(Environmental Investigation Agency) Field investigations by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and Telapak reveal that ill-prepared indigenous Papuan communities are being enticed, tricked and sometimes coerced into releasing large swathes of forested land to powerful conglomerates, backed by overseas investors
As bioenergy policies are increasingly being adopted by governments, it is important for decision makers to have the most up to date information on the science and debate surrounding modern bioenergy. UNEP is responding to this need by hosting a
Published by Tamil Nadu Agriculture University, Jatropha Production Technology gives straight-forward answers to frequently asked questions about cultivating and using jatropha curcas for commercial applications. READ MORE
Despite the improved efficiency of vehicles, ships and aircraft, and the use of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines, there has been a 175 percent increase in gallons of fuel used per day, per United States soldier during wartime since the
From July of next year, fuel suppliers in Ireland will have to include an average of 4% biofuels (fuels derived from sustainable sources) in their annual fuel sales. The Obligation will be on the companies in question and at no cost
by David Adam (Guardian) The carbon dioxide emissions caused by the destruction of tropical forests have been significantly overestimated, according to a new study. The work could undermine attempts to pay poor countries to protect forests as a cost-effective way to
by Chris Kraul (LA Times) Who could resent the attention being showered on electric cars? Stylish and clean, they're the darling of the renewable-energy crowd, which is hailing the scheduled rollout of several e-powered models next year as a major blow
(Reuters) Oil major Royal Dutch Shell has sold its shareholding in German second-generation biofuels company Choren. ... Choren is building Germany's first biofuels plant using new generations of non-food raw materials as feedstock and is likely to start initial commercial
... A joint $3.3 million project led by Murdoch University in Perth, Western Australia, and involving the University of Adelaide in South Australia, now leads world algae biofuel research after more than 12 months of consistent results at both universities. "It
Neste Oil and St1 have begun working together on a fuel project as part of the TransEco development program coordinated by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. The project will focus on developing cost-efficient solutions tailored to Finnish conditions that
Receive coaching, feedback and support in writing your business plan Win a trip to the Netherlands to meet investors and business partners, and the opportunity of being considered for more than USD $100.000 of finance Get expert advice while starting your business Access
by Sukhpreet Manchanda (TopNews) Dutch KLM will be the first airline to fly a passenger flight using bio-diesel. The Boeing 747 flight, carrying a limited number of passengers, will take off on November 23 using a mixture of bio-fuel and
Robert L. Scragg, the inventor of the Detonation Cycle Gas Turbine ("DCGT") engine and founder of Alpha Engines Corporation, has received confirmation that the National Stage Application for an advanced version of the DCGT engine was accepted by the Chinese
by Eva Cohen (Winnepeg Free Press) The Manitoba government has looked into harvesting algae to help reduce phosphorus levels in Lake Winnipeg, but concluded it is just not feasible right now. Commercial algae harvesting, being done in other parts of
by Jan Battles (The Sunday Times) It will be centuries before Belarus is completely free from the radio-activity that fell after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster 23 years ago. But an Irish company has come up with an innovative way of
The Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) today responded to a report on biofuels produced by the United Nation’s International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management. The report, “Towards Sustainable Production and Use of Resources: Assessing Biofuels”, asserts that more research and
PetroAlgae Inc. announced that its operating subsidiary has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enter into an agreement to license the Company’s proprietary micro-crop technology to Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) for its future large-scale production of renewable fuels.Under
UOP LLC, a Honeywell company, announced today that it signed a memorandum of understanding with China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) under which the two companies will collaborate on a range of biofuels technologies and projects in China. Under the terms of
Biogreen Diesel, a renewable energy company that is pioneering the conversion of waste oil to a less expensive, pollution-free biodiesel, ... uses the first patented Jet Reactor, invented by Org Nieuwoudt, to convert waste oil from restaurants and retailers, to
Prepared Floor Statement of Senator Chuck Grassley: Biofuels and the Environmental Protection Agency Thursday, October 29, 2009 ... The first issue I’m speaking about relates to the EPA’s proposal to penalize biofuels for greenhouse gas emissions from supposed changes in international
(Alpha Galileo) Aston University in Birmingham, UK is involved in a € 3.73m (£3.4 million) research project, which will transform organic residues from biofuel production processes into a renewable biofuel that can reduce reliance on fossil diesel imports. A particular benefit
by John Lorinc (New York Times) Enerkem, a green energy company based in Quebec, has developed an alternative approach to mining the carbon out of non-recyclable plastics, construction waste and other materials found in the municipal waste stream. The company says it
Bio Base Europe, the Biopark Terneuzen and Ghent Bio-Energy Valley joint initiative launched in April 2009, has said its new bio-focused Training Centre is on course to open in early 2011. The Bio Base Europe initiative will be the first
(Novozymes) ... “The article in Science overlooks one important fact: Biofuels recycle atmospheric carbon while fossil fuels release carbon that has been stored underground for millions of years. In the transport sector, biofuels are the only viable alternative to fossil
(Philstar.com) Visiting US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said on Monday that the US government is seeking partnership with the Philippines in terms of research on biofuel. Speaking at a press conference, Vilsack said both countries recognize the need to cooperate more
The 'peak oil' debate is polarised, contentious and characterised by competing interpretations of the available data. A growing number of commentators are forecasting a near-term peak in global oil production with potentially serious economic impacts. Others, however, argue that production
by Juliet Eliperin (Washington Post) More than a decade ago in the northeast corner of Bolivia, a group of polluters and environmentalists joined forces in the first large-scale experiment to curb climate change with a strategy that promised to suit
by Inae Riveras (Reuters) ... Brazil's largest sugar and ethanol producing group, said it expects to crush 58 million tonnes of cane in 2010/11 (April-March), up from 54 million tonnes in 2009/10. "We expect to grow at the same rate as
by Peter Murphy (Reuters) Some Brazilian motorists who fuel their cars solely on cane-based ethanol are switching back to gasoline as high sugar prices now make the biofuel more costly in some states. Brazil is a pioneer in biofuel with its
by Jerry M. Melillo, et al. (Science Express) A global biofuels program will lead to intense pressures on land supply and can increase greenhouse gas emissions from land-use changes. Using linked economic and terrestrial biogeochemistry models, we examine direct and
(Science Daily) Converting the rubbish that fills the world’s landfills into biofuel may be the answer to both the growing energy crisis and to tackling carbon emissions, claim scientists in Singapore and Switzerland. New research published in Global Change Biology:
by Guy Chazan (Wall Street Journal) The biofuels industry, hit hard by the global credit crunch, is getting a shot in the arm from a new source–the oil majors. Among the oil companies, BP PLC and Royal Dutch Shell PLC have
The Global Sustainable Biomass Fund supports developing countries in making their biomass production for energy uses sustainable. It thus enables them to access the local or international market of sustainable biomass for energy uses. The overall goal of the subsidy
by Professor Shiro Saka (IEA Bioenergy Task 39 Newsletter) ... According to our research in recent years, approximately 370 million tons of biomass resources are annually produced in Japan. Among these, approximately 77 million tons are disposed of without effective
(The Korea Herald) Kumho Petrochemical Co., the South Jeolla provincial government and a local biotechnology firm agreed Thursday to establish an algae bioethanol plant by 2013, officials said, according to Yonhap News. The agreement calls for Kumho to invest a
(United Nations Environment Programme) The number of scientific publications devoted to biofuels is growing exponentially, and the number of reviews is increasing rapidly. For decision makers it has become a hard job to find robust reference material and solid guidance.
Boeing [NYSE: BA], the Airports and Auxiliary Services agency (ASA), an arm of Mexico’s Ministry of Communications and Transport, and Honeywell’s UOP today announced a collaboration to identify, research and further the development of a commercially viable market for Mexico-sourced
Biofuel Africa Ltd. has begun commercial production of jatropha oil, the first company in West Africa to move from growing and selling jatropha fruits and seeds to production and sale of jatropha oil on a commercial scale for direct use,
by Inae Riveras (Reuters) Use of sugar cane-based ethanol as a substitute for gasoline is among the cheapest and easiest ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to a Brazilian study. Cane ethanol provides about eight times the energy used
by Robert E. Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) Looking at some real-world numbers, it becomes clear that the fear raised in Fixing a Critical Climate Accounting Error, Science, October 23, 2009, misses the point. Growing energy crops, including perennial grasses or
(Advanced Biofuels USA) A study published in Science magazine promotes a policy which would penalize American biofuels industries in US legislation and regulation and in international global climate change agreements. Advanced Biofuels USA would like to point out two items
by Juliet Eilperin (Washington Post) The world's policymakers and scientists have made a critical error in how they count biofuels' contribution to human-generated greenhouse-gas emissions, according to a paper published Thursday in the journal Science. ... (Steven P.) Hamburg, (chief scientist
Tom Buis (Growth Energy) “Ethanol is part of the natural carbon cycle. It has taken the lifetime of our planet to produce the oil that is in the ground. Biofuels come from the top of the earth, with emissions that
(Renewable Fuels Association) Biofuels produced from biomass feedstocks (i.e. plant matter) are, by definition, carbon neutral because carbon dioxide tailpipe emissions from the combustion of biofuels are readily absorbed by growing plants. As such, the tailpipe emissions resulting from the use
(Nitrogen News)... “The error is serious, but we can fix it,” said lead author Tim Searchinger, a research scholar at Princeton University and a fellow with the German Marshall Fund of the U.S. “The solution is to count all the
by Keith Johnson (Wall Street Journal) The law of unintended consequences strikes yet again. Global plans to tackle climate change, from the Kyoto Protocol to the recently-passed Waxman-Markey bill, have a fatal flaw: They essentially encourage large-scale deforestation, which pretty much
by Sindya N. Bhanoo (New York Times) ... The problem boils down to this: In emission calculations, all fuel derived from plants and other organic sources — including ethanol — is generally treated as if it has no effect on carbon dioxide in
by Robert F. Service (Science Magazine) At first blush, it's easy to make the case for biofuels. By converting crops into ethanol or biodiesel, farmers can reduce demand for imported oil, lower national dependence on authoritarian governments in the Middle
by Tim Searchinger, et al. (Science Magazine) The accounting now used for assessing compliance with carbon limits in the Kyoto Protocol and in climate legislation contains a far-reaching but fixable flaw that will severely undermine greenhouse gas reduction goals (1).
by Marshall Wise, et al. (Science Magazine) Limiting atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations to low levels requires strategies to manage anthropogenic carbon emissions from terrestrial systems as well as fossil fuel and industrial sources. We explore the implications of fully
REN21 released its report Recommendations for Improving the Effectiveness of Renewable Energy Policies in China. This report provides a list of recommendations to the policy makers in China on improving the effectiveness of renewable energy policies domestically. This report was commissioned
by Jeremy Burne (Just-Auto) Not many dispute the relationship between success on the track and success at the dealership, most acknowledge the global power of motorsports as a marketing tool for certain automotive brands. Many also concede that racing can serve
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest) Despite the Indian Government’s official go-slow policy on Jatropha, several Indian states are now planting the crop in a big way. These are not the old style monoculture plantations that led to the central government’s
(CCTV) After producing aircraft components for Boeing for more than two decades, China is expected to become the US airplane manufacturer's research and development (R&D) partner for environmentally friendly technologies that will make the aviation industry greener. A key part of the
As Europe’s leading automotive fuel refiner and marketer, Total is committed to stepping up the development of second-generation biofuels, which are needed to improve the environmental profile of crop-based fuels and avoid the use of food crops as feedstock. Already a
by Adrian Schofield (Aviation Week) ICAO members have reached agreement on a set of environmental targets for the aviation sector, although it is setting higher fuel efficiency standards than industry was proposing. After a high-level meeting in Montreal that finished
(GreenAirOnline.com) Glenn Tilton, Chairman of both United Airlines and the Air Transport Association of America, called on government, investors and producers to seize the opportunity to provide the airline industry with alternative fuels. Speaking at the annual meeting of the
(Alpha Galileo) The role of the forests is assumed to increase in the future, as an important buffer of climate change and increasing CO2 concentrations. So-called Earth System Models, computer systems making predictions for the globe, estimate that this effect
by Gus Trompiz and Valerie Parent (Reuters) The current generation of biofuels meets a European target for cutting carbon dioxide emissions but its performance varies widely depending on the crop and production process used, an official French study has shown. Biofuels
by Nikolaj Nielsen (All Africa.com; Pambazuka News) … Biofuels were then and continue to be in many respects hyped as an environmentally friendly alternative to oil-based transport fuels. The United States, the EU and other OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation
(Discover) ...(A)recent series of articles from Nature News feels like a public service, as the articles investigate the scientific and economic state of affairs for four different kinds of biofuels. The first article focused on the weedy plant jatropha, which was
Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) provides a summary of the developing algae ethos at the Algae Biomass Summit in San Diego: The biotech elevator pitch usually adheres to a 'rule of 5′. The offer is invariably a product platform that "is
(SpeedTV) The tenth and final race of the 2009 American Le Mans Series season provided a fitting test to determine the event winners and the first MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge season champions. The Lowe's Fernandez Acura and drivers Adrian Fernandez
Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) I am not a car guy. Not a car gal. That said, I LOVE the TDI Audi's that race the LeMans endurance races. I love them like I have never loved a car before. Up close,
(Reuters) European Union countries are split over plans to introduce an EU-wide carbon tax on fuel, which could be proposed early next year. The idea, which EU officials say has gained fresh momentum after losing impetus earlier this year, is
by Robin Pagnamenta (Times Online) Britain’s self-sufficiency in wheat will end next year, because a giant new biofuel refinery needs so much of the staple crop that home-grown supplies will be exhausted feeding both the factory and the nation. The
(UPI) The Egyptian government is interested in cultivating plants with biofuel potential. The Egyptian state Wikalat Al-Anbaa' Al-Sharq Al-'awsat news agency reported Saturday that the jatropha plant is of particular interest to the country's Ministry of Agriculture. A ministry spokesperson
(BBC) One of Scotland's best known whisky distilleries is taking part in a scheme to cut carbon dioxide emissions using oil-producing algae. The Glenturret Distillery in Perthshire will use the ground-breaking system to turn fumes generated by whisky production into
The German Marshall Fund on September 25, 2009, sponsored a debate at the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on biofuels and indirect land use change. The debaters were Tim Searchinger, transatlantic fellow at the German Marshall Fund and co-author
Boeing announced it is joining with Honeywell's UOP to commission a study on the sustainability of a leading family of saltwater-based plant candidates for renewable jet fuel. The study is being commissioned as part of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users
By Mike Mande (The East African) Tanzania has suspended investments worth millions of dollars after a storm of protest over the eviction of farmers to make way for biofuels. The EastAfrican has learnt that the country will not start any new
(Time) Each of Burma's states and divisions was ordered to dedicate around 500,000 acres (202,000 hectares) to physic-nut (jatropha) cultivation, pressuring many ordinary citizens into a massive forced-planting campaign, according to human-rights groups. ... Puzzlingly, however, the junta's planting directive has
by Nick Wadhams/Kibwezi (Time) Everyone in Kibwezi, a village in southeastern Kenya parched by four years of drought, remembers the promises. It all started in 2000, when the government started preaching the word about a plant called jatropha curcas. That
A new research paper, Bitumen and Biocarbon, was released today by Global Forest Watch Canada. The paper reveals that significant amounts of greenhouse gases are emitted through the disturbance and/or removal of biocarbon (trees, shrubs, peats), which overlay Alberta's oil
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... The Caribbean Basin Ethanol Producers Group, which consists of Trinidad Bulk Traders Ltd., Gasohol de El Salvador, LAICA of Costa Rica, Petrojam Ltd., Jamaica Ethanol Co., and Jamaica Broilers Group, said in a
by Cole Gustafson (INFORUM) ... (Indirect land use change) LUC is thought to occur in response to rising U.S. grain prices. As additional U.S. grains are used to produce biofuels, prices for those grains rise due to a limited supply. These
World Growth report exposes how attempts by environmental NGOs to restrict production, trade of palm oil (a sustainable oil) would harm successful strategies to end poverty, restrict opportunities for developing countries to reduce emissions. Today (September 29, 2009) at the
Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From Bangkok to Fargo, biofuels scientists have hit back at what they term faulty research and misguided priorities – with a series of presentations on palm oil, indirect land use change, and food vs fuel. READ
by Lisa Gibson (Biomass Magazine) Researchers with China-based Ji Zhong Wei New Energy Technical Development Ltd. have discovered a way to convert biomass directly to regular gasoline and diesel, according to the company. The same international standard fuels many of
(Reuters) Canadian biofuel production should rise 76 percent in two years, as government subsidies for production plants and renewable-fuel requirements take effect. Total biofuel production will reach 2.5 billion litres (660 million gallons) annually by 2011, including 2 billion litres
by Yuthana Praiwan (Bangkok Post) Local field tests will start soon on biodiesel B10, a blend of 10% methyl ester with 90% diesel fuel, according to an Energy Ministry official. PTT Plc and the ministry's Department of Energy Business are
(Alibaba.com) Vietnam's cassava chip exports are soaring because of demand from China to make ethanol and earnings for the whole of 2009 could be $800 million, nearly double those in the first eight months, state-run Vietnam Television said. China, which
by Joseph M. Dougherty (Deseret News) ... The test plot of ground where the seeds were harvested Wednesday is designed to mimic the side of Utah highways, which could be used to grow safflowers instead of the grasses that the Utah
by Seth Borenstein (AP) President Barack Obama is calling on the world to end massive government subsidies that encourage the use of fossil fuels blamed for global warming. The president, who is set to host the G-20 economic summit opening
(Environmental Law Institute) The largest U.S subsidies to fossil fuels are attributed to tax breaks that aid foreign oil production, according to research released by the Environmental Law Institute in partnership with the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. The
by Natalia Real (FIS) Korean scientists have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Bohol governor to test the waters of Bohol for growing red algae for ethanol production. READ MORE
by Zaynab Turuku (The East African) In the wake of efforts to clean up the environment and mitigate against climate change through a reduction in the burning of fossil fuels, Dar es Salaam-based Mafuta Sasa Ltd is now producing biodiesel
(Biofuels International) ... Since 2007, the Rwandan Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (ISTR) has experimented with a number of feedstocks including palm, jatropha, moringa, castor and soy oils, in a 2,000 litre per day pilot facility at Kigali, Rwanda’s
(Chattahbox) The new study released by the Environmental Law Institute entitled, “Estimating U.S. Government Subsidies to Energy Sources: 2002-2008,” provides the Obama administration with an additional weapon for the phasing out of fossil fuel subsidies in the United States. According
With this report (Industrial Biotechnology: More than Green Fuel in a Dirty Economy?), the World Wildlife Fund sets out to explore the magnitude and nature of this (industrial biotechnology) sector in (its) search for pathways toward a green economy and
In an unprecedented initiative, Brazil proposed a new bill of law that will restrict the lands permissible for sugarcane farming and processing. If passed, the bill sent today to the National Congress by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will
by Amy R. Remo (Philippine Daily Inquirer) Trans-Asia Oil and Energy Development Corp. has dropped its alternative fuels operations, citing the problems it encountered with its pilot jatropha project. “We found out early in the game that there was a problem on
The Inter-American Development Bank has released a new version of its Biofuels Sustainability Scorecard, which will enable users to better anticipate the impacts of potential biofuel projects on sensitive issues such as indigenous rights, carbon emissions from land use change,
Enerkem, a leading waste-to-biofuels and green chemicals technology company, today participated in the sod-turning event held by its partners, the City of Edmonton and the Government of Alberta, to signify the start of construction on their joint advanced energy research
Europe has established a floor of 35%, i.e., any biofuel entering Europe must reduce emissions by at least that amount when compared to a diesel benchmark. According to the European analysis, using palm oil to make biodiesel results in GHG
(Today's Trucking) In just a few weeks Manitoba will become the first province in Canada to mandate biodiesel. ... All diesel fuel sold in the province as of Nov. 1 must contain a B2 average (2 percent biodiesel), Energy Minister
(Reuters) Iraq's prime minister has approved a project by a United Arab Emirates-based company to make biofuel from dates that would otherwise be wasted because they have started to perish, Iraqi officials said. Iraq has the world's third largest oil reserves
... We believe scientific data aren't available on a global basis to be able to accurately determine the extent to which biofuel production causes land use changes in remote locations or the greenhouse gas emissions that might exist. The possible
by Katrina Landis, CEO BP Alternative Energy ... Biofuels provide a useful case study to illustrate some of the most important factors involved in developing renewable sources of energy. While demand for oil is projected to remain strong in most
(AFP)French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced plans to impose a new carbon tax next year on oil, gas and coal as part of a drive to combat global warming. The plan would make France the biggest economy in Europe to impose
(CBC News) Manitoba is about to become the first province in Canada to mandate the use of biodiesel. Starting Nov. 1, all diesel fuel sold in the province must contain an average of two per cent biodiesel, Energy Minister Jim
Sustainable Oils, a producer of renewable, environmentally clean, and high-value camelina-based fuels, announced today it has been awarded a contract by the Defense Energy Support Center (DESC) for 40,000 gallons of camelina-based jet fuel. The fuel will be delivered to
by tbnewswatch staff Remote communities in Ontario's far North are increasingly turning to biodiesel as its source of energy. Last year, Hydro One started using biodiesel in the fly-in community of Deer Lake for power generation. Now, almost all
In Germany, researchers from Christian-Albrecht University in Kiel have commenced a project, titled “Bioenergy 2021: winter sugar beet as energy crop” , to improve breeding of winter sugar beet as a biofuel feedstock. The Institute of Plant Production and Plant
The Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels is an international initiative bringing together farmers, companies, non-governmental organizations, experts, governments, and inter-governmental agencies concerned with ensuring the sustainability of biofuels production and processing. The Roundtable is hosting a series of meetings, teleconferences, and
(ChinaView.cn) Vietnam successfully produced the country's first batch of 2,000 tons of ethanol, a bio-fuel for motor vehicles, local newspaper the People reported Friday. The fuel is made from sugar cane and cassava. ...The plant is expected to turn out 100,000
(M&C Business) Taiwan's state-run Chinese Petroleum Corp (CPC) signed an agreement Wednesday to plant 100,000 hectares of crops for biofuels in Indonesia. ... Under the MOU, in the next five years, CPC is due to plant 100,000 hectares of Jatropha
(Belfast Telegraph) The world's first racing car made from cashew nut shells has been assembled with the help of Northern Ireland researchers. Potato starch and recycled bottles were also used in the construction of the Formula 3 vehicle. It can
Clean technology developers from across Canada are invited to submit Statements of Interest to the $550-million SD Tech Fund(TM), as Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) opens its sixteenth funding round. ... SDTC is a not-for-profit corporation created by the Government
by Louise Redvers (AFP) Angola will begin planting sugar cane for the first time in more than 30 years this month as the oil-rich country takes its first step toward biofuels. A 30,000 hectare (74,000-acre) site in Malanje province, hundreds
The study “Jatropha! – A socio-economic pitfall for Mozambique” prepared by UNAC and JA for Swiss Aid (referred in the following to as Swiss Aid Study) provides a very one-sided and negative picture of the Jatropha sector in Mozambique. The
Fourteen major Brazilian organizations representing the agribusiness, planted forests and bioenergy sectors announced today the creation of the Brazilian Climate Alliance, to provide concrete, constructive proposals in global climate change negotiations. The group's main focus is Brazilian government's positioning in
by Steve Gorman (Reuters) The Prius hybrid automobile is popular for its fuel efficiency, but its electric motor and battery guzzle rare earth metals, a little-known class of elements found in a wide range of gadgets and consumer goods. That
... DME or dimethyl ether, a diesel fuel alternative made from a variety of renewable materials and fossil fuels, burns soot-free, produces almost no GHG upon combustion and is very energy efficient. With a high cetane number (the measure of
by Jerry Warner and P.W. Singer (Brookings Institution) ... Underlying this effort are two complementary objectives. First, a significant percentage of the overall reduction in baseline energy will come from the department converting from petroleum to alternative forms of energy
by Peter W. Singer (The Washington Examiner) ... Our Department of Defense is the largest consumer of energy not just in America, but the world. It burns more petroleum in the course of its operations than any other private or
(Latin American Herald Tribune) The Mexican government said it will invite tenders next month for a contract to produce 176 million liters (46 million gallons) of ethanol for use as a transport fuel, part of a plan to curb pollution
by Laurent Lardon, Arnaud Helias, Bruno Sialve, Jean-Philippe Steyer and Olivier Bernard (Environmental Science and Technology) This paper provides an analysis of the potential environmental impacts of biodiesel production from microalgae. High production yields of microalgae have called forth interest of
In Honduras, BEI International has demonstrated its mechanical harvesting of jatropha at Agroipsa Farm in Choluteca, Honduras this month, harvesting 550 hectares. “If your field conditions are accommodating you can harvest about one hectare per hour with one person operating
... (Christian Aid's report)Growing Pains urges governments to adopt a new vision on biofuels, seeing them as a force for rural development in poor countries, rather than a silver bullet solution to climate change. ‘Christian Aid believes that the best approach
Doug Newman, Ethanol Trade Analyst for the US International Trade Commission, has provided tables and a presentation which summarize amounts of ethanol imports to the US by source location and tariffs paid, along with a presentation which includes an outline
by Susanne Retka Schill (Biodiesel Magazine) Early tests by Australia’s CQUniversity researchers show promise for a new biodiesel feedstock – the native Australian Beauty Leaf Tree. The wild tree grows well throughout coastal areas of tropical Australia on salty, drought-affected,
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Microbiogen, an Australia-based developer of non-genetically modified yeast, recently announced it has secured a $2.5 million government grant. The grant, which was awarded under the Australian government’s $15 million Second Generation Biofuels Research and
... (C)ultivation of microalgae may contribute decisively to tomorrow's energy supply. For energy production from microalgae, KIT scientists are developing closed photo-bioreactors and novel cell disruption methods. ... Professor Clemens Posten, directs this research activity at the KIT Institute of
by Scott Stearns (Voice of America News) Africa is central to the worldwide growth in biofuels, with Dutch, American, Swedish, Japanese, German, and British firms all competing for farmland to grow the next generation of energy producing crops. Some farmers
by Aimee Pianosi (NapaneeGuide.com) In a white cloud of pollen, 43 acres of hemp was harvested from Hartacre Farms last Tuesday. Herb Hart grew the crop in partnership with Performance Plants Inc. of Kingston, as part of a biofuels project
by Colin Bettles (FarmWeekly) WestPetro, the proposed ethanol production plant to be built in East Rockingham, changed ownership last week. The Oswal Group, who built the Burrup fertiliser plant, has decided not to proceed with the WestPetro project. The decision
(Biodiesel Magazine) The 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup racing series had just passed the half way point at press time, when race organizers, drivers, and fans alike acclaimed this biodiesel-powered “green racing” series an utter success. Volkswagen of America named Hyperfuels,
by Toba Suleiman (This Day) Ekiti State Governor, Segun Oni, has donated 15,000 hectares of land to Chinese investors handling the ethanol project at Oke-Ayedun, Ikole Local Government area of the state, for cassava plantation. His media aide, Mr. Lere Olayinka,
by Happy Lazaro (Arusha Times) The United States of America has given Tanzania Tsh.6.5 billion (US Dollars 5.4 million) for development of Jatropha farming in rural areas. The American government issued the money through its development agency (USAID) under a
by Betsey Piette (Worker's World) Collectively the countries which participate in the Group of Twenty comprise 85 percent of the global gross national product, 80 percent of world trade and two-thirds of the world’s population. What many G-20 countries lack,
(The International News) The Pakistan State Oil (PSO) launched ethanol blended fuel called ‘E10 gasoline’ here on Saturday which would be cheaper by Rs2.40 per litre compared to petrol. ... Federal Minister for Privatisation and Petroleum and Natural Resources Syed
by Alok Jha (Guardian) At Imperial College London, researchers have embarked on a £1m project to study, and eventually mimic, photosynthesis. Part of a project called the "artificial leaf", involves working out exactly how leaves use sunlight to make useful
by Cath Everett (BusinessGreen.com) Corn ethanol industry accuses EPA of influencing independent panel to boost support for controversial biofuel carbon life cycle regulations. An independent peer review of proposed US biofuel regulations has only served to intensify a long-running dispute
BP and Martek Biosciences Corporation announced the signing of a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) to work on the production of microbial oils for biofuels applications. The partnership combines a broad technology platform and operational capabilities to advance the development of
(Reuters) Egypt plans to expand the cultivation of the jatropha plant to produce biofuels, the state news agency said. The agency quoted an Agriculture Ministry official as stating that 200 feddans (84 hectares) in the Red Sea province of Hurghada
by Simon Grose (tcetoday news) Algae, wood and sugarcane shared the honours in the bidding for funding through the Australian government’s Second generation Biofuels research and development program. Announcing matching grants totaling A$14.4m ($12.1m) across seven projects, resource minister Martin Ferguson
by Jessica Leber (New York Times and ClimateWire) U.S. policies are subsidizing new energy crops that are likely to spread off the farm and wreak economic and ecological havoc, a federal advisory board cautioned yesterday. For years, researchers have worked
(The Land FarmOnline) A new analysis on second generation biofuels, conducted by Southern Cross University's Centre for Plant Conservation Genetics, shows that by 2025, 30 per cent of the country's petrol could be provided by bioenergy. "This would involve the
(Biofuels International) Nigeria will start producing biodiesel commercially at some point next year, say scientists. Nigeria has been experimenting with biodiesel for several years. The Sweden-based telecoms operator Ericsson funded the first pilot biodiesel production in Nigeria under its corporate
A collaborative effort by the U.S. Navy, Biodiesel Industries, Inc. and Aerojet successfully demonstrated methods to produce cleaner and more reliable sources of renewable fuels for military use. The system, named ARIES (Automated Real-time, Remote, Integrated Energy System), is a
by Rebecca Burn-Callander (Real Business) It's one of the few private equity ventures to raise its target amount this year. And it's a green enterprise. Richard Branson's Virgin Green Fund is defying the downturn, raising £240m in total: £70m from
Call it a "shrimp cocktail" for your fuel tank. Scientists in China are reporting development of a catalyst made from shrimp shells that could transform production of biodiesel fuel into a faster, less expensive, and more environmentally friendly process. ...
(Business Standard) Emami Biotech, a part of the Rs 2,000-crore Emami Group, will invest Rs 400 crore in a plantation project over five years in Oromia in Ethiopia. The company will engage in plantation of biofuel crops (jatropha) and other
Regional Development Minister Brendon Grylls has announced funding of $145,000 from the Pilbara Regional Grants Scheme to support the Ashburton Aboriginal Corporation’s biodiesel manufacturing business. ... The Minister said the project involved recycling potential hazardous waste products into saleable biodiesel
All energy scenarios show a shift toward an increased percentage of renewable energy sources, including biomass. This study gives an overview of water footprints (WFs) of bioenergy from 12 crops that currently contribute the most to global agricultural production: barley,
(Discover) The oil-rich and weedy plant jatropha has been hailed as the most promising source of biofuel on the planet, and one airline has already begun testing a jatropha-derived fuel in its jumbo jets. But a new analysis suggests that
by Neil Winton (Detroit News) While manufacturers like Nissan of Japan jostle for the lead in the race to saturate markets with electric cars, automotive forecasters seeking to cut through the hyperbole tell a more sober story. ... Automotive forecaster
(letsrecycle.com) A protocol designed to boost customer confidence in biodiesel derived from waste cooking oil and rendered animal fats has been published today July 29. The protocol is the latest produced by the Waste Protocols Project - a joint Waste
(The National Business Review) A Green Party bill that sets up a standards regime for biofuels sold in New Zealand passed its first reading in Parliament tonight with the Government's support. Jeanette Fitzsimons drafted the member's bill and said it
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