by Matthew Aylott (National Non-Food Crops Centre) NNFCC gives its top ten of Britain's most progressive biofuel and biochemical companies. TMO Renewables ... Green Biologics ... British Airways ... Ensus ... BP ... Johnson Matthey ... Croda ... INEOS Bio ... Harvest Energy ... Greenergy ... READ MORE
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...While the economic growth in China has been drawing virtually all the headlines in recent years, the “Tiger” economies of Southeast and South Asia have been fast-growing for a long time, and with resources including
(Argonne National Laboratory) Nanoparticles synthesized from noble metals such as ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver (Ag), osmium, iridium, platinum, and gold (Au) are attracting increased attention by researchers around the world looking for advances in such fields as biomedicine and catalysts. Researchers
by Bradley J. Fikes (North County Times) Vegetable oils are versatile substances. They're used not only for cooking, but also for making soaps and for biofuels. If Carlsbad-based Verdezyne Inc. is successful, you may soon be wearing them, in a
by Robert Rapier (Biofuels Digest/Consumer Energy Report) Distillates are petroleum products that includes diesel, jet fuel, and fuel oil. Renewable distillates may be categorized as substitutes or drop-in replacements. The most common distillate substitute is biodiesel, and drop-in replacements can
by David L. Chandler (MIT News) Genetically modified organism could turn carbon dioxide or waste products into a gasoline-compatible transportation fuel. A humble soil bacterium called Ralstonia eutrophahas a natural tendency, whenever it is stressed, to stop growing and put all its
by Ben Keller (The Business Journal Now) The wastewater from Tulare County dairy operations may soon be used to power jets zooming overhead thanks to a brand new facility converting moist algae into biofuel. Recently, the City of Tulare leased four
(Algae Industry Magazine) new company from Tel Aviv, Israel, called Univerve is working to turn algae into a clean third-generation renewable fuel. Ohad Zuckerman, the CEO and co-founder of Univerve in 2009, is devising a systems process to commercialize his company. With 20
by Sally Bakewell (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) Novozymes A/S (NZYMB) agreement to market Terranol A/S’s yeast technology as the world’s biggest maker of enzymes seeks to make biofuels from energy crops and agricultural waste commercially viable. ...Novozymes supplies enzymes to break down matter such
Hui Shen, Xianzhi He, Charleson R. Poovaiah, Wegi A. Wuddineh, Junying Ma, David G. J. Mann, Huanzhong Wang, Lisa Jackson, Yuhong Tang, C. Neal Stewart Jr, Fang Chen, Richard A. Dixon (New Phytologist) The major obstacle for bioenergy production from switchgrass biomass is the low saccharification efficiency caused by cell wall recalcitrance.
by Chunxiang Fu, Jonathan R. Mielenz, Xirong Xiao, Yaxin Ge, Choo Y. Hamilton, Miguel Rodriguez, Jr., Fang Chen, Marcus Foston, Arthur Ragauskas, Joseph Bouton, Richard A. Dixon, and Zeng-Yu Wang (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) Switchgrass is a leading dedicated bioenergy feedstock in the United States
Lina Gallego-Giraldo, Luis Escamilla-Trevino, Lisa A. Jackson, and Richard A. Dixon (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) Down-regulation of the enzyme hydroxycinnamoyl CoA: shikimate hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (HCT) in thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) leads to strongly reduced lignin levels,
Huanzhong Wang, Utku Avci, Jin Nakashima, Michael G. Hahn, Fang Chen, and Richard A. Dixon (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) Stems of dicotyledonous plants consist of an outer epidermis, a cortex, a ring of secondarily thickened vascular bundles and interfascicular
(Neste Oil Corp./Biodiesel Magazine) Neste Oil has completed the first phase of its project to build a pilot plant for producing microbial oil. Construction of the plant is on-schedule and on-budget. The first phase will enable the growth of oil-producing
(National Science Foundation) The National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced 15 Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) grants for fiscal year 2012, awarding nearly $30 million to 68 investigators at 26 institutions. During the next four years, teams of researchers
by Jennifer Donovan (Michigan Tech News) Is it possible to develop and produce biofuels in a sustainable way, without harming people or the environment? What policies need to be put in place to help that happen? Nearly three dozen researchers from four
by Sean Nealon (UCR Today) Research supports several California measures that aim to increase the use of renewable fuels and reduce greenhouse gases Researchers at the University of California, Riverside’s College of Engineering – Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT) are
by James Hataway (UGA Today) Since 2007, researchers at the BioEnergy Science Center, one of three Department of Energy-funded research centers, have partnered to figure out how to break down plants so that they easily release the simple sugars that
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) South Dakota has become one of the fastest-growing states in the US, at the same time as it has achieved energy independence through development of its biofuels fleet. Coincidence, or correlation? We look at the
(Ledger-Enquirer) ...Researchers at the University of Georgia may be close to finding it. A report by Susan Mittleman on Georgia Public Broadcasting and transcribed on the Public Broadcasting Atlanta website (pba.org) describes a promising new process for making ethanol and
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) In one of those interesting ironies of renewable fuels, Chemtex's North Carolina proposed cellulosic ethanol project puts a sector of the hog industry rooting for the success of advanced biofuels. ...What caught my eye on
(Manitoba Electric Vehicle Association) We’ve mentioned Urbee here before; unless you’ve been hiding under a rock you’ll know that this exciting made in Manitoba green vehicle has been making headlines in recent times due to it’s unique approach. Here’s your chance to
(Innovation News Daily) A humble soil bacteria has become a genetically engineered factory capable of making fuel for cars. But the project still has to get out of the lab and scale up to industrial-size production. The MIT project aims to make transportation fuels 10
by Adam Wilmoth (News OK) The extended drought has reduced the country's corn supply and driven up corn costs, affecting the price of ethanol and gasoline. Oklahoma researchers are working to solve both problems. Researchers in Oklahoma are leading the effort
by Daehwan Chung, Joel Farkas, Jennifer R. Huddleston, Estefania Olivar, Janet Westpheling (PLoS ONE) Thermophilic microorganisms capable of using complex substrates offer special advantages for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to biofuels and bioproducts. Members of the Gram-positive bacterial genus Caldicellulosiruptor are anaerobic thermophiles with optimum growth
(PR NewsWire/Sapphire Energy) Initial Phase of World's First Green Crude Farm Completed On Time and On Budget Sapphire Energy, Inc., one of the world leaders in algae-based green crude oil production, today announced the first phase of its Green Crude Farm,
(Business Wire/AlphaJet) ...Having successfully demonstrated its cost-effective catalytic process for making jet fuel, diesel and high-octane gasoline from renewable plant oils or animal fats, AliphaJet is beginning its commercial scale-up program. ...The company has launched a program to build a demonstration
(Algae Industry Magazine) Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) and Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego (Scripps) have entered into an agreement focusing on the design of an innovative system in which algae consume carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from
(Algae News/National Algae Association) National Algae Association is pleased to announce a new commercial production growing system has been developed at its test center. The new growing system will eliminate contamination and low production issues found with raceway ponds, while
(National Science Foundation/Biodiesel Magazine) Researchers contend that manufactured nanomaterials—now popular in consumer products such as shampoos, gels, hair dyes and sunscreens—may be detrimental to the quality and yield of crops, as reported in a paper in the online edition of Proceedings of
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) “There are a lot of things we don’t know about the biodiesel process.” This is not a comment expected from one of the most knowledgeable researchers in the biodiesel industry, Prof. Jon Van Gerpen of
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) Cleaner, more sustainable, more climate-friendly, more affordable advanced biofuels are closer to reality than many outside the industry seem to think. At least three new, advanced biofuel biorefineries are being commissioned this year, and at
by Pamela P. Peralta-Yahya, Fuzhong Zhang, Stephen B. del Cardayre, Jay D. Keasling (Nature) Advanced biofuels produced by microorganisms have similar properties to petroleum-based fuels, and can 'drop in' to the existing transportation infrastructure. However, producing these biofuels in yields high enough to be
(Business Wire/Aemetis) Biofuels ISOCONVERSION Process licensed by Aemetis to produce 100% drop-in renewable jet and diesel fuels from plant oils Aemetis, Inc., an advanced fuels and renewable chemical company, announced today that the company signed a license agreement with Chevron Lummus
(Renmatix) Companies embark on program to explore viability of MSW as inputs for PlantroseTM process Waste Management, Inc. , the leading provider of comprehensive waste management services, and Renmatix, the leading manufacturer of biobased sugar intermediates for global chemical and fuel markets,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In our investigations in Iowa this week, we noted 6 trends worth carefully watching, which take us from opportunities with existing feedstocks to exotic newcomers like algae. Our thesis now is essentially unchanged from 2010, when
by Dave Aeikens (St. Cloud Times) In the basement of Brown Hall at St. Cloud State University, specially-designed water tanks are used to grow algae. It’s part of a research project for a southeastern Minnesota company that builds the algae-growing technology.
by Adam Stone (Defense News) With the U.S. Navy spending an increasing amount of cash on alternative energy — including biofuels — researchers at South Dakota State University have embarked on a project that could generate a new strain of
(My Monticello News) The study of microscopic algae may seem to have little practical application to those unfamiliar with the science, but a current project being conducted by two University of Arkansas at Monticello scientists could have a far-reaching impact
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In North Carolina, Chemtex announced that it has received a $99 million conditional loan guarantee from USDA, under the USDA’s 9003 Biorefinery Assistance Program for the engineering and construction of “Project Alpha.” Chemtex is in discussions
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Like many states (or countries) that have limited oil reserves or reserves that are economically unfeasible to extract at this time – the path to energy independence lies generally in Missouri’s substantial “above-ground oil fields”
Alison Shouldice (The Whig) Piecing together “molecular Lego” is helping Queen's University researchers explore more efficient ways of producing biofuels. The research team has been looking at a certain bacterial complex, cellulosome, under the microscope. Cellulosome is known to be highly efficient
by Dan Krotz (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Molecular transporter could advance development of algae-based biofuels, pharmaceuticals Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and Stanford University have developed a way to send molecules and proteins
by Adam Stone (Defense News) The U.S. Army is testing new power packs that could run on virtually any fuel, including gasoline, ethanol and diesel. Developed by INI Power of Morrisville, N.C., the alternative energy power packs could even run on
By Gregg Hennigan (KCRG.com) Iowa City is considering participating in a trash-to-ethanol project that could result in an 80-percent reduction in the amount of solid waste going to its landfill. City staffers have been talking with officials from Maryland-based Fiberight about
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) ...Steve McNinch with Western Plains Energy said his company is looking at how to move into the advanced biofuels category of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2). The biorenfinery, which produces ethanol from sorghum (milo), is currently
(PR NewsWire) POET Research Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of POET LLC, one of the world's largest ethanol producers, and Agrivida, Inc., a developer of biotechnology platforms for feedstock and feedstock processing, today announce the signing of a technology collaboration joint
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) With the US drought, food vs fuel has returned as an issue. What alternatives are scientists, entrepreneurs developing to take us beyond the old debate? ...1. Feedstock diversification. In biofuels, it is more talked about –
(EurekAlert!/American Chemical Society) With 1.3 billion tons of food trashed, dumped in landfills and otherwise wasted around the world every year, scientists today described development and successful laboratory testing of a new "biorefinery" intended to change food waste into a
by Nichole Goetz (The Wetaskiwin Times) Not many people can say they have taken a car down a quarter-mile track in 6.3 seconds going more than 250 kilometers per hour. But jet car driver Kevin Therres can. Therres, and his wife, Gwen,
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) University racing teams participating in the Formula SAE Collegiate design and performance racing series have the opportunity to develop race cars with alternative fuels. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln team has chosen to compete in the 2013 series using E85 racing fuel.
(Biofuels International) Bioethanol yeast developing company Lesaffre, and its business unit Fermentis, has acquired xylose isomerase technology from yeast technology providers Butalco. ...According to Butalco, the xylose isomerase technology enables an improved production of lignocellulosic biofuels as the enzyme is highly
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Launching today – and stretching into early Fall – the Algae Biomass Organization is coordinating a series of events billed as “The “Summer of Algae II” to raise awareness about the promise of the algae
by Amir Kurtovic (St. Louis Business Journal) ...A team of University of Missouri researchers has won a $5.4 million grant to study alternative biofuels that do not impact the already strained food supply. ...Shibu Jose and his team of researchers in the
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Alltech has installed a 60-foot ethanol distillation tower at its production facility in Springfield, Ky. The plant produces natural animal health and nutrition products. The company invested $4 million dollars in new yeast-production technology, a core
by Thomas Corle (Leifmark LLC, Inbicon Technology Marketing Partner) Opening his presentation with imposing nature images of pristine beauty, Corle's presentation lays Denmark's aspirations on the table - to move from 2006's 15/85 (CO2 emission) to 85/15 (CO2 neutral) in
by Angie Bergenson (Hydrogen Fuel News) ...A team of researchers from Michigan State University have been working to make ethanol a more attractive source of fuel for the country. The team has made a breakthrough which is claims will boosts
(PhysOrg) In separate feeding trials, nursery pigs and chickens have eaten high-protein fungi that Hans van Leeuwen and other Iowa State University researchers have produced in a pilot plant that converts ethanol leftovers into food-grade fungi. The production process also
(Texas AgriLife) BP Biofuels and Texas AgriLife Research, part of The Texas A&M University System, have signed a three-year agreement to develop and commercialize cellulosic feedstocks for the production of advanced biofuels. The collaboration will utilize AgriLife Research’s diverse high biomass
by Russ White and Mackenzie Mohr(Michigan Live) ...“One of the things that we’re evaluating with cellulosic ethanol is (if there) are there places we can produce these crops on lands that aren’t producing food crops,” he ( MSU Extension’s Bioenergy Educator Dennis Pennington)
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New Mexico, ARA announced today that Chevron Lummus Globalhas joined the ReadiJet Alternative Fuel Initiative to develop drop-in biofuels for jet and diesel engines, eliminating the need for blending with petroleum. The joint development effort
(JOil) JOil (S) Pte. Ltd., a scientific bioenergy crop developer of a new generation of Jatropha, sees the potential to double the product revenue per hectare from Jatropha plantations with biomass fuel cakes and animal feed meal. This can lead to a viable “Jatropha
(Algae Industry Magazine) Gas Technology Institute’s (GTI’s) new pilot-scale IH2 Plant in Chicago, Illinois, demonstrates their efforts to broaden biomass-to-liquid hydrocarbon fuel conversion. The 70-year-old research, development and training organization has turned much of its research toward renewable fuels. Their IH2 Technology,
(R&D Magazine) Pioneering mass spectrometry methods developed at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Ames Laboratory are helping plant biologists get their first glimpses of never-before-seen plant tissue structures. The new method opens up new realms of study, ones that might
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, the state Energy Commission today unanimously approved funding of $1,974,330 for the expansion and upgrade of a biodiesel production facility and buy-downs of alternative-fuel vehicles. The awards improve the environment, reduce use of
(FuturaGene/Yahoo!) FuturaGene, a world leader in the enhancement of yield and sustainability of woody crops for plantation forestry, biopower and biofuel markets, has launched four field trials for selection and improvement of plant species in Gansu province, in northwestern China.
(City of Raleigh, NC/Biodiesel Magazine) The city of Raleigh has received a $100,000 grant from the Biofuels Center of North Carolina to purchase processing equipment and begin biofuel production at the Neuse River Wastewater Treatment Plant. In 2010, the City of
by Daniel Grushkin (FastCoExist.com) Amyris’s breakthroughs in bioengineering--and its plans to make biofuels from Brazilian sugarcane--promised to transform how the world’s businesses produce energy, cosmetics, and medicine. Then reality (and Wall Street) got in the way. ...Already, in the short lifetime
by Brian Dowling (Hartford Current) ...Richard Parnas, a professor of chemical engineering at the University of Connecticut's Institute of Materials Science, a few years ago started converting the school's used cooking oil, known as yellow grease, to biodiesel. The results
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Fewer people know that natural gas is a platform for producing ethanol – either through fermentation or catalytic conversion (typically via methanol) – and drop-in fuels using the methanol-to-gasoline method pioneered years ago by ExxonMobil
(ECNMag.com) Engineered enzyme alters cell wall composition in ways that could make it easier to convert plant biomass into biofuels Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have created a new enzyme that effectively “masks” the synthetic
by Ian C. Campbell (The Oregonian) ...A new $6 million federal grant to develop jet fuel and clean diesel from grass and sugarcane could help. The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture money to researchers at Oregon State University, the University of Hawaii and Washington
(Yahoo!/PRWeb) The Doe Run Company is participating in a pilot project with MFA Oil Biomass LLC and Missouri University of Science and Technology to plant Miscanthus grass to help transform mine tailings sites into potential biofuel crop sites. The Doe Run Company is participating in a pilot project with
by Sue Retka Schill (Biomass Magazine) Fulcrum BioEnergy Inc. received a $105 million condition loan guarantee from the USDA, putting its planned 10 MMgy Sierra BioFuels Plant closer to groundbreaking. "This USDA loan guarantee provides a key piece of financing to
by Cornell University (R&D Mag) The commercialization of shrub willow as a bioenergy crop could be years closer, thanks to a $1.37 million grant that will allow Cornell researchers to take advantage of the newly mapped shrub willow genome to
(NextBigFuture.com) Halophytes are salt-tolerant plants that are found throughout the world. Halophytes can be used to grow both fuel and food, and a NASA facility is attempting to use halophytes for large-scale fuel production. The aim is to create aviation-grade biofuels
[caption id="attachment_34842" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="IndyCar fans watch the action at Turn 1."][/caption] by Robert Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) “2 more laps on 4 or 5 less gallons.” Mid-Ohio Honda Indy 200 Winner Scott Dixon in post-race interview Abstract We added Green Racing to
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) With Ford's Ecoboost engines in about 40% of F-150 fleet and three shifts working in Cleveland, Ohio to keep up with demand, along with the increasing popularity of GM's Ecotec engines, it was time
(Equities.com) Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday it will launch the world's first hybrid vehicle that uses ethanol in Brazil later this year. The Prius hybrid, with a fuel economy of 32.6 kilometers per liter, will be manufactured in Japan and exported
(University of York) Scientists at the University of York are leading a major new EU-backed network that is exploring ways of using waste as an alternative carbon source, employing green and sustainable chemical technologies. York’s Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence, which
by Gernot Pehnelt and Christoph Vietze (Friedrich Schiller University and the Max Planck Institute of Economics) During the last years, the renewable energy strategy of the European Union (EU) and the proposed policies and regulations, namely the Renewable Energy Directive (RED), have been heavily
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Swiss specialty chemicals company Clariant is now operating its demonstration-scale cellulosic ethanol plant in Straubing, Germany. With an annual capacity of up to 1,000 tons (330,000 MMgy), the demonstration facility is scaling up the
by Larry Kershner (The Messenger) A post-graduate student at Michigan State University thinks that upgrading ethanol to a higher grade of alcohol - 1-butanol - will help the ethanol industry get past the "blender's wall," especially as the price of
(Algae Industry Magazine) Touchstone Research Laboratory, of Triadelphia, WV is scaling up its Department of Energy (DOE)-funded project to produce fuels and other high-value, bio-based products from algae. The laboratory is working with DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory to bring
The race to create a better, less controversial biofuel has spawned plenty of research into a variety of potential new sources - including switchgrass, cornstalks and algae. One goal behind the next generation of ethanol fuel is to end the debate
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Arch-critic of the cost of military biofuels — Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe — comes under scrutiny over earmarks for natural gas-based military fuels that cost 29 times more than conventional fuels. In Washington, the battle over
(Georgia Tech University) With a series of papers published in chemistry and chemical engineering journals, researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology have advanced the case for extracting carbon dioxide directly from the air using newly-developed adsorbent materials. The technique might
By Bob Silberg (NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory/R&D Magazine) If you’ve had to deal with termites in your house, you probably hate their guts. But not Jared Leadbetter. He loves termites, especially their guts! "It turns out termites do something we'd like
(Leopoldina) The Leopoldina’s statement “Bioenergy – Chances and Limits” provides a comprehensive analysis of the use of bioenergy. It was compiled by a working group of more than 20 expert scientists established in 2010 and outlines under which conditions the
(PhysOrg) Researchers in Spain have discovered that greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced through the use of biodiesel. The group from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) in Spain investigated the benefits of using biodiesel by analyzing and quantifying primary and
by David Pruitt (The Alestle) On July 16 and 17, John Caupert, director of SIUE’s National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center, met with USDA officials about a new process the NCERC has discovered to use corn more efficiently in the production
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The recent focus on drought, and the scarcity scare, shows that diversification and yield enhancement remain the bioeconomy’s chief weapons in the war on availability and affordability. The USDA and DOE respond with a $41M
by Dave Larsen (Dayton Daily News) The facility will be used to develop advanced jet fuels for Air Force. The University of Dayton Research Institute will start construction July 9 on a new $850,000 outdoor algae lab at its River Campus
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Massachusetts-based Agrivida Inc. is conducting the first year of USDA-permitted field trials to grow corn that has been engineered to include enzymes in the corn stalk. The addition should lower the cost of cellulosic
by Arthur Kollaras, Paul Koutouridis, Mary Biddy and James D. McMillan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Feed yeast, green coal contribute to bottom line ...History shows that once an industry is established, significant technological improvements quickly evolve. But in the meantime, how does
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Minimum octane rating decisions could greatly impact ethanol’s future market opportunities At a time when ethanol’s high-octane rating is touted as its most valuable asset, a situation in South Dakota shows a lower-octane gasoline scenario
by Luke Geiver (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. EPA has granted KiOR Inc. the necessary permit to sell renewable cellulosic gasoline in the U.S. According to Fred Cannon, the EPA’s acceptance of KiOR’s advanced biofuel blendstock “is a landmark” for the
(PR NewsWire) iDiverse announced that it has discovered a yeast gene that when inserted into yeast and properly modulated can increase ethanol production yield by up to 34%. "The gene functions by protecting the yeast against some of the lethal stresses
by Michael Gubisch (FlightGlobal/Flight International) ...Between 15 July and 27 December 2011, Lufthansa deployed a newly delivered Airbus A321 (registration D-AIDG) on the route between Hamburg and Frankfurt, with one of the two International Aero Engines V2500 powerplants running exclusively
(Innoget.com) IUCT has developed a technology to produce different biofuels in biodiesel plants and oleochemical production facilities. Our technology is very flexible because the starting raw materials may be glycerol, vegetable oils, animal fats or used cooking oils. The oupput,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Here we are, some 30+ years into the era of genetic modification of crops. The primary breadbasket of the world, the United States, is experiencing its most severe drought conditions in decades, and you might
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The once futuristic vision of integrating traditional and second-generation ethanol facilities appears more attainable as various companies emerge with technology improvements that will allow corn ethanol producers to add cellulosic ethanol streams without taking
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Studies examine antibiotics in DDGS, whether it contributes to antibiotic resistance in animals Are the antibiotic residues found in distillers grains biologically active? And, if they are, could antibiotic use in distillers grains production contribute to
by Ysabel Yates (Renewable Energy World) ...For the next two years, Rolf Reitz and his team will be developing a model to work out the right mix of biofuel for the Navy’s fleet. Reitz’s work is critical because Navy Secretary Ray Mabus
(Expansion.com) Murcia University research has developed a process which allows the production of biodiesel in a single step and continuously through a combination of enzymes (biocatalysts) and solvent "green" nonaqueous ionic liquids such as carbon dioxide and supercritical. READ MORE
(Verenium) Verenium Corporation, a leading industrial biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of high-performance enzymes, and Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., the leading owner, operator, and developer of high-quality, sustainable real estate and technical infrastructure for the broad and
(Algae Industry Magazine) A recent study at the University of Texas at Austin demonstrates that it is theoretically possible to produce about 500 times as much energy from algae fuels as is needed to grow the fuels. However, limited by
(PRWeb) Yulex Corporation, as part of a consortium headed by Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded the company and its consortium partners a $6.9 million grant. This four year grant will
by Jill Bock (Standard Democrat/Southeast Missourian) ...Southeast Missouri State University's Department of Agriculture hosted a grand opening ceremony for its Biomass/Biofuels Research and Demonstration Field at Southeast's Sikeston campus Thursday morning. A $200,000 two-year grant from the Delta Regional Authority,
(Energy FactCheck) FACT: 1. The U.S. Navy’s biofuel initiative began in 2006 when President George W. Bush’s Defense Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, initiated a task force to explore options for reducing the military’s dependence on fossil fuels (Source: National Council for
(Stock Journal) MISA researchers from SARDI have isolated and evaluated a ‘super strain’ of a native microalgae species that could form the basis of a local biofuels industry. This breakthrough in biodiscovery comes after six years of ‘bioprospecting’ across thousands of
(FlightGlobal) The National Research Council (NRC) of Canada has for the first time conducted biofuel test flights using chase aircraft to measure the emissions. The campaign is among a number of different projects which the government research and development body
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...But some of the most interesting work being done today at Joule Unlimited is of the “Don’t Bee” type: progressively knocking out characteristics and pathways that create limitations on biofuels production: “Don’t BEE a naughty
(R&D Magazine) With metabolically engineered microorganisms hungry for levulinic acid rather than sugar, a University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) chemical and biological engineer aims to create more sustainable, cost-effective processes for converting biomass into high-energy-density hydrocarbon fuels. ...Brian Pfleger, a UW-Madison assistant
by Rasha Dewedar (SciDev.net) A method for generating biofuel by breaking down plastics using a low-cost catalyst will be developed further in the United Kingdom next month (16 July). The process was developed by a sixteen-year-old Egyptian student, Azza Abdel Hamid Faiad, from the Zahran Language School
by Alicia Moore (HydrogenFuelNews.com) ...The U.S. Coast Guard has also taken a keen interest in biofuels, using them to power the ship Henry Blake on its maiden voyage. Henry Blake combines diesel with biofuel The ship makes use of a 50/50
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As bio-based companies race across the Valley of Death, in the dash for scale, who’s getting financing now, and how? The path to financing success in bio-based project development used to be a little less complicated. Raise
(Herald Sun) The world's first industrial plant producing biofuels from seaweed will be built in the northeastern Brazilian state of Pernambuco in late 2013, the official in charge of the project says. The factory to be set up by Austrian firm
(PR Web) Mason & Morse Farmland Group Partners with TerViva Regarding Pongamia Projects A California company has come up with a compelling twist on farmland investing for private clients and institutional investors focusing on real assets. This farmland investment model, however,
(JustMeans.com) A patent that opens the door for the creation of biofuels from abundantly available plant fiber has been issued to researchers at the Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable Technology (WIST) at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. WIST’s first patent is for
(CBC News) Lakehead University professor receives grant from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council ...Lakehead University professor Pedram Fatehi said he wants to generate environmentally friendly biofuels out of liquid waste produced by pulp mills — waste that's usually burnt off
(The Maritime Executive) Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Henry J. Kaiser (T-AO 187), which is currently providing logistical support for U.S. Pacific Fleet's biennial Rim of the Pacific exercise off Hawaii, will deliver 900,000 gallons of a 50-50 blend of
(PhysOrg) Scientists from Queen Mary, University of London have discovered a mechanism that controls the way that organisms breathe or photosynthesise, potentially paving the way for improved biofuel production. READ MORE and MORE (EarthSky.org) Abstract
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Can the harnessing of the powers of magnetism overcome cost challenges in algal biofuels? Researchers across the globe pursue the answers. ...For the fossil molecule, its time within a living system is complete and its development
(Associated Press/FuelFix) A University of Kansas researcher wants wastewater to be less so by using it to manufacture biofuel. The Topeka Capital-Journal reported that assistant professor Belinda Sturm grows algae in nitrogen- and phosphorus-laden Lawrence wastewater that ordinarily is discharged into
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Belgium, the European Biofuels Technology Platform has released a new report that says certain biofuels production routes could provide “low-hanging fruits” for early, low-cost CCS deployment. A recent study indicated that, globally, Bio-CCS could
(PRNewsWire/MarketWatch) Butamax(TM) Advanced Biofuels, LLC, the biobutanol technology leader, today announced the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted Butamax Patent Number 8,222,017 which protects a subset of key enzymes in the isobutanol production pathway. ...This latest patent issued
by Jon Newberry (BizJournals.com) As GE Aviation explores ways to secure million of gallons of biofuels for jet engine testing, as the Business Courier reported, one of the potential partners it’s talked with is Cincinnati-based Great Plains Oil & Exploration LLC. Great
(University of Wisconsin-Madison) With the help of a $2 million grant from the U.S. Office of Naval Research, mechanical engineers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will develop a tool to characterize the performance of a new class of alternative fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, a new study by the RAND Corporation says that the US military’s petroleum demand of 340,000 barrels per day, compared to global demand of 87 million barrels per day, isn’t large enough of
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Algae.Tec Ltd. is holding a VIP official commissioning of its Shoalhaven One showcase algae production facility in Bomaderry, New South Wales, Australia, on Aug. 2. Shoalhaven One is a series of enclosed algae photobioreactors (PBRs) co-located
(Bioenergy News) Chemical and biofuels company Gevo has signed a joint development agreement with Beta Renewables to develop an integrated process for the production of bio-based isobutanol from cellulosic biomass. The agreement anticipates production plants will be located where cellulosic feedstocks
by Tim Bryant (STLToday.com) The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is among five recipients of a $12.1 million federal grant to develop drought-tolerant grass as a sustainable source of biofuel. Developing bioenergy grasses with the desirable traits needed for
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Rather than focusing on a single microbe capable of converting cellulose to ethanol in a fermenter, researchers at Michigan State University are mimicking nature, culturing two bacteria that grow synergistically. The process creates two
by Danny King (AutoblogGreen) ... Michigan State University scientists have found a biofuel production method that the institution says boosts energy from the production process by a factor of 20. Gemma Reguera, a microbiologist at MSU, led an effort that uses – stay with
(The Bioenergy Site) US-based Protabit, an off-shoot from the California Institute of Technology, has been awarded a Small Business Innovative Research grant (phase one) for engineering cellulose enzymes. The computational protein software platform designers will use the award from the National
(Science Daily) Scientists are reporting new evidence that a white rot fungus shows promise in the search for a way to use waste corn stalks, cobs and leaves -- rather than corn itself -- to produce ethanol to extend supplies
(Biofuels International) A new strain of microalgae species, which could benefit the biofuels industry, has been evaluated by researchers at the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI). The breakthrough comes six years after bioprospecting across several thousand kilometres of South
by Meghan Schiller (Medill News Service/Wall Street Journal) The head of BP’s alternative-energy business on Tuesday said biofuel and wind are the stars of the field as the firm ramps up its presence. Katrina Landis, CEO of BP’s alternative energy business, said
(Business Lexington) Add “energy beets” to the cash crop list for Kentucky farmers. The high-sugar energy beet, a variety bred to serve the fuel/energy market, is now growing on test plots in Whitley and other Kentucky counties. Kentucky-based Patriot Bio-Energy
by Anna Simet (Biomass Magazine) While the drought in the U.S. is beginning to take a significant toll on some of the nation’s crops—particularly in the Midwest and the Corn Belt—it seems most energy crops are hanging on, at least
by Lindsay Riddell (San Francisco Business Times) Solazyme Inc. broke ground on its Brazil manufacturing plant adjacent to partner Bunge's sugarcane mill. The companies are targeting the end of 2013 to begin production on renewable oils made from sugarcane using Solazyme's algae-based
Thomas Content (Journal Sentinel) C5-6 Technologies of Middleton and the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center in Madison are celebrating a milestone - the awarding of the first patent from the center's next-generation biofuels research. The patent covers research into a heat-resistant
(The Business Journal) EdeniQ, a biofuels technology company based in Visalia, received a $3.9 million grant from the California Energy Commission to help in its efforts of researching the commercial potential of cellulosic ethanol. The grant follows $20 million in
by Bill Esler (Woodworking Network) Enerkem Inc. a waste-to-biofuels and chemicals company, says it has begun production of cellulosic ethanol from used wood telephone poles at its demonstration facility in Westbury, Québec. Enerkem CEO Vincent Chornet called it "a significant
by Nick McCrea (Bangor Daily News) A research and technology hub that one day could help wean the United States off foreign oil opened Monday in a former paper products shipping bay on the grounds of Old Town Fuel and
(The Commercial Appeal) BioDimensions Delta BioRenewables (BDBR) will install a sweet sorghum processing facility at AgriCenter International after an investment from Epec Biofuels Holdings. ...“We consider industrial sugar to be ‘Nature’s Crude Oil’ and are making a commitment to help BDDR
(Biofuels International) US-based biomass company Incitor will use new funding to demonstrate its low-temperature biofuel production technology. The funding amounts to $1.5 million (€1.1 million) and comes from an investment group, led by Cottonwood Technology Fund, that hopes to finance an
(Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development / Environmental News Network) Emissions from forest fires and other biomass burning has a greater impact on global warming than previously understood, according to a new study. “We used to think the lighter particles in
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Key proteins have been identified in a family of bacteria that help the microbes grab onto pieces of plant material in order to better degrade it. This was discovered during the examination of eight
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