by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The hottest companies in bioenergy all know it – the name of the game is low-cost sugars, or affordable syngas that competes with natural gas. For those who don’t make or use syngas and need
(KRVN) The New Hampshire House has passed a bill that would ban the sale of corn-based ethanol in the state. Earlier the House Science Technology and Energy Committee voted down the piece of legislation, however, Representative David Campbell spoke up
by Tom Vilsack (Financial Times/US Department of Agriculture) Recent news stories have stoked fears about rising global food prices. But today, only a few years after a devastating food crisis, we can avoid the mistakes of 2007 and 2008 and respond
(Novozymes) General Wesley Clark: retired US Army general, 2004 Democratic Party presidential candidate, and now Co-Chairman of Growth Energy, an ethanol lobbying group. A lot of people, when they think of biofuels – ethanol – have a picture of good grain
(VermontBiz.com) Saint Michael's College biologist Dr Mark Lubkowitz and his students join a team of researchers from the University of Missouri, University of Florida, Purdue University and the University Nebraska-Lincoln, on a five-year project to study the genes that control
by Ricardo Sequeiros Coelho (CoolTheEarth) A report by ActionAid, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and Nature Kenya revealed that using biofuels from jatropha results in more greenhouse gas emissions than using oil (PDF). More specifically, taking into
by Kerry Reals (FlightGlobal) Airbus has teamed with Tarom to establish a facility in Romania to produce aviation biofuel from the camelina crop, as part of the European airframer's plan to develop at least one such facility on every continent. The
(Logos Technologies) DOE commits full $20.5 million to retrofit and build pilot plant in Visalia, CA Logos Technologies®, Inc. and EdeniQ, Inc., announced U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) approval to fully fund $20.5 million in federal cost share under DOE's Integrated
by Bryan Sims (Pacific Biodiesel/Biodiesel Magazine) This month Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie introduced a new oilseed crop research program—the Biodiesel Crop Demonstration Project—that will span two years as part of the state’s effort to promote energy security and sustainable local
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) Everything you ever wanted to know about corn is contained in the latest edition of the World of Corn from the National Corn Growers Association. This year’s publication, available online now, highlights the wide variety of roles that farmers
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) ...Prairie Gold (PGI) of Bloomington, and GTL Resources USA of Itasca, Illinois have agreed to collaborate on the construction of a zein protein production plant. Zein is a high valued co-product that can be produced from
by Annie Snider (Greenwire/New York Times) ...Nelson, who has already served two tours in Iraq, spent this past winter tinkering with combinations of cottonseed oil and JP-8, the military's universal fuel, to find a blend that works best in
(Algae Industry Magazine) In the aviation biofuels market, as goes Boeing, so goes the industry. Boeing was a founding member of the Algal Biomess Organization (ABO) and is committed to a future of renewable fuels. “Without biofuels we cannot get
(Green Car Congress/FavStocks) ...Noted President Obama,...Now, even as we focus on oil in the near term, we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that the only long-term solution to the world’s dependence on fossil fuels is clean energy technology. And
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) There are no shortage of reasons why high-yield biofuels, particularly microalgae, continue to fascinate practically everyone in the pursuit of alternative energy. Carbon fixation, water remediation, local economic opportunity are among the many offered fruits. But
by Richard Johnson (Globe Gazette) ...And, he (Walt Wendland) said, his industry can adapt to technological changes, such as cellulosic ethanol, a biofuel derived from cellulose plant fiber. “We think there’s great synergy between cellulosic production and what we’re doing now,” Wendland
(PR Newswire/EIN News/UNICA) Two important announcements involving renewable energy made on the opening day of U.S. President Barack Obama's official visit to Brazil, both directly relevant to Brazil's successful sugarcane ethanol industry, are encouraging signs that Brazil and the U.S. are on a
by 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs (Edwards Airforce Base) An F-22 Raptor successfully flew at supercruise March 18 on a 50/50 fuel blend of conventional petroleum-based JP-8 and biofuel derived from camelina, a weed-like plant not used for food. The
by Raed Omari (The Jordan Times) An oil producing plant which can generate bio-fuel will be cultivated in the Kingdom on an experimental basis as part of a Jordanian-Brazilian partnership, an agriculture official said on Tuesday. Ministry of Agriculture Spokesperson
By Christopher Tuffley (News Sun) Highlands County is well positioned to benefit from the new push toward alternative fuels, local growers and investors were told Friday during a visit to the county by Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam. The shift to
by Stephen Then (The Star Sarawak) A leading biofuel company with global links wants to turn Sarawak into a producer of green jet fuel, diesel and petrol and is willing to invest RM555mil in the state for the purpose. Bio Oil
By Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat (Manila Bulletin) Canlaon Alco Green Agro Industrial Corp. is investing P5.192 billion for the establishment of a bioethanol plant and production of by products in Bago, Negros Occidental. The project has been approved by the Board of
(American Soybean Association) The American Soybean Association (ASA), joined by other U.S. oilseed producer and industry organizations, has expressed serious concerns to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk about the requirements
by Matt Hartwig (Renewable Fuels Association) ...As a result, many in the industrial meat sector, along with junk food processers and other food manufacturers are once again seeking to blame ethanol for the spike in corn prices and the subsequent
(Stanford University News) Concerns about the impact of corn ethanol on global warming have raised interest in more eco-friendly perennial grasses. A new study finds that large-scale cultivation of perennials could actually reduce regional surface temperatures. Converting large swaths of farmland
(peHUB) CoolPlanetBiofuels Gets Series B Funding from Google Ventures Imagine a world where fuel doesn’t have to be pumped, dug out or extracted from the ground, and can be locally sourced. CoolPlanetBiofuels, located in Camarillo, Calif., is developing an innovative solution
(Western Farm Press) A coalition of 34 U.S. governors from Washington to New York to Texas have called on U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to alter the way his department reports the use of corn for ethanol production. They argue
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association) ...If you needed any more proof that large speculative investors are toying with the agricultural commodities markets and causing wild volatility, you need look no further than the erratic behavior of the corn market
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) Oilseed growers, led by the American Soybean Association (ASA), have raised concerns with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk over the European Union’s (EU) Renewable Energy
by Winile Mavuso (The Swazi Observer) ...Director of Energy Henry Shongwe said the document was basically a policy which would guide companies which want to venture into the bio fuels industry. Such companies include among others; D1 Oils and others.
by Sybille de La Hamaide (Reuters) Overcapacity, squeezed margins and massive imports should continue to hurt Europe's biodiesel industry this year and lead to further consolidation, the chief executive of EU giant Diester Industrie said on Monday. Several biodiesel firms in
by Adam J. Liska (Department of Biological Systems Engineering at University of Nebraska-Lincoln) Liska opens his presentation with the formerly impending climate change legislation H.R. 2454, and states that the act would have done away with the inclusion of
by Nathanael Greene (Natural Resources Defense Council Representative) Greene begins by making the point that “long-term environmental imperatives” need to be applied at a global level, and that bioenergy must be an integral part of a sustainable future. Bioenergy needs to
(Wallaces Farmer) ...NCGA (National Corn Growers Association) delegates attending the meeting in Tampa, Fla., adopted ethanol policy that states "NCGA supports reforming existing ethanol tax policy. Ideas to replace existing tax law, in the following priority order, should be a variable
by Philip Case (Farmers Weekly Interactive) Sugar beet is on the cusp of benefitting from a host of technological advances that could increasingly see it grown for uses other than to create sugar, according to the director of Rothamsted Research. Maurice Moloney said
(US Department of Agriculture) The Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is seeking stakeholder input as it develops its survey focused on the use of distiller’s grains and by-products. The Distillers’ By-products Survey will gather information from livestock producers
(Grand Junction Sentinel) ...In a post-9/11 world, dependence on foreign oil has become increasingly unpopular, opening the door for farm-grown fuel to gain mainstream support. ...(S)ince about 1900 when the first diesel engine demonstrated at the World’s Fair by Mr. Diesel
by Charity Pennock (Southern Growth Policies Board) One of the South’s opportunities for job creation and renewed economic growth is through the development of the region’s bioeconomy. The bioeconomy is the creation of power, fuels, and products from biomass—organic material
(Daily Markets/PRNewswire) Multi-Media Enterprises is reporting that Mission NewEnergy Limited has announced the establishment of Asia’s first fully integrated Sustainability & Carbon Certified palm biodiesel supply chain. The announcement was made in Australia in the following news release: Mission NewEnergy Limited
by Harish Damodaran (The Hindu Business Line) Will crude oil at above $ 100-a-barrel prompt more cane diversion to ethanol, causing further spike in world sugar prices? Unlikely, says Mr Narendra Murkumbi, Managing Director of Shree Renuka Sugars Ltd (SRSL), which
(Chromatin) Chromatin Inc. announced its dual-purpose SweetFuel™ sorghum hybrids, which combine high yields of both fermentable sugar and biomass per acre. Chromatin's SweetFuel™ hybrids are ideal for capturing the value of sugars produced in sorghum juice as well as the
(SG Biofuels) SG Biofuels, a bioenergy crop company using breeding and biotechnology to develop elite hybrid seeds of Jatropha, today announced it has applied more than 1.6 million genetic markers (SNPs) for Jatropha curcas toward the development of marker assisted
By Kevin Hursh (Postmedia News/Montreal Gazette) ...The ethanol industry, particularly in the U.S., is a prime target of those who worry about food prices. About 37 per cent of the American corn crop goes to making ethanol. Cancelling the ethanol incentives
by Stephanie Nieuwoudt (Interpress Service News Agency) South African maize farmers are pushing hard to change a government decision to exclude their crops as feedstock for bioethanol, in view of food security concerns. Shortly after the government unveiled its biofuel strategy last
by Matthew L. Wald (New York Times) High oil prices are generally bad news for American companies, but one, Gevo of Englewood, Colo., says that $100-a-barrel oil is opening up a niche. The company bought a factory in Luverne, Minn., that makes ethanol
(Neste Oil) Neste Oil with Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Mr. Teo Chee Hean, Finnish Minister for Ownership Steering Mr. Jyri Häkämies, and some 200 guests celebrate the grand opening of its renewable diesel plant in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Fast-rising sugar prices, which have made the Brazilian ethanol business a whole lot less appealing (why not simply distribute sugar at 32 cents a pound, instead of processing into ethanol and making less?), haven’t dimmed
(Biofuels International) In the US SG Biofuels, a bioenergy crop company, located in San Diego, California, is expanding its operations into India and has named Subhas Pattnaik as director of operations for the market. ...In India Pattnaik's new role will see
by Mazera Ndurya (AllAfrica.com) A team of specialists has been set up to study the viability of the controversial jatropha trees after renewed interest by foreign investors to start the project. The team was formed by the National Environment management Authority
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) But this week in the little burgh of Boardman, Oregon (population 3,300), which happens to sit adjacent to the second-largest inland port in the western United States (the port of Morrow, on the Columbia
by Erin Golden (Omaha.com) ...Headlines about higher gas prices are putting a big-picture focus on the country’s dependence on oil, said Todd Becker, the CEO of Omaha-based ethanol producer Green Plains Renewable Energy. And on a smaller scale, he said,
(National Biodiesel Board) Thanks to biodiesel, soybean oil and meal economics favor the livestock industry concludes a study released today. In addition without America’s advanced biofuel in the marketplace higher soybean meal prices could have cost the livestock industry $4.8 billion
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...But let’s take this opportunity to really lock down an understanding of Sapphire. That will help reveal the motivations and opportunities in this deal. But also, in a larger sense, will help clarify the algal
by Rowley Tedlock (Kleinfelder) and Richard Holder (Jason Associates/Renewable Energy World) Detailed environmental evaluations consider alternatives and the effect of developing a cellulosic ethanol plant with a power generation component. The Abengoa Bioenergy Biorefinery of Kansas (ABBK) in Hugoton, Kansas,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) New isobutanol-producing and protein-munching microbes from UCLA remind us that biofuels remain in the anything-but-static, eye-popping era of their development. The Digest’s “mind-bending breakthrough” in-basket is overflowing this week with advances in the fermentation of protein
by Michael Pollitt (EDP24) ...Gino De Jaegher, British Sugar’s managing director, told the 300 delegates at the John Innes Centre on Norwich Research Park: “The future offers even more opportunity. In future sugar beet will be processed for
by Marc Gunther (Sustainable Business Forum) ...If I’d taken biology and chemistry in college, I might be explain to explain Codexis’s technology in a sophisticated away. Here’s the best I can manage: In brief, the company rearranges the DNA of
by Thomas Saidak (Biofuels Digest) In New York, DuPont Applied BioSciences President Craig F. Binetti, speaking at the Jeffries 11th Annual Clean Technology Conference, talked about Dupont’s intentions regarding biotechnology and biofuels. Dupont currently estimates the biofuels industry worldwide will
by Jamie Ashcroft (Proactive Investors United Kingdom) D1 Oils revealed that demand is out-pacing supply for its Crude Jatropha Oil (CJO)... D1 said that it is continuing to experience demand for greater quantities of CJO than it is able
by Ryan McBride (Xconomy Boston) ...Agrivida also gained attention in July when it showed that its engineered crops could greatly boost the efficiency of the process of extracting sugars from the crops for biofuel production. Michael Raab, the firm’s president and
(La Prensa) The Committee on Biofuels Congress of State in charge of Deputy Carlos Avendaño Nagaya, promoted to mayors of municipalities in the Frontera Sur pinion culture as raw material for biodiesel, especially for land planted in disused or abandoned
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Is there enough energy, food, fiber and feed for all? Advances in industrial fermentation – a/k/a an incredulous “you’re making what? from what? using what? – will be the key to answering that question. The stars of this drama
(ScienceBlog) ...A new paper in today’s online edition of the American Chemical Society’s journal Environmental Science and Technology shows how farmers can save money on fertilizer while they improve their production of feedstock for ethanol and alleviate damage to the environment. ...The team led by
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced February 25, 2011, that USDA will soon seek proposals to study the feasibility of providing crop insurance to producers of biofuel feedstocks, including corn stover, straw and woody biomass. These feasibility
by Graham Cooper (OilPrice.com) BP is poised for a major advance in its biofuel operations, as it is completing commissioning of the world’s first biobutanol pilot plant and plans to begin full–scale production later this year at its Vivergo Fuels
(SG Biofuels) SG Biofuels and Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) released results of a study revealing the performance and emissions benefits of using Jatropha oil as a drop-in replacement for diesel fuel in industrial furnaces used for electric power generation and
(GhanaWeb) Abellon CleanEnergy Ltd., an Indian renewable energy company, plans to create 25,000 jobs in Ghana and build a factory to produce solid biofuels, the United Nations Development Program said. Ahmedabad-based Abellon will grow crops that require little irrigation such as
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) DuPont Applied BioSciences President Craig Binetti told attendees of a recent clean technology conference that DuPont expects the biofuels industry worldwide to grow by $25 billion in the next five years and it plans
by Phil Brasher (Des Moines Register) Cutting the deficit is more important than protecting the ethanol industry if it comes to that, says Sen. Chuck Grassley, long the biofuel industry's most powerful ally in Congress. Grassley said Tuesday that he would
by Emily Thomas (Energy Saving Trust) Scientists in West Wales and the Valleys looking to develop biofuels from locally grown plant crops have been given a funding boost of £20 million from the Welsh Assembly. Aberystwyth University's Institute of Biological, Environmental
by William R. Stone, Jr. (Journal Star) ...As an old ranch hand, I've never made much of being an environmentalist, but I support protecting the environment more than most of the rabid environmentalists I've met. So since ethanol became available
by Sue Roesler (Farm & Ranch Guide) ...The biomass refinery would be a part of Dakota Spirit AgEnergy LLC and would be located next to the Cargill barley malting plant and the Great River Energy CHP power plant, according to
by Lance Cpl. Vanessa American Horse (Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System) A project that is expected to help reduce dependence on fossil fuels kicked off here (Marine Corps Base Hawaii – Kaneohe Bay) Feb. 4. The 24-month research project will focus on sustainable
(Platts) The Environmental Protection Agency is studying a proposal by the US biodiesel industry to allow imports of Canadian canola-based biodiesel into the US. "The question is always of what feedstock the biodiesel is made of," Karl Simon, a representative of
By Elizabeth Lopatto (Bloomberg) Switchgrass, the prairie plant that once fueled the buffalo herds of the American Great Plains, may one day fill automobile tanks in a bioengineered form that’s cheaper and yields more ethanol than the original variety. Researchers showed that
(Google/AFP) Anglo-Dutch energy giant Shell and Brazilian sugar-production group Cosan said Monday they were forming one of the biggest joint ethanol fuel ventures in the world, with an estimated market value of $12 billion. The new entity, to be called Raizen, will
(SG Biofuels) SG Biofuels and Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) today released results of a study revealing the performance and emissions benefits of using Jatropha oil as a drop-in replacement for diesel fuel in industrial furnaces used for electric power generation
(Biofuels International) Technology provider for the energy and environment sectors Abengoa will implement its enzymatic hydrolysis process technology to produce bioethanol at a commercial-scale in the US. The news comes after the company's second generation bioethanol pilot production plant, located in
(Renewable Fuels Association) While the rest of the economy slowly recovers, American ethanol production has been an economic success story. With ethanol plants operating and being built in 29 states, the economic benefits of domestic ethanol production are having an
by Courtney Blanchard (Telegraph Herald) Senator rejects new criticism of U.S. ethanol policy that comes after reports of low corn reserves. Near record-high corn prices and the lowest reserves in 15 years have reinvigorated the debate over ethanol. U.S. Sen. Chuck
by Robin Yapp (The Telegraph) Ethanol derived from Brazilian sugar-cane offers the best hope of replacing oil as the world's main source of fuel when it runs out, according to Bob Dudley, BP's chief executive. He said Brazilian ethanol is the "best
(Ashland Current) A recent report issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture says the total value of Wisconsin crops rose by more than $1 billion dollars last year to $4.8 billion, up from $3.5 billion in 2009. More than half of
(Deccan Herald) Horticulture Research Station waiting nod from Varsity The Horticulture Research Station in Ullal has submitted a proposal to the Horticulture University in Bagalkot to prepare bio-ethanol from cashew apple, said Station Head Dr Lakshman. Speaking to presspersons on the sidelines
by Phil Ciciora (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) A team of researchers led by Madhu Khanna, a professor of agricultural and consumer economics at Illinois, shows that very high biomass prices would be needed in order to meet the ambitious
by Julian Gairdner (Farmers Weekly Interactive) Grain destined for the biofuel chain looks set to fall within farm assurance following negotiations between Assured Food Standards, the NFU and the European Commission. Ensuring there was a single assurance programme was a key objective of
by Ayesha Rascoe (Reuters) ..."The fact is the industry has pretty much been built," USDA Chief Economist Joe Glauber told reporters on the sidelines of a Commodity Markets Council conference. "This isn't a question of just saying 'cut it off.'
(Chromatin/BusinessWire) Chromatin, Inc., announced that its sorghum hybrids showed top performance in its 2010 biomass and sugar testing programs when compared to other materials from public, private, and commercial sorghum collections. In the first trial, 50 biomass sorghum entries were
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) KL Energy Corp. is preparing to validate its modified process technology to turn sugarcane bagasse into ethanol. As the bitter winter turns to spring in the tiny town of Upton, Wyo., located on the northern
(Trend) Iranian experts and scientists for the first time managed to produce biodiesel fuel using the oil extracted from Jatropha curcas plant cultivated in Southern Iran, FARS news agency reported. "Iran could produce biodiesel fuel through extracting oil from Jatropha plant
by Natalie Poyhonen (ABC News) The Burdekin Shire Council has given the final approval for the creation of a $200 million ethanol plant at Mona Park, near Home Hill in north Queensland. The Austcane Energy project will produce ethanol and co-generated
(Viaspace/PRNewsWire) High Per-Acre Productivity of Giant King Grass Promises 40% Reduction in Biofuel Feedstock Costs VIASPACE Inc., and its subsidiary VIASPACE Green Energy Inc., reported results of recent independent testing of Giant King Grass as a feedstock for producing second-generation cellulosic biofuels
by Villamor Visaya Jr. (Inquirer Northern Luzon) Some 400 farmers and activists on Tuesday staged a protest march to oppose the construction of a bioethanol plant here, a project that is supported by the provincial government. Diony Yadao, leader of the farmers'
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The dialogue over the opportunities for biofuels continues to veer, as ever, away from the technology itself, or any emission-reducing or security-enhancing attributes of the fuel – and comes down to two questions. Can biofuels
by Terri Adams (The Prairie Star) The Central Agriculture Research Center (CARC) near Moccasin, Mont., uses 600 acres of land to test cropping systems, plant varieties, soil fertilities and other issues that affect producers in central Montana. Chengci Chen, an associate
(Neste Oil Corporation) A three-year biofuel trial organized by Neste Oil, Helsinki Region Transport (HSL), and Proventia has recently been completed, and the results have confirmed that Neste Oil's NExBTL renewable diesel can significantly reduce local emissions that have a
(Des Moines Register) The U.S. House has rebuffed key initiatives to expand the market for corn ethanol, a sign that the industry's once legendary political clout is weakening with the conservative gains in Congress. The Republican-controlled House voted 285-136 early
(Syngenta) First corn output trait for ethanol industry Enables ethanol industry to improve efficiency and profitability Significant environmental benefits Syngenta announced February 11, 2011, it has received full deregulation for its corn amylase trait from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This is the
by Candace Krebs (AgJournal.com) Since Stratton Equity Co-op installed Colorado’s first “blender pump” offering a range of ethanol based fuels last April, interest has slowly been rising, right on track with national ethanol usage overall. “We’ve had a gradual increase in
by Bård Amundsen/Else Lie. Translation: Darren McKellep/Carol B. Eckmann(The Research Council of Norway) Jatropha has been championed as a major environmental opportunity for developing countries with a semi-arid climate and marginal soil. Scientist Karl Hilding Thunes of the Norwegian Forest
by Nigel Hunt (Reuters) * UK wheat yields seen having potential to rise * EU biofuel expansion seen mainly based on bioethanol * Higher percentage of equity used in financing project Britain can grow enough wheat to supply the needs of food, feed
(ADM) Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) today announced plans to invest in sustainable palm production in Brazil. Spanning five years, the ADM investment will encompass approximately 12,000 hectares of palm production in the state of Pará and include the
(Biofuels International) On 3 February 2011 energy company Jatoil achieved production of 200 tonnes of crude jatropha oil, all of which will be shipped and used as feedstock for biojet aviation fuel for use by commercial airlines. ...'Currently, only limited supplies
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) ...“If weather blesses the world with bountiful crops in 2011,” writes Economic Times commodities editor Nidhi Nath Srinivas, “and that’s a giant if, they will first replenish exhausted stocks in the trading pipelines. Globally,
(25 x '25) Last week, USDA reported that surplus corn stocks have hit their lowest point since 1995 and corn prices have risen from $3.50 per bushel in July 2010, to $6.10 in January 2011. Critics of biofuels charge that
[caption id="attachment_16804" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Media crowd around Dale Earnhardt, Jr., as he comes off the track after winning the Pole position for the 2011 Daytona 500. Photo: J.Ivancic"][/caption] by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) Use of E15 in NASCAR
(Michigan State University) Michigan State University researchers are finding new locations to grow crops used for biofuel. The land they’ve identified might surprise some because it’s right next to where the fuel is being used. Dennis Pennington, an MSU Extension bioenergy educator,
If any state should be leading the way in biofuels development, it’s Florida. With abundant sunshine, a long growing season, and plentiful waste from agriculture and from a big human population, the possibilities are obvious for refining biological materials, including algae,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Highlights from the road show, according to our Digest spies. The company (Gevo) is touting that it will cost $40-45 million for each conversion of an existing ethanol facility to the production of biobutanol. The
(University of Tennessee) Facilities expected to advance biobased research for energy, fuels, chemicals and materials The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture has opened a comprehensive research facility to accommodate faculty and industry initiatives through the new Center for Renewable Carbon
by Eduard Gismatullin (Bloomberg) Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Europe’s largest oil company, and Codexis Inc. will roll out technology this year to make biofuels from wheat straw and sugar-cane bagasse, the cellulose-rich waste from cane processing. Shell and Codexis have been researching enzymes to
by Cole Gustafson (Western Farm Press/North Dakota State University Extension Service) A USDA-funded study is developing new pricing and trading standards for cellulosic biomass feedstocks. A first step in the study is to identify the most promising feedstocks and the
by Ann Perry (USDA ARS) Pacific Northwest farmers could someday be filling up their machinery's tanks with fuels produced from their own fields, according to ongoing research by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists. Since 2003, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) microbiologist Hal Collins and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...“The EPA has said that they are going to enforce the 800 million gallon volume RFS2 requirement” said National Biodiesel Board CEO Joe Jobe to Biodiesel magazine, “and we will have the tax credit in
(GreenAir Online) Air China and Boeing have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the intention of carrying out a trans-Pacific biofuel flight between China and the US, and will follow China’s first biofuel demonstration flight planned for the second half
by Vinod Khosla (GreenTechMedia) Imagination is in shortest supply when it comes to agronomic econometrics that extrapolate the past instead of inventing a new future. Part II: Feedstock. Feedstock cost, environmental impact and even its politics are critical variables. With each
by Darcy Dougherty Maulsby (Farm News) ..."I'm very excited that we're going to be racing on ethanol in the Cup Series, the truck series and the Nationwide series," said NASCAR legend Rusty Wallace, who was in Des Moines on Tuesday
by Cheree Franco (Mississippi State Ag Communications) On a January morning in Soperton, Ga., southeastern farmers mingled with investors and biomass experts to discuss Freedom Giant Miscathus--a towering grass that may be America’s most promising clean energy solution. Freedom was developed
(ME NewsWire) Research confirms viability of using saltwater and arid land to create new forms of sustainable bio energy Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (MI), the Boeing Company, Etihad Airways, and Honeywell’s UOP announced today the completion of a Sustainability
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) ...The reality, however, is that Indian ethanol plants increasingly are co-located with distilleries, using their waste as feedstock, and as a result competition between the liquor and ethanol industries is decreasing. Where the competition
(Wetlands International) An increasing part of Malaysia’s palm oil is produced at the account of huge areas of tropical peatswamp forests. Especially in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, expansion of oil palm plantations may lead to the complete loss of
(Mission NewEnergy Ltd.) Mission NewEnergy Limited, a vertically integrated biodiesel producer and one of the world’s largest Jatropha plantation companies, is pleased to announce results of the Jatropha planting season as follows: Outperformed projected new Jatropha planting target; Increased overall productive
(BioJet International Ltd.) BioJet International Ltd. announced that it has received a US $1.2 Billion funding facility from Cayman based Equity Partners Fund SPC. The funding structure is a 3 year facility, further terms of the funding were not disclosed. BioJet
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Codexis yesterday announced a stunning 29% increase in revenue, ...What’s driving the numbers in Redwood City? ”We achieved our technical milestones with Shell, we made our first shipments of two important enzymes to Merck and
(KRTV.com) Plans for a wheat and barley based ethanol plant near Malmstrom Air Force Base first began 20 years ago. Although Montana Advanced Biofuels nearly started construction in 2006, the project was stalled by financing issues. ...Developers are also asking the
(Farm Futures) RFA says there are tradeoffs in any energy decisions. ...Renewable Fuels Association spokesman Matt Hartwig says it's also become a double-edged sword for ethanol. On the one hand he says the U.S. can say thanks but no thanks to
(UPI.com) Agave, cultivated for alcoholic beverages and for fiber, could be used as a sustainable biofuel feedstock, U.S. researchers say. Scientists at the University of Illinois have found the yields of two Agave species greatly exceeded the yields of other biofuel
(Novozymes/Bradenton.com) The road to commercialization of cellulosic biofuels may be bumpy and less traveled, but it’s actually an easier road than many might think. This week at the DC Auto Show, Novozymes and POET will celebrate being one mile closer to their destination --
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...And, today, the story of advanced biofuels in Brazil amped up considerably yesterday with the announcement that TAM Airlines in conjunction with Airbus, jatropha biofuel producer Brasil Ecodiesel, and AirBP (the specialized aviation division of
(Louisiana State University) The LSU AgCenter has received a five-year extension from the Louisiana Board of Regents to continue with the establishment of the Louisiana Institute for Biofuels and Bioprocessing. “We appreciate the vote of confidence,” said John Russin, LSU AgCenter interim
(CBC News) Diversified Metal Engineering in Charlottetown has been awarded the contract to design and build a pilot-scale ethanol plant, but it's not on P.E.I. It will be located in Edmundston at the New Brunswick Community College campus there and will be
(POET) First farmers completed BCAP applications Monday Farmers are now delivering biomass bales to POET's 22-acre storage site in Emmetsburg, Iowa, the future home of the 25 million-gallon-per-year cellulosic ethanol plant dubbed "Project LIBERTY." Area farmers harvested 56,000 tons of corn cobs, leaves,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New York, the Wall Street Journal launched a bitter counterattack this week on former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, after Gingrich remarked, at a meeting of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association that “Obviously big urban
by Ben Geman (The Hill/E2Wire) The ethanol industry is quickly attacking a draft EPA study that details a slew of ecological harms that could accompany increased biofuels production. “EPA’s failure to provide this report in any context with the environmental degradation done
by Todd Taylor with Christina Connelly, Ralph Groschen, Mark Lindquist, Gregg Mast, Tim Welle and Doug Cameron (Biofuels Digest/Minnesota) ...Venture capitalists in California support and encourage these and many other companies and deserve ample credit for the Cambrian-like explosion of new
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Last week [after previously exiting their investment in Choren, a Fischer-Tropsch technology based in Germany] Shell announced that it will will exit its shareholding in Cellana, a joint venture between Shell and HR Biopetroleum. Today,
(PR Log) According to Industrial Biotechnologies China News,unlike most producers of cellulosic-based ethanol adopting straw as raw material, the joint venture will choose kenaf as raw material with several obvious strengths. On January 6, 2011, Bio-Dynamic Group Limited (or Bio-Dynamic Group)
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) ...The company will deploy multiple feedstock technology as rising costs of feedstocks are a common source of financial hardship for biofuel plants. It has recently been reported that rising corn prices are currently squeezing ethanol margins. This
by P Sivaramakrishnan (BBC News) A pilot project to see if cash crops can be grown in the salty ground of India's coastal areas has been launched. The area in Tamil Nadu state will house dozens of
(Bangkok Post) The Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) and Bangchak Petroleum Plc have teamed up to grow oil palm for a biodiesel project. The state bank will allow the oil company to lease 1,200 rai of degraded tangerine orchards
(Commodity Online) The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) ended the year 2010 with strong growth in both the production and use of RSPO-certified sustainable palm oil. Compared to 2009, numbers doubled, in many cases even tripled compared to the year
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) ...The potential for some green jobs, especially in biofuels, is dependent on technologies and processes that haven't proved economical. Ethanol giant Poet LLC wants to produce fuel from corncobs, a form of cellulose, as
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest-Asia) India’s recent flip-flops on sugar supply and exports have angered many in the sensitive global commodities markets and even been ascribed to a sort of national dementia. But as is often the case in business,
(WATTagnet.com) Scientists in Canada are evaluating Jerusalem artichoke production as a feedstock for biofuels production. The versatile crop has many industrial applications and could displace some corn which is currently diverted to ethanol. It is anticipated that a grower cooperative will
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...We hereby sentence the authors to a one-year subscription to Biofuels Digest. We continue to sound the alarm on “studies” that are, in essence, reviews of peer-reviewed literature reviews and interviews with secondary sources. It’s the
(Algal Biomass Organization) Today, the RAND Corporation published a study and accompanying press release calling into question the effectiveness of renewable fuels for military use. The report can be found here:http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/monographs/2011/RAND_MG969.pdf A copy of the press release can be found here:http://www.rand.org/news/press/2011/01/25.html It is
(RAND Corporation) If the U.S. military increases its use of alternative fuels, there will be no direct benefit to the nation's armed forces, according to a new RAND Corporation study. Any benefits from investment in alternative fuels by the U.S. Department of
by Kelsey McNeeley and Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA/Lancaster Farming) In 2002, Penn State University began using 20 percent (B20) biodiesel fuel on campus in the division of farm operations. Because of their expertise in biodiesel, Penn State’s farm operations (Farm Ops)
by Vinod Khosla (Green Tech Media) Part 1: Production technologies: where are we? The financial crisis of 2008 set back a number of projects and slowed actual construction of pilot and demo plants like it did in all industries, be
by Richard Ecke (Great Falls Tribune) ...A proposed Great Falls ethanol plant would be the country's first to use wheat and barley to create ethanol, according to developer Gary Hebener of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Project officials are awaiting word from the
by Dan Piller (Des Moines Register) The surge in corn prices since mid-2010 has bolstered the profits of corn farmers but has eaten away at the profitability of ethanol producers. ...Ethanol producers meanwhile saw a dramatic drop in their margins from
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