Biofuels Case Studies
Norm and Mary Erickson of Hazelnut Valley Farm retired and started a hazelnut farm in Lake City, MN. Their nutty adventures into the business of growing, harvesting, and processing the crop led them to install a solar-heated greenhouse with many innovative features. They look forward to a future where hazelnuts can be profitably converted into...
Part of the challenge of teaching is getting students involved and excited about the material they are learning. As science, and especially learning about alternative energy sources becomes more important in today’s world, it is more vital than ever that students are learning about renewable energy sources.
Tim Terrill from the Winona Soil & Water Conservation District Organization said he saw “an excellent example of how conservation and farming can work together to achieve environmental and economic benefits,” when he partnered with Eric Kreidermacher of Pork and Plants and Professor Bruno Borsari from Winona State University.
Voyageurs National Park began its biodiesel program in September 2000 as part of a Department of Energy pilot program. Park maintenance officials were so pleased with how well the blend of 20% biodiesel (B20) worked in their 2 pickups during the first winter that they expanded their biodiesel program the following year to include all of their diesel...
The City of Brooklyn Park didn’t wait around for a biodiesel mandate. When members of the National Association of Fleet Administrators started talking in 1998 about alternative fuels and alternative fuel vehicles, Steve Lawrence knew it was time to voluntarily conform to the EPAct (Energy Policy Act of 1992 which requires certain fleets to acquire...
As the demand for workers skilled in clean energy technologies increase, community and technical colleges around the state are stepping up to fill the demand with new 1-2 year degree programs in clean energy.
A survey was sent to County Highway Departments in Southern & Southwest Minnesota to ask about their fleet biodiesel use. The purpose of this study was to learn the percentage of fleet biodiesel use in various Southern & Southwest Minnesota counties.
Biodiesel and ethanol may not be hot topics in energy circles, but what does the public know about these fuel sources? To answer this question and to help develop a new marketing campaign for these locally-grown fuels, the Three Rivers Resources Conservation and Development Council (Three Rivers RC&D) decided to conduct a knowledge survey about...
At the Eco-domes Conservation Campus in Brainerd, MN, used fryer oil has a new purpose—to power engines. When David Winkelman wanted to run a diesel engine on a clean fuel, he didn’t grow energy crops. Instead, he went to a local restaurant. He discovered that an abundant energy source sitting in restaurants—used fryer oil.
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