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
(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
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
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 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
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 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
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 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 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
(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 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
(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
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 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
(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
(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
(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
(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 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
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
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
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
(National Non-Food Crops Center) Europe's first waste to jet fuel production plant came a step closer to construction this week as UK-based Oxford Catalysts were selected as the sole technology suppliers to the joint British Airways and Solena GreenSky project. British Airways and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Of all the microbes we know – and, basically, the human body is a boutique hotel for hosting them, with researchers now estimating that for every human cell in a body, there are at least
(OMV) On July 2, 2012 Doris Bures, Minister for Transport, Innovation and Technology, and Gerhard Roiss, OMV CEO, opened the BioCRACK pilot plant at the OMV Refinery in Schwechat. The plant is the first of its kind in the world
(TheBioEnergySite.com) The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has joined forces with jet engine producer General Electric (GE) Aviation, in addition to the Ohio Aerospace Institute, air carriers and producer groups, to produce renewable jet fuel from agricultural products. The biojet will
by Mauricio Espinoza (Ohio State University/North Texas d-News) Ohio State University's Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) will play a key role in the engineering of a novel plant-based fuel, funded by a $5.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Researchers in Southeast Asia have identified an approach to producing ethanol using an abundant waste feedstock that could potentially add a significant source of biofuel production from oil palm plantations. Oil palm empty fruit
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The Obama Administration has laid out an integrated strategy for commercializing advanced biofuels, with a focus in this phase on military advanced biofuels at cost-competitive prices with conventional fuels. The vehicle is a joint program between
(National Science Foundation) Study reveals the potentially large influences of fungi, one of the most biologically diverse classes of organisms, on our energy supplies A new study--which includes the first large-scale comparison of fungi that cause rot decay--suggests that the evolution
(Retail Solutions Online) Presentation at 16th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference Demonstrates Benefits of Revolutionary Straw-Pulp Technology to the Farmers and Rural Communities of China ...After more than 10 years of research and development, YFY Corp. has successfully moved NPulp from green
(Primus Green Energy) The test drive of an automobile fueled with 93-octane gasoline made from natural gas and biomass was the highlight of a dedication ceremony for Primus Green Energy's new $7 million demonstration plant at the company's Hillsborough, N.J.,
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Novozymes and China’s Shengquan Group have signed a final agreement to work together on producing cellulosic ethanol from a waste product of Shengquan’s current production process. Novozymes is supplying the necessary enzymes and Shenquan
(Science Daily/Purdue University) Sweet and biomass sorghum would meet the need for next-generation biofuels to be environmentally sustainable, easily adopted by producers and take advantage of existing agricultural infrastructure, a group of researchers led by Purdue University scientists believes. The scientists
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Yet, even in an era where venture capital has been harder to come by (Why? See these 42 article links under the rubric, “The VC Model is Broken” ) — some great technologies have been getting out
The call for abstracts is currently open for presentations in the International Conference on Biofuels for Sustainable Development of Southern Europe (Bio4SuD), which will take place in Thessaloniki, Greece on 19-20th of November 2012. The Bio4Sud conference will focus on the
by Max Frankel (ThinkProgress) ...But in the world of science, researchers around the world are working on some very innovative ways to produce gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel from more sustainable feedstocks. Here’s a look at three cool recent developments
(BioTork) Harnessing the Power of Adaptive Evolution to Further Improve the Efficiency of Metabolic Engineering BioTork announces collaboration with BASF to optimize certain microbial strains for the industrial production of bio-based polymers and green chemicals. After six months of collaboration, BASF and
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) The future of using corn stover for advanced biofuels was one of the discussion topics at last week’s Corn Utilization Technology Conference in Indianapolis. ...(Nathan) Mosier (with the Department of Agricultural & Biological Engineering at Purdue University) says he’s been working
by Feoshia Henderson (SoapboxMedia) Fueled by a US EPA grant, University of Cincinnati faculty and students are leading an effort to transform cooking grease into biodiesel on a regional scale. This project is a collaboration among UC, the Cincinnati Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) and Bluegrass Biodiesel of
(BusinessWire) Rapidly Growing Renewable/Biomass Energy and Chemical Company Receives Funding Led by the Cottonwood Technology Fund Incitor Incorporated ("Incitor"), a Delaware Corporation based in Albuquerque, N.M. ( http://www.incitor.com ), announced today that the Cottonwood Technology Fund ("Cottonwood") ( http://www.cottonwoodtechnologyfund.com/ ) led an
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) One of biofuels’ hottest companies transitions from research phase to operating phase with opening of demo plant in Okeechobee – what’s next, and where? ...The opening of that fermenter column is what the VIPs are coming
(Amyris) Amyris to develop improved DNA assembly and integration across biological platforms Amyris, Inc. announced today (June 12, 2012) it has been awarded a contract from the U.S. Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop tools that can
by Kathie Bassett (The Telegraph) Researchers at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville have successfully produced an environmentally friendly, cost-effective biofuel from the non-edible portion of a corn kernel. "What we did was take the most common form of cellulose that exists and
by Emery P. Dalesio (The Republic/AP) An Italian company's Wilmington-based subsidiary is geared up to build a factory that can convert grassy plants into fuel for cars and trucks amid Sampson County's hog and turkey growers. With financial and verbal encouragement
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...With the coming of advanced bioprocessing, the picture of opportunity has radically changed and the Southeast, Northwest, and Southwest, in particular, have been assessing their opportunities and attracting projects. ...But in the Southeast, there’s been a
by Jim Kinney (Gazette) A company that runs recycling centers all over the country has researchers in UMass' biofuels program thinking trash can to gas can. ReCommunity Recycling has committed $635,000 to the Institute for Massachusetts Biofuels Research, also known as
(PRNewsWire/Enerkem) Enerkem Inc., a waste-to-biofuels and chemicals company, announced today the initial production of cellulosic ethanol from waste materials at its demonstration facility in Westbury, Québec. "The start of ethanol production at our Westbury facility is a significant milestone", said Vincent
(DSM) Royal DSM, the global Life Sciences and Materials Sciences company, has been qualified as supplier of enzymes for DONG Energy - Inbicon’s wheat straw to cellulosic ethanol process. The enzymes have been successfully used in the demonstration scale biorefinery
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Corn ethanol and cellulosic ethanol have previously been viewed as entirely separate products which will be manufactured by two unique types of producers, but the concept of integrating cellulosic production into corn ethanol plants
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In-field bioprocessing? Dramatically higher plant oil production? R&D breakthroughs offer new paths to victory for Millers vs Drillers. If you haven’t been getting most of your information on the Renewable Fuel Standard from the Grocers Manufacturing
(Biofuels Center of North Carolina) The Oxford Biodiesel Plant is capable of converting virgin or recycled fats and oils from multiple sources into 35,000 gallons of high quality biodiesel per year. The plant was constructed on North Carolina's Biofuels Campus
(Purdue University) A new Purdue University-developed process for creating biofuels has shown potential to be cost-effective for production scale, opening the door for moving beyond the laboratory setting. A Purdue economic analysis shows that the cost of the thermo-chemical H2Bioil method
by Andrew Herndon (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) Flint Hills Resources LLC, the unit of Koch Industries Inc. that invested in Edeniq Inc. last month, is using the company’s equipment at one of its four corn-based ethanol plants to boost production. Flint Hills will
(Birmingham Business Journal) Scientists at the University of Alabama's manufacturing technology center are looking at kudzu, the non-native leafy vines that have spread across the South's fields and forests, as one of several sources that could be used to make
by Guy Chazan (Financial Times) In the world of biofuels, all eyes are on the tiny northern Italian town of Crescentino, site of the world’s first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant, which will start production this year. The venture might be small,
(EurekAlert/Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology) Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology and palm oil giants Felda, Sime Darby, in landmark collaboration on biomass waste Twelve tons of waste oil palm tree biomass is en route from Malaysia to a plant
by Jill Sakai and Renee Meiller (University of Wisconsin-Madison) A young generation of researchers are seeking biofuels in some unlikely sounding places: toxic algae blooms and cow stomachs. Two University of Wisconsin-Madison professors are drawing on these robust yet simple natural
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, the state Energy Commission today unanimously approved funding of $35,031,310 to projectsthat will accelerate the development of green fuels and technology in California. The awards are provided through the Energy Commission’s Alternative and Renewable
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Novozymes, a global biotech company, first considered building its newly built enzyme production plant in China but eventually zeroed in on the U.S. One big deciding factor was the $28.4 million tax credit from
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Iowa Energy Center recently awarded three grants to research projects focused on improving thermochemical conversion of biomass to biofuels and renewable chemicals. The selected projects will receive one-year research and demonstration grants with negotiated renewal
(UPI) ...Now scientists led by researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California have discovered how certain bacteria can tolerate those man-made toxic chemicals used in making biofuels. "Discovering microbes naturally tolerant to salty liquids and understanding their mechanisms of tolerance should
by William DeKay (The Western Producer) Lee Wilson thinks he has found a cost effective way to help produce biofuel using wheat straw. In a lab at the University of Saskatchewan, the chemist and his team of graduate students have developed
(JoyOnline) Human waste could soon be a precious commodity in Kumasi and other parts of the country with an ongoing solution to transform fecal sludge treatment into a profit-making venture. Waste Enterprisers Limited, a sanitation and waste energy company, is replacing
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Colorado, Gevo announced it has begun startup of the world’s first commercial biobased isobutanol production plant located in Luverne, Minn. “At 1 p.m. MDT yesterday we made history by initiating production of biobased isobutanol at commercial scale,”
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... (T)he company’s metrics in cellulosic biofuels are starting to look compelling. Not only is commercialization a lot less than five years away – a massive breakout in capacity building looks feasible within that time
by Robert Rapier (Consumer Energy Report) A reader recently called my attention to a new and very interesting presentation from the Department of Energy’s Biomass Program: Biofuels Design Cases The presentation explored the question of whether the U.S. government is spending
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Regardless of its naming deficiencies, waste has been hot and getting hotter as a bioenergy feedstock because it solves three of the most pressing problems blocking capacity expansion. 1. The feedstocks are available at fixed, affordable
(Climate Central/OPB.org) ...But a Princeton University senior named Amanda Rees may have come up with the most promising solution so far. Rees, 22, is convinced that an important part to the world’s energy future may lie in a fast-growing, nearly
(Western Farm Press) The U.S. military is very interested in alternative fuels — in particular, the wood-based biofuels being researched and produced at the University of Maine. Three methods, or pathways, to producing biofuel for use in military jets are
(MarketWatch) Nature published a paper that discusses the recent advances in biocatalysis, and the impact it is having on the commercial development of biofuels, renewable chemicals, and pharmaceutical products. The paper was published by researchers at Codexis, Inc., Emory University,
(PRWEB) Researchers at The NCERC today announced that they have successfully produced ethanol from the cellulosic portion of the corn kernel. “This research is demonstrated proof of the viability of ‘generation 2.0 ethanol,’” NCERC Director John Caupert said. “By utilizing
by Kevin Billinghurst (KTH) The KTH-led, 26-member consortium BRISK has begun accepting proposals from researchers studying improved production methods for biofuels and thermal biomass conversion. Financed by €11 million in EU research funds, the project emphasises international mobility, inviting students
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Emerald Biofuels announced that it will build an 85 million gallonrenewable-diesel refineries at a Dow Chemical site in Plaquemine, Louisiana. The company will use Honeywell’s UOP/Eni EcoFining process technology for the production of Honeywell Green Diesel
(PRNewswire) -- At a time when regulatory agencies are increasing pressure for the disposal of wastewater containing soluble sugars, ThermoEnergy Corporation's CASTion® Sugar Recovery System is a proven, cost-effective technology to capture and recover sugar in wastewater. Food and beverage wastewaters have
by Raj Mosali (Jatrodiesel Inc./Biodiesel Magazine) Biodiesel is traditionally produced via esterification of fatty acids and transesterification of triglycerides with an alcohol such as methanol and sodium methylate. The transesterification of triglycerides is comprised of three sequential, reversible reactions wherein
by Dan Krotz (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Berkeley Lab-led team explores a way to create biofuels, minus the photosynthesis Is there a new path to biofuels hiding in a handful of dirt? Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) biologist Steve Singer leads
(Business Wire) TMO Renewables (“TMO Group”), a leading technology provider for cellulosic biofuels production, today announced the company has advanced to demonstration scale on cassava stalk feedstock with major Chinese fuel and food producers. TMO is now processing an initial
(Ceres) • Pilot project validates U.S.-produced sweet sorghum as a potential feedstock for advanced biofuels and bio-products. • Conversion efficiency of sweet sorghum sugars were similar to sugarcane. Energy crop company Ceres, Inc. (Nasdaq: CERE) today announced its improved sweet sorghum hybrids
(CORE BioFuel, Inc.) CORE BioFuel Inc. announced today (May 2, 2012) that it has selected Technip, a world leader in engineering, construction and project management in the energy industry, to complete the construction engineering of their first wood to gasoline
by Bryan Sims (Biorefining Magazine) The biorefining industry is hungry for a low-cost, high-quality and readily available supply of sugar feedstock from nonfood biomass sources. A number of pure-play sugar technology developers and manufacturers like Renmatix, Virdia (formerly HCL CleanTech),
by Denise Deveau (Financial Post) {ISSUE} Soaring energy prices are thinning profit margins in the transport sector and increasing operational costs in many manufacturing industries {SHIFT} Turning wood waste into bio-fuel helps industry find a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable energy
(U.S. Department of Energy) As part of President Obama’s blueprint for an economy fueled by homegrown and alternative energy sources, the Energy Department announced today up to $15 million available to demonstrate biomass-based oil supplements that can be blended with
by Erin Voegele (Biorefining Magazine) A team of researchers at the University of Georgia’s Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology recently published the results of a study relating to hyperthermophiles—or heat-loving microorganisms—that may prove beneficial to biofuel production. The paper,
(Trillium FiberFuels Inc./Biorefining Magazine) A team of scientists from Trillium FiberFuels and Oregon State University has been awarded a Small Business Technology Transfer grant from the U.S. DOE to further develop innovative enzymes that could lead to new products from
(Virdia/Biorefining Magazine) Cellulosic sugar developer Virdia announced April 24 the opening of its demonstration facility at its new technology center in Danville, Va. Located on the campus for the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, the facility is designed to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Finding synergy between biogas, ethanol and power generation – the Maabjerg Energy Concept promises a new approach to energy economics and sustainability, through the capture and repurpose of industrial byproducts. ...Last August, the Danish prospects for
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Making good, affordable syngas from municipal solid waste to unlock 9 billion gallons of low-cost fuel? Covanta’s hot new gasification technology makes a big dent in the big challenge. ...The bumps in the road are three.
(The Hindu Business Line) The biotechnology division of the National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST) here has set up a Centre for Biofuels. It will be a nodal centre for research in the field, a spokesman for NIIST
(AOL Energy) Researchers at UCLA say they have come up with a method for converting electrical energy into a liquid fuel, in a development that could lead to regular petrol cars being powered by electricity. The process, which uses carbon dioxide (CO2) as
(CFOCEO Magazine) ...Interview conducted by: Lynn Fosse, Senior Editor, CEOCFO Magazine, Published - April 20, 2012 ...C1 is a very unique fungus we found in the Russian soil in an alkaline lake in the early 1990’s. We selected that fungus because
by Dan Piller (Des Moines Register) Cellulosic ethanol could use a break, and it appears that the U.S. military may be riding to the rescue. A Missouri cooperative called (what else?) ShowMe Energy is building an $80 million, 3 million gallon
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Light of specific wavelengths can be used to boost an enzyme's function by as much as 30 fold, potentially establishing a path to less expensive biofuels, detergents and a host of other products. In a paper published
(Air Fuel Synthesis) ... The company’s demonstration unit fuel reactor has produced methanol fuels from carbon monoxide and hydrogen, and also from carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The production of these first liquid hydrocarbon fuels – a real alternative to fossil
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Four projects, four technologies, four feedstocks, four geographies. Couldn’t be more differentiated, couldn’t be more linked in terms of affirming investor confidence in advanced biofuels. ...Virent CEO Lee Edwards... outlined four basic industry goals for 2012-13 that
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) North American sugar-to-ethanol strategy differs from Brazil’s, Europe’s ...North Dakota-based Green Vision Group is resolutely moving forward with a plan to build multiple 20 MMgy dedicated energy beet plants in the state. ...More than 3,000 miles
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Guido Ghisolfi is a confident man. A chemical engineer by trade, at 55, he’s already spent three decades leading research and development (R&D) activities at Italy-based Mossi & Ghisolfi Group, a $3 billion per
by Matthew L. Wald (The New York Times) How will the world meet its rising demand for energy? Experience suggests the solutions might already be at hand, although it may be years before they are widely recognized because energy inventions
(Chalmers) Pest insects in tropical rainforests can be a valuable natural asset. So believes Lisbeth Olsson, who is hunting for new enzymes in partnership with Vietnamese researchers. ...Together, researchers from Chalmers and Vietnam are now going to search for previously unknown
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Companies like KiOR, ZeaChem, Virent take aim at a tasty aviation biofuels market with new recipes and game-changing economics ...If you can produce in-spec, sustainable, low-carbon, renewable jet fuel at $3.32 per gallon or less, it
by Robert Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) Problem Definition: The production of biofuels in the US is at a substantial roadblock. Due to the high cost of transporting large quantities of low density, low value biomass to biorefineries, the economies of
by Lynn Yarris (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Joint BioEnergy Institute Researchers Develop Dynamic System for Regulating Metabolic Pathways Significant boosts in the microbial production of clean, green and renewable biodiesel fuel has been achieved with the development of a new technique
(PhysOrg) Just as aspiring authors often read hundreds of books before starting their own, scientists are using decades of knowledge garnered from sequencing or "reading" the genetic codes of thousands of living things to now start writing new volumes in
by Simon Levey (Industry Intelligence, Inc.) Key part of biomass processing could be made 80% more energy-efficient, reducing cost of biofuels by 10%, by treating timber with ionic solvents, find Imperial College London scientists A little bit of lubrication could make
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...KiOR did not recognize revenue during 2011, as its activities remained focused on construction of its first commercial facility in Columbus, Mississippi, research and development (R&D) designed to improve production yields and obtaining necessary financing
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Texas, the National Algae Association called on presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich to issue a retraction of statements he made at a campaign speech in Pennsylvania, branding the Speaker’s claim that he contacted the NAA to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Virent, Virdia debut super-performing drop-in aviation biofuels made from drop-in cellulosic pine tree sugars; “passed under conditions where conventional jet fuels would fail,” says Air Force. In Wisconsin, Virent and Virdia (formerly HCL CleanTech), announced the
(Maryland Clean Energy Center/The Current) Serial entrepreneur Craig Stuart-Paul has found a novel formula for growing a business. For the CEO of Fiberight, personal expertise in brewing beer plus innovations in recycling residential waste has added up to a new process
(HyperSolar) Company lays out specific milestones for reaching commercial viability of the world’s first nanotechnology-based, zero-carbon process for the production of renewable hydrogen and natural gas HyperSolar, Inc., the developer of a breakthrough technology to produce renewable hydrogen and natural gas
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) BP to showcase capabilities in low-carbon fuels at 2012 London Olympics. BP Biofuels chief Phil New outlines the BP’s path towards “getting biofuels right”. “6 percent of the entire BP workforce is now working in biofuels,”
(Cobalt Technologies/Sacramento Bee) Contract Issued to Albemarle to Process First Run of N-Butanol Into Jet Fuel Today, the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD), China Lake announced a contract award to Albemarle Corporation, a leading specialty chemicals company, to complete its first biojet fuel production run
(ScienceAlert/Ecos Magazine) Cellulose in plant cell walls contains sugars used to manufacture biofuels. However, this cellulose also resists decomposition, making it difficult to extract the sugars for use. New research into how plants form cellulose may hold the key. ...A structural
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...But in the past two years, five technologies have emerged that are focused on renewable gasoline (along with some others that have the capability of producing gasoline-like fuels but are focused primarily on diesel or
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Al-Corn Clean Fuel, a 50 MMgy plant in Claremont, Minn., is working with a St. Paul company investigating secondary production of green diesel at a new or existing ethanol plant. The project is fueled
by Bob Brooks (Automotive Industries) Possibly the most innovative new synthetic fuel, developed by privately financed Joule Unlimited, has proven the cost effectiveness of its system during 18 months at a pilot plant in Arizona. It is now under way
by Leslie Brooks Suzukamo (TwinCities.com/Pioneer Press) Cellulosic ethanol - ethanol made from nonfood crops - has been an alluring but elusive promise. That promise might finally be taking solid form. Today, ethanol powerhouse Poet will officially break ground on a $250 million
(Mettler - Toledo Int. Inc/Environmental Expert) The main obstacle in biodiesel production from waste fats and oils is their high free fatty acid content. Its precise measurement helps Professor Karel Kolomaznik’s Faculty of Applied Informatics team at Tomas Bata University in Zlín
(Butamax/iStockAnalyst.com) Butamax™ Advanced Biofuels, LLC, the biobutanol technology leader, announced today that the Company filed a new lawsuit against Gevo, Inc. for infringing the recently awarded Butamax™ patent8,129,162. The patent covers recombinant KARI enzymes which perform a key step in producing
(Cobalt) Confirms 40-60% cost reduction compared to petroleum-derived n-butanol Cobalt Technologies, a leading developer of next generation technology for the production of n-butanol, announced the successful demonstration of one of its advanced biocatalyst. Partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National
(Maverick BioFuels) Companies will integrate technologies to accelerate the cost competitive production of transportation fuels and bioplastics from biomass and waste feedstocks... Maverick Biofuels, a second-generation biofuels and bioplastics technology company, and TopLine Energy Systems (TES) , an advanced technology manufacturer
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Cobalt Technologies announced that it has successfully demonstrated its dilute acid hydrolysis pretreatment process, the first step of Cobalt’s process for converting sugars into n-butanol for use as a renewable chemical or fuel. Cobalt’s dilute
by Nina Chestney (Reuters) Water management company Aqualia plans to launch a commercial-scale demonstration project using waste water to cultivate algae for biofuel production, which could fuel 400 vehicles, the firm said on Monday. Spain's Aqualia, owned by construction and services
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In California, Virdia, formerly HCL CleanTech, a leading developer of cellulosic sugars, today announced major company milestones, including a new brand and CEO, its latest funding round, and a $75 million deal with the Mississippi
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What are Google, BP, Conoco, and GE investing? Is 3,000 gallons per acre of renewable gasoline possible? In the past few weeks, news has begun to circulate around the industry – and expanded by Twitter and
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Small North Carolina producer continues to innovate The founder of Pittsboro, N.C.-based Piedmont Biofuels, Rachel Burton, gave details at the 2012 National Biodiesel Conference & Expo in Orlando on the company’s new commercially proven enzymatic transesterification
by Kari Williamson (Renewable Energy Focus) The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) will develop alternative liquid fuels, including biofuel, for US military applications under a US$906,000 contract from the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology Inc (CCAT). The EERC will demonstrate gasification-based technologies
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) Minimizing catalyst use, particularly homogenous catalysts, while simultaneously maximizing product quality and process yield is a pervasive challenge that every biodiesel producer encounters daily because, after all, single digit differences in yield can determine whether
by David Shaffer (Star Tribune) ...Grants totaling $2.4 million announced Wednesday by the Minnesota Agriculture Department will help nine ventures trying to burn or gasify biomass or to make liquid fuel or ammonia. Biomass includes wood, plant material and farm
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Can companies like Mascoma and Sud-Chemie, by transforming the economics of cellulosic ethanol, compete at parity with gasoline – no subsidies, no five-years-to-commercial-scale, no kidding? Part II – “Chain-Chain-Chain, Chain of Fuels In Part II,
(ClickGreen) Scotland's Finance Secretary John Swinney has today announced funding to increase the energy and low carbon support available to Scottish companies. The Scottish Government has awarded £3.4 million of European Regional Development Funding to six projects from leading Scottish universities and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Part I – I Want a New Bug In Part I, today, “I Want a New Bug,” we look at the formation of Lygos, and the magic bugs, coming primarily out of the Keasling Lab
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