Biodico builds, owns and operates sustainable biorefineries based upon patented and proprietary technology developed over the past 19 years.
Biodico has developed full-scale commercial facilities in Australia, California, Colorado, Nevada and Texas, and has conducted feedstock and production feasibility studies for clients in over 20 countries. Biodico’s team of experts is called upon frequently to address conferences and conduct workshops both domestically and internationally. Biodico is also the recipient of numerous grants to conduct fundamental research. In 2005, the Company was selected to receive the US EPA Project of the Year award for developing the first biogas operated, renewable biofuels production facility.
Check out Biodico’s Biofuel CA montage here. Read more about Biodico here.

From Unmanned-Aerial.com on March 17, 2015
Draganfly Innovations has introduced what it calls an all-inclusive solution that can plan, fly and process advanced multispectral data: the Draganflyer Pro-Ag package.
The solution consists of a compact, ready-to-fly vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); a transport case; Draganfly Surveyor flight planning software; the just released, third-generation MicaSense RedEdge five-band, multispectral camera; and a two-axis stabilized gimbal.
According to the company, the combination of the MicaSense RedEdge and Draganflyer UAV provides a quick and effective solution for agricultural consultants and farmers.
Draganfly Surveyor allows multi-flight mapping for situations in which the project requires multiple flights to cover the area; it will automatically join the flights to create one project.
The collected imagery is used to assess the health of crops and identify damage caused by pests or invasive weed growth. The scientific-grade multispectral imagery provides accurate and repeatable crop health maps so that the proper corrective course of action can then be determined, the company explains.
Read original article here.

From Unmanned-Aerial.com on March 16, 2015
Seattle-based MicaSense Inc. has introduced its third generation of RedEdge, a multispectral camera optimized for use in commercial unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
RedEdge advances the toolset available to modern growers and agronomists and empowers them to closely monitor and quickly respond to changes in their crops. Weighing 150 grams (5.3 ounces), RedEdge provides scientific-grade imagery across five discrete bands for accurate and repeatable crop health maps, explains MicaSense.
A full-featured host interface enables stand-alone operation, as well as tight integration to any platform. Wi-Fi connectivity allows camera management in the field from any mobile device.
After capturing imagery, MicaSense’s cloud-based processing solutions turn raw data into actionable information. Standardized data outputs also enable post-processing using a number of mapping and GIS applications.
MicaSense is teaming with multiple drone technology companies to provide complete solutions: For example, RedEdge is now integrated into Airware’s commercial platform, and Aerial Technology International has combined RedEdge with its AgBot system. Draganfly Innovations is offering RedEdge tightly integrated with its latest UAV system, the Draganflyer Pro-Ag package.
Read original article here.

From Unmanned-Aerial.com on March 11, 2015
SLANTRANGE Inc., a drone-based agricultural crop sensor and data analytics company, is planning to showcase the business opportunities its technology presents in farming.
The company, founded in 2013, says its solution brings the power of airborne remote sensing to agriculture through economical means that are within reach of even the smallest family farms. With its selection by SXWS, the company is intent on leveraging the opportunities and visibility of the technology.
The event is part of the SXSW Interactive Festival Startup Village, where start-ups from around the world showcase new technology innovations. “Over the past six years of companies competing in SXSW Accelerator, more than 50 percent have gone on to receive funding in excess of $1.7 billion, and 12 percent of the companies have been acquired,” says Chris Valentine, SXSW event producer.

“We can show the farmer exactly where and what to treat with surgical precision, greatly minimizing the use of pesticides and fertilizer,” explains Mike Ritter, SLANTRANGE CEO.
“Our patent-pending technology uniquely adjusts for differing atmospheric conditions, ensuring the accuracy of the information and, subsequently, making proper treatment decisions,” he says.

“In addition, farmers have access to this information in minutes and without the need for high-power computing resources or any network connectivity – which is a huge advance over existing technology and the result of new algorithms we’ve developed explicitly for agricultural applications.”
Read original article here.

by Ron Pernick for renewableenergyworld.com

In recent months, a veritable open patent war has erupted between Tesla Motors and Toyota. Both companies have been widely cited in the industry and financial press for their respective announcements opening up their electric vehicle (Tesla) and fuel cell (Toyota) patents.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk opened the first salvo with a blog post last June in which he announced that Tesla would “not initiate patent lawsuits against anyone who, in good faith, wants to use our technology.”
He cited the desire to “accelerate the advent of sustainable transport” as a prime motivator. Toyota followed suit in January 2015, announcing that the company would open up both its fuel cell vehicle (FCV) and hydrogen production and supply related patents, until 2020 for the former and indefinitely for the latter.
Commentators have criticized both companies for a host of different reasons. In Tesla’s case, a number of analysts have pointed out that, depending on how you interpret “good faith,” the patents won’t likely end up being used by large or serious competitors. In Toyota’s case, many have pointed out that by offering royalty-free use of its FCV patents for such a brief time (2015-2020), the overall impact of the gesture will be limited.
Read complete article here.

Project to Include Landfill Gas-Derived Fuel by Mid-2016

by Rich Piellisch  fleetsandfuels.com
Trillium CNG has publicized an agreement with the Monterey Regional Waste Management District in California to build, own and operate a new compressed natural gas station to fuel the district’s CNG refuse trucks. The station will be built at the Monterey Regional Environmental Park in Marina, Calif. Read More →

by Betsy Lillian for unmanned-aerial.com

CalCom Solar, a Visalia, Calif.-based engineering, procurement and construction firm for solar photovoltaic installations, is testing the waters of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and, in the process, seeing a slew of future applications. Read More →

Article from automotive-fleet.com
BMW and Volkswagen have initiated a partnership with ChargePoint to create a higher-speed “charging corridors” on the East Coast and West Coast for plug-in electric vehicles.
The automakers have set a goal to set up nearly 100 DC fast chargers to support long-distance electric vehicle travel for the BMW i3, Volkswagen e-Golf and other battery-electric vehicles. Part of the plan includes installing additional Level 2 chargers. Read More →

News release submitted by Norma Stevens, Sunline Transit Agency
SunLine Transit Agency, in partnership with the Southern California Association of Governments, has been awarded $9.8 million in federal funding to purchase and deploy five zero-emission buses. Ballard Power Systems, BAE Systems and El Dorado National will team up to build the new zero-emission buses. These additional buses will increase SunLine’s current fleet of hydrogen fuel cell buses to ten and allow the Agency to expand its service in the Coachella Valley. Read More →

Solar Employs More Workers Than State’s Five Largest Utilities Combined

Excerpt from California Solar Energy Industries Association website calseia.org
Sacramento – Solar power is quickly becoming an economic powerhouse in California, thanks to consistent pro-solar policies adopted at the state and federal levels. According to data contained in a recent report by the Solar Foundation, along with analysis by the California Solar Energy Industries Association (CALSEIA), California’s solar industry now employs more people than the state’s five largest utilities.

“California’s solar industry is turning sunshine into gold in the form of tens of thousands of jobs,” said Bernadette Del Chiaro, executive director of CALSEIA. “We employ over 50,000 Californians with jobs that can’t be outsourced.”

According to a study, California Solar Jobs Census 2014, released last month by the Solar Foundation, California’s solar industry employs 54,690 workers at 3,813 establishments throughout the state. In comparison, the state’s five largest utilities – PG&E, Southern California Edison, LADWP, San Diego Gas & Electric, and SMUD – employ 50,607 workers according to analysis by CALSEIA.
Read complete article here.