Report: 2011 Algae Biomass Summit
by Forrest Seltz (for Advanced Biofuels USA) My name is Forrest Seltz. I am a student at Jennings Community Learning Center (JCLC) in St. Paul, which is a project based school. I have been interested in botany for a
by Forrest Seltz (for Advanced Biofuels USA) My name is Forrest Seltz. I am a student at Jennings Community Learning Center (JCLC) in St. Paul, which is a project based school. I have been interested in botany for a
by Vidya Ramanathan (Advanced Biofuels USA) A clear view of coppery miniature treetops, brilliant skies and shimmering coastline. This is the sight that welcomed the attendees of the first ever conference on ElectroFuels, conducted by the Society of Biologigal Engineering, under
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 Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, more than 350 delegates gathered at Advanced Biofuesl Markets to set industry priorities for the next six months,seal partnerships, and exchange outlooks on 2012. It didn’t take long for the Top 10 priorities
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In the Race for Scale, the industry has excelled in driving down operating costs. Capital costs have proven more perplexing, and sticker shock has been a hold-back. Feedstock availability at affordable cost and appropriate scale
(Science Daily) ...A team led by Carnegie's Steven Davis, and including Ken Caldeira, tracked and quantified this supply chain of global carbon dioxide emissions. ...Traditionally, the carbon dioxide emitted by burning fossil fuels is attributed to the country where
by Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine) Debrah Guerin Beresini, CEO of Invencor Inc., a company that manages a debt and equity fund and also acts as a consultant to the cleantech sector, has a simple message for algae project developers seeking
by Erin Voegele (Biorefining Magazine) Attracting investment is a key component of getting any biomass-related project off the ground. During the 2011 Southeast Biomass Conference and Tradeshow in Atlanta this week, Kate Bechen, an attorney with Michael Best & Friedrich
by Erin Voegele (Biorefining Magazine) The 2011 Southeast Biomass Conference & Tradeshow kicked off in Atlanta today. Nearly 325 professionals and 60 exhibitors are taking part in this year’s event, which has a strong regional focus. Jill Stuckey, director of
(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 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
(OriginOil) CEO’s presentation at Amsterdam’s Biofuels 2011 describes how blending algae with other feedstocks can ease shortages and help develop advanced biofuels OriginOil, Inc., the developer of a breakthrough technology to extract oil from algae and an emerging leader in the global
by David Shaffer (Star Tribune) The latest clean-tech energy contender pushes toward commercial production, even as federal money is drying up. The ingredient list for products ranging from jet fuel to dietary supplements may soon get an unusual addition: algae. Entrepreneurs who
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 Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Overall, there remain more than 100 companies chasing the prize of developing an algae biomaterials project, profitable and at commercial scale. Yesterday (October 24, 2011), on the eve of the annual Algal Biomass Summit, two of
(Harvard Science) Chris Somerville, director of the Energy Biosciences Institute, said global biofuels are already mainstream, with ethanol from corn totaling 13 to 14 billion gallons annually in the United States, or about 10 percent of gasoline use. In Brazil, it
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 Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) The biodiesel and oilheat industries have a long-standing history working alongside each other respectively serving the home heating needs of their customers, particularly in the Northeast, and delivering clean-burning Bioheat was the sentiment echoed by
by Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine) The biomass industry is a new frontier for the team at the Gemstone Group, a renewable energy investment banking firm, and according to Gary Kleiman, founder, his team is looking for opportunities to partner and help
by Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine) Ask J.D. Lindberg, principal and CFO for Resource Recycling Systems Inc., about the intricacies of feedstock supply contracting, and he would most likely tell you that “glass time is money.” Lindberg spoke during a feedstock
by Paul Spindler (Catchlight Energy, LLC). The company CLE (Catchlight Energy) is a 50/50 partnership between the sustainable, forest-based feedstock company, Weyerhaeuser, and the commercial fuel company, Chevron. The purpose of this partnership is to link the benefits of a parent
by Jim Sturdevant (POET) POET indicates that bioenergy provides a boost to rural economies and creates/saves jobs today. It mitigates costs of imported oil; consequently, the majority of jobs would not be outsourced. Bioenergy reduces environmental impacts of continued use
by Hoyt Thomas (OpenAlgae) Hoyt Thomas, President and CEO of OpenAlgae, points out that the algae industry is suffering from a case of separation anxiety. To find out the solutions, OpenAlgae developed unique separation technologies focusing on improving processes to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Rod Beazley of Ricardo said that, based on tests conducted to date by the company, the Ricardo EBDI (ethanol boosted direct injection) engine could achieve equal mileage per gallon when burning E85 ethanol, compared to straight
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Canada, Agrisoma CEO Steve Fabijanski outlined his company’s plan to challenge canola for dominance in Canadian oilseed production with the introduction of carinata, which the company said could achieve up to 130 gallons per
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A major trend emerging from the conference was a broad agreement on the strong potential for XTL fuels – that is, fuels that combined both fossil and biomass inputs, to provide the opportunities for massive
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Marie-Helene Labrie said that the company looked for markets where there was effective government support all through the project from R&D, pilot & testing, commercial demonstrations, and full scale commercialization, noting that a “suite of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In financing, Stern Brothers managing director John May said that the majority of advanced biofuels projects were obtaining debt ratings of BBB to single B, which indicated the presence of material technology risk, and that
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...(Imperium CEO John) Plaza said that the company would remain committed to its biodiesel business, which has been profitable since Q4 2009 and is running at near-capacity, but was unlikely to expand because of the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In commenting on trends in financing advanced biofuels technologies, Alberti Advisors principal Doug Cameron said that, for seed and Series A rounds, investors generally looked for strong IP, deeply credible, passionate founders; exciting, big disruptive
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Ramsbottom said that companies looking at international expansion generally ask themselves four questions before proceeding: is there a need?; is the local environment welcoming?; does the company have the time and resources”; can the company afford
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) The production of advanced biofuels was one of many renewable energy topics addressed by speakers at the recent annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative. During a keynote lunch address on green technology, Jonathan Wolfson,
(Iowa State University) Iowa State University's Robert C. Brown keeps a small vial of brown, sweet-smelling liquid on his office table. "It looks like something you could pour on your pancakes," he said. "In many respects, it is similar to molasses." Brown,
by Vidya Ramanathan (Advanced Biofuels USA) “Artificial leaf, Nanowires and Biomass - Are these the fuels and technologies of the future? Emerging from the BP Gulf Oil spill, and witnessing the post-quake-tsunami nuclear-reactor incidents in Japan, we are rightly poised
by Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine) The project life cycle for second- and third-generation biofuels and biobased chemical facilities has changed from the traditional model. That life cycle, which commonly begins at the pilot phase led by researchers, chemists or biologists
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) The International Biorefining Conference & Trade Show in Houston wasn’t exclusively about biobased chemicals and next-gen biofuels. In fact, the event featured two speakers who presented novel biodiesel technologies that are on the verge of
Andrew Held (Virent) Andrew Held, Director of Virent Feedstock Development, explained that Virent creates gasoline, jet fuel, diesel and chemicals from biomass feedstocks. Virent, founded in 2002 and based in Madison, WI , has a 63,000 sq. ft. facility with
by Greg Schwartz (Kent BioEnergy Corporation) Greg Schwartz, Ph.D., Director of Systems Engineering, explained that Kent BioEnergy (KBE) is active in Aquatic research and development in several fields, such as aquaculture system design, water treatment research, molecular biology research and
Laurel Harmon (LanzaTech Inc.) LanzaTech, Inc., was founded in January 2005 by CSO Dr. Sean Simpson in New Zealand. Funds were mainly from New Zealand government US$ 10M, Khosla Ventures US$ 12M in 2007 and Qiming Ventures US$
by Matt Glynn (BuffaloNews.com) ‘Green’ consistency is needed to succeed, Noco chief says James D. Newman calls it the “green-versus-green debate” in biofuels. People want to be environmentally conscious, but they hesitate to part with more green — as in money — to
By Brian L. Goodall, Puneet Chandra and Tom Czartoski (SRS Energy) Brian Goodall introduced SRS energy which specializes in oil and water purification, separation and related services. For four years, SRS Dexter focused their R&D on algae extraction and fractionation. Goodall
by Matt Carr (Biotechnology Industry Organization). Matt Carr, Managing Director or BIO notes that in 2011, biofuels comprise about 10% of the US transportation fuel market; in 2025, biofuels will consist of around 25% of that market. Renewable chemicals and
by David Hazleback (General Atomics) Hazleback, General Atomics Biofuels Program Manager, notes that algal-derived biofuel is one of the most competitive resources to be used in the fuel market. Approximately 40 million acres of algae could meet the demand of the
(OriginOil/Enhanced Online News) Algae World Australia delegates tour university test site, view next-generation algae harvest technologies 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
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Alternative fuels have work to do, say retail marketing experts, to win customer acceptance, but the work can be done. Here are 14 points to consider. “(A)lternative fuels need many things, but the most important thing
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Australia, former Queensland premier Peter Beattie issued a stark challenge to Australia on biofuels, at the opening of the Australian Alternative Fuels Summit in Brisbane. “As President Obama has said, ‘the country that leads on
by Holly Jessen, Kris Bevill, Ron Kotrba and Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo is well-known for its top-notch networking opportunities and technically oriented panel sessions, but it also provides an opportunity for
(The Pew Charitable Trusts) This week, former Navy secretary and U.S. senator John W. Warner (R-Va.) is traveling with Vice Adm. Dennis V. McGinn (Ret.), vice chairman of the CNA Military Advisory Board, as part of a national tour to discuss
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Add-on technology developed for corn ethanol plants Rather than retrofitting a corn-ethanol plant to produce i-butanol, n-butanol or use other novel fermentation technologies, three companies are collaborating to turn a traditional ethanol plant into a
(European Commission) This Workshop was organised by the European Commission in cooperation with Airbus. The purpose was to discuss with all key stakeholders a road map for accelerating the deployment of paraffinic sustainable biofuels in the aviation sector and ensuring
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) The Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory is looking for the best biofuels crops to grow in the northeast Illinois Indian Creek Watershed. During a recent field tour of the watershed sponsored by theConservation Technology Information Center, Argonne
(US Department of Energy) ...More than 600 speakers, moderators, sponsors, exhibitors, and attendees were able to listen to discussions about the ongoing challenges and achievements in the bioenergy industry. Biomass 2011 addressed key issues in important areas, such as feedstock supply, conversion pathways,
(EurekAlert!) U.S. production of ethanol for fuel has been rising quickly, topping 13 billion gallons in 2010. With the usual rail, truck and barge transport methods under potential strain, existing gas pipelines might be an efficient alternative for moving this
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) At the Biomass 2011 conference in Washington, a lively debate session provided a bumper crop of questions from the audience – too many to answer at the time. At the same time, it offers us
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) Algae may be garnering the most attention as a viable third-generation feedstock for biodiesel production. As Gary Breitenbeck, professor in the School of Plant, Environmental and Soil Science at Louisiana State University’s Agricultural Center, and
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) Researchers from Argonne National Laboratory, the American Speed Association and Hot Rods Performance Group began seeking sponsors for a stock car racing series focused on renewable fuels. "Our goal is to use next-generation production cars
by Holly Jessen (DomesticFuel.com) Although the U.S. corn ethanol industry is frequently misunderstood and misrepresented, it’s the only domestic renewable fuel industry to reach significant scale and make a measurable impact on the U.S. fuel supply, said Luca Zullo, principal
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, US Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, and US Assistant Secretary of the Navy Jackalyne Pfannenstiel provided a rousing opening to the DOE’s annual BIOMASS congress in Washington. Opening
by Lance Nixon (Renewable Energy World) Those pyrolysis plants would pass that crude “bio-oil” on to refineries elsewhere to be made into drop-in fuels and industrial chemicals; they would capture and use for their own energy needs a byproduct called
by Jonathan Williams (Algae Industry Magazine) Researchers at the University of Florida are looking at ways to grow algae in landfill leachate, or the coffee colored liquid sludge that pools at the bottom of landfills as the waste decomposes. Landfill
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) On July 19, 2011, the Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC) and Environmental and Energy Study Institute(EESI) held a briefing on the energy title of the Farm Bill, with a special focus on the Rural Energy for
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Drop-in fuels all the rage? Not smart, says Coskata CSO Rathin Datta, ethanol is the champion for biomass-based fuels. In Washington DC later this month, at the DOE’s Biomass 2011 annual conclave, Rick Wilson, the CEO of
by AGQM (Biodiesel Magazine) The Association Quality management Biodiesel reg. Ass. (AGQM) recently presented results of a jointly initiated project at the 5th annual expert discussion dealing with the issue of biodiesel filterability. ...It was shown that the contents of alkaline
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Carolyn Hoagland was recently awarded the Volkswagen Distinguished Scholar for her work in learning about how farmers choose to grow bioenergy crops. Hoagland, an adult student, is an environmental science major at the University of Tennessee at
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Southeast is ripe for energy crop development, according to several panelists who spoke during a session devoted to next-generation feedstock strategies June 28 at the International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo in
by Ron Kotrba (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...(Pete) Moss, (vice president of marketing for cereal process technologies) says the 15 billion gallon cap on corn ethanol in RFS2 is one reason why fractionation will finally come to the dry mill corn
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...(I)ndustry experts discussed their views toward integrating cellulosic production at existing corn ethanol facilities. ...The panelists seemed in agreement that integrating cellulosic ethanol production with existing first-generation plants presents an ideal expansion opportunity. However their
by Drew Sowersby (Advanced Biofuels USA) Fuels of the Future: The Bioalcohol Paradigm This slide presentation has been created by Drew Sowersby to inform a broad audience about the importance and potential dominance of bioalcohols in the transportation industry as
(Diesel Technology Forum) A near-capacity room of Congressional staff members, industry and energy representatives gathered on Capitol Hill on May 13th to hear a diverse group of speakers – including U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett – discuss clean diesel technology and
(National Advanced Biofuels Consortium) This 55-slide presentation from a National Advanced Biofuels Consortium Webinar describes the organization and work of the consortium using many valuable charts, graphs and illustrations, including those that depict existing infrastructure. One of the most useful illustrations
(Bobby Likis/YouTube) Bobby Likis: You've got Ethanol Questions? Here are some Answers from industry leaders in the know, including NORRIS MARSHALL [president and owner of Marshall Engines], FRED BOSSELMAN [president and owner of Bosselman Energy], SCOTT MERRITT [executive director of
(Milken Institute Global Conference) With oil prices spiking and concern over climate change growing, biofuels hold tremendous appeal. But they must overcome considerable hurdles. Further process and technology refinements are needed to ensure that biofuels make a significant dent in
(Task 39) Around 140 guests followed the invitation of ISCC to the first General Assembly and discussed the status quo and development of sustainability certification with speakers like Ron van Erck from the European Commission and Dr. Hans-Jürgen Froese
by Nathanael Greene (Natural Resources Defense Council Representative) Greene begins by making the point that “long-term environmental imperatives” need to be applied at a global level, and that bioenergy must be an integral part of a sustainable future. Bioenergy needs to
by Amy Ehlers (Biotechnology Industry Organization) The group BIO (Biotechnology Industry Organization) is a trade association which is located in Washington D.C. and has over 1,200 member companies in both the U.S. and 31 other countries. Their industrial biotechnology member companies
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...(F)or some time, observers have been waiting for an intermediate group of technologies to spring up, or even one, that takes in unsorted MSW from a municipality, crushes, sorts and spits out an low-cost stream
Meeting two parts of its mission, to increase the 1) understanding and 2) use of advanced biofuels, Advanced Biofuels USA, a nonprofit educational organization, published a paper and accompanying slide presentation. A revised version of Robert E. Kozak’s paper on
by Brent Yacobucci (Congressional Research Service) The CRS (Congressional research Service) is a “nonpartisan, analytical, research and reference arm of the Library of Congress”. In this presentation, CRS specialist in energy and environmental policy Brent Yacobucci covers how climate change
by Dr. Maureen McCann (Professor, Purdue University) Dr. McCann begins by describing the different plant cell wall architectures belonging to various types of feedstock. She shows how different processing methods can be utilized to more efficiently process biomass into biofuel.
by David Hoyt (Senior Research Scientist, Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Hoyt first provides an overview of EMSL and their mission to integrate experimental and computational resources with innovative technologies to support the biofuel industry. Focusing on
by Jane Fisher (Senior Engineer, National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Fisher first provides a general overview of the biofuel production process, identifying key areas for potential cost reductions through R&D and commercial scale production. Fisher focuses on the development of equipment
by Blake Simmons (Vice-President, Deconstruction Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute) Simmons provides an overview of Joint Bioenergy Institute (JBI) and their research associated with converting cellulosic biomass to biofuel. He describes the challenges of the various steps involved in current technologies
by Dr. Jose A Olivares (Executive Director, The National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bio-Products Los Alamos National Laboratory) Dr. Olivares first provides an overview of the National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bio-Products organization. Olivares discusses the organization’s involvement
by Dr. Timothy Donohue (Director, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Professor of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison) Dr. Donohue first provides an overview of the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center. Donohue moves on to discuss the research project involved with
by Dr. Mark Davis (BioEnergy Science Center, National Bioenergy Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Dr. Davis discusses a multidisciplinary approach to overcoming the current inability to access sugars in lignocellulosic biomass. By quickly identifying key genes in biomass composition, high
by Liz Moore (Project Officer, Biomass Program, Golden Field Office, U.S. Department of Energy) Moore begins with a breakdown of the cost structure describing the manufacturing process of ethanol from feedstock. She shows how each step in the manufacturing process