(Renewable Fuels Association) The carbon footprint of corn ethanol shrunk by 23% between 2005 and 2019 as farmers and ethanol producers adopted new technologies and improved efficiency, according to a new analysis published in the academic journal Biofuels Bioproducts and Biorefining by scientists
Illinois
Back TO HOMEUnited Wants Passengers to Donate Money to Sustainable Jet Fuel. But Is It Better than Carbon Offsets for Saving the Planet?
by Lauren Zumbach (Chicago Tribune) United Airlines is giving customers who want to reduce the environmental impact of their travel a way to buy sustainable jet fuel that releases fewer emissions than traditional jet fuel. The Chicago-based airline has already secured
May 05, 2021 Read Full Article
Incentives Could Turn Costs of Biofuel Mandates into Environmental Benefits
(EurekAlert!/University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Institute for Sustainability, Energy and Environment) CABBI studies on the Renewable Fuels Standard indicate a need for more targeted policies that value the environmental benefits of perennial bioenergy crops over cheaper options - and provide
April 28, 2021 Read Full Article
Ethanol Center Working on Converting Municipal Waste to Biofuel
(Advantage News) The NCERC at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is leading the way in converting municipal solid waste to biofuel through two proposals submitted for funding. The NCERC has received funding from a grant proposal that was submitted to SIUE’s Transitional and
April 27, 2021 Read Full Article
How Biofuels Giant Neste Transforms America’s French Fry Grease into Clean Diesel
by Christopher Helman (Forbes) ... “Nobody wants to send that material down the drain,” says Rick Sabol, president of the Mahoney division. And not just because fat globules can clog up sewer systems — but because that grease is valuable —
April 23, 2021 Read Full Article
World-First Laundry Capsule in Market Made from Industrial Carbon Emissions
(Unilever) Unilever has partnered with LanzaTech and India Glycols to produce a surfactant made from industrial carbon emissions instead of from fossil-fuels. The innovative shift in production utilises biotechnologies and a newly configured supply chain between the three partners, who
April 21, 2021 Read Full Article
Clean Diesel Trucks Are Already on Our Roads. Electrification Is Not the Only Way to Fight Climate Change
(Chicago Sun Times/Diesel Technology Forum) ... Even more surprising is that by advocating for electrification, the Sun-Times is taking a direct stand against a major home-grown industry and employer. Illinois is home to the fourth-largest production of biodiesel in the country, a
April 13, 2021 Read Full Article
Illinois Soybean Association Debuts Farmer Biodiesel Resources
(Illinois Soybean Association/Biobased Diesel Daily) The Illinois Soybean Association is rolling out a new era of biodiesel work in a big way. Elliot Uphoff, ISA District 10 director, gave his grain truck a brand-new look this week, debuting ISA’s new
April 06, 2021 Read Full Article
Norfolk Senator’s Carbon Sequestration Legislation Isn’t Glamorous, but It’s Positive on Several Fronts
(Norfolk Daily News) ... Sen. (Mike) Flood is sponsoring Legislative Bill 650, which would set up the legal and regulatory framework for the development of carbon sequestration wells, which would be at least 2,600 feet deep and store carbon in
April 06, 2021 Read Full Article
Greasezilla Partners with Next Generation of Pumpers to Install Greasezilla FOG Separation Systems in Key Cities
(Greasezilla) Greasezilla is investing $1 million per facility in joint ventures to build FOG processing facilities nationwide. -- Downey Ridge Environmental Company, developer of Greasezilla™, announces its work with a rising number of pumpers seeking end-to-end solutions from pumping through to processing,
April 05, 2021 Read Full Article
Biofuel Groups, States File Amicus Briefs in SCOTUS SRE Case
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Advanced Biofuels Association, Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas, the National Biodiesel Board and a group of eight states on March 31 filed amicus briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court urging the court to
April 01, 2021 Read Full Article
Illinois Renewable Fuel Standards Act Introduced in House
by Rhiannon Branch (Brownfield Ag News) A bill in the Illinois House of Representatives aims to create a B20 biodiesel standard in the state by 2024. Illinois currently has a tax exemption for B11 and higher to incentivize use of the fuel. With
March 31, 2021 Read Full Article
Epichem Licenses Thermaquatica Technology to Develop Waste-to-Fuels
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Australia, Epichem Pty Ltd, through its subsidiary Epichem OHD Pty Ltd, has entered into a licensing agreement with Illinois-based Thermaquatica Inc to research, develop and promote a novel, innovative and disruptive waste to fuels technology. Epichem
March 24, 2021 Read Full Article
Valero and BlackRock Partner with Navigator to Announce Large-Scale Carbon Capture and Storage Project
(BusinessWire) Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE: VLO, “Valero”) and BlackRock Global Energy & Power Infrastructure Fund III announced today (March 16, 2021) that they are partnering with Navigator Energy Services (“Navigator”) to develop an industrial scale carbon capture pipeline system (“CCS”). The
March 17, 2021 Read Full Article
Corn Growers Back Higher Ethanol Blends
by Kellan Heavican (Brownfield Ag News) A group of midwestern corn growers associations is attempting to raise fuel efficiency standards by increasing the ethanol blend. ... Nebraska Corn introduced a resolution at the recent Corn Congress calling for 95 RON E15,
March 15, 2021 Read Full Article
Looking ahead to Second-Generation Biofuels
by Janet Kubat Willette (Farm Progress) Madhu Khanna, distinguished professor of environmental economics at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, says that CRP acres have the potential to produce harvestable bioenergy crops. Speaking at a Council on Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics webinar earlier this
March 11, 2021 Read Full Article
Illinois Soybean Assn. Biodiesel Campaign Continues to Evolve, Reach New Audiences
(Illinois Soybean Association/Biobased Diesel Daily) The Illinois Soybean Association is welcoming a new era of biodiesel work in Illinois and recently rebranded its biodiesel program, rolling out new logos for both ISA Biodiesel and the B20 Club. The brand redesign
March 10, 2021 Read Full Article
Record Cold Temperatures No Problem for ADM Trucks Running on Sustainable B100 Biodiesel
(Illinois Soybean Association) Last month brought record cold temperatures to the entire country, and Central Illinois was not excepted. The common misconception of biodiesel is that cold weather limits performance, but in fact temperatures plunging as low as negative 10 degrees
March 05, 2021 Read Full Article
Coty to Partner with LanzaTech to Pioneer New Sustainable Fragrance Production
(LanzaTech/Business Wire) Fragrance products to contain sustainable ethanol, created using carbon-capture technology; Coty targets majority of fragrance portfolio using carbon-captured ethanol by 2023; Planned partnership supports Coty’s ‘Beauty That Lasts’ sustainability program -- Coty Inc. (NYSE: COTY), one of the world’s
March 03, 2021 Read Full Article
Biden Is Hiking the Cost of Carbon. It Will Change How the U.S. Tackles Global Warming.
by Juliet Eilperin and Brady Dennis (Washington Post) President Biden on Friday dramatically altered the way the U.S. government calculates the real-world cost of climate change, a move that could reshape a range of consequential decisions, from whether to allow new coal
February 26, 2021 Read Full Article
Researchers Challenge the CRP Status Quo to Mitigate Fossil Fuels
(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment/Phys.Org) ... (A)llocating CRP land for high-yielding energy biomass might eliminate the need for bioenergy crops and food crops to vie for space. A team led by CABBI Sustainability Theme Leader
February 26, 2021 Read Full Article
Illinois Soybean Growers Are Concerned about a New State Budget Proposal that Would Eliminate the Fuel Sales Tax Exemption for Biodiesel,
(Farm Progress/Prairie Farmer) What about biodiesel? Illinois soybean growers are concerned about a new state budget proposal from Gov. J.B. Pritzker that would eliminate the fuel sales tax exemption for biodiesel, which has existed since 2003. They say the policy has
February 24, 2021 Read Full Article
Ag, Trucking Industries Say Pritzker’s Proposed Tax on Biofuel Will Hurt Farmers, Consumers
(The Center Square/WMAY) Some are taking issue with Governor J.B. Pritzker’s Fiscal Year 2022 budget proposal which would bring an end to the sales tax exemption for biodiesel fuel in Illinois. Pritzker said accelerating the expiration of the sales tax exemption for
February 22, 2021 Read Full Article
NCERC Exploring New Uses for Corn
by Rhiannon Branch (Brownfield Ag News) The director of the National Corn to Ethanol Research Center says they have some big research projects in the works paving the way to new uses for US corn. John Caupert tell Brownfield they are finding
February 19, 2021 Read Full Article
Sustainable Aviation Fuels and the Technologies, Constraints and Burgeoning Demand
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It's been a rough 2020 for aviation with COVID-19's impact on travel. Yet, climate goals remain in place, and the pivot from petroleum to renewable fuels continues, the sky is in focus. 2021 has started off with
February 17, 2021 Read Full Article
Growing Interest in Carbon Markets Coming from All Sides
by Rhiannon Branch (Brownfield Ag News) Interest and growth in carbon market programs is booming. A recent ecosystem markets webinar hosted by the Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership had more than 1600 participants registered with more than 600 questions submitted ahead of time. Speaker Kari Hernandez,
February 15, 2021 Read Full Article
50 Renewable Diesel Projects and the Technologies Behind Them
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Renewable diesel, all 9 billion gallons built, under construction, in planning - Take a deep dive into the latest hot renewable diesel news and a special Digest presentation that asks will all of these billions of
February 09, 2021 Read Full Article
IBA Announces First Dairy Biogas Project in North America
(Bioenergy Insight) The Integrated Biogas Alliance (IBA) is in final stage development of a seven dairy, 16,500-head biogas project in Idaho. Working with EIP Ventures, the project represents the IBA’s first dairy biogas project in North America and is expected
February 05, 2021 Read Full Article
Gov. Reynolds Plans to Build ‘Relationships’ with President Biden to Protect Biofuels
by John Steppe (The Gazette/SoutherMinn.com) Gov. Kim Reynolds is looking forward to “building those same relationships” with President Joe Biden and his Environmental Protection Agency staff that she had with the Trump administration to protect biofuels, Reynolds said during Tuesday’s
January 28, 2021 Read Full Article
Iowa’s Governor Calls for E10, B11 to Be Offered from All New Fuel Pumps
by O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa) Governor Kim Reynolds says any new fuel pumps installed in Iowa should be able to dispense gas with at least a 10 percent blend of ethanol and the governor says B11 — 11 percent
January 27, 2021 Read Full Article
Updating the United States Government’s Social Cost of Carbon
by Michael Greenstone and Tamma Carleton (Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago) This paper outlines a two-step process to return the United States government’s Social Cost of Carbon (SCC) to the frontier of economics and climate science. The first
January 20, 2021 Read Full Article
Getting to Neutral Carbon: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Carbon Drawdown
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s A.J. Simon shared this illuminating slide guide at ABLC 2020 to look at the role that bioeconomy pathways play in drawing down CO2 from the atmosphere. From pathway selection, corn starch,
January 19, 2021 Read Full Article
Will 2021 Be the Year for Environmental Justice Legislation? States Are Already Leading the Way
by Kristoffer Tigue (Inside Climate News) The new state laws address the disproportionate impact of climate change and pollution on communities of color. Joe Biden is promising to do the same in Washington. -- In Oregon, new legislation would require state
January 15, 2021 Read Full Article
Senators Ask Biden to Restore the Integrity of the RFS
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A group of six democratic senators sent a letter President-elect Joe Biden on Jan. 11 urging his administration to support U.S. farmers and the biofuels industry by restoring the integrity of the Renewable Fuel Standard. The
January 13, 2021 Read Full Article
Honeywell Introduces Simplified Technology to Produce Renewable Diesel
(Honeywell UOP) Honeywell UOP Ecofining™ single-stage process produces cleaner-burning high-cetane transportation fuels chemically identical to petroleum-based diesel -- Honeywell today announced that it has introduced a single-stage UOP Ecofining™ technology offering for the production of renewable diesel fuel. The new single-stage
January 13, 2021 Read Full Article
Ethanol Blog: Supreme Court to Hear Small-Refinery Exemption Appeal
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) The Supreme Court will review a ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit in Denver that found EPA mishandled the small-refinery exemptions program in the Renewable Fuel Standard. The 10th Circuit ruling
January 11, 2021 Read Full Article
Energy Sorghum May Combine Best of Annual, Perennial Bioenergy Crops
by Julie Wurth (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment) ... A study by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI) found that energy sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) behaves more like
January 08, 2021 Read Full Article
DigestData DeepDive into Renewable Energy Group
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Renewable Energy Group is the largest operator of renewable diesel and biodiesel plants in the US, with 12 refineries and a fast-growing capacity, especially in red-hot renewable diesel. In today’s Digest, we take a DigestData DeepDive™ with
January 08, 2021 Read Full Article
Greasezilla to Kick-off 2021 with New Installations
(Biofuels International) Downey Ridge Environmental Company, developer of Greasezilla, confirmed new installations will be completed in the next three months with at least 10 additional systems anticipated before the end of 2021. Chicago, New Orleans, Austin and Jacksonville will have
December 24, 2020 Read Full Article
This Biotech Startup Is Making Palm Oil-Substitutes and Omega-3s from Carbon Emissions
by Kristin Toussaint (Fast Company) Instead of having more carbon go into the atmosphere, making our planet warmer and speeding up the effects of climate change, you might soon be able to eat those emissions. Biotech company LanzaTech has successfully
December 22, 2020 Read Full Article
LanzaTech Celebrates 150 Days and 20M Gallons of Ethanol Production at Shougang Facility
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In China, LanzaTech’s Shougang commercial carbon recycling facility reached 150 days of full capacity continuous operation in November, a significant achievement for a first of a kind technology at scale. Production at the site itself
December 22, 2020 Read Full Article
5 Reasons Clean Fuel Standards Are the Secret Key to Decarbonizing Transportation
by Jeremy Martin (Union of Concerned Scientists) Clean Fuel Standards like the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) have been around for more than a decade but have not attracted the attention of more narrowly targeted policies promoting electric vehicles, biofuels, or renewable
December 16, 2020 Read Full Article
Illinois Community College ‘Building a Pipeline of Biodiesel Technicians’
by Ron Kotrba (Biobased Diesel Daily) Illinois-based Lewis and Clark Community College is making progress toward “building a pipeline of biodiesel technicians,” according to a recent presentation given by Chris Reynolds, the school’s associate professor of automotive technology. Year one’s
December 08, 2020 Read Full Article
OPINION: Changing the Retail Landscape for Higher Blends
by Cassie Mullen (Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Fuel retailers are beginning to implement a wide range of infrastructure projects across the country. This comes as USDA’s new Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program is being fully implemented, something farmers and the
December 04, 2020 Read Full Article
Neste Acquires Seattle-based General Biodiesel
(Biobased Diesel Daily/Neste) This is Neste's and Mahoney's first entry into Washington and part of a bold ambition to establish a circular economy along the U.S. West Coast that can reduce emissions from transportation, a major contributor to climate change. General
November 24, 2020 Read Full Article
Growth Energy Applauds Streamlining Advanced Biofuels Registration Act of 2020
(Growth Energy) Today, U.S. Representatives Cheri Bustos (D-IL) and Jim Hagedorn (R-MN) introduced the Streamlining Advanced Biofuels Registration Act of 2020 to encourage low-carbon fuel production and increase production of cellulosic biomass into renewable fuels. This legislation would expedite the approval process
November 19, 2020 Read Full Article
Iowa, Wisconsin Ethanol Plants Sue ADM Six Ethanol Companies File New Anti-Trust Lawsuit Against Archer Daniels Midland
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) Add six more ethanol companies to the list of plaintiffs suing Archer Daniels Midland, alleging one of the nation's largest ethanol producers manipulated the market. Wisconsin producers United Wisconsin Grain Producers, Didion Ethanol, Ace Ethanol, Fox
November 16, 2020 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
Movements at Ginkgo BioWorks, Pacific Ethanol, Lygos, LanzaTech Show Where the Bioeconomy Is Heading
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) So many re-naming and brand extension efforts are underway this week, let’s look at those to see what’s working, what’s popular, when it comes to building trusted brands. ... The Re-Branding: Pacific Ethanol This past week we
November 04, 2020 Read Full Article
CABBI Researchers Collaborate on Oilcane Pilot Project
by Jenna Kurtzweil (Brookhaven National Laboratory/Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation) From southeastern Florida to northern Mississippi to the Midwestern Corn Belt, CABBI scientists have struck sustainable oil with sugarcane. But the crop’s potential value to the renewable energy
November 03, 2020 Read Full Article
ADM Pushes Venue Change in Ethanol Case Green Plains, ADM Tussle Over Venue Change in Ethanol Market Lawsuit
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) Archer Daniels Midland argues a Green Plains' lawsuit alleging ethanol-market manipulation should be transferred from a federal court in Nebraska and consolidated with other similar cases in an Illinois court, ADM said in a court
October 29, 2020 Read Full Article
7 Big Deals, and Why They’re Big -- Microsoft, Cargill, ADM, Aemetis, Lygos, Alaska Airlines, SkyNRG, Biofine, and Ways2H
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) There's been a barrage of big deals this week and here's The Digest's exclusive take on the biggest 7 deals, why they are big, and more. In today's Digest, we've got the latest deal details that
October 29, 2020 Read Full Article
All Along the Watchtower: Projects, R&D, Partnerships of the Month for October 2020
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Partnership Watch: Lummus Technology, New Hope Technologies In Texas, Lummus Technology and New Hope Technologies today announced that the companies have entered into a cooperation agreement for the marketing and further development of a
October 27, 2020 Read Full Article
ClearFlame Engine Technologies Achieves Successful Test Results Using Decarbonized Fuels
(ClearFlame) Company’s clean engine technology drives reductions in particulate, CO2 emissions without complex aftertreatment systems -- ClearFlame Engine Technologies, a start-up dedicated to the development of clean engine technology for the heavy-duty truck, off-highway and industrial markets, today announced that it
October 16, 2020 Read Full Article
NCERC at SIUE Creates Future Leaders of Future Fuels
(Southern Illinois University Edwardsville) The National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center (NCERC) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has launched a new initiative “Future Leaders of Future Fuels,” focused on developing its own employees’ knowledge of the biofuels industry. The Future Leaders group consists of
October 16, 2020 Read Full Article
U.S. Department of Energy Announces $27 Million in Plastics Recycling Research and Development
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced over $27 million in funding for 12 projects that will support the development of advanced plastics recycling technologies and new plastics that are recyclable-by-design. As part of DOE’s Plastics
October 15, 2020 Read Full Article
ANL Releases 2020 Updates to GREET Models
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Argonne National Laboratory’s Systems Assessment Center on Oct. 9 announced the 2020 release of the suite of Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies (GREET) models. GREET is a life-cycle analysis tool that can
October 13, 2020 Read Full Article
Trump Administration Invests Up to $100 Million to Increase American Biofuel Sales
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has invested $22 million out of the up to $100 million in grants available to increase American ethanol and biodiesel sales. These funds
October 09, 2020 Read Full Article
ISU: USDA Grant to Fund Anaerobic Digestion Research
(Illinois State University/Biomass Magazine) David Kopsell, professor of horticulture at Illinois State University, and LC (Liangcheng) Yang, assistant professor of environmental health at ISU, have received a two-year, nearly $150,000 grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The purpose of
October 07, 2020 Read Full Article
Emerald Biofuels Wins Millions in Texas Tax Incentives on Port Arthur Project
(Newsbreak/BizJournals) Chicago-based Emerald Biofuels LLC has won nearly $15 million in Texas tax incentives on a renewable diesel project in Port Arthur, Texas, about 90 miles east of Houston. Emerald has reached an agreement under Texas Tax Code Chapter 313 with Port Arthur Independent
October 07, 2020 Read Full Article
River Cruise Giants Make Big Waves, Smaller Impacts with Biodiesel
(Sustainable Brands/Illinois Soybean Association) For Hornblower, the integration of biodiesel into its latest boats was a natural evolution of its environmental stewardship. The company has led the charge in the industry, in terms of reducing its fleet’s impacts on the
October 06, 2020 Read Full Article
US EPA Announces $3 Million for 12 Food Waste AD Projects
(Bioenergy Insight) The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has selected 12 organisations and projects to receive around $3 million (€2.55 million) in funding to help reduce food loss and waste and divert food waste from landfills by expanding anaerobic digestion
October 06, 2020 Read Full Article
Powerful Pennycress: Dr. Sedbrook’s Research Team Is Transforming a Weed into a Crop
(Illinois State University) Though farmers consider pennycress (Thlaspi arvense) nothing more than a weed, Illinois State Professor of Genetics Dr. John Sedbrook is working to change their perspective—and the plant itself. Sedbrook and his student researchers in the School of
September 29, 2020 Read Full Article
Ag Policy Blog: House Democrats Get Aggressive on Biofuels
by Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) ...What did become clear was Democrats in both the House and the Senate are paying more attention to biofuels at the moment. And yet, given that Congress is going to pass a temporary funding
September 28, 2020 Read Full Article
Switching to Switchgrass – Will DOE and USDA Funding Turn Switchgrass into a Rockstar Biofuel Feedstock?
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... So as we look for better biofuel feedstocks, we look at switchgrass because of new U.S. Department of Energy AND U.S. Department of Agriculture funding to study it for biofuels. Could it be
September 28, 2020 Read Full Article
Bustos Introduces Next Generation Fuels Act
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., on Sept. 24 introduced the Next Generation Fuels Act, a bill that establishes a minimum octane standard for gasoline and requires sources of added octane value to reduce carbon emissions by
September 25, 2020 Read Full Article
Biodiesel-Powered Vehicles Wrap and Roll
(National Biodiesel Board) "Better, Cleaner, Now" message delivered from coast to coast -- Newly branded vehicles highlighting biodiesel’s sustainability and emissions reduction benefits are rolling along city streets and interstate highways from the nation’s capital, to Texas oil country, up
September 22, 2020 Read Full Article
R&D Advances Abound LanzaTech’s India Contract, NovoNutrients’ Food & Feed from CO2, Industrial Microbes’ New Methane Related Patent
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) LanzaTech’s 2G Ethanol India contract, NovoNutrients’ food & feed from CO2, Industrial Microbes’ new methane related patent -- In just the last 24 hours or so there has been a flurry of R&D news.
September 17, 2020 Read Full Article
How Has Covid-19 Impacted the Future of Fuel?
(Business Airport International) The impact of Covid-19 on the fuel market has been pronounced, but the virus could also spur a move to more sustainable sources of fuel. ... Avfuel has experienced interest in the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
September 08, 2020 Read Full Article
Sustainable Aviation Fuels Could Soon Take Flight
by Kathiann M. Kowalski (Energy News Network) The Midwest is ready for takeoff as a leader in cleaner aviation, thanks to researchers in Ohio and elsewhere and a cleantech startup in Illinois. -- Just as Ohioans pioneered aircraft flight more than a
September 07, 2020 Read Full Article
ARPA-E Announces $16.5 Million for Technologies Supporting the Biofuels Supply Chain
(U.S. Department of Energy/ARPA-E) Today, the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy announced $16.5 million in funding for six projects as part of the Systems for Monitoring and Analytics for Renewable Transportation Fuels from Agricultural Resources and Management (SMARTFARM) program. These projects will
September 04, 2020 Read Full Article
WIU School of Agriculture Part of Second Pennycress Research Grant
(Western Illinois University) Just 12 months after Western Illinois University Agriculture Professor Win Phippen announced the award of a $10 million federal grant to investigate the use of Pennycress as a commercial cash crop, a second grant has been awarded
September 01, 2020 Read Full Article
Study Predicts Climate Benefits Stemming from the Use of Advanced Biofuels
(AZO CleanTech/Colorado State University) Biofuel and bioenergy systems are integral to scenarios for displacing fossil fuel use and producing negative emissions through carbon capture and storage. But the net greenhouse gas mitigation benefit of these systems has been controversial, due to
August 31, 2020 Read Full Article
Ethanol's Market Move
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ethanol producers are investing in high-end alcohol production after seeing its value during the pandemic. And it’s not just alcohol for hand sanitizer, but other disinfectants, as well as pharmaceuticals, fragrances, cosmetics and more. ... Homeland
August 28, 2020 Read Full Article
Gov. Pritzker Announces Eight Principles for a Clean and Renewable Illinois Economy
(Office of the Illinois Governor) Governor JB Pritzker today announced eight principles that will serve as a foundation to begin transitioning Illinois to a clean energy economy. Building upon the progress Illinois has made as a leader in fighting climate change,
August 28, 2020 Read Full Article
UB Engineer Joins DOE-Funded Project to Purify Water and Produce Fuel
by Peter Murphy (University at Buffalo) UB engineering professor Ian Bradley and his research group are collaborators on a $2 million project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy that will study the use of algae to purify wastewater while simultaneously
August 28, 2020 Read Full Article
Low Carbon Cash Cover Crop: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to CoverCress
The Digest recently reported on CoverCress and why the U.S. Department of Energy’s $13 million grant for new high-value feedstock, pennycress, is so key. For an in-depth visual guide on how CoverCress is delivering new farm income and low carbon intensity
August 28, 2020 Read Full Article
NBB Launches Ad Campaign Urging President to Reject “Gap” SRE Petitions
(National Biodiesel Board) NBB encourages farmers, biodiesel producers to ask President Trump to keep his promise -- The National Biodiesel Board today launched a radio advertising campaign in six Midwestern states, urging President Donald Trump to keep his promise on the
August 27, 2020 Read Full Article
Advanced Biofuels Show Real Promise for Replacing Some Fossil Fuels
(Colorado State University/Science Daily) A new study predicted significant climate benefits stemming from the use of advanced biofuel technologies. -- Biofuel and bioenergy systems are integral to scenarios for displacing fossil fuel use and producing negative emissions through carbon capture and
August 26, 2020 Read Full Article
Till, Baby, Till – $13M DOE Grant Advances New High-Value Feedstock, Pennycress
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded a five-year, $13 million grant to a nationwide research project to genetically strengthen Thlaspi arvense, commonly known as pennycress, for use in sustainable energy efforts. CoverCress is an
August 25, 2020 Read Full Article
ClearFlame Engine Technologies Awarded $1.1 Million Department of Energy Phase II Grant
(ClearFlame) Funding will support R&D for clean engine technology on heavy-duty engines -- ClearFlame Engine Technologies, a start-up company dedicated to the development of clean engine technology, has been awarded a two-year, $1.1 million Phase II grant from the Department
August 24, 2020 Read Full Article
Non-Top500 Argonne System Helps Find Method to Convert CO2 into Ethanol
(Inside HPC/Northern Illinois University) By supercomputing standards, Argonne National Lab’s Bebop (stood up in 2017, 1.75 teraflops, bumped off the Top500 list after the June 2019 ranking) seems something of a second-tier player. But non-Top500 systems like Bebop can still take a star
August 21, 2020 Read Full Article
Democrats Turn to Rural Issues: Rural, Midwest Democrats Promote Infrastructure and Divergent Strategy From Trump Years
by Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) Democratic leaders put a heavy emphasis on rural broadband and health care while criticizing the Trump administration and President Trump directly on trade, biofuels, climate change and the pandemic response. A western Pennsylvania soybean and hay
August 20, 2020 Read Full Article
Parsing the Climate Message
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) Night 3 of the Democratic National Convention featured a lengthy 11-minute take on Joe Biden's climate and clean energy strategy that hammered home some of his big themes rather than the wonky details (which you
August 20, 2020 Read Full Article
17 Projects with 4 Billion Gallons, 9 Fast Emerging Players: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to California’s Green Rush
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) At DigestConnect this past Thursday, we talked about the latest the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard, how the LCFS relates to the Renewable Fuel Standard and energy values, we compared the value stack for 5 popular
August 19, 2020 Read Full Article
Mustard Family Member Seen as Biofuel Source
(Canton Daily Ledger/US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service) Lesquerella (a.k.a. Fendler’s bladderpod and Yellow Top) is a member of the mustard family that’s native to the U.S. Southwest. But Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists are now eyeing it as a
August 14, 2020 Read Full Article
Congratulations to the 50 Leading Fleets
by Thi Dao (Government Fleet) The Leading Fleets program recognizes public sector fleet organizations for their leadership, efficiency, ability to overcome challenges, and vision for the future. The award is sponsored by Ford. Applicants are judged on their organizations’ leadership within their
August 12, 2020 Read Full Article
Durbin Introduces Bill To Fund A Clean Climate Future
(Office of Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL)) Today (August 7, 2020), U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced the introduction of America’s Clean Future Fund Act, a bill that would spur job creation by investing in a clean energy economy, achieve critical reductions in
August 12, 2020 Read Full Article
COVID-19 Weighs on Ag Economy: Reports Outline Series of Economic Struggles Continue in Agriculture
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) ... The number of farm bankruptcies continues to rise and a struggling livestock industry is putting increasing pressure on loan portfolios, both adding to concern about the farm economy. ... A University of Illinois Department of
August 06, 2020 Read Full Article
Biofuels Project Led by John Sedbrook Awarded $13 Million from DOE
by Rachel Hatch (News Illinois State University) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded a $13 million grant to a nationwide project led by Illinois State University. Professor of Genetics John Sedbrook will head up the project aimed to genetically
August 04, 2020 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Announces $97 Million for Bioenergy Research and Development
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced more than $97 million in funding for 33 projects that will support high-impact technology research and development to accelerate the bioeconomy. These projects will improve the performance and lower
July 31, 2020 Read Full Article
Black Gold: Iowa’s Soils Can Be a Fort Knox for Carbon Storage
by Zhichao Wang and Jim Ramm (EcoEngineers) Iowa’s fertile farmland could be a soil-based Fort Knox that — instead of gold — stores a wealth of carbon within its underground vaults. How farmers can tap into the potential riches of carbon capture
July 29, 2020 Read Full Article
Department of Energy to Provide $68 Million for Bioenergy Crop Research
(Department of Energy) Studies Will Focus on Improving Crop Productivity and Resiliencen -- Today (July 28, 2020) the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $68 million in funding over five years for basic research aimed at making bioenergy feedstock crops
July 29, 2020 Read Full Article
Top Renewable Diesel Projects and Pathways: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Renewable Diesel Now
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) If you missed last week’s DigestConnect webinar, have no fear, the full deck is here! From 11 pathways on who’s doing what, how and with what, 21 projects and who’s running them and where, 13
July 27, 2020 Read Full Article
Pivotal Research Discovers Practices, Technologies Key to Sustainable Farming
by Anna Marie Tomczyk (Argonne National Laboratory/Phys.Org) ... The practices that grain farmers use to produce their crops—managing fertility, tillage practice and crop rotations—influence the overall carbon footprint of U.S. agriculture. By using sustainable practices, farmers could substantially reduce their
July 24, 2020 Read Full Article
Senators Press USDA for Biofuel Infrastructure Grant Flexibility
(Kansas Ag Connection/US AgNet) U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) are pressing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue to allow businesses that have received grants under the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) to use
July 17, 2020 Read Full Article
Green Plains Sues ADM, Alleging Ethanol Market Manipulation
by P.J. Huffstutter (Reuters) Green Plains Inc, one of the biggest U.S. ethanol producers, sued Archer Daniels Midland Co on Tuesday, accusing the global grain trader of manipulating the price of the biofuel to profit from its positions in the
July 15, 2020 Read Full Article
Doubling for Diesel: A Novel Engine Technology
by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A novel engine technology could make it possible for ethanol to be used in compression-ignition engines, opening up a potential multi-billion-gallon market. With $3 million in financing secured, Clear Flame Engines is poised for
July 14, 2020 Read Full Article
Bustos Secures Agriculture Wins for Rural America in $152 Billion Appropriations Bill
(Office of Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (D-IL)) Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (D-IL) helped pass a comprehensive Agriculture and Rural Development funding bill out of the powerful House Appropriations Committee that would deliver more than $152 billion in agriculture and rural support. “Democrats are building up
July 13, 2020 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Selects New Projects to Accelerate Innovation and Growth in the Biomanufacturing Sector
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the selection of eight projects totaling over $5 million to conduct research and development (R&D) needed to accelerate the US biomanufacturing sector. Part of the Agile BioFoundry (ABF) consortium, these
July 10, 2020 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Selects Seven Projects to Accelerate Adoption of Performance-Advantaged Biofuels
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today (July 2, 2020), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the selection of seven projects totaling $1.94 million to conduct research and development to accelerate the adoption of performance-advantaged biofuel blendstocks. These fuels are derived from
July 02, 2020 Read Full Article
Renewable Diesel Fuel Production Intent Continues To Expand
(Commerical Aviation Alternative Fuel Initiative) Over the last few weeks, several announcements were made concerning the increased domestic production of renewable diesel fuel, adding to the already significant number of announced plans. The CAAFI community looks forward to engaging with
June 30, 2020 Read Full Article
100% Biodiesel Program Cutting Carbon Emissions in Chicago
by Rhiannon Branch (Brownfield Ag News) The Chicago Park District, Illinois Soybean Association and American Lung Association have teamed up to create better air quality though biodiesel. By running 100% biodiesel in park garbage trucks, the team has improved air quality and
June 29, 2020 Read Full Article
Ethanol's Carbon Underground
by Luke Geiver (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Positioning into the low-carbon biofuels marketplace, ethanol producers are moving forward with sequestration strategies. A more lucrative federal tax credit, along with a reduced minimum production requirement, is making the economics attractive. After more than
June 16, 2020 Read Full Article
Weed Wizard: Professor Alters Plant Genes to Create Wonder Crop
by Rachel Hatch (Illinois State University News) ... An ISU professor of genetics, (John) Sedbrook is devoted to integrated plant biology and bioenergy, meaning his research focuses on bringing out positive genetic traits in plants. “We’re making mutations that are
June 15, 2020 Read Full Article
Renewable Diesel Expanding with Petroleum-to-Renewable Refinery Conversions
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) But there is a huge transformation happening with growth in the conversion of petroleum refineries to renewable diesel. Just look at how renewable diesel went from 78MMGY in 2010 to 397MMGY in 2018 and Fuels
June 15, 2020 Read Full Article
Price Manipulation Suit against ADM Can Proceed
by Andrew Maloney (Chicago Daily Law Bulletin) A federal judge will allow price-manipulation claims against food processing giant Archer Daniels Midland to go forward in a central Illinois courtroom. U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce last week found plaintiffs made plausible claims
June 11, 2020 Read Full Article
DEM-COM: LanzaJet Takes off on Non-Stop Flight to Scale
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) After what could be considered a lengthy out-of-town tryout, LanzaJet is now officially launched as a LanzaTech spin-off — Suncor Energy and Mitsui & Co. are investing $15 million and $10 million, respectively, to establish the new venture.
June 03, 2020 Read Full Article
Rapid Screening Method Targets Fatty Acids in Yeast; Key to Sustainable Bioproducts
(Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation) Scientists engineering valuable microbes for renewable fuels and bioproducts have developed a fast, efficient way to identify the most promising varieties. Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign developed a novel mass spectrometry-based
May 21, 2020 Read Full Article
Adkins Energy Announces Scholarship Recipients
(Journal Standard) Adkins Energy LLC recently announced Aaron Folk, Kayla Runkle and Hannah Pickard as the recipients of this year’s scholarship awards. The scholarship provides each student with $500 scholarships to help them further their higher education. Entries for this year were
May 19, 2020 Read Full Article
DOE Funds CCUS Project at Ethanol Plant, Opens New CCUS FOA
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Department of Energy on April 24 announced plans to award funding to a carbon capture and storage (CCUS) project under development at an Illinois ethanol plant. The agency is also soliciting applications for
May 18, 2020 Read Full Article
Newton, Ill., Jasper County Seek to Stimulate Southern Illinois Economy via $400 Million Renewable Fuels Plant; Add HealthcheckIn Protocol for COVID-19-Free Workplaces for City, County, State, Country
(Business Wire) The City of Newton, Ill., Jasper County, and St. Joseph Renewable Fuels, LLC announced plans to build a $400 million renewable diesel plant in Southern Illinois that envisions utilizing innovative technologies and a new healthcare protocol to test
May 13, 2020 Read Full Article
Midwest Lawmakers: Biofuel Producers Need Relief Aid
(Nexstar Media Wire/Fox40) Midwest lawmakers say biofuel producers should be getting the same support and protection as oil companies. Coronavirus shutdowns have slashed the demand for gasoline, and while the White House is pledging to buy 75 million barrels of oil, ethanol
May 05, 2020 Read Full Article
Ethanol Demand: A Long, Hard Road to Recovery
by Rhiannon Branch (Brownfield Ag News) A University of Illinois ag economist says he does not expect a bounce back from ethanol demand destruction anytime soon. “I think it’s going to be a long, hard road to recovery.” Todd Hubbs tells Brownfield COVID-19
April 30, 2020 Read Full Article
Chicago Suburban Fleets Recognized for B20 Use
(Illinois Soybean Association/Biodiesel Magazine) Two Chicago-area fleets rank among the 100 Best Fleets in the Americas, an annual list of the top public fleets in North and South America. The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County ranks 28 on the list
April 30, 2020 Read Full Article
Earth Day 2020: 4 Green Shoots to Celebrate amongst the Devastation
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As I write, the May contract for West Texas Intermediate is selling for -$40.21 a barrel, or a negative cost of $240 per tonne. Let’s put that in context, you can throw unmixed useless garbage into
April 22, 2020 Read Full Article
All the Buzz on Biodiesel Fuels: Fill It up Please
by Allen Schaeffer (Diesel Technology Forum/Progressive Dairy) ... In California, home of the nation’s most progressive climate policy that is now nearly a decade old, the Air Resources Board motto is, “Electrify everything possible and use low-carbon fuels in everything
April 21, 2020 Read Full Article
Hero BX Eyes Expanding Biodiesel Footprint When Pandemic Subsides
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) ... “We are surviving day by day,” Peterson (Chris Peterson, president of Hero BX) said. “All our people are still employed.” According to Peterson, Hero BX owner Pat Black strives to provide stability for his staff
April 15, 2020 Read Full Article
Great Plains Institute’s Latest Report: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to A Clean Fuels Policy for the Midwest
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) The Midwestern Clean Fuels Initiative, facilitated by the Great Plains Institute, is a broad coalition of fuels producers and marketers, nonprofit and research organizations, scientists and engineers, and agriculture and industry stakeholders. The coalition
April 10, 2020 Read Full Article
Rex Idles NuGen Plant, Explores Carbon Sequestration Project
Rex American Resources Corp. released fiscal fourth quarter financial results on March 26. The company discussed a potential carbon capture and sequestration project under development at its One Earth Energy plant in Illinois and discussed the impact of COVID-19 on
March 27, 2020 Read Full Article
The Coronavirus and Ethanol Demand Destruction
by Scott Irwin and Todd Hubbs (FarmDocDaily) ... One implication of the virus-related restrictions is that people are driving much less than before, which means that gasoline and ethanol use are declining. The impact on the price of ethanol has
March 27, 2020 Read Full Article
The Hand Sanitizer Market: A Salvation for Beleaguered Ethanol Producers, or Not?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) created exemptions allowing certain alcohol fuel permit holders to sell ethanol (alcohol) for use in the
March 24, 2020 Read Full Article
RFA Calls on Trump Administration to Help Struggling Biofuels Industry
by Ken Anderson (Brownfield Ag News) ... With many ethanol plants on the verge of shutting down, we implore the Trump Administration to take action that equitably supports all liquid fuel industries—including ethanol producers—during this time of unprecedented market uncertainty and
March 18, 2020 Read Full Article
Newly Branded Vehicles Highlight of Biodiesel Day
(National Biodiesel Board) 2020 marketing program kicks off "Biodiesel: Better. Cleaner. Now!" -- The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) today launched its 2020 vehicle branding program designed to showcase biodiesel’s sustainability and emissions reduction benefits. The program kicks-off on National Biodiesel
March 18, 2020 Read Full Article
COVID-19 Lowers Corn Demand, Ethanol Price
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A report from University of Illinois Extension shows weak demand for corn for ethanol use, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Production will fall dramatically, it predicts. “Estimates of a 15 to 20 percent reduction
March 17, 2020 Read Full Article
Recovering Phosphorus from Corn Ethanol Production Can Help Reduce Groundwater Pollution
by Marianne Stein (Illinois Aces) Dried distiller’s grains with solubles (DDGS), a co-product from corn ethanol processing, is commonly used as feed for cattle, swine and poultry. However, DDGS contains more phosphorus than the animals need. The excess ends up in
March 10, 2020 Read Full Article
New Diesel Engine Powered by Ethanol ClearFlame Engines Can Cut Diesel Emissions Burning Straight Ethanol
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) When ClearFlame Engines CEO B.J. Johnson told ethanol industry representatives about the potential ethanol market for the company's all-ethanol diesel engine, those at the recent National Ethanol Conference in Houston could have kissed him. While concerns
March 05, 2020 Read Full Article
Dr. Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of LanzaTech, Honored with the William C. Holmberg Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Bioeconomy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) We are very honored at The Digest each year to select the William C. Holmberg Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Bioeconomy, and to make the award presentation at ABLC. Especially this year when our honoree
March 03, 2020 Read Full Article
Scientists Develop Open-Source Software to Analyze Economics of Biofuels, Bioproducts
by Julie Wurth (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Perennial grasses can be converted into everything from ethanol to bioplastics, but it's unclear which bioproducts hold the greatest potential. BioSTEAM, a new open-source simulation software package in Python developed by researchers at the
February 20, 2020 Read Full Article
Engineered Bacteria for Acetone and Drop-in Fuels from Syngas: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to LanzaTech’s Acetone Platform
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sean Simpson and Michael Köpke from LanzaTech and researchers from Oak Ridge National Laboratory are working on developing and scaling up a novel technology platform for direct conversion of biomass syngas to acetone, which can be
February 18, 2020 Read Full Article
Greater Chicago I-55 Truck Plaza Promotes Biodiesel
(Chicago Area Clean Cities/FuelFix.com) The Greater Chicago I-55 Truck Plaza, one of the first, family-owned and operated, independent truck plazas in the U.S., recounts its biodiesel tale. -- The Greater Chicago I-55 Truck Plaza was one of the first, family-owned and operated, independent truck plazas
February 18, 2020 Read Full Article
New Study: Despite Policy Challenges, Ethanol Industry Significantly Benefited Economy in 2019
(Renewable Fuels Association) Policy obstacles—especially ongoing trade disputes and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s granting of RFS compliance waivers to dozens of small refineries —dampened the U.S. ethanol industry’s economic contributions in 2019, according to a new study released today at
February 13, 2020 Read Full Article
Why Are Low Carbon Biofuels Needed to Decrease Greenhouse Gases?
(Agricultural & Applied Economics Association/Cision) Four AAEA members publish research in AEPP -- Electric vehicles are being introduced gradually, and even with aggressive policy support they are expected to reach 50% of total fleet by 2050, making it imperative to use
February 06, 2020 Read Full Article
The Critical Importance of Higher Ethanol Blends to Ethanol Producers
by Tristan R. Brown (Seeking Alpha) A new dataset illustrates for investors why the U.S. ethanol sector is staking its future margin hopes on the EPA's recent decision to permit year-round blending of 15 vol% ethanol. Ethanol blending is very uniform across
February 04, 2020 Read Full Article
Farmer Sees Advancements in Technology, Biodiesel after Returning to the Farm
by Amie Simpson (Brownfield Ag News)An Illinois farmer has seen advancements in technology and biodiesel first-hand after being away from the farm for several years. Scott Gaffner grew up on a grain and dairy farm in Greenville. High operating costs and
February 01, 2020 Read Full Article
WEBINAR: IPREFER: New Cash Crop for Aviation Fuel
by Winthrop Phippen (IPREFER/CAFFI) READ MORE
January 30, 2020 Read Full Article
WEBINAR: CoverCress Inc.: Adding Farmer Revenue by Providing the 1st Low Carbon Intensity Cash Cover Crop on Unused Land Over Winte
by Cris Handel (CoverCress Inc./CAAFI) Our conclusions from interactions with 500+ farmers over the last 3 years: CoverCress harvest date and $50+/acre cash margin (via yield) are the top 2 drivers for farmers. Post corn harvest planting methods fit enough
January 30, 2020 Read Full Article
More than Biomass: Purposefully Grown for Ecosystem Services
Cristina Negri, John Quinn, Jules Cacho, Colleen Zumpf, Shruti Khadka Mishra, and Patty Campbell (Argonne National Laboratory/CAAFI) ... Responsible innovation: “taking care of the future through collective stewardship of science and innovation in the present”* ( *Stilgoe, Owen, and MacNaghten.
January 30, 2020 Read Full Article
Cook County Jail Inmates Turn Vegetable Oil into Diesel Fuel
by Evan Garcia (WTTW) A new program at Cook County Jail teaches inmates how to make biodiesel fuel from cooking oil used in the jail’s dining halls. Two of the Cook County sheriff’s utility trucks, which transport supplies throughout the county, run
January 30, 2020 Read Full Article
Low-oil DDGS Provides Less Energy, More Protein in Pig Diets
(University of Illinois, College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Given greater oil-extraction efficiencies at corn ethanol plants, the resulting coproducts, distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), are lower in fat. That means less energy for pigs and other
January 28, 2020 Read Full Article
DOE Project at U of I Will Measure Bioenergy Crop Carbon Emissions
(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment) The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded a $3.3 million grant to a multidisciplinary research team at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to develop a precise system for measuring
January 27, 2020 Read Full Article
From Plants to Energy: Sustainability RSO Makes Biodiesel out of Soybeans
by Jared Ebanks (Daily Illini) The turn of the new decade has caused many professionals and activists to recommit to solving climate change, including the Illinois Biodiesel Initiative, an RSO (registered student organization) that promotes sustainability on campus. IBI collects soybean oil
January 22, 2020 Read Full Article
Carbon Capture Technologies: Biomass Industry’s Unique Opportunity
by Jessie Stolark (Biomass Magazine/Carbon Capture Coalition) Spurred by interest and growing recognition of the role biomass can play in mitigating climate change, project developers and policy makers are putting biomass on the map, but perhaps under a name you
January 14, 2020 Read Full Article
Five Reasons Midwestern States Need a Clean Fuel Standard
by Jeremy Martin (Union of Concerned Scientists) ... Here are five reasons now is the time for Midwestern States to get started on a clean fuel standard. Accelerating Electric Vehicles: Electric vehicles are growing in the Midwest, but need a boost.
January 10, 2020 Read Full Article
A Clean Fuels Policy for the Midwest
(Great Plains Institute) This Initiative is exploring a clean fuels policy, at the state or regional level, as a marketdriven approach to achieving our economic, energy security, climate, environmental, and public health goals. This white paper presents policy design considerations that
January 08, 2020 Read Full Article
Biofuels a Positive for Farmers in Ag Issue Conversations
by Rhiannon Branch (Brownfield Ag News) ... Elliott Uphoff grows corn and soybeans near Shelbyville in central Illinois. He tells Brownfield biodiesel from soybeans and ethanol from corn should be recognized as renewable energy sources. “They burn cleaner than petroleum-based fuels.
January 07, 2020 Read Full Article
Advanced Biofuels – Where Are the Gallons?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From what is an advanced biofuel to why, we take a look at the gallons, the ethanol blend wall, the residue capacity, and over 30 advanced biofuels projects from around the world to watch. In today’s Digest,
December 27, 2019 Read Full Article
MAGIC System Allows Researchers to Modulate the Activity of Genes Acting in Concert
(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign/EurekAlert!) Genomic research has unlocked the capability to edit the genomes of living cells; yet so far, the effects of such changes must be examined in isolation. In contrast, the complex traits that are of interest in
December 20, 2019 Read Full Article
Research Yields Potential Bioblendstock for Diesel Fuel
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory/Phys.Org) The NREL scientists, along with colleagues at Yale University, Argonne National Laboratory, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, are part of the Department of Energy's Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines (Co-Optima) initiative. Co-Optima's research focuses on improving
December 19, 2019 Read Full Article
Biofuel Producers Make Gains in Efficiency, Productivity
(Argonne National Laboratory/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The nation’s biofuel producers have made significant gains in both energy efficiency and water conservation in recent years, according to a report released by the U.S Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory. The findings were derived from a recent