by Ken Silverstein (Forbes) ...By most standards, the hope that is such first-generation fuel additives are supplanted by next-generation ones, or those produced from cellulose. Worth it? Such fibers are abundant and could supply 130 million gallons a year of ethanol
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) Cleaner, more sustainable, more climate-friendly, more affordable advanced biofuels are closer to reality than many outside the industry seem to think. At least three new, advanced biofuel biorefineries are being commissioned this year, and at
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In North Carolina, Chemtex announced that it has received a $99 million conditional loan guarantee from USDA, under the USDA’s 9003 Biorefinery Assistance Program for the engineering and construction of “Project Alpha.” Chemtex is in discussions
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...Talk of a possible renewable fuel standard (RFS) waiver request became a reality in mid-August, when the U.S. EPA was officially petitioned. The clock starts on a 90-day deadline and a public comment period
(Renewable Fuels Association) Responding to an official waiver request of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) by North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) released the following statement: “The Environmental Protection Agency should reject Governor Perdue’s waiver request out
(City of Raleigh, NC/Biodiesel Magazine) The city of Raleigh has received a $100,000 grant from the Biofuels Center of North Carolina to purchase processing equipment and begin biofuel production at the Neuse River Wastewater Treatment Plant. In 2010, the City of
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced payments for 125 advanced Biofuel producers across the country to support the production and expansion of advanced biofuels from a wide variety of non-food sources, including waste products. "Advanced biofuels are
(Citizen-Times) Farmers, area restaurants and energy-conscious drivers could benefit from a pilot program to develop homegrown biofuels in the mountains. Blue Ridge Biofuels, AdvantageWest, Biltmore Estate and other partners have been awarded a $130,000 grant from the Biofuels Center of North
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Key proteins have been identified in a family of bacteria that help the microbes grab onto pieces of plant material in order to better degrade it. This was discovered during the examination of eight
(IowaCorn.org) A new study conducted by researchers at North Carolina State University and the University of Illinois at Chicago found a statistical correlation showing that as prices increase, farmers make changes that result in higher per acre yields. Farmers also
(Weed Science Society of America) The biofuels industry is hitting its stride, with both small farms and large-scale plantations producing renewable crops that can be converted to energy. But scientists with the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) caution that
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Section 9011 of the Farm Bill – the Biomass Crop Assistance Program – USDA deploys $9.6M in new investments in bioenergy crops as questions revolve around the program’s future and effectiveness. Is BCAP important? Will
(Chemtex International/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Chemtex International announced today (June 13, 2012) that it has been selected by the USDA to participate in the Biomass Crop Assistance Program. The $3,996,000 award will support establishing and growing over 4,000 acres of miscanthus and switchgrass across
by Emery P. Dalesio (The Republic/AP) An Italian company's Wilmington-based subsidiary is geared up to build a factory that can convert grassy plants into fuel for cars and trucks amid Sampson County's hog and turkey growers. With financial and verbal encouragement
(Biofuels Center of North Carolina) The Oxford Biodiesel Plant is capable of converting virgin or recycled fats and oils from multiple sources into 35,000 gallons of high quality biodiesel per year. The plant was constructed on North Carolina's Biofuels Campus
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Most of the stories we write at the Digest on the subject of biofuels feedstocks fall into the well-established realms of normal. But every once in a while, a feedstock emerges that is so compellingly
(Richmond County Daily Journal) Starting June 1, consumers will notice changes to the way ethanol-blended gasoline is labeled at their local gas station. The N.C. Rules Review Commission this week approved changes adopted by the Gasoline and Oil Inspection Board that
(PhysOrg) The drive to develop crops for use as biofuel, continues to raise questions about additional uses of forest land. A cutting edge computer model developed at North Carolina State University offers detailed insight to predict the environmental impact – along
by John Murawski (News Observer) The U.S. military’s quest to outfit American soldiers with an all-in-one power source could lead to a nondescript office in a Morrisville technology park where Triangle startups toil away in obscurity chasing big dreams. On a
(Maverick BioFuels) Companies will integrate technologies to accelerate the cost competitive production of transportation fuels and bioplastics from biomass and waste feedstocks... Maverick Biofuels, a second-generation biofuels and bioplastics technology company, and TopLine Energy Systems (TES) , an advanced technology manufacturer
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Small North Carolina producer continues to innovate The founder of Pittsboro, N.C.-based Piedmont Biofuels, Rachel Burton, gave details at the 2012 National Biodiesel Conference & Expo in Orlando on the company’s new commercially proven enzymatic transesterification
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) ...Development on innovative heating solutions will continue, but several unique heating systems are already in operation at plants across the U.S. In North Carolina, Patriot BioDiesel LLC has installed a system featuring ceramic elements that
(The Biofuels Center of North Carolina) The Biofuels Center of North Carolina has opened the Biofuels Company Accelerator to support the development of biofuels and related technology projects, researchers, and companies. A first component of North Carolina’s Biofuels Campus, in
(Algae Industry Magazine) Alganomics, LLC, the Southport, North Carolina-based producer of algae for biomass, has installed a photovoltaic solar system to offset energy used during the process of culturing algae for biofuel. With the aim to add new alternative energy
(Piedmont Biofuels) Breakthrough Expedites Transformation of Biodiesel Production Piedmont Biofuels announced today(February 7, 2012) that the company has commenced the first commercial scale zero-waste production of biodiesel in the United States using its proprietary approach of enzyme catalysis. Biodiesel is a
(Biofuels Center of North Carolina) The Biofuels Center is assisting with the development of a national biofuels curriculum by 4-H. The curriculum development is being led by North Carolina due to its strong program, good agricultural universities and extension services,
(Biofuels Center of North Carolina) The mission of the Biofuels Company Accelerator is to provide a place, intelligence, and connections to grow businesses, ideas, and relationships that contribute to the development of a biofuels industry across North Carolina. The Accelerator
(NCTechNews) ...In order to comply with and support these directives, Fort Bragg partnered with the Defense Energy Supply Center and the Army Petroleum Center to construct the Green Biofuel Superstation to serve its flex-fuel fleet and other military-owned equipment. The
by Whitney L.J. Howell (NewsObserver) ...Inside its redesigned, sustainable lab space near the Durham Performing Arts Center, GrassRoots Biotechnology uses patented research methods to study plant genes. The goal, said company co-founder Philip Benfey, is to pinpoint ways to strengthen plants
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) ...During the NASCAR Preview fan event in Charlotte, N.C. this weekend, American Ethanol announced that it will continue relationships with Richard Childress Racing and RAB Racing for the 2012 season. This is the second year for
(Jackson County Times-Journal) The United Soybean Board (USB) and soybean checkoff have announced the participants in the 2012 biodiesel and Bioheat® communications program, which helps cities across the United States spread the word about the only commercially available advanced biofuel. The
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In North Carolina, Applied Combustion Technologies announced the completion of a DOE grant to build and test a prototype crude glycerol burner. The 20 kW burner utilizes a novel spray atomization, high swirl burner approach in
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Retailers are concerned about increasing E85 prices as a result of the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit’s expiration, says Todd Garner, CEO of Boca Raton, Fla.-based ethanol marketer and distributor Protec Fuel Management LLC.
(WRAL) Lack of action by state lawmakers and Congress is expected to raise gas prices in North Carolina by more than 8 cents a gallon, starting Sunday. Half of the increase comes from the state. North Carolina's gas tax is linked
by Garry Niemeyer (National Corn Growers Association) Back in August, the Green Scissors Project identified ways the federal government could shave $380 billion from the federal budget over five years. But their $380 billion in proposed cuts included a major
(NBC17) The first alternative fuels station in Raleigh opened Wednesday afternoon on New Bern Ave. selling E-85 Ethonal and B-20 Bio-diesel. The Crown Express Mart is one of a tiny number of alternative fuel stations in the state, but experts those
by Matt Soberg (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Norfolk Southern Corp. reports that a new transload system decreased the time of operations from an average of 90 minutes to just 30 minutes in its first year of use at its Alexandria, Va.,
by John Murawski (News Observer) Raleigh now has a gasoline station that sells E85 ethanol fuel - the 18th such facility in the state built in recent years. The Crown Express Mart on New Bern Avenue began selling the 85 percent-ethanol
by Matt Soberg (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Lincoln Energy Solutions will nearly triple its ethanol and biodiesel transportation services, increasing its current fleet to 16 tankers with seven additional units scheduled to arrive by year end. With over 30 years of
by Tara Bozick (GoDanRiver.com) ...Chemtex International and its parent Gruppo Mossi and Ghisolfi, or the M&G Group, have been developing a lingo-cellulosic bio-ethanol technology called Proesa in a move away from petroleum and toward renewable materials. In today’s world, people
(Department of Energy/ARPA-E) ARPA-E Projects in 25 States Will Accelerate Innovation in Clean Energy Technologies, Increase America's Competitiveness and Create Jobs Arun Majumdar, Director of the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), today announced 60 cutting-edge research projects aimed
(University of Tennessee) Center to coordinate woody biomass production and utilization studies The Center for Renewable Carbon, a program of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, has been named by the USDA as a recipient of one of five coordinated
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today (September 27, 2011) announced that USDA will make payments to more than 160 energy producers in 41 states to support and ensure the production and expansion of advanced biofuels. "Renewable energy production
(Citizen-Times.com) About 50 interested farmers, academics, and biofuels experts toured the five acres of energy crops under study at N.C. State University’s Mountain Research Horticultural Research Station Wednesday for the first Western North Carolina Bioenergy Field Day. Chris Sawyer, an organic
(Bulk Transporter) Eco-Energy Holdings Inc is developing an ethanol unit train and storage facility in conjunction with its partner J T Russell & Sons Inc at its ethanol distribution facility in Denton NC. Eco-Energy has been distributing ethanol through Denton since
by Phil West (The Commercial Appeal) Legislature to consider incentives to land Israeli company's 800 jobs, $1B operation Gov. Haley Barbour wants state legislators to approve $100 million worth of financial incentives to help an Israeli biofuels company establish a headquarters
(US Department of Energy) In support of the Obama Administration's comprehensive efforts to strengthen U.S. energy security, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced up to $12 million to fund three small-scale projects in Illinois, Wisconsin, and North Carolina that
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The USDA’s Aug. 17 announcement of 900 Rural Energy for America Program grants included just 21 awards for blender pumps. USDA officials promise, however, that more funding is on the way. The announcement highlighted
(Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance) The Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance, alongside SBA Business Member companies in three states unveiled the first retail locations scored through the Sustainability Report Card for biodiesel at the nozzle. SBA Business members participated in this new system that scores
by Rachel Burton (Biodiesel Magazine/Piedmont Biofuels) ...Piedmont Biofuels made a strategic decision to voluntarily implement a quality management system (QMS) at its central North Carolina production facility. With this NREL data published, Piedmont was inspired to demonstrate that smaller producers
by Luke Geiver (Biodiesel Magazine) ...Biodiesel co-ops are doing their part in the continued growth of the industry one 5-gallon jug of waste vegetable oil (WVO) biodiesel at a time. If the 5 MMgy producers are working to provide an
(AvJet Biotech/PR.com) Unique Refining System Creates Aviation Biofuel from Renewable Native Feedstocks Avjet Biotech, Inc., a leading developer of small distributive refining systems in the 10 million gallon per year range and parent company of Red Wolf Refining, has announced the
(Waste and Recycling News) Detroit-based DART said its new location will turn alcohol and sugar-based beverages such as old beer, wine, soda, juice and liquor into fuel grade ethanol. In addition, the company said, the facility will also convert the
W. Steven Burke (Biofuels Center of North Carolina) ...America will continue to seek more augmentation of petroleum-based fuels and thus needs new models to gain large amounts of liquid fuel from sources other than corn in places other than the Midwest. North Carolina
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) In Catawba County, N.C., a partnership between the county and Appalachian State University is planning to commemorate the completion of the Catawba County-Appalachian State University Biodiesel Research, Development and Production Facility on Aug. 15. The
by Suzanne Ulbrich (ENCToday) A delivery aboard Camp Lejeune Monday morning marked the culmination of a test project to provide renewable fuels for North Carolina’s military. Officials aboard Camp Lejeune received 800 gallons of state grown and processed biodiesel fuel as part
by David Ranii (News Observer) The Research Triangle Regional Partnership is one of seven regional groups across the state selected by the Biofuels Center of North Carolina to identify sites suitable for a biofuels production facility. The goal is to come up
by Richard Craver (Winston-Salem Journal) ...Sparky's is not just one of only five stations in the state offering E85 and biodiesel. It also is the only one using recently approved ethanol-blending dispensers that provide two lower ethanol options — E15 and E30.
(Waste & Recycling News) The Environmental Research and Education Foundation received $93,000 in funding from the North Carolina Biofuels Center to study the potential for using municipal solid waste as feedstock for biofuel production. The study will evaluate the mechanisms and
by Chris Berendt (The Sampson Independent) A $160 million ethanol biofuels plant would bring 65 new jobs and an opportunity for Sampson County to position itself on the forefront of alternative energy technology as the site of the first plant of
(BusinessWire) Eco-Energy, Inc. announced its operating entity, Eco Distribution Charlotte, along with minority partner Charlotte Terminal 1, Inc., will reopen the petroleum storage and sales terminal located at 7720 Old Mt. Holly Road in Charlotte, NC. “Eco-Energy has been active in
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Magnolia, North Carolina is the newest home of an E85 station, just off of Interstate 40. This marks the state’s 16th E85 station, but the first one funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act via the Carolina
(WITN.com) At the Magnolia Marketplace in Duplin county, just off of Interstate 40, flex fuel vehicles can now fill up. The E-85 fuel dispenser is the first one to open that's funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Organizers
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Virent, Genomatica, HCL Clean Tech among the winners, as DOE fosters replacement of “entire barrel of oil” in latest funding round In Washington, US Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced up to $36 millionto fund six small-scale
by Anne Blythe (The Charlotte Observer) Yellow kitchen grease has become as good as gold as gasoline prices soar and biodiesel fuel becomes more appealing. Just as one industry's waste becomes a hot commodity for another, a slippery underworld of fry
by Sarah Shew Wilson (Star News) Although Southport officials balked at using city property for the purpose, the Oak Island Town Council voted unanimously Tuesday to work with algae farm owner and scientist Kim Jones to create a sustainable energy
by Robin Bravender (Politico) Senate Republicans are pushing a plan to morph the Energy Department and the EPA into one giant agency. A bill introduced Thursday by Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C) would combine the DOE and the EPA into a new agency
by Jim Snyder (Bloomberg) ...Senators Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, and Tom Coburn, an Oklahoma Republican, said the 45-cent credit, which is given to oil refiners for each gallon of ethanol they blend with gasoline, was unjustified given the U.S. deficit. The break
by Sharon McBrayer (Hickory Daily Record) ...Catawba County Board of Commissioners voted 3-1, with Randall Isenhower voting against the measure, to award a construction bid to Hamlett Associates, Inc. of Climax for $775,786 to build a crop processing facilityat its Biodiesel Research Facility. ...County officials
(Biofuels Center of North Carolina) The Biofuels Center of North Carolina has awarded $1.6 million for 15 projects statewide to accelerate the commercialization of renewable liquid fuels. Awards are made through the 2011 Statewide Biofuels Development Grants Program. Biofuels Center president
(PRLog/Avjet Biotech) Avjet Biotech, Inc. (ABI), a leading developer of small distributive refining systems in the 10 to 15 million gallon per year range and parent company of Red Wolf Refining, has announced that it has concluded a license
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced research grants awarded to spur production of bioenergy and biobased products that will lead to the development of sustainable regional systems and help create jobs. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s
by Erin Voegele (Biorefining Magazine) Morrisville, Penn.-based BARD Holdings Inc. recently announced its shift from research and development to the commercialization phase of its algae production technology. According to Avery Hong, BARD’s chief global strategist, the company has completed
by Charity Pennock (Southern Growth Policies Board) One of the South’s opportunities for job creation and renewed economic growth is through the development of the region’s bioeconomy. The bioeconomy is the creation of power, fuels, and products from biomass—organic material
(Morningstar Business Wire/Phytonix) Asheville, NC-based Phytonix Corporation now owns the exclusive worldwide licensing rights for a cutting-edge technology to create an environmentally friendly fuel that replaces gasoline. It also has partnered with a top European University laboratory to create the biosafe bacteria
(SmartFlow Technologies) SmartFlow Technologies announces that it will supply its advanced continuous processing solids separation and cell concentration systems to INEOS New Planet BioEnergy for use in their commercial-scale advanced bio-energy facility, the first to use the INEOS Bio technology. The
(USDA) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced new investments in 33 states to support the production and usage of advanced biofuels. Vilsack highlighted these projects as ways the Obama Administration is working to reduce the nation's dependence on foreign oil
by Vikki Broughton Hodges (The Dispatch) The first local retail sales of ethanol and biodiesel fuels are scheduled to begin in April at Sparky’s Marketplace, a new service station, convenience store and car wash being developed by Hill Oil Co.
(Biofuels Center of North Carolina) Retired U.S. Coast Guard veteran Captain Terry Carter has joined the Biofuels Center staff as director of eastern and military partnerships. He will lead a significant large project, Eastern Gain: Biofuels Enrich Our Communities, Economy, and Security. A
by Willie Vogt (Farm Futures) ...Cellana, an algal biofuel research company based in Kailua Kona, Hawaii, is leading a consortium that includes Cornell, Duke University, San Francisco State University, the University of Hawaii and the University of Southern Mississippi. The
(Maverick Biofuels) Maverick Biofuels, a second-generation biofuels company, October 12, 2010, announced that it is planning to build a pilot scale biorefinery to produce mixed-alcohol biofuels from biomass and municipal solid waste. With 85% of the energy of gasoline, Maverick’s mixed-alcohol
by Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine) The work of ThermoChem Recovery International has already changed the future for one small Wisconsin community. A small town in the woods of Wisconsin, fresh off the bankruptcy and closing of its century-old paper mill, might
(GlobalPaperMoney) KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation (NYSE: KS) announced that the company was notified that its registration as a producer of cellulosic biofuel for the tax year 2009 has been approved. With this registration, KapStone may apply for a nonrefundable income
(US Department of Energy) U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced September 8, 2010, the investment of up to $16.5 million for two major research and development (R&D) initiatives that will support the expansion of renewable transportation fuels production. The first initiative
by Laura Oleniacz (ENC Today) The commanding general in charge of many of the Marines Corps’ installations on the East Coast said that locally produced biofuels could help the Marines meet the “considerable” renewable energy goals required by federal law. Maj. Gen.
by Sam Harris (Charlotte Observer) ...In conjunction with a national program known as "FreeWays to Fuel" ( freewaystofuel.org), researchers at N.C. State University are working to grow canola and sunflower crops along the wasted edges of highways and other marginal
by Laura Graff (Winston-Salem Journal) Entrepreneur proposes $400 million plant in city. A Winston-Salem entrepreneur wants to turn Winston-Salem's trash into gas. Tyrone Holmes is proposing that the city stop using landfills and start putting waste into a $400 million plant he
(Algae Industry Magazine) Dr. William L. Roberts, a professor in the department of mechanical and aerospace engineering at North Carolina State University, and his colleagues, four biologists and three engineers, are working on ways to produce and extract lipids from
(Piedmont Biofuels) ...The Enzymatic Biodiesel pilot plant was developed in partnership with the Biofuels Center of North Carolina, Novozymes, and the Chatham County Economic Development Corporation. This is the first pilot plant of its kind in the United States and
(North Carolina State University) Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a more efficient technique for producing biofuels from woody plants that significantly reduces the waste that results from conventional biofuel production techniques. The technique is a significant step toward
(Citizen-Times.com) A small field of bright yellow flowers planted by the N.C. Department of Transportation along Interstate 40 may look like any other bed of wildflowers, but in the case of this crop, there is more than meets the eye. Two
(North Carolina State University) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA-E) has awarded a grant for more than $2.7 million to North Carolina State University to support research into the creation of biofuels using microbial organisms, called extremophiles,
by Mike Voss (Washington (NC) Daily News) With rising fuel costs taking a toll on the city’s budget, Washington implemented a green-fleets policy to help combat those escalating costs. Under the policy, city-owned and operated cars and trucks use alternative fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Scott Carpenter once noted that we know more about the heavens than the sea — but for biofuels, there is every urgent reason to look carefully to salt-friendly projects that can utilize brackish water, or
(Task Force on Renewable Alternative Fuels Final Report) The Task Force on Renewable Alternative Fuels (Chapter 540 of 2007), chaired by Secretary of Agriculture Roger Richardson and staffed by the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA), consisted of two legislative members, the
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