(Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment) ... A U of I Crop Scientist will lead a team of researchers on a five-year study of new crops that could contribute to the production of affordable, sustainable sources for market-ready fuels and other
Department of Energy (DOE)
Back TO HOMEThe Idaho Team that Lopped $1 a Gallon off the Cost of Fuel, and How They Did It
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Idaho, researchers at Idaho National Laboratory have have cut the modeled cost of harvesting, storing, transporting, and preprocessing biomass from $149.58/dry ton to $82.86/dry ton. As INL’s Kevin Kenney explained, “when applying least-cost formulation and blending
September 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Research Brief: Researchers Discover How Caged Molecules ‘Rattle and Sing’
(University of Minnesota) A team of energy researchers from the University of Minnesota and University of Massachusetts Amherst has discovered that molecular motion can be predicted with high accuracy when confining molecules in small nanocages. Their theoretical method is suitable for
September 17, 2018 Read Full Article
DOE Funds 6 Projects for Co-Optimization of Engines and Fuels
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Department of Energy has announced it will award 42 projects a total of $80 million to support advanced vehicles technologies research. Approximately $10.1 million of that funding will support six projects focused on
September 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Energy E3 to Build Innovation Center, Increase Access to Sustainable Energy in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
(U.S. Department of Energy) It powers nearly every aspect of our daily lives, but in low- to middle-income countries, more than one billion people live without electricity. The issue is particularly overwhelming in sub-Saharan Africa where, according to the U.S. Agency
September 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Could Bacteria Fuel the Future? With $1.5 Million Grant, UD Engineers Study Microbes for Biofuel Production
by Julie Stewart (University of Delaware) A group of bacteria best known for causing stomach trouble could also be a source of sustainable energy. The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded Eleftherios (Terry) Papoutsakis a three-year, $1.5 million grant to study the
September 07, 2018 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Announces 36 Projects for Bioenergy Research and Development
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy announced the selection of 36 projects totaling $80 million to support early-stage bioenergy research and development (R&D). This R&D will enable cost-competitive, drop-in renewable hydrocarbon fuels, bio-based products, and power from
September 04, 2018 Read Full Article
RFA, Growth Energy Demand Transparency for Small Refinery Exemptions in New Lawsuit
(Renewable Fuels Association) The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and Growth Energy today filed a lawsuit in federal district court, alleging that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) have improperly denied agency records requested by RFA, Growth
September 04, 2018 Read Full Article
New Members of Biomass Research and Development TAC Announced DOE Office of Energy Efficien
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces the newest members of the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The TAC provides advice and makes recommendations to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the DOE concerning
September 03, 2018 Read Full Article
SD Mines Researcher Receives $2.2 Million DOE Grant to Turn Biorefinery Waste into Valuable Products
(South Dakota School of Mines and Technology) Rajesh Shende, Ph.D., associate professor in the chemical and biological engineering department at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology has received a $2.16 million grant from the Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office to
September 01, 2018 Read Full Article
Six States Account for More than 70% of U.S. Fuel Ethanol Production
(U.S. Energy Information Administration) Six states accounted for 72% of U.S. fuel ethanol production in 2016, according to the most recent estimates from EIA’s State Energy Data System. Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, and South Dakota collectively produced 265 million barrels of
September 01, 2018 Read Full Article
Ethanol Blog -- Ethanol Groups Seek EPA Documents on Small Refinery Waivers
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Two leading ethanol interest groups and one of the nation's largest ethanol producers asked a federal court on Thursday to force two federal agencies to hand over records related to the issuance of small
August 31, 2018 Read Full Article
These Researchers Want to Use Pollution to Make Fuel
by Bruce Lieberman (Yale Climate Connections) They think nutrients in farm runoff could feed algae for biofuel. -- When fertilizer and pesticides run off farmland, they can contaminate waterways with nutrient pollution. Davis: “A classic example is the Mississippi Basin.” That’s Ryan Davis of
August 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Put Algae in the Farm Bill!
(Algae Biomass Organization) ... Algae are fast becoming a significant component in food and health products, and it is time that this new crop was afforded the support by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that other crops have seen for decades. Thanks
August 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Locating the Production Site of Glucan in Grass Cell Walls
(U.S. Department of Energy/Phys.Org) ... To learn more about glucose, the sugary feedstock of biofuel refineries, scientists want to know where a polymer of glucose, mixed-linkage glucan (MLG), resides in grasses as grass species are a major potential renewable biomass feedstock.
August 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Corymbia Genome Expands Terpene Synthesis Knowledge
(Joint Genome Institute) ... A diverse group of plant-produced organic compounds, terpenes play key roles in plant growth, defense, and environmental interactions. Terpenes are also economically important because of their use in industrial materials, pharmaceutical products, and as biofuel precursors. Collectively,
August 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Reebok’s Plant-Based Shoe, Fish-Free Seafood, Mango-Based Bioplastic, Breakthrough Plant Breeding, Autosteer for Small Farms, biosand Water Filters, Concrete from Waste: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of August 22nd
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of invention and change is just too strong, we’ve realized, to highlight annual or even quarterly or monthly rankings and summaries of significant product and service advances. For now, we’re going to be tracking
August 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Complex Networks Identify Genes for Biofuel Crops
(U.S. Department of Energy/Phys.Org) To improve biofuel production, scientists must understand the fundamental interactions that lead to the expression of key traits in plants and microbes. To understand these interactions, scientists are using different layers of information (about the relationships
August 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Secretary Perry Announces $38 Million in New Projects to Support Innovative Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry announced the selection of 28 projects totaling $38 million to support early-stage research and development of innovative hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. The Secretary is in Golden, Colorado touring the
August 15, 2018 Read Full Article
DOE Announces Open Meeting of the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee --- August 22-23, 2018 --- Arlington, VA
(U.S. Department of Energy) Purpose of Meeting: To develop advice and guidance that promotes research and development leading to the production of biobased fuels and biobased products. Tentative Agenda: Agenda will include the following: Update on USDA Biomass R&D Activities Update on DOE Biomass
August 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Complex Networks Identify Genes for Biofuel Crops
(U.S. Department of Energy Newswise) Systems biology leads the way to exascale computing on Summit supercomputer. -- ... To improve biofuel production, scientists must understand the fundamental interactions that lead to the expression of key traits in plants and microbes. To understand
August 13, 2018 Read Full Article
Researchers Discover How to Protect Yeast from Damage in Biofuel Production
by Chris Barncard (University of Wisconsin-Madison) Some chemicals used to speed up the breakdown of plants for production of biofuels like ethanol are poison to the yeasts that turn the plant sugars into fuel. Researchers from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and several
August 13, 2018 Read Full Article
Cannabis, Canola, Solids, Hog Fuel, Wheat: What’s New with Food and Feedstocks?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) We eat it, we wear it, we burn it, we glue it, we live in it and more. Feedstock that is — crops and residues of the municipal, industrial, agricultural and forest type. We’ve been reporting
August 08, 2018 Read Full Article
Federally Funded Project Uses Microbes to Convert CO2 to RNG
by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) has announced new grant funding for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LNNL) and Stanford School of Engineering’s Spormann Laboratory to conduct new power-to-gas research. The two entities will also receive $800,000 from the
August 07, 2018 Read Full Article
Biomass, Biomass and More Biomass: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the DOE’s Billion Ton Report, Vol. 1
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy’s Billion-Ton Report: Advancing Domestic Resources for a Thriving Bioeconomy says that 1.2 billion tons of biomass would be available at $40 or less per ton by 2040, and 1 billion tons would be available
August 06, 2018 Read Full Article
New Membrane Technology May Aid Biofuel Production
(Argonne National Laboratory/Biomass Magazine) Named for the mythical god with two faces, Janus membranes –double-sided membranes that serve as gatekeepers between two substances—have emerged as a material with potential industrial uses. Creating two distinct "faces" on these delicate surfaces, however, is
August 06, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to the US Department of Energy’s Demonstration and Market Transformation Programs
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The goal of the US Department of Energy’s Demonstration and Market Transformation focus at the BioEnergy Technologies Office is to de-risk bioenergy production technologies through validated proof of performance at the pilot, demonstration, and pioneer scales
August 03, 2018 Read Full Article
The Top 10 Advances in Renewable Butanol: What’s Speeding up, Where Are the Slow-Downs?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From Portugal comes the news that SilicoLife was awarded with a SME instrument phase 1 grant for the commercial evaluation of its BUTANOVA technology, a new biological process to produce n-butanol. BUTANOVA technology consists on a novel
August 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Energy Department Releases Request for Information on Multi-Sector Uses of Hydrogen DEADLINE: October 31, 2018
(U.S. Department of Energy) At today’s (August 1, 2018) H2@ Scale project kickoff meeting in Chicago, EERE’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation Steven Chalk announced the release of a request for information (RFI) soliciting stakeholder feedback on opportunities to enable high volume production
August 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Deeper into the Biomass: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the DOE’s Billion Ton Report, Vol. 2
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy’s Billion-Ton Report: Advancing Domestic Resources for a Thriving Bioeconomy says that 1.2 billion tons of biomass would be available at $40 or less per ton by 2040, and 1 billion tons would be available
August 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Request for Information (RFI): Understanding Catalyst Production and Development Needs at National Laboratories RFI Released RESPONSES DUE: September 14, 2018
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office issued a request for information (RFI) titled, Understanding Catalyst Production and Development Needs at National Laboratories. Catalysts increase the rate of a chemical reaction and are used in
August 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Cutting Bio-Project Costs via Supply Chain Standards: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Biomass Supply Chain Risk Standards
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In March, EcoStrat CEO Jordan Solomon announced the US Standards for Biomass Supply Chain Risk (BSCR) this year. This has been an ongoing 3 year USDOE/BETO project which we are leading with Idaho National Labs for
August 02, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of August 2nd: Waste Plastics for Fuels and Sneakers, Eggs without the Chicken, 3D Printing, Algae-Based Ketchup Packaging, Green Funerals, Biodegradable Grills
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of invention and change is just too strong, we’ve realized, to highlight annual or even quarterly or monthly rankings and summaries of significant product and service advances. For now, we’re going to be tracking
August 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Bioenergy Internship & Fellowship Opportunities 2018 Update
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) regularly engages interns and fellows in the sciences, engineering, and liberal arts through a variety of internship and fellowship programs, including the following: American Association for the Advancement of Science
August 01, 2018 Read Full Article
High-Yield Hydrocarbons from Ethanol: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Vertimass
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Vertimass technology was originated at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where scientists discovered novel catalysts that convert a wide range of alcohols into various hydrocarbon blend stocks which can be used in existing gasoline, diesel and jet
August 01, 2018 Read Full Article
Carbon Capture, Solar Fuels, Fossil Bubble
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Spain, BIOCON-CO2, a new €7 million EU Horizon 2020-funded research project, has recently kicked-off with intentions of supporting EU leadership in carbon dioxide (CO2) re-use technologies. BIOCON-CO2 aims to re-use excess CO2 produced from the iron, steel,
August 01, 2018 Read Full Article
High Performance Fuels & Vehicles, Both: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to DOE’s Co-Optima Project and HP Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy has a key project called Co-Optima, which aims to determine key fuel properties that enable improved engine efficiency, provide key science to enable high efficiency combustion modes, and capitalize on unique
July 31, 2018 Read Full Article
LANL Researching Algae to Convert to Affordable Fuel
by Andy Stiny (Santa Fe New Mexican) ... And those lawn clippings? They could be used to convert algae into a mass-produced, economical biofuel to be used in cars, trucks and airplanes. Molecular biologist Amanda Barry and a team at Los
July 31, 2018 Read Full Article
“There’s No Place Like Home” Grown Sorghum
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Sorghum sights are set high with EPA approval and recent genetic improvements -- ... U.S. EPA opened up pathways for sorghum oil to become renewable fuels. ... Sorghum is a grass grown in many places and regions around
July 30, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of July 27th
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of invention and change is just too strong, we’ve realized, to highlight annual or even quarterly or monthly rankings and summaries of significant product and service advances. For now, we’re going to be tracking
July 28, 2018 Read Full Article
DOE Launches New Lab Partnering Service
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On July 10, the U.S. Department of Energy officially launched the Lab Partnering Service, an online, single access point platform for investors, innovators, and institutions to identify, locate, and obtain information from DOE’s 17 national
July 24, 2018 Read Full Article
With Friends Like This... ... EPA's Proposed Renewable Enhancement and Growth Support Rule
by Doug Sombke (Ethanol Producer Magazine/South Dakota Farmers Union) South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke discusses how the EPA's proposed Renewable Enhancement and Growth Support rule would hurt both the ethanol and agriculture industries -- ... There is no precedent for the
July 23, 2018 Read Full Article
Help Or Hinder? Federal Agencies At Odds Over Biofuels
by Madelyn Beck (Harvest Public Media/KUNC) ... That’s because for the last few years, the EPA and the Department of Energy have been at odds, with taxpayer money creating a new biofuel industry that may not have the room to grow
July 22, 2018 Read Full Article
NPPD Part of DOE Study to Develop Integrated CO2 Collection, Transportation, and Storage Infrastructure
(Nebraska Public Power District) Nebraska Public Power District is taking another step forward in the carbon world with a second Department of Energy (DOE) study. This most recent initiative has a goal of developing an integrated carbon dioxide (CO2) collection,
July 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Did Trump’s Renewable Fuels Policy Really Cost Corn Growers $3.65 Billion in 2017?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, new evidence has appeared that a Trump Administration shift on US low carbon fuel policy may have cost US corn growers an estimated $3.65 billion. The mechanism? A secretive effort by Administration officials installed at
July 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Feeding Plants to This Algae Could Fuel Your Car
(Los Alamos National Laboratory/Phys.Org) Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory and partner institutions provided today the first published report of algae using raw plants as a carbon energy source. The research shows that a freshwater production strain of microalgae, Auxenochlorella protothecoides,
July 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Boyle Selected for DOE Early Career Research Program
(Colorado School of Mines) Nanette Boyle, assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering at Colorado School of Mines, has been awarded funding through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Early Career Research Program. Boyle will receive $750,000 over five years to develop predictive metabolic
July 17, 2018 Read Full Article
Taming the Tasmanian Devil of Polymers: Lignin, the Orneriest, Roughest, Toughest, Most Un-cooperative and Abundant Natural Polymer Ever
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Lignin has developed into a sustainable and very satisfactory alternative to fossil fuels. But applications have been needed. Firstly, applications that work, then applications that pay, then applications at scale. Let’s see how that work has
July 13, 2018 Read Full Article
Q.E.D.: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the Advanced Biofuels Process Demonstration Unit
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It’s known by the ungainly acronym ABPDU, which might as well decode as “All Bioeconomy Processes Developed Upstairs,” but actually stands for the far more modest “Advanced Biofuels Process Demonstration Unit.” It’s run out of the Berkeley Lab,
July 12, 2018 Read Full Article
EVs Could Drive 38% Rise in US Electricity Demand, DOE Lab Finds
by Robert Walton (Utility Dive) Rising electricity demand could lead to sustained absolute growth of 80 terawatt-hours per year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory. -- ... The study considers three scenarios, a reference case and medium-
July 12, 2018 Read Full Article
NREL: Novel Genetic Method Improves Efficiency of Enzyme
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory/Biomass Magazine) Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the University of Georgia developed a new genetic engineering technique to dramatically improve an enzyme’s ability to break down biomass. The new method, Evolution by
July 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Neutrons—Making Sustainable Biofuels
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are using neutrons to understand why certain hydrocarbons produced by blue-green algae are important to their biology, so new strains can be engineered to sustainably produce biofuels. Neutron scattering makes
July 10, 2018 Read Full Article
The 10 Green Chemicals Driving a Disruptive New Biobased Industry
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A Petro Brexit (a/k/a, British companies exiting petroleum for the sustainable bioeconomy) : New report highlights how to ensure Britain becomes a world leader in bio-based chemicals In the UK, a recent report identifies 10 specific bio-based chemicals, in
July 10, 2018 Read Full Article
The 'Octane Olive Branch' Is Full of Thorns
by Doug Durante (The Hill/Clean Fuels Development Coalition) With a final rule on fuel economy likely to come out in the near future, a considerable amount of attention has centered on higher octane fuels as a pathway to increased efficiency in
July 09, 2018 Read Full Article
Creative Debt and Equity: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Structures for Bioeconomy Project Finance
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Bottom line, if you’re in the business of financing a renewable fuels project with a loan guarantee in the mix, you’re probably talking with some combination of New Energy Risk, Stern Brothers, Faegre Baker Daniels partner John
July 09, 2018 Read Full Article
A Matter of Gravity—Understanding How Plants Grow in Space
by Tom Rickey (Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory/Phys.Org) Last month a rocket thundered off a NASA launch pad in Virginia, destined for the International Space Station. Nestled among the 7,400 lbs. of supplies was a handful of seeds designed to open new
July 06, 2018 Read Full Article
BETO Issues Workshop Summary Report On Performance-Advantaged Biobased Chemicals
by Lynn L. Bergeson (Bergeson & Campbell/Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group) On June 27, 2018, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) issued a new report, Moving Beyond Drop-In Replacements: Performance-Advantaged Biobased Chemicals Workshop Summary Report, that summarizes
July 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Seeking a Friend for the End of Unreliability: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the Feedstock Conversion Interface Consortium
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What is the Feedstock Conversion Interface Consortium and why does it exist? The Why is simple. #1 issue plaguing High and Low Temperature IBR projects is consistent operability of preprocessing and primary deconstruction. In response, researchers have joined
July 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Materials – Printing with Plants
by Kim Askey (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) A scalable processing technique developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory uses plant-based materials for 3D printing and offers a promising additional revenue stream for biorefineries. Scientists created a new material with excellent printability and performance by
July 03, 2018 Read Full Article
New ‘Promiscuous’ Enzyme Helps Turn Plant Waste into Sustainable Products
(University of Portsmouth) A new family of enzymes has been discovered which paves the way to convert plant waste into sustainable and high-value products such as nylon, plastics, chemicals, and fuels. The discovery was led by members of the same UK-US enzyme
July 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Synthetic Methylotrophy: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Engineering Platform Organisms for Methane & Methanol Conversion to Fuels & Chemicals
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Harnessing Methane & Methanol as Feedstocks, that’s the subject of this overview of the uses of methanol when used by engineered platform organisms for fuel and chemical production. The background is the abundant CH4supply of recoverable
July 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Trump Administration Appoints New Biomass R&D TAC Members
by Helena Taveres Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, D.C., the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee has appointed several new volunteers from industry, academia, nonprofits, and local government to the TAC which advises the federal government about its bioenergy R&D programs. These
July 02, 2018 Read Full Article
DOE’s Scum Ranchers
(Algae Industry Magazine/Vice News Tonight/HBO) The Department of Energy is trying to turn the Salton Sea, a lake in the California desert, into a farm for renewable fuels — and clean its infamously polluted water in the process. The Salton Sea
June 29, 2018 Read Full Article
Grassley Statement on EPA’s Proposed 2019 RFS Biofuels Levels
(Office of Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA)) ... “As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I also have concerns that EPA may be ignoring or abusing the Administrative Procedure Act as they continue to grant waivers in secret and refuse to respond
June 28, 2018 Read Full Article
The Yosemite Sam of the Microbial World, Hot Rodded Lichen, BYO Nitrogen, The Microbial Marx Brother, Sexy Hexy and More: The DOE Delves into New Orgamsism for Fuels & Chems
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The meanest, nastiest, ornierest, heat-seeking organism ever found that munches biomass and other microbes that got a booster via the DOE’s $40M grants for advanced microbes R&D. And aromatics without the mess, a sky-vacumming organism and
June 28, 2018 Read Full Article
A First-of-a-Kind Algal-based College Certificate Program Sends Off Its First Graduates
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO)-funded Algae Technology Educational Consortium (ATEC) is proud to announce its first graduates from the algal certificate program at Santa Fe Community College in Santa Fe, New Mexico. These first ATEC graduates
June 27, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA Confirms 33 Small Refinery Waiver Applications
(Argus Media) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was considering applications to waive 2017 federal fuel blending requirements from 33 refiners this month, up from the 29 it confirmed in April, the agency said today (June 26, 2018). Applications increased as EPA faced
June 27, 2018 Read Full Article
EERE Success Story—From Breakfast to Biocrude: Study Identifies Production Potential across Nation
(U.S. Department of Energy) Cattle waste and wastewater. Sludgy grease ensconced in restaurant and cafeteria grease traps. Food waste—uneaten leftovers or culinary mistakes. Contrary to the lyrics in The Sound of Music, these aren’t a few of our favorite things. But when paired with
June 26, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA Releases Proposed 2019 RFS RVOs, Fails to Address Waivers COMMENT DEADLINE: August 17, 2018
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On June 26, the U.S. EPA released a proposed rule that aims to require 19.88 billion gallons of biofuels to be blended into the U.S. fuel supply in 2019, up from 19.29 billion gallons in
June 26, 2018 Read Full Article
EXCLUSIVE-Trump's EPA Ignored Energy Department Calls to Limit Biofuel Waivers
by Jarrett Renshaw and Chris Prentice (Reuters) The Trump administration's Environmental Protection Agency has consistently ignored recommendations from the Department of Energy to reject or limit waivers to oil refiners seeking exemptions from nation's biofuels law, according to five sources familiar with
June 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Up to $4.5 Billion in Loan Authority Available for Renewable Energy and Efficient Energy Projects
by Elizabeth Ingram (HydroWorld.com) The Loan Programs Office at the U.S. Department of Energy still has up to $4.5 billion in loan authority available for Renewable Energy and Efficient Energy (REEE) projects. The office was created by Congress in 2005 to help
June 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Forest Concepts Receives $1.8 Million from DOE to Improve the Design of Biomass Handling Systems
(Forest Concepts/EIN Presswire) Forest Concepts LLC has been awarded a $1.8 million cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (https://www.energy.gov/eere/bioenergy) to address the critical issues of poor flowability, high friction, and highly variable physical properties that
June 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Adoption of Autonomous Vehicles Could Increase U.S. Transportation Energy Consumption
(U.S. Energy Information Administration) Autonomous vehicles are one of the main sources of uncertainty in the future of U.S. transportation energy consumption, as autonomous vehicle technology has the potential to change travel behavior, vehicle design, energy efficiency, and vehicle ownership. Analysis
June 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Announces $40 Million for Bio-Based Research
(U.S. Department of Energy) 31 Projects Will Help Advance Fundamental Science for Bioenergy -- Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $40 million in funding for 31 projects to advance research in the development of microbes as practical platforms for the
June 20, 2018 Read Full Article
New Algae Biofuel Production Method Could Someday Compete with Petroleum
by Philip T. Pienkos (R&D Magazine) ... This time, the leading force was not the DOE (U.S. Department of Energy), but the investment community acting in the belief that the power of modern biotechnology could be brought to bear against the
June 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Critical Plant Gene Takes Unexpected Detour That Could Boost Biofuel Yields
by Sara Shoemaker (Oak Ridge National Laboratory/Phys.org) For decades, biologists have believed a key enzyme in plants had one function—produce amino acids, which are vital to plant survival and also essential to human diets. But for Wellington Muchero, Meng Xie and their
June 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Trump Taps Critic of Pro-Renewables Policies to Lead Renewables Office
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) President Trump is nominating a Department of Energy (DOE) official who previously fought against policies meant to promote renewable energy to lead the agency’s renewable energy office. Dan Simmons has been serving since May 2017 as the
June 15, 2018 Read Full Article
NMMA Provides Update on EPA Bio-Isobutanol Approval
(National Marine Manufacturers Association) Earlier this week, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt approved the registration of bio-isobutanol as a fuel additive. The National Marine Manufacturers Association has been a leading voice in the effort to secure approval for bio-isobutanol, raising it
June 15, 2018 Read Full Article
From Corn to Manure, Here's Why Biofuels Could Be Important in the Years to Come
by Anmar Frangoul (CNBC) The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Colorado is a hotbed of research and innovation. One field its researchers are looking at is that of biofuels, which can be produced from biomass. Breaking things down, biomass can include anything
June 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Senators Hope to Reap Farm Bill Amendments
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) The Senate Agriculture Committee will take up amendments to the farm bill today, but negotiations were still ongoing as to just which of 186 submitted would get a vote. Here are a few energy highlights
June 13, 2018 Read Full Article
Researcher Wins DOE Grant to Study Sustainability of Biofuels
(University of Idaho/Ethanol Producer Magazine) University of Idaho College of Natural Resources Assistant Professor Tara Hudiburg was awarded $750,000 to study the sustainability of biofuels. The grant, award by the Department of Energy, is part of a $104 million project to create a new
June 12, 2018 Read Full Article
PNNL Technology Clears Way for Ethanol-Derived Jet Fuel
(U.S. Department of Energy/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory/EurekAlert!) ASTM International updates standard for alcohol-to-jet synthetic paraffinic kerosene based on fuel produced by PNNL partner LanzaTech -- ASTM International recently revised ASTM D7566 Annex A5 -- the Standard Specification for Aviation Turbine Fuel Containing
June 12, 2018 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK -- Michael Tamor
A recent Biofuels Digest article noted that Michael Tamor, a Henry Ford Technical Fellow at Ford, at a recent DOE Bioeconomy event in Washington observed that at least double our current electrical power capacity will be required to be able
June 08, 2018 Read Full Article
Solar Fuels Come Nearer: Direct-from-Air CO2 Capture Cost Drops below $100/Ton Threshold
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A technology for direct air capture of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, with a cost that “fully burdened with interest on capital, ranges from 94 to 232 $/t-CO2 depending on financial assumptions, energy prices, and the
June 08, 2018 Read Full Article
New Machine Learning Approach Could Accelerate Bioengineering
(Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory/Biomass Magazine) Scientists from the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have developed a way to use machine learning to dramatically accelerate the design of microbes that produce biofuel. Their computer algorithm starts with abundant data about the
June 07, 2018 Read Full Article
Notice for Solicitation of Members for Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee DEADLINE: June 30, 2018
(U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Department of Agriculture/Federal Register) ... U.S. Department of Energy is soliciting nomination for candidates to fill vacancies on the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee (Committee). ... Deadline for Technical Advisory Committee member nominations is
June 07, 2018 Read Full Article
NREL Finds Easier Ways to Deconstruct Biomass
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory/Ethanol Producer Magazine) If there's an easier, more efficient method, science will find a way. That's certainly the case in producing cellulosic biofuels, which, at least for now, requires a two-step process to free the sugars trapped in
June 07, 2018 Read Full Article
Top 10 Biodiesel Trends 2018: What’s up with the World’s Favorite Advanced Biofuel?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... We’ve organized the state of biodiesel into 10 areas of vital interest ranging from the development of markets to the entry of ancillary products and new feedstocks. #1 Tax & Trade Free trade vs fair trade: Dumping
June 07, 2018 Read Full Article
American Researchers Get $1.8 Million from Department of Energy to Solve Biorefinery Blockages
(Bioenergy Insight) A problem facing biorefinery operations is the flow of biomass into and throughout facilities. Lignocellulosic biomass, often made up of post-harvest agricultural materials such as corn stover and soybean hulls, often accumulates and compacts while moving through augers, forcing
June 05, 2018 Read Full Article
The Carbon Rescuers: 20 Top Waste Projects and Breakthroughs that Capture Used Carbon from the Waste Pile for New Uses
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In these top 20 projects, we usually say that we are using waste, but really we are converting something from a state of waste to a state of value — and that’s not just good for
June 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Renewable Solvents Derived from Lignin Lowers Waste in Biofuel Production
(U.S. Department of Energy/Phys.Org) A closed-loop biorefinery could dramatically lower the cost of biofuels and related products. In this approach, the refinery produces the solvents it needs, rather than "importing" them. Scientists at the Joint BioEnergy Institute are developing a closed-loop
June 04, 2018 Read Full Article
Sustain RFS as Important Tool in GHG-Reduction Strategy
(Solutions from the Land) One of the three pillars of climate-smart agriculture is actions that farmers can take to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and simultaneously improve profitability. A principal means by which the agriculture sector can help governments around
May 31, 2018 Read Full Article
ABO Secures Unprecedented $136 Million For Algae and Related Projects — Deadlines Approaching
(Algae Biomass Organization) ABO’s ongoing work in Washington, DC, to educate Congress and federal agencies on the importance of robust algae research, development and demonstration has resulted in the release of an unprecedented series of funding opportunities for algae. Deadlines for
May 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Senate Appropriations Committee Rejects Trump Cuts for Energy Funding
by Josh Siegel (Washington Examiner) The Senate Appropriations Committee easily advanced its Energy-Water fiscal 2019 spending bill on Thursday, rejecting Trump administration efforts to reduce funding for energy and science research. The $43.8 billion bill, approved by a 30-1 vote, is $566
May 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Here Is the SHOCKING BUT TRUE Story of Big Oil’s Hypocrisy About Ethanol
by Marc J. Rauch (Auto Channel/Daily Caller) The website “FillUpOnFacts.com” is sponsored by the American Petroleum Institute (API). It exists to bash ethanol and its hypocrisy begins with the website’s name. The website is filled-up with lies. This website lists 13 categories,
May 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Energy Department Announces Nearly $13 Million in Small Business Research and Development for EERE
(U.S. Department of Energy) As part of today’s (May 21, 2018) $34 million announcement by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary, Rick Perry, for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) research and development projects, the Office
May 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Trump Administration Officials to Meet on Biofuel Policy Changes - Sources
by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) Top officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the departments of Energy and Agriculture plan to meet on Thursday to hammer out details of President Donald Trump’s planned changes to the nation’s biofuel laws, according to
May 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Hot Tech for Fuels: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the Joint BioEnergy Institute
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) JBEI’s mission is to convert biomass to biofuels. The goal is to provide the nation with clean, renewable transportation fuels identical to gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. Inside JBEI’s Emeryville laboratories, researchers are using the latest tools
May 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Riding Bacterium to the Bank: Sandia Researchers Tailor E. coli to Convert Plants into Renewable Chemicals
(Sandia National Laboriatories/EurekAlert!) What does jet fuel have in common with pantyhose and plastic soda bottles? They're all products currently derived from petroleum. Sandia National Laboratories scientists have demonstrated a new technology based on bioengineered bacteria that could make it economically
May 18, 2018 Read Full Article
US Appropriations Committee Approves $243M Cut for Renewable Programs, $58M Increase to Fossil Fuels Research
(Renewable Energy World) The U.S. House Appropriations Committee yesterday approved an energy and water funding bill that, as compared to fiscal year 2018, cuts energy efficiency and renewable energy (EERE) programs by $243 million, and increases research and development funding for
May 18, 2018 Read Full Article
From the Dump to the Pump: Fulcrum BioEnergy Breaks Ground on Landmark Trash-to-Jet Fuel Project
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Near Reno, Nevada, Fulcrum BioEnergy broke ground today for its 10 million gallon per year first commercial plant that makes jet fuel from municipal solid waste. For thousands of years we have had a love/hate relationship
May 17, 2018 Read Full Article
The Scientist Still Fighting for the Clean Fuel the World Forgot
by James Temple (MIT Technology Review) In the closing weeks of 2008, the US Department of Energy invited politicians and press to a dedication ceremony for the Joint BioEnergy Institute in Emeryville, California. The state-of-the-art lab, backed by $125 million in
May 16, 2018 Read Full Article
EIA Data: E85 Usage by Federal Fleets More Than Doubled from 2010 to 2016
by Emily Druckman (Renewable Fuels Association) A Renewable Fuels Association analysis of recently released Energy Information Administration (EIA) data shows that federally-regulated fleets more than doubled their usage of E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline) and other flex fuels between 2010 and 2016. According
May 16, 2018 Read Full Article
Congressman Veasey Introduces Bipartisan Energy Research Legislation
(Office of Congressman Marc Veasey) The Fossil Energy Research and Development Act would set the course for the next generation of climate change mitigation -- Today, Congressman Marc Veasey (D-TX), Ranking Member of the Science Committee’s Energy Subcommittee, along with Congressman David
May 15, 2018 Read Full Article
A Higher Market for Ethanol Former Author of RFS Legislation Sees Octane Levels as Advancement for Ethanol
by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle keeps close tabs on what's happening with biofuels even though he's been out of the U.S. Senate more than a decade now. Daschle, who is working with the
May 15, 2018 Read Full Article
ICYMI: $227M Available from US in Push for Vehicle, Feedstock and Bioconversion Advances
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) We usually say, ICYMIs for those In Case You Missed Its that show up in someone’s inbox. This week, we might re-purpose that useful acronym to: In Case Your Money Isn’t Sufficient — because there are three funding opportunities
May 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuels Production and Consumption in the US: Status, Advances and Challenges
by Mahmood Ebadian and James D. McMillan (IEA Bioenergy Task 39 Newsletter) ... The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) was enacted in 2007 to enhance domestic production of fuels and spur economic development while reducing reliance on imports and improving the
May 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Advanced Algal Systems Listening Session --- June 13, 2018 --- Seattle, WA
On June 13, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) will host the Advanced Algal Systems Listening Session in Seattle, Washington. BETO is seeking feedback from experts in algal biology, cultivation, and conversion on how to address near-term
May 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Selects $3 Million in Research Projects to Advance Biofuels, Bioenergy, and Biobased Products
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced up to $3 million in funding for advanced biofuels, bioenergy, and biobased products available through the Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI). DOE has selected two projects from
May 09, 2018 Read Full Article
Biodiesels Produced from Certain Feedstocks Have Distinct Properties from Petroleum Diesel
by Steve Hanson, Neil Agarwal (U.S. Department of Energy Energy Information Agency) Biodiesel is a renewable fuel made from various feedstocks, including refined vegetable oils, recycled cooking oils, and rendered animal fats. Different feedstocks produce biodiesel with distinct qualities that must be
May 04, 2018 Read Full Article
Secretary of Energy Rick Perry Announces $68.5 Million for Advanced Vehicle Technologies Research LOI due May 29, 2018
(U. S. Department of Energy) Today (May 1, 2018), U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry announced up to $68.5 million in available funding for early-stage research of advanced vehicle technologies that will enable more affordable mobility, strengthen domestic energy security, and
May 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Secretary Perry Announces Up to $78 Million for Bioenergy Research Funding Opportunities LOI due May 30, 2018
Today, U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry announced four funding opportunities totaling up to $78 million to support early-stage bioenergy research and development under the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office. “The Department of Energy is focused
May 03, 2018 Read Full Article
What’s the Latest in Bioenergy R&D, DOE? The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to US DOE’s Bioenergy Technologies Office
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office establishes partnerships with key public and private stakeholders to develop technologies for producing cost-competitive advanced biofuels from non-food biomass resources, including cellulosic biomass, algae, and wet waste (e.g.,
May 03, 2018 Read Full Article
RFA: Ethanol Saves Consumers at the Pump
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) ... Energy Information Administration is already warning drivers that they are likely to see the highest gasoline prices in four years. The good news is that ethanol is helping to offset higher prices at the pump,
May 02, 2018 Read Full Article
POET Honored with Biorenewable Deployment Consortium’s Achievement Award
(Biorenewable Deployment Consortium) The Biorenewable Deployment Consortium (BDC) honored POET, a privately held corporation headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and the world’s largest producer of ethanol and other biorefined products, with the organization’s Spring 2018 Achievement Award at its spring meeting
May 02, 2018 Read Full Article
EIA: Subsidies for Renewables Down as Tax Credits Diminish
(U.S. Energy Information Administration/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Federal subsidies for renewable energy—including biofuels for transportation use and renewable generation of electricity—dropped to $6.7 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2016, a 56 percent decline from FY 2013. Renewable subsidies in FY 2010 and FY
May 01, 2018 Read Full Article
Can Perennial Bioenergy Crops Help Sequester Carbon?
by Krista Eastman (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) In an article published last summer in Science, researchers at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) reported on ten years of work assessing the potential climate benefit of producing dedicated bioenergy crops such as
April 30, 2018 Read Full Article
TerAvest Applies Persistence to Stubborn Bacteria
by Mark E. Griffin (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Zymomonas mobilis is a creature of habit, a bacterial species that loves to eat simple sugars and produce ethanol, but shows little interest in anything else. ... But TerAvest (Michaela TerAvest, an assistant professor of biochemistry
April 30, 2018 Read Full Article
About 7% of Fossil Fuels Are Consumed for Non-Combustion Use in the United States
(U.S. Energy Information Administration) While most fossil fuels in the United States are burned, or combusted, to produce heat and power, EIA estimates that the equivalent of about 5.5 quadrillion British thermal units of fossil fuels were consumed for non-combustion purposes
April 27, 2018 Read Full Article
California's Scum Ranchers Are Working on a Fuel to Replace Oil
by Agnes Walton (Vice News) The Department of Energy is trying to turn a lake in the California desert called the Salton Sea into a farm for renewable fuels — and clean its infamously polluted water in the process. The Salton Sea
April 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Seaweed-into-Biofuel Project Gets Department of Energy Support
by Joanna McWilliams (Colorado State University) A Colorado State University project to grow and harvest ocean macroalgae for biofuel production has received support from the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). ARPA-E has poured over $22 million into their Macroalgae Research Inspiring Novel
April 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Tapping Biogas for the Renewable Hydrogen That We Really, Really Need
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... For those newer to the field, one of the problems of using biomass to make a fuel is that a carbohydrate contains around 53% oxygen by weight and needs about 16% more hydrogen that it
April 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines: Co-Optima Report Focuses on Strengths of Nation’s Energy Resources and Existing Infrastructure
by Mattie Hensley (Sandia National Laboratory) The United States could increase its domestic fuel supplies by 25 billion gallons per year while leveraging the nation’s existing $1 trillion fuel infrastructure according to a Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines (Co-Optima) report released this week. The
April 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Vehicle Efficiency Transportation 2050: More EVs, but Conventional Vehicles Will Still Dominate
by Jieyi Lu (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) Making Vehicles More Efficient Is Critical to Reduce Emissions -- ... Over the next 30 years, electric vehicles (EVs) will grow and fuel economy will increase, but conventional gasoline vehicles will continue to dominate
April 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Announces $39 million for Innovative Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Research and Development
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced up to $39 million in available funding to support early stage research and development (R&D) of innovative hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. As one component of DOE’s portfolio,
April 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Removing the Brakes on Plant Oil Production
(Brookhaven National Laboratory/Biodiesel Magazine) Scientists studying plant biochemistry at the U.S. DOE’s Brookhaven National Laboratory have discovered new details about biomolecules that put the brakes on oil production. The findings suggest that disabling these biomolecular brakes could push oil production into
April 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Carbon Taxes Can Be Both Fair and Effective, Study Shows
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology/EurekAlert!) Several different carbon-pricing approaches would help reduce emissions, and some would be fair as well, researchers report -- Putting a price on carbon, in the form of a fee or tax on the use of fossil fuels, coupled
April 18, 2018 Read Full Article
New Release: Co-Optima 2017 Year in Review
(U.S. Department of Energy) While vehicles and fuels currently on the market get travelers from Point A to Point B, are there new options that could save fuel and money, while also delivering higher performance and cleaner air? Co-Optima research is exploring
April 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Seaweed-into-Biofuel Project Gets Department of Energy Support
(Phys.Org/Colorado State University) A Colorado State University project to grow and harvest ocean macroalgae for biofuel production has received support from the Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). ARPA-E has poured over $22 million into their Macroalgae Research Inspiring Novel
April 17, 2018 Read Full Article
Algae with Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage
(Algae Industry Magazine) The University of Hawaii at Hilo announced that in affiliation with Duke and Cornell Universities, researchers have authored a study that suggests making croplands more efficient through algae production could unlock an important negative emission technology to combat
April 16, 2018 Read Full Article
In Boost for Farmers, Trump Says He May Allow E15 Gasoline Sales All Year
by Jeff Mason (Reuters) U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday his administration may allow the sale of gasoline containing 15 percent ethanol year-round, which could help farmers by firing up corn demand but faces opposition from Big Oil. ... “We’re going to
April 13, 2018 Read Full Article
Vehicle Transformation through New Fuels: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the Clean Fuels Development Coalition
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It may be renaissance times for the Clean Fuels Development Coalition. Their long quest to upend proposed Obama-era vehicle efficiency rules that ignored the potential to improve efficiency and emissions via clear high performance fuels has
April 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Researchers Improve Method to Convert Food Waste into Biofuels
by Sharon Gaudin (Worcester Polytechnic Institute/Biomass Magazine) Funded by a U.S. Department of Energy grant, a team of researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is creating a better way to convert waste food into biofuels that are environmentally friendly, a project that
April 04, 2018 Read Full Article
Team Discovers Enzyme Domains that Dramatically Improve Performance
(Phys.Org/ National Renewable Energy Laboratory) It was more than 10 years in the making, but when it came to uncovering the secrets of the molecular structure of enzymes, perseverance paid off. By studying and comparing the workhorse cellulose-degrading enzymes of two
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Enzyme Discovery Enables First-Time Microbial Production of an Aromatic Biofuel
(Phys.Org/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have discovered a new enzyme that will enable microbial production of a renewable alternative to petroleum-based toluene, a widely
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Where’s Ethanol Going to Go?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... According to POET CEO Jeff Broin, there’s a deal on the table — changing almost by the hour, but a deal none the less. A deal on the table to provide year-round E15 approval for the biofuels industry
March 23, 2018 Read Full Article
Enerkem Makes a Major Breakthrough by Producing a New High-Octane Biofuel
(Enerkem/Oil and Gas 360/PR Newswire) Enerkem Inc., a world-leading waste-to-biofuels and chemicals producer, announced today during the 255th American Chemical Society national meeting being held in New Orleans, that it had succeeded in producing a new high-performance biofuel that could improve the octane rating
March 22, 2018 Read Full Article
It's Here! ... The (Spending) Level Playing Field
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) EPA grants rise: The agency's operational budget would remain pretty much the same, but grant programs get a boost, Alex Guillén and Annie Snider report. That means the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving funds
March 22, 2018 Read Full Article
CEC: California EV chargers Will Add 1 GW of Peak Demand by 2025
by Gavin Blade (Utility Dive) o California will need between 229,000 and 279,000 electric vehicle chargers in public locations and multi-unit dwellings by 2025 to meet Gov. Jerry Brown's (D) goals of having 5 million zero-emission vehicles on the road
March 21, 2018 Read Full Article
DOE Official: Clean Energy Funding Should Be Cut for ‘Exceeding Goals’
by Lacey Johnson (Greentech Media) The Under Secretary of Energy defends a Trump administration proposal to cut $1.3 billion in funding from the DOE’s renewable energy office. -- The Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is so
March 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Co-Optimization of Engines & Fuels: Breakthrough Research in Engine and Fuel Co-Optimization
(U.S. Department of Energy) The Energy Department today (February 15, 2018) released two studies from the Co-Optimization of Engines & Fuels initiative (Co-Optima). The study, Fuel Blendstocks with the Potential to Optimize Future Gasoline Engine Performance, identifies eight representative high-octane blendstocks across
March 16, 2018 Read Full Article
ARPA-E Announces $16M in Funding for 8 New Projects to Develop High-Efficiency Distributed Generations Systems Integrating Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
(FuelsCellsWorks/U.S. Department of Energy) Innovative Natural-gas Technologies for Efficiency Gain in Reliable and Affordable Thermochemical Electricity-generation (INTEGRATE) The U.S. electric system is dominated by large, central power plants and an extensive transmission and distribution system commonly referred to as the “grid.” Two-thirds
March 16, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Sustainable Bioeconomy for Arid Regions (SBAR)
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sustainable Bioeconomy for Arid Regions (SBAR) is a multi-level research project that will cultivate two desert-dwelling crops, guayule and guar, for a sustainable bioeconomy. Combined, guayule (perennial) and guar (annual) feedstocks can provide biomass year round
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
What Happened? Pyrolysis Breakthrough Could Cut Drop-In Biofuels Cost to $2.58 per Gallon
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) We have a breakthrough in pyrolysis to report today that could reduce the estimated cost of producing fuel from $3.27 per gallon to $2.58 per gallon. And no one quite understands how the new process works —
March 13, 2018 Read Full Article
DOE Doles out Millions for Natural Gas Engine Research
by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $4 million to support three new cost-shared research projects focused on medium- and heavy-duty, on-road natural gas engines, as well as $3 million to support two new cost-shared research projects
March 08, 2018 Read Full Article
NREL Seeking Help with Biorefinery Survey DEADLINE: March 8, 2018
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Colorado, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory is seeking respondents to a survey to better understand the next generation biofuel industry as a whole and its contributions to the local and national economy. The survey is being conducted by
March 08, 2018 Read Full Article
Ag Policy Blog: Government Confusion Over Ethanol Might Demand Growing Locally
by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) ... So you have USDA saying ethanol demand has basically peaked. The Department of Energy is saying ethanol is really the only fuel that can provide the energy and market demands needed in the
March 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Protein Studies Inform Biofuels Research
(University of Wisconsin – Madison/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Advances in biofuels research tend to involve reduced costs, greater reagent stability, more diverse and valuable end products, or faster reactions, which often increase product yields as well. But to understand at a deeper level
March 06, 2018 Read Full Article
It’s Entirely About Character: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Characterizing Lignocellulosic Biomass
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Why characterize biomass? Lignocellulosic biomass is a complex biopolymer and its properties vary depending on its species, growth environments and conversion processes. Characteristics of biomass provide valuable insights for biomass utilization. Diverse characterization methods have been developed to elucidate physicochemical, thermal and
March 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Lightweighting: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the Renewable Carbon Fiber Consortium
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What’s the latest with carbon fiber? The US Department of Energy is supporting a project to develop and demonstrate an acrylonitrile (bio-ACN) production process from biomass-derived sugars at ≤ $1/lb. Additionally, the team led by NREL’s Adam Bratis
March 05, 2018 Read Full Article
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