Perennial grasses could become popular biomass crops in the future. Many perceive these grasses require little to no management for insects or other pests. However, researchers are finding rather than being pest-free, the identity of insect pests and their effects
Rentech, Inc. and ClearFuels Technology Inc., jointly announced that their project to construct a biomass gasifier at Rentech's Energy Technology Center ("RETC") in Denver has been awarded a conditional $22.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE"). The
by Catherine Saillant (Los Angeles Times) Members of the Southern California Assn. of Governments reject $11 million in federal stimulus money to set up 55 stations throughout the Southland. They say ethanol causes environmental problems. A regional panel Thursday turned
The United Soybean Board (USB) released a new peer-reviewed life cycle profile that documents multiple energy and environmental benefits of U.S. soybean farming and processing. It confirms why manufacturers are increasingly using U.S. soy in green chemistry for a wide
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Bionol Clearfield LLC, a 110 MMgy ethanol plant in Clearfield, Pa., is up and running, according to Roger Schmidt, general manager. The plant was undergoing performance testing on Feb. 8. “We are at or
(Earth Times) UK-based Carbon Credited Farming congratulated NASA on the successful launch of the Endeavour Space Shuttle today. It blasted off from Kennedy Space Center taking with it new scientific experiments, including a study of the Jatropha curcas plant, used
by Melody M. Aguiba (Manila Bulletin) A P100-million Vehicle Testing Research Laboratory (VTRL) has been put up to test the technical viability of the jatropha methyl ester (JME) which has so far gone through successful pilot testing at the Industrial
PRAJ, through its Development Center (Matrix- the Innovation Center), conducted studies and evaluated options for optimizing sweet sorghum based alcohol production. This effort was conducted in two phases: · Agricultural trials and studies for evaluating suitability, technical feasibility and commercial viability
by Rhett A. Butler (Mongabay.com) The European Union may be planning to classify oil palm plantations as forests, raising fears among environmental groups of expanded conversion of tropical rainforests for biofuel production, reports the EUobserver, which cites a leaked document
by Patrick Rial (Bloomberg) Toyota Tsusho Corp., the trading affiliate of Toyota Motor Corp., plans to start growing jatropha next year as it bets that higher crop yields and oil prices will make the plant a profitable alternative fuel. ...“We
Joelle Dent (Biofuels Digest) In India, a variety of reports have been published on the medicinal properties of jatropha curcus, most recently a report in the African Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology that found that jatropha has cancer-fighting properties, “inhibiting
by Katie Zenk (MNDaily.com) letter to the editor Over break, I had the chance to think about the recent Minnesota Daily editorial attacking corn ethanol. My hometown is Olivia, Minn., billed “The Corn Capital of the World.” Of the roughly
(FreshPlaza) Entrepreneurs at eFarms LLC believe they have an answer for farmers with crop overproduction, high fuel costs and the need for quality animal feed. The company is developing a "Renewable Fuel System," which will take crop products including corn,
President Obama announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a proposed rule for the new Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) that intends to spur the expansion of dedicated non-food crops for renewable energy and biofuel production. A public comment
(Queensland Business Review) The University of Queensland (UQ) has entered into a new agreement with an American alternative energy company to turn Queensland sugar cane into jet biofuel. Researchers from UQ's Australian Institute for Bioengineering & Nanotechnology (AIBN) will work with
by Darrel Good (University of Illinois and Cattle Network) ...Planting decisions for individual crops in the spring of 2010 will be influenced by a number of factors. These include relative crop prices, prospects for net returns for completing crops, and
(BlackSeaGrain) According to the Iranian Fars Newsagency, Mr (Deputy Brazilian Science and Technology Minister Czar) Gadella said that Brazil is ready to cooperate with Iran in fields of technology and production to help the country produce ethanol from sugar cane
by Emily Wilkins (The State News) A team of professors from MSU’s Department of Entomology examined several biofuel crops to see how many beneficial insects were attracted to the plants and found several other potential biofuel crop candidates. ... Research
Gerard Wynn (Reuters) Danish biotech company Novozymes would launch in the first quarter this year a new enzyme to produce transport fuel from agricultural waste, its chief executive Steen Riisgaard told Reuters on Saturday. That was the company's firmest guidance yet
Alan Fischer (University of Arizona and Western Farm Press) University of Arizona (UA) researchers believe the microscopic organism algae will be providing fuel to power vehicles within the next five years. Joel Cuello, UA professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering, said
The new research center, Brazilian Bioethanol Science and Technology National Laboratory, in Campinas, São Paulo State represents a strategic move by the Brazilian Government toward strengthening the country’s leadership in sustainable production of ethanol from sugar cane and fostering innovation
by Nidhi Nath Srinivas (The Economic Times) Indian biodiesel companies always wanted to be players in the global green fuel market. Most are 100% export units. But a near-death experience over the last one year has now made the sector
(The Hindu) The Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, has sanctioned Rs. 13.33 lakh to the Department of Botany, PSGR Krishnammal College for Women here, to undertake research on biodiesel production in a cost-effective method from karanja oil
The Standing Committee of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, acting under the terms of Article 14 of the Convention; Recalling that under Article 11, paragraph 2.b of the Convention, each Contracting Party undertakes to strictly control
Scientists have found a way to increase fermentable sugar stores in plants which could lead to plant biomass being easier to convert into eco-friendly sustainable biofuels. Their research is highlighted in the latest issue of Business, the quarterly highlights magazine of
(CBC News, AP) A $10.5-million-US research project aimed at mapping the DNA sequence of sunflowers could one day yield a towering new variety for both food and fuel. Researchers envision crossbreeding a standard sunflower with the Silverleaf species from Texas to
by John Holland (Modesto Bee) ...The Keyes plant, the only ethanol operation in Stanislaus County, has dominated the landscape but produced little fuel since it was finished next to a feed mill on the west side of the highway. ...
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has analyzed a new report out from the National Wildlife Federation on “Corn Ethanol and Wildlife” and found it lacking in accuracy. ... The RFA analysis concludes that “selective and questionable
(National Wildlife Federation) A new report shows how government incentives for corn ethanol are driving farmers to shift land into corn production, resulting in significant decreases in grassland bird populations throughout the fragile Prairie Pothole Region. The study analyzes the
by Don Hofstrand (Agricultural Marketing Resource Center) Crop residue, traditionally considered as “trash” or agricultural waste, is increasingly being viewed as a valuable resource. Corn stalks, corn cobs, wheat straw and other leftovers from grain production are now being viewed
by Michael Kannellos (GreenTechMedia) Take marginal land, fish waste and a plant that's not currently cultivated for human purposes and what do you get? Hopefully jet fuel. The Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, Honeywell UOP, Boeing and Ethiad Airways announced
Sixteen clean technology projects from across Canada will receive $58 million in funding to help move innovative technology solutions to the market. The announcement, confirming the decision of the Board of Directors of Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), was made
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Camelina has been much in the news of late, as a biofuels feedstock of strong promise, because of its position as one of the few "sustainable, affordable, reliable, available" feedstocks suitable for aviation biofuels. Two major camelina
by Dirk Lammers (Sun Journal, AP) Researchers at South Dakota State University have rediscovered a long-ignored moth and found a new fly, both of which like to munch on switchgrass, a crop billed as a future feedstock for next-generation ethanol. SDSU
(Physorg.com) Soybean, one of the most important global sources of protein and oil, is now the first legume species with a published complete draft genome sequence. The sequence and its analysis appear in the January 14 edition of the journal
UOP LLC, a Honeywell company, announced it has been selected for negotiation of a $25 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to build a demonstration unit in Hawaii to convert cellulosic biomass into green transportation fuels. As part
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Australia, Jatoil announced a joint venture to develop high-value crops that will be planted alongside its oilseed bearing jatropha trees, resulting in a dual income stream to boost returns from its biofuel farms in Vietnam.
On Friday, Jan. 29, DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol LLC (DDCE) and University of Tennessee/Genera Energy LLC will hold a grand opening celebration for one of the nation’s first cellulosic ethanol demo plants, and the only one dedicated to converting both
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, jatropha pioneer SG Biofuels announced a strategic alliance with Life Technologies Corporation, a provider of innovative life science solutions, to advance the development of Jatropha as a sustainable biofuel. The alliance brings together SG
As scientists scramble to develop ways to generate enormous amounts of energy from cleaner-burning, renewable fuels to replace coal and oil, promising agricultural crops such as switchgrass have made headlines. But selecting the plants from which to make energy is
Robert F. Service (Science) Even with a major push, commercial plants capable of turning CO2 or water into liquid fuels are still likely to be 2 decades away. A simpler version of the technology, however, already appears headed to market.
by Bill Belden (Prairie Lands Bio-Products, Inc.) This presentation at the 4th Cellulosic Ethanol Summit describes developing a sustainable “fuel,” i.e., “feedstock” supply for biofuels and biomass-to-energy projects. Prairie Lands Bio-Products, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization with a current membership of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The search for cheap sugars ... affects almost every company working on the ethanol platform (really, everyone there except the gasification technologies such as Coskata). It also impacts those like LS9, Amyris and Virent that use
by Emeka Ezekiel (The Punch) Cassava Agro Industries Services Limited has concluded plans to invest N300bn in the development of a new technology that will produce kerosene for domestic use from local cassava. Chairman of Pan African Cassava Initiative and
(China Knowledge) China National Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corp or COFCO Group, China's largest food processing, manufacturer and trader, put China's first non-grain ethanol project into operation in Beihai, Guangxi Province at the end of last year, sources reported. Ethanol
(New Rules Project) Does it take more energy to make ethanol than is contained in ethanol? That question continues to haunt the ethanol industry even after nearly 30 years of expanding production. Over the years more than 20 scientific studies
by Michael Kanellos (GreenTechMedia) By doubling the genetic material in an oil plant, Kaiima says it can make biodiesel more economical. It can also get around GMO regulations. Arguably, it's a GMO without GMOs. Kaiima, based in Israel, says it has
by F. M. Epplin (Renewable Energy World and Oklahoma State University) USDOE and USDA study concluded that 50 million U.S. acres of cropland, idle cropland and cropland pasture could be converted from current uses to the production of perennial grasses,
by Nicholas Elledge (Council on Hemispheric Affairs) ... (W)ould Cuba benefit from, and does it possess the technological and infrastructural means and political will to expand and modernize its sugar and sugarcane ethanol industries to take advantage of the unique
by Jeanne Bernick (Farm Journal) ... “The equipment companies have stepped up to the plate,” says Weishaar, vice president of commercial development for Poet, the nation’s first cellulosic ethanol producer. Poet recently hosted a biomass harvest field day at the
(Reuters) China has agreed to lower the tariff on imports of ethanol to 5 percent from the previous 30 percent, which traders said could open the door for imports of fuel ethanol from countries like Brazil. …Brazil, the world's largest ethanol exporter,
Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Q: Why is there a tariff on Brazilian ethanol? A. Under WTO rules the corn ethanol subsidy of 45 cents per gallon has to be made available to domestic and foreign ethanol. The tariff is designed
(ABC Rural) Western Australia's mining sector could be one of the first to reap the benefits of a biofuels trial in the state's north-west. The Gascoyne Research Station is halfway through a project to test the Moringa tree, which is
by Simon Grose (TCE Today) Algae, wood and sugarcane shared the honours in the bidding for funding through the Australian government’s Second generation Biofuels research and development program. Announcing matching grants totaling A$14.4m ($12.1m) across seven projects, resource minister Martin Ferguson
(Caribbean Daily News) The Jamaica government says it will continue to develop the biofuels industry so as to boost exports under the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI). Jamaica, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago and the US Virgin Islands are
by C. Neal Stewart, Jr. (Sun Grant Initiative) This presentation reviews the benefits and challenges of using switchgrass as a biofuels feedstock. It includes good graphs of cell wall structures, maps of biomass crop potential in the US and discussions
by Joshua F. Berger Ethanol production has been widely perceived as a solution to the global energy crisis, with the added benefit of reinvigorating declining agricultural economies. Moves towards dedicating crop production to ethanol however have raised a number of concerns
Speedling Incorporated and Mendel Biotechnology, Inc. today announced a collaborative agreement to jointly research, develop, and commercialize a cost-effective propagation and production system for Mendel's advanced Miscanthus product candidates. Speedling will apply its proprietary propagation methods to optimize the production
The Inter-American Development Bank has approved a $25 million loan to support an innovative private biofuels project currently being developed in the department of Piura, Peru. An initiative of Maple Energy Plc, an energy company that has focused solely on Peru
by Yong Jiang and Scott M. Swinton (International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology) Advanced biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol are of great interest in the USA. With agriculture being the major source of feedstock for advanced biofuels, how farmers would
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) California-based Mendel Biotechnology Inc. has more than 2,000 varieties of miscanthus under development on several different plots and hopes to have significant plantings for biomass power generation in the next two to four years. Fifteen
Mission NewEnergy Limited (“Mission”) a biodiesel refiner and one of the world’s largest Jatropha plantation companies by acreage announced that it has entered into a binding five-year biodiesel Supply Agreement with Valero Marketing and Supply Company, a subsidiary of Valero
by Linus Atarah (IPS) As Finnish energy major Neste Oil scales up production of its ‘green’ diesel NExBTL, environmental activists fear that more land will go under palm oil plantations at the expense of Southeast Asia’s threatened rainforests. Palm oil
(Pre-Salt) The president of Petrobras, José Sergio Gabrielli de Azevedo, ... presented an overview of activities in 2009 . ... "Petrobras has expanded production capacity allowed in biodiesel plants and intensified contacts to expand presence in the area of ethanol. We
Logos Technologies, Inc. and EdeniQ, Inc. announced that they have been awarded a $20.4 million grant to modify and operate a pilotscale bio‐refinery plant to produce low‐cost ethanol bio‐fuel from cellulosic feedstock, such as corn stover and switch grass. Logos
(Atlantic Biomass) Research reported in the December issue of the American Society of Microbiology’s journal Applied and Environment Microbiology on the development of a thermostable enzyme opens the way to a new pathway for low-cost biofuel production using sugar beet
by Tom Young (Business Green) The world's biggest refinery for making biofuels from wheat was unveiled at Wilton on Teeside yesterday, as the company behind the giant facility confirmed production will begin before Christmas. The £250m Ensus plant will turn
Amyris Brasil, a wholly owned subsidiary of Amyris Biotechnologies, Inc. today announced that it has entered into letter of intent agreements with three sugar and ethanol producers in Brazil, Bunge Limited, Cosan and Açúcar Guarani, with the purpose of partnering
To actively promote the awareness and use of dimethyl ether (DME) as an ultra-clean, renewable, low-carbon diesel substitute throughout North America, the International DME Association (IDA) today announced the formation of its North American Affairs Committee (NAAC). Named as director of
Rentech, Inc., and ClearFuels Technology Inc. (ClearFuels) jointly announced that they have been selected to receive up to $23 million as a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) to construct a biomass gasifier at Rentech’s Energy Technology Center
PetroSun, Inc., announced that the Department of Energy has advised Gas Technology Institute of Des Plaines, Illinois that its Integrated Biorefinery application has been selected for negotiations leading to an award. The GTI team members include PetroSun, Cargill, Blue Marble
The U.S. Department of Energy today awarded Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) a $24.8 million grant to develop and construct a facility that will convert biomass into renewable fuel. One of 19 biofuel projects to receive Department of Energy
The climate change summit got off to a good start with a fuel change. For the first time ever, the fleet of VIP limousines switched to a climate-friendly fuel -- The New Ethanol, made from straw by the Danish company
Myriant Technologies LLC (as successor to BioEnergy International), a leading biotech developer and manufacturer of renewable biochemicals, has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to receive up to $50 million for its planned biobased Succinic Acid facility
by Patti Drapala (MSU Ag Communications) ... One focus of MSU’s research is giant miscanthus, or Miscanthus x giganteus, a warm-season Asian grass that many scientists believe has potential as a biomass crop for fuel. Researchers with the Mississippi Agricultural
by Neil Billinger (CheckBiotech, Saskatoonhomepage.ca) Verbio is based in the former East Germany and has a plant located at Zorbig. Their motto is ''from the farmer to the consumer and back to the field." A sister company called Marka buys
by Joanna Schroeder (AgWired) ... (In Brazil) This year the industry harvested 471.5 million tons, an increase of 7.5 percent from last year, even accounting for excessive rains that left a significant amount of sugarcane in the fields. So how
(Jakarta Globe) The government is planning to develop regional centers for processing palm oil into biodiesel and other products to boost profit margins and create jobs, a minister said on Wednesday. The government is seeking investment to produce oleochemicals — used
by Robert P. Walzer (New York Times) A Brazilian start-up is testing the possibility of implementing a large-scale biofuels project using jatropha, a family of hardy, succulent plants. The company, BioVentures Brasil, is getting $1 million from the InterAmerican Development Bank for
by Joel Hood (Chicago Tribune) Some time ago, Brian Sievers picked up a crazy notion that one simple idea might just change the world. So for the last two school years, the popular science teacher at Thornridge High School in
by Grace Azubuike (Leadership Nigeria) The cassakero project has targeted the installation of 10,000 small scale bio-ethanol refineries in the 36 states of Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), over the next four years from December 2009 to December
Energy crop company Ceres, Inc. announced today that it is working with CHOREN, an international leader in Biomass to Liquids technology, to optimize energy crops for thermochemical conversion to advanced low-carbon biofuels. The two-year bioenergy project is funded in part
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines today operated its first ever passenger flight powered by sustainable biokerosene. To give an extra impulse to sustainable air transport, KLM today also joined hands with North Sea Petroleum and Spring Associates to establish the SkyEnergy
(AllAfrica) Mozambican Brazilian, and Southern African business people are meeting for two days in Maputo to look into investment opportunities for producing biofuels, particularly ethanol, from sugar cane in Mozambique. The meeting is organized by the Mozambican government's Investment Promotion Centre
(AllAfrica Editorial) ... Rwanda entered a groundbreaking agreement with two international firms Eco-fuels Global LLC, from the United States and Eco Positive Ltd from the UK. The two firms will invest $250 million to grow Jatropha Curcas on 10,000 hectares of
by Mary Grady (AVWeb) Embraer and General Electric will flight-test a renewable jet fuel by early 2012, the companies said. They plan to use a renewable biofuel made from sugar cane, developed by Amyris Biotechnologies, which is based in California
(AllAfrica.com) Nigeria Cassava Growers Association (NCGA) has signed a N56 billion contract with the Cassava Agro Industries Services Ltd (CAISL) for the supply of 8 million tons of cassava tubers to the national Cassakero cooking fuel programme. The Chief Executive Officer
(Tennessean) A panel of state lawmakers approved plans to amend a $70 million research effort to produce ethanol in East Tennessee, blaming a lack of communication for a hearing two weeks ago in which some members suggested pulling the plug
POET announced that cost reductions achieved over the past year of operating their cellulosic ethanol pilot plant have exceeded expectations in their drive to commercialize the process. Reductions in energy usage, enzyme costs, raw material requirements and capital expenses have
by Emma Ritch (CleanTech Group) Denmark’s Inbicon today opened its first demonstration facility producing cellulosic ethanol, but potential customers will have to wait. Inbicon has already sold its first year of production to Statoil, which plans to blend the ethanol into
... The goals of this project were to produce biodiesel from a wide variety of feedstocks and to provide the characteristics of both the feedstock and biodiesel. The project is unique because it encompasses an extensive range of feedstocks and
(UPI) ... University of Illinois scientists, led by agricultural engineering researcher Esha Khullar, said the wet ethanol process involves soaking corn kernels rather than grinding them, resulting in more gallons of ethanol ... and better quality co-products than does the
(FarmOnline, Australia) Higher productivity per acre among those US farmers providing feedstock for ethanol will meet the increased demand for petrol-ethanol blends this year. Those familiar with the US agriculture sector's long history of productivity and efficiency have maintained that
(Applied and Environmental Microbiology, the Journal of the American Society for Microbiology) Directed evolution approaches were used to construct a thermally stabilized variant of Erwinia chrysanthemi pectin methylesterase A. The final evolved enzyme has four amino acid substitutions that together
BP has added to its web site page on dedicated energy crops a video describing cellulosic ethanol and BP's cellulosic refinery projects. View the video. See also BP's video on sustainable biofuels development with a focus on biobutanol. View the video.
(TradingMarkets.com) The Government of Canada announced Tuesday that it would invest up to C$77.75 million over seven years to help support ethanol production in Saskatchewan, said National Resources Canada in a press release November 10. The money is being delivered
Published by Tamil Nadu Agriculture University, Jatropha Production Technology gives straight-forward answers to frequently asked questions about cultivating and using jatropha curcas for commercial applications. READ MORE
(GreenairOnline.com) KLM has announced that it will conduct a demonstration flight on November 23 in which one of the four engines of a Boeing 747 will be powered by a blended mixture of 50 percent camelina and 50 percent standard
The FDA today approved the inclusion of omega 3-rich Camelina meal in cattle feed. Under the guidelines, the FDA says that up 10 percent of Camelina in cattle feed is satisfactory, providing the potential for omega 3-rich beef for consumer
by Chris Kraul (LA Times) Who could resent the attention being showered on electric cars? Stylish and clean, they're the darling of the renewable-energy crowd, which is hailing the scheduled rollout of several e-powered models next year as a major blow
by Sukhpreet Manchanda (TopNews) Dutch KLM will be the first airline to fly a passenger flight using bio-diesel. The Boeing 747 flight, carrying a limited number of passengers, will take off on November 23 using a mixture of bio-fuel and
by Christine Costello, et al. (Environmental Science and Technology) Many studies have compared corn-based ethanol to cellulosic ethanol on a per unit basis and have generally concluded that cellulosic ethanol will result in fewer environmental consequences, including nitrate (NO3−) output. This study
by Jan Battles (The Sunday Times) It will be centuries before Belarus is completely free from the radio-activity that fell after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster 23 years ago. But an Irish company has come up with an innovative way of
Farmers today witnessed the rapid progress being made toward solving a key challenge to commercial cellulosic ethanol production: establishing the feedstock infrastructure and market. At POET’s Project LIBERTY Field Day, 16 companies showcased equipment to help make the process of harvesting
Prepared Floor Statement of Senator Chuck Grassley: Biofuels and the Environmental Protection Agency Thursday, October 29, 2009 ... The first issue I’m speaking about relates to the EPA’s proposal to penalize biofuels for greenhouse gas emissions from supposed changes in international
With gas prices continually in flux, interest in domestically produced bio-fuels like ethanol (E85) is on the rise. Recently, Coskata Inc., a leading developer of alternative bio-fuels, announced the successful start-up of its semi-commercial flex-ethanol facility. Unlike other technologies and facilities
(Reuters) Biodiesel is better than ever at harnessing the power of the sun and turning it into fuel. In fact, a study shows the fuel is returning more than four times the energy that it takes to make biodiesel. Newly published
Boeing [NYSE: BA], the Airports and Auxiliary Services agency (ASA), an arm of Mexico’s Ministry of Communications and Transport, and Honeywell’s UOP today announced a collaboration to identify, research and further the development of a commercially viable market for Mexico-sourced
Biofuel Africa Ltd. has begun commercial production of jatropha oil, the first company in West Africa to move from growing and selling jatropha fruits and seeds to production and sale of jatropha oil on a commercial scale for direct use,
by Inae Riveras (Reuters) Use of sugar cane-based ethanol as a substitute for gasoline is among the cheapest and easiest ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to a Brazilian study. Cane ethanol provides about eight times the energy used
(Advanced Biofuels USA) A study published in Science magazine promotes a policy which would penalize American biofuels industries in US legislation and regulation and in international global climate change agreements. Advanced Biofuels USA would like to point out two items
by Juliet Eilperin (Washington Post) The world's policymakers and scientists have made a critical error in how they count biofuels' contribution to human-generated greenhouse-gas emissions, according to a paper published Thursday in the journal Science. ... (Steven P.) Hamburg, (chief scientist
Tom Buis (Growth Energy) “Ethanol is part of the natural carbon cycle. It has taken the lifetime of our planet to produce the oil that is in the ground. Biofuels come from the top of the earth, with emissions that
(Renewable Fuels Association) Biofuels produced from biomass feedstocks (i.e. plant matter) are, by definition, carbon neutral because carbon dioxide tailpipe emissions from the combustion of biofuels are readily absorbed by growing plants. As such, the tailpipe emissions resulting from the use
(Nitrogen News)... “The error is serious, but we can fix it,” said lead author Tim Searchinger, a research scholar at Princeton University and a fellow with the German Marshall Fund of the U.S. “The solution is to count all the
by Keith Johnson (Wall Street Journal) The law of unintended consequences strikes yet again. Global plans to tackle climate change, from the Kyoto Protocol to the recently-passed Waxman-Markey bill, have a fatal flaw: They essentially encourage large-scale deforestation, which pretty much
by Sindya N. Bhanoo (New York Times) ... The problem boils down to this: In emission calculations, all fuel derived from plants and other organic sources — including ethanol — is generally treated as if it has no effect on carbon dioxide in
by Robert F. Service (Science Magazine) At first blush, it's easy to make the case for biofuels. By converting crops into ethanol or biodiesel, farmers can reduce demand for imported oil, lower national dependence on authoritarian governments in the Middle
by Marshall Wise, et al. (Science Magazine) Limiting atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations to low levels requires strategies to manage anthropogenic carbon emissions from terrestrial systems as well as fossil fuel and industrial sources. We explore the implications of fully
by Lisa Gibson (Biomass Magazine) A project in Pennsylvania seeks to determine if abandoned and active mine lands can be reclaimed and used to grow biofuel crops such as switchgrass and other warm-season grass species. Pennsylvania has about 180,000 acres
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest) Despite the Indian Government’s official go-slow policy on Jatropha, several Indian states are now planting the crop in a big way. These are not the old style monoculture plantations that led to the central government’s
(Journal of Industrial Ecology) Corn-ethanol production is expanding rapidly with the adoption of improved technologies to increase energy efficiency and profitability in crop production, ethanol conversion, and coproduct use. Life cycle assessment can evaluate the impact of these changes on
(Reuters) Germany's Bayer, the world's largest supplier of genetically modified (GM) rapeseed seeds, mapped out the entire genetic code of the oil plant, in bid to speed up development of new varieties. ... Rapeseed, also known as canola, is used
(Discover) ...(A)recent series of articles from Nature News feels like a public service, as the articles investigate the scientific and economic state of affairs for four different kinds of biofuels. The first article focused on the weedy plant jatropha, which was
Area farmers will see new and pre-commercial equipment in action harvesting corn cobs for cellulosic ethanol next month at Project LIBERTY Field Day in Emmetsburg, Iowa. Farmers, agricultural equipment manufacturers, POET representatives and state and federal officials will be at POET
(Hoosier Ag Today, Indiana Corn Marketing Council) For the last five years, Madison County farmer Mike Shuter has maintained the same crop rotation on his farm of two-thirds of his fields in corn and one-third in soybeans. He hasn’t seen
by Robin Pagnamenta (Times Online) Britain’s self-sufficiency in wheat will end next year, because a giant new biofuel refinery needs so much of the staple crop that home-grown supplies will be exhausted feeding both the factory and the nation. The
(UPI) The Egyptian government is interested in cultivating plants with biofuel potential. The Egyptian state Wikalat Al-Anbaa' Al-Sharq Al-'awsat news agency reported Saturday that the jatropha plant is of particular interest to the country's Ministry of Agriculture. A ministry spokesperson
(Kansas Farmer) Researchers are invited to submit proposals to help wheat growers. Possible areas of inquiry include wheat and wheat bi-products for use in biofuel applications, including on-farm fuel production. The Kansas Wheat Commission is looking for research proposals that can
Focusing on its work with corn cobs as a cellulosic ethanol feedstock, POET's latest video provides a basic look at what it is taking to move from fermentation of starch to conversion of cellulose to ethanol. Great visuals for people
by Steve Tarter (Journal Star) A biodiesel plant in Peoria County moved a step closer to reality Monday as U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock announced $500,000 in funding to help develop a new source for the biofuel. That source is pennycress,
Boeing announced it is joining with Honeywell's UOP to commission a study on the sustainability of a leading family of saltwater-based plant candidates for renewable jet fuel. The study is being commissioned as part of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users
(Time) Each of Burma's states and divisions was ordered to dedicate around 500,000 acres (202,000 hectares) to physic-nut (jatropha) cultivation, pressuring many ordinary citizens into a massive forced-planting campaign, according to human-rights groups. ... Puzzlingly, however, the junta's planting directive has
by Nick Wadhams/Kibwezi (Time) Everyone in Kibwezi, a village in southeastern Kenya parched by four years of drought, remembers the promises. It all started in 2000, when the government started preaching the word about a plant called jatropha curcas. That
... In a paper published in the latest issue of the journal BioScience, David Flaspohler, Joseph Fargione and colleagues analyze the impacts on wildlife of the burgeoning conversion of grasslands to corn for ethanol production is posing a very real
by Charles Abbott (Reuters) U.S. farmers could grow enough corn to produce 25 billion gallons of ethanol in 2030, twice as much as this year's target of 12 billion gallons, said the leader of a U.S. corn group on Thursday.
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... The Caribbean Basin Ethanol Producers Group, which consists of Trinidad Bulk Traders Ltd., Gasohol de El Salvador, LAICA of Costa Rica, Petrojam Ltd., Jamaica Ethanol Co., and Jamaica Broilers Group, said in a
(the Nebraska Farmer) ... USDA estimates that Nebraska corn farmers will bring in 1.55 billion bushels of corn this year and average 169 bushels per acre. Both numbers would be records--with production surpassing the 1.47 billion produced in 2007 and
World Growth report exposes how attempts by environmental NGOs to restrict production, trade of palm oil (a sustainable oil) would harm successful strategies to end poverty, restrict opportunities for developing countries to reduce emissions. Today (September 29, 2009) at the
(Renewable Energy World) Poet's ambitious goal of securing 700 tons of cellulosic biomass per day got a big boost this week from a US $6.85 million funding increase to an existing grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). This
by Lisa Gibson (Biomass Magazine) Researchers with China-based Ji Zhong Wei New Energy Technical Development Ltd. have discovered a way to convert biomass directly to regular gasoline and diesel, according to the company. The same international standard fuels many of
Dr. Osayed S.M. Abu-Elyazeed, an Egyptian researcher posits the following reasons, among others, for choosing the Jojoba plant for plantation in the US: 1. The shrub can be grown in virtually un-arable land -typically the deserts available in the US, leaving the fertile
(Alibaba.com) Vietnam's cassava chip exports are soaring because of demand from China to make ethanol and earnings for the whole of 2009 could be $800 million, nearly double those in the first eight months, state-run Vietnam Television said. China, which
by Joseph M. Dougherty (Deseret News) ... The test plot of ground where the seeds were harvested Wednesday is designed to mimic the side of Utah highways, which could be used to grow safflowers instead of the grasses that the Utah
U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced on August 31, 2009, that up to $21 million will be made available for the selection of five projects that will develop supply systems to handle and deliver high tonnage biomass feedstocks for cellulosic
by Alan Bjerga and Peter Cook (Bloomberg) Archer Daniels Midland Co., the world’s largest grain processor, expects improved yields will deliver enough crops during the next 40 years to supply rising demand for ethanol without hurting the food supply. Archer
(Biofuels International) ... Since 2007, the Rwandan Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (ISTR) has experimented with a number of feedstocks including palm, jatropha, moringa, castor and soy oils, in a 2,000 litre per day pilot facility at Kigali, Rwanda’s
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel) The lowly alfalfa crop could play a role in the future of cellulosic ethanol. Alfalfa is the nation’s most popular legume and actually our third most valuable crop, but it is often taken for granted and
(WCCO) ... Earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration said it was finding antibiotic residue in an ethanol byproduct. That byproduct is sold as feed for cattle and other livestock, which is a problem. For the ethanol industry, the findings
In an unprecedented initiative, Brazil proposed a new bill of law that will restrict the lands permissible for sugarcane farming and processing. If passed, the bill sent today to the National Congress by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will
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