Biodiesel Newsletter 2: June 2006
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- Biodiesel in Australia: Still Just At The Beginning
- “Fleet” Ideas
- Just for Vehicles? Think Again
- “Earth Day” To Be Launchpad For Raising Biodiesel Awareness
- Recent interesting headlines
Biodiesel in Australia: Still Just At The Beginning
In 2005, Australia had the capacity to produce 15 million litres of biodiesel per year, or the equivalent of about 0.77 of a litre per person, according to the Commonwealth government’s biofuels task force. Now, compare this to Europe, where world leader Germany alone was estimated to have produced 2.1 billion litres that same year, or more than 26 litres per person. Even second place France was estimated to have produced 6.5 litres per person while the EU average, admittedly pulled up by outlier Germany, was estimated to have produced more than nine litres of biodiesel per person in 2005. Clearly, Europe is a leader and Australia is a follower. How fast will Australia follow?
To read more, see:
- http://www.dpmc.gov.au/biofuels/final_report.cfm
- http://go.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=reutersEdgeNews&storyID=1153853
“Fleet” Ideas
Given that service stations selling biodiesel are still small in number, some downstream biodiesel ventures are focusing on serving dedicated vehicle “fleets”. While American rockers like Willie Nelson insists on using biodiesel to power his tour bus, the idea is now spreading to other uses as well. For instance, some American school districts are considering powering school buses with biodiesel and in at least two US cities (Portland, Oregon, and Maui, Hawaii), rental car outfits offer biodiesel-powered rentals.
To read more, see:
- http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/middlepeninsula/dp-03649sy0apr14,0,1676593.story?coll=dp-news-local-mp
- http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/local/states/north_carolina/counties/cabarrus/14330539.htm
- http://www.mauinews.com/story.aspx?id=18744
- http://www.mailtribune.com/archive/2006/0412/biz/stories/bio.cars.htm
- http://www.bio-beetle.com/biodieselecorentalcarnews.htm
Just for Vehicles? Think Again
Australian company Environmental Energy Australia is planning to build an electricity power station that will burn biodiesel to meet peak demand. “Peaking” power plants are only needed a few hundred hours per year, usually in summer when air conditioners are running. Coal-fired capacity has a hard time meeting such ramped up demand on short notice. Gas generally does better, but those plants are largely tied up meeting base load demand. So, it’s biodiesel to the rescue. Environmental Energy Australia says it’s aiming to have its Mannum, South Australia up and running by the end of this year.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/australia/sa/summer/200602/s1575846.htm
“Earth Day” To Be Launchpad For Raising Biodiesel Awareness
Organizers around the world are gearing up to use this year’s April 22 Earth Day celebrations as a springboard for raising awareness of biodiesel. In Tokyo, Earth Day event organizers will use biodiesel power lighting and audio-visual devices used during celebrations in the city’s Yoyogi Park. This year’s Earth Day events follow events held March 18 on Biodiesel Day, the annual event marking the birthday of Rudolph Diesel.
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/science/20060411TDY14003.htm
Recent interesting headlines
Former World #1 Spy Says Biodiesel’s Time Has Come
Indonesia to start producing biodiesel fuel next year http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=191777 http://www.antara.co.id/en/seenws/?id=11320
Malaysia Planning to Rachet Up Biodiesel Production to 500,000 tonnes a year
Dominican Republic to Grow Crops for Biodiesel
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