(Eni) Eni, Republic of Congo sign MoU on joint development of bio-refining agro-feedstock sector; Eni delegation led by CEO Descalzi met President Sassou Nguesso to discuss agricultural programs and gas valorization also with reference to access to energy for domestic
(Solutions from the Land) ... Those who advocate for no- and low-carbon fuels and other energy solutions come from across political parties – Democrats and Republicans – and from all along the spectrum of partisan views – from liberals to conservatives. The
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) ... The agency announced on Wednesday plans to tap funds from the Commodity Credit Corp. as part of what USDA calls a "comprehensive investment package." The $3 billion package is aimed at supporting drought resilience and
(AUGA Group/Globe Newsire) AUGA group, AB (hereinafter the Company) Europe’s largest vertically integrated organic food producer, has developed and presented the world’s first hybrid biomethane and electric tractor for professional farm use – AUGA M1. This is the company’s first step in offering technological solutions that will eliminate climate pollution throughout
(Oxfam) First-generation biofuels have a somewhat paradoxical status. On the one hand, they have become key ingredients in the EU’s ‘Green Deal’ priorities. On the other hand, they have fuelled all kinds of environmental, social and political disruptions, and unleashed massive
by Emily Smith (Trust in Food) During Farm Journal’s 2021 Sustainable Produce Summit that took place earlier this month, a key theme of effectively communicating sustainable food and agriculture stories to consumers came through again and again. As specialty crop growers
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will invest nearly $75 million for 15 partner-led projects to address natural resource concerns on private lands. This year, projects funded by the Regional Conservation Partnership Program’s (RCPP) Alternative Funding Arrangements
(NFU Online) World leader in sustainable bioenergy Drax Group has teamed up with the National Farmers Union of England and Wales (NFU), to identify opportunities to scale up perennial energy crop production and help the UK meet its ambitious climate goals. The
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Wildfires around the globe have been increasing but what about controlled fires? The U.S. Department of Energy and Pacific Northwest National Lab is looking at prioritizing how and where to target forest restoration (timber harvest
by Leanne de Bassompierre, Saijel Kishan and Anthony Sguazzin (Bloomberg Green) In the impoverished West African country of Liberia, a unit of the world’s second-largest palm oil company has admitted to destroying forests and violating the rights of indigenous people. Yet
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Keeping pests apart – mating disruption is what it’s all about for Provivi which uses a patented production method, enabling a step-change in the cost of manufacturing of pheromones, allowing the use of this technology
by Christine Billau (University of Toledo) The U.S. Department of Energy awarded The University of Toledo a $3.2 million grant to continue advancing technology that speeds up the capture of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to grow algae, a critical part
(Terravesta) Terravesta grower and one of the UK’s leading resource and waste management companies, FCC Environment is using its landbank to grow energy crops for biomass fuel. The company has been planting Miscanthus at several of its old landfill and quarry
(South Africa Today) • A startup in western Kenya has developed a process of making bioethanol from water hyacinths, addressing both the need for a clean fuel alternative to charcoal and fuelwood, and the spread of the invasive hyacinths. Proponents
(Biofuels International) Waste from milk factories and breweries could be put to good use in fighting climate change, according to scientists at Green Fuels Research. The Gloucestershire-based company in the UK has won funding under the Department for Business, Energy
(The Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC)/EurActiv) The decision to target palm oil was based on uncertain science and outdated knowledge which was used in counterintuitive policymaking. Despite continuous criticism from the palm oil industry, the EU appears to be indifferent
by Rebecca Bauer (Farm Together/AgFunder Network) For many investors, farmland was not on the radar as an investable asset class until earlier this year, when it was revealed that the largest owners of US farmland were none other than Bill and Melinda
(Colorado State University) Colorado State University scientists are partners in a three-year grant of up to $3.5 million from the Department of Energy, aimed at improving how algae-based biofuels and bioproducts are made. The Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office has announced its support
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Bunge, REG and Bayer helped CoverCress raise a total of $22 million including $8 million in Series B in 2021. What does that mean for this low carbon cash cover crop and for growers? What
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office’s Nichole Fitzgerald, Program Manager, shared this short but sweet slide guide on BETO’s goals for 2021-2030 with large volumes of biomass being critical to achieving those goals,
(International Finance Corporation (Google Translation)) The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is supporting a new project in Brazil to strengthen the diversification of the country's energy matrix. The US$ 70 million (about R$ 350 million) financing for the Cocal Group will expand
by Jenny Shaffstall (AgWeb) The carbon market will grow over the next three years -- Farm Journal’s August 2021 Carbon Survey found that 3.32% of respondents were participating in an non-governmental carbon market, up from an Ag Barometer last spring
by Kamalakanta Sahoo, Richard Bergman, Sevda Alanya-Rosenbaum, Hongmei Gu and Shaobo Liang (Sustainability) Climate change, environmental degradation, and limited resources are motivations for sustainable forest management. Forests, the most abundant renewable resource on earth, used to make a wide variety
(United Sorghum Checkoff Program) The United Sorghum Checkoff Program (USCP), the University of California, Merced, and the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources today announced a five year partnership to promote drought resilience in sorghum and increase demand
by Greg Avery (Denver Business Journal) Its first corn-to-fuel production is three years away, and customers want more — a lot more, the CEO says. READ MORE Biofuel maker Gevo's shares soar Tuesday (Denver Business Journal) Gevo publishes IMPACT sustainability report (Biofuels
by Scarlett Evans (Bio Market Insights) ... Now, a team from Colorado State University (CSU) is working to boost algae crop growth to reach industrial levels, with the team being awarded $3.2m from the US Department of Energy (DOE) in support
(K-Petro (Google translation)) Initiated the second phase of development of biodiesel production technology using insect lipids; Contribute to the expansion of biodiesel supply for the realization of 2050 carbon neutrality -- Korea Petroleum Management Service (Chairman Joo-Seok Son) has secured biodiesel production technology
(North America Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance) Thirty lawmakers from both houses of Congress have written a letter urging House and Senate leadership to support an historic, long-term investment in farmers, ranchers and rural communities as a part of upcoming infrastructure and
(Ohio State News) Computer models estimate fewer environmental impacts than other crops -- A common farm weed could make a “greener” jet fuel with fewer production-related environmental impacts than other biofuels, a new study indicates. Growing the weed, pennycress – often called
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Algae biofuel AND high value co-products from residuals across algae strains? Are there co‐products that lead to increased LEA value, while maintaining biofuel production, to drive down the overall cost of biofuel? That is what
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) For the US agricultural community, having a field day gives farmers and others in the agricultural products value chain the opportunity not only for hands-on learning about new crops and new technologies or about
by Ron Kotrba (Biobased Diesel Daily) Global Clean Energy Holdings Inc., the project developer retrofitting a petroleum refinery in Bakersfield, California, into a renewable diesel plant scaled at 230 million gallons a year, provided preliminary financials for the second quarter
by Oliver Peoples (Yield10 Bioscience/Biofuels Digest) During President Biden’s April 22nd climate plan speech at the Virtual Leaders’ Summit on Climate, he announced his goal of cutting 50 percent of U.S. carbon-emissions levels by 2030. This is no simple task, and consumers,
(Solutions from the Land) The talk among policy makers in Washington to promote a market in which farmers, ranchers and forestland owners can be fiscally rewarded for their efforts to retain carbon in their soil has excited many. The prospect for
by Adele Peters (Fast Company) In a series of floating seaweed farms off the coast of Bali, Indonesia, a catamaran travels back and forth through lines of dangling red algae. Custom technology on board automatically harvests and replants the seaweed,
(Biotechnology Innovation Organization) Agriculture has changed a lot lately, and farmers like Steve know the potential of the land they cultivate goes far beyond conventional use. For example, the humble corn crop is being used for sustainable and more affordable
by Helena Bottemiller Evich (Politico) Green groups are calling for USDA to set standards so there’s more clarity in the rapidly changing market. -- Agricultural carbon credit programs are cropping up left and right, but the standards they adhere to are
(Association of Warm Season Grass Producers) I grow switchgrass and miscanthus on mined lands for biofuel and biomass production. The idea of using marginal lands for these crops has been around for a while and I started doing it about
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) News arrives from Berkeley and Pivot Bio that the company has raised $430 million in its Series D venture round, led by DCVC and Temasek, bringing the total equity raised to more than $600 million.
by Jerry Perkins (Successful Farming) ... After years of research into the data about farming’s contribution to carbon emissions, that’s the conclusion reached by Ron Alverson, a South Dakota corn farmer and ethanol plant director, who spoke Wednesday at the Fuel
(Field to Market) Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture today introduced Fieldprint® Platform 4.0, the next generation of the industry’s most widely recognized sustainability assessment tool for commodity crop production in the United States. The Fieldprint Platform’s new features
by Adele Peters (Fast Company) Seaweed farming could be a potent weapon in the fight against climate change. But can it scale? -- In a series of floating seaweed farms off the coast of Bali, Indonesia, a catamaran travels back
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Evaluating sustainable scale up of algae production systems, algal biofuels, and algal bioproducts is no easy task, but scientists at Argonne National Lab are looking into this by looking at the life cycle analysis of
(AgWeb) The rapid pace of U.S. carbon market activity has left many farmers dazed and confused. To help answer your questions, we’re sharing the first-ever carbon market comparison tool to assess how several of the most prominent frameworks stack up.
(AgWeek) Coming up on AgweekTV, we will discuss the ethanol industry hitting another devastating court decision. We will tour an award winning regenerative farming operation in east central South Dakota. We will visit two ag businesses that are dedicated to
(Biofuels International) The Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) has again urged the European Union to revise its approach on vegetable oils in biofuels. This comes under the framework of RED II in light of the upcoming revision of
by Sandy Ferguson and Rob van Adrichem (SF Consulting and City of Prince George respectively/Biofuels Digest) Bathroom sinks made of wood fibre, energy derived from garbage, skyscrapers built of cross-laminated timber, and carbon fibre that is used in Formula 1
by Carly Nairn (Mongabay) - Algae biofuel initially looked promising, but a few key problems have thwarted major research efforts, including development of a strain of algae able to produce plentiful cheap fuel, and scaling up to meet global energy
(Bio Market Insights) ... recently, bamboo has caught their eye, as evidenced in a study made in Indonesia which we discuss, as it presents a future in sustainable energy. Bamboo is one of the most productive and fastest growing plants on the
(Maryland Energy Innovation Accelerator) MEIA 's 2021 Pitch Competition was a smashing success. Congratulations to Grand Prize winner Manta Biofuel, and Audience Choice co-winners InventWood and Manta Biofuel. Did you miss the event? Watch the video and pitches here. Owings Mills-based Manta
(TotalEnergies and Veolia/Business Wire) TotalEnergies and Veolia (Paris:VIE) have joined forces to accelerate the development of microalgae cultivation using CO2. The two partners will pool their know-how to develop a four-year research project at the La Mède biorefinery, operated by TotalEnergies,
by Matthew Choi (Politico's Morning Energy) The agriculture industry is anxiously waiting to see how the Biden administration intends to enlist more producers to adopt climate-friendly farm practices. But even as corporations are eager to buy offsets from farmers who
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today (June 23, 2021), the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) announced $8 million in federal funding for four projects to develop and test technologies that capture and utilize carbon dioxide
(Science Daily/University of Montreal) Millions of liters of primary municipal wastewater can be treated sustainably using fast-growing willow trees while also producing renewable bioenergy and 'green' chemicals, researchers find. -- Every year in Canada, six trillion litres of municipal wastewater are
by Lana Bandoim (Forbes) ... In his (President Joe Biden's) speech, he revealed paying farmers for planting cover crops that will help remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Cover crops include Camelina, rye, buckwheat and several others. Yield10 Bioscience, an agtech company
by Lauren Quinn (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) ... For corn ethanol, most greenhouse gas emissions can be mapped to the fuel’s production, transportation, and combustion, but a large portion of the greenhouse gas calculation can be traced right back to the
(Investancia) Blockchain will track 50 million trees through Investancia and EcoMatcher Partnership --- Groundbreaking new partnership will use blockchain technology to record, view and measure the growth of 50 million pongamia trees to be planted in the Paraguayan Chaco forest
(Telengana Today) In the midst of soaring fuel prices and growing concerns over the environment, India has given a big push for the ethanol blended petrol programme (EBP), designed to reduce the country’s fossil fuel dependence and also lessen the burden
(National Corn Growers Association) Today, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) solidified U.S. corn farmers’ commitment to environmental, economic and social sustainability with the release of U.S. Corn Sustainability Goals and the first U.S. Corn Sustainability Report. The report documents a long history
by Rod Nickel and Karl Plume (Reuters) ... Botanists, businessmen, farmers and federal lawmakers, they all gathered to peer at the waist-high plant usually considered a pest and uprooted on sight because of its foul odor, toxicity and the grim taste
(Maryland Energy Innovation Accelerator) Ryan Powell is the founder and CEO of Manta Biofuel, an MEIA Startup that produces crude oil from algae at a cost that could be competitive with traditional petroleum. Manta’s team has developed their proprietary magnetic algae harvesting
(Renewable Fuels Association) A pair of recent studies examining purported cropland expansion in the Midwest are based on a flawed methodology that “suffers from accuracy and certainty issues,” according to a new review of the studies by researchers at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) MicroBio Engineering, Heliae, Sandia National Labs and Cal Poly shared how they developed the capability for over 3,700 gal/ac-yrof biofuel intermediates through microalgal strain improvement, mixotrophic approaches and novel conversion technology, demonstrated annual productivity of
(U.S. Grains Council/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Grains Council recently participated in the biannual Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) Maize Summit, at which both Amit Sachdev, USGC representative in India, and Kansas Corn Commission Executive Director Greg
by Diana Kenney (University of Chicago Marine Biological Laboratory) A team of researchers led by Loretta Roberson, associate scientist at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, has installed the first seaweed farm in Puerto Rico and U.S. tropical waters. The research array
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) A new report commissioned by Farm Journal Foundation finds U.S. farmers have the potential to significantly reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and become part of the global solution to climate change. U.S. agriculture contributes about 10% of the
by Tim Newbold (The Guardian) The global approach to energy is changing rapidly. The urgency of the challenge that climate change presents has focused significant attention and resources on renewable energy solutions, as countries and companies seek to reduce emissions. One
(Lat Am Investor) ... However, as mining experts reveal elsewhere in this report, copper supply will be unable to replace every existing internal combustion engine with an EV by 2050. ... That means biofuels will also play an important role. Latin
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Perennial grass miscanthus as an energy crop has advanced into high biomass yielding varieties and NC State University is working with Novozymes, Iogen and Oak Ridge National Lab on evaluating new miscanthus varieties and improving
(University of York/Phys.Org) A grass commonly used to fight soil erosion has been genetically modified to successfully remove toxic chemicals left in the ground from munitions that are dangerous to human health, new research shows. The study—led by the University of York-
(Nuseed/Biobased Diesel Daily) A recent update by the International Civil Aviation Organization now includes carinata as a renewable fuel feedstock with a similar greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint as waste and residuals, like used cooking oil. “For sustainability being categorized with waste is
(Algae Planet) A team of researchers led by Loretta Roberson of the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Mass, has installed the first seaweed farm in Puerto Rico and U.S. tropical waters. The research array furthers the design and development of a system for offshore
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Everyone wants to reduce the price of biofuels – and a team from Texas A&M, USDA, AgriLife Research, Mississippi State University and others are working on improving the economics and environmental sustainability of biomass sorghum
(U.S. Department of Energy/EurekAlert!) High-yield miscanthus and switchgrass are promising alternatives to traditional annual crops for biofuels. -- ... To understand the effects of this trend, scientists must accurately represent biofuel crops in land surface models. Using observations from biofuel
by Dayo Adenubi (The Punch) Unicane Industries Limited has announced the completion of the second phase of its plant extension, making it the largest ethanol producer on the continent. Unicane, a manufacturer of ethanol in Lokoja, Kogi State, made the announcement in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Why algae? With biofuel yield 8-13 times larger than corn, well, why not! We took key slides from the 100+ slide deck from this year’s U.S. DOE BETO presentation on the latest goings ons with
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today published the 90-Day Progress Report on Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry (PDF, 561 KB). The report represents an important step toward in President Biden’s Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad and
(U.S. Department of Energy) The Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) hosted its 2021 Project Peer Review virtually on March 8‒12, 2021; March 15‒16, 2021; and March 22‒26, 2021. Presentations for all sessions can be found in the searchable database below. For more information,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Bioenergy switchgrass feedstock – can it be the next-generation feedstock we’ve been looking for in the Midwest? University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is looking at perennial bioenergy feedstock production on marginal croplands across geographic locations in
by Lloyd Ritter (Green Capitol LLC/Biofuels Digest) The aviation industry is currently responsible for less than 3% of total global carbon emissions, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). But with air travel expected to increase by more than 60 percent
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This U.S. Department of Energy BETO project’s biomass blend concept will allow biorefineries to utilize a much larger proportion of the land within their procurement radius, thereby enabling larger scale, more economically feasible facilities to
by Margy Eckelkamp (AgWeb) With farmers already registered in Iowa, Nebraska and Washington, Yara officially announces its carbon marketplace, Agoro Carbon Alliance. The goal of the program is to create an opportunity for farmers to earn additional revenue by adopting climate-positive practices.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, the online sessions of ABLC have drawn to a close. This week, delegates around the world will be joining in the ABLC Lounges for person to person networking. The final day of on-stage presentations
(American Coalition for Ethanol/GrainNet) American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) welcomed more scientifically credible evidence provided by Department of Energy Argonne National Lab scientists that explicitly states, “Corn ethanol plays an important role in enhancing energy security and the rural economy while contributing to
(Renewable Fuels Association) The carbon footprint of corn ethanol shrunk by 23% between 2005 and 2019 as farmers and ethanol producers adopted new technologies and improved efficiency, according to a new analysis published in the academic journal Biofuels Bioproducts and Biorefining by scientists
edited by Puneet Dwivedi (GCB-Bioenergy) A Virtual Special Issue -- The aviation sector emits 2.4% of the global anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions. The use of jet fuel derived from bioenergy feedstocks is vital for reducing the aviation sector's carbon footprint.
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In the United Kingdom, the first dedicated, independent study into Miscanthus life cycles shows that the above ground biomass grows annually and recycles all the carbon that’s been produced through planting, harvesting and burning the
(American Coalition for Ethanol/Grainnet) The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) encouraged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help establish a protocol for biofuel producers and farmers to easily document the carbon intensity benefits of changes in agricultural practices in comments submitted April 29 regarding USDA’s climate strategy for President
by Jack Ellis (Ag Funder News) The European Commission – the executive branch of the EU administration which is responsible for proposing bloc-wide legislation – has published the findings of its two-year study into creating a “carbon farming” framework for the EU. The
by Mindy Ward (Farm Progress) Pluton Biosciences partners with Bayer for a carbon sequestration project. -- Barry Goldman has one goal — to find the next Bt-like row crop breakthrough but for carbon sequestration. “There are a trillion species of microbes, and the
by Kinsie Rayburn (Trust in Food) During Day 1 of our 2021 Trust In Food Symposium: Regenerative Reset event held in February, Trust In Food posed the question, “How much can farming address climate change?” In this 90-minute session, moderated by Trust In
by Jay Vroom (Trust In Food/America’s Conservation Ag Movement) ... Today’s farm and food sustainability is different—and it is real and lasting this time. It might be hard to see because almost every agribusiness and food company–along with a massive cross-section
by Rhonda Brooks (Farm Journal AgWeb) Agriculture has the potential to play a big role in carbon sequestration. -- As U.S. farmers evaluate carbon market opportunities available today, most have more questions than answers. “Farmers aren’t ready to jump in, because it’s
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) They say that Sustainability is a three-legged stool: Environmental Sustainability, Economic Sustainability and Social Sustainability. If any of these legs is missing, the stool falls over. Climate Smart Agriculture The North America Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance is
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The U.S. Department of Energy’s EnergyEfficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) just released the workshop summary report from the virtual event they hosted last summer that discussed how to collect and valorize
(University of Hohenheim (Google translation)) European project with the participation of the University of Hohenheim researches how unprofitable fields with renewable raw materials can be used sustainably and with added value -- Unused potential: Around 65 million hectares of agricultural land
by Ron Kotrba (Bio-Based Diesel Daily) Canada’s largest agribusiness, Richardson International Ltd., is doubling canola crush capacity at its processing facility in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. In addition to doubling capacity to 2.2 million metric tons, the company said it will optimize operational
by Chris Mallory (The Counter) Agrivoltaics—putting solar panels on farmland—lead to astonishing productivity gains and improved energy efficiency. Except when they don’t. -- ... Mounted on 9-foot-tall beams, so lofty a tractor could pass below them, the solar panels slant against
by Rebecca Bartels (Trust in Food) ... 1) They’re Meeting Producers Where They Are ... 2) They Speak Each Prospect’s Language ... For example, Trust In Food’s proprietary data show that farmers with a high affinity for carbon markets gravitate toward informational content
(GreenAir Online) Analysis by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) shows there are sufficient sources of sustainable feedstock to support the production of 3.4 million tonnes (Mt) of advanced sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) annually in the EU by 2030, around
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From switchgrass, sorghum or sugarcane, feedstock development, genomics, and crops improvement abound with USDA’s help at the Biomass Research Center. Rob Mitchell, Research Leader and Research Agronomist at USDA ARS, shares all about the latest
(CoverCress Inc./PR Web) CoverCress Inc. announces $8 million in partner funding for new low carbon oilseed. -- Midwestern farmers are one step closer to the prospect of growing a new cover crop that will generate a cash margin while supporting regenerative
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) How to evaluate the economic and biological effects of bioenergy production and potential impacts on wildlife and wildlife habitat? Certified Wildlife Biologist Dr. Susan Rupp shares how to look at the environmental impact of projects,
by Nicole Heslip (Brownfield Ag News) ... Jim Zook with the Corn Marketing Program of Michigan tells Brownfield he believes the discussion will change as more emphasis is put on the importance of green, growing plants in carbon sequestration. “We have science
(NewsWise) Microbiome and soil chemistry at long-term bioenergy research sites challenge the idea that switchgrass increases carbon accrual in surface soils on marginal lands. -- In this study, researchers characterized the influence of crop and site on fungal and bacterial
(CJME News) A company is eyeing the Regina area to build a refinery that would produce billions of litres of renewable fuel each year. The proposal is from True North Renewable Fuels (TNRF). The company would also construct what is referred to
(Resource Magazine/American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers) ... Three reports by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) in 2015, 2018, and 2019 highlighted the importance of FAS to the U.S. economy and national security, discussed FAS
by Janet Kubat Willette (Farm Progress) Madhu Khanna, distinguished professor of environmental economics at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, says that CRP acres have the potential to produce harvestable bioenergy crops. Speaking at a Council on Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics webinar earlier this
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What’s the life cycle system for corn starch ethanol? What is the current best estimate for carbon intensity of corn ethanol? What about ethanol biorefinery energy use intensity and land use change carbon intensity? What
by Shane McGlaun (Slash Gear) ... Researchers from the University of Nevada have been researching drought-tolerant crops that could be used for biofuel, sustainable foods, and forage crops. The team specifically looked at cactus called Opuntia ficus-indica because the plant has
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Mother Nature has already given us an extraordinary solar panel that covers several hundred million acres of cropland in America’s breadbasket, where energy absorbed from the sun is stored for later use
by Rod Nickel, Stephanie Kelly and Karl Plume (Reuters) ... Refiners can produce renewable diesel from animal fats and plant oils, in addition to used cooking oil. Production capacity is expected to nearly quintuple to about 2.65 billion gallons (63 million barrels)
by Gary Polakovic (USC News) Using a “kelp elevator,” researchers at the USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies were able to grow the biofuel crop in large quantities in the open ocean. ... Scientists at the USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies on Santa Catalina
(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment/Phys.Org) ... (A)llocating CRP land for high-yielding energy biomass might eliminate the need for bioenergy crops and food crops to vie for space. A team led by CABBI Sustainability Theme Leader
by Julio Bravo (Farm Futures) Brazil already has the largest fleet of cars driven by ethanol, mainly from sugarcane; now corn-based ethanol plants are on the rise. The ethanol produced by sugarcane and corn has have the potential to reduce up
(Farm Progress/Prairie Farmer) What about biodiesel? Illinois soybean growers are concerned about a new state budget proposal from Gov. J.B. Pritzker that would eliminate the fuel sales tax exemption for biodiesel, which has existed since 2003. They say the policy has
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Remember your grandma’s tale of talking to plants to help make them grow better? Well, that’s actually true – CO2 helps plants grow up to 30% more and now a company called CO2 GRO is
(Investancia/EIN Newswire) Pongamia Trees will produce 300,000 tonnes of sustainable second generation feedstock every year by 2030 in boost for global green transport initiatives -- - Leading agroforestry and research company Investancia today signed a 30-year offtake deal with ECB Group
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Increase agricultural production while decreasing environmental footprint – that’s the goal in a nuthsell, but check out this slide guide on 5 key USDA themes, USDA’s latest innovation contributions like a new sustainable diesel fuel
(Solutions from the Land) “There has never been a greater need for an Agricultural Renaissance. The many voices of farmers, echoing across centuries of scarcity and abundance, challenge us to find new ways forward, paths that produce abundance for expanding populations
by Rhiannon Branch (Brownfield Ag News) Interest and growth in carbon market programs is booming. A recent ecosystem markets webinar hosted by the Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership had more than 1600 participants registered with more than 600 questions submitted ahead of time. Speaker Kari Hernandez,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) USDA’s Bruce Dien shared this illuminating slide guide at ABLC 2020 focusing on the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research in Peoria, Illinois and recent success of NCAUR research. From biorefineries, advanced ethanol and biobutanol,
(International Energy Agency) There are concurrent media campaigns and publications questioning the use of woody biomass for renewable energy production. Several of them misrepresent on-the-ground forestry practise and bioenergy systems, and associate the use of woody biomass for energy with overexploitation
(Truterra/PR Newswire) TruCarbon Promises Streamlined Experience for Farmers; Novel Approach for Buyers to Incentivize Change at Scale; TruCarbon Launching With Microsoft as First Secured Buyer -- Truterra, LLC, the sustainability business and subsidiary of Land O'Lakes, Inc., one of America's largest farmer-owned cooperatives,
by Hiroko Tabuchi and Nadja Popovich (New York Times) The administration has pledged to make agriculture a cornerstone of its plan to fight warming, but also to tackle a legacy of discrimination that has pushed Black farmers off the land. --
(Solutions from the Land) Solutions from the Land (SfL) has been selected by organizers of a global food security summit next week to hold a side event which will spotlight systems and practices farmers are using to deliver high value solutions
(Canola Council of Canada) Research and innovation are two key factors that continue to drive the success of Canada’s canola industry. Knowledge transfer is required to extend research findings to growers, agronomists, the scientific community and other industry stakeholders, to initiate
(Department of Energy/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory/EurekAlert) ... Identifying and breeding varieties that have high productivity across a range of environments is becoming increasingly important for food, fuel and other applications, and breeders aren't interested in waiting decades to develop new
(European Commission Science Hub) A new JRC report on the use of woody biomass for energy production in the EU shows the need to recognise that sustainability of bioenergy remains a complex issue with no one-size-fits-all answers, but that win-win and
by Art Cullen (Storm Lake Times/New York Times) ... Few took carbon sequestration seriously during his previous tenure, a time when “resilient agriculture” had not yet entered the vernacular. But the fundamental conversation in the corridors of power and along
(Department of Energy) U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy (FE) announced plans to make $8 million in Federal funding available for cost-shared research, development, and testing of technologies that can utilize carbon dioxide (CO2) from power systems or
by Jeffrey T. Manuel and Thomas D. Rogers (The Hill) President Biden has placed the Department of Agriculture (USDA) at the center of his administration’s focus on climate change. “We see farmers making American agriculture first in the world to achieve
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Tying in with today’s top story, this is one slide guide you don’t want to miss from Dr. Patrick Gruber, CEO who recently shared this with investors. From the latest in market traction and demand
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) India is taking action to increase domestic production and use of ethanol. The government in December opened a comment period on draft automotive industry standards (AIS) related to the country’s plans to introduce E85 and
by Steinar Brandslet (Norwegian University of Science and Technology/Phys.Org) Growing perennial grasses on abandoned cropland has the potential to counteract some of the negative impacts of climate change by switching to more biofuels, according to an NTNU research group. Researchers consider
by Gabriel Popkin (Washington Post) President Biden says farmers can adopt agricultural methods that help fight climate change. Maryland farmer Trey Hill has been trying. ... As the winter cover crops grow, they will feed microbes and improve the soil’s health, which
(Neste) In November 2020, the Dutch environmental organization Milieudefensie published a report “The Dark Side of Neste's biofuel production”. At that time, we published a statement on the report on our website. Since the publication of our statement, we have continued to investigate the
(Indian Express News Service) “To increase production of fuel grade ethanol, Govt. is also encouraging distilleries to produce ethanol from maize; & rice available with Food Corporation of India,” the statement said. -- The government on Thursday notified the modified scheme
by Jerry Perkins (Successful Farming) Weaker demand is the main factor now, the $5 corn market could delay the industry's recovery. -- Higher corn prices are roiling the U.S. ethanol industry, but the full impact of the corn price spike might
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Barriers abound in the bioeconomy, but this slide guide from Idaho National Lab shows how artificial intelligence and machine learning will lower the barriers to growing a bioeconomy. From biomass supply and logistics to preprocessing
(Gevo) Gevo, Inc. (“Gevo”) (NASDAQ: GEVO), announces the concept of Net-Zero Projects for the production of energy dense liquid hydrocarbons using renewable energy and Gevo’s proprietary technology. The concept of a Net-Zero Project is to convert renewable energy (photosynthetic, wind, renewable
by Tom Karst (Farm Journal Ag Web) ... More global produce marketers and retailers are taking measures to become regenerative companies. In a post on the chain’s website, Whole Foods called regenerative agriculture the number one food trend of 2020. “Farmers, producers, academics,
by Julie Wurth (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment) ... A study by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI) found that energy sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) behaves more like
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) UC Berkeley’s Dr. James Bentley Brown shared this illuminating slide guide at ABLC Digital on pattern discovery, the multi-scale analytical requirements of the bioeconomy, examples from a biotic field trial in corn, how artificial intelligence
(Malay Mail) A nimble push into higher biodiesel blends such as B40 — 40 per cent blend of palm oil-derived biodiesel — by Indonesia and B30 by Malaysia will help to mitigate the negative effects of the European Union’s (EU) lower
(Our Daily Planet) Salty soil is a death sentence for crops, and for areas of coastal farmland, an increasing threat due to climate change. Known as saltwater intrusion, this occurs when storm surges or high tides overtop areas low in elevation. It
(Indonesia Palm Oil Facts) Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI) has made its submission to the EU Forests Regulation public consultation on reducing deforestation and forest degradation. As background, the European Commission is proposing a Due Diligence regulation to tackle deforestation / forest degradation with the aim
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Nuseed (which acquired Agrisoma last year) has four focus crops – carinata, sorghum, canola and sunflower – sound more like a cooking ingredient list but they are in fact fantastic feedstocks for a range of
(Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants e.V. (UFOP) ) ... German government agreed last Friday on key points for the national implementation of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II). In addition to the gradual increase of the GHG
(LaTrobe University) A cropping trial is now in the ground at Katunga as a forerunner to a $1 billion renewable fuel development. Investment company, AgBioEn, is planning a massive biofuel plant on a 40 ha former dairy farm, which will use agricultural waste. The company
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