by Steve Leer (Purdue University) • About 27 percent of the nation's corn crop must be devoted to ethanol this year to meet the federal mandate, leaving other corn users to compete for the remaining 73 percent. • The renewable fuels standard
(Nature: International Weekly Journal of Science) Biofuels have big boots to fill. After more than 150 years of using petroleum and its products we have become dependent on it. First generation biofuels are showing us both the potential and the
by Rob O'Flanagan (Guelph Mercury) Biofuels are not the villain behind recent spikes in food prices, a new study funded by Grain Farmers of Ontario concludes. Terry Daynard, a corn expert and retired University of Guelph crop science professor, presented the
by Chuck Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) ...(A)t the 2011 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop, the 2011 Award of Excellence was presented to Dr. Bruce Dale, Michigan State University, by BBI International VP, Tom Bryan. Dale, professor of chemical engineering and associate director of the
(GreenAirOnline) The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has announced an initiative help finance public and private institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean to develop a sustainable jet biofuel industry from locally grown organic feedstock. The initiative will fund consultancy services,
(World Bank) National targets would contribute to rapid biofuel expansion in the next 10 years; Reaching those goals would have a limited impact on the global economy; Some countries would be affected significantly, with higher cost of food imports Expanding biofuel production to
FACT has published a comprehensive report on the opportunities and feasibility of aquatic biofuels, their limitations and associated problems and threats. Aquatic biomass is attracting a lot of interest as a valuable feedstock for second and third generation biofuels. Algae are
by Christopher Mims (Grist) Production of biofuel from palm oil has been an unmitigated disaster for the rainforest, leading to clear-cutting throughout Indonesia and propelling that country to the top ranks of the world's largest greenhouse gas emitters. That's
(E-Energy Market/European Voice) Biofuel from palm oil, soybean and rapeseed produces more greenhouse-gas emissions than fossil fuel, once the environmental side-effects of its production are taken into account, an impact assessment prepared by the European Commission has found. READ MORE
by Sgt. 1st Class Blair Heusdens (Clay Today) In an effort to reduce waste and meet recycling goals, the Florida National Guard is producing biodiesel from used vegetable oil to fuel state maintenance vehicles at Camp Blanding Joint Training Center.
(UPI) ...The International Energy Agency estimates the number of cars on the road will double by 2030. Philip New, president of biofuels development at BP, told delegates at a London conference that with better fuel efficiency and an increased use
by Mark Tran (The Guardian) After narrow win in leadership contest, José Graziano da Silva pledges to reform the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation, strive for consensus and tackle food price volatility ...He also stressed the need for a stable financial
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A plan to produce more lysine and threonine, both amino acids, at Archer Daniels Midland Co.’s plant in Decatur, Ill., won’t mean changes on the ethanol side. “This expansion will not impact ethanol production
by Sybille de La Hamaide and Charlie Dunmore (Reuters) G20 farm ministers agreed to tackle high food prices on Thursday in a deal that steered clear of divisive details on issues such as regulation, paving the way to more global cooperation
by Martin Roberts, Chuck Abbott, Sarah McFarlane, Charlie Dunmore, Jonathan Saul, Nigel Hunt (Reuters) G20 members settled a deal on Thursday to curb volatility in food prices, falling short of France's ambitious plans to impose tough new regulations on speculators, but agreeing to boost
(Business Wire) Addax Bioenergy S.A. (“Addax Bioenergy”), a subsidiary of the Swiss-based energy group, The Addax and Oryx Group Limited (AOG), announced today the signing of a loan agreement with seven European and African development institutions for an integrated renewable
by Caroline Henshaw (The Wall Street Journal) Agriculture ministers for the world’s richest nations are meeting in Paris this week to debate the best ways to tackle unprecedented volatility in food prices. But while farming officials for the Group of
(PR Newswire) Today (June 21, 2011) Inbicon, inventor of the biomass conversion technology driving the Inbicon Biomass Refinery, announced a summary of its private crop studies and confidential biomass research. "Our findings confirm that North America's great abundance of corn
(European Commission) The European Commission's services, in close coordination with Airbus, leading European airlines (Lufthansa, Air France/KLM, & British Airways) and key European biofuel producers (Choren Industries, Neste Oil, Biomass Technology Group and UOP), have launched an exciting new industry
by Nagesh Kumar (Rediff Business) ...Price volatility for food grain should be addressed through the counter-cyclical use of buffer stocks. For smaller economies that do not have the capacity to sustain large national food stocks, price shocks can be managed
by Renee Schoof (McClatchy Newspapers/Seattle Times) Maj. Aaron Jelinek of the Air Force Thunderbirds flies his F-16 upside down, rolls it, thunders past his teammates in breathtaking close charges and joins five other fighter jets in precision formation. And for the
(KLM) KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has taken another important step in aviation sustainability. In September KLM will launch more than 200 flights being operated on biokerosene between Amsterdam and Paris. “KLM has once again shown it is stimulating the development
(BP America) ...BP began investing in biofuels in Louisiana in 2008 through what was then a joint venture with Verenium Corporation. Last year, we bought Verenium out and now have a 100% BP-owned facility in the state. It is a
by Forrest Jehlik (Argonne National Laboratory/Autopia) ...We must develop a multitude of alternatives to address our future energy needs. One such alternative is ethanol, which is domestically generated and sustainable. However, there are many myths surrounding ethanol, and I’ve come
by Charles Abbott (Reuters) Biofuels are a "tremendous job creator" for rural areas, said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Monday, ahead of a global meeting where the farm-grown fuels may be criticized as a factor in high food prices. ...Biofuels, especially ethanol
by Robert Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) In 1568, a Spanish Conquistador by the name of Pedro Maraver de Silva led his men on a mission to capture Incas who had escaped with their gold. Journeying north of Peru, they encountered
by Ben Webster (The Australian) Electric cars could produce higher emissions over their lifetimes than petrol equivalents because of the energy consumed in making their batteries, a study has found. An electric car owner would have to drive at least 129,000km
(Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership) Electric and hybrid cars create more carbon emissions during their production than standard vehicles – but are still greener overall, according to a new report. The report highlights the increasing importance of accounting for whole life carbon
by Ben Geman (The Hill/E2Wire) A top Navy official said Friday (June 3,2011) that the department isn’t interested in developing coal-based transportation fuels as an alternative to oil, noting there are more promising options. Tom Hicks, the Navy’s deputy assistant secretary
(AllAfrica/The Citizen) Tanzania is set to import ethanol from Brazil in its bid to lower fuel prices by 10 per cent. This was said in Dar es Salaam over the weekend by Mr Leo Lyayuka, a senior principle marketing officer at
by Steve Baragona (Voice of America) ...(Agriculture) Secretary (Tom)Vilsack told a luncheon gathering in Washington not to believe everything one hears about ethanol's role in today's high and volatile food prices. "The truth of the matter is that corn-based
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) As Brazil recovers from a difficult start to the year in the ethanol sector, Petrobras, the country’s integrated energy firm, seized the opportunity to highlight its activities in the industry during an Ethanol Summit
by Kurt A. Rosentrater, Ph.D. (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The fuel ethanol and distillers grains industry ...sustainably meets the growing needs for food, feed, fiber and fuel for our society as well as the rest of the world. ...Two key areas
by Alexandros Gasparatos, Per Stromberg and Kazuhiko Takeuchi (Science Direct) First generation biofuels provide a number of ecosystem services (e.g., fuel, climate regulation) but they also compromise other ecosystem services (e.g., food, freshwater services) which are of paramount value to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ASTM gives preliminary OK to Bio-SPK fuel spec; path to 58B gallon aviation biofuels market comes clearer, closer In Washington, Bloomberg is reporting that ASTM has given preliminary approval to the blending of biofuels produced from algal,
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) In India, the fact that good government is the best solution to food vs fuel competition was demonstrated this week when country’s famously tight policy on biofuels production was matched by a new food
By Mazera Ndurya and Daniel Nyassy (Daily Nation) The environmental watchdog has not licensed a controversial multi-million shilling jatropha project because the investor has not complied with some of the conditions set by the government. Although the government has not out
by Ron Miller (Biofuels Digest/Prisma Advisors) “Hunger, despair for millions” reads the headline in a national newspaper looking to link high food prices with the growth of renewable fuels. Anti-ethanol factions oftentimes cite food costs in the ongoing food versus fuel
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Iowa, Honeywell has been selected to help SynGest design a proposed first-of-its-kind processing facility that will produce ammonia from biomass. The southwest-Iowa plant will process as much as 400 tons of biomass each day to produce
(Columbia University) Kartik Chandran, an associate professor of Earth and Environmental Engineering at Columbia Engineering, has been awarded $1.5 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for his project to develop a revolutionary new model in water, sanitation, and energy. Working with
by Drew Sowersby (Advanced Biofuels USA) Fuels of the Future: The Bioalcohol Paradigm This slide presentation has been created by Drew Sowersby to inform a broad audience about the importance and potential dominance of bioalcohols in the transportation industry as
by Chamwe Kaira (Bloomberg) Namibia has banned large scale jatropha-based biofuel projects in its north east until a study on its impact is undertaken, according to the country’s communications ministry. ...The Namibian government’s study will “determine the suitability of jatropha plant
(National Farmers Union) Biofuels can help to create a strong and sustainable agricultural sector in Europe, NFU policy director Martin Haworth stressed this week. Speaking at an international food security conference in Brussels this week Mr Haworth criticised campaign groups for painting
by Robert Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) A proposal called the Open Fuel Standard (OFS) has recently been included in a number of bills (HR 1687 is one example) submitted for consideration by the US Congress. These OFS provisions go beyond
(Daily India.com) In a bid to help cut down the price of fuel in the market by using waste material, some biotech students in Surat, Gujarat, are using water hyacinth to produce ethanol, which can be used as an alternate
by Sarah Pilgrim and Mark Harvey (Sociological Research Online) In this paper, we argue that a consortium of NGOs has played a significant role in shaping the market for, and restricting the use of, biofuels as an alternative to conventional
by Damian Carrington and Stefano Valentino (The Guardian) British firms have acquired more land in Africa for controversial biofuel plantations than companies from any other country, a Guardian investigation has revealed. Half of the 3.2m hectares (ha) of biofuel land identified –
by Dr. William Strauss (Renewable Energy World/FutureMetrics) This short article challenges the assumption that there is always a carbon debt incurred first and then a carbon dividend realized later (debt-then-dividend) when using woody biomass for energy. The Manomet Study has generated
(Jagran Post) The project of deriving ethanol, a bio-fuel for blending with petrol, from a seaweed is all set to get a major boost, with the Central Salt and Marine Chemical Research Institute (CSMCRI) deciding to ramp up off-shore production
by Ivan Gale (The National) Middle Eastern airlines are being urged to invest in biofuels programmes to help their industry achieve ambitious targets to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Aviation produces about 2 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions, but growth
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) The European Union has set new environmental and labor standards for the crops used to make biofuels there, angering U.S. farmers who worry that such restrictions could spread to other products and countries. The standards
by Jerry Hagstrom (AgWeek) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told a gathering of international agricultural development activists recently that U.S. biofuels should not blamed for most of the increases in food prices in recent years. “With respect to food prices, corn-based
by Ken Field (Financial Post) The myths that smear a superior fuel ...A recent study released by the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) states that adding ethanol reduced wholesale gasoline prices by an average of US89¢ per gallon (US24¢/litre)
(Client Earth) The European Commission has been sued, accused of violating European transparency laws. Environmental law organisation ClientEarth, Friends of the Earth Europe (FOEE), FERN and Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) filed the lawsuit following the Commission’s refusal to provide access
(The Guardian/Eco-Business) Malaysia and Indonesia, which together account for about 90% of the world’s palm oil production, have launched a joint PR offensive to defend the industry’s environmental record. ...(M)inisters from the two countries agreed to finalise plans for a European Palm Oil Council
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) ...Luddites and Malthusians have suggested that crop-based biofuels simply can’t provide significant volumes of energy for transportation without starving the world’s poor. ...Of course, these ridiculous charges have been disproven time and time again, and the world’s
(ABC Rural) The European Union wants more of its transport fuel to be made from renewable biomass like canola oil. ...EU member states can't supply enough canola or soy oil to meet the demand, so there's an opportunity to increase
by Eric Westervelt (NPR) ...And even though it's cheaper, the new 10 percent ethanol gas is not something she'd risk putting into her car, the 32-year-old says. "You bet I'm worried about my car — most of all about the motor,"
by Tom Quaife (Dairy Herd Network) “Pretty amazing,” commented one man standing next to a demonstration model at the Alltech International Animal Health and Nutrition Symposium this week in Lexington, Ky. The large-scale model, measuring approximately 4 feet by 4 feet,
by Marianne Lavelle (National Geographic News) ...The standards-setting body ASTM International is set to vote this summer on certification of hydrotreated renewable jet (HRJ) fuel. Tests both in the laboratory and in the air (led by a most prodigious jet
(GreenAirOnline) An aviation sustainability report from the World Economic Forum finds that achieving the industry’s target of halving its carbon emissions by 2050 will be a significant challenge given an 85 per cent CO2 emissions reduction gap. This is despite
by Jim Efstathiou Jr. (Bloomberg) The U.S. and China led 23 nations in agreeing on the the first guidelines for producing biofuel from crops such as palm oil, an agricultural commodity used for cooking and to make detergents as well as
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Genencor CEO Tjerk de Ruiter says, “As long as they create a mandate, the $1.01 a gallon cellulosic tax credit will help, but could live without it.” Last week, Genencor released a foundational survey on consumer
by Chris Thorne (Growth Energy/NewsOK) letter to editor: Regarding “Corn ethanol is burning up food budgets” (Point of View, May 13): J. Patrick Boyle, president and CEO of the American Meat Institute, misled readers about the real reason behind rising grocery
by Mark Borer (Mansfield News Journal) Letter to Editor: ...Importantly, all of corn's high-value components, protein and fat, are returned to the feed supply. Ethanol production only converts the low-value component of corn, starch, into ethanol. Koschnick's claim that ethanol is
by Eric Ehrmann (Huffington Post) Speculators hedging uncertainty in world energy markets are again making renewable fuels derived from corn, cane sugar and soybeans the drivers of food price inflation, just as they did on the eve of the 2008 economic
(PR-Inside) Nine partners from seven countries have joined in an innovative project to show that ethanol, biodiesel and bioproducts can be produced from algae on a large scale. The BIOfuel From Algae Technologies (BIOFAT) project, largely funded by the European Commission’s Seventh Framework
(Minnesota Public Radio News) The Assertion: The state and federal government should continue subsidizing ethanol Ethanol's promise as America's path to energy self-sufficiency once seemed strong. But in recent years, that attraction has been tempered. Even supporters of ethanol, such as
by James Ott (Aviation Week) A report from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) should be required reading for environmental policymakers. “The Impact of Climate Policy on US Aviation” was issued this week by the Transportation Research Board. It is
(Monsters and Critics) Scientists are to plant and harvest grass inside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in an experiment to determine if biofuel can be safely produced in the region, an alternative-energy company said Monday. PhotoFuels, a Belgian-Ukrainian joint venture, has obtained approval
By Natalie Obiko Pearson (Bloomberg) ...India can potentially harvest enough bagasse, rice husk and sugar waste to produce as much as 50 billion liters (13 billion gallons) of ethanol without relying on food crops or disrupting agricultural land-use, according
by Kurt Batdorf (Snohomish County Business Journal) Thain Boatworks' effort to bring reliable ferry service back to east Africa's Lake Victoria is about to bear fruit, albeit two years late. Rob Smith, chief executive and president of EarthWise Ventures Inc. and
It wasn’t long ago that the World Bank debunked the report that claimed biofuels cause food prices to increase. Still, the issue is resurfacing, as can be seen in a flury of recent news reports. Food prices are climbing, but experts agree
(UFOP) From the field into the tank and back again According to legislation in effect since the beginning of 2011, biofuels can only be sold in the German market if it can be demonstrated that the energy plants from which the
by Robert Zubrin (Pajamas Media) Rising food prices are the result of rising oil prices, not a growing market for ethanol. ...There is not a fixed amount of grain in the world. Farmers produce in response to demand. The more customers,
by Robert Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) The UK Committee on Climate Change, an “independent statutory body which was established under the Climate Change Act (2008),” recently published their recommendations on future renewable energy in the UK, Renewable Energy Review,
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) In a new study released today (May 16, 2011) by Michigan State University (MSU), biofuel production in the United States through 2007, “probably has not induced any indirect land use change.” The report was conducted by Seungdo
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) Before the advent of cheap petroleum, farmers often had their own “fuel patch” of local oilseed crops that served as feedstock for the biodiesel needed to power pumps, generator sets, tractors and other farm
(Green Car Website) Anti-poverty charity ActionAid has launched a new anti-biofuels campaign targeting Transport Secretary Philip Hammond by using adverts on buses which stop outside his office. The adverts urge Mr Hammond to consider the impacts that biofuels are having in developing countries
by Daryll E. Ray and Harwood D. Schaffer (Daily Yonder) ...As we listen to this debate, the implied assumption is that the sole purpose of farming is to provide food and certainly that has been true for over half a
Russell W. Stratton, Hsin Min Wong, and James I. Hileman (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) The presence of variability in life cycle analysis (LCA) is inherent due to both inexact LCA procedures and variation of numerical inputs. Variability in LCA
by Andrew J. Weaver (Science) Expectations are high that the Kyoto Protocol, intended to reduce emissions of certain greenhouse gases (GHGs), will be extended after its first reporting period ends in 2012. The mechanisms available to meet Kyoto targets will
(OriginOil) OriginOil, Inc., the developer of a breakthrough technologyto extract oil from algae and an emerging leader in the global algae oil services industry, yesterday announced that Ennesys, its joint venture partner in France, is working with large institutions to develop two
(Grain Farmers of Ontario) Canadian biofuel is better for the environment than biofuel produced further south- in part due to our different agricultural practices - according to a new study released by the Grain Farmers ofOntario. The report, produced by Dr.
by Martin Brown (GreenTechMedia) By 2050, for example, the global population is expected to reach 9 billion, and in order to feed all these people, we’ll have to increase the world’s food production by 70 percent. On its own, this 70 percent figure is
by Harry Cline (Western Farm Press) Camelina, a weed in the mustard and distant relative to canola, may be emerging as the front runner in California agriculture’s continuing search for a biofuel crop. It captured the most attention at a field
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) An interview with James Garton, president of Mission Biofuels USA subsidiary. We look at the jatropha 1.0 catastrophe, actual biodiesel capacity in the US, palm biodiesel, the RFS, and more. ...The company broke into the US
(Renewable Fuels Association) The animal feed created as a byproduct of U.S. ethanol production could supply beef for 50 billion quarter-pound hamburgers every day, the Renewable Fuels Association says in a report. U.S. ethanol producers generated almost 35 million metric tons
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Over the past 12 months, it has become hard to count the number of advanced biofuels companies that are setting up partnerships, or exploring them, in Brazil – but it is in the dozens. Hard
by Nathanial Gronewold (Greenwire/New York Times) ...Though 85 percent of Colombia's cane crop is harvested this old-fashioned way, industry leaders say they have no intention of mechanizing the harvest, for fear of mass unemployment in a rural area where people
(Reuters) Namibia may ban large-scale growing of biofuel crops in the fertile Kavango and Caprivi regions after a recommendation by Environment and Tourism Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the Namibian Sun reported on Monday. The ban is likely to be adopted by the
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) The time could come when farmers aren't getting on their tractors every spring to plant their crops, or even plowing their fields, exposing them to erosion. At least that's the vision of a few scientists
by Lynwood Broaddus (Free Lance Star/Fredericksburg.com) ...The editorial begins, "Ethanol production boosts food prices, steals feed corn for fuel. " One bushel of corn can produce 2.5 gallons of fuel ethanol, 12.4 pounds of 21 percent (protein) feed, 3 pounds of
(Committee on Climate Change) The Committee on Climate Change said today, that renewable energy should make a major contribution to decarbonising the UK economy over the next decades. The conclusions are set out in the Committee’s Renewable Energy Review which was
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) As an environmental engineering professor at California Polytechnic State University, in San Luis Obispo, CA, Dr. Tryg Lundquist researches how wastewater can make algae biofuel and how algae biofuel can be the impetus for
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) Some researchers say that, at current production levels, algae biodiesel is not a commercially viable product. But some algae advocates believe researchers might have some ulterior motives for coming to that conclusion. One of the study’s authors, Dr.
(Climate Solutions) Alaska Airlines, The Boeing Company, Port of Seattle, Port of Portland, Spokane International Airport, and Washington State University have initiated a strategic stakeholder process to develop a "Flight Path" (action plan) to produce sustainable aviation biofuel in the
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The California State Assembly Committee on Transportation voted 6-3 on May 2 to defeat a bill that would have repealed the state’s ethanol producer incentive program (CEPIP) and made corn ethanol projects ineligible for
by Ariel Schwartz (Fast Company/EIN News) Remember a few years ago when everyone decided that using algae as a biofuel feedstock would be the best thing ever? Well, progress on that front is moving so slowly that companies have realized that
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) This was one of the best weeks yet in the Asian biofuels industry. China decided to promote 2G biofuels production and reduce its CO2 emissions by up to 45 percent by 2020. India moved to
by Yeh, Sonia, Sarah Jordaan, Adam Brandt, Merritt R. Turetsky, Sabrina Spatari, David W. Keith (Institute of Transportation Studies/University of California-Davis) Debates surrounding the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from land use of biofuels production have created a need to
(GLG Research) ...Trade is the mechanism that has a better chance of triggering innovation and technological advancement that create markets and improvement in productivity that ultimately leads to lower costs. Subsidies and trade tariff protection only continues to pamper inefficient
BEFSCI is reaching out to producers to catalogue and showcase innovative approaches that have been used in sustainable bioenergy initiatives. We want to hear stories, experiences, lessons learned about what made these pioneering activities a success both for the producers and
by Pete Harrison (Reuters) A divisive European debate over the green credentials of biofuels has stalled investment and threatens the future of some producers, but could also create lucrative opportunities, companies said on Tuesday. After a two-year investigation, the European Commission
by Nathanial Gronewold (New York Times/Greenwire) ...Government support for biodiesel has spurred a robust demand for palm oil that has put 50 percent more income into the pocket of farmer Misael Monsalve Moreno. He is almost finished replacing his family's
(Radio New Zealand) /...Stuart Locke, who heads Waikato University's Institute of Business Studies, says the need to free up land to produce ethanol will put pressure on farmers to house cattle and feed out supplements, rather than graze cows on
by Steen Riisgaard (Huffington Post Green) ...More complicated types of biomass -- corn cobs, wood chips, waste paper -- are far more difficult to turn into energy. But this type of biomass--known as "cellulosic biomass" -- is plentiful and renewable.
by Allison Kilkenny (Huffington Post) This week marked the world premiere of GasHole, a new documentary film (narrated by Peter Gallagher) about the history of oil prices and the future of alternative fuels. Biofuel gossip has been everywhere in the news
(GreenAirOnline) The landmark White Paper on EU transport policy through to 2050, presented recently by the European Commission, unveiled a roadmap for reducing carbon emissions by 60 per cent across all transport sectors relative to 1990. However, it now appears
(Biofuels Center of North Carolina) The Biofuels Center of North Carolina has awarded $1.6 million for 15 projects statewide to accelerate the commercialization of renewable liquid fuels. Awards are made through the 2011 Statewide Biofuels Development Grants Program. Biofuels Center president
by Wang Xiaotian (China Daily) The nation has plans to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 45 percent by 2020 China can become a leader in the production of second-generation (2G) biofuels, made from agricultural waste instead of foodstuffs, such
(AllAfrica.com) Jatropha should not replace any crops in arable farms and instead should be cultivated by smallholder farmers as hedges for farms, an expert has warned. Pamoja Inc Co-Director Jonathan Otto said in Dar es Salaam recently that jatropha as a
by Tonette Orejas (Business.Inquirer.net) Test farming of sweet sorghum in the last six years showed crop production in the Philippines to be 50 percent higher than in India, increasing the crop’s potential as a source of food, fodder and fuel
(Pakistan Today) Brazil and Pakistan produce huge amount of sugarcane and Brazil will soon establish its industry to help Pakistan in ethanol extraction or production from sugarcane which would bring about stability in petroleum prices and also control price-hiking in
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) It was quite a shock to return from the exciting and very sustainability-oriented Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference in Washington, DC to headlines like “Are our biofuel mandates fueling Islamic extremism in Egypt?” Well, no
(JapanCorp.net) Project to Make Efficient Use of Soft Cellulose Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has successfully established technology to produce ethanol for automobile fuel, satisfying the standards of the Japanese Automotive Standards Organization (JASO), from lignocellulose (soft cellulose) such as rice
by Tom Lutey (Billings Gazette) Camelina, the biofuel that five years ago Gov. Brian Schweitzer called his new girlfriend, now struggles for a planting date with Montana farmers. "The biggest challenge of all is the price of wheat," Schweitzer said Thursday. With wheat
by Steven Medina (Biofuels Digest) “He intensively grows corn for ethanol in clay soil that once grew corn for bootleg liquor and a variety of other crops to varying degrees of success, allowing my mother’s family to survive but never
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A new generation of technologists aim high in value, low in cost, as the race for sugars to process into biofuels amps up a notch or three “You know, we hear numbers like this,” said Daphne
by Bright Owusu (Ghana mma) The time has never been riper for the people of Ghana to speak out about the terrible negligence of consecutive governments who have allowed horrendous land grabs by foreign nationals for the production of questionable
by William McLennan (The Ecologist) Campaigners are outraged over airline Lufthansa and German government funding for jatropha biofuels trial The German government is financing a leading European airline’s biofuel trials despite claims from environmental groups it could cause emissions six time
(Biocommodity.com) Bhavnagar based research institute Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute(CSMCRI), is likely to initiate talks with oil companies for manufacturing jatropha-based biofuel on a commercial scale. “We have recently been granted the US patent for our technology, and now
by David Bennett (Western Farm Press) As food prices rise, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is not fond of claims that ethanol production is a major cause. He also says an uptick in grain prices will not have a big impact
by Heather Thorstensen (AgriNews.com) Four Minnesota farmers were part of a group that traveled to Brazil in March to learn more about indirect land use change, a divisive issue surrounding biofuels. The Minneapolis-based Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy took a total
(Industrial Fuels and Power) A new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) says that the widespread deployment of biofuels can play an important role in reducing CO2 emissions in the transport sector and enhancing energy security, when produced sustainably. With
by Kelly Brunkhorst (Journal Star /Nebraska Corn Board) J. Patrick Boyle's column, "Corn ethanol: Burning up food budgets," (LJS, April 21) may make a couple of valid points, but he omits many facts that need to be part of the discussion
by Morgan Gallagher (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...Rather than look at only the total mass yield of either the corn grain or the crop residue, we took a different approach. We measured the mass yield of key biochemicals such as carbohydrate,
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Although natural gas is king of power generation at ethanol plants, there’s increasing interest in renewable energy technologies that could help ethanol plants someday produce a domestically grown fuel without using fossil fuels.
(ScienceNewsLine/Carnegie Institution) ...Now scientists from the Carnegie Institution's Department of Global Ecology have found that sugarcane has a double benefit. Expansion of the crop in areas previously occupied by other Brazilian crops cools the local climate. It does so by
by Kathleen Ryan (Public News Service) The search for ethanol is devastating one of America's vanishing ecosystems. That's the claim in a new lawsuit filed by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). It accuses the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of failing
(Shell/PRNewsWire) Quebec's Universite Laval Defends Title Winning Shell Eco-marathon Americas for Third Consecutive Year Going the farthest distance might sound like a foot race. But this past weekend, it meant stretching the boundaries of fuel efficiencyas student teams competed in the
(Wisconsin Ag Connection) A team of high school students from Durand placed third overall at the Shell Eco-marathon Americas competition in Houston, Texas last week, where they drove 572 miles per gallon with 100-percent ethanol fuel. The group's trip to the
by Sam Fleming (The Telegraph) The World Bank has called for the relaxation of laws requiring crops to be blended into petrol, saying that they are contributing to the global food price crisis. Robert Zoellick, the president of the Bank, said
by Jon Birger (Bloomberg) ...Other than water and sunlight, there’s nothing more important to growing corn -- the most-valuable U.S. crop, worth $66.7 billion in 2010 -- than nitrogen. Generous applications of nitrogen fertilizer are essential to the 180-to-200-bushel-an- acre
by Andy Eubank (USDA/Hoosier Ag Today) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently testified before a Senate committee on the effect and influence of biofuels. Testifying before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Vilsack responded to comments and questions about ethanol’s
By Robert Kozak (Atlantic Biomass Conversions, Inc.) Worldwide Importance of Protein Animal Feed When I began working with sugar beet processors on our beet pulp biofuel sugar process, one of their first questions was, “Will there still be pulp available to
by Helen Murdoch (Nelson Mail) ...Biodiesel New Zealand general manager Andrew Simcock yesterday told 60 people at a Nelson seminar on the fuel that it was examining a proposal to deliver commercial-grade biodiesel into the region. ...Yesterday Mr Simcock said the
(Abengoa) Abengoa, the company that develops innovative technology solutions for sustainable development in the energy and environment sectors, is on schedule to secure 100 percent of the biomass raw material for its Hugoton, Kansas, cellulosic ethanol plant. The company has signed
by Robert E. Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) On April 12th at the Navy League’s 2011 Sea-Air-Space Exposition, the leaders of the US Navy’s 50% petroleum reduction by 2020 program honed in on what it means for the Navy and for
by Ben Geman (The Hill) Cornell University professors will soon publish research that concludes natural gas produced with a drilling method called “hydraulic fracturing” contributes to global warming as much as coal, or even more. The conclusion is explosive because
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The first triennial report on biofuels being drafted for Congress by the U.S. EPA lacks input from industry experts, which could result in negative information being falsely presented as fact to policymakers later this
The latest report from the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, Biofuels: ethical issues, is published today. ... The report considers the ethical, social and policy issues raised by biofuels. The rapid adoption of biofuels has been driven by targets and other policy
by Gavin Maguire (Commodities Now/Reuters) Ethanol producers often get much of the blame for driving the price of corn to its current multi-year high levels due to that industry's strong usage of corn to make fuel. But critics overlook the
(GreenAirOnline) The public in the year 2050 is informed, understands and is convinced that the aviation sector has made the utmost progress in mitigating its environmental impacts and therefore considers air travel is environmentally sustainable. So says a new
By Michael Gubisch (FlightGlobal) Former Lufthansa chief executive Wolfgang Mayrhuber has called on European aviation industry stakeholders and policy makers to work closer together to make air transport more efficient and to focus on sustainability as a means to maintain the region's
(Global Renewable Fuels Alliance) As the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO) gathers in Rome for a council meeting on food security issues, the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) has called on delegates to focus on the real driver
by Nina Chestney (Reuters) Fossil fuel subsidies worth $312 billion should be realigned to ensure the growth of renewable energy and curb the world's reliance on carbon-intensive fuels, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a report. Demand for fossil fuels
by Charles Abbott and Christopher Doering (Reuters) The government introduced new wording on corn use on Friday following complaints from ethanol makers that they were not getting credit for the corn byproducts that are fed to livestock. Instead of saying "corn for ethanol"
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) Boeing issued research conducted by Yale University’s School of Environmental Studies that showed significant potential for jatropha-based aviation fuel. The study showed that, if cultivated properly, jatropha could deliver strong environmental and socioeconomic benefits in
by POET (Renewable Energy World) "Voilà™" corn oil separated using POET centrifuge technology Planned expansion of corn oil production to all of POET's ethanol plants will produce enough raw material for up to 60 million gallons of biodiesel. POET is now selling Voilà™
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