by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) An explosive report from Bloomberg alleges that a pathway to $2.18 per gallon gasoline was developed at Chevron-Weyerhaeuser owned Catchlight Energy. Yet, the project was sidelined. Why? Was the project really saddled with a threshold
by Aldo Svaldi (The Denver Post) Cool Planet Energy Systems took a step closer Friday to a corporate relocation and expansion that could bring nearly 400 jobs to the metro area and place the state at the center of a
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Neste Oil has begun using tall oil pitch as a feedstock for renewable diesel production. Neste Oil successfully tested tall oil pitch in commercial refinery operations in March and April and states it is now
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Neste Oil, which had been criticized for its sourcing of deforestation-based palm oil, has pledged to shift away from palm oil sourced from primary forests, high conservation value and natural forests, and high carbon stock
by Emily Pickrell (FuelFix) On Jan. 1, Congress made algae-based fuel production eligible for a $1.01-per-gallon cellulosic biofuel production federal tax credit. Cellulosic biofuels typically are made from woody, non-food material such as grasses or wood chips, in contrast to ethanol, which
(Biofuels Center of North Carolina) The Biofuels Center of North Carolina recently awarded $684,058 for six projects to accelerate the renewable fuels industry in western North Carolina. Awards are made through the 2012-2013 targeted biofuels development funding program, entitled Catalyzing Production
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The International Energy Agency, through its Task 39 group, has published its 207-page report on the “Status of Advanced Biofuels Demonstration Facilities in 2012″. The report, in its pages, contains detailed project summaries as well as
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A numbers of readers responding to “Biofuels from a raging fireball” (Friday’s Top Story, on research work with the raging fireball, Pyrococchus furiosus, to make biofuels and renewable chemicals from hydrogen gas and CO2) raised
by Anna Simet (Biomass Magazine) There is enough land available to produce more food, more feed and more biofuels, which are not the cause of global malnutrition problems, according to the World Bioenergy Association. WBA makes this declaration in a recently
(European Commission Joint Research Centre Institute for Energy and Transport) In the current European energy policy framework, biogenic CO2 emissions from combustion of forest biomass used for energy and transport purposes are set to zero. Biomass is thus considered as a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Today in part II, we look at a new set of technologies coming along that are redefining our ideas about scale and cost. ... A barrier to long term deployment? The $11 per gallon average capital
Dr. Mike Strain (Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry/25 x '25) ... However, many do not realize that Louisiana’s strong agriculture and forestry industries have also primed us to be a national leader in new forms of energy: like advanced
(Science Codex) Rapidly growing trees like poplars and willows are candidate "biofuel crops" from which it is expected that cellulosic ethanol and higher energy content fuels can be efficiently extracted. Domesticating these as crops requires a deep understanding of the
(Ship & Bunker) A.P. Møller-Maersk (Maersk) says it is working with partners on two projects designed to develop biomass-based marine fuels. Both projects involve work on an organic polymer called lignin found in plants, which is released during the production of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Although no commercial-scale cellulosic biofuels facilities are operating in the United States at present, at least ten projects exceeding 20 million gallons per year are expected to begin operations by 2014. Tristan R. Brown and Robert
(Canadian Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Canadian Renewable Fuels Association has announced a new committee and classification of membership to advance next generation biofuels in Canada. The new committee and its members represent leaders in advanced biofuels with their
by Katie Feherenbacher (Gigaom) Companies that are still looking to produce biofuels from plant waste (and not corn) are making slow, but steady progress on milestones in 2013. On Monday, KiOR, which was largely funded by Khosla Ventures before it went
(Southern Research Institute) Research could encourage blending of bio-oils into refinery streams for producing renewable diesel and gasoline Durham, North Carolina — Southern Research Institute today announced it has entered into a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Dept. of Energy to
(Institute for European Environmental Policy) This report focuses on the potential sustainability of an advanced biofuel industry relying on mainly wastes and residues as the feedstock base. Presented as a series of ‘factsheets’ we consider various feedstocks put forward by
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Texas, KiOR announced the initial shipments of cellulosic diesel from its first commercial-scale facility in Columbus, Mississippi. KiOR’s facility uses pine wood chips previously feeding a shut down paper mill at Columbus and produces gasoline
(National Academies of Science) A new National Research Council report finds that by the year 2050, the U.S. may be able to reduce petroleum consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent for light-duty vehicles -- cars and small trucks -- via
(Domtar) Plymouth Mill to produce bio-material with wide range of industrial applications as petro-chemical alternative - the first of its kind in over quarter century Domtar Corporation (NYSE: UFS) (TSX: UFS) today announced that it has successfully installed a commercial-scale lignin separation
(SEKAB/Davy Process Technology) Davy Process Technology Limited (Davy), a Johnson Matthey company, andSEKAB, a leading player in the field of the ethanol based chemicals and biofuels, today announced at World Biofuels Markets that they are embarking on a collaboration to
(PR NewsWire/ZeaChem) Facility will prove biorefining process for commercial-scale production ZeaChem Inc., developer of highly-efficient biorefineries, today announced that it has produced commercial-grade cellulosic chemicals and ethanol at its 250,000 gallons per year (GPY) biorefinery in Boardman, Ore. Among the first operational cellulosic
by Pedram Fatehi (Biotechnology Progress) In this review, the recent advancements and technical challenges associated with the production of ethanol, butanol, and isobutanol via bioconversion routes from celluloses of woody materials are reviewed. Physicochemical processes, e.g. steam explosion, seem to be
by Stuart Radnedge (GasWorld) Air Liquide, in a joint project with the Karlsruhe Institute for Technology (KIT) in Germany, has successfully completed the second stage of a second generation biofuels pilot unit at Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe. This pilot unit will demonstrate the viability
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Fast pyrolysis developer plans to rapidly expand green benzene and toluene production in 2013 for downstream product development purposes. Opens new pilot plant, R&D facility in New York; green BTX platform ready to emerge. ...In
by Adam Armour (Itawamba County Times) Work on the proposed Fulton ethanol plant has come to a standstill. But does that mean the project’s been canceled? ... After the project’s announcement in 2009, two years of securing finances from across the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Louisiana — hot as cayenne pepper in biofuels capacity development, but some cautionary tales there in the sauce. When it comes to the first generation of ethanol and biodiesel-based biofuels, Louisiana didn’t figure much into the
(PR Web) RSB now recognizes FSC which certifies responsibly managed forests. The Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB) is pleased to announce its decision to recognize the standard of the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) which certifies responsibly managed forests. As RSB and FSC
by Kristi Pihl (Tri-City Herald) A pilot project to produce biofuel using agricultural and organic municipal waste has reached levels that makes the process commercially viable, researchers say. The project, paid for by the Department of Energy, is within six months of
by Bill Scanlon (National Renewable Energy Laboratory/Renewable Energy World) A screening tool from the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) eases and greatly quickens one of the thorniest tasks in the biofuels industry: determining cell wall chemistry
by Nina Chestney (Reuters) * U.S. cellulosic biofuel goals not reached * Beta sees industry stepping up output by 2015 * New players could emerge from eastern Europe Biofuels made from wood waste and sugarcane have languished well below expectations for years but
by Jeff Matthews (The Town Talk) Sundrop Fuels Inc. closed on the purchase of more than 1,213 acres of land in the Rapides Station area Thursday where the biofuels company plans to locate its plant manufacturing "green gasoline." Sundrop Fuels has
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Algae, drop-in fuels get a kick-start from $3.2 billion ARENA funds In Australia, two key projects focused on algae biofuels and drop-in fuels from wood biomass and residues took major steps forwards with an Australian Government
(American Chemical Society) Amid efforts to expand production of biofuels, scientists are reporting new estimates that downgrade the amount of additional land available for growing fuel crops by almost 80 percent. Their report appears in the ACS journal Environmental
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In the world of biofuels there is no sector as active as military and aviation biofuels in terms of willing customers. At the Low Carbon Fuel Conference, held over two days in conjunction with
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A 32-page report by Lux Research picks winners and losers in 2012 among alternative fuel developers. The state of the market report, which is provided only to clients, also predicts that many companies will
(Environmental Protection Agency) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to identify additional fuel pathways that the Agency has determined meet the lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction requirements for biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel, and cellulosic biofuel
by Peter Hannam (Sidney Morning Herald) Lufthansa probably thought it was on a public relations winner when it began operating flights using a mix of biofuel and regular jet fuel between Frankfurt and Hamburg in 2011. However, the ''green skies'' branding potential
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What is fibre fuel, how does it displace petroleum via supercritical technology, and what does the plant look like? ... For those less familiar with New Zealand’s energy brands, Z Energy (“pronounced “Zed”) is the company
by Col. Bill Holmberg (ret.) (American Council On Renewable Energy) “Up with octane, down with aromatics, and embrace the needs of people and nature,” says ACORE’s legendary biomass guru. But less freak-out, more reach-out is needed, he cautions. ...However, certain forces
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Lignol Innovations Ltd. has landed a commercial supply agreement with a European producer of sustainable thermoplastics. The subsidiary of Lignol Energy Corp. has delivered samples of its trademarked HP-LTM lignin for evaluation and
by Steve Raabe (Denver Post) A Colorado ethanol producer is set to employ a landmark technology that could help resolve the food vs. fuel controversy swirling around corn-based ethanol. Front Range Energy in Windsor successfully has tested a new process to
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Just months after shipping a load of bagasse-based cellulosic ethanol to Brazil, Western Biomass Energy LLC filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy on Oct. 31. Peter Gross, CEO of Blue Sugars Corp., the parent company
by Mona-Maria Brinker & Roger Coombs (Waste Management World) Rising prices, continued conflict in producing regions and the spectre of peak oil have highlighted uncertainties about the future of fossil transport fuels in Europe. Mona-Maria Brinker and Roger Coombs examine how
by Ben Messenger (Waste Management World) Advanced biofuels produced from waste feedstocks are a key component of EU climate and energy ambitions, and offer a huge opportunity to drive economic growth in Europe, according to the European Biofuels Technology Platform (EBTP). A bright future
by Jeremy Martin and Jim Collins (Politico) The fuels of the future are here today, and we can thank Congress for enacting the Renewable Fuel Standard. This bedrock policy has brought us to the point where the first commercial facilities producing
by Tracy Dang (ICIS.com) Exploring a future in advanced biofuels can be one way the US ethanol industry address the “food vs. fuel” debate, a consultant said on Thursday. “Even though it is a misconception that first-generation ethanol compromises the food supply,
by Aino Siirala (Advanced Biofuels USA) Aalto University School of Chemical Technology, Finland, organized a biofuel seminar February 2,2013, where Finland's leading companies in this field introduced their expertise and recent projects. The EU has set a directive of reducing greenhouse
(St1) Bioethanol transport fuels produces energy company St1 is planning to Kajaani new production plant, which produces ethanol sawmill by-product of the waste sawdust. Plant in the environmental licensing process takes approximately 9 - 12 months. St1's goal is to
by James Hataway (University of Georgia) When Li Tan approached his colleagues at the University of Georgia with some unusual data he had collected, they initially seemed convinced that his experiment had become contaminated; what he was seeing simply didn't
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) You’ve heard about the crack spread, and the crush spread — as means to value oil refining and crop refining. Let’s think about biomass densification and compression, and in that context, a little about KiOR. ... What
(Arcadia Biosciences) New Tree Crops To Increase Productivity While Preserving Natural Resources and Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions Arcadia Biosciences, Inc., an agricultural technology company focused on developing technologies and products that benefit the environment and human health, and FuturaGene, Inc., a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Changes in EU policy and the financing of advanced biofuels have led to a revival of project formation in Europe. The latest news from Finland is that St1 is proceeding towards a build on its 10
by Andrew Herndon (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) Iogen Corp., a closely held biotechnology company, is focusing on producing ethanol from sugar cane waste in Brazil after selling its industrial enzyme business to Novozymes A/S (NZYMB), according to Chief Executive Officer Brian Foody. “We’re
(Nanowerk.com) A collaborative study by researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), a bioenergy research center led by Berkeley Lab, and the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has shown that an ionic liquid proven to be effective for
(Algae Industry Magazine) The Swedish governmental agency for innovation systems, Vinnova, has decided to invest four million Swedish kronor ($623,000 USD) over three years in a project that uses micro-algae to produce bio-oil from the waste products of pulp and
(ABC News) Tasmania could become home to Australia's first commercial plant converting trees into the biofuel, ethanol. Timber communities in Dorset and the Huon Valley are in formal talks with the developers of technology that allows ethanol to be produced from
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In Maryland, The Wildlife Society released a Technical Review, “Effects of Bioenergy Production on Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat,” to provide answers to questions on bioenergy development and wildlife so that site managers might better predict
(Science Daily) The mainly EU-funded DISCO project coordinated by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has developed powerful enzymes, which accelerate plant biomass conversion into sugars and further into products such as bioethanol. The project's results include lignin-tolerant enzymes and
(University of Massachusetts-Amherst NewsWise) Paul J. Dauenhauer, a chemical engineer at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, has received a five-year, $400,000 grant from the National Science Foundation’s CAREER program to conduct basic research on the chemical reactions that create biofuel
by Carrie Napoleon (Chicago SunTimes/Post-Tribune) Until the first commercial trash-to-ethanol plant in Vero Beach, Fla., is up and running, plans by a local construction consortium to take over a similar project here are in a holding pattern. Ed Cleveland, spokesman for
(Phys.Org) Tree seeds, rather than biomass or fuel crop plants, could represent an abundant source of renewable energy, according to research published in the International Journal of Automotive Technology and Management. The study suggests that seeds from the Indian mahua
by Mark Schulman (BlueRidgeNow.com) The Biofuels Center of North Carolina awarded $766,256 to 14 entities led by AdvantageWest Economic Development Group to advance biofuels in the region and create jobs, support sustainability, agribusiness, diverse education and research and development capabilities. “This
(Bioenergy News) Finland-based bio and forestry business UPM has picked up multi-million investment to aid the construction of a biorefinery in France. The European Commission has awarded a grant of €170 million ($222 million) as UPM earmark a wood waste-to-biodiesel
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited a state-of-the-art bioindustrial facility at Renmatix today, where he announced $25 million to fund research and development of next-generation renewable energy and high-value biobased products from a variety of biomass sources. "USDA's
(Renmatix/Sacramento Bee) Building on success in hardwood, Philadelphia-based Renmatix adds on-site capability to convert multiple local and international feedstocks to cellulosic sugar Renmatix, the leading manufacturer of cellulosic sugars for biobased chemical and fuel markets, welcomed Secretary Tom Vilsack, leader of
by Alister Doyle (Reuters) Green schemes to fight climate change by producing more bio-fuels could actually worsen a little-known type of air pollution and cause almost 1,400 premature deaths a year in Europe by 2020, a study showed on Sunday. The report
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A long war of opinion has been waged for years between advanced biofuels’ detractors and supporters. Mirage or reality? Completion of 6 key projects 2012 decided much of the debate. When these 12 projects open
(Forest Products Society) Biofuels made from high-yield, short rotation woody crops or from forest residuals and thinnings that are currently left unused have substantial potential to reduce CO2 emissions as well as to contribute to energy independence. A series of
(The State Journal) Researchers from West Virginia University are exploring the economic and environmental impacts of wood biomass utilization in rural central Appalachia. The Morgantown school says the team was recently awarded a nearly $350,000 grant from the U.S. Department of
(Associated Press/Times Union) Energy from willows is moving out of the experimental stage and into commercial production in New York. Farms are growing willow shrubs and selling them to a utility, a nursery sells them commercially and plans are being made for refineries. "The
(EScienceNews.com) Galactan is a polymer of galactose, a six-carbon sugar that can be readily fermented by yeast into ethanol and is a target of interest for researchers in advanced biofuels produced from cellulosic biomass. Now an international collaboration led by
by Robert Rapier (Biofuels Digest/Energy Trends Insider) Last month KiOR announced the start of production of biocrude from their Columbus, Mississippi plant. KiOR CEO Fred Cannon stated in an earnings call that when the product shipped it would be “the world’s
(Associated Press/The State) Clemson University researchers are joining with a commercial forestry company to try to figure out what variety of poplars are best to make biofuels. ArborGen planted four species of poplars last year at Clemson's Pee Dee Research and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As renewable fuel developers put steel in the ground, oil & gas points to a fossil-based transformation in transportation fuels just “five years away”. Today, it is the oil & gas industry talking in terms of
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Cobalt Technologies is the latest company to announce its second generation technology will be developed in Brazil. The final piece in the n-butanol technology developer’s financing came with a commitment from global agribusiness Bunge. ... BP Biofuels
by Jim Lane (Biobased Digest) Counting the EU out in biobased development? Not so quick, pilgrim — BioMCN, Siemens, Linde and Visser & Smit Hanab land a whale, grant-wise. In the Netherlands, a consortium consisting of BioMCN, Siemens, Linde, and Visser
(Renewable Fuels Association) The Advanced Ethanol Council this morning released a report giving a snapshot of cellulosic ethanol producers in the U.S. and around the world. A look at facilities owned by companies such as Abengoa Bioenergy, Enerkem, INEOS Bio
by Andrew Herndon (Bloomberg/Renewable Energy World) Cellulosic biofuel companies will boost production almost 20-fold in 2013 as the first high-volume refineries go into operation, signaling a shift from an experimental fuel into a commercially viable industry. Production of the fuel made
(WebWire) Biofuels made from high yield, short rotation woody crops or from forest residuals and thinnings that are currently left unused have substantial potential to reduce CO2 emissions as well as to contribute to energy independence. A series of articles
by Jeff Ayres (Clarion Ledger) Mississippi alternative-energy development projects that have received more than $400 million in state backing through loans, grants and other incentives in recent years have seen widely varying degrees of success. KiOR, a Texas biofuels company, recently started
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Goal is to develop new catalysts to lower costs for producing biofuels The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will partner with Johnson Matthey, a global specialty chemicals company, in a five-year, $7 million
by Ashery Mkama (AllAfrica.com) Villagers from Kilwa and Rufiji districts have requested the government to involve them in implementation of bio-fuel projects and investments in which huge tracts of land is used. They told members of the Journalists' Environment Association
by Ned Stowe (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) EESI Policy Associate Ned Stowe recently gave a presentation on biomass, bioenergy, and sustainability to the 11th Annual Great Lakes Environmental Legislators Forum of the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators in Chicago,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Policy, finance, technology, feedstocks, markets, prices, opposition. Here’s what’s on your mind, as the critical 2013 deployment year for biofuels looms. So here are 15 burning questions as suggested by various Digesterati — divided for convenience
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It’s been years of struggle to get cellulosic feedstock supply chains downfield. Now, companies like Woodland Biofuels, Sweetwater Energy, Ceres, Delta BioRenewables and Commonwealth Agro-Energy are moving the chains. ...This week in Canada, the MaRS Cleantech Fund
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From time to time, we report on correspondence exchanged with our veterans and serving men and women in the field, on the subject of the strategic and tactical opportunities in biofuels and bioenergy. This week, we heard
by Leon Kaye (TriplePundit) ...British Airways (BA) announced that it has found a site for a bio-refinery that will generate up to 50,000 tons of jet fuel annually. In a partnership with the American aviation biofuel company Solena Fuels, BA will
(25 x '25) ... In any strategy aimed at meeting America's soaring energy demand, biomass must be considered a principal among the several renewable, sustainable solutions that make up the fastest growing domestic energy sector since 2006. ...While there also has been
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) With a grant from the European Union, researchers at Royal Holloway, School of Biological Sciences, will test this theory based on initial findings that the Nicotiana Glauca produces compounds that could be used to produce biodiesel or
(AP/Oregon Live) Portland General Electric is in its second year of testing the giant cane known as Arundo donax as a potential replacement for coal at the Boardman Power Plant. But the utility is also looking at other biomass sources that
by Randall Smith (The New York Times) ...Since then, Mr. Khosla, the founder of Khosla Ventures, has watched much of those paper gains evaporate. As the clean energy industry broadly has taken a hit, shares of the biofuel companies —
(FuturaGene) FuturaGene, a world leader in the enhancement of yield and sustainability of woody crops for plantation forestry, biopower and biofuel markets, is pleased to announce the signing of a Cooperation Framework Agreement with EMBRAPA, (Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária)
by Kari Lydersen (Midwest Energy News) ...Commercial-scale development of aviation biofuels is still in the early stages, and as experts explained at the Airports Going Green conference in Chicago earlier in November, viable aviation biofuel industries would look significantly different in different regions
by Tom Robertson (Minnesota Public Radio) There may be hope for the shuttered Ainsworth lumber mill in Grand Rapids, which closed three years ago, a victim of the housing market crash and the Great Recession. The J.M. Longyear company of Marquette, Mich., has
(Direvo) Direvo Industrial Biotechnology GmbH is commercializing its BluCon™– platform for complete, one-step conversion of non-food feedstocks to carbohydrates used in the production of fuels and chemicals. In the recent years Direvo has undertaken a huge research program identifying a
by Peter Hemphill (Grain & Hay WeeklyTimes) An American biofuels company is looking to build a refinery in Australia to produce ethanol from wheat straw and other residues. ...Investors in the biorefineries include Australia's Macquarie Bank and Japanese commodity trader Itochu Corporation. ZeaChem
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... BioGasol ApS, the renewable energy company announced today that it has raised $19.2M — €5 million in new equity financing — and received a confirmation of €10 million grant allocation from The Energy Technology
by Dallas Kachan (Renewable Energy World/Kachan & Co.) ...In its new report on agricultural cleantech, Kachan uses the following criteria to differentiate cleantech developments from generic agricultural innovations: improved efficiency of resource use reduced ecological impact smaller carbon footprint sustained or enhanced profitability Technologies that reduce
by Jim Lane (BioBased Digest) ...World Growth warns that the REDD+ program to reduce emissions from deforestation is fatally flawed. At the UN climate conference in Qatar, World Growth released “Immoral Aid: The effect of REDD+ on developing country economies”. It
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Under Secretary for Rural Development Dallas Tonsager today (November 16, 2012) announced payments to 189 companies to support the production and expansion of advanced biofuels. “These payments support the nation’s expanding alternative fuels industry by encouraging
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Ensyn – moving rapidly towards scale as a transport fuel technology after decades in smaller, high-value markets. What does Ensyn’s signature RTP technology, that’s making such a splash, look like? ...Ensyn has become a signature part
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Canada’s $500 million NextGen Biofuels Fund, five years after formation, gets close to making its first investments just as Canada’s leaders consider pulling the plug It was the most amazing sovereign commitment to biofuels of its
by Matthew L. Wald (New York Times) For years, scientists and engineers have been juggling various combinations of acids, steam, bacteria, catalysts and the digestive juices of microorganisms to convert agricultural waste and even household garbage into motor fuel. So far,
by John Vidal (The Guardian) Israeli biotech firm says its modified eucalyptus trees can displace the fossil fuel industry It's a timber company's dream but a horrific industrial vision for others: massive plantations of densely planted GM eucalyptus trees stretching across Brazil, South Africa,
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) There is a new process that algae producers can use in the conversion stage to help increase their capacity and add to the bottom line, says Incitor’s VP of Business Development Jacob Berman.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Brent Crude trades this past week at a transorbital $109 per barrel (West Texas Intermediate at a suborbital, if high, $85). It puts the conventional wisdom that biofuels are too infrastructure incompatible and too costly
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) 500 ton per day wood biomass to biocrude plant commences oil production – the long wait for cellulosic biofuels at scale is over. ...But the news from Columbus, Mississippi, that cellulosic biocrude production has started up,
(Associated Press/The Advocate) An LSU AgCenter forestry researcher is looking at a fast-growing plant called switchgrass as a potential biofuel feedstock. Switchgrass needs little fertilizer and can tolerate drought and floods, Michael Blazier said — and on land left open because
by Robert Sanders (Biodiesel Magazine/UC Berkeley) A long-abandoned fermentation process once used to turn starch into explosives can be used to produce renewable diesel fuel to replace the fossil fuels now used in transportation, University of California, Berkeley, scientists have
by Gary Truitt (Hoosier Ag Today) Agricultural economists at the University of Illinois have been calculating the costs for farmers to produce biomass energy crops as renewable alternatives to fossil fuels. In fact – they have created a feedstock cost
(The Star) A Japanese technology, which is still in its pilot stage, may be used on sago to produce ethanol. Kansai Chemical Engineering Company Limited of Bio-Energy Corporation presdent Dr Hideo Noda said in Japan, several projects on bio-ethanol production from
(MSN Money/PR NewsWire) During the first Moscow International Forum for Innovative Development Open Innovations, the State Corporation 'Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs' (Vnesheconombank), venture capital firm Bright Capital Management, and Renmatix, the leading manufacturer of biobased sugar intermediates,
(Energy Efficiency News) Finnish firm Neste Oil officially opened its first European pilot plant for producing microbial oil from waste material in Porvoo, Finland on Friday. ...Neste Oil, meanwhile, has invested €8 million in its pilot plant as part of its ongoing microbial
by Gregory T. Benz (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Benz Technology International Inc.) Lignocellulosic slurries have long been used for paper production as well as for feedstock for water-soluble polymer production, such as carboxy methyl cellulose. More recently, they have been used as the
by Ronalds Gonzalez (Ethanol Producer Magazine/North Carolina State University) The concept of converting paper industry sludge to ethanol has been intensively studied in the past decade. Recently, research at North Carolina State University has shown that the process is clearly
by Charles A. Levesque and Eric W. Kingsley (Innovative Natural Resource Solutions LLC/Biomass Magazine) Increased talk about the use of woody biomass for energy in the U.S. has many people wondering how best to assure that the fuel and feedstock used
(ZeaChem) ZeaChem Inc., developer of highly-efficient biorefineries, today announced that it has completed construction of its 250,000 gallons per year (GPY) cellulosic ethanol biorefinery in Boardman, Oregon. The project was completed on budget and is expected to begin production of
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Union of Concerned Scientists has published a report that shows that biomass feedstock has the potential to dramatically increase our nation’s renewable energy supply. The report, titled “The Promise of Biomass,” determined that
by Stefaniya Becking* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The 4th Nordic Wood Biorefinery conference held in Helsinki, Finland (October 23-25, 2012) brought together over 300 people from around 30 countries. The organizers successfully achieved the goal of having a stimulating event with
(Environmental Leader) Google has been using Cool Planet Energy Systems’ biofuel blend to run a fleet vehicle at the search giant’s Mountain View, Calif. campus, according to the energy-tech startup. ...During the Google trial, a campus vehicle called GRide ran on
by RP Siegel (TriplePundit) ... 3p: If you look at where we today relative to the RFS, it says that by the year 2022, a total of 21 billion gallons of biofuel needs to be provided by something other than corn. That puts a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Novozymes becomes preferred enzyme supplier for Beta Renewables’ current and future cellulosic biofuel projects; embedded in Proesa production technology. In Denmark and Italy, Novozymes, the world’s largest producer of industrial enzymes, and Beta Renewables, a global
by Ysabel Yates (Renewable Energy World) ...Using microbes to create useful products is nothing new. Humans have been doing it for centuries to bake bread or brew alcohol, for example. More recent techniques have employed microbes in green technology,
(Fraunhofer Center for Chemical-Biotechnological Processes) Crude oil is getting scarce. This is why researchers are seeking to substitute petroleum-based products – like plastics – with sustainable raw materials. Waste wood, divided into lignin and cellulose, could serve as a raw
by Bruce Dorminey (Renewable Energy World) ...Armed with a $200,000 U.S.D.A. two-year research grant, Fernando Resende will start work on a fast pyrolysis mobile reactor next year that could revolutionize how foresters and the timber industry currently deals with millions of
(Hyrax Energy) A licensing agreement for a novel renewable chemical and biofuel production method between Hyrax Energy and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation promises to accelerate commercial development of the technology and lead to high-quality U.S. jobs. Developed in the laboratory
by Billy Gunn (TheTownTalk.com) ...Not quite one year ago, Louisiana Economic Development chief Stephen Moret and local economic development officials announced that Sundrop Fuels would locate its biofuels plant at a site off Interstate 49 north of Alexandria. The company plans
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...(California Energy) Commission staff have proposed a $4.6 million award to ZeaChem for the development of a pilot plant at its Menlo Park, Calif. research and development (R&D) facility to scale up the company’s C3 (three-carbon
(RTI) RTI International began construction last week on a new 3,000-square-foot energy technology development facility on RTI’s main campus in Research Triangle Park, N.C. The facility will house a biomass pyrolysis reactor to further extend RTI’s biofuels research efforts. Using RTI’s technology, the
by Andrew Herndon (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) Gevo Inc. (GEVO), Syntroleum Corp. and Solazyme Inc. (SZYM) may be among a “small set” of biofuel producers vying for supply contracts from the U.S. Defense Department, the world’s largest consumer of fossil fuels, analysts said. The agency
(Pennsylvania State University) The Northeast could help lead the way to a renewable-energy-based economy by utilizing marginal and abandoned land to grow energy crops such as perennial grasses and fast-growing woody plants. That's the goal of a new research and education
(Primus Green Energy) New Northeast Consortium Tasked With Developing Perennial Biomass Feedstock Production Systems As part of its continued effort to drive the commercialization of alternative fuels, Primus Green Energy Inc. an alternative fuel company based in Hillsborough, N.J., has signed
(Bioenergy Deployment Consortium/MarketWire) BDC held its 2012 Fall Symposium in Alpena, MI on September 18 & 19, capping the event with a tour of the new cellulosic ethanol plant owned by American Process Inc. (API), a BDC member. API's facility is
by Kari Lydersen (Midwestern Energy News) Purdue University associate professor Richard Meilan is striving to develop a poplar tree that grows more quickly and can be more easily converted to biofuel than the average member of the genus Populus. It also must be
by Paul Morden (Sarnia Observer) Woodland Biofuels’ $12-million Sarnia demonstration plant is up and could be producing ethanol from wood waste by the end of the year, says president Greg Nuttall. The newly-built facility is located at the Western University Research
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In biofuels, feedstocks come in many shapes, phases, and sizes — but only three colors – red, yellow and green. That’s what our friends in the financial world tell us. Now, sometimes even a red-light
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Every great biofuels technology has its own companion feedstock strategy – with unique advantages and technical challenges. Who’s got what it takes to be a great Sherpa, providing that feedstock or intermediates edge that puts
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The next five years—the often scoffed mantra of cellulosic ethanol developers—is getting whittled down to the next year or two. A milestone was reached this year when Blue Sugars Corp. got the first cellulosic
(MarketWire) Hydrocarbon-like fuels and chemicals to come from agricultural and forest biomass With funding from Alberta Innovates Bio Solutions, the Biorefining Conversions Network aims to become a hub for bioeconomy investments and a world class centre of excellence for biorefining and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Canada, Ensyn Corporation and Fibria Celulose announced the creation of a strategic alliance between the two companies. This alliance includes the establishment of an equally-owned joint venture for the production of cellulosic liquid fuels and chemicals
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Every biofuels contender has its own route to the top – with unique advantages and technical challenges. Who is nearing the Summit, what’s their Hillary Step, who’s got Sherpas, who’s got oxygen? It’s the race
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A new drop-in, low-cost, high-octane fuel molecule? How does that work, and why, and when? How does it change the energy independence equation? Today, the Digest visits Incitor to find out about Alestron. ...Back in 2008,
(Oregon State University) The same “green revolution” concepts that have revolutionized crop agriculture and helped to feed billions of people around the world may now offer similar potential in forestry, scientists say, with benefits for wood, biomass production, drought stress
(VTT Technology) ... So far, conventional diesel buses and conventional diesel fuel have dominated the market, with some contribution from natural gas buses. Now we are in a situation in which the technology options are increasing rapidly. This goes for vehicle technology
(Phys.Org) Scientists from the University of Liverpool are part of an international research project to apply the properties of drought-adapted desert plants, like agave, to poplar trees, a recognised biofuel crop. Dr James Hartwell, from the Institute of Integrative Biology, is
(American Association of Swine Veterinarians) The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization recently published a book entitled Biofuel co-products as livestock feed - Opportunities and challenges. AASV member Dr Harold Tilstra co-authored Chapter 3; ”Impact of United States biofuels co-products on
(Netzwerk Biotreibstoffe) Finland-based UPM’s facility is located in Lappeenranta, south-eastern Finland, and will produce biodiesel from crude tall oil at the company’s Kaukas mill site. This integration will offer synergies, such as a wastewater treatment plant and utilities like energy,
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