by Richard Cuthbertson (CBC News) Dalhousie University chemical engineer Sophia He is converting coffee grounds into fuel that could power cars -- When chemical engineer Sophia He was recruited to Dalhousie University's agriculture school five years ago, she began to brainstorm with local
Sustainability
Back TO HOMEClimeworks Launches Latest DAC Plant in Italy
by Rob Cockerill (GasWorld) Switzerland-based Climeworks has just launched another of its second-generation Direct Air Capture plants (DAC-3) in Troia, Apulia in Italy. Climeworks has been developing the technology since 2009 and commissioned its first industrial-scale CO2 capture unit in late 2014
November 05, 2018 Read Full Article
For the Times They Are a Changin’ – Conversions Abound from Diesel to Renewable Diesel
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... Phillips 66 and REG’s announcement about a new renewable diesel plant on the U.S. West Coast planned for 2021 comes after a notable increase in refineries that are being converted and changed over to renewable diesel. Change
November 05, 2018 Read Full Article
The Grand Challenge of Cellulosic Biofuels
by Lee R. Lynd (Energy Today/Nature Biotechnology/Dartmouth College) Why cellulosic biofuels have fallen short of expectations and what we can do about it. -- A robust second-generation biofuels industry based on inedible cellulosic biomass available as wood, grass, and various wastes was
November 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Redesigning Poplar Trees to Take the Drought ... and the Salt and the Heat
(North American Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance) Poplar saplings being grown at the University of California Davis are not expected to survive the rigorous conditions simulating prolonged droughts and heat waves that are being imposed on them. But they are helping a
November 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Designing a More Productive Corn Able to Cope with Future Climates
(North American Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance) An international research team has found they can increase corn productivity by targeting the enzyme in charge of capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. In a report published in the journal Nature Plants, researchers note that corn
November 02, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA Acting Administrator Wheeler, USDA Secretary Perdue, and DOE Secretary Perry Send Letter to Congress on Biomass Carbon Neutrality -- Managed Forests Can Bolster Domestic Energy Production
(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler, along with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Rick Perry, sent a letter to the House and Senate
November 02, 2018 Read Full Article
EESI Joins Comments on Health, Environmental & Economic Benefits of High-Octane Biofuels +
by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) ... Automotive manufacturers are expressing interest in raising the minimum octane level of the U.S. gasoline pool as a low-cost compliance option for increasing fuel efficiency. Until now, all MPG gains in the
November 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Presentations Available from the Workshop on Opportunities and Challenges in Anaerobic Digestion Maryland and the Northeast US Experience
(University of Maryland) Workshop on Opportunities and Challenges in Anaerobic Digestion Maryland and the Northeast US Experience Topics •Anaerobic Digestion: Where We Are Today •Digester Systems in the Northeast–Successful Case Studies •Federal Biogas Policy •MD State Biogas Policy •Use of Biogas: Scrubbing, RNG, GenSets, and Use
November 02, 2018 Read Full Article
RNG from Waste Must Be California’s Next Gold Rush
by Todd Campbell (California Natural Gas Vehicle Partnership/ACT News) ... Some of the top waste collection companies in the country have taken note of this unsettling trend, and have set out to pioneer innovation that would mitigate our population’s impact on
November 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Half of Any Fish Caught Ends up as Waste or By-Product, EUMOFA Study
(Fish Information and Services) The report on blue bioeconomy published by the European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture Products. -- Researchers from the European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture Products (EUMOFA) have determined that over 50 per cent of any
November 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Nordic CEOs Join Forces for a Sustainable Future
(Scandinavian Airlines System) A group of Nordic-based CEOs announced a joint initiative to speed up the realisation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Representatives from the group presented their shared ambitions to Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg during the
November 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Biobased Credit Cards, Useful Products from Diapers, Chicken-Fat Biodiesel, Mobile-Based Precision Ag, Biodegradable Insulation, Soy Synth Meat, Algae-Based Straws: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of November 1st
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of November 1st In today’s Digest, biobased credit cards, useful products from diapers, chicken-fat biodiesel, mobile-based precision
November 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Phillips 66, REG to Build Renewable Diesel Plant in Washington
(Renewable Energy Group Inc./Biomass Magazine) Phillips 66 and Renewable Energy Group Inc. announced Nov. 1 that planning is underway for the construction of a large-scale renewable diesel plant on the U.S. West Coast. The plant would utilize REG’s proprietary BioSynfining technology for
November 02, 2018 Read Full Article
DBT Set up the Fifth Centre of Excellence in Bioenergy
(India Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology) Memorandum of Understanding was exchanged between Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India and The Energy and Research Institute (TERI) today (31st October 2018) for setting up of India’s
November 01, 2018 Read Full Article
Bitcoin’s Popularity Has a Downside: It’s an Energy Glutton that Could Hurt Earth’s Climate, Study Finds
by Chris Mooney and Steven Mufson (Washington Post) The new research finds that bitcoin’s greenhouse gas emissions are already comparable to those of a midsize country. But critics aren’t so sure. -- ... There’s no doubt bitcoin is notorious for its high energy use — the
November 01, 2018 Read Full Article
Environmental Groups File Petition with EPA Accusing It of Illegally Allowing Wildlife Habitat Conversion for Biofuels
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, following on the heels of an Environmental Protection Agency report to Congress documenting wide-spread habitat loss following enactment of U.S. biofuels policy in 2007, environmental and conservation groups filed a petition with EPA, asserting the
November 01, 2018 Read Full Article
The Road to Feedstock Flexibility
by Chris Abrams (Biodiesel Magazine/Imerys Filtration) Imerys personnel have spent much of 2018 talking about new and diverse feedstocks for biodiesel production, and how to help biodiesel manufacturers incorporate them into their existing processes. Here is an overview of that discussion. ... We
October 31, 2018 Read Full Article
Israeli Scientists Develop Method to Produce Fuel from Olive Waste
(Xinhua) Israeli researchers have discovered a method to turn the waste generated by olive oil production into fuel used by vehicles, the news website Ynet published Friday. During the olive oil production process, of every 1,000 kg of olives squeezed in the
October 31, 2018 Read Full Article
German Process Allows Production of Green H-CNG from Wastewater
(Graforce/NGV Journal) The Berlin-based tech company Graforce has introduced a unique technology: Plasmalysis saves resources in its highly efficient generation of hydrogen from industrial waste water. Mixing in biogas produces hydrogen-enriched compressed natural gas (HCNG) – a cost-effective, environmentally friendly fuel
October 31, 2018 Read Full Article
Can Utah Lake's Algae Be Harvested? UVU Professor Has Plans, Is Seeking Funding to Turn Algae into Fuel
by Braley Dodson (Daily Herald) Barges could be running across Utah Lake by next summer, sucking up water and filtering out algae to prevent future massive blooms from forming on the lake. At least, that’s Kevin Shurtleff’s plan. Shurtleff, an associate professor of chemistry
October 31, 2018 Read Full Article
Smithfield Foods Announces Landmark Investment to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
(Smithfield Foods/CSR Wire) Smithfield Foods, Inc. is pleased to announce, through the nationwide expansion of Smithfield Renewables, innovative projects designed to help meet its goal to reduce the company’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 25 percent by 2025, which it set in concert
October 31, 2018 Read Full Article
Take-Off: 350 Million Bucks towards Drop-in Aviation Biofuels for the California Market
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, World Energy announced a $350 million investment over the next two years to complete the conversion of its Paramount, California facility into one of the cleanest fuel refineries in the world. The project will
October 31, 2018 Read Full Article
Governor Lays Foundation for Ethanol Bio-Refinery
(New Indian Express) The plant is dedicated to the welfare of tribals and farmers in the State, he said. -- Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal laid the foundation stone for the second generation (2G) ethanol Bio-Refinery of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) in
October 30, 2018 Read Full Article
SfL Report Assesses Challenges Posed by Changing Climatic Conditions in Missouri
(Solutions from the Land) Solutions from the Land (SfL) commends Missouri agriculture and forestry leaders who looked into the future, examined what science is telling them is coming from changing climatic conditions and extreme weather events, and explored opportunities to
October 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Ethanol Rule Change Likely to Take Months, Even Years
by Charles Dunlap (The Mexico Ledger) ... “The question is whether there will be a restraining order prohibiting the rules to go forward or not,” Murphy (Steve Murphy, POET general manager at the Laddonia refinery) said, adding the EPA is trying to
October 29, 2018 Read Full Article
Finnish Dairy Manufacturer Rolls out First Biomethane Delivery Truck
(Gasum/NGV Journal) The Finnish dairy manufacturer Valio’s first biogas-fueled delivery vehicle was taken into service in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area in September. Valio also takes part in the biofuel production by supplying waste generated in food production to Gasum’s biogas plants.
October 29, 2018 Read Full Article
UK Recycling Firm Powers Truck Fleet with Biogas Made from iIs Own Waste
(Warrens Group/NGV Journal) Recycling specialist Warrens Group has taken delivery of a 16-ton IVECO Eurocargo Natural Power. Running on CNG, the company is also believed to be the first in the UK to refuel a truck with biogas made from its
October 29, 2018 Read Full Article
Alternative Aviation Fuels: A Sustainable Future is Taking Off
(Roundtable for Sustainable Biomaterials) The aviation industry has committed to major action in the global fight against climate change, including carbon neutral growth from 2020 and a 50% reduction in emissions by 2050 compared to 2005 levels. The question is how
October 29, 2018 Read Full Article
Alternative Fuels Home Grown Bioenergy Contributes to Forest Health and Rural Jobs Across America
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) 88 Organizations Sign Statement Supporting Renewable Bioenergy and Biomass -- On Bioenergy Day and during National Forest Products Week, we recognize the importance of using domestic biomass for a wide variety of applications: renewable energy, heating and
October 26, 2018 Read Full Article
10,000 Hours: 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to GoBiGas Gasification Technology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) IEA Bioenergy Task 33 is a working group of international experts with the aim to promote the commercialization of efficient, economical and environmentally preferable thermal biomass gasification processes. Here, Anton Larsson gave this illuminating overview of GoBiGas technology, the
October 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Forbes Reviving Old Food vs Fuel Debate in Light of E15
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, Forbes magazine is reviving the food vs. fuel debate by sourcing a 2015 publication by controversial researcher Timothy Searchinger from the World Resources Institute’s website. The paper is quoted several times identifying the use of
October 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Over 70% Bioethanol Engine Developed
(Biofuels International) An Austrian university of technology, TU Wien (TUW), announced in a public release that it has developed a diesel engine that utilises over 70% bioethanol. TUW detailed the technology used in the development of the engine, which uses both diesel
October 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Sweden: Plant Produces Synthetic Natural Gas from Waste Wood
(Karlsruhe Institute of Technology/NGV Journal) Researchers of the German Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) succeeded in producing renewable methane from a biomass-based synthesis gas mixture in their pilot plant for honeycomb methanation. The quality of this synthetic natural gas (SNG) is
October 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Consortium Gets Funds to Develop UK’s First Hydrogen Dual Fuel Ferry
(EMEC/Ferguson/NGV Journal) Innovate UK have granted £430,332 of funding to design and integrate a hydrogen diesel dual fuel injection system onboard a commercial ferry. The hydrogen to be used in the project will be produced by the European Marine Energy Centre
October 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Bioenergy Day Recognizes Sector's Contributions to Forest Health, Rural Jobs Across America
(Solutions from the Land) Today, we join stakeholders around the country in observance of National Bioenergy Day, recognizing the importance of using domestic biomass for a wide variety of applications, including renewable energy, heating and cooling, and biobased products, to improve
October 25, 2018 Read Full Article
US Largest Dairy Biogas Plant Opens in Indiana, It Will Supply NGV Fleets
(Amp Americas/NGV Journal) Renewable Dairy Fuels (RDF), a business unit of Amp Americas, announced its second facility producing renewable natural gas from dairy waste is now operational and has begun delivering fuel into the NIPSCO natural gas pipeline system to be
October 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuel-Friendly Trees Could Help Land Restoration
by Helena Tavares-Kennedy (Nuu Digest) In Indonesia, biofuel plantations could be central to meeting landscape restoration targets in Indonesia while helping the country meet growing energy demand. Scientists with the Center for International Forestry Research, the Korean National Institute of Forest Science,
October 25, 2018 Read Full Article
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Big Oil Looks to Stop Utilities' Charging Investments
by Jeffrey Tomich (E&E News Energywire) State utility regulators across the Midwest are revving up their interest in electric vehicle charging infrastructure. And the petroleum industry and its allies are urging them to hit the brakes. The American Petroleum Institute, American Fuel and
October 25, 2018 Read Full Article
U.K.’s John Lewis Partnership Commits to Phasing out Diesel Trucks
by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) The John Lewis Partnership, a major department store company in the U.K., has announced plans to phase out all diesel-powered heavy-duty trucks from its fleet by 2028. The company, which calls itself the largest employee-owned business in the U.K., says
October 25, 2018 Read Full Article
California’s Turlock Scavenger Touts ‘Easy Switch’ to Renewable Diesel
by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) Turlock Scavenger, a waste collection and recycling company in central California, has switched its fleet of diesel engine vehicles to run on Neste MY Renewable Diesel and is reporting significant reductions in maintenance costs. Founded in 1935,
October 25, 2018 Read Full Article
World Energy to Complete Conversion of California Petroleum Refinery to Renewable Fuels
(World Energy/Globe Newswire) $350 million investment will result in 306 million gallons of annual production -- World Energy, a global leader in low-carbon transportation fuels production, announced today a $350 million investment over the next two years to complete the conversion
October 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Waste Gasification: 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to 2-Stage Incineration and “True” Gasification
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) IEA Bioenergy Task 33 is a working group of international experts with the aim to promote the commercialization of efficient, economical and environmentally preferable thermal biomass gasification processes. Here, Lars Waldheim of Waldheim Consulting gave this illuminating
October 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Pyromaniax Unbound
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Why the attention? Some of it in the most recent data and news regarding commercial status. TCat-8 has operated for over 2,000 hours with continuous catalyst circulation including a fluid bed reactor, catalyst stripper, catalyst regenerator, quench tower,
October 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Kroger, City of Toronto Among Energy Vision’s RNG Leaders
by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) At its annual awards reception in New York City last week, Energy Vision, a national nonprofit that researches and promotes low-carbon energy and transportation strategies, presented awards for entities helping speed the adoption of renewable natural gas (RNG). The
October 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Improving Ethanol’s Outlook: Fuel Economy Standards Help Make the Case for Midlevel Ethanol Blends.
by Chris Bliley (Growth Energy/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Automakers are responding by making smaller, higher-compression engines that demand higher octane. Improved engines are the first step toward achieving mid-level ethanol blends such as E25 and E30. ... E30 would improve fuel economy standards, reduce
October 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Texas A&M AgriLife Research Wins $2 Million for Biofuel Research
(Texas A&M AgriLife Research/Ethanol Producer Magazine) A $2.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office to Texas A&M AgriLife Research will help researchers investigate potential discoveries for waste products used in lignocellulosic biofuel production, turning them into
October 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Valmet to Supply BioTrac System to Cellulosic Plant in Romania
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Valmet has announced it will supply its BioTrac biomass pretreatment system to Clariant for use in its 500,000-ton-per-year (16.74 MMgy) sunliquid cellulosic ethanol plant in Podari, Romania. The facility is expected to begin operations in
October 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Concept to Construction and Exports are Crucial
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) In the U.S. ethanol industry, three plants are under construction, while a fourth makes its way through the permitting process. -- In an industry with more than 200 existing plants, four new projects is a
October 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Innovations in Biomass-Based Diesel
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Two ethanol producers are adopting quite different innovative technologies to add value to their corn oil—one making biodiesel with supercritical methods, the other making renewable diesel. East Kansas Agri-Energy’s renewable diesel plant has been
October 24, 2018 Read Full Article
R1,1 Billion Gas to Fuel Green Energy Plant for Middelburg
(Middleburg Observer) A gas to fuel green energy plants to the value of R1,1 billion will be built in Middelburg next year, anchoring the town as South Africa’s flagship commercial ethanol production region. ... A pilot fermentation unit was shipped to South Africa,
October 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Blue Agave Crop Grown in Far North Queensland to Be Burnt at Sugar Mill for Power Generation
by Courtney Wilson (ABC News) Blue agave — which is the base ingredient for tequila — is currently grown on a commercial scale in Mexico, but Queensland's MSF Sugar is aiming to become a world industry leader, with plans to plant
October 22, 2018 Read Full Article
GESS International Caps String of Biogas Announcements in NC
(GESS International) GESS’s plans for biogas plants throughout NC -- including a just-announced facility in Robeson Co. -- promise new jobs and energy sources -- This week, the company announced plans for a $35 million biogas plant in Robeson County, which has
October 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Enagás and Ferrovial Partner to Develop New Biogas Projects in Spain
(Enagás/NGV Journal) Enagás and Ferrovial have signed a collaboration agreement in order to explore together opportunities that boost the production and distribution of biogas. Specifically, both companies will analyze projects for the development and operation of plants where biogas, produced at
October 20, 2018 Read Full Article
EU to Engage Local Palm Oil Industry Stakeholders in Talks, Plantations Visits
(AFIQ AZIZ/The Malaysian Reserve) The visit is aimed to provide the EU delegations with a clearer and first-hand exposure to all issues concerned in RED -- The European Commission will hold a consultation process with Malaysian palm oil industry stakeholders next
October 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Sylvatex, Trucent Announce Scale up of MicroX Technology
(Trucent/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Sylvatex Inc. and Trucent recently announced successful scale up and blending of MicroX renewable blendstock from an optimized distillers corn oil (DCO) to free fatty acid (FFA) hydrolysis process. The scale up followed completion of development, construction and
October 19, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Honeywell’s UOP and Biomass-to-Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Honeywell’s UOP has developed a renewable jet fuel processing technology, a renewable diesel process, as well as a joint venture, Envergent Technologies, that will market technologies and equipment for generating power, transportation fuel and heating oil
October 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Edible Barcodes, DARPA’s Modified Crops, Insects, Pivit Bio Raises $70M, Rice Straw Ethanol, Renewable Concrete, Automated Indoor Farming, Biobased Hairstyling, Silkworms Making Spider Silk: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of October 17th
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of October 17th -- In today’s Digest, edible barcodes, DARPA’s modifying crops, insects, Pivit Bio raises $70M,
October 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Indian Oil Corporation Gets Land for Ethanol Production from Biowaste
(Times of India) UP cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal to allocate 50 acre land to Indian Oil Corporation on a 30-year lease for production of ethanol from biowaste. The plot identified for the ethanol plant is part of the property of the
October 18, 2018 Read Full Article
New and Improved Routes to Low Carbon Fuels, Chemicals and Materials: Re-Thinking the Global Bioeconomy
by Tammy Klein, Douglas Faulkner and Gerard J. Ostheimer (Biofuels Digest) ... After the Paris Agreement in 2015 the urgent challenge of mitigating climate change forced numerous people across the advocacy-to-action spectrum to look for practical options to de-carbonizing the entire economy.
October 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Landfill-to-Anything-Soon, Puleeze: In Search of New Energy, Materials from Waste
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The names seem less settled than the markets or science: is it biogas, biomethane, renewable natural gas, or RNG? Whatever your preferred name, you don’t have to burn it to make it hot — methane of
October 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Ethanol – A Solution to Pakistan’s Power Woes
By Umer Khayyam and Tehzeeb Bano (The Express Tribune) ... Carbon dioxide/greenhouse gas emissions, generated from the burning of fossil fuels, are increasing in Third World societies like Pakistan. ... To negate the negative atmospheric results of non-renewable energy sources, global and regional
October 15, 2018 Read Full Article
The Truth about E15 and Smog
(Renewable Fuels Association) On October 9, President Trump announced that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will soon begin a rulemaking process to allow year-round sales of E15 (gasoline containing 15% ethanol) in conventional gasoline markets, which account for nearly 70% of
October 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Scania, Lucketts and Green Biofuels Join Forces to Trial HVO as a Biofuels for UK Coaches
(Scania) A partnership between Scania, Lucketts Travel and Green Biofuels has conducted what is believed to be the UK's first trial of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) as a sustainable biofuel for scheduled intercity coach operations. The trial, which ran for three
October 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Waste Makes Haste: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Fulcrum BioEnergy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Fulcrum BioEnergy has developed a “game-changing process for converting municipal solid waste that would otherwise be landfilled, into renewable transportation fuels including syncrude, jet fuel and diesel”. The company recently broke ground on its first commercial project
October 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Industry and Countries Prepare for Introduction of CORSIA but "Much Work to Be Done"
(GreenAir Online) With just three months to go before all airlines with international flights must start monitoring their carbon emissions, ICAO’s CORSIA carbon offsetting scheme was centre stage at this year’s Global Sustainable Aviation Summit (GSAS) in Geneva organised by the
October 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Don’t Buy Big Oil’s Lies On E15
(Urban Air Initiative) It didn’t take long. Minutes after President Trump announced he wanted to see E15 sold year round, the anti ethanol messages started. As President Trump himself said“ethanol makes the air cleaner”, Big Oil was spreading lies that ethanol hurts
October 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Anaerobic Digestion Is Huge Economic Opportunity for UK, ADBA Tells Treasury
by Jon Harrison (Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association) ADBA Chief Executive Charlotte Morton has this week written to Robert Jenrick MP, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, outlining the economic and environmental benefits of AD. Highlighting the benefits it can bring in
October 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Neste and Air BP Enter into Innovative Industry Collaboration to Support Sustainable Aviation Fuel Supply Chain Development
(BP) Neste, the world’s leading renewable products producer, and Air BP, the international aviation fuel products and services supplier, have entered into an agreement to explore opportunities to increase the supply and availability of sustainable aviation fuel for airline customers. Through
October 12, 2018 Read Full Article
How Renewable Energy Could Fuel Future Conflicts
by Madison Freeman and Morgan Bazilian (Georgetown Journal of International Affairs) Renewable energy technologies promise to help our world avert some of the worst impacts of climate change. However, some of the minerals and metals they require could contribute to conflict. In
October 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Fat Profits: Asian Traders Cash in as Europe Thirsts for Waste Oils
(The Star) Once surreptitiously dumped down drains in the dead of night, Asia’s used cooking oil is fast becoming one of the most sought-after commodities in Europe - as a feedstock for biodiesel. Aggressive green energy targets in the European Union that
October 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Help Wanted: Job Interview for High Octane & Low Carbon
by Doug Durante and Doug Sombke (Clean Fuels Development Coalition/South Dakota Farmers Union/Biofuels Digest) ... However, we may have a unique and perhaps unprecedented opportunity for a do-over with the proposed fuel economy rule. While we take no position on exactly what
October 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Alternative Proteins on Everyone's Lips
(nova-Institut GmbH) The winners of the first "Future Protein Award": an insect bar, Proteins made from CO2 and Hemp protein – a guide to the future for modern consumers -- During the new conference "Revolution in Food and Biomass Production (REFAB)",
October 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Production of Renewable Gas from Waste Wood
(Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) KIT’s researchers succeeded in producing renewable methane from a biomass-based synthesis gas mixture in their pilot plant for honeycomb methanation. The quality of this synthetic natural gas (SNG) is comparable to that of fossil natural gas and
October 11, 2018 Read Full Article
A Superior Value: A Workshop in Anerobic Digestion
by Bill Keba* (Advanced Biofuels USA) October 2, 2018, Annapolis, Maryland. Inside the Doubletree Inn, it was as hectic as the traffic on Route 50. Eightyfive paid attendees were gathering, registering, networking, and hurriedly settling in for the 9:15 start
October 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Move Aside Lithium – Vanadium Is The New Super-Metal
by James Burgess (OilPrice.com) ... That’s vanadium—Element 23. The answer to our issue of scale. “It’s no longer a technological maybe,” says Matt Rhoades, president and CEO of United Battery Metals, a Colorado vanadium explorer sitting on one of the few known sources of
October 11, 2018 Read Full Article
World’s First Hydrogen Train Leaves Station in Germany
by Sam Morgan (EurActiv) The world’s first hydrogen-powered passenger train service began operating in Germany on Sunday (16 September), while EU ministers debated the future potential of the clean fuel at an informal summit in Austria this week. Commuters will be able
October 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Harvesting Solar Fuels through a Bacterium’s Unusual Appetite for Gold
by Theresa Duque (University of California Berkeley) A bacterium named Moorella thermoacetica won’t work for free. But UC Berkeley researchers have figured out it has an appetite for gold. And in exchange for this special treat, the bacterium has revealed a more
October 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Scaling up Biobased BTX: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Anellotech
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Founded in 2008, Anellotech has developed a clean technology platform for inexpensively producing bio-based chemicals from renewable non-food biomass. These drop-in, green versions of widely used petrochemicals; benzene, toluene and xylenes, are used to make plastics
October 10, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Optimizing Lignocellulosic Cropping Systems
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) How attractive are systems for Bioenergy Feedstock Production in Sustainably Managed Landscapes for Rural Development? Ioannis Dimitriou, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Dep. of Crop Production Ecology offered this illuminating overview at a recent IEA Bioenergy
October 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Eni AMA Deal: Biofuel Collection from Used Cooking Oil Begins at the Eni Headquarters in Rome
(ENI/Webwire) Eni and AMA signed an agreement today (October 2, 2018) to launch collection points for waste cooking oil produced in the homes of its employees which will then be converted into high quality biofuels. -- Eni and AMA, a public company
October 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Biomass Feedstocks for Energy Markets: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the BELT Biorefinery Concept
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) IEA Bioenergy Task 43’s goal is to contribute to sound bioenergy development driven by well-informed decisions in the forestry, agriculture and energy sectors as well as in investment institutions and government agencies. The group addresses critical issues for
October 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Pacific Biodiesel Subsidiary Launches Natural Sunscreen Product
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) A wholly owned subsidiary of Pacific Biodiesel, Maiden Hawaii Naturals LLC, has introduced Kuleana Sunscreen, a natural, reef-safe product. Made from plant-based oils, minerals and other natural ingredients—including the company’s locally made macadamia and sunflower oils—the sunscreen
October 09, 2018 Read Full Article
Nitin Gadkari: Use Biofuel for Public Transport
(Times of India) Referring to country's high fuel import bill and rising oil prices, Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari said that Uttar Pradesh, being the largest producer of sugarcane and having a huge potential for manufacturing ethanol, should run
October 09, 2018 Read Full Article
Indonesia to Convert Old Oil Refineries into Biofuel Plants
(PM News Nigeria) Indonesia is looking into the possibility of converting two of the country’s older crude oil refineries into plants, for the production of biofuels, a cabinet minister said on Tuesday. The government is conducting a study with Italian energy company
October 09, 2018 Read Full Article
UTech, Jamaica and Elhydro Limited Sign MoU for Biodiesel Production and Research
by Michelle Beckford (go-Jamaica.com/University of Technology, Jamaica) The University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech, Ja.) and Elhydro Limited on Tuesday, October 2, 2018 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalise collaboration in biodiesel production and research. The MoU agreement signed by
October 09, 2018 Read Full Article
IPCC Report Says Biofuel Necessary to Keep Climate Change under Control
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In South Korea, AFP reports the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change has launched a new report saying time is running out to stop climate change but that significant investment in biofuels and associated carbon capture and storage could
October 09, 2018 Read Full Article
From Unloved Woods to Desirable Bioenergy: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Wood and Forest Projects
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Increasing global demand for energy, a push by governments and industry to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG), and a desire to increase energy independence are driving the demand for renewable alternatives to fossil fuels. As a source
October 09, 2018 Read Full Article
Company Hopes to Convert Ethanol Plant to Methane
(Quay County Sun) If all goes according to plan, a long-closed ethanol plant in Tucumcari may be converted into a methane plant and become fully operational by mid-2020. Tucumcari Bio-Energy Co. is hunting for investors and may begin converting the plant to
October 08, 2018 Read Full Article
Energy Industry Urges EU to Update CO2 Standards and Include Biofuels
(NGVA Europe/NGV Journal) In view of the European Parliament plenary vote, the European Biogas Association (EBA), EUROGAS, Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE) and the Natural & bio Gas Vehicle Association (NGVA Europe) have jointly underlined the importance of natural and renewable gas
October 08, 2018 Read Full Article
‘Dirt Rich’ — The Importance of Biochar and Regenerative Systems for Soil Health
(Mercola) The creators of Dirt Rich are allowing for a full exclusive stream through October 12, 2018. STORY AT-A-GLANCE An estimated 80 percent of soil carbon in heavily farmed areas has been lost due to destructive plowing, overgrazing and the use of carbon-depleting chemical
October 08, 2018 Read Full Article
BPCL to Commission Second Generation Ethanol Plant in Odisha by Dec 2020
by Nirmalya Behera (Business Standard) About 12 such refineries are proposed in different states in the country. Odisha is the first state where the construction of the projects is going to start -- State-run oil company Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) plans to commission its
October 08, 2018 Read Full Article
Developing an Aviation Fuel Roadmap for Ethiopia
(Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials) RSB’s Executive Director Rolf Hogan attended a series of meetings in Addis Ababa to take forward the initiative to develop an aviation fuel roadmap for Ethiopia that was launched at the Aviation Biofuel Summit in March 2019.
October 08, 2018 Read Full Article
Biorefinery Monitoring: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Bioeconomy Materials Flows & Assessment
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Reliable information is an essential foundation for policy decisions. We are therefore working: to provide a solid database of the de facto development, to develop manageable and summarizing balance sheets and indicators, which aggregate multitude data
October 08, 2018 Read Full Article
UPM’s Good News Bear Brings Completed EIA on Kotka Biorefinery and More
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... UPM received some exciting news last week from consultancy company Pöyry about their Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for UPM’s possible Kotka Biorefinery in Finland. Not only has the EIA been completed and submitted to the “authorities”
October 08, 2018 Read Full Article
Con Ed Plans Renewable Gas, LNG Storage Facilities Amid Pipeline Constraints
by Robert Walton (Utility Dive) Consolidated Edison on Wednesday proposed a slate of gas projects and programs aimed at addressing rapidly-growing demand in New York City and Westchester County, which the utility says requires a new pipeline to serve the region's energy
October 08, 2018 Read Full Article
Development, Deployment of Integrated Biorefineries: The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to Biorefining in Italy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) IEA Bioenergy Task 42’s goal is to contribute to the development and deployment of integrated biorefineries as part of highly efficient sustainable value chains (co-)producing food/feed ingredients, chemicals, materials, fuels, power and/or heat out of sustainably sourced
October 06, 2018 Read Full Article
CARB Action on LCFS Underscores Need for Ethanol-Supported HOLC Fuels
(Solutions from the Land) Asserting that they are taking the state's climate fight up a notch, members of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) last week adopted amendments to the state's low-carbon fuel standard (LCFS) that could enhance the role of
October 06, 2018 Read Full Article
A Bird's Eye View of Bioenergy
by Bill Keba* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The Mid-Atlantic Bioenergy Conference and Expo (MABEX) was held on September 12 and 13 at the Convene at CityView in Philadelphia, Pa. The Mid-Atlantic Bioenergy Council did well in selecting this terrific skyscraping venue.
October 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Researchers to Develop Renewable Fuel Additives from Sawdust
by Edwin L. Aguirre (University of Massachusetts Lowell) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded a three-year, $1 million grant to a team of researchers from UMass Lowell, the University of Maine and Florida-based Mainstream Engineering Corp. to develop renewable fuel additives
October 05, 2018 Read Full Article
MPA Gives S$5m Boost to Research and Development on Greener Marine Fuels
by Tan Hwee Hwee (Business Times) The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has set aside S$5 million to co-fund the research and development (R&D) on cleaner marine fuel alternatives ahead of new emission standards being rolled out by the International
October 05, 2018 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
In analyzing the future of fueling air transportation in the wake of the Lanza Tech-fueled Virgin Air Florida-to-Gatwick flight, Biofuels Digest's Jim Lane suggested that we "bring consumer pressure to bear by distinguishing between sustainable flights and non-sustainable flights, the same
October 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Dunkin’ Donuts® Coffee at Home and Actress, Activist, and Filmmaker Olivia Wilde, Partner to Introduce the Home That Runs on Dunkin’
(Dunkin' Donuts) Actress and Coffee Enthusiast, Olivia Wilde, Incorporates Her Personal Style into the Home That Runs on Dunkin’ -- For years America has run on Dunkin’, and today Dunkin’ Donuts® Coffee at Home is bringing that slogan to life in New York City with
October 05, 2018 Read Full Article
A Unique Approach to Renewable Fuel Market Development in Western Pennsylvania
(ACT News) ... Ed Vogel Sr. started the company’s first municipal waste landfill in 1965, the Seneca Landfill in Butler County. More than a decade ago, the Vogel family set out to find a way to utilize the fugitive methane emissions
October 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Norway Demonstrates Leadership in Renewable Hydrogen and Hydrogen-Powered Ships
(ACT News) ... One country that has everyone in the hydrogen industry watching is Norway. The wealthy Nordic country continues to push forward with its ambitious plans for renewable hydrogen production and fuel cell technology for maritime vessels. There is huge
October 05, 2018 Read Full Article
From Waste to Fuel: Researchers to Develop Next-Generation Biofuels and Bioproducts
by Julianne Beck (Northwestern University Campus News) A new collaboration led by Michael Jewett, professor of chemical and biological engineering at Northwestern University, will combine recent technological advancements in bioengineering to develop a transformative production system for next-generation biofuels and bioproducts. The
October 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Singapore’s HES Unveils Plans for Regional Hydrogen-Electric Passenger Aircraft
(Business Wire/HES Energy Systems) One century after the start of commercial aviation, HES is joining forces with a variety of partners to pioneer a new form of aerial mobility: quiet and zero carbon, personalized, on-demand, decentralized and economically inclusive of rural
October 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Major Progress: Cutting Black Carbon and Lowering CO2 Emissions in Transport, Other Sectors
(Diesel Technology Forum) ... Use of renewable diesel fuel – not electrification or natural gas – in California is the primary means by which the state is achieving its low carbon fuel mandates, as well as its progress toward the
October 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Haryana Signs MoU with Indian Oil for Ethanol Plant
(Money Control) The initiative at village Bohali with a proposed capacity of 100 kilolitres of ethanol per day will manage crop residue and prevent straw burning before the upcoming paddy season, an official release said. -- The Haryana government on September 10 signed
October 02, 2018 Read Full Article
South Africa Looks to Kickstart Its Biofuels Industry
by Wendell Roelf (Reuters) South Africa hopes to finalise its biofuels regulatory framework by March next year, the energy minister said on Monday, almost a decade after the policy to promote biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel was first approved. A net importer
October 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Advancing Energy Independence: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Biogas and the Global Methane Initiative
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Why consider biogas to Renewable Natural Gas (RNG)? First, there’s the momentum nationally and internationally on RNG (aka, biomethane, R-gas, green gas, renewable gas). Plus, biomethane is a flexible renewable fuel; and can be used in vehicle
October 02, 2018 Read Full Article
New Algae/Fungi Biofuels System, Breakthru on Sugar Yields, Biodegradable Clothes, Beyond Burger’s monster GHG Benefit, Indigo Ag’s $250M, Robotic Precision Harvest: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of October 3rd
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. In today’s Digest, a new algae/fungi biofuels system, breakthru on sugar yields, biodegradable clothes, Beyond Burger’s monster GHG benefit revealed, Indigo Ag raises $250M, robotic
October 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Energy Security: A Bipartisan Issue in a Partisan Year
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... What this country — and every country — needs is a bigger vision so that the friends of energy security are not divided by their differences on technology or feedstock but are united toward a
October 02, 2018 Read Full Article
ABO Secures $44 million for Algae, Carbon Utilization Research in FY 2019
(Algae Biomass Organization) Following close on the heels of the U.S. Department of Energy’s latest round of algae funding awards, President Trump Friday (September 21, 2018) signed into law a Fiscal Year 2019 spending bill providing an additional $44 million in FY2019 for algae
October 01, 2018 Read Full Article
Climate Researchers: More Green Space, Less Biofuel
(Iran Daily) ... According to UPI, John M. DeCicco, a research professor at the University of Michigan Energy Institute, and William H. Schlesinger, president emeritus of the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, want to see more conservation of the planet's natural
October 01, 2018 Read Full Article
With Gas Prices Rising, Sales of Cheaper, Ethanol-Blended Fuels Are Surging in California
by Steve Scauzillo (San Gabriel Valley Tribune/The Sun) ... But in about 190 stations in California, there exists an alternative: One lone, usually green-colored nozzle delivering E-85, an alcohol blend accepted in 1.3 million “flexible-fuel” vehicles on California roads today. At 85
October 01, 2018 Read Full Article
Can the Bioeconomy Help Combat Plastic Waste?
by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) Recent reports have underscored the enormity of the global plastic waste issue. There are 9.2 billion tons of plastic waste in the environment and an additional 500 tons of plastics are produced annually.
September 28, 2018 Read Full Article
Thermal Gasification of Biomass: The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to TGoB in Norway
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) IEA Bioenergy Task 33 is a working group of international experts with the aim to promote the commercialization of efficient, economical and environmentally preferable thermal biomass gasification processes. Judit Sandquist gave this illuminating overview of the
September 27, 2018 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK -- Kelly Davis
In recent Renewable Fuels Association testimony, Kelly Davis noted, "It was apparent that the previous administration disregarded comments from RFA and many other stakeholders—including the automakers—that encouraged EPA to evaluate engines and fuels as integrated systems when assessing the efficacy
September 26, 2018 Read Full Article
RFA Testifies in Support of High Octane Low Carbon Fuels at EPA/NHTSA Hearing
by Rachel Gantz (Renewable Fuels Association) A high-octane, low-carbon fuel containing 20-40% ethanol used in optimized engines would be the lowest cost means of achieving compliance with fuel economy and greenhouse gas standards for model year 2021-2026 and beyond, Renewable Fuels
September 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Hog-Waste Plant Clears Hurdle, but New NC Rule Threatens Future Development
by John Downey (Charlotte Business Journal/Mid-Atlantic Bioenergy Council) Wilmington’s Optima BioEnergy operates North Carolina’s only swine-waste biogas plant and had plans for more. Then regulators three a wrench into those plans. Optima BioEnergy has cleared an important regulatory hurdle to building its
September 26, 2018 Read Full Article
State to Provide Biogas Subsidies in Rural Areas
by Parul Kulshrestha (Times of India) Rajasthan, which has to meet a target of 3,700 household Biogas plants in the state under the National Biogas and Management Programme (NBMMP), has announced to provide subsidies for same. The National Biogas Policy that came into force
September 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Rwanda Eyes Biogas to Help Curb Deforestation
by Amy Yee (WRAL/New York Times) The kitchen of Ecole Secondaire Kanombe Efotec, a boarding school here, is busy from dawn to dusk while the staff cooks meals for more than 1,000 hungry teenagers. At one time, the school went through about
September 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Boskalis to Reduce CO2 Emissions by Using Sustainable Biofuel on Borsele Renewable Energy Project
(Boskalis) Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. (Boskalis) will use a biofuel blend on the project to install the export cable to the Borssele offshore wind farm resulting in a more sustainable realization of this renewable energy project. The Borssele Alpha project is
September 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Thermal Gasification of Biomass: The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to TGoB in the United States
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) IEA Bioenergy Task 33 is a working group of international experts with the aim to promote the commercialization of efficient, economical and environmentally preferable thermal biomass gasification processes. Kevin Whitty gave this illuminating overview of the progress
September 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Determining the Renewability of Co-Processed Fuels
(UFOP/ECOFYS) To report the biofuel content (i.e. the renewable share) of the outputs when biogenic and fossil components are coprocessed, a robust, consistent and transparent methodology is needed. There are several processes for which such a methodology could be relevant. For
September 25, 2018 Read Full Article
UFOP Position Paper Says Time Is Now for Biofuels
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Germany, UFOP published a position paper intended to appeal to decision-makers in politics, business and science on why biofuels can and should play a role in climate protection goals, especially with discussion about food vs. fuel
September 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Circular Biobased Economy: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the Biobased Delta
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In a biobased economy renewable raw materials take over the role of fossil raw materials, such as oil. This is extremely important in order to reduce the carbon footprint which has a positive influence on climate
September 25, 2018 Read Full Article
India Rising to the Top of the Bioeconomy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) To measure the impact that advanced biofuels are having in India, consider that the World Biofuels Day program featured, on stage, Prime Minister Modi, the minister for agriculture, the minister for road transport & highways, shipping
September 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Six Green Fleets in Tennessee Prevent 575 Tons of CO2 Annually
by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) ... The Tennessee Green Fleets Certification Program, developed by Middle-West and East Tennessee Clean Fuels, uses performance-based metrics to analyze fleets’ vehicle and fuel-use data and compare new actions they have taken to what their footprint
September 25, 2018 Read Full Article
United Airlines Commits to More Biofuels
by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) United Airlines has committed to reducing its own greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions 50% by 2050, further strengthening the carrier’s ambition to be “the world’s most environmentally conscious airline.” United’s pledge to reduce GHG emissions by 50% relative to
September 25, 2018 Read Full Article
IVECO Displays 100% Diesel Free and Clean Fuel Vehicle Stand at IAA 2018
(IVECO/NGV Journal) ... In addition, natural gas offers the possibility for a seamless transition to biomethane and renewable energy, achieving zero emissions and opening the door to a circular economy approach that can go so far as achieving negative emissions and
September 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Delhi Gurudwaras to Set up Biofuel Plant for Kitchen Waste
(DNA India) Following the footsteps of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) in Amritsar the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee will now set up biogas plants in all the gurudwara complexes in Delhi. The form of energy is considered as one of
September 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Indonesia Halts All New Palm Oil Plantations for 3 Years
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... The battle continues between the European Union and its anti-palm oil stance due to deforestation and environmental issues, and Indonesia, the leading palm oil producing country whose farmers and businesses rely heavily on palm oil. With
September 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Coffee Waste Biofuel Plant in South Africa Expects 2019 Construction
(Biofuels International) South African recycling company Verda Waste is to build a plant that will process coffee waste into biofuel. The plant will be located in Johannesburg and is expected to be built in 2019. The company intends to lead the industrialising
September 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Enerkem Commits to Turning Marine Waste into Biofuel
(Biofuels International) At the G7 Environment, Energy and Oceans Ministerial Meeting in Halifax, Nova Scotia, global waste-to-biofuels and chemical producer Enerkem announced that it will be exploring opportunities to act against oceans plastic waste and marine litter. After constructing the ‘world’s first’
September 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Seattle University Will Become First College in State to Divest of Fossil Fuels
by Katherine Long (Seattle Times) The university says it will become the first among the nation's 28 Jesuit universities to divest its endowment of fossil fuels. -- Seattle University will become the first university in Washington state to divest its endowment of
September 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Reaping Profits from Microalgal Biorefineries
by Annie Megan Santamaria (Research Matters) Biorefineries which run on microalgae make for unconventional alternatives to satisfy our ever-growing thirst for energy. Studies in the past have proved that producing only biodiesel from microalgae biomass is non-profitable, and hence not sustainable. However,
September 20, 2018 Read Full Article
LanzaTech's Low-Carbon Jet Fuel Ready for Take-Off as Virgin Atlantic Plans for First Commercial Flight in October
(GreenAir Online) Virgin Atlantic will undertake a passenger flight in October using for the first time low-carbon fuel produced through its partnership with LanzaTech. This follows a decision by members of the fuel standards body ASTM in April to include alcohol-to-jet synthetic
September 20, 2018 Read Full Article
GACSA Strategic Plan Underscores Importance of Climate Smart Agriculture
(Solutions from the Land) The Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco brought much attention to the efforts underway by the North America Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance (NACSAA) to promote changes in agricultural practices that can increase the amount of carbon
September 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Now, Biofuel from Barapullah Drain Sewage
(Hindustan Times) Though this is a demonstration project, ICT scientists say its capacity can be increased to treat the entire Barapullah drain water. -- In a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country, wastewater from drains will be used to produce biofuel. Science and technology
September 20, 2018 Read Full Article
iSEE Helps Secure $6M+ in New Research Grants for U of I Agriculture Studies: $5M DOE Grant for Energy Crops Study
(Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment) ... A U of I Crop Scientist will lead a team of researchers on a five-year study of new crops that could contribute to the production of affordable, sustainable sources for market-ready fuels and other
September 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Port Authority´s First Ever Sustainable Fuels Forum --- September 28, 2018 --- New York, NY
In the past few years, transportation sector decarbonization has been heavily oriented towards electrification. However, for aviation, shipping and the heavy-duty vehicle sector, electrification poses a challenge. Renewable fuels play an important role in The Port Authority´s long-term sustainability strategy to
September 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Resilience through Regional Partnership: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the SPARC Consortium
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Southeastern Partnership for Advanced Renewables from Carinata (SPARC) is a consortium consisting of the University of Florida (lead), the University of South Florida, the University of Georgia, Auburn University, and other institutions, government agencies, the civil aviation
September 20, 2018 Read Full Article
PROPOSALS WANTED: Electrical Storage Start-ups DEADLINE: November 23, 2018
(EIT InnoEnergy) Got a brilliant innovation idea in the electrical storage area, and want to take it to market or scale-up? You could win €100,000 as well as investment and business support to grow your business from the world’s biggest
September 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Incentives Watch: Oregon’s Bovine Manure Tax Credit Isn’t the Only “Crappy” Credit That Exists
by Lauren Colandreo (Bloomberg) ... Last fall, Oregon enacted the Bovine Manure Tax Credit, which offers bovine manure producers and collectors a tax credit for each wet ton of manure collected to be used as a biofuel or to produce a biofuel.
September 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Shell-backed Startup Creates Fuel from Carbon Dioxide and Fake Sunlight
by Cole Latimer (Sydney Morning Herald) startup company backed by energy giant Shell has developed a method to turn carbon dioxide into fuel by adding fake sunlight. US company Dimensional Energy has developed an “artificial photosynthesis” process with a photoreactor that converts carbon
September 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Bacteria That Turn Sugar into Hydrogen Being Engineered by Researchers
by Joanna Sampson (Gasworld) Macquarie University researchers have teamed up with BOC Australia and Bioplatforms Australia to genetically engineer bacteria that turn sugar into hydrogen (H2). The project has received a $1.1m grant from ARENA, the Australian Government’s Renewable Energy Agency.
September 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Continued Testing, Cleaner Fuel Proposed for Diesel Engines
by Roger Gilroy (Transport Topics) Diesel fuel still has a large role to play in achieving greater emissions reductions in heavy-duty trucks, experts said during a recent conference in San Francisco. Separately, they urged more in-use testing of engines to verify
September 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Renewable Fuel Standards Boosts Air Quality
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association/My San Antonio) The Express-News Editorial Board recently missed the mark, claiming that the Renewable Fuel Standard, or RFS, is bad policy. The RFS has boosted local economies, strengthened U.S. energy security and improved overall air