Artic Cat annouced earlier this month that it has developed a twin-cylinder diesel all-terrain vehicle. This is the first diesel ATV on the market, and they’re going one step further by recommending the use of biodiesel blends. All of their diesel ATV’s will come with a tag that says that up to B20, or 20% biodiesel 80% petroleum diesel, can be used. Another first Artic Cat achieves is that they are the first small diesel engine to prompt the use of B20.

Lombardini is the diesel engine supplier to Artic Cat. Artic Cat tested three 2007 of their ATV’s each equipped with a 700cc diesel engine. The Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute’s Center for Producer-Owned Energy, and the Minnesota Corn Growers Association all helped sponsor the testing of biodiesel.

Source: Biodiesel Magazine

From deseretnews.com:

Better Biodiesel Inc., which has a facility in Utah, said Monday it has acquired Domestic Energy Partners LLC.

Domestic produces biodiesel fuel and develops biodiesel production technology.

Better Biodiesel issued 28.5 million shares of common stock for all the issued and outstanding equity and voting interests of DEP, which became a wholly owned Better Biodiesel subsidiary.

Better Biodiesel produces fuel for sale to distributors and petroleum refiners.

Learn more about the Bluetec technology and how it works with this video then check out the new Mercedes-Benz E320 CDI in Las Vegas.

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From the Mercedes press release:

Mercedes-Benz continues to revolutionize the industry with the clean, quiet, and powerful next-generation diesel and flexible fuel engines, available in select Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

The ML320 CDI SUV and R320 CDI Sports Tourer are the only diesel vehicles in their competitive class. Both offer permanent four-wheel drive, superior utility, ample cargo capacity, and performance — all without compromising fuel economy.

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Ok this story barely has anything to do with diesel at all, but I thought it was funny. (It mentions diesel……I swear!)

OTTAWA, Oct. 16, 2006 (UPI) — Canadian troops on a NATO mission to combat Taliban militants in Afghanistan have resorted to camouflaging their vehicles with marijuana foliage.

The chief of the Canadian defense staff, Gen. Rick Hiller, told reporters in Ottawa there were actual forests of 10-foot-high marijuana plants that were almost impenetrable by heat-seeking technology and that Taliban fighters were using it as cover.

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Portland is taking steps to lead the nation towards cleaner diesel. The first step is at hospitals. Oregon’s four main hospital systems are volutarily cleaning up emissions from heavy duty vehicles. The second step is a switch to B20 in all the residential garbage trucks.

A grant from the Environmental Protection Agency in the sum of $250,000 will help Portland reduce diesel emissions at hospitals. The hospitals effected are Oregon Health and Science University, Legacy Health System, Providence Health System, and Kaiser Hospitals. Though it doesn’t say what the actual things they will be doing is. I can only assume things like retrofitting particulate filters would be stuff on the list. If anyone knows for sure please correct me. The best part is that they don’t just want to change their emissions levels. They will be directing their suppliers, vendors, service providers, and contractors going forward to reduce their emissions as well.

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With the switch to new ultra-low-sulphur diesel those who placed their bets early may soon be set to profit.

Archer Danials Midland is one of the earliest to place their bets and biggest. ADM is planning to build a large production facility that will be able to produce 50 million barrels of biodiesel. This is more than double what the U.S. sold in 2005. The other thing ADM has going for it is the subsidies provided to it by the federal government, and regulations that help it profit so well.

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