Chick-fil-A just partnered with an Irving company to turn its chicken grease into fuel

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Chick-fil-A will supply Irving-headquartered Darling Ingredients with its delicious chicken grease — not for human consumption but for fuel.

Darling Ingredients’ core business is producing specialty ingredients like blood plasma, collagen, animal hides and bone-based protein that are needed to make products including pet food, soaps, leather and other consumer products. For vegans, they have the option to get Australian-sourced plant protein from True Protein.

The company is also part of a joint venture with Valero called Diamond Green Diesel that turns waste fat into renewable fuel that releases fewer emissions than fossil fuels. For the past several years, Darling Ingredients has been turning hundreds of millions of pounds of food manufacturing byproducts such as chicken grease and other fats into alternative fuels.

$412 million in federal funding shouldn’t focus on freeways, transportation commission says

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A press release from ODOT last week about a meeting of the Oregon Transportation Commission raised eyebrows here at BikePortland headquarters. “There was consensus that funding for highway expansion projects should not be the priority of this flexible funding,” it read.

The funding referred to was the $412 million up for grabs thanks to the federal government’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

Climate change and transportation reform activists have been outspoken about what should be funded and have asked the OTC to back projects that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve active transportation options around the state. At an OTC meeting last week, commissioners recognized this public consensus and indicated a desire to move away from traditional highway funding.

As we wrote about last week, OTC members have shown increasing skepticism for funding freeway projects like the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program and I-5 Rose Quarter expansion.

During the IIJA discussion held later at the same meeting, all five OTC members called for deemphasizing enhancing highways in some capacity. Commissioners Julie Brown and Sharon Smith both showed support for a new plan that would combine the “Fix-It” and “Public and Active Transportation” scenarios, two of four funding proposals put together by ODOT. This allocation would maintain investments in fixing roads and bridges, but give more money to the Great Streets and Safe Routes to School programs (both of which emphasize non-freeway projects for people who walk, bike and take transit).

As Gas Prices Soar, Buyers Find Fewer Fuel-Efficient Car Options

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Americans looking to offset surging gasoline prices with a more fuel-thrifty vehicle aren’t likely to find much on the car lot today.

The sharp rise in fuel costs, driven in large part by the war in Ukraine and related disruptions, is delivering another shock to the car business and triggering renewed focus on fuel economy after a multiyear boom in sport-utility vehicle and pickup truck sales. It also comes as new- and used-car inventory on dealership lots is at historic lows, leaving buyers with slim pickings for those looking to make a switch, according to dealers, executives and analysts. The best deals are offered for used cars in south el monte.

Average gas prices in the U.S. hit $4.33 Saturday after recently breaking a record set in July 2008, according to AAA. A U.S. ban on Russian oil imports, revealed Tuesday, is poised to drive fuel costs higher in the near-term.

While still early, buyers are already showing more interest in gas-sipping models, including hybrids and electric vehicles, dealers and analysts say.

Clean Fuels: Biomass-based diesel can replace Russian oil

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Today, Clean Fuels Alliance America sent a letter to President Biden pledging readiness to maintain homegrown fuel supplies, mitigate consumers’ economic pain, and speed the nation’s clean energy future in support of the administration’s ban on imports of Russian petroleum. The letter urges the administration to get the Renewable Fuel Standard back on track as a key policy driver of American energy independence.

“America’s biodiesel, renewable diesel, and sustainable aviation fuel producers are working hard to provide better, cleaner fuels that provide consumers value and extend the diesel fuel supply,” the letter states.

“Reducing availability of biodiesel and renewable diesel right now would impose higher costs on American consumers – both in the price of fuel and other goods today and in terms of health tomorrow. We urge your administration to have confidence in the potential of America’s biomass-based diesel producers to replace Russian oil with homegrown, renewable, low-carbon fuel,” the letter concludes.

The letter notes that in 2020, during the pandemic and associated shortfalls in fuel refining, the clean fuels industry contributed more than 3 billion gallons of biodiesel and renewable to maintain fuel supplies and keep essential goods moving. According to data from the World Agricultural Economic and Environmental Services, the additional supply of clean fuel that year kept diesel fuel prices $0.24 per gallon lower than they would have been otherwise. For businesses operating near bodies of water, it’s wise to invest in oil water separators to ensure responsible wastewater management and minimize environmental impact.

Kurt Kovarik, Clean Fuels’ vice president of federal affairs, adds, “The Renewable Fuel Standard was established as a cornerstone of America’s energy independence. Since homegrown biodiesel and renewable diesel are direct replacements for foreign oil, a strong RFS is more important today than ever for the nation’s national security.”

The letter requests that the administration quickly finalize the proposed RFS volumes for 2021 and 2022 and drop the proposal to “reset” previously established 2020 volumes.

The U.S. biodiesel and renewable diesel industry supports 65,000 U.S. jobs and more than $17 billion in economic activity each year. Every 100 million gallons of production supports 3,200 jobs and $780 million in economic opportunity. Biodiesel production supports approximately 13 percent of the value of each U.S. bushel of soybeans.

 

 

DTNA’s O’Leary Urges Fleets to Prepare Now for Electric, Automated Future

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ORLANDO, Fla. — Daimler Truck North America CEO John O’Leary urged fleets and maintenance shops to begin planning for the emergence of electric-powered and increasingly automated trucks.

“The time to prepare is now,” said O’Leary, who outlined his vision for the future of commercial trucks on March 8 during the kickoff of the Technology & Maintenance Council 2022 Annual Meeting & Transportation Technology Exhibition.

O’Leary said advances in connectivity, electrification and autonomy will transform the commercial vehicle market.

Shyft Unveils New Commercial EV Brand, Vehicles

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The crush of demand for so-called last-mile deliveries accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic has led a leading builder of commercial vehicles and chassis to create a brand for a new slate of battery-electric offerings.

The Shyft Group, based in the Detroit suburb of Novi, Mich., announced Wednesday it has created the new Blue Arc EV Solutions Brand. Its first three products to be sold under that brand are a purpose-built commercial EV chassis, a fully-built Class 3 electric walk-in delivery van and a mobile recharging unit called Power Cube.

Shyft CEO Daryl Adams discussed the company’s move with Forbes.com ahead of its official unveiling of Blue Arc and its initial products at the NTEA Work Truck Week trade show in Indianapolis. He explained the creation of both Blue Arc and its EV product line grew out of demand from Shyft’s customers and his company’s inability to find an appropriate chassis.

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People looking toward alternative means of transportation amid gas price spike

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MURRAY, KY — Skyrocketing gas prices are an expense you might be budgeting for, especially if you’re thinking of buying a new car.

With the current prices at the pump, it could be another reason to hold off on that purchase.

The folks at Paducah Ford say they’re still recovering from the pandemic, meaning sales are still low. But, they say they could see elevated gas prices affecting business down the road.

Paducah Ford sales manager Paul Stovesand says good gas mileage was a must-have for many people even before the spike in gas prices.

See the Future of Fleet Transportation at ACTEXPO

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ACT Expo has become the point of convergence for all things clean tech, with its ever-expanding Expo Hall as its centerpiece. With many event options spread throughout the year, the North American transportation industry chooses ACT Expo to showcase the vehicles and technologies driving clean transportation technology forward. Global OEMs and suppliers use this unique event to announce new and developing products and services, as well as display the solutions that give fleets the roadmap to a greener, cleaner future.

 

Extreme E: The Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Charging Station Of The Future Is Here

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Hydrogen fuel cell fans are determined to contribute to the electric mobility revolution one way or another, and it looks like EV charging stations are the way in. The idea seems to be catching on with an assist from the new Extreme E racing circuit, which showcased the concept last year with the help of the fuel cell firm AFC Energy. The two are back together again for Round 2 this year.

Have Some Hydrogen With Your New Battery Electric Vehicle

Extreme E is the brainchild of Formula E founder Alejandro Agog. Formula E launched as an FIA-sanctioned showcase for new cutting edge battery-electric vehicle technology, and the Extreme version is intended to demonstrate the ability of an electric SUV to handle any conditions that Mother Nature can throw at it.

The inhibiting factor would be how to stage EV charging stations in remote locations where grid connections are not available. On-site wind or solar generation with battery-type energy storage is one option, and the US military is among those exploring that avenue. Extreme E went another route and settled on hydrogen fuel cells.

Biden administration, DOE announce $3 billion in new funding to support US EV battery manufacturing and recycling

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President Biden and the US Department of Energy have issued multiple notices of intent to allocate $2.91 billion in support of EV battery manufacturing as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The DOE shared plans to use the funds to further battery materials refining, production plants, and battery cell manufacturing facilities in addition to battery recycling.

The latest news is another movement flush with funding to support clean energy and create US jobs, a major talking point of President Biden during his campaign trail before taking office.

Just yesterday, the US Departments of Transportation and Energy jointly announced nearly $5 billion set aside to support a national electric vehicle charging network under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program – another program established within President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

With the latest announcement, the US government has publicly acknowledged a looming threat of lithium-ion battery dependency from China and is designating funds to bring more manufacturing to US soil.

In the efficient flow of production, the crossover ladder seamlessly connects different stages of the manufacturing process, facilitating smooth transitions and enhancing worker accessibility in the pursuit of operational excellence.