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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of December 5th. … #7 Cotton-based hybrid biofuel cell could power pacemakers In Georgia, a glucose-powered biofuel cell that uses electrodes made from cotton fiber could
Wisconsin
December 5, 2018
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by Mark K. Matthews (E&E News) If they stay true to their campaign rhetoric, the class of freshman House Republicans won’t be leading any revolutions next year on the issue of climate change. … In a few cases, there are reasons for climate activists to be cautiously optimistic. Wisconsin voters picked Republican
December 5, 2018
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by Chris Barncard (University of Wisconsin–Madison) An unprecedented comparison of hundreds of species of yeasts has helped geneticists brew up an expansive picture of their evolution over the last hundreds of millions of years, including an analysis of the way they evolved individual appetites for particular food sources that may be
November 12, 2018
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(U.S. Department of Energy/Phys.Org) … Researchers processed and experimentally measured ethanol production from five different herbaceous feedstocks. They examined two annuals (corn stover and energy sorghum) along with three perennials (switchgrass, miscanthus, and restored prairie). They determined that a lignocellulosic ethanol refinery could use a range of plant types without having
November 12, 2018
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by Max Witynski (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) … For researchers, this means that the more carbon in the crop that ends up as carbon in the fuel, the better. But carbon efficiency may not be the whole story: fuel quality and energy requirements are also key factors for selecting next-generation biofuels
October 22, 2018
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(Ace Ethanol/D3MAX/PR Web) D3MAX, LLC and Ace Ethanol, LLC announced they have started construction of the first D3MAX facility at Ace Ethanol’s facility in Stanley, Wisconsin. Ace Ethanol will be the first ethanol plant to integrate the patented D3MAX technology with its existing corn dry mill. Earlier this year, Ace Ethanol received approval from its
October 18, 2018
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by Jill Sakai (University of Wisconsin-Madison) A compound that has scientists seeing red may hold the key to engineering yeasts that produce better biofuels. A red pigment called pulcherrimin, naturally produced by several strains of wild yeasts, is synthesized in part through the same biochemical pathway that researchers hope to use
October 15, 2018
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by Mark E. Griffin (University of Wisconsin-Madison/Phys.Org) An ideal biorefinery would turn renewable crops into a variety of fuels and products with little waste. A significant challenge in realizing this vision is what to do with lignin, a fibrous and difficult-to-break-down material in the cell walls of plants that gives them their
October 9, 2018
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by Marianne Lavelle and Dan Gearino (Inside Climate News) Governors have the power to set the agenda on renewable energy or throw up roadblocks to its progress. It’s become an issue in several races this year. — Some of the most consequential elections for climate policy this fall could be the 36 governor’s
September 28, 2018
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by Carrie Muehling (AgWired.com) Illinois FFA State Officers including Treasurer Taylor Hartke helped to bring in the flags during a moving ceremony to open the GROWMARK Annual Meeting in Chicago. The Illinois FFA members joined FFA officers from Iowa and Wisconsin and 4-H youth from Ontario in marching in the 4-H
September 14, 2018
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Department of Energy has announced it will award 42 projects a total of $80 million to support advanced vehicles technologies research. Approximately $10.1 million of that funding will support six projects focused on the co-optimization of engines and fuels. “Improving the affordability of
September 14, 2018
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(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy announced the selection of 36 projects totaling $80 million to support early-stage bioenergy research and development (R&D). This R&D will enable cost-competitive, drop-in renewable hydrocarbon fuels, bio-based products, and power from non-food biomass and waste feedstocks. This work supports the Department
September 4, 2018
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by April Baumgarten (Grand Forks Herald) A Grand Forks biorefinery that will turn sugar beet waste into ethanol will break ground this week. City, state and economic leaders are expected to speak Wednesday at the ceremony for the Red River Biorefinery, an 80,000-square-foot facility that will convert more than 500,000 metric
August 22, 2018
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October 19, 2018 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. — Biodiesel Program & Plant Tour, Comfort Inn & Suites, 5025 County Highway V, DeForest, WI Join Wisconsin Clean Cities and Renewable Energy Group (REG) for a biodiesel program & plant tour at the REG facility at 605 Bassett St. in DeForest, Wisconsin! This event
August 16, 2018
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(NGV Journal) Wisconsin-based Ponderosa Dairy has partnered with … DTE Energy and Rev LNG LLC to break ground on a state of the art natural gas processing facility at the Pagel Farm in Kewaunee. The new plant will create renewable natural gas that is generated by cow manure. It will
August 13, 2018
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by Chris Barncard (University of Wisconsin-Madison) Some chemicals used to speed up the breakdown of plants for production of biofuels like ethanol are poison to the yeasts that turn the plant sugars into fuel. Researchers from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and several Department of Energy laboratories have identified two changes to
August 13, 2018
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Join Wisconsin Clean Cities and REG for a behind the scenes look at the high-tech REG Madison biodiesel plant! See first-hand how biodiesel is made, hear why and how fleets are using biodiesel blends and learn about its performance, environmental and economic benefits. Registration includes bus transportation from the Comfort Inn & Suites Madison North
July 23, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The meanest, nastiest, ornierest, heat-seeking organism ever found that munches biomass and other microbes that got a booster via the DOE’s $40M grants for advanced microbes R&D. And aromatics without the mess, a sky-vacumming organism and much more. As we reported last week here, the U.S.
June 28, 2018
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Come learn from top digestion operations experts to increase biogas production, digestate quality, revenue and avoid costly, time-consuming and smelly mistakes for your digester. The American Biogas Council and UW-Oshkosh have put together a first class in-person, hands on training program for operators, operations managers, owners and developers, supplemented with
June 7, 2018
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(GrainNet) Industry and government officials from 17 countries in Asia and Oceania are meeting with members of the U.S. ethanol industry and U.S. officials in Minneapolis this week at the Ethanol Summit of the Asia Pacific (Summit), focused on current and future prospects for expanded ethanol use throughout the region. The
May 22, 2018
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(DSM/PR Newswire) Royal DSM, a global science-based company active in health, nutrition and materials received unanimous jury verdict in a Federal Court in Wisconsin concluding that all glycerol reducing ethanol yeast products sold by Lallemand infringe DSM’s US Patent 8,795,998. After several failed attempts between the parties to settle out of
May 17, 2018
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(Wisconsin) Wisconsin City, Village, Town, County and Tribal Governments, manufacturers, and K-12 school districts are encouraged to apply for the $5 million available in the inaugural grant round of the Energy Innovation Grant Program. The Energy Innovation Grant Program will support the reduction of energy consumption and its cost to
May 7, 2018
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) A coalition of Midwest biofuels associations sent a letter Thursday to EPA asking it to move administrative time and staff away from Renewable Fuel Standard exemptions and instead toward approvals for cellulosic ethanol. “The discrepancy between the way EPA is handling RFS exemptions and
May 4, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … The deal creates the largest US oil refiner (and a top-five refiner globally) at 3.1 million barrels per day of capacity — Valero is around the same size, but that includes overseas operations. … The (Marathon Petroleum) Company formed a joint venture with The Anderson’s, Inc., The
by Krista Eastman (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) In an article published last summer in Science, researchers at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) reported on ten years of work assessing the potential climate benefit of producing dedicated bioenergy crops such as switchgrass, poplar, or restored prairie. The mood? Cautiously optimistic. “The
April 30, 2018
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by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Technologies for feed coproducts are evolving, pumping out high-protein ingredient alternatives. Experts assure the market is ripe. — The pile of distillers grains at nearly a dozen plants is about to get smaller. Production of Fluid Quip Process Technologies LLC’s high-protein feed ingredient is expected
(BBI International/PR Newswire) Adoption of both D3MAX and Whitefox Technologies will result in making the Stanley ethanol plant one of the most efficient ethanol facilities in the world. — D3MAX, LLC and Ace Ethanol, LLC announced today that Ace Ethanol will be the first ethanol plant to integrate the patented D3MAX technology with its existing
April 25, 2018
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(Dane County Wisconsin) Creates Economic Incentive for Development of Lakes Clean Up Efforts — Today (April 19, 2018), Dane County Executive Joe Parisi kicked off construction for an innovative project that will turn garbage and cow manure into renewable fuel for thousands of vehicles across the region and country. This project is also expected
April 23, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Ensyn uses its patented and proprietary RTP fast thermal technology to convert wood residues and other non-food, cellulosic biomass to liquid biofuels. Ensyn has had continuous commercial operations for more than 25 years. Its technology has produced over 37 million gallons of renewable fuels and chemicals
April 13, 2018
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by Krista Eastman (University of Wisconsin-Madison/Phys.Org) Behind the successful conversion of biomass to a better biofuel or a new green chemical, there is a carefully chosen solvent. The right solvent not only dissolves biomass but also drives the efficiency of the entire conversion process, resulting in higher yields and a lower
March 15, 2018
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(Whitefox Technologies Ltd./Ethanol Producer Magazine) Fox River Valley Ethanol LLC completed the installation of its Whitefox ICE bolt-on solution at its ethanol plant in Oshkosh in December and is already seeing a positive impact at the gas meter and improvements to its operations. Neal Kemmet, Fox River president and general
March 6, 2018
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(University of Wisconsin – Madison/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Advances in biofuels research tend to involve reduced costs, greater reagent stability, more diverse and valuable end products, or faster reactions, which often increase product yields as well. But to understand at a deeper level exactly why one reaction happens faster than another, looking
March 6, 2018
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(Biofuels International) The Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) based out of the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) is moving from the development of crop-based ethanol to creating fuels and chemicals that are fungible with their petroleum-based equivalents. The change was announced at the annual meeting of the American Association for the
February 19, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Can you build a catalytic process to produce alpha, omega diols from lignocellulosic biomass? Such a process, using inorganic catalysts for conversion of biomass into 1.5 pentanediol (PDO) and 1,6 hexanediols could reduce the cost of cellulosic biofuels. In this DOE-supported project, a team led by
January 26, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It’s been a big week in plastics and nylons, all right — not only for those who value sustainability attributes, but for fans of lower costs and higher performance, too. Let’s look at 4 Biggies makin’ a stir. Wisconsin researchers report bioplastic precursor breakthrough .. Aquafil,
January 24, 2018
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by David Bennett (Convenience Store Decisions) Whether it’s teaming with Tesla to install charging stations or integrating alternative fuel solutions, retailers are part of a changing transportation marketplace. — … Some analysts insist the internal combustion engine has been around more than a century and should be around for decades to come,
January 19, 2018
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(Meridian Waste Solutions Inc./Ethanol Producer Magazine) Meridian Waste Solutions Inc., an integrated, non-hazardous solid waste services and innovative technology company, recently announced the award of a $3 million grant from the USDA to support the commercialization of patented and patent-pending lignin conversion and refining technologies owned by Meridian’s subsidiary, Attis Innovations
January 17, 2018
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The mission of the Sustainability Summit is to engage business, academia, communities and others in active discussion of the issues of Sustainability including, but not limited to, sustainable business practices, energy conservation, research on sustainable practices, creating sustainable cities/neighborhoods, water conservation and purity, transportation, and other activities designed to improve
January 5, 2018
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(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
January 3, 2018
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(Wisconsin State Journal) … A study conducted for the U.S. Agriculture Department found corn ethanol’s life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions, by 2022, will be 43 percent lower than gasoline baseline emissions if ethanol plants continue as usual. If ethanol production makes improvements with available technologies, emissions reductions could total 76 percent. Corn also may
December 27, 2017
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(Enhanced Online News/Whitefox) The modular bolt-on membrane system will increase production rates, improve energy and operational efficiencies and reduce cooling water load — United Ethanol LLC is to install a Whitefox ICE™ membrane system at its plant in Milton, Wisconsin. The modular bolt-on system frees up capacity in the distillation-dehydration section which enables the plant
December 1, 2017
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by Carol Spaeth-Bauer (Wisconsin State Farmer) A University of Wisconsin-Madison study released on Nov. 15 has officials in the ethanol industry frustrated, disputing the methodology of the study saying the claims of the study are not supported by fact. The study showed a shift of more than 7 million acres into cropland that led to massive
November 29, 2017
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by Natasha Kassulke (University of Wisconsin-Madison) When Jim Steele thinks back over the last seven years, from the early research on biofuels, followed by a dream of moving Lactic Solutions LLC technology to the marketplace, and now the acquisition of the company by Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits (a unit of
November 21, 2017
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by Josephine Marcotty (Star Tribune) Newly plowed land in Minnesota released 1.6 million metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere each year between 2008 and 2012, a consequence of high corn prices and the ethanol mandate. Only the Dakotas, Texas and Missouri released more carbon buried in soil by converting natural
November 20, 2017
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(American Coalition for Ethanol/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The American Coalition for Ethanol announced the first two in a series of fuel marketer-focused videos on the flexfuelforward.com website Nov. 13, part of a campaign to feature real world E15 and flex fuel retailer success stories. The series will address common marketer questions about E15 and
November 15, 2017
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(Coalition for Sustainable Rail/Biomass Magazine) Two steam locomotives at the Milwaukee County Zoo were fueled with a renewable wood-based solid fuel last week to reduce fossil coal emissions, and the test runs were a success. The Coalition for Sustainable Rail and the Natural Resources Research Institute completed a final series of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Ensyn uses its patented and proprietary RTP fast thermal technology to convert wood residues and other non-food, cellulosic biomass to liquid biofuels. Ensyn has had continuous commercial operations for more than 25 years. Its technology has produced over 37 million gallons of renewable fuels and chemicals
November 9, 2017
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(American Coalition for Ethanol/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The American Coalition for Ethanol congratulates Jetz Convenience Centers for the addition of new ethanol blender pumps at its station in Muskego, Wisconsin. A grand opening event will take place Sept. 26 from 4 to 6 p.m. and include a fuel promotion with discount
September 26, 2017
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(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. Funding is made through NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI),
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 Arthur Thomas (Biz Times) Appleton-based U.S. Venture Inc. would agree to not receive, handle, store, ship or distribute crude oil through its Port Milwaukee operations as part of an amended lease agreement currently before the city’s Public Works Committee. The possibility of the company shipping crude oil through the
(BBI International/Biomass Magazine) Last February, D3MAX LLC announced the completion and shipment of its pilot plant employing the patented D3MAX cellulosic ethanol technology to Ace Ethanol LLC, in Stanley, Wisconsin. Pilot testing of the patented D3MAX corn fiber-to-ethanol process has been successful, allowing D3MAX to move to the next stage
August 30, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Long ago, the DOE shifted from a “biofuels and nothing else” focus to integrated biorefineries that can compete “across the whole barrel” with petroleum — recognizing that while chemicals make up a small fraction of the products that come out of a barrel of oil,
August 11, 2017
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(American Coalition for Ethanol) The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) announces and congratulates the 2017 scholarship winners: Carrie Kemmet, Hailea DeJong and Keithen Drury. Each student receives a $1,000 scholarship through ACE’s Scholarship Program to help further their collegiate education. “ACE congratulates these bright, young students and wishes them the best
August 9, 2017
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(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced today that it will award a fourth project—up to $1.8 million—under the MEGA-BIO: Bioproducts to Enable Biofuels Funding Opportunity. In August 2016, DOE’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) selected three projects for an initial round of funding. The total funding for the four
August 2, 2017
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by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) … The House Agriculture Committee has its road trip, labeled “Conversations in the Field,” which included a field hearing in Texas on Monday and another one at Farmfest in Minnesota on Thursday. Now Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is taking off on a five-state RV
August 2, 2017
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by Nico Savidge (University of Wisconsin-Madison) A UW-Madison research center that has used the university’s largest-ever federal grant to develop ethanol technology over the past decade will shift its focus to other alternative fuels after winning another major award from the U.S. Department of Energy. The Great Lakes Bioenergy Research
July 24, 2017
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by Lauren Tyler (NGT News) The University of Wisconsin-Madison and ExxonMobil have announced a two-year renewal of an agreement to research the chemistry of converting biomass into transportation fuels. According to ExxonMobil, the research is part of a broad effort to identify scalable and commercially viable solutions to help meet increasing global energy
July 20, 2017
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(Phys.Org/Michigan State University) Could cellulosic biofuels – or liquid energy derived from grasses and wood – become a green fuel of the future, providing an environmentally sustainable way of meeting energy needs? In Science, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy-funded Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center say yes, but with a
June 30, 2017
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by Chris Barncard (University of Wisconsin-Madison) When Max Haase set out for a walk in Green Bay’s Baird Creek Nature Preserve on a May day in 2015, it was pretty normal stuff. Baird Creek was practically in his backyard, and it was a good day for a hike — sunny
June 23, 2017
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Cancelled. Learn about biodiesel basics and how biodiesel is produced by touring the REG Madison biorefinery. In addition to the tour you will have the opportunity to learn how one local fleet is utilizing biodiesel blends to drive their sustainability and business goals. Wisconsin Clean Cities CANCELLED READ MORE
WAAE (Wisconsin Association of Agricultural Educators) is a professional organization made up of middle school, high school and post-secondary agriculture teachers. WAAE isdedicated to agricultural educators in developing knowledge and sharpening skills about the ever-evolving agricultural industry. Join Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center at the 2017 WAAE annual conference as
June 6, 2017
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by Judy Newman (Wisconsin State Journal) If Madison-based Virent‘s biofuels are going to fill the tanks of cars and airplanes, it will be up to Stacey Orlandi to drive the company there. Orlandi, 45, took over as chief executive of Virent, 3571 Anderson St., in April, succeeding Lee Edwards, a
June 5, 2017
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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
June 5, 2017
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by Patrick C. Miller (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Department of Energy’s three bioenergy research centers have no intention of resting on their accomplishments. — In the 10 years since the U.S. DOE established three bioenergy research centers with the goal of using science to help America grow its way to
June 2, 2017
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(Appalachian State University) What has 18 wheels and runs on corn chips? Thanks to a food solution from two Appalachian State University students, a chip producer’s transportation fleet well could. Senior chemistry major and sustainable business minor Kelsey Simon and senior management major and nutrition and sustainable business minor Ali Moxley
June 2, 2017
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by Leslie Shown (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) If science classes at Bonduel Middle School had a rallying cry it would be, “Don’t expect to find the answers in the book!” And Lisa Sorlie, enthusiastic advocate of innovative classroom science, would definitely be holding the megaphone. “Too often, classroom science has
May 31, 2017
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The Wisconsin Energy Institute’s (WEI) Energy Institute for Educators provides the opportunity for educators to engage with cutting-edge energy research at UW–Madison, and gain practical tools and materials for teaching students fundamentals of energy and sustainable energy systems. The theme for the institute is “Energy, sustainability and climate change: Bridging
by Silke Schmidt (University of Wisconsin-Madison News) Technologies for converting non-edible biomass into chemicals and fuels traditionally made from petroleum exist aplenty. But when it comes to attracting commercial interest, these technologies compete financially with a petroleum-based production pipeline that has been perfected over the course of decades. Winning that
May 30, 2017
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by Lee Bergquist (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) A Wisconsin-based petroleum distributor is planning to construct a $3 million pipeline at the Port of Milwaukee that will allow the company to ship bulk supplies of ethanol over the Great Lakes. The project by U.S. Oil to ship the flammable colorless liquid would
by Ron Swoboda (Wallaces Farmer) E15 provides motorists better value in addition to higher performance and reduced emissions. — In early May, the Kwik Trip convenience store chain announced it is joining other major fuel retailers in offering E15 — the corn-based biofuel containing 15% ethanol — to customers in
May 12, 2017
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(Wisconsin Ag Connection) One of Wisconsin’s largest suppliers of gasoline announced plans to add E15 to most of its locations within the next few years. Kwik Trip said once all of the designated pumps are converted, the company will likely have the highest number of E15 locations in the United
May 2, 2017
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by Larry Lee (Brownfield Ag News) A University of Wisconsin professor says his termite research might help the biofuels, livestock, and paper industries improve lignin processing. Researcher Cameron Currie says breaking down the woody substrate in plants called lignin is challenging and chemically very difficult, so he was surprised at
April 25, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From Wisconsin we have huge news from Virent, which has appointed one of Shell New Energies’ gurus, Stacey Orlandi, as Virent CEO, succeeding Lee Edwards who is headed into retirement after a distinguished 8-year run. Most recently, Orlandi was Shell’s VP, Technology for Novel Processes and New Energies.
(BBI International/Ethanol Producer Magazine) This February, D3MAX announced the completion and shipment of its pilot plant employing the patented D3MAX cellulosic ethanol technology. Installed at ACE Ethanol LLC, in Stanley, Wisconsin, the testing of the patented D3MAX corn fiber-to-ethanol process and technology is underway with testing to be complete by
April 13, 2017
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(Wisconsin State Journal/Morgridge Institute for Research) Q: Could the biofuel cycle be made more efficient? — Nikita Agrawal, 11, Skinner West Elementary, Chicago A: The production of biofuels starts by growing plants out in a field or forest. All of the biomass represented in those plants essentially comes through photosynthesis.
by Krista Eastman (University of Wisconsin-Madison) A team of chemical and biological engineers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison has found a way to produce from biomass a valuable compound used in plastic production that they estimate could lower the cost of ethanol produced from plant material by more than two
April 11, 2017
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by Ashwin Raman (Duluth News Tribune/Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) I believe the March 21 story, “Habitat loss highest near ethanol plants,” did a disservice to readers because it cited a study that contains dubious and inaccurate conclusions. The study focuses on the period of 2008 to 2012 and indicates that as ethanol
March 30, 2017
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(Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Bioenergy is an exciting area of research and development and can provide excellent opportunities for engaging students. Join us for an intensive 5-day program to learn about the latest developments in bioenergy research and hands-on materials to use with students. Participating educators explore core areas
March 28, 2017
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by Jordan Lubetkin (National Wildlife Federation) Millions of acres of wildlife habitat are being lost to crop production, according to a new peer-reviewed study published today in the journal Environmental Research Letters, which found a strong link between the location of corn ethanol refineries and the conversion of wildlife habitat
March 22, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The High Lords of Pyrolysis travel under the unlikely cover identities of “George Huber” and “Robert Brown” — but we know them in their true superhero identities of “The Catalyst” and “The Godfatha”. … Instead, the Justice League has assembled online in a journal format.
March 14, 2017
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by Silke Schmidt (Phys.Org) … Genetically modifying switchgrass could boost crop yields and its commercial viability. But to close in on realizing that potential requires one small tweak: a genetic sterility switch that prevents the modified grass from contaminating the genes of nearby unmodified grasses. Dazhong “Dave” Zhao, a UWM associate professor
March 6, 2017
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(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, however, possess a unique ability to attack the cellulose fraction
February 28, 2017
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(Iowa State University) A special issue of the journal Energy Technology details the latest advances in pyrolysis technologies for converting biomass into fuels, chemicals and fertilizers. Two pyrolysis experts are guest editors of the issue: Robert C. Brown, the director of Iowa State University’s Bioeconomy Institute, an Anson Marston Distinguished
February 23, 2017
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by Steffen Mueller (University of Illinois at Chicago/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Strategically located ethanol sources cannot be economically replaced. — Carbon dioxide sourced from corn-ethanol plants is not a waste-recovery product but a coproduct that, in many regions, can only be replaced by higher-emitting, less-economical resources. A reduction in U.S. ethanol
February 20, 2017
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(BBI International/Ethanol Producer Magazine) D3MAX has announced the completion and shipment of its pilot plant employing the patented D3MAX cellulosic ethanol technology. The pilot facility will be installed at ACE Ethanol LLC, in Stanley, Wisconsin, in late February. Installation is expected to be complete by mid-March with startup and testing
February 17, 2017
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(Iowa State University) A special issue of the journal Energy Technology details the latest advances in pyrolysis technologies for converting biomass into fuels, chemicals and fertilizers. Two pyrolysis experts are guest editors of the issue: Robert C. Brown, the director of Iowa State University’s Bioeconomy Institute, an Anson Marston Distinguished
January 16, 2017
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(Growth Energy) A new post-election survey released today shows that decisive voters in the 2016 presidential election are staunch supporters of American ethanol. The survey of 3,000 Trump voters in the Midwestern battleground states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Iowa, Indiana and Minnesota found that more than eight in 10 respondents
January 13, 2017
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(American Science and Technology/Ethanol Producer Magazine) American Science and Technology, a sustainable technology company, has teamed up with Terma Group, a team of Waste and Environmental Technology researchers at the University of Malaga in Spain, to continue efforts on the development of new lignin-based products. Led by professors Tomás Cordero
December 12, 2016
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by Jake Batterman (Watertown Daily Times) … The 7,000-square-foot location features a single bay car wash and eight fuel dispensers including two diesel and one E85. READ MORE
December 6, 2016
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by David Tenenbaum (University of Wisconsin-Madison) … (James) Steele, the University of Wisconsin–Madison Winder-Bascom professor of food science, specializes in food, beverage and biofuel fermentation. Understanding how bacteria and yeast convert biomass into products has been his stock-in-trade for more than 30 years. The fermentation of beer and wine can be
November 30, 2016
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by Kari Lydersen (Midwest Energy News) … The prospects for cellulosic ethanol becoming a commercially available clean transportation fuel could also hinge on yeast’s ability to ferment corn stalks, switchgrass, wood chips or other fibrous feed stock. The same strain of yeast typically used to brew beer and bake bread
(AZO CleanTech) In 2014, researchers announced the successful engineering of a poplar plant “designed for deconstruction.” The finding caught the attention of the global scientific community. The highly degradable poplar was the first of its kind, and could considerably lessen the energy use and cost of turning biomass into many
October 21, 2016
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by Mark E. Griffin (University of Wisconsin-Madison) Scientists at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) have found a way to nearly double the efficiency with which a commonly used industrial yeast strain converts plant sugars to biofuel. The newly engineered “super yeast” could boost the
October 19, 2016
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by Tim Jamison (The Courier) Heavy neighborhood opposition erased Kwik Trip’s plans for a biodiesel blending operation near U.S. Highway 63 and Shaulis Road. Waterloo City Council members voted 6-1 Monday to reject the La Crosse, Wis.-based company’s request to rezone four acres of land north of Schoitz Engineering from
October 13, 2016
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by Jack Fitzpatrick (Morning Consult) Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) is concerned that drivers who want to avoid a 15 percent ethanol blend of gasoline won’t be able to, he said in a letter to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy on Tuesday. Sensenbrenner questioned why it isn’t easier for gas
September 30, 2016
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(Carbon Cure) Chicago family business known for quality and service reinforces its commitment to sustainability — Known for its iconic red and white striped concrete mixers, the Ozinga name is synonymous with providing the highest quality and best service to its communities. In continuing to reinforce its commitment to sustainability,
September 22, 2016
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Wisconsin, Tesoro reached an agreement for Tesoro to acquire Virent. The acquisition, the partners said, will support the scale up and commercialization of Virent’s BioForming technology for the production of low carbon bio-based fuels and chemicals. As a result of the acquisition, Virent will
September 8, 2016
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by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the Department of Energy’s Small Business Vouchers program awarded $8 million worth of research vouchers to 43 small businesses, of which five were related to bioenergy: Avatar Sustainable Technologies, Syracuse, New York Avatar Sustainable Technologies will work with the with National Renewable Energy
(American Science and Technology) New Patent Will Increase the Incentives to Use Renewable Resources for Chemical Production — American Science and Technology (AST), an emerging technology company, has been awarded a patent for a system and method for the extraction of chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass, which reduces the cost of Organosolv
August 8, 2016
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by Janine Finnell (Advanced Biofuels USA/Leaders in Energy) I attended the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) “Bioenergy 2016: Mobilizing the Bioeconomy through Innovation” conference held in Washington DC from July 12-14, 2016. There were 17 breakout sessions on topics including bioenergy jobs; startup companies pitching business propositions to investors; advanced feedstocks;
July 26, 2016
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(Wisconsin Corn Growers Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) A recent statewide opinion poll shows that Wisconsin citizens favor the use of ethanol blends in fuel up to 15 percent (E15), by a 2 to 1 margin. The survey found that 62 percent of individuals support the use of E15 fuel versus only
July 19, 2016
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(Brookhaven National Laboratory) Fundamental enzyme study leads to increased access to bioenergy feedstocks and improves ethanol yield by modifying plant cell wall structures. Lignin is a natural component of plant cell walls, the scaffolding that surrounds each cell and plays a pivotal role in plants’ ability to grow against gravity
June 29, 2016
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(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) On June 16, Representative Tom Reed (R-NY) and Ron Kind (D-WI) along with 12 Republican and Democratic co-sponsors introduced the Agriculture Environmental Stewardship Act (H.R. 5489), which would expand the eligibility of biogas systems under the Investment Tax Credit (ITC), a 30 percent tax credit for
June 20, 2016
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Here, we profile 15 techs that offer incremental to profound shifts in the economics of the Gen-1 ethanol fleet, and have implications for everything from passenger cars to jets. #15 Vertimass and Byogy #14 Croda #13 Hummingbird #12 Alliance BioEnergy #11 GeoSynFuels #10 BioProcess Algae #9 xF
June 17, 2016
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by Clare Goldsberry (Plastics Today) A presenter at the recent ANTEC conference posed a provocative question: Are biobased materials really sustainable? — He (Professor Majid Sarmadi of the University of Wisconsin-Madison )pointed out that sustainability goes beyond whether or not to use conventional plastics, but should take into account how other
June 16, 2016
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by Chris Barncard (University of Wisconsin-Madison) … “The recycling of plant carbon is fundamental to the function of our ecosystems,” says Cameron Currie, professor of bacteriology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. “We get food, water, air, energy — almost everything — through those ecosystem services. It’s how our planet operates.”
June 9, 2016
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(Michigan State University/AgProfessional.com) … The study, conducted by the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center and Michigan State University, found that using nitrogen fertilizer on switchgrass crops sharply increases the amount of nitrous oxide emitted. Switchgrass has been heralded as a significant feedstock for producing cellulosic biofuels, which are derived from grasses,
June 8, 2016
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … It’s that way for nanocellulose, too — a material made from the largest organisms imaginable — our friends, the trees — which display astonishing Marvel-like properties when processed into nanofibrils and nanocrystals, with gigantic implications for the future of materials. … Instead of Stark Industries,
June 3, 2016
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by Janna Farley (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Passion, leadership and vision are more important than gender in the work of three top managers. — In fact, there are only a handful of women in top management in the industry. Ethanol Producer Magazine talked to three about their experiences and how they’re
May 18, 2016
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by Leslie Shown (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Given the shouts and cheers emanating from Lisa Andresen’s classroom, one might guess that Room 105 doubles as the school’s gym. In fact, these are the sounds of middle school students exploring energy and environmental science. Andresen, an educator for more than 10
May 11, 2016
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by Krista Eastman (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Three U.S. Department of Energy-funded research centers – the BioEnergy Science Center (Oak Ridge National Laboratory), the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (University of Wisconsin–Madison and Michigan State University), and the Joint BioEnergy Institute (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) – are making progress on
May 11, 2016
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(Wisconsin Clean Cities) Second Round Funding Now Available–ALL GRANT PROPOSALS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY: FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2016 AT 12:00 PM CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME Submit completed applications via email to seo@wisconsin.gov. Questions? Submit to seo@wisconsin.gov and answers will be posted at the bottom. On October 28, 2015, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)announced
April 19, 2016
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by Ann Bailey (Ethanol Producer Magazine) American Science and Technology has completed the scale-up of its biorefinery in Wausau, Wisconsin. The scale-up increase’s the processing capacity of AST, an emerging technology company in the biochemicals and renewable fuel sector, from 100 kilograms to 2 tons of cellulosic biomass per day. …
March 23, 2016
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This year the National Advanced Biofuels Conference & Expo is co-located with the world’s largest ethanol conference, the 32nd annual International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo (FEW). The event will feature the world of advanced biofuels and biobased chemicals—technology scale-up, project finance, policy, national markets and more—with a core focus
(University of Wisconsin-Madison/Phys.Org) For a world hooked on fossil carbons, the vials of amber syrup in Jim Dumesic’s lab are full of sweet potential. Dumesic’s group caused a stir in research circles and the media in 2014 by publishing a paper in the journal Science describing a new scheme for
March 11, 2016
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(Wisconsin Clean Cities) On October 28, 2015, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, Office of Energy Innovation (OEI) had been awarded $3.7 million through the Biofuels Infrastructure Program (BIP) to significantly expand and support the installation of ethanol blending equipment at retail
February 26, 2016
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by Thomas Content (Milwaukee, Wisconsin Journal Sentinel) … In one project among several around the nation, ExxonMobil is working with researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on technology to bring down the cost of renewable diesel and jet fuel. Researchers led by George Huber, a professor of chemical and biological
February 24, 2016
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(Ocean Park Advisors/Ag Professionals) … “Our experience leads us to believe there will be an increased number of owners and boards of renewable fuel companies evaluating their options in 2016, if not testing the market for reasonable assessments of the value of their plants,” said Bruce Comer, founder and managing director
by Krista Eastman (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) An assistant research specialist at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) has designed a new strain of yeast that could improve the efficiency of making fuel from cellulosic biomass such as switchgrass. Both the yeast strain and the method of its design could help
(Wisconsin Clean Cities) On October 28, 2015, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, Office of Energy Innovation (OEI) had been awarded $3.7 million through the Biofuels Infrastructure Program (BIP) to significantly expand and support the installation of ethanol blending equipment at retail
February 1, 2016
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(Virent) Virent has entered into a new strategic relationship with Tesoro to accelerate the development and commercialization of Virent’s BioForming technology to produce cost effective, low-carbon, drop-in, bio-based fuels and chemicals. The agreement provides funding to Virent to advance its technology and commercialization while establishing a framework for Tesoro to
February 1, 2016
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by Erik Ness (Grow) Lignin is a tough organic compound that gives plants like this poplar their structure—and it’s one of the biggest obstacles in breaking down plants to produce biofuel. John Ralph and his team have created a new technology that makes it easier to break down (or “unzip”)
January 28, 2016
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by Robert E. Kozak and Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) This year, for a change, in the introduction to his remarks at the Washington, DC Auto Show, US Energy Secretary Dr. Ernest Moniz pointed out the importance of alternative fuels to achieving the climate change goals of the Paris COP21
January 21, 2016
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(Rice University/Science Daily) Research shows how nature handles lignin — New research shows how bacterial enzymes team up to attack lignin. The findings could lead to more efficient processes for creating biofuels from wood, grass and agricultural waste, say scientists. The molecules that impart strength to paper, bamboo and wood-frame buildings
January 8, 2016
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by Steve Wilhelm (Denver Business Journal) Alaska Airlines says it will will partner with Gevo Inc., a leading maker of plant-based jet fuel, as the Seattle-based airline progresses from previous demonstration flights using Gevo’s aviation biofuel to commercial flight sometime this year. Parent company Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK), which
January 8, 2016
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(Virent) Rolls-Royce Testing Demonstrates Virent Synthesized Aromatic Kerosene (SAK) Bio-Jet Fuel Blend Provides Health and Environmental Benefits While Maintaining Engine Performance Bio-jet emissions testing by Rolls-Royce and supported by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under the Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions, and Noise (CLEEN) program, confirmed that jet fuels containing Virent’s
January 8, 2016
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by Mark E. Griffin (Wisconsin Energy Institute/University of Wisconsin) A six-year Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) study on the viability of different bioenergy feedstocks recently demonstrated that perennial cropping systems such as switchgrass, giant miscanthus, poplar, native grasses, and prairie can yield as much biomass as corn stover. The
December 30, 2015
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by Sarah Wright (The Herald Independent) What are biofuels? How can they help us meet our future energy needs while minimizing negative environmental impacts? With support from the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) at UW-Madison, students in freshman biology classes at Monona Grove High School have been learning how to
December 28, 2015
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(University of Illinois/Biomass Magazine) The University of Illinois has been awarded a 3-year, $5 million grant from the DOE Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy as part of its OPEN 2015 funding initiative (ARPA-E OPEN). Under Principal Investigator Andrew Leakey, Associate Professor of Plant Biology, the interdisciplinary and multi-institutional team intends to increase
December 18, 2015
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by Terry Devitt (University of Wisconsin-Madison News) The makers of beer, wine, biofuels and other products that depend on yeasts may soon have many more strains of the microorganism to work with, thanks to a new method for making interspecies yeast hybrids in the lab. … Orange-colored galls from the
December 7, 2015
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(Spooner Advocate) The Public Service Commission (PSC) has announced that Wisconsin is the recipient of a $3.7 million U.S. Department of Agriculture grant to significantly expand and support the installation of ethanol blending equipment at retail gas stations throughout the state. The collaborative effort between the PSC, the Wisconsin Department
November 3, 2015
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by Ray Defenbaugh (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Prime the Pump/Growth Energy) Prime the pump, an effort to grow the ethanol market to accelerate the build-out of higher blend retail infrastructure, has had tremendous success, writes Ray Defenbaugh. — The ethanol industry is going on the offense to bring higher blends into the
October 27, 2015
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by Melody M. Bomgardner (Chemical & Engineering News) Researchers at the Joint BioEnergy Institute transform biomass into energy-rich fuel molecules — .. JBEI researchers are zeroing in on concepts that others have decided are too difficult or would take too long to prove. Can you engineer a plant’s cell walls
October 26, 2015
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by Keith Loria (Biomass Magazine) California’s Calgren Renewable Fuels uses renewable energy generated onsite to power its renewable fuel production process. When the Calgren Ethanol Biodigester officially opened in Tulare County, California, early this year, it represented a major commitment by the state of California to employ sustainable energy production. Located
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Since introducing PlantBottle packaging – the first-ever fully recyclable PET plastic bottle made partially from plants – Coca-Cola has distributed more than 25 billion of the bottles to thirsty consumers in 37 countries. The breakthrough technology also has helped catalyze a movement to redirect the
September 16, 2015
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(Merlo Farming Group) California Department of Food and Agriculture announced the AgPower Visalia, LLC project in Tulare Co. has been awarded a three million dollar dairy digester research and development grant yesterday. The project, developed by Camco Clean Energy, will be constructed byRegenis at the Moonlight Dairy in Visalia, the
September 15, 2015
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) USDA announces state finalists for the Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership. Will it move the needle? The Digest investigates. In Washington, US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that 21 states will receive grants through the Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership (BIP) to add infrastructure needed to supply more renewable
by Coral Didion (Renewable Fuels Association) Food versus fuel is the misconception that we are diverting farmland and crops toward biofuel production to the detriment of the food supply. Didion Milling, which has been in business since 1972, producing corn meal, grits, cones, and flours as food ingredients and products,
September 11, 2015
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(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that 21 states will receive grants through the Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership (BIP) to add infrastructure needed to supply more renewable fuel to America’s drivers. Since announcing the program in May 2015, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency
(Michigan State University) Michigan State University has earned a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to better understand how biofuel crops acquire nitrogen, insights that could help maximize yields while minimizing fertilizer use. Sarah Evans, an integrative biologist at MSU’s Kellogg Biological Station, and a team of
September 10, 2015
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(US Department of Energy) The Energy Department today announced two additional projects selected to receive up to $4 million to develop next-generation biofuels that will help reduce the cost of producing gasoline, diesel, and jet fuels from biomass. These projects—in addition to five projects previously selected in October 2014 under the
August 27, 2015
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Glucan Biorenewables is producing furan derivatives from biomass. The furfural platform will be used to launch other value-added co-products: 5-hydroxyl-methyl furfural (HMF) and downstream derivatives The company’s TriVersa Process meets the need for a renewable, environmentally friendly process to deconstruct aggregated agricultural residues created from
August 24, 2015
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(WHBL) If you are old enough, you may remember the old Burma Shave signs that would line a roadway to promote that product a few words at a time. Now the American Lung Association’s Upper Midwest Clear Air Choice Team is putting up similar signage in Wisconsin to promote more use
August 21, 2015
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7 Facts About Attending the International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo You’ll Join More Than 2,000 Professionals Focused on Ethanol Be a part of the largest gathering of ethanol professionals in the world. The best ethanol industry products and services will be there. Producers will be Attending During the Last Three
August 20, 2015
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by Reps. Keith Ripp and Andy Jorgensen (Wisconsin State Journal) … We are proud to support the Renewable Fuel Standard despite the fact that the two of us hail from different political parties. And we are not the only example of the bipartisan support for the Renewable Fuel Standard. Both Republican Gov.
August 19, 2015
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(Renewable Fuels Association) Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen issued the following statement in response to the shutdown of the BP 240,000-barrels-per-day refinery in Whiting, Indiana, which has caused gasoline prices to spike in Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, and Wisconsin, and could cause prices to increase in
August 17, 2015
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by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A small number of ethanol producers sell E85 and other ethanol blends directly to consumers with on-site blender pumps or, in a few cases, own retail gas stations. Mitch Miller, CEO of Carbon Green Bioenergy LLC, believes more ethanol producers should start selling the
August 17, 2015
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