by Jarrett Renshaw and Richard Valdmanis (Reuters) Two Midwest senators said on Friday they have introduced a bill to reform the Environmental Protection Agency's opaque biofuel waiver program, which the corn industry says helps oil companies at the expense of farmers here by threatening
Illinois
Back TO HOMEList of Current Carbon Capture Projects
by Lee Beck (Global Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) Institute) and William Brandon ( Industrial Ecosystem Partners) Here is a list of carbon capture projects now in operation in North America. Note that the last three are direct sequestration while the
June 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Kirkpatrick Chemical Engineering Achievement Award Finalists Announced
by Dorothy Lozowski (Chemical Engineering) Every two years, Chemical Engineering honors an innovative technology that has been commercialized with the Kirkpatrick Chemical Engineering Achievement Award. This year, we have six finalists who will have the opportunity to present their technologies at the Chem
June 10, 2019 Read Full Article
Diesel Engines CAN Be Friends with Ethanol!: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to ClearFlame Engines
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ClearFlame Engines spoke at a recent Biofuels Digest webinar about diesel fueled engines and how they can be running on ethanol via ClearFlame engines that can be easily integrated into existing designs. They’ve already demonstrated a 10%
June 10, 2019 Read Full Article
ANALYSIS: Will Others Follow United's Embrace of Biofuels?
by Edward Russell (Flight Global) United Airlines wants to be the commercial aviation leader on sustainability, pushing forward on everything from regular use of biofuels to various onboard initiatives. -- The Chicago-based carrier recently renewed a two-year biofuel supply contract with World
June 07, 2019 Read Full Article
United’s June 5 ‘Flight for the Planet’ Fueled with Biofuel Blend
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) United Airlines made history June 5 with the departure of the Flight for the Planet, the most eco-friendly commercial flight of its kind in the history of aviation. The flight was fueled with biofuel and featured
June 06, 2019 Read Full Article
Argonne Releases Updated Computer Model to Help Bioenergy Developers Conserve Water
(Argonne National Laboratory) Critical updates to WATER tool help the bioenergy industry manage resources. -- The U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory recently released an updated version of an online computer model meant to help bioenergy developers preserve critical resources. The model, called
June 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Researchers Produce Renewable Engine Fuel from Wet Biowaste
by Edwin L. Aguirre (University of Massachusetts Lowell) A team of researchers from UMass Lowell, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and China Agricultural University in Beijing has developed a new, sustainable way of converting wet biological waste into diesel-compatible fuel, using heat
May 31, 2019 Read Full Article
Duckworth Accuses EPA of Deception, Calls for Probe into Ethanol Waivers
by John Siciliano (Washington Examiner) Illinois Democrat Tammy Duckworth asked the Environmental Protection Agency's inspector general Thursday to investigate whether the agency broke the law in granting dozens of waivers to the oil industry to not blend corn ethanol into the
May 24, 2019 Read Full Article
Biofuel Offers a Solution to the World’s Renewable Energy Crisis
by Barclay Ballard (The New Economy) Solar cells and wind farms are commonly referenced in the fight against climate change, but there is another, often overlooked, form of energy production that is already playing a sizable role. Bioenergy, which includes both biomass
May 21, 2019 Read Full Article
LanzaTech Aims to Fuel Jets and Make Consumer Goods from Recycled Carbon Pollution
by Tom DiChristopher (CNBC) -LanzaTech sells technology that transforms carbon pollution into ethanol, a renewable fuel and feedstock for chemicals. -Founded in 2005, the start-up is now aiming to produce sustainable jet fuel and chemicals that can be used in consumer
May 17, 2019 Read Full Article
Bioprivileged Molecules: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Northwestern University
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Northwestern University has been conducting research on the identification of bioprivileged molecules using computational approaches at their Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. Linda J. Broadbelt from Northwestern University, gave this illuminating overview of novel pathways to propionic acid,
May 16, 2019 Read Full Article
Quantum Energy Enters MOU with Biofuels Target Company
(Biofuels International) Quantum Energy and its subsidiary FTPM Resources have entered a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) with a targeted company that designs, manufactures, operates and sells modular biorefineries. The patented biorefineries are available in one million, two million and five million
May 14, 2019 Read Full Article
Scientists Explore Using Bacteria as Building Blocks fior Alternative Fuels
by Valerie Nikolas (Medill Reports) Researchers at Northwestern University’s Jewett Lab use E. coli and other strains to innovate new renewable compounds -- At Northwestern University’s Jewett Lab in the Center for Synthetic Biology, researchers aim to create sustainable chemicals
April 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Reducing Energy Required to Convert CO2 Waste into Valuable Resources
(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign/Phys.Org) Surplus industrial carbon dioxide creates an opportunity to convert waste into a valuable commodity. Excess CO2 can be a feedstock for chemicals typically derived from fossil fuels, but the process is energy-intensive and expensive. University of
April 26, 2019 Read Full Article
Earth Day 2019 – A Look at Carbon Negative and Carbon Capture Technologies, Advancements, and Possibilities
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... What was a nationwide celebration and peaceful demonstrations for environmental reform in the U.S. by some estimated 20 million Americans, Earth Day events have now expanded to over 193 countries and more than a billion people
April 23, 2019 Read Full Article
Midwest Sees Surge in Clean Energy Jobs
by Casey Leins (US News and World Report) The Midwest added more than 28,000 clean energy jobs in 2018, resulting in a 4 percent growth rate, according to a recent report released by national advocacy groups Clean Energy Trust and Environmental
April 17, 2019 Read Full Article
Richardton Ethanol Plant Moves Forward with Carbon Capture Project
by Amy Dalrymple (Bismarck Tribune/Grand Forks Herald) A project to capture carbon dioxide from a western North Dakota ethanol plant continues to advance as researchers work to better understand the geology below the facility. Red Trail Energy in Richardton proposes to
April 17, 2019 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Brings Cleaner Air to Illinois
(Illinois Soybean Association) Home-grown alternative fuel celebrated on National Biodiesel Day March 18 -- In the search for ways to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, Illinois has a home-grown solution: biodiesel. Made from soybeans grown in Illinois, biodiesel is a renewable fuel. It
March 19, 2019 Read Full Article
Clover Improves Soil Quality, Feeds Biofuels Crop
by Christie Delfanian (South Dakota State University/Phys.Org) A four-leaf clover might bring good luck, but a stand of Kura clover can produce healthier soil—in the long run, according to a South Dakota State University study. Planting Kura clover, a pasture legume, with prairie
March 01, 2019 Read Full Article
GROWMARK Offers Pre-Blended E15 at More Terminals
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) GROWMARK Energy is adding to the number terminals around the Midwest offering pre-blended E15, according to the Renewable Fuels Association, which has worked closely with the farmer-owned cooperative on related issues such as regulatory compliance and adoption of RFA’s
February 26, 2019 Read Full Article
New Tool Compares Costs and Benefits of Alternative Fuels and Vehicle Technologies.
(Argonne National Laboratory) Many fleet managers are looking at alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies to reduce their environmental footprint and save money. The AFLEET Tool, and its newly launched web-based version, AFLEET Online, developed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory, can
February 26, 2019 Read Full Article
The Next Money Crop for Farmers: Solar Panels
by Genevieve Bookwalter (Washington Post) ... Across the flatlands of Illinois, a new crop is rising among the traditional waves of grain as farmers increasingly make the same calculation as (Randy) DeBaillie. Hundreds have applied to host acres of solar panels
February 24, 2019 Read Full Article
Energy Department Announces Opening of Battery Recycling Center at Argonne National Lab
(U.S. Department of Energy) In celebration of National Battery Day on February 18th, Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Daniel Simmons announced the opening of a Battery Recycling Center at Argonne National Laboratory. Aiming to reclaim and recycle
February 20, 2019 Read Full Article
Bustos Helps Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Boost Ethanol Production and Combat Climate Change
(Office of Congresswoman Cheri Bustos) Today (February 14, 2019), Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) helped introduce the Utilizing Significant Emissions with Innovative Technologies (USE IT) Act. This bipartisan legislation would implement strategies that help ethanol producers develop carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies.
February 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Fuel & Engine Co-Optimization: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to NREL
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) is working to address key questions like what fuels engines really want, what fuels work best and what will work in the real world. John Farrell from NREL gave this illuminating
February 06, 2019 Read Full Article
U OF Illinois Researchers Develop Biofuel Crop Miscanthus with Improved Winter-Hardiness
(AgriMarketing/University of Illinois) For farmers, Miscanthus represents a big up-front investment. The large perennial grass must be established from vegetative pieces at great cost to farmers, but it promises a decade or more of massive biomass yields, starting in year two
February 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Empirical Evidence Suggests Negligible Indirect Land Use Effect of Corn Ethanol in the U.S.
(Agriculture & Applied Ecoomics Association/CISION/PR Web) AAEA Members release research that finds corn ethanol production and crop price changes had negligible impact on cropland -- Since 2007 corn ethanol production has doubled and there was also a sharp upturn in corn prices
January 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Ethanol Conference Scholarship Winners
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The Renewable Fuels Association and the Renewable Fuels Foundation have awarded two student scholarships for the 24th annual National Ethanol Conference next month in Orlando. This is the tenth consecutive year in which this scholarship has been made available
January 28, 2019 Read Full Article
Moving the RFS Forward
by Amie Simpson (Brownfield Ag News) There is a false notion that the Renewable Fuel Standard ends in 2022, but that is not the case. Geoff Cooper, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association, says even those in the industry sometimes misunderstand
January 25, 2019 Read Full Article
World Energy and Valero Lead Rebound in Biofuels M&A: 2018 Review
by Bruce Comer (Ocean Park/Biofuels Digest) Convergence reigns as the North American biofuels industry witnesses a resurgence in mergers and acquisitions, including exceptionally large deals -- Merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in biofuels picked up considerably in 2018 after a slowdown in
January 22, 2019 Read Full Article
Quest Fulfilled? Holy Grail Found? 40% Crop Yield Increase Really Possible?
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... (S)cientists in Illinois may have just gotten incredibly close to finding the treasure that any crop producer has been searching for. In field testing across two different growing seasons, they showed >25% increase
January 21, 2019 Read Full Article
Metro East Fuel Plant Owner Admits Doctoring Tests to Get $500,000 in Biodiesel Tax Credits
by Robert Patrick (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) The former operator of a South Roxana biodiesel plant pleaded guilty in federal court here Thursday and admitted doctoring test results to fraudulently receive $531,000 in tax credits. Terry L. Zintel pleaded guilty to three
January 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Advancements in Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis Give Biofuels a Boost
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory) National laboratory researchers demonstrate improvements in bio-oil yield through catalyst and process development. -- Researchers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) have identified an approach to improve
January 10, 2019 Read Full Article
Indiana Governor Praises Construction of New Waste-to-Fuel Plant
(Fulcrum BioEnergy/NGV Journal) Fulcrum BioEnergy has selected Gary, Indiana for the location of its Centerpoint BioFuels Plant, which will convert municipal solid waste into low-carbon, renewable transportation fuel. Construction is expected to begin in 2020 and will take approximately 18-24 months
January 08, 2019 Read Full Article
A Geospatial View of Biodiesel Activity
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Biodiesel Magazine provides a visual of prominent project development activities over the past year. READ MORE
January 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Corn Ethanol Production Has Minimal Effect on Cropland Use, Study Shows
by Madhu Khanna (Farms.com) Ethanol production has increased sharply in the United States in the past 10 years, leading to concerns about the expansion of demand for corn resulting in conversion of non-cropland to crop production and the environmental effects of
December 28, 2018 Read Full Article
China's Ethanol Love May Be Antidote for Slumping U.S. Farms
by Mario Parker (Bloomberg) Producers hopeful Chinese ethanol purchases are coming next; Biofuel, made from corn, helps support farm-belt growth -- A little love from China in the U.S. ethanol market during the trade-war detente between Washington and Beijing could go a long
December 24, 2018 Read Full Article
New Study Shows that Corn Acreage and Total Crop Acreage Are Not Very Responsive to Local Ethanol Production and Crop Prices
by Ruiqing Miao, Yijia Li and Madhu Khanna (FarmDocDaily) Land-use change is in the forefront of human-nature interaction and is the nexus of food security, farm economy, greenhouse gas emission, and ecosystem services. How the development of corn-based biofuel affects land-use change, particularly
December 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Environmental Benefits of Energy Crops: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to University of Illinois Research
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign has been researching the economic incentives and policy implications of energy crops such as miscanthus and switchgrass. Madhu Khanna, from University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, gave this illuminating overview of the environmental benefits of energy crops
December 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Biodiesel-Powered Vehicles "Wrapped" Just in Time for Christmas
(National Biodiesel Board) In keeping with the spirit of the season, five biodiesel users have unveiled new vehicle “wraps” that are helping to share their stories of sustainability and emissions reductions with area residents from Maine to the Midwest. “Our annual biodiesel
December 19, 2018 Read Full Article
U.S. Ethanol Producers Seek Pricing Reform as Markets Plunge, ADM Sells
by Jarrett Renshaw and Michael Hirtzer (Reuters) U.S. ethanol producers stung by collapsing prices are seeking changes to the way benchmark values for the biofuel are established, arguing the current system used by exchanges is vulnerable to manipulation, according to sources. The push
December 18, 2018 Read Full Article
$$$ from Neste, Fulcrum, Others Making Renewable Diesel a Dream Come True
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... By The Digest’s estimates, there’s been close to two billion dollars in investments in renewable diesel lately. And the capacity just keeps growing. Between World Energy, Zymergen, Phillips 66 and REG, Diamond Green Diesel, Fulcrum, Red
December 17, 2018 Read Full Article
United Airlines Could Power Jets with Biofuel Made from Trash
(Chicago Tribune) A new plant in Gary, Ind., plans to turn hundreds of thousands of tons of trash into fuel, some of which could end up powering United Airlines' planes. California-based Fulcrum BioEnergy on Thursday announced plans for the $600 million
December 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Scientists Convert Wet Biological Waste into Fuel We Can Blend with Diesel
by Christian Nordqvist (Market Business News) A team of scientists has converted wet biological waste into diesel-compatible fuel. We are now a step closer to producing renewable engine fuels from wet biological waste that are compatible with current diesel fuel infrastructure. ... Biological waste
December 13, 2018 Read Full Article
LETTER: On Ethanol, Minnesota Leaders Have a Tremendous Opportunity
by Van Hapka (Crookston Times) Will new Minnesota legislature and governor help push it across the finish line? The ethanol industry plays an important role in the agricultural communities around Northwest Minnesota, but for years, the EPA has held it back. Farmers
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Relieving the Pressure: There’s Movement at Last to Obtain an RVP Waiver for E15 ...
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... “There’s a very tight window between today and June 1,” says Brian Jennings, CEO of the American Coalition for Ethanol. “The big-picture goal is for the proposed rule to be out for public comment
December 06, 2018 Read Full Article
NCERC Pumped up with 15 Years of Success
by Karen Binder (AgriNews) While most talk these days about ethanol swirls around fuel credits and marketing needs, the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center has quietly celebrated its 15th anniversary. And what a 15-year run it’s been. “The difference is that as policies, technologies
December 06, 2018 Read Full Article
To Fulfill Biofuels’ Promise, Scientists Boost Plant Oils with Gene Editing
by Cici Zhang (Chemical and Engineering News) Increasing the fatty acids in crops’ seeds, leaves, and stems could make biofuels more economically viable -- ... Plant scientist Heike Sederoff of North Carolina State University, however, is very familiar with the oils
December 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Shimkus, Flores Release Draft 21st Century Transportation Fuels Act
(Office of Congressman John Shimkus (R-IL 15) Congressman John Shimkus (Illinois-15) and Congressman Bill Flores (Texas-17) today released a discussion draft of the 21st Century Transportation Fuels Act. “I’ve been engaged in the biofuel debate my entire career in Congress,” said
November 23, 2018 Read Full Article
6 Reasons Why This Tax Is a Crummy Way to Improve Illinois' Roads and Bridges The So-Called Vehicle Miles Traveled Tax Being Bandied about in Springfield Is the Wrong Tool to Address Illinois’ Transportation Challenges. Here's Why.
by Howard Lerner (Crain's Chicago Business/Environmental Law & Policy Center ) Current gas tax revenues are insufficient to meet Illinois’ infrastructure needs. Oil companies, the trucking industry and a few politicians propose raising more revenues by shifting from gas taxes to
November 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Fuel Causes Mechanical Issues for Three of Loyola’s Shuttles
(Loyola Phoenix (Chicago)) One of Loyola’s intercampus shuttles stopped running on the road, and another couldn’t drive faster than 20 miles per hour after biodiesel froze in their engines Friday, Loyola officials said. A third shuttle stopped running Tuesday for the
November 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Consultative Expansion
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Biodiesel Magazine spotlights a producer whose recent acquisition fulfills increased feedstock demand, a consulting firm that assists in market entry and production efficiencies, and the expansion of one of today's fastest-growing biodiesel refiners. -- BioJoe Renwick, founder
November 06, 2018 Read Full Article
For the Times They Are a Changin’ – Conversions Abound from Diesel to Renewable Diesel
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... Phillips 66 and REG’s announcement about a new renewable diesel plant on the U.S. West Coast planned for 2021 comes after a notable increase in refineries that are being converted and changed over to renewable diesel. Change
November 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Designing a More Productive Corn Able to Cope with Future Climates
(North American Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance) An international research team has found they can increase corn productivity by targeting the enzyme in charge of capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. In a report published in the journal Nature Plants, researchers note that corn
November 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Analyst: Ethanol Industry Has Room to Grow: Exports on Pace to Shatter Last Year's Record.
by Daniel Grant (FarmWeekNow) The rate of growth for the U.S. ethanol industry may have slowed in recent years, but it’s far from over, according to Bill Holbrook, senior analyst for ProExporter. Production capacity continues to grow as producers look to overseas markets
October 26, 2018 Read Full Article
New Recycling Facility to Be Opened by Green Energy Biofuel
(Biofuels International) According to the Aiken Standard a 36,000 square foot recycling facility is to be built by Green Energy Biofuel in Warrenville, Illinois. The plant is expected to provide more than 40 new jobs over the next five years and
October 26, 2018 Read Full Article
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Big Oil Looks to Stop Utilities' Charging Investments
by Jeffrey Tomich (E&E News Energywire) State utility regulators across the Midwest are revving up their interest in electric vehicle charging infrastructure. And the petroleum industry and its allies are urging them to hit the brakes. The American Petroleum Institute, American Fuel and
October 25, 2018 Read Full Article
R1,1 Billion Gas to Fuel Green Energy Plant for Middelburg
(Middleburg Observer) A gas to fuel green energy plants to the value of R1,1 billion will be built in Middelburg next year, anchoring the town as South Africa’s flagship commercial ethanol production region. ... A pilot fermentation unit was shipped to South Africa,
October 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Edwardsville Lab Continues to Impact Ethanol Sector
by DeLoss Jahnke (Farm Week Now) NCERC has contributed dozens of technologies being used by manufacturers across the country, and interest in continued collaboration keeps growing. In just 15 years, the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center (NCERC) has become a nationally recognized research facility
October 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Dems Ask Trump Administration to Honor Renewable Fuel Standard Commitments
(Office of Congressman Ruben Gallego D-AZ))... Reps. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Danny Davis (D-IL) led a letter signed by 17 of their colleagues to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) expressing concern over the Trump Administration’s widespread issuance of waivers to
October 20, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to 26 Advantaged Biobased Chemical Platforms
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The problem: The vast number of potential chemicals and products that could be made from biomass makes prioritization of research difficult for optimizing market viability, cost competitiveness, environmental benefits, and supply chain development. The project: This CEMAC/DOE initiative studied
October 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Argonne GREET 2018 Update
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Illinois, a research team at Argonne National Lab released its GREET 2018 update. GREET is a life-cycle analysis (LCA) tool, structured to systematically examine energy and environmental effects of a wide variety of transportation fuels and
October 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Success Is Sweet: Researchers Unlock the Mysteries of the Sugarcane Genome
(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign/Phys.Org) For centuries, sugarcane has supplied human societies with alcohol, biofuel, building and weaving materials, and the world's most relied-upon source of sugar. Now, researchers have extracted a sweet scientific prize from sugarcane: its massive and complex
October 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Of Flying Peaches and Barrels of Monkeys: The Quest for Sustainable Flight by World-Scaling a Neurotransmitter
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... And that’s the story of the bioeconomy in some ways — the search for ways to use the things we have too much of, so that we can stop using the things that lead to imbalances
October 09, 2018 Read Full Article
From Waste to Fuel: Researchers to Develop Next-Generation Biofuels and Bioproducts
by Julianne Beck (Northwestern University Campus News) A new collaboration led by Michael Jewett, professor of chemical and biological engineering at Northwestern University, will combine recent technological advancements in bioengineering to develop a transformative production system for next-generation biofuels and bioproducts. The
October 05, 2018 Read Full Article
UI's Integrated Bioprocessing Research Lab Finally 'Across Finish Line'
by Lyndsay Jones (News-Gazette) Twenty years, two budget cuts and several billion dollars in funding later, the University of Illinois' Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory held what Chancellor Robert Jones called its "final grand opening" Thursday afternoon. ... The 42,000-square-foot building at 1300 Pennsylvania
October 02, 2018 Read Full Article
HERO BX – Even Kryptonite Can’t Stop the Largest Biodiesel Producer in the Eastern U.S. from Getting Stronger and Bigger
by Helena Taveres Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) The largest biodiesel producer in the Eastern United States is getting larger, and stronger. Lake Erie Biofuels dba HERO BX purchased the assets of a Clinton, Iowa biodiesel facility from Tenaska Commodities, LLC, an affiliate of Tenaska,
October 01, 2018 Read Full Article
Election 2018: Clean Energy’s Future Could Rise or Fall with 36 Governors' Races
by Marianne Lavelle and Dan Gearino (Inside Climate News) Governors have the power to set the agenda on renewable energy or throw up roadblocks to its progress. It's become an issue in several races this year. -- Some of the most consequential elections
September 28, 2018 Read Full Article
New Biodiesel Video Features G&D Integrated
(G&D Integrated) A new video, entitled “Biodiesel by a Mile”, that promotes the many advantages of biodiesel fuel use versus traditional fuel has been produced and funded by the Illinois Soybean Association checkoff program. G&D Integrated, a provider of transportation
September 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Letter to Editor: Legislators, Please End Renewable Fuel Restrictions
by Bob Bowman (Clinton Herald) The ethanol industry is critical to the Midwest, supporting thousands of jobs and adding billions of dollars to our economy. It also drives corn demand at a time when Iowa farm family income is at the
September 20, 2018 Read Full Article
iSEE Helps Secure $6M+ in New Research Grants for U of I Agriculture Studies: $5M DOE Grant for Energy Crops Study
(Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment) ... A U of I Crop Scientist will lead a team of researchers on a five-year study of new crops that could contribute to the production of affordable, sustainable sources for market-ready fuels and other
September 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Agriculture Youth Benefit From GROWMARK Support
by Carrie Muehling (AgWired.com) Illinois FFA State Officers including Treasurer Taylor Hartke helped to bring in the flags during a moving ceremony to open the GROWMARK Annual Meeting in Chicago. The Illinois FFA members joined FFA officers from Iowa and Wisconsin
September 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Why Donald Trump Is Feeling the Heat From Midwestern Farmers
by Justin Worland (Time Magazine) On the campaign trail, Donald Trump made two big promises: renegotiating free trade agreements and helping corn growers by supporting ethanol. ... As tensions over trade have proven painful to Midwestern farmers in the short term, demands
September 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Guest View: Kavanaugh Is No Friend to Midwestern Farmers
by Tammy Duckworth (Quad City Times) ... Time and again, he’s (Judge Brett Kavanaugh) chosen Big Oil over everyday Americans, serving as the lone dissenter in decisions that have pitted the fossil fuel industry against our farmers. In a recent case,
September 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Making America Great Again Starts with the States
by David Vander Griend (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Urban Air Initiative) Dave VanderGriend, president of Urban Air Initiative, doesn't mince words in his column this month, calling out EPA for what he says is collusion with the oil industry. -- ... The 15.8 billion
September 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Announces 36 Projects for Bioenergy Research and Development
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy announced the selection of 36 projects totaling $80 million to support early-stage bioenergy research and development (R&D). This R&D will enable cost-competitive, drop-in renewable hydrocarbon fuels, bio-based products, and power from
September 04, 2018 Read Full Article
An Open Letter to EPA Acting Administrator Wheeler
by Brian Jennings (American Coalition for Ethanol/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Consider this a blueprint for restoring the trust EPA has broken with farmers and rural America. 1. Make good on the president’s promises to allow E15 use year-round. Trump has made three or four
September 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Six States Account for More than 70% of U.S. Fuel Ethanol Production
(U.S. Energy Information Administration) Six states accounted for 72% of U.S. fuel ethanol production in 2016, according to the most recent estimates from EIA’s State Energy Data System. Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, and South Dakota collectively produced 265 million barrels of
September 01, 2018 Read Full Article
NCGA: USDA Trade Aid Won't Make Up for Lost Markets
(National Corn Growers Association) The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) today said plans unveiled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide aid to farmers negatively impacted by trade tariffs and ongoing trade uncertainty would be insufficient to even begin
August 31, 2018 Read Full Article
Lifecycle Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Corncob Ethanol in China
by Yu Wang, Ming‐Hsun Cheng, Mark Mba Wright (Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining) Converting corncobs into fuel ethanol is different from converting stover because cobs have higher hemicellulose and lower lignin than stover. Current research provides life‐cycle assessments of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
August 08, 2018 Read Full Article
Corn-ering the Market
(Advantage News) Passersby can’t help but notice the 12-foot tall corn growing in front of The NCERC (National Corn To Ethanol Research Center) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s University Park. SIUE students are working the “Feedstock Diversity Showcase” that features not only
August 06, 2018 Read Full Article
New Membrane Technology May Aid Biofuel Production
(Argonne National Laboratory/Biomass Magazine) Named for the mythical god with two faces, Janus membranes –double-sided membranes that serve as gatekeepers between two substances—have emerged as a material with potential industrial uses. Creating two distinct "faces" on these delicate surfaces, however, is
August 06, 2018 Read Full Article
High Performance Fuels & Vehicles, Both: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to DOE’s Co-Optima Project and HP Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy has a key project called Co-Optima, which aims to determine key fuel properties that enable improved engine efficiency, provide key science to enable high efficiency combustion modes, and capitalize on unique
July 31, 2018 Read Full Article
This Start-Up Turns Pollution from Factories into Fuel That Powers Cars — and One Day Planes
by Catherine Clifford (CNBC) A bacteria found in the gut of a rabbit can now help cars run in a more eco-friendly way. The bacteria, identified by biotech start-up LanzaTech, helps turn factory carbon emissions, a.k.a. pollution, into ethanol .... ... "While there are many sustainable
July 30, 2018 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
University of Illinois professor Stephen Long, explaining the need for home-grown biofuels said, “(P)eople of my age have seen these past (oil) disruptions. You know we’ve probably three major ones since the ’70s really in our oil supplies. You know they
July 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Putting Bacteria to Work
(U.S. Department of Energy) The idea of bacteria as diverse, complex perceptive entities that can hunt prey in packs, remember past experiences and interact with the moods and perceptions of their human hosts sounds like the plot of some low-budget science
July 20, 2018 Read Full Article
An FAQ on 45Q: What Federal Carbon Storage Tax Credit Means for Midwest
by Frank Jossi (Energy News) A federal tax credit passed earlier this year could increase the amount of carbon being stored underground. The revamped “45Q” tax credit boosts the amount of money available to companies willing to capture and store carbon
July 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Seeking a Friend for the End of Unreliability: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the Feedstock Conversion Interface Consortium
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What is the Feedstock Conversion Interface Consortium and why does it exist? The Why is simple. #1 issue plaguing High and Low Temperature IBR projects is consistent operability of preprocessing and primary deconstruction. In response, researchers have joined
July 06, 2018 Read Full Article
The Yosemite Sam of the Microbial World, Hot Rodded Lichen, BYO Nitrogen, The Microbial Marx Brother, Sexy Hexy and More: The DOE Delves into New Orgamsism for Fuels & Chems
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The meanest, nastiest, ornierest, heat-seeking organism ever found that munches biomass and other microbes that got a booster via the DOE’s $40M grants for advanced microbes R&D. And aromatics without the mess, a sky-vacumming organism and
June 28, 2018 Read Full Article
ACE Scholarship Program Announces 2018 Winners
(American Coalition for Ethanol/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The American Coalition for Ethanol congratulates the 2018 scholarship recipients Keithen Drury, Brett Galles, and Emma Baker. Each student receives a $1,000 scholarship through ACE’s scholarship program to help further their collegiate education. ... Keithen Drury from Blue
June 26, 2018 Read Full Article
World’s First Commercial Waste Gas to Ethanol Plant Now in Operation
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... In Illinois, carbon recycling company, LanzaTech, and its joint venture partner, Shougang Group, a leading Chinese iron and steel producer, announced the successful start-up of the world’s first commercial facility converting industrial emissions to sustainable ethanol.
June 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Carbon Utilization Bill Could Create Value for CO2 Emissions
by Tim Albrecht (Biomass Magazine) Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., introduced three bills this week to boost rural economic opportunities by expanding USDA funding eligibility for clean energy projects. This funding would help improve electric grid security, create more energy choices for
June 08, 2018 Read Full Article
Waste Management Opens New RNG Facility in Kentucky
by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) Waste Management has unveiled a $30 million renewable natural gas (RNG) facility in Louisville, Ky. The new Outer Loop Recycling and Disposal Facility processes up to 5,000 standard cubic feet per minute of incoming landfill gas and turns it
June 07, 2018 Read Full Article
American Researchers Get $1.8 Million from Department of Energy to Solve Biorefinery Blockages
(Bioenergy Insight) A problem facing biorefinery operations is the flow of biomass into and throughout facilities. Lignocellulosic biomass, often made up of post-harvest agricultural materials such as corn stover and soybean hulls, often accumulates and compacts while moving through augers, forcing
June 05, 2018 Read Full Article
The Carbon Rescuers: 20 Top Waste Projects and Breakthroughs that Capture Used Carbon from the Waste Pile for New Uses
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In these top 20 projects, we usually say that we are using waste, but really we are converting something from a state of waste to a state of value — and that’s not just good for
June 05, 2018 Read Full Article
A Blueprint for Keeping Midwest Dollars in the Midwest
by Dave VanderGriend (Urban Air Initiative/ICM/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Urban Air Initiative President Dave VanderGriend says increasing the availability of ethanol blender pumps and higher blends will keep ethanol in the Midwest, pumping millions of dollars into the economy. -- ... The problem
June 04, 2018 Read Full Article
The West’s Pure-Play Ethanol Kings: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Pacific Ethanol
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Pacific Ethanol was founded in 2003 as the first pure-play ethanol company and today is a leading producer and marketer of low-carbon renewable fuels with 9 strategically located bio-refineries in the U.S., production capacity of 605M gallons/yr., a
June 01, 2018 Read Full Article
NCERC Hosts ‘Fueling Fun’ Workshop for Local Girl Scouts
(Southern Illinois University Edwardsville/Ethanol Producer Magazine) More than 50 Brownies, Juniors, and parents from the Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois learned about the benefits of biofuels, fermentation, and careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) during the “Fueling Fun” biofuels
May 23, 2018 Read Full Article
From the Dump to the Pump: Fulcrum BioEnergy Breaks Ground on Landmark Trash-to-Jet Fuel Project
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Near Reno, Nevada, Fulcrum BioEnergy broke ground today for its 10 million gallon per year first commercial plant that makes jet fuel from municipal solid waste. For thousands of years we have had a love/hate relationship
May 17, 2018 Read Full Article
Groups Ask EPA to Prioritize Cellulosic Pathway Approvals
(Iowa Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Today (May 3, 2018) five Midwest biofuels associations sent a letter to the EPA asking the agency to shift administrative time and staff away from demand-destroying Renewable Fuel Standard exemptions and toward pathway approvals for
May 09, 2018 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Selects $3 Million in Research Projects to Advance Biofuels, Bioenergy, and Biobased Products
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced up to $3 million in funding for advanced biofuels, bioenergy, and biobased products available through the Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI). DOE has selected two projects from
May 09, 2018 Read Full Article
Accelerating Ag Innovation: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the USDA Agricultural Research Service
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. ARS conducts research to develop and transfer solutions to agricultural problems of high national priority and provide information access and dissemination to:
May 08, 2018 Read Full Article
Mail Call! Biofuels Write to EPA on Strategy
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) A coalition of Midwest biofuels associations sent a letter Thursday to EPA asking it to move administrative time and staff away from Renewable Fuel Standard exemptions and instead toward approvals for cellulosic ethanol. "The
May 04, 2018 Read Full Article
California And 16 Other States Are Suing Trump To Stop Him Destroying Emissions Standards
by Raphael Orlove (Jalopnik) Our emissions standards are probably the biggest booster to automotive performance in the past half century, making our cars not only more eco-friendly but more powerful, too. Trump has been trying to cut it all down, but now California
May 01, 2018 Read Full Article
Carbon Capture Could Be a Financial Opportunity for US Biofuels
(Stanford University/Phys.Org) Although considered critical to avoiding catastrophic global warming, the feasibility of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it underground - known as negative emissions - has been in question. But researchers at Stanford and other institutions have found
April 24, 2018 Read Full Article
States to Sue EPA over Failure to Enforce Landfill Gas Rules
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) A coalition led by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and the California Air Resources board has announced plans to sue the U.S. EPA over its failure to enforce existing landfill methane regulations. The coalition announced its plans
April 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Australian Vine Can Boost Soybean Yield, Study Says
by Lauren Quinn (University of Illinois) Growing in its native Australia, the unobtrusive perennial vine Glycine tomentella could easily be overlooked. But the distant relative of soybean contains genetic resources that can substantially increase soybean yield, according to a new study from the
April 09, 2018 Read Full Article
Illinois Researchers Receive $1 Million to Study Bioenergy Crops
(Univeristy of Illinois) The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture has announced a grant for $1 million to support research led by a University of Illinois scientist. The research will address the need for better-adapted and higher-yielding biomass cultivars
April 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Mailings to Teachers Highlight a Political Fight Over Climate Change in the Classroom
by Katie Worth (Frontline/The Groundtruth Project) Last spring, science teachers across the nation began receiving unsolicited packages containing classroom materials from a libertarian group that rejects the scientific consensus on climate change. This spring, some of the same teachers are opening
April 02, 2018 Read Full Article
DSM Announces Broad Product Offering for the Biofuels Industry
(DSM/Newswire Today) Royal DSM announces its commitment to bring innovative solutions to the biofuels industry with a full portfolio offering of yeast and enzymes for starch, fiber and biomass conversions - DSM.com. Euronext: DSM KON -- Royal DSM, a global science-based company
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations, 3.28.18 Release
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) According to BIO, the global economic value today of the biobased economy – including industrial biotechnology, renewable chemicals and polymers, biofuels, enzymes and biobased materials – is $355.28 billion. And looking at the new USDA Indicators report
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Recovering Phosphorus from Corn Ethanol Waste
by Michael Torrice (Chemical & Engineering News) Finding a way to reuse the element could help lower nutrient pollution -- ... When industrial plants process corn grains to make the fuel, or even food products such as corn syrup, they generate by-products containing
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Alchemy for Modern Times: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to CRI/GTI’s IH2 Process
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The IH2 process was developed by Gas Technology Institute (GTI) of Des Plaines, Illinois—a research, development, and training organization serving energy markets. GTI experts invented, tested, and patented IH2 technology and are providing ongoing commercialization support. Twelve US
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
DOE Doles out Millions for Natural Gas Engine Research
by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $4 million to support three new cost-shared research projects focused on medium- and heavy-duty, on-road natural gas engines, as well as $3 million to support two new cost-shared research projects
March 08, 2018 Read Full Article
March Madness: These Colleges are Mad for Biodiesel
(National Biodiesel Board) National Biodiesel Board releases field of "Elite Eight" -- March Madness kicks off next week, showcasing the very best of college basketball. In that spirit, the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) has released its own bracket of colleges and universities
March 08, 2018 Read Full Article
Catalyst Collaboration: Argonne Accelerates Biofuel Production Technology
by Meltem Urgun-Demirtas (U.S. Department of Energy) ... With funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) totaling nearly $1.3 million since 2013, ANL researchers are using X-ray spectroscopy to move the nation closer to achieving cost-effective production
February 27, 2018 Read Full Article
DOE Grants $10.6 Million to Produce More Biodiesel, Biojet Fuel
(University of Illinois, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology/Biomass Magazine) The U.S. Department of Energy awarded the University of Illinois a $10.6 million, five-year grant to transform two of the most productive crops in America into sustainable sources of biodiesel
February 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Letter: E15 Fuel Availability Arrives in Freeport with Casey’s
by Ray Baker (Journal Standard) Adkins Energy is excited to welcome Casey’s, the first gas station in Freeport to offer E15 fuel. E15 is 85 percent regular gasoline and 15 percent ethanol, and it gives all of us a cleaner, greener,
February 22, 2018 Read Full Article
High Performance Fuels: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to DOE’s Co-Optima Project and HP fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy has a key project called Co-Optima, which aims to determine key fuel properties that enable improved engine efficiency, provide key science to enable high efficiency combustion modes, and capitalize on unique
February 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Carbon-Negative Fuels in the Spotlight as Ohio State, Argonne National Labs, Energy Vision Make Material Progress
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The biggest news along that front represents early-stage technology, but we read here that engineers at Ohio State announced that they’ve devised a process that under certain circumstances can convert coal, shale gas and biomass into electricity or syngas,
February 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Analysis: RIN Prices of ‘Just a Few Cents’ are Coming—Without Changes to RFS
by Emily Druckman (Renewable Fuels Association) A new analysis from the University of Illinois shows that the conditions that caused high conventional biofuel (D6) RIN prices are changing rapidly and that “…it is not out of the realm of possibility for D6 RINs
February 16, 2018 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Stands Its Ground, Won’t Back Down: New B20 Vehicles, Emissions Cuts, Highlight NBC 2018
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The makers of the world’s favorite advanced biofuel — a/k/a the biodiesel industry — descended upon Texas to mingle, make and renew ties at the 2018 National Biodiesel Conference. And, to champion new ideas and find
February 07, 2018 Read Full Article
Letter to the Editor: It's False to Say Ethanol Costs the Consumer More
by Clarence Schutte (LincolnLand Agri-Energy/Effingham Daily News) ... The statement that ethanol costs the consumer more is false. The RBOB which is the gasoline blended with ethanol to make 10 percent ethanol fuel. Ethanol is 114 octane, RBOB is 84 octane, the
February 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Case Studies Demonstrate Success of Biomethane as Vehicle Fuel
(NGV Journal/Energy Vision) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory and the sustainable energy NGO Energy Vision released two case studies of successful projects that were among the first to produce Renewable Compressed Natural Gas (R-CNG) vehicle fuel using
February 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Search for Sustainable Fuels Drives Researchers at UI's New Bioenergy Center
byJulie Wurth (News Gazette) A Midwest crop of the future: grasses and other plants that produce their own oils to be used as fuel or byproducts. That's the vision behind a new bioenergy research center being launched today at the University of
February 01, 2018 Read Full Article
New Cat in Town: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Advanced Catalyst Synthesis
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Deliver high performing, cost-effective catalytic materials that meet the needs of the ChemCatBio catalysis projects? That’s the ambitious goal of a project led by researchers from Argonne National Lab, Oak Ridge National Lab and the National
February 01, 2018 Read Full Article
Biobased Buzz: Renewable Propylene Glycol – Early Success in Renewable Chemical Market
by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) ... According to the Department of Energy, substitution of renewable propylene glycol made from biomass can reduce greenhouse gases by 61 percent, as compared to using petroleum-based propylene glycol. The process for converting biomass
January 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Against the Odds
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Continued investment and expansion took place in the U.S. biodiesel sector throughout 2017, despite rising political uncertainty and a lapsed tax credit. Here is an overview of some of the activity, plus a special sidebar story
January 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Illinois Soybean Association : B20 Biodiesel Use Translates To $1.2M Health Cost Savings
(4-Traders) New calculations show an estimated $1.2 million in health cost savings for Illinois communities where B20 biodiesel fuel is used routinely in diesel vehicles. The calculations come from data submitted by 15 members of the B20 Club, a partnership between the Illinois
January 24, 2018 Read Full Article
NEC Scholarship Awarded to NCERC Technician
(Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Christopher Wense, a former steel mill worker who has returned to school while working full-time in the U.S. ethanol industry, is this year’s student scholarship winner to attend the Renewable Fuels Association’s National Ethanol Conference next
January 22, 2018 Read Full Article
US Government Report Strengthens Consensus on Biodiesel Benefits
(National Biodiesel Board) Argonne National Laboratory, US Dept. of Agriculture, and Purdue University affirm impressive emissions reductions -- A new study on biodiesel’s lifecycle energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission effects updates and reaffirms the long-understood benefits of using the renewable fuel.
January 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Research Finds Land Management Practices Matter in Cellulosic Biofuels Production
by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) New research from Argonne National Laboratory, the University of Chicago at Illinois and the International Food Policy Research Institute shows that incorporating conservation practices can both increase soil organic content and improve the
January 22, 2018 Read Full Article
C-Stores Meeting New Fuel Demands
by David Bennett (Convenience Store Decisions) Whether it’s teaming with Tesla to install charging stations or integrating alternative fuel solutions, retailers are part of a changing transportation marketplace. -- ... Some analysts insist the internal combustion engine has been around more than
January 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Strong Future ahead for the U.S. Ethanol Industry
by Christopher Wense (St. Louis Post Dispatch) ... While it appears the steel industry has likely reached its ceiling of growth, the U.S. ethanol industry is only scratching the surface of future biofuels, biochemicals and biomaterials from renewable feedstocks, and I wanted
January 19, 2018 Read Full Article
New Study Shows Producers Where and How to Grow Cellulosic Biofuel Crops
(University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences/Science Daily) A new report provides practical agronomic data for five cellulosic feedstocks, which could improve adoption and increase production across the country. -- ... "Early yield estimates were based on data from
January 17, 2018 Read Full Article
CAAFI Highlights Sustainable Alternative Jet Fuel Activities of 2017 and Plans for 2018
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI) has taken stock of its busy 2017 and has set priorities for 2018. Highlights on the sustainable alternative jet fuel (SAJF) front include development of many resources available
January 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Last Train to Emeryville: The DigiBio Value Engine Is Leavin’ the Station, Are You on It?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Tie-ins for Zymergen, Radiant Genomics, DMC, Capricorn Venture Partners, Syngenta and CHS demonstrate the firepower and scope of digital biology. Today, products made via traditional biological tools tap into easy-to-grow-in-a-lab organisms, and mostly nothin’ else. Sort of
January 10, 2018 Read Full Article
"Energycane" Jet Fuel Could Be the First Big Step Towards Cleaner Skies
by Deepak Kumar; Stephen P. Long; Vijay Singh (The Conversation/Inverse Innovation) Airlines look to biomass-derived jet fuels to reduce their carbon footprint. ... Bio-jet fuel can be produced from various plant materials, including oil crops, sugar crops, starchy plants and lignocellulosic biomass, through
January 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Regulating Indirect Land Use Carbon Emissions Carries Cost to Consumers
by Deborah Gertz Husar (Herald-Whig) ... University of Illinois agricultural economist Madhu Khanna said the low-carbon fuel standard creates incentives to switch to low-carbon advanced biofuels, but including the indirect effect makes compliance more costly and fuel more expensive for consumers. "What
December 30, 2017 Read Full Article
Cruz Proposal Could Harm Corn Ethanol, Analysis Finds
by Todd Neeley (DTN/KTIC) Capping the price of biofuel credits at 10 cents would essentially eliminate the Renewable Fuel Standard mandate for biodiesel and possibly hurt corn-based ethanol, according to an analysis by farmdoc at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. In meetings
December 26, 2017 Read Full Article
4 Ways Chicago Can Lead the Climate Change Fight
by Howard A. Learner (Crain's Chicago Business/Environmental Law & Policy Center) ... The recent North American Climate Summit here brought together 50-plus mayors to sign the Chicago Climate Charter, committing to take initiatives to help meet the Paris Climate Agreement's pollution
December 21, 2017 Read Full Article
Researchers Find Bioenergy Crops Provide Critical Ecosystem Services
by M. Cristina Negri (U.S. Department of Energy) Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) in Argonne, Illinois, are examining innovative new agricultural landscapes that incorporate perennial bioenergy crops to provide environmental benefits, such as improved nutrient management and pollinator nesting. This work prioritizes
December 14, 2017 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Now Included in Top Tier™ Diesel Fuel
(National Biodiesel Board) Growmark, Inc., a regional agricultural cooperative from Illinois, is providing Top Tier Diesel Fuel blended with biodiesel. Top Tier performance standards are gaining popularity across the country, helping vehicle owners ensure they are purchasing a clean, high quality fuel. As
December 06, 2017 Read Full Article
Decatur Plant at Forefront of Push to Pipe Carbon Emissions Underground, but Costs Raise Questions
by Tony Briscoe (Chicago Tribune) As scientists and politicians around the world debate the best way to combat rising greenhouse gases, an Illinois ethanol plant, with help from state and federal researchers, is advancing a strategy that buries carbon emissions underground. After
November 27, 2017 Read Full Article
Aircraft Fueled by Waste Cooking Oil Takes off from Beijing
by Zheng Xin and Wang Wen (China Daily) Hainan Airlines Flight 497 took off from Beijing at 2:15 pm Tuesday, headed to Chicago. The aircraft flew with biological aviation fuel that is produced from waste cooking oil, signaling the first China-US flight
November 22, 2017 Read Full Article
Does Regulating Indirect Land Use Change Work? The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to ILUC Reform
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana professor Madhu Khanna has been raising issues with including an indirect land use change factor for compliance with low carbon fuel standards. Why, since ILUC is a required calculation for the Renewable Fuel
November 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Helps Fuel Tow Trucks for Tots in Illinois
(The Illinois Soybean Association/Biodiesel Magazine) The Illinois Soybean Association checkoff program is partnering with Tow Trucks for Tots to help bring toys to needy children, while educating tow truck drivers on the benefits of B20 biodiesel fuel. During the annual Tow Trucks
November 15, 2017 Read Full Article
30 Hot Cellulosic Technologies, 30 Quick Takes
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Last week, DowDuPont said it was exiting the cellulosic biofuels business and you’d think that the company just burned down the warehouse with the original text of the Renewable Fuels Standard — the coverage of the
November 14, 2017 Read Full Article
Expansion of Sugarcane Ethanol in Brazil Could Cut GHG Emissions
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A massive expansion of land use for sugar cane growth in Brazil, and a subsequent increase in ethanol production with the feedstock could reduce global carbon dioxide emissions in the transportation sector by up to