by Daniel Grushkin (FastCoExist.com) Amyris’s breakthroughs in bioengineering--and its plans to make biofuels from Brazilian sugarcane--promised to transform how the world’s businesses produce energy, cosmetics, and medicine. Then reality (and Wall Street) got in the way. ...Already, in the short lifetime
(ECNMag.com) Engineered enzyme alters cell wall composition in ways that could make it easier to convert plant biomass into biofuels Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have created a new enzyme that effectively “masks” the synthetic
(Yahoo!/PRWeb) The Doe Run Company is participating in a pilot project with MFA Oil Biomass LLC and Missouri University of Science and Technology to plant Miscanthus grass to help transform mine tailings sites into potential biofuel crop sites. The Doe Run Company is participating in a pilot project with
(NextBigFuture.com) Halophytes are salt-tolerant plants that are found throughout the world. Halophytes can be used to grow both fuel and food, and a NASA facility is attempting to use halophytes for large-scale fuel production. The aim is to create aviation-grade biofuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Cobalt Technologies and Rhodia announced they will begin joint development and operation of a biobutanol demonstration facility in Brazil. The Cobalt/Rhodia plant will utilize sugarcane bagasse to make n-butanol; bagasse is used at
by Brent Erickson (BIO/Biofuels Digest) Despite oil industry claims of “$10 million in fines for non-existent fuels” – they paid exactly $19,010.16 for cellulosic ethanol waivers in 2010, costing US consumers 14 millionths of one penny per gallon. So why
(Digital Journal) Agro2, S.A., a leading cassava producer located in Veraguas, Panama, is expanding its current cassava production due to popular demand. In addition to a small-scale ethanol plant producing 500 liters of ethanol per day, the company is currently
by Gernot Pehnelt and Christoph Vietze (Friedrich Schiller University and the Max Planck Institute of Economics) During the last years, the renewable energy strategy of the European Union (EU) and the proposed policies and regulations, namely the Renewable Energy Directive (RED), have been heavily
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Swiss specialty chemicals company Clariant is now operating its demonstration-scale cellulosic ethanol plant in Straubing, Germany. With an annual capacity of up to 1,000 tons (330,000 MMgy), the demonstration facility is scaling up the
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association) Mr. Larry Pope’s July 27th op-ed “The Ethanol Mandate is Worse Than The Drought” calls out for a rebuttal. It is a bit astonishing to read an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal that argues against
by Suzanne Goldenberg (The Guardian) The Obama administration was urged on Monday to stop diverting grain to gas amid warnings of an "imminent food crisis" caused by America's drought. US government forecasts of a 4% rise in food prices for US consumers because of the drought
Jannette Pippin (JDNews) Eastern North Carolina farmers have an opportunity to get involved in growing renewable energy crops for fuel and power through a program that will help pay planting and other start-up costs. USDA Farm Service Agency is expanding the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...But the 80/20 rule generally applies. 85 percent of the projects we expect to see by 2017 will be developed by 20 percent of the companies tracked in the Advanced Biofuels Project Database. (W)e can still
By Bob Silberg (NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory/R&D Magazine) If you’ve had to deal with termites in your house, you probably hate their guts. But not Jared Leadbetter. He loves termites, especially their guts! "It turns out termites do something we'd like
(Leopoldina) The Leopoldina’s statement “Bioenergy – Chances and Limits” provides a comprehensive analysis of the use of bioenergy. It was compiled by a working group of more than 20 expert scientists established in 2010 and outlines under which conditions the
by David Pruitt (The Alestle) On July 16 and 17, John Caupert, director of SIUE’s National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center, met with USDA officials about a new process the NCERC has discovered to use corn more efficiently in the production
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The recent focus on drought, and the scarcity scare, shows that diversification and yield enhancement remain the bioeconomy’s chief weapons in the war on availability and affordability. The USDA and DOE respond with a $41M
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Massachusetts-based Agrivida Inc. is conducting the first year of USDA-permitted field trials to grow corn that has been engineered to include enzymes in the corn stalk. The addition should lower the cost of cellulosic
by Arthur Kollaras, Paul Koutouridis, Mary Biddy and James D. McMillan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Feed yeast, green coal contribute to bottom line ...History shows that once an industry is established, significant technological improvements quickly evolve. But in the meantime, how does
(World Watch Institute/Environmental News Network) ...In response to global criticisms that biofuels drive deforestation and threaten food security, Central American governments and interest groups specify that biofuel expansion will occur on “tierras ociosas”�—or vacant, unproductive land. This may include land
by Michael Gubisch (FlightGlobal/Flight International) ...Between 15 July and 27 December 2011, Lufthansa deployed a newly delivered Airbus A321 (registration D-AIDG) on the route between Hamburg and Frankfurt, with one of the two International Aero Engines V2500 powerplants running exclusively
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Here we are, some 30+ years into the era of genetic modification of crops. The primary breadbasket of the world, the United States, is experiencing its most severe drought conditions in decades, and you might
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The once futuristic vision of integrating traditional and second-generation ethanol facilities appears more attainable as various companies emerge with technology improvements that will allow corn ethanol producers to add cellulosic ethanol streams without taking
by Colleen Scherer (AG Professional) Soybean farmers in the United States have joined forces with other soybean farmers in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay in supporting genetically modified soybeans in the European Union. Farmers from these countries represent 90 percent of
(PRWeb) Yulex Corporation, as part of a consortium headed by Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded the company and its consortium partners a $6.9 million grant. This four year grant will
by Franco Capaldo (ICIS.com) Clariant has inaugurated a new cellulose ethanol pilot plant in the Bavarian town of Straubing, Germany, the Swiss specialty chemicals company said on Friday. The plant – the biggest of its kind in Germany – will produce around 1,000 tonnes/year of cellulose ethanol, a
by Jill Bock (Standard Democrat/Southeast Missourian) ...Southeast Missouri State University's Department of Agriculture hosted a grand opening ceremony for its Biomass/Biofuels Research and Demonstration Field at Southeast's Sikeston campus Thursday morning. A $200,000 two-year grant from the Delta Regional Authority,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As the 2012 Summer Games approach, BP Biofuels launches its showcase for cellulosic ethanol, renewable diesel, and biobutanol. Amidst the blizzard of demo drives and informational marketing, why are these molecules key to “fueling the
(FlightGlobal) The National Research Council (NRC) of Canada has for the first time conducted biofuel test flights using chase aircraft to measure the emissions. The campaign is among a number of different projects which the government research and development body
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As bio-based companies race across the Valley of Death, in the dash for scale, who’s getting financing now, and how? The path to financing success in bio-based project development used to be a little less complicated. Raise
(PR Web) Mason & Morse Farmland Group Partners with TerViva Regarding Pongamia Projects A California company has come up with a compelling twist on farmland investing for private clients and institutional investors focusing on real assets. This farmland investment model, however,
(Citizen-Times) Farmers, area restaurants and energy-conscious drivers could benefit from a pilot program to develop homegrown biofuels in the mountains. Blue Ridge Biofuels, AdvantageWest, Biltmore Estate and other partners have been awarded a $130,000 grant from the Biofuels Center of North
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As the Pacific-based forces of Can-Do battle the Washington-based forces of Shouldn’t-Try, we look at the 6 Big Myths of Military Biofuels In Hawaii, the US Navy demonstrated its Green Strike Group as part of the 2012 Rim
by Novan Iman Santosa (The Jakarta Post) Palm oil producer Musim Mas Group expects that there will be more demand for certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO), as the company is ready to provide the market with sustainable palm oil and
(Expansion.com) The first biodiesel plant that uses Cuban bush inedible oilseed "Jatropha curcas", popularly known in the island as "physic nut" began to produce today, according to local media reported. The facility, located in the eastern province of Guantanamo, has capacity
by Jon Newberry (BizJournals.com) As GE Aviation explores ways to secure million of gallons of biofuels for jet engine testing, as the Business Courier reported, one of the potential partners it’s talked with is Cincinnati-based Great Plains Oil & Exploration LLC. Great
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As Argentina’s monetary policies run into big trouble, inflation mounts and the peso sinks, can the biofuels boom keep going? ...To keep the biodiesel industry growing and reduce diesel import costs, the Argentine government has also
(Platts) The EU needs to overcome regulatory uncertainty and provide more clarity on its biofuels policies before new investments are poured into greenfield projects across the 27-nation bloc, BP's Biofuels CEO Phil New said at an event in London Tuesday. ...In
(Bioenergy News) Chemical and biofuels company Gevo has signed a joint development agreement with Beta Renewables to develop an integrated process for the production of bio-based isobutanol from cellulosic biomass. The agreement anticipates production plants will be located where cellulosic feedstocks
by Tim Bryant (STLToday.com) The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is among five recipients of a $12.1 million federal grant to develop drought-tolerant grass as a sustainable source of biofuel. Developing bioenergy grasses with the desirable traits needed for
(Science Daily) Scientists are reporting new evidence that a white rot fungus shows promise in the search for a way to use waste corn stalks, cobs and leaves -- rather than corn itself -- to produce ethanol to extend supplies
by Meghan Schiller (Medill News Service/Wall Street Journal) The head of BP’s alternative-energy business on Tuesday said biofuel and wind are the stars of the field as the firm ramps up its presence. Katrina Landis, CEO of BP’s alternative energy business, said
(Business Lexington) Add “energy beets” to the cash crop list for Kentucky farmers. The high-sugar energy beet, a variety bred to serve the fuel/energy market, is now growing on test plots in Whitley and other Kentucky counties. Kentucky-based Patriot Bio-Energy
(Bioenergy Science Institute) The Feedstock Cost and Profitability (FCAP) Calculator provides an estimate of the breakeven price needed to cover the costs of producing biomass from alternative feedstocks. These include crop residues from corn and energy crops like miscanthus, switchgrass,
by Anna Simet (Biomass Magazine) While the drought in the U.S. is beginning to take a significant toll on some of the nation’s crops—particularly in the Midwest and the Corn Belt—it seems most energy crops are hanging on, at least
by Lindsay Riddell (San Francisco Business Times) Solazyme Inc. broke ground on its Brazil manufacturing plant adjacent to partner Bunge's sugarcane mill. The companies are targeting the end of 2013 to begin production on renewable oils made from sugarcane using Solazyme's algae-based
(The Business Journal) EdeniQ, a biofuels technology company based in Visalia, received a $3.9 million grant from the California Energy Commission to help in its efforts of researching the commercial potential of cellulosic ethanol. The grant follows $20 million in
(The Commercial Appeal) BioDimensions Delta BioRenewables (BDBR) will install a sweet sorghum processing facility at AgriCenter International after an investment from Epec Biofuels Holdings. ...“We consider industrial sugar to be ‘Nature’s Crude Oil’ and are making a commitment to help BDDR
by John Vidal (The Guardian) Indigenous smallholder farmers are being violently evicted as companies move in to satisfy Europe's hunger for biofuels ...Over the next four days, 10 more villages were cleared. By the end of March 2011, around 800 families
by Heather Youngs and Chris Somerville (The Scientist) Research is underway to reduce the use of food crops for biofuels by shifting to dedicated energy crops and agricultural residues. ...Conversion of biomass is currently the most cost-effective route to produce renewable
by Peter Sur (Hawaii Tribune-Herald) ...Big Island Biodiesel, located near Keaau, opened its doors for investors to tour the $12 million plant that in a few months will begin turning fuel crops and used cooking oil from across the state
(OMV) On July 2, 2012 Doris Bures, Minister for Transport, Innovation and Technology, and Gerhard Roiss, OMV CEO, opened the BioCRACK pilot plant at the OMV Refinery in Schwechat. The plant is the first of its kind in the world
by Dan Modlin (WKYUFM) A firm based in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky is hoping more farmers raise sorghum to use in ethanol fuels production in the future. Southeast Biofuels has completed the first phase of a project that resulted in a
(TheBioEnergySite.com) The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has joined forces with jet engine producer General Electric (GE) Aviation, in addition to the Ohio Aerospace Institute, air carriers and producer groups, to produce renewable jet fuel from agricultural products. The biojet will
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The entropy problem in feedstocks In bioenergy, it’s the chief reason, for example, that otherwise perfectly acceptable fruit waste from citrus harvest is a difficult feedstock for energy production. The process for cellulosic conversion was
by David Cronin (New Europe Online) ...The production of biofuels is a central factor behind the grabbing of land in Africa. Yet rather than using food crops, many of the players in this murky game have recently chosen jatropha, a
(IowaCorn.org) A new study conducted by researchers at North Carolina State University and the University of Illinois at Chicago found a statistical correlation showing that as prices increase, farmers make changes that result in higher per acre yields. Farmers also
by Mauricio Espinoza (Ohio State University/North Texas d-News) Ohio State University's Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) will play a key role in the engineering of a novel plant-based fuel, funded by a $5.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of
(CLC bio) Today CLC bio and the International Laboratory for Tropical Agricultural Biotechnology (ILTAB) at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, announced a collaboration to benefit the Virus Resistant Cassava for Africa project (VIRCA), a partnership including researchers at the Donald Danforth Plant Science
by Dr. Christoph Weber, CEO JATRO AG, Frankfurt & Mitchell Hawkins, CEO BioJet Corp, Santa Barbara, CA (JATRO/BioJet) Biofuels provide a viable alternative to conventional fuel and enable airlines to reduce their environmental impact. Over the last three years biofuels for aviation have
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Researchers in Southeast Asia have identified an approach to producing ethanol using an abundant waste feedstock that could potentially add a significant source of biofuel production from oil palm plantations. Oil palm empty fruit
(Retail Solutions Online) Presentation at 16th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference Demonstrates Benefits of Revolutionary Straw-Pulp Technology to the Farmers and Rural Communities of China ...After more than 10 years of research and development, YFY Corp. has successfully moved NPulp from green
(SurvivalInternational.org) ...But some of its sugar cane is grown on land claimed by the Guarani tribe, one of the most persecuted and impoverished in South America. Their leaders are regularly killed by gunmen acting for the sugar cane growers and cattle ranchers who
by Alison Singer (GreenConduct.com) ...To address the shortcomings of current biofuel production, scientists are developing new techniques and feedstocks to enhance sustainable production. Switchgrass, a North American perennial tallgrass, sequesters far more carbon dioxide than corn and other row crops, and
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Novozymes and China’s Shengquan Group have signed a final agreement to work together on producing cellulosic ethanol from a waste product of Shengquan’s current production process. Novozymes is supplying the necessary enzymes and Shenquan
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The nearly $10 million awarded by the USDA’s Farm Service Agency to three energy crop project areas on June 13 will be the only funding distributed through the Biomass Crop Assistance Program this year
(Science Daily/Purdue University) Sweet and biomass sorghum would meet the need for next-generation biofuels to be environmentally sustainable, easily adopted by producers and take advantage of existing agricultural infrastructure, a group of researchers led by Purdue University scientists believes. The scientists
(Weed Science Society of America) The biofuels industry is hitting its stride, with both small farms and large-scale plantations producing renewable crops that can be converted to energy. But scientists with the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) caution that
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Yet, even in an era where venture capital has been harder to come by (Why? See these 42 article links under the rubric, “The VC Model is Broken” ) — some great technologies have been getting out
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Declining ethanol margins and plant idlings; ethanol price gloom; controversy over RFS2 targets. Despair? Bah! It all spells “opportunity” for the intrepid ethanolista. This week in biofuels, two storylines that have been gaining a lot
by Chris Guy (US Department of Agriculture) ...ARS scientists say that barley leftovers such as straw, hulls, and dried distiller grains (DDGS) can be used to produce an energy-rich product called bio-oil. Bio-oil offers several advantages. It can potentially be
(Reuters) Pacific Ethanol Inc on Thursday said it was launching a corn oil business, the latest U.S. ethanol maker to move to diversify its revenue stream in an industry where margins have been depressed as costly corn supplies dwindle. California-based Pacific
(AgWired) Farmers of the world are producing enough food to meet the demands of wiping out all hunger in the world. But hunger still exists. Why? Dr. Chris Mallett, Corporate VP of Research and Development for Cargill explains it’s a
(Oil Voice) Center for Jatropha Promotion & Biodiesel (CJP) has been promoting the farming of Castor bean, a seed producing plant that grows arid/semi arid, as a feedstock for biodiesel. The crop will not compete with food crops, provides a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, the California Energy Commission approved funding of $23,110,015 for projects that will advance the development of green fuels, and the installation of fueling stations. The awards are provided through the Energy Commission’s Alternative
by Max Frankel (ThinkProgress) ...But in the world of science, researchers around the world are working on some very innovative ways to produce gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel from more sustainable feedstocks. Here’s a look at three cool recent developments
by Margaret Ryan (AOLEnergy) Biofuels could be a "game changer" for both military and commercial aviation, says Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Terry Yonkers, because they're proving to have advantages over petroleum-based jet fuels that go beyond the environment. ...Burning biofuels is considered
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Section 9011 of the Farm Bill – the Biomass Crop Assistance Program – USDA deploys $9.6M in new investments in bioenergy crops as questions revolve around the program’s future and effectiveness. Is BCAP important? Will
by Elias Ntungwe Ngalame (AllAfrica) Biofuel production initiatives are gaining ground in Cameroon as the government seeks to reduce the Central African country's energy deficit while fighting climate change. Although biofuel production has not yet reached a large scale, the government is
(Chemtex International/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Chemtex International announced today (June 13, 2012) that it has been selected by the USDA to participate in the Biomass Crop Assistance Program. The $3,996,000 award will support establishing and growing over 4,000 acres of miscanthus and switchgrass across
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) The Centre for Jatropha Promotion & Biodiesel (CJP) recently announced progress on its work with pongamia, a legume tree that bears inedible oilseeds. According to the CJP, it has developed a highly productive variety
(New Energy Farms) New Energy Farms (NEF) has developed a revolutionary new method of propagating energy grasses; this will reduce farmer establishment costs by 50% or more. Cost effective scaling of perennial energy grasses such as Miscanthus, Arundo donax and
(GreenAirOnline) Honeywell’s UOP has started what it describes as the world’s first comprehensive test programme involving its Green Jet Fuel product and a new biofeedstock specifically designed for biofuel production. A series of test flights are being carried out in
by Kathie Bassett (The Telegraph) Researchers at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville have successfully produced an environmentally friendly, cost-effective biofuel from the non-edible portion of a corn kernel. "What we did was take the most common form of cellulose that exists and
by Emery P. Dalesio (The Republic/AP) An Italian company's Wilmington-based subsidiary is geared up to build a factory that can convert grassy plants into fuel for cars and trucks amid Sampson County's hog and turkey growers. With financial and verbal encouragement
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...With the coming of advanced bioprocessing, the picture of opportunity has radically changed and the Southeast, Northwest, and Southwest, in particular, have been assessing their opportunities and attracting projects. ...But in the Southeast, there’s been a
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) What might be a good use of food waste? Hydrogen. Researchers from the University of Birmingham in the UK are creating bioenergy in the form of hydrogen for use an an alternative to gasoline. Researchers note that in
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) A team of researchers at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst is working to significantly increase the oil yields of camelina with the goal of creating a commercially viable crop for biofuel production. The $2 million,
(Biodiesel Magazine/JOil) Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory and JOil Pte. Ltd. have successfully developed genetically modified jatropha plants with high oleic acid content in seeds. “Oleic acid is the most desirable oil component for the purpose of biofuel, it gives the best
(DSM) Royal DSM, the global Life Sciences and Materials Sciences company, has been qualified as supplier of enzymes for DONG Energy - Inbicon’s wheat straw to cellulosic ethanol process. The enzymes have been successfully used in the demonstration scale biorefinery
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Corn ethanol and cellulosic ethanol have previously been viewed as entirely separate products which will be manufactured by two unique types of producers, but the concept of integrating cellulosic production into corn ethanol plants
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In-field bioprocessing? Dramatically higher plant oil production? R&D breakthroughs offer new paths to victory for Millers vs Drillers. If you haven’t been getting most of your information on the Renewable Fuel Standard from the Grocers Manufacturing
(Brookhaven National Laboratory) Findings suggest ways to increase oil production for biofuels and industrial processes Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory have identified key elements in the biochemical mechanism plants use to limit the production of fatty
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Conditions are ripe for biofuels demand and production to boom in Asia over the next few years, as steady growth in countries such as China, India and Japan will prompt an “astronomical” rise in
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) American Ethanol’s partnership with NASCAR has extended with an official sponsorship of two upcoming NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races. The American Ethanol 200 will be held July 14 and Sept. 15 at the
(Biofuels Center of North Carolina) The Oxford Biodiesel Plant is capable of converting virgin or recycled fats and oils from multiple sources into 35,000 gallons of high quality biodiesel per year. The plant was constructed on North Carolina's Biofuels Campus
by Kay Brookshire (KnoxvilleBiz.com) As the state's five-year, $70.5 million investment in the Tennessee Biofuels Initiative comes to an end in June, Genera Energy will take on a more focused role as a biomass supply company for biofuels producers. At the
by Mateusz Perkowski (Capital Press) The USDA has decide to again fully deregulate genetically engineered sugar beets that are resistant to glyphosate herbicides. The agency has found that the crop doesn't pose a plant pest risk and thus shouldn't be subject
(Birmingham Business Journal) Scientists at the University of Alabama's manufacturing technology center are looking at kudzu, the non-native leafy vines that have spread across the South's fields and forests, as one of several sources that could be used to make
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...(M)ore than 30 airlines now trialing, deploying biofuels – but who’s doing what, exactly? In Brazil, Azul Airlines announced that Amyris’s innovative renewable jet fuel sourced from Brazilian sugarcane has passed all required testing and will be used during
by Guy Chazan (Financial Times) In the world of biofuels, all eyes are on the tiny northern Italian town of Crescentino, site of the world’s first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant, which will start production this year. The venture might be small,
by Archana Jyoti (Daily Pioneer) The Planning Commission hailed it as a future fuel and the industry projected it as a viable biofuel crop. But the Union Rural Development Ministry led by Jairam Ramesh feels otherwise. Citing negative reports, the Ministry has
(EurekAlert/Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology) Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology and palm oil giants Felda, Sime Darby, in landmark collaboration on biomass waste Twelve tons of waste oil palm tree biomass is en route from Malaysia to a plant
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A major plant opening by Novozymes in Nebraska and a project announcement from ExxonMobil in Texas, highlight the opportunities and challenges for industrial biotechnology ...In Blair, Cargill’s corn-based, wet mill ethanol plant provides a base load
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Most of the stories we write at the Digest on the subject of biofuels feedstocks fall into the well-established realms of normal. But every once in a while, a feedstock emerges that is so compellingly
(Pacific Business News) The University of Hawaii’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources will receive a $6 million federal grant to continue its work to convert grass and other biomass into biofuel. The college will use the money, which comes
(Macauhub) The first crop of jatropha of biofuel company Ceci Api Biomassa Mozambique is due to be harvested by July, the company’s chief executive told Mozambican news agency AIM. Domercico Manfredi also said that the harvest, totalling around 10 tons, would
by South Dakota State University (iGrow) Rental rates for range and pastureland are on the rise, due to increasing demands for corn, says Ken Olson, SDSU Extension Beef Specialist. "Increasing demand for corn for ethanol production and growing export markets has
by Kristie Neo (ChannelNewsAsia) The world's first genetically modified Jatropha plant can produce biodiesel faster and better. Plans are in the pipeline to start field trials and commercialise it in three years. With genetic modification, the seeds from the Jatropha
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) Members of Congress are exchanging dueling fact sheets about corn ethanol and the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2). Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) sent an email last month to members of the House Commerce, and Agriculture and Energy Committees
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) USDA released its first estimate of the 2012 corn crop--and it is a big one. According to today’s USDA projections, record U.S. corn production of 14.79 billion bushels is expected in 2012. That’s up
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What’s up? What’s next? New pathways, plus country-by-country yield data. Sorghum. It’s a feedstock right out the pages of the old South – sorghum syrup served with corn bread and Lowcountry boils. ...There’s sweet sorghum and grain
by Mike Cohen (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) Illovo Sugar Ltd. (ILV), Africa’s largest sugar producer, said it has ended its involvement in the Markala sugar project in Mali because of incomplete funding and a deteriorating security situation in the West African nation. The
(Fox Business) General Electric Co. (GE) said Thursday it will invest 500 million reais ($245.5 million) in a research-and-development center in Rio de Janeiro. The center, which should be operational in the second half of 2013 and employ 400, will focus
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Brazil, GraalBio Investimentos plans to invest $724.5 million in five cellulosic ethanol plants during the next few years. The first 21.6 million gallon facility in Alagoas that will use sugarcane bagasse as feedstock is expected to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... (T)he company’s metrics in cellulosic biofuels are starting to look compelling. Not only is commercialization a lot less than five years away – a massive breakout in capacity building looks feasible within that time
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Regardless of its naming deficiencies, waste has been hot and getting hotter as a bioenergy feedstock because it solves three of the most pressing problems blocking capacity expansion. 1. The feedstocks are available at fixed, affordable
by Matt Daily (Reuters/Huffington Post) After a decade of promise, advanced biofuels makers are entering a crucial make-or-break period with the first of a new generation of production facilities about to come on line. The new facilities are designed to take
(Western Farm Press) The U.S. military is very interested in alternative fuels — in particular, the wood-based biofuels being researched and produced at the University of Maine. Three methods, or pathways, to producing biofuel for use in military jets are
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Mozambique, the first sustainable cooking fuel facility was inaugurated by Federal Minister of Agriculture José Pacheco. The CleanStar project will produce ethanol-based cooking fuel for sale with the company’s cookstoves, an affordable new form of
by Scott Irwin and Darrel Good (Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics University of Illinois)...The rise in ethanol production has recently run up against what is known as the “blend wall.” Domestic ethanol consumption is almost entirely in the form of low level blends
by Noah Haglund (The Weekly Herald) The company has agreed to compensate the county for $143,000 in goods and services it didn't deliver for a canola project. Snohomish County's experiment helping farmers turn crops into biodiesel hasn't been a failure, but
(Radio New Zealand International) Pacific nations which are most under threat from rising seas have vowed to abandon diesel and other dirty, expensive fuels and replace them with clean sources of energy. Using coconut biofuel and solar panels, Tokelau plans to
(PRWEB) Researchers at The NCERC today announced that they have successfully produced ethanol from the cellulosic portion of the corn kernel. “This research is demonstrated proof of the viability of ‘generation 2.0 ethanol,’” NCERC Director John Caupert said. “By utilizing
(NYDailyNews) Rapping the rural development ministry's land resources department for the "inordinate delay" in finalising a bio-fuels programme, a parliamentary panel has sought for the matter be placed before the cabinet at the earliest for a decision on its continuance. The
(Payvand Iran News) Iran will start producing industrial bio-ethanol from cellulosic material soon. Bio-ethanol can be used as petrol supplementary and it will increase the octane number of petrol as it is added to the fuel. It will lead to the decrease of greenhouse fuel production. Bio-ethanol
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The first World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates for 2012, from the US Department of Agriculture, give us an opportunity to review that debate. Let’s go back 10 years ago, before the first Renewable Fuel Standard was
by Rosemary Westwood (Columbia Reports) Colombia's biofuels exceed international standards for reducing greenhouse gas emissions – advancing the country’s goal to become a leading ethanol producer, according to a new government report. The study commissioned by the Ministry of Mines and Energy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...It doesn’t take a casual observer very long to see the China’s activity in industrial biotechnology accelerating, as more and more technologies develop there, or transfer there via JVs or licenses. What does a win
by Lisa Perkins (Traverse City Record-Eagle) Bill Koucky will soon produce biodiesel fuel, after years of planning, experimenting and jumping through regulatory hoops. ...Traverse City will be home to a biodiesel fuel plant when Koucky's Northwest Michigan Biodiesel LLC swings into
by David Brough (Reuters) Global biofuel demand fell in 2011 due to the impact of government requirements and greater incentives in food markets, but usage is set to grow driven by new technologies, commodities house Czarnikow said on Friday. "This comes despite a
(MarketWire) An article in F1000 Biology Reports (http://f1000.com/reports/biology) published today (May 2, 2012) argues that recent advances in knowledge mean that plant-derived biofuels could meet about 30% of the global demand for liquid transportation fuels, drastically reducing the amounts of
(Business Wire) TMO Renewables (“TMO Group”), a leading technology provider for cellulosic biofuels production, today announced the company has advanced to demonstration scale on cassava stalk feedstock with major Chinese fuel and food producers. TMO is now processing an initial
(Ceres) • Pilot project validates U.S.-produced sweet sorghum as a potential feedstock for advanced biofuels and bio-products. • Conversion efficiency of sweet sorghum sugars were similar to sugarcane. Energy crop company Ceres, Inc. (Nasdaq: CERE) today announced its improved sweet sorghum hybrids
by Eric Didier Karinganire (AllAfrica.com) For some years now, there has been talk of locally producing biofuel to make the country less dependent on petrol imports. But until now, production levels are still insignificant. Yet about four years ago, the
(FarmingUK.com) Latest government figures reveal that the vast majority of biofuels supplied in the UK are made from imported feedstock, with almost nine out of every 10 litres of foreign origin. The NFU have said that UK biofuel growers have been
by Erin Voegele (Biorefining Magazine) ...According to LBNL, the work focuses on transferring a hydrocarbon-synthesizing gene from cyanobacteria into a tobacco plant. The resulting plants would be able to produce fuel molecules within their leaves. Rather than undergoing a typical
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) Panama Green Fuels, an entity working to establish biodiesel infrastructure within Panama, recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the director of the country’s National School of Agriculture (IDIAP) to use the school’s land to
by Erin Voegele (Biorefining Magazine) ...The BioFeed model is the product of University of Illinois researchers funded by BP’s Energy Biosciences Institute under a research program titled Engineering Solutions for Biomass Feedstock Production. According to Kuan Chong Ting, a professor
by Martin Roberts (Reuters) ...European biodiesel makers will be able to sell an additional one million tonnes a year in Spain after new measures which effectively shut out Argentine and Indonesian imports, an industry spokesman said. Spain decreed on April 20
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Shell and Iogen cancel their long-contemplated Canadian cellulosic ethanol project, and announce 150 layoffs. ...In Canada, Shell and Iogen announced that they will not pursue the jointly owned 23 million gallon Iogen Energy cellulosic ethanol project
by Margaret Broeren (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) ...Much more than a buzzword, “sustainable” means that trade-offs—social, environmental and economic factors—have been measured, modeled and validated against actual “boots on the ground data” measured at agricultural research stations and on Midwestern
by Diane Wagner (Rome News Tribune) The Floyd County Commission is expected to decide at its May 8 meeting if it will allow local farmers to make a limited amount of ethanol onsite, for use as fuel for their equipment. No opposition
(Virdia/Biorefining Magazine) Cellulosic sugar developer Virdia announced April 24 the opening of its demonstration facility at its new technology center in Danville, Va. Located on the campus for the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, the facility is designed to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Finding synergy between biogas, ethanol and power generation – the Maabjerg Energy Concept promises a new approach to energy economics and sustainability, through the capture and repurpose of industrial byproducts. ...Last August, the Danish prospects for
by Bob Brooks (Automotive Industries) At least two commercially viable biofuel off take agreements with suppliers are expected to be announced this year with airlines, according to Airline Association VP & Economist, John Heimlich. This information was relayed to AUTOMOTIVE
(EurActiv) Conventional biofuels like biodiesel increase carbon dioxide emissions and are too expensive to consider as a long-term alternative fuel, a draft EU report says. The study ‘EU Transport GHG [greenhouse gases]: Routes to 2050’ estimates that before indirect effects are counted,
(Radio New Zealand) The researchers are putting 7000 Miscanthus giganteus plants on sites near Port Chalmers and Oturehua in central Otago to test its growth patterns and frost-resistance. Lead botanist Janice Lord says the grass has great potential because it is dry, easy
by Liu Yuanyuan (RenewableEnergyWorld.com) China seeks to promote the development of its biofuels industry through a series of supportive measures despite mass production difficulties. A spokesperson for the National Energy Bureau said that the Chinese government has set a goal
(The United Soybean Board/Biodiesel Magazine) ...As part of a larger strategy to promote soy biodiesel’s benefits among diesel users, the checkoff will once again co-sponsor the National Tractor Pullers Association season of approximately 80 tractor pulls across the United States.
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