(Blue Fire Renewables) ...To meet increasing demand for cellulosic sugars ("The New Oil") BlueFire formed SucreSource, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary that will manufacture cellulosic sugars from biomass for Biofuel, Bioplastic and Specialty Chemical markets. Established in November 2011, SucreSource
Flex-Fuel Cars Find Few Pumps, Chargers Aplenty: BGOV Barometer
by Angela Greiling Keane (Bloomberg) Public charging stations for electric autos outnumber outlets for alternative motor fuels by almost two to one, even though there are hundreds of times more flex- fuel vehicles than plug-in cars on U.S. roads. The BGOV
December 23, 2011 Read Full Article
News You Can Use: 5 Biofuels Reports Worth Getting Now
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...1. The USDA’s crop land report. What: An in-depth analysis of U.S. land use patterns released this week by the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows total cropland decreased by 34 million acres from 2002 to 2007,
December 23, 2011 Read Full Article
Los Alamos National Laboratory Announces Top 10 Science Stories of 2011
(Los Alamos National Laboratory) Los Alamos National Laboratory’s top 10 science stories of 2011 illustrate the broad variety of scientific excellence that’s the hallmark of the Laboratory. This year’s stories include alternative energy research, world record magnetic fields, disease tracking,
December 23, 2011 Read Full Article
Algae Biofuel Pilot Plant Construction Starts
by Analia Murias (FIS Worldnews) The Biotechnology Consortium (Bal Biofuels) began the construction of the Experimental Centre of Algae (CEA) in Puerto Montt Campus of the University of Los Lagos. The plant is expected to be operational from August next year. The
December 23, 2011 Read Full Article
South Dakota Has $950,000 for Blender Pumps
by Ann Marie Edwards (DomesticFuel.com) South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard says $950,000 in grants will be made available through the Governor’s Office of Economic Development to help pay for the installation of blender pumps and associated infrastructure at retail gas stations across
December 23, 2011 Read Full Article
Ethanol Racing Fuel Firm Gets Paul Dana Award
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) If not for the vision of Paul Dana that ethanol could fuel Indy Racing cars, Ignite Racing Fuel might never have existed. The Indiana company this week received the 2011 Paul Dana Excellence in Bioenergy Leadership Award from
December 23, 2011 Read Full Article
U.S. Ethanol Tax Break Ends, Brazil Sees an Opening
by Charles Abbott and Reese Ewing (Drovers Cattle Network) A U.S. ethanol tax credit costing roughly $6 billion a year will expire on Dec. 31, with the U.S. industry declaring itself ready to stand on its own and Brazil hoping for
December 23, 2011 Read Full Article
CARB Releases 2011 LCFS Review Report
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The California Air Resources Board has completed the first required formal review of the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard, a regulatory program that requires stakeholders to reduce the carbon intensity (CI) of fuels sold
December 23, 2011 Read Full Article
Ethanol Critic’s Argument Relies on Faulty Information
by Kevin Skunes (InForum) In response to Ross Nelson’s “Ethanol? I’ll supply the shovels” column on Nov. 27, we should take a look at these issues using current and correct information. ...Corn-based ethanol is a viable energy source and can replace
December 23, 2011 Read Full Article
Kansas City Firm to Re-Open Mead Ethanol Plant
by Art Hovey (Lincoln Journal Star) Spectrum Business Ventures of Kansas City aims to bring a closed ethanol plant near Mead out of mothball status in the next few months. The former E3 Biofuels plant attracted widespread attention in 2006 as
December 23, 2011 Read Full Article
US – Ethanol Growth Not Leading to Cropland Expansion-New USDA Report Shows
(BiofuelsChat.com) An in-depth analysis of U.S. land use patterns released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows total cropland decreased by 34 million acres from 2002 to 2007, the lowest level since USDA began collecting this data 1945. The
December 23, 2011 Read Full Article
Researchers Discover a Way to Significantly Reduce the Production Costs of Fuel Cells
(EurekAlert/Aalto University) This ALD method for manufacturing fuel cells requires 60 per cent less of the costly catalyst than current methods. -This is a significant discovery, because researchers have not been able to achieve savings of this magnitude before with materials
December 23, 2011 Read Full Article
Government of Canada Invests in Clean Energy in Alberta
(Natural Resources Canada) Canada strengthened its position as a clean energy superpower today with a Government of Canada investment that will support the production of biodiesel, sustain job creation and help stimulate the economy. Jim Hillyer, MP for Lethbridge, on
December 23, 2011 Read Full Article
Are Biofuels the Best Use of Our Limited Land Resources?
by Tyler Hamilton (OilPrice.com) ...This isn’t just about corn; it’s also about how we choose to use agricultural residues, municipal organic waste, wood waste, algae biomass, and non-food crops. Does it make sense to just burn this material for energy, or
December 23, 2011 Read Full Article
DOE Researchers Achieve Important Genetic Breakthroughs to Help Develop Cheaper Biofuels
(US Department of Energy) Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) announced today a major breakthrough in engineering systems of RNA molecules through computer-assisted design, which could lead to important improvements across a range of
December 23, 2011 Read Full Article
Endesa to Perform Industrial Test of CO2 Capture Using Microalgae
(Endesa) Madrid • Expansion of the Almería plant to demonstrate the technical and economic viability of the technology. • The success of the first stage of the project has led Endesa to carry out trials with two new types of photo-bioreactors and develop
December 23, 2011 Read Full Article
Airlines Must Pay for Carbon Emissions on European Flights, High Court Rules
by Juliet Eilperin (The Washington Post) Europe’s highest court ruled Wednesday that the European Union has the legal right to force foreign airlines to pay for their greenhouse gas emissions, a decision that could boost ticket prices but also encourage
December 23, 2011 Read Full Article
The Selling of Renewable Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In all the discussions about renewable fuels R&D, engineering, policy, finance, and construction, the customer – that is, you and me – generally are an afterthought. Could be because most renewable fuels producers generally will sell
December 22, 2011 Read Full Article
2100 CAAFI General Meeting Presentations Available Online
Presentations delivered by the various panel members are available on the CAAFI Expo website. READ MORE Business Team RIN Compliance and D-Code Pathway Definitions (PDF) - Luce Business Team Panel Discussion Elements of Alternative Fuels - Business Case Analysis (PDF)- John Rau Biofuels Financing
December 22, 2011 Read Full Article
Neste Oil Achieves Milestones at Rotterdam, Porvoo Refineries
by Bryan Sims (Biorefining Magazine) Global refining and marketing company Neste Oil Corp. held a grand opening ceremony at its 800,000-metric-ton (240 MMgy) renewable diesel—trademarked NExBTL—production facility at the Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands. ...Neste Oil currently owns and operates a similar-sized
December 22, 2011 Read Full Article
Hart Energy Report Suggests Blend Wall Could Drive up RIN Prices
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The anticipated saturation of the U.S. ethanol market could have interesting implications for the future renewable identification numbers (RINs) market, according to a report recently released by Hart Energy. The report, which offers advice
December 22, 2011 Read Full Article
Gaia Association and SEI Launches New Initiative to Produce Clean Cooking Fuel from Waste for Addis Ababa Households
(Project Gaia) On November 23, Gaia Association, in partnership with Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and the Ethiopian Environmental Protection Authority, launched the new project “Fuel from Waste: Demonstrating the Feasibility of Locally Produced Ethanol for Household Cooking in Addis Ababa.” Ethiopian
December 19, 2011 Read Full Article
Metso to Deliver the First Commercial LignoBoost Plant to Domtar in North America
(Metso) Metso will supply the world’s first commercial installation of LignoBoost technology to Domtar in North America. The equipment will be intergrated with the Plymouth North Carolina pulp mill. The LignoBoost process separates and collects lignin from pulping liquor. This
December 19, 2011 Read Full Article
Battery-Car Future Undercut by Europe, Improvements in ICE Technology
by Neil Winton (Detroit News) Investment bank Morgan Stanley came up with a nasty surprise for Nissan-Renault and other cheer-leaders for battery powered cars when it cut its electric vehicle sales forecast by nearly 50 per cent for 2025. Europe’s economic
December 19, 2011 Read Full Article
Sorghum Biofuel Plant Mulled
by James Konstantin Galvez (The Manila Times) The Department of Agriculture (DA) is in talks with San Carlos Bioenergy Inc. (SCBI) for the construction of a bioethanol processing plant in Negros Occidental to push the development of sweet sorghum in
December 15, 2011 Read Full Article
Washington State University Center at Prosser Researches Possible Biofuels
by Ross Courtney (The Seattle Times/Yakima Herald-Republic) ..."You get down to it, it's dirty work," said Steve Fransen, a research agronomist at the Washington State University Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center. He means research, not farming, but farming is what
December 15, 2011 Read Full Article
The Economics of Higher Ethanol Blends
by Kim Clark (Nebraska Corn Board) ...Although you have increased horsepower when using ethanol blended fuel, fuel mileage may decrease as the amount of ethanol in your fuel increases. However, studies have shown the optimal ethanol blend to use before you begin
December 15, 2011 Read Full Article
The Death of Range Fuels Shouldn't Doom All Biofuels
by Kevin Bullis (MIT Technology Review) This month, Range Fuels, one of the first companies in a wave of startups that promised cheap biofuels made from sources such as wood chips rather than corn, shut its doors for good and
December 15, 2011 Read Full Article
Drop-in Biofuels Take Flight in Commerce City, Colorado
by John Schueler (US Department of Energy) The Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy works in partnership with industry to develop, build, operate and validate integrated biorefineries across the country at various scales (pilot, demonstration, and commercial). One
December 15, 2011 Read Full Article
Boyacá Will Build First Beet Based Ethanol Plant
(La Republica) Bogotá for the first quarter of 2012 would begin building the first plant producing ethanol from sugar beet, a project that has been brewing for four years, and became the first of its kind in the country. ...In fact,
December 15, 2011 Read Full Article
Mascoma Awarded $80 Million from the DOE for Construction of Commercial-Scale Hardwood Cellulosic Ethanol Facility in Kinross, Michigan
(MarketWatch/Mascoma) Fully-funded commercial-scale facility Mascoma Corporation, a renewable fuels company, announced today that it has signed a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to assist in the design, construction and operation of a commercial-scale hardwood cellulosic ethanol facility
December 15, 2011 Read Full Article
Aurora Develops New Techniques for Genetic Optimization of Algae
(Algae Industry Magazine) Aurora Algae is using a novel technique for genetic optimization to create advanced-trait algae strains for product development in the pharmaceutical, nutrition, renewable energy and animal feed markets. This technology enables genetic optimization without introducing foreign genes,
December 15, 2011 Read Full Article
China Initiative to Curb Illegal Use of Waste Vegetable Oil
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) A crackdown in China aimed at eliminating the illegal practice of using waste cooking oil to produce food products could increase the amount of the waste material available for biodiesel producers. On Dec. 12, the
December 14, 2011 Read Full Article
OnSite Energy Partners with MSU's Freeway to Fuels Project
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) Having finished the first phase of exploring the feasibility of growing, harvesting and utilizing bioenergy crops last year on unconventional growing lands in Michigan, such as highway right-of-ways, vacant urban land and airport property, Michigan
December 14, 2011 Read Full Article
Sugarcane Ethanol Economics
by Mike Bryan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...Between 2006 and 2011, the price of sugar, while having numerous peaks and valleys, has risen from about 18 cents per pound to as high as 29 cents per pound. Given the fact that
December 14, 2011 Read Full Article
Reaching the E15 Summit: Getting the Waiver Was Easy, Compared to the Work Required to Fulfill Requirements for E15 Implementation
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...The industry believed it had the scientific backing to support the use of higher ethanol blends in all vehicles and said allowing higher blends into the market would create jobs, lessen dependence on foreign
December 14, 2011 Read Full Article
Why the Farm Bill Needs a Robust Energy Title
byJames C. Greenwood and Robert Johnson (The Hill Congress Blog/BIO/National Farmers' Union) Maintaining agricultural productivity in America is indispensable to our economic security, so a safety net for farmers is very important. But abundant affordable clean energy and a healthy
December 14, 2011 Read Full Article
Loss of Federal Incentives Could Hurt Cellulosic Ethanol Development
by Robert Pore (The Independent) ...Nebraska's ethanol industry could be adversely impacted if Congress doesn't extend key tax incentives, especially those for cellulosic ethanol, a Nebraska Ethanol Board official said. The incentives that the Advanced Ethanol Council (AEC) and other groups
December 14, 2011 Read Full Article
Switchgrass as Ideal Biofuel Feedstock?
by Derek Mead (CleanTechMedia) Can biofuel be economically coaxed from a modest plant? ...A new research review published today(December 13, 2011) in the journal GCB Bioenergy states that switchgrass is indeed viable as a cellulosic feedstock, as has been previously suggested, and that
December 14, 2011 Read Full Article
Doing the Ethanol Shuffle
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) There’s a hot new craze called the “Ethanol Shuffle” that’s sweeping seaports from Sao Paulo to Los Angeles. No, it’s not a new dance, this shuffle is all about the “confounded realignment of the
December 14, 2011 Read Full Article
Global Biofuels Output Slows on Less Brazilian Ethanol, IEA Says
by Ola Gala (Bloomberg) World production of biofuels will increase at a slower pace than previously forecast in the next five years as Brazil’s ethanol output declines and the U.S. market becomes saturated, the International Energy Agency said. READ MORE
December 14, 2011 Read Full Article
The Cellulosic Ethanol Debacle: Congress Mandated Purchase of 250 Million Gallons in 2011. Actual Production: 6.6 Million.
(The Wall Street Journal) Review & Outlook: Years before the Obama Administration dumped $70 billion into solar and wind energy and battery operated cars, and long before anyone heard of Solyndra, President Bush launched his own version of a green
December 14, 2011 Read Full Article
S. African Biofuel Plan May Boost Sorghum Sixfold, Grain Says
by Carli Lourens (Bloomberg) South Africa’s proposed mandatory blending of biofuels with gasoline and diesel may signal the start of a biofuels industry and boost sorghum output sixfold, an economist at the farmers’ body Grain SA said. ...South Africa could introduce mandatory
December 14, 2011 Read Full Article
Leadership Role for Malaysia in Aviation Biofuel
(Business Times) Selecting an optimal algae strain to produce jet fuel in Malaysia will be a top research priority in the first year of Aerospace Malaysia Innovation Centre's (AMIC) operation. With RM15 million having been approved in spending for the first
December 14, 2011 Read Full Article
Seminar Touts Small-Scale Biofuel Production on Wisconsin Farms
by Nathan Phelps (Green Bay Press-Gazette) On-site production of fuel builds security ...Small-scale production of biodiesel and other biofuels derived from sources like canola was the focus of a seminar Friday in Denmark. On-farm production of fuels like soybean-based biodiesel and ethanol
December 14, 2011 Read Full Article
Cooking Oil, Anyone?
(SmyrnaVinings.com) The City of Smyrna plans to open a biodiesel processing plant, designed to cut fuel costs and reduce fossil fuel consumption, by January 2012. The use of biodiesel results in the substantial reduction of unburned hydrocarbons. The Biodiesel Program in Smyrna
December 14, 2011 Read Full Article
Licella, Air NZ, Virgin, Norske Skog Ink Pacts to Develop Aviation Fuels from Bio-Oil
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Australia, Licella had a big day, announcing the opening of its demonstration plant, a JV with Norsk Sko called Licella Fibre Fuels to commercialize the technology, and MOUs with Virgin Australia and Air New
December 14, 2011 Read Full Article
The 10 Top Unanswered Biofuels Questions for 2011
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Your calls and emails are always the highlight of our days. Most questions can be answered johnny-on-the-spot. Some are still out there and well worth arguing over. Here are the Top 10 that are still
December 14, 2011 Read Full Article
Bio-Ethanol Plant Secures Local Support
(Manila Bulletin) Multinational firm Green Future Innovations, Inc. (GFII) has become more determined to pursue its 11,000-hectare sugar plantation for bio-ethanol plant in San Mariano, Isabela as multi-sectoral groups rally behind the project, which is expected to uplift poverty in
December 13, 2011 Read Full Article
Thai Airways Starts Biofuel Flights
by Garry Robertson (Carrentals.co.uk) ...In fact, this carrier will now be the first airline in all of Asia to undertake a commercial passenger flight using only biofuel. Reports show that this flight will be available starting December 22 of this
December 13, 2011 Read Full Article
Sunflower Power And The Next Generation of Ulster Engineers
(University of Ulster) University of Ulster engineers and pupils at a Portadown primary school have teamed up in a search for greener, more sustainable new fuels that could prove vital to our future energy requirements. Scientists from the Biomolecular Diagnostics and Engineering
December 13, 2011 Read Full Article
Evogene Expands Biofuel Activity in Brazil With SLC Agricola
(MarketWatch) Expanded Agreement Follows Successful Completion of Field Trials Evogene Ltd. and SLC Agricola, a leading agribusiness company in Brazil, today announced expansion of their agreement for the development of castor bean seeds as a cost competitive feedstock for biofuels. This
December 13, 2011 Read Full Article
Pact Deepens FuelCell’s Reach to Europe, S. America
by Brad Kane (HartfordBusiness.com) Danbury alternative-power equipment maker FuelCell Energy, Inc. has inked a tentative deal with a Spanish energy provider on Monday to sell biofuel-powered generators to commercial markets in Latin America and Europe. The deal between FuelCell and Abengoa
December 13, 2011 Read Full Article
Maersk and the U.S. Navy Collaborate on Biofuel Initiative
(The Maritime Executive) Maersk and the U.S. Navy are testing algae-based biofuel on the container ship Maersk Kalmar. The ship is en route from Northern Europe to India. Maersk Kalmar has two key attributes that make it a suitable vessel for
December 13, 2011 Read Full Article
The Big Land Grab: What’s at Stake for Biofuels, and You?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Biofuels Digest senior editor Meghan Sapp, in her other role as Secretary-General of the Europe-based PANGEA (Partners for Euro-African Green Energy), released her organization’s breakthrough report on biofuels and land grabbing in Sub-Saharan Africa,
December 13, 2011 Read Full Article
Alberta Harvests First Crop of Waste-Raised Willows
by Dave Cooper (Edmonton Journal) After flourishing on waste water from the town’s sewage treatment plant for more than two years, Whitecourt’s biomass crop of willows and poplars was ripe for harvest. And last week, researchers brought in three different machines
December 12, 2011 Read Full Article
Mario Garnero Addresses Council on Foreign Relations and Columbia on 'Powerhouse Nations'
(MarketWatch) Mario Garnero, Chairman of Brasilinvest, Brazil's pioneer merchant bank, stated that BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) can no longer be simply described as 'Emerging Markets'. Their economic, political and energy status make them 'Powerhouse Nations'. The Chairman of
December 12, 2011 Read Full Article
Valero Partnering to Build Ethanol Plant in Michigan
(Valero) New Hampshire-based biofuels company Mascoma Corp. has entered into an agreement with energy giant Valero to build a plant that produces ethanol in Michigan's Upper Peninsula using Mascoma's proprietary technology. Mascoma, of Lebanon, agreed to the deal with Texas-based Valero
December 12, 2011 Read Full Article
Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan Strengthen Bio-extraction Industry
(MarketWire) New solvent-recovery equipment being installed at POS Bio- Sciences will improve its capacity to help Canadian industry and international clients bring new bio-based oil ingredients to market with reduced research costs and environmental impact. POS's clients from the cosmetics,
December 12, 2011 Read Full Article
State Incentives Approved for Expanding Companies
by Scott Sloan (Kentucky.com/Herald-Leader) The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority board approved tax incentives Thursday for companies, including Maker's Mark Distillery, F.B. Purnell Sausage and Hitachi, that are considering new investments in the state. The approval of tax incentives outlines
December 12, 2011 Read Full Article
Codexis, Mascoma Show that Low-Cost Sugar is the Key, as Biofuels Moves from R&D into Industrial Era
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...“The government rushed into investments, with no diligence,” says Codexis chief Alan Shaw. “They are just not industrialists, in my opinion.” Two major announcements this week drive the point home in advanced biofuels. In California, Codexis introduced its
December 12, 2011 Read Full Article
VIASPACE Executive Highlights Giant King Grass Advancement & Commercial Opportunities in Africa to Generate Electricity, Manufacture Energy Pellets and Produce Bio-Fuels
(Reuters/VIASPACE) VIASPACE Executive Highlights Giant King Grass Advancement & Commercial Opportunities in Africa to Generate Electricity, Manufacture Energy Pellets and Produce Bio-Fuels: Presents at the Biomass West & Central Africa Congress in Ghana VIASPACE, Inc., a clean energy company growing Giant King™
December 12, 2011 Read Full Article
Himark Licenses Its Integrated bioRefinery™ Patent and its patent-pending Enhanced Ethanol production technology to Western Plains Energy LLC for a value of $15,000,000.00
(PR Newswire) Himark's newest U.S. patent is now being legally exploited by Western Plains Energy LLC ("WPE") at its 50 MMGPY plant in Oakley, Kansas. The rest of the ethanol industry in the U.S. is encouraged to contact Himark about integrating
December 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Why Biorefining Loan Guarantees Give Back: Think Money, Jobs and Military Might
by Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine) ...In the letter, the group pointed out the need for programs like the 9003 Biorefinery Loan Guarantee Program offered through USDA. “Loan guarantees are the most cost-effective way to develop new jobs and create these
December 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Flying High on Advanced Biofuels!
by Mike McAdams (Advanced Biofuels Association/Biorefining Magazine) As I write to you, I am witnessing history at 40,000 feet above the U.S., a rare privilege, as one of the first commercial passengers on board the Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle
December 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Four Days in the Algae Epicenter: A Review of the Algae Biomass Summit and the State of the Industry
by Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine) ...Spending four days in Minneapolis amidst the largest and most impressive gathering of algae experts in academia, private business and government institutions, would convince anyone that in the algae industry today there is a whole
December 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Hitting a New Stride: The Biorefining Sector Is Poised for Commercial Scale-Up as Funding Strategies Mature and Production Capacity Grows
by Erin Voegele (Biorefining Magazine) The biorefining sector reached an important new milestone this year with at least five companies undergoing successful initial public offerings (IPOs). As we move into the new year, members of industry will take another important
December 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Economic Jet-A Fuel from Ethanol Achieved
by Bob Brooks (Automotive Industries) United Airlines recently announced its intention to purchase 20 mllion/gal/yr of bio based, ASTM spec Jet-A fuel on condition it results in at least 50% reduced GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions from aircraft engines and is cost
December 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Nominations Sought for 2012 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards
(US Environmental Protection Agency) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is accepting nominations for the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards. Green chemistry is the design of chemical products and processes that reduce both the use and generation of chemicals that
December 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Georgia’s Bioenergy One Stop Shop
(SAFER Alliance) Georgia grows wood like the Midwest grows corn,” says Jill Stuckey, director of the Georgia Center of Innovation for Energy. In fact, with nearly 25 million acres of forests in Georgia, the state ranks second in the nation, behind only
December 10, 2011 Read Full Article
U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Announces Over $100 Million to Promote Innovative and Clean-Fuel Transit Projects
(US Department of Transportation) U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today (November 17, 2011) announced that 46 innovative transit projects chosen for their capacity to help cut the nation’s dependence on oil and create a marketplace for 21st century ‘green’ jobs
December 09, 2011 Read Full Article
The A.I.M. Interview: Heliae CEO Dan Simon
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) ...“Our goal is to be a world leader in algae technology solutions. Together with the Town of Gilbert and the State of Arizona, we have the capabilities, the vision and the resources to
December 09, 2011 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Push for SA Forestry Region
by Bryan Littlely (Adelaide Now) TREES and forestry waste from the Green Triangle in the South-East could soon be fuelling heavy transport. A German consortium is understood to be interested in investing in a $200 million biodiesel plant in the region. Austrade
December 09, 2011 Read Full Article
As Government Talks Strike Out, Business Steps up to Bat
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) This week, while the world’s biofuel producers were busy ramping up production towards the 54.1 billion gallon global capacity predicted by 2015, the people who regulate biofuels and make biofuel policy were mired in
December 09, 2011 Read Full Article
US and Brazil Spar Over Ethanol Trade Policy
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) Brazilian and U.S. ethanol interests are challenging each other over ethanol trade policy. The U.S./Brazil Council and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce wrote a joint letter to Congress last week asking that the U.S. secondary tariff on imported
December 09, 2011 Read Full Article
New Department of Natural Resources Advisory Council Weighted toward Timber Interests
(Michigan Radio) ...A new advisory council is heavily weighted with voices from the timber industry, and there will be more emphasis on developing forest products to boost the state’s economy. Governor Rick Snyder says there’s a lot of potential to use
December 09, 2011 Read Full Article
Transcriptional Changes Related to Secondary Wall Formation in Xylem of Transgenic Lines of Tobacco Altered for Lignin or Xylan Content which Show Improved Saccharification
by Charis M. Cook, Arsalan Daudi, David J. Millar, Laurence V. Bindschedler, Safina Khan, G. Paul Bolwell, Alessandra Devoto (Science Direct) In this study, an EST library (EH663598–EH666265) obtained from xylogenic tissue cultures of tobacco that had been previously generated was annotated. The library proved to be
December 09, 2011 Read Full Article
Gevo Receives Key Patent from USPTO for Efficient Production of Isobutanol
(Gevo) Gevo, Inc., a renewable chemicals and advanced biofuels company, today received a patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) on another aspect of its yeast technology that enables the low-cost, high-yield production of biobased isobutanol. Gevo was
December 09, 2011 Read Full Article
Verenium Announces Launch of Purifine® PLC Enzyme for Use in Biodiesel Production
(Verenium) Verenium Corporation, a leading industrial biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of high-performance enzymes, today announced that sales of its Purifine® phospholipase C (PLC) enzyme product will now also be targeted for use in pretreatment of oil
December 09, 2011 Read Full Article
Warburg Pincus, First Green Partners Form New $355M Venture Capital Group for Biofuels, Renewable Chemicals and Green-Black Technologies
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Minnesota, Warburg Pincus announced that it will invest up to $355 million in First Green Partners, a newly formed early-stage venture capital company. First Green will, in turn, invest in early-stage companies that focus on
December 09, 2011 Read Full Article
Energy Department Announces New Initiative to Remove Barriers for Industry to Work with National Labs, Commercialize Technology
(US Department of Energy) As part of President Obama’s commitment to helping U.S businesses create jobs and strengthen their competitiveness by speeding up the transfer of federal research and development from the laboratory to the marketplace, U.S. Deputy Secretary of
December 09, 2011 Read Full Article
Level the Playing Field for All Energy Sources
(25 x '25) Amid the political clamor surrounding congressional efforts to cut federal spending over the next decade and reduce the nation’s deficit, the ethanol industry has conceded that a seven-year subsidy benefiting the sector will end Dec. 31. ...Elsewhere, Congress
December 09, 2011 Read Full Article
Lux Research Report Predicts Global Biofuels Winners
(Algae Industry Magazine) Capacity for alternative fuels such as ethanol, biodiesel, and renewable diesel is at 44.6 billion gallons a year in 2011, but systemic hurdles will constrain their growth to under 5% annually through 2015. But pockets of promising
December 09, 2011 Read Full Article
National Science Foundation, Japan Science and Technology Agency Issue New Joint Awards To Reduce Pesticide Pollution And Promote Biofuel
(Red Orbit) The carbon footprint of humans will be reduced by four awards for plant and microbial research issued under a new joint U.S./Japanese program Four joint United States and Japanese research teams have been awarded funding totaling about $12 million
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Carbon Accounting for Forests, Forest Products, and Bioenergy: Recent Studies Released
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute)A number of new scientific studies have been released examining whether and how forests, forest management practices, forest products, and bioenergy from forests either contribute to or help mitigate climate change through carbon sequestration and emissions.
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
CALL for Papers: Nordic Wood Biorefinery Conference October 23-25, 2012 Helsinki, Finland DEADLINES March 31, 2012 (papers) and May 15, 2012 (posters)
The international event, Nordic Wood Biorefinery Conference (NWBC), is the leading meeting forum for wood biorefinery professionals. The next event will be held in Helsinki in October, 2012. This conference is jointly organised by VTT and Innventia. The conference language
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Halting Harmful Invaders: Research Identifies Acceptable Biofuel Feedstocks
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Good biofuel feedstocks are highly productive, have low input requirements and are widely adaptable. Unfortunately, those same traits are also common with invasive species. Language addressing invasive species is included in the Biomass Crop Assistance
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
China to the Rescue: U.S. Project Developers Look to China for Financial Support
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. federal government continually names China as being a country to beat in the clean energy race. However, increasingly, cellulosic ethanol producers and technology developers are coming to view China not as a
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Turn Up the Heat: Researchers Explore Heat-Resistant Enzymes
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...“Thermophilic fungi can be found worldwide, most commonly in habitats where self-heating of plant material results in high temperatures, such as compost heaps, municipal waste, plant straw, and animal dung,” he (Randy Berka, a
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Brazil Looks to Sweet Sorghum
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Monsanto providing seed for off-season ethanol feedstock Every year, Brazilian sugarcane mills clear and replant about 1.7 million hectares (4.2 million acres) of cane. This year, some mills are planting sweet sorghum developed by Monsanto
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Solving ILUC by Thinking Out of the Box
by Robert Vierhout (Ethanol Producer Magazine/ePURE) In various circles, the current thinking on indirect land use change (ILUC) is very much driven by negative perceptions. In the EU, the concern is that biofuel policy is counterproductive to what policymakers want
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Analyzing Concerns of EPA Regulatory Overreach
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is under persistent pressure from lawsuits and the threat of legislation that could either repeal its authority to regulate air and water pollution, or defund its programs. Therefore, EESI set about
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Educating Drivers about FFVs and Renewable Fuels
by Burl Haigwood (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Clean Fuels Foundation) Can your motor vehicle administration break the blend wall and help meet the RFS? ...The first question to be asked—“Are you driving an FFV?” The initial response to the FFV/MVA project has been favorable
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Mitigating Ethanol Market Risk by Monitoring Opportunities
by John Harangody (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Atlas Commodity Markets) ...The ethanol market has many diverse participants that view price from different perspectives, including relationships to corn, basis locations, reformulated gasoline blendstock for oxygenate (RBOB) blending, renewable identification numbers (RINs), sugar, crude
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
By Train, By Truck, or By Boat: How Ethanol Moves and Where It’s Going
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...In September, Ed Hubbard, legislative counsel for the Renewable Fuels Association, addressed the topic of ethanol exports during a presentation at an ethanol logistics conference held in New Orleans. He noted that the amount
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Australian Algae Project Features Unique Pond System
by Erin Voegele (Biorefining Magazine) A new algae project is underway in Australia. Algarythm Pty. Ltd., the operating company of Darke Peak Algae Biofuel Commercialization project, and Fishace Pty Ltd., trading as Fishace Ecological Engineering, recently announced the development of
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Codexis Introduces CodeXyme™ Cellulase Enzyme Product Line for Biobased Chemicals
(Codexis) Codexis, Inc. (Nasdaq: CDXS) today introduced the CodeXyme™ Cellulase enzyme product line to convert biomass to sugar, enabling cost effective production of sustainable products. "The launch of the CodeXyme™ Cellulase product line introduces Codexis as a player in the global cellulase enzyme market," said Alan
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
UAE Says Days of Easy Oil Nearly Over; EOR and Sour Oil/Gas Needed
(Platts) UAE Oil Minister Mohammed Bin Dhaen al-Hamli said Monday that the days of easy oil were coming to an end and the UAE and fellow oil producers are having to resort to enhanced oil recovery and development of complex
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Swedish Sustainability Certification for Biofuels
(The Bioenergy Site) Starting February 1, 2012, a Sustainability Decision from the Swedish Energy Agency is required for biofuels in order to be eligible for tax incentives or to count for mandatory national renewable energy targets in Sweden. Sweden was one
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Michigan's Loss, Alberta's Gain: Smoky Lake or High Prairie to House 66-Million-Litre Biodiesel Plant Starting in 2012
by Dave Cooper (Edmonton Journal) An innovative Michigan plant that could produce 66 million litres of biodiesel from sub-grade canola is about to be disassembled and readied for a move to Alberta this winter. The location will be either Smoky Lake
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
OriginOil Announces New Research Agreement with U.S. Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory
(OriginOil) OriginOil will work with DOE’s Office of Biomass Programs to create standards for algal biomass OriginOil, Inc. (OTC/BB: OOIL), the developer of a breakthrough technology to extract oil from algae and an emerging leader in the global algae oil services industry, today
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
FuturaGene Opens R&D Centre in China
(Biofuels International) FuturaGene, a woody crop plantation company for the bioenergy and biofuel markets, has opened a new biotech R&D centre in China. Although Futuragene has been working in China through partnerships with universities and research institutes over the last six
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Ethanol-Injection Systems Explained
by John Sherman (Car and Driver Magazine) Driving Under the Influence: Ethanol-injection systems aim to use alcohol responsibly. Thanks to the adoption of direct fuel injection, teaming gas and ethanol has the potential to beat diesel efficiency. We can hear your groans
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Livestock, Poultry Groups Request Hearing to Evaluate RFS
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A coalition of livestock and poultry lobby groups submitted a letter to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee leaders on Dec. 7, requesting a hearing to evaluate the economic impact of the renewable
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Iowa State University Scientists Part of US-Japan Team Set to Research Gene Chemistry to Enhance Biofuel, Biochemical Technology
(PressZoom/Iowa State University) An Iowa State University research team is collaborating with scientists at the Samuel Roberts Nobel Foundation and also with scientists in Japan to develop an international partnership to help make strides in the technologies needed towards
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Climate Change Fellowship Opportunity
Travel to Japan or Indonesia Travel Dates: Japan Fellowship February 13, 2012 – March 2, 2012 Indonesia Fellowship February 20, 2012 – March 9, 2012 Fellows are selected based on outstanding performance and the ability to play leadership roles in their organizations and in their communities.
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
A New Era For Biofuels
by Bret Korsgaard (SeekingAlpha) …Companies like Solazyme (SZYM), KiOR (KIOR), GEVO (GEVO), Amyris (AMRS) and Codexis (CDXS) were generally met with favorable terms in the public markets. The Street seemed to acknowledge that for a time, such public enterprises could
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
A Tiny Pacific Island Is Now Powered By Coconuts
by Michael J. Coren (FastCoExist.com) It’s not a joke. Coconuts—and not much else—are plentiful on the islands of Tokelau. So they’re making good with what they have, and converting the entire region to solar and coconut biofuels. The head of the
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Cádiz Team Making Biofuel from Beer Residue
by h.b. (Typically Spanish) Other universities in Andalucía are taking part in the research Researchers from the allelopathy in higher plants and microorganisms program in Cádiz University have managed to generate biofuel from the residue of beer. So far they have
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
CJP Organizes Global Programmes on Pongamia, Moringa, Jojoba and Castor Biodiesel Crop in 2012
(LowCarbonEconomy.com) ...CJP has the privilege to provide most authoritative Knowledge platform known for Development of Sustainable Non-Food Oil Crop Projects, Programmes and Priorities to Feed Biodiesel Industry Worldwide and has established the Biodiesel Business AcademyÔ (BBA) to provide quality,
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Byogy Seeks up to $30 Million to Market Alcohol-Based Jet Fuel
by Christine Boynton (Air Transport World) California-based Byogy Renewables will seek as much as $30 million in funding from private equity and strategic investors by mid-2012, Bloomberg reported. The funds will be used to commercialize its alcohol-based fuel, and for
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
American Commits to Renewable Diesel, Alternative Jet Fuels
by Christine Boynton (Air Transport World) American Airlines (AA), which will launch its first biofuels flight next summer, has signed a purchase agreement for renewable diesel and an MOU with two suppliers for alternative jet fuels, it was announced Wednesday
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
For Obama’s Green-Car Revolution, Fits and Starts
by Carol D. Leonnig and Joe Stephens (The WashingtonPost) The Obama administration has poured roughly $5 billion in taxpayer funds into the electric-car industry, offering incentives to manufacturers, their suppliers and even car buyers who might want to go green. But analysts say
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
CORE BioFuel Inc. Produces High Octane Gasoline in Tests of Biomass to Gasoline Process
(CORE BioFuel, Inc.) CORE BioFuel Inc., a Canadian company focused on energy security for the North American and European markets, announced today that it has successfully tested the last step in its wood-to-gasoline process to produce high-octane, benzene-free, drop-in gasoline.
December 07, 2011 Read Full Article
ADM Eyes Alberta, Canada, for New 70 MMgy Canola Biodiesel Plant
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) Decatur, Ill.-based global agribusiness firm Archer Daniels Midland Co. has proposed to build a 265 MMly (70 MMgy) biodiesel production plant in Lloydminster, Alberta, Canada, a project that would boost ADM’s North American installed biodiesel
December 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Greenleaf Biofuels Holds 10 MMgy Plant Groundbreaking Ceremony
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) Greenleaf Biofuels LLC held a groundbreaking ceremony for its 10 MMgy biodiesel plant in New Haven, Conn., on Nov. 4. The event took place adjacent to the cleared building lot with New Haven Terminal’s waterfront
December 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Crimson Renewable Energy Reopens 25 MMgy Bakersfield Plant
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) After sitting idle for two years, Crimson Renewable Energy LP has successfully completed recommissioning and start-up of its 25 MMgy biodiesel production facility in Bakersfield, Calif., with initial product lots certified and shipped Nov. 1. According
December 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Blue Sun to Offer Biodiesel at Knoxville, Tenn., Terminal
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) Denver-based biodiesel producer, marketer and distributor Blue Sun Biodiesel announced that it plans to deliver mechanically blended biodiesel to the Cummins Terminal located in Knoxville, Tenn., from a heated 546,000-gallon biodiesel tank through three of
December 07, 2011 Read Full Article
IRFA Announces Video Contest for Iowa High School Students
by Ann Marie Edwards (DomesticFuel.com) Lights, camera, cash prizes! The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) wants Iowa high school students to submit their best videos highlighting renewable fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. The second annual “Fuel the Future” video contestis for students in
December 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Our View: On VEETC, We Won
by Garry Niemeyer (National Corn Growers Association) Back in August, the Green Scissors Project identified ways the federal government could shave $380 billion from the federal budget over five years. But their $380 billion in proposed cuts included a major
December 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Congress ‘Lost faith’ in Advanced Bioenergy, Key Lawmaker Says
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) Programs the Obama administration has been pushing to promote next-generation biofuels are likely to have little funding in the next farm bill, according to the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, Rep. Collin
December 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Airlines Flying on Clean Fuel Should Pay Less Tax, Branson Says
by Louise Downing (Bloomberg) Governments need to make it “very clear” that jet fuel made from sources such as inedible plants and organic waste aren’t taxed like regular fuel, said Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. A push by governments
December 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Indian River Bio-Ethanol Plant Earns Initial Tax Abatement Approval
by Henry A. Stephens (TCPalm.com) The nation's first waste-derived bio-ethanol plant won initial approval Tuesday to avoid paying almost $956,000 in county property taxes during its first 10 years of operation. In a series of 14-0 votes, the county Economic Development
December 07, 2011 Read Full Article
RFA Responds to Letter Sent to Senate Committee
by Ann Marie Edwards (DomesticFuel.com) The Renewable Fuels Association(RFA) has sent a letter to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee leadership refuting statements that were made in a Nov. 30th letter sent to the committee by ethanol critics. According to RFA, the
December 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Sapphire Energy Named by Forbes as One of America's Most Promising Companies
(Sapphire Energy) Identified as One of 16 Companies to Watch with Under $1 Million in Sales Sapphire Energy, Inc., one of the world leaders in algae-based crude oil, today announced that the company has been chosen by Forbes for its list of America’s
December 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Algae InSight
by Mary Rosenthal (Algal Biomass Organization) ...There are four key takeaways from these meetings that I think are critical for our industry as we close out 2011 and plan for 2012. 1. Support for renewable energy overall, and biofuels in particular,
December 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Rangel Introduces Bill to Extend Ethanol Duty, Benefitting U.S. Producers and Refiners in the Caribbean and Central America
(Congressman Charles Rangel (D- NY 15) Congressman Charles Rangel on December 2, 2011, introduced legislation to extend "other duty or charge" (ODC), a key component of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA), that provides duty-free treatment to ethanol imports
December 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Sugarcane Ethanol Producers Respond to Unfair Legislation to Extend Tariff
(Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association/PR NewsWire) In response to the introduction of H.R. 3552, legislation sponsored by four members of the U.S. House of Representatives to extend the import tax on foreign ethanol, the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) issued the
December 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Implications of Biodiesel-Induced Land-Use Changes for CO2 Emissions: Case Studies in Tropical America, Africa, and Southeast Asia
by Achten, W. M. J., and L. V. Verchot (Ecology and Society) Biofuels are receiving growing negative attention. Direct and/or indirect land-use changes that result from their cultivation can cause emissions due to carbon losses in soils and biomass and could
December 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Scaling Biofuels for Aviation ‘Not so difficult,’ Branson Says
by Timothy Hurst (Earth & Industry) The commercial aviation industry could go from being one of the dirtiest to being one of the cleanest in ten years, according to one of the industry's best-known figures. Richard Branson says the world's 7,000
December 07, 2011 Read Full Article
DSM, CIMV Produce Ethanol From Wheat Straw in Biofuel Project
by Rudy Ruitenberg (Bloomberg) Royal DSM NV and France’s CIMV SA produced ethanol from wheat straw in a test run of a project led by French agricultural researcher INRA to develop so-called second-generation biofuels. Levallois-Perret, France-based CIMV broke down the straw
December 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Dial-a-Ride Vehicles Trialling Biodiesel
(Wired-gov.net) Transport for London (TfL)is to use an environmentally friendly biofuel in 12 of its Dial-a-Ride vehicles in a year-long trial. It is estimated the vehicles will produce 25 per cent less carbon emissions than a normal diesel-powered vehicle and if
December 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Group Seeks Classification as Advanced Biofuel for Energy Beets
by Sue Roesler (Farm & Ranch Guide) Cole Gustafson, department chair of the Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics at North Dakota State University, said while there’s more concerns about corn ethanol at the Congressional level with the “food
December 07, 2011 Read Full Article
By year end, POET to Produce Enough Corn Oil for 12 Million Gallons Per Year of Biodiesel
(POET/Renewable Energy World) Voilà™ corn oil production in six POET plants, with more on the way With its patent-pending technology expanding to a total of 6 plants, POET will produce corn oil as feedstock for 12 million gallons of biodiesel per
December 07, 2011 Read Full Article
PetroAlgae’s IPO: The 10-Minute Version
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Can PetroAlgae find a market for its feed among the aficionados of alfalfa and fishmeal, with fuels on the side? In its recent IPO revision, it says “sure can”. ... PetroAlgae has filed a massive revision
December 07, 2011 Read Full Article
U.S. Biofuel Camelina Production Set to Soar
by John Daly (OilPrice.com) Biofuel sources currently under development include algae, jatropha and camelina. Of the three, camelina is increasingly emerging as the frontrunner in attracting initial investment worldwide, as global demand for aviation fuel for passenger flights is now
December 06, 2011 Read Full Article
Triticale Offers Benefits over Wheat for Biofuels
by Louise Impey (Farmers Weekly Interactive) New research shows that growing triticale instead of wheat for biofuel production could have higher financial returns for both farmers and biofuel producers thanks to ability of triticale to outyield wheat, at similar or
December 06, 2011 Read Full Article
Asian Palm-Based Biofuel May Struggle in U.S.
by Niluksi Koswanage (Reuters) Indonesian palm-based biodiesel shipments seeking a foothold in the United States will face stiff competition from feedstocks such as corn oil and waste oils, which will become cheaper as more supplies hit the market, a top
December 06, 2011 Read Full Article
Europe: Petroleum Imports: OK. Biofuel Imports: No Way
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) Europe, I don’t know how to tell you this, but you’re not going to stuff the biofuels genie back in the bottle. And let’s face it, you’ve got much bigger problems to deal with
December 06, 2011 Read Full Article
California Biodiesel & Renewable Diesel Conference January 16, 2012 San Francisco, CA
Presented by the California Biodiesel Alliance and Biodiesel Magazine, California Biodiesel & Renewable Diesel Conference is the first event of its kind and will serve as the state’s most important conversation between policy makers, investors, researchers, producers and fuel users regarding
December 05, 2011 Read Full Article
Prince Edward Island Agency Backed for Beet Ethanol Plant
(Alberta Farmer) A company set up to develop a commercially viable way of using Prince Edward Island beets as an ethanol feedstock has been backed to build a demonstration-scale processing plant. Atlantec BioEnergy Corp., which for years has spearheaded a beet
December 05, 2011 Read Full Article
Taking the Fuel Out of Biofuels
by Ben Lefebvre (Wall Street Journal) Unable to compete with petroleum products, biofuel companies have found replacement products to sell As advanced biofuel companies work toward creating an economically viable alternative to petroleum, some have found an alternative place to
December 05, 2011 Read Full Article
Refiners Warn Marketers of Imminent End of Ethanol Tax Break
(NACS Online) Refiners are starting to warn marketers to prepare for the end of the 4.5 cts/gal ethanol tax credit, which is set to expire at month's end, absent last-minute action by Congress. Chevron notified its jobbers on Dec. 1 that
December 05, 2011 Read Full Article
Clean-Energy Policies Create Jobs, and Congress Should Take Note
(The Boston Globe) Editorial: ...But Solyndra’s subsequent failure isn’t a sign that the administration has gone too far; rather, it’s a sign that Congress, which tolerates all manner of explicit and implicit subsidies for fossil fuels and corn ethanol, hasn’t
December 05, 2011 Read Full Article
SLAC Research Cracks Puzzle of Enzyme Critical to Food Supply
(SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory) If we could make plant food from nitrogen the way nature does, we’d have a much greener method for manufacturing fertilizer – a process that requires such high temperatures and pressures that it consumes about 1.5
December 05, 2011 Read Full Article
Troubled Ethanol Plant Looks to Sell Water for Fracking
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Idled ethanol plant Bionol Clearfield LLC is working to get approval to sell some of the water it would be using for ethanol production to sell to the natural gas extraction industry for
December 05, 2011 Read Full Article
Latin America Strives to Become the Greenest Continent
by James Burgess (OilPrice.com) Latin America is one of the world’s largest continents, with abundant, untapped energy resources. It also boasts several countries with rapidly growing economies such as Brazil and Mexico. In fact Brazil’s energy demand is predicted to
December 05, 2011 Read Full Article
Africa's Farmland in Demand: 'Is There a Better Place than This?'
by Rick Westhead (The Star) ...Indian industrialist Sai Ramakrishna Karuturi has his eye on this lush scenery, too, but he sees something much different: the potential for large-scale commercial farming. Karuturi, from the South Indian city of Bangalore, envisions the fields
December 05, 2011 Read Full Article
Area Plant Makes Bio-Resins for Plastics
by Dave Dreeszen (Sioux City Journal) A northeast Nebraska start-up company has produced its first batches of an ag-based material that holds great promise for the global plastics industry. Laurel BioComposite LLC recently opened a pilot plant that makes so-called "Bio-Res"