News for Spring 2009

Greetings from the WVU Biodiesel Project. If this is the first time you have visited our blog, welcome!

This semester has been very busy for the Project. We have seen vast enthusiasm from some new members (one even runs his truck on B100!) who are helping push the Project forward; we also have talked with a Managing Director of an alternative fuels company from Japan about a new process for producing biodiesel, reportedly completing the reaction without any bi-products; finally, we also held a lab where we invited WVU's Media Services and Photography Services in to document the show.

Dr. Brian Anderson, the Project's faculty advisor, filters off some glycerin while Scott Lituchy, from WVU's Media Services, captures the action.

Media services shot and produced a video of the "Make Biodiesel Lab" which you can CLICK HERE to see. A big thanks goes out to Scott Lituchy for videoing the event and editing the footage.

Overall, the lab was a great success. To see a photo tour of the lab, you can visit our photos HERE, and also see Dan Friend of WVU's Photography Services's spectacular photos HERE.

A big thanks goes out to Dan Friend, Scott Lituchy, Sarah Gould, and Dr. Anderson for their wonderful additions to the lab.

Would you like us to hold another lab here at WVU? If so, please post "YES" in the comments of this post.

Until next time,

-Adam Johnson
WVU Biodiesel Project Publicist
http://wvubiodieselproject.blogspot.com

ps- Our .wvu.edu website will soon be up. Stay tuned for the launch.

Spring 2009 Goals

We finally have what appears to be sufficient funds to begin building a processor! So, this semester will be very busy. That means that it was a good idea to make "specific" goals for the coming months:

• Meet SEI Grant by end of January
• Submit SGA grant by early February
• Create an advising committee to help oversee construction: Partially assembled by or before construction is underway and after we meet with grant committee.

• Controls Engineer---EE dept., Dr. Zondlo, or Amanda may be capable of doing this quite well (she is a computer guru).
• Secure area for operation: By end of January (we have an area to build a skid; however, we need a permanent spot).
• Clement Solomon-follow-up to meet with West Virginia University's sustainability coordinator by February 15th.
• Equipment ordered: End of February
• Construction: Through March
• Basic process built and operable: MAY '09
• Testing procedures for sampling: May '09
• SOPs (standard operating procedures) in place by summer of 09'
• Controls for system by fall of 09'

Woah! How is that for progress?

-Patty Sefton

Call us!

Give us a call by either using the utility to the right, in our sidebar, labeled "Call Me", or by dialing 304 - 903 - 4136. We are happy to answer any questions you may have about the WVU Biodiesel Project.

-Adam Johnson
WVU Biodiesel Project Publicist
This number has been registered with the National Do Not Call Registry to avoid unnecessary and off-topic solicitation.

Statewide Business Plan Competiton

Okay,


I know everyone is just dying to know why we didn't have a meeting last Wednesday. You're probably also wondering, "If Patty were a blogger, how well would she blog?" Well I'll answer the first question below, the latter I'll just put it this way: I had no idea my grammer was this bad, and I've mispelled Business every time it was used even in the title. NO JOURNALISM FOR ME.


I'm just trying to get out of real work and I decided to post the pictures of the WVU Biodiesel Project's trip to Charleston to compete in the State Business Plan Competition. The BPC is a chance for college students in WV to take their ideas to the next level by awarding well thought out ideas with $10,000. The competition has 3 rounds: the executive summary, the elevator pitch, and the actual business plan. The Project made it through round one, and competed in round two on November 12. Adam, Kayla, Morgan, and Patty represented the WVU Biodiesel Project. Kayla was our designated speaker for the elevator pitch, and she did a terrific job despite coping with a sore throat (kudos Kayla!). Following the pitch, our team met and interviewed with 13 judges, all of which were impressed with the well put together marketing package they each received brought to you by Adam. Each judge grilled our team about what it was we planed to do, how we'd enact it, and *arrrr* how we planed to make money and we all did a great job of sharing each of our POVs and giving our personal input. If you'd like to find out more on the annual BPC: http://www.be.wvu.edu/bpc/updates/index.htm. We were told that we'll know the results of round two before break. After the competition, David Statler (a WVU Biodiesel Project alumnus) invited us to eat dinner and chill out at his house. I deemed it necessary to show exactly how cool his basement (see bottom). Thanks David
~Patty

Morgan quickly reading through speaking points

The judging room

.

below Adam, Patty, Morgan, and Kayla *sigh of relief* "It's over!"

David's awesome basement I told you that it wouldn't be disappointing

Give to the WVU Biodiesel Project

 

MISSION:

The WVU Biodiesel Project is a non-profit, student run organization committed to biodiesel implementation, production, and education at WVU and beyond. 

In order to make this project a reality, we need YOUR help!

Donate to the WVU Biodiesel Project and make Morgantown a healthier, greener, and cleaner place to live. You can be sure that your donation is going to a good cause. Not only will all proceeds go towards biodiesel implementation, production, and education, but as a donor you can be comforted with the knowledge that you are actively helping our environment, the state of West Virginia, and the world we live in.

To donate, please email or call: wvubiodieselproject@gmail.com with "Donation--I Support the WVU Biodiesel Project" or dial (304)-903-4136 for more information. All denomonations gratefully accepted.

-WVU Biodiesel Project

"Be the change you want to see in the world" -Mahatma Gandhi

November: An Exciting Time...

The past two months have encompassed some of this organization's most prolific achievements. Among them:

• A likely space to build our processor has been located at the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC) in Morgantown.
• The Project recently placed third out of 90 entries in the WV Student Business Plan Competition. We will compete in the second round of the competition in Charleston, WV, on Nov. 12 for $1,000, a personal business adviser, and a chance to compete in the final round for $10,000.
  
• The Project is establishing a corporate identity by printing business cards, stickers, calendars, posters, among others, in order to advance ourselves as a professional entity at WVU and in the business world.
• Visit our New Google Group to find Meeting Minutes, current discussions, and up-to-date info on what we are doing. We are continuing to update the group with the latest information on our progress.
• The Project met with Clement Solomon, WVU Sustainability Director, to discuss the university's support for the implementation of biodiesel across campus with the Project's help.

As has been the case in the past, the Project has run into obstacles involving a space for our processor, funding, and organizational development. Currently, we have made significant progress in overcoming these obstacles and envision a bright, sustainable, clean future for Morgantown and our organization. A quote passed on by Lucas Ellis, the Project's founder, sums up the organization's dedication to our cause:

 "Never under estimate the ability of a small group of committed individuals to change the world.  Indeed, they are the only ones who ever have." - Margaret Mead

 -WVU Biodiesel Project
  wvubiodieselproject[at]gmail[dot]com

WVU Biodiesel Project Makes Several Newspaper appearances...

The WVU Biodiesel Project has recently appeared on the front page of West Virginia University's school newspaper, the Daily Athenaeum. The WVU Biodiesel Project would like to thank the DA's photo editor, Kendal Montgomery, for aiding the project in our quest for publicity.

The WVU Biodiesel Project was also featured recently in an article by the Dominion Post highlighting the Project's recent third place status in the West Virginia Student Business Plan Competition, a statewide competition aimed to promote economic development in the Mountain State. More on this competition is to follow in a subsequent post.

-Adam Johnson

WVU Biodiesel Project Publicist

http://wvubiodieselproject.blogspot.com/

wvubiodieselproject[at]gmail[dot]com