by Tyler Hamilton (Clean Break) I had the opportunity this week to visit a St. Marys Cement plant in the small and scenic town of St. Marys, Ontario. A subsidiary of Brazilian cement giant Votorantim Cimentos, the company is working with Toronto-based Pond
(Physorg.com) A Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University research team has developed a process that removes a key obstacle to producing low-cost, renewable biofuels from bacteria. The team has reprogrammed photosynthetic microbes to secrete high-energy fats, making byproduct recovery and
(SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry) Researchers work to make biobutanol from sustainable resource: wood ...(S)cientists at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) are researching ways to turn wood into sustainable biobutanol. Researchers in the college's Department of
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) A three-way partnership between Angel Labs LLC, Industrial Green Power Inc. and Titan Biodiesel was forged whereby Angel Labs will deliver to market its ultra-efficient, six-inch “Massive Yet Tiny” (MYT) engine to power a 40
The ARPA-E Fellows Program consists of highly technical scientists and researchers who will actively help create the strategic direction and vision of the country’s first agency devoted exclusively to transformational energy technology research and development. Fellows will support ARPA-E’s Program
by Tom Quaife (Dairy Herd Network) “Pretty amazing,” commented one man standing next to a demonstration model at the Alltech International Animal Health and Nutrition Symposium this week in Lexington, Ky. The large-scale model, measuring approximately 4 feet by 4 feet,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In California, energy crop breeder Ceres has filed for a $100 million IPO on Nasdaq, with Goldman Sachs and Barclays Capital as underwriters. ...From the S-1: “We are an agricultural biotechnology company selling seeds to produce renewable
(GreenAirOnline) Global industrial crops technology company Quinvita is the latest to join a new biofuel alliance that has come together to produce sustainable jet biofuel from Brazilian-grown jatropha. The Brazilian Bio-Jetfuel Platform is a collaboration led by Curcas Diesel Brasil
(GreenAirOnline) An aviation sustainability report from the World Economic Forum finds that achieving the industry’s target of halving its carbon emissions by 2050 will be a significant challenge given an 85 per cent CO2 emissions reduction gap. This is despite
by Brian Sims (Ethanol Producer Magazine) State, county and city dignitaries were on hand to witness the official groundbreaking last week of EdeniQ Inc.’s Corn-to-Cellulosic Migration pilot plant at EdeniQ’s headquarters in Visalia, Calif. EdeniQ had been optimizing its biomass conversion
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) In a study released by Genencor during the BIO World Congress in Toronto, when U.S. consumers were asked to name a product they considered green, 39 percent of them named ethanol first and 31 percent of Canadian
(Agoracom) BookMerge Technology, Inc. , through its wholly owned subsidiary, Extreme Biodiesel, has contracted with a Algae Oil Company to produce biodiesel fuel from algae oil for a "million mile test" for a major trucking company. Extreme Biodiesel has been
(PR-Inside) Nine partners from seven countries have joined in an innovative project to show that ethanol, biodiesel and bioproducts can be produced from algae on a large scale. The BIOfuel From Algae Technologies (BIOFAT) project, largely funded by the European Commission’s Seventh Framework
(WOWT.com) Iowa State University's Hans van Leeuwen has moved his research team's award-winning idea for improving ethanol production from a laboratory to a pilot plant. Now he knows the idea, which produces a new animal feed and cleans water that can be
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) ...Dr. Leslie Bebout (who goes by “Lee”) heads the team of microbial ecologists at NASA’s Moffett Field, CA-based research facility, though much of their work is done in far away places like salt marshes,
by Martin LaMonica (CNET) ... Agrivida is using genetic engineering and other techniques from the biotech industry to create proteins with specific traits designed for rapid, and cheaper, biofuel production from sorghum, switchgrass, and corn stover, the residual material from corn harvesting. Company
by Kevin Bullis (MIT's Technology Review) A new study fuels the debate over the impact of growing crops for fuel. Greenhouse-gas emissions from biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, may be lower than many researchers have estimated, according to a new
by James Ott (Aviation Week) A report from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) should be required reading for environmental policymakers. “The Impact of Climate Policy on US Aviation” was issued this week by the Transportation Research Board. It is
(EurekAlert!) Key to new possibilities for renewable bioproducts The key to the survival of forestry in South Africa as well as many new possibilities for renewable bioproducts like biofuels and biopolymers may now be available with the click of a mouse. This
(National Advanced Biofuels Consortium) This 55-slide presentation from a National Advanced Biofuels Consortium Webinar describes the organization and work of the consortium using many valuable charts, graphs and illustrations, including those that depict existing infrastructure. One of the most useful illustrations
(Algae Industry Magazine) Joyce Yang, Technology Development Manager for the Department of Energy’s Biomass Program in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, has revealed recent progress made in algal harvesting technology by the Los Alamos National Laboratory in
by Cole Gustafson (Ethanol Producer Magazine/North Dakota State University) ...Why beets? The Northern Plains is the nation’s lowest-cost producer of sugar due to a favorable growing climate and cold winters that extend feedstock storage and processing. The energy beet industry
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Figuring out how to produce enzymes at a feasible cost is just part of the puzzle A decade ago, the cost of enzymes was at the top of the list of concerns for most
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Distillers grains as a component in plastics? You bet, if two Nebraska companies achieve their goals. It will start by building a manufacturing facility, Laurel BioComposite LLC, in Laurel, Neb. Major investors include Kearney Area
By Natalie Obiko Pearson (Bloomberg) ...India can potentially harvest enough bagasse, rice husk and sugar waste to produce as much as 50 billion liters (13 billion gallons) of ethanol without relying on food crops or disrupting agricultural land-use, according
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In part 3, we look at 12 companies and compare and contrast the Brazilian and US paths to advanced biofuels. Does Brazil have a “must emulate” model? ...What we found is a stable, straightforward system of
(Arirang News) Marine plants are being cultivated in waters off the southwestern coast of Korea. This is seaweed named gracilaria, which was used generations ago to treat fevers. However, nowadays, this plant is primarily used as a raw material in cosmetic goods
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Brazil, Iveco is testing its new 40% ethanol, 60% diesel bus engines to see how well they can run in industrial applications. The engines, which have to separate tanks for each fuel that is electronically
by Luke Timmerman (Xconomy Seattle) ...Scientists have been working for a long time on various alternatives to fossil fuels as the fundamental unit of energy, without much success. No one person or institute has all the answers here, but
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) In a new study released today (May 16, 2011) by Michigan State University (MSU), biofuel production in the United States through 2007, “probably has not induced any indirect land use change.” The report was conducted by Seungdo
by Lindsay Curtis (KZTV10) ... The algae is harvested at the plant and spun down into a concentrated gel. Dr. Tzachi Samocha, Director of Research says, "The micro-algae concentrated in this bag that basically will provide people that will start extracting
by Melissa O'Neil Perdue (Washington State University) An innovative idea for making advanced biofuels such as jet fuel, diesel and gasoline from regional resources is moving forward with a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). “This process will demonstrate the
(Yahoo!Finance/BusinessWire) ZeaChem Inc., a developer of biorefineries for the conversion of renewable biomass into sustainable fuels and chemicals, today announced it has signed a long-term binding term sheet with GreenWood Tree Farm Fund (GTFF), managed by GreenWood Resources (GWR), to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...AER Sustainable Energy – enzymatic hydrolysis This Ireland-based group, set up in 2006, applied for license to supply ethanol into the Irish market, and by 2010 was supplying up to 25 percent. The company reinvested a
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) Before the advent of cheap petroleum, farmers often had their own “fuel patch” of local oilseed crops that served as feedstock for the biodiesel needed to power pumps, generator sets, tractors and other farm
by Tracey Bryant (University of Delaware) Pulling valuable fuels out of thin air? It sounds like magic, but Joel Rosenthal, a chemist at the University of Delaware, is working to transform carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, into
(Ford) The Ford Motor Company Fund and the Georgia Institute of Technology are partnering on the nation’s first conversion of a traditional school bus to a hydraulic hybrid vehicle that runs on recycled biofuel. Atlanta Public Schools (APS) donated the
by Clayton McNeff (Biodiesel Magazine/BioCat Fuels) In the near future, “multifeedstock” and “nonfood-based” will provide the basis for salvation of the U.S. biodiesel industry. This change will occur through necessity and it must occur quickly in order for our industry
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) How replacing natural gas with biomass as feedstock for methanol production can improve biodiesel's already good environmental footing The vast majority of methanol produced today is sourced from natural gas, but this has not always been
by Garthia Elena Burnett (Commercial Dispatch) FedEx is the latest company to sign an offtake agreement with Kior, a biofuels plant slated to begin production in Columbus in 2012. FedEx plans to use oil produced from biomass, mainly wood chips,
by Donna Goodison (Boston Herald) Greater Boston doesn’t usually rate as a Hub of agriculture but yesterday U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was in Medford to praise start-up Agrivida Inc. as an example of how renewable energy research could help
by Matt Hartwig (Renewable Fuels Association) ...Here are few of the more questionable claims made to an OPIS reporter by lobbyists for NTF (National Turkey Federation): NTF CLAIM: “You cannot compare feed that comes directly from corn and distiller grains.” NTF CLAIM:
by Luke Timmerman (Xconomy Seattle) ...McCormick, one of the featured speakers at next week’s Xconomy event on alternative fuels, has led this quiet effort for the past three years inside Seattle-based Targeted Growth. While Targeted Growth grabbed headlines with hybrid camelina
(Algae Industry Magazine) Jamie Hestekin and his team of undergraduate engineering students at the University of Arkansas have won Planet Forward’s Innovator of the Year contest. As one of two Innovators of the Year, Hestekin and his team will be
(University of Hawaii) A two-pronged University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa project to advance the use of biofuels in the Islands has won a $1 million sustainability research competition. The two-year project, led by Michael J. Cooney from UH Mānoa’s Hawai‘i Natural
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) A start-up company, Tyton BioSciences, is looking for a new outlet for tobacco – biodiesel and ethanol. The company is developing genetically modified tobacco that will, according to their website, “produce both ethanol and biodiesel at yields
by Don Siefkes (E100 Ethanol Group/Biofuels Digest) ...As article after article in Biofuels Digest has pointed out, the ethanol industry knows how to make ethanol from a variety of feedstock and could make 66 billion gallons/yr of fuel grade ethanol
(SG Biofuels/PRNewsWire) SG Biofuels, a bioenergy crop company using breeding and biotechnology to develop elite hybrid seeds of Jatropha, today announced it has signed customers for the deployment of 250,000 acres of Jatropha using its JMax™ hybrid seeds. Jatropha is
by Lynn Yarris (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Advanced biofuels – liquid transportation fuels derived from the cellulosic biomass of perennial grasses and other non-food plants, as well as from agricultural waste – are highly touted as potential replacements for
Russell W. Stratton, Hsin Min Wong, and James I. Hileman (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) The presence of variability in life cycle analysis (LCA) is inherent due to both inexact LCA procedures and variation of numerical inputs. Variability in LCA
(OriginOil) OriginOil, Inc., the developer of a breakthrough technologyto extract oil from algae and an emerging leader in the global algae oil services industry, yesterday announced that Ennesys, its joint venture partner in France, is working with large institutions to develop two
(Grain Farmers of Ontario) Canadian biofuel is better for the environment than biofuel produced further south- in part due to our different agricultural practices - according to a new study released by the Grain Farmers ofOntario. The report, produced by Dr.
by Harry Cline (Western Farm Press) Camelina, a weed in the mustard and distant relative to canola, may be emerging as the front runner in California agriculture’s continuing search for a biofuel crop. It captured the most attention at a field
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Canada, GreenNH3 has developed the patent-pending GreenGas machine that makes anhydrous ammonia fuel for use in cars, trucks, and a wide range of other vehicle for just 50 cents a liter. READ MORE and MORE
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) An interview with James Garton, president of Mission Biofuels USA subsidiary. We look at the jatropha 1.0 catastrophe, actual biodiesel capacity in the US, palm biodiesel, the RFS, and more. ...The company broke into the US
by Kerry Reals (FlightGlobal) An Argentinian company claims to be at the forefront of producing affordable jet fuel from microalgae, and is confident that its product will be widely available to the aviation industry "very soon". Biocombustibles del Chubut(BC) has developed
(PR NewsWire) The technology group, The Linde Group, and Sapphire Energy, Inc., one of the world's leaders in algae-based crude oil, today announced that they have entered into a multi-year agreement to co-develop a low-cost system to deliver carbon dioxide
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) At the International Biomass Conference and Expo last week, Dr. Janice Ryan-Bohac attracted a lot of attention carrying around a sweet potato the size of a newborn baby. Ryan-Bohac is president of CAREnergy, Carolina Advanced Renewable Energy, located
by Sarah Shew Wilson (Star News) Although Southport officials balked at using city property for the purpose, the Oak Island Town Council voted unanimously Tuesday to work with algae farm owner and scientist Kim Jones to create a sustainable energy
(RedOrbit) It’s not quite Christmas, but the DNA sequence of a small plant that resembles the seasonal conifers is providing biofuels researchers with information that could influence the development of candidate biofuel feedstock plants and offering botanists long-awaited insights into
(Yahoo!News/PRWEB) Ashland Hercules Water Technologies is launching a new corn oil extraction aid that can triple corn oil production at ethanol manufacturing facilities. PTV M-5309 corn oil extraction aid, is easily introduced into the process, requires no additional capital expenditure
(KOLD/Aquatic Energy, LLC/PR Newswire) Following a rigorous 3-Phase review process, Louisiana-AgCenter (LSU-AgCenter) and Aquatic Energy LLC (AE) have been recommended 1st for state research funds by the Industrial Ties Research Subprogram (ITRS) component of the Board of Regents Support Fund
(Independence Bio-Products/PR Web) Independence Bio-Products (IBP) of Dublin, Ohio has produced algae oil, which has been converted to jet fuel and then tested by the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. The algae was grown in
by Michael Kanellos (GreenTechMedia) ... Aurora grows algae and converts it to biodiesel, omega-3 oils for food producers and algae power that can be sold as pet food or protein. If you starve the algae, they produce more oil: roughly 30 percent
by Nathanial Gronewold (Greenwire/New York Times) ...Though 85 percent of Colombia's cane crop is harvested this old-fashioned way, industry leaders say they have no intention of mechanizing the harvest, for fear of mass unemployment in a rural area where people
(CORE BioFuel) CORE BioFuel Inc., a Canadian biofuel company that is commercializing an advanced biomass to gasoline production process, today announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a renewable energy project developer. The MOU provides for the development
(Verdezyne/BusinessWire) Verdezyne, Inc., an industrial biotechnology company developing cost-effective processes for the production of renewable fuels and chemicals, today announced it has closed a new funding round. New investors in this round include BP Alternative Energy Ventures and DSM Venturing B.V.,
(TMO Renewables) Leading Chinese corporations, COFCO and CNOOC, select TMO as second generation ethanol technology partner TMO Renewables Ltd, a leading developer of a new process for converting biomass into fuel ethanol is proud to announce that it has been selected
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) A new report from the Milken Institute, “Turning Plants Into Products: Delivering on the Potential of Industrial Biotechnology,” examines the challenges facing the industrial biotechnology sector and identifies market and policy based responses. In particular, the report
(Show Me Energy) The Council on Sustainable Biomass Production (CSBP) congratulates the Show Me Energy Cooperative for its selection by USDA as the first Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) project area. The designation creates a “fuel shed” of 30 counties in
by Dan Piller (Des Moines Register) Prototypes of the biofuels refinery of the future sit in a 19,000-square-foot complex on the Iowa State Research Farm west of Ames. Two experimental plants, whose network of pipes and containers looks to the lay
(Biofuels Journal) Greenergy, a privately owned company that supplies one fifth of Britain’s road fuel, announced May 6 that it has begun producing biodiesel from food waste. In a unique partnership with Brocklesby Ltd, a specialist in recycling edible oils, unsaleable
(Algae Industry Magazine) ...Highlights of the discussion included updates on GPRE’s recently announced BioProcess Algae joint venture. Following are some comments by Mr. Becker and his answers to some shareholder questions regarding their algae ventures: ...The technology represents a true intersection
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) As an environmental engineering professor at California Polytechnic State University, in San Luis Obispo, CA, Dr. Tryg Lundquist researches how wastewater can make algae biofuel and how algae biofuel can be the impetus for
by Mary Meehan (Lexington Herald-Leader) The University of Kentucky has received a $6.9 million federal grant to help reduce America's reliance on imported oil, one of eight awards in the country. "It's going to be big," said UK's principal investigator, Sue
by Sara Reardon (Science) Some researchers are arguing that plants dubbed "cisgenic," that is, containing only genetic material from sexually compatible species, be exempted from the scrutiny and safety tests that agencies currently demand for transgenic plants on a case-by-case
(Logos Technologies) DOE commits full $20.5 million to retrofit and build pilot plant in Visalia, CA Logos Technologies®, Inc. and EdeniQ, Inc., announced U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) approval to fully fund $20.5 million in federal cost share under DOE’s Integrated
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Massachusetts, Joule reported that they have signed a lease for 1,200 acres in Lea County, New Mexico, with the potential to scale the project up to 5,000 acres for production of renewable diesel and
(The University of Kansas) ...A University of Kansas-led research team has received a $5.6 million grant to develop clean technologies to convert biomass into chemicals that could ultimately replace the petroleum-based chemicals currently used in many household items. Bala Subramaniam, director
Projects will help develop sustainable, renewable biofuels in the U.S. As part of the Obama Administration's comprehensive plan to address rising gas prices, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced a total of $47 million
by Shelley Littin (Algae Industry Magazine) In a collaborative research effort between several departments, scientists and engineers at the University of Arizona are studying ways to optimize the environmental factors to control the rate at which algae grow and produce
by Mark Rosenzweig (Sustainable Planet) ...However, moving promising biofuels technology from the lab to demonstration scale often poses a significant financial as well as technical hurdle. Now, though, developers can take advantage of an expanded government research facility. Indeed, the U.S.
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) Some researchers say that, at current production levels, algae biodiesel is not a commercially viable product. But some algae advocates believe researchers might have some ulterior motives for coming to that conclusion. One of the study’s authors, Dr.
(Algae Industry Magazine) Intel’s Brad Biddle discusses what has been learned in the research project to determine if the carbon emissions from Intel’s chip factory produces an environment suited for algae growth. Biddle also discusses the next phases of the
by Ariel Schwartz (Fast Company/EIN News) Remember a few years ago when everyone decided that using algae as a biofuel feedstock would be the best thing ever? Well, progress on that front is moving so slowly that companies have realized that
by Yeh, Sonia, Sarah Jordaan, Adam Brandt, Merritt R. Turetsky, Sabrina Spatari, David W. Keith (Institute of Transportation Studies/University of California-Davis) Debates surrounding the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from land use of biofuels production have created a need to
(INS-News/Walki) Logging residue is an inexpensive and easily accessible source of biofuel, but to improve the energy content it must first dry on the ground and after that it can be stored in piles for several months. To shelter the
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) ...Leading the change is Joel Butler, who assumed the role of CEO this past December. The fact that Joel is a product development and commercialization specialist means there is no coincidence that Solix
BEFSCI is reaching out to producers to catalogue and showcase innovative approaches that have been used in sustainable bioenergy initiatives. We want to hear stories, experiences, lessons learned about what made these pioneering activities a success both for the producers and
by Alexey G. Sergeev and John F. Hartwig (Science) Selective hydrogenolysis of the aromatic carbon-oxygen (C-O) bonds in aryl ethers is an unsolved synthetic problem important for the generation of fuels and chemical feedstocks from biomass and for the liquefaction
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) ...Heliae was formed about four years ago when the team met two professors at Arizona State University (ASU) who told them about a new process by which they could take algae and turn it into
(Travel Daily News) The Consejo de Promocion Turistica de Mexico praised Mexico’s domestic carrier, Interjet, and Airbus for joining the ranks of Air New Zealand and Continental Airlines in leading the way for the international aviation industry by using more
by Karen Holst (The Local) ...Earlier this year, Preem, a leading Swedish oil company, emerged as the world’s first company to offer an innovative biodiesel made from tall oil, a renewable by-product of the forestry industry. ...Known as Preem Evolution Diesel, this
(Cellana) Company Is Leveraging Technology Investments to Date of Over $100 Million; Company Is Focused on Government Programs and New Corporate Partnerships; Plan for Maui Commercial Algae Facility on Track for 2014 Cellana LLC is positioned to be the first algae
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Australia, Aurora Algae opened its demonstration facility in Karratha, Western Australia, where the Company’s algae-based biomass is being harvested for products in the nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, aquaculture and renewable energy markets. ...The company has also secured
by Xiaodong Du, Dermot J. Hayes (Iowa State University/Center for Agricultural and Rural Development) This report updates the findings in Du and Hayes 2009 by extending the data to December 2010 and concludes that over the sample period from January
by andypar (Envirogy) ...In light of all this, however, it appears British Columbia has found a way to turn their devastating Pine Beetle crisis into a source of Green Energy. ...Biofuel production uses organic materials to produce fuel to be used in transportation
by Paul Studebaker (Sustainable Planet) ...It’s too soon to talk about grain-based ethanol in the past tense, but maybe not by much. While ethanol has a place as a bio-based octane enhancer and consequently, as a means to extend oil
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The additional capital will enable Cobalt to build out its new 470,000 gallon per year demonstration plant in Alpena, Michigan, which will be the world’s first cellulosic biorefinery for the production of the industrial chemical
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) In order for ag residues and energy crops to be profitably converted to biofuels, it is expected that biorefineries will need to acquire all of their feedstocks from within close proximities to the plants.
by Bryan Sims (Biorefining Magazine) A team of researchers at State University of New York (SUNY) College of Environmental Science and Forestry are experimenting with different strains of microorganisms to efficiently ferment sugars, extracted from woody biomass, into biobutanol and
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Renewable Energy Group (REG) executives hosted USDA Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson as well as leaders from the ethanol industry at their REG Newton biorefinery to discuss the role of advanced biofuels in
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) On Friday April 15, BioProcess Algae, dedicated its Grower Harvester bioreactorssignaling the final phase of construction for its commercial scale algae biorefinery. On hand for the event in Shenandoah, Iowa, were USDA Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack along
(PBS) ...SESNO: Mendez and his company, Sapphire Energy, brought us an algae- to-fuel idea they say can have real world impact soon. They plan to begin commercial production in 2012. MENDEZ: So algae -- using photosynthesis to actually make a fuel
(Biofuels Center of North Carolina) The Biofuels Center of North Carolina has awarded $1.6 million for 15 projects statewide to accelerate the commercialization of renewable liquid fuels. Awards are made through the 2011 Statewide Biofuels Development Grants Program. Biofuels Center president
(Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory/PBS) Can emerging technology defeat global warming? The United States has invested tens of billions of dollars in clean energy projects as our leaders try to save our crumbling economy and our poisoned planet in one bold,
by Wang Xiaotian (China Daily) The nation has plans to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 45 percent by 2020 China can become a leader in the production of second-generation (2G) biofuels, made from agricultural waste instead of foodstuffs, such
(Columbia University) A team of scientists from Columbia University, Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Granada in Spain have successfully reconstructed active enzymes from four-billion-year-old extinct organisms. By measuring the properties of these enzymes, they could examine the conditions in which
(Dyadic) Dyadic International, Inc. ("Dyadic") (OTC Pink: DYAI), a global biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development, manufacture and sale of enzyme and protein products for the bioenergy, industrial enzyme and biopharmaceutical industries, announced today that it has been issued
by Ben Wojdyla (Popular Mechanics) The basic design of the four-stroke piston engine that powers all of our cars has been kicking around for about 150 years. And during that time there have been countless alternatives proposed. But apart
The Brazilian Bio-Jetfuel Platform and the Industrial Crops Technology Company, QUINVITA announces today they entered into a strategic alliance on Research and Development of Jatropha production and processing. Under the signed agreement, QUINVITA joins the Brazilian Bio-Jetfuel Platform and will
(Solix BioSystems) Solix BioSystems today announced the first sale and delivery of its Lumian AGS4000 high productivity, fully integrated algae cultivation system to New Mexico State University (NMSU), Las Cruces, New Mexico. The Lumian AGS4000 is located at NMSU’s Fabian Garcia
(Amyris) Amyris, Inc., announced the completion of the first industrial-scale facility for the production of Biofene™, Amyris’s renewable farnesene. The production facility is located in Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil at a facility owned by Biomin do Brasil Nutricão Animal Ltda., a
(Gevo) Gevo, Inc., a renewable chemicals and advanced biofuels company, today announced it has signed an engineering and consulting agreement with Mustang Engineering, LP (Mustang) to convert Gevo's renewable isobutanol to bio-jet fuel. This effort will focus on the downstream
(India.gov.in) The Department of Biotechnology has launched a mission programme on biofuel from biomass. The thrust is on developing ethanol using Lignocellulosic waste as a raw material, identifying recombinant microbial strains for enhanced ethanol recovery, producing high quality raw material
(ManufacturingChemist.com) Researchers at Glyndwr University looking at the commercial potential of high-sugar perennial rye-grass as feedstock for the production of bio-ethanol and other chemicals will also consider the fibre’s potential for pharmaceutical applications. High-sugar perennial rye-grass has the potential to
(JapanCorp.net) Project to Make Efficient Use of Soft Cellulose Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has successfully established technology to produce ethanol for automobile fuel, satisfying the standards of the Japanese Automotive Standards Organization (JASO), from lignocellulose (soft cellulose) such as rice
(EurekAlert!) An alliance of top researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, has formed the UC Berkeley Synthetic Biology Institute (SBI), advancing efforts to engineer cells and biological systems in ways that promise to transform technology in health and medicine,
by Steven Medina (Biofuels Digest) “He intensively grows corn for ethanol in clay soil that once grew corn for bootleg liquor and a variety of other crops to varying degrees of success, allowing my mother’s family to survive but never
(Lignol) Lignol Energy Corporation, a leading technology company in the advanced biofuels and renewable chemicals sector today announced it has completed an engineering design package for a commercial-scale biorefinery that would produce up to 80 million litres of cellulosic ethanol
by Amiram Barkat and Yael Gruntman (Globes Israel's Business Arena) Primus Green Energy has an agreement with Lockheed Martin to develop bio-jet fuel for the US Defense Department. Primus Green Energy Ltd., a US subsidiary of Israel Corporation's renewable energy unit IC
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A new generation of technologists aim high in value, low in cost, as the race for sugars to process into biofuels amps up a notch or three “You know, we hear numbers like this,” said Daphne
by William McLennan (The Ecologist) Campaigners are outraged over airline Lufthansa and German government funding for jatropha biofuels trial The German government is financing a leading European airline’s biofuel trials despite claims from environmental groups it could cause emissions six time
by J. Sadhik Basha and R. B. Anand (Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy) Biodiesel emulsions are considered as the propitious alternative fuels for diesel engines. The need of biodiesel emulsion fuels for the diesel engines is to curtail the dependency
by Rebecca Baillie (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) With the price of fuel hitting $1.50 a litre, there's a growing push to develop renewable alternatives. Scientists in Australia are part of the global race to develop new biofuels. In fact researchers here
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) ...Malaysian scientist Jagjit Kaurah works at the Universiti Putra Malaysia research station in Port Dickson, and he was walking on the beach one day when it occurred to him that the ocean provides for
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Arizona State University through a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is studying the factors involved in algal crop failure known as culture “crashes.” Grazing zooplankton are considered predators to algae and
by Adam Pinsker (MidlandsConnect.com) A South Carolina State University professor is leading a team of engineers and economists on a three-year study into how to make biofuel cheaper. Professor Jae-Dong Hong says one of the biggest reasons biofuels aren't taking over
by Andrew Duffy ( The Victoria Times Colonist) ...Victoria's Novaera Fuels has managed to concoct a fuel with most of its components derived from renewable resources and the company has completed its initial testing on a used Volvo sedan. Now armed
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) AE Advanced Fuels Keyes Inc. is aiming for the future. At the same time the company is working to restart a 55 MMgy ethanol plant located in Keyes, Calif., it announced approval of a
by Melissa Domsic (LSJ.com) Michigan State University has received $2.9 million in federal grants for bio-based energy research. The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded five-year grants for three projects focusing on various aspects of producing biofuels, which use renewable plant materials
by Josh Loftin (Bloomberg/BusinessWeek) ...One of the largest potential sources for biofuels is algae, which needs a lot of carbon dioxide and nitrogen to grow, said Kevin Shurtleff, director of the Utah State University Energy Dynamics Lab. Those happen to
by Bruce A. Babcock, Jacinto F. Fabiosa (Iowa State University) The rapid rise in corn prices that began in the fall of 2006 coincided with exponential growth in U.S. corn ethanol production. At about the same time, new ethanol consumption
by Abby Schultz (CNBC.com) ...“There’s a significant amount of capital required for algal oil producers to scale up to commercial meaningful quantities,” says Jim Rekoske, general manager at Honeywell’s UOP division, which provides technologies to the gas processing, refining and petrochemical
by Morgan Gallagher (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...Rather than look at only the total mass yield of either the corn grain or the crop residue, we took a different approach. We measured the mass yield of key biochemicals such as carbohydrate,
(ScienceNewsLine/Carnegie Institution) ...Now scientists from the Carnegie Institution's Department of Global Ecology have found that sugarcane has a double benefit. Expansion of the crop in areas previously occupied by other Brazilian crops cools the local climate. It does so by
(PRLog/Avjet Biotech) Avjet Biotech, Inc. (ABI), a leading developer of small distributive refining systems in the 10 to 15 million gallon per year range and parent company of Red Wolf Refining, has announced that it has concluded a license
by Bao Chang (China Daily) New process uses bio-waste instead of grains to make gasoline additive China should boost its fuel ethanol industry as part of its efforts to reduce carbon emissions and oil dependency, said China National Cereals, Oils and
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) The synergies between the biodiesel, ethanol and advanced biofuels industries are growing. One of the things that’s been happening over the past few years is the ethanol industry creating a new feedstock for the biodiesel industry
by Taryn Morgan (Renewable Fuels Association) Today, ethanol makes up for 10% of our gasoline supply and can be found at nearly every station across the nation. This domestic, home-grown fuel is being utilized in all engine types, including automobiles,
by Stephen Bedford Clark (Algae Industry Magazine) My introduction to algaculture began as a young Mining Engineer in Yorkshire, in the United Kingdom. It was fueled by my hobby and passion for raising aquarium fish, the delicate larvae requiring
(Shell/PRNewsWire) Quebec's Universite Laval Defends Title Winning Shell Eco-marathon Americas for Third Consecutive Year Going the farthest distance might sound like a foot race. But this past weekend, it meant stretching the boundaries of fuel efficiencyas student teams competed in the
(Wisconsin Ag Connection) A team of high school students from Durand placed third overall at the Shell Eco-marathon Americas competition in Houston, Texas last week, where they drove 572 miles per gallon with 100-percent ethanol fuel. The group's trip to the
(SustainableBusiness.com) Biobutanol company Cobalt Technologies and American Process Inc. (API), a developer of lignocellulosic sugar production technologies, announced an agreement to build the world's first industrial-scale cellulosic biorefinery to produce biobutanol. Additionally, the companies agreed to jointly market a GreenPower+TMBiobutanol solution
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) ...“The single most important thing that Congress can do for advanced biofuels is to provide a stable policy environment,” Jan Koninckx, DuPont’s global biofuels business director, told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
by Jon Birger (Bloomberg) ...Other than water and sunlight, there’s nothing more important to growing corn -- the most-valuable U.S. crop, worth $66.7 billion in 2010 -- than nitrogen. Generous applications of nitrogen fertilizer are essential to the 180-to-200-bushel-an- acre
by Erin Voegele (Biorefining Magazine) Viaspace reports independent test results of Giant King Grass evaluation. Data gathered during independent evaluations of Viaspace Inc.’s Giant King Grass demonstrate the crop has essentially the same properties as corn stover and wheat straw. According
(UPI.com) ..."We look forward to meeting with potential customers from Brazil and all over Latin America to discuss how we can meet their near-term and future defense and security requirements," said Joe McAndrew, Boeing vice president of International Business Development
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...How’s an investor to parse out all these technologies. For many, it’s a case of “you’re making what, from what, using what?” ...Here at the Digest, we think of it as a kind of old fashioned
By Robert Kozak (Atlantic Biomass Conversions, Inc.) Worldwide Importance of Protein Animal Feed When I began working with sugar beet processors on our beet pulp biofuel sugar process, one of their first questions was, “Will there still be pulp available to
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