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Fueling Action Drives Grassroots Support for Biodiesel
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One thing is for certain. Biodiesel
supporters know how to make their voices heard. NBB's original
grassroots efforts were centered on generating public comments to the EPA
about RFS2. The result was over 8,000 comments!
Since
last fall the grassroots effort rallied contacts in key states to support
the push to extend the biodiesel tax credit. Program accomplishments
include more than 125 earned media placements, many in national and top 100
markets, successful site visits, one-on-one conversations with President
Obama and an untold number of calls and communications to elected
leaders.
Last
month NBB launched Fueling Action, a massive expansion of the trade
association's already successful grassroots initiative. All members
of the NBB staff redirected their efforts to engage NBB members and unleash
the industry's most dramatic grassroots efforts to date. The
expansion built on the strength of the biodiesel industry - its many
stakeholders and supporters.
By
definition, grassroots action relies on individual voices joining together
to make an impact. Your voice matters. Please contact
your elected leaders in D.C. today and urge them to immediately finalize
the biodiesel tax credit.
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METRO Biofuels Joins Upper East Side Coalition to Promote
Bioheat
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METRO
Biofuels announced that it was joining an Upper East Side coalition in an
effort to improve the neighborhood’s air quality through wider use of
bioheat in heating oil buildings and other green initiatives. METRO, which
is the largest independent marketer of bioheat and biodiesel in the New
York Metropolitan Area, pledged to work with community leaders to promote
the use of bioheat.
The
coalition, led by Council Member Jessica Lappin who represents parts of the
Upper East Side, was formed in response to a recent New York City
Department of Health air quality survey that listed the neighborhood as
having among the City’s worst air quality.
Gene V.
Pullo, an Upper East Side resident and the President of METRO Biofuels
said, “METRO has already helped many of our existing customers make the
switch to bioheat and we continue to attract new customers who want to
green their buildings.”
One of
METRO’s latest bioheat conversions is a 189-unit pre-war co-op that will be
switching to a B2 blend. By switching to the cleaner fuel, the building
will enable the Upper East Side community and the City of New York:
•
displace 1,500 gallons of oil annually
• eliminate 28,000 pounds of carbon annually
• reduce air pollutants like sulfur and particulate matter
“We are
very excited to take this important step in greening our building with
METRO’s bioheat and doing our part to improve the air quality in our
community,” said Paul Miller, President of the Co-op Board at 308 E79th
Street. “Our building is typical of many other buildings on the Upper East
Side and throughout the City and we hope others will follow suit.”
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Biodiesel Delivers Sweet Treats
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The Web
site for The Essential Baking
Company in Seattle says it all: “We’re fussy. Fussy about taste,
the texture of our bread, the flakiness of our pastry, the richness of our
desserts, and preserving the time-honored techniques of baking. And don’t
even get us started about the importance of the pureness of what we put
into our bodies or our impact on the environment.”
That
commitment to the environment is fulfilled in part by using 99 percent
biodiesel in its delivery fleet of nine Dodge Sprinters and three Ford
F-350 pickups.
Steve
Cavanaugh, the company’s distribution manager, says switching to a
biodiesel delivery fleet in 2005 stemmed primarily from the company's
socially responsible and ecologically friendly philosophies.
He
added that the drivers love it, especially the pleasant smell when they
start them up on the loading dock.
“I was
a delivery driver for many years myself, and I know what it’s like. Doing
something good along the way, like using biodiesel, makes the feeling about
doing your job a lot better,” Cavanaugh said. He says the vehicles run
great on the biodiesel, with comparable mileage and performance. The
company has used a variety of blends and types of biodiesel over the years,
including biodiesel made from canola oil…a local Washington resource.
But
Seattle isn’t the only place to get sweet treats delivered by biodiesel.
The commercial baking company, Cake & Shake, is launching upscale
cupcake and milk shake carts in New York City. The fanciful carts will be
powered by solar panels and biodiesel fuel, and will soon sell their
all-organic wares in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and in
Washington Square Park.
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NBF Benefits From Cognis' Donation of Quality Testing Service
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The
National Biodiesel Foundation's 2nd Annual Silent Auction raised more than
$6 thousand, benefiting the Foundation's mission of outreach, education,
research and demonstration activities for the advancement of biodiesel.
Cognis
Corporation, through its Quality Testing Analysis business, donated the
auction's grand prize of two months of QTA service for biodiesel analysis,
a $10,000 value. High Plains Bioenergy, a subsidiary of Seaboard Foods, was
the winning bidder in the auction, and will use the QTA System at their
biodiesel production facility in Guyman, Okla. The plant recently received
BQ-9000 Producer status from the National Biodiesel Accreditation
Commission, and the QTA system will be used as part of their quality
systems.
Funds
raised by the 2010 Silent Auction will support Foundation goals and
activities for the coming year, such as National Biodiesel Board projects
including Sustainability Awareness and Analysis, Feedstock Development, and
Infrastructure Development. It also supports Foundation grant writing.
The NBF was organized in 1994 to
support and promote outreach, education, science and demonstration
activities for the advancement of biodiesel and its co-products.
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Biodiesel, Alt Fuels Road Show Continues Across the Nation
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Biodiesel,
propane, natural gas and ethanol have joined forces under a Department of
Energy grant to help educate fleets, petroleum marketers, auto dealers,
policy makers and others on using alternative fuel. The National Biodiesel
Foundation is one of the partners in the recently formed Alternative Fuel
Alliance. The group has hosted two day-long educational workshops, with
four workshops left nationwide this year.
They
are scheduled for:
May 20, 2010 Chantilly, VA
June 24, 2010 Hoover, AL
July 22, 2010 Arizona
September 9, 2010 Denver, CO
The
organization is also providing resources and hosting trainings for Clean
Cities Coordinators. The DOE Clean Cities Program network includes 87
active coalitions covering 80 percent of the U.S. population, with a
mission to reduce petroleum consumption. For more on the program and the
workshops, visit www.altfuelsalliance.org.
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NBB Hosts Biodiesel Focused Events in New York, Pennsylvania
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The
National Biodiesel Board in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of
Agriculture hosted a Biodiesel Development Conference this April in
Harrisburg.
The
conference was designed to provide an overview of the Pennsylvania biofuels
industry, and highlighted the importance of Pennsylvania’s renewable energy
initiatives, the emerging biodiesel mandate in the state and the
opportunities the mandate creates for industries and consumers.
Pennsylvania's mandate will create an estimated 32 million gallons of
biodiesel use annually.
Participants
at the conference heard about a wide variety of topics including state
biofuel development, legislation, regulations, enforcement, and fuel
quality and ended with a question and answer session. Presenters included
Michael Devine, NBB, Michael Rader from the Pennsylvania Department of
Agriculture, and Ben Wootton, also with the Department of Agriculture. Also
in attendance was the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Secretary
Russell C. Redding.
Another
opportunity to learn about biodiesel use is the upcoming New York Bioheat™ Conference
May 11th that is being held at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. The
cost of the event is $99 per person. It is being sponsored by the National
Biodiesel Board, Sprague Energy, Ultra Green Energy, Metro Terminals,
NYOHA, OHILI, FMANJ, and ICPA. Hear from the leaders in the Bioheat
industry including NBB, National Oilheat Research Alliance, Brookhaven
National Laboratories and see why the future is now for Bioheat.
PLEASE
REGISTER NOW BY Email: nyoilheating@nyc.rr.com
NY Oil Heating Association
John Maniscalco, (212)695-1380
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Biodiesel Magazine: Industry Coverage You Can Count On
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Biodiesel
Magazine
is a monthly trade journal dedicated to objective, independent coverage of
biodiesel news, events and information relevant to the global industry.
With editorial focus on U.S. and international methyl ester manufacturing,
trade, distribution and markets, Biodiesel
Magazine also provides valuable insight into feedstock and
market share competition from the non-ester renewable diesel sector. Since
2004, Biodiesel
Magazine has helped establish an identity for the diverse
industry it serves. Every monthly issue of Biodiesel Magazine offers
timely, pointed analysis of important issues facing biodiesel producers
with staff-written feature articles, contribution pieces from industry
experts, pertinent biodiesel industry news, business briefings, editorials,
columns, a four-page section from the National Biodiesel Board, and more.
For
those in the fast-paced world of biodiesel who require more immediate
information than a monthly print journal can offer, Biodiesel Magazine's
online counterpart, BiodieselMagazine.com, along with its weekly
e-newsletter, Biodiesel
Week, are uniquely positioned to satisfy demand for
fast-breaking biodiesel news, developments and information. Additionally, Biodiesel Magazine's
weekly F.A.M.E. Forum blog, which is posted on BiodieselMagazine.com and
electronically distributed in Biodiesel
Week, offers interesting and well-read perspectives on some of
the most pressing issues the biodiesel industry faces today.
Visit the magazine online at www.BiodieselMagazine.com.
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RFS2 Trainings a Success
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NBB
wrapped up its RFS2 Training sessions in March with three webinars and a
series of on location sessions in Des Moines, Houston, Los Angeles, New
York, and Atlanta. Richard Nelson, Larry Schafer and Jordan Thaeler put in
countless hours and thousands of miles of travel that included being in Los
Angeles, New York and Atlanta over a four day period. This dedicated effort
to educate membership on the RFS2 reached nearly 400 people and 75% of
production capacity between the webinars and on location events.
Attendees
heard from NBB Technical and regulatory staff, engineering experts and
representatives from the EPA on important RFS2 issues including: CDX
registration and updates, EMTS overview, third party engineering review
overview, recordkeeping and reporting requirements, and general question
and answer.
Members
who attended had very positive feedback with the effort NBB put into the
training sessions, and the depth of information provided to them at no
cost. Members are also able to view the webinars, and the on location
training session from Des Moines on the NBB members Only Website under the
Members Media Center.
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