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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of November 7th. In today’s Digest, 3D printed Bio-eyes, biobased surfactants, duckweed’s comeback, cow poop fabric, starch algae opp, Disney goes bio, alt tuna — these
Japan
November 15, 2018
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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … We are talking about the green stuff that grows in ponds and floats on the surface of water, often mistaken for algae. Why is this green goodness so good? Duckweed, also referred to as lemna or its scientific name lemnoideae, is high in protein
November 14, 2018
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by Leonardo Lara (Bloomberg) Toyota’s new ethanol hybrid vehicle being developed in Brazil is exceeding all the manufacturer’s expectations, said Steve St. Angelo, the carmaker’s CEO for Latin American and the Caribbean and its chairman in Brazil. The car differs from other Toyota hybrids in that it combines an electric motor
November 14, 2018
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(AlgaEnergy/Yokogawa/BusinessWire) AlgaEnergy, a Spanish biotechnology company specializing in the production and commercial applications of microalgae, and Yokogawa Electric Corporation (TOKYO:6841), a leading provider of industrial automation, control, and measurement technology, announce the signing of a partnership & equity participation agreement. The strategic agreement involves an approximately 10 million euro investment by
November 9, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of November 7th. #10 Mazda backs carbon-neutral biofuel research on microalgae In the United Kingdom, Mazda is involved in joint research projects and studies as part
November 9, 2018
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by Matt Carr (Algae Biomass Organization/Biofuels Digest) Algae-derived products and technologies are on the cusp of changing nearly everything. Algae will transform how we eat; will make the materials in your shoes more sustainable; provide fuel for vehicles and planes; recycle greenhouse gases and deliver many more products that have yet to be commercialized. … There is a
November 6, 2018
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(Tokyo Tech News) Results from a collaborative study by Tokyo Tech and Tohoku University, Japan, raise prospects for large-scale production of algae-derived starch, a valuable bioresource for biofuels and other renewable materials. Such bio-based products have the potential to replace fossil fuels and contribute to the development of sustainable systems and
November 5, 2018
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(Mazda/Automotive World) Mazda is currently involved in joint research projects and studies as part of an ongoing industry-academia-government collaboration to promote the wide-spread adoption of biofuels from microalgae growth — As part of its ‘Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030’ long-term technology development programme, the company is committed to reducing its average ‘Well-to-Wheel’ CO2 emissions to
November 1, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) IEA Bioenergy Task 33 is a working group of international experts with the aim to promote the commercialization of efficient, economical and environmentally preferable thermal biomass gasification processes. Here, Lars Waldheim of Waldheim Consulting gave this illuminating overview of wastes as a gasifier fuel, Waste fuel characteristics
October 25, 2018
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by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) In the U.S. ethanol industry, three plants are under construction, while a fourth makes its way through the permitting process. — In an industry with more than 200 existing plants, four new projects is a small figure. Greenfield ethanol plant development is in a lull,
October 24, 2018
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by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Historically, India and Brazil have been two major export destinations for ethanol produced in the United States. All the while, both India and Brazil are stepping up efforts to produce more ethanol. In India this week, stocks in sugarcane companies spiked in anticipation of
October 20, 2018
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(GreenAir Online) Japan Airlines (JAL) has announced a strategic partnership to develop sustainable aviation fuels that will include a 900 million yen ($8 million) investment by the airline in waste-to-jet fuel US company Fulcrum BioEnergy. The other partners include the Japan Overseas Infrastructure Investment Corporation for Transport & Urban Development (JOIN)
October 12, 2018
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(ACT News) … One country that has everyone in the hydrogen industry watching is Norway. The wealthy Nordic country continues to push forward with its ambitious plans for renewable hydrogen production and fuel cell technology for maritime vessels. There is huge potential for hydrogen produced via electrolysis with wind power,
October 5, 2018
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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, D.C., leaders of the United States and Japan, one of the largest U.S. grain customers and second largest buyer of U.S. corn after Mexico, announced that the two countries would pursue trade talks. The impact on agriculture is to be determined in the talks. The
October 1, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Licella produces drop-in biofuels from a wide range of biomass and uses a supercritical water-based technology and catalysts to break up biomass and reform it into a drop-in fuel hydrocarbon. The compelling features of supercritical are several: 1. It uses all of the biomass, including lignin.
September 4, 2018
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(R&D Magazine/Tokyo Institute of Technology) Researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology have honed in on an enzyme belonging to the glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) family as a promising target for increasing biofuel production from the red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae. Algae are known to store up large amounts of oils called triacylglycerols (TAGs) under
August 24, 2018
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by Akane Okutsu (Nikkei Asian Review) Japanese startup Nippon Biodiesel Fuel is set to launch its AgriNet website that connects farmers with other sectors — such as agrimarkets, equipment dealers and banks — transforming the way agricultural regions do business. Among other functions, the website will allow villages to sell crop yields
August 16, 2018
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by Lexy Hamilton-Smith (ABC News) Two cars powered by hydrogen derived from ammonia will be tested in Brisbane today thanks to a Queensland breakthrough that CSIRO researchers say could turn Australia into a renewable energy superpower. … For the past decade, researchers have worked on producing ultra-high purity hydrogen using a
August 10, 2018
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(International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis/Phys.Org) New IIASA-led research has found that a single climate mitigation scheme applied to all sectors, such as a global carbon tax, could have a serious impact on agriculture and result in far more widespread hunger and food insecurity than the direct impacts of climate change.
August 1, 2018
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(Japan for Sustainability) Osaka City University announced on April 25, 2018, that it succeeded in developing a new biofuel cell system with the functions of a solar cell and the ability of carbon dioxide conversion. Utilizing the photosynthesis function of spirulina, a biomass of dark-green unicellular microalgae, this solar-light driven biofuel
July 24, 2018
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Many East and South East Asian countries see rapid development in the use of both liquid and solid biomass for modern bioenergy. Apart from using domestic biomass, Japan and South Korea have started to import large volumes of wood pellets for co-firing with coal from countries in the Pacific Rim
July 20, 2018
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(Biofact) In Japan, the market is supported by a feed-in-tariff (FIT) scheme which provides a 20-year subsidy to firms producing renewable energy. By March 2017 almost 12GW of biomass projects had been approved under the FIT scheme. Industrial groups are moving in this direction, as an example, ENGIE recently signed a 15-year biomass
July 12, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Because if you want it, here it is, come and get it, biofuels that is, and especially of the advanced type. If you like it from waste, even better. Out of the east, the dual and sometimes dueling engines of biofuels growth are changing the
by Kelly Gilblom and Anna Hirtenstein (Bloomberg) BP and Shell have bought electric-car charging companies; Power utilities are boosting sales to homes, chargers on roads — A red-hot electric vehicle market has triggered a face-off between Big Oil and utilities. Oil majors, who’ve sold fossil fuels to cars for a century, are now moving
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) High quality biomethane from biomass through gasification? A Swedish plant is now a first for injecting biomethane into the national grid. That’s the Gothenburg Biomass Gasification Project (GoBiGas), and its the subject of this illuminating deck on the project’s promise and progress, as presented by IEA Bioenergy in
June 28, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … This year, as it happens, Argentina holds the G20 Presidency and the outgoing Germans and incoming Japanese worked with Argentine energy minister Juan Jose Aranguren to broker an ambitious re-affirmation of renewable energy goals, if expressed with cautious timelines and with deep understanding of the
June 19, 2018
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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … In Illinois, carbon recycling company, LanzaTech, and its joint venture partner, Shougang Group, a leading Chinese iron and steel producer, announced the successful start-up of the world’s first commercial facility converting industrial emissions to sustainable ethanol. The facility, located at the Jingtang Steel Mill in Caofeidian
June 11, 2018
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by Joshua S Hill (Clean Technica) New research has shown that the United States continues to subsidize the production and consumption of fossil fuels to the tune of $27 billion, despite repeated pledges since 2009 to phase out fossil fuel subsidies. In a groundbreaking new study that ranks G7 countries’ progress toward phasing
June 7, 2018
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(GrainNet) Industry and government officials from 17 countries in Asia and Oceania are meeting with members of the U.S. ethanol industry and U.S. officials in Minneapolis this week at the Ethanol Summit of the Asia Pacific (Summit), focused on current and future prospects for expanded ethanol use throughout the region. The
May 22, 2018
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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In the Philippines, researchers from University of the Philippines and Hiroshima University in Japan conducted a study that focused on ethanol production from macroalgae using only enzymatic treatment for saccharification of algal biomass. This involved the isolation and identification of cellulase and laminarinase-producing microorganisms from mangrove area
May 14, 2018
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By Steve Bi* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Part one of this article addressed the first two consensuses emerging from international biofuels research and business initiatives discussed in Brussels April 10-12, 2018: first, that bioenergy must be massively scaled up, according to every climate-economic modeling effort, in order to reach the Paris
by Patrick C. Miller (Biomass Magazine) Will Australia use bioenergy to its full potential, or primarily serve export markets? — Australia’s bioenergy sector is alive and brimming with ideas about how to keep pace with progress being made internationally. However, biofuels advocates believe the country lacks a clear strategy, as well as
May 9, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of invention and change is just too strong, we’ve realized, to highlight annual or even quarterly or monthly rankings and summaries of significant product and service advances. For now, we’re going to be tracking these on a weekly basis to keep pace with the
May 2, 2018
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(Algae Industry Magazine) JapanNews.com reports that Euglena Co., a Tokyo-based maker of nutritional supplements, is spending ¥5.8 billion ($5.3 million USD) on building a test refinery that converts algae into biofuel used to power jets and vehicles. The investment is equal to about half of last year’s total revenue for
May 1, 2018
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This unique international conference creates a great platform to researches, scientists, academicians and industry experts to share experiences, discuss research findings and acquire the desired knowledge for practical exercise. IBC-2018 is a dedicated event where you will have the opportunity to learn about new developments in the field of Biotechnology,
April 24, 2018
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(U.S. Grains Council) The U.S. Grains Council (USGC), the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), Growth Energy and their member organizations welcome the news Tuesday that the Japanese government’s new biofuel policy will allow imports of ETBE made from U.S. corn-based ethanol. “The U.S. Grains Council is pleased by this decision and that
April 18, 2018
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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) With 195 countries on the planet today, an impressive 53 countries are Commonwealth countries, including countries in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Pacific. They include large, rich countries like Canada and Australia all the way to some of the smallest or poorest countries
April 16, 2018
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(Kyodo News) Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday it has unveiled in Brazil a prototype of the world’s first hybrid vehicle that runs on ethanol to further cut carbon dioxide emissions, aiming to launch the model in the country in one to two years. The prototype is a combination of a flexible-fuel
March 20, 2018
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by Naomi Tajitsu (Reuters) Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) stuck to its commitment to improving petrol engines on Monday with new powertrain units, while flagging technologies which could find their way into electric vehicles (EVs) and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCVs). The Japanese automaker plans to keep refining its petrol engines and the
March 7, 2018
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by Tim Nicholson & Justin Hilliard (GoAutoMedia/Cars Guide) Nissan has confirmed it is looking at range-extender hybrid, hydrogen fuel-cell and biofuel powertrain options for its future line-up of light-commercial vehicles, including the Titan large pick-up. When questioned about possible future LCV powertrains at the Nissan Futures event in Singapore last week,
February 26, 2018
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(Stockholm Environment Institute) This paper synthesizes the current knowledge about the impact of biofuels on ecosystem services. Biofuel feedstock production can be a significant driver of landscape modification, ecosystem change and biodiversity loss. There is a growing body of literature that shows how biofuel landscapes provide various ecosystem services (e.g., feedstock
by Lorenz Bauer (Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) In 2007 the US government established a national strategy for the development of advanced biofuels made using non-edible biomass. After 10 years we are still short of achieving the targets of this plan but there has been considerable progress. Worldwide there is continued
February 6, 2018
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(Japan Chemical Daily) Euglena Co. Ltd. (TYO:2931) has solidified plans to set the price of its jet fuel made using euglena, a type of algae, at 150–200 yen ($1.38–$1.83) per liter by 2025…. READ MORE
February 5, 2018
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by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Japan, two weeks ago Euglena began testing its algae-based bio-SPK in a power generation facility as part of a trial run schedule to last through June. The company’s pilot facility is expected to come online by October when it will produce about 5 barrels of fuel
February 2, 2018
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by David Bennett (Convenience Store Decisions) Whether it’s teaming with Tesla to install charging stations or integrating alternative fuel solutions, retailers are part of a changing transportation marketplace. — … Some analysts insist the internal combustion engine has been around more than a century and should be around for decades to come,
January 19, 2018
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by Anton Usov (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development/Biomass Magazine) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development provided a senior loan of €25 million to PJSC “Myronivsky Hliboproduct” (MHP), a London Stock Exchange listed Ukrainian producer of poultry meat, grain and fodder. The loan will be used to construct and put
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) To kick off the new year, we rounded up a few experts to discuss five main industry topics: exports, policy, production, finance and technology. Find out what they said. — As we head into 2018, ethanol producers have plenty to think about and likely have predictions
December 27, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) With apologies to every other region around the world. we continue to see Asia as the epicenter of the biobased revolution over the next 20 years. The reasons are three and relatively straightforward: 1. Continued and robust economic growth. 2. Massive biomass resource. 3. Lack of
December 26, 2017
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by Dan Crisler (Watertown Public Opinion) Glacial Lakes Corn Processors welcomed a strong ethanol advocate in Emily Skor at its annual meeting Wednesday afternoon at the Codington County Extension Complex. Skor, the CEO of Washington, D.C.-based ethanol trade association Growth Energy, spent more than 20 minutes touting the benefits of
December 8, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Japan, Sekisui Chemical and LanzaTech, have successfully demonstrated the production of ethanol from unsorted municipal solid waste — which can be used directly as a fuel or as a precursor to butadiene (a key raw material in the production of synthetic fibers and rubber), isopropanol, and isoprene —
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sekisui Chemicals, LanzaTech break-through in MSW-to-ethanol demonstration — … Were trash to acquire a substantial uplift in value, that’s the end to the landfill crisis. In Japan, Sekisui Chemical and LanzaTech have successfully demonstrated the production of ethanol from unsorted municipal solid waste — which can be used directly as a
December 7, 2017
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(Phys.Org/Kanazawa University) Compared to first-generation biofuels produced from food crops, production of second-generation biofuels for daily use is an urgent issue. In this study, researchers developed a novel carboxylate-type liquid zwitterion as a solvent of biomass, which could dissolve cellulose with very low toxicity to microorganisms. Use of this novel solvent
December 5, 2017
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(Reuters/Channel News Asia) Tokyo’s park along Meguro river, a popular spot for viewing cherry blossoms each spring, has been transformed by pink LED lights hanging from the trees resembling the pretty flowers ahead of the Christmas season. The more than 420,000 lights on the 2.2km street are powered by cooking oil from
December 5, 2017
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(NGV Journal) Toyota Motor North America, Inc. will build the world’s first megawatt-scale carbonate fuel cell power generation plant with a hydrogen fueling station to support its operations at the Port of Long Beach. The Tri-Gen facility will use bio-waste sourced from California agricultural waste to generate water, electricity and hydrogen.
December 4, 2017
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by Ray Grabanski (Progressive Ag/Ag Week) … Japan announced that it will allow gasoline blenders to use ethanol sourced from the U.S. Japan currently allows blending with Brazilian sugar ethanol, but U.S. ethanol is currently 35 percent cheaper than Brazilian sugar ethanol. China had announced last month that it will increase
November 29, 2017
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by Chisaki Watanabe (Sidney Morning Herald) What started as a way to cut Japan’s dependence on imported fossil fuels has led to an unexpected surge in a different and equally controversial shipment: palm oil. Government incentives introduced after the Fukushima disaster in 2011 guarantee prices for power generated by renewable sources such
November 13, 2017
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) In October, the USDA Economic Research Service published a report on global ethanol mandates that outlines the opportunities for exports of U.S. ethanol and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS). According to the report, more than two dozen countries currently have ethanol mandates in place,
November 8, 2017
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by Yukako Ono (Nikkei Asian Review) IHI will conduct large-scale verification experiments in Thailand on a process for producing jet fuel from the oil extracted from cultured microalgae. The goal is to have a practical technology ready by 2020 so the biojet fuel can be used for test flights during the
November 7, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Recently, Lexus’ Paul Williamsen told Australia’s CarAdvice team: “Both hybrid and EVs are merely bridging technologies on the way to the solution, which is hydrogen. The problem with EVs is a simple matter of chemistry – we won’t be able to get the charging times down. I’ve
November 4, 2017
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by Ben Chapman (Independent) With long-distance electric-powered transport still a long way off, can advances in renewable fuel made from vegetable oil and waste fill the gap to combat climate change and clean up our toxic air? Planes across Europe will soon run on renewable fuel made from vegetable oil and animal fat in
November 1, 2017
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by Alanna Petroff (CNN) China, the world’s largest car market, is working on a plan to ban the production and sale of vehicles powered only by fossil fuels. It has plenty of company: India, France, Britain and Norway want to ditch gas and diesel cars in favor of cleaner vehicles. In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel has
October 13, 2017
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by Jill Loehr (Prairie Farmer) Illinois has the third-largest ethanol production capacity in the U.S. Marquis Energy, one of the state’s 13 ethanol plants, contributes 300 million gallons each year. What’s the secret to its success? Proximity to the river, rails and roads. … States like Iowa needed ethanol plants
October 4, 2017
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(Biofuels International) Researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology have developed a new catalyst to improve the synthesis of primary amines (derivatives of ammonia). It is claimed that in the future the newly developed ruthenium based catalyst could also impact the development of biofuels and bio-oils. … In a study published
September 14, 2017
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(Algae Industry Magazine) Researchers from UCLA and the University of Tokyo have demonstrated a new capability to sort microalgae cells by their shape, creating a baseline of uniform cells for a large range of research, industrial and clinical applications. While traditional microalgal separation methods are based on porous filters or
September 13, 2017
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(PRNewswire/Grand View Research, Inc.) The global waste to diesel market is expected to reach USD 942.78million by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Increasing technologies for the conversion of waste owing to stringent environmental regulations has been a major factor driving industry growth. Also, growing demand for biodiesel in industrial machinery
September 11, 2017
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Japan recently filed a report with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service’s Global Agricultural Information Network, noting the government plans to maintain its 500 million liter (132.09 million gallon) crude oil equivalent mandate for biofuels through at least 2022. The report also states the government
August 31, 2017
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by Karina V. Canedo (Sun Star) A plant that will process used cooking oil into biodiesel fuel (BDF) will be inaugurated on Friday, August 25, at the Maa Composting Facility, Davao City. Davao City Environment and Natural Resources Office head Engineer Eliza Madrazo said that the plant is not newly
August 25, 2017
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(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) The Deputy Director for Food Security at Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Kimihiko Eura, toured Guardian Energy in Janesville yesterday to learn about renewable fuel production in Minnesota. During the two-hour tour, Eura learned about incoming grain handling, grain storage, liquefaction, fermentation, distillation, dried distillers
August 22, 2017
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(Absolute Reports) Cassava Bioethanol Report by Material, Application, and Geography – Global Forecast to 2021 is a professional and in-depth research report on the world’s major regional market conditions, focusing on the main regions (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific) and the main countries (United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Japan, South
July 28, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … In Botswana, jatropha’s adventures are just beginning according to the Ministry of Minerals Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security’s advisor, Freddie Motlhatlhedi. He was referring to a joint research project done by Botswana and Japan that shows quite a bit of promise for commercial production of jatropha
July 25, 2017
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by Fernando Calmon (Just Auto) Nissan was the auto industry’s first company to develop a vehicle prototype powered by a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) that works with bio-ethanol. By combining this and two other technologies (electric motor and a 24 kW/h battery) range is in excess of 600km (375 miles).
June 20, 2017
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(The Phnom Penh Post) Representatives of Japanese petroleum firm Idemitsu Kosan Co Ltd met with the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) earlier this week to discuss potential plans to invest in a cassava processing plant that would convert the agricultural stock into ethanol fuel, according to a release from
by A. Kam Napier (Pacific Business News) Jenna Long, 31, Director of operations, Pacific Biodiesel The state’s only commercial biofuel producer is humming along in Keaau, on the Big Island, a family-run business that pioneered that form of renewable energy in Hawaii, where Jenna Long, 31, is director of operations. Pacific
June 14, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Velocys enables modular gas-to-liquids and biomass-to-liquids plants to convert unconventional, remote and problem gas and waste biomass into valuable, drop-in liquid fuels. After 15 years and some $300 million in investment, Velocys technology is headed for scale.The ENVIA project is now producing fuels in Oklahoma,
May 30, 2017
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by Akiyo Yasuda (Nikkei Asia Review) Producer of algae-based products looks to China, Southeast Asia to drive growth — Tokyo-based euglena, a biotech venture formed by the University of Tokyo is expanding overseas operations. The producer of algae-based products started selling supplements in Singapore and cosmetics in Macau last month. …
May 22, 2017
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(Phys.Org/University of Hong Kong) Straw is commonly used for feeding animals, burning, baling, etc. As one of the “Three Canton Treasures”, straw can actually be used as a raw material to produce biofuel. … With an increasing demand on biofuel in recent years, cellulose from non-edible plant materials (e.g. sugarcane
May 9, 2017
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by Viola Zhou (South China Morning Post) Lydia Lam Pui-ying will further her study at Kyoto University in Japan — Hong Kong and Japanese scientists have discovered a new way to make biofuel from rice straw, which may offer a cheaper alternative to chemical methods currently employed. However, due to
May 5, 2017
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(Phys.Org/Kumamoto University) … Recently, efforts have been made by researchers in Japan to reduce the cost of biodiesel production by using pulsed electric fields (PEF) to extract hydrocarbons from microalgae. A milli- or microsecond PEF is typically used to weaken cell walls and increase permeability allowing for extraction of elements inside
May 1, 2017
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(Science Daily/Kobe University) The mechanism behind oil synthesis within microalgae cells has now been revealed by a research team. This discovery could contribute to the development of biofuels, they say. The findings were published on April 4 in Scientific Reports. … Focusing on marine microalgae, Professor Hasunuma (Tomohisa)’s group found that
April 26, 2017
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(Algae Industry Magazine) Many microalgae strains have received attention in biomass production due to their high biomass productivity per unit time and per unit area. Algae produce oil as well as carbohydrates, occurring mainly in the form of starch. Oil derived from algae has recently been adopted for use in
April 13, 2017
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by Sarah Karacs (CNN Tech) A tiny organism thinner than a strand of hair could help fuel airplanes in the future. Japanese firm Euglena has been cultivating a type of algae for use in food and cosmetics. But it sees a range of other potential uses for it. The company is
March 27, 2017
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(Tokyo Institute of Technology/EurekAlert!) The perimeter of lipid droplet in their cells is an important place for oil synthesis — Photosynthetic organisms such as plants and green algae can transform atmospheric carbon dioxide into carbon storage molecules, especially oils such as triacylglycerols (TAGs), which can be used as biofuels. In this
March 8, 2017
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(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) defines green jobs as either “jobs in businesses that produce goods and provide services that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources” or as “jobs in which workers’ duties involve making their establishment’s production processes more environmentally friendly
February 17, 2017
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(EurekAlert!/Kobe University) A Japanese research group led by Associate Professor ASHIDA Hiroki (Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University), Academic Researcher KONO Takunari (Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University), and Professor MATSUMURA Hiroyoshi (Ritsumeikan University) has discovered an evolutionary model for the biological function that
by Peter Hemphill (The Weekly Times) More than 80 per cent of Australia’s canola oil will end up in the fuel tanks of European cars and trucks, rather than as human food, this year. Data compiled by Geelong grain industry consultancy Lachstock Consulting shows forecast exports of Australian canola topping
February 6, 2017
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(Bangkok Post) PTG Energy Plc (PTG), a SET-listed oil retailer, and Eiamburapa Co (EBP), a top producer of tapioca products, have teamed up to develop what they say will be the world’s first facility that makes ethanol from cassava pulp. The project has an investment budget of 1.5 billion baht. … Sapporo
January 13, 2017
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(Nikkei Asian Review) Japanese company’s tech can cut costs at planned processing plant — Toray Industries looks to tap sugar cane waste in Thailand to produce raw materials for biofuel, a revenue source that fits with the company’s expansion plans. The Japanese synthetic fibers giant plans to spend 5 billion yen
January 6, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Oberon Fuels is facilitating the growth of the DME transportation industry by converting biogas and other hydrocarbon rich waste streams to higher valued commodities such as DME. Using its proprietary small-scale process, Oberon makes DME and methanol from various methane and carbon dioxide sources. In
January 2, 2017
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Story by Todd C. Frankel and Peter Whoriskey; Photos and videos by Michael Robinson Chavez; Video editing by Jorge Ribas (The Washington Post) In the thin air of the salt flats here, nearly 13,000 feet above sea level, the indigenous Atacamas people face a constant struggle. … Yet beneath their ancestral land
December 19, 2016
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(Iowa Corn) … As the world strives to meet goals set by global climate initiatives, U.S. ethanol provides an affordable solution. Government mandates, which dictate a certain amount of ethanol to be blended with gasoline, make a big impact on global ethanol demand. In many countries, blend mandates function as
December 8, 2016
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(Nikkei Asian Review) A startup founded by maverick Japanese entrepreneur Takafumi Horie is poised to launch a test rocket as early as January. If successful, it will be Japan’s first private rocket to reach an altitude of 100km. Interstellar Technologies, based in the country’s northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido, aims to
December 2, 2016
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(Univeristy of Botswana) The University of Botswana took its research programme to loftier heights when it launched an experimental vehicle that uses biodiesel fuel on November 14, 2016. The vehicle uses blended fuel (B10) which is 90 per cent petroleum diesel (50PPM) and 10 per cent biodiesel produced by University
November 17, 2016
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by Laís Forti Thomaz* (Advanced Biofuels USA) On October 17-18, 2016, Datagro held its 16th International Conference in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Once again, this event reunited many great specialists of the sector. Innovations and public policies were the key issues discussed. Nissan new technology promises a revolution The main highlight
(U.S. Grains Council) A recently released U.S. Grains Council (USGC) study finds that a significant portion of U.S.-produced corn ethanol will likely meet Japan’s 50 percent greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction threshold over gasoline, supporting the case for that fuel’s competitiveness and its sustainability compared to other fuel sources. These results
October 21, 2016
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This season, The Digest is hosting the Strategic Intent webinar series, looking at the plans, progress and future milestones of strategic stakeholders in the Advanced Bioeconomy. In this slide deck, we looked at Mars and Mitsui and their direct investments, partnerships and alliances with companies both heralded and unknown.
October 7, 2016
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In the EU, the International Energy Agency has released its Bioenergy Countries’ Report, outlining the national renewable energy targets, total primary energy supply and contribution of bioenergy. We’ve presented the information relating to EU counties, below. The complete report can be downloaded here. This report was
October 6, 2016
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This season, The Digest is hosting the Strategic Intent webinar series, looking at the plans, progress and future milestones of strategic stakeholders in the Advanced Bioeconomy. In this slide deck, we looked at Nissan and Neste and their direct investments, partnerships and alliances with companies
October 5, 2016
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The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service publishes regular GAIN reports on biofuels in countries around the world. Some of the recent reports included the European Union (download), Japan (download), Philippines (download), Brazil (download), Colombia (download), Canada (download), Thailand (download), Indonesia (download), Malaysia (download), Argentina (download) and Australia (download). READ MORE
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This season, The Digest is hosting the Strategic Intent webinar series, looking at the plans, progress and future milestones of strategic stakeholders in the Advanced Bioeconomy. In this slide deck, we looked at Tesoro and Toyota and their direct investments, partnerships and alliances with companies both heralded and unknown. READ
September 29, 2016
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(VN Express International) The government continues to miss its targets for the cleaner, cassava-based fuel. State-owned fuel giant PetroVietnam has asked the government for tax support to save its new biofuel business from going bankrupt due to poor consumption. PetroVietnam said in a statement that it needs exemptions for tariffs on
September 22, 2016
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(Sandia National Laboratories) A wide-ranging analysis of water vulnerability across the Pacific — including the U.S., China, Russia and Japan — has identified hundreds of locations where energy production depends upon scarce water supplies. The Sandia National Laboratories study, “Mapping Water Consumption for Energy Production Around the Pacific Rim,” was
September 20, 2016
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Japan recently filed an annual biofuels report with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service’s Global Agricultural Information Network that highlights the country’s ethanol use and production. According to the report, Japan has established its own sustainability standards for biofuels and only allows for ethanol with
September 19, 2016
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by Xiaojuan Gao (Platts) The export arbitrage for China ethanol has narrowed to the point where transactions could be occurring very soon, market participants said Friday, citing a combination of factors including increasing international ethanol market prices and government support policies to decrease corn stockpiles. … In US dollar terms, this
September 12, 2016
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by Daniel Gallas (BBC) The automotive industry is rushing to produce electric vehicles (EVs) as the world tries to move away from polluting hydrocarbons to greener, cleaner fuels. But EVs still only account for 1% of the total market. Some companies are betting that hydrogen fuel cells will be the
August 16, 2016
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by Manuel Herrador (EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation) ISUZU MOTORS Co. Ltd. and EUGLENA Co. Ltd. aiming at practical use of the next generation “Midorimushi” microalgae-derived bio-fuel by 2018 with the “DeuSEL” project — ISUZU MOTORS Co. Ltd. and EUGLENA Co. Ltd. are joining efforts in the joint project DeuSEL
August 15, 2016
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(Hoosier Ag Today/NAFB News Service) The U.S. Grains Council says key members of Japan’s media traveled across the United States last week to learn about corn production, ethanol, and biotechnology. The members of Japan’s media came to learn how those topics fit into making U.S. farms sustainable. The tour started
August 8, 2016
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(Nissan Motor Co./Automotive World) In Brazil today, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today revealed the world’s first Solid Oxide Fuel-Cell (SOFC)-powered prototype vehicle that runs on bio-ethanol electric power. Nissan president and CEO Carlos Ghosn said: “The e-Bio Fuel-Cell offers eco-friendly transportation and creates opportunities for regional energy production…all the while supporting
August 5, 2016
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(4 Traders/Mitsubishi Chemical) Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. Mitsui Zosen Machinery & Service, Inc. Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (MCC; Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Hiroaki Ishizuka) and Mitsui Zosen Machinery & Service, Inc. (MZM; Head office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President: Masao Morita), a subsidiary of Mitsui Engineering &
July 19, 2016
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by Julia Fioretti (Reuters) The European Commission will propose limits for the first time on CO2 emissions from trucks and will also set new fuel efficiency standards for cars and vans from 2020, according to a draft document seen by Reuters. The European Union currently has no limits on truck
July 18, 2016
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This week, we report that Toyota Tsusho has been identified as a major strategic investor in Anellotech, which is developing a pyrolysis-based technology for making bio-based BTX molecules as an alternative to petroleum-based supplies. Here’s the latest overview from Toyota Tsusho on its strategic direction.
July 18, 2016
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New York, Toyota Tsusho was identified this week as a multinational strategic equity investor in Anellotech and corporate partner in the renewable aromatic chemicals supply chain. Toyota Tsusho is a member of the Toyota Group and is one of the major value chain partners
July 18, 2016
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by Heather Hansman (Popular Science) … But Japan, home of the 2020 games, wants to make the event good for their country and society. The nation has done it before. To host the 1964 Olympics, Japan launched the Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train, which revolutionized national transportation. Drawing on the Japanese sustainability
July 8, 2016
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … But the RE in algae these days has been, more or less, REposition. Possibly REthink. Certainly not much REfinance, or REcommit to the original targets. The algae business models of 2009 burst up in a bloom, and busted when OPEC took the oxygen out of
July 1, 2016
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(U.S. Grains Council) U.S. Grains Council (USGC) Manager of Ethanol Export Promotion Programs Ashley Kongs presented the roadmap for building global ethanol export demand developed by the organization and its domestic partners, including the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and Growth Energy, during this week’s 2016 Fuel Ethanol Workshop and Expo
June 24, 2016
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by Geoffrey Styles (The Energy Collective) Plans for a fuel cell car running on ethanol look like a clever way to circumvent the obstacles faced by other fuel cell vehicles. However, it is not clear that ethanol’s perceived logistical benefits or emissions profile would give Nissan an edge in the competitive
June 21, 2016
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by Ben Rosen (Christian Science Monitor) Algae grows faster and produces higher energy yields than other plants, but is much more expensive to turn into fuel than traditional petroleum byproducts. — … Airbus researchers are growing algae for biofuel in tanks near Munich, just one in a growing number
June 17, 2016
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Fuel cells are important technology. You may remember them from the space program. They show up in the drama of Apollo 13, for example. Many car companies have investigated their potential — but here’s a breakthrough that appears to address the major infrastructure and environmental
June 16, 2016
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by Hans Greimel (Automotive News) Nissan Motor Co. has developed a new kind of fuel cell drivetrain for cars that taps an onboard tank of ethanol instead of pressurized hydrogen, delivering a cheaper and safer ride that it says is more user friendly. The new technology, dubbed an e-bio fuel
June 14, 2016
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by Karl Mathiesen (The Guardian) Leaders of the UK, US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the EU urge all countries to join them in eliminating support for coal, oil and gas in a decade — The G7 nations have for the first time set a deadline for the ending
June 6, 2016
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(U.S. Grains Council) The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) and its industry partners sought to dispel myths about U.S. ethanol and open the door for the renewable fuel in the Japanese market this week at a workshop held in Tokyo for energy officials. The Council and those it is working with
May 20, 2016
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(Law 360) Suzuki Motor Corp. on Wednesday said an internal investigation prompted by regulatory scrutiny over emissions and fuel efficiency standards has shown “discrepancies” in the testing methods used for 16 car models sold in Japan. Although the automaker said “acts of injustice” like intentional manipulation of fuel efficiency
May 19, 2016
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by Tom C. Doran (AgriNews) The U.S. Grains Council has long served as an international promoter of corn and other grain exports and has expanded its efforts to include ethanol and dried distillers grains with solubles. The efforts coincide with a growing interest in ethanol in the Asia-Pacific region driven
May 18, 2016
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(Algae Industry Magazine) Valerina Changarathil writes in Adelaide Now that the Whyalla, Australia-based commercial biofuel producer Muradel will receive a new federal grant next month to start scaling up its demonstration plant as it refocuses on new feedstock. Muradel did not disclose the grant amount while still being finalized,
April 26, 2016
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Green Earth Institute Co., Ltd. is focused on producing carbon-neutral biofuels and green chemicals derived from non-food biomass, such as leaves and stems of plants, instead of using food and feed crops. Using technology originally invented by RITE (Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the
April 25, 2016
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by Takuro Kusashio (Nikke) Researchers at Kobe University say they have found a possible way to turn bits of crustaceans and insects into ethanol for about the same cost as producing the fuel from corn. Chitin, the stuff that gives the exoskeletons of such creatures as crabs and beetles their
April 8, 2016
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by Brooks Hays (UPI) Researchers say their breakthrough can be scaled for industrial biomass processing. — A team of researchers in Japan have developed a relatively simple pretreatment strategy to boost the efficiency of biorefinery systems. In the pretreatment process the leaves and stalks of corn ground into powder and
March 2, 2016
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by Mbongeni Mguni (Mmegi Online) A one-hectare plot containing 1,526 Jatropha trees bears the country’s hopes for greater energy diversity and the promise of an alternative revenue source for farmers. This week, Staff Writer, MBONGENI MGUNI, finds that after four years of research in testing conditions, the wonder plant project has
February 9, 2016
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(Research and Markets/BusinessWire) Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/fnbdpf/analyzing) has announced the addition of the “Analyzing Biofuels from Rice” report to their offering. This report on Analyzing Biofuels from Rice is a comprehensive digest on biofuels and endeavors to deliver a better understanding on this yet to be fully tapped energy reserve
February 8, 2016
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by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Global trade for U.S. ethanol has been trending up in the past decade, becoming an important part of the industry’s growth strategy. — Looking at the numbers, it doesn’t take long to conclude that the U.S. is developing into an ethanol export powerhouse. “As
January 22, 2016
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As Anellotech’s 80-foot high development unit readies for installation, the giant Japanese beverage maker is revealed as its collaboration partner. Whether Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Orangina, Aquafina water, Gatorade, Schweppes is your beverage of choice, the 100% biobased plastic bottle may well be coming your way,
January 19, 2016
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(4-Traders.com) Japan Airlines, or JAL, plans to build Japan’s first plant that will turn waste into fuel to be used as biofuel in its planes, economic daily Nikkei reported Thursday. JAL is building its first demonstration complex in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, aiming to get the fuel ready
January 14, 2016
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(PR NewsWire) The Port of Seattle, Alaska Airlines [NYSE: ALK] and Boeing [NYSE: BA] are partnering to move toward a significant environmental goal: powering all flights by all airlines at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport with sustainable aviation biofuel. Sea-Tac is the first U.S. airport to lay out a long-term roadmap to
December 16, 2015
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by Mathew Carr (BloombergBusiness) Markets will help drive emission reductions under Paris deal; Rules needed to ensure markets have environmental integrity — Eighteen nations including the U.S., Japan and Germany will work together to develop international carbon markets to help speed the pace of emission reductions under the Paris climate
December 15, 2015
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by Bryan Lufkin (Gizmodo) From powering airplanes to replacing nuclear energy, algae has been touted as a green energy miracle. So if our waterways are already filled with the stuff, why isn’t it filling the world’s skies with biofueled planes? Algae is a tricky creature that presents a lot of
December 9, 2015
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by Chris Arsenault (PlanetArk.org/Reuters) Wealthy nations spend 40 times as much money subsidizing fossil fuel production as they contribute to the Green Climate Fund to help poor countries adapt to global warming, a research group said in a study released on Thursday. Eight industrialized nations – Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy,
December 4, 2015
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by Chris Cooper (Bloomberg) ANA Holdings Inc., Japan’s largest airline, plans to use a Euglena Co. biofuel made from algae as the supplier builds a demonstration plant in Yokohama. ANA will use a mix of about 10 percent of the algae-based fuel, Kiyoshi Tonomoto, an executive vice president at the
December 2, 2015
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by Plamena Tisheva (SeeNews) The global market for biofuel enzymes is to experience a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.4% over the next five years, driven by the shift to cellulosic ethanol, BCC Research says in a report, released Wednesday. The firm expects the market to reach USD 652.1 million (EUR
December 2, 2015
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In France, President Obama and French President Hollande, along with a wide range of other top global leaders, are announcing today the launch of “Mission Innovation,” a 20-country initiative to dramatically accelerate public and private global clean energy innovation to address global climate change, provide
November 30, 2015
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(PR Newswire/BCC Research) This BCC Research report explores present and future strategies within the biofuel enzymes market, which includes amylase, cellulose, xylanase, lipase and other enzymes such as protease, lysomax, FermaSure, etc. Forecasts provided through 2020. Use this report to: Analyze the future direction of biofuel enzymes as important instruments
November 18, 2015
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by Hirokazu Kobayashi, Hiroyuki Kaiki, Abhijit Shrotri, Kota Techikawara and Atsushi Fukuoka (Chemical Science) Biomass is the sole carbon-based renewable resource for sustaining the chemical and fuel demands of our future. Lignocellulose, the primary constituent of terrestrial plants, is the most abundant non-food biomass, and its utilisation is a
November 11, 2015
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Honeywell’s UOP has developed a renewable jet fuel processing technology, a renewable diesel process, as well as a joint venture, Envergent Technologies, that will market technologies and equipment for generating power, transportation fuel and heating oil from biomass using pyrolysis. UOP also owns a Renewable
October 30, 2015
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(El Dario (Google translation)) … “What matters to Barajas de Melo and all its neighbors is that this plant is definitely over. They take four or five years building it and are talking about an investment of 30 million euros. What we want is that the plant begins operation ,
October 22, 2015
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by Antonio L. Colina IV (Minda News) The City Government of Davao is the country’s sole recipient of a biodiesel project from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) that will convert used cooking oil to fuel, an official said on Monday. Lawyer Tristan Dwight Domingo, assistant city administrator, said during the Kapehan
October 20, 2015
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by Michael Nash (Automotive World) Volvo Trucks is gearing up to ensure its Euro VI engines support hydrotreated vegetable oils (HVO) Just as it did with its Euro V engines, Volvo Trucks is readying its Euro VI engines to be hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) compliant. The OEM believes the alternative
October 7, 2015
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) License agreement adds countries in Southeast Asia; Optional capacity for up to 75,000 metric tons per year; Targeting large-scale commercial production of renewable butanediol using Genomatica technology In California, BASF and Genomatica have expanded the scope of their license agreement for the production of 1,4-butanediol
September 28, 2015
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(Nikkei Asian Review) The Asian Development Bank will team with Japanese companies to establish a roughly $750 million fund investing in Asia’s alternative energy industry. … Asia Climate Partners will use ADB’s connections and information network to find promising investments. It will distribute money over five-year periods and recoup investments
September 22, 2015
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(Algae Industry Magazine) In Japan, the Algae Biomass Energy System Development Research Center, headed by Professor Makoto Watanabe, was established at the University of Tsukuba on July 1. The new organization’s duties include fundamental research and empirical studies on algae biomass and applications of the research for industry. The final
September 15, 2015
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(Tokyo Tech News) Studies of the genes involved in oil synthesis in microalgae allow scientists to use a gene promoter to increase algal production of triacylglycerols, which in turn enhances potential biofuel yields. … Now, Hiroyuki Ohta at Tokyo Institute of Technology, together with scientists based at institutions across Tokyo,
September 8, 2015
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Japan: Japan Invites Public Comments on Fuel Ethanol Policy
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) On December 29, 2017, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) invited public comments on changes to its fuel ethanol policy. The changes include a set value for U.S. corn-based ethanol green-house gas (GHG) emissions which would allow its import for use in the production