by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) It’s only been a few months since Abengoa Bioenergy broke ground on its 23 MMgy multifeedstock cellulosic ethanol plant in Hugoton, Kan., but so far, construction of its first commercial-scale cellulosic facility is still
by Jonathan Williams (Biofuels Digest) Who’s in front in the development of algal-based fuels and biomaterials? India, China, Japan, Australia, Taiwan, Israel, the EU, or the US. The NAABB’s globe-trotting chief parses it out. In New Mexico, Dr. Jose Olivares is
(Japan Times) Not many people imagine that resource-poor Japan might one day become an oil exporter. But someone who does is Makoto Watanabe, a leading expert in research on producing oil from microscopic algae. Research into creating biofuel from so-called microalgae
(Australian Aviation) Boeing and CSIRO have launched a year-long study on the potential for growing new feedstocks in northern Queensland that could be turned into sustainable aviation biofuels. The first phase of the study will focus on current and potential biomass
(Cellectis) Cellectis (Alternext: ALCLS), the French genome engineering specialist, is today announcing that it has signed an agreement with Total to develop microalgae-based oil substitutes. The research program includes an initial one-year phase, which may be followed by a second phase
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) NexSteppe, a feedstock development company focused on servicing the biofuels, biopower and biobased products industries, recently announced a collaborative agreement with DuPont to develop sweet sorghum and high biomass sorghum hybrids. As part of
by Chris O'Malley (Indianapolis Business Journal) ...But it looks like motorists, rather than ethanol makers, stand to feel the pain. The reason is the survival of another federal measure, known as the Renewable Fuels Standard. It requires that an increasing amount
by Jeremy Hsu (MSNBC) Engineer says cheap biodiesel can be made on any scale year-round — he just needs cash The biofuel farm contained only a small wind turbine, solar panel and container of green scum packed within a tub-size frame
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...But the New Agriculture has arisen in recent years, with new solutions to the old dilemma: how do you produce, and afford, and haul, and utilize enough feedstock to make an integrated biorefinery work? How
by Ann Perry (US Department of Agriculture) Work by scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) suggests that farmers in the Southeast could use the tropical legume sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea) in their crop rotations by harvesting the fast-growing annual
(Biotork) BioTork has successfully converted unmarketable Hawaiian papayas to fatty acids that can be refined into green fuels. This result is a first milestone in a developmental research project conducted in collaboration with the US Dept of Agriculture Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center
(MarketWire/Evogene) Wholly Owned Subsidiary Expanding Castor Bean Activity in Brazil Evogene Ltd. announced that it is establishing Evofuel, a wholly owned subsidiary, to focus on developing seed for advanced second-generation feedstock for biofuel. Included in the activities that are being transferred from
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) By the end of January, Atlantic BioEnergy Corp. expects to be producing ethanol at its new $6.2 million demonstration plant in Cornwall, Prince Edward Island. The 79,000 gallon a year ethanol plant will use
by Mary Rosenthal (Algal Biomass Organization) ...Many of you will remember that 2011 began with a discouraging report that claimed algae biofuels could never play a role in US energy security. We at the Algal Biomass Organization (ABO) easily refuted
(Algae Industry Magazine) Since early October, New Mexico State University’s Institute for Energy & the Environment (IEE) researchers have been transitioning from algae operations in the IEE water and energy lab to the Algae Test Bed Facility located at ‘A’
(Algae Industry Magazine) rom the Denki Shimbun Electric Daily News comes a story about three Japanese companies: IHI Corporation, Gene and Gene Technology (G>), and the Neo-Morgan Laboratory Incorporated (NML) that have just announced establishing a joint company to research
by Dr. Steven Thomas (US Department of Energy) Biomass feedstocks – the raw organic material that can be converted into biofuel, biopower, or bioproducts – come in many forms, from woody crops like hybrid poplar and shrub willow to herbaceous species
by Neil Rossmeissl (US Department of Energy) Despite Americans’ voracious appetite for paper products -- a staggering 700 pounds per person annually -- America’s pulp and paper industry has been struggling as of late due to competition from countries where environmental
(PR NewsWire) Start of demolition works at the former chemical plant in Castleford Black Pearl Capital Partners ("BPCP") today announced that it has acquired a 118 acre infrastructure site near Blackburn, UK. The site which formerly operated as the Sappi Paper Mill
(Science Daily) When a plant encounters drought, it does its best to cope with this stress by activating a set of protein molecules called receptors. These receptors, once activated, turn on processes that help the plant survive the stress. A team
by Cole Gustafson, Thein Maung and David Ripplinger (North Dakota State University/Ethanol Producer Magazine) NDSU quantifies the cost and time involved in corn stover collection ...The research team at North Dakota State University in Fargo recently completed a Sun Grant study,
C-C. Tsao, J. E. Campbell, M. Mena-Carrasco, S. N. Spak, G. R. Carmichael & Y. Chen (Nature Climate Change) Accelerating biofuel production has been promoted as an opportunity to enhance energy security, offset greenhouse-gas emissions and support rural economies. However, large uncertainties remain in the impacts
(FarmGateBlog.com) Many Cornbelt farmers are planning to deliver corn stover to the local ethanol plant to generate a new income stream. Others are planning to cultivate and harvest switchgrass, miscanthus, or other biomass crops also for ethanol production. Yet others
by Robert F. Service (Science Magazine) In the biofuels business, the idea of converting nonfood plants to fuels is like a mirage: enticing but seemingly just out of reach. To do it, the industry must add a cocktail of expensive
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Georgia, the University of Georgia has teamed with the University of Puerto Rico to develop a new R&D center that will focus on algae-based biofuels thanks to a $4 million grant from the Dept. of Defense. In
(DuPont) DuPont and Rosetta Green Ltd. have entered into a strategic research agreement to identify drought tolerance genes in corn and soybeans. “Drought can lead to losses for corn growers of up to $13 billion annually,” said John Bedbrook, vice president, DuPont Agricultural
(Science Daily) ...But how the sucrose produced in the leaves via photosynthesis is delivered to the transporters that move it into the phloem has remained a mystery. Thus, a critical piece of the molecular pump was unknown--the protein that moves
(Science Daily) A generally accepted, 44-year-old assumption about how certain kinds of bacteria make energy and synthesize cell materials has been shown to be incorrect by a team of scientists led by Donald Bryant, the Ernest C. Pollard Professor of
(Algae.Tec) Algae.Tec Ltd and the major European airline Lufthansa have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly evaluate the potential for algae oil from Algae.Tec’s bio-reactors to be developed into a sustainable source of aviation biofuels. READ MORE
by Analia Murias (FIS Worldnews) The Biotechnology Consortium (Bal Biofuels) began the construction of the Experimental Centre of Algae (CEA) in Puerto Montt Campus of the University of Los Lagos. The plant is expected to be operational from August next year. The
(US Department of Energy) Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) announced today a major breakthrough in engineering systems of RNA molecules through computer-assisted design, which could lead to important improvements across a range of
(Endesa) Madrid • Expansion of the Almería plant to demonstrate the technical and economic viability of the technology. • The success of the first stage of the project has led Endesa to carry out trials with two new types of photo-bioreactors and develop
by James Konstantin Galvez (The Manila Times) The Department of Agriculture (DA) is in talks with San Carlos Bioenergy Inc. (SCBI) for the construction of a bioethanol processing plant in Negros Occidental to push the development of sweet sorghum in
by Ross Courtney (The Seattle Times/Yakima Herald-Republic) ..."You get down to it, it's dirty work," said Steve Fransen, a research agronomist at the Washington State University Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center. He means research, not farming, but farming is what
(Algae Industry Magazine) Aurora Algae is using a novel technique for genetic optimization to create advanced-trait algae strains for product development in the pharmaceutical, nutrition, renewable energy and animal feed markets. This technology enables genetic optimization without introducing foreign genes,
by Derek Mead (CleanTechMedia) Can biofuel be economically coaxed from a modest plant? ...A new research review published today(December 13, 2011) in the journal GCB Bioenergy states that switchgrass is indeed viable as a cellulosic feedstock, as has been previously suggested, and that
(Business Times) Selecting an optimal algae strain to produce jet fuel in Malaysia will be a top research priority in the first year of Aerospace Malaysia Innovation Centre's (AMIC) operation. With RM15 million having been approved in spending for the first
by Dave Cooper (Edmonton Journal) After flourishing on waste water from the town’s sewage treatment plant for more than two years, Whitecourt’s biomass crop of willows and poplars was ripe for harvest. And last week, researchers brought in three different machines
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) ...“Our goal is to be a world leader in algae technology solutions. Together with the Town of Gilbert and the State of Arizona, we have the capabilities, the vision and the resources to
by Charis M. Cook, Arsalan Daudi, David J. Millar, Laurence V. Bindschedler, Safina Khan, G. Paul Bolwell, Alessandra Devoto (Science Direct) In this study, an EST library (EH663598–EH666265) obtained from xylogenic tissue cultures of tobacco that had been previously generated was annotated. The library proved to be
(Red Orbit) The carbon footprint of humans will be reduced by four awards for plant and microbial research issued under a new joint U.S./Japanese program Four joint United States and Japanese research teams have been awarded funding totaling about $12 million
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute)A number of new scientific studies have been released examining whether and how forests, forest management practices, forest products, and bioenergy from forests either contribute to or help mitigate climate change through carbon sequestration and emissions.
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Monsanto providing seed for off-season ethanol feedstock Every year, Brazilian sugarcane mills clear and replant about 1.7 million hectares (4.2 million acres) of cane. This year, some mills are planting sweet sorghum developed by Monsanto
by Erin Voegele (Biorefining Magazine) A new algae project is underway in Australia. Algarythm Pty. Ltd., the operating company of Darke Peak Algae Biofuel Commercialization project, and Fishace Pty Ltd., trading as Fishace Ecological Engineering, recently announced the development of
(Biofuels International) FuturaGene, a woody crop plantation company for the bioenergy and biofuel markets, has opened a new biotech R&D centre in China. Although Futuragene has been working in China through partnerships with universities and research institutes over the last six
(PressZoom/Iowa State University) An Iowa State University research team is collaborating with scientists at the Samuel Roberts Nobel Foundation and also with scientists in Japan to develop an international partnership to help make strides in the technologies needed towards
by Sue Roesler (Farm & Ranch Guide) Cole Gustafson, department chair of the Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics at North Dakota State University, said while there’s more concerns about corn ethanol at the Congressional level with the “food
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Can PetroAlgae find a market for its feed among the aficionados of alfalfa and fishmeal, with fuels on the side? In its recent IPO revision, it says “sure can”. ... PetroAlgae has filed a massive revision
by Louise Impey (Farmers Weekly Interactive) New research shows that growing triticale instead of wheat for biofuel production could have higher financial returns for both farmers and biofuel producers thanks to ability of triticale to outyield wheat, at similar or
(SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory) If we could make plant food from nitrogen the way nature does, we’d have a much greener method for manufacturing fertilizer – a process that requires such high temperatures and pressures that it consumes about 1.5
(Environmental Expert) Algarythm Pty Ltd is the operating company of the Darke Peak Algae Biofuel Commercialisation project. South Australian based Fishace Pty Ltd; trading as Fishace Ecological Engineering, has developed an innovative method to produce algal biomass in commercial quantities.
by Lynn Yarris (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) Researchers Reach Milestone on the Road to Biofuels A milestone has been reached on the road to developing advanced biofuels that can replace gasoline, diesel and jet fuels with a
(Algae.Tec) Algae.Tec Limited an advanced algae to biofuels company with a high-yield enclosed algae growth and harvesting system announced today it had signed a collaboration contract to build its first algae biofuels production facility in Asia. The facility will be built
(Sapphire Energy/PR Newswire) Research Enables Improvements in Genetic Diversity in all Regions of a Chloroplast Genome with Potential Applications for other Photosynthetic Organisms Sapphire Energy, Inc., one of the world leaders in algae-based crude oil, today announced that Nucleic Acids Research Journal
by Kari Williamson (Renewable Energy Focus) FuturaGene has received a US$2.1 million grant from the Brazilian Government to advance its bioenergy technology development programme in Brazil. The grant obtained by FuturaGene's parent company, Suzano Papel e Celulose, will be used to
(Netzwerk Biotreibstoffe) Growth in palm oil production has been a key component of meeting growing global demand for vegetable oil, including for biodiesel, over recent decades. This growth has been accompanied by mounting concern over the impact of the oil
(Network Biofuels) In 2010, the IEA Advanced Motor Fuels Implementing Agreement and the IEA Bioenergy Task 39 both commissioned reports on the status and potential opportunities for Algal Biofuels. While there were substantial similarities in the findings of the two
by Luke Geiver (Biodiesel Magazine) The St. Anthony Falls Laboratory on the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis originally formed to study hydroelectric energy, but today the research team at St. Anthony is working on projects that range
(Algae Industry Magazine) Witt-gas, the German-based company specializing in gas control systems has announced their increased focus on adapting their suite of products and services to the algae cultivation market, with a focus on blending and delivering nutrient gas streams. ...Since
by Margaret Munro (PostMedia News/Canada.com) ...The faster the organisms suck up carbon dioxide, the better, as John McDougall, president of the National Research Council, envisions big things for the lowly microbes.McDougall is a long-time and unabashed promoter of using algae
by Erin Loury (The Monterey County Herald) Scientists aim to create biofuel Tiny green algae grown in floating plastic bags may one day wean us from our voracious fossil fuel consumption. Such is the vision of Jonathan Trent, a scientist at NASA's
by Fiona Wylie (Australian Life Scientist) A group of specially adapted green algae may hold the answer to sustainable and renewable energy for the future, helped by the Sun and more than a pinch of clever science. ...According to Associate Professor
...A detailed structure of crystalline cellulose in algae was produced a decade ago. But only about half of the cellulose in wood fibres and crop plants is crystalline, the rest is disordered. The challenge was to find out how the
by Angela Kean (Proactive Investors Australia) Leaf Energy (ASX: LER) has signed worldwide exclusive licence agreement with Texas A & M University to develop the marine yeast Debaryomyces hansenii as a production platform for high value biofuels and proteins. Debaryomyces hansenii
by Kurt Nolte(Yuma Sun/Yuma County Cooperative Extension) • Sugar cane is an exploratory crop in Yuma County and, like sweet sorghum, is being researched for the production of biofuels in Arizona. • Sugar cane is considered as one of the top
(Iowa State University) Research at Iowa State University has led to discovery of a genetic method that can increase biomass in algae by 50 to 80 percent. The breakthrough comes from expressing certain genes in algae that increase the amount of
(Science Daily) ...Unlike the starch sugars in grains, the complex polysaccharides in the cellulose of plant cell walls are locked within a tough woody material called lignin. For advanced biofuels to be economically competitive, scientists must find inexpensive ways to
by Andy Eubank (Hoosier Ag Today) Homegrown Indiana innovation for farmers was displayed Tuesday in Fulton County when the New Holland Rochester manager climbed aboard a combine with his patented Cornrower and created a windrow of corn stover while shelling
(Science Daily) ...However, technologies are being developed to generate bioethanol from non-food sources, such as the lignocellulosics present in switchgrass and trees. The sugars locked in the polymers of cell walls, i.e., cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, can be extracted and
(Algae Industry Magazine) In New Delhi, India, the Minister of State for Universities and Science, David Willetts, announced plans for a £10M joint call for sustainable bioenergy research between the UK and India. The call will support collaborative science which
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) What happens when sorghum doesn’t have to put energy into flowering and grain production? High-biomass sorghum that grows up to 20 feet tall, that’s what. Texas AgriLife Research, part of the Texas A&M University System,
by Melody Bomgardne (Central Science/Cleantech Chemistry) DuPont has been digesting its acquisition of Danisco for a while now, and has sent out an update about what used to be called DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol – now shortened, as you might
by David Biello (Scientific American) Microbes will be the (human) food- and fuel-makers of the future, if J. Craig Venter has his way. The man responsible for one of the original sequences of the human genome as well as the team
(Reuters) India-based biofuel producer Nandan Cleantec expects to grow sales by at least 25 percent every year till 2014-15, on the back of strong demand for its high yielding variety of oilseeds, a top executive said. Nandan develops hybrid varieties of
(OriginOil) Algae Appliance set for commercial release in early 2012 will help producers meet rising demand OriginOil, Inc. , the developer of a breakthrough technology to extract oil from algae and an emerging leader in the global algae oil services industry, today
(The Mainichi Daily News) Could Japan become a major oil-producing nation? That's the dream of researchers at IHI NeoG Algae LLC, which is working on extracting oil not from new holes in the ground, but from algae. The company -- a
(National Algae Association) Due to the lack of sufficient data on the performance of industrial-scale photobioreactors, fermentation, dewatering/harvesting and extraction equipment, the NAA is announcing a new collaborative testing center starting in The Woodlands, Texas beginning in January, 2012. "If we
(PR NewsWire/MarketWatch) Analytical Technology Fueling Institute's Fundamental Energy Research Waters Corporation today (November 15, 2011) welcomed the Future Fuels Institute at Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida into its Centers of Innovation Program. The Future Fuels Institute under its director, Dr. Chang
(Soya Tech) Indonesia's Confederation of Primary Cooperatives Association (Inkud) is teaming up with Taiwan in developing jatropha curcas-based fuel, its vice president director Yusri Suhud said. "We are cooperating with Taiwan to develop jatropha curcas as an alternative fuel," he said
by Larry Dreiling (High Plains MidWest Ag Journal) Construction has begun in Hugoton, Kan., on the nation's first commercial scale biomass fuel refinery. Abengoa Bioenergy's new, 23 million-gallon annual throughput refinery will take biomass, mainly switchgrass, and turn it into ethanol. One
by Isaac Leung (PACEToday.com) Mission NewEnergy will construct a major waste material processing facility in Malaysia which will recover palm oil from waste material in the palm oil refining process. The Spent Bleaching Earth Extraction Plant will be located in Sandakan,
(Boeing/PR NewsWire/Yahoo!) Collaborative efforts to focus on regionally produced, sustainable fuel options Boeing today announced a collaborative agreement to work with Hawai'i BioEnergy on renewable energy sources for creating aviation fuel. Announced on the eve of the Asia Pacific Economic Conference
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As POET lands a record biomass harvest in prep for a 2013 cellulosic ethanol launch, the Digest looks at stover, jatropha, miscanthus, switchgrass, MSW, wood and animal residue. Are costs going down, and capacity going
by Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine) ...“I came to the U.S. four years ago to really make what we wanted to be on a piece of paper a reality,” she (Sue Ellerbusch, president of BP Biofuels North America) tells Biorefining Magazine. That reality for
by Erin Voegele (Biorefining Magazine) Single cell photosynthetic organisms, such as blue-green algae, could play an important role in the future of our nation’s space program. Not only could they be used to supply valuable oxygen to fuel life-support systems,
by Anna Austin (Biomass Power and Themal) Energy crop developer New Energy Farms says it has developed a new system for establishing miscanthus that takes one-third the time of previous planting methods. ...The first is a bulked up miscanthus breed that
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) Florida-based Green Oil Solutions Inc. has announced the successful production of camelina biodiesel, from field trials to harvesting, pressing and processing. According to Steve Edmonds, the company’s director of industry and development, the fuel was
(GreenTechMedia/PR NewsWire) Today, at the Advanced Biofuels Markets Conference in San Francisco, Arnold Klann, Chief Executive Officer and President of BlueFire Renewables (OTC BB: BFRE.OB), a company focused on shifting the paradigm for energy sources by converting non-food cellulosic wastes into renewable
(Arch1Design.com) ...Tel Aviv University researchers are doing their part to reduce humanity’s carbon footprint by successfully growing forests in the most unlikely place — deep in Israel’s Aravah Desert. With environmental “extras” such as a local plant species, recycled sewage water
by Kevin Welch (Amarillo Globe-News) The U.S. Department of Agriculture is giving White Energy, with ethanol plants in Hereford and Plainview, a $3-million grant to promote using materials other than corn to make biofuels. Those materials can range from crop residue
By Paul M. Ingram (Wick Communications Science/Green Valley News and Sun) ...Under ideal conditions, half the weight of the plants will be converted into liquid, turning 2 tons of vegetation into 1,000 gallons of “juice.” On this day, however,
by Geoff Liesik (Deseret News) Researchers at Utah State University are making progress on a project that could soon have drivers filling up their gas tanks with fuel harvested from pond scum. The project has moved from USU’s Logan campus to Vernal
(Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Joint BioEnergy Institute Researchers Create RiceNet for Predicting Genetic Functions in Rice The first genome-scale model for predicting the functions of genes and gene networks in a grass species has been developed by an international team of
(Mission NewEnergy) Mission NewEnergy Limited, a global provider of environmentally sustainable biofuels, is pleased to announce that it has materially completed its 2011 Jatropha tree planting season, adding 40,264 new acres and 14,331 new Jatropha contract farmers. The Company has
by Diana Lutz (Washington University) Custom-designed organism could break the stalemate in the algal fuel industry ...(T)he Department of Energy has funded a three-university collaboration led by Washington University in St. Louis to approach the problem of algal fuels systematically. The principal
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Does continuous harvest, and direct production from CO2 and water, offer a transformative, no-kill way to improve the carbon and dollar economics of biofuels? Can the dairy model work? ...In beef and grain, the whole organism
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The bull’s-eye on corn ethanol could fade if the industry steps up and makes corn production and stover harvesting more environmentally friendly ...Today, no-till or strip-till farming is gaining ground, and researchers are examining systems
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Three years ago, ag giants John Deere & Co., Archer Daniels Midland Co. and Monsanto Co. pooled their respective areas of expertise and embarked on an experiment. Each company had its own specific reasons
(OriginOil) Researchers have shown improved growth for both fresh and saltwater algae strains OriginOil, Inc., the developer of a breakthrough technology to extract oil from algae and an emerging leader in the global algae oil services industry, today announced that its recent
by Bill Lundberg (Biofuels Digest) Should the Renewable Fuel Standard be scrapped, or revised? BP North America chief Susan Ellerbusch makes the case for “No”. In Chicago, BP Biofuels North America president Susan Ellerbusch, in addressing congressional attempts to re-write the
(Algae Industry Magazine) The National Algae Association’s Algae Specs Committee has released a white paper to offer guidance to the form in which algal oils and biomass should be delivered to the emerging algae industry. The infrastructural components include specifications, measures,
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) Approximately 100 professionals working in the feedstock and biorefining sectors recently met at Idaho National Laboratory to participate in a U.S. DOE-funded workshop. ...“Our objective was to broaden the view of densification from just a
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) ...C.J. (Warner, Sapphire Energy's President and Chairman) keynoted at the recent Algal Biomass Summit, attending along with Tim Zenk, Sapphire’s Vice President of Corporate Affairs, who was formerly executive vice president for the Edelman
by Barbara Walters (ABC 20/20)Though conspicuous consumption in tough economic times has given the superrich bad press, self-made moguls like ... Lynn Tilton are giving back through various philanthropy and business projects. They're also sharing their surprising stories with "20/20."
by Steve LeVine (Foreign Policy) A much-trumpeted partnership of one of today's most celebrated scientists and the world's largest publicly traded oil company seems stalled in its aim of creating mass-market biofuel from algae, and may require a new agreement to
by Sonya Kolesnikov-Jessop (New York Times) Pahang State in central Malaysia is about to becomehome to the world’s largest commercial farm project producing microalgae for biofuel. The farm will start to take shape in the first quarter of next year, on a
by Julie Ingwersen (Reuters) USDA says ethanol boom creating new patterns in corn use * Gov't unsure why feed use falls late in marketing years * Reports blamed for wild swings in CBOT grain prices * Industry barbs come as USDA faces budget constraints
by Larisa Brass (KnoxvilleBiz.com) Dupont Danisco Cellulosic Energy may not have announced definitive plans for siting a commercial biofuels plant in the state, but University of Tennessee researcher Edward Yu has some suggestions. As part of a study on the local
by Toby Price (Renewable Energy Magazine) A German-French initiative has culminated in the commissioning of a photobioreactor plant on the French island of La Reunion in the Indian Ocean. The facility which uses microalgae to produce biofuel was supplied this
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...ABO 2011 has offered an opportunity to consider the progress that the algal biomass sector has made in its race for commercial-scale, to marvel at the proliferation of robust business models, and to sneak a
(R&D) In May a team of researchers led by Rick Meilan, associate professor of forestry and natural resources, began a five-year study to determine the viability of poplar species as an ethanol feedstock and cash crop for Indiana farmers. The study includes
(PhysOrg.com/Purdue University) Not all parts of a corn stalk are equal, and they shouldn't be treated that way when creating cellulosic ethanol, say Purdue University researchers. When corn stover is processed to make cellulosic ethanol, everything is ground down and blended together.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...There’s a rumor going around the biofuels and biomaterials business that today represents one of the most difficult periods to raise capital. Apparently, the rumors did not reach ZeaChem, Chromatin or Synthetic Genomics, which this
(Physorg.com) Taking a cue from Mother Nature, researchers at the Department of Energy's BioEnergy Science Center have undertaken a first-of-its-kind study of a naturally occurring phenomenon in trees to spur the development of more efficient bioenergy crops. Tension wood, which forms
(Ethanol Producer Magazine/Algenol) Algenol Biofuels Inc. broke ground on the construction of its pilot-scale integrated biorefinery on Oct. 24. This production facility will be the first large-scale deployment of Algenol's patented and trademarked Direct To Ethanol technology, which produces ethanol
by Amelia Templeton (EarthFix) In a study published today in Nature Climate Change, researchers at OSU suggest that efforts to thin Northwest forests to reduce the risk of wildfire and create biofuels could have an unintended consequence: increasing the region’s carbon emissions. The
(Proactive Investors Australia) Biofuels company Mission NewEnergy has become the first commercial scale provider of Jatropha in the world to receive International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) for its Jatropha contract farming model. ...To qualify for ISCC certification, companies must meet strict
(Los Alamos National Laboratory) LANL scientists have genetically engineered "magnetic" algae to investigate alternative, more efficient harvesting and lipid extraction methods for biofuels. The researchers seek to reduce the cost of algae-based biofuel production. Currently, used algae-harvesting and lipid-extraction technology accounts
By Richelle Gonzalez (Severna Park Patch) University of Maryland researcher says algae could remove pollutants from agricultural wastewater. The Eastern Shore is known for vast soybean and corn farms, but if Patrick Kangas had his way it would be covered
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) An algae strain grown by BioProcess Algae LLC at Green Plains Renewable Energy Inc.’s 65 MMgy ethanol plant in Shenandoah, Iowa, is one step closer to entering the poultry feed market. First-round feed trials recently
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Iowa algae and corn ethanol project points the way towards optimizing delivery of feed, fuel, carbon reduction. The most complete realizations of that vision at scale, to date, are the POET Liberty Project in Emmetsburg, Iowa;
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) When Syed Alwi speaks about the algae industry, you get the feeling that he really has his finger on what’s going on globally. He gets around, and is a bit of a kingpin in
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Researchers from the University of Florida have found a way for tree breeders to create a new pine variety in about six years—less than half than the more than 13 years it takes without
by Stephan Nielsen (Bloomberg) Monsanto Co., the world’s largest seed company, will sell enough sweet sorghum for 20,000 hectares (49,400 acres) of plantations in Brazil this year as sugar cane mills struggle to meet demand for ethanol and are seeking
by Bryan Sims (Biorefining Magazine) Sean Arnold, chief operating officer for Cleveland, Ohio-based Vadxx Energy and Lawrence Walmsley, CEO of New York-based Culture Fuels Inc. discussed how waste plastics and algae are viable feedstock for the production of green fuels, chemicals
(Biofuels International) FuturaGene, a company dedicated to enhancing the yield and sustainability of woody crops for biofuels and biopower, and Guangxi Academy of Sciences (GXAS) have entered into a development agreement. Under the agreement, FuturaGene and GXAS, which is primarily focussed
by Alex Morales (Bloomberg) Mutant maize genes can be inserted into switch grasses to increase their viability as a biofuel crop, according to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Transferring the so-called CG1 corn gene into switch
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...ILUC mitigation practices identified by Ernst & Young include the development of advanced generation biofuels, improvements to crop yields on existing agricultural land, the use of co-products for animal feed purposes, and crop production on
(EnvironmentalResearchWeb.org) A global map that identifies areas of low-yielding biofuel crops whose productivity could be increased through intensification has been produced by researchers in the US. ..."The US biofuels target for 2022 is 136 billion litres," Matt Johnston, from the University of
by Jonathan Williams (Algae Industry Magazine) An interview with Matthew S. Bradfield, Project Manager, BIOS Biofuels Lab, Bermuda Institute of Ocean Science, Ferry Reach, Bermuda ...The research being conducted by the BIOS Biofuels Lab is mainly focused on the development of
(OriginOil) Researchers Used Natural Material to Break Down Cell Walls and Improve Extraction by up to 15% 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 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 Nicholas Jackson (The Atlantic) ...But if I am speaking to someone who really wants to know, then I proudly tell them that I am part of a team that is building the first 21st-century oil company, and
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) Louisiana State University is getting $17 million from USDA to study how to turn sugar cane and sorghum into biofuels. The project is one of the five announced yesterday by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, focused on developing aviation biofuels
(PR NewsWire/SarTec) SarTec Corporation announced today it has received a $500,000 Department of Energy grant (Award # DE-EE0003127) as part of a larger project to develop and enhance the use of inedible energy crops for the production of advanced biofuels using the patented Mcgyan®
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Pinal Energy LLC has constructed a pilot plant next to its 50 MMgy corn/milo ethanol plant in Maricopa, Ariz., to test sweet sorghum production processes. The project is a joint venture with the University of
(BusinessWire/ArborGen) Research team to develop genetically improved Loblolly Pine trees that yield greater amounts of terpene for use in transportation biofuels ArborGen, a world leader in the development and commercialization of technologies that improve the productivity of trees for wood,
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 Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine) The U.K.’s National Non-Food Crops Centre has been chosen to investigate the environmental impacts of algae-based bioenergy. “This study will help provide the evidence needed for a U.K. strategy for algae, ensuring that the developing algae
(Department of Energy/ARPA-E) ARPA-E Projects in 25 States Will Accelerate Innovation in Clean Energy Technologies, Increase America's Competitiveness and Create Jobs Arun Majumdar, Director of the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), today announced 60 cutting-edge research projects aimed
(University of Tennessee) Center to coordinate woody biomass production and utilization studies The Center for Renewable Carbon, a program of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, has been named by the USDA as a recipient of one of five coordinated
by Phil Brasher (Des Moines Register) Researchers at Iowa State University have won a $25 million federal grant to figure out ways to make it economical for farmers in the region to grow switchgrass and other perennial crops for production
by David R. Robbins and Stephen S. Tam (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Earth Sense Energy USA Inc.) Miscanthus x Giganteus (MxG) has great potential to become the energy crop of choice in the United States. It has been explored in Europe
(FIS.com) BAL Chile SA is dedicated to farming algae on the island of Chiloé, and in a second stage, plans to produce biofuels for industrial use. This was announced by Benjamin González, the company manager of administration and finance with origin
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Discussions about the 2016-2019 cellulosic biofuels fleet of manufacturing sites – what they will look like, and how they will change – are less common. Yet the second generation is where the big gallonage will
(ZeaChem) ZeaChem Will Produce “Drop-In” Advanced Biofuels at Boardman, Oregon Biorefinery ZeaChem Inc., a developer of biorefineries for the conversion of renewable feedstocks into sustainable fuels and chemicals, today (September 28, 2011) announced it has been awarded part of a $40
Edward D. Frank, Jeongwoo Han, Ignasi Palou-Rivera, Amgad Elgowainy, and Michael Q. Wang (Argonne National Laboratory) A life-cycle analysis (LCA) of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy use was performed to study algae-based pathways for producing biofuels such as biodiesel, renewable diesel, and
by Carol Skewes (The Vindicator) A farm in Liberty County, Texas, has started growing energy grasses as part of a BP project to produce cellulosic ethanol. BP is planning to build a 70-million-gallon cellulosic-ethanol plant, which the company hopes would
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) Vancouver-based Linnaeus Plant Sciences Inc. has been awarded $1.2 million from Sustainable Development Technology Canada, an arm’s length, nonprofit corporation created by the Government of Canada, to advance the production of camelina and safflower-based
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