New Bioreactor to Speed Production of Microalgae for Feed, Fuel Uses
by Aerin Einstein-Curtis (Feed Navigator) A team of researchers have developed a faster way to generate microalgae on a biofilm with potential applications for feed. READ MORE
R & D Focus
Back TO HOMEBreaking New Ground
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) A Georgia-based joint venture is combining enzymatic and resin technologies with advanced distillation to convert brown grease to low-sulfur biodiesel. The plan is to prove out the process and make the technology available to the
August 17, 2017 Read Full Article
MetGen, Sweetwater Unlocking Lignin – The Roughest, Toughest, Ornieri’st Material that Ever Bushwhack’d a Pioneer in the Valley of Death
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) MetGen, Sweetwater Energy say “there’s gold in them thar side-streams” -- For all of your questions about the advanced bioeconomy there’s just the one answer and that is “lignin”. Why don’t we see more biobased
August 17, 2017 Read Full Article
Partner Power in Process Piloting: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to the Advanced Biofuels Process Demonstration Unit
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What is the Advanced Biofuels Process Demonstration Unit, where is it, who does it serve and how? Located at Berkeley Lab, the ABPDU aims to “support the commercialization of industry-, academic-and DOE-driven biofuels and bio-products by providing
August 16, 2017 Read Full Article
The Valley of Fog: As Sundrop Moves on from Louisiana, What’s up and What’s Wrong with Loan Guarantee Programs?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Louisiana, reports surfaced in Alexandria’s TownTalk online paper that Sundrop Fuels has struck an agreement to sell the 1200-acre site where it once planned to build its $450 million, 50 million gallon capacity first commercial plant
August 16, 2017 Read Full Article
Improving Global Integration of Crop Research
by M. P. Reynolds, et al. (Science Magazine) In recent decades, the scientific, development, and farm communities have contributed to substantial gains in crop productivity, including in many less developed countries (LDCs) (1), yet current yield trends and agri-food systems are
August 16, 2017 Read Full Article
New Report Highlights Southeast Asia’s Biofuels Potential
by Liz Gyekye (Biofuels International) Southeast Asia has considerable resources to produce liquid biofuels sustainably, using biomass feedstocks that would not cause carbon-dioxide emissions or interfere with food supply, according to a new report by the International Renewable Energy Association (IRENA). Fulfilling
August 15, 2017 Read Full Article
You Just Can’t Have Enough Hydrogen: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Renewable Hydrogen via Biomass Pyrolysis Aqueous Phase
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Hydrogen, hydrogen, hydrogen — the most abundant element in the universe, but the advanced bioeconomy can never seem to get enough of it, and finding ways to produce renewable, affordable hydrogen — well, that’s real gold. A
August 15, 2017 Read Full Article
Environmental and Economic Goals Not in Conflict, New Study Claims
(Bioenergy Insight) New research claims that air pollution policy reduces the extent to which population growth in urban areas results in increased pollution emissions, without disrupting the economic growth resulting from this urbanisation. More than half of the world’s population currently lives
August 15, 2017 Read Full Article
Hot Path for Waste to Fuels: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Hydrothermal Liquefaction
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Hydrothermal liquefaction has a huge fan base in the biorefinery R&D sector. There’s lots to like. It’s robust tech and can be applied to attractive, low-cost wet feedstocks (ag resid, sludge, manure) that exploit HTL
August 14, 2017 Read Full Article
Scientists Closer to Refining Biodiesel for a Standard Diesel Engine
(Biofuels International) Scientists in Germany have found a way to refine biodiesel so that it works in standard diesel car engines, according to an article appearing on Live Science. Differences in molecular structure mean that biodiesel made from plant material burns at
August 14, 2017 Read Full Article
Project Aims to Turn Roads into Energy Source
(Advantage News) The Illinois Department of Transportation has approved implementation of a renewable energy demonstration project using grasses collected from mowing highway rights-of-way. The work will implement the findings of a three-year study by a multidisciplinary team, including the Illinois Sustainable
August 14, 2017 Read Full Article
Costa Rican Researchers Use Coffee Waste to Brew Biofuel
(Xinhua) Costa Rican researchers have found a way to turn coffee waste into electric energy, the University of Costa Rica (UCR) announced on Wednesday (June 28, 2017). The process also prevents ozone-depleting greenhouse gases, such as methane, from entering the atmosphere
August 14, 2017 Read Full Article
Aviation Biofuels Financial Viability Confirmed with New Report.
(Biofuels International) Through ‘bold leadership’, airports can accelerate the adoption of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) in the aviation industry, according to a newly published report. The new study, a collaboration between the Carbon War Room, Sky NRG and Port of Seattle,
August 14, 2017 Read Full Article
Life-Cycle Analysis of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Renewable Jet Fuel Production
by Sierk de Jong, Kay Antonissen, Ric Hoefnagels, Laura Lonza, Michael Wang, André Faaij and Martin Junginger (Biotechnology for Biofuels) The introduction of renewable jet fuel (RJF) is considered an important emission mitigation measure for the aviation industry. This study compares
August 11, 2017 Read Full Article
Carbon Conversion
by Whitney Clavin (California Institute of Technology) A new additive helps researchers more selectively convert CO2 to multicarbon fuels -- Chemists have figured out a new, more efficient way to create carbon-based fuels from carbon dioxide (CO2). In chemical reactions performed
August 11, 2017 Read Full Article
A New Chloroplast Role for Making Biofuels
(Michigan State University) Michigan State University researchers are experimenting with harvesting seed oil to make biofuels that could someday power our jets and cars. In a recent study published in the journal The Plant Cell, the researchers show that the chloroplast,
August 11, 2017 Read Full Article
Study Shows Seaweed Succumbs to Viruses
(Phys.Org/University of Plymouth) Scientists are warning the UK kelp biofuel industry to beware of viruses. Whilst known to infect certain types of seaweed, a new study published in the ISME Journal is the first to describe viruses in kelps, which are
August 11, 2017 Read Full Article
The Electrochemical Approach: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Upgrading Biorefinery Waste to Industrial Chemicals and Hydrogen
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The DOE is funding a fascinating project to develop a continuous electrochemical process to convert biorefinery waste lignin to substituted aromatic compounds for resins and resin binders. The goal? Integration into biorefinery with revenue generated, to
August 11, 2017 Read Full Article
Make Energy Great Again, via BIOmass: The DOE’s MEGA-BIO Project Expands
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Long ago, the DOE shifted from a “biofuels and nothing else” focus to integrated biorefineries that can compete “across the whole barrel” with petroleum — recognizing that while chemicals make up a small fraction of
August 11, 2017 Read Full Article
My Voice: EPA’s ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’
by Doug Sombke (South Dakota Farmers Union/Argus Leader) ... On behalf of rural communities and family farmers, I am calling out the EPA and those who still drink the Kool-aid of EPA’s fraudulent assessments that E30 is illegal for and damages standard
August 10, 2017 Read Full Article
Indian Scientists Turn Sugar Industry Waste Into Next-Gen Battery Material
(Sugar News) Indian scientists have demonstrated that waste water from some of the dirtiest industrial processes can be turned into a carbon source for preparation of energy storage materials. Researchers led by scientists from Bhavnagar-based Central Salt and Marine Research
August 10, 2017 Read Full Article
New Biofuel Bus Powered by Food Waste Set to Hit Bristol Streets
by Krishan Davis (Bristol Post) ... Following on from last year’s ‘poo bus’ experiment, Bristol will soon have a new form of low-emissions public transport, powered by an unusual gas. On August 21, a double-decker bus powered by biofuel will be
August 10, 2017 Read Full Article
How to Power a Bus on Formic Acid
( Eindhoven University of Technology) ... Their self-built system comprises an electric bus that is hooked up to a small trailer – which the students have christened ‘REX’ – in which formic acid is converted into electricity. The benefits of using
August 10, 2017 Read Full Article
Queen's Researcher Turning Dirty Tinfoil into Biofuel Catalyst
(Queen's University Belfast) A researcher at Queen’s University Belfast has discovered a way to convert dirty aluminium foil into a biofuel catalyst, which could help to solve global waste and energy problems. In the UK, around 20,000 tonnes of aluminium foil
August 10, 2017 Read Full Article
UK’s Largest Trial of Biogas Trucks Includes Six Major Fleet Operators
(Cenex/NGV Journal) Cenex (UK’s first Centre of Excellence for low carbon technologies) announced the UK’s largest trial of biomethane-fueled trucks. Led by Air Liquide and funded in part by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) in partnership with Innovate
August 10, 2017 Read Full Article
Massachusetts May Overlook Climate Impacts of Biofuels
by Bobby Magill (Climate Central) Massachusetts is considering a plan that would classify wood pellets and other tree products as sources of renewable energy, allowing the logging industry to contribute to the state’s climate goals to cut greenhouse gas emissions. However, research
August 09, 2017 Read Full Article
Algal Biofuel Production Is Neither Environmentally nor Commercially Sustainable
by Kevin Flynn (The Conversation/Phys.Org) Modern biofuels have been touted as a greener alternative to petrol and diesel since the early 1900s. It seems like a good idea on paper, and they do work – but their use and production
August 09, 2017 Read Full Article
Wednesday Letters: Biofuels, Abortion--Fair markets
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association/Houston Chronicle) Regarding "Reporter's notebook: Do we still need advanced biofuels?" (chron.com, Monday), the article misunderstands the iterative nature of innovation and technology development. Disruptive, game-changing technologies don't simply appear overnight - they evolve. Today's smart
August 09, 2017 Read Full Article
The Good, the Bad and the Algae
(Sandia National Laboratory) Sandia National Laboratories is testing whether one of California’s largest and most polluted lakes can transform into one of its most productive and profitable. Southern California’s 350-square-mile Salton Sea has well-documented problems related to elevated levels of
August 09, 2017 Read Full Article
Study to Measure Biofuels’ Impact on Climate from the Field to the Power Plant
by Scott Miller (Clemson University) Clemson University scientists have received a federal grant to evaluate the effectiveness of producing biofuels to mitigate climate change. Quantifying the net impact that growing biomass feedstock for biofuel has on local temperature and carbon sequestration can aid
August 09, 2017 Read Full Article
Advanced Fermentation Agitation with Methanotrophs and Other Organisms
by Gregory T. Benz (Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) Fermentation processes, both aerobic and anaerobic, have been successful on an industrial scale for quite a long time, producing a wide variety of products. In most of these processes, if any gas
August 09, 2017 Read Full Article
Industrially-Relevant Strains: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Biological Upgrading of Sugars
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy has a goal of developing industrially-relevant strains to meet titer, rate, and yield targets for fuel precursors for the 2022 BC Platform cost target goals of $3/GGE. A project led by
August 09, 2017 Read Full Article
Aemetis Signs Agreement for Advanced Gasification Technology to Produce Cellulosic Ethanol
(Stockhouse/Accesswire) Aemetis, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMTX) announced today (August 4, 2017) that it has signed a Master Agreement with key exclusive rights for the use of an advanced gasification technology from InEnTec, Inc. of Richland, Washington to produce cellulosic ethanol. The
August 08, 2017 Read Full Article
Deep Stabilization: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Fast Pyrolysis and Bio-Oil Upgrading
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Within the ChemCatBio set of core catalysis projects lies Fast Pyrolysis and Upgrading, which has as its goal “to develop cost competitive biofuels through catalytic stabilization and deoxygenation of Fast Pyrolysis Bio-oil. The near-term DOE goal
August 08, 2017 Read Full Article
Why Will Dominant Alternative Transportation Fuels Be Liquid Fuels, not Electricity or Hydrogen?
by Bin Zhao (Energy Policy) Existing transportation infrastructure favors liquid fuels. The human nature of satisfying their needs with least effort favors liquid fuels. Continuing supply of oil will reinforce existing transportation infrastructure. Understanding alternative fuel market helps avoid making unrealistic policies. The nature
August 08, 2017 Read Full Article
A Smart, Faster Path to Zero Lifecycle Emission: Advances from the EU in Direct Carbon Capture from Air
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The most scalable solution is liquid fuels that use water, captured CO2 and renewable electricity. ... Thinkers have been coming around to the realization that this might be the most sustainable path, notwithstanding the joys of
August 08, 2017 Read Full Article
PCJ Biodiesel Blend to Cut Oil Imports and Boost Agricultural Sector
by Rochelle Williams (Jamaica Information Service) Jamaica could save hundreds of millions in energy costs per year, while reducing the country’s reliance on imported fossil fuels and creating a boost for the agricultural sector through the introduction of a B5 biodiesel
August 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Climate-Neutral Driving: Continental Successfully Tests the Synthetic Diesel Fuel OME
(Foundry Planet/Continental) CO2 emissions reduced in proportion to the OME share: in the Continental diesel car, a 15 % OME share reduces CO2 emissions by approximately eight grams per kilometer; Entire technology chain being optimized, from the injection system,
August 07, 2017 Read Full Article
From Sugars to Affordable Hydrocarbon Fuels: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Catalytic Upgrading R&D
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy has set a goal to “Select and develop at least one route for catalytic upgrading of sugars/related intermediates and/or biologically derived intermediates into fuel blendstockswith conversion performance than can achieve
August 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Study Finds that Markets Are Key to Retaining Southern Forests
by Carlton N. Owen (Forest Business Network) ... “Forest2Market’s new study proves what many of us in the forest sector have said for years — robust markets are the key to keeping forests as forests, “says Carlton Owen, President and CEO
August 07, 2017 Read Full Article
The Hidden Environmental Costs of Dog and Cat Food
by Karin Brulliard (The Washington Post) ... But if you do, he would like you to consider what their meat-heavy kibble and canned food are doing to the planet. (Gregory) Okin, a geographer at UCLA, recently did that, and the numbers he crunched
August 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Processing Pathways
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Interest in cellulosic ethanol from corn fiber is piqued, as technology providers improve on their processes, increasing revenue stream possibilities for producers. -- Some producers and technology developers in the ethanol industry say cellulosic ethanol
August 04, 2017 Read Full Article
Inside the Cellulosic Industry
by Susanne Retka Schill and Ann Bailey (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ethanol Producer Magazine provides an update on 10 cellulosic ethanol projects around the world striving for continuous, large-scale production. -- Some things have changed in the U.S.’s cellulosic ethanol sector in
August 04, 2017 Read Full Article
Anatomy of a Renewable Fuels Project: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Ryze Renewables’ Proposed Nevada Plants
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Ryze Renewables is developing two renewable fuels projects in the state of Nevada. These documents published are available online via the state of Nevada as public records. While researching a related Digest story, Ryze had declined
August 04, 2017 Read Full Article
The Renewing of Nevada Renewable fuels and the Rise of Ryze Renewables
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Nevada, Ryze Renewables has two new renewable diesel projects totaling $250M now in planning for the Nevada and Las Vegas areas. ... This project is bigger: equipment costs have grown from $44 million to $73 million,
August 04, 2017 Read Full Article
This New Teesside Company Needs 50 Tonnes of Birch - EVERY DAY!
by Mike Hughes (Gazette Live) Nova Pangaea Technologies at Wilton will convert trees into sugars to make household items -- ... One of the region’s newest tech companies needs 50 tonnes of it EVERY DAY to process into biofuels, plastics and
August 03, 2017 Read Full Article
Research Aims to ‘Co-Optimize’ Biofuels for Future Engines
(Agri-Pulse) Research aimed at finding the right combination of fuels and engine technology that would maximize a car's performance while reducing its greenhouse gas emissions has reached a milestone that ethanol advocates hope gets wider acknowledgement from policy makers. The Co-Optimization of
August 03, 2017 Read Full Article
A Micro Digester to Improve Accessibility to Biogas in Colombia
by Eric Charles Peterson (Biogas Channel) At the University of Icesi a new project has begun to support rural communities in Colombia. This is a 200-litre capacity covered micro-digester, built using locally available materials and fuelled by food waste. It has enabled
August 03, 2017 Read Full Article
Materials – Cooking up Biofuel
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Using a novel, reusable carbon material derived from old rubber tires, an Oak Ridge National Laboratory-led research team has developed a simple method to convert used cooking oil into biofuel. The team’s approach combines modified, recovered
August 03, 2017 Read Full Article
Catalysis on a Hot Tin Roof: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to the ChemCatBio Consortium
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ChemCatBio is a research and development consortium dedicated to identifying and overcoming catalysis challenges for biomass conversion processes. Led by U.S. Department of Energy national laboratories, the consortium works “with industry to rapidly transition R&D
August 03, 2017 Read Full Article
Energy Department Announces Additional MEGA-BIO: Bioproducts to Enable Biofuels Award
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced today that it will award a fourth project—up to $1.8 million—under the MEGA-BIO: Bioproducts to Enable Biofuels Funding Opportunity. In August 2016, DOE's Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) selected three projects for
August 02, 2017 Read Full Article
Researchers Tap Papaya-Loving Algae to Make “Home-Grown” Biodiesel for Hawaii
by Jan Suszkiw (U.S. Department of Agriculture) ... In Hilo, Hawaii, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Plant Pathologist Lisa Keith is leading an effort to produce biodiesel using a type of green algae known as Auxenochlorella protothecoides (formerly Chlorella protothecoides). Oh, and she’s also using the
August 02, 2017 Read Full Article
Feedstock for the Advanced Bioeconomy: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Cellana
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Cellana uses the most productive plants on earth—marine microalgae—to photosynthetically produce its ReNew line of Omega-3 EPA and DHA oils, animal feed, and biofuel feedstocks. Cellana’s patented ALDUO system, a series of photobioreactors coupled with
August 02, 2017 Read Full Article
The Sweet Smell of Success…and Beets!
(Treasure Coast Research Park) ... On Wednesday, June 14th, a team of research and industry leaders established through the leadership of St. Lucie County’s Treasure Coast Research Park, gathered at Tropicana’s feed processing facility in Fort Pierce to test the possibility
August 01, 2017 Read Full Article
HGVs Fuelled with Compressed Biomethane Emit 84% Less CO2
(Bioenergy Insight) Lorries using the UK’s first gas filling station emitted 84% less carbon dioxide (CO2) than equivalent diesel vehicles, a newly released study claims. The UK’s biggest gas network, Cadent, commissioned independent analysis of the first 14 months of operation
August 01, 2017 Read Full Article
University of Delaware Researchers Look to Make Tires Made from Plants and Wood
by Scott Goss (The News Journal/Delaware Online) ... Researchers at the Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation say they have discovered a highly efficient way to convert plant matter into a chemical used to make everything from car tires to Lego blocks. “It’s still early
July 31, 2017 Read Full Article
Scientists Determine Algae Biofuel Composition
(Phys.Org/Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology) Scientists have used high-resolution mass spectrometry to determine the composition of a biofuel obtained from the microalgae Spirulina platensis. The researchers studied two biofuel fractions obtained using a special algal mass treatment method. The
July 31, 2017 Read Full Article
Mexico’s Ethanol Boost Fuels Cross-Border Environmental Debate
by Emily Pickrell (Bloomberg) Mexico’s decision to nearly double the amount of ethanol permitted in gasoline is pitting two big winners—U.S. corn growers and ethanol producers—against some environmental activists and Mexico’s own auto industry. Last month Mexico’s Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE)
July 31, 2017 Read Full Article
Hitting a New High – Hemp Industry and Innovations Continue to Grow Like Weeds
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, former Dell executive Bruce Dietzen created a car made from hemp that runs on biofueland is touted as carbon neutral. Industrial hemp grows as Vermont registers more than 80 new hemp growers so far this year alone. It’s
July 31, 2017 Read Full Article
Tiny Element, Big Impact: Hydrogen Power, Amplified
(Energy Today/Carnegie Mellon University) How do you efficiently isolate hydrogen, unlocking its full potential as a primary, mainstream source of energy? -- The universe consists of a number of elements, the most abundant of which is hydrogen – making up
July 31, 2017 Read Full Article
LanzaTech Collaborates With Swayana (South Africa) to Use Carbon Capture Technology
(Biofuels International/Lanza Tech/Swayana) South African company, Swayana is collaborating with carbon recycling company, LanzaTech, with headquarters in Chicago USA, to introduce their proprietary carbon capture technology to South Africa. LanzaTech’s first commercial facility will be online at the end of 2017 in China,
July 31, 2017 Read Full Article
Cassava Bioethanol Report by Material, Application, and Geography – Global Forecast to 2021
(Absolute Reports) Cassava Bioethanol Report by Material, Application, and Geography – Global Forecast to 2021 is a professional and in-depth research report on the world's major regional market conditions, focusing on the main regions (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific) and
July 28, 2017 Read Full Article
Strengthening Value Chain Linkages to Improve Profitability and Sustainability of Cassava Production Systems in SE Asia
by Jonathan Newby (Capacities Development for Agriculture Innovation System (CDAIS)) Throughout Southeast Asia, cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is an increasingly important crop in terms of both rural livelihoods and regional economic development. Cassava production in most of Southeast Asia is
July 28, 2017 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Camelina’s Biofuels Potential
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Can camelina oil be a viable substitute as a biodiesel feedstocks, given that palm oil has received so much negative attention in Europe at least. In this deck, industry consultants Dr. Kapil Lokare and A.
July 26, 2017 Read Full Article
Heard on the Floor at the Bio World Congress: The Top Storylines from Day 2
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... (T)te dialogue around advanced fuels has become about the actions of doers, rather than the aspirations of inventors. 3 Hot Newstories from the World Congress Floor 1. Praj-Gevo Going commercial with sugarcane, molasses isobutanol. ... 2. Queensland
July 26, 2017 Read Full Article
Is It the End or Just the Beginning for Jatropha?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In Botswana, jatropha’s adventures are just beginning according to the Ministry of Minerals Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security’s advisor, Freddie Motlhatlhedi. He was referring to a joint research project done by Botswana and Japan that shows
July 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Tata Motors Unveils India’s First Biomethane Bus and Engines
(Tata Motors/NGV Journal) Tata Motors has unveiled the country’s first biomethane-powered bus at the Bio-energy program, called ‘Urja Utsav’, organized by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas. Tata Motors has pioneered the introduction of natural gas vehicles in India
July 25, 2017 Read Full Article
New Additive Hands Biodiesel the Win as Cleanest Liquid Fuel in the U.S.
(National Biodiesel Board/PR Newswire) CARB approval makes America's Advanced Biofuel key to meet carbon reduction goals -- The California Air Resource Board announced on July 20, 2017 that it has certified a biodiesel additive that will make B20 blends in California the cleanest proven
July 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Gevo and Praj Link up to Push ahead with Isobutanol Technology
(Biofuels International) India-based bioethanol company Praj Industries will be working with US-based advanced biofuels company Gevo to use Gevo’s proprietary isobutanol technology to process sugarcane juice and molasses. This follows on the back of Praj's development work, adapting Gevo's technology to
July 25, 2017 Read Full Article
British Operator Will Trial Biogas Trucks under Demanding-Duty Cycle
(NGV Journal) Cenex (UK’s first Centre of Excellence for low carbon technologies) announced logistics provider Kuehne + Nagel Ltd will trial the effectiveness of low-emissions natural gas heavy-goods vehicles (HGVs) operating as parts of large fleets with demanding-duty cycles. The
July 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Algae Cultivation Technique Could Advance Biofuels
by Tina Hilding (Washington State University) Washington State University researchers have developed a way to grow algae more efficiently — in days instead of weeks — and make the algae more viable for several industries, including biofuels. Their work was reported
July 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Biofuel Potential in Southeast Asia: Raising Food Yields, Reducing Food Waste and Utilising Residues
(International Renewable Energy Agency) Southeast Asia has considerable resources to produce liquid biofuels sustainably, using biomass feedstocks that would not cause carbon-dioxide emissions or interfere with food supply. Fulfilling the region’s biofuel potential would depend on increased residue collection from food
July 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Products, and Open for Contract Manufacturing: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to REG Life Sciences
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In January 2014, REG acquired LS9 for a purchase price of up to $61.5 million. Most of the old LS9 team, including the entire R&D leadership group, joined the newly named REG Life Sciences, LLC. The
July 25, 2017 Read Full Article
National Study Puts Timeline on Impact of Sea-Level Rise in Maryland and Virginia
by Joe Heim (The Washington Post) On Maryland’s Eastern Shore, rising seawater levels and chronic flooding threaten to disrupt daily life, damage homes and businesses, and swallow land in the relatively near future, according to a new study. For
July 25, 2017 Read Full Article
New Grant Will Shift Focus of UW-Madison Alternative Fuel Research Center away from Ethanol
by Nico Savidge (University of Wisconsin-Madison) A UW-Madison research center that has used the university’s largest-ever federal grant to develop ethanol technology over the past decade will shift its focus to other alternative fuels after winning another major award from
July 24, 2017 Read Full Article
University of Kentucky CAER’s Biofuels Group Receives $2M to Support Novel Emissions Research
(University of Kentucky) The University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research’s (CAER) Biofuels and Environmental Catalysis Group has received a $2 million U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant to develop new emissions technology for low-temperature gasoline. The project is titled “Research and
July 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Sugarlogix Researchers Go from Fuel to Food
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In California, two cofounders of Sugarlogix went from engineering yeast for cellulose based fuel production and refining biofuel fermentation processes to cultivating prebiotic sugars that could be good for your gut. Their goal is to
July 24, 2017 Read Full Article
War on Recalcitrance: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to the BioEnergy Science Center
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The BioEnergy Science Center (BESC) is a multi-institutional (18 partners), Department of Energy-funded research organization performing basic and applied science dedicated to improving yields of biofuels by focusing on the fundamental understanding and elimination of biomass
July 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Arzeda Pumps It Up with Big Series A Funding
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, Arzeda raised $12 million in a Series A round of funding, moving it forward on scaling up of their advanced protein design technology that is used for production of a range of chemicals and
July 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Loosening of Lignocellulose: Switchgrass and Success in Sugar Release
(U.S. Department of Energy) Introduced traits remain stable, improving biofuel production in a field setting. -- ... Near-term fossil fuel alternatives could reduce carbon emissions and ensure U.S. energy security. One alternative uses switchgrass, a perennial plant, that is
July 24, 2017 Read Full Article
New Biofuel Technology Cuts Production Time Significantly: UBC Okanagan Researcher Helps Develop Cheaper and Faster Bioreactors
by Nathan Skolski (University of British Columbia Okanagan) New research from a professor of engineering at UBC’s Okanagan Campus might hold the key to biofuels that are cheaper, safer and much faster to produce. “Methane is a biofuel commonly used in electricity
July 21, 2017 Read Full Article
From Fish Tank to Gas Tank
(University of Dayton) Once known only as the slimy scourge of backyard ponds and lakes, algae is emerging as a superhero in the race for cleaner and renewable energy resources. But this hero is not without its Achilles' heel: algae
July 21, 2017 Read Full Article
What’s In a Number?
by Dave VanderGriend (ICM/Urban Air Initiative/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Plenty of talk circulates around ethanol blends above E10. Clearly, E15 is the next milestone. But as we work to capture ethanol's octane benefits and its ability to replace some of the
July 21, 2017 Read Full Article
Cash for Carbon: A Randomized Trial of Payments for Ecosystem Services to Reduce Deforestation
by Seema Jayachandran, Joost de Laat, Eric F. Lambin, Charlotte Y. Stanton, Robin Audy, Nancy E. Thomas (Science Magazine) Trees take up a lot of CO2, so one approach to reducing the rate of increase in atmospheric CO2 levels is to reduce
July 21, 2017 Read Full Article
Unlocking a Key to Maize's Amazing Success
by Elizabeth Pennisi (Science Magazine) Maize grows on every continent save Antarctica and provides food and biofuels for millions of people. Now, researchers studying ancient and modern maize have found a clue to its popularity over the millennia: maize’s easily adjustable
July 21, 2017 Read Full Article
Technology Could Transform Microalgae into Bio-Based Chemicals to Increase Biofeedstock, Reduce Landfill Waste
(Phys.Org/Purdue University) Gen3Bio Inc., a Purdue Foundry-affiliated company, is developing a unique process that could more effectively and affordably transform microalgae into bio-based chemicals to maximize the value of biofeedstock and reduce landfill waste.... Okamoto (Kelvin Okamoto, founder of Gen3Bio) earned his
July 21, 2017 Read Full Article
Scalable, Reliable, Sustainable: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to NexSteppe
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) NexSteppe is dedicated to pioneering the next generation of scalable, reliable, cost-effective feedstock solutions for the biofuels, biopower and biobased products industries. Using advanced breeding techniques and cutting-edge analytical technologies, NexSteppe is developing Malibu sweet
July 21, 2017 Read Full Article
Indigenous Tech for Biofuels May Emerge Soon, Says Dharmendra Pradhan
(Economic Times) The government is hopeful that a new model regarding the use of biofuels and developed through indigenous technology would emerge in the coming days, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said today. During the Question Hour in Rajya Sabha, the Petroleum
July 20, 2017 Read Full Article
COCERAL, FEDIOL and FEFAC Call for Coherence in EU Strategy for Enhancing Soy Production
(European Feed Manufacturers Federation) COCERAL, FEDIOL and FEFAC members rely on the EU production of oilseeds, soy and other oil- and protein-containing crops. We share the objective of an increased production of soy in Europe. According to the protein balance
July 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Ready for Take-Off: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Honeywell’s UOP and Aviation Biofuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Honeywell’s UOP has developed a renewable jet fuel processing technology, a renewable diesel process, as well as a joint venture, Envergent Technologies, that will market technologies and equipment for generating power, transportation fuel and heating
July 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Major New UK Report Argues Biofuels, Especially Second Generation, Are Needed to Mitigate Climate Change
(Biofuels International) Biofuels are needed to meet the UK’s commitments to mitigating climate change, according to a new report requested by the county's government. Second generation biofuels, made from wastes and by-products of other sectors, will be especially important according to
July 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Gasoline-to-Ethanol Switch Reduces Number of Tiny, Harmful Particles in the Air
by Daryl Worthington (Biofuels International) New research claims that the concentration of ultrafine particles less than 50 nanometres in diameter, which studies have shown to be harmful to human health, increases in the air when motorists switch from ethanol-to-gasoline. Carried out
July 20, 2017 Read Full Article
ExxonMobil, University Extend Research for Transportation Biofuels
by Lauren Tyler (NGT News) The University of Wisconsin-Madison and ExxonMobil have announced a two-year renewal of an agreement to research the chemistry of converting biomass into transportation fuels. According to ExxonMobil, the research is part of a broad effort to identify scalable and
July 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Tata Motors Designs, Showcases Bio-Methane Bus Engines
by Lauren Tyler (NGT News) Tata Motors says it has designed and developed bio-methane engines (5.7 SGI & 3.8 SGI) for light commercial vehicle, intermediate commercial vehicle and multi-axle commercial vehicle buses. As reported, the commercial vehicle manufacturer showcased a biomethane bus,
July 20, 2017 Read Full Article
ChemCatBio Launches 2017 Directed Funding Assistance Opportunity
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Colorado, ChemCatBio announced a new 2017 directed funding assistance opportunity. It’s an opportunity for industry and academia to engage with ChemCatBio to tackle challenges associated with these core research themes, to leverage our capabilities and expertise to overcome any
July 19, 2017 Read Full Article
In Search of Next-Gen Bioproducts and Fuels, DOE Invests $40M in 4 Bioenergy Research Centers
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry today (July 17, 2017) announced $40 million in Department of Energy awards for the establishment of four DOE Bioenergy Research Centers (BRCs), which will provide the scientific breakthroughs
July 19, 2017 Read Full Article
A New Chloroplast 'App' for Making Biofuels
(Michigan State University) ... What we do know is that the precursors for seed oil come from many sources in a plant cell. And Kun (Kenny) Wang and the Benning lab have recently identified a new, potentially significant one. The study is published in the
July 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Cellulosics & the Whole Bio-Barrel: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Renmatix
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Renmatix is a technology licensor that enables the production of petrochemicals from plants. The company’s water-based Plantrose process is the lowest cost method for converting a wide range of non-food biomass into cellulosic sugars, used
July 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Heat Death: Joule Unlimited Collapses as Oil Prices Flag, Time Passes, Pressure Mounts
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) One of the more striking outcomes from the DOE Bioeconomy 2017 conference in Washington DC was confirmation of the demise of Joule Unlimited. “We had a lot of prospects last year,” former CEO Brian Baynes
July 19, 2017 Read Full Article
St1 to Add Renewable Diesel Production, Continues Ethanol Work
(St1/Ethanol Producer Magazine) St1 announced it is investing in a new hydrogen manufacturing unit, which will be built in St1 refinery in Gothenburg, Sweden. This is the first step in the series of planned investments, which will enable St1 Refinery
July 19, 2017 Read Full Article
$8 Million for Algae Biofuel from U.S. Department of Energy
by Tina Casey (Triple Pundit) ... DOE is pushing ahead with another round of $8 million in funding aimed squarely at developing next-generation biofuel from algae, leading to “a bioeconomy that can help create jobs, spur innovation, improve quality of life,
July 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Becoming a Carbon Superhero: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to LanzaTech
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) LanzaTech has developed a fully sustainable integrative gas to fuels and chemicals platform that has no impact on food, water security or high biodiversity land use. LanzaTech’s gas fermentation platform disrupts the current highly centralized global
July 12, 2017 Read Full Article
Indian Oil’s Landmark Project for Fuels+, from Refinery Waste CO2: The Partner? It’s LanzaTech
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Turkey, at the World Petroleum Congress, India’s flagship national oil company Indian Oil Corporation and carbon recycler LanzaTech unveiled a Statement of Intent to construct the world’s first refinery off gas-to-bioethanol production facility in
July 12, 2017 Read Full Article
'High Tech Farming': Missoula Company Cleans Wastewater to Feed Algae for Biofuel, Fertilizer
by David Erickson (Missoulian) ... Formed eight years ago, the company (Clearas Water Recovery) has developed a patented process to use algae to remove nitrogen and phosphorous from public wastewater treatment plants, keeping waterways from being inundated with the compounds
July 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Bio-Fuel from Waste: Zeolite Catalysts Pave the Road to Decentral Chemical Processes
(Technical University of Munich) Fuel from waste? It is possible. But hitherto, converting organic waste to fuel has not been economically viable. Excessively high temperatures and too much energy are required. Using a novel catalyst concept, researchers at the Technical
July 07, 2017 Read Full Article
North Dakota Oil Refinery Plans to Co-Process Renewable Diesel
by Ron Kotrba (Biomass Magazine) A Tesoro oil refinery in Dickinson, North Dakota, has plans to co-process renewable feedstock along with regionally sourced Bakken crude oil to produce a 5 percent renewable diesel blend. Construction is planned to begin in
July 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Cambridge Researcher Dr Matt Davey on How Algae Could Be Used for Energy, Healthcare and Monitoring Penguins from Space
by Paul Brackley (Cambridge Independent) If you thought algae was just sludge, think again as we venture inside The Algal Innovation Centre at Cambridge Univerity’s Botanic Garden. -- ... Defying the inhospitable temperature, Dr Matt Davey bravely slips on his fetching green
July 07, 2017 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer), commenting on EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt's calls for ethanol-free gasoline (E0): A gallon of 91-octane gasoline with no ethanol will contain aromatic compounds such as benzene, toluene and xylene. These are toxic chemicals coming
July 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Pruitt Raises Idea of Higher Levels of Ethanol-Free Gasoline
by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) ... (EPA Administrator Scott ) Pruitt also noted that EPA will be "assessing higher levels of ethanol-free gasoline." Ethanol-free gasoline translates into higher volumes of aromatic chemicals to raise the octane levels of gasoline.
July 07, 2017 Read Full Article
World's First Car to Be Fuelled by Whisky Residue Biofuel Takes Its Inaugural Journey
(Celtic Renewables) Celtic Renewables Ltd, the innovative and award winning start-up company, set the wheels in motion of the first car to be fueled by a whisky residue biofuel. The fuel - biobutanol - is a new advanced and sustainable biofuel,
July 07, 2017 Read Full Article
'On Your Mark, Get Set' Neutrons Run Enzyme's Reactivity for Better Biofuel Production
by Jeremy Rumsey and Heidi Hill (U.S. Department of Energy) Producing biofuels like ethanol from plant materials requires various enzymes to break down the cellulosic fibers. Scientists using neutron scattering have identified the specifics of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction that could
July 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Alliance Bio-Products, Inc. Identifies Market Opportunity for Lignin Waste as a Byproduct of Cellulosic Ethanol Production
(Alliance Bio-Products, Inc./AccessWire) The Company's Production of Pure Lignin Provides a Viable Opportunity to Further Reduce the Production Costs of Cellulosic Ethanol While Adding an Additional Revenue Stream -- Alliance Bio-Products, Inc. ("ABP"), a subsidiary of Alliance BioEnergy Plus, Inc. (OTCQB: ALLM), today
July 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Advances in Biofeedstocks and Biofuels: Production Technologies for Biofuels, Volume 2
by Lalit Kumar Singh (Editor), Gaurav Chaudhary (Editor) (Wiley) Biofuels production is one of the most extensively studied fields in the energy sector that can provide an alternative energy source and bring the energy industry closer to sustainability. Biomass-based fuel production,
July 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Cutting the Cost of Ethanol, other Biofuels and Gasoline
(Phys.Org/Rutgers University) Biofuels like the ethanol in U.S. gasoline could get cheaper thanks to experts at Rutgers University-New Brunswick and Michigan State University. They've demonstrated how to design and genetically engineer enzyme surfaces so they bind less to corn stalks and other
July 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Neste Biodiesel Reduces Particulate Emissions by 'up to 60%'
(Biofuels International) According to a new study, Neste MY Renewable Diesel usage reduces particulate emissions in working machines by up to 60%. The study, led by Tampere University of Technology, indicates that the usage of pure Neste MY Renewable Diesel in
July 06, 2017 Read Full Article
Brazilian Ethanol Producer Sees Boost from Plant Waste
by Joe Leahy (Folha de S.Paulo/"Financial Times") Raízen Energia, Brazil's largest producer of sugar cane ethanol, is planning to scale up production at a new "second-generation" biofuel plant, in a move that will sharply increase the productivity of one of the
July 05, 2017 Read Full Article
Biofuels beyond Corn: The Pathway from CO2, Water and Electricity to Liquid Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... There’s been the cellulosic wave, then waste — and alongside there has been steady progress in what are known as the electrofuels. These are fuels made directly from CO2, water and either sunlight or electricity.
July 05, 2017 Read Full Article
Nano-Scale Encapsulation: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Sylvatex
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sylvatex has the potential to be a breakout star. One application of its technology splash blends a fuel additive called MicroX into diesel or biodiesel, at blend rates expected to be around 10 percent (although it
July 04, 2017 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Verdezyne
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Verdezyne is a privately held industrial biotechnology company that is developing and commercializing novel genetically engineered microorganisms for use as “factories” to manufacture renewable chemicals. Verdezyne’s unique microorganisms permit greener, cleaner and more cost effective
July 04, 2017 Read Full Article
Shell Goes Carbon Negative, Signs Commercial-Scale Deal with SBI
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Petroleum fuels emit 94 grams of CO2 per megajoule of energy. Shell’s latest deal with SBI Bioenergy gives it access to a fuel that emits Minus 14. That means the atmosphere gets less carbon, with every mile you drive.
July 04, 2017 Read Full Article
Energy Minister Hails PCJ/UTECH Biofuel Research
by Chad Bryan (Jamaica Information Service) Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Dr. the Hon. Andrew Wheatley, has hailed the collaboration between the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) and the University of Technology (UTech) on research into the use of
July 03, 2017 Read Full Article
Into the Wild: Exploring Yeast Biodiversity for Better Biofuel
by Leslie Shown (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) In the world of biofuels research, the baker’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae gets a lot of love, with scientists commonly tweaking the yeast’s fermentative qualities to enhance ethanol production. Researchers at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center
June 30, 2017 Read Full Article
Solving a Sweet Problem for Renewable Biofuels and Chemicals
(Phys.Org/Arizona State University) Despite several major national research initiatives, no one has been able to come up with the breakthrough renewable biofuel technology that would lead to a cheaper alternative to gasoline. That research challenge led ASU scientists, Reed Cartwright and
June 30, 2017 Read Full Article
Research Progressing on How to Spur Wide Use of Aviation Biofuels
(Penn State News) Slowed as much by extremely low oil prices as supply-chain and technological challenges, the effort to integrate biofuels into the nation's aviation fuel supply is nonetheless progressing, according to a researcher in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. Sustainable
June 30, 2017 Read Full Article
From Coal-Fired CO2: The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to Capturing Flue Gas via Microalgae
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A recent DOE project with MicroBio Engineering had the primary objective of a detailed techno-economic and life cycle assessment for a coal-fired power plant with two microalgae CO2 utilization and mitigation options. First, biogas production
June 30, 2017 Read Full Article
9 Years Upon The Anvil: The Baptism of Renewable Chemicals and the Purification of Its Strategy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... By now, Tom Boussie of Rennovia has been 20 years in the forge of the chemicals business, and 9 of those years being pounded on the anvil of renewable chemicals development. “People want to live
June 30, 2017 Read Full Article
Green Synthesized Biofuel Meets Auto Standards
by Stu Borman (Chemical & Engineering News) Low-energy and waste-free reaction produces biofuel that meets regulatory vaporization standards -- Researchers in Germany have developed chemical reactions that convert rapeseed oil and ethylene to a diesel fuel that could power conventional
June 29, 2017 Read Full Article
5 Things You Need to Know about Algae
by Alison Goss Eng (U.S. Department of Energy) We routinely field questions about algae-based biofuels and bioproducts. What is it? How does it work? Does it smell? To help you answer some of these questions, we’ve consolidated a few of
June 29, 2017 Read Full Article
Analyzing Air Pollutant Emissions from the Biofuel Supply Chain
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory) NREL's sustainability analysis program studies air pollutant emissions from the entire biofuel supply chain and their implications on air quality and human health. Additionally, we study how air quality regulations can affect the cost, operation, and sustainability
June 29, 2017 Read Full Article
UPM Tests Carinata Sequential Cropping Concept as Part of Biofuels Future Development
(UPM) UPM Biofuels is developing a new feedstock concept by growing Brassica Carinata as a sequential crop in South America. The Carinata crop produces non-edible oil suitable for biofuels' feedstock and protein for animal feed. The sequential cropping concept enables contract
June 29, 2017 Read Full Article
Corporate/Academic Partnership to Convert Wastewater Algae
by Floyd Griffiths (WesTech Engineering, Inc./Algae Industry Magazine) WesTech Engineering, Inc. and Utah State University’s Sustainable Waste-to-Bioproducts Engineering Center (SWBEC) are jointly engaged in developing processes for more efficient harvesting of algae from municipal wastewater and other nutrient-rich sources, and
June 29, 2017 Read Full Article
Xylogenics Announces GX-1 Yeast Technology
(Xylogenics) Indiana-based Xylogenics announced today the release of a new strain design for its patented GX-1 yeast production and fermentation process. The efficiencies created by the newest strain design will have an immediate impact on industries that rely on micro-organism
June 29, 2017 Read Full Article
'On Your Mark, Get Set' Neutrons Run Enzyme's Reactivity for Better Biofuel Production
by Jeremy Rumsey and Heidi Hill (Newswise/Department of Energy) Producing biofuels like ethanol from plant materials requires various enzymes to break down the cellulosic fibers. Scientists using neutron scattering have identified the specifics of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction that could significantly reduce
June 29, 2017 Read Full Article
Shell Signs Agreement With SBI BioEnergy Inc.
(Cision Newswire/Shell Canada Ltd) Agreement grants Shell exclusive development and licensing rights for SBI BioEnergy patented renewable drop-in biofuels. -- Royal Dutch Shell plc, through its subsidiary Shell International Exploration and Production B.V. ("Shell"), and SBI BioEnergy Inc. have reached an agreement
June 29, 2017 Read Full Article
Altering Distillation Curve of Biodiesel – Olefin Metathesis
by KSL (E2IG Solutions Pvt Ltd/Biofuels Digest) ... Today, diesel engines are used worldwide for transportation, manufacturing, power generation, construction, and farming, .... Their success comes from their efficiency, economy, and reliability. ... Biodiesel is a sustainable viable fuel substitute that can
June 29, 2017 Read Full Article
Capturing CO2: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Algae-Based CO2 Sequestration
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The DOE completed an illuminating workshop on Carbon Capture and Sequestration with relation to algae-based technologies, and The Digest has prepared a selection of key slides presented by AquaFiber, Pacific Northwest National Lab, University of
June 29, 2017 Read Full Article
Getting Clever with Fatbergs and Biodiesel - Features Video
(Biofuels International) Congealed lumps of fat, sanitary items and wet wipes stalk the sewers of London and the surrounding area, causing blockages and damage to water infrastructure. Now, Thames Water is working on an innovative solution to fight these fatbergs
June 29, 2017 Read Full Article
Service Providers Partner to Build Ethanol Plants in India
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering in Mumbai is partnering with the Institute of Chemical Technology Mumbai to build second-generation ethanol plants across India. ICT will provide its multi-feedstock technology and LTHE will provide engineering and construction services.
June 28, 2017 Read Full Article
Regulating the Indirect Land Use Carbon Emissions from Biofuels Imposes High Hidden Costs on Fuel Consumers
(Phys.Org/ University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) ... To penalize the carbon emissions from this so-called indirect land use change, the USEPA and California Air Resources Board include an indirect land use change factor when considering the carbon savings with biofuels for
June 28, 2017 Read Full Article
N-butanol and Beyond: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Green Biologics
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Green Biologics is focused on the production of renewable n-butanol and other C4 chemicals from various renewable feedstocks, including sugar (cane, molasses, beets), starch (corn) and cellulosic biomass (corn residues, sugar cane bagasse, forest materials
June 28, 2017 Read Full Article
Tasty Energy Treats You Can Make From Brownies
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Terpenes may be the most unloved class of energy molecule of all time, if you compare R&D spending to potential. Even ARPA-E, the home of high-risk, high-reward government research into energy, hasn’t delved into terpenes since
June 28, 2017 Read Full Article
Outfoxing Dehydration
by Tim Portz (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Following a successful installation at Pine Lake Corn Processors in Iowa, Whitefox Technologies is poised to eliminate molecular sieve regeneration cycles from ethanol plants forever. -- Every day in the ethanol industry, millions of
June 27, 2017 Read Full Article
Charged up
by Patrick C. Miller (Ethanol Producer Magazine) From an economic perspective, now might be the time for ethanol producers to consider installing a solar array to generate electricity for their operations. But from a technical perspective, producers also should be aware
June 27, 2017 Read Full Article
Meeting Needs, Maximizing Benefits
by Ann Bailey (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Farmers continuously implement new environmentally friendly techniques to raise their crops. -- Corn farmers—and with them, the ethanol industry—are growing more sustainable. Farmers in corn states are embracing a variety of sustainable agriculture production practices,
June 27, 2017 Read Full Article
Subsidizing Electric Vehicles Inefficient Way to Reduce CO2 Emissions: Study
(Phys.Org) Subsidizing the purchase of electric cars in Canada is an inefficient way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that is not cost effective, according to a Montreal Economic Institute study released Thursday. "It's just a waste," said Germain Belzile, one of
June 27, 2017 Read Full Article
What Lies beneath: The Ship that Could Revolutionise Seaweed Cultivation
by Julian Turner (Ship Technology) Researchers and industry in Norway are designing the world’s largest seaweed cultivation vessel to meet growing demand for the multi-functional algae. -- Most commonly associated in the West with seaside holidays and Chinese restaurants, seaweed is
June 27, 2017 Read Full Article
Velocys Pivots from “FT Tech Co” to “Renewable Fuels Company”, Eyes California
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In the UK, Velocys CEO David Pummell said that “Our new strategy is for Velocys to be at the heart of building plants that convert woody biomass to high specification renewable diesel and jet fuel
June 27, 2017 Read Full Article
Micro-Algae Biodiesel Reduces up to 80 pct High-Powered Engines Contamination
(Fish Information & Services) The first Chilean tests of microalgae biodiesel in high-powered diesel engines show that a reduction of gases emissions and particulate matter of up to 80 per cent can be achieved in engines like those used by
June 26, 2017 Read Full Article
ALTERNATE ENERGY: Ethanol: It’s Just Plain Corny
by James Bobreski (Finger Lakes Times) ... Ethanol is the alcohol in our beer that we enjoy at a ball game, a party or after a long day at work. In this author’s opinion that’s where it belongs. Using food products as
June 26, 2017 Read Full Article
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