by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In June 2014 the 6th adaptation to technical and scientific progress of the CLP (Classification, Labelling and Packaging) directive was published in the Official Journal of the European Union. This classified formaldehyde as carcinogenic and
woody biomass
Back TO HOMENREL Updates Survey of Advanced Biofuel Producers in the United States
(U.S. Department of Energy) The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) updated its annual survey of U.S. non-starch ethanol and renewable hydrocarbon biofuels producers. The survey report, titled 2015 Survey of Non-Starch Ethanol and Renewable Hydrocarbon Biofuels Producers, documents important changes
March 18, 2016 Read Full Article
Scientists Turn to GMOs in Search of Better Biofuels
by Christina Maza (Christian Science Monitor) ... Now, researchers across the US are pouring resources into discovering whether it’s possible to produce sustainable biofuel through selective plant breeding and genetic modification. That technique, which has generated controversy in the food industry,
March 14, 2016 Read Full Article
Momentum Builds behind Researcher's New Biomass Process
(University of Wisconsin-Madison/Phys.Org) For a world hooked on fossil carbons, the vials of amber syrup in Jim Dumesic's lab are full of sweet potential. Dumesic's group caused a stir in research circles and the media in 2014 by publishing a
March 11, 2016 Read Full Article
Biomass Goes from Golden Age to the Brink of Demise
by Marc Heller (E&E Publishing/ClimateWire) ... In California, once home to 66 biomass plants, about 30 remain in business, dashing the hopes of orchard growers looking for places to sell downed trees and branches. "When oil is less than $30 a barrel,
March 10, 2016 Read Full Article
Experimental Biomass Harvest a Step toward Sustainable, Biofuels-Powered Future
by Jeff Mulhollem (Penn State) The first harvest of 34 acres of fast-growing shrub willow from a Penn State demonstration field this winter is a milestone in developing a sustainable biomass supply for renewable energy and bio-based economic development, according to
March 10, 2016 Read Full Article
A Conversation with US Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack
(Industrial Biotechnology) ... My current assessment is that there exists an unlimited sense of opportunity in the biobased products and bioenergy sector. I look at the work being done at the USDA, which is extensive and has been helpful in getting
March 08, 2016 Read Full Article
UT and Genera Energy Harvest Hybrid Poplar Stand in Next Step Toward a Biobased Economy UT and Genera Energy Harvest Hybrid Poplar Stand in Next Step Toward a Biobased Economy
by Patricia McDaniels (University of Tennessee) A small stand of poplar trees harvested from a University of Tennessee AgResearch Center is set to help scientists progress further down the path toward low-cost, high-quality biomass and a bioeconomy. Located on UT’s East
March 04, 2016 Read Full Article
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Talks GMOs And Ethanol
by Robin Young (NPR's Here and Now) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is the only member of the cabinet who’s been there since President Obama took office. He heads a department that oversees a wide swath of government programs, including food safety
February 26, 2016 Read Full Article
Raizen Has Lowest Price as Cellulosic Ethanol Hinges on Feedstock Cost
(Lux Research/MarketWired) Of the Six Existing Commercial Cellulosic Ethanol Facilities, Raizen's Projected Price of $2.17 per Gallon Is Lowest, as Innovations Help Bring Next-Generation Biofuels to Market, Says Lux Research Six companies have now brought cellulosic ethanol facilities online, but with
February 24, 2016 Read Full Article
IEA and GBEP Launch Bioenergy and Water Paper
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Italy, IEA Bioenergy and the Global Bioenergy Partnership have published the “Examples of Positive Bioenergy and Water Relationships,” which includes examples that illustrate an encouraging variety both in terms of bioenergy systems and geographical
February 24, 2016 Read Full Article
BioFuelNet Canada Brings Biofuels Education to Canadian High Schools
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Quebec, BioFuelNet Canada has partnered with Talk Energy Week to participate as panelists at schools in eight Canadian cities, where they will be discussing sustainable advanced biofuels with over 1800 grade 11 and 12
February 22, 2016 Read Full Article
Comet to Build 30K Ton Biomass Sugar Plant in Ontario
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, Comet Biorefining announced at ABLC 2016 the location of its commercial-scale biomass-derived sugar facility in the TransAlta Energy Park in Sarnia, Ontario. The 60 million pounds per year plant will come online in
February 19, 2016 Read Full Article
Egregor Plans Ethanol Plant in Northern Russia
(Biofuels International) Egregor Biotech and Evolution Group is planning to construct a bioethanol plant in the forest-rich Komi Republic in Northern Russia. The plant would process 400,000 tpy of unusable timber and sawmill residues into 100,000 tonnes of ethanol, according to
February 11, 2016 Read Full Article
Chinese Energy Giant Plans €1bn Biofuel Plant in Northern Finland
(YLE) The Chinese firm Kaidi announced that it wants to build a big biodiesel refinery in Kemi. Kaidi Finland's CEO says this signals a new phase in Finnish industrial history, driven by the need to replace fossil fuels with biofuels. ... The
February 10, 2016 Read Full Article
Farmers Optimistic about Corn Stalk Sugar Mill Plans
(The Observer) A group of Southwestern Ontario farmers are one step closer to building a sugar mill for corn stalks and other plant matter, to help boost their bottom lines and attract more biochemical plants and jobs to the area. Bioindustrial
February 10, 2016 Read Full Article
115 Civil Society Groups Call for Bioenergy to Be Excluded from the RED post-2020
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In the UK, 115 civil society organizations and networks from across the globe have published a declaration calling for bioenergy to be excluded from the next EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED). The declaration is being
February 10, 2016 Read Full Article
Affordable, Drop-In Hydrocarbons from Wood: The Digest’s 2016 8-Slide Guide to CRI/GTI’s IH2 process
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The IH2 process was developed by Gas Technology Institute (GTI) of Des Plaines, Illinois—a research, development, and training organization serving energy markets. GTI experts invented, tested, and patented IH2 technology and are providing ongoing commercialization support. Twelve
February 09, 2016 Read Full Article
Renewable Accounts: Solid Biofuels, Part One
by David Ripplinger (NDSU Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics) When I returned to the Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics at North Dakota State University in 2010, I expected my research to focus on the economics of liquid biofuels. The
February 03, 2016 Read Full Article
Boeing Collaborates with Canadian Aviation Industry for Biofuel Project
by Vikas Vij (Just Means) Canada has extensive sustainably certified forests, which it can leverage to make environmental progress in various industrial sectors. The country has long used mill and forest residues to make wood pellets that are used to generate
February 02, 2016 Read Full Article
Penn State Harvests First Crop of Willow
by Michael Jacobson (NEBioenergy) On a cold crisp day in early January, an historic event took place in Central Pennsylvania. The location was minutes from the Penn State campus. The wait was over. The specialized harvesting equipment had arrived from NY, the
February 01, 2016 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2016 8-Slide Guide to NREL’s The Feasibility of Producing and Using Biomass-Based Diesel and Jet Fuel in the United States
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A primer worth knowing is “The Feasibility of Producing and Using Biomass-Based Diesel and Jet Fuel in the United States”, prepared by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory . It evaluates the technical and economic feasibility
January 29, 2016 Read Full Article
Ensyn Nabs Chevron Exec as New CEO
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Jeffrey Jacobs, who served as Vice President of Chevron Technology Ventures until his recent retirement from Chevron, was appointed CEO of Ensyn Corporation and elected to its Board of Directors. Jacobs was also appointed as
January 29, 2016 Read Full Article
The Future, Unzipped
by Erik Ness (Grow) Lignin is a tough organic compound that gives plants like this poplar their structure—and it’s one of the biggest obstacles in breaking down plants to produce biofuel. John Ralph and his team have created a new
January 28, 2016 Read Full Article
NETL Carbon Capture Technologies to Be Used in Commercial Biomass-to Biofuel Conversion Process with Power Generation
(National Energy Technology Laboratory) The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) has granted a license for two patented sorbent technologies that capture carbon dioxide (CO2) from streams of mixed gases and enable cleaner, more-efficient energy production from renewable fuels. The license was
January 28, 2016 Read Full Article
Strong 2015 Places Joule as a Global Leader in Scalable Ultra-Low Carbon Fuel Technologies
(Joule/BusinessWire) Major milestones include acquisition of Red Rock Biofuels, expanded partner relationships, continued strong technology development backed by strong financing partners -- Joule, the pioneer of drop-in liquid fuels from recycled CO2, announced today that it has gained significant traction in
January 22, 2016 Read Full Article
Tesoro Makes Its Move on Renewable Biocrude
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Texas, Tesoro has unveiled its plan to foster the development of biocrude made from renewable biomass, which can be co-processed in its existing refineries, along with traditional crude oil. And the company has identified three
January 22, 2016 Read Full Article
Great Green Fleet: The Digest’s 2016 8-Slide Guide to the US Navy’s Transition to Renewable Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Department of the Navy is now buying advanced, drop-in, cost-competitive, next gen renewable fuels. The biofuels sought can be blended in a range of 10 to 50 percent with conventional petroleum products and must meet
January 20, 2016 Read Full Article
Cellulosic Biofuels Outlook: Abengoa Doubts May Not Affect Biofuels Industry
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) Although the cellulosic ethanol industry has had some challenges, there is hope for the year ahead. For some Midwest farmers, cellulosic ethanol's launch in the past two years has allowed them to put their corn
January 19, 2016 Read Full Article
Bringing Up Biofuel
by Rosalie Bliss (US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service) ... U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists have advanced a process to produce a crude liquid called “bio-oil” from agricultural waste. The team is headed by Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
January 15, 2016 Read Full Article
New Dooly County Biofuel Plant to Bring 138 Jobs
by Kasandra N Ortiz (13WMAZ) People in Dooly County hope that their economy will be growing along with their trees. A company called Ensyn plans to add 138 jobs to their new biofuel plant. It will be built on a piece of property that has been
January 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Biofuel Vehicles Coming in Vogue
(Finland Times) The popularity of cars running on biofuel is growing and can still grow further, believes an expert. Flexifuel cars use E85 biofuel, which is 80-85 per cent ethanol. “Legislation allowing the installation of biofuel converters suitable for older vehicles
January 14, 2016 Read Full Article
Shell India to Build New Demo Biofuel Plant in Bangalore
(Biofuels International) Shell India Markets, the Indian arm of Royal Dutch Shell, has announced plans to build a five tonne/day biofuel demonstration plant using IH2 technology on the site of its new technology centre in Bangalore, India. IH2 technology is a
January 14, 2016 Read Full Article
Audi Beefs up Collaboration with French Biotech to Extend Biofuels Scope
(Biofuels International) Car giant Audi is entering a renewed collaboration agreement with French renewable energy firm Global Bioenergies to promote the development of biofuels. The two companies recently announced the delivery by Global Bioenergies to Audi of a first batch of
January 14, 2016 Read Full Article
IH2 Deep-Dive: Breakthrough Biofuel Technology Has Commercial-Scale In Sight
by Jim Lane (Renewable Energy World) ... The IH2 technology is a thermocatalytic conversion route for woody biomass and forest residues feedstock that has been estimated to produce drop-in renewable fuels at around ~$2.25/gallon (in 2014 dollars), based on a
January 13, 2016 Read Full Article
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: 11th Biennial SRWC Operations Working Group Conference — October 11-13, 2016 — Fort Pierce, FL DEADLINE: February 1, 2016
SRWC Science and Technology in an Uncertain Marketplace Short rotation woody crops (SRWC) are being developed as a sustainable supply of woody biomass for the production of bioenergy, biofuels and bioproducts as well as for traditional solid wood and fiber products. Recent
January 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Poplar (Populus spp.) Trees for Biofuel Production
(Extension.org) If you are looking for a comprehensive article on poplar for biofuel production, this is for you. Table of Contents Introduction Current and Potential Use as a Biofuel Biology and Adaptation Production and Agronomic Information Harvest Potential Yields Production Challenges Estimated Production Cost Environmental/Sustainability Issues Feasibility Summary Bibliography For More Information Contributors to This
January 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Purdue Engineer Receives Top Award from Obama
(Purdue University) Nancy Ho, founder and president of Green Tech America Inc. and a research professor emerita in Purdue University's School of Chemical Engineering, will receive the National Medal of Technology and Innovation from President Barack Obama. The award, announced Dec. 22,
January 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Cheap Oil Slows down UW’s Plan for Tree-Based Biofuels
by Katherine Long (Seattle Times) Four years after the University of Washington received a $40 million federal grant to kick-start a biofuels industry in the Northwest, scientists have made great progress, but plans are lagging, in part because fossil fuels
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
Willow Harvesting Updates
by Justin Heavey and Armen R. Kemanian (Northeast Bioenergy Extension Blog) The harvest season for willow biomass crops in the northeast is progressing across multiple sites, utilizng new harvesting technology developed by NEWBio researchers at SUNY-ESF in cooperation with industrial partner New Holland
December 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Paper, Wood Products Manufacturers File Biomass Litigation on CPP
(American Forest & Paper Association, American Wood Council/Biomass Magazine) American Forest & Paper Association President and CEO Donna Harman and American Wood Council President and CEO Robert Glowinski have issued the following statements after filing a joint petition for review in the
December 30, 2015 Read Full Article
What About Willow? Willows Could Be Next Big Thing for Conservation, Biofuel Feedstock
by Claire Vath (DTN/The Progressive Farmer) ... "We had something like 200 trespass cows from a nearby land lease," Willow says. So, they constructed a fence. And while it kept animals out, the damage had already been wrought. "Those cows destroyed
December 22, 2015 Read Full Article
Are We There Yet? A Biofuel Refinery Update
by Tom Ewing (Renewable Energy World) As oil prices plummet, are drop-in aviation biofuel refineries ever going to be built? --- In September 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE), along with the Departments of the Navy and Agriculture, announced a
December 22, 2015 Read Full Article
Cellufuel Turns Lumber into Renewable Biofuel
by Stephanie vanKampen (CBC News) Cellufuel, based in the former Bowater Merset paper plant, says the 'game changer' fuel is carbon neutral --- A Nova Scotia company says it's the first in the world to create biofuel completely out of
December 14, 2015 Read Full Article
Enviva Launches $5 Million Forest Conservation Fund
(Enviva/Biomass Magazine) Enviva Holdings LP, the world’s largest producer of wood pellets, recently announced it is establishing the Enviva Forest Conservation Fund, a $5 million, 10-year program designed to protect tens of thousands of acres of bottomland forests in northeast
December 11, 2015 Read Full Article
USDA Provides Loan Guarantee Conditional Commitment to Build Georgia Biofuel Plant
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a conditional commitment for a $70 million loan guarantee to help build a cellulosic biorefinery in central Georgia. USDA is providing the loan guarantee conditional commitment, an important milestone in
December 11, 2015 Read Full Article
NRL, NBDA Ink MoU for Sourcing Two Lakh Tonnes of Bamboo Annually
(Economic Times/India Times) Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), a Government of India Public Sector Enterprises under Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency (NBDA), a state government undertaking, today inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for sourcing
December 09, 2015 Read Full Article
Boeing, Canadian Aviation Industry Launch Sustainable Aviation Biofuel Project
(PR Newswire) Boeing (NYSE: BA), the University of British Columbia (UBC) and SkyNRG, with support from Canada's aviation industry and other stakeholders, are collaborating to turn leftover branches, sawdust and other forest-industry waste into sustainable aviation biofuel. Canada, which has extensive
December 03, 2015 Read Full Article
Fuel Made from Plants Is Like ‘Running on Solar Energy’
by Joel Schlesinger(The Globe and Mail) ... To that end, the startup has developed a technology to turn biomass – plant matter – into heavy fuel that burns like diesel. “Using a combination of pressure, temperature and some catalysts, we take biomass
December 02, 2015 Read Full Article
Ensyn Receives Key Regulatory Approval for Its Renewable Gasoline
(Ensyn/Biomass Magazine) Robert Graham, chairman of Ensyn Corp., is pleased to announce that Ensyn has been granted a key regulatory approval from the U.S. EPA for its renewable gasoline product, RFGasoline. This approval, pursuant to Title 40 CFR Part 79
November 27, 2015 Read Full Article
Report Concludes US Pellet Exports No Threat to Southern Forests
by Katie Fletcher (Biomass Magazine) A report commissioned by the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, National Alliance of Forest Owners and U.S. Industrial Pellet Association, finds the U.S. export of industrial wood pellets to meet renewable energy goals in
November 27, 2015 Read Full Article
It’s In the Plan: EPA Offers Clues on Woody Biomass Utilization
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) Over the past several months, biomass stakeholders have expressed frustration at the administration’s failure to label the use of biomass feedstocks as carbon neutral. The pellet industry and biomass advocates argue, that so long as
November 27, 2015 Read Full Article
Tribal Partnerships Fuel Sustainable Aviation
by Stephanie Pearl (US Department of Agriculture) Alaska Airlines will conduct a demonstration flight in 2016 using 1,000 gallons of jet fuel made from forest scraps. The aviation biofuel was derived from twigs and small branches that would otherwise have been
November 26, 2015 Read Full Article
11 Top Low-Carbon Fuel Players, WCSBD Publish COP 21 Guide to Slashing Transport-Based Greenhouse Gas Emissions
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Switzerland, 11 leading low carbon fuel companies present a comprehensive guide that identifies a variety of available and accessible low carbon fuel solutions. ... Today, only 3% of transportation fuels are low carbon. According to the International
November 24, 2015 Read Full Article
Whole Crop Utilization: The Digest’s 2015 8-Slide Guide to Idaho National Laboratory’s BioEnergy Program
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) INL’s program aims to overcome key technical barriers facing the U.S. bioenergy industry by systematically researching, characterizing, modeling, demonstrating, and harnessing the physical and chemical characteristics of the nation’s diverse agricultural residues. By finding ways
November 24, 2015 Read Full Article
Report Concludes US Pellet Exports No Threat to Southern Forests
by Katie Fletcher (Biomass Magazine) A report commissioned by the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, National Alliance of Forest Owners and U.S. Industrial Pellet Association, finds the U.S. export of industrial wood pellets to meet renewable energy goals in
November 24, 2015 Read Full Article
Pyromaniax Update: Anellotech Raises $7M from Mystery Investor, Takes on Key Scale-Up Data Task
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Will fund 25M high unit, Operational in 2016, to confirm viability of confirm viability Bio-TCat process for scale-up In New York, Anellotech revealed that it had raised $7M of its current $10M investment round from a
November 20, 2015 Read Full Article
Mathieu Flamini's No Fuel
(The Sun) Mathieu Flamini has kept a big secret from family, friends and team-mates for SEVEN years. But today in an exclusive SunSport interview the Arsenal ace reveals that, along with a close pal, he has created a pioneering company
November 19, 2015 Read Full Article
Renmatix to Develop Its First Commercial Biorefinery Next Year
by Anna Hirtenstein (Bloomberg Business) Renmatix Inc., a U.S. maker of technology for cellulosic biomaterials, will develop its first commercial biorefinery next year. The refinery will be commissioned by one of the company’s undisclosed partners and will be in the Americas, Europe
November 18, 2015 Read Full Article
New Biobased Projects Around the World
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Who’s building what, where, now. 29 projects in construction or in commissioning in Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Australia, and the Americas Despite low oil prices, first-gen biofuels and advanced biofuels continue to develop, and
November 18, 2015 Read Full Article
Hardwood Biofuels Researched Using Poplar Trees
by Dennis Farrell (The Daily Evergreen) ... A regional consortium for sustainable biofuels is teaming up with multiple companies and universities like Washington State to convert poplar trees into ethanol. Advanced Hardwood Biofuels Northwest (AHB) invests time, money and research
November 17, 2015 Read Full Article
Hyacinths and Sawdust Used to Combat Africa’s Cooking Pollution
by Anna Hirtenstein (Bloomberg/The Washington Post) A brew made from sawdust and water hyacinth flowers may help reduce the millions of lives lost across the developing world from the fumes of ramshackle cooking equipment. Those are the ingredients being used by Green
November 17, 2015 Read Full Article
Hamrick Engineering Granted Patent for Extracting Sugars and Nanocellulose from Biomass
(Hamrick Engineering/Your Oil and Gas News) Hamrick Engineering is pleased to announce the granting of a broad patent for extracting sugars and nanocellulose from lignocellulosic biomass by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). “This ground-breaking patent describes how to extract
November 17, 2015 Read Full Article
Joule and Red Rock Biofuels Announce Intent to Merge, Creating an Industry-Leading Carbon-Neutral Fuel Production Platform
(Joule/Red Rock Biofuels/BusinessWire) Joule, the pioneer of liquid fuels from recycled CO2, and Red Rock Biofuels, a leading developer of renewable jet and diesel fuel bio-refineries, today announced their intent to merge. Red Rock adds a proven technology pathway to
November 12, 2015 Read Full Article
Hydrolysis of Woody Biomass by a Biomass-Derived Reusable Heterogeneous Catalyst
by Hirokazu Kobayashi, Hiroyuki Kaiki, Abhijit Shrotri, Kota Techikawara and Atsushi Fukuoka (Chemical Science) Biomass is the sole carbon-based renewable resource for sustaining the chemical and fuel demands of our future. Lignocellulose, the primary constituent of terrestrial plants, is
November 11, 2015 Read Full Article
Renewable Drop-iIn Fuels at Scale, Construction in 2016: The Digest’s 8-Slide Guide to Ensyn
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Ensyn uses its patented and proprietary RTP fast thermal technology to convert wood residues and other non-food, cellulosic biomass to liquid biofuels. Ensyn has had continuous commercial operations for more than 25 years. Its technology has
November 09, 2015 Read Full Article
General Relativity, and the Remaking of Sweetwater Energy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Minnesota Awards $26 Million to Fund Sweetwater’s Biochemical Facility --- In Minnesota, Sweetwater Energy has received commitment for $26 million in long-term loans from the state of Minnesota to construct a biochemical production facility near
November 09, 2015 Read Full Article
Xcel Energy Grants Natural Resources Research Institute $1.9 Million for Bioenergy
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Minnesota, Xcel Energy’s Renewable Development Fund has granted the University of Minnesota’s Natural Resources Research Institute $1.9 million to develop locally produced biofuels that will later be injected into the national grid. READ MORE
November 06, 2015 Read Full Article
Opinions Sought on National Forest Service Biofuels, Forest Restoration Projects
(Southeast Partnership for Integrated Biomass Supply Systems) Bioenergy Alliance Network of the Rockies (BANR research member David Jackson, PhD of the University of Idaho seeks participants for a survey of "a broad cross-section of the American public" to evaluate interest in woody biomass
November 02, 2015 Read Full Article
Stora Enso Division US Headquarters Move to Raceland, Louisiana
by Katie Fletcher (Biomass Magazine) ...The Raceland plant uses technology developed by Virdia and enables cellulosic biomass, such as wood or agricultural waste, to be converted into highly refined sugars. It is located in the vicinity of existing sugar cane plantations and will use bagasse waste as feedstock. Sugar
October 30, 2015 Read Full Article
UPM to Field Test Wood-Based Diesel Fuel in Urban Bus Traffic
(UPM Biofuels/Biomass Magazine) UPM is to start field tests of its novel wood-based diesel fuel in urban buses together with Helsinki Region Transport (HSL) and the VTT Technical Research Centre. The field tests are also supported by St1, Volvo and
October 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Biotechnology Company Seeks $26 Million in Public Funding
by Bill Hanna (Mesabi Daily News) Mountain Iron intended home for Sweetwater Energy project -- The Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation Board on Friday will consider authorizing $26 million in public money for a startup biotechnology company in Rochester, N.Y.,
October 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Waste to Wisdom Project Shows Biomass Energy Potential
(Humboldt State University/Biomass Magazine) A potential revolution is unfolding on out-of-the-way logging roads. Foresters and researchers are innovating unique ways to make use of forest residues—low quality trees, tree tops, limbs, and chunks that formerly would have been left in
October 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Supply Chain Sustainability Analyses Completed
(U.S. Department of Energy) This fiscal year, three Supply Chain Sustainability Analysis (SCSA) reports were published through Argonne National Laboratory. The SCSAs use a life-cycle analysis approach to identify energy consumption or environmental issues that may be associated with biofuel
October 28, 2015 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2015 8-Slide Guide to Nova’s Scenarios for Biomass Supply through 2050
by Stephan Piotrowski, Michael Carus and Roland Essel (nova-Institut /Biofuels Digest) How much biomass can be sustainably produced globally by 2050? How much of the demand for food, feed, materials, bioenergy and biofuels can be met by this supply? Dr. Stephan Piotrowski,
October 26, 2015 Read Full Article
Biomass Supplies, Sri Lanka - First Smallholder Project in Southeast Asia to Earn RSB Certification
(Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials) Biomass Supplies (Pvt) Ltd, a company based in Sri Lanka, earned the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) certification for biomass produced from branches pruned from live fences of Gliricidia trees. The certification covers Biomass Supplies' work
October 26, 2015 Read Full Article
Poet Biorefining Plant Uses Wood Waste to Power Its Facility
by Ann Bailey (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Poet Biorefining in Chancellor, S.D., is currently powering its plant with wood waste from Spencer, Iowa. “We are a fuel-switching plant where we can switch to the most economical type of fuel,” said Dean Frederickson,
October 23, 2015 Read Full Article
In the U.S. Southeast, Natural Forests Are Being Felled to Send Fuel Overseas
(Natural Resources Defense Council) Demand for wood pellet exports out of the southeastern U.S. is being driven almost exclusively by climate and energy policies in the U.K. and European Union. Europe's forests are often highly regulated, so European power companies
October 22, 2015 Read Full Article
Woody Biomass Converted to Gasoline by Five-Company Team
by Elliot Levine (US Department of Energy) A five-company team led by Haldor Topsoe, and funded in part by the Energy Department, produced 10,000 gallons of gasoline from woody biomass, which included trees and wood waste. -- The purpose of
October 22, 2015 Read Full Article
DOE Warns That Climate Change May Disrupt Growth of Biomass Feedstocks
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) On October 9, the U.S. Department of Energy released a report about the threats posed by climate change to the U.S. electricity and fuels sector, U.S. Energy Sector: Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Solutions. Climate change
October 17, 2015 Read Full Article
Diamond in the Rough: The Digest’s 2015 8-Slide Guide to Cobalt’s Technology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Cobalt Technologies was commercializing cellulosic biobutanol, a versatile platform molecule for the renewable chemicals and fuels. The Company’s technology efficiently converts diverse non-food feedstocks – initially, lignocellulosic extracts from woody biomass and sugar cane bagasse
October 15, 2015 Read Full Article
8 Ways around the Big, Bad Oxygen Problem in the Advanced Bioeconomy Parts 1 and 2
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In the terrestrial world, oxygen is colorless, odorless, and try to get through an hour without some. In the Bioeconomy Cinematic Universe, oxygen is harder than steel, heavier than a black hole, and higher than
October 14, 2015 Read Full Article
A Secret Password for Advanced Biofuels at Scale? Forget “Open Sesame”, Try “Velocys Inside”
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Four new technologies approach scaled operations, all with one element in common – Velocys technology on the back-end. Why Velocys, why now? The Digest investigates. In Oklahoma, Southeast Oregon, Eastern Ohio, and a site near London
October 05, 2015 Read Full Article
Biofuels Try to Snap Out of Dormant Phase
by Amy Harder (Wall Street Journal) The promise of energy from sources like wood chips and switchgrass is still a long way off. -- Nearly 10 years ago, then-President George W. Bush promised to fund research in “cutting-edge methods of producing
October 03, 2015 Read Full Article
Alfred State Receives $1 Million for Biorefinery Center
(Alfred State/Biomass Magazine) New York Sen. Catharine Young announced that she has secured $1 million in state aid to help establish the Bio-refinery Development and Commercialization Center (BDCC) on Alfred State’s School of Applied Technology campus in Wellsville. The proposed BDCC
October 02, 2015 Read Full Article
UPM BioVerno Diesel Found to Reduce Tailpipe Emissions
(Biofuels International) Wood-based BioVerno diesel by Finland’s UPM has been found to significantly reduce harmful tailpipe emissions, the company reports. A number of engine and vehicle tests have been carried out across key research institutes, such as VTT Technical Research Centre
October 01, 2015 Read Full Article
Biomaterials May Be Next Growth Engine for Paper Industry
by Anna Hirtenstein (Bloomberg Business) As the digital age curtails use of newsprint and stationary, European paper makers are retooling their factories to produce more profitable materials that go into everything from fuels to sweeteners and even hair dye. That’s because
September 23, 2015 Read Full Article
Volkswagen NOxGate Probe Widens
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A 6-year Volkswagen scheme to defraud emissions regulators, uncovered by the US Environmental Protection Agency and disclosed publicly in recent days, has caught the eye of other countries and stakeholders around the world. In France, Finance
September 22, 2015 Read Full Article
Test Plots of Poplar Trees May Hold Key to Bio-Fuels Development
by Eric Mortenson (Capital Press) The recent drop in oil prices put the brakes on biofuel production, but industry insiders believe in the long-term promise of the technology. -- It’s like leasing ground to the future. On about 90 acres that in
September 21, 2015 Read Full Article
New Clean Energy Technology Debuts in Placer County
(Placer County) A new technology for converting forest waste into renewable natural gas was demonstrated for the first time ever today in Auburn. The process, developed by Canadian firm G4 Insights, converts scraps and small trees from forest thinning projects into
September 21, 2015 Read Full Article
Global Bioenergies Joins aireg to Push the Jet Fuel Application of Its Isobutene Process
(Global Bioenergies) Global Bioenergies has joined aireg – Aviation Initiative for Renewable Energy in Germany e.V. – . The French industrial biology company, which is currently developing its demonstration plant in Leuna, Germany will soon be able to produce alternative
September 14, 2015 Read Full Article
Forest Waste-to-RNG Technology to Be Demonstrated in California
(Placer County/Biomass Magazine) A new technology for converting forestry waste into renewable natural gas will be demonstrated for the first time ever Sept. 14 in Auburn, California. The process, developed by Canadian firm G4 Insights, converts scraps and small trees from forest
September 11, 2015 Read Full Article
Poplar Trees Are Best Bet for Biofuel in UW-Led Research Project
by Michelle Ma (University of Washington Today) Groves of poplar trees could one day fuel our vehicles and be the source of chemicals that we use in our daily lives. A five-year, $40 million study is laying the foundation for
September 08, 2015 Read Full Article
Whisky Biofuels Company Wins £11m in Government Funding
by Ben Martin (The Telegraph) Edinburgh-based Celtic Renewables uses waste products from malt whisky production to produce biobutanol, which power cars and lorries -- A Scottish company that makes bio-fuels from the waste produced by the whisky industry is to share
September 08, 2015 Read Full Article
4 Minutes with…Petri Vasara, Head of Biofutures, Poyry Management Consulting
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Poyry is the only Finnish knowledge company to become no 1 in a global industry sector (pulp and paper), and it has always been an enormously good observation post and global laboratory for trends, new
September 08, 2015 Read Full Article
Iowa Has the Blueprint for Energy Independence
by Governor Terry Branstad (The Gazette) ... The good news is that America has a blueprint for becoming energy independent through renewable energy sources, and that blueprint is right here in Iowa. I support an all-of-the-above energy approach, including traditional resources, but
September 04, 2015 Read Full Article
IEA Bioenergy Newsletter Features New Zealand Biofuel Prospects
by Katie Fletcher (Biomass Magazine) IEA Bioenergy Task 39, a group of international experts working to commercialize sustainable transportation biofuels, recently released its latest newsletter, featuring an update on opportunities for biofuels in New Zealand. Newsletter Issue No. 40 distributed by
September 04, 2015 Read Full Article
A New Maine Manufacturing Strategy Could Turn Plants into Products
By Charlotte Mace (Bangor Daily News/Sustainable Economy Program at Environmental Health Strategy Center) ... Yes, several Maine mills have closed and pulp and paper production statewide has declined. But the global market for advanced biobased products is skyrocketing. Maine is in
September 04, 2015 Read Full Article
New €106 Million Released by BBI JU to Research Innovative Ways of Using Renewable Resources
(Bio-Based Industries) Second call for proposals for the Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU) published today (August 25, 2015) --- New €106 million for research and development are unveiled today for bio-based initiatives to turn renewable resources into useful
September 04, 2015 Read Full Article
Aviation and Greenhouse Gas Reductions: A Role for Renewable Jet Fuels
by Tom Ewing (Renewable Energy World) In a July 1 Federal Register notice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) presented plans to control greenhouse gases (GHG) from aircraft. In August, in Washington, D.C., EPA held a hearing on its proposal.
September 02, 2015 Read Full Article
Ensyn Receives Key Regulatory Approval for its Renewable Diesel
(Ensyn/Advanced Biofuels Association) Dr. Robert Graham, CEO and Chairman of Ensyn Corporation (Ensyn), is pleased to announce that Ensyn has been granted a key regulatory approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its renewable diesel product, RFDiesel. This
August 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Renewable Jet Fuel Is Taking Flight
by Zia Haq (US Department of Energy) It’s been one year since we at the Energy Department ramped up our efforts to develop renewable jet fuel for the military and commercial aviation industry. The Department’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) joined
August 27, 2015 Read Full Article
Energy Department Announces $10 Million for Innovative Technologies for Bioenergy Technologies Incubator 2 Funding Opportunity Announcement
(US Department of Energy) The Energy Department today (August 26, 2015) announced up to $10 million in funding to advance the production of advanced biofuels, substitutes for petroleum-based feedstocks and bioproducts made from renewable, non-food-based biomass, such as algae, agricultural
August 27, 2015 Read Full Article
Alaska Airlines Partners with NARA on Alternative Jet Fuels
by Jesse Sokolow (Frequent Business Traveler) Alaska Airlines announced a new partnership with Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance, or NARA, that is aimed at furthering the production and use of alternative jet fuel made from leftover tree limbs and branches after
August 25, 2015 Read Full Article
Glucan Biorenewables: The Digest’s 2015 5-Minute Guide
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Glucan Biorenewables is producing furan derivatives from biomass. The furfural platform will be used to launch other value-added co-products: 5-hydroxyl-methyl furfural (HMF) and downstream derivatives The company’s TriVersa Process meets the need for a renewable, environmentally
August 24, 2015 Read Full Article
Poplars Considered as New Source of Biofuel
(Biofuels International) ... The Advanced Hardwood Biofuels (AHB) Northwest Project is hoping to build the world's first biorefinery for trees. Other trees often grown for harvest, such as Douglas fir and red cedar take 50 years to grow, while poplar will
August 18, 2015 Read Full Article
Forest Concepts Awarded SBIR Contract to Improve Biomass Drying
by Forest Concepts LLC (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Forest Concepts LLC was recently notified that it has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research contract from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The two-year $499,997 contract will support development
August 17, 2015 Read Full Article
VIDEO: Sustainability in Bioenergy: A Nation Connected
(US Department of Energy) “Sustainability in Bioenergy: A Nation Connected” is a short documentary highlighting personal stories and the efforts being made by communities across the United States to develop, produce, and provide bioenergy, while ensuring it is environmentally, economically,
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
Door Closing on Tapping into South Carolina's Wood Waste
by Sarita Chourey (SavannahNow.com/Savannah Morning News) A biofuels company that has been sizing up South Carolina’s wood waste potential will not build a biofuels operation in the state, according to a statement Tuesday from Colorado-based Red Rock Biofuels. “At this time,
August 13, 2015 Read Full Article
University of Vermont Offers Online Bioenergy Certificate Program
UVM’s Bioenergy Professional Certificate provides alternative approaches to traditional energy sources in Biofuels, including: Liquid Biofuels (seed-based biodiesel; bioethanol; algae-biofuels) Solid Biofuels (wood and grass energy) Biogas (farm-based energy) This Certificate Program offers college graduates, farmers, teachers,and entrepreneurs technical exposure to Biofuels science and technology topics that address environmental, economic,
August 11, 2015 Read Full Article
FedEx, Southwest Airlines Combine to Buy Entire Jet Fuel Output of Red Rock Biorefinery, through 2024
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) FedEx joins Southwest Airlines to buy out Red Rock’s entire 8-year jet fuel inventory — key milestone for project construction. In Colorado, Red Rock Biofuels will produce approximately three million gallons of low-carbon, renewable jet fuel
August 11, 2015 Read Full Article
Role of Biomass Not Yet Finalized in EPA’s Clean Power Plan – But Signs Are Promising
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) ... The Framework for Assessing Biogenic CO2 Emissions from Stationary Sources, which will codify how power generation with low-carbon biomass can be used as a compliance mechanism for the Plan, has not yet been released. Despite the
August 10, 2015 Read Full Article
Why “Less Dry” When You Can “Dry for Less,” Says Forest Concepts with Biomass Drying Research Grant
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington state, Forest Concepts has been awarded an SBIR research contract from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The two-year, $499,997 contract will support development of advanced model-predictive control
August 10, 2015 Read Full Article
Poplar-Based Bioethanol Production Awaits Spike In Price Of Crude
by Bruce Dorminey (Renewable Energy World) A rapid-growing tree, many researchers think poplar is missing its calling as a high-quality cellulosic bioenergy feedstock. -- As the world’s fastest growing temperate tree species, poplar can add a dozen feet annually and reach maturity
August 05, 2015 Read Full Article
EPA Releases Clean Power Plan, Uncertainty for Biomass Remains
by Anna Simet (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. EPA has released the final Clean Power Plan rules, which contain some key changes from the original rule, as well as vague language related to using certain kinds of biomass fuel as a
August 04, 2015 Read Full Article
Southeastern Biomass Interactive Mapping Service
(Southeastern Partnership for Integrated Biomass Supply Systems) The Southeastern Biomass Interactive Mapping Service (IMS) is a tool for exploring the biomass resources and the competitors who use these resources in the southeast US. It allows users to spatially examine feedstock, competitors
August 04, 2015 Read Full Article
The Pyromaniax, Class of 2015: The Top 10 Pyrolysis Projects in Renewable Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It’s been around for a generation or so — fast pyrolysis, that is. Though in the original low-tech incarnation — known as “cooking fire” — pyrolysis has been around since the dawn of man. But
August 04, 2015 Read Full Article
New Holland Agriculture Expands Offerings for Biomass Harvest and Handling
(Extension.org) Renewable energy production options are growing thanks to expanded farm equipment capabilities for harvesting biofuel feedstocks like shrub willow. -- Harvesting is the single most expensive operation in the production of shrub willow biomass, accounting for about 30% of costs
August 03, 2015 Read Full Article
Promising Projects: A Report from BIO's World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology 2015
[caption id="attachment_63689" align="alignleft" width="300"] A plenary session at the World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology (July 19, 2015, Montreal).[/caption] by Stefaniya Becking* (Advanced Biofuels USA) If one is looking for an international gathering of leaders in industrial biotechnology to expand their professional
July 31, 2015 Read Full Article
How One Farm Is Growing Food and Biofuels While Helping to Save the Environment
by Padma Nagappan (TakePart) ... Now researchers at the United States Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory think they have a solution that allows farmers to profit from growing both food and advanced biofuels while benefitting the environment. They planted willow on
July 29, 2015 Read Full Article
The Race to Meet Carbon-Neutral Biofuel Targets Could Put Human Health and Food Crop Production at rRisk unless It Is Carefully Planned, According to New Research.
(Science Daily) A new study, led by Professor Nick Hewitt of Lancaster University, examined changes in ground level ozone in response to projected land use change associated with future biofuel cultivation. Publishing in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, the researchers
July 29, 2015 Read Full Article
New Holland Partners with State University of New York on Biomass Research
(New Holland) Following the United States Department of Energy’s announcement to award State University of New York up to $3.5 million to fund a research project that seeks to develop ways to reduce the cost of delivering biomass for refinement,
July 27, 2015 Read Full Article
4 Minutes with… Robert E. Fogg, President/CEO/GM, Q-Team Tree Service
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... we are interested in using our 2,000+ annual tons of wood waste in the off-season to create a product that we can sell for a profit. We have 27 acres of commercial property and up
July 21, 2015 Read Full Article
Poplar-Based Bioethanol Production Awaits Spike In Price Of Crude
by Bruce Dorminey (Renewable Energy World) As the world’s fastest growing temperate tree species, poplar can add a dozen feet annually and reach maturity in as few as four years. One of its hybrids, populus x generosa, has the widest
July 21, 2015 Read Full Article
Red Rock Reaches Agreement with FedEx Express to Provide Biofuels for Renewable, Low-Carbon Jet Fuel
(Red Rock Biofuels LLC) Red Rock Biofuels LLC, a pioneer in renewable biofuels, announced today that it will produce approximately three million gallons of low-carbon, renewable jet fuel per year for FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE:FDX). The
July 21, 2015 Read Full Article
International Research Team Seeks More Efficient Biomass Refinement Processes
(Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) Researchers from across the world, including from Virginia Tech, plan to mimic the chemistry of the brown rot fungus to improve biorefining processes. BioMim, a $4 million, four-year project funded by the Research Council
July 20, 2015 Read Full Article
Blog: Research Projects Look into Low-Lignin Plants
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) You may have heard the old joke, “you can make anything out of lignin, except money.” Well, I hope to still be writing about ethanol the day that's been proven wrong. ... Earlier this year, I
July 14, 2015 Read Full Article
Swedish Energy Agency Will Invest €19,2 Million in a Biofuel Production Research
(FORDAQ) The Swedish Energy Agency (SEA) is investing SEK 180 million (€19,2 million) in two new research programs to develop more efficient and cheaper principles of the biofuel production. - We stake on the necessity of biofuels for achieving the society's ambition
July 10, 2015 Read Full Article
Unlocking Lignin for Sustainable Biofuel
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory/NewsWise) Lignin–hemicellulose simulation demonstrates potential for predictive modeling using NAMD -- Turning trees, grass, and other biomass into fuel for automobiles and airplanes is a costly and complex process. Biofuel researchers are working to change that, envisioning
July 08, 2015 Read Full Article
Scientists Study Ways to Integrate Biofuels and Food Crops on Farms
by Payal Marathe (Argonne National Laboratory) We ask a lot of the land: feed the world with crops, power the world with bioenergy, retain nutrients so they don’t pollute our water and air. To help landscapes answer these high demands,
July 08, 2015 Read Full Article
Finding an Off Switch in Wood Formation
by D'Lyn Ford (North Carolina State University) The same process plants use to respond to environmental stress acts as an on/off switch for a key enzyme in wood formation, NC State researchers have found. The discovery improves scientists’ understanding of how lignin,
July 08, 2015 Read Full Article
Research and Markets: Next Generation Biofuels Market 2015 - In-Depth Analysis of 90 Major Players Including Abengoa, Verenium, BP Plc., BASF, Shell & Iogen
(Research and Markets/Businesswire) Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/d87gbg/next_generation) has announced the addition of the "Next Generation Biofuels" report to their offering. With the demand for fuel increasing globally, researchers around the world are working on making fuel from waste products like plastic bags,
July 07, 2015 Read Full Article
Oregon Declares Biomass Carbon Neutral
by Anna Simet (Biomass Magazine) After a House vote of 44-9, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has signed a bill that exempts biomass-derived carbon dioxide emissions from regulation under certain air pollution laws. The bill defines biomass as nonfossilized and biodegradable organic
July 07, 2015 Read Full Article
OMB Weighs in on Biomass Language Included in Appropriations Bill
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The White House Office of Management and Budget has published a statement of administration policy that details its opposition to several components of an appropriations bill pending the in the U.S. House of Representatives,
July 06, 2015 Read Full Article
Poplars’ Potential: Rathdrum Prairie Grove Part of Study on Cellulose-Based Biofuel
by Becky Kramer (The Spokesman-Review) ... A $40 million research project, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is studying poplars’ potential to produce cellulose-based biofuels. The grove north of Hayden is one of four test plots in the five-year project, which
July 02, 2015 Read Full Article
Nearly Half of Senate Writes Urging for Streamlined Support for Forest Bioenergy
by Megan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, nearly half of the US Senate has written to the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Energy and the EPA administrator strongly urging the agencies to streamline support of biomass for energy across all
July 02, 2015 Read Full Article
Ensyn and Youngstown Thermal Sign RFO™ Biofuel Supply Agreement
(Ensyn) Ensyn Fuels Inc. (“Ensyn Fuels”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ensyn Corporation (“Ensyn”), has signed a contract with Youngstown Thermal LLC (“Youngstown Thermal”) for the supply of RFO™, Ensyn’s advanced cellulosic biofuel. Ensyn Fuels is to provide Youngstown Thermal up
June 30, 2015 Read Full Article
UPM Showcases the Biofore Concept Car at ZELLCHEMING-Expo 2015
(UPM) As part of ZELLCHEMING-Expo 2015 UPM showcases the Biofore Concept Car – a truly sustainable innovation. The Biofore Concept Car is on display from 30 June until 2 July 2015 at Messe Frankfurt. “Forests are no longer just a source
June 30, 2015 Read Full Article
European Biomass Conference and Exhibition 2015: Biomass: Challenges and Promises
by Maija Sihvonen* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The 23rd European Biomass Conference and Exhibition (EUBCE) held in Vienna 1-4 June was a massive event with nearly 1300 participants from 76 countries and some 800 presentations. The event consisted of multiple parallel
June 29, 2015 Read Full Article
EU Green Lights €120M in Advanced Bioeconomy Projects
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Brussels, The Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking, a public-private partnership between the EU and the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC), has approved the funding of 10 projects totalling €120 million to boost the EU capacity to
June 29, 2015 Read Full Article
Environmental Life Cycle Impacts of Cellulosic Ethanol in the Southern U.S. Produced from Loblolly Pine, Eucalyptus, Unmanaged Hardwoods, Forest Residues, and Switchgrass Using a Thermochemical Conversion Pathway
by Jesse Daystar, Carter Reeb, Ronalds Gonzalez, Richard Venditti, Stephen S. Kelley (Science Direct) Highlights •Cradle-to-grave environmental impacts of biofuels from five major feedstocks in the Southern U.S. •Thermochemical conversion pathway studied for ethanol production •Global warming impacts, eutrophication, acidification, and other impacts studied •95% reduction
June 26, 2015 Read Full Article
API Announces First Commercial Implementation of GreenBox+ Technology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Backed by a $10M investment from Natural Resources Canada’s Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) program and an additional $4.4M from the Québec Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs, the Cabano plant
June 22, 2015 Read Full Article
Gevo’s Wood-Derived Jet Fuel to Be Used in Test Flight
(Gevo/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Gevo Inc. has announced a breakthrough to its fermentation technology that will allow it to produce isobutanol from cellulosic feedstocks such as wood waste which can then be converted into Gevo's alcohol-to-jet fuel. Gevo currently makes isobutanol from
June 08, 2015 Read Full Article
Clemson Receives Grant to Research Crops for Energy Use
by Scott Miller (Clemson University) A new public-private partnership led by Clemson University and a worldwide biomass and bioenergy producer will research the use of crops that can both open new markets for South Carolina landowners and support the growing
June 08, 2015 Read Full Article
St1 Completes Waste-to-Ethanol Etanolix Project in Sweden
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Sweden, St1 Biofuels Oy delivered its first Etanolix plant to North European Bio Tech Oy (NEB) in Gothenburg, which recycles feedstocks such as biowaste and process residue from local bakeries and bread from shops
June 08, 2015 Read Full Article
University of Georgia Researchers Edit Plant DNA Using Mechanism Evolved in Bacteria
by James Hataway (University of Georgia) Researchers at the University of Georgia have used a gene editing tool known as CRISPR/Cas to modify the genome of a tree species for the first time. Their research, published recently in the early
June 08, 2015 Read Full Article
Alaska Airlines, WSU Partner to Advance Use of Aviation Biofuels
(Alaska Airlines/PR Newswire) Washington state's hometown airline is teaming up with the Washington State University-led Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance (NARA) to advance the production and use of alternative jet fuel made from forest residuals, the tree limbs and branches that
June 03, 2015 Read Full Article
Drive Your Car, Help Fight Climate Change? The New Biofuel that Claims to Be Carbon Negative
by Sarah Shemkus (The Guardian) Colorado-based startup Cool Planet says it has created a fuel that mixes seamlessly with gasoline and actually removes carbon from the atmosphere The entrepreneurs and innovators at Colorado-based Cool Planet are betting that a word you’ve probably