Company News

Kiwi firm looks to take the stink out of fuel emissions

Biodiesel Oils New Zealand Limited has been researching and developing the manufacture of its non-polluting fuel at its Stonedon Drive East Tamaki plant for seven years.

Bio Diesel Oils managing director Tom McNicholl playing his vital role in manufacturing non-polluting petroleum diesel alternatives. Photo Wayne Martin. Now it looks as if the company has the jump on any potential competitors for the foreseeable future with a new plant due to open in Waikato in April 2008 and another in construction in Timaru due to start next year.

For two and a half years BP has collected fuel for trials (used by Stagecoach and Waste Management) and other oil companies have expressed interest in trialling the product over the next 12 months.

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Biodiesel in Christchurch (NZ)

Christchurch urban bus and coach tour company Leopard Coachlines has changed over to a biodiesel blend for its entire fleet of 100 vehicles. Leopard had been trialing two of its buses on biodiesel in conjunction with Canterbury regional council Environment Canterbury (ECan) since September, last year but had now moved to run its whole fleet on a five percent biodiesel blend (B5.

Leopard believed it was the first bus company in the country to run all its buses on a biodiesel blend - a year ahead of government requirements.

"ECan's results from the trial to date indicate a five percent reduction in the emissions of carbon monoxide and particulates as a result of using the B5 mix, both of which are very significant for our urban fleet," says Martz Witty from Leopard.

The biodiesel is manufactured from tallow by Bio Diesel Oils NZ and supplied in bulk to Leopard where it is blended with standard diesel to form the B5 mix.

Source

Cirque du Soleil

The Cirque du Soleil performed in Auckland from Dec 28, 2006 to Feb 20, 2007. All three gensets were operated on B20 biodiesel blends supplied by BP Oil New Zealand Limited.

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Press Release Biodiesel plant boost for Waikato

A $40 million biodiesel plant planned for Waharoa could create up to 20 new jobs in the area.

Auckland-based company Biodiesel Oils NZ Ltd has bought 2.6ha of land in Waharoa, northwest of Matamata, and, pending resource consent, hopes to have the plant running by the end of the year.

The announcement is the third this week that could signal more job opportunities for the Waikato. Caravan builder C I Munro is expanding in a shift to Hamilton, and Australian charter airline Ozjet is also considering a move to the city.

Biodiesel Oils NZ managing director Tom McNicholl said its new plant would have the capacity to create 60 million litres of biodiesel a year.

"It would satisfy the whole demand for the North Island," he said.

Biodiesel produced at Waharoa could also be exported to Australia and Europe.

The company was this week beginning the process of applying for resource consent for the plant, which would be made up of several buildings, including laboratories, and processing and storage areas.

It planned to produce biodiesel using tallow as its raw material, and Mr McNicholl said Waharoa appealed because of its closeness to meatworks, where tallow could be sourced, and the Port of Tauranga.

About 120,000 tonnes of tallow were exported from the North Island each year and the company hoped to purchase as much of that as possible.

Mr McNicholl said setting up the plant would cost $40 million.

After that, the company planned to build a second plant of a similar size somewhere in the South Island.

He said the company anticipated selling biodiesel to New Zealand's major oil companies.

The Government has been developing biofuels sales requirements for the sale and use of biofuel blends in New Zealand. Under such requirements, oil companies would have to sell a minimum percentage of biofuels as part of transport fuels.

Mr McNicholl said the company was confident of getting resource consent because of the minimal waste and air emissions produced by the plant.

Matamata-Piako mayor Hugh Vercoe said the biodiesel plant would be good for Waharoa, which he said was experiencing a surge in development.

"It's got a great future, especially with the developments people are currently talking to council about".

Waharoa was great for industrial development because it was near a railway line and state highway, and had access to natural gas.

Biodiesel Oils Sponsor The Earthrace

We're supporting the EarthRace boat. This boat is circumnavigating the world and running on B100 biodiesel.

EarthRace is a bid to break the world record for circumnavigating the globe in a powerboat, and using only renewable fuels.

The program includes an 18-month tour calling at 60 of the worlds great cities, promoting fuels like biodiesel, and raising awareness about sustainable use of resources.

Circumnavigating the globe represents the pinnacle of powerboat challenges, and at 24,000 nautical miles, is also the world's longest race. The current record of 75 days was set by British boat Cable & Wireless in 1998.

The Earthrace aims to smash this record by completing the voyage in less than 65 days, and will mark the first time in history that an official UIM Powerboat record will be attempted using renewable fuel.

The Earthrace will be the highest-profile powerboat in the world, as well as one of the greenest. It is a showcase of environmentally firendly technologies such as low-emmission engines, non-toxic antfoul and efficient hull design. It is also one of the coolest looking boats ever imagined.

BioDiesel Oils (NZ) Ltd is delighted to be supporting this adventure and the team behind it.

Visit the website www.earthrace.net for further info.

BioDiesel Oils (NZ) Ltd acknowledges Yacht Lifeline Ltd for this article – visit their website www.yachtlifeline.com.