(National Algae Association) Due to the lack of sufficient data on the performance of industrial-scale photobioreactors, fermentation, dewatering/harvesting and extraction equipment, the NAA is announcing a new collaborative testing center starting in The Woodlands, Texas beginning in January, 2012. "If we
(PR NewsWire/MarketWatch) Analytical Technology Fueling Institute's Fundamental Energy Research Waters Corporation today (November 15, 2011) welcomed the Future Fuels Institute at Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida into its Centers of Innovation Program. The Future Fuels Institute under its director, Dr. Chang
by Vidya Ramanathan (Advanced Biofuels USA) A clear view of coppery miniature treetops, brilliant skies and shimmering coastline. This is the sight that welcomed the attendees of the first ever conference on ElectroFuels, conducted by the Society of Biologigal Engineering, under
by John Hollenhorst (Deseret News) West High School students David Larkin and Andy Law have apparently invented a new way of making fuel, and they've applied for a patent. It's the kind of success story that would make many former students
(Ventura County Star/AP) ... Joule Unlimited Inc. plans to convert sunlight and carbon dioxide waste into biofuel at the planned facility in Hobbs. The plant is expected to begin operations in 2012. ...State officials say Joule has the potential to expand
by Graham Warwick (Aviation Week) As airlines launch the first commercial biofuel flights in the U.S., the government is working with industry to scale up production of biomass-derived jet fuel to commercial quantities beginning in 2012. Following the lead set by
by Wayne Seames (American Oil Chemists Society/Inform Magazine) A new generation of technologies to generate renewable fuels is nearing commercialization. Some of these are focused on producing ethanol and other alcohols from cellulosic biomass using fermentation technologies. These alcohol-based fuels
(University of Delaware) ...Eleftherios (Terry) Papoutsakis, Eugene du Pont Chair of Chemical Engineering at the University of Delaware, is working to create hardy organisms for producing biofuels and chemicals from renewable sources – microorganisms that are more resistant to toxic chemicals and
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) A tree outside Oak Ridge National Laboratory researcher Pratul Agarwal's office window provided the inspiration for a discovery that may ultimately lead to drugs with fewer side effects, less expensive biofuels and more. Just as a breeze
by Bryan Sims (Biorefining Magazine) ...Co-founded in 2002 by Randy Cortright, Virent’s current chief technology officer, and James Dumesic, professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Virent deepened its relationship with Shell and refocused its business strategy in 2008 to produce
by Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine) ...“I came to the U.S. four years ago to really make what we wanted to be on a piece of paper a reality,” she (Sue Ellerbusch, president of BP Biofuels North America) tells Biorefining Magazine. That reality for
(GreenTechMedia/PR NewsWire) Today, at the Advanced Biofuels Markets Conference in San Francisco, Arnold Klann, Chief Executive Officer and President of BlueFire Renewables (OTC BB: BFRE.OB), a company focused on shifting the paradigm for energy sources by converting non-food cellulosic wastes into renewable
by Derek Mead (GreenTechMedia) Three newly public biofuel and green chemical firms reveal their financials. A trio of young biofuel firms recently reported their third-quarter 2011 earnings, offering a good glimpse into what's up and coming in the petroleum-substitute sector. Amyris,
by Kevin Welch (Amarillo Globe-News) The U.S. Department of Agriculture is giving White Energy, with ethanol plants in Hereford and Plainview, a $3-million grant to promote using materials other than corn to make biofuels. Those materials can range from crop residue
by Tara Bozick (GoDanRiver.com) ...Chemtex International and its parent Gruppo Mossi and Ghisolfi, or the M&G Group, have been developing a lingo-cellulosic bio-ethanol technology called Proesa in a move away from petroleum and toward renewable materials. In today’s world, people
by Jason Palmer (BBC News) Scientists have succeeded in forming a "feedback loop" between a computer and a common yeast to precisely control the switching on and off of specific genes. The computer controlled flashes of light to start and stop
by Bryan Sims (Biorefining Magazine) Could algae and biowaste be the next black gold? Yuanhui Zhang believes it very well could be. Since 1996, the professor in agricultural and biological engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, has successfully
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In the world at large, they are generally called pests. We call them ‘magic bugs’. They are like the SuperFriends of Saturday morning cartoons – Nature has certainly endowed them with magic powers. ...Too often, public
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) When he was only 14 years old, Sam Flournoy set out to design and build his own biodiesel processor. ...According to Flournoy, it took about six months of work before he was able to produce his
by Susan Frick Carlman (Naperville Sun) The first phase of the local partnership working toward collecting yard waste and converting it into fuels is poised to go live in the coming weeks. In the works for nearly three years, the Green
by Barbara Walters (ABC 20/20)Though conspicuous consumption in tough economic times has given the superrich bad press, self-made moguls like ... Lynn Tilton are giving back through various philanthropy and business projects. They're also sharing their surprising stories with "20/20."
(R&D) Researchers have long been interested in waste products as sources of biofuel. In Maine, those waste items could include treetops and limbs deemed by the forest products industry as unusable and often left behind in the woods. A University of
by Matt Soberg (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Saskatchewan-based Nipawin Biomass Ethanol New Generation Co-operative Ltd. has contracted with the Saskatchewan Research Council to further develop its catalytic process for cellulosic ethanol production. The technology is also being integrated into Fulcrum BioEnergy
by Art Hovey (Lincoln Journal Star) Movers and shakers in York County, one of the most prolific places for corn production in Nebraska and the United States, have spun off plenty of other profitable corn undertakings in recent years, including
by Toby Price (Renewable Energy Magazine) A German-French initiative has culminated in the commissioning of a photobioreactor plant on the French island of La Reunion in the Indian Ocean. The facility which uses microalgae to produce biofuel was supplied this
by Bob Brooks (Automotive Industries) A BP executive was quoted recently that biofuels are obtained from “renewable wells” which is an oil man’s way of saying we are drilling for energy as usual but for different raw material. Key to
(PhysOrg.com/Purdue University) Not all parts of a corn stalk are equal, and they shouldn't be treated that way when creating cellulosic ethanol, say Purdue University researchers. When corn stover is processed to make cellulosic ethanol, everything is ground down and blended together.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...There’s a rumor going around the biofuels and biomaterials business that today represents one of the most difficult periods to raise capital. Apparently, the rumors did not reach ZeaChem, Chromatin or Synthetic Genomics, which this
(Ethanol Producer Magazine/Algenol) Algenol Biofuels Inc. broke ground on the construction of its pilot-scale integrated biorefinery on Oct. 24. This production facility will be the first large-scale deployment of Algenol's patented and trademarked Direct To Ethanol technology, which produces ethanol
by Alex Morales (Bloomberg) Cellulosic ethanol output may surge starting in 2013, when the first commercial-scale plants “open the floodgates” for the fuel, according to the largest U.S. corn-based biofuel producer. Poet LLC plans to start production in 2013 at a
(Cobalt) Cobalt Technologies, a leading developer of next generation bio-based chemicals and Rhodia, a specialty chemical company, today announced the execution of a Memorandum of Understanding setting the basis for a strategic alliance to develop bio n-butanol refineries throughout Latin
(Amyris) Two Million Ton Sugarcane Crush Capacity to be added in Brazil for High-Performance Renewable Chemicals and Fuels Amyris, Inc. and ETH Bioenergia, a leading producer of ethanol, electric energy and sugar controlled by Odebrecht S.A., have signed a memorandum of
(Los Alamos National Laboratory) LANL scientists have genetically engineered "magnetic" algae to investigate alternative, more efficient harvesting and lipid extraction methods for biofuels. The researchers seek to reduce the cost of algae-based biofuel production. Currently, used algae-harvesting and lipid-extraction technology accounts
(Le Monde) Dans de vastes hangars sont stockés des bottes de paille, des tiges de miscanthus (sorte de roseau parfois appelé "herbe à éléphant"), des rondins de saule et de peuplier. D'autres bâtiments sont réservés aux copeaux et résidus de
(Christian Science Monitor) ... Pamela Silver and her colleagues aim to compress the oil-forming process to nearly instantaneous, with some carbon dioxide, a dash of electricity, and a lot of help from the diminutive star of her Harvard Medical School
(SB Wire) Henan Tianguan Fuel Ethanol Co., Ltd. (Henan Tianguan) plans to launch cellulosic ethanol plants to expand its capacity gradually in next three years, which is expected to reach 120,000t/a in 2014, according to CCM’s October Issue of Industrial
(M&G) Gruppo Mossi and Ghisolfi ("M&G"), through its wholly-owned subsidiary Chemtex, is pleased to announce that it has founded BETA RENEWABLES, a joint venture with TPG Capital and TPG Biotech (collectively "TPG"), established to exclusively license Chemtex's PROESA® Technology into
(Coskata) With More than 15,000 Run Hours, Company Focus Turns to Commercial Scale Facilities Coskata, Inc., a developer of technology for the production of advanced biofuels and biochemicals from biomass and waste materials, achieved two years of successful operations at
by Bob Brooks (Automotive Industries) A major factor limiting innovative bio fuel firms from commercializing their technologies is the need for large investment in, or cost of using outside refining facilities. There are many types of bio raw materials that
by Bryan Sims (Biorefining Magazine) Sean Arnold, chief operating officer for Cleveland, Ohio-based Vadxx Energy and Lawrence Walmsley, CEO of New York-based Culture Fuels Inc. discussed how waste plastics and algae are viable feedstock for the production of green fuels, chemicals
(Enhanced Online News) Primus Green Energy (“Primus”), the leader in renewable, drop-in fuel, successfully proved its pilot scale production is capable of producing “drop-in” standard gasoline that achieves 25 percent longer runtime than regular unleaded fuel. The bio-gasoline product was
by Tilde Herrera (GreenBiz.com) ...That's because for Waste Management, garbage isn't just garbage anymore. "You can begin to extrapolate some pretty interesting business models when you think of waste as a resource," said Tim Cesarek, managing director of Waste Management's Organic
(Biofuels International) Biodiesel producer Argent Energy Group has been awarded £7 million (€8.1 million) from the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) to help fund its development. ...Lombard is funding the purchase of innovative equipment that will enable Argent to convert used
by Paul Spindler (Catchlight Energy, LLC). The company CLE (Catchlight Energy) is a 50/50 partnership between the sustainable, forest-based feedstock company, Weyerhaeuser, and the commercial fuel company, Chevron. The purpose of this partnership is to link the benefits of a parent
Neal St. Anthony (Star Tribune) ...Two years ago, McNeff's family-owned Anoka company inaugurated a $9 million plant in Isanti, Minn., that produces 3 million gallons annually of biodiesel made from used cooking oil. The approach is based on a discovery
(OriginOil) Researchers Used Natural Material to Break Down Cell Walls and Improve Extraction by up to 15% OriginOil, Inc., the developer of a breakthrough technology to extract oil from algae and an emerging leader in the global algae oil services industry, today announced
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Susan Ellerbusch: Now, at BP there are dozens of BP people who are experts in growing crops design, farm logistics. We are building an agriculture team after having acquired the biotech parts. ...Yes, every move
by Jim Sturdevant (POET) POET indicates that bioenergy provides a boost to rural economies and creates/saves jobs today. It mitigates costs of imported oil; consequently, the majority of jobs would not be outsourced. Bioenergy reduces environmental impacts of continued use
by Hoyt Thomas (OpenAlgae) Hoyt Thomas, President and CEO of OpenAlgae, points out that the algae industry is suffering from a case of separation anxiety. To find out the solutions, OpenAlgae developed unique separation technologies focusing on improving processes to
by Nicholas Jackson (The Atlantic) ...But if I am speaking to someone who really wants to know, then I proudly tell them that I am part of a team that is building the first 21st-century oil company, and
(PR NewsWire/SarTec) SarTec Corporation announced today it has received a $500,000 Department of Energy grant (Award # DE-EE0003127) as part of a larger project to develop and enhance the use of inedible energy crops for the production of advanced biofuels using the patented Mcgyan®
by Marie Louise Ballon (U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute/Renewable Energy World) ...Published online October 2 in Nature Biotechnology, an international team of scientists including DOE JGI researchers compared the finished genomes of Thielavia terrestris and Muceliophthora thermophila, fungi
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) The production of advanced biofuels was one of many renewable energy topics addressed by speakers at the recent annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative. During a keynote lunch address on green technology, Jonathan Wolfson,
(Iowa State University) Iowa State University's Robert C. Brown keeps a small vial of brown, sweet-smelling liquid on his office table. "It looks like something you could pour on your pancakes," he said. "In many respects, it is similar to molasses." Brown,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A lesser-known pilot project in Mexico says it can produce biofuels at parity with $33 oil. Can this ultra-low cost project replicate its results at scale. Where is it deploying, and when? ...With gasification technologies, the
(US Department of Energy) Groundbreaking Cellulosic Ethanol Project Expected to Fund Over 300 Jobs and Build Nation’s Capacity for Cellulosic Ethanol Production U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced that the Department finalized a $132.4 million loan guarantee to Abengoa Bioenergy
(BusinessWire/Yahoo!Finance) Air Force Purchase is for Jet Engine Testing and Feasibility Flight Demonstration Gevo, Inc., a leading renewable chemicals and advanced biofuels company, received a $5 million grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the development of biojet
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) 30 billion gallons of aviation fuels demand, and Gevo’s got a technology to produce it, using retrofitted ethanol plants, and a path to fueling planes at parity with conventional jet fuel prices. Game-changer? ...Why are investors
by Erin Voegele (Biorefining Magazine) A researcher at Washington State University has been selected to receive a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Young Faculty Award to support the development of a technology to produce biobased jet fuel. Bin Yang,
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ....But as it turns out, trees guard their precious C5 and C6 sugars, those necessary to produce cellulosic ethanol and biochemicals, with a nearly impenetrable system of natural defenses that has yet to
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) Seattle, Wash.-based biodiesel producer Imperium Renewables and the U.S. DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have reported positive results in a joint development for the production of biomass-based drop-in jet fuel in the Pacific Northwest. So
(ZeaChem) ZeaChem Will Produce “Drop-In” Advanced Biofuels at Boardman, Oregon Biorefinery ZeaChem Inc., a developer of biorefineries for the conversion of renewable feedstocks into sustainable fuels and chemicals, today (September 28, 2011) announced it has been awarded part of a $40
by Vidya Ramanathan (Advanced Biofuels USA) “Artificial leaf, Nanowires and Biomass - Are these the fuels and technologies of the future? Emerging from the BP Gulf Oil spill, and witnessing the post-quake-tsunami nuclear-reactor incidents in Japan, we are rightly poised
(PR Newswire/Renmatix) Kleiner Perkins' John Doerr, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett, and Amyris CEO John Melo laud company's novel use of super critical water Renmatix, the leading producer of cellulosic sugars, today unveiled the Plantrose™ process, the company's commercial approach to producing
by Matthew L. Wald (New York Times) A Georgia company says it has overcome a major roadblock in turning agricultural waste into vehicle fuel and other useful chemicals by experimenting with a technology that treats the waste with compressed water
by Christina Borgese and Marc Privitera (Biodiesel Magazine) Biodiesel reaction and separation methods range from the time-honored large batch tanks with long residence time reactions and water washes for product separation to intensification, enzymatic, and supercritical reactions coupled with distillation
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) The International Biorefining Conference & Trade Show in Houston wasn’t exclusively about biobased chemicals and next-gen biofuels. In fact, the event featured two speakers who presented novel biodiesel technologies that are on the verge of
(POET) POET closes on loan to keep construction on pace for 2013 plant start-up POET today (September 23, 2011) received final approval for a $105 million loan guarantee issued through the U.S. Department of Energy's Loan programs Office. The loan guarantee
(SBWire) COFCO's first phase of the cellulosic ethanol production line will lay a foundation in Zhaodong, in December 2011. The first phase of the cellulosic ethanol production line with capacity of 50,000t/a in COFCO Corporation (COFCO) will lay a foundation
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The first zero-cost feedstock biofuels company comes to the public markets with its IPO. ...Fulcrum becomes the 12th company to file for an IPO in the industrial biotech boom, which began with a successful listing on
(Salk Institute) Bionic bacteria may help fight disease and global warming A strain of genetically enhanced bacteria developed by researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies may pave the way for new synthetic drugs and new ways of manufacturing medicines
by (Western Farm Press/US Department of Agriculture) Cornstalks, wheat straw, and other rough, fibrous, harvest-time leftovers may soon be less expensive to convert into cellulosic ethanol, thanks to USDA scientists' studies of a promising new biorefinery yeast. Cornstalks, wheat straw, and other
Andrew Held (Virent) Andrew Held, Director of Virent Feedstock Development, explained that Virent creates gasoline, jet fuel, diesel and chemicals from biomass feedstocks. Virent, founded in 2002 and based in Madison, WI , has a 63,000 sq. ft. facility with
Laurel Harmon (LanzaTech Inc.) LanzaTech, Inc., was founded in January 2005 by CSO Dr. Sean Simpson in New Zealand. Funds were mainly from New Zealand government US$ 10M, Khosla Ventures US$ 12M in 2007 and Qiming Ventures US$
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Intrigued by cellulosic ethanol and a new product called MGT, in Mascoma’s IPO? ...Mascoma Corporation announced that it has filed an S-1 registration statement relating to a proposed $100 million initial public offering. The number of
(Algae Industry Magazine) A Principal Member of the Technical Staff of Albuquerque, New Mexico-based Sandia National Laboratories, serving in the Earth Systems Analysis – Energy, Resources, and Systems Analysis division, Ron Pate has been on M&O Contractor assignment in Washington, DC
By Leila Battison (BBC) Microwaving waste food products could be used to produce important chemicals and biofuels, new technology has shown. ...Using highly focused microwaves, the scientists believe they can input any organic waste, and extract useful chemical compounds that can
(University of California-Riverside) Two grants will allow further development of steam hydro-gasification process that turns waste from food, yards and other sources into transportation fuels or natural gas Researchers at the University of California, Riverside’s Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CERT) at
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Hawaii goes all in on microalgae to provide fuel, food, fiber and power to grow its energy-starved Mid-Pacific economy and fit its environmental values ...Hawaii has no fossil fuel resources of its own. Not to mention
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What this country really needs is a good, five-cent sugar. Got one? Riches await. One of the most interesting developments in recent months has been the emergence, out of stealth, of a number of companies focused
by Luke Geiver (Biodiesel Magazine) Hycagen Ltd., a U.K.-based advanced biofuel startup, uses the same feedstocks traditionally used by the biodiesel industry, but Hycagen doesn’t make biodiesel. ...Hycagen produces a fuel they call Hycadiesel. The fuel is made using
by Brian Wallheimer (Purdue University) Purdue University researchers have found an alternative environmentally friendly and energy-efficient way to dry corn ethanol, and their proof is in the pudding. Michael Ladisch, a distinguished professor of agricultural and biological engineering; Youngmi Kim, a Purdue
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Iowa’s research community has been awarded $20 million through the National Science Foundation’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research with the goal of establishing the state as a leader in renewable energy technology and
(AliphaJet) – AliphaJet, Inc. announced that the company has developed and successfully demonstrated a highly cost-effective catalytic method for making jet biofuel from renewable products such as plant and animal triglycerides and/or fatty acids. AliphaJet’s BoxCar™ catalytic de-oxygenation process significantly reduces capital and operating costs
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...But a handful of companies such as Cobalt, Gevo, Terrabon, LanzaTech and ZeaChem, are shaking up the emerging aviation biofuels markets by developing renewable aviation fuels from ethanol and/or biobutanol. ...“An alcohol molecule, looking at it
by Theodore D. Matson, Katalin Barta, Alexei V. Iretskii, and Peter C. Ford (Journal of the American Chemical Society) Efficient methodologies for converting biomass solids to liquid fuels have the potential to reduce dependence on imported petroleum while easing the
by Laura B. Brentner, Matthew J. Eckelman, and Julie B. Zimmerman (Environmental Science & Technology) The use of algae as a feedstock for biodiesel production is a rapidly growing industry, in the United States and globally. A life
by Eric Niiler (Discovery News) Rugged heat- and salt-loving organisms could unlock the secret to efficient biofuel production. THE GIST They don't need oxygen or sunlight and can survive acid baths and doses of radiation that would kill other organisms. With concerns over
(Southwest Research Institute) Southwest Research Institute launched a collaborative effort to assist our clients to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and to address governmental mandates for alternative fuel production and tightened emissions standards. SwRI's new International Alternative Fuel Technology Center
(BusinessWire/Primus Green Energy) Primus Green Energy (“Primus”), the leader in renewable, drop-in fuel, has expanded its U.S.-based development facility in New Jersey, enabling the company to build its complete, integrated thermal-chemical process. Primus’ game-changing process for converting biomass into gasoline
By Brian L. Goodall, Puneet Chandra and Tom Czartoski (SRS Energy) Brian Goodall introduced SRS energy which specializes in oil and water purification, separation and related services. For four years, SRS Dexter focused their R&D on algae extraction and fractionation. Goodall
by Matt Carr (Biotechnology Industry Organization). Matt Carr, Managing Director or BIO notes that in 2011, biofuels comprise about 10% of the US transportation fuel market; in 2025, biofuels will consist of around 25% of that market. Renewable chemicals and
by Kiyohiko Igarashi, Takayuki Uchihashi, Anu Koivula, Masahisa Wada, Satoshi Kimura, Tetsuaki Okamoto, Merja Penttilä, Toshio Ando, and Masahiro Samejima (Science Magazine) A deeper mechanistic understanding of the saccharification of cellulosic biomass could enhance the efficiency of biofuels development. We report here the real-time visualization of crystalline
(POET) POET Biorefining -- Mitchell to cut even more water use Mitchell is layering another level of water recycling on top of its current system with a new process to use storm water from nearby retention ponds. The plant received approval last
(Algae Industry Magazine) Dr. Babetta Marrone and Dr. Jim Coons are in charge of developing the Ultrasonic Algae Biofuel Harvester, as their part of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)’s part of the 3-year NAABB project. ...Together, they are working to develop
(Trillium FiberFuels/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Trillium FiberFuels Inc. has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research grant to further its work in developing innovative technologies for creating fuel-grade ethanol from straw and other biomass. This latest award to Trillium from the
(MarketWatch/Dynamotive) GE today (September 1, 12011) announced that it has joined Virgin Australia and a consortium of other partners to research and develop commercial biofuel for the aviation industry. The consortium will focus on pyrolytic conversion of biomass from mallee eucalypt
(Algae Industry Magazine) National Algae Association Executive Director Barry Cohen has announced the completion of additional commercial-scale pilot closed-loop photobioreactors (PBR’s) at the Biotech Institute at Lone Star College, The Woodlands, Texas. “Thanks to contributions of equipment from Solar Components Corporation,
by Phil West (The Commercial Appeal) Legislature to consider incentives to land Israeli company's 800 jobs, $1B operation Gov. Haley Barbour wants state legislators to approve $100 million worth of financial incentives to help an Israeli biofuels company establish a headquarters
by Hoyt Thomas (OpenAlgae/Biofuels Digest) ...Dealing with the separation issue is perhaps the biggest obstacle we face. But that’s not what you’ll read on most algae companies’ websites. ...Compared to the well-developed soy and palm crops that provide oils for biodiesel,
by Brian Wallheimer (Purdue University) Adding a pretreatment step would allow producers to get more ethanol from switchgrass harvested in the fall, according to a Purdue University study. Michael Ladisch, a distinguished professor of agricultural and biological engineering, and Youngmi Kim,
(University of York/EurekAlert!) Scientists from the University of York have played a pivotal role in a discovery which could finally unlock the full potential of waste plant matter to replace oil as a fuel source. Professor Paul Walton and Professor
(US Department of Energy) In support of the Obama Administration's comprehensive efforts to strengthen U.S. energy security, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced up to $12 million to fund three small-scale projects in Illinois, Wisconsin, and North Carolina that
by Cahal Milmo (IOL Scitech) When it comes to weaning the world’s motorists off their addiction to fossil fuel, few would have bet on finding part of the solution in the pungent depths of elephant droppings and a Swiss compost
by Luke Geiver (Biodiesel Magazine) Aquaflow Bionomic Corp., a New Zealand-based algae technology developer, is taking a broad approach to algae-to-fuel development—one the company’s director Nick Gerritsen said may include nonalgae feedstocks. Aquaflow recently agreed to work with Texas-based CRI
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) Detroit-based startup biodiesel technology developer NextCAT Inc. has received $498,830 in funding from a National Science Foundation Phase II Small Business Innovation Research award. The funding will help commercialize alternative biodiesel catalyst technology, developed at
by Teis Jensen (Reuters) New consortium invests in feasibility study * Plans involve second-generation bioethanol plant * Plant could cost $390 million - $580 million Denmark's DONG Energy and local partners will explore the possibility of building a bioenergy complex, including a large-scale
by Ed Marcum (KnoxNews.com) The University of Tennessee showed off its biofuel facilities here Tuesday to top state officials as the school works to increase efficiencies so that the experimental project can become a commercial operation. Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and U.S. Sen.
(University of Illinois/Science Daily) University of Illinois scientists have engineered a new strain of yeast that converts seaweed into biofuel in half the time it took just months ago. ..."The key is the strain's ability to ferment cellobiose and galactose simultaneously,
Elizabeth R. Nesbitt, Paul Thiers, Johnway Gao, Sharon Shoemaker, Manuel Garcia-Perez, Julie Carrier, Joy Doran-Peterson, John Morgan, Guangyi Wang, Pierre Christian Wensel, Shulin Chen (Journal of International Commerce and Economics) The Chinese government is vigorously promoting commercialization of renewable energy and bioproducts, given environmental issues plus food, energy, and national security concerns,
(US Department of Agriculture) Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, and Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus today announced the next step in the creation of a public-private partnership to develop drop-in advanced biofuels. The Secretaries
(Honeywell) UOP LLC, a Honeywell company, announced today that it has begun construction in Hawaii of a biofuels demonstration unit that will convert forest residuals, algae and other cellulosic biomass into green transportation fuels. Backed by a $25 million U.S. Department of
by Alexandra Witze (Science News) Two giant pandas in the Memphis Zoo have dropped researchers a gift. Studies of the pandas’ poop show that their gut microbes break down bamboo efficiently — a trick that humans could co-opt to turn
(R&D Magazine) Here's one way that old-fashioned newsprint beats the Internet. Tulane University scientists have discovered a novel bacterial strain, dubbed "TU-103," that can use paper to produce butanol, a biofuel that can serve as a substitute for gasoline. They
by Bryan Sims and Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine) Biorefining technology does not grow on trees but there is no shortage of innovative ways to turn biomass into an advanced biofuel or a biobased chemical. Some of those technologies, like the
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) A new way to remove fiber from corn has been discovered by a professor from Mississippi State University (MSU). He calls his process Elusieve and has filed for a patent. The process was invented by Dr. Radhakrishnan Srinivasan
by Bill Moore (Stuff.co.nz) Nelson-based biofuel company Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation has announced a deal with a Texas-based renewable fuel company that paves the way for the building of a multimillion-dollar biofuels plant. Its agreement is with CRI Catalyst Company, a provider
by Ismira Lutfia (Jakarta Globe) The millions of tons of fibrous residue produced by palm oil plantations across the country could soon become a major source of raw material for renewable fuel. Over the past year, scientists from the Indonesian
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Not content to let Brazil hog all the glory, three development-stage companies eye sugar-based ethanol feedstocks ...If successful, California Ethanol & Power LLC will be the first ethanol production company bankrolled partially by Brazilian money,
(GreenAir Online) The regional initiative launched in June by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to provide finance for renewable jet fuel projects in Latin America and the Caribbean has made its first grant. The IDB, along with aircraft manufacturers
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Poet LLC is venturing into the realm of energy grasses with a newly launched collaborative effort to establish native grasses on degraded lands in areas surrounding its 100 MMgy ethanol plant at Chancellor, S.D.
(Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) The ailing United States’ economy would receive a much needed boost with the commercial development of a domestic source of transportation fuel – especially if that fuel were to be clean, green and renewable, and could
(INEOS Bio/PR NewsWire) Florida project is first large-scale advanced biorefinery facility in U.S. to close financing in latest round of USDA backed financing INEOS Bio announced that its joint venture project closed private financing on a $75m loan backed by a Loan Guarantee
(Abengoa/PR NewsWire) Abengoa today announced that its subsidiary, Abengoa Bioenergy, has been selected by the US Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office to receive an offer of a conditional commitment for a $133.9 million federal loan guarantee for the construction of
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Add-on technology developed for corn ethanol plants Rather than retrofitting a corn-ethanol plant to produce i-butanol, n-butanol or use other novel fermentation technologies, three companies are collaborating to turn a traditional ethanol plant into a
(The White House) USDA, Department of Energy and Navy Partner to Advance Biofuels to Fuel Military and Commercial Transportation, Displace Need for Foreign Oil, and Strengthen Rural America President Obama today (August 16, 2011) announced that the U.S. Departments of Agriculture,
(AvJet Biotech/PR.com) Unique Refining System Creates Aviation Biofuel from Renewable Native Feedstocks Avjet Biotech, Inc., a leading developer of small distributive refining systems in the 10 million gallon per year range and parent company of Red Wolf Refining, has announced the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Survivor, biofuels style? NABC trims its project roster to two (or maybe three), as it nixes two projects and puts two on the “maybe” watch. Here’s what happened, why, and what’s next. In Washington, the DOE
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ZeaChem Inc. announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Chrysler Group LLC to accelerate the commercialization of its cellulosic ethanol process and to assist in establishing a strong consumer market for the
(US Department of Energy) ...More than 600 speakers, moderators, sponsors, exhibitors, and attendees were able to listen to discussions about the ongoing challenges and achievements in the bioenergy industry. Biomass 2011 addressed key issues in important areas, such as feedstock supply, conversion pathways,
(The Oak Ridger) A team of researchers at the Department of Energy's BioEnergy Science Center, which is led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, have reportedly pinpointed the exact, single gene that controls ethanol production capacity in a microorganism. This discovery
by Erin Voegele (Biorefining Magazine) The Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands recently published a thesis on pyrolysis research written by ERC researcher Paul de Wild. According to de Wild, while many renewable resources, such as wind, solar, water and
by David Biello (Scientific American) Making biofuels from waste makes dollars--and sense ...Turning garbage into fuel is potentially an answer to two pressing problems—diminishing the world's dependence on fossil fuels and an alternative to burying trash in landfills. In fact, the 468 million
(Rice University) Rice University engineers reverse E. coli metabolism for speedy production of fuels, chemicals In a biotechnological tour de force, Rice University engineering researchers this week unveiled a new method for rapidly converting simple glucose into biofuels and petrochemical substitutes.
(Butamax) Butamax™ Advanced Biofuels, LLC today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted patent number 7,993,889, adding another pioneering patent to its biobutanol intellectual property portfolio. This patent protects foundational methods for low-cost production of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...But a new generation of technologies is coming along fast, primarily in advanced biofuels, which is gasifying biomass at the front end along its path towards making fuels, chemicals or other biomaterials – or in
by Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine) After nearly five years of research and development, the work of Pacific Renewable Fuels and Chemicals, and Red Lion Bio-Energy, has turned into a new biorefining company: SynTerra Energy Inc. SynTerra Energy combines pyrolysis and
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) German-based international specialty chemicals company Süd-Chemie AG held a groundbreaking July 26 for a 1,000 ton-per-year, demonstration-scale cellulosic ethanol plant in Straubing, located in the Lower Bavaria region. The plant, which is expected begin
(EurekAlert!) Researchers potentially find a renewable path to fuel additives, rubber and solvents Researchers in the Pacific Northwest have developed a new catalyst material that could replace chemicals currently derived from petroleum and be the basis for more environmentally friendly products
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...A conversation with Terrabon COO Simon Upfill-Brown ...BD: Fuels or chemicals, for the first project? SU-B: We are still very much focused on fuel, we feel that fuel is the way to go for the first plant
(Science Blog) ...Now a study from the University of Copenhagen shows that it is possible to predict just how toxic the fuel will become without producing a single drop. This promises cheaper, faster and above all safer development of alternatives
by William Lyons and Sten Stovall (Wall Street Journal) ..."We don't realize it, but we are living in the fossil age," he (Royal DSM CEO Feike Sijbesma) argues. "Population will increase, urbanization will increase, temperature will increase and the price of
by Von Philip Bethge (Der Spiegel Online) Genetically modified blue and green algae could be the answer to the world's fuel problems. Bioengineers have already developed algae that produce ethanol, oil and even diesel -- and the only things the
by Matthew Lynley (Green Beat) Enerkem, a company that specializes in converting unusable waste into ethanol and other chemicals, announced today that it has raised $30 million in an extension of its most recent funding round. Enerkem converts household garbage and leftover
by Holly Jessen (DomesticFuel.com) Although the U.S. corn ethanol industry is frequently misunderstood and misrepresented, it’s the only domestic renewable fuel industry to reach significant scale and make a measurable impact on the U.S. fuel supply, said Luca Zullo, principal
(Platts) Specialty chemicals company Sud-Chemie AG said Tuesday it had began construction of a demonstration plant that will be the largest in Germany dedicated to the production of cellulosic ethanol from non-edible crop waste. The plant is due to start operating
(News.stv.tv) Researchers hope that the animals' ability to break down trees and plant material can be harnessed to create renewable fuels. Scottish scientists are hoping to harness the power of cow's stomachs to create a new range of biofuels. Researchers in Aberdeen
by Colin M. Beal, Robert E. Hebner, Michael E. Webber, Rodney S. Ruoff and A. Frank Seibert (Bioenergy Research) This study is an experimental determination of the energy return on investment (EROI) for algal biocrude production at a research facility at the University of
(NewsWise/South Dakota State University) Humans may move one step closer to colonizing space thanks to a new research project that NASA is funding at South Dakota State University, the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and Oglala Lakota College. The
(American Fuels) Joule Unlimited Technologies today (July 27, 2011) announced the issuance of its first two U.S. patents covering its fundamental method for producing ethanol at volumes and efficiencies far surpassing biomass-dependent processes. The patents relate to methods for increasing the
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