A Geospatial View of Biodiesel Activity
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Biodiesel Magazine provides a visual of prominent project development activities over the past year. READ MORE
Washington
Back TO HOMEViewpoint: Washington State to Shift Focus to LCFS
(Argus Media) Washington state lawmakers plan to turn their attention to passing a clean fuel standard to address climate change, after failing to win public support for an economy-wide price on carbon. Governor Jay Inslee (D) and key Democratic state lawmakers have
January 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Grease. Gunk. Sludge. Where Most People See a Nasty Nuisance, These Scientists See Powerful Potential.
(U.S. Department of Energy) Join us on this episode as we wade into the world of bioenergy and learn about the folks working to turn noxious waste into useful energy. Then read on for more bioenergy stories and background from the Department of Energy and
December 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Who’s Up, Down, Top, Charmed and Strange in the Bioeconomy: Learnings from the Earnings, as Four Bellwether Stocks Report
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... So, let’s look at Q3 earnings statements now just coming out from four of the sector’s signature companies in light-duty and heavy-duty fuels, enzymes, and nutrition and wellness. Namely, Aemetis, Novozymes, Renewable Energy Group and
December 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Port of St. Helens Acts on Crude Oil Shipments to Clatskanie Area
by Chole Skaar (TDN.com) In a unanimous vote, the Port of St. Helens commissioners on Wednesday agreed to allow a wider range of crude oil grades to be shipped by train to Global Partners’ Port Westward export dock. ... Port commissioners limited crude
December 13, 2018 Read Full Article
Clean Electricity, Clean Buildings and Clean Transportation: Inslee Plan Would Launch Comprehensive Clean Energy Transition and Significantly Drive Down Emissions
(Office of Washington State Governor Jay Inslee) Gov. Jay Inslee was joined today by Democratic legislators and climate action supporters to unveil a plan that would launch a dramatic reduction of Washington state’s greenhouse gas emissions over the next 15 years. The
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
RNG Industry Celebrates Growth, Honors 12 Companies
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
December 06, 2018 Read Full Article
First Committee Chair Backs Green New Deal
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) Rep. Nydia Velázquez , the presumptive incoming chairwoman of the Small Business Committee, became the latest House Democrat to back the Green New Deal on Tuesday. "We cannot delay when it comes to addressing this
December 05, 2018 Read Full Article
A Carbon Tax Wave? 7 States Considering Carbon Pricing to Fight Climate Change
by Marianne Lavelle (Inside Climate News) Democratic election victories raised the odds of climate change policies succeeding, activists and analysts say. A national plan was also just floated in Congress. -- At least seven state governments are poised at the brink of
December 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Executive Interview: Seattle Proudly Advocates for Alternative Fuels
(ACT News) An ACT News Executive Interview with Andrea Pratt, Climate & Transportation Policy Advisor, Drive Clean Seattle Program Manager, City of Seattle, Washington Andrea Pratt is passionate about mitigating climate change. She studied Oceanography at the University of Washington, where climate
November 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Bioenergy Is the Overlooked Giant of Decarbonization
by Graham Noyes (OurEnergyPolicy.org/Noyes Law Corporation) In October, the International Energy Agency (IEA) reaffirmed the leading role that bioenergy continues to play in decarbonization. IEA Executive Director, Dr. Fatih Barol, pointedly stated, “Modern bioenergy is the overlooked giant of the renewable energy field…
November 18, 2018 Read Full Article
The 2018 Algae Biomass Summit: Tracing the Evolution of the Algae Industry and Its New Trajectories Forward
by Jenna Bloxom* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The kickoff of the 2018 Algae Biomass Summit in The Woodlands, TX, was awash with the same professional ambition, intellectual zeal, and indomitable sense of hope which likewise distinguished the opening ceremony of this
November 17, 2018 Read Full Article
DIVERSITY TRAVEL GRANT AWARD: Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals — April 28-May 1, 2019 — Seattle, WA DEADLINE: December 7, 2018
The first Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals was held in 1978 and hosted by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Oak Ridge, TN). It was the first technical meeting focusing exclusively on the biotechnologically-‐mediated conversion of renewable feedstocks, especially lignocellulosic
November 12, 2018 Read Full Article
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals — April 28-May 1, 2019 — Seattle, WA DEADLINE: December 7, 2018
The first Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals was held in 1978 and hosted by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Oak Ridge, TN). It was the first technical meeting focusing exclusively on the biotechnologically-‐mediated conversion of renewable feedstocks, especially lignocellulosic
November 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals --- April 28-May 1, 2019 --- Seattle, WA
The first Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals was held in 1978 and hosted by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Oak Ridge, TN). It was the first technical meeting focusing exclusively on the biotechnologically-‐mediated conversion of renewable feedstocks, especially lignocellulosic
November 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Heard on the Floor: Reflections and the Buzz from ABLC Global 2018
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It was, at times, not unlike the old trading floor of the Chicago Board of Trade and that was no coincidence, for there was optimism abounding and the deal-talk that flows from a general feeling that
November 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Washington State Voters Reject Carbon Tax
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) Voters in Washington state on Tuesday rejected a proposed carbon tax that would have been the first such levy in the nation. The policy would have been an effort to fight climate change by mandating that companies using or selling fossil
November 07, 2018 Read Full Article
Who's Running Things? With Democrats Preparing to Run the House
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) With Democrats preparing to run the House, here's how the committee leadership shuffle is expected to work out. — Energy and Commerce Committee: New Jersey Democrat Frank Pallone will grab the gavel of this panel with
November 07, 2018 Read Full Article
The Complex Dynamics of Coprocessing
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
November 06, 2018 Read Full Article
For the Times They Are a Changin’ – Conversions Abound from Diesel to Renewable Diesel
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
November 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Redesigning Poplar Trees to Take the Drought ... and the Salt and the Heat
(North American Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance) Poplar saplings being grown at the University of California Davis are not expected to survive the rigorous conditions simulating prolonged droughts and heat waves that are being imposed on them. But they are helping a
November 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Phillips 66, REG to Build Renewable Diesel Plant in Washington
(Renewable Energy Group Inc./Biomass Magazine) Phillips 66 and Renewable Energy Group Inc. announced Nov. 1 that planning is underway for the construction of a large-scale renewable diesel plant on the U.S. West Coast. The plant would utilize REG’s proprietary BioSynfining technology for
November 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Take-Off: 350 Million Bucks towards Drop-in Aviation Biofuels for the California Market
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
October 31, 2018 Read Full Article
REI, Microsoft Rallying Companies to Support Washington’s Proposed Carbon Fee
by Nithin Coca (Sustainable Brands) Next month’s election could potentially be historic for Washington State, where voters will have the choice of enacting the first-in-the-nation carbon fee — a concrete measure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the state. Measure 1631
October 29, 2018 Read Full Article
Sampling Guts of Live Moose to Understand How They Break down Biomass
(Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory/Phys.Org) Microbes in the gastrointestinal tract of ruminants such as moose help break down recalcitrant plant biomass into carbon nutrients, but how do they do this over the course of seasons when the moose diet changes, and what
October 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Texas A&M AgriLife Research Wins $2 Million for Biofuel Research
(Texas A&M AgriLife Research/Ethanol Producer Magazine) A $2.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office to Texas A&M AgriLife Research will help researchers investigate potential discoveries for waste products used in lignocellulosic biofuel production, turning them into
October 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Right Here in River City
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Then, seaport waterfront was teeming with ships, cargo, terminals, rail connections, power, water supply — not to mention rats, raw sewage, saloons, flophouses and itinerant sailors. Because oil supply came into the seaports, that’s where
October 24, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to 26 Advantaged Biobased Chemical Platforms
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The problem: The vast number of potential chemicals and products that could be made from biomass makes prioritization of research difficult for optimizing market viability, cost competitiveness, environmental benefits, and supply chain development. The project: This CEMAC/DOE initiative studied
October 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Of Flying Peaches and Barrels of Monkeys: The Quest for Sustainable Flight by World-Scaling a Neurotransmitter
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... And that’s the story of the bioeconomy in some ways — the search for ways to use the things we have too much of, so that we can stop using the things that lead to imbalances
October 09, 2018 Read Full Article
Redesigning Poplar Trees to Take the Drought ... and the Salt and the Heat
by Laura Shields (Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Improving poplar biomass production under stress conditions -- ... Stresses, such as high temperatures and a lack of freshwater, can cause reduced crop growth or even complete loss. The rising frequency of these
October 08, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuel Takes Flight: Virgin Atlantic 747 Aircraft Partly Powered by Recycled Fuel
by Neil Lancefield (Perth Now) The first commercial flight powered partly by a new form of biofuel converted from alcohol has been completed. Virgin Atlantic's Boeing 747 aircraft landed at London Gatwick with a fuel blend containing 5.0 per cent biofuel made from
October 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Development, Deployment of Integrated Biorefineries: The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to Biorefining in the US
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) IEA Bioenergy Task 42’s goal is to contribute to the development and deployment of integrated biorefineries as part of highly efficient sustainable value chains (co-)producing food/feed ingredients, chemicals, materials, fuels, power and/or heat out of sustainably sourced
October 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Seattle University Will Become First College in State to Divest of Fossil Fuels
by Katherine Long (Seattle Times) The university says it will become the first among the nation's 28 Jesuit universities to divest its endowment of fossil fuels. -- Seattle University will become the first university in Washington state to divest its endowment of
September 21, 2018 Read Full Article
LCFS Matures: Amendments to California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard Could Lead to Favorable Changes for the Ethanol Industry.
by Tim Albrecht (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... The LCFS is administered by the California Air Resources Board and uses a market-based cap-and-trade approach to ultimately lower GHG emissions, says Jessica Buckley, senior environmental scientist for RTP Environmental Associates Inc. “California essentially created
September 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Alaska Airlines Partner with Neste as Part of Its Efforts to Fly Greener and Expand Use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels
(Alaska Airlines/Travel PR News) As part of Alaska Airlines’ ongoing efforts to fly greener and expand use of sustainable aviation fuels, Neste and Alaska have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). In addition to Alaska’s efforts to increase fuel-efficiency and adopt innovative flight technology, the
September 14, 2018 Read Full Article
RNG Energy Solutions and Philadelphia Energy Solutions Partner to Form Point Breeze Renewable Energy
(Philadelphia Energy Solutions) RNG Energy Solutions (RNG Energy) and Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refining and Marketing LLC (PES) announced today that they have completed and executed several contracts including a long-term renewable natural gas sales agreement and site lease agreement to build
August 30, 2018 Read Full Article
High Performance Fuels & Vehicles, Both: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to DOE’s Co-Optima Project and HP Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy has a key project called Co-Optima, which aims to determine key fuel properties that enable improved engine efficiency, provide key science to enable high efficiency combustion modes, and capitalize on unique
July 31, 2018 Read Full Article
Fight Heats up over Washington State Carbon ‘Fee’ Likely to Make Fall Ballot
by Hal Bernton (Seattle Times) Proponents of a Washington carbon-fee initiative showed up at the Secretary of State’s office in Olympia with more than 370,000 signatures to put their measure on the November ballot. The signatures tally for Initiative 1631 — backed
July 11, 2018 Read Full Article
A Matter of Gravity—Understanding How Plants Grow in Space
by Tom Rickey (Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory/Phys.Org) Last month a rocket thundered off a NASA launch pad in Virginia, destined for the International Space Station. Nestled among the 7,400 lbs. of supplies was a handful of seeds designed to open new
July 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Seeking a Friend for the End of Unreliability: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the Feedstock Conversion Interface Consortium
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What is the Feedstock Conversion Interface Consortium and why does it exist? The Why is simple. #1 issue plaguing High and Low Temperature IBR projects is consistent operability of preprocessing and primary deconstruction. In response, researchers have joined
July 06, 2018 Read Full Article
WSU Researchers Creating Catalyst to Improve Jet Biofuel Production
by Maegan Murray (Washington State University-Tri-Cities) Efforts to create an environmentally friendly catalyst that will lower the cost and increase the efficiency in producing bio-based jet fuels has netted Washington State University researchers a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and
June 29, 2018 Read Full Article
Forest Concepts Receives $1.8 Million from DOE to Improve the Design of Biomass Handling Systems
(Forest Concepts/EIN Presswire) Forest Concepts LLC has been awarded a $1.8 million cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (https://www.energy.gov/eere/bioenergy) to address the critical issues of poor flowability, high friction, and highly variable physical properties that
June 22, 2018 Read Full Article
WSU Professor Lands $500,000 Grant to Pursue Lignin to Biofuel Conversion
by Maegan Murray (Washington State University Tri-Cities) WSU Tri-Cities associate professor Xiao Zhang is targeting the use of lignin — a common material that makes the cell walls of plants rigid — to create affordable biofuels and bioproducts. Interested in the project,
June 22, 2018 Read Full Article
PNNL Technology Clears Way for Ethanol-Derived Jet Fuel
(U.S. Department of Energy/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory/EurekAlert!) ASTM International updates standard for alcohol-to-jet synthetic paraffinic kerosene based on fuel produced by PNNL partner LanzaTech -- ASTM International recently revised ASTM D7566 Annex A5 -- the Standard Specification for Aviation Turbine Fuel Containing
June 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Eleven Years After Bill, City Fleets in Washington State are Nowhere Near Abandoning Gas-Powered Vehicles
by Nicholas Deshais (The Spokesman-Review/GovTech) Seattle has the most alternative-fuel vehicles in its municipal fleet. But its fleet is supposed to be 100 percent alternative. -- ... In 2007, Washington state Gov. Chris Gregoire signed a law that said cities, counties and
June 12, 2018 Read Full Article
The Carbon Rescuers: 20 Top Waste Projects and Breakthroughs that Capture Used Carbon from the Waste Pile for New Uses
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In these top 20 projects, we usually say that we are using waste, but really we are converting something from a state of waste to a state of value — and that’s not just good for
June 05, 2018 Read Full Article
King County Is Now a Leading Producer of Clean, Renewable Biofuel that Can Be Used by Commercial Vehicles
(Office of King County Executive) At its South Treatment Plant in Renton, King County is purifying the biogas into renewable natural gas, an alternative to fossil fuels that generates revenue for the county while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. King County -- which
May 28, 2018 Read Full Article
Historic Flight: Commercial Jet Flies on 100 Percent Biofuel
by Glenn Farley (K5 News) In the Boeing test, a 777 freighter, ran on residual animal fats and plant oils. -- In a historic first, Boeing has flown the first commercial jet on 100 percent biofuel. The flight was Seattle to Memphis
May 11, 2018 Read Full Article
California Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Renewable Fuel Fraud
(U.S. Department of Justice) Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and United States Attorney Joseph H. Harrington for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Jin Chul “Jacob” Cha, 41, of
May 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Advanced Algal Systems Listening Session --- June 13, 2018 --- Seattle, WA
On June 13, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) will host the Advanced Algal Systems Listening Session in Seattle, Washington. BETO is seeking feedback from experts in algal biology, cultivation, and conversion on how to address near-term
May 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Port of Seattle Announces Partnership for Sustainable Aviation Fuels at Sea-Tac Airport
(Port of Seattle) Innovative partnership with 13 airlines aims to replace 10 percent of traditional jet fuel with local, sustainable supply in 10 years -- The Port of Seattle announced today that 13 airlines, including Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Horizon Airlines,
May 09, 2018 Read Full Article
California And 16 Other States Are Suing Trump To Stop Him Destroying Emissions Standards
by Raphael Orlove (Jalopnik) Our emissions standards are probably the biggest booster to automotive performance in the past half century, making our cars not only more eco-friendly but more powerful, too. Trump has been trying to cut it all down, but now California
May 01, 2018 Read Full Article
Mater, Want Jet to Always Love Me: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Sustainable Jet Fuel and the Carbon War Room
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Adam Klauber of the Rocky Mountain Institute gave this presentation about working with airports to increase sustainable alternative jet fuel use at ABLC in Washington, DC this spring. READ MORE
April 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Cars Threaten Climate Goals in Blue States
by Benjamin Storrow (E&E News) ... Transportation emissions threaten to undercut blue states' climate goals, raising questions about their ability to lead U.S. climate efforts at a time when the federal government is rolling back environmental regulations. Emissions from cars, trucks
April 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Seaweed-into-Biofuel Project Gets Department of Energy Support
(Phys.Org/Colorado State University) A Colorado State University project to grow and harvest ocean macroalgae for biofuel production has received support from the Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). ARPA-E has poured over $22 million into their Macroalgae Research Inspiring Novel
April 17, 2018 Read Full Article
Washington Governor Signs RNG Bill into Law
by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) Gov. Jay Inslee, D-Wash., has signed into law a bill designed to encourage the increased development and use of renewable natural gas (RNG) in Washington State. According to the Northwest Gas Association (NWGA), H.B.2580 passed the legislature just hours
April 02, 2018 Read Full Article
ARPA-E Announces $16M in Funding for 8 New Projects to Develop High-Efficiency Distributed Generations Systems Integrating Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
(FuelsCellsWorks/U.S. Department of Energy) Innovative Natural-gas Technologies for Efficiency Gain in Reliable and Affordable Thermochemical Electricity-generation (INTEGRATE) The U.S. electric system is dominated by large, central power plants and an extensive transmission and distribution system commonly referred to as the “grid.” Two-thirds
March 16, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Sustainable Bioeconomy for Arid Regions (SBAR)
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sustainable Bioeconomy for Arid Regions (SBAR) is a multi-level research project that will cultivate two desert-dwelling crops, guayule and guar, for a sustainable bioeconomy. Combined, guayule (perennial) and guar (annual) feedstocks can provide biomass year round
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
DOE Doles out Millions for Natural Gas Engine Research
by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $4 million to support three new cost-shared research projects focused on medium- and heavy-duty, on-road natural gas engines, as well as $3 million to support two new cost-shared research projects
March 08, 2018 Read Full Article
Commercial Time: Aemetis Embarks on $158 Million Cellulosic Ethanol Project in California
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... I’d start with the news from Aemetis that they are embarking now on a $158 million cellulosic ethanol plant — to be built in Riverbank, California, in partnership with LanzaTech. Cellulosic ethanol is selling for such
March 08, 2018 Read Full Article
California Biofuel Event Showcases Dynamics of Evolving Industry
(The California Advanced Biofuels Alliance /Biodiesel Magazine) At the California Advanced Biofuels Conference March 1 in Sacramento, Jennifer Case, chair of California Advanced Biofuels Alliance, gave her annual address to a packed house that has evolved to include major industry players, both
March 07, 2018 Read Full Article
Aemetis Completes Operation of Cellulosic Ethanol Integrated Demonstration Unit, Produced Record Yields
by Kelly Shaver (Aemetis) Aemetis, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMTX) announced today that the company successfully built and operated an integrated demonstration unit for more than 120 days of continuous operations with 94% uptime, meeting the requirements for a federal USDA 9003 Biorefinery Assistance
March 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Advanced Algal Systems Listening Session --- June 13, 2018 --- Seattle, WA
On June 13, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) will host the Advanced Algal Systems Listening Session in Seattle, Washington. BETO is seeking feedback from experts in algal biology, cultivation, and conversion on how to address near-term
February 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuel Powers First 737 Max Delivery to TUI Nordic
(Flight Global) Scandinavian operator TUI Nordic has taken delivery of its first Boeing 737 Max, the second to be received by the tourism group. The airline conducted the Max 8 delivery flight – from Seattle to Stockholm – using a 30% blend
February 27, 2018 Read Full Article
The 8th International Conference on Algal Biomass, Biofuels and Bioproducts --- June 11-13, 2018 --- Seattle, WA
The 8th International Conference on Algal Biomass, Biofuels and Bioproducts (AlgalBBB 2018) will continue this year with renewed focus from investigators in this area of research. In our new venue for the year, Seattle, we will continue to provide an exciting
February 22, 2018 Read Full Article
High Performance Fuels: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to DOE’s Co-Optima Project and HP fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy has a key project called Co-Optima, which aims to determine key fuel properties that enable improved engine efficiency, provide key science to enable high efficiency combustion modes, and capitalize on unique
February 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Making It Count: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the Consortium for Computational Physics and Chemistry
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Consortium for Computational Physics and Chemistry (CCPC) is a joint core research and development activity among five national laboratories that has been created to utilize unique DOE computational modeling facilities and experience in order to
February 15, 2018 Read Full Article
9 States Buck the Trump Administration and Move Forward with a Price on Carbon Pollution
by Natasha Geiling (ThinkProgress) Currently only one state in the country has an economy-wide cap on carbon. These states want to change that -- Lawmakers from nine states announced on Wednesday that they would be forming a coalition to help pass carbon pricing
February 01, 2018 Read Full Article
Against the Odds
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
January 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Industry Honors Biodiesel Champions, Reflects on History
(National Biodiesel Board) Annual awards highlight 25 years of biodiesel success -- As the U.S. biodiesel industry celebrates 25 years, the National Biodiesel Board’s annual awards recognize a diverse group of individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions to biodiesel. From
January 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Top 20 Advanced Bioeconomy Projects underway in North America
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
January 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Contanda Plans Expansion at Grays Harbor, Washington Facility
(Contanda) In anticipation of increased demand for low-carbon, cleaner fuels, Contanda plans to expand its facility at Grays Harbor to store a portfolio of cleaner fuels including biodiesel, renewable diesel and ultra-low sulfur diesel. Since 2009, Contanda has safely operated a state
January 18, 2018 Read Full Article
New Process for Producing Methane Discovered by American Biochemists
by JP Casey (Power Technology) ... A team of biochemists from Utah State University and the University of Washington has reported a variation in the process of nitrogenase which can “transform carbon dioxide into methane in a single, enzymatic step”. Typically,
January 17, 2018 Read Full Article
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: The 8th International Conference on Algal Biomass, Biofuels and Bioproducts — June 11-13, 2018 — Seattle, WA DEADLINE: February 2, 2018
The 8th International Conference on Algal Biomass, Biofuels and Bioproducts (AlgalBBB 2018) will continue this year with renewed focus from investigators in this area of research. In our new venue for the year, Seattle, we will continue to provide an exciting
January 17, 2018 Read Full Article
The 8th International Conference on Algal Biomass, Biofuels and Bioproducts --- June 11-13, 2018 --- Seattle, WA
The 8th International Conference on Algal Biomass, Biofuels and Bioproducts (AlgalBBB 2018) will continue this year with renewed focus from investigators in this area of research. In our new venue for the year, Seattle, we will continue to provide an exciting
January 17, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Jet Fuel from Biorefinery Waste
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Back in 2016, researchers at Washington State University Tri-Cities landed a National Science Foundation I-Corps grant to explore the market potential of their biojet fuel research. The team had successfully demonstrated a new, water-based process for deconstructing
January 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Washington State Readies Carbon Tax Push
(Axios) Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, will unveil a carbon tax proposal in his address to the state Tuesday, local media reported Thursday. Why it matters outside of that Washington: The debate, while unique to the Evergreen State, is also emblematic of the struggles
January 05, 2018 Read Full Article
2017 — It Was a Seaweed Year for Algae
(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
January 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Tacoma Wants to Turn Your Poop into Renewable Fuel. Really.
by Candace Ruud (The News Tribune) ... In a few years, the stuff you flush could be used as green fuel, potentially powering vehicles around the country. The city’s Environmental Services Department also is hoping to make a little money from the
December 30, 2017 Read Full Article
A Boeing/Embraer Merger Could Mean Deeper Aviation Biofuel Research Collaboration
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Washington state, collaboration on aviation biofuel research may deepen between Boeing and Embraer should a merger between the two companies go forward, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. The paper broke the story Wednesday
December 22, 2017 Read Full Article
Judge Rules State Can’t Enforce Inslee Order to Cut Greenhouse-Gas Emissions
by Jim Brunner (News Tribune) Dealing a setback to Gov. Jay Inslee’s climate agenda, a judge has invalidated major portions of a state rule requiring greenhouse-gas cuts by refineries, fuel distributors and dozens of other major industrial emitters. ... The ruling means the
December 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Q&A with Bioenergy Researchers: Making Biocrude and Biofuel from Human Waste
by Erik Hyrkas (U.S. Department of Energy) Did you know that the Energy Department is working to create biofuel from resources like human waste? In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technology Office works with national laboratories to research the
December 14, 2017 Read Full Article
Leaders Across the Americas Vow to “Make the Planet Great Again” by Establishing a Price on Carbon
by Waldo del Bosque (EcoSystem Marketplace) The United States may have withdrawn from the Paris Climate Agreement, but national and regional leaders from across the Americas have vowed to “Make the Planet Great Again” by embracing a price on carbon at
December 13, 2017 Read Full Article
CRISPR’s Impact on Diesel Is Now
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Now, Fuzhong Zhang, associate professor at the School of Engineering & Applied Science updated the Digest this week and noted that “We designed and then constructed a synthetic metabolic pathway inside the fast-growing E.coli by
November 30, 2017 Read Full Article
Are Petite Poplars the Future of Biofuels? Studies Say Yes
by Michelle Ma (Phys.Org/University of Washington) In the quest to produce affordable biofuels, poplar trees are one of the Pacific Northwest's best bets—the trees are abundant, fast-growing, adaptable to many terrains and their wood can be transformed into substances used in
November 22, 2017 Read Full Article
Aemetis Provides Update of Cellulosic Ethanol Initiatives
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... During an earnings call, McAfee provided an overview of advanced biofuel projects under development by Aemetis, including the LanzaTech cellulosic upgrade to the company’s Keyes, California, plant and the agreement to acquire Edeniq to
November 14, 2017 Read Full Article
No Crop Left Behind: Inside the USDA’s Bioeconomy Feedstock Strategy
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
November 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Slash and Build: Study Aids Forestry Biofuel Industry
by Siddharth Vodnala (Washington State University News) Researchers from Washington State University, along with those from Oregon State University and the University of Montana, have recently devised refined methods to estimate the amount of forest residue — the leftovers from trees
October 26, 2017 Read Full Article
Airports Can Help Make Air Transportation More Sustainable
(Port of Seattle/Seattle Times) Sustainable aviation biofuels could help airlines transition away from fossil fuels and alleviate some impacts of climate change. -- ... Our generation’s greatest gift could be to make air travel environmentally friendly by transitioning away from legacy
October 11, 2017 Read Full Article
WSU, PNNL Convert Biofuel Waste into Commodity, Now Targeting Sewage Sludge
by Maegan Murray (WSU Tri-Cities/Washington State University) A method of converting a biofuel waste product into a usable and valuable commodity has been discovered by researchers at Washington State University and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Converting algae to biofuels is a two-step process.
October 09, 2017 Read Full Article
8 Fast Flyers Chosen for Top Cat: The Big Attack on Biomass Catalysis Begins
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Somewhere in the files of the Department of Energy it is called the Chemical Catalysis for Bioenergy Consortium. Inside the halls of National Labs, they call it ChemCatBio. ... They’re on a mission to bring forward commercial bioenergy applications two
October 05, 2017 Read Full Article
USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Announces $21.1 Million to Grow the Bioeconomy
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced six grants totaling nearly $21.1 million to support the development of new jet fuel, biobased products and biomaterials from renewable sources.
September 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Yelp! 18 Kelp Wheps Get $22M in ARPA-E Help
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
September 21, 2017 Read Full Article
Secretary of Energy Rick Perry Announces Integrated Biorefinery Optimization Projects
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today (September 20, 2017), U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) has selected eight projects to negotiate for up to $15 million in total DOE funding to optimize integrated biorefineries. These projects
September 21, 2017 Read Full Article
Takin’ Out the Oxygen with Electro-Deoxygenation: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Upgrading Bio-Oil
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy is supporting a project to demonstrate the techno‐economic feasibility of upgrading biomass derived pyrolysis oil using electro-deoxygenation process. A ceramic membrane that selectively transports oxygen under an applied electric potential is
September 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Tacoma Oil Refinery Wants to Produce Renewable Fuels for the First Time
by Candice Ruud (The News Tribune) An oil refinery on Tacoma’s Tideflats is filing for permits to build a renewable energy project that will allow it to eventually produce biodiesel and biojet fuels. U.S. Oil & Refining Co., located on 139 acres
September 15, 2017 Read Full Article
You Wascaly Lignocellulose, Deconstruct: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Catalytic Conversion of Biomass to Hydrocarbon Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy is supporting a project led by Pacific Northwest National Lab to develop a new deconstruction technology to provide low ash and low impurity sugars and sugar-derived intermediates from lignocellulosic feeds for use in
September 15, 2017 Read Full Article
Startup Is Developing Kelp Farms in the Open Ocean to Make Carbon-Neutral Biofuel
by Lacy Cooke (Inhabitat) Marine BioEnergy’s new kelp elevator grows seaweed on a long tube, and if tests go well, they hope to start farming in the open ocean between Hawaii and California. They’re working with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, which has
September 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Unlocking the Secrets of Fungi: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Fungal Genomics and Biocatalyst Development
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy is supporting a project to develop efficient and robust fungal biocatalysts and bioprocesses that utilize lignocellulose feedstocks to produce advanced biofuels and bioproducts at lower cost. Fungus — they know just
September 12, 2017 Read Full Article
Eco Challenge: One Man’s Quest to Build an Eco-Friendly Passagemaker, Parts I and 2
by Peter Wilcox (Passage Maker) Having the opportunity to imagine and oversee the building of my own ideal Inside Passage vessel has been exquisitely educational—initiating a chain of engaging design, building, voyaging, and teaching adventures. ... Taking a break from sailing up
September 11, 2017 Read Full Article
Commercial Path to Algae Biofuels: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Thermochemical Algae Processing
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy is supporting a project on hydrothermal liquefaction — a thermochemical interface for algae biofuels — developing processing methods to reduce conversion cost, improve sustainability and enable commercialization of algal biofuels
September 06, 2017 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to LanzaTech/PNNL Syngas-to-ATJ Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy initiated a project to advance a hybrid conversion technology for catalytic upgrading of biomass-derived syngas to produce Alcohol-to-Jet fuel and chemicals while meeting the cost, quality and environmental requirements of the
August 29, 2017 Read Full Article
Biofuel from Forests Lightens Jetliner Carbon Footprint
(Washington Forest Protection Association/Seattle Times) Aviation biofuel is made from forest residuals, the limbs and branches that are left after the harvesting of managed forests. -- Alaska Airlines made history recently, flying the first commercial flight using the world’s first
August 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Energy Department Announces $13.4 Million Investment in Community-based Advanced Transportation Projects
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today (August 22, 2017), the Energy Department (DOE) announced $13.4 million in support of five new cost-shared, community-based projects focused on energy efficient mobility systems including connected and autonomous vehicles and alternative fuel vehicles and infrastructure
August 23, 2017 Read Full Article
New Bioreactor to Speed Production of Microalgae for Feed, Fuel Uses
by Aerin Einstein-Curtis (Feed Navigator) A team of researchers have developed a faster way to generate microalgae on a biofilm with potential applications for feed. READ MORE
August 17, 2017 Read Full Article
Hot Path for Waste to Fuels: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Hydrothermal Liquefaction
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Hydrothermal liquefaction has a huge fan base in the biorefinery R&D sector. There’s lots to like. It’s robust tech and can be applied to attractive, low-cost wet feedstocks (ag resid, sludge, manure) that exploit HTL
August 14, 2017 Read Full Article
Aviation Biofuels Financial Viability Confirmed with New Report.
(Biofuels International) Through ‘bold leadership’, airports can accelerate the adoption of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) in the aviation industry, according to a newly published report. The new study, a collaboration between the Carbon War Room, Sky NRG and Port of Seattle,
August 14, 2017 Read Full Article
Special Report: How Engineers Are Preparing for Sea-Level Rise
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
August 11, 2017 Read Full Article
Deep Stabilization: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Fast Pyrolysis and Bio-Oil Upgrading
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Within the ChemCatBio set of core catalysis projects lies Fast Pyrolysis and Upgrading, which has as its goal “to develop cost competitive biofuels through catalytic stabilization and deoxygenation of Fast Pyrolysis Bio-oil. The near-term DOE goal
August 08, 2017 Read Full Article
From Sugars to Affordable Hydrocarbon Fuels: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Catalytic Upgrading R&D
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy has set a goal to “Select and develop at least one route for catalytic upgrading of sugars/related intermediates and/or biologically derived intermediates into fuel blendstockswith conversion performance than can achieve
August 07, 2017 Read Full Article
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Multi-State Biodiesel Fraud Scheme
(Department of Justice) Andre Bernard, of Mount Kisco, New York, pleaded guilty today for his participation in a multi-state scheme to defraud biodiesel buyers and U.S. taxpayers by fraudulently selling biodiesel credits and fraudulently claiming tax credits, announced Acting Assistant
August 04, 2017 Read Full Article
Catalysis on a Hot Tin Roof: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to the ChemCatBio Consortium
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ChemCatBio is a research and development consortium dedicated to identifying and overcoming catalysis challenges for biomass conversion processes. Led by U.S. Department of Energy national laboratories, the consortium works “with industry to rapidly transition R&D
August 03, 2017 Read Full Article
Algae Cultivation Technique Could Advance Biofuels
by Tina Hilding (Washington State University) Washington State University researchers have developed a way to grow algae more efficiently — in days instead of weeks — and make the algae more viable for several industries, including biofuels. Their work was reported
July 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Arzeda Pumps It Up with Big Series A Funding
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, Arzeda raised $12 million in a Series A round of funding, moving it forward on scaling up of their advanced protein design technology that is used for production of a range of chemicals and
July 24, 2017 Read Full Article
In Search of Next-Gen Bioproducts and Fuels, DOE Invests $40M in 4 Bioenergy Research Centers
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
July 19, 2017 Read Full Article
$8 Million for Algae Biofuel from U.S. Department of Energy
by Tina Casey (Triple Pundit) ... DOE is pushing ahead with another round of $8 million in funding aimed squarely at developing next-generation biofuel from algae, leading to “a bioeconomy that can help create jobs, spur innovation, improve quality of life,
July 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Moves A Step Closer To Funding Aviation Biofuels
(SkyNRG/PR Web) Carbon reduction leaders Carbon War Room (CWR) and SkyNRG join with the Port of Seattle to announce recommendations for long-term funding mechanisms that could supply all airlines at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) with sustainable aviation biofuels. The results are
July 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Research Progressing on How to Spur Wide Use of Aviation Biofuels
(Penn State News) Slowed as much by extremely low oil prices as supply-chain and technological challenges, the effort to integrate biofuels into the nation's aviation fuel supply is nonetheless progressing, according to a researcher in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. Sustainable
June 30, 2017 Read Full Article
Capturing CO2: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Algae-Based CO2 Sequestration
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The DOE completed an illuminating workshop on Carbon Capture and Sequestration with relation to algae-based technologies, and The Digest has prepared a selection of key slides presented by AquaFiber, Pacific Northwest National Lab, University of
June 29, 2017 Read Full Article
Algae from Thin Air: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Algae Biofuels Using Atmospheric CO2
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Michael Huessmann and John Benemann gave this illuminating overview of Microalgae Biofuels Production on CO2 from Air at the 2017 DOE Project Peer Review sessions. READ MORE
June 21, 2017 Read Full Article
Researchers Strive to Reduce Cost and Time of Algal Biofuel Production
(U.S. Department of Energy) Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s (PNNL’s) Marine Sciences Laboratory in Sequim, Washington, are working to lower the cost of producing biofuels from algae by utilizing an indoor system that mimics the conditions of outdoor ponds.
June 12, 2017 Read Full Article
Understanding Why Cellulose Resists Degradation Could Lead to Cost-Effective Biofuels
(Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory/Phys.Org) A major bottleneck hindering cost-effective production of biofuels and many valuable chemicals is the difficulty of breaking down cellulose—an important structural component of plant cell walls. A recent study addressed this problem by characterizing molecular features
June 06, 2017 Read Full Article
Fungi the Key to Efficient Biomass Breakdown and Cheap Biofuels?
(Biofuels International) ... A team from the University of California, Santa Barbara are focusing their research on the estimated 1.5 million species of fungi on earth which can collectively break down almost any substance. In an article published in Nature
May 30, 2017 Read Full Article
Protein, Pathway Design: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Arzeda
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Arzeda’s proprietary technology combines targeted computational enzyme design and protein optimization with state-of-the-art metabolic bioengineering to create entirely novel designer cell factories capable of industry-scale chemical production. CEO Alex Zanghellini gave this illuminating overview of Arzeda’s breakthrough technology at ABLC 2017 in
May 23, 2017 Read Full Article
LCFS vs RFS: As Two Contend for the Renewables Heavyweight Championship, Who Is the Greatest? Carbon 2017 Part 2 of 3
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What is different about a Low Carbon Fuel Standard — as compared to a Renewable Fuel Standard? There are 4 primary differences. 1. An RFS creates a standard, and any fuel that meets that standard can compete
May 11, 2017 Read Full Article
It’s Time for States to Save the Planet: State-Level Carbon Taxes Offer a Path to the Ultimate Climate Solution.
by Charles Komanoff (Huffington Post) The Carbon Tax Center is out with a new report timed to the surging climate movement. We surveyed all 50 U.S. states (and Washington, DC) to identify the ones with the most favorable conditions for
May 08, 2017 Read Full Article
More More RHD: REG Expanding Drop-In Diesel?
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
May 08, 2017 Read Full Article
Researchers Find More Efficient Way to Make Oil from Dead Trees
(University of Washington/Biomass Magazine) The mountain pine beetle has destroyed more than 40 million acres of forest in the western United States. That amounts to an area the size of Washington state that is strewn with conifers left for dead. The
May 04, 2017 Read Full Article
Optimizing Cyanobacteria for Biofuel Production
(Phys.Org) Cyanobacteria have attracted significant attention as potential biocatalysts for production of clean energy and green chemicals from sunlight and atmospheric CO2. A recent study investigated effects of altering large cellular complexes called phycobilisomes, which cyanobacteria use to efficiently capture
April 25, 2017 Read Full Article
US-Based Researchers Develop System for Converting Waste Methane to Microbial Biomass
by Liz Gyekye (Bioenergy Insight) A new paper by researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) describes a process that captures methane from natural gas and biogas and that uses photosynthesis to convert it into biomass feedstock. The new paper is called ‘A
April 11, 2017 Read Full Article
Researchers Find New Way to Typify Cellulose, Advance Bioproducts
(Washington State University/Biomass Magazine) Researchers at Washington State University Tri-Cities and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have found a new way to define the molecular structure of cellulose, which could lead to cheaper and more efficient ways to make a variety of
March 24, 2017 Read Full Article
NASA-Led Study Confirms that Aviation Biofuels Can Be a Boon for the Environment
by Alan Boyle (GeekWire/Yahoo!) A NASA-led study demonstrates that airplanes powered by biofuels can emit up to 70 percent less particulate pollution – providing a potential boost for technologies that are being pioneered at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The study, published today (March 15, 2017)
March 16, 2017 Read Full Article
How the County’s Biodiesel-Making Effort in Cathcart Flopped
by Karen Law (Tribune) Snohomish County’s gamble on turning canola into biodiesel has turned belly-up, but at least the Spokane Indian Tribe may reap a jackpot this week when the County Council votes on surplussing its remaining biofuel equipment, a
March 07, 2017 Read Full Article
BETO Announces Launch of Consortium of National Laboratories To Overcome Catalysis Challenges
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announces the launch of its Chemical Catalysis for Bioenergy Consortium (ChemCatBio), a research and development consortium dedicated to identifying and overcoming catalysis challenges for biomass conversion
February 28, 2017 Read Full Article
How Brown Rot Fungi Could Lead to More Efficient Biofuels Production
(Lab Manager/U.S. Department of Energy) Wood’s complex structure makes it highly resistant to biological or chemical decomposition. The structure includes cellulose, long chains of linked sugar molecules, embedded in a scaffolding of a chemical known as lignin. Brown rot fungi,
February 28, 2017 Read Full Article
Report: Six States Propose New Electric Vehicle Fees
by Robert Walton (Utility Dive) The Sierra Club says six states have proposed legislation this year that would add to the cost of owning an electric vehicle, worrying clean energy advocates who say owning emissions-free vehicles should be incentivized rather
February 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Research Experience for Undergraduates Summer Program ---
(Center for Bioplastics and Biocomposites ) Starting with the summer of 2017, the Center for Bioplastics and Biocomposites (CB2), will be establishing a new Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site designed to provide undergraduate students a chance to participate in
February 16, 2017 Read Full Article
How to Reduce Aviation Emissions, On the Ground and In the Sky
by Jessica Lyons Hardcastle (Environmental Leader) The number of commercial airplanes in service is projected to nearly double by 2030. At the same time, international agreements and individual countries’ laws require the aviation industry to reduce carbon emissions. Advances in biofuel
February 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Sequim Lab Looks to Find the Best Biofuel in Algae
(Associated Press/SFGate) Scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Marine Sciences Laboratory are turning algae inside out to find the best biofuel possible. Dr. Michael Huesemann, a lead researcher, said algae is a promising clean energy but expensive to harness effectively. "The
February 13, 2017 Read Full Article
New Enzyme Has Potential to Turn Plant Biomass into Biofuel
by Kenny Walter (R&D Magazine) ... Scientists have studied these enzymes in pure cultures of microorganisms, despite the fact that microorganisms break down cellulose as communities in the environment. To examine this further, a multi-institutional team of researchers led by scientists
February 08, 2017 Read Full Article
US Man Goes to Prison for Biodiesel Tax Fraud Scheme
(Biofuels International) A Washington man was sentenced this week for laundering more than $39 million for a company that bilked federal programs supporting renewable energy, according to Tri-City Herald. Richard Estes, 77, was part of a conspiracy involving Pasco-based Gen-X Energy
February 03, 2017 Read Full Article
Port of Seattle, Boeing and Alaska Airlines Release Aviation Biofuel Infrastructure Findings
(Port of Seattle) Existing pipeline, transportation resources, zoning and land use laws could accommodate new aviation biofuel blending, storage and delivery infrastructure -- The Port of Seattle, Boeing and Alaska Airlines today released a first-of-its-kind study that identifies the best infrastructure
January 17, 2017 Read Full Article
Biofuel Matchmaker: Finding The Perfect Algae for Renewable Energy
by Frances White (Renewable Energy World/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) A dozen glass cylinders containing a potential payload of bright green algae are exposed to hundreds of multi-colored lights, which provide all of sunlight's natural hues. The tiny LEDs brighten and
January 17, 2017 Read Full Article
A New Era Gets Fueled Up
by Joe Petrie (AviationPros.com) At Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac), Alaska Airlines is forging ahead with plans to implement a biofuel supply for its commercial jets. ... Carol Sim, director of environmental affairs for Alaska Airlines, said the company’s move
December 30, 2016 Read Full Article
Economics of Forest Biomass Raise Hurdles for Rural Development
(Oregon State University) The use of residual forest biomass for rural development faces significant economic hurdles that make it unlikely to be a source of jobs in the near future, according to an analysis by economists at Oregon State University. In
December 29, 2016 Read Full Article
Trump Tabs Another Climate Denier, This Time for Interior
by Bobby Magill (Climate Central) U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, a sixth-term Republican from Washington State who is a climate change denier and an ardent opponent of regulations for greenhouse gas emissions, has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump for
December 12, 2016 Read Full Article
Study Finds People Are Willing to Pay More for New Biofuels
by Scott Weybright (Washington State University) When it comes to second generation biofuels, Washington State University research shows that consumers are willing to pay a premium of approximately 11 percent over conventional fuel. “We were surprised the premium was that significant,”
December 08, 2016 Read Full Article
Biofuel Made from Human Excrement Has Become Easier to Produce
by Megan Geuss (Ars Technica) Wastewater treatment plants rejoice—you may have a hot commodity on your hands. -- Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Labs (PNNL) have developed a new method for treating human sewage to create a biocrude oil product
December 07, 2016 Read Full Article
How United Leads the Airline Industry in Reducing Carbon Emissions
by Ted Reed (The Street) United Airlines leads the global airline industry in its commitment to biofuel, targeting the use of 900 million gallons over the next 10 years. -- United Airlines (UAL) , which uses about 4 billion gallons
December 07, 2016 Read Full Article
Colorado Engineering Council’s Top Awards
(The Villager) The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Colorado announced the winners of its 2017 Engineering Excellence Awards (EEA) on Nov. 7 at a celebration luncheon held at The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa. A Grand Conceptor Award, presented
December 05, 2016 Read Full Article
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