by Matthew Aylott (National Non-Food Crops Centre) NNFCC take a look back at the bioenergy, biofuels and bio-based products stories making the headlines in 2012. ... In Europe, both Vivergo and Ensus started producing bioethanol made from wheat this year but the use of food
(Neste Oil/Biodiesel Magazine) Neste Oil has joined the Initiative Towards Sustainable Kerosene for Aviation (ITAKA) project, which is being funded by the EU to support the commercialization and use of renewable aviation fuel in Europe. Neste Oil's role in the
(Renewable Fuels Association) The Advanced Ethanol Council this morning released a report giving a snapshot of cellulosic ethanol producers in the U.S. and around the world. A look at facilities owned by companies such as Abengoa Bioenergy, Enerkem, INEOS Bio
(WebWire) Biofuels made from high yield, short rotation woody crops or from forest residuals and thinnings that are currently left unused have substantial potential to reduce CO2 emissions as well as to contribute to energy independence. A series of articles
by Mohammad Shoeb (The Peninsula Qatar) Qatar has launched a novel pilot project, ‘Sahara Forest’ in collaboration with a Norwegian company, which will help produce food crops (such as tomatoes, cucumber, melon), fodder crops, freshwater, clean energy, salt, algae (for
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On Dec. 7, the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission elected to begin implementation of the state’s Clean Fuels Program. A spokeswoman for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality confirmed the commission voted four to one to
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The National Corn Growers Association has launched a new web-based resource,www.EthanolFacts.com. ...The home page of EthanolFacts offers links to short articles on hot topics in ethanol circles: flex-fuel vehicles, food and fuel, jobs and
(Environmental and Energy Study Insitute) The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) organized a briefing on insurance industry perspectives on recent extreme weather events and how strategic investment can help manage the threats posed by a changing and more severe climate. In
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced $10 million in research grants to spur production of bioenergy and biobased products that will lead to the development of sustainable regional systems and help create jobs. Vilsack highlighted the
(AgiTrade) In a letter to the European Commission in early October 2012, Copa-Cogeca, the EU farmers’ and agricultural cooperatives’ organisation, affirmed its opposition to EC proposals to limit to 5% ‘the use of crop-based biofuels’ in meeting transportation energy needs and
by Ashery Mkama (AllAfrica.com) Villagers from Kilwa and Rufiji districts have requested the government to involve them in implementation of bio-fuel projects and investments in which huge tracts of land is used. They told members of the Journalists' Environment Association
by Ned Stowe (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) EESI Policy Associate Ned Stowe recently gave a presentation on biomass, bioenergy, and sustainability to the 11th Annual Great Lakes Environmental Legislators Forum of the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators in Chicago,
(Union of Concerned Scientists) We have the practical solutions at hand to protect consumers, the climate, and our environment from the growing costs of our oil use. How? It all comes down to one simple fact: Using less is the real oil
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Policy, finance, technology, feedstocks, markets, prices, opposition. Here’s what’s on your mind, as the critical 2013 deployment year for biofuels looms. So here are 15 burning questions as suggested by various Digesterati — divided for convenience
by Whitney McFerron (Bloomberg) Most rapeseed, sugar beet and wheat crops in the U.K. meet environmental standards for use in biofuels, the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board said. Ninety-seven percent of the country’s rapeseed, all of its sugar beets and
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) The United Nation’s emphasis of “Sustainable Energy for All” (SE4All) in 2012 wrapped up with a decision to continue the focus with a Sustainable Energy for All Decade. The Pennsylvania Sustainable Energy Fund (SEF)
(Union of Concerned Scientists) Communities can benefit financially and environmentally from bioenergy produced from common sources such as vegetative waste materials, fast-growing grasses, and agricultural residues. And clean fuel and electricity produced from these sustainable, non-food sources are a key
by Christopher Goins (Politic365.com) The chairman of Wendy’s Restaurant’s supply chain cooperative, which is responsible for food purchases for Wendy’s Restaurants, says that because of EPA Renewable Fuel Standards every individual Wendy’s Restaurant has to pay $20,000 to $30,000 more per
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From time to time, we report on correspondence exchanged with our veterans and serving men and women in the field, on the subject of the strategic and tactical opportunities in biofuels and bioenergy. This week, we heard
by Alex Morales (Bloomberg) Rich countries spend five times more on fossil-fuel subsidies than on aid to help developing nations cut their emissions and protect against the effects of climate change, the Oil Change International campaign group said. In 2011, 22 industrialized
by Karl Ritter (Associated Press/Salt Lake Tribune) Hassan al-Kubaisi considers it a gift from above that drivers in oil- and gas-rich Qatar only have to pay $1 per gallon at the pump. ...Qatar — the host of U.N. climate talks that
(International Institute for Sustainable Development) “Rational policies should be based on understanding the real impacts of government support to biofuels on the environment and the society,” said Sirpa Pietikäinen, MEP and chair of GLOBE EU. “The spiralling food versus fuel
by Max Paris (CBC News) U.S. Steel Canada announces pilot project that will test Pond Biofuels technology U.S. Steel Canada announced Tuesday it will partner with Union Gas and Pond Biofuels to test an innovative system that pulls carbon dioxide directly
by Daryll Ray and Harwood D. Schaffer (Southwest Farm Press/University of Tennessee) ...On November 16, 2012, the EPA denied the request of Governor Perdue and others. The short story is that while the EPA recognizes the impact of the drought
by RP Siegel (TriplePundit) While the bio-based economy should be more sustainable than the alternative – any good idea can be implemented poorly. I asked Jesper Hedal Kløverpris, Sustainability Manager for Novozymes, how we can ensure that biofuels are being produced in
by Denis Scott Chabrol (Demera Waves) The United Kingdom-based Whitefox Technologies, together with its partner Green, have secured a bioethanol contract with the Guyanese Government. Whitefox said it is working together with the Brazilian company, Green, to install the units for
(Pew Charitable Trusts) The Department of Defense is the world’s largest consumer of liquid fuels (more than 375,000 barrels of oil per day). Last year alone, the military’s energy bill was $17 billion and over the last two years, the Pentagon has
(FarmFutures) Qualifies some ethanol plants to produce domestic advanced biofuel The Environmental Protection Agency Monday announced it has approved grain sorghum as an eligible feedstock under the Renewable Fuels Standard. "This is a significant step forward for the sorghum industry," said Bill Kubecka,
(FarmingUK.com) Biodiesel and bioethanol markets are crucial to meeting future energy needs according to the NFU. The news follows a series of meetings between biofuel professionals, producers and the Secretary of State for Transport Norman Baker in a bid to get
(Hveiti) European policymakers should focus on how to organize the synergies between food and fuel rather than wasting time on theoretical models of land use changes that do nothing to improve matters in the real world, says biofuel expert André
(Renewable Fuels Association) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should immediately initiate a process to update its obsolete lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) analyses of corn and sugarcane ethanol for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2), according to a letter sent Friday to EPA Administrator
(AP/Oregon Live) Portland General Electric is in its second year of testing the giant cane known as Arundo donax as a potential replacement for coal at the Boardman Power Plant. But the utility is also looking at other biomass sources that
(Chromatin/BusinessWire) Chromatin’s Sorghum Seed Recognized for Water Use Efficiency and Versatility Chromatin, Inc., a privately held provider of innovative crop breeding technology, sorghum seed products and feedstocks, announced it has generated the first crop of sorghum that has been grown and
by Mackinnon Lawrence (Biofuels Digest/Pike Research) There are few topics that get the clean technology sector excited less than trash. Meanwhile, the news is littered with stories discussing municipal areas from Zimbabwe to Los Angeles and Mumbai to Moscow struggling to
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) Greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations in the atmosphere are continuing to rise, and the world’s leading GHG-emitting countries are falling well behind the pace of emission reductions that is needed to avoid harmful climate change. Meanwhile,
by Craig Hanson (WRI Insights) At the 10th Annual Meeting of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), WRI launched two new online mapping applications designed to help the palm oil industry grow while avoiding deforestation. These free tools enable palm oil producers, buyers,
by Nigel Sizer (WRI Insights/The Jakarta Post) ...The world’s top scientists are also raising concerns. According to a recent study in Nature Climate Change, from 1990 to 2010, 90 percent of lands converted to oil palm plantations in Kalimantan were forested. There need not,
by Barbara Lewis (Reuters) The European Commission has approved a scheme that would certify as sustainable transport fuel made from palm oil, condemned by environmental groups as one of the most damaging sources of biodiesel. The Commission made public on Tuesday
by Jason Motlagh (The Washington Post/Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting) Long a preferred cooking ingredient in developing countries, palm oil is now in greater demand in Western markets because of its low price and long shelf life. Derived from the
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association) ... In regard to the November 28th op-ed, “A Mandate to Raise Food Prices” by Rob Green, Executive Director of the National Council of Chain Restaurants: If he really believes that the major cause of higher
(Algae Industry Magazine) French biotech startup Ennesys will today launch its first demonstrator system for “truly green” buildings – in the Nanterre district of La Defense near Paris. It’s a simple idea: to turn buildings into energy production units by
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Well, that’s an absurd headline, isn’t it? False, false and false. It’s ridiculous, misleading and harmful to conclude that 10 percent of the US corn harvest is used for ant repellent – just because 10 percent
by Dallas Kachan (Renewable Energy World/Kachan & Co.) ...In its new report on agricultural cleantech, Kachan uses the following criteria to differentiate cleantech developments from generic agricultural innovations: improved efficiency of resource use reduced ecological impact smaller carbon footprint sustained or enhanced profitability Technologies that reduce
by Jim Lane (BioBased Digest) ...World Growth warns that the REDD+ program to reduce emissions from deforestation is fatally flawed. At the UN climate conference in Qatar, World Growth released “Immoral Aid: The effect of REDD+ on developing country economies”. It
(Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth Europe) The European Commission last Friday approved a certification scheme which would brand biofuels produced from palm oil as ‘sustainable’ [1], despite evidence that their production contributes to deforestation, peatland degradation, disputes over land
by Kate Gordon (Center for American Progress) ...The second problem is even more obvious: The fossil fuel industry takes billions in direct tax incentives and subsidies every year. According to analysis by TR Rose Associates, for the past three decades, the
(IPPMedia/The Guardian Reporter) The government has been urged to reduce the maximum land size of each bio-fuel developer from the proposed 20,000 ha to 10,000 ha and give investors conditions which would enable them deliver. Speaking during a two-day workshop which
(RSB Services Foundation/Global Clean Energy Holdings) The RSB Services Foundation, the implementing entity of the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB) which has developed a global sustainability standard and certification system for biofuel production, is pleased to announce that Global Clean
The National Institute of Standards and Technology announced that it has posted presentations from the 4th International Conference on Biofuels Standards: Current Issues, Future Trends on its web site. The purpose of the meeting was to provide a forum for
by Bradley Frieze (Advanced Biofuels USA) On Wednesday, October 3rd, four leading activists for the use of renewable energy sources held a forum at Frederick Community College. This ‘Maryland Energy Forum’ focused mainly on four present energy issues: hydrofracking, coal,
(EurekAlert!) To celebrate World Toilet Day on November 19, researchers at Columbia University's Engineering School, working in Ghana with Waste Enterprisers Ltd., the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), and the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, are launching a pilot
by Jack Litster (CCCI-CCIC) When the price of agrofuel production finally became economically competitive with the high price of oil around 2005, a debate soon opened up about whether transport fuel produced from crops (such as palm oil, corn, sugarcane,
by Elinor Zuke (The Grocer) The amount of used cooking oil being re-purposed as fuel has plummeted since a tax incentive was axed - and industry insiders are warning that the situation could spell the end of the British biodiesel
(Algae Industry Magazine) China’s ENN and Europe’s EADS have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to co-develop microalgae-based aviation fuels. The agreement was made public at the China International Air Show in Zhuhai, Guangdong province. ... The scope of the companies’ new
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) How do you keep an expected world population of 9 billion people by the year 2050 fed AND meet the world’s energy needs? Our friends at Farm Foundation are taking on those challenging questions, hopefully with
(International Energy Agency) The 2012 edition of the World Energy Outlook was released on 12 November 2012. Drawing on the latest data and policy developments the report presents analytical insights into trends in energy markets and what they mean for
(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that the agency has not found evidence to support a finding of severe “economic harm” that would warrant granting a waiver of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). The
(25 x '25) In response to the EPA decision today upholding volume requirements of the federal Renewable Fuel Standard, 25x'25 Co-chairmen Read Smith and Bart Ruth issued the following joint statement: "EPA's decision today finding no evidence that the federal Renewable Fuel Standard
by John Vidal (The Guardian) Israeli biotech firm says its modified eucalyptus trees can displace the fossil fuel industry It's a timber company's dream but a horrific industrial vision for others: massive plantations of densely planted GM eucalyptus trees stretching across Brazil, South Africa,
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) You know you have benefited from a conference when you come away from three days of presentations, panel discussions and a solid dose of audience participation with new understandings and clarifications; and with a
(GreenAirOnline) EU Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard announced this morning the EU will suspend enforcement of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) to airlines flying to and from Europe in order to allow ICAO to continue its progress towards a
by Cliff Meeuwsen (Holland Sentinel) Ethanol has become a dirty word for some, and I’m not sure why. How did the cleanest burning, highest quality, cheapest form of liquid renewable fuel ever get to be such a punching bag for politicians,
by Alan Yu (Medill Reports) Boeing, United Airlines and several other Chicago entities hope to make the Midwest a hub for the production of green jet fuels. Although most of the technology required to produce biofuels for aircraft on a large
(The NonProfit Press) Broadcasting on 17th November and 18th November 2012, in the seventeenth episode of the Horizons series, presenters Adam Shaw and Saima Mohsin take a closer look at a new generation of energy crops in Brazil and
(The Guardian) Tighter EU rules on biofuel production are failing to protect the land rights of Indonesia's indigenous communities ...To understand the scale of the problem, Sawit Watch (sawit means palm oil in Indonesian) is supporting smallholders and indigenous people in more than 660
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Michigan, a research team led by Michigan State’s Bruce Dale, writing in the November 2012 issue of Biomass & Bioenergy, that they believe that a lifecycle analysis approach to ILUC requires replacing the nutritional functions
(GreenAirOnline) As ICAO expert groups continue their work on a global market-based approach to limiting the growth of international aviation emissions, it is beginning to emerge that carbon offsetting, rather than emissions trading, is the favoured option for States and
by Darrel Good and Scott Irwin (FarmDocDaily/University of Illinois) ...We begin our analysis by tracing out the implications for biofuels consumption over the next three years based on one potential scenario involving all of the listed factors. This scenario represents
(Associated Press/The Advocate) An LSU AgCenter forestry researcher is looking at a fast-growing plant called switchgrass as a potential biofuel feedstock. Switchgrass needs little fertilizer and can tolerate drought and floods, Michael Blazier said — and on land left open because
(Algae Industry Magazine) India News reports that their government has just unveiled a road map for the biotechnology sector: “The Bioenergy Road Map Vision 2020,” describing innovative technologies and policies for biofuels development in India. The objective for the vision
by Robert Vierhout (Ethanol Producer Magazine/ePURE) After almost three years of study, debate, hours of meetings, many reports, public and nonpublic consultations, the European Commission has released its legislative proposal on how to address the indirect land use change effects of
by Paula Emberland (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Christianson & Associates PLLP) Multiple revenue streams lessen impact of ethanol prices ...First, and perhaps most importantly, more plants are producing different types of coproducts, and they’re making more money from those coproducts, both in real
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Dr. Jesper Hedal Kløverpris and Dr. Steffen Mueller have proposed a new approach to measuring the climate impact of biofuels related land-use changes (ILUC) as opposed to other land use changes: “Baseline Time Accounting Concept” and believe it should
RP Siegel (TriplePundit) ... We know that the 14 billion gallons of ethanol produced by American agriculture last year displaced close to 10 billion gallons of gasoline, reducing carbon emissions that contribute to warming. Biofuel also increased energy independence and
by Mackinnon Lawrence (Biofuels Digest/Pike Research) ...A lack of clarity around biofuels policy reflects a reshuffling of current geopolitical realities that belies nearly forty years of dependence on Middle East oil. ... Data published by the Energy Information Agency (EIA) supports this
by Ed Hamrick (Biofuels Digest/Greenworld Fuels) ... There are more than two billion tons of MSW produced worldwide every year, with more than 250 million tons per year produced in the USA every year. Disposal of MSW is a thousand year
(PR NewsWire) Accounting for dynamics in the global agricultural area reduces the current estimated contributions to global warming from ILUC by 60-70% Indirect land use models that forecast the global warming impact of biofuels production incorporate time accounting in a very
(USDA Agricultural Research Service) From 1850 to 1950, the Tri-State Mining District of southwestern Missouri, southeastern Kansas, and northeastern Oklahoma produced 50 percent of the zinc and 10 percent of the lead in the United States. The last active mine
by Nick Perry (The Australian) A Technology breakthrough by two Australian brothers could offer a solution to the world's insatiable appetite for food and fuel. Phillip and Geoff Bell have developed a new way to produce ethanol from waste products such
by Bradley J. Fikes (North County Times) Famed genomics researcher J. Craig Venter, who is working to develop biofuels from photosynthetic algae, acknowledged this week that alternate fuels are “dead” unless the federal government mandates their use with a carbon
(NewEnergyWorldNetwork.com) By the end of 2015, all palm oil used in the UK government’s food and catering services will be from environmentally-friendly sources, the country’s Environment Minister has announced. ...The Renewable Energy Association (REA) commented on the palm oil statement and
(United Arab Emirates/AMEInfo.com) Abu Dhabi's abundant sunshine and climate make it a near-ideal location for growing algae for commercial production of biofuels. Such unique geographic and climatic conditions further enhance the opportunity for the Emirate to become a leading developer
(Biomass Magazine) A report published by Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) demonstrates that the biofuel industry is well-positioned to meet increased demand for advanced biofuels, which will be driven by the federal renewable fuel standard (RFS) and California’s low carbon fuel standard
(All About Feed) Two huge wheat-for-ethanol plants are coming on stream in Britain supplying and extra one million tonnes of distillers grains to the animal feed industry. Material from these plants will help fill the cattle fodder gaps for the coming
by Roger Moore (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Leifmark LLC) ...If you’re Denmark, and practically surrounded by the North Sea, global warming and the anticipated rise in the ocean level tend to focus the national mind. To thrive economically, as well as survive
by Charles A. Levesque and Eric W. Kingsley (Innovative Natural Resource Solutions LLC/Biomass Magazine) Increased talk about the use of woody biomass for energy in the U.S. has many people wondering how best to assure that the fuel and feedstock used
(Central European Initiative) Ministers of Science and their representatives from 18 CEI Member States, together with High Officials from the European Commission and from international scientific institutions attended the CEI Ministerial Meeting on Science and Technology in Trieste on 19 September 2012.
by Kevin Bullis (MIT Technology Review) The high cost of making biofuel from cellulosic sources is prompting a new strategy. Calysta Energy, a recently unveiled startup based in Menlo Park, California, plans to make diesel fuel that costs half as much
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Is there something deeper going on in all this anti-ethanol rhetoric? Is there some sort of philosophical underlying problem? ...So, is it anti-corn? Is it anti-industrial agriculture? I can understand people being concerned about the
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Union of Concerned Scientists has published a report that shows that biomass feedstock has the potential to dramatically increase our nation’s renewable energy supply. The report, titled “The Promise of Biomass,” determined that
by Stefaniya Becking* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The 4th Nordic Wood Biorefinery conference held in Helsinki, Finland (October 23-25, 2012) brought together over 300 people from around 30 countries. The organizers successfully achieved the goal of having a stimulating event with
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) BSR, a nonprofit membership organization focused on consulting, research and cross-sector collaboration, has released a new report that assesses the sustainability impacts of commercial transportation fuels, as well as the market outlook for a
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Increasing demand for bioenergy feedstock is generating debates about food versus fuel and indirect land-use change. An interdisciplinary team of 11 scientists from seven European countries and the U.S. recently published a paper reviewing
(Environmental Leader) Google has been using Cool Planet Energy Systems’ biofuel blend to run a fleet vehicle at the search giant’s Mountain View, Calif. campus, according to the energy-tech startup. ...During the Google trial, a campus vehicle called GRide ran on
by Heidi Gaiser (Daily Interlake) The four partners of Clearwater Biologicals are working to turn a crop popular in the Bronze Age into a 21st-century source of fuel and nutrients — and they are beginning the process here in the
by RP Siegel (TriplePundit) ... 3p: If you look at where we today relative to the RFS, it says that by the year 2022, a total of 21 billion gallons of biofuel needs to be provided by something other than corn. That puts a
by Nino Marchetti (EarthTechling) One of the major issues facing those growing biofuel crops are finding suitable locations where they can be grown sustainably, avoiding competition with food crops for land resources. A new renewable energy research project being undertaken by Arizona State University researchers aims
by Gene Lucht (Iowa Farmer Today) ...That’s what Craig Floss did when several speakers spoke derisively about biofuels during this past week’s World Food Prize symposium. Floss, executive director of the Iowa Corn Growers Association, says 99 percent of the food
(Global Renewable Fuels Alliance/Renewable Fuels Association) As world and energy industry leaders gather today (october 22, 2012) in Dubai at the World Energy Forum to chart a roadmap for a sustainable energy mix, the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) renewed
by Olivier De Schutter (The Guardian) ...The new starting point should be to put food security first. Globally, 25% of land is already degraded, and the remaining productive areas are subject to ever-greater competition from industrial and urban uses. This is
(GreenAirOnline) With emissions from aviation and shipping likely to make up a quarter of the total UK output by 2050, it would be impossible to achieve national climate objectives without including the two sectors in reduction targets, the head of
(Science Daily) Scaling up the production of biofuels made from algae to meet at least 5 percent -- approximately 39 billion liters -- of U.S. transportation fuel needs would place unsustainable demands on energy, water, and nutrients, says a new
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... United States Concerns over the price impacts of a devastating US drought have led to call for a waiver in the US Renewable Fuel Standard volumetric targets. Proposed waivers have ranged from small, symbolic down-shifting
by Will Nichols (Business Green) The EU's new biofuels policy falls short of what is needed to spur growth in advanced fuels and is mistakenly writing off fuels derived from food crops, one of the world' largest biotechnology companies has warned. Commissioners last
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) According to a recent study from Political Economy Research Institute, a Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) in Minnesota would have a positive environmental and economic impact. The paper, “The Employment Impacts of a Low- Carbon Fuel Standard
by Jamie Johansen (DomesticFuel.com) Attendees for the 2012 Export Exchange were the audience for Renewable Fuels Associations’s Geoff Cooper. Geoff serves as the organizations Vice President and spoke to over 500 of the worlds feed producers, marketers and buyers. He explained that distillers grains and
by David Thorpe (Link2Portal.com) A policy U-turn by the European Commission, on the indirect effects on land use and greenhouse gas emissions caused by biofuels, has managed to upset almost all parties. Changes being published today to draft proposals for a revision
by Blair Fannin (Texas A&M University) Dr. Bill McCutchen sees the potential for the southeast to become the ‘Saudi Arabia’ for production of dedicated energy crops. “It’s the Bioenergy Belt,” said McCutchen, executive associate director of Texas A&M AgriLife Research, at
by Gayathri Vaidyanathan and Saqib Rahim (E&E Publishing/Energy Wire) A team of academics, natural gas companies and environmentalists is hoping to pull a crucial environmental issue from the jaws of polarization and controversy -- and start moving it into the realm
by Rory Carroll (Reuters) California attorneys advocating for a program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fuels came under stern questioning from a three-judge panel on Tuesday (October f16, 2012), in a case that threatens a key component of the
by Josh Rathod (Advanced Biofuels USA) RETECH 2012, an international conference on the business, policy, and technology of renewable energy, took place this year in DC at the regal Omni Shoreham hotel in Washington, DC. Under the luxurious chandeliers and
by Gerard Wynn (Reuters) The European Commission has proposed phasing out support for food-based biofuels in a move that not only undermines the industry but provides a possible roadmap for addressing the wider implications of producing crude oil from tar sands. ...The European Commission has
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As drought, recession, and capital starvation form a perfect storm, will advanced biofuels be thrown under the bus? Industry leaders say that dropping biofuels production targets will not reverse impacts of the 2012 drought. Instead,
(Medical Xpress) Compounds that affect respiratory health have been found in biodiesel exhausts. This might lead to restrictions on the use of this form of biofuel as an alternative to fossil fuel, according to researchers from the Queensland University of
by W. Stephen Burke (Citizen-Times) America and North Carolina have a clear imperative to augment imported, carbon-emitting, politically destabilizing and unsteadily priced petroleum-based liquid fuels with increased production of renewable biofuels. How to effectively gain new biofuels in coming years
by Nathanael Massey (Scientific American/Climatewire) A new study shows that degraded, marginal or abandoned land may not be very productive for growing fuel crops ...From the California desert to the badlands around Chernobyl, Ukraine, bioenergy is taking root in the form of
by Clare Wenner (The Guardian) Grossly simplifying the issues and creating bogeymen risks crushing desperately needed solutions Given all the hysteria over biofuels you'd be forgiven for believing that wiping out the biofuels industry will solve world hunger. It won't. Firstly, agriculture is
by Louise Downing and Ewa Krukowska (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) The European Union wants to limit the contribution of crop-based biofuels toward the bloc’s renewable energy target to avoid competition with food and spur the development of clean fuels made from non-edible crops. The
by Robert Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) Hybrid energy storage systems will play some part in the effort to meet the new 54.5 mpg CAFE standards. Their importance will be dictated by their weight and efficiency. We thought you’d be interested
(Pennsylvania State University) The Northeast could help lead the way to a renewable-energy-based economy by utilizing marginal and abandoned land to grow energy crops such as perennial grasses and fast-growing woody plants. That's the goal of a new research and education
by Marc Gunther (The Guardian) Scores of companies across the world are racing to unlock algae's energy potential and create a 'green crude oil' Tiny Columbus, New Mexico (population, 1,678) is hot, flat and uncrowded — an ideal place to launch
by Kristofor Husted (KBIA) In the parched, rolling hills of western Missouri, you might expect to see a desolate scene after this summer’s drought. But in this field, hip-high native grass sways across the landscape like seaweed in the ocean. Wayne Vassar
(Pork Network) To update current and potential customers on advances in research and end-users' experience in feeding distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS), the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) has released the third edition of A Guide to Distiller's Dried Grains with
(Deutsche Welle) Lufthansa has stopped testing biofuel in its aircraft because it has exhausted its stocks of biosynthetic kerosene and no other reliable supplies are available. The final test flight was a long-haul service to the US. German airline Lufthansa ended
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A study recently published by the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst explores some of the economic impacts of establishing a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) in Minnesota. The study,
(Reuters) ...The European Commission is under strong pressure from industry groups and some of its own departments to weaken a planned cap on the use of biofuels made from food crops such as rapeseed and wheat. Last month, the two EU
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In biofuels, feedstocks come in many shapes, phases, and sizes — but only three colors – red, yellow and green. That’s what our friends in the financial world tell us. Now, sometimes even a red-light
(Reuters) EU will need millions of tonnes of non-food biofuels to meet targets; Investment incentives currently not enough Large new investment incentives will be needed to promote the development of alternative biofuels after the European Union's move to curb the use
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Are they biofuels? We think so – even if they are post-biomass. They do what organisms have done for eons to make biomass in the first place: convert lifeless CO2, sunlight and water and nutrients
(Linköping University) Biofuels are going to save us from climate threats and the oil crisis, while at the same time providing an opportunity to the smallholder farmers of the world. Hopes are high, but completely unrealistic. It is like trying
(Food Product Design) The Soufflet Group opened a technological research facility and laboratory dedicated to the research and applications developed by OSIRIS and the Regional Biotechnology Research Programs to increase the value derived from agricultural resources and agro-industrial byproducts through
(Newstime Africa) The World Bank has rejected a call to suspend its involvement in large scale agricultural land acquisition following the release of a major report by the international aid agency Oxfam on the negative impact of international land speculation
by Bruce Dale (Star Tribune) Commentaries: Considered in context, it's clear that ethanol has an important role to play. A commentary about corn ethanol published in the Star Tribune this summer was disappointing ("Too much corn is being wasted as fuel," Aug.
by Derek Markham (Treehugger) ...A team of researchers in South Korea have developed a new process for converting the lipids in sewage sludge into biodiesel, at not only a lower cost than conventional biodiesel, but with much higher yields. The
(Renewable Energy Magazine) The Renewable Energy Association (REA) has warned that the speed and scale of EU proposals are likely to destroy UK biofuels sector innovations rather than building on them. The UK biofuels industry stands to be devastated by draft
(MarketWire) Hydrocarbon-like fuels and chemicals to come from agricultural and forest biomass With funding from Alberta Innovates Bio Solutions, the Biorefining Conversions Network aims to become a hub for bioeconomy investments and a world class centre of excellence for biorefining and
by Claire (Innovatrs) ...This week, the EU revised its target down to 5% in biofuels, and an additional 5% in a new type of fuel that isn’t manufactured in the same way. They now require a new type of biofuel
by John Perritano (HowStuffWorks) At first glance, the fields of miscanthus that blanket Sampson County, N.C., seem of little importance. Standing 4 feet (1.21 meters) taller than a basketball hoop, miscanthus is a giant, spiky, inedible -- and some would
(Opisnet.com) While already suffering through the highest pump prices in the continental U.S., Californians could face even higher gasoline and diesel costs when new low carbon fuel regulations gain traction Jan. 1, warn fuel experts. Price hikes of as much
by Roy Roberson (Southeast Farm Press) • Sounds like a good deal for grain growers and a bad one for livestock producers and consumers, but are such high prices really good for any of us? • Allan Baucom says the last
by Tim Carpenter (Topeka Capital Journal) Grants of $20.5 million offer twist to ethanol plant, farm machinery A $15.9 million investment of federal economic stimulus cash by Gov. Sam Brownback hangs on an Oakley ethanol plant's vision of generating value from
by Gale Buchanan, S.Z. Li, James R. Fischer and Joshua Yean (25 x '25) The following guest blog is a response to a recent Wall Street Journal editorial that criticized U.S. biofuel policy. The authors of this rebuttal are from Gale Buchanan, a former USDA Chief
by Will Nichols (Business Green) Preferred site has been chosen for London facility set to generate two per cent of BA's fuel from waste BA is set to begin initial construction on a planned biofuel-from-waste plant before the end of the
By John Murawski (News and Observer/Bradenton.com/Bradenton Herald) It's billed as a champion energy crop that yields three times as much ethanol per acre as corn, a fast-growing field grass that's ideal for making clean auto fuel without displacing scarce crop
by Ram Ramanan and Weslynne Ashton (Air and Waste Management Association) In today’s global environment, societal needs are defining markets, and business leaders have to be ready to address a range of issues from poverty and hunger to sustainability and
(VTT Technology) ... So far, conventional diesel buses and conventional diesel fuel have dominated the market, with some contribution from natural gas buses. Now we are in a situation in which the technology options are increasing rapidly. This goes for vehicle technology
by Rich Keller (Ag Professional) As most of the reports circulating in the United States are about anticipated grain shortages in meeting demand, a report came out this week from one organization that was headlined: “Global grain production at record
(Phys.Org) Scientists from the University of Liverpool are part of an international research project to apply the properties of drought-adapted desert plants, like agave, to poplar trees, a recognised biofuel crop. Dr James Hartwell, from the Institute of Integrative Biology, is
(American Association of Swine Veterinarians) The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization recently published a book entitled Biofuel co-products as livestock feed - Opportunities and challenges. AASV member Dr Harold Tilstra co-authored Chapter 3; ”Impact of United States biofuels co-products on
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Jobs, global expansion, proteins vs fuels, new R&D funding – all the big issues are under debate both on and off the floor at the Algae Biomass Summit. ...Jobs Dr. John Benemann projected on stage that,
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