by W.M.J. Achten, A. Trabucco, W.H. Maes, L.V. Verchot, R. Aerts, E. Mathijs, P. Vantomme, V.P. Singh, B. Muys (ScienceDirect.com/Journal of Arid Environments) Biofuels are considered as a climate-friendly energy alternative. However, their environmental sustainability is increasingly debated because of land
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It is becoming increasingly evident that, in the near-term, acute demand for aviation biofuel is going, one way or another, to result in heavy demand for jatropha and jatropha oil-based fuels. New deals for SGB in
(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 Ireland, former Ryanair CEO Declan Ryan has joined investors in backing Aer Sustainable Energy Ltd, better known as Aer Bio. He was a director of Ryanair Holdings from August 1986 until 2004, holding several
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The metrics? A commercial scale project of 4,000 hectares would supply enough power for the project and export 325GWh a year in addition to 7,500 tonnes of algae oil, and hundreds of thousands of tonnes of food
(Algae Industry Magazine) West Virginia-based Touchstone Research Laboratory, is experimenting with three new technologies at their raceway farm testing center built around four 30-by-200-foot ponds in Wooster, Ohio. Funded by close to $7 million in grants from the U.S. Department
by Holly Jessen (Biodiesel Magazine) A two-year research project aims to crack the lignin question by engineering a microbe to break down the byproduct into a lipid, or fat, and then into biodiesel. The research has the potential to make
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) According to a new study performed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, corn grown using no-till methods may sequester larger amounts of carbon than previously believed. The study was published in BioEnergy Research and showed that
by Ned Stowe (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) The USDA estimates that farmers in the U.S. will plant nine million more acres in corn in 2013 than they did in 2011, an increase of almost 10 percent. Over the same period,
(Green Fuels/Biodiesel Magazine) The biorefinery manufacturer Green Fuels is in Bali this week commissioning a turnkey biodiesel facility for Caritas Switzerland, an NGO that focuses on socioeconomic development in disadvantaged communities around the world. Green Fuels has installed its 3,000 liter
The Agri Investment Forum is the only program of events in Canada dedicated to showcasing the highest potential emerging and growth stage agri-businesses. The Forum brings together active institutional and private investors with leading edge entrepreneurs and commercialization professionals. The
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Earlier this week, a new study from researchers at UC Santa Barbara determined photovoltaics to be much more efficient than biomass at turning sunlight into energy to fuel a car. “Even the most land-use efficient biomass-based pathway,” the
(Stabroek News) The Agriculture Ministry and the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) are in talks to use locally produced ethanol to woo investors and sharpen skills that would be put into developing the fledgling non-fossil fuel sector. Guyana is set to start producing
(Menafn /The Record/McClatchy-Tribune Information Services) A seed producer is recruiting area farmers to produce sorghum, a grain crop also known as milo, for use in ethanol production, including at the Pacific Ethanol Inc. plant in Stockton. Chromatin Inc. will host a
(FIS) A Cornell University team has used the Monte Carlo approach to quantify the role of uncertainty associated with process parameters in life cycle analysis (LCA) of algae-to-biofuel schemes for determining metrics such as Energy Return on (Energy) Invested (EROI)
(Bren School of Environmental Science and Management) New study shows solar power is not only better in terms of energy efficiency, land use, and greenhouse gas emissions – but is cost competitive, too ...As electric vehicles (EVs) increasingly enter the market and
by Katie Fehrenbacher (Gigaom) ... One of the companies that’s the farthest along is Solazyme, a South San Francisco-based company that went public in the spring of 2011. Solazyme was one of the first firms to focus on the alternative chemicals and
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
(News Day) The multimillion dollar ethanol project in Chisumbanje is set to re-open after villagers and the company agreed on a wide range of issues meant to avert social disaster in Chipinge. Agreed issues include the immediate release of farmers arrested
(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
(Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania) The Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s (BFTP/NEP) Board of Directors has approved the investment of $354,876 in support of regional economic development. BFTP/NEP’s goal is to help lead northeastern Pennsylvania to a
by Jim Lane (BioInvest Digest) The technologies out there are five in number. They are all in commercial deployment now, though some are at the capacity-construction stage. Some of them vary the feedstock, some vary the products produced. What they
by Sean Bartlett (Platts) Europe needs a stable legal framework if biofuels research and development is to prosper, Neste Oil's Executive Vice President, Oil Products, Matti Lehmus, said at a conference Monday. A proposal in October by the European Commission to cap
by Rudy Ruitenberb (BusinessDay/iAfrica.com) Biofuel output from agricultural commodities has contributed to surging world food prices in the past decade, says Nestle chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathe. ...Mr Brabeck-Letmathe described making biofuels from food crops as "nonsense". The agriculture ministers gathered in Berlin said in
(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 Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) One of biofuels’ most-celebrated technologies falters; the struggle to raise capital claims a high-profile victim. ...The company had been known for its awesomely promising technology, leisurely pace towards commercialization compared to synth-bio companies like Amyris, brutal
by Bruce Dorminey (Renewable Energy World) By taking full advantage of both its natural subtropical climate and its own citrus resources, Florida's fledgling biomass energy sector looks to be finally coming into its own. Two recent initiatives tackle biomass conversion from very
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
by Joann Muller (Forbes) When the grueling 2013 Rolex 24 endurance race kicks off at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 26, the field will include three Mazda6 race cars powered by an unusual type of renewable fuel. The ultra-clean, synthetic diesel fuel is made from
(Inside Indiana Business/POET) Twenty-five of POET’s network of 27 biorefineries have now installed its patent-pending corn oil technology, bringing its total capacity to approximately 250,000 tons per year, enough feedstock to produce 68 million gallons of biodiesel annually. POET has been
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Though building capacity globally, Solazyme’s operations in Brazil are getting traction fast – and raised $235M last week. How much oil could be produced in Brazil via sugar-munching microalgae? Today, the Digest looks at
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
by Scott Irwin and Darrel Good (University of Illinois/Farm Doc Daily) In a post on January 10, 2013 we examined the relative profitability of meeting the RFS for advanced biofuels with domestically produced biodiesel and imported Brazilian ethanol. We concluded that even
by Andrew Herndon (Bloomberg) Aemetis Inc., a U.S. ethanol producer, idled production at its plant in Keyes, California, citing “unfavorable market conditions for corn ethanol” and will upgrade the facility to also produce fuel from grain sorghum. The company shut down
by Ilya Gelfand, Ritvik Sahajpal, Xuesong Zhang, R. César Izaurralde, Katherine L. Gross & G. Philip Robertson (Nature) ...An alternative is to grow lignocellulosic (cellulosic) crops on ‘marginal’ lands9. Cellulosic feedstocks can have positive environmental outcomes10, 11 and could make up a
by Zarina Khan (The National) A simple suggestion during a standard orientation presentation led to one student's discovery of a potential alternative energy source available in the open deserts of his home emirate of Abu Dhabi. "Dr Robert Baldwin was presenting the
(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 Susan Worley (Star-Tribune) The Town of Gretna and Piedmont BioProducts LLC learned last week they will benefit from two Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission grants totaling $5.3 million. The money will be used to move forward with
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) DOE sets goal of 2,500 gallon per acre algae biomass demonstration by 2018. In Washington, the US Department of Energy announced a “Advancements in Algal Biomass Yield” Funding Opportunity of up to $10 million to help
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
by Junhua Zhang, Shangxing Chen, Rui Yang, Yuanyuan Yan (Fuel/Science Direct) Zanthoxylum bungeanum seed oil (ZSO) with high free fatty acids (FFA) can be used for biodiesel production by ferric sulfate-catalyzed esterification followed by transesterification using calcium oxide (CaO) as an alkaline
(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
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Front Range becomes third ethanol plant in 3 weeks to head for cost reductions, RIN opportunities with advanced feedstocks, technology. ...In New York, Sweetwater Energy announced a 15-year commercial agreement with Colorado-based Front Range Energy, to
(Algae Industry Magazine) The year 2012 will go down in history as a turning point for the algae industry. It was the year that algae biofuel became a heated part of the political arena, from President Obama’s touting of algae’s
(The Portugal News Online) Researchers from the University of the Algarve have presented a pioneering research project in which bio ethanol was produced from carobs. Researcher Maria Emília Costa from the Centre of Marine and Environmental Research at the University of
by Kylie Schultz (The International) With the possibility of an oil crisis on the horizon, a scramble for renewable and sustainable energy sources is underway. In recent years, plant-based fuels known as biofuels have emerged as possible replacements for the non-renewable
by Jeffrey Tomich (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) ...A local hub for biofuels research is the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in Creve Coeur. Much of the biofuels work there is funded by the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Institute for Renewable Fuels, a scientific center established
by Stephan Nielsen (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) Vinema Biorefinarias do Sul Ltda., a Brazilian biofuel company, plans to spend 720 million reais ($354 million) building the nation’s first six ethanol-fuel mills that use grains as raw material. ...The plants will be built in
(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
(Balkans.com) ... It seems unlikely but motorsport engineers and specialists from around the world have been discussing just that at the 2013 Race Tech World Motorsport Symposium. McLaren and Caterham Formula One racing teams, plus Audi Sport and Drayson racing were among
(Ashville Citizen-Times) Thanks to an innovative program aimed at helping North Carolina become more self-sufficient when it comes to energy, Asheville’s popular Biltmore Estate, that venerable bastion of the region’s travel and tourism industry, soon may become a source for
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The most popular technologies that are targeting the corn ethanol fleet? 1. Feedstock switching. Sorghum as the new corn? ... 2. Advanced extraction and yield technologies. ... 3. Advanced enzymes. ... 4. Enzymes in corn. ... “These enzymes accumulate in
By Kabona Esiara (The East African) A biodiesel project that was seen as one of Rwanda’s solutions to its high energy bill has run into trouble. The government launched the pilot biodiesel and bioethanol production plant in Mulindi in Kigali in
(Incbio) Incbio, has just secured an agreement to supply DC Biofuels with a 7.5 million gallon per year (28.000 MT/year) Biodiesel plant. It will incorporate Incbio’s ultrasonic reactors, as well as solid catalyst acid esterification technology, to produce Biodiesel from
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Now – it’s all about organizing sustainable, affordable feedstock and building capacity. And, airlines providing capital for the first commercial projects — to ensure that capacity building reaches levels in line with the industry’s self-imposed
(The Town Talk) The LSU AgCenter Audubon Sugar Institute plans a Jan. 25 opening for a pilot plant designed to produce biofuels and biochemicals from agricultural crops and byproducts. The centerpiece of the AgCenter's sustainable bioproducts initiative, the plant focuses on
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) When headlines run dire, ask yourself: are they real? In today’s Digest, we give you a guide to managing the myth minefield — and the roaring trade in disinformation about biofuels, feedstocks, and social
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) Here is a fact check of the January 6th New York Times article “As Biofuel Demand Grows, So Do Guatemala’s Hunger Pangs” by Elisabeth Rosenthal: NYT: In the tiny tortillerias of this city, people complain ceaselessly
(Nanowerk.com) Researchers working on the biofuel crop Miscanthus sacchariflorus, commonly known as Asian Elephant Grass, have shown that delaying flowering in the plant can result in a 50% growth increase.The discovery could have important implications for biofuel production, leading to higher
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As cellulosic biofuels reach commercial-scale, is the tipping point for wide deployment near – and will it be based on breakthroughs in capex, opex or yield? Actually, it may be feedstock costs, in the end. ...What
by Robert Rapier (Consumer Energy Report) ...DuPont is currently engaged in two major projects to commercialize advanced biofuels. The first is a 30 million gallon per year corn stover-fed facility in Nevada, Iowa. DuPont has been working on this technology for about 10
(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
(EurekAlert!/University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences) Perennial biofuel crops such as miscanthus, whose high yields have led them to be considered an eventual alternative to corn in producing ethanol, are now shown to have another
(Yahoo!/BenchMark Energy Corporation) BenchMark Energy Corporation through its subsidiary Energy Partners LLC is pleased to announce it has launched a new division named Energy Partners Logistics and Transportation Management. Mark Bateman, CEO of BenchMark Energy states, "With the progressive expansion in the
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 Larisa Brass (KnoxvilleBiz.com) Van Shaver got into the farming business by planting switchgrass on 90 acres in Loudon County for a brand new biofuels market. This year's crop will be fed to his cows. Four years after the state launched a
by Mackinnon Lawrence (Biofuels Digest/Pike Research) ...The Retreat of Oil Majors ... Trend: Oil Majors double down on “Golden Age of Gas” while narrowing investments across the advanced biofuel space. ... Mind the Gap ... Trend: Although installed biorefinery production capacity is expected
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) $4/gallon capex, low opex, $15 million upfront. Existing offtakers. Cellulosic RINs. Expandable. Product diversification. Operating next year. What’s not to like? ...There’s a side door opening into cellulosic ethanol. Costs you very little up front, payback
(Algae Industry Magazine) ...In October 2012, the Green Star delegation (which included Biotech Research, Inc.) was received by high level local and central government representatives in the Chinese province of Jiangsu. Video of these negotiations was broadcast on national TV
by Bradley Frieze (Advanced Biofuels USA) Dr. Jennie Hunter-Cevera and Dr. Mark Jones of the National Academy of Science Division on Earth and Life Studies gave a public webinar on November 27th, 2012 about the sustainable development of algal biofuels
(Algae Industry Magazine) Streamline Automation, of Huntsville, Alabama, has been assigned a patent (8,303,818) developed by four co-inventors for a “method and apparatus using an active ionic liquid for algae biofuel harvest and extraction.” The co-inventors are Roberto Di Salvo,
by Mary Rosenthal (Biomass Magazine) Just a few weeks ago, the National Research Council released its report on the sustainability of biofuels derived from algae, affirming the potential of our industry to meet global fuel challenges in a sustainable manner. The
by Tim Portz (Biomass Magazine) Valerie Reed, acting manager for the U.S. DOE Biomass Program, is leading a federal government initiative of nearly $200 million to expedite the commercialization of next-generation, biomass-based fuels and chemicals. With investments being made in
by Vinod Sreeharsha (IEEE Spectrum) Later this year, northeastern Brazil will host one of the most ambitious biofuel experiments ever. There, in the small town of São Miguel dos Campos, surrounded by sprawling sugarcane fields, a commercial-scale ethanol plant is expected to start operating in
by Fernando Calmon (Just-Auto) ...BP Biofuels (a subsidiary of the BP oil company) has decided to pour in US$345m at Usina Tropical in Edeia, state of Goiás in the country’s mid-west. The move will create 7,600 direct and indirect jobs by
(Niagara Frontier Publications) From algae-based renewable energy to a restaurant point-of-sale app, new incubator clients are developing or marketing a range of technologies The University at Buffalo's business incubators welcomed seven new tenants in 2012, including companies working in Western New
by Israel Balderas (FoxCharlotte.com) Silly or serious, the first day of 2013 means a new set of state laws in North Carolina. They range from child care protection to stealing old restaurant grease. Here's what you need to know to stay
(University of California-San Diego/Biodiesel Magazine) Biologists at UC San Diego have demonstrated for the first time that marine algae can be just as capable as fresh water algae in producing biofuels. The scientists genetically engineered marine algae to produce five different
by Robert Vierhout (ePURE/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Hopefully, European regulators will take note of what has happened. If they are intellectually honest, they should acknowledge that if the U.S. biofuel policy has no real negative impact on the food/feed
by Jim Lane (BioInvest Digest) An obscure EPA ruling may change the economics of ethanol production, forever — who wins, who loses, what’s the investor’s bottom line? Just before Christmas, the EPA issued a final rule, determining that ethanol made from
by Pacific Biodiesel Technologies (Biodiesel Magazine) Hawaii Petroleum loaded the first tanker of fuel produced at the Big Island Biodiesel facility in Kea ’au. The fuel is bound for its nearby Hawaii Fueling Network station in Shipman Business Park, which
by Paul Spackman (Farmers Weekly) Algal Biofuels It works by exploiting the natural ability of algae to fix carbon dioxide using just sunlight and seawater, to produce oil. This oil can then be refined into ethanol for use in transport fuels -
by Sean Hubbard (EdmondSun.com) The U.S. Department of Agriculture, United Sorghum Checkoff Program, Oklahoma Bioenergy Center and the South Central Sun Grant Program have taken note and funded the majority of the research of Danielle Bellmer, associate professor in Oklahoma
by Jennifer Griffies (WSBRadio.com) Smyrna becomes the first city in metro Atlanta to start a biodiesel program. Construction on the project, which makes its own fuel for its vehicles, began about a year-and-a-half ago when gas cost $4.50 a gallon. City
(Associated Press/Jackson Sun) A Tennessee producer of sustainable feedstock has hit an important milestone by delivering its product to a plant in western Kentucky. Officials say Delta BioRenewables, which is located in Memphis, Tenn., delivered a commercial-sized batch of sweet
(Kansas City Business Journal) Kansas City isn't exactly flush with cash, but it has managed to make $2 million the past few years through its innovative handling of sludge, The Kansas City Star reports. The city has turned a profit from handling sludge
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
by Bob Brooks (Automotive Industries) It was announced in September 2012 that Audi and Joule Unlimited had formed a joint effort to commercialize Joule’s unique synthetic diesel & ethanol fuel technology based on microorganisms (www.jouleunlimited.com). Initial production at scale is
(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
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Sorghum is poised to come into its own as an alternative to corn. It proved its mettle in the 2012 drought, producing decent dryland yields with very little rainfall. And, with the U.S.
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) If all goes as planned, a 50 MMgy ethanol plant in Oakley, Kan., will someday produce advanced biofuel from sorghum. To qualify as advanced biofuel, the company will power the plant with methane from
Biofuels Digest announced its annual awards for achievement in the development of biofuels, renewable chemicals and biobased materials - all available with background on the who, what and why of each award - today at biofuelsdigest.com. Best Project (thermochemical) Best Project (fermentation) Best
by Michael Wang, Jeongwoo Han, Jennifer B Dunn, Hao Cai and Amgad Elgowainy (IOP Science/Argonne National Laboratory) Globally, bioethanol is the largest volume biofuel used in the transportation sector, with corn-based ethanol production occurring mostly in the US and sugarcane-based ethanol
(Committee on the Sustainable Development of Algal Biofuels; Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources; Board on Energy and Environmental Systems; Division on Earth and Life Studies; Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences; National Research Council) Biofuels made from algae are
(Plant Sensory Systems, LLC) The Award Will Support the Development of High-Output, Low-Input Energy Beets, Optimized for Biofuel Production Plant Sensory Systems, LLC today announced the award of $1.8 million in funding from the US Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy
(SEED Center) Sustainability has been a central tenet of Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) (NC) since the 1990s, and for the past five years, has been an institutional value in the college’s long-range plan. The administration sees green not just
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) ... Total global grain supplies were raised slightly to 2705.6 MMT, the second-largest on record. The U.S. ethanol industry is projected to use 78.9 MMT (net DDGS), meaning just 2.92% of the world grain supply
by Josef Rathbauer, Andrea Sonnleitner, Roland Pirot, Rudolf Zeller, Dina Bacovsky (Science Direct) This publication deals with the characterisation of Jatropha curcas seeds and the oil obtained hereof. The analyzed seeds have been harvested from hedges and plantations in the regions of
by Gerald Kitabu (IPP Media) The government of Tanzania has been urged to localise biofuel commercial production by empowering small farmers in terms of training, loans and marketing. The call was made by Tanzanian researchers and scientists during a recent visit
by Emily Bruns (Ashton Gasette) In an effort to evolve with the constant changes and challenges within a $50 billion industry, Rochelle’s Illinois River Energy ethanol plant began producing and industrial corn oil on Nov. 27. This corn oil byproduct, which
by Randal Yakey (The News Herald) ... Popular Science magazine has named Applied Research Associates and their partners among the 25 science stories of the year for their research work with biofuels. On Oct. 29, Applied Research Associates (ARA) and
by Roy Robertson (Southeast Farm Press) • Steve Kresovich is part of a team of USC researchers looking for crops that can be adapted to less productive and often under-utilized South Carolina soils. • The end goal, Kresovich says, is to
by Owen Fletcher (The Wall Street Journal) ...U.S. ethanol producers are finding creative ways to earn more money as demand for their flagship product stagnates. These companies are using corn not only to make ethanol but also ingredients for products
(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
(Cherokee One Feather) The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is making its own biodiesel fuel from waste oil and grease in a new facility located behind the Cherokee Transportation Center. The facility, which can make up to 250 gallons 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
(ClarionLedger.com) A team of Mississippi State University agricultural economists recently received U.S. Department of Agriculture funding to study policies impacting biofuel supply chains. Keith Coble is the principal investigator for a project to develop a model to assess how state or
(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 Chris Berendt (The Sampson Independent) Chemtex International Inc. is currently involved in a permitting process that will see a $200 million biofuels refinery production plant open at the start of 2015, creating around 350 direct and indirect jobs and anticipated
by Bailey (Planet Forward) It’s not magic, it’s chemistry! That’s what the chief executive of Air-Fuel Synthesis says about their fuel that’s made, literally, out of thin air! The company says they’ve developed technology that creates environmentally-friendly fuel for cars from
(NewsTrackIndia) Cuba has opened its second biodiesel plant and plans to build three more to produce green fuel from inedible plants, the state-run TV reported. The new plant is now having trial run in the town of Cabaiguan in the central
by Nanea Kalani (Maui News) State regulators have approved a multiyear contract for Maui-based Pacific Biodiesel to supply Hawaiian Electric Co. with 250,000 gallons a year of locally produced biodiesel. The green fuel - made by recycling used cooking oil from
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 Orrie Swayze (AgWeek) Both sides of the food versus fuel debate assume ethanol wastes food and the debate simply circles around how much food is wasted. Compared to what? Before determining informed judgments, both sides should compare corn’s food
by Sarah Bittleman (Dairy Herd/USDA) Rob Green’s recent Wall Street Journal op-ed “The cause of higher grocery bills isn’t the drought. It’s the failed federal ethanol policy” fails to take into consideration a host of factors, other than demand for corn, that affect
(Platts) The European Commission does not plan to "cap the production and consumption" of first-generation biofuels as it moves to overhaul its biofuels policies, but it will "cap the incentives" for their production, Hans van Steen of the EC's Directorate-General
by Tadd Nicholson (Chillicothe Gazette) ...Blending corn ethanol into gasoline reduces our reliance on foreign oil, helping to meet our nation’s goal of energy independence. In 2011, thanks in part to corn ethanol, the U.S. imported 485 million fewer
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) A research project conducted by several Iowa State University (ISU) researchers is studying the feasibility of growing algae in poultry houses. Poultry manure generates ammonia, a health and safety concern for both animals and workers. Ammonia can burn
by Amy Mayer (KBIA.org) Since the introduction of the Renewable Fuel Standard in 2005, the EPA has had to radically reduce expectations. Today, there still isn’t a single commercial-scale plant producing cellulosic ethanol. Several plants are being built now, though, so cellulosic ethanol
(CBC News) Ethanol plant gets clean environmental report A major ethanol research facility in Cornwall, P.E.I. is one step closer to opening. At a public meeting Tuesday night, Stantec Consulting said it found there is would be no environmental problems created by
by Scott Koperski (Beatrice Daily Sun) ... One key to E Energy Adams’ success has been finding uses for byproducts in ethanol production. (Carl) Sitzmann (CEO of E Energy Adams) said the starch from corn is the only portion of the grain
by Jeff Caldwell (Agriculture.com) ...Though Friday's ruling, on paper, should keep ethanol production chugging along, that doesn't mean the sector -- which has itself been under pressure from drought-fueled higher corn prices -- will see choppy seas smooth out much too
by Eric Ng (South China Morning Post) Projects to convert agricultural waste into ethanol are at an early stage on the mainland, but could provide new sources of this clean energy Novozymes, the world's largest industrial enzyme maker, is in discussions
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
(Bangkok Post) The National Innovation Agency (NIA) joined hands with Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) to support the first pilot plant for ethanol production from cassava pulp in Thailand. ...A feasibility study was conducted, showing Thailand is
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
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) India-based Biodiesel Business Academy presents its calendar of events and training programs scheduled in 2013 on nonfood oil-based biofuels. The training portfolio was developed specifically to focus on the needs of commercially minded business executives
(Neste Oil/Biodiesel Magazine) Neste Oil has joined the Initiative Towards Sustainable Kerosene for Aviation (ITAKA) project, which is being funded by the EU to support the commercialization and use of renewable aviation fuel in Europe. Neste Oil's role in the
(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
(BusinessWire) Patented Technology Enables Conversion of Biomass Sugars to Fuels and Chemicals Verdezyne, Inc., a privately-held industrial biotechnology company focused on producing renewable chemicals, announced the sale of its proprietary xylose isomerase technology, enabling the metabolism of 5-carbon sugars, to DuPont Industrial Biosciences,
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) ...While the biodiesel industry is working with EPA, obligated parties under the renewable fuel standard (RFS) and third-party verifiers to ensure valid generation of renewable identification numbers (RINs)—credits generated with biofuel that can be bought,
(Indiana Soybean Alliance) Indiana high school students now have the opportunity to make soy biodiesel from the vegetable oil found on grocery store shelves right in their science classrooms, thanks to the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA). The Soy Biodiesel Chemistry Kit
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
(Saudi Gazette) Sinnar state signed a partnership with the Saudi Tala Company to produce sugar, ethanol and bio-fuel in Sinnar state from the Jatropha tree to be cultivated in an area estimated at 165,000 acres at a cost of $650
by Mohammad Shoeb (The Peninsula Qatar) Qatar has launched a novel pilot project, ‘Sahara Forest’ in collaboration with a Norwegian company, which will help produce food crops (such as tomatoes, cucumber, melon), fodder crops, freshwater, clean energy, salt, algae (for
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... But very few are working in solid phase – where essentially instead of working with a liquid vat, microbes are growing on a fabric or film — and the organisms are provided with a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Today, we could use a good five-cent renewable sugar, suitable for microorganisms that, from sucrose, make affordable renewable fuels and chemicals. The technologies of companies like Virent, Solazyme, LS9 and Amyris depend on access to
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
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ethanol imports from Brazil have surged into the U.S. in recent months, University of Illinois ag economists Scott Irwin and Darrel Good point out, but not because it is cheap relative to ethanol.
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The National Corn Growers Association has launched a new web-based resource,www.EthanolFacts.com. ...The home page of EthanolFacts offers links to short articles on hot topics in ethanol circles: flex-fuel vehicles, food and fuel, jobs and
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) An alternative energy company looking to build multiple energy beet-to-biofuel plants in Kentucky recently became the first corporation to join the Kentucky Hemp Growers Cooperative Association. Although federal rules currently prohibit the growth of
(AgiTrade) In a letter to the European Commission in early October 2012, Copa-Cogeca, the EU farmers’ and agricultural cooperatives’ organisation, affirmed its opposition to EC proposals to limit to 5% ‘the use of crop-based biofuels’ in meeting transportation energy needs and
by Tafline Laylin (GreenProphet.com) It has been just 17 months since McDonalds announced its intention to recycle all of its vegetable oil for use as biofuel in its own fleet. Officially launched in July, 2011, the United Arab Emirates’ biodiesel program
(XS4Green.com) ...John Benemann, Ian Woertz, and Tryg Lundquist, MicroBio Engineering, Inc. (Walnut Creek, CA) and California State Polytechnic University (San Luis Obispo, CA), present the results of an engineering and economic study of vegetable oil production from microalgae grown in
by Kristin Macey (CDFA Division of Measurement Standards/Imperial Valley News) The Department of Food and Agriculture’s Division of Measurement Standards (DMS) has tested samples of a new 20 percent biodiesel blend fuel made from algae and is happy to report
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
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