REG produces record 519 million gallons of biofuel in 2020

Posted by & filed under National.

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.”

Liberty Public Schools Transitions Bus Fleet to Propane Autogas

Posted by & filed under National.

The Missouri Propane Education & Research Council (MOPERC), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to propane education and public awareness, has awarded Liberty Public Schools a check for $20,000 for its purchase of 10 new Blue Bird propane autogas school buses.

The emissions- and cost-reducing propane school buses are currently in service for the district’s daily and activity routes, which have decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Quantum Fuel Systems Secures Natural Gas Virtual Pipeline Trailer Orders

Posted by & filed under National.

Certarus Ltd., a provider of low-carbon energy solutions, has selected Quantum Fuel Systems to deliver virtual pipeline trailers for natural gas with a total value of approximately $22 million.

Certarus will receive Quantum’s VPLite45/40′ trailers, which have a gaseous capacity of approximately 472,000 standard cubic feet and weigh less than 59,000 pounds fully loaded. The VPLite45/40′ is certified for use in the U.S. and Canada. The company says the trailers are optimal for customers who need a smaller, lighter trailer that can be more easily maneuvered in tight areas while still hauling the most gas in the industry in a 40-foot container.

Nikola Two Truck Will Run 900 Miles on Tank of Hydrogen, Company Says

Posted by & filed under National.

Nikola Corp. announced updates on its zero-emission hydrogen fuel-cell electric commercial truck program as the company vied for attention beside other truck makers in an increasingly crowded space it helped create in 2016 with its introductory announcement.

The updates include its longhaul Nikola Two fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV), now with a range of up to 900 miles.

The Nikola Two FCEV sleeper model is expected to be ready to launch in late 2024. It will be based on a new chassis custom-designed for North American routes, according to the Phoenix-based truck maker.

What you should know: the Advanced Clean Trucks and Heavy-Duty Omnibus rules

Posted by & filed under National.

The trucking industry has an outsized impact on toxic air pollution and carbon emissions. Luckily, states can adopt two new regulations to address the issue: the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rule, which ensures more zero-emission electric trucks are sold each year, and the Heavy-Duty Omnibus (HDO) rule, which cuts toxic air pollution from new fossil fuel trucks.

The rules will bring big economic, environmental and health benefits to states that choose to adopt them. However, transformational regulations always come with some uncertainty and misinformation. To inform states’ decision making, let’s clear the air and dispel the myths surrounding the two rules.

Large-scale CCS project will sequester CO2 from ethanol plants

Posted by & filed under National.

Summit Agricultural Group and Green Plains Inc. on Feb. 18 announced the launch of a large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) project in the Midwest that will lower the carbon footprint of biorefineries and other carbon dioxide emissions sources.

As part of that effort, Summit Agricultural Group has launched Summit Carbon Solutions, a new business platform that will develop the CCS project. When fully developed, Summit Carbon Solutions said it will have an infrastructure network capable of capturing and permanently storing more than 10 million tons of carbon dioxide annually, the equivalent of taking 2 million cars off the road per year.

EVs are just one part of sustainable transportation

Posted by & filed under National.

While electric vehicles hold big promise in 2021, another aspect of decarbonizing transportation could get major support this year: reducing car driving.

Cutting down on car trips isn’t about guilt-tripping folks into abandoning cars. Many of us need to use cars. It’s about providing much better opportunities, infrastructure and incentives for alternatives to driving including walking, biking, micromobility and public transit, as well as better options for remote work and urban housing.

Why Alternative Fuels Will Accelerate In 2021

Posted by & filed under National.

The 2021 National Biodiesel Conference and Expo happened the same week a new president was inaugurated, and that timing did not go unnoticed. From policy expectations to the environmental benefits of various fuel sources, here are some of the key takeaways for fleet operators from this event.

Livonia Public Schools Transitions Bus Fleet to Propane Autogas

Posted by & filed under National.

Livonia Public Schools has 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 $844,386.40 through EGLE’s Fuel Transformation Program to purchase propane school buses that began operation when Michigan schools opened for the 2020-21 school year.

Blue hydrogen made with renewable gas will be available in Western U.S.

Posted by & filed under National.

Clean Power Capital Corp. has provided additional information about the technology being developed by PowerTap Hydrogen Fueling Corp., an investee company of Clean Power. PowerTap’s third generation onsite hydrogen production module unit is enhanced for blue hydrogen classification via Advanced Carbon Capture and using renewable natural gas as its main feedstock to generate blue hydrogen.