by J. K. Shoemaker, D. P. Schrag, M. J. Molina, V. Ramanathan (Science Magazine) Short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) include methane (CH4), black carbon (BC), tropospheric ozone, and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). They are important contributors to anthropogenic climate change, responsible for as much
by Clare Foran (National Journal) Senators are working on separate bills to aggressively reduce the amount of corn-based ethanol required under the renewable-fuel standard. Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., and Senate Environment and Public Works Committee ranking member David Vitter, R-La., touted legislation
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works held a hearing Dec. 11 on the U.S. EPA’s proposed rule to set 2014 volume requirements under the renewable fuel standard (RFS). The hearing, titled
(Sapphire Energy/PR NewsWire) Agreement to Co-Process Algae Crude Oil with Conventional Crude Oil and Complete Fuel Certifications Sapphire Energy, Inc., one of the world leaders in algae-based Green Crude oil production, and Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX), an integrated energy manufacturing and logistics
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... “Support in Washington for the bioeconomy tends to be more bipartisan than some other issues we work on,” reflected (San Diego Congressman Scott ) Peters. “The impact is felt all over the country — technology
by John O'Connell (Capital Press) Ethanol plants in Idaho, Oregon and California are making ethanol from beet sugar forfeited by Amalgamated Sugar Co. Pacific Ethanol plants in Burley, Boardman, Ore., and Stockton, Calif., have started making ethanol for the first time utilizing
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... (I)t has been an incredibly strong week for innovation, with key announcements that advance the narrative at LanzaTech, Elevance, Earth Energy renewables (e.g. “the technology that once pwoered Terrabon, and PGF Biofuels (the first
(Algae Industry Magazine) European Biotechnology News reports that researchers, together with Norwegian and Chilean bioethanol producers, have developed advanced techniques to produce food and bio-ethanol from brown algae, which does not require arable land, fresh water or fertilizers. Until now, cultivation
by James Palen (The Daily Transcript/San Diego Source) ... Brawley-based California Ethanol + Power is bringing the matter closer to home. The company has yet to build its first facility, but by possibly the first quarter of 2014, it looks to break ground on
(OriginOil) New low-energy growth optimizer shows promise in controlling microbiological conditions for commercial algae producers OriginOil Inc. (OTC/BB: OOIL), developer of Electro Water Separation™ (EWS), the high-speed, chemical-free process to clean up large quantities of water, today announced that academic testing
by Seth Borenstein (Associated Press/US News and World Report) The United States is spewing 50 percent more methane — a potent heat-trapping gas — than the federal government estimates, a new comprehensive scientific study says. Much of it is coming
(University of California) University of California, Los Angeles chemical engineering researchers have created a new synthetic metabolic pathway for breaking down glucose that could lead to a 50 percent increase in the production of biofuels. The new pathway is intended to
(Algae Industry Magazine) Can scientists grow algae in polluted water on dairy farms and then safely feed it to livestock? That’s what Shelton Murinda, an associate professor of animal and veterinary sciences, Marcia Ewers of the biological sciences department, and
(Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego) Prospects for economic and sustainable fuel alternative enhanced with discovery Researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego have developed a method for greatly enhancing biofuel production in tiny marine algae. As
(US Department of Energy) BETO recently published a new two-page overview document that highlights significant Office achievements from 2013. One noteworthy success was the demonstration of two cellulosic ethanol production processes at a cost of $2.15 or less per gallon.
by Dustin Mulvaney (EcoShift Consulting/Biofuels Digest) ... EcoShift Consulting (www.ecoshift.com) recently conducted a GHG intensity analysis of a seaweed-based ethanol product that performs significantly better than gasoline as well as ethanol made from other feedstocks. The ethanol is being developed by
by John Kingston (Platts) The University of California-Davis has a new study out about California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard. Once you get past the standard dry academic writing, much of it is fairly startling. We care about the source of the report
by Evan Halper (Los Angeles Times) On a recent Navy voyage, alternative fuel cost $26 a gallon, and millions are being invested in bioenergy firms. Some experts worry there won't be sufficient benefits. When the U.S. Navy sailed an imposing fleet near Hawaii
Learn how to reduce your fuel costs and emissions during three days of fleet-focused educational sessions. Join us at ACT Expo where leading public and private fleets will share ways you can reduce your fuel costs and emissions. Learn about the
(PRWEB/CTi) Cavitation Technologies, Inc. ("CTi") (OTCBB: CVAT) (Berlin: Stuttgart: WTC) announced today that the Company’s U.S. Patent Application, entitled ‘Process for Producing Biodiesel through Lower Molecular Weight Alcohol-Targeted Cavitation’, has been approved for patent issuance. This approval adds another significant accomplishment
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Codexis signaled the end of its cellulase enzyme adventure in cellulosic biofuels with the wind-down of its CodeXyme business. CEO John Nicols said, “Given the market’s undervaluation of the prospects and continued slow build
by Noah Fierer, Joshua Ladau, Jose C. Clemente, Jonathan W. Leff, Sarah M. Owens, Katherine S. Pollard, Rob Knight, Jack A. Gilbert, Rebecca L. McCulley (Science Magazine) Tallgrass prairie is extinct across much of its former range in the midwestern
by Ronald D. White (Los Angeles Times) The road to a clean biofuels future is not easily traveled. Ceres Inc. in Thousand Oaks has some highly regarded science on its side as a producer of genetically modified seeds for crops used to
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Senator Feinstein (D-CA) and Senator Coburn (R-OK) are introducing legislation to eliminate conventional biofuels from the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). According to a story first published by Greenwire, the impending bill would leave the advanced biofuel targets
by Noel P. Gurwick, Lisa A. Moore, Charlene Kelly, Patricia Elias (PLOSone) Claims about the environmental benefits of charring biomass and applying the resulting “biochar” to soil are impressive. If true, they could influence land management worldwide. Alleged benefits include increased crop yields, soil
by Daniel Fisher (Forbes) A federal appeals court in California is mulling whether to reconsider a September ruling that upheld state global-warming regulations on ethanol producers. Critics say the decision gives the Golden State carte blanche to regulate virtually anything it doesn’t
by Ned Stowe (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) For many supporters of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), a key goal was to stimulate the development and use of low-carbon, next generation biofuels – to help reduce both U.S. petroleum dependence
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New York, in the wake of a $37 million Q1 loss in its sugar unit, Bunge CEO Soren Schroder, who took the reins of the company in June, announced yesterday that the trading giant
by Danilo Gusmão de Quadros* (Advanced Biofuels USA) During four days, from September 31st to October 3rd, people from 34 countries were reunited at the Hilton Hotel in Orlando, Florida, for a wide-ranging discussion of the advances and challenges of
by Ariana Eunjung Cha (The Washington Post) For scientist Jack Newman, creating a new life-form has become as simple as this: He types out a DNA sequence on his laptop. Clicks “send.” And a few yards away in the laboratory,
by Lauren Hepler (Silicon Valley Business Journal) The green fad may be waning for Silicon Valley venture capitalists, but that isn't slowing growth for Redwood City biofuel startup Propel Fuels. The company, which increased sales more than fivefold in the last three years,
(Office of Representative Jim Costa (D-CA 16th)) Reps. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Steve Womack (R-AR), and Peter Welch (D-VT) released the following statement today regarding the introduction of the RFS Reform Act in the U.S. House of Representatives: “The
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Next-gen biofuels technologies may be key to making the International Space Station cost effective — not to mention, other destinations in the NASA agenda. Which may explain why a high-tech algae outfit, Evodos, is advertising
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Cool Planet Energy Systems has announced the launch of its trademarked Cool Terra biochar for commercial agricultural trials. The company’s high-performance biochar soil amendments are designed for specific applications. Rick Wilson, vice president of biochar at
by Tim Stephens (University of California Santa Cruz) A novel device that uses only sunlight and wastewater to produce hydrogen gas could provide a sustainable energy source while improving the efficiency of wastewater treatment. A research team led by Yat Li,
by Jim Pierobon (The Energy Collective) For all the advances with hybrid and pure electric vehicles and the attention they are grabbing, personal, commercial and government vehicles around the world will be using enormous volumes of gasoline and diesel fuel
by Brian Berk (Convenience Store News) Which alternative fuels do convenience store retailers currently sell the most? Although certainly not a scientifically accurate poll, Sunday morning’s “Future of Fuels” educational session at the NACS Show wanted to find out the answer immediately. According
(Clean Energy) Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (Nasdaq: CLNE), North America’s largest provider of natural gas for transportation, announced today (October 3, 2013) that it will be the first company to commercially distribute a renewable natural gas vehicle fuel, called Redeem,
(Algenetix and Alchimia) Algenetix Inc, a bioenergy technology company and Alchimia Inc, a biomaterials processing technology and deployment company, announced today a partnership to develop high oil Giant Miscanthus as a new source of biodiesel and bio-jet fuel. The partnership combines
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As Matt Horton, CEO of Propel Fuels, relates the tale, he hears the 4 Monster Myths of Renewable Fuels, also known as the “conventional wisdom,” all too often. Turns out the conventional wisdom is, er,
(Science Daily) UCLA chemical engineering researchers have created a new synthetic metabolic pathway for breaking down glucose that could lead to a 50 percent increase in the production of biofuels. The new pathway is intended to replace the natural metabolic pathway
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... It seems a long time ago now that, out of Dr. Steve Mayfield’s lab at Scripps and later at the University of California at San Diego, a series of discoveries made it possible, for the
(BusinessWire) In August 2013, Nevada-based biodiesel producer Bently Biofuels Company expanded their used cooking oil collection program by purchasing the assets of Got Grease?, a Bay Area waste oil and grease trap pumping company. Got Grease? collected used cooking oil throughout
(BusinessWire/Greenbelt Resources) Study to Identify Approach for Optimal Yield of Ethanol Fuel Conversion from Food Waste Fermentation Greenbelt Resources Corporation (OTC: GRCO) and its wholly-owned subsidiary Diversified Ethanol Corporation today announced their investment in a research effort with California Polytechnic State University
by David Castellon (Visalia Times Delta) When the subject of biofuel comes up, chances are you’ll think of corn converted to ethanol. But on Wednesday, representatives from a Chicago-based seed manufacturer tried to change that way of thinking by inviting Valley farmers
by Holly Jessen (Biodiesel Magazine) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced funding for projects in 22 states to help reduce energy consumption and cost, as well as for increasing the use of renewable technologies, including a handful of biofuels- and
by Jan Sluizer (Voice of America) ... “It may not seem as big of an impact, but when you’re talking about potentially millions or billions of gallons in the United States, even a five percent reduction or a 20 percent reduction, is
by Kaytlyn Leslie (The San Luis Obisbo Tribune) Cal Poly will receive $1.5 million to fund biofuel research, according to a Department of Energy news release. Cal Poly was one of two universities in the country to receive money to research the
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The California legislature recently passed Assembly Joint Resolution 21, which urges federal lawmakers and the U.S. EPA to reform the renewable fuels standard (RFS), transitioning away from first-generation biofuels. The measure was introduced by
by Alice Daniel (California Report) California once grew a lot of sugar beets to supply the state's sugar mills. Most of those the mills are closed now, and farmers have turned to other row crops. But in the Central Valley, growers
(UPI.com) Algae-derived biofuels can reduce the life cycle of carbon dioxide emissions by at least 50 percent compared to petroleum fuels, a U.S. university study found. The peer-review study -- the first to analyze real-world data from an existing algae-to-energy demonstration
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the US Department of Energy announced that 15 breakthrough energy projects will receive approximately $34 million from the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) via the REMOTE program (Reducing Emissions using Methanotrophic Organisms for
by Dana Hull (San Jose Mercury News) In a victory for environmentalists, clean energy advocates and state regulators, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld California's clean-fuel standards in a 2-1 decision Wednesday. The fuel standard is a cornerstone of
by Erika Gebel Berg (Chemical and Engineering News) Protein Engineering: Scientists evolve a bacterial protein pump that pulls butanol out of cells to make microbes into better biofuel factories Biologists can engineer microorganisms to make biofuels, such as butanol or octanol,
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making payments to support the production of advanced biofuel. USDA is making nearly $15.5 million in payments to 188 producers through the
by Krista Daly (Imperial Valley Press) The California Ethanol and Power Project is moving forward with its plan to generate clean fuel from sugar cane and sweet sorghum. Imperial County Board of Supervisors approved seven resolutions Tuesday dealing with water, zoning,
by Reliable Source (The Washinton Post) ...Event: National Farmers Union rally promoting passage of a five-year farm bill and touting the renewable fuel standard. Venue: Capitol Hill’s Lower Senate Park. ...What he wants: Fuel standards mandating an increased amount
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) has released a new report that predicts projected growth in advanced biofuel production capacity will be sufficient to meet both the federal renewable fuels standard (RFS) and California’s low carbon fuel
by Mark Drajem (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) A tweak to an automobile’s engine software can improve by as much as 20 percent the estimated fuel efficiency when using gasoline with ethanol or methanol, according to a non-profit group pushing gasoline alternatives. A Fuel
(US Department of Energy Office of Science) Energy scientists hope new plant varieties will yield large amounts of biomaterial, which new types of microbes will quickly and cheaply convert into clean-burning fuel. To achieve these goals, researchers will need novel
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... “What you really are in the business of,” Aemetis CEO Eric McAfee reflects, “is capturing the arbitrage between the commodity price of your most expensive feedstock — and the price of your finished molecule plus
(The Economist) Energy technology: Making large amounts of fuel from organic matter has proved to be more difficult and costly than expected ...As well as being available to countries without tar sands, shale fields or gushers, biofuels can help reduce greenhouse-gas emissions
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Today, we look at 2013-14, should Congress elect not to act — but leave the EPA and the markets to govern implementation of the existing law. 2014 Mandate The EPA will ultimately determine the annual mandate, but
(Fort Mill Times) Aemetis California Plant Approved for Same Low-Carbon Biofuels Category as Brazilian Ethanol Aemetis, Inc. (OTCQB: AMTX), an advanced fuels and renewable chemicals company, announced today that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted Aemetis approval to produce
by Tom Saidak (BioInvest Digest) In California, the California Energy Commission is asking for proposals to either develop or expand three new centers for both alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technology. READ MORE Excerpt from the Centers for Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicle Technology Program
by Evan Halper (Los Angeles Times) It's even possible that conflicting state and federal policies on renewable fuels, both aimed at reducing global warming, could actually make things worse, some scientists say. California and the federal government want drivers to use
(Environmental Defense Fund/Biodiesel Magazine) A case study released today from Environmental Defense Fund and E2 examines the benefits of biodiesel, profiling six companies in California helping to revolutionize the industry. Growing production in the state shows California companies have started capitalizing on this diverse, low-carbon
by Rich Piellisch (Fleets and Fuels) Vehicle in Ventura ‘Brings Us One Step Closer to Commercializing’ Camarillo, Calif.-based Cool Planet is talking up the successful trial of its biomass-derived synthetic gasoline with the Ventura County Parks Department. There, officials ran a
by Paul Tullis (The New York Times) ...But big drawbacks have prevented the wholesale adoption of trash-to-gas technology in the United States: incineration is polluting, and the capital costs of new plants are enormous. Gasification systems can expend a tremendous
by Toni McAllister (LakeElsinore-Wildomar Patch) Flex Fuel E85 is now available at the Chevron gas station located at 23805 Clinton Keith Road. Motorists who want to fill up on ethanol now have the option to do so in Wildomar. The Chevron gas station
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... But is the real RINsanity the focus on RINsanity itself? We might be more focused on the insanely huge amounts of energy demand that are coming, and what the heck we are going to about it,
by Alan Ohnsman (Bloomberg) ...Mimicking the way plants turn sunlight and carbon dioxide in the air into energy and oxygen, the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis at the California Institute of Technology is in a race to trump nature and slow global
(SCV News) U.S. Energy Initiatives Corp. announced Tuesday that it has begun producing biodiesel in through its joint venture partner relationship. This partnership is designed to help meet California’s Mandated Requirement for biodiesel under the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS).
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... It’s been quite a year on the four-carbon platform — also known as C4, 4C, buta-something, Fantastic Four, or what have you. Though two-carbon fuels such as ethanol have long dominated the biofuels market — and
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) The nation’s 28 National Estuarine Research Reserves (NERR) are experiencing the negative effects of human and climate-related stressors according to a new NOAA research report from the National Ocean Service. The national study, Climate Sensitivity of the National Estuarine Research
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As a Perfect Storm of price problems ends, will E85 finally find its market and help end a divisive debate over ethanol distribution? 2014 is the year of E85, if there ever was one. Or will
by Jennifer A. Dlouhy (Fuel Fix) The American Petroleum Institute on Monday launched a new round of advertising taking aim at an eight-year-old renewable fuels mandate it wants Congress to repeal. The new television ad features everyday people behind the wheel,
(UCLA Engineering) In April 2013, UCLA MAE Ph.D. student Wei Yu raised $1.6M series A venture capital for Lyxia Corporation, a biofuel startup based on research from UCLA MAE Professor Chih-Ming Ho’s Micro System Laboratories. Preceeding this, in July 2012,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Miscanthus, sorghum, switchgrass, jatropha, camelina, carinata, and arundo. Who’s doing what to bring these crops to scale — and who are the potential big winners? ... Just when you start feeling great about bagasse or stover, you
(Algae Industry Magazine) GianCarlo Onorati writes in SantaCruz.com that a team of scientists from the University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC) are exploring the cultivation of algae in a self-sustaining greenhouse system using a new generation of solar panels
(U.S. Department of Energy) During remarks at the Energy Department’s Biomass 2013 annual conference, Secretary Moniz today highlighted the important role biofuels play in the Administration’s Climate Action Plan to increase our energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation
(Algae Biomass Organization) The algae industry is moving faster than many people suspect. To help demonstrate how far along so many of ABO’s members are we recently created the Algae Industry Project Book, an illustrated guide of some of the most
by Anna Rath and Adam Monroe (The Hill Congress Blog) While there is a lot of back-and-forth in Washington about the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), there is just one fundamental choice at the heart of the debate: do we want
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Here are the biggest pacts and advances, tests, investments and grants with the likes of Amyris, Total, Airbus, Solena Fuels, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, AltAir Fuels, the US Navy, Emerald Biofuels, Natures BioReserve and Fulcrum Biofuels, Virent, the US Air Force, Chinese Eastern
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The Summer of Algae has passed, but dozens of companies have remained hot in pursuit of a solution for fuels, feed, nutraceuticals, fragrances, flavorings and tailored renewable oils. Their technologies? Closed systems, open-systems, hybrid systems. Hosts
(Algae Industry Magazine) Rocky Hill, CT-based Connecticut Innovations (CI), the state’s quasi-public authority responsible for growing Connecticut businesses through innovative financing and strategic assistance, has awarded a Connecticut Innovation Challenge grant of $150,000 to AgriFuels LLC of East Hartford, CT. ... The goal
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On July 15, California’s Fifth District Court of Appeal issued its opinion in the lawsuit filed by Poet LLC against the California Air Resources Board. The lawsuit, originally filed in November 2011, challenged the
by Nan Austin (The Modesto Bee) Firefighters got a crash course in battling ethanol blazes Friday and Saturday, thanks to the industry that makes the fuel and the railroads that move it. The Renewable Fuels Association held the one-day training sessions
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ricardo Inc. is both strong on ethanol blends and efficient engines. ... Earlier in June, an advanced combustion engine research project was announced where Ricardo will partner with the University of California-Berkeley, MIT, Lawrence Berkeley, Lawrence
(Glenn Mosier's Focus on Clean Tech) ... CleanTECH San Diego, the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation and the Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation have been awarded a Regional Industry Clusters of Opportunity II (RICO II) grant from the California Workforce
by Graham Warwick (Aviation Week) Despite the challenges faced in scaling up feedstock and fuel production, commercial aviation could yet achieve the goal of meeting 1% of its jet-fuel needs from sustainable biofuels by 2015, says a senior Boeing executive. “It’s
by Keith Loria (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Mendota Bioenergy’s plan to turn energy beets to ethanol moves to demonstration scale in California’s San Joaquin Valley. The future of advanced biofuels is in beets. At least that’s the thinking of those behind Mendota Bioenergy
by Damian Carrington (The Guardian) Producing biofuels in the sea removes at a stroke many of the serious problems with conventional biofuels "It's best to get it out of the water now or it'll start getting grazed by the little beasties," says
by Brian Berk (Convenience Store News) ...Retailer Propel Fuels Inc. believes in the future of alternative fuels and is devoted to being a better steward to the earth -- something it says its E85 and biodiesel offerings can provide. The company offers both fuels at
by Jennifer A. Dlouhy (SF Gate) United Airlines on Tuesday announced it has committed to buy at least 15 million gallons of cleaner-burning renewable jet fuel from a Los Angeles-based refinery, marking a potentially major breakthrough in the commercial aviation industry’s
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Reps. Pete Olson, R-Texas, and Jim Costa, D-Calif., have introduced legislation that would allow ethanol produced from domestic natural gas to meet the volume requirements of the renewable fuel standard (RFS). The bill, titled
by Andrew Herndon (Bloomberg) Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM), which has invested more than $100 million to develop algae-derived biofuels, is refocusing its research with Synthetic Genomics Inc. after almost four years of work failed to produce economically viable results. ...Exxon and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Beyond biomass, beyond fossil fuels, beyond light itself. And now, the direct production of drop-in biofuel blendstocks. All available from a microbial “cow”. This week in California, a research team from Shota Atsumi’s lab at the
by Lynn Yarris(Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Joint BioEnergy Institute Researchers Develop Enzyme-free Ionic Liquid Pre-treatment Advanced biofuels – liquid fuels synthesized from the sugars in cellulosic biomass – offer a clean, green and renewable alternative to gasoline, diesel and jet fuels.
by Michelle Macaluso (Fox News) ...Propel Fuels is launching its Clean Mobility Centers in Fresno. The stations will offer both E85 and biodiesels ranging from B5 to B99 that will be locally-sourced from producers in Central California. ...Any flex fuel vehicle
(Edeniq/Yahoo! News) Visalia Plant Milestone Signifies Greater Commercial Viability for Cellulosic Ethanol and Sugars Edeniq, a biomaterials and sustainable fuels company, today announced the company's first demonstration plant, located at its Visalia, CA headquarters, has completed a successful "performance test" that
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) World’s #1 chemical company to produce renewable Butanediol using Genomatica’s process. The Digest has a one-on-one with Genomatica CEO Christophe Schilling to explore the deal in-depth. In Germany, BASF announced that it plans to begin production
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Oil refiners have been waging a well-funded war on California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard, which requires oil companies to reduce the carbon pollution from gasoline and diesel by 10 percent by 2020. Centerpiece in their strategy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The sector’s perennial hottest company strikes again — with “potentially disruptive” new technology to change the positioning and performance of triglyceride oils. In California, Solazyme and AkzoNobel announced an agreement targeting the development of advanced tailored
(Green Car Congress) The California Energy Commission unanimously adopted the 2013-2014 Investment Plan Update to support the development and use of green vehicles and alternative fuels. The update sets funding priorities for the approximately $100 million in annual state funds under the
by Kathy Robertson (Sacramento Business Journal) Novozymes Inc. is staffing up to support a $2.5 million Department of Energy contract to find new and more efficient enzymes for turning corn leaves and stalks into fuel for cars and trucks. The two-year project
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The University of California-Davis Institute of Transportation Studies has published a new status review of the state’s low carbon fuel standard (LCFS). The review is the second in a series of periodic status reports.
by Kim McDonald (University of California at San Diego) New discoveries of the way plants transport important substances across their biological membranes to resist toxic metals and pests, increase salt and drought tolerance, control water loss and store sugar can have
by Min Zhang and Randy Schekman (Science Magazine) Most eukaryotic secretory proteins are directed into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) by an amino-terminal signal peptide (leader sequence) and progress to the cell surface through vesicular flow via the Golgi apparatus (1, 2). However,
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) California-based Community Fuels recently earned BQ-9000 Laboratory certification, making it the first biodiesel producer in the nation to receive this third-party approval. “We are serious about quality and believe that biodiesel with reliable and predictable
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Energy cane for California’s Imperial Valley? Canergy lines up Beta, CHS, Certis as partners for greenfield low-carbon fuel project slated for 2016 opening. In California, Canergy announced that it has selected Chemtex and Beta Renewables for
(Community Fuels) Community Fuels earned BQ9000 Laboratory certification on March 14th making it the first biodiesel producer in the nation to receive this third party approval. “We are serious about quality and believe that biodiesel with reliable and predictable fuel performance is necessary
(Associated Press/PhillyBurbs.com) The mayor of the central Pennsylvania borough of State College has endorsed a campaign that urges municipalities to divest from fossil fuel companies, the environmental group 350.org said in a release Thursday. Borough Mayor Elizabeth Goreham joined nine other
by Brock Vergakis (Associated Press/The Washington Post) NASA researchers said Thursday that test flights conducted in California have shown a commercial jet could fly safely with a blend of jet fuel that includes a plant oil. Scientists at NASA’s Langley Research center
This two day conference brings together top representatives who are engaged in establishing a major transformation in the global chemical and energy industries - from petroleum to bio-based. The conference will look to examine new supply chain developments and business models
(Algae Industry Magazine) lgae Testbed Public-Private Partnership (ATP3) members from across the U.S. gathered at the Arizona State University Polytechnic campus April 15-18 for their national kickoff meetings to discuss strategies for advancing research and development of algae-based technologies for
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Pilot-scale biorefineries for drop-in military diesel, jet fuel the focus of the DOE’s latest grant round. In Washington, the US Department of Energy announced up to $17.7 million in grants to four pilot-scale biorefinery projects aimed
by U.S.-Israel Science and Technology Foundation/Biomass Magazine) After a briefing by senior White House staff on April 17, following their arrival in the U.S., an Israeli delegation of top academic and industrial biofuels research scientists and innovators, and Israeli government program
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Aemetis announced that its 60 million gallon per year capacity ethanol facility in Keyes, CA has completed maintenance and Advanced Biofuels retrofit, and is now restarting production. Last December, the EPA issued a final
(Johnny Rockets/Sacramento Bee/PR Newswire) Johnny Rockets partners with DAR PRO Solutions to recycle its restaurants' used fry oil into renewable diesel fuel. Each year, Johnny Rockets serves about eight million pounds of American Fries and two million orders of Onion Rings, all of which
(Science Daily) Stepping into unexplored territory in efforts to use corn stalks, grass and other non-food plants to make biofuels, scientists have described the discovery of a potential treasure-trove of candidate enzymes in fungi thriving in the feces and intestinal
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) An explosive report from Bloomberg alleges that a pathway to $2.18 per gallon gasoline was developed at Chevron-Weyerhaeuser owned Catchlight Energy. Yet, the project was sidelined. Why? Was the project really saddled with a threshold
(Reuters/NexSteppe) Malibu and Palo Alto Sorghum Hybrids Provide Scalable, Reliable, and Sustainable Feedstock Options for the Biobased Industries NexSteppe, a company dedicated to pioneering the next generation of sustainable feedstock solutions for the biobased industries, today announced the launch of its first sorghum hybrid
by Aldo Svaldi (The Denver Post) Cool Planet Energy Systems took a step closer Friday to a corporate relocation and expansion that could bring nearly 400 jobs to the metro area and place the state at the center of a
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The ethanol industry reacted swiftly to the so-called RFS Reform Act, legislation introduced April 10 in the U.S. House of Representatives, which they said would gut the renewable fuel standard (RFS). The bill, introduced by
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Propel Fuels has opened another in its chain of transformative Clean Mobility Centers — and the first station in Fresno to offer E85 Flex Fuel and biodiesel, sourced from Central Valley producers including
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) .... And surprisingly, a research team from the University of California, Davis has not only catalogued the impacts of treating microalgae with 83 different compounds. They’ve found that common antioxidants such as epigallocatechin gallate, found
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...You’ve probably seen it, in some way, for years — a local pond seems suddenly crowded with algae — or there’s news of a “red tide” blooming at sea — as quickly as it forms,
by Matt Horton (Mercury News) ...Yet at the fuel pump, consumers still have no power. We all know our dependence on fossil fuels weakens our economy and security while threatening our environment. We simply feel powerless to address it because
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Despite the sluggish economic recovery and questions over policy stability — biofuels ventures have been busy raising lots of capital. In the past 6 months, $434 million. Who got what, where, when and why? ...supplemental oxygen,
by Amanda Peterka (Governors Biofuel Coalition) Cellulosic biofuels can become profitable for farmers and help displace oil, but they must use already-available agricultural land, according to a study released by a nonprofit yesterday. Commissioned by the Council for Agricultural Science and
(Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute/PR NewsWire) The $100K ACC Clean Energy Challenge, a business plan competition supported by the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) encouraging students from universities in the southeastern United States to develop business plans
(Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy today announced it would fund its three Bioenergy Research Centers for an additional five-year period, subject to continued congressional appropriations. The three Centers—including the BioEnergy Research Center (BESC) led by Oak Ridge
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Algenetix, an industrial biotech company incubated from the pipeline of Kapyon Ventures has closed $2.0M in Series A-1 funding to further commercialize its PhotoSeed platform. The groundbreaking technology vastly improves oil productivity in microbes
by Amy Harder (National Journal) As policy makers in Washington DC and across the country confront the costly consequences of mandating renewable fuels, some have suggested a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) as an alternative. But an LCFS would be
by Karl Plume (Reuters) Pacific Ethanol Inc said that it is importing sorghum as well as buying the grain from domestic sources as prices for corn, the primary feedstock for the U.S. ethanol industry, hovered near historic highs. "Both as a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A numbers of readers responding to “Biofuels from a raging fireball” (Friday’s Top Story, on research work with the raging fireball, Pyrococchus furiosus, to make biofuels and renewable chemicals from hydrogen gas and CO2) raised
(Green Car Congress) A new spatially-explicit life cycle assessment of five different “sun-to-wheels” conversion pathways—ethanol from corn or switchgrass for internal combustion vehicles (ICVs); electricity from corn or switchgrass for battery-electric vehicles (BEVs); and photovoltaic electricity for BEVs—found a strong
by Lynn Yarris (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) When blessed with a resource in overwhelming abundance it’s generally a good idea to make valuable use of that resource. Lignocellulosic biomass is the most abundant organic material on Earth. For thousands of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Crop yield and oil content increases of up to 50% and 34% seen from ZeaKal’s HME technology. Though in early days — what’s going on? ... A successful Series A is always a good indication that,
(U.S. Department of Energy) Supplying high-quality feedstock for use in a broad range of sustainable conversion processes to produce advanced biofuels is a complex, multi-step process. Each step in the feedstock supply and logistics chain—from harvesting, preparing, and packaging, to
(GreenAirOnline) A team of NASA researchers has begun a programme of flight tests that will compare the environmental impacts from emissions and contrails of a blended fuel containing 50 per cent biofuel against those from conventional jet fuel. The project,
by Jim McMahon (Biodiesel Digest) Since 2008, the San Diego Center for Algal Biotechnology (SD-CAB) has been conducting research into algal applications for biofuel. This has been a joint collaboration between several departments of the University of California/San Diego faculty
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Today in part II, we look at a new set of technologies coming along that are redefining our ideas about scale and cost. ... A barrier to long term deployment? The $11 per gallon average capital
(Associated Press/Washington Post) Amid the vast almond orchards and grape fields that surround Five Points in California’s Central Valley, a once-dominant crop that has nearly disappeared from the state’s farms is making a comeback: sugar beets. But these beets won’t be
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The first wave of cellulosic biofuels projects are now reaching completion. But what does the next wave look like – from technology to financing? We explore the trends in our two-part Biorefinery 2015 series. ... Long-term,
(Biofuels Digest) In California, the state’s Energy Commission approved $5,580,773 for clean-energy transportation projects ranging from producing biofuels to making trucks run cleaner. Buster Biofuels, LLC, based in the San Diego area, will receive $2,641,723 to convert a 7,300 square foot
by Ian Branam (Scientific American) Researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have found that nearly 14 percent of land in the continental United States, or roughly the combined area of Texas and New Mexico, could be used for converting
(SG Biofuels/Biodiesel Magazine) ...Through the use of new genetic technologies, SGB’s scientists have revealed that the company’s germplasm collection can be divided into a number of distinct heterotic clades, or genetically related groupings of plants. In contrast to previous studies, these
by Scott M. Paapa, Todd H. West, Dawn K. Manley, Eric J. Steen, Harry R. Beller, Jay D. Keasling, Dean C. Dibble, Shiyan Chang, Blake A. Simmons (Biomass and Bioenergy) As advances in biotechnology have continued at a rapid pace,
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