by Maggie Fox (Reuters) Researchers looking for better ways to make biofuels turned to experts at breaking down grass -- cattle -- and found more than a dozen new compounds in their guts that might help make new, cheap sources
by Vinod Khosla (GreenTechMedia) Imagination is in shortest supply when it comes to agronomic econometrics that extrapolate the past instead of inventing a new future. Part II: Feedstock. Feedstock cost, environmental impact and even its politics are critical variables. With each
(ME NewsWire) Research confirms viability of using saltwater and arid land to create new forms of sustainable bio energy Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (MI), the Boeing Company, Etihad Airways, and Honeywell’s UOP announced today the completion of a Sustainability
(KiOR) Project would produce drop-in fuels from wood biomass at four facilities across three states KiOR, Inc., announced today that it has received a term sheet for a loan guarantee supporting an over $1 billion biofuels project from the U.S. Department of Energy’s
(BioJet International Ltd.) BioJet International Ltd. announced that it has received a US $1.2 Billion funding facility from Cayman based Equity Partners Fund SPC. The funding structure is a 3 year facility, further terms of the funding were not disclosed. BioJet
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Codexis yesterday announced a stunning 29% increase in revenue, ...What’s driving the numbers in Redwood City? ”We achieved our technical milestones with Shell, we made our first shipments of two important enzymes to Merck and
by Dr. F. David Doty (GreenTechMedia) A startup proposes using off-peak excess wind energy to recycle CO2 into standard transportation fuels. For many years, greentech leaders have been saying renewables are never going to make a major contribution to our energy
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) ...Kent Bioenergy has been harvesting algae for years, as part of their aquaculture business that dates back the the 1970s. The original company needed to learn how to clean the water used for fish farms and
(Novozymes/Bradenton.com) The road to commercialization of cellulosic biofuels may be bumpy and less traveled, but it’s actually an easier road than many might think. This week at the DC Auto Show, Novozymes and POET will celebrate being one mile closer to their destination --
by Jenette Sturges (Naperville Sun) In only a few short years, it could be fueling cars and trucks while producing 90 percent less greenhouse gas, providing energy security for the nation, and creating high-tech jobs in the Naperville area. It’s a process
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) One year after receiving $1 million grant from Ohio Third Frontier, SuGanit Systems Inc. is getting another $2 million from the same group to establish a cellulosic ethanol pilot plant in Toledo, Ohio. The company, which
by Margot Roosevelt (Los Angeles Times) Frances H. Arnold, a California Institute of Technology researcher, has won the 2011 Draper Prize, often described as the Nobel Prize for engineering, for her pioneering work on “directed evolution.” The technique, a way to use
(Louisiana State University) The LSU AgCenter has received a five-year extension from the Louisiana Board of Regents to continue with the establishment of the Louisiana Institute for Biofuels and Bioprocessing. “We appreciate the vote of confidence,” said John Russin, LSU AgCenter interim
(CBC News) Diversified Metal Engineering in Charlottetown has been awarded the contract to design and build a pilot-scale ethanol plant, but it's not on P.E.I. It will be located in Edmundston at the New Brunswick Community College campus there and will be
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...Researchers at the U.S. DOE’s Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, based at the University of Wisconsin and Michigan State University, are three years into a research project focused on identifying new enzymes for cellulosic ethanol
by Lori Shull (Watertown Daily Times) Algae could, one day, save the Development Authority of the North Country money on its power bills. The agency is teaming up with a group of researchers from Clarkson University to find out whether wastewater
by Todd Taylor with Christina Connelly, Ralph Groschen, Mark Lindquist, Gregg Mast, Tim Welle and Doug Cameron (Biofuels Digest/Minnesota) ...Venture capitalists in California support and encourage these and many other companies and deserve ample credit for the Cambrian-like explosion of new
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Last week [after previously exiting their investment in Choren, a Fischer-Tropsch technology based in Germany] Shell announced that it will will exit its shareholding in Cellana, a joint venture between Shell and HR Biopetroleum. Today,
(NewsWire/University of Alabama) A strain of bacteria found in soil is being studied for its ability to convert waste from a promising alternative fuel into several useful materials, including another alternative fuel. A graduate student at The University of Alabama in
(Chemrec) The European Union has approved the SEK 500 million (€55 million, $75 million) R&D grant awarded by the Swedish Energy Agency towards the industrial scale demonstration biofuels plant based on Chemrec’s gasification technology at the Domsjö Fabriker biorefinery in
(OriginOil) Owner of three ‘CO2 to energy’ projects will pilot extraction unit at large coal-fired power plant OriginOil, Inc., the developer of breakthrough technology to transform algae, the most promising source of renewable oil, into a true competitor to petroleum, today announced
(Eco Friendly Magazine) Using CRI/Criterion’s catalyst technologies, Terrabon, Inc. has exceeded its target yield threshold of 70 gallons of biogasoline per dry ton of garbage received from the cafeteria dumpsters and paper shredders at Texas A&M University. ...The catalysts enabled Terrabon to
(Algal Biomass Organization) Today, the RAND Corporation published a study and accompanying press release calling into question the effectiveness of renewable fuels for military use. The report can be found here:http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/monographs/2011/RAND_MG969.pdf A copy of the press release can be found here:http://www.rand.org/news/press/2011/01/25.html It is
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) Dr. Jason Pyle, the high profile CEO at the even more high profile “green crude” developer, Sapphire Energy, holds a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Physiology, as well as an M.D., from
by Dr. Maureen McCann (Professor, Purdue University) Dr. McCann begins by describing the different plant cell wall architectures belonging to various types of feedstock. She shows how different processing methods can be utilized to more efficiently process biomass into biofuel.
by David Hoyt (Senior Research Scientist, Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Hoyt first provides an overview of EMSL and their mission to integrate experimental and computational resources with innovative technologies to support the biofuel industry. Focusing on
by Jane Fisher (Senior Engineer, National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Fisher first provides a general overview of the biofuel production process, identifying key areas for potential cost reductions through R&D and commercial scale production. Fisher focuses on the development of equipment
by Blake Simmons (Vice-President, Deconstruction Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute) Simmons provides an overview of Joint Bioenergy Institute (JBI) and their research associated with converting cellulosic biomass to biofuel. He describes the challenges of the various steps involved in current technologies
by Dr. Jose A Olivares (Executive Director, The National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bio-Products Los Alamos National Laboratory) Dr. Olivares first provides an overview of the National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bio-Products organization. Olivares discusses the organization’s involvement
by Dr. Timothy Donohue (Director, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Professor of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison) Dr. Donohue first provides an overview of the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center. Donohue moves on to discuss the research project involved with
by Dr. Mark Davis (BioEnergy Science Center, National Bioenergy Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Dr. Davis discusses a multidisciplinary approach to overcoming the current inability to access sugars in lignocellulosic biomass. By quickly identifying key genes in biomass composition, high
by Liz Moore (Project Officer, Biomass Program, Golden Field Office, U.S. Department of Energy) Moore begins with a breakdown of the cost structure describing the manufacturing process of ethanol from feedstock. She shows how each step in the manufacturing process
(US Department of Energy) Project Expected to Create Over 700 Jobs and Nearly Triple Amount of Renewable Diesel Produced Domestically U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu January 20, 2011, announced the offer of a conditional commitment to Diamond Green Diesel, LLC, the
(Coskata) Guarantee will support a commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol facility in Alabama Coskata Inc., a developer of technology for the production of renewable fuels and chemicals, was notified by the USDA of their intent to provide a $250 million loan guarantee in
(Sandia National Laboratories) Engine experts and biofuels researchers at Sandia National Laboratories are working on a project that aims to modify an endophytic fungus so that it will produce fuel-type hydrocarbons for transportation purposes. The biofuels being investigated for the project
(Enerkem) Enerkem Inc. today announced that Enerkem Corporation, its wholly-owned U.S. affiliate, has obtained a conditional commitment for an US$ 80 million loan guarantee by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), for the construction of its landmark waste-to-biofuels project in Pontotoc, Mississippi, which
(Algae Industry Magazine) A new Australian company has been established to produce commercial quantities of clean, “green” fuels from algae. The company, Muradel Pty Ltd, is a joint venture of Murdoch University, Adelaide Research & Innovation Pty Ltd (the commercial development
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Research being conducted in Tennessee to take biomass from the “farm gate to the biorefinery gate” has zeroed in on switchgrass. That’s not to say that switchgrass is the only answer for cellulosic ethanol
by Susan Taylor (Reuters) A tiny Canadian startup company that is preparing to open a biodiesel plant in Toronto this spring says it will produce clean fuel, animal feed and human food all from the modest flax seed. Privately held Energy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Ohio, Algaeventure Systems advises that, today, they are releasing an RFP targeting the nation's leading algae producers to act as demonstration sites for its SLS Industrial algae dewatering technology under its 2009 DOE ARPA-E
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) NX Global Inc. has received a $100 million funding commitment from a private U.S.-based organization. The financial support will be used to purchase property and fund construction on a waste-to-energy and algae facility in Canada.
Algae.Tec Limited (ASX: AEB) an advanced biofuels company with a pioneering highly-efficient algae growth and harvesting system (the McConchie-Stroud System) is listing on the ASX today at 10am WST January 14, 2011. The McConchie-Stroud System uses low-maintenance technologies and a
(Iowa Office of Energy Independence) Project Would Produce Jobs and New Energy Technology for Iowa The Iowa Power Fund Board (Board) approved terms January 12, 2011, to start contract negotiations on a grant award for one of the first in the nation,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Biofuels Digest is projecting that global advanced biofuels capacity will reach 4.003 billion gallons by 2015, based on company announcements to date. Today, the Digest released version 1.7 of its free Advanced Biofuels Tracking Database, projecting
by Bob Brooks (Automotive Industries) Photon8, a new venture algae oil development firm has emerged from research work at the University Of Texas, Brownsville, TX, by placing its priority on the economics of making algal based diesel fuel oil at
by Will Thurmond (Biofuels Digest/ Emerging Markets Online) 1 Emerging Markets Growth US and EU-based algae producers and licensors of technology are increasingly looking to the Emerging Markets in Latin America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East ... 2 Renewable Oils
(Argus Media) Norwegian chemicals and technology specialist Borregaard has secured a government grant of 58mn kroner ($9.8mn) to build a 400m³ pilot ethanol plant in Sarpsborg, southeast Norway. ...The Sarpsborg plant will use a diverse array of agricultural feedstock including straw,
by Andrew Benedict-Nelson (Ultimate Clear Lake) Four inventors in the Clear Lake area are among a team receiving a U.S. patent for a new way of producing ethanol on an industrial scale. According to the patent, the inventors unexpectedly discovered
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...(S)team reformation, a process by which gasified biomass is converted into a useful balance of hydrogen and carbon monoxide ... itself has struggled with high costs associated with the high temperatures at which the system operates.
(PR NewsWire) Several Michigan companies recently received investments from the Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund, pushing the total investments made through the Fund to over $11.6 million. To date, 52Michigan companies have received seed funding from the Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund, a collaborative effort of Michigan's
(INEOS Bio) Funding will create jobs through the construction and completion of advanced commercial facility in Florida INEOS Bio and its joint venture partner, New Planet Energy, today announced they have received a conditional commitment for a $75 million loan guarantee
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Qteros and Praj will collaborate on a highly focused, multi-year development program with the objective of rapidly developing and commercializing Process Design Packages (PDPs) that enable cellulosic ethanol production using Qteros’ Q Microbe-enabled CBP platform
(Virent) BIRD Energy Grant Will Support Virent's Conversion of HCL CleanTech's Pine Tree Sugars Into Hydrocarbon Fuels and Products That can be Sustainable, Cost-effective, and Compatible With Existing Infrastructure Virent Energy Systems Inc. and HCL CleanTech announced today that they have been
by Barry Cohen (National Algae Association) ... Some of the accomplishments include: - Construction of commercial-scale demo PBR at Lone Star College - Delivery by NAA Engineering Consortium of plans and design for the 100-acre challenge - Delivery by NAA finance team of first financial
(National Institutes of Health/Department of Plant Sciences, Montana State University) An endophytic fungus of Persea indica was identified, on the basis of its anamorphic stage, as Nodulosporium sp. by SEM. Partial sequence analysis of ITS rDNA revealed the identity of the
by Damian Carrington (The Guardian) Scientists raise hopes for a large-scale renewable source of liquid fuel with a simple reactor that mimics plants A simple reactor that mimics plants by turning sunlight into fuel has been demonstrated in the laboratory, boosting
by Willie Vogt (Farm Futures) ...Cellana, an algal biofuel research company based in Kailua Kona, Hawaii, is leading a consortium that includes Cornell, Duke University, San Francisco State University, the University of Hawaii and the University of Southern Mississippi. The
(NewsGuide) Conversion of biomass to fuel requires several steps: chemical pretreatment to break up the biomass – often dilute (sulfuric) acid, detoxification to remove the toxic chemicals required in pretreatment, and microbial fermentation to convert the soluble sugars to fuels. Virginia
by Cynthia Barnett (Florida Trend) Some Florida businesses are squeezing a trickle of fuel from algae, claiming they can help power the world. But right now, a few expensive drops in the bucket are all they have to show. On 1,000
by Fiona Harvey (Financial Times) ...Green Biologics, an unlisted company, has signed deals with two Chinese biochemical businesses – Guangxi Jinyuan Biochemical and Lianyungang Union of Chemicals. Under the deals – expected to be worth about £10m ($15m) over the next five
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...But there’s another boundary, right around 374 degrees C of temperature and 218 atmospheres of pressure. At that point, the boundary between liquid and gaseous phase water disappears, and what you have is a supercritical
(IStockAnalyst/Cedar Rapids Gazette) U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack thinks soon-to-be announced federal grants for cellulosic ethanol plants are helping boost flagging ethanol support in Congress. Vilsack said the government plans to announce measures in early 2011 to provide support
by Nalin Viboonchart (The Nation(India)) US science company Dupont is working on a 10-year investment plan for Thailand, saying it does not want to miss the opportunity to expand in one of Asean's key drivers of economic growth. Carl Lukach, president
(Renewable Energy Magazine) Compact Contractors for America (CCA) has developed a dry process biofuel from algae which the company hopes will power military Unmanned Aerial Vehicles such as Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk in the not too distant future. CCA’s founder
by Teis Jensen (Reuters) Industrial enzymes producer Novozymes does not expect a major breakthrough for second-generation bioethanol in the United States for another four to five years, a senior executive said on Wednesday. Novozymes' marketing director for biofuels, Poul Ruben Andersen,
by Kassia Micek (The Courier of Montgomery County) Instead of trying to get rid of that slimy, green substance that habitually grows in water, Lone Star College-Montgomery students are are growing large amounts of the organism in hopes of turning it
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...ZeaChem CEO Jim Imbler and Elevance’s Andy Shafer gave updates on their progress towards commercialization. Elevance, of course, has been at it a while longer, and is generally exclusively focused on chemicals, while ZeaChem has some
(Biofuels Journal) Butamax™ Advanced Biofuels, LLC announced Dec. 16 that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted a patent number 7851188 encompassing Butamax’s isobutanol producing biocatalyst. The patent entitled “Fermentive Production of Four Carbon Alcohols” is a further demonstration
(PhysOrg.com) Is red seaweed a viable future biofuel? Now that a University of Illinois metabolic engineer has developed a strain of yeast that can make short work of fermenting galactose, the answer is an unequivocal yes. ...(M)arine biomass can be easily
(University of Texas at Austin) The Austin Technology Incubator (ATI), a not-for-profit unit of The University of Texas at Austin, announced today that Dorsan Biofuels, Inc., joined as a member company of the ATI-Clean Energy Incubator. Dorsan uses proprietary technology to create
(PR NewsWire) Cellulosic biomass from agricultural wastes converted to low-cost jet fuel Logos Technologies, Inc. announced today that it has been awarded the second phase of BioJET™ from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to produce fully compatible jet fuel
(FreshPlaza.com) Two years ago Citrotecno took its first steps with the help of a group of businessmen linked to the agriculture and livestock sector in Valencia (Spain). The main objective of the company was to use citrus waste to produce
by Dave Kolpack (AP/The Daily Republic) A North Dakota group said Monday it plans to open a test plant that would turn dry land sugar beets into ethanol, with hopes of building a dozen processing facilities throughout the state. Officials with Fargo-based
(University of Arkansas) A University of Arkansas researcher and his colleagues have created the first methane-producing microorganism that can metabolize complex carbon structures, which could lead to microbial recycling of waste products and their transformation into natural gas. Daniel J. Lessner, assistant
(OriginOil) Pilot Partner MBD Energy Praises OriginOil Team on Expertise and System Operation OriginOil, Inc., the developer of a breakthrough technology to transform algae, the most promising source of renewable oil, into a true competitor to petroleum, today announced the successful completion
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Oak Investment venture partner (and now Aurora chairman) Brian Hinman noted that “Aurora Biofuels has made a significant genetic engineering achievement in doubling the productivity of its proprietary algae, and this round of funding will
Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Minnesota-based modular ethanol production system manufacturer Easy Energy Systems Inc. recently finalized its first commercial sale and will soon begin building equipment for a 2 MMgy corn-based plant in Lake Wales, Fla. The central Florida
(PR NewsWire) NYU-Poly Chemist Uses Yeast, Plant Oils to Produce Super-Durable Recyclable Plastic. Next Step: Transforming It into Biofuel Dr. Richard Gross, professor of chemical and biological science at Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU-Poly), has developed a method for
(Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) At the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Sciences (PJAS) state competition earlier this year, Jacob Robertson took home a first prize for his project, “Could Corn be Put to Better Use?” Robertson, a high school student from
(BusinessWire) Viral Genetics, Inc., (Pinksheets: VRAL.PK) has launched a subsidiary called “VG Energy, Inc.” The new entity is majority-owned by Viral Genetics and its current shareholders, and was formed to market the company’s biofuel technology. “The new brand will help open
(Physorg.com/Oakridge National Research Laboratory) A significant barrier to greater use of biodiesel could be blasted away with a proprietary approach developed by a team of researchers led by Mike Kass of Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Energy and Transportation Science Division.
by Wambi Michael (The Guardian Weekly) Cement kilns are used to transform waste, which would otherwise pollute the city, into a fuel that suits petrol engines Fred Kyagulanyi and James Sendikwanawa used to get up in the dark to dump bags of
by Ariel Schwartz (Fast Company) Lactococcus lactis is a hard-working bug. Designated as the state microbe of Wisconsin, Lactococcus is used in the production of buttermilk, cheese, and yogurt. And according to researchers from Concordia University, the microbe could help turn
(Business Journal) A Mendota biofuel company will be using a $1.5 million grant from the California Energy Commission to test the feasibility of converting sugar beets and agricultural waste into ethanol and other forms of clean energy. ...If proven feasible, the project
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Ohio, Arisdyne Systems has pioneered technology that can increase ethanol production by 10 percent, or reduce the use of catalyst by 25 percent in biodiesel production. ...that could translate to roughly 1.8 billion additional
(PRNewsWire) AT&F Advanced Metals, LLC, a fully-owned subsidiary of Cleveland-based AT&F (American Tank & Fabricating Company), is completing production on the innovative and first of its kind Bench Scale Reactor System developed with AdvanceBio Systems LLC of Cincinnati. The system is
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Australia, World Wide Carbon Credits Limited announced today that it has successfully lodged final patent applications over a gene that encodes an enzyme capable of producing a class of hydrocarbons known as triterpenoids, including di-hydro
(OriginOil) Former DOE Aquatic Species Program Site Will Enable Commercial Scale Testing for Algae-to-oil Industry OriginOil, Inc., the developer of a breakthrough technology to transform algae, the most promising source of renewable oil, into a true competitor to petroleum, today announced that
(Waste Management World) Two scientists from Sri Paramakalyani Centre of Excellence in Environmental Sciences (SPKCEES) - affiliated to Manonmaniam Sundaranar University - have extracted fuel from agro-waste, according to The Hindu Times. C. Sathesh Prabhu, a post-doctoral researcher of the centre,
(MarketWire) Applied Concepts for Energy, Inc. a subsidiary of NX Global, Inc., announced November 22, 2010, a joint venture to redevelop at least four former paper and pulp processing plants in the U.S. and Canada. Each one of these sites are Brownfield sites perfectly
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Massachusetts, a team of researchers from University of Massachusetts Amherst reported in Science that they have developed a new process to produce key chemical intermediates from pyrolytic bio-oils. According to the researchers, “the new process
(Green Car Congress/FavStocks) A team from East China University of Science and Technology (Shanghai) and Guangxi University for Nationalities reports on a study of hydrogen production via catalytic steam reforming of bio-oil in a fluidized-bed reactor in paper published online 12
(Algae Industry Magazine) he U.S. military wants New Mexico State University to find improved ways to turn algae into a sustainable source for jet fuel. The research project is part of a $2.346 million grant funded by the Air Force where
(Sweetwater Energy) Sweetwater has begun delivering concentrated sugar water from its expanded pilot system in Rochester, NY to sources developing bio-jet fuel. Production is ramping up over the next 3 months in preparation for major-scale deliveries beginning in 2011, utilizing Sweetwater's first commercial-scale processor. READ MORE
(Algae Industry Magazine) From Sergio Hernandez at the Village Voice comes word that New York City’s Department of Environmental Protection has a new pilot program that will convert algae at a Queens waste-water treatment plant into biofuel for cars, by
By Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...Venture-capital backed Proterro has developed a technology using a microorganism grown in a unique bioreactor that secretes fermentable sugars using sunlight, CO2, water and a few commonly available micronutrients. Economic modeling suggests the
by Candace Lombardi (Green Tech) GE subsidiary GE Energy Financial Services and North Bridge Venture Partners will invest $8 million in a company developing a biofuel production process coupled with the production of biochar. Cool Planet Biofuels converts cellulosic byproducts like plant
(The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center) National Method employs cost saving catalyst and produces useful byproducts The National Alliance for Biofuels and Bioproducts (NAABB), a consortium of leading scientists and engineers from universities, private industry, and national laboratories announced today that they
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New Zealand, LanzaTech announced that its cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with PNNL has been given final approval by the DOE. The first phase of the CRADA work will focus on converting some of
by Iris Kuo (VentureBeat/Reuters) ...The good news is, biofuels and solar technology are the most likely of all alternative energies to reach the holy grail of grid parity in the next decade — that is, they may become competitive with
(Ethanol Producer Magazine) SEKAB E-Technology and Taurus Energy AB have successfully carried out a three-week long industrial demo scale evaluation of Taurus Energy’s yeast. The yeast has been specially developed, and, in contrast to ordinary yeast, it can ferment pentose
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) Since June of this year, Greg Bafalis has been CEO of Aurora Algae, formerly Aurora Biofuels, overseeing the Company’s strategy, operations, and high-level relationships. ...Aurora was founded in 2006 by three gentlemen from U.C. Berkeley.
by Vijaysinh Parmar (Times of India) Scientists from across the country, belonging to a consortium of nine laboratories, are working on an ambitious project called 'New Millennium India Technology Leadership Initiative' ( NMITLI), to develop a viable and scalable process
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) Technologies proven at the bench scale and biofuel feedstocks developed or identified are worthless until they come together at a successful biorefinery. Getting there involves a series of choices: new, "greenfield" construction "from scratch" or
(Rentech/Enhanced Online News) U.S. Department of Energy Approves Remaining $19.7 Million of Funding Rentech, Inc., and ClearFuels Technology Inc., jointly announced today that a cooperative agreement has been signed with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to receive the remaining $19.7 million
by Al Fin (OilPrice.com) STA UK is gearing up to build 10 new waste plastic to diesel plants in the UK. The first plant is to be built in Port Laoighise, Ireland. The process utilises pyrolysis (heating in absence of oxygen)
by Dan Pillar (Gannett/Des Moines Register) The Iowa Power Fund Board voted Wednesday to enter into negotiations with a joint venture of DuPont and Danisco, for an $19.8 million grant for the joint venture to build an ethanol plant in Story
(Butamax) This PowerPoint presentation describes the development of Butamax as a company, a joint venture between Dupont and BP. It also diagrams the process of biobutanol production and explores their analysis that isobutanol production combines economic manufacture with high value
(BusinessWire) GreenShift Corporation announced that its patented corn oil extraction processes have consistently demonstrated record levels of performance. David Winsness, GreenShift’s Chief Technology Officer, said: “We are proud to announce that one of our licensees, the first to have installed our full patented
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Previewing the bolt-on biobutanol technology that Butamax is expecting to commercialize with corn as a feedstock by 2012, and sugarcane by 2013-14, Potter confirmed that the company is in discussions for “conversions…that’s with an s”
by Dr. Mark Edwards (Algae Industry Magazine) There are several firms in the algae industry engaged in genetic engineering, (GE), with the intention of patenting designer algal strains. Some organizations have filed patents for naturally occurring species that have valuable qualities
by Wendy Leavitt (FleetOwner) Amyris, Inc. has announced that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has furthered its official registration of Amyris’s renewable diesel fuel, raising the registered blend level with ultra-low sulfur diesel from 20% to 35%. According to the company,
by Steven E.F. Brown (San Francisco Business Times) A report from Berkeley’s Energy Biofuel Institute says developing and testing biofuel based on algae will likely take at least a decade. Even though about 100 companies in the United States are seeking this
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) A research team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has won a $50,000 ConocoPhillips Energy Prize to support the development of a carbohydrate-to-biodiesel process. The technology, which is designed to significantly increase yields, may also
(Physorg.com) Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) have created a technoeconomic model that should help accelerate the development of a next generation of clean, green biofuels that can compete with gasoline in economics and well
by Michelle Lang (Mass High Tech) Bedford biofuels startup Altranex Energy LLC is working with Brown University to develop process technology to make biodiesel that works in cold climates. ...At Altranex, the fuel is called Green Kero, and it’s designed to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, INEOS New Planet BioEnergy has awarded the EPC contract to build its 8 million gallon per year advanced bioenergy facility in Vero Beach to AMEC of Tucker, GA. The facility will also produce up
by Ronica Shannon (The Richmond Register) A new research facility at Eastern Kentucky University could help the state become a national leader in alternative fuel technology, according to Sixth District Congressman Ben Chandler. Chandler was the keynote speaker Thursday at an
(Algae Industry Magazine) Photon8, Inc., of Brownsville, TX, has announced that it has succeeded in producing “drop-in” fuel components from its “genetically improved” algae. The recent tests were performed by an undisclosed commercial laboratory using gas chromatography analysis for determining carbon
by Dr. Christopher Wright (Research Engineer, Idaho National Laboratory) Dr. Wright's presentation describes his current project on the creation of a mobile unit to preprocess bales of cellulosic feedstock into a form that can be utilized by a fuel production facility. He
by Dr. J. Richard Hess (Biomass Program Technology Manager, Idaho National Laboratory) Dr. Hess details the biomass attributes that impact the nature of and cost of feedstock preparation, biochemical conversion, and thermochemcal conversion, along with general flow diagrams for each process.
by Dr. Kelly Tiller (President and Chief Executive Officer, Genera Energy, LLC) Dr. Tiller details the large commitment the state of Tennessee has made to biofuels research. Genera Energy, a research firm owned by the University of Tennessee, has worked with switchgrass
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Using a proprietary gene construct, California-based iDiverse has successfully modified yeast to be highly resistant to a number of lethal stresses normally encountered in the bioproduction of fuel ethanol, improving yields. “We’ve targeted
by Ed Laurent (Water & Oil Technologies, Inc./Algae Industry Magazine) ...In algae production, if synthetic polymers are used to floc the high lipid content algae, and water is recycled back to your algae cultivation area, you are adding residual acrylamide
by Dexin Luo, Zushou Hu, Dong Gu Choi, Valerie M. Thomas, Matthew J. Realff, and Ronald R. Chance (Environmental Science and Technology) Ethanol can be produced via an intracellular photosynthetic process in cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), excreted through the cell walls, collected
by Sahil Luthra (The Brown Daily Herald) Two Brown chemists have developed a more efficient way to produce biodiesel from waste vegetable oil. Using two catalysts common in organic chemistry, Assistant Professor of Chemistry Jason Sello and Postdoctoral Fellow Aaron Socha
(Weyland) Weyland started production of second generation bioethanol at it’s pilot plant in Bergen, Norway. The plant was formally opened by State Secretary Per Rune Henriksen of the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy during an opening ceremony at the plant.
(Algae Industry Magazine) Science Foundation Arizona (SFAz) and Arizona State University (ASU) on have announced the creation of a world-class center dedicated to researching and bringing to fruition “green” technologies using algae. The announcement was made at the fourth annual gathering
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Louisiana, New Oil Resources announced that it has developed a process that uses hot, pressurized water to treat the biomass in a process commonly referred to as hydrothermal liquifaction or thermal depolymerization. According to the research
(Verenium) Verenium Corporation, a pioneer in the development and commercialization of high-performance enzyme solutions, today announced that Purifine(R) PLC, the Company's novel enzyme specifically developed for the edible oil industry, has received all necessary Chinese government authorizations for sale as
(Algae Industry Magazine) LakeMaster Corporation, of Rochester, NY, has announced a move to co-locate in space within the refinery of Northern Biodiesel, Inc. in Ontario, NY. LakeMaster will produce lipid oil made from algae as a feedstock for the NBI refinery
(The Engineer) A University of Sheffield researcher has won national recognition for the development of a ’microbubble device’ that promises to make the production of biofuels much more energy efficient. ...This new method consumes much less energy, using a special air-lift
(Virent) Virent’s biogasoline has been blended into fuel supplied by Shell to Scuderia Ferrari for the last three races of the 2010 Formula One championship . Virent Energy Systems, Inc. announced October 19, 2010, that Scuderia Ferrari will use a fuel containing Virent’s
(Yahoo! Finance/PR Newswire) U.S. Rep. Connie Mack and Lee County Commissioners Tammy Hall and Ray Judah join in celebrating new advanced research labs and integrated biorefinery that will diversify local economy and create clean energy jobs Algenol Biofuels Inc. celebrated the opening
by Jonathan M. Galazka, Chaoguang Tian, William T. Beeson, Bruno Martinez, N. Louise Glass, Jamie H. D. Cate (Science) Fungal degradation of plant biomass may provide insights for improving cellulosic biofuel production. We show that the model cellulolytic fungus Neurospora crassa
(FIS Worldnews) A new project, which is financially supported by the Chilean government, will promote the diversification of energy through the production of biofuels from microalgae. The main objective of the initiative is to develop algae production which captures carbon dioxide
by Analia Murias (FIS Worldnews) Pesquera San José plans to produce biofuels from brown algae (Macrocystis pyrifera), better known as huiro. With this objective in mind, the company is now co-developing the InnovaChile project BAL Biofuels, a consortium of biotechnology research, development and
(AP/Bloomberg Business Week) Several Nebraska universities will share a $20 million grant to develop new research focused on algae and nanotechnology, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln announced Monday. Part of the five-year National Science Foundation grant will help one group of researchers build
by Crystal Luxmore (Renewable Energy World) Four enterprising Canadian firms have joined the race to replace fossil fuels with affordable and planet-friendly second-generation bio alternatives. Despite decades of work, most next-generation biofuels — made from materials that do not compete with
(GoDanRiver.com) ...On Friday, state and local leaders celebrated the groundbreaking of SEnTeC — a research and development facility that would commercialize bio-energy projects for the region through contract research, developing licensed technologies or creating spin-off businesses. Construction should be completed by
(Novozymes) Petrobras and Novozymes have entered an agreement to develop a new route to produce second generation biofuel from sugarcane bagasse. The agreement covers the development of enzymes and production processes to produce second generation lignocellulosic ethanol from bagasse in an
(Maverick Biofuels) Maverick Biofuels, a second-generation biofuels company, October 12, 2010, announced that it is planning to build a pilot scale biorefinery to produce mixed-alcohol biofuels from biomass and municipal solid waste. With 85% of the energy of gasoline, Maverick’s mixed-alcohol
(Algae Industry Magazine) The National Algae Association’s (NAA) collective of producers, researchers, technologists, engineering and equipment manufacturers have developed preliminary designs for a 100-acre commercial-scale algae production system and have identified the majority of the CAPEX and OPEX issues, according to
by Tamra Fakhoorian (Algae Industry Magazine) Recent press about the seemingly novel concept of powdered algae as a jet engine fuel has raised eyebrows in the airline industry, and among competing algae processing technologies. However, Robert Fulton, president of Utah-based Compact
(Reuters) The Next Big Thing in biofuel might involve genetically engineered plants that digest themselves, making it cheaper to turn them into fuel. That’s one of the new ideas that Arun Majumdar finds fascinating. As the head of the U.S.
by Aaron T. Evans (Gant Daily) During a press conference on Thursday, Helios Scientific announced the launch of its cellulosic ethanol project in Curwensville. ...Polite said the Curwensville facility will use cutting-edge technology to turn cellulose into affordable energy. The site will
by Al Fin (OilPrice.com) ...Up until now, most people analysing US biofuels potential have failed to look at a realistic and integrated system of fuels and food. In real life -- unlike a typical computer model with excessively simplified and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) (T)he Digest spent time this week with Gary Luce, CEO of Terrabon, whose advanced biofuels technology converts MSW and other residues into drop-in biogasoline, renewable diesel and jet fuel. The company, which has attracted investment from Waste
by Scott Malone (Reuters) Royal Dutch Shell, which is investigating about 10 second-generation biofuel technologies that would use nonfood raw materials, expects to narrow its research to about five options next year, its top scientist said. "I am putting a lot
(Avantium) Avantium announced October 14, 2010, that it has started with the construction of a pilot plant at the Chemelot site (Geleen, the Netherlands). The pilot plant will produce YXY building blocks for making green materials and fuels. Avantium has developed a novel and
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