries, revealing some of the difficulties in getting a biodiesel business off the ground:

"Now, every load is delayed, or communication is lost and it's not in the right place, or something happens and I end up calling every supplier in the west. It's a broken record. I've gotten good, high quality fuel for a nice long period now, but I'm tired of running out. One answer is more storage, so we can stock up. We'll certainly work on that. It would be different if direct relationships with producers were easier. They used to be. Now they all want to deal with big petroleum companies."

They also discuss some of the finer details of the various vehicles and components they're using:

"This afternoon, we received shipment of 100 custom-made Viton gaskets that are the appropriate size and shape to replace those annoying rubber ones that keep our filter housings sealed at the top. This is only really meaningful to folks who use our National Spencer ("Zee-Line") filters on their fuel storage. But we have a lot of them out there, and sell more all the time. The rubber gaskets have been a pain in the neck because they swell and make it very difficult to unscrew the housing to change the filter."

On top of all this, they're a closely-knit, family-oriented business:

"Austin's going to show up in a little while to perform his first day of work here. 5 hours. It takes me back to when I started work at my dad's CPA firm when I was around Austin's age. I did data entry. Austin will do mostly cleanup and shop maintenance, as well as filling people up. We'll see how it goes. I work with my wife, my dad, and now my brother."

In blogging all they're going through, they're creating a wonderful biodiesel-related resource on the web. Check 'em out!

The Propel Project

The Propel Project Blog is a fantastic new blog about biodiesel, based in Seattle.

A Bit More FUD

... from Philadelphia CityPaper.net:

"One company that disposes of a whole lot of grease is McDonald's, which is looking into recycling cooking oil into biodiesel, according to spokeswoman Julie Pottebaum. 'However,' she said, 'we have no future plans to expand this small test.'"

...

"Before you rush out and pimp your ride into a veggiemobile, know that critics not only wave it off as an unproven fad, but warn it could hike insurance rates, void car manufacturers' warranties and result in inconsistent performance."

"'We don't hold a lot of faith in filling up at the hamburger stand,' says Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum, a pro-diesel advocacy group, citing car manufacturer concerns about low-quality vegetable oil's effect on a vehicle's fuel injectors."

[via GMSV]

News from Berkeley

Just got email from the Berkeley Biofuel Oasis folks with some exciting news — their pump is installed and operating!

"Many of you already know, that the big day is upon us."

This Saturday Nov. 13 from noon- 4pm we'll be celebrating it's arrival! And if everything goes well in the next few days - we'll also be using it then too. Show your member card for priority pumping. We've invited some of the large biodiesel busses down to host people in for hanging out and discussions."

"Thanks to your financial support and a lot of hard work from several key people, we will finally have the pump available for public use here in Berkeley."

"There have been a lot of additonal costs, as always, so brag to your friends about how great you feel to be a founding member bringing biodiesel to Berkeley and make them want to come down this Saturday and become a founding member too."

South Africa?

A BiodieselBlog reader just wrote in:

"I just came across your blog on biodiesel and am hoping you might help me. I'm trying to find out the stats on biodiesel use in South Africa - if it's currently being used, if there are pilot projects for public transportation, plans to use it in farming equipment, and anything else."

Anybody out there have info on this? If so, leave a comment.