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
(EurekAlert!) The Fraunhofer Center for Systems Biotechnology is the first research center to be launched by the Fraunhofer Chile Research Foundation which was established on October 4, 2010. The research carried out at the new Center will benefit from and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Earlier this week in California, Constellation Energy and Chromatin announced a memorandum of understanding to supply of renewable sorghum grown specifically for use as fuel, to two of Constellation’s California power plants. In anticipation of this, Chromatin
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
(ABC News) Pilbara biofuel producer ASHOIL says it is looking to double its production by next year. The subsidiary of the Ashburton Aboriginal Corporation turns waste cooking oil from Rio Tinto's mining camps into biodiesel for drill and blast operations at
(Algae Industry Magazine) A Principal Member of the Technical Staff of Albuquerque, New Mexico-based Sandia National Laboratories, serving in the Earth Systems Analysis – Energy, Resources, and Systems Analysis division, Ron Pate has been on M&O Contractor assignment in Washington, DC
By: Sarah Zielinski (Smithsonian Magazine) If one of the goals of growing plants for biofuel is to be kinder to the environment than you are by extracting oil from the earth, you wouldn’t want to plant anything that could be harmful to
by Markku Kulmala, Tuukka Petäjä (Science Magazine) Public discussion of climate change typically revolves around greenhouse gases, aerosol particles, and the role of human actions (1–3), but it is just beginning to reflect an awareness of the important role played
(Citizen-Times.com) About 50 interested farmers, academics, and biofuels experts toured the five acres of energy crops under study at N.C. State University’s Mountain Research Horticultural Research Station Wednesday for the first Western North Carolina Bioenergy Field Day. Chris Sawyer, an organic
by Jeff Falk (University of Minnesota/Hutchinson Leader) New research published online this week in the journal Environmental Research Letters, by a team from the University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin, shows that closing agricultural “yield gaps” around the world
(University of California-Riverside) Two grants will allow further development of steam hydro-gasification process that turns waste from food, yards and other sources into transportation fuels or natural gas Researchers at the University of California, Riverside’s Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CERT) at
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Hawaii goes all in on microalgae to provide fuel, food, fiber and power to grow its energy-starved Mid-Pacific economy and fit its environmental values ...Hawaii has no fossil fuel resources of its own. Not to mention
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) Finnish renewable diesel producer Neste Oil has launched a joint algae research program with the Marine Research Centre at the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) in an effort to further expand its feedstock portfolio by potentially
(SG Biofuels) SG Biofuels (SGB) today (September 13, 2011) announced it has teamed with JETBIO, leader of a multi-stakeholder initiative including Airbus, the Inter-American Development Bank, Bioventures Brasil, Rio Pardo Bioenergia, Air BP and TAM Airlines, to accelerate the production of
by Laura B. Brentner, Matthew J. Eckelman, and Julie B. Zimmerman (Environmental Science & Technology) The use of algae as a feedstock for biodiesel production is a rapidly growing industry, in the United States and globally. A life
by Barry Harrell (Statesman.com/PluggedIn) ...AlgEternal Technologies LLC is near completion of a commercial facility at UT's J.J. Pickle Research Campus. The facility, which had its ribbon-cutting last week, is a collaboration among AlgEternal, UT's Center for Electromechanics and the university's
(Science Daily) Measuring the emission of greenhouse gases from croplands should take into account the crops themselves. That's the conclusion of a study in the Sept.-Oct. issue of the Journal of Environmental Quality, which examined the impact of farm practices such
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 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
by Dr Matthew Aylott (National Non-Food Crops Centre) A major new €14 million (£12.3 million) initiative - bringing together experts from across North West Europe to develop the potential of algae as a source of sustainable energy - has been
(Algae Industry Magazine) Dr. Babetta Marrone and Dr. Jim Coons are in charge of developing the Ultrasonic Algae Biofuel Harvester, as their part of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)’s part of the 3-year NAABB project. ...Together, they are working to develop
(AllAfrica.com) The Muheza District-based Mlingano Agriculture Research Institute (ARI-Mlingano) is set to undertake a sisal characterisation programme aimed at developing a protocol for the production of ethanol and citric acid from liquid effluents. The programme which would be executed under the
(The Mainichi Daily News) An experiment to extract hydrocarbons, a main component of petroleum, from algae is set to get under way in the autumn in this quake- and tsunami-hit city. The Sendai Municipal Government, the University of Tsukuba and Tohoku
(Algae Industry Magazine) National Algae Association Executive Director Barry Cohen has announced the completion of additional commercial-scale pilot closed-loop photobioreactors (PBR’s) at the Biotech Institute at Lone Star College, The Woodlands, Texas. “Thanks to contributions of equipment from Solar Components Corporation,
by Robert F. Service (Science Magazine) Fifteen years ago, the United States gave up on algae-based biofuels. But since 2000, more than $2 billion in private funds have flooded into the field. In May, Solazyme, an algae biofuels company, raised
by Hoyt Thomas (OpenAlgae/Biofuels Digest) ...Dealing with the separation issue is perhaps the biggest obstacle we face. But that’s not what you’ll read on most algae companies’ websites. ...Compared to the well-developed soy and palm crops that provide oils for biodiesel,
by Fadhil M. Salih (ClearValue Companies/Biofuels Digest) ... (A) number of photobioreactor designs have been put into work under different environmental conditions. So far none of the existing designs has fulfilled the dream of the interested parties due to inherent problems
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Three companies, operating in Outback Australia, personify promise and hardiness in the microalgae corner of industrial biotech ...But out of all literature, it is the qualities that Margaret Mitchell essayed in Gone With the Wind that most
(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 Brian Wallheimer (Purdue University) Adding a pretreatment step would allow producers to get more ethanol from switchgrass harvested in the fall, according to a Purdue University study. Michael Ladisch, a distinguished professor of agricultural and biological engineering, and Youngmi Kim,
(University of Illinois/Science Daily) University of Illinois scientists have engineered a new strain of yeast that converts seaweed into biofuel in half the time it took just months ago. ..."The key is the strain's ability to ferment cellobiose and galactose simultaneously,
by Steve Olson (California Agricultural Technology Institute/Western Farm Press/Fresno State University) A study indicates possibilities for new farming methods on the West Side of the San Joaquin Valley, which is challenged by selenium-laden irrigation effluent. One method of using excess selenium in
by Liz Ahlberg (University of Illinois) Many energy researchers and environmental advocates are excited about the prospect of gaining more efficient large-scale biofuel production by using large grasses like miscanthus or switchgrass rather than corn. They have investigated yields,
(HDS International/PR NewsWire) HDS International Corp., a provider of industrial ocean-based biomass production and other high-value eco-sustainability solutions, today provided additional details regarding the project scope for its targeted production site in Back Bay, New Brunswick, Canada. "To date, most commercial initiatives
(Algae Industry Magazine) A new life cycle analysis by a team from the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, at the University of Oxford, states that algae-derived biodiesel could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and deliver a high financial return,
by Florentino Lopez (United Sorghum Checkoff Program/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...Just like our dedication in promoting grain sorghum for biofuels production, the Sorghum Checkoff is now looking to the future to find the most profitable possibilities for all sectors of the
by John Maday (Drovers CattleNetwork) This probably doesn’t surprise you, but growth in ethanol production since the year 2000 contributed to dramatic shifts in U.S. agricultural production, according to a new report from USDA’s Economic Research Service. The report, titled “The ethanol
(elEconomista.es) Scientists at the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), associated with the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) have managed to make biodiesel from the cultivation of three species of marine algae. ...Additionally, the three species that have proved viable,
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) Although veteran research scientist at Montana State University, Dr. Keith Cooksey, describes himself modestly as a biochemist that works with microorganisms, his algal biofuel-driven discoveries from the ’80s and ’90s are still considered state
by Ismira Lutfia (Jakarta Globe) The millions of tons of fibrous residue produced by palm oil plantations across the country could soon become a major source of raw material for renewable fuel. Over the past year, scientists from the Indonesian
by Benjamin Burroughs (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ethanol has some distinct advantages as a fuel, and sweet sorghum promises even better input/output ratios ...In addition to having a higher ratio, the cost of production for sweet sorghum is lower than for corn. For
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Not content to let Brazil hog all the glory, three development-stage companies eye sugar-based ethanol feedstocks ...If successful, California Ethanol & Power LLC will be the first ethanol production company bankrolled partially by Brazilian money,
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) Researchers at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette have shown alligator fat to be an effective feedstock for biodiesel production. The team, led by Rakesh Bajpai, has published its findings in the American Chemical Society
by Gouri Shankar Mishra and Sonia Yeh (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Study recalculates water consumption with expanded system boundaries and coproduct credit Recent studies have estimated the “consumptive water use,” “water embodied,” and “water footprint” of corn-based ethanol in the U.S, with
by Mario Osava (Aljazeera) Biofuels are an alternative energy source that can drive local development by generating jobs, know-how and technology. But they can also cause social damage, as locals fear in the case of industrial-scale exploitation of babassu palm
by Matthew Lynley (GreenBeat) Aurora Algae, a developer of biofuels and biochemicals produced from processed algae, announced today that it has raised $22 million in its most recent round of funding. The company is part of a small set of funded
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Poet LLC is venturing into the realm of energy grasses with a newly launched collaborative effort to establish native grasses on degraded lands in areas surrounding its 100 MMgy ethanol plant at Chancellor, S.D.
(Algae Industry Magazine) NASA scientist – the inventor, heart, and soul of the OMEGA system (Offshore Membrane Enclosures for Growing Algae) – Dr. Jonathan Trent received his PhD in biological oceanography at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. He went on to
(Biofuels Journal) Five undergraduate students from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign received a $5,000 grant from British Petroleum to research the engineering properties of biomass. The students wrote the grant to develop a virtual database that will tell end users the properties
by Don Comis (US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service) U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) researchers have developed an inexpensive way to grade the ethanol potential of perennial grasses at the biorefinery's loading dock. That future has been made possible by
by Bv Mahalakshmi (The Financial Express) Nandan Biomatrix Ltd, an integrated R&D company for neutraceuticals and medicinal plants, has signed agreements with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Shapoorji and Pallonji Ltd to form a JV company for producing biodiesel
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) With new research on environmental and biomedical benefits of Jatropha is appearing regularly, it’s no wonder that the race for patents is heating up, and fast. Last year Mission New Energy began a joint venture
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...Inbicon conducted an extensive crop study and biomass research project to show just how much biomass is available in the Midwest. “Our findings confirm that North America’s great abundance of corn stover and wheat
(Algae Industry Magazine) ...Dr. Salehi-Ashtiani plans to expand the sequencing to other algae from labs to be built in Abu Dhabi. Working with researchers, he would study strains of the genus in 20 or 30 locations around the world
by Jonathan Williams (Algae Industry Magazine) Dr. Richard Sayre keeps his plate full as both the Director of the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Institute for Renewable Fuels at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, and as the CTO of the high
by Susan Okie (The Washington Post) ...Gigantic, (Craig) Venter says. “We’re thinking a facility extending over multiple square miles.” Venter and the scientists at his six-year-old company, Synthetic Genomics, are seeking strains of algae that are exceptionally good at
(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,
(The Oak Ridger) A team of researchers at the Department of Energy's BioEnergy Science Center, which is led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, have reportedly pinpointed the exact, single gene that controls ethanol production capacity in a microorganism. This discovery
(Science Daily/Ruhr-Universitaet-Bochum) Under normal conditions, cyanobacteria, also termed blue-green algae, build up energy reserves that allow them to survive under stress such as long periods of darkness. They do this by means of a molecular switch in an enzyme. By
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the USDA and DOE have awarded 10 grants totaling $12.2 million to spur research into improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of growing biofuel and bioenergy crops. The USDA and DOE
by Zak Richards (University of Virginia) Algae-based fuel is one of many options among the array of possible future energy sources. New University of Virginia research shows that while algae-based transportation fuels produce high energy output with minimal land use,
by Lisa Gibson (Biomass Power and Thermal) A follow-up report to the U.S. DOE’s 2005 “Biomass as Feedstock for a Bioenergy and Bioproducts Industry: The Technical Feasibility of a Billion-Ton Annual Supply,” commonly referred to as the Billion-Ton Study, has
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) Over the past 30 years, and in particular in the past decade, ethanol production has quietly become increasingly efficient. From improvements in corn production to greater efficiencies at ethanol biorefineries, America’s leading renewable fuel
(Brookhaven National Laboratory) Computational studies aim to increase use of plant oils as renewable resource Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed a computational model for analyzing the metabolic processes in rapeseed plants — particularly
(OriginOil) Sensor array will manage hundreds of interactions critical to large production operations. OriginOil, Inc., the developer of a breakthrough technologyto extract oil from algae and an emerging leader in the global algae oil services industry, today announced it has developed a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In India, SG Biofuels and Bharat Renewable Energy, a unit of India’s second largest oil company, Bharat Petroleum, signed a landmark commercial agreement to develop and deploy elite hybrids of Jatropha across a total 86,000
by Brian Westenhaus (OilPrice.com) According to Promode Kant from the Institute of Green Economy in India and Shuirong Wu of the Chinese Academy of Forestry some 12.8 million ha (49,421 square miles) are expected to be planted with jatropha by
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...But a new generation of technologies is coming along fast, primarily in advanced biofuels, which is gasifying biomass at the front end along its path towards making fuels, chemicals or other biomaterials – or in
by Roger L Chang, Lila Ghamsari, Ani Manichaikul, Erik F Y Hom, Santhanam Balaji, Weiqi Fu, Yun Shen, Tong Hao, Bernhard Ø Palsson, Kourosh Salehi-Ashtiani & Jason A Papin (Molecular Systems Biology) Metabolic network reconstruction encompasses existing knowledge about an organism's
by Hari Pulakkat (Hispanic Business/The Economic Times India ) ...Macroalgae is a technical term for seaweed. It seemed an extremely attractive proposition as an oil source even at first look. Seaweed grows in the shallow ocean waters and doesn't
by Ben Edwards (Bloomberg) ...The Plymouth, Michigan-based company is raising $500,000 to complete demonstration plants and will seek the remaining funds in the next six to nine months, Chief Science Officer Geoff Horst said in a telephone interview. The plants
(Algae Industry Magazine) Kim Chapman reports that Rosetta Green, of Rehovot, Israel, will take part in an EU-funded consortium, led by the Microalgal Biotechnology Laboratory at Ben-Gurion University, and will identify MicroRNA genes to develop algae with improved traits, and
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 Luke Geiver (Biodiesel Magazine) Agrisoma may be the least known 10-year-old renewable energy company, as Steven Fabijanski told Biodiesel Magazine, but that hasn’t stopped a Canadian development fund from granting the Ottawa-based firm with roughly $425,000 in research funding. Agrisoma
by Riggs Eckelberry (OriginOil/Algae Industry Magazine) ecently, Australia’s largest ethanol producer, Manildra, diversified its biofuel portfolio by entering into algae production. In cooperation with Atlanta-based Algae Tec, Manildra will build a demonstration facility near Manildra’s ethanol production plant in Nowra,
(Agriculture and Land Use Forum) Biomass & Bioenergy just published a review of biomass availability for ethanol production as that industry looks beyond corn for the biomass needed to meet the U.S.’s ambitious ethanol mandate. They estimate that agricultural and forestry
by Peter Key (Philadelphia Business Journal) ...At least that’s the case for some professors and students in the College of Engineering at Glassboro, N.J.-based Rowan University, which recently won a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to investigate making biodiesel
by Jeff Latzke (Forbes) Oklahoma State University is nearing completion of a new $15 million biosciences research center in Ardmore that will serve as a hub for scientists studying alternative fuels. Vice President for Agricultural Programs Bob Whitson said Friday that
by John Farrell (Forbes) ...A prime example: biofuels from the by-products of tequila production. In particular, the tough, fibrous leaves of the blue agave plant. A recent paper Valenzuela published in the February issue of the journal Bioenergy, A New Agenda for Blue
by Erica Gies (Forbes) At first blush, algae seemed an ideal biofuel replacement for gasoline. Unlike ethanol, for example, it wouldn’t take food from the poor, utilize key agriculture lands, or require lots of pesticides. But the economics have thus far
by Von Philip Bethge (Der Spiegel Online) Genetically modified blue and green algae could be the answer to the world's fuel problems. Bioengineers have already developed algae that produce ethanol, oil and even diesel -- and the only things the
by Adam Halliday (Indian Express) ...As plantations for bio-fuel increasingly nudge out plantations for food, a joint project by nine Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) laboratories may be heading towards a solution that could check carbon emissions while
(Algae Industry Magazine) Marilyn Tenn in the Borneo Post talks about biotechnologists and researchers from Swinburne University of Technology, in Sarawak, Malaysia pooling their expertise to meet the challenge of developing viable alternative fuels. The university has been involved in research
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today the creation of four additional Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) project areas in six states to expand the availability of non-food crops to be used in the manufacturing of
by Colin M. Beal, Robert E. Hebner, Michael E. Webber, Rodney S. Ruoff and A. Frank Seibert (Bioenergy Research) This study is an experimental determination of the energy return on investment (EROI) for algal biocrude production at a research facility at the University of
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
(PRNewsWire/Viaspace) - VIASPACE Inc., a clean energy company growing Giant King™ Grass as a low-carbon, renewable biomass crop and its subsidiary VIASPACE Green Energy Inc., provided results of testing of Giant King Grass energy pellets by the Korea Forest Research Institute
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) In Catawba County, N.C., a partnership between the county and Appalachian State University is planning to commemorate the completion of the Catawba County-Appalachian State University Biodiesel Research, Development and Production Facility on Aug. 15. The
by Perrin H. Beatty and Allen G. Good (Science Magazine) Nitrogen availability is limiting to plant growth and has long been overcome through applications of synthetic nitrogen-rich fertilizer. This has revolutionized crop yield and food production worldwide, but at substantial economic and environmental
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) Martin Sabarsky was promoted to President and CEO of Kona, Hawaii-based Cellana in April of 2011. He now has the challenging and, if all goes well, rewarding job of escorting Cellana into
by Jonathan Williams (Algae Industry Magazine) Brian Goodall, the Vice President of Business Development at SRS Energy, spoke at the 1st International Conference on Algal Biomass, Biofuels, and Bioproducts on how their company is moving towards commercialization of their AlgaFrac™ System. Unlike
(Neste Oil) Neste Oil's research into the potential for using algae oil as a feedstock for producing renewable diesel is continuing to progress. The company will be taking part in two research projects starting this summer to test various methods
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