by Mario Parker (Bloomberg/Fuel Fix) Valero Energy Corp., the world’s largest independent refining company, called on the Obama administration to waive the country’s biofuel target immediately, saying the cost to reach it has skyrocketed. “We need the waiver now,” Valero Chief
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) has released a new report that predicts projected growth in advanced biofuel production capacity will be sufficient to meet both the federal renewable fuels standard (RFS) and California’s low carbon fuel
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... (Paul) Bertels (vice president of production and utilization for the National Corn Growers Association) said the harvest should bring in about 12.9 billion bushels of corn, the third largest crop ever and just 100
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Atlantic Council for Bioenergy Co-operative, in partnership with BioAtlantech New Brunswick, has released a report demonstrating a strong business case for the development of a biofuels industry in the Atlantic region of Canada.
by Alan Bjerga & Mario Parker (Bloomberg) Efforts to roll back rules that nurtured the corn-based ethanol industry threaten to stunt other promising biofuels, according to a developer working on one of the nation’s first commercial plants that won’t use
by Mark Drajem (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) A tweak to an automobile’s engine software can improve by as much as 20 percent the estimated fuel efficiency when using gasoline with ethanol or methanol, according to a non-profit group pushing gasoline alternatives. A Fuel
by Jennifer A. Dlouhy (Fuel Fix) ... The rising cost of RINs turned out to be good economic news for some oil companies, especially those who are producing biofuels and have blending capacity, so they could capitalize on the credits tacked
by Tererai Karimakwenda (AllAfrica.com/SW Radio Africa (London)) New clashes between local villagers and the police in the Nyamukwakwa area of Manicaland have been attributed to activists within ZANU PF, who are allegedly instructing the police and officials at the
by Matthew Weaver (Capital Press) The McGregor Co. has invested more than $2 million in an abandoned biodiesel plant in Creston, Wash., turning it into a state-of-the-art distribution center for fertilizer. ... Alex McGregor, president of the company, said the goal during the four-year
(Seattle PI/Associated Press) Ethanol producers say they are running up against market and regulatory pressures that are putting a crimp on the industry's future, despite lower prices for a key commodity to produce the fuel. The ethanol industry is distilling enough product
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... “What you really are in the business of,” Aemetis CEO Eric McAfee reflects, “is capturing the arbitrage between the commodity price of your most expensive feedstock — and the price of your finished molecule plus
by Dave Keating (European Voice) Members of the European Parliament are scheduled to vote next week in Strasbourg on a controversial proposal to limit the amount of conventional biofuel that can be used to meet an EU target for transport fuel. The
(The Economist) Energy technology: Making large amounts of fuel from organic matter has proved to be more difficult and costly than expected ...As well as being available to countries without tar sands, shale fields or gushers, biofuels can help reduce greenhouse-gas emissions
(Flagship Ventures/PR NewsWire) New Venture is Commercializing a Novel Catalytic Process to Convert Non-Food Biomass Into Sugar Flagship VentureLabs announced today that Midori Renewables is globally deploying their Breaking the Biomass Barrier™ technology, a novel catalyst that melts non-food biomass into
(National Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) The largest municipal fleet in the country made a bold environmental statement yesterday with cleaner burning biodiesel. New York City Councilman James F. Gennaro, honored by the National Biodiesel Board with the 2011 Clean Energy Leadership Award,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Today, we look at 2013-14, should Congress elect not to act — but leave the EPA and the markets to govern implementation of the existing law. 2014 Mandate The EPA will ultimately determine the annual mandate, but
by Diane Dietz (Register-Guard/Associated Press/San Francisco Chronicle) The oil that cooked game day french fries at Autzen Stadium Saturday afternoon will be shipped to Salem, mingled with oil that cooked Kettle Chips and converted into biodiesel, which fans with diesel-burning
by Alex Fitzsimmons (Institute for Energy Research) ...Millions of gallons of ethanol would be produced and used every year without the Renewable Fuel Standard since refiners would use it as an oxygenate. The problem is not ethanol per se, the problem
(Ontario Federation of Agriculture/Farming Sources) A value chain consortium presented their final report to local corn producers on a business case for sustaining a commercially viable cellulosic sugar plant in southwestern Ontario to support the future production of green chemicals. The
by Jens Flottau (Aviation Week) A compromise solution on a global market-based measures (MBM) scheme to tackle aviation emissions appears to be nearing ahead of this month’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) assembly. According to several people familiar with the negotiations,
(The Hawaiian Electric Companies/Biodiesel Magazine) The Hawaiian Electric Companies began a search for suppliers of cleaner fuels, including ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD), biodiesel or biodiesel blends. The companies are seeking up to 150,000 barrels per year (6.3 MMgy) to supply
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Based on our industry sources, here’s an outline for a “change the RFS” outcome – what that might look like. We see four key elements — ethanol, drop-ins, biodiesel and the RIN system for smoothing
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) One of the issues ethanol producers struggle with is some outdated information being used to argue against the positive effects of the green fuel. It’s an issue attendees of the recent American Coalition for Ethanol’s (ACE) “Unite and
by Todd Sneller (Lincoln Journal Star/Nebraska Ethanol Board) The well-written article “Cost of gas could soar” (Aug. 25) explains that oil companies have made a business decision that will further increase their profits by reducing the octane rating of gasoline
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) One message that was delivered during the 26th Annual Ethanol Conference over and over again is that both legislators and consumers need to know the faces of ethanol – to hear personal stories of how ethanol benefits America.
(MoneyControl.com) According to Narendra Murkumbi, blending 10 percent ethanol in petrol will reduce sugar surplus by almost one million to one-an-half-million tonne and that will be beneficial for the sugar industry. Overall, manadatory ethanol blending by the government will have
(Clariant) Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, has received the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) for its sunliquid® demonstration plant in Straubing (Germany), which was opened in July 2012. The certificate confirms that the cellulosic ethanol from agricultural
(Fort Mill Times) Aemetis California Plant Approved for Same Low-Carbon Biofuels Category as Brazilian Ethanol Aemetis, Inc. (OTCQB: AMTX), an advanced fuels and renewable chemicals company, announced today that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted Aemetis approval to produce
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...ActionAid UK released a report this week focusing on the story of Addax Biofuels in Sierra Leone. As Addax points out, it was not given the opportunity by Action Aid to review the serious allegations in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The company (Kaiima) started up in 2006, and by 2009, the results were starting to show in castor beans. Castor oil is a good source for a variety of applications, including biofuels — but castor
by Vickie Vaughan (Fuel Fix) Valero Energy Corp. has been making adjustments to its investments in renewable energy. This year the San Antonio refiner quietly pulled out of a partnership to build a cellulosic ethanol plant while a second plant in
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) Klaus Philipsen, quoted in Dan Rodrick’s recent column about the Grand Prix of Baltimore, dislikes what the Grand Prix does, objects to its “heavy-metal aesthetics” and concludes that “racing big, stinky and noisy cars”
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Waste-to-energy firm Fiberight LLC plans to break ground on a solid waste recycling plant in Marion, Iowa, as soon as December. Once complete, the facility will process municipal solid waste (MSW) into feedstocks for
by Steve Everly (Kansas City Star) ... Ethanol has so far reduced the need for petroleum in gasoline by about 7 percent, which no other alternative fuel has come close to doing. But a shift is already in the works. ... In practice it
by Erica Sullivan (AgriNews) ...A faculty-and-student duo piloted the Purdue Embrarer Phenom 100 to the recent Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture, one of the largest international plane shows. One of the airplane’s engines was filled with typical jet fuel, and the other
(Lux Research) Corporations will need to integrate open source with traditional patents for biotech innovations in medicine, renewable materials, and nutrition, Lux Research says With synthetic biology (synbio) rapidly gaining momentum, and a landmark U.S. Supreme Court judgment striking down an
(R.C. Costello & Associates Inc./Ethanol Producer Magazine) R.C. Costello & Associates Inc. and Zeton Inc. signed a Memorandum of Understanding last month. Costello has extensive front-end engineering, process modeling and design experience; and Zeton has specific know-how in the scale
by Patrick Meehan and Pat Eiding (The Wall Street Journal) The price of EPA compliance rose 3,625% since the end of 2012. ... As a display of regulatory failure at its finest, current regulations place the compliance obligation on refiners rather than on
(Biofuels International) An agreement has been made by aircraft manufacturer Airbus and RT-Biotechprom, a division of technology and construction company Rostec, to make aircraft biofuel from renewable sources in Russia. READ MORE
by John Ramsey (Fayetteville Observer) ...Researchers say Southeastern North Carolina is uniquely poised to become a national leader in biofuel production for two primary reasons: The coastal Bermuda grass now grown on hog farms goes virtually unused because the hog waste
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Which raises the question: at what prices will bioenergy projects provide the kind of returns that would make a hard-bitten citizen of Planet Houston say a kind word or two about “choice at the fuel
by Gerald Jeffris (NASDAQ.com) Increased biofuel use and the development and application of new energy technologies will be the focus of talks between Brazil and the U.S. in coming months, U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said Friday. The secretary said the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... When you first harvest a forest or other biomass, you take all that carbon that’s been sequestered — if you use the “first cut” for energy or fuels, that carbon is released. Now, in the world
(BusinessWire/SeQuential Pacific Biodiesel) -SeQuential Pacific Biodiesel, the longest-running commercial biodiesel producer in the Pacific Northwest, announces the production of its 20 millionth gallon of clean-burning, locally produced fuel, a milestone in the company’s 8 years of business in Oregon and
(Biofuels International) Canadian mining exploration and development business Terreno Resources has signed a memorandum of understanding to purchase biofuels concern Dominican Renewables. The deal is said to be worth around $2.5 million (€1.8 million) and would make Dominican a wholly-owned subsidiary
by Ben Phalan (The Guardian) Even so-called 'good' biofuels need safeguards to ensure that they don't damage biodiversity or displace other crops ...Agricultural expansion and intensification are among the greatest of all threats to wild nature. Each year, millions of hectares of
by Anne Steckel (Biodiesel Magazine/National Biodiesel Board) ...Our industry is exceeding its volume requirements and producing enough fuel to fill the vast majority of the advanced biofuel pool. We are an EPA-designated advanced biofuel that’s doing just what the RFS
(National Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) ... Over the past two years, both with biodiesel production exceeding 1 billion gallons, problems from the field have been no more than those of conventional petrodiesel alone—maybe even less. All the research, testing and specification work
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) With 53 percent raw material content, rapeseed oil remains the most important raw material source for the production of biodiesel in Germany, followed by palm oil with 25 percent, and coconut and soy oil at
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Loyola University Chicago is expanding its biodiesel laboratory with much-needed additional space, and a new processor and analytical instrumentation. Lab manager Zach Waickman says Loyola built the school’s biodiesel program over the past five years
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) ...Biodiesel emerged on the U.S. alternative fuels radar in the early 1990s, and for the next decade it slowly gained recognition as a real-world, here-and-now replacement for diesel fuel before its first ASTM specification, D6751,
(Algae Industry Magazine) The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO) has announced the addition of a Young Innovators Lounge to this year’s Summit, taking place September 30–October 3, in Orlando, Florida. Specifically aimed at connecting young ABO members with established algal companies
by Joe Leo (Biodiesel Magazine/BrownWinick Law Firm) Let’s be honest, despite the fact that the biodiesel industry is experiencing arguably its most successful year, it is still difficult for biodiesel producers to raise capital in the current investing climate. This
by Tom Saidak (BioInvest Digest) In California, the California Energy Commission is asking for proposals to either develop or expand three new centers for both alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technology. READ MORE Excerpt from the Centers for Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicle Technology Program
by Jim Lane (BioInvest Digest) What does the Gevo complex in Texas mean for jet fuel, for renewable clear plastic bottles…and for the Gevo investor? In Texas, Gevo held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its demonstration-scale paraxylene plant in Silsbee.
by Michael Bastasch (The Daily Caller) House Majority Leader Eric Cantor may attach legislation to reform the ethanol mandate to a debt ceiling package, the Oil Price Information Service (OPIS) reports. ...“The Majority Leader listed a number of options to fix
(Creston News) The first E85 gasoline pump in Creston is opening as early as Tuesday at the Farmer’s Cooperative fuel pumps on 304 N. Osage St. ... The pumps will also have 87 E10, E15, E30 and 2 percent biodiesel fuel
(Platts) US RINs prices continued to slide Wednesday, reflecting a widespread morning market selloff and despite a later bounce after US gasoline stocks data was released. All current-year RINs assessments fell for the sixth time in the last seven sessions. ... Current-year ethanol
by Alan Bjerga and Marvin G. Perez (Bloomberg) A glut of corn has damped interest by biofuel makers in a U.S. government program to sell surplus sugar for ethanol, potentially decreasing its effectiveness in propping up sugar prices. With the U.S.
(Renewable Fuels Association) In a letter sent today (August 28, 2013) to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) urged EPA to reject the petition for a partial waiver of the 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard
by Janell Baum (Farm Futures) National Corn Growers President Pam Johnson says NCGA membership ready to move forward on the farm bill; reinforces stance on Renewable Fuel Standard It's a common refrain at the 2013 Farm Progress Show – what will
(Biofuels International) Ghana-based Smart Oil, active in the production of renewable energy from jatropha curcas and subsidiary of Italian company Smart Oil 2, has signed a license and services agreement with Quinvita, a developer of jatropha as a sustainable bioenergy
(Antara News) "Right now, we need an immediate solution to the current account deficit. The government will overcome the deficit by reducing imports, particularly fuel oils," Chief Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa said. Indonesia is taking steps to reduce its fuels imports
(La Prensa) UNAM researchers are in the process of design and construction of a pilot plant for the production of quality biodiesel, edible oil from waste collected from restaurants and hotels of the Federal District, the product obtained would be
by Evan Halper (Los Angeles Times) It's even possible that conflicting state and federal policies on renewable fuels, both aimed at reducing global warming, could actually make things worse, some scientists say. California and the federal government want drivers to use
by David Shaffer (Star Tribune) Shipping container with a portable unit is on display at the fair. One of the more unusual farm implements at the Minnesota State Fair is a big metal box with no tires, steering wheel or windshield.
(Biofuels International) Diamond Green Biodiesel, a joint venture between Valero Energy and Darling International, has reached capacity during its start-up phase. The plant, based next to Valero’s St Charles refinery in Louisiana, began operations in June and uses animal fat, used
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Advanced biofuels capacity for 2013 is 1 billion gallons gasoline equivalent. Capacity for 2015 is between 1.4 and 1.6 billion gallons gasoline equivalent. 160 commercial scale facilities planned, under construction, or complete from 159 companies.
(SG Biofuels/Biodiesel Magazine) Energy crop company SGB Inc. (SG Biofuels) announced it has achieved consistent germination rates of more than 95 percent with its top-performing JMax jatropha hybrids in a range of high-stress growing conditions. Jatropha is a nonfood energy
(Green Fuels Ltd./Biodiesel Magazine) As U.K. diesel prices sit at around £1.40 a liter, it continues to make biodiesel at around 30p a liter a very attractive alternative, not to mention the benefits to the environment biodiesel provides. The price of
(Environmental Defense Fund/Biodiesel Magazine) A case study released today from Environmental Defense Fund and E2 examines the benefits of biodiesel, profiling six companies in California helping to revolutionize the industry. Growing production in the state shows California companies have started capitalizing on this diverse, low-carbon
by Rich Piellisch (Fleets and Fuels) Vehicle in Ventura ‘Brings Us One Step Closer to Commercializing’ Camarillo, Calif.-based Cool Planet is talking up the successful trial of its biomass-derived synthetic gasoline with the Ventura County Parks Department. There, officials ran a
(MarketWired/Sustainable Development Technology Canada) Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) is looking for the next wave of innovative cleantech entrepreneurs. Its SD Tech Fund™ is open for applications from August 28th to October 16th, 2013. "Cleantech is the key to bringing together economic
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Ontario Federation of Agriculture recently announced that a value chain consortium has presented a final report to local corn producers, showing that it is commercially viable to establish a cellulosic sugar plant in
by Lynn Grooms (Farm Industry News) Soon after hearing about Big Oil’s numerous challenges to the Renewable Fuel Standard, attendees of the Fuel Ethanol Workshop this summer, heard from producers forging ahead to commercialize cellulosic ethanol. The placement of these
by C. Boyden Gray (The Washington Times) ANALYSIS/OPINION: A media campaign is underway to malign a cleaner, cheaper challenger to gasoline’s virtual monopoly on transportation fuel. If it succeeds, this campaign will deprive American drivers of the next generation of high-octane,
by Jacob Barker (Columbia Daily Tribune) A giant grass grown through a federal program with MFA Oil didn't work out too well as a biofuel at Columbia's municipal power plant. A report sent to the Columbia City Council on Aug. 5
by Allyson Horn (ABC) The Planning and Environment Court has accepted changes made to a proposal to build an ethanol processing plant in north Queensland. Austcane is planning to process one million tonnes of sugarcane each year to produce the ethanol.
by Kathryn Diss (ABC) "I was led to believe that after about five years when these mallee trees matured, that we would be able to move forward with this and there would be a facility in place for us to be
(UPI) Saskatchewan scientists have sequenced the camelina sativa genome. Saskatchewan scientists say they have sequenced the camelina sativa genome, an important step in the development of sustainable biofuels. The genome sequencing discovery was announced by scientists from Saskatchewan firm Genome Prairie, the
by Simon Lewis (Cambodia Daily) The U.K.’s fraud office plans to request the extradition of a British national currently detained in Cambodia, after it brought charges against four people for their part in a $36 million Ponzi scheme involving a
(Iowa Renewable Fuels Association) The IRFA posts Thursday wholesale E85 prices every Friday. The prices below are for wholesale use, and therefore restricted to wholesale fuel distributors and retailers, not end users. The intent of IRFA's E85 Price Listing Program is
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, ethanol industry advocacy group Growth Energy has launched an advertising campaign called “You’re No Dummy” in an effort to help Americans better understand that the oil industry is trying to stop the growth
by Bill Chameides (Duke University) ...So let’s take a look at specific regulations which were designed to protect the public from injection wells used to dispose of fracking wastes … but because they weren’t comprehensive, when it came to earthquakes,
(EurActiv) Experts, who estimated that the biofuels industry received the equivalent of a €10-billion “Cyprus bailout” in public support in 2011, have shaved the figure by a fifth. The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), an environmental consultancy, apologised “for the
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) Farm Bureau officials are making the case that the Renewable Fuels Standard has some flexibility… but just don’t break it. In this story on its newsline, American Farm Bureau energy economist Matt Erickson makes the case that
by Richard Piersol (Lincoln Journal-Star) Demand for renewable credits helps change market Prices of premium and regular grades of gasoline without ethanol are likely to rise in Nebraska and Iowa, and those fuels may become harder to find as oil refiners
by Maxxwell A.R. Chatsko (Motley Fool) To blend or not to blend? That is the question refiners will need to answer in 2014 as they cope with falling gasoline demand and strict ethanol blending mandates set by the EPA. The
by Nesru Jemal (All Africa) Over 8.6 million liters of ethanol has been blended with benzene and supplied to local market over the concluded fiscal year, the Ministry of Mines and Energy said. According to Bizuneh Tolcha, public relations and communication director with
(4-Traders.com) Guyana's first ever bioethanol demonstration plant was commissioned today at what was regarded the start of an agro fuel revolution in a country that is leaning aggressively towards a renewable energy pathway. The plant located at the Albion Estate on
by Paul Tullis (The New York Times) ...But big drawbacks have prevented the wholesale adoption of trash-to-gas technology in the United States: incineration is polluting, and the capital costs of new plants are enormous. Gasification systems can expend a tremendous
by Scott Clevenger (Biofuels Digest/FuelQuest) ... Thanks to a strong Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), the reinstatement of the $1/gallon biodiesel blender tax credit, and the State of Iowa’s record breaking production records, national biodiesel output is at an all-time high of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In China, Dr. Martin Tangney recently appeared at the TEDxWanChai meet-up in Hong Kong, with a talk entitled “Biofuels, Whiskey and me”. It reflects on Tangney’s experience of establishing the UK’s first Biofuel Research Centre and spinning
by Dr. Bruno Miller and John Heimlich (CAAFI/Biofuels Digest) ... CAAFI has unveiled its Guidance for Selling Alternative Fuels to Airlines to serve as a roadmap for potential producers and other supply-chain participants contemplating purchase agreements with airlines for non-petroleum-derived jet fuels. The report
(Algae Industry Magazine) The National Algae Association (NAA) has announced that a new commercial algae production cultivation system has been developed at the NAA Test Center in The Woodlands, Texas. The new Algae Growth Cell (G-Cell)™ was developed by AlgaeEquip,
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The European Union recently published its annual biofuels report for 2013 with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service’s Global Agriculture Information Network, reporting that approximately 20 percent of transportation biofuel used within the 27 EU member
by Editorial Board (The Washington Post) Washington is seeing a great fight between two extremely powerful lobbies, Big Ethanol and Big Oil. Neither should win. ... Ethanol backers are right that it’s firmly in the nation’s interest to reduce the amount of oil
by Senator Jim Inhofe (The Edmond Sun) ... The worst impact of RFS on the consumer is beginning to be seen at the grocery store. As demand for corn increases because of the government-subsidized ethanol market, the price of food will
by Darren Goode (Politico) ...Part of the problem for any upstart technology comes from the vast scale and long lifespans of the nation’s energy systems. Even moderately successful technologies such as wind, solar power and electric vehicles took decades of
(Globe Newswire/Gevo) United States Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado toured and met with Gevo, Inc. (Nasdaq:GEVO) today to discuss the importance of renewable fuels and chemicals for Colorado and the U.S. economy. Senator Bennet met with Gevo executives including chief executive
by Brooke Coleman (The Wall Street Journal) Letter to Editor: Cellulosic ethanol's time is just beginning. It will lower gasoline prices and extend the supply. Your editorial "Put A Corn Cob in Your Tank" (Aug. 17) calls cellulosic ethanol a failure and asserts that
by Carl Zulauf and Nick Rettig (Ohio State University/FarmDocDaily) ... Corn processed into alcohol for fuel was not a factor in the 1970 period of farm prosperity. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) data series on this demand component does not
by Bruce Barcott (OnEarth.org) Imagine a future in which airliners run on cornstalks and Navy ships ply the oceans on tanks of switchgrass. That day may at last be inching closer. The promise of cellulosic biofuels sounds like a fable out
by Maryanne (Airline Fleet Management) LAN as flown Columbia's first flight using second-generation biofuel. It operated an A320 between Bogota and Cali using fuel from a plant called (camelina) ... LAN flew its first camelina biofuel flight between Santiago and Concepcion, South
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) According to the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA), 62 countries now have biofuels friendly policies in place that have driven global demand to over 1 million barrels per day. To help people around the world keep track of
by Rick Smith (The Gazette) Solid waste recycling facility could divert waste from landfills in the region ... The Marion City Council Thursday unanimously approved a deal with waste-to-energy firm, Fiberight LLC, which gives the Maryland-based firm permission to build a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The complete Cool Planet story. What is it? Why transformational? What are the next steps? New venture will convert wood waste to gasoline. In Louisiana, Cool Planet Energy Systems CEO Howard Janzen, flanked by Louisiana Gov.
by Lucia Kassai (Bloomberg) Roberto Rezende Barbosa, one of the largest shareholders in Cosan SA Industria & Comercio, is considering building a $150 million ethanol mill in Paraguay, where profits are higher than in Brazil. ... Rezende Barbosa may expand into neighboring
by Doris de Guzman (Green Chemicals Blog) An official from UK-based cellulosic ethanol developer/producer TMO Renewables announced today it is expanding its portfolio to include polylactic acid (PLA) that will be produced at their Dunsfold Airfield site near Guildford, Surrey,
by Erik Tyger (KTIV.com) ...Ethanol plants tend to offer farmers a better price for their corn and use more of the plant, putting corn at a constant state of high demand. Once the alcohol has been removed from the corn
by Toni McAllister (LakeElsinore-Wildomar Patch) Flex Fuel E85 is now available at the Chevron gas station located at 23805 Clinton Keith Road. Motorists who want to fill up on ethanol now have the option to do so in Wildomar. The Chevron gas station
by Janet McGurty (Platts) ...This month PBF Energy and Alon USA both told analysts they had new plans to blend renewables like ethanol and biodiesel with gasoline and petroleum-based diesel as a way to fend off high prices for renewable credits, known as RINs. Refiners
by Les Harrison (SouthEast Farm Press/UF Extension, Wakulla County) A canola cousin, carinata produces oil seeds that can be used to make an alternative fuel which is virtually indistinguishable from petroleum counterparts. Researchers at the University of Florida’s North Florida
by Kevin Flanigan (WeAreCentralPA.com) The huge ethanol plant in Clearfield County is currently running near capacity. A number of farmers who help supply the plant with all of the corn it uses got an up close look at the operation. Farm
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Millions of dollars and years of testing have already been invested in the attempt to increase ASTM’s allowable amount of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) contamination in jet fuel, which can occur from pipeline movement
by K. McDonald (Big Picture Agriculture) As you can see in the above graph, the leading nations in biofuel production in 2012 were the U.S. followed by Brazil, Germany, Argentina, France and China. All other individual nations were below the level
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Too many oil companies bet on risky strategies for compliance with the Renewable Fuel Standard. Now, they turn to the US government for a bail-out on their obligations. Judging that the government will cave in rather
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... But is the real RINsanity the focus on RINsanity itself? We might be more focused on the insanely huge amounts of energy demand that are coming, and what the heck we are going to about it,
by Tildy Bayar (Renewable Energy World) In a leaked draft proposal for a European biomass policy, seen by REW, the European Commission has laid out sustainability criteria for the Union’s future biomass use. The proposal would require a minimum greenhouse gas
(PR NewsWire/American Security Project) New ASP Report examines geopolitical effects of the surge in U.S. oil production The American Security Project released a new report analyzing the geopolitical effects of the boom in tight oil production. The major findings are that the recent surge in
by Tim Rudnicki (Minnesota BioFuels Association) Race horses can’t remove their blinders, but thoughtful, engaged people can remove their metaphorical blinders to understand energy issues and ideas that surround them. When it comes to fueling our motor vehicles, big oil would
by Herman Wang (Platts/The Barrel) It’s hard to get excited over a producer making a scant 2 barrels/day of crude. But in the case of Sapphire Energy, those barrels represent the beginnings of a potential revolution that it says could upend how
by Tennille Tracy (The Wall Street Journal) The Federal Trade Commission said it was looking into assertions by some members of Congress that oil companies are using their influence over retail gas stations to block consumers from accessing gasoline blended
(Pacific Biodiesel Technologies/Biodiesel Magazine) Jatropha harvesting began last week at the Hawaii Pure Plant Oil (HIPPO) farm founded in 2008 by father and son partners Christian and James Twigg-Smith. HIPPO has planted a total of 200 acres of jatropha in
(Borneo Post) The Microbiology Research Group at the University Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Biotechnology Research Institute has developed a simple and easy way to produce biofertiliser from oil palm fibre empty fruit bunches (EFB) within 40 days. Its senior researcher Dr Md
(SCV News) U.S. Energy Initiatives Corp. announced Tuesday that it has begun producing biodiesel in through its joint venture partner relationship. This partnership is designed to help meet California’s Mandated Requirement for biodiesel under the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS).
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... It’s been quite a year on the four-carbon platform — also known as C4, 4C, buta-something, Fantastic Four, or what have you. Though two-carbon fuels such as ethanol have long dominated the biofuels market — and
(MoneyLife/PR NewsWire) BioEnergy Zones Will Lead the Way Towards Socially Inclusive and Economically Sustainable Livelihood Haiti based Sonamar S.A. and Bangalore based VayuGrid have signed a joint venture agreement for developing BioEnergy Zones across Haiti. These BioEnergy Zones will produce renewable
(LaPorteCountyLife.com/Purdue University) The nation likely can produce federally mandated levels of biofuels in 2014 if the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reduces its requirements by 2.3 billion gallons, Purdue University energy policy specialist Wally Tyner says. Tyner, the James and Lois Ackerman
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Upstream, downstream, processing, policy, finance – opportunities and challenges abound in the bioeconomy – but which challenges are the most intractable and daunting of them all? In today’s part 2, #5 through #1. 5. The blend
by Justin Doom (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) Rentech Inc. (RTK:US), a U.S. supplier of wood pellets and nitrogen fertilizer, sold about 450 acres of land in Mississippi where it had planned to build a renewable-energy project. READ MORE and MORE (Biomass Magazine) and MORE
by Ben Messenger (Waste Management World) Washington County, Maryland is pursuing a project that will develop a refused derived fuel (RDF) facility to process municipal solid waste, followed by a waste gasification facility that will produce biofuels. Mining previously landfilled
by Christopher Doering (Des Moines Register) ... “E85 sales were down at the end of 2012 and beginning of 2013 due to last summer’s drought, but we’re seeing those numbers turn around now with very attractive E85 prices,” said Monte Shaw,
by Christopher Doering (Des Moines Register) Senators Chuck Grassley and Amy Klobuchar asked the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission Tuesday to investigate possible anticompetitive practices by oil companies that may be limiting consumer access to renewable fuels. In a letter
by Tildy Bayar (Renewable Energy World) Supported by abundant forest resources, Finnish bioenergy companies don't have to look far for feedstock. But in a move to define its low-carbon future, the nation's energy companies are undertaking ambitious research programs to
by Christopher Doering (Des Moines Register) The U.S. Agriculture Department said food prices won’t increase as much as initially expected in 2013. Food prices are expected to rise between 1.5 to 2.5 percent, down from an earlier forecast of 3
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) Secretary Says Future Support Depends on Congressional Action on a New Food, Farm and Jobs Bill Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today (August 15, 2013) announced funding for 631 projects across the nation - including 45 in North
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A month ago this week, Syntroleum (owner of a half interest in Dynamic Fuels, the renewable diesel technology) announced that it was “evaluating strategic alternatives” — and just a few days later revealed that it
(PR NewsWire/ Pomerantz Grossman Hufford Dahlstrom & Gross) Pomerantz Grossman Hufford Dahlstrom & Gross LLP has filed a class action lawsuit against Kior, Inc. ("Kior" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: KIOR) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District
(Agrimoney.com) The era of rising European Union production of biofuels based on food crops is over, with concerns over competition for land providing a final blow, echoing ideas of a slowdown in the US too. In biodiesel, of which the EU
(The Wall Street Journal) Anticarbon central planning was bound to distort markets, but it turns out that the planners often increase emissions as they try to engineer President Obama's "new energy economy." So concludes the National Academies, whose major report on energy
by Charles Lane (The Washington Post) There are two iron laws of energy policy in the United States. Iron Law No. 1: A higher federal excise tax on fuel would efficiently reduce gasoline consumption and its negative side effects (air pollution,
by Julian Hattem (The Hill RegWatch) The investigative arm of Congress is going to look into how the Obama administration developed its increased monetary estimate for the amount of damage caused by carbon pollution. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has agreed to
(Wisconsin Ag Connection) An unidentified company is looking to build a biomass plant in Stanely near where the Ace Ethanol factory is located. ...Once in operation, the company would make cellulosic ethanol from trees, then sell the sugar solution
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) You've heard of racecars running on E15, E85 or even E100. Recently, I talked to a record-breaking motorcycle team that uses E85. Can you imagine getting on a motorcycle and going from a dead stop
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) The newly confirmed head of the Environmental Protection Agency visited the Iowa State Fair last week where she spoke to farmers and met with environmentalists. ... In an interview with USDA Radio from Iowa, McCarthy was positive about
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) The Farm Service Agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that purchase invitations have been extended to solicit bids to the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) through the Feedstock Flexibility Program (FFP). Congress created FFP
(Green Packs) Brazil, the world’s largest biofuel producer is getting a real chance to promote its efforts in bio-fuel industry, as the country is hosting the next World Cup Football in 2014. Reportedly, Brazil is introducing bio-diesel buses for transport
by Dave Cooper (Edmonton Journal) Alberta could lead the country toward replacing about half its necessary transportation fuel with non-petroleum products, says a global expert on biofuels, bioenergy and bioproducts. “We now have ethanol from grain and biodiesel from oilseeds, and
by Perry Beeman (Des Moines Register) ...BioProcess Algae claims to be the nation’s only algae-production facility located next to an ethanol plant, in this case Green Plains Renewable Energy in Shenandoah. That’s part of the reason the U.S. Department of Energy
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