Biodiesel, a fuel made from agricultural products and waste such as soybean oil and waste grease, is the first alternative fuel to pass the health effects testing requirements of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. According to the National Biodiesel Board, “the tests show that biodiesel poses no health threats and its use results in a 90% reduction in air toxins. Biodiesel is non-toxic, biodegradable and is used in conventional diesel engines with little or no modifications.”
Bus and truck fleets across the country are interested in biodiesel because they can satisfy Energy Policy Act alternative fuel requirements using conventional engines. The U.S. Department of Agriculture sees it as a way to stimulate industrial use of agricultural commodities. They propose spending up to $400 million over the next three years to pay bioenergy companies that increase their use of crops like barley, corn, oats, rice, wheat, and soybeans.
Battelle includes bio-engineered crops for fuel in its forecast of the top ten
energy innovations for 2010. Steve Millett, Thought Leader and manager of Battelle’s forecasts, predicts “We will grow gasoline, so to speak, to lessen our dependence on imported oil. With advances in DNA engineering, we will be able to grow energy as well as food crops.”
Report on health effects testing: [sorry this link is no longer available]
Comments on the USDA proposal are being accepted until August 28: Alex_King@wdc.fsa.usda.gov
Read Battelle’s other energy innovations predictions: http://www.battelle.org/news/00/07-26-00ENERGY.stm
Loading...