by Alexis Madrigal (Wired Science) For nearly 20 years, a government laboratory built a living, respiring library of carefully collected organisms in search of something that could grow quickly while producing something precious: oil. But now that collection has largely been
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Back TO HOMEIEA Biomass Task 40 Publishes "2nd Generation Biofuels and Trade: An Exploratory Study
A new study by Douglas Bradley, Luc Pelkmans and Dieter Cupyers examines the potential supply and demand of 2nd generation biofuels up until 2030, and discusses various impacts on biofuel trade, ranging from cost advantages over shipping capacities and routes
December 30, 2009 Read Full Article
Future Biofuels
by Herman Trabish (New Energy News and REnewable Energy.com) ... Despite enormous amounts of money poured into research and development, a way to economically produce second-generation (non-crop) biofuels at commercial scale has eluded the most ambitiously dedicated lab scientists and the
December 30, 2009 Read Full Article
GE, Embraer, Others Studying Sugarcane-Based Jet Fuel
Embraer, General Electric, and Amyris announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to evaluate thetechnical and sustainability aspects of Amyris’ No Compromise® renewable jet fuel. The initiative can culminate in a demo flight, by early 2012, of an Embraer E-Jet
December 29, 2009 Read Full Article
Group Wants Government to Jump-Start the E.V. Revolution
by Jim Motavalli (New York Times) Calling for what amounts to a Marshall Plan to start manufacturing plug-in hybrids and battery-electric cars, a group of executives from the auto and utility industries, and prospective plug-in fleet buyers laid out a strategy
December 29, 2009 Read Full Article
The Hidden Cost of Electric Vehicles
(Environmental Leader) Although electric vehicles show higher non-climate damages than many other technologies, they will not be significantly cleaner than cars powered by fossil fuels until they rely less on electricity produced from coal-fired power plants, according to new research
December 29, 2009 Read Full Article
Washington DC Auto Show Includes Biofuels Section
America’s greenest “tier-one” auto show just got greener. The Washington Auto Show®, which houses more green cars than any major U.S. auto show, is redoubling its efforts in 2010 with a 65,000-square foot display known as the “Advanced Technology SuperHighway.” “We
December 29, 2009 Read Full Article
Idaho Sustainable Energy Highlights Weaknesses of US Department of Energy Grant Review Process
Consistentwith other examples of questions raised about the qualifications of reviewers and quality of reviews, Idaho Sustainable Energy details in a letter to supporters their experience with the DOE Intergrated Biorefinery Operations process. Of particular interest are suggestions that a 78%
December 29, 2009 Read Full Article
EU Green Protectionism = Economic Madness
by Carpe Diem (benzinga.com) Some excerpts from the new study "Green Protectionism in the European Union: How Europe’s Biofuels Policy and the Renewable Energy Directive Violate WTO Commitments" from the European Center for International Political Economy: Biofuels production in Europe is
December 29, 2009 Read Full Article
Biorefinery Demonstration Plant Planned for Upson County, Georgia
Governor Sonny Perdue announced that Thomaston in Upson County will be home to a new biorefinery demonstration plant, the result of a partnership between Diamond Alternative Energy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Valero Energy Corporation, and American Process, Inc. (API). The
December 29, 2009 Read Full Article
Ethanol Groups Sue California Over Low-Carbon Rule
by Stephen Power (Wall Street Journal) Two groups representing ethanol producers asked a federal court on Thursday to strike down a California rule that calls for a reduction in the carbon content of fuels sold in that state, saying the
December 29, 2009 Read Full Article
Cellulosic-Ethanol Mandate Faces Snags
by Naureen S. Malik (Wall Street Journal) Cellulosic-ethanol production, a cornerstone of the U.S. government's plan to curb greenhouse-gas emissions, is earmarked to overtake corn ethanol over the next decade. But the industry's expected takeoff could be delayed by a year. Several potholes
December 29, 2009 Read Full Article
Department of Energy to Invest $366M in Energy Innovation Hubs
Funding Opportunity Announcement for Fuels from Sunlight Hub is Issued. U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu outlined the Department’s plans to invest up to $366 million to establish and operate three new Energy Innovation Hubs focused on accelerating research
December 29, 2009 Read Full Article
Major Report Released at “Bioenergy Australia 2009”
(EnvironmentalExpert.com) Australia’s bioenergy industry – which uses biomass for heat, power (bioelectricity) and liquid fuels (biofuels) – is relatively small. However, in the future it has very significant growth potential, driven by the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and
December 29, 2009 Read Full Article
Gascoyne Biofuel Project Could Help Miners
(ABC Rural) Western Australia's mining sector could be one of the first to reap the benefits of a biofuels trial in the state's north-west. The Gascoyne Research Station is halfway through a project to test the Moringa tree, which is
December 29, 2009 Read Full Article
Clean Algae Biofuel Project Leads World in Productivity
Australian scientists are achieving the world's best production rates of oil from algae grown in open saline ponds, taking them a step closer to creating commercial quantities of clean biofuel for the future. A joint $3.3 million project led by Murdoch
December 29, 2009 Read Full Article
Algae a Source of Biofuel
by Greg Kelton (Adelaide Now) THE U.S. parent company of uranium producer Heathgate Resources has held talks with the State Government over developing a renewable energy fuel in South Australia - from algae. Premier Mike Rann met for an hour yesterday
December 29, 2009 Read Full Article
Australia is Pushing Biofuels from Low Cost, Non-Food Materials
by Simon Grose (TCE Today) Algae, wood and sugarcane shared the honours in the bidding for funding through the Australian government’s Second generation Biofuels research and development program. Announcing matching grants totaling A$14.4m ($12.1m) across seven projects, resource minister Martin Ferguson
December 29, 2009 Read Full Article
The Wonders Down Under: Special Report on Australia
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A progressive culture, declining fossil fuel reserves, an emissions challenge, considerable sugarcane resources, native feedstocks such as moringa and the Australian Beauty Tree, a nexus of research into cellulosic bioprocessing, algae and jatropha. Plus, healthy
December 29, 2009 Read Full Article
Jamaica Seeking to Boost Ethanol Production for Export under CBI
(Caribbean Daily News) The Jamaica government says it will continue to develop the biofuels industry so as to boost exports under the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI). Jamaica, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago and the US Virgin Islands are
December 29, 2009 Read Full Article
Cereplast Expects U.S. Bio-Plastics Market to Top $10B by 2020
Cereplast, Inc., a leading manufacturer of proprietary bio-based, sustainable plastics, announced today that it expects the U.S. bio-plastics market to top $10 billion in sales by 2020. As of 2007, the U.S. bio-plastics market accounted for approximately $1 billion in
December 29, 2009 Read Full Article
Cyanobacteria: The New Biofuels Platform?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... 2009 has taught us that the excess of emissions in the skies and shortage of land on the ground may well be solved underwater, through microcrops: algaes. diatoms, cyanobacteria and microscopic flowering plants like
December 29, 2009 Read Full Article
Environmental and Regulatory Sustainability of Genetically Engineered Bioenergy Feedstocks: Switchgrass
by C. Neal Stewart, Jr. (Sun Grant Initiative) This presentation reviews the benefits and challenges of using switchgrass as a biofuels feedstock. It includes good graphs of cell wall structures, maps of biomass crop potential in the US and discussions
December 29, 2009 Read Full Article
Ethanol from Cellulose Faster
by J.W. Walkinshaw and S.E. Poniatowski (University of Massachusetts and Terrasonics) This presentation illustrates the usual process of breaking cellulose into sugars for ethanol fermentation by using an enzymatic process and, then illustrates the results of speeding up that process by using
December 29, 2009 Read Full Article
Fast Pyrolysis and Bio-Oil Upgrading
Robert C. Brown and Jennifer Holmgren (Iowa State University and UOP) This presentation describes the fast pyrolysis process and products. READ MORE
December 29, 2009 Read Full Article
State of the Argentine Biodiesel Industry
(Camara Argentina de Energias Renovables/CADER) · In the last few months the Argentine biodiesel industry has stabilized output, if not profitability, and in August 2009 produced some 109,000 tons after a very good July; · In the last few months
December 29, 2009 Read Full Article
Biofuels and Indirect Land Use Change Effects: the Debate Continues
by John A. Mathews and Hao Tan, (Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia) While debate on biofuels and bioenergy generally has sparked controversy over claimed greenhouse gas emissions benefits available with a switch to biomass, these claims have generally not taken into account
December 28, 2009 Read Full Article
The European Directive to Include Aviation in the European CO2 Emission Trading Scheme, Consequences and Strategic Options for the Aviation Industry
by Vadim Bespertov, et al. This document is the production of a team of aviation and aerospace industry experts who have joined efforts and know-how for a 4 month strategic planning & research exercise as a part of the HEC
December 28, 2009 Read Full Article
Annual Energy Outlook 2010 Reference Case
by Richard Newell (SAIS for the US Energy Information Administration) The EIA's annual energy outlook. Charts, graphs depicting current status and projections of energy use. Included are: “Biofuels meet most of the growth in liquid fuels supply” “Biofuels grow, but fall short of
December 28, 2009 Read Full Article
UK's Renewable Fuels Agency Report on Biofuels Use 2008-9
To encourage suppliers to source sustainable biofuels, the RFA requires fuel suppliers claiming Renewable Transport Fuel Certificates to submit monthly reports on the lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) saving and the sustainability of the biofuels they supply. Reporting is also seen by
December 28, 2009 Read Full Article
State of the States 2009: Renewable Energy Development and the Role of Policy
Elizabeth Doris, et al. (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) As U.S. states increasingly focus on developing renewable energy resources, there is a need to track the progress of development, as well as the policies and support mechanisms being implemented to encourage
December 28, 2009 Read Full Article
An Integrated Strategy to Understand and Overcome Biomass Recalcitrance
Martin Keller, Ph.D. (BioEnergy Science Center) Presentation details biomass recalcitrance and various methods being researched to break down cellulose, hemicellulose, pectins, lignins into sugars as an intermediary step to ethanol production or to serve as "green crude." READ MORE
December 28, 2009 Read Full Article
Algae as a Biodiesel Feedstock: A Feasibility Assessment
by Ron Putt (Auburn University) Alabama has an immediate opportunity to lead the nation in becoming self sufficient with respect to liquid fuels for transportation. Mass cultivation of micro-algae in the state, using less than 3% of our land area,
December 28, 2009 Read Full Article
Growth Stage Financing for an Algae Company
by Todd A. Taylor (Fredrikson & Byron) From his presentation at the Algae Biomass Summit in October 2009, Todd Taylor outlines the process, challenges and expectations of finding funding for any new technology/advanced biofuels company. READ MORE
December 28, 2009 Read Full Article
Federal Policy Opportunities for the Algae Biofuel Industry in 2010
by Curt Rich (VanNess Feldman) Presentation from the Algae Biomass Summit, October 2009 reviews federal grant and loan programs, climate change legislative proposals from an algal biofuels perspective. READ MORE
December 28, 2009 Read Full Article
NASA Uses Algae to Turn Sewage Into Fuel
by Jeremy Hsu (Space.com) NASA may concern itself largely with space exploration, but it also wants to keep Earth on a steady course in the face of rising energy costs and climate change. Now the U.S. space agency has thrown its
December 28, 2009 Read Full Article
The Ethics of Biofuels
by Joseph Milton (Financial Times) ... The prospect of a second generation of biofuels, derived from waste materials rather than food crops or palm oil, has recently been raised. It is this new generation which the consultation by the Nuffield
December 28, 2009 Read Full Article
Biofuels, Land Access and Rural Livelihoods in Tanzania
by Emmanuel Sulle and Fred Nelson (Tanzania Natural Resource Forum’s Forestry Working Group and the International Institute for Environment and Development) In recent years, biofuels have rapidly emerged as a major issue for agricultural development, energy policy, and natural resource
December 28, 2009 Read Full Article
Zenergy International, Inc. Plans to Double Production Capacity at Recently Acquired Biofuels Plant
Zenergy International, Inc. intends to expand the current facility recently acquired from its current capacity of 5 Million Gallons Per Year to 10 Million Gallons Per Year, literally doubling the facility production capacity. It’s anticipated that with a very cost
December 28, 2009 Read Full Article
Sugar Ethanol in Florida: Economic, Agricultural, and Environmental Aspects
by Joshua F. Berger Ethanol production has been widely perceived as a solution to the global energy crisis, with the added benefit of reinvigorating declining agricultural economies. Moves towards dedicating crop production to ethanol however have raised a number of concerns
December 28, 2009 Read Full Article
Dynaflow Announces DOE Small Business Innovation Grant for Cavitation-Based Algae Harvest, Oil Extract System
Dynaflow, Inc.®, a leader in R&D services and products in fluid dynamics and applied sciences, today announced that it has been awarded a Department of Energy (DOE) Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract to develop and demonstrate a
December 28, 2009 Read Full Article
Pond Biofuels Inc., CO2 Remediation and Renewable Fuel Production Demonstration Plant for GHG Emitting Industries Receives Support From the Asia Pacific Partnership
On December 3rd 2009, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced approval of the project proposal submitted by Pond Biofuels Inc. under the Asia-Pacific Partnership (APP) on Clean Development and Climate program. The approved project includes funding in support of its
December 28, 2009 Read Full Article
Bio-Ethers as Transportation Fuel: A Review
by Mritunjay Kumar Shukla†, Thallada Bhaskar, A.K. Jain, S.K. Singal, M.O. Garg (Indian Institute of Petroleum Dehradun) A presentation that details the emissions, yields, costs and advantages of bio-based DME, compared to conventional diesel fuel, is here for free download,
December 28, 2009 Read Full Article
Canada’s GV Energy to Produce Little-Known Biodiesel
by Charlotte LoBuono (heatingoil.com) A Canadian energy company has proposed building a biorefinery to produce dimethyl ether, or DME, the CBC reported Wednesday. In November, Calgary-based GV Energy signed a memorandum of understanding with the city of Terrance, British Columbia,
December 28, 2009 Read Full Article
Brazil Warns EU on Biofuel Sustainability
(EurActiv) EU rules for calculating indirect land-use changes caused by biofuel production would not be legitimate without an internationally-accepted methodology, a group of developing countries has told the European Commission. The warning was sent to Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs on
December 28, 2009 Read Full Article
Mendel Biotechnology and Speedling Announce Development and Commercial Collaboration for Miscanthus Products
Speedling Incorporated and Mendel Biotechnology, Inc. today announced a collaborative agreement to jointly research, develop, and commercialize a cost-effective propagation and production system for Mendel's advanced Miscanthus product candidates. Speedling will apply its proprietary propagation methods to optimize the production
December 28, 2009 Read Full Article
Company Wants to Turn Fat into Fuel at Iowa Plant
by Amy Lorentzen (AP) A central Iowa plant could soon begin producing jet fuel from poultry fat. Bolingbrook, Ill.-based Elevance Renewable Sciences plans to build a $15 million plant in Newton, adding onto an existing biodiesel operation. The experimental operation plans
December 28, 2009 Read Full Article
The Hottest 50 Companies in Bioenergy and the DOE Integrated Bioenergy Grants, in Maps
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Digest has prepared several maps which help to visualize the distribution in the US of advanced biofuels development. Maps include: 1. Locations of the companies in the 50 Hottest Companies in Bioenergy. Free download. 2. Locations
December 28, 2009 Read Full Article
Hemicellulase Production in Chrysosporium lucknowense C1
Sandra W.A. Hintz, et al. (Journal of Cereal Science) Filamentous fungi are widely used for enzyme production for the biofuel industry. The ascomycetous fungus Chrysosporium lucknowense C1 was isolated as a natural producer of neutral cellulases. It is at present
December 26, 2009 Read Full Article
Green Racing Documentary To Follow Only Diesel Racing Series in U.S.
by Nick Chamber (Gas2.0) Volkswagen has announced that the documentary “Racing Under Green”—detailing the trials and tribulations of the Jetta TDI Cup, the U.S.’ only professional green racing series—will premiere the week of January 18 on the various channels of Discovery
December 17, 2009 Read Full Article
EIA Energy Outlook Projects Moderate Growth in U.S. Energy Consumption, Greater Use of Renewables, and Reduced Oil and Natural Gas Imports
The Annual Energy Outlook 2010 (AEO2010) reference case released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) presents updated projections for U.S. energy consumption and production through 2035. "Our projections show that existing policies that stress energy efficiency and alternative fuels, together
December 17, 2009 Read Full Article
Renewable Fuels Association Claims Underwriters Laboratories Uses Inappropriate Testing Fuel
From a letter to Underwriters Laboratories from Renewable Fuels Association: I am writing to express the Renewable Fuels Association’s (RFA) position that Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) has selected an inappropriate test fuel to emulate fuel grade ethanol in its Subject
December 16, 2009 Read Full Article
Stanford Researchers: Ethanol Results in Higher Ozone Concentrations than Gasoline
by Louis Bergeron (Stanford University) Ethanol -- often promoted as a clean-burning, renewable fuel that could help wean the nation from oil -- would likely worsen health problems caused by ozone, compared with gasoline, especially in winter, according to a
December 16, 2009 Read Full Article
InterAmerican Development Bank Provides $25 Million Funding Boost To Peru's Biofuel Project
The Inter-American Development Bank has approved a $25 million loan to support an innovative private biofuels project currently being developed in the department of Piura, Peru. An initiative of Maple Energy Plc, an energy company that has focused solely on Peru
December 16, 2009 Read Full Article
ENVIROTEK's "Extreme Bio-Diesel" Division Completes Phase I of Bio-Diesel Refinery Expansion
ENVIROTEK announced the company's Corona, California-based Extreme Bio-Diesel (EBD) division has successfully completed the first phase of its refinery expansion and is in full production of Bio-Diesel fuel, ahead of the projected January 2010 schedule. ENVIROTEK President, Robert Thompson, announced the facility
December 16, 2009 Read Full Article
Valero Renewables to Purchase Three Ethanol Plants
Valero Renewable Fuels Company, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Valero Energy Corporation , announced today that it has signed an agreement with ASA Ethanol Holdings, LLC to buy two ethanol plants that had been previously owned by VeraSun Energy
December 16, 2009 Read Full Article
15 Airlines Take Groundbreaking Step in Alternative Fuel Deployment, Sign Comprehensive MOUs to Negotiate Purchase of Fuel from AltAir & Rentech
The Air Transport Association of America, Inc. (ATA), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, announced that a core group of airlines has signed groundbreaking memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with two different producers – AltAir Fuels LLC and
December 16, 2009 Read Full Article
Audi Exec: Obama's Love for Electric Vehicles Premature
by David Shepardson (Detroit News) Audi's top U.S. executive said here Monday that political leaders have "fallen in love" with electric vehicles even though widespread use may be two decades away. At a speech at the National Press Club, Audi
December 15, 2009 Read Full Article
International Technology Action Plan on Bioenergy Released
Bioenergy includes any kind of chemical energy accumulated through photosynthetic processes in organic plant matter (i.e., biomass). Example sources of bioenergy include dedicated energy crops (short rotation wood, perennial grasses), agricultural and forestry products and wastes, biogas resulting from the
December 15, 2009 Read Full Article
US Dept. of Energy Secretary Chu Announces Climate REDI
Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced the launch of a new initiative to promote clean energy technologies in developing countries. Secretary Chu also welcomed progress under the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate (MEF) and invited his counterparts in MEF
December 15, 2009 Read Full Article
Verde Biofuel Building One-of-a-Kind Mobile "Seed to Fuel" Biodiesel Processor
North Carolina's traditional tobacco farms are switching to other crops, so the state’s Southeastern Community College in Whiteville, has initiated a program to educate farmers on the ins-and-outs of biodiesel manufacturing, anticipating producers will be growing more oilseeds in the
December 15, 2009 Read Full Article
The Who, What and When of Cellulosic Ethanol Commercialization
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Biofuels Digest provides a summary of various cellulosic ethanol production technologies; and who is using them where. ---... Companies that have been in the R&D phases for years — if not decades — are emerging
December 15, 2009 Read Full Article
L.A Auto Show: 2010 Audi A3 TDI Named Green Car of the Year
(Los Angeles Times) The 2010 Audi A3 TDI was named Green Car of the Year at the L.A. Auto Show today, giving the Germans and clean diesel technology back-to-back wins. The four-door hatchback, which has a base sticker price of $29,950,
December 14, 2009 Read Full Article
Inside DOE: A Look at How the $564 Million Integrated Bioenergy Grant Process Operated
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) “What you win is the right to negotiate,” chuckles Jim Imbler, CEO of ZeaChem, reflecting on the company’s recent success in winning one of the DOE’s recently announced 19 awards for integrated bioenergy pilot and demonstration
December 14, 2009 Read Full Article
INEOS Bio JV Selected for $50 Million U.S. Department of Energy Grant for Commercial BioEnergy Facility
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced it has selected INEOS Bio and its partner, New Planet Energy, for a $50 million dollar grant for its advanced bioenergy facility in Indian River County, Florida. The grant was announced jointly by DOE Secretary
December 11, 2009 Read Full Article
Market Interactions, Farmers' Choices, and the Sustainability of Growing Advanced Biofuels: a Missing Perspective?
by Yong Jiang and Scott M. Swinton (International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology) Advanced biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol are of great interest in the USA. With agriculture being the major source of feedstock for advanced biofuels, how farmers would
December 11, 2009 Read Full Article
What Motivates Farmers to Participate in Sustainable Agriculture? Evidence and Policy Implications
by Yan Ma, et al. (International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology) Sustained growth in agricultural productivity has become an ideal model and a political goal of agricultural development in China. Local participation is essential for the implementation of
December 11, 2009 Read Full Article
Groundbreaking Cellulosic Biofuel Technology Moves Toward Commercialization
(Biomass Magazine) The Energy & Environmental Research Center Foundation and Whole Energy Fuels Corp., headquartered in Bellingham, Wash., are poised to commercialize a novel and groundbreaking cellulosic biofuel technology developed at the EERC at the University of North Dakota. Whole
December 11, 2009 Read Full Article
California Company Sees Potential in Its Miscanthus Trials
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) California-based Mendel Biotechnology Inc. has more than 2,000 varieties of miscanthus under development on several different plots and hopes to have significant plantings for biomass power generation in the next two to four years. Fifteen
December 11, 2009 Read Full Article
Bayer and Dow Sign Worldwide Biodiesel Technology Licensing Agreement
(Biodiesel Digest) Dow Water & Process Solutions, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company (Dow), and Bayer Technology Services GmbH (BTS), announced a licensing agreement for the worldwide marketing of the registered BayFAME technology, a continuous process developed by
December 11, 2009 Read Full Article
New Mexico Leaders Announce Strategic Initiative to Develop Sustainable Biofuels Industry
Gov. Bill Richardson and the New Mexico congressional delegation today launched an initiative to develop a statewide strategic plan to make New Mexico a national leader in the emerging biofuels industry. “Clean, sustainable domestic sources of energy are the solution to
December 11, 2009 Read Full Article
Study: Global Biofuels Reduce GHGs by 123.5 Million Tonnes
Just in time for the critical climate talks now underway in Copenhagen, new data once again confirms the significant greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions from global biofuels production. Prepared by (S&T)2 Consultants Inc., an internationally recognized energy and environmental consulting firm, the
December 11, 2009 Read Full Article
Valero & Mission NewEnergy Execute US$3.5 billion Biofuels Offtake Agreement
Mission NewEnergy Limited (“Mission”) a biodiesel refiner and one of the world’s largest Jatropha plantation companies by acreage announced that it has entered into a binding five-year biodiesel Supply Agreement with Valero Marketing and Supply Company, a subsidiary of Valero
December 11, 2009 Read Full Article
Pawlenty Touts Ethanol on Trade Mission to South America
by Jon Vomhof (Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal) ... “Ethanol, I think, is going to be a global commodity in the not too distant future, and as that future unfolds, it’s in everyone’s best interest to have some common standards around
December 11, 2009 Read Full Article
Bacteria Engineered to Turn Carbon Dioxide Into Liquid Fuel
by Matthew Chin (Science Daily) In a new approach, researchers from the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science have genetically modified a cyanobacterium to consume carbon dioxide and produce the liquid fuel isobutanol, which holds great potential
December 11, 2009 Read Full Article
National Renewable Energy Laboratory Breaks Down Walls for Biofuels
by Heather Lammers, NREL (Renewable Energy World) Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and ethanol producers are racing to come up with ways to make ethanol from cellulosic biomass that are cheaper and easier to produce than current
December 11, 2009 Read Full Article
Solazyme Awarded US $21M Grant for Algae Refinery in Pennsylvania
(Renewable Energy World) Solazyme Inc. will build its first integrated algae fuel refinery in Pennsylvania. The biorefinery will be built in Riverside, Pennsylvania and will be funded in part by a US $21.8 million federal grant that the company received
December 11, 2009 Read Full Article
PetroAlgae Announces Strategic Partnership with Foster Wheeler to Create End-to-End Biomass-to-Fuel Solutions
PetroAlgae Inc., announced today that its has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Foster Wheeler AG’s Global Engineering and Construction Group for engineering services to be performed in conjunction with PetroAlgae’s micro-crop technology, which allows for the production of dry
December 10, 2009 Read Full Article
Bloomberg Acquires Data Provider New Energy Finance
Bloomberg L.P., has acquired New Energy Finance, a global leader in providing news, data and analysis on renewable energy, carbon markets, energy efficiency, biofuels, carbon capture and storage, and nuclear power. "This acquisition is the next step in Bloomberg's initiative to
December 10, 2009 Read Full Article
Niagara, Wisconsin Cellulosic Ethanol Biomass Supply Studies
New North contracted with Resource Analytics to conduct a biomass supply analysis within a fifty mile radius of Niagara, WI for the purposes of evaluating this site as a location for a cellulosic biomass ethanol plant. Primary focus was on
December 10, 2009 Read Full Article
FINLAND: Biodiesel Breakthrough or Environmental Nightmare?
by Linus Atarah (IPS) As Finnish energy major Neste Oil scales up production of its ‘green’ diesel NExBTL, environmental activists fear that more land will go under palm oil plantations at the expense of Southeast Asia’s threatened rainforests. Palm oil
December 10, 2009 Read Full Article
Petrobras CEO Highlights Performance in 2009
(Pre-Salt) The president of Petrobras, José Sergio Gabrielli de Azevedo, ... presented an overview of activities in 2009 . ... "Petrobras has expanded production capacity allowed in biodiesel plants and intensified contacts to expand presence in the area of ethanol. We
December 10, 2009 Read Full Article
Blender Pump Tax Fix Supported by 152 Groups
Growth Energy’s request to Congressional tax writers to fix a program intended to promote the installation of fuel pumps that dispense mid- and high-level ethanol blends drew support from a total of 152 organizations – a national coalition that ranged
December 10, 2009 Read Full Article
Clemson Researcher Makes Biofuel from Rotten Peaches
What’s brewing in Caye Drapcho’s bioreactor may well be a fuel of the future. Drapcho, a biosystems engineer at Clemson University, is investigating a bacterium that produces hydrogen. The microbe is called Thermotoga neapolitana. And it has a taste for
December 10, 2009 Read Full Article
LOGOS Technologies and EDENIQ Awarded Cellulosic Bio-ethanol Grant from US Department of Energy
Logos Technologies, Inc. and EdeniQ, Inc. announced that they have been awarded a $20.4 million grant to modify and operate a pilotscale bio‐refinery plant to produce low‐cost ethanol bio‐fuel from cellulosic feedstock, such as corn stover and switch grass. Logos
December 10, 2009 Read Full Article
US GAO Asked to Study Impact of Higher Ethanol Blend
by Tom Doggett (Reuters) Two key Republican lawmakers asked the Government Accountability Office on Wednesday to study the impact of boosting the amount of ethanol that is blended into U.S. gasoline supplies. The request was made after the Environmental Protection Agency
December 10, 2009 Read Full Article
U.S. Sen. Harkin Pushes for Extension of Biodiesel Blenders' Tax Credit
by Grant Gustafson / Kate Cyrul (IowaPolitics.com) Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today wrote to Senators Max Baucus (D-MT) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Finance, urging them to prepare and introduce legislation to
December 10, 2009 Read Full Article
House Approves Extension of Biodiesel Credit that Industry Calls Vital
by Ben Geman (The Hill) The broad $31 billion tax extenders package the House approved Wednesday afternoon includes a one-year extension of the $1-per-gallon tax credit for biodiesel that is set to lapse at year's end. The bill, approved 241-181, would
December 10, 2009 Read Full Article
Research Shows Promise of Low-Cost Biofuel Production from Sugar Beets
(Atlantic Biomass) Research reported in the December issue of the American Society of Microbiology’s journal Applied and Environment Microbiology on the development of a thermostable enzyme opens the way to a new pathway for low-cost biofuel production using sugar beet
December 09, 2009 Read Full Article
Synterra Fuels to Commercialize Next-Generation Biorefineries
(Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal) Pacific Renewable Fuels (Sacramento, California) and Red Lion Bio-Energy (Toledo, Ohio) have announced that they have formed Synterra Fuels, a joint venture, to focus on the commercialization and deployment of integrated biorefineries for the production
December 09, 2009 Read Full Article
U.S. Commerce Department’s Patent and Trademark Office to Accelerate Review of Green Technology Patents to Speed Deployment to Marketplace
The U.S. Commerce Department’s Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will pilot a program to accelerate the examination of certain “green” technology patent applications, Secretary Gary Locke announced on Monday. The new initiative, coming days before the United Nations Climate Change
December 09, 2009 Read Full Article
VIDEO: Brazilian Government Tackling Climate Change in Brazil
The Brazilian National Plan on Climate Change, launched in December 2008, comprises a set of over one hundred actions and programs to reduce carbon emissions across different sectors of the Brazilian economy. The two main tactics emphasized in the plan
December 09, 2009 Read Full Article
Report: Moving to Clean Energy Would Drive Job Growth and Economic Recovery in Arkansas
Shifting to renewable energy sources, such as wind and bio-energy, would bring significant job growth, economic investment and revenues to Arkansas' struggling rural communities, according to a new report released today by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). These benefits
December 09, 2009 Read Full Article
UN Seen Backing Biofuels in Carbon Mechanism
(Economic Times, Reuters) A United Nations panel has approved the inclusion of biofuels in a global scheme to reduce cargon emissions, a move that should boost investments in such projects, a Brazilian government official said on Friday. "The United Nations has
December 09, 2009 Read Full Article
ARPA-E Announces Fellows Program
ARPA-E announces the creation of the "ARPA-E Fellows Program" and invites America's next generation of leading energy innovators to help shape our nation's energy future. ARPA-E Fellows will be competitively selected from the best and the brightest up and coming
December 09, 2009 Read Full Article
World's Largest Wheat-Based Biofuel Refinery Opens on Teeside
by Tom Young (Business Green) The world's biggest refinery for making biofuels from wheat was unveiled at Wilton on Teeside yesterday, as the company behind the giant facility confirmed production will begin before Christmas. The £250m Ensus plant will turn
December 09, 2009 Read Full Article
Amyris Signs Letters of Intent Agreements with Bunge, Cosan and Guarani
Amyris Brasil, a wholly owned subsidiary of Amyris Biotechnologies, Inc. today announced that it has entered into letter of intent agreements with three sugar and ethanol producers in Brazil, Bunge Limited, Cosan and Açúcar Guarani, with the purpose of partnering
December 09, 2009 Read Full Article
American Voters Prefer a Carbon Tax to Cap-and-Trade by a 2-1 Margin
The U.S. Climate Task Force (CTF) and Future 500 recently released a new survey conducted by Hart Research, which demonstrates that a straightforward tax on carbon is the favorite policy option for addressing climate change among American voters. The study,
December 08, 2009 Read Full Article
International DME Association Launches North American Affairs Group, Chemrec’s LeBlanc Named as Director to Lead Growth of DME
To actively promote the awareness and use of dimethyl ether (DME) as an ultra-clean, renewable, low-carbon diesel substitute throughout North America, the International DME Association (IDA) today announced the formation of its North American Affairs Committee (NAAC). Named as director of
December 08, 2009 Read Full Article
Small-Engine Makers Voice Worry As EPA Weighs New Ethanol Rule
by Mark Long (Wall Street Journal) Boaters and small-engine-industry groups are worried their concerns about engine damage will be overlooked as the Environmental Protection Agency considers allowing as much as 15% ethanol in the nation's gasoline. Since fuel with an ethanol
December 08, 2009 Read Full Article
Self-Destructing Bacteria Improve Renewable Biofuel Production
(Science Daily) An Arizona State University research team has developed a process that removes a key obstacle to producing lower-cost, renewable biofuels. The team has programmed a photosynthetic microbe to self-destruct, making the recovery of high-energy fats--and their biofuel byproducts--easier
December 08, 2009 Read Full Article
Grant to Fund Construction of Biomass Gasifier for Production of Renewable Synthetic Fuels at Rentech’s Demonstration Plant in Colorado
Rentech, Inc., and ClearFuels Technology Inc. (ClearFuels) jointly announced that they have been selected to receive up to $23 million as a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) to construct a biomass gasifier at Rentech’s Energy Technology Center
December 08, 2009 Read Full Article
PetroSun Announces the Selection of the Gas Technology Institute's Integrated Biorefinery Proposal by the DOE
PetroSun, Inc., announced that the Department of Energy has advised Gas Technology Institute of Des Plaines, Illinois that its Integrated Biorefinery application has been selected for negotiations leading to an award. The GTI team members include PetroSun, Cargill, Blue Marble
December 08, 2009 Read Full Article
ADM Receives $24.8 Million U.S. Department of Energy Grant to Develop and Commercialize Advanced Biofuels
The U.S. Department of Energy today awarded Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) a $24.8 million grant to develop and construct a facility that will convert biomass into renewable fuel. One of 19 biofuel projects to receive Department of Energy
December 08, 2009 Read Full Article
Secretary Chu Announces $100 Million for Advanced Research Projects: EXCLUDES Funds for Biomass to Transportation Fuels
U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced that a second round of funding opportunities for transformational energy research projects will be made available through the Department’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). At an event today with Commerce Secretary Gary Locke,
December 08, 2009 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Issues Final Rule on Loan Guarantees
Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced the issue of a final rule amending the Department of Energy’s regulations for its Loan Guarantee Program. The revised rule will allow for increased participation in the program by financial institutions and other investors and
December 08, 2009 Read Full Article
Honeywell's UOP Green Diesel Fuel Powers Vehicles at United Nations Climate Change Conference
UOP LLC, a Honeywell company, announced today that its Ecofining process technology was used to convert second-generation, renewable feedstocks to green diesel fuel that will power vehicles at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Conference (UNFCCC) in Copenhagen, Denmark. UOP's
December 07, 2009 Read Full Article
COP15 Limo Fleet Powered by Ethanol Made from Straw
The climate change summit got off to a good start with a fuel change. For the first time ever, the fleet of VIP limousines switched to a climate-friendly fuel -- The New Ethanol, made from straw by the Danish company
December 07, 2009 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Increases Funding to $81 M for Phase II of BlueFire Ethanol's Planned Fulton, MS Biorefinery
BlueFire Ethanol Fuels, Inc., a company focused on changing the world's transportation fuel paradigm through the production of ethanol from non-food cellulosic wastes, announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) increased funding to $81.1 million dollars for Phase II construction
December 07, 2009 Read Full Article
Algenol, Linde Partner On CO2 Management Technology
Algenol Biofuels, in partnership with The Linde Group, have agreed to collaborate in a joint project that will attempt to identify the optimum management of carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen for Algenol’s algae and photobioreactor technology. The goal is to
December 07, 2009 Read Full Article
Enerkem Awarded $50 Million Funding by U.S. Department of Energy for Its Mississippi Biorefinery Project
Enerkem Inc. today announced that Enerkem Corporation, its wholly-owned U.S. affiliate, has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to receive US$50 million in funding for the construction and operation of its waste-to-biofuels facility to be located in
December 07, 2009 Read Full Article
Myriant Technologies LLC Selected for $50 Million Award for Succinic Acid Biorefinery Project
Myriant Technologies LLC (as successor to BioEnergy International), a leading biotech developer and manufacturer of renewable biochemicals, has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to receive up to $50 million for its planned biobased Succinic Acid facility
December 07, 2009 Read Full Article
SEC Slaps Nova Gen with Charges
by Onell R. Soto (San Diego Union-Tribune) A La Jolla company bamboozled investors out of $2.3 million with promises of a new technology that would covert coal into green fuels and make trillions of dollars, federal officials alleged yesterday. The
December 07, 2009 Read Full Article
Mississippi State University Lets “Freedom” Ring as Viable Biofuel Feedstock
by Patti Drapala (MSU Ag Communications) ... One focus of MSU’s research is giant miscanthus, or Miscanthus x giganteus, a warm-season Asian grass that many scientists believe has potential as a biomass crop for fuel. Researchers with the Mississippi Agricultural
December 07, 2009 Read Full Article
No New Regulations Announced, Reasonable Causes For Challenges Abound: EPA’s Endangerment and Cause or Contribute Findings for Greenhouse Gases Under Section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act
by Robert E. Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) EPA’s much ballyhooed finding that CO2 and five other greenhouse gases (GHG) meet Clean Air Act requirements as health hazards is being treated by the Administration and the media as a significant decision
December 07, 2009 Read Full Article
Uganda to Extract Biodiesel from ‘Wonder Plant’ Jatropha
by Halima Abdallah (East African) The National Forestry Research Institute has embarked on a project to test the viability of biodiesel from jatropha, a drought resistant crop. According to a senior researcher at the institute, Dr Peter Kiwuso, they planted jatropha
December 07, 2009 Read Full Article
Nanofarming Offers a Kinder, Gentler Way to Get Biofuel from Algae
by Tina Casey (CleanTechnica.com) One barrier to cost-competitive biofuel from algae is about to fall, and we may have nanofarming to thank for that. The new technology uses tiny nanoparticles to absorb free fatty acids from living microalgae. It is being
December 07, 2009 Read Full Article
Secretaries Chu and Vilsack Announce More Than $600 Million Investment in Advanced Biorefinery Projects
U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the selection of 19 integrated biorefinery projects to receive up to $564 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to accelerate the construction and operation
December 07, 2009 Read Full Article
Green Protectionism in the European Union: How Europe’s Biofuels Policy and the Renewable Energy Directive Violate WTO Commitments
by Fredrik Erixon (European Center for International Political Economy) This paper examines the trade-policy consequences of current approaches in the European Union towards biofuels. The EU uses a broad range of measures to subsidise the production of biofuels in Europe
December 07, 2009 Read Full Article
Discovery May Lower Cost of Algae Biofuel
by Christain Macavei (Daily Californian) UC Berkeley researchers now have a better understanding of algae, which may have implications for making biofuels more economically feasible. In a study published in the journal Nature Nov. 26, the researchers determined the role that a
December 04, 2009 Read Full Article
Closed Loop Energy System in Germany
by Neil Billinger (CheckBiotech, Saskatoonhomepage.ca) Verbio is based in the former East Germany and has a plant located at Zorbig. Their motto is ''from the farmer to the consumer and back to the field." A sister company called Marka buys
December 04, 2009 Read Full Article
Global Biodiesel Demand to Double in 5 Years
by Susanne Retka Schill (Biodiesel Magazine) The driver for biofuels usage is not limited to the United States and Europe, but is also growing in the Asia-Pacific and Latin American regions, according to Tammy Klein, executive director of global biofuels
December 04, 2009 Read Full Article
The Movement to Mechanized Sugarcane Harvesting in Brazil
by Joanna Schroeder (AgWired) ... (In Brazil) This year the industry harvested 471.5 million tons, an increase of 7.5 percent from last year, even accounting for excessive rains that left a significant amount of sugarcane in the fields. So how
December 04, 2009 Read Full Article
We Are Green: “Always Clean 110″ Project Is an Example of a Growing Trend in Biofuels: “Symbiosis” Project Produce Biodiesel, Using Recovered Methanol, Cooking Oil
by (Biofuels Digest) ...Here is an under funded grad student (with a mechanical engineering degree from Northern Illinois University) who, while working part time, put together a system that will produce bio-diesel fuel from basic waste by-products found on campus,
December 04, 2009 Read Full Article
Synthetic Bio Could Cure Energy Woes
by Ph.D. Angelo DePalma (CheckBiotech, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News) ...“It is about systems,” says A. Malcolm Campbell, Ph.D., professor of biology at Davidson College, “not manipulating one or two genes, but whole pathways.” For example, producing a compound in
December 04, 2009 Read Full Article
City's Solid Waste Management Division Offers Oil and Grease Recycling Service for Santa Monica Restaurants
In an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, combat climate change and curb the growing number of clogged sewers plaguing residents and businesses, the City of Santa Monica launched an innovative solution to collect fats, oil and grease (FOG) free
December 04, 2009 Read Full Article
Algae-based Renewable Fuel Promotion Act of 2009 Introduced
Reps. Harry Teague (D-N.M.), Brian Bilbray (R-Calif.) and Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) introduced H.R. 4168 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to expand the definition of cellulosic biofuel to include algae-based biofuel for purposes of the cellulosic biofuel producer
December 04, 2009 Read Full Article
CPO Biodiesel Production Plan May Lift Regions
(Jakarta Globe) The government is planning to develop regional centers for processing palm oil into biodiesel and other products to boost profit margins and create jobs, a minister said on Wednesday. The government is seeking investment to produce oleochemicals — used
December 04, 2009 Read Full Article
Inter-American Development Bank Publishes Biofuels Sustainability Scorecard
The Sustainable Energy and Climate Change Initiative (SECCI) and the Structured and Corporate Finance Department (SCF) of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) have created the IDB Biofuels Sustainability Scorecard based on the sustainability criteria of the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels
December 04, 2009 Read Full Article
Jatropha Takes Root in Brazil
by Robert P. Walzer (New York Times) A Brazilian start-up is testing the possibility of implementing a large-scale biofuels project using jatropha, a family of hardy, succulent plants. The company, BioVentures Brasil, is getting $1 million from the InterAmerican Development Bank for
December 04, 2009 Read Full Article
GAO: Energy-Water Nexus: Many Uncertainties Remain about National and Regional Effects of Increased Biofuel Production on Water Resources
The extent to which increased biofuels production will affect the nation’s water resources depends on the type of feedstock selected and how and where it is grown. ... (N)ext generation feedstocks have not yet been grown on a commercial scale
December 04, 2009 Read Full Article
DTN Guest Editorial: EPA Appears Caught in a Catch 22
by Clayton McMartin (DTN Ethanol Center) Two key timing issues have essentially paralyzed the Environmental Protection Agency at this point regarding the Renewable Fuels Standard. The first is the pending issuance of the much-awaited final rules for RFS2, and the
December 04, 2009 Read Full Article
EPA Indicates E15 Blending OK is Likely, But Delays Ruling to Mid-2010
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the EPA announced that it will delay its determination on E15 ethanol blending until the middle of next year, citing that only 2 of 19 DOE tests are complete at this stage. EPA
December 04, 2009 Read Full Article
School Club's Biodiesel Project Going Global
by Joel Hood (Chicago Tribune) Some time ago, Brian Sievers picked up a crazy notion that one simple idea might just change the world. So for the last two school years, the popular science teacher at Thornridge High School in
December 03, 2009 Read Full Article
NBB Calls on EPA to Implement RFS2 Biodiesel Targets
From a letter from the National Biodiesel Board to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency: By statute, the Biomass-based Diesel requirement was to begin on January 1, 2009, and EPA is required to issue a renewable volume obligation to
December 03, 2009 Read Full Article
Purdue to Lead Second-Generation Biofuels Impact Analysis
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Purdue University has been awarded a $933,000 USDA grant to conduct analysis of the global impacts of second-generation biofuels. According to Tom Hertel, ag economics professor at Purdue University and project co-investigator, the team’s
December 03, 2009 Read Full Article
Canadian Biofuel Cuts Emissions Sharply: Report
by Rod Nickel (Reuters) Canadian ethanol emits 62 percent less greenhouse gas than conventional fuel, taking into consideration all stages of the fuel's production from planting a crop to burning the fuel, a new report prepared for Canada's biofuel industry
December 03, 2009 Read Full Article
Advanced Biofuel Capacity Expected to Increase from 6.88 Mgy in 2009 to 640.18 Mgy in 2012
Biofuels Digest released a downloadable, consolidated table of cellulosic ethanol and advanced biofuels production, including current production as of December 2009, and planned introductions of new capacity through 2012. The Digest found in its review of operating pilot and demonstration
December 03, 2009 Read Full Article
Biofuels: Growing toward Sustainability
by Bryan M. Jenkins, Chris Somerville, James J. Stapleton (California Agriculture) Biofuels — fuels derived from plant materials and other kinds of biomass — have ridden a rollercoaster of public debate. When Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on U.S. energy supplies
December 03, 2009 Read Full Article
Can Feedstock Production for Biofuels Be Sustainable in California?
by Stephen R. Kaffka (California Agriculture) The use of crops and crop residues as feedstocks for biofuels increases domestic and global supplies, creates new industries, and may result in reduced greenhouse-gas emissions. Uncertainty about the best crop and residue sources,
December 03, 2009 Read Full Article
Model Estimates Food-Versus-Biofuel Trade-Off
by Deepak Rajagopal, Steven Sexton, Gal Hochman, David Roland-Holst, David Zilberman (California Agriculture) Biofuels have been criticized for raising food prices and reducing food production. While biofuels have rightly been blamed for contributing to reduced food security at a time
December 03, 2009 Read Full Article
Biofuel Policy Must Evaluate Environmental, Food Security and Energy Goals to Maximize Net Benefits
by Steven Sexton, Deepak Rajagopal, Gal Hochman, David Zilberman, David Roland-Holst (California Agriculture) The biofuel industry has received billions of dollars in support from governments around the world, as political leaders respond to new environmental and energy-security imperatives. However, a
December 03, 2009 Read Full Article
Cellulosic Biomass Could Help Meet California's Transportation Fuel Needs
by Charles E. Wyman, Bin Yang (California Agriculture) Cellulosic biomass, which includes agricultural and forestry residues and woody and herbaceous plants, is the only low-cost resource that can support the sustainable production of liquid fuels on a large enough scale
December 03, 2009 Read Full Article
Origin Oil CEO Develops New Ideas for Financing Biofuels
In a presentation called "This is 1992," Riggs Eckelberry compares the state of the advanced biofuels industry to that of Internet-related industries in 1992 proposing a "distributed partnership model" of limited capital expenditure, clean balance sheets, minimal leverage, streamlined operational focus on
December 03, 2009 Read Full Article
Group Helps Small Cities Go Green
by Larisa Brass (Knoxvillebiz.com) A number of new organizations are springing up across Tennessee with a green glint in their eye. Among them is the Tennessee Renewable Energy and Economic Development Council, a group that's working with smaller cities to implement green
December 03, 2009 Read Full Article
A Global View from this Capitol Hill Powwow
by Sam Hopkins (Green Chip Stocks) ... Hermann Scheer is something like a Founding Father of international clean energy policy progress. He was instrumental in the crafting of Germany's feed-in-tariff (FIT), which kickstarted a national clean energy employment boom that
December 03, 2009 Read Full Article
Plant and Microbial Research Seeks Biofuel Production from Lignocellulose
by Laura E. Bartley, Pamela C. Ronald (California Agriculture) A key strategy for biofuel production is making use of the chemical energy stored in plant cell walls. Cell walls are a strong meshwork of sugar chains and other polymers that encircle
December 02, 2009 Read Full Article
Sustainable Use of California Biomass Resources Can Help Meet State and National Bioenergy Targets
by Bryan M. Jenkins, Robert B. Williams, Nathan Parker, Peter Tittmann, Quinn Hart, Martha C. Gildart, Steve Kaffka, Bruce R. Hartsough, Peter Dempster (California Agrigulture) Biomass constitutes a major renewable energy resource for California, with more than 30 million tons
December 02, 2009 Read Full Article
CP Rail Tests Animal-Fat, Vegetable-Oil Biodiesel
by Susan Taylor (Reuters) Animal fat, restaurant grease and vegetable oil will help power four Canadian Pacific Railway locomotives this winter to test if biodiesel fuel can stand up to a harsh Canadian winter. The Canadian government, which plans to
December 02, 2009 Read Full Article
Biofuel Bugs
(Living on Earth) University of Minnesota biochemistry professor Larry Wackett's team won support from the US Dept. of Energy for their approach to direct solar fuel. Wackett's wants to mimic symbiosis in nature by teaming up microbes. … YOUNG: One
December 02, 2009 Read Full Article
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