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Increase on Biodiesel road fuel duty!
07/12/2006
As
from midnight December 7th road fuel duty on Biodiesel went
up by 1.25p per litre!
As a goodwill gesture to our loyal customers, we will not be
passing on this increase - another case of small enterprises
taking it on the chin for the government's short sightedness
and lack of support for positive action to reduce carbon
emissions.
This
year alone Sundance has contributed to approx 90tonnes of
carbon emissions savings from biodiesel production. We
have been practically self-financing with the only outside
support coming from Environment Wales. Faced with the
need to expand our production in order to meet growing
demand and to help us achieve financial sustainability - we
approached Carbon Trust for a loan, but were turned down
(Carbon Trust receives over £103million each year from
public funds).
It
Aint Easy Being Green.........
Materials Network
Wales - Autumn 2006
Master Recycling
Technology - Reaps Rewards for Welsh Companies
October
2006
Materials Network Wales explores the role
played by the Materials Research Centre at Swansea University in recognising the
important challenge presented by sustainability.
The article
celebrates the success of several students who studied the Masters of Research (MRes)
in Recycling Technology. Jan Cliff, director of Sundance Renewables, is
highlighted as one of these commended students:
Biodiesel from Recycled Oil
"Jan Cliff joined the M.Res
course as a student in 2001, the first year of the scheme. Her
project thesis entitled 'Feasibility of Small Scale Biodiesel
Production from Used Vegetable Oil in Carmarthenshire, South
Wales' led to the setting up of Sundance Renewables (Sustainable
Energy Cooperative) Ltd, supported by an initial loan from Spin
Out Wales. Further research and development work, including some
collaborative MRes projects, culminated in October 2004 with the
launch by Sundance of its biodiesel operation, which was the
first community based biodiesel production plant in the UK.
Since then it has been manufacturing biodiesel non-stop and has
delivered over 200 tonnes of CO2 savings from approximately a
million road miles and now supplies over 250 regular customers."
To view the article in full
please
click here.
Wales Council for
Voluntary Action Case Study Sundance Projects
October
2006
The Wales Council for
Voluntary Action have featured the following Sundance projects on their website:
-
Windpower workshops -
a
pilot project run by Sundance to enthuse and educate young
people about the wonders of wind power. The course involved electrical,
metalwork and carpentry skills, making moulds and awareness raising about
sustainable development and renewable energy.
The
WCVA report can be seen by clicking on the following link
WCVA Case Studies and downloading case studies
11-17.
The
WCVA report can be seen by clicking on the following link
WCVA Case Studies and downloading case studies
39-48.
Corus Helps Sundance
21/07/06
Corus has helped Sundance Renewables extend its commitment
to recycling by providing equipment to recycle its steel
drums more efficiently.
Sundance Renewables, located in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire,
operates the first community-based biodiesel production
plant in the UK. The company uses locally-sourced used
vegetable oil from pubs, restaurants, chip shops and
takeaways, to manufacture biodiesel which is used in as an
alternative for normal diesel. |
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Committed to increasing
renewable energy systems in Wales, Sundance Renewables was keen
to also take an environmental approach to recycling the steel
drums used to transport the vegetable oil to the plant. The
company approached Corus Steel Packaging Recycling – the centre
of expertise on steel can recycling – for advice on how it could
recycle the 200 steel drums which arrive every week more
efficiently.
Corus was able to supply
Sundance Renewables with a small drum crusher and a 40 cubic
yard container to store the crushed drums before being delivered
to the Corus CanRoute centre at SimsMetal UK at Skewen which
then transports the steel drums to the Corus steelplant in Port
Talbot to be recycled.
Garvin Freeman, Corus
Recycling Development Manager comments: “It was vitally
important to Sundance Renewables that it was able recycle the
steel drums. Due to the large quantity of steel drums the
company uses, we suggested that it would be most effective if
they were crushed on site and stored in a large container. By
crushing the drums, the container can hold a greater number of
steel drums, which reduces transport movements – which is good
in terms of both costs and the environment.”
Source:
www.corusgroup.com
Eco City Biodiesel Filling Station Arrives in St. David’s
06/04/2006
Disclaimer : the fuel currently being sold from this pump is
no longer
Sundance Biodiesel and we bear no responsibility for any
complaints
regarding vehicle performance
Source:
http://www.tyf.com/?c=read-press&id=29&year=2006
The
St. David’s Eco City project has installed a new community
biodiesel filling station at Trehenlliw in St. David’s, so
that local people can start using eco-friendly biodiesel made
from recycled vegetable cooking oil.
The biodiesel, which is now available to anyone who joins the
Eco City Biodiesel Club, is supplied by Sundance Renewables of
Ammanford - a not-for-profit workers’ cooperative. The fuel is
as biodegradable as sugar, less toxic than salt and produces
far less directly harmful pollution than normal ‘mineral’
diesel - like soot particles that can harm human health, and
sulphur dioxide which causes acid rain.
Increasing amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are
causing damaging climate change - one of the greatest
environmental threats facing the planet. When you run your
vehicle on ordinary ‘mineral’ diesel, you increase the amount
of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This is because you are
releasing carbon dioxide from carbon that was locked away, in
oil, hundreds of millions of years ago.
However, when you use Sundance’s biodiesel you barely increase
the overall amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and
reduce your contribution to climate change. The crops grown to
produce vegetable oil, used in the biodiesel, absorb carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere. This carbon dioxide is then soon
released back into the atmosphere when you use the biodiesel.
“Switching to biodiesel will really help protect the planet
and reduce the amount of climate-change-causing carbon dioxide
being released. Climate change is probably the greatest
environmental threat facing mankind, so we need to reduce our
carbon dioxide emissions as much as we possibly can,” said
Julian Orchard, project manager at St. David’s Eco City.
“Because it’s an environmentally friendly fuel, our biodiesel
provides owners of diesel vehicles with the opportunity to
switch from ordinary diesel - slashing their contribution to
climate change,” said Jan Cliff, founder and Director of
Sundance Renewables.
“And biodiesel prices are already competing with ordinary
diesel prices - we expect that the average cost of biodiesel
will soon fall below the average cost of ordinary mineral
diesel,” she added.
Climate change is already causing droughts, rising sea levels
and damage to wildlife habitats. Mankind’s main contribution
to climate change is the carbon dioxide that is produced when
fossil fuels such as oil (from which normal mineral diesel is
made), coal and natural gas are burnt.
The St. David’s Eco City project, which is supported by The
National Lottery, aims to help St. David’s reduce its carbon
emissions and become the first carbon-neutral city in the
world.
Making biodiesel available to the community is just one of the
many initiatives being taken by the project, which is directed
by several local people together with organisations such as
The TYF Group Ltd., West Wales Eco Centre, Pembrokeshire Coast
National Park and CCW. It is hoped that other cities and
communities will follow the example set by St. Davids.
For further information about biodiesel, or to find out about
joining the Eco City Biodiesel Club, please e-mail [email protected].
Visit www.eco-city.co.uk to find out more about the St.
David’s Eco City project.
ENDS
Please note that the St. David's Eco City project is not run
by The TYF Group Ltd., though we do support it on an ongoing
basis!
Notes For Editors:
Biodiesel Information from Sundance Renewables -
www.sundancerenewables.org.uk
Sundance’s Biodiesel is a fuel made from vegetable oil,
derived from plants (bio), and suitable for use in diesel
vehicles - hence the name biodiesel. It is a stable fuel,
performs reliably in all diesel engines, cuts emissions, can
be mixed with normal ‘mineral’ diesel, and is safe to handle.
It is as biodegradable as sugar and less toxic than salt and
will work with all diesel storage and pumping stations.
Sundance’s biodiesel is essentially carbon-neutral and with
lower emissions than normal diesel. But please always check
with the vehicle manufacturer before using biodiesel.
The recycled vegetable cooking oil, which Sundance Renewables
uses to make biodiesel, is mainly collected from pubs, clubs
and chip shops.
Sundance Renewables is a not-for-profit social enterprise,
organised as a workers cooperative and committed to increasing
renewable energy systems in Wales. We help community
regeneration through a sustainable approach and intend for any
surplus profits to be used to support other community
renewable
energy projects. Sundance Renewables set up the first
community based biodiesel production plant in the UK
Due to the wide variety of vehicles/engines and operating
conditions, Sundance Renewables cannot be held responsible for
any issues raised by the use of any of the fuels provided by
us. We provide 100% biodiesel in containers and it is the
responsibility of our customers to determine what mix of
Biodiesel: DERV to use.
We endeavour to provide fuels to the highest specifications,
and undergo ongoing testing to the relevant standards. A copy
of the Testing Data can be made available on request. As in
common with all fuel suppliers such as filling stations etc,
we cannot be held responsible for any problems of any nature
or any liability whatsoever resulting from the use of our
fuels.
Some History and Facts:
-Professor Rudolf Diesel who invented the diesel engine ran it
on peanut oil. Biodiesel can now be made from used or new
vegetable oil. Using the fuel has several environmental
advantages over conventional diesel.
-Carbon dioxide produced in burning the fuel is to a large
extent offset by that absorbed by the growing plant used to
produce the oil. As the carbon is already in the system,
Sundance’s biodiesel can be said to be largely carbon neutral.
Unlike fossil fuels, it barely contributes to a net increase
in greenhouse gas CO2 often blamed for global warming.
-Normal mineral diesel, by contrast, is highly toxic and does
not readily degrade.
-Sundance’s biodiesel is produced locally - reducing
distribution and transport costs and providing security of
supply as well as retaining wealth in the local economy.
-Sundance’s biodiesel is far less dangerous to store and
transport than ordinary mineral diesel because it is non toxic
and readily biodegradable, and has a much higher flash point.
Further Biodiesel Information:
The
use of biodiesel in a conventional diesel engine results in
substantial reduction of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon
monoxide, and particulate matter compared to emissions from
diesel fuel. In addition, the exhaust emissions of sulphur
oxides and sulphates (major components of acid rain) from
biodiesel are essentially eliminated compared to ordinary
diesel. The use of biodiesel results in a substantial
reduction of unburned hydrocarbons. (from www.biodiesel.org -
US Web site)
Biodiesel reduces nearly all forms of air pollution compared
to normal mineral diesel. Most importantly, biodiesel reduces
air toxics and cancer-causing compounds, and will also reduce
the soot associated with diesel exhaust. (from
www.breathablebus.org - US Web site)
St. David’s Eco City - from www.eco-city.co.uk
We aim to make St Davids the first carbon neutral city in the
world and to demonstrate how we can all help reduce the
environmental damage caused by climate change. Examples of
renewable energy technology and biodiversity can be seen on
the eco trail around the city.
What is St. David’s Eco City?
Like many of the best things that happen, the St. David’s Eco
City project started out when a group of highly motivated
local people decided do something that would make a difference
in addressing the causes of global warming.
Although there are so many things that need action, the unique
position of St. David’s as the spiritual and adventure capital
of Wales and its status as Britain’s smallest city steered the
group’s thinking, and we decided to focus our efforts on two
main themes:
-Start the journey towards making St. David’s the world’s
first carbon neutral® city, and in doing so, prove that it’s
possible to be gentle on the planet without compromising
community.
-Educate and motivate both local residents and as many of the
city’s 500,000 visitors as possible to play their own role in
reducing their carbon footprint through specific projects that
address energy, local food, transport and -
To make these two things happen, the group decided that
increasing awareness of the reason for change and potential
solutions was critically important, and to make this happen,
committed to creating a special Eco Trail that would link up
specific sites around the community that demonstrated good use
of environmental technology, or represented important habitats
that needed preserving.
In addition, the Eco City Group has been busy over the last
two years and has:
-Successfully applied for a £114,000 grant from the Big
Lottery’s Transforming your Space fund to develop the Eco
Trail
-Appointed a part time project manager to manage the different
elements of developing the Eco Trail
-Commissioned a feasibility study into the supply of biodiesel
for local and visiting motorists to reduce CO2 emissions from
driving.
-Conducted a survey of energy use in local households, to be
followed by work helping households reduce energy use
installing things like low energy light bulbs and improved
insulation.
-Been Working with the County Council, National Park and
National Trust to install renewable technology equipment on
local buildings such as solar water heating, solar electricity
generation, rainwater harvesting and water conservation
techniques.
-Supported Tidal Hydraulic Generator Ltd.’s efforts to attract
grants to investigate the feasibility of installing a tidal
turbine in Ramsey Sound that could provide St. David’s with
100% renewable electricity.
Sundance Helps Set Up Local Biodiesel Filling Station for
St. David's Eco-City Project
06/04/2006
Sundance Renewables has a vision of an extensive network of
local biodiesel filling stations across Wales. With
the help of a Big Lottery grant, St. David's Eco-City
Project has a PV powered 2,400 litre biodiesel filling
station, supplied and fitted by Sundance Renewables.
Disclaimer : the fuel currently being sold from this pump is
not
Sundance Biodiesel and we bear no responsibility for any
complaints
regarding vehicle performance
Pembrokeshire's Pumping
"Sitting unobtrusively in the
corner of a field at Trehenlliw Farm, St Davids, is
Pembrokeshire’s first bio diesel pump, which was officially
opened yesterday.
The solar-powered pump is only the
second in Wales to supply 100% vegetable oil based bio
diesel. The fuel, made from recycled vegetable oil, is as
biodegradable as sugar, less toxic than salt and produces
far less directly harmful pollution than normal ‘mineral’
diesel - like soot particles that can harm human health, and
sulphur dioxide which causes acid rain.
Biodiesel is said to be carbon
neutral; The crops grown to produce vegetable oil which the
fuel is made from, absorb carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere. This carbon dioxide is then released back into
the atmosphere when bio diesel is used. This barely
increases the overall amount of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere and reduces climate changing Co2 emissions.
Pembrokeshire’s pump has been
installed as part of the St Davids Eco City project, funded
by the Big lottery. A project that is taking steps towards
making Britain’s smallest city into the world’s first carbon
neutral city.
“Switching to biodiesel will really
help protect the planet and reduce the amount of
climate-change-causing carbon dioxide being released.” said
Julian Orchard, project manager at St. David’s Eco City."
To read the full article please
follow this link:
pembrokeshiretv.com
For more
information on our activities over the past year, please see our
latest Newsletters and Annual Reports on the Sundance Profile
page.
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