Mission Artic Circle
Mission Artic Circle |
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If you have questions about Permaflo Biodiesel or ISA's road test in Alaska, please e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Thursday, March 13, 11:03 p.m. EDT After a full day back in Indiana, it's a bit funny to think 30 degrees F is comfortable. I am looking forward to spring temperatures. The official miles driven on 100 percent Permaflo Biodiesel in the UAF pickup truck is 1,401 miles. More miles were driven on 100 percent Permaflo Biodiesel in the mini-bus that took the ISA group from Anchorage to Fairbanks. More photos from the trip were posted tonight on our Flickr page - www.flickr.com/photos/indianasoybeanalliance/
Monday, March 9, 9:15 p.m. AKDT We had a full room for the seminar hosted by ag and natural resources college at University of Alaska Fairbanks. Dr. Bernie Tao talked about the chemistry behind Permaflo Biodiesel; ISA directors Doug Morrow and Mike Yoder talked about ISA and Indiana agriculture; and John Whittington of Integrity Biofuels and Grammer Industries talked about his experiences producing the biodiesel that was tested in Alaska as well as his perspective of biodiesel as a member of the trucking industry. UAF researchers also gave presentations on their work on alternative fuels.
Monday, March 9, 8:15 a.m. AKDT
Sunday, March 8, 1:15 p.m. AKDT ISA group is back in Fairbanks and more than ready to settle back into their hotel rooms. While the trip north to the Arctic Circle was a great success - the Permaflo Biodiesel passed the road test with flying colors - I could tell that the camping took its toll on the entire group. Having stayed back in Fairbanks, I don't think I can fully appreciate their experience, but have enjoyed hearing the stories and seeing the photos. - submitted by Megan Kuhn, ISA Communications Director
Sunday, March 8, 11:45 a.m. AKDT One of the most interesting side notes from this trip are the conversations individuals from our group have had with folks on the plane up; fellow hotel guests; and other random locals and tourists. Many have had great interest or their own experiences with biodiesel and are very intrigued with our project. Just today, Trevor Glick struck up a conversation with a fellow visitor to Fairbanks and it ended up being a 20 minute conversation that arced from "seen anything interesting around here" to "I use B20 exclusively in my diesel truck." The couple from Washington state actually have relatives in Seymour, Ind. - just a few miles down the road from Trevor - and are big believers in biodiesel. A reminder of what a small world we live in. - Submitted by Megan Kuhn, ISA Communications Director
Sunday, March 8, 10:00 a.m. AKDT We just passed 1,350 miles driven on the pick up using B100 Permaflo Biodiesel. The generator has 12.5 hours on B100 Permaflo Biodiesel.
Sunday, March 8, 9:07 a.m. AKDT Another Alaska Fun Fuel Fact: In the winter months, Alaskans don't use traditional diesel #2, or even #1 (kerosene). They use JP8, which is jet fuel.
Sunday, March 8, 8:05 a.m. AKDT
We packed camp and are back on the road. Road conditions aren't great and they are deteriorating. The haul road is a small 2 lane with a bit of pavement and mostly dirt/gravel, covered in snow and ice. The semi-trucks run as fast as they can (70 mph if possible) and we've been through places where the road is choking down to 1 and a half lanes. I guess the Arctic is sad to see us go and is trying to keep us here. -submitted by Ryan West, ISA New Uses Director
Sunday, March 8, 5:30 a.m. AKDT I'm not afraid to admit it, the Permaflo Biodiesel is tougher than I am. After being outside in sub-zero temperatures for about 12 hours, I'm done (and so was most of the group). We met inside the vehicles for small talk and frozen scones. The truck running on 100 percent Permaflo Biodiesel started right up. The generator continues to work as well. - submitted by Ryan West, ISA New Uses Director
Su nday, March 8, 5:10 a.m. AKDT The wind has picked up quite a bit. The generator is still chugging along like it doesn't care that it's -23 degrees F. The Permaflo Biodiesel is 100 percent. Crystal free and flowing like a champ. - submitted by Ryan West, ISA New Uses Director
Sunday, March 8, Midnight to 5:00 a.m. AKDT
Wow, is it cold! The thermometer gave us a low of -23 degrees F. We've seen these temps on a rare occasion in Indiana but we shure don't camp out in it! -submitted by Ryan West, ISA New Uses Director
Saturday, March 7, 11:00 p.m. AKST The Northern Lights came out and while they weren't super bright, they were still impressive. -submitted by Ryan West, ISA New Uses Director
Saturday, March 7, 7:00 p.m. AKST
Saturday, March 7, 2:58 p.m. AKST
We made it to the Arctic Circle. Current temperature -2.5 degrees F - not bad. -submitted by Ryan West, New Uses Director
Saturday, March 7, 1:30 p.m. AKST
The Bureau of Land Management safety meeting yesterday warned about the soft shoulders of the Dalton Highway. Well, we tested it today. We slid off the haul road, but we are back on and OK. -submitted by Ryan West, ISA New Uses Director
Saturday, March 7, 8:51 a.m. AKST
ISA News Uses Director posted the following updates on his Twitter page before the group left Fairbanks for the Arctic Circle: "The fuel is working great. Great power, pick up and NOT A SINGLE CRYSTAL from the weather." "After lots of great staging, and emergency food ration packing - we're hitting the haul road. ETA 3 pm" "Setting camp will start with shoveling a few feet of snow to bed the tents. Tundra - her we come." The photo above is of some of the group loading up supplies at the UAF research farm in preparation of the trip on Saturday morning. Once they left Fairbanks, there was no more cell phone coverage!
Saturday March 7, 9:15 a.m. AKST
Alaska Fun Fuel Fact: Many small towns and villages are "off the electric grid" and their only sources of electricity are stationary generators fueled with diesel fuel - which is often only delievered (often by air) once a year. A cold climate solution for them would be to produce biodiesel using the Permaflo technology, which would allow small towns and villages to use local feedstocks to provide their energy needs. To prove that this is a possibility, the ISA group is taking a stationary generator (seen in the truck above) to the Arctic Circle today and will run it overnight using 100 percent Permaflo Biodiesel, made from soybean oil. -submitted by Ryan West, ISA New Uses Director
Saturday March 7, 6:51 a.m. AKST Wow...We've been moving so quickly since we've arrived that some of what we've accomplished has barely sunk in. Over dinner conversation with our board members and UAF scientists, it truly dawend on us that , we're running B100 in temperatures of zero degrees with no heated tanks or indoor storage! This is NEVER been done before. Until now, it's been downright impossible. ISA's research commitment through the soybean checkoff has made history - and we're paving the way. Simply amazing. -submitted by Ryan West, ISA New Uses Director
Friday, March 6, 9:54 p.m. AKST
After a great day on the UAF campus, we got the tour from Associate Dean Steve Sparrow who not only took us to meet their provost, but also took us to the Cold Climate Housing Research Center where we toured and saw some very interesting, cutting edge building products and processes. One interesting think about Fairbanks is that the World Ice Art Championships are held here each March (http://www.icealaska.com). The UAF campus has several ice carvings, which according to UAF administrators have been around for a couple of months already. The photo above is a sign for the campus made entirely of ice with 2 polar bears - the university's mascot - on either side.
Friday, March 6, 5:00 p.m. AKST Quick Alaska fun fact: The state is celebrating its 50th year as a state in 2009! Alaska became a state in 1959 and the state constitution was signed in Signers Hall which is now a part of the UAF campus.
Friday, March 6, 4:10 p.m. AKST We spent all day at the University of Alaska Fairbanks meeting with UAF administration and talking about our Permaflo Biodiesel project - both the fuel and technology as well as why ISA is doing what we are doing in regards to biodiesel. It was also interesting to hear about what type of projects UAF is working on in their college of agriculture. Fairbanks North Star Borough Mayor Jim Whitaker was very welcoming when we visited his office as well.
Friday, March 6 2:15 p.m. AKST The news from BLM was encouraging so we've decided to head to the Arctic Circle tomorrow morning. If conditions worsen during the trip, the group will turn around and head back to Fairbanks.
Friday, March 6 Noon AKST While the forecase is calling for -33 degrees F at Bettles, AK (Arctic Circle) tomorrow night, reports from the weather service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) say that the haul road to the Arctic Circle (the only one from Fairbanks) might be closed down due to snow and wind. The group is weighing our options. While we want to test the Permaflo Biodiesel in a generator at extreme cold temperatures, we cannot risk the safety of the group. We've decided to wait until the 1:30 p.m. AKST briefing on the haul road by BLM before making a decision.
Friday, March 6 10:05 a.m. AKST Just finished a meeting with UAF Dean of School Natural Resources & Agricultural Sciences Carol Lewis and some of her faculty. Got an update on what UAF is doing on biomass and biofuels. The Fairbanks Economic Development rep was very interested in the Permaflo Biodiesel process. Found out that the Fairbanks area is in non-attainment (PM2.5U with the EPA. Going to meet the Mayor now.
Friday, March 6, 9:05 a.m.. AKST More photographs Mission Artic Circle can be found at Flickr.
Thursday, March 5, 5:32 p.m. AKST Finally saw caribou alongside the road before entering Denali National Park. Heres our first official group shot in Alaska. (Click on the photograph for a higher resolution image file.) We were along the Parks Highway and had to stop to clean off our windshield wipers because they were covered in ice. After our 10 hour trip from Palmer to Fairbanks yesterday, we are going to spend the day in Fairbanks meeting with the UAF and local govt and doing some interviews!
Thursday, March 5, 4:57 p.m. AKST After lunch Dr. Bernie Tao cleaned off our windshield before we headed down the road . We've heard that we have another 40 miles of driving through snow and then we are in the clear. Though we have another couple of hours before we reach Fairbanks! The vehicles are running great on B100 Permaflo Biodiesel made from Hoosier soybeans.
Thursday, March 5, 1:45 p.m. AKST
Thursday, March 5, 10:30 a.m. AKST We're on Parks Highway and the snow has started falling. Heard that the road is closed ahead but the natives say that the conditions are always changing so we may be all right. We are looking at 300 miles to Fairbanks...
Leaving Palmer in our very own convoy with two vehicles running on B100 Permaflo Biodiesel on our way to Fairbanks. Stopped at UAF Palmer research farm to fill up and got to see the farm's moose and caribou.
This is the 14 passenger mini bus that the ISA group is riding in. It's running on B100 Permaflo Biodiesel from Indiana!
Thursday, March 5, 6:24 a.m. AKST The ISA group arrived at Anchorage Airport around 1 a.m. Alaska time this morning (5 a.m. EST) about 14 hours after we left Indianapolis on Wednesday afternoon. First impressions: Anchorage Airport is small but nice, especially the displays of taxidermied wildlife at baggage claim definitely added a local flair.
The drive to the hotel was similar to that of almost any U.S. city rows of nondescript hotels and restaurants. Theres snow on the ground, but the cold was bearable. We are hoping to see some extreme cold temperatures while we are here to truly test the Permaflo Biodiesel while we are here.
We plan to be on the road by 7:30 a.m. AKST this morning to meet the University of Alaska Fairbanks folks in Palmer, AK about 40 miles north of Anchorage.
Permaflo Biodiesel - Mission: Arctic Circle
Wednesday, March 4, 2009 |
| Last Updated on Tuesday, 16 June 2009 06:50 |
We made camp and didn't have to clear too much snow. Fired up the generator for the first time in a few days. The Permaflo Biodiesel works great in it. No issues. The generator is making power for the camp and to recharge the film crew gear. -submitted by Ryan West, ISA New Uses Director
Thursday, March 5, 10:00 a.m. AKST