by Dean Close (Vinton Today) ...In layman’s terms, what Fiberight does is take waste from a paper mill in Cedar Rapids, and uses rare bacteria – Stewart Paul refers to that bacteria as “the bugs” – to convert the sugar
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the USDA adopted a bond mechanism into its Business & Industry Loan Guarantee Program to mirror what the DOE already had done in each of its Section 1703 and Section 1705 Loan Guarantee Programs. The
by Joelle Dent (Biofuels Digest) ...“If there were a medal for valor in biofuels it would certainly go to the board of D1 Oils, which has now had to repel its third take-over attempt by investors intent on abandoning the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New Hampshire, Mascoma reported yesterday that it had acquired SunOpta BioProcess, a division of SunOpta Inc. (STKL) This combination brings together the fiber preparation and pretreatment technologies of SBI and the consolidated bioprocessing technology
Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...The push against approving E15 has heated up in recent weeks. The U.S. EPA delayed the E15 decision until sometime this fall and industry groups on both sides of the issue have been waiting on
by Eric Ombok (Bloomberg) Mumias Sugar Co., Kenya’s largest producer of the sweetener, secured a 1.6 billion-shilling ($20 million) loan for its ethanol plant to be commissioned next year, the Daily Nation reported. A group of banks led by Ecobank
by Anne Danahy (CenterDaily.com) Dumpsite scaled back as developer focuses on ethanol The developer who had proposed building a landfill in Rush Township said the project has changed direction and the company is now working on plans for a waste-to-ethanol plant. Ed
(E&ETV) As the biofuels industry awaits a decision by U.S. EPA on ethanol blend walls, how has the Obama Administration handled biofuels development and funding? During today's OnPoint, Matt Carr, managing director of policy at BIO, explains how the Gulf
by George Sterzinger (Renewable Energy Policy Project/Dissent Magazine) ...Advanced biofuels in particular have the potential to change the coastal economies for the better. In 2005 and in 2007 Congress committed to providing 20 percent of transportation fuels, or 36 billion gallons
(NewsWire) Enerkem Inc., a leading waste-to-biofuels company, today held a groundbreaking ceremony to signify the start of construction of its municipal waste-to-biofuels facility with its partners, the City of Edmonton and the Government of Alberta. Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach, Edmonton
by Charles Winokoor (Tauton Daily Gazette) ...Taunton Mayor Charles Crowley has said that EOEA officials consider the process by which such a facility operates in violation of DEP’s 20-year-old moratorium on new facilities that incinerate solid waste. In addition, state officials
by Dave Williams (Atlanta Business Chronicle) The nation’s first commercial plant producing ethanol from wood wastes is open for business in the timber country of southeastern Georgia. More than a year and a half behind its original schedule, Colorado-based Range Fuels Inc.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...We see the battle over rural development flashing at other points around the globe, but nowhere so starkly do we have a choice between the War on Poverty and the War on Carbon as we see
By Tim Dornin (AAP/AuNews) Carmaker Holden has unveiled its latest Commodore range, the car that could eventually be powered by household waste. Both V6 and V8 models in the VE Series II Commodore line-up have been designed as the first Australian-made vehicles
(PRNewsWire) AdvanceBio LLC, a Cincinnati-based advanced biofuel technology company, today announced the development of its next generation, sugar-based fuel ethanol process. The process is capable of utilizing sugars derived from sugar cane, sweet sorghum, sugar beet and other similar crops as feedstock
(Indianapolis Business Journal) Indianapolis-based bioengineering firm Xylogenics Inc. has licensed its proprietary yeast strain to a Milwaukee firm that is a supplier to the fuel-ethanol industry. It is the first such licensing agreement for Xylogenics. Lallemand Ethanol Technology will use Xylogenics’
(Indianapolis Business Journal) A subsidiary of Carmel-based Telamon Corp. that supplies racing teams with ethanol-based fuel made from Indiana corn has signed contracts giving it a distribution channel in 26 states. National Biofuels Distribution LLC began marketing the fuel, dubbed Ignite,
(Jalopnik) One of the draft window stickers released today will give buyers of 2012 models efficiency data for gas and electric vehicles. U.S. regulators want you to decide: How do you like letter grades? UPDATE: Automakers give it a "F." ...A
(Friends of the Earth International) The African continent is increasingly being seen as a source of agricultural land and natural resources for the rest of the world. National governments and private companies are obtaining access to land across the continent
by Luis Andres Henao (Reuters) An Argentine company opened Friday the country's first factory to make biodiesel from algae, hoping to use pond scum as a replacement for soy in making biodiesel as part of a push for renewable energy. Argentina is
(Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels) Adopts ambitious target of 50% improvement for biofuel blends over fossil fuels The RSB is pleased to announce the approval of the RSB greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting methodology and establishment of a GHG reduction threshold for our bio-fuel
by Greg Peel (ninemsn) ...Algae.Tec is also in the process of an IPO. However at A$7.5m, Algae.Tec's issue is hardly one that can be described as exploitative or prematurely opportunistic, and the company's legally protected intellectual property represents years of
by Emily Wagster Pettus (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) Mississippi lawmakers on Friday (August 27, 2010) will consider $50 million in state incentives for research and production of renewable fuel made from timber, one of the state's most widely available natural resources. ...Barbour's office
(The Dispatch) ...KiOR of Houston, Texas, plans to locate three facilities in Mississippi, the first of which will be in Columbus on the southern fifth of The Island, at the Columbus-Lowndes Port's east bank. ...Additional plants are planned for Franklin
(Balkans.com) Slovenia's first biodiesel power plant, generating nearly one megawatt of electricity and worth EUR 1.3m, was inaugurated in Benedikt (NE) on Thursday. The plant was set up by Panonica Energetika, which is a part of the Panonica agricultural cooperative.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Blue Marble’s effervescent CEO Kelly Ogilvie, well known on the renewables circuit for his high-energy presentations over the years, took us through the math. “Over the past 18 months,” he said, “while we have been developing
(Algal Industry Magazine) The Technical Standards Committee of the Algal Biomass Organization (ABO) is currently in late stage review of its Algal Industry Minimum Descriptive Language Document, recommended for characterizing the economic and environmental inputs and outputs of an aquatic biomass
by Michael Kanellos (GreenTechMedia) Chromatin says sorghum is the ideal crop. The company, which designs chromosomes and tools for genetically modifying agricultural crops, has launched an effort to get into biofuels on its own. It has come up with an optimized pathway
by Nidhi Subbaraman (MIT Technology Review) ...The company announced plans to build one of the first commercial-scale cellulosic-ethanol plants, in Kinross, MI; it would be able to produce 80 million gallons per year. But as of the summer of 2010, Mascoma had
by Sasha Lyutse (Natural Resources Defense Council) ... As a result, the VEETC has not only concentrated the ethanol industry in just a handful of states, but siphoned scarce resources away from more competitive biofuel technologies that create far less pollution
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...“The simplicity is astounding. Here’s the big idea. Take an existing, stranded ethanol factory or conglomerate. Buy it for a substantial discount. Start with cheap sugar. Drop in a new Amyris, LS9, Gevo, or Cobalt
(Argus Media) Thailand's Double A Ethanol expects to start production at its 250,000 t/yr cassava-based ethanol plant in Prachinburi in October. Construction of the plant is entering its final stages. When operational it will produce mainly 99.5pc ethanol which will be sold
by Michael Kanellos (GreenTechMedia) VCs and startups have complained that the biofuels industry has been stranded by indifference from the majors.That has changed. Shell and Cosan SA Industrio and Comercio, the world's largest sugar producer, finalized a multi-billion dollar joint venture today
by Gary Truitt (Hoosier Ag Today) A variable subsidy for ethanol producers could cost the government less and provide more security for producers than current fixed rates, according to a Purdue University study. A variable subsidy rate would insulate producers
(Lansing State Journal) ...A quick response from Tom's major concern is that, yes, there is a major energy gain in producing corn-grain based ethanol, even though the energy content (BTUs) in pure ethanol (E-100) is only two-thirds that of gasoline. Research for
by Jane Whitmore (Emmetsburg Reporter Democrat) ...The fact that the business is not officially open hasn’t stopped customers from dropping in. Eric is already working with farmers interested in cob harvesting. “We have been following biomass and renewable energy for quite
by Cindy Stauffer (Lancaster Online) Plans for a beet ethanol plant in Rapho Township have survived a court challenge. A Lancaster County Court judge has dismissed a lawsuit by four businesses who own land near the site. ... Maibach LLC wants to build a
by Stephanie Dreyer (Growth Energy/RenewableEnergyWorld.com) Ethanol has been the Oil Industry’s favorite target for years. Big Oil has argued that the ethanol industry can't compete with gasoline without taxpayer support. Ironically, a recent study by the American Petroleum Institute concluded
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In a note at CO2science.org, a trio of authors contend: “There simply is not enough freshwater on the face of the earth to make the production of biofuels a viable and significant alternative to the
by Steven Mufson (Washington Post) ...But long-term trends -- such as improvements in the fuel efficiency of American autos -- played a part too, other analysts said. A steady increase in the biofuels component of U.S. motor fuel is another
by Chuck Woodside (Journal Star) In a recent speech about energy, President Barack Obama said: "If we refuse to take into account the full costs of our fossil fuel addiction -- if we don't factor in the environmental costs and the
(People's Daily Online) Agricultural experts said Saturday it was too early for China to adopt corn-based ethanol fuel to feed automobiles, given the expensive production costs and the country's large population. Li Xinhua, a professor at Shenyang Agricultural University, said at
by Thompson Ayodele (Initiative for Public Policy Analysis) Forward by Dr. Matthew O. Eshalomi: Growth and prosperity of an economy are central to the longterm reduction in poverty for both economic and environmental sustainability. Palm oil and palm oil manufacturing represents
by James Cartledge (BrighterEnergy.org) Atlanta company American Process Incorporated has started work on a waste-to-ethanol biorefinery at Alpena, Michigan. The company held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the site last week, attended by Michigan Governor Jennifer M Granholm. The project is supported by
(Biofuels Journal) KL Energy Corporation is pleased to announce that Petrobras, through Petrobras America, has entered into a Joint Development Agreement with KL Energy Corporation ("KLE"), to jointly optimize KLE's proprietary cellulosic ethanol process technology for sugarcane bagasse feedstock ("Bagasse"). The latest
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) LanzaTech announced that it has produced 2,3-Butanediol (2,3-BD), a key building block used to make polymers, plastics and hydrocarbon fuels, using the company's waste steel gas fermentation technology. LanzaTech is a story about a company transforming
By Jennifer McEntee (The Voice of San Diego) Investors are a tough crowd to cultivate. Yet in the pond that is the biotechnology market, one product seems to be rising to the top like the green sludge it is: algae. Its
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Iran, IranOilGas.com reports that Iran Ethanol is underway with construction at its 14.4 Mgy ethanol plant in Khuzestan province, which could be used as a big potential source of energy. READ MORE and MORE
(Genera Energy) Land owned by Alcoa Inc, Tennessee Operations, is now being used to grow a popular perennial grass known for producing cellulosic ethanol. Approximately 238 acres of switchgrass have been planted on property that Alcoa leases to a local farmer
(GTM Research) ...In this report, we focus on "third-generation" algae biofuels and "fourth-generation" biofuels that are either created using petroleum-like hydroprocessing, advanced bio-chemistry, or revolutionary processes like Joule’s "solar-to-fuel" method that defies any other category of biofuels. The opportunities that
by Katie Fehrenbacher (Earth2Tech/Reuters) ...Cargill is one of the larger producers of ethanol and biodiesel in the U.S. and has corn ethanol production plants in Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri, as well as biofuel assets in Europe, Brazil, Argentina, among other
by Norman Cox (The Indy Channel) Five years ago, it was being promoted as a partial solution to the imported oil problem and a great opportunity for Indiana farmers, but E85 fuel hasn't taken off as its supporters had hoped. ...Thornton's
by Michael Kanellos (GreenTechMedia) Scuderi Engine says it can improve efficiency—and likely car mileage—with a new type of engine. ...While electric cars grab all of the headlines, efficient combustion engines may actually well play a larger role in reducing gas consumption
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Aside from the general observation that nearly all energy systems ultimately are based on today’s or yesterday’s solar energy (only geothermal and nuclear power are distinct exceptions), a new generation of technologies is bringing solar
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...But even were the US EPA to approve E15 ethanol blending, there are some other significant walls and thresholds to keep in mind. Here are the Digest’s Top 10. 1. The $60 oil parity wall. At the
(PRNewsWire) METRO Terminals, which is currently building one of the country's largest biodiesel processing facilities adjacent to its biofuels and petroleum terminal in Brooklyn, expressed great excitement after Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed Intro 194-A into law on August 16th. The law
By Chanda Beckman & Kirsten Rasmussen (USDA Foreign Agriculture Information Service) On May 27, 2010, China’s National Energy Administration (NEA), the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture hosted the fist Sino-U.S. Advanced Biofuels Forum in Beijing.
edited by Reid Lifset (Journal of Industrial Ecology) Includes Corn Ethanol Articles Related to Debate over Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Corn-Ethanol The Journal of Industrial Ecology is pleased to make the following articles on the greenhouse gas emissions from corn-ethanol freely available
(PRNewsWire) Awards Were Approved for Joint Development Projects Between the United States and Israel in the Areas Of Biofuels, Wind Energy, Solar Energy and Energy Efficiency The BIRD Foundation will invest $4.2M in five clean energy cooperative projects, between U.S. and
by Todd Woody (New York Times) Want to stimulate demand for renewable energy? Send in the Marines. That was Navy Secretary Ray Mabus’s message when he outlined plans to slash the Navy and Marine Corps’ dependence on fossil fuels during an appearance
by Opheera McDoom (Reuters) Sudan has secured funding for a new 140,000 tonne sugar factory which will also produce 30 million litres of ethanol by November 2014, in the latest step to gear the African nation's sugar industry towards export. Executive Director
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The Digest took the opportunity to visit with BlueFire’s CEO Arnold Klann, who has been working in the cellulosic biofuels space for more than a decade, and continues to be a driving force in the
by Elton Robinson (Southeast Farm Press) ...It’s not what President Barack Obama has been saying in recent speeches that worried several market analysts speaking at the Brock Decision 2010 Seminar in Memphis. It’s what he hasn’t been saying. In speeches outlining
by Katie Allen (The Guardian) It is not too late for equitable partnerships to flourish between foreign investors and local communities ...Sadly for anyone who happens to live on that farmland there are countless examples of governments handing it over at
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...There has been, unsurprisingly, a ton of chatter about the sector, which escalated significantly last week with the PetroAlgae and Gevo announcements. ...The IPO is generally a liquidity event, providing lucrative exits for early investors. But
(Blue Fire Renewables) Name Change Designed to Better Reflect Its Fuel and Energy Production Capabilities BlueFire Ethanol Fuels, Inc., a company focused on changing the world's transportation fuel paradigm through the production of renewable fuels from non-food cellulosic wastes, today announced that
by Robert F. Service (Science Magazine) Much of the optimism surrounding cellulosic ethanol has faded because of the ongoing economic slump, a plentiful supply of ethanol made from corn, and uncertainty among policymakers. Numerous companies have either shelved plans to
by Tom Richard (Pennsylvania State University/Science) Rapid growth in demand for lignocellulosic bioenergy will require major changes in supply chain infrastructure. Even with densification and preprocessing, transport volumes by mid-century are likely to exceed the combined capacity of current agricultural
(Wageningen University/Science Daily) Within 10 to 15 years, it will be technically possible to produce sustainable and economically viable biodiesel from micro-algae on a large scale. Technological innovations during this period should extend the scale of production by a factor of
[caption id="attachment_11353" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="BP Biofuels shrinking presence on the Dyson Racing Mazda, but still very much powering the Lola. photo: J.Ivancic "][/caption] by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) The classic 2010 Mid-Ohio American Le Mans race was this year's showcase of biofuel
by David Fridley (Post Carbon Institute) excerpt: Unlike conventional fossil fuels, where nature provided energy over millions of years to convert biomass into energy-dense solids, liquids, and gases--requiring only extraction and transportation technolgy for us to mobilize them--alternative energy depends
by Carol Christian (Fort McMurray Today) ...John Mitchell, general manager of Bedford Biofuels, explained the company has 160,000 hectares of prime development land for jatropha cultivation in the eastern coastal region of Kenya with 200,000 additional hectares being secured. Its
(US Department of Agriculture) On March 12, 2010, the Rural Business-Cooperative Service (the Agency) published a notice in the Federal Register for the Advanced Biofuel Payment Program seeking requests from eligible advanced biofuel producers for additional, supplemental payments from the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...A significant number of voices in the community continue to caution that algal biofuels are 10 years away, or likely to arrive at commercial scale only in the waning years of the existing Renewable Fuel
by Andrew Maykuth (Philadelphia Inquirer) Sunoco Inc. is producing a new brew at a former Miller Brewing Co. plant. Last month, the Philadelphia refiner began distilling corn ethanol at a massive converted brewery just outside the Fulton city limits in central New
by Martin Junginger, Jinke van Dam, Simonetta Zarrilli, Fatin Ali Mohamed, Didier Marchal, and Andre Faaij (IEA Bioenergy) Task 40 under the IEA Bioenergy Agreement entitled: ‘Sustainable International Bioenergy trade; securing supply and demand’, started in 2004 and currently has fourteen country members
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New York, biobutanol and renewable chemical developer Gevo, ranked #13 in the 2009-10 “50 Hottest Companies in Bioenergy” by Biofuels Digest readers and international selectors, filed its S-1 registration statement with the SEC for
by Joseph Holroyd (Algae Industry Magazine) LakeMaster Corporation, a clean energy technology company headquartered in Rochester, New York, is engaged in the development and commercialization of a proprietary algal to biofuel system that captures carbon dioxide. The company recently filed for
by Bob Boughner (Chatham Daily News) A proposed $38-million Chatham facility designed to prove corn cobs can be used to produce ethanol fuel received $4 million Wednesday from the province. The (Ontario) government is supporting the development of innovative, bio-fuel technology by Greenfield
by James Konstantin Galvez (The Manila Times) Some 100 sugarcane industry stakeholders asked the support of the Department of Agriculture during a recent dialogue in providing the necessary equipment in the mechanization of sugarcane production for both sugar and ethanol.
by Jean Chemnick (Platts) US President Barack Obama on Tuesday signed legislation that would fund emergency assistance to various states, partly through the trimming of $1.5 billion in funding for renewable energy loan guarantees. The US House of Representatives approved the
byGen. Wesley K. Clark (Ret.) (New York Times) Letter to Editor: ...The consequences include not only huge environmental risks, but a $300 billion-a-year drain from our economy to pay for imported petroleum. Growth Energy’s Fueling Freedom plan would redirect the ethanol
(Xylogencis, Inc.) ...Two-year-old Xylogenics Inc. also says it plans to license its first bioengineered yeast later this year. This version is intended to boost yields and lower costs of making the automotive fuel ethanol at conventional distilleries that use corn. The
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The announcement was greeted with a hilariously inaccurate story in the New York Times, which apparently confused PetroAlgae’s technology with the OMEGA project developed by NASA (NASA proposed to grow algae in sealed bags floating
(US Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy today announced the members of the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (SEAB). Eliminated during the last administration, SEAB is being reestablished under the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The twelve member board comprised
Peter Jamison (SF Weekly) ...The Examiner reported this morning that a facility that renders bones and fat from slaughtered animals into oil is moving to upgrade its facilities to make biodiesel from animal parts, as well as from used cooking
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, here’s a look at some of the more interesting biofuel-related patent applications logged at the US Patent and Trademark Office in recent weeks. The USPTO’s archive is not for the faint of heart, or
(PR.com/BFC) BFC recently created the Rapid Verification ProgramTM a program designed for prospective clients to test their alternative fuels, at tonnage levels, with immediate analysis of the synthesis gas produced and full reports on anticipated operational production results. BFC helps
(PR Newswire) Community college is first to earn BQ-9000 designation, driving business to the state. Don Heck has heard a lot of talk about making Iowa the "renewable energy capital of the world," and he thinks he's found a way to
(AFP) Mozambique's state fuel company has partnered with the private sector to invest 19 million dollars (14 million euros) in biofuel production, state media reported on Monday. National supplier Petromoc, Portuguese fuel company Galp and biodiesel producer Ecomoz will produce biodiesel in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Solazyme, which was ranked #1 in the 2009-10 “50 Hottest Companies in Bioenergy” by Biofuels Digest readers and selectors, announced that it has raised $52 million in its Series D financing round.... In addition to its
By Audrey McAvoy (AP) The federal government has turned to a 130-year-old Hawaii sugar grower for help in powering the Navy and weaning the nation off a heavy reliance on fossil fuels. It will spend at least $10 million over the next
(Brighter Energy) Gevo, the biobutanol technology developer based in Colorado, looks set to acquire an ethanol production plant in southwest Minnesota to use as a base to commercialize its process. The company has signed definitive agreements to acquire the Agri-Energy ethanol facility
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Biofuels Digest reports that tracked biofuels companies and institutional projects received $3.45 billion in grants and investments in the past 12 months through August 2010. The Digest released its 120-page review: “Who’s Getting Some in Bioenergy?”, profiling
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) At this year’s American Coalition for Ethanol Conference & Trade Show, two speakers gave particularly strong arguments for chipping away at the power and monopoly of Big Oil. It just so happens that Anne
by Peter Maass (Foreign Policy) It's not polite to say so, but if Americans understood just how many trillions their military was really spending on protecting oil, they wouldn't stand for it. Shortly after the Marines rolled into Baghdad and tore
by Darrin Ihnen (The Hill/National Corn Growers Association) ...Unfortunately, many of the articles we’re seeing don’t get the facts quite right. The New York Times, for example, asserts that the Renewable Fuel Standard mandates the U.S. production of up to
by Patrick Peterson (Florida Today) Even as last of BP oil spilled on the Gulf Coast dissipates, interest in Florida's biofuel industry piqued by the spill may linger, and even grow. For the moment certainly, biofuels such as ethanol and algae-derived diesel
(Algae Industry Magazine) As Congress takes action on critical tax incentive packages, leading advanced biofuel trade associations reemphasized the importance of advanced biofuels as promising opportunities for the United States to reduce its reliance on oil and create green jobs. The
by Laura Graff (Winston-Salem Journal) Entrepreneur proposes $400 million plant in city. A Winston-Salem entrepreneur wants to turn Winston-Salem's trash into gas. Tyrone Holmes is proposing that the city stop using landfills and start putting waste into a $400 million plant he
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) Ninety degrees on a Sunday afternoon in August, waiting 20 minutes on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in line for fuel near Pittsburgh left time to get out of the car to take a look at
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel) ...ACE Vice President for Market Development Ron Lamberty gave a little update to the membership on that effort and the importance of getting blender pumps out there. ..."(B)lender pumps could become very important for marketers, if EPA
by Steve Rennie (The Star) The biofuels industry leaves behind a hazy ecological footprint because each facility measures its environmental performance differently, says a new report. This makes it difficult for the government to gauge how ethanol and biodiesel affect the environment. ... The
(Southeast Farm Press) A recent study by researchers at Virginia Tech’s Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center will give state grain growers some economic and production insights as to the feasibility of growing barley in a double-crop system with soybeans, versus
(FREEP.com) During the 2010 Center for Automotive Research Management Briefing Seminars on Tuesday, auto executives debated which technologies to boost fuel efficiency will catch on in the short term. Barb Samardzich, Ford's vice president of powertrain engineering, said internal-combustion engines will
(European Union for Oil and Protein Plants) A new US study on the greenhouse gas (GHG) balance of soy-based diesel has been evaluated by Deutsches BiomasseForschungsZentrum (DBFZ). The study published by the United Soybean Board (USB) concludes that biodiesel produced
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...“Investors constantly ask us the simple question,” says AE Biofuels CEO Eric McAfee, “ If the EPA is not enforcing the cellulosic ethanol mandate and only providing a few months of forward visibility each year, how
by Philippe Schild (Programme Officer, Directorate General Research, European Commission) In his presentation, Schild summarizes the mandated standards for biofuels in the EU, and ongoing programs to help meet these initiatives. Renewable fuel production research forms a substantial portion of
by David Mercer (Associated Press) Advances in conventional agriculture have dramatically slowed the flow of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, in part by allowing farmers to grow more food to meet world demand without plowing up vast tracts of land, a
by Brian Liberatore (News Press) Paperwork, government foot-dragging delay plant, bust budget, partner says A local businessman says he spent $1 million on a $500,000 federal grant, yet his plans for a biodiesel plant in Fort Myers are a year behind
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Back in 2008 the death watch began on Imperium Renewables. Though its 100 Mgy multi-feedstock plant in Grays Harbor was, at the time, the largest and most modern biodiesel facility in the US, the company lost its
(Algae Industry Magazine) The Raytheon Co., Accelergy Corp. of Houston, TX, and A2BE Carbon Capture LLC/Algae at Work, of Boulder, CO have formed a joint venture to develop a technology to gasify algae mixed with coal and/or coal waste into a
(Washington Post) Editorial: PRESIDENT OBAMA was back in Michigan recently, breaking ground on a plant that will make batteries for the Volt, the plug-in hybrid electric car forthcoming from government-owned General Motors. The Energy Department paid half the factory's $300 million
by Alex Morales (Bloomberg) Commercial airlines may derive 1 percent of their fuel by 2015 from biofuels made of plants including algae, Boeing Co.’s environment chief said. ... Boeing has worked with airlines from the U.S. to Japan to test jet
(GreenAirOnline) Environmental executives from Boeing, Airbus and IATA lined up at the recent Farnborough Air Show to proclaim rapid progress in the development of alternative sustainable jet fuels but warned of the challenges ahead in bringing them to commercial scale. Producers
by Dale Hildebrant (Minnesota Farm Guide) ...Delegates to the Biomass '10 conference in Grand Forks heard reports on all three cellulosic ethanol plant projects, which are in various stages of development. All have a projected start-up date in 2013 or
by Barry Park (Sidney Morning Herald) ...The carmaker is expected to unveil a version of the Commodore that can run on anything from 100 per cent petrol to E85, a combination of 15 per cent petrol and 85 per cent
(Renewable Fuels Association) A newly released report from the Development Prospects Group at the World Bank, conludes that “…the effect of biofuels on food prices has not been as large as originally thought, but that the use of commodities by
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...However, SARA (safe, affordable, reliable, available) feedstocks for advanced biofuels remain a goal rather than an assured reality. In this context, Genera should be seen as one of a handful of projects — aside from the
(Renewable Energy World) The research and consulting firm Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) reports that subsidies for fossil energies are far outweighing those for renewables. While many governments are putting support behind clean energy, the figures show that renewables are
by Katie Allen (The Guardian) Leaked report says wealthy investors are threatening local resources as they buy up farmland to gain on commodity prices A leaked World Bank report into investors from rich nations buying up African farmland has intensified campaigners'
by James Paton (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) Caltex Australia Ltd., the nation’s biggest oil refiner, called for increased government funding to spur biofuels development as part of an effort to curb greenhouse-gas emissions and bolster energy security. Australia has “inadequate funding” for biofuels, with
by Alex Morales (Bloomberg) Global subsidies for fossil fuels dwarf support given to renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power and biofuels, Bloomberg New Energy Finance said. Governments last year gave $43 billion to $46 billion of support to renewable
(Market Watch) Biomagnetics Diagnostics Corp., a developer of revolutionary diagnostic systems and other innovative technologies, today announced that Zhuhai Oil Energy Science and Technology Ltd. has significantly increased its biofuel production capacity at its Guangdong operation. Biomagnetics recently signed a
by Tiffany Hsu (Los Angeles Times) Big Oil: the patron saint of biofuels? Petroleum companies -- and their pocketbooks -- have been working their way into the biofuels industry in recent years. Wisconsin-based Virent Energy Systems Inc. said in June that it
(Growth Energy) The New York Times’ July 29th Editorial “Energy Subsidies – Good and Bad,” mischaracterizes Growth Energy’s proposal to open the American transportation fuels market and fails to acknowledge the technological advancements that have made ethanol production cleaner and more
by Alvin L. Moser (St. Augustine Record) Editor: The editorial in the July 27 issue of The St. Auustine Record from The Chicago Tribune misses the whole point of adding ethanol to gasoline. Of course cost is important, but what
(OriginOil) Shipment of OriginOil Quantum Fracturing System to MBD Energy Triggers Payment OriginOil, Inc., the developer of a breakthrough technology to transform algae, the most promising source of renewable oil, into a true competitor to petroleum, today announced that it recently
by Joe Ruff (Omaha World Herald) It's time for the federal government to move beyond offering tax credits to companies that combine ethanol with gasoline, said the CEO of the fourth-largest ethanol producer in the country. Instead, he said, government incentives are
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel) The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is far from over on discrediting biofuels as part of their mandated policy known as the Low Carbon Fuels Standard (LCFS). For the past year, the ethanol industry has been
(Biodiesel Magazine) ... He (Steve Howell, technical director for the National Biodiesel Board and president of the Marc-IV consulting firm) mentioned the disadvantage from this model, however, is that the fuel properties of biodiesel made from these products are based
(Automotive Fleet) Rothsay Biodiesel, a division of Maple Leaf Foods Inc., said that its program to fuel its own fleets with biodiesel blends reduced carbon output by approximately 700 metric tons in 2009 -- the equivalent to removing approximately 130
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... IEA Bioenergy, part of the International Energy Agency, has published its report “Status of 2nd Generation Biofuels Demonstration Facilities in June 2010”, as a report to IEA Bioenergy Task 39. The 126-page report includes extensive data on
by Dina Bacovsky, Michal Dallos, Manfred Worgetter (International Energy Agency Task 39) Driven by the need to partly replace fossil transport fuels and by food versus fuel and highest possible GHG mitigation considerations, large efforts are dedicated to the development of
(Renewable Fuels Association) In its editorial ("It's time to end the excessive subsidies for corn ethanol," 7/24/2010), the Post failed to provide its readers any context, misled them about the nature of U.S. ethanol production, and offered no alternative to
(EurekAlert) Policies needed to address potential conflicts, but report views bioenergy as crucial to 'unlocking Africa's latent potential'. Crops can be produced for bioenergy on a significant scale in west, eastern and southern Africa without doing damage to food production or
(Piedmont Biofuels) ...The Enzymatic Biodiesel pilot plant was developed in partnership with the Biofuels Center of North Carolina, Novozymes, and the Chatham County Economic Development Corporation. This is the first pilot plant of its kind in the United States and
(Süd-Chemie AG) Süd-Chemie AG, one of the world´s leading specialty chemical companies for catalysts and adsorbents based in Munich is to build Germany´s largest plant to date for the production of climate-friendly, second-generation bioethanol, so-called cellulose ethanol, based on biotechnological processes. The
(Air Transport Association) The Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, announced the official launch of the “Farm to Fly” partnership initiative with private industry, federal agencies and academia to advance a comprehensive
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, Biofuels Digest celebrates its third birthday...After 3 years, and 10,000 articles, we salute all of you - the producers, financiers, policymakers, scientists, consumers and supporters of biofuels, for continuing to be the most
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Green Plains Renewable Energy Inc. is moving to Phase II with its algae project at one plant and planning to install corn oil extraction technology at all six of its ethanol plants. On July 20,
by Paul Spackman (CheckBiotech) ..."Ethanol production accounts for around 20% of cane harvested and 3% of beet and I'm cautiously optimistic those proportions will increase," (the International Sugar Organization's Peter Barron) said. ...While feed wheat rather than sugar beet is the
(Dead Tree Edition) The Internal Revenue Service may have handed U.S. pulp and paper companies a multibillion-dollar gift by ruling that black liquor produced in 2009 is eligible for an even more lucrative tax credit than the one claimed by
by Jay Heflin (The Hill) A new study by the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development shows a reduction in the ethanol tax credit proposed by the House Ways and Means Committee and removing tariffs on the fuel will have a
(Dresser Wayne) Dresser Wayne, a global innovator of fuel dispensers and technologies, announced today that its Reliance® E-Series fuel dispensers for retail and fleet applications received Underwriters Laboratories (UL) certification for dispensing ethanol up to E85. The Reliance E-Series dispenser's UL
by Alex Morales (Bloomberg) British Airways Plc and Solena Group Inc. plan to build a waste-to-biofuels plant in east London, creating 1,200 jobs, sending less trash to the landfill and reducing jet emissions of greenhouse gases. Solena, which will spend as much
(TheBioenergySite.com) Waterland supply its Jatropha Oil for use as feedstock for aviation fuel. Waterland International signed a Memorandum Of Understanding with a leading supplier of biofuels for the aviation industry. Waterland will be making its first delivery of Jatropha Oil for use as
by Stacy Feldman (SolveClimate) Industry rips failing DOE loan program on the heels of EPA's decision to slash cellulosic biofuel mandate. ...EPA announced it expects 5 to 17.1 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol to be blended into the nation's fuels in 2011,
by Adam J. Liska and Richard K. Perrin (Environment Magazine) Military operations are major industrial activities that use massive amounts of fuel and materials that significantly contribute to climate change. In this article, we assert that military activity to protect
(Novozymes) ...Relying on agricultural and forestry residues and waste as feedstock, advanced biofuels can spur rural growth, promote job creation, increase energy security and save up to 90% CO2 emission. “Technology for advanced biofuels exists, but the sector needs clear political
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