by Jeff Spross (ThinkProgress.org) With any luck, future whisky fans may be able to enjoy their three fingers in the afternoon with the added knowledge they’ve contributed to a climate-friendly energy economy.According to E&E News, a biochemist in Scotland recently
by Joel Davis (The Daily Times) Nearly four years after the ribbon was cut on one of the world’s first cellulosic ethanol demonstration facilities in Vonore, hopes for a commercial-scale biorefinery being constructed in the state still remain unfulfilled. The biofuel
(US Department of Energy) BETO recently published a new two-page overview document that highlights significant Office achievements from 2013. One noteworthy success was the demonstration of two cellulosic ethanol production processes at a cost of $2.15 or less per gallon.
by Tom Tobin (Democrat & Chronicle) Naturally Scientific Technologies Ltd., a business described as an anchor in the Eastman Business Park's efforts to compete in the bioenergy field, will locate at the park to pursue a partnership with Rochester's Sweetwater Energy. The tenancy,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In Massachusetts, applied mathematicians Markos Katsoulakis and Luc Rey-Bellet of the University of Massachusetts Amherst will share a three-year, $2.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, with others, to develop new methods to improve mathematical
(University of Nottingham) Scientists from The University of Nottingham have received vital funding to create new biofuels which will address the urgent need to find alternatives to fossil fuels. Researchers from the University and the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and
(PRWEB/CTi) Cavitation Technologies, Inc. ("CTi") (OTCBB: CVAT) (Berlin: Stuttgart: WTC) announced today that the Company’s U.S. Patent Application, entitled ‘Process for Producing Biodiesel through Lower Molecular Weight Alcohol-Targeted Cavitation’, has been approved for patent issuance. This approval adds another significant accomplishment
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Primus Green Energy recently completed a landmark technology demonstration — and heads off to scale with a catalytic technology for making $2.00 gasoline. But, in shifting to natural gas as a feedstock for the first
by Jonathan Fahey (Associated Press) The first trickle of fuels made from agricultural waste is finally winding its way into the nation's energy supply, after years of broken promises and hype promoting a next-generation fuel source cleaner than oil. ... Cellulosic makers
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Codexis signaled the end of its cellulase enzyme adventure in cellulosic biofuels with the wind-down of its CodeXyme business. CEO John Nicols said, “Given the market’s undervaluation of the prospects and continued slow build
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Slow pace, low yields have depressed KiOR’s share prices, but tripled production and revenue has recently delighted the markets. What’s up with the cellulosic biofuels leader? Good news, bad news? ... You have one of the first
(Battelle/Biomass Magazine) Battelle engineers and scientists have developed a mobile device that transforms unwanted biomass materials such as wood chips or agricultural waste into valuable bio-oil using catalytic pyrolysis. As currently configured, the Battelle-funded unit converts 1 ton of pine
(US Department of Energy) The Bioenergy Technologies Office seeks stakeholder feedback regarding bioenergy technology validation to accelerate the deployment of advanced biofuel, bioproducts, and biopower technologies. BETO is specifically interested in information technologies that are ready for technology validation at
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In years gone by, it was not too hard to write up a summary of Gevo, Solazyme and Amyris — all aimed at fuels, all in the development stage, all used synthetic biology in closed
by Tom Rickey (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Scientists looking to create a potent blend of enzymes to transform materials like corn stalks and wood chips into fuels have developed a test that should turbocharge their efforts. The new research, published in
by C Shivakumar (New India Express) The 5,000 tonnes of garbage generated in the city per day has the potential to be converted to 12 crore litre of aviation fuel and 4.5 crore litre of diesel per year. An expert told
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) At the frontier of exotic temperature and pressures, even everyday materials like water begin to act strangely in ways that can drive energy transformation. New work in nanocatalysts may make those frontiers more accessible, and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The new technologies that come along have to provide pressure, temperature and feedstock at their own cost. So it’s the cost of those three elements, competing against the cost of locating, drilling and pumping. In
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Seeking low-carbon fuels, even negative carbon? Or, looking for a low-cost, cellulosic renewable fuel? Or, in search of a capital-light, bolt-on technology to drive better economics for first-yen ethanol plants? Well, what about all three,
by Brent Erickson (Biotechnology Industry Organization/National Geographic Magazine) ...Biotechnology companies today are working to develop cyanobacteria, algae, and even municipal waste as feedstocks for advanced biofuels. But these promising abundant non-food sources lack either the government subsidies or the commercial
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Energentium Inc. is finalizing tests before entering into full production in a few weeks at its new 15 MMly (4 MMgy) plant in Brantford, Ontario, to recycle waste beer and soft drinks into
(4-Traders.com) Prof. (Emeritus) Aharon Gedanken from the Department of Chemistry at Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel, who is currently a visiting chair professor at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), southern Taiwan, has developed a microwave-based process that transforms waste cooking oils
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...“Cowcookies”, the lost Marx Brothers script Scene, an office on Wall Street. Enter a lender, Harold P. Cheesebreath — and his prospective borrower, Al Cohol. Cohol: (confidently) See here, it’s a no-brainer. Mandated fuel, pilot-proven technology, no food
(US Environmental Protection Agency) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced the 2013 recipients of EPA’s People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) Phase I grants. Forty teams of graduate and undergraduate students from across the country are each receiving
by Elizabeth Dohms (Chippewa Herald) A draft developer’s agreement between Stanley and a biomass company out of New York has been approved by the city council and is expected to bring more jobs to the area. Pending the finalization of paperwork,
by Brianne Pfannenstiel (Kansas City Business Journal) The University of Missouri-Kansas City was awarded two grants totaling more than $2 million this week. The first is a grant valued at $1.2 million from the U.S. Department of Energy's Joint BioEnergy Institute to fund research into how
(Fraunhofer) 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 material. A pilot plant
(The Norwegian University of Science and Technology/Alpha Galileo) Until now, it has taken weeks to make biofuel from trees. This slow pace has been a bottleneck for the industry. Researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have now
by Ned Stowe (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) For many supporters of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), a key goal was to stimulate the development and use of low-carbon, next generation biofuels – to help reduce both U.S. petroleum dependence
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Here are 20 others to fill out a collection of videos on the leading companies in the advanced biofuels game. The challenge of video in making science watchable For example, there’s a perfectly good 8-minute video on
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New York, in the wake of a $37 million Q1 loss in its sugar unit, Bunge CEO Soren Schroder, who took the reins of the company in June, announced yesterday that the trading giant
by Ariana Eunjung Cha (The Washington Post) For scientist Jack Newman, creating a new life-form has become as simple as this: He types out a DNA sequence on his laptop. Clicks “send.” And a few yards away in the laboratory,
(Amyris/MarketWatch) Leading Airline in Brazil Seeks to Use Amyris's Sugarcane-Derived Jet Fuel Following Industry Validation and Regulatory Approvals Amyris, Inc. AMRS -0.04% , a leading renewable fuels and chemicals company, and GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. (bm&fbovespa:GOLL4)GOL -0.54% , the largest low-cost and low-fare airline in
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Scientists from the University of Illinois have reported that they have engineered yeast to consume acetic acid, a previously unwanted byproduct of the process of converting plant leaves, stems and other tissues into biofuels. This innovation increases ethanol
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The National Corn-to-Ethanol Center opened its doors for tours, lunch and demonstrations during a recent open house celebration. “We’re not only celebrating our 10 year anniversary but we are really celebrating the biofuels
by M.K. Ananth (The Hindu) Dr. John Abraham, a research scholar in the Veterinary College and Research Institute (VC&RI), here has developed processes that can extract bio-diesel from poultry carcases in a cost-effective manner. The project for his Ph.D. won
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Next-gen biofuels technologies may be key to making the International Space Station cost effective — not to mention, other destinations in the NASA agenda. Which may explain why a high-tech algae outfit, Evodos, is advertising
(Evonik Industries AG/Biodiesel Magazine) On Oct. 21, Essen, Germany-based Evonik Industries started up a new plant for manufacturing biodiesel production catalysts in Argentina. Patrik Wohlhauser, the member of the Evonik executive board responsible for the South America region, spoke at the
(Waste Management World) Researchers at Wake Forest University in North Carolina have developed a new sugar based catalyst that could cut the cost of producing biodiesel from poor quality waste oil and fats, such as those which are routinely removed
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...As most know, the US Government in the past few days re-opened for business, and there’s an attractive USDA Loan Guarantee program recently unveiled that aspiring bioeconomy projects definitely will want to take a look
by Tim Stephens (University of California Santa Cruz) A novel device that uses only sunlight and wastewater to produce hydrogen gas could provide a sustainable energy source while improving the efficiency of wastewater treatment. A research team led by Yat Li,
(Avianca Brasil/Byogy/PR NewsWire) Continuing its commitment to deliver economical, 100% drop-in replacement biofuels, Byogy is delighted that Avianca Brasil has selected the Byogy Renewables Alcohol to Jet ("ATJ") fully renewable aviation biofuel process to source their environment friendly alternate low
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In the world of chemists, they are known as the C4s, and they are a target these days for just about anyone who can figure out a way to make them. Over on the petrochemical side,
by Tom Bryan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...Retka Schill visited the Ineos Bio facility in person in August. She returned from Florida with new insight about how large chemical companies define and carry out plant commissioning. She informs us that the
by Scott Mowrey (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A primer outlines the inherent challenges for biofuel production using biomass Raw cellulose from plant biomass is composed of six classes of materials with varying percentages and widely different physical and chemical properties: cellulose, hemicelluloses
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As ABLC-Next concludes, here is the first installment in a review of the hottest slides, stories, intrigue and perspective from the Big Conversation amongst the bioeconomy’s elite. ... (see these slides and others here, here, here, here and here.) Kef Kasdin, CEO, Proterro Kasdin
by Bryan Walsh (Time Magazine) It’s not that companies don’t know how to make cellulosic ethanol or biofuel from algae. It’s that they’ve struggled to do so cheaply and at a scale large enough to compete with oil. “The technology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New York, Sweetwater Energy announced a 50/50 joint venture with Naturally Scientific, Inc. to produce sugar from waste carbon dioxide. The new technology converts carbon dioxide taken directly from the emissions of industries such as
(CNBC) A New Jersey company has opened an energy facility that converts cheap natural gas into gasoline, and the firm hopes to eventually convert biomass—wood chips or switchgrass, for instance—and even to make jet fuel. The process being carried out by
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Beta Renewables plant in Crescentino, Italy to produce 75 million liters of cellulosic ethanol per year from agricultural waste. In Italy, Beta Renewables and Novozymes marked the official opening in Northern Italy of the world’s largest
by Zain Shauk (Fuel Fix) ... The fuel, which Shell has produced from waste and inedible crops through at least two different methods, is being developed at a test plant in Houston and a small-scale demonstration project in suburban Chicago. “I
(Algenetix and Alchimia) Algenetix Inc, a bioenergy technology company and Alchimia Inc, a biomaterials processing technology and deployment company, announced today a partnership to develop high oil Giant Miscanthus as a new source of biodiesel and bio-jet fuel. The partnership combines
(UFOP) In general, pure biodiesel is not applicable in modern diesel engines with particulate filters, as the particulate filter regeneration process would lead to a dilution of engine lubricant by the biofuel. Also a larger share of biogenic components in
(Science Daily) UCLA chemical engineering researchers have created a new synthetic metabolic pathway for breaking down glucose that could lead to a 50 percent increase in the production of biofuels. The new pathway is intended to replace the natural metabolic pathway
(Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel/Virent) Virent has been selected as one of six semifinalists by the Washington, DC-based organization, Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) for their Emerging Innovations Award. The Emerging Innovation Award will recognize three leading companies whose technologies are
(GlobeNewsWire) Butamax™ Advanced Biofuels LLC, the leading biobutanol technology company, and Highwater Ethanol LLC, a leading producer of first generation ethanol, have begun to retrofit Highwater's ethanol plant in Lamberton, Minnesota for the production of biobutanol. Butamax's cutting edge technology
(Biofuels International) Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), in cooperation with Chemieanlangenbau Chemnitz, has produced renewable fuel at its Bioliq (biomass to liquid karlsruhe) pilot plant. With the synthesis stage of the plant now operational, all stages of the Bioliq process (flash
(4-Traders) The Bureau of Energy, MOEA has been funding long-term R&D on biofuel, and new biofuel technology has successfully been developed. The project, entitled "Carbon loss-free cellulose butanol production technology" won the 2013 R&D 100 Awards. This technology has the
Safiyh Taghavi, Javier A. Izquierdo, Daniel van der Lelie (American Society for Microbiology) We report the genome sequence of Clostridium sp. strain DL-VIII, a novel Gram-positive, endospore-forming, solventogenic bacterium isolated from activated anaerobic sludge of a wastewater treatment plant. Aside from a complete soloperon,
(Proterro) The biofeedstock company also validates low fabrication cost and completes preliminary design, layout, and cost estimate for demonstration-scale plant. – Proterro, Inc., the only biofeedstock company that actually makes sucrose instead of extracting it from crops or deconstructing cellulosic materials, has
(BusinessWire/Greenbelt Resources) Study to Identify Approach for Optimal Yield of Ethanol Fuel Conversion from Food Waste Fermentation Greenbelt Resources Corporation (OTC: GRCO) and its wholly-owned subsidiary Diversified Ethanol Corporation today announced their investment in a research effort with California Polytechnic State University
by Carlos Piza (Eleconomista) A plant of 120 million, a pioneer in the world, eliminate the landfill Abengoa Seville wants to give another leading pioneer in the technologies working after thermal Platform in Sanlucar la Mayor, the world's only four
by Dan Cossins (The Scientist) Could the fungus-gardening activities of leafcutter ants teach humans how to produce sustainable biofuels? In a humid room at the University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW), large Tupperware boxes hold thick beds of gray fungi, pockmarked with holes and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Colorado, Cool Planet Energy Systems and Acritaz Greentech announced that they have signed an agreement to explore the building of multiple commercial facilities in Malaysia. The plan is to begin construction on the first plant
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Texas, KiOR announced that it is pursuing plans to double production capacity at its Columbus, Mississippi, cellulosic fuels facility through construction of a second facility incorporating KiOR’s commercially proven technology. KiOR estimates that the project
(PR NewsWire/Yahoo!Finance/VANERCO) Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver today confirmed SDTC's financial contribution in VANERCO, the joint venture partnership formed by Enerkem (www.enerkem.com and GreenField www.gfsa.com) to build and operate a cellulosic ethanol facility integrated with GreenField's existing ethanol plant in Varennes, Quebec.
by Brenda Wade Schmidt (Argus Leader) South Dakota-based Poet and its partner in producing ethanol from leaves, cobs and cornstalks plan to open their first cellulosic plant early next year. By summer, Poet-DSM Advanced Biofuels should have any glitches worked out
(Alpha Galileo Foundation) Researchers at the Iberoamerican University (IBERO) in Mexico City, look to consolidate a pilot biorefinery that will use the waste of various fruits, vegetables, flowers and plants produced in urban and rural areas, to transform them into
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Canada, the Biofuels Development Consortium held their 2013 Fall Symposium a little early this year in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada on August 27–28, its first meeting outside the U.S. Sarnia is known for their petroleum industry
by Alice Daniel (California Report) California once grew a lot of sugar beets to supply the state's sugar mills. Most of those the mills are closed now, and farmers have turned to other row crops. But in the Central Valley, growers
(Associated Press/Lincoln Journal Star) South Dakota-based Poet LLC and its Dutch partner say a cellulosic ethanol plant being built in northwest Iowa will open early next year. By next summer, Poet-DSM Advanced Biofuels should have any glitches worked out at the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Landmark cellulosic drop-in biofuels producer releases update on early-stage production: is the increasing gallonage enough to silence the critics? ... In July and August, the Columbus facility produced 172,398 gallons of fuel, bringing the 2013 production
(UPI.com) Algae-derived biofuels can reduce the life cycle of carbon dioxide emissions by at least 50 percent compared to petroleum fuels, a U.S. university study found. The peer-review study -- the first to analyze real-world data from an existing algae-to-energy demonstration
(Pulp and Paper Canada) A pilot project to convert wood into biofuels has plans to be operational by next February after getting loans from the province of Nova Scotia. The Chronicle Herald reported Aug. 30 that Cellufuel Inc. is receiving a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the US Department of Energy announced that 15 breakthrough energy projects will receive approximately $34 million from the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) via the REMOTE program (Reducing Emissions using Methanotrophic Organisms for
by Erika Gebel Berg (Chemical and Engineering News) Protein Engineering: Scientists evolve a bacterial protein pump that pulls butanol out of cells to make microbes into better biofuel factories Biologists can engineer microorganisms to make biofuels, such as butanol or octanol,
(The Fish Site) A team of European scientists is on a mission to prove that microalgae can be used to produce bioethanol as a biofuel for less than €0.40 a litre. ... The EU-funded project DEMA ('Direct Ethanol from MicroAlgae') is focusing
(4-Traders.com/Graphene NanoChem plc) Graphene NanoChem (AIM: GRPH), the performance chemicals and advanced materials company, is pleased to announce that PlatClear, the Group's waste-based second generation biofuel and the Group's Senawang chemicals facility ("Senawang") have both received approval from the US
(Amyris) Amyris's Farnesene Production Unit would be First RSB-Certified Plant in Brazil The RSB Services Foundation, the implementing entity of the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), a global sustainability standard and certification system for biofuels and biomaterials production, is pleased to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) After taking a leading role in the global first generation wave of ethanol production, here come the Brazilians — with some hot North American technologies in tow — to take on next-generation biofuels and chemicals.
by Jeff Thomas (Boulder County Business Report) ... “You have to have hydrogen to mass produce renewable biofuels. Natural gas is cost effective and it’s plentiful,” said Steven Silvers, spokesman for Sundrop Fuels Inc. “Every gallon of domestically made biofuel is
by Anna King (KPLU) Washington State University will lead a new federal research center focused on finding new biofuels for jet airplanes. ...WSU will work closely with the FAA, MIT near Boston and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The project,
By James A. Foley (Nature World News) An estimated 1 million tons of coffee grounds are generated by java-loving Americans each year, and researchers at the University of Cincinnati have found a way to take what is usually thrown in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Midori reports they have broken through on a 100-year quest for low-cost cellulosic sugars. And found a way to turn your cotton tees into sugars, too. About a year ago, a little-known company called Midori Renewables
by Tony Fitzpatrick (Washington University/Algae Industry Magazine) Synechocystis 6803 – a versatile, specialized cyanobacterium – can produce ethanol, hydrogen, butanol, isobutanol and potentially biodiesel. And it’s a natural at converting CO2 to useful chemicals that could help both tame
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... “What you really are in the business of,” Aemetis CEO Eric McAfee reflects, “is capturing the arbitrage between the commodity price of your most expensive feedstock — and the price of your finished molecule plus
(The Economist) Energy technology: Making large amounts of fuel from organic matter has proved to be more difficult and costly than expected ...As well as being available to countries without tar sands, shale fields or gushers, biofuels can help reduce greenhouse-gas emissions
(Flagship Ventures/PR NewsWire) New Venture is Commercializing a Novel Catalytic Process to Convert Non-Food Biomass Into Sugar Flagship VentureLabs announced today that Midori Renewables is globally deploying their Breaking the Biomass Barrier™ technology, a novel catalyst that melts non-food biomass into
(Clemson University) Clemson University researchers focusing on switchgrass as a renewable fuel source are looking to fungi and bacteria — nature’s specialists in decomposing plants and animals into elements that can be reused to support life — to help make cost-competitive
(Argonne Leadership Computing Facility/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Scientists working at the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility are looking to nature’s catalysts, enzymes, for inspiration in their quest to find a more effective means of converting biomass into renewable fuel. The research is aimed
(Phys.Org) ... Researchers from VIB (the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology) who are associated with KU Leuven have developed yeast strains that produce bio-ethanol from waste with an unprecedented efficiency. As a result, they are well placed to become important players on a
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Loyola University Chicago is expanding its biodiesel laboratory with much-needed additional space, and a new processor and analytical instrumentation. Lab manager Zach Waickman says Loyola built the school’s biodiesel program over the past five years
by David Shaffer (Star Tribune) Shipping container with a portable unit is on display at the fair. One of the more unusual farm implements at the Minnesota State Fair is a big metal box with no tires, steering wheel or windshield.
(University of Seville) The invention, jointly owned by the University of Seville and Cordoba University, identifies in a mill gender microbial strain that produces biodiesel Terribacillus cleanly, with higher performance and lower production cost than the currently employed in the
by Paul Tullis (The New York Times) ...But big drawbacks have prevented the wholesale adoption of trash-to-gas technology in the United States: incineration is polluting, and the capital costs of new plants are enormous. Gasification systems can expend a tremendous
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In China, Dr. Martin Tangney recently appeared at the TEDxWanChai meet-up in Hong Kong, with a talk entitled “Biofuels, Whiskey and me”. It reflects on Tangney’s experience of establishing the UK’s first Biofuel Research Centre and spinning
(Globe Newswire/Gevo) United States Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado toured and met with Gevo, Inc. (Nasdaq:GEVO) today to discuss the importance of renewable fuels and chemicals for Colorado and the U.S. economy. Senator Bennet met with Gevo executives including chief executive
by Rick Smith (The Gazette) Solid waste recycling facility could divert waste from landfills in the region ... The Marion City Council Thursday unanimously approved a deal with waste-to-energy firm, Fiberight LLC, which gives the Maryland-based firm permission to build a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The complete Cool Planet story. What is it? Why transformational? What are the next steps? New venture will convert wood waste to gasoline. In Louisiana, Cool Planet Energy Systems CEO Howard Janzen, flanked by Louisiana Gov.
(Algae Industry Magazine) After a successful 2012 race season powered with yeast biodiesel, the Aggie A-Salt Streamliner, as the dragster is officially known, topped 73 miles per hour this week during its algae-fueled debut. The roadster, with a .8 liter
Abstract submission is now open for the 36th Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals (SBFC). The 36th SBFC will be held April 28-May 1, 2014 at the Hilton Clearwater Beach Hotel in Clearwater Beach, Florida. The deadline for abstract submissions
by Alan Ohnsman (Bloomberg) ...Mimicking the way plants turn sunlight and carbon dioxide in the air into energy and oxygen, the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis at the California Institute of Technology is in a race to trump nature and slow global
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... It’s been quite a year on the four-carbon platform — also known as C4, 4C, buta-something, Fantastic Four, or what have you. Though two-carbon fuels such as ethanol have long dominated the biofuels market — and
by Justin Doom (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) Rentech Inc. (RTK:US), a U.S. supplier of wood pellets and nitrogen fertilizer, sold about 450 acres of land in Mississippi where it had planned to build a renewable-energy project. READ MORE and MORE (Biomass Magazine) and MORE
by Tildy Bayar (Renewable Energy World) Supported by abundant forest resources, Finnish bioenergy companies don't have to look far for feedstock. But in a move to define its low-carbon future, the nation's energy companies are undertaking ambitious research programs to
by Erin Brodwin (Scientific American) A group of researchers enlist fungi and E. coli to make the first biofuel of its kind ... The team took Trichoderma reesei, a fungi widely known for its ability to efficiently decompose the non-edible parts of plants, plus a specially
(Wisconsin Ag Connection) An unidentified company is looking to build a biomass plant in Stanely near where the Ace Ethanol factory is located. ...Once in operation, the company would make cellulosic ethanol from trees, then sell the sugar solution
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Upstream, downstream, processing, policy, finance – opportunities and challenges abound in the bioeconomy – but which challenges are the most intractable and daunting of them all? In today’s part 1, #10 through #6. They use various aliases
(Energy Business Review) US-based sustainable fuels company Edeniq has signed a five-year exclusive agreement with agriculture feedstock firm Pacific Ag to add cellulosic ethanol production base to existing biofuel facilities. Under the terms of the agreement, the companies would work together
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A technology developed for Europe finds it is in demand again, as technologists address the growing mountains of palm waste and its special opportunities and challenges. ...So, if we turn to foreign shores for bioenergy and
by Mike DeVito (PlanetForward) Can biofuels play a significant part in the fuel market by 2030? In partnership with National Geographic’s Great Energy Challenge, we ask some of the experts in the biofuels arena what it will take to make it happen, and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Using just CO2, sunlight and water – and some math right off Einsteins’ blackboard — researchers come up with a potential game-changing technology for making renewable fuels. The National Science Foundation’s division of Emerging Frontiers in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Today’s hottest news comes from LanzaTech, and India’s Centre for Advanced Bio-Energy, which have partnered to create a new process for the direct conversion of waste CO2 into “drop-in” fuels through an acetates-to-lipids pathway. LanzaTech had
by Jim Lane (BioInvest Digest) ...KiOR’s fallen into the penalty box this week — it’s stock falling from a high of nearly $5 just a week ago — now disappearing into the sub-$3 range as the company missed production
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A Kansas-based company is offering two bolt-on options for ethanol producers looking to turn crude corn oil into biodiesel or renewable diesel. It’s no secret that revenue from corn oil extraction has been key in keeping
by Craig Giammona (CNN Money/Fortune) Ethanol made from corn waste should be commercially available in 2014, but a fight in Congress threatens the market for cellulosic biofuels. When Royal DSM opens a $250 million facility in Emmetsburg, Iowa in a few
by Jim Lane (BioInvest Digest) In Colorado, Gevo announced a net loss for Q2 2013 of $15.2 million compared to $16.2 million for the second quarter of 2012. Revenues were $1.9 million compared to $7.0 million in Q2 2012. The
by Andy McGlashen (Midwest Energy News) The exit of its majority owner and operator leaves the future uncertain for a long-delayed project that has attracted at least $120 million in public financing to turn wood from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula into fuel
(INEOS Bio) INEOS Bio Produces Cellulosic Ethanol at Commercial Scale INEOS Bio today announced that its Indian River BioEnergy Center (Centre) is now producing cellulosic ethanol at commercial scale. First ethanol shipments will be released in August. This is the first commercial-scale
by Carrie Napoleon (Post-Tribune/Chicago Sun Times) Breakthrough technology behind the Schneider trash-to-ethanol plant proposed by Powers Energy apparently has been proven. Whether that means construction of the plant in the small Lake County town will move forward remains to be seen. INEOS
by Kristen Johnson (KTIV.com) A Siouxland cooperative is getting into the cellulosic ethanol game. Quad County Corn Processors broke ground on an $8.5 million bio refinery in Galva, Iowa today. The plant will be built next to the company's 35-million-gallon per year
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In today’s Digest – visit our 5-Minute Guide to Loan Guarantees — INEOS Bio, Myriant, Sapphire Energy, Abengoa, Chemtex, Enerkem, Fiberight, Fulcrum, ZeaChem – Plus POET-DSM, Diamond Green Diesel, Coskata and Range Fuels Projects open for business INEOS Bio ... Myriant ... Sapphire
(AZOCleanTech) A collaboration between Rochester Institute of Technology’s Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences and Sweetwater Energy Inc. will give students experience with the Rochester-based company that has a sweet and sustainable niche. Sweetwater Energy provides its industry partners with
(Advanced Plasma Industries Inc. /Phys.Org) Hydrogen fuel cells are emerging as key players in the clean energy landscape of the future, except for one problem: it takes a lot of energy to make hydrogen (H2-molecular), and here in the US,
(Midwest Producer) While other biofuel producers work with cornstalks or switchgrass to make cellulosic ethanol, the people at Quad County Corn Processors are working to pull cellulosic ethanol out of the corn kernel. ... The idea started several years ago when plant
(US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service) The process dates to ancient Egypt. Now, it’s being studied here by the USDA as a way to fuel farms. Pour a few handfuls of chopped- up corn stalks or switchgrass into a hopper.
by Patrick J. Kiger and Marianne Lavelle (National Geographic) ... KiOR's breakthrough is one part of a wide-ranging effort by a number of companies and government-supported researchers to develop and perfect "drop-in" biofuels—fuels so similar to their petroleum-based counterparts that they
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Sweden, biorefinery R&D project number 100 has now started in the Swedish Processum cluster, aimed at thermochemically converting lignin from black liquor to bio oil. It is run by the Swedish-Norwegian cooperation project “Biorefinery
(Colorado State University) An interdisciplinary team of Colorado State University researchers has received a $2 million National Science Foundation grant to research new routes to the sustainable production of biofuels using photosynthetic bacteria. “The purpose of this basic research is to
(Viesel Fuel/Biofuels Journal) Viesel Fuel, LLC announced that they have completed the upgrade of the Viesel Fuel facility to produce biodiesel using an enzymatic process developed by Novozymes of Denmark. Viesel Fuel has obtained approvals from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The Summer of Algae has passed, but dozens of companies have remained hot in pursuit of a solution for fuels, feed, nutraceuticals, fragrances, flavorings and tailored renewable oils. Their technologies? Closed systems, open-systems, hybrid systems. Hosts
(The Economic Times/India Times) In a significant development aimed at boosting research in bio-fuels in the country on micro-algae technology, Indian Oil and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) have jointly set up a Centre for Advanced Bio-Energy Research. This centre is located on
(Inventure/PR NewsWire) Inventure International (Pte) Limited, holding company of renewable process technology leader Inventure Renewables Inc., recently closed a $7.2 million round of financing that the company will use to establish a plant for the conversion of biomass into mixed industrial sugars,
by Jennifer Laaser (Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel) Look at a leaf-cutter ant colony, and it's a bustle of activity, with ants bringing pieces of leaves in, spreading them around on a honeycomb-like bed of fungus, and weeding the garden to remove
(Yle) Finnish-Swedish forest products giant Stora Enso, which announced lower profits on Friday, plans to begin producing biofuel for sale to other manufacturers. Stora Enso, Europe’s second-largest paper manufacturer, said on Friday it will invest 32 million euros in building a
by Chidambaram Gunanathan, David Milstein (Science Magazine) Conventional oxidations of organic compounds formally transfer hydrogen atoms from the substrate to an acceptor molecule such as oxygen, a metal oxide, or a sacrificial olefin. In acceptorless dehydrogenation (AD) reactions, catalytic scission of
by Owen Fletcher (Dow Jones Business News) --DuPont seeks partners for joint ventures in production of cellulosic ethanol --Company is talking with potential partners in U.S., China, Brazil, Europe, Southeast Asia --DuPont is investing more than $200 million in cellulosic ethanol plant
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Advanced biofuels – mirage or reality? In January we wrote: “When these 12 projects open for business (or not) in 2013, you’ll know for sure.” So, what do we know? ... We identified 12 “Bellwether projects” in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Singapore, Wilmar International and Elevance Renewable Sciences have just announced that they have begun shipping commercial products, including novel specialty chemicals, to customers from their first world-scale joint venture biorefinery, located in Gresik, Indonesia.
(Sapphire Energy/PR NewsWire) Companies Partner to Commercialize Hydrothermal Treatment Technology Used to Upgrade Algae into Crude Oil Sapphire Energy, Inc., one of the world leaders in algae-based Green Crude oil production, and the technology company The Linde Group today announced they
(North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Energy costs are a significant drain on defence budgets. This could impact on the resources available for Allies to acquire and maintain defence capabilities as well as limit their capacity to undertake military operations. Reducing the energy
(The Fresno Bee/Associated Press) A company that has developed a process for converting beetle-killed trees and corn cobs into gasoline says it plans to open its global headquarters in Greenwood Village, south of Denver. Cool Planet Energy Systems said Wednesday it also
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Despite negative press from Bloomberg, biobased investing is surging, both direct and via strategics. The Digest has the data and the scoop. After we profiled, last April, 17 biobased ventures who raised $434 million in new
(Carbo Analytics) Carbo Analytics, developers of sugar analysis systems, today announced that it has been awarded a Department of Energy (DoE) grant for the development of a biofuels sugar analysis system. Selected from over 750 applicants, Carbo Analytics was awarded a $150,000
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) A number of federal agency initiatives are already underway in the biofuels, agriculture, and forestry sectors to help mitigate climate change and adapt to it. In a posting July 2, Doug O’Brien, Acting Under Secretary of the
by Thomas Anderson (TG Daily) According to the new research results of the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, lignocellulosic biomass can be used in the production of high-quality biofuels for the price of less than one euro per litre. A new technology
(JustMeans.com/Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable Technology) Promising biofuels research at a Wisconsin biotech company and a partner university is getting a boost from a $224,967 National Science Foundation grant. C5.6 Technologies of Middleton, Wis., and the Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable Technology (WIST)
by Leon Kaye (SustainableBrands.com) Whether one believes corn-based ethanol is a viable long-term solution for the United States’ energy portfolio or not, the reality is that 280 plants across the country will continue to produce biofuels. And with the constant
(Ecoticias.com) The production of ethanol from municipal solid waste is a major technological advance in the waste management model. Abengoa (MCE: ABG.B), a company that applies innovative technology solutions for sustainable development in the energy and environment sectors, today opened the
(US Department of Energy) Following last week's rollout of President Obama's plan to cut carbon pollution, the Energy Department today announced four research and development projects to bring next generation biofuels on line faster and drive down the cost of
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