NBB: Biodiesel drives fleet operations to be better, cleaner

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In a multitude of ways, the past year has drawn into sharp focus the important interrelationships between public health, the environment, and the economy.  Yet through all the challenges presented by a global pandemic, extreme weather events, and an economic recession, America’s trucking fleets – the vast majority of which are powered by diesel engines – persevered to continue delivering the essential goods and supplies that our nation relies on to keep moving forward.  The past year also demonstrated the need for businesses to adapt quickly to changing conditions, to work smarter with limited resources, to do more to protect the environment and human health, and to not become overly reliant on just one power source. These challenges have become especially pertinent for America’s fleet managers on the front lines of this evolution, and a growing number of those fleets are finding solutions with biodiesel – a renewable, sustainable, low-carbon alternative to diesel fuel – to help them operate better, cleaner, now.

Micro Bird Brings CARB-Certified Propane Bus to Market

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Micro Bird says it is the first company to bring a Type A propane autogas school bus with low nitrogen oxides to market.

The company’s G5 Type A bus equipped with ROUSH CleanTech’s Gen 5 propane fuel system is certified to California Air Resources Board’s optional low nitrogen oxide emissions standard of 0.05 grams per brake horsepower-hour (g/bhp-hr), making it 75% cleaner than federal U.S. emission standards. Type A buses, made of a bus body constructed on a cutaway front-section vehicle, usually carry nine to 36 students.

Calumet to bring on equity investor for renewable diesel project

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Representatives of Calumet Specialty Products Partners L.P. discussed the company’s plan to produce renewable diesel at its existing petroleum refinery in Great Falls, Montana, during a fourth quarter earnings call on March 3.

Calumet initially announced the planned conversion project in February, noting the company expects that its oversized hydrocracker built in 2016 can be reconfigured to process 10,000 to 10,000 barrels per day of renewable feedstock.

EIA: Ethanol production up 29%, stocks down 2%

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U.S. ethanol production rebounded significantly the week ending Feb. 26, reaching 849,000 barrels per day following a substantial downturn the previous week related to disruptions caused by February’s polar vortex. Ethanol stocks fell by nearly 2 percent the week ending Feb. 26, according to data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration on March 3.

Ethanol production for the week ending Feb. 26 was up approximately 29 percent, or 191,000 barrels per day, when compared to the 658,000 barrels per day of production reported for the previous week. When compared to the same week of last year, production was down 230,000 barrels per day.

Livonia Public Schools adds 22 Blue Bird propane buses

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Livonia Public Schools added 22 Blue Bird propane autogas-fueled buses to its fleet with funding received from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).

The district was granted more than $844,000 through EGLE’s Fuel Transformation Program to purchase clean, cost-effective propane school buses that began operation when Michigan schools opened for the 2020-21 school year.

“With our new Blue Bird propane buses, the school district saves money, our students get a safe, quieter bus and our community gets a cleaner environment,” says Rick Martin, fleet garage supervisor for Livonia Public Schools. “We think our Livonia Public Schools parents will be impressed by this big step, and they’ll be interested to know that these propane fuel systems are manufactured right here in Livonia by Roush CleanTech.”

Seawater-splitting system could scale-up renewable hydrogen production

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Saltwater could be used to produce green hydrogen using a system that combines electrochemical water splitting with forward osmosis. The approach could allow up-scaling of hydrogen fuel production using the planet’s predominantly salty natural water sources without pre-treatment or purification.

Using solar energy to electrochemically split water into oxygen and hydrogen, akin to how plants photosynthesise, shows much promise for renewable energy. The hydrogen that’s liberated can then be mixed with carbon dioxide to make hydrogen fuels.

FedEx pledges to be carbon neutral by 2040

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Global logistics giant FedEx on Wednesday announced a goal to be carbon neutral by 2040. The plan includes a $2 billion investment across electric vehicles, clean energy for operations and a new academic center with Yale focused on capturing carbon.

FedEx — which uses over 180,000 vehicles to deliver packages across continents and operates the world’s largest cargo airline — has been implementing sustainability practices for years, but the announcement represents a major acceleration of the company’s commitments. FedEx generates close to $70 billion in annual revenue and has seen its business grow in recent years partly thanks to the boom in global e-commerce.

The fossil fuels used to power the company’s vehicle and airline fleets contribute to 92 percent of FedEx’s carbon footprint, according to its most recent sustainability report. That fuel also accounts for 6 percent of its annual operating budget.

RNG: Drive Clean in 2021 or Drive Clean (Maybe) Later?

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Last week in a television interview, former U.S. Senator and Secretary of State John Kerry, and President Biden’s U.S. special envoy for climate, definitively told CBS News’ Ben Tracy that we have nine years left to avert the worst consequences of the climate crisis. Nine years.

Some who agree wholeheartedly with his timeline advocate for nothing less than the immediate wholesale electrification of every aspect of the transportation sector in order to reduce its global emission impact. The problem? Battery-electric heavy-duty trucks have not reached high enough volumes for mass commercial use.

There is a buzz around electric trucks, and Wall Street has responded to it. But most currently available options are light- and medium-duty, which make them preferably suited for short routes or last-mile delivery.

Carbon Capture Coalition releases policy blueprint

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The Carbon Capture Coalition on Feb. 24 released a national policy blueprint that includes near-term recommendations the group says policymakers should adopt in order to accelerate the deployment and commercialization of carbon capture projects.

The blueprint represents a consensus of the CCC’s more than 80 energy, industrial and technology companies, labor unions, and conservation, environmental, and clean energy organizations. Those groups include coalition participants Air Liquide, Alto Ingredients, Archer Daniels Midland Co., LanzaTech, National Famers Union, NRG Energy, Summit Agricultural Group, White Energy, along with coalition observers Algae Biomass Organization, Biomass Power Association, Growth Energy, and Renewable Fuels Association.

REG produces record 519 million gallons of biofuel in 2020

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Renewable Energy Group Inc. released fourth quarter financial results on Feb. 25, reporting the company produced a record volume of biofuel in 2020. Company officials also detailed adjustments it is making to correct an error related to fuel blending.

“REG’s resilient business model enabled us to deliver strong financial results, with $120 million of net income from continuing operations available to common stockholders, supported by record production, despite the array of externally driven challenges we faced in 2020,” said Cynthia (CJ) Warner, REG president and CEO. “In the face of the pandemic, we were able to adjust operations to ensure safety while fulfilling customer demand for our essential transportation fuels. We used our flexible feedstock approach to sustain margins and profitability even as the pandemic dramatically impacted feedstock supply and pricing. The adjusted EBITDA of nearly $200 million exemplifies the soundness of our strategy and underscores our belief that REG can sustainably deliver earnings over the long term.”