I’m glad to see those sunflowers are finally going to start pulling their own weight around this world. They’ve been getting off light till now.

Researchers from the University of New Hampshire are growing five varieties of sunflowers to see which is best for biodiesel production. They are testing different varieties of sunflowers that grow to different sizes and dry at different rates after dying off. Then the seeds can be harvested and turned into sunseed oil, which will be cycled through a mobile biodiesel manufacturing station.

Sunflowers provide more biodiesel potential in the Northeast than soybeans. The idea is to create a viable agriculture program that allows farmers to produce their own fuel for tractors and other farm equipment. Researchers are hoping to produce 130 gallons of biodiesel per acre of sunflowers. If successful, farmers could also use the oil to heat their homes.

Source: Union Leader

Say Hello to another diesel we’ll never see in the States.

The British brand’s Defender gets a face-lift that gives the rugged SUV a more modern interior. The Defender also gets a new diesel engine supplied by parent Ford Motor. The 122hp, 2.4-liter common-rail diesel is mated to a six-speed transmission, which has a wider spread of gear ratios to help off- and on-road driving. The iconic SUV’s boxy exterior remains unchanged apart from a minor redesign of the hood to meet EU pedestrian protection rules.

Could this be the first economical supercar? I’ll take two please.

Lamborghini could be on the verge of a revolutionary supercar step. The Italian firm is testing a diesel Gallardo, with power coming from the 5.0-litre 309bhp V10 VW engine. According to our sources, Lamborghini engineers are happy with the performance, especially the staggering 553lb ft of torque, but the problem lies with the power delivery, in part due to the narrow rev-range characteristics of a diesel engine.

Source: autocar.co.uk

Owensboro Grain Co. is building a $22 million biodiesel production plant in Owensboro, KY. This new biodiesel plant will have the capacity to produce 50 million gallons of biodiesel a year and should begin production in June 07.

According to The National Biodiesel Board, by 2015 we should be using 650 million gallons of biodiesel. Diesel vehicles on the road is also expected to triple by 2015. Currently the U.S. uses 75 million gallons which is up greaty from the 500,000 gallons we used in 1999. I can easily see this happening. Alot of the problem is still an awareness issue. If you would have asked me 7-8 months ago, before I starrted researching my Jetta, I couldn’t have told you one thing about biodiesel.

There are 65 biodiesel plants in the U.S. that has the ability to produce up to 395 million gallons annually. Eight of those plants are expanding and 50 more are set to be built, but Owensboro Grain Co.’s will be one of the largest currently.

They already have customers wating too. Daviess County Public Schools is looking forward to switching. With 120+ buses they use around 3250 gallons of diesel a month. The only thing stopping them right now is a supply problem. This is great news for the children seeing as how the biodiesel fuel will put out less harmful emissions.

Blue Ridge Biofuels is now available in Arden, their second location. Their first location was in Asheville. Both stations sell B20, which is 80% regular diesel and 20% biodiesel. The Asheville location also sells B99, which is 99.9% biodiesel and .1% regular diesel.

So far the addition of B20 in Arden has had a very warm reception with 3000 gallons bought in less than a month, and now at a lower price the second load should go faster so if you’re in the area get it fast.

Any diesel vehicle can run on biodiesel without any conversions or modifications, according to Bill Eaker, environmental services manager at the Land-of-Sky Regional Council.

As the coordinator for the Clean Vehicles Coalition and the Regional Clean Air Campaign, Eaker’s job is to promote the use of all alternative fuels and clean vehicle technologies in Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania counties.

Even with all its environmental benefits, biofuel is competitively priced.

“The first load was priced real high, but since then the bottom fell out of the price situation,” Austin said. “Just (last) week we got another load and the price has come down considerably.”

There shold be five more biodiesel locations coming soon, but 4 of the locations are undisclosed so far.

The Gas Up, sells B99 and B20
405 Haywood Road
West Asheville.

The Kounty Line BP, sells B20
5521 Hendersonville Road
Arden

Source: citizen-times.com