US goverment refocuses on bio-diesel production.

Making Your Own Biodiesel reported;

The US’s first comprehensive biofuels market development program is taking shape in Washington, thanks to the President’s directive for the department of Agriculture to aggressively accelerate the investment in the production of biofuels.

The program is being formed by the USDA, Department of Energy and the EPA. As biofuel production has slown down recently, many people fear that the US has become complacent in it’s movement to make biodiesel a viable source of energy that will release our dependence on foreign oil. What this joint relationship in the government means is, expedited funding to biofuelbiorefineries to replace the use of fossil fuels in plant operations by installing new biomass energy systems. producers as well as expedited funding to encourage

Bristol public bus powered by used vegetable oil!

The next time you buy fish and chips for tea, the oil they were cooked in could fuel your bus ride home reported the Bristol Evening Post.

The latest addition to First’s bus fleet due to hit the road will be fuelled by biodiesel produced from waste cooking oil.

Branded “The Chipper”, the single decker bus is part of a six-month trial to see if frying oil can be cost effective.

Share oil .com wish them luck and look forward to seeing the result of the trial!

White House support for biofuels

The Financial Times reported; The White House underlined its support for biofuels yesterday, forming a Biofuels Interagency Working Group that will include the Secretaries of Agriculture and Energy, as well as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

The group is to develop America’s first comprehensive biofuels market development program, while also providing financial assistance, such as helping to refinance troubled biofuel factories and guaranteeing loans for new bio-refineries. It also will help build a market for biofuels products by developing policies to increase flexible fuel vehicle production and assist in retail marketing efforts.

Formula 3 racing car powered by choclate?

Formula car racing has long been criticised for poor green credentials but a British team have developed an eco-formula 3 racing car which has a steering wheel made from carrots, a bodywork crafted from potatoes and a soya bean seat.

It uses plant oil-based lubricants to grease its moving parts and boasts a biodiesel engine capable of running on chocolate extracts and vegetable oil.

The car’s bodywork was made by mixing vegetable fibres with resins and it is the first Formula 3 car built from eco-friendly materials. But the ecoF3 is currently ineligible to compete in next season’s championship because the engine’s unusual fuel means it fails to meet regulations.

James Meredith, project manager of the WorldFirst team from Warwick University, in Coventry, West Mids, which designed and built the car, said the car breaks new ground.

He added: “It’s been very exciting working on the project and important for our team to develop a working example of a truly green motor racing car.

Read the full article at the Telegragh online.

FedEx plan use 30% Biofuels by 2030

CEO Fred Smith  said the bio diesel would be derived from jatropha and the ethanol from switchgrass, during remarks at a U.S. Chamber of Commerce aviation forum, as documented in the New York Times according to an article posted at the New York Times Web site.

Smith called it a “30 by 30″ initiative, adding that the benefits to the aforementioned types of biofuel is that they do not rely on edible feed-stocks, and for the most part they can be cultivated on marginal land.

New Hybrid launches

The new Lightening LH4, a hydraulic hybrid vehicle available in 3-wheel and 4-wheel versions by 2011, was launched at the 2009 Denvor Auto Show. The car is competing for a $10 million X Prize for a 100 MPG+ vehicle.

Lightning has removed the troublesome battery pack and has integrated a standard Volkswagen diesel engine with a Rexroth hydraulic system that uses compressed liquid to store energy allowing it to take advantage of bio-diesel.

Obama goes Green

Last week President Obama reaffirmed his commitment to a comprehensive energy plan that lessens the US’s dependence on foreign oil and the announcement of a program to develop the renewable energy projects on the Outer Continental Shelf that produces electricity from wind, wave and ocean currents.

This we hope is a move in the right direction, but legislation changes must make other emerging technologies more desirable for everyday people. For example producing bio-diesel looked very attractive when oil was $150 / barrel but now the price has dropped the government must support the growth with strong tax breaks and grants as the UK government are doing to a degree, but we believe they can do more to kick start this industry.