by Lawrence Sullivan (Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining) ... After much efforts to fund the development of biofuels by both governments and the venture capitalists, there were some awakenings and realizations. One, the capital-intensive nature of power and petroleum means adoption of new technologies
by Grant Bradley (New Zealand Herald) When a brand new Cathay Pacific Airbus A350-1000 flies from France to Hong Kong on Wednesday it will be partly powered by biofuel. The 334-seat plane will have a 10 per cent blend of biofuel next
by Philip T. Pienkos (R&D Magazine) ... This time, the leading force was not the DOE (U.S. Department of Energy), but the investment community acting in the belief that the power of modern biotechnology could be brought to bear against the
by John Gilbert (Super Chevy) The big draw to E85 for gearheads was its 105 octane rating that’s no longer posted on the pump. It’s been a while since there’s been any mention of E85 connected with the new vehicles, but
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory/Ethanol Producer Magazine) If there's an easier, more efficient method, science will find a way. That's certainly the case in producing cellulosic biofuels, which, at least for now, requires a two-step process to free the sugars trapped in
by Ramya Natarajan (Economic Times/Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy) For the past several winters, Delhi has drawn global attention for its life-threatening smog levels. This is attributed, in part, to the open burning of biomass residues like paddy
by Marc J. Rauch (Auto Channel/Daily Caller) The website “FillUpOnFacts.com” is sponsored by the American Petroleum Institute (API). It exists to bash ethanol and its hypocrisy begins with the website’s name. The website is filled-up with lies. This website lists 13 categories,
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The Trump Administration is taking a new look at Obama Administration era Co2 regulations. On the transportation side, these include reviewing Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards; threatening to take away California’s authority to set
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Near Reno, Nevada, Fulcrum BioEnergy broke ground today for its 10 million gallon per year first commercial plant that makes jet fuel from municipal solid waste. For thousands of years we have had a love/hate relationship
by James Temple (MIT Technology Review) In the closing weeks of 2008, the US Department of Energy invited politicians and press to a dedication ceremony for the Joint BioEnergy Institute in Emeryville, California. The state-of-the-art lab, backed by $125 million in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) “The fuels market is about the largest in the world,” says Terry Mazanec. “Each succeeding generation of inspired inventors and entrepreneurs, with visions of immense profits dancing in their heads, have taken on the challenge of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From Southern California the report has arrived that Verdezyne is winding down as a company, and today is the last day of operations. The low oil price environment has claimed another victim among the renewable chemical
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) ... Simply put, allowing exported ethanol to count toward compliance with an oil company’s RFS obligation would lead to further demand destruction for U.S. ethanol producers and corn growers who are already suffering the consequences
by Mahmood Ebadian and James D. McMillan (IEA Bioenergy Task 39 Newsletter) ... The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) was enacted in 2007 to enhance domestic production of fuels and spur economic development while reducing reliance on imports and improving the
by Glenn Farley (K5 News) In the Boeing test, a 777 freighter, ran on residual animal fats and plant oils. -- In a historic first, Boeing has flown the first commercial jet on 100 percent biofuel. The flight was Seattle to Memphis
(The Missouri Soybean Association/Biodiesel Magazine) In the early 1990s, Missouri soybean farmers funded research into making renewable fuel from soybean oil. Initially called soy diesel, and now, biodiesel, the fuel has significantly lower emissions than petroleum-based diesel, is safer to store
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What will biorefineries look like, accomplish and cost in the future? Daniel Lane of Saille Consulting and Lee Enterprises Consulting looked at that topic in this illuminating overview of the promise and prospects for the technological
by Mike Carr (New Energy America/The Hill) Recently, Chet Thompson of American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) testified before Congress and proposed a “fuel neutral” octane standard as a “potential replacement” for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Octane is a fuel characteristic that allows engines
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ABLC 2018 wrapped up with the ABLC Wolfpack including James Iademarco from Strategic Avalanche, David Dodds with Dodds & Associates, Ron Cascone from NEXANT, independent consultant Paul Bryan, and Joel Stone from ConVergince. While they didn’t howl at the moon,
by Sean Flynn (Newport Daily News) Newport Biodiesel LLC saw a big jump in demand for its product at the beginning of the year when a Massachusetts regulation took effect that requires a minimum 10 percent biodiesel component of all
by Sudheer Mopperthy (Asian Age) The EU adopted this new fuel with rigour and pledged that by 2020, 10 per cent of all transport fuels in EU nations would be biodiesel. ... The EU’s palm oil ban will effectively push three million
by Orrie Swayze (Argus Leader) Sen. Kent Frerichs looked to further capitalize on the genius of our incredibly successful ethanol policy taxing imported petroleum one cent/gallon at the pipeline to fund incentives to build a strong South Dakota ethanol industry. His Senate
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Iogen says it has “one of the world’s largest and most experienced teams in developing, designing, de-bugging, scaling-up and deploying cellulosic biofuel technology. We’re using innovative thinking and disciplined engineering to transform cellulosic biofuels into real, reliable
by Landon Hall (Fuel Freedom Foundation) The price of oil reached a record high of $147 on July 11, 2008. Could such a sharp, unexpected spike occur again? ... Market forces alone aren’t likely to cause oil prices to rise to $147 anytime
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... According to POET CEO Jeff Broin, there’s a deal on the table — changing almost by the hour, but a deal none the less. A deal on the table to provide year-round E15 approval for the biofuels industry
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Have you ever wondered why corn farmers march for the RFS, but Wall Streeters don't? Or why merchent oil refiners want the US Renewable Fuel Standard repealed but major oilcos generally support RFS reform? Why are biodiesel
by Travis J. Tritten (Washington Examiner) ... (Former Navy Secretary Ray) Mabus’ vision is, however, quietly moving forward under the Trump administration. The Pentagon has authorized $140 million to help build two biofuel refineries in recent months, a move that
by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) A study commissioned by the country's largest oil refiner explains how a waiver credit would freeze ethanol demand. Ethanol industry groups are pointing to several statements in the oil industry's own report to make the
by Robert Rapier (Forbes) ... This year begins the ninth year of cellulosic ethanol mandates in the U.S. Today I want to give a brief review of cellulosic ethanol, review the original targets, and examine the current status of the industry. ... The 2007
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A consortium of investors and project developers led by Texas-based Frankens Energy recently purchased the former Ineos Bio Indian River Biorefinery in Vero Beach, Florida, and has announced plans to convert the site to an
by Mark Warner (Warner Advisors LLC/Biofuels Digest) Not enough time or money to scale-up following the traditional rules of advanced biotechnology (10:1 scale-up factor, 1,000 hours of integrated pilot/demo operation, etc)? Welcome to the reality of the biotechnology start-up world. The
In his article suggesting scrapping Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards in favor of a Clean Air Act life cycle analysis-based methodology for CO2 transportation emission reduction, Bob Kozak advised, "(I)f anyone asks what will be the economic incentive for a
by Robert Kozak* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The 2025 Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard of 54.5 miles/gallon has become a significant issue since the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States. Besides the Administration’s near religious fervor against
by Michael Eggleston* (Advanced Biofuels USA) “If we do not break the lock-in effect of our dominant fuel sources, we may in fact facilitate mother nature in breaking the lock-out of her dominant species,” wrote Stephen L. Bi in The
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The makers of the world’s favorite advanced biofuel — a/k/a the biodiesel industry — descended upon Texas to mingle, make and renew ties at the 2018 National Biodiesel Conference. And, to champion new ideas and find
by Terry J. Mazanec (Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) ... Most modern refineries comprise more than 20 individual unit operations, each of which is a complex process on its own. And different refineries are optimized for different blends of crude oil, different
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This week in the Digest, we begin a Special 8-part Series: The State of the Advanced Bioeconomy: Challenges and Priorities for 2018. As we head into the final month before ABLC 2018, these in-depth examinations from a group
by ShivikaMittal, Erik O.Ahlgren and P.R.Shukla (Energy Policy) -Barriers hindering biogas dissemination in urban and rural biogas systems are identified. -Decomposition and logical problem analysis tools are used for assessment. -Key areas of improvements in existing policies are identified. Biogas has emerged
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Biodiesel Magazine spotlights four companies—a respected producer, a service-oriented wholesaler, a 200-year old chemical firm, and a fuel conditioning company—that enable biodiesel's role as an effective change agent. PQ Corp. ... John Votta, global business director for PQ’s silica
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Seven years after the U.S. EPA published the final rule for administering the Renewable Fuel Standard, the path to getting corn kernel fiber-to-ethanol approvals appears to be getting much shorter. Edeniq CEO Brian Thome reports
by Alec A.K. Nielsen (Asimov/Biofuels Digest) ... As you sit quietly, trillions of cells in your body are performing a frenetic dance of biochemical computation that makes your existence possible. Consider this: You were once a single cell – a fertilized egg. This
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Fiberight is a privately held company founded in 2007 with current operations in Virginia, Maryland and Iowa. The company focuses on transforming post-recycled municipal solid wastes and other organic feedstocks into next generation renewable biofuels, with
by Alex Acquisto (Bangor Daily News) The company behind a state-of-the-art solid waste disposal facility in Hampden designed to convert trash into biofuel has secured enough funding to begin operations in May. Craig Stuart-Paul, CEO of Maryland-based Fiberight LLC, announced this week that his company
by Amy Mayer (Harvest Public Media/NetNebraska) Advanced biofuels have been touted as the next step beyond the corn-based ethanol that’s the bulk of the country’s renewable fuel for cars and trucks. But cellulosic ethanol is harder to make and companies have
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Algae.Tec has (once again) shifted its business focus, and what was once a developer of algae bioreactors to make cost-competitive fuels is now in the business of “heirloom cannabis varietals”. So, um, High Times at Algae.Tec. ... It’s
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Over the years we’ve all seen a lot of curveballs in the advanced bioeconomy. You see companies like Valero, which lobby the United States Congress with unbridled intensity to get rid of the Renewable Fuel Standard,
by Peter Z. Grossman (Washington Examiner) ... People forget how we wound up with an ethanol mandate worth over $20 billion per year (and that doesn’t include various subsidies). EISA was passed because Americans besieged members of Congress, demanding a solution to soaring
by Cecilia Connell (ABC News) An Australian-first biofuel demonstration facility in the New South Wales Hunter Valley has been touted as a game-changer in the food versus fuel debate, that has overshadowed the production of ethanol for some time. The Federal Government,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana professor Madhu Khanna has been raising issues with including an indirect land use change factor for compliance with low carbon fuel standards. Why, since ILUC is a required calculation for the Renewable Fuel
by Rachel Gantz (Renewable Fuels Association) Nearly 90 percent of new 2018 model year (MY) vehicles are explicitly approved by the manufacturer to use 15 percent ethanol blends (E15), according to the results of an annual analysis of warranty statements and owner’s manuals
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Last week, DowDuPont said it was exiting the cellulosic biofuels business and you’d think that the company just burned down the warehouse with the original text of the Renewable Fuels Standard — the coverage of the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Illinois, today is Fly Green Day, sponsored by the O’Hare Fuel Committee, at Chicago O’Hare International Airport. 7 commercial airlines, plus Atlas Air and FedEx are flying out of O’Hare today on Gevo-based sustainable aviation fuel. Among them: Lufthansa, United Airlines,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In South Dakota, POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels achieved a major breakthrough in cellulosic biofuels production at its Project LIBERTY plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa. The company has solved the critical challenge in pretreatment, overcoming what has been the No.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) “Italian newspapers reported over the weekend that cellulosic ethanol developer Mossi & Ghisolfi shuts down this week,” reported a source from Europe. “227 people of whom 121 from the Crescentino ethanol refinery are to stay at
by Niamh Boyle (Biodiesel Magazine/Prima Markets) Prima Markets provides a comprehensive summary of the growing international demand for low carbon fuels, including U.S. policy drivers and waste feedstock consumption, along with a detailed overview of the international trade of low carbon
by Yuthana Praiwan (Bangkok Post) The late King laid the groundwork for Thailand's path toward energy independence. -- ... Although biofuel took longer to develop because it required more deliberate scientific research and experimentation compared with other agriculture projects, it has now become
by David Blackmon (Forbes) ... The elimination in the U.S. of the use of MTBE as a gasoline oxygenation agent by the EPA was a big factor in the initial turn to ethanol .... ... Taking advantage of major changes to the country’s energy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) There’s one crossing worse than the Valley of Death and that is the Valley of NLACM. Although it sounds more like a goose trying to say “You’ll like him” — it’s the Natural Law of Alternative Commodity
by Kelsi Bracmort (Congressional Research Service; posted by OurEnergyPolicy.org) Congress has expressed ongoing interest in the RFS, particularly the challenges associated with implementing the RFS and with compliance for entities required to use renewable fuels. Some question whether it is time
by Anju D. Krivov (Biofuels Digest/Lee Enterprises Consulting/GSR Solutions LLC) ... In the late 1990s, the low oil prices of less than $20 a barrel brought down the Algal Species Program’s initiative started in the 1970s oil crunch environment, whereas the
by Denton Cinquegrana (Oil Price Information Service(OPIS)) What you need to know as the refining, agricultural and auto industries gear up to vie for their piece of a multi-billion-dollar market -- Premium gasoline has clearly become a sought-after commodity for U.S.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Louisiana, reports surfaced in Alexandria’s TownTalk online paper that Sundrop Fuels has struck an agreement to sell the 1200-acre site where it once planned to build its $450 million, 50 million gallon capacity first commercial plant
by Graham Noyes (Noyes Law Corp./Biodiesel Magazine) Over the past decade, California has developed a complex policy framework pertaining to greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction including policies that drive demand for low carbon fuels. The original authorizing statute was the
by Tom Slunecka (Biodiesel Magazine) ... Fifteen years ago, March of 2002, a gallon of unleaded gas averaged around $1.36 a gallon. ... Minnesota became the first in the nation to require that all diesel fuel sold in the state contain at
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) For the world of renewable fuels — the only significant carbon legislation on the books, it really doesn’t matter what the oil price is. The RFS creates a separate market for renewable fuels and they compete
by Tim Snyder (Equities.com/Crudefunders) ... With that in mind, we decided to break down the question of, “Is it worth it?” into four parts: price benefits, reduction of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), oxygenate replacement and green fuel alternatives. ... Ethanol was introduced in 2006, into
by Marc J. Rauch (The Auto Channel) ... Faced with some actual governmental actions that were detrimental to gasoline/diesel dominance, instead of the virtual carte blanche pro-petroleum fuel policies that they usually receive from the government, the petroleum oil industry is
by Daniel A. Lane and Joel A. Stone (Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) ... As the market for gasoline grew, a shortage soon developed for the lighter fractions of crude oil. This shortage led to the development of the catalytic cracker, which breaks
by Patrick C. Miller (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Is the growth in shale oil production a potential boost for ethanol? The theory goes that because the light crude produced from fracked shale produces lower-octane gasoline, greater oil production from shale will translate
by Jennifer Aurandt (Valicor/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Centrifugal separation of corn oil from stillage is the accepted method for distillers corn oil (DCO) recovery throughout the ethanol industry. While plant operating parameters influence a plant’s oil yield and performance, the efficiency is
by Larry R. Knight* (Reciclaje Pura Vida for Advanced Biofuels USA) There are those who would argue that global warming is not occurring. While the evidence suggests otherwise, it would be political and intellectual suicide to argue that our global population
by Amina Khan (Los Angeles Times/The Washington Post) George Olah, a chemist and Nobel laureate who found new ways to study previously imperceptible stages in hydrocarbon-related chemical reactions, died March 8 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 89. ... Dr.
by Stephanie Mercier (Farm Journal Foundation/AgWeb) This blog will present the author’s perspective on a wide range of timely agricultural policy topics, touching on both domestic and international issues. ... The long term answer, that ultimately ethanol will primarily be produced from inedible
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Louisiana, the Diamond Green Diesel facility in Norco will expand its annual production capacity of renewable diesel from 10,000 barrels per day to 18,000 bpd (275 million gallons per year), using Honeywell UOP’s Ecofining
by Nicolas Loris (DownsizingGovernment.org/The Heritage Foundation) ... The problem is not with the voluntary use of biofuels in the marketplace, but rather policies that mandate and subsidize biofuels. ... Congress should end its intervention in the biofuels industry. It should terminate subsidies
by Jessie Stolark (Energy and Environmental Study Institute) The Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), in the Office of Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy (EERE), released its updated strategic plan in January. Revised every five years, the strategic plan refreshes and
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) On BDI-BioEnergy International's 20-year anniversary, Biodiesel Magazine takes a look back at the company's beginnings, accomplishments and biodiesel production technology. -- In September, dozens of biodiesel producers from around the world gathered in Vienna, Austria,
by Will Smith (Springhouse Consulting/Biodiesel Magazine) While the majority of U.S. biodiesel is still produced from soybean and canola oil, the role of alternative feedstock has increased steadily over the past decade. The lower production costs they afford have had
by Gene Gebolys (World Energy/Biodiesel Magazine) ... Trying to make a living in biodiesel for two decades now, the hard way is about the only way it happens. ... 2016 was a breakthrough year for the biodiesel industry, and for World Energy. We brought
by Anthony Hulen (Biodiesel Magazine) The U.S.'s largest biodiesel manufacturer, Ames, Iowa-based Renewable Energy Group Inc., matures from its single plant, single feedstock origins to a multifeedstock, multinational business. -- ... “For the petroleum and ethanol industries, 50 million gallons
by Carl Zulauf (FarmDoc Daily) Ethanol was a factor in both the price run-up that began in 2006 and the price run-down that began in 2013. Tepid growth replaced explosive growth. The question for the future is, "What is ethanol's
(Federal Register/Environmental Protection Agency) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to deny several petitions requesting that EPA initiate a rulemaking process to reconsider or change its regulations that identify refiners and importers of gasoline and diesel fuel as the
(Times of India) The Union government will invest Rs 15,000 crore to increase the capacity of Panipat oil refinery in Haryana from existing 15 million tonnes (MT) to 25 MT to raise quality of fuel and create more employment opportunities.
by Jerry Purvis (Gering Citizen) On Sept. 21, the Nebraska Ethanol Board rolled out a new campaign to increase awareness of the 15 percent alcohol/gasoline blend called E15. While encouraging renewable fuels, the ethanol industry also plays an important role
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Renewable Energy Group Inc. is quietly celebrating its 10-year anniversary with a series of videos being released to commemorate the company’s—and the biodiesel industry’s—significant growth and maturation over the past decade. REG has been discreet about
by Jamie Kitman (Automobile Magazine) "It is “a universal assumption that [ethyl] alcohol in some form will be a constituent of the motor fuel of the future.” -- So wrote Scientific American. The year was 1920, and the respected journal was
(Progress-Index) For Hopewell's fledgling ethanol industry, it appears the third time may be the charm. -- For Hopewell’s fledgling ethanol industry, it appears the third time may be the charm. Ten months after Green Plains became the third operator to
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Big Oil has been fighting the ethanol industry for a long time. Since the 1920s, to be exact. -- In a recent feature by Automobile Magazine, the publication traces the roots of the war against ethanol to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The most important technological advance in biodiesel in recent years has reached commercial-scale in Eastern Nebraska, with the startup of the Duonix Beatrice biodiesel plant, which is and the first commercial-scale application of Benefuel’s innovative
by Bart Barnes (The Washington Post) William C. Holmberg, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel who received the Navy Cross for his actions on a Korean battlefield and later spent decades as an advocate on Capitol Hill for renewable energy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... But so far, the company and its celebrity investors and directors such as former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and famed venture capitalist Vinod Khosla had escaped close scrutiny. ... The methods for keeping the truth bottled
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Edeniq is torn between two lovers: its current ownership group, which shuffled together a financing this week; and Aemetis, which is supposed to be acquiring Edeniq this year for $23 million. How Edeniq landed in this
by Michael McAdams (Advanced Biofuels Association/Biomass Magazine) For advanced biofuels under the Obama administration, what started out with a boom in 2008 ended with a whimper in 2016. ... As the nascent industry began to develop, companies hoping to deliver the
by Robert Rapier (Forbes) ... It would have been one thing if Congress had based the mandates on a fuel that existed commercially. However, they essentially attempted to mandate a nonexistent industry into existence. Unsurprisingly, economic challenges again arose. Despite the mandates, there
by Rebecca Chillrud (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) On July 18, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) released their Draft Technical Assessment Report (TAR), providing a midterm evaluation
by Paul Ivice (TC Palm) INEOS Bio is selling its $130 million biofuel plant on Oslo Road, where it's been developing yard waste-to-ethanol technology since August 2013. INEOS, which received millions in taxpayer-funded incentives for its joint venture with New Planet Energy
by Jamie Kitman (Automobile Magazine) Getting real about ethanol -- ... But until solar and wind power charge our national fleet of electric and hydrogen vehicles, ethanol is worth discussing. Because all in all, gasoline is better with it in it.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... There’s a separate category of RINs for advanced biofuels. These are fuels that have at least a 50% reduction in fossil fuels compared to 2005 baseline gasoline. Overall, to qualify under the RFS, you need
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A recent column provides some insight into anti-ethanol stances by making a connection between beef prices, the cow herd expansion and restaurant profits, with rather breath-taking simplification. -- A recent column in Forbes from
(Mankato Free Press) Why It Matters: Ethanol as a clean energy has come under criticism but the pollution caused by fossil fuels remains the reality. -- ... First, environmentalists complained we were paying farmers too much in subsidies to plant corn
by Rachel Gantz (Renewable Fuels Association) On Monday, Aug. 8, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct) celebrated its 11th anniversary. Not on a first name basis with acronyms? It’s the law that gave us the original renewable fuel standard,
by Ron Lamberty (Ethanol Producer Magazine) There is no such thing as a 10 percent blend wall unless petroleum marketers don't allow a choice. Independent retailers are demonstrating the blend wall can be breached. -- When the U.S. EPA held
(Mankato Free Press) Why It Matters: Ethanol as a clean energy has come under criticism but the pollution caused by fossil fuels remains the reality. -- The politics of green energy have evolved over the last two decades in a
by Irshad Ahmed (Lee Enterprises) ... I believe cellulosic ethanol is here to stay for the long haul and it is finally exhibiting real potential to establish a critical-mass commercial base alongside the corn-ethanol industry. Its commercial success will come from the
(U.S. Department of Energy) Algae-based biofuels and bioproducts offer great promise in contributing to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office’s vision of a thriving and sustainable bioeconomy fueled by innovative technologies. The state of technology for producing
(ADI Analytics) There is an increasing level of interest in conventional and advanced biofuels around the globe. Many countries are increasing biofuel mandates for several reasons ranging from stimulating agriculture, energy security, and most notably to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The
by Christopher Findlay (Renewable Fuels Association) This month marks the 120th anniversary of an automotive milestone: Henry Ford’s test drive of his first vehicle, the Quadricycle. The 20-mile-an-hour Quadricycle, which was literally built using two sets of bicycle wheels, would launch the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In what might become the most transformative development in fermentation yields since Noah debuted winemaking technology in the Book of Genesis, US-based White Dog Labs have unveiled a new process that eliminates the emission of CO2, a
by Gerald Kutney (Lee Consulting/Biofuels Digest) ... From the time of the caveman until the early Industrial Revolution, biofuels – namely wood and the advanced biofuel of the day, charcoal – reigned supreme. Both fossil fuels and biofuels originate from biomass. The
(Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative) We are proud to announce the 10th Anniversary of the initiation of the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI) as of May 24, 2016, and more importantly, to reflect on the success we’ve achieved to date,
by Tomas Ekbom (Task 39 May 2016 Newsletter) The production and use of biofuels in Sweden have increased substantially since the mid-2000s. According to preliminary statistics from SPBI, the share of renewable energy in the road sector was 14.7% in 2015
by Jim Lane (Biofuels DIgest) ... Old KiOR was exciting, dramatic, and fast, and the headlines it produced between 2008 and 2011 were candy for a renewables-hungry world. A Breakthrough in Catalytic Pyrolysis to make cost-competitive, drop-in renewable fuels. A “Magic Catalyst”.
by Dick Roche (EurActiv) The European Commission’s proposal to scrap the mandate for the use of biofuels and, in effect, to ‘kiss biofuels goodbye,’ is a catastrophic policy based largely on arguments that have no solid foundation, writes Dick Roche. ... Initially, biofuels
by Robert Rapier (Forbes) Last week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that during the first quarter of 2016, just over 1 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol were produced. In fact, production for the month of March jumped 64% from
(Federal Aviation Administration) The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has played an integral role in development, testing and recent approval of a new alternative, environmentally-friendly, bio-based jet fuel, bringing the total number of these approved products for use in air travel
by Cindy Zimmerman (AgWired) Back in the early years of the biodiesel industry, Merle Haggard was one of the stars who came out in support of the American-made biofuel. The country music legend who died last week at the age of
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Biofuel number crunchers in the know are finding their jobs easier because of a website hosted by the USDA Economic Research Service where the Interagency Council on Agricultural & Rural Statistics pulls together links
by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) A cornerstone of U.S. environmental policy has been the reduction of harmful tailpipe emissions from cars and trucks. Thanks to EPA regulations of mobile sources, air pollutants have been reduced by millions
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... It’s been a couple of years since we visited REG and the difference is palpable. The company has become a little ADM, rather than a big Amyris or TerraVia. You see the trading desks at
(Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.) Many Americans today, including many legislators at the federal and state levels, were not yet born when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created by President Nixon in 1970, or they were too young to
by Mario Parker (Bloomberg Business) ... Back in 2007, when crude oil was headed toward a record $147.27 a barrel, ethanol was being touted as a cheap alternative from abundant domestic resources. The U.S. is the world’s biggest corn grower and
by Marc J. Rauch (The Auto Channel) ... Our exchange began with his comments that government should not decide which fuel is the winner; that fossil fuels dominance over alternative fuels was due to consumer choice; and that society owes a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... If jatropha faltered, never mind, went the argument, we’ll always have switchgrass. Or giant miscanthus, or pongamia, or poplar, or camelina. The list could get really long. For example, try this list of the 44
by Dan Quadros* (Advanced Biofuels USA) This article is the result of a technical trip to Germany and the UK to participate in strategic meetings and visit labs; to attend seminars, an expo, a short course and a symposium. Posted after
by Tristan R. Brown (The Conversation) The 2016 primary race is defying conventional wisdom, with erstwhile fringe candidates competitive in the polls despite their unorthodox policy positions. The Iowa Republican Caucus provided additional material for this storyline as Senator Ted Cruz defied
by Thomas Content (Milwaukee, Wisconsin Journal Sentinel) ... In one project among several around the nation, ExxonMobil is working with researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on technology to bring down the cost of renewable diesel and jet fuel. Researchers led
by Nathanael Johnson (Grist) When I first looked at the environmental impact of corn ethanol I thought it was simple: Grow an acre of corn for fuel and it means you have to grow another acre elsewhere for food, which
by Orrie Swayze (AgWeek) The idea that shale makes us crude oil independent is an oil industry fantasy that enables us to deny we willfully sacrifice our troops to fight endless Middle East conflicts to support the U.S. addiction to imported
by Robert Rapier (Energy Trends Insider) ... From zero commercial production in 2006, (Vinod) Khosla foresaw the first 100 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol hitting the market in 2008 (see Slide 78), ramping rapidly to 2.5 billion gallons in 2011, 14.6
by Robert E. Kozak* (Advanced Biofuels USA) This weekend the 49th Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona kicks off the American sports car racing season. It promises to be one of the best with the brand new EcoBoost Ford GT joining
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... So, how fast did petroleum expand production, in comparison to low-carbon renewable fuels? ... One thing is clear, renewable fuels are moving fast, by comparison. From 1866 through 1899 (a year when negative attention on the
by Bill Hinchberger (Globe and Mail) As the world prepares to wean itself from fossil fuels, many eyes are turning to Brazil with its land mass nearly equal that of Canada, plentiful sunshine, history of sugarcane plantations dating to colonial
by Vonnie Estes (Biofuels Digest) ... But as the land, water, and fossil fuel resources those systems rely on become scarcer, biology is offering new ways to engineer solutions. Synthetic biology redesigns existing organisms for specific purposes to produce safe products
by Katie Fletcher (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. Department of Defense has yet to purchase alternative fuels beyond testing and demonstration purposes, but intentions remain. -- In July, the U.S. Government Accountability Office published a report observing U.S. Department of Defense
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) USDA's Office of the Chief Economist just released a comprehensive report on ethanol. The 87-page report, “U.S. Ethanol: An Examination of Policy, Production, Use, Distribution, and Market Interactions,” examines the complex interaction of
by Paul Alexander (Huffington Post) ... (H)e must explain his decision to gut the Renewable Fuel Standard and hand Big Oil a decisive political victory. One lingering question is, did high-level White House staffers with close ties to oil companies
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) For two decades, ICM has adapted with the changing times, bringing technology solutions to the ethanol industry. -- In 1995, ICM Inc. got its start with the purchase of the engineering, manufacturing and marketing
by Bobby Likis (Car Clinic Network) Recently, Lauren Fix appeared on the Jacki Daily Show and took aim at Ethanol. Really? Yes, something needs to be fixed. And it’s not ethanol. What needs to be fixed is the egregiously incorrect
(Biotechnology Industry Organization) Over its 10-year lifespan, the Renewable Fuel Standard’s (RFS) requirement to substitute biofuels for fossil fuels has displaced nearly 1.9 billion barrels of foreign oil and reduced U.S. transportation-related carbon emissions by 589.33 million metric tons, the
by John McClaughry (Watchdog.org) ... Back in the Nixon years scientists discovered that tetraethyl lead used to improve combustion in gasoline led to serious environmental and health damage. Adding lead to gasoline was banned. That was a good thing. But gasoline
by Mike Bryan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) There is a long history of antagonism and sometimes outward hostility by the EPA toward ethanol, writes Mike Bryan. -- Most of us find it strange and frustrating that we are continually at loggerheads with
by Stephanie Mercier (Ag Web) The U.S. biofuels sector marks its birth back in 1979, when Congress established a blender’s credit for ethanol as the earliest piece of federal biofuel policy as part of the Energy Tax Act of 1978 as
(Renewable Fuels Association) This Saturday marks 10 years since the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct) containing the original Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) was signed into law by President George W. Bush. The first RFS set America on a path
by Austin DuVall (Arkansas Business) Arkansas’ biodiesel industry has failed to live up to its early promise, and Troy Hornbeck says he knows why. Hornbeck, who with his two brothers, Jon and Jeff, founded Arkansas SoyEnergy Group LLC of DeWitt in
by Mario Parker (Bloomberg/Seattle Times) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which administers the ethanol program, has proposed a sharp cutback in ethanol mandates that were expanded by Congress in 2007. -- Jeff Broin’s silhouette shines in the glossy hood of the modified
by Robert Rapier (Investing Daily) ... If less fuel is being produced than the mandated level, it drives up the price of the RIN and in theory increases the incentive to produce the fuel (which is the intent of the system). For
by Bill Brandon (Leaders in Energy) ... This two-part White Paper presents the proposition that we need to transition away from the legacy fuels we use today to modern liquid and gas fuels[1] that: 1) reduce or eliminate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
by J. Paul Lilly (North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services) In order to understand both agriculture and forestry as they are today, I believe we need to know what they have evolved from. Thomas Isern, Professor of History
by Chris Woolston (Bioenergy Connection) In 1903, the year that the Wright Brothers made their first flight at Kitty Hawk, another world-changing innovation took place in Brazil. That year, Brazil’s First National Congress of Industrial Applications of Alcohol recommended large-scale
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ethanol Producer Magazine digs into the details of ethanol production in Iowa and how the industry got started. When Jerry Mohr, president of the Iowa Corn Growers Association board of directors, talks to politicians, he
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