States – Advanced BioFuels USA

Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee — March 27-28, 2019 — Arlington, VA

This notice announces an open meeting of the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee under Section 9008(d) of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 amended by the Agricultural Act of 2014. The Federal Advisory Committee Act requires that agencies publish these notices in the Federal Register. Purpose of

March 22, 2019 Read Full Article

Celebrating Leading Women in Biofuels

(Growth Energy) Supporting American ethanol … also means supporting female leadership. In honor of International Women’s Day, we are taking a moment to recognize just a FEW of the female pioneers leading the biofuels industry – and all the women who advance technologies and innovative solutions in our industry every day.

March 22, 2019 Read Full Article

RPT-Floods Shut Nearly a Sixth of U.S. Ethanol Production

by Humeyra Pamuk, Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) Massive flooding in the U.S. Midwest has knocked out roughly 13 percent of the nation’s ethanol production capacity, as plants in Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota have been forced to shut down or scale back production following the devastation. Production facilities owned by large companies like

March 22, 2019 Read Full Article

Cricket Bacteria Break Down Lignin, Highlighting Ecology’s Utility in Applied R&D

(North Carolina State University/Phys.org) Researchers have discovered that a bacterium found in camel crickets is capable of breaking down lignin—the stuff that makes wood tough—opening new research pathways for the development of biofuels and chemical manufacturing. The study also highlights the potential inherent in using ecosystem analysis as a tool

March 22, 2019 Read Full Article

Candidates Should Recognize Biofuel Benefits

by Mike Naig and Dave Loebsack (Quad City Times) We may come from different political parties, but we share at least one common vision. Both of us strongly support renewable fuel, like biodiesel, for the vital role it plays in Iowa’s farm economy and job market, creating a cleaner environment, enhancing

March 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Midwest Storms Wreak Havoc on Ethanol Trade and Potentially Production

by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Nebraska, Platts reports that last week’s major storm that saw flooding and blizzards across the Midwest lead to major disruptions of ethanol supplies around the region as well as getting product to deficit markets on the coasts and in the southern states, with trouble especially for western

March 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Tonko’s Climate Principles

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) (Paul D.) Tonko, the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee, says he wants to introduce a bill that would put a price on carbon and bring net U.S. emissions to zero by mid-century, Pro’s Anthony Adragna reports this morning.

March 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Plant and Algae-Based Tuna, Lignin Plastic Alternative, Rice Husks in Architecture, Seaweed T-shirt and Lube, Jute and Kenaf Composites and more: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of March 21st

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of March 21st. In today’s Digest, plant and algae-based tuna, lignin plastic alternative, rice husks in architecture, seaweed T-shirt and lube, jute and kenaf composites — these

March 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Princeton’s Algal Library Explores Genes for Photosynthesis

(Algae Industry Magazine) A team led by Princeton University researchers has constructed a public algae “library” to help researchers find out what each gene does during photosynthesis. Using the library, the team identified 303 genes associated with photosynthesis, including 21 newly discovered genes with high potential to provide new insights

March 20, 2019 Read Full Article

Soy Innovation Campus to Co-locate with New Minn. Biodiesel Plant

by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) The Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council plans to co-locate its new Soy Innovation Campus with Epitome Energy LLC’s proposed 30 MMgy biodiesel production and soybean crush facility in Northwest Minnesota. Earlier this year, Epitome Energy was awarded a $450,000 grant from the Minnesota Department of

March 20, 2019 Read Full Article

Gulfstream Makes First Alternative Jet Fuel Sale

by Jerry Siebenmark (AIN Online) Gulfstream Aerospace has made its first sale of sustainable alternative jet fuel (SAJF) to a G550 operated by a U.S.-based multinational corporation, the Savannah, Georgia-based airframer announced today. The customer purchased 20,000 pounds of SAJF from Gulfstream’s Long Beach, California facility. The sale comes about six weeks after

March 20, 2019 Read Full Article

Minn. Celebrates 17 Years Since Biodiesel Mandate Was Enacted

by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) March 15, 2002, was a landmark day for biodiesel. Seventeen years ago, Minnesota enacted the nation’s first biodiesel mandate, which went into effect in 2005. The trailblazing blend requirement started at 2 percent and was bumped up to 5 percent in 2009. In 2008, then Gov.

March 20, 2019 Read Full Article

Study Shows Biofuels Are 3 Percent of Iowa GDP

by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) has released a new study that shows biofuels are responsible for over $5 billion of Iowa’s GDP, or roughly three percent. The study, authored by John Urbanchuk of ABF Economics and commissioned by IRFA, also found that biofuels account for over 48,000 Iowa jobs and

March 20, 2019 Read Full Article

EPA Waivers Reduce Incentive to Produce Biofuels

(KCRG) Between 2017 and 2018, U.S. ethanol consumption dropped for the first time in a decade and the Renewable Fuels Association says that’s because of the Environmental Protection Agency hurting demand. One of the reasons former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt resigned from the agency was because of approving dozens of refiner

March 20, 2019 Read Full Article

Amy Klobuchar Knocks EPA’s Secret Waivers that Boost Big Oil

by Pat Rynard (Iowa Starting Line) Senator Amy Klobuchar blasted the Trump Administration’s continued use of blending waivers for renewable fuels usage while in Iowa this weekend. Using it as an example of how Donald Trump’s presidency has hurt rural America, she linked the EPA’s decisions to the first decline in

March 20, 2019 Read Full Article

Reimagining Environmental and Natural Resources Law: 2020 and Beyond — March 25, 2019 — Washington, DC

Join the Environmental and Energy Law Program and the Environmental Law Institute as they host a debriefing of the Wingspread retreat for the GW Law community. At the end of the program, the 2019 Jamie Grodsky Prize for Environmental Scholarship will be presented to the best paper written for a GW Law

March 20, 2019 Read Full Article

Bright Skies for Plant-Based Jet Fuels

by Aliyah Kovner (Berkeley Lab) Joint BioEnergy Institute researchers demonstrate that jet fuels made from plants could be cost competitive with conventional fossil fuels — … However, a new analysis by scientists at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) shows that sustainable plant-based bio-jet fuels could provide

March 20, 2019 Read Full Article

Commitment to R&D is the Key

by Debi Durham (Iowa Economic Development Authority/Biofuels Digest) … Toward that end, Iowa offers incentives such as the Research Activities Tax Credit to alleviate the potential financial risk associated with R&D investments, and ultimately, improve the potential for profitability. As one of the few states providing this kind of incentive,

March 20, 2019 Read Full Article

HEMPEARTH – Hemp Plane Fund on GoFundMe Will Use Aviation Biofuel

(Hempearth Group) … The Hemp Plane is a demonstration that Hemp can help to replace old outdated toxic non sustainable manufacturing materials and methods that create an enormous environmental impact on the planet. … Why a Hemp Plane? Hemp is up to 10x stronger than fiberglass and pound for pound stronger

March 19, 2019 Read Full Article

Tesla Factory Store Uses Diesel Generators to Recharge Slow-Moving Model 3 Inventory

by Ronnie Schreiber (The Truth About Cars) … PlainSite’s reporter also noticed a Tesla store employee trying to charge some unsold Model 3s whose batteries apparently discharged while waiting for their forever home, only he wasn’t wheeling around a commercial 12V battery charger. He was jockeying cars to a couple of

March 19, 2019 Read Full Article

Geneva V. Indy: What Two Auto Shows Reveal about Tomorrow’s Fuels and Technologies

(Diesel Technology Forum) The two automotive shows, 4,412 miles apart, couldn’t offer a different picture of the industry if they tried. On one end, the Geneva Motor Show in Europe has journalists proclaiming “the future is electric” and predicting an end to internal combustion engines within the next decade. Meanwhile, the NTEA Work Truck

March 19, 2019 Read Full Article

Public Hearing for Modifications To Fuel Regulations To Provide Flexibility for E15; Modifications to RFS RIN Market Regulations March 29, 2019

(Environmental Protection Agency/Federal Register) The EPA is announcing a public hearing to be held in Ypsilanti, MI on March 29, 2019 for the proposed rule ‘‘Modifications to Fuel Regulations to Provide Flexibility for E15; Modifications to RFS RIN Market Regulations.’’ This proposed rule will be published separately in the Federal Register. The pre-publication version of this proposal can be

March 19, 2019 Read Full Article

Cruz Says EPA’s Wheeler Promised to Continue Granting Small Refinery Waivers

by Jim Wiesemeyer (Pro Farmer) Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) says he won “explicit promises” from EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler to keep granting small refineries waivers from U.S. biofuel mandates, without retroactively reallocating those quotas to non-exempted facilities. Cruz says he secured those commitments after joining with other Republican senators to slow

March 19, 2019 Read Full Article

Biodiesel Brings Cleaner Air to Illinois

(Illinois Soybean Association) Home-grown alternative fuel celebrated on National Biodiesel Day March 18 — In the search for ways to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, Illinois has a home-grown solution: biodiesel. Made from soybeans grown in Illinois, biodiesel is a renewable fuel. It reduces lifecycle GHG emissions by 72 percent and cuts

March 19, 2019 Read Full Article

SoCalGas’ George Minter Named RNG Champion

by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) says George Minter, the company’s regional vice president of external affairs and environmental policy, was recently named “Renewable Natural Gas Champion” by Los Angeles-based nonprofit Climate Resolve. According to SoCalGas, Climate Resolve lauded Minter’s efforts to increase the use of renewable natural gas (RNG)

March 19, 2019 Read Full Article

O’Rourke Mostly Gets a Pass for His Lack of Specifics

by Edward-Isaac Dovere (The Atlantic) … The first woman who asked a question wanted to know about ethanol. E10 or E15? … Beto O’Rourke’s full answer went on for a bit. “How do we free ourselves from a commodity market over which we have no control? We do so by adding value

March 18, 2019 Read Full Article

Transcription Factor Network Gets to Heart of Wood Formation

by D’Lyn Ford and Jack Wang (North Carolina State University News) North Carolina State University researchers have uncovered how a complex network of transcription factors switch wood formation genes on and off. Understanding this transcriptional regulatory network has applications for modifying wood properties for timber, paper and biofuels, as well as making

March 18, 2019 Read Full Article

Energy Vision Urges N.Y. to Include Biomethane in Climate Legislation

(Energy Vision/Waste 360) Energy Vision filed testimony with the New York State Legislature to include biomethane made from organic waste as a renewable energy source in the CCPA. — Energy Vision, which researches clean energy and transportation technologies, recently filed testimony with the New York State Legislature making the case for including biomethane

March 18, 2019 Read Full Article

Brazil’s GranBio Acquires USA’s American Process

by Helena Taveres Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … The acquisition of American Process Inc’s technologies, intellectual property portfolio and physical assets strengthens GranBio’s market position in the deployment of highly competitive industrial processes for conversion of biomass to renewable fuels, chemicals, and nanocellulose. The details GranBio completed the acquisition of 100% equity

March 18, 2019 Read Full Article

As Costs Skyrocket, More U.S. Cities Stop Recycling

by Michael Corkery (New York Times) … “We are in a crisis moment in the recycling movement right now,” said Fiona Ma, the treasurer of California, where recycling costs have increased in some cities. Prompting this nationwide reckoning is China, which until January 2018 had been a big buyer of

March 18, 2019 Read Full Article

ABLC NEXT 2019 — October 30-November 1, 2019 — San Francisco, CA

SAVE THE DATE! ABLC NEXT 2019 will take place October 30-November 01, 2019 at the Nikko hotel in San Francisco. READ MORE

March 18, 2019 Read Full Article

Former Sen Beto O’Rourke’s First Iowa Trip Includes Ethanol Plant

by Katy Siddall (River Cities Reader) … Beto O’Rourke, former Texas Congressman and newly-announced presidential candidate, made a visit to an ethanol plant in rural Iowa on one of his first stops as he courts caucus-goers. O’Rourke toured Big River Renewables LLC, an ethanol plant in West Burlington, Iowa, on Friday morning. “I want

March 18, 2019 Read Full Article

U.S. Ethanol Market Sees First Sales Decline in Decades: Lower U.S. Demand, Plunge in Exports Made for Rough 2018.

by Jim Spencer and Mike Hughlett (Star Tribune) … As production increased and sales to foreign countries rose to record levels, profits went down roughly 20 cents per gallon. … The domestic market for ethanol had stopped growing at the same time production hit a new record. Figures from the U.S.

March 18, 2019 Read Full Article

Green Neighbor Festival — May 4, 2019 — Frederick, MD

Held at Culler Lake in Baker Park, with “green” vendors, local foods, and activities promoting sustainable living practices and businesses in Frederick County, Md. This year (2019) activities are also being planned on the Hood College campus for the entire week leading up to the Festival. May 4: GREEN NEIGHBOR FESTIVAL at

March 15, 2019 Read Full Article

NBB Commemorates National Biodiesel Day with Biodiesel Success Stories

(National Biodiesel Board) Meet just a few of biodiesel’s movers and shakers making an impact in this innovative industry — National Biodiesel Day takes place March 18, in honor of Rudolf Diesel’s birthday. In the 1890s, Rudolf invented the diesel engine, which was designed to run on peanut oil. Rudolf knew early

March 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Rural America Is Ready for Some Sort of a New Deal, Preferably Green

by Art Cullen (The Guardian) Here in farming country we have the opportunity to rethink our approach to renewable energy and food production — … Meanwhile, we’re losing our precious topsoil and polluting our rivers – killing the Gulf of Mexico in the process – as we chase ever-higher corn yields in

March 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Biomanufacturing as a Service: Culture Biosciences Lands Series A for Its Bioreactors Accessed via the Cloud

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, a new company has launched called Culture Biosciences and today we’d like to take you inside it. It’s a story about making the bioeconomy radically more efficient at the point of developing and deploying product, by offering Biomanufacturing-as-a-Service. This month, Culture Bio, based in the industrial biotech

March 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Celebrating Sustainability at Royal Farms — April 23, 2019 — National Harbor, MD

During Earth Week, on Tuesday, April 23, at 10:00-11:00, you are invited to celebrate the great impact of the USDA Biofuel Infrastructure Project Grant (USDA BIP Grant), totaling nearly $9.1 million investments to install ethanol refueling infrastructure in Virginia and Maryland. The Virginia-Maryland collaboration was the only multi-state proposal selected

March 15, 2019 Read Full Article

New Bill Plans Rise in Heating Oil Biodiesel Requirement in Rhode Island

(Biofuels International) Representative Deborah Ruggiero has introduced a legislation that could help Rhode Island meet its carbon emissions reduction goals by phasing in higher percentages of biodiesel in heating oil sold in the state. The New England state already requires heating oil to be sold as a mix that contains 5%

March 14, 2019 Read Full Article

The Energy 202: A Wave of State Bills Could Threaten Science and Climate Education

by Paulina Firozi (Washington Post) State lawmakers from Connecticut to Florida are proposing measures that some groups say could threaten how science and climate change are taught in the classroom. More than a dozen such bills have popped up this year, including from state lawmakers pushing back against broad scientific consensus that

March 14, 2019 Read Full Article

Avenue 45Q

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) The Trump administration is developing guidance to help companies qualify for a built-out tax credit for carbon capture, utilization and storage — a welcome addition for industry officials and lawmakers who have complained the IRS is moving too slowly to implement the increased credit,

March 14, 2019 Read Full Article

Neste Cuts the Ribbon on First Commercial Fuelling Site in California

(Canadian Biomass Magazine) Renewable diesel fuel is soon to be much more accessible to fleet drivers looking to fuel up in northern and central California, thanks to four cardlock locations that will be offering Neste MY Renewable Diesel, made by the world’s largest producer of renewable diesel fuel. Cardlock locations are

March 14, 2019 Read Full Article

Light My Fire and Prickly Pear Bioplastics, Biobased Paraxylene, Black Phosphorus Biocomposite, Tide and Terracycle’s eco-box and more: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of March 14th

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of March 14th. In today’s Digest, Light My Fire and prickly pear bioplastics, biobased paraxylene, black phosphorus biocomposite, Tide and Terracycle’s eco-box. … #3 BP joins biobased

March 14, 2019 Read Full Article

The Trailer: Jay Inslee Is Cheerfully Campaigning and Issuing Apocalyptic Warnings

by David Weigel (Washington Post) … On Monday morning, when Washington Gov. Jay Inslee visited the Seminole Springs mobile home park, the husks of cars and houses were still sitting in pools of melted plastic. It had been four months since some of the worst forest fires in southern California’s history. Inslee, joined by

March 14, 2019 Read Full Article

OBIC and The Next Generation–Teacher Resources

(Ohio Bioproducts Innovation Center) The Ohio Bioproducts Innovation Center (OBIC) connects different segments of the bioproducts community to nurture business ecosystems and facilitate commercialization of new, sustainable bioproduct technologies. With the emerging need for education about the bioeconomy, OBIC works with youth organizations like FFA, 4H, and other organizations

March 13, 2019 Read Full Article

Biobased Radio: A Podcast Promoting a More Sustainable Future

(Ohio State University) A podcast promoting a more sustainable future through conversations with industry, university, and environmentalists Delivered twice monthly, you’ll hear conversations around what it means to be biobased and what steps industry, university, and activists are taking to shape our world for years to come. Biobased Radio is

March 13, 2019 Read Full Article

Washington House Passes Clean-Fuels Legislation Sought by Inslee

by Joseph O’Sullivan and Hal Bernton (Seattle Times) Washington House Democrats approved clean-fuels legislation Tuesday night after overcoming fierce Republican opposition that was expressed in an hourslong floor debate. House Bill 1110, which would lower the greenhouse gas emissions from transportation fuels, passed 53 to 43. After the vote, sponsor and

March 13, 2019 Read Full Article

31st Annual ROTH Conference — March 17-19, 2019 — Orange County, CA

The 31st Annual ROTH Conference is scheduled for March 17-19, 2019 at The Ritz Carlton, Laguna Niguel in Orange County, CA. Following the success of the previous year’s events, the ROTH Conference, with close to 550 participating companies and over 4,700 attendees, will feature presentations from public and private companies in a variety of sectors. READ

March 13, 2019 Read Full Article

This Beetle’s Gut May Hide Clues to Making Better Biofuels

(Berkeley News) The passalid beetle’s unique gut architecture helps it transform decaying wood into energy-rich materials. — Decaying wood doesn’t make the most nutritious food, but the long-horned passalid beetle has evolved to make the best of it. The guts of this forest-dwelling insect are adapted to take tough plant materials,

March 13, 2019 Read Full Article

Leading Off: “Your Prices Are in the Wrong Order.”

(Urban Air Initiative) “Your prices are in the wrong order.” “Only flex fuel vehicles can use E15.” “What is E30?” Each of these quotes came from an auto mechanic at a recent training event attended by the Urban Air Initiative. The VISION Hi Tech Training and Expo attracted more than 3,500 mechanics and

March 12, 2019 Read Full Article

BioTork and Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits Enter Joint Development Collaboration

(BioTork/PR.com) BioTork, LLC and Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits (LBDS) a business unit of Lallemand Inc. are pleased to jointly announce the formalization of a collaboration for the development of improved yeast strains for the ethanol industry. “BioTork has been working with Lallemand, a world leader in the yeast industry, for

March 12, 2019 Read Full Article

Pennsylvania Retail Chain Adds More E15

by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Retail chains that have decided to add E15 to their product mixes continue to see positive results. Stores like Rutter’s, a Pennsylvania-based convenience store chain, have added the fuel despite the uncertainty surrounding year-round sales. Rutter’s announced last year that it would begin offering E15

March 12, 2019 Read Full Article

Trump Won’t Return to Negotiations with California on Fuel Efficiency Rollback, EPA’s Andrew Wheeler Says

by Josh Siegel (Washington Examiner) The Trump administration won’t be returning to the negotiating table with California before finalizing a plan to roll back Obama-era fuel efficiency standards, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler said Monday. Wheeler, in an interview with the Washington Examiner, said the Trump administration won’t compromise on its final

March 12, 2019 Read Full Article

EPA Wants Refinery Information Sealed Agency Asks Court Not to Disclose Waivers Brief, Documents to Public

by Todd Neeeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) The EPA wants to keep from the public eye an opening brief and some records to be filed in a small-refinery waivers case, claiming in a court motion the information is subject to a protective order on confidential business information. The agency made the

March 12, 2019 Read Full Article

ReactWell Licenses ORNL Catalyst for Energy Conversion Applications

(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) ReactWell, LLC, has licensed a novel waste-to-fuel technology from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory to improve energy conversion methods for cleaner, more efficient oil and gas, chemical and bioenergy production. ReactWell will bring ORNL’s electrochemical process, which converts carbon dioxide directly into ethanol, into

March 12, 2019 Read Full Article

Throw Deep: Heard on the Floor at the Washington Sustainable Aviation Fuels Summit

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Port of Seattle Commissioner Fred Felleman noted: “Secretary Mabus advised us to set a goal. If it’s good enough for the Navy, it’s good enough for SeaTac airport, and we’ve established a partnership with 13 airlines with a goal of moving to 10 percent renewable

March 12, 2019 Read Full Article

RNG: Most Efficient Approach to Decarbonizing Buildings

by Marcus Gillette (Biomass Magazine/Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas) Critics of natural gas have begun to call for 100 percent electrification of buildings to reduce GHG emissions from the sector.The better approach is to support avenues that facilitate the reduction of emissions from all types of energy. … People deserve the right

March 11, 2019 Read Full Article

101 for Low Carbon Fuel Standard

by Paul Greene (BioCycle Magazine/Montrose Environmental) California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard, which grew out of the state’s Global Warming Solutions Act, is stimulating markets for biogas, including renewable natural gas — Biogas project developers and financiers are finding strong offtake opportunities selling their gas into the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS)

March 11, 2019 Read Full Article

Biogas To RNG Projects: What, Why And How

by Brad Pleima (BioCycle Magazine/EcoEngineers) With prices for renewable electricity low in many states, biogas producers are turning to the renewable natural gas marketplace. This road map is a valuable navigation tool. — There is a national trend to reposition biogas-producing assets into renewable fuel production facilities. Biogas is typically used to

March 11, 2019 Read Full Article

US Dairy Farms: Untapped Biogas Potential

by Peter Brown (Euro Marketing Tools, FFA Fuels Inc./Biomass Magazine) Countries like Holland and Norway have achieved success in widespread digester installation at dairy farms, but U.S. dairy states are slow to follow suit. — Dairy farms have been operating in the Pacific Northwest since 1836. Their owners, for the most part,

March 11, 2019 Read Full Article

Biofuels for Air Travel Waiting For Takeoff

(Our Daily Planet) Last week, leaders in the aviation sector met to discuss how to speed the development of the infrastructure and technology needed to wean airplanes off fossil fuels and onto biofuels instead. Airplane manufacturers have until now focused on investing in improving the fuel efficiency of new airplanes, but because of

March 11, 2019 Read Full Article

Engineered Microbe May Be Key to Producing Plastic from Plants

by Chris Barncard (University of Wisconsin-Madison) With a few genetic tweaks, a type of soil bacteria with an appetite for hydrocarbons shows promise as a biological factory for converting a renewable — but frustratingly untapped — bounty into a replacement for ubiquitous plastics. Researchers, like those at the University of Wisconsin–Madison-based,

March 11, 2019 Read Full Article

Factoring the Effects of Climate Change into Real Estate Investments

by Roger K. Lewis (Washington Post) … Real estate property could actually be underwater because of future climate change. … Risks exist at all geographic scales and places: along seacoasts; within watersheds; on hillsides; and in vulnerable urban, suburban and exurban areas. Individual buildings likewise are at risk, depending on their

March 10, 2019 Read Full Article

Washington State Tackles Transportation Emissions

by Jeremy Martin (Union of Concerned Scientists) … The largest source of pollution in Washington state is transportation, which is another way to say burning petroleum-based fuels like gasoline and diesel. Tackling emissions from transportation requires policies that focus on vehicles and transportation fuels. Broad economy-wide measures like carbon pricing or

March 9, 2019 Read Full Article

Working Group Meeting – The Circular Economy — March 27, 2019 — Washington, DC

The Circular Economy Working Group seeks to emulate nature by closing the loop of resource use and recycling, where nothing is wasted and everything serves a purpose! Join us for our Circular Economy Working Group meetings which are held on the 4th Wednesday of every month. Thanks to all of you who

March 9, 2019 Read Full Article

CALL FOR PANELS: 2019 Fall Smart Cities Connect Conference and Expo — October 8-10, 2019 — National Harbor, MD DEADLINE: May 3, 2019

More than 250+ city decision makers and 1000+ attendees will attend the 2019 Fall Smart Cities Connect Conference and Expo. Put yourself in front of the most influential minds in smart cities. City leaders, this is for you. 500+ global city leaders Smart 50 Awards 300+ exhibitors &

March 9, 2019 Read Full Article

2019 Fall Smart Cities Connect Conference and Expo — October 8-10, 2019 — National Harbor, MD

More than 250+ city decision makers and 1000+ attendees will attend the 2019 Fall Smart Cities Connect Conference and Expo. Put yourself in front of the most influential minds in smart cities. City leaders, this is for you. 500+ global city leaders Smart 50 Awards 300+ exhibitors &

March 9, 2019 Read Full Article

Report: Feds’ Biofuel Policy Produced Unintended Environmental Consequences

(Public News Service) A new report says the federal Renewable Fuel Standard, created to spur ethanol production and cut air pollution, is responsible for a number of negative environmental impacts, including reduced water supplies in Texas and other drought-prone areas. Producing a single gallon of ethanol can require up to two thousand

March 9, 2019 Read Full Article

Boeing to Offer Biofuel for Airlines to Fly New Airplanes Home

(Aviation Tribune) Boeing will begin offering airlines and operators the option of powering their new commercial jet with biofuel for the flight home. The program is designed to further spur the use of sustainable aviation fuels, which cut emissions up to 80 percent, and support the industry’s drive to protect the

March 9, 2019 Read Full Article

Building a Greener Tour Bus: Biodiesel Group Crowd-Funding a Sustainable Alternative for Traveling Bands

by Steve Graham (The New Scene) Eric Skjerseth and Jennifer Zidon are building what they call the nation’s most sustainable tour bus to help get touring bands off of fossil fuels. And they could use your help. They are crowd-funding a project to upgrade and remodel a former city bus into

March 8, 2019 Read Full Article

White House Presses Automakers to Back Fuel-Efficiency Rollback

by Juliet Eilperin and Brady Dennis (Washington Post) As the Trump administration races to roll back Obama’s most ambitious climate rule, it lobbies to get industry on board — Trump officials thought they were doing the auto industry a favor when they decided to freeze gas mileage standards. But automakers aren’t so sure. To

March 8, 2019 Read Full Article

3-D-Printed Live Cells Convert Glucose to Ethanol, Carbon Dioxide to Enhance Catalytic Efficiency

by Anne M Stark (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory/Phys.Org) Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) researchers have 3-D printed live cells that convert glucose to ethanol and carbon dioxide gas (CO2), a substance that resembles beer, demonstrating a technology that can lead to high biocatalytic efficiency. Bioprinting living mammalian cells into complex 3-D scaffolds

March 7, 2019 Read Full Article

Kwik Trip to Sell RNG Produced at Wisconsin Landfill Gas Project

by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Officials in Dane County, Wisconsin, have announced that Kwik Trip will be a primary dispenser of renewable natural gas (RNG) produced at the county’s landfill biogas project when it reaches completion later this year. According to Dane County, its landfill biogas project will turn trash and

March 6, 2019 Read Full Article

XBX Exploring Biodiesel Seminar Series — March 28, May 20, May 30, August 1, 2019 — Grand Rapids, MI; Indianapolis, IN; Hershey, PA; East Greenwich, RI; Long Beach, CA

The second annual XBX series will examine biodiesel’s growing prominence in the liquid fuels supply chain. In the wider context of today’s advanced, high-efficiency OEM technologies, and the increasingly ultra-low-sulfur diesel supply pool, the seminars will call attention to biodiesel’s downstream operability and marketability as a carbon-neutral, renewable fuel that’s

March 6, 2019 Read Full Article

Lallemand and Toyota Motor Corporation Sign Production and Licensing Agreement for New Cellulosic Yeast Strains

(Lallemand) Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits (LBDS) a business unit of Lallemand Inc. is pleased to announce that is has signed an agreement on February 26, 2019, with Toyota Motor Corporation to produce and market a new portfolio of yeast strains “TOYOTA XyloAce™” for cellulosic ethanol production in North America. Toyota,

March 6, 2019 Read Full Article

8th Annual Jacobsen Conference: Forecasting Agriculture and Biofuels Interplay — May 22-23, 2019 — Denver, CO

The Jacobsen, as the recognized industry standard for pricing and commentary, will bring together a wide variety of dynamic, experienced and knowledgeable speakers who will offer their assessments of the different variables and factors that affect the biodiesel and co-products marketplace. This year we’re excited to gather in beautiful Denver, Coloradowhere

March 6, 2019 Read Full Article

Biodiesel Refueling Station Coming to Seneca

by Kevin Solari (Morris Herald-News) REG opening 1st facility of its kind at Seneca refinery — The Seneca location for Renewable Energy Group is going to be a testing ground for a new concept for the company. At an open house Friday, the the Ames, Iowa-based biofuel company revealed its new

March 6, 2019 Read Full Article

Harnessing Synthetic Biology to Co-Produce High-Value Terpenoid Biomaterials and Biofuel in Plants

(Michigan State University/Phys.Org) Michigan State University scientists have developed synthetic biology tools to co-produce high-value compounds in plants. The study is published today in the journal Nature Communications. Terpenoids form the largest class of natural products in plants and have been used by humans for thousands of years. Modern applications for

March 5, 2019 Read Full Article

Online Programs in Energy and Sustainability at Penn State

(Pennsylvania State University) The global power shift is creating jobs for renewable energy project developers as well as policy experts who can drive clean energy initiatives and encourage a more sustainable culture. Let our online programs help you become an agent of change in the emerging green economy. Prepare yourself —

March 5, 2019 Read Full Article

Engineers Develop Fast Method to Convert Algae to Biocrude

(University of Utah/Science Daily) A team of chemical engineers have developed a new kind of jet mixer for creating biomass from algae that extracts the lipids from the watery plants with much less energy than the older extraction method. This key discovery now puts this form of energy closer to becoming

March 5, 2019 Read Full Article

Attis Industries Looks to Expand Production and Add Approximately $160M in Revenues with Recent Acquisition: Management Aims to Setup a World-Class Green Tech Campus in New York

(Attis Industries/Globe Newswire) The Company aims to harness their proprietary technology through multiple biomass processing facilities to cater to the rising demand of ethanol, carbon fibre, and other products. Attis Industries (ATIS) took its first big step in the field of renewable energy when the Company acquired the ethanol production facility

March 5, 2019 Read Full Article

Biowaste for Power and Fuels — the DOE Steps up in Key R&D Funding Opp

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Today, the US Department of Energy took a bold step forward in wastes to biopower and gaseous fuels for medium and heavy-duty vehicles. It’s part of a major $51 million funding package for advanced vehicle technologies that also includes work on energy-efficient engines and fast-fueling for

March 5, 2019 Read Full Article

Red Rock Biofuels Gets Option to Double FT Capacity from EFT Reactors at Oregon Diesel/Jet Project

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Oregon, Emerging Fuels Technology, has amended their license agreement with Red Rock Biofuels LLC under which EFT will provide its TL8a Fischer-Tropsch technology to provide additional FT capacity for RRB’s Bio-Refinery in Lakeview, Oregon, USA. The amendment doubles the FT capacity to be provided by

March 4, 2019 Read Full Article

Shell Joins Air Liquide, Nouryon in Enerkem Waste-to-Chemicals Project in Rotterdam: The Complete Story

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Shell will become an equal equity partner in the proposed commercial-scale waste-to-chemicals project, which will be the first of its kind in Europe to make valuable chemicals and biofuels out of non-recyclable waste materials. The consortium, which has set up a dedicated joint venture company,

March 4, 2019 Read Full Article

Applications Open for Statewide Bootcamp for Tennessee Agricultural Innovation Startups — July 8-12, 2019 — Knoxville, TN

(AgLaunch) AgLaunch and the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center are again partnering for a week-long agri-tech bootcamp to support Tennessee agriculture startup teams. The bootcamp will be held on the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture campus in Knoxville from July 8-12, 2019. Teams accepted into the program will experience best-in-class agricultural entrepreneurship programming and

March 4, 2019 Read Full Article

LCFS in California Means Big Gains for RNG

by Todd Campbell (California Natural Gas Vehicle Partnership) California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) began the new year with significant and positive changes, which are looking very beneficial for renewable natural gas (RNG). In ACT News last July, we defined what RNG is, and explained that it is not a fossil fuel,

March 4, 2019 Read Full Article

Inslee Hits Ground Running on Climate Message

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) Only a few days after Jay Inslee formally announced his 2020 presidential bid with a specific focus on climate change, the Washington governor preached that the United States will face “enormous cost” if it doesn’t act on climate change. “We know we can invent and

March 4, 2019 Read Full Article

How Ethanol Threatens Energy Security

by Pat Meehan (Washington Times) The blending of fuels puts needed small refineries in peril of extinction — Big oil manufacturers who can blend ethanol and oil in excess of their needs can sell that excess capacity as a credit to the smaller manufacturers who cannot produce it themselves. As a result, a

March 1, 2019 Read Full Article

Clover Improves Soil Quality, Feeds Biofuels Crop

by Christie Delfanian (South Dakota State University/Phys.Org) A four-leaf clover might bring good luck, but a stand of Kura clover can produce healthier soil—in the long run, according to a South Dakota State University study. Planting Kura clover, a pasture legume, with prairie cordgrass can improve microbial activity in the soil, thus reducing

March 1, 2019 Read Full Article

Clean Energy Will Offer Biomethane at All of Its Refueling Facilities by 2025

(Clean Energy/NGV Journal) Clean Energy Fuels Corp. has set goals to offer Zero-Carbon Redeem™ renewable natural gas at all of its fueling stations by 2025, summarized in its Corporate Sustainability Report unveiled at the GreenBiz Conference. By transitioning exclusively to Redeem by 2025 and by achieving Zero-Carbon intensity, Clean Energy would

March 1, 2019 Read Full Article

Ethanol 2019: Emerging Issues Forum — March 7-8, 2019 — Omaha, NE

Biofuel stakeholders from across the country will be in Omaha for the 14th annual Nebraska Ethanol: Emerging Issues Forum on March 7-8, kicking off with a welcome from Governor Pete Ricketts. The Nebraska Ethanol Board organizes the forum, which brings together ethanol producers and others involved in production, technology, policymaking and marketing

March 1, 2019 Read Full Article

Grassley, Wyden Introduce Tax Extenders Bill

by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) On Feb. 28, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., introduced legislation to extend 29 tax credits, including those that benefit producers of renewable diesel, second generation biofuels and bioenergy. According to information released by the Senate Committee on Finance,

March 1, 2019 Read Full Article

News Release: NREL Pioneers Cleaner Route to Upcycle Plastics into Superior Products

(National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have discovered a method of plastics upcycling—transforming discarded products into new, high-value materials of better quality and environmental value—that could economically incentivize the recycling of waste plastics and help solve one of the world’s most

March 1, 2019 Read Full Article

Paul, Grassley Introduce Fuel Choice and Deregulation Act of 2019

(Office of Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA)) Today (February 27, 2019), U.S. Senators Rand Paul of Kentucky and Chuck Grassley of Iowa introduced the Fuel Choice and Deregulation Act of 2019(S.581), legislation that would remove burdensome regulations on domestic energy production. “The Fuel Choice and Deregulation Act provides new economic opportunity for Kentucky farmers

March 1, 2019 Read Full Article

Gevo and HCS Group Enter Into Game-Changing, Long-Term Supply Agreement for Renewable Isooctane Worth Up to $180 Million; Gevo and Haltermann Carless Ready to Roll out to Mass Markets like Outdoor Power Equipment

(Gevo) Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEVO) announced today that HCS Group and Gevohave entered into a long-term, definitive, binding and bankable renewable isooctane purchase and sale agreement, dated February 21, 2019. HCS Group will be supplied exclusively for sales of Gevo’s renewable isooctane into high-end applications ranging from high purity solvents to specialty fuels under its Haltermann Carless brand, excluding use

March 1, 2019 Read Full Article

BioSNG Bulletin: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Biomass to Synthetic Natural Gas (BioSNG)

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Mark Robertson, from Small Planet Engineering and a member of Lee Enterprises Consulting offers this illuminating overview of renewable natural gas via biomass gasification and methanation, biogas upgrading to RNG, BioSNG developments, challenges, opportunities and more. Lee Enterprises Consulting is the world’s largest bioeconomy consulting group

March 1, 2019 Read Full Article

Who Is Garret Graves? The Louisiana Lawmaker Newly Selected as the Top Republican on the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis

by Kelsey Taborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) The Louisiana lawmaker newly selected as the top Republican on the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis has a lifetime score of 3 percent from the League of Conservation Voters but has also cited climate change as one issue where he differs with his

March 1, 2019 Read Full Article

Washington Clean Fuels Bill Clears Its 1st Big Hurdle

by Courtney Flatt (Northwest Public Broadcasting) Washington could soon join the ranks of its West Coast neighbors, requiring fuels at the pump that produce less carbon pollution. A low-carbon fuels bill passed its first big test Monday, moving out of the House Appropriations Committee. Democrats passed the bill with a 19-14 party-line vote. It

February 28, 2019 Read Full Article

Cellulosic Commercialization: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Cellulosic Ethanol

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Douglas B. Rivers, PhD,from Sunflwr Consulting and a member of Lee Enterprises Consulting offers this illuminating overview and more READ MORE

February 28, 2019 Read Full Article

Eugene Man Resentenced in Biodiesel Fraud Case

by Maxine Bernstein (The Oregonian/OregonLive) Jack Holden and co-defendant Lloyd Benton Sharp together defrauded 12 people who invested in a project to produce biodiesel fuel in the West African nation of Ghana. When the project failed, the two men duped the investors into providing additional funds to support nonexistent projects to transport

February 28, 2019 Read Full Article

Lighting the Way to Bioproducts: Smart Microbial Biosensors for Conversion Pathway Design

by Babetta (Babs) Marrone (Los Alamos National Laboratory) For several years, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) scientists have been taking advantage of the molecular tools that naturally reside within microbial cells. Although microbes use these tools to carry out their metabolism and other life-sustaining processes, scientists can use these tools to produce

February 28, 2019 Read Full Article

SoCalGas Leak Settlement Includes Biomethane-to-Fuel Efforts

by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) The Los Angeles Superior Court has approved a settlement in a lawsuit against Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) resulting from the 2015-2016 Aliso Canyon natural gas leak, according to an announcement from the California Air Resources Board (CARB). Notably, as part of the settlement, biomethane generated at

February 28, 2019 Read Full Article

Nevada Bill Would Allow Gas Utilities to Engage in RNG Activities

by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Legislation recently introduced in Nevada would require the state’s Public Utilities Commission to adopt regulations authorizing natural gas utilities to engage in renewable natural gas (RNG) activities. The bill, S.B. 154, would allow natural gas utilities buy and distribute biogas. The legislation would also allow these

February 27, 2019 Read Full Article

Kern Oil Threatens to Sue EPS over Delayed Biofuel Waiver Decision

(KTIC Radio) Kern Oil & Refining Co has threatened to sue the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for failing to respond to its request for a small refinery biofuel waiver within the proscribed 90 days, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Tuesday. … Kern, a privately owned California company, said

February 27, 2019 Read Full Article

Research Uncovers Potential Sustainable Refining Method for Lignin

(Phys.Org/Texas A&M University) Lignin, used as a renewable resource to produce high-value products, has presented both production and economical challenges for biorefinery operations. However, a Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientist suggests the use of an extraction method, plus other refining processes to produce multiple lignin streams. Dr. Joshua Yuan, chair of Synthetic

February 27, 2019 Read Full Article

Delay in SAFE Rule Disappointing, But Still an Opportunity

(Urban Air Initiative) EPA’s decision to delay fuel economy rules until “later in the year” provides the Urban Air Initiative an opportunity to continue educating the agency on the benefits of clean octane from higher ethanol blends. Originally the Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule was supposed to be finalized by

February 27, 2019 Read Full Article

AGRI Biofuel Blending Infrastructure Grant DEADLINE: April 12, 2019

(Minnesota Department of Agriculture) The AGRI Biofuel Blending Infrastructure Grant provides funding for biofuel blending infrastructure equipment. The primary goals of the grant program are to promote economic growth and environmentally friendly practices in Minnesota’s biofuel industries. Projects should aim to develop new or enhanced markets that improve biofuel blending outcomes

February 27, 2019 Read Full Article

GTI Quantifies Opportunity to Produce Low-Carbon Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) from Wood Wastes

(GTI/Green Car Congress) GTI has released a site-specific engineering design titled “Low-Carbon Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) from Wood Wastes”. GTI led a team of engineers and scientists to produce a blueprint for converting an existing biomass facility into an RNG production site, using the wood waste feedstock and some of the