Fuel

Joint exploration of the potential for a biodiesel industry based on Jatropha

Stuttgart -- Jan 09, 2008 -- Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM), Bayer CropScience AG and Daimler AG plan to jointly explore the potential for a biodiesel industry based on Jatropha (Jatropha curcas L.). A respective Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the companies. Jatropha, a tropical plant from the Euphorbia family, is seen by the three cooperating partners as a promising alternative energy feedstock for the production of biodiesel.

Biodiesel derived from Jatropha nut kernels has properties similar to those of biofuels obtained from oilseed rapes. It is also characterized by a positive CO2 balance and can thus contribute to protecting the climate.

December 5, 2007 -- A country music song performed by Daryle Singletary includes the lyrics, “Too much fun, what’s that mean? It's like too much money, there’s no such thing.” However, with current high fuel prices, many American drivers may feel that refiners’ earnings are too high.

Retail Gasoline Prices Dip Again

Retail Gasoline and Diesel Prices Lower

October 11, 2007 -- The Major League Baseball playoffs are now well underway. While fans may hold differing opinions on the fundamental strengths of the remaining teams, all recognize that how hot or cold each team is over the coming weeks will play a critical role in determining the identity of the World Series winner. The New York Yankees and some other teams that hit a cold spell are already home, hoping the winter will be over quickly as they look forward to spring training. Unfortunately, like the rest of us, they should expect higher heating fuel prices and larger bills this winter compared to last winter.

Retail Gasoline Price Falls but Diesel Higher

October 3, 2007 -- The Major League Baseball division series start today. Some teams, like the Boston Red Sox, who clinched a berth several days ago, have been preparing for some time now, while others, such as the Colorado Rockies, who needed to win a playoff game to qualify, have had little time to prepare. In oil markets, the degree of preparation is often measured by the amount of inventory of a particular product heading into its peak seasonal demand period. With September marking the end of the typical inventory build season for propane, it is useful to gather around the not-yet-hot stove (furnace?) to assess inventories of this critical heating fuel as we head into the winter season.

Ford Becomes Inaugural Sustaining Member of MIT Energy Initiative

DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 1 – Ford Motor Company and MIT today announce a major new energy research partnership that will focus on new powertrain, fuel and energy technologies to deliver sustainable transportation for consumers.

“Energy related issues pose some of society’s greatest challenges,” said Sue Cischke, Ford’s senior vice president – Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. “We are delighted to work with MIT toward sustainable solutions.”

Retail Gasoline Prices and Diesel Prices Higher this Week

September 26, 2007 -- Many new sports stadiums, especially those located in less than ideal climates, have retractable roofs that are opened or closed depending on weather conditions. An analogous mechanism may be at work in oil markets. Since early 2002, oil prices have shown a strong upward trend. Although one or more factors have put a temporary ceiling on oil prices during some periods, oil prices then continued their upward trend, as if a retractable roof had opened.

WTI Crude Oil Prices Have Been Generally Rising Since 2002

BTU-adjusted price of E-85 also displayed to help consumers gauge the cost of the lower-mileage fuel compared to gasoline

Orlando, Fla., 9/27/2007 -- Highlighting the growing availability and interest in the use of E-85 fuel as an alternative to conventional gasoline, the nation’s largest organization for motorists has begun publishing the nationwide average price of the mostly-ethanol blend of fuel this week on its widely-quoted AAA Fuel Gauge Report Web site.

Pricing information for E-85 is also available on AAA’s TripTik® Travel Planner, an interactive mapping, routing and travel planning tool that is available free at AAA.com.