(Oxbow Crush/Business Wire) The acquisition and facility upgrade will position the company to support the growing domestic demand for renewable fuels and global demand for soybean meal — Oxbow Crush LLC (“Oxbow”), an independent soybean processor, is pleased to announce the acquisition of a soybean processing plant located in Greenwood, Mississippi.
Mississippi
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Here are the 50 Hottest Project Development & Deployment Spots in the Advanced Bioeconomy for 2022, as selected by the Digest’s editors. READ MORE
by Alex Rozier (Mississippi Today) A Pearl man pleaded guilty this week for his role in allowing a Brandon company to illegally dump its waste into Jackson’s worn-down sewer system. The U.S. Department of Justice is alleging that leadership of the company, Gold Coast Commodities (GCC), intentionally deceived local and state
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Cellulosic bioenergy crop production is a nascent industry in the U.S. and has the potential to supply up to 5% of U.S. energy demand while achieving increased carbon reduction. The Southeast U.S. is ideally suited for a cellulosic industry due to plentiful land, ample rainfall,
(Mississippi State University/Biomass Magazine) Mississippi State scientists have developed switchgrass varieties that are waking up the industry with exceptional germination rates and are ready for commercial use in the Deep South. Switchgrass is used for biofuels, soil and water conservation and carbon sequestration. The university is working with the Upton, Kentucky-based Roundstone
(Louisiana Economic Development) Arbor Gas to use wood waste from Louisiana forests to produce renewable gasoline and green hydrogen at West Baton Rouge Parish facility — Arbor Renewable Gas LLC, a Houston-based company formed in 2019 that produces renewable gasoline and green hydrogen from wood waste and forest residue, is evaluating
by Zack Budryk (The Hill) Seventeen Republican state attorneys general on Friday announced a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for allowing California to set its own vehicle emissions standards. The lawsuit alleges EPA Administrator Michael Regan violated the Constitution’s doctrine of equal sovereignty by allowing California an exemption from the Clean
by Clark Mindock (Law360) A Texas-led group of states is slamming the Biden administration’s push to strengthen greenhouse gas standards for auto emissions, telling the D.C. Circuit on Monday it must intervene and stop a purported federal war on fossil fuels. The 14-state coalition headed by Lone Star State Attorney General Ken
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Just in the last few days, it’s been all about low carbon, lower carbon, net-zero carbon – and all of it from waste. Virgin Group and Agilyx’s strategic partnership to produce lower carbon fuel from plastic waste. REG’s state-of-the-art pretreatment facility to refine some of
by Mike Hughlett (Star Tribune) … Right now, the CO2 pipelines don’t require approval from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC). But the PUC in December opened a proceeding on whether it should change state regulations to deem CO2 pipelines as hazardous. The Minnesota Departments of Transportation, Agriculture, Commerce and
(Bio Market Insights) … They source excess algal sludge from natural habitats all over the world, processing it into algae-based resin pellets trademarked under the brand name BLOOM. Manufacturers can blend BLOOM pellets with conventional petrochemical-based materials. Ryan Hunt encountered the plastic potential of algae as a graduate student at
by Donnelle Eller (Des Moines Register) … Two companies — Summit Carbon Solutions and Navigator CO2 Ventures — want to build pipelines that will be used to move carbon dioxide captured from ethanol, fertilizer and other agricultural industrial plants. The companies plan to use pressure to liquify the carbon dioxide, transport it and then
(Bayou Fuels) 10-year offtake MoU for 73 million US gallons of carbon negative SAF by IAG; Alongside offtake agreement with Southwest Airlines, offtake in place for 100% of Bayou Fuels SAF — Velocys plc (VLS. L), the sustainable fuels technology company, is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary, Velocys
(Bayou Fuels) 15-year offtake agreement enables 575 million blended gallons of net zero SAF for Southwest Airlines; Alongside offtake MoU with IAG, commitment for 100% of Bayou Fuels SAF — Velocys plc (VLS. L), the sustainable fuels technology company, is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary, Velocys Renewables LLC,
by Ariana Fine (NGT News) Hy Stor Energy LP, together with its strategic partner Connor, Clark & Lunn Infrastructure (CC&L Infrastructure), will develop, commercialize and operate large-scale, long-duration hydrogen hubs. The first major project, the Mississippi Clean Hydrogen Hub, is under active development and has multiple sites permitted for hydrogen storage. The planned
(Bayou Fuels) New branding and website is announced for the Bayou Fuels reference project in the USA — Velocys has today launched a website for the Bayou Fuels reference project that will use Velocys FT technology to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from waste woody biomass. This fuel will have an
(The Natchez Democrat) Velocys could break ground on a $1.5 billion bio-refinery plant at the Belwood Industrial Park as early as 2023, officials have said. The Bayou Fuels project in Natchez would specialize in the production of environmentally friendly fuel, especially jet fuel, made from woody biomass that would otherwise be waste
by Samantha Watters (University of Maryland) Stephanie Lansing will serve as principal investigator, establishing a consortium of scientists and industry partners with the goal of creating renewable resources — Stephanie Lansing, professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Technology at the University of Maryland (UMD), is leading two new grants
by Jeff Mower (S&P Global) Waiver valid through Sept. 15, 2021; Ida brings down roughly 2.2 mil b/d refining capacity; NYMEX RBOB prices edge lower — The US Environmental Protection Agency has issued a temporary waiver to federal RVP requirements for gasoline in Louisiana and Mississippi to address fuel supply
(Office of Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA)) U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and 16 of his colleagues sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan urging the EPA to mitigate the harm imposed on consumers and refiners by the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS)’s unachievable mandates. In their letter, the
by Scarlett Evans (Bio Market Insights) … Now, a team from Colorado State University (CSU) is working to boost algae crop growth to reach industrial levels, with the team being awarded $3.2m from the US Department of Energy (DOE) in support of this goal earlier this month. We took a closer
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Where I come from, rubbish is used as a verb, meaning to denigrate, and there’s been an awful lot of rubbishing going around with respect to aviation. Once, we Flew the Friendly Skies, but these days, the runways are getting surly, and when the UK government issued
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Everyone wants to reduce the price of biofuels – and a team from Texas A&M, USDA, AgriLife Research, Mississippi State University and others are working on improving the economics and environmental sustainability of biomass sorghum and energycane production in the southeast U.S. Find out how,
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Velocys provided an update on its proposed commercial-scale U.K. and U.S. biorefinery projects in its 2020 financial report, released on May 17. The company also discussed an agreement that could allow its technology to be deployed in Japan. U.K.-based Velocys has designed, developed and now licenses
by Iacovos Vasalos (Center for Research and Technology-Hellas/Biofuels Digest) This report summarizes highlights from the ABLC 2020 Biofuels Digest Virtual Conference, which took place in July 7-10, 2020. (And if you haven’t already registered for this year’s ABLC Digital on May 3-7, 2021, check it out now here.) There were almost 100
by Tammy Klein (Transportation Energy Strategies) … I spoke to both Neville Hargreaves, Vice President, Waste to Fuels and Drew Miller, Project Finance Director of Velocys about their SAF projects in the U.S. (Bayou Fuels) and in the UK (Altalto). We also talked about how they see the policy and market environment unfolding over the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Going beyond the utilization of difficult to process solid waste feedstocks to produce advanced, sustainable biofuels, Velocys is also now using carbon capture usage and storage of CO2 at their plants that will enable net negative emissions transportation fuels. Find out the limits, the scale-up
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Renewable diesel, all 9 billion gallons built, under construction, in planning – Take a deep dive into the latest hot renewable diesel news and a special Digest presentation that asks will all of these billions of gallons fleet get built? If not, who are the potential
(Mississippi State University) A $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy will benefit Mississippi State researchers in the university’s Forest and Wildlife Research Center studying the economic and ecological benefits of growing trees for biofuel production. The DOE funding will help MSU scientists study how to produce better, hardier
by Jenna Kurtzweil (Brookhaven National Laboratory/Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation) From southeastern Florida to northern Mississippi to the Midwestern Corn Belt, CABBI scientists have struck sustainable oil with sugarcane. But the crop’s potential value to the renewable energy sector earns this particular variety a more appropriate designation: oilcane.
(Houston Chronicle) Using current and past Census data, Stacker tracks the way the American farming industry has changed over the past century. Over the past century, American farming has changed dramatically. Crops with long histories like tobacco are still prevalent throughout the South, while many farmers across the country are now
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … Velocys is delivering the next generation of sustainable fuels to decarbonize aviation. We were founded from spinouts of Oxford University in the UK and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in the USA, developing a proprietary technology which enables the production of sustainable transport fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) At DigestConnect this past Thursday, we talked about the latest the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard, how the LCFS relates to the Renewable Fuel Standard and energy values, we compared the value stack for 5 popular transport molecules – gasoline, diesel, ethanol, cellulosic ethanol, and renewable
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) If you missed last week’s DigestConnect webinar, have no fear, the full deck is here! From 11 pathways on who’s doing what, how and with what, 21 projects and who’s running them and where, 13 fast emerging projects and who’s converting, constructing, planning and where,
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) While the world may be at a standstill,there are still many projects going on and moving forward. But where are these projects? Who’s involved? How far along are they? What are they working on? From VTT BioFlex in Finland working on fuels oils and plastics
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) “In our space, on a myopic level, we are so used to getting battered around, we’ll get through this too—but on a broader level the dynamics in which we operate will be substantially different,” said Gene Gebolys, founder and CEO of World Energy, one of the
by Donald Shaw and David Moore (Sludge) Perkins Coie, a law firm with deep ties to the Democratic Party, is lobbying for fossil fuel clients to win exemptions from a federal program to limit greenhouse gas emissions. — … The primary focus of Perkins Coie’s fossil fuel lobbying in recent
by Scott Richman (Renewable Fuels Association) Yesterday (February 27, 2020), a group of senators wrote a letter to President Trump regarding the January 24 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit that found the EPA improperly exceeded its statutory authority in exempting three refineries from the Renewable Fuel
by Bruce Comer (Ocean Park/Biofuels Digest) Biofuels Merger and Acquisition (M&A) activity in North America was subdued in 2019. Only four operating biodiesel, ethanol and advanced biofuels plants were sold during the year. These four acquired plants were relatively small with a combined capacity of only 133 Million Gallons Per Year.
(Biofuels International) Sustainable fuels technology company Velocys has appointed engineering contractor Worley to manage the delivery of its fully integrated technology package. Worley will act as partner in the development of pre-feasibility, feasibility and front-end engineering design (FEED) packages for all of Velocys’ projects. This will enable Velocys to ‘leverage
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From what is an advanced biofuel to why, we take a look at the gallons, the ethanol blend wall, the residue capacity, and over 30 advanced biofuels projects from around the world to watch. In today’s Digest, a Digest 2020 Multi-Slide Guide on advanced biofuels that
The Kodak Moment: The World’s Airlines Consider Their Low-Carbon Options in an Era of Flight-Shaming
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Now, the airlines were just about the first customers to clamor for advanced biofuels. In 2006, Richard Altman of the recently-formed Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative showed up at one of the earliest advanced biofuels events, and when he laid out the intent of the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) For 17 years, Velocys has been working on XTL projects and their FT technology has operated on syngas derived from natural gas, landfill gas, coal and biomass. Philipp Stratmann, VP Biofuels at Velocys shared the latest from Velocys at the recent IATA Sustainable Aviation Fuel Symposium.
by Philipp Stratmann (Velocys/Biofuels Digest) At this year’s ABLC Next Conference in San Francisco Velocys presented on the opportunity to produce negative emission fuels at our planned Bayou Fuels facility in Natchez, Mississippi. Whilst we were not the only company presenting on advanced biofuel products at the conference, our integration of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Amyris is working on a MegaBio goal. Mega because it’s a big goal – develop a fully integrated and scalable process to produce farnesene from cellulosic sugars at $2 per liter in the U.S. Quinn Mitrovich from Amyris gave this illuminating presentation at the DOE’s BETO 2019
(SJR Group) HES Botlek Tank Terminal B.V. and SJR Group are pleased to announce that the last storage tank which is built offsite will be transported to HES Botlek Tank Terminal, a full subsidiary of HES International B.V., on Friday 21 July. This special transport concludes a project in which
by Marc S. Reisch (Chemical & Engineering News) Despite a spotty track record, companies keep trying to convert trash into energy, fuels, and chemicals — … Local press reports noted weather-related construction delays, a challenge to the plant’s environmental permits, and difficult markets for recycled materials. Those delays point to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Mississippi, Velocys’ Bayou Fuels project has signed with Oxy Low Carbon Ventures to capture carbon dioxide from Velocys’ planned Bayou Fuels biomass-to-fuels project in Natchez, Mississippi, and securely store it underground in a geologic formation. OLCV, a wholly owned subsidiary of Occidental, will take,
(Biofuels International) Velocys has secured a purchase order and technical service agreements with Toyo Engineering (Toyo) for its biomass-to-jet fuel technology in a demonstration facility in Japan. The company has also secured an advanced deposit for the use of the same technology by Toyo in a subsequent commercial plant, Velocys
by Dave Blower Jr. (The News Gazette) The Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) and the Indiana Corn Growers Association (ICGA) along with 12 other Indiana farm, ethanol and biodiesel plants and allied industries wrote to Indiana’s congressional delegation expressing frustration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and to compel the
(Biorenewable Deployment Consortium) BDC is a 501c3 organization focused on education and brokering partnerships in order to accelerate the deployment of economic bioprocesses and assist the forest products industry to get the most value from the tree. BDC membership represents bioprocess companies and the major forest products companies. BDC believes
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In the UK, Velocys announced that it has raised £7 million in a private placing, selling shares at 3 pence each, complementing commitments received by the company from the Altalto Imminghamwaste-to-sustainable-fuels project’s strategic partners, British Airways and Shell, of £2.8 million in total. Net proceeds of
by Chris Hubbuch (Wisconsin State Journal) … “There’s (a) civil war within the Republican Party,” said Scott Irwin, chairman of agricultural marketing at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “It’s pitting two significant Republican constituencies of the president and neither one is now in a position to issue any kinds of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Velocys has developed proprietary and commercially-proven Fischer-Tropsch technology that can cost effectively produce low-carbon fuels from a variety of waste materials, including woody biomass and municipal solid waste, at a scale that matches feedstock collection logistics. Philipp Stratmann, Vice President of Biofuels at Velocys, gave this
(University of California – Santa Barbara/Science Daily) In efforts to curb our use of greenhouse gas-generating fossil fuels, plant-based biofuels are among the top contenders as alternative liquid energy sources for transportation. However, strategies to produce high yields of biomass for fuels are not a one-size-fits-all proposition, according to a new

The Renewable Fuels Association, in partnership with TRANSCAER®, will host ethanol safety seminars in Vermont and Mississippi this month. All of the seminars are free to attend, but registration is limited. Certificates of Completion will be awarded to attendees at the completion of the course. The seminars are designed for
by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) Today (December 4, 2028) the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas (RNG Coalition) commenced the North American renewable natural gas (RNG) industry’s annual conference program in Dana Point, Calif., by celebrating industry growth and recognizing 12 companies for their development roles in eight of the RNG production
by Cici Zhang (Chemical and Engineering News) Increasing the fatty acids in crops’ seeds, leaves, and stems could make biofuels more economically viable — … Plant scientist Heike Sederoff of North Carolina State University, however, is very familiar with the oils that camelina offers. The highly concentrated fatty acids produced by
by Mario Parker and Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg) Company acquired Andeavor this month to become largest refiner; Trump promised to allow year-round sales of E15 gasoline — Marathon Petroleum Corp., the largest U.S. oil refiner following its $23.3 billion acquisition of rival Andeavor this month, is weighing a plan to start sales of high-ethanol
(World Energy/Globe Newswire) $350 million investment will result in 306 million gallons of annual production — World Energy, a global leader in low-carbon transportation fuels production, announced today a $350 million investment over the next two years to complete the conversion of its Paramount, California facility into one of the cleanest
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) For the second year in a row, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) sponsored team in the Crappie Masters National Championship helped a young angler win a $1000 scholarship. This is also the second year that RFA has been co-title sponsor of the tournament trail that helps fuel knowledge of
Resilience through Regional Partnership: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the SPARC Consortium
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Southeastern Partnership for Advanced Renewables from Carinata (SPARC) is a consortium consisting of the University of Florida (lead), the University of South Florida, the University of Georgia, Auburn University, and other institutions, government agencies, the civil aviation industry, and Agrisoma Biosciences and Applied Research Associates (ARA) from
(Velocys) The USDA has issued a Finding of No Significant Impact on the environmental assessment report for Velocys’ planned Mississippi biorefinery. Velocys plc (VLS.L), the renewable fuels company, announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) on the environmental assessment report
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Velocys enables modular gas-to-liquids and biomass-to-liquids plants to convert unconventional, remote and problem gas and waste biomass into valuable, drop-in liquid fuels. And most recently has repositioned from being a technology component supplier into initiating and drive the development of biorefineries from concept to full operations. By
(Air Liquide/Biomass Magazine) Since the beginning of 2018, Air Liquide has commissioned three new biomethane production units, in the U.S, France, and the U.K. With these units, Air Liquide has doubled its biomethane production capacity, which now stands at 60 MW, the equivalent of 500 GWh for a full year of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Paramount Deal: World Energy takes off with audacious $72M acquisition of AltAir and the Paramount oil refinery — In Massachusetts, World Energy has acquired renewable jet and diesel producer AltAir Paramount, and its Paramount Petroleum refinery assets, both collocated in Paramount, CA, as well an adjacent
by Ron Kotrba (Biomass Magazine) D7 renewable identification numbers (RINs) generated at a biorefinery in Oklahoma City producing cellulosic diesel fuel have been verified by Weaver and granted Q-RIN status. Weaver is an independent third-party auditor and U.S. EPA-approved RIN Quality Assurance Program provider whose QAP program is called RIN-tegrity. The
(University of Illinois, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology/Biomass Magazine) The U.S. Department of Energy awarded the University of Illinois a $10.6 million, five-year grant to transform two of the most productive crops in America into sustainable sources of biodiesel and biojet fuel. The new research project Renewable Oil Generated
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) To date, North America is the most active of all regions in terms of deploying advanced technology — whether it is cellulosic ethanol, isobutanol for fuels and chemicals, or renewable chemical plants, you see the first and the most, here. There are three drivers for that:
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Velocys plc has announced that Envia Energy, the joint venture plant that utilizes its technology, has applied for a fuel pathway approval under the Renewable Fuel Standard to produce D7 cellulosic diesel renewable identification numbers (RINs). According to Velocys, Envia makes drop-in fuel from biogas and
by Jan Tucker (Your Daily Globe) A public announcement of the construction and development of a $300 million advanced biofuels plant at the site of the closed paper mill in Ontonagon is “expected shortly,” Pat Tucker told the Ontonagon County Economic Development Corporation Wednesday. He indicated SynSel Energy’s closing on the funds – which are
(Algae Industry Magazine) … In September, the US Department of Energy (DOE) awarded $22 million in grants to fund projects for marine biomass farming for production of commercial products, including feedstock for domestic transportation fuels. The funding was provided through the Advanced Research Projects Agency — Energy (ARPA-E) for 18 projects
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Cellulosic technology companies have invested time and millions of dollars to explore ways to convert biomass into cellulosic ethanol for the better part of 20 years. Most technologies have fallen victim to high capital and development costs, changing political winds and economic recession. Many
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Nothing rang clearer as an industry imperative at ABLC Next last week than the theme of diversification in a Year of Living Dangerously, and we saw it in the news this week from Velocys, Pacific Biodiesel and ICM. Respectively, these are feedstock, product and geographic diversification

Our goal is to strengthen the capability, empower, and provide technical support for small, limited resource and socially disadvantaged farmers, ranchers and landowners. Farmers will have the opportunity to share and evaluate materials and programs from around the country that are successful. Hosted in Partnership with Association of American Indian
by Roslyn Anderson (MS News Now) Jackson Councilman Kenneth Stokes urged his colleagues to fight the expansion of a biodiesel plant in the city, citing potential dangers. The Ward Three representative questioned JaxOn Energy’s processing and suggested potential health and safety risks. The plant is located in the Industrial Park in
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … Regardless of which side of the fence you are on, the chopping continues and there are literally tons of wood waste left behind that doesn’t get used up, but we can all agree we should do something with that waste. Today, we look at
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 Vanessa Dietz (The Daily Mining Gazette) … SynSel Energy Inc., of Elmhurst, Illinois, chose Ontonagon as one of two U.S. sites to build advanced biofuels plants that will produce synthetic gasoline, diesel and aviation fuels the company sells in commodities markets. SynSel has partnered with Lost Bowl Development of Ontonagon
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … In Botswana, jatropha’s adventures are just beginning according to the Ministry of Minerals Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security’s advisor, Freddie Motlhatlhedi. He was referring to a joint research project done by Botswana and Japan that shows quite a bit of promise for commercial production of jatropha
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 Jan Tucker (Your Daily Globe) Ontonagon has been selected as one of two initial sites in the U.S. for the construction of an advanced biofuels plant. SynSel Energy, Inc., is partnering with a U.S.-based financier and Lost Bowl Development, LLC, to develop the $300 million biorefinery at the site of
by Steven Mufson and Chris Mooney (The Washington Post) The White House has branded this week “energy week,” rolling out a buzzword, “dominance,” and replaying lines from last year’s Trump campaign in an effort to portray the United States as a global energy superpower — and to label previous administrations as obstacles
by Jeff Amy (Fox Business/Associated Press) A federal judge has approved a $4.5 million settlement for private shareholders of failed biofuel maker KiOR, and a lawsuit by the state of Mississippi seeking to recover a much larger amount continues. U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal issued the order Monday in Houston
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Where Pittsburgh mayor Bill Peduto joined the mayors of more than 175 cities in a rebel yell that has been heard nationwide since President Trump pulled out of the Paris Climate Accords last Thursday. Peduto said: “As the Mayor of Pittsburgh, I can assure you
by John Fialka (E&E News/Climatewire) … As a major U.S. exporter that has dealings with over 150 countries, Boeing had worked with airlines in the development of more fuel-efficient aircraft and better flying practices. Now it helped form and lead the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group (SAFUG). It currently represents 27 airlines
(Ventures Africa) Nigerian Oil Billionaire and Non-Executive Chairman/Founder of Taleveras, Igho Sanomi has signed a Joint Venture deal to build a biofuel refinery in the United States of America (USA) with African feedstock. Igho Sanomi, was featured in the last edition of Ventures Africa’s rich list as one of the
by Chuck Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) When it comes to using ethanol blended fuel in your boat engine it is important to follow manufacturer directions and actually just properly maintain your equipment. That is advice from pro fishermen like Terry Richard here. Terry and teammate Casey Rayner will be competing in this
by Bob Dinneen (The Hill/Renewable Fuels Association) In the flurry of post-election punditry and analysis, much credit was given to disenfranchised factory workers and coal miners in the Rust Belt and Appalachia for delivering Donald Trump’s surprising swing state victories on Election Day. To be sure, those voters played a
(Air Liquide/Biomass Magazine) Air Liquide will design, construct and operate its first landfill gas (LFG) to renewable natural gas (RNG) purification plant in the U.S. at the Northeast Mississippi Landfill (NEML), in Walnut, Mississippi. The site, owned by the Northeast Mississippi Solid Waste Management Authority, is operated by national solid
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In 2011, KiOR raised $150 million in its June IPO, claiming that it was generating yields of 67 gallons per ton in its Demo unit operations. But it was miles short of that. In our previous installments, we have charted how KiOR moved from a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … But so far, the company and its celebrity investors and directors such as former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and famed venture capitalist Vinod Khosla had escaped close scrutiny. … The methods for keeping the truth bottled up were not pretty. According to our sources
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This season, we are conducting Strategic Intent, our 19 webinar series on major companies and their partnerships, progress and plans in the Advanced Bioeconomy. In this edition, we explored Bayer, Bunge and Monsanto in the interactive webinar format. Here are the slides from our Digest
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … The company was beginning to hurtle towards an IPO. But the fuel yields were low; the fuel was not usable by their initial chosen downstream partner; the catalyst they were using to get even down to this unsatisfactory product, ZSM zeolite, was in the $7,000
(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 Jim Lane (Biofuels DIgest) … Old KiOR was exciting, dramatic, and fast, and the headlines it produced between 2008 and 2011 were candy for a renewables-hungry world. A Breakthrough in Catalytic Pyrolysis to make cost-competitive, drop-in renewable fuels. A “Magic Catalyst”. The backing of a celebrity investor in Vinod Khosla.
by Roger Wicker (Daily Journal) America’s energy landscape has changed dramatically since the creation of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) a decade ago. What began as a federal program to incorporate more biofuels – such as corn ethanol – into the fuel supply and reduce oil imports has failed to
by Patricia McDaniels (University of Tennessee) A small stand of poplar trees harvested from a University of Tennessee AgResearch Center is set to help scientists progress further down the path toward low-cost, high-quality biomass and a bioeconomy. Located on UT’s East Tennessee AgResearch Center in Blount County, the 10-acre plot
by David MacNeal (Ars Technica) The facility smell? “That’s money,” Todd French says. “That’s what it smells like.” — “By the time it gets here, David, it’s no longer my poop,” says microbiologist Todd French with conviction. “I don’t want you to think there’s solid turds coming in over there.
by Carla Caldwell (Atlanta Business Chronicle) Atlanta-based United Parcel Service Inc. (NYSE: UPS) will supply its fleet in two states with renewable natural gas produced by landfills. UPS says its fleet in Jackson, Miss., and Memphis, will use an estimated 15 million diesel gallon gas equivalents of renewable natural gas
(U.S. Department of Energy) How is funding from BETO a part of the emerging bioeconomy in some states? Find out with our new state fact sheets. For select states, these fact sheets give information about efforts to develop the advanced bioenergy industry. The U.S. Department of Energy provides joint funding
by Kati Moore (Duke Environment) Zackary Johnson, Arthur P. Kaupe Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology in Marine Science at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment, has received a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to establish a consortium to study the extraction, development and commoditization of various products
by Bruce Dorminey (Renewable Energy World) A rapid-growing tree, many researchers think poplar is missing its calling as a high-quality cellulosic bioenergy feedstock. — As the world’s fastest growing temperate tree species, poplar can add a dozen feet annually and reach maturity in as few as four years. One of its hybrids,
by Bruce Dorminey (Renewable Energy World) As the world’s fastest growing temperate tree species, poplar can add a dozen feet annually and reach maturity in as few as four years. One of its hybrids, populus x generosa, has the widest land suitability footprint of any bio-energy crop, including willow and
by Megan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, nearly half of the US Senate has written to the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Energy and the EPA administrator strongly urging the agencies to streamline support of biomass for energy across all agencies, providing policies that work to ensure more use of
by Ronnie Shows (The Daily Caller) As the first legislator to introduce a biofuels bill in the Mississippi State House, I am deeply concerned that the Obama administration is making a huge mistake when it comes to determining the United States’ commitment to renewable fuels. Last week, the administration released a
by Dennis Seid (Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal) … In fact, if you visit Enerkem’s website, there’s no mention of Pontotoc. Nothing on its facilities or projects – where Pontotoc once had a prominent location. Nothing when you do a search for “Pontotoc.” It’s as if the project never existed. But
by Jeff Amy (The Dispatch/Associated Press) The state of Mississippi has sued billionaire Vinod Khosla and others, saying they knew long ago that bankrupt biofuel firm KiOR had poor prospects for success, but misled the state into loaning the company $75 million. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Hinds County
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
(Biomass Blog) The Mississippi State University Department of Agricultural Economics is reaching out to agricultural producers in the Southeast region and asking them to participate in an on-line survey. The survey is part of a study titled “Policies to Develop Perennial Grass-based Advanced Biofuel Supply Chains in the Southeast U.S.”
(EIN PressWire) … BioEnergy Spectrum Solutions, or BESS, has a plan based on technology developed by Mississippi State University that can take the sludge from waste water facilities and use it to make fuel that can be used to power the vehicles that we drive. … In order to bring this
by Steven Mufson (The Washington Post) Just over a year ago, billionaire venture capitalist Vinod Khosla was bubbling with optimism about one of his latest investments: KiOR, a biofuel outfit he said would turn wood chips into hydrocarbons that could be poured straight into a refinery, pipeline or vehicle. …
by Jack Weatherly (Mississippi Business Journal) Finding a buyer for the idled KiOR biofuels plant at Columbus would be a tough sell, according to Pavel Molchanov, an equity analyst who had covered Pasadena, Texas-based KiOR Inc. until it filed for bankruptcy protection on Nov. 9. The state will be
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) How does a technology take municipal solid waste and turn it into liquid fuels and chemicals? What’s the “death of landfill” all about in terms of creating value streams from waste streams? We take you through the world’s first commercial-scale waste-to-fuels project, in Edmonton, Alberta.
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
BlueFire Plays the China Card? Ex-Im Bank of China Issues $270M LOI for Mississippi Biofuels Project
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, BlueFire Renewables has received a Letter of Intent from The Export Import Bank of China (China EXIM) to provide up to $270 million in debt financing for its 19 million gallon bioenergy project in Fulton, Mississippi. The companies said they will continue to
(Globe Newswire/BlueFire Renewables) BlueFire’s Mississippi Fulton Project Paves the Way for Other U.S./China Renewable Energy Projects BlueFire Renewables, Inc. (OTC:BFRE), a company focused on changing the world’s transportation fuel paradigm through the production of renewable fuels, announced that it has received a Letter of Intent from The Export Import Bank
(Global BioBusiness) A former cofounder of biofuel maker KiOR says he tried to warn other board members about problems with KiOR’s technology. The claims come from Mr. Paul O’Connor, who cofounded the company and worked there until June 2012 and then was hired back as a consultant but definitely quit
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Cellulosic ethanol arrives at scale — “The five years away forever” put to rest — but are there troubling waters still ahead? For whom, and why? Part I of II There’s a gigantic disconnect between two sections in the country as to whether the United

IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER THE IBSS PARTNERSHIP WILL TAKE TO THE ROAD TO SHOW OFF RESEARCH PROGRESS FROM THE REGIONAL PROGRAM, WHICH IS FOCUSED ON BIOFUEL PRODUCTION IN THE SOUTHEAST! During the tour, IBSS will feature Auburn University’s mobile biomass gasifier, demonstrating how to turn biomass into electricity on
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) POET-DSM’s 20 million gallon cellulosic ethanol plant opens with hoopla, and heartfelt messages about the spirit of innovation, and a time for technology change and policy firmness. “Once, we all lived off the land, sun, wind and water and it provided everything we needed,” said
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) 1. The Hot 50 and Hot 30: A perennial favorite. This year, Solazyme topped the list while LanzaTech slipped into second place. … 2. The Top 100 People: Another perennial. This year, international project developers made a big move while some policy figures slipped. But
(US Department of Agriculture) Farm Bill Implementation Continues at Brisk Pace with Universities and State Cooperative Extension Programs Now Set to Help Educate Farmers Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is awarding $6 million to universities and cooperative state extension services to develop
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The following is excerpted from KiOR’s most recent 10-Q quarterly report, as filed with the SEC. “We have substantial doubts about our ability to continue as a going concern. To continue as a going concern, we must secure additional capital to provide us with additional liquidity.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Delayed 2013 results includes going concern statement. Future Khosla financing contingent on milestones. Default looms as soon as April. Financing after August unclear. In Texas, KiOR announced a $347.5M net loss for 2013, and issued a “going concern” statement that focused on its ability to
by Mark Peplow (Nature) Pioneering biofuel producers hope that US government largesse will ease their way into a tough market. …Thousands of tonnes of corn stover — the leaves, stalks and husks left over after the maize harvest — are already waiting, stacked in square bales, at the 1.6-square-kilometre site. By
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The following notice was filed Friday with the SEC by Bluefire Renewables: On December 23, 2013, Bluefire Renewables received notice from the Department of Energy indicating that the DOE would no longer provide funding under the Company’s DOE grant for the development of its cellulosic
(MarketWatch/KiOR) KiOR, Inc., provided today (December 23, 2013) an update on the operations at its Columbus, Mississippi, facility. KiOR expects that, given current and anticipated operations through the remainder of the year, the Columbus facility will produce approximately 410,000 gallons of fuel during the fourth quarter of 2013, bringing full
by Jonathan Fahey (Associated Press) The first trickle of fuels made from agricultural waste is finally winding its way into the nation’s energy supply, after years of broken promises and hype promoting a next-generation fuel source cleaner than oil. … Cellulosic makers are expected to turn out at most 6
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Slow pace, low yields have depressed KiOR’s share prices, but tripled production and revenue has recently delighted the markets. What’s up with the cellulosic biofuels leader? Good news, bad news? … You have one of the first next generation advanced biofuels plants at commercial scale.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) …“Cowcookies”, the lost Marx Brothers script Scene, an office on Wall Street. Enter a lender, Harold P. Cheesebreath — and his prospective borrower, Al Cohol. Cohol: (confidently) See here, it’s a no-brainer. Mandated fuel, pilot-proven technology, no food crops, carbon-friendly. Cheesebreath: I don’t care about carbon. Cohol: (brightly)
by Frank Esposito (Plastics News) Less than a year after opening its plant in Indonesia, Elevance Renewable Sciences Inc. has announced plans to open another bioplastics feedstock plant in Natchez, Miss., by 2016. Current customer interest in the firm’s Inherent-brand biofeedstocks – which can be used to make nylon, polyurethane and
(US Environmental Protection Agency) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced the 2013 recipients of EPA’s People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) Phase I grants. Forty teams of graduate and undergraduate students from across the country are each receiving a $15,000 grant for research proposals that develop solutions to
(MarketWatch/BlueFire Renewables) BlueFire Renewables, Inc., a company focused on changing the world’s transportation fuel paradigm, has integrated a synergistic wood pellet production plant to its facility in Fulton, Mississippi. The reconfigured design will be a 9 million gallon per year ethanol plant integrated with a 400,000 ton per year wood
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Texas, KiOR announced that it is pursuing plans to double production capacity at its Columbus, Mississippi, cellulosic fuels facility through construction of a second facility incorporating KiOR’s commercially proven technology. KiOR estimates that the project – Columbus II – will cost approximately $225 million, will
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Landmark cellulosic drop-in biofuels producer releases update on early-stage production: is the increasing gallonage enough to silence the critics? … In July and August, the Columbus facility produced 172,398 gallons of fuel, bringing the 2013 production total from the facility to 357,532 gallons through August
by Josh Bergeron (Selma Times-Journal) …Algix, a company based in Georgia, opened its newest facility in Dallas County that will help turn catfish-pond algae into biodegradable plastic. “It’s really quite a revolutionary to take algae, which is seen as waste, into a usable product,” marketing specialist Denise Hobart said during Friday’s
(The Economist) Energy technology: Making large amounts of fuel from organic matter has proved to be more difficult and costly than expected …As well as being available to countries without tar sands, shale fields or gushers, biofuels can help reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by providing an alternative to releasing fossil-fuel carbon into
by Paul Tullis (The New York Times) …But big drawbacks have prevented the wholesale adoption of trash-to-gas technology in the United States: incineration is polluting, and the capital costs of new plants are enormous. Gasification systems can expend a tremendous amount of energy to produce a tiny amount of electricity.
by Justin Doom (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) Rentech Inc. (RTK:US), a U.S. supplier of wood pellets and nitrogen fertilizer, sold about 450 acres of land in Mississippi where it had planned to build a renewable-energy project. READ MORE and MORE (Biomass Magazine) and MORE (Canadian Biomass Magazine) Excerpt from Biomass Magazine: While the
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) The Farm Service Agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that purchase invitations have been extended to solicit bids to the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) through the Feedstock Flexibility Program (FFP). Congress created FFP in the 2008 Farm Bill which requires the purchase

Advocates for biomass utilization and renewable energy development from across the state and region will gather in Tunica, Mississippi on September 17-18, 2013, to learn, promote and network. This is the 12th year for the Southern Bioproducts and Renewable Energy Conference and promises to be an informative meeting. Since 2001,
by Jim Lane (BioInvest Digest) …KiOR’s fallen into the penalty box this week — it’s stock falling from a high of nearly $5 just a week ago — now disappearing into the sub-$3 range as the company missed production forecasts. By some margin. It was in May that the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In today’s Digest – visit our 5-Minute Guide to Loan Guarantees — INEOS Bio, Myriant, Sapphire Energy, Abengoa, Chemtex, Enerkem, Fiberight, Fulcrum, ZeaChem – Plus POET-DSM, Diamond Green Diesel, Coskata and Range Fuels Projects open for business INEOS Bio … Myriant … Sapphire Energy … Projects under construction Abengoa
by Patrick J. Kiger and Marianne Lavelle (National Geographic) … KiOR’s breakthrough is one part of a wide-ranging effort by a number of companies and government-supported researchers to develop and perfect “drop-in” biofuels—fuels so similar to their petroleum-based counterparts that they could be pumped through the same pipelines and used to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Advanced biofuels – mirage or reality? In January we wrote: “When these 12 projects open for business (or not) in 2013, you’ll know for sure.” So, what do we know? … We identified 12 “Bellwether projects” in January that were scheduled to open in 2013.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Singapore, Wilmar International and Elevance Renewable Sciences have just announced that they have begun shipping commercial products, including novel specialty chemicals, to customers from their first world-scale joint venture biorefinery, located in Gresik, Indonesia. The biorefinery is the first based on Elevance’s proprietary metathesis
Momentum: 12 Biobased Ventures Raise $435M in Q2 2013; 32 Projects Being Built off the Balance Sheet
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Despite negative press from Bloomberg, biobased investing is surging, both direct and via strategics. The Digest has the data and the scoop. After we profiled, last April, 17 biobased ventures who raised $434 million in new capital in Q4 2012 and Q1 2013, a report
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Texas, KiOR announced that its Columbus, Mississippi facility made its first shipment of cellulosic gasoline on June 28, which represented the first fuel shipment since March, 2013. The company added that it has “commenced regular shipments of both gasoline and diesel” also as of June