Article Archive for July 2012
(Biotechnology Industry Organization) BIO recently introduced a picture book of biorefineries across the United States,“Visible Progress in Commercialization of Advanced Biofuels, Biobased Products and Renewable Chemicals”, which showcases commercial, demonstration and even new pilot facilities. Some of …
by Mary Rosenthal (Algal Biomass Organization) As we all basked in the glory of the annual Independence Day festivities, we were reminded once again about the importance of “Buying American.” Nowhere was this more evident …
by Steve Levine (Foreign Policy) …Three years ago, we saw a very different Rex Tillerson. In January 2009, the ExxonMobil CEO was so worried about the Obama juggernaut that he engineered a wholesale change …
(Growth Energy/Ethanol Producer Magazine) With increasing consumer demand for higher blends of ethanol, following the U.S. EPA approval of E15 for commercial sale, several fuel dispensing equipment manufacturers have introduced new products for retailers to …
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Swiss specialty chemicals company Clariant is now operating its demonstration-scale cellulosic ethanol plant in Straubing, Germany. With an annual capacity of up to 1,000 tons (330,000 MMgy), the demonstration …
by Larry Kershner (The Messenger) A post-graduate student at Michigan State University thinks that upgrading ethanol to a higher grade of alcohol – 1-butanol – will help the ethanol industry get past the “blender’s wall,” …
by Jane Wells (CNBC) …Proponents say refiners can use past spending splurges on ethanol as credits against this year’s purchasing requirements, and exports will also probably be cut. This should leave more corn for everyone …
(Algae Industry Magazine) Touchstone Research Laboratory, of Triadelphia, WV is scaling up its Department of Energy (DOE)-funded project to produce fuels and other high-value, bio-based products from algae. The laboratory is working with DOE’s National …
(Gevo/Reuters) Gevo, Inc. has been awarded an additional patent covering further improvements in the efficiency of bio-based production of isobutanol. The new patent extends Gevo’s lead over competitors in technological innovations that enable commercially viable …
(Butamax(TM)/PR NewsWire) Butamax™ Advanced Biofuels, LLC, the biobutanol technology leader, commented on the lawsuit filed by Gevo today alleging patent infringement of Gevo patent number 8,232,089.
“The Gevo ’089 patent adds no new point of novelty …
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association) Mr. Larry Pope’s July 27th op-ed “The Ethanol Mandate is Worse Than The Drought” calls out for a rebuttal. It is a bit astonishing to read an op-ed in the Wall …
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced payments for 125 advanced Biofuel producers across the country to support the production and expansion of advanced biofuels from a wide variety of non-food sources, …
The race to create a better, less controversial biofuel has spawned plenty of research into a variety of potential new sources – including switchgrass, cornstalks and algae.
One goal behind the next generation of ethanol fuel …
by Suzanne Goldenberg (The Guardian) The Obama administration was urged on Monday to stop diverting grain to gas amid warnings of an “imminent food crisis” caused by America’s drought.
US government forecasts of a 4% rise in food prices for US …
(The Wall Street Journal Market Watch/SBI)) Buoyed by public and private R&D, industry investment from the public and private sectors, fossil fuel prices, and general regulatory support, algae biofuels technologies are ripe for double-digit growth …
Josh Peterson (KVEW TV) One of the hydroplanes competing in the Columbia Cup this weekend is showing the racing community that biofuel is a viable option to race with.
The Oh Boy! Oberto hydroplane ran with …
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Arch-critic of the cost of military biofuels — Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe — comes under scrutiny over earmarks for natural gas-based military fuels that cost 29 times more than conventional …
by Nathan Simone (The Auburn Plainsman) Sushil Adhikari, assistant professor of biosystems engineering, recently received a $335,748 grant from the National Science Foundation to conduct bioenergy research, specifically Adhikari’s speciality, the conversion of biomass into …
by Martin Cash (Brandon Sun) Province planning diesel-blend hike
Manitoba’s trucking industry is far from pumped over the possibility the province may increase the biodiesel mandate to five per cent.
Since early 2010, all diesel fuel sold …
by Markus Schmidt (Progress-Index) While Hopewell’s lawsuit against the owner of the Appomattox Bio Energy Plant over a $5 million letter of credit is still pending and the city has not yet collected taxes from …
Jannette Pippin (JDNews) Eastern North Carolina farmers have an opportunity to get involved in growing renewable energy crops for fuel and power through a program that will help pay planting and other start-up costs.
USDA Farm …
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) …But the 80/20 rule generally applies. 85 percent of the projects we expect to see by 2017 will be developed by 20 percent of the companies tracked in the Advanced …
(Georgia Tech University) With a series of papers published in chemistry and chemical engineering journals, researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology have advanced the case for extracting carbon dioxide directly from the air using …
Organised by GreenAir Online, VerifAvia and Green Aviation, this event follows the successful inaugural Aviation Carbon 2012, which attracted over 300 delegates from 62 countries worldwide, including representatives from more than 100 airlines and business …
(GreenAirOnline) As part of policy objectives to reduce carbon emissions by state-owned companies (SOCs) and stimulate a green economy, the South African government is planning a strategy to help develop a home-grown aviation biofuels industry …
(Gilbarco Veeder-Root) The industry’s first and only E25 upgrade option
Gilbarco Veeder-Root is pleased to announce that E25 Field Retrofit Kits are now available for the entire line of Encore® dispensers. Retailers interested in offering E15 fuel …
by Olga Belogolova (National Journal) Republicans in both the House and Senate this year have proposed cutting funds for alternative-energy programs in the defense authorization bill. But these efforts won’t gain much traction, National Journal’s Energy …
By Bob Silberg (NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory/R&D Magazine) If you’ve had to deal with termites in your house, you probably hate their guts. But not Jared Leadbetter. He loves termites, especially their guts!
“It turns out …
(Leopoldina) The Leopoldina’s statement “Bioenergy – Chances and Limits” provides a comprehensive analysis of the use of bioenergy. It was compiled by a working group of more than 20 expert scientists established in 2010 and …
(Handy Shipping Guide) Nippon Buy Boeing Again Quoting Environmental and Economic Advantages
Aircraft manufacturer Boeing has announced that it has delivered a 747-8 Freighter to Narita-based air cargo transporters, Nippon Cargo Airlines (NCA), marking the Japanese debut for …
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, Biofuels Digest is reporting that global advanced biofuels and renewable chemicals capacity will reach 5.89 billion gallons by 2017, up from 5.11 billion gallons by 2016 reported in …
(Oil and Gas Online) The American Petroleum Institute (API) filed a lawsuit with the D.C. Circuit Court late yesterday challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) mandated use of nonexistent cellulosic biofuels in the 2011 Renewable …
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Five years ago today, Biofuels Digest debuted with two subscribers and a hunch that a daily, 5-minute news summary, combined with original journalism and news analysis, would find a place …
Organizers: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) – USA
National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology (INMETRO) – Brazil
European Commission – DG ENER – EU
This international conference is being organized by the U.S. National Institute of …
Organizers: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) – USA
National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology (INMETRO) – Brazil
European Commission – DG ENER – EU
This international conference is being organized by the U.S. National Institute of …
(Growth Energy) Retrofit kits for flex pumps will provide consumers with greater choice and savings at the pump
With increasing consumer demand for higher blends of ethanol, following the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approval of E15 …
A conference like no other: A unique, high-level, interactive debate between the key parties that will drive the European advanced bioeconomy.
The European Union has as a priority aim, to build up a bio-based economy by …
The Energy Department will present a live webcast titled Assessing Impacts of Regional Water Resource Use and Availability on Bioenergy Production on August 15, 2012, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
This webinar is intended …
The Energy Department, in partnership with the Battelle Commercialization Council of Labs, will present a live webcast titled Accelerating Innovation: Biomass on Wednesday, August 8, 2012, from 2:00 to3:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. This webcast will highlight …
(PhysOrg) Researchers in Spain have discovered that greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced through the use of biodiesel. The group from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) in Spain investigated the benefits of using biodiesel by …
by David Alexander (Reuters) * Ex-Senator Warner leads veterans in pushing alternative fuels
* Senator Inhofe seeks accounting for Green Fleet demonstration
* Fossil fuel dependence means more conflict, veterans warn
Military veterans and former lawmakers urged …
(HazMatMag.com) With the departure this morning of Air Canada’s flight AC864 Montreal-London, the airline will operate its second biofuel-powered flight which is expected to generate up to 10 per cent fewer emissions by using jet …
by David Pruitt (The Alestle) On July 16 and 17, John Caupert, director of SIUE’s National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center, met with USDA officials about a new process the NCERC has discovered to use corn …
by Andy Eubank (Hoosier Ag Today) First – he says the flexibility built into the RFS allowing obligated parties to carry over blending credits from previous years significantly lowers the economic impacts of a short crop. …
by Amanda Peterka (Governors’ Biofuels Coalition) Proposed fuel economy standards could hamper the U.S. biofuels industry, a coalition of rural energy proponents and farm organizations said yesterday.
In comments filed with U.S. EPA, the groups warned that …
(US Department of Energy)Lab Creates DOE ‘Breakthrough’ Video Highlighting Biofuels Research Breaking down high-energy plants, such as switchgrass and miscanthus, cheaply and efficiently — and turning them into advanced biofuels — has long been …
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The recent focus on drought, and the scarcity scare, shows that diversification and yield enhancement remain the bioeconomy’s chief weapons in the war on availability and affordability. The USDA and …
The Aviation Biofuels Development Conference is custom built to meet the specific challenges faced in the alternative aviation fuel market. If you are a biofuels producer, commercial airline executive, fuel procurement manager, aerospace manufacturer or …
by Jim Lane (BioBased Digest) …The movement towards replacing the whole barrel of oil got some momentum just in the past 2-3 years in senior US bioenergy decision-making circles. To some extent, the leadership still doesn’t …
by Dave Larsen (Dayton Daily News) The facility will be used to develop advanced jet fuels for Air Force.
The University of Dayton Research Institute will start construction July 9 on a new $850,000 outdoor algae …
by Luke Geiver (Biomass Magazine) Being first on the scene is beneficial in many markets, but advanced biofuels may not be one of them.
…“Being first to market and establishing a brand has significance in end …
The German BioEnergy Association (BBE) and the Union for the Promotion of Oilseeds and Protein Plants (UFOP) cordially invite paper proposals for the 10th international Conference on Biofuels “Fuels of the Future 2013” that will …
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Massachusetts-based Agrivida Inc. is conducting the first year of USDA-permitted field trials to grow corn that has been engineered to include enzymes in the corn stalk. The addition should …
by Arthur Kollaras, Paul Koutouridis, Mary Biddy and James D. McMillan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Feed yeast, green coal contribute to bottom line
…History shows that once an industry is established, significant technological improvements quickly evolve. But …
by Mike Bryan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) …To sum it up: it’s a big world and a world that is growing increasingly hungry for clean, domestically produced energy. The opportunities abound for those who can think …
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Minimum octane rating decisions could greatly impact ethanol’s future market opportunities
At a time when ethanol’s high-octane rating is touted as its most valuable asset, a situation in South Dakota …
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The results of a Google search of the words ethanol and water use are varied and interesting. Some of the information is up-to-date and lays out the industry’s dramatic …
(National Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) …A new voluntary No. 1-B grade for biodiesel (B100) passed the ASTM D2 Committee on Petroleum Products and Lubricants this past spring and the results were sanctioned by the ASTM Committee …
by Frazier Barnes & Associates (Biodiesel Magazine) RIN fraud and RIN verification have emerged as key factors in a biodiesel plant’s viability as evidenced by the recent lawsuits for invalid RINs. As a result of …
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Criminal proceedings are underway against Jeffrey David Gunselman, former CEO of Texas-based Absolute Fuels, in U.S. District Court as Judge Sam Cummings filed an official complaint last week authorizing Gunselman’s …
by Luke Geiver (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. EPA has granted KiOR Inc. the necessary permit to sell renewable cellulosic gasoline in the U.S. According to Fred Cannon, the EPA’s acceptance of KiOR’s advanced biofuel blendstock …
by John Maday (Cattlenetwork.com) The renewable fuel standard, which mandates expanding use of ethanol for fuel, always has been a point of contention between grain producers and grain users such as livestock producers. This year’s …
The National Algae Association is the first non-profit algae production trade association in the US. To continue the fast-track commercialization and commercial scale-up of the algae production industry, the National Algae Association is offering its …
(PR NewsWire) iDiverse announced that it has discovered a yeast gene that when inserted into yeast and properly modulated can increase ethanol production yield by up to 34%.
“The gene functions by protecting the yeast against …
(World Watch Institute/Environmental News Network) …In response to global criticisms that biofuels drive deforestation and threaten food security, Central American governments and interest groups specify that biofuel expansion will occur on “tierras ociosas”�—or vacant, unproductive …
by Michael Gubisch (FlightGlobal/Flight International) …Between 15 July and 27 December 2011, Lufthansa deployed a newly delivered Airbus A321 (registration D-AIDG) on the route between Hamburg and Frankfurt, with one of the two International Aero …
(Innoget.com) IUCT has developed a technology to produce different biofuels in biodiesel plants and oleochemical production facilities. Our technology is very flexible because the starting raw materials may be glycerol, vegetable oils, animal fats or …
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory) A new web application collects cost and performance estimates for electric generation, advanced vehicles, and renewable fuel technologies and makes them available for utilities, policy makers, consumers, and academics. The Transparent Cost …
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) …Here we are, some 30+ years into the era of genetic modification of crops. The primary breadbasket of the world, the United States, is experiencing its most severe drought conditions …
(National Chicken Council) In response to a new economic study on the impact of corn ethanol production on food prices and commodity price volatility, a coalition of livestock and poultry groups is urging Congress to …
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The once futuristic vision of integrating traditional and second-generation ethanol facilities appears more attainable as various companies emerge with technology improvements that will allow corn ethanol producers to add …
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Studies examine antibiotics in DDGS, whether it contributes to antibiotic resistance in animals
Are the antibiotic residues found in distillers grains biologically active? And, if they are, could antibiotic use in …
Sugar as the New Crude Oil, Fueling a Growing Chemicals Industry
Where are the Key Developments Taking Place in Bio-based Chemicals? Hear from these Outstanding Speakers:
Shefali Algoo, ACS Green Chemistry Institute
Joe Fox, Ashland Performance Materials
Pulakesh Mukherjee, BASF Venture Capital
George …
The World Future Energy Summit (WFES) 2013 will bring together global leaders in policy, technology and business to discuss the state of the art, develop new ways of thinking and shape the future of renewable …
“Honestly, I don’t know what you could do better.” Rockwell Automation
Adjust and Adapt: The biofuels industry is at a tipping point; we must unite and innovate in order to succeed. Join the largest and most …
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) What does a U.S.-based NASCAR hauler with solar panels have in common with a championship vehicle developed by a Japanese team attempting to break a world record in Kuala Lumpur? Both …
The price of jet fuel is set to rise over the coming decade and as it does, the economic case for aviation biofuels will become ever-stronger. However, even as many of the technical hurdles facing …
(Platts) Construction of Ineos’ $130 million biorefinery joint venture project in the US has been completed, with production expected to begin in the second half of 2012, said Peter Williams, CEO of Ineos Bio, the …
(PressConnects.com) When President Barack Obama moved into the White House in 2009, E15 — a higher blend of ethanol and gasoline than commonly available — was thought to be a sure thing.
But the Environmental Protection …
Following the success of the 1st Biomass West & Central Africa Congress last year, the 2nd Congress is returning to Accra from 4 to 5 October 2012. More than 25 countries gathered in Accra last …
by Ysabel Yates (Renewable Energy World) …For the next two years, Rolf Reitz and his team will be developing a model to work out the right mix of biofuel for the Navy’s fleet. Reitz’s work is critical …
(Expansion.com) Murcia University research has developed a process which allows the production of biodiesel in a single step and continuously through a combination of enzymes (biocatalysts) and solvent “green” nonaqueous ionic liquids such as carbon …
by Stephen J. Gatto (Biofuels Digest/Myriant) Post Kitty Hawk: 2012 and Beyond: Overwhelming Evidence in Support of Replacing the Whole Barrel of Oil and the Need for Biobased Chemicals Policy Now
We in the biobased chemicals …
by Colleen Scherer (AG Professional) Soybean farmers in the United States have joined forces with other soybean farmers in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay in supporting genetically modified soybeans in the European Union. Farmers from these …
(Verenium) Verenium Corporation, a leading industrial biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of high-performance enzymes, and Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., the leading owner, operator, and developer of high-quality, sustainable real estate and technical …
by Grant Scott-Goforth (Times-Standard) The Arcata Planning Commission recently have final approval to a plan for a biodiesel facility on Giuntoli Lane after hearing concerns from neighbors about increased traffic and odors.
The facility will create biodiesel …
Mississippi State University Sustainable Energy Research Center (SERC) and the Mississippi Biomass Renewable Energy Council (MBREC) are partnering this year for the inaugural Southeast Biofuels and Renewable Energy Conference, to be held August 8 – 9, …
(25 x ’25) As the “green strike group” makes its way through the waters of the Pacific Rim this week, the performance of the advanced biofuels helping power many of those ships is a cause …
(ACORE) Leaders from across the country in the transportation and renewable energy sectors convened at an American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) forum on Tuesday in Washington to chart a course for expanding the use …
(National Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) …As the U.S. biodiesel industry shows in its just-launched ad campaign, biodiesel is here, now.
This ad campaign is the second time the industry has taken to the airwaves, television screens, Web …
Global Opportunity. Growth Markets. Industry Reinvention
“REINVENTING EVERYTHING – THE RELENTLESS DRIVE TO BUILD THE NEW AGRICULTURAL BIO ECONOMY”
The Agri Innovation Forum is the only program of events in Canada dedicated to showcasing the highest potential emerging, …
by Anne Steckel (National Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) …Starting this year, the RFS calls for a minimum of 1 billion gallons of biomass-based diesel (mostly biodiesel) to be used each year in the U.S. fuel supply …
Three expert speakers will give short presentations focusing on different aspects of the Brazilian Green Aviation Fuel market. You can follow the presentations from the comfort of your own office. All you need is an …
(Railway Association of Canada) The Railway Association of Canada (RAC) today announced that Central Manitoba Railway (CEMR) has been chosen as the winner of its 2012 Marketing Award. The RAC Marketing award was created to recognize shortlines …
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) …A new project underway by three companies in Portland focuses on the co-location of grease recycling, biodiesel production and distribution operations. Once complete, the collaborative initiative will allow all three …
This report is designed to provide a pathway to accelerate the industry’s development. The report details factors influencing the development of the global advanced biofuels and biobased chemicals industry, identifies opportunity areas for Minnesota, and …
(Algae Industry Magazine) A recent study at the University of Texas at Austin demonstrates that it is theoretically possible to produce about 500 times as much energy from algae fuels as is needed to grow …
(PRWeb) Yulex Corporation, as part of a consortium headed by Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded the company and its consortium partners a $6.9 million grant. …
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, Brent Erickson, executive vice president of the Biotechnology Industry Organization’s (BIO) Industrial & Environmental Section, said, “Petroleum refining industry organizations are engaging in a misguided and misleading anti-Renewable …
(IFC.org/Handshake) Innovator outlines the future of sustainable air travel. READ MORE and MORE (Destinasian.com) and MORE (Virgin.com)
