Mini Ethanol Refineries Hit the Market

Reuters
Thu May 14, 2009 7:20pm EDT
By ClimateBiz Staff - ClimateBiz Staff

As the debate over ethanol heats up with creation of a federal biofuels working group and a new Renewable Fuel Standard, a Texas company has made it easier for businesses, farms and municipalities to produce their own.

The systems could benefit companies who want to use alternative fuels in their fleets, potentially save money and simplify their supply chains, but face challenges with the limited availability.

Dallas-based Allard Research and Development LLC unveiled the mini refineries capable of producing 100, 200, 500 or 1,000 gallons of ethanol per day, depending on the model. The systems are available in either automated or manual versions.

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FedEx to boost biofuel use to cut costs, emissions

The New York Times Energy & Environment
By MICHAEL BURNHAM, Greenwire
Published: April 29, 2009

FedEx Corp. will attempt to get 30 percent of its fuel from petroleum alternatives by 2030 to slash the shipping giant's air-transportation costs and greenhouse gas emissions, the company's chairman, president and CEO said today.

Biodiesel derived from jatropha, ethanol from switchgrass, and other "second-generation" biofuels produce less emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases than petroleum, CEO Fred Smith said during a U.S. Chamber of Commerce aviation forum. Moreover, such fossil-fuel alternatives do not rely on edible feedstocks and can be grown on marginal land.

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