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
Illinois
Back TO HOMERecovering 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
November 08, 2017 Read Full Article
Chicago! Fulcrum BioEnergy Picks the Midwest Hub for Its Next MSW-to-Jet Fuel Project
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From California we received the news that Chicagoland has been selected as the site of Fulcrum BioEnergy’s second commercial-scale waste-to-fuels biorefinery. We reported last month that the long-awaited financing was completed for Fulcrum Bioenergy’s highly-anticipated first commercial project
November 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Affordable, Drop-In Hydrocarbons from Wood: The Digest’s 2017 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
November 01, 2017 Read Full Article
Expanding Brazilian Sugarcane Could Dent Global CO2 Emissions
(Phys.org/ University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Vastly expanding sugarcane production in Brazil for conversion to ethanol could reduce current global carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 5.6 percent, researchers report in the journal Nature Climate Change. This would be a massive undertaking,
October 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Sen. Tammy Duckworth Blocks Key EPA Nominees, Cites Ethanol Stance and Ties to Koch Industries
by Ben Wolfgang (The Washington Times) Citing one nominee’s stance on the federal ethanol mandate and another’s supposed ties to Koch Industries, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Illinois Democrat, on Wednesday placed holds on two key nominations for top-level jobs at the Environmental Protection Agency. The move
October 19, 2017 Read Full Article
A Vote for Bill Wehrum Is a Vote against the RFS
by Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) (The Hill) There is a reason that the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), our nation's policy governing the production and sale of biofuels, has broad bipartisan support in Congress. This policy is helping us revive rural economies,
October 18, 2017 Read Full Article
Ethanol Has Replaced Oil Trains as Hidden Safety Risk in N.J.
by Curtis Tate (NorthJersey.com) ... The flammable biofuel is transported in trains that look virtually identical to the oil trains that have attracted so much attention, and controversy, in the country's energy boom of the past decade. But according to federal data, 1
October 17, 2017 Read Full Article
8 Fast Flyers Chosen for Top Cat: The Big Attack on Biomass Catalysis Begins
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Somewhere in the files of the Department of Energy it is called the Chemical Catalysis for Bioenergy Consortium. Inside the halls of National Labs, they call it ChemCatBio. ... They’re on a mission to bring forward commercial bioenergy applications two
October 05, 2017 Read Full Article
Bringing Illinois Ethanol Products to the World
by Jill Loehr (Prairie Farmer) Illinois has the third-largest ethanol production capacity in the U.S. Marquis Energy, one of the state’s 13 ethanol plants, contributes 300 million gallons each year. What’s the secret to its success? Proximity to the river,
October 04, 2017 Read Full Article
Top 10 Wood Waste Projects – Not Letting Waste Go to Waste
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... Regardless of which side of the fence you are on, the chopping continues and there are literally tons of wood waste left behind that doesn’t get used up, but we can all agree we
October 02, 2017 Read Full Article
Switchgrass Could Help China’s Air Quality
(University of Illinois ACES/Biomass Magazine) Researchers from the United States and China have proposed an idea that could improve China’s air quality, but they’re not atmospheric scientists. They’re agronomists. “China’s poor air quality is caused by a combination of coal burning
September 21, 2017 Read Full Article
Biodiesel's Impact on Soybean Oil Prices Lower than Previously Thought
by Tom Steever (Brownfield Ag News) An agriculture economist says biodiesel production has had less impact on soybean oil prices than previously thought. The impression was that the U.S. biodiesel production boom following the establishment of the Renewable Fuel Standard
September 18, 2017 Read Full Article
Moving into Markets: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Engine/Fuel Transformation
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy is supporting a project to identify and mitigate the challenges of moving new fuels and vehicles into markets. Including but not limited to: facilitating new fuel standards needed for introduction
September 18, 2017 Read Full Article
Secretary of Energy Rick Perry Announces Nearly $20 Million To Help Commercialize Promising Energy Technologies
(U.S. Department of Energy) U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry announced $19.7 million in funding to help businesses move promising energy technologies from DOE’s National Laboratories to the marketplace. This second Department-wide round of funding through the Office of Technology Transition’s
September 15, 2017 Read Full Article
Airline Industry Could Fly Thousands of Miles on Biofuel from a New Promising Feedstock
(Phys.Org/ University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) A Boeing 747 burns one gallon of jet fuel each second. A recent analysis from researchers at the University of Illinois estimate that this aircraft could fly for 10 hours on bio-jet fuel produced
September 12, 2017 Read Full Article
Argonne Opens Call for Second Cohort of Chain Reaction Innovations
(U.S. Department of Energy/Newswise) Those who are selected for the Chain Reaction Innovations program will gain, among other things, access to Argonne National Laboratory’s world-class R&D infrastructure and technical expertise. The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory announced the
September 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Growing the Future: WVU Biologists Team up to Research New Bioproducts
by Kathy Swisher (West Virginia University) West Virginia University biologists are part of a $40 million Department of Energy effort to create sustainable, cost-effective bioproducts through four new bioenergy research centers. As part of the Center for Bioenergy Innovation led by
September 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Fermentation Frontiers: Top 10 Trendlines in Industrial Biotech Fermentation
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The most visible advanced industrial fermentation target for a number of years has been cellulosic ethanol, but the targets are diversifying and cellulosics themselves are shifting gears from process to feedstocks. There’s a fervent ferment
September 06, 2017 Read Full Article
Duckworth Asks FBI to Investigate Trump Ally Carl Icahn
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) is calling on the FBI to investigate whether Carl Icahn, a former external adviser to President Trump, violated conflict of interest laws. Duckworth’s request, outlined in a Wednesday letter to FBI Director
September 01, 2017 Read Full Article
Researchers Identify Cheaper, Greener Biofuels Processing Catalyst
(Phys.Org/University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Fuels that are produced from nonpetroleum-based biological sources may become greener and more affordable, thanks to research performed at the University of Illinois' Prairie Research Institute that examines the use of a processing catalyst made
August 25, 2017 Read Full Article
USTDA Introduces U.S. Carbon Capture and Recycling Technology to South Africa
(U.S. Trade and Development Agency) Today (August 18, 2017), the U.S. Trade and Development Agency awarded a grant to Swayana (Pty) Ltd, a Pretoria-based energy project developer, for a feasibility study that will use innovative U.S. technologies to convert waste
August 23, 2017 Read Full Article
New Fuels, Vehicles, Both, Together: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to the Co-Optima Market Transformation Project
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy initiated a project to identify and mitigate the challenges of moving new fuels and vehicles into markets. Specifically, engaging with all critical stakeholders (OEM’s, fuel producers, distribution networks, gas station
August 18, 2017 Read Full Article
Project Aims to Turn Roads into Energy Source
(Advantage News) The Illinois Department of Transportation has approved implementation of a renewable energy demonstration project using grasses collected from mowing highway rights-of-way. The work will implement the findings of a three-year study by a multidisciplinary team, including the Illinois Sustainable
August 14, 2017 Read Full Article
New York's Energy Leaders Lay out an Early Blueprint for Carbon Pricing
by Marie J. French (Politico) The state's top energy policy makers moved closer to creating a price for carbon in New York in a much-anticipated report released Friday. Carbon pricing is seen by many in industry and environmental advocacy as a
August 14, 2017 Read Full Article
From Sugars to Affordable Hydrocarbon Fuels: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Catalytic Upgrading R&D
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy has set a goal to “Select and develop at least one route for catalytic upgrading of sugars/related intermediates and/or biologically derived intermediates into fuel blendstockswith conversion performance than can achieve
August 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Catalysis on a Hot Tin Roof: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to the ChemCatBio Consortium
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ChemCatBio is a research and development consortium dedicated to identifying and overcoming catalysis challenges for biomass conversion processes. Led by U.S. Department of Energy national laboratories, the consortium works “with industry to rapidly transition R&D
August 03, 2017 Read Full Article
Ethanol Makers Steer away from Fuel, Turn to Booze
by Karl Plume and Michael Hirtzer (Reuters/St. Louis Today) A U.S. glut of fuel-grade ethanol has major producers, including Green Plains Inc. and industry pioneer Archer Daniels Midland Co., pursuing other markets and idling excess capacity in an effort to
August 02, 2017 Read Full Article
Summer Farm Bill Road Trips: Ag Secretary Kicks off RV Tour as House Committee Continues its Listening Tour
by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) ... The House Agriculture Committee has its road trip, labeled "Conversations in the Field," which included a field hearing in Texas on Monday and another one at Farmfest in Minnesota on Thursday. Now Agriculture
August 02, 2017 Read Full Article
In Search of Next-Gen Bioproducts and Fuels, DOE Invests $40M in 4 Bioenergy Research Centers
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry today (July 17, 2017) announced $40 million in Department of Energy awards for the establishment of four DOE Bioenergy Research Centers (BRCs), which will provide the scientific breakthroughs
July 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Renewable Energy Group Applauds Illinois Legislature for Extending Biodiesel Incentive
(Renewable Energy Group/NASDAQ.com) Renewable Energy Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:REGI) leaders praised Illinois lawmakers for approving a five-year extension of a significant biodiesel incentive. Current Illinois law, which expires at the end of 2018, offers retailers a 20 percent exemption of the state's
July 07, 2017 Read Full Article
New B20 Club Member, Al Warren Oil Co., Committed to Biodiesel
(Illinois Soybean Association/Biodiesel Magazine) In recognition of its work in reducing motor vehicle emissions and supporting the Illinois economy, the B20 Club welcomes Al Warren Oil Co. Inc. as its newest member. Sponsored by the Illinois Soybean Association checkoff program, in partnership with the American Lung Association in
June 29, 2017 Read Full Article
Regulating the Indirect Land Use Carbon Emissions from Biofuels Imposes High Hidden Costs on Fuel Consumers
(Phys.Org/ University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) ... To penalize the carbon emissions from this so-called indirect land use change, the USEPA and California Air Resources Board include an indirect land use change factor when considering the carbon savings with biofuels for
June 28, 2017 Read Full Article
Updating and Improving the Social Cost of Carbon
(Resources for the Future) The social cost of carbon is an economic tool used to quantify the societal benefits of reducing —or conversely the damages of emitting—one ton of carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere. The estimate informs billions of dollars
June 09, 2017 Read Full Article
Sustaining Opportunities
by Ann Bailey (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The ethanol industry provides young people with wealth of job opportunities. -- Nineteen-year-old Marcus Niehaus sees a future in the ethanol industry. The Southeastern Illinois College student said he wants to make a
June 02, 2017 Read Full Article
The 2017 BioenergizeME Infographic Challenge Winner Is… “Hydrothermal Liquefaction of Algae”!
(U.S. Department of Energy)The Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced the winner of the 2017 BioenergizeME Infographic Challenge on May 4 during a special awards ceremony. The winning infographic, titled “Hydrothermal Liquefaction of Algae,” was created by two students from Normal
May 26, 2017 Read Full Article
BETO Announces Third Round of Small Business Vouchers Pilot
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) is proud to announce five businesses that will collaborate with national labs as part of the third round of the Small Business Vouchers (SBV) Pilot! The
May 26, 2017 Read Full Article
New Capabilities for Genome-Wide Engineering of Yeast
by Claudia Lutz (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Illinois) New approach combines synthetic biology, genome editing tools, and automation to quickly and effectively produce novel yeast strains One of humankind’s oldest industrial partners is yeast, a familiar microbe that enabled early societies
May 17, 2017 Read Full Article
Mahoney Environmental Unveils Its New Eco-Conscious Fleet
(Mahoney Environmental/PR Newswire) Mahoney Environmental, (www.mahoneyes.com) a leading recycler of cooking oil for over 60 years, recently unveiled its new tractor-trailer combination fleet. This new convoy order for 2017 consists initially of fifteen tractors and six trailers – all with
May 15, 2017 Read Full Article
Guest Commentary: Corn Is Food and Fuel
by Gary Luth (News-Gazette) ... Assertion one: "ethanol does not reduce greenhouse gases or lower emissions from automobiles vs. straight gasoline." Fact: A 2016 study released by USDA: "Life Cycle Analysis of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Corn-Based Ethanol" finds just
May 15, 2017 Read Full Article
More Iowa Stations Offering Higher Ethanol Blends
by Ron Swoboda (Wallaces Farmer) E15 provides motorists better value in addition to higher performance and reduced emissions. -- In early May, the Kwik Trip convenience store chain announced it is joining other major fuel retailers in offering E15 —
May 12, 2017 Read Full Article
Argonne National Laboratory and National Renewable Energy Laboratory Receive Funding to Support the Blending of Gevo’s Isobutanol with Gasoline
(Gevo) Funding Being Provided Through Department of Energy’s Small Business Voucher Program -- Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ:GEVO) announced today that it was selected to collaborate with researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as part of DOE’s Small Business Vouchers (SBV)
May 12, 2017 Read Full Article
BPA: Study Demonstrates Emissions Benefits of Forest Residue Use
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The Biomass Power Association has released the results of a study demonstrating dramatic carbon benefits can be achieved by using forest residue-based biomass instead of natural gas in power generation facilities. The research determined that
May 10, 2017 Read Full Article
More More RHD: REG Expanding Drop-In Diesel?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From Iowa we received news that Renewable Energy Group has agreed to acquire approximately 82 acres of land at its Geismar, Louisiana biorefinery from Lion Copolymer, for $20M. The goal? To improve and utilize to
May 08, 2017 Read Full Article
Casey’s General Stores to Offer Higher Ethanol Blends
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) Midwest convenience store chain Casey’s General Stores will begin offering higher ethanol blends of E15 and E85 at 17 sites in Illinois, Iowa, and Kansas. The Illinois Corn Marketing Board, Iowa Corn Promotion Board, and Kansas Corn
April 28, 2017 Read Full Article
Energy Department Announces New National Laboratory Collaborations with 38 Small Businesses
(U.S. Department of Energy) At Earth Day Texas 2017, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the 38 small businesses that will collaborate with national lab researchers through the Small Business Vouchers (SBV) pilot. SBV facilitates access to the DOE
April 28, 2017 Read Full Article
Letter: Ethanol Is the Best Renewable Energy Source
by Vernon F. Johnson (Daily Chronicle) To answer Pat Vary and the Daily Chronicle Editorial Board (“Don’t close door on wind power, page 12, April 14): We don’t need wind turbines as we have a renewable fuel source that farmers
April 28, 2017 Read Full Article
TerraVia in the Wilderness Years
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Algae Butter can reduce saturated fat by up to 50 percent in most applications. ... While butter doesn’t exactly rival gasoline as a market — it’s pretty substantial, when you get down to it. The global market
April 20, 2017 Read Full Article
An Alternative View of Biodiesel Production Profits: The Role of Retroactively Reinstated Blender Tax Credits
by Scott Irwin (Farm Doc Daily/University of Illinois) Previous farmdoc daily articles (e.g. January 28, 2015; February 11, 2016; March 1, 2017) have documented a "feast or famine" pattern in production profitability of the U.S. biodiesel production industry. The feast or
April 13, 2017 Read Full Article
The Quest to Capture and Store Carbon – and Slow Climate Change — Just Reached a New Milestone
by Chris Mooney (The Washington Post) A new large-scale technology has launched in Decatur, Illinois that, by combining together corn-based fuels with the burial of carbon dioxide deep underground, could potentially result in the active removal of greenhouse gases from the
April 11, 2017 Read Full Article
Chip Energy Wins Occupancy OK for Factory Building Made from Recycled Shipping Containers
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Illinois, obtaining a certificate of occupancy on a building constructed of 60 Intermodal Shipping Containers is a huge accomplishment for Chip Energy, said company president Paul Wever, president of Chip Energy Inc. These types
April 10, 2017 Read Full Article
Scientists Engineer Sugarcane to Produce Biodiesel
(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign/Laboratory Equipment) A multi-institutional team led by the University of Illinois have proven sugarcane can be genetically engineered to produce oil in its leaves and stems for biodiesel production. Surprisingly, the modified sugarcane plants also produced
April 05, 2017 Read Full Article
US Biodiesel Blenders Tax Credit Should Be Considered Despite Lapse: Expert
by Eric Janssen (Platts) The US biodiesel blenders tax credit should be taken into consideration even though the credits have lapsed because it is likely to be retroactively reinstated, according to a recent analysis from an agricultural economist. Sharing agreements of the
April 04, 2017 Read Full Article
QuikTrip to Begin Selling E15 Fuel
(Convenience Store News) Blend coming to 44 Dallas-Fort Worth area c-stores. -- QuikTrip Corp. will begin offering E15 fuel at 44 of its convenience stores in the Dallas-Forth Worth Metro area. E15 was approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
April 03, 2017 Read Full Article
Moving the Point of Obligation Is the Latest Misguided Ploy to Undermine the RFS
by Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) (The Hill) Six billion gallons. That is the approximate amount of ethanol produced in Iowa and Illinois each and every year. It is more than the annual gasoline equivalent production of
March 30, 2017 Read Full Article
Economists: Octane Premium Offsets Ethanol Energy Penalty
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ethanol critics bash the fuel for its lower energy value than gasoline, while ethanol supporters point to its octane-boosting properties. University of Illinois ag economists Scott Irwin and Darrel Good analyze the value
March 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Agricultural Robot May Be 'Game Changer' for Crop Growers, Breeders
by Sharita L Forrest (Phys.Org) A semiautonomous robot may soon be roaming agricultural fields gathering and transmitting real-time data about the growth and development of crops, information that crop breeders—and eventually farmers—can use to identify the genetic traits in plants likely to
March 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Argonne National Laboratory Develops New System to Enhance AD Process
(Bioenergy Insight) US-based science and engineering centre Argonne National Laboratory has developed technology that synergistically uses two waste biomass streams to generate two bioproducts and enhance the process of anaerobic digestion (AD). According to the organisation, the digestion of wastewater can
March 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Lawmakers Aim to Boost Central Illinois Agricultural Economy
by Chris Lusvardi (Herald & Review) Legislation introduced in Springfield could boost efforts to attract bio-based businesses to Decatur and Central Illinois. The legislation introduced by state Sens. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, and Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, would provide incentives to
February 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Letter to Editor: Protect Illinois Farmers from Crude Manipulation
by Jim Talent (Americans for Energy Security and Innovation/Belleville News-Democrat) When Illinois farmers sell wheat, rye or oats on the open market, they can rightly expect that supply and demand will set the price, with no interference from foreign cartels
February 08, 2017 Read Full Article
Farmers Looking at On-Farm Ethanol Plants
by Nat Williams (Illinois Farmer Today) A handful of farmers are not just raising the crops that can be used as biofuels. They’re also working on producing the fuel itself. A Minnesota-based company is in the developmental stage of offering
February 03, 2017 Read Full Article
Ethanol CO2 & Concrete Cement a Relationship
by Ann Bailey (Ethanol Producer Magazine) CarbonCure Technologies strengthens concrete while reducing its carbon footprint. -- Carbon dioxide from a Wisconsin ethanol plant is strengthening the cement in pours at sites in Chicago. Ozinga, a fourth-generation, family-owned business in Illinois
January 27, 2017 Read Full Article
Duckworth Afraid Ethanol Subsidies Could End
by Bill Cameron (WLS-AM News) ... Duckworth (U.S .Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)) thinks (nominee to be EPA Administrator Scott) Pruitt is too cozy with Big Oil and so she pressed him hard on protecting the ethanol industry here in Illinois. “I would rather
January 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Duckworth to Perry: American-Made Renewable Energy Reduces Reliance on Foreign Oil, Improves National Security
(Senator Tammy Duckworth) U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) shared with the nominee to be the Secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE), Governor Rick Perry, how her military service in Iraq taught her about the danger of our country’s dependence on
January 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Dual-Purpose Biofuel Crops Could Extend Production, Increase Profits
(University of Illinois/EurekAlert!) Today many biofuel refineries operate for only seven months each year, turning freshly harvested crops into ethanol and biodiesel. When supplies run out, biorefineries shut down for the other five months. However, according to recent research, dual-purpose
January 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Energy Department Announces Six Projects for Pilot- and Demonstration-Scale Manufacturing of Biofuels, Bioproducts, and Biopower
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the Energy Department (DOE) announced the selection of six projects for up to $12.9 million in federal funding, entitled, “Project Definition for Pilot- and Demonstration-Scale Manufacturing of Biofuels, Bioproducts, and Biopower.” These projects, required to
December 28, 2016 Read Full Article
Chicago School Growing Future Ag Careers
by Cindy Zimmerman (AgWired.com) The American Seed Trade Association Future Seed Executives (FuSE) had the opportunity to hear about an agricultural high school right in Chicago that is growing the next generation for the industry. The Chicago High School for Agricultural
December 20, 2016 Read Full Article
The RFS and Domestic Consumption of Conventional Ethanol and Biomass-Based Diesel to 2022
by Scott Irwin and Darrel Good (FarmDoc Daily/University of Illinois) In the farmdoc daily article of November 30, 2016, we examined the magnitude of the "push" in production and consumption of biofuels implied by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
December 14, 2016 Read Full Article
Switchgrass May Be a Good Option for Farmers Who Have Lost Fertile Topsoil
(University of Missouri) Switchgrass Can Improve Soil Quality on Eroded Farms, Study Finds -- The loss of fertile topsoil from agricultural fields is an economic problem for modern farmers. When runoff water washes topsoil from agricultural fields in areas with
December 14, 2016 Read Full Article
Economists Examine RVO Impact on Conventional, Advanced Biofuels
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Two central questions arise when considering biofuels consumption through 2022, write University of Illinois ag economists Scott Irwin and Darrel Good: “When will domestic consumption of ethanol reach the statutory RFS mandate ceiling
December 12, 2016 Read Full Article
Growth Energy, Retailers Pink Out Program Raises $40K
by Joanna Schroeder (Energy.AgWired.com) This past October Growth Energy partnered with several retailers who sell E15 for a Pink Out campaign to raise money and awareness for breast cancer. When a consumer purchased E15 during the month, each retailer donated
December 06, 2016 Read Full Article
US Corn Ethanol Market: Understanding the Past to Assess the Future
by Carl Zulauf (FarmDoc Daily) Ethanol was a factor in both the price run-up that began in 2006 and the price run-down that began in 2013. Tepid growth replaced explosive growth. The question for the future is, "What is ethanol's
December 02, 2016 Read Full Article
Court Accepts $48.5M Bid for Abengoa Hugoton from Synata Bio
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Kansas district bankruptcy court approved the top bid for Abengoa Bioenergy Biomass of Kansas in an order signed Nov. 29 by Judge Robert Nugent. Synata Bio Inc. placed the top bid of
December 02, 2016 Read Full Article
New Study Finds Clean Cookstoves May Improve Women’s Heart Health
(Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves) Shifting from a cookstove that burns traditional woodfuel to a stove that uses a cleaner-burning fuel such as ethanol may mitigate cardiovascular health risks in pregnant women, according to a new study led by a
November 25, 2016 Read Full Article
Yeast Evolution Offers Hope for Cellulosic Biofuel
by Kari Lydersen (Midwest Energy News) ... The prospects for cellulosic ethanol becoming a commercially available clean transportation fuel could also hinge on yeast’s ability to ferment corn stalks, switchgrass, wood chips or other fibrous feed stock. The same strain of
November 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Pacific Ethanol and Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway Begin Unit Train Service
(EIN/GlobeNewswire) Pacific Ethanol, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEIX) and Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway (TPW), a subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (G&W) (NYSE:GWR), announced they have commenced unit train service from Pacific Ethanol’s plant in Pekin, Illinois. “This unit-train solution enables us to
November 14, 2016 Read Full Article
Ethanol’s Prime Spot in the E&C Chairman’s Race
by Mark Drajem & Ari Natter and James Rowley (Bloomberg) ... Similar to Hillary Clinton’s dilemma on pipelines, a Trump administration could be caught between competing interests on approval for renewable projects or transmission lines on public lands. Trump has called
November 07, 2016 Read Full Article
EPA Schedules Public Hearing on Proposed Rule to Update RFS
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. EPA has announced plans to hold a public hearing on Dec. 6 in Chicago for its proposed Renewables Enhancement and Growth Support Rule. Those who wish to testify must contact the EPA by
November 02, 2016 Read Full Article
Argonne LCA Finds Renewable Diesel from Algae Fractionation Has 63-68% lower GHG than Petroleum Diesel
(Green Car Congress) A new analysis from Argonne National Laboratory, funded by the US Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), shows the potential of an algae fractionation process to produce renewable diesel fuel with 63%–68% lower greenhouse gas (GHG)
October 24, 2016 Read Full Article
USGC Study: U.S. Corn Ethanol Can Assist Japan In Reaching Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets
(U.S. Grains Council) A recently released U.S. Grains Council (USGC) study finds that a significant portion of U.S.-produced corn ethanol will likely meet Japan's 50 percent greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction threshold over gasoline, supporting the case for that fuel's competitiveness
October 21, 2016 Read Full Article
With Hometown's Cornfields in Mind, Shimkus Supports Renewable Fuel Standard Reform
by Ruth de Jauregui (Metro East Sun) Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL) recently expressed his readiness to lead the House Energy and Commerce Committee, on which he is the senior member, in pushing for Renewable Fuel Standard reform. Shimkus said Illinois' 15th District
October 18, 2016 Read Full Article
Higher US Ethanol Production from Sorghum, Corn Yield: Professor
by Josh Pedrick (Platts) The higher ethanol production seen so far in 2016 has come from greater sorghum use and boosted yields from corn, said a professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The Department of Agriculture's monthly World Agriculture
October 12, 2016 Read Full Article
Fed Approval Paves Way for Low-Cost Cellulosic Ethanol Production
by George Lurie (The Business Journal) In a first-of-its-kind ruling, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved Pacific Ethanol’s registration of its Stockton ethanol plant to generate valuable credits by producing cellulosic ethanol with the same equipment the company
October 12, 2016 Read Full Article
What's Up with RINs Prices?
by Scott Irwin (Farm Doc Daily/University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) RINs prices have been making headlines in recent months, with prices at times crossing the psychologically important $1 per gallon mark. Echoing earlier complaints (farmdoc daily, July 19, 2013; December
October 07, 2016 Read Full Article
Power Mart Flexes Its Brand
by David Bennett (Convenience Store Decisions) A unique retail service provider is expanding its vision for the future. -- ... “It’s basically just like a co-op,” (Sam) Odeh (founder and CEO of Power Buying Dealers USA Inc. (PBD USA)) said.
October 06, 2016 Read Full Article
SciTech Now: Renewable Cellulosic Ethanol
(Detroit Public TV) Innovative efforts to develop renewable cellulosic ethanol processes. High school student Tavis Reed and DuPont's innovative efforts to develop renewable cellulosic ethanol processes. WATCH VIDEO
October 06, 2016 Read Full Article
Letter: Energy Relies on Free Market
by Kerry Smith (The Telegraph) ... With the EPA set to exercise complete control over the RFS program in 2023, traditional corn ethanol may be at risk. Congressman John Shimkus is among those questioning whether the program has run its course.
September 29, 2016 Read Full Article
Ozinga Installs CarbonCure CO2 Recycling Technology
(Carbon Cure) Chicago family business known for quality and service reinforces its commitment to sustainability -- Known for its iconic red and white striped concrete mixers, the Ozinga name is synonymous with providing the highest quality and best service to
September 22, 2016 Read Full Article
Review of John DeCicco et al. Article Titled “Carbon Balance Effects of U.S. Biofuel Production and Use”
by Steffen Mueller (University of Illinois at Chicago Energy Resources Center) ... The authors essentially challenge the accuracy of traditional life cycle analysis with their new model. ... The authors argue that “for a biofuel to provide a net reduction in CO2 emissions, the production
September 09, 2016 Read Full Article
How to Sell E15 by Any Other Name
by Samantha Oller (CSP Daily News) Have I got a fuel for you! It is higher octane than E10, giving you greater bang for your buck. It features even more environmentally friendly, domestically produced ethanol. And it is actually a
September 08, 2016 Read Full Article
Think Ethanol Doesn't Work in Boats? Think Again
by Sara Wyant (Agri-Pulse) Ask most boaters about ethanol and boats and you'll likely hear that the two don't go together. In fact, many gas stations surrounding some of the largest U.S. lakes will advertise “no ethanol in our fuel” as
September 02, 2016 Read Full Article
Using Genetics to Domesticate Pennycress as New Cover Crop
(Illinois State University) Illinois State Associate Professor of Genetics John Sedbrook is collaborating on a $1 million grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop genetic resources that can be used to rapidly domesticate field pennycress as
September 02, 2016 Read Full Article
Chicago Park District Touts Its Biodiesel-Powered Vehicle Program
by Lauren Tyler (Next Gen Transportation News) The Chicago Park District says its environmentally friendly biodiesel program has continued to pay off, and consequently, will showcase the program at a Fleet Education Seminar hosted by the Chicago Area Clean Cities
September 01, 2016 Read Full Article
Does Minnesota Have What It Takes to Seize Biofuel Opportunities?
by Timothy J. Rudnick (Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Seldom do the puzzle pieces align so perfectly as they now have to give Minnesota motorists greater access to E15 and higher blends of Minnesota grown, renewable ethanol. Some of those puzzle pieces include
August 31, 2016 Read Full Article
Switching to Switchgrass? Study Models Soil Impact of Biofuel Crops
by Kari Lydersen (Midwest Energy News) ... The Argonne modeling shows that when grassland, cropland and pasture in the Midwest are converted to corn for biofuels, the level of carbon sequestration in the soil stays roughly the same, with variation by
August 30, 2016 Read Full Article
Mid-Level Ethanol Blends Offer Significant Benefits to the US
by Jodi Delapaz (Agri-Pulse) High octane fuels (HOF), specifically mid-level ethanol blends (E25-E40), could offer significant benefits for the U.S., according to a new study by the Energy Department's Oak Ridge, Argonne National laboratory (ANL) and the National Renewable Energy
August 26, 2016 Read Full Article
Abengoa Plants Go to Green Plains: Ethanol’s Jolly Giant Gets Bigger
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Nebraska, word has arrived from Green Plains that it will purchase the Madison, Ill., Mount Vernon, Ind. and York, Neb. ethanol facilities from Abengoa Bioenergy with combined annual production capacity of 236 million gallons
August 24, 2016 Read Full Article
How Loyola Converts Used Cooking Oil Into Biodiesel That Fuels Their Buses
by Mark Schipper (DNA info) Loyola University has the only college-level chemical manufacturing business in the country that is federally licensed to produce and sell biodiesel on the open market. ... Loyola’s warehouse-like refining facility, accessed through a loading ramp off an alley
August 24, 2016 Read Full Article
SIUE, Madison County to Partner on Energy Sector Study
by Kelsey Landis (The Telegraph) A grant from a national non-profit organization will fund a study examining how to develop Madison County’s energy industry, officials announced last week. Representatives from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville applied for the grant along with Madison County
August 23, 2016 Read Full Article
Ethanol Opportunities and Challenges: A State-by-State Look at Higher Blends
by Rebecca Chillrud (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) ... Gas stations that offer higher blends are currently few and far between, but the ACE’s “Retailer Roadmap” aims to help change the fuels landscape. The Roadmap analyzes the potential demand for higher
August 22, 2016 Read Full Article
Letter: Writer Doesn't Understand Biodiesel
by Jeff Lynn (State Journal-Register) A recent letter to the editor from Don Breiner got biodiesel all wrong. The letter is full of inaccuracies but the main point regarding how much biodiesel can be used in our vehicles simply isn't true.
August 22, 2016 Read Full Article
There Is an E15 Consumer Disconnect
by Susanna Retka-Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Sheetz, Thortons executives give careful thought to strategically offering the new fuel. -- Almost weekly, another announcement is made about a retail location offering E15. The rollouts, large and small, are indicators E15 is
August 17, 2016 Read Full Article
Japanese Reporters Travel to the U.S. to Learn About Biotech, Biofuels
(Hoosier Ag Today/NAFB News Service) The U.S. Grains Council says key members of Japan’s media traveled across the United States last week to learn about corn production, ethanol, and biotechnology. The members of Japan’s media came to learn how those
August 08, 2016 Read Full Article
August Is the Time to Reach Out and Meet Your Member of Congress
by Brent Erickson (Biotechnology Innovation Organization/Biofuels Digest) Members of Congress just returned to their home states and districts for the August recess to meet with constituents and campaign for the upcoming elections. You can be sure the oil producers will
August 08, 2016 Read Full Article
Working the Calculator: The Digest’s 2016 Multi-Slide Guide to Choosing a Feedstock
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) “What color is your parachute?” went the title of a best-selling book from the 80s on job hunting. The concept applies equally to biomass feedstock in the 2010s. There’s one out there for you that
August 08, 2016 Read Full Article
DOE Labs Report Shows Significant Benefits of Mid-Level Ethanol Blends
(Growth Energy) Recently, the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge, Argonne, and National Renewable Energy Laboratories released their “Summary of High Octane, Mid-Level Ethanol Blends Study.” This scientific analysis showed the numerous benefits of using high octane mid-level ethanol blends in
August 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Summary of High-Octane Mid-Level Ethanol Blends Study
(U.S. Department of Energy) Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of light-duty vehicles are pursuing a broad portfolio of technologies to reduce CO2 emissions and improve fuel economy. Central to this effort is higher efficiency spark ignition (SI) engines, including technologies reliant
August 04, 2016 Read Full Article
US Researchers Get Go Ahead to Genetically Engineer Bacteria to Boost Bioethanol Production
(Biofuels International) lllinois Institute of Technology researchers have received a patent for a method to genetically engineer bacteria and yeast to increase bioethanol production, especially from cellulosic material in biomass like twigs, branches, plant stalks and husks, and woodchips. According to
August 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Energy Department Announces $11.3 Million for MEGA-BIO: Bioproducts To Enable Biofuels
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced today up to $11.3 million for three projects that support the development of biomass-to-hydrocarbon biofuels conversion pathways that can produce variable amounts of fuels and/or products based on external
August 02, 2016 Read Full Article
Illinois Tech Scientists Receive Patent for Method to Genetically Engineer Bacteria and Yeast to Increase Bioethanol Production
(IIT Today) Scientists from Illinois Institute of Technology received a patent for a method to genetically engineer bacteria and yeast to increase bioethanol production, especially from cellulosic material in biomass like twigs, branches, plant stalks and husks, and woodchips. Ben Stark,
July 27, 2016 Read Full Article
Bioenergy Crop Modeling Predicts Soil Carbon Increases
by Joanna Schroeder (Energy.AgWired.com) Researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Argonne National Laboratory are using computational modeling to predict which counties in Illinois could see increases in soil organic carbon from crops such as switchgrass for biofuels. Increasing carbon
July 22, 2016 Read Full Article
RFA: HWRT to Offer Pre-Blended E15 at Wholesale Terminals
(Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Renewable Fuels Association is pleased to announce that HWRT Oil Co. will become the first company in the United States to offer pre-blended E15 at the terminal level. The development is a game changer
July 20, 2016 Read Full Article
Modeling Predicts which Counties Could Store More Carbon in Soil by Growing Bioenergy Crops
by Katie Elyce Jones (Phys.Org) To help stakeholders in government and business make smart decisions about the best types of land and local climates for planting bioenergy crops, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Argonne National Laboratory are