This Week's Herman Trend Alert Navigating the Next Year

The Herman Trend Alert June 13, 2007 The Future of Biodiesel To look at the fascinating future of biodiesel, we interviewed Russell Teall, president of Biodiesel Industries in Santa Barbara, California, the firm that now operates the largest number of biodiesel production facilities worldwide. “There’s a certain inevitability to it,” said Teall when asked about biodiesel’s future. Given the rapid consumption of fossil fuels, “it’s not a matter of “if” but “when”. Biodiesel is a nontoxic, biodegradable replacement for petroleum diesel. Made from vegetable oil, recycled cooking oil, and tallow, biodiesel contains a similar number of BTUs as petroleum diesel, translating to similar engine performance in torque and horsepower. After years of research and development, the company established its first commercial unit in December 2000. It has been installing Modular Production Units (MPUs) around the globe, each capable of producing up to 10 million gallons of biodiesel per year. The footprint of an MPU is only 50 by 60 ft. and it is designed to run in parallel with another unit. One such tandem operation is located at a United States Navy installation in California. The Navy is the world's largest consumer of diesel fuel. Given the Navy’s progressive attitude, it is not surprising to see the Navy embracing this new technology. Using solar energy, the Navy is experimenting with a range of feed stocks to make its biodiesel. The latest developments: the production of new feed stocks, grown on marginal land, that do not displace food-grade plants and the creation of MPUs using algae with the by-products from a power plant and municipal waster water system. Using the waste water nutrients, the algae scrubs the CO2 power plant exhaust and yields up to 10 times more oil than any other known crop. It’s an incredibly efficient use of photosynthesis. The nature of biodiesel technology features a distributed model, producing and consuming the fuel locally. The dwindling supplies of fossil fuels are a global States’ issue; Biodiesel Industries has conducted feasibilitiy studies in Argentina, Canada, China, Ghana, India, Israel, Mexico, the Philippines, and Thailand. In fact, Teall will deliver a workshop on biodiesel in Singapore July 23-24. (For more information, click here.) © Copyright 1998-2008 by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc." RESOLVE TO ADDRESS EMPLOYEE TURNOVER IN 2009 If you knew just how much money turnover is costing your company, you would have handled it ages ago! Turnover costs A LOT and it comes right off the bottom line. Let The Herman Group and its team of very experienced consultants help you address your turnover issues right away. We have an impressive track record and stand ready to help you. Call Carol at 800-227-3566; international, call 336-210-3547 for a no-obligation conference call. EMPLOYEE RETENTION BEGINS WITH GOOD SELECTION If you are not using pre-employment assessments, you are flying without radar---not very smart in today's highly competitive environment. Let us help you better understand your candidates and your employees. In less than 30 minutes, you will know if they can do the job (abilities); their work behaviors, even their personality and attitudes (like integrity & ethics), and those can't be trained. It's very cost effective, too! For more information, contact Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail assessments@hermangroup.com. Validated for many countries and cultures. We offer in-depth help with job descriptions, too! GET INSIDE THE MINDS OF YOUR EMPLOYEES Find out what's really going on inside the hearts and minds of your employees. Our InnerViews interviewing service uses SPHRs and PHRs, certified human resource professionals to probe for the information you really need to know. Exit and Stay Interviews, as well as Why-Didn't-You-Take-Our-Offer Interviews. Call Rosalie Catalano at 937-648-1918 or read more at: http://www.hermangroup.com/retentionconnection/exit_interviews.html. To read this Herman Trend Alert on the web: http://www.hermangroup.com/alert/archive_9-24-2008.html. Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers. New subscribers are welcome. There is no charge for this public service. The Herman Trend Alert is received by over 30,000 subscribers in 78 countries, in addition to other websites and printed magazines. Do you enjoy receiving this weekly e-mail update? Contact us about our co-branded Trend Alert service. Click here to sign up for the Herman Trend Alert. Subscribe or Unsubscribe to weekly Herman Trend Alert View this week's Herman Trend Alert Archived Weekly Herman Trend Alerts

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