Pacific Biodiesel
renewable sustainable community-based
Biodiesel Beakers
Pacific Biodiesel Newsletter
In This Issue
Big Island Biodiesel Groundbreaking
Pacific Biodiesel, Inc. Stands Firm on Community-Based Feedstock
Pacific Biodiesel Technologies in San Francisco
November-December Customer of the Month
2009 Customer of the Month Featured
Hawaii Home Energy Makeover
Aloha ʻĀina Earth Day on Maui
Lowest Diesel Prices on Maui
Quick Links
Pacific Biodiesel

Pacific Biodiesel Technologies


Big Island Biodiesel Groundbreaking on youtube

Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance

Customers of the Month

Blue Planet Foundation

Aloha ʻĀina Earth Days

PB Merchandise


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   November-December 2010
B. Mathias sm
Beth Mathias
Aloha

It's been a busy time for the Pacific Biodiesel team.  After actively campaigning for supporters of community-based, sustainable energy in our State, Federal and County elections, we are happy to report that Hawaiʻi was successful in electing a progressive slate of public servants who will work toward a renewable America.

We also celebrated the groundbreaking for the Big Island Biodiesel facility on November 18th.  See the article below for details.

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the people and things for which we are grateful.  At PB, Inc. and Cleanway we are grateful to have a super team, wonderful partners and loyal clients.  From the entire Pacific Biodiesel ʻohana we wish you and yours a wonderful holiday season!

SPW groupshot
Happy Holidays from the Pacific Biodiesel and Cleanway ʻohana!
Big Island Biodiesel Takes the Next Big Step

Groundbreaking Ceremony in Keaʻau


November 18, 2010 - About 100 investors, supporters, community leaders and the media were on hand for the Hawaiʻian groundbreaking ceremony of the Big Island Biodiesel plant. 

Bob King address the gathering in Kea`au
Bob King addresses the gathering in Keaʻau
Among the speakers addressing the crowd were Hawaiʻi County Mayor Billy Kenoi, David Zuckerman, Sustainability Project Manager for the U.S. Army and Bob King, President and CEO of Pacific Biodiesel, Inc., project developer for the new refinery.
Cultural advisors Kimo Pihana and Koa Rice performed a blessing, using both traditional koa oʻo  sticks to "break ground" and encouraging the participants to spread the dirt with their hands as a reminder of the hard work required for success.
Kelly King plunges hands into dirt
Kelly King and others ready to spread the dirt at the groundbreaking
BIB_GB_groupwithO'O
Led by Kimo Pihana the group breaks ground with the traditional oʻo
 
Hawai
ʻ
i's most advanced biodiesel production facility will open with a processing capacity of 2.6 million gallons per year using advanced, zero-waste, super-efficient technologies.

"We made a commitment to be up and running by next November", said Kelly King, Vice President of Pacific Biodiesel.  The plant, which will bring about 15-20 direct jobs to the island, will be able to convert used cooking oil, trap grease and and other locally-sourced feedstocks like jatropha oil, into high quality biodiesel.


O'o group with Kimo
Big Island Mayor Billy Kenoi, center, watches as Kimo Pihana prepares for blessing
Formal o'o group shot

LtoR: Bob King, CEO of Pacific Biodiesel with Big Island Biodiesel investors and partners Lisa Haday and Ella Kusch, Matthias Kusch, Carolyn Loeffler, Virginia and Richard Alderman, Grant and Janet Miller, Jim Yates, Kelly King and Bard Peterson, VP First Hawaiian Bank


For more on the groundbreaking and to see videos of the event click here.
 


Pacific Biodiesel, Inc. Stands Firm on Community-Based Feedstock

Hawaiʻi palm oil controversy compels Company to reiterate position


For 15 years Pacific Biodiesel has been making renewable biodiesel from locally sourced oils, and selling the fuel back to our community.  Whether the source is used cooking oil in Hawaiʻi, canola oil grown in Oregon, or cottonseed oil from Texas, where "Cotton is King", our goal is always to find sources of oil close to our production plants.  Global trade models do not fit our vision of the future for biodiesel.

Pacific Biodiesel has not imported any foreign oil for biodiesel production, and will continue with this policy.  We do not believe importing soybean oil from South America or palm oil from Southeast Asia solves the problem of America's dependence on imported energy.  In many cases, the global environmental impact is negative.  In some cases, such as new plantations in Borneo, the environmental impact is devastating.  Without a positive environmental or energy security benefit, these feedstocks do not warrant our support. 

Pacific Biodiesel has not exported any biodiesel, and will continue with this policy.  We did not export biodiesel to Europe as was the practice in the U.S. a few years back.  The US government spent $1.2 billion on tax credits for biodiesel export out of the US.  The World Trade Organization agreed with European countries that this practice was unfair and imposed a tariff on American biodiesel.  We agree with the WTO decision as U.S. biodiesel production has not exceeded our nation's diesel fuel consumption and we will likely never produce more than we can use.

Truly sustainable biodiesel is about the triple bottom line for the community: economic benefit, environmental protection and energy security.  When we understand that all sustainability is local, we can begin to see that success is about community and the future belongs to all of us.

Automated Grease Trap Separating Plant Opens in San Francisco, California

Pacific Biodiesel Technologies partners with San Franciscoʻs Greasecycle program

In October Pacific Biodieselʻs greasetrap separating plant passes a demonstration test and began operating at San Francisco's Oceanside Wastewater Treatment Facility.  The new technology can process waste from restaurant grease traps at quantities of up to 12,000 gallons per day, recovering approximately 300 gallons of brown grease to be used for biodiesel feedstock. The program is an extension of the SF Greasecycle program to prevent fats, oils and grease from being released into city sewers.
Fog rolls in at San Francisco's
new FOG plant

Will Smith, Engineering Manager for Pacific Biodiesel Technologies, designed the system technology and equipment, was thrilled to report early in November that the system passed the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission 7 day test.  "Pacific Biodiesel Technologies is pleased to be a part of the San Francisco "FOG to Fuel" project, states Pacific Biodiesel, Inc. Vice President and Marketing Director, Kelly King.  "We are in the process of streamlining our new automatic FOG separating plant technology for installation at municipal wastewater treatment plants across the country.  It's very exciting to be able to provide technology that can benefit almost any municipality with a wastewater treatment system."
Big Island Firefighter selected as Pacific Biodiesel's

Customer of the Month

Customer-turned-Investor Matthias Kusch advocates for community-based biodiesel
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Kusch with wife Lisa and youngest daughter Malia


Pacific Biodieselʻs November Customer of the Month is not a patient man.  Admitting to an "A-type" personality, Matthias Kusch remembers it made him crazy to find out there was an 18-month wait- list for Pacific Biodiesel fuel totes on the Big Island back in 2006.   When he saw one listed in a "moving sale", he jumped at the opportunity to take over the contract and has been a steady customer ever since.

A Big Island firefighter by profession, Kusch also farms coffee and avocado.  He uses B100 in his tractor, F-250 pick-up and his wife's Jetta wagon. "I put a lot of miles on my vehicles and pull a lot of weight.  Biodiesel is an economically viable alternative that is both good for the environment and the engines", said Kusch who's had years of trouble-free B-100 fueling.


Matthias Kusch is one of a number of Hawaiʻi Island investors looking forward to the opening of the Big Island Biodiesel refinery in 2011.  "Pacific Biodiesel has come up with the perfect solution for what was an ugly problem on the Big Island", states Kusch.  "A sustainable, locally sourced refinery that reduces waste in the landfills and benefits the community is a wonderful thing. " 


Check the biodiesel.com website to find out about different Hawaiʻi consumers and businesses that are fueling with locally produced biodiesel!
Previous Customer of the Month Featured
A lot of thought and consideration goes into each selection of Pacific Biodieselʻs Customer of the Month award. We were especially pleased when one of our past nominees was recognized for elevating his conservation efforts by integrating them into the core of their brands. 
Extended Horizons Boat
Extended Horizons is fueled
 by Pacific Biodieselʻs B-100
The Undersea Journal, PADI's membership publication, features our October 2009 Customer of the Month Erik Stein, owner of Extended Horizons dive company.  Check out the article in the 3rd Quarter edition to see what makes Extended Horizon's
Maui's "Top Green Dive Operator".  Congratulations, Erik!
Pacific Biodiesel Featured in Home Energy Makeover

Rebroadcast of Blue Planet Foundation Special


Blue Planet Foundation's television special, Hawaiʻi Home Energy Makeover 2.0, will be re-aired at 6pm Saturday, December 11th, on KGMB.  In addition to showing how to make a home more energy efficient, TV crews filmed segments on local clean energy businesses, showing how each is contributing toward a sustainable economy.  Pacific Biodiesel Plant Manager George Aiwohi gets some screen time when the Oʻahu plant is featured in one of the segments.

Aloha ʻĀina Earth Day Comes to Maui

Pacific Biodiesel and Cleanway participate in new Maui clean-up program

Following in our Oʻahu team's footsteps, Pacific Biodiesel and Cleanway Maui will be helping clean up Maui County by collecting used cooking oil at the new Aloha ʻĀina Earth Day events on Maui.  The first event took place late in October 2010.  Aaron King and Beth Mathias were on hand to represent Pacific Biodiesel and Cleanway. 

Aloha Aina Maui 10/10
Pacfic Biodiesel's Aaron King with Rene Mansho, coordinator for Aloha ʻĀina Earth Days

Plans are underway to hold monthly events on Maui with proceeds to benefit local schools and non-profit agencies.  Several companies donate their time and resources and pay for collected recyclables.   Pacific Biodiesel's donations are based on the amount of residential used cooking oil collected at each event.  Baldwin High  School will kick off the new year with Aloha ʻĀina Maui's next event scheduled for Saturday, January 15th.

Pacific Biodiesel Touts Lowest Diesel Prices on Maui!

With a new retail sign advertising the B-100 fuel station in Kahului, more customers are discovering the best diesel prices on Maui!  The price for Pacific Biodieselʻs B-100 has remained stable at $3.85 per gallon and is currently the least expensive diesel fuel on the island.  According to Claudine Pantorilla who handles the day to day retail fuel  sales, the new sign has generated quite a bit of interest and new clients.    
PB Inc. Fuel Sign w/LZ
Operations Manager Larry Zolezzi shows off new Maui fuel pump sign

Headquartered in Kahului, Hawaii, Pacific Biodiesel, Inc. was conceived in 1995 as a response to local concerns over unmanageable quantities of waste cooking oil being dumped at the Central Maui Landfill.  Since opening and operating the very first retail biodiesel pump in America, Pacific Biodiesel has built a solid reputation as a leading pioneer in the rapidly expanding biodiesel industry. Its technology division, Pacific Biodiesel Technologies in Salem, Oregon, has designed and built biodiesel plants from Hawaii to Maryland. 
PBI is committed to the community-based biodiesel model and to our mission of promoting a clean, sustainable energy future through local production of renewable fuels.  For more information, please visit our website or contact Beth Mathias at [email protected]