The National Farmers Union in Britain has just taken delivery of a new Peugeot 308 that is being fueled by B30. The biodiesel being used in the Peugeot is produced from locally-grown canola and used cooking oil. Jonathan Scurlock, the NFU chief renewable energy adviser will be using the 308 as he drives around the country on official business. The fuel is being supplied by Harvest Energy and is produced entirely from local sources in England. The company is trying to demonstrate the sustainability of locally-grown crops for biofuel production. While the net energy benefit of canola biodiesel is debatable, it does have some definite advantages such as no sulfur which provide cleaner emissions than petroleum diesel.

[Source: Peugeot]

Farmers in Washington State are experimenting with canola for biodiesel production as a new cash crop to supplement existing diary or vegetable crop income. Conditions in Snohomish County, which boasts cool temperatures, moist sea air and good soils, are proving to be so ideal for canola growing that yields are vastly outpacing European norms. Last year Snohomish County farmers averaged 158 gallons / 598 L of biodiesel per acre of planted canola compared to just 84 gallons / 318 L of biodiesel per acre in Europe.

Snohomish County, looking to power its 325 diesel vehicles and generators from B20 canola biodiesel, put up $30,000 last year to help fund the experiment and will contribute a further $125,000 over the next two years. Canola biodiesel is about 30-40 cents per gallon more expensive than soy biodiesel but rising fuel prices over the northern Summer could see this issue dissolve if diesel is more expensive than both.

Analysis: Washington state has a mandatory B2 policy in place and has already discussed increasing the blend to five percent in the future. Ideally the state would like to produce its entire biodiesel needs from locally grown feedstocks to bolster their local farming economy.

Related:

• Biodiesel startup Planetary Fuels set for lift off
• NEVs may get more speed in Washington State
• Canola biodiesel crops could damage seed crops in Washington state

[Source: Herald Net]

On the 17th January we posed the question "What will the majority of biodiesel be made from by 2010?", and asked you to vote for your favourite answer.

After receiving 172 votes, the results are in and it looks like algae was the big winner with 43 percent of the the votes, soundly beating out plug-in electrics and the other feedstocks listed.

Analysis: With the news that China is ramping up rapeseed (canola) biodiesel production, I think canola could be the winner in 2010 because it will take time for algae to really come on-line. By 2015 though, I think algae could clinch the title.

Be sure to vote in our next poll - Powertrain Technologies

Related:

• Chinese biodiesel industry unfazed by oil price falls
• India closing biofuels plants, Brazil opening them
• Animal fat biodiesel to top half billion gallons by 2012?

Despite the promise of higher crop prices and more jobs, alternative fuel production isn't for every area of the country. In eastern Oregon a businessman and scientist were poking holes in the ethanol balloon at a farm show. Their numbers show a problem with growing enough canola seed and dealing with the byproducts. A plant producing 5 million gallons of biodiesel would create 242,000 pounds of canola meal every day. More than 40,000 cows would have to eat six pounds a day to eliminate the byproduct. The energy balance is also a concern of the scientist, who is a self-described "biofuels skeptic." He suggests looking toward other bioproducts such as biobutanol to help replace jet fuel.

[Source: Dean Brickey / East Oregonian]

Canada is the number one supplier of both crude oil and total petroleum products to the United States. Most of that oil originates in the western province of Alberta, which in several ways is sort of the Texas of Canada. Besides, the oil Alberta is also the spiritual home of cowboys in Canada and also the most politically conservative region in Canada. Unlike Texas, the oil in Alberta doesn't generally gush out of the ground when you poke it with a stick. Most of the oil is locked up in tar sands and is much more expensive to extract than the oil in places like the middle east. However, as crude oil prices have climbed in recent years it has become economically viable. Now the government of Alberta wants to begin preparing for a time beyond petroleum. They are committing C$239 million to developing bio-fuel production, distribution and consumption. This makes a lot of sense for Alberta. The western edge of the province rises up into the Rocky Mountains, but the majority of the land mass is flat as a board prairie much of occupied by wheat and canola fields. Alberta wants to be able to continue supplying energy to Canada and the world even after the oil sands are depleted.

[Source: GreenCarCongress.com]