Sirona Fuels

Oil companies trying to block California clean air laws

OAKLAND, Calif. - Texas-based oil giants Valero and Tesoro, among the biggest polluters in the nation, are the main backers of Proposition 23, which would suspend California's clean air laws. People's World, 08/17/2010

Biodiesel Cleans Up the Oil It's Trying to Replace

Effects of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico will last for years to come but biodisel producers are beginning an effort to encourage use of methyl esters, the chemical yielded in production of biodiesel that can be turned into a bio-based solvent considered a shoreline washing agent, to clean up the oiled shorelines. Hoosier Ag Today, 08/12/2010

Senator Kerry debuts second energy bill

Senator John Kerry is to have another crack at introducing comprehensive energy legislation capable of curbing carbon emissions, following the death of his controversial climate bill last month. This time, however, the bill will make use of incentives rather than punishments. BusinessGreen.com, 08/10/2010

World Bank reverses: “The effect of biofuels on food prices has not been as large as originally thought.”

In Washington, a newly released report from the Development Prospects Group at the World Bank, “Placing the 2006/08 Commodity Price Boom into Perspective”, concludes that “…the effect of biofuels on food prices has not been as large as originally thought, but that the use of commodities by financial investors (the so-called “financialization of commodities”) may have been partly responsible for the 2007/08 spike.” Biofuels Digest, 08/02/2010

UN agency highlights potential of jatropha plant as energy source for the poor

22 July 2010 – Jatropha, a wild plant that grows well in dry areas on degraded lands and can be processed into biofuel, has potential as a low-cost energy source for poor farmers, according to a new United Nations report, which adds that further research is still needed on this crop. UN News Center, 07/22/2010

U.S. Government Mandates 800M Gallons Biodiesel by Next Year

Keeping in line with the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revealed that it will need 800 million gallons of biodiesel in the United States domestic market in 2011. Daily Tech, 07/20/2010

Marine Corps initiates use of Pacific Biodiesel

Pacific Biodiesel’s “cleaner, safer, locally produced premium biodiesel” is now being used in tactical vehicles on Marine Corps Base Hawai‘i (MCBH). Maui Weekly, 07/15/2010

Lloyd’s of London Sounds Peak Oil Alarm

Lloyd’s of London, the insurance market that is one of Britain’s most respected financial institutions, co-authored a report that warned businesses of the dire consequences they could face if they are unprepared for peak oil, reported the UK Guardian on Sunday. HeadingOil.com, 07/14/2010

PG&E Joins Opposition to Proposition 23

Utility Works to Support Thoughtful and Balanced Implementation of Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 PR Newswire, 07/06/2010

Gen. Clark says renewable energy the ‘peace' fuel of the future

As a four-star general who served as NATO Supreme Allied Commander from 1997 to 2000, Gen. Wesley Clark has been in a unique position to see how vital energy independence is. “Is there any doubt about what America's dependence on foreign oil has meant?” said Clark at the 2010 Renewable Energy Action Summit held in Bismarck, N.D. Minnesota Farm Guide, 07/01/2010

Grassley Tries Again for Biodiesel Extension

Senate Ag Committee member Chuck Grassley of Iowa is once again pressing for an extension of the biodiesel tax credit, this time filing an amendment on the small business bill the Senate is debating. Housier Ag Today, 06/30/2010

Christmas tree from Arizona to Washington on biodiesel

The U.S. Capitol Christmas tree is being cut in Arizona's White Mountains, transported to Oro Valley and several communities across the state, then hauled to Washington, all on a truck fueled by biodiesel. Explorer News, 11/04/2009

Report Finds Oil Subsidies Higher Than Ethanol

A new report from the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) finds that federal subsidies for fossil fuels are twice that of renewables. domesticfuel.com, 09/18/2009

GM will have first factory-certified B20 diesels vehicles next spring

One of several interesting little surprises to come out of this week's GM product technology showcase was the upgraded 6.6-liter Duramax V8. Unfortunately, the 4.5-liter diesel developed for the light duty applications remains on the shelf for now, but the big diesel is getting a significant revamp in 2010. Auto Green Blog, 08/13/2009

Camelina-jatropha biofuel powers hydroplane test

Another round of biofuel testing was accomplished in a Boeing U-787 hydroplane in demonstration test runs conducted at the Chevrolet Cup, part of Seattle’s Seafair held July 31 through Aug. 2. Biodiesel Magazine, 08/06/2009

Biofuels 'done right' can curb greenhouse gas emissions and provide other benefits

Biofuels derived from renewable sources can be produced in large quantities and address many problems related to fossil fuels, including greenhouse gas emissions, but only if they are made from certain sources, according to a new article by a team of scientists and policy experts that included several Princeton researchers. Princeton University, 07/16/2009

Haitians seek remedies for environmental ruin

Much of Haiti is an environmental disaster area, its mountains stripped of trees, its soil easily eroded by heavy rains that produce deadly floods and mudslides. Activists and entrepreneurs are coming up with ideas to reverse that damage. Southern California Public Radio, 07/15/2009

President Obama Issues Presidential Directive to USDA to Expand Access to Biofuels; USDA, EPA and DOE to Form Biofuels Interagency Working Group

President Obama issued a presidential directive May 5 to Secretary Tom Vilsack to aggressively accelerate the investment in and production of biofuels. BioFuels Journal, 05/05/2009

Warranties Against Biodiesel Use Might Be Invalid

How much biodiesel can you run in your diesel-powered vehicle? Well, some manufacturers warn that if you use more than a 5 percent blend, you’ll void your warranty. John Davis, domesticfuel.com, 03/30/2009

Propel Launches California Alt-Fuel Stations

California’s stricter air emission standards just got a nod from a friend in the White House, but are California residents clamoring for more stations where they can pump biofuels into their cars? Katie Fehrenbacher, earth2tech.com/, 03/27/2009

Major Cities Nationwide Increasingly Turn to Biodiesel as Renewable Energy Source

More cities around the U.S. are turning to biodiesel as a renewable energy solution. NBB put the spotlight on the largest city to use B20 fleet-wide—San Francisco – last month when the city hosted the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo. Here are just a few of the initiatives announced recently. NBB Biodiesel Bulletin, 03/24/2009

Alternative Fuels Viable Option for Reducing Container Ports Pollution - Study

The switch to clean alternative fuels is gaining momentum at U.S. and international container shipping ports according to a new research study, "Container Ports and Air Pollution," published by Energy Futures, Inc. Reliance on diesel fuel for goods movement has contributed to a reputation for container ports being among the world's biggest sources of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Now, progress is being made toward reducing harmful emissions. The study found that natural gas is currently the leading alternative fuel for goods movement at U.S. container ports, while hybrid electric vehicles are gaining popularity in Asia. NGV Global, Wednesday, 25 February 2009, 03/20/2009

I-5 Could Become First Alternative Fuel Corridor in U.S.

Imagine being able to drive from Vancouver, B.C., to Baja, California, without using gasoline. That’s what West-coast Governers are contemplating with a new plan to build a network of alternative-fuel stations along the I-5 corridor. Gas 2.0, Clayton B. Cornel, 03/18/2009

Sirona Fuels Joins Biodiesel Business

San Francisco-based Sirona Fuels has joined the biodiesel business. During an announcement, fittingly enough, at the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo last week in the Golden Gate city, company officials said they bought Blue Sky Biofuels, giving them a 15 million gallon a year refinery using recycled cooking oil. Domestic Fuel, John Davis, 02/09/2009

Sirona Fuels Enters Biofuels Market

Biofuels startups are a dime a dozen these days, as entrepreneurs backed by venture capitalists race to commercialize new processing technologies for making alternative fuels that are cost-competitive with oil-based rivals. But Sirona Fuels, a new San Francisco startup that officially entered the biodiesel marketplace Monday, aims to expand with a different business model: brokering long-term, fixed-price deals for collecting cooking oil and oil-producing plants it refines into fuel. Red Herring, Justin Moresco, 02/03/2009

Blue Skies for Biodiesel Firm Sirona

OAKLAND — A biofuel refinery here is jumping out of the frying pan and into the forest, with new owners and a new source of raw material for its alternative fuels. Contra Costa Times, Janis Mara, 02/03/2009

Sirona Fuels Acquires California's Blue Sky Biofuels

In California, Sirona Fuels acquired Oakland’s Blue Sky Biofuels with its 15 Mgy permit for waste vegetable oil-based biodiesel, and said that the new company will expand based on new sources of WVO, plus a jatropha oil venture that will initially focus on Haiti and later expand to India and other countries. Jim Lane, Biofuels Digest, 02/02/2009

Biofuel Maker to Switch From Deep-Fat Fryers to Jatropha

Sirona Fuels claims it can make cheap biodiesel with fixed-price agreements for jatropha with farmers in Haiti, India and other emerging nations. Greentech Media, Michael Kanellos, 02/02/2009

Jatropha – a lowly weed, or the future of biofuel?

The main reason for the increased attention it is drawing is that compared to other fuel plants like switch grass and algae, jatropha contains more oil….[and] jatropha is not a food crop; so planting it for fuel will not spark food shortages or drive up food prices. Popular Mechanics, 01/22/2009

PA.’s 2% biodiesel mandate to take effect

Pennsylvania is on track to become the fourth state in which each gallon of diesel sold contains a renewable fuel that comes from sources such as animal fats or plant oils, officials said Thursday. Forbes, 01/16/2009