Guyana’s Multi-Biofeedstocks Project: The Digest’s 2016 Multi-Slide Guide to Global Leaf Energy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) READ MORE
Farming/Growing
Back TO HOMEAsia Pulp & Paper Backs Community-Led Indonesian Biofuels Project
(edie.net) One of the world's biggest pulp, paper and packaging firms has announced its support for a new community-led pilot scheme aimed at reducing the use of fossil fuels and increasing the availability of bio-fuels in Indonesia. The jurisdictionally-based partnership between
July 06, 2016 Read Full Article
Horizontal Bioreactor: The Digest’s 2016 Multi-Sldie Guide to Culture Systems
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Challenges that have plagued algae ventures? The availability of feedstock to make products, the loss of investor appetite at early stage and pre-commercial, and inefficient cultivation systems. By contrast, Culture System’s design is described as having “low
July 06, 2016 Read Full Article
Advance Australia Air: Byogy Steps up in Australia in Drive for Low-Carbon Jet Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From Australia comes the news that the country’s former Federal Resources and Energy Minister, Martin Ferguson, is now the chairman of the advisory board for Byogy Renewables, the California-based alcohol-to-jet fuel pioneer that has been
July 05, 2016 Read Full Article
Seaweed Gains Ground as a Pillar of Food Security in South America
by Orlando Milesi (Inter Press Service) Seaweed, a nutrient-rich foodstuff that was a regular part of the diet of several South American indigenous peoples, is emerging as a new pillar of food security in Latin America and is providing a livelihood
July 05, 2016 Read Full Article
Mycoalgae Biofilm: Development of a Novel Platform Technology Using Algae and Fungal Cultures
by Aravindan Rajendran and Bo HuEmail (Biotechnology for Biofuels) Microalgae is considered a promising source for biofuel and bioenergy production, bio-remediation and production of high-value bioactive compounds, but harvesting microalgae is a major bottleneck in the algae based processes. The objective
July 03, 2016 Read Full Article
The Paradox of American Farmers and Climate Change
by Beth Kowitt (Fortune Magazine) Some U.S. farmers are skeptical of climate change, even though they’re among the most affected by it -- ... A survey conducted by Iowa State Professor J. Arbuckle and Purdue University professor Linda Prokopy of 5,000
July 01, 2016 Read Full Article
ASABE Announces Standard for Sustainable Agriculture Production
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers has completed a standard that establishes a framework for charting progress toward sustainable agriculture production. According to ASABE, the standard is intended for application with all typical farming
July 01, 2016 Read Full Article
More than 100 Nobel Laureates Support GMOs
by Kelly Marshall (Precision.AgWired.com) This morning three Nobel Laureates presented at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. to call on Greenpeace, the United Nations and governments around the world to support GMOs. They are the public face of more
July 01, 2016 Read Full Article
Who Pays for our Renewable Fuel Policy? America's Wildlife
by Collin O'Mara (Fox News/National Wildlife Federation) ... The worst part is that none of this was supposed to happen. In the law, Congress defined acceptable biofuels under the mandate as those coming from crops grown on land that was in agricultural
July 01, 2016 Read Full Article
Feedstock for the Advanced Bioeconomy: The Digest’s 2016 Multi-Slide Guide to Cellana
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Cellana uses the most productive plants on earth - marine microalgae - to photosynthetically produce its ReNew line of Omega-3 EPA and DHA oils, animal feed/food, and biofuel feedstocks. Cellana's patented ALDUO system enables economic,
July 01, 2016 Read Full Article
KPMG Sees Potential for Biomass-Based Ethanol in Southeast Asia
by Toh Wei Zheng (Platts) Southeast Asia could see a significant boost to its ethanol supply by using biomass as an alternative feedstock, an industry veteran said during the annual Wiz Ethanol and Biofuels Conference held in Singapore Wednesday. Chris de
June 30, 2016 Read Full Article
2016 Billion-Ton Report Preview
(U.S. Department of Energy) Alison Goss Eng, of the U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office, Tim Theiss, Laboratory Relationship Manager of the Bioenergy Technologies Program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Tim Rials, Director of the Tennessee Forest Products
June 29, 2016 Read Full Article
Biogeochemical Research Priorities for Sustainable Biofuel and Bioenergy Feedstock Production in the Americas.
by Gollany HT, Titus BD, Scott DA, Asbjornsen H, Resh SC, Chimner RA, Kaczmarek DJ, Leite LF, Ferreira AC, Rod KA, Hilbert J, Galdos MV, Cisz ME (Biogeochemical Research) Rapid expansion in biomass production for biofuels and bioenergy in the
June 28, 2016 Read Full Article
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Biodiesel (Charts and Graphs Included!)
by Jeremy Martin (Union of Concerned Scientists) Most discussions about biofuels center on ethanol, but biodiesel—a diesel-substitute made from vegetable oils and animal fats—is increasingly important as well. But where does biodiesel come from, and what does it mean for the
June 23, 2016 Read Full Article
Crop Insurance Gives Farmers More Planting Flexibility
(US Department of Agriculture) Insurance Changes Expand Farm Safety Net for Double Cropping -- Acting Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Michael Scuse today announced that the federal crop insurance program will provide additional flexibility to farmers. The modifications center on the
June 23, 2016 Read Full Article
Banana Power: Researchers Explore Use of Banana Waste to Boost Bioenergy in Ecuador
(Bioenergy Insight) Researchers from the Agro-Energy Group at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) have used geographic information systems to assess the potential use of the residual biomass of bananas produced in the province of El Oro, based in the south east of Ecuador, for
June 22, 2016 Read Full Article
Time-Dependent Global Warming Impact of Tree Stump Bioenergy in Sweden
Carina A. Ortiz, , Torun Hammar, , Serina Ahlgren, , Per-Anders Hansson, , Johan Stendahl (Forest Ecology and Management/Science Direct) Stump bioenergy was assessed using LCA and forest ecosystem modelling; Stump bioenergy gave a climate benefit within ca two decades when
June 22, 2016 Read Full Article
Solutions from the Land's 'Farmer-First' Climate Smart Agriculture Principle
(25 x '25) The award of a $500,000 grant from the prestigious W.K. Kellogg Foundation to Solutions from the Land (SfL) this week (week of June 1, 2016) underscores the priority and responsibility that SfL takes in putting farmers first
June 22, 2016 Read Full Article
Cover Crop Work Continues as Part of Biomass Research for Cellulosic Ethanol
(POET) POET is expanding its cover crop research as part of soil sustainability work in Emmetsburg, Iowa for cellulosic ethanol development. The work is part of an ongoing commitment to helping farmers make sound management decisions around harvesting crop
June 22, 2016 Read Full Article
De-risking the Supply Chain: The Digest’s 2016 Multi-Slide Guide to Pacific Ag
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Founded in 1998 in the Pacific Northwest, Pacific Ag is the largest, most experienced agricultural biomass supply company in the US. Today, Pacific Ag provides biomass supply chain solutions from six locations across the nation
June 22, 2016 Read Full Article
North Carolina House Committee Approves Industrial Hemp Research Study
(WXII) North Carolina lawmakers are pushing a proposal to authorize the cultivation of industrial hemp with the goal of allowing researchers to begin planting next spring. The House Agriculture Committee approved a bill Thursday allowing for state land grant universities to
June 21, 2016 Read Full Article
The Problem and Promise of Ethanol
by Art Cullen (Storm Lake Times) ... So how can we produce ethanol sustainably — that is, a scheme under which farmers can make money without releasing nitrate to the river and help power America while emitting less carbon? First, the federal
June 20, 2016 Read Full Article
The Library of Bioenergy Feedstocks: The Digest’s 2016 Multi-Slide Guide to Idaho National Lab’s Feedstock Repository and Tools
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Bioenergy Feedstock Library is a physical sample repository and database for physical, chemical and conversion performance characteristics of biomass feedstock. The library provides tools to store, record, track, retrieve, and analyze data to help researchers and industry overcome challenges
June 20, 2016 Read Full Article
Technology Quarterly: The Future of Agriculture
by Geoffrey Carr (The Economist) If agriculture is to continue to feed the world, it needs to become more like manufacturing, says Geoffrey Carr. Fortunately, that is already beginning to happen -- Tom Rogers is an almond farmer in Madera County,
June 17, 2016 Read Full Article
Cloud Biology: The Digest’s 2016 Multi-Slide Guide to Benson Hill Biosystems
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Last month. Benson Hill Biosystems launched CropOS, a cognitive engine using cloud biology to empower a new era of plant genomics innovation. CropOS uses powerful data analytics and biological knowledge to identify the most promising plant genetics
June 17, 2016 Read Full Article
Solutions from the Land Leaders Bring North American Climate Smart Agriculture Ideas to Global Summit in Rome
(North American Climate Smart Agricultural Alliance) Solutions from the Land (SfL) is taking an active role in the Global Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture (GACSA) summit underway this week in Rome, pressing business, government, NGO and other leaders there to
June 16, 2016 Read Full Article
More than Two Thirds of Palm Oil used in Germany Is Sustainably Certified, Trade Group Finds
(Biofuels International) More than two thirds of the palm oil used in Germany is sustainably certified, according to German biofuels industry group VDB (Verband der Deutschen Biokraftstoffindustrie. Around 1.5 million tonnes of palm oil has been used in Germany in 2013,
June 16, 2016 Read Full Article
Algae.Tec and Porelogix Implement Harvesting System
(Algae Industry Magazine) Porelogix Ultrafiltration Systems, LLC and Algae.Tec, Ltd. have announced the successful implementation of an advanced ultrafiltration algae extraction system. The yearlong collaborative effort between Algae.Tec’s research and development team and Porelogix engineers resulted in a scalable system
June 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Grain Body Confident Australian Growers Will Comply with New Restrictions on EU Biofuel Production
by Clint Jasper (ABC Rural) A leading agricultural economist is confident Australian canola growers will meet the European Union's (EU) strict new environmental rules for importing feed stocks for biofuel production. Anywhere between 40 to 90 per cent of canola is
June 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Reconciling Food Security and Bioenergy: Priorities for Action
by Keith L. Kline, Siwa Msangi, Virginia H. Dale, Jeremy Woods, Glaucia M. Souza, Patricia Osseweijer, Joy S. Clancy, Jorge A. Hilbert, Francis X. Johnson, Patrick C. McDonnell, Harriet K. Mugera (Global Change Biology: Bioenergy) ... Understanding the nexus of food security, bioenergy sustainability, and resource management facilitates achievement of the 2030
June 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Govt Moves to Revive Plan to Make Biodiesel
(Katmandu Post) The government has formed a committee to study the possibility of making biodiesel from jatropha seeds. Jatropha oil, which is extracted from the seeds of the plant known locally as sajiban or kadam, is superior to other oils. The
June 14, 2016 Read Full Article
DOE Requests Information on Revolutionary Biomass Supply Systems Supporting a Billion-Ton Bioeconomy Vision
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s (EERE’s) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) Feedstock Supply and Logistics Program is responsible for developing technologies to support Advanced Feedstock Supply Systems (AFSS) that
June 14, 2016 Read Full Article
Homegrown: A Closer Look into the Life of America's Farmers and Ranchers
(U.S. House Committee on Agriculture) ... (T)he House Agriculture Committee debuted a new blog, Homegrown, to chronicle daily life of American farmers and ranchers from the perspective of producers. The gap between urban and rural Americans is growing, and many
June 13, 2016 Read Full Article
Research Assesses AD’s Ability to Remove Drugs, Germs from Manure
by Charlotte Hsu (University at Buffalo/Biomass Magazine) Researchers from four U.S. universities are teaming up with dairy farms across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic to study the effect of three different manure management techniques on preventing the occurrence and spread of
June 10, 2016 Read Full Article
How Big Data is Disrupting Agriculture from Biological Discovery to Farming Practices
by Vonnie Estes (AgFunderNews) With the need to produce more food using fewer inputs, agriculture is seeking new products, practices and technologies. As a planet we must use fewer chemicals and less water. Subsistence farmers need to close the yield
June 10, 2016 Read Full Article
Equipment for Biomass: The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to New Holland
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) New Holland makes a wide range of farming, construction equipment; with related financing: excavators, loaders (backhoe, wheel, skid steer), crawler dozers, motor graders. Scott Wangsgard of New Holland gave this overview of highlights of the
June 09, 2016 Read Full Article
The Advanced Bioeconomy 2016: State of the Industry
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) For the advanced bioeconomy, the question remains and will remain for some time, where are the gallons? Specifically, projects that use biobased feedstocks that can be converted into renewable fuels, chemicals, advanced foods, and biobased materials. Projects
June 08, 2016 Read Full Article
Could Fertilizer Use Negate the Climate Benefit of Cellulosic Biofuels?
(Michigan State University/AgProfessional.com) ... The study, conducted by the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center and Michigan State University, found that using nitrogen fertilizer on switchgrass crops sharply increases the amount of nitrous oxide emitted. Switchgrass has been heralded as a significant
June 08, 2016 Read Full Article
It Depends: Heard on the Floor at ABLC Feedstocks
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The headline from the event is that projects and feedstock providers are more engaged than we have seen previously — a wave of technology development that once took place with a “we’ll work out
June 08, 2016 Read Full Article
Repreve Renewables Celebrates Grand Opening of Processing Center
(Repreve Renewables LLC) Repreve Renewables LLC celebrated the official opening of its North Carolina processing center on June 1. This investment marks the company’s initiative to build local economies, while providing customers with reliable and cost effective feedstock solutions. The
June 06, 2016 Read Full Article
RIT Partners with Synergy Biogas on Algae Project
(Algae Industry Magazine) Rochester Institute of Technology and Synergy Biogas are exploring the environmental benefits of microalgae to clean agricultural wastewater and make biofuels. Jeff Lodge, associate professor in RIT’s Thomas Gosnell School of Life Sciences, is running the three-month
June 03, 2016 Read Full Article
Sorghum Checkoff Announces $500,000 Investment
by Jennifer Blackburn (United Sorghum Checkoff Program/MyPlainView.com) The Sorghum Checkoff announced Thursday a $500,000 investment in sorghum research, made at the inaugural Transportation Energy Resources from Renewable Agriculture (TERRA) program field day at the University of Arizona's Maricopa Agricultural Center in
June 03, 2016 Read Full Article
Cars and Trucks Burn Almost Half of All Palm Oil Used in Europe
(Transport & Environment) ... In 2014, 45% of all the palm oil used in Europe ended up in the tanks of cars and trucks, data from EU vegetable oil industry association Fediol and obtained by green group Transport & Environment has
June 02, 2016 Read Full Article
Point/Counterpoint: Is It Time for Greens To Reassess Their Opposition to Ethanol?
by Senator Timothy Wirth and C. Boyden Gray (Yale Environment 360) The criticism of ethanol by environmentalists is misguided and just plain wrong. In fact, thanks to improvements in farming techniques, increasing the amount of corn ethanol in U.S. gasoline
May 28, 2016 Read Full Article
USDA Resumes Incentives to Grow and Harvest Biomass for Energy and Biobased Products
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Val Dolcini today announced that incentives resume this month for farmers and foresters who grow and harvest biomass for renewable energy and biobased products. The funds
May 28, 2016 Read Full Article
USDA Announces More Than $8 Million in Payments to Support the Production of Advanced Biofuel
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $8.8 million to boost the production of advanced biofuels and sustain jobs at renewable energy facilities in 39 states. USDA continues
May 27, 2016 Read Full Article
Royal Society Calls for Review of European GM Ban
by Pallab Ghosh (BBC) The ban on GM crops by European countries should be reassessed, the president of UK science body the Royal Society says. -- Prof Venki Ramakrishnan said the science of genetic modification had been misunderstood by the public
May 27, 2016 Read Full Article
New Water-Quality Data on Impact of Corn, Soybeans on Nitrate in Iowa streams
(Phys.Org) As Iowa farmers have planted more acres of corn to meet the demand driven by the corn-based ethanol industry, many models predicted that nitrate concentrations in Iowa streams would increase accordingly. However, recent IIHR research based on water monitoring
May 26, 2016 Read Full Article
Coming to Terms With Sustainability
by Charlie Niebling (Biomass Magazine/Innovative Natural Resource Solutions LLC) ... I, for one, endorse the notion that if America’s forests are stable or growing, when viewed in total, then American use of wood biomass to make energy is by definition
May 16, 2016 Read Full Article
Seaweed Farm Examines Biofuel Potential
by Jules Scully (Western Telegraph) The potential of using algae as biofuel is being examined on the Haven waterway. Marine biologists from Swansea University have installed a new seaweed farm in Pembroke Dock to look into the possibilities. The project, funded by the
May 16, 2016 Read Full Article
Ethanol Industry Uses UAS for Variety of Applications
by Ann Bailey (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) use in the ethanol industry is taking off. From checking on corn fields, to inspecting ethanol plants, to looking over rail cars before shipment, farmers and ethanol producers increasingly are
May 16, 2016 Read Full Article
Pennycress, a Common Weed in Missouri, Could Be the Next Big Thing in Biofuel Innovation
by Kelly Moffitt (St. Louis Public Radio) ... Toni Kutchan, Vice President for Research at Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, said that sorghum, Camelina sativa and pennycress are non-agricultural crops that researchers are harvesting for oil and biomass to use for
May 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Mine Dump Biofuel Pilot Project Achieves Early Success, Holds Much Potential
by Ilan Solomons (Mining Weekly) Local green technology company G-Tech has recorded early success in its attempt to grow biofuel and other bioenergy feedstock to produce bioethanol and biodiesel as part of a mine dump rehabilitation pilot project in Randfontein,
May 13, 2016 Read Full Article
The Ethanol in Your Gas Tank Should Come from a Tree in a Maine Forest
by Kevin L. Raye (Bangor Daily News/Down East Strategies) Yet our forestry sector is in serious trouble, as mill closures and job losses reverberate through Maine’s economy. The urgency of finding innovative new uses and new markets to maximize the
May 13, 2016 Read Full Article
Limpopo Receives R940m Investment for Renewable Energy from US, Chinese Companies
(African News Agency/Engineering News) American and Chinese companies are set to invest R940-million in Limpopo to pursue renewable energy and ethanol profits, government and investors have announced. The United States’ Bio-Processing Innovation and the Beijing Singling Technology Centre said on
May 12, 2016 Read Full Article
CAB-Comm Final Report Documents Accomplishments from Six Years of Algal Research
(U.S. Department of Energy) The Consortium for Algal Biofuel Commercialization (CAB-Comm), led by the University of California, San Diego, has just released its final report, detailing the many accomplishments and impactful contributions achieved in its six years of operation. CAB-Comm
May 12, 2016 Read Full Article
Business Strategies for Transitioning the Bioeconomy to a Landscape with Long-Term Profitability
by Mahmood Ebadian (Biomass and Bioenergy Research Group/Biomass Supply Chain Consulting Ltd./Biofuels Digest) ...With specialization occurring in feedstock engineering, these new business entities will be well-positioned to produce multiple products including both intermediate and final bio-products. In other words, they
May 11, 2016 Read Full Article
Sugarcane-Based Biofuels and Bioproducts
by Ian O'Hara, Sagadevan Mundree (Wiley) Sugarcane has garnered much interest for its potential as a viable renewable energy crop. While the use of sugar juice for ethanol production has been in practice for years, a new focus on using
May 09, 2016 Read Full Article
Europe Continues to Get Biodiesel Wrong
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) A provocative opinion piece on Europe's reliance on unsound indirect land use change theory -- It is clear there is a politicized agenda in Europe to undermine sustainable, liquid biofuels such as biodiesel and forge
May 06, 2016 Read Full Article
Farmers Do More than Feed the World
by Katie Heger (Farm & Ranch Guide) ... It is just so cliché and doesn’t nearly cover all that agriculture is about. On our family farm, we do so much more than feed the world. Now, let me explain. Yes, my farm
May 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Farmers to Have Role in Changing Ethanol Industry
by Jessica Rose Spangler (Lancaster Farming) Ethanol isn’t a new concept. Using corn to make it isn’t either. And Pennsylvania even has a plant to create it, Pennsylvania Grain Processing LLC in Clearfield, which is capable of producing 110 million gallons
May 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Reliable, Affordable, Scalable, Sustainable: The Digest’s 2016 Multi-Slide Guide to NexSteppe
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) NexSteppe is dedicated to pioneering the next generation of scalable, reliable, cost-effective feedstock solutions for the biofuels, biopower and biobased products industries. Using advanced breeding techniques and cutting-edge analytical technologies, NexSteppe is developing Malibu sweet
May 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Volkswagen Teams with Shell to Convince EU the Way to Decarbonize Transport
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Belgium, Volkswagen has teamed with Shell on a new report by Roland Berger promoting a policy path forward towards a European transport market that achieves environmental and GHG goals set at the COP21 meeting
April 29, 2016 Read Full Article
Double-Win “Algal Turf Scrubbers” Help to Clean Up Baltimore Harbor and Fuel Cars
(U.S. Department of Energy) Algae absorb nutrients and produce oxygen—ecosystem services that are vital to the health of impaired water bodies like the Chesapeake Bay and Gulf of Mexico. Energy Department-funded researchers are investigating how to mimic these natural services,
April 28, 2016 Read Full Article
Future Unclear for $700m Project
by John Andersen (Townsville Bulletin) ... The Pentland Bio-Energy Project has been sidelined by the State Government’s draconian new Vegetation Management Reinstatement Legislation Bill. Land clearing around the State has been stopped pending a vote on the Bill later this year. Stage
April 28, 2016 Read Full Article
Earth Gen-Biofuel Plans Expanded Operations for Renewable Energy Castor Bean Crop
(Digital Journal/Marketwired/Earth Gen-BioFuel) Earth Gen-BioFuel (OTC PINK: EGBB), "EarthGen" or "the Company," today announced that it has finalized plans for expanding castor bean operations in Laos. George Shen, Chairman, commented, "Castor beans, a key ingredient in over 700 manufactured products and
April 28, 2016 Read Full Article
Biofuels Driving Emissions Cuts thru 2030, Says Lux: But Which Feedstocks?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Lux Research projects that the emergence of low-carbon fuels and vehicle efficiency will cut emissions by 29% in 2030 compared to a business as usual scenario, with biofuels and natural gas vehicles together accounting for
April 27, 2016 Read Full Article
How Drones Can Give a Boost to Biofuels
by Christina Couch (MIT Technology Review) Next month, a team of researchers will load one small aerial drone and two ground drones with sensors and release them on a field planted with hundreds of varieties of sorghum. In just one
April 26, 2016 Read Full Article
Availability, Use, and Removal of Oil Palm Biomass in Indonesia
by Christopher Teh Boon Sung (International Council on Clean Transportation) Reviews the environmental impacts of removing palm residues from plantations and estimates how much of this resource could potentially be used for advanced biofuels in Indonesia. ICCT commissioned this study by Dr.
April 25, 2016 Read Full Article
ORNL Hosts Southeast Bioenergy Meeting, Study Tour
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Researchers and others interested in establishing a sustainable bioeconomy in the U.S. are taking part in a five-day study tour led by the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Approximately 70 attendees from DOE
April 18, 2016 Read Full Article
Carbon Farming – Agriculture’s Answer to Climate Change?
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) On April 12, the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) announced a new funding opportunity aimed at increasing the carbon storage potential of U.S. agricultural soils. Land-use, which includes agriculture, is responsible
April 18, 2016 Read Full Article
What Do We Do about Palm Oil?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In the world of fuels, Neste Oil has backed away from palm oil in order to expand in the US market on more favorable terms, with palm’s lowly status after indirect land use change modeling
April 18, 2016 Read Full Article
Biofuels, Plastics and Drugs: Is This the Future of Our Farms?
by John Vidal (The Guardian) Climate change and poor returns on wheat and dairy drive rural revolution in ‘future-proof’ agriculture -- ... In Essex, David Eagle is growing acres of sea buckthorn, a salt-tolerant plant that grows wild in Siberiacorrect and
April 18, 2016 Read Full Article
Crops of the Biofrontier: In Search of Opportunities for Sustainable Energy Cropping
by Stephanie Searle, Chelsea Petrenko, Ella Baz, and Chris Malins (International Council on Clean Transportation) Describes case studies of energy cropping in Europe in the context of advanced biofuel and bioproducts sustainability. -- European biofuel policy has been dominated by discussions
April 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Cooper: Don't Reverse Course on Ethanol
by Tom Thoma (Globe Gazette) Alan Guebert’s recent column (“The ethanol trap”) asks, “Where would the nation, its farmers, livestock growers, and rural America be today had ethanol not been given … a role in U.S. farm and energy policy
April 14, 2016 Read Full Article
Where’s the Algae?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... This week, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced an amendment that would provide tax credit support for carbon capture and utilization technologies that enable the conversion of CO2 into valuable products such as advanced biofuels,
April 13, 2016 Read Full Article
Urban Air Initiative, Energy Future Coalition Challenge EPA Data on Ethanol’s Lifecycle Emissions
(Urban Air Initiative) Urban Air Initiative joined the Energy Future Coalition and the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition (GBC) in calling on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to recognize an overwhelming body of new evidence showing fuel ethanol can reduce carbon
April 11, 2016 Read Full Article
Make Haste with Waste
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... (W)hen you compare them to homogenized, uniform, high-yield, purpose-grown energy crops. residues may be queer, but they are here. Not only available, but reliable, you can count on the fact that they will not
April 08, 2016 Read Full Article
DOE’s ARPA-E TERRA Projects Seek to Accelerate Sustainable Energy Crop Development
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the DOE’s ARPA-E TERRA projects seek to accelerate the development of sustainable energy crops for the production of renewable transportation fuels from biomass. To accomplish this, the projects uniquely integrate agriculture, information technology,
April 06, 2016 Read Full Article
Market Study: Emerging Opportunities for Algae Biofuels to Supplement Fossil Fuels
(Biofuels International) Emerging opportunities for algal biofuels, particularly in the Persian Gulf region, may propel the success of the industry, a new market study by Future Market Insights finds. Algae was first discovered as a fuel alternative in 1978 under the
April 06, 2016 Read Full Article
Can Biofuel Crops and Cover Crops Coexist?
by Lisa Young (AgriNews) Cover crop and row crop biofuels systems can work together. They may have to as the Renewable Fuel Standard spurs increased demand for biofuels while many are calling for more controls on agricultural nutrient runoff. Researchers
April 06, 2016 Read Full Article
Energy Department Requests Information on Carbon Use and Reuse Technology Opportunities for the U.S. Power Generation Sector
(Department of Energy) DOE is considering more significant support for Research & Development (R&D) in carbon use. It is surveying technology approaches and seeking up-to-date information on technologies for beneficially using CO2 captured from fossil-fuel power plants. To complement existing
April 06, 2016 Read Full Article
Farm Bill Energy Programs Enable New Feedstock Production To Help Fuel the Biobased Economy
by Brent Erickson (Biotechnology Innovation Organization/Biofuels Digest) ... Congress changed mandatory funding for two key bioenergy programs – despite their tangible successes – through its Fiscal Year 2016 (FY16) Omnibus spending bill. USDA’s Section 9003 Loan Guarantee Program and the Biomass
April 06, 2016 Read Full Article
DOE BETO Updates Multi-Year Program Plan
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office has released the 2016 update of its Multi-Year Program Plan, which serves as an operational guide to help the BETO manage and coordinate its activities. The plan
April 05, 2016 Read Full Article
Biofuel Producers with Poor Soil Should Consider Prairie Cordgrass
by Lauren Quinn (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Salt-affected land is not useful for producing food crops, but biomass producers could take advantage of salt-tolerant perennial grasses to make use of that land. --In a greenhouse study, germination of prairie cordgrass
April 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Redefining Renewable Biomass: A Policy Change with Cascading Outcomes
by Katie E. Moore-Drougas, Daniel T. Schwartz, Laurel James and Jim Durglo (Brookings Institution) ... One solution that has the potential to substantially curb greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is a change in the Energy Independence and Security Act’s (EISA) definition of “renewable
April 04, 2016 Read Full Article
University of Tennessee Center Continues Efforts to Develop Low-Cost Biofuels and Bio-Based Products
(AZO CleanTech) A few years ago, petroleum-based products, including gasoline, were not available at affordable prices, unlike the case today. However, the prices are likely to return to the same level in the coming years. Due to this impending scenario, researchers
April 04, 2016 Read Full Article
NexSteppe Inc. CEO Selected to Receive the 2016 BIO Rosalind Franklin Award
(Biotechnology Innovation Organization/Businesswire) The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) announced today that President and CEO of NexSteppe, Anna Rath, has been selected by a committee of her peers to be the recipient of the 2016 BIO Rosalind Franklin Award. The Rosalind Franklin Award
April 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Son of Billion Ton: The Digest’s 2016 Multi-Slide Guide to the USDA Billion Ton Report
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The 2005 report, Biomass as Feedstock for a Bioenergy and Bioproducts Industry: The Technical Feasibility of a Billion-Ton Annual Supply (generally referred to as the Billion-Ton Study) was an estimate of potential biomass available within the contiguous United
April 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Prospective Plantings: The Digest’s 2016 8-Slide Guide to Corn, Soy, Sorghum, Wheat Acreage
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Prospective Plantings report provides the first official, survey based estimates of U.S. farmers’ 2016 planting intentions. U.S. corn growers expect to plant 93.6 million acres to corn this year, according to the Prospective Plantings report
April 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Shock Rise in Corn Production Leads to Price Plunge
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In grains, the big news has been the USDA prospective plantings report, which has corn up to 93 million acres in 2016, up 5 million over last year, and it was an unexpected gain given
April 04, 2016 Read Full Article
The Yield Dividend: 5-10X Increase in Sorghum Opening New Options for Africa?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In South Africa,, Chromatin and Zaad Holdings have entered into an alliance to produce and distribute planting seed for grain and forage sorghum throughout the African continent. In Africa, sorghum is used in the food and
April 01, 2016 Read Full Article
SDSU Works toward Ground-Breaking Way to Fuel Planes
by Kelli Gerry (The Collegian) South Dakota State researchers are working to perfect a process that could allow them to turn mustard seeds into jet fuel for Navy fighter planes. If people like Bill Gibbons are successful, some West River farmers could
March 24, 2016 Read Full Article
Developing Algae to Target Wastewater Contaminants
(Algae Industry Magazine) Sean Myers reports that University of Calgary researchers have found a way to program algae with bacterial genes to target unwanted chemicals and pharmaceuticals that end up in wastewater. Lee Jackson, scientific director of the Advancing Canadian
March 24, 2016 Read Full Article
RSB Certification of Jatropha Oil from Manabi/Ecuador as Sustainable Fuel for Combustion Engines on Galapagos Islands
(Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials) In the small country of Ecuador, all environmental risks of the production and consumption of fossil fuels can be observed by damages through oil exploration in the amazon rainforest and tank ship accidents close by Galapagos
March 21, 2016 Read Full Article
PHYCO2 and MSU Make Breakthrough in Clean Air Technology, Growing Pure Algae 24/7 and Without Sunlight
(PHYCO2) PHYCO2 -an emerging algae growth and carbon dioxide sequestration company- has made a technology breakthrough in Phase I of the multi-year trial with Michigan State University (MSU). The technology partnership set out to capture manmade carbon dioxide (a greenhouse
March 21, 2016 Read Full Article
US Agency Sets Sights on Grass in Bid to Make a Better Biofuel
by Suzanne Goldenberg (The Guardian) Arpa-E project deploys drones and robots to breed fast-growing, drought-resistant and greener biofuel from sorghum which could replace corn ethanol -- A US government agency is trying to build a better biofuel, using a higher energy-producing
March 21, 2016 Read Full Article
MSU, PHYCO2 Collaborate on Algae Growth Demonstration Project
(PHYCO2) PHYCO2, an emerging algae growth and carbon dioxide sequestration company, and Michigan State University (MSU) have announced a partnership designed to generate sustainable, clean energy sources through a new method to produce algae. The partnership will demonstrate the patent-pending PHYCO2-developed technology to sequester CO2, reclaim
March 21, 2016 Read Full Article
Soil Health Partnership Participation Explodes
by Lizzy Schultz (AgWired) Twenty-five more farms have joined in on the groundbreaking research effort from Soil Health Partnership (SHP) that could change the way farmers take care of their land. SHP works to test and measure farm management practices that
March 16, 2016 Read Full Article
Scientists Turn to GMOs in Search of Better Biofuels
by Christina Maza (Christian Science Monitor) ... Now, researchers across the US are pouring resources into discovering whether it’s possible to produce sustainable biofuel through selective plant breeding and genetic modification. That technique, which has generated controversy in the food industry,
March 14, 2016 Read Full Article
Alternative Crops for Biofuel Gaining Attention
by Colleen Scherer (Ag Professional) ... A recent University of Illinois study is using genetic markers to identify early developmental traits in Miscanthus that correlate with future yield. ... On a practical level, the researchers saw strong positive correlations between biomass yield and
March 11, 2016 Read Full Article
Experimental Biomass Harvest a Step toward Sustainable, Biofuels-Powered Future
by Jeff Mulhollem (Penn State) The first harvest of 34 acres of fast-growing shrub willow from a Penn State demonstration field this winter is a milestone in developing a sustainable biomass supply for renewable energy and bio-based economic development, according to
March 10, 2016 Read Full Article
Whatever Happened to Jatropha, and All Those Other Wonder Feedstocks?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... If jatropha faltered, never mind, went the argument, we’ll always have switchgrass. Or giant miscanthus, or pongamia, or poplar, or camelina. The list could get really long. For example, try this list of the 44
March 07, 2016 Read Full Article
UT and Genera Energy Harvest Hybrid Poplar Stand in Next Step Toward a Biobased Economy UT and Genera Energy Harvest Hybrid Poplar Stand in Next Step Toward a Biobased Economy
by Patricia McDaniels (University of Tennessee) A small stand of poplar trees harvested from a University of Tennessee AgResearch Center is set to help scientists progress further down the path toward low-cost, high-quality biomass and a bioeconomy. Located on UT’s East
March 04, 2016 Read Full Article
MSC and ASC Collaborate to Set Global Standard for Seaweed
(Marine Stewardship Council) The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) and Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) are working together to create a joint global standard for certifying seaweed operations. The collaboration offers the unique opportunity to build on the expertise of the two
March 03, 2016 Read Full Article
Implementation of 1st Project of Extraction and Export of Bio-Ethanol
(Agence Tunis Afrique Presse) A contract on the implementation of a project of cane cultivation to extract and export bio-ethanol was signed Friday in Tunis by the Ministry of Development and International Co-operation and the Manager of the Tunisian-Italian joint
March 03, 2016 Read Full Article
Biofuels from Algae: A Budding Technology Yet to Become Viable
(Phys.Org) Despite high expectations and extensive research and investment in the last decade, technological options are still in developing stages and key resources for algal growth are still too onerous for economically viable production of algal biofuels, according to a
March 01, 2016 Read Full Article
Study: Eliminating GMOs Would Take Toll on Environment, Economies
(Purdue University) Higher food prices, a significant boost in greenhouse gas emissions due to land use change and major loss of forest and pasture land would be some results if genetically modified organisms in the United States were banned, according
March 01, 2016 Read Full Article
Benefits and Ordeals of a Biofuel Project in Nigeria
by Oladunjoye A. Waleola (Avandith Renewable Energy Limited Nigeria; special to Advanced Biofuels USA) Avandith Renewable Energy Limited Nigeria is a company deeply involved in Jatropha curcas cultivation as well as biofuel production. We have been on the ground and
February 29, 2016 Read Full Article
QU Makes Headway on Algae Project
by Joey Aguilar (Gulf Times) Qatar University (QU) project to develop sustainable technologies from algae has entered the second phase, officials have said. The Algal Technologies Programme (ATP), of the university’s Centre for Sustainable Development, seeks to develop technologies that can use
February 24, 2016 Read Full Article
Researching A Rather Prickly Subject
by Brynne McMurray (Moapa Valley Progress) Behind the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Office in Logandale is a remarkable research project. In a unique garden spot, professors are investigating the biofuel and other properties of the prickly pear cactus. The project,
February 24, 2016 Read Full Article
A New Recipe for Biofuel: Genetic Diversity Can Lead to More Productive Growth
(Phys.Org) ... Today, scientists are exploring how grasses, and switchgrass in particular, can enrich the nation's biofuel supply, which is currently dominated by corn, a crop relatively easy to convert to biofuel but also in demand for food, livestock feed and
February 24, 2016 Read Full Article
Best for Biofuels
by Dave Evensen (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Research finds where bioenergy crops would grow best while minimizing detrimental effects on aquatic ecosystems -- ... Researchers at the University of Illinois used detailed models to examine impacts on water quantity and quality
February 24, 2016 Read Full Article
IEA and GBEP Launch Bioenergy and Water Paper
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Italy, IEA Bioenergy and the Global Bioenergy Partnership have published the “Examples of Positive Bioenergy and Water Relationships,” which includes examples that illustrate an encouraging variety both in terms of bioenergy systems and geographical
February 24, 2016 Read Full Article
Duckweed to Biofuel Plant to Set up in Sparta, Ga.
(Associated Press/Florida Times Union) $4 million facility would convert duckweed in wastewate treatment ponds to fuel, officials say -- WMAZ-TV reports officials in Sparta announced Wednesday that Duckweed USA will be setting up shop at the city’s wastewater plant. Mayor William
February 22, 2016 Read Full Article
#RFS Is a Top Issue for Ag Equipment Makers
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) hosted an Ag Executive Outlook panel during the opening day of the 2016 National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville this week and one of the top issues for the organization is
February 15, 2016 Read Full Article
UK CAER Algal Research Hitting the Ground in China
(University of Kentucky) Algae research at the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research (CAER) is going global. The Algae and Biofuels Laboratory at CAER is partnering with Lianhenghui Investment Company to construct a five-acre algae production facility in
February 15, 2016 Read Full Article
India's First Biofuel Refinery to Be Ready by 2019
by Supratim Dey (Business Standard) With Indian oil marketing companies (OMCs) witnessing a surge in the requirement of bio-fuel, as national policies mandate certain percentage of its blending with petrol and diesel, India within next three years will get its first bio-fuel
February 11, 2016 Read Full Article
Moment of Truth for Pioneering Biofuel Project
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
February 09, 2016 Read Full Article
Ultimate Review: The Unlimited Biotech Potential of Algae
(Labiotech.eu) Is the Future of Biotech…Green? The Algae Industry ranges from Biofuels to Nutrition to Fashion and Microalgae hold lots of potential for the industry to expand. But why? And do Venture Capitalists agree? Microalgae have already been established as incredibly valuable
February 08, 2016 Read Full Article
Penn State Harvests First Crop of Willow
by Michael Jacobson (NEBioenergy) On a cold crisp day in early January, an historic event took place in Central Pennsylvania. The location was minutes from the Penn State campus. The wait was over. The specialized harvesting equipment had arrived from NY, the
February 01, 2016 Read Full Article
Addendum to NAABB Report Released: Genifuel Corporation
(U.S. Department of Energy) In 2010, the National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts (NAABB) was formed to further understand the impacts of algae on overall biomass and liquid transportation fuel production. The consortium consisted of 39 partner institutions and primarily
January 29, 2016 Read Full Article
How Can Higher-Yield Farming Help to Spare Nature?
by Ben Phalan, Rhys E. Green, Lynn V. Dicks, Graziela Dotta, Claire Feniuk, Anthony Lamb, Bernardo B. N. Strassburg, David R. Williams, Erasmus K. H. J. zu Ermgassen, Andrew Balmford (Science Magazine) Expansion of land area used for agriculture is a
January 29, 2016 Read Full Article
4th Global Moringa Meet India Updates Moringa Biodiesel Project ROI
(Eco-Business/Centre for Jatropha Promotion & Biodiesel (CJP)) ... A time when many industries are shrinking or closing down altogether, Moringa plantation and value addition management continues to expand and grow. For one, Moringa has proven itself as a s source
January 29, 2016 Read Full Article
BETO-Funded Study Offers Methods to Support a Water-Sustainable Bioenergy Industry
(US Department of Energy) Argonne National Laboratory released a study funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) that examines the potential effects of future biofuel production on freshwater resources in the Missouri River Basin—a region that
January 29, 2016 Read Full Article
Abu Dhabi Claims World’s First Bioenergy Facility to Produce Both Food and Aviation Fuels
(Bioenergy Insight) The Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium (SBRC), a non-consortium supported by Etihad Airways, Boeing and Honeywell UOP, claims that it will soon launch the world's first bioenergy research facility using desert land, irrigated by seawater, to produce both food
January 26, 2016 Read Full Article
The Economics of Cover Crops
by Cindy Zimmerman (AgWired) At the first Soil Health Summit last year, I talked with Purdue University agricultural economist Dr. Wally Tyner about the need to quantify the economic benefits for farmers of using cover crops. This year, Chuck talked
January 22, 2016 Read Full Article
EWG Blasts Ethanol for Making Iowa’s Waterways Toxic
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the Environmental Working Group has released a new blog alleging corn produced for ethanol is responsible for increased amounts of toxic water pollution due to runoff of fertilizers and manures into waterways. It
January 22, 2016 Read Full Article
Arid Farm Can Soon Produce Aviation Biofuel at Masdar
by Haseeb Haider (Khaleej Times) The two-hectare farm at Masdar City will experiment using seawater and organic waste to help grow native halophytes for generating biofuel, while producing fish and shrimps. A research facility to develop biofuels will be operational at
January 20, 2016 Read Full Article
Flex Fuel Policy of Government to Curb Pollution Worry Automakers
by Sriram Lakshman (The Hindu Business Line) The move will decrease pollution and encourage a diversion in the sugar industry’s output away from sugar and towards ethanol -- India can soon expect a policy on flexible-fuel cars, cars that can run
January 19, 2016 Read Full Article
Insurance for New Biofuel Crop Now Available
(US Department of Agriculture/PRMediaRelease) Carinata Producers Need to Make Insurance Decisions Soon -- USDA’s Risk Management Agency today announced that producers in Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota can insure carinata by written agreement under the canola and rapeseed insurance plans.
January 19, 2016 Read Full Article
Ecological Farming: A Different Form of Agtech –Exclusive Report
by Louisa Burwood-Taylor (AgFunderNews) ... “Ecological farming is ‘AgTech’ but of a different kind. It is a return to the original definition of ‘technology’, which comes from two Greek words: technis, which means art, skill, craft or the way something is gained, and logos,
January 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Study: Second-Generation Biofuels Can Reduce Emissions
(EurekAlert!/University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Second-generation biofuel crops like the perennial grasses Miscanthus and switchgrass can efficiently meet emission reduction goals without significantly displacing cropland used for food production, according to a new study. Researchers from the University of Illinois
January 11, 2016 Read Full Article
Algae-Derived Biofuels Gain Traction as Commercial Viability Increases
(Eco-Business/Future Market Insights) Algaculture, the farming of algae for fuel, is gaining traction globally as governments and private players look to leverage on the potential of algae as a biofuel. Concerns about depleting oil resources and the environmental impact of
January 11, 2016 Read Full Article
Poplar (Populus spp.) Trees for Biofuel Production
(Extension.org) If you are looking for a comprehensive article on poplar for biofuel production, this is for you. Table of Contents Introduction Current and Potential Use as a Biofuel Biology and Adaptation Production and Agronomic Information Harvest Potential Yields Production Challenges Estimated Production Cost Environmental/Sustainability Issues Feasibility Summary Bibliography For More Information Contributors to This
January 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Willow Harvesting Updates
by Justin Heavey and Armen R. Kemanian (Northeast Bioenergy Extension Blog) The harvest season for willow biomass crops in the northeast is progressing across multiple sites, utilizng new harvesting technology developed by NEWBio researchers at SUNY-ESF in cooperation with industrial partner New Holland
December 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Six-Year Study Suggests Perennial Crop Yields Can Compete with Corn Stover
by Mark E. Griffin (Wisconsin Energy Institute/University of Wisconsin) A six-year Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) study on the viability of different bioenergy feedstocks recently demonstrated that perennial cropping systems such as switchgrass, giant miscanthus, poplar, native grasses, and
December 30, 2015 Read Full Article
USDA to Request Extension of Residue, Biomass Field Study
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service has published a notice announcing its intention to request a revision and extension of a currently approved information collection for a residue and biomass field survey. According to a
December 28, 2015 Read Full Article
The Bioeconomy’s River Pilot: The Digest’s 2016 8-Slide Guide to the USDA
by Valerie Reed (US Department of Agriculture/Biofuels Digest) A great government agency is a little like a river pilot — doesn’t run the ship, but steps in as a vital partner for complex, critical tasks where specialized know-how and resources
December 28, 2015 Read Full Article
14 More Answers for your Burning Questions about Biofuels, Renewable Chemicals, the New Agriculture, and Biobased Products
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Q. How have the US elections and the regulatory situation in the US impacted development of biofuels for other countries, particularly Latin America? ... Not much impact from the 2014 US elections, so far —
December 28, 2015 Read Full Article
A Familiar Friend in Unfamiliar Times: The Digest’s 2016 8-Slide Guide to Sorghum
by Bill Rooney (Biofuels Digest/Texas A&M) Sorghum has been identified by the US Department of Energy as an energy crop of interest. Owing to its high biomass yield, drought tolerance, established production systems, carbon life cycle, genetic resources and potential for further improvement and available hybrids. Texas A&M”s
December 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Re-Thinking the Carbon Reduction Value of Corn Ethanol Fuel
by Ron Alverson (Ethanol Across America) It has been seven years since Argonne National Labs (ANL), as part of the Energy Security and Independence Act requirements, first determined the Life Cycle Carbon Intensity of mid-west corn ethanol fuel. ANL, using
December 23, 2015 Read Full Article
The 7 Flying Reindeer: Renewable Fuel Myths that Continue to Defy Gravity
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Food vs Fuel, biofuels causing corn planting to skyrocket, low oil prices killing off renewable fuels, the subsidy myth, the emissions myth, the “people won’t buy the fuels” myth, and the Insanity myth. ... In the world
December 23, 2015 Read Full Article
What About Willow? Willows Could Be Next Big Thing for Conservation, Biofuel Feedstock
by Claire Vath (DTN/The Progressive Farmer) ... "We had something like 200 trespass cows from a nearby land lease," Willow says. So, they constructed a fence. And while it kept animals out, the damage had already been wrought. "Those cows destroyed
December 22, 2015 Read Full Article
Experimental Algae to Grow at the Refinery
(PKN ORLEN) PKN ORLEN is starting another R&D project to explore alternative sources of next-generation biocomponents. The Company plans to open a research station at its Production Plant in Płock, where carbon dioxide and process wastewater will be used to grow
December 22, 2015 Read Full Article
University of Illinois Awarded Grant to Support Sorghum Research
(University of Illinois/Biomass Magazine) The University of Illinois has been awarded a 3-year, $5 million grant from the DOE Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy as part of its OPEN 2015 funding initiative (ARPA-E OPEN). Under Principal Investigator Andrew Leakey, Associate Professor of
December 18, 2015 Read Full Article
How Renewable Ethanol Can Be Produced Sustainably
(ePURE) ... At ePURE, the association representing European ethanol producers, we believe that renewable ethanol can play an important role in decarbonising transport. Because ethanol can be blended with petrol to run in existing engines, it is one of the ways we
December 17, 2015 Read Full Article
Thoughtful Planning Is Essential To Meet The Renewable Fuel Standard
by Ghasideh Pourhashem (Forbes) ... Originally, along with energy security targets and diversifying U.S. fuel mix, the RFS was designed to lower the lifecycle GHG emissions and combustion-related smog from fossil fuel use. In recent years, as domestic energy production
December 16, 2015 Read Full Article
HeidelbergCement, Joule Exploring Carbon-Neutral Fuels from Cement CO2
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The quest for affordable, sustainable, point-sourced CO2 brings Joule to Germany and the cement business. Here’s the how and why. Most of the time, power plants get the attention when it comes to CO2 emissions. In
December 15, 2015 Read Full Article
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