Below are news articles from Biodiesel of Las Vegas and other sources. We want our supporters to be as informed as possible about the latest news dealing with alternative biofuels, from global initatives to the latest U.S. legislation rulings.

February 8, 2012

Experts from the U.S. and Canada today called for increased usage of biodiesel in North America, saying the sustainable transportation fuel protects the continent’s energy security and augments the food supply of the entire world, while providing a positive impact on climate change. The scientists, academics and economic analysts gathered in Orlando for the “Sustainability Symposium on Renewable and Transportation Fuels,” part of the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo, organized by the USDA and the U.S. DOE.

Central to the discussions at the day-long conference was biodiesel’s ability to alleviate dependence on foreign oil, a dependence that threatens national security and is subject to the uncertainty produced by the world’s most politically unstable regions. According to the Economist Magazine, the U.S. paid approximately $125 billion more for oil imports in 2011 than it did in 2010 because of unrest in the Middle East.

The result, argued Energy Victory author Robert Zubrin, is that U.S. foreign policy is largely driven by a thirst for oil in countries that are considered unfriendly to American interests.

“In the early 1970s, we imported less than a third of our oil and the total cost was less than 5 percent of our defense budget,” Zubrin said. “Today, we are 60 percent dependent on imported oil and spend more on imported oil than we spend on national defense. It’s a disaster waiting to happen,” he said.

Other panelists noted that a lack of an effective energy policy also weakens the nation’s economic recovery, calling for increased usage of renewable fuels that provide an important alternative to petroleum and support tens of thousands of domestic jobs.

Biodiesel is one of the more promising biofuels and the nation’s only commercially available advanced biofuel. In 2011, biodiesel production jumped by more than 300 percent, topping 1 billion gallons for the first time in the industry’s history.

"Biofuels—particularly biodiesel—are a shining star within the declining U.S. manufacturing sector and provide significant economic, environmental, and energy security benefits," said John Urbanchuk, a nationally recognized economic analyst.

Central to biodiesel’s appeal is its positive impact on the environment when compared to other fuels. The fuel reduces life-cycle greenhouse gases by as much as 89 percent, lowers particulate matter and reduces smog. Experts are being conservative when they quantify the numerous benefits of biodiesel. The life-cycle analysis used to quantify biodiesel’s emissions relative to petroleum, for instance, is very comprehensive. Nothing is left out, and many indirect emissions are included. Years ago, biofuel critics speculated that they could depict biofuels to be as bad as fossil fuel by adding such indirect emissions to biofuel analysis. Today, science is showing that biodiesel maintains a significant benefit, even when held to a higher standard than conventional fuels.

“Biodiesel is the perfect example of liquid solar energy,” said Kansas State University’s Richard Nelson. “Burning these fuels does not add net carbon to the atmosphere, because we end up burning biomass that is already part of the biosphere’s biogenic carbon cycle.”

Ultimately, biofuels fit well into a comprehensive energy policy, the experts said. They noted that a sustainable and cleaner energy source that boosts American jobs and displaces billions of gallons of petroleum can help guide the nation toward a more sensible energy policy and secure energy future.

"It is urgent that we reduce emissions lest we lose our ability to mitigate climate change as feedbacks amplify climate warming,” said Steven Mulkey with Unity College. “When managed sustainably, biofuels can be an important part of our transition to a low-emissions economy.”

Biodiesel Magazine

January 25, 2012

I toured the Biodiesel of Las Vegas facility today and it was very impressive. It looks like the foundation is set for creating fuel that will deliver national security, energy forever, and lots of jobs (the job foreman told me this plant provided at least 70 jobs). It looks like I won't be able to attend the 2012 National Biodiesel Conference but Don Scott of the National Biodiesel Board scheduled a phone interview for me with Retired Vice Admiral Dennis McGuinn, President of the American Council on Renewable Energy.

In Nevada, Biodiesel of Las Vegas has resurrected its 4 MMgy production facility outside of Las Vegas. The plant, which operated from 2004 through 2008, had closed due to the economic downturn. Today, BLV, a subsidiary of parent company New-Com Inc., has reinvested $65 million in equipment and infrastructure upgrades in order to operate more efficiently and economically heading into 2012, according to Ryan Geurts, marketing specialist for BLV.


The plant has its own rail yard for efficient delivery of inbound and outbound product and the company plans to incrementally increase production capacity to 15 MMgy by the end of next year, Geurts says, adding that the company has already taken pre-sell orders for biodiesel and negotiations with high-profile strategic partners are also in the works.


“We’re getting a lot of inquiries and there’s a lot of excitement even with local consumers,” Geurts says, adding the plant is expected to be in full production by end of the fourth quarter. “We’re not open to the public in that sense, but to see that people are jumping onboard excited about an alternative fuel like that makes us feel good about the market.”

The last picture shows the water treatment system which is able to significantly reduce the amount of water needed for production. There were heat and flash sensing cameras that would trigger a foam and water deluge.

Diesel Power Magazine

December 22, 2011

The EPA reported Thursday that nearly 108 million gallons of Biomass-based Diesel were sold during the month of November, continuing a record year of production. Biodiesel makes up the vast majority of the EPA's Biomass-based Diesel category under the Renewable Fuel Standard program, representing about 95 percent of the volume this year.

Biodiesel production specifically had reached an all-time high 908 million gallons through the end of November, according to annual figures compiled by the EPA. The previous annual record for biodiesel production was 690 million gallons in 2008.

Biodiesel is America's first Advanced Biofuel - a renewable, clean-burning diesel replacement that is creating good-paying jobs, reducing U.S. dependence on foreign petroleum and improving our environment. It is produced in nearly every state in the country and is on pace to support more than 39,000 U.S. jobs in 2011 while replacing roughly 1 billion gallons of petroleum diesel. Made from an increasingly diverse mix of resources such as agricultural oils, recycled cooking oil and animal fats, it is the first and only commercial-scale fuel produced across the U.S. to meet the EPA's definition as an Advanced Biofuel. Biodiesel can be used in existing diesel engines and meets strict specifications of ASTM D6751.

westernfarmpress.com

November 28, 2011

Urges Congress To Help Maintain Momentum by Extending Tax Incentive

WASHINGTON - The U.S. biodiesel industry has set a new record for annual production, according to the latest EPA figures, proving the power that strong domestic energy policy has in creating U.S. jobs and boosting the economy.
The industry has produced more than 802 million gallons of biodiesel in plants from Florida to Iowa to Washington state, the figures show, more than doubling last year's production of about 315 million gallons and breaking the previous record of about 690 million gallons set in 2008. The new record comes as a federal tax incentive for biodiesel was reinstated this year, and as the incentive is in danger of expiring on Dec. 31 without congressional action.

"I can say without question that this tax credit has helped us grow our production and hire new people, and it will play a big role in our growth going forward," said Gabe Neeriemer, president of Patriot Biodiesel in Greensboro, N.C. "It will affect how many people we can hire, how much feedstock and equipment we buy, how many truckers we put to work delivering fuel."

Patriot Biodiesel was forced to temporarily suspend operations when the tax credit expired in 2010. With the incentive restored this year, the plant is not only back online but is expanding production to about 5 million gallons per year and hiring a half dozen new employees.

"This incentive is working, and particularly in this kind of economy when politicians say they're doing everything they can to create jobs, I can't imagine why Congress would allow it to expire," Neeriemer said.

The biodiesel industry's rebound comes after Congress reinstated the fuel's $1-per-gallon tax credit in December 2010. Without the incentive last year, production dropped dramatically as dozens of plants shuttered and thousands of people lost jobs.

This year's increased production will support more than 31,000 jobs - up from fewer than 13,000 last year - while generating at least $3 billion in GDP and $628 million in federal, state and local tax revenues, according to a recent economic study conducted by Cardno-Entrix. In addition to creating jobs and economic activity, biodiesel is reducing U.S. reliance on foreign oil, bolstering economic and national security by diversifying our fuel supply, and reducing tailpipe pollution and greenhouse gases emissions.

"This tax incentive is without a doubt stimulating production of biodiesel and creating jobs. We're clearly seeing that from our members across the country," said Anne Steckel, vice president of federal affairs at the National Biodiesel Board, the trade association representing U.S. biodiesel. "We have a little over a month before it could expire again, and it is past time that Congress step up and pass an extension to keep this industry's momentum going."

Biodiesel is a renewable, clean-burning diesel replacement that can be used in existing diesel engines and meets a strict ASTM fuel specification. Made from an increasingly diverse mix of resources such as agricultural oils, recycled cooking oil and animal fats, it is the first and only commercial-scale fuel used across the U.S. to meet the Environmental Protection Agency's definition as an advanced biofuel. It is produced in nearly every state in the country.

biodiesel.org

October 25, 2011

While operational economics may be difficult for some in the biodiesel industry, others, such as Keystone Biofuels LLC, a 20 MMgy multifeedstock facility in Lower Allen Township, Pa., are finding that favorable market conditions, spurred on by state and federally mandated biodiesel volume requirements coupled with the $1 per-gallon federal biodiesel blender tax credit and sustained Renewable Identification Number prices, are creating ideal opportunities to reinvest in their facilities by expanding staff or making significant plant upgrades.


Keystone President and owner Ben Wooten tells Biodiesel Magazine that plant upgrades were always a focus since the company moved its production facility from Shiremanstown to Lower Allen Township in January. The efficiency upgrades made at the plant, according to Wooten, include a methanol recovery system for recapture of methanol in biodiesel and glycerin for reuse, in addition to switching from water-wash to dry-wash finishing. He adds that the installation of demetholizer equipment will increase production capacity from 20 MMgy to 60 MMgy. While the plant is operating on the new upgraded equipment, Wooten adds that he intends to have the plant operate at half-speed through December to monitor performance before adding 14 new employees in a second shift that will monitor the increase of production volume by early next year.


“When you go through the experience of a new industry, you learn a lot very quickly,” Wooten says, adding that he’s already sold out of product through the end of the year. “With a new plant, we were able to do the things we wanted to have that we couldn’t have in the old plant.”


Wooten says the plant size increased from 15,000 square feet at its old Shiremanstown site to 60,000 square feet in Lower Allen Township. The new plant also features a 26-car rail spur for improved load-in and load-out of product, built-in containment with steam for use during the winter and an additional 1.2 million gallons of biodiesel storage, adding that he managed to finance the upgrades without bank financing.


“That was the biggest challenge,” he says. “Most of the money came through equipment leases and then we sold a small stake in the company to some private investors to raise some capital to finish off what we were doing.”


In Nevada, Biodiesel of Las Vegas has resurrected its 4 MMgy production facility outside of Las Vegas. The plant, which operated from 2004 through 2008, had closed due to the economic downturn. Today, BLV, a subsidiary of parent company New-Com Inc., has reinvested $65 million in equipment and infrastructure upgrades in order to operate more efficiently and economically heading into 2012, according to Ryan Geurts, marketing specialist for BLV.


The plant has its own rail yard for efficient delivery of inbound and outbound product and the company plans to incrementally increase production capacity to 15 MMgy by the end of next year, Geurts says, adding that the company has already taken pre-sell orders for biodiesel and negotiations with high-profile strategic partners are also in the works.


“We’re getting a lot of inquiries and there’s a lot of excitement even with local consumers,” Geurts says, adding the plant is expected to be in full production by end of the fourth quarter. “We’re not open to the public in that sense, but to see that people are jumping onboard excited about an alternative fuel like that makes us feel good about the market.”

Story by Bryan Sims

biodieselmagazine.com