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Piedmont Biofuels Newsletter
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 Our newly working distillation column
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Tales from the Plant
| November 2010
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Greetings!
At long last we are able to re-use our methanol when making biodiesel. This has been on our life list for a long time. Excess methanol has been a difficult, dangerous, and annoying sidestream for us since we began making fuel in 2002.
Recovering methanol from each batch, drying it out so that it can be used again will help reduce our operating costs and will improve the carbon footprint of our fuel. You can read all about our long journey into sidestream reductions over at Energy Blog.
In other news we have a new Interim Board of Directors for our Coop. They had their first meeting at the Saxapahaw General Store, and you can find out all about it here.
December marks the one year anniversary of this newsletter, and we managed to publish ten issues. A trip through the archives reveals we've covered everything from worm bins to rock concerts to farm events in our ongoing effort to increase communications with you.
This month we signed our contract for our 2008 Green Business Award which we are excited to start. We will be finishing a turnkey biodiesel batch plant for a customer in Alabama, while pushing forward on our enzymatic research at breakneck speed. The whole time keeping the trail stocked with clean burning renewable fuel.
Sustainably yours,
Piedmont Biofuels
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Guerilla Marketing 101
 | | Our location at Larry's Beans in Raleigh provides the best reading while filling up... |
The good people of BiodieselSMARTER sent us a bunch of B100 Maps. Just as we were about to queue up a mass snail mail event, Spencer, our resident marketing genius, suggested we put some "Take One" boxes at our Trail locations.
So we did that. If you would like a map to help you find B100 during your holiday driving, help yourself.
If you have an event you would like to publicize in print to users of the B100 Community Trail, get your flyers to us and we would be happy to "flyer the trail" when our drivers are delivering fuel.
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Tis the Season to Go Green!
Tired of giving the same old presents this holiday season? Looking for a good gift for your diesel driving friends and family members?
Give the gift of sustainability to your loved ones this holiday season with a Piedmont Biofuels Co-op Year Long Membership. For $50, you can help keep fuel dollars in North Carolina, reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, and give a gift that truly means something to your closest friends and relatives.
Contact McCayne at Piedmont Biofuels to get more information and purchase the gift that truly keeps on giving before this holiday season is over.
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Alabama Bound
Our Design-Build group is putting the finishing touches on a batch biodiesel plant that is destined for Montgomery. Sticking to our roots, we jump into the scrap metal stream and re-purpose containers, add new pumps, valves, site glasses etc. to create small scale biodiesel plants so that more sustainable biodiesel can come into the world.
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Seed Crushing for Fuel, Feedstock, and Culinary Oils at the CFSA Conference Piedmont Biofuels taught a demonstrative, hands-on workshop about seed crushing on Sunday, December 5th at the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association's sold out conference. Even though it was near freezing, we had a turnout of about 20 folks, including the owner of TS Designs, Eric Henry. We have him to thank for all the great pics! It was the first time we pressed cotton seed and we successfully crushed about 10 lbs. We are hoping to continue to partner with Cotton Inc. and TS Designs about how to make growing cotton, processing, and producing goods from cotton more sustainable. 
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Piedmont Speaks Again....
Last month, Rachel represented Piedmont Biofuels at the National Biodiesel Board's Biodiesel Technical workshop....and Linus made an appearance at the reception!
Piedmont was invited to present our current work in enzymatic
biodiesel production with our research partner, Novozymes.
The Biodiesel Technical workshop is a research focused meeting where the industry evaluates its technical priorities for the year.
Piedmont's enzymatic presentation was one of the only new production technology talks and created quite a buzz.
Stay tuned for more progress on our new enzymatic pilot plant!
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Keeping it Greasy with the Grease Goddess
Be Sure to Recycle that Holiday Turkey Fry Oil!
Chatham, Durham, Wayne, Cumberland and now Orange County residents may recycle their used cooking oil into Piedmont Biofuels biodiesel!
Orange County recently added collection to their Household Hazardous Waste site on Eubanks Rd. Be sure to check on hours of operation.
Piedmont Biofuels has joined the world of social media! Check us out on our new Facebook and Twitter pages found on our website homepage.
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FROM TABLE TO TANK......
When deciding where to enjoy your lunch or dinner, check the front entrance for the Piedmont Biofuels Partner logo.
Grease Appreciations Continues
A dozen or so biodiesel enthusiasts gathered at Sitti in Raleigh last month for some Lebanese fare that can not be beat. You can read all about it here.
The next one is scheduled for December 13th at Piedmont in Durham. Dinner is at 6:30. Piedmont focuses on local food and has featured produce from Piedmont Biofarm from time to time. Join us if you can.
Our thirst for used cooking oil is insatiable, so if you know anyone that needs grease picked up, let us know. Moya is our Grease Goddess and can be reached at:
greasegoddess@biofuels.coop
The Next Grease Appreciation:
Recently joining the Piedmont Biofuels team this fall, Piedmont Restaurant in Durham is your best source for a representation of the slow-food movement, based out of Italy. Chef Marco sources his quality meat and produce from over 50 small farms in North Carolina, including Coon Rock Farm in Hillsborough and Piedmont Biofarm in Pittsboro, among the many. Patrons rave over their Molasses Marinated Pork Leg paired with roasted potatoes and kale, and keep coming back for the variety of local artisan cheeses.
Really there is not much more that needs to be said for the caliber of restaurant that makes its way into a New York Times write up.
Stop by Piedmont Restaurant, on 401 Foster Street in Durham, North Carolina on December 13th at 6:30 and see why we're so proud to have them as a Partner in Sustainability.
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| Contact Information |
Membership Services
McCayne Miller
919-321-8260
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