by Anju Dahiya (Editor) Bioenergy: Biomass to Biofuels and Waste to Energy, Second Edition presents a complete overview of the bioenergy value chain,
Energy Return on Energy Invested (EROEI or EROI)
Back TO HOMEA 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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,
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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,
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
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
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
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
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,
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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,
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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)
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,
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
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
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
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,
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
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
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
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
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