by Kym Agius (ABC) Motorist lobby group RACQ has done an about turn to finally support an ethanol mandate across Queensland's fuel supply. All political parties in Parliament on Wednesday supported a motion setting an 'intention' to introduce the mandate, but
Alaska Airlines, Gevo to Demonstrate Renewable Alcohol-to-Jet Fuel in Upcoming Flight
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Alaska Airlines ups the ante in the search for sustainable, affordable jet fuels. In Colorado, Gevo and Alaska Airlines announced a strategic alliance to purchase Gevo’s renewable jet fuel and fly the first-ever commercial flight on
May 08, 2015 Read Full Article
Whitefox Signs Agreement with Pacific Ethanol Inc.
(Whitefox) Whitefox (www.whitefox.com), the clean fuel membrane specialist, announced today that it has signed an agreement with California based Pacific Ethanol, Inc. (Nasdaq: PEIX) for the delivery of an industrial scale membrane system. The objective is to reduce the consumption
May 08, 2015 Read Full Article
Tallow Industry Finds New Markets after Demand Slows in Key Market
By Olivia Garnett (ABC) After a lull in demand, Australia's biggest market for tallow is slowly cranking up again. Inedible tallow is rendered livestock fat and offal that demands big dollars in Singapore, where it is converted into biodiesel. "It's the pieces
May 06, 2015 Read Full Article
Renmatix Acquires Mascoma Demonstration Plant in New York
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Another step towards commercial scale, aimed at “secure supply” of cellulose-lignin solids for Renmatix’ Georgia facility Renmatix announced that it has acquired existing assets of the former Mascoma corporation’s 56,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Rome,
May 06, 2015 Read Full Article
Novozymes to Supply World's First Sawdust-Based Biofuel Refinery
by (Reuters) Danish industrial enzymes maker Novozymes has struck a deal to supply the world's first refinery producing biofuel from sawdust. Novozymes is already a big player in the biofuel market, providing about 60 percent of enzymes used in U.S.
May 06, 2015 Read Full Article
ABSIG Promoting Algae as Tool in Ecosystem Services
(Algae Industry Magazine) The objective of the Algal Bioenergy Special Interest Group (ABSIG) is to facilitate the development of a robust and sustainable algal industry in the UK while raising awareness of the important role algae play in the provision
May 06, 2015 Read Full Article
DEKRA Announces Risi Competizione's Ferrari F458 Italia Green Challenge Winner of TUDOR Championship Race in Monterey, CA
(MarketWatch/DEKRA North America, Inc.) DEKRA North America, Inc. congratulates Risi Competizione's Ferrari F458 Italia as the winner, for the third consecutive time, of the DEKRA Green Challenge Award in the Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix race held in Monterey, California
May 06, 2015 Read Full Article
EPA Sends Ethanol Proposals for Final Review
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) The Obama administration is conducting the last step in its review of proposed annual ethanol blending mandates for three separate years. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent the proposal, which has not been revealed publicly,
May 06, 2015 Read Full Article
CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS: Wastewater Remediation Using Algae and Growing Algae Commercially Using Wastewater -- September 2015 -- The Woodlands, TX DEADLINE: June 30, 2015
Algae Is used to clean wastewater. Some wastewaters can be used to grow algae commercially. Wastewater operators and municipalities, algae companies,commerially-minded algae researchers and equipment companies will explore new wastewater opportunities in cleaning and the reuse of wastewater at National
May 05, 2015 Read Full Article
Miscanthus Hybrid May Be Boon For Biofuel Industry
(Locker Gnome) ... Scientists at the University of Illinois recently reported the first natural occurrence in several decades of Miscanthus hybrid plants in Japan. “If M. x giganteus is the only variety available, there are certainly risks involved such as diseases or
May 05, 2015 Read Full Article
Canegrowers Welcomes Ethanol and Biofuel Announcement
(Daily Mercury) The Queensland government has recommitted to ethanol and biofuels with the announcement of a discussion paper looking to boost the industry. Energy Minister Mark Bailey was at Wilmar BioEthanol site earlier today to make the announcement. Although Mr Bailey said it
May 05, 2015 Read Full Article
The Downside of Biodiesel Fuel
(Norwegian University of Science and Technology/Phys.Org) The oil industry believes biodiesel is not to blame for problems that Norwegian car owners are experiencing. But the nature of the fuel means that it has to be handled differently than regular petroleum-based
May 05, 2015 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Reduces by 70% the Emission of Greenhouse Gases
(BrasilAgro) To supply its urban bus fleet with a mixture of 20% biodiesel in fossil diesel (B20), the 40 Brazilian cities with more than 500,000 inhabitants can decrease by up to 70% CO2 emissions caused by the production of fuel
May 05, 2015 Read Full Article
Help #getbiodieselbackontrack
(National Biodiesel Board) Biodiesel fans, we need your help. Producers of America's first advanced biofuel to reach full commercial distribution have been left in limbo since rumors surfaced in 2013 that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was planning to scale
May 05, 2015 Read Full Article
Strengthening The RFS For Next-Gen Biofuels
by Michael McAdams (Advanced Biofuels Association/Biomass Magazine) There has been a great deal of conversation around the speech I recently gave at the Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. I would like to further explain some of the key
May 05, 2015 Read Full Article
Washington Update: Carbon And Tax Policy
By Bob Cleaves (Biomass Magazine) Biomass Power Association President Bob Cleaves discusses ongoing policy and regulatory discussions affecting the industry. ... In late March, we testified at the EPA’s Scientific Advisory Board meeting to review the Framework for Assessing Biogenic CO2
May 05, 2015 Read Full Article
Profit in Plug and Play
by Katie Fletcher (Biomass Magazine) A cutting-edge waste-to-energy venture at an Oregon landfill will channel flared gas into ethanol production, and potentially other renewable fuels if future markets are favorable. ... At Knott Landfill in Bend, Oregon, Waste to Energy Group is hoping
May 05, 2015 Read Full Article
Amid Scarcity: The Biofuels Alternative We Need—Obada
By Udeme Clement (Vanguard) Dr. Babatunde Obada is Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Global Biofuels Limited, a biofuels company in Nigeria. He speaks on the passage of 2015 Budget by the Senate without allocation for fuel subsidy, recurring
May 05, 2015 Read Full Article
Algae Cultivation, Help From LSC-Montgomery Biotechnology Lab Leads High School Student to Science Award
(The Paper) ... Today, the local growth of two commercially important algae strains, Nannochloropsis occulata and haematococcus pluvialis, is providing one local ninth grader, and the Lone Star College-Montgomery biotechnology lab that assisted him in its cultivation, a grand award,
May 05, 2015 Read Full Article
Fulcrum BioEnergy Awards Engineering, Procurement And Construction Contract To Abengoa
(Fulcrum BioEnergy, Inc.) Fixed-Price Contract Guarantees Cost, Schedule and Plant Performance -- Launches Commercialization of Fulcrum BioEnergy's Process for Converting Household Garbage into Low-Cost Renewable Jet Fuel and Diesel Fulcrum BioEnergy, Inc., announced today that it has awarded a $200 million
May 05, 2015 Read Full Article
VietNam Considers Raising Export Tariff on Cassava, Ethanol to Support E5 Production
(VietNamNet Bridge) The Ministry of Finance (MOF) is planning to raise the tariff on cassava and ethanol exports in an effort to retain materials for domestic biofuel production. Cassava and ethanol bear an export tariff of zero percent. ... Cassava, the major
May 05, 2015 Read Full Article
Scott Walker's Stance on Ethanol Prompts Concerns
by Jason Stein (Journal Sentinel) As likely presidential candidate Scott Walker has shifted his position on a federal ethanol mandate, some of the fuel's skeptics at home in Wisconsin are wary. At an Iowa roundup for White House hopefuls in March, the
May 05, 2015 Read Full Article
Capturing the Full and Unrealized Value of Biofuels -- Market Mechanisms are Needed
by Ghasideh Pourhashem (Forbes) During the past decade, production of biofuels has gained momentum largely due to policies and mandates aimed at addressing energy security and climate change. ... But if the right kinds of policies are in place, biofuel-generating facilities will
May 05, 2015 Read Full Article
Evaluating a Groundwater Supply Contamination Incident Attributed to Marcellus Shale Gas Development
by Garth T. Llewellyn, Frank Dorman, J. L. Westland, D. Yoxtheimer, Paul Grieve, Todd Sowers, E. Humston-Fulmer, and Susan L. Brantley (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) New techniques of high-volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF) are now used to unlock oil
May 05, 2015 Read Full Article
Schwarzenegger: Three Things Weightlifting and California Can Teach Us About How To Save the World
by Arnold Schwarzenegger (Time Magazine) ... When I praise Governor Brown, some people look at me like I’ve lost my mind. I’m a Republican, and he is a Democrat. In our current political climate, we are supposed to be mortal enemies. This
May 05, 2015 Read Full Article
4 Minutes with… Dr. Ganesh Kishore, CEO, MLSCFI and Co-Managing Partner, Spruce Capital Partners
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... We manage ~$315 Million of venture capital, building new businesses in the Advanced Bioeconomy sector. ... We are entrepreneurs, seeding new businesses where appropriate. ... Current focus has been too much on “drop in”. Price becomes the
May 05, 2015 Read Full Article
Bill Would Lift Biodiesel Requirements in Winter
by Abby Spegman (The Bulletin) Bend-La Pine say bus troubles have force school cancellations ... School districts east of the Cascades are among the groups backing a bill in Salem that would drop the mandated use of biodiesel in winter months.
May 05, 2015 Read Full Article
4 Minutes with… Anna-Marie Davidson, Research Associate/Graphic Artist, NECi
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... We currently offer an enzyme for nitrate quantification and are researching enzymes for quantification of phosphate, glycerol, galactose, and alcohol. ... I am currently working towards the production of recombinant enzymes for glycerol and galactose quantification
May 05, 2015 Read Full Article
Estimating Chilled Investment for Advanced Biofuels Due to RFS Uncertainty: $13.7 Billion Shortfall in Investment During Delays in Rulemaking
(Biotechnology Industry Organization) The advanced biofuel industry has invested billions of dollars since 2009 to build first-of-a-kind demonstration and commercial-scale biorefineries around the world, even during a global economic recession. Cellulosic biofuels have reached commercial status, though not at the
May 04, 2015 Read Full Article
Moline's use of alternative fuels has attracted attention in Iowa
by Dawn Neuses (QCOnline.com) ... Moline has 180 vehicles, or units of motorized equipment, that run on alternative fuels — E85, compressed natural gas (CNG), propane, biodiesel or all-electric. There are only 30 vehicles that run on unleaded gasoline, and 12 hybrids
May 04, 2015 Read Full Article
Urban Air Initiative Partners in Clean Fuels Omaha Campaign
by Kim Trinchet (Urban Air Initiative) The Urban Air Initiative joined with a broad cross section of public and private interest groups supporting the call for more aggressive regional pollution control measures in the Omaha-Council Bluffs area. Working together as Clean
May 04, 2015 Read Full Article
UK Supreme Court Ruling on Air Quality – Reaction from the European Renewable Ethanol Industry
(ePURE) Following last week’s UK Supreme Court ruling that the UK Government must revise its national air quality plans to tackle nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions, a greenhouse gas mainly attributed to diesel fuel use, Robert Wright, Secretary-General of ePURE, the
May 04, 2015 Read Full Article
Ellis: Why Did It Take so Long for Obama to Visit?
by Jonathan Ellis (Argus Leader) ... In 2008, Obama was the pro-ethanol candidate, while Republican John McCain was the candidate calling for an end to subsidies and mandates enjoyed by the industry. During his presidency, as much as 5 millions
May 04, 2015 Read Full Article
New RSB Standard Proposed to Certify Low-Risk ILUC Biomass
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) It may soon be possible to certify that biomass is not only sustainably sourced, but also considered low-risk for indirect land use change (ILUC). The Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials released its draft standard
May 04, 2015 Read Full Article
Neighbors Come out in Opposition of Proposed Ethanol Plant near Caldwell
by Torrie Cope (Idaho Press-Tribune) Residents who live in the area of Lower Pleasant Ridge Road fear that a proposed ethanol plant could lower their property values, spoil their views and bring unwanted traffic, noise and odor to the neighborhood.
May 04, 2015 Read Full Article
Transportation Dept. Gets Strict on Rules for Trains Carrying Flammable Oil
by Ashley Halsey III (The Washington Post) Almost two years after a runaway tank-car train erupted in an explosion that killed 47 people in a Canadian town, the U.S. Transportation Department on Friday announced new standards for tank-car construction, new
May 04, 2015 Read Full Article
Argentinian Ethanol Producers Seek 12% Blend in Gasoline
(Platts) Argentinian ethanol producers are pressing the government to boost the blend in gasoline to 12% from 10%, an effort led by the struggling sugarcane sector, an industry source said Thursday. ... With a glut of sugar in the world, it is
May 04, 2015 Read Full Article
The DOE’s 12 Top Biobased Molecules – What Became of Them?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... If they handed out Platinum and Gold certification to scientific papers as we do with recorded music, “Top Value Added Chemicals from Biomass” would be a multi-platinum chart-busting monster. This 2004 survey, completed by staff
May 04, 2015 Read Full Article
It’s Time for EPA to Get the RFS Back on Track
by Brent Erickson (Biotechnology Industry Organization/Biofuels Digest) ... A new white paper by Harvard economist James Stock – a former member of the Obama administration’s Council of Economic Advisors – acknowledges as much. Unfortunately, the paper’s faulty analysis of the RFS
May 04, 2015 Read Full Article
Fossil-Fuel-Free Portfolios Gain Popularity
by Karen Demasters (Financial Advisor) Fossil fuels continue to lose popularity with investors as more investment professionals offer fossil-fuel-free portfolio options, according to the First Affirmative Financial Network. A survey by the network released Thursday shows that the number of investment
May 04, 2015 Read Full Article
ZERO SOUTH Heads to Pole Powered by 100% Biofuels
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Jonathon Ramsey, in a recent AutoBlog post, described ZERO SOUTH's mission: "One modified Hummer H1, traveling with another vehicle that looks like a modified Hummer H1, will spend six to 10 days driving to
May 01, 2015 Read Full Article
4 Minutes with… Harry Cullinan, Director of Technology Deployment, Auburn University
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... My role is to bridge the gap between basic R&D and ultimate commercialization of biorefining technologies with particular emphasis on the raw material base and existing assets of the US pulp and paper industry. Current
May 01, 2015 Read Full Article
Regulations Could Hamper Biomass Project
by Brent Shrum (The Western News) Libby is the top choice for a company looking to build a $46 million plant that would use new technology to turn forest debris into 5 million gallons of liquid fuel per year, but there’s
April 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Do Biofuels Still Have A Place In The Global Energy Mix?
By Alexis Arthur (OilPrice.com) Less than a decade ago, biofuels were set to take the energy world by storm. They promised a low-carbon alternative to gasoline, while advances in algae technology were taking biofuels beyond the traditional soybeans and corn.
April 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Lawsuit Filed Challenging Minnesota's Biodiesel Mandate
(Minnesota Trucking Association) A coalition of vehicle and fuel industry organizations have stood up for Minnesota consumers and small businesses by filing suit in federal court alleging that Minnesota’s Biodiesel Content Mandate could create significant harm to vehicles that are not
April 30, 2015 Read Full Article
We're Using Natural Gas All Wrong for the Climate
by Harry Saunders (The Energy Collective) The natural and immediate inclination of emissions reduction practitioners and policy-makers is to substitute gas directly for coal in the power generation sector. But this is a deeply flawed prescription. For maximum advantage, we
April 30, 2015 Read Full Article
California Is Smiling On Renewable Diesel HPR Fuel
by Jeff Cobb (Hybrid Cars) ... More than a pilot project, last month’s launch of 18 stations for the diesel alternative is being propped by a few laws including California’s Low Carbon Fuel standard described by Allen Schaeffer, Executive Director of
April 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Algal Progress Report
by Valerie Reed (US Department of Energy/Industrial Biotechnology) (D)etails the promise of algae as a renewable energy source and describes the BETO-funded research, development, and demonstration projects that have resulted in significant technological advances to help overcome the challenges of
April 30, 2015 Read Full Article
BETO’s 2015 Project Peer Review Presentations Now Online
(US Department of Energy) Visit the 2015 Project Peer Review Web page to download individual project and plenary presentations from BETO’s 2015 Project Peer Review. The peer review process provided BETO with feedback about the management of each of its technology
April 30, 2015 Read Full Article
South Carolina Tapped for New Pipeline, Tank Farm
by Tonya Maxwell (Greenville Online) Groundwork for a proposed underground pipeline is beginning in South Carolina, one that would carry fuel from Florida to a tank farm near Belton, where company officials expect to construct a new facility to handle
April 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Commodities: DDGS Priced out of Domestic Market
by Sean Broderick (CHS/Ethanol Producer Magazine) With planting season right around the corner, the conversation about grain prices this time of year normally focuses on soil moisture, and temperatures. This year, though, conversations about DDGS are more focused on Chinese
April 30, 2015 Read Full Article
This Modified Hummer Hybrid Will Go to the South Pole on Biofuel
by Jonathon Ramsey (AutoBlog) Zero South Has Been Planning This Trip For At Least Seven Years -- One modified Hummer H1, traveling with another vehicle that looks like a modified Hummer H1, will spend six to 10 days driving to the South
April 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Three Brothers Plead Guilty to $145 Million Biofuels Fraud Scheme in Indiana
(Department of Justice) Chad Ducey, 39, of Fishers, Indiana, pleaded guilty yesterday for his role in a multi-state scheme to defraud biodiesel buyers and U.S. taxpayers by fraudulently selling biodiesel incentives. His two brothers, Chris Ducey, 48, of North Webster,
April 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Local Biodiesel Use to Reach up to Four Million KL This Year
by Linda Yulisman (The Jakarta Post) ... Biodiesel consumption in Indonesia, the world’s largest palm oil producer, may reach between 3 million and 4 million kiloliters from the second quarter to the end of the year, according to Biofuel Producers Association (Aprobi)
April 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Harvester Banking on Ethanol Distillery
by John Anderson (Townsville Bulletin) Burdekin sugarcane harvesting contractor Michael Hodder has welcomed moves by the State Government to consider an ethanol mandate for Queensland. Mr Hodder, who plans to build an ethanol distillery to supply fuel for his own machinery, says
April 30, 2015 Read Full Article
California's New Goal: 40% Lower Emissions by 2030
(SustainableBusiness.com) ... California will cut greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2030, below 1990 levels, making it possible to reach the ultimate goal of 80% cuts by 2050, he says. These goals are the same as the European Union and are what's needed to keep temperature
April 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Biodiesel from Waste Grease
(National University of Singapore) A team of NUS researchers from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering has developed a set of environment-friendly techniques to produce biodiesel entirely from waste grease more cheaply and efficiently. ... Traditionally, the high free fatty acid content
April 30, 2015 Read Full Article
4 Minutes with… Len Rand, CEO, xF Technologies
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The Company produces a family of fuorate esters from biomass feedstock, including sugar, starch and cellulose, using a low cost thermo-chemical process. Uses include industrial solvents, plasticizers, coalescers as well as a fuel blend component
April 30, 2015 Read Full Article
EPA Opens Comment Period on Carinata Oil GHG Analysis
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. EPA is accepting comments on its analysis of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions attributed to the production and transport of Brassica carinata oil feedstock for the use in making biofuels, such as biodiesel,
April 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Canola Growers Want Province to Push Biodiesel
by Jennifer Blair (Alberta Farmer Express) Effort would create more demand and help with reductions in greenhouse gases -- The new provincial government needs to walk the walk — not just talk the talk — on climate change, starting with better
April 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Green Plains Sees U.S. Ethanol Retaining Export Advantage vs. Brazil
by Chris Prentice (Reuters) Green Plains Inc sees U.S. ethanol retaining its export advantage versus Brazil in 2015 and into the beginning of 2016, even as exports from the United States have slowed this quarter, the company's chief said on a conference
April 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Cargill Acquires OPX Biotechnologies
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Moguls of Minneapolis pick up an advantaged route to key renewable chemicals. News has filtered out from Cargill that the agricultural giant has acquired OPX Biotechnologies’ proprietary fermentation-based processes and systems. Bottom line, excepting the
April 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces New Private Funds to Make Investments in Rural America
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the launch of two new private funds, known as Rural Business Investment Companies (RBICs), which make equity investments in rural businesses, helping them grow and create jobs. This announcement is
April 29, 2015 Read Full Article
Parliament Votes to Approve EU Biofuels Cap, Provides Closure
by Ron Kotrba (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The European Parliament voted April 28 to approve the cap on first-generation biofuels and provide a degree of closure to the long-debated measure. The new law caps first-generation biofuels from crops grown on agricultural land
April 29, 2015 Read Full Article
Scania India Announces Order of 42 Buses at Busworld 2015
by Nabanita Singha Roy (RushLane.com) Scania Commercial Vehicles India is showcasing its ethanol engines at Busworld 2015 Expo between April 28 – 30. The company also showcased its premium range of Metrolink 13.7 m coach and ethanol-powered Green Bus.
April 29, 2015 Read Full Article
World-Herald Editorial: Ethanol Comes into Its Own
(Omaha World-Herald) For years, Nebraskans wondered whether the state’s fledgling ethanol sector would amount to much. Now, the answer is in, as explained in a new report from University of Nebraska economists. From small beginnings in the 1980s, the report
April 29, 2015 Read Full Article
How I Got Converted to G.M.O. Food
by Mark Lynas (The New York Times) ... As we squatted in the muddy field, examining the lush green foliage and shiny purple fruits, he explained how, for the first time this season, he had been able to stop using pesticides. This
April 29, 2015 Read Full Article
Argonne Leadership Computing Facility Supercomputer Helps Identify Materials to Improve Fuel Production
(Newswise/Argonne National Laboratory) With access to supercomputing resources at the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility (ALCF), a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science User Facility, a research team from the University of Minnesota and Rice University has demonstrated a
April 29, 2015 Read Full Article
4 Minutes with… Michele Bremer, Technical and Executive Recruiter, Bremer Associates
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... I recruit technical and executive talent for companies in biofuels, bio-based chemicals, and related industries. Clients range from start-ups to Fortune 50 companies, with searches from specialized technical expertise to C-level leadership. ... Obviously the bio-based industry
April 29, 2015 Read Full Article
XTRM to Produce Residential Hemp and Cannabis Oil Extractor
(Yahoo! Finance/Extreme Biodiesel Inc.) Extreme Biodiesel Inc. (XTRM) today (April 28, 2015) announced the company's wholly owned subsidiary XTRM Cannabis Ventures is designing a plant and seed oil extractor. XTRM is proud to announce that the company anticipates production of its
April 29, 2015 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Plant Retrofitting Underway
by Scott Koperski (Beatrice Daily Sun) A massive retrofitting of the Duonix biodiesel plant in west Beatrice is underway and on schedule to put the plant into production later this year. Duonix Beatrice, a joint venture between Flint Hills Resources,
April 29, 2015 Read Full Article
Big Ox Energy Breaks Ground in South Sioux City
by Bret Hayworth (Sioux City Journal) ... Big Ox Energy, a Denmark, Wis.-based firm, has begun construction on a $30 million plant that will take organic waste from industrial plants and turn it into methane. ... Big Ox's technology includes an anaerobic
April 29, 2015 Read Full Article
Advanced Bioeconomy Ventures Raise $1.262 Billion in Past 12 Months, up 3.2%
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) 44 deals, 37 companies; deal count jumps 16% but deal size drops 17% Here’s the complete skinny on who got what. In Florida, The Digest reports that 12 advanced bioeconomy ventures raised $1.262 billion in
April 29, 2015 Read Full Article
Blog: Smartphone App, on the Racetrack for Ethanol Education
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A small company is using out-of-the-box marketing to reach members of the public as well as spread the word about cavitation. I had previously heard the name Hydro Dynamics Inc., which is the developer of
April 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Counterpoint: E15 Good for Car Owners and Environment
by Joel Hennen (Chicago Sun-Times) ... Unfortunately, I’ve heard a lot of misinformation during the debate about the Chicago Clean Air Choice Ordinance, which would free Chicago fuel retailers from the oil industry’s burdensome restrictions, allowing them to sell E15. ... Environmentally, E15 offers
April 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Kum & Go to Offer E15 at More than 65 Stores in 7 States
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Kum & Go has announced it will begin offering E15 as a fuel option. Over the next two years, the company plans to make E15 available at more than 65 stores across Iowa, Nebraska,
April 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Discovery of New Plant Switch Could Boost Crops, Biofuel Production
(Michigan State University) A team of Michigan State University researchers has discovered a switch that regulates plant photosynthesis – the process that lets plants store solar energy and use it to grow and produce food. Photosynthesis stores energy in two forms
April 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Biofuels Need Public Support to Compete: European Biodiesel Board
(Platts) European Biodiesel Board Secretary General Raffaello Garofalo said Wednesday that the renewable fuels industry needs public support to compete properly in the road fuel sector. Garofalo described electric transportation as "a chimera" which was not adaptable for the goods, navigation
April 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Holden Drops E85 from Commodore
by Toby Hagon (Drive.com.au) Ethanol-based fuel touted as the next big thing has been quietly dropped from the Commodore range. Holden has quietly dropped the ability for its top-selling Commodore to run on environmentally-friendly E85 fuel. The move was made
April 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Tribe to Convert Abandoned Ethanol Plant into Wood Pellet Production Facility
by Dave Flessner (Times Free Press) The Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut wants to turn one of Tennessee's biggest renewable energy failures into a business success with another type of renewable product in growing demand around the globe. Northeast Wood Products, a wood
April 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Remembering a True Visionary: Novozymes Honors Guido Ghisolfi
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The renewable energy industry was saddened on March 3 by the news of the death of Guido Ghisolfi, Vice Chairman of the Mossi & Ghisolfi group and CEO of Beta Renewables. Mossi & Ghisolfi is
April 28, 2015 Read Full Article
4 Minutes with… Christian Delahouliere, Business Development and Quality Director, Raizen Trading Geneva Branch
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Raizen is the world largest sugar cane processor. We produce 2 million tons of ethanol and consume more than 4 millions in our petrol stations. ... Demonstrate that electric vehicle are not ready because batteries are
April 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Indian Railways to Use Diesel Produced from Recycled Plastic
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In India, Indian Railways announced it wants to produce biodiesel for use in its trains using technology patented by the CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum. The technology breaks down plastic waste, so in essence is recycled
April 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Urban Air Initiative: New EPA Studies Regarding Ethanol Flawed
(Urban Air Initiative/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA published two studies recently; defending its stance that ethanol increases toxic emissions. However, if you follow the same flawed formula, you get the same flawed results, warned representatives of the Urban Air
April 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Downsize Bioenergy Risk while Approaching Scale: Partnering with ZeaChem’s Technology Institute
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) For most investors, building a demonstration-scale facility in order to get, and validate, data for the last pre-commercial stages, is a necessary evil somewhere between diaper-changing and a colonoscopy on the “revolting, yet inevitable” meter. Those who
April 28, 2015 Read Full Article
China Steel Green-Lights Commercial-Scale LanzaTech Advanced Biofuels Project
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Taiwan, China Steel Corporation announced formal Board approval of a $46M capital investment in a LanzaTech commercial ethanol facility. This follows the successful demonstration of the revolutionary carbon recycling platform at the White Biotech
April 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Major Advance in Artificial Photosynthesis Poses Win/Win for the Environment
by Lynn Yarris (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Berkeley Lab Researchers Perform Solar-powered Green Chemistry with Captured CO2 -- A potentially game-changing breakthrough in artificial photosynthesis has been achieved with the development of a system that can capture carbon dioxide emissions before
April 28, 2015 Read Full Article
4 Minutes with… Neil Burns, CEO, P2 Science
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... P2 makes renewable specialty chemicals from vegetable feedstocks, using a proprietary form of ozonolysis, a chemical process. We are operating on the Kg scale using a continuous reactor system developed jointly with our engineering partners,
April 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Renewable Fuels Association Poll: Over Six in 10 Voters Support the RFS
(Morning Consult) Morning Consult conducted a national poll on behalf of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). The survey of 2,047 registered voters took place from April 5-7, 2015. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of ±
April 28, 2015 Read Full Article
New VERBIO Plant for the Production of Biomethane from 100 Percent Straw Commissioned as Scheduled
(VERBIO) New VERBIO plant for the production of biomethane from 100 percent straw commissioned as scheduled. Jörg Vogelsänger, Minister in the government of the Federal State of Brandenburg, and Kerstin Lichtenvort, EU project coordinator, witness the effectiveness of VERBIOS’s innovative
April 28, 2015 Read Full Article
15 Hot and Novel Low Carbon Fuel Technologies to Watch
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) An effort is underway in the UK to classify, within the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation, “novel low carbon fuels” made by companies such as LanzaTech, Joule, Solar Jet, Velocys, Sunfire, Pyreco and others. -- In the
April 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Introducing the New EnergyFactCheck
by Kyle McGuiness (American Council On Renewable Energy) ... Half of the electricity capacity added in the U.S. over the last 3 years came from renewable sources. Our energy portfolio – and the debate shaping that portfolio – is shifting. Even
April 27, 2015 Read Full Article
New Study Highlights Fast Pyrolysis Bio-Oil Yields of 17-27% from Cellulosic Feedstocks
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington state, a new study released in the journal Energy & Fuels is providing the first, fully integrated assessment of common feedstocks from the field to refinery-ready crude fuel, based on hydrotreatment or fast
April 27, 2015 Read Full Article
4 Minutes with…Roger Kilburn, CEO, the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The IBioIC’s strategic focus is to support industrial membership, develop technical capabilities, support the development of bio-refineries and pilot facilities and provide a skilled workforce for the Scottish IB industry. We have an industry focus that
April 27, 2015 Read Full Article
EU Research Project on Underutilised Oil Crops Kicks off: COSMOS – Camelina & Crambe Oil crops as Sources for Medium-chain Oils for Specialty Oleochemicals
(Bio-Based News) On 24-26 March 2015, the eighteen partners involved in the EU funded research project COSMOS held their kick-off meeting in Wageningen, The Netherlands. Led by Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research, this 4.5-year project aims at reducing the
April 27, 2015 Read Full Article
NASCAR and American Ethanol Celebrate Five Year Partnership
by Andy Eubank (HoosierAgToday) For five years and more than seven million miles, American Ethanol and NASCAR have worked together to increase horsepower and decrease greenhouse gas emissions in the sport by 20 percent with Sunoco Green E15, a renewable
April 27, 2015 Read Full Article
Surfing into a Greener Future
(University of California -- San Diego) World’s first algae-based, sustainable surfboard produced by UC San Diego biology and chemistry students -- UC San Diego’s efforts to produce innovative and sustainable solutions to the world’s environmental problems have resulted in a
April 27, 2015 Read Full Article
Propel Fuels Relocates Headquarters to Sacramento
(Propel Fuels) Announces new management and directors, strategic focus and operating milestones. Propel Fuels, California’s largest retailer of low-carbon liquid fuels, has announced it will move its headquarters from Redwood City to Sacramento. As California’s low carbon economy grows over
April 27, 2015 Read Full Article
Thought Leadership: The Toxic Substances Control Act and the Bioeconomy: Part 1, The Impact of Nomenclature on the Commercialization of Biobased Chemicals; Part 2, Reportable Substances across the Manufacturing Process; Part 3, Call to Action
by Richard E. Engler, Ph.D. (Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. and The Acta Group) When I meet people from bioeconomy companies, I ask them about their products’ status under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The most common answers I receive are:
April 27, 2015 Read Full Article
Local Elementary, High School Students Exhibit Algae Projects at Arizona State University
(Arizona State University) Arizona State University's Polytechnic campus hosted the Night of the Open Door on Feb. 20, an occasion to highlight clubs and organizations that dedicate themselves to science. The Arizona Center for Algae Technology and Innovation (AzCATI) was
April 27, 2015 Read Full Article
Engineered Softwood Could Transform Pulp, Paper and Biofuel Industries
by Krista Eastman (University of Wisconsin-Madison) Scientists have demonstrated the potential for softwoods to process more easily into pulp and paper if engineered to incorporate a key feature of hardwoods. The finding, published in this week's Proceedings of the National Academy
April 24, 2015 Read Full Article
AgEnergy USA, Perdue Farms Partner on Clean Bay Biogas Project
by Megan Greenwalt (Waste 360) ... Anaerobic digester developer AgEnergy USA and Perdue Farms, a major chicken processing company based in Salisbury, Md., recently signed a letter of intent for a project that will use poultry waste to develop biogas while reducing
April 24, 2015 Read Full Article
Prospects of Producing Bio-Diesel from Oil Palm Sludge to Be Explored
(The Hindu) The prospects of extracting bio-diesel from the oil palm sludge will be explored at the proposed new oil palm factory at Apparaopeta in Dammapeta mandal, said Minister for Roads & Buildings T. Nageswara Rao. ... The new factory, the
April 24, 2015 Read Full Article
Audi Produces Its First Batch Of E-Diesel
(TopSpeed.com) According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, carbon dioxide levels are at an 800,000-year high, but what if we could pluck CO2 particles out of thin air to use as a raw material for a carbon-neutral fuel? It’s
April 24, 2015 Read Full Article
The Catalyst That Refused To Die
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Battelle-led group succeeds in US Department of Energy challenge — 1,000 hours of continuous biomass hydrotreating on a single catalyst charge. The undefeated champ hits 1200 hours before being retired from the ring. Next stop,
April 24, 2015 Read Full Article
A.I.M. Interview: Sapphire Energy’s Bryn Davis
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) In January of this year, after six months of plummeting oil prices, Sapphire Energy CEO James E. Levine announced that the company – with eight years and $300+ million of investment into drop-in algal
April 24, 2015 Read Full Article
Bill Aims to Alter RVO Process, Definition for Cellulosic Biofuel
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Sen. Jeff Flake, R, Ariz., has introduced legislation that aims to amend the renewable fuel standard (RFS) to require the cellulosic requirement to be based on actual production and alter the statutory definition of
April 24, 2015 Read Full Article
Scientists at the J. Craig Venter Institute Publish Paper Outlining Efficient Synthetic Biology Methods to Genetically Engineer Microalgae
(J. Craig Venter Institute) Results have important implications in developing algae-based products such as biofuels and chemicals -- Scientists from the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), a not-for-profit genomic research organization, published a paper today (April 21, 2015) outlining new
April 24, 2015 Read Full Article
Algae Biomass Exchange(tm) on Linkedin
The National Algae Association encourages you to participate in its Linkedin group, Algae Biomass Exchange. Recent Examples of needs and wants: Buyer: Botryococcus Braunii UTEX 2441 aka SAG 30.81 Powder - Bulk quantity with COA. Buyer: Nanochloropsis - Bulk quantity with COA. Buyer: Chlamydomonas-
April 24, 2015 Read Full Article
Algae Industry Moves Beyond Research to Commercialization
(SustainableBusiness.com) ... This crucial industry has the potential to address many of the challenges facing the world today - it can fuel vehicles and airplanes, recycle carbon, provide nutrition for animals and people and create jobs for millions of Americans. Substituting algae for palm oil would go a long
April 24, 2015 Read Full Article
Editorial: Bright Future ahead for Local High School Student
(Deming Headlight) Like other high school seniors, Sophia Sánchez-Maes of Mayfield High is weighing her options as she considers where she will go next. ... Sánchez-Maes was a photonics research intern at the University of New Mexico's Center for High Technology
April 24, 2015 Read Full Article
Scientists Employ Algae as Biofuel, to Mop up Pollutants
By Chukwuma Muanya (The Guardian) Scientists have expanded the frontiers in the use of micro-organisms such as bacteria and algae for biofuel and in bioremediation with the utilization of wastewater algae. Scientists, in one of the first studies to examine the
April 24, 2015 Read Full Article
How Scientists Are Engineering Algae To Fuel Your Car And Cure Cancer
By Jessica Dineen (Forbes) ... Once (UC San Diego’s California Center for Algae Biotechnology Director Steve) Mayfield’s lab created cancer-fighting human antibodies, there was no looking back. “We said, what other products can algae make? Fuel? Plastics? Nutraceuticals? Animal feed? Cosmetics?
April 24, 2015 Read Full Article
4 Minutes with… Parikshit Dhingra, Head – Public Affairs & Communications, Novozymes South Asia
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Our job is to help the Governments understand the benefits a bio-based economy has (especially in Agrarian economies like India)in terms of rural jobs, energy security & environmental benefits. ... Establishment of a financial ecosystem backing
April 24, 2015 Read Full Article
Algae Sees Profit Where EPA and Industry See Cost
(Algae Biomass Organization) The U.S. Supreme Court is currently hearing arguments related to its review of three consolidated cases regarding the EPA’s regulation of toxic emissions from power plants: Michigan v. Environmental Protection Agency, No. 14-46; Utility Air Regulatory Group v. Environmental
April 24, 2015 Read Full Article
Ending International Aviation’s $65 Billion Fuel Tax Exemption an Essential Step towards Decarbonisation
by Andrew Murphy (Transport & Environment (T&E)/GreenAirOnline) ... The airline industry predicts a massive increase in the use of alternative fuels, although most experts predict an uptake of only a few percentage points in the coming years. More optimistic projections remain purely
April 24, 2015 Read Full Article
American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) Ups Biofuels Presence at Policy Forum
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Over the past year, the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) increased its work with the biofuels sector of renewable energy, upped its presence and activity at biofuels-related conferences and events, and got into
April 24, 2015 Read Full Article
As EPA Finalizes Rule, Klobuchar, Grassley, Durbin, Thune, Franken, and Kirk Lead Bipartisan Group of 37 Senators in Calling for a Strong Renewable Fuel Standard
(Office of Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA)) The Environmental Protection Agency is working to finalize the proposed rule on biofuels volume requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard; the latest proposal would create uncertainty for biodiesel producers and undermine job creation. In a
April 24, 2015 Read Full Article
New Studies Link Earthquakes With Oil, Gas Drilling
by Miguel Bustillo adn Dan Molinski (The Wall Street Journal) Scientists say practice of wastewater injection has caused seismic activity in Oklahoma, Texas, other parts of the U.S. New scientific findings released Tuesday linked earthquakes to the practice of injecting wastewater
April 22, 2015 Read Full Article
NexSteppe Takes Biomass Sorghum to Commercial-Scale in Brazil
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Next-gen feedstock developer records 1000% year-on-year growth for its Palo Alto Biomass Sorghum hybrids in Brazil. Sustainable, available, reliable and affordable? Yes, as the Digest discovers. In California, NexSteppe announced that it sold more than
April 21, 2015 Read Full Article
4 minutes with… Dr Tushar Patil, Lead – Energy Crops R&D and Supply Chain, PRAJ Industries
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Praj has the unique capability to design a bioethanol plant. be it fuel grade, beverage alcohol or industrial grade alcohol plants, With over 600 references in more than 60 countries. PRAJ is building his own 2G,
April 21, 2015 Read Full Article
Smith Introduces Legislation to Increase Fuel Options for Consumers
(Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE)) Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) introduced legislation today to broaden consumer fuel choice by expanding the existing waiver of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations related to the Reid vapor pressure of motor vehicle fuel to include E15
April 21, 2015 Read Full Article
Fuel What Matters Campaign Drives Clean Transportation Choices
(North Carolina State University/NC Clean Energy Technology Center) Focus of Air Quality Education Effort are Consumer and Commuter Options -- The North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center (NCCETC) at N.C. State University has announced the start of Fuel What Matters, a
April 21, 2015 Read Full Article
Pearson Fuels and G&M Oil Company Announce Plans to Open 13 E85 Flex Fuel Stations in Southern California in 13 Months
(Business Wire/Pearson Fuels) Pearson Fuels of San Diego, CA and G&M Oil Company of Huntington Beach, CA (held) a grand opening of their newest E85 Flex Fuel location on April 15 at 499 Sandalwood Drive, Calimesa, CA. There(was) a ribbon cutting
April 21, 2015 Read Full Article
Driving Sustainable Agriculture through Improved Qualities in Eucalyptus and Poplar Trees
(Intreson/PR NewsWire) Intrexon and FuturaGene Collaborate to Develop Unique Attributes and Agronomic Properties in Significant Plant Species Intrexon Corporation (NYSE: XON), a leader in synthetic biology, and FuturaGene Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Suzano Papel e Celulose S.A., the
April 21, 2015 Read Full Article
Sweetwater Energy Raises $10M; Begins Ramp-Up to First Commercial
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sweetwater Energy announced it has closed on a $10 million bridge loan. The loan closed as Sweetwater said that it is now opening its Series B investor round to begin construction of a first commercial facility. Sweetwater
April 21, 2015 Read Full Article
Truckers Sue to End Biodiesel Mandate
by David Shaffer (Star Tribune) Minnesota truckers and other interests sued Minnesota on Friday seeking to end the state’s requirement that diesel sold at the pump contain 10 percent biodiesel. The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Minnesota alleges that
April 21, 2015 Read Full Article
Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies Develops Bio-Renewable Rubber to Reduce Carbon Footprint
(AZOCleanTech.com) With the ever-increasing emissions standards and push for sustainability solutions, Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies has developed an ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber compound from a polymer produced from sugarcane-based feedstock. The bio-renewable rubber, for which development began in 2012, is made
April 21, 2015 Read Full Article
4 Minutes with Bill Levy, CEO, Pacific Ag
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... We are partnered with more than 600 growers across the country, will harvest more than 450,000 tons of biomass alone in 2015, own the single largest fleet of harvesting equipment, and supply the nation’s leading
April 21, 2015 Read Full Article
4 Minutes… Jeff Kelley, Director of Marketing, Airstream Innovations
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... (F)ully-automatic customizeable greenhouses maximize photosynthesis and use the physics of ventilation to optimize transpiration resulting in the fastest growth possible. ... We offer algae growers laboratory conditions – optimal growing environments – that until now, were
April 21, 2015 Read Full Article
Trash-to-Biofuel Takes New Turn in Marion
by Rick Smith (The Gazette) No one has claimed that making biofuel out of garbage is as simple as tossing leftovers into the trash. So it is that Craig Stuart-Paul, president and chief executive officer of the Maryland-based Fiberight LLC,
April 21, 2015 Read Full Article
Navassa Ordinance Would Allow Biofuel Production
by Lynda Van Kuren (StarNews Online) The Navassa Town Council recently tabled a decision on a proposed ordinance that would allow biofuel production in its heavy industrial districts and conditional production in its light industrial district. The council stressed the impact of biofuel
April 21, 2015 Read Full Article
Earth Day: 3 Big Reads for a Sustainable BioFuture
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Three reports have arrived this week that help – especially in the corner of sustainability relating to biobased energy, fuels and products. One led out of Brazil, tapping the efforts of 137 researchers at 82
April 21, 2015 Read Full Article
The British Authorities Impose More Stringent Requirements for the Biofuel Use
(Ukrainian Biofuel Portal) In April 2015 the companies using biofuel set-ups will be obliged to prove that they use exclusively ecologically clean fuel. Otherwise, they will be deprived of the financial support. In the framework of this inspection, the Department
April 21, 2015 Read Full Article
The Production of Biofuel as a Single Possible Way to Rescue of SE Ukrspirt
(Ukrainian Biofuel Portal) According to official statistics, in 2014 the production volumes and alcohol sales exceedingly declined, which posed the menace for the domestic industry existence. Last year the export volume of alcohol reached only 200 thousands of dal, and 14,
April 21, 2015 Read Full Article
An Economic Case for Ethanol
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) ... Industry growth is likely to come as higher blends such as E15 and E85 become more widely available and more widely used. A recent analysis by the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association this week makes
April 21, 2015 Read Full Article
Algae Biomass Summit 2015 Mary Rosenthal Memorial Student Travel Grants
(Algae Biomass Organization) The Algae Foundation, ABO’s sister organization, is pleased to announce that it is offering $500 travel grants to attend the 9th Annual Algae Biomass Summit in Washington, DC, USA, from September 29 through October 2, 2015. Purpose – To
April 20, 2015 Read Full Article
From Food Waste to Fuel, CEAS Does Energy Sustainability Better
By: Ashley Duvelius (University of Cincinnati) CEAS researchers take aim at reducing the United States' annual 40 percent of food waste and are now able to convert waste into solid fuels, biodiesel and other products. The Food and Agriculture Organization of
April 17, 2015 Read Full Article
Analysis of State Report Shows E15 Could Save Iowans $50 Million Per Year
(Iowa Renewable Fuels Association) If Homegrown E15 Were More Widely Available, Iowa Consumers Could’ve Pocketed Millions In an analysis of a recent Iowa Department of Revenue motor fuel report, the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) today revealed that if E15 was
April 17, 2015 Read Full Article
Scientists a Step Closer to Developing Renewable Propane
(EurekAlert!/University of Manchester) Researchers at The University of Manchester have made a significant breakthrough in the development of synthetic pathways that will enable renewable biosynthesis of the gas propane. This research is part of a programme of work aimed at
April 17, 2015 Read Full Article
"Repeal the RFS – All of It," Koch Companies Writes to Senators
by Philip Ellender (Koch Companies Public Sector) On behalf of Koch companies, I am writing to urge you to oppose S. 577, a bill introduced by Senators Feinstein and Toomey that seeks to reform, not repeal, the federal Renewable Fuel Standard(RFS)
April 17, 2015 Read Full Article
2015 Ethanol RINs Prices Rise to Three-Month High after EPA Announcement
by Jordan Godwin and Wes Swift (Platts) Corn-based (D6) ethanol RINs for 2015 firmed up to their highest level in more than three months Tuesday as the market continued to show a revival of aggressive bid interest, sources said. ... Market participants
April 17, 2015 Read Full Article
Bill Would Hike Gas Tax to Pay for Roads
by Keith Laing (The Hill) A bipartisan group of House members has filed legislation to hike the federal gas tax and index it to inflation to pay for a new transportation bill. The measure would increase the gas tax, which
April 17, 2015 Read Full Article
Total La Mede Crude Refining to Cease: Update 3
(Argus) Total will cease crude refining at its loss-making 160,000 b/d La Mede refinery and convert it into a 500,000 t/yr biofuels facility, the company confirmed today in its French refinery strategy plan. La Mede will cease crude refinery operations by the
April 17, 2015 Read Full Article
The Renewable Fuel Standard: A Path Forward
by James H. Stock* (Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy) America’s renewable fuels policy is at a crossroads. The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is derided by some as an inefficient program that is driving up costs for fuel suppliers and
April 17, 2015 Read Full Article
EU Reshapes Its Biofuels Policy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Jettisons indirect land use change for now, citing poor data visibility; caps food-crop biofuels to 7%; limits proposed Directives to 2020. In Brussels, the European Parliament’s Environmental Committee has voted this week to endorse the
April 17, 2015 Read Full Article
Carmakers Worry Higher Biofuel Mix Could Damage Engines
by Raras Cahyafitri and Linda Yulismann (The Jakarta Post) ... “The usage of biodiesel is good. However, we are still worried about the impacts. There are engines that can accept 15 percent or even 20 percent [biofuel] content, however, some other
April 17, 2015 Read Full Article
4 Minutes with… Ron Rebenitsch, CEO, Bioenergy Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Bioenergy Fuels is a project developer, focused on development of biomass-to-liquid projects of mid-size scale (5-10 MGY). We are a start-up, founded by team of seasoned professionals, with decades of experience in project development, finance and
April 16, 2015 Read Full Article
4 Minutes with… Chris Brown, CEO, Environmental Proteomics
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... We are biochemists/entrepreneurs making products for basic and applied research into methane production. ... We want to put our technology in the hands of anyone who takes a rigorous approach to optimizing biogenic methane