Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Alternative Fuels - Biodiesel

This article might be of interest to you who are interested in alternative fuel sources:


Tyson, ConocoPhillips Plan Animal Fat Fuel Venture

Oil giant ConocoPhillips (COP) and meat-processor Tyson Foods Inc. (TSN) said Monday they will join forces to produce biodiesel fuel using beef, pork and chicken fat.

Production is expected to begin late this year. Tyson said it will make capital improvements in coming months to begin pre-processing animal fat from some of its rendering facilities. ConocoPhillilps said it will make capital expenditures to produce the biofuel at several of its refineries.

Output could reach 175 million gallons annually, the companies said in a news release.

Tyson projected that the venture eventually could add 4 cents to 16 cents to per-share earnings, or $14.2 million to $56.4 million based on current diluted shares outstanding.

Biofuels are becoming increasingly popular, as traditional petroleum-based fuel costs rise and climate change becomes a growing concern.

The nation's largest pork processor, Smithfield Foods Inc. (SFD) has been producing a biodiesel from animal fat at a small plant in Cleburne, Texas, for the past two years. When announced, that facility was to be designed to use vegetable oil as well as animal fat....


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This may not sit too well with the animal rights crowds, but I think it's an outstanding idea. This way I can eat my beef and drive it too!

1 comment:

Papa J said...

Interesting but you left off the more telling figure. At full production the fat will equal less than 0.5% of the total production of all refined fuels.

Mr Mulva ***try not to think about the Sienfeld episode***, the CEO of the Houston Oil Company was then quoted as saying, "It remains to be seen just how good these are commercially, but you know, you have to start somewhere."

He's right. It IS a start. We've got a lot further to go though.

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