by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...There’s a rumor going around the biofuels and biomaterials business that today represents one of the most difficult periods to raise capital. Apparently, the rumors did not reach ZeaChem, Chromatin or Synthetic Genomics, which this
by Deanna Lush (Stock Journal) ...As part of the study, former University of Guelph, Ontario, professor of crop science Terry Daynard compared grain supply and prices from the 1970s - where biofuel production was not an issue - and more
(Proactive Investors Australia) Biofuels company Mission NewEnergy has become the first commercial scale provider of Jatropha in the world to receive International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) for its Jatropha contract farming model. ...To qualify for ISCC certification, companies must meet strict
by Alex Morales (Bloomberg) Cellulosic ethanol output may surge starting in 2013, when the first commercial-scale plants “open the floodgates” for the fuel, according to the largest U.S. corn-based biofuel producer. Poet LLC plans to start production in 2013 at a
(Cobalt) Cobalt Technologies, a leading developer of next generation bio-based chemicals and Rhodia, a specialty chemical company, today announced the execution of a Memorandum of Understanding setting the basis for a strategic alliance to develop bio n-butanol refineries throughout Latin
(Amyris) Two Million Ton Sugarcane Crush Capacity to be added in Brazil for High-Performance Renewable Chemicals and Fuels Amyris, Inc. and ETH Bioenergia, a leading producer of ethanol, electric energy and sugar controlled by Odebrecht S.A., have signed a memorandum of
(The Nation) The project, involving King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, the Industry Ministry's Department of Industrial Promotion and 10 other public- and private-sector agencies, was sponsored by the Energy Conservation Promotion Fund. The aim is to reduce diesel usage by
(Le Monde) Dans de vastes hangars sont stockés des bottes de paille, des tiges de miscanthus (sorte de roseau parfois appelé "herbe à éléphant"), des rondins de saule et de peuplier. D'autres bâtiments sont réservés aux copeaux et résidus de
(Harvard Science) Chris Somerville, director of the Energy Biosciences Institute, said global biofuels are already mainstream, with ethanol from corn totaling 13 to 14 billion gallons annually in the United States, or about 10 percent of gasoline use. In Brazil, it
(Argus Media) Spain's Abengoa is building a 70mn l/yr (1,200 b/d) ethanol plant in Uruguay under a $120mn contract with ALUR, which is 90pc owned by the country's state-controlled energy company Ancap. The plant, to be located in Paysandu department in
by Dr. Carl Kukkonen (Viaspace) At the September 2011 Biorefining Conference,Dr. Kukkonen spoke about the properties of Giant King Grass. -- Giant King Grass is the lowest cost cellulosic feedstock for a biorefinery -- Co-location of biorefinery with Giant King Grass plantation greatly simplifies
by Stephan Nielsen (Bloomberg) Monsanto Co., the world’s largest seed company, will sell enough sweet sorghum for 20,000 hectares (49,400 acres) of plantations in Brazil this year as sugar cane mills struggle to meet demand for ethanol and are seeking
by Dennis Picco (Esse Community) Up to 250 jobs are expected to be created in Kayunga District, Uganda, after the launch of the Sweet Sorghum Energy Plant. The plant will use sweet sorghum stems as the primary raw material. The $30m (Shs78b)
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Copenhagen this week, a coalition of companies and associations involved in aviation biofuels made a strong case for the sector not only as a quick win for biofuels, but as a quick win for
by Alex Morales (Bloomberg) Mutant maize genes can be inserted into switch grasses to increase their viability as a biofuel crop, according to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Transferring the so-called CG1 corn gene into switch
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...ILUC mitigation practices identified by Ernst & Young include the development of advanced generation biofuels, improvements to crop yields on existing agricultural land, the use of co-products for animal feed purposes, and crop production on
(EnvironmentalResearchWeb.org) A global map that identifies areas of low-yielding biofuel crops whose productivity could be increased through intensification has been produced by researchers in the US. ..."The US biofuels target for 2022 is 136 billion litres," Matt Johnston, from the University of
Neal St. Anthony (Star Tribune) ...Two years ago, McNeff's family-owned Anoka company inaugurated a $9 million plant in Isanti, Minn., that produces 3 million gallons annually of biodiesel made from used cooking oil. The approach is based on a discovery
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Susan Ellerbusch: Now, at BP there are dozens of BP people who are experts in growing crops design, farm logistics. We are building an agriculture team after having acquired the biotech parts. ...Yes, every move
by Jim Sturdevant (POET) POET indicates that bioenergy provides a boost to rural economies and creates/saves jobs today. It mitigates costs of imported oil; consequently, the majority of jobs would not be outsourced. Bioenergy reduces environmental impacts of continued use
by Finnigan Wa Simbeye (AllAfrica.com) An ambitious biodiesel project which was allocated over 8,000 hectares of land by Kisarawe district officials in 2008 is in trouble. Employees and casual workers of Sun Biofuels Plc, told Business Standard last weekend that work
by Charlie Dunmore (Reuters) European bioethanol producers have broken ranks and urged EU policymakers to introduce rules on the indirect climate impacts of biofuels that distinguish between "good and bad biofuel pathways," Reuters has learned. ...In a letter to the
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) Louisiana State University is getting $17 million from USDA to study how to turn sugar cane and sorghum into biofuels. The project is one of the five announced yesterday by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, focused on developing aviation biofuels
(PR NewsWire/SarTec) SarTec Corporation announced today it has received a $500,000 Department of Energy grant (Award # DE-EE0003127) as part of a larger project to develop and enhance the use of inedible energy crops for the production of advanced biofuels using the patented Mcgyan®
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Pinal Energy LLC has constructed a pilot plant next to its 50 MMgy corn/milo ethanol plant in Maricopa, Ariz., to test sweet sorghum production processes. The project is a joint venture with the University of
by John Lourenze Poquiz (Mayaya Business Insight) The government is set to abandon its program of promoting jatropha as an alternative fuel source, an official said. Energy Secretary Jose Rena Almendras said the Philippine National Oil Co. Alternative Fuels Corp. (PNOC-AFC),
by Duane Shimogawa (Pacific Business News) Hawaiian Electric Co. said Friday it was disappointed by the state Public Utilities Commission’s decision to deny its biofuel supply contract with Aina Koa Pono.The PUC said Thursday that the contract price for the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Canada, Agrisoma CEO Steve Fabijanski outlined his company’s plan to challenge canola for dominance in Canadian oilseed production with the introduction of carinata, which the company said could achieve up to 130 gallons per
(Agrimoney.com) D1 Oils put its hands up to out-of-pocket investors in jatropha, admitting that the once-lauded oilseed had been a "disappointment", as the group unveiled – yet another – strategy shift. Steven Rudofsky, the D1 Oils chairman, acknowledged that the oilseed, which a
(Biofuels Journal) Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) held an event Oct. 4 at its Toyota Biotechnology and Afforestation Laboratory in Aichi prefecture to showcase technologies developed there as part of its biotechnology and afforestation businesses. Technology on display included a newly developed yeast that
by Louise Downing (Bloomberg) The Spanish airline Iberia Lineas Aereas de Espana SA today flew the country’s first commercial flight, on an Airbus A320 from Madrid to Barcelona using a blend of fuel made from the inedible camelina plant. The fuel
(Naval Air Systems Command Public Affairs) The Navy reached a milestone in its quest to gain energy independence today, when an MQ-8B Fire Scout successfully flew the first unmanned biofueled flight at Webster Field in St. Inigoes, Md. The Unmanned
by Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine) For all the gripes, some government-backed programs are working ... (Founder of Westar Trade Resources, Cindy) Thyfault speaks with Biorefining Magazine about the programs that have worked to fund the economic needs of companies such as Coskata
(Department of Energy/ARPA-E) ARPA-E Projects in 25 States Will Accelerate Innovation in Clean Energy Technologies, Increase America's Competitiveness and Create Jobs Arun Majumdar, Director of the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), today announced 60 cutting-edge research projects aimed
(University of Tennessee) Center to coordinate woody biomass production and utilization studies The Center for Renewable Carbon, a program of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, has been named by the USDA as a recipient of one of five coordinated
(MarketWire) Oilseed producers can look forward to tapping into a new emerging industry with a study that will assess the feasibility of producing renewable bio-based jet fuel. Saskatoon – Humboldt Member of Parliament Brad Trost announced today an investment of
(US Department of Energy) Groundbreaking Cellulosic Ethanol Project Expected to Fund Over 300 Jobs and Build Nation’s Capacity for Cellulosic Ethanol Production U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced that the Department finalized a $132.4 million loan guarantee to Abengoa Bioenergy
(BusinessWire/Yahoo!Finance) Air Force Purchase is for Jet Engine Testing and Feasibility Flight Demonstration Gevo, Inc., a leading renewable chemicals and advanced biofuels company, received a $5 million grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the development of biojet
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) 30 billion gallons of aviation fuels demand, and Gevo’s got a technology to produce it, using retrofitted ethanol plants, and a path to fueling planes at parity with conventional jet fuel prices. Game-changer? ...Why are investors
(Platts) The use of molasses instead of sugar cane as feedstock for ethanol production could offer hope to ethanol producers in the Philippines as they struggle to cut production costs in a bid to compete with lower-priced imports, producers
by Phil Brasher (Des Moines Register) Researchers at Iowa State University have won a $25 million federal grant to figure out ways to make it economical for farmers in the region to grow switchgrass and other perennial crops for production
by Nigel Hunt and Ikuko Kurahone (Reuters) Major British independent oil firm Greenergy sees its future as an exploration company, but one that hunts for fuel in piles of stale pork pies and cakes rather than under the ground or from
by David R. Robbins and Stephen S. Tam (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Earth Sense Energy USA Inc.) Miscanthus x Giganteus (MxG) has great potential to become the energy crop of choice in the United States. It has been explored in Europe
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...According to the USDA, corn farmers produced an average yield of 152.8 bushels of corn per acre in 2010, up 30 percent from the average 20 years ago. Most markets for corn, such as
by Henry Wanyama (AllAfrica.com) Tana River councillors have asked the National Environmental Management Authority not to revoke a biofuel project licence in the area. Led by Tana River County Council chairman Salim Golo, they said they are happy with the
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced five major agricultural research projects today aimed at developing regional, renewable energy markets, generating rural jobs, and decreasing America's dependence on foreign oil. Altogether, the five-year program will deliver more than
(GMA News) By 2013, the country may start producing the first sweet sorghum-based bioethanol, the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) said Monday. According to the bureau, the Philippine National Oil Co.-Alternative Fuels Corp. (PNOC-AFC) is now in exploratory talks with the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...But underneath all the excitement, one feels just a little bit of desperation – oh, perhaps not just from these companies but their competitors. Everyone knows at some macro level that, while there are hundreds
by Carol Skewes (The Vindicator) A farm in Liberty County, Texas, has started growing energy grasses as part of a BP project to produce cellulosic ethanol. BP is planning to build a 70-million-gallon cellulosic-ethanol plant, which the company hopes would
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) The market for biodiesel-blended heating oil is growing swiftly as oilheat dealers look for ways to green their offerings and supply a product that offers comparable economic benefits to natural gas. The lack of proper
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) Vancouver-based Linnaeus Plant Sciences Inc. has been awarded $1.2 million from Sustainable Development Technology Canada, an arm’s length, nonprofit corporation created by the Government of Canada, to advance the production of camelina and safflower-based
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) The International Biorefining Conference & Trade Show in Houston wasn’t exclusively about biobased chemicals and next-gen biofuels. In fact, the event featured two speakers who presented novel biodiesel technologies that are on the verge of
(POET) POET closes on loan to keep construction on pace for 2013 plant start-up POET today (September 23, 2011) received final approval for a $105 million loan guarantee issued through the U.S. Department of Energy's Loan programs Office. The loan guarantee
by Marco Lagi, Yavni Bar-Yam, Karla Z. Bertrand, Yaneer Bar-Yam (Cornell University) Recent increases in basic food prices are severely impacting vulnerable populations worldwide. Proposed causes such as shortages of grain due to adverse weather, increasing meat consumption in China and India,
by Rob Merrick (The Northern Echo) Production at one of Europe's largest biofuel plants will soon be "up and running again" after the Government pledged to come to its rescue, an MP vowed yesterday. In May Ensus said it was temporarily
(EurekAlert!) The Fraunhofer Center for Systems Biotechnology is the first research center to be launched by the Fraunhofer Chile Research Foundation which was established on October 4, 2010. The research carried out at the new Center will benefit from and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Earlier this week in California, Constellation Energy and Chromatin announced a memorandum of understanding to supply of renewable sorghum grown specifically for use as fuel, to two of Constellation’s California power plants. In anticipation of this, Chromatin
(Neste Oil) Neste Oil has successfully started up Europe's largest renewable diesel plant in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Production of NExBTL renewable diesel at the new plant will be ramped up on a phased basis. The start-up is a significant
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Novozymes announced its investment in CleanStar Mozambique at the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting. CleanStar Mozambique, a company founded by Novozymes and CleanStar Ventures, will work with smallholder farmers to implement sustainable farming practices, create
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Like to quickly understand the surge in renewable chemicals and one of the hottest companies in the hottest sector of the bioconomy? Here’s our 10-minute version of the IPO from Elevance Renewable Sciences. Complete with the
Laurel Harmon (LanzaTech Inc.) LanzaTech, Inc., was founded in January 2005 by CSO Dr. Sean Simpson in New Zealand. Funds were mainly from New Zealand government US$ 10M, Khosla Ventures US$ 12M in 2007 and Qiming Ventures US$
by Jim Efstathiou Jr. (Bloomberg) The Obama administration, defying congressional Republicans after the failure of solar-panel maker Solyndra LLC, is working to award as much as $9.2 billion in government financing to renewable energy companies before a Sept. 30 deadline. ...Abengoa
by David Shaffer (Los Angeles Times) Across the nation, biodiesel plants have been restarting or ramping up production, spurred by a revived federal tax credit and renewable energy mandates. ...At least 52 of the nation's 170 biodiesel plants were idled last
by Shishir Prashant (Business Standard) Ruchi Soya, an oilseed company, with a Rs 13,000-crore turnover, wants to replicate the experiment done by New Zealand — of using biodiesel as an alternative green fuel from Jatropha plants, to successfully fly airplanes. For this
(ABC News) Pilbara biofuel producer ASHOIL says it is looking to double its production by next year. The subsidiary of the Ashburton Aboriginal Corporation turns waste cooking oil from Rio Tinto's mining camps into biodiesel for drill and blast operations at
by Dave Allport (Key.Aero/military) A US Navy EA-6B Prowler has made the type's first flight on a biofuel blend at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. An EA-6B Prowler successfully completed its inaugural biofuel flight at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, on September 16,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Intrigued by cellulosic ethanol and a new product called MGT, in Mascoma’s IPO? ...Mascoma Corporation announced that it has filed an S-1 registration statement relating to a proposed $100 million initial public offering. The number of
by Tom Shortell (LehighValleyLive.com) A New Jersey company is considering building a biorefinery in Plainfield Township that would convert tall grass and wood pellets into fuel, but no official plans have been submitted to the township. Primus Green Energy, based out of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) MOU covers feedstock readiness, sustainability, data sharing, fuels certification, plus development of new alternative fuel pathways in alcohol conversion, pyrolysis and synthetic biology. Is the agreement, driven by the private sector and formalized by government, a
by Tony C. Dreibus (Bloomberg) Brazil may need as much as $490 billion in investments to meet rising demand for sugar and ethanol, C. Czarnikow Sugar Futures Ltd. said in a report. Improved equipment and roads and increased growing area will be
By: Sarah Zielinski (Smithsonian Magazine) If one of the goals of growing plants for biofuel is to be kinder to the environment than you are by extracting oil from the earth, you wouldn’t want to plant anything that could be harmful to
(Citizen-Times.com) About 50 interested farmers, academics, and biofuels experts toured the five acres of energy crops under study at N.C. State University’s Mountain Research Horticultural Research Station Wednesday for the first Western North Carolina Bioenergy Field Day. Chris Sawyer, an organic
by Jeff Falk (University of Minnesota/Hutchinson Leader) New research published online this week in the journal Environmental Research Letters, by a team from the University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin, shows that closing agricultural “yield gaps” around the world
by James Kanter (New York Times) The European Union is overestimating the reductions in greenhouse gas emissions achieved through reliance on biofuels as a result of a “serious accounting error,” according to a draft opinion by an influential committee of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Hawaii goes all in on microalgae to provide fuel, food, fiber and power to grow its energy-starved Mid-Pacific economy and fit its environmental values ...Hawaii has no fossil fuel resources of its own. Not to mention
(MarketWatch/Mission NewEnergy) Mission NewEnergy Limited , a global provider of environmentally sustainable biofuels, has announced the in-house development of an improved palm oil supply chain process called "Mission g-Palm" that maximizes green house gas savings when producing g-Palm Biodiesel. Mission has
by John C.K. Daly (OilPrice.com/Clean Techies) ...According to PetroChina’s Petrochemical Research Institute deputy chief engineer Fu Xingguo, China is looking at generating 933,000 tons annually of fuel ethanol and 165,000 tons of biodiesel. According to Fu, China is looking to
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) The government of Fiji is working to encourage investment in its local biofuel industry. According to information released by the country’s Ministry of Information this month, there are many opportunities for investments in renewable energy within
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) Australia-based Jatenergy Ltd. recently announced that it has sold 200 metric tons crude jatropha oil at $1,000 per metric ton to Lufthansa, a Germany-based airline, for use in its long-term trial of renewable jet fuel.
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) Finnish renewable diesel producer Neste Oil has launched a joint algae research program with the Marine Research Centre at the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) in an effort to further expand its feedstock portfolio by potentially
by Mike Corn (The Hays Daily News) Leftover money from the federal Recovery Act will help pay for a project converting cattle manure to methane to help fuel the Western Plains Energy ethanol plant near Oakley. The Kansas Department of Commerce
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association) America’s ethanol producers are on pace to produce nearly 40 million metric tons of livestock feed in 2011 – a volume greater than all the corn used on cattle feedlots all across the country.
(AliphaJet) – AliphaJet, Inc. announced that the company has developed and successfully demonstrated a highly cost-effective catalytic method for making jet biofuel from renewable products such as plant and animal triglycerides and/or fatty acids. AliphaJet’s BoxCar™ catalytic de-oxygenation process significantly reduces capital and operating costs
(Agra-net.com) Carbon savings from biodiesel produced using imported palm oil are being deliberately underestimated by the EU, a researcher has claimed. Dr Gerot Pehnelt, a member of the academic advisory board to the European Forum for Sustainable Development (EFNE) - which lobbies on behalf
(The Daily News) THE government has been warned against allocating over 320,000 hectares of prime land in Rukwa Region to an American agro-firm, Agrisol Energy, which is seeking to undertake large scale commercial farming for food, livestock, and jatropha for
(SG Biofuels) SG Biofuels (SGB) today (September 13, 2011) announced it has teamed with JETBIO, leader of a multi-stakeholder initiative including Airbus, the Inter-American Development Bank, Bioventures Brasil, Rio Pardo Bioenergia, Air BP and TAM Airlines, to accelerate the production of
(Hawai'i Bioenergy) Hawaiian Electric Company and Hawai`i BioEnergy, LLC have agreed on a contract for a supply of 10 million gallons per year of locally grown and processed biofuel for power generation at Hawaiian Electric’s Kahe Generating Station. The contract now goes to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...But a handful of companies such as Cobalt, Gevo, Terrabon, LanzaTech and ZeaChem, are shaking up the emerging aviation biofuels markets by developing renewable aviation fuels from ethanol and/or biobutanol. ...“An alcohol molecule, looking at it
by Ann Perry (US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service) A commercial enzyme could reduce overall costs linked with producing ethanol from grain, and also reduce associated emissions of greenhouse gases, according to a study by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
by Joao Peixe (OilPrice.com) Australia’s Jatenergy Limited energy company is to provide crude jatropha oil to Lufthansa for flight trials. The Lufthansa tests are the world’s first, long-term trial of renewable jet fuel and will be used on Lufthansa’s regularly scheduled
SEÁN Mac Connell (Irish Times) Ireland could be producing sugar and ethanol again when the European Commission ends its current quota system in 2016, the Agricultural Science Association annual conference in Maynooth heard yesterday. Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney said figures in
by Philip Brasher (Gannett/Des Moines Register) ...The industry likely stands a better chance of protecting the annual usage mandates, known as the Renewable Fuel Standard, from being weakened by livestock or environmental interests. “I don’t see that as an avenue
by Ross Boettcher (World-Herald/Omaha.com) A La Vista-based biofuels company Thursday proposed a $100 million project to build a biorenewable fuel refinery in Bellevue that could create at least 50 local jobs. The company, BioSyn Resources, wants to build a three-tiered refinery
(Science Daily) Measuring the emission of greenhouse gases from croplands should take into account the crops themselves. That's the conclusion of a study in the Sept.-Oct. issue of the Journal of Environmental Quality, which examined the impact of farm practices such
Monica Von Dobeneck (The Patriot-News /PennLive.c0m) Ben Wooten is doubling his workforce, quadrupling his space and increasing his production tenfold at his Keystone BioFuels in Lower Allen Twp. Not bad in a stagnant economy, he said. Wooten said government
(StreetInsider.com/AMG Bioenergy) AMG Bioenergy Resources Holdings Ltd., ... a Canadian publicly traded company, announces that it has incorporated AMG Bioenergy Plantations Co., Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary corporation incorporated under the laws of the People's Republic of China (the "Subsidiary"). The
(Embraer) Program benchmarks the performance of E-Jets and CF34-8E engines powered with sustainable HEFA biofuel Embraer and GE held a series of test flights this week (September 2, 2011), with an EMBRAER 170 jet flying from the Company’s Gavião Peixoto facilities.
by Matt Carr (Biotechnology Industry Organization). Matt Carr, Managing Director or BIO notes that in 2011, biofuels comprise about 10% of the US transportation fuel market; in 2025, biofuels will consist of around 25% of that market. Renewable chemicals and
(Radio Netherlands Worldwide) "Shell must leave our land... The companies must stop using indigenous land," said Ambrosio Vilhalva, a Guarani from the Caarapo municipality in the southern state of Mato Grosso do Sul. "We want justice, we want our land to
(Central America Data) The company Agro 2 has opened the first plant of its kind in Santiago, province of Veraguas. With an initial investment of $2 million the processing plant producing cassava-based ethanol will begin operations next week, as indicated by representatives
(Nature Canada) Nature Canada is concerned that a Canadian company – Bedford Biofuels – plans plans to set up a jatropha tree plantation in Kenya's Tana Delta, an area that provides refuge for 350 bird species. ...The latest news from our
by Jayashree Bhosale & Madhvi Sally (Economic Times) Sugar mills aren't keen on selling ethanol to petroleum marketing companies this year because the byproduct fetches more money if sold to the alcohol industry. The union government launched the ethanol-blending programme last
(POET) POET Biorefining -- Mitchell to cut even more water use Mitchell is layering another level of water recycling on top of its current system with a new process to use storm water from nearby retention ponds. The plant received approval last
(Clean Technology Business Review) Mission NewEnergy has signed a contract to supply sustainability-certified biodiesel to a global oil major. The six-month contract will begin in January 2012 and is expected to generate revenue in excess of $40m. Mission NewEnergy group CEO Nathan
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) ...We imagine “food vs fuel” in terms of grain shortages, but where food and fuel actually collide is on the global sugar markets. “While sugar is widely available in the west and its price
by Stephanie Dreyer (Growth Energy/Baltimore Sun) Letter to Editor: Karen Hosler's recent opinion piece calling for an end to ethanol subsidies ("End the ethanol charade," Aug. 30) uses sweeping generalizations that distort the truth about grain ethanol's role in fostering
(Metso) Metso has signed an agreement with Inbicon A/S of Denmark for the supply of technology capable of converting biomass into second generation fuel ethanol. The value of the agreement will not be disclosed. The agreement covers cooperation in designing and
(Business Review) EBRD is granting a EUR 30 million syndicated financing package to Expur S.A., a local oilseed processing company. Expur crushes rapeseed and sunflower seed, produces crude rapeseed oil, refined edible sunflower oil, as well as rapeseed meal, sunflower
by Leon Kaye (TriplePundit.com) ...This year, the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the long-form name for the Blue Angels, wowed visitors with their pilots’ stunts at the Patuxent Naval Air Station in southern Maryland over the weekend. Only this time, the weekend
(Trillium FiberFuels/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Trillium FiberFuels Inc. has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research grant to further its work in developing innovative technologies for creating fuel-grade ethanol from straw and other biomass. This latest award to Trillium from the
by Brian Wallheimer (Purdue University) Adding a pretreatment step would allow producers to get more ethanol from switchgrass harvested in the fall, according to a Purdue University study. Michael Ladisch, a distinguished professor of agricultural and biological engineering, and Youngmi Kim,
by Teis Jensen (Reuters) New consortium invests in feasibility study * Plans involve second-generation bioethanol plant * Plant could cost $390 million - $580 million Denmark's DONG Energy and local partners will explore the possibility of building a bioenergy complex, including a large-scale
by Ed Marcum (KnoxNews.com) The University of Tennessee showed off its biofuel facilities here Tuesday to top state officials as the school works to increase efficiencies so that the experimental project can become a commercial operation. Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and U.S. Sen.
by Steve Olson (California Agricultural Technology Institute/Western Farm Press/Fresno State University) A study indicates possibilities for new farming methods on the West Side of the San Joaquin Valley, which is challenged by selenium-laden irrigation effluent. One method of using excess selenium in
by Karen Hosler (The Baltimore Sun) Karen Hosler writes that the great environmental hope has been exposed as a hoax; conservation is a better bet than magic elixirs ...At best, ethanol enthusiasm has always been muted in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Elizabeth R. Nesbitt, Paul Thiers, Johnway Gao, Sharon Shoemaker, Manuel Garcia-Perez, Julie Carrier, Joy Doran-Peterson, John Morgan, Guangyi Wang, Pierre Christian Wensel, Shulin Chen (Journal of International Commerce and Economics) The Chinese government is vigorously promoting commercialization of renewable energy and bioproducts, given environmental issues plus food, energy, and national security concerns,
by Carla Gomez (Daily Star) San Carlos Bioenergy Inc. has resumed production of ethanol fuel and recently delivered 1.08 million liters to Petron, Arnel Amparo, its vice president for operations and resident manager, said last night. “We intend to produce ethanol
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Investors with an appetite for loss, common in wind projects, may be what's needed to see CHP take hold in the ethanol industry. ...using corn stover for biomass power and steam, selling the excess power
(U.S. Naval Air Systems Command) The Navy’s alternative energy program expanded yesterday when a T-45 training aircraft completed a successful biofuel flight at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. The “Salty Dogs” of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23
by Monika Bertzky, Valerie Kapos & Jörn P.W. Scharlemann (Joint Nature Conservation Committee) Inference from production statistics and modelling studies suggest that iLUC has occurred, is likely to increase with increasing demand for biofuels and needs to be considered when assessing the
by Stephen K. Ritter (Chemical & Engineering News) Bruce E. Dale often plays the role of devil's advocate not only against the rosy picture of biofuels painted by start-ups and trade associations but also against the gloom-and-doom message of some
(Voice of America) ... At Cork Street Tavern in Winchester, Virginia, kitchen manager Chris Bennett cooks his freshly-fried potato chips in canola oil from Shenandoah Agricultural Products, a small company just a few kilometers away. ... After the restaurant has fried
by Graham von Maltitz, William Stafford (Center for International Forestry Research) Sustainable biofuel production should provide opportunities for sub-Saharan African countries and their inhabitants, especially in impoverished rural areas. Biofuel feedstock production has the potential to bring job opportunities
by Mark Victoria (KTIV.com) ...Now after seeing profits, an expansion is in the works. "Each of the plants has seven fermenters which help in the ethanol making process. We're going to build an 8th, which will help again increase some of
by Bill Shea (The Messenger) Company leaders visit Webster County plant Trucks loaded with corn line up every day at the front gate of the Valero Renewables ethanol plant west of Fort Dodge, while at the opposite end of the facility
by John Daly (OilPrice.com) ...While it remains to be seen how the joint investments between the U.S. government and private sector will work in practice, the announcement nevertheless represents an unprecedented commitment by several federal departments to stimulate the production
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) America is home to the most innovative, productive and efficient ethanol and grain producers in the world. ...(T)he trend line for both industries is toward greater productivity utilizing fewer resources. When viewed as a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The National Corn Growers Association declares War on cellulosic biofuels, calling them “non-existent”, then mysteriously removes the blog post. What gives? Ten days ago, Cathryn Wojciki, communications manager for the National Corn Growers Association, wrote a
by Maria Gallucci (SolveClimate News) Chrysler's new partnership with cellulosic producer ZeaChem is part of the automaker's larger push to get E85 ethanol in its vehicles Last week, a Detroit Three automaker joined the handful of mostly oil companies that have
by Florentino Lopez (United Sorghum Checkoff Program/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...Just like our dedication in promoting grain sorghum for biofuels production, the Sorghum Checkoff is now looking to the future to find the most profitable possibilities for all sectors of the
by John Maday (Drovers CattleNetwork) This probably doesn’t surprise you, but growth in ethanol production since the year 2000 contributed to dramatic shifts in U.S. agricultural production, according to a new report from USDA’s Economic Research Service. The report, titled “The ethanol
(US Navy/Naval Air Systems Command) The Navy and Marine Corps team reached another milestone toward achieving the Secretary of the Navy’s energy goals by successfully flying a Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey on biofuel Aug. 10 at Naval Air Station
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) A new way to remove fiber from corn has been discovered by a professor from Mississippi State University (MSU). He calls his process Elusieve and has filed for a patent. The process was invented by Dr. Radhakrishnan Srinivasan
by Ismira Lutfia (Jakarta Globe) The millions of tons of fibrous residue produced by palm oil plantations across the country could soon become a major source of raw material for renewable fuel. Over the past year, scientists from the Indonesian
by Jerry Hagstrom (AgWeek) Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s Republican presidential candidacy and President Obama’s comments on ethanol have thrown the corn-based ethanol industry into turmoil as it struggles to convince Congress to provide assistance to build blender pumps. Texas Gov. Rick
by Benjamin Burroughs (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ethanol has some distinct advantages as a fuel, and sweet sorghum promises even better input/output ratios ...In addition to having a higher ratio, the cost of production for sweet sorghum is lower than for corn. For
by Michael K. Bullard (Ethanol Producer Magazine) How the 2008 Recession Halted the Progress of Louisiana’s Advanced Biofuel Industry Development Initiative ...The Advanced Biofuel Industry Development Initiative (Act 382) represents a complete strategy to not only address the aggressive federal mandates
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Not content to let Brazil hog all the glory, three development-stage companies eye sugar-based ethanol feedstocks ...If successful, California Ethanol & Power LLC will be the first ethanol production company bankrolled partially by Brazilian money,
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...Near Hastings, a community of about 25,000 people nestled amid the seemingly endless corn fields of south-central Nebraska, Chief Ethanol Fuels Inc. has been steadily churning out ethanol since late 1984. The oldest dry-mill
(AllAfrica.com/The Herald) Traditional leaders have identified unnecessary politicking as a challenge to the successful completion of the Chisumbanje Ethanol Plant. The task-force chaired by Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development secretary Mr Ngoni Masoka visited the project yesterday. In his submission to the
(The Record) Farm officials, hoping to get California farmers to plant as much as 25,000 acres of camelina, an oilseed, for a biomass start-up project are offering incentives to growers in San Joaquin County and other areas of the Central
by Gouri Shankar Mishra and Sonia Yeh (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Study recalculates water consumption with expanded system boundaries and coproduct credit Recent studies have estimated the “consumptive water use,” “water embodied,” and “water footprint” of corn-based ethanol in the U.S, with
by Cole Gustafson, Thein Maung and David Ripplinger (Ethanol Producer Magazine/North Dakota State University) If cellulosic biofuel development remains on track, several commercial firms will be contracting for corn stover in 2012. How will farmers balance the field workload of harvesting
(GreenAir Online) The regional initiative launched in June by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to provide finance for renewable jet fuel projects in Latin America and the Caribbean has made its first grant. The IDB, along with aircraft manufacturers
by Mario Osava (Aljazeera) Biofuels are an alternative energy source that can drive local development by generating jobs, know-how and technology. But they can also cause social damage, as locals fear in the case of industrial-scale exploitation of babassu palm
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Poet LLC is venturing into the realm of energy grasses with a newly launched collaborative effort to establish native grasses on degraded lands in areas surrounding its 100 MMgy ethanol plant at Chancellor, S.D.
(Biofuels Journal) Five undergraduate students from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign received a $5,000 grant from British Petroleum to research the engineering properties of biomass. The students wrote the grant to develop a virtual database that will tell end users the properties
by Don Comis (US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service) U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) researchers have developed an inexpensive way to grade the ethanol potential of perennial grasses at the biorefinery's loading dock. That future has been made possible by
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) ...In this week’s installment of the RFA’s series on efficiency, RFA Vice President Geoff Cooper takes on the critics who contend that both farming and ethanol production is simply too energy-intensive. Critics of farmers, and by
by Cindy (Corn Commentary) President Obama’s Midwest bus tour this week really put a spotlight on agriculture and biofuels. The POTUS visited three of the nation’s top four ethanol producing states,accounting for more than 42 percent of the country’s ethanol
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