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April 17, 2012 – 10:42 am | No 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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Advanced Biofuels USA Daily News Posts Limited Due to Funding Constraints
April 5, 2012 – 12:59 pm | No Comment

Due to funding constraints, Advanced Biofuels USA is limiting posting of daily news about advanced biofuels.  Instead, we will enhance our focus on writing original pieces highlighting what is going on with advanced biofuels policy and production.   We will also keep up and enhance our links to resources on Daily News, Job Postings, Educational Resources, Teacher Resources, Educational Opportunities (by US state and international), Coming Events for the next month or so and other Coming Events.  We will continue to provide informal consulting for educational activities of all kinds.  If you value our daily posts and other free services, please donate now.  Just click on the donate button above or give us a call for more information.



Agriculture/Food Processing Residues nonfield crop, BioChemicals, BioRefineries, Biorefinery Infrastructure, Brazil, Business News/Analysis, Feedstocks, Field Crops, Germany, India, Infrastructure, Italy, North Carolina, Other Conferences, Presentations, Pretreatment, Process, R & D Focus, Sugars »

BIO World Congress Cellulosic Ethanol Panel: The Latest on Commercialization Progress
June 18, 2013 – 8:46 pm | No Comment

by David Glass (D Glass Associates)  One of the morning sessions at the Tenth Annual BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology put four of the companies in the forefront of commercial development of cellulosic ethanol on the same panel. Although friendly rivalries popped up from time to time, what was more striking were the similarities between certain aspects of the technical strategies and business models pursued by these four companies.

The first speaker was Dr. Andre Koltermann from Clariant, who described the company’s SunLiquid® technology which can be used for production of either biofuels or chemicals from cellulosic feedstocks.

The process, which is feedstock-flexible, is claimed to be energy-neutral and nearly carbon neutral (95% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions relative to fossil fuels). It is also distinguished from some of its competitors by the way it integrates the use of enzymes in the process – Clariant uses a small portion of the inputted feedstock to grow the microorganisms that produce the enzymes used by the process, essentially alongside the main ethanol fermentation. Koltermann said that this approach, coupled with optimization of the enzymes for the intended process, yields enzyme costs that are much lower than the company’s competitors.

Clariant has operated a pilot plant with 1 ton ethanol per year capacity since 2009, and in 2012 began operations at a 1,000 ton/year demonstration plant in Straubing, Germany. The demo plant has used both wheat straw and bagasse as the cellulosic feedstock.

Clariant has begun a program of licensing the integrated process in a package which would include the rights to use the entire integrated process technology, including Clariant’s proprietary technology for ethanol separation, along with a supply agreement for the starter microbial cultures not only for ethanol fermentation but also those needed to produce the enzymes key to the process. The company expects to have its first licenses completed this year.

The next speaker was Ghansham Deshpande from Praj Industries Ltd. Praj, a company established in 1984, began pursuing cellulosic ethanol as early as 2006 because of its attractiveness in view of certain features of the fuel market in India and the abundant availability of cellulosic feedstocks in that country. The company has been operating a pilot plant and in 2013 it broke ground on a demonstration plant in India, which it plans to have online in 2014 and fully validated by 2015.

The process includes a highly efficient, low-energy pretreatment step, preparing cellulosic substrates such as bagasse, cane trash, corn stover or corn cobs for fermentation. Praj says it can use enzymes from any vendor, but they have developed a novel reactor design and an improved method for feeding substrate into the reactor, which it says improves efficiency.

The process as currently practiced uses separate fermentations for the C5 and C6 sugars, although a co-fermentation process is under development. The process also utilizes a proprietary method for ethanol recovery, which Deshpande said required low capital and operating expenses. The demonstration plant is located near a sugar mill in Pune, India, and is targeted to have a capacity of 25,000-35,000 liters of ethanol per day.

Oliver May of DSM was the next speaker. After a brief summary of the company’s research activities, much of the talk covered DSM’s cellulosic ethanol joint venture with POET, Project Liberty, which has broken ground on a commercial demonstration plant co-located within POET’s Emmetsburg, Iowa biorefinery.

It’s planned that the demo plant would use corncobs, leaves, husk, and some stalk as feedstock, with a capacity of 20-25 million gallons of ethanol per year. DSM contemplates global roll-out for the process during the present decade, including the siting of plants in the U.S., Brazil and Europe.

Much of May’s presentation focused on the areas in which DSM is still innovating to continue to improve the efficiency and economics of the process; in particular striving to improve enzyme performance and the robustness and efficiency of the yeast strains used in the process.

Michele Rubino of Beta Renewables was the final speaker. Describing their PROEA® technology, Rubino stressed that their process is at commercial scale, offers solid, profitable economics, and offers their partners guaranteed performance. Beta has developed this technology with its sister company Chemtex providing engineering support, and in partnership with Novozymes, supplying enzymes and related technology.

The company has been working on cellulosic ethanol since 2006, with a pilot plant coming on line in 2009. Construction began in 2011 on a commercial-scale plant in Crescentino, Italy, which is now operational. The PROESA method uses pretreatment technology that relies only on steam and mechanical treatment, with no added chemicals. The process is designed to be flexible on feedstock, with the plan being to tailor the process to whatever local feedstock is available at each plant site.

The process is first being demonstrated on cellulosic ethanol, but the company is actively exploring its use on other endproducts, such as butanol (working with Gevo) and 1,4-butanediol (working with Genomatica). The targeted cost for ethanol produced from cellulosic feedstocks is less than U.S. $1.50 per gallon ($0.40 per liter). Beta is beginning to offer license packages to the technology, which would include process engineering expertise from Chemtex and the needed enzyme supply from Novozymes. The first license was granted last year to GranBio for a plant in Brazil, and Beta is also planning a project in North Carolina under a USDA loan guarantee.

Together, these talks gave a strong indication that the cellulosic ethanol industry is at last on the verge of producing commercially-relevant quantities of cellulosic fuels, although challenges remain.

Common Trends

What was also striking were the common trends shared by many or all of the four presenters. One that jumped right out is “feedstock flexibility” – a catchphrase that was on the lips of almost every presenter I’ve heard so far at the conference. Particularly for technologies utilizing cellulosic feedstocks, it is essential to have the flexibility to use whatever input material is most readily available, and/or most economical, at any given plant location. While this seems like an obvious strategy, implementing it on a commercial scale poses challenges for both biology and engineering.

Not surprisingly, another common feature of these companies’ business plans were their interests in expanding the process beyond ceullosic ethanol to the production of other bio-based chemicals using cellulosic feedstocks.

Among other common threads were the ongoing efforts to continually improve enzyme performance and the efficiency of the microbial production organism (in most cases being yeast). This is of course triggered by the need to drive the production costs as low as possible, through overall improvements of process efficiency.

It was also striking that at least two of these companies had developed proprietary improvements to the processes for recovering and separating ethanol – although many may assume that established distillation or other separation techniques can suffice for this downstream stage of the process, the reality is that this is a process step that could easily become yield-limiting, and which is ripe for technological improvements that could yield economic benefits.

Finally, it is also interesting that two of the companies (Clariant and Beta Renewables) are pursuing business models that feature licensing, and that they’re both offering complete licensing packages that include enzyme supply and engineering support. This may be an effective way to address global markets without committing major company resources, while also generating revenues in license and consulting fees, and it is a reflection on the complexity of the processes that are being developed.



Advanced Biofuels USA Daily News Posts Limited Due to Funding Constraints
April 5, 2012 – 12:59 pm | No Comment

Due to funding constraints, Advanced Biofuels USA is limiting posting of daily news about advanced biofuels.  Instead, we will enhance our focus on writing original pieces highlighting what is going on with advanced biofuels policy …

Keystone Farm Show January 7-9, 2014 York, PA
June 15, 2013 – 6:58 pm | No Comment
Keystone Farm Show    January 7-9, 2014   York, PA

The Keystone Farm Show is the fastest growing farm show on the East Coast! Started in January of 1998 to address the needs of agrimarketers in the Mid-Atlantic area, the show has nearly tripled in …

5th Palm Oil Summit August 20-21, 2013 Jakarta, Indonesia
June 15, 2013 – 6:30 pm | No Comment
5th Palm Oil Summit   August 20-21, 2013   Jakarta, Indonesia

In a recent report by Credit Suisse , it was stated that nearly 5 million hectares of palm trees are already planted in Malaysia, only between 200,000 and 300,000 are likely to be available in …

Seagriculture – Exploring the Seaweed Chain: 2nd International Seaweed Conference September 25-26, 2013 Den Helder/Texel, The Netherlands
June 15, 2013 – 6:21 pm | No Comment
Seagriculture – Exploring the Seaweed Chain: 2nd International Seaweed Conference  September 25-26, 2013    Den Helder/Texel, The Netherlands

DLG BENELUX, Wageningen UR (PRI & IMARES) and MCN are happy to announce the 2nd International Seaweed Conference, organised in cooperation with NIOZ, TNO, ECN, Hortimare, ATO, Blueport, Stichting Zeewierboerderij & Provincie Noord-Holland. This international conference will take place in Den Helder/Texel, The Netherlands from …

CALL FOR PAPERS 11 th International Conference on Biofuels: Fuels of the Future 2014 January 20-21 Berlin, Germany DEADLINE June 21
June 15, 2013 – 6:14 pm | No Comment
CALL FOR PAPERS 11 th International Conference on Biofuels: Fuels of the Future 2014 January 20-21 Berlin, Germany   DEADLINE   June 21

The German BioEnergy Association (BBE) and the Union for the Promotion of Oilseeds and Protein Plants (UFOP) cordially invite paper proposals for the 11th International Conference on Biofuels “Fuels of the Future 2014″, which will …

11 th International Conference on Biofuels: Fuels of the Future 2014 January 20-21 Berlin, Germany
June 15, 2013 – 6:10 pm | No Comment
11 th  International Conference on Biofuels:  Fuels of the Future 2014  January 20-21   Berlin, Germany

The conference will be held in the light of the possible changes to the Renewable Energy and Fuel Quality Directive (RED: 2009/28/EC and FQD: 98/70/EC) in November 2013 arising from the so-called trialogue procedure between …

CALL FOR PAPERS 2013 Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotech and Bioenergy December 8-11, 2013 San Diego, CA DEADLINE July 31
June 15, 2013 – 5:53 pm | No Comment
CALL FOR PAPERS 2013 Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotech and Bioenergy   December 8-11, 2013    San Diego, CA   DEADLINE  July 31

The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) invites leaders from the biotechnology, chemical and agricultural industries to submit proposals and abstracts for panels, individual papers and posters for the 2013 Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy. …

5th Annual OPIS RFS2, RINs & Biodiesel Forum October 17-18, 2013 Chicago, IL
June 15, 2013 – 5:45 pm | No Comment
5th Annual OPIS RFS2, RINs & Biodiesel Forum     October 17-18, 2013    Chicago, IL

Call it what you want, but the message is the same – RINs are out of control, and the future is not looking bright.
Ethanol RIN prices started the year at a mere 7cts/gal and in …

Oilseed & Grain Trade Summit October 21-23, 2013 Minneapolis, MN
June 15, 2013 – 5:13 pm | No Comment
Oilseed & Grain Trade Summit    October 21-23, 2013    Minneapolis, MN

What issues will be covered in the 2013 agenda?

Shifts in trade flows and emerging trends in the global oilseed and grains supply chain
New developments in vegetable oil usage for food, fuel and industrial applications
New oil …

REQUEST FOR SPEAKERS Energy, Utility and Environment Conference February 3-5, 2014 Phoenix, AZ DEADLIINE June 30, 2013
June 15, 2013 – 4:41 pm | No Comment
REQUEST FOR SPEAKERS Energy, Utility and Environment Conference February 3-5, 2014 Phoenix, AZ   DEADLIINE June 30, 2013

What is EUEC?

EUEC 2014 is the 17th annual energy, utility and environment conference

EUEC has been held annually in Arizona since 1995.

EUEC is the USA’s largest, longest-running, professional networking and educational event of its kind.

Over 2,000 delegates network …

Energy, Utility and Environment Conference February 3-5, 2014 Phoenix, AZ
June 15, 2013 – 4:37 pm | No Comment
Energy, Utility and Environment Conference   February 3-5, 2014  Phoenix, AZ

What is EUEC?

EUEC 2014 is the 17th annual energy, utility and environment conference

EUEC has been held annually in Arizona since 1995.

EUEC is the USA’s largest, longest-running, professional networking and educational event of its kind.

Over 2,000 delegates network …

Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials Lead Auditor Training September 3-5, 2013 Madrid, Spain
June 15, 2013 – 3:36 pm | No Comment
Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials Lead Auditor Training    September 3-5, 2013    Madrid, Spain

The Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) is an international multi-stakeholder initiative that brings together farmers, companies, non-governmental organizations, experts, governments, and intergovernmental agencies concerned with ensuring the sustainability of biofuels production and processing. Since 2006 …

F.O. Lichts Sugar & Ethanol Africa 2013 September 10-12 Durban, South Africa
June 15, 2013 – 3:29 pm | No Comment
F.O. Lichts Sugar & Ethanol Africa 2013    September 10-12     Durban, South Africa

At this event you will be able to:
• Identify production growth opportunities within the African continent
• Look at intra-region and international trade dynamics and identify supply gaps for both fuel and non-fuel ethanol
• Assess production …

World Bio Markets USA – Advanced Biofuels Webinar August 14, 2013
June 15, 2013 – 3:18 pm | No Comment
World Bio Markets USA – Advanced Biofuels Webinar   August 14, 2013

The Role of Partnerships in Advanced Biofuels Reaching Commercial Scale in the US
In line with 4th annual leading North American bio-based markets event World Bio Markets USA, Green Power Conferences is pleased to announce a free …

3rd Algae World Australia August 26-28, 2013 Adelaide, South Australia
June 15, 2013 – 3:09 pm | No Comment
3rd Algae World Australia   August 26-28, 2013  Adelaide, South Australia

Energy security is high on the agenda for Australia as the nation becomes increasingly vulnerable to overseas fuel supply disruption.
It is reported that as of now, 85 per cent of Australia’s transport fuel now comes …

USDA Accepting Applications for Advanced Biofuel, REAP Programs
June 14, 2013 – 7:53 pm | No Comment

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  On June 11 the USDA Rural Business Cooperative Service has published a notice of contract proposals in the Federal Register, announcing the availability of $98.6 million for payments under …

Advanced Biofuels USA Urges Introspection on Climate Change at Congressional Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency EXPO + Forum in Washington, D.C
June 13, 2013 – 12:58 pm | No Comment

by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) Robert E. Kozak, Advanced Biofuels USA founder and board member began his remarks at the Congressional Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency EXPO + Forum in Washington, D.C June 12, with …

Biomass for Energy and Transportation Fuels: An EU Perspective
June 11, 2013 – 4:46 pm | No Comment

by Aino Siirala (Advanced Biofuels USA)  The 21st European Biomass conference and Exhibition was held in Copenhagen on June 3-7, 2013, gathering almost 2000 attendees.
Denmark, one of the world’s leading countries in the green energy …

Advanced Biofuels USA Announces Plans to Exhibit and Speak at Congressional Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency EXPO and Forum June 12
June 11, 2013 – 12:39 pm | No Comment

by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA)  Advanced Biofuels USA, an internationally respected nonprofit educational organization dedicated to promoting the understanding, development and use of advanced biofuels as an energy security, economic development, military flexibility and …

United Planes to Fly on Advanced Biofuel
June 7, 2013 – 12:56 pm | No Comment

by Jennifer A. Dlouhy (SF Gate)  United Airlines on Tuesday announced it has committed to buy at least 15 million gallons of cleaner-burning renewable jet fuel from a Los Angeles-based refinery, marking a potentially major breakthrough …

We Came in Peace: The Renewable Fuel Standard and the Spirit of Innovation
June 7, 2013 – 9:36 am | No Comment

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)  The EPREINC scenario—One chart was prepared by the Energy Policy Research Foundation for its Congressional testimony on the Renewable Fuel Standard yesterday.

EPRINC’s scenario foresees a big shortfall between the production …

Busting Big Oil Myths on the RFS and Ethanol, Part III: ILUC and Greenhouse Gases
June 6, 2013 – 4:47 pm | No Comment

by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association/The Energy Collective)  …Incredibly, the American Petroleum Institute’s anti-RFS “training center” (yes, Big Oil has a “training center” apparently intended to spawn an army of certified RFS haters) has the …

Clariant Demonstrates Sunliquid Process with Stover, Bagasse
June 6, 2013 – 4:32 pm | No Comment

by  Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  Not quite a year after opening a demonstration facility, Switzerland-based specialty chemicals company Clariant AG announced that it has expanded the feedstocks successfully converted to cellulosic ethanol beyond wheat …

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Ethanol Fuel?
June 6, 2013 – 4:12 pm | No Comment

(WiseGEEK)  In an effort to find a viable alternative to foreign oil, many politicians and environmental groups have been heavily promoting the advantages of ethanol fuel. Ethanol is a primarily plant-based fuel which can be …

Letter to the Editor — Dinneen: E15 is Well-Tested
June 6, 2013 – 4:07 pm | No Comment

by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association) I’m writing in response to the guest opinion piece that ran on May 18 by Stephen Buck. It was addressed to Congresswoman Bustos and entitled “Stop Using E15 Fuel Until Further …

EPA to Issue Ethanol Use Targets This Summer
June 6, 2013 – 4:01 pm | No Comment

by Ayesha Rascoe (Reuters)  The Environmental Protection Agency plans to announce targets for U.S. ethanol use in 2013 and 2014 this summer, an EPA official told lawmakers on Wednesday, even as critics of the program …

Renewable Fuels Association Disputes Study on Climate Change Impacts on Corn Production
June 6, 2013 – 3:54 pm | No Comment

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  The Renewable Fuels Association has spoken out to criticize a study published by Rice University and the University of California-Davis that claims climate change will increase irrigation costs for …

Busting Big Oil Myths on the RFS and Ethanol, Part II: Food Prices
June 6, 2013 – 3:48 pm | No Comment

by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association/The Energy Collective)  …Big Oil’s PR machine regurgitates these myths via conference calls with reporters, meetings with editorial boards, sham studies, paid advertising, social media and many other channels. Their …

Biofuels Industry Criticizes Content of House RFS Hearing
June 6, 2013 – 3:48 pm | No Comment

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  On June 5, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Energy Policy, Health Care and Entitlements held a hearing on the federal renewable fuel standard (RFS). …

EPA Review of RFS Pathway Petitions (Comments on Illinois Study)
June 6, 2013 – 3:38 pm | No Comment

by David Glass (DGlassAssociates)  A new study was published last week by two researchers at the University of Illinois Energy Biosciences Institute, James S.N. McCubbins and A. Bryan Endres, regarding the length of time the Environmental Protection Agency …

Can Advanced Biofuels Help Revitalize IndyCar?
June 5, 2013 – 12:53 pm | No Comment

by Robert Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) The car racing carnival came to Detroit this past weekend. The venue was Belle Isle, once a beautiful island park in the Detroit River that served as a verdant …

Mazda Wins Again with SKYACTIV-D Clean Diesel: Is It Renewable?
June 4, 2013 – 4:59 pm | No Comment

by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA)  NASCAR’s sportscar racing division, GrandAm, and Green Racing aren’t words that you see together.  For one thing, GrandAm competitors race on all-petroleum race fuel. Yet, GrandAm and the American Le …

DOE Publishes Agenda for Biomass 2013: How the Advanced Bioindustry is Reshaping American Energy
May 31, 2013 – 11:57 am | No Comment

(US Department of Energy)  On July 31–August 1, 2013, the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and Advanced Biofuels USA will co-host the Office’s sixth annual conference, Biomass 2013: How the Advanced Bioindustry is Reshaping American Energy, at …

Plenty of Sunshine and Creativity at 25th Annual Supermileage Challenge
May 28, 2013 – 7:34 pm | No Comment

(Minnesota Cornerstone)  …Nearly 500 students from 50 schools built more than 80 cars and competed in the 25thannual Supermileage Challenge, which has long been sponsored in part by the Minnesota Corn Growers Association. Supermileage Challenge is …

Nova Scotia Biodiesel Project Plans 100 Percent Export to Germany
May 28, 2013 – 7:20 pm | No Comment

by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine)  Biofuel Weiss Inc. is developing a 7 MMgy continuous flow multifeedstock biodiesel production facility in Atlantic Canada, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. According to Ian Weiss, CEO of Weiss Biofuel, the …

The Brussels Biofuels Debate, Part III: MEP Vidal-Quadras Scraps ‘Deficient’ ILUC Factors From Commission’s Proposal
May 28, 2013 – 6:50 pm | No Comment

(The Oil Palm)  Spanish MEP and Draftsman for the influential Industry, Research and Energy Committee (ITRE), Alejo Vidal-Quadras, has dismissed the European Commission’s proposal to introduce Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC) factors as part of …

Can Electrofuels and Electrosugars Save the Day?
May 28, 2013 – 6:37 pm | No Comment

Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)  Is the ultimate industrial fuel system going to be based on electricity, waste CO2 and brackish water – to return society to the days of energy abundance?  It will take a …

Letter to the Editor – Dinneen to Big Oil: Focus on the Facts
May 28, 2013 – 5:25 pm | No Comment

by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association)  In an interview published on May 22, Charles Drevna, President of the American Fuels & Petrochemical Manufacturers, disparaged the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and claimed it negatively effects consumers. He couldn’t …

Proposed Rule Defines Corn Fiber Ethanol, Butanol as Advanced
May 28, 2013 – 5:20 pm | No Comment

by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  A new proposed rulemaking from the U.S. EPA includes several possible modifications to the renewable fuel standard program, including categorizing as advanced biofuels ethanol produced from corn fiber and …

Busting Big Oil Myths on the Renewable Fuel Standard: Part I
May 28, 2013 – 4:06 pm | No Comment

by Geoff Cooper (The Energy Collective/Renewable Fuels Association)   Anyone with even a casual interest in energy policy knows that a full frontal assault has been launched against the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Big Oil has …

SAFER Southern Bioeconomy Case Study Series: Biofuels Center of North Carolina
May 28, 2013 – 3:43 pm | No Comment

(Southeast Agriculture & Forest Energy Resources Alliance)   “We’re the nation’s only comprehensive biofuels agency, and I say that more out of surprise than for the purpose of touting North Carolina,” said Steven Burke, President and CEO of the Biofuels Center of North …

Maize Growers Form International Alliance
May 28, 2013 – 3:11 pm | No Comment

(U.S. Grains Council/Ethanol Producer Magazine)  The U.S. Grains Council, along with the National Corn Growers Association, MAIZAR, representing Argentina producers and the maize supply chain and ABRAMILHO (Brazilian Association of Corn Producers) have signed a …

Scientists Develop ‘Green’ Pretreatment of Miscanthus for Biofuel
May 28, 2013 – 2:45 pm | No Comment

(University of Illinois/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Two University of Illinois scientists have developed an environmentally friendly and more economical way of pretreating miscanthus in the biofuel production process.
“We pretreat the biomass with switchable butadiene sulfone in the …

Renewable Fuels: Where We Should Be
May 28, 2013 – 2:29 pm | No Comment

by Fred Cannon (The Hill’s Congress Blog/KiOR)  More than one-third of the world’s total energy usage relies on liquid fuels – primarily from fossil fuels. In the first quarter of 2013 consumption outpaced production, and …

Ethanol Backers Propose E15 Tax Breaks
May 28, 2013 – 2:17 pm | No Comment

by Tim Landis (State Journal-Register)  Ethanol supporters in Illinois want to trade a 20 percent sales tax break on E10 fuel sales in Illinois for a 10 percent break on E15, arguing it would mean …

DDGS Intake Reduces Methane Output of Dairy Cows
May 28, 2013 – 2:13 pm | No Comment

by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  Every once in a while, I read something that really catches my attention. A study that found that distillers grains can help reduce methane output and increase milk production …

Ethanol a Target of Big Oil
May 28, 2013 – 2:04 pm | No Comment

by Paul Kenney (KAAPA Ethanol/Kearney Hub) Opinion:  …Ethanol blends are becoming a staple at pumps across the nation, and ethanol accounts for more than 10 percent of the country’s motor fuel supply. It’s a higher-octane alternative …

Ethanol Helps Reduce High Gas Prices of Summer Months
May 28, 2013 – 1:56 pm | No Comment

by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  As drivers head out for trips over Memorial Day weekend, increasing attention is being focused on gasoline prices. In the meantime, ethanol industry advocates are pointing to the power …

Ethanol Improving While Oil Gets Worse
May 28, 2013 – 1:36 pm | No Comment

by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com)  The House and Energy Commerce Committee has released its third white paper on the Renewable Fuel Standard, “Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Environmental Impacts.” Executive Vice President of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), …

EU Confirms Unannounced Inspections in Oil and Biofuels Sectors
May 28, 2013 – 1:02 pm | No Comment

(European Commission/Ethanol Producer Magazine)  The European Commission can confirm that on May 14, 2013, commission officials carried out unannounced inspections at the premises of several companies active in and providing services to the crude oil, …

ePURE Suspects Circumvention of Import Duty on Ethanol Imports
May 28, 2013 – 11:27 am | No Comment

(ePURE/Ethanol Producer Magazine)  ePURE, the European Renewable Ethanol Association, has asked the European Commission to investigate if EU customs legislation is properly applied in Finland. Evidence from several sources indicates that ethanol blended with gasoline …

Enerkem Starts Drop-In Renewable Fuels R&D
May 28, 2013 – 11:23 am | No Comment

(Enerkem/Ethanol Producer Magazine)  Enerkem Inc. announced the launch of a new research project with the government of Canada. The objective of the project is to develop new catalytic processes for the conversion of waste into …

Western Biomass up for Sale; Blue Sugars Files Bankruptcy
May 28, 2013 – 11:15 am | No Comment

by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  Just months after receiving the first cellulosic renewable identification numbers for a shipment of cellulosic ethanol to its Brazil partner Petrobras, Western Biomass Energy LLC filed for bankruptcy …

Bill Aims to Open RFS to Natural Gas-Based Ethanol
May 28, 2013 – 11:01 am | No Comment

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  Reps. Pete Olson, R-Texas, and Jim Costa, D-Calif., have introduced legislation that would allow ethanol produced from domestic natural gas to meet the volume requirements of the renewable fuel …

Support Growing for Veto of Ethanol Bill
May 28, 2013 – 10:41 am | No Comment

(News Press)  A bio-energy company on the Treasure Coast has joined Fort Myers-based Algenol Inc. in calling for Gov. Rick Scott to veto a measure that would repeal the state law requiring most gasoline sold …

Scania Offers Bus Solutions Tailored to Any Type of Traffic Demand
May 28, 2013 – 10:32 am | No Comment

(Scania)  Scania also provides highly attractive solutions to bus transport developed in close cooperation with the operators.
Rising welfare inevitably brings about an increased need for transportation of goods as well as passengers. Curbing the constant …

Zambia: Govt Resorts to Ethanol Fuel
May 28, 2013 – 10:19 am | No Comment

by  Judith Namutowe (AllAfrica.com)   Government has said it will start importing ethanol from Zimbabwe with a view to lowering the high fuel prices in Zambia.   And Government will soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with …

Alternative Fuels Americas Successfully Concludes Biodiesel Research Trials, Moves Towards Production
May 28, 2013 – 10:12 am | No Comment

(Alternative Fuels Americas/PR NewsWire)  Alternative Fuels Americas, Inc. (AFAI) announced today (May 22, 2013) that it has successfully completed research trials targeting Jatropha trees as a feedstock source for profitably produced, sustainable biodiesel, and is …

Iowa Takes Aggressive Step to Tear Down Big Oil’s Bogus Blend Wall
May 27, 2013 – 6:12 pm | No Comment

(Iowa Renewable Fuels Association)  Passage of Retailer “Bill of Rights” Shows Commitment to Local Retailers and Consumer Fuel Choice
The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) today applauded the Iowa Legislature’s passage of H.F. 640 as a big …

Going Green: Nation Equipped to Grow Serious Amounts of Pond Scum for Fuel
May 27, 2013 – 6:05 pm | No Comment

by Tom Rickey  (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)   A new analysis shows that the nation’s land and water resources could likely support the growth of enough algae to produce up to 25 billion gallons of algae-based …

Advanced Biofuels Come of Age
May 27, 2013 – 5:56 pm | No Comment

by Dan Seif (Mother Earth News/Rocky Mountain Institute)  Advanced, non-food biofuels are gaining momentum in 2013 as several new plants have gathered the capital and momentum for large-scale production.

Despite sparse media coverage, significant volumes of …

Exxon Refocusing Algae Biofuels Program After $100 Million Spend
May 27, 2013 – 5:42 pm | No Comment

by Andrew Herndon (Bloomberg)  Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM), which has invested more than $100 million to develop algae-derived biofuels, is refocusing its research with Synthetic Genomics Inc. after almost four years of work failed to …

Shanghai Sees Biofuel Gold in Recycled Cooking Oil
May 27, 2013 – 5:34 pm | No Comment

(Economic Times/India Times)  China’s commercial hub Shanghai plans to turn recycled cooking oil, some of it seized by authorities, into an environmental asset by converting it into fuel for vehicles, state media said Monday.
The country has …

Absolute Energy Launches Direct E85 Distribution to Retailers at $1.93 per Gallon
May 27, 2013 – 5:29 pm | No Comment

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)  In Iowa, Absolute Energy, a 115 million gallon per year ethanol plant near the Iowa-Minnesota border, is now offering E85, a fuel blend containing 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent …

The Battle of the Beltway: DoD Awards $16M towards Parity-Cost, Drop-In, Non-Food Biofuels
May 27, 2013 – 5:24 pm | No Comment

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)  DoD goes forward, after internal wrangle, with advanced biofuels program via $16M phase 1 investment.
With industry cost share, project totals $33M: aims for sub-$4, drop-in military biofuels.
In Washington, the DoD …

CBO Report: The Pros and Cons of Carbon Tax
May 27, 2013 – 2:09 pm | No Comment

by Ryan Tracy  (The Wall Street Journal)  Instituting a carbon tax could help reduce the deficit and “produce incremental benefits” for the environment, but could also raise the cost of many goods and services, the …

Corn-Based Ethanol: A Win for Public Health and the Economy
May 24, 2013 – 4:02 pm | No Comment

by William C. Holmberg (Physicians for Social Responsibility)  Asthma, $16 billion.  Premature births, $26 billion.  All cancers, $227 billion.  Autism, $126 billion.  Heart disease, $272 billion.  Obesity, incl. Type 2 diabetes, $190 billion.  These are …

Investors Interested in Fossil Fuel-Free Portfolios
May 24, 2013 – 3:25 pm | No Comment

by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com)  According to a recent survey conducted by SRI, 65 percent of retail investors and 53 percent of institutional investors are currently expressing interest in fossil fuel-free portfolios in reaction to climate …

13th International Datagro Conference on Sugar and Ethanol October 21-22, 2013 Sao Paulo, Brazil
May 24, 2013 – 12:39 pm | No Comment
13th International Datagro Conference on Sugar and Ethanol   October 21-22, 2013    Sao Paulo, Brazil

The Conference that brings together giants of the industry, authorities and renowned experts is a networking opportunity in one of the largest executive centers of the South Hemisphere – over 700 corporate leaders from more …

EPA Announces Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: RFS Pathways II and Technical Amendments to the RFS2 Standards
May 23, 2013 – 1:33 pm | No Comment

(Environmental Protection Agency)  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a proposed rulemaking for modifications to the Renewable Fuel Standard program, E15 misfueling mitigation regulations, ultra low
sulfur diesel survey requirements as well as other technical …

The Renewable Chemical Industry Must Speak with One Voice
May 23, 2013 – 1:16 pm | No Comment

by Brent Erickson (Biotechnology Industry Organization/Biofuels Digest)  …Renewable chemicals offer cost-competitiveness with petrochemicals or new properties and features that add value to innovative consumer products. In that way, they’ve captured some market share and created …

Doing it in the Dark: Fuel from Thin Air, and beyond Light
May 23, 2013 – 11:38 am | No Comment

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)  Beyond biomass, beyond fossil fuels, beyond light itself.   And now, the direct production of drop-in biofuel blendstocks. All available from a microbial “cow”.
This week in California, a research team from …

Energy and Economic Growth: Interview with Mark Thoma
May 23, 2013 – 11:27 am | No Comment

by James Stafford (OilPrice.com)  …  Mark Thoma is a macroeconomist and time-series econometrician at the University of Oregon. His research focuses on how monetary policy affects the economy, and he has also worked on political …

Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining Special Issue — Biomass Futures: Estimating the Sustainable Biomass Role for Meeting the 2020 Targets and Beyond
May 23, 2013 – 10:41 am | No Comment

(Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining)  The Renewable Energy Directive (RED) has set a general binding target for the European Union to derive 20% of its final energy and 10% of its transport fuels from renewable sources …

Cost of Biofuels No Longer Sky High
May 23, 2013 – 10:27 am | No Comment

by Peter Hannam (The Age)  Whether it’s the use of organisms first found in the guts of rabbits in New Zealand or converting the mountains of rubbish disposed of by Londoners, airlines around the world are …

F.O. Licht’s World Ethanol and Biofuels November 4-7, 2013 Munich, Germany
May 22, 2013 – 4:58 pm | No Comment
F.O. Licht’s World Ethanol and Biofuels   November 4-7, 2013  Munich, Germany

Now in its 16th year, F.O. Licht’s World Ethanol and Biofuels is the must attend event for the global ethanol and biofuels community. Recognised as the best forum for in-depth analysis and as the biggest week of trade …

Biofuels Industry Fighting Rising Tide of Skepticism
May 22, 2013 – 4:05 pm | No Comment

by Sandra I. Erwin  (National Defense Magazine)  …Although the Pentagon consumes just 1.5 percent of the nation’s fuel, biofuel investors and green-energy advocates have looked upon the military as a catalyst for a massive expansion of …

Dr. Ernest Moniz Sworn in as 13th Secretary of Energy
May 22, 2013 – 3:33 pm | No Comment

(Department of Energy)  Dr. Ernest Moniz was sworn in as the nation’s 13th Secretary of Energy by Deputy Energy Secretary Daniel Poneman in a ceremony this morning (May 21, 2013) for the Department’s employees, kicking off …

USDA Announces Payments to Advanced Ethanol Producers
May 22, 2013 – 12:21 pm | No Comment

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  The USDA has announced $14 million payments to advanced biofuel 162 producers in 38 states under the Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels. The program awards payments to eligible producers …

Obama’s Environment, Energy Team Nears Completion with Votes
May 20, 2013 – 12:20 pm | No Comment

by Valerie Volcovici (Reuters)  President Barack Obama’s energy and environment team took two steps forward on Thursday after the U.S. Senate confirmed Ernest Moniz as energy secretary and a committee cleared Gina McCarthy to get a …

How Farm Waste May Make Biofuels Matter Again
May 20, 2013 – 11:28 am | No Comment

by Javier E. David (CNBC) Imagine a world where leftover corn, wheat and wood chips can be used to power your car.
That’s the aim of cellulosic ethanol, a budding sector of the renewable fuel industry that …

Sugar for Food, Fuel and Power: The ISO Datagro Sugar & Ethanol Conference in New York City
May 16, 2013 – 7:58 pm | No Comment

by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA)  What used to be known as “The New York Sugar Conference” has become “The ISO and Datagro Sugar & Ethanol Conference” with a record-setting number of attendees (350 from …

Community Level Production and Utilization of Jatropha Feedstock in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe
May 14, 2013 – 3:59 pm | No Comment

by Enos Shumba, et al (World Wildlife Fund for Nature)  The bio-fuel debate has largely focused on large feedstock plantations that produce products for the export market. It has not acknowledged and seriously considered the …

New Advance in Biofuel Production
May 14, 2013 – 3:39 pm | No Comment

by Lynn Yarris(Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)  Joint BioEnergy Institute Researchers Develop Enzyme-free Ionic Liquid Pre-treatment
Advanced biofuels – liquid fuels synthesized from the sugars in cellulosic biomass – offer a clean, green and renewable alternative to …

Study Shows Benefits from Integration of Sweet Sorghum Juice in Corn Mash for Ethanol Production
May 14, 2013 – 3:28 pm | No Comment

(United Sorghum Checkoff Program)  The Sorghum Checkoff in collaboration with the NCERC at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (formerly the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center) is pleased to announce a successful bench-scale evaluation of sweet sorghum juice …

Clean Mobility Stations Selling Locally-Sourced Biofuels on West Coast
May 14, 2013 – 3:15 pm | No Comment

by Michelle Macaluso (Fox News)  …Propel Fuels is launching its Clean Mobility Centers in Fresno. The stations will offer both E85 and biodiesels ranging from B5 to B99 that will be locally-sourced from producers in …

FAPC Algae Project Ranks No. 1 for OCAST Funding
May 14, 2013 – 2:54 pm | No Comment

(Algae Industry Magazine)   An algae research proposal from Oklahoma State University’s Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center (FAPC) was ranked No. 1 of 28 plant-related research projects, resulting in $100,000 in funding …

Edeniq DOE-Supported Cellulosic Ethanol Plant Surpasses 1,000 Continuous Operational Hours
May 14, 2013 – 2:08 pm | No Comment

(Edeniq/Yahoo! News)  Visalia Plant Milestone Signifies Greater Commercial Viability for Cellulosic Ethanol and Sugars
Edeniq, a biomaterials and sustainable fuels company, today announced the company’s first demonstration plant, located at its Visalia, CA headquarters, has completed …

Algae: Times and Needs Have Changed.
May 14, 2013 – 1:50 pm | No Comment

by Barry Cohen (National Algae Association/PR Log) The DoE has spent $2.5 billion on algae research but to date nothing has been commercialized. Why? Because their mission is to develop technologies. It’s not their problem or …

Mighty Algae Could Lead to Biofuels Breakthrough
May 14, 2013 – 1:40 pm | No Comment

by Adam Wilmoth  (News OK)  OSU researcher Gerald Schoenknecht and his team recently completed genome sequencing for an algae that thrives inside active volcanoes. The researchers hope to use their findings to help make tough …

Enerkem Starts “Drop-In” Renewable Fuels R&D Project
May 14, 2013 – 1:32 pm | No Comment

(Enerkem/PR NewsWire)  Enerkem Inc. (www.enerkem.com), a waste-to-biofuels and renewable chemicals company, announces the launch of a new research project with the Government of Canada. The objective of the project is to develop new catalytic processes for …

Out of the Shell: Oil Giant’s Big Biofuels Ambitions
May 14, 2013 – 10:24 am | No Comment

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)  … In an exclusive Digest interview, Shell’s VP for Alternative Energy, Matthew Tipper, reveals the company’s thinking about RFS2, their increasing re-focus on North America and the EU.   Plus, Shell’s ambition …

Investing in Sustainable Palm Oil Production Ex-ante Impact Assessment of Investments in a Palm Oil Mill in Palembang, Indonesia
May 13, 2013 – 7:46 pm | No Comment

by Yuca Waarts, Kor Zwart (LEI Wageningen UR)  Recycling palm oil mill effluent, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and improving smallholder livelihoods are three important topics in debates on sustainable palm oil production. In Indonesia, Zebra Special Products …

Scientists Alarmed by Rapid Spread of Brown Streak Disease in Cassava
May 13, 2013 – 7:39 pm | No Comment

(EurekAlert!)  World’s cassava experts to wage war against cassava viruses; introduction into Nigeria, the largest cassava producer in the world, could result in drastic food shortages in this part of Africa
Cassava experts are reporting new …

Major Montreal Meet-Up on Aviation Biofuels
May 13, 2013 – 7:32 pm | No Comment

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)  In Canada, around 200 delegates from 44 countries are meeting in Montréal today, in a meet-up organized by the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), to explore:  the commercialization of aviation …

Feds Launch Project to Convert Oilsands Emissions to Biofuels
May 13, 2013 – 7:28 pm | No Comment

by Heather Loney (Global News)  The federal government is teaming up with two Canadian companies in a pilot project that would use algae to convert greenhouse gas emissions from the oilsands into biofuels.
The National Research …

Biofuels Short Takes: Farm Bill Update
May 13, 2013 – 7:23 pm | No Comment

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)  In Washington, BIO begins the week with applause for Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and other members of the Senate Agriculture Committee for including mandatory funding for …

Dynamic Fuels’ Renewable Diesel Refinery to Restart in July
May 13, 2013 – 7:17 pm | No Comment

by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine)  During a call to discuss its first quarter financial results, Syntroleum Corp. announced that Dynamic Fuels LLC’s renewable diesel plant in Geismar, La., is expected to resume operations in July. …

Setting the Record Straight: Gevo and Butamax
May 13, 2013 – 7:11 pm | No Comment

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)  Biofuels’s Montagues and Capulets were at it again last week — with a flurry of press releases about court decisions and commercial timelines regarding their respective isbutanol technologies.
At the heart …

The Greening of BASF: #1 Chemco Commits to Biobased BDO
May 13, 2013 – 7:06 pm | No Comment

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)  World’s #1 chemical company to produce renewable Butanediol using Genomatica’s process.  The Digest has a one-on-one with Genomatica CEO Christophe Schilling to explore the deal in-depth.
In Germany, BASF announced that …

Will Sustainability Become the Feared Equalizer?
May 10, 2013 – 7:07 pm | No Comment

by Tom Kadala (Research Pays) … (T)here is yet another force at play, one that is far more complex than society is prepared to confront today and which will surely cause the price of oil …