Category Archives: Biofuel for Transport

US commits $62 million in biofuel research grants

July 12, 2012   Karl   No comments

The US Department of Agriculture and Energy Department have announced funding totaling £62 million as they try and boost the impact of alternative fuels, namely biofuel.

With the US in deep financial trouble, the government has been keen to keep on top its energy security and domestic supply. They have also been moving forward with advancements in biofuel usage for its armed forces, looking to develop biofuels that are able to support current engine and vehicle platforms that are already in service.

In an interview, US Energy Secretary Stephen Chu said the goal of the research investment grants is to continue to drive technological breakthroughs and additional cost reductions in the industry while reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil and supporting American industries and American jobs. He went on to say, “By pursuing new processes and technologies for producing next-generation biofuels, we are working to accelerate innovation in a critical and growing sector that will help to improve U.S. energy security and protect our air and water.”

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Australian drivers get free E-10 fuel to help dispel myths of biofuel

July 04, 2012   Karl   No comments

A fuel retailer in New South Wales, Australia was giving drivers free E-10 (10% bio-ethanol fuel) yesterday as tried to reverse the reluctance many motorists have with using the alternative fuels.

Australian law dictates that fuel retailer must ensure 6 per cent of all petrol sales are ethanol, however motorists have been heading straight for the the regular or premium unleaded pump instead. This has left many fuel retailers at risk of missing their biofuels sales target.

The service station filled about 700 cars during the hour-long promotion, with a one kilometer queue of motorists waiting for their free fill up.

Acting Premier Andrew Stoner praised the use of E10, stating that it was a cheaper alternative for cash strapped motorists and was better for the environment, ”When you think about V8 Supercars using 100 per cent ethanol, I think that serves as a vote of confidence for the product,” he said.

Many motorists are still very skeptical with using ethanol with some motoring organisations claiming that its may cause damage to engines and fuel systems if used too frequently. The Australian Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries website helps drivers of both cars and motorbikes identify which vehicles are suitable for fuels that contain ethanol, fuel retailers openly advertise this to help re-assure drivers.

Many thrill seeking motorcycles state that the drop in performance that E-10 provides is more than enough of a reason to choose regular unleaded. E-10 has a lower octane than normal fuel, causing engines to develop less power.

If you choose to install a kit that enables your car or motorbike to run on bioethanol it’s wise to let your insurance company know. The last think you want its a cancelled policy after claiming on you bennetts bike insurance after dropping your pride and joy.

Using E-10 in small motorbikes or marine equipment that used two stroke engines is not recommended however you should always check with your manufacture.

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Savings available through biofuel vehicle ownership

November 02, 2011   Karl   No comments
ford_focus_bio_ethanol_green_car

Savings available through biofuel vehicle ownership

We are all more than aware that fuel prices are starting to become untenable. A recently survey conducted by MoneySupermarket.com revealed that nearly one million motorists are now prepared to give up driving altogether due to rising fuel prices.

The problems with electric

Major car manufacturers such as Nissan have been quick to develop vehicles which do not rely on fossil fuels. It currently costs the average motorist about £1,870 per year in fuel costs alone to run a normal fossil fuel vehicle such as a Ford Focus. In comparison, it is believed that it would only cost £350 per year to charge up Nissan’s new all electric Leaf model using mains electricity in order to complete the same distance.

However, one of the major problems with such vehicles is the high initial purchase costs which are beyond the reach of the average motorists. The Nissan Leaf costs over £12,000 more to buy from new than a Ford Focus; an additional expenditure which would take almost 8 years to recoup in fuel costs alone before overall savings began to be experienced.

In addition to this they are also very impractical; with Nissan new electric Leaf model only capable of completing 100 miles between charges; with recharges taking multiple hours to complete. This problem is compounded by the lack of recharging stations which are currently in place throughout the country.

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Interjet completes the first Mexian biofuel commercial flight

July 27, 2011   Karl   No comments

Interjet Biofuel flight completed successfully

Mexican airline Interjet have successfully completed a commercial flight partially fuelled by biofue. The flight between Mexico City and Tuxtla Gutierrez on 21 July is the first biofuel powered flight in Latin America.

Using a blend of 27% jatropha biofuel, the Airbus A320 consumed a total of 12,716 litres (3,360USgal) of fuel for its maiden voyage. The biofuel crop was produced using jatropha ugrown in the Chiapas region of Mexico.

Mexico aima to produce 700m litres of biofuel by the year, representing 15% of domestic demand.

 

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Virgin Group are collaboration of biofuels

June 06, 2011   Karl   No comments

Virgin Group are collaboration of biofuels

Airlines in the Virgin Group are collaborating to see if they could develop and share aviation biofuels at their common port of Los Angeles International airport.

The airlines – V Australia, Virgin America and Virgin Atlantic – have significant stage length operations at Los Angeles that would permit them to maximise bio-derived jet fuel deployment at a single, shared location.

“We’re working with the other Virgin airlines – Virgin America and Virgin Atlantic – to look at what we can do in LA,” said David White, the sustainability and climate change manager for Virgin Australia, which includes long-haul affiliate V Australia.

“That’s one synergy which we’re concentrating on because we’re all flying into LA. We’re checking out ‘What can we do there?’”

Collaboration with other airlines or biofuel consortia are also options for Virgin Group, he said.

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German motorists avoid filling with bioethanol

May 24, 2011   Karl   No comments

German motorists avoiding biofuels

The Germans have a famous passion for automobiles, but it has run smack into European Union directives to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. So rather than ask German drivers to give up those highly tuned Mercedes or BMWs, the government is offering them “E10″ — gas mixed with 10 percent ethanol, produced from corn and wheat.

But there are two problems: German car lovers are refusing to buy it and environmentalists say it’s no greener than regular gas.

At a gas station in Berlin, Franziska Muller fills up her Volkswagen Polo on her way home from work. Its shiny, waxed finish mirrors her immaculately put-together business attire. And even though it’s cheaper, the 32-year-old says there’s no way she is going to risk putting the new 10 percent ethanol gas into her car.

“You bet I’m worried about my car — most of all about the motor,” Muller says. “Nobody can guarantee that it won’t get damaged. Of course, it means I pay a bit more for gas, but for now there’s no way I’m touching the stuff.”

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Biofuel Polar Performance Vehicle going for record time to south pole

April 18, 2011   Karl   No comments

Biofuel truck heading for the south pole

The giant information firm Thomas Reuters is sponsoring a team to break the record for fastest time to the South Pole by land. That’s right, a race to the South Pole. On land. In the winter.

The truck that the three man team will be racing is called the Polar Performance Vehicle, and, as Jalopnki pointed out, is apparently based on the same Polar Performance Vehicle platform that the show Top Gear employed to drive to the North Pole. The renewable vehicle is run off an unspecified, but stated low-CO2 biofuel that powers a 320 bhp, 4 liter V6 engine.

The truck is also equipped a solar cell system and a wind-powered generator, so should some components fail, communications power will still be possible. With 44″ wheels, 32 gears, protection bars, a crush-proof passenger cab, and a real-time GPS satellite tracking system, the Polar Performance Vehicle is preparing to take on some harsh

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Volvo’s C30 Electric Generates Heat With Bio-Ethanol

April 05, 2011   Karl   No comments

Volvo C30 EV

Volvo is preparing to launch its C30 Electric vehicle but it has a unique twist. This car uses bio-ethanol to generate heat in the winter to keep passengers toasty warm. It is unusual in that the heater doesn’t draw power from the battery and thus doesn’t affect the driving range of the electric car (EV). The announcement came in conjunction with Volvo’s successful tests to drive the C30 Electric in extreme cold temperatures up to -20 degrees Celsius. In the past, some electric vehicles have struggled in winter conditions with the stress of cold temperatures significantly lowering the driving range of the EV.

Lennart Stegland, Director of Volvo Cars’ Special Vehicles said of the more than 200 tests they have performed on the EV, “We must ensure that the C30 Electric performs as intended when driving, parking and charging in a variety of conditions, from normal to very cold or hot. Northern Sweden is the perfect place to do sub-zero temperature testing.”

Speaking of climates, the C30 Electric has three climate systems. One system cools or warms the battery pack as necessary, and another climate system uses water to cool the electric motor and power electronics. The final climate system supplies passengers with heating or cooling and this system runs on bio-ethanol. The car’s ethanol tank holds up to 14.5 litres of bio-ethanol. It is also possible to operate the heater and air conditioning using electricity from the batteries. In electric mode an immersion heater warms up the coolant in the climate unit.

“The driver can program and control the climate unit to suit the trip. Ethanol is the default mode that is used when the battery capacity is needed for driving extend mobility to its maximum. However, on shorter distances electricity can be used to power the climate system,” concluded Stegland.

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Boeing moves to fast-track jet biofuel certification

March 27, 2011   Karl   No comments

Boeing to test China biofuel

Boeing moves to fast-track jet biofuel certification

As fossil fuel prices continue to soar, Boeing is looking to accelerate the aviation industry’s transition towards alternative biofuels, taking the reins of an effort to simplify certification standards for biofuels.

The aircraft giant yesterday announced it has teamed up with the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) to launch the Sustainable Biomass Consortium (Sustainable Biomass Consortium ), a group that will aim to make it cheaper for airlines and other users of biofuels to develop and adhere to effective standards.

The organisations will work together with environmental groups and governments to “help align regional and regulatory requirements”, Boeing said in a statement, adding that it would also aim to make it easier for biofuel sources to be independently verified as sustainable.

“With increasing environmental, regulatory and social pressures on aviation, having harmonised standards for sustainable biofuel development is crucial,” said Billy Glover, vice president of environmental and aviation policy at Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

“Our industry needs these fuel sources and this consortium will help ensure we have a transparent way to collaborate among certification processes that guide us towards a more sustainable future.”

The move comes as a number of regional biofuel certification schemes are beginning to emerge.

For example, last June the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive issued guidelines on how biofuel certification should be implemented under that act. It called for guarantees that biofuels should not come from forests, wetlands and nature protection areas, while also demanding that biofuels offer significant greenhouse gas savings.

In addition, EPFL’s Energy Centre had already established the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels, which focuses on creating global standards for biofuels production.

The unrest in the Middle East has contributed to an alarming rise in fuel prices, making it more important for already low-margin airlines to buy fuel from other sources. According to the International Air Transport Association, jet fuel prices are up 11 per cent this month compared to last month, and 47 per cent compared to a year ago.

The SBC will begin work next month, and will conduct projects over the next two years in China, Africa, the EU, Latin America, North America and Australasia, Boeing said.

The aircraft company is one of a number of firms in the aviation sector currently conducting biofuel trials, including airlines Virgin Atlantic, Air New Zealand, Quantas and Lufthansa.

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BAFA: Germany consumed 780 million gallons of biodiesel in 2010

March 16, 2011   Karl   No comments
biodiesel pump

Ethiopia gets geared up for biodiesel

Germany’s Federal Office for Economy and Export Control (BAFA) released figures recently on the nation’s total biodiesel sales in 2010. BAFA reports that approximately 2.6 million metric tons (780.5 million gallons) of biodiesel was sold into the German fuel market last year. A majority of that, about 2.3 million tons, was sold for blending into the 32.1 million ton German diesel fuel market, which comes to slightly more than 7 percent.

The German oilseed council UFOP commented on the numbers, stating, “Biodiesel will remain an alternative fuel of great importance in the future … the consumption of diesel will continue to rise due to the constantly higher quantities of goods transported by road.”

The council then said, “Besides, so-called second-generation fuels replacing diesel will not be available for a foreseeable time, UFOP is convinced. So UFOP confirms the necessity that biodiesel should be conceded a future both as pure fuel and as admixture in motor fuel. There is no other way of meeting the climate targets in the transport sector.”

While Germany consumed more than 780 million gallons of biodiesel last year, the U.S. only produced 315 million gallons of biodiesel in 2010, according to preliminary data released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Thanks and Source biodieselmagazine.com

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