by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Researchers hope phytate replicates the corn oil extraction success story, but the history of zein shows it can be a slow and difficult road to success. Diversification of coproducts is increasingly important to the
Illinois
Back TO HOMERenewable-Fuel Advocates Turn out at KCK Hearing, Give the EPA an Earful on Reducing Ethanol Targets
by Greg Hack and Kasia Kovacs (Kansas City Star) When the Environmental Protection Agency proposed lowering the country’s ethanol-use mandates for this year and next, it set up a public hearing to let people tell it what they thought. On
June 29, 2015 Read Full Article
Danforth Plant Science Center Receives $8M for Big Data Research Program to Advance Development of Key Bioenergy Crop
(Danforth Plant Science Center) Understanding key phenotype-to-genotype associations will enhance efforts to bring products to market -- The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center announced today it was awarded an $8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy ARPA–E TERRA program.
June 25, 2015 Read Full Article
Implementing the RFS with a "Push" Strategy: What Happens after 2016?
by Scott Irwin and Darrel Good (FarmDocDaily) .. In our first farmdoc daily article (June 3, 2015) after the release of the (RVO) proposal, we analyzed whether the renewable (ethanol) mandates proposed by the EPA, while lower than statutory levels, were still
June 19, 2015 Read Full Article
ARPA-E Awards $30M in High-Risk, High-Reward Moonshot Program to Transform Energy Crops
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Six projects land major multi-year awards for Project TERRA, Tramsportation Energy Resources from Renewable Agriculture In Washington, ARPA-E announced awards totaling $30 million for projects seeking to accelerate the development of sustainable energy crops for the
June 19, 2015 Read Full Article
Proposed RVO Raises Multiple Questions for Illinois Economists
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA’s May 29 proposed renewable volume obligations (RVO) is under scrutiny by University of Illinois economists in recent FarmDocDaily posts. Jonathan Coppess examines the argument that EPA appears to be turning the
June 15, 2015 Read Full Article
How the Increasing Amount of Biofuels Affect Land Management
(ECN Magazine/Argonne National Laboratory) The handling of agricultural crop residues appears to have a large impact on soil's ability to retain carbon, making land management practices increasingly important, especially under a scenario where cellulosic materials become more heavily used as
May 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Follow the Money
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) After a period of incredible profitability, leaders in the ethanol industry are better positioned for thinner margins. In an industry ruled by volatility, it’s important for producers to position themselves to take advantage of favorable
May 19, 2015 Read Full Article
Senators Show Support for Biodiesel Industry
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) ... Joining Sen. Heitkamp were Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Al Franken (D-MN), as well as biodiesel producers, who also stressed how the uncertainty caused by EPA’s misguided
May 14, 2015 Read Full Article
Food and Fuel: A Model for Bioenergy Feedstock/Vegetable Double-Cropping Systems
by Stephanie Henry (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences) ... Researchers realize that biomass feedstocks will need to come from many different sources, including crop residues, forest residues, and municipal waste, for example, said
May 12, 2015 Read Full Article
Quantifying the Emissions from a Large Ethanol Refinery
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Refining ethanol may release more of some pollutants than burning it in vehicles. After quantifying the airborne emissions from the nation’s third largest ethanol refinery, a team led by NOAA and University of Colorado–Boulder
May 08, 2015 Read Full Article
Miscanthus Hybrid May Be Boon For Biofuel Industry
(Locker Gnome) ... Scientists at the University of Illinois recently reported the first natural occurrence in several decades of Miscanthus hybrid plants in Japan. “If M. x giganteus is the only variety available, there are certainly risks involved such as diseases or
May 05, 2015 Read Full Article
Argonne Leadership Computing Facility Supercomputer Helps Identify Materials to Improve Fuel Production
(Newswise/Argonne National Laboratory) With access to supercomputing resources at the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility (ALCF), a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science User Facility, a research team from the University of Minnesota and Rice University has demonstrated a
April 29, 2015 Read Full Article
Counterpoint: E15 Good for Car Owners and Environment
by Joel Hennen (Chicago Sun-Times) ... Unfortunately, I’ve heard a lot of misinformation during the debate about the Chicago Clean Air Choice Ordinance, which would free Chicago fuel retailers from the oil industry’s burdensome restrictions, allowing them to sell E15. ... Environmentally, E15 offers
April 28, 2015 Read Full Article
As EPA Finalizes Rule, Klobuchar, Grassley, Durbin, Thune, Franken, and Kirk Lead Bipartisan Group of 37 Senators in Calling for a Strong Renewable Fuel Standard
(Office of Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA)) The Environmental Protection Agency is working to finalize the proposed rule on biofuels volume requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard; the latest proposal would create uncertainty for biodiesel producers and undermine job creation. In a
April 24, 2015 Read Full Article
Top of Biofuels Class
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Training programs around the U.S. offer opportunities in the biofuels industry for part- and full-time students. ... Mick Miller, president of NuVu Fuels and general manager of DENCO II in Morris, Minnesota, also went through the
April 13, 2015 Read Full Article
Look, up in the Sky! The Best of the Aviation Biofuels Slides from ABLC 2015
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Great Scott! New molecules, new feedstocks, new technologies, and reaching scale — the best of the best. At ABLC 2015, the focus on innovation included a complete program on aviaiton — and numerous producers elsewhere
March 30, 2015 Read Full Article
New Analysis: Giving Consumers Access to Renewable Fuel Yields Environmental Benefits
(Fuels America) A new analysis produced by the University of Illinois at Chicago’s principal research economist Dr. Stefen Mueller found that giving consumers more access to cleaner fuel options like E15 would provide significant environmental benefits. E15 is a cleaner
March 27, 2015 Read Full Article
Miscanthus Tops Stover, Switchgrass as Ideal Ethanol Source
(Farm Futures) Models predict that miscanthus will have higher fuel yield and profit when compared to corn stover and switchgrass A recent study simulated a side-by-side comparison of the yields and costs of producing ethanol using miscanthus, switchgrass, and corn stover,
March 05, 2015 Read Full Article
Greenwire: Midwest Law Center Can Compromise but Doesn’t Fear a Fight
by Jeremy P. Jacobs (E&E/Greenwire) Ask Chicago environmentalists who’s the Windy City’s best lawyer, and they’re likely to name Howard Learner. Learner has built his Environmental Law and Policy Center into a Midwest powerhouse over the last 20 years on transportation
March 02, 2015 Read Full Article
Corn Growers 'Pump' for Higher Demand
by Nat Williams (AgriNews) The National Corn Growers Association is going into the gas pump business. The commodity group is working with service station chains and even manufacturers of pumps in order to expand sales of ethanol. Large ending stocks call for
February 27, 2015 Read Full Article
E15’s Big Dance
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The future is bright as hundreds of E15 stations are in the works with many expected to open, writes Bob Dinneen of RFA. It’s still early in the game for E15 and
February 17, 2015 Read Full Article
E15 Would Reduce 358,000 Tons of CO2 Emissions Annually in Minnesota
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Making E15 (gasoline with 15 percent ethanol) the new regular unleaded fuel in Minnesota would eliminate 358,000 tons of CO2 annually, according to a technical analysis by the University of Illinois at Chicago. In response to a query
February 16, 2015 Read Full Article
Tough Characters: Looking for Biofuel Plants that Can Survive Drought and Other Harsh Conditions
by Chris Woolston (Bioenergy Connection) With its crown of pink blossoms, the humble seashore mallow may look unassuming, even delicate. But when it comes to brutal environments, this seaside shrub is no pushover. Seashore Mallow can survive one drought after
February 16, 2015 Read Full Article
Murphy USA to Offer E15 and E85 in Chicago and Houston Locations in 2015
(Murphy USA/Globe Newswire) Murphy USA Inc. (NYSE: MUSA), a leading marketer of retail motor fuel products and convenience merchandise, announced today an expansion program that will bring E15 to consumers in the suburbs of Chicago and Houston in 2015. After several
February 13, 2015 Read Full Article
ISA Partners with American Lung Association to Launch B20 Club
(Illinois Soybean Association) To help recognize Illinois-based fleets running on blends of B20 biodiesel, the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) and the American Lung Association in Illinois have launched the B20 Club. "B20 offers economic and environmental benefits to the fleets that
February 10, 2015 Read Full Article
Risky Business Project Finds Midwest Agriculture, Labor, and Manufacturing Industries Face Economic Risk from Climate Change
(The Risky Business Project) Results Show that America's Heartland Risks Economic Disruptions as Climate Change Advances, Reduces Labor Productivity, and Shifts Agricultural Production Patterns The Midwestern United States faces potential disruptions to its agricultural economy, and dangerous levels of heat in many
February 06, 2015 Read Full Article
Researchers Produce Two Biofuels from a Single Algae
(Phys.Org/ Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution) A common algae commercially grown to make fish food holds promise as a source for both biodiesel and jet fuel, according to a new study published in the journal Energy & Fuels. The researchers, led by
February 06, 2015 Read Full Article
Minnesota Boasts Some Pretty Awesome E85 Prices
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A few weeks ago, a reader question sparked an interesting search for answers. That one comment has led to several stories and blogs at our website. In mid-December, a reader asked me why, as opposed
January 13, 2015 Read Full Article
Energy Department Project Captures and Stores One Million Metric Tons of Carbon
(U.S. Department of Energy) Project achieves major milestone by successfully injecting carbon into saline formation As part of President Obama’s all-of-the-above energy strategy, the Department of Energy announced today that its Illinois Basin-Decatur Project successfully captured and stored one million metric
January 12, 2015 Read Full Article
The 41 Weirdest Things Ever Used to Make Biofuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Bunnies, liposuction fat, Prince Charles’ leftover wine, day-old whale, the human poo bus, fire ants dipped in hexane, old beer, raging fireballs, vibrating blobs, dope, and even the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Take your pick and,
December 31, 2014 Read Full Article
Petroleum Marketers Ask for State Help to Replace Underground Fuel Tanks
by O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa) Owners of the state’s gas stations and convenience stores are asking Iowa lawmakers to set up a state grant program to replace aging underground storage tanks for gas and diesel. Dawn Carlson is president
December 30, 2014 Read Full Article
Water Environment Research Foundation Increases Research to Further Sustainability
(Water Environment Research Foundation/PR Web) The Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) is expanding its research with three new projects that examine wastewater as a resource. Two of the projects seek to show that materials in wastewater can be commoditized. The
December 17, 2014 Read Full Article
E85 Prices Shock EPM Reader
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Big Oil isn't above stooping to dirty tricks to mislead consumers into thinking E85 isn't a good fuel to buy, including by trying to price the fuel right out of the market. We recently received
December 11, 2014 Read Full Article
Prime the Pump Seeks to Expand E15 Infrastructure
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The fate of the Chicago E15 ordinance is still unknown. Passed by the city council’s finance committee on Monday, a vote by the full council was deferred Dec. 10 for at least a month.
December 11, 2014 Read Full Article
Model Evaluates Where Bioenergy Crops Grow Best
(University of Illinois/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Farmers interested in bioenergy crops now have a resource to help them determine which kind of bioenergy crop would grow best in their regions and what kind of harvest to expect. Researchers at the University of
December 08, 2014 Read Full Article
Lifting America’s Game in Climate Education, Literacy, and Training
(The White House Office of Science and Technology) ... Continued progress into the future will depend on ensuring a climate-smart citizenry and a next-generation American workforce of city planners, community leaders, engineers, and entrepreneurs who understand the urgent climate-change challenge and are equipped
December 08, 2014 Read Full Article
How Much Will Falling Gasoline Prices Affect Ethanol and Corn Demand?
by Scott Irwin and Darrel Good (FarmDocDaily/University of Illinois) In a recent farmdoc daily article (November 12, 2014) we initiated a discussion of whether the decline in gasoline prices had been large enough to threaten the competiveness of ethanol in gasoline
December 05, 2014 Read Full Article
Model Evaluates Where Bioenergy Crops Grow Best
(University of Illinois) Farmers interested in bioenergy crops now have a resource to help them determine which kind of bioenergy crop would grow best in their regions and what kind of harvest to expect. Researchers at the University of Illinois have
November 25, 2014 Read Full Article
Shell: Expects to Be Producing Advanced Biofuels at Scale, in US, by End of Decade
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Shell VP Matthew Tipper, at ABLCNext: “We will likely begin manufacture in the southeast United States. We plan to be operational by late this decade. “We believe our best bet is woody biomass and energy
November 21, 2014 Read Full Article
Closing In on Butanol for Biofuel
by Ann Perry (US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service) Butanol is the go-to industrial solvent for products such as lacquers and enamels, but it might also play a substantial role in the production of renewable fuels. Gallon for gallon,
November 20, 2014 Read Full Article
E15 Now Approved for Use in Two-Thirds of New Cars – Chicago Looks at E15 Again
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) According to an analysis of vehicle owners manuals for model year 2014 and 2015 cars, conducted by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), two-thirds of new car owners’ manuals approve the use of E15 (15 percent ethanol, 85 percent
November 19, 2014 Read Full Article
Do Falling Gasoline Prices Threaten the Competitiveness of Ethanol?
by Scott Irwin and Darrel Good (FarmDocDaily) Wholesale (CBOB) gasoline prices in the U.S. have declined by about a dollar per gallon, or one-third, since June (see Figure 1). The CBOB price last week was $2.11 per gallon, the lowest level
November 14, 2014 Read Full Article
‘Five Years’ Are up for Cellulosic Ethanol
by Tom Doran (AgriNews) There’s a running joke that when a researcher is asked when cellulosic ethanol will be viable, their answer is always “five years away.” That timeframe has officially expired with cellulosic ethanol now being commercially produced at
November 12, 2014 Read Full Article
Chicago Based NZ Company LanzaTech Has Helped Develop a Process that Turns CO2 Emissions into Omega-3 Rich Fatty Acids.
(The New Zealand Herald) A leading carbon recycling company has developed a way to turn CO2 emissions into essential omega-3 fatty acids - offering a sustainable alternative to feeding the world's demand for fish oil. Now based in Chicago, New Zealand-founded
November 10, 2014 Read Full Article
Building Blocks: LanzaTech, IOC, NatureWorks, Calysta make strides on Omega-3s, lactic acid
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Illinois, LanzaTech and a research team from the IOC-DBT Center for Advanced Bio-Energy Research (an entity co-funded by India’s Department of Biotechnology and Indian Oil Corporation Limited) announced the development of a new process
November 03, 2014 Read Full Article
Studies Steadily Advance Cellulosic Ethanol Prospects
by Ann Perry (Phys.Org) At the Agricultural Research Service's Bioenergy Research Unit in Peoria, Illinois, field work and bench investigations keep ARS scientists on the scientific front lines of converting biomass into cellulosic ethanol. For instance, one recent research focus has
October 31, 2014 Read Full Article
Cellulosic Ethanol Prospects Boosted by Research
(The Crop Site) US - The potential for producing cost-effective cellulosic ethanol that uses plentiful and sustainable cellulosic plant biomass continues to grow, thanks to research at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists at the
October 31, 2014 Read Full Article
Researchers Win Funding for Miscanthus, Sorghum Research
(University of Illinois/Biomass Magazine) Two University of Illinois crop sciences researchers interested in improving plant feedstocks for bioenergy production were selected to receive funding by the USDA and the U.S. Department of Energy as part of a larger Obama administration
October 31, 2014 Read Full Article
Patriot Renewable Fuels Signs Cellulosic Deal
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Patriot Renewable Fuels has signed a Professional Services Agreement to install ICM’s Fiber Seperation Technology (FST) as well as their Generation 1.5 Grain Fiber to Cellulosic Ethanol Technology (Gen 1.5) for its biorefinery. According to Gene
October 28, 2014 Read Full Article
BIB Receives $9.9M Biobased Education Grant
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) The Building Illinois’ Bioeconomy (BIB) consortium has received a $9.9 million grant to create an Illinois network of biobased training and employment pathways that can be completed in two years or less. BIB is comprised of
October 15, 2014 Read Full Article
Argonne Lowers Land Use Change GHG Emissions for Corn Ethanol
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The estimation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions due to land use change (LUC) for corn ethanol has been ratcheted down by Argonne National Laboratory. The recently published manual for the Carbon Calculator for
October 10, 2014 Read Full Article
Governors urging Obama Administration on RFS: Protect Consumer Choice, Jobs, and Reduce Dependence on Foreign Oil
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, chairman and vice chairman of the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition, sent a letter urging the Obama Administration to ensure the development of domestically produced renewable fuels by amending
October 02, 2014 Read Full Article
Boosting Biomass for Bioenergy
by Katie Fletcher (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Many dedicated energy crops hold promise as feedstocks for next-generation ethanol. Extensive R&D is still needed, however, to overcome the challenges in making these plants viable for commercial applications. ... This year, $12.6 million was awarded to
October 01, 2014 Read Full Article
University of Wyoming Researchers Advance Biorenewable Energy Prospects
(University of Wyoming) After graduating from Northern Kentucky University with bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and accounting, Allen Morris decided to pursue graduate studies at the University of Wyoming for two primary reasons: the Rocky Mountain lifestyle, and an attractive stipend
September 18, 2014 Read Full Article
Illinois Corn Marketing Board Partners with Gilbarco Veeder-Root to Bring Ethanol to Retailers
(MarketWired) Illinois Corn Marketing Board Will Provide Incentives for Retailers to Adopt Ethanol The Illinois Corn Marketing Board (ICMB) and the American Lung Association (ALA) recently chose Gilbarco Veeder-Root as their partner to help drive the adoption of higher ethanol blend
September 17, 2014 Read Full Article
4 Minutes With…Jennifer Holmgren, CEO, LanzaTech
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) If you’ve known her as the globe-trotting CEO of LanzaTech — managing an enterprise based in Chicago, with lab operations (and historic ties to) in New Zealand, and progressing towards scale-up in China — well, there’s
September 08, 2014 Read Full Article
POET-DSM’s Project LIBERTY Opens, as Fantasy Becomes Real
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) POET-DSM’s 20 million gallon cellulosic ethanol plant opens with hoopla, and heartfelt messages about the spirit of innovation, and a time for technology change and policy firmness. “Once, we all lived off the land, sun, wind
September 08, 2014 Read Full Article
Proposed City of Chicago Ethanol Ordinance Would be a Step in the Right Direction
by Michael Wang and Jennifer Dunn (Huffington Post/Argonne National Laboratory) ... A proposed City of Chicago ordinance that would require most gas stations to offer E15 fuel - 15 percent ethanol, 85 percent gasoline - is one example of a smaller
August 14, 2014 Read Full Article
New Co-chairs Selected to Lead Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel
(National Biodiesel Board) James Anderson helped work his way through college behind the wheel of a diesel semi-truck, where he became interested in biodiesel. He began to wonder if he could contribute to the body of research on soybean oil
August 12, 2014 Read Full Article
SIC Officials Hoping to Offer Biofuel Certification
by Nick Mariano (The Southern Illinoisan) A Southern Illinois college is hoping to offer the first national certification in the country for training in biofuels processing, the instructor for the program said Tuesday. Southeastern Illinois College is among a consortium of
August 11, 2014 Read Full Article
Export Opportunities for Ethanol and DDGs
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) U.S. exports of ethanol totaled 59.9 million gallons (mg) in June, up 13% from the seven-month low in May, according to a Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) analysis of government data, and the opportunities are expanding. That was the
August 08, 2014 Read Full Article
Regulations Needed to Identify Potentially Invasive Biofuel Crops
(University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences/EurekAlert!) If the hottest new plant grown as a biofuel crop is approved based solely on its greenhouse gas emission profile, its potential as the next invasive species may not be
August 08, 2014 Read Full Article
Mid-Year RIN Update
by Nick Paulson (Farm Doc Daily/University of Illinois) ... However, D4 generation has rebounded substantially since February, averaging more than 227 million RIN gallons from March through June. Through June, a total of 1.209 billion D4 RINs have been generated in
August 07, 2014 Read Full Article
Sugar Rush at Ethanol Plant Fuels fight with Nebraska Corn Farmers
by Michael Hirtzer (Reuters) An ethanol plant in Nebraska corn country is pumping out fuel made from sugar beets, and corn farmers are suing to stop it - a small-town dispute that offers an unusual take on the debate over
July 22, 2014 Read Full Article
New Analysis Finds that 10 States Could Provide Abundant Agricultural Byproducts for Low-Carbon Fuel and Electricity
(Union of Concerned Scientists) Sustainable practices can turn crop residues and manure into bioenergy without competing with food supplies U.S. agriculture could provide up to 155 million tons of crop residues and 60 million tons of manure to produce clean fuels
July 22, 2014 Read Full Article
Research Projects to Improve Plant Feedstocks for Bioenergy Production: Departments of Agriculture and Energy Announce Projects in 10 States
(US Department of Agriculture) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today (July 17, 2014) announced the selection of 10 projects that are being awarded funding aimed at accelerating genetic breeding programs to improve
July 18, 2014 Read Full Article
Bipartisan Letter Calls for President Obama to Continue Growth Under Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS)
(Congressman Adam Kinzinger) In a bipartisan letter to President Barack Obama, Representatives Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), Collin Peterson (D-MN), and 50 Members of Congress urge the President to increase the amount of biodiesel fuels allowed to enter markets under the 2014
July 02, 2014 Read Full Article
Time Has Come Today
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) The synergies between co-located ethanol and biodiesel production have been discussed for a decade. The existing infrastructure to share process essentials, an in-house feedstock in distillers corn oil (DCO), and use of ethanol rather than methanol for
June 17, 2014 Read Full Article
ICM Announces Agreements for Cellulosic Technology, Selective Milling Technology (SMT)
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...Annawan, Illinois-based Patriot Holdings LLC has signed a letter of intent for ICM’s patent-pending FST and Gen 1.5. According to ICM, the FST is a value-added platform technology that increases ethanol yield and throughput.
June 09, 2014 Read Full Article
DF Cast: Senators, Industry Push EPA on Biofuels
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) Time is ticking down for the Environmental Protection Agency to make a decision on how much renewable fuel will be mixed into the nation’s fuel supply, and ethanol and biodiesel groups are pressing for a change
June 06, 2014 Read Full Article
Study finds that increased corn yields and more efficient use of corn ethanol co-products will greatly decrease land needed for ethanol production
(PR NewsWire/Illinois Corn Marketing Board) Land attributable to ethanol will drop from current 25% to as little as 11% of U.S. corn acres A too common error made in reporting the amount of land used for U.S. ethanol production is to measure
June 04, 2014 Read Full Article
USDA Awarding $6 Million to Prepare Farmers for New Farm Bill Programs
(US Department of Agriculture) Farm Bill Implementation Continues at Brisk Pace with Universities and State Cooperative Extension Programs Now Set to Help Educate Farmers Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is awarding $6 million
June 03, 2014 Read Full Article
Successful Production of High-Octane Renewable Gasoline from Woody Biomass
(Gas Technology Institute) In a recently completed project, Gas Technology Institute (GTI) worked with Haldor Topsoe, Inc. on an integrated biorefinery to make renewable “drop-in” gasoline, successfully producing a high-octane transportation fuel. The use of renewable gasoline could reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by approximately
June 03, 2014 Read Full Article
Recent Ethanol Blending Margins
by Scott Irwin (University of Illinois/FarmDocDaily) Ethanol prices went on a tear in March and April 2014 and reached new record levels exceeding $3 per gallon (see earlier farmdoc daily articles here and here). A single factor did not appear explain the price rise, but
June 02, 2014 Read Full Article
EPA Funds Cook Stoves Research to Ameliorate Air Quality and Mitigate Climate Change
By Olatomiwa Bifarin* (Advanced Biofuel USA) If the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) systematic analysis study of 2010 is anything to go by, then by the time you are done reading this article about 35 people would probably be dead
May 30, 2014 Read Full Article
Patriot Renewable Fuels Hires Leifmark to Plan First Stage of Major US Cellulosic Ethanol Project
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Inbicon technology planned as centerpiece of low-carbon, high-profit platform: “Patriot will lead the way.” In Illinois, Patriot Renewable Fuels announced that Leifmark has been hired to create a custom Project Definition, the first stage of a
May 27, 2014 Read Full Article
Biofuels Forum Underscores Increased Emission Benefits from Ethanol
(25 x '25) Ethanol’s role in the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions was underscored this week in a forum of biofuel value chain partners, conservation and greenhouse gas experts organized by the 25x’25 Alliance at the request of the
May 23, 2014 Read Full Article
House Committee Passes Anti-Biofuel Amendments in Markup Session
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) On May 7, the House Armed Service Committee held a markup session on H.R. 4435, the fiscal year 2015 national defense authorization bill. During that markup session, committee members voted in favor of three amendments that
May 22, 2014 Read Full Article
ADM Embraces Sustainable Palm Oil
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Illinois, Archer Daniels Midland Company announced its intention to exclusively offer Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil certified sustainable palm oil to North American customers beginning in 2015. ADM is also working with Wilmar International
May 14, 2014 Read Full Article
Renewable Fuel Standard Benefits More than Farmers
by Chris Hausman (News-Gazette) ... The critics of renewable fuels fall into three groups — the oil industry, dyed-in-the wool environmentalists, and free market think tanks.Even the "unbiased" Associated Press (AP) has participated in ethanol bashing. While each of these
May 12, 2014 Read Full Article
Renewable Fuels Drive Economic Growth
by Tom Doran (AgriNews) An economic impact study found far-reaching benefits of renewable fuels for America’s workers and the U.S. economy. The study, conducted by John Dunham and Associates and released by Fuels America, determined the entire renewable fuels supply drives
May 09, 2014 Read Full Article
Biodiesel: Coming Soon to an Ethanol Plant Near You
by Ron Kotrba (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The synergies between co-located ethanol and biodiesel production have been discussed for a decade. Existing infrastructure to share process essentials, in-house feedstock with distillers corn oil (DCO), and use of ethanol rather than methanol for biodiesel
May 08, 2014 Read Full Article
RIN Stocks Part I - Valuation
by Rob Johansson and Seth Meyer (USDA/FarmDocDaily) ... It is clear that the bankable (and borrowable) nature of RINs allow obligated parties to optimize their compliance costs over time. In the past, pre-blendwall, it was relatively inexpensive to generate and save surplus RINs allowed
April 17, 2014 Read Full Article
Illinois Corn and Cattle Producers Coexist Well
(Brownfield Ag News) An Illinois beef industry leader says cattle and corn farmers in the state complement each other very well, no matter what the market is. Illinois Beef Association Executive Vice President Reid Blossom says cattlemen are enjoying a
April 16, 2014 Read Full Article
Vilsack Outlines 3-Pronged RFS, U.S. Ethanol Strategy
by Jeannine Otto (AgriNews) Defend, expand, export. ... “We need to make sure that people understand this entire standard is under attack. Folks in Congress, some folks in Congress, would like to do away totally with the entire Renewable Fuels Standard and
April 02, 2014 Read Full Article
Ethanol Plant CO2 Sequestration Project Reaches New Milestone
by Chris Hanson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The $163.9 million Illinois Basin-Decatur Project celebrated as new milestone as its carbon sequestration project stored 750,000 metric tons carbon dioxide from Archer Daniels Midland Co.’s ethanol plant in Decatur, Ill. “We are here today
April 01, 2014 Read Full Article
Push Continues for Greater Scrutiny on Petroleum Coke in Detroit and Beyond
by David Muller (MLive.com) U.S. Rep. Gary Peters, D - Bloomfield Hills, joined a counterpart in Illinois on Wednesday to call on the Environmental Protection Agency to investigate the best methods for storing and transporting petroleum coke, as well as
March 21, 2014 Read Full Article
E85 Fueling Station Availability Is Increasing
(US Department of Energy Energy Information Administration) The number of retail fueling stations offering motor fuel that can be up to 85% ethanol, known as E85, has grown rapidly since 2007. According to the Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC), Minnesota continues
March 10, 2014 Read Full Article
The 10 Hottest Trends in Algae
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Algae has been touted as the ultimate platform for fuels, chemicals, nutraceuticals, proteins — even cancer therapies. There’s been a rate of progress that would impress any devotee of Moore’s Law — and a series of
March 04, 2014 Read Full Article
Team Converts Sugarcane to a Cold-Tolerant, Oil-Producing Crop
by Diana Yates (University of Illinois) A multi-institutional team reports that it can increase sugarcane’s geographic range, boost its photosynthetic rate by 30 percent and turn it into an oil-producing crop for biodiesel production. These are only the first steps in
March 04, 2014 Read Full Article
CEO Todd Becker Has Faith in the Future of Ethanol Producer Green Plains
by John Lppert and Mario Parker (The Washington Post/Bloomberg) ... Political challenges are piling up, too. Big Oil lists minimum ethanol requirements as its top policy concern for 2014 and wants to eliminate them. Government officials are already backtracking. A week
March 03, 2014 Read Full Article
Chromatin Announces Production of Farnesene in Sorghum
(Chromatin/Biomass Magazine) Chromatin Inc., an agriculture technology company, has announced that it has created sorghum plants containing elevated levels of the energy-rich compound farnesene. “We have demonstrated that sorghum can be modified to produce significantly elevated quantities of farnesene relative to
February 28, 2014 Read Full Article
EPA's New Ethanol Proposal Could Affect Local Farmers
by Samantha Jeffreys (WREX) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's proposal to reduce the amounts of ethanol that must be blended with gasoline could have a big effect on local farmers. ... "Locally, it will affect a number of us if this standard is
February 18, 2014 Read Full Article
Corn Growers Worry about Price Decline if RFS Is Reduced
by Mikkel Pates (Agweek) Crop farmers in the northern corn belt who have benefited from ethanol targets are putting on a push to save the current renewable fuel standard (RFS) from proposed cuts by the Environmental Protection Agency. The proposal would cut the
February 14, 2014 Read Full Article
Evaluating EPA's Arguments for RFS Waiver Authority
by Jonathan Coppess (FarmDocDaily) ...The heart of the matter is whether the waiver authority Congress provided to the EPA allows it to waive the specific RFS requirements on the basis of the infrastructural challenges posed by the E10 blend wall. EPA's
January 20, 2014 Read Full Article
Study Provides Comparison of Biomass Crop Growth in the Midwest
by Chris Hanson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Researchers at the Energy Biosciences Institute at the University of Illinois evaluated woody and grassy biomass feedstocks for cellulosic ethanol production at Illinois. Twenty-one species of short-rotation woody biomass were included in the study.
December 27, 2013 Read Full Article
10-Year Trials Show 10-ton Yields for Miscanthus in Illinois
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Illinois researchers reported results from a decade of field trials with miscanthus, the first plots to be planted in the U.S. The average annual yield of miscanthus grown in seven Illinois locations over
December 26, 2013 Read Full Article
Ethanol is a Win for Illinois, A Win for Agriculture
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Illinois State Representative Donald Moffitt knows agriculture. He grew up on a family farm, on which his son still farms (and Don occasionally helps). This has been a huge asset for him in his role as
December 26, 2013 Read Full Article
IL Sen. Todd Sieben “Retired To” Working for Ethanol
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) (Todd) Sieben (Chairman Central Bank and retired state senator) is currently working with the Illinois General Assembly on passing legislation that would incentivize the use of E15 in Illinois. He explained that for many years there has
December 20, 2013 Read Full Article
USDA and DOE Fund 7 Research Projects to Develop Plant Feedstocks for Bioenergy
(US Department of Agriculture) The U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Energy (DOE) today announced $8 million in research grants to develop non-food feedstocks that can be used for bioenergy. The grants are part of a broader effort by the
December 16, 2013 Read Full Article
Turning Weeds Into Ethanol - Why Not?
by Lauren D. Quinn, Elise C. Scott, A. Bryan Endres, Tom Voigt, Jody M. Endres (University of Illinois/FarmDocDaily) Media coverage of the controversy surrounding the use of certain non-native feedstocks for bioenergy is as pervasive as invasiveness itself. Plants such as giant reed
December 12, 2013 Read Full Article
RFS Needs to Be Protected
by Bill Northey (The Gazette) ...The renewable fuels industry has the capacity to produce well beyond the levels set by the EPA. What they need now is fair access to the fuel distribution system, which is unfortunately controlled by the
December 09, 2013 Read Full Article
The First Decade: Team Reports on US Trials of Bioenergy Grasses
(E! Science News/Earth & Climate) The first long-term U.S. field trials of Miscanthus x giganteus, a towering perennial grass used in bioenergy production, reveal that its exceptional yields, though reduced somewhat after five years of growth, are still more than twice
December 06, 2013 Read Full Article
DSM, DONG Energy Report Improved Cellulosic Ethanol Yield
(Royal DSM/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Royal DSM, together with DONG Energy, announced it has demonstrated the combined fermentation of C6 and C5 sugars from wheat straw on an industrial scale. The combined fermentation results in a 40 percent increase in ethanol
December 06, 2013 Read Full Article
LanzaTech, Earth Energy, PGF Biofuels, Elevance Make Bioeconomy Waves with Announces
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... (I)t has been an incredibly strong week for innovation, with key announcements that advance the narrative at LanzaTech, Elevance, Earth Energy renewables (e.g. “the technology that once pwoered Terrabon, and PGF Biofuels (the first
December 06, 2013 Read Full Article
“We The People” Support of the RFS
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) ... Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL) along with Representative Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) have written a letter for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Gina McCarthy expressing concern over the proposed rule regarding the RFS. The proposed 2014 rule reduces the
November 27, 2013 Read Full Article
Team Uses a Cellulosic Biofuels Byproduct to Increase Ethanol Yield
(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Scientists report in Nature Communications that they have engineered yeast to consume acetic acid, a previously unwanted byproduct of the process of converting plant leaves, stems and other tissues into biofuels. The innovation increases ethanol yield from
November 22, 2013 Read Full Article
Illinois Ethanol Plant to Build Co-Located Biodiesel Plant
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Adkins Energy LLC, a 48 MMgy ethanol plant located in Lena, Ill., is poised to begin construction on a 2 MMgy co-located biodiesel plant, which will utilize the distillers corn oil separated at the
November 21, 2013 Read Full Article
E15 Pumps to Open in Rochelle, Illinois
(Brownfields Ag News) E-15 fueling pumps are coming to Rochelle, Illinois. A ribbon cutting will be held Wednesday at the Petro Travel Plaza on 900 Petro Road. Ten new fueling stations with E15 will be lined up at every station
November 21, 2013 Read Full Article
Next Generation of Biofuels Is Still Years Away
by Jonathan Fahey (Associated Press) The first trickle of fuels made from agricultural waste is finally winding its way into the nation's energy supply, after years of broken promises and hype promoting a next-generation fuel source cleaner than oil. ... Cellulosic makers
November 14, 2013 Read Full Article
EPA Authority to Reduce the RFS
by Jonathan Coppess (FarmDocDaily) ... The statute provides EPA with the authority to waive a requirement for an individual calendar year by "reducing the national quantity of renewable fuel required." The RFS is housed in the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C.
November 08, 2013 Read Full Article
DOE's Most Promising New Tech: Bioenergy
by Jeff McMahon (Forbes) Bioenergy has shown the best results of the new energy technologies embraced by the Department of Energy in the last decade, the acting head of DOE’s Office of Science said in Chicago Tuesday. But even the most
November 08, 2013 Read Full Article
The Four Horsemen of the Financials: Gevo, Solazyme, Amyris Report for Q3
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In years gone by, it was not too hard to write up a summary of Gevo, Solazyme and Amyris — all aimed at fuels, all in the development stage, all used synthetic biology in closed
November 07, 2013 Read Full Article
Is the Renewable Fuel Standard Helping Bring the Next Generation of Biofuels to Market?
by Ned Stowe (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) For many supporters of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), a key goal was to stimulate the development and use of low-carbon, next generation biofuels – to help reduce both U.S. petroleum dependence
October 25, 2013 Read Full Article
Cellulosic Byproduct Increases Ethanol Yield
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Scientists from the University of Illinois have reported that they have engineered yeast to consume acetic acid, a previously unwanted byproduct of the process of converting plant leaves, stems and other tissues into biofuels. This innovation increases ethanol
October 22, 2013 Read Full Article
National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center Celebrates 10 Years, Biofuel Industry Growth, Development
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The National Corn-to-Ethanol Center opened its doors for tours, lunch and demonstrations during a recent open house celebration. “We’re not only celebrating our 10 year anniversary but we are really celebrating the biofuels
October 22, 2013 Read Full Article
Economist Examines $2 Billion Drop in Total RIN Market
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) What’s behind the plunge in renewable identification number (RIN) prices? University of Illinois economist Scott Irwin examined the question in another of his ongoing series of FarmDocDaily posts following the dramatic shifts in RINs
October 15, 2013 Read Full Article
Shell Biofuels Take Vehicles Back to the Future
by Zain Shauk (Fuel Fix) ... The fuel, which Shell has produced from waste and inedible crops through at least two different methods, is being developed at a test plant in Houston and a small-scale demonstration project in suburban Chicago. “I
October 04, 2013 Read Full Article
Tulare County Farmers Hear about Raising Sorghum for Biofuel
by David Castellon (Visalia Times Delta) When the subject of biofuel comes up, chances are you’ll think of corn converted to ethanol. But on Wednesday, representatives from a Chicago-based seed manufacturer tried to change that way of thinking by inviting Valley farmers
October 02, 2013 Read Full Article
Maintain Renewable Fuel Standards
by Tim Burrack (Chicago Tribune) Letter to Editor: ... As family farmers for more than 40 years, we have had our share of ups and downs. The RFS gave farmers like us a new market for our corn, helped bring corn prices
October 02, 2013 Read Full Article
CSC Introduces Biofuels Tech Program
by Allison Goodrich (The Register-Mail) Carl Sandburg College is climbing back on the “go green” bandwagon, making further attempts to help jump start the manufacturing job market through means of a new biofuels-focused program. The two-year AAS (associate in applied
September 26, 2013 Read Full Article
Peoria County Corn/Soy Promoters Offers Multiple Blends of Fuel to Consumers
by Steve Tarter (Peoria Journal Star) ... The FS station in Kickapoo, the first station to offer biodiesel over a decade ago, now features a pump that allows drivers to select various grades of ethanol-blended gasoline, from E10 to E85. It’s also
September 24, 2013 Read Full Article
Illinois Ethanol Workers Write to Protect RFS
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) The employees of Illinois River Energy and GTL Resources Biorefining sent a letter to their Congressional delegation this week urging support of the Renewable Fuel Standard. “We are the 60 hard working employees of an independently owned and operated corn bio-refinery
September 23, 2013 Read Full Article
Biofuel Crop in Need of Insurance Protection, Says University Professor
by Claire Everett (Daily Illini) ... Jody Endres, professor in environmental, natural resources and energy law, said while the USDA and other government agencies employ a variety of methods to encourage the growing of miscanthus for biofuel production, there is no crop
September 20, 2013 Read Full Article
ARPA-E Awards $34M in R&D for Advanced Liquid Fuels from Methane
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the US Department of Energy announced that 15 breakthrough energy projects will receive approximately $34 million from the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) via the REMOTE program (Reducing Emissions using Methanotrophic Organisms for
September 20, 2013 Read Full Article
Summer Volatility Restrictions on E15 End, Fuel Now Available
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) E15 is again available after summer volatility restrictions ended Sept. 15. ... E15 is approved for use with vehicles model year 2001 and newer. However, because the U.S. EPA has awarded E10 a waiver to
September 18, 2013 Read Full Article
Get to Know A Face of Ethanol
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) One message that was delivered during the 26th Annual Ethanol Conference over and over again is that both legislators and consumers need to know the faces of ethanol – to hear personal stories of how ethanol benefits America.
September 04, 2013 Read Full Article
Argonne Leadership Computing Facility Scientists Look to Nature to Develop Biofuel Catalysts
(Argonne Leadership Computing Facility/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Scientists working at the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility are looking to nature’s catalysts, enzymes, for inspiration in their quest to find a more effective means of converting biomass into renewable fuel. The research is aimed
August 30, 2013 Read Full Article
Loyola University Chicago Upgrades Biodiesel Lab
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Loyola University Chicago is expanding its biodiesel laboratory with much-needed additional space, and a new processor and analytical instrumentation. Lab manager Zach Waickman says Loyola built the school’s biodiesel program over the past five years
August 29, 2013 Read Full Article
Fire Stations Work toward Better Training for Ethanol Fires
by Matt Groves (WREX) ... Fire departments from across the region trained in Kirkland Saturday afternoon for ethanol fires. Cars doused in ethanol were set fire to, then firefighters worked to put them out. ... "Utilizing the correct type of foam and a
August 26, 2013 Read Full Article
Congressional Leadership Moving Towards Position on Renewable Fuel Standard Advocated by the Domestic Fuel Solutions Group
(PR NewsWire/Digital Journal/Domestic Fuel Solutions Group) From Day One the Domestic Fuel Solutions Group (DFSG) has been advocating for reasonable RFS reform. Congress is taking notice. At the end of two days of recent House Energy & Commerce Committee hearings on
August 19, 2013 Read Full Article
New Mexico State University-Led Biofuel Research Gets Federal Funding
(Associated Press) Research into the potential of algae-based fuel is getting a $5 million boost from the U.S. Department of Energy. ... NMSU is working on the project along with Los Alamos, Argonne and Pacific Northwest national laboratories, Washington State and Michigan
August 14, 2013 Read Full Article
Shimkus: Corn Growers Probably Won't Be Hurt by Fuel Bill
by Tom Kacich (News-Gazette) Corn growers should be OK when renewable-fuel standards are updated by Congress, U.S. Rep. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville, told Champaign County farmers Tuesday. ... "It is our corn growers who were promised a ceiling of 15 billion (gallons of
August 14, 2013 Read Full Article
Oil Industry Begins Running New Ad on Renewable Fuels (video)
by Jennifer A. Dlouhy (Fuel Fix) The American Petroleum Institute on Monday launched a new round of advertising taking aim at an eight-year-old renewable fuels mandate it wants Congress to repeal. The new television ad features everyday people behind the wheel,
August 13, 2013 Read Full Article
Plant Groundbreaking and Looking Back on Five Successful Years
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...But right now I’m thinking of plant restarts, new partnerships between neighboring ethanol plants, studies that show the “blend wall” isn’t exactly a wall and advanced biofuels facilities starting commercial production, just to name a few. ...The ethanol production facility and CHP power
August 13, 2013 Read Full Article
7 Hot Energy Crops for Advanced Biofuels: What’s Happening?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Miscanthus, sorghum, switchgrass, jatropha, camelina, carinata, and arundo. Who’s doing what to bring these crops to scale — and who are the potential big winners? ... Just when you start feeling great about bagasse or stover, you
August 08, 2013 Read Full Article
A Patchwork of Biofuels
by Lawrence Ulrich (New York Times) With diesel engines and their ultra-low-sulfur fuel now green enough even to meet California rules, one remaining environmental objection is that the fuel still starts from a barrel of nonrenewable petroleum. A possible next step
July 30, 2013 Read Full Article
Fast Swimmers: 10 Algae Technologies, Where Are They in the Race for the Summit?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The Summer of Algae has passed, but dozens of companies have remained hot in pursuit of a solution for fuels, feed, nutraceuticals, fragrances, flavorings and tailored renewable oils. Their technologies? Closed systems, open-systems, hybrid systems. Hosts
July 23, 2013 Read Full Article
EPA Comment Period Closed on Corn Fiber as Ag Residue, Biobutanol
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) In all, the U.S. EPA received 117 comments on a proposed rule on renewable fuel standard (RFS) pathways, including corn kernel fiber-to-cellulosic ethanol and issues relating to biobutanol. The comment period ended July 15. The Renewable Fuels Association
July 22, 2013 Read Full Article
Chip Energy Breaks Ground on Prototype Pellet Plant
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Goodfield, Ill.-based Chip Energy recently broke ground on a biomass recycling and pelletizing plant. Once complete, the prototype plant will be capable of producing 100 tons per day of condensed biomass from a variety
July 22, 2013 Read Full Article
United Is a Key Partner in Biofuel Advances
(United Hub) As a major airline, we have made a commitment to take actions today that shape an environmentally sustainable future. A key component of that promise is to advance the use of environmentally responsible and cost-efficient alternative aviation fuels.
July 17, 2013 Read Full Article
Momentum: 12 Biobased Ventures Raise $435M in Q2 2013; 32 Projects Being Built off the Balance Sheet
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Despite negative press from Bloomberg, biobased investing is surging, both direct and via strategics. The Digest has the data and the scoop. After we profiled, last April, 17 biobased ventures who raised $434 million in new
July 10, 2013 Read Full Article
Flight Plan: 14 Practical Steps towards Commercial Aviation Biofuels Now
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) For every 5% in global shift to aviation biofuels — create 72,000 jobs and avoid 3 million tons of carbon emissions. How to get from available field to affordable fuel in 14 steps In Illinois, the
July 05, 2013 Read Full Article
Solazyme Roquette: Le Break-Up en La Boulangerie
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Solazyme and Roquette dissolve their nutritionals JV; Solazyme to accelerate under its own flag; stock plunges. What’s up? Who said “sorry?” on the way out the door? It was a terse announcement that crossed the wire
June 25, 2013 Read Full Article
Court Nixes Appeal over Added Ethanol in Gasoline
(Associated Press) The Supreme Court has rejected challenges to Environmental Protection Agency decisions allowing an increase in ethanol content in gasoline. READ MORE and MORE (The Washington Post) and MORE (Renewable Fuels Association) and MORE (The Hill E2Wire) and MORE (Wisconsin State
June 24, 2013 Read Full Article
Renewable Fuels Association Disputes Study on Climate Change Impacts on Corn Production
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Renewable Fuels Association has spoken out to criticize a study published by Rice University and the University of California-Davis that claims climate change will increase irrigation costs for corn while reducing yields. In
June 06, 2013 Read Full Article
Scientists Develop 'Green' Pretreatment of Miscanthus for Biofuel
(University of Illinois/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Two University of Illinois scientists have developed an environmentally friendly and more economical way of pretreating miscanthus in the biofuel production process. "We pretreat the biomass with switchable butadiene sulfone in the presence of water to break
May 28, 2013 Read Full Article
Ethanol Backers Propose E15 Tax Breaks
by Tim Landis (State Journal-Register) Ethanol supporters in Illinois want to trade a 20 percent sales tax break on E10 fuel sales in Illinois for a 10 percent break on E15, arguing it would mean jobs, cleaner air and more
May 28, 2013 Read Full Article
Study Shows Benefits from Integration of Sweet Sorghum Juice in Corn Mash for Ethanol Production
(United Sorghum Checkoff Program) The Sorghum Checkoff in collaboration with the NCERC at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (formerly the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center) is pleased to announce a successful bench-scale evaluation of sweet sorghum juice sugars with corn mash for