by Megha Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the Federal Transit Administration awarded the City of Longview, Wash. $1.56 million to purchase new low-floor biodiesel buses to replace older buses that have exceeded their useful life. The new buses will be operated by RiverCities Transit and will improve access, mobility and transit
Louisiana
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Earlier this week we talked about making protein and meat out of air, so taking CO2 and utilizing it seems right in line. C+C Music Factory’s song from the early 90’s “Everybody Dance Now” comes to mind with the exciting news that Cemvita Factory engineers microorganisms
by Jordan Blum (Houston Chronicle) Royal Dutch Shell said Thursday it has started making petrochemical products from recycled plastic waste to eventually help combat the growing fears that the world is drowning in plastics. The Anglo-Dutch energy giant said it is partnering with Atlanta-based Nexus Fuels to break down hard-to-recycle plastics

The Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology announces the premier scientific conference for biotechnological advances for production of biofuels, bioproducts and biomaterials. The 42nd Symposium on Biomaterials, Fuels and Chemicals (SBFC) will be held at the Astor Crowne Plaza in New Orleans, April 26th-29th 2020. This year’s exciting 42nd SBFC

The Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology announces the premier scientific conference for biotechnological advances for production of biofuels, bioproducts and biomaterials. The 42nd Symposium on Biomaterials, Fuels and Chemicals (SBFC) will be held at the Astor Crowne Plaza in New Orleans, April 26th-29th 2020. This year’s exciting 42nd SBFC

The Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology announces the premier scientific conference for biotechnological advances for production of biofuels, bioproducts and biomaterials. The 42nd Symposium on Biomaterials, Fuels and Chemicals (SBFC) will be held at the Astor Crowne Plaza in New Orleans, April 26th-29th 2020. This year’s exciting 42nd SBFC
by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) Louisiana Clean Fuels (LCF) announced the winners of the Clean Fuel Leader Awards on Wednesday evening, Oct. 9, at a welcome reception held in conjunction with the Clean Fuels Summit. … UPS received the Clean Fuel Champion Runner-Up award for the second-highest reduction of GHG emissions,
(Honeywell UOP) Louisiana facility plans 2021 expansion to meet growing demand for renewable fuels — Honeywell (NYSE: HON) today announced that Diamond Green Diesel will expand its annual production capacity of renewable diesel using Honeywell UOP’s Ecofining™ process technology to meet growing demand for renewable fuels in North America and Europe. With the
by Kristen Mosbrucker (The Advocate) Praj Industries, a publicly traded bioenergy engineering business with headquarters in India, is laying the foundation for a $100 million plant in Louisiana that would use sugar cane bagasse as a fuel and raw material for making ethanol. The project, which could still be three years
by Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) President Donald Trump on Thursday discussed biofuels policy with senators from U.S. oil states, including Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, who said the president was engaged on the issue that has pitted Big Oil and Big Corn against each other. The oil industry is opposed to the

The Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology announces the premier scientific conference for biotechnological advances for production of biofuels, bioproducts and biomaterials. The 42nd Symposium on Biomaterials, Fuels and Chemicals (SBFC) will be held at the Astor Crowne Plaza in New Orleans, April 26th-29th 2020. This year’s exciting 42nd SBFC

The Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology announces the premier scientific conference for biotechnological advances for production of biofuels, bioproducts and biomaterials. The 42nd Symposium on Biomaterials, Fuels and Chemicals (SBFC) will be held at the Astor Crowne Plaza in New Orleans, April 26th-29th 2020. This year’s exciting 42nd SBFC
(Economic Times) Earlier this year US based domain specialists had visited Praj’s 2G integrated bio-refinery demonstration plant and Praj Matrix, the R&D center in Pune to study ‘enfinity’ technology — Subsequent to the successful demonstration of performance and due diligence of its 2G ethanol technology by a US-based Oil &
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … (T)oday we explore 9 of those constellations building around Sustainable Aviation Fuels. Some of them are young protostars in the earliest stage of stellar evolution, while others are like the Earth’s sun, a main-sequence mid-size star, and a few are superstars like, well,
by Barri Bronston (Tulane University) Nicholas Sandoval’s lab at Tulane works on the development and application of advanced synthetic biology tools for microbes and other model cell lines for the purpose of therapeutics and sustainable fuel and chemical production. — Nicholas Sandoval, an assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at Tulane
by Darrly Fears (Stars and Stripes) … A hole as wide as a basketball court had opened on the sea floor and thousands of gallons of Louisiana sweet crude gushed through. Amberjack, a popular sport fish, meandered through millions of toxic oil bubbles rising through the dark water. “We saw a
by Chris Prentice and Richard Valdmanis (Reuters) Senator John Kennedy of oil refining state Louisiana is blocking the confirmation of three senior appointees to the Department of Agriculture until the department butts out of parts of the administration’s biofuels policy, according to a letter he sent this week to Agriculture Secretary
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) Top EPA and Transportation Department officials will likely face intense grilling from Democrats today at a joint hearing of two House Energy and Commerce subcommittees on the Trump administration’s proposed rollback of auto emissions standards. Headlining are EPA air chief Bill Wehrum and National Highway
(UPS) Seven-Year 170 Million Gallon Equivalents Purchase from Clean Energy Fuels Corp. Will Reduce GHG Emissions by More than 1 Million Metric Tons — UPS (NYSE: UPS) today announced an agreement with Clean Energy Fuels Corp.(NASDAQ: CLNE) to purchase 170 million gallon equivalents of renewable natural gas (RNG) through 2026. This is the largest
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Holland & Knight, a law firm based in Washington, D.C. and in the know of the fast changing federal regulations and rules, spoke at the Digest’s webinar this week about the road ahead for industrial hemp. Is it a smooth road ahead for hemp? Check out
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) As a new wave of large-scale biomass-based diesel projects develops, experts suggest market forces are ready to deliver the necessary fats, oils and greases. — …Many of these new biomass-based diesel projects intend to produce renewable diesel at a much larger scale than even the largest biodiesel

In 2018, young Sunrise leaders put the Green New Deal on the map and permanently changed the conversation on climate policy in this country. The political establishment is scrambling to keep up with thousands of people across the country who are eager to take action and bring the promise of
by Jess Hewitt and Jonathan Lewis (Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) … Many people are confused by the term “biojet,” and the many other terms used to describe this “new fuel”. There is a standard specification that describes this product. Turbine (jet) fuels are covered by the American Society of Testing Materials
(ICIS) US growth of renewable diesel production concerns biodiesel producers, market players said on the sidelines of this year’s International Petrochemical Conference (IPC). The capacities of the current production plants, planned expansions and new projects worry traditional biodiesel producers as they could lose market share. Darling Ingredients announced in late
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) ReactWell, LLC, has licensed a novel waste-to-fuel technology from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory to improve energy conversion methods for cleaner, more efficient oil and gas, chemical and bioenergy production. ReactWell will bring ORNL’s electrochemical process, which converts carbon dioxide directly into ethanol, into
by Kelsey Taborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) The Louisiana lawmaker newly selected as the top Republican on the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis has a lifetime score of 3 percent from the League of Conservation Voters but has also cited climate change as one issue where he differs with his

More than 200 delegates met in Singapore in 2018 and discussed key topics concerning the commercial deployment of sustainable aviation fuel. This annual event evolved as a valuable gathering for: Building business relationships Learning about new technologies Understanding global and regional policies Recognizing sustainability requirements Exploring collaborative solutions for deployment
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) … NGBS (Next Generation of Biodiesel Scientists) co-chair Jennifer Greenstein, North Carolina State University, moderated a panel of four young scientists from around the world during the recent National Biodiesel Conference in San Diego. Haixin Peng, Auburn University is from China; Shyam Paudel, Missouri University of Science
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … In today’s Digest, we talk about Stora Enso’s story – the renewable materials company that develops and produces wood and biomass based solutions for a range of industries and applications globally – what they have done recently that shouts innovation from the tree tops,
by Jessica Velez, Angel Fernando Cisneros Caballero and Narjes Alfuraiji (Science Trends) … In the genetic engineering world, E. coli is a valuable user-friendly host with a well-known growth metabolism and the largest set of genetic engineering tools available. Many people may be surprised to know that this bacteria has been studied
(Louisiana State University/Science Daily) New research on the United States’ most economically important agricultural plant — corn — has revealed a different internal structure of the plant than previously thought, which can help optimize how corn is converted into ethanol. — It has been previously thought that cellulose, a thick and rigid
by Bruce Comer (Ocean Park/Biofuels Digest) Convergence reigns as the North American biofuels industry witnesses a resurgence in mergers and acquisitions, including exceptionally large deals — Merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in biofuels picked up considerably in 2018 after a slowdown in 2017, and by historic standards, the deals grew considerably in
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Biodiesel Magazine provides a visual of prominent project development activities over the past year. READ MORE
(Biofuels International) A major renewable diesel plant in Norco, Louisiana is to expand capacity to 675 million gallons per year. This will include a facility to produce 50 to 60 million gallons of renewable naphtha. The Diamond Green Diesel Plant is a joint venture between a Valero subsidiary and Darling Ingredients.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Darling Ingredients today provides a global growth platform for the development and production of sustainable natural ingredients from edible and inedible bio-nutrients. With a variety of processing operations in over 200 locations on five continents, they create a wide range of products and customized specialty solutions
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) While oil refiners adding a small percentage of renewable feedstock to their operations sounds simple, the political, economic, technical, societal and market consequences are anything but. In 2007, at the height of the biodiesel boom, ConocoPhillips and Tyson Foods announced a partnership to coprocess animal fats
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … Phillips 66 and REG’s announcement about a new renewable diesel plant on the U.S. West Coast planned for 2021 comes after a notable increase in refineries that are being converted and changed over to renewable diesel. Change is good, especially in this case. … While it was
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, World Energy announced a $350 million investment over the next two years to complete the conversion of its Paramount, California facility into one of the cleanest fuel refineries in the world. The project will enable World Energy Paramount to process 306 million gallons annually.
by Darryl Fears (Washington Post) An oil spill that has been quietly leaking millions of barrels into the Gulf of Mexico has gone unplugged for so long that it now verges on becoming one of the worst offshore disasters in U.S. history. Between 300 and 700 barrels of oil per day

Hosted in Partnership with Association of American Indian Farmers and National Womens Farming Association You’re Invited. Please Join Us. 1st 100 Registered Attendees will receive meal tickets and a FREE Awards Banquest Ticket. NO COST TO ATTEND! Free Conference Registration: https://form.jotform.com/82628064464158 Our goal is to strengthen the capability to provide support
by Betsy Lillian (NGT Journal) A number of fleets across the country have received grants for alternative fueling as part of a funding round from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The FTA is awarding $366.2 million in grants to improve the safety and reliability of America’s bus systems and enhance
(Longview News Journal) … Why are there no public refueling locations in the Longview/Tyler area that sell E85 ethanol blend? … E85 fueling options are limited and appear concentrated in larger metropolitan areas. The Renewable Fuels Association operates the website www.E85prices.com, which has a map that shows there are 4,429 stations offering
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From Portugal comes the news that SilicoLife was awarded with a SME instrument phase 1 grant for the commercial evaluation of its BUTANOVA technology, a new biological process to produce n-butanol. BUTANOVA technology consists on a novel and proprietary metabolic pathway designed computationally by SilicoLife and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. ARS conducts research to develop and transfer solutions to agricultural problems of high national priority and provide information access and dissemination to: Ensure high-quality, safe food, and other agricultural products; Assess the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ABLC 2018 wrapped up with the ABLC Wolfpack including James Iademarco from Strategic Avalanche, David Dodds with Dodds & Associates, Ron Cascone from NEXANT, independent consultant Paul Bryan, and Joel Stone from ConVergince. While they didn’t howl at the moon, they were voracious, vicious wolves analyzing 8 major projects with
(Gevo/Globe Newswire) Musket to Focus on Growing Customer and Retail Network — Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ:GEVO), announced today that it has strengthened its existing relationship with Musket Corporation, a national fuel distributor under the umbrella of the Love’s Family of Companies, by amending its existing isobutanol supply agreement to provide Musket with the
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The BP Verenium Biofuels plant in Jennings, Louisiana, is being offered for sale. The 1.4 MMgy demonstration-scale facility celebrated its grand opening in 2008, and was acquired by BP Biofuels North America in mid-2010. On Jan. 30, Aaron Equipment Co., in conjunction with Reich Brothers
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Continued investment and expansion took place in the U.S. biodiesel sector throughout 2017, despite rising political uncertainty and a lapsed tax credit. Here is an overview of some of the activity, plus a special sidebar story from Joe Jobe. As 2017 dawned with another expired biodiesel
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) 2017 was a roller coaster year. There was a paradigm shift in biofuels, technology advancements, innovations abounded, politics chaotic. Some companies shut down and disappeared like the Hobo vanishing in the snow atop the Polar Express. Some companies showed leadership and stayed strong getting through
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … You’d be forgiven if you mistook Ahb Subi Banr-Sbar for a well-placed official in the Iranian government — but, in fact, it’s a 9-project network to facilitate the development of regionally-based industries producing advanced biofuels, industrial chemicals, and other biobased products. Seven of them were established
by Maija Sihvonen* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Participants from over 70 countries gathered at Stockholm’s Älvsjömässan for the annual European Biomass Conference, EUBCE 2017 in June 12-15. In the field of advanced biofuels two years is a long time, so it was interesting to see how the topics and focus points
(Darling Ingredients Inc./PR Newswire) Darling Ingredients Inc. (NYSE: DAR) and Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE: VLO) (“Valero”) announced today that in anticipation of growing demand for renewable diesel due to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and global low carbon markets, they will initiate an engineering and construction cost review to analyze an

There is also an exciting opportunity for American Chemical Society student chapter leaders to share their teams’ successes with the broader chemistry community at the next ACS National Meeting in New Orleans. ACS GCI and Beyond Benign will be partnering to host the session “Green Chemistry Student Chapters: Stories of Success.”
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Yes, ARPA-E has unveiled its latest moonshot and is investing $22M in Macroalgae Research Inspiring Novel Energy Resources — also known as MARINER. The projects that comprise ARPA-E’s Macroalgae Research Inspiring Novel Energy Resources (MARINER) program seek to develop the critical tools to allow the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Louisiana, reports surfaced in Alexandria’s TownTalk online paper that Sundrop Fuels has struck an agreement to sell the 1200-acre site where it once planned to build its $450 million, 50 million gallon capacity first commercial plant to produce green gasoline from woody biomass. The company selected
by Pam Radtke Russell (Engineering News Record) From Seattle to Cape Cod, see what’s being done at 18 different locations — … In this special report, Engineering News-Record’s team of editors and reporters look at how Tangier and other coastal communities around the country are tackling problems, including erosion, subsidence
by Joe Heim (The Washington Post) On Maryland’s Eastern Shore, rising seawater levels and chronic flooding threaten to disrupt daily life, damage homes and businesses, and swallow land in the relatively near future, according to a new study. For some parts of the Eastern Shore, there soon may be
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry today (July 17, 2017) announced $40 million in Department of Energy awards for the establishment of four DOE Bioenergy Research Centers (BRCs), which will provide the scientific breakthroughs for a new generation of sustainable, cost-effective bioproducts and bioenergy.
by Barry Guillot (Times-Picayune) … Dillon Deshotel doesn’t worry about gas prices. Deshotel, a recent Destrehan High graduate, makes his own biodiesel at home. For him, fluctuating gas prices are irrelevant. His fuel is always less than a dollar a gallon. “It isn’t very hard to make at all with the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Iowa, Renewable Energy Group announced that Dan Oh has resigned as President and Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Company’s Board of Directors. The resignation was effective July 3, 2017. The Board of Directors appointed long-time director Randolph (Randy) L. Howard
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Renewable Energy Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGI) is the US’ biggest producer of biomass-based diesel, and leading provider of cleaner, lower carbon intensity products and services. REG utilizes an integrated procurement, distribution, and logistics network to convert natural fats, oils, greases, and sugars into lower carbon
(Biofuels International) US advanced biofuels producer Renewable Energy Group (REG) has hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of the company’s operations centre in Amsterdam. The team in Amsterdam will support the company’s international operations and work closely with the operations center in Ames, Iowa. REG utilises an integrated
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. EPA recently posted a notice to its website approving a fuel pathway for Renewable Energy Group Inc.’s Geismar, Louisiana, biorefinery. The plant can now generate D5 advanced biofuel renewable identification numbers (RINs) for naphtha and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) made from nonfood-grade corn
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … If you’re not chasing biosuccinic or at least salivating over it, check your pulse. DSM, PTT, Mitsui, Roquette, Corbion, Vinmar and BASF are just a few of the major players around the world chasing it. In part, that’s because there’s a market for succinic
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From Iowa we received news that Renewable Energy Group has agreed to acquire approximately 82 acres of land at its Geismar, Louisiana biorefinery from Lion Copolymer, for $20M. The goal? To improve and utilize to support existing production capacity and future expansion opportunities. Previously, the
by Todd Masson (NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune) Boating and fishing industry leaders sent a letter to President Donald Trump Wednesday asking the administration to reexamine the Renewable Fuel Standard that dictates how much of the nation’s fuel supply must be from alternative energy sources. The American Sportfishing Association, the Boat
by Ron Kotrba (Biomass Magazine) U.S. imports of biomass-based diesel hit extreme heights in 2016, fulfilling a third of the consumption market, driving the domestic biodiesel industry to more actively seek counteracting measures to protect its own investments. — The U.S. imported nearly three times more biodiesel and renewable
by Steve Hardy (The Advocate) Environmentalists and industrialists find themselves standing shoulder to shoulder as they try to maintain a tax credit for low-emission vehicles. The tax break encourages buyers to support Louisiana natural gas while keeping the air cleaner, proponents argue. But as Louisiana faces a fiscal cliff, the
(Growth Energy) Louisiana is now the 29th state to offer consumers a better choice at the pump – gasoline blended with 15 percent ethanol known as E15. The latest in this market expansion is a RaceTrac station in Baton Rouge – now one of 672 locations nationwide to offer Americans
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Louisiana, the Diamond Green Diesel facility in Norco will expand its annual production capacity of renewable diesel from 10,000 barrels per day to 18,000 bpd (275 million gallons per year), using Honeywell UOP’s Ecofining process technology. We originally reported that the project, which came
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association) Half of U.S. states blended more than 10 percent ethanol, RFA’s president and CEO points out in his View from the Hill column — Reps. Bill Flores, R-Texas, and Peter Welch, D-Vt., introduced legislation during the last Congress that would cap ethanol blends in
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the Energy Department (DOE) announced up to $7 million for eight universities to accelerate the introduction of affordable, scalable, and sustainable high-performance fuels for use in high-efficiency, low-emission engines. Under the Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines (Co-Optima) initiative, DOE’s Bioenergy Technologies Office and Vehicle Technologies Office are collaborating to maximize
(AgriMarketing/Reuters) Sarnia, Ontario, home to dozens of Canada’s refineries and chemical plants, is lobbying hard to lure a biotech plant to the city as the local petrochemical-powered economy braces for the impact of a provincial carbon-pricing scheme. BioAmber Inc – which turns corn syrup into an ingredient used to make
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Renewable Energy Group Inc. recently released third quarter financial results, providing updates of operations at its Geismar renewable hydrocarbon diesel facility, its biodiesel operations, and other activities. During an investor call, Daniel Oh, president and CEO of REG, said operations at the Geismar plant were
(Convenience Store News) More than 100 Southern stores to add the renewable product soon. — RaceTrac will expand its fuel offering this year with the debut of E15 fuel at its convenience stores throughout the South. The chain will add E15 later this year and ultimately offer it at more
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Renewable Energy Group Inc. is quietly celebrating its 10-year anniversary with a series of videos being released to commemorate the company’s—and the biodiesel industry’s—significant growth and maturation over the past decade. REG has been discreet about its anniversary videos, only mentioning them as asides in other
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) for agricultural uses. What can you use Aerial Data Analysis for? Says Precision Hawk’s Ally Ferguson, quite a lot. Crop health indices, Plant height, Canopy cover, Weed detection, Season monitoring, Environmental assessment, Land cover mapping, Irrigated land mapping, Impervious surface mapping,
by Almuth Ernsting (Biofuelwatch/The Biomass Monitor) … As far as Branson and his airline, Virgin Atlantic, were concerned, the flight was indeed no more than a stunt: The “biofuel test flight” burned 95% ordinary kerosene and just 5% biofuels, made from coconut and Brazilian babassu nut oil. Virgin Atlantic has not
(Prothom-Alo) Bangladeshi computer scientist has been awarded in the United States for developing software and theoretical underpinning needed to help convert algae into biofuel. Md Tamjidul Hoque, an assistant professor of the computer science department at the University of New Orleans (UNO), USA, has been awarded $141,453 by the
by Brady Dennis (The Washington Post) The real estate data firm Zillow recently published a research analysis that estimated rising sea levels could leave nearly 2 million U.S. homes inundated by 2100, a fate that would displace millions of people and result in property losses in the hundreds of billions
by Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) Coalition Sees Opportunity in Higher Fuel Economy Standards — Leaders and founders of the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition see a push for higher fuel-economy standards as the next opportunity to spur more biofuels production around the country. The group met Saturday at the National Governors’
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $8.8 million to boost the production of advanced biofuels and sustain jobs at renewable energy facilities in 39 states. USDA continues to lead the way in promotion of advanced biofuel production,
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Renewable Energy Group Inc. recently released first quarter financial results, reporting its 75 MMgy Geismar renewable diesel plant in Louisiana restarted operations in March. The plant, formerly known as Dynamic Fuels LLC, was acquired by REG in 2014 and damaged by two fires in 2015.
(Next-Gen Transportation News) Darling Ingredients Inc. is expanding the Diamond Green Diesel (DGD) facility in Norco, La., to increase annual production capacity from 160 million gallons of renewable diesel to 275 million gallons. … Production is expected to ramp up in the first quarter of 2018, and DGD expects to
by Curt Bennink (ForConstructionPros.com) By now, most are familiar with biodiesel. It is a cost-effective and more environmentally friendly alternative to conventional petroleum-based diesel fuels when used in the correct applications. “Biodiesel improves lubricity when compared to Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD),” says Kaleb Little, senior communications manager, National Biodiesel
by Alan Neuhauser (US News and World Report) America’s fracking boom promised big paychecks, but thousands of workers were exploited, the Labor Department says. — … Despite booming industry profits and record oil and gas output – which together rejuvenated the country’s economy and transformed the U.S. into the world’s top
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Renewable diesel demand is booming, booming, booming. We’ve tipped it repeatedly in The Digest, not least with our March Madness webinar last week on “Renewable Diesel’s Boom”. Any doubts may well have been swept aside at the end of last week, when Darling Ingredients announced
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … It’s been a couple of years since we visited REG and the difference is palpable. The company has become a little ADM, rather than a big Amyris or TerraVia. You see the trading desks at the bigger ethanol operations like Green Plains — relatively massive
(350.org) “Break Free” protests this May will see actions at fossil fuel sites around the world — Hundreds of people marched around the Superdome in New Orleans on Wednesday and then headed inside to disrupt a federal oil and gas auction held by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management on
by Sebastien Malo (PlanetArk/Reuters) A small Native American community in coastal Louisiana is to be resettled after losing nearly all its land partly due to rising seas, a first in the United States. The band of Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw, a Native American tribe living in the Louisiana coastal wetlands, has lost some 98
(St. Landry Parish/Biomass Magazine) St. Landry Parish has officially opened its expanded BioCNG Vehicle Fuel Facility at its sanitary landfill, which is now fueling Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd. refuse vehicles collecting residential trash in St. Landry Parish. It is the only one of its kind in the state of Louisiana. The
by Kay Ledbette (Texas A&M AgriLife) … Russ Jessup, an AgriLife Research perennial grass breeder in College Station, said he is introducing a new biofuel-biomass feedstock that is a hybrid “similar to seedless watermelons, seedless grapes and other sterile triploid crops.” Jessup is utilizing two grass species: pearl millet,
by Katie Fletcher (Biomass Magazine) …The Raceland plant uses technology developed by Virdia and enables cellulosic biomass, such as wood or agricultural waste, to be converted into highly refined sugars. It is located in the vicinity of existing sugar cane plantations and will use bagasse waste as feedstock. Sugar cane bagasse is a sustainable, non-genetically-modified feedstock that does not compete
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Virginia, Green Plains Inc. announced this week that it had acquired an ethanol production facility in Hopewell, Virginia, located approximately 20 miles south of Richmond, from Future Fuels LLP. It’s a sign of continuing consolidation in the corn ethanol space. Earlier this year, Aventine

The National Ethanol Conference (NEC) is the most widely attended executive level conference for the ethanol industry. Since 1996, the RFA’s NEC has been recognized as the preeminent conference for delivering accurate, timely information on marketing, legislative and regulatory issues facing the ethanol industry. With numerous networking opportunities, more business
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) All have soaring ambitions, some will be realized on schedule, some later, some probably not now or possibly ever. Where are 10 key projects that were announced in recent years for deployment in 2015-16. What’s happening and what happened? We’re looking today at status on
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) License agreement adds countries in Southeast Asia; Optional capacity for up to 75,000 metric tons per year; Targeting large-scale commercial production of renewable butanediol using Genomatica technology In California, BASF and Genomatica have expanded the scope of their license agreement for the production of 1,4-butanediol
by Anna Hirtenstein (Bloomberg Business) As the digital age curtails use of newsprint and stationary, European paper makers are retooling their factories to produce more profitable materials that go into everything from fuels to sweeteners and even hair dye. That’s because global growth in pulp and paper consumption plunged 80
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) USDA announces state finalists for the Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership. Will it move the needle? The Digest investigates. In Washington, US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that 21 states will receive grants through the Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership (BIP) to add infrastructure needed to supply more renewable
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that 21 states will receive grants through the Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership (BIP) to add infrastructure needed to supply more renewable fuel to America’s drivers. Since announcing the program in May 2015, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency
(Greenea) Overcapacity, shortage of sustainable feedstock, blending wall… they all contribute to the increasingly challenging situation on the biodiesel market in Europe. At the same time, new HVO investments start to pop up like mushrooms after a rain. But can this be the golden mean to what is happening in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What are the infrastructure hold-ups with renewable fuels? What are 7 Blend Wall Busters that can get renewable fuels back into high gear? … Between 13.5 billion gallons and the 36 billion gallon target envisioned by the Renewable Fuel Standard, there’s an increasing amount of squawking
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It’s been around for a generation or so — fast pyrolysis, that is. Though in the original low-tech incarnation — known as “cooking fire” — pyrolysis has been around since the dawn of man. But the numbers have never been so close to commercial, even
(UPS/Globe Newswire) UPS® (NYSE:UPS) today announced agreements for up to 46 million gallons of renewable fuels over the next three years, constituting a 15-fold increase over prior contracts and making UPS one of the largest users of renewable diesel in the world. The agreements with three leading suppliers of renewable
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … AMCREF invests in projects and business located in the Southern U.S. that generate high quality jobs and provide environmental benefits. We provide low cost capital via a federal program called New Markets Tax Credits (NMTCs) to increase private investment in low income communities, particularly
by Chris Prentice (Reuters) Valero Energy Corp, one of the biggest U.S. oil refiners, is preparing to sell ethanol for export for the first time, the company said, betting on the $2 billion overseas market as U.S. demand remains plagued by political uncertainty. The San Antonio-based oil refiner, the third-largest
(Las Vegas Review-Journal) … Although auto manufacturers have longed warned against using gas containing more than 10 percent ethanol, the Environmental Protection Agency — along with misguided renewable-fuel advocates, the big agriculture lobby and their friends in elected office — pushed to add more ethanol to our fuel. In 2009, for
by Stephen Edelstein (Green Car Reports) … Green Car Reports contributor and electric-motorcycle roadtripper Ben Rich encountered an unusual vehicle on U.S. Route 12 Sunday, while bypassing New Orleans on a cross-country ride. He wrote us to ask about the identity of the low-slung car he captured on video. That car, it
By Timothy Cama (The Hill) A new Republican bill introduced Tuesday (June 16, 2015) would completely repeal the federal mandate to blend ethanol into the nation’s gasoline supply. Sen. Bill Cassidy’s (R-La.) legislation would completely do away with the renewable fuel standard, which first took effect in 2005 and now
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Lead organization in development of energycane and sweet sorghum for use as biofuel crops in the deep South … Bringing to fruition the first energy crop to sugar syrup processing facility READ MORE
by Sarah Shemkus (The Guardian) Colorado-based startup Cool Planet says it has created a fuel that mixes seamlessly with gasoline and actually removes carbon from the atmosphere The entrepreneurs and innovators at Colorado-based Cool Planet are betting that a word you’ve probably never heard is about to change the world. “Pyrolysis”
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will invest up to $100 million in a Biofuels Infrastructure Partnership to support the infrastructure needed to make more renewable fuel options available to American consumers. Specifically, USDA will administer competitive grants to
by Damian Carrington and Harry Davies (The Guardian/MSN.com) The world’s biggest and most profitable fossil fuel companies are receiving huge and rising subsidies from US taxpayers, a practice slammed as absurd by a presidential candidate given the threat of climate change. A Guardian investigation of three specific projects, run by Shell,
(The Advertiser) BP is closing its biofuels plant in Jennings, ending jobs there for 56 people. Aline Thoeny, human resources manager for BP, sent notice Monday to Andre France of the Louisiana Workforce Commission Dislocated Worker Unit and to Jennings Mayor Terry W. Duhon. Thoeny said the employees will remain

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing during Earth Week examining the impacts of sea level rise and oil and gas extraction on Native American communities. Across the United States, in Alaska, the Mississippi delta, the Northern Plains and the Great Lakes, land degradation presents

ABFC is the gathering point for the top supply chain leaders in the Advanced Bioeconomy — bringing together the entire spectrum of CEOs and senior executives in business development, R&D, strategic partners, finance, policy and equipment suppliers — looking at Business models, Economics, Partnerships, Government programs, Logistics, Equipment and Yield

ABFC is the gathering point for the top supply chain leaders in the Advanced Bioeconomy — bringing together the entire spectrum of CEOs and senior executives in business development, R&D, strategic partners, finance, policy and equipment suppliers — looking at Business models, Economics, Partnerships, Government programs, Logistics, Equipment and Yield
by Aaren Gordon (Daily Comet) Construction has started on a $60 million plant in Raceland that will convert sugar cane waste into chemicals, sweeteners and biofuels by 2017. The project next to Raceland Raw Sugar Corp. along La. 182 is a demonstration to test the effectiveness of Finnish pulp and
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) … “This past year we delivered solid results despite a rapidly declining energy market and market uncertainty,” said Daniel J. Oh, president and CEO of REG. “Our business model has enabled us to grow consistently, invest in adjacent opportunities, maneuver through market challenges and do so profitably.
by Rich Piellisch (Fleets & Fuels) BioCNG is extending its work for the St. Landry Parish Solid Waste Disposal District in Louisiana, upgrading an existing landfill gas-based compressed natural gas fueling station in Washington, La. and adding a second facility, at the District’s recycling center in Opelousas, for back-up and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Project of the Year, Deal of the Year, Partnership of the Year, Chemical of the Year, and Cap Raise of the Year — who are the big winners? Each year, the Digest recognizes projects, feedstocks, processing technology breakthroughs, novel or improved molecules, and bioeconomy pioneers in
by Denise Attaway (Louisiana State University) LSU AgCenter researchers continue to evaluate energycane varieties planted in north Louisiana as a possible new crop for producers to grow as a biofuel feedstock. About 1,000 experimental varieties of energycane were planted at the LSU AgCenter Macon Ridge Research Station in Winnsboro in 2012.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The complete details on BP’s exit and the considerable physical and intellectual assets available for acquisition, in part or in whole. As BP continues to reel from its oil leak capital calls and the impact of crashing oil prices, they dropped a bombshell in recent
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Oil prices continue to show incredible volatility. $106 in June, $50 today. Which biofuels ventures have the pro-formas to make money in a tough market? The Digest investigates. … Avello Bioenergy Cost: $57.50 per barrel (gasoline, diesel) Stage: Preparing for commercial demonstration Avello Bioenergy is commercializing
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Bunnies, liposuction fat, Prince Charles’ leftover wine, day-old whale, the human poo bus, fire ants dipped in hexane, old beer, raging fireballs, vibrating blobs, dope, and even the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Take your pick and, yep, it’s all true, as the Digest discovers. If you’re
by Mark Hay (Good Magazine) At some point in your life, Escherichia coli has probably brought you to your knees topray to the porcelain god. Common bacteria that often live harmlessly in the guts of most animals, a few strains of it can cause anything from food poisoning to death
by Tim Reid (Reuters) … In Houston, Texas, the first oil industry layoffs have been announced, with realtors there predicting a sharp decline, up to 12 percent, in home sales next year. Alaska’s 2015 fiscal year budget revenue forecast will have to be lowered by almost $2 billion, according to
by Sheela Tobben (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) BP Plc (BP/) plans to close down its U.S. cellulosic operation by the end of next year’s first quarter, according to a person familiar with the development. The business was part of an effort to find ways to produce ethanol from sources such as switchgrass, wood
by Talla Buford (The Center for Public Integrity) … By 2018, the land (Stacey) Ryan and other holdouts have fought to keep will be consumed by an $8.1 billion ethane cracker and a multibillion-dollar gas-to-liquids facility, a massive addition to a plant Sasol already operates nearby. The state of Louisiana
by Jennifer Larino (NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune) Louisiana added 225 jobs in the biofuels industry during the third quarter, ranking alongside states such as Texas and Connecticut for clean energy job growth, according to the latest Environmental Entrepreneurs report. The report, which tracks jobs announcements tied to solar, wind, energy-efficient recycling
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … In many ways, REG is the entire industrial biotech business in a nutshell. They’re fermentation (through REG Life Sciences), and thermocatalytic (through REG Geismar and their extensive biodiesel business). They use both sugars and lipids as feedstocks. They make both biodiesel and drop-in renewable
(Louisiana State University/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Sweet sorghum is not currently grown as a commercial crop in Louisiana, but in the future, producers may consider growing it for use as a biofuel feedstock. To help guide commercial production of this crop, the Louisiana State University AgCenter has released the Sweet Sorghum Production Guide.

Sharing of information and collaboration between algae producers, commercially-minded algae researchers, engineers and equipment companies are key factors in building the algae production industry. NAA is technology neutral. Algae technologies must be proven outside the lab in a commercial environment before they can have any value to our industry. Our

Sharing of information and collaboration between algae producers, commercially-minded algae researchers, engineers and equipment companie are key factors in building the algae production industry. NAA is technology neutral. Algae technologies must be proven outside the lab in a commercial environment before they can have any value to our industry. Our
by Brent Erickson (Biotechnology Industry Organization/The Hill) In a recently released report entitled “Why Biobased?” the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) answers the question of why America should invest in a biobased economy. The report explores the economic impacts of biobased products in the United States, which include more jobs
(Renewable Energy Group) Renewable Energy Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:REGI) announced today that commercial-scale quantities of renewable hydrocarbon diesel (RHD) produced at the company’s Geismar, Louisiana biorefinery are now available for sale. The first truckloads of REG-9000™/RHD produced at the 75-million gallon nameplate biorefinery since REG acquired it in June left the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) USDA issues $91M loan guarantee conditional commit to Cool Planet. Obama Administration back building of the company’s first commercial plant in Louisiana, as it opens its first commercial-scale Cool Terra operation in California. In California, Cool Planet Energy Systems was issued a $91MM conditional commitment
by Nikki Henderson (ArkLaTex Homepage) Sweet sorghum is not currently grown as a commercial crop in Louisiana, but in the future, producers may consider growing it for use as a biofuel feedstock. To help guide commercial production of this crop, the LSU AgCenter has released the Sweet Sorghum Production Guide. The
(National Algae Association/PR.com) After over 6 decades of time, and billions of dollars spent at the direction of the Department of Energy and other government agencies, one thing is for sure – algae for fuels will never be grown in Washington, D.C. “The algae production industry does not need lobbyists
(Honeywell) Emerald Biofuels LLC to produce renewable diesel under U.S. Department of Defense program UOP LLC, a Honeywell (NYSE: HON) company, announced today that its advanced process technology will be used to produce renewable diesel for the U.S. military through the U.S. Department of Defense Advanced Drop-in Biofuels Production Project. Emerald Biofuels LLC
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Golden Leaf Energy’s Troy A. Clark grew up in Louisiana. Studying chemical engineering at Tulane University brought him into contact with the oil industry. And yet, as his career progressed, he was drawn to renewables. Initially working as a dispatcher of ethanol for fuel,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Washington, the Department of Defense has awarded $210 million under the Defense Production Act to Emerald Biofuels, Fulcrum BioEnergy and Red Rock Bio towards the construction of biorefineries that produce cost-competitive, drop-in military biofuels. Under the grants, the companies will build biorefineries to produce military spec fuel
(Office of the Governor Bobby Jindal) Governor Bobby Jindal and Chief Operating Officer Frank Randazzo of NFR BioEnergy announced the company will make a $312 million capital investment to install biorefineries at more than 10 sugar refining hubs in South Louisiana, subject to completing lease and biomass agreements with sugar

Infocast’s 6th Annual Next Generation Bio-Based and Sustainable Chemicals Summit debuts in New Orleans, LA, co-located with informEx for the first time to provide attendees with unparalleled networking capabilities and access to exhibitors. Bio-based tech start-ups, brand owners, chemical majors, feedstock providers, financiers, strategic venture capitalists, OEMs and retailers from around the world will once
(New Orleans City Business) A Lafourche Parish mill will be the site of a $60 million biochemical facility that will turn the waste product of the sugar refining process into a useable product. Virdia Inc. announced today, with Gov. Bobby Jindal, that it will build the plant next to the
by Mark Waller (New Orleans Times Picayune) For Brandon Iglesias, there wasn’t a specific moment of revelation. Unlike some entrepreneurs, he didn’t spot a glaring gap in an industry and move in to solve the problem. He came about his project – a new way to chemically manufacture cleaner oil –
by Jennifer Larino (NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune ) Cool Planet Energy Systems, a Colorado energy startup that aims to turn woodchips and other organic waste into gasoline as well as a crop-boosting soil enhancer, says it has started clearing land to build its first commercial plant in Alexandria. The company expects to
by Ted Griggs (The Advocate) Renewable Energy Group plans to spend $15 million in the next 12 months on the company’s Geismar facility, which makes diesel from animal fat. “Some of that you’d probably consider just normal startup and ramp-up procedures to take a plant from an idled state,” Chief