by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Paper sludge typically taken to landfills (50%), incinerated (20%) or spread on land as soil enhancement (10%). In total, there’s 8 million wet tonnes (4MT dry) of paper sludge that costs $240 million each year to
Energy Return on Energy Invested (EROEI or EROI)
Back TO HOMEAir Travel and Climate: German Plant Produces First Quantities of Carbon-Neutral Synthetic Kerosene
(Atmosfair) A pilot plant in northern Germany has produced the first quantities of CO2-neutral aviation fuel on an industrial scale, using renewable electricity, water, and CO2 extracted from the air. Among the customers are two German tour operators, suggesting that air
July 10, 2024 Read Full Article
Thought for the Week: All Plants Are Not Created Equal
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) While reading today's The Digest's Chemicals & Materials Update, it occurred to me that there didn't seem to be any concern about the carbon intensity or carbon footprint of the plant-based products in the
July 10, 2024 Read Full Article
Texas Water Fight Shows Pushback on ‘Clean’ Hydrogen
by Christian Robles (E&E News Energywire) A Texas hydrogen project is facing criticism over whether it will have adequate water supplies, illustrating how local disputes on everything from pipelines to air pollution threaten the industry’s build-out. Near Corpus Christi, environmentalists and some
June 18, 2024 Read Full Article
For SAF’s Take-off, Look to India’s Policies
by Eric McAfee (Aemetis/Biofuels Digest) ... We win wars by issuing Cost Plus contracts to defense contractors so they can build new production capacity to produce the weapons of war. SAF is just such a weapon, but our leaders have not been
April 29, 2024 Read Full Article
Greater Fuel Resilience Needed – Study
(University of Otago) A new study shows that building capacity for biofuel production would not only safeguard New Zealand’s food supply in the event of a global disaster, but also make the nation’s fuel supply more resilient to lesser shocks. -- New
April 12, 2024 Read Full Article
Scientists Warn a Poorly Managed Hydrogen Rush Could Make Climate Change Worse
by Kari Lydersen (Energy News Network) A growing body of scientific research is highlighting the indirect ways hydrogen could worsen climate change — and critics say the risks are largely being ignored by the federal government. -- As the federal government rolls
March 01, 2024 Read Full Article
New EU-funded FUELGAE Project Aims to Resurrect Algae as a Promising Source for Aviation Biofuels
by Christopher Surgenor (GreenAir Online) Over a decade ago, algae was seen as a very promising biomass for producing jet biofuel and a number of high-profile startups attracted big-name investors. In 2009, Continental Airlines flew the United States’ first-ever commercial jet
January 31, 2024 Read Full Article
Textbook, Bioenergy: Biomass to Biofuels and Waste to Energy 2nd Edition, Available Now
by Anju Dahiya (Editor) Bioenergy: Biomass to Biofuels and Waste to Energy, Second Edition presents a complete overview of the bioenergy value chain, from feedstock to end products. It examines current and emerging feedstocks and advanced processes and technologies enabling the development of
August 08, 2023 Read Full Article
A New Hydrogen: from Methane, via Pyrolysis, without the CO2 Release
by Chingis Idrissov (IDTechEx/Biofuels Digest) Digest note. This column from Chingis Idrissov focuses on production of hydrogen from methane, with an underlying assumption that the methane will come from fossil gas reserves. But, not necessarily so. There’s renewable methane, which
June 30, 2023 Read Full Article
Biofuels: What Are They, How Do They Work, How Are They Made?
by Jennifer Barns (Intelligent Living) ... Biofuels offer several environmental benefits, including reduced greenhouse gas emissions and improved air quality compared to fossil fuels. The combustion of biofuels releases carbon dioxide, but since the feedstock used for their production absorbs carbon
June 21, 2023 Read Full Article
Letter: Inaccurate Statements about Corn and Ethanol
by Richard Syverson (Minnesota Corn Growers Association/Echo Press) Information included in Karen Tolkkinen’s May 10 piece, “Alexandria Senior College lecturer lists possible solutions for imperiled wetlands” was inaccurate regarding corn and the production of ethanol. Wetland status in Minnesota is a
May 30, 2023 Read Full Article
World’s Largest E-Fuel Production Plant Is Coming to Texas
by Peter Holderith (The Drive) The Porsche-backed startup behind the project hopes it’ll help bring e-fuel prices down into the sanity range. -- Porsche-backed HIF Global has received approval to begin construction of the world's largest e-fuels production facility in Texas. This
May 01, 2023 Read Full Article
Awestruck by Aquastroke: A New Engine and Its Ethanol+Water Fuel
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A very interesting technology has come to our attention, worth a serious look, it’s a new attack on an old idea, which is the production of affordable energy using s combination of 70 percent water and
March 02, 2023 Read Full Article
Will Algae Biofuels Become Viable? Pioneers of Commercial Biofuel Production Had to Shut Shop or Diversify Their Portfolio
by Rahul Jain (Down to Earth) ... It can synthesise large volumes of oil (20 times more than that of mustard per acre), grow fast (10 times quicker than terrestrial plants) and capture carbon dioxide (CO2). Since then, big industries and startups
September 25, 2022 Read Full Article
Ethanol-Basher Scores 100%...in Idiocy -- Anti-Ethanol Writers Must Go!
by Marc J. Rauch (The Auto Channel) ... The focus of my presentations was to talk about the urgent need to educate consumers and consumer influencers about the benefits of ethanol fuel. Almost simultaneous with my plane touching down in my home
August 02, 2022 Read Full Article
ANL: Can Farms Produce to the Max and Still Reduce GHG Emissions?
by Kristen Mally Dean (Argonne National Laboratory/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... With new practices, farmers can make farms a net sink of CO2, helping the U.S. reach its goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. Sustainable intensification is a two-prong approach many think
July 08, 2022 Read Full Article
Industry Debunks Ethanol Myths
by Tom Doran (AgriNews) Renewable fuel boosters did some “myth busting” and discussed ethanol’s role in gasoline prices during a June 17 National Corn Growers Association podcast. “Over the years we have heard so many arguments against ethanol, and we wanted to
July 08, 2022 Read Full Article
The Environmental Price of Clean Energy Is Still Too High: Report
by Erin Marquis (Jalopnik) Calculating the cost of clean energy is a dirty job, but Ars Technica is here to do it -- ... This excellent deep dive published by Ars Technica Monday into what it really costs to go green is a stirring
May 02, 2022 Read Full Article
Analysis Shows Corn Ethanol’s Energy Balance Is Strongly Positive and Continues to Improve
(Renewable Fuels Association) Today’s corn ethanol now provides nearly three times the energy used to produce it, according to a new analysis by the Renewable Fuels Association, with some biorefineries approaching a four-to-one energy ratio. This continuing improvement in energy balance reflects improved
April 20, 2022 Read Full Article
NCGA Requests Study of Wind and Solar Emissions
(Bazarneeti) Members of the National Corn Growers Association want to see some forms of renewable energy subjected to the same scrutiny that applies to biofuels. On Thursday, members voted to commission a life cycle analysis “of all renewable energy sources, including wind
March 13, 2022 Read Full Article
Letter: Ethanol Checks All the Boxes
by Jan tenBensel (Nebraska Ethanol Board/Lincoln Journal/Star) Addressing Ron Todd-Meyer's Local View ("Change. It's what's for dinner," May 25), ethanol checks many boxes for environmental goals. While we wait for electric vehicles to become affordable and infrastructure to be built,
June 04, 2021 Read Full Article
City of Madison to Run More Vehicles on Biodiesel Fuel
by Abriela Thiel (The Badger Herald) 'This has the short and long-term advantage of making Wisconsin a producer of materials it would otherwise import,' UW expert says. -- The Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board and the National Biodiesel Board announced they will be
April 21, 2021 Read Full Article
Deere Bullish on Biodiesel, Renewable Diesel
by Ryan Ghem (SAE International) ... Biodiesel and renewable diesel will lead the way for alternative-fuel integration into the heavy equipment industry, according to Nick Block, director of worldwide marketing, sales & customer support, John Deere Power Systems (JDPS). “We support
March 31, 2021 Read Full Article
NREL Reports Sustainability Benchmarks for Plastics Recycling and Redesign
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Researchers developing renewable plastics and exploring new processes for plastics upcycling and recycling technologies will now be able to easily baseline their efforts to current manufacturing practices to understand if their efforts will save energy and reduce
January 22, 2021 Read Full Article
Can the U.S. Take Tips from Stockholm to Reduce Our Fossil Fuel Dependence?
by Sadie Tetreault (George Washington University/Planet Forward) ... He (tour guide Zennid) outlined how the metro system in Stockholm is electric and how the public buses run on biofuels. Additionally, most car owners power their vehicles with electricity or biofuels.
August 21, 2020 Read Full Article
Tomorrow Arriving Today: 5 Technology Platforms to Watch for the 2020s that Are Materially Advancing Now, Despite COVID-19
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... New research shows sustainability has moved from a fringe preference into a core imperative across American life. According to a new survey from clean manufacturing leader Genomatica, 56% of Americans want brands and government to prioritize
August 11, 2020 Read Full Article
A Roadmap to the Ammonia Economy
by Tammy Klein (Future Fuel Strategies) Researchers at Monash University in Australia have proposed a roadmap to renewable ammonia being produced in the future at a scale that is significant in terms of global fossil fuel use in a paper recently published
May 14, 2020 Read Full Article
Shell Uses Plastic Waste to Produce Resin Feedstocks
by Stephen Moore (Plastics Today) Shell says that it has successfully made “high-end” chemicals using a liquid feedstock made from plastic waste using a pyrolysis process that is considered a breakthrough for hard-to-recycle plastics. The initiative advances Shell’s ambition to use
January 23, 2020 Read Full Article
Scientists Turn Carbon Dioxide into Ant Venom Biofuel
by Hannah Osborne (Newsweek) Scientists have created a device that turns carbon dioxide into formic acid—a venom produced naturally by ants that can be used as a biofuel. The prototype electrolyzer, which runs on renewable electricity, produced the purified liquid
September 13, 2019 Read Full Article
Fossil Fuels Offer a Poor Return on Energy Investment
(University of Leeds) An evaluation of the global energy return on investment for fossil fuels and renewable sources reveals a much more level playing field than previously believed. An enduring argument for the ongoing use of fossil fuels is their high
August 23, 2019 Read Full Article
SoCalGas and Electrochaea Announce Commissioning of New Biomethanation Reactor System Pilot Project
(Southern California Gas Co./PR Newswire) Innovative project with U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory converts renewable electricity into renewable methane for storage in existing natural gas pipelines -- Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) and Electrochaea today announced the commissioning of the nation's
August 15, 2019 Read Full Article
Five Myths about Corn: Actually, It’s Not All Genetically Modified — or Unhealthy.
by Laura Reiley (Washington Post) ... MYTH NO. 5 Biofuels derived from corn can help the environment. Ethanol, made by fermenting sugars from corn or sugar cane, contains oxygen that enables a car’s engine to burn fuel more efficiently. It was heralded as the
August 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Fossil Fuels Are Far Less Efficient Than Previously Thought
by Luke McGrath (Bloomberg) Fossil fuels, long regarded for their high-energy return on investment, are not as efficient as once thought. In fact, their final yields are not much better than those of renewable options, according to a new study. Oil, coal
July 16, 2019 Read Full Article
Farmer and Ethanol Advocate Provides Perspective
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) Farmer and Nebraska Ethanol Board member Scott McPheeters joined a diverse panel of agricultural producers at the recent Bayer AgVocacy Forum in Orlando, prior to Commodity Classic. ... During the panel McPheeters was able to share his perspective with
March 14, 2019 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
Can Climate Change Be Stopped by Turning Air into Gasoline?
by David Fridley and Richard Heinberg (Renewable Energy World) The headline of this article was composed simply by rephrasing the title of a popular recent piece in The Atlantic — “Climate Change Can Be Stopped by Turning Air into Gasoline” — as a question.
June 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Corn Farmers, Biofuels Have More to Offer
by Mark Sponsler (Colorado Corn/Journal-Advocate) ... Oxygenating gasoline is required under Clean Air Act amendments, and ethanol — with its clean-burning qualities — has long been regarded as the best additive for that. For years, adding 10 percent ethanol to gasoline
July 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Second-Generation Biofuels Show Environmental Sustainability Benefits
(Univeristy of Pittsburg/R&D Magazine) Numerous studies have raised critical concerns about the promise of corn ethanol's ability to mitigate climate change and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Some of the studies have suggested that after a full life cycle assessment--meaning
May 22, 2017 Read Full Article
Growing Algae for Food and Biofuel Could Cut Greenhouse Emissions
(Environmental Research Web) Cultivating algae for food and biofuel could make a serious dent in our greenhouse gas emissions, as well as helping to save freshwater resources and reduce deforestation. Currently the emissions associated with land-use change and agriculture account for
January 09, 2017 Read Full Article
Attacking Carbon Intensity, Energy Intensity: The Digest’s 2016 Multi-Slide Guide to the Agile BioFoundry
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) With the Agile BioFoundry project, the National Lab consortium, in partnership with academia and industry, aims to achieve a 40% decrease in the energy intensity of current manufacturing processes. Plus, a 60% decrease in the carbon
December 27, 2016 Read Full Article
Life Cycle Assessment of Integrated Seawater Agriculture in the Arabian (Persian) Gulf as a Potential Food and Aviation Biofuel Resource
by Brian Warshay, J. Jed Brown, Sgouris Sgouridis (The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment) Prospective evaluation of the lifecycle impacts of aviation biofuel production in Abu Dhabi, UAE based on a production system that integrates aquaculture, saltwater agriculture, and mangrove silviculture, termed an
December 27, 2016 Read Full Article
Busting the Mythology of Food vs. Fuel
by Jeff Rice (Journal-Advocate) Making ethanol doesn't rob the hungry of needed nutrition ... Ethanol has long been recognized as an additive to increase octane and help internal combustion engines burn cleaner. Until 2005, the chief oxygenation additive was primarily methyl
November 30, 2016 Read Full Article
National USDA Official Highlights Biofuels Investments in Colorado
by Russ Baldwin (The Prowers Journal) U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Val Dolcini on Monday highlighted the USDA’s recent biofuel-infrastructure investments in Colorado during a stop in Greeley. Joined by Colorado Agriculture Commissioner Don Brown and
November 07, 2016 Read Full Article
Ethanol from Conventional to Advanced: The Digest’s 2016 Multi Slide Guide to Praj
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Recently, we held a well-attended webinar on the markets and makers of ethanol from conventional to advanced. Here below is a slide deck presented on the day, from Praj – going through the technology landscape that is
October 14, 2016 Read Full Article
Biofuels versus Gasoline: The Emissions Gap Is Widening
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) ... Many respected laboratories, agencies, and researchers have used a lifecycle analysis to show that biofuels, particularly advanced biofuels, provide significant carbon benefits compared to gasoline. These benefits have increased in recent years, as biofuels have
September 03, 2016 Read Full Article
Guest Opinion: Misinformation Hurts Ethanol's Place at Pump
by Mike Lefever (Post Independent/Citizen Telegram) ... In the end, though, I hope your take away is the same as mine; there’s a place at the pump for ethanol, petroleum and other fuels. We just don’t want ethanol to lose its place
June 06, 2016 Read Full Article
Implement RFS As Congress Intended
by Tom Buis (Growth Energy/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The renewable fuel standard (RFS) is the most successful energy policy our nation has seen in the last 40 years. It has created almost 400,000 jobs and contributed nearly $44 billion to the nation’s
April 12, 2016 Read Full Article
Building a Bioethanol Coalition in the Fight Against Climate Change
by Jan Koninckx (DuPont/Biofuels Digest) ... (O)ur call is clear: we must act with the utmost urgency as we work toward solutions to help slow man-made climate change. Transportation contributes a quarter of all man-made CO2 emissions, and it needs
March 15, 2016 Read Full Article
LETTER: Ethanol Is Truly a Homegrown Energy
by Kim Larson (Grand Forks Herald) ... Let us all be reminded, that CRP was never meant to remain as a stationary acreage program. It was expected to perform just as it has, rise and fall with the free market decisions
March 14, 2016 Read Full Article
RFA Analysis Finds Improvement of Corn Ethanol Net Energy Balance
(Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) An analysis conducted by the Renewable Fuels Association and released March 7 finds the net energy balance of corn-based ethanol at U.S. dry mill biorefineries averages 2.6–2.8, an improvement over previous estimates, reflecting efficiency gains. The figures build
March 08, 2016 Read Full Article
Biofuels from Algae: A Budding Technology Yet to Become Viable
(Phys.Org) Despite high expectations and extensive research and investment in the last decade, technological options are still in developing stages and key resources for algal growth are still too onerous for economically viable production of algal biofuels, according to a
March 01, 2016 Read Full Article
Report: Energy Efficiency of Ethanol Continues to Improve
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Reports recently published by the USDA Office of the Chief Economist and the University of Missouri’s Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute demonstrate that ethanol production continues to become more energy efficient and shows
February 22, 2016 Read Full Article
Ethanol Is a Net Energy Winner
by Monte Shaw (Iowa Renewable Fuels Association/Des Moines Register) Letter to Editor: I was embarrassed for the University of Northern Iowa to read the recent letter to the editor by professor Kamyar Enshayan regarding ethanol ['Renewable fuel' a term thrown around loosely, Oct.
November 03, 2015 Read Full Article
University of Vermont Offers Online Bioenergy Certificate Program
UVM’s Bioenergy Professional Certificate provides alternative approaches to traditional energy sources in Biofuels, including: Liquid Biofuels (seed-based biodiesel; bioethanol; algae-biofuels) Solid Biofuels (wood and grass energy) Biogas (farm-based energy) This Certificate Program offers college graduates, farmers, teachers,and entrepreneurs technical exposure to Biofuels science and technology topics that address environmental, economic,
August 11, 2015 Read Full Article
Drilling into Distillation, Dehydration
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Companies aim to tweak and transform key systems to reduce energy use and resolve bottlenecks. -- Optimization efforts most often look at boosting yield, but as finely tuned and balanced as ethanol plants are,
July 27, 2015 Read Full Article
Ethanol Chronicles Launches Blog to Answer Fuel Critics
By Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Auto Channel recently launched the Ethanol Chronicles to aggregate questions and information on ethanol. The Auto Channel is a focused content channel covering all things automotive. A long-time champion for ethanol, copublisher Marc Rauch
July 14, 2015 Read Full Article
Why Biofuels Can't Replace Oil
by Jude Clemente (Forbes) ... To be a viable alternative for petroleum, a biofuel should provide a net energy gain, offer clear environmental and economic benefits, and not reduce food supplies and/or increase their costs. ... A vital concept when considering alternatives to
June 22, 2015 Read Full Article
Dr. Stephen Mayfield: When Will Algae-based Transportation Fuels Be Economically Viable?
by Stephen Mayfield (International Society for Applied Phycology Newsletter) I am often asked, “When will algae-based transportation fuels be commercially available?” My answer tends to be that they are available now, and have been since roughly 1900. In fact, algae-based fuels
April 17, 2014 Read Full Article
Research Summary: Sequestration of Carbon by Shrub Willow Offsets Greenhouse Gas Emissions
(Extension.org) Grown for biofuel, energy-efficient shrub willow sequesters carbon below-ground, life-cycle assessment shows. Shrub willow is a short-rotation woody biomass crop that could be an important part of our renewable energy future. By sequestering carbon in below-ground biomass, it can
April 01, 2014 Read Full Article
Are Ethanol Fuels Better than Petroleum?
by Robert Moffitt (Twin Cities Daily Planet) In response to “Ethanol is a not long term solution,” I’ll begin by saying the author made some valid points. No, ethanol is not an environmental, economic and political cure-all, nor is it
September 26, 2013 Read Full Article
New Study: Algae Biofuel Cuts CO2 >50% vs. Petroleum
(Algae Industry Magazine) Algae-derived biofuel can reduce life cycle CO2 emissions by 50 to 70 percent compared to petroleum fuels, and is approaching a similar Energy Return on Investment (EROI) as conventional petroleum, according to a new peer-reviewed paper published in
September 20, 2013 Read Full Article
Green Plains CEO Challenges Environmentalists on Corn Ethanol
by Herman K. Trabish (GreenTechMedia) “I invite anyone here, anytime. We’ll show them what we do.” Attention, Union of Concerned Scientists, Sierra Club and other environmental advocates: Green Plains Renewable Energy (GPRE) CEO Todd Becker wants you to come to his Iowa corn
August 14, 2013 Read Full Article
Study Shows Ethanol Reducing Footprint
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) A new study indicates that ethanol production is continuing to reduce its energy and environmental footprint. The study, entitled “2012 Corn Ethanol: Emerging Plant Energy and Environmental Technologies”, found that recent innovations in corn ethanol production have resulted
May 02, 2013 Read Full Article
Crop-Based Biofuels: A Complex Issue
by Sam Fenwick (E2B Pulse) In this article, E2B explores the benefits of crop-based biofuels to the UK, the potential impact of a recent EU proposal and the wider issues associated with their adoption. In October 2012, the EU Commission published
April 11, 2013 Read Full Article
Council for Agricultural Science and Technology Paper Says 2050 Food, Fuel Needs Can Be Met
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The world will be capable of meeting its needs for food, fuel and fiber in 40 years, according to a paper from the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, “Food, Fuel, and Plant
March 25, 2013 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office Comments on Air Force Strategic Studies Quarterly Article: Energy Insecurity, The False Promise of Liquid Biofuels
(US Department of Energy/Department of Defense) General Comments Although the author has done an extensive literature reading in the biofuels area, the paper does not have any analysis of critical issues of energy systems including petroleum systems and biofuel systems. Instead,
March 18, 2013 Read Full Article
RFA Releases “40 Facts About Ethanol” Video
(Renewable Fuels Association) The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) today released a new video entitled “40 Facts About Ethanol.” It is a fast-paced, up-tempo, animated data-based review of ethanol past, present and future. To view this video, please visit www.EthanolRFA.org or RFA’s YouTube channel.
February 28, 2013 Read Full Article
Hard Reality – Biofuels Are a Loser, Despite All the Hope and Hype
by Rod Adams (Atomic Insights) I’ve been spending the past hour or so reading an excellent paper written by a US Naval aviator titled Twenty-First Century Snake Oil: Why the United States Should Reject Biofuels as Part of a Rational National
February 22, 2013 Read Full Article
Well-to-Wheels Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Ethanol from Corn, Sugarcane and Cellulosic Biomass for US Use
by Michael Wang, Jeongwoo Han, Jennifer B Dunn, Hao Cai and Amgad Elgowainy (US Department of Energy/IOP Science) corn-based ethanol production occurring mostly in the US and sugarcane-based ethanol production occurring mostly in Brazil. Advances in technology and the resulting
February 08, 2013 Read Full Article
New Research on Algae-to-Biofuel Schemes Quantifies Uncertainty
(FIS) A Cornell University team has used the Monte Carlo approach to quantify the role of uncertainty associated with process parameters in life cycle analysis (LCA) of algae-to-biofuel schemes for determining metrics such as Energy Return on (Energy) Invested (EROI)
January 24, 2013 Read Full Article
The Biggest Biofuels Myths, DeMythtefied
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) When headlines run dire, ask yourself: are they real? In today’s Digest, we give you a guide to managing the myth minefield — and the roaring trade in disinformation about biofuels, feedstocks, and social
January 11, 2013 Read Full Article
Can Algae-Derived Oils Support Large-Scale, Low-Cost Biofuels Production?
(XS4Green.com) ...John Benemann, Ian Woertz, and Tryg Lundquist, MicroBio Engineering, Inc. (Walnut Creek, CA) and California State Polytechnic University (San Luis Obispo, CA), present the results of an engineering and economic study of vegetable oil production from microalgae grown in
December 14, 2012 Read Full Article
Which Biofuels Hold the Most Promise for the Future - Interview with Jim Lane
by James Stafford (Oilprice.com) Following record droughts across the United States the benefits of the ethanol subsidy were once again hotly debated and biofuels in general found themselves generating quite a few unflattering headlines. But as always the mainstream media
October 14, 2012 Read Full Article
Renewable Energy: Not Just a Nice Idea
by Bruce Dale (Star Tribune) Commentaries: Considered in context, it's clear that ethanol has an important role to play. A commentary about corn ethanol published in the Star Tribune this summer was disappointing ("Too much corn is being wasted as fuel," Aug.
October 14, 2012 Read Full Article
Corn Growers Tout Ethanol Production Benefits
by Jenni Grubbs (The Fort Morgan Times) ...While most vehicles' engines cannot run on straight or even large percentages of ethanol, some of it is added to gasoline to add more oxygen, which helps the fuel burn more completely and
September 07, 2012 Read Full Article
University of Texas Studies Energy Benefits of Algae Fuels
(Algae Industry Magazine) A recent study at the University of Texas at Austin demonstrates that it is theoretically possible to produce about 500 times as much energy from algae fuels as is needed to grow the fuels. However, limited by
July 23, 2012 Read Full Article
Perception vs Reality: The 8 Most Common Biofuels Myths
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Attacks from the usual opponents are generally in the form of statements that sound vaguely scientific, or fact-based. Often with a scientist in tow. Beware. Not every person in the business of meat or breakfast
June 08, 2012 Read Full Article
Natural Gas vs. Energy Innovation
by Kate Bechen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The production of ethanol is a complex, energy intensive process. Critics often cite the energy usage of ethanol plants and the wastes produced by the production of ethanol, especially corn-based ethanol, as lessening the
January 30, 2012 Read Full Article
MATT HARTWIG: Ethanol's critics cite outdated, misleading data
by Matt Hartwig (Northwest Florida Daily News) Opinion: In a Nov. 2 editorial (“Florida’s ethanol escapade”), the Northwest Florida Daily News mischaracterized my remarks to a reporter and extrapolated conclusions that simply were not there. ...First, America produced more than 13
November 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Q&A: Ethanol Plant Leader Has No Regrets in Picking Medina
by Tom Rivers (The Daily News) Michael Sawyer, 38, of Geneseo took a gamble in 2005. After eight years in corporate finance in Rochester, he left that career to join his father John Sawyer in establishing an ethanol plant in
November 07, 2011 Read Full Article
America Needs More “Fiascos” Like Ethanol
by Matt Hartwig (Renewable Fuels Association) ...All of ethanol’s critics share a common flaw when it comes to their claims – they cherry-pick the topics on which they opine and ignore very relevant facts. The most recent example is this rant
October 31, 2011 Read Full Article
Bruce Dale: Michigan State Chemical Engineer Takes a Critical Look at the Pluses and Minuses of Biofuels
by Stephen K. Ritter (Chemical & Engineering News) Bruce E. Dale often plays the role of devil's advocate not only against the rosy picture of biofuels painted by start-ups and trade associations but also against the gloom-and-doom message of some
August 29, 2011 Read Full Article
From Farm to Biorefinery: Ethanol Production Efficiency Improves
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) ...In this week’s installment of the RFA’s series on efficiency, RFA Vice President Geoff Cooper takes on the critics who contend that both farming and ethanol production is simply too energy-intensive. Critics of farmers, and by
August 22, 2011 Read Full Article
Ethanol Industry Weighs Options
by Joseph Morton (World Herald Bureau/Omaha.com) The ethanol industry is preparing itself for life after federal subsidies. Key tax credits that pay blenders for using the renewable fuel are set to expire at the end of 2011. At a cost to
August 18, 2011 Read Full Article
FREEDOM Has the Power and Energy to Change Your Mind and the World
by Patrick Robinson (West Seattle Herald) The documentary FREEDOM from husband and wife team of Josh and Rebecca Tickell is aptly named because in the context of the film it represents the most significant meaning of the word and gives it
August 11, 2011 Read Full Article
U.Va. Researchers Find High Energy Output From Algae-Based Fuel, But 'No Silver Bullet'
by Zak Richards (University of Virginia) Algae-based fuel is one of many options among the array of possible future energy sources. New University of Virginia research shows that while algae-based transportation fuels produce high energy output with minimal land use,
August 11, 2011 Read Full Article
More Ethanol, Fewer Inputs, Increasing Benefits: More Corn on Fewer Acres, Less Water
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) Over the past 30 years, and in particular in the past decade, ethanol production has quietly become increasingly efficient. From improvements in corn production to greater efficiencies at ethanol biorefineries, America’s leading renewable fuel
August 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Coal and Ethanol Are Not Alternative Energy Policy
by Andrew Smolski (OilPrice.com) ...(E)nergy policy is as defunct as ever and on most fronts the US is lagging far behind. ... (T)he US will need this Energy policy to spur growth, create jobs, and remain competitive going forward. Yet,
August 10, 2011 Read Full Article
The Energy Return on Investment for Algal Biocrude: Results for a Research Production Facility
by Colin M. Beal, Robert E. Hebner, Michael E. Webber, Rodney S. Ruoff and A. Frank Seibert (Bioenergy Research) This study is an experimental determination of the energy return on investment (EROI) for algal biocrude production at a research facility at the University of
July 29, 2011 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Achieves 5-to-1 Return on Fossil Energy
(American Soybean Association/Southeast Farm Press) Newly published research from the University of Idaho and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) shows that for every unit of fossil energy needed to produce biodiesel, the return is 5.54 units of renewable energy. A
July 22, 2011 Read Full Article
Brazil´s Biofuel Drama Goes Global
by Eric Ehrmann (Huffington Post) Speculators hedging uncertainty in world energy markets are again making renewable fuels derived from corn, cane sugar and soybeans the drivers of food price inflation, just as they did on the eve of the 2008 economic
May 24, 2011 Read Full Article
Global Biofuels: “Overall Contribution to the Renewables Picture Overlooked.”
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...“How many New York Times readers would know that global biofuels production is 12 times higher than global wind?” on a BTU basis, asks a Digest reader, even allowing for energy consumed in the production
May 09, 2011 Read Full Article
Critic of Ethanol Got It All Wrong
by Jeff Zueger (Inforum.com) To read Ross Nelson’s column on ethanol (“Ethanol’s promise is empty, “ March 14, Forum), one could come away with the impression that ethanol production is an inefficient and outdated technology. The truth is, ethanol is more
March 28, 2011 Read Full Article
The Need for Alternative Fuel: When Biofuels and Genetic Engineering Meet
by Alexander Kunev (The McGill Daily) ...However, getting rid of a system of distribution that encompasses a large network of filling stations and refineries is far from the most efficient way to ensure that more vehicles will be powered by
March 14, 2011 Read Full Article
You Can Have Your Opinion, but Not Your Own Facts
by Matt Hartwig (Renewable Fuels Association) That the Houston Chronicle would be anti-ethanol is not surprising to anyone. It is Houston, Texas, after all. But that the editorial board would play fast and loose with the “facts” they use to support
November 11, 2010 Read Full Article
USDA: US Ethanol Production More Efficient than Ever
John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) ...In an interview with USDA radio, Harry Baumes, Director of USDA’s Office of Energy Policy and New Uses says a new study shows that we’re getting more energy out of corn than what it takes to raise the
September 28, 2010 Read Full Article
USDA Report Shows Improving Corn-Ethanol Energy Efficiency
(US Department of Agriculture) Harry Baumes, Acting Director of USDA’s Office of Energy Policy and New Uses, says a report that surveyed corn growers in 2005 and ethanol plants in 2008 indicates the net energy gain from converting corn to ethanol
September 22, 2010 Read Full Article
Ferris: Ethanol from Corn is Net Gain on Energy
(Lansing State Journal) ...A quick response from Tom's major concern is that, yes, there is a major energy gain in producing corn-grain based ethanol, even though the energy content (BTUs) in pure ethanol (E-100) is only two-thirds that of gasoline. Research for
August 25, 2010 Read Full Article
Another Brick in the (Blend) Wall: Key Thresholds and Barriers for Biofuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...But even were the US EPA to approve E15 ethanol blending, there are some other significant walls and thresholds to keep in mind. Here are the Digest’s Top 10. 1. The $60 oil parity wall. At the
August 20, 2010 Read Full Article
Corn Growers Stress Ethanol Efficiency Gains
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel) ...Dr. Steffen Mueller, Principal Research Economist for the Energy Resources Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago, did two presentations at the CUTC, both related to the increasing efficiency of ethanol production that continues to