by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Conditions are ripe for biofuels demand and production to boom in Asia over the next few years, as steady growth in countries such as China, India and Japan will prompt an “astronomical” rise in
by Al Maiorino (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Public Strategy Group) You have plans to build a biorefinery. Jobs, tax revenue, and much more are the benefits that will resonate with the community. At the first public hearing, however, opposition arises due to
by Hugh R. Morley and Linh Tat (NorthJersey.com) FBI and local law enforcement officers raided a Montvale home and a Park Ridge building that houses several renewable energy companies Thursday in connection with a probe into fraud in the bio-diesel industry, a company executive
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) With the purchase of two new pieces of equipment Feedstox is prepared to begin executing contracts to harvest biomass in less than two weeks, says Jeff Roskam, CEO of the Kansas Alliance for Biorefining
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) American Ethanol’s partnership with NASCAR has extended with an official sponsorship of two upcoming NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races. The American Ethanol 200 will be held July 14 and Sept. 15 at the
by Bruce V. Bigelow (Xconomy) Synthetic Genomics, the San Diego startup developing microorganisms to synthesize biofuels and other products, said it has acquired an 81-acre site in Calipatria, CA, to expand beyond its laboratory tests of algae. Synthetic Genomics’s expansion appears
(Biofuels Center of North Carolina) The Oxford Biodiesel Plant is capable of converting virgin or recycled fats and oils from multiple sources into 35,000 gallons of high quality biodiesel per year. The plant was constructed on North Carolina's Biofuels Campus
by Sara Sorcher (National Journal) Nearly two-thirds of National Journal’s National Security Insiders agree with the military’s push for renewable energy, siding with the Obama administration over some Republicans in Congress who have charged that the Defense Department should not spend
by Kay Brookshire (KnoxvilleBiz.com) As the state's five-year, $70.5 million investment in the Tennessee Biofuels Initiative comes to an end in June, Genera Energy will take on a more focused role as a biomass supply company for biofuels producers. At the
by Andrew Herndon (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) Flint Hills Resources LLC, the unit of Koch Industries Inc. that invested in Edeniq Inc. last month, is using the company’s equipment at one of its four corn-based ethanol plants to boost production. Flint Hills will
by Mateusz Perkowski (Capital Press) The USDA has decide to again fully deregulate genetically engineered sugar beets that are resistant to glyphosate herbicides. The agency has found that the crop doesn't pose a plant pest risk and thus shouldn't be subject
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...(M)ore than 30 airlines now trialing, deploying biofuels – but who’s doing what, exactly? In Brazil, Azul Airlines announced that Amyris’s innovative renewable jet fuel sourced from Brazilian sugarcane has passed all required testing and will be used during
by Guy Chazan (Financial Times) In the world of biofuels, all eyes are on the tiny northern Italian town of Crescentino, site of the world’s first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant, which will start production this year. The venture might be small,
by Archana Jyoti (Daily Pioneer) The Planning Commission hailed it as a future fuel and the industry projected it as a viable biofuel crop. But the Union Rural Development Ministry led by Jairam Ramesh feels otherwise. Citing negative reports, the Ministry has
(HiVelocityMedia.com) The Athens-based company Eco2Capture has been awarded $100,000 by the Ohio Third Frontier for its project, Demonstration of Advanced Polymer Membranes for Algal Growth Enhancement, which will showcase how to mass-produce algae for the CO2 capture and biofuel markets. “We’re commercializing some technology developed
(Amyris/Yahoo!Finance) Amyris's Sugarcane-Derived Jet Fuel Ready to be Used in Azul's EMBRAER 195 Powered by GE's CF34 Engines Azul Airlines joined Amyris, Inc., Embraer, and GE in announcing today that Amyris's innovative renewable jet fuel sourced from Brazilian sugarcane has successfully passed all required testing and will be used during a
(EurekAlert/Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology) Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology and palm oil giants Felda, Sime Darby, in landmark collaboration on biomass waste Twelve tons of waste oil palm tree biomass is en route from Malaysia to a plant
(Environmental Expert) The winner of the World Bioenergy Award 2012 was announced on 29 May in Jönköping Sweden: Mr. Harry Stokes, USA. Mr. Harry Stokes has developed, funded and managed Project Gaia to improve the health, economic status and quality of life of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, the state Energy Commission today unanimously approved funding of $35,031,310 to projectsthat will accelerate the development of green fuels and technology in California. The awards are provided through the Energy Commission’s Alternative and Renewable
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A major plant opening by Novozymes in Nebraska and a project announcement from ExxonMobil in Texas, highlight the opportunities and challenges for industrial biotechnology ...In Blair, Cargill’s corn-based, wet mill ethanol plant provides a base load
(U.S. Department of Energy) The Biomass Program has recently developed Critical Technology Goals (CTG) related to a) converting biomass into processable sugars or other fractionation products and b) upgrading those processable sugars or biomass fractions into products such as advanced
(MarketWatch) New research networks will advance the care available to elderly patients, boost the production of sustainable biofuels and improve our ability to respond to marine emergencies or environmental changes. The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for Science and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Most of the stories we write at the Digest on the subject of biofuels feedstocks fall into the well-established realms of normal. But every once in a while, a feedstock emerges that is so compellingly
by David Shaffer (The Bellingham Herald/McClatchy) One of the world's top leasing companies is betting that corporations with fleets of cars and trucks increasingly will want them to be powered by electricity and other alternatives to fossil fuels. That bet
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A new midlevel ethanol blend standard recently completed by scientific standards development body ASTM International could serve as the missing link necessary for blender pumps to become widely used in all U.S. states. The standard,
Australia’s A$200 million ($196 million) renewable energy venture capital fund is set to unveil its first two investments in the solar and biofuels industries by the end of September. Southern Cross Venture Partners, named manager of the fund by the Australian
(Macauhub) The first crop of jatropha of biofuel company Ceci Api Biomassa Mozambique is due to be harvested by July, the company’s chief executive told Mozambican news agency AIM. Domercico Manfredi also said that the harvest, totalling around 10 tons, would
by South Dakota State University (iGrow) Rental rates for range and pastureland are on the rise, due to increasing demands for corn, says Ken Olson, SDSU Extension Beef Specialist. "Increasing demand for corn for ethanol production and growing export markets has
(Business Partners) A duo of Greek entrepreneurs recently unveiled its plans to commercially produce algae biomass for use as an alternative industrial fuel. The idea—a pioneering effort in Greece—claimed first prize for Alternative Agriculture in the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce’s “Making
(The Guardian) United Nations Environment Programme says global move to low-carbon economy means millions could be lifted from poverty Tens of millions of new jobs can be created around the world in the next two decades if green policies are put
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Novozymes, a global biotech company, first considered building its newly built enzyme production plant in China but eventually zeroed in on the U.S. One big deciding factor was the $28.4 million tax credit from
by David Rogers (Politico) ...At issue are government-backed premium discounts designed to make the insurance more affordable to farmers. While not truly cash subsidies, the costs have soared in recent years and fit neatly into the environmental narrative that Washington
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, staff members working for least eight US Senators will join a study group aimed at a “seed-to-wheel examination of the US Renewable Fuel Standard,” the Digest has learned. The goal of the study group
by Nate Brown (Federal Aviation Administration) Power Point presentation with graphics illustrating the steps for new aviation fuel approval, graphic descriptions of anticipated aviation fuels (and progress of various pathways along the process). Includes alcohol to jet, direct sugar to
by Morgan Lee (U-T San Diego) There’s a persistent view that the United States can best compete in the global economy by keeping energy prices low. Amory Lovins is out to prove otherwise by helping private industry, the military and civil
by Martin Mittelstaedt (The Globe and Mail) Federal law forces oil companies to sell gasoline in Canada with an ethanol content of 5 per cent, but the industry is going one better. Oil refiners like ethanol so much, they’ve quietly begun
(CSP Daily News) Installs ethanol blender pumps across southcentral Wisconsin United Cooperative has been selected to receive a $448,500 Rural Energy for America Program grant to assist with the installation of 36 ethanol flex-fuel blender pumps and seven biodiesel dispensers at
(Richmond County Daily Journal) Starting June 1, consumers will notice changes to the way ethanol-blended gasoline is labeled at their local gas station. The N.C. Rules Review Commission this week approved changes adopted by the Gasoline and Oil Inspection Board that
(Pork Network) With recent increased attention by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over the use of antibiotics in livestock production, industry experts are turning their attention to potential non-farm sources of antibiotic residues. Could distillers’ dried grains with solubles (DDGS), a
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) Members of Congress are exchanging dueling fact sheets about corn ethanol and the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2). Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) sent an email last month to members of the House Commerce, and Agriculture and Energy Committees
by Ken Wells (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) ...In the last decade, the industry says, it has put $71 billion into zero- and low-emission and renewable energy technologies. The U.S. government, by contrast, has spent about $43 billion on similar efforts during the same period,
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) USDA released its first estimate of the 2012 corn crop--and it is a big one. According to today’s USDA projections, record U.S. corn production of 14.79 billion bushels is expected in 2012. That’s up
by Dan Piller (Des Moines Register) ...The executive director of the Renewable Fuels Association, Monte Shaw, said AFP should “stop the hypocrisy and to get its facts straight when it comes to ethanol and oil policy.” ...“AFP’s hypocrisy is astounding,” continued
by Christopher Doering (Des Moines Register) The U.S. Energy Department said on Tuesday (May 8, 2012) it will make $5 million available in 2012 to expand the use of alternative fuel vehicles, including electric models. The Energy Department said in a statement
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) After nearly two years of collaborative research, biotechnology company BioTork LLC and the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center have developed a yeast strain capable of fermenting the xylose found in ligno-cellulosic biomass in a commercial-scale
by John Kemp (Reuters COLUMN) Widespread use of alternative motor fuels has been hampered by lack of fuel distribution infrastructure, despite strongly favourable economics for alternatives to gasoline and diesel, and a range of financial incentives offered by U.S. federal
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Scientific standards development body ASTM International (formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials) recently made significant changes to its E85 specification, lowering the approved minimum ethanol volume of the fuel to
by Cody Winchester (Argus Leader) Sometime this summer, already-scarce blends of pure gasoline will become more rare in western South Dakota. That’s because the largest refineries that supply the Plains Rocky Mountain Pipeline terminal in Rapid City, and therefore much of
by William DeKay (The Western Producer) Lee Wilson thinks he has found a cost effective way to help produce biofuel using wheat straw. In a lab at the University of Saskatchewan, the chemist and his team of graduate students have developed
(JoyOnline) Human waste could soon be a precious commodity in Kumasi and other parts of the country with an ongoing solution to transform fecal sludge treatment into a profit-making venture. Waste Enterprisers Limited, a sanitation and waste energy company, is replacing
by Lu Ann Franklin (Northwest Indiana Times) The Town Council will hear public comments about signing the interlocal agreement with Lake County Solid Waste District for the proposed trash-to-ethanol facility in Schneider on June 4 and June 18. ...As proposed, the trash-to-ethanol
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What’s up? What’s next? New pathways, plus country-by-country yield data. Sorghum. It’s a feedstock right out the pages of the old South – sorghum syrup served with corn bread and Lowcountry boils. ...There’s sweet sorghum and grain
by Mike Cohen (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) Illovo Sugar Ltd. (ILV), Africa’s largest sugar producer, said it has ended its involvement in the Markala sugar project in Mali because of incomplete funding and a deteriorating security situation in the West African nation. The
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In Washington, heartbreak came early in the season when the Senate Armed Services Committee has voted to nix the purchase of aviation biofuels, should they cost more than conventional fossil fuels, even at the small
(Fox Business) General Electric Co. (GE) said Thursday it will invest 500 million reais ($245.5 million) in a research-and-development center in Rio de Janeiro. The center, which should be operational in the second half of 2013 and employ 400, will focus
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Colorado, Gevo announced it has begun startup of the world’s first commercial biobased isobutanol production plant located in Luverne, Minn. “At 1 p.m. MDT yesterday we made history by initiating production of biobased isobutanol at commercial scale,”
(MASBI) Regional Initiative with National Reach Working to Achieve Energy Security United Airlines, Boeing, Honeywell’s UOP, the Chicago Department of Aviation and the Clean Energy Trust today announced the formation of the Midwest Aviation Sustainable Biofuels Initiative (MASBI), designed to advance
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Brazil, GraalBio Investimentos plans to invest $724.5 million in five cellulosic ethanol plants during the next few years. The first 21.6 million gallon facility in Alagoas that will use sugarcane bagasse as feedstock is expected to
(Stock Journal) The prototype mallee harvester developed by Biosystems Engineering and Future Farm Industries Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) has exceeded expectations in the final stages of its development. During trials near Casino in New South Wales, trees were harvested at a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... (T)he company’s metrics in cellulosic biofuels are starting to look compelling. Not only is commercialization a lot less than five years away – a massive breakout in capacity building looks feasible within that time
by Ben Caldecott (The Guardian) We need something that can deliver emission reductions from existing fleets of planes – and the solution already exists ...The positive progress on including aviation in Europe's carbon trading scheme this week is welcome, but neither that nor more
(Evogene) Collaboration represents expansion of Evofuel’s Latin American operations, currently focused on Brazil Evogene Ltd. and T6 Industrial S.A., a leading biodiesel producer in Argentina, today announced that Evofuel Ltd., Evogene's wholly owned subsidiary, and T6 Industrial S.A., entered a collaboration
by Fred Kaplan (Slate) ...The rationale for barring the Navy from buying the 450,000 gallons of biofuels necessary for the experiment is economic: These fuels are too expensive—about four times more costly than conventional fuels. To hammer home the point, the
(MarketWatch/PRNewsWire) AFS BioOil has announced that its state-of-the art facility located at a wastewater treatment plant in the San Francisco Bay Area is open for tours for strategic partners and customers. The volume of the system is 150 m3; the
(Husky Energy) Husky Energy unveiled its carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and liquefaction project in Lloydminster, a facility that allows the Company to recover more oil from existing fields while reducing emissions at its ethanol plant. "This remarkable project gives us two
by Brittany Boyer (WJAC TV) Pennsylvania Grain Processing has officially closed on the purchase of the former Bionol Ethanol plant in Clearfield. According to a news release obtained by 6 News, production at the plant is expected to begin sometime during
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Regardless of its naming deficiencies, waste has been hot and getting hotter as a bioenergy feedstock because it solves three of the most pressing problems blocking capacity expansion. 1. The feedstocks are available at fixed, affordable
by Matt Daily (Reuters/Huffington Post) After a decade of promise, advanced biofuels makers are entering a crucial make-or-break period with the first of a new generation of production facilities about to come on line. The new facilities are designed to take
(Beaver Dam Daily Citizen) United Cooperative was selected to receive a $448,500 Rural Energy for America Program grant to assist with the installation of 36 ethanol flex-fuel blender pumps and seven biodiesel dispensers at 11 of United Cooperative’s Cenex convenience
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) New tests conducted at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base have revealed that US warplanes are capable of flying faster and carry more payload on missions, when flying with synthetic fuels, including biofuels, compared to conventional military
by James Fallows (Popular Science) The largest nation on Earth is flying more people more places than ever before. Its struggle to do so without (further) destroying the environment could show the rest of the world a greener way to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Mozambique, the first sustainable cooking fuel facility was inaugurated by Federal Minister of Agriculture José Pacheco. The CleanStar project will produce ethanol-based cooking fuel for sale with the company’s cookstoves, an affordable new form of
by Scott Irwin and Darrel Good (Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics University of Illinois)...The rise in ethanol production has recently run up against what is known as the “blend wall.” Domestic ethanol consumption is almost entirely in the form of low level blends
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What engines failed, and when and why. Was this test designed to fail? In Washington, the Coordinating Research Council, a non-profit research organization supported by the American Petroleum Institute and a group of automobile manufacturers, released
(Yahoo! Finance) Virgin Australia says it has started trialling the use of biodiesel to power some ground vehicles at Brisbane Airport. The fuel for the eight-week trial will contain 80 per centconventional diesel and 20 per cent biodiesel made from Queensland-sourced tallow and used cooking
by Noah Haglund (The Weekly Herald) The company has agreed to compensate the county for $143,000 in goods and services it didn't deliver for a canola project. Snohomish County's experiment helping farmers turn crops into biodiesel hasn't been a failure, but
(US Department of Agriculture) On June 23, 2010, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a strategic biofuels production report, “A USDA Regional Roadmap to Meeting the Biofuels Goals of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) by 2022” (USDA’s Roadmap). Subsequently, Secretary
(Zimbabwe Independent) Green Fuel has dismissed claims by government that it has not furnished it with the cost structure into its wholesale price of E10. Senior officials of the company outlined its cost structure at a meeting between it, the Zimbabwe
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Free tire air for improved fuel economy; bicycle tuning; renewable fuels; on-demand carbon offsets; at-pump recycling; community transit info; Propel’s got it all going in the Golden State. In California, Propel Fuels is launching the company’s first
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Mad as heck about $5 gasoline? According to new research from Iowa State, the price could have hit $6 per gallon, if the US had not had its ethanol supply. A landmark 2009 study, conducted by
by David Muwanga (AllAfrica.com) As the East African Community (EAC) was planning to release a total of Ksh1b for the removal of the water hyacinth from Lake Victoria, a United States based technology company has written to the secretariat proposing
(Radio New Zealand International) Pacific nations which are most under threat from rising seas have vowed to abandon diesel and other dirty, expensive fuels and replace them with clean sources of energy. Using coconut biofuel and solar panels, Tokelau plans to
by Sean Nicholls (Sydney Morning Herald/New South Wales) THE value of the NSW ethanol mandate has been questioned by the NSW Treasury in documents that describe it of questionable benefit to motorists and a policy that mainly serves to prop
(PRWEB) Researchers at The NCERC today announced that they have successfully produced ethanol from the cellulosic portion of the corn kernel. “This research is demonstrated proof of the viability of ‘generation 2.0 ethanol,’” NCERC Director John Caupert said. “By utilizing
by Margaret Ryan (AOL Energy) While the "food versus fuel" debate has grabbed headlines, biofuels technology worldwide has been accelerating down the learning curve and is at a "tipping point" for commercialization. That was the consensus of an expert panel last week at
(PR NewsWire/Consumer Reports) Nearly three-quarters of drivers would consider an alternative fuel vehicle for their next car ...Some two-thirds of owners surveyed said they expected their next vehicle to get better fuel mileage than the one they're driving now. While gasoline
(CNN) The U.S. Navy for the first time will demonstrate what it calls a Great Green Fleet, a carrier strike group operating in large part on nonfossil fuels, during a larger, 22-nation exercise this summer. The Navy’s two-day demonstration, which will
(NYDailyNews) Rapping the rural development ministry's land resources department for the "inordinate delay" in finalising a bio-fuels programme, a parliamentary panel has sought for the matter be placed before the cabinet at the earliest for a decision on its continuance. The
(Payvand Iran News) Iran will start producing industrial bio-ethanol from cellulosic material soon. Bio-ethanol can be used as petrol supplementary and it will increase the octane number of petrol as it is added to the fuel. It will lead to the decrease of greenhouse fuel production. Bio-ethanol
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The first World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates for 2012, from the US Department of Agriculture, give us an opportunity to review that debate. Let’s go back 10 years ago, before the first Renewable Fuel Standard was
by Rosemary Westwood (Columbia Reports) Colombia's biofuels exceed international standards for reducing greenhouse gas emissions – advancing the country’s goal to become a leading ethanol producer, according to a new government report. The study commissioned by the Ministry of Mines and Energy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...It doesn’t take a casual observer very long to see the China’s activity in industrial biotechnology accelerating, as more and more technologies develop there, or transfer there via JVs or licenses. What does a win
by Amy North (LetsRecycle.com) The UK’s ‘largest’ biodiesel plant was opened in Bootle, Liverpool today (May 9) by transport minister Norman Baker. The plant, developed by renewable energy firm Agri, will process used cooking oil to create biodiesel which can then
(Renewable Energy Magazine) The European renewable ethanol industry is contributing substantially to the European economy according to ePURE, the European Renewable Ethanol Association, in response to a new report published today. The report “Contribution of Biofuels to the Global Economy”, published by
(Parabel (formerly PetroAlgae)) Parabel, Inc. new, economical sources of feed, food, and fuel, today announced that it has finalized a restated Master Framework Agreement with CECEP - Chongqing Industry Co., Ltd. (An absolute holding subsidiary of China Energy Conservation and Environment Protection
by Lisa Perkins (Traverse City Record-Eagle) Bill Koucky will soon produce biodiesel fuel, after years of planning, experimenting and jumping through regulatory hoops. ...Traverse City will be home to a biodiesel fuel plant when Koucky's Northwest Michigan Biodiesel LLC swings into
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Emerald Biofuels announced that it will build an 85 million gallonrenewable-diesel refineries at a Dow Chemical site in Plaquemine, Louisiana. The company will use Honeywell’s UOP/Eni EcoFining process technology for the production of Honeywell Green Diesel
(Global Renewable Fuels Association/Cardno ENTRIX) ...As is the case with virtually all other emerging and developing countries, biofuels offer the prospects of a new cash crop for farmers, increased employment in rural areas, expanded manufacturing output, reduced fuel import costs, and foreign
(Biofuels International) A memorandum of understanding has been signed by Italian power company Enel to build a 1-5MW concentrated solar power and biomass bi-generation plant, which will produce electricity for the city of Rome. ...The biomass components will be separated to
by Wendy Koch (USA Today) Amid the push to develop clean energy, new research suggests plant-based biofuels could meet 30% of global demand for transportation fuel and slash the greenhouse gas emissions that come from burning fossil fuels. READ MORE
(PRNewswire) -- At a time when regulatory agencies are increasing pressure for the disposal of wastewater containing soluble sugars, ThermoEnergy Corporation's CASTion® Sugar Recovery System is a proven, cost-effective technology to capture and recover sugar in wastewater. Food and beverage wastewaters have
(Argus Media) Small biodiesel makers hope an outside firm brought in to authenticate fuel production will thaw a renewable identification number (RIN) market chilled by two years of fraud. Genscape's RIN Integrity program – set to launch by the end of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... If you invest $2 million, $10 million, and $30 million every other year in bringing a technology forward to the commercial threshold (and you’d be a miracle worker in doing so) – and it
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) In a recent editorial, What Keystone Won't Do, the Washington Post mused about “the best way to insulate Americans from oil-price volatility and other drawbacks of oil use,” concluding that it “would be to
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Board is accepting applications through May 18 for cost-share funding to assist with the installation of ethanol and biodiesel equipment at retail stations and wholesale distribution centers. Approximately $1 million is
by James daSilva (SmartBlog on Leadership) I attended the 2012 Milken Institute Global Conference last week in Los Angeles, where a panel of company advisers and a Department of Energy official discussed financing and scale challenges facing advanced biofuels and also where there’s reason
by John Murawski (News Observer) The U.S. military’s quest to outfit American soldiers with an all-in-one power source could lead to a nondescript office in a Morrisville technology park where Triangle startups toil away in obscurity chasing big dreams. On a
by Retired Lt. Gen. John Castellaw, USMC, American Security Project (The Hill/Congress Blog) The United States military is the single largest purchaser of petroleum fuel in the world, burning through about 325,000 barrels of fuel per day. Almost all of
(National Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) The B20 domino effect continues! Two more original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have formally expressed approval for B20. Heavy-duty truck makers Volvo Trucks North America and Mack Trucks Inc. have confirmed their B20 approval and made
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) Minnesota waits until 2013 to bump up the state mandate from 5 to 10 percent biodiesel, instead of this year as scheduled ...Language in the regulations stipulates that before the mandate can be increased to B10
by Raj Mosali (Jatrodiesel Inc./Biodiesel Magazine) Biodiesel is traditionally produced via esterification of fatty acids and transesterification of triglycerides with an alcohol such as methanol and sodium methylate. The transesterification of triglycerides is comprised of three sequential, reversible reactions wherein
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...API has legally challenged every step of the U.S. EPA’s approval of E15, claiming that more scientific research should be completed before it is allowed to be used in anything other than flex-fuel infrastructure
by Shifra Mincer (Green Prophet) ...UniVerve has gained international recognition for its microalgae technology, including at an apperance this March at the World Biofuels Markets, which can succesfully produce bio-oil from third generation biomass. If any waste biomass is left from the refining
by David Brough (Reuters) Global biofuel demand fell in 2011 due to the impact of government requirements and greater incentives in food markets, but usage is set to grow driven by new technologies, commodities house Czarnikow said on Friday. "This comes despite a
by Ron Kotrba (Biorefining Magazine) Get in early on Los Angeles' interest in developing algae production demonstrations on Owens Lake far north of the city. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is opening a request for information for algae
(Business Wire) TMO Renewables (“TMO Group”), a leading technology provider for cellulosic biofuels production, today announced the company has advanced to demonstration scale on cassava stalk feedstock with major Chinese fuel and food producers. TMO is now processing an initial
(Ceres) • Pilot project validates U.S.-produced sweet sorghum as a potential feedstock for advanced biofuels and bio-products. • Conversion efficiency of sweet sorghum sugars were similar to sugarcane. Energy crop company Ceres, Inc. (Nasdaq: CERE) today announced its improved sweet sorghum hybrids
(Origin Oil) Algasol, collaborating with NASA and Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory, will bundle its offering with OriginOil’s Algae Appliance™ OriginOil, Inc., developer of breakthrough technology to convert algae into renewable crude oil, and Algasol Renewables, a technology company with a unique patented
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Arizona, Heliae announced a capital raise of $15 million in funding from international conglomerate Salim Group’s agribusiness company, PT. PP London Sumatra Indonesia, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Agri Investments. This marks a total of close
(CORE BioFuel, Inc.) CORE BioFuel Inc. announced today (May 2, 2012) that it has selected Technip, a world leader in engineering, construction and project management in the energy industry, to complete the construction engineering of their first wood to gasoline
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) In 2008 David DuByne helped start and run an algae biodiesel company, Dao Energy, LLC, in Chengdu city of Sichuan Province, in western China. Their concept was to use low cost labor and materials
(UK's National Center for Biorenewable Energy, Fuels and Materials) This report investigates the importance of allocation procedures in reporting and understanding energy and greenhouse gas balances from life cycle assessment of biofuels and bio-based chemicals. Life cycle assessment (LCA), or life
by Eric Didier Karinganire (AllAfrica.com) For some years now, there has been talk of locally producing biofuel to make the country less dependent on petrol imports. But until now, production levels are still insignificant. Yet about four years ago, the
(FarmingUK.com) Latest government figures reveal that the vast majority of biofuels supplied in the UK are made from imported feedstock, with almost nine out of every 10 litres of foreign origin. The NFU have said that UK biofuel growers have been
(Pacific Biodiesel/Biodiesel Magazine) Beginning on April 30, Willie Nelson’s birthday, the fuel at Pacific Biodiesel’s retail pump on Maui will be sold as the trademarked BioWillie Biodiesel. The branding is the brainchild of superstar Willie Nelson, a Maui resident whose
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) Panama Green Fuels, an entity working to establish biodiesel infrastructure within Panama, recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the director of the country’s National School of Agriculture (IDIAP) to use the school’s land to
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) The U.S. EPA issued a Notice of Violation to Houston-based Green Diesel LLC April 30 for generating more than 60 million invalid biomass-based diesel (D-Code 4) renewable identification numbers (RINs) under the federal renewable fuel
by Bryan Sims (Biorefining Magazine) The biorefining industry is hungry for a low-cost, high-quality and readily available supply of sugar feedstock from nonfood biomass sources. A number of pure-play sugar technology developers and manufacturers like Renmatix, Virdia (formerly HCL CleanTech),
by Tova Cohen (Reuters) Algae-based biodiesel producer World Health Energy Holdings (WHEN) plans to begin two commercial projects in India this year and is targeting over $200 million in sales in 2013. The first project, with Prime Inc of India, will grow
by Prashant Rupera (Times of India) India and Brazil will forge research collaborations in the area of bioenergy. As the first step towards this, professor Bharat Chattoo from M S University (MSU) recently led an Indian delegation sponsored by Government of
by Dan Piller (Des Moines Register) The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) Thursday asked Congress to reinstate the $1 per gallon biodiesel tax incentive “to avoid further disruption to an emerging American industry that is creating jobs across the country while
(Renewable Fuels Association/BioFuelsChat.com) ...Specifically, (Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob) Dinneen noted two driving factors that have led to refinery shutterings on the East Coast: First, most East Coast refineries cannot process the lower-cost types of crude oil that are increasing
by Martin Roberts (Reuters) ...European biodiesel makers will be able to sell an additional one million tonnes a year in Spain after new measures which effectively shut out Argentine and Indonesian imports, an industry spokesman said. Spain decreed on April 20
(GreenAirOnline) According to Finnair’s VP Sustainable Development, Kati Ihamäki, biofuels are the fastest route to meaningful long-term reductions in aviation greenhouse gas emissions but supply chain problems need to be overcome and the major hurdle remained “price, price and price”.
by Chris Zygarlicke (Biomass Power and Thermal Magazine) ...The RFS2 rule is the only federal incentive remaining for biofuels, and corn ethanol and vegetable oil-derived biodiesel are the only commercially available biofuels in the U.S. Compounding the issue is lower demand
by Louise Downing (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) China New Energy Ltd., a maker of biofuel technology, signed a letter of intent to develop a facility in northeastern China that will use non-edible plant waste to produce clean fuel. China New Energy won the
by Denise Deveau (Financial Post) {ISSUE} Soaring energy prices are thinning profit margins in the transport sector and increasing operational costs in many manufacturing industries {SHIFT} Turning wood waste into bio-fuel helps industry find a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable energy
(International Energy Agency) While progress is being made on renewable energy, most clean energy technologies are not being deployed quickly enough, the International Energy Agency(IEA) said today in an annual progress report presented to ministers and representatives of nations that together
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Shell and Iogen cancel their long-contemplated Canadian cellulosic ethanol project, and announce 150 layoffs. ...In Canada, Shell and Iogen announced that they will not pursue the jointly owned 23 million gallon Iogen Energy cellulosic ethanol project
(Hart Energy/PR NewsWire) Hart Energy study insists U.S. production mandates are out of sync with market reality Hart Energy's newly released study, U.S. & Brazil Ethanol Outlook to 2022, finds the United States has vaulted over Brazil to lead the world in the export of ethanol, a
by Margaret Broeren (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) ...Much more than a buzzword, “sustainable” means that trade-offs—social, environmental and economic factors—have been measured, modeled and validated against actual “boots on the ground data” measured at agricultural research stations and on Midwestern
(Wall Street Journal/Governors Biofuels Coalition) Top European Union policy makers will next week be faced with one of Europe's most controversial climate policies, as they consider whether biofuels do more harm than good when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions. The
by David Shaffer (Star Tribune) A new blend of ethanol and gasoline may soon show up at the gas station pumps -- along with mixed messages on whether it's safe to put it in your vehicle. Motorists driving up to pumps
by Jack Eidt (WilderUtopia) Fossil Fuel Alternatives: Our Way Out of the Heat and Smog ...Institutionally-Supported Industrial Monocrop Supercedes Peasant Agriculture. The search for alternatives to fossil fuels has created a land boom in Latin American-African- and Southeast Asian-produced agrofuels. Sugarcane and
(U.S. Department of Energy) As part of President Obama’s blueprint for an economy fueled by homegrown and alternative energy sources, the Energy Department announced today up to $15 million available to demonstrate biomass-based oil supplements that can be blended with
by Julia Pyper (Scientific American/ClimateWire) Sooty, finicky diesel engines are a thing of the past, boosting prospects for the fuel-efficient automobiles in America ...On average, about 85 percent of the particle matter emitted from diesel trucks is black carbon, said Christopher Frey
by Diane Wagner (Rome News Tribune) The Floyd County Commission is expected to decide at its May 8 meeting if it will allow local farmers to make a limited amount of ethanol onsite, for use as fuel for their equipment. No opposition
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the Senate Agriculture Committee has approved $800 million in mandatory biofuels-related funding for the proposed energy title in the upcoming Farm Bill. ...Yesterday, Senators Kent Conrad of North Dakota and Richard Lugar of Indiana
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Obama Administration releases its long-awaited, historic strategic plan for the bioeconomy, and US economic revival from advances in health sciences, agriculture, industrial biotechnology and advanced biofuels. No time to read the dense pages
by Dan Morgan (The Globalist) The plant world has a curious way of providing fodder for Republicans in the midst of important elections in the United States. In 1988, the party cast the Democrat's presidential candidate, Michael Dukakis, as an
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