Are you a CleanDrive member? If so, you are at the forefront of a movement towards tracking and monitoring you carbon footprint. A recent New York Times article discusses how visibility into our carbon output will become a part of our lives, and influence behavior for the better. From thermostat price monitors, to eco-mood jewelry – the article outlines several ways carbon savings, or lack thereof, will be worn on our sleeve. Have a read: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/25/science/25tier.html?ex=1207108800&en=30d6236cc4c256da&ei=5070&emc=eta1
So if you haven’t already, register for CleanDrive and be at the head of the carbon tracking revolution. Review you report with your family, or show your customers. It’s a powerful thing to see how your choice to use biodiesel is making a change for the better. Combined the Propel community has saved nearly 1 million pounds of CO2. Now that’s powerful.
Propel’s commitment to alternative fuel access and sustainability includes economic sustainability. As a retailer, Propel purchases biodiesel at wholesale prices, and sells to our customers at margins equal to or less than traditional petroleum retailers. As wholesale costs rise for biodiesel, Propel is committed to offering clean fuel access at a reasonable price point. And our fuels and vehicles team is aggressively looking at biodiesel supply options that meet our quality, cost and sustainability parameters.
There is one main factor driving the current pricing increase: the price of vegetable oil. In the past 12 months, March 2007 to March 2008, prices have jumped 90% for soy oil.
For biodiesel producers, between 80% - 90% of the input cost of biodiesel production is vegetable oil, like canola and soy oil. And vegetable oil is currently selling at a price equivalent of between $180-$190 per barrel. This is an increase is due to speculation, not market demand. Global demand for consumable veg oils has risen at a consistent 3% level for over two decades and continues at this level. There has not been a significant demand increase, or supply decrease, that explain the price run up in veg oils. Commodities across the board have risen at the same pace- petroleum, minerals, and all agricultural products. On the upside, current economics benefit USA farm communities.
Propel is dedicated to providing the most sustainable and renewable fuels that meet our cost and quality standards. We are working hard to open markets for new feedstocks and technologies that offer viable alternatives to petroleum. Together with you, we are pioneering new ground, creating economic opportunities, and building a sustainable future for our children. We will keep you informed as biodiesel prices change. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to write us. Thank you for your commitment to clean and renewable biodiesel.
We’d also like to credit Becky Lyle, a WA small farm owner, and NW Biodiesel Network, for the ongoing discussion of feedstock costs. Join the NW Biodiesel Network email list, visit http://www.nwbiodiesel.org/mail_list.htm.
Safeway has boldly chosen to become one of the nation’s first major retailers to convert its fleet to clean burning biodiesel. No doubt the benefits of biodiesel were hard for the Pleasonton, California-based company to ignore.
In addition to improved engine performance, less harmful emissions, and a fuel source that isn’t tied to the volatility of the Middle East, none of the company’s 1,000 fleet vehicles will require any major mechanical conversion as biodiesel performs exceptionally well in any diesel motor.
Propel Biofuels, a Seattle based biodiesel retailer and solutions provider, has hired David O’Neal as their new CEO. Mr. O’Neal was previously Founder & CEO of PowerTech Group, a world leader in iSeries Security Software. Before founding PowerTech, O’Neal worked in logistics as General Manager of Mark VII-Seattle, and served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Tolan O’Neal.
“I am excited to be able to use my experience in technology and logistics to do something that helps the environment and moves this country closer to fuel independence,” says O’Neal.
“We’re proud to have David leading our team. His startup and operational experience is a real asset as we ramp up our growth” Says Rob Elam, Propel’s Founder and President.
“We will open an additional 10-15 locations in Western Washington by this fall, along with entering the Bay Area and LA markets. We have exciting products in the pipeline that will change the customer fueling experience and find a home for the massive amount of biodiesel being produced.” O’Neal added.
Propel Biofuels is a privately-held biodiesel company committed to serving its customers with the highest-quality biodiesel fuel and professional support. Propel opened the first public biodiesel fueling station to pump Seattle-produced biodiesel and Propel’s fuel stations continue to sell biodiesel to more individual drivers than any other brand in the U.S. In addition, Propel has worked with influential organizations including: Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, City of Seattle, City of San Francisco, King County Metro Transit, and the State of Washington on biodiesel quality standards and implementation strategies.
“The Puget Sound region is a national leader in adopting biodiesel fuel, and with David on board we’ll ensure its long term staying power,” says Rob Elam, “By offering consumer access to biofuels, we all can help contribute to fight against global warming, the reduction of toxic emissions, and the progress of a sustainable, local energy economy.”
The PBS series Edens Lost and Found aired the hometown Seattle episode tonight. See the teaser here. While overly romanticizing the ruined opportunity for transit that was the $100 million waste called the Seattle Monorail Project, the episode is otherwise well done, emphasizing Seattle’s green aspirations. The biodiesel segment is excellent. The Seattle biodiesel community has done more to mitigate CO2 emissions and empower real change than the Monorail Project could engineer. And that lack of imagination, powered by greed, is what separates true citizen powered change from the wolf in sheep’s clothing that was the Monorail political animal. Hard work and transparency, openness and cooperation as demonstrated by Lyle, articulated by Tom K, and Tom Marier at Propel’s Laurelhurst location, and the balanced ambition of Seattle Biodiesel’s growth, are proof that ground up energy can affect positive change. Real change is hard work. Go Seattle!
One of our favorite mutterings around Propel is “Asking Big Oil to solve your petroleum problem is like asking the Marlboro Man to solve your smoking problem.” Rob even mentioned it in his Grist interview.
This is not the far-fetched analogy it may seem, as this RJR ad shows (after the ‘64 Surgeon General’s Warning was announced)
Al Gore’s climate crisis movie is now out on DVD, so you can NetFlix it the comfort of your own home. Al appeared on Jay Leno last night and joked that the DVD included extra scenes, including “hot glacier on glacier action.”
Supporters often point to the bipartisan nature of biodiesel politics. Good for blues, good for reds. I suppose that makes Propel solidly purple. Two WA incumbent candidates, both in tough races, made appearances at Propel retail grand openings- and you betcha, they both won reelection.
Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell has been a long time supporter of biodiesel and Propel. Maria held a press conference at our first retail outlet announcing legislation supporting biodiesel additions to the 2005 Energy Bill.
Congressman Dave Reichert, Republican from WA 8th district (eastern suburban district of Seattle metro region), and past King County Sheriff (his team solved the most notorious serial killer case in history- the Green River Killer). Dave joined us at the grand opening of our Issaquah Grange location.
Congratulations to both. And a message to aspiring politicians: Biodiesel is good for you.
Left to right: Sen Cantwell and Propel’s Rob Elam at Laurelhurst, Congressman Dave Reichert at Issaquah Grange.
Frank Paganelli, Propel Biofuels General Counsel and Director of Political Affairs, joined a prestigious panel to discuss the impact of climate change on small business. The environmental and energy forum, sponsored by Seattle University Young Democrats, featured Al Gore, Senator Maria Cantwell, Rep Norm Dicks, Seattle Mayor Greg Nichols, Congressional candidate Darcy Burner and KC Golden, of Olympia based non-profit Climate Solutions.
Left to right: KC Golden, Maria Cantwell, Al Gore, Norm Dicks, Frank Paganelli
Back in September of 2005, Propel asked our friend and filmmaker, Riley Morton, to interview biodiesel drivers at Laurelhurst Oil, the first Propel retail location. We talked with the typical wide range of biodiesers- individuals, small business owners, fleet drivers, a construction crew… only a few folks had time to film with us. To see more, visit the Propel site. (and note the old logo- we like our updated “bug” much better!)
To understand biodiesel quality differences, it pays to know the details. Rob Elam gives the recipe for making home-made new energy in MAKE Magazine: Making Biodiesel
Make Podcast Hosted by: Phillip Torrone, Associate Editor MAKE Magazine. Show details: 27 minutes, 17MB, MP3.
In this Make audio show- we interview Rob Elam and talk about all things Biodiesel, what it is, how it’s made, the efficiencies and more! Biodiesel is a clean-burning, domestically-produced fuel derived from a variety of renewable agricultural resources such as soybeans or mustard seed. It can be burned in any conventional diesel engine either in pure form or in a blend of any proportion with petroleum diesel. Biodiesel delivers equivalent engine performance while substantially decreasing harmful emissions.
Our mission is to provide the most accurate, up to date and practical information to biodiesel drivers. We drive biodiesel, our friends drive biodiesel, and our customers drive biodiesel. That's a lot of biodiesel feedback! Awake at the Wheel is the forum for us to publish this information.
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