TODAY'S PRICE: £1.20 per litre for B100 (100% biodiesel) and £1.26 per litre for B50 (50% mineral diesel mixed with 50% biodiesel)

The massive increase in biofuel imports from the US will become the subject of formal anti-subsidy and anti-dumping investigations by the European Commission today. Producers of biodiesel are struggling to compete with cheap US imports and have called on Brussels to carry out its inquiries as quickly as possible to save the European industry. Biodiesel imports leapt from 7,000 tonnes in 2005 to one million tonnes last year. (The Times)

The massive increase in biofuel imports from the US will become the subject of formal anti-subsidy and anti-dumping investigations by the European Commission today. Producers of biodiesel are struggling to compete with cheap US imports and have called on Brussels to carry out its inquiries as quickly as possible to save the European industry. Biodiesel imports leapt from 7,000 tonnes in 2005 to one million tonnes last year. (The Times)

Director Brian Thomas is astounded at how the cost of raw materials has soared recently and would love to know why these materials are going up at such an exceptional rate - who is it that is profiteering as it certainly is not SWBF?

The first trial of buses in the United Kingdom running on B100 was launched today. In a pilot project, Argent Energy, the UK’s first large scale biodiesel producer, is working with Stagecoach, one of the UK’s biggest bus and coach operators, to supply the biodiesel made by recycling and processing tallow (animal fat) and used cooking oil – both byproducts of the food industry. The environmentally-friendly fuel will be used to power eight buses serving the Kilmarnock area in Scotland in a trial which is expected to run for around six months. Passengers will be able to help fuel the buses by exchanging their used cooking oil for discounted bus travel under a unique environmental incentive scheme. Running under the slogan “Do your part, be Bio smart!” the single-deck Bio-buses have been fitted with bespoke dual fuel tanks and Argent Energy is providing bulk fuel storage at Stagecoach’s Kilmarnock depot for the duration of the trial. Brian Souter, Stagecoach Group Chief Executive, said: “This innovative project is a great opportunity for our customers to play their part in saving the planet by recycling household products that would otherwise go to waste. I’m sure the idea of cheaper travel in exchange for the used contents of your chip pan will capture people’s imagination. “Biodiesel is an excellent renewable fuel which has a number of environmental benefits, and we are delighted to carry out the first UK trial of this technology on a commercial bus service. We are looking forward to assessing these vehicles and the potential of this technology for our bus operations in the UK.” Jim Walker, Operations Director at Argent Energy, said: “We are delighted to work with Stagecoach on this ground-breaking trial. I am pleased that Stagecoach has recognised the importance of using biodiesel made from the by-products of other industries and from the left-overs from our everyday lives. “Because we recycle these products as our raw materials, Argent Energy biodiesel is exceptionally environmentally friendly. So not only will Argent guarantee a quality product for these eight buses, their carbon footprint will be significantly reduced, benefiting the community as a whole.” While the use of 5 percent biodiesel blended with 95 percent diesel is common and requires no modifications to either vehicles or supply logistics, the use of 100 percent biodiesel is different. B100 needs to be kept at a constant temperature and that requires dedicated fuel storage tanks and modifications to vehicle fuel tanks. From the Biodiesel Magazine October 2007 Issue

70 mpg!!! A delighted customer recently reported achieving 70 mpg on a trip to France in his Renault. He did this simply by mixing SWBF's B100 with Shell V-Power. C'est fantastique!

This has to be the coolest trip on the planet! Whether you're searching for that elusive present for someone who already has everything; you need to find something really special for a friend; or if you want to take on a once-in-a-lifetime travel challenge yourself, the Earthrace is the answer. Earthrace skipper, Pete Bethune, has just announced that he is willing to share the experience with others by adding one extra person to the four man crew for each leg of the race, chosen from members of the public who are willing to join in and work hard. Prices start from £10,000 for one of the shorter legs. Some legs will be auctioned in the international press to raise additional funds for Earthrace, which operates as a not-for-profit, promoting renewable energy. All 'guest' crew will be invited to the victory party in Valencia. NB: The next stop is 12-14th Nov in Lisbon.

Earthrace is a bid to break the world record for circumnavigating the globe in a powerboat, and using only renewable fuels. The programme includes an 18-month tour calling at 60 of the world's 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 is rapidly becoming the highest-profile powerboat in the world, as well as one of the greenest. It is a showcase of environmentally friendly technologies such as low-emissions engines, non-toxic anti-foul and efficient hull design. It is also one of the coolest looking boats ever imagined. This website details much of the project. Check out the port tour. We're likely to be coming to a city near you. You might also like to register, which will put you in the draw for a free trip on Earthrace when we're in town, as well as keeping you up to date with progress. And for those of you who believe what we're doing will make a small difference, you can help us by making a small donation by clicking here Note: The Earthrace is undertaken by the boat owned and operated by Earthrace Limited. For further details see www.earthrace.net

Hugaplanet is a new Dorset based company who offer an affordable and environmentally friendly way to clear your junk. They are SWBF latest biodiesel consumer & we wish this reliable and friendly company the best of luck and look forward to working with them in the future - 'a cleaner future'.

SWBF has been inundated by calls requesting advice as the consumer is getting misled by recent government excise duty changes. It is only the small producer, who produces less than 2,500 litres per annum who can take advantage of this scheme which came into force July 2007. It is unfortunately not the consumer who benefits. Home producers who are trying to take advantage of this incentive of producing biodiesel are experiencing technical problems. The main cause seems to be that the glycerine is not being extracted sufficiently, resulting in engine problems. Managing Director Brian Thomas stresses that the production of BD is not as simple as some websites claim and recommends that anyone considering this option should read carefully the H&SE fact sheet.

The national biodiesel conference 2007 will be held at the Newark Showground, Nottinghamshire from 17th - 18th October. Anyone wishing to attend or for more information please go to www.biofuelsmedia.com

Domestic production of biodiesel - health and safety warning Biodiesel is a relatively new synthetic fuel made from vegetable oils, and its domestic production raises serious health and safety concerns. The information below describes some of the hazards and contains advice from HSE that biodiesel should not be produced at home. Biodiesel is produced commercially and can be bought from some petrol stations. However there are 'recipes' available on the internet for the domestic production of biodiesel. These usually involve mixing methanol with sodium hydroxide (also known as caustic soda or lye), and pouring the resulting mixture into vegetable oil. Such home production raises serious health and safety concerns, as it involves hazardous chemicals and the risk of fire and explosion. Making biodiesel is a potentially hazardous process that should only be carried out in controlled conditions by people with the proper training and experience. At the very least a poorly made product could seriously damage a vehicle engine. Hazardous chemicals The individual chemicals needed for the process are hazardous. Sodium hydroxide is extremely corrosive. It can cause burning to unprotected skin and is particularly damaging to the eyes. Stirring the liquid can often produce a fine mist of liquid droplets. If this mist is inhaled, severe irritation of the respiratory tract and breathlessness can occur. Accidental swallowing can cause major damage to the throat lining and digestive system. Methanol is a toxic chemical. It can enter the body through breathing in the vapour, direct skin contact or by accidental swallowing. It can cause nausea, dizziness and visual disturbances that can result in blindness. Swallowing small quantities could pose a significant health threat to the central nervous system and could also affect other vital organs. It is a cumulative poison and repeated exposure to relatively low concentrations could cause harm in the longer term.

DMB, Madonna Pearl Jam, Coldplay, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jack Johnson and dozens of other major touring acts offset carbon emissions as routinely as they play sound checks. In fact, 2007 is turning out to be the year the concert industry goes green in a big way. An increasing number are providing carbon-offset services by planting trees, generating wind and solar power and converting cow manure to fuel,with the biggest trucking companies allow their buses to run on cleaner-burning biodiesel fuel.

NO TAX PETITION - If you think that the EU and UK should completely abolish tax on biodiesel then please sign the online petition at petitiononline.com