by Mark Matsunaga (U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs/The Lemoore Navy News) Ships and aircraft in the next Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise could be running on biofuels, and they won't even need to know it, according to speakers at
by Chisaki Watanabe (Bloomberg) Isuzu Motors Ltd. (7202) and Euglena Co. (2931) will work together to develop a new kind of biodiesel using algae, with a goal of establishing the technology by 2018. The companies want to develop a type of
(Heliae/MarketWired/Digital Journal) Heliae, a leader in the development of advanced algae production technologies, today announced a partnership with Japan-based Sincere Corporation, a waste management and recycling company, to form a joint venture and develop a commercial algae production facility in
by Ann Lewis (Renewable Fuels Association) U.S. ethanol shipments in January rocketed to 86.2 million gallons (mg), marking the highest monthly export volume since December 2011, according to government data released last week. Exports were up a third from December
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Algae has been touted as the ultimate platform for fuels, chemicals, nutraceuticals, proteins — even cancer therapies. There’s been a rate of progress that would impress any devotee of Moore’s Law — and a series of
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack left no one in doubt regarding his commitment to the ethanol industry in Phoenix on Thursday, Feb. 27. The ethanol producers, farmers and industry representatives at Growth Energy's annual
by Sam Sims (Ultimate MotorCycling) ...One of the biggest problems with Ethanol is it leans out a motorcycle’s air-fuel mixture, which can cause major damage. Many newer cars arrive with fuel-injection systems that can compensate for the leaning, known as
(Japan Times) Biofuel research firm IHI NeoG Algae LLC, a unit of major heavy machinery maker IHI Corp., has succeeded in cutting the cost of producing oil from algae, an alternative to crude oil-based fuel. Working at a 100-sq.-meter outdoor
(Japan Times) Toyota Auto Body Co. has entered a team in the 2014 Dakar Rally, the subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corp. said. The team plans to run a Toyota Land Cruiser 200 sport utility vehicle in the roughly 5,500-km off-road race
by Chris Hanson (Biomass Magazine) Researchers at the J. Craig Venter Institute in Rockville, Md. and Waseda University in Tokyo have modified cyanobacteria’s biological clock to remain in its daytime state. “We have shown that manipulating cyanobacteria’s clock genes can increase
by Ben Geman (The Hill E2Wire) A new report finds that the most cost-effective climate change policies are the ones with the least political traction in the United States. Imposing an explicit cost on carbon pollution is the best way to
by Keikantse Lesemela (The Monitor) In support of the bio diesel fuel project in Botswana, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) donated equipment worth an estimated P2 million. The research project was carried out in April 2011 to reduce carbon emissions by
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) According to an article in the journal Phycologia, a recent research study examined a promising freshwater algal strain for possible genetic engineering applications that could make it a viable biofuel. The research, conducted by a research team in
by Joel Winston (AllAfrica) Significant uncertainties about the development of algae biofuels and a lack of research and development capabilities make this potential energy source an unsuitable option for developing countries, according to researchers from the UN University in Japan. The
by Kelly Davis (Renewable Fuels Association) As part of the RFA’s commitment to increasing ethanol export markets, I recently had the unique opportunity to join the U.S. Grains Council on a trade mission to South Korea and Japan. We visited
(EurActiv) Leaders of the EU and their partners in the G8 nations are under mounting pressure to reconsider their support for biofuel targets amid concern that plant oil production competes with food output in poor countries. Britain, which chairs the G8 this
(Algae Industry Magazine) The Japan News reports that in Miyagino Ward, Sendai, a project has started at a sewage treatment facility to extract a biofuel ingredient from wastewater using algae. This first of its kind project in Japan is part
by Kim McDonald (University of California at San Diego) New discoveries of the way plants transport important substances across their biological membranes to resist toxic metals and pests, increase salt and drought tolerance, control water loss and store sugar can have
by Takeo Kumagai (Platts) Japan's largest refiner JX Nippon Oil & Energy is set to start selling ETBE-blended gasoline from its branded service stations in the northeast of the country, taking the number of outlets at which it sells gasoline containing
by David Glass (DGlassAssociates.com) In two blog entries in 2010, I described the possible regulatory regimes that might affect the use of genetically modified microorganisms or plants in the production of biofuels or bio-based chemicals, focusing on Canada and Europe. In a post last
by Nina Chestney (Reuters) * U.S. cellulosic biofuel goals not reached * Beta sees industry stepping up output by 2015 * New players could emerge from eastern Europe Biofuels made from wood waste and sugarcane have languished well below expectations for years but
by Tassia Sipahutar (The Jakarta Post) State-owned sugar and tobacco plantation firm PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) X is expanding into biofuel production and electricity this year in an effort to offset increasing sugar manufacturing costs. The firm needs additional income from other
by Joann Muller (Forbes) When the grueling 2013 Rolex 24 endurance race kicks off at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 26, the field will include three Mazda6 race cars powered by an unusual type of renewable fuel. The ultra-clean, synthetic diesel fuel is made from
by Constantine Arcoumanis, Choongsik Bae, Roy Crookes, Eiji Kinoshita (Fuel/Science Direct) This paper reviews the properties and application of di-methyl ether (DME) as a candidate fuel for compression-ignition engines. DME is produced by the conversion of various feedstock such as natural
by Emily Bruns (Ashton Gasette) In an effort to evolve with the constant changes and challenges within a $50 billion industry, Rochelle’s Illinois River Energy ethanol plant began producing and industrial corn oil on Nov. 27. This corn oil byproduct, which
(Bangkok Post) The National Innovation Agency (NIA) joined hands with Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) to support the first pilot plant for ethanol production from cassava pulp in Thailand. ...A feasibility study was conducted, showing Thailand is
(Daily Yomiuri) Idemitsu Kosan Co. said Monday it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Cambodian government to promote biofuel production in the Southeast Asian country. The move is part of plans by the Japanese energy firm to produce bioethanol
by Peter Hemphill (Grain & Hay WeeklyTimes) An American biofuels company is looking to build a refinery in Australia to produce ethanol from wheat straw and other residues. ...Investors in the biorefineries include Australia's Macquarie Bank and Japanese commodity trader Itochu Corporation. ZeaChem
(Daily Yomiuri Online) IHI Corp. on Wednesday unveiled to reporters its facility to test the cultivation of algae for biofuel in Yokohama. The company hopes to mass-produce the biofuel for use in jet fuel, with a target of practical use
(The Star) A Japanese technology, which is still in its pilot stage, may be used on sago to produce ethanol. Kansai Chemical Engineering Company Limited of Bio-Energy Corporation presdent Dr Hideo Noda said in Japan, several projects on bio-ethanol production from
(ZeaChem) ZeaChem Inc., developer of highly-efficient biorefineries, today announced that it has completed construction of its 250,000 gallons per year (GPY) cellulosic ethanol biorefinery in Boardman, Oregon. The project was completed on budget and is expected to begin production of
by Masato Kouzu, Jyu-suke Hidaka (Fuel) Vegetable oil is one of the biomass resources generated from carbon dioxide and water with the aid of photosynthesis, and is converted into an alternative to fossil diesel fuel by transesterifying with methanol. The
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...While the economic growth in China has been drawing virtually all the headlines in recent years, the “Tiger” economies of Southeast and South Asia have been fast-growing for a long time, and with resources including
(OriginOil) Algae has the unique potential in Japan to both provide renewable fuels and help eliminate radioactive materials OriginOil, Inc., the developer of a breakthrough energy production process for the oil and algae industries, announced today that its longstanding research partner in
by Angela Greiling Keane (Bloomberg) Honda Motor Co. (7267), which last year complained that a proposed fuel-economy rule was unfair to non- U.S. automakers, got a boost when the final version added extra credits for sellers of natural gas-powered vehicles. Honda,
(Handy Shipping Guide) Nippon Buy Boeing Again Quoting Environmental and Economic Advantages Aircraft manufacturer Boeing has announced that it has delivered a 747-8 Freighter to Narita-based air cargo transporters, Nippon Cargo Airlines (NCA), marking the Japanese debut for this model. ...The environmentally focused Nippon
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Researchers in Southeast Asia have identified an approach to producing ethanol using an abundant waste feedstock that could potentially add a significant source of biofuel production from oil palm plantations. Oil palm empty fruit
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Conditions are ripe for biofuels demand and production to boom in Asia over the next few years, as steady growth in countries such as China, India and Japan will prompt an “astronomical” rise in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...(M)ore than 30 airlines now trialing, deploying biofuels – but who’s doing what, exactly? In Brazil, Azul Airlines announced that Amyris’s innovative renewable jet fuel sourced from Brazilian sugarcane has passed all required testing and will be used during
(Boeing) Boeing and All Nippon Airways (ANA) made aviation history today as a 787 Dreamliner flew for the first time powered in part by sustainable biofuels. "The 787 is the most environmentally progressive jetliner flying today, combining fuel efficiency and comfort
by Andrew DeWitt (The Asia-Pacific Journal) ...The Republicans think they see their chance to throw a wrench in the works. They recently decided to open congressional hearings to try, through focusing on Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, to put a political face on
by Saroj Shrestha (JCN Network) Sojitz Corp. and Hitachi Zosen Corp. have launched a model project for production of bioethanol from potato starch residue in the Keshan State Farm in Harbin City, in China's Heilongjiang Province. The project is being conducted
(UPI) Growing crops for fuel as opposed to refining fossil fuels and substituting bioethanol for gasoline is a sustainable energy strategy, Japanese researchers say. In a study published in the International Journal of Foresight and Innovation Policy, researchers analyzed the overall
(Platts) Japanese Toyo Engineering Co is to build a 10,000 mt/year industrial-grade ethanol plant in Johor Baru, Malaysia by Q2 2013, the company said in a statement Wednesday. The plant, to be run by a joint venture comprising US firm Glycos
by Jonathan Williams (Biofuels Digest) Who’s in front in the development of algal-based fuels and biomaterials? India, China, Japan, Australia, Taiwan, Israel, the EU, or the US. The NAABB’s globe-trotting chief parses it out. In New Mexico, Dr. Jose Olivares is
(Japan Times) Not many people imagine that resource-poor Japan might one day become an oil exporter. But someone who does is Makoto Watanabe, a leading expert in research on producing oil from microscopic algae. Research into creating biofuel from so-called microalgae
(Algae Industry Magazine) rom the Denki Shimbun Electric Daily News comes a story about three Japanese companies: IHI Corporation, Gene and Gene Technology (G>), and the Neo-Morgan Laboratory Incorporated (NML) that have just announced establishing a joint company to research
(BBC) Sony has unveiled a paper-powered battery prototype in Japan. The technology generates electricity by turning shredded paper into sugar which in turn is used as fuel. ...The process works by using the enzyme cellulase to decompose the materials into glucose sugar.
(Red Orbit) The carbon footprint of humans will be reduced by four awards for plant and microbial research issued under a new joint U.S./Japanese program Four joint United States and Japanese research teams have been awarded funding totaling about $12 million
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...In September, Ed Hubbard, legislative counsel for the Renewable Fuels Association, addressed the topic of ethanol exports during a presentation at an ethanol logistics conference held in New Orleans. He noted that the amount
(PressZoom/Iowa State University) An Iowa State University research team is collaborating with scientists at the Samuel Roberts Nobel Foundation and also with scientists in Japan to develop an international partnership to help make strides in the technologies needed towards
Travel to Japan or Indonesia Travel Dates: Japan Fellowship February 13, 2012 – March 2, 2012 Indonesia Fellowship February 20, 2012 – March 9, 2012 Fellows are selected based on outstanding performance and the ability to play leadership roles in their organizations and in their communities.
(The Mainichi Daily News) Could Japan become a major oil-producing nation? That's the dream of researchers at IHI NeoG Algae LLC, which is working on extracting oil not from new holes in the ground, but from algae. The company -- a
(Biofuels Journal) Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) held an event Oct. 4 at its Toyota Biotechnology and Afforestation Laboratory in Aichi prefecture to showcase technologies developed there as part of its biotechnology and afforestation businesses. Technology on display included a newly developed yeast that
by Kiyohiko Igarashi, Takayuki Uchihashi, Anu Koivula, Masahisa Wada, Satoshi Kimura, Tetsuaki Okamoto, Merja Penttilä, Toshio Ando, and Masahiro Samejima (Science Magazine) A deeper mechanistic understanding of the saccharification of cellulosic biomass could enhance the efficiency of biofuels development. We report here the real-time visualization of crystalline
(The Mainichi Daily News) An experiment to extract hydrocarbons, a main component of petroleum, from algae is set to get under way in the autumn in this quake- and tsunami-hit city. The Sendai Municipal Government, the University of Tsukuba and Tohoku
(TheBioenergySite.com) Hitachi Zosen has teamed up with the city of Kyoto and Kumamoto University to begin converting municipal waste into ethanol on a trial basis. ...The biofuel produced will be used to fuel cars and as boiler fuel for factories. READ
(Science Daily/Ruhr-Universitaet-Bochum) Under normal conditions, cyanobacteria, also termed blue-green algae, build up energy reserves that allow them to survive under stress such as long periods of darkness. They do this by means of a molecular switch in an enzyme. By
(The Denki Shimbun) Three Japanese companies of IHI Corporation, a biotechnology venture Gene and Gene Technology (G>) based in Osaka Prefecture, and the Neo-Morgan Laboratory Incorporated (NML) based in Kawasaki City announced July 7 that they would establish a joint
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In Brazil, Dow Chemical has teamed with Mitsui in a JV that will produce ethanol and bioplastics from sugarcane, which the companies are saying will be the world’s largest biopolymers investment. The project will produce DOWLEXT
(PR NewsWire) Qteros, Inc., the developer of a unique and highly efficient Consolidated Bioprocessing (CBP) platform for the lowest-cost production of cellulosic ethanol, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, today announced two significant intellectual property (IP) advances that extend the patent estate
(National Biodiesel Board) Biodiesel Industry Bolstered by Growing OEM Support, Momentum Under RFS-2 At its semi-annual board meeting in Washington D.C. last week, members of the National Biodiesel Board applauded the latest Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to announce its support for
by Alexandros Gasparatos, Per Stromberg and Kazuhiko Takeuchi (Science Direct) First generation biofuels provide a number of ecosystem services (e.g., fuel, climate regulation) but they also compromise other ecosystem services (e.g., food, freshwater services) which are of paramount value to
(JapanCorp.net) Project to Make Efficient Use of Soft Cellulose Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has successfully established technology to produce ethanol for automobile fuel, satisfying the standards of the Japanese Automotive Standards Organization (JASO), from lignocellulose (soft cellulose) such as rice
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) Japan-based auto maker Isuzu has debuted a utility van that will be more compatible with higher blends of biodiesel. This company press release says the new Reach will not only be green, but it will last a
by Kerry Reals (FlightGlobal) One or two pioneering airlines may begin using jet fuel derived from algae and use it to create a competitive advantage in the nearer term, but the commercial airline industry as a whole will
(agra-net.com) Cardiles Oil plans to produce more than 12 mln litres of biofuel annually from olive cake at a project in Canete de las Torres, Cordoba. READ MORE and MORE and MORE (Biofuels Digest)
(Japan for Sustainability) A pilot plant for manufacturing bioethanol fuel from the residue from tangerine juice production was completed on October 25, 2010, at the Matsuyama Factory of Ehime Beverage Inc., a manufacturer of citrus juice. The technology for manufacturing bioethanol
(Syngenta) First corn output trait for ethanol industry Enables ethanol industry to improve efficiency and profitability Significant environmental benefits Syngenta announced February 11, 2011, it has received full deregulation for its corn amylase trait from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This is the
(The Mainichi Daily News) A machinery maker here has launched a facility to extract bio-ethanol from udon noodles. Machinery manufacturer Chiyoda Seisakujo is set to run tests at its bio-ethanol extraction plant in Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture, sometime soon. The residue remaining after
(Japan Today) Malaysia’s Sime Darby Plantation is collaborating with Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding Co to construct and operate a bioethanol demonstration plant in Malaysia’s Selangor State. The plant will convert oil empty palm fruit branches, available year-round and in abundant
(Green Car Congress) The Nikkei reports that Tokyo Institute of Technology, Takenaka Corp. and other partners are planning to build an offshore pilot plant to grow algae for use in biofuel production. ...The wide-ranging project aims to develop technology to absorb
(Science Blog) In the minds of many, Miscanthus x giganteus is the forerunner in the race of viable feedstock options for lignocellulosic bioenergy production. But researchers believe “putting all their eggs in one basket” could be a big mistake. Scientists at
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Honolulu, much of the leadership of the advanced biofuels and renewables chemicals industries have gathered this week at BIO’s Pacific Rim Summit. ...(W)hat are the key trends? Here are 11 that the Digest spotted. 1.
(Japan Today) Toyota Motor Corp said Monday the company has developed a technology to analyze the DNA of plants to shorten the time needed to improve varieties of sugar cane with an eye to boosting bioethanol production. The technology—developed with the National
(The Japan Times) Japan's first train to run on biodiesel fuel, in this case refined edible oil, has taken to the tracks in Hyogo Prefecture. Hojo Railway Co., a third-sector entity financed by the city of Kasai and other organizations, started
by Melody M. Aguiba (Manila Bulletin Publishing) The biggest in the Philippines tochu Corp. of Japan is investing $120 million in an ethanol plant in San Mariano, Isabela, which is expected to become the Philippines’ biggest and the only integrated biofuel
Akinori Ito of the Blest corporation in Japan had a simple idea. The premise was take plastic which is made from oil and turn it back in to oil. The following short explains the process fully and how this simple
(The Japan Times) Scientists from Tohoku University and Tohoku Electric Power Co. have developed a technology to efficiently generate ethanol from seaweed such as sea tangle and sea grape, group members said Saturday. The technology uses natural yeast discovered by the group
by Mike Ramsey (Wall Street Journal) Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda said Friday that his company will look for more partners in alternative-fuel technology, after buying a minority stake in Tesla Motors Inc. last month. ...Mr. Toyoda said the company
(The Financial/EIN News) Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), Hino Motors Ltd. (Hino) and Showa Shell Sekiyu K. K. (SSSKK) announced on June 30 they plan to begin trials on July 1 of a diesel-electric hybrid transit bus fueled by a CO2 emissions-reducing mixture
by Shigeru Sato (Bloomberg Business Week) Toyota Motor Corp.’s research and development unit, Hitachi Ltd. and more than 40 other Japanese companies and institutions have joined a national study into algae’s potential for producing biofuel and chemicals. ...Japan abandoned a $132
by Shigeru Sato and Yuji Okada (Bloomberg Business Week) As Japan’s rice fields turn fallow and its farming communities decline, a new army of workers is preparing to make the countryside fertile again. This time the crop is motor fuel and
by Serkan Toto (Crunch Gear) Major Japanese oil wholesaler Nippon Oil and Hitachi subsidiary Hitachi Plant Technologies are developing a technology that’s supposed to make it possible to mass-produce eco-friendly jet fuel from Euglena, single-celled organisms that live in ponds
(Drayson Racing) Drayson Racing concluded its inaugural season by accomplishing one of its founding objectives: win the Michelin ® Green X Challenge ®. The award for the most efficient and competitive performance in an Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO)-sanctioned series
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