by Maria Gerveni and Scott Irwin (farmdoc Daily) Renewable diesel production capacity in the U.S. exploded in recent years, increasing over three billion gallons (farmdoc daily, March 8, 2023; March 29, 2023). This had a substantial impact on fats and oils feedstock markets, as
Hawai'i
Back TO HOMEThe Potential of Renewable Diesel
by Carrie Song (Neste/NGT News) ... There have been arguments suggesting that renewable liquid fuels are just the bridging solutions before all the vehicles and equipment transition to electric or hydrogen. However, recently a number of car giants have made changes
November 05, 2024 Read Full Article
Pongamia Trees Grow Where Citrus Once Flourished, Offering Renewable Energy and Plant-Based Protein
by Frieda Frisaro (Associated Press) An ancient tree from India is now thriving in groves where citrus trees once flourished in Florida, and could help provide the nation with renewable energy. As large parts of the Sunshine State’s once-famous citrus industry have
July 09, 2024 Read Full Article
Pacific Biodiesel Welcomes Community Leaders & Local Students for Blessing of the Company’s First Sunflower Field on Kauaʻi
(Pacific Biodiesel) Expansion of Agriculture Operations to Kauaʻi will Increase Local Food Production, Develop Model for Regenerative Agriculture-based Biofuel and Support Hawaiʻi’s Circular Economy -- In commemoration of Earth Day, Pacific Biodiesel Founders Bob and Kelly King welcomed community leaders and local
April 26, 2024 Read Full Article
Attorney General Bird Leads 13-State Lawsuit to Pull the Plug on Biden Electric Vehicle Handout and Defend Ethanol
(Office of Iowa Attorney General) Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird today led a 13-state coalition in a lawsuit to pull the plug on Biden’s electric vehicle handout and defend ethanol. -- In Biden’s most recent attack in the war on gas vehicles, he
April 12, 2024 Read Full Article
U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono Visits Pacific Biodiesel’s New Crushing Mill; Tours Company’s Expanded Agriculture Operations on Kauaʻi
(Pacific Biodiesel) Pacific Biodiesel Founders Bob and Kelly King welcomed U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono for a tour of the company’s new crushing mill and expanded agriculture operations in Kaumakani, Kauaʻi on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. Other guests included representatives from
April 09, 2024 Read Full Article
FAA Invests $27 Million on Research to Reduce Emissions and Noise
(Federal Aviation Administration) Research teams from universities nationwide are working on a variety of aviation environmental topics including sustainable aviation fuels, aircraft emissions, and noise impacts with support from Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grants. The FAA is awarding $27.2 million to
April 02, 2024 Read Full Article
Consumer Reports Celebrates the Signing of New Mexico’s Clean Transportation Fuels Standard into Law
(Consumer Reports) The governor of New Mexico signed a landmark law to establish a clean fuel standard for the state on March 5, following approval by the state legislature last month. The standard aims to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels,
March 06, 2024 Read Full Article
RNG Coalition Urges Michigan Senate to Hold Clean Fuel Standard Hearing
(Renewable Natural Gas Coalition/Biobased Diesel Daily) The Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas urged Michigan lawmakers Feb. 8 to conduct a hearing on Senate Bill 275 as an important step toward realizing Michigan’s long-term climate goals. SB 275, a critical Clean Fuel Standard
February 13, 2024 Read Full Article
Amaresco Inc. Selected for Firm Renewable Energy Project on Maui
by Sarah Yamanaka (Spectrum News) With a goal to reduce Hawaii’s dependence on imported oil for power generation, on Friday, Hawaiian Electric selected Ameresco Inc. to develop a firm renewable energy project on Maui. ... “Firm” resources differ from “variable” resources such as solar
February 05, 2024 Read Full Article
15 AlgaePrize Teams Advance as Finalists in 2023–2025 Competition
(U.S. Department of Energy) 15 teams are advancing as finalists in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) AlgaePrize 2023–2025 competition. -- Finalist teams were selected by a panel of judges who reviewed and scored the required 10-page research synopsis that
January 31, 2024 Read Full Article
NJ Introduces Clean Fuels Transportation Bill
(Fill It Up Clean New Jersey/PR Newswire) First on East Coast to Advance Clean Fuels Legislation -- Fill It Up Clean New Jersey, a diverse coalition of business and community stakeholders, is applauding the New Jersey State Senate for introducing legislation that would give The Garden
January 31, 2024 Read Full Article
Pacific Biodiesel Awarded Federal Funds to Develop Hawaiʻi Agriculture-Based Biofuel Model
(Maui Now) Pacific Biodiesel Technologies, LLC has expanded its operations to Kauaʻi as part of a multi-year agreement signed last year with the US Army Corps of Engineers to demonstrate a renewable biofuel produced in Hawaiʻi from multiple locally grown oilseed cover crops. The agreement
January 19, 2024 Read Full Article
Embracing the Advanced Clean Trucks Rule, or Not?
by Emma Frantz (ACT News) ... Originating in California from a need to curb air pollution and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, this regulatory initiative emerged as a pivotal strategy to decarbonize and reduce the environmental footprint of the trucking industry. The ACT
January 18, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2023 Multi-Slide Guide to Terviva
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Terviva is a food and ag innovation company partnering with farmers to grow pongamia, a climate-resilient tree which produces abundant, protein- and oil-rich legumes. Pongamia is uniquely suited to meet today’s environmental challenges. Chief Business Officer
December 21, 2023 Read Full Article
HECO to Replace Six Aging Fossil-Fuel Generators at Waiau with Flex-Fuel Units Allowing Biofuels
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Hawaii, Hawaiian Electric’s proposal to replace six aging fossil-fuel generators at its Waiau Power Plant in Pearl City with more efficient, fuel-flexible units has been selected to advance to the next stage of an energy procurement process
December 13, 2023 Read Full Article
DOE Announces Nearly $48 Million to Advance Clean Hydrogen Technologies
(U.S. Department of Energy) Funding Will Help Reduce Costs and Improve the Performance of Critical Hydrogen Infrastructure and Fuel Cell Technologies, Support DOE’s Hydrogen Shot -- In support of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced
September 25, 2023 Read Full Article
U.S. Department of Energy Announces $18.6 Million to Support Production of Low-Carbon Biofuels and Bioproducts
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) today announced $18.6 million in funding for eight university and industry projects to develop biomass feedstocks to produce affordable biofuels and bioproducts that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Located in eight states, the
September 12, 2023 Read Full Article
Additional Selections for Funding Opportunity Announcement 2400: Clean Hydrogen Production, Storage, Transport and Utilization to Enable a Net-Zero Carbon Economy (Round 3)
(U.S. Department of Energy) AREA OF INTEREST 4 — ADVANCED AIR SEPARATION FOR LOW-COST H2 PRODUCTION VIA MODULAR GASIFICATION An Advanced Modular Redox Air Separation System for Cost-Effective, Net-Zero Hydrogen Production — North Carolina State University (Raleigh, North Carolina) intends to develop a redox-based, radically engineered modular
August 28, 2023 Read Full Article
DOE Awards $34 Million to Advance Clean Hydrogen
(U.S. Department of Energy) Industry and University-Led Projects Across the Country Will Develop Technologies and Infrastructure for Efficient Hydrogen Production, Transport, and Storage -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today (August 17, 2023) announced the award of nearly $34 million to
August 23, 2023 Read Full Article
Hawaii’s Clean Energy Transition Faces Steep Hurdles, Study Finds
by Paula Dobbyn (Honolulu Civil Beat) Some industries, especially transportation, face unique challenges in weaning off fossil fuels. -- Aggressive action must be taken by all sectors of the state’s economy if Hawaii wants to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045
July 31, 2023 Read Full Article
Kauai Receives First Locally Produced Biodiesel Delivery
by Trevor Myers (KHON) Kauai Island Utility Cooperative received its first delivery of locally produced biodiesel on June 28, 2023. This delivery came as part of KIUC’s new fuel supply contract with Pacific Biodiesel Technologies, which owns the biodiesel refinery on
June 29, 2023 Read Full Article
States Charting the Course on ‘Green’ Hydrogen
by Arianna Skibell (Politico's Power Switch) ... An upswell of state-led legislation aimed at boosting and regulating the fuel source could help shape the trajectory of President Joe Biden’s climate plans, write David Iaconangelo, Heather Richards and Zach Bright. ... Few green hydrogen
June 16, 2023 Read Full Article
Community-Based Biodiesel is the Circular Economy
by Kelly King (Pacific Biodiesel/Biobased Diesel Daily) There is a lot of talk about what the circular economy is, but there is much less understanding of how community-scale biodiesel production is the concept’s poster child. I’ve had the honor of being
June 12, 2023 Read Full Article
DOE Announces Nearly $60 Million to Advance Clean Hydrogen Technologies and Improve the Electric Power Grid
(U.S. Department of Energy) Funding Will Reduce the Cost of Clean Hydrogen, Deliver Cleaner Air, More High-Quality Jobs, and Reduce Reliance on Fossil Fuels -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today (May 22, 2023) announced nearly $42 million in funding
May 30, 2023 Read Full Article
Hawaii Oil Refinery Investing $90 Million to Produce Renewable Diesel, SAF by 2025
(Par Pacific Holdings/Biobased Diesel Daily) Par Pacific Holdings Inc. announced plans April 27 to invest approximately $90 million to develop the state’s largest liquid renewable fuels manufacturing facility at its Kapolei refinery. The project relies on the Kapolei refinery’s highly experienced
May 02, 2023 Read Full Article
Hawaiian Airlines and Gevo Enter into Sustainable Aviation Fuel Sales Agreement
(Hawaiian Airlines) Hawaiian Airlines today announced that it has reached an agreement with biofuel company Gevo, Inc. to purchase 50 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) over five years. Gevo expects to supply the SAF from a facility to be
March 28, 2023 Read Full Article
Pacific Biodiesel, Mana‘o Radio Present Live Concert Event to Support Hawaii’s Food Security
(Pacific Biodiesel/Biobased Diesel Daily) Pacific Biodiesel founders Bob and Kelly King announced March 15 they will partner for a second consecutive year with Mana‘o Radio KMNO 91.7 FM to present a benefit farm tour and festival event, this time supporting the
March 21, 2023 Read Full Article
FAA, Universities Pursue Critical Research to Achieve U.S. Aviation Climate Goals
(Federal Aviation Administration) The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued more than $16 million in grants to 14 universities across the country for research to reduce aviation emissions and noise. The university teams are members of the Aviation
October 13, 2022 Read Full Article
Polynesian Voyaging Society’s Hikianalia Fuels with Biodiesel
(Pacific Biodiesel/Biobased Diesel Daily) Voyaging canoes Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia safely returned home to Oahu June 16 from their two-month Kealaikahiki Voyage to and from Hawaii's ancestral homeland of Tahiti, after multiple high-level ceremonies and engagements there with environmental and voyaging
July 12, 2022 Read Full Article
Hawaii Governor Signs Bill to Expand Renewable Hydrogen Refueling Options
by Michael Bates (NGT News) Hawaii Gov. David Ige has signed into law a package of bills that includes SB2570 (Act 241) – Relating to Zero Emission Vehicle Fueling Rebates, which aims to create a renewable hydrogen refueling system rebate program for the
July 12, 2022 Read Full Article
Hawaii Governor Signs Bill to Expand Renewable Hydrogen Refueling Options
by Michael Bates (NGT News) Hawaii Gov. David Ige has signed into law a package of bills that includes SB2570 (Act 241) – Relating to Zero Emission Vehicle Fueling Rebates, which aims to create a renewable hydrogen refueling system rebate program for the
July 07, 2022 Read Full Article
Pacific Biodiesel Co-founder Running for Mayor of Maui County in Hawaii
(Pacific Biodiesel/Biobased Diesel Daily) Pacific Biodiesel Co-founder Kelly King, currently serving her third term on the Maui County Council, announced her candidacy for mayor of Maui County at a press conference in June at Maui Tropical Plantation. King joins a crowded race
July 05, 2022 Read Full Article
Faced with Risks from Climate Change, Hawaiian Outlines Plans for SAF and REGENT’s Electric Seaglider
by Tony Harrington (GreenAir Online) Niche US carrier Hawaiian Airlines, whose mid-Pacific hub is at serious risk of lasting damage from the impact of climate change, has outlined a package of measures to help decarbonise its operations, from initiatives including
June 07, 2022 Read Full Article
Hawaii’s First Mobile Biodiesel Fueling Station Opens on Maui
(Star Advertiser) The first of six mobile biodiesel fueling stations in Hawaii opened on Maui Friday, making the renewable fuel more accessible to customers. The fueling station, located at Maalaea Small Boat Harbor, was installed and will be operated by Pacific Biodiesel,
June 06, 2022 Read Full Article
Ethanol Researchers' Report Targets Future Experts
(The Telegraph) The National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center (NCERC) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has published a Workforce Training & Education Report summarizing opportunities for students to learn outside of the classroom, as well as NCERC’s programs that train the next generation
May 10, 2022 Read Full Article
Pacific Biodiesel, Mana‘o Radio Present Live Concert Event to Benefit Ukraine
(Pacific Biodiesel/Biobased Diesel Daily) Hawaii’s renewable energy pioneers and founders of Pacific Biodiesel, Bob and Kelly King, announced April 6 that Pacific Biodiesel along with Mana‘o Radio 91.7FM KMNO will present “A Concert for Ukraine in the Maui Sunflowers.” This
April 12, 2022 Read Full Article
Seaweed Farming Has Vast Potential (But Good Luck Getting a Permit)
by Alex Brown (PEW Stateline) ... The state’s permitting process involves nine different agencies, and the paperwork is so burdensome and time-consuming that few people bother. “There's a lot of people who are interested in seaweed farming, take a look at that
March 31, 2022 Read Full Article
Clean Fuels Alliance America Celebrates a Biodiesel Innovator in Honor of National Biodiesel Day
(Clean Fuels Alliance America) National Biodiesel Day takes place March 18, in honor of Rudolf Diesel’s birthday. In the 1890s, Rudolf invented the diesel engine, which was designed to run on peanut oil. This year it was especially meaningful as
March 18, 2022 Read Full Article
Options for Reducing Transport Carbon Emissions
(Stillwater Associates) On February 28, Stillwater Senior Analyst, Jim Mladenik presented at the Bioeconomy Hawaii Forum 2022. Jim’s presentation, Options for Reducing Transport Fuel Carbon Intensity, illustrates the fuel greenhouse gas lifecycle versus that of tailpipe emissions. READ MORE Presentation PDF
March 10, 2022 Read Full Article
Regulatory and Policy Analysis of Production, Development and Use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels in the United States
Ekrem Korkut and Lara B. Fowler (Frontiers in Energy Research) The United States, spurred in part by international developments, is expanding its law and policy to incentivize the use of sustainable aviation fuels. While the U.S. has agreed to participate
January 03, 2022 Read Full Article
FAA Research Grants Aim to Tackle Aviation’s Massive Deficit of Greener Fuel
by Leslie Josephs (CNBC) -Sustainable aviation fuel accounts for much less than 1% of global aviation fuel. -The FAA is giving research grants in effect to help drive down the high cost of greener sustainable fuel. -Airlines, trade groups and
December 11, 2021 Read Full Article
Pacific Biodiesel’s Kelly King Invited to COP26, Appointed to EPA Advisory Committee
by Ron Kotrba (Biobased Diesel Daily) Kelly King, cofounder of Pacific Biodiesel and councilmember for the Maui county government in Hawaii, is one of just two U.S. delegates from the international nongovernmental organization ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability invited to participate
October 08, 2021 Read Full Article
USDA Announces More Than $146M Investment in Sustainable Agricultural Research
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today an investment of more than $146 million in sustainable agricultural research projects aimed at improving a robust, resilient, climate-smart food and agricultural system. This investment is made under
October 07, 2021 Read Full Article
DOE Announces Nearly $34 Million to Advance Waste and Algae Bioenergy Technology
(U.S. Department of Energy) 11 University- and Industry-Led Projects will Develop Biomass Resources to Convert to Low-Carbon Fuel for Planes and Ships -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced nearly $34 million in funding for 11 projects that will
August 03, 2021 Read Full Article
Gas Pump 'Warming Labels' Could Galvanize Support for Decarbonization Policies
by Eduardo Garcia (Treehugger) Cambridge, Massachusetts became the first U.S. jurisdiction to introduce “gas is bad” labels warning drivers of how fuel contributes to climate change. -- A new study argues that adding labels to gas pumps warning about the links
July 26, 2021 Read Full Article
New Laws Bolster Sustainability
by John Burnett (Hawai'i Tribune-Herald) Gov. David Ige on Friday afternoon signed seven bills into law that he said were aimed at meeting goals outlined in the state’s 2050 Sustainability Plan. Ige praised the state Legislature for passing the bill package, saying,
July 08, 2021 Read Full Article
Hawaiian Electric Microgrid Powers Three Central Oahu Army Installations during Test of Energy Resilience
(Hawaiian Electric) Microgrid ensures military readiness in an emergency -- During a major outage, the Schofield Generating Station will be able to power up a utility-owned microgrid consisting of three U.S. Army installations in Central Oahu. ... SGS is the only power
June 09, 2021 Read Full Article
Biden Faces Pressure to Drive Gasoline and Diesel Cars out of the US
by Oliver Milman (The Guardian) Joe Biden’s administration, seeking deep cuts to planet-heating emissions, is facing pressure to take a previously unthinkable step: declare the end of the internal combustion engine in the US. Washington state has moved to call time on
May 04, 2021 Read Full Article
UH Hilo Researches Whether Sugarcane Can Make Jet Fuel
(University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo) A groundbreaking study investigating the growth of selected varieties of sugarcane to convert into high-performance jet fuel is underway at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management (CAFNRM). Utilizing advanced technologies
April 21, 2021 Read Full Article
Two States Tax Some Drivers by the Mile. Many More Want to Give It a Try.
by Ian Duncan (Washington Post) ... Widespread production of hydrogen-powered cars has not come to pass, but GM is eyeing an all-electric fleet by 2035 with the backing of the Biden administration. That has lawmakers in state capitals across the country
March 22, 2021 Read Full Article
Maryland Campaign for Environmental Human Rights/University of Maryland Environmental Law Clinic Environmental Justice State Law Webinar
(Maryland Campaign for Environmental Human Rights) The Maryland Campaign for Environmental Human Rights (MDEHR) hosted a webinar by the University of Maryland Environmental Law Clinic about recent state activity on environmental justice. The webinar focused on two areas: (1) recent state environmental
November 13, 2020 Read Full Article
Is Seaweed the Future of Fuel?
by Rebecca Pool (Engineering and Technology) A growing band of scientists and engineers wants to feed and fuel the world with seaweed. --... The last decade has seen a surge in seaweed aquaculture, driven by a rising interest in using
October 31, 2020 Read Full Article
BPTS Addresses Biodiesel History, Technology Advancements
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) BBI International’s Biodiesel Production Technology Summit kicked off on Sept. 16 with the star-studded story of Pacific Biodiesel Technologies unique history and a general session panel focused on emerging biodiesel technologies. Bob King, founder and president of
September 30, 2020 Read Full Article
CARB Adopts Rule Requiring State Transition from Diesel Trucks
by Michael Bates (NGT News) The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has adopted a first-in-the-world rule – the Advanced Clean Truck regulation – that requires truck manufacturers to transition from diesel trucks and vans to electric zero-emission trucks beginning in 2024. By 2045,
June 30, 2020 Read Full Article
COVID-19 Crisis Affects Ethanol Industry
by Kelby Wingert (The Messenger) ... With fewer cars on the roads, fewer people commuting to work and fewer families traveling for vacations, gasoline prices across the nation began to drop. And while consumers at the pump are enjoying the lowest
April 24, 2020 Read Full Article
Hawaii Bill Could Become Nation’s First Carbon Emissions Tax
(Associated Press) Hawaii could become the first state to enact a tax on carbon emissions, but the bill still requires passage by the House and the governor. A carbon tax proposed by Democratic state Sen. Karl Rhoads was recently passed by the
March 11, 2020 Read Full Article
Coming Full Circle
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Celebrating 25 years, the Hawaii-based company that has built biodiesel plants across the U.S. and Japan has gone back to its roots, focusing on sustainability and local energy independence for the archipelago. ... Once a process technology-focused
January 09, 2020 Read Full Article
Klobuchar Leads Letter Expressing Concern that the Newly Proposed Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Blending Targets Will Be Undermined by Continued Abuse of ‘Hardship’ Waivers
(Office of Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)) Klobuchar has spent months calling for an end to the harm caused by abuse of hardship waivers -- U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) led a public comment letter last week to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
December 04, 2019 Read Full Article
Pacific Biodiesel Makes First Fuel Delivery to Power Plant in Hawaii
(Biofuels International) Pacific Biodiesel Technologies has made the first delivery of biodiesel to the Hamakua Energy power generation facility in Hawaii, US, as part of a supply contract signed in October. Under the agreement, Pacific Biodiesel, which owns and operates the
November 08, 2019 Read Full Article
Winners of the 2019 American Biogas Council Industry Awards Revealed
(Bioenergy Insight) Eight biogas projects received awards from the American Biogas Council (ABC) for their ‘outstanding performance and contribution’ to the industry. The winners were announced at the Biogas Industry Awards and Dinner during the BioCycle REFOR19 event in Wisconsin,
November 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Michael Bloomberg Says Cities Can Help Us Meet Paris Climate Goal
by Josh Siegel & Abby Smith (Washington Examiner's Daily on Energy) New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and eight other U.S. mayors released a policy “playbook” Thursday for how cities can cut emissions from the transportation and building sectors. The mayors say if the largest 100
October 10, 2019 Read Full Article
All About Algae: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Algal Biomass Yield Improvements
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Global Algae Innovations is working on a trifecta of goals: 1) to develop improved strains and cultivation methods to increase the algal biofuel intermediate yield by at least 70% AND 2) to develop new drying and
September 10, 2019 Read Full Article
Hawaii’s Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot!: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Tropical Feedstocks
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The University of Hawai’i is on top of the latest research on Hawaii’s tropical agriculture, its hot zone and tropical feedstocks for the bioeconomy. Peter Matlock, Strategic Advisor for Aviation Fuels and Special Projects for Joint BioEnergy
June 24, 2019 Read Full Article
Pro-GMO Ethos Chocolate Is again Available to the Public
(AgDaily) In its debut in February, the debut of Ethos Chocolate made a big, wonderful, delicious splash — the initial batch of 10,000 bars was gone in just nine days. What makes them special is that Ethos is a line of handcrafted bars that are made with
May 15, 2019 Read Full Article
Pacific Biodiesel Eyes California as Federal, Local Support Wanes
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Hawaii-based Pacific Biodiesel has long prided itself on producing biodiesel from local resources within the petroleum-dependent archipelago and supplying the renewable fuel back to its community. But as the U.S. biodiesel sector tries to push forward
May 01, 2019 Read Full Article
Biofuel Made from Roadkill, Cardboard Café, Wheat Straw Transformed to Isobutene, 3D Printed Biobricks, Algae Plastic, and More: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of April 25th
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of April 25th. In today’s Digest, biofuel made from roadkill, cardboard café, wheat straw transformed to isobutene,
April 25, 2019 Read Full Article
This Sustainable Biofuel Company Is Also a Beauty Company
by Eillie Anzilotti (Fast Company) ... Bob and Kelly King founded Pacific Biodiesel in Hawaii in 1995 in response to a concerning issue: the volume of used cooking oil that was being dumped into a landfill in Maui. Bob, who at the time owned the
April 16, 2019 Read Full Article
TerViva Raises $20 Million in Series D to Drive Product Development and Market Expansion
(TerViva/MarketWatch/PR NewsWire) Led by Ag Family Offices and Climate-Smart Investors, Funding Round Brings Ag-Tech Firm to $40 Million Raised for High-Yielding, Sustainable Plant Protein Product Development -- TerViva, an agriculture technology firm commercializing resilient pongamia trees that produce as much as ten
March 27, 2019 Read Full Article
BioSNG Bulletin: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Biomass to Synthetic Natural Gas (BioSNG)
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Mark Robertson, from Small Planet Engineering and a member of Lee Enterprises Consulting offers this illuminating overview of renewable natural gas via biomass gasification and methanation, biogas upgrading to RNG, BioSNG developments, challenges, opportunities and more. Lee
March 01, 2019 Read Full Article
Algae Solutions to Global Dilemmas: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Global Algae Innovations
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Global Algae Innovations was founded in 2013 and focuses on algae for commodities with initial technology development nearly complete. Dave Hazlebeck from Global Algae Innovations gave this illuminating overview of how the algae industry can provide a
January 23, 2019 Read Full Article
Table’s Been Set in 2018: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to Cellana
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Cellana develops algae-based products and has demonstrated commercially scalable yields for multi-products. Their algae is the world’s first biomass with two high-value product applications from different components. Martin Sabarsky, Cellana’s CEO gave this illuminating overview of cellana’s
December 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Kampachi Company Wins $3.3m Grant to Turn Seaweed into Food, Feed, Fuel
by Jason Huffman (Undercurrent News) The Kampachi Company may be best known for its recent efforts to grow “king kampachi”, aka kahala or almaco jack (Seriola rivoliana), in ocean-based cages, but it also is performing research with plans to make a
December 17, 2018 Read Full Article
A Carbon Tax Wave? 7 States Considering Carbon Pricing to Fight Climate Change
by Marianne Lavelle (Inside Climate News) Democratic election victories raised the odds of climate change policies succeeding, activists and analysts say. A national plan was also just floated in Congress. -- At least seven state governments are poised at the brink of
December 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Announces $98 Million for 40 Transformative Energy Technology Projects; Fuel Cell Projects Funded for $12.5M
(FuelCellsWorks) The U.S. Department of Energy announced $98 million in funding for 40 new projects as part of OPEN 2018, the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy’s (ARPA‑E) latest open funding opportunity. These funds will support some of America’s top energy innovators’ R&D
November 22, 2018 Read Full Article
HTDC Grants Assist Biodiesel Expenses on Big Island
(Big Island Now) The Hawai‘i Technology Development Corporation (HTDC) provided more than $900,000 in grant funds to 29 Hawai‘i-based manufacturing companies in June. The Manufacturing Assistance Program (MAP) grant assisted Pacific Biodiesel with funding for equipment purchases and qualified manufacturing expenses
October 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Pacific Biodiesel Subsidiary Launches Natural Sunscreen Product
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) A wholly owned subsidiary of Pacific Biodiesel, Maiden Hawaii Naturals LLC, has introduced Kuleana Sunscreen, a natural, reef-safe product. Made from plant-based oils, minerals and other natural ingredients—including the company’s locally made macadamia and sunflower oils—the sunscreen
October 09, 2018 Read Full Article
Cyanotech® Corporation Signs Asset Purchase Agreement for Cellana’s Kona Demonstration Facility
(MarketWatch/Cyanotech) Cyanotech [®] Corporation (nasdaq capital market:CYAN), a world leader in microalgae-based, high-value nutrition and health products, is pleased to announce that it has signed an Asset Purchase Agreement with Cellana LLC to acquire a six-acre production and research facility, known
September 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Wärtsilä to Help Ensure Reliable Power Supply in Challenging Hawaii Conditions through Smart Technologies
(Wärtsilä) Clean, secure, and uninterrupted power is at the core of Hawaiian Electric’s 50-megawatt Schofield Generating Station. Wärtsilä has signed a Maintenance and Operational advisory agreement for the power plant, located on the island of Oahu, 40 kilometres from Honolulu.
August 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Hawaiian Diving Adventures, Which Offers Scuba Diving on Oahu, Uses Custom Built Dive Boat that Runs on Bio-Diesel Fuel
(Crossroads Today/Hawaiian Diving Adventures) Hawaiian Diving Adventures is Proud to Offer the Only “Green” Diving Experience in Oahu -- The founders of Hawaiian Diving Adventures, a company that offers scuba diving on Oahu, are pleased to announce the debut of their custom
August 08, 2018 Read Full Article
Hawaii Gas Issues RFP for Supply of RNG
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Hawaii Gas is seeking proposals from local and national suppliers who can provide up to 80,000 therms per day of renewable natural gas (RNG), which can be in the form of raw biogas and/or biomethane. According to
July 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Algae for the Advanced Bioeconomy: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Cellana
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Cellana uses the most productive plants on earth—marine microalgae—to photosynthetically produce its ReNew line of Omega-3 EPA and DHA oils, animal feed, and biofuel feedstocks. Cellana’s patented ALDUO system, a series of photobioreactors coupled with open
July 17, 2018 Read Full Article
A First-of-a-Kind Algal-based College Certificate Program Sends Off Its First Graduates
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO)-funded Algae Technology Educational Consortium (ATEC) is proud to announce its first graduates from the algal certificate program at Santa Fe Community College in Santa Fe, New Mexico. These first ATEC graduates
June 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Heating up in Hawaii – Hot News from Sea to Shore
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... The VERGE conference was held in Honolulu last week gathering energy and transportation leaders to talk about lessons learned in clean energy and electricity that can be transferred to the transportation sector. Among the topics
June 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Top 10 Biodiesel Trends 2018: What’s up with the World’s Favorite Advanced Biofuel?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... We’ve organized the state of biodiesel into 10 areas of vital interest ranging from the development of markets to the entry of ancillary products and new feedstocks. #1 Tax & Trade Free trade vs fair trade: Dumping
June 07, 2018 Read Full Article
Facility Would Grow Algae from Papaya for Feed, Fuel
by Tom Callis (Hawaii Tribune-Herald) ... The state’s Agribusiness Development Corp. is proposing to build a $1.5 million facility at the Shipman Business Park that would grow algae from leftover produce, in particular, papaya. The algae could then be used for
April 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Algae with Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage
(Algae Industry Magazine) The University of Hawaii at Hilo announced that in affiliation with Duke and Cornell Universities, researchers have authored a study that suggests making croplands more efficient through algae production could unlock an important negative emission technology to combat
April 16, 2018 Read Full Article
Energy Entrepreneur Proposes Hibiscus Farm at Molokai Ranch
(Associated Press/Honolulu Star Advertiser) An energy entrepreneur has proposed purchasing the Molokai Ranch and turning part of it into a farm for hibiscus that would be used for bio-fuel. Andres De Rosa, the CEO of renewable energy company Lamplighter Energy, shared his
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference—Thoughts and Tidbits from Day 1
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The ABLC 2018 conference began at the US Department of Agriculture headquarters with a focus on feedstock. Jordan Solomon, Managing Director & CEO Ecostrat Inc.. kicked off the event with news of new US
March 01, 2018 Read Full Article
Algae Could Be Major New Food Source, Major New Industry
by Richard A. Lovett (Cosmos) Could green microorganisms be the geoengineering fix the world's needs? -- ... Not only can these fast-growing single-celled plants provide biomass for carbon-neutral fuels, they can provide animal feeds and high-quality protein supplements for a human population
February 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Hawaii Legislature Considers 10 Percent Biofuel Mandate
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) A biofuel blending mandate for motor vehicle fuels is being considered in the Hawaii legislature this session. In January, Hawaii Sen. Lorraine Inouye introduced Senate Bill 2019 (SB2019) that requires transportation fuel sold in the state to
February 21, 2018 Read Full Article
U.S. Air Force Demonstrating Hydrogen as Alternative Fuel Source
by J. Brian Garmon (FuelCellsWorks) The U.S. Air Force is demonstrating hydrogen as an alternate fuel source at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. In a recent visit to Hickam, members of the Air Force Civil Engineer Center’s Energy and Operations directorates were
February 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Sunflowers One Day, Oily Stuff the Next: Pacific Biodiesel Turns Sunflower Seeds into Oil for Cooking and Massages — in Addition to Biofuel
by Melissa Tanji (Maui News) ... Around 1,330 gallons of sunflower oil was generated from the first 14-acre field farmed by Pacific Biodiesel last year. Company founder and President Bob King said this past week that most of last year’s initial crops
February 12, 2018 Read Full Article
In Historic Move, Hawai'i island Leaders Pledge to Transition Ground Transportation to 100 Percent Renewable by 2045
(North American Clean Energy) Leaders from all four counties in Hawai'i gathered to pledge to transition all ground transportation in their counties off of fossil fuels by 2045, according to Blue Planet Foundation. Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell, Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa, Kaua'i County Mayor Bernard P. Carvalho Jr., and Hawai'i
December 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Hawaiian Electric and Pacific Biodiesel Sign New Contract for Local Biofuel for Electricity Generation on Oahu
(Hawaiian Electric) Hawaiian Electric Company and Pacific Biodiesel Technologies have reached a new agreement for the Maui-based biofuel company to supply biodiesel processed from recycled waste cooking oil and other local feedstocks for the 50-megawatt Schofield Generating Station, eight-megawatt Honolulu International
November 15, 2017 Read Full Article
Are Electrics a Bridging Technology, and Hydrogen Fuel Cells the Future?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Recently, Lexus’ Paul Williamsen told Australia’s CarAdvice team: “Both hybrid and EVs are merely bridging technologies on the way to the solution, which is hydrogen. The problem with EVs is a simple matter of chemistry – we won’t
November 04, 2017 Read Full Article
Will the Lemonade Stand Era End in Renewable Fuels, Sooner, Later, Ever?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... No, Virginia, there isn’t any green premium in renewable fuels, chemicals or materials. Actually, there isn’t any premium available for any product, anywhere, at any time, green or not, if it is distributed as a commodity and into commodity markets. It is
October 26, 2017 Read Full Article
Expanding Brazilian Sugarcane Could Dent Global CO2 Emissions
(Phys.org/ University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Vastly expanding sugarcane production in Brazil for conversion to ethanol could reduce current global carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 5.6 percent, researchers report in the journal Nature Climate Change. This would be a massive undertaking,
October 24, 2017 Read Full Article
A Spirit of Kuleana: Renewable Fuels Ventures Strive for New Geographies, Feedstock, Products
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Nothing rang clearer as an industry imperative at ABLC Next last week than the theme of diversification in a Year of Living Dangerously, and we saw it in the news this week from Velocys, Pacific Biodiesel
October 24, 2017 Read Full Article
UH Hilo Researchers Designing Sustainable Wastewater Systems for Local Industries
(University of Hawaii) ... Shihwu Sung, professor of applied engineering at UH Hilo, is currently conducting research on converting waste into biodiesel energy. ... Sung’s research is currently being conducted in the Renewable Energy Lab on the UH Hilo campus, where he has built a lab scale
October 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Hirono Secures Federal Funding for Clean Energy Research and Development in Hawaii
(Office of Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI)) Senator Mazie K. Hirono today announced that two Hawaii businesses will receive $1.5 million in U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funding to develop offshore seaweed as a potential clean energy source. The funding was awarded
October 17, 2017 Read Full Article
No Boredom for Sorghum – Sorghum Reaches Stardom Status with Huge $16 Million Grant
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sweet sorghum stardom! In possibly one of the largest government grants given to anyone for research on a single feedstock, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is receiving a 5-year $16 million grant from the U.S. Department
October 09, 2017 Read Full Article
Yelp! 18 Kelp Wheps Get $22M in ARPA-E Help
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Yes, ARPA-E has unveiled its latest moonshot and is investing $22M in Macroalgae Research Inspiring Novel Energy Resources — also known as MARINER. The projects that comprise ARPA-E’s Macroalgae Research Inspiring Novel Energy Resources (MARINER) program
September 21, 2017 Read Full Article
7 Days from Seed to Harvest: Cellana, and the Rise of Algae in a World Seeking More, Faster, Better
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Let’s look at the hard data — let’s see what is critically different about algae, compared to other staple crop agriculture we known and understand. in this case, the Cellana Demonstration Farm ... which
September 13, 2017 Read Full Article
TerViva’s Pongamia Tree Farms Popping up to Meet Hawaii’s Biofuel Needs
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Hawaii, pongamia trees are being farmed for the first time in experimental plots in Oahu to help meet Hawaii’s biofuel needs, specifically for biodiesel and jet fuel. TerViva is heading up the plantings and is talking
August 28, 2017 Read Full Article
Corn and Sorghum Trials Initiated
by Lee Imada (Maui News) A&B subsidiary to supply biofuel for power project at wastewater plant -- Alexander & Baldwin Inc. has begun growing sorghum and corn on Maui as part of a test project to develop biofuel to feed
August 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Some Democrats See Tax Overhaul as a Path to Taxing Carbon
by Lisa Friedman (The New York Times) With a sweeping overhaul of the tax code on the horizon, two Senate Democrats believe this is the moment to broach the third rail of climate change policy: a carbon tax. The plan by the senators, Sheldon
August 18, 2017 Read Full Article
Hawaii Building 1st Public Hydrogen Vehicle Fueling Station
by Cathy Bussewitz (Associated Press/Hawaii Tribune/Herald) A groundbreaking ceremony was hosted Wednesday for Hawaii’s first public fueling station for hydrogen vehicles, which will enable the state to begin selling cars that only emit water vapor. Honolulu-based Servco Pacific is building the
August 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Researchers Tap Papaya-Loving Algae to Make “Home-Grown” Biodiesel for Hawaii
by Jan Suszkiw (U.S. Department of Agriculture) ... In Hilo, Hawaii, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Plant Pathologist Lisa Keith is leading an effort to produce biodiesel using a type of green algae known as Auxenochlorella protothecoides (formerly Chlorella protothecoides). Oh, and she’s also using the
August 02, 2017 Read Full Article
Feedstock for the Advanced Bioeconomy: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Cellana
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Cellana uses the most productive plants on earth—marine microalgae—to photosynthetically produce its ReNew line of Omega-3 EPA and DHA oils, animal feed, and biofuel feedstocks. Cellana’s patented ALDUO system, a series of photobioreactors coupled with
August 02, 2017 Read Full Article
Hawaiian Airlines Needs To Commit To Renewable Energy
by Stewart Taggart (Honolulu Civil Beat) The carrier flies a fuel-efficient aircraft fleet but seems uncommitted to biofuels. -- ... While the state of Hawaii’s committed to 100 percent renewable energy by 2045, the commitment excludes aviation. ... In an interview with Hawaiian’s
July 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Alexander & Baldwin Partners with TerViva on Energy Crop Project in Central Maui
(Alexander & Baldwin/PR Newswire) High-yield pongamia grows sustainably, uses less water and fertilizer than other crops -- Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. (A&B) (NYSE: ALEX) and TerViva today announced plans to cultivate pongamia on 250 acres of former sugar plantation lands
June 23, 2017 Read Full Article
40 Under 40 Class of 2017: Jenna Long
by A. Kam Napier (Pacific Business News) Jenna Long, 31, Director of operations, Pacific Biodiesel The state’s only commercial biofuel producer is humming along in Keaau, on the Big Island, a family-run business that pioneered that form of renewable energy in
June 14, 2017 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Think of it as 100+ acres of energy storage and carbon sequestration,” said Kelly King, Vice President and Co-Founder of Pacific Biodiesel and recently inaugurated member of the Maui County Council. “There are 36,000 acres of fertile sugar cane lands
May 01, 2017 Read Full Article
Kings of the Bioeconomy: Pacific Biodiesel Keeps Getting It Done
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) There just isn’t an organization out there like Pacific Biodiesel. Labors on, fighting the good fight, hitting every sustainability grace note, and always surprising the industry with one more innovative way of doing things. And here’s
May 01, 2017 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Sunflower Power Hits a Speed Bump
by Brian Perry (Maui News) Photogenic crop attracts more attention than area can safely handle -- “No Trespassing” signs have been posted around Pacific Biodiesel Technologies’ experimental crop of sunflowers on 14 acres near the intersection of Honoapiilani and Kuihelani
April 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Use of Renewable Fuel by All Ground Transit Sought by 2045
by Kathryn Mykleseth (Honolulu Star Advertiser) A key Senate committee passed a bill Monday that sets a goal of having all ground transportation in Hawaii run on renewable fuel by 2045. The Senate Committee on Ways and Means passed HB 1580, which
April 13, 2017 Read Full Article
A&B Planning Pongamia Project on Former HC&S Land
by Lee Imada (Maui News) Alexander & Baldwin is close to formalizing a partnership with a seed oil producing company on a 250-acre demonstration project to produce biofuels from the pongamia tree on old sugar fields with planting possibly to
April 10, 2017 Read Full Article
Dizzy Display of Sunflower Power
(Maui News) Early sunflowers bloom in Pacific Biodiesel’s 115-acre demonstration project between Waikapu and Maalaea as viewed from the side of Kuihelani Highway on Tuesday morning. The biofuel crop is expected to yield more than 100 gallons of oil per
April 06, 2017 Read Full Article
A&B Map Shows Possible Uses for Fallow Sugar Fields
by Lee Imada (Maui News) A general map showing possible uses of now fallow sugar fields — including areas for possible biodiesel-producing tree orchards, coffee and cacao crops and livestock-irrigated pastures — was projected on a screen as the former
April 04, 2017 Read Full Article
Viable Biomass for Hawaii
by Gretchen Miller (Biofuels Digest) ... Meghan Pawlowksi, a graduate student at the University of Hawaii Manoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture, crawled around her field site on the last sugarcane plantation in Hawaii, Maui’s Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company, or HC&S,
March 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Hawaii’s Largest Oil Refinery Owner in Talks with Biofuel Developers
by Duane Shimogawa (Pacific Business News) Par Pacific Holdings Inc., owner of the largest oil refinery in Hawaii, is actively speaking with several biofuel developers regarding the use of this renewable fuel as a replacement for oil, a company executive confirmed
March 08, 2017 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Company Makes the Leap into Cosmetics, Parts I and 2
by Simon Pitman (CosmeticsDesign.com) It is not every day that a biodiesel company branches out into the cosmetic ingredients market, but that is exactly what Hawaii-based Pacific Biodiesel has done. Pacific Biodiesel made a big jump from biodiesel to diversify into
March 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Sunflowers Could Become Maui’s New Biofuel
by Brain Perry (Maui Times) Biofuel crops, including sunflowers, will be grown on 115 acres in Maui’s central valley as part of a demonstration project this month, according to an announcement from Pacific Biodiesel. The announcement of a Hawaiian blessing for
February 24, 2017 Read Full Article
MECO on Track to Beat Renewable Energy Goals--State Aims to Be 100 Percent by 2045
by Chris Sugiduno (Maui News) ... MECO’s updated Power Supply Improvement Plan calls for Molokai to reach the renewable energy benchmark by 2020, with Lanai completing it by 2030 and Maui by 2040. The plan submitted to the state Public Utilities
February 17, 2017 Read Full Article
Algae and the Spirit of Aloha
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Living Ink aims to replace petroleum-based inks with algae-ink, and this week they signed a letter of intent for the joint development and commercialization of inks containing Cellana’s renewable algae biomass. My initial expectation was
February 09, 2017 Read Full Article
Biofuel Crops Expected to Play Crucial Role in Hawaii’s Energy Future
by Ivy Ashe (Hawaii Tribune Herald) ... The latest stop along that path comes from researchers at the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, who are investigating potential dual contributions of crops used to
January 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Biofuels Play a Role in Military Energy Security
by Callie Fishburn* (Advanced Biofuels USA) At the January 12th Pew Project-sponsored conference," Power Begins at Home: Assured Energy for U.S. Military Bases," the subject of biofuels and their contribution to military energy security failed to come up. The conference,
January 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Hawaii 5-Oleo: The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to Cellana’s Kona-Based Marine Microalgae System
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Cellana uses the most productive plants on earth—marine microalgae—to photosynthetically produce its ReNew line of Omega-3 EPA and DHA oils, animal feed, and biofuel feedstocks. Cellana’s patented ALDUO system, a series of photobioreactors coupled with
January 18, 2017 Read Full Article
Potential Biofuel Crops in Hawaii May Successfully Sequester Carbon in Soil
(EurekAlert!/PLOS) Two potential biofuel crops in Hawaii--sugarcane and napiergrass--may sequester more carbon in soil than is lost to the atmosphere, according to a study published January 4, 2017 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Meghan Pawlowski from University of
January 05, 2017 Read Full Article
Biofuel Company Committed to Storage Tank Repairs
by Tom Callis (Hawaii Tribune-Herald) A company that wants to import biofuel through Hilo Harbor plans to resume refurbishing storage tanks at a former asphalt plant by February, its founder said. Chuck Barker of Hoku Kai Biofuels said the company is
December 19, 2016 Read Full Article
Algae Hard at Work in Hawaii
by Alison Goss Eng (U.S. Department of Energy/Renewable Energy World) The beautiful island of Kauai, Hawaii, is known for its pristine beaches and dramatic mountain ranges. But Kauai is not just a vacation spot; it is also the location of
November 08, 2016 Read Full Article
Heard on the Floor at the Algae Biomass Summit
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) On October 23-26 the algae industry gathered in Phoenix, AZ for the Algae Biomass Summit , its annual get together. Gone are the glory days of algae biofuels capturing headlines and promising to save the world
November 02, 2016 Read Full Article
What To Do With Algae
by Terry Mazanec (Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) ... So the process removes and processes about 25 tonnes of earth to obtain each gram of Pt, valued at about $35. It is a very lucrative business. Biomass is much like the platinum mine. It
October 20, 2016 Read Full Article
As Sea Levels Rise, 1.9 Million U.S. Homes Could Be Underwater By 2100
by Brady Dennis (The Washington Post) The real estate data firm Zillow recently published a research analysis that estimated rising sea levels could leave nearly 2 million U.S. homes inundated by 2100, a fate that would displace millions of people
September 05, 2016 Read Full Article
Giant King Grass and Its Bioconversion: The Digest’s 2016 Multi Slide Guide to Viaspace
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Direct Combustion, Anaerobic Digestion, Cellulosic Biofuels, Biochemicals, and Animal Feed: these are just some of the markets envisioned for a fast-growing grass known as Giant King Grass. With composition like corn stover or miscanthus, but 10x the yield of
August 23, 2016 Read Full Article
Bentley Research Fellow Planning Algae Commercialization
by Joanna Howarth (Algae Industry Magazine) Thanks to a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, Michael Walsh, a research fellow in Bentley University’s Center for Integration of Science and Industry, who holds a doctorate in biological and environmental engineering,
August 07, 2016 Read Full Article
$26/gallon to $2.05 in 42 months: The Inside True Story of the US Navy’s Great Green Fleet
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, the Digest and BioChannel.TV released “Sustainable Fuels on Troubled Waters”, the Inside True Story of the US Navy’s Great Green Fleet — a documentary profile on the US Navy’s success in driving down
August 01, 2016 Read Full Article
Hawaii Gov. Ige Signs Renewable Fuels Production Tax Credit
(Pacific Biodiesel Technologies/Biodiesel Magazine) Pacific Biodiesel President Robert King attended in early July the formal signing of the Renewable Fuels Production Tax Credit by Hawaii Gov. David Ige, a long-awaited incentive for biofuels producers in the state. This move supports
July 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Pacific Biodiesel Rolls Back Maui #Biodiesel Prices
by Joanna Schroeder (Energy.AgWired.com) Maui drivers using #biodiesel have a reason to celebrate today as city eliminated its 9 cents per gallon on-road biodiesel fuel tax effective July 1, 2016. In response, Maui’s own Pacific Biodiesel rolled back biodiesel prices
July 06, 2016 Read Full Article
Feedstock for the Advanced Bioeconomy: The Digest’s 2016 Multi-Slide Guide to Cellana
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Cellana uses the most productive plants on earth - marine microalgae - to photosynthetically produce its ReNew line of Omega-3 EPA and DHA oils, animal feed/food, and biofuel feedstocks. Cellana's patented ALDUO system enables economic,
July 01, 2016 Read Full Article
VIASPACE CTO Presents Giant King® Grass At Bioenergy Feedstocks Conference In Miami
(Viaspace/PR Newswire) VIASPACE CTO, Dr. Carl Kukkonen, made an invited presentation on Giant King Grass at the Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference – Feedstocks held in Miami, Florida June 6-8, 2016. The Conference, organized by Biofuels Digest (http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/), focused on the most
June 13, 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
Cutting out the Middlefish: The Digest’s 2016 Multi-Slide Guide to Cellana
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) READ MORE
May 11, 2016 Read Full Article
Cattle Grazing, Biofuel Crops Could Replace Sugar Production
(Yahoo! Finance/Associated Press) Alexander & Baldwin is considering cattle grazing and crops used for biofuels as it phases out sugar production at the state's last sugar plantation -- Hawaii company Alexander & Baldwin is considering cattle grazing and crops
May 09, 2016 Read Full Article
Pacific Biodiesel Certified by Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance
(Energy Global Hydrocarbon Engineering) The Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance has announced that it has certified Pacific Biodiesel, Hawaii's award winning and internationally recognised producer of renewable fuels and the only commercial biofuel producer in the state, and its Big Island Biodiesel
April 26, 2016 Read Full Article
Hawaiian Electric Interested in Renewable Energy Projects on A&B’s Maui Sugar Lands
by Duane Shimogawa (Pacific Business News) Hawaiian Electric Co. and Alexander & Baldwin Inc. may be working on a deal where the Honolulu-based utility would utilize A&B subsidiary Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Co.’s land for possible renewable energy projects as the
April 26, 2016 Read Full Article
What Do We Do about Palm Oil?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In the world of fuels, Neste Oil has backed away from palm oil in order to expand in the US market on more favorable terms, with palm’s lowly status after indirect land use change modeling
April 18, 2016 Read Full Article
Algae + Papaya = Biofuel
by Jan Suszkiw (US Department of Agriculture) ... At the Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center in Hilo, Hawaii, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) plant pathologist Lisa Keith has spent the past 5 years fine-tuning conditions under which Chlorella
April 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Army to Lease Land to HECO for Biodiesel-Fueled Power Project
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) The Army has announced the availability of the record of decision (ROD) to lease land and grant easements on Schofield Barracks and Wheeler Army Airfield to Hawaii Electric Co. (HECO) for the development of a