(Bloomberg) A Chinese company plans to produce jatropha ... in the Democratic Republic of Congo,...Greater Kingdom Group, has asked for 10,000 hectares in each of the provinces... READ MORE
Ethiopia: E10 Petroleum Coming in Weeks
by Hayal Alemayehu (NewsDire) The government is schedule to increase the proportion of ethanol being blended in benzene to 10 percent beginning March 7. For over a year now, the benzene that has been in use in Addis Ababa
January 19, 2011 Read Full Article
China Will Scale Faster Than US in Race for New Transport Fuels, Accenture Report Finds
(BusinessWire/Accenture) China could lead the race to roll out electric vehicles and will deploy new transport technologies at scale more quickly than the United States, according to a report by Accenture that compares the two countries. But the US could
January 19, 2011 Read Full Article
Chromatin’s Yield Machine: Is Instant Gene-Stacking a Game-Changer for Energy Crops?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Illinois, Chromatin announced the successful first demonstration that genes can be assembled, stacked, and expressed in sugarcane using the company’s mini-chromosome technology. Now, what exactly is a gene stack and why should I care? Most
January 19, 2011 Read Full Article
Biofuel Truck Quietly Proves Nothing Need Go to Waste
by Isaac Davison (NZHerald.co.NZ) ...The truck, launched in Rodney yesterday by Auckland Mayor Len Brown, is the result of the first successful New Zealand project to turn landfill gas into a transport fuel. Its creators say the truck's
January 19, 2011 Read Full Article
Advancing Colorado's Renewable Energy (ACRE) Doles out Colorado Renewable Energy Grants
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) The Advancing Colorado’s Renewable Energy program awarded 15 grants totaling more than $600,000 in an effort to spur additional instate renewable energy development. Administered by the Colorado Agricultural Value Added Development Board, ACRE specifically
January 19, 2011 Read Full Article
As Gas Prices Rise, State Looks at Fuel Alternatives
by Robyn L. Minor (Bowling Green Daily News) Officials studying logistical challenges facing biofuel progress With gas prices in December seeing the biggest jump in 18 months, consideration of alternative fuel development moves to the forefront. “Gas price certainly reinvigorates the conversation,”
January 18, 2011 Read Full Article
Spinning ILUC Policy the European Way
by Robert Vierhout (ePURE/Ethanol Producer Magazine) It took the European Commission several stakeholder meetings, two public consultations and many more economic modelling studies to conclude that the indirect land use change (ILUC) effects of biofuel demand are not that obvious.
January 18, 2011 Read Full Article
A Million Dollars a Month
by Antonio Acost (Faribault County Register) It pays to conserve energy. Especially, if you are producing ethanol. Corn Plus officials in Winnebago will soon receive a check in the mail for $12 million. “It’s going to keep us financially viable for some
January 18, 2011 Read Full Article
30 Years of Unparalleled Progress
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...When the Renewable Fuels Association was formed in late 1980, America was producing just 175 million gallons of ethanol per year. Today, the industry produces more than 13 billion gallons annually,
January 18, 2011 Read Full Article
Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board Joins Clean Fuels Foundation Flex Fuel Vehicle Awareness Campaign
(Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board) Grain producers from the state of Maryland announced they have awarded a grant to the Clean Fuels Foundation for a statewide program to increase the sale of high level ethanol blends and support local E85
January 18, 2011 Read Full Article
College Students Lack Scientific Literacy, Study Finds
(Michigan State University) Most college students in the United States do not grasp the scientific basis of the carbon cycle – an essential skill in understanding the causes and consequences of climate change, according to research published in the January
January 18, 2011 Read Full Article
AGQM-Project Report: “Recommendations for a Mexican Biodiesel Standard and the Infra-Structure Required for Its Handling”
(IEA Bioenergy Task 39) Since governments and societies becoming more and more aware of the geopolitical, economical and environmental risks of oil dependency biofuels are gaining a rising attention. In Mexico the use of biodiesel as an additive to improve
January 18, 2011 Read Full Article
The Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Commission Has Published “Prospects for Agricultural Markets and Income 2010-2020”.
(IEA Bioenergy Task 39) The outlook consists of a set of market and sector income prospects elaborated on the basis of specific assumptions regarding macroeconomic conditions, the agricultural and trade policy environment, weather conditions and international market developments. The medium term
January 18, 2011 Read Full Article
Approaches for Optimising the Greenhouse Gas Balance of Biodiesel Produced from Rapeseed
(IEA Bioenergy Task 39) On the request of the UFOP, the DBFZ examined several approaches to improving the Green-House-Gas (GHG) saving balance of biodiesel produced from rape seed. The work was based on the so called default values for biodiesel
January 18, 2011 Read Full Article
City’s Biofuel Experiment Ends
by Denis Langlois (OwenSoundSunTimes.com) Owen Sound is scrapping its environmentally conscious biodiesel program due to its cost and a "considerable" number of engine failures. ...The city first fuelled a bus on a blend of diesel and cooking oil in 2007
January 18, 2011 Read Full Article
Genetic Mutation Helps Plants Use Less Water without Biomass Loss
(NewKerala.com) Purdue University researchers have made a discovery that could reduce the amount of water required for growing plants and help plants survive and thrive in adverse conditions. They have found a genetic mutation that allows a plant to better endure drought
January 18, 2011 Read Full Article
How Agricultural Biotechnology Boosts Food Supply and Accomodates Biofuels
by Steven Sexton, David Zilberman (National Bureau of Economic Research) Increased global demand for biofuels is placing increased pressure on agricultural systems at a time when traditional sources of yield improvements have been mostly exhausted, generating concerns about the future of
January 18, 2011 Read Full Article
Climate Capitalism and Biofuels Ready to Break Out in 2011
by Boyd Cohen (Triple Pundit) ...However, over the past several years, we have seen significant advances in the development of biofuels in favor of more sustainable practices. And given the growing demand for biodiesel, ethanol-blended gasoline and other biofuels,
January 18, 2011 Read Full Article
Canadian Biodiesel Plant to Make Fuel from Flax
by Susan Taylor (Reuters) A tiny Canadian startup company that is preparing to open a biodiesel plant in Toronto this spring says it will produce clean fuel, animal feed and human food all from the modest flax seed. Privately held Energy
January 18, 2011 Read Full Article
Biofuel Crops Proposed for South Florida Land Targeted for Water Storage, Environmental Restoration
by Andy Reid (Sun Sentinel) Instead of planting more sugar cane and citrus, biofuel farming could spread to South Florida land set aside for future water management and environmental restoration. The South Florida Water Management District has more than 200,000 acres
January 18, 2011 Read Full Article
Lotta Watta: Algal Innovators Pioneering New Extraction Techniques
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Ohio, Algaeventure Systems advises that, today, they are releasing an RFP targeting the nation's leading algae producers to act as demonstration sites for its SLS Industrial algae dewatering technology under its 2009 DOE ARPA-E
January 18, 2011 Read Full Article
NX Global to Develop Canadian, US Algae Projects
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) NX Global Inc. has received a $100 million funding commitment from a private U.S.-based organization. The financial support will be used to purchase property and fund construction on a waste-to-energy and algae facility in Canada.
January 17, 2011 Read Full Article
IndianOil and LanzaTech Sign MOU for Fuel Grade Ethanol Technology
(myCFO/LanzaTech) IndianOil, India's flagship petroleum major, and LanzaTech, a leading clean energy technology company, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for collaboration in a technology demonstration that will enable IndianOil to produce fuel grade ethanol. The MOU was signed in
January 17, 2011 Read Full Article
Report: Range Fuels to Shut Down Plant
by Ucilia Wang (Earth2Tech/Reuters) The bad news about the layoffs at cellulosic biofuel maker Range Fuels just got worse. The financially-strapped company plans to shut down its plant in Georgia after making just one batch of ethanol, according to a
January 17, 2011 Read Full Article
Range Fuels Confirms Layoffs, New Funding Drive; Executes Planned Shutdown in GA after First Ethanol Run
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Colorado, Range Fuels confirmed to a variety of media outlets that it had made layoffs in Colorado and Georgia, and will shut down its Soperton, Georgia plant after an initial ethanol demonstration run in
January 17, 2011 Read Full Article
Scandinavia Goes Viking in Advanced Biofuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In the Old Norse, the term “viking” meant to “undertake an expedition” and it later came to characterize the raiders, settlers and traders that epitomized an era of Scandinavian expansion that impacted Europe, Asia
January 17, 2011 Read Full Article
A New Racing Simulator from Argonne National Laboratory
(American Le Mans Series) Driving the Green Racing Movement One of the most important jobs of the technical community isn’t necessarily the technology developed. Rather it's education and promotion of such advancements. Without the support and understanding of the benefits of
January 14, 2011 Read Full Article
National Energy Security: U.S. Government Eyes Biofuels
(BIO tech NOW) Defense Department details military needs for advanced biofuels The U.S. military has a real need for biofuels. The Navy sets its requirement at 336 million gallons by 2020. ...Paul Bryan, biomass program manager for the Energy Department, who also spoke
January 14, 2011 Read Full Article
Finding Common Ground: Stay Halts Destruction of Planted Sugar Beets
(BIO tech NOW) BIO and government make case for allowing interim planting of genetically biotech beets until APHIS completes its environmental impact statement The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has issued a temporary stay of a Nov.
January 14, 2011 Read Full Article
Michigan Corn Farmers Showcase Ethanol as Performance Fuel
(Michigan Ag Connection) ...Ethanol, 200 proof alcohol, is a renewable fuel made from corn. It has been used mainly in automobiles, but is now being looked at for use and increased performance of snowmobiles. The Corn Marketing Program of Michigan
January 14, 2011 Read Full Article
Blender Pumps in North Dakota
by KXMBTV Bismarck (KXNet.com) Producing a new fuel mix...right at the station, ethanol blender pumps are helping push the demand for ethanol. At Wilton Cenex they're blending their own mix of gasoline and ethanol right at the pump. Consumers now have the choice of
January 14, 2011 Read Full Article
Advanced Biofuels Company Algae.Tec Lists on ASX
Algae.Tec Limited (ASX: AEB) an advanced biofuels company with a pioneering highly-efficient algae growth and harvesting system (the McConchie-Stroud System) is listing on the ASX today at 10am WST January 14, 2011. The McConchie-Stroud System uses low-maintenance technologies and a
January 14, 2011 Read Full Article
Biofuel Bonanza for East TN Farmers
(Nashville Business Journal) East Tennessee farmers have started to reap benefits from efforts to turn switchgrass into biofuel, with at least one farmer saying that if he had it to do over again, he would devote four times as much
January 14, 2011 Read Full Article
Power Fund Board Approves Terms for Iowa Cellulosic Ethanol Project by DuPont-Danisc
(Iowa Office of Energy Independence) Project Would Produce Jobs and New Energy Technology for Iowa The Iowa Power Fund Board (Board) approved terms January 12, 2011, to start contract negotiations on a grant award for one of the first in the nation,
January 14, 2011 Read Full Article
GTI and CRI/Criterion Inc. Sign Licensing Agreement for IH2 Process Technology to Produce Cellulosic Gasoline and Diesel Hydrocarbon Blendstock
GTI announced it has signed an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with CRI/Criterion Inc., for its Integrated Hydropyrolysis and Hydroconversion (IH2) technology, which converts biomass directly into cellulosic gasoline and diesel hydrocarbon blendstocks. This licensing agreement will expedite the realization of
January 14, 2011 Read Full Article
110 Advanced Biofuels Projects Now in Development: Advanced Biofuels Tracking Database for Q1 2011
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Biofuels Digest is projecting that global advanced biofuels capacity will reach 4.003 billion gallons by 2015, based on company announcements to date. Today, the Digest released version 1.7 of its free Advanced Biofuels Tracking Database, projecting
January 14, 2011 Read Full Article
EPA Delays Climate Rules for Biomass Industry
by Juliet Eilperin (Washington Post) In another sign that the Environmental Protection Agency is moderating its climate policy, it announced Wednesday it would exempt the biomass industry from limits on greenhouse gas emissions for three years. More than two dozen lawmakers had urged EPA
January 13, 2011 Read Full Article
The Economics of Biofuels
(Pacific Rim BioEnergy) Note: This is an update from an earlier post. The earlier post outlined the concepts but did not have any specific details. This post utilizes current figures and displays the economic principals based on those current figures. The
January 13, 2011 Read Full Article
Low Cost Algae Oil Production System Advances
by Bob Brooks (Automotive Industries) Photon8, a new venture algae oil development firm has emerged from research work at the University Of Texas, Brownsville, TX, by placing its priority on the economics of making algal based diesel fuel oil at
January 13, 2011 Read Full Article
Valero Invests in Mascoma, Signs Cellulosic Ethanol Offtake Agreement; Inks LOI for up to $50M in Equity
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New Hampshire, Mascoma announced that Valero Energy has joined as an investor in the company. Further, Mascoma, Valero, and Mascoma’s operating subsidiary, Frontier Renewable Resources, (jointly owned with J.M. Longyear) have signed a non-binding letter
January 13, 2011 Read Full Article
Top 11 Algae Market Trends For 2011
by Will Thurmond (Biofuels Digest/ Emerging Markets Online) 1 Emerging Markets Growth US and EU-based algae producers and licensors of technology are increasingly looking to the Emerging Markets in Latin America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East ... 2 Renewable Oils
January 13, 2011 Read Full Article
The Elusive Green Economy
by Joshua Green (The Atlantic) It feels like 1977 all over again: economy in the doldrums, crisis in the Middle East, and a charismatic new Democrat in the White House preaching the gospel of clean energy. Can Obama succeed where
January 13, 2011 Read Full Article
New Research Shows Bioenergy Crops are Complementary, Not Competitors
(The Farm Trader) With public debate surrounding how Australia can meet its future energy needs gathering pace in recent weeks, three new RIRDC reports on potential bioenergy feedstocks will serve as a valuable addition to the exchange of ideas on
January 12, 2011 Read Full Article
Laila Padi 'Waste' Found to Have Great Potential as Biofuel
by Ubaidillah Masli (Brunei Times) LAILA, the rice variety heralded as the answer to Brunei's food self-sufficiency woes, might also fuel the Sultanate's cars in the future as an efficient and more environment-friendly biofuel. This is the finding of a
January 12, 2011 Read Full Article
U.S. Car Czar: Industry Faces Massive Change by 2023
by Nick Carey and Deepa Seetharaman (Reuters) The American auto industry will change more in the next dozen years than it has during the past 50, said the U.S. Treasury official charged with overseeing the government's investment in the auto
January 12, 2011 Read Full Article
Much-Touted Cellulosic Ethanol Is Late in Making Mandated Appearance
by Dina Fine Maron (ClimateWire/New York Times) ...U.S. EPA figures indicate that in the second half of 2010, not a drop of cellulosic ethanol -- a much-touted fuel that taps the sugars from farm wastes and other non-food sources of
January 12, 2011 Read Full Article
Ethanol Industry Faces High Corn Prices
by Todd Neeley (The Progressive Farmer) ...(P)ressure from rising corn prices at the start of 2011 is expected to test ethanol producers' ability to manage risk. ...Rabobank said ethanol would remain profitable with corn prices above $7 a bushel.
January 12, 2011 Read Full Article
New Service Station to Offer Alternative Fuels
by Vikki Broughton Hodges (The Dispatch) The first local retail sales of ethanol and biodiesel fuels are scheduled to begin in April at Sparky’s Marketplace, a new service station, convenience store and car wash being developed by Hill Oil Co.
January 12, 2011 Read Full Article
On-Farm Energy Prices May Rise as Economy Improves
By Christine Souza (California Farm Bureau Federation) As the nation attempts to recover from the economic downturn, farmers and ranchers realize this kind of positive movement in the economy will lead to higher energy costs. A significant portion of
January 12, 2011 Read Full Article
Eastern Gain Biofuels Project to Be Headed by Military Veteran
(Biofuels Center of North Carolina) Retired U.S. Coast Guard veteran Captain Terry Carter has joined the Biofuels Center staff as director of eastern and military partnerships. He will lead a significant large project, Eastern Gain: Biofuels Enrich Our Communities, Economy, and Security. A
January 12, 2011 Read Full Article
Kingdom Considers Producing Ethanol from Waste
by Querubin J. Minas (The Saudi) In line with the Saudi government’s initiative to diversify energy resources and promote clean environment at the same time, a US company is introducing an innovative, versatile biofuel solution to produce ethanol using
January 12, 2011 Read Full Article
Raptor Fabrication and Equipment Announces Completion of New Biodiesel Plant
(MarketWire/Raptor Technology Group, Inc.) Greenwave Biodiesel Facility in Fort Lauderdale Operational Raptor Technology Group, Inc. announced that the company it is in the process of acquiring, Raptor Fabrication and Equipment, Inc. ("Raptor"), has started up its newest biodiesel plant for its customer,
January 12, 2011 Read Full Article
View from the Top: Federal Investments in Energy Infrastructure: What’s Worked before Can Work Again
by Mary Rosenthal (Algal Biomass Organization/Biofuels Digest) ...The federal government must follow its long history of investing in national energy initiatives. ...Recently, any call for increased government funding or involvement in this nascent industry has been met with criticism or
January 12, 2011 Read Full Article
Farm Bureau Supports Change in Biofuels Policy
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) The American Farm Bureau Federation is supporting a new direction in biofuels policy away from the blenders tax credit and toward increasing infrastructure. “The whole discussion has been evolving within the industry and within the Congress,” said AFBF President
January 12, 2011 Read Full Article
Bright Future for Biodiesel Gains Focus at North American International Auto Show
(National Biodiesel Board) Automakers Back Biodiesel, America’s First Commercially Available ‘Advanced Biofuel’ The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit has long been known as THE event of the year for the latest vehicle technologies and innovations, setting the pace
January 12, 2011 Read Full Article
Green Dream Team Memories: Gunnar Jeanne
(ALMS) GETG's ace pilot talked green with students from UW-Madison Gunnar Jeannette did not hesitate to raise his hand last season when personally invited by the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón to become an environmental ambassador in 2010.
January 11, 2011 Read Full Article
Study Estimates Land Available for Biofuel Crops
(EurekAlert/University of Illinois-Champaign-Urbana) Using detailed land analysis, Illinois researchers have found that biofuel crops cultivated on available land could produce up to half of the world's current fuel consumption – without affecting food crops or pastureland. Published in the journal Environmental Science
January 11, 2011 Read Full Article
Broomfield's Range Fuels Cuts Staff
by Alicia Wallace (DailyCamera.com) CEO says he's optimistic about future of firm, technology Range Fuels, a company based here that specializes in producing fuel from slash and feedstock, has pared back its local work force amid an industry slowdown. Range
January 11, 2011 Read Full Article
Norway Backs Ethanol Plant
(Argus Media) Norwegian chemicals and technology specialist Borregaard has secured a government grant of 58mn kroner ($9.8mn) to build a 400m³ pilot ethanol plant in Sarpsborg, southeast Norway. ...The Sarpsborg plant will use a diverse array of agricultural feedstock including straw,
January 11, 2011 Read Full Article
The Top Five Heating Oil Stories to Watch in 2011
by Josh Garrett (HeatingOil.com) ...Fitful economic recovery in the US and around the world, looming fights over financial and environmental regulation, and the continuing advancement of alternative fuel technologies are certain to make 2011 an interesting and eventful year for
January 11, 2011 Read Full Article
The Hidden Cost of Oil at the Grocery Store Checkout Counter
by Stephanie Dreyer (Renewable Energy World/Growth Energy) ...The cost of crude is a major inflator of grocery prices, because transportation, manufacturing and packaging cost more as oil prices go up. In 2009, when diesel was $2.67 a gallon, the cost
January 11, 2011 Read Full Article
Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center Announces Summer Programs for Teachers and Undergraduates
Research Experience for Teachers (RET) (UW): The RET allows grade 6 -14 science or agriculture teachers to spend 6 weeks on campus in the summer to develop a classroom lab or activity related to bioenergy. RET participants work with their mentor
January 10, 2011 Read Full Article
National Energy Security: U.S. Government Eyes Biofuels
(BiotechNow) ...Paul Bryan, biomass program manager for the Energy Department, who also spoke at the Pacific Rim Summit, points out that the government’s transition to biofuels must be careful and deliberate. “We get a lot of products from a barrel of
January 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Philadelphia Eagles Go Greener with Eco-Friendly Stadium
by Neela Banerjee (Los Angeles Times) ...(Jeffrey) Lurie and his wife, Christina Weiss Lurie, are retrofitting Lincoln Financial Field with wind turbines, solar panels and a biodiesel-reliant power plant with the goal of making it the first major U.S. sports facility
January 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Pratt & Whitney Military Engines Power Biofuel Tests for U.S. Air Force
(Pratt & Whitney) A Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 engine recently powered its first biofuel test flight of a U.S. Air Force F-15 Eagle at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. This flight test, powered by alternative jet fuel, comes on the
January 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Four Clear Lake-Area Inventors among Team Patenting New Process to Make Ethanol
by Andrew Benedict-Nelson (Ultimate Clear Lake) Four inventors in the Clear Lake area are among a team receiving a U.S. patent for a new way of producing ethanol on an industrial scale. According to the patent, the inventors unexpectedly discovered
January 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Ethanol 'All about National Security'
by Daniel Looker (Agriculture.com) To farmers who pioneered the ethanol industry, the goal was creating another market for corn. To retired General Wesley Clark, it’s about patriotism and national security. Clark, who is co-chairman of the ethanol lobbying group, Growth Energy,
January 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Biofuel Grasslands for the Birds
by Tim Wall (Discovery News) Picture the vibrant wildflowers and swaying grasses of prairies covering the Midwestern United States once again, teeming with wildlife and requiring very little management from people, yet providing a renewable energy sources. Managing native grasslands for
January 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Household Sewage: Not Waste, but a Vast New Energy Resource
(American Chemical Society) In a finding that gives new meaning to the adage, “waste not, want not,” scientists are reporting that household sewage has far more potential as an alternative energy source than previously thought. They say the discovery, which
January 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Global Renewable Fuels Alliance: Biofuels Can Ease the Impact of Hazardous Oil Prices
(Global Renewable Fuels Alliance) This week the International Energy Agency (IEA) issued a wakeup call to the world that high oil prices pose a threat to the stability of an already fragile recovering global economy. The IEA went on to
January 10, 2011 Read Full Article
The Formation of The Center for Sustainable Energy Farming, a Non-Profit Research Foundation, Was Announced by Global Clean Energy Holdings, Inc., a Leader in Jatropha and Energy Farming
(Globe Newswire) Global Clean Energy Holdings announced the establishment of a new non-profit research organization: The Center for Sustainable Energy Farming (www.CfSEF.org). The Center's mission is to perform cutting-edge plant science research in genetics, breeding and horticulture, and further develop technologies to allow
January 10, 2011 Read Full Article
The New Economics of Next-Gen Gasification: ClearFuels Technology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...(S)team reformation, a process by which gasified biomass is converted into a useful balance of hydrogen and carbon monoxide ... itself has struggled with high costs associated with the high temperatures at which the system operates.
January 10, 2011 Read Full Article
International Algae Competition DEADLINE October 11, 2011
The First International Algae Competition was launched at the World Algae Congress held in San Francisco, CA, December 6-8, 2010. Algae Competition objectives are to create an open source collaboratory that expands and shares a vision for algae in our future
January 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Effort under Way to Restore BCAP Funding in 2011 Appropriations Bill
by Sue Sterling (The Daily Star-Journal) Agricultural and environmental groups hope to convince legislators to restore funding for the Biomass Crop Assistance Program in the Senate Omnibus Appropriations Bill that will be considered in March. The BCAP program, enacted as part
January 07, 2011 Read Full Article
POET Helps 4th Graders Study Alternative Energy
(POET) Partnership with Dakota State University adds renewable fuel/energy component to ‘South Dakota Road Trip' The history of alternative fuel is deeply rooted in the Midwest, and POET is helping to bring that proud history to light for about 5,000 South
January 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Tax Holidays, Cheap Loans: Why Mississippi is Attracting Greentech
by Michael Kanellos (GreenTechSolar) In the past year, the state of Mississippi has convinced an impressive array of green tech and other companies to open factories in its borders. How exactly is it pulling this off, considering that the state doesn't even have
January 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Crops to Be Turned into Fuel on Big Island
by Mark Niesse (AP/Washington Examiner) Crops grown on Hawaii's Big Island will be converted into liquid fuel as part of a deal announced Thursday between Hawaiian Electric Co. and renewable energy company Aina Koa Pono. The agreement is the first in
January 07, 2011 Read Full Article
With a Little Help From My Friends
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) ...Yet while we lament about high energy costs, we downright howl over the higher costs of alternative energy and try to push today’s development aside for future progress and cost competitiveness. Let’s talk about cost parity for a
January 07, 2011 Read Full Article
How Oil Could Kill the Recovery
by Derek Thompson (The Atlantic) ...(E)xpensive oil is poisonous to an oil-driven economy. Every severe oil spike in the last 50 years has been followed by a deep recession. ...The United States imported $400 billion of oil in 2008, nearly 3
January 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Plug-in Vehicles and Their Dirty Little Secret
by John Petersen (Renewable Energy World) ...The dirty little secret of plug-in vehicles is that they'll all charge their batteries with inherently dirty night-time power and be responsible for more CO2 emissions than a fuel efficient Prius-class HEV that costs
January 07, 2011 Read Full Article
China’s Biofuels Market Grows, Remains on Subsidy Life-Support
(GCiS China/PR.com) China’s pricing controls, subsidies and cultivation policies have played a critical role in shaping this USD 2.3 Bn market, but over-regulation has made it unattractive for profit making ventures and the much needed innovation they bring. GCiS China
January 07, 2011 Read Full Article
The Big Price Build-Up: Are You Ready?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US economy is just now showing signs of revival, and already we are seeing signs of runaway oil and grain prices that may bring unwanted inflation and dangerous instability hardly before the recovery has
January 07, 2011 Read Full Article
EU Wants Answers over German Animal Feed Dioxin Scandal
by Gregg Benzow (Deutsche Welle) ...The poisonous chemical dioxin was discovered in eggs and poultry last week and is believed to have stemmed from animal feed contaminated with industrial fats. ...The German feed manufacturer Harles & Jentzsch in Schleswig-Holstein said on Tuesday
January 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Banned Four Loko Gets New Use as Auto Fuel
by Zinie Chen Sampson (AP/MSNBC) Virginia company turns alcoholic drinks into ethanol Truckloads of Four Loko and other alcohol-laced energy drinks are being recycled into ethanol and other products after federal authorities told manufacturers the beverages were dangerous and caused users
January 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Confederation of Indian Industry Proposes Bio-Diesel Price Hike
(The Economic Times) The government should raise the price of bio-diesel obtained from the jatropha plant to support the bio-diesel industry's sustainability efforts, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) says. ...The study estimates that if the industry becomes sustainable and
January 06, 2011 Read Full Article
Biofuels Not Sustainable as Fuels for Automobiles in India: Ramesh
(India Transport Portal) While biofuels are being considered as the alternative fuel for the vehicles in number of countries, they are not the sustainable option as the fuel for automobiles in India, said Jairam Ramesh, Environment Minister of Indian Union
January 06, 2011 Read Full Article
Firm Asks Restaurants to Be Part of the Green Network
by Liza Agoot (Baguio Midland Courier) ...Nathan Angara of the Noble Trends Unbound (NTU) together with Biodiesel Philippines have launched the green network, a group of restaurants and other establishments using oil and lard in cooking, that are willing
January 06, 2011 Read Full Article
Ten Asian Trends to watch in 2011
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) ...#1 It’s a breakthrough year for Asian biofuels science and technology. Many scientific and technological developments that simmered away in Asian labs and pilot plants in 2010 are set to burst on the scene
January 06, 2011 Read Full Article
German Study Shows Rapeseed GHG Potential
by Luke Geiver (Biodiesel Magazine) The German Biomass Research Center has conducted a study on optimizing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from rapeseed-based biodiesel. The goal of the study was to analyze the current default values for GHGs from rapeseed-based biodiesel,
January 06, 2011 Read Full Article
Biofuels: A Market of Political Opportunities
by Robert Vierhout (ePURE/Ethanol Producer Magazine) In Europe, much more than in the United States, green (but not just) non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are engaged loudly and aggressively in the biofuel debate. For several years now, a number of NGOs have
January 06, 2011 Read Full Article
Another Biofuel Coalition Forms
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) A newly-formed coalition, American Biofuels Now, has been formed in Florida with the mission to educate policymakers, media and consumers about the economic and environmental benefits of biofuels. The group has the backing of various
January 06, 2011 Read Full Article
Firm Plans to Generate Electricity from Ethanol
by Xinhua (Business Daily) A Kenyan green energy firm has announced plans to generate ethanol-based electricity. Gravitas Ltd managing director Lorna Omuondo said the company will introduce ethanol-powered cells into the market by mid year. This is expected to replace
January 06, 2011 Read Full Article
Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund Reports Investments Totaling $2.5 Million in 2010
(PR NewsWire) Several Michigan companies recently received investments from the Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund, pushing the total investments made through the Fund to over $11.6 million. To date, 52Michigan companies have received seed funding from the Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund, a collaborative effort of Michigan's
January 06, 2011 Read Full Article
Popping the Hood on California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard: A Digest Special Series
by Brooke Coleman (NewFuelsAlliance/Biofuels Digest) ...(W)hat’s good and what needs to be fixed in the LCFS? Where should the biofuels industry be happy, be hopeful, or be hopping mad? Brooke Coleman of the New Fuels Alliance – who knows this better
January 06, 2011 Read Full Article
The USDA Loan Guarantee Program and the Congressional Deficit-Reducing Drive
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...At risk in that budget process is the entire funding for the Section 9003 loan guarantee program – in the omnibus spending bill proposed in December by the outgoing Congress, zeroing out 9003 is exactly
January 06, 2011 Read Full Article
INEOS Bio JV Receives Commitment for $75 Million USDA Loan Guarantee
(INEOS Bio) Funding will create jobs through the construction and completion of advanced commercial facility in Florida INEOS Bio and its joint venture partner, New Planet Energy, today announced they have received a conditional commitment for a $75 million loan guarantee
January 05, 2011 Read Full Article
RFA Proposes Alternative E15 Label to EPA
(Renewable Fuels Association) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed label for E15 (15% ethanol/85% gasoline) “will do little, if anything, to promote the successful introduction of a new fuel to the marketplace” the Renewable Fuels Association wrote in comments
January 05, 2011 Read Full Article
U.S. Lacks Infrastructure to Consume More Ethanol
by Brian Wallheimer (Purdue University/Western Farm Press) The United States doesn't have the infrastructure to meet the federal mandate for renewable fuel use with ethanol, but could meet the standard with significant increases in cellulosic and next-generation biofuels, according to a
January 05, 2011 Read Full Article
Fill Her up with Super Pine
by Rose Stirling (Dargaville News) Pine plantations in the Kaipara can be converted into biofuels as part of a nationwide proposal which will save the economy billions of dollars each year. Scion, formerly the New Zealand Forest Research Institute, have suggested to
January 05, 2011 Read Full Article
Growth Energy Proposes New E15 Label to EPA
(Growth Energy) In formal comments submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) yesterday, Growth Energy proposed a new label for E15 (a blend of 15 percent ethanol and 85 percent gasoline) that will more accurately provide consumers with the
January 05, 2011 Read Full Article
Thorntons Adds E-85 to 36 Locations
(Convenience Store News) Thorntons is now offering E-85 Flex Fuel in 36 store locations -- seven in Illinois, 11 in Indiana, 11 in Kentucky and seven in Tennessee, the company reported. READ MORE
January 05, 2011 Read Full Article
Tennessee Switchgrass Initiative Looking for Investors
(Nashville Public Radio) The state’s switchgrass initiative is looking for new investors. The program aims to turn crops of the tall perennial grass into ethanol to fuel cars. Now it’s using a new East Tennessee biorefinery to demonstrate the technology, in
January 05, 2011 Read Full Article
Quantum Leap for the Q Microbe: Qteros closes $22 Million in New Financing; Global Partnership with Praj
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Qteros and Praj will collaborate on a highly focused, multi-year development program with the objective of rapidly developing and commercializing Process Design Packages (PDPs) that enable cellulosic ethanol production using Qteros’ Q Microbe-enabled CBP platform
January 05, 2011 Read Full Article
A Primer on Algal Genomics
by Integrated Gemomics (Algae Industry Magazine) To the untrained eye, microalgae are typical photosynthetic, unicellular organisms. Most species are characterized as green, red, or brown in color with a moderate growth rate and size as small as one micron in
January 05, 2011 Read Full Article
Protec Fuel Opens Three E85 Sites in Atlanta
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) Protec Fuelalong with Indore Oil Company announce the opening of three new E85 sites in the Atlanta, Georgia vicinity. The three facilities will assist in fueling the nearly 25,000 flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) in the area. Indore Oil partnered with
January 05, 2011 Read Full Article
Disarming the Food to Fuel Conflict Part 2: The Misinformation Campaign
by Christopher Klug (Tiny Green Bubble) ...According to the Renewable Fuels Association data, the United States produced and used approximately 10.6 billion gallons of ethanol in 2009, making the US the largest producer of ethanol in the world. (Renewable Fuels
January 05, 2011 Read Full Article
Disarming the Food to Fuel Conflict Part 1: The Biofuel History
by Christopher Klug (Tiny Green Bubble) In the United States, domestic ethanol production and motor fuel additives are becoming more and more common. However, a bevy of misinformation campaigns surround the use of resources for these clean energy initiatives. These
January 05, 2011 Read Full Article
Virent and HCL CleanTech Receive Grant to Demonstrate Cellulosic Sugars as Feedstocks for 'Drop-In' Biofuels and Bioproducts
(Virent) BIRD Energy Grant Will Support Virent's Conversion of HCL CleanTech's Pine Tree Sugars Into Hydrocarbon Fuels and Products That can be Sustainable, Cost-effective, and Compatible With Existing Infrastructure Virent Energy Systems Inc. and HCL CleanTech announced today that they have been
January 05, 2011 Read Full Article
National Algae Association End of Year Report
by Barry Cohen (National Algae Association) ... Some of the accomplishments include: - Construction of commercial-scale demo PBR at Lone Star College - Delivery by NAA Engineering Consortium of plans and design for the 100-acre challenge - Delivery by NAA finance team of first financial
January 04, 2011 Read Full Article
Will Biogenic Emission Regulation Curb Biomass Growth?
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) ...In December 2010, Forisk Consulting released a study titled, “Economic and Regional Impact Analysis of the Treatment of Biomass Energy Under the EPA Greenhouse Gas Tailoring Rule.” According to NAFO, the study found that the U.S.
January 04, 2011 Read Full Article
Growing Willows as Biofuel
by Jane Milliman (Democrat and Chronicle) Normally the word "willow" brings to mind those huge weepers that hug stream banks or the sticks with big fuzzy buds you can harvest in the early spring. But here in upstate New York we
January 04, 2011 Read Full Article
A Nanoscale Biofuel Cell for Self-Powered Nanotechnology Devices
by Michael Berger (Nanowerk) Nanotechnology researchers working on self-powered nanodevices – nanoscale systems that scavenge energy from their surrounding environment – have been experimenting with various power sources ranging from piezoelectric systems ("Electricity-generating silicone implants could power electronic devices") to sound
January 04, 2011 Read Full Article
Seaweed: The New Trend in Water Purification
(PhysOrg.com) Charles Yarish is, by his own definition, a seaweed enthusiast. Over his 35-year career, the Stamford professor of ecology and evolutionary biology has followed his marine algae instincts around the world, studying seaweeds’ relationships, their physiology, and their interactions with
January 04, 2011 Read Full Article
China Automaker JAC Sends First Batch of Ethanol-Powered Cars to Brazil
(Green Car Congress/FavStocks) Chinese carmaker Jianghuai Automobile Co.,Ltd. (JAC) shipped 500 ethanol-powered cars to Brazil at the end of December, the first batch resulting from a deal signed in August with Brazilian dealer SHC to export 620,000 units to Brazil over
January 04, 2011 Read Full Article
Fears over Impact of £200m Biofuel Refinery due to Open at Saltend
(ThisIsHullAndEastRiding) FEARS have been raised over the environmental impact of a new £200-million biofuel plant due to open early this year in Saltend. The refinery will convert about one million tonnes of wheat every year into bioethanol and animal feed. Once fully
January 04, 2011 Read Full Article
San Francisco Falling Short on Use of Biodiesel for Public Vehicles
by Katie Worth (San Francisco Examiner) In late 2007, Mayor Gavin Newsom announced that every diesel-powered vehicle owned by The City — 1,500 in all — had been converted to run on a 20 percent biodiesel blend. ...But while Muni buses
January 04, 2011 Read Full Article
Biofuels Developers Get a Taste for Waste
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...a lot of strong commentary from the readership on the potential for Fischer-Tropsch technologies. And brought out some very strong feelings about waste. On F-T, one reader wrote: “Expansion of FT? Hardly. Its the narrowing of
January 04, 2011 Read Full Article
Oil Industry Tax Issues in the Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Proposal
by Robert Pirog (Congressional Research Service) ...These proposals included repeal of the enhanced oil recovery and marginal well tax credits, repeal of the expensing of intangible drilling costs, repeal of the deduction for tertiary injectants, repeal of passive loss exceptions
January 04, 2011 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Industry Primed to Flourish
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) Boom times are ahead for a biodiesel industry that struggled just to stay alive in 2010. The industry could produce as much as a billion gallons in 2011, nearly triple this year's production, said Gary
January 04, 2011 Read Full Article
Canada Pulls ahead with Biofuels
(WBCB TV/Driving Today) Although the Obama administration slowed U.S. efforts on biofuels in favor of electric vehicles, a new report card on the renewable fuels industry shows that ethanol and biodiesel are delivering tangible economic and environmental results -- in
January 04, 2011 Read Full Article
Vilsack Pushes to Turn Waste into Ethanol
by David DeWitte (Sioux City Journal) USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack expects a forthcoming round of federal grants to help start non-corn-based advanced biofuel plants outside the nation's traditional ethanol heartland boosting support for ethanol. The government plans to announce measures in early
January 04, 2011 Read Full Article
Hypoxylon sp., an Endophyte of Persea indica, Producing 1,8-cineole and Other Bioactive Volatiles with Fuel Potential
(National Institutes of Health/Department of Plant Sciences, Montana State University) An endophytic fungus of Persea indica was identified, on the basis of its anamorphic stage, as Nodulosporium sp. by SEM. Partial sequence analysis of ITS rDNA revealed the identity of the
January 04, 2011 Read Full Article
Malaysia's Sime Darby, Japan's Mitsui Engineering Sign Biofuel Deal
(Japan Today) Malaysia’s Sime Darby Plantation is collaborating with Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding Co to construct and operate a bioethanol demonstration plant in Malaysia’s Selangor State. The plant will convert oil empty palm fruit branches, available year-round and in abundant
January 04, 2011 Read Full Article
Secretary Chu Announces up to $184 Million Available for Advanced Vehicle Research and Development
(U.S. Department of Energy) U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced today(December 16, 2010) the Department is accepting applications for up to $184 million over three to five years to accelerate the development and deployment of new efficient vehicle technologies that will
December 31, 2010 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Issues RFI on Algae Biomass Supplies for Advanced Biofuels RD&D Efforts
(Green Car Congress) The US Department of Energy (DOE) is seeking input from industry, academia, and other biofuels stakeholders regarding supply systems and services for the production, handling, storage, transport and delivery of algae via a new Request for Information (RFI)
December 31, 2010 Read Full Article
Researchers Develop Reactor to Make Fuel from Sunlight
by Damian Carrington (The Guardian) Scientists raise hopes for a large-scale renewable source of liquid fuel with a simple reactor that mimics plants A simple reactor that mimics plants by turning sunlight into fuel has been demonstrated in the laboratory, boosting
December 31, 2010 Read Full Article
Sea Water as a Social Resource: Significance of Vedaranyam Salt March
by M.S. Swaminathan(The Hindu) ... On December 26, 2010, which marks the sixth anniversary of the tsunami which caused severe damage in Tamil Nadu and other States, a Salt Satyagraha Memorial Programme is being launched at Vedaranyam by the M.S.
December 31, 2010 Read Full Article
Tokyo Institute of Technology and Industrial Partners to Build Floating Offshore Algae Farms
(Green Car Congress) The Nikkei reports that Tokyo Institute of Technology, Takenaka Corp. and other partners are planning to build an offshore pilot plant to grow algae for use in biofuel production. ...The wide-ranging project aims to develop technology to absorb
December 31, 2010 Read Full Article
Top 10 Biofuels Predictions for 2011
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...For our 2010 batch of predictions, we give ourselves 6 marks out of 10. We gave ourselves 1 full mark for predicting the spread of Low Carbon Fuel Standard activity, the boom in renewable chemicals, a
December 31, 2010 Read Full Article
Farmers Encouraged to Plant Switchgrass
(AP/The Ledger Independent) A new program to explore the viability of biofuels is seeking to establish 700 acres of switchgrass fields and is offering financial assistance to Kentucky farmers. The project follows another that began in 2007 by the Kentucky Forage and
December 30, 2010 Read Full Article
The Impact Of A Renewable Electricity Standard & A Carbon Payment Program
By Don Hofstrand (Iowa State University Extension/JoplinStockyards.com) U.S. energy policy has recently moved into the background due to concerns about the current economic downturn. However, the importance of the two major drivers of energy policy - the need to wean
December 30, 2010 Read Full Article
Ethanol from Sugar Beets: A Process and Economic Analysis
by Emily Bowen, Sean C. Kennedy, Kelsey Miranda (Worcester Polytechnic Institute) The aim of this project was to design a process for producing bioethanol from sugar beets as a possible feedstock replacement for corn. Currently eighty-five percent of the energy used by the United
December 30, 2010 Read Full Article
A Life-Cycle Assessment of Biofuels
By: Sara Krauskopf (The Science Teacher) A life-cycle assessment (LCA) is a tool used by engineers to make measurements of net energy, greenhouse gas production, water consumption, and other items of concern. This article describes an activity designed to walk students
December 30, 2010 Read Full Article
John Block: Encouraging Ethanol:Good for Rural America
(State Journal-Register) ...As a former secretary of agriculture, I know that continuing to encourage the ethanol industry is good for rural America and the entire nation. Ethanol generates jobs, preserves the environment, and protects our energy security. With some 17 percent
December 30, 2010 Read Full Article
Algae-Based Biofuels Closer to Reality?
by Willie Vogt (Farm Futures) ...Cellana, an algal biofuel research company based in Kailua Kona, Hawaii, is leading a consortium that includes Cornell, Duke University, San Francisco State University, the University of Hawaii and the University of Southern Mississippi. The
December 30, 2010 Read Full Article
Wilmar: US, EU Biofuels Laws Favor Domestic Producers
by Nicholas Zeman (Associated Content/Yahoo!) Asia's Largest Ag-Firm Discusses the Global Biodiesel Market ...New Diesel Magazine spoke with an official from Wilmar, on the condition of anonymity, about the implementation of the EU's Renewable Energy Directive and the efforts to ensure
December 30, 2010 Read Full Article
2011 Miscanthus Acres to Mushroom
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Miscanthus will see a giant leap in acreage in 2011, thanks to Soperton, Ga.-based Repreve Renewables LLC. The company currently has 500 acres planted in five locations in the Southeast, which Craig Patterson,
December 30, 2010 Read Full Article
Discovery Means More Plants in Less Space
(UPI) U.S. scientists have uncovered a gene responsible for plants' key growth characteristics, specifically their density, a finding that could improve agriculture. Researchers at the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation in Oklahoma say denser plants have more biomass without increasing the agricultural footprint,
December 30, 2010 Read Full Article
China to Exempt Consumption Tax on Biodiesel
(Reuters) China's Finance Ministry has retroactively exempted consumption tax on pure biodiesel made from waste animal fats or vegetable oils, and will refund taxes already paid over the last two years. The policy is backdated to January 1, 2009... It will make
December 30, 2010 Read Full Article
Team Overcomes Major Obstacles to Cellulosic Biofuel Production
(EurekAlert/University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana) A newly engineered yeast strain can simultaneously consume two types of sugar from plants to produce ethanol, researchers report. The sugars are glucose, a six-carbon sugar that is relatively easy to ferment; and xylose, a five-carbon
December 30, 2010 Read Full Article
2010: Asia’s Biofuels Boom Charges Ahead
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) 2010 is sure to be remembered as the year Asia’s biofuels boom became self-sustaining. Double digit Asian economic growth, government and private investment, international business collaborations and research networks drove progress as national policy mandates
December 30, 2010 Read Full Article
2010 Year in Review of Biofuels
by Katie Fehrenbacher (New York Times/GigaOM) Biofuels took a step away from the limelight in 2010, replaced by the buzz surrounding electric vehicles. But there were still a variety of policy decisions, and economic milestones that made the sector interesting
December 30, 2010 Read Full Article
China Starts Anti-Dumping Investigation Into U.S. Distiller Grain Imports
(Bloomberg) China, the world’s biggest grains user, has started an anti-dumping investigation into U.S. shipments of dried distillers’ grains, an animal feed ingredient, adding to tensions in ongoing trade disputes. The government will probe for unfair trade practices on products imported in
December 30, 2010 Read Full Article
The True Brew – Answers to Your “Biofuels Fact or Fiction” Questions
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Today, we'll reach into the mailbag and voicemail box and shed some light on topics both important and bizarre, in our occasional "Biofuels Fact or Fiction" series. Q. Will the USDA really issue new loan guarantees
December 30, 2010 Read Full Article
Revenue Bonds to Help Finance South Sioux Biodiesel Plant
by Dave Dreeszen (Sioux City Journal) The South Sioux City Council on Monday agreed to issue $25 million in revenue bonds to help finance the proposed Nature’s BioReserves plant at the Roth Industrial Park... The 60-million-gallon-per-year plant would make clean-burning biodiesel
December 30, 2010 Read Full Article
NRC Proposes Committee for Algal Biofuels
(Algae Industry Magazine) The National Research Council has proposed to the National Academies to appoint a committee to examine the promise of sustainable development of algal biofuels, identify potential concerns, unforeseen sustainability challenges and unintended consequences for a range of
December 30, 2010 Read Full Article
Catch Cans Removed from NASCAR's National Tours
by Dave Rodman (NASCAR) NASCAR is trying to make pit road safer in all three of its national tours in 2011 as the Sprint Cup and Nationwide series will now adopt the refueling system currently used in the Camping
December 30, 2010 Read Full Article
China Has Seen the Future, and It Is Coal
by George Will (The Washington Post) Cowlitz County in Washington state ...approved construction of a coal export terminal from which millions of tons of U.S. coal could be shipped to Asia annually. Both Oregon and Washington are curtailing the coal-fired generation
December 30, 2010 Read Full Article
$5 Gas Prices On the Horizon
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel) According to former president of Shell Oil, John Hofmeister, Americans will be paying $5 per gallon for gas by 2012 due to growing demand for oil, tighter supplies and inadequate responses by the U.S. government. His