by John Miner (London Free Press) ... Established in 2005, the $520-million Ontario Ethanol Growth Fund was used by companies to build seven plants that now produce more than 1.1 billion litres of ethanol a year. Provincial regulations mandate that gasoline
government investment
Back TO HOMECross River Ethanol Processing Plant to Be Ready in December — Aide
(Premium Times) Augustine Oqua, the Special Assistant to Gov. Ben Ayade on Religious Matters, says the proposed Cross River Ethanol Processing Plant will be completed in December. ... The aide said the ethanol project would serve as an alternative revenue
November 07, 2016 Read Full Article
McGinty's Agency Subsidized the Ethanol Company which then Hired Her
by Timothy P. Carney (Washington Examiner) Katie McGinty, the Democrats' nominee for Senate in Pennsylvania, cashed out of state government and into the subsidized renewable-energy companies whose agenda she had pushed when in office. That subsidized energy company then turned
November 05, 2016 Read Full Article
National Research Council Showcasing New Algal Biorefinery Project to Reduce CO2 Emissions
(CNW/Newswire) The Government of Canada is supporting clean energy research, development and technology demonstration at all stages of the innovation spectrum, from high-risk, early stage research that can deliver transformative energy solutions, to later stage technology demonstrations to help speed
November 05, 2016 Read Full Article
State of the Industry, November 2016: A Digest ABLC Next Special Preview
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The advanced bioeconomy is making a far more broad assault on everyday norms and materials than back in the days when biofuels were, just about alone, the break-out application. Shift to nutrition The momentum began to shift
November 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Changing Off-Take to Achieve Take-Off: Sea-Tac, SkyNRG, Carbon War Room Partner to Shake up Renewable Jet Fuel Supply Chain
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington state, the Port of Seattle, SkyNRG and Carbon War Room have signed a partnership to investigate long-term financing mechanisms that could supply all airlines at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport with sustainable aviation fuels. Sea-Tac
November 02, 2016 Read Full Article
Derisking: A Strategy for Growing the Biobased Economy
by Neil A. Belson (LeafPro Bioproducts/Biofuels Digest) ... Despite its potential benefits and some very real achievements, the biobased economy has overall progressed more slowly than many had hoped. There are several reasons for this slow progress. Technological challenges involved in
October 28, 2016 Read Full Article
The New World Has Arrived: 16th International Conference Datagro Sugar and Ethanol Promotes the Innovations of the Sector
[caption id="attachment_78189" align="alignleft" width="300"] Panel of Experts discussing "Ethanol and Economic Development" at Datagrow 2016 conference[/caption] by Laís Forti Thomaz* (Advanced Biofuels USA) On October 17-18, 2016, Datagro held its 16th International Conference in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Once again, this event reunited
October 24, 2016 Read Full Article
New Pathways for Stover
by Ann Bailey (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Innovation in stover utilization targets feed, sugars and coproduct credits, building markets beyond cellulosic ethanol use. -- Building a robust biomass supply chain for the future will require multiple end users. Innovative companies are
October 20, 2016 Read Full Article
For the Welfare of His People
(Bangkok Post) Benefits to the nation bestowed by His Majesty's Sufficiency Economy Philosophy -- ... Throughout his 70 years on the throne, King Bhumibol Adulyadej initiated more than 4,500 royal development projects, all of which were derived from his determination to
October 18, 2016 Read Full Article
Danish Bioethanol Project Halted Due to Lack of Political Support and Financing Issues
Liz Gyekye (Biofuels International) Plans to build Denmark’s first biorefinery near Holstebro, which was due to produce bioethanol and biogas, have come to a halt as a result of lack of political support and financing issues. The parties behind the Maabjerg
October 13, 2016 Read Full Article
Expansion of Crimson Renewable Energy Facility, Establishes Kern Co. as State’s Top Producer of Advanced Biofuels
(Crimson Renewable Energy/PR Web) The recent expansion of Crimson Renewable Energy’s ultra-low carbon biodiesel production facility leads to a tripling of production and puts Kern County on the map as California’s leading producer of Advanced Biofuels, company officials announced today
October 12, 2016 Read Full Article
Centre to Invest 15 Thousand Crore to Expand Panipat Refinery
(Times of India) The Union government will invest Rs 15,000 crore to increase the capacity of Panipat oil refinery in Haryana from existing 15 million tonnes (MT) to 25 MT to raise quality of fuel and create more employment opportunities.
October 12, 2016 Read Full Article
NNPC to Commence Commercial Bio-Fuel Project in Nigeria, Says GMD
(Vanguard) The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)will soon commence the first large scale commercial bio-fuel venture as alternative to fossil fuel, Dr Maikanti Baru, Group Managing Director (GMD), has disclosed. Baru made the disclosure on Wednesday in Abuja at a
October 06, 2016 Read Full Article
Biofuels Developments in Australia
by Susan van Dyk and Stephen Schuck (IEA Bioenergy Task 39 and Bioenergy Australia) ... While Australia has large energy resources, it is a net importer of crude oil and refined petroleum products. In 2013, net product imports were 325,000 bbl/d, according to the Australia
September 30, 2016 Read Full Article
Tick-tick-tick…This Plastic Will Self-Destruct
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) They called it Mission Impossible. Create a means to biodegrade any plastic out there that needs to decompose in the environment after use. Find little microbes that can break the material into something that ordinary
September 26, 2016 Read Full Article
Northey: E15 an Affordable, Clean-Burning Option at the Pump
by Bill Northey (Globe Gazette) ... This significant growth in access to E15 is thanks in part to the “Fueling our Future” initiative, which is a collaboration between the governor’s office, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa Department
September 21, 2016 Read Full Article
Russia Ethanol Production Set to Grow
by Eugene Gerden (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Impending tax abolishment to provide the impetus for the development of Russian ethanol industry. -- Plans to lift a hefty excise tax on fuel ethanol by the Russian government are being called revolutionary. Recent statements
September 19, 2016 Read Full Article
Borregaard Invests in Bioethanol Upgrade
(Borregaard) Borregaard has decided to invest NOK 63 million in a project which includes an upgrade of the bioethanol plant and a facility to capture and store biogas. The project has been awarded a grant of NOK 18.9 million from Enova,
September 19, 2016 Read Full Article
KiOR: The Inside True Story of a Company Gone Wrong. Part 4, the Year of Living Disingenuously
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... But so far, the company and its celebrity investors and directors such as former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and famed venture capitalist Vinod Khosla had escaped close scrutiny. ... The methods for keeping the truth bottled
September 19, 2016 Read Full Article
Kore Biomethane: $25.5mm for RNG
(Fleets & Fuels) Wastewater Feed for Fuel for Near Zero Engine Vehicles -- California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District has moved closer to supporting a $25.5 million Kore Infrastructure project to produce RNG/renewable natural gas from municipal waste-derived biomethane
September 14, 2016 Read Full Article
The High-Flown Fantasy of Aviation Biofuels
by Almuth Ernsting (Biofuelwatch/The Biomass Monitor) ... As far as Branson and his airline, Virgin Atlantic, were concerned, the flight was indeed no more than a stunt: The “biofuel test flight” burned 95% ordinary kerosene and just 5% biofuels, made from
September 12, 2016 Read Full Article
Take Off For Aviation Biofuels: Why, How, and Why?
by Jim Lane (The Biomass Monitor/Biofuels Digest) ... By the 21st Century, we’ll have many more technological options for limiting and adapting to climate change, but in there here and now, when it comes to aviation, representing 5 percent of the
September 12, 2016 Read Full Article
From Farm to Fingernails: GreenBiologics Remakes Little Falls Ethanol Plant
by Zach Kayser (Pine and Lakes Echo Journal) A multi-million dollar conversion project in Little Falls aims to bear uncommon, environmentally sustainable fruit when it's completed later this year. Green Biologics, which is based in the city of Abingdon in Oxfordshire,
September 11, 2016 Read Full Article
INEOS Bio Selling Indian River County Biofuel Plant
by Paul Ivice (TC Palm) INEOS Bio is selling its $130 million biofuel plant on Oslo Road, where it's been developing yard waste-to-ethanol technology since August 2013. INEOS, which received millions in taxpayer-funded incentives for its joint venture with New Planet Energy
September 08, 2016 Read Full Article
Does Minnesota Have What It Takes to Seize Biofuel Opportunities?
by Timothy J. Rudnick (Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Seldom do the puzzle pieces align so perfectly as they now have to give Minnesota motorists greater access to E15 and higher blends of Minnesota grown, renewable ethanol. Some of those puzzle pieces include
August 31, 2016 Read Full Article
India Seeks to Expand Biofuels Market to $7.5 Billion by 2022
by Anindya Upadhyay and Debjit Chakraborty (Bloomberg) India’s current biofuels market size is about $1 billion; India to source all raw material for biofuels domestically -- India is targeting a more than sevenfold expansion in its biofuels market over the next six
August 11, 2016 Read Full Article
Latin Americans Committed to Advancing Biofuels
by Fernando Olmedo (Biodisol/Agence France Presse (Google Translation)) Twenty Latin American countries pledged Friday to continue "promoting emphasizing" the development of biofuels with support from multilateral financial institutions, during a forum on clean energy in San Salvador. "There is a belief by
August 09, 2016 Read Full Article
Governments of Canada and Quebec Support Innovative Renewable Fuel Oil Project
(Ensyn) Support for clean technology innovation is vital to growing Canada’s economy and addressing climate change. With its abundance of renewable biomass, Canada has the potential to develop a strong and globally competitive bioenergy sector. The Governments of Canada and Quebec will provide
August 08, 2016 Read Full Article
KiOR: The Inside True Story of a Company Gone Wrong. Part 3, “You’ve Cooked the Books”
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The company was beginning to hurtle towards an IPO. But the fuel yields were low; the fuel was not usable by their initial chosen downstream partner; the catalyst they were using to get even down
August 04, 2016 Read Full Article
We Band of Brothers: Crisp, CRISPR, Crispin’s Day and the Democratization of Crop R&D
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The nature of collaboration across the advanced bioeconomy is shifting dramatically – and we are seeing the democratization of R&D. ... The CRISPR revolution As Dan Watkins of DFJ’s Mercury Fund put it, “There’s a
August 03, 2016 Read Full Article
How To Make Biofuel Policy Work
by Morteza Soleymannezhad (Forbes) ... In my opinion, RFS needs an overhaul. It should start phasing out first-generation biofuels and refocus solely on sustainable biofuels such as the ones obtained from cellulosic materials and algae. As Jeff Turrentine, culture & politics columnist at NRDC’s
August 01, 2016 Read Full Article
The Top 10 Australian Bioeconomy Stories of 2016
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) #10: Refocusing away from algae ...; #9: Export potential on the rise ...; #8: New cellulosic ethanol project in planning ...; #7: First Australian biorefinery for renewable diesel, jet fuel ...; #6: New Queensland biofuels mandate ...; #5:
July 05, 2016 Read Full Article
Missing a Turn on the Road to a Billion Tons
by Corinne Young and Michele Jalbert (re:chem/Biofuels Digest) A Billion Ton Bioeconomy. For those of us who have worked in this space for the last decade, the US government’s aspiration to grow the sector to such size and scope is music
June 20, 2016 Read Full Article
Reconciling Food Security and Bioenergy: Priorities for Action
by Keith L. Kline, Siwa Msangi, Virginia H. Dale, Jeremy Woods, Glaucia M. Souza, Patricia Osseweijer, Joy S. Clancy, Jorge A. Hilbert, Francis X. Johnson, Patrick C. McDonnell, Harriet K. Mugera (Global Change Biology: Bioenergy) ... Understanding the nexus of food security, bioenergy sustainability, and resource management facilitates achievement of the 2030
June 15, 2016 Read Full Article
A Biomass to Sugar Value Chain: The Digest’s 8-Slide Guide to Canada’s Sarnia Biocluster
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) "How much value is in the entire value chain, going from stover in the field to all the products?" asked Sandy Marshall, chairman, Bioindustrial Innovation Canada. His question opened his description of the birth of
June 14, 2016 Read Full Article
Has Shifting to Renewable Energy Become 'Irreversible'?
by Jonathan H Harsch (Agri-Pulse) ... At the heart of the battle is whether it makes sense to transition from fossil fuels to renewables like biofuels, wind, and solar energy. At issue is the choice between steering new investment into renewables as
June 10, 2016 Read Full Article
In a First, Karnataka's Transport Authority May Produce Biofuel. Here's How
By Arka Bhattacharya (The Economic Times) ... Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation is in talks with Hyderabad-based Advait Bio Fuel to jointly establish a bio-diesel production facility in the state, potentially becoming the first transport utility in the country to
June 09, 2016 Read Full Article
New Corporation Enters into Practical ctivities
(Fana Broadcasting Corporate) Established with 15 billion birr capital, the Ethiopian Mineral, Petroleum and Biofuel Corporation (EMPBC) has begun practical activities. The Corporation is one of the state enterprises established by the government to achieve its second Growth and Transformation Plan
June 09, 2016 Read Full Article
Govt Backs in Qld as Asia-Pacific Biofutures Hub
(MySunshineCoast) The Palaszczuk Government will invest almost $20 million to position Queensland as an Asia-Pacific hub for biofutures industries, creating next generation jobs in the state, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced today. The Premier launched her Government’s Queensland Biofutures 10-Year Roadmap and
June 08, 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
Ontario Slates $100 Million toward Renewable Natural Gas
by Anna Simet (Biomass Magazine) Ontario’s government plans to spend up to $100 million over the next four years to foster growth of renewable natural gas (RNG) in the province. On May 26, the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change
June 06, 2016 Read Full Article
USDA Announces More Than $8 Million in Payments to Support the Production of Advanced Biofuel
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $8.8 million to boost the production of advanced biofuels and sustain jobs at renewable energy facilities in 39 states. USDA continues
May 27, 2016 Read Full Article
Sweden Takes the Lead in Biofuel-Use in Europe
by Tomas Ekbom (Task 39 May 2016 Newsletter) The production and use of biofuels in Sweden have increased substantially since the mid-2000s. According to preliminary statistics from SPBI, the share of renewable energy in the road sector was 14.7% in 2015
May 20, 2016 Read Full Article
In North Dakota's Oil Patch, a Humbling Comedown
by Ernest Scheyder (Reuters) The fracking party is over, and a quiet desperation has descended on the state's once-booming communities and the thousands of people who were drawn to them. -- ... But the price drop quickened, due in part
May 19, 2016 Read Full Article
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces Climate Smart Agriculture and Forestry Results, Additional $72.3 Million Soil Health Investment to Support Paris Agreement
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack shared the first results of USDA's Building Blocks for Climate Smart Agriculture and Forestry, one year after he unveiled the plan at Michigan State University. In addition to providing specific goals
May 12, 2016 Read Full Article
Senate Opens Door for Increased Ethanol Use
by Tom C. Doran (AgriNews) Legislation that supporters say will enhance consumer choices and increase demand for Illinois corn was unanimously approved in the Illinois Senate. The bill allows the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to receive nearly $11.98 million from
May 11, 2016 Read Full Article
Hawaii Approves $1.5 Million towards Zero Waste Conversion Biofuel Project
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Hawaii, the state’s budget bill for 2015-2017 is heading to the governor for signature which includes $1.5 million in capital funding for the state’s ongoing development of a facility in Keaau to plan, design
May 11, 2016 Read Full Article
The Green Friendship Bridge Series
by Mark Edwards (Algae Industry Magazine) The Green Friendship Bridge series examines a simple question: “What makes better sense, extending the border wall with Mexico 1,300 miles or taking 13 miles of fence investment to build 8,600 algae microfarms and sprinkle
May 09, 2016 Read Full Article
Indian Cellulosic Ethanol Technology Set for Debut at Demonstration Scale in Uttarakhand
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In India, the first demonstration-scale cellulosic ethanol plant will open this week at Indian Glycol Limited, Kashipur in Uttarakhand, with the Indian Minister of Science and Technology & Earth Sciences on hand for the ceremonies. The
April 22, 2016 Read Full Article
More Misinformation from Fossil Fuel-Backed Special Interests about Renewable Energy
by Gabe Elsner (The Hill) ... American tax payers have paid conventional fuels more than $500 billion and counting over the last 100 years. The International Monetary Fund calculated global fossil fuel subsidies to be a whopping $5.3 trillion in 2015,
April 22, 2016 Read Full Article
Harnessing Biotechnology to Accelerate Advanced Biofuels Production
by Jonathan Male (US Department of Energy) ... From expanding the potential of diverse microbial systems to enhancing the biocatalytic capabilities of enzymes, the application of biotechnology is accelerating the development of the advanced biofuel industry. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy
April 12, 2016 Read Full Article
Farm Bill Energy Programs Enable New Feedstock Production To Help Fuel the Biobased Economy
by Brent Erickson (Biotechnology Innovation Organization/Biofuels Digest) ... Congress changed mandatory funding for two key bioenergy programs – despite their tangible successes – through its Fiscal Year 2016 (FY16) Omnibus spending bill. USDA’s Section 9003 Loan Guarantee Program and the Biomass
April 06, 2016 Read Full Article
Malawi: Must Hands Over Ethanol Stoves to Farmers in KK
by Anastazio Mpumulo (AllAfrica) Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) has handed over ethanol stoves to 36 households in Nkhotakota to mark the beginning of an assessment where ethanol is tested at household level as a domestic fuel. Speaking during
March 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Biofuels Rep Defends RFS
(Environmental Compliance News) ... Americans should not misunderstand the current state of domestic production, foreign production, international economics, and low prices, according to Brooke Coleman, executive director of the Advanced Biofuels Business Council. “Oil dependence is still a problem, and recent
March 08, 2016 Read Full Article
50 BC Cleantech CEOs Send Prime Minister Trudeau an Open Letter Outlining a National Cleantech Growth Strategy
(BC Cleantech CEO Alliance /NewsWire) The BC Cleantech CEO Alliance is a group of cleantech entrepreneurs and CEOs committed to accelerating British Columbia as a global hub of cleantech innovation, talent, capital and solutions to some of the world's most
February 29, 2016 Read Full Article
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Talks GMOs And Ethanol
by Robin Young (NPR's Here and Now) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is the only member of the cabinet who’s been there since President Obama took office. He heads a department that oversees a wide swath of government programs, including food safety
February 26, 2016 Read Full Article
Zeitgeist at the Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference
[caption id="attachment_70483" align="alignright" width="260"] LanzaTech CEO Jennifer Holmgren visits with Advanced Biofuels USA's Bill Brandon at a pre-conference get-together.[/caption] by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) You might think that annual conferences feel the same year after year. Not true. One of
February 25, 2016 Read Full Article
Breaking Europe’s Addiction to Oil
by Anders Fogh Rasmussen and Peder Holk Nielsen (Novozymes) Former Secretary General of NATO Anders Fogh Rasmussen and Novozymes’ CEO take steps to highlight Europe’s problematic addiction to oil – and what can be done about it -- ... Europe is
February 23, 2016 Read Full Article
7 Megatrends for the Bioeconomy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Where is the bioeconomy headed? In the annual State of the Industry briefing at the 2016 Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference, the Digest presented a survey on that topic. Here are the trends we spotted in the
February 23, 2016 Read Full Article
Second-Generation Biofuel Markets: State of Play, Trade and Developing Country Perspectives
(United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) UNCTAD's first report on the state of biofuel technologies in 2007 highlighted a sector with great potential, but at the time that was a long way off from markets. In 2015, countries made commitments
February 23, 2016 Read Full Article
Cellulosic Ethanol Falls A Few Billion Gallons Short
by Robert Rapier (Energy Trends Insider) ... From zero commercial production in 2006, (Vinod) Khosla foresaw the first 100 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol hitting the market in 2008 (see Slide 78), ramping rapidly to 2.5 billion gallons in 2011, 14.6
February 22, 2016 Read Full Article
Book Review: Biofuels, Food Security and Developing Economies
(merinews) ... Giving the intensity of debate of food versus fuel debate, Naziz (Mintz-Habib)'s fascinating study explores how and in what circumstances Biofuel crops contribute to either perpetuating or alleviating poverty and food in security by considering the complex interactions
February 22, 2016 Read Full Article
Bailout the US Shale Oil/Gas Industry or Fund Clean Sustainable Renewable Transportation? A New Way of Looking at the Options. Press Release
For Immediate Release February 12, 2016—Frederick, MD Advanced Biofuels USA correspondent Robert E. Kozak analyses the potential for a reinvigorated US shale oil/gas industry with and without government subsidies; and compares it to the potential for near-term growth of renewable sustainable clean,
February 16, 2016 Read Full Article
After the Fall: Rebuilding US Liquid Fuel Production - Invest in Our Land or the Shale Oil Fields? (Part 2 of 2)
Efforts to promote a sustainable use of natural resources are not a waste of money, but rather an investment capable of providing other economic benefits in the medium term. If we look at the larger picture, we can see that
February 12, 2016 Read Full Article
Queensland Government Eyes Biofuels Fund to Help Economy
(Biofuels International) The Australia-based Queensland Government is to investigate the establishment of a biofutures industry development fund, which would look to financially assist first mover investment in the biofuels industry. According to local news website Daily Mercury, Premier Annastacia Palaszcuk made
February 10, 2016 Read Full Article
Nigeria: Investing in an Ethanol Plant for Export
by Uba Godwin (This Day/AllAfrica.com/Global Trust Consulting Group) Uba Godwin writes on how cassava and other raw materials could be processed into ethanol for export -- It is disheartened that Nigerians at this level of technological development worldwide are still
February 09, 2016 Read Full Article
Towards Advanced Biofuels – Options for Integrating 1st and 2nd Generation biofuel Production (RES-T-BIOPLANT)
(IEA-RETD/IEA Implementing Agreement for Renewable Energy Technology Deployment) The integration of advanced (2nd generation / 2G) biofuel plants with conventional (1st generation / 1G) biofuel plants can lead to significant synergies and cost savings, especially for bioethanol plants. For biodiesel,
February 09, 2016 Read Full Article
Sampson County OKs Incentives Package for 2 Hog Waste Power Plants
by Michael Futch (Fayetteville Observer) Michigan-based NOVI Energy is moving forward with plans to build two anaerobic digester power plants in Sampson County after county commissioners approved incentives for the facilities. The proposed plants would bring at least 36 jobs to
January 17, 2016 Read Full Article
What $6 Trillion Could Do for Renewable Energy or "The Cost of War"
by Mike Bryan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) What if the nearly $6 trillion spent on wars in Afghanistan and Iraq had been spent to generate economic activity for the ethanol industry, asks Mike Bryan. -- ... Estimates are that by the
December 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Bio-on: World First Facility for Producing Bioplastic from Biodiesel Co-Product Glycerol
(Globe Newswire/NASDAQ) An agreement signed today by Bio-on and S.E.C.I. S.p.A. part of Gruppo Industriale Maccaferri holding, will see Italy's and world's first facility for the production of PHAs bioplastic from biodiesel production co-products, namely glycerol. The two companies, operating in
December 23, 2015 Read Full Article
Findin’ the Benjamins: Stern Brothers’ 2015 8-Slide Guide to Renewable Fuels 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 Stern Brothers and managing director John May. They’ve been part of
December 18, 2015 Read Full Article
NRL, NBDA Ink MoU for Sourcing Two Lakh Tonnes of Bamboo Annually
(Economic Times/India Times) Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), a Government of India Public Sector Enterprises under Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency (NBDA), a state government undertaking, today inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for sourcing
December 09, 2015 Read Full Article
More Than $3.4 Trillion in Assets Vow to Divest From Fossil Fuels
by Zahara Hirji (InsideClimate News) The list of institutions committed to ridding their portfolios of at least some fossil fuel interests has surged in recent months, organizers say. --- More than 500 institutions representing about $3.4 trillion in assets have
December 07, 2015 Read Full Article
Biofuel Enzymes Market to Top USD 1bn in 2020 with Cellulosic Ethanol Help
by Plamena Tisheva (SeeNews) The global market for biofuel enzymes is to experience a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.4% over the next five years, driven by the shift to cellulosic ethanol, BCC Research says in a report, released Wednesday. The firm
December 02, 2015 Read Full Article
20-Nation Mission Innovation Coalition Launches to Spur Clean Energy R&D, Investment
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In France, President Obama and French President Hollande, along with a wide range of other top global leaders, are announcing today the launch of “Mission Innovation,” a 20-country initiative to dramatically accelerate public and private
November 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Gates, Zuckerberg, Branson, Bezos, Steyer, Khosla, Doerr, 20 Others Form Breakthrough Energy Coalition
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In France, 28 business leaders and organizations launched the Breakthrough Energy Coalition, with Coalition chairman Bill Gates stating that “The existing system of basic research, clean energy investment, regulatory frameworks, and subsidies fails to sufficiently
November 30, 2015 Read Full Article
The Assault on Federally Supported Science
by Robert D. Atkinson (Information Technology & Innovation Foundation/Christian Science Monitor) Many of the recent attacks on government-backed research conveniently ignore the huge impact that such science has provided worldwide. --- Distrust of government has long focused on economic and
November 16, 2015 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 8-Slide Guide to Holland & Knight’s “Formulating Successful Grant & Loan Strategies
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) 5 pieces of advice, above all, Holland & Knight give in obtaining grants and research opportunities through the Federal Government: Align with agency and programmatic objectives and metrics. Build relationships with technology offices and experienced partners in
November 04, 2015 Read Full Article
Mission Incomplete
by Katie Fletcher (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. Department of Defense has yet to purchase alternative fuels beyond testing and demonstration purposes, but intentions remain. -- In July, the U.S. Government Accountability Office published a report observing U.S. Department of Defense
November 03, 2015 Read Full Article
Biotechnology Company Seeks $26 Million in Public Funding
by Bill Hanna (Mesabi Daily News) Mountain Iron intended home for Sweetwater Energy project -- The Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation Board on Friday will consider authorizing $26 million in public money for a startup biotechnology company in Rochester, N.Y.,
October 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Soapbox: Fossil Fuel Is a Bad Investment
by Danny Kennedy and Jeremy Leggett (California Clean Energy Fund/Carbon Tracker Initiative/Sacramento Bee) ... Since 2013, the world has been adding more renewable electricity capacity than fossil fuel capacity each year. Meanwhile, the fossil fuel industry is showing its age. For
October 29, 2015 Read Full Article
Aora Tulip To ‘Grow’ Over Ethiopia For Solar Power
by Abigail Klein Leichman (Jewish Business News) Israeli solar-biogas technology developer Aora Solar will develop renewable energy installations in Ethiopia. -- ... It’s the Aora Tulip, a solar-hybrid modular technology that runs on solar power during the day and on biogas
October 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Opinion: Our Generation’s Moonshot: A Clean-Energy World by 2050
by Jeffrey D. Sachs (Market Watch) In May 1961, President John F. Kennedy stirred America and the world with these words: “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing
October 07, 2015 Read Full Article
Senate Democrats Introduce Comprehensive National Energy Bill
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Senate democrats introduced a national energy bill Sept. 22 that they says offers a pathway to a cleaner energy future and economy. The American Energy Innovation Act of 2015 takes a multi-faceted approach,
September 23, 2015 Read Full Article
David Attenborough Backs Huge Apollo-Style Clean Energy Research Plan
by Damian Carrington (The Guardian) Naturalist says 10-year public research and development programme, that would emulate race to put men on the moon, could halt climate change -- ... In a letter to the Guardian, the group argue that the approach,
September 16, 2015 Read Full Article
Durbin, Kirk Support Federal Investment In Illinois Biofuels Industry
(Office of Senator Dick Durbin) U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) wrote to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack today in support of Illinois’ application for additional federal funding to advance the deployment of biofuel infrastructure
August 10, 2015 Read Full Article
The Future of Low-Carbon Road Transport: What Role for Second-Generation Biofuels?
by Joern Huenteler and Henry Lee (Belfer Center Programs or Projects) The promise, prospects, and public policy trade-offs related to second-generation biofuels in road transport were addressed in an executive session convened at The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan,
July 29, 2015 Read Full Article
Refinery to Turn Fat and Vegetable Oil into Renewable Fuels
by Bill Mah (Edmonton Journal) The company behind a refinery to turn fat and grease into renewable fuels says the pilot plant could soon offer another local market for Alberta farmers and cut greenhouse gas emissions at the same time. Edmonton-based
July 08, 2015 Read Full Article
Energy Department Announces New Initiatives as Part of Administration’s Clean Energy Investment Summit
(US Department of Energy) The Department of Energy announced several new and expanding initiatives as part of the Administration’s Clean Energy Investment Summit, including the launch of a Clean Energy Impact Investment Center (CEII), which will work to make the
July 07, 2015 Read Full Article
Quadrennial Energy Review Contains Clues on Federal Biofuels, Biomass Priorities
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) ... And while not a major focus of the report, the QER contains language pertaining to biofuels and bioenergy which give some hints as to the top-level goals for DOE for biofuels and biomass power. ... The
May 08, 2015 Read Full Article
American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) Ups Biofuels Presence at Policy Forum
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Over the past year, the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) increased its work with the biofuels sector of renewable energy, upped its presence and activity at biofuels-related conferences and events, and got into
April 24, 2015 Read Full Article
Global Bioenergies Heads for Demo Scale: A Magic Path to Isobutane in Sight
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In France, Global Bioenergies announced that it has completed the financing of its demo plant, and is commencing construction immediately. The 5,000L demonstration-scale facility will be completed in spring 2015, and will be located at
April 03, 2015 Read Full Article
What Cellulosic Can Learn from Solar and Other Clean-Tech Industries?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Thought Leadership: The Digest speaks with Sebastian Soederberg, Novozymes’ VP for Biomass Conversion on the cellulosic ethanol industry. ... If you look at charts of installed capacity since the 1990s for a variety of clean-tech industries,
March 02, 2015 Read Full Article
Harper Government Supports New Ethanol Production Technology
(Government of Canada) The Government of Canada is making an investment of $3.7 million to help Integrated Grain Processors Cooperative (IGPC) Ethanol Inc. install Canada's first Fiber Separation Technology™ (FST) system to help boost production through operational efficiencies. This investment will
February 11, 2015 Read Full Article
George W. Bush’s Favorite Green Car Is Making a Comeback
by Jason Plautz (National Journal) Under President George W. Bush, hydrogen-powered cars were the automotive technology of the future, with the promise of ditching gasoline and driving for miles with only water as exhaust. But a lackluster market and tepid government
February 06, 2015 Read Full Article
Two Biorefinery a Total of EUR 33.3 Million to Support Energy
(Finland Ministry of Employment and the Economy) The Ministry of Employment and the Economy granted 17/12/2014 Bioethanol Finland Oy, EUR 30 million to support energy Kouvola Myllykoski planned bioethanol facility investment. Neste Oil Corporation was granted, respectively, just under 3.3 million to
December 23, 2014 Read Full Article
Finance for Climate Action Flowing Globally Stood at $650 Billion Annually in 2011-2012, and Possibly Higher
(United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) Publishes 2014 Biennial Assessment and Overview of Climate Finance Flows Report. Annual public and private flows from developed to developing countries ranged from $40 to $175 billion. Dedicated multilateral climate funds -
December 04, 2014 Read Full Article
Ethanol Industry Looking beyond Incentives
by Scott Jamieson (Canadian Biomass Magazine) Executives from Canada's biofuels industry are looking at efficiencies and diversification as tools to ensure the sector's continued growth. That was the main message shared with a packed room at the first day of
December 03, 2014 Read Full Article
Road-Map to Multi-Million Pound Sustainable Aviation Fuels Industry Launched
(Sustainable Aviation) Sustainable Aviation (SA), a coalition of the UK’s airlines, airports, manufacturers and air navigation service provider NATS, has launched its latest Road-Map, which considers the opportunities for sustainable aviation fuels. The Road-Map identifies the potential for a 24
December 03, 2014 Read Full Article
Set up Biofuel Fund, Government Urged
by Kennedy Mupeseni (Times of Zambia) An energy expert has said Government should establish a low interest-rates biofuel fund to be accessed by Zambians for various operations in biofuel value chains. Biofuel Association of Zambia (BAZ) chairperson Thomson Sinkala said Government
November 14, 2014 Read Full Article
Rich Countries Subsidising Oil, Gas and Coal Companies by $88bn a Year
(The Guardian) US, UK, Australia giving tax breaks to explore new reserves despite climate advice that fossil fuels should be left buried Rich countries are subsidising oil, gas and coal companies by about $88bn (£55.4bn) a year to explore for new reserves,
November 11, 2014 Read Full Article
Earth to Cellulosic Ethanol: Glad You’re Here, Buddy, What Took so Long? Parts 1 and 2
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Cellulosic ethanol arrives at scale — “The five years away forever” put to rest — but are there troubling waters still ahead? For whom, and why? Part I of II There’s a gigantic disconnect between two sections
October 10, 2014 Read Full Article
US Biodiesel Supply Kings
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Biodiesel Magazine speaks with three leaders in the U.S. biodiesel distribution space about the growth and opportunities in biodiesel distribution, and the challenges that lie ahead. The marked increase in U.S. biodiesel production over the past
August 05, 2014 Read Full Article
Clean Energy Victory Bond Push In Congress Would Generate $150 Billion In Financing, 1 Million Jobs
(PR NewsWire) Updating WWII "War Bond" Model to Spark Job Creation, Energy Security, Clean Energy, and Increased Energy Efficiency Clean energy boosters on Capitol Hill are borrowing a page from World War II "war bonds" by introducing today a new bill
April 16, 2014 Read Full Article
Edo Signs MoU Worth N85.5 Billion to Develop Agricultural Projects
(Biofuels International) The Edo State government has signed a Memorandum of Understandings (MoU) worth N85.5 billion (€380 million), with four investors from the agricultural sector. Keen to expand and develop their agricultural practices, two of the investors are going to
March 05, 2014 Read Full Article
Zimbabwe: Another Ethanol Plant for Zimbabwe
by George Maponga (AllAfrica.com) Zimbabwe Bio-Energy has announced plans to set up the country's third ethanol plant at Nuanetsi Ranch in Mwenezi, where the firm wants thousands of locals to start sugarcane plantations using water from Tokwe-Mukosi Dam. Tokwe-Mukosi will
March 05, 2014 Read Full Article
Open Letter to 60 Minutes and CBS
(Khosla Ventures) To: 60 Minutes and CBS Attn: Lesley Stahl, Jeff Fager, David Rhodes, Leslie Moonves On January 5, 2014, CBS’ 60 Minutes aired a segment titled, “The Cleantech Crash” that grossly misrepresented the state of the sustainable energy industry. At
February 12, 2014 Read Full Article
The Bio-Buzz: Heard on the Floor at Bio Pac Rim
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... “Support in Washington for the bioeconomy tends to be more bipartisan than some other issues we work on,” reflected (San Diego Congressman Scott ) Peters. “The impact is felt all over the country — technology
December 10, 2013 Read Full Article
Researchers Revise 'Overestimated' Biofuels Subsidies
(EurActiv) Experts, who estimated that the biofuels industry received the equivalent of a €10-billion “Cyprus bailout” in public support in 2011, have shaved the figure by a fifth. The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), an environmental consultancy, apologised “for the
August 27, 2013 Read Full Article
Advanced Biofuels, Climate Change and National Security
by Robert Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) The direct relationship between Climate Change effects and National Security was recently summarized in testimony at a Congressional hearing: Competition and scarcity involving natural resources—food, water, minerals, and energy—are growing security threats. Many countries important to
July 26, 2013 Read Full Article
Energy and Economic Growth: Interview with Mark Thoma
by James Stafford (OilPrice.com) ... Mark Thoma is a macroeconomist and time-series econometrician at the University of Oregon. His research focuses on how monetary policy affects the economy, and he has also worked on political business cycle models. Mark is
May 23, 2013 Read Full Article
Infrastructure, Energy and Natural Resources: Senate Finance Committee Staff Tax Reform Options for Discussion
(US Senate Finance Committee) This document is the fourth in a series of papers compiling tax reform options that Finance Committee members may wish to consider as they work towards reforming our nation’s tax system. This compilation is a joint product
April 26, 2013 Read Full Article
Fracking Success Hits Biofuels Investment
by Jason Krupp (EIN News) Petrol retailer Z Energy says world oil prices could plunge by almost half in the next five years, as United States oil and gas production booms because of "fracking". Fracking is the hydraulic fracturing of underground
February 15, 2013 Read Full Article
Brave New Bio Wor(l)d
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Three dissident voices offer challenges to cherished orthodoxies. ...Though they offer tough love, they are written by friends of the movement. They don’t wish to cast you down to the devil, but to rescue you therefrom. I
February 02, 2013 Read Full Article
D.C.’s Clean-Energy Conundrum
by Paul Dickerson and Thomas Burton (Reuters/Mintz Levin) ...Clean technologies are likely to be the next great industry and economic success story. Whether that happens in the United States or not is up to us. ...Yet there is a clear role for
January 12, 2013 Read Full Article
Enhanced and Updated USDA Energy Website Makes Information Easy to Access
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) In January 2012, USDA launched its brand new Energy Web site. The site contains agricultural, economic, and social data on renewable energy to assist stakeholders, public users, state and local government in identifying opportunities, activities and USDA’s
November 09, 2012 Read Full Article
Who Is Responsible for Making Biofuels Affordable?
by Dan Parsons (National Defense Magazine) ... Military leaders, particularly within the Navy, want to find a drop-in alternative fuel that will reduce their dependence on foreign oil, but do not want to pay a premium for it. Industry is poised
October 23, 2012 Read Full Article
The Coalition of the Unwilling and the Doctrine of Underwhelming Force
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Terrabon CEO Gary Luce says the biofuels industry must rethink the Renewable Fuel Standard, to create the stability for capital formation and prevail over a coalition of wealthy, entrenched opponents. ...As Terrabon CEO Gary Luce notes,
June 07, 2012 Read Full Article
Why We Need a Greener Military
by Fred Kaplan (Slate) ...The rationale for barring the Navy from buying the 450,000 gallons of biofuels necessary for the experiment is economic: These fuels are too expensive—about four times more costly than conventional fuels. To hammer home the point, the
May 29, 2012 Read Full Article
Opinion: Making the Case for Renewable Energy Subsidies
by Wayne Lee (Biorefining Magazine/Lee Enterprises Consulting) ...Since renewable fuels do not enjoy the longer-term subsidies and programs of oil, we are back asking Congress and the administration for some stability. ...First, we must understand that, oftentimes, renewable energy advances
March 13, 2012 Read Full Article
FORUM: Ethanol Needs Infrastructure in Absence of Tax Credit
by Doug Sombke (Rapid CityJournal/South Dakota Farmers Union) ...What the ethanol industry needs now is investment in improved infrastructure to get ethanol closer to being equal in the marketplace with regular gasoline. For decades, big oil companies have enjoyed billions of
January 09, 2012 Read Full Article
Biofuel, Renewable Chemical Advocates Push Reliable Tax Incentives, S. 1764
by Jeanne Roberts (Energy Boom) On Wednesday, December 14, representatives from the nation’s biofuels, renewable chemicals and biobased products industries provided written testimony to a U.S. Senate Finance Subcommittee aimed at insuring the smooth continuation of various biofuel tax incentives due
December 27, 2011 Read Full Article
The Cellulosic Ethanol Debacle: Congress Mandated Purchase of 250 Million Gallons in 2011. Actual Production: 6.6 Million.
(The Wall Street Journal) Review & Outlook: Years before the Obama Administration dumped $70 billion into solar and wind energy and battery operated cars, and long before anyone heard of Solyndra, President Bush launched his own version of a green
December 14, 2011 Read Full Article
Flying High on Advanced Biofuels!
by Mike McAdams (Advanced Biofuels Association/Biorefining Magazine) As I write to you, I am witnessing history at 40,000 feet above the U.S., a rare privilege, as one of the first commercial passengers on board the Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle
December 10, 2011 Read Full Article
A New Era For Biofuels
by Bret Korsgaard (SeekingAlpha) …Companies like Solazyme (SZYM), KiOR (KIOR), GEVO (GEVO), Amyris (AMRS) and Codexis (CDXS) were generally met with favorable terms in the public markets. The Street seemed to acknowledge that for a time, such public enterprises could
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
An Unfair Fight for Renewable Energies
by Arnold Schwarzenegger (The Washington Post) OpEd: More energy from the sun hits Earth in one hour than all the energy consumed on our planet in an entire year. In those terms, it is absurd that our federal government spends tens
December 05, 2011 Read Full Article
Support for Federal Backing of Renewables Slips, Driven by GOP Skepticism
By Juliet Eilperin and Jon Cohen (The Washington Post) Support for putting federal funds into alternative energy sources such as wind, solar and hydrogen has slipped to its lowest point in polls since 2006, driven by growing Republican opposition to such initiatives,
November 11, 2011 Read Full Article
The Uncertain Tomorrow
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Expiring biofuel tax credits and a dysfunctional Congress ...But given Congress subsidizing an obviously profitable oil industry, coupled with subjecting biofuels to stringent GHG emissions reductions while the petroleum industry has none, in addition to expiring
October 31, 2011 Read Full Article
A.I.M's Interview: Sapphire Energy's C.J. Warner and Tim Zenk
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) ...C.J. (Warner, Sapphire Energy's President and Chairman) keynoted at the recent Algal Biomass Summit, attending along with Tim Zenk, Sapphire’s Vice President of Corporate Affairs, who was formerly executive vice president for the Edelman
October 31, 2011 Read Full Article
Memo to Congress and Candidates: American Biofuels Boost Job Creation
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association/The Hill's Congress Blog) ...Many quintessentially American industries with proven records of job creation hold the promise of exponential job growth if given a chance. American ethanol is one such industry, and it deserves a
October 06, 2011 Read Full Article
Jatropha as Alternative Fuel a Bust
by John Lourenze Poquiz (Mayaya Business Insight) The government is set to abandon its program of promoting jatropha as an alternative fuel source, an official said. Energy Secretary Jose Rena Almendras said the Philippine National Oil Co. Alternative Fuels Corp. (PNOC-AFC),
October 05, 2011 Read Full Article
The Need for a Real Domestic Alternative Energy Policy in the USA
by Andrew Smolski (OilPrice.com) ...Let us begin with the thought process of Alexander Hamilton in order to frame the argument of building a new industry within the United States correctly in order to compete on the global market. The gist
October 04, 2011 Read Full Article
Waste-to-Biofuels: Enerkem VP Marie-Helene Labrie
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Marie-Helene Labrie said that the company looked for markets where there was effective government support all through the project from R&D, pilot & testing, commercial demonstrations, and full scale commercialization, noting that a “suite of
October 04, 2011 Read Full Article
The Good Side of Government
by Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine) For all the gripes, some government-backed programs are working ... (Founder of Westar Trade Resources, Cindy) Thyfault speaks with Biorefining Magazine about the programs that have worked to fund the economic needs of companies such as Coskata
October 03, 2011 Read Full Article
Biofuels Losing Government Loan Option
by Philip Brasher (Gannett/Des Moines Register) Developers of biofuels already have been struggling to attract private investment. Now they’ll have even fewer financing options with the sunsetting of the loan guarantee program that financed failed solar-panel maker Solyndra. ...But the
October 03, 2011 Read Full Article
Fixing A Broken Biofuel Incentive Program
by Robert Rapier (Forbes) ...My Plan: Award Direct Per Gallon Subsidies for Oil Displacement Instead of offering grants and loan guarantees for cellulosic ethanol producers — and forcing blenders to pay when they can’t purchase product — simply change the system
September 15, 2011 Read Full Article
Keystone BioFuels Paves Way for Evolving Fuel industry
Monica Von Dobeneck (The Patriot-News /PennLive.c0m) Ben Wooten is doubling his workforce, quadrupling his space and increasing his production tenfold at his Keystone BioFuels in Lower Allen Twp. Not bad in a stagnant economy, he said. Wooten said government
September 12, 2011 Read Full Article
Future Ethanol Policy Changes
by Kent Theisse (Corn and Soybean Digest Blogs and Opinions) ... Many people are very excited about producing ethanol from woodchips, switchgrass, algae and other substances; however, most of this type of ethanol production is still in the early research and
September 07, 2011 Read Full Article
A.I.M. Interview: NASA's OMEGA Scientist Dr. Jonathan Trent
(Algae Industry Magazine) NASA scientist – the inventor, heart, and soul of the OMEGA system (Offshore Membrane Enclosures for Growing Algae) – Dr. Jonathan Trent received his PhD in biological oceanography at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. He went on to
August 22, 2011 Read Full Article
Examining Biofuels Policy
by Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay (Chemical and Engineering News) Government mandates have shaped the market but not always for the best By 2050, the global population will hit between 7.5 billion and 10.5 billion. Energy demands will soar, and traditional energy supplies, such
August 22, 2011 Read Full Article
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