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March 17, 2009 – 10:42 am | One Comment

Advanced Biofuels are high-energy liquid transportation fuels derived from: low nutrient input/high per acre yield crops; agricultural or forestry waste; or other sustainable biomass feedstocks including algae.  The key word is “sustainable.”
A technical definition that …

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Natural Gas vs. Energy Innovation
January 30, 2012 – 3:03 pm | No Comment

by Kate Bechen  (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  The production of ethanol is a complex, energy intensive process. Critics often cite the energy usage of ethanol plants and the wastes produced by the production of ethanol, especially corn-based ethanol, as lessening the benefits of ethanol production. But many ethanol plants are challenging these criticisms head on by leveraging efficiencies to reduce water use, utilizing renewable energy sources in production or recovering waste heat.

…About 90 percent of total energy consumed in the production process is thermal. The steam is needed for the starch conversion process, distillation and evaporation. Typically, the thermal energy is produced from fossil fuels (mostly natural gas but sometimes coal). Given that fossil fuels are not renewable resources, decreasing their use contributes directly to the net energy benefit derived from using ethanol rather than fossil fuels.

…(I)f the goal (or at least a goal) is to establish a domestically grown fuel without reliance on unsustainable fossil fuels, then technology innovations are needed to wean our ethanol plants off natural gas.

…Some energy efficiencies are gained by leveraging opportunities within local markets. Having a wet distillers grain purchaser in the local market significantly reduces energy needed to dry this valuable coproduct. Plants that are located close to an energy feedstock realize significant reductions in transportation costs. Poet LLC, for example, employs a solid waste fuel boiler at one biorefinery that consumes several hundred tons of waste wood chips each day, which would otherwise be headed to a landfill. The boiler also burns methane gas received via a pipeline from a local landfill. Other producers, such as Ace Ethanol LLC, have installed heat exchange equipment to reclaim waste heat.  Recently, scientists from the USDA have used a commercial enzyme developed by Genecor to extract water from distillers grains, significantly reducing the amount of energy and water needed for ethanol production.   READ MORE

Company Advocates for the Use of Biodiesel at Power Plants
January 30, 2012 – 2:08 pm | No Comment

by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine)   Alabama-based Clean Energy Pathways Inc. is working to help coal-fired utilities meet state and federal compliance standards by helping to identify methods to increase efficiency and produce a portion of …

CALL FOR PAPERS: World Clean Technology Summit September 26-28, 2012 Kampala, Uganda
January 30, 2012 – 1:57 pm | No Comment
CALL FOR PAPERS:  World Clean Technology Summit    September 26-28, 2012   Kampala, Uganda

Every year, Pilot International continues to provide a Global Platform for Advancement of Innovations and Clean Technology for a Sustainable World.
The growth and success of our events is testament to Pilot Internationals’
determination to provide a …

World Clean Technology Summit September 26-28, 2012 Kampala, Uganda
January 30, 2012 – 1:54 pm | No Comment
World Clean Technology Summit    September 26-28, 2012   Kampala, Uganda

Every year, Pilot International continues to provide a Global Platform for Advancement of Innovations and Clean Technology for a Sustainable World.
The growth and success of our events is testament to Pilot Internationals’ determination to provide a …

‘Biofuels Beltway March’ March 27-28, 2012 Washington, DC
January 30, 2012 – 12:28 pm | No Comment
‘Biofuels Beltway March’   March 27-28, 2012    Washington, DC

The American Coalition for Ethanol confirmed the dates for its fourth annual “Biofuels Beltway March” in Washington, DC. ACE’s fly-in will be held Tuesday, March 27 and Wednesday, March 28, headquartered at the Washington Court …

Biomass 2012 July 10-11, 2012 Washington, DC
January 30, 2012 – 11:38 am | No Comment
Biomass 2012    July 10-11, 2012   Washington, DC

On July 10–11, 2012, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Biomass Program will host its fifth annual conference, Biomass 2012: Confronting Challenges, Creating Opportunities – Sustaining a Commitment to Bioenergy. This year’s conference will examine the …

Australian Tree Offers Texas Growers Biofuel Alternative
January 30, 2012 – 10:15 am | No Comment

by Logan Hawkes (Southwest Farm Press)

Biodiesel is experiencing a historic surge worldwide.
Pongamiapinnata is becoming a popular oilseed choice for biofuel production and has captured the attention of U.S. growers.
Pongamia is one of the few nitrogen-fixing trees …

Butamax™ Refutes Unfounded Allegations of Infringement
January 30, 2012 – 10:01 am | No Comment

(Butamax)  Butamax(TM) Advanced Biofuels, LLC, the biobutanol technology leader, responded to the latest lawsuit filed by Gevo, Inc. related to isobutanol flash fermentation technology.
“Let us state emphatically, Butamax does not infringe the generic product separation …

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs – from Community Fuels
January 30, 2012 – 9:58 am | No Comment

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)  2.4 million man-years of employment – from replacing 10 percent of gasoline consumption with ethanol made from agricultural waste?  That’s the tale of the tape from the  “Moving Towards a …

Governments Key To Commercializing Biofuels
January 30, 2012 – 9:40 am | No Comment

by Graham Warwick (Aviation Week)  …But as 2012 progresses, industry is looking to governments to capitalize on the rapid technical progress made in approving bio-derived jet fuels by providing the funding support necessary to scale …

DuPont Works with Iowa State University on Residue Buildup
January 30, 2012 – 9:26 am | No Comment

(Biofuels International)  In order to discover better ways to harvest, store and transport corn residue, DuPont is working with Iowa State University to combat residue buildup.
If the residue buildup is able to be reduced then …

Outdoor Power Equipment Maker Kicks off Ethanol Awareness Effort
January 30, 2012 – 9:22 am | No Comment

by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  Husqvarna, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of outdoor power equipment, has launched a new promotion focused on educating its customers about ethanol use in small engines. The Husqvarna …

Research, Process, Testing—Repeat: Is there a Science to Financing Science?
January 27, 2012 – 4:52 pm | No Comment

by Robert Bailey (Biorefinery Magazine/Trusted Advisory)  …As in any bold challenge to old thinking, the biofuels industry is running into resistance to funding. The Valley of Death is where concepts lie in finance limbo between proven …

Why a Government-Based Business Strategy is Tricky
January 27, 2012 – 4:45 pm | No Comment

by Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine)  Experts say it’s counterproductive, but biorefining firms continue on with government
The government is a tricky organization to work with. At least that’s what Pamela Serino, director for the quality and …

Aviation Must Tackle Its Environmental Impact Before It Can Be Allowed to Grow, Says UK’s Aviation Regulator
January 27, 2012 – 1:59 pm | No Comment

(GreenAirOnline)  Although aviation is a key driver of growth, without tackling its global and local environmental impact, the industry will not be able to realise its economic potential, says the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). …

EPA Issues Notice of Data Availability Concerning Renewable Fuels Produced from Palm Oil Under the RFS Program
January 27, 2012 – 1:53 pm | No Comment

(US Environmental Protection Agency)  he U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a Notice of Data Availability (NODA) to release its lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) analysis of palm oil used as a feedstock to produce biodiesel and …

Bernie Sanders Pledges Legislation Ending ‘Absurdity’ of Federal Fossil Fuel Subsidies
January 27, 2012 – 1:26 pm | No Comment

by Mat McDermott  (TreeHugger)  We just learned, based on IEA calculations, if all fossil fuel subsidies were eliminated it would result in greenhouse gas emission cuts deep enough to get us halfway to preventing dangerous climate change. Indeed, …

Consumers Have More Options at the Pump
January 27, 2012 – 1:21 pm | No Comment

by Meghan Grebner  (Brownfield Ag News)   Fort Wayne, Ind. residents will have additional options when it comes to filling up their flex-fuel vehicles.  The flex-fuel pump – the first of its kind offers drivers the option for E85 or …

The Downside to America’s Fracking Frenzy
January 27, 2012 – 1:08 pm | No Comment

by John Mathews (The Globalist)  …Today it is no longer evil oil companies riding roughshod over ranchers in Texas, but shale gas prospectors riding over communities’ rights wherever they drill — in the Antrim shale …

Gas Mileage, Brand Perception Dominate J.D. Powers ‘Avoidance’ Study
January 27, 2012 – 12:52 pm | No Comment

(MSN Autos)  New-vehicle buyers heavily influenced by a general feeling about a brand, but specific about fuel-efficiency ratings.
…Fuel efficiency, in fact, was found to be “the most influential reason for purchasing a particular vehicle model,” …

Microbubbles Provide New Boost for Biofuel Production
January 27, 2012 – 12:39 pm | No Comment

(EurekAlert)  …Now, a team led by Professor Will Zimmerman in the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering at the University of Sheffield, believe they have solved the problem. They have developed an inexpensive way of …

Scots Whisky Biofuel Team Launch Start-Up
January 27, 2012 – 12:29 pm | No Comment

(Edinburgh Napier University)  A NEW company has been launched to commercialise a process for producing biofuel made from whisky by-products.

Celtic Renewables Ltd, a spin-out from Edinburgh Napier University’s Biofuel Research Centre, will initially focus on Scotland’s …

A New Era of Domestic Energy
January 27, 2012 – 11:56 am | No Comment

by Mary Rosenthal (Biofuels Digest/Algal Biomass Organization)  …We need to change our approach. Below are three things the biofuels industry in general, and the algae industry in particular can do in 2012 to help accelerate …

The World’s Fastest Vehicle Fueled by Vegetable Oil Showcased at DC Auto Show
January 26, 2012 – 5:32 pm | No Comment

by Robert E. Kozak and Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA)  Dave Schenker, founder and president of  the Greenspeed club came to the DC Auto Show to showcase the 1998 Chevy S-10 pickup, modified by Boise …

CAAFI Launches Path to Alternative Jet Fuel Readiness
January 26, 2012 – 3:29 pm | No Comment

(CAAFI)  The goal of the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative® (CAAFI®) is to facilitate the development and deployment of alternative jet fuels that offer equivalent levels of safety and performance and compare favorably on cost …

Crash-Testing the Plug-In: Ford CEO Alan Mulally on the Pitfalls of His Company’s Newest Car.
January 26, 2012 – 3:06 pm | No Comment

by Joanne Lipman (The Daily Beast)  For more than three years, President Obama has been singing the praises of electric cars. He’s repeatedly called for 1 million plug-in and hybrid vehicles on the road by 2015. He’s …

Building a World Market from Scratch
January 26, 2012 – 2:10 pm | No Comment

by Alvaro Cordero  (Ethanol Producer Magazine/U.S. Grains Council)  From a barely recognized feed alternative 10 years ago, distillers dried grains with solubles continues to gain recognition and markets. DDGS is now widely recognized internationally, where …

Rolling into the Forage Market
January 26, 2012 – 2:04 pm | No Comment

by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  Cattlemen are increasingly turning to value-added distillers grains products from SweetPro Feeds
…Using the coproduct from ethanol production as a medium for vitamins, minerals, yeast and enzymes provides benefits that …

Plastics Cozy Up to Distillers Grains
January 26, 2012 – 1:54 pm | No Comment

by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  …Can a Nebraska company process wet distillers grains into a biobased resin to replace conventional petroleum-based resins? Laurel BioComposite LLC says yes.
…The pilot plant started up the end of …

Mixing it Up: Combining Stover with Distillers Grains for Cattle Feed
January 26, 2012 – 1:47 pm | No Comment

by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  Corn stover has been used in small amounts as cattle feed for more than 100 years. Separately, distillers grains has grown in popularity as a cattle feed over the …

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces Support for a New Advanced Biofuel Production Facility in Oregon: Project will Create Jobs, Expand Production of Biofuels
January 26, 2012 – 1:22 pm | No Comment

(US Department of Agriculture)  Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA has approved a conditional commitment in the amount of $232.5 million to ZeaChem Boardman Biorefinery, LLC (ZBB) through the Biorefinery Assistance Program. ZBB …

French Biofuel Aid Helps Farmers, Costs Public: Study
January 26, 2012 – 1:12 pm | No Comment

by Gus Trompiz (Reuters)  French state support for crop-based biofuels has brought benefits for farming but also hidden costs for motorists who have ended up having to consume more fuel and pay higher prices, the …

South Africa Company to Invest E3bn in Local Ethanol Project
January 26, 2012 – 10:30 am | No Comment

by Nomthandazo Nkambule  (The Swazi Observer)  A South African based company will invest about E3 billion in an ethanol project to be established along the Siphofaneni/Lavumisa corridor
Minister of Agriculture Clement Dlamini said the company, FuelEthanol and Agricultural Plantation, completed …

Cal Poly Partners with California Energy Commission to Launch Algae-Based Wastewater Treatment Plant
January 26, 2012 – 10:23 am | No Comment

(California Polytechnic State University)  Cal Poly faculty and students will demonstrate a new technology that uses algae to treat wastewater and produces biofuel as a byproduct. The system could be used at wastewater treatment facilities …

Return of the Pyromaniax
January 26, 2012 – 10:05 am | No Comment

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)  …You just can’t turn your back for very long, around the Pyromaniax – the researchers around the world working on pyrolysis. Now, pyro comes in several flavors – fast pyrolysis, …

The Latest Victim of Shale Gas — Clean Energy Technology
January 25, 2012 – 5:12 pm | No Comment

by Steve LeVine (Foreign Policy/Oil And Glory)  In the new issue of Wired, Julie Eilperin writes that clean-technology investment is in the throes of going bust, at least in the United States. That includes solar, wind and biofuels.
…Citi …

Synenergy Limited LLC and Allard Energy, Inc. to Revolutionize Medium-Scale Distributed Ethanol Fuel Refineries
January 25, 2012 – 4:27 pm | No Comment

(PR NewsWire/Allard Energy, Inc.)  Synenergy Limited, LLC, a global green solutions provider, today announced their distributorship with Allard Energy, Inc. (formerly, Allard Research and Development LLC), a leading innovator for small to medium scale ethanol production. Allard …

Lignol Receives Approval of Four New Key Biorefining and Lignin Patent Application
January 25, 2012 – 4:16 pm | No Comment

(Lignol)  Lignol Energy Corporation (TSXV: LEC), a leading technology company in advanced biofuels and renewable chemicals, today announced that it has received confirmation that four new patent applications have been approved, bringing the total number of approved patents …

Clean Cities Coalitions, Industry Partners Host Texas Workshops
January 25, 2012 – 3:15 pm | No Comment

by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine)  Clean Cities coalitions in Texas have partnered with Renewable Energy Group Inc. and Omaha, Neb.-based wholesale biodiesel distributor Bosselman Energy to co-host four workshops in four different cities throughout the …

Soy Board Announces Outreach Initiatives to Support Biodiesel
January 25, 2012 – 3:08 pm | No Comment

by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine)  The United Soybean Board recently announced it plans to deliver funds through its Green Ribbon Fairs reimbursement program encouraging fairs across the country to promote the use of soy-based products, …

United Arab Emirates School Buses to Fill up on Biodiesel Blends
January 25, 2012 – 3:03 pm | No Comment

by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine)  A fleet of school buses in the United Arab Emirates will soon be fueled by a biodiesel blend. Lootah Biofuels, a fully owned subsidiary of S.S. Lootah Group, and School …

University of Washington Students to Design Ultra-Efficient Hybrid Powered by Biodiesel
January 25, 2012 – 2:57 pm | No Comment

by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine)  …The latest iteration of the program, EcoCAR2, kicked off in mid-2011. A total of 16 teams were selected to participate in the current competition co-sponsored by General Motors Corp. Over …

Joule Unlimited, CPFD Software Win State Job Training Funds
January 25, 2012 – 2:29 pm | No Comment

by  Megan Kamerick  (New Mexico Business Weekly)  …The JTIP board approved $263,542.58 for Joule Unlimited    to create 20 jobs. The company is building the first phase of its commercial plant in Hobbs on land owned by the state …

Retired Army General Calls Biofuels “Ammunition”
January 25, 2012 – 2:25 pm | No Comment

by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com)  Like oil in World War II, U.S. Army Ret. General Paul J. Kern believes that biofuels are the “ammunition” for America today. …The main focus of the highly decorated retired army …

FAO Chief Biofuel Criticism ‘Misinformed,’ Industry Lobby Says
January 25, 2012 – 2:09 pm | No Comment

by  Rudy Ruitenberg (Bloomberg Business Week)  Criticism of biofuels and their impact on commodity prices by the new director general of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization is “simplistic and misinformed,” an industry lobby said.
Higher …

Obama Calls for End to Oil Subsidies
January 25, 2012 – 2:03 pm | No Comment

by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com)   In his State of the Union address Tuesday night, President Obama voiced strong support for renewable energy and an end to oil subsidies.
“We have subsidized oil companies for a century. …

Branstad Disses WSJ
January 25, 2012 – 2:00 pm | No Comment

Gov. Terry Branstad is quick to counterattack against any and all of Iowa’s critics and on Tuesday he included the nation’s largest business newspaper in comments to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association annual meeting in …

SkyNRG Serves First Middle Eastern Airline Etihad Airways via Boeing “Fuel from the Factory” Option
January 25, 2012 – 1:42 pm | No Comment

(SkyNRG)  SkyNRG, the Amsterdam-based global market maker in sustainable jet fuel has supplied its first customer via a “fuel-from the factory ” option made possible with U.S. partners EPIC Aviation and Boeing.
Etihad Airways, the national …

Bills Aim to Help Establish Arizona as Algae-Farming Center
January 25, 2012 – 1:33 pm | No Comment

by Jessica Testa (Cronkite News)   Anticipating a day when Arizona becomes a leader in producing algae for biofuel, a Tucson lawmaker is pushing to have algae farms and related facilities defined — and taxed …

Maersk Tests SoladieselRD(R) in 6,500 Nautical Mile Commercial Voyage
January 25, 2012 – 1:04 pm | No Comment

(MarketWIre/Solazyme)  Solazyme, Inc., a renewable oil and bioproducts company, announced today that Maersk Line, one of the biggest shipping companies in the world, has completed the testing of Solazyme’s 100% algal derived renewable diesel as …

Cyprus Wants to Grow Tiny Algae and See if They Are a Good Biofuels Alternative to Diesel
January 25, 2012 – 12:49 pm | No Comment

(Balkans.com)  Cyprus Agricultural Research Institute, a non-profit branch of the Agriculture Ministry, wants to grow tiny algae and see if they are a good biofuels alternative to diesel reports Cyprus Mail. …A solution seems to …