Interview of BIO's Brent Erickson by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...BE: I have been a little bit disappointed in the Obama administration. When he was in the Senate he as very pro-biofuels. He had to choose his priorities, and that
by Stephen Lacey (RenewableEnergyWorld) We often wonder when the next Google of clean energy will materialize. When will the lone inventor finally emerge from his garage to change the world and solve our energy problems? What stealth company will bring
by Graham Warwick (AviationWeek) In just five years, the aviation industry’s decades-long reliance on petroleum-based fuels has been turned on its head. The future lies in fuels from sources that range from animal fat to microalgae. But with the technology in
(Des Moines Register) Biofuels producers don't like to think of themselves as a cause of global warming, but that's how they could be regulated under the Obama administration's regulations on greenhouse gases. The regulations, due to take effect in January, would
by Shanta Barley (The Guardian) TMO Renewables wins contract with US firm Fiberight using its 'turbo-charged' GM bacteria that convert rubbish into biofuels. A British company that uses a genetically modified compost-heap bug to produce biofuel from rubbish has signed a
(PRNewswire) Contract Is Among First of Its Kind in U.S. BlueFire Renewables, Inc., a company focused on changing the world's transportation fuel paradigm through the production of renewable fuels from non-food cellulosic wastes, has announced an off-take agreement with Tenaska BioFuels,
(Algae Industry Magazine) Renewable Algal Energy, LLC of Kingsport, Tennessee, has announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded them $3,000,000 to develop “Algal Biodiesel via Innovative Harvesting and Aquaculture Systems.” READ MORE and MORE (Department of Energy)
by Dave Dreeszen (Sioux City Journal) The state of Nebraska on Thursday awarded a half million dollars in infrastructure funds to assist a northeast Nebraska startup planning to turn an ethanol byproduct into plastics. Laurel BioComposite, a producer of what’s known as
(Los Angeles Times) ...The Edison2 entry Very Light Car #98 from Virginia won $5 million in the mainstream class, running on E85 ethanol fuel. The aerodynamic 4-wheeled auto demonstrated the equivalent of 102.5 miles per gallon on the test track
(AFP) The head of the world's biggest airline association, IATA, berated the oil industry and governments on Friday for investing "peanuts" in cleaner biofuels. "Biofuels could break the tyranny of oil and lift millions from poverty along with providing a sustainable fuel
by Marc Katz (Dayton Daily News) ...“Ethanol is not the (total) answer,” said John DiMartini, Ethanol Marketing Manager of The Andersons, which has a plant in Greenville. “But together (with other alternative fuels) we can put a severe dent in
by Jerry Fruin (Chair), Mark D. Stowers, Kelly Tiller (Council for Agricultural Science and Technology) The sustainable collection of biomass feedstocks is an important consideration for cellulosic ethanol production. The sustainable amount of biomass that can be removed from the
by John Voelcker (GreenCarReports.com) We've written before about just how worried automakers are at proposals by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to increase the ethanol content of pump gasoline from 10 to 12 or even 15 percent. They fear it will damage
(Jakarta Globe/Bloomberg/Reuters/AFP) Singapore palm oil producer Golden Agri-Resources, part of Indonesia’s Sinar Mas Group, said on Friday that its subsidiary Golden VerOleum would form a $1.6 billion partnership with the government of Liberia in a palm oil project. The move comes
by Joelle Dent (Biofuels Digest Asia) There’s blast furnace heat but little light so far in the debate on the UK biofuels target for 2020. Some advisors have urged that the current target of 10 percent be halved or entirely
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Documents filed with the SEC confirm what many voices in the industry have been saying about the Amyris, Gevo and PetroAlgae IPOs – they are “financing events” to fund these companies’ yawning capital requirements rather
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering equating biogenic carbon emissions with fossil fuel emissions under the Tailoring Rule, which requires the accounting and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions under the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS2). Biogenic
by Natasha Odendaal (Engineering News) Local general aviation company Adept Airmotive has developed the first general aviation engine that is able to power a light aircraft with a range of environment-friendly alternative fuels, such as biofuels and liquid petroleum gas. The Adept
by David Lonardo & Benjamin Lazarus (American World Services Corporation/Biofuels Digest) ...The country of Thailand, already one of the world’s leading agri-food exporters, believes it can attract investment in the advanced biofuel sector by providing a solution to this problem.
by George Ford (SourceMedia Group News/Eastern Iowa Business) The Iowa Power Fund Board awarded a $2.9 million grant to a cellulosic ethanol plant in Blairstown. Fiberight-Blairstown Operating LLC received the grant to demonstrate how municipal solid waste can be converted into cellulosic
by Alex Morales (Bloomberg) Biofuels made from plant waste and municipal trash rather than food crops could replace more than half of gasoline used in the European Union by 2020, industry analyst Bloomberg New Energy Finance said today. The 27-nation bloc could
by John Davis (DomesticFuel) The next generation of biofuels must be developed in conjunction with advanced combustion engines, if there is to be long-term success of those biofuels. That word comes from researchers at the Sandia National Laboratories. The recommendations were made following
by Angel Gonzalez (Dow Jones/Wall Street Journal) Norwegian oil major Statoil ASA (STO) has agreed to invest in a San Francisco Bay Area start-up to develop ethanol from seaweed, and to potentially commercialize the fuel in Norway and other European countries. Under the
by Nicole Bleasdale (Biofuels Digest/AusBiotech) ...The last of five integrated biofuels facilities funded under the Commonwealth Government’s National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) Program was officially opened on Friday 9 September 2010. Located at the University of Sydney’s Darlington Campus,
(The Moscow Times) Russian Technologies will begin construction of the country's first biofuel factory next spring, the state corporation's chief, Sergei Chemezov, said Monday. The factory — to be located in the Irkutsk region — will turn wood chips and other timber
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The Navy’s long term strategy is to supply 50% of its energy from renewables by 2020. How much is that? Well, statistics on energy consumption from the Department Energy Supply Center (DESC) generally are DoD-wide, but
(Platts) Brazil's state-led oil company Petrobras said Friday that it chose a Brazilian shipyard to build a reais 432.3 million ($251 million) fleet of 20 river-barge trains to cut the cost of shipping ethanol to refiners and export terminals. The 20 pusher-tugs and
by Michelle Kautz (DomesticFuel) Flex Fuel U.S.®, a company dedicated to the development of future fuel solutions and alternative fuel conversion systems, has been awarded approval to sell and install E85 Flex Fuel conversion systems to Federal Government Fleets through the Federal
by Robert Rodriquez (The Fresno Bee) Mendota operation could employ about 100 people. ...The proposed plant would use sugar beets and orchard prunings to make ethanol, electricity and compressed natural gas. Another element of the project would involve treating urban and
by Gal Luft (Foreign Policy) The Middle Eastern oil cartel celebrates its 50th anniversary this week. Here's how to keep it from running our lives for another half-century. ...To weaken OPEC we must change the playing field altogether -- we must
by Erin Voegele (Biorefining Magazine) Dexter, Mo.-based Global Fuels LLC recently received a $48,833 grant from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to explore the technical and economic possibility of producing next generation biofuels. “We are going to use the feasibility
by Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine) The work of ThermoChem Recovery International has already changed the future for one small Wisconsin community. A small town in the woods of Wisconsin, fresh off the bankruptcy and closing of its century-old paper mill, might
(BBI International) BBI International, a leader in globally recognized bioenergy events and trade magazines, has launched a new magazine and international conference. Biorefining magazine and the aligned International Biorefining Conference & Trade Show will provide a new communications avenue for
by Sam A. Rushing (Biofuels Digest) ...Since CO2 has been shown to be the globe’s worst offender as a greenhouse gas, the very use of this gas in a technology which would foster the production of viable basic chemicals, plastics,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Earlier this year, SG Biofuels and Life Technologies formed a strategic alliance, and recently announced they have completed the sequence of the Jatropha genome. The company’s integrated breeding and biotechnology approach forms the foundation for its
by Tyler Hamilton (Toronto Star) Could a unique microorganism found in the waters of Atlantic Canada represent the future of jet fuel production? That’s what Halifax-based Ocean Nutrition Canada is hoping to find out as part of a four-year demonstration project funded
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel) Fiberight-Blairstown Operating LLC has received a $2.9 million grant to help build a cellulosic ethanol plant in Blairstown, Iowa. The award was given by the Iowa Power Board Fund yesterday. Fiberight is developing technology to convert
by Dana Tims (The Oregonian) ...They propose breaking ground next year on a $25 million bioenergy park somewhere in the Willamette Valley. The multi-faceted facility would convert straw and other waste materials into saleable products such as ethanol, electricity, fertilizer, compost
(Bloomberg BusinessWeek) Fulcrum BioEnergy Inc. will begin construction and engineering work on a new plant in Nevada to convert household garbage into ethanol fuel. The Sierra Biofuels plant, which will produce fuel for cars and trucks, is due to begin operations in
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel) Did you know that 60 cents of each gallon of E85 purchased stays in the state of Iowa? I didn’t know that until I participated in the Iowa Corn Fed Game Day pump rally at Riverside,
by Lewis Reynolds (Politics Daily) America doesn't have to depend on overseas sources for one of its most vital national needs. A move toward energy independence, aside from creating as many as 14 million new jobs, can help rebuild our
(MarketWatch) ...Carbon2Green is currently conducting a pilot project in the Bandundu region of DRC and wants to achieve a funding enabling it, by the end of the year, to proceed with the hiring of over 300 people and planting nearly
(Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels) In November 2009, the RSB Steering Board approved Version One of the RSB Principles & Criteria (P&Cs) and the Certification System for pilot testing after public regional outreaches and extensive consultation of the RSB Chambers. While
(Piper Jaffray) ...Energy crops are designed to use marginal land, or in the case of Brazil, extend the growing season. Sugarcane-ethanol facilities in Brazil typically run for 6-8 months due to the relatively long growing season of cane. Energy crops
by Diane Krieger Spivak (Post-Tribune) Project in south Lake County based on same technology. A proposed Florida bioethanol plant that will use the same process as a planned Schneider plant will use has been issued an air permit for the project. The
by Joe Napsha (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) A business that collects used cooking oil and processes it into fuel for diesel-powered vehicles plans to convert a dilapidated gas station in Braddock into a biofuels filling station next year. Fossil Free Fuel LLC in Braddock
by Eric Lane (Green Tech Media) Sundrop Fuels is a Colorado company that combines concentrated solar power (CSP) technology with biofuels production processes. While most biomass-to-biofuels systems burn feedstocks as the first step in biofuel production, Sundrop uses concentrated solar energy to gasify the
by Paul Post (The Saratogan) ...For local dairy producers, one of the most pressing concerns is ethanol production that drives up corn prices — hurting small family farms in the process. ..."We’ve got a big problem in the ethanol industry," (House
by Hopewell Radebe (Business Day/Reuters) The government yesterday brought hope to grain farmers who are struggling to find alternative markets to dispose of surplus maize following a bumper crop that drove prices down. ... Last month, Grain SA chairman Neels Ferreira called for the
by Anna Austin and Lisa Gibson (Biomass Magazine) ...Director of the Northeast Regional New Fuels Alliance Andrew Schuyler, who followed Cleaves, explained some policies the organization has been working on, primarily the development of a Low Carbon Fuel Standard similar
by Julie (SoutheastAGNet) Florida Farm Service Agency State Director, Tim Manning, wants to inform and educate producers about the need to decrease our dependency on fossil fuels through their statewide “Feedstocks for Florida Biofuels” town hall meetings. ...The next Feedstocks for
(GlobalPaperMoney) KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation (NYSE: KS) announced that the company was notified that its registration as a producer of cellulosic biofuel for the tax year 2009 has been approved. With this registration, KapStone may apply for a nonrefundable income
(New Energy World Network) Finland-based food company Raisio has agreed to provide local low-emission fuel refiner Neste Oil with surplus rapeseed oil on a long-term basis, which it will use as a raw material to produce renewable diesel. The rapeseed oil at
(RiaNovosti) The European market is attractive for Russia due to its proximity and high prices. "Russia could become a supplier of oilseeds, oil, biodiesel and ethanol as alternative fuel, cattle and goat meat, game and aquaculture products to the European
by Chet Brokaw (AP/Yankton Press & Dakotan) ...The candidates also discussed state budget issues and education, but much of the debate focused on renewable energy. (Democrat Scott) Heidepriem criticized (Republican Gov. Mike) Rounds and (Republican Dennis) Daugaard for failing to use
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel) We hear a lot about the blend wall for ethanol in the United States market, but there’s also a wall that the ethanol co-product Dried Distillers Grains (DDGS) in hitting with the livestock industry. “We’ve already run into
by Damian Carrington (The Guardian) ...When fuel-efficiency measures and switches to lower-carbon transport such as trains and coaches are included, the report for investors predicts that the market will be worth $677bn (£440bn) a year in 2020 – up from
by Michael Stein (Maui Magazine) Advocates say biofuels could save big agriculture in the Islands, and reduce Hawaii’s unsustainable dependence on imported oil. Are we willing to pay the price? ...But over the past decade, Maui has lost Pioneer Mill sugar
(The Alarm Clock) Camarillo, CA-based Cool Planet Biofuels has raised $3M as part of a $8M Series B funding round, according to a filing by the firm today. Source of the new funding was not announced, however, the firm is
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In late 2010, we see again the predatory entry of speculators into the grain markets, and a growing disconnect between ethanol and gasoline prices. As for China? The country has passed the US in terms of
(Core BioFuel, Inc.) CORE BioFuel Inc., a Canadian biofuel company that is commercializing an advanced biomass to gasoline production process, today announced that it had entered into an agreement with Elbow River Marketing Limited Partnership for the purchase and distribution of
(Free Times) ... “It won’t smell like chicken. It may smell like fries,” said Columbia City Councilman Daniel Rickenmann at an event Monday announcing a new city program to collect used cooking oil and convert it to biofuel. When restaurants need to
by Andy Reid (Sun Sentinel) A biofuel plant offering renewable energy could become a never-ending headache for neighborhoods west of Delray Beach, worried residents argued Thursday. Pressure from residents helped persuade the county Zoning Commission Thursday to vote against a proposal that
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) You may not have noticed, but hedge and index fund investors have quietly returned to the agricultural commodities market in droves over the past few weeks. With the stock market continuing to flounder, these
(Algae Industry Magazine) Algae Bioenergy Solutions (ABS), of Augusta, Georgia, has announced preliminary plans to develop a three to five million gallons per year algae oil plant, expandable to forty million gallons a year, to produce feedstock for biodiesel and other
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel) ...The potential for energy crops in the state was one of the topics at the recent Florida Farm to Fuel Summit. One of the presenters was Bill Vasden Jr., Chairman of the Florida Feedstock Growers Association.
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
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