Hydrofined Biodiesel to Fuel Tokyo Buses

On February 6, Nippon Oil (ENEOS), Toyota Motors, Hino Motors and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government announced the launch of a joint project aimed at putting bio hydrofined diesel (also known as BHD, or second-generation biodiesel) into practical use.
In 2007, the city will begin trial operation of city buses that run on a 10% BHD-diesel blend.

Produced through a process of hydrogenating vegetable oil and animal fats, BHD is more resistant to oxidation than conventional biodiesel known as fatty acid methyl ester (also known as FAME, or first-generation biodiesel), allowing for higher concentrations in diesel blends.
While FAME concentrations in diesel blends are limited to 5%, BHD concentrations can reach 10%.
The new fuel complies with Tokyo’s latest emission control regulations.

Furthermore, the BHD production process allows for the raw materials — vegetable oil, animal fat and used cooking oil — to be processed together.
In FAME production, each type of raw material must be processed separately.

Before deciding whether or not to put BHD into practical use, the group will study the overall effectiveness of the fuel as a means of fighting global warming, as well as the feasibility of establishing a fuel production and supply system.
The proposed move toward BHD is the first stage in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s project to cut carbon emissions to 25% of 2000 levels by 2020.


SOURCE:
Pink Tentacle

Ok, first I'll say, the thread title is a mouthfull, I know.

This is a very cool step being taken.
It just shows that alternate fuel technology is available now, and
I'm glad the Tokyo Metropolitan government, and Japan itself is
taking steps like this.


Comments, Opinions?

[edit on 2/7/2007 by iori_komei]

It's been 20 years since I lived in Japan. I lived just S.W. of Tokyo. The Pollution there was AWFUL! Seriously awful. At that time, their pollution standards were next to nothing and there was even outdoor burning going on. The air was so thick with pollution that it was hard to see buildings just 2/10 of a mile away on summer days.

Anything Japan does to help with the pollution in Tokyo is a good thing. I'm surprised that it's taking so long. Considering how bad it was 20 years ago, I'm shocked that anyone can survive Tokyo air now .. it's gotta' be a lot worse.

Good luck Japan. I hope this helps.

Have any ticker info on the stock for this company???

FF, Japan has actually been doing this since the beginning of the Kyoto
protocol, though in the last 5 years there has been alot of switches and
breakthroughs in biofuel technology and Hydrogen fuel cells.

In fact this is only one of many different things being done with biofuel,
and there are already trains being tested that use Hydrogen fuel cells.