by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Saturated E10 ethanol markets; unmet demand in aviation biofuels: can Vertimass’ technology provide the bridge? ... After all, if you dehydrate ethanol (that is, remove the water, H2O), what you have is ethylene, a hydrocarbon. And you
(U.S. Department of Energy) The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) intends to issue, on behalf of the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) DE-FOA-0001162, entitled “Targeted Algal Biofuels and Bioproducts (TABB)”. The TABB FOA seeks
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The increase in revenue during 2014 is primarily a result of the production and sale of ethanol and distiller’s grains of $5.5 million following the transition of the Luverne plant to the side-by-side ethanol-butanol
by Jennifer Larino (NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune ) Cool Planet Energy Systems, a Colorado energy startup that aims to turn woodchips and other organic waste into gasoline as well as a crop-boosting soil enhancer, says it has started clearing land to build
(Phys.org) ... A research team led by Professor Mohamad Asadullah has embarked on a project related to gasification of biomass to produce clean producer gas. This gas mixture can be used as a fuel for internal combustion engines, turbine and fuel
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... With great sessions at conferences, delegates are usually keen to get a hold of the powerpoint decks. But how do you get a hold of the great Q&A that follows the presentations — or the
(U.S. Department of Energy) Bioenergy: America's Energy Future is a short documentary film showcasing examples of bioenergy innovations across the biomass supply chain and the United States. The film highlights a few stories of individuals and companies who are passionate
by Donnelle Eller (Des Moines Register) Poet-DSM plans to celebrate the opening of its Emmetsburg cellulosic ethanol plant, called Project Liberty, Sept. 3. The $250 million project will use 770 tons of corn cobs, leaves, husk and stalks daily to produce
(Environmental-Expert.com/ABATEC SA) ABATEC SA introduces the BD4-MG system, to manufacture Methanol from raw Glycerol. It is an innovative way for adding value to the glycerol produced in the biodiesel plants. READ MORE
by Ted Griggs (The Advocate) Renewable Energy Group plans to spend $15 million in the next 12 months on the company’s Geismar facility, which makes diesel from animal fat. “Some of that you’d probably consider just normal startup and ramp-up procedures
(Virent) Registered Fuel Can Now be Used in On-Highway Motor Vehicles Virent announced it has successfully received fuel registration from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its BioForm® Gasoline in blends of up to 45%. As a registered fuel, Virent’s biogasoline can now
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Think affordable, available, sustainable carbon is the biggest barrier to the growth of biofuels? Or, access to market via blender pumps? In the case of drop-in biofuels, the biggest challenge might be finding enough hydrogen.
(Dyadic International Inc./Biomass Magazine) Dyadic International Inc., a global biotechnology company whose patented and proprietary technologies are used to develop, manufacture and sell enzymes and other proteins for the bioenergy, bio-based chemical, biopharmaceutical and industrial enzyme industries, recently announced that
by Russell Hubbard (Omaha World-Herald) It starts out as freeze-dried fungus or bacteria from Denmark and ends up being one of the key ingredients in what some are calling Nebraska’s and Iowa’s shot at the big time when it comes
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) All that food waste, all that potential value. What’s being done about all that material heading from the garbage pail to the landfill? Turns out, the State of Hawaii and BioTork are doing a lot.
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Several University of Minnesota students are giving the ethanol industry a preview of their cutting-edge research in biofuels, biochemicals and bioproducts during the 27th Annual Ethanol Conference in Minneapolis. One such student is Sahana Ramanna who is a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... SkyNRG is undertaking its first major feedstock project in South Africa, featuring a nicotine-free energy tobacco crop that’s developed by Sunchem under the name of Solaris. Which is an excellent reminder of how much activity
(Fulcrum BioEnergy/PRNewswire) -- Cathay Pacific Airways announced today that it is the first airline investor in Fulcrum BioEnergy, Inc. ("Fulcrum"), a US-based sustainable biofuel developer, as part of the airline's biofuel strategy and to help it achieve a target of
by Katie Fletcher (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The 2014 American Coalition for Ethanol conference included a discussion of research efforts aimed at making ethanol plants more profitable. Ken Valentas, professor at the University of Minnesota, and Joseph Molde, a student, have
by Katie Fletcher (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Many ethanol advocates attending and speaking at the 2014 American Coalition for Ethanol conference are not strangers to the ethanol industry. Even though they have been with the industry for a while, many reject
(prweb.com) The Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) has selected Drexel University to perform research that will monitor and quantify the composition of waste greases to improve knowledge about the feasibility of grease-to-biodiesel processes. A key outcome of the Extraction of
by Sean Nealon (UCR Today) RIVERSIDE, Calif. (www.ucr.edu) — A University of California, Riverside Bourns College of Engineering professor is one of the authors of a paper recently published in Science that outlines ways companies can commercialize and profit from what
by Elizabeth Summer (livescience.com/Phage Biocontrol, Inc.) The beneficial microbes that convert milk into yogurt and act in people's guts to promote digestive health cause big problems in ethanol fermentation tanks. When fermenting corn to create ethanol, lactic acid bacteria can contaminate the
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) One way enzyme technology can help ethanol plants is by yielding more ethanol per bushel of corn. At the recent Corn Utilization and Technology Conference, Nathan Kreel with Novozymes talked about Olexa, a unique enzyme designed for oil recovery. “We
by Sean Nealon (UCR Today) A team of researchers, led by Professor Charles E. Wyman, at the University of California, Riverside’s Bourns College of Engineering have developed a versatile, relatively non-toxic, and efficient way to convert raw agricultural and forestry
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Will the old Buckeye Ethanol site in South Point, Ohio be transformed into an ultra-modern base for renewable diesel and jet fuel blendstocks? That’s the vision for a new project origination team that is talking about
By Megan Hart (Topeka Capital-Journal) Fuel is chemically identical to petroleum-based diesel Two ethanol plants in Kansas have started turning a different part of corn into a fuel they say can replace conventional diesel. Jeff Oestmann, president and CEO of East Kansas
By Mark Drajem (Bloomberg) In the arid Imperial Valley of California, Tim Brummels is trying to turn an agricultural cousin of sugarcane into low-carbon ethanol. It’s the kind of climate-friendly project supporters have pined for since Congress in 2005 ordered
(Velocys plc) Velocys plc (VLS.L), the technology innovator for smaller scale gas-to-liquids (GTL), is pleased to announce that it has entered a joint venture (JV) with Waste Management, NRG Energy (NRG), and Ventech Engineers International (Ventech) to develop gas-to-liquids (GTL)
(Yahoo! News/SG Preston) $400 Million Facility in Lawrence County to Create 100 Permanent Jobs and Produce 120 Million Gallons Annually SG Preston (SGP), a bioenergy leader, today announced the planned development of a 120 million gallon renewable diesel facility in Lawrence
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) 1. The Hot 50 and Hot 30: A perennial favorite. This year, Solazyme topped the list while LanzaTech slipped into second place. ... 2. The Top 100 People: Another perennial. This year, international project developers made
by Elizabeth Gardner (Purdue University) ... Purdue University physicists are part of an international group using spinach to study the proteins involved in photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert the sun’s energy into carbohydrates used to power cellular processes. “The proteins we
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Researchers in Montana are looking at an enzymatic treatment for barley that produces a high-value protein concentrate, describing ethanol as the process coproduct. Feed barley has been an important crop in Montana that has
(MyNewsDesk.com/Schmack Biogas GmbH) Schmack Carbotech has been awarded the contract to construct a plant with a processing capacity of 2000 Nm3/h in raw biogas in Sofielund Huddinge, Stockholm. Gas with a methane content of 97 percent after purification will
(University of Twente) Catalyst developed at University of Twente helps achieve European 2020 objective Oil produced from biomass - such as wood chips or plant residues - seldom has the same quality and energy content as ‘classical’ crude oil. A new,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In California, the California Energy Commission recommended awards of $46.6 million to 11 biofuels and biomethane projects. ... The winning projects and award amounts are: Crimson Renewable Energy LP Bakersfield Biodiesel Production Plant Expansion Project–Phase II $5,000,000 American Biodiesel, Inc.
by Anna Simet (Ethanol Producer Magazine) BioCycle plans to make use of agricultural scrap and waste materials and other biomass sources as manufacturing precursors, via a $5 million bioprocessing facility that is currently in final financing stages. According to President and
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Larry Klein and the Sierra Club sued Frontier and the DOE after the DOE issued a finding of “no significant impact” and granted a Frontier funding application which pledged about $100 million, or about
By Kazuaki Nagata ( The Japan times)...While the technology itself is not new, Japanese scientists say they believe oil from aquatic algae could become an important raw material as biomass technology improves and the world looks for oil sources other than
(Edeniq/BusinessWire) Edeniq, Inc. (“Edeniq”), a cellulosic sugar producer, announced it has signed a letter of intent with Global Bio-chem Technology Group Company Limited (“Global Bio-chem,” HKG:0809) to develop and commercialize processes to convert corn stover to industrial sugars for use in the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Could a liquid fuel technology emerge that connects solar PV to the efficiency of electric engines — but, this time with long driving range and near-instant refueling instead of laborious recharging? And, could the liquid fuel
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Cobalt Technologies signed an exclusive global cooperation and supply agreement with Andritz to integrate Cobalt’s proprietary lignocellulosic process for the production of n-butanol with Andritz’s customized pre-treatment systems. The primary alcohol, n-butanol is a widely used
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) We hear from the whispering winds of Wichita that INVISTA, the redoubtable owner of the Lycra and Stainmaster brands, amongst many others, has introduced the only commercial offering of a bio-derived spandex available globally and
by Dar Danielson (RadioIowa) A Maryland-based company says it can save more than 100,000 tons of waste material from going into landfills with two facilities it plans to build in Iowa this year. Fiberight has been approved to build a $20
by Karin Kloosterman (Israel21c.org) An Israeli professor is poised to ramp up production of an exciting alternative to polluting jet fuels and natural gas. An Israeli research team from Ben-Gurion University has developed something that seems like fuel for the futuristic
(Europa.EU) ... NER 300 is one of the world's largest funding programmes for innovative low-carbon energy demonstration projects. The programme aims to successfully demonstrate environmentally safe carbon capture and storage (CCS) and innovative renewable energy (RES) technologies on a commercial scale
by Jenna Iacurci (Nature World News) Algenol, an up-and-coming company that specializes in algae-based biofuels, has developed and perfected its revolutionary technology, likely securing its spot as the next generation's leader in renewable energy. In collaborating with University of Toronto scientists,
by Mary-Ann Muffoletto (Phys.org) Microalgae-based biofuel not only has the potential to quench a sizable chunk of the world's energy demands, say Utah State University researchers. It's a potential game-changer. "That's because microalgae produces much higher yields of fuel-producing biomass than other traditional
(Montana State University) Montana State University is the lead institution on a new $10 million, four-year project to form a research center focused on innovative energy research. The Biological Electron Transfer and Catalysis (BETCy) Energy Frontiers Research Center (EFRC) will be
(Capital Press) IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — As the first commercial cellulosic ethanol plants open in the U.S. this year, energy experts say Idaho is well positioned to follow the leaders with a small facility that would convert barley and wheat
by Tina Casey (Clean Technica) We’ve been following the Aurora Algae company’s progress in Australia for a couple of years, so imagine our surprise when all of a sudden the company popped up deep in the heart of oil country. Earlier
by Jan Koninckx (DuPont Industrial Biosciences/Renewable Energy World) Advanced biofuels are no longer a futuristic hope — they are here. This year, three companies including DuPont will turn on commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol biorefineries, the result of billions of dollars in
(Honeywell UOP/MarketWatch) Facility will be the first commercial-scale renewable jet fuel production facility outside of North America UOP LLC, a Honeywell HON +0.06% company, announced today that its green fuels process technology has been selected by Petrixo Oil & Gas to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... From Massachusetts, word arrived from Joule this week that the EPA has favorably reviewed the company’s Microbial Commercial Activity Notice for Joule’s first commercial ethanol-producing catalyst. This clears the catalyst for commercial use at the
by Aino Siirala* (Advanced Biofuels USA)The 22nd European Biomass Conference & Exhibition took place in Hamburg, Germany in June 2014. The conference gathered 1085 attendees from 66 different countries: researchers, policy makers, industry and business people to communicate and learn
(Renewable Fuels Association) Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a final rule approving additional Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) pathways. Bob Dinneen, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), commented, “We are very pleased that EPA has finalized
by Aaron Dubrow (National Science Foundation) Researchers use NSF-supported Stampede supercomputer to improve catalysts for conversion Scientists from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are using the National Science Foundation-supported Stampede supercomputer to improve biofuel production by determining how certain enzymes break down
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Iowa, the first ever gallons of commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol produced in Iowa flowed from Quad County Corn Processor’s distillation unit this week, according to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association. This marks the commissioning of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As several major cellulosic biofuels ventures head for scale in 2014, we look at the companies, the major barriers (as they see them) for further capacity-building, sources for future investment, and a focus on feedstock. In
(IncBio) IncBio, a leading Portuguese engineering company, who specializes in state of the art, fully automated ultrasonic Biodiesel plants, has delivered a 120,000MT per year ultrasonic transesterification reactor to be installed in South America. The reactor will be used in an existing
(Georgia Tech/Biomass Magazine) When making cellulosic ethanol from plants, one problem is what to do with a woody agricultural waste product called lignin. The old adage in the pulp industry has been that one can make anything from lignin except
by Anna Simet (Biomass Magazine) The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has named five in-state bioenergy projects as recipients of NextGen Energy grants. ... Grant recipients include: -Easy Energy Systems, Welcome, Minn. - $500,000 The project builds a showplace biofuel production facility capable of testing multiple
by Jade Boyd (Rice University) Rice University researchers register 4th ‘volcano plot’ for palladium-gold catalysts Rice University chemical engineer Michael Wong has spent a decade amassing evidence that palladium-gold nanoparticles are excellent catalysts for cleaning polluted water, but even he was surprised
(Heliae/MarketWired/Digital Journal) Heliae, a leader in the development of advanced algae production technologies, today announced a partnership with Japan-based Sincere Corporation, a waste management and recycling company, to form a joint venture and develop a commercial algae production facility in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Second Product of Intrexon’s Proprietary Bioconversion Platform Following Isobutanol Who’s happy, who’s bumming — and how far along is the work, really? The Digest looks at Intrexon’s breakthrough. Gas-to-Liquids approach significantly more cost-efficient versus conventional
by Chris Luvardi (herald-review.com) Archer Daniels Midland Co. passed through a public hearing process Wednesday with limited concern voiced about its proposal to drill a second injection well in Decatur to store carbon dioxide deep underground. The hearing at the Decatur Public
(ASTM International/Biomass Magazine) Renewable Synthesized Iso-Paraffinic fuel has now been included in ASTM International standard D7566, Specification for Aviation Turbine Fuel Containing Synthesized Hydrocarbons. A recently approved revision that adds SIP fuel to the ASTM D7566 annex will facilitate use
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Celtic Renewables raises $2M, partners with Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant Celtic Renewables, the Edinburgh-based biofuel company, has signed an agreement with Europe’s foremost biotechnology pilot facility to undergo next stage testing of its process to
by Tim Portz (Biomass Magazine) Enerkem President and CEO Vincent Chornet and his team have driven Enerkem along a commercialization pathway for the past 10 years. As Enerkem’s first commercial-scale deployment in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, enters its commissioning phase, its technology
(Neol) Neol Biosolutions (Neol) a 50:50 joint venture between the Neuron Bio Group and Repsol has been granted the patent in USA for its technology MicroBiOil 1®. This technology makes possible to obtain oils from crude glycerine via a biotechnological process for
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It’s been known as a source of fiber, and tequila. But exotically high per acre yields and sugar content, and adaptability for low-water and marginal land prompt a key hook-up between Byogy and AusAgave. Can agave transform
by Milsa Vijayadharan* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Developments of OBN west coast partners was the focus of the latest presentation by OBIC Bioproducts Network. The presentation is a part of the bioproducts commercialization webinar series. The webinar was conducted on May
by Olatomiwa Bifarin* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The June edition of the Northeast bioenergy webinar series by Northeast Woody/Warm-season Biomass Consortium (NEWBio) featured Kwesi Boateng - Lead Scientist at the United States Department of Energy, Agricultural Research Service, (USDA-ARS) Eastern Regional
(Byogy Renewables/Nassau News Live) Continuing its commitment to deliver price competitive, 100% replacement biofuels and chemicals, Byogy Renewables Inc. has invested in a strategic partnership with AusAgave Australia, as part of the upstream integration of multiple feedstocks to develop low
(Michigan State University) The Michigan Translational Research and Commercialization Program for the Bio-Economy, launched by MSU and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, announces the first three BioAg projects selected for grants to help make them broadly available for consumer use. Supported
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... A week before the FEW, Enerkem Inc. celebrated the inauguration of its 10 MMgy facility in Edmonton, Alberta. Commissioning is nearly completed, reported Tim Cesarek, senior vice president of business development. The thermochemical process
by Hal Hodson (New Scientist) A chemical chimera may one day help break down stubborn plant matter into biofuel. The feat involves mixing enzymes from two types of plant-munching bacteria that would never have met in nature. Biofuel producers use the
by Ron Kotrba (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Diversifying ethanol coproduct streams is big business in today’s market as producers seek to add value to their product portfolios, a major focus of discussion at the 2014 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo
(Hydro Dynamics, Inc./PR Web) Hydro Dynamics, Inc. and its partners World Energy and PhiBro Ethanol Performance Group are now offering “bolt-on” biodiesel plants incorporating the ShockWave Power Reactor for the conversion of corn oil to biodiesel. By installing a biodiesel
(Edeniq/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Edeniq Inc., a biomaterials and sustainable fuels company, has announced the successful performance of its Pathway Validation Facility. Edeniq’s Pathway Platform is a proprietary, integrated platform that produces cellulosic ethanol inside existing corn ethanol plants. The pilot
(Synthetic Biology Project) Environmental scientists and synthetic biologists have for the first time developed a set of key research areas to study the potential ecological impacts of synthetic biology, a field that could push beyond incremental changes to create organisms
(Ricoh/PR NewsWire) Winners of the 10th Ricoh Sustainable Development Award prove sustainability and good business are entirely compatible Derived from plants, biofuel is an environmentally sustainable approach to the world's energy needs, but its production is generally too inefficient and expensive
(Reuters Africa) French green biotech firm Deinove said on Tuesday it had signed research agreements with France's Suez Environnement and Spanish energy company Abengoa to develop bacteria-based second generation bioethanol. The company, which develops biofuels and other chemicals using a bacteria
by Matthew Burns (WRAL) A Virginia company plans to reopen an ethanol refinery in Hoke County, using tobacco as its primary feedstock, officials said Monday. The former Clean Burn Fuels biorefinery in Raeford has been idle for more than three
(Gas Technology Institute) In a recently completed project, Gas Technology Institute (GTI) worked with Haldor Topsoe, Inc. on an integrated biorefinery to make renewable “drop-in” gasoline, successfully producing a high-octane transportation fuel. The use of renewable gasoline could reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by approximately
by Gabriella Dunn (Des Moines Register) ... Iowa's budding advanced biofuels industry stretches from Emmetsburg in the west to Marion in the east. Although business and political challenges remain, engineers have concocted an expensive cocktail of enzymes too small to see with
(American Council On Renewable Energy) Today (June 2, 2014), the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) announced that it has submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) which sought stakeholder input regarding the biofuel pathways that the DOE's Bioenergy Technologies
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Major step towards stable commercial supply chain for 100% renewable plastic bottling; big step forward for Gevo’s Silsbee operations in paraxylene, jet fuel and iso-octane. From Colorado, news has arrived that Gevo is now selling paraxyleme
(University of Wisconsin-Madison/Biomass Magazine) What began 20 years ago as an innovation to improve paper industry processes and dairy forage digestibility may now open the door to a much more energy- and cost-efficient way to convert biomass into fuel. ... Poplar trees,
(Neol Biosolutions/Biomass Magazine) Neol Biosolutions, a 50/50 joint venture between Repsol and Neuron Bio, has reached an agreement with the Center for Second Generation Biofuels (CB2G) of CENER, the Spanish National Renewable Energy Centre, in order to carry out the scale-up
(Institute of Food Research/Biomass Magazine) Researchers at the Institute of Food Research are looking at how to turn straw from oilseed rape into biofuel. Preliminary findings are pointing at ways the process could be made more efficient, as well as
(Aston University/Biomass Magazine) A sustainable biofuel made from Norwegian forest wood waste could help transform the shipping industry and reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Alternative sustainable fuels are urgently needed in the marine transport sector due to stringent upcoming regulations demanding
by Brett Israel (Georgia Institute of Technology) When making cellulosic ethanol from plants, one problem is what to do with a woody agricultural waste product called lignin. The old adage in the pulp industry has been that one can make
by Justine Fredericksen (Daily Journal News) Cash-strapped Yokayo Biofuels is for sale ... "The grant was to install an enzymatic process that would increase our capacity by about 75 percent, which would dramatically increase the yield we get, and dramatically change
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Inbicon technology planned as centerpiece of low-carbon, high-profit platform: “Patriot will lead the way.” In Illinois, Patriot Renewable Fuels announced that Leifmark has been hired to create a custom Project Definition, the first stage of a
by Maxx Chatsko (The Motley Fool) The global aviation industry accounts for roughly 2% of all greenhouse gas emissions. On a per-passenger basis, a flight on an airplane emits far more greenhouse gases than the same trip in a car.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The migration from first-gen to next-gen biofuels is becoming less ‘Invisible’ — and the new landscape is not, by anyone’s estimation, an ‘Ordinary World’. If Aemetis’ latest earnings hadn’t rocked your world quite enough, here
by Holly Jessen (Biomass Magazine) Edmonton, Alberta-based Syngar Technologies Inc. has announced two separate joint venture projects that will, together, help make hemp-to-cellulosic ethanol a step closer to reality. Syngar Technologies, which was featured in a March 2012, article in Ethanol Producer Magazine has licensed
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It’s a capex figure so low that it sounds like a decimal point is missing. Though early-stage and just developing data out of its pilot — it’s well worth seeing what Sustainable Ethanol Technologies is
by Arthur J. Ragauskas, Gregg T. Beckham, Mary J. Biddy, Richard Chandra, Fang Chen, Mark F. Davis, Brian H. Davison, Richard A. Dixon, Paul Gilna, Martin Keller, Paul Langan, Amit K. Naskar, Jack N. Saddler, Timothy J. Tschaplinski, Gerald A. Tuskan,
(e! Science News) The U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory has created a faster, cleaner biofuel refining technology that not only combines processes, it uses widely available materials to reduce costs. Ames Laboratory scientists have developed a nanoparticle that is
by Mary-Russell Roberson (News Observer) Bruce Dannenberg is a big fan of cyanobacteria – the ancient lineage of organisms you may remember from high school as blue-green algae. Turns out cyanobacteria aren’t algae after all; hence the name change. But
by Daniel Parry (U.S. Naval Research Laboratory/Renewable Energy World) Navy researchers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), Materials Science and Technology Division, demonstrate proof-of-concept of novel NRL technologies developed for the recovery of carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen (H2)
by Rick Smith (The Gazette)"First-in-the-nation" plant to convert municipal solid waste and other trash into cellulosic biofuel No Martians are landing, but loads of steel began arriving on Monday for the takeoff of project to expand and revitalize the shuttered ethanol
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In Kansas, INVISTA and LanzaTech signed a research and development agreement focused on the development of gas-fermentation process technology for the production of industrial chemicals from carbon dioxide and hydrogen gas (CO2 and H2) feedstocks. According
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Meets December 2013 commitment to be able to provide BTX developmental quantities to strategic partners. Plant begins production of 1 kg quantities of BTX, now available to support Anellotech’s ongoing business development activities and strategic
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A new wonder technology to behold: über low-cost hydrous pyrolysis for power and fuels. What’s up at the front lines with the pyro kings? A few weeks ago, in our continuing coverage of recent advances in
by Layne Cameron, Curtis Wilkerson, Krista Eastman and John Ralph (Michigan State University/Renewable Energy World) What began 20 years ago as an innovation to improve paper industry processes and dairy forage digestibility may now open the door to a much
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Edmonton, Alberta-based Syngar Technologies Inc. has announced two separate joint venture projects that will, together, help make hemp-to-cellulosic ethanol a step closer to reality. ... In late April the company formed Cellunol Inc. with ANW Inc.,
by Clayton Park (Daytona Beach News-Journal) A South Dakota company that has developed a way to convert pond weeds into ethanol fuel is looking to relocate to either Volusia County or Houston, Texas. The Volusia County Council at its meeting next Thursday
(Boeing/MarketWatch) Leading aerospace companies share commitment to research, develop biofuel in Brazil Boeing and Embraer S.A. today announced that they will open a joint research center to advance a sustainable aviation biofuel industry in Brazil. Under a memorandum of understanding, the two companies
by Peter Rüegg (ETH Zurich) Biofuel can be produced from wood, too. The key to this is the suitable pretreatment of the plant parts in order to break up the wood structure. Researchers at the Transport Processes and Reactions Laboratory, ETH
by Ron Kotrba (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The synergies between co-located ethanol and biodiesel production have been discussed for a decade. Existing infrastructure to share process essentials, in-house feedstock with distillers corn oil (DCO), and use of ethanol rather than methanol for biodiesel
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest's) ... 1. Feedstock diversification. If you thought it was all cane, cane, cane, think again. There’s a lot of movement on sorghum, and castor beans — and even some on corn. Sorghum. The biggest news of late
(University of Florida) University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers working to produce ethanol from plant material are taking a hard look at eucalyptus as a possible source for the clean fuel. Joe Sagues, director of operations at the UF’s Stan
(US Department of Energy) The Bioenergy Technologies Office has announced a request for information (RFI) seeking stakeholder input on the eight representative biofuel pathways it has selected to guide its research and development strategy. The Office also is seeking input
by Will Dunham (Reuters Africa) ... The scientists said their process turns carbon monoxide gas into liquid ethanol with the help of an electrode made of a form of copper. They said the new technique may be more environmentally friendly and efficient
by Philip Gruber (Lancaster Online) A plan to make biofuel partially on the farm is starting to take shape in Montgomery County. Typically, the entire process of converting high-energy crops to biofuel has been done at a biorefinement plant, but
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) On ABLC's opening morning, we have some of the top slides -an inside look from Inbicon, Ensyn, GranBio, Sapphire Energy, LanzaTech - hot topics such as product portfolios, refinery integration, policy cliffs, the use of
(Proterro/Biomass Magazine) “Proterro has reached its Q1 sugar-production pilot milestones,” CEO Kef Kasdin recently reported at the Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference. Updating attendees on Proterro’s progress in developing an affordable, clean sugar feedstock for biofuels and biobased chemicals, Kasdin said, “While
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) On Friday April 18, 2014, American Process shipped its second commercial ethanol cargo and sold the first cellulosic ethanol RINs from its Alpena Biorefinery. These are the first cellulosic ethanol RINs generated since the beginning of
by Henry Fountain (The New York Times) ... “Biodiesel is made from all sorts of fats and oils,” said Ben Evans of the National Biodiesel Board, a trade group based in Washington. While oils made from soybeans, rapeseed and other plants
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) After Day 1 at Biofuels Digests’s ABLC which served up depression, aggravation and despair; the group of intrepid travelers on the journey to a bio-based economy pulled themselves together and renewed what a number
(Nestle Oil) Neste Oil, the world's largest producer of premium-quality renewable fuels, has joined forces with DONG Energy, one of the leading energy groups in Northern Europe, to develop an integrated process to produce renewable diesel and aviation fuel based on
(US Department of Energy) The Energy Department today (April 15, 2014) announced up to $10 million in funding to advance the production of advanced biofuels, substitutes for petroleum-based feedstocks, and bioproducts made from renewable, non-food-based biomass, such as agricultural residues
by Ann Perry (US Department of Agriculture) Innovations at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are bringing researchers one step closer to developing "green" biofuel production systems farmers can use to meet on-farm energy needs, or to produce renewable fuels for commercial
(Solena Fuels) Solena Fuels in partnership with British Airways has committed to building the world’s first facility to convert landfill waste into jet fuel. This comes just two weeks before the global aviation community joins forces to discuss ways to
(Axens/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Axens, Total and IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN) have launched Atol, an innovative technology for bioethylene production through dehydration of bioethanol. Atol is a technology for the profitable production of polymer grade bio-ethylene by dehydration of 1G and 2G-renewable
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Golden, Colo.-based GeoSynFuels LLC has acquired the cellulosic demonstration facility formerly owned and operated by Blue Sugars Corp., the parent company of Western Biomass Energy LLC. GSF plans to retrofit the plant to use its
by Clifford Krauss (The New York Times) ... But even as Abengoa and other companies prepare to produce significant amounts of cellulosic ethanol, using corn stalks and wheat straw as opposed to corn itself, the appetite for such fuels seems to
(Coalition for Sustainable Rail) The Coalition for Sustainable Rail (CSR) announced April 14 that it is initiating research on conversion of used railroad ties into an advanced biofuel. This research, funded through a generous grant from the Indiana Rail Road (INRD),
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Advanced biofuels – are plans turning into reality? Are development plans realistic? When these 10 projects open for business (or not) in 2014, you’ll know for sure. ...Well, the picture is incomplete. Plants like the Valero Darling renewable
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Hydrocarbon fuel from seawater and nothing else? Is it possible? Not only possible, but demonstrated as a process, and tested in a model plane. How does it rate on the Hooey scale? The Digest investigates. In
(NYU Langone Medical Center/Biomass Magazine) An international team of scientists led by Jef Boeke, director of NYU Langone Medical Center’s Institute for Systems Genetics, has synthesized the first functional chromosome in yeast, an important step in the emerging field of synthetic biology,
by Milsa Vijayadharan* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Luxresearch conducted a webinar on March 4th 2014 about new opportunities for downstream producers due to the growing production of bio-based chemical Intermediates. The basic science of bio-based material and chemicals has advanced.
(7DaysInDubai) Scientists have created a new fuel from the fat wastage of slaughtered lambs. The boffins, from UAE University, have invented a new way to extract lamb fat and turn it into biodiesel that can be used in cars and
(Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft) No more oil – renewable raw materials are the future. This motto not only applies to biodiesel, but also to isobutene, a basic product used in the chemical industry. In a pilot plant researchers now want to obtain this
By Alta LeCompte(Las Cruces Bulletin) On a tour Thursday, Jan. 23, of Sapphire Energy’s research and development facility in the West Mesa Industrial Park, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich addressed the unique nature of the advanced biodiesel industry and the challenge it poses
(RT.com) Scientists have scored a breakthrough in high-energy biofuels by producing a bacterium that synthesizes highly-efficient pinene, a hydrocarbon made by trees. It could soon replace existing alternatives and usher in a new era of rocket engines. Researchers have struggled for
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In California, Amyris and Kuraray announced the expansion and extension of their ongoing collaboration in high performance polymers using Biofene, Amyris’s brand of renewable farnesene. Amyris and Kuraray launched the collaboration in 2011 with an initial
(Algae Industry Magazine.com) UniVerve Biofuel, headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel – with a small-scale demonstration site located at nearby Bar-Ilan University – has focused its R&D on developing a highly efficient platform to produce oil from microalgae as feedstock for
By Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Researchers reported on a novel method this week at the 247th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, to produce biodiesel from crude animal fats, including waste fat from alligators, using supercritical methanol in a flow reactor. “Conversion
Stephen Sarria , Betty Wong , Hector García Martín , Jay D. Keasling, and Pamela Peralta-Yahya (ACS Synthetic Biology) The volumetric heating values of today’s biofuels are too low to power energy-intensive aircraft, rockets, and missiles. Recently, pinene dimers were
(Oklahoma State University/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Hasan Atiyeh, assistant professor in biosystems and agricultural engineering, recently received a South Central Sun Grant Award to advance the development of a new hybrid conversion process. “The hybrid gasification-syngas fermentation technology, when further developed, has
by Lynn Yarris (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), a multi-institutional partnership led by Berkeley Lab, have identified the genetic origins of a microbial resistance to ionic liquids and successfully
by Phillip Fiorini and Cynthia Sequin (Purdue University) Purdue University researchers are launching a company focusing on an innovative process that could revolutionize how lignocellulosic biomass is used to make biofuels and other bio-based products and chemicals. Spero Energy Inc., which is based
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As Gevo reports its 4Q results and adds back some ethanol production, we look at the short-term gains and the long-term implications. Why ethanol, why now — what’s the latest news mean from this signature
by Tim Sklar (Biofuels Digest) Part 1 ... It seems that many of the companies providing new biofuels technologies do not fully understanding the competitive environment that they must navigate. As a consequence they fail to develop strategies that will allow
(Hydro Dynamics/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Hydro Dynamics Inc. of Rome, Ga., has announced that a ShockWave Power Reactor has been purchased and installed in a commercial cellulosic pilot plant in Italy. The SPR was purchased after successful lab testing on extraction of
(Process Engineering) Scientists at the University of Porto are currently developing water-free methods to produce biodiesel using waste vegetable oils, animal fats and fatty wastes derived from industrial processes. Traditional methods of biodiesel production use large volumes of water to remove
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