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Truly Sustainable Renewable Future
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.”
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North Dakota State University Partner in $1 Million Energy Beet Project
February 3, 2012 – 11:03 am | No Comment

(AgWeek/NDSU Agriculture Communication)  A project that will develop an advanced biofuel from energy beets and provide growers across North Dakota with a new industrial crop is taking another important step forward, fueled by a significant …

When Bio and Solar Converge: 6 Hot Projects at the Bio-Solar-Electric Frontier
February 3, 2012 – 10:54 am | No Comment

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)  … When it comes down to it, a living organism such as a plant is an incredibly sophisticated next-gen solar panel, harvesting light as well as CO2, water and nutrients …

Hundreds of Jobs Planned by New Owner of Range Fuels
February 2, 2012 – 3:42 pm | No Comment

by S. Heather Duncan (Macon.com)  The new owner of a shuttered ethanol plant in Soperton plans to eventually add hundreds of jobs there to produce ethanol and other chemicals, a company official said this week.
That …

Wisconsin Bioenergy Research Center to Open in Madison This Fall
February 2, 2012 – 2:56 pm | No Comment

by Bryan Sims (Biorefinery Magazine)  The newest of three bioenergy research facilities in the U.S. is slated to come online this fall on the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison, as construction is progressing on …

CORE BioFuel Prepares to Land Funding for First Biogasoline Plant
February 2, 2012 – 2:12 pm | No Comment

by Bryan Sims (Biorefining Magazine)  Toronto-based CORE BioFuel Inc. has signed an exclusive agreement with Osprey Capital Partners Inc., Canada’s leading mid-market investment banking firm, to secure equity investment capital for financing the completion of …

Two Become One for Bio-Oil Upgrade
February 2, 2012 – 11:51 am | No Comment

(RSC Chemistry World News)  The development of a couple of new and improved catalysts for upgrading bio-oil is bringing this novel approach to producing biofuels a step closer to the big time.
Although there are several …

World’s First Wood-Based Biofuel Refinery to Be Built in Finland
February 2, 2012 – 11:44 am | No Comment

(YLE.FI)  Forest industry giant UPM is building a biorefinery in the eastern city of Lappeenranta which is to produce biofuel from crude tall oil. The plant’s output is expected to reach some 100,000 tons of …

Sermatec Zanini and GeoSynFuels, LLC Form Strategic Alliance
February 2, 2012 – 10:21 am | No Comment

(Sermatec Zanini and GeoSynFuels, LLC)  Sermatec Zanini and GeoSynFuels, LLC (GSF) have announced the formation of a strategic alliance for the development and commercialization of GSF’s proprietary cellulosic ethanol technology. The strategic alliance allows Sermatec Zanini …

Ethanol Production from Xylose by Pichia Stipitis NRRL Y-7124 in a Stirred Tank Bioreactor
February 1, 2012 – 12:45 pm | No Comment

by Silva, J. P. A., Mussatto, Solange I., Roberto, I.C., Teixeira, J. A.   (Universidade do Minho/Repositorium)  The ethanol production by Pichia stipitis was evaluated in a stirred tank bioreactor using semidefined medium containing xylose (90.0 g/l) as the …

Making Nature’s Best Better to Produce Biofuels
February 1, 2012 – 12:24 pm | No Comment

(National Science Foundation)  The National Renewable Energy Laboratory uses supercomputer simulations to explore designer enzymes for renewable fuels

“Cellulose in the biosphere can last for years,” said Gregg Beckham, a scientist in the National Bioenergy Center at …

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 …

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 …

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, …

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 …

POET, DSM Form Landmark Cellulosic Ethanol Joint Venture
January 24, 2012 – 8:55 am | No Comment

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)  Two titans form a monster JV, starting out with a $250M investment.
…In Iowa, Poet has teamed with Dutch-based Royal DSM to create a 50/50 joint venture called Poet-DSM Advanced Biofuels that will …

Fungus Research at Montana State University Could Help Biofuels Production
January 23, 2012 – 10:30 am | No Comment

by Jason Bacaj  (Bozeman Daily Chronicle)  …(Mark) Kozubal found the fungus could survive in an acidic habitat with a pH of 6, an acidity level similar to cow’s milk. What was really amazing, though, was …

LanzaTech Raises $58M in Series C Round; Petronas Becomes Strategic Investor
January 23, 2012 – 8:51 am | No Comment

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)  …In India, LanzaTech is working with Indian Oil and Jindal Power and Steel Limited on a facility to convert industrial waste gases into ethanol. It also has partnered with Concord …

The New Biofactories
January 20, 2012 – 3:00 pm | No Comment

by Robert Carlson (What Matters)  …Amyris Biotechnologies has modified yeast to transform sugar into useful compounds, including malaria drugs and biofuels that can substitute for today’s jet fuel, diesel, and gasoline. The company will begin …

Cal-Bay International Negotiating Assemblage of 400 Acre Land Parcels for Renewable Clean Energy Forest Division
January 20, 2012 – 2:44 pm | No Comment

(Cal-Bay International/MarketWire)  Cal-Bay International, Inc.,  announced the company is negotiating a land acquisition deal for its renewable forest division for the production of Clean Energy & Power.
The company has entered negotiations for the purchase of multiple …

2012 Merger Mania Gets Underway: Green Biologics, Butylfuel Merge
January 20, 2012 – 2:24 pm | No Comment

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)   In the UK, Green Biologics Limited  announced the merger between GBL and butylfuel Inc., a US-based renewable chemicals and biofuels company. The new company will operate under the Green Biologics …

USDA Approves Conditional Commitment for $25M Guaranteed Loan for New Fiberight Biorefinery
January 20, 2012 – 12:43 pm | No Comment

(Green Car Congress)  The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved a conditional commitment for a $25 million guaranteed loan to build a biorefinery plant with funding support from USDA’s Biorefinery Assistance Program. The plant will be …

Energy Freedom Comes to Vero Beach
January 19, 2012 – 11:52 am | No Comment

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)  …In Vero Beach, Florida, they’ll be celebrating Tax Freedom Day, but also Energy Freedom Day. As of April 15th, the 8 million gallon INEOS Bio cellulosic ethanol plant is expected …

Want Cheap Biofuel? A Startup Makes It with Natural Gas
January 18, 2012 – 11:05 am | No Comment

by Kevin Bullis (MIT Technology Review)  Virent says supplementing biomass with fossil fuel could increase yields and lower costs.
Virent, a biofuels company based in Madison, Wisconsin, has developed a potentially inexpensive way to make gasoline …

Can Bacteria Produce “Drop-In” Biofuels?
January 18, 2012 – 10:33 am | No Comment

by Umair Irfan  (ClimateWire/Scientific American)Scientists are seeking help from microbes to produce road-ready biofuels
…As they move, breathe, eat and reproduce, bacteria produce byproducts like ethanol and hydrogen while feeding on simple sugars, starches and sunlight. …

Whiskey from Soda: Jraises $70M, Heads for Commercialization
January 18, 2012 – 9:30 am | No Comment

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)  …So, along comes Joule. It’s a known fact that some microorganisms could be modified or evolved to ferment gaseous carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide. Combine that with some hydrogen taken …

OriginOil and Department of Energy to Develop Direct Conversion of Algae into Renewable Crude Oil for Existing Oil Refineries
January 16, 2012 – 10:43 am | No Comment

(OriginOil)  Company partners with Idaho National Laboratory to enable algae growers to enter the global crude oil market
OriginOil, Inc., the developer of a breakthrough technology to extract oil from algae and an emerging leader in the …

Abengoa Selected by the Brazilian Development Bank to Develop a Second Generation Ethanol Plant in Brazil Based on Sugar Cane
January 13, 2012 – 9:34 am | No Comment

(Abengoa)  Abengoa, the international company that applies innovative technology solutions for sustainable development in the energy and environment sectors, has been selected by the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) and FINEP, the promotion and investment agency …

Next Up: Abengoa in Early Planning for Second Cellulosic Plant
January 12, 2012 – 4:09 pm | No Comment

by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  It’s only been a few months since Abengoa Bioenergy broke ground on its 23 MMgy multifeedstock cellulosic ethanol plant in Hugoton, Kan., but so far, construction of its first …

University of Florida, Buckeye Dedicate Ethanol Production Facility in Perry
January 12, 2012 – 3:51 pm | No Comment

(Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences – University of Florida)  Many building dedications feature a ribbon-cutting; this one included a front-end loader ceremoniously dumping a scoopful of pulverized sugarcane stalks.
It was an appropriate way to …

Biodiesel Production Method Could Reduce Fuel’s Drawbacks
January 12, 2012 – 2:44 pm | No Comment

(The Engineer)  A new method of producing biodiesel from microalgae aims to overcome some of the previous drawbacks of the fuel.
Using a novel catalyst, the researchers at the Technical University of Munich were able to …

Cool Planet BioFuels Announces Road Testing of Negative Carbon Gasoline Begins in California
January 12, 2012 – 2:19 pm | No Comment

(Cool Planet BioFuels/MarketWatch)  Cool Planet BioFuels announced today it has received approval from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to begin fleet-testing its negative carbon gasoline. Cool Planet BioFuel’s technology converts low-grade biomass — such …

Gen2 Biofuel Feedstocks: The Coming Surge in Energy Crops and Cellulosic Sugars
January 12, 2012 – 1:31 pm | No Comment

by Pavel Molchanov (Raymond James)  As energy investors know well, it is much better to own the oil than to refine it. In other words, the bulk of the value is in the upstream of the …

Who’s in the Lead? Algae around the World
January 12, 2012 – 1:10 pm | No Comment

by Jonathan Williams (Biofuels Digest)  Who’s in front in the development of algal-based fuels and biomaterials? India, China, Japan, Australia, Taiwan, Israel, the EU, or the US. The NAABB’s globe-trotting chief parses it out.
In New …

Clearing a Potential Road Block to Bisabolane: Key Enzyme Structure Identified
January 12, 2012 – 12:31 pm | No Comment

by Lynn Yarris (PhysOrg.com)   JBEI researchers determined the structure of the AgBIS enzyme and found it to consist of three helical domains, the first three-domain structure ever found in a synthase of sesquiterpenes. This …

Deciphering the Black Box of Next-Generation Biofuels Chemistry
January 12, 2012 – 12:20 pm | No Comment

by Mike Salciccioli (Frontiers in Energy Research)   Researchers combine experiments and fundamental models to unveil the previously unknown mechanisms for how biofuels are generated from biomass
A series of complex processes fracture large biomolecules containing millions of …

Finding a Way to Put a Zebra in Your Tank
January 10, 2012 – 7:17 pm | No Comment

by Guy Gugliotta (New York Times)   …Dr. (David A.) Mullin (a professor of molecular biology at Tulane University)was collecting manure from giraffes and other exotic ruminants at the zoo, a few blocks from his laboratory. …

Cellectis Launches a Partnership with Total for Exploratory Research into Microalgae-Based Substitutes for Oil Products
January 10, 2012 – 6:18 pm | No Comment

(Cellectis)  Cellectis (Alternext: ALCLS), the French genome engineering specialist, is today announcing that it has signed an agreement with Total to develop microalgae-based oil substitutes. The research program includes an initial one-year phase, which may be …

Ethanol Makers Shrug off Expiration of Key Tax Credit
January 9, 2012 – 10:50 am | No Comment

by Chris O’Malley (Indianapolis Business Journal)  …But it looks like motorists, rather than ethanol makers, stand to feel the pain.
The reason is the survival of another federal measure, known as the Renewable Fuels Standard. It …

Fuelling Tomorrow with the News of Yesterday
January 6, 2012 – 6:19 pm | No Comment

by Manuel Arias  (The Starfish)  …One alternative, proposed by researchers at Tulane University, explores the ability of a new bacterial strain named TU-103, which can effectively convert cellulose from paper into butanol biofuel. When you …

Virent Announces Issuance of Five U.S. Patents
January 6, 2012 – 6:11 pm | No Comment

(Virent)  Company Increases Protection of its BioForming® Technology
Virent announced the issuance of five new U.S. patents covering aspects of its catalytic BioForming® platform. Three of the patents, U.S. Patent Nos. 8,053,615, 8,017,818 and 7,977,517, cover …

Fuelling Your Car With Falafel Oil
January 6, 2012 – 4:37 pm | No Comment

by Tal Sandler (ShalomLife)  Israeli scientists developing process of turning leftover oil from fast food restaurants into biodiesel
…Dr. Sobhi Basheer and Dr. Ahmed Tafesh of TransBiodiesel, have developed a new process by which any oil, …

BASF Participates in US American Technology Company Renmatix
January 6, 2012 – 3:28 pm | No Comment

(Renmatix)  BASF is participating with $30 million through BASF Biorenewable Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG in the American technology firm Renmatix Inc. The BASF subsidiary led a $50 million financing round, joined by new and …

LanzaTech to Convert Acquired Ethanol Plant for Biochemicals
January 6, 2012 – 3:12 pm | No Comment

(Bloomberg)  LanzaTech NZ Ltd., a closely held biofuels company backed by billionaire Vinod Khosla, will convert a U.S. cellulosic ethanol plant it bought from Range Fuels Inc. to produce chemicals from biomass.
The $5.1 million deal completed …

Overcoming the Challenge of Cheap Sugars: Unmarketable Hawaiian Papaya Used to Produce Green Fuels
January 6, 2012 – 2:52 pm | No Comment

(Biotork)  BioTork has successfully converted unmarketable Hawaiian papayas to fatty acids that can be refined into green fuels. This result is a first milestone in a developmental research project conducted in collaboration with the US Dept of …

Bioenergy Pumps New Life into Pulp and Paper Mills
December 30, 2011 – 11:39 am | No Comment

by Neil Rossmeissl (US Department of Energy)  Despite Americans’ voracious appetite for paper products — a staggering 700 pounds per person annually — America’s pulp and paper industry has been struggling as of late due to …

Sony’s Bio Battery Turns Waste Paper into Electricity
December 30, 2011 – 11:06 am | No Comment

(BBC)   Sony has unveiled a paper-powered battery prototype in Japan.
The technology generates electricity by turning shredded paper into sugar which in turn is used as fuel.
…The process works by using the enzyme cellulase to decompose …

Biotech Firms Go after Smart Enzymes to Fuel Energy Sector
December 29, 2011 – 2:56 pm | No Comment

by Vishal Dutta (The Times of India/Economic Times)  Biotech companies producing industrial enzymes are gradually moving to cellulosic enzymes that help in bio-fuel generation. Enzymes are biological catalysts and when added to agriculture residue speed up …

How Virent Is Using Plants To Replace Oil
December 29, 2011 – 2:02 pm | No Comment

by Rachel Z. Arndt (FastCompany)   …(W)e speak with Mary Tilton, VP of plant operations at Virent, which is using chemistry to turn plants into fuel.
“We are replacing crude oil. We’re using catalytic chemistry to …

Mascoma, Codexis Closing in on Commercialized Cellulosic Biofuels
December 29, 2011 – 1:42 pm | No Comment

by Derek Mead (GreenTechMedia)  Biofuel up-and-comers Codexis and Mascoma both have big news that means cellulosic ethanol production is right around the corner.
…With traditional sugar feedstocks — and in the U.S., that means corn — …