Better Biodiesel to Fuel Earthrace Powerboat’s World Circumnavigation Record Bid; High Visibility Earthrace Will Showcase Company’s Biodiesel on World Stage
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Better Biodiesel, Inc. (OTCBB:BBDS), a producer of advanced biodiesel manufacturing technology and fuel, today announced it has agreed to be the exclusive provider of biodiesel fuel to the Earthrace powerboat in its bid to set a new world record for circumnavigation.
Earthrace is a 78-foot trimaran powerboat that -- powered solely by Better Biodiesel’s biodiesel fuel -- will strive to circumnavigate the globe in a record 65 days. With the race slated for next year, its itinerary includes an 18-month educational tour now underway calling at 60 of the world’s great cities to highlight alternative fuels while raising awareness about sustainable resources and the environment.
Biodiesel fuel is made from plant matter and animal fats, is biodegradable and produces lower emissions than petrol diesel. By providing its 100 percent pure biodiesel, Better Biodiesel, Inc., and its production technology, will share the world stage with Earthrace -- while a global economy struggles with an oil market characterized by high prices, geopolitical instability and eco-toxicity. In addition to a Better Biodiesel logo on the boat, Earthrace has agreed to actively promote the Company’s sponsorship, biodiesel fuel, and production technology in their educational and publicity activities.
The Earthrace will be the highest profile powerboat in the world, as well as one of the greenest with environmentally friendly technologies such as low-emission engines and hi-tech hull design. Circumnavigating the globe represents the pinnacle of powerboat challenges and, at 24,000 nautical miles, is also the world's longest race. The current record of 75 days was set by British boat Cable & Wireless back in 1998. The Earthrace goal of smashing this record will mark the first time in history that an official U.I.M. Powerboat record will be challenged using renewable fuel.
“Earthrace’s fundamental purpose is to demonstrate to a world weary of oil dependence that bio-fuels are synonymous with performance, power and leading edge-technology, and this makes Better Biodiesel our ideal fuel partner,” said Earthrace Captain Pete Bethune. “The Earthrace team is delighted that we’ll be powered ‘round the world by fuel produced with technology as revolutionary as the boat itself.”
“Better Biodiesel shares a kindred spirit with the Earthrace team,” said Ron Crafts, Better Biodiesel Chairman and CEO. “With our technology, Better Biodiesel is an innovator; aiming to disrupt the alternative fuel market with proprietary biodiesel production technology that we believe will set new world records for dramatically lowering the cost, production time and environmental footprint of biofuel manufacturing.”
“We are pleased to participate in this important voyage, and wish Pete and his crew a safe and successful trip in their record bid,” Crafts added.
About The Earthrace
Headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, The Earthrace is a bid to break the world record for circumnavigating the globe in a powerboat fueled by biodiesel. The Earthrace boat will be featured at the upcoming Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show, Oct. 26 – 30. More about the Earthrace is available at www.earthrace.net.
About Better Biodiesel
Better Biodiesel has developed proprietary waterless technology that significantly reduces the costs of biodiesel production and its impact on the environment. A key environmental distinction in Better Biodiesel’s production method is the absence of any caustic chemicals in the catalytic reaction process, which enables Better Biodiesel to eliminate the washing and evaporation steps necessary under customary biodiesel production processes. This technology speeds up the production timeline, increases the volume of fuel that can be made within a given time period, and reduces the amount of land needed for the production plant. Better Biodiesel’s initial pilot plant is producing approximately three million gallons per year and has a total footprint of less than 160 square feet. By contrast, three acres are required for a conventional biodiesel facility of the same production capacity. Better Biodiesel’s estimates indicate that its production process can achieve up to a 40 percent reduction in the combined costs to build and operate its modular biodiesel plants.
Better Biodiesel believes it can take advantage of these efficiencies and plans to increase its current capacity ten-fold by next spring and potentially reach 100 million gallons of production capacity by year end 2007. Better Biodiesel’s objective is to become one of the world’s largest producers of biodiesel. (www.betterbiodiesel.com)
More information regarding the Company and this press release can be obtained by viewing the company's recent 8-K filing at this web link:
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/seclink.asp?BzID=1459
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Forward-Looking Statements
This news release includes forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. While these statements are made to convey to the public the Company's progress, business opportunities and growth prospects, readers are cautioned that such forward-looking statements represent management's opinion. Whereas management believes such representations to be true and accurate based on information and data available to the company at this time, actual results may differ materially from those described. Additional factors that could materially affect these forward-looking statements and/or predictions include, among other things: (1) our ability to manage the DEP acquisition and the expansion of operations; (2) our ability to obtain contracts with suppliers of raw materials (for our production of biodiesel fuel) and distributors of our biodiesel fuel product; (3) the risks inherent in the mutual performance of such supplier and distributor contracts (including our production performance); (4) our ability to protect and defend our proprietary technology; (5) our ability to secure and retain management capable of managing growth; (6) our ability to raise necessary financing to execute the Company's business plans; and (7) the Company's ability to comply with all applicable federal, state and local government and international rules and regulations.
