by By Brian Bienkowsk (Environmental Health News) As a growing population stresses the world's food and water supplies, corporations and investors in wealthy countries are buying up foreign farmland and the freshwater perks that come with it. From Sudan to Indonesia,
by Christopher K. Wright and Michael C. Wimberly (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) In the US Corn Belt, a recent doubling in commodity prices has created incentives for landowners to convert grassland to corn and soybean cropping. Here,
(VayuGrid/PR NewsWire) EEP-SEA Selects VayuSap™ Among 168 Other Projects for a Grant of Over $1 Million India-based VayuGrid and Zambia-based BetterWorld Energy have inked an agreement to partner on VayuSap™ biofuel development zones in Zambia. The development zones, based on Elite VayuSap™ trees, will
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In the new USDA long-term forecasts, rising global meat consumption stands out as a driver of rising food prices, exports. ...But you might ask yourself — in a world where you can find hyperbole linking hunger
(Bioenergy Crops) There is an increasing interest worldwide on developing sustainable bioenergy alternatives for low competitive lands where food production profitability is scarce or where soils and climates are not suited for traditional activities or have no market access and
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released two comprehensive reports today that synthesize the scientific literature on climate change effects and adaptation strategies for U.S. agriculture and forests. The reports, entitled Climate Change and Agriculture: Effects and Adaptation and the Effects of
(The Fish Site) Hiep Thanh Seafood Processing Corporation (HTFood) has successfully produced bio-diesel from catfish fat. Waste catfish material such as intestine, bone and fat are all used in the process of converting catfish waste material into bio-diesel, reports The Saigon Times. This
by Ann Perry (US Department of Agriculture Agriculture Research Service/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Corn crop residues are often left on harvested fields to protect soil quality, but they could become an important raw material in cellulosic ethanol production. USDA research indicates
(Mongabay.com) Degradation of peat swamps for oil palm and timber plantations is a substantially larger source of greenhouse gas emissions than previously believed, finds a new study published in the journalNature. An international team of researchers tested the water chemistry of
(Arcadia Biosciences) New Tree Crops To Increase Productivity While Preserving Natural Resources and Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions Arcadia Biosciences, Inc., an agricultural technology company focused on developing technologies and products that benefit the environment and human health, and FuturaGene, Inc., a
(Lux Research) Growing demand will place stress on feedstocks, requiring new innovations if more bio-based products are to replace petroleum-based ones, says Lux Research Driven by aggressive biofuel mandates, rapid growth will cause great strain on biomass by 2030, according to Lux Research. Using today’s
(National Biodiesel Board) It's Vegas, and the winning bet is on growth for biodiesel, America's advanced biofuel. American jobs and clean air stand to benefit as the industry pushes towards its new 10-year vision: 10 percent of the on-road diesel
(Algae Industry Magazine) Neste Oil, ranked the world’s fourth most sustainable company on The Global 100 list at the World Economic Forum in Davos, has been investigating the suitability of algae for its renewable fuels production for some years; its
by Nina Chestney (Reuters/Huffington Post) Growing palm oil trees to make biofuels could be accelerating the effects of climate change, new research showed on Wednesday, adding further weight to claims the crop is not environmentally sustainable. In a paper published in the
(UPI) Corn crop residue often left behind on harvested fields to protect soil quality could become an important raw material for biofuels, U.S. researchers say. A study by scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture indicated soil quality would not decline
by Ned Stowe (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) Like it or not, corn and corn ethanol production are large, established industries in the U.S. While they provide significant economic, energy, and environmental benefits for our society, they also come with
by W.M.J. Achten, A. Trabucco, W.H. Maes, L.V. Verchot, R. Aerts, E. Mathijs, P. Vantomme, V.P. Singh, B. Muys (ScienceDirect.com/Journal of Arid Environments) Biofuels are considered as a climate-friendly energy alternative. However, their environmental sustainability is increasingly debated because of land
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It is becoming increasingly evident that, in the near-term, acute demand for aviation biofuel is going, one way or another, to result in heavy demand for jatropha and jatropha oil-based fuels. New deals for SGB in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The metrics? A commercial scale project of 4,000 hectares would supply enough power for the project and export 325GWh a year in addition to 7,500 tonnes of algae oil, and hundreds of thousands of tonnes of food
(Algae Industry Magazine) West Virginia-based Touchstone Research Laboratory, is experimenting with three new technologies at their raceway farm testing center built around four 30-by-200-foot ponds in Wooster, Ohio. Funded by close to $7 million in grants from the U.S. Department
by Ned Stowe (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) The USDA estimates that farmers in the U.S. will plant nine million more acres in corn in 2013 than they did in 2011, an increase of almost 10 percent. Over the same period,
(Menafn /The Record/McClatchy-Tribune Information Services) A seed producer is recruiting area farmers to produce sorghum, a grain crop also known as milo, for use in ethanol production, including at the Pacific Ethanol Inc. plant in Stockton. Chromatin Inc. will host a
by Katie Fehrenbacher (Gigaom) ... One of the companies that’s the farthest along is Solazyme, a South San Francisco-based company that went public in the spring of 2011. Solazyme was one of the first firms to focus on the alternative chemicals and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In Maryland, The Wildlife Society released a Technical Review, “Effects of Bioenergy Production on Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat,” to provide answers to questions on bioenergy development and wildlife so that site managers might better predict
(News Day) The multimillion dollar ethanol project in Chisumbanje is set to re-open after villagers and the company agreed on a wide range of issues meant to avert social disaster in Chipinge. Agreed issues include the immediate release of farmers arrested
by Jim Lane (BioInvest Digest) The technologies out there are five in number. They are all in commercial deployment now, though some are at the capacity-construction stage. Some of them vary the feedstock, some vary the products produced. What they
by Rudy Ruitenberb (BusinessDay/iAfrica.com) Biofuel output from agricultural commodities has contributed to surging world food prices in the past decade, says Nestle chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathe. ...Mr Brabeck-Letmathe described making biofuels from food crops as "nonsense". The agriculture ministers gathered in Berlin said in
by Ilya Gelfand, Ritvik Sahajpal, Xuesong Zhang, R. César Izaurralde, Katherine L. Gross & G. Philip Robertson (Nature) ...An alternative is to grow lignocellulosic (cellulosic) crops on ‘marginal’ lands9. Cellulosic feedstocks can have positive environmental outcomes10, 11 and could make up a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) DOE sets goal of 2,500 gallon per acre algae biomass demonstration by 2018. In Washington, the US Department of Energy announced a “Advancements in Algal Biomass Yield” Funding Opportunity of up to $10 million to help
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Bio-Refinery Begins Operations Turning Co-Cropping into Fuels, Chemicals Deep in the Mekong Delta of South Vietnam a small bio-refinery is converting seaweed into protein, fuel-blendable alcohol, and a bacterial soil product. It is part of a
by Daniel C Marotta and Jennifer Coute-Marotta (Truthout) All names are fictitious as sources requested anonymity out of fear of retaliation. Anonymity and people's requests that no pictures be taken were prerequisites for attaining interviews. No one wanted to go
(Ashville Citizen-Times) Thanks to an innovative program aimed at helping North Carolina become more self-sufficient when it comes to energy, Asheville’s popular Biltmore Estate, that venerable bastion of the region’s travel and tourism industry, soon may become a source for
(Nanowerk.com) Researchers working on the biofuel crop Miscanthus sacchariflorus, commonly known as Asian Elephant Grass, have shown that delaying flowering in the plant can result in a 50% growth increase.The discovery could have important implications for biofuel production, leading to higher
by Alister Doyle (Reuters) Green schemes to fight climate change by producing more bio-fuels could actually worsen a little-known type of air pollution and cause almost 1,400 premature deaths a year in Europe by 2020, a study showed on Sunday. The report
by Luke Geiver (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Biomass Crop Assistance Program may have been extended through 2013 with the passing of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, but the program’s usefulness in the coming year is still uncertain. Although
by Larisa Brass (KnoxvilleBiz.com) Van Shaver got into the farming business by planting switchgrass on 90 acres in Loudon County for a brand new biofuels market. This year's crop will be fed to his cows. Four years after the state launched a
by Bradley Frieze (Advanced Biofuels USA) Dr. Jennie Hunter-Cevera and Dr. Mark Jones of the National Academy of Science Division on Earth and Life Studies gave a public webinar on November 27th, 2012 about the sustainable development of algal biofuels
(Algae Industry Magazine) Streamline Automation, of Huntsville, Alabama, has been assigned a patent (8,303,818) developed by four co-inventors for a “method and apparatus using an active ionic liquid for algae biofuel harvest and extraction.” The co-inventors are Roberto Di Salvo,
by Mary Rosenthal (Biomass Magazine) Just a few weeks ago, the National Research Council released its report on the sustainability of biofuels derived from algae, affirming the potential of our industry to meet global fuel challenges in a sustainable manner. The
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Following an October partnership between Petrobras Biofuel and the Brazilian Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture to intensify research into producing biodiesel from waste fish oil, Petrobras Biofuel recently participated in the release of “Machine Biopeixe,” equipment to
(University of California-San Diego/Biodiesel Magazine) Biologists at UC San Diego have demonstrated for the first time that marine algae can be just as capable as fresh water algae in producing biofuels. The scientists genetically engineered marine algae to produce five different
by Robert Vierhout (ePURE/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Hopefully, European regulators will take note of what has happened. If they are intellectually honest, they should acknowledge that if the U.S. biofuel policy has no real negative impact on the food/feed
(Kansas City Business Journal) Kansas City isn't exactly flush with cash, but it has managed to make $2 million the past few years through its innovative handling of sludge, The Kansas City Star reports. The city has turned a profit from handling sludge
by Obey Manayiti (News Day) Dozens of angry villagers last week fought running battles with Zimbabwe Republic Police officers over disputed land between villagers and Green Fuel in Chisumbanje. The clashes started last Monday, but turned nasty over the weekend after
(Forest Products Society) Biofuels made from high-yield, short rotation woody crops or from forest residuals and thinnings that are currently left unused have substantial potential to reduce CO2 emissions as well as to contribute to energy independence. A series of
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Sorghum is poised to come into its own as an alternative to corn. It proved its mettle in the 2012 drought, producing decent dryland yields with very little rainfall. And, with the U.S.
(Committee on the Sustainable Development of Algal Biofuels; Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources; Board on Energy and Environmental Systems; Division on Earth and Life Studies; Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences; National Research Council) Biofuels made from algae are
(Algae Industry Magazine) Researchers from Federal University of Santa Catarina, in Brazil, are investigating how well microalgae can grow using concentrated desalination from inland desalination of brackish water. Dr. Ernani Sebastião Sant’Anna and research assistant Ângelo Paggi Matos are growing a
by Gerald Kitabu (IPP Media) The government of Tanzania has been urged to localise biofuel commercial production by empowering small farmers in terms of training, loans and marketing. The call was made by Tanzanian researchers and scientists during a recent visit
by Roy Robertson (Southeast Farm Press) • Steve Kresovich is part of a team of USC researchers looking for crops that can be adapted to less productive and often under-utilized South Carolina soils. • The end goal, Kresovich says, is to
(Associated Press/Times Union) Energy from willows is moving out of the experimental stage and into commercial production in New York. Farms are growing willow shrubs and selling them to a utility, a nursery sells them commercially and plans are being made for refineries. "The
by Chris Berendt (The Sampson Independent) Chemtex International Inc. is currently involved in a permitting process that will see a $200 million biofuels refinery production plant open at the start of 2015, creating around 350 direct and indirect jobs and anticipated
(Associated Press/The State) Clemson University researchers are joining with a commercial forestry company to try to figure out what variety of poplars are best to make biofuels. ArborGen planted four species of poplars last year at Clemson's Pee Dee Research and
(Platts) The European Commission does not plan to "cap the production and consumption" of first-generation biofuels as it moves to overhaul its biofuels policies, but it will "cap the incentives" for their production, Hans van Steen of the EC's Directorate-General
by Amy Mayer (KBIA.org) Since the introduction of the Renewable Fuel Standard in 2005, the EPA has had to radically reduce expectations. Today, there still isn’t a single commercial-scale plant producing cellulosic ethanol. Several plants are being built now, though, so cellulosic ethanol
(WebWire) Biofuels made from high yield, short rotation woody crops or from forest residuals and thinnings that are currently left unused have substantial potential to reduce CO2 emissions as well as to contribute to energy independence. A series of articles
by Mohammad Shoeb (The Peninsula Qatar) Qatar has launched a novel pilot project, ‘Sahara Forest’ in collaboration with a Norwegian company, which will help produce food crops (such as tomatoes, cucumber, melon), fodder crops, freshwater, clean energy, salt, algae (for
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... But very few are working in solid phase – where essentially instead of working with a liquid vat, microbes are growing on a fabric or film — and the organisms are provided with a
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) An alternative energy company looking to build multiple energy beet-to-biofuel plants in Kentucky recently became the first corporation to join the Kentucky Hemp Growers Cooperative Association. Although federal rules currently prohibit the growth of
(XS4Green.com) ...John Benemann, Ian Woertz, and Tryg Lundquist, MicroBio Engineering, Inc. (Walnut Creek, CA) and California State Polytechnic University (San Luis Obispo, CA), present the results of an engineering and economic study of vegetable oil production from microalgae grown in
by Ned Stowe (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) EESI Policy Associate Ned Stowe recently gave a presentation on biomass, bioenergy, and sustainability to the 11th Annual Great Lakes Environmental Legislators Forum of the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators in Chicago,
by Tina Casey (Clean Technica) DuPont is building one of the world’s largest cellulosic biofuel plants in Nevada, Iowa; and it’s going to take a lot of corn stover to keep this baby humming, to the tune of 30 million gallons of ethanol
by Max Paris (CBC News) U.S. Steel Canada announces pilot project that will test Pond Biofuels technology U.S. Steel Canada announced Tuesday it will partner with Union Gas and Pond Biofuels to test an innovative system that pulls carbon dioxide directly
(Alternative Energy Africa) A public-private partnership (PPP) has been launched to promote the production of ethanol from cassava and sugarcane in Cote d’Ivoire which would be used for clean cook stoves. READ MORE
by Julia Bayly (Bangor Daily News) ...The Center for Rural Sustainable Development at the University of Maine at Fort Kent last week announced it has received a $62,334 grant to study farmer interest in large-scale grass biomass production and the economic feasibility of
(Renewable Fuels Association) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should immediately initiate a process to update its obsolete lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) analyses of corn and sugarcane ethanol for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2), according to a letter sent Friday to EPA Administrator
(AP/Oregon Live) Portland General Electric is in its second year of testing the giant cane known as Arundo donax as a potential replacement for coal at the Boardman Power Plant. But the utility is also looking at other biomass sources that
(Chromatin/BusinessWire) Chromatin’s Sorghum Seed Recognized for Water Use Efficiency and Versatility Chromatin, Inc., a privately held provider of innovative crop breeding technology, sorghum seed products and feedstocks, announced it has generated the first crop of sorghum that has been grown and
by Sara Mojtehedzadeh (Edmonton Journal) Bedford Biofuels’ plantation is stalled, and along with it the company’s promise to provide jobs and cash for community development ...Though this is an arid and unforgiving area, the land surrounding Garsen should have been green with
by Jennifer Alsever (CNN Money) ... While most of its rivals raced to commercialize the fuel, San Diego-based SG Biofuels took a different path: It hired plant geneticists. They hunkered down in the laboratory to come up with the best genetic variations
(FuturaGene) FuturaGene, a world leader in the enhancement of yield and sustainability of woody crops for plantation forestry, biopower and biofuel markets, is pleased to announce the signing of a Cooperation Framework Agreement with EMBRAPA, (Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária)
by Craig Hanson (WRI Insights) At the 10th Annual Meeting of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), WRI launched two new online mapping applications designed to help the palm oil industry grow while avoiding deforestation. These free tools enable palm oil producers, buyers,
by Nigel Sizer (WRI Insights/The Jakarta Post) ...The world’s top scientists are also raising concerns. According to a recent study in Nature Climate Change, from 1990 to 2010, 90 percent of lands converted to oil palm plantations in Kalimantan were forested. There need not,
(StarAfrica/PR NewsWire) Starting With a 2,000 Plus Acre, the Long Term Goal is to Create a Cluster of 1,00,000 Acres Under a Collaborative Model VayuGrid, a biofuel supply chain company based in Bangalore, has signed a MOU to create a biofuel cluster
by Jason Motlagh (The Washington Post/Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting) Long a preferred cooking ingredient in developing countries, palm oil is now in greater demand in Western markets because of its low price and long shelf life. Derived from the
(Algae Industry Magazine) French biotech startup Ennesys will today launch its first demonstrator system for “truly green” buildings – in the Nanterre district of La Defense near Paris. It’s a simple idea: to turn buildings into energy production units by
(Stabroek News) A plant to produce ethanol from sweet potatoes is in the pipeline, according to Dr Leroy McClean, chief executive officer of the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC). Without providing details, he said, “I have a Chinese company .
by Dallas Kachan (Renewable Energy World/Kachan & Co.) ...In its new report on agricultural cleantech, Kachan uses the following criteria to differentiate cleantech developments from generic agricultural innovations: improved efficiency of resource use reduced ecological impact smaller carbon footprint sustained or enhanced profitability Technologies that reduce
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Generally, renewables compete in the short term against fossil fuel prices – but in the long-term, against fossil fuel extraction costs. Even if a new process produces a renewable at less then, say, the equivalent of
by Matthew Wald (New York Times) The company, SEE Algae Technology of Austria, is building a 2.5-acre factory on a sugar plantation near Recife, Brazil, that will use genetically modified algae that can eat carbon dioxide from the sugar. Adding urea and
(E! Science News) Biologists at UC San Diego have demonstrated for the first time that marine algae can be just as capable as fresh water algae in producing biofuels. The scientists genetically engineered marine algae to produce five different kinds
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Ceres and Syngenta sign a major deal to stimulate sweet sorghum adoption. Brazilian producers seek paths for expanding ethanol production. What are sorghum’s chances of being the darling of the expansion story? ...The companies will work
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Solazyme lands monster capacity expansion agreements with ADM and Bunge – what’s the sector’s hottest company up to now? ... The Bunge agreement will expand joint venture-owned oil production capacity at Solazyme Bunge Renewable Oils from
(RSB Services Foundation/Global Clean Energy Holdings) The RSB Services Foundation, the implementing entity of the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB) which has developed a global sustainability standard and certification system for biofuel production, is pleased to announce that Global Clean
by Marc D. Anderson (AL.com) A company using NASA-licensed technology is looking at a small patch of bayfront property to launch what one day could be a revolutionary wastewater-treating and biofuel-creating endeavor. Since 2009, Algae Systems LLC of Carson City, Nev.,
by John Vidal (The Guardian) Israeli biotech firm says its modified eucalyptus trees can displace the fossil fuel industry It's a timber company's dream but a horrific industrial vision for others: massive plantations of densely planted GM eucalyptus trees stretching across Brazil, South Africa,
by Rich Keller (Ag Professional) “Energy beets” have proven to produce double the ethanol of corn per acre in research studies. But what are the full economics and will a large-scale demonstration ethanol plant using beets as the feedstock prove
(The Guardian) Tighter EU rules on biofuel production are failing to protect the land rights of Indonesia's indigenous communities ...To understand the scale of the problem, Sawit Watch (sawit means palm oil in Indonesian) is supporting smallholders and indigenous people in more than 660
(Daily Yomiuri Online) IHI Corp. on Wednesday unveiled to reporters its facility to test the cultivation of algae for biofuel in Yokohama. The company hopes to mass-produce the biofuel for use in jet fuel, with a target of practical use
(Associated Press/The Advocate) An LSU AgCenter forestry researcher is looking at a fast-growing plant called switchgrass as a potential biofuel feedstock. Switchgrass needs little fertilizer and can tolerate drought and floods, Michael Blazier said — and on land left open because
by Holly Jessen & Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Looking into the future, Jeff Roskam, CEO of the Kansas Alliance for Biorefining and Bioenergy, fears any modification of the renewable fuel standard (RFS). “Period,” he says. “Not only would this
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin have developed a proof-of-concept design to harvest, dewater and convert algae to biodiesel in a one-step process using resins. In a paper titled, “Use of Anion Exchange
by Kevin Quon (Seeking Alpha) When it comes to renewable oils company Solazyme (SZYM), it would be good to check your understanding of biofuels at the door. Solazyme's heterotrophic algae are utilized within a closed fermentation process to make triglyceride oils.
(USDA Agricultural Research Service) From 1850 to 1950, the Tri-State Mining District of southwestern Missouri, southeastern Kansas, and northeastern Oklahoma produced 50 percent of the zinc and 10 percent of the lead in the United States. The last active mine
by Gary Truitt (Hoosier Ag Today) Agricultural economists at the University of Illinois have been calculating the costs for farmers to produce biomass energy crops as renewable alternatives to fossil fuels. In fact – they have created a feedstock cost
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Jatropha 2.0 crude oil costs drops below Brent crude petroleum price In California, SG Biofuels announced at Advanced Biofuels Markets that it has expanded its global network of hybrid trial and agronomic research sites to 15
(Algae Industry Magazine) Recently Aurora Algae announced the successful completion of requirements for a two million dollar (AUD) Low Emissions Energy Development (LEED) grant, which has been used to advance the Company’s algae-based biomass production at its demonstration facility in Karratha, Western
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) Heliae is the 9th startup for CEO Dan Simon, and the company is finally at his favorite stage. “We are completing our charge through the Valley of Death,” he says. Indeed. In 2012, Heliae
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Union of Concerned Scientists has published a report that shows that biomass feedstock has the potential to dramatically increase our nation’s renewable energy supply. The report, titled “The Promise of Biomass,” determined that
by Stefaniya Becking* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The 4th Nordic Wood Biorefinery conference held in Helsinki, Finland (October 23-25, 2012) brought together over 300 people from around 30 countries. The organizers successfully achieved the goal of having a stimulating event with
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Increasing demand for bioenergy feedstock is generating debates about food versus fuel and indirect land-use change. An interdisciplinary team of 11 scientists from seven European countries and the U.S. recently published a paper reviewing
by Heidi Gaiser (Daily Interlake) The four partners of Clearwater Biologicals are working to turn a crop popular in the Bronze Age into a 21st-century source of fuel and nutrients — and they are beginning the process here in the
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) Big algae news in the state of Arizona is the $15 million award by the Department of Energy to Arizona State University to establish a national algae science and technology testbed, dubbed the Algae
by Olivier De Schutter (The Guardian) ...The new starting point should be to put food security first. Globally, 25% of land is already degraded, and the remaining productive areas are subject to ever-greater competition from industrial and urban uses. This is
(Biofuels International) The Filipino Department of Energy (DoE) is to collaborate on a new bioethanol research project with Xavier University. The DoE will commit to fund the university’s study into looking at potential bioethanol production via varieties of cassava taken from
(Science Daily) Scaling up the production of biofuels made from algae to meet at least 5 percent -- approximately 39 billion liters -- of U.S. transportation fuel needs would place unsustainable demands on energy, water, and nutrients, says a new
by Blair Fannin (Texas A&M University) Dr. Bill McCutchen sees the potential for the southeast to become the ‘Saudi Arabia’ for production of dedicated energy crops. “It’s the Bioenergy Belt,” said McCutchen, executive associate director of Texas A&M AgriLife Research, at
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) ... So now that Green Crude Farm is in operation, what’s the current activity there? CJ: We are about to do the next big thing with the Farm, which is the strain transition. We’re demonstrating
by Nathanael Massey (Scientific American/Climatewire) A new study shows that degraded, marginal or abandoned land may not be very productive for growing fuel crops ...From the California desert to the badlands around Chernobyl, Ukraine, bioenergy is taking root in the form of
(Pennsylvania State University) The Northeast could help lead the way to a renewable-energy-based economy by utilizing marginal and abandoned land to grow energy crops such as perennial grasses and fast-growing woody plants. That's the goal of a new research and education
(Primus Green Energy) New Northeast Consortium Tasked With Developing Perennial Biomass Feedstock Production Systems As part of its continued effort to drive the commercialization of alternative fuels, Primus Green Energy Inc. an alternative fuel company based in Hillsborough, N.J., has signed
by Marc Gunther (The Guardian) Scores of companies across the world are racing to unlock algae's energy potential and create a 'green crude oil' Tiny Columbus, New Mexico (population, 1,678) is hot, flat and uncrowded — an ideal place to launch
by Kristofor Husted (KBIA) In the parched, rolling hills of western Missouri, you might expect to see a desolate scene after this summer’s drought. But in this field, hip-high native grass sways across the landscape like seaweed in the ocean. Wayne Vassar
by Kari Lydersen (Midwestern Energy News) Purdue University associate professor Richard Meilan is striving to develop a poplar tree that grows more quickly and can be more easily converted to biofuel than the average member of the genus Populus. It also must be
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Are they biofuels? We think so – even if they are post-biomass. They do what organisms have done for eons to make biomass in the first place: convert lifeless CO2, sunlight and water and nutrients
by Harry Cline (Western Farm Press) Castor beans are back in California as a possible source crop for making biofuels; Castor's main toxic protein, ricin, is so potent that a single milligram is sufficient to kill an adult; Castor oil is essential
by Gary Pinnell (Equities.com/Highlands Today) After four years of talk, British Petroleum still hasn't built that ethanol production facility on State Road 70, at the southeastern edge of Highlands County. However, activity is increasing: --Plans were filed and construction has begun on
by John Perritano (HowStuffWorks) At first glance, the fields of miscanthus that blanket Sampson County, N.C., seem of little importance. Standing 4 feet (1.21 meters) taller than a basketball hoop, miscanthus is a giant, spiky, inedible -- and some would
(Taiwan Today) Taiwan Institute of Economic Research introduced the benefits of ethanol-infused fuel to the nation’s drivers in Rende Township, Tainan City, Oct. 4. TIER, subcontracted by the National Science Council to conduct a project on the development
by Caline Malek (The National) Scientists at the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology hope to acquire 200 hectares of land they need to set up a demonstration farm in Abu Dhabi. "Once we get it, we can start producing aviation biofuels," said
(Energy Digital/MarketWire) Global Clean Energy, Inc., continues to develop its plan to provide the most efficient feedstocks for biomass fuel production. The company has begun to provide for production of Jatropha and switch grass in rural America. ...GCEI's proposed algae production locations
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Growing crude oil as a crop – Sapphire Energy and its Green Crude Farm – can it be the sunlight in your universe and change the world? What does it look like? How does it work?
(Biofuels Center of North Carolina) The Patterson Science Center, in partnership with the Patterson Foundation and the Caldwell Green Commission, recently approved the establishment of a biofuels feedstock crop demonstration plot on the Patterson Campus in Caldwell County, N.C. The
by Andrea Fox (Water Environment Federation/WEF Highlights) Most wastewater treatment plants do not support acres of sunflowers, rapeseed, or sorghum. However, a grant-funded pilot program at the Neuse River Wastewater Treatment Plant (Raleigh, N.C.) could interest some treatment plant managers
(Biofuels Center of North Carolina) As part of its project to establish energy grasses in the southeastern part of the state on hog lagoon sprayfields and verify the economic opportunities for biofuels, the Biofuels Center has planted energy grasses on
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Scientists at the U.S. DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory have demonstrated a better way to use photosynthesis to produce ethylene, a breakthrough that could change the way materials, chemicals, and transportation fuels are made,
(Oregon State University) The same “green revolution” concepts that have revolutionized crop agriculture and helped to feed billions of people around the world may now offer similar potential in forestry, scientists say, with benefits for wood, biomass production, drought stress
by Tim Carpenter (Topeka Capital Journal) Grants of $20.5 million offer twist to ethanol plant, farm machinery A $15.9 million investment of federal economic stimulus cash by Gov. Sam Brownback hangs on an Oakley ethanol plant's vision of generating value from
(Associated Press/Washington Post) Wet winters and cool, dry summers make Oregon’s Willamette Valley one of the best places on the globe to produce seeds for organic broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and a variety of other vegetables known as brassicas. That
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...But carbon dioxide emissions remain. In fact, large corn ethanol plants are considered “major emitters” under EPA rules because one-third of the corn kernel, by weight, is released as carbon dioxide during fermentation. About 19
by Sue Roesler (Minnesota Farm Guide) Energy beets are growing hardy for the second year in a row in crop fields south of Minot’s NDSU Northern Research Extension Center near Minot, N.D. They will soon be harvested and the tonnage analyzed,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Algenol hits 7000 gallon per acre mark in field operations. What’s the impact for Algenol, for energy independence, for the cost of transport fuel? ...Algenol CEO Paul Woods revealed that the company, at its 4-acre, outdoor
by C.-C. Tsao , J. E. Campbell, M. Mena-Carrasco, S. N. Spak, G. R. Carmichael, and Y. Chen (Environmental Science and Technology) Although biofuels present an opportunity for renewable energy production, significant land-use change resulting from biofuels may contribute to negative
(US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service) ...Of the five regions, the Southeast has the greatest natural capacity in the continental United States, with sufficient sunshine, soils, water, and other natural resources to produce more than 10 billion gallons of
(Algae.Tec/PR NewsWire) Algae.Tec Limited is pleased to announce that Algae.Tec and Lufthansa have signed a Collaboration Agreement for the construction of a large-scale algae to aviation biofuels production facility. The site will be in Europe adjacent to an industrial CO2 source. Lufthansa will arrange
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) For years, National Sorghum Producers have advocated for increasing the use of grain sorghum, or milo, as an ethanol feedstock. Lately, the idea seems to be gaining steam. “There’s been increased interest over
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As reported elsewhere in the Digest today and throughout this week, In Brussels, a draft proposal is under consideration in the EU to eliminate food-crop subsidies for biofuels production by 2020, and cap crop-based biofuels
(Algae Industry Magazine) Scientists have identified a number of Western Australia (WA) sites capable of producing large quantities of commercial biofuel from microalgae. They say the best sites for big-scale algal biofuel plants include stretches of land south of Geraldton,
by Nigel Hunt and Veronica Brown (Reuters) * USDA report paints less severe corn crop picture than feared * FAO says situation seems comfortable * Analysts still wary on prices as U.S. corn harvest in early stages The third global food price spike
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Massachusetts, Joule announced the commissioning of its first SunSprings demonstration plant in Hobbs, New Mexico, where the company will prove its scalable platform for solar fuel production – the first of its kind –
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Take the conflict over drilling for oil on federal lands in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. If you drilled the provable oil reserve in the entire federal ANWR and flooded the world market with
(CoStar Research) South Carolina Firm To Test Commercial Viability of Algae-based Biofuel Process at Former Textile Dye-Manufacturing Site Later this month if all goes as planned, Renewed World Energies (RWE), an alternative energy development company based in Georgetown, S.C., will throw
by John Lindt (The Business Journal) The Valley’s only ethanol production plant is encouraging local farmers to plant grain sorghum next spring, promising to buy the grain to make ethanol instead of using Midwestern corn. “We would love to buy all
by John Ramsey (Fayetteville Observer) The grass grows as tall as two men and thick as a jungle. This, farmers across the Cape Fear region keep hearing, is the future of ethanol. The giant miscanthus is one of the inedible crops
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) With an extreme drought across the nation’s agricultural heartland, Mother Nature has been able to accomplish in one extremely dry summer what conservationists have been trying to do for decades: restore oxygen and life to
by Drew Kershen (BioFortified) ...I do not write to enter the debate focused on fuel standards, markets and commodity speculators. I acknowledge that other factors also contribute to food crises, particularly in developing nations – e.g., underfunded agricultural research and
by Luke Geiver (Biomass Magazine) A new research effort by BP Biofuels has reaffirmed the energy giant’s role in the Gulf Coast region’s economic health. Through a three-year project, BP Biofuels will work with Texas AgriLife Research to develop advanced
Martin Lamonica (MIT Technology Review) Sapphire Energy has started operation of its demonstration-scale algae farm, a project which perhaps brings more clarity to an industry debate over the best way to grow algae. The San Diego-based company last week said that
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin have developed a proof-of-concept design to harvest, dewater and convert the dried algae to biodiesel in a one-step process using resins. In a paper titled, “Use of Anion
(Yahoo! News) Applied Ecological Services, The Earth Partners, LP, and POET team up to apply science to industry: Cross-sector demonstration showcases the potential of conservation biomass as an alternative energy source. It’s a very good week for the United States alternative energy industry, and an even better
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