by Ross Courtney (The Seattle Times/Yakima Herald-Republic) ..."You get down to it, it's dirty work," said Steve Fransen, a research agronomist at the Washington State University Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center. He means research, not farming, but farming is what
Washington
Back TO HOMEChina to the Rescue: U.S. Project Developers Look to China for Financial Support
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. federal government continually names China as being a country to beat in the clean energy race. However, increasingly, cellulosic ethanol producers and technology developers are coming to view China not as a
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
'If You Build It, We Will Buy It' Says Airline CEO on Biojet Fuel
by Luke Geiver (Biorefining Magazine) The second week in November could go down as one of the most significant weeks for advanced biofuels, airline companies and the use of biofuel-blended jet fuel in the U.S. Early in the week, United
November 17, 2011 Read Full Article
Biofuel Flights Signal Demand From U.S. Airlines
by Graham Warwick (Aviation Week) As airlines launch the first commercial biofuel flights in the U.S., the government is working with industry to scale up production of biomass-derived jet fuel to commercial quantities beginning in 2012. Following the lead set by
November 14, 2011 Read Full Article
Race for Scale: United, Alaska Airlines Launch Commercial Aviation Biofuels Flights
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) United and Solazyme, Alaska and Dynamic Fuels hook up, as producers scramble to make fuel, raise cash, ratchet down costs. Will producers scale, or fail? ...United Airlines will operate the first U.S. commercial flight powered by
November 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Oregon State University Study: Woody Biomass Not a Good Substitute For Fossil Fuels
by Amelia Templeton (EarthFix) In a study published today in Nature Climate Change, researchers at OSU suggest that efforts to thin Northwest forests to reduce the risk of wildfire and create biofuels could have an unintended consequence: increasing the region’s carbon emissions. The
October 26, 2011 Read Full Article
New 100 mgy Renewable Diesel, Jet Project: Imperium Renewables CEO John Plaza
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...(Imperium CEO John) Plaza said that the company would remain committed to its biodiesel business, which has been profitable since Q4 2009 and is running at near-capacity, but was unlikely to expand because of the
October 04, 2011 Read Full Article
Gevo Awarded Contract to Supply Jet Fuel to U.S. Air Force
(BusinessWire/Yahoo!Finance) Air Force Purchase is for Jet Engine Testing and Feasibility Flight Demonstration Gevo, Inc., a leading renewable chemicals and advanced biofuels company, received a $5 million grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the development of biojet
September 30, 2011 Read Full Article
Lignin Biojet Project Wins DARPA Funding
by Erin Voegele (Biorefining Magazine) A researcher at Washington State University has been selected to receive a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Young Faculty Award to support the development of a technology to produce biobased jet fuel. Bin Yang,
September 29, 2011 Read Full Article
Imperium Renewables Helping Bring Biojet fuel to the Northwest
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) Seattle, Wash.-based biodiesel producer Imperium Renewables and the U.S. DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have reported positive results in a joint development for the production of biomass-based drop-in jet fuel in the Pacific Northwest. So
September 28, 2011 Read Full Article
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces Major Investments to Spur Innovation and Job Creation in Research, Development and Production of Next Generation Biofuels
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced five major agricultural research projects today aimed at developing regional, renewable energy markets, generating rural jobs, and decreasing America's dependence on foreign oil. Altogether, the five-year program will deliver more than
September 28, 2011 Read Full Article
ZeaChem and Partners Awarded $40 million USDA Grant
(ZeaChem) ZeaChem Will Produce “Drop-In” Advanced Biofuels at Boardman, Oregon Biorefinery ZeaChem Inc., a developer of biorefineries for the conversion of renewable feedstocks into sustainable fuels and chemicals, today (September 28, 2011) announced it has been awarded part of a $40
September 28, 2011 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Announces up to $12 Million in Investments to Support Development and Production of Drop-In Biofuels
(US Department of Energy) In support of the Obama Administration's comprehensive efforts to strengthen U.S. energy security, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced up to $12 million to fund three small-scale projects in Illinois, Wisconsin, and North Carolina that
September 01, 2011 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Sets Sail
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) A high percentage of biodiesel is used by consumers on land, and marine operators are trying to match that same level of usage by sea ...Perhaps no one understands the trials and tribulations of biodiesel better
August 23, 2011 Read Full Article
Farmers Sought for Biofuel Project
(The Record) Farm officials, hoping to get California farmers to plant as much as 25,000 acres of camelina, an oilseed, for a biomass start-up project are offering incentives to growers in San Joaquin County and other areas of the Central
August 23, 2011 Read Full Article
Cantwell Applauds Launch of Jet Biofuels Program that Will Support Green Jobs Statewide
(AirportBusiness.com) Today (August 9, 2011) U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) toured the cutting-edge laboratories at Targeted Growth in Seattle and announced the launch of Washington state's first large-scale program for the growth of camelina sativa, a promising non-food feedstock for
August 10, 2011 Read Full Article
A New Catalyst for Ethanol Made from Biomass
(EurekAlert!) Researchers potentially find a renewable path to fuel additives, rubber and solvents Researchers in the Pacific Northwest have developed a new catalyst material that could replace chemicals currently derived from petroleum and be the basis for more environmentally friendly products
August 02, 2011 Read Full Article
Washington Plant Restarts Biodiesel Production, Canola Crushing
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) After sitting idle for a year, Inland Empire Oilseeds LLC managed to restart production at its 8 MMgy canola-based biodiesel facility, including an adjacent canola crushing plant, in Odessa, Wash. ...Edmonds added that he expects the
August 02, 2011 Read Full Article
Algae Companies Diversify Into Green Chemicals, Oils
by Erica Gies (Forbes) At first blush, algae seemed an ideal biofuel replacement for gasoline. Unlike ethanol, for example, it wouldn’t take food from the poor, utilize key agriculture lands, or require lots of pesticides. But the economics have thus far
August 01, 2011 Read Full Article
USDA Awards $45 Million to Four New BCAP Projects
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today the creation of four additional Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) project areas in six states to expand the availability of non-food crops to be used in the manufacturing of
July 29, 2011 Read Full Article
From Apples to Ethanol: Manson Teacher Finds Power in Wasted Fruit
by K.C. Mehaffey (The Wenatchee World) Instead of fueling his truck at the gas station, Tim Bombaci is getting his fuel from his neighbors. His neighbors who own orchards, that is. Over the past year, the Manson Middle School teacher developed and
July 14, 2011 Read Full Article
US Navy Issues 350K Gallon RFP for Advanced Biofuels
(US Department of Defense; Navy) The Government has a requirement for 100,000 USG of Hydrotreated Renewable JP-5 (HRJ5) and 350,000 USG of Hydrotreated Renewable F-76 (HRD76) to support the Navy's "Sail the Great Green Fleet" initiative. This requirement is for
July 14, 2011 Read Full Article
Grassley Q&A: Looking Forward with Biodiesel
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) (Biodiesel Magazine) Q. Why do you support the production of biodiesel? A. Too much of America’s energy comes from fossil fuels imported from countries that don’t like us. We can reduce dependence on foreign oil, and be
July 13, 2011 Read Full Article
Virent Makes Gasoline from Cellulosic Biomas
(Virent) Biofuels Pioneer Converts Corn Stover and Loblolly Pine Into BioFormate™ Gasoline with Molecular Composition Similar to Gasoline Derived from Fossil Fuels Virent announced it has successfully produced biogasoline from corn stover and pine harvest forest residuals, as a recipient of the U.S.
June 03, 2011 Read Full Article
Groundbreaking Study Details Viable Pathway to Develop Sustainable Aviation Biofuels Industry in Northwest
(Sustainable Aviation Fuels Northwest) Political support needed to jumpstart growth of domestic biofuels industry The Pacific Northwest has the diverse feedstocks, fuel-delivery infrastructure and political will needed to create a viable biofuels industry capable of reducing greenhouse gases and meeting the
May 25, 2011 Read Full Article
Everett Boatbuilder's African Ferry Almost Ready for Service
by Kurt Batdorf (Snohomish County Business Journal) Thain Boatworks' effort to bring reliable ferry service back to east Africa's Lake Victoria is about to bear fruit, albeit two years late. Rob Smith, chief executive and president of EarthWise Ventures Inc. and
May 19, 2011 Read Full Article
The Big Science Challenge With Biofuel: A Chat with ISB’s Nitin Baliga
by Luke Timmerman (Xconomy Seattle) ...Scientists have been working for a long time on various alternatives to fossil fuels as the fundamental unit of energy, without much success. No one person or institute has all the answers here, but
May 17, 2011 Read Full Article
Port of Vancouver, USA First to Step up to Biodiesel Challenge
(Port Technology International) The Port of Vancouver, USA is one of the first pots in the United States to replace regular diesel fuel with environmentally-friendly biodiesel for use in almost all of its own vehicles and heavy equipment. Biodiesel is
May 17, 2011 Read Full Article
Project to Turn Nearly Any Organic Waste into Biofuels
by Melissa O'Neil Perdue (Washington State University) An innovative idea for making advanced biofuels such as jet fuel, diesel and gasoline from regional resources is moving forward with a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). “This process will demonstrate the
May 17, 2011 Read Full Article
Matrix Genetics Pursues the Algae Fuel Dream in the Lab, Not With Big Steel Tanks, Giant Ponds
by Luke Timmerman (Xconomy Seattle) ...McCormick, one of the featured speakers at next week’s Xconomy event on alternative fuels, has led this quiet effort for the past three years inside Seattle-based Targeted Growth. While Targeted Growth grabbed headlines with hybrid camelina
May 16, 2011 Read Full Article
Sustainable Aviation Fuels Northwest
(Climate Solutions) Alaska Airlines, The Boeing Company, Port of Seattle, Port of Portland, Spokane International Airport, and Washington State University have initiated a strategic stakeholder process to develop a "Flight Path" (action plan) to produce sustainable aviation biofuel in the
May 05, 2011 Read Full Article
Study: Algae Could Replace 17% of U.S. Oil Imports
(Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Choosing optimal growing locations limits algal biofuel’s water use High oil prices and environmental and economic security concerns have triggered interest in using algae-derived oils as an alternative to fossil fuels. But growing algae — or any
April 15, 2011 Read Full Article
Algal Biomass Organization Presents First Annual Algae Industry Leadership Awards to Advocates in U.S. Congress, Navy
(MarketWire/Algal Biomass Organization) Recipients' Support of Algae Critical to Accelerating Industry's Growth and Reducing Major Barriers to Commercialization The Algal Biomass Organization, the trade association for the U.S. algae industry, presented its first annual Algae Industry Leadership Awards to United
April 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Gen-X Moves Forward with Advanced Biorefinery Plans
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) A unique biorefinery being developed by Gen-X Energy Group Inc. in Moses Lake, Wash., is nearly complete. According to Ramon Benavides, the company’s co-founder and vice president of business development, Gen-X is in the final
March 24, 2011 Read Full Article
Pulp Non-Fiction: Biofuels a Ray of Sunshine in a Gloomy Season
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As the pulp and paper industry reels from the internet’s impact, biofuels and renewable chemicals are offering value-adds, waste remediation, and new markets In Florida, the affable Rod Young, perhaps the most pre-eminent analyst and forecaster
February 22, 2011 Read Full Article
Boeing Hopes Biofuel Market-Ready By 2015
by George Tibbits (AP/Manufacturing.net) Boeing Co. hopes aviation biofuels will be practical for the market by around 2015, but it's going to take a lot of work. Richard Wynne, Boeing Commercial Airplane's director of environment and aviation policy, told reporters
February 22, 2011 Read Full Article
AltAir Fuels May Fly You on Biofuel Sooner than You Think
by Margaret Santjer (Puget Sound Business Journal) ...Seattle-based AltAir Fuels, which received a $2 million federal stimulus grant this year, plans to begin construction next year on a jet biofuel plant in Anacortes, with production slated for 2012. “We’re actually a lot
October 18, 2010 Read Full Article
Camelina Gaining Favor with Farmers for Biodiesel
(AgWired) Farmers in several regions of the U.S. are discovering a new potential cash crop – camelina. Camelina is beginning to find favor with both the biofuels industry as a strong potential feedstock for biodiesel, as well as with farmers who
August 13, 2010 Read Full Article
Auburn Forest-Products Firm Receives $1 Million Biofuel Grant
by C.R. Roberts (The News Tribune) Auburn-based Forest Concepts LLC has won a $1 million Department of Energy Small Business Innovation Research grant for the second phase of a biomass-production system. The system makes uniform particles from wood waste, and the particles
August 12, 2010 Read Full Article
First of Its Kind: WSU Led Bio-Jet Fuel Project Officially Gets Off the Ground
(Washington State University) A major Washington State University effort to develop aviation bio-fuel is underway with the announcement of a strategic initiative called the “Sustainable Aviation Fuels Northwest” project; the first of its kind in the U.S. In partnership with Alaska
July 20, 2010 Read Full Article
Small Seattle Biodiesel Producer Plans to Expand. Secret? Fast-Food Deep Fryers
by Martha Baskin (Seattle Post Globe) At a time when the US biodiesel industry has been in turmoil – faulted for where it sources raw materials or feedstock - a small producer in Seattle has plans to expand. What’s their