by Evan Halper (Los Angeles Times) It's even possible that conflicting state and federal policies on renewable fuels, both aimed at reducing global warming, could actually make things worse, some scientists say. California and the federal government want drivers to use
by David Shaffer (Star Tribune) Shipping container with a portable unit is on display at the fair. One of the more unusual farm implements at the Minnesota State Fair is a big metal box with no tires, steering wheel or windshield.
(Biofuels International) Diamond Green Biodiesel, a joint venture between Valero Energy and Darling International, has reached capacity during its start-up phase. The plant, based next to Valero’s St Charles refinery in Louisiana, began operations in June and uses animal fat, used
(SG Biofuels/Biodiesel Magazine) Energy crop company SGB Inc. (SG Biofuels) announced it has achieved consistent germination rates of more than 95 percent with its top-performing JMax jatropha hybrids in a range of high-stress growing conditions. Jatropha is a nonfood energy
(Green Fuels Ltd./Biodiesel Magazine) As U.K. diesel prices sit at around £1.40 a liter, it continues to make biodiesel at around 30p a liter a very attractive alternative, not to mention the benefits to the environment biodiesel provides. The price of
(Environmental Defense Fund/Biodiesel Magazine) A case study released today from Environmental Defense Fund and E2 examines the benefits of biodiesel, profiling six companies in California helping to revolutionize the industry. Growing production in the state shows California companies have started capitalizing on this diverse, low-carbon
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Ontario Federation of Agriculture recently announced that a value chain consortium has presented a final report to local corn producers, showing that it is commercially viable to establish a cellulosic sugar plant in
by Lynn Grooms (Farm Industry News) Soon after hearing about Big Oil’s numerous challenges to the Renewable Fuel Standard, attendees of the Fuel Ethanol Workshop this summer, heard from producers forging ahead to commercialize cellulosic ethanol. The placement of these
by C. Boyden Gray (The Washington Times) ANALYSIS/OPINION: A media campaign is underway to malign a cleaner, cheaper challenger to gasoline’s virtual monopoly on transportation fuel. If it succeeds, this campaign will deprive American drivers of the next generation of high-octane,
by Jacob Barker (Columbia Daily Tribune) A giant grass grown through a federal program with MFA Oil didn't work out too well as a biofuel at Columbia's municipal power plant. A report sent to the Columbia City Council on Aug. 5
by Allyson Horn (ABC) The Planning and Environment Court has accepted changes made to a proposal to build an ethanol processing plant in north Queensland. Austcane is planning to process one million tonnes of sugarcane each year to produce the ethanol.
by Kathryn Diss (ABC) "I was led to believe that after about five years when these mallee trees matured, that we would be able to move forward with this and there would be a facility in place for us to be
(UPI) Saskatchewan scientists have sequenced the camelina sativa genome. Saskatchewan scientists say they have sequenced the camelina sativa genome, an important step in the development of sustainable biofuels. The genome sequencing discovery was announced by scientists from Saskatchewan firm Genome Prairie, the
by Simon Lewis (Cambodia Daily) The U.K.’s fraud office plans to request the extradition of a British national currently detained in Cambodia, after it brought charges against four people for their part in a $36 million Ponzi scheme involving a
by Jane Black (The Washington Post) In high summer, fields of wildflowers bloom at Tony Thompson’s Minnesota farm: gray-headed coneflowers, phlox and white prairie clover. Those plants are designed to do more than just beautify. They prevent water runoff and
by Nesru Jemal (All Africa) Over 8.6 million liters of ethanol has been blended with benzene and supplied to local market over the concluded fiscal year, the Ministry of Mines and Energy said. According to Bizuneh Tolcha, public relations and communication director with
(4-Traders.com) Guyana's first ever bioethanol demonstration plant was commissioned today at what was regarded the start of an agro fuel revolution in a country that is leaning aggressively towards a renewable energy pathway. The plant located at the Albion Estate on
by Paul Tullis (The New York Times) ...But big drawbacks have prevented the wholesale adoption of trash-to-gas technology in the United States: incineration is polluting, and the capital costs of new plants are enormous. Gasification systems can expend a tremendous
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In China, Dr. Martin Tangney recently appeared at the TEDxWanChai meet-up in Hong Kong, with a talk entitled “Biofuels, Whiskey and me”. It reflects on Tangney’s experience of establishing the UK’s first Biofuel Research Centre and spinning
(Algae Industry Magazine) The National Algae Association (NAA) has announced that a new commercial algae production cultivation system has been developed at the NAA Test Center in The Woodlands, Texas. The new Algae Growth Cell (G-Cell)™ was developed by AlgaeEquip,
(Globe Newswire/Gevo) United States Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado toured and met with Gevo, Inc. (Nasdaq:GEVO) today to discuss the importance of renewable fuels and chemicals for Colorado and the U.S. economy. Senator Bennet met with Gevo executives including chief executive
by Carl Zulauf and Nick Rettig (Ohio State University/FarmDocDaily) ... Corn processed into alcohol for fuel was not a factor in the 1970 period of farm prosperity. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) data series on this demand component does not
by Bruce Barcott (OnEarth.org) Imagine a future in which airliners run on cornstalks and Navy ships ply the oceans on tanks of switchgrass. That day may at last be inching closer. The promise of cellulosic biofuels sounds like a fable out
by Maryanne (Airline Fleet Management) LAN as flown Columbia's first flight using second-generation biofuel. It operated an A320 between Bogota and Cali using fuel from a plant called (camelina) ... LAN flew its first camelina biofuel flight between Santiago and Concepcion, South
by Rick Smith (The Gazette) Solid waste recycling facility could divert waste from landfills in the region ... The Marion City Council Thursday unanimously approved a deal with waste-to-energy firm, Fiberight LLC, which gives the Maryland-based firm permission to build a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The complete Cool Planet story. What is it? Why transformational? What are the next steps? New venture will convert wood waste to gasoline. In Louisiana, Cool Planet Energy Systems CEO Howard Janzen, flanked by Louisiana Gov.
(Algae Industry Magazine) After a successful 2012 race season powered with yeast biodiesel, the Aggie A-Salt Streamliner, as the dragster is officially known, topped 73 miles per hour this week during its algae-fueled debut. The roadster, with a .8 liter
by Lucia Kassai (Bloomberg) Roberto Rezende Barbosa, one of the largest shareholders in Cosan SA Industria & Comercio, is considering building a $150 million ethanol mill in Paraguay, where profits are higher than in Brazil. ... Rezende Barbosa may expand into neighboring
by Erik Tyger (KTIV.com) ...Ethanol plants tend to offer farmers a better price for their corn and use more of the plant, putting corn at a constant state of high demand. Once the alcohol has been removed from the corn
by Les Harrison (SouthEast Farm Press/UF Extension, Wakulla County) A canola cousin, carinata produces oil seeds that can be used to make an alternative fuel which is virtually indistinguishable from petroleum counterparts. Researchers at the University of Florida’s North Florida
by Kevin Flanigan (WeAreCentralPA.com) The huge ethanol plant in Clearfield County is currently running near capacity. A number of farmers who help supply the plant with all of the corn it uses got an up close look at the operation. Farm
Abstract submission is now open for the 36th Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals (SBFC). The 36th SBFC will be held April 28-May 1, 2014 at the Hilton Clearwater Beach Hotel in Clearwater Beach, Florida. The deadline for abstract submissions
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... But is the real RINsanity the focus on RINsanity itself? We might be more focused on the insanely huge amounts of energy demand that are coming, and what the heck we are going to about it,
by Tildy Bayar (Renewable Energy World) In a leaked draft proposal for a European biomass policy, seen by REW, the European Commission has laid out sustainability criteria for the Union’s future biomass use. The proposal would require a minimum greenhouse gas
by Alan Ohnsman (Bloomberg) ...Mimicking the way plants turn sunlight and carbon dioxide in the air into energy and oxygen, the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis at the California Institute of Technology is in a race to trump nature and slow global
by Tim Rudnicki (Minnesota BioFuels Association) Race horses can’t remove their blinders, but thoughtful, engaged people can remove their metaphorical blinders to understand energy issues and ideas that surround them. When it comes to fueling our motor vehicles, big oil would
by Herman Wang (Platts/The Barrel) It’s hard to get excited over a producer making a scant 2 barrels/day of crude. But in the case of Sapphire Energy, those barrels represent the beginnings of a potential revolution that it says could upend how
(Pacific Biodiesel Technologies/Biodiesel Magazine) Jatropha harvesting began last week at the Hawaii Pure Plant Oil (HIPPO) farm founded in 2008 by father and son partners Christian and James Twigg-Smith. HIPPO has planted a total of 200 acres of jatropha in
(Borneo Post) The Microbiology Research Group at the University Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Biotechnology Research Institute has developed a simple and easy way to produce biofertiliser from oil palm fibre empty fruit bunches (EFB) within 40 days. Its senior researcher Dr Md
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... It’s been quite a year on the four-carbon platform — also known as C4, 4C, buta-something, Fantastic Four, or what have you. Though two-carbon fuels such as ethanol have long dominated the biofuels market — and
(MoneyLife/PR NewsWire) BioEnergy Zones Will Lead the Way Towards Socially Inclusive and Economically Sustainable Livelihood Haiti based Sonamar S.A. and Bangalore based VayuGrid have signed a joint venture agreement for developing BioEnergy Zones across Haiti. These BioEnergy Zones will produce renewable
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Upstream, downstream, processing, policy, finance – opportunities and challenges abound in the bioeconomy – but which challenges are the most intractable and daunting of them all? In today’s part 2, #5 through #1. 5. The blend
by Ben Messenger (Waste Management World) Washington County, Maryland is pursuing a project that will develop a refused derived fuel (RDF) facility to process municipal solid waste, followed by a waste gasification facility that will produce biofuels. Mining previously landfilled
by Tildy Bayar (Renewable Energy World) Supported by abundant forest resources, Finnish bioenergy companies don't have to look far for feedstock. But in a move to define its low-carbon future, the nation's energy companies are undertaking ambitious research programs to
by Christopher Doering (Des Moines Register) The U.S. Agriculture Department said food prices won’t increase as much as initially expected in 2013. Food prices are expected to rise between 1.5 to 2.5 percent, down from an earlier forecast of 3
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A month ago this week, Syntroleum (owner of a half interest in Dynamic Fuels, the renewable diesel technology) announced that it was “evaluating strategic alternatives” — and just a few days later revealed that it
(PR NewsWire/ Pomerantz Grossman Hufford Dahlstrom & Gross) Pomerantz Grossman Hufford Dahlstrom & Gross LLP has filed a class action lawsuit against Kior, Inc. ("Kior" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: KIOR) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District
(Agrimoney.com) The era of rising European Union production of biofuels based on food crops is over, with concerns over competition for land providing a final blow, echoing ideas of a slowdown in the US too. In biodiesel, of which the EU
by Erin Brodwin (Scientific American) A group of researchers enlist fungi and E. coli to make the first biofuel of its kind ... The team took Trichoderma reesei, a fungi widely known for its ability to efficiently decompose the non-edible parts of plants, plus a specially
(Wisconsin Ag Connection) An unidentified company is looking to build a biomass plant in Stanely near where the Ace Ethanol factory is located. ...Once in operation, the company would make cellulosic ethanol from trees, then sell the sugar solution
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) The Farm Service Agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that purchase invitations have been extended to solicit bids to the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) through the Feedstock Flexibility Program (FFP). Congress created FFP
(University of Queensland) Newly trialled native algae species provide real hope for the development of commercially viable fuels from algae, a University of Queensland scientist has found. Dr Evan Stephens and the team at UQ’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience, in collaboration
by Dave Cooper (Edmonton Journal) Alberta could lead the country toward replacing about half its necessary transportation fuel with non-petroleum products, says a global expert on biofuels, bioenergy and bioproducts. “We now have ethanol from grain and biodiesel from oilseeds, and
by Perry Beeman (Des Moines Register) ...BioProcess Algae claims to be the nation’s only algae-production facility located next to an ethanol plant, in this case Green Plains Renewable Energy in Shenandoah. That’s part of the reason the U.S. Department of Energy
by Sarah-Blake Morgan (KCBD) Good news for the Plainview economy. White Energy has announced that their Plainview Ethanol Plant will be up and running by late October, after sitting idle since January. ..."With the updating that they did, they are going to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Upstream, downstream, processing, policy, finance – opportunities and challenges abound in the bioeconomy – but which challenges are the most intractable and daunting of them all? In today’s part 1, #10 through #6. They use various aliases
by Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) ...The state of Iowa is proving that our farmers can simultaneously produce the food, feed, fuel and fiber that our country needs. During the past 30 years, we’ve witnessed tremendous growth in the renewable biofuel industry.
(BusinessWire/Aurora Algae) In collaboration with Durack Institute of Technology, Aurora Algae has completed construction of a new algae cultivation test site in Geraldton, Western Australia, to evaluate the potential of the Mid West region for the production of microalgae. Aurora Algae
(Energy Business Review) US-based sustainable fuels company Edeniq has signed a five-year exclusive agreement with agriculture feedstock firm Pacific Ag to add cellulosic ethanol production base to existing biofuel facilities. Under the terms of the agreement, the companies would work together
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A technology developed for Europe finds it is in demand again, as technologists address the growing mountains of palm waste and its special opportunities and challenges. ...So, if we turn to foreign shores for bioenergy and
by Mike DeVito (PlanetForward) Can biofuels play a significant part in the fuel market by 2030? In partnership with National Geographic’s Great Energy Challenge, we ask some of the experts in the biofuels arena what it will take to make it happen, and
(Science Magazine) Addition by subtraction. By removing a specific gene, researchers reduced the amount of lignin (stained red) by 36% in cells in a plant’s stem, making it easier to recover sugar-rich parts of the plant that can be converted to
(PR NewsWire/Digital Journal/Domestic Fuel Solutions Group) From Day One the Domestic Fuel Solutions Group (DFSG) has been advocating for reasonable RFS reform. Congress is taking notice. At the end of two days of recent House Energy & Commerce Committee hearings on
by Herman K. Trabish (GreenTechMedia) A photo tour of the biofuels industry The Environmental Protection Agency just announced it expects only 6 million gallons of cellulosic biofuels to contribute to the 16.55 billion gallons of renewable fuels mandated by the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in
by Keikantse Lesemela (The Monitor) In support of the bio diesel fuel project in Botswana, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) donated equipment worth an estimated P2 million. The research project was carried out in April 2011 to reduce carbon emissions by
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Using just CO2, sunlight and water – and some math right off Einsteins’ blackboard — researchers come up with a potential game-changing technology for making renewable fuels. The National Science Foundation’s division of Emerging Frontiers in
by Esther Ng (Platts) Thailand is planning to revise upwards its biodiesel production target to 7.3 million liters/d by 2021, compared with an earlier target of 5.9 million liters/d, under its Alternative Energy Development Plan (2012-2021), a source at the
(Associated Press) Research into the potential of algae-based fuel is getting a $5 million boost from the U.S. Department of Energy. ... NMSU is working on the project along with Los Alamos, Argonne and Pacific Northwest national laboratories, Washington State and Michigan
(Deccan Herald) The governments, both at the Central and State levels, have realised the need to reduce the use of fossil fuels and implement the biofuel programmes, said Additional Chief Secretary and Development Commissioner, V Umesh on Monday. Speaking on the
by Annie Youderian (Courthouse News Service) The former CEO of New Generation Biofuels duped a foreign investor into pumping more than $2 million into the company, and then dumped his own shares and made a "lucrative exit," the investor claims in
by Mary Wozniak (News Press) The Florida Biofuels plant is temporarily closed, and it's possible the facility will not reopen, the company’s operation manager said today. The plant has already been closed for two weeks , Chris Speake, operations manager said. There is no
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Today’s hottest news comes from LanzaTech, and India’s Centre for Advanced Bio-Energy, which have partnered to create a new process for the direct conversion of waste CO2 into “drop-in” fuels through an acetates-to-lipids pathway. LanzaTech had
by Jim Lane (BioInvest Digest) ...KiOR’s fallen into the penalty box this week — it’s stock falling from a high of nearly $5 just a week ago — now disappearing into the sub-$3 range as the company missed production
(The Hindu) The biofuel sector needs government support till it (the sector) becomes stable, said V. Umesh, Additional Chief Secretary and Development Commissioner. Inaugurating the World Biofuel Day celebrations organised by the Karnataka State Biofuel Board here on Monday, Mr. Umesh, who
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) ...According to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calculations, sugarcane ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by at least 61 percent when compared to traditional fuel, i.e. gasoline. Today, sugarcane ethanol represents 3 percent of all fuels under the
by Tom Kacich (News-Gazette) Corn growers should be OK when renewable-fuel standards are updated by Congress, U.S. Rep. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville, told Champaign County farmers Tuesday. ... "It is our corn growers who were promised a ceiling of 15 billion (gallons of
by Jonathan Kingsman (Platts/The Barrel) Earlier this year BP published its Statistical Review of World Energy 2013 – the 62nd annual report – that highlighted the largest single-year increase in US oil production ever recorded, and the first annual decline (-0.4%)
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) According to a paper published by the nova-Institute on agricultural feedstock use in industrial applications, efficiency and sustainability assessed on a case-by-case basis should be the sole criteria in judging the choice of feedstock used. The paper reviewed
by Herman K. Trabish (GreenTechMedia) “I invite anyone here, anytime. We’ll show them what we do.” Attention, Union of Concerned Scientists, Sierra Club and other environmental advocates: Green Plains Renewable Energy (GPRE) CEO Todd Becker wants you to come to his Iowa corn
(The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association/Biodiesel Magazine) In preparation for the 2013 Iowa State Fair, the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association today announced the start of a billboard campaign aimed at increasing the use of biodiesel in Iowa, particularly on Iowa farms. The
(FCC Aqualia/Biodiesel Magazine) The EU-backed All-gas project, the world’s largest project to convert algae into clean energy using wastewater, has successfully grown its first crop of algae biomass at its site in Chiclana, Southern Spain. This is a major breakthrough
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Crown Express Mart in Apex, N.C., is hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony Aug. 15 to celebrate its grand reopening and new fuel offering, B20 biodiesel. The event will feature expert speakers and demonstrations. READ MORE and MORE
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Tree Oils India Ltd. signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture to conduct collaborative research over the next five years for developing an alternate farming system focused on
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...“Following the worst drought in 50 years, USDA is projecting that U.S. farmers will produce a record 13.8 billion bushels of corn this year and the third best yield, which is further proof
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A Kansas-based company is offering two bolt-on options for ethanol producers looking to turn crude corn oil into biodiesel or renewable diesel. It’s no secret that revenue from corn oil extraction has been key in keeping
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...But right now I’m thinking of plant restarts, new partnerships between neighboring ethanol plants, studies that show the “blend wall” isn’t exactly a wall and advanced biofuels facilities starting commercial production, just to name a few. ...The ethanol production facility and CHP power
by Mike Bryan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...In the years ahead, as cellulose, algae, sweet sorghum and other promising feedstocks emerge, corn will take its rightful place as the pioneer of this industry. As the saying goes, the “Pioneers get the
by Iris C. Gonzales (The Philippine Star) The Department of Energy (DOE) has proposed revisions in the required coco-methyl ester specification or biodiesel blend for oul companies. ... “This is also to harmonize international and regional environment standards for fuel quality. The
(UCLA Engineering) In April 2013, UCLA MAE Ph.D. student Wei Yu raised $1.6M series A venture capital for Lyxia Corporation, a biofuel startup based on research from UCLA MAE Professor Chih-Ming Ho’s Micro System Laboratories. Preceeding this, in July 2012,
by Craig Giammona (CNN Money/Fortune) Ethanol made from corn waste should be commercially available in 2014, but a fight in Congress threatens the market for cellulosic biofuels. When Royal DSM opens a $250 million facility in Emmetsburg, Iowa in a few
(BlackSeaGrain) Zambia Sugar has said it can supply up to 10 per cent of the country’s fuel requirement using its ethanol. Zambia Sugar head of corporate affairs Lovemore Sievu said this at the just-ended 87th Zambia Agricultural and Commercial Show in
by John Brazier (Insolvency News) A company offering investments in an untraceable biofuel project in Mozambique has been wound up by the High Court in the public interest. Following an investigation by The Insolvency Service, Insight Commodities Ltd (Insight) was wound up
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Miscanthus, sorghum, switchgrass, jatropha, camelina, carinata, and arundo. Who’s doing what to bring these crops to scale — and who are the potential big winners? ... Just when you start feeling great about bagasse or stover, you
(Algae Industry Magazine) GianCarlo Onorati writes in SantaCruz.com that a team of scientists from the University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC) are exploring the cultivation of algae in a self-sustaining greenhouse system using a new generation of solar panels
by Shruti Date Singh (Bloomberg) Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. (ADM), the world’s largest corn processor, sees ethanol demand rising and is “optimistic” about margins for 2014 and 2015 as the coming U.S. harvest increases supplies. Corn futures in Chicago have dropped 43 percent from
(Virtual Strategy Magazine) GreenGold Ray Energies, Inc. {GREENGOLD} is "Fueling the Future" on the brighter side of GREENGOLD the Company is looking forward to a solid and increased profitability by becoming one of the major Jatropha Feedstock growers and producers
(Darling International/PR NewsWire) Darling International Inc., ... announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the industrial residuals and used cooking oil collection operations of Terra Renewal Services, Inc. Terra Renewal is a leading provider of essential
by Jim Lane (BioInvest Digest) In Colorado, Gevo announced a net loss for Q2 2013 of $15.2 million compared to $16.2 million for the second quarter of 2012. Revenues were $1.9 million compared to $7.0 million in Q2 2012. The
by Louise Downing (Bloomberg) Neste Oil Oyj (NES1V), the only Finnish oil refiner, is experimenting with ways to make biodiesel from straw and waste as countries seek to cut use of fossil fuel in cars. The company, which has invested about 1.5
by Zha Minjie (Shanghai Daily) City buses will run on biodiesel processed from swill oil next year, the Shanghai food and drug safety authorities announced yesterday following a toxic oil recycling program it conducted with Tongji University. ... The city has been working
by Stephan Nielsen (Bloomberg) Brazil’s state development bank expects to disburse 46 percent more in loans this year to sugar-cane mills as the nation seeks to boost ethanol production. The lender expects to loan 6 billion reais ($2.6 billion) this year,
by Andy McGlashen (Midwest Energy News) The exit of its majority owner and operator leaves the future uncertain for a long-delayed project that has attracted at least $120 million in public financing to turn wood from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula into fuel
(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) EPA also announces steps to address concerns about the E10 blend wall As part of an ongoing effort to enhance energy security and reduce carbon pollution, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today finalized the 2013 percentage
(U.S. Department of Energy) During remarks at the Energy Department’s Biomass 2013 annual conference, Secretary Moniz today highlighted the important role biofuels play in the Administration’s Climate Action Plan to increase our energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation
(INEOS Bio) INEOS Bio Produces Cellulosic Ethanol at Commercial Scale INEOS Bio today announced that its Indian River BioEnergy Center (Centre) is now producing cellulosic ethanol at commercial scale. First ethanol shipments will be released in August. This is the first commercial-scale
(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) updated its RE-Powering Mapping and Screening Tool, which will now provide preliminary screening results for renewable energy potential at 66,000, up from 24,000, contaminated lands, landfills, and mine sites
by Carrie Napoleon (Post-Tribune/Chicago Sun Times) Breakthrough technology behind the Schneider trash-to-ethanol plant proposed by Powers Energy apparently has been proven. Whether that means construction of the plant in the small Lake County town will move forward remains to be seen. INEOS
(Algae Biomass Organization) The algae industry is moving faster than many people suspect. To help demonstrate how far along so many of ABO’s members are we recently created the Algae Industry Project Book, an illustrated guide of some of the most
(Biofuels Center of North Carolina) Due to the North Carolina General Assembly’s elimination of its funding in the state budget signed last week by Gov. Pat McCrory, the Biofuels Center of North Carolina has begun to shut down operations over
by Kristen Johnson (KTIV.com) A Siouxland cooperative is getting into the cellulosic ethanol game. Quad County Corn Processors broke ground on an $8.5 million bio refinery in Galva, Iowa today. The plant will be built next to the company's 35-million-gallon per year
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) According to an article in the journal Phycologia, a recent research study examined a promising freshwater algal strain for possible genetic engineering applications that could make it a viable biofuel. The research, conducted by a research team in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In today’s Digest – visit our 5-Minute Guide to Loan Guarantees — INEOS Bio, Myriant, Sapphire Energy, Abengoa, Chemtex, Enerkem, Fiberight, Fulcrum, ZeaChem – Plus POET-DSM, Diamond Green Diesel, Coskata and Range Fuels Projects open for business INEOS Bio ... Myriant ... Sapphire
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sapphire raises new round of equity, pays off USDA Loan Guarantee: “Sapphire Energy is very grateful to the USDA for supporting algae crude oil,” says CEO C.J. Warner. ... Reached by telephone, Sapphire’s VP for Corporate Affairs,
by Lawrence Ulrich (New York Times) With diesel engines and their ultra-low-sulfur fuel now green enough even to meet California rules, one remaining environmental objection is that the fuel still starts from a barrel of nonrenewable petroleum. A possible next step
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) ...The Colorado Springs native got into alternative energy in the seventh grade when she heard some neighbors were making their own biodiesel in their basement, she says. “I thought that was a really cool
(Algae Industry Magazine) Funded by a $30,000 Rochester Institute of Technology grant, David Blersch, a University at Buffalo environmental engineer, and his students built a system that pumps water from Lake Erie ashore down two, 40-foot-long flumes. The water is
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) During the recent Subcommittee on Energy and Power’s hearing to review the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) as well as during a recent RFS briefing sponsored by the Advanced Biofuels Association last week in D.C., the Environmental Working Group (EWG) made it very
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Here are the biggest pacts and advances, tests, investments and grants with the likes of Amyris, Total, Airbus, Solena Fuels, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, AltAir Fuels, the US Navy, Emerald Biofuels, Natures BioReserve and Fulcrum Biofuels, Virent, the US Air Force, Chinese Eastern
(AZOCleanTech) A collaboration between Rochester Institute of Technology’s Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences and Sweetwater Energy Inc. will give students experience with the Rochester-based company that has a sweet and sustainable niche. Sweetwater Energy provides its industry partners with
(MarketWatch/Gevo) Fuel to be Used for Testing in Marine Engine Applications Gevo, Inc., has begun supplying the U.S. Coast Guard R&D Center with initial quantities of finished 16.1% renewable isobutanol-blended gasoline for engine testing. "Gevo's proprietary isobutanol-blended gasoline is truly a drop-in
(Sonoran News) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says this year's Gulf of Mexico dead zone will be the biggest ever. According to researchers, corn production in the Midwest is a large reason why. As if South Louisiana anglers needed another
by Dan Dickson (Business Lexington) ... “[Switchgrass is] one of four or five native, warm-season grasses used on farms in Kentucky. Those grasses were here when the first European settlers came to Kentucky,” said Ray Smith, University of Kentucky extension forage
(National Algae Association/PRLog) The National Algae Association congratulates the National Alliance for Advancement of Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts for their research efforts. We are anxiously waiting to see the new Department of Energy Peer review to be released this summer.
(Advanced Plasma Industries Inc. /Phys.Org) Hydrogen fuel cells are emerging as key players in the clean energy landscape of the future, except for one problem: it takes a lot of energy to make hydrogen (H2-molecular), and here in the US,
(EurekAlert/World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)) The World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have launched the IFAD-ICRAF Programme for the Development of Alternative Biofuel Crops, an initiative focused on providing clean energy for rural communities, enhancing
by Mary Rosenthan (Algae Biomass Organization/Biofuels Digest) Halloween is not for another 3 months, but the costumes and scare tactics are already out in the form of a new ad campaign from the American Petroleum Institute (API). The goal of the
by Isabel Lane (Biofuels Digest) Yesterday in DC, the House Energy & Commerce committee convened a major hearing on the US Renewable Fuel Standard — primarily on the short-term impacts of the ethanol blend wall and the impact on RIN
(Sydney Morning Herald) Australia could become a major oil exporter like the Middle East if it starts farming native algae, researchers say. University of Queensland experts say Australian algae species hold great promise in the race for cheap, efficient biofuels that
(Midwest Producer) While other biofuel producers work with cornstalks or switchgrass to make cellulosic ethanol, the people at Quad County Corn Processors are working to pull cellulosic ethanol out of the corn kernel. ... The idea started several years ago when plant
(Biomass Magazine) The Biofuels Center of North Carolina has completed a statewide woody biomass assessment in cooperation with Gelbert, Fullbright & Randolph Forestry Consultants and North Carolina’s seven economic development regions. The resulting report, titled the “Statewide Woody Biomass Project,” outlines
(US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service) The process dates to ancient Egypt. Now, it’s being studied here by the USDA as a way to fuel farms. Pour a few handfuls of chopped- up corn stalks or switchgrass into a hopper.
by Patrick J. Kiger and Marianne Lavelle (National Geographic) ... KiOR's breakthrough is one part of a wide-ranging effort by a number of companies and government-supported researchers to develop and perfect "drop-in" biofuels—fuels so similar to their petroleum-based counterparts that they
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Sweden, biorefinery R&D project number 100 has now started in the Swedish Processum cluster, aimed at thermochemically converting lignin from black liquor to bio oil. It is run by the Swedish-Norwegian cooperation project “Biorefinery
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...It’s become an cliché of late that “financing is tough” and that “the US is slowing” while “China is speeding up” on advanced biofuels. It’s also become a cliché that “cellulosic biofuels are slow, the
by Ben Messenger (Waste Management World) The UK biofuel industry has been urged to process more of London’s waste cooking fats and oils into biodiesel to fuel the city’s buses, by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson. London’s bus fleet uses
(Colorado State University) An interdisciplinary team of Colorado State University researchers has received a $2 million National Science Foundation grant to research new routes to the sustainable production of biofuels using photosynthetic bacteria. “The purpose of this basic research is to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The Summer of Algae has passed, but dozens of companies have remained hot in pursuit of a solution for fuels, feed, nutraceuticals, fragrances, flavorings and tailored renewable oils. Their technologies? Closed systems, open-systems, hybrid systems. Hosts
(The Economic Times/India Times) In a significant development aimed at boosting research in bio-fuels in the country on micro-algae technology, Indian Oil and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) have jointly set up a Centre for Advanced Bio-Energy Research. This centre is located on
(Algae Industry Magazine) Rocky Hill, CT-based Connecticut Innovations (CI), the state’s quasi-public authority responsible for growing Connecticut businesses through innovative financing and strategic assistance, has awarded a Connecticut Innovation Challenge grant of $150,000 to AgriFuels LLC of East Hartford, CT. ... The goal
by Mike Scott (The Guardian) There's a growing recognition that waste can be a resource in its own right. Companies must step back and look at the bigger picture ...Meanwhile, McDonald's, through a programme called Fries to Fuel, recycles 4.5m litres of
by Joel Winston (AllAfrica) Significant uncertainties about the development of algae biofuels and a lack of research and development capabilities make this potential energy source an unsuitable option for developing countries, according to researchers from the UN University in Japan. The
(UNICA) The Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) issued the following statement on the European Parliament Environment Committee’s vote Thursday on biofuels and the issue of indirect land use change, or ILUC: “UNICA welcomes European Union policymakers’ diligence and efforts in pushing
(Inventure/PR NewsWire) Inventure International (Pte) Limited, holding company of renewable process technology leader Inventure Renewables Inc., recently closed a $7.2 million round of financing that the company will use to establish a plant for the conversion of biomass into mixed industrial sugars,
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) José Olivares is a busy man. Not only the founder and kingpin of the NAABB 3-year DOE-backed consortium to ring out the potential of algal biofuel production, he also recently served as conference co-chair,
(Yle) Finnish-Swedish forest products giant Stora Enso, which announced lower profits on Friday, plans to begin producing biofuel for sale to other manufacturers. Stora Enso, Europe’s second-largest paper manufacturer, said on Friday it will invest 32 million euros in building a
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) After years in the works, Enerfuel S.A.’s 25,000 ton (7.5 MMgy) multifeedstock biodiesel plant in Sines, Portugal, has officially begun production. ... The newly operational biodiesel refinery is using animal fats and used cooking oil as
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Goodfield, Ill.-based Chip Energy recently broke ground on a biomass recycling and pelletizing plant. Once complete, the prototype plant will be capable of producing 100 tons per day of condensed biomass from a variety
by Owen Fletcher (Dow Jones Business News) --DuPont seeks partners for joint ventures in production of cellulosic ethanol --Company is talking with potential partners in U.S., China, Brazil, Europe, Southeast Asia --DuPont is investing more than $200 million in cellulosic ethanol plant
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Advanced biofuels – mirage or reality? In January we wrote: “When these 12 projects open for business (or not) in 2013, you’ll know for sure.” So, what do we know? ... We identified 12 “Bellwether projects” in
by Sarah Brown (Creston News Advertiser) E85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 10 percent gasoline will be available this fall in Creston, according to Darin Schlapia, Farmers’ Cooperative location manager in Creston. Farmers Cooperative will open an unmanned fuel
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