host: Laura Knoy (NPR/The Diane Rhem Show) America’s ethanol industry is booming. The U.S. is projected to become the world’s biggest ethanol exporter by the end of the year. In the past, Congress has strongly supported the industry. Now it
by Igor Dormuth and Elena Schmidt (Biomass Power and Thermal/TÜV SÜD Industrie Service) New EU sustainability criteria for biofuels and other bioliquids must be complied with and verified by an independent third party at every stage of the production
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As POET lands a record biomass harvest in prep for a 2013 cellulosic ethanol launch, the Digest looks at stover, jatropha, miscanthus, switchgrass, MSW, wood and animal residue. Are costs going down, and capacity going
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) A three-year initiative by Nebraska corn growers to fund research into feeding the ethanol co-product distillers grains to cattle has resulted in some new breakthroughs. The initiative created a beef cattle advisory committee to work with University
by Anna Austin (Biomass Power and Themal) Energy crop developer New Energy Farms says it has developed a new system for establishing miscanthus that takes one-third the time of previous planting methods. ...The first is a bulked up miscanthus breed that
by Kevin Duggan (Coloradoan.com) The city of Fort Collins may phase out use of corn-based ethanol in its fleet vehicles out of concern for the environment. The majority of City Council members said Tuesday they would support gradually doing away with
(MarketWatch/Honeywell) Green Jet Fuel made from the Honeywell UOP process technology now in use on regular Aeromexico route from Mexico City to Costa Rica UOP LLC, a Honeywell company, announced today that Honeywell Green Jet Fuel(TM), produced using process technology from Honeywell's
(SkyNRG) SkyNRG, the Amsterdam based global market leader in sustainable jet fuel will supply Alaska Airlines with sustainable Jet Fuel in the month of November. The airline will operate 75 regularly scheduled flights out of its hub Seattle using a
(National Science Foundation) A sustainable world is one in which human needs are met equitably without harm to the environment, and without sacrificing the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Growing evidence for the role of energy use
(Arch1Design.com) ...Tel Aviv University researchers are doing their part to reduce humanity’s carbon footprint by successfully growing forests in the most unlikely place — deep in Israel’s Aravah Desert. With environmental “extras” such as a local plant species, recycled sewage water
by Tara Bozick (GoDanRiver.com) ...Chemtex International and its parent Gruppo Mossi and Ghisolfi, or the M&G Group, have been developing a lingo-cellulosic bio-ethanol technology called Proesa in a move away from petroleum and toward renewable materials. In today’s world, people
by Robert Wall (AviationWeek) When it comes to operating airliners with a biofuel blend, it is becoming difficult to find a name-brand airline that has not conducted a demonstration flight. The problem is, it may all be for naught. Air France
(Science Daily) ...A team led by Carnegie's Steven Davis, and including Ken Caldeira, tracked and quantified this supply chain of global carbon dioxide emissions. ...Traditionally, the carbon dioxide emitted by burning fossil fuels is attributed to the country where
by John C.K. Daly (http://oilprice.com) Greening the European Union has suffered a setback. The European Biodiesel Board is reporting that the European Union biodiesel industry production forecasts are noting a 2011 decrease in output, the first since data has been gathered,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In the world at large, they are generally called pests. We call them ‘magic bugs’. They are like the SuperFriends of Saturday morning cartoons – Nature has certainly endowed them with magic powers. ...Too often, public
by Robert Vierhout (Ethanol Producer Magazine/ePURE) ...Even if that extra demand would not exist, why would European politicians want to increase idled land, knowing that year-on-year, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, arable land in
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The bull’s-eye on corn ethanol could fade if the industry steps up and makes corn production and stover harvesting more environmentally friendly ...Today, no-till or strip-till farming is gaining ground, and researchers are examining systems
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Three years ago, ag giants John Deere & Co., Archer Daniels Midland Co. and Monsanto Co. pooled their respective areas of expertise and embarked on an experiment. Each company had its own specific reasons
by Damian Carrington (The Guardian/The Observer) The collapse of Sun Biofuels has left hundreds of Tanzanians landless, jobless, and in despair for the future "People feel this is like the return of colonialism," says Athumani Mkambala, chairman of Mhaga village in rural Tanzania.
by Guariguata, M.R.; Masera, O.R.; Johnson, F.X.; von Maltitz, G.; Bird, N.; Tella, P.; Martínez-Bravo, R (Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) Bogor, Indonesia) With the rapid growth of biofuel production and consumption and the proliferation of policy decisions supporting
by David Shaffer (Star Tribune) An emerging green industry aims to develop a new source of fuel to replace oil, but the quick money could be elsewhere. Green slime is growing in ponds next to an ethanol plant here, and Todd
by Matt Hartwig (Renewable Fuels Association) ...All of ethanol’s critics share a common flaw when it comes to their claims – they cherry-pick the topics on which they opine and ignore very relevant facts. The most recent example is this rant
(OriginOil) CEO’s presentation at Amsterdam’s Biofuels 2011 describes how blending algae with other feedstocks can ease shortages and help develop advanced biofuels OriginOil, Inc., the developer of a breakthrough technology to extract oil from algae and an emerging leader in the global
(US Department of Energy) The Biomass Program released the "Land-Use Change and Bioenergy" summary report. This publication describes the Biomass Program’s efforts to examine the intersection of land-use change and bioenergy production. It outlines legislation requiring land-use change assessments, key
(US Department of Energy) With support from the Biomass Program, as well as other DOE programs, including the Vehicle Technologies, Fuel Cell Technologies, and Geothermal Technologies programs, Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) has completed and released a new version of the
by Reese Ewing (Reuters) Brazilian joint venture BENRI plans to rate sugar and ethanol mills on efficiency, a new service for the sector that is expected to improve performance of mills and the terms of credit they receive from banks. BENRI, short
by Art Hovey (Lincoln Journal Star) Movers and shakers in York County, one of the most prolific places for corn production in Nebraska and the United States, have spun off plenty of other profitable corn undertakings in recent years, including
by Nina Chestney (Reuters) Biofuels for use in transport are becoming more competitive compared with oil but the pace of growth has slowed due to a lack of regulation and sustainability standards in Europe, the chief executive of BP's biofuels
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A newly released report from the USDA appears to confirm what the ethanol industry has been claiming for years—distillers grains is a valuable feed source and can significantly reduce any impact of increased corn
(PR NewsWire) Boeing , Embraer and the Sao Paulo State Research Foundation (FAPESP) today announced plans to collaborate on long-term aviation biofuels-related research and development, a move that represents another major step toward the creation of a sustainable aviation biofuels industry
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The USDA believes the Southeast region of the U.S. offers huge potential for a variety of dedicated energy crops and in September, the agency agreed to provide $15 million to form the Southeast Partnership for
(Gant Daily) ...G20 countries in their June 2011 ministerial declaration recommended measures such as building grain reserves, a global market information system and regulating financial transactions in commodities markets. But economists like Brian Wright, professor of agricultural and resource economics at the University
by Riza T. Olchondra (Philippine Daily Inquirer) Filipino farmers and investors may profit from biofuel ventures in idle, upland, and other so-called marginalized areas without disrupting food supply. According to the study “Assessment on the Use of Marginal Areas for Cultivation
by Deanna Lush (Stock Journal) ...As part of the study, former University of Guelph, Ontario, professor of crop science Terry Daynard compared grain supply and prices from the 1970s - where biofuel production was not an issue - and more
by Amelia Templeton (EarthFix) In a study published today in Nature Climate Change, researchers at OSU suggest that efforts to thin Northwest forests to reduce the risk of wildfire and create biofuels could have an unintended consequence: increasing the region’s carbon emissions. The
(Proactive Investors Australia) Biofuels company Mission NewEnergy has become the first commercial scale provider of Jatropha in the world to receive International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) for its Jatropha contract farming model. ...To qualify for ISCC certification, companies must meet strict
(Harvard Science) Chris Somerville, director of the Energy Biosciences Institute, said global biofuels are already mainstream, with ethanol from corn totaling 13 to 14 billion gallons annually in the United States, or about 10 percent of gasoline use. In Brazil, it
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) An algae strain grown by BioProcess Algae LLC at Green Plains Renewable Energy Inc.’s 65 MMgy ethanol plant in Shenandoah, Iowa, is one step closer to entering the poultry feed market. First-round feed trials recently
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Iowa algae and corn ethanol project points the way towards optimizing delivery of feed, fuel, carbon reduction. The most complete realizations of that vision at scale, to date, are the POET Liberty Project in Emmetsburg, Iowa;
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Copenhagen this week, a coalition of companies and associations involved in aviation biofuels made a strong case for the sector not only as a quick win for biofuels, but as a quick win for
(International Energy Agency) Governments and taxpayers spent about half a trillion dollars last year supporting the production and consumption of fossil fuels. Removing inefficient subsidies would raise national revenues and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, according to OECD and IEA analyses. The G-20
(Netzwerk Biotriebstoffe News) Biofuel production is booming. Worldwide, production of ethanol for fuel has almost quintupled since 2000, while that of biodiesel has risen by almost 25 times. This is, in part, a response to policies to replace fossil fuels for
by Jim Nussle (Growth Energy/Waterloo Courier) op ed: As the thousands of Iowans whose livelihoods depend on farming and renewable fuels know, an argument against ethanol is really an argument for America's status quo addiction to foreign oil. It is
Suzanne Goldenberg (The Guardian) Global Hunger Index says US government support for corn ethanol was a factor in this year's food price spikes America must stop promoting the production of biofuels if there is to be any real progress in addressing spiking
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) World leaders say new structures, public-private partnership, required to unlock clean energy, unleash economic growth. Free-flowing discussion in Copenhagen shows directions that reform of clean energy finance might take. ...That UN Secretary Ban Ki-Moon reiterated that
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...ILUC mitigation practices identified by Ernst & Young include the development of advanced generation biofuels, improvements to crop yields on existing agricultural land, the use of co-products for animal feed purposes, and crop production on
(Modesto Bee) Rep. Jeff Denham is citing the state's policies in the closure of Fulton Valley Farms of Turlock, set to happen by mid-January because of rising feed costs. The high cost of feed is a direct result of ethanol mandates
(Science Daily) A new insight into global photosynthesis, the chemical process governing how ocean and land plants absorb and release carbon dioxide, has been revealed in research that will assist scientists to more accurately assess future climate change. In a paper
by Charlie Dunmore (Reuters) European bioethanol producers have broken ranks and urged EU policymakers to introduce rules on the indirect climate impacts of biofuels that distinguish between "good and bad biofuel pathways," Reuters has learned. ...In a letter to the
by Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine) The U.K.’s National Non-Food Crops Centre has been chosen to investigate the environmental impacts of algae-based bioenergy. “This study will help provide the evidence needed for a U.K. strategy for algae, ensuring that the developing algae
by Ben Cubby (Sydney Morning Herald) Plants have been breathing a lot more quickly than we thought, according to a study that suggests some climate change models may have to be modified to account for faster rates of photosynthesis. An analysis
by Eric Michael Johnson (Scientific American) ...But new financial instruments have now been introduced that have taken food inequality to levels unheard of in the eighteenth century. As it turns out, there is a downside to playing with your food. Research
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...According to the USDA, corn farmers produced an average yield of 152.8 bushels of corn per acre in 2010, up 30 percent from the average 20 years ago. Most markets for corn, such as
by Henry Wanyama (AllAfrica.com) Tana River councillors have asked the National Environmental Management Authority not to revoke a biofuel project licence in the area. Led by Tana River County Council chairman Salim Golo, they said they are happy with the
Edward D. Frank, Jeongwoo Han, Ignasi Palou-Rivera, Amgad Elgowainy, and Michael Q. Wang (Argonne National Laboratory) A life-cycle analysis (LCA) of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy use was performed to study algae-based pathways for producing biofuels such as biodiesel, renewable diesel, and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...But underneath all the excitement, one feels just a little bit of desperation – oh, perhaps not just from these companies but their competitors. Everyone knows at some macro level that, while there are hundreds
(POET) POET closes on loan to keep construction on pace for 2013 plant start-up POET today (September 23, 2011) received final approval for a $105 million loan guarantee issued through the U.S. Department of Energy's Loan programs Office. The loan guarantee
by Marco Lagi, Yavni Bar-Yam, Karla Z. Bertrand, Yaneer Bar-Yam (Cornell University) Recent increases in basic food prices are severely impacting vulnerable populations worldwide. Proposed causes such as shortages of grain due to adverse weather, increasing meat consumption in China and India,
(Netzwerk Biotreibstoffe News) Deployment of innovative biofuels technologies, possible, but requires strong political commitment, say European biofuels stakeholders. The annual meeting of European biofuels stakeholders stressed that advanced biofuels technologies are now available and called for robust support to ensure
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) Correction posted 9/22/11. The nonprofit educational organization, Advanced Biofuels USA, advocates for the adoption of renewable sustainable advanced biofuels as an energy security, economic development, military flexibility and climate change/pollution control solution. In addition,
(AllAfrica.com) The University of Benin through its National Centre for Energy and Environment (NCEE) has developed an equipment for the production of biodiesel. The Director of NCEE, Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye, made the disclosure in an interview on Monday in Benin. Ezemonye said the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Novozymes announced its investment in CleanStar Mozambique at the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting. CleanStar Mozambique, a company founded by Novozymes and CleanStar Ventures, will work with smallholder farmers to implement sustainable farming practices, create
(Algae Industry Magazine) A Principal Member of the Technical Staff of Albuquerque, New Mexico-based Sandia National Laboratories, serving in the Earth Systems Analysis – Energy, Resources, and Systems Analysis division, Ron Pate has been on M&O Contractor assignment in Washington, DC
(European Parliament) Great efforts have been made to reduce CO2 emissions in Europe and internationally, but a number of other substances are also causing Arctic ice-melt and on Wednesday MEPs called for action against so-called non-CO2 emissions including the
by Markku Kulmala, Tuukka Petäjä (Science Magazine) Public discussion of climate change typically revolves around greenhouse gases, aerosol particles, and the role of human actions (1–3), but it is just beginning to reflect an awareness of the important role played
(Citizen-Times.com) About 50 interested farmers, academics, and biofuels experts toured the five acres of energy crops under study at N.C. State University’s Mountain Research Horticultural Research Station Wednesday for the first Western North Carolina Bioenergy Field Day. Chris Sawyer, an organic
by Jeff Falk (University of Minnesota/Hutchinson Leader) New research published online this week in the journal Environmental Research Letters, by a team from the University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin, shows that closing agricultural “yield gaps” around the world
by James Kanter (New York Times) The European Union is overestimating the reductions in greenhouse gas emissions achieved through reliance on biofuels as a result of a “serious accounting error,” according to a draft opinion by an influential committee of
by Vivienne Raper (Wall Street Journal) Jumbo jets powered by chip fat and algae could be appearing on the horizon soon ...But behind the eye-catching headlines, debate rages about whether enough cheap fuel made from renewable organic materials could be produced
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Hawaii goes all in on microalgae to provide fuel, food, fiber and power to grow its energy-starved Mid-Pacific economy and fit its environmental values ...Hawaii has no fossil fuel resources of its own. Not to mention
(Science Policy Section, The Royal Society) However, access to energy underpins our current way of life and the hopes of peoples around the world for improved lives. Mobility is a core component of these aspirations. Transport has become the main driver for increasing global
by John C.K. Daly (OilPrice.com/Clean Techies) ...According to PetroChina’s Petrochemical Research Institute deputy chief engineer Fu Xingguo, China is looking at generating 933,000 tons annually of fuel ethanol and 165,000 tons of biodiesel. According to Fu, China is looking to
by Mike Corn (The Hays Daily News) Leftover money from the federal Recovery Act will help pay for a project converting cattle manure to methane to help fuel the Western Plains Energy ethanol plant near Oakley. The Kansas Department of Commerce
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association) America’s ethanol producers are on pace to produce nearly 40 million metric tons of livestock feed in 2011 – a volume greater than all the corn used on cattle feedlots all across the country.
(Agra-net.com) Carbon savings from biodiesel produced using imported palm oil are being deliberately underestimated by the EU, a researcher has claimed. Dr Gerot Pehnelt, a member of the academic advisory board to the European Forum for Sustainable Development (EFNE) - which lobbies on behalf
(The Daily News) THE government has been warned against allocating over 320,000 hectares of prime land in Rukwa Region to an American agro-firm, Agrisol Energy, which is seeking to undertake large scale commercial farming for food, livestock, and jatropha for
(Hawai'i Bioenergy) Hawaiian Electric Company and Hawai`i BioEnergy, LLC have agreed on a contract for a supply of 10 million gallons per year of locally grown and processed biofuel for power generation at Hawaiian Electric’s Kahe Generating Station. The contract now goes to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...But a handful of companies such as Cobalt, Gevo, Terrabon, LanzaTech and ZeaChem, are shaking up the emerging aviation biofuels markets by developing renewable aviation fuels from ethanol and/or biobutanol. ...“An alcohol molecule, looking at it
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Tactically, a Green Strike Group, powered by renewable diesel-electric engines, nuclear power and aviation biofuels, is able to operate independent of fossil fuel supply line threat or disruption. In the near term, this is
(Science Daily) Measuring the emission of greenhouse gases from croplands should take into account the crops themselves. That's the conclusion of a study in the Sept.-Oct. issue of the Journal of Environmental Quality, which examined the impact of farm practices such
by Karin Holzzknecht (Center for International Forestry Research Forest Blog) Assessing how biofuels affect forests and people’s livelihoods and how its production can be more sustainable has been made easier following the recent release of an interactive map which provides
by Charlie Dunmore (Reuters) The European Union's top climate and energy officials have agreed to delay by up to seven years rules that would penalize individual biofuels for their indirect climate impacts, details of the dealshowed. The political compromise is designed to
(Radio Netherlands Worldwide) "Shell must leave our land... The companies must stop using indigenous land," said Ambrosio Vilhalva, a Guarani from the Caarapo municipality in the southern state of Mato Grosso do Sul. "We want justice, we want our land to
by James Murray (Business Green) Could gasification hold the key to the decarbonisation of the North East's heavy industries? Researchers at the Newcastle Institute for Research on Sustainability(NIReS) are working on ambitious plans that could establish the North East as a global
(Central America Data) The company Agro 2 has opened the first plant of its kind in Santiago, province of Veraguas. With an initial investment of $2 million the processing plant producing cassava-based ethanol will begin operations next week, as indicated by representatives
(Nature Canada) Nature Canada is concerned that a Canadian company – Bedford Biofuels – plans plans to set up a jatropha tree plantation in Kenya's Tana Delta, an area that provides refuge for 350 bird species. ...The latest news from our
(POET) POET Biorefining -- Mitchell to cut even more water use Mitchell is layering another level of water recycling on top of its current system with a new process to use storm water from nearby retention ponds. The plant received approval last
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Can biotech and biofuels relieve pressure on water, land, food and fuel by revolutionizing meat production? ...(O)ne sector that fell outside our focus on biofuels – but has important consequences for the production of bio-based products,
(Clean Technology Business Review) Mission NewEnergy has signed a contract to supply sustainability-certified biodiesel to a global oil major. The six-month contract will begin in January 2012 and is expected to generate revenue in excess of $40m. Mission NewEnergy group CEO Nathan
(BIOSIRE) BIOSIRE aims to establish a shift towards bio-diesel and electric propulsion for fleets, ships and special vehicles in tourist areas in Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Croatia and Austria. Furthermore BIOSIRE formulates recommendations for other tourist regions and provides the
by Stephanie Dreyer (Growth Energy/Baltimore Sun) Letter to Editor: Karen Hosler's recent opinion piece calling for an end to ethanol subsidies ("End the ethanol charade," Aug. 30) uses sweeping generalizations that distort the truth about grain ethanol's role in fostering
(ALMS/PRNewsWire) The American Le Mans Series reports it reduced its petroleum usage by nearly 50 percent in its most recent race. Series president Scott Atherton delivered the message today to journalists and government officials in Washington at the National Press Club.
(Telegraph Journal) Editorial: Two big concerns are shaping global research and development in the 21st century: the need for sustainable energy, and the need for sustainable food supplies. Canadians are increasingly engaged in energy research, but a recent report from the
by Dr Matthew Aylott (National Non-Food Crops Centre) A major new €14 million (£12.3 million) initiative - bringing together experts from across North West Europe to develop the potential of algae as a source of sustainable energy - has been
(Business Review) EBRD is granting a EUR 30 million syndicated financing package to Expur S.A., a local oilseed processing company. Expur crushes rapeseed and sunflower seed, produces crude rapeseed oil, refined edible sunflower oil, as well as rapeseed meal, sunflower
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Wonder how the world will ever produce enough energy and cut back enough carbon? Here are 8 technology platforms for 2050 that could make the difference. ...What kind of technologies will evolve in the 2030s, and
by Steve Olson (California Agricultural Technology Institute/Western Farm Press/Fresno State University) A study indicates possibilities for new farming methods on the West Side of the San Joaquin Valley, which is challenged by selenium-laden irrigation effluent. One method of using excess selenium in
by Liz Ahlberg (University of Illinois) Many energy researchers and environmental advocates are excited about the prospect of gaining more efficient large-scale biofuel production by using large grasses like miscanthus or switchgrass rather than corn. They have investigated yields,
by Monika Bertzky, Valerie Kapos & Jörn P.W. Scharlemann (Joint Nature Conservation Committee) Inference from production statistics and modelling studies suggest that iLUC has occurred, is likely to increase with increasing demand for biofuels and needs to be considered when assessing the
by Stephen K. Ritter (Chemical & Engineering News) Bruce E. Dale often plays the role of devil's advocate not only against the rosy picture of biofuels painted by start-ups and trade associations but also against the gloom-and-doom message of some
by David Hughes (Post Carbon Institute) This week the USGS released anew assessment of gas resources in the Marcellus Shale, Appalachian Basin. The report is a reasonable effort by the USGS to sort out some of the wheat from the
by Graham von Maltitz, William Stafford (Center for International Forestry Research) Sustainable biofuel production should provide opportunities for sub-Saharan African countries and their inhabitants, especially in impoverished rural areas. Biofuel feedstock production has the potential to bring job opportunities
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) America is home to the most innovative, productive and efficient ethanol and grain producers in the world. ...(T)he trend line for both industries is toward greater productivity utilizing fewer resources. When viewed as a
(Algae Industry Magazine) A new life cycle analysis by a team from the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, at the University of Oxford, states that algae-derived biodiesel could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and deliver a high financial return,
by Ron Kotrba (Biorefining Magazine) ...I told him I’m the editor of two monthly magazines centered on renewable fuels and chemicals. He sort of scoffed, and I knew we were going to get into “the discussion.” He led into our talk
(National Centre for Biorenewable Energy, Fuels and Materials) The new research will explore what needs to be done to sustainably produce bioenergy, biofuels and biochemicals from algae in the UK. Algae have the potential to make a significant contribution towards our future
(elEconomista.es) Scientists at the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), associated with the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) have managed to make biodiesel from the cultivation of three species of marine algae. ...Additionally, the three species that have proved viable,
by Ismira Lutfia (Jakarta Globe) The millions of tons of fibrous residue produced by palm oil plantations across the country could soon become a major source of raw material for renewable fuel. Over the past year, scientists from the Indonesian
by Benjamin Burroughs (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ethanol has some distinct advantages as a fuel, and sweet sorghum promises even better input/output ratios ...In addition to having a higher ratio, the cost of production for sweet sorghum is lower than for corn. For
(AllAfrica.com/The Herald) Traditional leaders have identified unnecessary politicking as a challenge to the successful completion of the Chisumbanje Ethanol Plant. The task-force chaired by Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development secretary Mr Ngoni Masoka visited the project yesterday. In his submission to the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Can synthetic biology capture and utilize CO2 to such an extent that it not only can make money – but can mitigate the carbon intensity of no-no feedstocks like coal, gas and oil, opening up
by Gouri Shankar Mishra and Sonia Yeh (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Study recalculates water consumption with expanded system boundaries and coproduct credit Recent studies have estimated the “consumptive water use,” “water embodied,” and “water footprint” of corn-based ethanol in the U.S, with
(GreenAir Online) The regional initiative launched in June by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to provide finance for renewable jet fuel projects in Latin America and the Caribbean has made its first grant. The IDB, along with aircraft manufacturers
(Algae Industry Magazine) NASA scientist – the inventor, heart, and soul of the OMEGA system (Offshore Membrane Enclosures for Growing Algae) – Dr. Jonathan Trent received his PhD in biological oceanography at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. He went on to
by Joao Peixe (OilPrice.com) The bio-ethanol gel is an alternative biofuel developed by Consumer's Choice Limited to reduce Kenya’s reliance on imported petroleum. ...Consumer's Choice Limited developed a bio-ethanol gel made from molasses derived from sugarcane. Kadhi noted, "During the sugar
by Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay (Chemical and Engineering News) Government mandates have shaped the market but not always for the best By 2050, the global population will hit between 7.5 billion and 10.5 billion. Energy demands will soar, and traditional energy supplies, such
(Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance) The Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance, alongside SBA Business Member companies in three states unveiled the first retail locations scored through the Sustainability Report Card for biodiesel at the nozzle. SBA Business members participated in this new system that scores
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) ...In this week’s installment of the RFA’s series on efficiency, RFA Vice President Geoff Cooper takes on the critics who contend that both farming and ethanol production is simply too energy-intensive. Critics of farmers, and by
(Chemistry News Articles) Scientists at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science have discovered a technique to track urban atmospheric plumes thanks to a unique isotopic signature found in vehicle emissions. Brian Giebel, a Marine and Atmospheric
by Joseph Morton (World Herald Bureau/Omaha.com) The ethanol industry is preparing itself for life after federal subsidies. Key tax credits that pay blenders for using the renewable fuel are set to expire at the end of 2011. At a cost to
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Add-on technology developed for corn ethanol plants Rather than retrofitting a corn-ethanol plant to produce i-butanol, n-butanol or use other novel fermentation technologies, three companies are collaborating to turn a traditional ethanol plant into a
(25 x '25) Earlier this week (July 28, 2011), a coalition of animal agriculture, commodity crop, general farm organization and conservation leaders issued a set of guiding principles and policy planks aimed at reconciling the expansion of biofuel production with maintaining
by Suzanne Goldenberg (The Guardian) As Congress reviews 30 years of corn ethanol subsidies, the global food crisis has shone a negative light on biofuel production There were times when Arlyn Schipper could almost feel heroic on his family farm in
(National Algae Association) National Algae Association Executive Director Barry Cohen has issued the following statement in response to the specific exclusion of algae from the Billion Ton Update issued by the Department of Energy: "Other than to be told that leadership
by John Lippert (The Washington Post/Bloomberg Markets) Cargill chief Greg Page, who runs the largest U.S. agricultural company, has a good idea whom to blame for the global surge in food prices at the end of 2010: governments. ...He said government
(US Department of Energy) ...More than 600 speakers, moderators, sponsors, exhibitors, and attendees were able to listen to discussions about the ongoing challenges and achievements in the bioenergy industry. Biomass 2011 addressed key issues in important areas, such as feedstock supply, conversion pathways,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the USDA and DOE have awarded 10 grants totaling $12.2 million to spur research into improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of growing biofuel and bioenergy crops. The USDA and DOE
by Patrick Robinson (West Seattle Herald) The documentary FREEDOM from husband and wife team of Josh and Rebecca Tickell is aptly named because in the context of the film it represents the most significant meaning of the word and gives it
by John Block (Miami Herald) ...Critics of renewable fuels keep claiming that the production of American ethanol threatens the food supply and raises food prices. Not true. There just isn’t any statistical evidence that increased ethanol production results in rising food
by Zak Richards (University of Virginia) Algae-based fuel is one of many options among the array of possible future energy sources. New University of Virginia research shows that while algae-based transportation fuels produce high energy output with minimal land use,
by Tiffany Stecker (ClimateWire/Scientific American) A study looks into giving farmers permission to harvest cellulosic feedstocks on land set aside for wetlands and wildlife conservation Growing cellulosic feedstocks on federally subsidized conservation land could balance the biofuels emissions equation to be completely carbon-neutral,
by Lisa Gibson (Biomass Power and Thermal) A follow-up report to the U.S. DOE’s 2005 “Biomass as Feedstock for a Bioenergy and Bioproducts Industry: The Technical Feasibility of a Billion-Ton Annual Supply,” commonly referred to as the Billion-Ton Study, has
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) Over the past 30 years, and in particular in the past decade, ethanol production has quietly become increasingly efficient. From improvements in corn production to greater efficiencies at ethanol biorefineries, America’s leading renewable fuel
(UNICA) The European Commission’s approval of certification schemes for biofuels, announced on July 19th, is an important step to add transparency to the issue and help Member States meet reduction targets for greenhouse gas emissions. The measure will also benefit
(Southeast Farm Press/National Corn Growers Association) The study, which utilized Texas A&M University’s Agricultural & Food Policy Center’s premier farm-level modeling system and data from the University of Missouri’s Food & Agricultural Policy Research Institute, determined that net cash farm
by Maggie Koerth-Baker (BoingBoing) ...In a nutshell, that’s why liquid fuel is so valuable. So far, it’s the clear winner when we need energy for transportation—especially air transportation and heavy, long-distance shipping—because it allows you to stuff a lot of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In India, SG Biofuels and Bharat Renewable Energy, a unit of India’s second largest oil company, Bharat Petroleum, signed a landmark commercial agreement to develop and deploy elite hybrids of Jatropha across a total 86,000
(Argus Media) Europe's biodiesel producers have commissioned an independent review of a policy document on biodiesel's indirect effects on land use change, which the European Biodiesel Board (EBB) maintains has skewed the European Commission's thinking on the subject to the
by Brian Westenhaus (OilPrice.com) According to Promode Kant from the Institute of Green Economy in India and Shuirong Wu of the Chinese Academy of Forestry some 12.8 million ha (49,421 square miles) are expected to be planted with jatropha by
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) At the Biomass 2011 conference in Washington, a lively debate session provided a bumper crop of questions from the audience – too many to answer at the time. At the same time, it offers us
by Julia Olmstead (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Traveling together to Brazil, Americans representing a range of perspectives on ethanol and environmentalism attempt to forge a shared path toward ethanol sustainability ...The divisiveness of the indirect land use change (ILUC) debate—the theory that
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Researchers at the University of Miami Rosentiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science recently developed a technique to measure ethanol isotopes and discovered that the ethanol found in urban air and vehicle exhaust has
by Marianne Brown (Dallas Morning News) ...Thirteen students from Dartmouth College rolled into Dallas on Monday in their environmental classroom on wheels: a converted Greyhound bus that runs on biodiesel and vegetable oil. The cooking oil, donated from restaurants, must be filtered
by Niluksi Koswanage (Reuters Africa) Malaysia, the word's No.2 palm oil producer, will come up with a certification scheme to ensure the tropical oil is grown without clearing forests and destroying wildlife, a newspaper reported on Monday. The Business Times quoted
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) In the Philippines, a new study by that Asian Development Bank finds that “Pongamia provides better economic returns [than other Indian feedstocks]. Even under a 15% social discount rate Pongamia provides a positive NPV,
by Von Philip Bethge (Der Spiegel Online) Genetically modified blue and green algae could be the answer to the world's fuel problems. Bioengineers have already developed algae that produce ethanol, oil and even diesel -- and the only things the
W. Steven Burke (Biofuels Center of North Carolina) ...America will continue to seek more augmentation of petroleum-based fuels and thus needs new models to gain large amounts of liquid fuel from sources other than corn in places other than the Midwest. North Carolina
by Matthew Knight (CNN) It wasn't so long ago that biofuels were being heralded as the savior of the planet and a thoroughly green solution to our climate woes. But fair winds have been replaced by persistent storms of criticism.
(GreenAirOnline) Although the aviation sector has a good track record in reducing its environmental impact through efficiency gains, it is highly unlikely to reduce or even stabilise its emissions through this means alone, but biofuels present a real potential for
by Anna Jauhola (The Daily Republic) In a continuing effort to operate as green as possible, Poet Biorefining is the first ethanol plant in the state to apply to use storm water in the facility rather than discharging it. Through an
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