by Mark Long (Wall Street Journal) Boaters and small-engine-industry groups are worried their concerns about engine damage will be overlooked as the Environmental Protection Agency considers allowing as much as 15% ethanol in the nation's gasoline. Since fuel with an ethanol
Rentech, Inc., and ClearFuels Technology Inc. (ClearFuels) jointly announced that they have been selected to receive up to $23 million as a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) to construct a biomass gasifier at Rentech’s Energy Technology Center
PetroSun, Inc., announced that the Department of Energy has advised Gas Technology Institute of Des Plaines, Illinois that its Integrated Biorefinery application has been selected for negotiations leading to an award. The GTI team members include PetroSun, Cargill, Blue Marble
The U.S. Department of Energy today awarded Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) a $24.8 million grant to develop and construct a facility that will convert biomass into renewable fuel. One of 19 biofuel projects to receive Department of Energy
U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced that a second round of funding opportunities for transformational energy research projects will be made available through the Department’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). At an event today with Commerce Secretary Gary Locke,
Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced the issue of a final rule amending the Department of Energy’s regulations for its Loan Guarantee Program. The revised rule will allow for increased participation in the program by financial institutions and other investors and
BlueFire Ethanol Fuels, Inc., a company focused on changing the world's transportation fuel paradigm through the production of ethanol from non-food cellulosic wastes, announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) increased funding to $81.1 million dollars for Phase II construction
Enerkem Inc. today announced that Enerkem Corporation, its wholly-owned U.S. affiliate, has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to receive US$50 million in funding for the construction and operation of its waste-to-biofuels facility to be located in
by Onell R. Soto (San Diego Union-Tribune) A La Jolla company bamboozled investors out of $2.3 million with promises of a new technology that would covert coal into green fuels and make trillions of dollars, federal officials alleged yesterday. The
by Robert E. Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) EPA’s much ballyhooed finding that CO2 and five other greenhouse gases (GHG) meet Clean Air Act requirements as health hazards is being treated by the Administration and the media as a significant decision
U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the selection of 19 integrated biorefinery projects to receive up to $564 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to accelerate the construction and operation
The extent to which increased biofuels production will affect the nation’s water resources depends on the type of feedstock selected and how and where it is grown. ... (N)ext generation feedstocks have not yet been grown on a commercial scale
by Clayton McMartin (DTN Ethanol Center) Two key timing issues have essentially paralyzed the Environmental Protection Agency at this point regarding the Renewable Fuels Standard. The first is the pending issuance of the much-awaited final rules for RFS2, and the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the EPA announced that it will delay its determination on E15 ethanol blending until the middle of next year, citing that only 2 of 19 DOE tests are complete at this stage. EPA
From a letter from the National Biodiesel Board to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency: By statute, the Biomass-based Diesel requirement was to begin on January 1, 2009, and EPA is required to issue a renewable volume obligation to
by Dina Fine Maron (New York Times Greenwire) Seaweed holds promise as more than an ingredient in a purifying face mask or a maki roll. So say researchers at E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., which alongside Seattle-based Bio
by Paul Argryropoulos (EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality) This presentation given at the Cellulosic Biofuels Summit November 2009, provides the EPA OTAQ perspective on issues pertinent to discussions related to the Renewable Fuel Standard and its proposed revisions. Of note is
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invites nominations from a diverse range of qualified candidates to be considered for appointment to the Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Federal Advisory Committee (FRRCC). The FRRCC is a federal advisory committee chartered under
(Drayson Racing) Drayson Racing concluded its inaugural season by accomplishing one of its founding objectives: win the Michelin ® Green X Challenge ®. The award for the most efficient and competitive performance in an Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO)-sanctioned series
by Jim Brumm (Star News) The governor’s office said that Alganomics is one of 18 small companies that will receive grants to develop and market promising green and alternative energy technologies and products. Alganomics will receive $59,500 to support its
The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy today announced projects selected for more than $24 million in grants to research and develop technologies to produce biofuels, bioenergy and high-value biobased products. Of the $24.4 million announced today, DOE plans to
(FarmOnline; North Queensland Register) Not enough cellulosic ethanol may be produced to fill the United States proposed 100 million gallon mandate for 2010, prompting a rethink from officials. At a recent conference, Environmental Protection Agency Office of Transportation and Air Quality
by Mark Barkoviak (Daily Tech) The United States Air Force hopes to conduct research related to alternative fuels that could one day help the military transition away from gasoline. The $2.5 million Assured Aerospace Fuels Research Facility, located at the
by Anna Austin (Biomass Magazine)Valerie Reed of the U.S. DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy talked about the direction the DOE is taking to accelerate the development of algae-based biofuels at the Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology
by Mark Riedy, et al (Mintz Levin) This presentation focuses on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Stimulus Act) with emphasis on "green" energy elements. It dealves into US Department of Energy loan guarantee programs and tax credit extensions. READ MORE
Despite the improved efficiency of vehicles, ships and aircraft, and the use of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines, there has been a 175 percent increase in gallons of fuel used per day, per United States soldier during wartime since the
The FDA today approved the inclusion of omega 3-rich Camelina meal in cattle feed. Under the guidelines, the FDA says that up 10 percent of Camelina in cattle feed is satisfactory, providing the potential for omega 3-rich beef for consumer
by Chris Kraul (LA Times) Who could resent the attention being showered on electric cars? Stylish and clean, they're the darling of the renewable-energy crowd, which is hailing the scheduled rollout of several e-powered models next year as a major blow
Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced that the Department of Energy is providing up to $5.5 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support the X PRIZE Foundation's work to inspire a new generation of energy efficient
Tim Holden (D-PA) chair of the Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research, held hearings concentrating on the future of next generation biofuels. Dallas Tonsager, Under Secretary for Rural Development in the U.S. Department of Agriculture admitted in prepared testimony that
In support of the Department of Defense Assured Fuels Initiative for securing domestic fuel sources to meet the military's energy needs, Air Force Research Laboratory and the Southwest Research Institute conducted tests of the first biologically based synthetic jet fuel
Prepared Floor Statement of Senator Chuck Grassley: Biofuels and the Environmental Protection Agency Thursday, October 29, 2009 ... The first issue I’m speaking about relates to the EPA’s proposal to penalize biofuels for greenhouse gas emissions from supposed changes in international
(National Corn Growers Association) The Midwest Legislative Conference of The Council of State Governments issued a series of resolutions recently containing policy resolutions adopted that aim to increase the use of both ethanol and blender pumps. Additionally, the group adopted
Dear Secretary Chu: The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), the national trade association representing the U.S. ethanol industry, is writing to express our concern about the current operation and direction of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) loan guarantee program. As an
by Katharine Grayson (Minneapolis-St.Paul Business Journal) BioCee Inc. a startup that’s commercializing technology invented by a University of Minnesota professor, has received a $2.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The firm will use the funds to
In California, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced that ARPA-E — the Department’s recently-formed Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy — has awarded $151 million in funding for 37 research projects. Biofuels Digest lists and describes the projects that relate to advanced
(Philstar.com) Visiting US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said on Monday that the US government is seeking partnership with the Philippines in terms of research on biofuel. Speaking at a press conference, Vilsack said both countries recognize the need to cooperate more
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the US Department of Energy is requiring that to receive DOE loan guarantees renewable energy projects meet a debt rating standard higher than 63 percent of all US corporate first-time debt issuers since
by Harry deGorter and David R. Just (Policy Analysis, Cato Institute) The federal “sustainability standard” requires ethanol to emit at least 20 percent less carbon dioxide (CO2) than gasoline. Recent rulings by California and the Environmental Protection Agency, however, have cast doubt
... Damages per vehicle mile traveled were remarkably similar among various combinations of fuels and technologies -- the range was 1.2 cents to about 1.7 cents per mile traveled -- and it is important to be cautious in interpreting small
by Robert E. Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) Looking at some real-world numbers, it becomes clear that the fear raised in Fixing a Critical Climate Accounting Error, Science, October 23, 2009, misses the point. Growing energy crops, including perennial grasses or
(Advanced Biofuels USA) A study published in Science magazine promotes a policy which would penalize American biofuels industries in US legislation and regulation and in international global climate change agreements. Advanced Biofuels USA would like to point out two items
by Juliet Eilperin (Washington Post) The world's policymakers and scientists have made a critical error in how they count biofuels' contribution to human-generated greenhouse-gas emissions, according to a paper published Thursday in the journal Science. ... (Steven P.) Hamburg, (chief scientist
Tom Buis (Growth Energy) “Ethanol is part of the natural carbon cycle. It has taken the lifetime of our planet to produce the oil that is in the ground. Biofuels come from the top of the earth, with emissions that
(Renewable Fuels Association) Biofuels produced from biomass feedstocks (i.e. plant matter) are, by definition, carbon neutral because carbon dioxide tailpipe emissions from the combustion of biofuels are readily absorbed by growing plants. As such, the tailpipe emissions resulting from the use
(Nitrogen News)... “The error is serious, but we can fix it,” said lead author Tim Searchinger, a research scholar at Princeton University and a fellow with the German Marshall Fund of the U.S. “The solution is to count all the
by Keith Johnson (Wall Street Journal) The law of unintended consequences strikes yet again. Global plans to tackle climate change, from the Kyoto Protocol to the recently-passed Waxman-Markey bill, have a fatal flaw: They essentially encourage large-scale deforestation, which pretty much
by Sindya N. Bhanoo (New York Times) ... The problem boils down to this: In emission calculations, all fuel derived from plants and other organic sources — including ethanol — is generally treated as if it has no effect on carbon dioxide in
by Marshall Wise, et al. (Science Magazine) Limiting atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations to low levels requires strategies to manage anthropogenic carbon emissions from terrestrial systems as well as fossil fuel and industrial sources. We explore the implications of fully
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, cellulosic ethanol pioneer BlueFire Ethanol Fuels announced strategic relocation of its second planned biorefinery to Fulton, Mississippi. After having been awarded a $40 million dollar grant from the DOE for a second planned
by Bettina H. Chavanne (Aviation Week) ... (U.S. Navy Secretary Ray) Mabus also introduced the idea of a Great Green Fleet, a green strike group comprising nuclear vessels, surface combatants equipped with hybrid electric systems operating on biofuels and aircraft
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, Biofuels Digest has found that cars running on E85 corn-based ethanol, at the proposed new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, will generate 30 percent lower CO2 emissions over an average car lifetime
Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the US Secretary of Energy, Dr. Steven Chu, broke with Obama administration renewable energy policy, telling stunned alternative energy developers at a recent meeting on alternative fuels that “if it were up to me,
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA said 86 U.S. ethanol production facilities will qualify as “major” sources of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and be required to obtain Title V permits if the agency’s GHG regulation rule passes as
(Reuters) Medicago Inc., a small Canadian biotech company, said on Thursday it will work with the U.S. Army to study ways of creating fuels from plants, sending its shares up more than 20 percent. The Quebec City-based company, known for
by Jessica Leber (New York Times Climatewire) The emerging cellulosic biofuel industry, stung by frozen credit markets, ineffective federal loan programs and lagging federal policies, will fall far short of mandated production volumes over the next few years. U.S. EPA is
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado, and the US Environmental Protection Agency have published a "State Bioenergy Primer: Information and Resources for States on Issues, Opportunities, and Options for Advancing Bioenergy" aimed at state-level policy makers and available to
Brazilian ethanol produced from sugarcane can help the United States meet its advanced renewable fuel targets, while helping reduce emissions. This is one of the conclusions presented by the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... The Caribbean Basin Ethanol Producers Group, which consists of Trinidad Bulk Traders Ltd., Gasohol de El Salvador, LAICA of Costa Rica, Petrojam Ltd., Jamaica Ethanol Co., and Jamaica Broilers Group, said in a
(Renewable Energy World) Poet's ambitious goal of securing 700 tons of cellulosic biomass per day got a big boost this week from a US $6.85 million funding increase to an existing grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). This
... “We knew that the first company to actually come out and openly document the real productivity picture would face a tough challenge,” said Barry Cohen, executive director of the National Algae Association. “OriginOil did it and now we have
A joint project between the Greater New Haven Clean Cities Coalition, BioPur and the Department of Energy (DOE); BioWatz provides multiple benefits and solutions for future alternative energies. The project not only yields a new and innovative way to generate
by Josh Mitchell and Stephen Power (Wall Street Journal) A tiny car company backed by former Vice President Al Gore has just gotten a $529 million U.S. government loan to help build a hybrid sports car in Finland that will sell
USDA Rural Development welcomes projects that highlight innovative uses of agricultural products. This may include using existing agricultural products in non-traditional ways and/or merging agricultural products with technology in creative ways. As with all value-added efforts, generating new products, creating
(Environmental Law Institute) The largest U.S subsidies to fossil fuels are attributed to tax breaks that aid foreign oil production, according to research released by the Environmental Law Institute in partnership with the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. The
Letter from EPA Administrator, Lisa Jackson to Senator Tom Harkin, former chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee (below). Upon receiving these assurances, Senator Harkin and co-sponsors withdrew an amendment to the EPA's fiscal 2010 spending bill that
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Steven Chu announced the selection of 25 cost-share projects under the Clean Cities program that will be funded with nearly $300 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. These projects will speed the
U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced on August 31, 2009, that up to $21 million will be made available for the selection of five projects that will develop supply systems to handle and deliver high tonnage biomass feedstocks for cellulosic
Biofuels Digest published a 5-part series on where the industry is obtaining financing in the year since the seizure of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, and collapse of Lehman Brothers triggered the global financial meltdown. In Part I of the series,
(Chattahbox) The new study released by the Environmental Law Institute entitled, “Estimating U.S. Government Subsidies to Energy Sources: 2002-2008,” provides the Obama administration with an additional weapon for the phasing out of fossil fuel subsidies in the United States. According
(WCCO) ... Earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration said it was finding antibiotic residue in an ethanol byproduct. That byproduct is sold as feed for cattle and other livestock, which is a problem. For the ethanol industry, the findings
Twenty miles north of Salt Lake City, a flowery, red and yellow safflower crop is being harvested. These test plots at the roadside simulation lab at Utah Botanical Center are part of an innovative “Freeways-to-Fuel” project sponsored by the Utah
by Ryan Randazzo (Arizona Republic)Arizona Public Service Co. will get $70.5 million in stimulus funds to study cutting greenhouse-gas emissions from coal power plants that contribute to global warming, the Energy Department said Tuesday. APS will use the money for a
by Anna Austin (Biomass Magazine) ... DOE Program Manager Michael Fraser identified characteristics to strengthen the financial review of project applications. Information on third–party supply and off-take agreements to support revenue and cost projections, or having a reliable source of
On September 10, the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a briefing about the national security threats posed by our reliance on fossil fuels and efforts underway by the U.S. armed services to reduce total energy use and transition
Sustainable Oils, a producer of renewable, environmentally clean, and high-value camelina-based fuels, announced today it has been awarded a contract by the Defense Energy Support Center (DESC) for 40,000 gallons of camelina-based jet fuel. The fuel will be delivered to
by Martin LaMonica (Green Tech) Research on nuclear energy and hydrogen has yielded what backers say is a technology that could replace U.S. oil imports with biofuels made from agricultural by-products. Scientists at Idaho National Laboratory have been working for
Solazyme, Inc., the renewable oil production company and leader in algal synthetic biology, has been selected by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to research, develop, and demonstrate commercial scale production of algae-derived advanced biofuel that meets the United States
by O.Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa) Two top officials in the Environmental Protection Agency who've never visited an American farm were in Iowa today, at Senator Chuck Grassley's invitation. They toured Grant Kimberly's farm near Maxwell. ... Senator Grassley says he wants
Value-Added Producer Grants (VAPG) help independent producers of agricultural commodities, agricultural producer groups, farmer and rancher cooperatives, and majority-controlled producer-based business ventures develop strategies to create marketing opportunities and to help develop business plans for viable marketing opportunities. This may include
U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today that up to $21 million will be made available for the selection of five projects that will develop supply systems to handle and deliver high tonnage biomass feedstocks for cellulosic biofuels
by Jerry Warner and P.W. Singer (Brookings Institution) ... Underlying this effort are two complementary objectives. First, a significant percentage of the overall reduction in baseline energy will come from the department converting from petroleum to alternative forms of energy
by Peter W. Singer (The Washington Examiner) ... Our Department of Defense is the largest consumer of energy not just in America, but the world. It burns more petroleum in the course of its operations than any other private or
(ClearSkies.com) Clean Skies News Dipka Bhambhani reports on the rise of biofuels from algae as part of the nation's energy portfolio. WATCH VIDEO
Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced the selection of 25 cost-share projects under the Clean Cities program that will be funded with nearly $300 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. These projects will speed the transformation of the
Doug Newman, Ethanol Trade Analyst for the US International Trade Commission, has provided tables and a presentation which summarize amounts of ethanol imports to the US by source location and tariffs paid, along with a presentation which includes an outline
U.S. Department of the Treasury and the U.S. Department of Energy announced at the end of July that they would be accepting applications for a program that will make direct payments in lieu of tax credits to companies that create
by Joanne Ivancic Although U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu claimed to "(emphasize) the Department’s commitment to developing near-term, clean energy technologies while allowing small businesses (to) take part in the new industrial revolution that the sustainable energy economy will bring,"
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced that $37 million in funding from the Recovery Act will be made available to qualified small businesses through the Department’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. This funding
Section 1705 of Title XVII authorizes the Secretary of Energy ("Secretary") to make loan guarantees under this section, notwithstanding Section 1703, for only three categories of projects that commence construction no later than September 30, 2011: (1) "renewable energy systems,
by Lisa Sibley(Cleantech Group) NASA research scientist Chad Paavola has a problem to solve: When astronauts leave the earth for long periods of time, they’re going to need to produce plants for food and the air they breathe. Some of the crops
The United States Department of Energy (DOE) has just announced the 2009 awardees of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program. This award is a Phase II continuation that follows Trillium’s successful completion of Phase I during 2008 and early
by Cath Everett (BusinessGreen.com) Corn ethanol industry accuses EPA of influencing independent panel to boost support for controversial biofuel carbon life cycle regulations. An independent peer review of proposed US biofuel regulations has only served to intensify a long-running dispute
by Jessica Leber (New York Times and ClimateWire) U.S. policies are subsidizing new energy crops that are likely to spread off the farm and wreak economic and ecological havoc, a federal advisory board cautioned yesterday. For years, researchers have worked
A collaborative effort by the U.S. Navy, Biodiesel Industries, Inc. and Aerojet successfully demonstrated methods to produce cleaner and more reliable sources of renewable fuels for military use. The system, named ARIES (Automated Real-time, Remote, Integrated Energy System), is a
... (W)e request that the Administration exercise its authority immediately, either by Executive Order or through Agency action or guidance, to provide greater certainty for the 2009 and 2010 RFS-2 volume mandates for biomass-based diesel. Prompt attention is critical to
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (''EPA'') announces the availability of documents pertaining to the expert peer review record completed on the Renewable Fuel Standard Program (RFS2) Lifecycle Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Analysis. On May 5, 2009, EPA announced proposed revisions to
In a major effort to accelerate the scientific breakthroughs needed to build a new 21st-century energy economy, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced the delivery of $377 million in funding for 46 new multi-million-dollar Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) located
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Genome Institute (JGI) has selected 71 new genomic sequencing projects for its 2010 Community Sequencing Program (CSP)—a targeted sampling of the planet’s biodiversity—to be characterized for bioenergy, climate, and environmental applications. JGI’s Community Sequencing
Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy, evaluated a recent US Government Accountabilty Office report, "“Now it’s the GAO that is saying that farm prices are a fraction of the hike to grocery bills. Whatever is driving up grocery prices won’t
In a letter to the US Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, the Renewable Fuels Association explains that stakeholders are unable to replicate or verify the analysis used by EPA in its international indirect land use change model. The best and most common way for
(GreenAirOnline.com) The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) at the University of North Dakota has been awarded a subcontract by Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) to help produce military JP-8 jet fuel from algae. Funding for the work is coming
For long-duration space missions, astronauts someday will grow plants for food and the air they breathe, while transforming inedible parts of the plants into useful resources, such as biofuels, food, and chemicals. Today, scientists at NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced that the Department of Energy will provide up to $30 billion in loan guarantees, depending on the applications and market conditions, for renewable energy projects. Another $750 million will support several billion dollars more
CSIRO and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) researchers, have been awarded a A$1.6 million grant to increase the understanding of genes responsible for growth and yield in grasses for use as bio-energy and food crops. The research team will identify the
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recognizes the importance of a diverse energy portfolio in meeting the nation’s energy security challenges. DOE has, therefore, set a goal in its Strategic Plan to promote energy security through a diverse energy
(GenomeWeb Daily News) Seven research teams at institutions around the country will use $6.3 million from the US Government to run genomics studies of plant feedstocks for biofuel production using switchgrass, sorghum, alfalfa, and others. The Department of Energy and
U.S. Department of Agriculture to enter into Contracts to make payments to Eligible Advanced Biofuel Producers to support and ensure an expanding production of Advanced Biofuels. This program is authorized under Title IX, Section 9001, of the Food, Conservation, and
USDA to make payments to eligible biorefineries to encourage the use of renewable biomass as a replacement fuel source for fossil fuels used to provide process heat or power in the operation of these eligible biorefineries. READ MORE and MORE
DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), through the Office of the Biomass Program (OBP), announces the availability of funding for establishing Consortia for two primary topic areas - Development of Algal Based Biofuels, and Development of Advanced
by Luke Meredith (AP) ... Poet spokesman Nathan Schock said the company hasn't yet figured out how much it will pay farmers, but it could be $30 to $60 per ton for corn stover, which includes cobs and some stalk.
(Renewable Energy World) ... The use of ionic liquids — salts that are liquids rather than crystals at room temperature — to dissolve lignocellulose and later help hydrolyze the resulting liquor into sugars, shows promise as a way of pre-treating
In a letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, Governors from Indiana, South Dakota, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio and Wisconsin urged increasing the percent of ethanol that can be blended with gasoline from 10% to 15% as
by Marcia Wood (USDA, Southeast Farm Press) High-speed and high-tech, but surprisingly affordable, the sophisticated assay equips scientists with a faster, less expensive way to discover genes that enable microbes to make an enzyme known as an alpha-glucuronidase. In nature,
Joelle Brink special correspondent for Biofuels Digest provides a summary of the use of biofuels and biofuels technologies in India (and Indian technology use in the US) as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton prepares to visit. READ MORE and MORE
All Programs in the U.S Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, are required to conduct a Peer Review of their funded projects on an annual or biannual schedule. The Office of Biomass Program (OBP) conducts these reviews by
by Senator John Thune (R-SD) (Politico) As Congress, the administration and the private sector look for ways to reduce our consumption of imported oil, we should not overlook the most readily available domestic alternative to imported oil: biofuels. The development
While the effects of producing corn-based ethanol on water supply and water quality are fairly well understood, less is known about the effects of the next generation of biofuel feedstocks. ... (L)ittle is known about the effects of large-scale cultivation
by Justin S. Baker, et al. (Duke University) Emerging markets and a rapidly evolving agricultural industry will strongly impact the implementation of conservation programs in the United States. The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is the nation’s largest and most successful
The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the U.S. Department of Energy announced an estimated $3 billion for the development of renewable energy projects around the country and made available the guidance businesses will need to submit a successful application.
by Mike Stark (AP, MSNBC) In December, DARPA awarded a $20 million contract to General Atomics and a $15 million contract to Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), two San Diego-based research companies. The contracts ask the companies to find a biofuel
Seambiotic, a global leader in the development and production of marine microalgae for the nutraceutical and biofuel industries, has announced that its U.S. subsidiary, Seambiotic USA, has entered into an agreement with NASA Glenn Research Center to develop an on-going
EPA is extending the comment period for the proposed rule "Regulation of Fuels and Fuel Additives: Changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard Program." Under the Federal Register Notice, published May 26, 2009. the public comment period was set to end
"Without overcoming biomass recalcitrance, cellulosic biofuels will be more expensive than corn biofuels. Improved sugar conversion is not enough." From the presentation by Martin Keller, Ph.D., Director of the BioEnergy Science Center describing the efforts of the 304 people in
The US Department of Agriculture announced a Notice of Funding Availability to make payments to eligible biorefineries to encourage the use of renewable biomass as a replacement fuel source for fossil fuels used to provide process heat or power in
"The President has been very, very clear about this. He wants the biofuel industry to take hold in this country. He wants us to break our addiction to foreign oil. The only way we can do that is by producing
EPA is granting California’s waiver request enabling the state to enforce its greenhouse gas emissions standards for new motor vehicles, beginning with the current model year. ... The first California waiver request was made in December 2005 and was subsequently
by Doug Dollemore, American Chemical Society Fast and green. That's what it takes to get to the winner's circle in a new type of auto racing. Called green racing, it's a meshing of the fast and furious world of auto racing
by Bob Dinneen, Renewable Fuels Association It is troubling--and, at the same time, sadly amusing--that an enterprising reporter at USA Today has done more homework on the possible indirect effects of increased renewable electricity generation than scores of analysts at
by Dr. Robert Wisner, Biofuels Economist, Ag Marketing Resource Center, Iowa State University The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 (1) requires a gradual increase in the volume of various kinds of biofuels to be blended with U.S. motor
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is issuing this RFI to solicit feedback on the Draft “National Algal Biofuels Technology Roadmap” Document. This Draft Roadmap was prepared by a working group commissioned by DOE. Feedback will be incorporated into the
In Washington, National Biodiesel Board public affairs heard Manning Feraci said that the EISA Act required the EPA to conduct a lifecycle analysis of biofuels as part of the Renewable Fuel Standard’s implementation, but said that “This does not require
Large uncertainties in calculating international land use change effects and associated greenhouse gas emissions remain in the Environmental Protection Agency's life cycle assessment of biofuels for the Renewable Fuel Standard. The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) today asked EPA to maintain
by Dan Looker. Talking to reporters, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) said he doubts that the final rule from the Environmental Protection Agency on a new renewable fuel standard will have the same use of indirect land use that
Being a standard-bearer requires heroic endeavors, and perhaps inevitably, epic miscalculations as well. This is the situation of the California Air Resources Board (ARB) in its recent announcement of the Low Carbon Fuel Standard for alternative fuels .” For so long the
Every spring, the US Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Biomass Program hosts a FREE 2-day conference and expo exploring biomass as an energy source. The Biomass Program works with industry, academia and national laboratory partners
Robert Kozak, Advanced Biofuels USA board member and president of Atlantic Biomass Conversions, Inc., has written to US Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu with suggestions for improving the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) with particular attention to the procedures
ARPA-E is a new organization within the Department of Energy (DOE), created specifically to foster research and development (R&D) of transformational energy-related technologies. ... ARPA-E was created to fund scientists and technologists taking immature technologies that promise to make a large
The deadline for applications submissions for this first solicitation for the Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E). ARPA-E has been extended to June 10. However, the deadline to obtain control number required to apply has not been extended. READ
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing revisions to the National Renewable Fuel Standard program (commonly known as the RFS program). Today’s proposed rule intends to address changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard program as required by the Energy Independence
Thoughts from Joanne Ivancic, Executive Director, Advanced Biofuels USA. There has been a lot of controversy about “indirect land use change” analysis related to figuring out how much greenhouse gas emissions result from the production of biofuels. Looking closely at
The 500+ page proposed renewable fuels greenhouse gas lifecycle rule released by EPA on May 5th and published in the Federal Register on May 26, 2009 (74 Fed. Reg. 24904) has been met with a hail storm of criticism from
On the NREL web site, visitors can find a map that plots locations of ethanol plants and alternative fuel stations, including propane, hydrogen, E85 ethanol blends and other alternative fuels. Link to Map Partial Instructions
EPA is extending the comment period related to a waiver application to increase the allowable ethanol content of gasoline to 15 volume percent. Under the Federal Register Notice, published April 21, 2009, the public comment period was set to end
I applaud your findings that CO2 is one of the 6 key contributors to air pollution and endangers public health and safety. I am also glad that the US Supreme Court ruled, in effect, that EPA now has the authority
On May 5, President Obama announced steps to further his Administration’s commitment to advance biofuels research and commercialization. Specifically, he signed a Presidential Directive establishing a Biofuels Interagency Working Group, announced additional Recovery Act funds for renewable fuel projects, and
Robert Kozak, Atlantic Biomass Conversions, Inc. and Advanced Biofuels USA board member: While the technical information submitted by EPA in support of this NPRM is probably adequate (using the quality of previously EPA submitted technical information on ozone standard setting as
There is a critically important need for our country to address global climate change and to reduce oil consumption. In this context, EPA and DOT currently intend to work in coordination to propose standards for control of emissions of greenhouse
President Obama today – for the first time in history – set in motion a new national policy aimed at both increasing fuel economy and reducing greenhouse gas pollution for all new cars and trucks sold in the United States.
Indian government-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) is tying up with US-based National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for a pilot project to produce second generation biofuel. This biofuel — essentailly bio-ethanol — would be produced from cellulosic biomass or degradable agricultural waste
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