by Lisa Song (Solve Climate News) Research emerging from the University of Illinois paints an ambiguous picture of the grass's biofuel potential. Miscanthus, a potential bioufuel crop, uses more water than corn or soybeans but is better for water quality, reported scientists
(AP/Bloomberg Business Week) Several Nebraska universities will share a $20 million grant to develop new research focused on algae and nanotechnology, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln announced Monday. Part of the five-year National Science Foundation grant will help one group of researchers build
by Lieve Laurens, Ed Wolfrum, and Al Darzins (NREL/Algae Industry Magazine) At NREL’s National Bioenergy Center, we are working towards developing a new method for estimating the oil or lipid content and chemical composition in a wide range of algal strains
(PR Newswire) Syracuse partnership substitutes petroleum diesel with biodiesel Syracuse University today announced a partnership to advance the use of biofuels by the U.S. armed forces as an alternative energy source. The effort involves entrepreneurs John Fox '92 and Wayne Arden,
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) ...Letterman was doing a special featuring giant vegetables and North Charleston native and horticulturalist, Janice Ryan-Bohac, was selected to showcase her 15 pound sweet potato. She did, only she threw a few extra messages into the mix.
(GoDanRiver.com) ...On Friday, state and local leaders celebrated the groundbreaking of SEnTeC — a research and development facility that would commercialize bio-energy projects for the region through contract research, developing licensed technologies or creating spin-off businesses. Construction should be completed by
(Algae Industry Magazine) The National Algae Association’s (NAA) collective of producers, researchers, technologists, engineering and equipment manufacturers have developed preliminary designs for a 100-acre commercial-scale algae production system and have identified the majority of the CAPEX and OPEX issues, according to
by Tamra Fakhoorian (Algae Industry Magazine) Recent press about the seemingly novel concept of powdered algae as a jet engine fuel has raised eyebrows in the airline industry, and among competing algae processing technologies. However, Robert Fulton, president of Utah-based Compact
(Reuters) The Next Big Thing in biofuel might involve genetically engineered plants that digest themselves, making it cheaper to turn them into fuel. That’s one of the new ideas that Arun Majumdar finds fascinating. As the head of the U.S.
(Biofuels International) A producer of hydrocarbons from renewable resources, Global Bioenergies has reached a key milestone in the development of its process for the transformation of renewable resources into gaseous isobutene. According to Marc Delcourt, the co-founder and CEO of Evry,
(Algae Industry Magazine) Ford Motor Company scientists have announced that they are working to understand the suitability of algae as potential automotive biofuels. This effort is an integral part of Ford’s desire to better understand the use of biomass to produce
by Will Thurmond (Biofuels Digest) What exactly does the commercialization and research effort on algal fuels look like? A collection of highly funded home brewers? Secretive temples of technology peopled with mad scientists intent on unleashing bizarre Frankenfuels on an
by Danny Bradbury (BusinessGreen) University of Connecticut reveals plan to build biofuel research plant capable of turning hemp into biodiesel. Researchers at the University of Connecticut have found that hemp is a viable feedstock for biodiesel fuel and are now working
(MSU News Service) Algal biofuel production could double in yield and in far less time, thanks to a chemical trigger discovered at Montana State University. The chemical trigger is a well-timed dose of bicarbonate, a low-cost, easy-to-use chemical, similar to common
(Science Daily) Faster development of the promising field of cellulosic biofuels -- the renewable energy produced from grasses and trees -- is being significantly hampered by a "deep and thorny regulatory thicket" that makes almost impossible the use of advanced
by Campbell Wood (Business Lexington) "I'm a farmer, and that's why I'm here tonight," said State Senator Joey Pendleton, Hopkinsville-D, speaking at the Lexington Public Library after a showing of a documentary film, The Hemp Revolution, sponsored by the Good Foods
by Ad Crable (Lancaster Online) Proposed plant in Rapho would use them. The results are in: Special sugar beets can be grown in and around Lancaster County to produce the alternative fuel ethanol. What's more, farmers in the region should be eager
(Ceres) Energy crop company Ceres, Inc. has published two new crop management guides that include the most current recommendations on the establishment, management and harvest of switchgrass and high-biomass sorghum. Energy grasses, which provide high yields of biomass that can be converted
(SG Biofuels) SG Biofuels, a bioenergy crop company developing and producing elite seeds of Jatropha, today announced it has established a proprietary technology for large-scale Jatropha hybrid seed production. Hybrid seeds result in greater yield, uniformity and vigor while significantly reducing
(Focus Taiwan) ...The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) , which developed the technology, showed off the process of turning microalgae into biodiesel at the four-day Taipei International Invention Show and Technomart exhibition organized by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council... During
(FIS) Scientists are proposing the creation of methane gas from algae grown in great offshore farms to power adapted vehicles. A new GBP 5 million (EUR 6.1 million) UK and Irish joint project called BioMara disclosed the plan and seeks to
(AgriMarketing/Purdue) Purdue University is receiving $1.59 million in federal funding for a project to conduct a sustainability assessment of energy crops for biofuels. The funding is part of a $16.5 million renewable fuel initiative by the U.S. Department of Energy to
(TAPPI) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Washington, D.C., USA, has awarded the College of William & Mary, WIlliansburg, Va., $500,000 to study various aspects of using wild aquatic algae as both biofuel feedstock and as a medium for helping to
(Algae Industry Magazine) The analysis of the complete genome of Chlorella microalgae, a promising genus for biofuel production, has been completed by the Laboratoire Information Génomique et Structurale of CNRS. The Laboratory is currently heading an international collaboration involving American and
(Green Star Products) Green Star Products, Inc., announced it has signed a contract to build a biodiesel facility. This is the first of several contracts in conjunction with an ambitious Algae-to-Biodiesel project on the west coast. Green Star has already started fabrication
(AP/KSPR) ...Wesley Mueller, Southeast professor of agriculture, said sorghum grown at the university farm in the future could produce 500 gallons of ethanol per acre. These figures rapidly outpace corn, which generally yields 235 gallons of ethanol per acre. READ
by Hilary Kramer (Forbes) ...One Renaissance man in the thick of the green chemical and biofuel revolution is David Milroy. I knew Australian-born Milroy from his days as the trailblazer in the global telecom and broadband revolution of the mid-
(Algae Industry Magazine) Phyco BioSciences, Inc., has announced an agreement with Hong Kong based China Biological Engineering, Limited to develop two projects in the Peoples Republic of China beginning this Fall. The first project is a joint venture in JaingShu Province
(Oxford Resource Partners) Opportunity to Convert Reclaimed Mine Lands for Renewable Energy Oxford Resource Partners, LP and Mendel Biotechnology, Inc. announced their collaborative agreement to develop a pilot project to produce Mendel's proprietary Miscanthus varieties on land previously reclaimed from mining operations by
(Neste Oil Corporation) Neste Oil has applied for patents to cover technology developed to produce microbial oil from waste and residues with the help of various yeasts and molds for use as a feedstock for its NExBTL renewable diesel. Research work
by IANR News Service (North Platte Bulletin) ...Camelina is a yellow-flowering oilseed crop that grows one to three feet tall. It has some advantages as an industrial oil crop, said University of Nebraska-Lincoln scientist Ed Cahoon. For example, it's not
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) If moving genes around on a chromosome is your idea of a good time, meet Dr. Stephen Mayfield, Director of the San Diego Center for Algae Biotechnology. ...Steve is now the John Dove Isaacs Professor
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...We have spoken to farmers, local business owners, environmentalists, community development officials, engine developers, scientists, policy makers, producers, investors, lenders, blenders, wholesalers, retailers, and end users. We have visited development projects on four continents. We have
by Val Walton (The Birmingham News) Hoover Mayor Tony Petelos wrote a letter of support last week for the SouthEast Region Algae Consortium (SERAC) -- a group of scientists, engineers and experts in biofuels and algae research which is pursuing a
by Steve Clark (The Brownsville Herald) Photon8 Inc., Brad Bartilson’s Brownsville-based startup company, has managed to plow through some sticky issues in its quest for commercially feasible algae-to-biofuel production and is two years ahead of schedule in terms of production milestones.In
by Graham Warwick (AviationWeek) In just five years, the aviation industry’s decades-long reliance on petroleum-based fuels has been turned on its head. The future lies in fuels from sources that range from animal fat to microalgae. But with the technology in
(Algae Industry Magazine) The Sustainable Use of Renewable Fuels (SURF) consortium, which brings together Airbus, British Airways, Rolls-Royce, Finnair, Gatwick Airport, IATA and Cranfield University was announced at this week’s Aviation and Environment Summit in Geneva. The consortium will take a
(Science Daily) New insight into the structure of switchgrass and poplars is fueling discussions that could result in more efficient methods to turn biomass into biofuel. Researchers from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Georgia Tech used small-angle
by Angel Gonzalez (Dow Jones/Wall Street Journal) Norwegian oil major Statoil ASA (STO) has agreed to invest in a San Francisco Bay Area start-up to develop ethanol from seaweed, and to potentially commercialize the fuel in Norway and other European countries. Under the
(RenewableEnergyFocus.com) Following the discovery of the genes of two enzymes that toughen plants, researchers aim to breed non-food crops that require less processing, energy and chemicals to convert them into biofuel. ...Lead Researcher, Professor Paul Dupree, says: “There is a lot
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) Training a workforce for the algae production industry is going to be a Catch 22 type of situation. It will take a large community of workers with highly developed skills to build the quantity of
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel) ...The potential of miscanthus and switchgrass has been studied extensively by researchers Greg McIsaac, Mark B. David and Corey A. Mitchell... The study focused on two important environmental concerns surrounding biomass: water quantity and nitrogen “leeching”. When
by Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine) The work of ThermoChem Recovery International has already changed the future for one small Wisconsin community. A small town in the woods of Wisconsin, fresh off the bankruptcy and closing of its century-old paper mill, might
(Algae Industry Magazine) Solution Recovery Services, of Dexter Michigan, an employee owned industry leader in oil separation and purification systems has partnered with Touchstone Research Laboratory, a privately owned U.S. company with principal operations in Triadelphia, W.V. The project team together
by Matthew M. Robare (Daily Collegian) A chemical engineer at the University of Massachusetts developed an improved method of converting wood into synthetic fuels. “We’re focused on lignocellulosic biomass,” said Assistant Professor Paul Dauenhauer. “What I mean by that is trees and grasses
by Sam A. Rushing (Biofuels Digest) ...Since CO2 has been shown to be the globe’s worst offender as a greenhouse gas, the very use of this gas in a technology which would foster the production of viable basic chemicals, plastics,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Earlier this year, SG Biofuels and Life Technologies formed a strategic alliance, and recently announced they have completed the sequence of the Jatropha genome. The company’s integrated breeding and biotechnology approach forms the foundation for its
by Tyler Hamilton (Toronto Star) Could a unique microorganism found in the waters of Atlantic Canada represent the future of jet fuel production? That’s what Halifax-based Ocean Nutrition Canada is hoping to find out as part of a four-year demonstration project funded
by Karyn Houston (UC Berkley College of Natural Resources) ...The $793,000 grant from the Department of Energy looks at how to utilize the tons of leftover “crop residue” left behind after the kernel is used. Dr. Markus Pauly and Dr.
(AzoCleanTech) ...The two universities currently conducting the algae research are the Kasetsart University in the area of freshwater algae and the Burapha University in the area of marine algae. The Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency Department will not only provide financial
(Piper Jaffray) ...Energy crops are designed to use marginal land, or in the case of Brazil, extend the growing season. Sugarcane-ethanol facilities in Brazil typically run for 6-8 months due to the relatively long growing season of cane. Energy crops
(JCOnline) ...But a new study from Purdue University, funded by the Indiana Corn Marketing Council, suggests that farmers will have to make more money off corn cobs than is currently available to cover their costs and actually turn a profit
by Emma Jackson (WardsAuto.com) First scotch, now vodka. William Chase, founder of Chase Vodka, has launched a plan to convert waste potatoes from his U.K. distillery into a high-grade biofuel for vehicles. “We have known for a long time that potato starch
(Rutgers) One mention of E. coli conjures images of sickness and food poisoning, but the malevolent bacteria may also be the key to the future of renewable energy. Desmond Lun, an associate professor of computer science at Rutgers University–Camden, is researching how
by Kevin Welch (Amarillo Globe News) ...Agronomist Brent Bean with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service put three of the stalks in a press Thursday during the summer field day at the agriculture research complex at Bushland. The nearly 9-foot stalks
by Michael Stein (Maui Magazine) Advocates say biofuels could save big agriculture in the Islands, and reduce Hawaii’s unsustainable dependence on imported oil. Are we willing to pay the price? ...But over the past decade, Maui has lost Pioneer Mill sugar
(Dakota Farmer) New biofuel crop looks good in 2010 trials. An organization called Green Vision Group is investigating whether biofuel can made from beets. It and the NDSU Carrington Research Extension Center, Syngenta and Beta Seed recently held tour of energy
by Lisa Gibson (Biomass Magazine) Ten years after NREL’s Aquatic Species Program was shut down, a similar initiative began and now is thriving in its algae research, which includes the evaluation of CO2 recycling. Between 1978 and 1996, the Aquatic Species Program at
(US Department of Energy) Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced research awards under a joint DOE-USDA program aimed at improving and accelerating genetic breeding programs to create plants better suited for bioenergy production. The $8.9 million
(Algae Industry Magazine) Algae Bioenergy Solutions (ABS), of Augusta, Georgia, has announced preliminary plans to develop a three to five million gallons per year algae oil plant, expandable to forty million gallons a year, to produce feedstock for biodiesel and other
by Dean Close (Vinton Today) ...In layman’s terms, what Fiberight does is take waste from a paper mill in Cedar Rapids, and uses rare bacteria – Stewart Paul refers to that bacteria as “the bugs” – to convert the sugar
by Joelle Dent (Biofuels Digest) ...“If there were a medal for valor in biofuels it would certainly go to the board of D1 Oils, which has now had to repel its third take-over attempt by investors intent on abandoning the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New Hampshire, Mascoma reported yesterday that it had acquired SunOpta BioProcess, a division of SunOpta Inc. (STKL) This combination brings together the fiber preparation and pretreatment technologies of SBI and the consolidated bioprocessing technology
(Algae Industry Magazine) A recent post in Forbes by Chris Rhodes currently buzzing talks about a new method for identifying high lipid content strains of algae based on Near Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. The near infrared wavelength spectrum occupies from 800–2500 nm,
(Green Car Congress/FavStocks) Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed and demonstrated the feasibility of a two-step hydrolysis-solvolysis process to produce biodiesel directly from wet algal biomass. Their process eliminates the need for biomass drying, organic solvent extraction, and
by William Hermann(The Arizona Republic) Clean, green energy source could replace fossil fuels. ...With its ideal climate and abundance of available land, Arizona is poised to become a major center of a multibillion-dollar, algae-based, biofuel industry. Scientists at Arizona State University's Polytechnic
by William Hermann (The Arizona Republic) Arizonans have cleaned algae from cattle tanks, swimming pools and fish tanks for decades. Now, Arizona researchers are developing algae as a promising 21st-century alternative fuel to power cars, trucks and planes and propel the
(NewsWise) Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine have enhanced our understanding of the mechanism by which cells achieve energy conversion, the process in which food is converted into the energy required by cells. This groundbreaking research helps scientists gain
by Greg Peel (ninemsn) ...Algae.Tec is also in the process of an IPO. However at A$7.5m, Algae.Tec's issue is hardly one that can be described as exploitative or prematurely opportunistic, and the company's legally protected intellectual property represents years of
(PRNewsWire) Energy industry executives joined investors and policymakers near Houston, Texas earlier today to take a firsthand look at energy grasses and research developments that are expected to push bioenergy to the forefront of renewable power and transportation fuels. The bioenergy field
by Michael Kanellos (GreenTechMedia) Chromatin says sorghum is the ideal crop. The company, which designs chromosomes and tools for genetically modifying agricultural crops, has launched an effort to get into biofuels on its own. It has come up with an optimized pathway
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...“The simplicity is astounding. Here’s the big idea. Take an existing, stranded ethanol factory or conglomerate. Buy it for a substantial discount. Start with cheap sugar. Drop in a new Amyris, LS9, Gevo, or Cobalt
by Jane Whitmore (Emmetsburg Reporter Democrat) ...The fact that the business is not officially open hasn’t stopped customers from dropping in. Eric is already working with farmers interested in cob harvesting. “We have been following biomass and renewable energy for quite
by Ariel DuChene (Syracuse University) Scientists and engineers seek to meet three goals in the production of biofuels from non-edible sources such as microalgae: efficiency, economical production and ecological sustainability. Syracuse University’s Radhakrishna Sureshkumar, professor and chair of biomedical and
by Richard Allison (Farmers Weekly Interactive) Nearly 15,000ha of sugar beet being grown this season in Germany is destined for biogas production, equivalent to about one-tenth of the total area in the UK given over to sugar beet. It is part of
by Bob Moen (AP) Wyoming is a long way from places where sugar cane is grown, but a test plant in the northeast part of the state will soon be turning sugar cane waste into biofuel. KL Energy Corp., based in
(The Bioenergy Site) For the past two years, North Dakota State University Biofuels Economist, Cole Gufstafson, has been working in partnership with Green Vision Group and Heartland Renewable Energy (HRE) to create an energy beet for the biofuel industry in North
by Cole Gustafson (North Dakota State University Extension Service) Farmers observing the trials were quite excited to see a new crop being developed Last week, I participated in North Dakota’s first energy beet field days. Energy beet research plots were viewed
(Green Car Congress/FavStocks) Ceres, Inc. earlier this month established a subsidiary in Brasil focused on developing sweet sorghum as a feedstock for the ethanol industry. The company’s goal is to be the first supplier of new hybrids with high levels
(Australian Broadcasting Corporation) Scientists have discovered a new type of chlorophyll in ancient Australian bacteria that could lead to new sources of bio-energy. Over the past 60 years, scientists have known of four types of chlorophyll used by plants to harvest light
(PRNewsWire) Biodiesel Industries announced today the company's selection by the California Energy Commission for a project grant to support the state's Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program. This Biofuel Production Plants grant provides funding and financial assistance for the
(Biofuels Journal) KL Energy Corporation is pleased to announce that Petrobras, through Petrobras America, has entered into a Joint Development Agreement with KL Energy Corporation ("KLE"), to jointly optimize KLE's proprietary cellulosic ethanol process technology for sugarcane bagasse feedstock ("Bagasse"). The latest
(SG Biofuels) Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE), a provider of innovative life science solutions and SG Biofuels, Inc., a bioenergy crop company, announced they have completed sequencing the Jatropha curcas genome to 100x coverage, using the SOLiD™ 4.0 System by Life
(Algae Industry Magazine) An article by Rene H. Wijffels and Maria J. Barbosa, of Wageningen University in the Netherlands, published in the current edition of Science Journal, details the challenges and opportunities of algal biofuel development from a European perspective.
By Jennifer McEntee (The Voice of San Diego) Investors are a tough crowd to cultivate. Yet in the pond that is the biotechnology market, one product seems to be rising to the top like the green sludge it is: algae. Its
(Genera Energy) Land owned by Alcoa Inc, Tennessee Operations, is now being used to grow a popular perennial grass known for producing cellulosic ethanol. Approximately 238 acres of switchgrass have been planted on property that Alcoa leases to a local farmer
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Massachusetts, the secretive Joule Unlimited (then known as Joule Biotechnologies) emerged late last year from “stealth mode” with the startling announcement that their technology could produce up to 15,000 gallons per acre of drop-in hydrocarbon
(GTM Research) ...In this report, we focus on "third-generation" algae biofuels and "fourth-generation" biofuels that are either created using petroleum-like hydroprocessing, advanced bio-chemistry, or revolutionary processes like Joule’s "solar-to-fuel" method that defies any other category of biofuels. The opportunities that
(Ag Professional) ...Concerns about net energy and greenhouse gas emissions, in addition to its effect on food and feed pricing are driving researchers at the Energy Biosciences Institute at the University of Illinois and at the University of California Berkeley
by Ben Leach (Press of Atlantic City) A multimillion-dollar ethanol plant is planned for a former landfill site, but members of the community can get a sneak peak of the technology in action next week. Garden State Ethanol will demonstrate extracting the
(Standard-Examiner) Utah environmental regulators have set a seven-year deadline for Logan officials to cut the amount of phosphorus in sewage lagoons west of the city. Water from the lagoons discharges into Cutler Reservoir. Phosphorous fuels algae blooms that produce oxygen during the day,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Aside from the general observation that nearly all energy systems ultimately are based on today’s or yesterday’s solar energy (only geothermal and nuclear power are distinct exceptions), a new generation of technologies is bringing solar
(Telegraph) Scientists say they have created a new biofuel made from whisky by-products which could be used to help power cars currently on the road. Edinburgh Napier University has filed a patent for the product, which can be used in ordinary
(POET) Construction underway on storage area for biomass bales in Emmetsburg, Iowa Farmers and POET today celebrated the upcoming collection and delivery of 56,000 tons of baled corn cobs and light stover in the first commercial harvest for Project LIBERTY. POET CEO Jeff
by Joe Irvin (Capitol Weekly) This week, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) convened a group of experts to discuss issues related to the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) that was approved last year. The Expert Working Group has been
(PRNewsWire) The North American Camelina Trade Association (NACTA) today announced the achievement of yet another milestone in its efforts to build camelina production and marketing opportunities for growers. The industry received a letter of no objection from the Center for
by Kenneth Chang (New York Times) “It was something we wanted to show could be done,” said Michael J. Haas, a research biochemist at the United States Department of Agriculture. “It’s quirky,” he acknowledged of the dairy-to-diesel research, which was published in
(Environmental Transport Association) A car unveiled this week by Wessex Water that runs on methane gas generated from fermented human waste may have a performance comparable with a petrol-powered vehicle, but range may prove a problem; the converted Volkswagen Beetle
(PR Newswire) Range Fuels' Commercial Cellulosic Biofuels Plant near Soperton, Georgia Produces Cellulosic Methanol from Non-Food Biomass Range Fuels, Inc., a company focused on commercially producing low-carbon biofuels and clean renewable power, today announced that it has produced cellulosic methanol from the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The Digest took the opportunity to visit with BlueFire’s CEO Arnold Klann, who has been working in the cellulosic biofuels space for more than a decade, and continues to be a driving force in the
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson recently announced that $200,000 in Recovery Act funding has been awarded to New Mexico State University. A portion of that funding will go to the university’s Renewable Energy, Water and
(The Japan Times) Scientists from Tohoku University and Tohoku Electric Power Co. have developed a technology to efficiently generate ethanol from seaweed such as sea tangle and sea grape, group members said Saturday. The technology uses natural yeast discovered by the group
by Jeremiah Stettler (Salt Lake Tribune) The prickly leafed crop is hardly inviting — it is like a weed sprouting atop 20 acres of parched government land near Salt Lake City International Airport. And yet, the safflower planted as part of Salt
(Blue Fire Renewables) Name Change Designed to Better Reflect Its Fuel and Energy Production Capabilities BlueFire Ethanol Fuels, Inc., a company focused on changing the world's transportation fuel paradigm through the production of renewable fuels from non-food cellulosic wastes, today announced that
by Martin Junginger, Jinke van Dam, Simonetta Zarrilli, Fatin Ali Mohamed, Didier Marchal, and Andre Faaij (IEA Bioenergy) Task 40 under the IEA Bioenergy Agreement entitled: ‘Sustainable International Bioenergy trade; securing supply and demand’, started in 2004 and currently has fourteen country members
(EurekAlert) When it comes to selecting the right plant source for future cellulosic biofuel production, the solution won't be one-size-fits-all, and it certainly doesn't have to involve food and feed crops. In a "Perspective" article in the Aug. 13 edition of the
(AgWired) Farmers in several regions of the U.S. are discovering a new potential cash crop – camelina. Camelina is beginning to find favor with both the biofuels industry as a strong potential feedstock for biodiesel, as well as with farmers who
by Joseph Holroyd (Algae Industry Magazine) LakeMaster Corporation, a clean energy technology company headquartered in Rochester, New York, is engaged in the development and commercialization of a proprietary algal to biofuel system that captures carbon dioxide. The company recently filed for
by Bob Boughner (Chatham Daily News) A proposed $38-million Chatham facility designed to prove corn cobs can be used to produce ethanol fuel received $4 million Wednesday from the province. The (Ontario) government is supporting the development of innovative, bio-fuel technology by Greenfield
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) ... “I’ve always wanted to work on things that are really important, at least to the company where I’m working and, ideally, beyond that. I don’t mind how big the challenge is or how hard
by Carlton Purvis (SCNow.com) Native grass burns cleaner than coal and promotes wildlife. The Pee Dee Research and Education Center announced the next step in its study of switchgrass as an alternative energy source during its annual Pee Dee Farm Field Day on Tuesday. Later
(Newswire) Scientists at the University of Arkansas and their colleagues have found populations of wild plants with genes from genetically modified canola in the United States. Globally, canola can interbreed with 40 different weed species, and 25 percent of those weeds can
(The Assam Tribune) The D1 Williamson Magor Bio Fuel Ltd has developed jatropha plantation over 51,000 hectares of land and the plantation carried out by the company in 2007 has started yielding sub-commercial crops ... The yield of the plantation
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The announcement was greeted with a hilariously inaccurate story in the New York Times, which apparently confused PetroAlgae’s technology with the OMEGA project developed by NASA (NASA proposed to grow algae in sealed bags floating
(POET) Work will focus on maximizing corn cob removal for cellulosic ethanol. POET this week will begin harvest research in corn fields near Navasota, Texas to learn more about biomass collection for cellulosic ethanol production. POET uses corn cobs and light stover
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, here’s a look at some of the more interesting biofuel-related patent applications logged at the US Patent and Trademark Office in recent weeks. The USPTO’s archive is not for the faint of heart, or
by Sam Harris (Charlotte Observer) ...In conjunction with a national program known as "FreeWays to Fuel" ( freewaystofuel.org), researchers at N.C. State University are working to grow canola and sunflower crops along the wasted edges of highways and other marginal
by Ivan Gale (The National) British Airways (BA), which is preparing to become the first airline to buy jet fuel from a planned waste-to-biofuels plant in east London, is expected to scale up the project if it is successful. ...The biofuel
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...On the microcrop, bacterial and algael research front. Lemna... The Archaea... Electricity from Waste via microbes... READ MORE
by Bryant Furlow (New Mexico Independent) ...Sapphire has inserted genes into its algae that alter the hydrocarbons algae normally produce, making it more like petroleum from which jet fuel and bio-diesel can be manufactured. The company has also inserted the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Solazyme, which was ranked #1 in the 2009-10 “50 Hottest Companies in Bioenergy” by Biofuels Digest readers and selectors, announced that it has raised $52 million in its Series D financing round.... In addition to its
By Audrey McAvoy (AP) The federal government has turned to a 130-year-old Hawaii sugar grower for help in powering the Navy and weaning the nation off a heavy reliance on fossil fuels. It will spend at least $10 million over the next
by James Clark (KCBD) A new study done in Lubbock and other parts of Texas will look at growing crops for use as bio-fuels. The Texas Ag Extension in Lubbock and five other cities will do the study that looks
(Algae Industry Magazine) Dr. William L. Roberts, a professor in the department of mechanical and aerospace engineering at North Carolina State University, and his colleagues, four biologists and three engineers, are working on ways to produce and extract lipids from
(Southeast Farm Press) A recent study by researchers at Virginia Tech’s Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center will give state grain growers some economic and production insights as to the feasibility of growing barley in a double-crop system with soybeans, versus
(SG Biofuels) SG Biofuels, Inc., a bioenergy crop company focused on the development and production of elite seeds of Jatropha, today announced plans to establish the world’s most advanced Jatropha research and development center located in San Diego, Calif. The center
by David Mercer (Associated Press) Advances in conventional agriculture have dramatically slowed the flow of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, in part by allowing farmers to grow more food to meet world demand without plowing up vast tracts of land, a
by Matthew McDermott (Treehugger) ...According to Anna Stephenson from the University of Cambridge, when algae is grown in clear-tubed bioreactors the energy required to move the algae around so that it gets enough sunlight means that per megajoule equivalent of
(Ceres) Ceres , Inc., a leader in developing cultivars for bioenergy created a subsidiary in Brazil. The announcement marks an expansion of the subsidiary activities of sweet sorghum in Brazil and the company's goal to be the first supplier to the
(Algae Industry Magazine) The Raytheon Co., Accelergy Corp. of Houston, TX, and A2BE Carbon Capture LLC/Algae at Work, of Boulder, CO have formed a joint venture to develop a technology to gasify algae mixed with coal and/or coal waste into a
by Dale Hildebrant (Minnesota Farm Guide) ...Delegates to the Biomass '10 conference in Grand Forks heard reports on all three cellulosic ethanol plant projects, which are in various stages of development. All have a projected start-up date in 2013 or
(EcoFriendlyMag.com) Texas Governor Rick Perry has awarded $2.75 million from the Texas Emerging Technology Fund (TETF) to Terrabon for its work in biofuel technology development. Governor Perry made the announcement in Laredo, where he and city officials announce the benefits of a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...However, SARA (safe, affordable, reliable, available) feedstocks for advanced biofuels remain a goal rather than an assured reality. In this context, Genera should be seen as one of a handful of projects — aside from the
by Travis Herrmann (TheAuburn Plainsman) Auburn University researchers have patented a new process for producing ethanol from paper (m)ill waste materials through biological conversion. With research funded by the Masada Resource group, the new conversion process can produce an estimated 2.5
by Prabha Jagannathan (Economic Times) In a significant implication for the country’s biofuel policy, a specialised arm of the United Nations has warned that the developing countries should not buy blindly into the ‘jatropha for biodiesel’ argument. Warning against the
(OriginOil) Shipment of OriginOil Quantum Fracturing System to MBD Energy Triggers Payment OriginOil, Inc., the developer of a breakthrough technology to transform algae, the most promising source of renewable oil, into a true competitor to petroleum, today announced that it recently
by Ashley Bray (Minnesota Daily) The University (of Minnesota)’s Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering is working to develop sustainable, domestic biomass solutions. ...The University’s Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering — a division of the College of Food, Agricultural and
by Dennis O'Brien (USDA Agricultural Research Service) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists have developed a new tool for deciphering the genetics of a native prairie grass being widely studied for its potential as a biofuel. The genetic map of switchgrass, published
(Biodiesel Magazine) ... He (Steve Howell, technical director for the National Biodiesel Board and president of the Marc-IV consulting firm) mentioned the disadvantage from this model, however, is that the fuel properties of biodiesel made from these products are based
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) National security is at the root of the nearly seventy-year old Los Alamos National Laboratory, one of the world’s leading scientific research institutions. While originally organized for a single purpose: to design and build the
(Algae Industry Magazine) Rosetta Green, a company specializing in the identification of unique genes in plants and algae for the cleantech and plant biotech industries, and Seambiotic, a company specializing in the growth of algae at industrial scale, have announced that
by Andrew Pollack (New York Times) ...“We’ve probably engineered over 4,000 strains,” said Mike Mendez, a co-founder and vice president for technology at Sapphire Energy, the owner of the laboratory. “My whole goal here at Sapphire is to domesticate algae,
by Larisa Brass (KnoxvilleBiz.com) As its biorefinery demonstration plant churns toward one day generating automobile fuel from grass, Genera Energy is beginning construction of what will effectively be the staging grounds for that process. This week the company, spun out from the
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) Some day, hay could be fuel for more than horses and cattle. Some Agriculture Department scientists say alfalfa could be a feedstock for ethanol fuel and offset some of the environmental problems associated with
(Algae Industry Magazine) Renewergy Corporation, of Erie, PA, has begun cultivating algae with its patent pending Aeroponic Algal Culture system at the Erie Wastewater Treatment Facility. The system is designed to encourage and enhance the growth of naturally occurring algae with nutrients from the
by Lisa Gibson (Biomass Magazine) Both Abengoa Bioenergy and Poet LLC hope to have the first commercial cellulosic ethanol plant in the world and expect to begin operation in the next few years. Poet’s Emmetsburg, Iowa, plant is slated for operation
by Tiffany Kaiser (Daily Tech) Inbicon, a developer of biomass refineries in Kalundborg, Denmark, has turned wheat straw into cellulosic ethanol and is calling it "The New Ethanol." To mass produce this ethanol, the company also announced its plan to open
(University of Tennessee) Study includes multiple varieties of switchgrass. Midsummer is nearly here, and the University of Tennessee Biofuels Initiative (UTBI) is closely watching how more than 1000 acres of newly planted, improved varieties of switchgrass are faring. Only time will
by Jonathan Williams (Algae Industry Magazine) ...(O)one of the major roadblocks on the road to a hydrogen economy is the cost to produce hydrogen. If hydrogen is to become a viable fuel source, it will need to be produced cheaply.
(Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) By imaging the cell walls of a zinnia leaf down to the nanometer scale, energy researchers have a better idea about how to turn plants into biofuels. In a paper appearing online in the journal Plant Physiology,
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