BrevardBioDiesel Blog

FloridaToday points out the use of biodiesel by many agencies in Brevard County. Included are:

• City of Titusville: 105 fleet vehicles
• City of Cocoa: fleet ($12,000 per year fuel savings, 80 vehicles)
• City of Palm Bay
• Brevard Public Schools
• City of Melbourne: Pilot testing approved
• City of Rockledge: Testing in 2 vehicles
• Brevard County Solid Waste Division ($60,000 per year fuel savings)

The article reports that 500,000 gallons of biodiesel are used in Florida each month.

Solazyme, a synthetic biology company, has announced that their algal derived biodiesel has passed (ASTM) D-975 testing. Their fuel, called SoladieselRD(tm), has also been road-tested at B100 levels in a 2005 Jeep Liberty CRD. From their press release:

Solazyme implements a unique microbial fermentation process that allows algae to produce oil in massive vessels quickly, efficiently and without sunlight. The process can utilize many forms of non-food feedstocks, including waste glycerol and many cellulosic materials including wood chips, corn stover and switchgrass.

The ASTM organization has approved new and updated standards for biodiesel that should widen the reach of this alternative fuel.

The conventional petro-diesel specification (ASTM D975) has been updated to support up to 5% biodiesel blend. This means many regular diesel pumps across the nation could start carry up to B5.

A new specification covering B6-B20 should allow automakers to more easily approve use of these blends in their cars and trucks. The press release states "Several more companies are expected to raise their approvals to B20 now that the final ASTM specifications for B6-B20 blends have been approved."

Still ahead of world record pace, the biodiesel powered boat "Earthrace" is over 18,000 nautical miles along its route back to Sagunto (Spain) from where this, their second attempt, was initiated on 27 April. A recent rapid 80-minute refueling stop in India was the next to last port the boat will visit. Next up is their 12th stop at Port Said along the Suez Canal.
Nautical Mile sponsorships are still available if you would like to help with the pecuniary power part of their mission.

(Our previous entries on Earthrace.)

XL Techgroups's (of Melbourne, FL) company PetroAlgae has been showing their Fellsmere located algae photo-bio-reactor (PBR) system to the media this month. Orlando TV station WFTV does a good job of covering the facility. At production rates of 10,000 - 40,000 gallons per acre the company hopes to "roll out the technology worldwide by 2009" according to the report.
Some scientists are skeptical of the cost effectiveness of a closed PBR system, and are concentrating on cheaper-per-acre open ponds for algae growth instead. Either way, CO2-eating algae would be a wonderful alternative to exhuming dinosaur juice to fuel our vehicles.