Sustainability – Advanced BioFuels USA

Neste Introduces IMO 2020 Fuel, Announces New US Partnership

by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Renewable diesel producer Neste Corp. announced Aug. 15 it will introduce a new fuel, Neste Marine 0.5, in the fourth quarter of this year, helping shippers comply with the International Maritime Organization’s 2020 sulfur cap of 0.5 percent to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions. Come Jan. 1,

August 24, 2019 Read Full Article

U.S. Recycling Industry Is Struggling to Figure Out a Future without China

by Christopher Joyce (National Public Radio) The U.S. used to send a lot of its plastic waste to China to get recycled. But last year, China put the kibosh on imports of the world’s waste. The policy, called National Sword, freaked out people in the U.S. — a huge market for

August 23, 2019 Read Full Article

If We Really Want to Sequester More Carbon, Agriculture Can’t Be Made the Enemy, Says Microbial Input Startup Locus

by Lauren Manning (Ag Funder News) … Carbon sequestration is a phrase that’s becoming commonplace in the media, in food policy circles, and more recently around the dinner table. Put simply, Zorner says, carbon sequestration describes the process that plants use to absorb carbon from the air through photosynthesis, convert it

August 23, 2019 Read Full Article

Transport Biofuels: Tracking Clean Energy Progress

by Pharoah Le Feuvre (International Energy Agency) Transport biofuel production expanded 7% year-on-year in 2018, and 3% annual production growth is expected over the next five years. This falls short of the sustained 10% output growth per year needed until 2030 to align with the Sustainable Development Scenario (SDS). Stronger

August 23, 2019 Read Full Article

“Poldering” a New Climate Agreement in the Netherlands

by Paul Sinnige and Timo Gerlagh (Netherlands Enterprise Agency) … With a strong focus on passenger transport and recognising that transport is responsible for a quarter of all emissions, one of the main goals of the agreement is an ambition for all new passenger cars sold in the Netherlands to

August 23, 2019 Read Full Article

Commercializing Conventional and Advanced Transport Biofuels from Biomass and Other Renewable Feedstocks — Co-processing

(IEA Bioenergy Task 39) Many petroleum refiners in Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia are thinking about upgrading bio-feedstocks using existing infrastructure. Approximately 40 refineries around the world have so far implemented or tested some type of hydroprocessing of mixed petroleum and bio-intermediate feedstocks, co-processing these feeds at biointermediate levels

August 23, 2019 Read Full Article

The Future of Hydrogen — Seizing Today’s Opportunities

(International Energy Agency) “Hydrogen is today enjoying unprecedented momentum. The world should not miss this unique chance to make hydrogen an important part of our clean and secure energy future.” — Hydrogen and energy have a long shared history – powering the first internal combustion engines over 200 years ago to

August 23, 2019 Read Full Article

Fossil Fuels Offer a Poor Return on Energy Investment

(University of Leeds) An evaluation of the global energy return on investment for fossil fuels and renewable sources reveals a much more level playing field than previously believed. An enduring argument for the ongoing use of fossil fuels is their high energy return on energy investment – the ratio of

August 23, 2019 Read Full Article

Indian Oil Corporation to Invest Rs 25,000 cr in Green Energy

by Sanjeev Choudhary (Economic Times) Rising environmental concerns are increasingly swaying government energy policies across the globe, prompting energy companies to invest in greener options. — Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), the nation’s largest refiner and fossil fuel retailer, plans to invest Rs 25,000 crore in green energy projects, including solar and wind

August 23, 2019 Read Full Article

Cutting Edge Sustainability for Cutting Edge Tech: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sustainability is such a vague term that some throw around to make them sound good in a consumer environment that is asking for greener and more socially conscious products. The Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials is tackling sustainability head on with its cutting edge sustainability tools for

August 23, 2019 Read Full Article

Petroleum Companies Ramp up HVO Production in Europe

(Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP)/Biodiesel Magazine) Production of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) in the European Union has picked up pace since 2012. Petroleum companies, such as Neste, Eni and Total, were the main entities promoting the creation of corresponding capacities. From the perspective of the Union zur Förderung

August 22, 2019 Read Full Article

Opinion: How The Airline Industry Can Wage War On Climate Change

by James N. Krebs (Aviation Week & Space Technology) …Accelerate clean-fuel production: By 2030, 4 billion gal. per year of clean fuels should be refined in the U.S. for its airlines. To virtually eliminate carbon emissions by 2050, the global industry will need to scale up production to 100 billion gal.

August 22, 2019 Read Full Article

2020 Dems Aim to Capitalize on Trump’s Ethanol Policy

by Brian Dabbs (National Journal) Democratic presidential candidates are exploiting a controversial White House ethanol policy to try to generate support among President Trump’s staunchest backers. The Environmental Protection Agency waived ethanol blending requirements for more than 30 petroleum refiners earlier this month, in a move that continues to infuriate

August 22, 2019 Read Full Article

From Chicken Kiev to ZEV: The Birth of Electro-Active Technologies, and Hydrogen Fuel for Zero Emission Vehicles, the Newfangled Way

by jmlhydrogen (Hydrogen Digest) From Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee comes news that Electro-Active Technologies has exclusively licensed two biorefinery technologies to convert organic waste into renewable hydrogen gas for use as a biofuel. The Technology The system combines biology and electrochemistry to degrade organic waste—such as plant biomass or

August 22, 2019 Read Full Article

Energypath 2019 in Review

(Sustainable Energy Fund) Energypath 2019 was held at DeSales University in Center Valley, PA on Thursday, July 25th, 2019. More than 240 industry and aspiring industry professionals attended the conference to learn about the future of energy financing from nationally recognized energy industry experts. The conference was preceded by a series of

August 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Gevo Discusses Plans for Hydrocarbon, RNG Production

by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) … During an earnings call, Gevo CEO Patrick Gruber discussed the company’s future plans for aviation fuel production and announced plans to launch a renewable natural gas (RNG) division. Gruber opened the call by discussing progress the company has made with its commercial off-take agreements, referencing

August 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Lufthansa Innovation Hub launches the “Compensaid” Sustainability Platform and Focuses on CO2 Neutral Aviation Fuels

(Lufthansa Group) Travelers can use the new platform to replace the fossil fuel of their flights with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF); Airline passengers can reduce up to 80 percent of their CO2 emissions; “Compensaid” provides a transparent overview of a person’s travel history and associated CO2 emissions across all airlines

August 21, 2019 Read Full Article

NFU Writes to Government for Biofuel Policy

(National Farmers Union) The NFU has written to Government ministers calling for E10 – a type of petrol which contains 10% renewable bioethanol – to be introduced by 2020 to help the UK reach its net zero targets. Currently commonplace on UK forecourts is E5 which only contains 5% renewable bioethanol.

August 21, 2019 Read Full Article

All About Algae: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to DOE’s Advanced Algal Systems

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Algae has a lot of recent federal support, and this presentation takes us there. The Advanced Algal Systems is working on a host of strategies to focus on enhacing productivity, feedstock, quality and robust yields while developing higher-value bioproducts. Alison Goss Eng, Program Manager, Feedstock

August 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Oh My Neste MY: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Neste’s Renewable Diesel

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Neste’s MY renewable diesel is the best part of ‘diesel molecules’ and diesel specs, according to Neste. Check out this presentation by Dirk Vaughn, Head of Renewable Diesel Sales North America for Neste given at ABLC 2019 in Washington, D.C.to get the details on how

August 21, 2019 Read Full Article

It’s Time to Rebuild: Farmland as Critical Infrastructure

by Michael A. Fatigati (Vantaggio Renewables/Biofuels Digest) … We believe that one of our nation’s important natural resources, while protected in some ways, is being neglected to our peril and should be re-classified as infrastructure. This segment of infrastructure supplies 95% of the food requirements of our nation. This segment

August 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Dominion Energy, Smithfield Foods Break Ground on RNG Project

(Smithfield Foods Inc./Biomass Magazine) Dominion Energy and Smithfield Foods Inc. are pleased to announce that the companies are breaking ground on North Carolina’s largest renewable natural gas (RNG) project through their joint venture, Align Renewable Natural Gas (RNG). Located in Duplin and Sampson counties, this project will generate enough energy to power more than

August 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Cellulose Microbeads, Sequins and Eyeware, 3D Printed Sandals and Menswear, Biobased adhesives, and more: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of August 21st

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This week, it’s all about cellulose and 3D printing and these Top 10 Innovations are so cutting edge you can literally dress yourself from head to toe in it. From cellulose sequins and cellulose eyeware to 3D printed cornstarch menswear and 3D printed sandals using coconut

August 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Vancouver Considers Anaerobic Digestion to Tackle Dog Waste DEADLINE: September 17, 2019

(Bioenergy Insight) The Canadian city of Vancouver is considering processing dog waste using anaerobic digestion. … Currently, dog waste is collected in plastic bags that do not quickly or easily break down, so diverting the waste from landfill has become a priority for the city. Vancouver is considering a contracted

August 20, 2019 Read Full Article

Three UK Companies Join Forces to Create Waste Plastic to Hydrogen Facilities

(Bioenergy Insight) Three companies have joined forces to create waste plastic to hydrogen facilities across the UK. Peel Environmental has signed a collaboration agreement with Waste2Tricity and PowerHouse Energy which will see 11 waste plastic to hydrogen facilities developed. The £130 million (€140 million) investment follows the announcement that the

August 20, 2019 Read Full Article

US Biomass Plant Demolished to Make Way for Biogas Facility

(Bioenergy Insight) The first power plant fuelled by turkey manure and wood chips in the US has been demolished, but a new biogas facility may take its place. The Fibrominn biomass plant in Benson, Minnesota, was built in 2007 to provide an alternative to land-spreading turkey litter. It was the

August 20, 2019 Read Full Article

Bioenergy Startup Licenses ORNL Food-Waste-to-Fuel System

(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Electro-Active Technologies, Inc., of Knoxville, Tenn., has exclusively licensed two biorefinery technologies invented and patented by the startup’s co-founders while working at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The technologies work as a system that converts organic waste into renewable hydrogen gas for use as

August 20, 2019 Read Full Article

British Airways and Shell to Build Europe’s First Facility to Convert Rubbish into Jet Fuel

by Oliver Gill (The Telegraph) British Airways and Royal Dutch Shell have submitted plans to build Europe’s first plant that converts household waste into jet fuel. The duo will work with Velocys, a sustainable fuel specialist, on the site near to the Humber estuary in North Lincolnshire. It is hoped that around

August 20, 2019 Read Full Article

Jumbo and GoodFuels Partner to Take Sustainable Bio-Fuel Oil to the Offshore Support Market

(Goodfuels) Dutch company partnership paves the way for a low carbon energy transition in the offshore support sector. — Leading global heavy lift shipping and offshore transportation and installation contractor Jumbo, and the world’s first commercial, sustainable marine biofuel company GoodFuels, today announced a joint initiative to test marine Bio-Fuel Oil on

August 20, 2019 Read Full Article

Revisit Your Facility’s Grease Waste Process and Turn Fog Into an Asset

(Greasezilla) You may be flushing a valuable resource down the metaphorical drain when disposing of grease trap waste. Yes, the big bad wolf of commercial plumbing that the industry has struggled to combat over the past two decades may be hiding a gem in that mess of congealed fats, oils and

August 19, 2019 Read Full Article

Videos and Presentations Posted from 2019 Congressional Clean Energy Expo and Policy Forum

(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) The 22nd Annual Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency EXPO and Policy Forumbrought together 30-40 businesses, trade associations, and government agencies to showcase renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. In every state across the country, these technologies are having a significant impact in business development and

August 19, 2019 Read Full Article

NACSAA Webinar Underscores Need for Wider Scale of Global Ag Talks

(North American Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance) A NACSAA webinar held last month on what transpired at the June climate talks in Bonn (SB50) underscored the limited approaches to climate smart agriculture under discussion by global representatives. The global conversation about the need to transform agriculture and the food system to

August 19, 2019 Read Full Article

The Golden Cow – Is India the Place to Be for Biofuels?

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … Is India the cash cow for biofuels? Or even the golden cow? If Aemetis’ recent 200% year over year increase in biodiesel sales is any indication…well, let’s just say we see the value. The market It is estimated that the ethanol market in India

August 19, 2019 Read Full Article

Facts Not Furor: What the 2020 Candidates Should Be Focused On

by Daniel Gage (ACT News/NGV America) … One candidate said we have less than 10 years to act. Many candidates agree that we don’t have time to wait. So why then are we waiting for large scale light-duty electric vehicle adoption that will take decades? Why are we waiting for medium-

August 19, 2019 Read Full Article

Replacing Crude Oil with Waste Plastics

(Neste) The aim is to proceed to an industrial scale trial during 2019. By 2030, Neste targets to process more than one million tons of plastic waste annually by 2030. Neste is already the world’s largest producer of renewable diesel from waste and residues and now it’s target is to

August 19, 2019 Read Full Article

How Floating Solar Farms Could Make Fuel and Help Solve the Climate Crisis

by Denise Chow (NBC News) “Solar methanol islands” could curb our reliance on fossil fuels that belch harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. — Huge solar farms floating in the ocean could be used to convert carbon dioxide in seawater into methanol, a fuel that can power airplanes, trucks and other long-haul

August 16, 2019 Read Full Article

In Iowa, Candidates Are Talking About Farming’s Climate Change Connections Like No Previous Election

by Georgina Gustin (Inside Climate News) About half the candidates have policy proposals or statements addressing climate change impacts on agriculture or farming’s potential as a climate solution. … They also brought an unprecedented focus on agriculture‘s connections with climate change—an issue that’s getting more traction among rural Midwestern voters and farmers in

August 16, 2019 Read Full Article

RFA to Australia: Choose Ethanol, Not Petroleum Reserve

(Renewable Fuels Association) In a letter sent today (August 15, 2019), the Renewable Fuels Association encouraged Australia’s energy minister to strongly consider U.S. ethanol imports as a cleaner, more affordable alternative to purchasing oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve. According to RFA, opening the Australian market to ethanol imports would

August 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Low-Carbon Neste MY Renewable Diesel Now Available in Oregon, US

(Neste) With climate change at the forefront of the global conversation, Neste, the world’s largest producer of renewable diesel fuel, is making reducing CO2 emissions more accessible to fleet owners in Oregon, US. The company is proud to announce an exclusive partnership with a distributor in Oregon, McCall Companies. Through this partner,

August 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Mineral Oil Groups Ramp up HVO Production in the EU

(Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP)/Biodiesel Magazine) Production of hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) in the European Union has picked up pace since 2012. Mineral oil groups, such as Neste, Eni and Total, were the main entities promoting the creation of corresponding capacities. From the perspective of the Union

August 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Scars Are Beautiful: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Gevo’s Market Perspectives

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Scars are a sign you’ve been there and survived. You overcame. You learned something, maybe the hard way. And Patrick Gruber, CEO of Gevo, a company that produces low-carbon, renewable, high-performance fuel products, shows us just how beautiful scars can be. Check out his illuminating presentation where

August 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Available for Viewing: Public Workshop: Low-Carbon Transportation Investments, Strategies, and Outcomes

(Transportation and Climate Initiative/Georgetown Climate Center) On Tuesday, July 30, more than 300 community members, transportation, environmental and social justice advocates, business and industry representatives, and state and local officials participated in the Transportation & Climate Initiative workshop on Low-Carbon Transportation Investments, Strategies, and Outcomes in Baltimore, Maryland. At the workshop

August 15, 2019 Read Full Article

How to De-Fossilize Your Fleet: Suggestions for Fleet Managers Working on Sustainability Programs

by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Cities, companies, universities, organizations pledge to be 100% renewable (or 50%) by a certain date. But how often does that pledge include renewable transportation energy? I’m guessing just about never. But it doesn’t have to be that way. At conferences, sustainability events, by phone

August 15, 2019 Read Full Article

California Clears Final Hurdle for Underground Storage of Biodiesel Blends

(Biofuels International) The state of California in the US has approved the storage of biodiesel blends of up to 20% (B20) in underground storage tanks, removing the final barrier to ensuring the state has access to sufficient volumes of the biofuel. The campaign began over 10 years ago, with the

August 15, 2019 Read Full Article

QUOTE OF THE WEEK — Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and former Senator Timothy Wirth (D-CO)

“Public policy to date has put almost the entire burden of the (transportation) sector’s transformation on the nation’s vehicles. Shouldn’t the fuels they burn get equal attention?“ That’s the question asked by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and former Senator Timothy Wirth (D-CO) in an op-ed in The Hill. READ MORE

August 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Environmental Advocates Should Take Another Look at Biofuels

by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and former Sen. Timothy Wirth (D-CO) (The Hill) … But public policy to date has put almost the entire burden of the sector’s transformation on the nation’s vehicles. Shouldn’t the fuels they burn get equal attention? Look at the numbers: Even a rapid transition to electric

August 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Project of Domestic Scientists of Turning Algae into Biodiesel Succeeds – Serbia Could Have Its Own Oil

(eKapija) Scientists at the Institute for Multidisciplinary Research of the University of Belgrade have managed, according to the first results of a three-year project, unique in the world, to increase the production of fats in algae for around 30% through the method of “stressing”, which will have a great impact

August 15, 2019 Read Full Article

SoCalGas and Electrochaea Announce Commissioning of New Biomethanation Reactor System Pilot Project

(Southern California Gas Co./PR Newswire) Innovative project with U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory converts renewable electricity into renewable methane for storage in existing natural gas pipelines — Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) and Electrochaea today announced the commissioning of the nation’s first scalable biomethanation reactor system at the U.S. Department of

August 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Gevo Enters into Purchase and Sale Agreement for Sustainable Aviation Fuel to Supply Air TOTAL International

(Gevo) Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEVO) announced today that Air TOTAL International SA (“Air TOTAL”) and Gevo have entered into a partnership agreement to produce and supply sustainable aviation fuel (“SAF”) for use and distribution in France and other parts of Europe. With the finalization of this new supply contract, Gevo

August 15, 2019 Read Full Article

No Carbon Left Behind: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to LanzaTech

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) LanzaTech has produced 5.5 million gallons of ethanol since start up and has compelling project economics to back it up. Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of LanzaTech gave this ‘Carbon Smart’ overview of how LanzaTech is recycling carbon from industrial off gas biomass and MSW syngas and

August 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Robocar’s Biobased Seat Cushions, Miscanthus Bedding, Churro Waste Fat Based Diesel, Edible Spoons, Cellulose-Based Fabric, Sausage without the Sausage, and More: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of August 15th

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As the end of summer approaches, county fairs are popping up around the U.S. and with it, churros and other waste. But innovators are turning churro waste fats into renewable diesel, using edible flavored spoons to avoid fair waste, rain ponchos made from sugarcane-based bioplastic, packaging

August 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Circular Economy Package, European Commission, July 2018

by Liz Gyekye (BioMarket Insights) The European Union (EU)’s landmark ‘Circular Economy Package’ came into force last year. By July 2020, the bloc’s 28 member states will have to incorporate the Package into national law. Some say that this legislation is the most ambitious set of measures ever agreed by the EU to

August 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Aemetis Cuts Carbon Score of Keyes Ethanol Plant

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Aemetis Inc. released second quarter 2019 financial results Aug. 8. The company reported strong growth for its biodiesel business in India, outlined improvement projects underway at its corn ethanol plant, and discussed planned renewable natural gas (RNG) and cellulosic ethanol production. During an earnings call,

August 14, 2019 Read Full Article

Promising New Solar-Powered Path to Hydrogen Fuel Production

(Lehigh News) A team at Lehigh is the first to use a single enzyme biomineralization process to create a solar-driven water splitting catalyst that produces hydrogen with the potential to be manufactured sustainably, cheaply and abundantly. — Engineers at Lehigh University are the first to utilize a single enzyme biomineralization process

August 14, 2019 Read Full Article

33 Million Reasons Why Your Garbage Is Worth More than You Think: Breakthrough, Cox et al Investing, Accelerating Sierra Energy in Waste-to-X Race

(Hydrogen Digest) … In 2015, we reported that the Defense Logistics Agency awarded Sierra Energy a $100,000 Small Business Innovation Research grant $100,000 grant to further explore the production of hydrogen fuel from waste. Sierra Energy’s patented FastOx gasifier converts waste into an energy-dense gas with high hydrogen content. The system’s

August 14, 2019 Read Full Article

RNG Continues to Move Passengers on the Big Blue Bus, LAX

(Clean Energy Fuels Corp/Biomass Magazine) The demand for clean, cost-effective renewable natural gas (RNG) as a transportation fuel continues to rise. Clean Energy Fuels Corp. announced it has inked contracts to provide its Redeem renewable natural gas (RNG) to power fleets across multiple sectors that include transit, trucking, airports, solid waste and service

August 14, 2019 Read Full Article

Golden Grain Receives LCFS Certification for Cellulosic Ethanol Production

(Biofuels International) The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has approved Golden Grain Energy for cellulosic ethanol production from corn kernel fibre, according to biotechnology company Edeniq, which has supplied the technology for production. Golden Grain operates a corn ethanol plant in Mason City, Iowa, which has a capacity of 120

August 14, 2019 Read Full Article

Chinese Demand Heats up Brazil’s Ethanol Industry

by Sarita Reed and Vinicius Fontana (China Dialogue) Adding ethanol to Chinese petrol will decrease emissions but could worsen Brazil’s deforestation — There are 332 million cars on the road in China, more than anywhere in the world. Most run on pure petrol, but from next year Chinese fuel companies

August 14, 2019 Read Full Article

Innovate AND Implement: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to ICM’s Ethanol and Biorefining

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Innovation is great but without implementation, the story ends there. Not so for ICM, a Kanasas-based company that took its small business roots in a farming community and an idea and turned it into 1/3 of the world’s ethanol produced every year by ICM technologies. With

August 14, 2019 Read Full Article

Vegan Renewable Diesel, Futurol Tech: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Axens’ Fuel Feedstocks

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Axens Solutions is covering the entire project development cycle and working on things like BioTfuel and Vegan which are renewable diesel and jet fuels, Futurol, a cellulosic ethanol using biomass enzymatic fermentation, Atol made from ethylene using ethanol dehydration, and other feedstocks for fuel. David

August 14, 2019 Read Full Article

FAME Is Fleeting: FAEE as a More Sustainable Option for Biodiesel in the US: Filling the Tank on the Road to the Future

by Ron Cascone and Steven Slome (Nexant/Biofuels Digest) The term “fatty acid methyl ester” or FAME has been synonymous with biodiesel for the better part of the last two decades that have seen its widespread promotion and use. This has been due to the historical low price of methanol, and the

August 14, 2019 Read Full Article

We Have No Idea Yet How to Feed the Planet without Frying It

(Washington Post) … A new and more accurate accounting method enabled one of the researchers, Princeton University’s Tim Searchinger, to calculate that biofuels are actually environmental villains: “Using ethanol or biodiesel contributes two to three times the greenhouse gas emissions of gasoline or diesel over more than 30 years,” he found.

August 13, 2019 Read Full Article

New Energy Blue Buys Inbicon’s Low-Carbon Fuel Technology

(Oil and Gas 360/New Energy Blue) NewEnergyBlue acquired exclusive rights to Inbicon bio-conversion technology throughout the Americas and will first employ it to turn North Dakota wheat straw into a high-value, carbon-neutral automotive fuel. The technology license was purchased from Ørsted, a Danish green-energy company. Ørsted developed the technology over 15 years at

August 13, 2019 Read Full Article

The Safrinha Subpoena, or, Do They that Soy the Wind Ripen the Whirlwind?

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Today we’re going to relate a detective story which begins with an unexplained and foul stink, and branches off into climate, trade, the eradication of poverty, crop rotation, the politics of the Amazon, the flow vectors of tropical seas, seafloor convection, the future of beach

August 13, 2019 Read Full Article

Another IKEA Store Offering Biomethane Refueling in Finland

(Gasum/NGV Journal) Energy company Gasum and IKEA Finland continue to work together with the opening of a renewable natural gas filling station at the IKEA store in Raisio. This new facility improves the availability of a low-emission fuel and promotes the circular economy in the Turku economic region. Two natural gas

August 13, 2019 Read Full Article

City in Colorado Develops Innovative Biogas Plant & CNG Station Project

(City of Longmont/NGV Journal) Steel rising on a site at the northwest corner of the city of Longmont’s Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) is a sign of the future. The steel provides the frame for an approximately 23,000-square-foot building for Longmont’s Biogas Treatment and Renewable Natural Gas Fueling Station Project, which will

August 12, 2019 Read Full Article

“Just the Bagasse”: UFG Researcher Studies Biofuel Production with Cerrado Fruit Residues

(UFG Journal (Google Translation)) … A research conducted at the Federal University of Goiás (UFG) evaluates the use of fruits as alternative and unconventional sources of natural origin for ethanol production. In addition to testing with jamelão, a plant of Indian origin that has adapted well in several regions of Brazil,

August 12, 2019 Read Full Article

Five Myths about Corn: Actually, It’s Not All Genetically Modified — or Unhealthy.

by Laura Reiley (Washington Post) … MYTH NO. 5 Biofuels derived from corn can help the environment. Ethanol, made by fermenting sugars from corn or sugar cane, contains oxygen that enables a car’s engine to burn fuel more efficiently. It was heralded as the “fuel of the future” by Henry Ford in 1925 —

August 12, 2019 Read Full Article

Expression of Interest to Be Floated for Procurement of Biodiesel from Used Cooking Oil across 100 Cities

(Government of India Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas) World Biofuel Day is observed every year on 10th of August to create awareness about the importance of non-fossil fuels as an alternative to conventional fossil fuels and highlight the various efforts made by Government in the biofuel sector. Ministry of Petroleum

August 12, 2019 Read Full Article

Planned Anti-Subsidy Duties on Palm Oil Methyl Ester Ineffective

(Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP)) The preliminary anti-subsidy duties announced by the EU Commission will not reduce imports of palm oil-based biodiesel. This is the conclusion the Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP) has drawn from a comparison of 8 per cent and 18 per cent

August 12, 2019 Read Full Article

Can They? Should They?: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to DOE’s Biofuels in Marine Engines

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The fuels market and demand for jet fuels is big, but what about the marine sector? After all, over 90% of all goods are shipped via marine vessels fueled with high sulfur (3.5 wt.%) heavy residual fuel oil (HFO). Zia Haq, Siva Sivasubramanian, Mark Shmorhun, Mohan

August 12, 2019 Read Full Article

Just Drop It in!: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Gevo’s Drop-in Hydrocarbons

by Jim Lane (Biofuhttp://radar.weather.gov/radar_lite.php?product=NCR&rid=LWX&loop=yesels Digest) Gevo produces and sells low-carbon, renewable, high-performance fuel products. From ethanol to isobutanol, jet fuel, isooctane, oxygenate blendstocks, and more, Gevo is on a mission to replace fossil based products and decarbonize products for large markets. Tim Cesarek, Executive VP and COO of Gevo gave this

August 8, 2019 Read Full Article

Agriculture and Forestry in a Changing Climate: What The Future Holds for Florida — August 12, 2019 — Gainesville, FL

– A forum that will highlight climate challenges to Florida’s farms, ranches, and forests and steps that the state’s producers are taking in response is set for Monday, Aug. 12, at the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center in Gainesville. Agriculture and Forestry in a Changing Climate: What the Future Holds for

August 8, 2019 Read Full Article

IPCC’s New Special Report Warns that We Must Get Serious About Sustainable Land Use

(Our Daily Planet) The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Special Report on Climate Change and Land was released today and makes it clear that the way we use our land and cultivate our food must quickly become more sustainable if we’re going to limit the rise of global temperatures to 1.5°C and meaningfully act

August 8, 2019 Read Full Article

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Patrick Gruber

“This pilot with the City of Seattle has shown the measurable reduction in pollution with a renewable blended fuel,” said Patrick Gruber, CEO of Gevo. “Imagine replacing the whole gallon of gasoline with low-carbon renewable gasoline that has high performance, yet would reduce pollution and improve air quality more significantly.”

August 8, 2019 Read Full Article

Gevo’s Renewable Isobutanol Pilot Lowers Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Seattle

(Biofuels International) Low carbon fuel company Gevo has successfully completed the first phase of a trial pilot of fleet vehicles using its low carbon, renewable drop-in isobutanol blended gasoline. The trial, which took place in the City of Seattle in in the US, saw a reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions

August 8, 2019 Read Full Article

Economics of Road Transport Starting to Favor Renewables

by Emiliano Bellini (PV Magazine) According to a new report by BNP Paribas Asset Management, renewables offer more advantages than simply mitigating climate change. Electricity is easier to transport than oil, and wind and solar electricity prices are much more stable than volatile oil prices. An analyst from the French bank

August 7, 2019 Read Full Article

Course Set for Western Australia’s Renewable Hydrogen Future

(Government of Western Australia) Renewable Hydrogen Strategy to position Western Australia as a frontrunner in the burgeoning global renewable hydrogen industry; McGowan Government commits to $10 million Renewable Hydrogen Fund The McGowan Government has launched its Renewable Hydrogen Strategy to position Western Australia as a major producer and exporter of

August 7, 2019 Read Full Article

FuelCell Energy, Drax Announce New Carbon Capture Project

by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) FuelCell Energy Inc. announced June 27 it has entered into a contract with Drax Power Station for an application of its carbon capture solution. Drax secured £500,000 ($633,503) in government funding to support the project. Under the contract, FuelCell Energy will support Drax with a front

August 7, 2019 Read Full Article

Stanford Researchers Create Hydrogen Fuel from Seawater

by Erin I. Garcia de Jesus (Stanford University News Service) Splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen presents an alternative to fossil fuels, but purified water is a precious resource. A Stanford-led team has now developed a way to harness seawater – Earth’s most abundant source – for chemical energy. — Stanford researchers have

August 7, 2019 Read Full Article

Switzerland’s First Commercial Hydrogen Production Project in the Works

by Tami Hood (Hydrogen Fuel News) Alpiq and H2 Energy to develop hydrogen-powered transportation in Switzerland. The nation’s first system for commercial hydrogen production is planned at the Gösgen hydropower plant. The 2 megawatt (MW) system is to be built by Alpiq and H2 Energy’s jointly owned (in equal shares) Hydrospider.

August 7, 2019 Read Full Article

Hydrogen Production – How Much Will Be Sustainable, How Sustainable, When, and How?

(Hydrogen Digest) … Creating another fossil economy, even if it uses groovy hydrogen, is not the aim of our industrial societies. We want new methods of production, new sources that justify the time, money and aggravation of building out a hydrogen infrastructure. So, affordable production is the first hurdle, but by

August 7, 2019 Read Full Article

The Comet Now Uses Biodiesel in Its 39 Diesel Buses

(Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority (CMRTA)/Mass Transit Magazine) The Comet now uses a B5 biodiesel blend in 39 large transit buses as part of an initiative to help improve air quality in Richland and Lexington Counties, and reduce its carbon footprint. Biodiesel is vegetable-oil based, renewably resources, less polluting and biodegradable.

August 7, 2019 Read Full Article

Ready to Meet Market Growth?: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Biomass Gasification

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Missed The Digest’s webinar on Biomass Gasification? Wondering what it is or where it’s at? Biomass Gasification is a thermochemical process in which a renewable solid carbonaceous feedstock is reacted with air, oxygen, CO2 and/or steam to produce a gaseous product stream containing hydrogen and carbon

August 7, 2019 Read Full Article

Zero Emission Heavy Fuel Oil: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to GoodFuels’ Marine Biofuels

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) GoodFuels is seeing a fast rise of low carbon marine fuels as a very logical one. The demand. The supply. The environmental impact. Even the economics. It’s all making sense now. In November, GoodFuels completed trials of the world’s first zero emission, ‘drop in’ Heavy Fuel

August 7, 2019 Read Full Article

3F BIO Secures €17m Backing from European Commission for First Integrated Bio-Based Protein Biorefinery

(3F BIO) … The project addresses the protein challenge by integrating two established processes into a flagship, large-scale, first-of-its-kind, biorefinery producing bioethanol and sustainable food protein. The process takes a proportion of the sustainable cereal crops that feed the biorefinery to create a feedstock for the fermentation process that produces ABUNDA®