(GlobeNewsWire) Butamax™ Advanced Biofuels LLC, the leading biobutanol technology company, and Highwater Ethanol LLC, a leading producer of first generation ethanol, have begun to retrofit Highwater's ethanol plant in Lamberton, Minnesota for the production of biobutanol. Butamax's cutting edge technology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... It seems a long time ago now that, out of Dr. Steve Mayfield’s lab at Scripps and later at the University of California at San Diego, a series of discoveries made it possible, for the
(Biofuels International) The two remaining foreign petroleum players in Indonesia have been told to increase the proportion of biodiesel mix at their petrol stations. PT Shell Indonesia and PT Total Oil Indonesia are reportedly obligated to increase their FAME content in
(Biofuels International) Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), in cooperation with Chemieanlangenbau Chemnitz, has produced renewable fuel at its Bioliq (biomass to liquid karlsruhe) pilot plant. With the synthesis stage of the plant now operational, all stages of the Bioliq process (flash
by Rhett Butler (Mongabay.com) Palm oil imports into Europe for use as car fuel increased by more than three-fold since 2006, raising concerns than renewable fuels targets may be contributing to deforestation, displacing marginalized communities, and driving greenhouse gas emissions in
(BusinessWire) In August 2013, Nevada-based biodiesel producer Bently Biofuels Company expanded their used cooking oil collection program by purchasing the assets of Got Grease?, a Bay Area waste oil and grease trap pumping company. Got Grease? collected used cooking oil throughout
(Proterro) The biofeedstock company also validates low fabrication cost and completes preliminary design, layout, and cost estimate for demonstration-scale plant. – Proterro, Inc., the only biofeedstock company that actually makes sucrose instead of extracting it from crops or deconstructing cellulosic materials, has
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) A man who used to market fuels under the Phillips 66 name has decided to forgo the Big Oil brand so he can offer consumers the choice of E15 ethanol. “They changed the rules mid-stream for what
by David Castellon (Visalia Times Delta) When the subject of biofuel comes up, chances are you’ll think of corn converted to ethanol. But on Wednesday, representatives from a Chicago-based seed manufacturer tried to change that way of thinking by inviting Valley farmers
by Holly Jessen (Biodiesel Magazine) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced funding for projects in 22 states to help reduce energy consumption and cost, as well as for increasing the use of renewable technologies, including a handful of biofuels- and
(Minnesota Soybean Growers Association/Biodiesel Magazine) The Minnesota Soybean Growers Association has voiced its support for a recommendation by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to move the state to a 10 percent biodiesel inclusion rate in every gallon of diesel sold
by Matt Kelley (Radio Iowa) ... Due to a national change in how gasolines are being refined, some premium blends will now contain corn-based ethanol. Monte Shaw, executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, says it’s been a quiet, yet monumental,
by John Herrick (VTDigger.org) Waste from dairy farms and beer breweries could provide the necessary ingredients to grow algae-based biofuels, leaders of a project designed to research this technology said on Tuesday. Matt Cota, executive director of the Vermont Fuel Dealers
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...The company developed Bio-Res, a trademarked product made from distillers grains, that can be used in place of traditional petroleum-based resins. It can be included in the manufacturing process of various plastics at rates
(Renewable Fuels Association) Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, introduced a bill Monday that would create a grant program for ethanol-pump installations, establish a loan-guarantee program for renewable-fuel pipelines and require new Department of Energy regulations to encourage owners of fueling stations
(Algae Industry Magazine) ... Speaking to a packed conference hall, executives from Algenol, Sapphire Energy, Cellana, BioProcess Algae, Heliae, Algix and Aurora Algae all emphasized scaling up production as the industry’s next major priority as it begins to provide algae-derived fuels
(Environmental Research Web) Biofuels could be a promising way to reduce reliance on imported petroleum oil and improve the environment, but the downside is that they can use up considerable natural resources. A new study, published in Environmental Research Letters
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Colorado, Cool Planet Energy Systems and Acritaz Greentech announced that they have signed an agreement to explore the building of multiple commercial facilities in Malaysia. The plan is to begin construction on the first plant
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In Florida, Algenol CEO Paul Woods announced at the Algae Biomass Summit that the company has switched reactor system and has reached a peak production of 10,400 gallons per acre and a continuous production in
by Amanda Ferreira (Advanced Biofuels USA) This past summer I had the opportunity to go to Brazil to visit some of my family whom I hadn’t seen for more than five years. A lot had changed since the last time
by F. John Hay (Lincoln Journal Star) The Local View article (Issues with ethanol, LJS, 9/27) addressed an individual’s opinion on the demerits of use of ethanol as a transportation fuel and the merits of alternatives. Unfortunately, the information given
(Algae Industry Magazine) Heliae, a leader in the development of advanced algae production technologies, today announced that it has begun operations at its first commercial facility in Gilbert, Arizona. Utilizing the company’s flexible VolarisTMplatform, the commercial facility will initially produce
(BioenergyCrops.com) A brand new study (2013) found that the projected energy demand (2035) in developing countries, can be covered with energy crops in surplus agricultural lands, then not competing with food production. The study, from the Department of Energy Technology, at Aalto
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Texas, KiOR announced that it is pursuing plans to double production capacity at its Columbus, Mississippi, cellulosic fuels facility through construction of a second facility incorporating KiOR’s commercially proven technology. KiOR estimates that the project
(PR NewsWire/Yahoo!Finance/VANERCO) Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver today confirmed SDTC's financial contribution in VANERCO, the joint venture partnership formed by Enerkem (www.enerkem.com and GreenField www.gfsa.com) to build and operate a cellulosic ethanol facility integrated with GreenField's existing ethanol plant in Varennes, Quebec.
by Brenda Wade Schmidt (Argus Leader) South Dakota-based Poet and its partner in producing ethanol from leaves, cobs and cornstalks plan to open their first cellulosic plant early next year. By summer, Poet-DSM Advanced Biofuels should have any glitches worked out
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Greenbelt Resources Corporation has announced successful performance testing results from its automated distillation module. The module, available separately or as part of a complete sustainable energy production system, efficiently generated hydrous ethanol, distilled water and fertilizer from beer
(Argonne National Laboratory) Sponsored by U.S. Department of Energy, General Motors Corporation, Natural Resources Canada In the Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, college engineering students work together to design, build, and evaluate a state-of-the-art vehicle. For the 1998 Ethanol Vehicle Challenge,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Long-term, there are numerous opportunities for developing the right kind of renewable feedstocks based on careful development of agricultural markets and gaining grower adoption. But anyone who has been through the wringer in trying to
by Jake Ferris (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... The change in stock levels from 2001-’05 accounted for about $1.28 of the $2.49 per bushel increase in corn prices (Table 2)—just over 50 percent. About 18 cents per bushel can be attributed
by Chris Hanson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Similar to the 1970s period of prosperity, Zulauf (Carl Zulauf, economics professor at Ohio State University) says that in 2012 crop prices increased by roughly 200 percent, which he attributes to China’s growing demand for
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... (Bruce) Babcock (the Cargill endowed chair of energy economics at Iowa State University) is more optimistic about the potential for E85 consumption to grow. If corn prices stay low and gasoline prices stay
by Jan Sluizer (Voice of America) ... “It may not seem as big of an impact, but when you’re talking about potentially millions or billions of gallons in the United States, even a five percent reduction or a 20 percent reduction, is
(AgProfessional.com) A new report released from researchers in the Netherlands shows that current models assessing the impact of crops grown for biofuel production on land use do not accurately reflect current production and land use realities. Given the impact of
(The Malaysia Insider) Malaysia and Japan-based Asian Energy Investments Pte Ltd. have launched a $100 million (RM320 million) venture capital fund to invest in clean energy projects in Southeast Asia. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced the launch of the
(UFOP/Biodiesel Magazine) The Deutz Agripower engines of the series TCD 7.8 L6, TCD 6.1 L6 and TCD 4.1 L4 can be approved for operation with biodiesel as a pure fuel. This is the result of the project successfully completed by
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Instead, it is now gasoline that is upside down, economically — and flex-fuel drivers who value their dollars ought to be considering E85 based on the wholesale prices we’re seeing. The most startling example comes from
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) ... We’re committed to supporting biofuels by providing a range of products that provide biofuel capability in line with consumer demand. And that is key,” explained Dominic DiCicco with Ford Motor Company during the conference session titled, Automaker
by Douglas Durante (The Hill Congress Blog) ... the Clean Air Act amendments of 1990 included a prescribed formula for reformulated gasoline that included an oxygen content, which ethanol provides. Oxygenated fuels promote more complete combustion and reduce carbon monoxide, particulates,
by Lynn Grooms (Farm Industry News Blog) Glacial Lakes Energy, a South Dakota ethanol producer, has been raising awareness about the benefits of higher blends of ethanol at several retail fuel stations this summer with its Flex Fuel Friday campaign.
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Helgaas (Maynard Helgaas, president of Green Vision Group) is saying that commercializing the first energy beet plant is planned for 2014 to 2015. “Energy beets will benefit rural North Dakota communities, because the processing facilities we
(Associated Press/Grand Forks Herald) Gov. Jack Dalrymple and members of the state's agriculture and ethanol industries announced the introduction of E15 blended gasoline on Monday in Bismarck. A new blend of gasoline with 15 percent ethanol is available in North Dakota. Gov.
by Christopher Doering (Des Moines Register) A study from Iowa State University said the cost of installing tanks to handle fuel with 85 percent ethanol could be cheaper than purchasing energy credits to avoid blending the fuel mostly made from
by Steve Tarter (Peoria Journal Star) ... The FS station in Kickapoo, the first station to offer biodiesel over a decade ago, now features a pump that allows drivers to select various grades of ethanol-blended gasoline, from E10 to E85. It’s also
(Alpha Galileo Foundation) Researchers at the Iberoamerican University (IBERO) in Mexico City, look to consolidate a pilot biorefinery that will use the waste of various fruits, vegetables, flowers and plants produced in urban and rural areas, to transform them into
by Conglin Xu (Oil & Gas Journal) E85 motor fuel—gasoline blended with as much as 85% ethanol and commonly used by flexible-fuel vehicles (FFV) in the US and Europe—is becoming increasingly price-competitive with gasoline in several Midwestern states on an energy-content basis,
by Maxx Chatsko (The Motley Fool) The Vatican splashed down in the news feeds of green enthusiasts everywhere last week when it announced that Pope Francis will trade in his Ford Focus for a 1984 Renault 4. The vehicle was
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Canada, the Biofuels Development Consortium held their 2013 Fall Symposium a little early this year in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada on August 27–28, its first meeting outside the U.S. Sarnia is known for their petroleum industry
by Amahl S. Azwar (The Jakarta Post) PT Shell Indonesia and PT Total Oil Indonesia will have to increase the proportion of biodiesel in the diesel fuel mix they sell at their gas stations to at least 10 percent by
by Alice Daniel (California Report) California once grew a lot of sugar beets to supply the state's sugar mills. Most of those the mills are closed now, and farmers have turned to other row crops. But in the Central Valley, growers
(Associated Press/Lincoln Journal Star) South Dakota-based Poet LLC and its Dutch partner say a cellulosic ethanol plant being built in northwest Iowa will open early next year. By next summer, Poet-DSM Advanced Biofuels should have any glitches worked out at the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Landmark cellulosic drop-in biofuels producer releases update on early-stage production: is the increasing gallonage enough to silence the critics? ... In July and August, the Columbus facility produced 172,398 gallons of fuel, bringing the 2013 production
(UPI.com) Algae-derived biofuels can reduce the life cycle of carbon dioxide emissions by at least 50 percent compared to petroleum fuels, a U.S. university study found. The peer-review study -- the first to analyze real-world data from an existing algae-to-energy demonstration
(Algae Industry Magazine) The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO) has just encouraged the EPA to include the carbon capture and reuse (CCR) as an approved strategy for compliance under its New Source Performance Standard, a draft version of which was released
by Chris Hanson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) In front of an attentive crowd at the 2013 National Advanced Biofuels Conference & Expo in Omaha, Neb., representatives from Abengoa Bioenergy S.A., Poet-DSM Advanced Biofuels LLC and Ineos Bio presented updates on their
by Anna Simet (Ethanol Producer Magazine) As a precursor to the National Advanced Biofuel Conference and Expo in Omaha, Neb., Sept. 10-12, the Corn Stover Harvest & Transport Seminar hashed over the technological, logistical and environmental issues of using corn
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. EPA Office of Inspector General has released a report recommending ways the agency should improve monitoring activities for the renewable fuel standard (RFS) program. According to the report, the audit was conducted in
by Amar Toor (The Verge) Accusations of land grabbing revive debate over "food versus fuel" ... But some experts say that when it comes to biofuels and food security, it’s not an “either-or” question. "At the moment we have a false dichotomy
(Pulp and Paper Canada) A pilot project to convert wood into biofuels has plans to be operational by next February after getting loans from the province of Nova Scotia. The Chronicle Herald reported Aug. 30 that Cellufuel Inc. is receiving a
(Fuels America) After 1,002 consecutive days of paying more than $3 for a gallon of gas, Americans are demanding choices at the pump. Our new poll found that 82% of US adults support having E15, renewable fuel made of 15
by Claire Everett (Daily Illini) ... Jody Endres, professor in environmental, natural resources and energy law, said while the USDA and other government agencies employ a variety of methods to encourage the growing of miscanthus for biofuel production, there is no crop
(Algae Industry Magazine) Algae-derived biofuel can reduce life cycle CO2 emissions by 50 to 70 percent compared to petroleum fuels, and is approaching a similar Energy Return on Investment (EROI) as conventional petroleum, according to a new peer-reviewed paper published in
(GreenAir Online) Amsterdam-based sustainable jet fuel company SkyNRG is to supply Schiphol Airport with a 30% sustainable waste based diesel for its ground transport vehicles. The agreement follows a successful pilot in 2011-12 in which 45 vehicles were tested on
(Evogene, Ltd./Biodiesel Magazine) Evogene Ltd., a plant genomics company specializing in enhancing crop productivity for the food, feed and biofuel industries, announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Evofuel Ltd., has completed three years of successful field trials in Brazil for
(4-Traders.com/Graphene NanoChem plc) Graphene NanoChem (AIM: GRPH), the performance chemicals and advanced materials company, is pleased to announce that PlatClear, the Group's waste-based second generation biofuel and the Group's Senawang chemicals facility ("Senawang") have both received approval from the US
by Jo Borras (Gas 2) Switzer Performance has carved out a few special little performance niches for itself in recent years – most notably in alternative fuels tuning and for “advancing the state of the art” when it comes to electronic engine
(Netzwerk Biotriebstoffe) The ERA-ARD project “Bioenergy in Africa: Opportunities and Risks of Jatropha and Related Crops” was officially closed at the end of March 2013. Within this project the coordinator published 5 Policy Briefs with the results of the project
(Biofuels International) The Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), a voluntary sustainability scheme approved by the European Union, has introduced a new report regarding upstream verification for waste materials. The RBS, which covers all types of feedstock and all biomaterial products, outlines
by Ken Anderson (Brownfield Ag News) Sorghum Field Days are being held at six locations in Nebraska this week. One of the stops will be the John Dvoracek farm near Farwell, where there are more than 50 sorghum varieties planted
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) E15 is again available after summer volatility restrictions ended Sept. 15. ... E15 is approved for use with vehicles model year 2001 and newer. However, because the U.S. EPA has awarded E10 a waiver to
(Amyris) Amyris's Farnesene Production Unit would be First RSB-Certified Plant in Brazil The RSB Services Foundation, the implementing entity of the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), a global sustainability standard and certification system for biofuels and biomaterials production, is pleased to
by Julie Hare (The Australian) Researchers from James Cook University are close to producing a low-cost biofuel extracted from seaweed that will be powerful enough to fly jet aircraft. That same seaweed may also have helped to clean up tailings at a
by Alexander Bor (Platts) Ukraine's State Food Grain Corporation, one of the country's largest grain traders, has won a certificate allowing it to export raw materials for biofuel production in the EU, the company said Friday. "After getting access to
by Chris Kick (Farm and Dairy) ...At 10 feet tall and higher, (Jon) Griswold’s “giant miscanthus” surpasses even the tallest of corn hybrids and the tallest of farmers. And its dense, wide-reaching foliage makes for a fort-like appearance from the roads. ...Griswold
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) After taking a leading role in the global first generation wave of ethanol production, here come the Brazilians — with some hot North American technologies in tow — to take on next-generation biofuels and chemicals.
by Josh Bergeron (Selma Times-Journal) ...Algix, a company based in Georgia, opened its newest facility in Dallas County that will help turn catfish-pond algae into biodegradable plastic. “It’s really quite a revolutionary to take algae, which is seen as waste, into a
by Javier E. David (CNBC) ..."They act as if they didn't see this coming," said Adam Monroe, president of Novozymes North America, a biotechnoloy company that makes enzymes used in biofuel production. Given the onset of the 2008 recession
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) A new online survey conducted by Harris Interactive finds that U.S. consumers are ill-prepared for the introduction of higher ethanol fuel blends such as E15. Commissioned by the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) the survey is misleading because
by Jeff Thomas (Boulder County Business Report) ... “You have to have hydrogen to mass produce renewable biofuels. Natural gas is cost effective and it’s plentiful,” said Steven Silvers, spokesman for Sundrop Fuels Inc. “Every gallon of domestically made biofuel is
(EurekAlert) "Biofuel" has become a global buzzword, with cars and trucks powered by fuel made from corn, corncobs and stalks, switchgrass and even waste oil from cooking french fries, envisioned as a way to stretch out supplies of crude oil
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) One of Cargill’s palm oil plantations in Indonesia used for providing a feedstock for biodiesel is certified as a sustainable operation. The company announced the PT Harapan Sawit Lestari (HSL) plantation was awarded the certification under the International
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The Denmark-based Port of Frederikshavn, Canadian biofuel company Steeper Energy, and Denmark-based Aalborg University have announced a partnership to develop a biofuel plant in Denmark that will produce sulphur-free, drop-in marine fuel from wood feedstock. ... Roughly
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Corn stover. It’s that inedible leftover from the corn crop, and if you’ve ever noted how big a corn plant is in comparison to the size of the ear, you know there’s a lot of
(St. Cloud Times) The Central Minnesota Ethanol Co-op on Wednesday made a deal to allow Green Biologics Inc. to acquire substantially all of its assets. CMEC was established in 1995 as an ethanol company based in Little Falls. Green Biologics, which specializes
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) According to some new information from the Petroleum Equipment Institute (PEI), the cost of upgrading an existing retail gas station to sell E15 is much less than recently suggested by ethanol opponents. For the past year, several stations throughout
by Reliable Source (The Washinton Post) ...Event: National Farmers Union rally promoting passage of a five-year farm bill and touting the renewable fuel standard. Venue: Capitol Hill’s Lower Senate Park. ...What he wants: Fuel standards mandating an increased amount
(Petroleum Equipment Institute (PEI)) (from a letter to US Department of Agriculture) ... "You asked on August 13 if the Petroleum Equipment Institute (PEI) had any information regarding the average price for installing E15 storage equipment and blender pumps at retail
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Midori reports they have broken through on a 100-year quest for low-cost cellulosic sugars. And found a way to turn your cotton tees into sugars, too. About a year ago, a little-known company called Midori Renewables
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... (Paul) Bertels (vice president of production and utilization for the National Corn Growers Association) said the harvest should bring in about 12.9 billion bushels of corn, the third largest crop ever and just 100
by Mark Drajem (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) A tweak to an automobile’s engine software can improve by as much as 20 percent the estimated fuel efficiency when using gasoline with ethanol or methanol, according to a non-profit group pushing gasoline alternatives. A Fuel
by Jennifer A. Dlouhy (Fuel Fix) ... The rising cost of RINs turned out to be good economic news for some oil companies, especially those who are producing biofuels and have blending capacity, so they could capitalize on the credits tacked
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... “What you really are in the business of,” Aemetis CEO Eric McAfee reflects, “is capturing the arbitrage between the commodity price of your most expensive feedstock — and the price of your finished molecule plus
(The Economist) Energy technology: Making large amounts of fuel from organic matter has proved to be more difficult and costly than expected ...As well as being available to countries without tar sands, shale fields or gushers, biofuels can help reduce greenhouse-gas emissions
(Flagship Ventures/PR NewsWire) New Venture is Commercializing a Novel Catalytic Process to Convert Non-Food Biomass Into Sugar Flagship VentureLabs announced today that Midori Renewables is globally deploying their Breaking the Biomass Barrier™ technology, a novel catalyst that melts non-food biomass into
(National Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) The largest municipal fleet in the country made a bold environmental statement yesterday with cleaner burning biodiesel. New York City Councilman James F. Gennaro, honored by the National Biodiesel Board with the 2011 Clean Energy Leadership Award,
(Ontario Federation of Agriculture/Farming Sources) A value chain consortium presented their final report to local corn producers on a business case for sustaining a commercially viable cellulosic sugar plant in southwestern Ontario to support the future production of green chemicals. The
(Clariant) Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, has received the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) for its sunliquid® demonstration plant in Straubing (Germany), which was opened in July 2012. The certificate confirms that the cellulosic ethanol from agricultural
(Fort Mill Times) Aemetis California Plant Approved for Same Low-Carbon Biofuels Category as Brazilian Ethanol Aemetis, Inc. (OTCQB: AMTX), an advanced fuels and renewable chemicals company, announced today that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted Aemetis approval to produce
by Thomas Darlington, Dennis Kahlbaum, Don O’Connor, Steffen Mueller, PhD (Air Improvement Resource, Inc./(S&T)2 Consultants Inc./University of Illinois, Chicago) ...The European Union (EU) is considering amending its current biofuel policy. The current policy, adopted in 2009, calls for 10% transportation renewable energy target (by
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...ActionAid UK released a report this week focusing on the story of Addax Biofuels in Sierra Leone. As Addax points out, it was not given the opportunity by Action Aid to review the serious allegations in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The company (Kaiima) started up in 2006, and by 2009, the results were starting to show in castor beans. Castor oil is a good source for a variety of applications, including biofuels — but castor
by Vickie Vaughan (Fuel Fix) Valero Energy Corp. has been making adjustments to its investments in renewable energy. This year the San Antonio refiner quietly pulled out of a partnership to build a cellulosic ethanol plant while a second plant in
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Waste-to-energy firm Fiberight LLC plans to break ground on a solid waste recycling plant in Marion, Iowa, as soon as December. Once complete, the facility will process municipal solid waste (MSW) into feedstocks for
by Erica Sullivan (AgriNews) ...A faculty-and-student duo piloted the Purdue Embrarer Phenom 100 to the recent Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture, one of the largest international plane shows. One of the airplane’s engines was filled with typical jet fuel, and the other
(R.C. Costello & Associates Inc./Ethanol Producer Magazine) R.C. Costello & Associates Inc. and Zeton Inc. signed a Memorandum of Understanding last month. Costello has extensive front-end engineering, process modeling and design experience; and Zeton has specific know-how in the scale
by John Ramsey (Fayetteville Observer) ...Researchers say Southeastern North Carolina is uniquely poised to become a national leader in biofuel production for two primary reasons: The coastal Bermuda grass now grown on hog farms goes virtually unused because the hog waste
by Tom Magnarelli (Innovation Trail) Sen. Charles Schumer is calling on the Department of Transportation to retrofit or phase out a specific type of railway car that carries crude oil and ethanol. The DOT-111 is the same kind of tank car as
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... When you first harvest a forest or other biomass, you take all that carbon that’s been sequestered — if you use the “first cut” for energy or fuels, that carbon is released. Now, in the world
(National Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) ... Over the past two years, both with biodiesel production exceeding 1 billion gallons, problems from the field have been no more than those of conventional petrodiesel alone—maybe even less. All the research, testing and specification work
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Loyola University Chicago is expanding its biodiesel laboratory with much-needed additional space, and a new processor and analytical instrumentation. Lab manager Zach Waickman says Loyola built the school’s biodiesel program over the past five years
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) ...Biodiesel emerged on the U.S. alternative fuels radar in the early 1990s, and for the next decade it slowly gained recognition as a real-world, here-and-now replacement for diesel fuel before its first ASTM specification, D6751,
by Tom Saidak (BioInvest Digest) In California, the California Energy Commission is asking for proposals to either develop or expand three new centers for both alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technology. READ MORE Excerpt from the Centers for Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicle Technology Program
by Jim Lane (BioInvest Digest) What does the Gevo complex in Texas mean for jet fuel, for renewable clear plastic bottles…and for the Gevo investor? In Texas, Gevo held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its demonstration-scale paraxylene plant in Silsbee.
(Creston News) The first E85 gasoline pump in Creston is opening as early as Tuesday at the Farmer’s Cooperative fuel pumps on 304 N. Osage St. ... The pumps will also have 87 E10, E15, E30 and 2 percent biodiesel fuel
by Alan Bjerga and Marvin G. Perez (Bloomberg) A glut of corn has damped interest by biofuel makers in a U.S. government program to sell surplus sugar for ethanol, potentially decreasing its effectiveness in propping up sugar prices. With the U.S.
(Biofuels International) Ghana-based Smart Oil, active in the production of renewable energy from jatropha curcas and subsidiary of Italian company Smart Oil 2, has signed a license and services agreement with Quinvita, a developer of jatropha as a sustainable bioenergy
by David Shaffer (Star Tribune) Shipping container with a portable unit is on display at the fair. One of the more unusual farm implements at the Minnesota State Fair is a big metal box with no tires, steering wheel or windshield.
(Environmental Defense Fund/Biodiesel Magazine) A case study released today from Environmental Defense Fund and E2 examines the benefits of biodiesel, profiling six companies in California helping to revolutionize the industry. Growing production in the state shows California companies have started capitalizing on this diverse, low-carbon
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Ontario Federation of Agriculture recently announced that a value chain consortium has presented a final report to local corn producers, showing that it is commercially viable to establish a cellulosic sugar plant in
by Lynn Grooms (Farm Industry News) Soon after hearing about Big Oil’s numerous challenges to the Renewable Fuel Standard, attendees of the Fuel Ethanol Workshop this summer, heard from producers forging ahead to commercialize cellulosic ethanol. The placement of these
by Jacob Barker (Columbia Daily Tribune) A giant grass grown through a federal program with MFA Oil didn't work out too well as a biofuel at Columbia's municipal power plant. A report sent to the Columbia City Council on Aug. 5
by Kathryn Diss (ABC) "I was led to believe that after about five years when these mallee trees matured, that we would be able to move forward with this and there would be a facility in place for us to be
(Iowa Renewable Fuels Association) The IRFA posts Thursday wholesale E85 prices every Friday. The prices below are for wholesale use, and therefore restricted to wholesale fuel distributors and retailers, not end users. The intent of IRFA's E85 Price Listing Program is
by Jane Black (The Washington Post) In high summer, fields of wildflowers bloom at Tony Thompson’s Minnesota farm: gray-headed coneflowers, phlox and white prairie clover. Those plants are designed to do more than just beautify. They prevent water runoff and
by Richard Piersol (Lincoln Journal-Star) Demand for renewable credits helps change market Prices of premium and regular grades of gasoline without ethanol are likely to rise in Nebraska and Iowa, and those fuels may become harder to find as oil refiners
(4-Traders.com) Guyana's first ever bioethanol demonstration plant was commissioned today at what was regarded the start of an agro fuel revolution in a country that is leaning aggressively towards a renewable energy pathway. The plant located at the Albion Estate on
by Paul Tullis (The New York Times) ...But big drawbacks have prevented the wholesale adoption of trash-to-gas technology in the United States: incineration is polluting, and the capital costs of new plants are enormous. Gasification systems can expend a tremendous
(Algae Industry Magazine) The National Algae Association (NAA) has announced that a new commercial algae production cultivation system has been developed at the NAA Test Center in The Woodlands, Texas. The new Algae Growth Cell (G-Cell)™ was developed by AlgaeEquip,
(Globe Newswire/Gevo) United States Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado toured and met with Gevo, Inc. (Nasdaq:GEVO) today to discuss the importance of renewable fuels and chemicals for Colorado and the U.S. economy. Senator Bennet met with Gevo executives including chief executive
by Carl Zulauf and Nick Rettig (Ohio State University/FarmDocDaily) ... Corn processed into alcohol for fuel was not a factor in the 1970 period of farm prosperity. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) data series on this demand component does not
by Rick Smith (The Gazette) Solid waste recycling facility could divert waste from landfills in the region ... The Marion City Council Thursday unanimously approved a deal with waste-to-energy firm, Fiberight LLC, which gives the Maryland-based firm permission to build a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The complete Cool Planet story. What is it? Why transformational? What are the next steps? New venture will convert wood waste to gasoline. In Louisiana, Cool Planet Energy Systems CEO Howard Janzen, flanked by Louisiana Gov.
by Doris de Guzman (Green Chemicals Blog) An official from UK-based cellulosic ethanol developer/producer TMO Renewables announced today it is expanding its portfolio to include polylactic acid (PLA) that will be produced at their Dunsfold Airfield site near Guildford, Surrey,
by Toni McAllister (LakeElsinore-Wildomar Patch) Flex Fuel E85 is now available at the Chevron gas station located at 23805 Clinton Keith Road. Motorists who want to fill up on ethanol now have the option to do so in Wildomar. The Chevron gas station
by Janet McGurty (Platts) ...This month PBF Energy and Alon USA both told analysts they had new plans to blend renewables like ethanol and biodiesel with gasoline and petroleum-based diesel as a way to fend off high prices for renewable credits, known as RINs. Refiners
by Les Harrison (SouthEast Farm Press/UF Extension, Wakulla County) A canola cousin, carinata produces oil seeds that can be used to make an alternative fuel which is virtually indistinguishable from petroleum counterparts. Researchers at the University of Florida’s North Florida
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Millions of dollars and years of testing have already been invested in the attempt to increase ASTM’s allowable amount of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) contamination in jet fuel, which can occur from pipeline movement
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... But is the real RINsanity the focus on RINsanity itself? We might be more focused on the insanely huge amounts of energy demand that are coming, and what the heck we are going to about it,
by Tildy Bayar (Renewable Energy World) In a leaked draft proposal for a European biomass policy, seen by REW, the European Commission has laid out sustainability criteria for the Union’s future biomass use. The proposal would require a minimum greenhouse gas
by Herman Wang (Platts/The Barrel) It’s hard to get excited over a producer making a scant 2 barrels/day of crude. But in the case of Sapphire Energy, those barrels represent the beginnings of a potential revolution that it says could upend how
by Tennille Tracy (The Wall Street Journal) The Federal Trade Commission said it was looking into assertions by some members of Congress that oil companies are using their influence over retail gas stations to block consumers from accessing gasoline blended
(Pacific Biodiesel Technologies/Biodiesel Magazine) Jatropha harvesting began last week at the Hawaii Pure Plant Oil (HIPPO) farm founded in 2008 by father and son partners Christian and James Twigg-Smith. HIPPO has planted a total of 200 acres of jatropha in
(MoneyLife/PR NewsWire) BioEnergy Zones Will Lead the Way Towards Socially Inclusive and Economically Sustainable Livelihood Haiti based Sonamar S.A. and Bangalore based VayuGrid have signed a joint venture agreement for developing BioEnergy Zones across Haiti. These BioEnergy Zones will produce renewable
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Upstream, downstream, processing, policy, finance – opportunities and challenges abound in the bioeconomy – but which challenges are the most intractable and daunting of them all? In today’s part 2, #5 through #1. 5. The blend
by Christopher Doering (Des Moines Register) ... “E85 sales were down at the end of 2012 and beginning of 2013 due to last summer’s drought, but we’re seeing those numbers turn around now with very attractive E85 prices,” said Monte Shaw,
by Christopher Doering (Des Moines Register) Senators Chuck Grassley and Amy Klobuchar asked the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission Tuesday to investigate possible anticompetitive practices by oil companies that may be limiting consumer access to renewable fuels. In a letter
by Perry Beeman (Des Moines Register) ...BioProcess Algae claims to be the nation’s only algae-production facility located next to an ethanol plant, in this case Green Plains Renewable Energy in Shenandoah. That’s part of the reason the U.S. Department of Energy
by Sarah-Blake Morgan (KCBD) Good news for the Plainview economy. White Energy has announced that their Plainview Ethanol Plant will be up and running by late October, after sitting idle since January. ..."With the updating that they did, they are going to
(BusinessWire/Aurora Algae) In collaboration with Durack Institute of Technology, Aurora Algae has completed construction of a new algae cultivation test site in Geraldton, Western Australia, to evaluate the potential of the Mid West region for the production of microalgae. Aurora Algae
(Energy Business Review) US-based sustainable fuels company Edeniq has signed a five-year exclusive agreement with agriculture feedstock firm Pacific Ag to add cellulosic ethanol production base to existing biofuel facilities. Under the terms of the agreement, the companies would work together
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