(Neste Oil/Biodiesel Magazine) Over the past few years, Neste Oil has become the world’s largest producer of renewable fuels from waste and residues. In 2014, Neste Oil produced nearly 1.3 million tons (more than 420 million gallons) of renewable fuel
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) To make fuel, chemicals, fiber, food more productively than ever before — it starts in the field with the New Agriculture. Here’s what’s happening as Silicon Valley converges with Silicon Farm. ... Well, ultimately land productivity
by Ryan Crossingham (Farm & Ranch Guide) Corn futures have been stuck in a holding pattern according to Randy Martinson, Progressive Ag managing partner in West Fargo, N.D. “Basically we’ve been sideways,” he said. “It looks like corn is waiting for
by Aaren Gordon (Daily Comet) Construction has started on a $60 million plant in Raceland that will convert sugar cane waste into chemicals, sweeteners and biofuels by 2017. The project next to Raceland Raw Sugar Corp. along La. 182 is a
by Lynn Yarris (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) If advanced biofuels are to replace gasoline, diesel and jet fuel on a gallon-for-gallon basis at competitive pricing, we’re going to need a new generation of fuel crops – plants designed specifically to serve
(University of Nebraska-Lincoln) By relaxing a federal ethanol mandate, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency could have counteracted the impact of the 2012 drought on corn prices, a new study by UNL agricultural economists concludes. The study provides a guidepost for action
(Bellevue University/Algae Industry Magazine) Dr. John Kyndt and his student researchers, Suchita Shrestha and Adam Rawson, discussed their experiments using corn stover and algae to develop biofuel. WATCH VIDEO
by Isabel Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Canada, Steeper Energy has received a $3m grant from the Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) office. This funding is to be used for the development of an Industrial Scale Pilot Plant to commercialize its
(Genera Energy) Genera Energy Inc., a leading biomass supply company specializing in biomass feedstocks for advanced biobased industries, set new standards for efficiency with its recently completed harvests of miscanthus, switchgrass, and biomass sorghum. With this harvest, Genera continues to
(Bangor University) In a paper just released in the leading bioenergy journal Global Change Biology Bioenergy, researchers from Bangor University and the Thünen Institute in Germany conclude that crop-biogas and liquid biofuels are at best inefficient options for greenhouse gas
(Farm Futures) Models predict that miscanthus will have higher fuel yield and profit when compared to corn stover and switchgrass A recent study simulated a side-by-side comparison of the yields and costs of producing ethanol using miscanthus, switchgrass, and corn stover,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It’s New, it’s Neo — the neodiesel companies — brimming with technologies to create cleaner alternatives to a powerhouse fuel. They have the performance, half the carbon, and a range of low-cost feedstocks to choose
by George Lurie (The Business Journal NOW) ... Lower oil prices, (Brian) Thome (president and CEO of Edeniq) said, translate into “lower prices for ethanol too. That means margins for ethanol producers will be squeezed” — a scenario that plays right into
by Anna Simet (Biomass Magazine) The USDA has released the final rule for the Biomass Crop Assistance Program, and though the general scope of BCAP is not changing with the recently published rule, there are some key changes being made
(Philippine Information Agency) An alternative source that does not rely on fossil fuels was established in Infanta, Quezon to help supply the energy demand in rice and rice-based communities, Jan. 29. Located in Brgy. Binonoan, the bioethanol distillation facility produces energy
(SunHerald.com/Associated Press/Maui News) Hawaii's last sugar cane plantation wants to transition to growing plants for energy. But it hasn't found another crop that grows as well as sugar cane in a variety of soils or one that can stand up
(Renmatix/Total/PR Newswire) - Total invests in Renmatix – Takes equity and Board seat in Philadelphia based licensor of supercritical hydrolysis technology for conversion of biomass into economical cellulosic sugar -- Companies complete Joint Development Agreement to initiate distinct R&D
by Jennifer Runyon (RenewableEnergyWorld.com) ... Scott Chabina, a director with Carl Marks Advisors, is extremely bullish on the biofuels industry and is excited about what’s to come in 2015. Chabina — who said he hasn’t “had a single day where
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) In light of signs of a moderation in the long upward trend in commodity prices, and recurrent assignment of blame for food insecurity and high food prices to the emergence of biofuels markets, particularly
(Department of Energy) The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) released a report in January 2015 on the status of the non-starch ethanol and renewable hydrocarbon biofuels industry in the United States. The report, 2013 Survey of Non-Starch Ethanol and Renewable
by Anna Simet (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Abengoa’s biofuels segment experienced the best year in its history in 2014, company CEO Manuel Sánchez Ortega reported during the company’s 2014 fiscal year results, which can be largely attributed to very high margins
by David Shaffer (Star Tribune) As production plants have grown larger and more efficient, small, older ethanol plants risk being left behind. ... Most vintage ethanol plants, including Buffalo Lake, expanded over the years, but that isn’t always enough to stay competitive.
by Dan Morgan (Des Moines Register) ... President Barack Obama didn’t mention ethanol, biofuels, or agriculture in his State of the Union address, even as he boasted that the country was “number one in oil and gas.” Yet a thriving renewable
(Western Economic Diversification Canada/MarketWired) Biofuel producers in Western Canada will soon be able to purify and convert raw glycerol more cost-effectively thanks to an investment of $538,542, announced today by the Honourable Michelle Rempel, Minister of State for Western Economic
by Maxx Chatsko (Motley Fool) ... Yet, to date only three commercial scale cellulosic ethanol facilities have been built in the United States. Why aren't there more? The technology is more complicated than most think. The first facility, which churns out 25
by Nat Williams (AgriNews) The National Corn Growers Association is going into the gas pump business. The commodity group is working with service station chains and even manufacturers of pumps in order to expand sales of ethanol. Large ending stocks call for
(SeeNews Renewables) Guatemala's energy ministry presented on Wednesday a pilot plan to test ethanol in 25 vehicles and five motorcycles during four months. The government will use blends containing 5% and 10% of ethanol, supplied by local alcohol association APAG. The ethanol
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) USDA and DOE announced a raft of grant and loan opportunities and funded projects, many of them funded through the 2014 Farm Bill. On February 20, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE's) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO),
(Indonesia-Investments) Due to the Indonesian government’s plan to increase biofuel subsidies from IDR 1,500 per liter to IDR 4,000 per liter - in a move to protect the domestic biofuel industry - palm oil futures climbed the most in 28
(Purdue University) Using models that blend global economics, geography, ecology and environmental sciences is essential to understanding how changes in trade and natural systems in one part of the world affect those in another, a review concludes. Tom Hertel, distinguished professor
(Science Daily/University of California-Riverside) Researchers have invented a novel pretreatment technology that could cut the cost of biofuels production by about 30 percent or more by dramatically reducing the amount of enzymes needed to breakdown the raw materials that form
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On Feb. 26, Sens. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., introduced the Corn Ethanol Mandate Elimination Act of 2015. The bill, which is cosponsored by Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., aims to alter the
(Farm Futures) Bill to eliminate corn-based ethanol requirement of the Renewable Fuel Standard doesn't receive warm welcome from ethanol and ag groups. Calling it a "huge step backward" for energy independence, the National Corn Growers on Wednesday (February 4) made it
(Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA)) U.S. Senators Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) are working to repeal a law that drives up the cost of everything from gasoline to groceries. The Toomey-Feinstein Corn Ethanol Mandate Elimination Act of 2015, introduced today,
by Danny King (AutoBlog) Just 6 Percent of Euro Fuel Supply Can Come From Biofuel by 2020 European Parliament's Environment Committee voted Tuesday to put a cap on how much of the continent's fuel supply can come from so-called first-generation biofuels by
(Byogy/PR Newswire) Byogy Renewables, a biofuels producer based in San Jose, California, has executed a strategic partnership agreement with Gen 2 Energy, an alternative energy company from Ames, Iowa, to develop a more cost-effective biofuel production process. New yeast strains developed by
by A. Perez Rimando (Manila Standard Today) A P17 billion ethanol gas plant will soon be built by a consortium in the island barangays of Limaong and Tumitus here, first district Rep. Lilia Macrohon-Nuno said. Nuno said a group of investors from
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The first of the “2010-12 IPO kids” completes its transformation to a lively, product-driven commercial company with revenues in fragrances, emollients, solvents and fuels. In California, Amyris announced Q4 2014 revenues of $11.6 million and $43.3M
[caption id="attachment_59831" align="alignleft" width="300"] Renewable Fuels Association President, Bob Dinneen introduces NEC scholarship winner, Lais Thomaz at the National Ethanol Conference.[/caption] by Lais F. Thomaz* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Last week, from February 17 to 21, the 20th National Ethanol Conference "Going
by Jason Spiess (Fargo Business Examiner) Recently I sat down with Tom Lilja, executive director, North Dakota Corn Growers Association, to chew the fat on a variety of corn-themed energy and agriculture topics. ... "I think a lot of people just
Author, Dan Quadros, in Auburn, Alabama.by Danilo Gusmão de Quadros* (Advanced Biofuels USA) After two days (February 2-3, 2015) in “Sweet Home Alabama” at Auburn University, we got overwhelmed with the most recent discoveries of cutting-edge research that were presented
by Val Giddings (Information Technology and Innovation Foundation) Crops and foods improved through biotechnology, popularly known as “GMOs” (for “genetically modified organisms”) remain at the center of a maelstrom of conflicting claims and assertions. This is evident throughout all media, but especially
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In the world of aviation biofuels, the bands and the bunting are rolling out less frequently. But mostly, because the sector has moved out of a noise-filled early R&D phase and is heading towards deployment.
by Elmar Baumann (Association of German Biofuels Producers (VDB)/Euractiv) While the discussion hots up, there is good news for all those in favour of biodiesel and bioethanol as more scientific work on iLUC has been published. ILUC means that some of
by Don Davis (Daily Globe) Minnesota farmers want state leaders to help them expand to new markets. They are ready to enter a new era of producing crops that can be made into products ranging from rope to ink, but
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) Though real-world data suggest biofuel production has not led to so-called indirect land-use change, the California Air Resources Board, or CARB, continues to see ILUC as a vital part of its low-carbon fuel standard. The state's
by Robert Zullo (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) Pittsburgh is looking to add new fuel systems to 20 trucks in the Department of Public Works that will allow the engines to run on biofuel as well as traditional fuel, reducing emissions and expenses. Legislation
(Jakarta Post) The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) is warning that the government’s policy to shift subsidies from fossil fuels to palm oil-based biofuel will only accelerate deforestation in this country. “Shifting subsidies to land-based biofuel will worsen deforestation that
by Arthur Neslen (The Guardian) Advanced biofuels industry could spur hundreds of thousands of jobs across Europe, says new report, but key European parliament vote next week could throw clean fuel ambitions into disarray Creating biofuels from waste produced by industry,
by Maxx Chatsko (Motley Fool) While the most arguments typically center on the "food vs. fuel" debate, most corn produced in the United States never actually becomes food. Consider that 44% of last year's harvest went to animal feed, another
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The International Renewable Energy Agency has published a report that highlights the realistic potential for higher renewable uptake in all sectors of the U.S. energy system, including power, industry, building and the transportation sector. The
(Bio-Process Innovation Inc./Ethanol Producer Magazine) Bio-Process Innovation Inc. has announced the completion of the construction of its 1-ton pilot plant and successful operation of its low temperature steep delignification (LTSD) pretreatment process at its pilot facility in Otterbein, Indiana. The
by J. Paul Lilly (North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services) In order to understand both agriculture and forestry as they are today, I believe we need to know what they have evolved from. Thomas Isern, Professor of History
by Thomas N. Thompson (Biofuels Digest/U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), Washington) ... This superb collection of essays shows that Latin America is emerging as a major global producer of biofuels as countries across the region seek to leverage competitive advantages like vast
by Chris Woolston (Bioenergy Connection) With its crown of pink blossoms, the humble seashore mallow may look unassuming, even delicate. But when it comes to brutal environments, this seaside shrub is no pushover. Seashore Mallow can survive one drought after
by Vonnie Estes (Biofuels Digest) ... AgTech did not receive much attention from venture capital prior to 2012. Investment in 2012 was around $150M – and then it exploded to $1.8 B in 2014. Investment momentum is continuing into 2015. Much
by Chris Woolston (Bioenergy Connection) In 1903, the year that the Wright Brothers made their first flight at Kitty Hawk, another world-changing innovation took place in Brazil. That year, Brazil’s First National Congress of Industrial Applications of Alcohol recommended large-scale
[caption id="attachment_59604" align="alignleft" width="300"] "The Cellulosic Biofuels Odyssey," artwork by David R. Dudley; concept by Heather Youngs, Susan Jenkins, and David Dudley.[/caption] by Greg Breining (Bioenergy Connection) When Bioenergy Connection first covered the progress to commercial cellulosic ethanol in 2011, a dozen
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ten more corn ethanol plants were approved through the U.S. EPA’s efficient producer petition process (EP3) at the end of January, bringing the total to 19. The first round of nine approvals were announced in
(ICM, Inc.) ICM, Inc. is pleased to announce that Kansas Ethanol LLC, of Lyons, Kansas, has signed an agreement for purchase, license to operate, and full-scale installation of ICM’s patent-pending Fiber Separation Technology™. FST™ is a value-added platform technology that removes
(Government of Canada) The Government of Canada is making an investment of $3.7 million to help Integrated Grain Processors Cooperative (IGPC) Ethanol Inc. install Canada's first Fiber Separation Technology™ (FST) system to help boost production through operational efficiencies. This investment will
(Daily Express) Kota Kinabalu: A biofuel expert based in China has identified Sabah as a suitable location for planting sweet sorghum that can produce biofuel. Minister of Special Tasks Datuk Teo Chee Kang recently met with Shi-Zhong Li, the executive
by Eduardo Porter (The New York Times) Does combating climate change require burning the world’s forests and crops for fuel? ... Absent a big increase in bioenergy supplies, the climate change panel’s analysis reported, it would cost about two-thirds more, on
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, a new UC Berkeley study shows that if biomass electricity production is combined with carbon capture and sequestration in the western United States, by 2050 power generators could reduce emissions up to 145
by Dennis O'brien And Sharon Durham (Phys.Org) ... It is drought tolerant, can thrive in poor soils, requires little or no fertilizer, and will grow in a wide range of temperatures and altitudes. Sorghum grain is used in breakfast cereals, in
by Claire-Ann M. C. Feliciano (Business World) The National Biofuels Board (NBB) has tapped an institution within the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) to evaluate the impact of increasing the alternative-fuel content of the biodiesel blend to 5% from
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Have low gas prices changed the equation for drivers looking to reduce pain at the pump? Who’s the best on cost? And, is there surprising news on emissions? ... We looked at a couple of good data
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) How does the biofuels industry move from its roots in first-gen corn starch or cane sugar fermentation towards diversified products, more capacity and distribution, and new inputs like cellulosics? How are the economics now — and
by Wally Tyner (The Conversation/Purdue University) ... One challenge to commercializing biofuel made from non-food sources — called cellulosic biofuels — has been cost. Unlike ethanol made from corn, cellulosic biofuels are made from the inedible parts of plants or organic materials,
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) In the World Resources Institute (WRI) working paper, “Avoiding Bioenergy Competition for Food Crops and Land,” the authors work off the assumption that land-use decisions are used making an “either-or” approach, i.e., land can either
(Mid-Day) Kochi: Scientists who have been running the four-stroke diesel engine of a light pick-up truck on coconut oil for the past one year have approached the union government to commercialise the biofuel. The scientists are attached to the Kochi-based
by Chris Fleisher (Trib Total Media) Last fall, Ed Vescovi planned to restart a dormant biodiesel plant in Beaver County. The market for biofuel was shaky. But a new owner, Weavertown Environmental, pledged to get the plant going after purchasing
(Science Daily) Nearly all of the studies used to promote biofuels as climate-friendly alternatives to petroleum fuels are flawed and need to be redone, according to a researcher who reviewed more than 100 papers published over more than two decades. Once
by Denise Attaway (Louisiana State University) LSU AgCenter researchers continue to evaluate energycane varieties planted in north Louisiana as a possible new crop for producers to grow as a biofuel feedstock. About 1,000 experimental varieties of energycane were planted at the LSU
by Tamar Haspel (The Washington Post) ...It’s crop-neutral insurance. But, dull as it sounds, it might be the key to getting our agriculture policy more in line with public health priorities. That goal is getting some attention. There’s broad-based discontent with the
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy has published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the availability of the Engineered High Energy Crop (EHEC) Programs Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
(NEWBio) Five cooperative projects have been funded that advance NEWBio goals and fill in key knowledge gaps related to bioenergy crop expansion in the Northeast U.S: Abandoned Ag. Lands in the Northeast U.S.: A GIS-based Analysis of Estimates, Causes, and Envisioned
(Renewable Fuels Association) Today (January 30, 2015), the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) criticized a new report by World Resources Institute (WRI) for its false data on the environmental and land use impacts of biofuels. The report titled, ‘Avoiding Bioenergy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) 4 weeks past the helter-skelter Oil Crash, as prices plateau for now (and maybe for the long term) — what have we learned about energy markets in the Age of Alternatives? ... When prices respond vigorously to very
(Union of Concerned Scientists) A report from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) finds that reducing emissions from the land sector must be part of a global climate solution in order to close the “emissions gap,” the difference between the
(EurekAlert!) The efficient production of both biofuel and animal feed from 1 crop is now possible, and can be done on a farm without the need for off-site processes The efficient production of both biofuel and animal feed from one crop is
(Farming Life) Crop based biofuels are vital for animal feed, the environment, jobs and fuel, according to Copa-Cocega General Secretary Pekka Pesonen. Speaking at the recent ‘Fuels for the Future’ conference in Berlin, he added that the EU must not limit
(Hindustan Times) Punjab would soon sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with partner companies to set up Asia's first bio-ethanol manufacturing and refining unit with a design capacity of 60,000 tonnes of cellulosic ethanol per year (75 million litres per
(LANXESS) Specialty chemicals company LANXESS Corporation has added two new highly concentrated antioxidants to its existing range of biodiesel stabilizers. The new products – Baynox Ultra and Baynox Cargo – will be introduced to the U.S. market at the National
(25x'25) A report released today by the World Resources Institute would seem to demonstrate the old adage: "The more things change, the more they stay the same." The "change" in this instance is a massive amount of research showing the
(The National Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) ... NBB recognizes the 2015 “Eye on Biodiesel” award winners this week. The honorees are: Innovation Tom Butcher, Brookhaven National Laboratory. Brookhaven National Laboratory is one of the premier U.S. DOE national laboratories and the leading technical institution for
by Olivia Midgley (Farmers Guardian) Sustainable biofuel production can offer additional incomes for farmers as well as helping to achieve energy security, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) chief has said. Speaking at the Global Forum for Food and
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) A report recently filed with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service’s Global Information Network shows that China’s biodiesel production grew last year, reaching an estimated 1.13 billion liters (298.5 million gallons), up 5 percent from 2013.
(The European Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) On the occasion of a high-level policy conference in Brussels organized by the biodiesel supply chain, prominent researchers have underlined the benefits of biodiesel as well as their reservations regarding the readiness of the ILUC
By Melody M. Bomgardner (Chemical and Engineering News) For years, industrial biotech companies have sought to make renewable chemicals by repurposing the corn fermentation capabilities of underutilized fuel ethanol plants. As recent news from two firms pursuing renewable butanol shows,
by Jim Offner (WCFCourier.com) ... “With crop prices going down, we think leases are going to have to start being adjustable and they’re going to have to lower land prices and lower rent prices, and that’s coming in the next couple
(National Biodiesel Board) EPA to Fast-Track Argentinian Biodiesel by Easing Sustainability Requirements The National Biodiesel Board on Tuesday sharply criticized a decision by the EPA to allow streamlined Argentinian biodiesel imports to the U.S. under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). “This decision
By Melody M. Bomgardner (Chemical and Engineering News) For years, industrial biotech companies have sought to make renewable chemicals by repurposing the corn fermentation capabilities of underutilized fuel ethanol plants. As recent news from two firms pursuing renewable butanol shows,
by Jim Offner (WCFCourier.com) ... “With crop prices going down, we think leases are going to have to start being adjustable and they’re going to have to lower land prices and lower rent prices, and that’s coming in the next couple
by Robert E. Kozak* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Imagine if you will a country with two natural resource industries. Both produce high demand products. One is the lowest priced producer on the planet and is able to sustain output from their
(Masdar Institute) Research puts UAE at forefront of global movement to create sustainable, alternative fuels that do not compete with food production Based on ground-breaking research at the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, the Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium (SBRC) today
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) New technologies, new markets, new research and most of the same policy challenges, as we look at the 14 top trends for 2015. ... 1. Falling oil prices – what’s the impact? The headlines in recent months
by Anindita Dey (Business Standard) The department calls meet to gather information on number of sugar mills supplying ethanol and supply position of ethanol blending programme The department of food has asked all sugar mills to expedite supply of ethanol to the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Pyromania! Anellotech lands key European partners to commercialize its pyrolysis-based pathway to high-value renewable BTX chemicals. In New York, Anellotech, IFP Energies nouvelles and its subsidiary Axens have announced a strategic alliance to develop and commercialize
by Tom Bryan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) After halting distillers grains imports late last year, the world's top DDGS buyer is poised to resume business, but on what terms? The prospect of China reissuing distillers grains import permits bodes well for the
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Grains Council is teaming up with Growth Energy, the Renewable Fuels Association and the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service on a new four-way partnership in ethanol export market development. There’s a big difference
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The complete details on BP’s exit and the considerable physical and intellectual assets available for acquisition, in part or in whole. As BP continues to reel from its oil leak capital calls and the impact
(Bernama) A total of 366 petrol kiosks in Sarawak, Sabah and Labuan will be selling B7 palm oil biodiesel from the end of this month, Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said. He said the environmentally friendly
by Amanda Peterka (E&E Publishing / Greenwire) Bioenergy production would boom and spur steep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions if a global price is slapped on carbon, Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers say in a report released today. Examining bioenergy production
(Environmental and Energy Study Insitute) On January 16, Sens. Feinstein (D-CA) and Toomey (R-PA) floated an amendment to the Keystone XL pipeline bill, the ‘Corn Ethanol Mandate Elimination Act of 2015,’ that would remove corn ethanol from the Renewable Fuel
by Keith Campbell (Engineering News) On October 19, 2004, the world’s first exclusively biofuel powered production aircraft received its certification, allowing it to be flown operationally. That aircraft was (and is) the Neiva (now Embraer) EMB-202A Ipanema crop duster. This
(WebWire) To aid U.S. policymakers and other stakeholders who make decisions about the nation’s food system, a new report from the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council offers a framework for assessing the health, environmental, social, and economic effects
by Greg Cunningham (Argonne National Laboratory) A new version of an online tool created by the US Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory will help biofuels developers gain a detailed understanding of water consumption of various types of feedstocks, aiding
(Boeing) Collaboration supports Brazil’s role in developing sustainable biofuel, helps meet aviation’s environmental goals. Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Embraer [BM&FBOVESPA: EMBR3, NYSE: ERJ] today opened a joint sustainable aviation biofuel research center in a collaborative effort to further establish
(AllAfrica) The Zanu-PF leadership here has given the Zimbabwe Bio-Energy the green light to set up a US$500 million ethanol plant at Nuanetsi Ranch in Mwenezi in a development expected to help the province attain targets set under Zim-Asset. The proposed
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As the specter of falling oil prices spooks the sector, here’s good news from the Land of ILUC — a shocker study pointing a way towards mitigating or eliminating that infamous scourge of carbon-scoring for
by Bill Scanlon (National Renewable Energy Laboratory/Renewable Energy World) Scientists at the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have developed an enzyme that could change the economics of biofuel conversion by converting biomass to sugars up to 14 times
by Michel Rose, Gus Trompiz, Barbara Lewis (Reuters) France's increased limit on food-based biofuels in transport fuel could raise logistic and supply costs as it threatens to split the European single market for fuels, lobby groups for the car and oil
(Farmers.com/Cellulosic Sugar Producers Co-operative) A group of Ontario farmers have a plan to convert crop residue into cellulosic sugar to help fuel the province’s bioeconomy. Based in Sarnia, the Cellulosic Sugar Producers Co-operative (CSPC) will work to develop a market
(WTOC 11/Associated Press) ... Commercial production at Center Alternative Energy Co. is expected to begin within two weeks, deriving biodiesel from soybean oil, said John Samsel, the company's president. Biodiesel burns cleaner than traditional diesel and also provides extra lubrication that
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Oil prices continue to show incredible volatility. $106 in June, $50 today. Which biofuels ventures have the pro-formas to make money in a tough market? The Digest investigates. ... Avello Bioenergy Cost: $57.50 per barrel (gasoline, diesel) Stage: Preparing for
(U.S. Department of Energy/Breaking Energy) America is the largest biofuels producer in the world — accounting for 48 percent of global output. To remain the global industry leader, the Energy Department is investing in projects that address critical barriers to
(German Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants/google translation) "The course for a true inventory of hedging existing biofuels industry after 2020 must be made now." The European biofuel industry must be able to evolve from 7% based on
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Food vs Fuel, emissions, cost competitiveness, and RINsanity. Some of the most unfair bricks hurled at corn starch-based ethanol — and here’s why. ... In the field of renewable fuels, there’s no technology that’s done more
(North Dakota State University/Biomass Magazine) A technology developed at North Dakota State University creates precise in-the-ground measurement and monitoring of soil and crop conditions, which could provide opportunities for greater yields. The technology also has led to a new start-up
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) On Jan. 8, Gevo Inc. issued an update of operations at its Luverne, Minnesota, plant, reporting that the facility produced more than 50,000 gallons of biobased isobutanol in December. The company also recently announced the
(AgriMoney.com) The United Nations highlighted the vulnerability of agricultural commodity values to the weakness in crude oil markets as it revealed a drop in food prices to a four-year low, led by declines in sugar – one of the main
(Governors' Biofuels Coalition/Ethanol Across America) Innovations in conversion technology and energy use at ethanol facilities, coupled with enhanced efficiency fertilizers and corn production management have resulted in corn ethanol being significantly shortchanged in its value to reduce carbon emissions, according
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As a newly-closed venture fund opens for business with a distinctly Malaysian flavor, we look at the state of venture capital and the new role of integrated sovereign investment. From California and Malaysia comes the news
by Mario Parker (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) The biggest plunge in U.S. gasoline prices since 2008 is slowing as higher ethanol boosts the cost to make the motor fuel. Ethanol futures surpassed gasoline last month for the first time since March. Faced with
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The E2 report is something of a hybrid — for one, it includes actual biodiesel production, but in the case of other fuels, it reports production capacity rather than production, and includes projects which are
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ethanol Producer Magazine digs into the details of ethanol production in Iowa and how the industry got started. When Jerry Mohr, president of the Iowa Corn Growers Association board of directors, talks to politicians, he
by George Styllis and Ouch Sony (The Cambodian Daily) The first shipment of cassava in a major deal between a subsidiary of Chinese biofuel firm Henan Tianguan Group and a Cambodian logistics company left Cambodia on Friday, according to the
by Mateusz Perkowski (Capital Press) Ceres Inc. has developed a biotech variety of sorghum for ethanol production but USDA is thinking of regulating it as a noxious weed. Genetically modified sorghum used for ethanol production doesn’t fall under USDA’s biotechnology regulations, but
(Praj/PR NewsWire/CNBC) Sustainable Technology resulting in generation of 50-60% power requirement through captive cogen unit; Employs Praj's latest ECOSMART technology for multi-product distillery producing fuel ethanol as well as premium grade beverage alcohol; Biocompost from the plant to be used
by Sena Christian (EarthIsland.org) For a long time it seemed like turning the inedible parts of plants into a commercially viable biofuel, known as cellulosic ethanol, was nothing more than a pipedream. The enzymes needed to release sugars from cellulose
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA is accepting public comments on its preliminary analysis of the lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the growth and transport of biomass sorghum for use as biofuel feedstock through Jan.
by Virginia France (Portalnoar/google translation) The factory, located in Guamaré functioned as technological basis of Petrobras Biofuel and will begin operations for the commercial segment The Rio Grande do Norte won the first biodiesel plant. With investments over $ 5 million from
by Daniel Ryntjes (CCTV America) A U.S biotechnology company is pioneering tobacco as a renewable biofuel crop. Unlike most bio-tech firms, Tyton BioEnergy Systems is not working in a science park close to a university. Instead it’s chosen to locate
(Fars News) Iranian researchers from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad succeeded in the production of biodiesel fuel from soya oil to reduce pollutions caused by fossil fuels. They have suggested a nanocatalyst that facilitates and speeds up the synthesis process. ... The production
by Floro Mercene (Tempo) The town of Mihama in Mie Prefecture, Japan, is known as “the town where you can pick Mikan (Mandarin oranges) all year long. The mikan is the most popular fruit in winter in Japan. It has
(University of Arkansas at Little Rock/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Arkansas Science and Technology Authority has approved grant funding for a UALR biology professor who says nanomaterials could increase the germination rate and biomass yield of bioenergy crops. Mariya Khodakovskaya, associate professor
by Isabel Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Massachusetts, new research may advance our understanding of “how the relative proportions of biopolymers,” like lignin, “are controlled in plant tissue”. The study, led by Sam Hazen at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, was
by Rajeev Jayaswal & Madhvi Sally (Economic Times) The battle for alcohol between the liquor industry and oil companies is likely to end. The government plans to allow petrol blending with ethanol produced from non-edible plants. Currently, ethanol produced from sugarcane
by Ahmed Tafesh (TransBiodiesel/Biodiesel Magazine) TransBiodiesel supplies its flagship product to the biodiesel production industry under the brand name TransZyme A, providing the best use cost when dealing with high-FFA feedstock, delivering greater yields and efficiencies to biodiesel producers. TransBiodiesel entered the
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) ... Even so-called conventional chemical processing is riddled with original approaches and unique twists. A cookie-cutter industry biodiesel is not. While too many technologies exist in this field to report on, Biodiesel Magazineoffers an overview of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Bunnies, liposuction fat, Prince Charles’ leftover wine, day-old whale, the human poo bus, fire ants dipped in hexane, old beer, raging fireballs, vibrating blobs, dope, and even the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Take your pick and,
by Nick Miroff (The Washington Post) Long before the massacre, when Mapiripan was just a faraway little place not worth fighting for, Aida Gordilla and her family came to the wide-open grasslands outside town and fenced off a homestead. They
by Sean Ellis (Capital Press) The head of a proposed ethanol and food-processing facility near Greenleaf, Idaho, says the plant would purchase $26 million worth of farm commodities from Idaho farmers each year. He also says it would be the
by Andy Eubank (Hoosier Ag Today) This year has been one of both good news and bad news for the ethanol industry. Renewable Fuels Association CEO Bob Dinneen says there was enough positive happening to call this an extraordinarily exciting
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) USDA long-term projections call for slightly lower corn acres to be planted over the next decade while corn yields steadily climb. The USDA will release the complete long-term supply, use and prices projections
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The sale of Central MN Ethanol Co-op, a 21 MMgy corn-ethanol plant in Little Falls, Minnesota, closed on Dec. 23. Green Biologics Inc. plans to continue ethanol production until sometime in 2016, when it
by Henry C. Jackson (Capital Press/Associated Press) The refinery in Hugoton, Kan., built by Seville, Spain-based Abengoa, is the largest cellulosic biorefinery in the world. At the RV Park he owns in a remote corner of southwestern Kansas, Jan Leonard is
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It’s the world’s first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol facility utilizing (waste) sugarcane bagasse as a feedstock. And the first of what Raizen says will be a network of seven full commercial-scale plants. What does it
(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) In January 2012, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published an analysis of the life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with palm oil–based biodiesel and renewable diesel. The results of the analysis indicate that, when compared with the
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