by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Virent is in the business of replacing crude oil by applying clever chemistry to create the fuels and chemicals the world demands using a wide range of naturally-occurring, renewable resources. Virent’s patented technology features catalytic
Archive
Back TO HOMENeedless Waste of American Energy Resources -- Quantifying Natural Gas Lost from Taxpayer and Tribal Owned Lands
(Environmental Defense Fund) Oil and gas operators needlessly waste hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of methane, the main component of natural gas every year through leaks and intentional venting and flaring. This lost American energy resource could be used to
January 30, 2017 Read Full Article
Low Energy Conscientiousness at DC Auto Show
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Energy use hid in the background of nearly all presentations at the DC Auto Show's 2017 Policy Day whether visions of the future or descriptions of the present or near-term. [caption id="attachment_80925" align="alignleft" width="190"] Harman's
January 28, 2017 Read Full Article
Ethanol CO2 & Concrete Cement a Relationship
by Ann Bailey (Ethanol Producer Magazine) CarbonCure Technologies strengthens concrete while reducing its carbon footprint. -- Carbon dioxide from a Wisconsin ethanol plant is strengthening the cement in pours at sites in Chicago. Ozinga, a fourth-generation, family-owned business in Illinois
January 27, 2017 Read Full Article
Water: Lifeblood of the Process
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Successful water reduction and recycling require close attention to treatments and system impacts in ethanol production. -- ... As the industry has improved its efficiency and recycling, water use has dropped by more
January 27, 2017 Read Full Article
Trumping Obama on Biofuels
by Ann Bailey (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ethanol industry advocates believe the Trump administration will be friendlier to ethanol than the previous one. -- Last fall, a few weeks before the 2016 presidential election, Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob
January 27, 2017 Read Full Article
Ethanol Report on Crappie Masters and FFVs
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) Participants in the 2017 Crappie Masters Tournament Trail will be getting an education about ethanol while reeling in the whoppers around the country this year. In this Ethanol Report, Robert White with the Renewable Fuels Association
January 27, 2017 Read Full Article
RINs Plunge to 14-Month Low Following EPA Regulation Freeze
(Platts) Renewable Identification Numbers traded at 14-month lows Wednesday following news that the Environmental Protection Agency will delay implementation of 30 regulations until March 21, despite industry groups saying 2017 blending mandates are unlikely to change. "When a market is heavily
January 27, 2017 Read Full Article
Buffett's BNSF Cuts Ethanol Shipper Costs Amid Push for Safer Train Cars
by Jarrett Renshaw and Chris Prentice (Reuters) BNSF Railway Co will start offering discounts to ethanol shippers this April if they agree to use new, safer train cars, as it pushes to scrub puncture-prone ones from its rail lines at a
January 27, 2017 Read Full Article
Trump Swamp Work Can Start with RFS Repeal
by David Williams (Houston County News/Lacrosse Tribune) ... Billionaire investor and Trump confidant Carl Icahn is requesting changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard, the federal law requiring gasoline manufacturers to incorporate renewable fuels into their blends. Coincidently, Icahn would reap
January 27, 2017 Read Full Article
American Lung Association Supports Ethanol
by Mark Dorenkamp (Brownfield Ag News) The American Lung Association continues to advocate on behalf of the U.S. renewable fuels industry. Association director of communications in Minnesota Robert Moffitt says cleaner burning fuels like ethanol are proven to reduce air pollution. “Ethanol
January 27, 2017 Read Full Article
St1 Signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a Bioethanol Pilot Project in Thailand
(St1) Finnish technology turns cassava waste into ethanol -- St1 signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a bioethanol pilot project in Thailand. St1, a Finnish energy company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ubon Bio Ethanol to launch a
January 27, 2017 Read Full Article
Another Strong Year for Biofuels M&A: 2016 Review and Future Outlook
by Bruce Comer (Ocean Park Advisors) The North American biofuels industry continues trend of increased mergers and acquisitions activity. For the second straight year, the North American biofuels industry experienced year-over-year growth in merger and acquisition transactions. In 2016, we saw
January 27, 2017 Read Full Article
Thailand Announces $11.3 Billion 10-Year Plan to Build Sugarcane and Cassava Bioeconomy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This week we reported from Thailand: “The government launched its 10-year plan to build a bioeconomy hub for the region with private and public sector investment expected to reach $11.3 billion as it focuses on sugarcane
January 26, 2017 Read Full Article
Wham Bam Thank You Ham: Neste Produces Renewable Diesel from Waste Fat
by Liz Gyekye (Biofuels International) Renewable diesel company Neste has produced 10,000 litres of renewable diesel from waste produced from ham fat. It took the waste fat from 40,000 Finnish households last Christmas. The households donated the waste fat from their
January 26, 2017 Read Full Article
Scientists' March on Washington
(Scientists' March on Washington) ... We are working to schedule a March for Science on DC and across the United States. We have not settled on a date yet but will do so as quickly as possible and announce it here.
January 26, 2017 Read Full Article
Trump Administration Backs off Plan to Scrub Climate Pages from EPA Website
by Brady Dennis and Juliet Eilperin (The Washington Post) The Trump administration on Wednesday backed away from plans to take down some climate-change information from the Environmental Protection Agency’s website, which employees said had been planned for this week. But political appointees
January 26, 2017 Read Full Article
Green Fuels Key to Low-Carbon Future, UK’s Transport Minister Says
by Liz Gyekye (Biofuels International) Renewable fuels will play a critical role in decarbonising the transport sector, and will complement the role of electric vehicles -- Transport Minister John Hayes has said. The UK’s Department for Transport will spend £20 million
January 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Biofuel Crops Expected to Play Crucial Role in Hawaii’s Energy Future
by Ivy Ashe (Hawaii Tribune Herald) ... The latest stop along that path comes from researchers at the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, who are investigating potential dual contributions of crops used to
January 25, 2017 Read Full Article
EPA Science under Scrutiny by Trump Political Staff
by Michael Biesecker and Seth Borenstein (Associated Press) The Trump administration is scrutinizing studies or data published by scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency, and new work is under a "temporary hold" before it can be released. The communications director for President
January 25, 2017 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
by Bill Cameron (WLS-AM News) ... Duckworth (U.S .Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)): “I would rather burn American made, American grown corn and soybeans in my gas tank than I would oil from the Middle East,” Duckworth said. “I’ve already been to
January 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Duckworth Afraid Ethanol Subsidies Could End
by Bill Cameron (WLS-AM News) ... Duckworth (U.S .Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)) thinks (nominee to be EPA Administrator Scott) Pruitt is too cozy with Big Oil and so she pressed him hard on protecting the ethanol industry here in Illinois. “I would rather
January 25, 2017 Read Full Article
SkyNRG, Fly Green Fund and Swedavia Enable Sustainable Aviation Fuel Flights from Stockholm Arlanda Airport
(SkyNRG) Just before New Year’s Eve, Swedavia received its first sustainable aviation fuel at Stockholm Arlanda Airport. It marks the start of deliveries of sustainable aviation fuel through the Fly Green Fund and demonstrates Swedavia’s commitment to sustainable aviation. The
January 25, 2017 Read Full Article
John Deere Continues Biodiesel Support
by Cindy Zimmerman (Enegy.Agwired.com) ... Chuck Studer, Director of Industry Relations, highlighted John Deere’s vast diesel equipment product line and long-standing involvement with biodiesel. John Deere was one of the first original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to get involved with biodiesel,
January 25, 2017 Read Full Article
USDA Invests $13.6 Million in Citrus Greening Research
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced four grants totaling more than $13.6 million to combat a scourge on the nation’s citrus industry, citrus greening disease, aka Huanglongbing.
January 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Technical Work Lays Foundation for Biodiesel Market Growth
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) ... “The integration of biodiesel in the broader distribution system will help viability of this product in the broader market,” said Rod Woodford, manager of shipper relations and product quality for Explorer Pipeline Inc. Moving low-level
January 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Underdog Industry Rallies for Continued Growth at Annual Event
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) ... Every drop of biofuels required by RFS to diversify the U.S. transportation fuel supply means the oil industry loses money through lost market share and its responsibilities as an obligated party in the program. “Money
January 25, 2017 Read Full Article
US Biodiesel Market Hits New High, Imports Pass 1 Billion Gallons
(National Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) U.S. consumers saw a record of almost 2.9 billion gallons of biodiesel and renewable diesel in 2016, outpacing the previous record by almost 40 percent. Also for the first time ever, the monthly market topped 300 million
January 25, 2017 Read Full Article
QRFA Announces Partnership with TSBE
(Queensland Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Queensland Renewable Fuels Association is excited to announce a landmark partnership with Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise, which promises to drive consistent growth of the burgeoning biofuels industries in the region. The reciprocal membership is
January 25, 2017 Read Full Article
USDA Scrambles to Ease Concerns after Researchers Were Ordered to Stop Publishing News Releases
by Jose A. DelReal (The Washington Post) Employees of the scientific research arm at the Agriculture Department were ordered Monday to cease publication of “outward facing” documents and news releases, raising concerns that the Trump administration was seeking to influence distribution of their findings. Department officials scrambled to
January 25, 2017 Read Full Article
What Blend Wall? Why Facts Trump Rhetoric Every Time
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association) Half of U.S. states blended more than 10 percent ethanol, RFA's president and CEO points out in his View from the Hill column -- Reps. Bill Flores, R-Texas, and Peter Welch, D-Vt., introduced legislation
January 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Trump Administration Tells EPA to Cut Climate Page from Website: Sources
by Valerie Volcovici (Reuters) U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to remove the climate change page from its website, two agency employees told Reuters, the latest move by the newly minted leadership to erase ex-President Barack
January 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Renewable Fuels Group Sees No Big Change to Blending Rules under Trump
by Chris Prentice (Reuters) The Renewable Fuels Association said on Tuesday it does not expect a procedural delay to the implementation of the Environmental Protection Agency's Renewable Fuels Standard to lead to any significant change to the rule itself. ... "The deadline
January 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Uganda: Museveni Wants Law on Sugarcane By-Products
by Ismail Musa Ladu (The Monitor/All Africa) President Museveni has directed the Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Ms Amelia Kyambadde to bring to Parliament, within six months, a law that will allow for the blending of fuel with Ethanol
January 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Any Tax on Biodiesel Discourages Users, Killing This Sunrise Industry
by Sandeep Chaturvedi (Biodiesel Association of India/Business Standard) Biodiesel is being promoted world over as a green fuels to mitigate harmful exhaust emissions from diesel vehicles. Biodiesel besides helping in reducing the air pollution, improves lubricity of low sulphur diesel fuels
January 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Queensland Ethanol Mandate Leaves Lotfeeders Exposed during Times of Grain Shortage
(Beef Central) Lotfeeders remain deeply concerned about the long-term impact that the Queensland Government’s ethanol mandate from this month will have on Australia’s grainfed cattle sector. READ MORE and MORE / MORE (Queensland Country Life) Excerpt from Queensland Country Life: “It does
January 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Faster than Fermentation: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Mercurius and REACH Technology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Mercurius says it “has the technology and processes that will, for the first time, make the production of cellulosic biofuels profitable while meeting the needs of the diesel and jet fuel markets and satisfying government
January 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Botwood Biofuel Plant One Step Closer to Green Light
by Ryan Cooke (CBC News) Forestry minister confident in project, says resources are sufficient -- ... NewGreen Technology Inc, the company behind the project, will soon be offered a tentative deal by Newfoundland and Labrador's provincial government for the allocation of wood fibres
January 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Ethanol Industry Could Use a Friend in Washington Right Now
by Mario Parker and Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg) Environmental, Energy nominees have criticized ethanol law; President expressed support for $24 billion industry -- ... (Carl) Icahn, who owns a majority stake in independent refiner CVR Energy Inc., is lobbying the
January 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III Advanced Drop-In Biofuels Production Project (ADBPP) Biofuels 2 Solicitation Number: FOA-RQKM-2017-0006
(U.S. Air Force) This Title III project is to further increase domestic advanced biofuels production capacity by establishing additional Integrated Biofuel Production Enterprise (IBPE) capabilities that represent a complete value chain including Feedstock production, Chemical conversion and processing, and Fuels
January 24, 2017 Read Full Article
DOE and USDA Issue Notice of Intent for Biomass Research and Development Initiative
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s (EERE’s) Bioenergy Technologies Office, in coordination with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), is announcing its
January 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Environmental Friendly Methodology for Production of Ethanol from Bagasse by Sequential Bio-Processing
by Prabhuraj Balakrishnan (University of Manchester/Nanowerk News) ... In a research work by The University of Manchester academics (Prof. Colin Webb's research group at the School of Chemical Engineering), a new methodology have been developed, that significantly reduces the time and
January 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Duckworth to Perry: American-Made Renewable Energy Reduces Reliance on Foreign Oil, Improves National Security
(Senator Tammy Duckworth) U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) shared with the nominee to be the Secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE), Governor Rick Perry, how her military service in Iraq taught her about the danger of our country’s dependence on
January 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Trump Team Plans Big Cuts at EPA
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) The Trump administration’s transition team for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning major budget cuts, as well as regulatory and scientific overhauls at the agency, according to a new report. The team’s plan for the EPA identified more than
January 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Environment, Still a Winner: The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to Attitudes to Cleaner-Burning Diesel 2017
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Americans respond more to environmental messages on renewable diesel fuels than energy security or economic impact, according to a survey undertaken by the Diesel Technology Forum and presented last week by DTF’s Tom Fulks at
January 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Process Integrated Enzyme Production: The Cost-Efficient Way to Commercially Viable 2G Cellulosic Ethanol
by Markus Rarbach (Clariant/Biofuels Digest) Cellulosic ethanol is no longer a topic solely discussed in scientific papers or conferences, or by the academic world. It has made its way through the stages of technology development, from lab scale to pilot,
January 24, 2017 Read Full Article
After Dieselgate, Renewables More Critical to Diesel’s Future than Ever: Survey
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Americans respond more to environmental messages on renewable diesel fuels than energy security or economic impact, according to a survey undertaken by the Diesel Technology Forum and presented last week by DTF’s Tom Fulks at
January 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Flying Towards a More Sustainable Future: United Airlines Honored as 'Eco-Airline of the Year'
(United Airlines) United receives highest recognition from Air Transport World magazine for its leadership in environmental action; Airline commits to having a lower carbon footprint than its two largest U.S. competitors in 2017 -- For the second time since launching its
January 24, 2017 Read Full Article
NexSteppe Is Named in the 2017 Global Cleantech 100
(NexSteppe) NexSteppe, a company dedicated to pioneering the next generation of sustainable feedstock solutions for biobased industries, today announced it was named in the prestigious 2017 Global Cleantech 100, produced by CTG (Cleantech Group), whose work keeps its audiences and
January 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Advanced Biofuels USA Welcomes Shannon Hollis to Its Board of Directors
For Immediate Release January 24, 2017—Frederick, MD At its annual meeting on January 19, 2017, Advanced Biofuels USA, an educational nonprofit dedicated to the understanding, development and use of advanced biofuels, elected and welcomed Shannon Hollis, Program Director at the Ohio
January 24, 2017 Read Full Article
UK Company Makes Breakthrough with Sustainable Diesel Fuel Production
by Liz Gyekye (Biofuels International) A UK sustainable energy company is the first ever to have successfully converted actual landfill gas into usable diesel fuel with no fossil fuel additives, during recent trials. Renovare Fuels, which has its headquarters in London,
January 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Europeans Want EU Policy to Promote First-Generation Biofuels, New Survey Finds
by Liz Gyekye (Biofuels International) Europeans overwhelmingly support the use of conventional biofuels made from crops and believe EU policy should encourage it, according to an EU-wide opinion survey released today (23 January, 2017). More than 69% of Europeans surveyed say
January 24, 2017 Read Full Article
EPA Freezes Grants, Tells Employees Not To Talk About It, Sources Say
by Kate Sheppard (Huffington Post) It’s unclear whether the freeze is temporary or indefinite. -- EPA staff has been instructed to freeze all its grants ― an extensive program that includes funding for research, redevelopment of former industrial sites, air
January 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Algae Production Started on Bonaire
by Emmy Koeleman (All about Feed) Wageningen University & Research (UR) in the Netherlands is building a small-scale algae pilot on the isle of Bonaire. The Dutch University is partnering with the Council of International Education and Exchange to build this
January 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Bananas a Fuel of the Future?
by Pat Hannen (Queensland Country Life) Damaged bananas and banana bunch stalks can be converted into a gaseous fuel by anaerobic digestion. -- ... The aim is to utilise a number of ‘waste steams’ as feedstocks in the future to generate
January 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Far-Reaching Impacts of Biointermediate Feedstocks on the Biodiesel Industry
by Karyn Jones (EcoEngineers/Biodiesel Magazine) The U.S. EPA’s proposed Renewables Enhancement and Growth Support rule, published in the federal register Nov. 16, proposes a wide-range of regulatory and compliance changes that affect the renewable fuel standard (RFS) and the entire range
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
A Proven Biodiesel Process Technology Track Record
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) On BDI-BioEnergy International's 20-year anniversary, Biodiesel Magazine takes a look back at the company's beginnings, accomplishments and biodiesel production technology. -- In September, dozens of biodiesel producers from around the world gathered in Vienna, Austria,
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Will Renewable Jet Fuel Fly with Trump in the Cockpit?
by Kerry Reals (Runway Girl Network) ... But despite widespread concerns, Kevin Weiss, the chief executive of Byogy Renewables – the developer of an alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) fuel process for the aviation industry – tells RGN he is optimistic that the Trump
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Alternative Feedstock & Process Technology Overview
by Will Smith (Springhouse Consulting/Biodiesel Magazine) While the majority of U.S. biodiesel is still produced from soybean and canola oil, the role of alternative feedstock has increased steadily over the past decade. The lower production costs they afford have had
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
A 20-Year-Old Startup
by Gene Gebolys (World Energy/Biodiesel Magazine) ... Trying to make a living in biodiesel for two decades now, the hard way is about the only way it happens. ... 2016 was a breakthrough year for the biodiesel industry, and for World Energy. We brought
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
REG Marks 10 Years of Growth, Success & Continuous Improvement
by Anthony Hulen (Biodiesel Magazine) The U.S.'s largest biodiesel manufacturer, Ames, Iowa-based Renewable Energy Group Inc., matures from its single plant, single feedstock origins to a multifeedstock, multinational business. -- ... “For the petroleum and ethanol industries, 50 million gallons
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
New RFA Brochure Outlines 2017 Flex Fuel Vehicle Offerings
(Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) More than 21 million automobiles on U.S. roadways today are flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs), which can run on fuel blends containing up to 85 percent ethanol (E85). Is your vehicle one of them? Finding out
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
2016 Billion-Ton Report Volume 2 Analyzes Environmental Effects
(U.S. Department of Energy/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The 2016 Billion-Ton Report (BT16), Volume 2: Environmental Sustainability Effects of Select Scenarios from Volume 1, jointly released by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, is a pioneering
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Why The Ethanol Industry Should Fear President Trump
by Robert Rapier (Forbes) ... Trump’s pick to head the EPA -- Scott Pruitt -- has repeatedly fought against the RFS. As EPA Administrator, Pruitt would have the authority to invoke a waiver to lower the volume of ethanol that
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
How a Biofuels Phase-Out Would Hit Europe’s Struggling Farmers
by Mark Chesworth (Vivergo Fuels/Politico) Growers in the EU are helping meet climate and energy goals. Don’t abandon them now -- Biofuels are essential for meeting EU climate and energy goals by helping to decarbonize transport, but they are also
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
A Double Whammy for Corn and Ethanol Industries
(Michigan Farmer) China imposes additional tariffs on DDGS and ethanol. -- ... Inevitably, changes in trade could bludgeon an already wounded ag economy. A tug of war with punitive tariffs has already started with the world’s second-largest economic powerhouse — China. In
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Trump Advisor Sam Clovis Takes Job at U.S. Ag Department
(Radio Iowa) An Iowan who has been an advisor to Donald Trump during the presidential campaign is moving into a job in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Sam Clovis of Hinton, Iowa was sworn in soon after Trump was sworn in
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Ethanol Industry Reserved about Trump Agriculture Secretary Pick
by Ilari Kauppila (Biofuels International) US President Donald Trump has selected former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue to serve as the Secretary of Agriculture. Perdue previously ran a grains and fertiliser company, and said he was chosen based on his business and
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Trump's EPA Pick Says He Would Honor Timelines, Intent of Biofuels Program
by Valerie Volcovici, Timothy Gardner and Chris Prentice (Reuters) Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, President-elect Donald Trump's choice to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, said on Wednesday he would honor the intent of the U.S. biofuels program, but remained open
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Biofuels Champ Richard Childress Makes NASCAR Hall of Fame
(Growth Energy) This week, Growth Energy will join racing fans across the country to celebrate the induction of NASCAR’s 2017 Hall of Fame honorees, including racing legend Richard Childress, a longtime champion for ethanol-based fuels. “Richard Childress purchased his first racecar
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Biodiesel’s Backers: Build on 2016 Momentum for 2017 and Beyond
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Led by Don O’Connor, a Vancouver-based international expert on greenhouse-gas emissions, the assembled panel detailed efforts that spanned from municipal victories to boost biodiesel use to the Paris Climate Agreement that aims to significantly reduce
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Germany Cuts Palm Oil Use for Biodiesel by 1/3: Report
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Germany, the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food published an English-language edition of its Evaluation and Progress Report 2015 under the Biomass Energy Sustainability Ordinance. Biofuel Sustainability Ordinance The FOAF reports that in the biofuels sector,
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Gigabase Is the New Megabase: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Gen9
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The company manufactures custom, high-quality, synthetic DNA used by scientists to construct genes, pathways, genomes and organisms that will enable the next generation of breakthroughs in biology. Word came through this week that Gingko BioWorks
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
The Emerging Synthetic Biology Ecosystem: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Gingko BioWorks
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Recently, Ginkgo BioWorks announced the launch of their next generation foundry, Bioworks2. With 125,000 square feet and an 6X expected increase in capacity compatred to BioWorks 1, Bioworks2 represents a step change in what is possible for
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Government 'Tried to Bury' Its Own Alarming Report on Climate Change
by Ian Johnston and Tom Batchelor (The Independent) The five-yearly assessment of what will happen to the UK as the world warms says one of an array of potential threats is the ‘significant risk’ to supplies of food -- The Government has
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Successful Biofuels Industry Awaits Trump
(Forum News Service/The Daily Journal) Minnesota’s plant-based fuel industries of ethanol and biodiesel are success stories, but their future depends on the new Trump administration. “We are a little nervous,” Assistant Commissioner Andrea Vaubel of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
(Politico's Morning Energy) Eventually, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad's nomination to be ambassador to China came up, prompting (U.S. House of Representatives Minority Leader Nancy )Pelosi to interject: "I was hoping he would get natural resources, because he's for the renewable
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Clean Cooking Madagascar Issues Request for Proposals to Build Ethanol Micro Distillery for Stove Fuel Production with a Capacity of up to 5,000 Liters/Day
(Project Gaia) Clean Cooking Madagascar (CCM), an NGO based in Antananarivo, Madagascar, is seeking proposals for an ethanol micro distillery (EMD) for its national Ethanol Stove Program in Madagascar. CCM plans to create a market for 100,000 ethanol cookstoves over
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Trump Era Biodiesel? What’s Going to Happen?
(Triangle Biofuels Industries, Inc.) For most, it’s hard to guess what is going to happen for biodiesel under the Trump administration. On the one hand, President Trump appears to be in favor of conventional petroleum for fuel and against the
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Biofuels Play a Role in Military Energy Security
by Callie Fishburn* (Advanced Biofuels USA) At the January 12th Pew Project-sponsored conference," Power Begins at Home: Assured Energy for U.S. Military Bases," the subject of biofuels and their contribution to military energy security failed to come up. The conference,
January 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Montana State University Scientist Wins Grant to Improve Camelina Seed Qualities
(Montana State University/Biomass Magazine) A Montana State University scientist has received a $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science to research ways to improve the usefulness of camelina, an ancient crop that the modern world
January 20, 2017 Read Full Article
ORNL: Populus SNP Dataset Holds Promise for Biofuels
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory/Biomass Magazine) Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have released the largest-ever single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) dataset of genetic variations in poplar trees, information useful to plant scientists as well as researchers in
January 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Soup-to-Nuts Review Finds CA Clean Cars Program Working
by Simon Mui (National Resources Defense Council) The California Air Resources Board (ARB) released a soup-to-nuts review of its Advanced Clean Car (ACC) program today. The 658-page report confirms that the popular program, which establishes smog-forming and carbon pollution limits for
January 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Trump Releases "An America First Energy Plan"
(White House) Energy is an essential part of American life and a staple of the world economy. The Trump Administration is committed to energy policies that lower costs for hardworking Americans and maximize the use of American resources, freeing us
January 20, 2017 Read Full Article
MIT Engineers Program Yeast to Convert Plant Sugars into Oils
by Anne Trafton (MIT/Biomass Magazine) MIT engineers have genetically reprogrammed a strain of yeast so that it converts sugars to fats much more efficiently, an advance that could make possible the renewable production of high-energy fuels such as diesel. The researchers,
January 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Ghana’s First Ethanol Producer Diversifying and Seeking More Cassava
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Ghana, the country’s only ethanol producer—Caltech—has produced 150,000 liters of ethanol from cassava since starting up the 3 million liter per year facility in August. The company is also expanding into biogas, liquefied carbon dioxide
January 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Novozymes Cuts Jobs, Says U.S. Policy, Monsanto Deal Pose Risks
by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen and Teis Jensen (Reuters) To cut 198 jobs, invest more in emerging markets; Says could take time to return to past growth rates; Bayer takeover of Monsanto, US energy policy pose risks; Q4 earnings beat expectations, to buy back shares --
January 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Boosting Ethanol’s Value via CO2 Use: The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to White Dog Labs
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) US-based White Dog Labs have developed a new process that eliminates the production of CO2, a potent greenhouse gas, during fermentation and instead shifts the carbon to added ethanol production, boosting fermentation yields by around
January 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Quo Vadis, Mr. President-Elect?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... This Administration is a team, so long as you generally understand that there’s one guy with the ball, he’s calling all the plays, and members of the Cabinet can block and tackle and get to
January 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Decoded Microbial Metabolism Explains Biofuel Yield
by Blaine Friedlander (Phys.Org) To unravel how intricate waste biomass converts to biofuels, a Cornell professor studied the bacterium Clostridium acetobutylicum to decipher its metabolism. Understanding the bacterium's sugar-processing complexities may lead to improved biofuel yields. "It is recognized for over
January 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Investigation: INEOS Failed Despite $129 Million in Taxpayer Subsidies
by Lucas Daprile (TC Palm) TCPalm examined thousands of government documents, obtained through the Freedom of Information Act and Florida public records requests, to determine what taxpayers got in return for their $129 million investment in INEOS' Indian River County biofuel
January 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Scaling-up through Contract Manufacturing
by Mark Warner (Warner Advisors LLC/Biofuels Digest) As companies consider options to commercialize their advanced biotechnologies, they are faced with the decision to either build their own demonstration scale facility or utilize existing contract manufacturing operations (CMOs). There are benefits and
January 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Power Sector Carbon Dioxide Emissions Fall Below Transportation Sector Emissions
(U.S. Energy Information Administration) U.S. carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the transportation sector reached 1,893 million metric tons (MMmt) from October 2015 through September 2016, exceeding electric power sector CO2 emissions of 1,803 MMmt over the same time period. On
January 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Notice of Analysis of the GHG Emissions Attributable to the Production and Transport of Sugar Beets for Use in Biofuel Production
(Environmental Protection Agency) On January 18, 2017, EPA issued a notice of opportunity to comment on the Agency’s analysis of the greenhouse gas emissions attributable to the production and transport of sugar beets for use as a biofuel feedstock. The
January 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Zimbabwe: Zim Fuel Prices Up
by Phillimon Mhlanga (All Africa) Zimbabwe's major fuel retailers have raised fuel prices by at least US$0,04 a litre due to a serious shortage of anhydrous ethanol in the country and a surge in international petroleum price, the Financial Gazette's Companies
January 19, 2017 Read Full Article
BRAG® Biofuels Industry Outlook For 2017
(Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group) ... Throughout his campaign for President, Trump repeatedly pledged his support for biofuels and the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Indeed, it is this support that helped Trump win in key Midwestern battleground states, including
January 19, 2017 Read Full Article
EPA Denies Petition to Waive Advanced Biofuels Requirements
by Chris Prentice (Reuters) U.S. environmental regulators have denied a request from oil refiners to waive some of their advanced biofuels use requirements from 2016, in what is likely to be one of the Obama administration's final decisions on the
January 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Prebiotics: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to ISOthrive technology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) “Each microbe makes a contribution to your health; some directly, indirectly, it’s an orchestra and they have to be in tune,” says our old friend Jack Oswald, a serial entrepreneur well-known in industrial biotechnology circles
January 19, 2017 Read Full Article
FHR Unveils a $50M Gambit to Make Überprotein at Ethanol Plants
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Nebraska, Flint Hills Resources will invest more than $50M in its Fairmont, Neb. ethanol plant to install a new technology that will produce a high protein animal and fish feed ingredient from a portion
January 19, 2017 Read Full Article
UK-Based Researcher Gains European Grant to Fund Work on Lignin Biomass Production
by Liz Gyekye (Biofuels International) Roberto Rinaldi FRSC, a senior lecturer in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London has been awarded a European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grant to fund his world-leading work on lignin valorisation. According to
January 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Donald Trump Taps Former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue as Secretary of Agriculture
by Kristen Welker, Hallie Jackson, Phil McCausland and Emma Margolin (NBC News) President-elect Donald Trump has chosen former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue to lead the Department of Agriculture, senior transition officials tell NBC News. Perdue, 70, served on Trump's agricultural advisory
January 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Synthetic Genomics and ExxonMobil Renew Algae Biofuels Research Agreement
(Algae Industry Magazine) Synthetic Genomics and ExxonMobil have announced that they have extended their agreement to conduct joint research into advanced algae biofuels, after making significant progress in understanding algae genetics, growth characteristics and increasing oil production. The two companies have
January 19, 2017 Read Full Article
More Pruitt Highlights
by Anthony Adragna (Politico's Morning Energy) During the second half of more than six hours of questioning for Scott Pruitt, the EPA pick said he saw no reason to review the agency’s 2009 endangerment finding, the scientific conclusion that climate
January 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Perry's Time to Shine Today
by Anthony Adragna (Politico's Morning Energy) PERRY PARTY: Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry finally has his day in the spotlight this morning to make his case for running the Energy Department. Given the agency’s mishmash of responsibilities — which outgoing
January 19, 2017 Read Full Article
U.S. Energy Department Publishes "The Transforming Mobility Ecosystem: Enabling an Energy-Efficient Future"
(U.S. Department of Energy) The Energy Department published a report titled, “The Transforming Mobility Ecosystem: Enabling an Energy-Efficient Future.” Over the next decade, the transportation sector is poised for rapid change, propelled toward a new mobility future by strong technology currents
January 19, 2017 Read Full Article
LEAF Opens New Yeast Facility and Launches New Product
by Doris de Guzman (Green Chemicals Blog) Leaf – Lesaffre Advanced Fermentations has inaugurated its the new Lesaffre Yeast Corporation drying facility in Headland, Alabama, last week, which is reportedly the company’s first yeast drying facility in the United States. The
January 19, 2017 Read Full Article
SUNY Morrisville Leads NY Back To Industrial Hemp Production
by Jeff Kulikowsky (MyTwinTiers.com) Morrisville partners with JD Farms in Eaton on industrial hemp pilot program -- Hemp may not be what you'd think of as the next big cash crop but plenty in New York, including Governor Andrew Cuomo, think
January 18, 2017 Read Full Article
Ethanol Industry Thanks Trump in New Ad
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The renewable fuels industry is thanking incoming President Donald Trump with a new television ad airing this inauguration week. The new ad will be airing during MSNBC’s Morning Joe program and will also appear on digital channels. ... The
January 18, 2017 Read Full Article
Neste and Bioenergy La Tuque to Start R&D Cooperation on Utilizing Forest Residues in Biofuel Production
(Neste/Globe NewsWire) Neste and Bioenergy La Tuque have started R&D cooperation with the objective of studying the potential of using forest residues as a raw material in biofuel production in La Tuque, Canada. The cooperation supports Neste's goals to expand
January 18, 2017 Read Full Article
Military’s Shift Away from Oil Clashes with Trump’s Promises
(Fayatteville Observer/Associated Press) ... While a growing number of military leaders have declared global warming a national security threat, the strategy clashes with President-elect Donald Trump’s vow to end policies that “undermine” fossil fuel producers. Trump has a chosen a Cabinet
January 18, 2017 Read Full Article
EPA Approves Pathway for Isobutanol as an Advanced Biofuel Provides Route for Gevo to Generate Potentially More Valuable D5 RINs at Luverne
(Gevo) Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ:GEVO), announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) has approved the pathway for isobutanol produced at Gevo’s Luverne, MN plant to be an advanced biofuel under the Renewable Fuel Standard Program (“RFS”). This is the first
January 18, 2017 Read Full Article
Hawaii 5-Oleo: The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to Cellana’s Kona-Based Marine Microalgae System
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Cellana uses the most productive plants on earth—marine microalgae—to photosynthetically produce its ReNew line of Omega-3 EPA and DHA oils, animal feed, and biofuel feedstocks. Cellana’s patented ALDUO system, a series of photobioreactors coupled with
January 18, 2017 Read Full Article
Biodiesel 2017: What’s up with Earth’s Favorite Advanced Biofuel?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Uncertain the future may be, but the immediate past was no bed of thorns for biodiesel and renewable diesel. NBB policy guru Anne Steckel said that the industry produced 2.6B gallons of renewable diesel and
January 18, 2017 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Industry Honors Year of Achievements, Industry Growth
(National Biodiesel Board) Clean air champions, policy drivers, fleet influencers highlighted with industry awards -- The biodiesel industry saw record market growth in 2016 and this year’s National Biodiesel Board industry awards highlight champions who have had a major
January 18, 2017 Read Full Article
General Motors Announces 20 for B20 in Its Diesel Vehicle Lineup
(National Biodiesel Board) GM Expands its B20 Biodiesel Capable Lineup with New Cars, Crossovers, Trucks -- General Motors is taking bold steps to expand the U.S. diesel vehicle market beyond its traditional stronghold in full-size pickups, and providing more options
January 18, 2017 Read Full Article
By Their Powers Combined, They Hope to Stop Change to RFS
by Anthony Adragna (Politico's Morning Energy) Railroads and truckers are joining the fight to leave refiners as the obligated party under the Renewable Fuel Standard. As ME readers are keenly aware, a few independent refiners, led by Valero and Carl
January 18, 2017 Read Full Article
Unlike Trump, Americans Want Strong Environmental Regulator
by Chris Kahn (Reuters/Ipsos) More than 60 percent of Americans would like to see the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's powers preserved or strengthened under incoming President Donald Trump, and the drilling of oil on public lands to hold steady or drop,
January 18, 2017 Read Full Article
BIOX Announces Commissioning of 90 Million USG Biodiesel Production Facility in Houston
(BIOX/NewsWire Canada) BIOX Corporation ("BIOX" or the "Company") (TSX: BX), a renewable energy company that owns and operates biodiesel production facilities, today announced that World Energy BIOX Biofuels LLC (WEBB), a 50/50 joint venture between World Energy and BIOX, has
January 18, 2017 Read Full Article
Q&A: Tough EU Battle ahead for Ethanol Says ePURE
(Argus Media) Recently appointed secretary of the European renewable ethanol association (ePURE) Emmanuel Desplechin told Argus the continent's ethanol industry is facing a crucial battle for survival. He said the EU should reverse European Commission (EC) proposals for a gradual
January 17, 2017 Read Full Article
DOE Jobs Report Features Data on Bioenergy, Biofuels Employment
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On Jan. 13, the U.S. Department of Energy released its second annual analysis of how changes in America’s energy profile are affecting national employment in key sectors of the economy. To complete its analysis,
January 17, 2017 Read Full Article
Environmentalists Appeal PBF Ethanol Permit
by Scott Goss (News Journal/Delaware Online) A legal fight over Delaware City Refinery's plans to expand its ethanol operations officially began this week. Two groups filed fundamental challenges Friday to a recently issued state permit that – for the first time – allows
January 17, 2017 Read Full Article
High Octane Group Vindicated by EPA Ethanol Assessment
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) A USDA report this week showing corn ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 43% compared to gasoline, came with a silver lining for a Washington, D.C., group that has been pressing the U.S. Environmental
January 17, 2017 Read Full Article
New UN Report Shows Food vs Fuel Fallacy
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) A new report from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) finds that food prices declined for the fifth year in a row in 2016, down 1.5 percent from 2015. That included a steady decline
January 17, 2017 Read Full Article
Port of Seattle, Boeing and Alaska Airlines Release Aviation Biofuel Infrastructure Findings
(Port of Seattle) Existing pipeline, transportation resources, zoning and land use laws could accommodate new aviation biofuel blending, storage and delivery infrastructure -- The Port of Seattle, Boeing and Alaska Airlines today released a first-of-its-kind study that identifies the best infrastructure
January 17, 2017 Read Full Article
B10 Biodiesel Is Cleaner, Better for Engines – MPIC
by Jonathan Lee (Paultan.org) The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) has released a statement clarifying the facts regarding the oft-delayed B10 biodiesel. The fuel, which uses a blend of 10% palm methyl ester and 90% diesel, was supposed
January 17, 2017 Read Full Article
Taking the Financial Step to Scale: The Digest’s 2017 8-Slide Guide to Bioeconomy Project Finance
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Bottom line, if you’re in the business of financing a renewable fuels project with a loan guarantee in the mix, you’re probably talking with Stern Brothers and managing director John May, and some combination of
January 17, 2017 Read Full Article
Sugar, Sugar: Toray, Mitsui Set out to Build Monster Cellulosic Sugar Plant in Asia
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Last week we reported that Toray Industries has teamed with Mitsui to produce cellulosic sugars from bagasse leftover from the sugar production process at Thai sugar mills. The companies will invest up to $51 million to build
January 17, 2017 Read Full Article
Automakers Fuel the U.S. Market With More Biodiesel Capable Diesel Vehicle Models
(National Biodiesel Board) U.S. auto manufacturers have introduced a record number of new biodiesel capable diesel vehicle options for consumers as the push for increased fuel efficiency, performance, and sustainability in America’s transportation sector grows. Despite a challenging marketplace, automakers
January 17, 2017 Read Full Article
CARB Supports EPA’s Final Determination on Emissions Standards
by Lauren Tyler (Next-Gen Transportation News) The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has announced its support for the EPA administrator’s determination that the adopted light-duty vehicle greenhouse-gas (GHG) emission standards for model years 2022-2025 are appropriate. In 2012, CARB agreed to a
January 17, 2017 Read Full Article
Biofuel Matchmaker: Finding The Perfect Algae for Renewable Energy
by Frances White (Renewable Energy World/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) A dozen glass cylinders containing a potential payload of bright green algae are exposed to hundreds of multi-colored lights, which provide all of sunlight's natural hues. The tiny LEDs brighten and
January 17, 2017 Read Full Article
Neste Launches Neste MY Renewable Diesel Made 100% from Waste and Residues
(CleanTech Finland) Neste has launched a renewable diesel made entirely from waste and residues. The name of the new 100% renewable fuel is Neste MY Renewable Diesel, and the product enables up to 90% lower greenhouse gas emissions throughout the
January 17, 2017 Read Full Article
Energy Beet Display and Children's Carbon Cycle Handout Big Hits at Keystone Farm Show
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Highlighting Advanced Biofuels USA's work on a feasibility study of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore energy beet project proved to attract many visitors and a bit of buzz at the Keystone Farm Show,
January 16, 2017 Read Full Article
BETO Publishes Analysis of Biofuels and Bioproducts from Wet and Gaseous Waste Streams
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today (January 10, 2017) the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced the publication of a report, titled Biofuels and Bioproducts from Wet and Gaseous Waste Streams: Challenges and Opportunities. The report is the
January 16, 2017 Read Full Article
Voting Begins for Biofuels Digest's Top 100 People in the Advanced Bioeconomy
(Biofuels Digest) It's time for voting for the Top 100 People in the Advanced Bioeconomy together, and as with all Digest rankings and lists, we'd like you to participate. It's easy, Just check the ones you want to vote for
January 16, 2017 Read Full Article
Iowa State Engineer Helps Journal Highlight How Pyrolysis Can Advance the Bioeconomy
(Iowa State University) A special issue of the journal Energy Technology details the latest advances in pyrolysis technologies for converting biomass into fuels, chemicals and fertilizers. Two pyrolysis experts are guest editors of the issue: Robert C. Brown, the director of
January 16, 2017 Read Full Article
API and MYBiomass Announce Joint-Development Agreement for the Production of Nanocellulose for Downstream Applications
(PR Web/American Process/MYBiomass) American Process Inc. (API) and MYBiomass Sdn. Bhd. (MYBiomass) will work together to develop technology to produce nanocellulose and cellulosic sugars from oil palm empty fruit-bunches, a lignocellulosic feedstock widely available in Malaysia. -- API and MYBiomass
January 16, 2017 Read Full Article
EU Carbon Targets at Risk from Conventional Biofuels Phase-Out: Experts
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In the EU, energy experts told members of the European Parliament in hearings this week that the European Commission’s proposed phase-out of conventional biofuels by 2030 threatens to remove one of the EU’s best options
January 16, 2017 Read Full Article
Hero BX Offers Branded Bioheat Distributor Program
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Erie, Pennsylvania-based biodiesel producer Hero BX announced a new business enterprise Jan. 12, the Hero BX-branded Bioheat program. Bioheat is a blend of biodiesel and heating oil in varying concentrations. Hero BX’s new program offers
January 16, 2017 Read Full Article
Lessons from 102 Years of Licensing: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Honeywell UOP
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Honeywell’s UOP has developed a renewable jet fuel processing technology, a renewable diesel process, as well as a joint venture, Envergent Technologies, that will market technologies and equipment for generating power, transportation fuel and heating
January 16, 2017 Read Full Article
Walk This Way: NYC Agrees to Run D.M.E. in New Fuels Trial
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... This week, a company known as Oberon Fuels running a DME technology is coming Straight Outta New York City with the idea that you can make it out of the the boutique world of
January 16, 2017 Read Full Article
Dual-Purpose Biofuel Crops Could Extend Production, Increase Profits
(University of Illinois/EurekAlert!) Today many biofuel refineries operate for only seven months each year, turning freshly harvested crops into ethanol and biodiesel. When supplies run out, biorefineries shut down for the other five months. However, according to recent research, dual-purpose
January 13, 2017 Read Full Article
U-Turn on Phase-Out of Food-Based Biofuels
(Transport & Environment) Food-based biofuels can still be counted towards the EU’s renewable energy target, the European Commission has proposed – in a stunning U-turn on its commitment to phase-out first-generation biofuels that are worse for the climate than fossil
January 13, 2017 Read Full Article
PTG to Make Ethanol from Cassava Pulp
(Bangkok Post) PTG Energy Plc (PTG), a SET-listed oil retailer, and Eiamburapa Co (EBP), a top producer of tapioca products, have teamed up to develop what they say will be the world's first facility that makes ethanol from cassava pulp. The project
January 13, 2017 Read Full Article
From Waste CO2 to Everyday Products: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Liquid Light Technology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) We reported this week that Avantium has acquired Liquid Light’s assets and will take the technology forward. Liquid Light developed electrocatalytic technology to make major chemicals from low-cost, globally abundant carbon dioxide. The company’s technoloigy
January 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Poll: Trump Voters Overwhelmingly Support Ethanol
(Growth Energy) A new post-election survey released today shows that decisive voters in the 2016 presidential election are staunch supporters of American ethanol. The survey of 3,000 Trump voters in the Midwestern battleground states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Iowa, Indiana
January 13, 2017 Read Full Article
The Bioeconomy, #1 Catalyst for Rural Development: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to USDA and Rural Development
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Outgoing Agricultural Secretary Tom Vilsack put it best: “The bioeconomy is a catalyst for economic development in rural America, creating new jobs and providing new markets for farmers and ranchers. Investing in the businesses and
January 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Catalysis in Renewable Chemicals: Noteworthy Developments, 2015 – 2016
by Bernard Cooker (Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) The use of catalysts, both living entities, such as microorganisms, and otherwise inert synthetic and biologically-derived materials, such as supported transition metals and enzymes, are frequently key to the development of technically efficient and
January 13, 2017 Read Full Article
The Industrial Status of Biofuel Technologies
by Gerald Kutney (Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) A myriad of biofuel technologies exist, but which ones are truly industrial processes? The question is not always easy to answer. And one must define what is meant by an industrial process. To facilitate
January 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Northey Recognizes Efforts by Fuel Marketers to Offer and Promote Renewable Fuels
(Iowa Department of Agriculture) Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey announced that Charlie Good from Good & Quick in Nevada and Richard Weiner from Cartersville Elevator, Inc. in Nora Springs are the 2017 winners of the Secretary’s Ethanol and Biodiesel
January 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Want to Drain the Swamp? Start with the Renewable Fuel Standard
by David Williams (The Gilmer Mirror) Incoming President Donald Trump's promise to "drain the swamp" is getting an early test from one of his closest friends. Billionaire investor and Trump confidant Carl Icahn is requesting changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard,