Mean Green

Businesses require specific quantities and quality of energy to provide their services, and these requirements form a large part of company expenses. Transportation requirements, which are sometimes described as logistics, also need to be figured into the equation. With crude oil prices rising faster than ever, companies are continuously seeking cost-effective ways to make every drop of fuel count.

Although biodiesel is not a new type of fuel, it is gaining in popularity as an alternative renewable fuel that can be used in various blends in unmodified diesel engines. Biodiesel comes from vegetable oils that undergo transesterification, a chemical process that extracts methyl or ethyl esters from the oils that can then be used as fuel, either in a pure or blended form. Oil sources include coconut, soybean, grape seed, jatropha, or waste vegetable oil.

Biodiesel is now commercially available in many gas stations throughout the United States. Proponents say blends of up to 20% (B20) may be used in most unmodified diesel engines. When blended properly, biodiesel provides the same mileage, torque, and horsepower as petroleum-based oil does.

Most people agree, there are also potential environmental and health benefits to be enjoyed by producers, suppliers, and users. Thus the conversion to more biofuels is probably inevitable. Some people are very concerned with how that conversion is executed, since the timing and costs of the changes are not clear. Particularly the total of those direct and indirect costs and what groups benefit and which groups suffer are major concerns

What the biofuels discussion points to is the urgency for business to begin planning NOW for the inevitability of a green energy world. Businesses must defend their competitive position by preparing for a changing, greener business environment. Will you be a winner or loser?

1-Hi Sonny, thanks for your time today! Could you tell our readers what your company does?

Pumpjac properties list oil and gas leases for sale and finds buyers for these properties. We are the exclusive sales agent for Majestic Management Corporation in Glasgow Kentucky.

2-How did you get into the business?

I am the owner of Entrivac Corp in Louisville Kentucky. We rebuild industrial vacuum pumps for refineries and gasoline terminals nationwide. A group of oil men in Texas, which I have known for years, ask me to perform due diligence for a oil property in Kentucky. I visited the oil field, made my report, and a few weeks later, they told me they were not interested, however; I was contacted by the selling agents of the Kentucky property. They liked my style and background and wanted me to consider selling oil and gas properties for them. That was one property and a year ago, and now we have listed nine properties nation wide totaling well over $1,000,000,000.

3-Are there any trends you are seeing that might not be apparent to our readers?

Well, producing properties with large reserves with good documentation are the best sellers now, however the best deals for the money are often the non-producing properties.

4-Where are the hottest markets for new oil and gas leases or production?

Actually everywhere. But of course the oil boom areas such west Kansas are especially so.

5-What are the valuation metrics to consider when evaluating an oil and gas lease?

Production, reserves, good documentation by the owner, and a clean operation with no open wells, spills, etc.

6-For level production, what are you seeing sellers get per barrel? $20K? $30K or more?

I do not get involved with that end of a sellers business. What they get for their oil does not interest me as far as selling the oil field.

7-Is this recent oil boom here to stay or just a speculative bubble?

Because the demand is here to stay and getting larger , because the world oil reserves are on a downward trend, (by most counts) the crude oil prices will be affected likewise.

8-How is your company different from others in the market?
We do not auction oil and gas properties, we do not operate regionally, and we do not specialize in any oil and gas field size ranges

9-Where are there still values in terms of buying production or leases? KY, IL etc?

I think everywhere when there is a good return on the buyers investment, say 2-3-4 years.

10-Is the market fairly efficient and liquid?

I think because of new technology in this industry, the market is more efficient than if ever has been

Thanks for your time today!

Oil prices have always been a concern. Recent events, along with increased awareness of the environment, have shown us the need for the creation of alternative means of energy.

Many different options have been proposed. Nuclear power is possible but comes with obvious safety concerns. Solar and wind look like viable options, but don’t seem to be getting large amounts of support. Another option is biofuel, which involves using the energy of organic materials to replace the function of fossil fuels. Ethanol is perhaps the most widely used of these, especially in Brazil and the United States, and is used most commonly as a blend with regular fuel.

Another kind of biofuel is biodiesel, which is made from either vegetable oils or animal oils. It’s actually possible with today’s technology to take the fat that comes from the grills at McDonalds and recycle this into usable fuel! As with ethanol, it can be used purely on its own but is commonly just a supplement to be added with other fuel. It’s currently the most common biofuel in Europe. The process of turning animal and vegetable oils into usable fuel is known as transesterification.

1.8% of the world’s transport fuel was biofuel in 2008. This figure seems small, but investment in these technologies is continually increasing, and will inevitably create new technological breakthroughs and a rise in popularity. Biofuels come in many different forms, and are commonly categorized into first, second and third generation.

First generation fuels are made from food crops such as sugar, starch and animal or oil fats. Grains can be made into bioethanol, and sunflower seeds into vegetable oil and then biodiesel. These are the most common first generation biofuels: Biodiesel, bioalcohols, vegetable oil, bioethers, solid biofuels, Syngas and biogas.

From non-food crops like waste, stalks of wheat and corn we get the second generation of biofuels. Since first generation biofuels are made from edible sources, the hunt is on to create more second-generation technology that can avoid a food shortage that may occur. They include biohydrogen, biomethanol, mixed alcohols and wood diesel.

Third-generation biofuels are the most complex, and come usually from algae, which produces a large amount of energy. While the advantages of third generation fuels would be great, since it’s virtually impossible for them to cause environmental damage, the technology has so far not been sufficiently developed to allow these biofuels to be produced commercially. It’s been put forth that 15,000 square miles of algae could supply all the petroleum fuel required by the United States.

These new technological developments show just how exciting the field of biofuel is, and the great benefits it can provide to the environment. The current environmental problems and massive fuel prices could perhaps be fixed forever with the further development of second and third generation fuels. Who knows what will be powering us fifty years from now?

Biofuels are solid, liquid, or gas fuels that are harvested from recently dead organisms and materials. They can come from any biological carbon source, but they usually come from the photosynthetic processes of plants such as algae. Biofuels are a clean energy source, and they can be used to power anything from a car to household appliances.

Biofuels are an Eco Friendly Alternative

Using biofuels instead of fossil fuels is a great way to go green and be energy efficient, which will help save the environment and save you money. Renewable energy sources are basically the key to our future on Earth because they can be replenished and harvested as long as we need them. Fossil fuels such as coal and gasoline on the other hand are a limited resource so when our reserves run out, it becomes an ugly situation.

Another advantage of using biofuels is that they come in many different forms. For example, agrofuels are biofuels which are harvested from crops instead of waste processes. Agrofuels are used to produce ethyl alcohol (ethanol), which is an energy efficient fuel additive. With the increase in gas prices, ethanol is gaining popularity as an eco friendly alternative to gasoline.

Biofuels can also be used to create biodiesel, which is a non-petroleum-based type of engine fuel. Biosiesel can be used in both car and truck engines in order to reduce emissions and pollution. As previously mentioned, biofuels are vital for the future of Earth and the environment because they are energy efficient and renewable. The advantages of using them are far greater than the disadvantages.

With climate change rarely out of the news understanding the carbon cycle and how to reduce your carbon footprint is important if we are to stave off the effects of global warming.

Many people attempting to live in an eco friendly and green way, will be aware of the need to reduce our carbon footprints and live as carbon neutral as possible. However, some people still find the concept difficult to grasp and are unsure of what carbon neutral really means.

Most energy we consume that powers and heats our homes, businesses and cars produces carbon dioxide (CO2) as a by-product. Whether its from the electricity that is generated in coal-fired power stations, gas that is burnt in our boilers or the petrol and diesel in our cars – all produce as a by-products CO2.

Contrary to popular belief, carbon dioxide is harmless to our health (unlike carbon monoxide which is a completely different by-product and should not be confused as it is not a major greenhouse gas), we breath out carbon dioxide ourselves as a by-product of burning oxygen in our bodies.

However, carbon dioxide does have an effect on the environment and as mankind is now producing far more CO2 than we are naturally meant to, this has caused the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere to rise. CO2 is a greenhouse gas, this simply means it acts as insulator, trapping the warmth from the sun’s light – just as a the glass in a greenhouse does.

Being carbon neutral, means that the carbon produced, for example by driving your car, is offset by the removal of CO2 from the atmosphere. For example, bio-fuels, now increasingly used in vehicles as a greener solution, whilst still producing CO2 when you drive, is offset by the growth of the vegetation that makes the fuel because when it is growing the biofuel crop will absorb CO2 in the atmosphere and turn it into oxygen.

Trying to remain carbon neutral is a difficult task and a daunting prospect for many businesses that are encouraged to make their companies as carbon neutral as possible. However, with such a wide range of eco-friendly products and innovations being developed all the time, it is hoped that eventually we will all be able to live a carbon neutral existence.

Biomass is any organic material that is made by plants and animals. This includes all parts of plants, animal flesh and excretions such as manure. Biomass in rich in energy that can be used for fuel which is called biofuel.

Fossil fuels are also a biomass since it’s believed that they come from ancient plants and animals. But usually when people speak of biomass they are talking about material produced from sources that are alive now or were recently.

Biofuel is often talked about as though it was a new technology that we can use in the future to help solve our energy supply problems. But humans have been using biofuel since the beginning of humanity. The food we eat is a form of biofuel that we wouldn’t exist without. Humans have also used plant materials such as wood wax and whale oil as a fuel to burn for heat and light for thousands of years.

Newer technologies have allowed us to use biomass for making other biofuels. Biomass can be burned to power electric generators or made into methane, alcohol or bio diesel for powering our cars. These processes are energy intensive meaning a lot of energy is lost in converting biomass into the other forms of fuel or energy. Because of this these biofuels have not been cost effective or practical.

With all the technology going into biofuel research the one form of biofuel that we have been using since ancient times still remains the most efficient and practical. Burning biomass such as wood for direct heating is still the most efficient.

Instead of focusing on trying to use biomass to fuel our cars and generate electricity we may be better off using it to heat our homes and buildings. Firewood may not be practical for most people but pellets made from wood and other biomass may be. Burning pellets is cost effective, clean and may be the most efficient way to utilize the energy in biomass.

For those who want to use biomass as a renewable energy source heating with wood or other biomass pellets are practical and economical and the technology and distribution systems are already available.