by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Researchers at the Joint BioEnergy Institute are exploring new ways to meet the challenge of recalcitrant cellulosic feedstocks and lower the cost of biomass-based biofuels. The group recently published two papers detailing their work
(EScienceNews.com) Galactan is a polymer of galactose, a six-carbon sugar that can be readily fermented by yeast into ethanol and is a target of interest for researchers in advanced biofuels produced from cellulosic biomass. Now an international collaboration led by
(ScienceCodex.com) ...Pectic compounds decorated with β-1,4-galactan (a chain of six-carbon sugars) are of considerable interest to the biofuels industry, because six-carbon sugars are readily converted into ethanol (biofuel) by fermenting microorganisms. A new study published in The Plant Cell reveals a novel
(Renewable Fuels Association) The Advanced Ethanol Council this morning released a report giving a snapshot of cellulosic ethanol producers in the U.S. and around the world. A look at facilities owned by companies such as Abengoa Bioenergy, Enerkem, INEOS Bio
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On Dec. 7, the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission elected to begin implementation of the state’s Clean Fuels Program. A spokeswoman for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality confirmed the commission voted four to one to
(XS4Green.com) ...John Benemann, Ian Woertz, and Tryg Lundquist, MicroBio Engineering, Inc. (Walnut Creek, CA) and California State Polytechnic University (San Luis Obispo, CA), present the results of an engineering and economic study of vegetable oil production from microalgae grown in
by Kristin Macey (CDFA Division of Measurement Standards/Imperial Valley News) The Department of Food and Agriculture’s Division of Measurement Standards (DMS) has tested samples of a new 20 percent biodiesel blend fuel made from algae and is happy to report
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Next-gen renewable oils producer achieves first linear scale-up to 500,000 liter fermenters — clears path for large commercial production volumes. ...To date, no next-generation producer had successfully achieved linear scale-up in 500,000 liter (or larger) fermenters.
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Chico, Calif.-based Springboard Biodiesel announced that its trademarked BioPro EX has met the Green Restaurant Association’s rigorous endorsement standards for alternative fuel refueling stations. By using the BioPro EX, restaurants can make biodiesel that meets
by Jim Lane (Biobased Digest) Biomass in cancer drugs, perfumes, baby-safe cleaners, cosmetics and more. “I can tell you one thing,” Solazyme CEO Jonathan Wolfson reflected with the Digest not too long ago. “When Harrison and I were first developing the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...With the new funding, Propel will be able to accelerate the build out of its network of stations that offer drivers the cleanest, most sustainable, domestically produced fuels on the market today. ...Propel operates a growing
by John Timmer (Ars Technica) ...The process relies on a specific species of bacteria, Clostridium acetobutylicum. Given a source of sugar (which can be obtained by digesting cellulose in plants), these bacteria will produce a mixture of small carbon compounds: acetone,
(Chromatin/BusinessWire) Chromatin’s Sorghum Seed Recognized for Water Use Efficiency and Versatility Chromatin, Inc., a privately held provider of innovative crop breeding technology, sorghum seed products and feedstocks, announced it has generated the first crop of sorghum that has been grown and
by Jennifer Alsever (CNN Money) ... While most of its rivals raced to commercialize the fuel, San Diego-based SG Biofuels took a different path: It hired plant geneticists. They hunkered down in the laboratory to come up with the best genetic variations
(Fulcrum BioEnergy, Inc./Yahoo! Finance) Fulcrum BioEnergy, Inc. announced today that it has successfully secured commitments and is proceeding toward closing financings totaling $175 million to fund construction of its first municipal solid waste ("MSW") to low-carbon fuels plant, the Sierra
(E! Science News) Biologists at UC San Diego have demonstrated for the first time that marine algae can be just as capable as fresh water algae in producing biofuels. The scientists genetically engineered marine algae to produce five different kinds
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Solazyme lands monster capacity expansion agreements with ADM and Bunge – what’s the sector’s hottest company up to now? ... The Bunge agreement will expand joint venture-owned oil production capacity at Solazyme Bunge Renewable Oils from
(Acclaimed Canoga Park Movers/PR WEB) Acclaimed Canoga Park Movers purchases four new biodiesel trucks to take better care of the environment Canoga Park has a history of development dating back to the 1800s, and the conscious efforts upheld by the city
by Lynn Yarris (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Joint BioEnergy Institute Researchers Find New Access to Abundant Biomass for Advanced Biofuels After cellulose, xylan is the most abundant biomass material on Earth, and therefore represents an enormous potential source of stored solar
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) UOP, Eni update on the complete conversion of Eni’s Venice refinery to renewable diesel. Why is renewable diesel getting traction – and where, and when? ...Unlike biodiesel, Green Diesel is a drop-in replacement for traditional diesel.
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Approval of E15 in California is moving slowly and, ultimately, the losers are consumers, who will pay more for gasoline, said Andy Foster, spokesperson for Aemetis Inc., a biofuel producer that’s a member of
by Chris Woodyard (USA Today) Now, some motorists can really drive green, as in algae-green. A chain of biofuel stations in the San Francisco Bay Area have started selling fuel made from algae, one of the most promising technologies when it
(The NonProfit Press) Broadcasting on 17th November and 18th November 2012, in the seventeenth episode of the Horizons series, presenters Adam Shaw and Saima Mohsin take a closer look at a new generation of energy crops in Brazil and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Brent Crude trades this past week at a transorbital $109 per barrel (West Texas Intermediate at a suborbital, if high, $85). It puts the conventional wisdom that biofuels are too infrastructure incompatible and too costly
(ACORE) The American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) released the 2012 edition of its report, Renewable Energy in the 50 States, as an interactive, online resource. Compiling updated financial data, resource potentials, market and policy information in one easily-accessed, online
(Algae Industry Magazine) ristian Gustavson, a master’s degree graduate of Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, is taking his algae-based biofuel message on the road. Starting Nov. 15, Gustavson will ride a motorcycle fueled with a mixture of
(Next-Gen Transportation News) Aemetis Inc., an advanced fuels and renewable chemicals company, has entered into an agreement to install technology from Edeniq at its plant in Keyes, Calif. Aemetis will use Edeniq's Cellunators ethanol platform and test the company's Pathway technology. ...Cellunator produces
(GreenAirOnline) Two jet biofuel companies, JATRO and BioJet, have announced a collaboration agreement on feedstock development and commercialisation efforts. The strategic alliance is intended to create a mutually beneficial business operation across global markets to drive the commercialisation of sustainable
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Promethean Biofuels, a community-scale biodiesel producer in Temecula, Calif., stood with giants such as Sony and BP Arco at the recent Environmental Excellence Awards Summit in San Diego. The awards were given by the Industrial
by Robert Sanders (Biodiesel Magazine/UC Berkeley) A long-abandoned fermentation process once used to turn starch into explosives can be used to produce renewable diesel fuel to replace the fossil fuels now used in transportation, University of California, Berkeley, scientists have
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) With the announcement of new investment from Bunge Global Innovation LLC, Cobalt Technologies’ n-butanol development is ready for deployment in Brazil. “We’re in a position now where the demonstration plant is fully funded and
by Kevin Quon (Seeking Alpha) When it comes to renewable oils company Solazyme (SZYM), it would be good to check your understanding of biofuels at the door. Solazyme's heterotrophic algae are utilized within a closed fermentation process to make triglyceride oils.
by Art Hovey (Lincoln Journal Star) The economic bounce that comes from the combination of corn and cattle in Nebraska "is unmatched any other place in the country," agricultural economist Bruce Johnson told the Nebraska Ethanol Board on Tuesday. And the
by James L. Stewart (Biofuels Digest/BioEnergy Producers Association) For the past decade, repressive provisions in statute have discouraged developers of conversion technologies from operating in California. Among its statutory roadblocks, the state has a scientifically inaccurate definition of gasification, which, if
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Jatropha 2.0 crude oil costs drops below Brent crude petroleum price In California, SG Biofuels announced at Advanced Biofuels Markets that it has expanded its global network of hybrid trial and agronomic research sites to 15
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) In California, Los Angeles County is taking action to support the development of technologies to convert landfill waste into biofuels and biopower. In late September the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors voted
(Algae Industry Magazine) Recently Aurora Algae announced the successful completion of requirements for a two million dollar (AUD) Low Emissions Energy Development (LEED) grant, which has been used to advance the Company’s algae-based biomass production at its demonstration facility in Karratha, Western
(Environmental Leader) Google has been using Cool Planet Energy Systems’ biofuel blend to run a fleet vehicle at the search giant’s Mountain View, Calif. campus, according to the energy-tech startup. ...During the Google trial, a campus vehicle called GRide ran on
(Diesel Technology Forum) The Diesel Technology Forum issued the following statement today regarding the study published this week by the University of California-Berkeley comparing diesel and gasoline emissions. Allen Schaeffer, the Executive Director of the Diesel Technology Forum, issued this statement: “There
(Aemetis/BusinessWire) Aemetis, Inc. (OTCPK: AMTX), an advanced fuels and renewable chemicals company, announced today that the company was awarded a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) titled “Hydrolytic Enzyme Mixtures For Saccharification of Lignocellulosic Polysaccharides”, and
by Rory Carroll (Reuters) California attorneys advocating for a program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fuels came under stern questioning from a three-judge panel on Tuesday (October f16, 2012), in a case that threatens a key component of the
(Business Wire/Daily Finance) Biofuels ISOCONVERSION process licensed by Aemetis to produce 100% replacement renewable jet and diesel fuels from plant and algal oils Aemetis, Inc., an advanced fuels and renewable chemical company, announced today (10/19/2012) that the company signed an expanded,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...(California Energy) Commission staff have proposed a $4.6 million award to ZeaChem for the development of a pilot plant at its Menlo Park, Calif. research and development (R&D) facility to scale up the company’s C3 (three-carbon
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Today, we’ll look at the bigger balance sheets to see who is investing what, and when, with whom, and why. ...We’ve also focused here, for the sake of brevity, on those financing commercial scale projects. So,
(Biodico/PR NewsWire/Herald Online) Today Biodico announced signing a new agreement with the U.S. Navy for the development and evaluation of advanced biofuels and bioenergy. The goal is to jointly develop renewable fuel and energy technologies that are appropriate for use
by Marc Gunther (The Guardian) Scores of companies across the world are racing to unlock algae's energy potential and create a 'green crude oil' Tiny Columbus, New Mexico (population, 1,678) is hot, flat and uncrowded — an ideal place to launch
by Howard Mintz (Mercury News) Having fended off a challenge to groundbreaking emissions standards for new cars, California now finds itself in a legal tug-of-war to preserve some of its unprecedented regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of fuels. The 9th
by Bernadette Tansey (Xconomy) The South San Francisco company LS9 recently produced five tons of industrial chemicals from plant sugars at a Florida demonstration facility, a step toward proving that its genetically engineered microbes can manufacture carbon compounds and fuels at a commercial
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Are they biofuels? We think so – even if they are post-biomass. They do what organisms have done for eons to make biomass in the first place: convert lifeless CO2, sunlight and water and nutrients
by Karen E. Kline (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) ...The 150-employee company (Sapphire Energy), backed by more than $350 million in public and private funds, is a leader in a rapidly growing cluster of 40 biofuels ventures around the city. The scientific breakthroughs
by Harry Cline (Western Farm Press) Castor beans are back in California as a possible source crop for making biofuels; Castor's main toxic protein, ricin, is so potent that a single milligram is sufficient to kill an adult; Castor oil is essential
by SacPort Biofuels (Biodiesel Magazine) Sierra Energy Corp. and SacPort BioFuels have jointly announced that the California Energy Commission has invested $5 million to help construct a commercial waste-to-biofuels demonstration facility at the Port of West Sacramento. This joint effort
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Every great biofuels technology has its own companion feedstock strategy – with unique advantages and technical challenges. Who’s got what it takes to be a great Sherpa, providing that feedstock or intermediates edge that puts
(Government Technology) In Los Angeles, one man's trash is another man's biofuel – or at least, it will be soon. The L.A. County Board of Supervisors approved a motion late last month that calls on federal and state legislators to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Every biofuels contender has its own route to the top – with unique advantages and technical challenges. Who is nearing the Summit, what’s their Hillary Step, who’s got Sherpas, who’s got oxygen? It’s the race
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It’s a year of low congressional approval and not much congressional action. But every election is an important one, and there’s lots of unfinished business from this past cycle. Here are nine friends of energy independence
(Opisnet.com) While already suffering through the highest pump prices in the continental U.S., Californians could face even higher gasoline and diesel costs when new low carbon fuel regulations gain traction Jan. 1, warn fuel experts. Price hikes of as much
(Algae Industry Magazine) Six student scientists were presented with the first Young Algae Researcher Awards today in Denver for their contributions to fields of algae biology and engineering on the final day of the 2012 Algae Biomass Summit, the official conference
by Tia Ghose (California Watch) Once a promising source of green energy, high-tech biofuel is being eclipsed by skin cream and food products as manufacturers shift to more lucrative products. After Congress enacted a renewable fuel standard in 2005, more than a dozen
(Herald Online) Biodico, Inc. and LamdaGen Corporation have announced a collaboration whereby LamdaGen’s nano-based Meta-Catalytic Surface (MCS) technology will be integrated into Biodico’s Research & Development programs for biomass-based diesel, combined heat and power, and biochemicals. READ MORE and MORE (Biodiesel Magazine)
(BioJet) JATRO AG today (September 25, 2012) announced formation of a major Horizontal Collaboration Agreement with BioJet International Ltd. The intended horizontal collaboration between the Companies in the format of a Strategic Alliance is meant to create a joint basis for a mutually
(Times-Standard) The Arcata City Council voted this week to allow a proposed biodiesel plant on Giuntoli Lane. The council unanimously approved environmental findings, a mitigated negative declaration and a planned development permit. The council continued the hearing for an ordinance that
by C.-C. Tsao , J. E. Campbell, M. Mena-Carrasco, S. N. Spak, G. R. Carmichael, and Y. Chen (Environmental Science and Technology) Although biofuels present an opportunity for renewable energy production, significant land-use change resulting from biofuels may contribute to negative
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Christopher D. Barry and Paul Kamen of the Ocean Renewable Energy Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers have scribed a fascinating, 26-page “Overview of Ocean Renewable Energy,” which includes a look at the potential
by Kim McDonald (Algae Industry Magazine) Chemists at UC San Diego have developed a method that for the first time provides scientists the ability to attach chemical probes onto proteins and subsequently remove them in a repeatable cycle. Their achievement, detailed
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What exactly happens in depolymerization, as hydrogen bonds break down? How could that revolutionize the process of making fuels, solvents, thinners, lacquers or paints out of biobased materials? Before one is able to arrange a global
(Propel Fuels/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Propel Fuels, a leading retailer of renewable fuels and clean mobility solutions, has announced the opening of its newest renewable fuel station, co-located at the Mak’s Valero station at 1101 Broadway in downtown Sacramento, Calif. Conveniently
(Fueling California) Issue brief reviews and highlights, the best and most current research and analysis on all viewpoints of the LCFS Fueling California released “A Comprehensive Analysis of Current Research and Outlook for the Future,” a first of its kind comprehensive
by Patrick O'Grady (Phoenix Business Journal) Arizona State University will lead a consortium of public and private groups on a $15 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy that will examine test beds for algae research. The grant, announced Tuesday, potentially puts ASU
(BioJet) The Council of Energy Resource Tribes (CERT) today announced the execution of the long-term Development Agreement enabling the 10-15 year major biofuel/bioenergy project between CERT, BioJet, and Tartoosh Environmental. The project, tagged “Thunderbird”, is a multifeedstock, multi-technology set of projects anticipated to
by Todd Woody (Forbes Magazine) ...Funded with $85 million from Bill Gates and other investors – plus $104 million in government cash and loan guarantees – the world’s only commercial outdoor algal biorefinery went online this summer and will eventually expand to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Take the conflict over drilling for oil on federal lands in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. If you drilled the provable oil reserve in the entire federal ANWR and flooded the world market with
Name of Provider: ed2go, Cengage Learning Type: basic: Overview/technical Course Course: Biofuel Production Operations Course description: The Biofuel Production Operations Online Training Program will give you the education you need to begin an exciting career in biofuel production. As a biofuel production
Name of Provider: California State University East bay -continuing education Type: Technical/ Part of Certificate Program (CP)/ Online Green Professional Development Course: Process Safety Management for the Biofuel Industry Biofuels Course description: In 2009, the United States embarked on an era focused
by John Lindt (The Business Journal) The Valley’s only ethanol production plant is encouraging local farmers to plant grain sorghum next spring, promising to buy the grain to make ethanol instead of using Midwestern corn. “We would love to buy all
by Ann Perry (US Department of Agriculture Agriculture Research Service) A gene that keeps switchgrass forever young could have far-reaching implications for the development of the plant as a biofuel crop, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists. Inserting a specific gene
(Kiverdi) Kiverdi, Inc., a privately held, advanced sustainable oil and chemicals company, was awarded a $747,126 grant from the California Energy Commission's Research, Demonstration, and Development program for its efforts to develop beneficial uses of carbon dioxide (CO2). Kiverdi also
(PR NewsWire) E2 Report: Biofuel industry well positioned to meet demand under California standard Despite a challenging year, the advanced biofuels industry continues to grow, according to a new report from Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2). Biofuel production capacity has increased from 437 million gallons
(Hanford Sentinel) ... AB 523 eliminates all future state funding for the production of ethanol derived from corn after July 2013. Valadao’s office said about $6 million is provided to a very small group of corn ethanol producers. The new
by Amanda Stein (Defense Video and Imagery Distribution System) ...NPS Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) Associate Professor Dr. Christopher Brophy, and MAE Professor and Chairman Dr. Knox Millsaps, are working to help the Navy understand how alternative fuels will perform
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In California, Codexis announced that Shell has granted Codexis a royalty-bearing, non-exclusive license to develop, manufacture, use and sell cellulase enzymes developed under the companies’ Amended and Restated Collaborative Research Agreement. The scope of the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Despite low levels of publicity, North Dakota and Montana are making great strides in bioeconomy development – with a combination of strong R&D, feedstock abundance and some hot processing technologies. ...The bioeconomy has been getting a
by Bradley J. Fikes (North County Times) Vegetable oils are versatile substances. They're used not only for cooking, but also for making soaps and for biofuels. If Carlsbad-based Verdezyne Inc. is successful, you may soon be wearing them, in a
by Ben Keller (The Business Journal Now) The wastewater from Tulare County dairy operations may soon be used to power jets zooming overhead thanks to a brand new facility converting moist algae into biofuel. Recently, the City of Tulare leased four
by Sean Nealon (UCR Today) Research supports several California measures that aim to increase the use of renewable fuels and reduce greenhouse gases Researchers at the University of California, Riverside’s College of Engineering – Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT) are
Name of Provider: Stanford University- Stanford Center for Professional Development Name of Course: New Stanford Certificate in Energy Innovation and Emerging Technologies Part of a Certificate Program Course description: Take courses in energy topics such as biofuels online at a pace that matches your
by Angela Greiling Keane (Bloomberg) Honda Motor Co. (7267), which last year complained that a proposed fuel-economy rule was unfair to non- U.S. automakers, got a boost when the final version added extra credits for sellers of natural gas-powered vehicles. Honda,
by Ken Silverstein (Forbes) ...By most standards, the hope that is such first-generation fuel additives are supplanted by next-generation ones, or those produced from cellulose. Worth it? Such fibers are abundant and could supply 130 million gallons a year of ethanol
(Algae Industry Magazine) Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) and Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego (Scripps) have entered into an agreement focusing on the design of an innovative system in which algae consume carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from
(MarketWatch/AFS BioOil) AFS BioOil has announced that initial tests conducted by the company since startup of the system confirm that production costs of biodiesel will be in the range of $2 per gallon when produced in a commercial system of
(National Science Foundation/Biodiesel Magazine) Researchers contend that manufactured nanomaterials—now popular in consumer products such as shampoos, gels, hair dyes and sunscreens—may be detrimental to the quality and yield of crops, as reported in a paper in the online edition of Proceedings of
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) Cleaner, more sustainable, more climate-friendly, more affordable advanced biofuels are closer to reality than many outside the industry seem to think. At least three new, advanced biofuel biorefineries are being commissioned this year, and at
by Dan Krotz (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Molecular transporter could advance development of algae-based biofuels, pharmaceuticals Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and Stanford University have developed a way to send molecules and proteins
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Launching today – and stretching into early Fall – the Algae Biomass Organization is coordinating a series of events billed as “The “Summer of Algae II” to raise awareness about the promise of the algae
by Melanie Turner (Sacramento Business Journal) Rocklin businesses that have diesel or flexible-fuel vehicles are being offered free fuel — no strings attached. The Rocklin Chamber of Commerce is offering its members a fuel card good for at least 5 gallons
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) The California Energy Commission approved $1.86 million in grant funding for the expansion and upgrade of Yokayo Biofuels Inc.’s Ukiah, Calif.-based biodiesel facility, increasing biodiesel production capacity from 1,400 gallons a day to 2,000 gallons
(Times-Standard) The Arcata Planning Commission will meet to discuss clarifications about a previous approval of a Footprint biodiesel plant on Giuntoli Lane. According to staff reports, an appeal was filed by the owners of the neighboring Town and Country Mobile Home Park,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, the state Energy Commission today unanimously approved funding of $1,974,330 for the expansion and upgrade of a biodiesel production facility and buy-downs of alternative-fuel vehicles. The awards improve the environment, reduce use of
by Daniel Grushkin (FastCoExist.com) Amyris’s breakthroughs in bioengineering--and its plans to make biofuels from Brazilian sugarcane--promised to transform how the world’s businesses produce energy, cosmetics, and medicine. Then reality (and Wall Street) got in the way. ...Already, in the short lifetime
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Propel Fuels has become the first company to enable consumers to offset their driving emissions at the pump any time they fill their tank. Propel’s flagship Clean Mobility Center in Fullerton, Calif. offers
by Sue Retka Schill (Biomass Magazine) Fulcrum BioEnergy Inc. received a $105 million condition loan guarantee from the USDA, putting its planned 10 MMgy Sierra BioFuels Plant closer to groundbreaking. "This USDA loan guarantee provides a key piece of financing to
(Solazyme) Solazyme, Inc., a renewable oil and bioproducts company, announced today that it has been granted registration for SoladieselRD fuel by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This registration enables SoladieselRD to be sold commercially either in blended and unblended (R100)
(Biotechnology Industry Organization) BIO recently introduced a picture book of biorefineries across the United States,“Visible Progress in Commercialization of Advanced Biofuels, Biobased Products and Renewable Chemicals”, which showcases commercial, demonstration and even new pilot facilities. Some of these facilities have been in
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced payments for 125 advanced Biofuel producers across the country to support the production and expansion of advanced biofuels from a wide variety of non-food sources, including waste products. "Advanced biofuels are
By Bob Silberg (NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory/R&D Magazine) If you’ve had to deal with termites in your house, you probably hate their guts. But not Jared Leadbetter. He loves termites, especially their guts! "It turns out termites do something we'd like
(PR NewsWire) iDiverse announced that it has discovered a yeast gene that when inserted into yeast and properly modulated can increase ethanol production yield by up to 34%. "The gene functions by protecting the yeast against some of the lethal stresses
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The once futuristic vision of integrating traditional and second-generation ethanol facilities appears more attainable as various companies emerge with technology improvements that will allow corn ethanol producers to add cellulosic ethanol streams without taking
(Verenium) Verenium Corporation, a leading industrial biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of high-performance enzymes, and Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., the leading owner, operator, and developer of high-quality, sustainable real estate and technical infrastructure for the broad and
by Grant Scott-Goforth (Times-Standard) The Arcata Planning Commission recently have final approval to a plan for a biodiesel facility on Giuntoli Lane after hearing concerns from neighbors about increased traffic and odors. The facility will create biodiesel from waste vegetable oil, and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As bio-based companies race across the Valley of Death, in the dash for scale, who’s getting financing now, and how? The path to financing success in bio-based project development used to be a little less complicated. Raise
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) During a bipartisan briefing on Capitol Hill, researchers from six institutions advocated that adopting a national Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) would be a positive step for America. Renewable fuels, they said, will be cleaner, cheaper
(PR Web) Mason & Morse Farmland Group Partners with TerViva Regarding Pongamia Projects A California company has come up with a compelling twist on farmland investing for private clients and institutional investors focusing on real assets. This farmland investment model, however,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Can the harnessing of the powers of magnetism overcome cost challenges in algal biofuels? Researchers across the globe pursue the answers. ...For the fossil molecule, its time within a living system is complete and its development
(The Bioenergy Site) US-based Protabit, an off-shoot from the California Institute of Technology, has been awarded a Small Business Innovative Research grant (phase one) for engineering cellulose enzymes. The computational protein software platform designers will use the award from the National
(Bioenergy Science Institute) The Feedstock Cost and Profitability (FCAP) Calculator provides an estimate of the breakeven price needed to cover the costs of producing biomass from alternative feedstocks. These include crop residues from corn and energy crops like miscanthus, switchgrass,
by Lindsay Riddell (San Francisco Business Times) Solazyme Inc. broke ground on its Brazil manufacturing plant adjacent to partner Bunge's sugarcane mill. The companies are targeting the end of 2013 to begin production on renewable oils made from sugarcane using Solazyme's algae-based
(The Business Journal) EdeniQ, a biofuels technology company based in Visalia, received a $3.9 million grant from the California Energy Commission to help in its efforts of researching the commercial potential of cellulosic ethanol. The grant follows $20 million in
(Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development / Environmental News Network) Emissions from forest fires and other biomass burning has a greater impact on global warming than previously understood, according to a new study. “We used to think the lighter particles in
by Mauricio Espinoza (Ohio State University/North Texas d-News) Ohio State University's Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) will play a key role in the engineering of a novel plant-based fuel, funded by a $5.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Yet, even in an era where venture capital has been harder to come by (Why? See these 42 article links under the rubric, “The VC Model is Broken” ) — some great technologies have been getting out
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, the California Energy Commission approved funding of $23,110,015 for projects that will advance the development of green fuels, and the installation of fueling stations. The awards are provided through the Energy Commission’s Alternative
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Section 9011 of the Farm Bill – the Biomass Crop Assistance Program – USDA deploys $9.6M in new investments in bioenergy crops as questions revolve around the program’s future and effectiveness. Is BCAP important? Will
(California Academy of Sciences) The future of biofuel technologies needs to take a whole-picture approach. WATCH VIDEO
(Phys.org) -- Researchers at the Center for Energy Research at UC San Diego recently demonstrated the best performance for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) operating directly on ethanol without external reformation. The work was performed by Dr. Nguyen Minh of
by Bruce V. Bigelow (Xconomy) Synthetic Genomics, the San Diego startup developing microorganisms to synthesize biofuels and other products, said it has acquired an 81-acre site in Calipatria, CA, to expand beyond its laboratory tests of algae. Synthetic Genomics’s expansion appears
by Andrew Herndon (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) Flint Hills Resources LLC, the unit of Koch Industries Inc. that invested in Edeniq Inc. last month, is using the company’s equipment at one of its four corn-based ethanol plants to boost production. Flint Hills will
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, the state Energy Commission today unanimously approved funding of $35,031,310 to projectsthat will accelerate the development of green fuels and technology in California. The awards are provided through the Energy Commission’s Alternative and Renewable
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Most of the stories we write at the Digest on the subject of biofuels feedstocks fall into the well-established realms of normal. But every once in a while, a feedstock emerges that is so compellingly
(UPI) ...Now scientists led by researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California have discovered how certain bacteria can tolerate those man-made toxic chemicals used in making biofuels. "Discovering microbes naturally tolerant to salty liquids and understanding their mechanisms of tolerance should
by Ken Wells (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) ...In the last decade, the industry says, it has put $71 billion into zero- and low-emission and renewable energy technologies. The U.S. government, by contrast, has spent about $43 billion on similar efforts during the same period,
(Environmental Research Web) A new study from the University of California, Davis, provides a deeper understanding of the complex global impacts of deforestation on greenhouse gas emissions. The study, published May 13 in the advance online edition of the journal Nature
(MarketWatch/PRNewsWire) AFS BioOil has announced that its state-of-the art facility located at a wastewater treatment plant in the San Francisco Bay Area is open for tours for strategic partners and customers. The volume of the system is 150 m3; the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Free tire air for improved fuel economy; bicycle tuning; renewable fuels; on-demand carbon offsets; at-pump recycling; community transit info; Propel’s got it all going in the Golden State. In California, Propel Fuels is launching the company’s first
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Emerald Biofuels announced that it will build an 85 million gallonrenewable-diesel refineries at a Dow Chemical site in Plaquemine, Louisiana. The company will use Honeywell’s UOP/Eni EcoFining process technology for the production of Honeywell Green Diesel
by Dan Krotz (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Berkeley Lab-led team explores a way to create biofuels, minus the photosynthesis Is there a new path to biofuels hiding in a handful of dirt? Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) biologist Steve Singer leads
by Ron Kotrba (Biorefining Magazine) Get in early on Los Angeles' interest in developing algae production demonstrations on Owens Lake far north of the city. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is opening a request for information for algae
(MarketWire) An article in F1000 Biology Reports (http://f1000.com/reports/biology) published today (May 2, 2012) argues that recent advances in knowledge mean that plant-derived biofuels could meet about 30% of the global demand for liquid transportation fuels, drastically reducing the amounts of
(Ceres) • Pilot project validates U.S.-produced sweet sorghum as a potential feedstock for advanced biofuels and bio-products. • Conversion efficiency of sweet sorghum sugars were similar to sugarcane. Energy crop company Ceres, Inc. (Nasdaq: CERE) today announced its improved sweet sorghum hybrids
(Origin Oil) Algasol, collaborating with NASA and Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory, will bundle its offering with OriginOil’s Algae Appliance™ OriginOil, Inc., developer of breakthrough technology to convert algae into renewable crude oil, and Algasol Renewables, a technology company with a unique patented
by Erin Voegele (Biorefining Magazine) ...According to LBNL, the work focuses on transferring a hydrocarbon-synthesizing gene from cyanobacteria into a tobacco plant. The resulting plants would be able to produce fuel molecules within their leaves. Rather than undergoing a typical
By Karen Gullo and Lynn Doan (Bloomberg) California won temporary reinstatement of its low-carbon fuel standard, which was blocked last year by a federal judge. The U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco yesterday granted a request by California officials to put on hold the Dec.
(AOL Energy) Researchers at UCLA say they have come up with a method for converting electrical energy into a liquid fuel, in a development that could lead to regular petrol cars being powered by electricity. The process, which uses carbon dioxide (CO2) as
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Four projects, four technologies, four feedstocks, four geographies. Couldn’t be more differentiated, couldn’t be more linked in terms of affirming investor confidence in advanced biofuels. ...Virent CEO Lee Edwards... outlined four basic industry goals for 2012-13 that
(Algae Industry Magazine) Below the Surface’s “Driving Innovation” Team established the first official algae-fueled motorcycle speed records during The Texas Mile land speed event on March 24th, 2012. Team leader Kristian Gustavson reached 94.6 mph using a 50/50 blend of
by Harry Cline (Western Farm Press) Former sugar beet growers on the West Side of the San Joaquin Valley are expected to learn next month whether they’ll be able to take the next step in an ambitious plan to return
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) A new study released today by the Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) indicates that a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) in Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states could result in doubling gasoline prices and other negative economic impacts. The study, “Analysis of the
by Lynn Yarris (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Joint BioEnergy Institute Researchers Develop Dynamic System for Regulating Metabolic Pathways Significant boosts in the microbial production of clean, green and renewable biodiesel fuel has been achieved with the development of a new technique
(PhysOrg) Just as aspiring authors often read hundreds of books before starting their own, scientists are using decades of knowledge garnered from sequencing or "reading" the genetic codes of thousands of living things to now start writing new volumes in
(PRNewsWire/Yahoo!) Partnership will advance research in automotive renewable diesel solutions for current and next-generation TDI® Clean Diesel applications Volkswagen of America today announced partnerships with Solazyme and Amyris, two of the world's leaders in renewable fuels, to evaluate emissions reductions and
by Reed Fujii (RecordNet.com) Community Fuels' biodiesel plant at the Port of Stockton served as the centerpiece Tuesday for U.S. Department of Agricultural officials highlighting gains in rural and farm-related energy projects under the 2008 Farm Bill. "We wanted to bring some
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