Advanced BioFuels USA – Truly Sustainable Renewable Future

Boeing Joins New BIOjet Abu Dhabi Team to Grow Biofuel Supply Chain in United Arab Emirates

(Boeing/PR NewsWire) - Collaboration focuses on research, feedstock production and refining capability - Announcement follows Etihad 777 biofuel demonstration flight in Abu Dhabi Boeing [NYSE: BA], Etihad Airways, Takreer, Total and the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology today announced they

January 20, 2014 Read Full Article

Jolt! Bioeconomy Coalition of Minnesota aims to boost Chems and Advanced Biofuels Industries with New Policy Initiatives

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Minnesota, the Bioeconomy Coalition of Minnesota, who announced their 2014 Minnesota legislative agenda today at the Minnesota Green Chemistry Conference, is proposing the creation of a new production incentive program for renewable chemicals and

January 20, 2014 Read Full Article

Evaluating EPA's Arguments for RFS Waiver Authority

by Jonathan Coppess (FarmDocDaily) ...The heart of the matter is whether the waiver authority Congress provided to the EPA allows it to waive the specific RFS requirements on the basis of the infrastructural challenges posed by the E10 blend wall. EPA's

January 20, 2014 Read Full Article

OBIC’s Dr. Barbara Vieira Joins Advanced Biofuels USA's Board of Directors

by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) At its sixth annual meeting on January 14, 2014, Advanced Biofuels USA elected and welcomed Barbara Vieira, Ph.D., Assistant Director of the Ohio Bioproducts Innovation Center at Ohio State University to the board of directors. Explaining the

January 20, 2014 Read Full Article

CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS: 18th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference (GC&E) June 17-19, 2014 North Bethesda, MD DEADLINE: February 28

In 2014, the conference theme, “Advancing Chemistry, Innovating for Sustainability,” highlights innovations in the science and application of greener chemistry & engineering needed to build a more sustainable future. Over three days, a wide array of topics will be covered—with

January 17, 2014 Read Full Article

CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS: Commercial Algae Cultivation, Harvesting, Extraction Technologies and Networking Workshop February 28, 2014 Richmond, CA DEADLINE: January 28

NAA is all about collaboration between commercially-minded algae researchers, commercial algae producers, commercial algae production equipment providers, water process engineers, private industry, students, vets, investors, lenders and IP attorneys, and when they all get together, good things happen! Our workshop discussions

January 17, 2014 Read Full Article

World Leaders Promote Sustainable Production to Meet Global Food Challenges

(25 x '25) The annual Global Forum for Food and Agriculture is currently underway in Berlin and those attending are grappling with a formidable challenge: finding ways to insure food security around the world as population surges by nearly 30

January 17, 2014 Read Full Article

Power Surge: Energy Security and the Department of Defense

(The PEW Charitable Trusts) How the Department of Defense Leverages Private Resources to Enhance Energy Security and Save Money on U.S. Military Bases The U.S. Department of Defense defines installation energy security as the ability to assure access to reliable sources

January 17, 2014 Read Full Article

Nonenzymatic Sugar Production from Biomass Using Biomass-Derived γ-Valerolactone

by Jeremy S. Luterbacher, Jacqueline M. Rand, David Martin Alonso, Jeehoon Han, J. Tyler Youngquist, Christos T. Maravelias, Brian F. Pfleger, James A. Dumesic (Science Magazine) Widespread production of biomass-derived fuels and chemicals will require cost-effective processes for breaking down

January 17, 2014 Read Full Article

Obama Administration Launches Quadrennial Energy Review

(The White House) First QER Will Focus on Transmission and Distribution Infrastructure -- President Obama signed a Memorandum directing his Administration to conduct a Quadrennial Energy Review (QER). This first QER will focus on the development of a comprehensive strategy

January 17, 2014 Read Full Article

BP Sees Renewables Outpacing Fossil Fuels, Eclipsing Nuclear

by Sally Bakewell (Bloomberg) Renewables will continue to be the fastest-growing energy source, supplying a bigger share of the world’s needs than nuclear by 2025, according to BP Plc. ... “While the OECD economies have led in renewables growth, renewables in the

January 16, 2014 Read Full Article

France’s Largest Multifeedstock Biodiesel Plant Opens

by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) BDI-BioEnergy International AG announced that it has completed commissioning of the largest multifeedstock biodiesel plant in France, Estener’s 75,000 ton (22.5 MMgy) plant in Le Havre. The plant processes used cooking oils and animal fats into

January 15, 2014 Read Full Article

Corn Farmers Eye Other Crops for Next Year

by Kai Ryssdal (MarketPlace.org) ... Keith Alverson, a sixth generation ethanol corn farmer in Chester, South Dakota, says it’s all about supply and demand. Corn prices were up last year thanks to two years of drought that lowered supplies. That meant

January 15, 2014 Read Full Article

Akash Energy to offer B100 at 2 Newly Acquired Houston Stations

by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Akash Energy Inc., a new player in the Houston energy sector, recently acquired two Houston GasCard stations that currently offer E10 and B20. Akash will be rebranding the stations as “Root Fuels” in the coming

January 15, 2014 Read Full Article

Neil Young Responds to PMO's Defence of Oilsands

by Trinh Theresa Do (CBC News) Singer takes aim at government spokesman's suggestion that even rock stars rely on the oil industry When it comes to Canada's oilsands, Neil Young isn't keen to let the Prime Minister's Office have the last

January 15, 2014 Read Full Article

The Cruze Offers B20 Mass Appeal

by Jenna Higgins Rose (Biodiesel Magazine) MTV brought music videos to the masses. Can the diesel Chevy Cruze do the same for B20? The Cruze is a potential game changer because it bridges the gap between biodiesel and the average

January 15, 2014 Read Full Article

Commercializing Enzymatic Biodiesel Production

by Rebecca Hobden (Biodiesel Magazine) Viesel Fuel, in collaboration with Novozymes and Tactical Fabrication, has developed and implemented a biodiesel production process using enzymes to produce at a rate of 5 MMgy. The company says its process can be easily

January 15, 2014 Read Full Article

Low-Cost Biodiesel Production

by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) As federal biodiesel policy uncertainty rises, low-cost biodiesel production with new technologies to allow processing of cheaper, lower quality feedstocks, is paramount. Biodiesel Magazine provides a cross-section of new technologies being deployed. ... If the final (EPA

January 15, 2014 Read Full Article

Elegant Engineering

by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) A recently issued U.S. patent, the culmination of more than five years of lab-scale and pilot-plant research at Texas Tech University, provides simplicity and holds great promise for economical, large-scale biodiesel production. ... The fact is, in

January 15, 2014 Read Full Article

New Technique May Reduce Biofuel Production Costs

(Canadian Biomass Magazine) Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a simple, effective and relatively inexpensive technique for removing lignin from the plant material used to make biofuels, which may drive down the cost of biofuel production. ... As part of

January 15, 2014 Read Full Article

Rift over New EU Energy, Climate Policy Deepens

by Barbara Lewis (Reuters) European Commissioners clashed on Friday over what the European Union's climate and energy policy goals for 2030 should be, with time for agreement running short ahead of their planned publication this month, EU sources said. The European

January 15, 2014 Read Full Article

RTA Powers 11 Buses By Biofuel, 60 In 3 Years

(Middle East Events) The number of Green Buses powered by biofuel within the fleet of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA)has risen to 11 buses under a plan based on the Green Economy initiative launched in January 2012 by HH

January 15, 2014 Read Full Article

IHI Biotech Unit Succeeds in Cutting Cost of Growing Oil-Producing Algae

(Japan Times) Biofuel research firm IHI NeoG Algae LLC, a unit of major heavy machinery maker IHI Corp., has succeeded in cutting the cost of producing oil from algae, an alternative to crude oil-based fuel. Working at a 100-sq.-meter outdoor

January 15, 2014 Read Full Article

EU Sees Rising Food Output by 2023 on Export and Biofuel Demand

by Rudy Ruitenberg (Bloomberg) European Union production of foodstuffs from cheese to poultry to wheat is predicted to climb by 2023 on demand for exports and the manufacturing of biofuels from grains, the 28-nation bloc said. READ MORE

January 15, 2014 Read Full Article

Boeing Seeks Approval for Green Diesel as New Aviation Biofuel

by Stephen Trimble (FlightGlobal) Boeing will seek approval by the end of this year to clear a green diesel blend as an alternative to Jet-A for turbine-powered aircraft. If approved, Boeing believes this emerging source of renewable fuel can kick-start the

January 15, 2014 Read Full Article

GranBio’s Alagoas Cellulosic Ethanol Project, in Pictures and Video

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Down in the northeast of Brazil, a signature cellulosic biofuels project nears completion. What does it look like? Here’s our biggest picture set ever. It’s the GranBio first commercial project in 122 pictures and a

January 15, 2014 Read Full Article

Aphios Granted Patent for Cellulosic Biomass Pretreatment

(Aphios/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Aphios Corp. has announced that it was granted U.S. Patent No. 8,540,847 entitled “Methods and Apparatus for Processing Cellulosic Biomass,” for its Aosic enabling technology platform. ... Trevor P. Castor, inventor of the Aosic platform, states that, “Cellulosic biomass

January 14, 2014 Read Full Article

The Time Is Now for Farmers to Comment

by Meghan Grebner (Browfield Ag News) There’s just a few weeks left for farmers to submit comments on the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed cuts to the Renewable Fuels Standard. The Indiana Corn Growers Association and the Indiana Soybean Alliance are making

January 14, 2014 Read Full Article

Record Corn Crop Gets Little Reaction

by Tom Bryan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) For all the media melodrama displayed at this time last year when the USDA released its tally on the drought-suppressed 2012 corn crop, there’s been predictably little ado over last week’s news that the

January 14, 2014 Read Full Article

Local Company Uses Biofuel for Transport

(Nelson Star) For the first time since the horse and carriage, BC organic fruit is again being delivered without fossil fuels. Kootenay foodies and entrepreneurs Paul and Clare Kelly of Winlaw are helping shoppers at organic grocers ‘green up’ their produce

January 14, 2014 Read Full Article

2013 Report on the International and Chinese Biodiesel Industry

(PR NewsWire/Research and Markets) Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "2013 Report on the International and Chinese Biodiesel Industry" report to their offering. "2013 Report on the International and Chinese Biodiesel Industry", provides an overview of the industry including definitions, classifications,

January 14, 2014 Read Full Article

Hydrogen, Gasoline, Solar Panel Hybrid or Cellulosic Ethanol: What’s Better, What’s Best?

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This past week, we’ve had the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Plenty of opportunities for new automotive technologies to strut their stuff — and they’ve

January 14, 2014 Read Full Article

Boeing Finds Significant Potential In 'Green Diesel' As A Sustainable Jet Fuel

(AviationPros.com/PR NewsWire) Boeing [NYSE: BA] has identified "green diesel," a renewable fuel used in ground transportation, as a significant new source of sustainable aviation biofuel that emits at least 50 percent less carbon dioxide than fossil fuel over its lifecycle.

January 14, 2014 Read Full Article

Timberland, Seventh Generation Take Green Chemistry Mainstream

by Monica Becker and Amy Perlmutter (GreenBiz.com) ... Now 10 organizations from the Green Chemistry & Commerce Council (GC3), including Timberland, Valspar and Seventh Generation, will spearhead a one-year collaborative project aimed at bringing green chemistry into the mainstream. The development follows the growing awareness of green

January 14, 2014 Read Full Article

Chillin' at the Keystone Farm Show

by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) Thanks again to Lee Publications, Inc., the Keystone Farm Show organizers, for donating exhibit space to Advanced Biofuels USA at the York, PA “Farm Show for Farmers” January 7-9. See our tweets (@AdvancedBiofuel)

January 10, 2014 Read Full Article

Sourcing the Force

by Anna Simet (Biomass Magazine) Recruiting employees isn’t currently a problem for advanced biofuel companies, but as the industry grows, a lack of engineers may pose problems. Despite being met with a number of hurdles including a challenging financial climate, the

January 06, 2014 Read Full Article

NEWBio Bioenergy Scholar Program Application Deadline February 15, 2014

The Bioenergy Scholars Program offers summer research work to undergraduates, who can apply to work at one of several universities in the Northeast US (including Penn State, Cornell, Rutgers, West Virginia University, SUNY ESF, and Delaware State University and others).

January 06, 2014 Read Full Article

Extension Programs: NewBio Webinars 2nd Tuesdays

Join us on the second Tuesday of each month for our "Northeast Bioenergy Webinar Series". These online, hour-long presentations are free to the public, and feature fascinating and important topics related to bioenergy in the northeast. Attend the live webinars at https://meeting.psu.edu/bioenergy -

January 06, 2014 Read Full Article

Students at ACTC Study the Power of Soy

by Mike James (The Independent) Looking at the tiny vial of golden soybean oil on his desk reminds Shannon McCarty that technical education must keep up with technology. In this case, it means the diesel mechanics course he teaches at Ashland

January 06, 2014 Read Full Article

New University Analysis: No Changes Needed to 2014 and 2015 Renewable Fuel Requirements

(KTIC Blogs) The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposal to slash 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) blending requirements is unwarranted and economically irrational, according to a new analysis released today by Iowa State University’s Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD).

January 06, 2014 Read Full Article

Gilbert Company Grows Algae with Hope of Profiting from Its Many Uses

by Ryan Randazzo (The Republic/AZCentral.com) Inside a greenhouse operated by Heliae Development, paddle wheels tranquilly push along green-tinted water in a large, oval raceway, gently churning the water and ushering it through a continuous loop used to grow algae. Once the

January 06, 2014 Read Full Article

Sen. Amy Klobuchar: Renewable Fuel Standard Is Working, So Why Change It?

Senator Amy Kolbuchar (D-MN) (Post Bulletin) ... Unfortunately, a recent proposal from the Environmental Protection Agency to lower the biofuel targets for 2014 threatens the progress we have made. The EPA's proposed Renewable Fuel Standard rule would, for the first time, allow

January 06, 2014 Read Full Article

Council Will Consider Fuel Storage Facility

by Pamela Gould (The Free Lance-Star) Fredericksburg City Council will hold six public hearings on Jan. 14, including a request from Lincoln Terminal Co. to convert the Quarles Petroleum site into a storage and distribution facility for gas, bio-diesel and ethanol. ... Lincoln

January 06, 2014 Read Full Article

Commercializing Enzymatic Biodiesel Production

by Rebecca Hobden (Viesel Fuel LLC/Biodiesel Magazine) Viesel Fuel, in collaboration with Novozymes and Tactical Fabrication, has developed and implemented a biodiesel production process using enzymes to produce at a rate of 5 MMgy. The company says its process can

January 06, 2014 Read Full Article

US Secretaries of Defense, Agriculture and Energy Push for Cost-Competitive, Drop-In Advanced Military Biofuels Program

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Agriculture, and Secretary of Energy delivered four co-signed letters to the heads of key House and Senate committees and subcommittees, in support of the Navy’s efforts to

January 06, 2014 Read Full Article

Wyoming May Act to Plug Abandoned Wells as Natural Gas Boom Ends

by Dan Frosch (New York Times) Hundreds of abandoned drilling wells dot eastern Wyoming like sagebrush, vestiges of a natural gas boom that has been drying up in recent years as prices have plummeted. The companies that once operated the

January 06, 2014 Read Full Article

Americans' View of Clean Energy Rebounds

by Mark Harden (Denver Business Journal) Americans' views toward clean and renewable energy improved in 2013 from a year earlier, following a few years in which support slipped, according to a new report from Boulder-based Navigant Research. The company surveyed 1,084 U.S.

January 03, 2014 Read Full Article

Are Natural Gas Suppliers Purposely Overproducing?

by Ron Adams (The Energy Collective) On December 27, 2013, Matt Wald published a piece in the New York Times titled New Energy Struggles on Its Way to Markets that points to the predictable consequences of having too many energy options chasing

January 03, 2014 Read Full Article

Cold Flow Properties for Blends of Biofuels with Diesel and Jet Fuels

by Anne L. Lown, Lars Peereboom, Sherry A. Mueller, James E. Anderson, Dennis J. Miller, Carl T. Lira (Fuel) •We report cloud point temperatures of diesel, jet fuel, and biofuel mixtures. •Compound classes included alkanes, ethers, ketones, esters, and diesters. •Cloud point depression

January 03, 2014 Read Full Article

The Digest's Bioeconomy Achievement Awards for 2013-14

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Beta Renewables, Abengoa, Enerkem, Proterro among the winners for Project of the Year — as residues and waste are keys to the big wins. For Fuel of the Year, Renewable Chemical of the Year, Product

January 03, 2014 Read Full Article

Improved Margins Could Support Ethanol Production Despite the EPA

by Xun Yao Chen (MarketRealist.com) The EIA’s proposal to cut use of ethanol in oil has also negatively impacted corn prices this year. A significant portion of corn is used to produce ethanol, so a cut could negatively affect current

January 02, 2014 Read Full Article

Happy New Year Ethanol Report

by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) ... Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Bob Dinneen takes a look back at 2013 for the ethanol industry and a look ahead to what 2014 may have in store. ...Among the topics Dinneen discusses in this end

January 02, 2014 Read Full Article

Ethanol’s Story

by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) The Missouri Corn Growers Association has produced a video that tells “the greatest story never told” – Quiet Revolution: The Ethanol Story. READ MORE WATCH VIDEO

January 02, 2014 Read Full Article

Effects of Piston Bowl Geometry on Combustion and Emission Characteristics of Biodiesel Fueled Diesel Engines

by J. Li, W.M. Yang, H. An, A. Maghbouli, S.K. Chou (Fuel) This paper presents the numerical study of the effects of piston bowl geometry on combustion and emission characteristics of a diesel engine fueled with biodiesel under medium load condition.

January 02, 2014 Read Full Article

Castor Production in Bahia Will Grow 560% in 2013/2014

by alana Fraga (RevistaGlobalRural) Petrobras and the state government invested over £ 10 million in cultivation for biodiesel production The castor production in Bahia should have an increase of over 560% in the 2013/2014 harvest in the previous season, according to

January 02, 2014 Read Full Article

Obtained a Biofuel that Extends the Life of Vehicles

(Iberio-American Agency for the Diffusion of Science and Technology) Entrepreneurs get a biodiesel with higher qualities traditionally ... However, the Mexican firm entrepreneurs Der Tek, managed to get biofuel superior to traditional biodiesel qualities. According to Jonathan Hernández Díaz, director of the

January 02, 2014 Read Full Article

How Much Will You Pay for Renewable Fuels?

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In early December, The Digest undertook a voluntary survey on renewable fuels and pricing, inviting its global readership to answer four questions relating to the price of ethanol, biodiesel, jet fuel and drop-in fuels — and

January 02, 2014 Read Full Article

Students See Algae Biomanufacturing In Their Future

(National Algae Association) When the National Algae Association opened its test center for algae production technologies and methods to high school and college students, many interesting things started to happen! Students are given the opportunity to see how what they

January 02, 2014 Read Full Article

State, Nat'l Soy Boards Tour NYC Depts. Using Biodiesel, Bioheat

(Nebraska Soybean Association/Biodiesel Magazine) As you can imagine, a lot goes into powering the city that never sleeps. Whether it’s helping to fuel America’s largest city fleet, clearing snow off the runway at JFK in the dead of winter, or

January 02, 2014 Read Full Article

Troubling Advanced RIN Carryover Scenario under RFS Proposal

by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) In a recent farmdocDaily post, Nick Paulson, assistant professor in the University of Illinois Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, addresses renewable identification number (RIN) stocks and the implications of the U.S. EPA’s proposed 2014 volume requirements for

January 02, 2014 Read Full Article

York Scientists’ Significant Step forward in Biofuels Quest

(University of York) Scientists at the University of York have made a significant step in the search to develop effective second generation biofuels. Researchers from the Department of Chemistry at York have discovered a family of enzymes that can degrade hard-to-digest

January 02, 2014 Read Full Article

Field Trial with Lignin Modified Poplars Shows Potential for Bio-Based Economy, but Also that Work Still Needs to Be Done

(VIB) The results of a field trial with genetically modified poplar trees in Zwijnaarde, Belgium, shows that the wood of lignin modified poplar trees can be converted into sugars in a more efficient way. These sugars can serve as the

January 02, 2014 Read Full Article

Ethanol Plunges Most in Two Weeks as Cheaper Corn Reduces Costs

by Mario Parker (Bloomberg) Ethanol futures plunged the most in two weeks as cheaper prices for corn, the worst-performing commodity this year, made it more profitable for distillers to increase output. ... Ethanol’s discount to gasoline widened 2.91 cents to 87.48

January 02, 2014 Read Full Article

Biofuels Mandates Around the World: 2014

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, the Digest today releases its annual review of biofuels mandates and targets around the world, looking at the state of biofuels mandates in 62 countries. The bulk of mandates continue to come from the

January 02, 2014 Read Full Article

Bio-Energy Forest Plantations for the Southeastern United States

by Dr. Jeff Wright (ArborGen Inc./Renewable Energy World) Bio-energy forest plantations will supplement woody biomass from other sources such as logging residues. In the southern U.S., projections are for an increase of up to 25 million “new” tons of woody biomass

January 02, 2014 Read Full Article

Brazil’s Ethanol Sector, Once Thriving, Is Being Buffeted by Forces Both Man-Made, Natural

by Juan Forero (The Washington Post) ... The allure for these giants is Brazil itself, where most cars are built to run on the biofuel. An even bigger, largely untapped market awaits in the United States, where environmental standards favor cane-based ethanol

January 02, 2014 Read Full Article

Scientific Results Presented at 2013 ASA Annual Meeting Indicated: The Environmental Benefits of Biofuels Are Much More than We Had Thought

by Danilo Gusmão de Quadros* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The substitution of fossil fuels by advanced biofuels per se has a huge impact on the environment through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, consequently mitigating global warming effects by the transportation

December 31, 2013 Read Full Article

EU Proposal to Unilaterally Regulate International Flights in EU ETS Puts Global Scheme at Risk, Says 'Shocked' IATA

(GreenAir Online) The proposal by the European Commission to include international aviation in its ETS without any international consultation could re-open the threat of trade wars and distract States from focusing on working together to develop a global market-based climate

December 31, 2013 Read Full Article

Purti Signs Pact with Praj Industries for Ethanol

by Ramu Bhagwat (Times of India) Pune-based Praj Industries which is a pioneer in developing new technology for ethanol production from agricultural waste has signed an agreement with Nitin Gadkari-promoted Purti Sugar to set up a new generation ethanol plant. To be located

December 31, 2013 Read Full Article

Most Automakers on Board with E15

by Tom Bryan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Overcoming the E10 blend wall is priority No. 1 for the ethanol industry, and progress is being made on two fronts. The number of retail stations offering E15 is growing in step with the

December 31, 2013 Read Full Article

Montana State University Research into Algal Biofuels Keys Larger Study

by Sepp Jannotta (MSU News Service) ... Robin Gerlach is the MSU professor coordinating research into the production of oil-producing algae, as well the feasibility of commercial-scale biofuel production based on microbes discovered in Yellowstone National Park. Part of a multi-institutional

December 31, 2013 Read Full Article

Beating the Drum for Industrial Beets

by Keith Norman (Forum News Service/Ag Week) The promoter of an idea to raise sugar beets to be converted into energy and chemicals says 13 communities in central North Dakota could be home to processing plants. Maynard Helgaas, president of the

December 31, 2013 Read Full Article

Advanced Biofuels USA's Joanne Ivancic Recognized as One of Top 100 People in the BioEconomy by Biofuels Digest

For Immediate Release December 31, 2013—Frederick, MD Readers and editors of the international online publication, Biofuels Digest, for the fourth year recognized Advanced Biofuels USA executive director Joanne Ivancic as one of the Top 100 People in Bioenergy for 2013. Advanced Biofuels

December 31, 2013 Read Full Article

Vilsack; POET, LanzaTech, Beta Renewables, Genomatica, DuPont, Solazyme, KiOR, Raizen, REG Execs Win Top 100 People in the Bioeconomy poll for 2013-14

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In the annual poll, voters reward key fighters on the RFS2 front, companies reaching scale, and pioneers in renewable chemicals. Top 300 recognized. In Florida, US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack headed the “Top 100 People

December 31, 2013 Read Full Article

Ethanol Loses Friends and Influence as Reform Movement Grows

by Javier E. David (CNBC) Ethanol requirements for U.S. gasoline appear to be losing friends and influencing the wrong people, with calls growing to reform or scrap the government mandates altogether. The Environmental Protection Agency in November proposed reducing the amount

December 30, 2013 Read Full Article

ARB Delays New Biodiesel Rules To Address South Coast NOx Concerns

(Inside EPA) State air board officials this week postponed until March the possible adoption of new rules for biodiesel and other "alternative diesel" fuel blends, in order to consider last-minute concerns raised by South Coast air district officials that the

December 30, 2013 Read Full Article

Cellulose Fibre Chain Initiative Creating a Long-Term Future for SA’s Forestry Industry

(South Australia Department of Manufacturing, Innovation, Trade, Resources and Energy) Developing higher-value forestry products is the key to creating a sustainable future for the forestry industry. A new study into developing more sustainable and higher-value products from the Limestone Coast’s forestry

December 30, 2013 Read Full Article

Viji Sitther Wins Maryland Innovation Grant for Biofuel Research and Development

(Morgan State) Maryland may soon delve into a new way of sustainable biofuel production, thanks to the research of Morgan State Assistant Biology Professor Dr. Viji Sitther. Last month, Dr. Sitther received a $100,000 Maryland Innovation Initiative grant to begin

December 30, 2013 Read Full Article

Research Aims to Expand Brazil Sugarcane Acres Further South

by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Brazil ethanol producers are looking for new areas for future expansion of sugarcane production. Petrobras signed a technical cooperation agreement with Embrapa, the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corp., to develop sugarcane production in the

December 30, 2013 Read Full Article

GTL Resources, QTI Partner to Develop NextGen Frac Technology

(GTL Resources/Ethanol Producer Magazine) GTL Resources USA Inc., owner of Illinois River Energy LLC, and Quality Technology International Inc., through its subsidiary, QTI-AMG LLC, announced that they have formed a partnership to collaborate on a new, transformative hybrid fractionation technology

December 30, 2013 Read Full Article

Agriculture Secretary Reports Progress at the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade

(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today reported progress on a number of trade issues with China as a result of the 24th U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT), which wrapped up today in Beijing. The JCCT

December 30, 2013 Read Full Article

Solon Wants House to Probe Biofuel Compliance

by Butch Fernandez (Business Mirror) ... A lawmaker has filed a resolution asking the House Committee on Energy to probe the performance and impact assessment of the Biofuels Act of 2006 and the development of alternative sources of biofuels, following reports that

December 30, 2013 Read Full Article

Changes in Land Use Promotes Biodiversity

(University of Bern, Switzerland) If grassland used intensively, biodiversity decreases. Particularly affected are rare species, a new study headed by Berner plant scientists shows. Such negative effects could be reduced if farmers would vary the intensity of their management in

December 30, 2013 Read Full Article

DOE Pulls Funding for Bluefire Mississippi Project over Financing Woes; BFRE to Appeal

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The following notice was filed Friday with the SEC by Bluefire Renewables: On December 23, 2013, Bluefire Renewables received notice from the Department of Energy indicating that the DOE would no longer provide funding under

December 30, 2013 Read Full Article

EPA’s Christmas Gift to the Oil Refiners

by Brent Erickson (Biotechnology Industry Organization/Biofuels Digest) The Obama administration appears ready to give the oil refining industry the perfect gift this Christmas. If left unchanged, EPA’s proposed RFS rule for 2014 could result in codifying the so-called blend wall

December 30, 2013 Read Full Article

Report Addresses Compliance Costs of California's LCFS

by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) A recent report authored by two University of California, Davis researchers examines the economics of the California low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) program. According to information released by the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies,

December 27, 2013 Read Full Article

New Study Exposes Flood of Dark Money Feeding Climate Change Denial

(EcoNews) A new study conducted by Drexel University environmental sociologist Robert J. Brulle, PhD, exposes the organizational underpinnings and funding behind the powerful climate change countermovement. This study marks the first peer-reviewed, comprehensive analysis ever conducted of the sources of

December 27, 2013 Read Full Article

Cellulosic Biofuel, Cellulosic Diesel RINs Generated in November

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA has published renewable identification number (RIN) generation data for November, reporting that both D3 cellulosic biofuel and D7 cellulosic diesel RINs were generated during the month. According to the EPA, 59,119 D3

December 27, 2013 Read Full Article

YEAR-END WRAP: Exports to Underpin US Refinery Output in 2014

by Janet McGurty (Platts) Infrastructure will remain the watchword as US refiners look to further cement their role as world class product exporters in 2014, improving export capacity and rejigging refineries to increase their output of export-friendly diesel, sometimes at the

December 27, 2013 Read Full Article

Grass as the New Biofuel

by Lisa Deeney (Agriland) A new European research project seeks grass crops that could be grown and harvested on marginal lands, away from areas suitable for food crops. According to the researchers, grass could be used to produce biofuels. The advantage of

December 27, 2013 Read Full Article

Study Provides Comparison of Biomass Crop Growth in the Midwest

by Chris Hanson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Researchers at the Energy Biosciences Institute at the University of Illinois evaluated woody and grassy biomass feedstocks for cellulosic ethanol production at Illinois. Twenty-one species of short-rotation woody biomass were included in the study.

December 27, 2013 Read Full Article

Special EU Biofuels Report: The Top 10 Stories of the Year, and More

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The technology is there. Demand for alternative fuels, chemicals and materials is there. Feedstock is expensive. In so many of the signature developments announced around the world this year, there’s been an EU technology in

December 27, 2013 Read Full Article

Algenol Produces “Algae Sex Tape”

(Algae Industry Magazine) ... Algenol Biofuels has released its “Algae Sex Tape,” a sensual, pro-alternative energy, take on making ethanol from algae…with a passion. Using sophisticated graphics, slow motion and provocative angles, the Algenol video exposes the more playful side of making

December 27, 2013 Read Full Article

Time for Rebranding: We Are Protein Producers!

by Rob Vierhout (ePURE/Ethanol Producer Magazine) At the yearly F.O.Licht's World Ethanol Conference, two speakers spoke about ethanol as a coproduct, focusing on front-end separation of high-value protein from the corn, or recovering the yeast to produce a protein concentrate. ... There were

December 26, 2013 Read Full Article

NREL Report Counters Big Oil’s False E15 Claim

by Bob Dinneen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The concept of the blend wall is based on a controversial study that has been called into question, most recently by a National Renewable Energy Laboratory analysis that identified a series of serious flaws. ... The

December 26, 2013 Read Full Article

10-Year Trials Show 10-ton Yields for Miscanthus in Illinois

by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Illinois researchers reported results from a decade of field trials with miscanthus, the first plots to be planted in the U.S. The average annual yield of miscanthus grown in seven Illinois locations over

December 26, 2013 Read Full Article

Universities Receive $10M to Study Biofuels

by Martiin Kidston (Missoulian) If 1 ton of woody debris can produce 50 gallons of fuel, how many gallons of fuel could 42 million acres of dead and dying forests produce? Funded by a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department

December 26, 2013 Read Full Article

Start-Up Uses Plant Seeds for a Biofuel

by Todd Woody (New York Times) ... Hailed about six years ago as the next big thing in biofuels, jatropha attracted hundreds of millions of dollars in investments, only to fall from favor as the recession set in and as growers

December 26, 2013 Read Full Article

EIA Updates State Profiles, Adds Data on Renewables

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Energy Information Administration has updated its state energy profiles and added new analytical narratives on the energy sectors of each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories. The narratives

December 26, 2013 Read Full Article

Israel's New Motor Fuels Strategy Leans on Gas

by Ari Rabinovitch (Reuters) Israel plans to cut oil use in transportation by 60 percent by 2025, an aggressive target by world standards, and will tap into its newfound natural gas deposits to make it happen. It is also investing heavily

December 26, 2013 Read Full Article

Community Fuels Awarded $4.9 Million Grant for Expansion

(Community Fuels/Biodiesel Magazine) Community Fuels was awarded a grant from the California Energy Commission of more than $4.9 million to support the expansion of Community Fuels’ advanced biorefinery at the Port of Stockton, Calif. The grant solicitation was entitled “Commercial

December 26, 2013 Read Full Article

Ethanol and Air Quality: Influence of Fuel Ethanol Content on Emissions and Fuel Economy of Flexible Fuel Vehicles

by Carolyn P. Hubbard , James E. Anderson , and Timothy J. Wallington (Environmental Science and Technology) Engine-out and tailpipe emissions of NOx, CO, nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHC), nonmethane organic gases (NMOG), total hydrocarbons (THC), methane, ethene, acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, ethanol, N2O,

December 26, 2013 Read Full Article

Gevo Biofuel Produced in Luverne, Minn., Passes Army Helicopter Test

by David Shaffer (Star Tribune) Gevo Inc., which produces an alternative alcohol in a former ethanol plant in Luverne, Minn., said Monday that the Army has successfully flown a Black Hawk helicopter using a 50-50 blend of jet fuel and

December 26, 2013 Read Full Article

Special Asia Biofuels Report: The Top 10 Stories of the Year, and More

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Asia looks at petroleum reserves and exploration and concludes: our future is in biomass. As we wrote in 2012: “There’s only one complete region for biofuels where abundant feedstock, lack of oil & gas production, rising energy

December 26, 2013 Read Full Article

Study Calls for Changes to Cellulosic Tax Incentives

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A new study published by the International Council on Clean Transportation and researchers from John Hopkins University determined that making minor changes in existing federal tax incentives for cellulosic biofuels could help unlock much

December 26, 2013 Read Full Article

Ethanol is a Win for Illinois, A Win for Agriculture

by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Illinois State Representative Donald Moffitt knows agriculture. He grew up on a family farm, on which his son still farms (and Don occasionally helps). This has been a huge asset for him in his role as

December 26, 2013 Read Full Article

EPA Agrees to 'Take Another Look' at Biofuel Blending Rules - Harkin

by Cezary Podkul (Reuters) * 16 farm-state Senators urge agency not to cut biofuel blending quotas; * Despite EPA administrator's assurances, major changes unlikely - expert; * EPA seeks to put biofuel blending program on "manageable trajectory" The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has

December 26, 2013 Read Full Article

Company Says Plants Offer New Biofuel Possibilites

by Simon Khoo (The Star) iNNOVATIVE Green products that can help to address climate change are the way forward as far as Kuantan-based businessman Datuk Seri Tan Hoe Beng is concerned. Tan said after 10 years of intensive research and development by

December 26, 2013 Read Full Article

Ethanol Plant Being Prepped to Open

by Leah Small (Progress-Index) A plan by Vireol Bio-Industries PLC to open the ethanol plant instead of shipping it overseas was unofficially announced at a meeting of city industrialists, sparsely attended by the public. Larry Wilson, plant manager, made the

December 26, 2013 Read Full Article

KiOR Provides Operational Update on Columbus Facility

(MarketWatch/KiOR) KiOR, Inc., provided today (December 23, 2013) an update on the operations at its Columbus, Mississippi, facility. KiOR expects that, given current and anticipated operations through the remainder of the year, the Columbus facility will produce approximately 410,000 gallons of

December 26, 2013 Read Full Article

The Venus Technology: Algae Joins Wood at the Liquefaction and Supercritical Frontier for Biofuels

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) PNNL develops a project that, using conditions usually found on the planet Venus, produces a continuous stream of drop-in advanced biofuels, from algae, with the potential for dramatically lowered costs. It’s another step forward in

December 26, 2013 Read Full Article

Futurist: Algae Is 2013’s 2nd Most Interesting Prediction

(Algae Industry Magazine) Patrick Tucker, and the Futurist magazine, have assembled a list of the 30 most interesting predictions made in 2013, originating from researchers, A-list actors, and industry titans. Among Tucker’s personal favorites, number two is that: “Massive amounts

December 26, 2013 Read Full Article

Amyris Meets Funding Milestones and Announces $28 Million Private Placement With Participation From New and Existing Investors

(Amyris) First Purpose-Built Industrial-Scale Plant Completes First Year of Successful Operation in Brazil. Amyris announced today an agreement to sell senior convertible promissory notes in a private placement for $28 million in cash proceeds. Under the terms of the agreement, one

December 26, 2013 Read Full Article

Give the Earth the Gift of a Bio-Based New Year's Resolution

by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) As the old year bows out, we greet the new year with wishes for happiness, good health and renewal. It's a time for resolutions to make us better people; to make this a better world. Advanced

December 24, 2013 Read Full Article

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS/POSTERS: TCS 2014: Symposium on Thermal and Catalytic Sciences for Biofuels and Biobased Products September 2-5, 2014 Denver, CO DEADLINE: March 15, 2014

Join us at TCS 2014, a biofuels conference that focuses exclusively on thermochemical processing of biomass into fuels and chemicals. The program will feature speakers discussing recent scientific developments in this rapidly developing field. This forum offers a mix of plenary

December 23, 2013 Read Full Article

Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative's Sustainable Alternative Fuels Cost Workshop

On November 27, 2012, CAAFI—in conjunction with FAA and the Department of Energy—hosted a stakeholder workshop to benchmark the cost of producing sustainable bio-based jet-fuel processes. The event was held in advance of the 2012 CAAFI Research & Development Team

December 23, 2013 Read Full Article

Bioenergy Technologies Office Releases New Information on Aviation Biofuels Initiatives

(US Department of Energy) The Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) recently launched a new Web page that houses information about all of the Office’s research and development efforts in aviation biofuels. The page provides highlights about workshop and project efforts, and

December 23, 2013 Read Full Article

A Q&A with JatroDiesel

by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) JatroDiesel’s technology has been selected by Patriot Renewable Fuels for its 4-5 million biodiesel facility under construction next to its ethanol plant in Annawan, Illinois. The biodiesel plant, when it goes into operation in September 2014 will use the corn oil

December 23, 2013 Read Full Article

NCMA Launches Interactive Algae Website and Database

(Algae Industry Magazine) East Boothbay, Maine-based Provasoli-Guillard National Center for Marine Algae and Microbiota (NCMA) has announced the launch of its new website and relational database – (ncma.bigelow.org) – designed by Shero Designs for buying algae and related services. The enhanced

December 23, 2013 Read Full Article

Branstad, Five Other Governors Lobby President for Higher Ethanol Mandate

by Donnelle Eller (Des Moines Register) Six Midwestern governors sent a letter to President Barack Obama expressing their support for the Renewable Fuel Standard, which his administration has proposed scaling back in 2014. In a letter to the president, Environmental Protection

December 23, 2013 Read Full Article

E15 Arrives in Fort Dodge, Iowa

by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) E15, a blend of 15 percent ethanol and 85 percent ethanol, has arrived in Fort Dodge, Iowa. STAR Energy is the 14th E15 retailer in the state, offering the blend to drivers of cars manufactured in 2001 or

December 23, 2013 Read Full Article

Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Hosts a Biofuel Forum for Republican Senate Candidates

(Iowa Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) On the sixth anniversary of the signing of the expanded federal renewable fuel standard (RFS) into law, the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association hosted a renewable fuels forum for Iowa’s leading Republican candidates seeking the

December 23, 2013 Read Full Article

Bills to Extend Tax Credits Benefiting Biofuels Introduced

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On Dec. 12, Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif., introduced two bills that would benefit the biofuels industry. One, H.R., 3758, aims to extend the second generation biofuel producer credit and the special allowance for second

December 23, 2013 Read Full Article

CoBank Report Considers Implications of 2014 RFS Proposal

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) CoBank, a national cooperative bank serving rural American industries, has published a report predicting that the U.S. EPA’s proposed 2014 renewable fuel standard (RFS) volume requirements will have little impact on U.S. ethanol production

December 23, 2013 Read Full Article

Record Season for Ethanol in Brazil Unlikely to Be Repeated

by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Brazil ethanol industry saw record supplies for the 2013/2014 crush season just being wrapped up, and got a welcome boost from auto executives who said ethanol-powered cars are more viable for reducing

December 23, 2013 Read Full Article

ICM, IGPC Ethanol Sign Letter of Intent

(ICM/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ICM Inc. has announced that IGPC Ethanol Inc. of Ontario, Canada, has signed a letter of intent to be the first Canadian adopter of ICM’s Generation 1.5 technology. Today’s milestone announcement will enable IGPC Ethanol to produce corn

December 23, 2013 Read Full Article

Sweetwater Energy Gets $2.5M Award from NY State

(Democrat & Chronicle) Sweetwater Energy Inc. has won a $2.5 million award from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to pay for five facilities in New York state to produce sugar from various types of waste plant material, including agricultural

December 23, 2013 Read Full Article

Enlisting Cells' Protein Recycling Machinery to Regulate Plant Products

(Brookhaven National Laboratory/Phys.Org) Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory have identified a new way to regulate the production of phenols, a class of plant products with a wide range of applications for humans. These compounds serve as

December 23, 2013 Read Full Article

Bio-Isobutanol Wins Key Thumbs-up from Underwriters Labs

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Illinois, Underwriters Laboratories announced a joint research program has determined that gasoline fuel storage and dispensing equipment meeting latest UL standards can safely and successfully use blends of up to 16% biobutanol. This is

December 23, 2013 Read Full Article

False Alarms vs Hard Data: the Renewable Fuel Standard, the Results, and the Critics

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) All those worries about the impact of biofuels on food prices, deforestation, Gulf hypoxia? ... RFS2 fuels have been described as “fantasy fuels”, “government fuels”, derided as “farmer fuels”. Biofuels in general have been, for

December 23, 2013 Read Full Article

Senators Push for Clean Energy Tax Credit Extensions

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A group of 24 senators, led by Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., issued a letter to leaders of the Senate Committee on Finance on Dec. 16 calling for support of programs that spur investment in

December 20, 2013 Read Full Article

Iowa City to Negotiate with Trash-to-Ethanol Company

by Gregg Hennigan (KCRG.com) Iowa City will enter into negotiations with a company that says it could turn most of the city’s garbage into ethanol. But residents, environmentalists, representatives from the recycling industry and labor union officials urged the city to delay

December 20, 2013 Read Full Article

Powering the Navy’s Energy Future

Long committed to strengthening its energy security and independence, the Department of the Navy has set robust goals for reducing demand and increasing alternative energy use. Dennis McGinn, recently confirmed as the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations,

December 20, 2013 Read Full Article

Hot Sugar! Sweetwater Energy to Supply Pacific Ethanol with Industrial Sugars for Cellulosic Ethanol

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New York, Sweetwater Energy and Pacific Ethanol announced a project to supply customized industrial sugars for the production of cellulosic ethanol. The agreement supports the construction of a cellulosic biorefinery, contingent upon Sweetwater Energy

December 20, 2013 Read Full Article

IL Sen. Todd Sieben “Retired To” Working for Ethanol

by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) (Todd) Sieben (Chairman Central Bank and retired state senator) is currently working with the Illinois General Assembly on passing legislation that would incentivize the use of E15 in Illinois. He explained that for many years there has

December 20, 2013 Read Full Article

EIA Publishes AEO2014 Reference Case

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Energy Information Administration has published the early release of its Annual Energy Outlook 2014 (AEO2014), increasing its projections for biomass energy and other renewables. The analysis also predicts increased consumption of biofuels

December 20, 2013 Read Full Article

Renewable Fuels Association Reflects on Success of the RFS

by Chris Hanson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Renewable Fuel Association showcased the trends and successes of the renewable fuel standard (RFS) on the sixth anniversary of the passage of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. “Six years ago I

December 20, 2013 Read Full Article

CRG Researchers Sequence and Analyse For the First Time Sugar Beet Genome

(Alpha Galileo/Centre for Genomic Regulation) The study, published in Nature today, describes the sugar beet reference genome sequence generated by researchers both from the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics and the University of

December 20, 2013 Read Full Article

Cassava-Based Ethanol Set to Boom in 2014 Tied to Crop Income Guarantee Scheme

(Bangkok Post) The amount of cassava used in producing ethanol will nearly double to 3 million tonnes next year, driven by Commerce Ministry moves to push up the price of the crop. At present, 38% of ethanol produced in the country

December 20, 2013 Read Full Article

U.S. Invalidates 33.5 Million Renewable Credits After Fraud (1)

by Mark Drajem (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it has invalidated 33.5 million renewable-fuel credits sold by an Indiana company for biofuel it didn’t produce, the fourth time the agency has alleged fraud in the program. The filing

December 20, 2013 Read Full Article

District of Columbia Set to Consider Ban on Diesel Registrations

(Diesel Technology Forum) Legislation pending before the District of Columbia City Council banning diesel-powered cars and trucks will get a hearing on January 8, 2014 before the Transportation and Environment Committee. The “Sustainable DC Omnibus Act” introduced on November 29

December 20, 2013 Read Full Article

POET-DSM’s Project Liberty Cellulosic Ethanol Plant, in Pictures

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...As POET-DSM’s folk advise: “The communication to the local, regional and national community is critical as we face challenges to the RFS with grain ethanol. Our educational efforts, updated construction photos and participation in local

December 20, 2013 Read Full Article

Sen. Baucus Launches Major Senate Energy Tax Reform

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A new, technology-neutral tax credit for the domestic production of clean transportation fuel? Read on. In Washington, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) unveiled the latest package in a series of proposals to overhaul America’s

December 20, 2013 Read Full Article

Engineering Research Center to Develop an Ethanol Engine with Better Performance

by Elton Alisson (Agencia) FAPESP and Peugeot Citroën approved a proposal for the creation of a Research and Engineering Center focused on the development of biofuel-powered combustion engines. The center will bring together researchers at the Mechanical Engineering School of the

December 18, 2013 Read Full Article

Toyota to Race Biodiesel SUV in 2014 Dakar Rally

(Japan Times) Toyota Auto Body Co. has entered a team in the 2014 Dakar Rally, the subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corp. said. The team plans to run a Toyota Land Cruiser 200 sport utility vehicle in the roughly 5,500-km off-road race

December 18, 2013 Read Full Article

Department of Energy Releases $8 Billion Solicitation for Advanced Fossil Energy Projects

(US Department of Energy) As part of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan, the Energy Department published a solicitation today, making up to $8 billion in loan guarantee authority available to support innovative advanced fossil energy projects that avoid, reduce, or sequester

December 18, 2013 Read Full Article

Madagascar: The Application Decree on Ethanol Fuel Is Expected

(AgenceEcofin.com) Farmers, economic and other Malagasy researchers operators are waiting for an implementing decree on fuel ethanol. While the text, waited for more than a year, has not yet been enacted, the various actors in the ethanol industry are willing to

December 18, 2013 Read Full Article

BASF, Renmatix Sign Joint Development for Industrial Sugars from Biomass

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In Pennsylvania and Germany, BASF and Renmatix signed a non-exclusive joint development agreement to scale up the Renmatix Plantrose process for the production of industrial sugars based on lignocellulosic biomass. The parties have agreed to

December 18, 2013 Read Full Article

A Concern with the EPA

by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (Marshall Democrat News) ... I am very concerned with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) recent decision to reduce the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requirement for next year. It would be lowered by almost 3 billion gallons in 2014,