by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) he debate over ethanol, greenhouse gases and land use continues – and that was the topic of a panel discussion at the recent 17th annual National Ethanol Conference. The panel, moderated byRenewable Fuels AssociationVP of Research and Analysis
(Ecofys) Ecofys started a trial with the combination of seaweed cultivation and offshore wind energy. Thursday, 01 March, the cultivation module left the NIOZ harbour on the Dutch island of Texel for a disused sand extraction area 10 kilometres west
by Tom Polansek (Reuters) U.S. officials said on Friday they would offer higher payments to certain owners of environmentally sensitive farm land if they idle it in a conservation program instead of using it to grow crops. The offer from the
by Luke Geiver (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Forest Guild has released its report, “Forest Biomass Retention and Harvesting Guidelines for the Southeast,” identifying how expanding markets for forest bioenergy can enhance forests, while meeting the social and economic needs of
by Saroj Shrestha (JCN Network) Sojitz Corp. and Hitachi Zosen Corp. have launched a model project for production of bioethanol from potato starch residue in the Keshan State Farm in Harbin City, in China's Heilongjiang Province. The project is being conducted
by Connor Radnovich (Cronkite News Service/Tucson Sentinel) State's sunshine aids in growth of biofuel source A five–fold expansion of the algae lab at Arizona State University’s Polytechnic campus will help move Arizona to the forefront of algae–based research and production, Gov. Jan
(Shanghai Daily) A bilateral cooperative project on the study of biomass fuel sponsored by the Chinese and Swedish governments has made initial progress and is expected to enter the experimental phase, according to experts speaking at a workshop held in
(Algae Industry Magazine) Alganomics, LLC, the Southport, North Carolina-based producer of algae for biomass, has installed a photovoltaic solar system to offset energy used during the process of culturing algae for biofuel. With the aim to add new alternative energy
by Kelly Madsen (Iowa State Daily) For the past decade, corn ethanol has predominated Midwest biofuel production. But with increased technology and interest, an additional ethanol — cellulosic ethanol — may also shape local farming. ...Essentially, cellulosic ethanol utilizes the corn
by Professor Chris Rhodes (OilPrice.com) The depletion of world rock phosphate reserves will restrict the amount of food that can be grown, a situation that can only be compounded by the production of biofuels, including the potential large-scale generation
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) National University of Ireland Galway recently announced that researchers within its Ryan Institute are participating in a €14 million ($18.5 million) European algae initiative. The program, known as the Energetic Algae—or EnAlgae—project, was announced in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The changes at Codexis and delayed IPO at Ceres are indications that life in the public markets remains a rough one for early-stage industrial biotech companies. The changes at Codexis come after the company’s shares
by Peter Hemphill (Weekly Times Now) ...While ethanol production has become the largest use of the corn crop, it has also developed a high protein byproduct - dried distillers grains with solubles - now highly prized around the world as
by Jeff Wilson and Whitney McFerron (The Washington Post) ...Global food costs are down 11 percent from a peak a year ago as grain output rises from China to Canada, U.N. data show. ...The Agriculture Department affirmed its forecast for moderating food costs last month.
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A project aiming for energy beet-to-ethanol production in North Dakota hit some significant milestones recently. Putting the project a big step closer to reality is $1 million in funding and the fact that the
by Iowa State University News Service (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The most recent annual results from a four-year Iowa State University study on using cover crops between rows of corn reveals that higher yields – by 5 to 10 percent
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) DuPont businesses Pioneer Hi-Bred and DuPont Industrial Biosciences are collaborating with Iowa State University in performing studies on residue to establish best practices in harvesting, storage and transportation, with an eye toward its use in cellulosic ethanol production in the
(Netzwerk Biotreibstoffe) There is mounting concern that increasing biofuels production is having significant biodiversity impacts. A study by the International Food Policy Research Institute estimated that achieving the EU target would lead to a global increase in cropland of more
by Michael McNutt (NewsOK) Oklahoma House panel passes measure that would prohibit growing the ornamental plant commercially as a biofuel crop. The flowering plant still may be grown by nurseries. Growing castor beans for commercial purposes would be illegal under a
(Macau Hub) Portuguese group Galp Energia plans to head up a project for second generation biofuel produced using cultivated jatropha in Mozambique, the Portuguese press reported. The project, which is projected to cost 2 million euros, is 50 percent funded by
by Ilene Grossman (CSG Midwest) The benefits of using biomass residuals — the byproducts from activities such as agriculture and forestry — as an energy source are clear for the Midwest. Both plentiful and a potentially low-cost source of fuel, biomass
(The Hindu) The Biotechnology Engineering Department of Nitte Mahalinga Adyanthaya Memorial Institute of Technology (NMAMIT), Nitte, Karkala, has contacted 500 to 1,000 people in villages near Nitte regarding the production of biodiesel from locally-available seeds. Venkatesh Kamath, lecturer, Biotechnology Engineering Department,
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) Susan M. Kunz, President and Chief Executive Officer of BioVantage, describes herself in part as a “startup addict,” this being her fourth company built from the ground up. ...As CEO of BioVantage Resources, Inc., Sue is responsible
(OriginOil) Development of dry-land aquaculture could transform desert farm economies of the American Southwest and Mexico Mexicali Valley, Mexico and Los Angeles, CA February 3, 2012 – Algae producer Aquaviridis and OriginOil, Inc., the developer of a breakthrough technology to extract oil from algae and
(AgWeek/NDSU Agriculture Communication) A project that will develop an advanced biofuel from energy beets and provide growers across North Dakota with a new industrial crop is taking another important step forward, fueled by a significant two-year North Dakota Renewable Energy
(Netzwerk Biotreibstoffe) As a potential substitute for fossil fuels, wood energy can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. FAO’s programme on wood energy promotes sustainable wood energy systems as a contribution to sustainable forest management, livelihoods and food security. To this
(Netzwerk Biotreibstoffe) Brazil has over 4 million hectares of eucalypt plantations. Within that estate some plantations are dedicated to the production of charcoal while in some areas multiple land use includes forestry and agricultural production. Focus in recent years has
(Netzwerk Biotreibstoffe) This report was prepared as a joint effort by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institute, University of Rostock, Chalmers University of Technology, Georg-August University of Goettingen, University of Applied Sciences Eberswalde, Biop Institut
(Novozymes) A new research collaboration between Novozymes and Sea6 Energy will explore enzymatic technology to produce fuel ethanol, fine chemicals, and protein from seaweed. Novozymes, the world leader in bioinnovation, announced an exploratory research agreement with Sea6 Energy, an India-based company,
(Cyprus Mail) A consortium comprising 12 organisations from Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta, Lebanon and Egypt has been established to study the production of biodiesel from algae in selected Mediterranean countries. The consortium is coordinated by the Agricultural Research Institute of Cyprus
by Logan Hawkes (Southwest Farm Press) Biodiesel is experiencing a historic surge worldwide. Pongamiapinnata is becoming a popular oilseed choice for biofuel production and has captured the attention of U.S. growers. Pongamia is one of the few nitrogen-fixing trees producing seeds containing 30 to
(Biofuels International) In order to discover better ways to harvest, store and transport corn residue, DuPont is working with Iowa State University to combat residue buildup. If the residue buildup is able to be reduced then stand establishment concerns when the
(US Environmental Protection Agency) he U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a Notice of Data Availability (NODA) to release its lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) analysis of palm oil used as a feedstock to produce biodiesel and renewable diesel under the Renewable
(EurekAlert) ...Now, a team led by Professor Will Zimmerman in the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering at the University of Sheffield, believe they have solved the problem. They have developed an inexpensive way of producing microbubbles that can float
by Nomthandazo Nkambule (The Swazi Observer) A South African based company will invest about E3 billion in an ethanol project to be established along the Siphofaneni/Lavumisa corridor Minister of Agriculture Clement Dlamini said the company, FuelEthanol and Agricultural Plantation, completed a preliminary study on the
(California Polytechnic State University) Cal Poly faculty and students will demonstrate a new technology that uses algae to treat wastewater and produces biofuel as a byproduct. The system could be used at wastewater treatment facilities throughout California. ...This facility is a
(Balkans.com) Cyprus Agricultural Research Institute, a non-profit branch of the Agriculture Ministry, wants to grow tiny algae and see if they are a good biofuels alternative to diesel reports Cyprus Mail. ...A solution seems to be growing microalgae - present
(Daily Commercial News) Pond Biofuels is piloting a new carbon dioxide (CO2) absorption system at St. Marys Cement. The new system will reduce greenhouse gases by absorbing dirty smokestack emissions to grow algae which can be used in oil production, converted
by Spencer Ackerman and Noah Shachtman (Wired) The Navy is hoping to one day run a huge chunk of its fleet on biofuels. So the Navy’s advanced researchers — and their partners at the U.S. Department of Agriculture — are turning
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) A legume tree native to tropical and temperate regions around the world is attracting attention as a potential new biodiesel feedstock. Pongamia Pinnata—also known as Millettia Pinnata—produces oil-rich seeds that can be harvested via the
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) Choosing the most appropriate feedstock pretreatment method for a given facility can make or break plant economics A wide variety of feedstock pretreatment materials and technologies is readily available in the marketplace. From steam stripping, to
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) Is there sufficient supply of feedstock to support the build-out of a 6 billion gallon biodiesel industry over the next decade? ...If the industry stands a chance competing with Big Oil over the next decade, it
by Stephan Nielsen (Bloomberg) Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuaria, Brazil’s state-owned agricultural research agency, plans to charge less than major seed companies including Monsanto Co. (MON), Bayer AG (BAYN) and Syngenta AG (SYNN) when it begins selling sugar cane that’s genetically engineered to resist drought. The agency
(PRNewsWire/Moneylife) Scientific findings and process on biofuel crop presented in a paper delivered at INSULA (International Scientific Council for Island Development) / RSB (Roundtable for Sustainable Biofuels), Conference in UNESCO, Paris JOil (S) Pte Ltd, a scientific bioenergy crop developer of New
(PR NewsWire/Organic Tree Fruit Growers Alliance) At a recent legislative hearing in Olympia, the Washington StateHorticultural Association and its lobbyist Jim Halstrom (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvVO8tJc7zI) publicly opposed legislation (House Bill 2192) that would provide a relatively small amount of new water to allow apple and tree
(Iowa State University) Now, an Iowa State University-based study over the next five years will examine whether a single, coordinated production system can address all of these concerns while making profits for producers. A multi-state, interdisciplinary team led by Ken Moore,
by by Kevin Robinson-Avila (New Mexico Business Weekly) Algae ponds are starting to color New Mexico’s desert landscape green. Sapphire Energy Inc., which uses a proprietary process to turn algae oil into renewable gasoline to replace fossil fuels at the pump, broke
by Sean Meyers (Sustainable Business Oregon) Arundo donax has passed its first test as a possible biofuel alternative to coal being burned at Portland General Electric’s Boardman power plant. Farmers and researchers in eastern Oregon and Washington are turning in positive
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...So, along comes Joule. It’s a known fact that some microorganisms could be modified or evolved to ferment gaseous carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide. Combine that with some hydrogen taken from water, and voila, you
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In California, SG Biofuels has completed a $17 million Series B financing led by Thomas, McNerney & Partners with participation from Finistere Ventures and current investors Flint Hills Resources and Life Technologies Corporation. ...It (SG Biofuels)
by Jacob Barker (Columbia Tribune) Despite large cuts to the federal program supporting it and concerns from some groups about environmental impacts, a project to begin growing a giant perennial grass to serve as a dedicated biofuel crop is moving
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The company was founded as Aurora Biofuels – solely to do biofuels. As time went on, and the company came closer to realizing its performance targets, it discovered that its algae could sell at a
by Jeremy Hsu (MSNBC) Engineer says cheap biodiesel can be made on any scale year-round — he just needs cash The biofuel farm contained only a small wind turbine, solar panel and container of green scum packed within a tub-size frame
by John Lewis (ODT) Large colourful crops of oil-seed rape may become a more common sight on Otago farms in the future as the biofuel revolution gathers momentum. A warm growing season has turned a 23ha crop of bright yellow rape
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...But the New Agriculture has arisen in recent years, with new solutions to the old dilemma: how do you produce, and afford, and haul, and utilize enough feedstock to make an integrated biorefinery work? How
(Biotork) BioTork has successfully converted unmarketable Hawaiian papayas to fatty acids that can be refined into green fuels. This result is a first milestone in a developmental research project conducted in collaboration with the US Dept of Agriculture Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) By the end of January, Atlantic BioEnergy Corp. expects to be producing ethanol at its new $6.2 million demonstration plant in Cornwall, Prince Edward Island. The 79,000 gallon a year ethanol plant will use
(IFP Energies Nouvelles) The numerous research programmes looking at new-generation biofuels that were initiated over the last ten years are now starting to bear fruit. Although no plants are producing and marketing biofuels yet, the large-scale, industrial feasibility of second-generation biofuel production at
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) The USDA’s Risk Management Agency has developed a pilot program to insure camelina. The program, which will be available in selected counties in Montana and North Dakota for the 2012 crop year, will have a
(Algae Industry Magazine) Since early October, New Mexico State University’s Institute for Energy & the Environment (IEE) researchers have been transitioning from algae operations in the IEE water and energy lab to the Algae Test Bed Facility located at ‘A’
by Dr. Steven Thomas (US Department of Energy) Biomass feedstocks – the raw organic material that can be converted into biofuel, biopower, or bioproducts – come in many forms, from woody crops like hybrid poplar and shrub willow to herbaceous species
by Cole Gustafson, Thein Maung and David Ripplinger (North Dakota State University/Ethanol Producer Magazine) NDSU quantifies the cost and time involved in corn stover collection ...The research team at North Dakota State University in Fargo recently completed a Sun Grant study,
C-C. Tsao, J. E. Campbell, M. Mena-Carrasco, S. N. Spak, G. R. Carmichael & Y. Chen (Nature Climate Change) Accelerating biofuel production has been promoted as an opportunity to enhance energy security, offset greenhouse-gas emissions and support rural economies. However, large uncertainties remain in the impacts
(FarmGateBlog.com) Many Cornbelt farmers are planning to deliver corn stover to the local ethanol plant to generate a new income stream. Others are planning to cultivate and harvest switchgrass, miscanthus, or other biomass crops also for ethanol production. Yet others
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Georgia, the University of Georgia has teamed with the University of Puerto Rico to develop a new R&D center that will focus on algae-based biofuels thanks to a $4 million grant from the Dept. of Defense. In
(PR-USA.net) The project will be engaged in jatropha production and biodiesel processing venture in the Sierra Madre Mountain Range of the Philippines. The target aggregate plantation area is 110,000 hectares divided into clusters of 10,000 hectares per clsuter.
by Analia Murias (FIS Worldnews) The Biotechnology Consortium (Bal Biofuels) began the construction of the Experimental Centre of Algae (CEA) in Puerto Montt Campus of the University of Los Lagos. The plant is expected to be operational from August next year. The
(BiofuelsChat.com) An in-depth analysis of U.S. land use patterns released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows total cropland decreased by 34 million acres from 2002 to 2007, the lowest level since USDA began collecting this data 1945. The
(Endesa) Madrid • Expansion of the Almería plant to demonstrate the technical and economic viability of the technology. • The success of the first stage of the project has led Endesa to carry out trials with two new types of photo-bioreactors and develop
(Project Gaia) On November 23, Gaia Association, in partnership with Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and the Ethiopian Environmental Protection Authority, launched the new project “Fuel from Waste: Demonstrating the Feasibility of Locally Produced Ethanol for Household Cooking in Addis Ababa.” Ethiopian
(MarketWatch) Expanded Agreement Follows Successful Completion of Field Trials Evogene Ltd. and SLC Agricola, a leading agribusiness company in Brazil, today announced expansion of their agreement for the development of castor bean seeds as a cost competitive feedstock for biofuels. This
by Dave Cooper (Edmonton Journal) After flourishing on waste water from the town’s sewage treatment plant for more than two years, Whitecourt’s biomass crop of willows and poplars was ripe for harvest. And last week, researchers brought in three different machines
(Reuters/VIASPACE) VIASPACE Executive Highlights Giant King Grass Advancement & Commercial Opportunities in Africa to Generate Electricity, Manufacture Energy Pellets and Produce Bio-Fuels: Presents at the Biomass West & Central Africa Congress in Ghana VIASPACE, Inc., a clean energy company growing Giant King™
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) ...“Our goal is to be a world leader in algae technology solutions. Together with the Town of Gilbert and the State of Arizona, we have the capabilities, the vision and the resources to
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Good biofuel feedstocks are highly productive, have low input requirements and are widely adaptable. Unfortunately, those same traits are also common with invasive species. Language addressing invasive species is included in the Biomass Crop Assistance
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Monsanto providing seed for off-season ethanol feedstock Every year, Brazilian sugarcane mills clear and replant about 1.7 million hectares (4.2 million acres) of cane. This year, some mills are planting sweet sorghum developed by Monsanto
by Erin Voegele (Biorefining Magazine) A new algae project is underway in Australia. Algarythm Pty. Ltd., the operating company of Darke Peak Algae Biofuel Commercialization project, and Fishace Pty Ltd., trading as Fishace Ecological Engineering, recently announced the development of
(LowCarbonEconomy.com) ...CJP has the privilege to provide most authoritative Knowledge platform known for Development of Sustainable Non-Food Oil Crop Projects, Programmes and Priorities to Feed Biodiesel Industry Worldwide and has established the Biodiesel Business AcademyÔ (BBA) to provide quality,
by Sue Roesler (Farm & Ranch Guide) Cole Gustafson, department chair of the Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics at North Dakota State University, said while there’s more concerns about corn ethanol at the Congressional level with the “food
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Can PetroAlgae find a market for its feed among the aficionados of alfalfa and fishmeal, with fuels on the side? In its recent IPO revision, it says “sure can”. ... PetroAlgae has filed a massive revision
by John Daly (OilPrice.com) Biofuel sources currently under development include algae, jatropha and camelina. Of the three, camelina is increasingly emerging as the frontrunner in attracting initial investment worldwide, as global demand for aviation fuel for passenger flights is now
(SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory) If we could make plant food from nitrogen the way nature does, we’d have a much greener method for manufacturing fertilizer – a process that requires such high temperatures and pressures that it consumes about 1.5
by Rick Westhead (The Star) ...Indian industrialist Sai Ramakrishna Karuturi has his eye on this lush scenery, too, but he sees something much different: the potential for large-scale commercial farming. Karuturi, from the South Indian city of Bangalore, envisions the fields
(Environmental Expert) Algarythm Pty Ltd is the operating company of the Darke Peak Algae Biofuel Commercialisation project. South Australian based Fishace Pty Ltd; trading as Fishace Ecological Engineering, has developed an innovative method to produce algal biomass in commercial quantities.
(US Department of Agriculture) The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) has announced a new pilot program of insurance for camelina beginning with the 2012 crop year. Camelina is an oilseed crop with the potential to create
by Luke Geiver (Biodiesel Magazine) The St. Anthony Falls Laboratory on the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis originally formed to study hydroelectric energy, but today the research team at St. Anthony is working on projects that range
(Algae Industry Magazine) Witt-gas, the German-based company specializing in gas control systems has announced their increased focus on adapting their suite of products and services to the algae cultivation market, with a focus on blending and delivering nutrient gas streams. ...Since
by Erin Loury (The Monterey County Herald) Scientists aim to create biofuel Tiny green algae grown in floating plastic bags may one day wean us from our voracious fossil fuel consumption. Such is the vision of Jonathan Trent, a scientist at NASA's
by Kevin Kelley (The East African) A leading US environmental group is opposing the planned purchase of 325,000 hectares of land in Tanzania by an American company. ...Opponents charge that the deal amounts to a “land grab” that would result in
(AMG/MarketWire) AMG Bioenergy Resources Holdings Ltd. (the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:ABG), a Canadian publicly traded company, wishes to provide an update on the progress of its acquisition of a 133 hectare jatropha plantation and a 201 hectare eucalyptus plantation, and the
(AllAfrica.com) A biofuels project in northern Senegal has triggered violent clashes between villagers, leaving one person dead and two seriously wounded. A police source says residents of Fanayé village "fought with sticks and machetes" in a disagreement over the project. ...According to
by Angela Kean (Proactive Investors Australia) Leaf Energy (ASX: LER) has signed worldwide exclusive licence agreement with Texas A & M University to develop the marine yeast Debaryomyces hansenii as a production platform for high value biofuels and proteins. Debaryomyces hansenii
(Transport & Environment) Biofuels produced from palm oil grown in tropical peatlands are a significant source of greenhouse gases. This is the finding of a new study done for the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) which, if taken on
(Argus) The days of snapping up undervalued ethanol plants for expansion are over, Green Plains Renewable Energy's chief executive told investors on its most recent conference call. Plants with the right equipment and good locations could no longer be bought up
(The Nation) Ondo State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Ademola Olorunfemi, has said that the current administration in the state had perfected arrangements to establish three ethanol plants in the state. Olorunfemi, who stated this in an interview with journalists in his
by Andy Eubank (Hoosier Ag Today) Homegrown Indiana innovation for farmers was displayed Tuesday in Fulton County when the New Holland Rochester manager climbed aboard a combine with his patented Cornrower and created a windrow of corn stover while shelling
(Reuters) A European Union target to promote the use of biofuels will accelerate global species loss because it encourages the conversion of pasture, savanna and forests into new cropland, EU scientists have warned. ...The scale of species loss in areas converted
by Maya Thatcher (Center for International Forestry Research) Smallholder farmers in developing countries risk being left behind in the push to produce sustainable biofuels, deterred by complex and expensive certification schemes, according to a recent CIFOR study. With limited scope to
by Melody Bomgardne (Central Science/Cleantech Chemistry) DuPont has been digesting its acquisition of Danisco for a while now, and has sent out an update about what used to be called DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol – now shortened, as you might
by David Biello (Scientific American) Microbes will be the (human) food- and fuel-makers of the future, if J. Craig Venter has his way. The man responsible for one of the original sequences of the human genome as well as the team
(Reuters) India-based biofuel producer Nandan Cleantec expects to grow sales by at least 25 percent every year till 2014-15, on the back of strong demand for its high yielding variety of oilseeds, a top executive said. Nandan develops hybrid varieties of
(OriginOil) Algae Appliance set for commercial release in early 2012 will help producers meet rising demand OriginOil, Inc. , the developer of a breakthrough technology to extract oil from algae and an emerging leader in the global algae oil services industry, today
(The Mainichi Daily News) Could Japan become a major oil-producing nation? That's the dream of researchers at IHI NeoG Algae LLC, which is working on extracting oil not from new holes in the ground, but from algae. The company -- a
(Soya Tech) Indonesia's Confederation of Primary Cooperatives Association (Inkud) is teaming up with Taiwan in developing jatropha curcas-based fuel, its vice president director Yusri Suhud said. "We are cooperating with Taiwan to develop jatropha curcas as an alternative fuel," he said
by Larry Dreiling (High Plains MidWest Ag Journal) Construction has begun in Hugoton, Kan., on the nation's first commercial scale biomass fuel refinery. Abengoa Bioenergy's new, 23 million-gallon annual throughput refinery will take biomass, mainly switchgrass, and turn it into ethanol. One
by Dan Voorhis (The Wichita Eagle) ...The Kansas Alliance for BioRefining and BioEnergy was created in 2009 and was originally funded by the Kansas BioScience Authority to help commercialize research and technology that turns plants into energy and products. ...Its
by Brindaveni Naidoo (Engineering News) Electricity generation and ethanol production from sugarcane could save and create thousands of local jobs, mainly in rural areas, agriculture and property group Tongaat Hulett CEO Peter Staude said on Monday. ... Turning to ethanol production, the
(Boeing/PR NewsWire/Yahoo!) Collaborative efforts to focus on regionally produced, sustainable fuel options Boeing today announced a collaborative agreement to work with Hawai'i BioEnergy on renewable energy sources for creating aviation fuel. Announced on the eve of the Asia Pacific Economic Conference
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As POET lands a record biomass harvest in prep for a 2013 cellulosic ethanol launch, the Digest looks at stover, jatropha, miscanthus, switchgrass, MSW, wood and animal residue. Are costs going down, and capacity going
by Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine) ...“I came to the U.S. four years ago to really make what we wanted to be on a piece of paper a reality,” she (Sue Ellerbusch, president of BP Biofuels North America) tells Biorefining Magazine. That reality for
by Erin Voegele (Biorefining Magazine) Single cell photosynthetic organisms, such as blue-green algae, could play an important role in the future of our nation’s space program. Not only could they be used to supply valuable oxygen to fuel life-support systems,
by Anna Austin (Biomass Power and Themal) Energy crop developer New Energy Farms says it has developed a new system for establishing miscanthus that takes one-third the time of previous planting methods. ...The first is a bulked up miscanthus breed that
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) Florida-based Green Oil Solutions Inc. has announced the successful production of camelina biodiesel, from field trials to harvesting, pressing and processing. According to Steve Edmonds, the company’s director of industry and development, the fuel was
(Arch1Design.com) ...Tel Aviv University researchers are doing their part to reduce humanity’s carbon footprint by successfully growing forests in the most unlikely place — deep in Israel’s Aravah Desert. With environmental “extras” such as a local plant species, recycled sewage water
(Sapphire Energy) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that USDA has issued a loan guarantee that will allow a biofuels firm to construct a facility in New Mexico to produce "green crude" oil from algae which can be refined into
by Peter Brown (Biorefining Magazine) The port of Lorient on the Golf de Morbihan in Brittany, France, is one of the major French seaports, a former military naval base and during WWII it was the site of Germany’s largest U-Boot
By Paul M. Ingram (Wick Communications Science/Green Valley News and Sun) ...Under ideal conditions, half the weight of the plants will be converted into liquid, turning 2 tons of vegetation into 1,000 gallons of “juice.” On this day, however,
by Geoff Liesik (Deseret News) Researchers at Utah State University are making progress on a project that could soon have drivers filling up their gas tanks with fuel harvested from pond scum. The project has moved from USU’s Logan campus to Vernal
by Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine) ...The days of seeking big funding through large claims based on even larger unproven visions of algae utilization —at least those that attract venture or other solidified funding—are over. If Udall is right and the
(Mission NewEnergy) Mission NewEnergy Limited, a global provider of environmentally sustainable biofuels, is pleased to announce that it has materially completed its 2011 Jatropha tree planting season, adding 40,264 new acres and 14,331 new Jatropha contract farmers. The Company has
(Culturing Solutions/Biorefining Magazine) Tampa, Fla.-based Culturing Solutions will host the grand opening of its algae-to-biofuel demonstration plant in New Port Richey, Fla., on Nov. 17. The company says it will produce transportation fuel, energy, nutritional products, cosmetics, medicine and other
(ecoduna) The first continuous algae-breeding facility world-wide from ecoduna goes into operation on a commercial scale. The first continuous algae-breeding facility world-wide from ecoduna goes into operation on a commercial scale. Last week, Vattenfall, the largest thermal energy suppliers in Europe, celebrated
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Does continuous harvest, and direct production from CO2 and water, offer a transformative, no-kill way to improve the carbon and dollar economics of biofuels? Can the dairy model work? ...In beef and grain, the whole organism
by Robert Vierhout (Ethanol Producer Magazine/ePURE) ...Even if that extra demand would not exist, why would European politicians want to increase idled land, knowing that year-on-year, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, arable land in
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The bull’s-eye on corn ethanol could fade if the industry steps up and makes corn production and stover harvesting more environmentally friendly ...Today, no-till or strip-till farming is gaining ground, and researchers are examining systems
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Three years ago, ag giants John Deere & Co., Archer Daniels Midland Co. and Monsanto Co. pooled their respective areas of expertise and embarked on an experiment. Each company had its own specific reasons
by John C.K. Daly (http://oilprice.com) On 28 October Air China conducted its first trial flight of a passenger jet powered by a mix of biofuel and traditional aviation fuel. The Jet A-1 biofuel kerosene used in the flight was derived from
(Costa Rica News) This has been the conclusion of the videoconference “Presentation of the Jatropha curcas L. network for investigation, development, and innovation in the production of biodiesel in Latin America and the Caribbean,” organized by the Hemispheric Program in
by Damian Carrington (The Guardian/The Observer) The collapse of Sun Biofuels has left hundreds of Tanzanians landless, jobless, and in despair for the future "People feel this is like the return of colonialism," says Athumani Mkambala, chairman of Mhaga village in rural Tanzania.
(OriginOil) Researchers have shown improved growth for both fresh and saltwater algae strains OriginOil, Inc., the developer of a breakthrough technology to extract oil from algae and an emerging leader in the global algae oil services industry, today announced that its recent
by Bill Lundberg (Biofuels Digest) Should the Renewable Fuel Standard be scrapped, or revised? BP North America chief Susan Ellerbusch makes the case for “No”. In Chicago, BP Biofuels North America president Susan Ellerbusch, in addressing congressional attempts to re-write the
(Algae Industry Magazine) The National Algae Association’s Algae Specs Committee has released a white paper to offer guidance to the form in which algal oils and biomass should be delivered to the emerging algae industry. The infrastructural components include specifications, measures,
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) ...C.J. (Warner, Sapphire Energy's President and Chairman) keynoted at the recent Algal Biomass Summit, attending along with Tim Zenk, Sapphire’s Vice President of Corporate Affairs, who was formerly executive vice president for the Edelman
by Nina Chestney (The Peninsula) Several new companies are betting on the little-known pongamia pinnata tree as a biodiesel feedstock that does not hurt food production, but a decade or more of research and development is still needed to determine its
by Sonya Kolesnikov-Jessop (New York Times) Pahang State in central Malaysia is about to becomehome to the world’s largest commercial farm project producing microalgae for biofuel. The farm will start to take shape in the first quarter of next year, on a
by Larisa Brass (KnoxvilleBiz.com) Dupont Danisco Cellulosic Energy may not have announced definitive plans for siting a commercial biofuels plant in the state, but University of Tennessee researcher Edward Yu has some suggestions. As part of a study on the local
by Toby Price (Renewable Energy Magazine) A German-French initiative has culminated in the commissioning of a photobioreactor plant on the French island of La Reunion in the Indian Ocean. The facility which uses microalgae to produce biofuel was supplied this
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...ABO 2011 has offered an opportunity to consider the progress that the algal biomass sector has made in its race for commercial-scale, to marvel at the proliferation of robust business models, and to sneak a
by Riza T. Olchondra (Philippine Daily Inquirer) Filipino farmers and investors may profit from biofuel ventures in idle, upland, and other so-called marginalized areas without disrupting food supply. According to the study “Assessment on the Use of Marginal Areas for Cultivation
(R&D) In May a team of researchers led by Rick Meilan, associate professor of forestry and natural resources, began a five-year study to determine the viability of poplar species as an ethanol feedstock and cash crop for Indiana farmers. The study includes
by Deanna Lush (Stock Journal) ...As part of the study, former University of Guelph, Ontario, professor of crop science Terry Daynard compared grain supply and prices from the 1970s - where biofuel production was not an issue - and more
(Proactive Investors Australia) Biofuels company Mission NewEnergy has become the first commercial scale provider of Jatropha in the world to receive International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) for its Jatropha contract farming model. ...To qualify for ISCC certification, companies must meet strict
(Los Alamos National Laboratory) LANL scientists have genetically engineered "magnetic" algae to investigate alternative, more efficient harvesting and lipid extraction methods for biofuels. The researchers seek to reduce the cost of algae-based biofuel production. Currently, used algae-harvesting and lipid-extraction technology accounts
By Richelle Gonzalez (Severna Park Patch) University of Maryland researcher says algae could remove pollutants from agricultural wastewater. The Eastern Shore is known for vast soybean and corn farms, but if Patrick Kangas had his way it would be covered
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) An algae strain grown by BioProcess Algae LLC at Green Plains Renewable Energy Inc.’s 65 MMgy ethanol plant in Shenandoah, Iowa, is one step closer to entering the poultry feed market. First-round feed trials recently
by Dr. Carl Kukkonen (Viaspace) At the September 2011 Biorefining Conference,Dr. Kukkonen spoke about the properties of Giant King Grass. -- Giant King Grass is the lowest cost cellulosic feedstock for a biorefinery -- Co-location of biorefinery with Giant King Grass plantation greatly simplifies
by Stephan Nielsen (Bloomberg) Monsanto Co., the world’s largest seed company, will sell enough sweet sorghum for 20,000 hectares (49,400 acres) of plantations in Brazil this year as sugar cane mills struggle to meet demand for ethanol and are seeking
by Dennis Picco (Esse Community) Up to 250 jobs are expected to be created in Kayunga District, Uganda, after the launch of the Sweet Sorghum Energy Plant. The plant will use sweet sorghum stems as the primary raw material. The $30m (Shs78b)
(Reuters) The European Union's executive finalised proposals for a shake-up of the bloc's 55 billion euro-a-year (48 billion pounds) farm policy on Wednesday. Following are reactions to the proposals: MARCO CONTIERO, GREENPEACE EU AGRICULTURE POLICY DIRECTOR "What Europe needs to save its food
(Netzwerk Biotriebstoffe News) Biofuel production is booming. Worldwide, production of ethanol for fuel has almost quintupled since 2000, while that of biodiesel has risen by almost 25 times. This is, in part, a response to policies to replace fossil fuels for
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