by Phillip Fiorini (Purdue Newsroom) Student-led companies that develop consumer products from the byproducts of ethanol production and a tissue-healing technology that also reduces scarring took top honors at Purdue University's 23rd annual $100,000 Burton D. Morgan Business Plan Competition. ...TerraSolutions
Archive
Back TO HOMEInterview with Fatih Birol, Chief Economist, International Energy Agency (IEA)
(World Refining Association) We expect alternative fuels will have an important role to play as we look to diversify supply, improve energy security and reduce emissions. Looking at the alternative fuels produced today, biofuels account for an overwhelming majority. Although
February 27, 2010 Read Full Article
Biofuels Programme at The Maltings, South Milford
(Mytum & Selby Waste Recycling, Ltd) “The fuel of the future is going to come from fruit like that sumach out by the road, or from apples, weeds, sawdust, and even municipal waste - almost anything.” Henry Ford, 1925 This quote
February 27, 2010 Read Full Article
A Green Energy Alternative …The Free Enterprise Approach
(GeneSyst International, Inc.) This presentation from a 2009 Virginia Energy Summit explains, complemented by charts and graphs, GeneSyst's combination of patents and proprietary technologies for converting waste to energy, utilizing the Gravity Pressure Vessel (GPV). Of particular interest may be a quote from a local
February 27, 2010 Read Full Article
Key Metric Comparison of Five Cellulosic Biofuel Pathways
by Ben A. Thorp (TAPPI BioEnergy Technologies Quarterly) (T)he modern pathways for cellulose biofuels are pyrolysis, gasification, acid hydrolysis, and enzymatic hydrolysis. … Commercial efforts in cellulosic biofuels are new and data to compare a specific offering with others within a
February 27, 2010 Read Full Article
Alcohol-Fueled Engines - Takin' The Green Biobutanol: The Next Methanol?
by Rob Fisher (Circle Track) Racers running alcohol-fueled engines should perk up when they hear the word biobutanol. Touted as an environmentally friendly advanced biofuel, biobutanol gained recent exposure when an American research and development company specializing in the fuel was
February 27, 2010 Read Full Article
ALMS Goes Greener with MICHELIN
(Michelin) The USA's American Le Mans Series endurance racing championship, which was first organised in 1999, has released its new slogan: 'Global Leader, Green Racing'. Meanwhile, MICHELIN will continue to back the 2010 MICHELIN GREEN X Challenge which will cover all
February 27, 2010 Read Full Article
Crude Oil Imports and National Security
by Robert M. Ames, Anthony Corridore, Edward Hirs, Paul W. MacAvoy (Yale Graduates Energy Study Group) The authors demonstrate that the United States profits handsomely in all circumstances by imposing an embargo on imports of foreign crude oil. The US removes its
February 26, 2010 Read Full Article
Syngenta Keen on Sugarcane Biotech Research in Brazil
(SugarcaneBlog.com) European biotech giant Syngenta has set up partnership with Brazil’s Instituto Agronomico (IAC) to increase development of sugarcane varieties, particularly for the production of ethanol. READ MORE and MORE
February 26, 2010 Read Full Article
Cosan Reviewed
by Brendan Coffey (Cabot Wealth Advisory) Lately, we're seeing increasing strength in the shares of ethanol-related companies. Commodity broker Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) has built up its position as an ethanol refiner, building its own plants and buying up other
February 26, 2010 Read Full Article
American Process Inc. Establishes Pilot Plant
by Holly Jensen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) American Process Inc. (API), an Atlanta, Ga., based company, held a ribbon cutting ceremony this week at its pilot plant. It will utilize a trademarked process, called American Value Added Pulping (AVAP), to fractionate
February 26, 2010 Read Full Article
Put Transportation Biofuel Commercial Deployment Where It Belongs: USDOT
by Robert Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) Contemplating the continued inability of the US to meet the biofuels and advanced biofuels production and sales expectations codified in the Renewable Fuels Standard, the Advanced Biofuels USA board passed a resolution to introduce
February 25, 2010 Read Full Article
Would Things Be Different without RFS1or2? Not Really.
by Robert E. Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) Since the provisions of the RFS were written into the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 without a realistic funding provision, RFS and RFS2 are, as a practical matter, “Sense of
February 25, 2010 Read Full Article
2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty Leads Heavy-Duty Trucks in Capability, Now Fuel Ecomomy and B20 or E85 Compatibility Too
The Ford F-Series Super Duty is the most powerful and fuel efficient for the 2011 model year, offering customers their choice of either gas or diesel engines ...B20 compatibility added for 2011 model year: The strict testing work also ensured the
February 25, 2010 Read Full Article
Putting In a Good Word for Algae
by James Kanter (New York Times) A European lobbying group weighed in Tuesday on a fierce debate over the environmental value of using algae to produce biofuels for vehicles. The group, the European Algae Biomass Association, said members of its scientific
February 25, 2010 Read Full Article
New Clear Lake Company Promotes Algae as Biofuel
by John Skipper (Globe-Gazette) A company based in Clear Lake is turning waste and algae into renewable fuels. Bud Jermeland, 51, president of Energae LP, said the primary focuses of his company are waste-based ethanol and the use of algae in
February 25, 2010 Read Full Article
Government Earns 400% ROI on Ethanol Blender’s Credit
by Mark (Corn Commentary) ...The next issue can already be seen on the horizon and it can be seen clearly because it is not a “new” criticism. It is called the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC). This is the
February 25, 2010 Read Full Article
Growth Energy Responds to Cornell Paper
In response to a paper published by two Cornell University professors – a paper that is critical of the Environmental Protection Agency’s calculations that grain ethanol emits far fewer greenhouse gas emissions than conventional gasoline – Growth Energy released the
February 25, 2010 Read Full Article
EPA Greenhouse Gas Accounting Is Flawed and Inaccurate, Cornell Experts Say
A recent EPA announcement that corn-based ethanol achieves a 21 percent greenhouse gas reduction compared to gasoline is based on false accounting assumptions and could actually lead to more fossil fuel consumption, according to Cornell University economists whose research will
February 25, 2010 Read Full Article
A Tree in Your Tank? $3.2M NSF Grant Funds Effort to Transform Poplar Trees into Biofuel
Gas money for your tank doesn't grow on trees, but one day you might be filling up with fuel that does. A team of researchers at the University of Maryland, College Park, and Bowie State University is working on ways to
February 25, 2010 Read Full Article
China Shrub Shows Biofuel Promise
China's poisonous jatropha shrub is showing promise as biofuel and could boost the country's efforts to reduce dependency on imported crude oil. In the past, farmers planted the poisonous perennial only as a barrier to ward off animals from their fields.
February 24, 2010 Read Full Article
Vilsack: Administration Wants to Expand Biofuels
(DTN Ethanol Center) President Barack Obama will continue championing biofuels as a job creator, said Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack when he spoke to members of the Governors' Biofuels Coalition on Monday. Vilsack is hopeful for a positive decision on
February 24, 2010 Read Full Article
Co-location Could Make Algae Biofuels Affordable
by Mark Fischetti (Scientific American) ...But as more new and established companies examine how to scale up lab processes to commercial levels, scientists and engineers seem to be finding that standalone operations may not be economically viable. Co-locating algae farms
February 24, 2010 Read Full Article
The State of U.S. Biodiesel: Up the Creek Without a Paddle?
by Joshua Kagan (GreenTechMedia) ...Although biodiesel has many positive attributes, it is not immune from the criticisms leveled at first-generation ethanol, specifically the "food vs. fuel" debate. Biodiesel production uses at least 10% of the U.S. soybean crop and 60%
February 24, 2010 Read Full Article
North Dakota State University Economist Helps Sort Out Biofuel’s Future
by Mikkel Pates (AgWeek) Need some help in deciding what to make into biofuels and what the government should be spending on it? If you’re a North Dakotan, you’ve hired Cole Gustafson to do some of this thinking for you.
February 24, 2010 Read Full Article
The SD Tech Fund™ will be accepting Statements of Interest from February 24 to April 21, 2010.
Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) is calling on entrepreneurs and technology developers across Canada to submit Statements of Interests to the SD Tech Fund™, as SDTC opens its 17th round of funding. “Investing in promising clean technology solutions developed in Canada
February 24, 2010 Read Full Article
ALMS: Highcroft Adds GE
(Speed-TV) Reigning American Le Mans Series LMP1 champions Patrón Highcroft Racing has formed a unique technical and sponsorship partnership with GE for the 2010 season. GE Capital has become one of the team's sponsors for 2010, while Highcroft Racing has
February 23, 2010 Read Full Article
Tunisia: Local Scientist Develops New Technique for Extracting Biodiesel
(AllAfrica.com) ...The latest achievement which comes to us from Sfax, is the development of a new technique for extracting biodiesel from olive water (a black liquid formed primarily by water discharged from olives during oil extraction). Developed by Dr Kamel Halouani,
February 23, 2010 Read Full Article
Yogyakarta, Indonesia: Villagers Turn Local Fruit into Biodiesel
(New Tang Dynasty Television) The kamani tree grows well throughout the coastal area in Yogyakarta, and produces abundant fruit. Traditionally, the fruit is used for cooking and firewood. But villagers in Yogyakarta are using it for biodiesel. This new “green business”
February 23, 2010 Read Full Article
Butalco Announces It Is to Produce Its First Cellulosic Ethanol in Summer 2010
(PRInside.com) This summer, Butalco will use its proprietary new yeast technology to produce biofuel from agricultural waste in a pilot plant in Southern Germany. Butalco’s new microbial catalysts will enable up to 30% increased yields in cellulosic ethanol production. ...Traditionally, yeasts are
February 23, 2010 Read Full Article
Aviation Biofuels: The Bumpy Road to Scale Production
by Niall O'Keeffe (FlightGlobal) Both of the major commercial airframers have joined forces with industry peers to pursue new biofuel research initiatives, reflecting an intensification of concern about future availability of alternative fuels in the quantities required by aviation. In January,
February 23, 2010 Read Full Article
"Changes in Gasoline IV" Features New Chapter on Flex-Fuel Vehicles
"Changes in Gasoline IV” is the 2009 edition of the ongoing series of “Changes in Gasoline” manuals. The first manual, “Changes in Gasoline & the Automobile Service Technician,” was originally published in 1987. Numerous editions of the manual have been
February 23, 2010 Read Full Article
Ethanol Industry Rep Appointed to California Panel
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) At least one ethanol industry representative has been appointed to an expert work group attempting to assess the true carbon footprint of all fuel sources under the California’s proposed Low Carbon Fuel Standard. POET Senior Vice President
February 23, 2010 Read Full Article
Gene Discovery to Increase Biomass Needed for Green Fuel
(S)ays Professor Simon Turner, one of the University of Manchester researchers whose BBSRC-funded study is published in Development (Wednesday 10th February 2010), “Our work has identified the two genes that make plants grow outwards. The long, thin cells growing down
February 22, 2010 Read Full Article
Everyday Grass Could Provide Green Fuel
Researchers at the (Teesside) University’s Contaminated Land and Water Centre began the project in 2004 to see which plants could best be grown on brownfield sites as a way of improving unsightly blots on the landscape.Now, the research by the
February 22, 2010 Read Full Article
Invasive Biofuel Crops an Overlooked Danger
(Environment News Service) The risk that biofuel crops will become invasive and outcompete native species is increasing as more advanced biofuel crops are planted, according to new research into this previously neglected but potentially costly problem. A new report by the
February 22, 2010 Read Full Article
China Continues down Path to Use Cassava for Bioethanol Production
(Renewable Energy Magazine) Albeit it hazy, news regularly filters out of China about the progress this country is making in using cassava as a raw material for producing bioethanol. The latest is that the Chinese have completed mapping the genome
February 22, 2010 Read Full Article
Oil Reserve Uncertainty Creates Biofuel Opportunities In Central Asia
by Oil Price (iStockAnalyst) ...additives and substitutes such as biofuels will play an ever-increasing role by stretching beleaguered production quotas. As market forces and rising prices drive this technology to the forefront, one of the richest potential production areas has
February 22, 2010 Read Full Article
Next Generation Bio-Based Chemicals Summit Review
by Pete Davey (Advanced Biofuels USA) Currently many of the world’s chemicals originate from petroleum based sources, causing a major dependence on petroleum that encompasses more than transportation fuels. Some of the chemicals currently derived from non-sustainable sources are the
February 22, 2010 Read Full Article
American Le Mans Series Supporting Global ReLeaf
In an effort to support environmental efforts globally, the American Le Mans Series will join forces with American Forests to support its “dollar-a-tree” Global ReLeaf campaign. Throughout the 2010 season, Series’ teams, manufacturers, corporate partners and fans will have multiple ways
February 22, 2010 Read Full Article
'Fuel Cocktail' to Increase Bio-Diesel Yields
(The Hindu) Chemists at UC (University of California) Davis have developed a new process that enable oilseed crops such as safflower to be made into a fuel cocktail that could increase yields of bio-diesel by up to 24 per cent. The
February 22, 2010 Read Full Article
SG Biofuels Launches World’s First Elite Jatropha Cultivar
SG Biofuels, a sustainable plant oil company specializing in the development of Jatropha as a low-cost, sustainable source of oil, today announced the launch of JMax 100, a proprietary cultivar of Jatropha optimized for growing conditions in Guatemala with yields
February 22, 2010 Read Full Article
RINs Improved as Part of RFS2
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA has come up with a new system for renewable identification number (RINs) that should be easier to use as well as cut down on the possibility of human error. ...Tony Miller,
February 22, 2010 Read Full Article
U.S. Foodservice-SF Moves to B5
(Biodiesel Magazine) U.S. Foodservice-San Francisco, the only green-certified broadline food distributor in California—one of only a handful across the country—is now running its entire delivery fleet on B5. All of the San Francisco division’s 136 tractors and 148 trailers began using
February 22, 2010 Read Full Article
Eco-Biofuels from the Tropics
Palm oil from South-East Asia, sugarcane from Brazil and sweet sorghum in China are the most sustainable energy crops at present. Maize from the US and wheat in Europe have a much more negative environmental impact. This conclusion was drawn
February 22, 2010 Read Full Article
DMC Green Awarded DOE Grants for Ethanol Fueling Infrastructure
(CleanTechPRWire) DMC Green, Inc., announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded DMC Green two separate grants to support their on-going green fuel infrastructure projects in California. The two grants will help fund E85 ethanol installation for ten gas
February 22, 2010 Read Full Article
Perspectives on Green Racing from Dayton International Speedway’s Garage and Pits
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) Advanced Biofuels USA is perhaps the only biofuels-related organization keeping an eye on biofuels in racing with a page describing various projects that promote and encourage innovative, green racing, to numerous articles and posts
February 22, 2010 Read Full Article
Green Racing Fuel 'Ignite' Gains Proven
by Michael Berenis (Tampa Sports Car Examiner) The world of green racing fuels is about to change! Eddie Bello is the world record holder for fastest Porsche in the Texas Mile. In 2008, he set the record with his 1200
February 21, 2010 Read Full Article
Indiana Company Leading ARCA West Fuel Conversion
(Inside Indiana Business) Sales and marketing arm of ARCA West, Itzen Media officially announced that Ignite Racing Fuel will become the title sponsor of the ARCA West Series. Ignite Racing Fuel will be replacing previous title sponsor MAC’s Convenience at
February 21, 2010 Read Full Article
Renewable Fuels Association Publishes 2010 Ethanol Industry Outlook
Our industry produced a record 10.6 billion gallons of ethanol in 2009. Efficiency enhancements and innovations in production combined with improved farming techniques allowed us to achieve this record with existing corn acreage and reduced process water. As we look to
February 19, 2010 Read Full Article
Experts Push for Farm Change
“Our current industrial model of agriculture is only possible because of cheap fossil fuels,” said Francis Thicke, a candidate for Iowa secretary of Agriculture. “We’re nearing the end of our cheap fossil-fuel era.” Laura Krouse, the owner of Abbe Hills Farm,
February 19, 2010 Read Full Article
Aerospace Chief: Industry on Track to Deliver 'Greener' Aircraft
(EurActiv.com) Industry is on track to ensure "carbon-neutral growth" in the aviation sector from 2020, but strengthened European Union support for research and development (R&D) is vital to help manufacturers deliver the green technologies required, François Gayet, secretary-general of the
February 19, 2010 Read Full Article
Orange Peels, Newspapers May Lead to Cheaper, Cleaner Ethanol Fuel
(ScienceBlog) University of Central Florida professor Henry Daniell has developed a groundbreaking way to produce ethanol from waste products such as orange peels and newspapers. His approach is greener and less expensive than the current methods available to run vehicles
February 18, 2010 Read Full Article
Miscanthus, Sweet Sorghum, Energy Cane Advancing at SERC
Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Mississippi, MSU professor Brian Baldwin provided an update on feedstock research at the MSU’s Sustainable Energy Research Center, where a focus on biofuels grasses has produced the recently licensed Freedom varietal of giant miscanthus. ...Baldwin’s presentation
February 18, 2010 Read Full Article
Napier in Hong Kong Biofuel Centre Partnership
by Adam Bell (The Journal) A new partnership between Edinburgh Napier University and City University Hong Kong (CityU) will see the opening of the first Biofuel Research Centre in the Chinese city. The centre in Hong Kong will be a
February 18, 2010 Read Full Article
GM Confirms First Gen Volt Will Not Support E85 Ethanol
by Nick Chambers (Gas2.0) This morning I wrote a piece about how GM is lamenting the lack of E85 fueling stations in the United States. But the other interesting tidbit of information in there was a simple statement by GM’s
February 18, 2010 Read Full Article
Biofuels Are Essential to Reducing EU ETS Carbon Costs and Meeting Carbon-Neutral Growth Goals, Says Report
(GreenAirOnline.com) Although not commercially viable yet, the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) offers a strong financial, as well as environmental, incentive for the adoption of jet biofuels, says a new report by EQ2. Based on industry assumptions of 15%
February 18, 2010 Read Full Article
Volvo Group Announces Academic Partnership with Pennsylvania State University
At the Renewable Energy Technology Conference & Exhibition (RETECH 2010) the Volvo Group announced its first academic partnership in North America. Penn State was chosen as part of Volvo’s Academic Partner Program, which was launched globally in 2009 for research
February 18, 2010 Read Full Article
Ricardo Consortium Aims to Meet the Engineering Challenge of Biofuels
Ricardo today announced the formation of a consortium that is open to automakers, Tier 1 suppliers, oil companies, additive manufacturers and government agencies, with the aim of evaluating the impact of biofuels on current and future light duty engine technologies. Concerns
February 18, 2010 Read Full Article
Economics Improve for First Commercial Cellulosic Ethanol Plants
by Jessica Leber (ClimateWire New York Times) Many cellulosic fuel producers are working with enzymes to break down tough, inedible plant parts, such as corncobs or switch grass, into simpler sugars that can be fermented to ethanol. Now enzyme companies
February 18, 2010 Read Full Article
RFS2 a Hot Topic at Conference in Orlando
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...(S)aid Sarah Dunham of the EPA, the EPA received real data during the comment period that helped shape the rule, including indirect land use change (ILUC). “I can safely say that this is the
February 18, 2010 Read Full Article
New Renewable Fuel Standard A Mixed Blessing For Agriculture
by Lisa Hare (Yankton Press & Dakotan) The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recent final ruling on the national Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) was met with mixed responses by farm state politicians and organizational leaders. “This is a good news/bad news announcement
February 18, 2010 Read Full Article
Pyrolytic Bio-fuels Produced from Forestry and Agricultural Feedstocks
by Philip H. Steele (Mississippi State University) This presentation explains the work being done by the Forest Products Department, Forest and Wildlife Research Center at MSU to develop bio-oil and drop-in biofuels using a fast pyrolysis process. The PowerPoint provides
February 18, 2010 Read Full Article
General Motors Wants More U.S. Ethanol Stations
(NASC Online) General Motors Co. is asking for more U.S. ethanol stations to help fuel its growing fleet of hybrid vehicles, Reuters reports. The car maker is producing more vehicles able to run on ethanol-gasoline blends. Tom Stevens, GM vice chairman
February 18, 2010 Read Full Article
Biofuel Expanding to the Big Island
by Peter Sur (West Hawaii Today) A new biodiesel plant that will produce 2.6 million gallons a year is planned for Keaau. ...Now an undeveloped property, a little more than a year from now the Maui-based principals of Pacific Biodiesel
February 18, 2010 Read Full Article
“Making Money from Carbon Dioxide Derived from Biofuels and Similar Projects”, a Digest Special Report
by Sam A. Rushing (Biofuels Digest) ...It is increasingly important to acquire revenues from the sale of CO2 as one of the primary co-products from fermentation and biofuels; plus depending upon destination and mode of utilization, such commercial use of CO2
February 18, 2010 Read Full Article
All American Visionary: Dan Gurney
by Marshall Pruett (SPEEDTV.com) ... The biggest affront Gurney sees with the current version of an IndyCar is the singular thinking that goes into its design. Open competition has become a thing of the past, but as Gurney tells it,
February 17, 2010 Read Full Article
Algae Investment Trends – Advanced Biofuels Insight
by Will Thurmond (Biofuels Digest) The global biofuels industry is entering a new decade of emerging opportunities and considerable challenges in reaching 2020 targets. The global economic recession is already shaking out many of the would-be players in a crowded
February 17, 2010 Read Full Article
Improved Internal Combustion Engines: Zajac Motors
by Eric Weshoff (Greentechmedia) ...With a longer "residence time" and a constant temperature of 1425 degrees C, their split-cycle engine can make carbon fuels "virtually clean." The engine certainly emits CO2, although only half as much as conventional diesels. The
February 17, 2010 Read Full Article
Daimler Committed to Jatropha Biodiesel
(TheBioenergySite) Daimler AG has started a new project for the cultivation of the biodiesel raw material jatropha in the south of India and the seedlings for the first 100 hectares have been planted. The company is supporting several village communities
February 17, 2010 Read Full Article
EU Biofuels 10% Targets Cause Millions of People to Go Hungry and Increase Food Prices and Landlessness, Says Report
by John Vidal (The Guardian) EU companies have taken millions of acres of land out of foodproduction in Africa, central America and Asia to grow biofuels for transport, according to development campaigners. The consequences of European biofuel targets, said the
February 17, 2010 Read Full Article
British Airways Signs Deal to Make Biofuel for Aircraft
by Gerard Wynn (Reuters) British Airways will start sourcing a small portion of its jet fuel from municipal waste from 2014, under a deal with U.S.-based biofuel company Solena Group, the two companies announced on Monday. British Airways, one of the
February 17, 2010 Read Full Article
Biofuels Back in Vogue
by Gregor Heard (FarmOnline) THEY’RE back - after being flavour of the month in the middle years of the decade, renewable fuels were knocked out of the water over the past three years, and consigned to the scrap-heap by many. A
February 17, 2010 Read Full Article
Zea-Chem Creates Salable Glacial Acetic Acid, the Building Block for Cellulosic Ethanol and Bio-based Chemicals
ZeaChem Inc., a developer of biorefineries for the conversion of renewable biomass into fuels and chemicals, today announced it has produced bio-based acetic acid at the purity concentration level of a salable product. Acetic acid is a commercial product and
February 17, 2010 Read Full Article
New Enzymes Turn Waste into $US2/gallon fuel
Novozymes launches the first commercially viable enzymes for production of biofuel from agricultural waste. Breakthroughs in enzyme technology enable cellulosic biofuel as a competitive alternative to gasoline. Novozymes’ new Cellic® CTec2 enzymes enable the biofuel industry to produce cellulosic ethanol at
February 17, 2010 Read Full Article
Algae to Solve the Pentagon's Jet Fuel Problem
by Suzanne Goldenberg (The Guardian) The brains trust of the Pentagon says it is just months away from producing a jet fuel from algae for the same cost as its fossil-fuel equivalent. The claim, which comes from the Defense Advanced Research
February 17, 2010 Read Full Article
Corn and Fuel Groups Weigh In on Ethanol
(New York Times) letters to editor Re “Sensible Rules for Ethanol” (editorial, Feb. 11): While American corn farmers are pleased the Environmental Protection Agency recognizes that corn ethanol offers significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions compared with gasoline, we disagree strongly
February 17, 2010 Read Full Article
U.S., Europe Going Opposite Way On Biofuels
Jonathan Fahey (Forbes.com) It is becoming ever more apparent that there is one big squishy variable in the calculations that determine whether biofuels help the planet or help destroy it. That variable is called the indirect land use charge (sic),
February 17, 2010 Read Full Article
Is Ethanol from Corn Bad for the Climate? The Obama Administration Says No, California Says Yes. Who Is Right?
by Douglas Fischer (Scientific American) The Obama administration last week gave the green light to corn ethanol as a low-carbon renewable fuel – in apparent contradiction to California's declaration last summer that the biofuel's carbon footprint was too big to
February 17, 2010 Read Full Article
Waste-to-Ethanol Plant Plan Questioned
by Diane Krieger Spivak (Post-Tribune) Lake County (Indiana) Solid Waste Management Commission chief Jeff Langbehn defended a planned $256 million bioethanol plant Friday before the Lake County Advancement Committee. ...Lake County Sheriff Roy Dominguez questioned whether the expense of the plant, which
February 17, 2010 Read Full Article
Judge Rejects Challenge to N.C. "Ethanol Blending" Law -- Similar to Pending TN Lawsit
by Tom Humphrey (Knoxnews.com) A federal judge has rejected a lawsuit by the American Petroleum Institute that sought to invalidate North Carolina's "ethanol blending" statute, which is similar to a 2009 law passed by the Tennessee legislature. API has also
February 17, 2010 Read Full Article
USDA Scientists Sequence Genome of Biofuel Model Crop
by Dennis O'Brien (Agricultural Research Service) U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists and their colleagues at the Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Genome Institute announced that they have completed sequencing the genome of a kind of wild grass that will
February 17, 2010 Read Full Article
Garbrook Introduces the 2010 Advanced Biofuels Resource with Business Intelligence Tools
Garbrook introduced the 2010 Advanced Biofuels Resource (ABR), an upgraded version of its online knowledgebase that summarizes scientific, technical, commercial, environmental, and policy information on all generations of biofuels. The enhanced product features the US Ethanol and Biodiesel Mega Tables
February 17, 2010 Read Full Article
New Alternative-Energy Plant Could Create 150 Jobs in Indian River County
by Henry A. Stephens (TCPalm.com) ...“Our project is a brand-new opportunity with new technology,” Tex Carter, vice president and chairman of INEOS New Planet BioEnergy LLC, said Thursday. “We’re turning garbage into ethanol.” ...The company has been discussing buying and converting
February 17, 2010 Read Full Article
Pyromaniax: Mississippi State’s SERC Group, among 18 Others, Developing Advanced Biofuels from Pyrolysis
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... A few years back, when reporting on field work at the Sustainable Power complex in Baytown, Texas — the hoots from a significant section of the Digest readership reverberated in skeptical comments on pyrolysis
February 16, 2010 Read Full Article
Genencor Introduces Accellerase® DUET
Genencor, a division of Danisco A/S, introduced Accellerase® DUET at the Renewable Fuels Association’s 15th Annual National Ethanol Conference in Orlando, Fla. This product is the latest generation in the company’s line of enzymes used to convert biomass into sugars,
February 16, 2010 Read Full Article
Bioplastics: Ten Points To Remember
(BioBased News) 1. Bioplastics are a family of different resin types, which are either bio-based or compostable or both. Bioplastics add new properties and performance characteristics to the huge family of plastics. READ MORE
February 16, 2010 Read Full Article
Splash Blending Advantageous for Marketers Under RFS2
(OPIS) ...Multi-state non-refining retailers such as Quik Trip, WaWa and RaceTrac will remain -- for now anyway -- the least encumbered and most advantaged part of the supply chain where biofuel regulation is concerned. Splash blenders, who don't produce or
February 16, 2010 Read Full Article
NY Times Applauds EPA Inclusion of ILUC in RFS2
(OPIS) The New York Times is praising U.S. EPA for including the international indirect land use change (ILUC) calculation in its lifecycle greenhouse gas reduction threshold as part of the finalized expanded renewable fuels standard (RFS2), issued last week. ...In response,
February 16, 2010 Read Full Article
Questions About Biofuels’ Environmental Costs Could Alter Europe’s Policies
by James Kanter(New York Times)...In a memorandum, Jean-Luc Demarty, the top civil servant in the agriculture department at the European Commission, wrote to a colleague in December that “an unguided use of I.L.U.C. would kill biofuels in the E.U.” His words
February 16, 2010 Read Full Article
Boating Interests Wonder if Ethanol 15 Will Be Harmful to Their Engines
by Charles Zusman (NJ.com) Boating interests are on guard against a move by the ethanol industry to increase the ethanol content of gasoline from 10 percent to 15 percent, an action they fear might be harmful to marine engines. Boating
February 16, 2010 Read Full Article
E15: Beyond the Waiver
By Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The expected EPA approval of E15 later this year will be only the beginning. In order to bring E15 to market, the ethanol industry needs to support petroleum marketers in addressing the issues that
February 16, 2010 Read Full Article
Verenium Introduces New Enzyme at Upcoming RFA National Ethanol Conference
Verenium Corporation, a pioneer in the development of next-generation cellulosic ethanol and high-performance specialty enzymes, announced the introduction of Xylathin, a highly active enzyme designed to significantly improve the economics of fuel ethanol production from cereal grains. Xylathin rapidly breaks
February 15, 2010 Read Full Article
Has Big Oil Finally Gotten Serious About Biofuels?
by Joshua Kagan (GreenTechMedia) ...If we consider that the oil majors are not in the oil business, but rather, the infrastructure business --- and as long as they control the liquids that come out of the pumps, they won't care
February 15, 2010 Read Full Article
U.S. Renewable Fuel Standards Upend Ethanol Tariff Fight
by Brian Baskin (SugarcaneBlog.com, Dow Jones) U.S. ethanol producers are facing their toughest fight yet to keep long-standing trade protections intact. Producers of ethanol, which in the U.S. is usually distilled from corn and then blended to make gasoline, have
February 15, 2010 Read Full Article
Temp Stop Adds Ethanol Blender Pumps under Missouri Pilot Program
(Kansas City Business Journal) A Lee’s Summit gas station has become the second in Missouri to install ethanol blender pumps as part of a pilot program with Missouri Corn and the Missouri Department of Agriculture Division of Weights and Measures. Temp Stop,
February 15, 2010 Read Full Article
Shell Bets Billions on Brazilian Ethanol
by Sam Hopkins (Green Chip Stocks) ...Cosan is entering into a joint venture with an oil giant that could be worth $12 billion, and its happy beginning to 2010 signals a renewal of interest in ethanol and entrance of some
February 15, 2010 Read Full Article
Senate Offers Some Hope for Legislation to Combat Climate Change
Editorial (The Washington Post) ... Is there no alternative between simple do-nothingism and House complexity? In fact, there is. An alternative proposal increasingly capturing interest on Capitol Hill is the CLEAR Act, sponsored by Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Susan
February 15, 2010 Read Full Article
The Best & Worst Biofuel Startups
by Josie Garthwaite (Earth2Tech) Amid the rubble of the first generation of biofuel projects focused on ethanol derived from corn, a new landscape of biofuel tech has taken shape. As Lux Research puts it in a report released, the companies
February 15, 2010 Read Full Article
Indirect Land-Use Changes Can Overcome Carbon Savings from Biofuels in Brazil
David M. Lapola, Ruediger Schaldach, Joseph Alcamo, Alberte Bondeau, Jennifer Koch, Christina Koelking, and Joerg A. Priess (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) Abstract: The planned expansion of biofuel plantations in Brazil could potentially cause both direct and indirect
February 15, 2010 Read Full Article
UC Merced Scientist Honored for Biofuels Research
(Central Valley Business Times) The mass production of biofuels could be a major step toward eliminating dependence on fossil fuels, but a number of factors have stood in the way, including the argument against using productive agricultural land for fuel
February 15, 2010 Read Full Article
First Virginia Ethanol Plant Workers Go for Training
by Markus Schmidt (Progress-Index.com) As the launch of operations at Hopewell's new ethanol plant gets closer, Osage Bio Energy LLC has already hired a total of 44 employees, with nine more positions to be filled. If everything goes as expected, the
February 15, 2010 Read Full Article
Getting a True Measure on Biofuels: Effects of 'Indirect' Land Use Figure in Energy Future
by C. Boyden Gray (Washington Times) Little noticed outside a small policy community, an issue has quietly arisen in recent years that, while seemingly technical, has the potential to derail the nation's attempts to address the issues of energy security
February 15, 2010 Read Full Article
GreeNow's Winter Power System Successfully Powered 3 Winter Events in New York
GreeNow, the only company in the United States leasing generators that run on 100% American soybean biodiesel, announced a technological breakthrough which enables its generator engines to power outdoor events through the winter. Knowing at low temperatures that pure biodiesel can
February 15, 2010 Read Full Article
Kirloskar Oil Engines Enters Binding MOU for Joint Venture Mass Production of Axial Vector Engines
Axial Vector Energy Corporation ("AVEC") announced today the signing of a binding MOU with Kirloskar Oil Engines (KOEL) to make ready for mass production of its multi fuel engines and the building of mass production lines for its engines in
February 15, 2010 Read Full Article
Asia's First Clear Nano-Emulsion Diesel Plant Opens in Singapore
Singapore Emulsion Fuel Pte Ltd., an innovative player in the green energy space, announced the opening of Asia's first clear nano-emulsion diesel plant. Located within Singapore's Tuas industrial zone, the 40,000 sq. ft. facility is poised to cater to the
February 15, 2010 Read Full Article
Grant Buys 120 Hybrid, 'Flex Fuel' Squad Cars
by Michael Gonzalez (Post-Tribune) More of Gary's men and women in blue could be driving green by spring. The Board of Works on Wednesday voted to advertise for vendors to provide up to 120 "flex fuel" and hybrid vehicles for the
February 15, 2010 Read Full Article
Modified Eucalyptus to Transform Forests
by Smriti Rao (CBS) Now that many U.S. farmers have grown used to genetically modified (GM) soy and corn, the controversy surrounding GM crops may shift over to GM eucalyptus-a fast-growing Australian tree that, in its unmodified strains, dominates the
February 15, 2010 Read Full Article
New Engine Technologies Could Give New Life (and Larger Markets) to Ethanol
by Robert Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) The use of E-85 (85% ethanol) fuel in “Flex-Fuel” vehicles has been limited by its 25 percent lower energy content than gasoline. When used in engines designed for only gasoline, this results in approximately
February 15, 2010 Read Full Article
Next Generation Concept IndyCar Unveiled in Chicago
DeltaWing LLC, of Indianapolis, introduced the future of open wheel racing today at the Chicago Auto Show, aimed at realigning America’s premiere racing tradition with current automobile industry and consumer trends. DeltaWing calls on technological innovation to return racing to
February 14, 2010 Read Full Article
‘Beeting’ a Path to Advanced Biofuels
by Anna Austin (Ethanol Producer Magazine) In roughly one month’s time, North Dakota growers harvest close to 5 million tons of sugar beets. North Dakota and Minnesota combined produce about 55 percent of the nation’s sugar beets every year. With
February 14, 2010 Read Full Article
US Ethanol Industry Looks To Possible Future As Exporter
by Ian Berry (Dow Jones Newswires) ...Brazil, faced with tightening supplies of its sugarcane-based ethanol as growers there find better profits in sugar, said last month it is considering importing U.S., corn-based ethanol. While there are limits on how much
February 14, 2010 Read Full Article
Leilani Munter Drives First All-Eco-Sponsored Car in Danica Patrick-Frenzied Daytona ARCA Effort
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) What is “green racing” really? Using biofuels in race cars is certainly part of it; urging the design and testing of efficient engines that take maximum advantage of biofuels’ special properties and can be
February 12, 2010 Read Full Article
Congress Are You Listening? DOD Energy Leader Needed Now
by Paul Bollinger (The DOD Energy Blog) It appears that the Obama Administration is close to formally announcing a nominee for the Department of Defense (DOD) Director of Operational Energy Plans and Programs. The Director of this office will have
February 12, 2010 Read Full Article
Truckers, Oil Refiners Sue California to Overturn State's Low-Carbon Fuel Standard
(edmunds.com) Oil refiners and truckers have sued California to overturn the state's low-carbon fuel standard. The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, alleges that the LCFS violates the Constitution's commerce clause, which reserves
February 11, 2010 Read Full Article
IEA Bioenergy Task 40 Publishes "2nd Generation Biofuels and Trade"
The study “2nd Generation Biofuels and Trade“ explores 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 to policy impacts. It
February 11, 2010 Read Full Article
Researchers Evaluate New Potential Pests in Biomass Crops
Perennial grasses could become popular biomass crops in the future. Many perceive these grasses require little to no management for insects or other pests. However, researchers are finding rather than being pest-free, the identity of insect pests and their effects
February 11, 2010 Read Full Article
Will China Eat America's Lunch in Cleantech?
by Vivek Wadhwa (TechCrunch.com and The Washington Post) ...China, in particular, is making massive investments and has a huge advantage from focused policy and large markets. Even though China is not likely to produce its own innovation, it will continue
February 11, 2010 Read Full Article
Renewable Energy Requirement Urged in Kentucky
by James Bruggers (Courier-Journal.com) Kentucky should join 27 other states that have adopted laws requiring that at least some electricity be generated from renewable energy sources, a governor's task force recommends. The task force also suggests the General Assembly establish
February 11, 2010 Read Full Article
Blendstar to Add Biofuel Terminal In Louisiana
by Michelle Kautz (Domesticfuel.com) Blendstar, LLC has announced the launch of a biofuel transload terminal to distribute ethanol and biodiesel in Bossier City, Louisiana, a suburb of Shreveport. The facility is expected to open late this month with capacity to
February 11, 2010 Read Full Article
Rentech and ClearFuels Integrated Bio-Refinery Project Awarded $23 Million Grant by U.S. Department of Energy
Rentech, Inc. and ClearFuels Technology Inc., jointly announced that their project to construct a biomass gasifier at Rentech's Energy Technology Center ("RETC") in Denver has been awarded a conditional $22.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE"). The
February 11, 2010 Read Full Article
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Hopes to Tap Into Algae as Energy Source
(CheckBiotech) Part of the greenhouse complex at University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Beadle Center will be revamped into an algal biofuels research facility this year. Scientists will begin growing algae in small containers, then move on to five-foot long bags and, finally,
February 11, 2010 Read Full Article
Enterprise Holdings Shifts Alamo Rent A Car, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and National Car Rental Airport Shuttle Buses to Biodiesel
(Marketwire) Enterprise Holdings today announced plans for its entire fleet of more than 600 Alamo Rent A Car, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and National Car Rental airport shuttle buses across more than 50 North American markets to begin using at least 5
February 11, 2010 Read Full Article
Propel Fuels of Sacramento Receives $20-million Investment
by Tiffany Hsu (Los Angeles Times) Propel Fuels received $20 million in funding, the renewable-fuels retailer said. Along with a $12-million investment from Craton Equity Partners, Nth Power and @Ventures, the company received $8 million in debt financing. The funds
February 11, 2010 Read Full Article
Southland Panel Rejects Funds for Ethanol Fueling Stations
by Catherine Saillant (Los Angeles Times) Members of the Southern California Assn. of Governments reject $11 million in federal stimulus money to set up 55 stations throughout the Southland. They say ethanol causes environmental problems. A regional panel Thursday turned
February 11, 2010 Read Full Article
New Life Cycle Profile Shows U.S. Soy Delivers Environmental & Energy Benefits
The United Soybean Board (USB) released a new peer-reviewed life cycle profile that documents multiple energy and environmental benefits of U.S. soybean farming and processing. It confirms why manufacturers are increasingly using U.S. soy in green chemistry for a wide
February 10, 2010 Read Full Article
Bio This and Bio That….So What is Biodiesel Anyway?
by Dr. Rosalie Lober (Biofuels Digest) Unless you’re working daily in the field of biofuels, you will probably do research to learn the specifics of the variety of fuel options, feedstocks and technologies. How will you do this without becoming
February 10, 2010 Read Full Article
National Biodiesel Board Drives into the New Decade With “Carbon-Neutral” Cars and Trucks
by Will Thurmond (Biofuels Digest) This evening I enjoyed a drive from Houston to Dallas and arrived at the National Biodiesel Board (NBB)’s 2010 event just in time for the auto-show. I’m a big auto enthusiast, and a fan of
February 10, 2010 Read Full Article
Pennsylvania Ethanol Plant Now Producing
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Bionol Clearfield LLC, a 110 MMgy ethanol plant in Clearfield, Pa., is up and running, according to Roger Schmidt, general manager. The plant was undergoing performance testing on Feb. 8. “We are at or
February 10, 2010 Read Full Article
NASA Takes Jatropha for a Ride Into Outer Space on Space Shuttle Endeavour
(Earth Times) UK-based Carbon Credited Farming congratulated NASA on the successful launch of the Endeavour Space Shuttle today. It blasted off from Kennedy Space Center taking with it new scientific experiments, including a study of the Jatropha curcas plant, used
February 10, 2010 Read Full Article
General Motors Announces B20 Biofuel Capability For New, 2011 Duramax 6.6L Turbo Diesel
GM announced today that its new lineup of heavy-duty diesel pickups will have B20 biodiesel capability. B20 fuel is a blend of 20-percent biodiesel and 80-percent conventional diesel, which helps lower carbon dioxide emissions and lessens dependence on petroleum. The
February 10, 2010 Read Full Article
Vehicle Testing Facility for Jatropha Fuel Up
by Melody M. Aguiba (Manila Bulletin) A P100-million Vehicle Testing Research Laboratory (VTRL) has been put up to test the technical viability of the jatropha methyl ester (JME) which has so far gone through successful pilot testing at the Industrial
February 10, 2010 Read Full Article
Sweet Sorghum to Ethanol: Technology, Plant & Machinery
PRAJ, through its Development Center (Matrix- the Innovation Center), conducted studies and evaluated options for optimizing sweet sorghum based alcohol production. This effort was conducted in two phases: · Agricultural trials and studies for evaluating suitability, technical feasibility and commercial viability
February 10, 2010 Read Full Article
IIT Kharagpur Launches ‘PK Sinha Center for BioEnergy’
The ‘PK Sinha Center for BioEnergy’ was launched at the hands of the Founder Dr. Prabhakant Sinha, Founder and Co-Chairman, ZS Associates and IIT Kharagpur alumnus in the presence Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Honorable Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy
February 10, 2010 Read Full Article
EU: Rainforests Can Be Converted to Palm Oil Plantations for Biofuel Production
by Rhett A. Butler (Mongabay.com) The European Union may be planning to classify oil palm plantations as forests, raising fears among environmental groups of expanded conversion of tropical rainforests for biofuel production, reports the EUobserver, which cites a leaked document
February 10, 2010 Read Full Article
PRAJ Announces Alcohol School for Masterclass on Fermentation
Praj has arranged series of Training Programs on Alcohol Technologies & Systems covering Fermentation, Distillation and Wastewater Treatment including Evaporation with Zero discharge plants. The programs are designed to be interactive programs and are meant specifically for “Plant operating personnel” i.e.
February 10, 2010 Read Full Article
China Biofuel Industry Provides Opportunities in Agribusiness
(RightSite) As China's solar and wind power sectors grab headlines, leading agribusiness companies are grabbing a foothold in China's biofuel sector. As oil prices threaten to rise in years to come, China's drive to create a biofuel industry that does
February 10, 2010 Read Full Article
Toyota Tsusho to Produce Jatropha as Alternative Fuel
by Patrick Rial (Bloomberg) Toyota Tsusho Corp., the trading affiliate of Toyota Motor Corp., plans to start growing jatropha next year as it bets that higher crop yields and oil prices will make the plant a profitable alternative fuel. ...“We
February 10, 2010 Read Full Article
What Next? Biofuels Industry Leaders Contemplate Future Moves, after Obama Shift in Biofuels Policy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the Biotechnology Industry Organization followed up on a shift in US biofuels policy with a call for four new steps it said would increase the pace of biofuels commercialization. BIO called for: • Revising
February 10, 2010 Read Full Article
World's First Home-Scale Ethanol From Cellulose Processor Announced
Allard Research and Development, the world leader in small to medium-scale ethanol fuel production systems, announced today the world's first small-scale ethanol fuel production system utilizing cellulose as the primary feedstock. The new system, designed as a front-end processor for Allard's
February 10, 2010 Read Full Article
Jatropha a Cancer Fighter? New Article Suggests Positive Results against Metastasis
Joelle Dent (Biofuels Digest) In India, a variety of reports have been published on the medicinal properties of jatropha curcus, most recently a report in the African Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology that found that jatropha has cancer-fighting properties, “inhibiting
February 10, 2010 Read Full Article
European Union Approves Patent on Cyclone Power Technologies' Green Engine
Cyclone's invention is a high-efficiency modern steam engine, known as a Schoell Cycle engine, capable of running on virtually any liquid or gaseous fuel, and creating far fewer noxious emissions than comparable internal combustion engines. Two of the many aspects
February 10, 2010 Read Full Article
Corn Ethanol is a Homegrown Way to Solve Our Energy Problems
by Katie Zenk (MNDaily.com) letter to the editor Over break, I had the chance to think about the recent Minnesota Daily editorial attacking corn ethanol. My hometown is Olivia, Minn., billed “The Corn Capital of the World.” Of the roughly
February 10, 2010 Read Full Article
Holland, Michigan, Company Develops Machine that Turns Abundant Crops into Ethanol for Farmers
(FreshPlaza) Entrepreneurs at eFarms LLC believe they have an answer for farmers with crop overproduction, high fuel costs and the need for quality animal feed. The company is developing a "Renewable Fuel System," which will take crop products including corn,
February 10, 2010 Read Full Article
Keeneland Races Ahead on the Green
by Campbell Wood (Business Lexington) Horse farm managers across the Bluegrass have their eyes on Keeneland's proposed bio-fuel project. ... The problem being what to do daily with tons upon tons of muck, a mixture of about 97 percent straw
February 10, 2010 Read Full Article
Panic Reported at the National Biodiesel Conference Over EPA Implementation of the Biodiesel Mandate
Jim Lane and Will Thurmond (Biofuels Digest) In Texas, Biofuels Digest columnist Will Thurmond, covering the National Biodiesel Conference, reports that “EPA’s half-baked, not ready for prime time beta version of RFS2 report to NBB on RIN tracking system,” used
February 10, 2010 Read Full Article
Battery-Only Cars Make No Sense, But Still Find Investors
by Neil Winton (Detroit News) It's a bit like those old Looney Tunes cartoons, when the Road Runner races off a cliff and it takes a little while for gravity to establish its case for the inevitable swift vertical descent.
February 10, 2010 Read Full Article
Food, Feed, Fiber, Fuel and Fun
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) I’ve taken to adding “fun” to the quartet sung by many when speaking of the uses served by our crop land and forests: food, feed, fiber and fuel. The song began as a duet
February 09, 2010 Read Full Article
Biomass Crop Assistance Program to Spur Production of Renewable Energy, Job Creation
President Obama announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a proposed rule for the new Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) that intends to spur the expansion of dedicated non-food crops for renewable energy and biofuel production. A public comment
February 09, 2010 Read Full Article
Moving America’s Clean Energy Economy Forward: Boost for Biofuels, Clean Coal
by Heather Zichal (White House Blog) ... The President’s Biofuels Interagency Working Group released its first report – Growing America’s Fuel, which lays out a strategy to advance the development and commercialization of a sustainable biofuels industry to meet or
February 09, 2010 Read Full Article
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