by Meagan Phelan (AAAS.org) The first quantitative estimates of the Aliso Canyon well blowout reveal that it released more than 100,000 tons of the powerful greenhouse gas methane. A new study provides one of the first quantitative estimates of the methane leak
aromatics
Back TO HOMEOpinion: South Dakotans Send Ethanol Message
by Orrie Swayze (AgWeek) The idea that shale makes us crude oil independent is an oil industry fantasy that enables us to deny we willfully sacrifice our troops to fight endless Middle East conflicts to support the U.S. addiction to imported
February 23, 2016 Read Full Article
From February 2016: Approval for Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO): Mercedes-Benz Truck Models Approved for Alternative Fuel HVO
(Daimler) Approval for trucks with heavy-duty OM 470, OM 471 engines as well as medium-duty OM 936 and OM 934 variants; Use of HVO validated by extensive testing; maintenance intervals unchanged; The HVO raw material is sourced from controlled and certified cultivation
February 23, 2016 Read Full Article
The Usual Suspects in Renewable Jet Fuels
by KSL (Lee Enterprises/Renewable Energy World) As renewables are moving from niche to mainstream, the industry is facing a paradigm shift in cost, quality, complexity, and scale — creating opportunities to develop new and different technologies and operating models. Achieving
February 16, 2016 Read Full Article
ARA Ships 100% Drop-In Biofuels for Navy Certification
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, ARA completed the delivery of over 150,000 gallons of 100% drop-in jet and diesel fuel to fulfill its DLA/US Navy certification fuel contract, two months ahead of schedule. For the first time ever,
February 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Economists: Ethanol Retains Low-Cost Octane Enhancer Status
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ethanol continues to maintain its status as the low-cost octane enhancer, in spite of low oil prices reducing the cost of competing petroleum-based aromatics. The biggest threat, say University of Illinois economists Scott
February 08, 2016 Read Full Article
A Map to Progress
(American Coalition for Ethanol) To coincide with the fly-in, ACE created an ‘infographic’ promoting the benefits of the RFS. Titled “The Right Direction: How the RFS is a Map to Progress,” the new infographic pinpoints how the RFS is accomplishing
February 08, 2016 Read Full Article
Ethanol Backers Say Higher Blends Would Reduce Air Toxics
by Renee Schoof (Bloomberg BNA) A group of farm-state governors and some advocates for clean energy are pressing the Environmental Protection Agency to get tougher on toxic air pollution from motor vehicles in a way that could lead to a bigger
February 02, 2016 Read Full Article
Growing Beyond the RFS to Drive Demand for Ethanol
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) ... “The RFS helped kick start the significant volumes of ethanol production we see today, but we cannot rely on the RFS to ensure a continued market,” Durante (Doug Durante, Clean Fuels Development Coalition (CFDC) executive
January 27, 2016 Read Full Article
New White Paper Identifies Opportunities for Increased Ethanol Demand: Growing Beyond the RFS Keys on Regulatory Relief
(Ethanol Across America) Despite the effectiveness of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in providing an entry ramp to the fuel market, the potential for corn ethanol to contribute to meeting a range of public policy objectives has only scratched the
January 18, 2016 Read Full Article
Letter: Building on Ethanol Success Is a Good Way to Reach Renewable Energy Goals
by Robert Moffitt (American Lung Association in Minnesota/Post Bulletin) A Dec. 14 letter to the editor described Rochester's "community responsibility to become energy sustainable." A key component to achieving this goal is increasing the use of clean-burning transportation fuels in the
January 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Capitalizing on Ethanol’s Strengths
by Brian Jenning (Ethanol Producer Magazine/American Coalition for Ethanol) Each fall the American Coalition for Ethanol brings members together to identify the goals we’ll pursue for the coming year. We did a series of listening sessions between harvest and football
December 23, 2015 Read Full Article
Protecting Public Health Through Cleaner Fuels and Lower Emissions
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a briefing examining the health impacts of current octane sources and the need for cleaner, cost-effective octane providers. Octane is necessary for vehicle performance and increasing octane
December 18, 2015 Read Full Article
Aromatics Ascending: IFP Energies Nouvelles, Axens to Accelerate Bio-BTX via Anellotech Partnership
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New York, Anellotech, IFPEN and Axens said they have completed construction on a fully-integrated development and testing plant, “TCat-8”, for the production of bio-based paraxylene, benzene, toluene, ortho-xylene and meta-xylene (BTX), from non-food sources.
December 18, 2015 Read Full Article
Pyromaniax Update: Anellotech Raises $7M from Mystery Investor, Takes on Key Scale-Up Data Task
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Will fund 25M high unit, Operational in 2016, to confirm viability of confirm viability Bio-TCat process for scale-up In New York, Anellotech revealed that it had raised $7M of its current $10M investment round from a
November 20, 2015 Read Full Article
Neste and Boeing to Lead the Industry on Commercialization of Renewable Aviation Fuels
(Neste) Neste, the leading producer of renewable diesel and Boeing, the world's largest aircraft manufacturer will work together to promote and accelerate the commercialization of renewable aviation fuel. The companies will work toward American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
November 11, 2015 Read Full Article
Ethanol Reduces Emissions: Clean Fuels Development Coalition
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Hungary, Clean Fuels Development Coalition Executive Director Douglas Durante said as a way for ethanol to find value beyond limitations of government imposed limits, both in the EU and the U.S., the focus should be on providing
November 09, 2015 Read Full Article
Neste and Boeing to Lead the Industry on Commercialization of Renewable Aviation Fuels
(Neste/Globe Newswire) Neste, the leading producer of renewable diesel and Boeing, the world's largest aircraft manufacturer will work together to promote and accelerate the commercialization of renewable aviation fuel. The companies will work toward American Society for Testing and Materials
November 04, 2015 Read Full Article
All Auto Owners Can Choose Premium E30
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Back in September I brought you a story about Orrie Swayze, an active ethanol advocate, who wants all drivers to use E30 in their cars. At the time, there was a special order in front of
November 04, 2015 Read Full Article
Vertimass, DOE Validate Benchmarks, Process Design for High-Yield Alcohol-to-Fuels Technology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Vertimass completed its DOE technology validation that verifies the benchmark performance, initial process design and preliminary cost information for a new award of $2 million by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technology
November 02, 2015 Read Full Article
A Message For EPA: Get Real on Emissions and Clean Fuels!
by Doug Durante (Clean Fuels Development Coalition/Biofuels Digest) In the aftermath of revelations of how Volkswagen had their thumb on the scale as they cheated not just the EPA, but all of us who breathe the air, it raises serious
October 23, 2015 Read Full Article
We Should Not Be Surprised about Volkswagen’s “Diesel-Gate”
by Bill Brandon (Biofuels Digest) Fooling with computers to give false readings has happened before. It is important to recognize similarities to earlier cases and EPA’s role in them. The 1998 consent decree In October 1998, the DOJ and EPA entered into a
September 29, 2015 Read Full Article
Gasoline Aromatics: the New Lead?
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) After scientists found that toxic lead particles in engine exhaust were accumulating in bodies and affecting brain health, amendments to the Clean Air Act 25 years ago prohibited the use of lead in gasoline. Children were
September 21, 2015 Read Full Article
Vertimass, Technip to Work together to Scale up ORNL Technology
(Vertimass/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Vertimass LLC announced the company has chosen Technip to provide pilot testing, scale-up, and initial plant design for their novel technology for converting alcohol to renewable gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel blend stocks that are compatible with
September 21, 2015 Read Full Article
Urban Air Iniative: Real Economic Harm Is to Keep Using Gasoline
(Urban Air Initiative/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Officials from the Urban Air Initiative called the recent effort by the American Petroleum Institute to discredit ethanol a smokescreen to hide the fact that the toxic components in gasoline are endangering the lives of millions
September 14, 2015 Read Full Article
Toxic Gas Emissions Topic of Science Cafe
( Nebraska Ethanol Board/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... “The fuels combusted on our nation’s roadways are a predominant source of the most dangerous particle-borne toxic emissions,” said (David) Hallberg, an Omaha resident. “Adding toxic carcinogens to gasoline is the way oil companies
September 01, 2015 Read Full Article
WSU Tri-Cities Prof Receives Grant to Study High-Energy Biofuels
(Washington State University) Hanwu Lei, Washington State University Tri-Cities associate professor in biological systems engineering, was awarded a $494,000 grant this fall to research catalysts, which will be used to increase the energy output and performance of biofuels. Lei said he
September 01, 2015 Read Full Article
Removing Ethanol from Gas Increases Toxic Emissions
by Kim Trinchet (Urban Air Initiative) Many gas stations are promoting E0, or gasoline with zero percent ethanol. It not only costs more than regular gasoline which contains 10% ethanol, new data shows it also burns dirtier in your engine
August 21, 2015 Read Full Article
You Want to Talk About Engine Problems? Take Ethanol out of Gasoline
by Kim Trinchet (Urban Air Initiative) One of the great misconceptions following ethanol is that it causes compatibility issues in certain engines. But new data shows that the opposite is true, and ethanol free gasoline blends actually increase much of
August 21, 2015 Read Full Article
New One-Pot Process to Produce Gasoline-Grade Biofuel from the Bacterial Biopolymer PHB
(Green Car Congress) A team from the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, University of Hawaii at Manoa is developing a new one-pot process to produce gasoline-grade (C6–C18) hydrocarbon oil from polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)—an energy storage material formed from renewable feedstock in many
August 10, 2015 Read Full Article
The Pyromaniax, Class of 2015: The Top 10 Pyrolysis Projects in Renewable Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It’s been around for a generation or so — fast pyrolysis, that is. Though in the original low-tech incarnation — known as “cooking fire” — pyrolysis has been around since the dawn of man. But
August 04, 2015 Read Full Article
EESI Asks EPA to Focus on Steps to Increase Volumes of Advanced and Cellulosic Fuels
(Energy and Environmental Study Institute) ... In comments to EPA, EESI points out that when Congress was debating the Renewable Fuel Standard, the meaning of “adequate domestic supply” was defined as qualifying fuel – not infrastructure constraints. For the first time,
August 03, 2015 Read Full Article
UAI: Removing Ethanol from Gasoline Increases Toxic Emissions
(Urban Air Initiative/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Many gas stations are promoting E0, or gasoline with zero percent ethanol. It not only costs more than regular gasoline that contains 10 percent ethanol, new data shows it also burns dirtier in your engine
August 03, 2015 Read Full Article
Making the Biofuels Process Safer for Microbes
by Scott Gordon (University of Wisconsin-Madison) A team of investigators at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Michigan State University have created a process for making the work environment less toxic—literally—for the organisms that do the heavy lifting in the increasingly
July 02, 2015 Read Full Article
Urban Air Initiative: Ethanol Reduces Engine Wear
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) The Urban Air Initiative (UAI) has released a study that finds ethanol free gasoline blends actually increase the wear and tear on engines including hoses, seals and fuel tanks. In other words, the data supports ethanol
June 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Up with Octane and Down with Aromatics: Continuing Health Risks with Petroleum Fuels and the Need for Engine Efficiency
by Bill Brandon (Leaders in Energy) Our country has seen many transitions in travel technologies and fuels. In the first installment I reviewed our transition from 1) barley and oats for our horses and mules to high carbohydrate corn for
June 25, 2015 Read Full Article
Future Fuels: Can Biofuels Make Gasoline Cleaner, Cheaper?
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the Governors' Biofuels Coalition held a briefing examining the current state and potential future of the transportation fuel supply. While combustion engines are more efficient and cleaner
June 12, 2015 Read Full Article
Ethanol and Butanol: Symbiotic Partners for a Modern Fuel
by Bill Brandon and Richard Ezike (Biofuels Digest) The debate touting butanol over ethanol as a ‘better’ fuel component has gone on for quite some time in biofuel circles. Those who support butanol point to three key factors: • Butanol has
June 11, 2015 Read Full Article
Urban Air Initiative: New EPA Studies Regarding Ethanol Flawed
(Urban Air Initiative/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA published two studies recently; defending its stance that ethanol increases toxic emissions. However, if you follow the same flawed formula, you get the same flawed results, warned representatives of the Urban Air
April 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Audi Produces Its First Batch Of E-Diesel
(TopSpeed.com) According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, carbon dioxide levels are at an 800,000-year high, but what if we could pluck CO2 particles out of thin air to use as a raw material for a carbon-neutral fuel? It’s
April 24, 2015 Read Full Article
The Urban Air Initiative's Comments On EPA’s Proposal to Update the Air Quality Standards for Ground-Level Ozone Docket ID#: EPA-HQ-OAR-2008-0699
(The Urban Air Initiative) UAI appreciates this opportunity to comment on EPA’s proposal to strengthen the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground level ozone, as set forth on November 25, 2014. As summarized here and developed more fully
April 02, 2015 Read Full Article
Anellotech, IFP Energies Nouvelles and Axens to Develop Aromatics Technology from Non-Food Biomass
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Pyromania! Anellotech lands key European partners to commercialize its pyrolysis-based pathway to high-value renewable BTX chemicals. In New York, Anellotech, IFP Energies nouvelles and its subsidiary Axens have announced a strategic alliance to develop and commercialize
January 20, 2015 Read Full Article
University of Minnesota Report Contains Inaccurate and Misleading Information on Ethanol
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) The recent report released by the University of Minnesota, “Life Cycle Air Quality Impacts Of Conventional And Alternative Light-Duty Transportation In the United States,” contains several inaccuracies and misleading information. In particular, its conclusion that corn-based ethanol contains more
December 19, 2014 Read Full Article
Virent Announces World's First Demonstration of Full Range of Bio-Aromatics Production
(Virent) New Systems Enable Samples for Product Validation and Market Trials Virent announced that it has successfully produced bio-paraxylene, bio-toluene and bio-benzene at demonstration scale and has confirmed that all three chemicals meet typical industry specifications. Virent hasalso produced sample volumes of bio-Aromatic 100,
December 17, 2014 Read Full Article
REG Acquires Majority Stake in Petrotec; Tender Offer for All Shares Imminent
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) US biodiesel leader heads for the EU – what’s up with used cooking oil, and what is REG’s path forward with the German-based biodiesel producer? In Iowa, Renewable Energy Group and IC Green Energy announced
December 11, 2014 Read Full Article
Myths And Facts About The Renewable Fuel Standard
by Kevin Kalhoefer and Denise Robbins (Media Matters) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced that it will delay its decision about the 2014 levels for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which requires oil refiners to blend renewable fuels into the
December 01, 2014 Read Full Article
Toxic Chemicals in Gasoline Are Killing Americans
by Larry Pearce (The Hill) In 1990, Congress passed the Clean Air Act Amendments and directed the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce the dangerous chemical additives in gasoline. Today, 24 years later, this law has yet to be enforced
November 05, 2014 Read Full Article
4 minutes with…Wes Bolsen, Cool Planet, Strategic Partnerships
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... I would put the teeth back in RFS2, that actually had renewable fuel mandates with penalties, or converting RFS2 into a national LCFS program. ... Taking a step back and giving myself time to think is better
November 04, 2014 Read Full Article
Dead Babies Near Oil Drilling Sites Raise Questions for Researchers
by Nancy Lofholm (The Denver Post) ... For some reason, one that is not known and may never be, Beau (Murphy) and a dozen other infants died in this oil-booming basin last year. Was this spike a fluke? Bad luck?
October 31, 2014 Read Full Article
ExxonMobil to Invest $1 Million in Iowa State University Biofuels Research
by Donnelle Eller (Des Moines Register) Oil and gas giant ExxonMobil Corp. is investing $1 million over two years to establish an advanced biofuels research program at Iowa State University, the partners said today. The ExxonMobil biofuels initiative will will initially
October 14, 2014 Read Full Article
Surface-to-Air: How Vertimass Might Shatter Conventional Yields in Alcohol-to-Jet Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Saturated E10 ethanol markets; unmet demand in aviation biofuels: can Vertimass’ technology provide the bridge? ... After all, if you dehydrate ethanol (that is, remove the water, H2O), what you have is ethylene, a hydrocarbon. And you
August 28, 2014 Read Full Article
New Strategy for Clean, High-Octane Ethanol Needed
by Dave Vander Griend (Ethanol Producer Magazine/ICM) The industry must push for change in the way fuels are blended and tested, writes Dave Vander Griend. Growth of the ethanol industry, producers of a clean high-octane fuel, is being blocked by U.S.
August 12, 2014 Read Full Article
The Economic Competitiveness of U.S. Ethanol
by John M. Urbanchuk (ABF Economics/Renewable Fuels Association) ... Reflecting this enhanced competitiveness and maturation, ethanol prices (both FOB plant and delivered at key U.S. markets) have declined, while crude oil and conventional gasoline prices remained stable or increased. Consequently: 1. U.S.-produced ethanol continues to improve
July 23, 2014 Read Full Article
More Energy from a Litre of Biofuel
(University of Twente) Catalyst developed at University of Twente helps achieve European 2020 objective Oil produced from biomass - such as wood chips or plant residues - seldom has the same quality and energy content as ‘classical’ crude oil. A new,
July 22, 2014 Read Full Article
Ultrafine Particles from Vehicles: A Missing Piece in Emissions Regulations
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) On Monday June 2, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took the single largest step to control stationary sources of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other harmful emissions in the nation’s history. It announced a proposed regulation
June 09, 2014 Read Full Article
New White Paper Warns of Gasoline’s Growing Health Risks
(Governors' Biofuels Coalition/Clean Fuels Development Coalition) Gasoline exhaust is a much greater source of toxic emissions than previously reported, and lethal, ultra-fine particulates are not being adequately regulated and controlled. according to a new White Paper released here today. The paper
June 04, 2014 Read Full Article
The Pyromaniax: Anellotech Starts up Pearl River BTX Pilot Plant
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Meets December 2013 commitment to be able to provide BTX developmental quantities to strategic partners. Plant begins production of 1 kg quantities of BTX, now available to support Anellotech’s ongoing business development activities and strategic
May 13, 2014 Read Full Article
Ethanol Use In Gasoline Can Reduce Foreign Oil Imports
By Ellen Chang(MainStreet)The use of corn-produced ethanol in gasoline is an outdated method to lower greenhouse emissions while ethanol generated with natural gas yields a cleaner and cheaper fuel, experts said. Corn-based ethanol is "definitely a failed and outdated attempt at lowering
April 25, 2014 Read Full Article
Purdue Researchers Launch Innovative Biomass Renewable Energy Company
by Phillip Fiorini and Cynthia Sequin (Purdue University) Purdue University researchers are launching a company focusing on an innovative process that could revolutionize how lignocellulosic biomass is used to make biofuels and other bio-based products and chemicals. Spero Energy Inc., which is based
March 28, 2014 Read Full Article
Merle Anderson: Government ‘Myths’ Limit Ethanol’s Full Use
by Merle Anderson (Grand Forks Herald) Orrie Swayze from Watertown, S.D., and I have traveled many miles together as friends and American Coalition for Ethanol founding board members. We have gained a historical perspective on all that is called ethanol. ... First,
March 14, 2014 Read Full Article
Endophytics, LLC Announces an Advanced Biofuel and Green Chemicals Technology Platform Utilizing Fungi
(Virtual-Strategy.com) Changing the way the world looks at the source of hydrocarbons for biofuels and sustainable green chemicals, Endophytics LLC announces a new technology platform in Bozeman, Montana that is receiving attention from many throughout the industry. Endophytics, LLC recently announced
March 04, 2014 Read Full Article
What’s Really Happening with the So-called ‘Blend Wall’? A Fuels America Briefing
by Sarah Dik (Biotechnology Industry Organization) The public dialog surrounding the Renewable Fuel Standard is robust- and filled with misinformation. On July 11, Rep. Lee Terry and Rep. Bruce Braley held the third of a series of briefings, which focused
July 25, 2013 Read Full Article
E15 Success Stories from South Dakota, NASCAR
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) I heard some interesting and fun E15-related stories recently, about what the fuel has done for a South Dakota station owner as well as some on-track testing of what happens when water and E15
July 16, 2013 Read Full Article
Ethanol a Target of Big Oil
by Paul Kenney (KAAPA Ethanol/Kearney Hub) Opinion: ...Ethanol blends are becoming a staple at pumps across the nation, and ethanol accounts for more than 10 percent of the country’s motor fuel supply. It’s a higher-octane alternative to gasoline and costs less. In
May 28, 2013 Read Full Article
Ethanol Improving While Oil Gets Worse
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) The House and Energy Commerce Committee has released its third white paper on the Renewable Fuel Standard, “Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Environmental Impacts.” Executive Vice President of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), Brian Jennings, responded with written
May 28, 2013 Read Full Article
Corn-Based Ethanol: A Win for Public Health and the Economy
by William C. Holmberg (Physicians for Social Responsibility) Asthma, $16 billion. Premature births, $26 billion. All cancers, $227 billion. Autism, $126 billion. Heart disease, $272 billion. Obesity, incl. Type 2 diabetes, $190 billion. These are government estimates of the annual
May 24, 2013 Read Full Article
Anellotech and the Advent of the Green ‘Enes
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Fast pyrolysis developer plans to rapidly expand green benzene and toluene production in 2013 for downstream product development purposes. Opens new pilot plant, R&D facility in New York; green BTX platform ready to emerge. ...In
March 12, 2013 Read Full Article
Team Up for Energy Victory
by Col. Bill Holmberg (ret.) (American Council On Renewable Energy) “Up with octane, down with aromatics, and embrace the needs of people and nature,” says ACORE’s legendary biomass guru. But less freak-out, more reach-out is needed, he cautions. ...However, certain forces
February 25, 2013 Read Full Article
Ag Interests Say Biofuel Production Not "Incentivized"
(FarmProgress.com) Ag interest groups filed comments with the National Highway Traffic Safety Council and others Thursday calling for increased incentives for biofuel use. A coalition of agricultural interest groups says proposed new corporate average fuel economy standards could cap and constrain
June 20, 2012 Read Full Article
25x'25 Steering Committee Member Michael Bowman, White House 'Champion of Change' Alum, Meets with Obama
(25 x '25) Wray, CO Advocate Urges President to Lend More Support to Bioenergy Development, Support Higher Ethanol Blends Mike Bowman, a member of the National 25x'25 Alliance's Steering Committee, met with President Obama today and outlined the Alliance’s recommendations and
April 26, 2012 Read Full Article
Ethanol Industry Pioneer Wants Higher Blends
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) ...At the recent National Ethanol Conference, where ICM, Inc. founder Dave Vander Griend was honored with the Renewable Fuels Association 2012 Membership Award, he talked about how ethanol could replace some of the additives currently found in gasoline – called aromatics