by Henry Payne (Detroit News) The IndyCars racing in the Detroit Grand Prix at Belle Isle this weekend will carry the logos of Chevrolet, Honda, Firestone and others. With 100,000 in attendance on the island and nearly 2 million more watching on TV and
Michigan
Back TO HOMEBoom — Like that: Biofuel Plant Gets Financing Terms
by Kali Katerberg (Daily Mining Gazette) After months of waiting, Synsel Energy announced on Thursday that financing terms for construction of a biofuel plant at the site of the former Smurfit-Stone paper mill have been finalized. The $300 million refinery will create
May 25, 2018 Read Full Article
A New DNA Editing Toolkit for the alga Nannochloropsis
by Igor Houwat, Eric Poliner (MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory) Eric Poliner and a team of MSU scientists in the Farre and Benning labs have released a new genetic engineering toolkit for the alga Nannochloropsis. The alga is of interest for the
May 23, 2018 Read Full Article
Marathon Petroleum to Acquire Andeavor for $23B
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The deal creates the largest US oil refiner (and a top-five refiner globally) at 3.1 million barrels per day of capacity — Valero is around the same size, but that includes overseas operations. ... The (Marathon Petroleum)
May 01, 2018 Read Full Article
TerAvest Applies Persistence to Stubborn Bacteria
by Mark E. Griffin (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Zymomonas mobilis is a creature of habit, a bacterial species that loves to eat simple sugars and produce ethanol, but shows little interest in anything else. ... But TerAvest (Michaela TerAvest, an assistant professor of biochemistry
April 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Woodland Meadows Landfill Gas-to-RNG Facility Now Open
by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) Ameresco Inc. says its gas-to-energy facility at Waste Management’s Woodland Meadows Landfill in Michigan has achieved Environmental Protection Agency approval and is now in operation. Ameresco designed and built and now owns and operates the facility, which
April 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Icom, Hiller Ink New Deal for RNG/Diesel Dual-Fuel Systems
by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) New Hudson, Mich.-based Icom North America and Ayr, Ontario-based Hiller Truck Tech have signed an exclusive distribution agreement for Icom Dynamic compressed natural gas (CNG)/diesel and liquefied natural gas (LNG)/diesel dual-fuel systems for eastern Canada. ... “Hiller has been
April 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Detroit Zoo Plans Giveaway for Guests Who Visit Its AD Display
(Detroit Zoological Society/Biomass Magazine) The Detroit Zoological Society will be number one at giving away number two when it hosts its sixth annual GreenFest at the Detroit Zoo on April 14, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is dedicated to
April 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Ag Policy Blog: Senators Detail Farm Bill Goals
by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Leaders of the Senate Agriculture Committee are getting ready to move ahead on drafting a farm bill, ideally in April, and will seek to avoid the rancor over food assistance that has tied up
March 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Refinery Project in Construction Financing Stage
by Kali Katerberg (The Daily Mining Gazette) ... At its Wednesday meeting, the Economic Development Commission (EDC) heard an update on the SynSel Biofuel plant planned for the area. “The last time we were here, we were in the process of putting
January 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Top 20 Advanced Bioeconomy Projects underway in North America
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) To date, North America is the most active of all regions in terms of deploying advanced technology — whether it is cellulosic ethanol, isobutanol for fuels and chemicals, or renewable chemical plants, you see the first
January 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuels Plant Development Expected to Begin at Ontonagon Paper Mill
by Jan Tucker (Your Daily Globe) A public announcement of the construction and development of a $300 million advanced biofuels plant at the site of the closed paper mill in Ontonagon is "expected shortly," Pat Tucker told the Ontonagon County Economic Development Corporation Wednesday. He indicated
January 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Can Lawmakers Find a Middle Way on Fuel Efficiency? House Lawmakers Debate Harmonizing EPA, NHTSA Standards
by Jessie Stolark (Enviromental and Energy Study Institute) On December 12, the House Energy & Commerce Committee held a hearing, “Update on the Corporate Average Fuel Economy Program (CAFE) and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Motor Vehicles.” At the heart of
December 15, 2017 Read Full Article
Aria Energy Partners with BP to Expand RNG Business
by Joseph Bebon (NGT News) Novi, Mich.-based Aria Energy has announced it purchased a 50% interest in Mavrix LLC from BP and will work with the global oil and gas company to market and distribute renewable natural gas (RNG) to U.S. customers. Financial
December 12, 2017 Read Full Article
Charting a Cellulosic Path -- Enzyme Advances Hold Promise in Corn Ethanol
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Cellulosic technology companies have invested time and millions of dollars to explore ways to convert biomass into cellulosic ethanol for the better part of 20 years. Most technologies have fallen victim to high capital and
November 22, 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
Michigan State University Scientists Work to Make Biodegradable Plastic from Sunlight
(Fox47News/MSU Today) Michigan State University scientists are proposing a new way to economically produce biodegradable plastics with sunlight and help from an ancient microorganism. The team, led by Taylor Weiss, a postdoctoral researcher in the Ducat MSU-Department of Energy Plant Research Laboratory labat the MSU-Department of
November 01, 2017 Read Full Article
Better Together: A Bacteria Community Creates Biodegradable Plastic with Sunlight
by Igor Houwat, Taylor Weiss (Michigan State University) ... “But this pair has complementary strengths: the cyanos are constantly producing sugar, and the bacteria are constantly beefing up on it, which encourages the cyanos to keep producing.” Looking ahead, Taylor wants to
October 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Dem Introduces Bill to Boost Clean Vehicle Technology
by Melanie Zanona (The Hill) ... Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), who has also been leading a House push to pave the way for autonomous vehicles, reintroduced a bill that would promote investments in the research and development of cutting-edge technologies that
October 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Rep. Upton Files Bill to ‘Harmonize’ MPG Rrules
by Keith Laing (Detroit News) U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, has introduced legislation that would allow automakers to apply credits for gas mileage improvements from model years as far back as 2009 to help comply with emission rules that require
October 13, 2017 Read Full Article
AVAPCO, BYOGY Renewables, and Petron Scientech Announce Partnership to Demonstrate Technologies in the ABBA Integrated Biorefinery Projec
(PR Web) The ABBA Integrated Biorefinery project, to be built at the AVAPCO Thomaston Georgia site, will co-produce bio jet fuel and Bioplus® nanocellulose. It has received a Phase 1, $3.7 million award from the Department of Energy. Negotiations with the Department
October 10, 2017 Read Full Article
Bioenergy and Biofuel Projects Win DOE Support
(Bioenergy Insight) A number of research projects focused on bioenergy and biofuels have been selected for the US Community Science Programme (CSP) of the US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute. ... Boulos Chalhoub of the French National Institute for Agricultural Research is
October 03, 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
MSU Research to Harness Algae to Contain Power Plant Emissions
(Michigan State University) Michigan State University scientists will explore new algae-based technologies to capture power plant emissions and sustainably turn them into valuable products. The research project, funded by a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, unites faculty from
September 26, 2017 Read Full Article
$10M DOE Grant to Help Boost Camelina Oilseed Yield
(Michgan State Univesity) Both civil airlines and the military have successfully used camelina oil blends to fly airplanes. Camelina is not a significant food crop. So why doesn’t the oilseed plant compete with petroleum products? Small yields. Michigan State University will lead
September 21, 2017 Read Full Article
Eco Challenge: One Man’s Quest to Build an Eco-Friendly Passagemaker, Parts I and 2
by Peter Wilcox (Passage Maker) Having the opportunity to imagine and oversee the building of my own ideal Inside Passage vessel has been exquisitely educational—initiating a chain of engaging design, building, voyaging, and teaching adventures. ... Taking a break from sailing up
September 11, 2017 Read Full Article
Consequences of Drought Stress on Biofuels
(Phys.Org/U.S. Department of Energy) ...However, weather conditions could greatly affect crop yields. In this study, researchers examined the effect of weather on biofuel production by comparing switchgrass and corn stover harvested after a year of major drought and after 2
September 11, 2017 Read Full Article
A New Chloroplast Role for Making Biofuels
(Michigan State University) Michigan State University researchers are experimenting with harvesting seed oil to make biofuels that could someday power our jets and cars. In a recent study published in the journal The Plant Cell, the researchers show that the chloroplast,
August 11, 2017 Read Full Article
Make Energy Great Again, via BIOmass: The DOE’s MEGA-BIO Project Expands
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Long ago, the DOE shifted from a “biofuels and nothing else” focus to integrated biorefineries that can compete “across the whole barrel” with petroleum — recognizing that while chemicals make up a small fraction of
August 11, 2017 Read Full Article
Biofuel Plant Construction Set to Begin
by Vanessa Dietz (The Daily Mining Gazette) ... SynSel Energy Inc., of Elmhurst, Illinois, chose Ontonagon as one of two U.S. sites to build advanced biofuels plants that will produce synthetic gasoline, diesel and aviation fuels the company sells in commodities
August 10, 2017 Read Full Article
Lignin Can Make Building Materials Less Toxic
(Michigan State University/Ethanol Producer Magazine) A collaborative study by Mojgan Nejad, MSU forestry, proves that lignin, a byproduct of paper and bioethanol production, can completely replace phenol in phenolic adhesive formulation. This research directly impacts housing manufacturing by introducing biobased
August 09, 2017 Read Full Article
Energy Department Announces Additional MEGA-BIO: Bioproducts to Enable Biofuels Award
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced today that it will award a fourth project—up to $1.8 million—under the MEGA-BIO: Bioproducts to Enable Biofuels Funding Opportunity. In August 2016, DOE's Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) selected three projects for
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
A New Chloroplast 'App' for Making Biofuels
(Michigan State University) ... What we do know is that the precursors for seed oil come from many sources in a plant cell. And Kun (Kenny) Wang and the Benning lab have recently identified a new, potentially significant one. The study is published in the
July 19, 2017 Read Full Article
SynSel Energy Inc. to Open Biofuels Plant in Ontonagon
by Jan Tucker (Your Daily Globe) Ontonagon has been selected as one of two initial sites in the U.S. for the construction of an advanced biofuels plant. SynSel Energy, Inc., is partnering with a U.S.-based financier and Lost Bowl Development, LLC,
July 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Cutting the Cost of Ethanol, other Biofuels and Gasoline
(Phys.Org/Rutgers University) Biofuels like the ethanol in U.S. gasoline could get cheaper thanks to experts at Rutgers University-New Brunswick and Michigan State University. They've demonstrated how to design and genetically engineer enzyme surfaces so they bind less to corn stalks and other
July 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Cellulosic Biofuels Can Benefit the Environment if Managed Correctly
(Phys.Org/Michigan State University) Could cellulosic biofuels - or liquid energy derived from grasses and wood - become a green fuel of the future, providing an environmentally sustainable way of meeting energy needs? In Science, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy-funded
June 30, 2017 Read Full Article
DTE Biomass Acquires RNG Facilities to Fuel Texas Transit Buses
by Lauren Tyler (NGT News) DTE Biomass Energy, an Ann Arbor, Mich.-based subsidiary of DTE Energy, says it has acquired two landfill gas-to-energy projects in Texas, which will generate enough renewable natural gas (RNG) to fuel more than 1,000 transit buses each
June 05, 2017 Read Full Article
Peters, Alexander & Stabenow Reintroduce Vehicle Innovation Act Bipartisan Bill Boosts R&D for Fuel Efficient Vehicle Technologies
(Office of Senator Gary Peters) U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) today announced they are reintroducing the bipartisan Vehicle Innovation Act to encourage investments in research and development of clean vehicle and advanced safety
May 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Letter: Diversify Michigan Energy
by Bruce Dale (Detroit News) Regarding “Renewable Fuel Standard has failed, April 16,” Prof. Wolfram has failed to do his homework. The corn grown to make ethanol is not the same as sweet corn we eat. Field corn is used for
April 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Better Science, Better Fuels
by Stephen Rapundalo (Morning Consult/MichBio) The United States Department of Agriculture just dropped a truth bomb. According to the agency’s new landmark report, the carbon benefits associated with homegrown ethanol have far surpassed previous expectations and continue to improve thanks
February 27, 2017 Read Full Article
PHYCO2, MSU Make Wastewater Reusable through Pure Algae Growth
(PHYCO2/Biodiesel Magazine) PHYCO2 LLC, an emerging algae production, waste water treatment and carbon dioxide sequestration company, announced the successful treatment of wastewater from breweries to comply with state water discharge limits for nitrates and phosphates. During Phase 4 of the multiyear trial
February 14, 2017 Read Full Article
Alternative Feedstock & Process Technology Overview
by Will Smith (Springhouse Consulting/Biodiesel Magazine) While the majority of U.S. biodiesel is still produced from soybean and canola oil, the role of alternative feedstock has increased steadily over the past decade. The lower production costs they afford have had
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Poll: Trump Voters Overwhelmingly Support Ethanol
(Growth Energy) A new post-election survey released today shows that decisive voters in the 2016 presidential election are staunch supporters of American ethanol. The survey of 3,000 Trump voters in the Midwestern battleground states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Iowa, Indiana
January 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Species Diversity Reduces Chances of Crop Failure in Algal Biofuel Systems
(Science News/University of Michigan) When growing algae in outdoor ponds as a next-generation biofuel, a naturally diverse mix of species will help reduce the chance of crop failure, according to a new study. -- ... Algae-derived biocrude oil is being
January 09, 2017 Read Full Article
How Corn Farmers and Ethanol Producers Helped Deliver Trump’s Historic Win
by Bob Dinneen (The Hill/Renewable Fuels Association) In the flurry of post-election punditry and analysis, much credit was given to disenfranchised factory workers and coal miners in the Rust Belt and Appalachia for delivering Donald Trump’s surprising swing state victories
January 06, 2017 Read Full Article
Youth Explore Biofuel as Renewable Energy
(Michigan State University Extension) Youth can explore biofuel at 4-H Renewable Energy Camp and through other 4-H science programs. -- ...You can help youth explore biofuels by guiding them through an activity that shows how organic materials can be converted
January 03, 2017 Read Full Article
Harnessing the Biofuel Power of Algae
by Nicole Heslip (Brownfield Ag News) New research at Michigan State University has the potential to create a biofuel source produced by algae. Plant researcher Danny Ducat tells Brownfield certain algae bacteria can capture more solar energy, using less land and
January 02, 2017 Read Full Article
Energy Department Announces Up to $7 Million for the Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the Energy Department (DOE) announced up to $7 million for eight universities to accelerate the introduction of affordable, scalable, and sustainable high-performance fuels for use in high-efficiency, low-emission engines. Under the Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines (Co-Optima)
December 29, 2016 Read Full Article
Molecular Velcro Boosts Microalgae's Potential in Biofuel, Industrial Applications
(Michigan State University) Michigan State University scientists have engineered “molecular Velcro” into cyanobacteria, boosting this microalgae’s biofuel viability as well as its potential for other research. The findings, featured in the current issue of ACS Synthetic Biology, show how MSU researchers
December 22, 2016 Read Full Article
Ontario Innovative Sugarbeet Processors Cooperative Forms for Advanced Bioeconomy Feedstocks
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Ontario, the Bio-Industrial Process Research Centre at Lambton College and Western Sarnia-Lambton Research Park – collaboration with the OSGA and its partners – completed a techno-economic modelling feasibility study. The study identified suitable high
November 21, 2016 Read Full Article
Who’s Got Hot Lignin? The Digest’s 2016 Guide to Lignin Production and Prospects
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Lignocellulosic sugars and lignin have become necessary intermediates for advancing research towards economically producing biofuels and bioproducts. Recently, the US Department of Energy issued a Request for Information: Cellulosic Sugar and Lignin Production Capabilities. The result
November 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Who’s Got the Hot Sugars? The Digest’s 2016 Guide to Lignocellulosic Sugars and Their Producers
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Lignocellulosic sugars and lignin have become necessary intermediates for advancing research towards economically producing biofuels and bioproducts. Recently, the US Department of Energy issued a Request for Information: Cellulosic Sugar and Lignin Production Capabilities. The result
November 14, 2016 Read Full Article
Get the Results of the Cellulosic Sugar and Lignin Production Capabilities Request for Information!
(U.S. Department of Energy) The results of the U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office's (BETO's) Cellulosic Sugar and Lignin Production Capabilities Request for Information (RFI) are now available on the RFI responses web page. This new web page is a
November 06, 2016 Read Full Article
Ethanol in U.S. Gas Tanks Is Backfiring for Climate Change
by John Upton (Climate Central) It may have seemed apparent to members of Congress a decade ago that if a motorist pumped a gallon of fuel made from corn into their gas tank, a gallon of fossil fuel would be
October 24, 2016 Read Full Article
USGC Hosts Southeast Asian Industry Representatives on an Ethanol Tour
(Biofuels International) The US Grains Council (USGC) recently hosted a team of car, fuel, and ethanol industry representatives from Southeast Asia to engage in a fact finding mission about higher blends of ethanol in the petrol pool. As Thailand has already
October 13, 2016 Read Full Article
Ethanol Becomes Issue in Senate Race
by Gary Truitt (Hoosier Ag Today) On Wednesday Senators Joe Donnelly (D-IN) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) toured the Noble Americas South Bend Ethanol Plant, highlighting Evan Bayh’s strong support for Indiana’s corn and ethanol industries and the tens of thousands
October 06, 2016 Read Full Article
NEW PBS Documentary: The Ethanol Effect
by Joanna Schroeder (Energy.AgWired.com) Detroit Public Television (DPTV) is debuting a new ethanol documentary this Sunday, October 9, 2016 at 9:00 pm ET called, “The Ethanol Effect“. The film, produced by DPTV, takes a look at the controversy surrounding the
October 06, 2016 Read Full Article
The Car-Emissions Sleuth Who’s Costing Chrysler $5 Billion
by John Lippert and Jeff Plungis (Bloomberg) ... As head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s air-quality and transportation office, (Chris) Grundler holds as much sway as any single human over how global automakers allocate more than $100 billion in R&D money
September 26, 2016 Read Full Article
Biofuels Buy Could Bring Plant to County
(Van Wert Independent News) Van Wert County officials are hoping a big biofuels purchase by JetBlue airlines will eventually mean jobs for county residents. The biofuels purchase by JetBlue is from SG Preston, a company that has been looking at sites
September 21, 2016 Read Full Article
Several Bioenergy Projects Receive SBIR Funding
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The USDA recently announced $7.4 million in grants will be awarded to 76 small businesses through the Small Business Innovation Research program to support research related to food security, natural resources and agricultural issues. ... Bioenergy
September 19, 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
High-Octane Hopes: Biofuels Want Level Playing Field
by Todd Neeley (DTN/The Progressive Farmer) With all of the political fights about the role ethanol and other biofuels have in the transportation sector, there is common ground for the ethanol, oil and automobile industries that could bode well for
September 09, 2016 Read Full Article
BioFuelNet Responds To Study Claiming “ Biofuels Are Worse Than Gasoline”
by Marie-Joe Costantine (BioFuelNet) Study stating “ biofuels are worse than gasoline” is fundamentally flawed -- ... In the study, when (John) DeCicco and colleagues calculate the CO2 emissions going into the atmosphere, they consider all parts of the plant: leaves, stalks,
September 08, 2016 Read Full Article
Strategic Intent: The Digest’s 2016 Multi-Slide Guide to ExxonMobil in the Advanced Bioeconomy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This season, The Digest is hosting the Strategic Intent webinar series, looking at the plans, progress and future milestones of strategic stakeholders in the Advanced Bioeconomy. In this slide deck, we looked at ExxonMobil and its
September 06, 2016 Read Full Article
Biofuels versus Gasoline: The Emissions Gap Is Widening
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) ... Many respected laboratories, agencies, and researchers have used a lifecycle analysis to show that biofuels, particularly advanced biofuels, provide significant carbon benefits compared to gasoline. These benefits have increased in recent years, as biofuels have
September 03, 2016 Read Full Article
Biofuels Are Worse than Gasoline? Creative Accounting Leads to Claim
by Robert C. Brown (Des Moines Register) ... The genesis of the latest headlines is frustration among certain biofuels critics that life-cycle analysis no longer supports their criticism of biofuels. The solution, of course, is to throw out life-cycle analysis
August 31, 2016 Read Full Article
The Case Against Ethanol Opponents: They Are Simply Incorrect +VIDEO
by Marc J. Rauch (The Auto Channel) ... I can't say for sure, since I haven't done a count and compared it to a calendar, but it seems to me that the American oil industry has been ramping up its attacks
August 30, 2016 Read Full Article
Do Biofuels Harm the Planet More than Gasoline?
Rowena Lindsay (Christian Science Monitor) A new study suggests that biofuels can mitigate only 37 percent of the CO2 released by burning the biofuel. -- That's a flawed premise, argues Daniel Schrag, a geology professor at Harvard who advises the
August 30, 2016 Read Full Article
MichBio Responds to Flawed University of Michigan Research Study on Biofuels and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
(MichBio/BusinessWire) MichBio, the biosciences industry association in Michigan, issued the following statement today regarding the release of a University of Michigan research study that claims the rising use of biofuels in the U.S. has led to a net increase in
August 26, 2016 Read Full Article
EPA Signals It Will Start Looking at Mandating Higher Octane Gasoline
by Richard Truett (Automotive News) Raising the octane in gasoline -- seen as a way to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions in today’s high-tech turbocharged, direct-injected engines -- looks like it will get some attention from the EPA. That’s the
August 25, 2016 Read Full Article
API-Funded Study Obscures Lifecycle Emission Benefits of Biofuels
(Renewable Fuels Association) Today, University of Michigan Energy Institute researchers, led by longtime biofuels critic Professor John DeCicco, released a study funded by the American Petroleum Institute (API) claiming biofuels do not reduce carbon emissions compared to petroleum. Below is
August 25, 2016 Read Full Article
Biofuels Worse for Climate Change than Gasoline, U-M Study Says
by Keith Matheny (Detroit Free Press) The multi-billion-dollar U.S. biofuels industry — promoted and expanded for over a decade by the federal government — may be built on a false assumption, according to a new University of Michigan study published today
August 25, 2016 Read Full Article
Vertically-Integrated Ethanol Producer, and More: The Digest’s 2016 Multi-Slide Guide to Green Plains
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Green Plains is a vertically-integrated ethanol producer based in Omaha, Nebraska. They currently have an ethanol production capacity of approximately 1.5 billion gallons per year with 17 plants located in Nebraska; Indiana; Minnesota; Iowa; Tennessee;
August 24, 2016 Read Full Article
Environmentalist Jerry Jung Wants Ethanol Policy Change
by Dustin Walsh (Crain's Detroit Business) Jerry Jung, former owner of Michigan CAT and longtime environmentalist, is using his wealth to take down ethanol production. Jung, chairman of the Michigan Colleges Alliance, recently launched RethinkEthanol.com — a website calling for the
August 22, 2016 Read Full Article
Editorial: End Washington’s Corn Addiction
(The Detroit News) The idea ethanol is the transportation fuel of the future never seems to fall out of fashion among certain members of Congress—including Michigan’s own Debbie Stabenow. But it’s time for this outdated obsession to end. Stabenow was among
August 16, 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
Toxic Algal Blooms of Today Could Become the Biofuels, Fertilizers and Antibiotics of Tomorrow
by Steve Brachmann (IP Watchdog) ... Last March, researchers from Western Michigan University (WMU) made a presentation at that year’s national meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) on how algae could be transformed into biofuels and fertilizer. The WMU
August 01, 2016 Read Full Article
Hyundai And U.S. Department Of Energy Extend Fuel Cell Vehicle Loan Partnership In Concert With New D.C.-Based Hydrogen Fueling Station
(Fuel Cells Works) Latest, Phase II of current program prepares for rollout of fuel cell vehicles nationwide in near future -- Hyundai and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) are extending their fuel cell vehicle confirmation program, originally from 2013
July 17, 2016 Read Full Article
Better Understanding Could Lead to More Cost-Effective Production of Cellulosic Biofuels
(Phys.Org) Plant cell walls, which constitute the bulk of plant biomass, are diverse, complex, and dynamic in their structural composition and integrity. Cell walls are innately resistant to deconstruction by biological or chemical catalysts. This property is often referred to
July 01, 2016 Read Full Article
CEO of Former Michigan Biofuels Company Charged with $2 Million Tax Scheme
by Emily Monacelli (Michigan Live) The chief executive of a former Southwest Michigan biofuels company has been indicted in what federal prosecutors allege was a scheme to defraud the government out of $2 million in tax credits. An 14-count indictment was
June 30, 2016 Read Full Article
Biogeochemical Research Priorities for Sustainable Biofuel and Bioenergy Feedstock Production in the Americas.
by Gollany HT, Titus BD, Scott DA, Asbjornsen H, Resh SC, Chimner RA, Kaczmarek DJ, Leite LF, Ferreira AC, Rod KA, Hilbert J, Galdos MV, Cisz ME (Biogeochemical Research) Rapid expansion in biomass production for biofuels and bioenergy in the
June 28, 2016 Read Full Article
Research Assesses AD’s Ability to Remove Drugs, Germs from Manure
by Charlotte Hsu (University at Buffalo/Biomass Magazine) Researchers from four U.S. universities are teaming up with dairy farms across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic to study the effect of three different manure management techniques on preventing the occurrence and spread of
June 10, 2016 Read Full Article
Could Fertilizer Use Negate the Climate Benefit of Cellulosic Biofuels?
(Michigan State University/AgProfessional.com) ... The study, conducted by the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center and Michigan State University, found that using nitrogen fertilizer on switchgrass crops sharply increases the amount of nitrous oxide emitted. Switchgrass has been heralded as a significant
June 08, 2016 Read Full Article
USDA Announces More Than $8 Million in Payments to Support the Production of Advanced Biofuel
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $8.8 million to boost the production of advanced biofuels and sustain jobs at renewable energy facilities in 39 states. USDA continues
May 27, 2016 Read Full Article
“EA” Biomass Pretreatment Cuts Enzyme Use, Boosts Biofuel Production
by Krista Eastman (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Less input, more output. That’s the achievement of a new biomass pretreatment method that could help improve the economics of cellulosic biofuels, the second-generation biofuels made from grasses, wood, and the inedible
May 11, 2016 Read Full Article
DOE-Funded Bioenergy Research Centers File 500th Invention Disclosure
by Krista Eastman (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Three U.S. Department of Energy-funded research centers – the BioEnergy Science Center (Oak Ridge National Laboratory), the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (University of Wisconsin–Madison and Michigan State University), and the Joint BioEnergy
May 11, 2016 Read Full Article
Boating and Engine Experts Call on Lawmakers to Boost Biofuel Blends
(Fuels America/The Auto Channel) Certified mechanics, engine performance experts, and professional fishermen are briefing lawmakers on Capitol Hill today about the importance of ethanol in protecting the environment, preserving America’s energy security, and providing a high-octane boost to marine engines.
May 10, 2016 Read Full Article
PHYCO2, MSU Announce Breakthrough in Algae Technology
(PHYCO2/Biomass Magazine) PHYCO2, an emerging algae growth and carbon dioxide sequestration company, has made a technology breakthrough in Phase I of the multi-year trial with Michigan State University. The technology partnership set out to capture man-made carbon dioxide (a greenhouse
April 29, 2016 Read Full Article
It Is OK to Fuel the Boat with Ethanol
by Gary Truitt (Hoosier Ag Today) The gasoline used by more than 95 percent of Americans, E10, contains 10 percent ethanol and is safe to use in marine engines. All current boat engines are warrantied for E10 and have been for
March 31, 2016 Read Full Article
Explosive Growth: The Digest’s 2016 8-Slide Guide to Nanocellulose and Its Applications
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Last year, we reported that Research & Markets projected the “Nanocellulose Market by Type (Cellulose nanocrystals, Cellulose nanofibrils, cellulose nanocomposites, and others) to reach $250 Million by 2019, signifying annualized CAGR of 19% between 2014 and 2019. Heft growth
March 23, 2016 Read Full Article
PHYCO2 and MSU Make Breakthrough in Clean Air Technology, Growing Pure Algae 24/7 and Without Sunlight
(PHYCO2) PHYCO2 -an emerging algae growth and carbon dioxide sequestration company- has made a technology breakthrough in Phase I of the multi-year trial with Michigan State University (MSU). The technology partnership set out to capture manmade carbon dioxide (a greenhouse
March 21, 2016 Read Full Article
Study Says Ethanol Harms Corn Counties
by Ann Purvis (Heartland Institute) ... (A) new study from researchers at Strata Policy (SP) and the Institute of Political Economy (IPE) at Utah State University suggests RFS also harms the very farmers the ethanol mandate was designed to help. ... According to
March 21, 2016 Read Full Article
MSU, PHYCO2 Collaborate on Algae Growth Demonstration Project
(PHYCO2) PHYCO2, an emerging algae growth and carbon dioxide sequestration company, and Michigan State University (MSU) have announced a partnership designed to generate sustainable, clean energy sources through a new method to produce algae. The partnership will demonstrate the patent-pending PHYCO2-developed technology to sequester CO2, reclaim
March 21, 2016 Read Full Article
The Truth Behind Marine Engines & Ethanol
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) In response to a recent misleading piece in BoatUS, which warned of marine engine damage due to ethanol, Keith Holmes, President and Owner of CK Motorsports, a certified Mercury Marine Engine & Racing service dealer, wrote
March 18, 2016 Read Full Article
R20 and WRI, a Roadmap to Zero Waste and Sustainable Investing
by James L. Stewart (California’s BioEnergy Producers Association/Technikon/Biofuels Digest) A major worldwide effort is underway through the non-profit organization R20 Regions of Climate Action to assist sub-national states and jurisdictions in developing projects that promote clean energy and combat climate change. Currently, R20
March 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Craft Breweries Bet on Sustainable Technology
by John Wiegand (MiBiz) ... The independent family-owned businesses also often take the long view on the investments, worrying less about immediate ROI in favor of finding workable solutions to persistent problems. That’s led to opportunities for scientists and entrepreneurs working to
March 10, 2016 Read Full Article
Renewable Fuels Association Welcomes Auto Industry Vet Tracey King to Staff
(Renewable Fuels Association) Auto industry veteran Tracey King has joined the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) as the organization’s new Technical Director. King will serve as the RFA’s top liaison to the automakers, and will focus on forging the path to
February 24, 2016 Read Full Article
New Ammonia Biomass Pretreatment Process Improves Yield with Lower Enzyme Loading; Improving Cellulosic Biofuel Economics
(Green Car Congress) A team from the US, China and India, led by researchers from Michigan State University, has developed a new liquid ammonia biomass pretreatment methodology called Extractive Ammonia (EA). EA-pretreated corn stover delivers a higher fermentable sugar yield
February 24, 2016 Read Full Article
A New Recipe for Biofuel: Genetic Diversity Can Lead to More Productive Growth
(Phys.Org) ... Today, scientists are exploring how grasses, and switchgrass in particular, can enrich the nation's biofuel supply, which is currently dominated by corn, a crop relatively easy to convert to biofuel but also in demand for food, livestock feed and
February 24, 2016 Read Full Article
US Files Civil Complaint against VW for Clean Air Act Violations
(Biodiesel Magazine/U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) The U.S. Department of Justice, on behalf of the U.S. EPA, filed a civil complaint Jan. 4 in federal court in Detroit, Michigan, against Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, Volkswagen Group of America Inc., Volkswagen Group
February 09, 2016 Read Full Article
Why Flint? Why Dieselgate? Why Was the EPA Prevented From Acting?
by Robert E. Kozak* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Of all the grandstanding by politicians over the Flint, Michigan, drinking water disaster perhaps the most hypocritical has been that of Democrats such as Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton heaping all the blame on
February 09, 2016 Read Full Article
Ethanol Expansion May Boost Michigan Basis
by Nicole Heslip (Brownfield Ag News) Strong ethanol demand and ample supplies are two of the main reasons the Andersons are doubling ethanol production at their Michigan facility. Mike Irman, Vice President and General Manager of the Andersons’ ethanol group,
January 25, 2016 Read Full Article
US Energy Secretary Expresses Support for Biofuels at DC Auto Show
by Robert E. Kozak and Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) This year, for a change, in the introduction to his remarks at the Washington, DC Auto Show, US Energy Secretary Dr. Ernest Moniz pointed out the importance of alternative fuels
January 21, 2016 Read Full Article
This Couple Is Driving Cross-Country To Return Their Polluting Jetta To VW Headquarters
by David Tracy (Jalopnik) Upset that Volkswagen deceived them into buying a not-so-clean diesel, Marcus Moench and Elisabeth Caspari are driving from Colorado to VW’s headquarters in Virginia to return their Jetta SportWagen TDI and drop off 20,000 petitions. ... ... You see,
January 18, 2016 Read Full Article
United States Files Complaint Against Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche for Alleged Clean Air Act Violations
(U.S. Department of Justice) The Department of Justice, on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), today filed a civil complaint in federal court in Detroit, Michigan, against Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, Volkswagen Group of America Inc., Volkswagen Group of
January 04, 2016 Read Full Article
The Untold Upside of Low Oil Prices
by Ron Kotrba (Biomass Magazine) Alternative energy companies typically prosper when oil prices are high, but it’s not all doom and gloom when the cost of crude nosedives. ... So what does all this mean for the wood pellet and other bioenergy
January 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Six-Year Study Suggests Perennial Crop Yields Can Compete with Corn Stover
by Mark E. Griffin (Wisconsin Energy Institute/University of Wisconsin) A six-year Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) study on the viability of different bioenergy feedstocks recently demonstrated that perennial cropping systems such as switchgrass, giant miscanthus, poplar, native grasses, and
December 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Michigan Corn Growers Disappointed with New Ethanol Limits
by Andy Balaskovitz (MiBiz) ... “Any reduction in the statutory amount is a roadblock to biofuels like ethanol,” said Jim Zook, executive director of the Michigan Corn Growers Association. “By failing to set (blend) levels at the statutory amount, it appears the
December 07, 2015 Read Full Article
How Michigan’s New Road Funding Plan Affects Alt-Fuel Vehicles
by Tony Antonelli (Next Gen Transportation News) ... Notably, three of the bills – H.B.4736, H.B.4738 and H.B.4614 (now P.A.174, P.A.176 and P.A.178, respectively) – directly impact the clean fuels industry. P.A.174: Sponsored by State Rep. Michael McCready, this legislation increases registration
November 19, 2015 Read Full Article
Pigs Can Regulate Sulfur in Distiller Grains
(AgriNews) Distillers dried grains with solubles, a co-product of the ethanol industry, is becoming a more common ingredient in swine diets. However, DDGS can be high in sulfur, and data is limited on the amount of sulfur that pigs can
November 16, 2015 Read Full Article
BIO Applauds Renewable Chemicals Act Bill
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chris Coon (D-DE) and Al Franken have introduced a new bill, S. 2271 the Renewable Chemicals Act of 2015. If passed, the legislation would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to
November 13, 2015 Read Full Article
USDA Spending $3 Million To Add Ethanol Fuel Pumps In Michigan
(Associated Press/CBS Radio) The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it is spending $3 million to add about 130 additional ethanol fuel pumps in Michigan. U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan says Thursday the grant will be matched by state and
October 30, 2015 Read Full Article
New BETO Fact Sheets Profile the Emerging Bioeconomy by State
(U.S. Department of Energy) How is funding from BETO a part of the emerging bioeconomy in some states? Find out with our new state fact sheets. For select states, these fact sheets give information about efforts to develop the advanced
October 29, 2015 Read Full Article
Vertically-Integrated Ethanol at Scale: The Digest’s 2015 8-Slide Guide to Green Plains
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Green Plains is a vertically-integrated ethanol producer based in Omaha, Nebraska. They currently have an ethanol production capacity of approximately 1.0 billion gallons per year with 12 plants located in Atkinson, Nebraska; Bluffton, Indiana; Central
October 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Priming the Pump for Higher Blends
by Ray Defenbaugh (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Prime the Pump/Growth Energy) Prime the pump, an effort to grow the ethanol market to accelerate the build-out of higher blend retail infrastructure, has had tremendous success, writes Ray Defenbaugh. -- The ethanol industry is
October 27, 2015 Read Full Article
Researchers Receive NSF Grant to Study Drought Stress in Plants
(HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology) Jeremy Schmutz, faculty investigator at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, has received a grant from the National Science Foundation to study how switchgrass plants adapt to drought stress. Schmutz, who co-directs the Genome Sequencing Center at
October 26, 2015 Read Full Article
Lack of Strong RFS Policy Could Put Michigan Jobs at Risk
(Farmers Advance) Jeff Sandborn, a Portland farmer and member of the board of the National Corn Growers Association, highlighted a new nationwide study demonstrating the economic impact of ethanol production, noting that ethanol is tied to more than 22,000 Michigan
October 21, 2015 Read Full Article
SG Preston and IHI E&C Announce Strategic Agreement To Engineer and Construct A Portfolio Of Advanced Renewable Fuels Plants
(PR Newswire/IHI E&C) SG Preston, a Philadelphia-based bioenergy company, and IHI E&C, a Houston-based engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) subsidiary of IHI Corporation, today announced a ground-breaking agreement for a Multi-Facility Program that will include the development and construction of
October 21, 2015 Read Full Article
More Opportunities for Ethanol in Michigan
by Nicole Heslip (Brownfield Ag News) The Corn Marketing Program of Michigan says a grant to increase blender pumps will save consumers money. Communications Specialist Angel Jenio tells Brownfield the Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership awarded grants to 21 states including Michigan. “That
October 05, 2015 Read Full Article
Senators Push White House on Ethanol Mandate
by Devin Henry (The Hill) A group of senators is pushing the White House to issue a strong mandate for ethanol fuel. Fourteen senators — a mix of Republicans and Democrats, many from ethanol-producing Midwestern states — met with White House
October 05, 2015 Read Full Article
Michigan State University Partners with ExxonMobile to Advance Biofuel Research
(Michigan State University) A new $1 million relationship between Michigan State University and ExxonMobil will expand research designed to progress the fundamental science required to advance algae-based fuels. David Kramer, MSU’s John Hannah Distinguished Professor in Photosynthesis and Bioenergetics at the
October 02, 2015 Read Full Article
Building a Biofuel-Boosting Swiss Army Knife
(Phys.org/Michigan State University) Researchers at Michigan State University have built a molecular Swiss Army knife that streamlines the molecular machinery of cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, making biofuels and other green chemical production from these organisms more viable. The team
September 22, 2015 Read Full Article
PhyCO2, MSU Develop Algae Tech to Capture Power Plant CO2
(PhyCO2/Biomass Magazine) Michigan State University and PHYCO2 have entered into a partnership to develop algae technologies produced from PHYCO2’s revolutionary and patented concept that promotes algae growth and sequesters, or captures, carbon dioxide from power plant emissions. The collaboration is a
September 21, 2015 Read Full Article
Ending the Pretreatment Crisis? The Digest’s 2015 8-Slide Guide to MBI’s AFEX Cellulosic Pretreatment Technology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) For every ton of corn, wheat, and rice harvested today, an equal amount of biomass is left behind on the fields. Within this biomass — of which nearly 2 billion tons are produced each year
September 21, 2015 Read Full Article
Oberon Fuels, Ford and FVV Partner to Build, Fuel, and Test the World’s First Production Passenger Car Powered by DME
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Oberon Fuels, Ford Motor Company, and FVV have partnered on a 3-year, €3.5M project to research, analyze and test the potential of dimethyl ether and OME fuel in passenger cars and heavy-duty truck
September 16, 2015 Read Full Article
USDA Invests $100M in Renewable Fuel Pumps: The Deep Dive into Who Got What, and How the Landscape Shifts
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) USDA announces state finalists for the Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership. Will it move the needle? The Digest investigates. In Washington, US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that 21 states will receive grants through the Biofuel Infrastructure
September 14, 2015 Read Full Article
USDA Announces State Finalists for the Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that 21 states will receive grants through the Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership (BIP) to add infrastructure needed to supply more renewable fuel to America's drivers. Since announcing the program in May
September 10, 2015 Read Full Article
Grant to Help Increase Biofuels Yield while Limiting Fertilizer Use
(Michigan State University) Michigan State University has earned a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to better understand how biofuel crops acquire nitrogen, insights that could help maximize yields while minimizing fertilizer use. Sarah Evans, an integrative biologist
September 10, 2015 Read Full Article
Gabe Corey: EPA Wants to Roll back Biofuel Progress
by Gabe Corey (Battle Creek Enquirer) Michigan agriculture is driving our economy forward — and ethanol is a major factor in this success. Ethanol supports more than 22,000 jobs in Michigan, while pumping more than $4 billion into our state’s
August 26, 2015 Read Full Article
Meet the Companies Trying to Break our Plastic Addiction
by Phil McKenna (Green Biz) The fate of the world’s oceans may rest inside a stainless steel tank not quite the size of a small beer keg. Inside, genetically modified bacteria turn corn syrup into a churning mass of polymers that
August 17, 2015 Read Full Article
RFA Asks EPA to Provide Relief to Midwest Consumers in Wake of Refinery Outage
(Renewable Fuels Association) Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen issued the following statement in response to the shutdown of the BP 240,000-barrels-per-day refinery in Whiting, Indiana, which has caused gasoline prices to spike in Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio,
August 17, 2015 Read Full Article
Ethanol Plant Essential to Michigan’s Thumb
by Nicole Heslip (Brownfields Ag News) The general manager of POET’s Michigan based ethanol plant says the Caro facility has offset the demise of the automotive industry. “If you look at the Thumb of Michigan, it used to be heavily automotive
August 17, 2015 Read Full Article
Ethanol Producers Tackle Blend Wall with Direct Sales
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A small number of ethanol producers sell E85 and other ethanol blends directly to consumers with on-site blender pumps or, in a few cases, own retail gas stations. Mitch Miller, CEO of Carbon Green Bioenergy
August 17, 2015 Read Full Article
Biochemist Studies Oilseed Plants for Biofuel, Industrial Development
(Kansas State University) A Kansas State University biochemistry professor has reached a milestone in building a better biofuel: producing high levels of lipids with modified properties in oil seeds. Timothy Durrett, assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biophysics in the College of
August 17, 2015 Read Full Article
POET Drives $13.5B in Economic Impact in 2014: Report
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In South Dakota, POET released its first-ever economic impact study, and reported that in 2014 the company generated a total of $13.5 billion in sales for U.S. businesses; added $5.4 billion in national gross domestic
August 17, 2015 Read Full Article
Alpena Biorefinery Takes a Sabbatical, as American Process Shifts Testing/Demo Ops to Georgia
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Georgia, American Process has completed replication of its GreenPower+ cellulosic technology at its Thomaston, GA Biorefinery, and has shifted customer feedstock performance evaluation operations to Georgia. With the shift, the company announced that, pending improvements
August 17, 2015 Read Full Article
Michigan's First Alternative Energy Fueling Station Coming to Ottawa County
by Jim Harger (MLive) Michigan's first alternative energy fueling station is coming to a contaminated site that once held a traditional service station. Borculo Fuel Services, LLC, an affiliate of Zeeland Farm Services, Inc., will build an "Anew" station and convenience
August 03, 2015 Read Full Article
USGC: Unlocking Opportunities for DDGS in Canada
(U.S. Grains Council/Ethanol Producer Magazine) A team of Canadian buyers and end-users of U.S. distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) as well as a Canadian agriculture journalist recently visited the United States on a learning journey cosponsored by the U.S. Grains
August 03, 2015 Read Full Article
Orange is the New Red
by Lynn Yarris (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Berkeley Lab Study Shows Orange Carotenoid Protein Shifts More Than Just Color for Cyanobacterial Photoprotection ... “Prior to our work, the assumption was that carotenoids are static, held in place by the protein scaffold,” Kerfeld
August 03, 2015 Read Full Article
Hybrid Electric-Biodiesel Buses: Cleaner, Fuel-Saving Alternative for Public Transportation
by Milsa Vijayadharan* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Hybrid Electric-Biodiesel Buses used in California, Washington and Michigan Model Lower GHG Emissions Options for Cities Everywhere Public transportation plays an important role in green and sustainable practices. Public transportation use means fewer cars on the road and a cleaner environment.
July 10, 2015 Read Full Article
Perennial Biofuel Crops' Water Consumption Similar to Corn
(Michigan State University) Converting large tracts of the Midwest’s marginal farming land to perennial biofuel crops carries with it some key unknowns, including how it could affect the balance of water between rainfall, evaporation and movement of soil water to
July 07, 2015 Read Full Article
Study: Even with High LDV Electrification, Low-Carbon Biofuels Will Be Necessary to Meet 80% GHG Reduction Target; “Daunting” Policy Implications
(Green Car Congress) A study by researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Michigan State University colleague has concluded that even with a relatively high rate of electrification of the US light-duty fleet (40% of vehicle miles traveled and
July 03, 2015 Read Full Article
Making the Biofuels Process Safer for Microbes
by Scott Gordon (University of Wisconsin-Madison) A team of investigators at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Michigan State University have created a process for making the work environment less toxic—literally—for the organisms that do the heavy lifting in the increasingly
July 02, 2015 Read Full Article
Michigan-Made Biofuels the Way to Increase Energy Security (Guest column)
by Drew DuBois (DuPont Pioneer/MLive) In a recent guest column in the Kalamazoo Gazette, Michael Miller thanked Congressman Fred Upton for working to allow exports of oil drilled in the United States. Rather than looking for new ways to make money by
July 01, 2015 Read Full Article
4 Minutes with… Tim Donohue, Director, Great Lakes Bioenergy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Great Lakes Bioenergy is a DOE, Office of Science-funded Bioenergy Research Center. Its mission is to develop ways to produce ethanol, advanced biofuels and chemicals from the non-edible, lignocellulosic part of plant biomass. The Center
June 03, 2015 Read Full Article
At Eco-Marathons, Shell De-emphasizes Renewable Transportation Energy, Except, Possibly, for "100% Ethanol"
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Having recently completed the inaugural Detroit Shell Eco-Marathon, Adrian Juergens, Fuel Scientist and Shell Eco Marathon technical manager for the Americas held a press event at the Detroit Grand Prix track at Belle Isle
May 31, 2015 Read Full Article
Getting the Word out about Biofuels and Green Racing
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) No special Green Racing events at the Detroit Grand Prix this year because most of the cars racing for the DEKRA Green Challenge Award have opted out of this race to prepare for the
May 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center: Basic Research for Cellulosic Biofuels in the US
by Danilo Gusmão de Quadros* (Advanced Biofuels USA) This reports on part of a trip to Wisconsin to visit the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), University of Wisconsin (UW), a dairy farm that uses biogas production and the World
May 19, 2015 Read Full Article
Evaluating a Groundwater Supply Contamination Incident Attributed to Marcellus Shale Gas Development
by Garth T. Llewellyn, Frank Dorman, J. L. Westland, D. Yoxtheimer, Paul Grieve, Todd Sowers, E. Humston-Fulmer, and Susan L. Brantley (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) New techniques of high-volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF) are now used to unlock oil
May 05, 2015 Read Full Article
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