by Francesco Guarascio and Barbara Lewis (Reuters) The EU forestry and farming sectors will have to monitor and report from 2013 any changes to land use that could affect greenhouse gas emissions as part of the bloc's measures to curb climate change,
by Jeff Matthews (The Town Talk) ...The forum, held at LSU AgCenter facilities adjacent to the Louisiana State University at Alexandria campus, drew about 125 people, a few more than last year. “People are really interested in the fact that their
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Novozymes releases a new, high-performance enzyme for advanced cellulosic biofuels: Cellic CTec3. Will Novozymes win the enzyme wars? Will enzymes defeat gasification? When will renewables defeat fossil fuels on cost? In Denmark, Novozymes announced their latest enzyme
(MarketWatch) ZeaChem Commences USDA-Funded Initiative to Build a Bioenergy Industry in the Pacific Northwest ZeaChem Inc., a developer of biorefineries for the conversion of renewable biomass into sustainable fuels and chemicals, today announced that it has successfully completed contract negotiations to
by S. Heather Duncan (Macon Telegraph) Wearing green hard hats with the LanzaTech logo pasted over the words “Range Fuels,” officials of the company that now owns a Soperton ethanol plant visited the site this week and met with suppliers
by David Shaffer (Star Tribune) A biofuels company opts for plants elsewhere after being helped by nearly $1 million in grant funding from Minnesota. A biofuels company that benefited from nearly $1 million in grants from Minnesota taxpayers says it's
by Erin Voegele (Biorefining Magazine) Finland-based UPM recently announced plans to develop a biorefinery in Lappeenranta, Finland, to convert crude tall oil into renewable drop-in diesel biofuel. Construction on the 100,000 metric ton (30 million gallon) per year plant is
by Martin LaMonica (CNET) For a new crop of biofuel companies, ethanol is out and "biogasoline" is in. One of them is Primus Green Energy, which plans to open a demonstration plant by the end of the year that will convert wood
(Solve for X/CoolPlanet Energy Systems) Solve for X is a forum to encourage and amplify technology-based moonshot thinking and teamwork. The fact is that plants have a carbon-negative phase - a time during which they remove carbon from the atmosphere. But
(Neste Oil) Neste Oil and Raisio have worked together for a number of years on how by-products and sidestreams generated by Finnish agriculture and food manufacturing can be used as inputs for producing biofuels. The two companies held a joint
by Katherine Yung (Detroit Free Press) After a lengthy delay, construction of what could be the nation's first large-scale wood-to-ethanol plant in the country is to start this year in Michigan's eastern Upper Peninsula. If successful, the $232-million biorefinery in Kinross
by S. Heather Duncan (Macon Telegraph) Although the company that purchased a defunct ethanol refinery in Soperton has some of the same financial backers as previous owners who lost the plant to foreclosure, leaders of LanzaTech Freedom Pines say their
(CelluForce) CelluForce officially inaugurated today the world’s first NanoCrystalline Cellulose (NCC) demonstration plant at the Domtar pulp and paper mill site in Windsor, Quebec. Jean Moreau, President and CEO of CelluForce, was accompanied by the Canadian Minister of Natural Resources, the
by S. Heather Duncan (Macon.com) The new owner of a shuttered ethanol plant in Soperton plans to eventually add hundreds of jobs there to produce ethanol and other chemicals, a company official said this week. That would boost Treutlen County employment
by Bryan Sims (Biorefining Magazine) Toronto-based CORE BioFuel Inc. has signed an exclusive agreement with Osprey Capital Partners Inc., Canada’s leading mid-market investment banking firm, to secure equity investment capital for financing the completion of construction engineering for its first
(YLE.FI) Forest industry giant UPM is building a biorefinery in the eastern city of Lappeenranta which is to produce biofuel from crude tall oil. The plant’s output is expected to reach some 100,000 tons of biodiesel annually, slated for use
by John P. Hurley (Biomass Power and Thermal Magazine/U.S. Department of Energy, Energy & Environmental Research Center) Minnesota’s forestry operations produce 300,000 tons per year of wood waste that is not used in any existing or proposed facility. Through the process
by Anna Austin (Biomass Power and Thermal Magazine) A recently released study authored by nine scientists from multiple organizations and universities, including the U.S. Forest Service, may be poised to clear up some confusion. With no motive other than to
(Netzwerk Biotreibstoffe) As a potential substitute for fossil fuels, wood energy can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. FAO’s programme on wood energy promotes sustainable wood energy systems as a contribution to sustainable forest management, livelihoods and food security. To this
(Netzwerk Biotreibstoffe) Brazil has over 4 million hectares of eucalypt plantations. Within that estate some plantations are dedicated to the production of charcoal while in some areas multiple land use includes forestry and agricultural production. Focus in recent years has
(Netzwerk Biotreibstoffe) This report was prepared as a joint effort by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institute, University of Rostock, Chalmers University of Technology, Georg-August University of Goettingen, University of Applied Sciences Eberswalde, Biop Institut
(EcoGreen4US) ... Cellulosic ethanol is produced from plant fibre which is widely available almost anywhere in the world. Today, producing cellulosic ethanol is not in a laboratory anymore. A number ofmanufacturing plants around the world have been producing cellulosic ethanol asalternative to diesel and gasoline orpetrol. Some of the plant fibres which have been studied could be
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA has approved a conditional commitment in the amount of $232.5 million to ZeaChem Boardman Biorefinery, LLC (ZBB) through the Biorefinery Assistance Program. ZBB will operate a 25 million
by Robert E. Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) Retain Agricultural Land: Agricultural and forest lands are vulnerable to loss due to reduction of the dairy and pulp/paper industries and conversion to residential or commercial development. They could retain their agriculture and
by Erin Voegele (Biorefining Magazine) ...During a presentation at the 2012 Pacific West Biomass Conference & Tradeshow, Christine Kelly, an associate professor of chemical, biological and environmental engineering at Oregon State University, outlined the achievements made by private companies, research
(Cal-Bay International/MarketWire) Cal-Bay International, Inc., announced the company is negotiating a land acquisition deal for its renewable forest division for the production of Clean Energy & Power. The company has entered negotiations for the purchase of multiple non food producing land parcels
(PR NewsWire/Organic Tree Fruit Growers Alliance) At a recent legislative hearing in Olympia, the Washington StateHorticultural Association and its lobbyist Jim Halstrom (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvVO8tJc7zI) publicly opposed legislation (House Bill 2192) that would provide a relatively small amount of new water to allow apple and tree
TAPPI’s International Bioenergy and Bioproducts Conference will focus on technical advancements and commercialization of bioconversion technologies that leverage the forest products manufacturing infrastructure. The conference will include technical presentations, expert panels, case studies, and reports from projects that address: Feedstock and harvesting
(Pangea/World of Bioenergy) Social and environmental benefits of next-generation biofuels, mainly cellulosic ethanol, Algae fuels, Drop in fuels, and biobutanol, are fuelling its rapid growth momentum, says RNCOS. According to our recent report, “Global Biofuel Market Analysis”, the global biofuel
by Rich Christianson (Woodworking Network) Sundrop Fuels Inc. has selected Rapides Parish, LA, as the site of its first gasification plant to produce gasoline from forest waste. The company is purchasing about 1,200 acres of land near Alexandria to develop the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ZeaChem launches its 250,000 gallon per year core process. How could this possibly matter, in the context of a 500 million gallon cellulosic biofuels target for 2012, that was waived down to 10 million? As
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...But the New Agriculture has arisen in recent years, with new solutions to the old dilemma: how do you produce, and afford, and haul, and utilize enough feedstock to make an integrated biorefinery work? How
(Renmatix) BASF is participating with $30 million through BASF Biorenewable Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG in the American technology firm Renmatix Inc. The BASF subsidiary led a $50 million financing round, joined by new and existing investors. The technology company Renmatix
(IFP Energies Nouvelles) The numerous research programmes looking at new-generation biofuels that were initiated over the last ten years are now starting to bear fruit. Although no plants are producing and marketing biofuels yet, the large-scale, industrial feasibility of second-generation biofuel production at
by Dr. Steven Thomas (US Department of Energy) Biomass feedstocks – the raw organic material that can be converted into biofuel, biopower, or bioproducts – come in many forms, from woody crops like hybrid poplar and shrub willow to herbaceous species
by Neil Rossmeissl (US Department of Energy) Despite Americans’ voracious appetite for paper products -- a staggering 700 pounds per person annually -- America’s pulp and paper industry has been struggling as of late due to competition from countries where environmental
by Gene Zaleski (The Times and Democrat) ...Orangeburg County (South Carolina) Development Commission Executive Director Gregg Robinson said while there are challenges in alternative fuel production, they can be overcome. He remains bullish on alternative fuels' future in Orangeburg County. "It
by David Bransby(Auburn University/Biofuels Digest) We hear a lot about “drop-in” fuels these days. While this term typically means an infrastructure-compatible liquid transportation fuel, Wayne Keith has come up with his own version of a “drop-in” fuel: wood, or any
(PhysOrg.com) A method developed at Aalto University in Finland makes it possible to use microbes to produce butanol suitable for biofuel and other industrial chemicals from wood biomass. Butanol is particularly suited as a transport fuel because it is not
(BioMCN) Environmental commodity broker Vertis Environmental Finance have signed an agency agreement with BioMCN for the representation and sales of bio-methanol in Central Europe. BioMCN is the largest 2nd generation biofuels producer in the world, producing high quality bio-methanol from
(Metso) Metso will supply the world’s first commercial installation of LignoBoost technology to Domtar in North America. The equipment will be intergrated with the Plymouth North Carolina pulp mill. The LignoBoost process separates and collects lignin from pulping liquor. This
by Ross Courtney (The Seattle Times/Yakima Herald-Republic) ..."You get down to it, it's dirty work," said Steve Fransen, a research agronomist at the Washington State University Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center. He means research, not farming, but farming is what
by Kevin Bullis (MIT Technology Review) This month, Range Fuels, one of the first companies in a wave of startups that promised cheap biofuels made from sources such as wood chips rather than corn, shut its doors for good and
by John Schueler (US Department of Energy) The Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy works in partnership with industry to develop, build, operate and validate integrated biorefineries across the country at various scales (pilot, demonstration, and commercial). One
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Australia, Licella had a big day, announcing the opening of its demonstration plant, a JV with Norsk Sko called Licella Fibre Fuels to commercialize the technology, and MOUs with Virgin Australia and Air New
by Dave Cooper (Edmonton Journal) After flourishing on waste water from the town’s sewage treatment plant for more than two years, Whitecourt’s biomass crop of willows and poplars was ripe for harvest. And last week, researchers brought in three different machines
(Valero) New Hampshire-based biofuels company Mascoma Corp. has entered into an agreement with energy giant Valero to build a plant that produces ethanol in Michigan's Upper Peninsula using Mascoma's proprietary technology. Mascoma, of Lebanon, agreed to the deal with Texas-based Valero
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...“The government rushed into investments, with no diligence,” says Codexis chief Alan Shaw. “They are just not industrialists, in my opinion.” Two major announcements this week drive the point home in advanced biofuels. In California, Codexis introduced its
(SAFER Alliance) Georgia grows wood like the Midwest grows corn,” says Jill Stuckey, director of the Georgia Center of Innovation for Energy. In fact, with nearly 25 million acres of forests in Georgia, the state ranks second in the nation, behind only
(Michigan Radio) ...A new advisory council is heavily weighted with voices from the timber industry, and there will be more emphasis on developing forest products to boost the state’s economy. Governor Rick Snyder says there’s a lot of potential to use
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute)A number of new scientific studies have been released examining whether and how forests, forest management practices, forest products, and bioenergy from forests either contribute to or help mitigate climate change through carbon sequestration and emissions.
by Kari Williamson (Renewable Energy Focus) FuturaGene has received a US$2.1 million grant from the Brazilian Government to advance its bioenergy technology development programme in Brazil. The grant obtained by FuturaGene's parent company, Suzano Papel e Celulose, will be used to
(AMG/MarketWire) AMG Bioenergy Resources Holdings Ltd. (the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:ABG), a Canadian publicly traded company, wishes to provide an update on the progress of its acquisition of a 133 hectare jatropha plantation and a 201 hectare eucalyptus plantation, and the
(Energy Business Review) Canada-based CORE BioFuel has tested the last step in its wood-to-gasoline process to produce high-octane, benzene-free, drop-in gasoline. Under contract with CORE, RECAT Technologies completed a set of test runs of the catalytic reaction producing gasoline from dimethyl
(PhysOrg) Costs for second-generation ethanol processing, which will ease the stress on corn and sugarcane, are unlikely to be competitive until 2020, according to a unique Queen's University study. ...The researchers found that building large scale facilities for second-generation ethanol production
by Will Nichols (Business Green) Government research body says next generation biofuels made from waste are a feasible low carbon option The UK could miss its renewable transport targets unless it spends £900m over the next 20 years on advanced biofuels,
(Atlanta Business Chronicle) The University of Georgia researchers created a “super strain” of yeast that ferments ethanol from pretreated pine as part of an effort to help biofuels take the place of gasoline for fuel. … UGA said their research shows
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) In the process of researching various feedstocks for their startup company clients, Golden, Colo.-based Hazen Research Inc. noticed a trend. Feedstocks are not all created equal—even if that feedstock bears the same plant name. In
(PR NewsWire/MarketWatch) Analytical Technology Fueling Institute's Fundamental Energy Research Waters Corporation today (November 15, 2011) welcomed the Future Fuels Institute at Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida into its Centers of Innovation Program. The Future Fuels Institute under its director, Dr. Chang
by Graham Warwick (Aviation Week) As airlines launch the first commercial biofuel flights in the U.S., the government is working with industry to scale up production of biomass-derived jet fuel to commercial quantities beginning in 2012. Following the lead set by
(Wiley-Blackwell/ScienceNewsLine) The production of ethanol from lignocellulose-rich materials such as wood residues, waste paper, used cardboard and straw cannot yet be achieved at the same efficiency and cost as from corn starch. A cost comparison has concluded that using
(Arch1Design.com) ...Tel Aviv University researchers are doing their part to reduce humanity’s carbon footprint by successfully growing forests in the most unlikely place — deep in Israel’s Aravah Desert. With environmental “extras” such as a local plant species, recycled sewage water
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) Approximately 100 professionals working in the feedstock and biorefining sectors recently met at Idaho National Laboratory to participate in a U.S. DOE-funded workshop. ...“Our objective was to broaden the view of densification from just a
(PR NewsWire) BlueFire Renewables, Inc., a company focused on changing the world's transportation fuel paradigm through the production of renewable fuels from non-food cellulosic wastes, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") with China Huadian Engineering Co. LTD to
(R&D) Researchers have long been interested in waste products as sources of biofuel. In Maine, those waste items could include treetops and limbs deemed by the forest products industry as unusable and often left behind in the woods. A University of
by Matt Soberg (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Saskatchewan-based Nipawin Biomass Ethanol New Generation Co-operative Ltd. has contracted with the Saskatchewan Research Council to further develop its catalytic process for cellulosic ethanol production. The technology is also being integrated into Fulcrum BioEnergy
(R&D) In May a team of researchers led by Rick Meilan, associate professor of forestry and natural resources, began a five-year study to determine the viability of poplar species as an ethanol feedstock and cash crop for Indiana farmers. The study includes
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...There’s a rumor going around the biofuels and biomaterials business that today represents one of the most difficult periods to raise capital. Apparently, the rumors did not reach ZeaChem, Chromatin or Synthetic Genomics, which this
(Physorg.com) Taking a cue from Mother Nature, researchers at the Department of Energy's BioEnergy Science Center have undertaken a first-of-its-kind study of a naturally occurring phenomenon in trees to spur the development of more efficient bioenergy crops. Tension wood, which forms
by Amelia Templeton (EarthFix) In a study published today in Nature Climate Change, researchers at OSU suggest that efforts to thin Northwest forests to reduce the risk of wildfire and create biofuels could have an unintended consequence: increasing the region’s carbon emissions. The
(Le Monde) Dans de vastes hangars sont stockés des bottes de paille, des tiges de miscanthus (sorte de roseau parfois appelé "herbe à éléphant"), des rondins de saule et de peuplier. D'autres bâtiments sont réservés aux copeaux et résidus de
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Researchers from the University of Florida have found a way for tree breeders to create a new pine variety in about six years—less than half than the more than 13 years it takes without
(Coskata) With More than 15,000 Run Hours, Company Focus Turns to Commercial Scale Facilities Coskata, Inc., a developer of technology for the production of advanced biofuels and biochemicals from biomass and waste materials, achieved two years of successful operations at
(Biofuels International) FuturaGene, a company dedicated to enhancing the yield and sustainability of woody crops for biofuels and biopower, and Guangxi Academy of Sciences (GXAS) have entered into a development agreement. Under the agreement, FuturaGene and GXAS, which is primarily focussed
by Paul Spindler (Catchlight Energy, LLC). The company CLE (Catchlight Energy) is a 50/50 partnership between the sustainable, forest-based feedstock company, Weyerhaeuser, and the commercial fuel company, Chevron. The purpose of this partnership is to link the benefits of a parent
(BusinessWire/ArborGen) Research team to develop genetically improved Loblolly Pine trees that yield greater amounts of terpene for use in transportation biofuels ArborGen, a world leader in the development and commercialization of technologies that improve the productivity of trees for wood,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Ramsbottom said that companies looking at international expansion generally ask themselves four questions before proceeding: is there a need?; is the local environment welcoming?; does the company have the time and resources”; can the company afford
by Jeff Mulhollem and Chuck Gill (Penn State/Gant Daily) A forest products researcher in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences is playing a role in a national effort to gauge the viability of a novel use for wood-based biofuels. The U.S.
(Department of Energy/ARPA-E) ARPA-E Projects in 25 States Will Accelerate Innovation in Clean Energy Technologies, Increase America's Competitiveness and Create Jobs Arun Majumdar, Director of the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), today announced 60 cutting-edge research projects aimed
(University of Tennessee) Center to coordinate woody biomass production and utilization studies The Center for Renewable Carbon, a program of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, has been named by the USDA as a recipient of one of five coordinated
(BusinessWire/Yahoo!Finance) Air Force Purchase is for Jet Engine Testing and Feasibility Flight Demonstration Gevo, Inc., a leading renewable chemicals and advanced biofuels company, received a $5 million grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the development of biojet
by Erin Voegele (Biorefining Magazine) A researcher at Washington State University has been selected to receive a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Young Faculty Award to support the development of a technology to produce biobased jet fuel. Bin Yang,
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Breaking down the cellulose in wood isn’t easy. But—as two Canadian students and their science teacher discovered—bark is a different story. James Ross and Isaiah Saunders, who are today graduates of St. Joseph-Scollard Hall, a
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ....But as it turns out, trees guard their precious C5 and C6 sugars, those necessary to produce cellulosic ethanol and biochemicals, with a nearly impenetrable system of natural defenses that has yet to
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced five major agricultural research projects today aimed at developing regional, renewable energy markets, generating rural jobs, and decreasing America's dependence on foreign oil. Altogether, the five-year program will deliver more than
(ZeaChem) ZeaChem Will Produce “Drop-In” Advanced Biofuels at Boardman, Oregon Biorefinery ZeaChem Inc., a developer of biorefineries for the conversion of renewable feedstocks into sustainable fuels and chemicals, today (September 28, 2011) announced it has been awarded part of a $40
(PR Newswire/Renmatix) Kleiner Perkins' John Doerr, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett, and Amyris CEO John Melo laud company's novel use of super critical water Renmatix, the leading producer of cellulosic sugars, today unveiled the Plantrose™ process, the company's commercial approach to producing
by Matthew L. Wald (New York Times) A Georgia company says it has overcome a major roadblock in turning agricultural waste into vehicle fuel and other useful chemicals by experimenting with a technology that treats the waste with compressed water
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...But underneath all the excitement, one feels just a little bit of desperation – oh, perhaps not just from these companies but their competitors. Everyone knows at some macro level that, while there are hundreds
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Intrigued by cellulosic ethanol and a new product called MGT, in Mascoma’s IPO? ...Mascoma Corporation announced that it has filed an S-1 registration statement relating to a proposed $100 million initial public offering. The number of
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) The government of Fiji is working to encourage investment in its local biofuel industry. According to information released by the country’s Ministry of Information this month, there are many opportunities for investments in renewable energy within
(Hawai'i Bioenergy) Hawaiian Electric Company and Hawai`i BioEnergy, LLC have agreed on a contract for a supply of 10 million gallons per year of locally grown and processed biofuel for power generation at Hawaiian Electric’s Kahe Generating Station. The contract now goes to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...But a handful of companies such as Cobalt, Gevo, Terrabon, LanzaTech and ZeaChem, are shaking up the emerging aviation biofuels markets by developing renewable aviation fuels from ethanol and/or biobutanol. ...“An alcohol molecule, looking at it
by Karin Holzzknecht (Center for International Forestry Research Forest Blog) Assessing how biofuels affect forests and people’s livelihoods and how its production can be more sustainable has been made easier following the recent release of an interactive map which provides
(StreetInsider.com/AMG Bioenergy) AMG Bioenergy Resources Holdings Ltd., ... a Canadian publicly traded company, announces that it has incorporated AMG Bioenergy Plantations Co., Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary corporation incorporated under the laws of the People's Republic of China (the "Subsidiary"). The
by Matt Carr (Biotechnology Industry Organization). Matt Carr, Managing Director or BIO notes that in 2011, biofuels comprise about 10% of the US transportation fuel market; in 2025, biofuels will consist of around 25% of that market. Renewable chemicals and
by Dick Carmical (Forest Business Network) ...The technologies to make vehicle fuel from wood on a commercial scale remain unproven. The only bioenergy technologies that are proven, making wood pellets or burning wood to make electricity, in most cases,
by (Chron.com) An Illinois investment company that bought an old container manufacturer west of Missoula hopes to turn the 3,200-acre site along the Clark Fork River into a magnet for green jobs. ...The site has officially been renamed "M 2 Green," and
(MarketWatch/Dynamotive) GE today (September 1, 12011) announced that it has joined Virgin Australia and a consortium of other partners to research and develop commercial biofuel for the aviation industry. The consortium will focus on pyrolytic conversion of biomass from mallee eucalypt
Elizabeth R. Nesbitt, Paul Thiers, Johnway Gao, Sharon Shoemaker, Manuel Garcia-Perez, Julie Carrier, Joy Doran-Peterson, John Morgan, Guangyi Wang, Pierre Christian Wensel, Shulin Chen (Journal of International Commerce and Economics) The Chinese government is vigorously promoting commercialization of renewable energy and bioproducts, given environmental issues plus food, energy, and national security concerns,
(Honeywell) UOP LLC, a Honeywell company, announced today that it has begun construction in Hawaii of a biofuels demonstration unit that will convert forest residuals, algae and other cellulosic biomass into green transportation fuels. Backed by a $25 million U.S. Department of
by Graham von Maltitz, William Stafford (Center for International Forestry Research) Sustainable biofuel production should provide opportunities for sub-Saharan African countries and their inhabitants, especially in impoverished rural areas. Biofuel feedstock production has the potential to bring job opportunities
by Maria Gallucci (SolveClimate News) Chrysler's new partnership with cellulosic producer ZeaChem is part of the automaker's larger push to get E85 ethanol in its vehicles Last week, a Detroit Three automaker joined the handful of mostly oil companies that have
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ZeaChem Inc. announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Chrysler Group LLC to accelerate the commercialization of its cellulosic ethanol process and to assist in establishing a strong consumer market for the
(US Department of Energy) ...More than 600 speakers, moderators, sponsors, exhibitors, and attendees were able to listen to discussions about the ongoing challenges and achievements in the bioenergy industry. Biomass 2011 addressed key issues in important areas, such as feedstock supply, conversion pathways,
By Ucilia Wang (GigaOm) Freshly minted as a public company, biofuel producer KiOR reported Thursday that it brought in no revenues and widened its losses for the second quarter. Given that no one expected the young company to make much money yet,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the USDA and DOE have awarded 10 grants totaling $12.2 million to spur research into improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of growing biofuel and bioenergy crops. The USDA and DOE
by Lisa Gibson (Biomass Power and Thermal) A follow-up report to the U.S. DOE’s 2005 “Biomass as Feedstock for a Bioenergy and Bioproducts Industry: The Technical Feasibility of a Billion-Ton Annual Supply,” commonly referred to as the Billion-Ton Study, has
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...But a new generation of technologies is coming along fast, primarily in advanced biofuels, which is gasifying biomass at the front end along its path towards making fuels, chemicals or other biomaterials – or in
by Henry A. Stephens (TCPalm.com) The opening of the nation's first waste-derived bio-ethanol plant is running a few months behind schedule, officials said Tuesday, but not by enough time to cause concern. "We hope to be up and running by this
by Megan Cassidy (Columbia Missourian) Shibu Jose and his team believe that today’s soggy river bottoms could be untapped grounds for the largest advanced biofuel economy in the nation. Jose, director for MU’s Center for Agroforestry, is proposing to cultivate and harvest
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today the creation of four additional Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) project areas in six states to expand the availability of non-food crops to be used in the manufacturing of
by Brian Moody (Translogic) ...Although "Beaver" is a strange moniker for a car, Chip Beam has a good reason for naming his ride after the trunk-chewing critter; after all, the Beaver XR7 runs on wood (or any other
(Advanced Biofuels USA) Advanced Biofuels USA July 25, 2011, detailed an action plan for creating sustainable markets for advanced ethanol in the automotive/light duty truck sector. The paper, “The Pathway to a Sustainable “Total Biomass” Advanced Ethanol Industry ,”itemizes six steps cellulosic and
by Ivan Castano (Renewable Energy World) The firm will begin making the fuel with palm oil, animal fats and other residues at its recently expanded La Rabida plant in Huelva in July and will subsequently begin manufacturing it in its
by Bryan Sims (Biorefining Magazine) Lignol Innovations Inc., a subsidiary of Vancouver-based Lignol Energy Corp., has reached an agreement with the U.S. DOE’s Biomass Program to discontinue work of a proposed 2.5 MMgy cellulosic ethanol demonstration-scale project in Grand Junction,
by Joan Melcher (BioCycle) Closed loop system utilizes gasification, algae ponds and anaerobic digestion to convert wood waste to a variety of products, including biofuel, biogas and a soil amendment. Michael Smith is supervising the first commercial-scaleGreen Power House at the
(LS9) LS9, Inc., a technology leader in the development of sustainable products, today announced that it has been awarded in conjunction with partner HCL CleanTech Ltd., a $9 million grant from the Department of Energy (DOE) to improve and demonstrate
by David Ranii (News Observer) The Research Triangle Regional Partnership is one of seven regional groups across the state selected by the Biofuels Center of North Carolina to identify sites suitable for a biofuels production facility. The goal is to come up
(25 x '25) The National 25x'25 Alliance released this morning a new National Wood-To-Energy Roadmap - A Guide for Developing Sustainable Woody Biomass Solutions. The report that shows how focused use of woody biomass can help meet America's energy needs
by Paul Voosen (New York Times/Greenwire) ...For eons, plants have locked the sun's energy into complex strands of sugar, used to build their stems and leaves. These chains are far different from table sugar or grain starch; they cling together,
by Bryan Sims (Biorefining Magazine) Delving into termite guts to find the best cellulases or lignocellulases to efficiently convert cellulose and hemicelluloses, even lignin, into advanced biofuels isn’t a new concept within the biorefining community, but researchers at Purdue University
by Charlie Dunmore (Reuters) Europe's biodiesel industry could be wiped out by EU plans to tackle the unwanted side effects of biofuel production, after studies showed few climate benefits, four papers obtained by Reuters show. Europe's world-leading $13 billion biodiesel industry,
(Reuters) German second generation biofuels company Choren Industries GmbH has declared insolvency, a company spokesperson said on Friday. Choren is building Germany's first biofuels plant producing using second generations of biomass raw materials. ...The plant is being built in Freiberg in south
(Denver Business Journal) Colorado biofuel startup Sundrop Fuels Inc. on Monday announced it will get $175 million in new investment, with the lion’s share coming from natural gas company Chesapeake Energy Corp. ...Chesapeake said it plans to fund the investment by
(Troutman Sanders) The EPA on July 1, 2011 issued a final rule deferring for three years application of the Clean Air Act’s Prevention of Significant Deterioration (“PSD”) and Title V permitting requirements to carbon dioxide (“CO2”) emissions from biogenic stationary
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In a swirling stew of change regarding US federal incentives, tariffs, tax credits and loan guarantees, the most consistent mechanism driving the expansion of renewable transport fuel has been the US Renewable Fuel Standard. Though
by Matthew Liebenberg (Nipawin Journal) Timber that will be cleared from the proposed Shore Gold diamond mine site in the Fort à la Corne forest will be processed and converted into cellulose ethanol at a future green fuel facility in
(Virgin Australia) Virgin Australia today announced that it has partnered with Renewable Oil Corporation (ROC), Dynamotive Energy Systems Corporation (DYMTF) and Future Farm Industries Co-operative Research Centre (FFI CRC) to develop a sustainable aviation biofuel that also has benefits for the Australian farming
(University of Calgary) Biofuel from non-edible parts of plants getting more efficient ...Researchers at the University of Calgary’s Schulich School of Engineering are developing new ways to produce biofuel from organic waste in a sustainable and affordable way. “Our goal is to
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...(I)ndustry experts discussed their views toward integrating cellulosic production at existing corn ethanol facilities. ...The panelists seemed in agreement that integrating cellulosic ethanol production with existing first-generation plants presents an ideal expansion opportunity. However their
by Ivan Castano (Renewable Energy World) Second-generation biofuel IPOs are all the rage this year with recent deals pricing well above initial expectations and a growing number of companies expected to tap the capital markets in coming months. But
by Henry A. Stephens (TCPalm) INEOS New Planet BioEnergy, which is building an estimated $150 million plant on Oslo Road, will be shipping in 90,000 tons a year of yard clippings, tree trimmings and other vegetative waste from other counties
(City of Edmonton, Enerkem, Alberta Innovates) Plug-and-play pilot plant and lab to convert waste to biofuels and value-added chemicals Edmonton is now home to one of the world’s most sophisticated waste-to-biofuels research facilities, thanks to a partnership between Alberta Innovates – Energy and
(BusinessWire) Cellulosic ethanol manufacturing process to provide feedstock for production of xylitol Xylitol Canada Inc., a reseller and distributor of xylitol and xylitol products announced that they will leap frog the initial plan for a pilot plant and go directly to
(GreenAirOnline) A study to determine the feasibility of the Australian and New Zealand aviation sector using sustainable biofuels to meet industry carbon reduction targets concludes that a bio-derived jet fuel industry could decrease aviation emissions by 17 per cent and
(Bloomberg) Catchlight Energy LLC, a joint venture of Chevron Corp. and Weyerhaeuser Co., will supply forest products that Kior Inc. will convert into biofuels. The deal announced today expands an agreement made in April for Catchlight to purchase gasoline and diesel fuel blendstocks
by Thomas Saidak (Biofuels Digest) In Canada, research carried out by teams at the Universities of Warwick and British Columbia have identified an lignin-breaking enzyme in bacteria which could be used to make biofuel production more efficient. The
(Virent) Biofuels Pioneer Converts Corn Stover and Loblolly Pine Into BioFormate™ Gasoline with Molecular Composition Similar to Gasoline Derived from Fossil Fuels Virent announced it has successfully produced biogasoline from corn stover and pine harvest forest residuals, as a recipient of the U.S.
by Tara Bozick (GoDanRiver.com) ...Other projects receiving tobacco commission money: ...• The commission approved $490,000 for Piedmont BioProducts in Gretna to improve its biofuel-making process, which will lead to the company’s first commercial bio-refinery in Gretna Industrial Park. READ MORE and MORE and
by Dr. William Strauss (Renewable Energy World/FutureMetrics) This short article challenges the assumption that there is always a carbon debt incurred first and then a carbon dividend realized later (debt-then-dividend) when using woody biomass for energy. The Manomet Study has generated
(SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry) Researchers work to make biobutanol from sustainable resource: wood ...(S)cientists at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) are researching ways to turn wood into sustainable biobutanol. Researchers in the college's Department of
by Brian Sims (Ethanol Producer Magazine) State, county and city dignitaries were on hand to witness the official groundbreaking last week of EdeniQ Inc.’s Corn-to-Cellulosic Migration pilot plant at EdeniQ’s headquarters in Visalia, Calif. EdeniQ had been optimizing its biomass conversion
(EurekAlert!) Key to new possibilities for renewable bioproducts The key to the survival of forestry in South Africa as well as many new possibilities for renewable bioproducts like biofuels and biopolymers may now be available with the click of a mouse. This
(PR NewsWire/Forisk) A new study evaluates the viability of the wood-based transportation fuel sector in the United States. Wood biofuel projects attract strong private and public investment, and advance federal energy policy objectives. Published by Forisk Consulting and the Schiamberg Group,
by Melissa O'Neil Perdue (Washington State University) An innovative idea for making advanced biofuels such as jet fuel, diesel and gasoline from regional resources is moving forward with a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). “This process will demonstrate the
(Yahoo!Finance/BusinessWire) ZeaChem Inc., a developer of biorefineries for the conversion of renewable biomass into sustainable fuels and chemicals, today announced it has signed a long-term binding term sheet with GreenWood Tree Farm Fund (GTFF), managed by GreenWood Resources (GWR), to
by Garthia Elena Burnett (Commercial Dispatch) FedEx is the latest company to sign an offtake agreement with Kior, a biofuels plant slated to begin production in Columbus in 2012. FedEx plans to use oil produced from biomass, mainly wood chips,
(Canadian Renewable Fuels Association/MarketWire) The Canadian Renewable Fuels Association today lauded the launch of G2 BioChem, the latest Canadian based venture to develop and commercialize advanced renewable fuels and next generation ethanol. G2 BioChem is a collaborative effort between GreenField
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) Imagine filling up the car on a fuel that isn't made from oil but doesn't have the drawbacks of corn ethanol, including its lower energy content and ability to damage older cars or gas
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