Biodiesel celebrates 10-plus years at Yellowstone National Park
On Sept. 12, the United Soybean Board (USB), in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Central Regional Clean Cities Workshop in the Grand Teton National Park’s Moran Junction in Moran, Wyo., gave recognition to more than 10 successful years of biodiesel use in the U.S. national parks system. The workshop provided a venue whereby those interested could gain more information on the benefits and the challenges associated with a decade’s worth of biodiesel use. Guest panelists featured USB Director Chuck Myers, Yellowstone National Park Environmental Manager Jim Evanoff and Clean Cities Projects Manager Ernie Oakes.

Govt biofuel targets predicted to raise domestic petrol prices by 5c/l
Shell New Zealand says biofuel quotas would substantially increase the cost of petrol. The company says a Government proposal to introduce minimum sales targets for biofuels could push the price of petrol up by 5 cents a litre. The Government has floated a compulsory biofuels target for oil companies of 0.25% of fuel sales from 2008. That target would rise to 2.25% by 2012. Shell says major infrastructure modifications would be needed to meet the proposed biofuel sales requirements. It says the cost of petrol would increase as a result of the need to import biofuels or rely on a small domestic manufacturing base.

Shell opposes biofuel quotas
Oil giant Shell is warning that government biofuel proposals would lead to increases of at least 5 cents per litre on petrol and diesel and result in New Zealanders paying an extra $300 million per annum for their fuel. The government has put out a discussion paper which proposes introducing compulsory biofuel sale quotas for oil companies. These would start at 0.25 per cent of sales in 2008, and rise to 2.25 per cent by 2012.

Memphis biodiesel plant begins production
An idle cotton oil mill in a downtown redevelopment zone in Memphis, Tenn., is now home to a biodiesel producer. Milagro Biofuels of Memphis LLC produced its first biodiesel Sept. 11, according to President Diane Mulloy. The 5 MMgy was expected to start-up in late August, but minor start-up glitches pushed production to this week. Mulloy said test batches have been conducted and samples sent to the U.S. EPA for certification. “I’m hoping that process is quick,” she told BiodieselMagazine.com. “We hope to sell biodiesel by the end of September.”