by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Ceres and Syngenta sign a major deal to stimulate sweet sorghum adoption. Brazilian producers seek paths for expanding ethanol production. What are sorghum’s chances of being the darling of the expansion story? ...The companies will work
Shi-You Ding, Yu-San Liu, Yining Zeng, Michael E. Himmel, John O. Baker, Edward A. Bayer (Science Magazine) Greater understanding of the mechanisms contributing to chemical and enzymatic solubilization of plant cell walls is critical for enabling cost-effective industrial conversion of cellulosic
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Solazyme lands monster capacity expansion agreements with ADM and Bunge – what’s the sector’s hottest company up to now? ... The Bunge agreement will expand joint venture-owned oil production capacity at Solazyme Bunge Renewable Oils from
(EurekAlert!) To celebrate World Toilet Day on November 19, researchers at Columbia University's Engineering School, working in Ghana with Waste Enterprisers Ltd., the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), and the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, are launching a pilot
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Ensyn – moving rapidly towards scale as a transport fuel technology after decades in smaller, high-value markets. What does Ensyn’s signature RTP technology, that’s making such a splash, look like? ...Ensyn has become a signature part
(GazetaWeb.com) The goal of the research project is to evaluate the performance of engines using the B20. Petrobras concluded today (09), in Rio de Janeiro, performance testing of vehicles using B20 biodiesel, a fuel that has mixture of 20% biodiesel in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Canada’s $500 million NextGen Biofuels Fund, five years after formation, gets close to making its first investments just as Canada’s leaders consider pulling the plug It was the most amazing sovereign commitment to biofuels of its
(University of Wisconsin-Madison) Using a biomass-derived solvent, University of Wisconsin-Madison chemical and biological engineers have streamlined the process for converting lignocellulosic biomass into high-demand chemicals or energy-dense liquid transportation fuel. Their new method eliminates the need for costly pretreatment steps that
by Lynn Yarris (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Joint BioEnergy Institute Researchers Find New Access to Abundant Biomass for Advanced Biofuels After cellulose, xylan is the most abundant biomass material on Earth, and therefore represents an enormous potential source of stored solar
(Algae Industry Magazine) China’s ENN and Europe’s EADS have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to co-develop microalgae-based aviation fuels. The agreement was made public at the China International Air Show in Zhuhai, Guangdong province. ... The scope of the companies’ new
by Matthew L. Wald (New York Times) For years, scientists and engineers have been juggling various combinations of acids, steam, bacteria, catalysts and the digestive juices of microorganisms to convert agricultural waste and even household garbage into motor fuel. So far,
by Marc D. Anderson (AL.com) A company using NASA-licensed technology is looking at a small patch of bayfront property to launch what one day could be a revolutionary wastewater-treating and biofuel-creating endeavor. Since 2009, Algae Systems LLC of Carson City, Nev.,
by Marc Chase (Northwest Indiana Times) ...The board voted at the beginning of the year to find Powers Energy in breach of contract for failing to deliver on its promise to secure land and financing to construct a plant in
(Transparency Market Research/PR NewsWire) According to a new market report published by Transparency Market Research (http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com) "Biofuel Enzymes Market- Global Industry Size, Market Share, Trends, Analysis and Forecast, 2012 - 2018," the global biofuel enzymes demand was worth USD 1,021.9
(International Energy Agency) The 2012 edition of the World Energy Outlook was released on 12 November 2012. Drawing on the latest data and policy developments the report presents analytical insights into trends in energy markets and what they mean for
by Rich Keller (Ag Professional) “Energy beets” have proven to produce double the ethanol of corn per acre in research studies. But what are the full economics and will a large-scale demonstration ethanol plant using beets as the feedstock prove
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) There is a new process that algae producers can use in the conversion stage to help increase their capacity and add to the bottom line, says Incitor’s VP of Business Development Jacob Berman.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Brent Crude trades this past week at a transorbital $109 per barrel (West Texas Intermediate at a suborbital, if high, $85). It puts the conventional wisdom that biofuels are too infrastructure incompatible and too costly
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Michigan, a research team led by Michigan State’s Bruce Dale, writing in the November 2012 issue of Biomass & Bioenergy, that they believe that a lifecycle analysis approach to ILUC requires replacing the nutritional functions
(Daily Yomiuri Online) IHI Corp. on Wednesday unveiled to reporters its facility to test the cultivation of algae for biofuel in Yokohama. The company hopes to mass-produce the biofuel for use in jet fuel, with a target of practical use
(Next-Gen Transportation News) Aemetis Inc., an advanced fuels and renewable chemicals company, has entered into an agreement to install technology from Edeniq at its plant in Keyes, Calif. Aemetis will use Edeniq's Cellunators ethanol platform and test the company's Pathway technology. ...Cellunator produces
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) 500 ton per day wood biomass to biocrude plant commences oil production – the long wait for cellulosic biofuels at scale is over. ...But the news from Columbus, Mississippi, that cellulosic biocrude production has started up,
(Associated Press/The Advocate) An LSU AgCenter forestry researcher is looking at a fast-growing plant called switchgrass as a potential biofuel feedstock. Switchgrass needs little fertilizer and can tolerate drought and floods, Michael Blazier said — and on land left open because
(Algae Industry Magazine) Mitsubishi Corp has signed a research collaboration agreement with the Sarawak Biodiversity Council, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to explore the state’s diverse algal biodiversity as a potential source of renewable energy. Over the next two years, it
(Reaction Design/Biodiesel Magazine) Reaction Design, a leading developer of combustion simulation software, has successfully concluded its work leading the Model Fuels Consortium, an organization that has involved 20 automotive and energy industry luminaries engaged in the development of accurate fuel models
by Robert Sanders (Biodiesel Magazine/UC Berkeley) A long-abandoned fermentation process once used to turn starch into explosives can be used to produce renewable diesel fuel to replace the fossil fuels now used in transportation, University of California, Berkeley, scientists have
by Paula Emberland (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Christianson & Associates PLLP) Multiple revenue streams lessen impact of ethanol prices ...First, and perhaps most importantly, more plants are producing different types of coproducts, and they’re making more money from those coproducts, both in real
(PR NewsWire/Sacramento Bee) Praj Industries, the integrated process engineering and solutions provider for bioethanol, brewery, water & wastewater and process equipment globally shared it's advancement in the development of Commercial Demo Plant for Lignocellulosic Ethanol. This is a major game changer for
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Dr. Jesper Hedal Kløverpris and Dr. Steffen Mueller have proposed a new approach to measuring the climate impact of biofuels related land-use changes (ILUC) as opposed to other land use changes: “Baseline Time Accounting Concept” and believe it should
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) With the announcement of new investment from Bunge Global Innovation LLC, Cobalt Technologies’ n-butanol development is ready for deployment in Brazil. “We’re in a position now where the demonstration plant is fully funded and
by Ed Hamrick (Biofuels Digest/Greenworld Fuels) ... There are more than two billion tons of MSW produced worldwide every year, with more than 250 million tons per year produced in the USA every year. Disposal of MSW is a thousand year
by Kelley Price (Evening Gazette) A Scottish whisky distillery is about to become the first in the world to turn its waste into advanced biofuel - here on Teesside. Tullibardine, an independent malt whisky producer, is using Centre for Process Innovation’s
by Kevin Quon (Seeking Alpha) When it comes to renewable oils company Solazyme (SZYM), it would be good to check your understanding of biofuels at the door. Solazyme's heterotrophic algae are utilized within a closed fermentation process to make triglyceride oils.
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) Just as ethanol producers have been able to market the co-product dried distillers grains (DDGs) as livestock feed, those folks producing algae for biodiesel want to find more uses for what’s leftover once you get the
(National Science Foundation) The Bioenergy Center at North Carolina A&T State University (NCA&T) will be an educational and research resource for the United States in the field of thermochemical conversion of biomass to bioenergy. The efficient and economic production of
(PR NewsWire) Accounting for dynamics in the global agricultural area reduces the current estimated contributions to global warming from ILUC by 60-70% Indirect land use models that forecast the global warming impact of biofuels production incorporate time accounting in a very
(USDA Agricultural Research Service) From 1850 to 1950, the Tri-State Mining District of southwestern Missouri, southeastern Kansas, and northeastern Oklahoma produced 50 percent of the zinc and 10 percent of the lead in the United States. The last active mine
by Nick Perry (The Australian) A Technology breakthrough by two Australian brothers could offer a solution to the world's insatiable appetite for food and fuel. Phillip and Geoff Bell have developed a new way to produce ethanol from waste products such
by Gary Truitt (Hoosier Ag Today) Agricultural economists at the University of Illinois have been calculating the costs for farmers to produce biomass energy crops as renewable alternatives to fossil fuels. In fact – they have created a feedstock cost
(EurekAlert!/University of Michigan) It looks like Mother Nature was wasting her time with a multimillion-year process to produce crude oil. Michigan Engineering researchers can "pressure-cook" algae for as little as a minute and transform an unprecedented 65 percent of the
(United Arab Emirates/AMEInfo.com) Abu Dhabi's abundant sunshine and climate make it a near-ideal location for growing algae for commercial production of biofuels. Such unique geographic and climatic conditions further enhance the opportunity for the Emirate to become a leading developer
(The Star) A Japanese technology, which is still in its pilot stage, may be used on sago to produce ethanol. Kansai Chemical Engineering Company Limited of Bio-Energy Corporation presdent Dr Hideo Noda said in Japan, several projects on bio-ethanol production from
(Business Journals/SAE/PR NewsWire) SAE International offers a book that takes readers inside engines of World Championship Grand Prix motorcycles, detailing the design concepts that make them work. "Engine Design Concepts for World Championship Grand Prix Motorcycles" is developed especially for racing enthusiasts,
by Jim Lane (Biobased Digest) Partnership aims for fuels, chemicals & co-products from brown seaweed In California, Bio Architecture Lab announced an agreement with China’s Xunshan Group, the world’s largest grower of brown seaweed and a global ocean fishery and aquaculture
by Christopher Doering (Des Moines Register) Novozymes said it has developed a new enzyme called Avantec that allows more ethanol to be produced from corn. The Danish industrial enzymes maker said Avantec enables ethanol producers to squeeze an extra 2.5 percent
by Art Hovey (Lincoln Journal Star) The economic bounce that comes from the combination of corn and cattle in Nebraska "is unmatched any other place in the country," agricultural economist Bruce Johnson told the Nebraska Ethanol Board on Tuesday. And the
(Energy Efficiency News) Finnish firm Neste Oil officially opened its first European pilot plant for producing microbial oil from waste material in Porvoo, Finland on Friday. ...Neste Oil, meanwhile, has invested €8 million in its pilot plant as part of its ongoing microbial
by Erin Miller (West Hawaii Today) Aina Koa Pono’s biodiesel proposal isn’t a good deal for Hawaii County residents, Mayor Billy Kenoi said Monday, hours before the Public Utilities Commission was set to begin its first Big Island hearing on
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Jatropha 2.0 crude oil costs drops below Brent crude petroleum price In California, SG Biofuels announced at Advanced Biofuels Markets that it has expanded its global network of hybrid trial and agronomic research sites to 15
by Roger Moore (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Leifmark LLC) ...If you’re Denmark, and practically surrounded by the North Sea, global warming and the anticipated rise in the ocean level tend to focus the national mind. To thrive economically, as well as survive
by Gregory T. Benz (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Benz Technology International Inc.) Lignocellulosic slurries have long been used for paper production as well as for feedstock for water-soluble polymer production, such as carboxy methyl cellulose. More recently, they have been used as the
by Ronalds Gonzalez (Ethanol Producer Magazine/North Carolina State University) The concept of converting paper industry sludge to ethanol has been intensively studied in the past decade. Recently, research at North Carolina State University has shown that the process is clearly
(Algae Industry Magazine) Recently Aurora Algae announced the successful completion of requirements for a two million dollar (AUD) Low Emissions Energy Development (LEED) grant, which has been used to advance the Company’s algae-based biomass production at its demonstration facility in Karratha, Western
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) Heliae is the 9th startup for CEO Dan Simon, and the company is finally at his favorite stage. “We are completing our charge through the Valley of Death,” he says. Indeed. In 2012, Heliae
(MarketWire/National Research Council of Canada) Historic Milestone for the Aviation and Sustainable Energy Industries The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) achieved a major milestone for the aviation industry today as it flew the first civil jet powered by 100 percent unblended biofuel.
(ZeaChem) ZeaChem Inc., developer of highly-efficient biorefineries, today announced that it has completed construction of its 250,000 gallons per year (GPY) cellulosic ethanol biorefinery in Boardman, Oregon. The project was completed on budget and is expected to begin production of
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Union of Concerned Scientists has published a report that shows that biomass feedstock has the potential to dramatically increase our nation’s renewable energy supply. The report, titled “The Promise of Biomass,” determined that
by Stefaniya Becking* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The 4th Nordic Wood Biorefinery conference held in Helsinki, Finland (October 23-25, 2012) brought together over 300 people from around 30 countries. The organizers successfully achieved the goal of having a stimulating event with
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) BSR, a nonprofit membership organization focused on consulting, research and cross-sector collaboration, has released a new report that assesses the sustainability impacts of commercial transportation fuels, as well as the market outlook for a
by Heru Andriyanto (Jakarta Globe) Indonesia might be a potential market for ethanol-fueled cars, following in the footsteps of other sugarcane-producing nations like Brazil that promote the alternative source to fossil fuel, a General Motors executive said. “The key is the government
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Increasing demand for bioenergy feedstock is generating debates about food versus fuel and indirect land-use change. An interdisciplinary team of 11 scientists from seven European countries and the U.S. recently published a paper reviewing
(Environmental Leader) Google has been using Cool Planet Energy Systems’ biofuel blend to run a fleet vehicle at the search giant’s Mountain View, Calif. campus, according to the energy-tech startup. ...During the Google trial, a campus vehicle called GRide ran on
(Petrobras/ Biodiesel Magazine) Petrobras Biofuel and the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture signed a memorandum of understanding to expand cooperative programs focused on the exploration and production of biodiesel from residual fish oil. ...The initiative is aligned with the Harvest Plan
by Heidi Gaiser (Daily Interlake) The four partners of Clearwater Biologicals are working to turn a crop popular in the Bronze Age into a 21st-century source of fuel and nutrients — and they are beginning the process here in the
by RP Siegel (TriplePundit) ... 3p: If you look at where we today relative to the RFS, it says that by the year 2022, a total of 21 billion gallons of biofuel needs to be provided by something other than corn. That puts a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Novozymes becomes preferred enzyme supplier for Beta Renewables’ current and future cellulosic biofuel projects; embedded in Proesa production technology. In Denmark and Italy, Novozymes, the world’s largest producer of industrial enzymes, and Beta Renewables, a global
(Honeywell/MarketWatch/PR NewsWire) Five aircraft fly together for the first time using renewable jet fuel to National Business Aviation Association convention UOP LLC, a Honeywell company, announced today that Honeywell Green Jet Fuel(TM) produced using Honeywell's UOP Renewable Jet Fuel process powered demonstration
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) Big algae news in the state of Arizona is the $15 million award by the Department of Energy to Arizona State University to establish a national algae science and technology testbed, dubbed the Algae
by Nino Marchetti (EarthTechling) One of the major issues facing those growing biofuel crops are finding suitable locations where they can be grown sustainably, avoiding competition with food crops for land resources. A new renewable energy research project being undertaken by Arizona State University researchers aims
by Ysabel Yates (Renewable Energy World) ...Using microbes to create useful products is nothing new. Humans have been doing it for centuries to bake bread or brew alcohol, for example. More recent techniques have employed microbes in green technology,
by Tim Leeds (Havre Daily News) A standing-room-only crowd filled a newly re-opened building at Montana State University-Northern to hear dignitaries and university representatives talk about the latest addition to its cutting-edge alternative fuels laboratory. ...The center houses the oil presses
(Fraunhofer Center for Chemical-Biotechnological Processes) Crude oil is getting scarce. This is why researchers are seeking to substitute petroleum-based products – like plastics – with sustainable raw materials. Waste wood, divided into lignin and cellulose, could serve as a raw
(POET) POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels has contracted for a key technology/process component in breaking down cellulose to produced advanced biofuel. POET-DSM has contracted with International Technology Group ANDRITZ, through its U.S. subsidiary ANDRITZ Inc., to supply a two-step biomass treatment process for
(Biofuels International) The Filipino Department of Energy (DoE) is to collaborate on a new bioethanol research project with Xavier University. The DoE will commit to fund the university’s study into looking at potential bioethanol production via varieties of cassava taken from
by Henry Fountain (New York Times) Nearly a decade after the adoption of federal renewable fuel standards led to a sharp increase in production of ethanol, some producers in the Corn Belt are considering making a different fuel. The fuel, butyl alcohol,
(Diesel Technology Forum) The Diesel Technology Forum issued the following statement today regarding the study published this week by the University of California-Berkeley comparing diesel and gasoline emissions. Allen Schaeffer, the Executive Director of the Diesel Technology Forum, issued this statement: “There
(Butamax/PR NewsWire) Butamax™ Advanced Biofuels, the leading global biobutanol technology development company, announced that last week Fuel Product Manager James Baustian discussed the integration of biobutanol gasoline blends in retail fuel dispensing systems at the Petroleum Equipment Institute Convention. The convention took
(Science Daily/The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology)...Utilizing systems metabolic engineering, a Korean research team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has succeeded in demonstrating an optimized process to increase butanol production by generating an
(Science Daily) Scaling up the production of biofuels made from algae to meet at least 5 percent -- approximately 39 billion liters -- of U.S. transportation fuel needs would place unsustainable demands on energy, water, and nutrients, says a new
(Aemetis/BusinessWire) Aemetis, Inc. (OTCPK: AMTX), an advanced fuels and renewable chemicals company, announced today that the company was awarded a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) titled “Hydrolytic Enzyme Mixtures For Saccharification of Lignocellulosic Polysaccharides”, and
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) According to a recent study from Political Economy Research Institute, a Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) in Minnesota would have a positive environmental and economic impact. The paper, “The Employment Impacts of a Low- Carbon Fuel Standard
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) The National Tractor Pullers Association (NTPA) is going to help promote biodiesel to its fans with the help of the United Soybean Board (USB). Beginning next season, all tractors will use B100 (100 percent biodiesel) in all pulling classes. The
by Marsha W. Johnston (Renewable Energy World) By all rights, many believe aviation biofuel producers should be attracting deep-pocketed investors ambitious enough to build the infrastructure necessary to meet a clearly burgeoning industrial-sized demand. At the Aviation Biofuels Development Conference, representatives
by Bruce Dorminey (Renewable Energy World) ...Armed with a $200,000 U.S.D.A. two-year research grant, Fernando Resende will start work on a fast pyrolysis mobile reactor next year that could revolutionize how foresters and the timber industry currently deals with millions of
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) While petroleum-based methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) has largely been replaced with ethanol as a gasoline additive in the U.S. due to environmental concerns of groundwater contamination, Evonik recently announced it has been producing commercial volumes
by Andrew Hough (The Telegraph) A small company in the north of England has developed the “air capture” technology to create synthetic petrol using only air and electricity. ...The “petrol from air” technology involves taking sodium hydroxide and mixing it with
by Blair Fannin (Texas A&M University) Dr. Bill McCutchen sees the potential for the southeast to become the ‘Saudi Arabia’ for production of dedicated energy crops. “It’s the Bioenergy Belt,” said McCutchen, executive associate director of Texas A&M AgriLife Research, at
by Gayathri Vaidyanathan and Saqib Rahim (E&E Publishing/Energy Wire) A team of academics, natural gas companies and environmentalists is hoping to pull a crucial environmental issue from the jaws of polarization and controversy -- and start moving it into the realm
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) ... So now that Green Crude Farm is in operation, what’s the current activity there? CJ: We are about to do the next big thing with the Farm, which is the strain transition. We’re demonstrating
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Can local communities pyrolize their wastes and residues, to make renewable fuels and chemicals at biobased super-refineries? Two-step processes could be the ticket to the future, according to an Iowa State team. Imagine, for a
(Hyrax Energy) A licensing agreement for a novel renewable chemical and biofuel production method between Hyrax Energy and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation promises to accelerate commercial development of the technology and lead to high-quality U.S. jobs. Developed in the laboratory
by Billy Gunn (TheTownTalk.com) ...Not quite one year ago, Louisiana Economic Development chief Stephen Moret and local economic development officials announced that Sundrop Fuels would locate its biofuels plant at a site off Interstate 49 north of Alexandria. The company plans
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Deployment of next-gen bagasse-to-biofuels technologies could expand ethanol production in Brazil, India by 35 percent without land, water intensification. ...Guidance being given by the projects is that capacities could increase by up to 35 percent at
(Milligan Biofuels/Biodiesel Magazine) The recently announced name change from Milligan Biotech to Milligan Biofuels reflects the company’s progression from tech-leading to market-leading in the Canadian biofuels industry. Milligan Biofuels is now a major supplier of biodiesel as well as a manufacturer of
(Business Wire/Daily Finance) Biofuels ISOCONVERSION process licensed by Aemetis to produce 100% replacement renewable jet and diesel fuels from plant and algal oils Aemetis, Inc., an advanced fuels and renewable chemical company, announced today (10/19/2012) that the company signed an expanded,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...(California Energy) Commission staff have proposed a $4.6 million award to ZeaChem for the development of a pilot plant at its Menlo Park, Calif. research and development (R&D) facility to scale up the company’s C3 (three-carbon
(Medical Xpress) Compounds that affect respiratory health have been found in biodiesel exhausts. This might lead to restrictions on the use of this form of biofuel as an alternative to fossil fuel, according to researchers from the Queensland University of
(National Algae Association) ...NAA is proud of its efforts in promoting collaboration between the research community and the commercial algae production industry. Without any grant money from the government, NAA has been successful in promoting collaboration between researchers and producers, building commercial-scale
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Today, we’ll look at the bigger balance sheets to see who is investing what, and when, with whom, and why. ...We’ve also focused here, for the sake of brevity, on those financing commercial scale projects. So,
(RTI) RTI International began construction last week on a new 3,000-square-foot energy technology development facility on RTI’s main campus in Research Triangle Park, N.C. The facility will house a biomass pyrolysis reactor to further extend RTI’s biofuels research efforts. Using RTI’s technology, the
(Biodico/PR NewsWire/Herald Online) Today Biodico announced signing a new agreement with the U.S. Navy for the development and evaluation of advanced biofuels and bioenergy. The goal is to jointly develop renewable fuel and energy technologies that are appropriate for use
by Robert Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) Hybrid energy storage systems will play some part in the effort to meet the new 54.5 mpg CAFE standards. Their importance will be dictated by their weight and efficiency. We thought you’d be interested
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) It’s called the EBDI – Extreme Boost Direct Injection – and it may be the “little engine that could” revolutionize the automotive world to produce cars that get drastically improved fuel mileage while optimizing the higher
by Jim Lane (Biobased Digest) Could enzyme biocatalysts replace fermentation among the hottest process platforms in industrial biotech? Newlight thinks so, as it applies its supercatalyst to low-cost plastics. And no petroleum or food crops required. In the weeks and months
(Pennsylvania State University) The Northeast could help lead the way to a renewable-energy-based economy by utilizing marginal and abandoned land to grow energy crops such as perennial grasses and fast-growing woody plants. That's the goal of a new research and education
(Primus Green Energy) New Northeast Consortium Tasked With Developing Perennial Biomass Feedstock Production Systems As part of its continued effort to drive the commercialization of alternative fuels, Primus Green Energy Inc. an alternative fuel company based in Hillsborough, N.J., has signed
(Bioenergy Deployment Consortium/MarketWire) BDC held its 2012 Fall Symposium in Alpena, MI on September 18 & 19, capping the event with a tour of the new cellulosic ethanol plant owned by American Process Inc. (API), a BDC member. API's facility is
by Marc Gunther (The Guardian) Scores of companies across the world are racing to unlock algae's energy potential and create a 'green crude oil' Tiny Columbus, New Mexico (population, 1,678) is hot, flat and uncrowded — an ideal place to launch
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) A panel consisting of an automotive technician, an automotive engineer and an ethanol industry representative had the opportunity to bust some myths about ethanol at the National Automotive Service Task Force meeting in New Orleans on
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Two new studies were released this week, highlighting the positive effects the renewable fuel standard (RFS) has had in Minnesota and Ohio. One study, titled the “Minnesota Ethanol Industry: Ethanol Plants in Minnesota,” was
by Michael Fabey (Aerospace Daily and Defense Report/Aviation Week) Despite continued opposition from lawmakers like U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the U.S. Navy will continue its efforts to leverage biofuels technology for its ships and aircraft, service Secretary Ray Mabus
by Kristofor Husted (KBIA) In the parched, rolling hills of western Missouri, you might expect to see a desolate scene after this summer’s drought. But in this field, hip-high native grass sways across the landscape like seaweed in the ocean. Wayne Vassar
by Kari Lydersen (Midwestern Energy News) Purdue University associate professor Richard Meilan is striving to develop a poplar tree that grows more quickly and can be more easily converted to biofuel than the average member of the genus Populus. It also must be
(Pork Network) To update current and potential customers on advances in research and end-users' experience in feeding distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS), the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) has released the third edition of A Guide to Distiller's Dried Grains with
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) An October report from the Food and Agriculture Policy Research Institute concludes that a reduction in the renewable fuel standard wouldn’t greatly reduce corn prices in the 2012/’13 crop year. However, the effects of
by Bernadette Tansey (Xconomy) The South San Francisco company LS9 recently produced five tons of industrial chemicals from plant sugars at a Florida demonstration facility, a step toward proving that its genetically engineered microbes can manufacture carbon compounds and fuels at a commercial
(Deutsche Welle) Lufthansa has stopped testing biofuel in its aircraft because it has exhausted its stocks of biosynthetic kerosene and no other reliable supplies are available. The final test flight was a long-haul service to the US. German airline Lufthansa ended
by Paul Morden (Sarnia Observer) Woodland Biofuels’ $12-million Sarnia demonstration plant is up and could be producing ethanol from wood waste by the end of the year, says president Greg Nuttall. The newly-built facility is located at the Western University Research
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In Malaysia, LanzaTech and the Malaysian national oil company, Petronas, announced they will work together to accelerate the development and commercialization of technologies to produce sustainable chemicals from carbon dioxide (CO2) and natural gas. ...The good
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) World’s largest producer of sugarcane ethanol commits investment to cellulosic ethanol development with Iogen. In Brazil, Raízen Group and Iogen Energy announced that Raízen has committed an initial investment to develop a commercial cellulosic ethanol project in Brazil
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A drought tolerant grass known as elephant grass or napiergrass that is fed to cattle in the tropics is being studied as a possible cellulosic ethanol feedstock in southern states, with encouraging results. The
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A study recently published by the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst explores some of the economic impacts of establishing a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) in Minnesota. The study,
(The Ames Laboratory) Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Ames Laboratory are learning more about how nano-scale catalytic systems work, and their research could be the key to improved processes for refining biofuels and producing other chemicals. Nanospheres,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Are they biofuels? We think so – even if they are post-biomass. They do what organisms have done for eons to make biomass in the first place: convert lifeless CO2, sunlight and water and nutrients
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The story goes back some time, at least to the formation of Cargill Dow – now NatureWorks – a joint venture which Dow eventually left to Cargill as Dow’s views on the sector changed with
by Karen E. Kline (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) ...The 150-employee company (Sapphire Energy), backed by more than $350 million in public and private funds, is a leader in a rapidly growing cluster of 40 biofuels ventures around the city. The scientific breakthroughs
by Harry Cline (Western Farm Press) Castor beans are back in California as a possible source crop for making biofuels; Castor's main toxic protein, ricin, is so potent that a single milligram is sufficient to kill an adult; Castor oil is essential
by Randal Yakey (The News Herald) Steve Baxley, the senior engineer at Applied Research Associates (ARA), stood Monday among jars of fluids, beakers and equipment, holding a tiny amount of seeds in the palm of his hand. They are carinata
(Food Product Design) The Soufflet Group opened a technological research facility and laboratory dedicated to the research and applications developed by OSIRIS and the Regional Biotechnology Research Programs to increase the value derived from agricultural resources and agro-industrial byproducts through
(Ohio State University) Ohio State University President E. Gordon Gee liked what he saw at the Mansfield, Ohio, factory: a syrupy mixture made from crop and biodiesel-processing wastes being turned into polyurethane foam. But he was more fascinated by the story of how
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Every great biofuels technology has its own companion feedstock strategy – with unique advantages and technical challenges. Who’s got what it takes to be a great Sherpa, providing that feedstock or intermediates edge that puts
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The next five years—the often scoffed mantra of cellulosic ethanol developers—is getting whittled down to the next year or two. A milestone was reached this year when Blue Sugars Corp. got the first cellulosic
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Quad County Corn Processors is working toward production of both grain-based and cellulosic ethanol from the same feedstock. Travis Brotherson, plant engineer at the 30 MMgy ethanol plant in Galva, Iowa, wasn’t even thinking about
by Derek Markham (Treehugger) ...A team of researchers in South Korea have developed a new process for converting the lipids in sewage sludge into biodiesel, at not only a lower cost than conventional biodiesel, but with much higher yields. The
(MarketWire) Hydrocarbon-like fuels and chemicals to come from agricultural and forest biomass With funding from Alberta Innovates Bio Solutions, the Biorefining Conversions Network aims to become a hub for bioeconomy investments and a world class centre of excellence for biorefining and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Canada, Ensyn Corporation and Fibria Celulose announced the creation of a strategic alliance between the two companies. This alliance includes the establishment of an equally-owned joint venture for the production of cellulosic liquid fuels and chemicals
(Proactive Investors) SWW Energy has delivered initial results from its waste water to biodiesel/biofuel testing which has demonstrated the potential for waste water to be converted to a fuel. Initial observations from the water sample showed usable effluent and that material could
by Caline Malek (The National) Scientists at the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology hope to acquire 200 hectares of land they need to set up a demonstration farm in Abu Dhabi. "Once we get it, we can start producing aviation biofuels," said
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Every biofuels contender has its own route to the top – with unique advantages and technical challenges. Who is nearing the Summit, what’s their Hillary Step, who’s got Sherpas, who’s got oxygen? It’s the race
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A new drop-in, low-cost, high-octane fuel molecule? How does that work, and why, and when? How does it change the energy independence equation? Today, the Digest visits Incitor to find out about Alestron. ...Back in 2008,
(Energy Digital/MarketWire) Global Clean Energy, Inc., continues to develop its plan to provide the most efficient feedstocks for biomass fuel production. The company has begun to provide for production of Jatropha and switch grass in rural America. ...GCEI's proposed algae production locations
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...15 biobased and biofuels companies were named to the Global Cleantech 100 by the Cleantech Group, which said that it examined more than 6,000 companies in the Cleantech 100 process. Overall, nine of the companies
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Growing crude oil as a crop – Sapphire Energy and its Green Crude Farm – can it be the sunlight in your universe and change the world? What does it look like? How does it work?
(Biofuels Center of North Carolina) The Patterson Science Center, in partnership with the Patterson Foundation and the Caldwell Green Commission, recently approved the establishment of a biofuels feedstock crop demonstration plot on the Patterson Campus in Caldwell County, N.C. The
by Andrea Fox (Water Environment Federation/WEF Highlights) Most wastewater treatment plants do not support acres of sunflowers, rapeseed, or sorghum. However, a grant-funded pilot program at the Neuse River Wastewater Treatment Plant (Raleigh, N.C.) could interest some treatment plant managers
(Biofuels Center of North Carolina) As part of its project to establish energy grasses in the southeastern part of the state on hog lagoon sprayfields and verify the economic opportunities for biofuels, the Biofuels Center has planted energy grasses on
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Scientists at the U.S. DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory have demonstrated a better way to use photosynthesis to produce ethylene, a breakthrough that could change the way materials, chemicals, and transportation fuels are made,
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) ...High moisture feedstocks can muck up the hammer mill system. However, many advanced biofuel producers do not want completely dry feedstocks. The solution will lie in a technology that works well to produce uniform small particles from
by Sarah Gantz (Baltimore Business Journal) Fiberight LLC has been on the fast track to commercializing owner Craig Stuart-Paul’s technology for turning trash into biofuel since Stuart-Paul founded the company in 2007. READ MORE
by Michael A. Cacciatore, Dietram A. Scheufele, Bret R. Shaw (Science Direct/Energy Policy) Despite growing interest and investments in biological fuels, little is known of how the public form opinions toward this alternative fuel technology. This study examines public opinion
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