by Steen Riisgaard (Huffington Post Green) ...More complicated types of biomass -- corn cobs, wood chips, waste paper -- are far more difficult to turn into energy. But this type of biomass--known as "cellulosic biomass" -- is plentiful and renewable.
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Renewable Energy Group (REG) executives hosted USDA Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson as well as leaders from the ethanol industry at their REG Newton biorefinery to discuss the role of advanced biofuels in
On April 29, 2011, Hawaiian Electric issued a request for proposals (RFP) to supply up to forty-two (42) million gallons of sustainably produced, renewable biofuel per year to fuel the Kahe Generating Station (KPP) for a term of two (2)
(Biofuels Center of North Carolina) The Biofuels Center of North Carolina has awarded $1.6 million for 15 projects statewide to accelerate the commercialization of renewable liquid fuels. Awards are made through the 2011 Statewide Biofuels Development Grants Program. Biofuels Center president
The Brazilian Bio-Jetfuel Platform and the Industrial Crops Technology Company, QUINVITA announces today they entered into a strategic alliance on Research and Development of Jatropha production and processing. Under the signed agreement, QUINVITA joins the Brazilian Bio-Jetfuel Platform and will
(AllAfrica.com) The Italian company "BioEnergy" is to invest 20 million dollars to grow the shrub Jatropha in Sabie, in the southern Mozambican district of Moamba. The jatropha seeds will be exported to Italy to be processed and transformed into biodiesel. The cultivation
(EurekAlert!) David Grewell flipped on the augers that carry corn from a truck to a biorefinery. Then, with a few more clicks of his computer mouse, he turned on the pumps that send grain all the way through an ethanol plant,
by Tonette Orejas (Business.Inquirer.net) Test farming of sweet sorghum in the last six years showed crop production in the Philippines to be 50 percent higher than in India, increasing the crop’s potential as a source of food, fodder and fuel
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Biofuels investing is not for the faint of heart – even high-flyers like Gevo, up more than 33 percent since its debut earlier this year, have been volatile – and a number of small-cap advanced
(ManufacturingChemist.com) Researchers at Glyndwr University looking at the commercial potential of high-sugar perennial rye-grass as feedstock for the production of bio-ethanol and other chemicals will also consider the fibre’s potential for pharmaceutical applications. High-sugar perennial rye-grass has the potential to
by Tom Lutey (Billings Gazette) Camelina, the biofuel that five years ago Gov. Brian Schweitzer called his new girlfriend, now struggles for a planting date with Montana farmers. "The biggest challenge of all is the price of wheat," Schweitzer said Thursday. With wheat
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Piper Jaffray’s Mike Cox and Mike Ritzenthaler, and Raymond James’ Pavel Molchanov, publish notes on the progress of advanced biofuels following their meetings and presentations at the Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference. Cox/Ritzenthaler: Does the Path to
(EurekAlert!) An alliance of top researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, has formed the UC Berkeley Synthetic Biology Institute (SBI), advancing efforts to engineer cells and biological systems in ways that promise to transform technology in health and medicine,
(Lignol) Lignol Energy Corporation, a leading technology company in the advanced biofuels and renewable chemicals sector today announced it has completed an engineering design package for a commercial-scale biorefinery that would produce up to 80 million litres of cellulosic ethanol
by Bright Owusu (Ghana mma) The time has never been riper for the people of Ghana to speak out about the terrible negligence of consecutive governments who have allowed horrendous land grabs by foreign nationals for the production of questionable
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Arizona State University through a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is studying the factors involved in algal crop failure known as culture “crashes.” Grazing zooplankton are considered predators to algae and
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) AE Advanced Fuels Keyes Inc. is aiming for the future. At the same time the company is working to restart a 55 MMgy ethanol plant located in Keyes, Calif., it announced approval of a
by Melissa Domsic (LSJ.com) Michigan State University has received $2.9 million in federal grants for bio-based energy research. The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded five-year grants for three projects focusing on various aspects of producing biofuels, which use renewable plant materials
by Bruce A. Babcock, Jacinto F. Fabiosa (Iowa State University) The rapid rise in corn prices that began in the fall of 2006 coincided with exponential growth in U.S. corn ethanol production. At about the same time, new ethanol consumption
by Abby Schultz (CNBC.com) ...“There’s a significant amount of capital required for algal oil producers to scale up to commercial meaningful quantities,” says Jim Rekoske, general manager at Honeywell’s UOP division, which provides technologies to the gas processing, refining and petrochemical
by Heather Thorstensen (AgriNews.com) The U.S. Department of Agriculture is working to create more supply and demand for renewable fuels nationwide, said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. ...During a media briefing, he discussed how the government isfunding research into different
(PRLog/Avjet Biotech) Avjet Biotech, Inc. (ABI), a leading developer of small distributive refining systems in the 10 to 15 million gallon per year range and parent company of Red Wolf Refining, has announced that it has concluded a license
by Bao Chang (China Daily) New process uses bio-waste instead of grains to make gasoline additive China should boost its fuel ethanol industry as part of its efforts to reduce carbon emissions and oil dependency, said China National Cereals, Oils and
by Ryan Tracy (Dow Jones NewsWires/NASDAQ.com) Shell Oil Co. President Marvin Odum gave a bullish outlook for biofuels Tuesday, saying that during the next 20 years, biofuels will likely be "the most practical solution" for reducing carbon emissions from transportation
(US Department of Energy) ARPA-E's 4th round of funding focuses on rare earth alternatives and breakthroughs in biofuels, thermal storage, grid controls, and solar power electronics U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today that up to $130 million from
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) ...“The single most important thing that Congress can do for advanced biofuels is to provide a stable policy environment,” Jan Koninckx, DuPont’s global biofuels business director, told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
by Jean Caspers-Simmet (AgriNews.com) Dave Sovereign tries to help people see the benefits ethanol brings to the economy. ...It frustrates Sovereign when people bash ethanol. "After 9/11 the president and Congress asked all Americans to do what they could to eliminate our dependence
(TVNZ) ...ONE News has discovered the programme to subsidise the fledgling biofuels industry isn't delivering, even though at least one oil company is trying to make it work. The news comes on the day Gull launched a new high octane biofuel
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...How’s an investor to parse out all these technologies. For many, it’s a case of “you’re making what, from what, using what?” ...Here at the Digest, we think of it as a kind of old fashioned
by Don Davis (Grand Forks Herald) Gov. Mark Dayton likely will sign an agriculture funding bill despite earlier demands that the Republican-controlled Legislature agree on all of its spending plans before he approves any individual bill. ...The most-discussed item in the
By Robert Kozak (Atlantic Biomass Conversions, Inc.) Worldwide Importance of Protein Animal Feed When I began working with sugar beet processors on our beet pulp biofuel sugar process, one of their first questions was, “Will there still be pulp available to
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) To support President Obama's goal of reducing America's oil imports by one-third by 2025, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Energy (DOE) today jointly announced up to $30 million over three to four years that
by John Pepitone (FOX4KC.com) As part of the government's strategy to help control fuel prices, Uncle Sam wants drivers to use a blend of ethanol called E-85, which is a lot cheaper than regular unleaded, but unfortunately for many
(US Department of Agriculture) Agricultural Producers in Non-rural Areas are Now Eligible, Funding May Be Used for Flex-Fuel Pumps Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today (April 14, 2011) invited agricultural producers and rural small businesses to apply for loans and grants
(BIOeCON) BIOeCON a leading pioneer in the field of non-edible biomass conversion, has raised an additional 1 million Euro’s from existing shareholders, including a grant from the Dutch Ministry of Economic affairs, to design and build a prototype of a
by Robert E. Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) On April 12th at the Navy League’s 2011 Sea-Air-Space Exposition, the leaders of the US Navy’s 50% petroleum reduction by 2020 program honed in on what it means for the Navy and for
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced research grants awarded to spur production of bioenergy and biobased products that will lead to the development of sustainable regional systems and help create jobs. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s
(Advanced Biofuels Association) A consistent commitment by Congress that avoids the ups and downs of public opinion will be crucial to the success of transforming America's energy policy to cleaner and renewable sources, that's what Michael McAdams, president of the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Khosla-backed pyrolysis venture heads for the public markets. Is the IPO window still open? Will this one fly? Should it? The Digest looks at the technology, the team, the progress, the economics, the proof, and
(Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati) On April 12, 2011, the House Appropriations Committee released the final Continuing Resolution bill for the remainder of fiscal year 2011 (the CR).1 As described below, the CR amends the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) authority
(Algae Industry Magazine) ARD Holding Inc. and Algae Bioenergy Solutions LLC (ABS) have announced a Joint Venture to develop an algae production facility in Augusta, Georgia. Projections are for the site to accommodate a ten million gallon—expandable to 100 million
(Reuters) French green biotech firm Deinove, which hopes to use a 4 billion year old bacterium to develop the fuel of the future, is eyeing new projects in the United States and Brazil, its chief executive told Reuters. The company is in
(GreenAirOnline) Four industry and academic teams have been awarded contracts by NASA to continue research on technologies that could enable aircraft entering service between 2030 and 2035 to further reduce fuel consumption, emissions and noise. In NASA-speak, this time period
(Algae Industry Magazine) Southeastern New Mexico’s Center of Excellence for Hazardous Materials Management, better known as CEHMM, was established in May of 2004 as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to reducing the impact of hazardous materials on the environment. Somewhat under
by Steve Everly and Scott Canon (Kansas City Star) This country’s battle to curb oil imports is being plotted in high-tech laboratories and elite universities hunting for breakthroughs in alternative fuels. But the frontlines in the effort to bring such fuels
(CityBizListAtlanta) Today, SAIL Capital Partners, LLC of Irvine, CA and SAILSustainable Partners of Louisiana, LLC (SSP), announced the creation of The Louisiana Sustainability Fund (LSF), a new private capital fund dedicated to building a sustainable economic future in Louisiana by investing in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The Gevo GIFT system – three innovations in one First, its magic bug that indeed, produces isobutanol at a far higher rate, yield and concentration than traditional yeasts. Second, an extraction system that gets the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Will these biofuels projects make the expected steps towards commercialization? There was a strong response to yesterday’s Top Story about technologies that were approaching make-or-break milestones in 2012. But what about 2011, asked some? What
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As seven projects aim for important milestones, investors face big decisions on whether advanced biofuels companies, even after the run-up in share prices, are still undervalued. ...(I)s it time to get in, hold, or lock in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New Zealand, LanzaTech is partnering with China’s LCY Chemical Corporation to identify key bio-based chemicals to produce for global fuels and chemicals markets. Mr Lee says LCY plans to investigate alternative bio-C2 to C5
by Louise Poirier (Fuel Magazine/Ethanol and Biofuels News/Hart Energy) Amid persistent concerns about supplying the enormous energy demands of the United States' armed forces, the military is pursuing alternatives, and the Department of the Navy is leading the way. For
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) “Coming out of graduate school at MIT in the late 1990s,” Biofuel Energy CEO Scott Pearce recalls, “everyone was flooding into technology companies, dot coms, and I went back into the boring energy space. I
by David Beattie (Renewable Energy World Magazine) ...Importantly, and what sets these latest fuels apart from their first-generation predecessors, is the fact that they are produced using feedstock that would normally be classed as waste or non-food. These include parts
(US Environmental Protection Agency) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting applications from states, tribes, regional governments, and communities that are interested in the development of renewable energy on current and formerly contaminated properties. The opportunity is offered
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) Even as President Barack Obama renewed his push for next-generation biofuels, an industry official warned that cuts in biomass subsidies could discourage farmers from providing corn residue and other needed feedstocks. If farmers “see the
(University of Glasgow) Scientists from the University of Glasgow are working with international colleagues on a £5.4m collaboration to improve the process of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process whereby biological systems convert sunlight into food and the source of all the
by Kate Galbraith (New York Times) Cellulosic ethanol could be poised for a surge — finally. Around the country and especially in the Midwest, a number of proposed plants that would turn corn cobs, wheat straw and other plant-based feedstocks
(US Department of Energy) To support the goal announced by President Obama today to reduce America’s oil imports by one-third by 2025, the U.S. Department of Energy announced that it will be accepting applications for $12 million in funding for
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) During a U.S. Senate committee hearing on March 30, Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said that focusing on advanced biofuels for homegrown energy is in the best interest of the United States. “I think that
(CheckBioTech) The Kansas Alliance for Biorefining and Bioenergy (KABB) announced its investment Tuesday, of $200,000 in the Biofuels Testing Laboratory at the University of Kansas. The Biofuels Lab is a $1.2 million initiative to develop a full suite of testing facilities
by Will Thurmond (Renewable Energy World/Emerging Markets Online) The following article is an excerpt from a technology, investment, and market study titled Algae 2020, Vol 2 (2011 update) from market research firm Emerging Markets Online. The excerpt provides a summary
(Dakota Spirit AgEnergy) Dakota Spirit AgEnergy, a proposed cellulosic biorefinery near Spiritwood, N.D., has evolved from a 20 million gallon per year (MGY) cellulosic ethanol plant into a 58 MGY “hybrid” ethanol plant comprised of a 50 MGY dry mill ethanol
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, 34 cleantech CEOs, are trying to make sure the DOE doesn’t drop its loan guarantee program despite threats of budget cuts from Congress. Signatories to the letter include Abengoa Bioenergy EVP Christopher
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) A multitude of leading energy trade associations today wrote to Congressional leaders with a request for Congress to maintain support and funding for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) including the Loan Guarantee Program. The program, in
by Eartha Jane Melzer (The Michigan Messenger) Rep. Dan Benishek (R-Crystal Falls) campaigned on cutting federal spending. Now some of his constituents are asking him to keep the U.S. Dept. of Energy from spending $58 million on a project to
(GreenAirOnline) Sustainability and economics dominated debate at last week’s World Biofuels Market (WBM) event in Rotterdam as airlines gathered to make the case for aviation biofuels commercialisation to a wider biofuels industry audience. In a keynote speech, KLM Managing Director
by Kyle Alspach (Boston Business Journal) With the major costs associated with proving out new biofuels technologies, John McCarthy says he’s seen a number of Massachusetts startups in the space enticed to do larger-scale work in other states. McCarthy, CEO of
by Dean Brickley (East Oregonian) Zea-Chem’s cellulosic ethanol demonstration plant is more than one-third finished. Builders erected three 40,000-gallon fermentation tanks this week and continued bolting together the steel structure for the two-story operations building. Excavation began last fall, and contractors poured
by Surbhi Khyati (IndianExpress.com) The state department of science and technology is establishing a bio-diesel plant here for extraction of jatropha oil and its conversion into bio-diesel. The plant, funded by the department of science and technology, Government of India, will
(Sustainable Development Technology Canada) SDTC’s SD Tech Fund™ invests in late-stage development and pre-commercial demonstration of clean technologies by Canadian companies. The Statement of Interest (SOI) is an initial application used for preliminary screening and is subject to a competitive review
(Air Transport Action Group) The Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) has released a new report, Powering the Future of Flight, which tracks progress in some key aviation biofuels projects worldwide and provides policymakers with a few examples of how they can
by Caleb Denison (IBTimes.com) ...(David) Correll, (a Ph.D. student at Iowa State University’s College of Business) ... is the co-founder and president of “ISU BioBus” – a program created to convert spent cooking oil from one of the university’s
by Kay Rossi (KXLH.com) ...Five years ago, Montana State University-Northern received $800,000 in grant funding for infrastructure and staffing for a new biofuel lab at the MSU-N Bio-Energy Center Now the nationally-certified facility performs a variety of functions, from researching
by Chet Brokaw (AP/The Republic) Gov. Dennis Daugaard signed into law Thursday a measure aimed at boosting ethanol sales at South Dakota gas stations and providing extra money for economic development loans. ...The ethanol measure was proposed by the governor and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The hottest companies in bioenergy all know it – the name of the game is low-cost sugars, or affordable syngas that competes with natural gas. For those who don’t make or use syngas and need
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) A unique biorefinery being developed by Gen-X Energy Group Inc. in Moses Lake, Wash., is nearly complete. According to Ramon Benavides, the company’s co-founder and vice president of business development, Gen-X is in the final
(VermontBiz.com) Saint Michael's College biologist Dr Mark Lubkowitz and his students join a team of researchers from the University of Missouri, University of Florida, Purdue University and the University Nebraska-Lincoln, on a five-year project to study the genes that control
(Forbes) Brazil’s behemoth development bank, BNDES, offered $1 billion to the Brazilian Innovation Agency to fund research and development into second generation ethanol, the bank said late Tuesday. The money goes to support companies working on turning sugarcane biomass and sugarcane
(Logos Technologies) DOE commits full $20.5 million to retrofit and build pilot plant in Visalia, CA Logos Technologies®, Inc. and EdeniQ, Inc., announced U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) approval to fully fund $20.5 million in federal cost share under DOE's Integrated
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...(T)he company (Amyris) entered into a manufacturing agreement with Paraíso Bioenergia S.A., a renewable energy company producing sugar, ethanol and electricity headquartered in São Paulo State, Brazil. Under the agreement, Amyris will construct fermentation and
by Kerry Reals (FlightGlobal) One or two pioneering airlines may begin using jet fuel derived from algae and use it to create a competitive advantage in the nearer term, but the commercial airline industry as a whole will
(PhysOrg.com) Deep inside the University of Connecticut’s chemical engineering building in Storrs, Professor Richard Parnas and a team of students quietly monitor a murky brown emulsion bubbling inside an enormous 6-inch diameter glass tube like doctors carefully observing a patient
(The Economist) Vinod Khosla thinks most venture capitalists are being too cautious with their green investments. But is his own approach too risky? “ENVIRONMENTALISTS are fiddling while Rome burns,” says Vinod Khosla, founder of Khosla Ventures, a Silicon Valley venture-capital firm.
(Algae Industry Magazine) Perth, Australia-based Algae.Tec Ltd. has announced the opening of their Algae Development & Manufacturing Centre in Atlanta, Georgia, where their photo-bioreactor algae growth and harvesting system—termed the McConchie-Stroud System—will serve the international market from an 18,200 square foot fabrication facility. “The Centre
by Stephen Then (The Star Sarawak) A leading biofuel company with global links wants to turn Sarawak into a producer of green jet fuel, diesel and petrol and is willing to invest RM555mil in the state for the purpose. Bio Oil
By Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat (Manila Bulletin) Canlaon Alco Green Agro Industrial Corp. is investing P5.192 billion for the establishment of a bioethanol plant and production of by products in Bago, Negros Occidental. The project has been approved by the Board of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Good news: Advances in processing technology In the past year, we’ve seen costs coming down across the line. Last spring, new cellulosic ethanol enzyme collections appeared from the likes of Novozymes and Genencor, with the
(peHUB) CoolPlanetBiofuels Gets Series B Funding from Google Ventures Imagine a world where fuel doesn’t have to be pumped, dug out or extracted from the ground, and can be locally sourced. CoolPlanetBiofuels, located in Camarillo, Calif., is developing an innovative solution
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Amongst the various projects that received support under the 2009 Recovery Act were an algal R&D consortium called the NAABB, and a drop-in biofuels R&D consortium called the NABC, of the National Advanced Biofuels Consortium. ...Within
(DuPont) DuPont is uniquely positioned to deliver clean technology opportunities, including both advanced biomaterials and biofuels, DuPont Applied BioSciences President Craig F. Binetti told attendees at the Jeffries 11th Annual Clean Technology Conference. “We are meeting the growing demand for reducing dependence
by Sybille de La Hamaide (Reuters) Overcapacity, squeezed margins and massive imports should continue to hurt Europe's biodiesel industry this year and lead to further consolidation, the chief executive of EU giant Diester Industrie said on Monday. Several biodiesel firms in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) DOE’s Biomass Program Lead Engineer warns that, when it comes to biofuels, “it’s the economy, stupid”. In Georgia, DOE Biomass Program Lead Engineer Brian Duff, keynoting the BioPro Expo in Atlanta, said that “dependence on
(BIOtechNOW) Industry leaders point out that biotech-enabled advanced biofuels spur job growth and reduce U.S. dependence on imported oil. Three leading biotechnology trade groups are urging Congress to protect important bioenergy program funding. In a Feb. 25 letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry
(US Department of Agriculture) Funds Will Help Win the Future by Spurring Investment to Increase the Production and Use of Renewable Energy Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA is seeking applications to increase the production and use of renewable energy
by Stephanie Nieuwoudt (Interpress Service News Agency) South African maize farmers are pushing hard to change a government decision to exclude their crops as feedstock for bioethanol, in view of food security concerns. Shortly after the government unveiled its biofuel strategy last
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Australia, CAAFI executive director Rich Altman and Dr. Susan Pond of the US Studies Center at the University of Sydney, ... provided an overview of the Alternative Aviation Fuels Forum at the Australian International
by Robert E. Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) When I was looking at this “Well-to-Wheels” CO2 Emissions From Alternative Fuels graph produced by NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) I was impressed by the decreasing CO2 emission trendline for the various
by Matthew L. Wald (New York Times) High oil prices are generally bad news for American companies, but one, Gevo of Englewood, Colo., says that $100-a-barrel oil is opening up a niche. The company bought a factory in Luverne, Minn., that makes ethanol
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Fast-rising sugar prices, which have made the Brazilian ethanol business a whole lot less appealing (why not simply distribute sugar at 32 cents a pound, instead of processing into ethanol and making less?), haven’t dimmed
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Propel Fuels hosted Judith Canales, Administrator for Rural Business and Cooperative Programs for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), yesterday at one of the fuel retailer’s stations in Oakland, California yesterday to promote the positive and
by Rowley Tedlock (Kleinfelder) and Richard Holder (Jason Associates/Renewable Energy World) Detailed environmental evaluations consider alternatives and the effect of developing a cellulosic ethanol plant with a power generation component. The Abengoa Bioenergy Biorefinery of Kansas (ABBK) in Hugoton, Kansas,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Reporter Bob Brooks followed up on the Digest’s story on phosphorus reserves with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, asking about opportunities with and research in aqua farming and salt-water tolerant species. “USDA’s scope is limited to
by Thomas Saidak (Biofuels Digest) In New York, DuPont Applied BioSciences President Craig F. Binetti, speaking at the Jeffries 11th Annual Clean Technology Conference, talked about Dupont’s intentions regarding biotechnology and biofuels. Dupont currently estimates the biofuels industry worldwide will
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA has scheduled an independent peer review meeting for March 14 to review a draft report it is preparing for Congress which will detail the current and potential future environmental impacts associated
by Galen Moore (Boston Business Journal) Stealthy cleantech startup Novogy Inc. of Cambridge, Mass. has raised $750,000 more from venture backers General Catalyst Partners, according to a regulatory filing posted yesterday - and made comments suggesting the company is working on cellulosic biofuels,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Solazyme teaming up with Qantas for a renewable jet fuel project. A Dunaliella salina plant at Hutt Lagoon in Western Australia, co-developed by Murdoch University. The South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), which has
(Chron/AP) A Houston company that has assumed ownership of a former ethanol plant in southern Idaho intends to develop and diversify the site for production of natural gas, alternative fuels and a key product used in beverages and personal care
by Tony Dobrowolski (Berkshire Eagle) Crane & Co. is planning to employ a rarely used, clean-energy technology to reduce the paper maker's energy costs and possibly bring 100 new jobs to the region. The technology, known as Rapid Thermal Processing, or
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) "The conclusions from the Aquatic Species Program are not correct,” says Algenol CEO Paul Woods, taking issue with the 1980’s assessment that photobioreactors cannot be a cost effective means for biofuel creation. He
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Is there enough energy, food, fiber and feed for all? Advances in industrial fermentation – a/k/a an incredulous “you’re making what? from what? using what? – will be the key to answering that question. The stars of this drama
by Heather Lammers (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) The scenario for your business dream plays out like this. You have an idea to make a fuel from biomass using a biochemical conversion processes. You and your investors have completed bench-scale
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced February 25, 2011, that USDA will soon seek proposals to study the feasibility of providing crop insurance to producers of biofuel feedstocks, including corn stover, straw and woody biomass. These feasibility
(The Local) Swedish oil and energy firm Preem has announced the development of the "world's first" green diesel developed using residue from the Swedish forestry industry. Describing the development of the product, which hits the market in April, as "unique", the firm
by Tim Sklar (Biofuels Digest) ...In Part 3 titled “Quantifying Risk Using Robust Financial Models”, insights are presented as to the how financial modeling can be used in quantifying risk and identifying “Deal Breakers”. In the sub-section titled “The Anatomy
(GhanaWeb) Abellon CleanEnergy Ltd., an Indian renewable energy company, plans to create 25,000 jobs in Ghana and build a factory to produce solid biofuels, the United Nations Development Program said. Ahmedabad-based Abellon will grow crops that require little irrigation such as
by Robert Rapier (R Squared/Consumer Energy Report) ...When I am asked to comment on a press release, I try to be cautious with my opinions until I have peeled the onion a bit. There are technologies with real potential, and
by Henry Blodget (Huffington Post) ...Over the long term, of course, given a finite supply of oil and ever-increasing demand for it, oil prices are going to keep on rising. And remaining in denial about that -- and postponing the
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) DuPont Applied BioSciences President Craig Binetti told attendees of a recent clean technology conference that DuPont expects the biofuels industry worldwide to grow by $25 billion in the next five years and it plans
by Tim Sklar (Biofuels Digest) In Part I of this three part article titled“On Identifying Risks”, discussions were included that focused upon the high risk nature of advanced bio-refinery projects, why financing is hard to obtain what can be done to improve
By Joao Oliveira (Bloomberg) BioVerde Industria e Comercio de Biocombustiveis SA signed a cooperation agreement with Spain’s Integral Bioenergies Systems, S.L. to produce biodiesel derived from animal and vegetable oil and increase margins by reducing its dependence on commodities. “This agreement opens a
(GlobeNewsWire) American Jianye Greentech Holdings, Ltd. , a leading developer, manufacturer and distributor of alcohol-based automobile fuel and civil-use fuel in China, today announced that AJGH has received approval to undertake a new project in alcohol-based biodiesel fuel production. Specifically, AJGH
by Emily Thomas (Energy Saving Trust) Scientists in West Wales and the Valleys looking to develop biofuels from locally grown plant crops have been given a funding boost of £20 million from the Welsh Assembly. Aberystwyth University's Institute of Biological, Environmental
by Tim Sklar (Biofuels Digest) ...The purpose of this three-part article is to provide project sponsors and developers of advanced bio-refinery projects with information and guidance in order to improve their prospects for obtaining project financing. It is believed that
by Dan Chapman (AJC/Atlanta Business News) ...One day, the dreamers said, Georgia would turn corn, pine trees, yeast, soy beans, peanut shells — any rapidly grown feed stock — into gasoline for cars or diesel for trucks. Alternative energy factories
by General Wesley Clark (Politico) ...How long chaos continues in that critical corner of that world remains unknown. But one thing is certain: As long as there is chaos and fears of access to Mid East oil upsets the market,
(Fuel Fix) President Barack Obama today defended his plan to raise tens of billions of dollars for the federal government by axing tax incentives long enjoyed by the oil and gas industry. Congress has already rejected two earlier calls by Obama to
(Google/AFP) Anglo-Dutch energy giant Shell and Brazilian sugar-production group Cosan said Monday they were forming one of the biggest joint ethanol fuel ventures in the world, with an estimated market value of $12 billion. The new entity, to be called Raizen, will
(SG Biofuels) SG Biofuels and Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) today released results of a study revealing the performance and emissions benefits of using Jatropha oil as a drop-in replacement for diesel fuel in industrial furnaces used for electric power generation
by Vinod Khosla (GreenTechMedia) Mr. Khosla comes out swinging at the Wall Street Journal’s take on Range Fuels and biofuels. ...Regarding certain “facts” in the editorial, “The Range Fuels Fiasco” (Review & Outlook, Feb. 10): The WSJ persists in mischaracterizing my relationship
(Biofuels International) Technology provider for the energy and environment sectors Abengoa will implement its enzymatic hydrolysis process technology to produce bioethanol at a commercial-scale in the US. The news comes after the company's second generation bioethanol pilot production plant, located in
(Renewable Fuels Association) While the rest of the economy slowly recovers, American ethanol production has been an economic success story. With ethanol plants operating and being built in 29 states, the economic benefits of domestic ethanol production are having an
by Mary Rosenthal (Algal Biomass Organization/Biofuels Digest) ...(T)argeted investments in clean energy technologies like advanced biofuels, including those derived from algae, will grow our country’s economy, foster the creation of new industries, create tens of thousands of jobs in the
by Peter Brown (Biofuels Digest) ...Walking the floor at the NBB last week, speaking with exhibitors, buyers and sellers, and the broad Biodiesel community in general, one topic was raised time and again: the parlous state of project financing. While the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As the pulp and paper industry reels from the internet’s impact, biofuels and renewable chemicals are offering value-adds, waste remediation, and new markets In Florida, the affable Rod Young, perhaps the most pre-eminent analyst and forecaster
by Phil Ciciora (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) A team of researchers led by Madhu Khanna, a professor of agricultural and consumer economics at Illinois, shows that very high biomass prices would be needed in order to meet the ambitious
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Essentially, despite rising banking sector profits and good results from stress tests, the bank financing market has not returned for biofuels – the financing source for whom the USDA loan guarantee was developed in the
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) KL Energy Corp. is preparing to validate its modified process technology to turn sugarcane bagasse into ethanol. As the bitter winter turns to spring in the tiny town of Upton, Wyo., located on the northern
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...From the low points like the closure of the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Aquatic Species Program to highs like 2009′s “Summer of Algae”, aquatic organisms from cyanobacteria to macroalgae have maintained a hold
by Villamor Visaya Jr. (Inquirer Northern Luzon) Some 400 farmers and activists on Tuesday staged a protest march to oppose the construction of a bioethanol plant here, a project that is supported by the provincial government. Diony Yadao, leader of the farmers'
by Bill Brandon (Advanced Biofuels USA) On February 10 & 11, about 120 participants gathered in chilly Chicago for the first Municipal Solid Waste to Biofuels Summit presented by the British firm, Eye for Energy. The conference drew participants from
by Bård Amundsen/Else Lie. Translation: Darren McKellep/Carol B. Eckmann(The Research Council of Norway) Jatropha has been championed as a major environmental opportunity for developing countries with a semi-arid climate and marginal soil. Scientist Karl Hilding Thunes of the Norwegian Forest
(USDA) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the selection of 16 projects in 10 states for funding to create jobs and provide new economic opportunities. The projects are being funded through the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program (REDLG), which
by Andrew Restuccia (The Hill/E2Wire) Top Senate Democrats are calling on House Republicans to agree to a plan to eliminate oil industry tax breaks as a means of reducing the deficit. The proposal comes as House Republicans have pledged to cut
by Annie Snider (New York Times/Greenwire) The Navy Research Laboratory's alternative energy projects -- each costing less than $500,000 -- are modest ventures that barely register in the Pentagon's gargantuan budget. But if history's a guide, what happens there
(OriginOil) Government-funded ‘Manhattan Project’ to pursue aggressive national jet fuels goal OriginOil, Inc., the developer of breakthrough technology to transform algae, the most promising source of renewable oil, into a true competitor to petroleum, has agreed to participate in a pilot scale
If any state should be leading the way in biofuels development, it’s Florida. With abundant sunshine, a long growing season, and plentiful waste from agriculture and from a big human population, the possibilities are obvious for refining biological materials, including algae,
(INEOS) $130 million facility to produce ethanol and renewable power from waste; major first step in INEOS Bio global licensing strategy * Today the Indian River BioEnergy Center officially started construction; it will be the first commercial-scale facility in the United
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Highlights from the road show, according to our Digest spies. The company (Gevo) is touting that it will cost $40-45 million for each conversion of an existing ethanol facility to the production of biobutanol. The
(Deccan Herald) In one of the biggest initiatives for bio-fuel production in the country, Indian Railways is poised to set up four bio-diesel plants costing about Rs 120 crore. While two bio-diesel esterification plants are going to be commissioned at Raipur
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...RINs- those pesky Renewable Information Numbers that have so many digits they give 140-character tweets on Twitter a run for their money. The bar code of biofuels – the thing that virtually no one understands,
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