by Erin Loury (The Monterey County Herald) Scientists aim to create biofuel Tiny green algae grown in floating plastic bags may one day wean us from our voracious fossil fuel consumption. Such is the vision of Jonathan Trent, a scientist at NASA's
(University of California San Diego Extension/PR NewsWire) If algae is to be the solution for America's pain at the gas pump, trained workers are needed to make that a reality. Applications are now available for continuing education grants at the University
(Science Daily) ...Unlike the starch sugars in grains, the complex polysaccharides in the cellulose of plant cell walls are locked within a tough woody material called lignin. For advanced biofuels to be economically competitive, scientists must find inexpensive ways to
by Richard Blackwell (CTV News/The Globe and Mail) ...The theft of used oil and grease has become a big problem in Canada, mirroring a trend south of the border. The price of “yellow grease” – what kitchen oil is called
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Texas, Waste Management announced that it has closed an equity investment in Fulcrum BioEnergy. In connection with this investment, WM agreed to a secured loan facility that provides for WM’s funding of up to $70
(Science Daily) ...However, technologies are being developed to generate bioethanol from non-food sources, such as the lignocellulosics present in switchgrass and trees. The sugars locked in the polymers of cell walls, i.e., cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, can be extracted and
by Julie Watson (AP/Yahoo! News) The U.S. Navy launched its largest alternative fuel test to date on Wednesday, pumping 20,000 gallons of algae-based fuel into a destroyer ship that will embark on a 20-hour trip along the California coast. The success of the Paul H.
by Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine) The second week in November could go down as one of the most significant weeks for advanced biofuels, airline companies and the use of biofuel-blended jet fuel in the U.S. Early in the week, United
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) AE Biofuels Inc. has a new name and, with it, a plan to expand the product line at existing ethanol plants. The company announced Nov. 15 that its shareholders have approved the company’s name
by David Biello (Scientific American) Microbes will be the (human) food- and fuel-makers of the future, if J. Craig Venter has his way. The man responsible for one of the original sequences of the human genome as well as the team
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) From the standpoint of Matt Horton, CEO of Propel Fuels, efforts in 2011 to extend the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit imperiled the future of the industry. “For so long, the industry has been
(OriginOil) Algae Appliance set for commercial release in early 2012 will help producers meet rising demand OriginOil, Inc. , the developer of a breakthrough technology to extract oil from algae and an emerging leader in the global algae oil services industry, today
Louis Bergerson (Stanford University/Western Farm Press) When it comes to making biodiesel cheaply and efficiently enough to be commercially feasible, E. coli may prove to be "the little bacterial engine that could," say Stanford researchers. ...The bacteria, often discussed in terms
by Graham Warwick (Aviation Week) As airlines launch the first commercial biofuel flights in the U.S., the government is working with industry to scale up production of biomass-derived jet fuel to commercial quantities beginning in 2012. Following the lead set by
by Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine) ...“I came to the U.S. four years ago to really make what we wanted to be on a piece of paper a reality,” she (Sue Ellerbusch, president of BP Biofuels North America) tells Biorefining Magazine. That reality for
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) “Alternative fuel isn’t just the future of energy—it’s the future of energy independence.” That’s the message of a new minute-long video released Nov. 9 by Pearson Fuels. Made possible with the support from the Renewable
(GreenTechMedia/PR NewsWire) Today, at the Advanced Biofuels Markets Conference in San Francisco, Arnold Klann, Chief Executive Officer and President of BlueFire Renewables (OTC BB: BFRE.OB), a company focused on shifting the paradigm for energy sources by converting non-food cellulosic wastes into renewable
(UK.IBTimes) A biodiesel plant that's completely energy self-sufficient has been approved for the Oakland, California area. Oakland-based Viridis Fuels won a long-term contract from the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) to build a 20 million gallon per year biodiesel processing
(LS9/GlobeNewsWire) LS9, Inc., a technology leader in the development of renewable and sustainable products, today announced that it has successfully scaled its technology to the 20,000 liter scale, demonstrating continued progress in the scale-up and commercialization of its bio-based chemicals
by Jason Palmer (BBC News) Scientists have succeeded in forming a "feedback loop" between a computer and a common yeast to precisely control the switching on and off of specific genes. The computer controlled flashes of light to start and stop
(Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Joint BioEnergy Institute Researchers Create RiceNet for Predicting Genetic Functions in Rice The first genome-scale model for predicting the functions of genes and gene networks in a grass species has been developed by an international team of
by John C.K. Daly (http://oilprice.com) On 28 October Air China conducted its first trial flight of a passenger jet powered by a mix of biofuel and traditional aviation fuel. The Jet A-1 biofuel kerosene used in the flight was derived from
(Bloomberg BusinessWeek/Associated Press) ...The California Department of Food and Agriculture said Thursday it is contracting with police to target areas where restaurants leave out used kitchen grease to be picked up by rendering facilities. It can be converted into fuel
(OriginOil) Researchers have shown improved growth for both fresh and saltwater algae strains OriginOil, Inc., the developer of a breakthrough technology to extract oil from algae and an emerging leader in the global algae oil services industry, today announced that its recent
(PR NewsWire) BlueFire Renewables, Inc., a company focused on changing the world's transportation fuel paradigm through the production of renewable fuels from non-food cellulosic wastes, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") with China Huadian Engineering Co. LTD to
by David Shaffer (Star Tribune) An emerging green industry aims to develop a new source of fuel to replace oil, but the quick money could be elsewhere. Green slime is growing in ponds next to an ethanol plant here, and Todd
(Living Green) A new certification program trains workers for an exciting career CleanTech. The University of California in San Diego’s Centre for Algae Biotechnology, or SD-CAB has started a new education program to help train up graduates in the exciting
by Steve LeVine (Foreign Policy) A much-trumpeted partnership of one of today's most celebrated scientists and the world's largest publicly traded oil company seems stalled in its aim of creating mass-market biofuel from algae, and may require a new agreement to
(Gant Daily) ...G20 countries in their June 2011 ministerial declaration recommended measures such as building grain reserves, a global market information system and regulating financial transactions in commodities markets. But economists like Brian Wright, professor of agricultural and resource economics at the University
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...There’s a rumor going around the biofuels and biomaterials business that today represents one of the most difficult periods to raise capital. Apparently, the rumors did not reach ZeaChem, Chromatin or Synthetic Genomics, which this
by Amelia Templeton (EarthFix) In a study published today in Nature Climate Change, researchers at OSU suggest that efforts to thin Northwest forests to reduce the risk of wildfire and create biofuels could have an unintended consequence: increasing the region’s carbon emissions. The
(Harvard Science) Chris Somerville, director of the Energy Biosciences Institute, said global biofuels are already mainstream, with ethanol from corn totaling 13 to 14 billion gallons annually in the United States, or about 10 percent of gasoline use. In Brazil, it
by Bob Brooks (Automotive Industries) A major factor limiting innovative bio fuel firms from commercializing their technologies is the need for large investment in, or cost of using outside refining facilities. There are many types of bio raw materials that
by Alex Morales (Bloomberg) Mutant maize genes can be inserted into switch grasses to increase their viability as a biofuel crop, according to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Transferring the so-called CG1 corn gene into switch
(Modesto Bee) Rep. Jeff Denham is citing the state's policies in the closure of Fulton Valley Farms of Turlock, set to happen by mid-January because of rising feed costs. The high cost of feed is a direct result of ethanol mandates
(OriginOil) Researchers Used Natural Material to Break Down Cell Walls and Improve Extraction by up to 15% OriginOil, Inc., the developer of a breakthrough technology to extract oil from algae and an emerging leader in the global algae oil services industry, today announced
(Science Daily) A new insight into global photosynthesis, the chemical process governing how ocean and land plants absorb and release carbon dioxide, has been revealed in research that will assist scientists to more accurately assess future climate change. In a paper
by Ron Leuty (San Francisco Business Times) California biofuels companies and others in the "industrial biotechnology" sector increased employment by 632 percent over the past five years, according to a survey conducted by the state’s two largest biotech industry
(BusinessWire/ArborGen) Research team to develop genetically improved Loblolly Pine trees that yield greater amounts of terpene for use in transportation biofuels ArborGen, a world leader in the development and commercialization of technologies that improve the productivity of trees for wood,
(US Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced $2 million over three years for six regional awardees to create and administer a network of student-focused business creation competitions and inspire young entrepreneurs to found innovative, clean
(PR Newswire) Green has gone mainstream. Virtually every automaker exhibiting at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show has a solution for making vehicles run cleaner and use less fuel. At this November's Show, most vehicles on display transcend earlier technologies and are
(Department of Energy/ARPA-E) ARPA-E Projects in 25 States Will Accelerate Innovation in Clean Energy Technologies, Increase America's Competitiveness and Create Jobs Arun Majumdar, Director of the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), today announced 60 cutting-edge research projects aimed
(MarketWatch) Book Merge Technology, Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary, Extreme Bio-diesel, has been selected by a New York warehousing company to be its exclusive vendor to acquire all expired virgin oils from all regional warehouse facilities in Southern California. Extreme
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today (September 27, 2011) announced that USDA will make payments to more than 160 energy producers in 41 states to support and ensure the production and expansion of advanced biofuels. "Renewable energy production
by Charles Abbott (Reuters) Legislation was being drafted in the U.S. House that would reduce the federal mandate to use fuel ethanol when corn supplies are tight. ...According to consulting firm MF Global, the legislation would reduce the ethanol mandate by
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) Selling direct can improve a small-scale producer’s bottom line ...Aside from producing biodiesel, however, producers are faced with unpredictable swings in feedstock price and availability as well as fees associated with equipment maintenance, transportation, administration, permitting
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The first zero-cost feedstock biofuels company comes to the public markets with its IPO. ...Fulcrum becomes the 12th company to file for an IPO in the industrial biotech boom, which began with a successful listing on
(Salk Institute) Bionic bacteria may help fight disease and global warming A strain of genetically enhanced bacteria developed by researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies may pave the way for new synthetic drugs and new ways of manufacturing medicines
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Earlier this week in California, Constellation Energy and Chromatin announced a memorandum of understanding to supply of renewable sorghum grown specifically for use as fuel, to two of Constellation’s California power plants. In anticipation of this, Chromatin
(Central Valley Business Times) The future possibilities of a larger biofuel industry in California and how that could offer opportunities and challenges to the state’s farmers and ranchers is to be discussed later this month at a forum in Sacramento. The
(University of California-Riverside) Two grants will allow further development of steam hydro-gasification process that turns waste from food, yards and other sources into transportation fuels or natural gas Researchers at the University of California, Riverside’s Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CERT) at
(AliphaJet) – AliphaJet, Inc. announced that the company has developed and successfully demonstrated a highly cost-effective catalytic method for making jet biofuel from renewable products such as plant and animal triglycerides and/or fatty acids. AliphaJet’s BoxCar™ catalytic de-oxygenation process significantly reduces capital and operating costs
(SG Biofuels) SG Biofuels (SGB) today (September 13, 2011) announced it has teamed with JETBIO, leader of a multi-stakeholder initiative including Airbus, the Inter-American Development Bank, Bioventures Brasil, Rio Pardo Bioenergia, Air BP and TAM Airlines, to accelerate the production of
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The California Energy Commission has approved the state's third-year funding plan for the commission's Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program, allocating $100 million toward the expansion of various alternative fuels and vehicles throughout
by Theodore D. Matson, Katalin Barta, Alexei V. Iretskii, and Peter C. Ford (Journal of the American Chemical Society) Efficient methodologies for converting biomass solids to liquid fuels have the potential to reduce dependence on imported petroleum while easing the
(OriginOil/Enhanced Online News) Algae World Australia delegates tour university test site, view next-generation algae harvest technologies OriginOil, Inc., the developer of a breakthrough technology to extract oil from algae and an emerging leader in the global algae oil services industry, today announced
by Steve Olson (California Agricultural Technology Institute/Western Farm Press/Fresno State University) A study indicates possibilities for new farming methods on the West Side of the San Joaquin Valley, which is challenged by selenium-laden irrigation effluent. One method of using excess selenium in
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) A high percentage of biodiesel is used by consumers on land, and marine operators are trying to match that same level of usage by sea ...Perhaps no one understands the trials and tribulations of biodiesel better
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Not content to let Brazil hog all the glory, three development-stage companies eye sugar-based ethanol feedstocks ...If successful, California Ethanol & Power LLC will be the first ethanol production company bankrolled partially by Brazilian money,
(The Record) Farm officials, hoping to get California farmers to plant as much as 25,000 acres of camelina, an oilseed, for a biomass start-up project are offering incentives to growers in San Joaquin County and other areas of the Central
by Gouri Shankar Mishra and Sonia Yeh (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Study recalculates water consumption with expanded system boundaries and coproduct credit Recent studies have estimated the “consumptive water use,” “water embodied,” and “water footprint” of corn-based ethanol in the U.S, with
(Algae Industry Magazine) NASA scientist – the inventor, heart, and soul of the OMEGA system (Offshore Membrane Enclosures for Growing Algae) – Dr. Jonathan Trent received his PhD in biological oceanography at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. He went on to
(Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) The ailing United States’ economy would receive a much needed boost with the commercial development of a domestic source of transportation fuel – especially if that fuel were to be clean, green and renewable, and could
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In all the discussions about renewable fuels R&D, engineering, policy, finance, and construction, the customer – that is, you and me – generally are an afterthought. Could be because most renewable fuels producers generally will
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) In an effort to bring increasingly sustainable fuels to California drivers, Redwood City-Calif.-based fuel retailer Propel Fuels is now offering B20 at three of its stations in the San Francisco Bay Area: one in Berkeley
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Add-on technology developed for corn ethanol plants Rather than retrofitting a corn-ethanol plant to produce i-butanol, n-butanol or use other novel fermentation technologies, three companies are collaborating to turn a traditional ethanol plant into a
by Susan Okie (The Washington Post) ...Gigantic, (Craig) Venter says. “We’re thinking a facility extending over multiple square miles.” Venter and the scientists at his six-year-old company, Synthetic Genomics, are seeking strains of algae that are exceptionally good at
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the USDA and DOE have awarded 10 grants totaling $12.2 million to spur research into improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of growing biofuel and bioenergy crops. The USDA and DOE
by Patrick Robinson (West Seattle Herald) The documentary FREEDOM from husband and wife team of Josh and Rebecca Tickell is aptly named because in the context of the film it represents the most significant meaning of the word and gives it
This year’s ACT Expo was the biggest alternative fuel and clean vehicle event of the year and the 2012 conference promises to offer even more of what attendees look for from an outstanding conference experience. The 2012 ACT Expo event
by Justin B. Phillips (Contra Costa Times) Deep within the Joint BioEnergy Institute, eight researchers are hard at work trying to find solutions to the growing global energy crisis. The team diligently researches renewable, carbon-neutral alternatives to fossil fuels in the
(OriginOil) Sensor array will manage hundreds of interactions critical to large production operations. OriginOil, Inc., the developer of a breakthrough technologyto extract oil from algae and an emerging leader in the global algae oil services industry, today announced it has developed a
by Roger L Chang, Lila Ghamsari, Ani Manichaikul, Erik F Y Hom, Santhanam Balaji, Weiqi Fu, Yun Shen, Tong Hao, Bernhard Ø Palsson, Kourosh Salehi-Ashtiani & Jason A Papin (Molecular Systems Biology) Metabolic network reconstruction encompasses existing knowledge about an organism's
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Propel Fuels is adding B20 to locations in Berkeley and two locations in San Jose in response to growing consumer demand for higher blends of renewable fuels. Sourced from recycled vegetable oils, Propel’s
by Jessica Dailey (Inhabitat) ... While we love any airplane that doesn’t spew massive amounts of carbon emissions, the fact is that most planes are still gas-guzzling beasts, which is why search giant Google has teamed up with NASA to sponsor
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Mary Solecki and Bob Epstein of E2 and David Richey of the Goldman School of Public Policy released a monumentally good read and one of the best primers available on advanced biofuels, with
by Erica Gies (Forbes) At first blush, algae seemed an ideal biofuel replacement for gasoline. Unlike ethanol, for example, it wouldn’t take food from the poor, utilize key agriculture lands, or require lots of pesticides. But the economics have thus far
by Von Philip Bethge (Der Spiegel Online) Genetically modified blue and green algae could be the answer to the world's fuel problems. Bioengineers have already developed algae that produce ethanol, oil and even diesel -- and the only things the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today the creation of four additional Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) project areas in six states to expand the availability of non-food crops to be used in the manufacturing of
(San Francisco Chronicle/Bloomberg) Ethanol manufacturers are set to thrive even if they have to give up $6 billion a year in U.S. tax subsidies because a government mandate for increased use of the fuel may add $6.9 billion a year
(Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) In Kbase, cloud computing brings disparate data streams into focus In the decade that has passed since the completion of the first draft sequence of the human genome, biologists have grown increasingly aware of a problem ironically
(LS9) LS9, Inc., a technology leader in the development of sustainable products, today announced that it has been awarded in conjunction with partner HCL CleanTech Ltd., a $9 million grant from the Department of Energy (DOE) to improve and demonstrate
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) EdeniQ Inc., which is developing technology to add cellulosic ethanol production capabilities to existing corn-to-ethanol facilities announced it has reached a deal with IKA Works Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Germany-based manufacturing firm IKA
(EurekAlert!/University of California San Diego) Farmers and other astute observers of nature have long known that crops like corn and sorghum grow taller at night. But the biochemical mechanisms that control this nightly stem elongation, common to most plants, have
by Paul Voosen (New York Times/Greenwire) ...For eons, plants have locked the sun's energy into complex strands of sugar, used to build their stems and leaves. These chains are far different from table sugar or grain starch; they cling together,
(Algae Industry Magazine) O ne Barrel for Baja (1BFB) is a project made possible by the San Diego Center for Algal Biotechnology (SD-CAB) in support of research aimed towards understanding and developing eco-friendly energy solutions. The goal of 1BFB is
(The California Energy Commission) The California Energy Commission has approved more than $29 million for projects that advance biofuels and demonstrate California's commitment to develop cleaner transportation fuels. The seven awards total $29,675,072 and are funded through the Commission's Alternative
(California Ethanol Vehicle Coalition) Continuing her long support for oil industry interests at the cost of clean, domestic, renewable fuels, California Senator Dianne Feinstein announced today she has taken yet another step to raise taxes, increase reliance on imported oil,
(Joint Genome Institute) Calif.—In order to realize the full potential of advanced biofuels that are derived from non-food sources of lignocellulosic biomass—e.g., agricultural, forestry, and municipal waste, and crops such as poplar, switchgrass and miscanthus—new technologies that can efficiently and
(Office of Senator Amy Klobuchar) Agreement would put savings toward deficit reduction, infrastructure U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), John Thune (R-SD), and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) today announced that a bipartisan agreement has been reached that allows for a transition to a
by Matthew Liebenberg (Nipawin Journal) Timber that will be cleared from the proposed Shore Gold diamond mine site in the Fort à la Corne forest will be processed and converted into cellulose ethanol at a future green fuel facility in
(Bradenton) Company Expands Technology Portfolio to Include Production of Renewable Chemicals and Advanced Fuels by the Conversion of Existing Ethanol and Biodiesel Production Facilities AE Biofuels, Inc. (OTC:AEBF), a global advanced biofuels company, announced today that it has completed the acquisition
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Researchers from the University of California Berkeley and the University of Maryland School of Medicine have discovered a microbe in a Nevada hot spring that enjoys eating cellulose (aka plant material) at temperatures above the boiling
by Herman K. Trabish (GreenTechMedia) California’s Tehachapi-Mohave Region is rich in renewable potential—but is it richer in NIMBYism and BANANAism? ...But development will not happen until the people of the Antelope Valley -- who will have to live with what developers build
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Maybe it’s because they didn’t get the word out adequately. Perhaps it’s because they didn’t talk to their neighbors soon enough in the process. Whatever the reason, some just aren’t convinced, as Calgren Renewable
(Genencor) Genencor today (June 22, 2011) announced a product advancement, Accellerase® TRIO. This new product will enable biofuel producers to more cost-effectively manufacture cellulosic ethanol from a wide range of renewable nonfood feedstocks such as switchgrass, wheat straw and corn
(Solazyme) Applauds ASTM International historic preliminary approval of algae based biofuels for aviation Solazyme, Inc. (NASDAQ: SZYM), a renewable oil and bioproducts company, announced today that the US Navy successfully demonstrated Solazyme’s 100% algal-derived jet fuel, SolajetHRJ-5®, in an MH-60S Seahawk
By Claudia Cowan (FoxNews) Like many Americans seeking relief from surging gas prices at the pump, California resident Josiah Adams switched from a gas-guzzling car to a diesel truck. "We are officially gasoline free, and it feels really good," Adams says. But now, by switching
by Tim Sheehan (The Fresno Bee) Two plants aim for biofuels made without corn. With corn prices up and demand rising, work is under way in the Valley to develop two biorefineries to make ethanol without using the golden grain. In Visalia,
by Ben Lefebvre (Dow Jones News Wires) California's push to reduce fuel emissions in the next decade could lead to Brazilian ethanol makers making new inroads into the U.S. The Golden State is attempting to reduce the carbon intensity of its transportation
(PR NewsWire/The Street) EdeniQ, Inc., a California-based clean technology company serving the global biofuels industry, announced today that it has licensed yeast technology from the USDA Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) associated with the fermentation
(BusinessWire) Cosan S.A. Industria e Comércio and Amyris, Inc. announced today (June 13, 2011) that they have executed a Joint Venture Implementation Agreement as the final step toward the commencement of operations in Novvi S.A., the Brazilian company established for
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Virent, Genomatica, HCL Clean Tech among the winners, as DOE fosters replacement of “entire barrel of oil” in latest funding round In Washington, US Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced up to $36 millionto fund six small-scale
by Will Horton (FlightGlobal) ...The airlines - V Australia,Virgin America and Virgin Atlantic - have significant stage length operations at Los Angeles that would permit them to maximise bio-derived jet fuel deployment at a single, shared location. READ MORE and
by Riggs Eckelberry (OriginOil/Algae Industry Magazine) ...While capital is rightly pouring into gigantic projects that we need to begin to compete with oil and gas, there is a parallel business model that takes advantage of algae’s unique ability to be
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Nebraska-based Pellet Technology LLC is teaming up with CPM to offer second-generation biofuels producers a solution to the logistical issues surrounding the use of bulky biomass as feedstocks. Pellet Technology, which became commercially active
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Two recently released studies examining California’s future energy needs address biofuels’ role in contributing to the state’s fuel mix. Both reports are aimed at evaluating methods to reduce the state’s overall emissions, but reach
(Algae Industry Magazine) ...The Fuel Feedstock Freedom Act (S. 1085), gives individual states the option not to participate in the corn ethanol portion of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). It also expands the cellulosic biofuel carve-out to include algae and
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) A three-way partnership between Angel Labs LLC, Industrial Green Power Inc. and Titan Biodiesel was forged whereby Angel Labs will deliver to market its ultra-efficient, six-inch “Massive Yet Tiny” (MYT) engine to power a 40
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) A new report, “Projected Outlook for Next Generation and Alternative Transportation Fuels in California 2010-2030,” has been released. The report concludes that with current investments and advances in alternative fuels over the past several years should
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In California, energy crop breeder Ceres has filed for a $100 million IPO on Nasdaq, with Goldman Sachs and Barclays Capital as underwriters. ...From the S-1: “We are an agricultural biotechnology company selling seeds to produce renewable
by Brian Sims (Ethanol Producer Magazine) State, county and city dignitaries were on hand to witness the official groundbreaking last week of EdeniQ Inc.’s Corn-to-Cellulosic Migration pilot plant at EdeniQ’s headquarters in Visalia, Calif. EdeniQ had been optimizing its biomass conversion
(Agoracom) BookMerge Technology, Inc. , through its wholly owned subsidiary, Extreme Biodiesel, has contracted with a Algae Oil Company to produce biodiesel fuel from algae oil for a "million mile test" for a major trucking company. Extreme Biodiesel has been
(Agoracom) BookMerge Technology, Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary, Extreme Biodiesel, has been selected to produce biodiesel for two major supermarkets. The preliminary agreements are that, on an ongoing basis, Extreme Biodiesel will collect and deliver the supermarkets' waste vegetable
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) ...Dr. Leslie Bebout (who goes by “Lee”) heads the team of microbial ecologists at NASA’s Moffett Field, CA-based research facility, though much of their work is done in far away places like salt marshes,
(Awake at the Wheel) Residents and passersthrough of CA’s Bay Area Peninsula have a new choice in fueling with the Grand Opening of Propel Fuels’ newest renewable fuel location in Redwood City, CA. ...As with all its CA stations, Propel’s Redwood
by Maria Gallucci (SolveClimate News) Training academies are cropping up to steer students and professionals into clean energy industries that lack manpower to match growing opportunities The San Diego green crude producer typically hires from within the biomedical field. Employees are
(BusinessWire) Hoover Institution Press today released Corn Ethanol: Who Pays? Who Wins? by Ken G. Glozer. In Corn Ethanol, Ken Glozer presents the history, the promises, and the truth about federal corn ethanol policy. The book is based on an in-depth, fact-based
by Lynn Yarris (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Advanced biofuels – liquid transportation fuels derived from the cellulosic biomass of perennial grasses and other non-food plants, as well as from agricultural waste – are highly touted as potential replacements for
by Linda Hales (MetropolisMag.com) A large, multidisciplinary team of architects and engineers envisions a zero-energy future for our federal government. The proposed energy retrofit of a Los Angeles federal building reads like a sci-fi script from Hollywood: a conventional glass-and-concrete office
by Harry Cline (Western Farm Press) Camelina, a weed in the mustard and distant relative to canola, may be emerging as the front runner in California agriculture’s continuing search for a biofuel crop. It captured the most attention at a field
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) As an environmental engineering professor at California Polytechnic State University, in San Luis Obispo, CA, Dr. Tryg Lundquist researches how wastewater can make algae biofuel and how algae biofuel can be the impetus for
(Algae Industry Magazine) BARD Holding Inc., of Morrisville, PA, and California-based OriginOil, Inc. have formed a co-venture to combine their technologies into an end-to-end algae cultivation, harvesting and extraction system. ...“OriginOil’s harvesting and extraction technology coupled with BARD’s commercial algae production
(Logos Technologies) DOE commits full $20.5 million to retrofit and build pilot plant in Visalia, CA Logos Technologies®, Inc. and EdeniQ, Inc., announced U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) approval to fully fund $20.5 million in federal cost share under DOE’s Integrated
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The California State Assembly Committee on Transportation voted 6-3 on May 2 to defeat a bill that would have repealed the state’s ethanol producer incentive program (CEPIP) and made corn ethanol projects ineligible for
(MarketWire/Extreme Biodiesel) BookMerge Technology, Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary, Extreme Biodiesel, is experiencing a significant increase in demand for its biodiesel which is at an all-time high of $4.09/gallon. Recent diesel #2 retail pricing average of $4.57/gallon has spiked
by Jim Snyder (Bloomberg) ...Senators Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, and Tom Coburn, an Oklahoma Republican, said the 45-cent credit, which is given to oil refiners for each gallon of ethanol they blend with gasoline, was unjustified given the U.S. deficit. The break
(Milken Institute Global Conference) With oil prices spiking and concern over climate change growing, biofuels hold tremendous appeal. But they must overcome considerable hurdles. Further process and technology refinements are needed to ensure that biofuels make a significant dent in
(Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory/PBS) Can emerging technology defeat global warming? The United States has invested tens of billions of dollars in clean energy projects as our leaders try to save our crumbling economy and our poisoned planet in one bold,
(Amyris) Amyris, Inc., announced the completion of the first industrial-scale facility for the production of Biofene™, Amyris’s renewable farnesene. The production facility is located in Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil at a facility owned by Biomin do Brasil Nutricão Animal Ltda., a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Jim Stewart, Chairman of the Board, BioEnergy Producers Association reports: “Democrats on California’s environmental committees, for more than six years, have blocked corrective legislation that would enable the state to make constructive use of its
(EurekAlert!) An alliance of top researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, has formed the UC Berkeley Synthetic Biology Institute (SBI), advancing efforts to engineer cells and biological systems in ways that promise to transform technology in health and medicine,
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) AE Advanced Fuels Keyes Inc. is aiming for the future. At the same time the company is working to restart a 55 MMgy ethanol plant located in Keyes, Calif., it announced approval of a
by Abby Schultz (CNBC.com) ...“There’s a significant amount of capital required for algal oil producers to scale up to commercial meaningful quantities,” says Jim Rekoske, general manager at Honeywell’s UOP division, which provides technologies to the gas processing, refining and petrochemical
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Although natural gas is king of power generation at ethanol plants, there’s increasing interest in renewable energy technologies that could help ethanol plants someday produce a domestically grown fuel without using fossil fuels.
by Robert Sanders (UC Berkeley) A new magazine, Bioenergy Connection, debuts this month to inform the public and stimulate discussion about the future of renewable transportation fuels around the world. Published by the Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI), the first issue of
(MarketWire/Sirona) On Earth Day, Bay Area Fuel Producer Begins Selling Eco-Friendly Biodiesel to the Public, Below Market Prices Sirona Fuels, owner of the only commercial-scale biodiesel production facility in the Bay Area, announced today that beginning on Earth Day, Friday, April
by Jon Birger (Bloomberg) ...Other than water and sunlight, there’s nothing more important to growing corn -- the most-valuable U.S. crop, worth $66.7 billion in 2010 -- than nitrogen. Generous applications of nitrogen fertilizer are essential to the 180-to-200-bushel-an- acre
(OriginOil) Global distribution plan extends to product integration, manufacturing and mutual marketing OriginOil, Inc., the developer of breakthrough technology to transform algae, the most promising source of renewable oil, into a true competitor to petroleum, today announced that a process partner, World Water
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced research grants awarded to spur production of bioenergy and biobased products that will lead to the development of sustainable regional systems and help create jobs. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s
(GreenAirOnline) Four industry and academic teams have been awarded contracts by NASA to continue research on technologies that could enable aircraft entering service between 2030 and 2035 to further reduce fuel consumption, emissions and noise. In NASA-speak, this time period
(MarketWire/Algal Biomass Organization) Recipients' Support of Algae Critical to Accelerating Industry's Growth and Reducing Major Barriers to Commercialization The Algal Biomass Organization, the trade association for the U.S. algae industry, presented its first annual Algae Industry Leadership Awards to United
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Will these biofuels projects make the expected steps towards commercialization? There was a strong response to yesterday’s Top Story about technologies that were approaching make-or-break milestones in 2012. But what about 2011, asked some? What
(KQED/Quest/Planet Forward) For years there’s been buzz — both positive and negative — about generating ethanol fuel from corn. The Bay Area is rapidly becoming a world center for the next generation of green fuel alternatives. Meet the scientists investigating
(Agrivida) —New Data Presented at Annual American Chemical Society Meeting— Agrivida's engineered feedstock and proprietary low temperature, low cost processes release over 80 percent theoretical glucose yield from cellulosic biomass, according to data presented today at the annual meeting of
by David Beattie (Renewable Energy World Magazine) ...Importantly, and what sets these latest fuels apart from their first-generation predecessors, is the fact that they are produced using feedstock that would normally be classed as waste or non-food. These include parts
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The Portland-based company, once known as Plas2Fuel, is developing a novel, scalable technology that converts difficult-to-recycle waste plastics into synthetic sweet crude oil. Last year, it received TechAmerica’s 2010 Cool Product of the Year Award.
by Todd Woody (New York Times) ...As the first mass-produced electric cars hit the streets, Pinnacle is just one of several start-ups backed by prominent Silicon Valley venture capitalists aiming to reinvent the century-old internal combustion engine. The big
(Pinnacle Engines) Top Investors Commit $13.5 Million; Former Cummins Executive Ron Hoge Named Chairman and CEO Pinnacle Engines today unveiled plans to commercialize a breakthrough ultra-efficient engine by 2013. The new engine design enables significant reductions in fuel consumption and greenhouse
(University of California, Riverside) Research by UC Riverside's Charles Wyman could lead to less expensive production of biofuels New clues about plant structure are helping researchers from the Department of Energy’s BioEnergy Science Center narrow down a large collection of poplar tree
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