by Mohammad Shoeb (The Peninsula Qatar) Qatar has launched a novel pilot project, ‘Sahara Forest’ in collaboration with a Norwegian company, which will help produce food crops (such as tomatoes, cucumber, melon), fodder crops, freshwater, clean energy, salt, algae (for
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... But very few are working in solid phase – where essentially instead of working with a liquid vat, microbes are growing on a fabric or film — and the organisms are provided with a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Today, we could use a good five-cent renewable sugar, suitable for microorganisms that, from sucrose, make affordable renewable fuels and chemicals. The technologies of companies like Virent, Solazyme, LS9 and Amyris depend on access to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Why is making affordable renewable sugars potentially big business? Which intrepid investors have targeted biofuels’ biggest bottleneck? News has been circulating that Proterro raised $3.5 million for a demonstration-scale of their renewable sugars technology, and secured
by Jeff Ayres (Clarion Ledger) Mississippi alternative-energy development projects that have received more than $400 million in state backing through loans, grants and other incentives in recent years have seen widely varying degrees of success. KiOR, a Texas biofuels company, recently started
by Zack Coleman (The Hill E2Wire) House Republicans plan to put the renewable fuel standard on trial next Congress, a House Energy and Commerce Committee aide told The Hill. Committee staff is gearing up for hearings on the subject, citing recent
(Brownfield Ag News for America) ...“It’s actually fairly easy this year,” said (Bob) Dinneen (President/CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association). “Just a few weeks ago the American Petroleum Institute (API) came out against the Renewable Fuels Standard that has been
by Watchara Pussayanawin (The Nation) PTT will expand to 1,000 the number of petrol stations pumping E20 gasohol, from 600 currently, after the removal of 91-octane petrol from the market next year. Sarun Rungkasiri, senior executive vice president for oil business, said
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ethanol imports from Brazil have surged into the U.S. in recent months, University of Illinois ag economists Scott Irwin and Darrel Good point out, but not because it is cheap relative to ethanol.
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Markets shape ethanol production, Nathan Kauffman, an economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, argues in the most recent issue of the Main Street Economist. In a seven-page analysis, Kauffman takes a
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On Dec. 7, the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission elected to begin implementation of the state’s Clean Fuels Program. A spokeswoman for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality confirmed the commission voted four to one to
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) An alternative energy company looking to build multiple energy beet-to-biofuel plants in Kentucky recently became the first corporation to join the Kentucky Hemp Growers Cooperative Association. Although federal rules currently prohibit the growth of
(Environmental and Energy Study Insitute) The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) organized a briefing on insurance industry perspectives on recent extreme weather events and how strategic investment can help manage the threats posed by a changing and more severe climate. In
by Claudio Angelo (Nature.com) ...Domestic consumption of liquid ethanol this year has been 26% lower than for the same period in 2008. Forty-one of the country’s roughly 400 sugar-cane ethanol plants have closed over that time. The price of pure ethanol
by Douglas Faulkner (Biofuels Digest) ...Throughout his campaign President Obama proclaimed himself an oil and gas supporter even while talking about federal “investments” in green energy. And, while much ink has already been spilled in this publication about this or
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced $10 million in research grants to spur production of bioenergy and biobased products that will lead to the development of sustainable regional systems and help create jobs. Vilsack highlighted the
(AgiTrade) In a letter to the European Commission in early October 2012, Copa-Cogeca, the EU farmers’ and agricultural cooperatives’ organisation, affirmed its opposition to EC proposals to limit to 5% ‘the use of crop-based biofuels’ in meeting transportation energy needs and
by Tafline Laylin (GreenProphet.com) It has been just 17 months since McDonalds announced its intention to recycle all of its vegetable oil for use as biofuel in its own fleet. Officially launched in July, 2011, the United Arab Emirates’ biodiesel program
by Andrew Hay (Reuters) A coalition of seven eastern states led by New York plans to sue the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for failing to issue new guidelines to curb methane emissions, a greenhouse gas that may be linked to
(XS4Green.com) ...John Benemann, Ian Woertz, and Tryg Lundquist, MicroBio Engineering, Inc. (Walnut Creek, CA) and California State Polytechnic University (San Luis Obispo, CA), present the results of an engineering and economic study of vegetable oil production from microalgae grown in
by Ashery Mkama (AllAfrica.com) Villagers from Kilwa and Rufiji districts have requested the government to involve them in implementation of bio-fuel projects and investments in which huge tracts of land is used. They told members of the Journalists' Environment Association
by Kristin Macey (CDFA Division of Measurement Standards/Imperial Valley News) The Department of Food and Agriculture’s Division of Measurement Standards (DMS) has tested samples of a new 20 percent biodiesel blend fuel made from algae and is happy to report
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Next-gen renewable oils producer achieves first linear scale-up to 500,000 liter fermenters — clears path for large commercial production volumes. ...To date, no next-generation producer had successfully achieved linear scale-up in 500,000 liter (or larger) fermenters.
by Diana Nelson Jones (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) ... Ting Yen stores about 35 pounds of used oil a day in the basement of Sushi Fuku on Oakland Avenue, including contributions from the owner of Oishii Bento across the street. He had
(PRNewswire/Reportlinker.com) Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue. The report titled "Global Biofuel Market Outlook to 2016 – Going Mainstream Through Government Support" provides a comprehensive analysis of market size of biofuel industry on the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Policy, finance, technology, feedstocks, markets, prices, opposition. Here’s what’s on your mind, as the critical 2013 deployment year for biofuels looms. So here are 15 burning questions as suggested by various Digesterati — divided for convenience
by Whitney McFerron (Bloomberg) Most rapeseed, sugar beet and wheat crops in the U.K. meet environmental standards for use in biofuels, the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board said. Ninety-seven percent of the country’s rapeseed, all of its sugar beets and
by Will Rogers (Biofuels Digest/Consumer Energy Report) The recent debate over the role of the military in investing in renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency and conservation programs and alternative biofuels has included many voices that sometimes conflate the linked but
by Andrew Herndon (Bloomberg) Cellulosic biofuel companies will boost production almost 20-fold in 2013 as the first high-volume refineries go into operation, signaling a shift from an experimental fuel into a commercially viable industry. Production of the fuel made from crop waste,
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Chico, Calif.-based Springboard Biodiesel announced that its trademarked BioPro EX has met the Green Restaurant Association’s rigorous endorsement standards for alternative fuel refueling stations. By using the BioPro EX, restaurants can make biodiesel that meets
by Don Dodson (The News Gazette) A University of Illinois professor says the ethanol boom is over, but farmers may soon enjoy the benefits of a boom in biodiesel. Scott Irwin, a professor of agricultural and consumer economics, said the U.S.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It’s been years of struggle to get cellulosic feedstock supply chains downfield. Now, companies like Woodland Biofuels, Sweetwater Energy, Ceres, Delta BioRenewables and Commonwealth Agro-Energy are moving the chains. ...This week in Canada, the MaRS Cleantech Fund
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest/S4CO2) ...An entirely new use of the by-products that can deliver returns directly to the plants is required in order to offset the losses and sustain the ethanol plants. ...CO2 from ethanol plants are regarded as high
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) There could be big money in store for Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs)… or not. A new report from the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute at the University of Missouri(FAPRI-MU) says that the ethanol blend wall could
by Jim Lane (Biobased Digest) Biomass in cancer drugs, perfumes, baby-safe cleaners, cosmetics and more. “I can tell you one thing,” Solazyme CEO Jonathan Wolfson reflected with the Digest not too long ago. “When Harrison and I were first developing the
As a service to Algae Biomass Organization members, ABO invites abstracts of peer-reviewed journal articles (authors, title, citation, abstract, author affiliations) to the ABO website. All articles published in 2012 and after are eligible for posting. The articles should be
by Jim Lane (Biobased Digest) California’s cellulosic gearhead gurus head from the San Joaquin Valley to Sao Paulo, in search of big, aggregated loads of sugarcane bagasse. In California, Edeniq announced that it has begun engineering and construction of a bagasse
by Robert Rapier (Biobased Digest/Energy Trends Insider) Researchers tout a process to make oil from algae biomass – is it pyro oil or a real biocrude? ...Researchers at the University of Michigan announced that they had sped up the process that
by Stephan Nielsen (Bloomberg) Centro de Tecnologia Canavieira, the Brazilian sugar-cane research agency, will build an 80 million- real ($38.5 million) plant to demonstrate a method of producing ethanol from crop residues. The plant, with the capacity to make 3 million
(Daily Yomiuri) Idemitsu Kosan Co. said Monday it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Cambodian government to promote biofuel production in the Southeast Asian country. The move is part of plans by the Japanese energy firm to produce bioethanol
by Tina Casey (Clean Technica) DuPont is building one of the world’s largest cellulosic biofuel plants in Nevada, Iowa; and it’s going to take a lot of corn stover to keep this baby humming, to the tune of 30 million gallons of ethanol
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...With the new funding, Propel will be able to accelerate the build out of its network of stations that offer drivers the cleanest, most sustainable, domestically produced fuels on the market today. ...Propel operates a growing
(Menthes Energies International/Biodiesel Magazine) ... Recently commissioned, Methes Energies’ new Sombra, Ontario, facility has a capacity of 50 MMly (13 MMgy). The facility operates with Methes’ own technology, the Denami 3000, which can produce biodiesel from a wide variety of feedstock. ...Founded in 1984,
byK. McDonald (BigPictureAgriculture.com) ...Liquid fuels are embedded into our everyday lives and provide us with what we need. There are the tractors and combines used in agriculture, and the trucks which haul the just-in-time deliveries of every item, down every
by Amit Mitra (The Hindu Business Line) Bio-fuel maker Biomax Fuels has set up a 50:50 joint venture with the Jeddah-based Middle East Environment Protection Co to set up the first bio-fuel plant in Saudi Arabia. The $40-million plant, which is
by Alex Morales (Bloomberg) Rich countries spend five times more on fossil-fuel subsidies than on aid to help developing nations cut their emissions and protect against the effects of climate change, the Oil Change International campaign group said. In 2011, 22 industrialized
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In a recent survey conducted with bioenergy leading industry experts ahead of the 8th annual World Biofuels Markets Congress & Exhibition, 51% of those who responded rated their government’s policy as supportive, while 15% rated them as
by Karl Ritter (Associated Press/Salt Lake Tribune) Hassan al-Kubaisi considers it a gift from above that drivers in oil- and gas-rich Qatar only have to pay $1 per gallon at the pump. ...Qatar — the host of U.N. climate talks that
by Leon Kaye (TriplePundit) ...British Airways (BA) announced that it has found a site for a bio-refinery that will generate up to 50,000 tons of jet fuel annually. In a partnership with the American aviation biofuel company Solena Fuels, BA will
(Equities.com) Innovation, Services and Small Business Minister Louise Asher today officially launched, in conjunction with McDonald s Australia, Neutral Fuels new biodiesel processing facility in Dandenong. Neutral Fuels has secured McDonald s as a major customer able to use converted waste
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The first patent issued out of ARPA-E’s electrofuels program suggests that this technology class is heading for the short-list of “next big thing” in energy conversations. ...Or, that participants were aware of the fast-spreading meme that
(25 x '25) ... In any strategy aimed at meeting America's soaring energy demand, biomass must be considered a principal among the several renewable, sustainable solutions that make up the fastest growing domestic energy sector since 2006. ...While there also has been
(Algae Industry Magazine) Funded by a $650,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Biomass Program, Dr. Adeniyi Lawal of Stevens Institute of Technology will be leading a team investigating microalgae as a biomass fuel source. Dr. Simon Podkolzin,
(International Institute for Sustainable Development) “Rational policies should be based on understanding the real impacts of government support to biofuels on the environment and the society,” said Sirpa Pietikäinen, MEP and chair of GLOBE EU. “The spiralling food versus fuel
by J.B. Smith (WacoTrib.com) ...“It’s farmers vs. ranchers,” said McLennan County Farm Bureau president and delegate Kevin Huffman in an interview. Huffman, who raises cattle, corn, wheat and cotton near McGregor, opposed both amendments but said he understood the sentiment behind
by Max Paris (CBC News) U.S. Steel Canada announces pilot project that will test Pond Biofuels technology U.S. Steel Canada announced Tuesday it will partner with Union Gas and Pond Biofuels to test an innovative system that pulls carbon dioxide directly
(MoneyLife) ...For the first time, however, the oils also went through a new CEC L-105 Low-Temperature Pumpability test. This analysed theirperformance in the presence of a biofuel, reflecting the growing importance of these fuels in the energy mix. Both Shell Helix Ultra
(Argus Media) Peru's Coazucar is set to become that country's third producer of fuel-grade ethanol. Coazucar, a subsidiary of Peru's multinational Grupo Gloria and the country's largest sugar producer, has secured the required permits to begin ethanol production using sugarcane feedstock
(Convenience Store News) SavOn Convenience Stores converted its store at the corner of Genesee and Main Streets in Oneida to offer ethanol-free fuel only. The operator of 12 convenience stores in central New York noted that the move was in response
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...Overall, the reference case predicts that total primary energy consumption will grow by 7 percent, from 98 quadrillion Btu in 2011 to 104 quadrillion Btu in 2035. This is 2.5 quadrillion Btu less than
by Daryll Ray and Harwood D. Schaffer (Southwest Farm Press/University of Tennessee) ...On November 16, 2012, the EPA denied the request of Governor Perdue and others. The short story is that while the EPA recognizes the impact of the drought
by RP Siegel (TriplePundit) While the bio-based economy should be more sustainable than the alternative – any good idea can be implemented poorly. I asked Jesper Hedal Kløverpris, Sustainability Manager for Novozymes, how we can ensure that biofuels are being produced in
by Denis Scott Chabrol (Demera Waves) The United Kingdom-based Whitefox Technologies, together with its partner Green, have secured a bioethanol contract with the Guyanese Government. Whitefox said it is working together with the Brazilian company, Green, to install the units for
(Alternative Energy Africa) A public-private partnership (PPP) has been launched to promote the production of ethanol from cassava and sugarcane in Cote d’Ivoire which would be used for clean cook stoves. READ MORE
by Julia Bayly (Bangor Daily News) ...The Center for Rural Sustainable Development at the University of Maine at Fort Kent last week announced it has received a $62,334 grant to study farmer interest in large-scale grass biomass production and the economic feasibility of
(ICM) ICM, Inc. announces that it successfully completed its 1,000-hour run of an integrated fiber campaign conducted at its pilot plant in St. Joseph, Missouri. ICM has developed and validated its proprietary Generation 1.5 Integrated Fiber to Cellulosic Ethanol Technology
(Pew Charitable Trusts) The Department of Defense is the world’s largest consumer of liquid fuels (more than 375,000 barrels of oil per day). Last year alone, the military’s energy bill was $17 billion and over the last two years, the Pentagon has
(FarmFutures) Qualifies some ethanol plants to produce domestic advanced biofuel The Environmental Protection Agency Monday announced it has approved grain sorghum as an eligible feedstock under the Renewable Fuels Standard. "This is a significant step forward for the sorghum industry," said Bill Kubecka,
(FarmingUK.com) Biodiesel and bioethanol markets are crucial to meeting future energy needs according to the NFU. The news follows a series of meetings between biofuel professionals, producers and the Secretary of State for Transport Norman Baker in a bid to get
(CBC News) A CBC News investigation has uncovered a cross-border mystery involving unexplained shipments of biodiesel tanker cars that were sent back and forth numerous times between Canada and the U.S. by CN Rail but were never unloaded. According to leaked
(Hveiti) European policymakers should focus on how to organize the synergies between food and fuel rather than wasting time on theoretical models of land use changes that do nothing to improve matters in the real world, says biofuel expert André
(Renewable Fuels Association) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should immediately initiate a process to update its obsolete lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) analyses of corn and sugarcane ethanol for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2), according to a letter sent Friday to EPA Administrator
(AP/Oregon Live) Portland General Electric is in its second year of testing the giant cane known as Arundo donax as a potential replacement for coal at the Boardman Power Plant. But the utility is also looking at other biomass sources that
(Chromatin/BusinessWire) Chromatin’s Sorghum Seed Recognized for Water Use Efficiency and Versatility Chromatin, Inc., a privately held provider of innovative crop breeding technology, sorghum seed products and feedstocks, announced it has generated the first crop of sorghum that has been grown and
by Mackinnon Lawrence (Biofuels Digest/Pike Research) There are few topics that get the clean technology sector excited less than trash. Meanwhile, the news is littered with stories discussing municipal areas from Zimbabwe to Los Angeles and Mumbai to Moscow struggling to
by Randall Smith (The New York Times) ...Since then, Mr. Khosla, the founder of Khosla Ventures, has watched much of those paper gains evaporate. As the clean energy industry broadly has taken a hit, shares of the biofuel companies —
by Sara Mojtehedzadeh (Edmonton Journal) Bedford Biofuels’ plantation is stalled, and along with it the company’s promise to provide jobs and cash for community development ...Though this is an arid and unforgiving area, the land surrounding Garsen should have been green with
by Jennifer Alsever (CNN Money) ... While most of its rivals raced to commercialize the fuel, San Diego-based SG Biofuels took a different path: It hired plant geneticists. They hunkered down in the laboratory to come up with the best genetic variations
by Valerie Volcovici (Chicago Tribune/Reuters) A policy reform group plans to issue a notice on Wednesday informing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that it will file a lawsuit to force the agency to use federal rules to cap and charge
(Genuine Bio-Fuel Inc./Biodiesel Magazine) Florida-based restaurants have been flocking to Genuine Bio-Fuel Inc.’s Oil-to-Fuel Program. GBF recently celebrated signing on board its 1000th member, making the recycled used cooking oil for cash program a huge success. ...The company supplies restaurants with
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) Greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations in the atmosphere are continuing to rise, and the world’s leading GHG-emitting countries are falling well behind the pace of emission reductions that is needed to avoid harmful climate change. Meanwhile,
(Fulcrum BioEnergy, Inc./Yahoo! Finance) Fulcrum BioEnergy, Inc. announced today that it has successfully secured commitments and is proceeding toward closing financings totaling $175 million to fund construction of its first municipal solid waste ("MSW") to low-carbon fuels plant, the Sierra
(International Energy Agency Task 40) This report is an overview, not a detailed analysis, of the use of biofuels in commercial aviation. Aviation is a global industry with global problems and challenges that also demands global solutions. Key objectives of commercial
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) While the roll-out of E15 has been a bit slow out of the gate, the ethanol blend is now being legally sold in four states: Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota. ...(Robert) White (director of market development for
by Gary Strauss (USA Today) E15, a higher blend of ethanol and gasoline, has rolled out in a handful of states. But its use in older vehicles is generating warnings from AAA, which says E15 could be harmful to pre-2012
(FuturaGene) FuturaGene, a world leader in the enhancement of yield and sustainability of woody crops for plantation forestry, biopower and biofuel markets, is pleased to announce the signing of a Cooperation Framework Agreement with EMBRAPA, (Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária)
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) ...The E-Z Trip Chevron, Indore Oil Company and Protec Fuel joined forces to launch the 14th E85 station early last week in the metro at 3601 Atlanta Road in Smyrna, Ga., just off I-285 at Exit 18. ...Protec Fuel,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In Iowa, DuPont broke ground today on its $200 million, 30 million gallon cellulosic biofuels facility in Nevada, Iowa. Expected to be completed in mid-2014, the new facility produce cellulosic ethanol from corn stover. ...(W)ith the
by Kari Lydersen (Midwest Energy News) ...Commercial-scale development of aviation biofuels is still in the early stages, and as experts explained at the Airports Going Green conference in Chicago earlier in November, viable aviation biofuel industries would look significantly different in different regions
(GreenAirOnline) The British Airways and Solena GreenSky London project to build a sustainable jet biofuel facility in East London is gaining momentum, say the two partners. They won’t reveal the location but an exclusive option on a site for the
by Philip W. Madson (Ethanol Across America) ...Considering the development path of Gen 1 to better understand the current state of Gen 2 ethanol, several factors require further breakthrough developments and/or inventions for cellulosic ethanol to become commercially viable at the massive scale contemplated
by Craig Hanson (WRI Insights) At the 10th Annual Meeting of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), WRI launched two new online mapping applications designed to help the palm oil industry grow while avoiding deforestation. These free tools enable palm oil producers, buyers,
by Nigel Sizer (WRI Insights/The Jakarta Post) ...The world’s top scientists are also raising concerns. According to a recent study in Nature Climate Change, from 1990 to 2010, 90 percent of lands converted to oil palm plantations in Kalimantan were forested. There need not,
by Sam A. Rushing (Advanced Cryogenics, Ltd. ) ...Pure carbon dioxide sequestration projects have been evaluated by my office for large US and Brazilian ventures, primarily fed by CO2 from ethanol projects. In the future, it is entirely likely
(StarAfrica/PR NewsWire) Starting With a 2,000 Plus Acre, the Long Term Goal is to Create a Cluster of 1,00,000 Acres Under a Collaborative Model VayuGrid, a biofuel supply chain company based in Bangalore, has signed a MOU to create a biofuel cluster
by Tom Robertson (Minnesota Public Radio) There may be hope for the shuttered Ainsworth lumber mill in Grand Rapids, which closed three years ago, a victim of the housing market crash and the Great Recession. The J.M. Longyear company of Marquette, Mich., has
by Maeve Maguire (Cowichan News Leader) The CVS Victoria Cruise bus company is the first in North America to use 100% biodegradable fuel. It buys that fuel directly from the Cowichan BioDiesel Co-op. The non-toxic biodegradable renewable gas made from the
(Direvo) Direvo Industrial Biotechnology GmbH is commercializing its BluCon™– platform for complete, one-step conversion of non-food feedstocks to carbohydrates used in the production of fuels and chemicals. In the recent years Direvo has undertaken a huge research program identifying a
(Biofuels International) A new Scottish biofuel programme officially launched this month after securing over a million pounds worth of investment. The programme is a partnership between five Scottish universities and research institutions, with the £1.6 million ($2.5 million) funding coming via
by Jeffrey Todd (The Nassau Guardian) In the Bahamas, Bahamas Waste has so far produced 100,000 gallons of B50 with about 75% of its fleet running on the biodiesel that the company produces. Once it reaches 100% penetration, it will
by Barbara Lewis (Reuters) The European Commission has approved a scheme that would certify as sustainable transport fuel made from palm oil, condemned by environmental groups as one of the most damaging sources of biodiesel. The Commission made public on Tuesday
(Biofuels International) ...The South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, Harms Oil Company, National Biodiesel Foundation and Clean Cities have partnered to expand the availability of biodiesel in southwestern Minnesota, eastern South Dakota and
(America's Navy) Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Energy) Tom Hicks toured a steam plant at St. Julien's Creek Annex in Portsmouth now running on B20, a 20 percent biodiesel, 80 percent number two fuel oil blend Nov. 19. The plant
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The market for fuel ethanol in the United States remains unconcentrated, with 154 firms nationwide either producing ethanol or likely to be in production in the next 12 to 18 months, according to
by Tom Kadala (Biofuels Digest/ResearchPAYS) ...Aside from shaving off more capacity than they have already, airlines are looking elsewhere to stay in business. One area that remains unexplored is the diversification from a one fuel source model to multiple fuel
by Jason Motlagh (The Washington Post/Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting) Long a preferred cooking ingredient in developing countries, palm oil is now in greater demand in Western markets because of its low price and long shelf life. Derived from the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Is the US government right in aiming to commercialize aviation biofuels production – or should it be aimed at ensuring affordable feedstock? Pain at the pump. $5 gasoline in California. $8 gasoline in the EU. We
by Peter Hemphill (Grain & Hay WeeklyTimes) An American biofuels company is looking to build a refinery in Australia to produce ethanol from wheat straw and other residues. ...Investors in the biorefineries include Australia's Macquarie Bank and Japanese commodity trader Itochu Corporation. ZeaChem
by Marvin G. Perez (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) ...Making crystal sugar from cane was 29 percent more profitable than producing anhydrous ethanol, the type blended into gasoline, and 36 percent more advantageous than hydrous ethanol, used in flex-fuel cars, (University of Sao
(Algae Industry Magazine) French biotech startup Ennesys will today launch its first demonstrator system for “truly green” buildings – in the Nanterre district of La Defense near Paris. It’s a simple idea: to turn buildings into energy production units by
(Stabroek News) A plant to produce ethanol from sweet potatoes is in the pipeline, according to Dr Leroy McClean, chief executive officer of the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC). Without providing details, he said, “I have a Chinese company .
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Well, that’s an absurd headline, isn’t it? False, false and false. It’s ridiculous, misleading and harmful to conclude that 10 percent of the US corn harvest is used for ant repellent – just because 10 percent
by Tim Thornberry (Business Lexington) ...Producing biofuels on the farm, however, is a bit different and is the focus of a relatively new project being led by the University of Kentucky. Sue Nokes, professor and department chair of biosystems and agricultural
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Brazil, India, the US, China and the EU point the way towards a 60 billion gallon biofuels market by 2022 – but can the capacity be built, and can the mandates survive pressure from opponents? In
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... BioGasol ApS, the renewable energy company announced today that it has raised $19.2M — €5 million in new equity financing — and received a confirmation of €10 million grant allocation from The Energy Technology
(Shell Australia) Shell Australia today (11/21/12) opened a new biodiesel facility at its Parramatta Terminal in western Sydney – responding to customer demand to reduce diesel excise liabilities and reduce the environmental impacts of fossil fuel use. The new facility will
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Dozens of deals – what are the hottest paths to $$$? Who’s forming capital in bioenergy this year, and when, where, why and how? In the old days, the process seemed simple: seed round to fund
by Dallas Kachan (Renewable Energy World/Kachan & Co.) ...In its new report on agricultural cleantech, Kachan uses the following criteria to differentiate cleantech developments from generic agricultural innovations: improved efficiency of resource use reduced ecological impact smaller carbon footprint sustained or enhanced profitability Technologies that reduce
by Jim Lane (BioBased Digest) ...World Growth warns that the REDD+ program to reduce emissions from deforestation is fatally flawed. At the UN climate conference in Qatar, World Growth released “Immoral Aid: The effect of REDD+ on developing country economies”. It
(Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth Europe) The European Commission last Friday approved a certification scheme which would brand biofuels produced from palm oil as ‘sustainable’ [1], despite evidence that their production contributes to deforestation, peatland degradation, disputes over land
(BioMCN) Suiker Unie, GasTerra and BioMCN sign agreement for production and delivery of biogas The companies Suiker Unie, GasTerra and BioMCN signed a biogas supply agreement at the official opening of the Suiker Unie biomass fermentor at Vierlaten (the Netherlands). The agreement
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) The American Petroleum Institute filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Nov. 26 against the U.S. EPA for its decision to mandate the use of 1.28 billion gallons
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Generally, renewables compete in the short term against fossil fuel prices – but in the long-term, against fossil fuel extraction costs. Even if a new process produces a renewable at less then, say, the equivalent of
(The Peninsula) ...This was the first time the team publicly detailed the progress of the state-backed QR45.5m biofuel project - the first time in the region. The university’s project, in collaboration with Qatar Airways and Qatar Science and Technology Park
by Drew Kann (Medill Reports/NWI Times) ...Chicago Biofuels, a local company that specializes in collecting used cooking oils from city restaurants for conversion into biodiesel, planted sunflowers on the lot this summer and harvested them. Sunflower seeds can be pressed and
(Business Green) Illinois Basin-Decatur Project has stored 317,000 metric tons of CO2 from an adjacent ethanol plant in an underground reservoir The first demonstration-scale carbon capture and storage (CS) plant in the US has successfully injected 317,000 metric tons of CO2
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In the biofuels revolution, the primary focus has been not on producing methanol (and, ultimately, gasoline) from syngas, but primarily on the production of ethanol. Three of the major names in the field- LanzaTech,
(Saigon GP Daily) ...The Department of Agro-Forestry Processing and Salt Industry, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, was approved by the government in 2010 for the production and consumption of E5 bio fuel. As a result bio fuel
(Macau Hub) Brazilian oil company Petrobras plans to start producing ethanol in Mozambique in 2014, the chairman of Petrobras Combustíveis, Miguel Macedo said Tuesday in Maputo. Speaking in Maputo at a conference entitled “Brazil and Africa: Opting for Sustainable Development,” Macedo
by Morgan Josey Glover (News & Record) Guilford County Schools will reduce air pollution by buying more cleaner-burning biodiesel from a state-approved supplier. But officials backpedaled on a plan to get into the biodiesel-making business. ...Members also asked Harris to research
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Ceres and Syngenta sign a major deal to stimulate sweet sorghum adoption. Brazilian producers seek paths for expanding ethanol production. What are sorghum’s chances of being the darling of the expansion story? ...The companies will work
(US Department of Energy) The Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) provides information, data, and tools to help fleets and other transportation decisions makers find ways to reduce petroleum consumption through the use of alternative and renewable fuels, advanced vehicles, and
by Grant Bradley (The New Zealand Herald) ...A major report out today reviews New Zealand's green growth opportunities and outlines how the Government and the private sector can best complement each other in helping New Zealand get ahead in the
Many restaurants are becoming more energy conscious and are taking initiative, by the simple act of giving up their vegetable oil waste! Now you may ask, what good is left over vegetable oil? Well for starters, chefs use a ton
(IPPMedia/The Guardian Reporter) The government has been urged to reduce the maximum land size of each bio-fuel developer from the proposed 20,000 ha to 10,000 ha and give investors conditions which would enable them deliver. Speaking during a two-day workshop which
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Solazyme lands monster capacity expansion agreements with ADM and Bunge – what’s the sector’s hottest company up to now? ... The Bunge agreement will expand joint venture-owned oil production capacity at Solazyme Bunge Renewable Oils from
(RSB Services Foundation/Global Clean Energy Holdings) The RSB Services Foundation, the implementing entity of the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB) which has developed a global sustainability standard and certification system for biofuel production, is pleased to announce that Global Clean
(EurekAlert!) To celebrate World Toilet Day on November 19, researchers at Columbia University's Engineering School, working in Ghana with Waste Enterprisers Ltd., the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), and the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, are launching a pilot
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In New York, Greenpeace is providing power in Hurricane Sandy-ravaged neighborhoods via Rolling Power, its biodiesel-powered trucks that house mobile PV units to generate and store solar energy. The trucks are being used to provide power
(Acclaimed Canoga Park Movers/PR WEB) Acclaimed Canoga Park Movers purchases four new biodiesel trucks to take better care of the environment Canoga Park has a history of development dating back to the 1800s, and the conscious efforts upheld by the city
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) While companies pursue alternatives to Fischer-Tropsch technologies, Velocys is seeking to make F-T work economically with micro-reactors. In last week’s Digest, Robert Rapier aptly stated the challenge in front of XTL technologies – companies whose primary focus is
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...What we keep running into is what Aemetis CEO Eric McAfee once described to me as the immutable “Natural Law of Alternative Commodity Markets”. ...NLACM states that “the value of any intermediate products produced in any
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Ensyn – moving rapidly towards scale as a transport fuel technology after decades in smaller, high-value markets. What does Ensyn’s signature RTP technology, that’s making such a splash, look like? ...Ensyn has become a signature part
(GazetaWeb.com) The goal of the research project is to evaluate the performance of engines using the B20. Petrobras concluded today (09), in Rio de Janeiro, performance testing of vehicles using B20 biodiesel, a fuel that has mixture of 20% biodiesel in
by Laura Layden (NaplesNews.com) ...Now he's (Christian Colarusso) challenged, with the new biodiesel plant revving up a few weeks ago. The multimillion-dollar plant is owned and operated by FL Biofuels LLC, a start-up that now has more than a dozen employees. "The
by Robert Rapier (Biofuels Digest) ...Oxford Catalysts claims that with natural gas at $3.89 per million BTU (MMBTU), they can produce diesel for $1.57 per gallon. But I would caution investors in this situation. Without a doubt the technology is
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Canada’s $500 million NextGen Biofuels Fund, five years after formation, gets close to making its first investments just as Canada’s leaders consider pulling the plug It was the most amazing sovereign commitment to biofuels of its
by Garvin Jabusch (Green Alpha Advisors, LLC/Renewable Energy World) On a recent broadcast of the news show Democracy Now hosted by Amy Goodman, Cynthia Rosenzweig, co-chair of the New York City Panel on Climate Change, went out of her way to
by Jack Litster (CCCI-CCIC) When the price of agrofuel production finally became economically competitive with the high price of oil around 2005, a debate soon opened up about whether transport fuel produced from crops (such as palm oil, corn, sugarcane,
by Andrew McKillop (Market Oracle) To be sure, there are biofuels and biofuels. Some, called second-generation non-crop biofuels have "good long-term outlooks", but others are clearly uneconomic and a recipe for bankruptcy for any unwary producer and investor. The first
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