by Amanda Morris (Northwestern Now) New information could lead to bacteria-based platforms that recycle plastic and plant waste -- Although other researchers have worked to engineer bacteria that can breakdown plastic waste, Ludmilla Aristilde believes bacteria with natural abilities to
Illinois
Back TO HOMEA Blue State Asks: Is Carbon Capture Part of Climate Agenda?
by Jeffrey Tomich (E&E News/EnergyWire) ... Less clear, however, is whether (Gov. J.B) Pritzker and Illinois’ Democratic-led General Assembly are willing to embrace carbon capture — a third rail of climate politics — as a complementary solution. While carbon capture technology and its
February 15, 2023 Read Full Article
Storing Carbon Dioxide Underground May Be a Safe Solution to Mitigate Climate Change, According to New Study
(Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)/Phys.Org) A study led by the Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA) and the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA CSIC-UIB), both belonging to the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), has shown that injecting
February 14, 2023 Read Full Article
Biodiesel and Renewable Diesel: What’s the Difference?
by Maria Gerveni, Scott Irwin, Todd Hubbs (University of Illinois and U.S. Department of Agriculture/FarmDocDaily) Biomass-based diesel has long played an important role in compliance with the U.S. Renewable Fuels (RFS) mandates (e.g., farmdoc daily, July 19, 2017). The two main types of
February 13, 2023 Read Full Article
ABPDU’s Gas Capture Capability Enables Production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel Molecule
by Katy Christiansen (Argonne National Laboratory) ... However, producing these fuels is a tricky biological process. Some important aviation fuel molecules are volatile, meaning they evaporate at room temperature. During the fermentation process, these volatile molecules leave the fermenter as a
February 06, 2023 Read Full Article
INSIDE CFAA: Midwest Momentum
(Clean Fuels Alliance America/Biodiesel Magazine) This past year, states across the country continued to prioritize low-carbon renewable fuels like biodiesel, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel.Clean Fuels Alliance America worked with state soybean organizations and member organizations to enact new
January 31, 2023 Read Full Article
Ethanol Blog: State AGs Give EPA until End of January to Respond to Year-Round E15 Petitions
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) With 270 days now passed since a group of Midwest governors asked EPA to take action to allow their states permanently sell E15 year-round, a group of attorneys general are pressing the agency to act. In
January 30, 2023 Read Full Article
Nine Outstanding Students Selected for 2023 ACS GCI Travel Awards
by David Laviska (ACS Network Chemiistry Community Online/ACS Green Chemistry Institute) It’s awards season at the ACS Green Chemistry Institute® (GCI) and we’re delighted that unprecedented numbers of students from undergraduates through post-doctoral scholars are seeking to share details of their
January 27, 2023 Read Full Article
U.S. Department of Energy Awards $118 Million to Accelerate Domestic Biofuel Production
(U.S. Department of Energy) 17 Projects Will Boost Production of Biofuels for Consumer and Freight Transportation in America, Support President Biden’s Decarbonization and Climate Agenda -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $118 million in funding for 17 projects
January 26, 2023 Read Full Article
Illinois Passes Sustainable Aviation Fuel Tax Credit
by Jacqueline Reigle and Matthew Cope (Argus Media) Illinois state lawmakers have approved legislation to create a $1.50/USG sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) tax credit that airlines can use to satisfy all or part of their state use tax liabilities. The legislation, which
January 26, 2023 Read Full Article
Clean Fuels Champions Receive Recognition for Industry Contributions
(Clean Fuels Alliance America) Annual awards honor visionaries, advocates, innovators -- A diverse crop of individuals and organizations receive top honors for their contributions to the clean fuels industry this week. The Clean Fuels Alliance America annual awards showcase those
January 24, 2023 Read Full Article
National Labs Research Better Uses for Carbon Dioxide
by Meltem Urgun-Demirtas (Argonne National Laboratory) Carbon dioxide fuels global warming but scientists from multiple national labs are finding new ways to repurpose it. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the global average for atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) set
January 23, 2023 Read Full Article
US Refiners Push One-Year Delay on E15 Petition
by Chris Knight (Argus Media) Shell, Phillips 66 and Chevron are among the oil companies seeking at least a one-year delay, until 1 May 2024, for a fuel specification change in eight states intended to support continued year-round sales of 15pc
January 17, 2023 Read Full Article
Bill & Melinda Gates Agricultural Innovations Extends RIPE Funding with $34M Grant
(University of Illinois News Bureau) Bill & Melinda Gates Agricultural Innovations has awarded a grant of $34 million to the Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency project, an international research effort led by scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. In its 10-year history,
January 11, 2023 Read Full Article
Carbon Capture and Storage: From Dream to Reality
by Patrick Miller (UND Today/EERC Solutions) Nearly 15 years ago, before he became CEO of UND’s Energy & Environmental Research Center, Charlie Gorecki worked on carbon capture systems with an eye on a specific North Dakota industrial facility where he believed carbon dioxide could be
January 10, 2023 Read Full Article
Permanent E15 Solution Possible in 2023
by Mark Dorenkamp (Brownfield Ag News) ... Executive director Brian Werner says the Minnesota Biofuels Association was among several state renewable energy groups recently on a call with EPA to press for approval of a petition filed by eight Midwestern governors
January 10, 2023 Read Full Article
OMB Agenda Confirms Timelines for RFS, E15, Biopreferred Rules
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The White House Office of Management and Budget on Jan. 4 published its 2022 Fall Unified Agenda and Regulatory Plan, confirming the expected timeline on federal rulemakings related to the Renewable Fuel Standard, E15 sales
January 05, 2023 Read Full Article
GE Aerospace’s GEnxEngine Completes Ground Testing with 100% SAF
by Juan Pedro Thomas (Biofuels Digest) GE Aerospace announced on its social media channels that the General Electric GEnx engine had recently completed ground testing on 100% sustainable aviation fuel. The company noted that the SAF testing was carried out
January 05, 2023 Read Full Article
Air Pollution Converted into Fuel, Plastic and Dresses
(AFP/RTE) At LanzaTech's lab in the Chicago suburbs, a beige liquid bubbles away in dozens of glass vats. The concoction includes billions of hungry bacteria, specialized to feed on polluted air - the first step in a recycling system that converts greenhouse
January 01, 2023 Read Full Article
USDA Invests $9.5M to Develop New Bioproducts from Agricultural Commodities
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced an investment of $9.5 million to support the scale-up of sustainable bioproduct manufacturing in the United States. Three successful projects are funded through USDA’s National Institute of Food and
December 26, 2022 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to the State of Renewable Diesel
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) These slides were presented by Digest editor Jim Lane for the December 22 episode of ABLC CONNECT, and focused on the Drivers, Margins, Project List. Value Stack, Mandates, Policies, Tax Credits, Supply Crunch, and Hot
December 26, 2022 Read Full Article
For Cleaner Air Now, Illinois Should Use More Biodiesel
by Pete Probst (Chicago Sun Times) I am writing in response to the recent article “Docs to Pritzker: Truck diesel pollution is killing Illinoisans” to let readers know of an immediate way to reduce harmful emissions from diesel trucks. The complete
December 22, 2022 Read Full Article
Chicago-Area School Buses Transport Children on 100% Clean-Burning Biodiesel
(Optimus Technologies/Biobased Diesel Daily) Cook-Illinois Corp., which operates one of the largest family-owned and operated school-bus fleets, has transitioned a portion of its Illinois-based fleet to run on 100 percent biodiesel (B100). B100 is a cleaner-burning, low-carbon fuel that drastically reduces vehicles’
December 20, 2022 Read Full Article
New Clean Energy Station Delivers RNG to Amazon, Trucks Fleets Near Chicago
by Ariana Fine (NGT News) Clean Energy Fuels Corp. has opened another renewable natural gas (RNG) fueling station that will provide an anticipated 1.4 million gallons of fuel annually for Amazon and other truck fleets in the greater Chicago area. “The addition
December 20, 2022 Read Full Article
Ope, Sorry: Midwestern House Dems Push for Leaders between the Coasts
by Sarah Ferris (Politico) Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell and her allies are done being polite about Democrats' lack of leadership in the Heartland. -- A vocal group of Midwestern Democrats is telling it straight: Their party has a flyover country problem. And
December 08, 2022 Read Full Article
White House Reviewing Governors E15 Volatility Petition
By Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The White House Office of Management and Budget is now officially reviewing the request from nine Midwest governors to eliminate the 1-psi RVP waiver for E10 in their states and allow year-round sales of E15, according to
December 08, 2022 Read Full Article
Cover Crop Bill Could Turn Over a New Leaf in Sustainable Agriculture
by Elina Lingappa and Savannah Bertrand (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) In July 2022, Representative Sean Casten (D-Ill.) introduced the Conservation Opportunity and Voluntary Environment Resilience Program (COVER) Act (H.R.8527) to increase the adoption of cover crops. Cover crops are not harvested for sale or consumption, but
December 07, 2022 Read Full Article
Why the AD Industry Is Poised for Expansion
by Joanna D. Underwood and Matt Tomich (Energy Vision/BioCycle Magazine) After 15-plus years of development, anaerobic digestion technology has become more refined and standardized, and is attracting significant amounts of institutional capital investment. ... We have been tracking anaerobic digestion (AD) of
December 07, 2022 Read Full Article
City of Moline, Illinois Named 2022 Clean Fuels Champion by Illinois Alliance for Clean Transportation (IACT)
(Illinois Alliance for Clean Transportation) The city, fleet and facilities manager Sarah Mark recognized for operating low-emission vehicles. -- The City of Moline, Illinois has been named a Clean Fuels Champion by the Illinois Alliance for Clean Transportation (IACT), a statewide
December 07, 2022 Read Full Article
Carbon Capture Pipeline Opponents Want Permits Paused until New Safety Regulations Are Done
by Donnelle Eller (Des Moines Register) Opponents of three carbon capture pipelines proposed in Iowa and surrounding states want federal regulators to call for a moratorium on construction, saying current safeguards are inadequate to protect people who live near the projects. About
November 30, 2022 Read Full Article
Illinois Corn, Soybean Farmers Fuel State High School Football Championships
(Illinois Corn/Biobased Diesel Daily) Illinois corn and soybean farmers are fueling the Illinois High School Association football championships this fall—literally. This week, after pairings were announced and brackets were posted, the corn and soybean checkoff programs determined the schools with the longest
November 28, 2022 Read Full Article
GTI Energy Once again Recognized as One of 2022’s Most Engaging Workplaces
(GTI) For the fourth year in a row, GTI Energy has been recognized by Chicago Tribune Top Workplaces as among the top 25 mid-size employers with the most engaging workplace in the Chicago area. Achieving this ranking out of hundreds of
November 28, 2022 Read Full Article
How to Rescue Biofuels from a Sustainable Dead End
by Peter Fairley (Nature) An environmentally friendly path forwards for liquid fuel derived from plants will depend on smarter agriculture and smarter regulation. -- ... If filling fuel tanks with these plant-derived liquids reduces carbon emissions by decreasing the demand
November 23, 2022 Read Full Article
Illinois Should Do More to Take Advantage of Affordable,Clean Energy through Ethanol
by Steffen Mueller (Chicago Sun-Times/Univesity of Illinois at Chicago) Using higher blends of ethanol is the kind of innovative solution we need now to address our energy and environmental challenges together. -- ... But one of the most promising, effective,
November 22, 2022 Read Full Article
Ethanol, Petroleum and Ag Groups Express Support for Year-Round E15 Legislation
(Renewable Fuels Association) In a letter sent yesterday to U.S. Senate and House leadership, a broad coalition of energy and agriculture organizations called on Congress to quickly adopt legislation that would resolve inconsistent fuel volatility regulations. Specifically, the groups expressed support for legislation
November 22, 2022 Read Full Article
US Can Reach 100% Clean Power by 2035, DOE Finds, but Tough Reliability and Land Use Questions Lie Ahead
by Herman K. Trabish (Utility Dive) New aggressive planning is needed to identify the long-duration storage technologies and find the land to grow enough resources to reach Biden net zero emissions goals, a DOE national lab reports. -- Four major
November 18, 2022 Read Full Article
Chemists Create an 'Artificial Photosynthesis' System that Is 10 Times More Efficient than Existing Systems
by Louise Lerner (University of Chicago News) UChicago breakthrough creates methane fuel from sun, carbon dioxide and water -- For the past two centuries, humans have relied on fossil fuels for concentrated energy; hundreds of millions of years of photosynthesis
November 18, 2022 Read Full Article
Calling all Clean Technology Start-Ups! Applications Open for Entrepreneurship Program at Argonne National Laboratory DEADLINE November 30, 2022
(Argonne National Laboratory/Department of Energy) Are you an innovator interested in developing your clean energy or climate tech startup? Applications are now open for the Chain Reaction Innovations (CRI) entrepreneurship program, hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National
November 17, 2022 Read Full Article
ADM, Plaintiffs Agree on Expert Analyst
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) ADM, Plaintiffs Want Economist Appointed to Judge Accuracy of Ethanol Markets Model -- Both sides in an ethanol markets lawsuit have agreed to hire an expert to judge the credibility of an expert witness who
November 15, 2022 Read Full Article
U.S. Laboratories Research Biofuel Solutions for Different Engine Types
by Ariana Fine (NGT News) Biofuel is closer to becoming a cost-competitive, climate-friendly solution for slashing carbon emissions in cars and trucks, according to two new studies. The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory has collaborated with the DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL),
November 15, 2022 Read Full Article
Biofuel on Road to Energy, Cost Savings
by Beth Burmahl (Argonne National Laboratory) Argonne collaborates with U.S. laboratories on research to identify promising biofuels for different engine types. -- Biofuel is closer to becoming a cost-competitive, climate-friendly solution for slashing carbon emissions in cars and trucks, according to two new
November 11, 2022 Read Full Article
Biofuels, Carbon Capture and Storage Carbon Pipelines Seek Iowa Permits as Protestors Disrupt Industry Conference
by Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) Protestors opposed to carbon pipeline projects in Iowa disrupted the opening of a two-day Carbon Capture Conference and Expo. At least seven people stood up at separate times during an early panel discussion Tuesday, blowing
November 10, 2022 Read Full Article
Would CO2 Pipelines Be ‘Life or Death’ for Iowa’s Ethanol Industry?
by Erin Jordan (The Gazette) University of Iowa panel hits on safety, siting and impact of proposed pipeline projects -- The leader of Iowa Renewable Fuels Association says whether carbon dioxide pipelines are approved in the state will be the difference
November 09, 2022 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Co-Optima Fuels – Techno-Economic and Life Cycle Analysis
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines initiative are exploring how simultaneous innovations in fuels and engines could boost fuel economy and vehicle performance, while reducing emissions—advancing the underlying science needed
November 08, 2022 Read Full Article
Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen (MACHH2) Announces Bid to Create Regional Hydrogen Hub to Combat Climate Change
(Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen) The Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen (MachH2) announced today that it will submit an application to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop a regional clean hydrogen production and distribution hub to be funded
November 04, 2022 Read Full Article
Advancing Policy In Parallel
by Katie Schroeder (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Drive Clean Initiative and Next Generation Fuels Act are simultaneously finding support in the ethanol industry. Both aim to usher in higher blends of ethanol, but via different mechanisms. One effort rides on
November 02, 2022 Read Full Article
UChicago Researchers Take Inspiration from Soil to Create New Material with Promise for Medical, Biofuel Technology
(University of Chicago News) ... Their latest experiment mimics the structure of soil to create materials that can interact with their environment, with promise for electronics, medicine, and biofuel technology. It has multiple potential applications; preliminary tests have shown the material
October 28, 2022 Read Full Article
Reducing Emissions in the Supply Chain and Diversifying the Feedstocks of the Future
(LanzaTech/Globe Newswire) LanzaTech provides an update on new demonstration facility to accelerate decarbonization efforts -- Competing in a low carbon economy is driving the public and private sectors to invest in technologies that will support the energy transition. LanzaTech has partnered
October 28, 2022 Read Full Article
Hot Spots: The 50 Hottest Project Development & Deployment Spots in the Advanced Bioeconomy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Here are the 50 Hottest Project Development & Deployment Spots in the Advanced Bioeconomy for 2022, as selected by the Digest’s editors. READ MORE
October 28, 2022 Read Full Article
States Are Vying for Money to Start ‘Hydrogen Hubs.’ What Are They?
by Robert Zullo (Wisconsin Examiner) Across the country, states are inking agreements with neighbors or striking out on their own to pursue billions in federal funding to set up “hydrogen hubs,” clustered centers for production, storage and use of the gas
October 27, 2022 Read Full Article
NextChem Kicks Off the Engineering Phase of Rome Hydrogen Valley (IPCEI HY2USE) and Awards LanzaTech the Process Design Contract for the Circular Ethanol Unit
(LanzaTech/Globe Newswire) The contract relates to the syngas fermentation section of NextChem Hydrogen Valley to produce circular ethanol as initial co-product together with Circular Hydrogen™ -- Maire Tecnimont S.p.A. announces that NextChem, through its subsidiary MyRechemical, has kicked off the engineering
October 25, 2022 Read Full Article
Carbon Capture Magazine Podcast: Possibilities for CO2 Conversion with Lanzatech’s New Partnership
(Carbon Capture Magazine) Produced by Carbon Capture Magazine, the podcast features Freya Burton, Chief Sustainability Officer at LanzaTech Hosted by: Danielle Piekarski, Carbon Capture Magazine READ MORE
October 20, 2022 Read Full Article
Senators Urge EPA to Expand RFS Blending Volumes
by Rachel Schutte (Farm Progress) Bipartisan letter comes as the agency prepares to issue the ‘set’ rule in coming weeks. -- As the Environmental Protection Agency prepares to issue its “set” rule under the Renewable Fuel Standard, a bipartisan group of
October 20, 2022 Read Full Article
Where Should We Permanently Store Carbon Dioxide Removed from the Atmosphere?
(Heirloom Carbon) ... There is only one location big enough to permanently store the 6–10 billion tons of CO2 the world needs to be capturing from the atmosphere each year by 2050 to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change —
October 18, 2022 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to a Highly Efficient Microalgae-Based Carbon Sequestration System to Reduce CO2 Emission from Power Plant Flue Gas
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The objective of this project is to harness the power of photosynthetic microalgae to maintain a high-pH, high-alkalinity microalgal culture to create a carbon-negative system for carbon dioxide (CO2) conversion to value-added products from power
October 13, 2022 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
Illinois Biodiesel Use Expands, Boosted by State Incentives
by Phyllis Coulter (Illinois Farmer Today/Penatagraph) Peter Probst, a self-professed “biodiesel enthusiast,” first developed his zeal for such fuels as a university student, and his passion continues full speed ahead. In fact, he has made a business out of it. Today, Probst
October 13, 2022 Read Full Article
LanzaTech Produces Ethylene from CO2, Changing the Way We Make Products Today
(LanzaTech/Globe Newswire) Breakthrough Discovery to Replace the Barrel with Synthetic Biology, Addressing One of the Largest Carbon Emitters in the Chemical Industry -- LanzaTech NZ, Inc. (“LanzaTech”), an innovative Carbon Capture and Transformation (“CCT”) company that transforms waste carbon into materials such
October 12, 2022 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Next-Gen Feedstocks for the Emerging Bioeconomy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The goal of this project is to develop productive, cost-effective and sustainable warm-season perennial bioenergy feedstock production systems on marginal croplands across geographic locations in the Midwest. The University of Illinois (at Champaign-Urbana)’s D. K.
October 05, 2022 Read Full Article
Growing Demand for Sustainable Aviation Fuels Good News for Corn Farmers
by Rhiannon Branch (Brownfield Ag News) ... Paul Bertels with Farmgate Insights tell Brownfield last fall the Biden Administration introduced a challenge for airlines to shift to complete use of sustainable aviation fuel by 2050. “When you look at market growth
October 05, 2022 Read Full Article
Assessing the Carbon Intensity of Hydrogen Production with HyPEC
(GTI Energy) Hydrogen has the potential to play a significant role in decarbonizing our energy systems. There is a need among stakeholders and the broader public for a simple-to-use and accessible tool to assess the life cycle carbon intensity of hydrogen
October 03, 2022 Read Full Article
PNNL Team Recognized with ACS Award for Affordable Green Chemistry
by Mary Ann Showalter (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) The American Chemical Society (ACS) has announced that development of a catalytic process and catalyst to create sustainable aviation fuel is receiving the 2023 ACS Award for Affordable Green Chemistry. The team named in the
September 30, 2022 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to the State of Renewable Diesel and DME
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What’s up with the most exciting molecule in the bioeconomy as measured by capacity building? There are greenfield projects, refinery conversions, new technologies headed toward commercial, and the exciting arrival of DME at scale. What
September 23, 2022 Read Full Article
ClearFlame Engine Technologies Hits Multiple Manufacturing, Customer Pilot, and Fueling Milestones, Highlighting Ability to Leverage Existing Infrastructure and Quickly Apply Green Solutions to Heavy-Polluting Diesel Engines, at Scale
(ClearFlame Engine Technologies/PR Newswire) Company Announces: Successful external conversion of truck engines from diesel to ethanol through partnerships with Reviva and Vander Haag's, Inc.; First pilot fleet trials of Class-8 truck in process with Beck's; First-ever retail sale of E98 as a
September 21, 2022 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Advanced Catalyst Synthesis and Characterization
by Jim Lane (Biofuel Digest) Accelerated catalyst and process development cycle enabling demonstrated performance enhancements in half the time. That’s the bold goal of a DOE project aimed at providing a fundamental insight leading to actionable recommendations for critical catalysis challenges by
September 19, 2022 Read Full Article
Soy’s Stake in Renewable Fuels
by Bethany Baratta (Iowa Soybean Association) ... As a feedstock used in producing biodiesel and renewable diesel, the soybean industry and its farmers stand to gain from this increased demand. Panelists discussed this opportunity during a recent event at the Farm
September 16, 2022 Read Full Article
Brown Announces $2.5 Million for Biofuel Research at The Ohio State University
(Office of Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH)) Today (September 13, 2022), U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced that the Department of Energy has awarded a $2.5 million grant to The Ohio State University (OSU) for research on the creation of new biofuel
September 15, 2022 Read Full Article
Natural Gas Suppliers Tout Certified Gas, RNG as ‘Bridge Products’ to Decarbonization
by Andrew Baker (Natural Gas Intelligence) Decarbonizing natural gas consumption is considerably more complex than doing so for electricity, but U.S. gas suppliers are up for the challenge, industry players said this week. ... The ultimate goal to neutralize the climate-warming impact
September 15, 2022 Read Full Article
RFA, Growth Energy Slam Inaccurate Reuters Report on Ethanol GHGs
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Renewable Fuels Association and Growth Energy are slamming a Reuters article published on Sept. 8 that recycles highly misleading claims about the greenhouse gas (GHG) impact of U.S. ethanol plants. The Reuters article, in part, cites the
September 12, 2022 Read Full Article
Three Mississippi State-Bred Switchgrasses Hit the Market
(Mississippi State University/Biomass Magazine) Mississippi State scientists have developed switchgrass varieties that are waking up the industry with exceptional germination rates and are ready for commercial use in the Deep South. Switchgrass is used for biofuels, soil and water conservation and carbon
September 07, 2022 Read Full Article
Ethanol and EVs Pt 1
by Bob Larson (Ag Information Network/Washington State Farm Bureau Report) ... The same week California announced it will end the sale of new liquid-fueled vehicles in 2035, a heat wave forced a power emergency and a request that consumers reduce
September 07, 2022 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Announces $29.5 Million for Improved Bioenergy Resource Recovery and Conversion Systems
( U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded $29.5 million to 15 projects to improve the current science and infrastructure for utilizing waste streams, often disproportionately located in underserved communities, and support the development of improved organisms and
August 31, 2022 Read Full Article
EPA Issues Fuel Waiver for Four States Impacted by Bp Refinery Shutdown
(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) As part of the Federal Government’s response to a fire and shutdown at the Bp Whiting Refinery in Whiting, Indiana, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan today issued an emergency fuel waiver to help alleviate
August 30, 2022 Read Full Article
DOE Awards $29 Million to Advance Clean Hydrogen Production
(U.S. Department of Energy) Industry and Universities Will Work to Reduce the Cost of Clean Hydrogen to Deliver Cheap Electricity; New $32 Million Funding Opportunity will Support Clean Hydrogen Technologies -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the award
August 29, 2022 Read Full Article
Illinois Biofuel Industry a Jobs Creator, New DOE Report Finds
by Zeta Cross (The Center Square) Illinois' biofuel industry continues to expand and create more jobs every year, a new report by the Department of Energy has found. In 2021, 307 new jobs were added in Illinois, an increase of 4.6% over 2020,
August 08, 2022 Read Full Article
Researchers Enlist Sturdy Yeast to Help Make Cost-Effective Ethanol
(U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service) Yeasts play a key role in converting ("fermenting") sugars from plants into ethanol fuel. But not all yeasts are created equal. Some are better fermenters than others because they can tolerate the harsh conditions
August 05, 2022 Read Full Article
Back to School with Biodiesel
by John Benish, Jr (School Transportation News) ... For one thing, our kids have cleaner buses to ride on – and in our company’s case, biodiesel is largely to thank. In fact, we’re celebrating 25 million miles driven on biodiesel blends this
August 02, 2022 Read Full Article
Ethanol-Basher Scores 100%...in Idiocy -- Anti-Ethanol Writers Must Go!
by Marc J. Rauch (The Auto Channel) ... The focus of my presentations was to talk about the urgent need to educate consumers and consumer influencers about the benefits of ethanol fuel. Almost simultaneous with my plane touching down in my home
August 02, 2022 Read Full Article
Food Farms and Biofuels 07/26
(25 News) WATCH VIDEO
July 28, 2022 Read Full Article
Ethanol Blog: Senators Introduce Bill to Expand Use of High-Octane Fuels Including Ethanol
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) With gasoline prices still at historically high levels, a group of U.S. senators on Tuesday introduced legislation that would expand demand for ethanol by establishing high-octane certification test fuels containing 20% to 30% ethanol and
July 27, 2022 Read Full Article
Built 4 Business Pulling Tractor Runs on 100% Biodiesel
(Illinois Soybean Association/Biobased Diesel Daily) The Johnson family has been competing in tractor-pulling competitions for more than 20 years, and four years ago they made the decision to fuel their pulling tractor with 100 percent biodiesel. “We saw the gains that
July 26, 2022 Read Full Article
Federal Biodiesel Blending Tax Incentive Set to Expire
by Will Robinson (Brownfield Ag News) The U.S. biodiesel blending tax incentive is set to expire after this year which could lower blending volumes if not extended. Illinois Soybean Association board member Ron Kindred tells Brownfield the federal biodiesel incentive provides an
July 25, 2022 Read Full Article
Exploding Acreage
by Susanne Retka Schill (Biodiesel Magazine) Three developers take different approaches to filling the expected surge for demand in oilseeds with crops that promise low GHG scores. -- Remember the parable of the mustard seed? Developers of three oilseed crops—relatives
July 22, 2022 Read Full Article
Sequestering In Place
by Luke Geiver (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Pipeline aggregation of ethanol plant CO2 has captured industry attention, but stand-alone CCS projects might be uniquely positioned for early success. -- Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) projects are integrating into existing ethanol plants like
July 22, 2022 Read Full Article
Forget Saudi Arabia — Biden Should Have Gone to South Dakota: Letters to the Editor for July 17
by Doug Sombke (South Dakota Farmers Union/Argus Leader/Governors' Biofuels Coalition) President Biden’s visit to Saudi Arabia to beg for more oil seems unnecessary to us — he could have saved himself a long trip by coming to see what is being
July 19, 2022 Read Full Article
Moving Stepwise toward State Clean Fuel Standards
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) From Minnesota to Nebraska, discussions around performance-based fuel standards are bringing a broad range of stakeholders together. Progress requires coalition building and compromise. Movement towards state clean fuel standards in the Midwest inspired by
July 19, 2022 Read Full Article
Anniversary Book: Funding, Organizational Growth, and Feedstock Wars
(Clean Fuels Alliance America) As the 1990s dawned, more than a decade of renewed research had been performed on various straight vegetable oils and esterified varieties by a number of individuals and universities both in the U.S. (North Dakota State, Idaho,
July 18, 2022 Read Full Article
RFA: California Takes Big Step toward E15 Approval with Release of Emissions Study
(Renewable Fuels Association) The state of California took an important step toward approving the use of cleaner, lower-cost E15 today (July 15, 2022) by releasing the results of a multi-year study of the fuel’s emissions impacts. The results of the study,
July 18, 2022 Read Full Article
ADM Ethanol Markets Lawsuit Dismissed
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) Federal Judge Dismisses Ethanol Lawsuit Against Archer Daniels Midland -- A federal court in Illinois dismissed one of three ethanol market lawsuits against Archer Daniels Midland this week, outlining in an order that six ethanol
July 15, 2022 Read Full Article
Tüpraş Selects Honeywell Ecofining™ Technology For Biofuel Production In Türki̇ye
(Honeywell) Tüpraş and Honeywell sign licensing agreement for the use of Honeywell UOP Ecofining™ technology; The Honeywell UOP Ecofining™ process has been used commercially to produce renewable diesel since 2013 and sustainable aviation fuel (“SAF”) since 2016 -- Honeywell announced today
July 08, 2022 Read Full Article
ANL: Can Farms Produce to the Max and Still Reduce GHG Emissions?
by Kristen Mally Dean (Argonne National Laboratory/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... With new practices, farmers can make farms a net sink of CO2, helping the U.S. reach its goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. Sustainable intensification is a two-prong approach many think
July 08, 2022 Read Full Article
Whatever Happened to Cellulosic Ethanol?
by David Kramer (Physics Today) Technological immaturity, falling oil prices, overoptimistic investors, and regulatory uncertainty are blamed for the failure of a promising biofuel technology to perform as hoped. -- Despite a decade and a half of big US federal investments
July 06, 2022 Read Full Article
Can Farms Produce to the Max and Still Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions?
by Kristen Mally Dean (Argonne National Laboratory) Decarbonizing agriculture is critical for the U.S. to reach net zero emissions by 2050. A new data-driven approach looks at practices that are good for the earth and profitable for farmers. -- The
June 27, 2022 Read Full Article
City of Warrenville, Illinois, Joins B20 Club as Newest Member
(Illinois Soybean Association/Biobased Diesel Daily) The B20 Club recently welcomed the city of Warrenville as its newest member. Located in DuPage County, Illinois, Warrenville works to preserve and promote a clean, healthy, sustainable environment with natural, open spaces. “The city explores
June 21, 2022 Read Full Article
The Biofuel Folks Might Like a Word about Your Corn Stover
by Brian O'Connor (No-Till Farmer) ... A study published in the Journal of Cleaner Production found that harvesting up to 30% of corn stover on a field for use in fuel products could increase revenues for growers and decrease the negative impact on the environment,
June 20, 2022 Read Full Article
Ohio Asks EPA for Permanent E15 Change
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) List of Midwest States Seeking E15 Rulemaking Grows to Nine With Ohio Request -- Add Ohio to a list of Midwest states that are asking the EPA to make a permanent change to allow year-round
June 13, 2022 Read Full Article
ADM-Owned Barge-Fleeting Operation Becomes Newest Member of B20 Club
(Illinois Soybean Association) The B20 Club recently welcomed the American River Transportation Co. (ARTCO) as its newest member. ARTCO, a wholly owned subsidiary of Archer Daniels Midland Co., operates line-haul vessels, harbor boats, covered-hopper barges, tank barges, harbor and fleeting services,
June 10, 2022 Read Full Article
NCERC at SIUE Is Leader in Biofuels Research
by Scott Marion (Edwardsville Intelligencer) Nearly 20 years after it opened, the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center (NCERC) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville continues to make an impact on a national and worldwide level. The NCERC at SIUE is a nationally recognized research
June 08, 2022 Read Full Article
Indy 500 Highlights Ethanol’s Role In Racing, Global Market
(U.S. Grains Council) Delegations from Japan, South Korea, India and Indonesia traveled to the United States last week to take part in the Indianapolis 500. Hosted by the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) in collaboration with the Indiana Corn Marketing Council, the
June 07, 2022 Read Full Article
Minnesota PUC Confirms Authority to Regulate CO2 Pipelines
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on May 19 unanimously voted that the organization has existing authority to permit the siting of carbon dioxide pipelines, including the two multi-state pipelines currently under development that will sequester
June 01, 2022 Read Full Article
SAF Production Expands for a Low-Carbon Future
by Scott Jenkins (Chemical Engineering Magazine) ... The current environmental and geopolitical situation is prompting petroleum refiners across the globe to evaluate their assets and explore how to adapt to a carbon-constrained future, and one in which the negative climate effects
May 30, 2022 Read Full Article
Military Green
by Matthew Choi (Politico's Morning Energy) Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Reps. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) and Jason Crow (D-Colo.) want the Defense Department to go green. The group introduced the Depend on Domestic Clean Energy Act on Thursday to switch
May 27, 2022 Read Full Article
RFA Calls on EPA to Remove Controversial Studies from Peer Reviewed Congressional Process
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, a recent, highly publicized report led by Tyler Lark of the University of Wisconsin attacking the Renewable Fuel Standard is “more problematic than what we initially evaluated to be the case,” according to a new review
May 27, 2022 Read Full Article
DOE Announces Nearly $25 Million to Study Advanced Clean Hydrogen Technologies for Electricity Generation
(U.S. Department of Energy) Industry-led R&D Projects Will Develop Technologies for More Efficient Hydrogen Turbines and Production with CO2 Capture and Storage -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $24.9 million in funding for six research and development projects
May 19, 2022 Read Full Article
Bunge, CoverCress, Chevron Taking Us into the Future and into the Past
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... When news arrived that Bunge and CoverCress signed commercial partnership to support the expansion of CCI’s CoverCress technology, a new winter oilseed crop, and that Bunge Ventures recently increased its stake in CCI through a
May 10, 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
Navigator CO2, Big River Resources, and Big River United Energy Execute Letter of Intent for the Capture, Transportation, Storage, and Value Optimization of up to 1,000,000 Metric Tons of CO2 per Year, for Twenty (20) Years
(Navigator CO2 Ventures/PR Newswire) Navigator CO2 Ventures LLC ("Navigator") announced today a long-term agreement with Big River Resources, LLC and Big River United Energy, LLC ("Big River") to provide turnkey carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) services on Navigator's Heartland Greenway
May 10, 2022 Read Full Article
Opinion: Ethanol Helps Cut Toxic Emissions
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association/Washington Post) Americans should be thanking President Biden for allowing the continued sale of lower-cost, lower-carbon E15 this summer (letters, “No more ethanol in gas,” April 22). E15 is saving drivers as much as 30
May 04, 2022 Read Full Article
Independent Study Confirms Cost Savings & Emissions Advantages for Heavy-Duty Trucks Running ClearFlame’s Engine Modification Technology
(ClearFlame) Study by Gladstein, Neandross & Associates highlights ClearFlame’s ability to help fleets lower total costs while meeting sustainability goals sooner than current alternatives -- ClearFlame Engine Technologies, an Illinois-based company empowering rapid decarbonization for global heavy-duty industry, announced today the
May 03, 2022 Read Full Article
WM'S Renewable Energy Investments Expect to Power over 1 Million Homes by 2026
(Waste Management) $825 Million Planned Investment Anticipated to Increase WM's Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Production 600 Percent to Help Fuel Entire Natural Gas Fleet and Communities across North America -- Rounding out Earth Month, WM (NYSE: WM) plans to invest $825 million in
May 02, 2022 Read Full Article
U.S. Governors Seek to Expand Sales of Higher-Ethanol Gasoline Blend
by Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) U.S. governors from eight Midwest states, many of which are major corn producers, asked the Biden administration on Thursday to apply rules that would allow gasoline blended with a higher level of ethanol to be sold year-round
April 29, 2022 Read Full Article
USDA Awards $1.6 Million Biofuel Infrastructure Grant to Royal Farms to Expand Access to Higher-Blend Renewable Fuels for People in Rural Delaware and Maryland
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) Funding Will Add 40 million Gallons of Biofuels to the Market Annually -- United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small today announced that USDA is awarding a $1.6 million biofuel infrastructure grant
April 25, 2022 Read Full Article
Rural Partners Network Launched: Empowering Rural Communities to Access Federal Resources
(U.S. Department of Energy) The Rural Partners Network is a new collaboration to strengthen the link between federal agencies and rural communities. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) is proud to join this effort to help create jobs, build
April 23, 2022 Read Full Article
Illinois Tech Researchers Awarded Grant to Scale Up Innovative Carbon Capture and Conversion Process at the Source
(Illinois Institute of Technology) A team of Illinois Institute of Technology researchers received a grant from ARPA-E to scale up an innovative process of carbon capture and conversion directly from exhaust gas sources such as power plants and industrial sites
April 21, 2022 Read Full Article
USDA Announces Efforts to Boost Homegrown Biofuels
(U.S. Department of Agriculture/Ethanol Producer Magazine) On April 12, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced steps the USDA is taking to implement President Biden’s plan to enable energy independence by boosting homegrown biofuels. “President Biden understands that by expanding our ability to meet our energy
April 19, 2022 Read Full Article
U.S. Biomethane Vehicle Projects Grow 85% in Two Years, Says Argonne
(Argonne National Laboratory) Made from organic waste, renewable natural gas is rapidly gaining ground as an alternative fuel source with the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Public and private interest in this low-carbon fuel has grown dramatically in
April 19, 2022 Read Full Article
Global Food Crisis Coming and Changes to GHG Modeling for Biofuels
(KIT) ...Two Senate Ag Committee members recently urged the EPA to update its greenhouse gas modeling for biofuels. Senators John Thune, of South Dakota, and Amy Klobuchar, of Minnesota, asked the EPA to adopt the Argonne National Lab's Greenhouse Gases, Regulated
April 16, 2022 Read Full Article
What’s Next for E15 after Biden’s Announcement?
by Jacqui Fatka (Farm Progress) ... It is hard to predict the demand picture under the expanded E15 scenario, but lower estimates of a continued status quo indicate at least 300 million gallons of additional ethanol could be used by
April 15, 2022 Read Full Article
Chip Flory: Green Fuel Drives the Future of Soybeans
by Chip Flory (AgWeb) The soybean industry continues to prep for what’s expected to be demand growth for renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), “green” marine fuels and higher blends of biodiesel in home heating in the eastern U.S. Here are
April 07, 2022 Read Full Article
Thune, Klobuchar Urge EPA to Update Biofuel Emissions Modeling
(KLGR) Two Senate Ag Committee members recently urged the Environmental Protection Agency to update its greenhouse gas modeling for biofuels. Senators John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, and Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, asked the EPA to adopt the Argonne National Lab’s
April 07, 2022 Read Full Article
The Race to Upcycle CO2 into Fuels, Concrete and More
by Mark Peplow (Nature) Companies are scrambling to turn the greenhouse gas into useful products — but will that slow climate change? -- Tongyezhen is a town with coal in its bones. ... But later this year, a chemical plant
April 06, 2022 Read Full Article
ISG Celebrates Senate Passage of B20 Legislation
(Illinois Soybean Growers) The Illinois Soybean Growers (ISG) is celebrating the passage of the organization’s B20 Legislation, sponsored by State Senator Patrick Joyce (D–Essex). The legislation passed with strong bipartisan support from every region of Illinois, and it will now move
March 31, 2022 Read Full Article
Argonne Researcher Tests New Approach to Lighten the Carbon Footprint of Locomotives
by Kristen Mally Dean (Argonne National Laboratory) Using hydrous ethanol as a dual fuel in internal combustion engines may help reduce greenhouse gases in the rail industry. -- ... Essam El-Hannouny, a principal mechanical engineer at the Department of Energy’s (DOE)
March 30, 2022 Read Full Article
Three Partners, Two Problems, One Bioenergy Research Article Published
by Valerie Sarisky-Reed (U.S. Department of Energy) ... The journal Nature Biotechnology recently published a paper featuring cutting-edge work funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO). The article details a carbon-negative platform that uses microorganisms to convert carbon captured
March 24, 2022 Read Full Article
Ethanol’s New Ground Game
by Katie Schroeder (Ethanol Producer Magazine) With three CO2 pipelines in development, carbon capture and sequestration is poised to become a transformative force in ethanol production. The industry’s quest for net-zero emissions, in part, depends on it. -- Carbon capture
March 24, 2022 Read Full Article
oneworld® Alliance Members Plan to Purchase Up to 200 Million Gallons of Sustainable Aviation Fuel per Year from Gevo
(Gevo) oneworld® Alliance, a network of world-class airlines, and Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEVO) announced today that certain oneworld members plan to purchase up to 200 million gallons per year of sustainable aviation fuel (“SAF”) from Gevo (the “ oneworld Alliance SAF Purchase Goal”).
March 21, 2022 Read Full Article
Ohio Soybean Association Joins Federal Petition in Support of Domestic Biofuels
(Ohio Soybean Association/Highland County Press) At a time of growing consensus on the need for greater reliance on domestic fuel sources, the Ohio Soybean Association (OSA) joined other state soybean associations in support of a petition to include biofuels in
March 21, 2022 Read Full Article
LanzaTech, ReCarbon, Woodside Team up on Carbon Capture and Utilization Project in Australia
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... (J)ust in is breaking news that they are collaborating in a new carbon capture and utilization project in Western Australia with ReCarbon and Woodside Energy. In today’s Digest, the project details, while you may know
March 21, 2022 Read Full Article
Bioenergy Research and Development for the Fuels and Chemicals of Tomorrow
(Bergeson & Campbell) On March 16, 2022, the House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing on “Bioenergy Research and Development for the Fuels and Chemicals of Tomorrow.” According to the hearing charter, the purpose of the hearing
March 19, 2022 Read Full Article
Biofuels Leaders Agree Robust, Consistent Policy Needs to Support Decarbonization Goals
by Nicole Heslip (Brownfield Ag News) Leaders from the biofuels industry say the dialog between biofuels and refining communities is changing as efforts increase to decarbonize the economy. Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor says the U.S. simply cannot achieve its climate goals
March 19, 2022 Read Full Article
Argonne Pioneers New Processes to Create Materials for Batteries, Biofuels
(Newswise/Argonne National Laboratory) New chemical separations enable battery recycling, biodiesel -- When recycling cans and bottles, at some point it becomes necessary to separate out plastic from metal. When recycling car batteries, getting out the most valuable metals also requires a separation,
March 19, 2022 Read Full Article
Scientists Are Creating Homegrown Biofuels in the Peoria Ag Lab
by Jonathan Wright (WCBU) ... Butanol production is among the world’s oldest commercial fermentation processes, discovered by Louis Pasteur in 1861. Between the first and second World Wars, there were two bio-butanol plants in the United States—and the largest was right here
March 18, 2022 Read Full Article
50 Hottest Projects in the Advanced Bioeconomy 2022
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) On Day 2 of ABLC in Washington, DC, The Digest announced the 50 Hottest Projects in the Advanced Bioeconomy 2022. This year, the focus was on advanced bioeconomy manufacturing sites, completed or in development, at pilot,
March 18, 2022 Read Full Article
Korean Air Takes off with SAF from Paris to Seoul
(Biofuels International) Korean Air will use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on its route between Paris and Seoul Incheon.The airline said this would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80%. This is a first step towards “greener” aviation for Korean
March 17, 2022 Read Full Article
Growth Energy Calls on DOE to Set the Record Straight on Anti-Ethanol Study
(Growth Energy) Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor sent a letter to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm calling on the department to address the most recent inaccurate and misleading study by Tyler Lark and others that claims to have been partially
March 16, 2022 Read Full Article
High-Octane Solutions to the New Energy Crisis
by C. Boyden Gray (Boyden Gray & Associates/Real Clear Politics) ... Currently, the EPA regulates fuels and automobiles separately, instead of as a single system. Automakers have the technological know-how to make much more efficient car engines, but regulatory barriers prevent
March 14, 2022 Read Full Article
Team Pennycress: Regional Institutions Take on Important Environmental, Economic Challenges
by John Moody (Illinois State University/Biobased Diesel Daily) John Sedbrook, a professor of genetics at Illinois State University, is in the midst of a project that may prove to be the most important research of his career. Sedbrook and a
March 10, 2022 Read Full Article
Grassley and Ernst Call on Biden to Unleash Iowa Biofuel Immediately as Gas Prices Hit Record High, U.S. Bans Russian Oil
(Office of Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA)) Iowa senators introduce bipartisan legislation to open up the use of clean, American-made renewable fuels that are available right now to replace banned Russian oil -- As gas prices hit all-time record highs, Sens. Chuck Grassley
March 09, 2022 Read Full Article
Optimus Technologies and Renewable Energy Group Implement B100 Technology to Help City of Madison Reach Sustainability Goals
(Optimus Technologies) Use of 100% Biodiesel Will Help Fleet Reach Net Zero Target -- The City of Madison, Wisconsin will soon be seeing emissions reductions after converting 17 of their fleet vehicles to operate on 100% biodiesel, thanks to their partnership
March 09, 2022 Read Full Article
Outstanding Faculty in Discovery: Kilaz Aims for Sustainably Fueled Future
by John O'Malley (Purdue University) Gozdem Kilaz, associate professor of engineering technology, has been recognized for her contributions to the research mission in Purdue University’s Polytechnic Institute. In May 2021, Kilaz received the college’s Outstanding Faculty in Discovery Award. Kilaz holds bachelor’s
March 08, 2022 Read Full Article
To the (Climate) Rescue: From First Blip in Chromatogram to Deployment at Industrial Pilot Scale
by Fungmin Eric Liew (Lanza Tech/Nature Bioengineering Community) Industrial waste gas can serve as feedstock to manufacture fuels and chemicals through gas fermentation. Our work describes a collaborative and multidisciplinary team effort to engineer gas-utilizing microbe to produce acetone and
March 08, 2022 Read Full Article
Now on Broadway: LanzaTech’s $2.2B SPAC Merger Takes the Advanced Bioeconomy’s Biggest Hit to an Even Bigger Stage
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Illinois, news arrived that LanzaTech will go public in a merger with the NASDAQ-traded blank check firm AMCI Acquisition Corp II. The deal is reported to value the company at $2.2 billion. The transaction is expected
March 08, 2022 Read Full Article
Energy Vision/Argonne Analysis Shows Growth in US Renewable Natural Gas Industry
(Energy Vision) Expanding RNG Could Be a Key Strategy for Cutting Methane Emissions and Tackling Climate Change -- The sustainable energy NGO Energy Vision today released its latest assessment of the US renewable natural gas (RNG) industry, performed on behalf
March 07, 2022 Read Full Article
Carbon Problem Solving: The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to LanzaTech & Thermal Kinetics
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) How are Thermal Kinetics and LanzaTech working together to solve today’s carbon problems? From distillation, dehydration and evaporation, from pilot to demo to full scale, find out how these two companies are collaborating on carbon
March 04, 2022 Read Full Article
Engineered Bacteria Produce Chemicals with Negative Carbon Emissions
by Chen Ly (New Scientist) Bacteria have been modified to produce chemicals found in paint remover and hand sanitiser from carbon dioxide in the air, meaning they have negative emissions compared with traditional industrial methods -- Bacteria engineered to turn carbon dioxide
February 24, 2022 Read Full Article
Carbon-Negative Production of Acetone and Isopropanol by Gas Fermentation at Industrial Pilot Scale
by Fungmin Eric Liew, Robert Nogle, Tanus Abdalla, et al. (Nature Biotechnology) Many industrial chemicals that are produced from fossil resources could be manufactured more sustainably through fermentation. Here we describe the development of a carbon-negative fermentation route to producing
February 21, 2022 Read Full Article
Irwin: 2021 Devastating for Biodiesel Biodiesel Industry Bleeds Red in 2021 While Renewable Diesel Production Explodes
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) Biodiesel producers using soybean oil as a feedstock had what one agriculture economist called a "devastating year" in 2021, as the unprecedented high cost of soybean oil far outweighed all-time-high biodiesel prices of $6.42 a
February 18, 2022 Read Full Article
Carbon Pipeline Plans See Pushback: Eminent Domain Debate Heats Up in Iowa as Carbon Pipeline Projects Stack Up
by Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) ... An Iowa state senator's bill would take away the companies' ability to use eminent domain. The bill introduced by state Sen. Jeff Taylor, a Republican from northwest Iowa, would limit the use of eminent
February 16, 2022 Read Full Article
Sorghum: A Sweet Proposition for Sustainable Biofuel
(U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service) Sweet sorghum is best known for the amber-colored syrup that's made from its juices. Now, this hardy member of the grass family could also be tapped as a "home-grown" resource for making a renewable
February 15, 2022 Read Full Article
Carbon and Hydrogen Hubs Part 2: The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to GPI’s Atlas
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In part 2 of the Great Plains Institute’s just published Atlas of Carbon and Hydrogen Hubs, we look at where these 14 key carbon and hydrogen hubs are in the U.S., how can they offer