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
Illinois
Back TO HOMEThe 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
December 13, 2019 Read Full Article
Village of Carol Stream, Illinois, Commits to Clean Air with B20
(The Illinois Soybean Association/Biodiesel Magazine) The village of Carol Stream, Illinois, is a new member of the B20 Club in recognition of the municipality’s work to reduce vehicle emissions and improve air quality for its residents. The B20 Club is a partnership between the Illinois Soybean Association checkoff
December 11, 2019 Read Full Article
Illinois Farm Families Launches New Docuseries on Sustainable Farming
(Illinois Soybean Association) Illinois Farm Families® has released the first episode in their new docuseries highlighting farmer sustainability practices. This engaging storytelling video is focused on biofuels made from Illinois corn and soybeans. It presents the perspectives of farmer Elliott Uphoff
December 06, 2019 Read Full Article
Klobuchar Leads Letter Expressing Concern that the Newly Proposed Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Blending Targets Will Be Undermined by Continued Abuse of ‘Hardship’ Waivers
(Office of Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)) Klobuchar has spent months calling for an end to the harm caused by abuse of hardship waivers -- U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) led a public comment letter last week to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
December 04, 2019 Read Full Article
Argonne Collaboration Shows Benefits of Better Corn Residue Management Strategies
(U.S. Department of Energy) As the global population swells, boosting the demand for both food and energy, land management has never been more important. Now, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory are conducting pivotal research that
December 04, 2019 Read Full Article
Biofuels Could Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions By 96%
by Steve Hanley (Clean Technica) There is nothing inherently wrong with internal combustion engines. The problem is the fuels we use to run them emit billions of tons of greenhouse gases every year, gases which cause the Earth to get hotter.
December 04, 2019 Read Full Article
New Study Looks to Biological Enzymes as Source of Hydrogen Fuel
by Lois Yoksoulian (University of Illinois News Bureau) Research from the University of Illinois and the University of California, Davis has chemists one step closer to recreating nature’s most efficient machinery for generating hydrogen gas. This new development may help clear
December 03, 2019 Read Full Article
3 Chicagoland Fleets Using B20 Rank among 2019’s Top Green Fleets
(Illinois Soybean Association/Biodiesel Magazine) Three Chicago-area fleets rank among the nation’s 25 Top Green Fleets of 2019. Fleets receiving this national recognition are Village of Arlington Heights, Village of Oak Park and the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. The green fleet
November 25, 2019 Read Full Article
The Role of Chemical Recycling in a Circular Economy and Effective Waste Management
by Zoltan Kish (Lee Enterprises Consulting, Inc./Biofuels Digest) ... At the same time, we have a tremendous business opportunity to convert waste into usable sustainable products. According to a market study report prepared by Market Insights Reports, the smart waste management market was valued at
November 19, 2019 Read Full Article
Biofuel Producers Make Significant Gains in Efficiency, Productivity and Conservation, Argonne Survey Shows
(U.S. Department of Energy Newswise) Survey results conclude that there have been significant improvements in energy efficiency and water conservation. -- The nation’s biofuel producers have made significant gains in both energy efficiency and water conservation in recent years, according to
November 13, 2019 Read Full Article
HDT's Top Green Fleets of 2019
(Heavy Duty Trucking) All of Heavy Duty Trucking magazine's Top Green Fleets of 2019 take sustainability to the next level — through fuel economy, freight efficiency, alternative fuels, energy savings, and more. -- What does it mean to be “green”?
November 06, 2019 Read Full Article
Argonne National Laboratory Releases 2019 GREET Model
by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Argonne National Laboratory’s 2019 GREET (Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation) models include changes and updates to carbon calculations for land use change from the production of biofuels, as well as
November 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Fractionation Processes Can Improve Profitability of Ethanol Production
(EurekAlert!/University of Illinois) The U.S. is the world's largest producer of bioethanol as renewable liquid fuel, with more than 200 commercial plants processing over 16 billion gallons per year. Plants typically use dry grind processing methods; however, implementing fractionation techniques that
November 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Energy and Water Sustainability in the U.S. Biofuel Industry
by May Wu (Argonne National Laboratory) The progress of technology development for conventional and advanced biofuel production processes in the U.S. has been reviewed by several groups over the last two decades (Warner et al. 2017; Mueller and Kwik 2013;
November 01, 2019 Read Full Article
House Energy Hearing Pits Ethanol vs. EPA, Administration
by Matt Kaye (FarmWeekNow.com) Renewable Fuels Association chief Geoff Cooper called the proposed supplemental rule issued by EPA a "bait and switch." -- ... During a hearing before a U.S. House Energy subcommittee, Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) chief Geoff Cooper
October 31, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Posts Call-in Information for Oct. 30 Hearing on SRE Proposal (and Proposal) COMMENT DEADLINE: November 29, 2019
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA has posted call-in information for its Oct. 30 hearing on the supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking released Oct. 15 that seeks comments on how the agency should project the volume of small
October 29, 2019 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Breakthroughs at the Bioenergy Research Centers
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Over 10 years (2007–2017), three Bioenergy Research Centers produced multiple breakthroughs in the form of deepened understanding of sustainable biomass production practices, targeted re-engineering of biomass feedstocks, development of new methods for deconstructing feedstocks, and
October 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Lawmakers Pitch Plan to Trash Ethanol Mandate Amid Industry Clashes
by Brian Dabbs (National Journal) ... Now, though, two retiring Republican House members want to carve out a new future for U.S. liquid transportation fuel policy. Rep. John Shimkus of Illinois, who represents some of the most prolific corn-producing counties
October 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Reduction in Gasoline-Related Cancer Causes by Blending Ethanol into Gasoline in Five Global Cities
(Vital) “Health Impact of Blending Ethanol into Gasoline in Five Global Cities” University of Illinois at Chicago, Energy Resources Center -- Dr. Steffen Mueller, PhD, and others at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Energy Resources Center looked at the effect
October 17, 2019 Read Full Article
Michael Bloomberg Says Cities Can Help Us Meet Paris Climate Goal
by Josh Siegel & Abby Smith (Washington Examiner's Daily on Energy) New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and eight other U.S. mayors released a policy “playbook” Thursday for how cities can cut emissions from the transportation and building sectors. The mayors say if the largest 100
October 10, 2019 Read Full Article
The 10 Most Overlooked Stories in the Bioeconomy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This is such Top Secret stuff that every announcement was, we surmise, buried in the hardest-to-find hole, on the loneliest street, of the most out-of-the-way town on Planet Neptune. Just shows what you might find down a
October 09, 2019 Read Full Article
President Trump Delivers on a Key Promise to American Farmers as EPA, USDA Announce Agreement on Promoting Biofuels
(Environmental Protection Agency) Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue issued the following statements after President Donald J. Trump successfully negotiated an agreement on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS): “President Trump’s leadership
October 04, 2019 Read Full Article
National Labs Entrepreneurial Fellowships DEADLINE: October 31, 2019
(U.S. Department of Energy) Three of the Department of Energy’s National laboratories are now accepting applications for their respective Cohort of Innovators through October 31st: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) Chain Reaction Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Innovation Crossroads, and Lawrence
October 03, 2019 Read Full Article
$73 Million, 35 Projects, Who Won, for What and Why: The DOE Bioenergy Technologies Office 2019 Project Selections
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the U.S. Department of Energy has selected 35 projects totaling $73 million for bioenergy research and development support. Funded through the DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, these projects will help reduce
October 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Ethanol Blog: Economist Proposes Two RFS Changes to Appease Oil, Ethanol
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) With a reported big deal for biofuels in flux, an economist at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign put forward a plan on Thursday to account for more than 4 billion gallons of biofuels exempted
September 23, 2019 Read Full Article
Grab It and Use It: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Carbon Capture
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) At the recent Algae Biomass Summit, John Litynski, Deputy Director of Advanced Fossil Technology Systems at the DOE gave this illuminating overview of the federal government’s role in CCUS and detailed some of the major
September 20, 2019 Read Full Article
Ethanol Facility Hosts Boeing Presentation on Sustainable Aviation Fuels
(Advantage News) The NCERC at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville hosted a presentation from The Boeing Company’s Joe Ellsworth, regional director of environmental strategy and integration, who presented Boeing and Sustainable Aviation Fuels in late August. Ellsworth also met with NCERC Director of
September 19, 2019 Read Full Article
Davis Introduces Pro-Ethanol Legislation
(The Telegraph) Local ethanol officials are lauding the Small Refinery Exeption Fairness Act of 2019 introduced Wednesday by U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville. Davis introduced the bill after the EPA continues to increase the number of small refineries exempted from the Renewable
September 19, 2019 Read Full Article
St1 Nordic Licenses Honeywell Ecofining Technology in Sweden
(Honeywell UOP) Honeywell UOP Ecofining™ process produces fuels chemically identical to petroleum-based diesel -- Honeywell (NYSE: HON) today announced that St1 Nordic Oy has licensed the UOP’s Ecofining™ renewable fuels technology to produce 4,000 barrels per day of diesel and jet fuel integrated with its
September 19, 2019 Read Full Article
Oil vs. Electric Vehicles
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) Oil-backed groups are countering utilities' plans to expand electric vehicle infrastructure with regulatory and lobbying campaigns against the proposals in at least 10 states so far, Pro's Gavin Bade reports. The efforts, some greens
September 16, 2019 Read Full Article
Bost Tours National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center
(Advantage News) The National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center at SIUE Executive Director John Caupert hosted U.S. Rep. Mike Bost (R-Illinois) in late August as part of a congressional visit and to participate in a student research project. Bost toured the NCERC’s demonstration plant
September 13, 2019 Read Full Article
Cooperative Relies on RFS Waivers: CountryMark Sits on Both Sides of Small-Refinery Waiver Controversy
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) The farmer-owned CountryMark cooperative and fuel refinery is caught in the middle of the small-refinery exemption controversy. The company operates in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky -- most of its customers at more than 100
September 13, 2019 Read Full Article
Korein Tillery Files Class Action Lawsuit Alleging Market Manipulation of Ethanol Futures and Options Prices by Archer Daniels Midland
(Korein Tillery/Cision) Korein Tillery attorneys filed a class action lawsuit against Archer Daniels Midland Company ("ADM") in the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois, alleging that ADM has manipulated a key benchmark for the settlement and pricing of ethanol futures
September 12, 2019 Read Full Article
White House Presses Biofuel, Oil Executives for Compromise
by Mario Parker and Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg/Investors Business Daily) Discussions aimed at breaking logjam over biofuel plan; Friday deadline issued for ideas on potential compromise -- Trump administration officials are squeezing biofuel and oil refining executives to agree to
September 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Many U.S. Farmers Fume at Washington, Not Trump, over Biofuel, Trade Policies
by P.J. Huffstutter and Tom Polansek (Reuters) ... Many farmers are angry, and some are directing their anger not at the Republican president, but at Washington’s bureaucracy. Trump has faced backlash from agricultural groups, ethanol producers and Midwestern politicians upset that
September 10, 2019 Read Full Article
How Synthetic Biology Can Help Build Sustainable Cities
by John Cumbers (Green Biz/SynBioBeta) Sustainability is in vogue, with businesses and cities jostling to improve their public image and produce goods and services using renewable sources. Yet cities exponentially swell and carbon emissions continue to increase. Global CO2 emissions rise
September 09, 2019 Read Full Article
REG Looking to Fuel Ames' Sustainability Efforts through B100 Biodiesel.
by Robbie Sequeira (Ames Tribune) Ames-based Renewable Energy Group (REG) is looking to fuel the city of Ames' ever-expanding sustainability efforts through 100 percent biofuel, as part of their B100 Pilot Program. In conjunction with Optimus Technologies, based out of Pittsburgh,
September 04, 2019 Read Full Article
Biofuels Credited for Better Air Quality in Chicago
(US Ag Net/Wisconsin Ag Connection) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently approved the State of Illinois' request to formally redesignate the Chicago area to attainment of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for fine particulate matter. Recent air monitoring data
September 01, 2019 Read Full Article
SoCalGas Project Uses Renewable Electricity for RNG Production
by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) and Electrochaea have commissioned a new biomethanation reactor system, which uses renewable electricity to convert hydrogen into pipeline-quality methane for use in homes, businesses and transportation. The pilot project is located at
August 29, 2019 Read Full Article
UNL Researchers Leading Biofuel Studies
(KFORNOW) Sorghum, the third most abundant cereal crop in the United States, is emerging as a star player in the biofuels industry. Right now, however, maximizing the crop’s potential is challenging. The function of much of its complete set of DNA remains
August 23, 2019 Read Full Article
SoCalGas and Electrochaea Announce Commissioning of New Biomethanation Reactor System Pilot Project
(Southern California Gas Co./PR Newswire) Innovative project with U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory converts renewable electricity into renewable methane for storage in existing natural gas pipelines -- Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) and Electrochaea today announced the commissioning of the nation's
August 15, 2019 Read Full Article
Just Drop It in!: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Gevo’s Drop-in Hydrocarbons
by Jim Lane (Biofuhttp://radar.weather.gov/radar_lite.php?product=NCR&rid=LWX&loop=yesels Digest) Gevo produces and sells low-carbon, renewable, high-performance fuel products. From ethanol to isobutanol, jet fuel, isooctane, oxygenate blendstocks, and more, Gevo is on a mission to replace fossil based products and decarbonize products for large markets. Tim
August 08, 2019 Read Full Article
Novo Holdings Invests $72 Million in Sustainable Products Leader LanzaTech
(Lanza Tech) Novo Holdings A/S (Novo Holdings) and LanzaTech, a pioneer in the production of next generation fuels and chemicals through the recycling of carbon pollution, announce today that they have formed a partnership to grow LanzaTech’s revolutionary sustainable fuels and
August 06, 2019 Read Full Article
States Sue Trump Administration for Reduced Penalties on Fuel Efficiency
by Rebecca Beitsch (The Hill) Thirteen states filed suit against the Trump administration Friday, arguing it was breaking the law by cutting penalties for automakers that do not meet Obama-era fuel efficiency standards. The suit, led by California's and New York’s attorneys general, goes
August 05, 2019 Read Full Article
U.S. Ethanol Industry Nearing Breaking Point: Green Plains CEO
by Jarrett Renshaw, Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) The U.S. ethanol industry is about to break under the weight of the Trump Administration’s trade war with China and the surge in the number of small refineries exempted from the nation’s biofuel laws, said Todd
July 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Renewable Energy Group Opens First Fueling Station; Station Will Provide Cleaner Fueling Options to Seneca, Illinois, Community
(Renewable Energy Group) Renewable Energy Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGI) the nation’s leading advanced biofuel producer, today celebrated the grand opening of the company’s first diesel fueling station in Seneca, Illinois. “We are thrilled that those who help support our industry and
July 18, 2019 Read Full Article
A Political 'Fight to the Knife' over Ethanol Comes to Wisconsin
by Chris Hubbuch (Wisconsin State Journal) ... “There’s (a) civil war within the Republican Party,” said Scott Irwin, chairman of agricultural marketing at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “It’s pitting two significant Republican constituencies of the president and neither one
July 15, 2019 Read Full Article
Ethanol Blog: ... Inadequate Domestic Supply
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) ... The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on July 28, 2017, https://www.dtnpf.com/…, ruled the EPA erred in how it interpreted an "inadequate domestic supply" waiver provision in the RFS on 2016
July 10, 2019 Read Full Article
Iowa State University Is Home to a New Bioenergy Crops Research Farm
(Iowa State University Extension and Outreach) Iowa and Midwest agriculture has started to change in recent years. One visible change is the interest to grow crops for biofuel and bioproducts (referred to as “energy crops”). Fossil fuel usage contributes to the
July 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Driving Business to National Fleet
(Renewable Energy Group/ACT News) Biodiesel has helped for-hire carrier G&D Integrated meet environmental goals and win business. How? For one, the large fleet’s use of biodiesel has helped it significantly lower greenhouse gases and other emissions. As for its bottom line, G&D says
July 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Integrated Landscape Management Reduces Biomass Production Costs By 20%
by J.Richard Hess (Idaho National Laboratory/U.S. Department of Energy) A new techno-economic analysis by Idaho National Laboratory (INL) demonstrated that, by using integrated landscape management (ILM) techniques, bioenergy stakeholders could produce biomass at costs 20% lower than previous assumptions.1 The efficiencies
June 26, 2019 Read Full Article
Co-Optima Identifies Innovation Needed to Continue Momentum in Fuel Economy Gains
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today’s cars are advancing at lightning speed: from electric vehicles to efficient internal combustion engines to automated vehicles. Transportation is changing. Although the fuel-economy ratings of today’s cars are dramatically higher than those of just 10
June 24, 2019 Read Full Article
ANA and LanzaTech Sign Offtake Agreement for Sustainable Aviation Fuel
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In the land of the rising sun, things are looking a whole lot brighter for All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan’s largest airline, and for LanzaTech and their sustainable aviation fuel. ANA and LanzaTech signed an
June 17, 2019 Read Full Article
U.S. Farm State Senators Unveil Bill to Overhaul Biofuel Waiver Program
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
June 17, 2019 Read Full Article
List 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
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