(PRLog) Alta Vista Securities today (December 29, 2011) announced today a new Bioenergy Joint Venture focusing on the processing of Rice, Sugarcane and Coconut into energy producing Biofuels Pacific Biofuels Corporations will establish three biofuels plants in the Philippines. Each plant
(Science Daily) When a plant encounters drought, it does its best to cope with this stress by activating a set of protein molecules called receptors. These receptors, once activated, turn on processes that help the plant survive the stress. A team
by Cole Gustafson, Thein Maung and David Ripplinger (North Dakota State University/Ethanol Producer Magazine) NDSU quantifies the cost and time involved in corn stover collection ...The research team at North Dakota State University in Fargo recently completed a Sun Grant study,
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Despite the promise of methane from anaerobic digestion technology, low natural gas rates and other factors have kept ethanol producers from jumping in with both feet. ...On top of the digester, Western Plains Energy utilizes
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...Brazil began developing its domestic ethanol industry in the 1970s in response to the worldwide oil crisis that hit countries with little to no oil production, including Brazil, extremely hard. Country leaders tasked the
C-C. Tsao, J. E. Campbell, M. Mena-Carrasco, S. N. Spak, G. R. Carmichael & Y. Chen (Nature Climate Change) Accelerating biofuel production has been promoted as an opportunity to enhance energy security, offset greenhouse-gas emissions and support rural economies. However, large uncertainties remain in the impacts
(FarmGateBlog.com) Many Cornbelt farmers are planning to deliver corn stover to the local ethanol plant to generate a new income stream. Others are planning to cultivate and harvest switchgrass, miscanthus, or other biomass crops also for ethanol production. Yet others
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) ...According to a landmark study by the Keystone Alliance (a group including both farm groups and environmental organizations, such as Environmental Defense Fund and The Nature Conservancy) the amount of water, energy, and land required
by Emeka Ugwuanyi (The Nation) As part of contribution to developing and using renewable energy as against the current dependence on fossil fuels, the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM) said it has given out $695 million as loans to five companies that
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) There were IPOs a go-go, a big comeback from biodiesel. The global ethanol fleet has acquired new popularity amongst advanced biofuels developers looking for capital light steel in the ground. Meanwhile, gasification got hot. Seemed
(European Commission CORDIS) Europeans believe in a sustainable environment, and a way of ensuring its future is to promote and build energy resources based on residual biomass. Supporting this objective is the BIOBOOST ('Biomass-based energy intermediates boosting biofuel production') project. Set
by Lauren Sommer (KQED) ...The idea behind biofuels is pretty simple. Plants take sunlight and use that energy to make sugars. The biofuels industry wants to transform those sugars into fuel. That requires some molecular rearranging, so they’re looking to
by Dave Dreeszen (Sioux City Journal) A northeast Nebraska start-up company has produced its first batches of an ag-based material that holds great promise for the global plastics industry. Laurel BioComposite LLC recently opened a pilot plant that makes so-called "Bio-Res"
by Scott Larson (The Star Phoenix) A new market for canola growers is opening up in Europe, says a representative for Control Union, a Netherland-based company that certifies supply chains for products entering Europe. While Canadian canola has been shut
(Macau Hub) French group Tereos Internacional and Brazilian energy company Petrobras Wednesday in Maputo signed a protocol of intentions with Mozambican state oil and gas company Petróleos de Moçambique (Petromoc) to study the feasibility of production and sale of ethanol
(DuPont) DuPont and Rosetta Green Ltd. have entered into a strategic research agreement to identify drought tolerance genes in corn and soybeans. “Drought can lead to losses for corn growers of up to $13 billion annually,” said John Bedbrook, vice president, DuPont Agricultural
by Pavel Molchanov, Cory J. Garcia, Stacey Hudson (Raymond James) Our industry brief from June 10, “Bio-Based Plastics: In Coke-Pepsi War's New Front, Gen2 Biofuels Set to Benefit,” introduced the bioplastics opportunity as it relates to Gen2 biofuel developers. Today came the
by Cody Winchester and Megan Luther (Argus Leader) Industry tops in state for toxic emissions ...For the past five years in South Dakota, ethanol plants have been the leading emitters of carcinogens — toxins thought or known to cause cancer — having
(PR-USA.net) The project will be engaged in jatropha production and biodiesel processing venture in the Sierra Madre Mountain Range of the Philippines. The target aggregate plantation area is 110,000 hectares divided into clusters of 10,000 hectares per clsuter.
by Kevin Bullis (MIT Technology Review) Gevo, a prominent advanced-biofuels company that has received millions in U.S. government funding to develop fuels made from cellulosic sources such as grass and wood chips, is finding that it can't use these materials
by Charles Abbott and Reese Ewing (Drovers Cattle Network) A U.S. ethanol tax credit costing roughly $6 billion a year will expire on Dec. 31, with the U.S. industry declaring itself ready to stand on its own and Brazil hoping for
by Kevin Skunes (InForum) In response to Ross Nelson’s “Ethanol? I’ll supply the shovels” column on Nov. 27, we should take a look at these issues using current and correct information. ...Corn-based ethanol is a viable energy source and can replace
by Art Hovey (Lincoln Journal Star) Spectrum Business Ventures of Kansas City aims to bring a closed ethanol plant near Mead out of mothball status in the next few months. The former E3 Biofuels plant attracted widespread attention in 2006 as
(Project Gaia) On November 23, Gaia Association, in partnership with Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and the Ethiopian Environmental Protection Authority, launched the new project “Fuel from Waste: Demonstrating the Feasibility of Locally Produced Ethanol for Household Cooking in Addis Ababa.” Ethiopian
by James Konstantin Galvez (The Manila Times) The Department of Agriculture (DA) is in talks with San Carlos Bioenergy Inc. (SCBI) for the construction of a bioethanol processing plant in Negros Occidental to push the development of sweet sorghum in
by Ross Courtney (The Seattle Times/Yakima Herald-Republic) ..."You get down to it, it's dirty work," said Steve Fransen, a research agronomist at the Washington State University Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center. He means research, not farming, but farming is what
(La Republica) Bogotá for the first quarter of 2012 would begin building the first plant producing ethanol from sugar beet, a project that has been brewing for four years, and became the first of its kind in the country. ...In fact,
by Mike Bryan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...Between 2006 and 2011, the price of sugar, while having numerous peaks and valleys, has risen from about 18 cents per pound to as high as 29 cents per pound. Given the fact that
by Derek Mead (CleanTechMedia) Can biofuel be economically coaxed from a modest plant? ...A new research review published today(December 13, 2011) in the journal GCB Bioenergy states that switchgrass is indeed viable as a cellulosic feedstock, as has been previously suggested, and that
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) There’s a hot new craze called the “Ethanol Shuffle” that’s sweeping seaports from Sao Paulo to Los Angeles. No, it’s not a new dance, this shuffle is all about the “confounded realignment of the
by Carli Lourens (Bloomberg) South Africa’s proposed mandatory blending of biofuels with gasoline and diesel may signal the start of a biofuels industry and boost sorghum output sixfold, an economist at the farmers’ body Grain SA said. ...South Africa could introduce mandatory
by Nathan Phelps (Green Bay Press-Gazette) On-site production of fuel builds security ...Small-scale production of biodiesel and other biofuels derived from sources like canola was the focus of a seminar Friday in Denmark. On-farm production of fuels like soybean-based biodiesel and ethanol
(Manila Bulletin) Multinational firm Green Future Innovations, Inc. (GFII) has become more determined to pursue its 11,000-hectare sugar plantation for bio-ethanol plant in San Mariano, Isabela as multi-sectoral groups rally behind the project, which is expected to uplift poverty in
(University of Ulster) University of Ulster engineers and pupils at a Portadown primary school have teamed up in a search for greener, more sustainable new fuels that could prove vital to our future energy requirements. Scientists from the Biomolecular Diagnostics and Engineering
(MarketWatch) Expanded Agreement Follows Successful Completion of Field Trials Evogene Ltd. and SLC Agricola, a leading agribusiness company in Brazil, today announced expansion of their agreement for the development of castor bean seeds as a cost competitive feedstock for biofuels. This
(Reuters/VIASPACE) VIASPACE Executive Highlights Giant King Grass Advancement & Commercial Opportunities in Africa to Generate Electricity, Manufacture Energy Pellets and Produce Bio-Fuels: Presents at the Biomass West & Central Africa Congress in Ghana VIASPACE, Inc., a clean energy company growing Giant King™
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Good biofuel feedstocks are highly productive, have low input requirements and are widely adaptable. Unfortunately, those same traits are also common with invasive species. Language addressing invasive species is included in the Biomass Crop Assistance
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Monsanto providing seed for off-season ethanol feedstock Every year, Brazilian sugarcane mills clear and replant about 1.7 million hectares (4.2 million acres) of cane. This year, some mills are planting sweet sorghum developed by Monsanto
by John Harangody (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Atlas Commodity Markets) ...The ethanol market has many diverse participants that view price from different perspectives, including relationships to corn, basis locations, reformulated gasoline blendstock for oxygenate (RBOB) blending, renewable identification numbers (RINs), sugar, crude
by Dave Cooper (Edmonton Journal) An innovative Michigan plant that could produce 66 million litres of biodiesel from sub-grade canola is about to be disassembled and readied for a move to Alberta this winter. The location will be either Smoky Lake
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A coalition of livestock and poultry lobby groups submitted a letter to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee leaders on Dec. 7, requesting a hearing to evaluate the economic impact of the renewable
by Michael J. Coren (FastCoExist.com) It’s not a joke. Coconuts—and not much else—are plentiful on the islands of Tokelau. So they’re making good with what they have, and converting the entire region to solar and coconut biofuels. The head of the
(LowCarbonEconomy.com) ...CJP has the privilege to provide most authoritative Knowledge platform known for Development of Sustainable Non-Food Oil Crop Projects, Programmes and Priorities to Feed Biodiesel Industry Worldwide and has established the Biodiesel Business AcademyÔ (BBA) to provide quality,
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) Decatur, Ill.-based global agribusiness firm Archer Daniels Midland Co. has proposed to build a 265 MMly (70 MMgy) biodiesel production plant in Lloydminster, Alberta, Canada, a project that would boost ADM’s North American installed biodiesel
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) Programs the Obama administration has been pushing to promote next-generation biofuels are likely to have little funding in the next farm bill, according to the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, Rep. Collin
by Achten, W. M. J., and L. V. Verchot (Ecology and Society) Biofuels are receiving growing negative attention. Direct and/or indirect land-use changes that result from their cultivation can cause emissions due to carbon losses in soils and biomass and could
by Rudy Ruitenberg (Bloomberg) Royal DSM NV and France’s CIMV SA produced ethanol from wheat straw in a test run of a project led by French agricultural researcher INRA to develop so-called second-generation biofuels. Levallois-Perret, France-based CIMV broke down the straw
by Sue Roesler (Farm & Ranch Guide) Cole Gustafson, department chair of the Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics at North Dakota State University, said while there’s more concerns about corn ethanol at the Congressional level with the “food
(POET/Renewable Energy World) Voilà™ corn oil production in six POET plants, with more on the way With its patent-pending technology expanding to a total of 6 plants, POET will produce corn oil as feedstock for 12 million gallons of biodiesel per
by John Daly (OilPrice.com) Biofuel sources currently under development include algae, jatropha and camelina. Of the three, camelina is increasingly emerging as the frontrunner in attracting initial investment worldwide, as global demand for aviation fuel for passenger flights is now
by Louise Impey (Farmers Weekly Interactive) New research shows that growing triticale instead of wheat for biofuel production could have higher financial returns for both farmers and biofuel producers thanks to ability of triticale to outyield wheat, at similar or
by Niluksi Koswanage (Reuters) Indonesian palm-based biodiesel shipments seeking a foothold in the United States will face stiff competition from feedstocks such as corn oil and waste oils, which will become cheaper as more supplies hit the market, a top
(Alberta Farmer) A company set up to develop a commercially viable way of using Prince Edward Island beets as an ethanol feedstock has been backed to build a demonstration-scale processing plant. Atlantec BioEnergy Corp., which for years has spearheaded a beet
by Rick Westhead (The Star) ...Indian industrialist Sai Ramakrishna Karuturi has his eye on this lush scenery, too, but he sees something much different: the potential for large-scale commercial farming. Karuturi, from the South Indian city of Bangalore, envisions the fields
by Lynn Yarris (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) Researchers Reach Milestone on the Road to Biofuels A milestone has been reached on the road to developing advanced biofuels that can replace gasoline, diesel and jet fuels with a
by Suzanne Lynch (Irish Times) SOME 5,000 jobs could be created by the revival of the sugar beet industry, according to a feasibility study by the Irish Sugar Beet Bio-Refinery Group. The PWC-backed study is calling for the establishment of a
(US Department of Agriculture) The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) has announced a new pilot program of insurance for camelina beginning with the 2012 crop year. Camelina is an oilseed crop with the potential to create
(Netzwerk Biotreibstoffe) Growth in palm oil production has been a key component of meeting growing global demand for vegetable oil, including for biodiesel, over recent decades. This growth has been accompanied by mounting concern over the impact of the oil
by Matt Soberg (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Virginia Tech and USDA researchers developed strategy that reduces barley toxins sometimes present in distillers grains used for animal feed. The strategy modifies the ethanol fermentation process and focuses on deoxynivalenol (DON), the most
by Bryan Sims (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Working closely with the Iowa Economic Development Authority and the Nevada Economic Development Council, Mentor, Iowa-based Thesis Chemistry has selected a 40-acre site within the West Industrial Park of Nevada, Iowa, for a proposed
by Kevin Kelley (The East African) A leading US environmental group is opposing the planned purchase of 325,000 hectares of land in Tanzania by an American company. ...Opponents charge that the deal amounts to a “land grab” that would result in
by Naseem Sheikh (Business Recorder) ...A research Study conducted by the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, suggests that the country’s energy demand is expected to increase three fold by 2050, but supply position is not inspiring in anyway. In such alarming
(AMG/MarketWire) AMG Bioenergy Resources Holdings Ltd. (the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:ABG), a Canadian publicly traded company, wishes to provide an update on the progress of its acquisition of a 133 hectare jatropha plantation and a 201 hectare eucalyptus plantation, and the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The secret that “food vs fuel” proponents don’t want you to think about? Not all food is created equal. Dirty food, made using dirty process, makes a dirty world. And then there’s clean food. Here’s
(Transport & Environment) Biofuels produced from palm oil grown in tropical peatlands are a significant source of greenhouse gases. This is the finding of a new study done for the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) which, if taken on
by Kurt Nolte(Yuma Sun/Yuma County Cooperative Extension) • Sugar cane is an exploratory crop in Yuma County and, like sweet sorghum, is being researched for the production of biofuels in Arizona. • Sugar cane is considered as one of the top
(Argus) The days of snapping up undervalued ethanol plants for expansion are over, Green Plains Renewable Energy's chief executive told investors on its most recent conference call. Plants with the right equipment and good locations could no longer be bought up
(Conference Board of Canada) The Conference Board of Canada today released a study assessing the economic impact of the ethanol industry in Canada, its environmental and health effects, and the balance between the energy required to produce ethanol and the
(The Nation) Ondo State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Ademola Olorunfemi, has said that the current administration in the state had perfected arrangements to establish three ethanol plants in the state. Olorunfemi, who stated this in an interview with journalists in his
by Paul Nyakazeya (The Independent) Zimbabwe through Green Fuel has joined a growing list of world economies taking up the call to reduce carbon emission while enjoying local benefits of a homegrown solution to fuel independence. Green Fuel ethanol is
by Andy Eubank (Hoosier Ag Today) Homegrown Indiana innovation for farmers was displayed Tuesday in Fulton County when the New Holland Rochester manager climbed aboard a combine with his patented Cornrower and created a windrow of corn stover while shelling
(Science Daily) ...However, technologies are being developed to generate bioethanol from non-food sources, such as the lignocellulosics present in switchgrass and trees. The sugars locked in the polymers of cell walls, i.e., cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, can be extracted and
(SunStar) Senator Francis Pangilinan has called on the Department of Agriculture to look into the P1 billion that the government lost to an abandoned project to produce biodiesel from jatropha plants. The Philippine National Oil Company-Alternative Fuels Corp. announced in October
by Julie Watson (AP/Yahoo! News) The U.S. Navy launched its largest alternative fuel test to date on Wednesday, pumping 20,000 gallons of algae-based fuel into a destroyer ship that will embark on a 20-hour trip along the California coast. The success of the Paul H.
(POET) Goals part of Ingreenuity, the company's initiative to enhance the environmental performance of ethanol At the NASCAR Green Summit today (November 17, 2011), POET announced plans to decrease the greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity of ethanol production 10 percent this decade
by Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine) The second week in November could go down as one of the most significant weeks for advanced biofuels, airline companies and the use of biofuel-blended jet fuel in the U.S. Early in the week, United
by Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine) Australia’s Sunshine Coast could be home to an energy park that combines solar energy and a biomass-to-energy process developed by Aquaflow Bionomic Corp. The future energy facility will hinge on the recently formed partnership between
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) What happens when sorghum doesn’t have to put energy into flowering and grain production? High-biomass sorghum that grows up to 20 feet tall, that’s what. Texas AgriLife Research, part of the Texas A&M University System,
(Highlands Today) Editorial: ...We believe ethanol is a big part of the immediate solution to U.S. fuel shortages. Our country must become energy independent. Nothing can bring us to our knees quicker than having someone shut off oil to our
by Melody Bomgardne (Central Science/Cleantech Chemistry) DuPont has been digesting its acquisition of Danisco for a while now, and has sent out an update about what used to be called DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol – now shortened, as you might
(Reuters) India-based biofuel producer Nandan Cleantec expects to grow sales by at least 25 percent every year till 2014-15, on the back of strong demand for its high yielding variety of oilseeds, a top executive said. Nandan develops hybrid varieties of
by Heather Lammers (National Renewable Energy Laboratory/Renewable Energy World) ...In June, DOE announced an award of up to $13.4 million dollars to Virent and its partners to develop a process to cost effectively convert cellulosic biomass — in this case
(PR NewsWire/MarketWatch) Analytical Technology Fueling Institute's Fundamental Energy Research Waters Corporation today (November 15, 2011) welcomed the Future Fuels Institute at Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida into its Centers of Innovation Program. The Future Fuels Institute under its director, Dr. Chang
(Soya Tech) Indonesia's Confederation of Primary Cooperatives Association (Inkud) is teaming up with Taiwan in developing jatropha curcas-based fuel, its vice president director Yusri Suhud said. "We are cooperating with Taiwan to develop jatropha curcas as an alternative fuel," he said
by Abby Schultz (CNBC) ...“We have a lot of customers who are ethanol investors and plants have been very diligent paying down debt in 2011,” says Jason Ward, director of grain and energy for Northstar Commodity. “Kudos to them, but
by Larry Dreiling (High Plains MidWest Ag Journal) Construction has begun in Hugoton, Kan., on the nation's first commercial scale biomass fuel refinery. Abengoa Bioenergy's new, 23 million-gallon annual throughput refinery will take biomass, mainly switchgrass, and turn it into ethanol. One
by Dan Voorhis (The Wichita Eagle) ...The Kansas Alliance for BioRefining and BioEnergy was created in 2009 and was originally funded by the Kansas BioScience Authority to help commercialize research and technology that turns plants into energy and products. ...Its
by Brindaveni Naidoo (Engineering News) Electricity generation and ethanol production from sugarcane could save and create thousands of local jobs, mainly in rural areas, agriculture and property group Tongaat Hulett CEO Peter Staude said on Monday. ... Turning to ethanol production, the
host: Laura Knoy (NPR/The Diane Rhem Show) America’s ethanol industry is booming. The U.S. is projected to become the world’s biggest ethanol exporter by the end of the year. In the past, Congress has strongly supported the industry. Now it
(Boeing/PR NewsWire/Yahoo!) Collaborative efforts to focus on regionally produced, sustainable fuel options Boeing today announced a collaborative agreement to work with Hawai'i BioEnergy on renewable energy sources for creating aviation fuel. Announced on the eve of the Asia Pacific Economic Conference
by Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine) ...“I came to the U.S. four years ago to really make what we wanted to be on a piece of paper a reality,” she (Sue Ellerbusch, president of BP Biofuels North America) tells Biorefining Magazine. That reality for
by Erin Voegele (Biorefining Magazine) Valero Energy Corp.’s investment in the advanced biofuels sector benefits startups and lends an increased aura of confidence to the industry ...One company that has traditionally been active in petroleum refining has been particularly supportive of
by Luke Geiver (Biodiesel Magazine) For several years the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition has been providing informative workshops, seminars and just about everything else to help Alabamans understand the benefits of biodiesel. Now, led by Mark Bentley, executive director, the
by Anna Austin (Biomass Power and Themal) Energy crop developer New Energy Farms says it has developed a new system for establishing miscanthus that takes one-third the time of previous planting methods. ...The first is a bulked up miscanthus breed that
(MarketWatch/Honeywell) Green Jet Fuel made from the Honeywell UOP process technology now in use on regular Aeromexico route from Mexico City to Costa Rica UOP LLC, a Honeywell company, announced today that Honeywell Green Jet Fuel(TM), produced using process technology from Honeywell's
by Steve Kuchera (Duluth News Tribune) A Northwestern Wisconsin biodiesel producer recently opened its first Minnesota station at a former Armor Fuel & Save station on Midway Road just off Interstate 35. A Northwestern Wisconsin biodiesel producer recently opened its first
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) Florida-based Green Oil Solutions Inc. has announced the successful production of camelina biodiesel, from field trials to harvesting, pressing and processing. According to Steve Edmonds, the company’s director of industry and development, the fuel was
by Stephan Nielsen (Bloomberg) Brazilian sugar cane companies, which are preparing to boost ethanol exports to the U.S., don’t produce enough of the renewable fuel to do so, a lawmaker said. Brazil won’t make enough ethanol to meet increasing foreign demand
(Wiley-Blackwell/ScienceNewsLine) The production of ethanol from lignocellulose-rich materials such as wood residues, waste paper, used cardboard and straw cannot yet be achieved at the same efficiency and cost as from corn starch. A cost comparison has concluded that using
(UK.IBTimes) A biodiesel plant that's completely energy self-sufficient has been approved for the Oakland, California area. Oakland-based Viridis Fuels won a long-term contract from the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) to build a 20 million gallon per year biodiesel processing
(Arch1Design.com) ...Tel Aviv University researchers are doing their part to reduce humanity’s carbon footprint by successfully growing forests in the most unlikely place — deep in Israel’s Aravah Desert. With environmental “extras” such as a local plant species, recycled sewage water
by Kevin Welch (Amarillo Globe-News) The U.S. Department of Agriculture is giving White Energy, with ethanol plants in Hereford and Plainview, a $3-million grant to promote using materials other than corn to make biofuels. Those materials can range from crop residue
by Anna Jagger (ICIS Chemical Business) The sugar and ethanol industry is sustainable and competitive against fossil fuels. It is attracting interest from chemical producers looking for renewable feedstocks Brazil's sugarcane ethanol industry is attracting the attention of chemicals producers in
By Paul M. Ingram (Wick Communications Science/Green Valley News and Sun) ...Under ideal conditions, half the weight of the plants will be converted into liquid, turning 2 tons of vegetation into 1,000 gallons of “juice.” On this day, however,
by Tara Bozick (GoDanRiver.com) ...Chemtex International and its parent Gruppo Mossi and Ghisolfi, or the M&G Group, have been developing a lingo-cellulosic bio-ethanol technology called Proesa in a move away from petroleum and toward renewable materials. In today’s world, people
by Tom Rivers (The Daily News) Michael Sawyer, 38, of Geneseo took a gamble in 2005. After eight years in corporate finance in Rochester, he left that career to join his father John Sawyer in establishing an ethanol plant in
by Angela Brown (Central Plains Herald-Leader) Shell Canada is looking into the possibility of establishing a biofuel plant in the Portage la Prairie area. The facility would be a cellulosic ethanol plant, which is proposed for the area southwest of Portage
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) United and Solazyme, Alaska and Dynamic Fuels hook up, as producers scramble to make fuel, raise cash, ratchet down costs. Will producers scale, or fail? ...United Airlines will operate the first U.S. commercial flight powered by
(Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Joint BioEnergy Institute Researchers Create RiceNet for Predicting Genetic Functions in Rice The first genome-scale model for predicting the functions of genes and gene networks in a grass species has been developed by an international team of
(Mission NewEnergy) Mission NewEnergy Limited, a global provider of environmentally sustainable biofuels, is pleased to announce that it has materially completed its 2011 Jatropha tree planting season, adding 40,264 new acres and 14,331 new Jatropha contract farmers. The Company has
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The bull’s-eye on corn ethanol could fade if the industry steps up and makes corn production and stover harvesting more environmentally friendly ...Today, no-till or strip-till farming is gaining ground, and researchers are examining systems
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Three years ago, ag giants John Deere & Co., Archer Daniels Midland Co. and Monsanto Co. pooled their respective areas of expertise and embarked on an experiment. Each company had its own specific reasons
by Tina Casey (Talking Points Memo) ...Earlier this year, the Navy successfully tested a 50-50 algae aviation biofuel blend on a Seahawk helicopter in flight, and now an algae biodiesel blend has passed muster during tests on a 135-foot landing vessel. The ship,
by John C.K. Daly (http://oilprice.com) On 28 October Air China conducted its first trial flight of a passenger jet powered by a mix of biofuel and traditional aviation fuel. The Jet A-1 biofuel kerosene used in the flight was derived from
(Costa Rica News) This has been the conclusion of the videoconference “Presentation of the Jatropha curcas L. network for investigation, development, and innovation in the production of biodiesel in Latin America and the Caribbean,” organized by the Hemispheric Program in
by Damian Carrington (The Guardian/The Observer) The collapse of Sun Biofuels has left hundreds of Tanzanians landless, jobless, and in despair for the future "People feel this is like the return of colonialism," says Athumani Mkambala, chairman of Mhaga village in rural Tanzania.
(Biofuels International) Energy company Maple Leaf Reforestation (MLR) is to open a biodiesel facility in British Columbia, Canada, using next generation feedstock. ...MLR aims to tap into this market, using the yellowhorn tree as a feedstock, which comes from China
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) Ethanol plant design company, ICM, Inc., of Colwich, Kansas, has designed and constructed equipment for a “one gallon per minute ethanol plant” currently under construction in Mozambique that will use locally grown cassava as a feedstock. The
by Les Coleman, Deb Courson Smith (Public News Service - SD) ...Flo-Sun, through subsidiaries such as Florida Crystals and Domino Foods, has milling and refining operations around the world. The rulers of Flo-Sun are Palm Beach-based brothers Pepe and
by Bill Lundberg (Biofuels Digest) Should the Renewable Fuel Standard be scrapped, or revised? BP North America chief Susan Ellerbusch makes the case for “No”. In Chicago, BP Biofuels North America president Susan Ellerbusch, in addressing congressional attempts to re-write the
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) Approximately 100 professionals working in the feedstock and biorefining sectors recently met at Idaho National Laboratory to participate in a U.S. DOE-funded workshop. ...“Our objective was to broaden the view of densification from just a
by Matt Hartwig (Renewable Fuels Association) ...All of ethanol’s critics share a common flaw when it comes to their claims – they cherry-pick the topics on which they opine and ignore very relevant facts. The most recent example is this rant
by Nina Chestney (The Peninsula) Several new companies are betting on the little-known pongamia pinnata tree as a biodiesel feedstock that does not hurt food production, but a decade or more of research and development is still needed to determine its
(R&D) Researchers have long been interested in waste products as sources of biofuel. In Maine, those waste items could include treetops and limbs deemed by the forest products industry as unusable and often left behind in the woods. A University of
by Robert Burns (AgriLifeToday) Feeling pain again at the gasoline pump? Don’t blame it on corn and the cost of ethanol. Well, at least don’t blame it entirely on corn, said Dr. Mark Welch, Texas AgriLife Extension Service grains marketing economist in
by Matt Soberg (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Saskatchewan-based Nipawin Biomass Ethanol New Generation Co-operative Ltd. has contracted with the Saskatchewan Research Council to further develop its catalytic process for cellulosic ethanol production. The technology is also being integrated into Fulcrum BioEnergy
by Reese Ewing (Reuters) Brazilian joint venture BENRI plans to rate sugar and ethanol mills on efficiency, a new service for the sector that is expected to improve performance of mills and the terms of credit they receive from banks. BENRI, short
by Stephan Nielsen (Bloomberg Businessweek) Sugar-cane processors in Brazil, including Bunge Ltd. and Louis Dreyfus SAS, are preparing to increase their ethanol exports to the U.S., where oil companies must expand their use of biofuels. Ethanol producers had registered 107 mills
by Julie Ingwersen (Reuters) USDA says ethanol boom creating new patterns in corn use * Gov't unsure why feed use falls late in marketing years * Reports blamed for wild swings in CBOT grain prices * Industry barbs come as USDA faces budget constraints
by Larisa Brass (KnoxvilleBiz.com) Dupont Danisco Cellulosic Energy may not have announced definitive plans for siting a commercial biofuels plant in the state, but University of Tennessee researcher Edward Yu has some suggestions. As part of a study on the local
(PR NewsWire) Air China, Boeing , and Chinese and U.S. aviation energy partners today conducted China's first sustainable biofuel flight. The two-hour mainland flight from Beijing Capital International Airport was witnessed by officials from both countries and highlights the viability of using
by Art Hovey (Lincoln Journal Star) Movers and shakers in York County, one of the most prolific places for corn production in Nebraska and the United States, have spun off plenty of other profitable corn undertakings in recent years, including
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A newly released report from the USDA appears to confirm what the ethanol industry has been claiming for years—distillers grains is a valuable feed source and can significantly reduce any impact of increased corn
by Elizabeth Shogren (National Public Radio) The Pentagon's hunt for an alternative to petroleum has turned a lowly weed and animal fat into something indistinguishable from jet fuel, and now the military is trying to kick-start a new biofuel industry. "To flip
(Bangkok Post) Ubon Bio Ethanol Co (UBE), an affiliate of Bangchak Petroleum Plc (BCP), has won a deal to ship 100 million litres of ethanol per year worth 2.4 billion baht to China. The shipments averaging 300,000 litres per day will
by Bob Brooks (Automotive Industries) A BP executive was quoted recently that biofuels are obtained from “renewable wells” which is an oil man’s way of saying we are drilling for energy as usual but for different raw material. Key to
by Riza T. Olchondra (Philippine Daily Inquirer) Filipino farmers and investors may profit from biofuel ventures in idle, upland, and other so-called marginalized areas without disrupting food supply. According to the study “Assessment on the Use of Marginal Areas for Cultivation
(PhysOrg.com/Purdue University) Not all parts of a corn stalk are equal, and they shouldn't be treated that way when creating cellulosic ethanol, say Purdue University researchers. When corn stover is processed to make cellulosic ethanol, everything is ground down and blended together.
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
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