April 2015 – Advanced BioFuels USA

Regulations Could Hamper Biomass Project

by Brent Shrum (The Western News) Libby is the top choice for a company looking to build a $46 million plant that would use new technology to turn forest debris into

April 30, 2015 Read Full Article

Do Biofuels Still Have A Place In The Global Energy Mix?

By Alexis Arthur (OilPrice.com) Less than a decade ago, biofuels were set to take the energy world by storm. They promised a low-carbon alternative to gasoline, while advances in algae

April 30, 2015 Read Full Article

Lawsuit Filed Challenging Minnesota’s Biodiesel Mandate

(Minnesota Trucking Association) A coalition of vehicle and fuel industry organizations have stood up for Minnesota consumers and small businesses by filing suit in federal court alleging that Minnesota’s Biodiesel Content

April 30, 2015 Read Full Article

We’re Using Natural Gas All Wrong for the Climate

by Harry Saunders (The Energy Collective) The natural and immediate inclination of emissions reduction practitioners and policy-makers is to substitute gas directly for coal in the power generation sector. But

April 30, 2015 Read Full Article

California Is Smiling On Renewable Diesel HPR Fuel

by Jeff Cobb (Hybrid Cars) … More than a pilot project, last month’s launch of 18 stations for the diesel alternative is being propped by a few laws including California’s Low

April 30, 2015 Read Full Article

Algal Progress Report

by Valerie Reed (US Department of Energy/Industrial Biotechnology) (D)etails the promise of algae as a renewable energy source and describes the BETO-funded research, development, and demonstration projects that have resulted

April 30, 2015 Read Full Article

BETO’s 2015 Project Peer Review Presentations Now Online

(US Department of Energy) Visit the 2015 Project Peer Review Web page to download individual project and plenary presentations from BETO’s 2015 Project Peer Review. The peer review process provided BETO

April 30, 2015 Read Full Article

South Carolina Tapped for New Pipeline, Tank Farm

by Tonya Maxwell (Greenville Online) Groundwork for a proposed underground pipeline is beginning in South Carolina, one that would carry fuel from Florida to a tank farm near Belton, where

April 30, 2015 Read Full Article

Commodities: DDGS Priced out of Domestic Market

by Sean Broderick (CHS/Ethanol Producer Magazine) With planting season right around the corner, the conversation about grain prices this time of year normally focuses on soil moisture, and temperatures. This

April 30, 2015 Read Full Article

This Modified Hummer Hybrid Will Go to the South Pole on Biofuel

by Jonathon Ramsey (AutoBlog) Zero South Has Been Planning This Trip For At Least Seven Years — One modified Hummer H1, traveling with another vehicle that looks like a modified Hummer H1,

April 30, 2015 Read Full Article

Three Brothers Plead Guilty to $145 Million Biofuels Fraud Scheme in Indiana

(Department of Justice) Chad Ducey, 39, of Fishers, Indiana, pleaded guilty yesterday for his role in a multi-state scheme to defraud biodiesel buyers and U.S. taxpayers by fraudulently selling biodiesel

April 30, 2015 Read Full Article

Local Biodiesel Use to Reach up to Four Million KL This Year

by Linda Yulisman (The Jakarta Post) … Biodiesel consumption in Indonesia, the world’s largest palm oil producer, may reach between 3 million and 4 million kiloliters from the second quarter to the

April 30, 2015 Read Full Article

Harvester Banking on Ethanol Distillery

by John Anderson (Townsville Bulletin) Burdekin sugarcane harvesting contractor Michael Hodder has welcomed moves by the State Government to consider an ethanol mandate for Queensland. Mr Hodder, who plans to build

April 30, 2015 Read Full Article

WEBINAR: BBI Project Development Webinar Series: Part 2: Developing a Successful Plan and Attracting Investors to Your Biofuels Project — May 13, 2015

Join us for Part 2 in a series of webinars focused on how to develop a successful biofuel or bioenergy project. Part 2 will focus on how to develop and

April 30, 2015 Read Full Article

California’s New Goal: 40% Lower Emissions by 2030

(SustainableBusiness.com) … California will cut greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2030, below 1990 levels, making it possible to reach the ultimate goal of 80% cuts by 2050, he says. These goals are the same

April 30, 2015 Read Full Article

Biodiesel from Waste Grease

(National University of Singapore) A team of NUS researchers from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering has developed a set of environment-friendly techniques to produce biodiesel entirely from waste grease

April 30, 2015 0 comment Read Full Article

4 Minutes with… Len Rand, CEO, xF Technologies

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … The Company produces a family of fuorate esters from biomass feedstock, including sugar, starch and cellulose, using a low cost thermo-chemical process. Uses include industrial

April 30, 2015 Read Full Article

EPA Opens Comment Period on Carinata Oil GHG Analysis

by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. EPA is accepting comments on its analysis of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions attributed to the production and transport of Brassica carinata oil

April 30, 2015 Read Full Article

Canola Growers Want Province to Push Biodiesel

by Jennifer Blair (Alberta Farmer Express) Effort would create more demand and help with reductions in greenhouse gases — The new provincial government needs to walk the walk — not just

April 30, 2015 Read Full Article

Green Plains Sees U.S. Ethanol Retaining Export Advantage vs. Brazil

by Chris Prentice (Reuters) Green Plains Inc sees U.S. ethanol retaining its export advantage versus Brazil in 2015 and into the beginning of 2016, even as exports from the United States have

April 30, 2015 Read Full Article

Cargill Acquires OPX Biotechnologies

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Moguls of Minneapolis pick up an advantaged route to key renewable chemicals. News has filtered out from Cargill that the agricultural giant has acquired

April 30, 2015 Read Full Article

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces New Private Funds to Make Investments in Rural America

(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the launch of two new private funds, known as Rural Business Investment Companies (RBICs), which make equity investments in rural

April 29, 2015 Read Full Article

Parliament Votes to Approve EU Biofuels Cap, Provides Closure

by Ron Kotrba (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The European Parliament voted April 28 to approve the cap on first-generation biofuels and provide a degree of closure to the long-debated measure. The

April 29, 2015 Read Full Article

Scania India Announces Order of 42 Buses at Busworld 2015

by Nabanita Singha Roy (RushLane.com) Scania Commercial Vehicles India is showcasing its ethanol engines at Busworld 2015 Expo between April 28 – 30. The company also showcased its premium

April 29, 2015 Read Full Article

World-Herald Editorial: Ethanol Comes into Its Own

(Omaha World-Herald) For years, Nebraskans wondered whether the state’s fledgling ethanol sector would amount to much. Now, the answer is in, as explained in a new report from University of

April 29, 2015 Read Full Article

How I Got Converted to G.M.O. Food

by Mark Lynas (The New York Times) … As we squatted in the muddy field, examining the lush green foliage and shiny purple fruits, he explained how, for the first time

April 29, 2015 Read Full Article

Argonne Leadership Computing Facility Supercomputer Helps Identify Materials to Improve Fuel Production

(Newswise/Argonne National Laboratory) With access to supercomputing resources at the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility (ALCF), a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science User Facility, a research team from

April 29, 2015 Read Full Article

4 Minutes with… Michele Bremer, Technical and Executive Recruiter, Bremer Associates

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … I recruit technical and executive talent for companies in biofuels, bio-based chemicals, and related industries. Clients range from start-ups to Fortune 50 companies, with searches

April 29, 2015 Read Full Article

XTRM to Produce Residential Hemp and Cannabis Oil Extractor

(Yahoo! Finance/Extreme Biodiesel Inc.) Extreme Biodiesel Inc. (XTRM) today (April 28, 2015) announced the company’s wholly owned subsidiary XTRM Cannabis Ventures is designing a plant and seed oil extractor. XTRM

April 29, 2015 Read Full Article

Biodiesel Plant Retrofitting Underway

by Scott Koperski (Beatrice Daily Sun) A massive retrofitting of the Duonix biodiesel plant in west Beatrice is underway and on schedule to put the plant into production later this

April 29, 2015 0 comment Read Full Article

Big Ox Energy Breaks Ground in South Sioux City

by Bret Hayworth (Sioux City Journal) … Big Ox Energy, a Denmark, Wis.-based firm, has begun construction on a $30 million plant that will take organic waste from industrial plants and

April 29, 2015 Read Full Article

Advanced Bioeconomy Ventures Raise $1.262 Billion in Past 12 Months, up 3.2%

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) 44 deals, 37 companies; deal count jumps 16% but deal size drops 17% Here’s the complete skinny on who got what. In Florida, The Digest

April 29, 2015 Read Full Article

Blog: Smartphone App, on the Racetrack for Ethanol Education

by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A small company is using out-of-the-box marketing to reach members of the public as well as spread the word about cavitation. I had previously

April 28, 2015 Read Full Article

Counterpoint: E15 Good for Car Owners and Environment

by Joel Hennen (Chicago Sun-Times) … Unfortunately, I’ve heard a lot of misinformation during the debate about the Chicago Clean Air Choice Ordinance, which would free Chicago fuel retailers from the oil

April 28, 2015 Read Full Article

Kum & Go to Offer E15 at More than 65 Stores in 7 States

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Kum & Go has announced it will begin offering E15 as a fuel option. Over the next two years, the company plans to make

April 28, 2015 Read Full Article

Discovery of New Plant Switch Could Boost Crops, Biofuel Production

(Michigan State University) A team of Michigan State University researchers has discovered a switch that regulates plant photosynthesis – the process that lets plants store solar energy and use it

April 28, 2015 Read Full Article

Biofuels Need Public Support to Compete: European Biodiesel Board

(Platts) European Biodiesel Board Secretary General Raffaello Garofalo said Wednesday that the renewable fuels industry needs public support to compete properly in the road fuel sector. Garofalo described electric transportation

April 28, 2015 Read Full Article

Holden Drops E85 from Commodore

by Toby Hagon (Drive.com.au) Ethanol-based fuel touted as the next big thing has been quietly dropped from the Commodore range. Holden has quietly dropped the ability for its top-selling Commodore

April 28, 2015 Read Full Article

Tribe to Convert Abandoned Ethanol Plant into Wood Pellet Production Facility

by Dave Flessner (Times Free Press) The Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut wants to turn one of Tennessee’s biggest renewable energy failures into a business success with another type of renewable product

April 28, 2015 Read Full Article

Remembering a True Visionary: Novozymes Honors Guido Ghisolfi

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The renewable energy industry was saddened on March 3 by the news of the death of Guido Ghisolfi, Vice Chairman of the Mossi & Ghisolfi

April 28, 2015 Read Full Article

4 Minutes with… Christian Delahouliere, Business Development and Quality Director, Raizen Trading Geneva Branch

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Raizen is the world largest sugar cane processor. We produce 2 million tons of ethanol and consume more than 4 millions in our petrol stations.

April 28, 2015 Read Full Article

Indian Railways to Use Diesel Produced from Recycled Plastic

by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In India, Indian Railways announced it wants to produce biodiesel for use in its trains using technology patented by the CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum. The

April 28, 2015 Read Full Article

Urban Air Initiative: New EPA Studies Regarding Ethanol Flawed

(Urban Air Initiative/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA published two studies recently; defending its stance that ethanol increases toxic emissions. However, if you follow the same flawed formula, you get

April 28, 2015 Read Full Article

Downsize Bioenergy Risk while Approaching Scale: Partnering with ZeaChem’s Technology Institute

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) For most investors, building a demonstration-scale facility in order to get, and validate, data for the last pre-commercial stages, is a necessary evil somewhere between diaper-changing

April 28, 2015 Read Full Article

China Steel Green-Lights Commercial-Scale LanzaTech Advanced Biofuels Project

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Taiwan, China Steel Corporation announced formal Board approval of a $46M capital investment in a LanzaTech commercial ethanol facility. This follows the successful demonstration

April 28, 2015 Read Full Article

The Economics of Bioenergy Policies: A Hands-On Modelling Course — June 20-22, 2015 — Ravello, Italy

The course is partially based on the newly released text, The Economics of Biofuel Policies: Impacts on Price Volatility in Grain and Oilseed Markets, by Harry de Gorter, Dusan Drabik

April 28, 2015 Read Full Article

Major Advance in Artificial Photosynthesis Poses Win/Win for the Environment

by Lynn Yarris (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Berkeley Lab Researchers Perform Solar-powered Green Chemistry with Captured CO2 — A potentially game-changing breakthrough in artificial photosynthesis has been achieved with the development

April 28, 2015 Read Full Article

4 Minutes with… Neil Burns, CEO, P2 Science

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … P2 makes renewable specialty chemicals from vegetable feedstocks, using a proprietary form of ozonolysis, a chemical process. We are operating on the Kg scale using

April 28, 2015 Read Full Article

Renewable Fuels Association Poll: Over Six in 10 Voters Support the RFS

(Morning Consult) Morning Consult conducted a national poll on behalf of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). The survey of 2,047 registered voters took place from April 5-7, 2015. Results from

April 28, 2015 Read Full Article

New VERBIO Plant for the Production of Biomethane from 100 Percent Straw Commissioned as Scheduled

(VERBIO) New VERBIO plant for the production of biomethane from 100 percent straw commissioned as scheduled. Jörg Vogelsänger, Minister in the government of the Federal State of Brandenburg, and Kerstin

April 28, 2015 Read Full Article

15 Hot and Novel Low Carbon Fuel Technologies to Watch

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) An effort is underway in the UK to classify, within the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation, “novel low carbon fuels” made by companies such as LanzaTech,

April 28, 2015 Read Full Article

Introducing the New EnergyFactCheck

by Kyle McGuiness (American Council On Renewable Energy) … Half of the electricity capacity added in the U.S. over the last 3 years came from renewable sources. Our energy portfolio –

April 27, 2015 Read Full Article

New Study Highlights Fast Pyrolysis Bio-Oil Yields of 17-27% from Cellulosic Feedstocks

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington state, a new study released in the journal Energy & Fuels is providing the first, fully integrated assessment of common feedstocks from the

April 27, 2015 Read Full Article

4 Minutes with…Roger Kilburn, CEO, the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … The IBioIC’s strategic focus is to support industrial membership, develop technical capabilities, support the development of bio-refineries and pilot facilities and provide a skilled workforce

April 27, 2015 Read Full Article

EU Research Project on Underutilised Oil Crops Kicks off: COSMOS – Camelina & Crambe Oil crops as Sources for Medium-chain Oils for Specialty Oleochemicals

(Bio-Based News) On 24-26 March 2015, the eighteen partners involved in the EU funded research project COSMOS held their kick-off meeting in Wageningen, The Netherlands. Led by Wageningen UR Food

April 27, 2015 Read Full Article

NASCAR and American Ethanol Celebrate Five Year Partnership

by Andy Eubank (HoosierAgToday) For five years and more than seven million miles, American Ethanol and NASCAR have worked together to increase horsepower and decrease greenhouse gas emissions in the

April 27, 2015 Read Full Article

Surfing into a Greener Future

(University of California — San Diego) World’s first algae-based, sustainable surfboard produced by UC San Diego biology and chemistry students — UC San Diego’s efforts to produce innovative and sustainable

April 27, 2015 Read Full Article

Propel Fuels Relocates Headquarters to Sacramento

(Propel Fuels) Announces new management and directors, strategic focus and operating milestones. Propel Fuels, California’s largest retailer of low-carbon liquid fuels, has announced it will move its headquarters from Redwood

April 27, 2015 Read Full Article

Thought Leadership: The Toxic Substances Control Act and the Bioeconomy: Part 1, The Impact of Nomenclature on the Commercialization of Biobased Chemicals; Part 2, Reportable Substances across the Manufacturing Process; Part 3, Call to Action

by Richard E. Engler, Ph.D. (Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. and The Acta Group) When I meet people from bioeconomy companies, I ask them about their products’ status under the Toxic Substances

April 27, 2015 Read Full Article

Local Elementary, High School Students Exhibit Algae Projects at Arizona State University

(Arizona State University) Arizona State University’s Polytechnic campus hosted the Night of the Open Door on Feb. 20, an occasion to highlight clubs and organizations that dedicate themselves to science.

April 27, 2015 Read Full Article

Keystone Farm Show — January 5-7, 2016 — York, PA

The Keystone Farm Show is the fastest growing farm show on the East Coast! Started in January of 1998 to