(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
woody biomass
Back TO HOMEReport 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
June 03, 2015 Read Full Article
USDA Announces Restart of Biomass Crop Assistance Program for Renewable Energy
(US Department of Agriculture) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that incentives will resume this summer for farmers, ranchers and forest landowners interested in growing and harvesting biomass for renewable energy. The support comes through the Biomass Crop
June 02, 2015 Read Full Article
How Europe’s Climate Policies Led to More U.S. Trees Being Cut Down
by Joby Warrick (The Washington Post) ... Soaring demand for this woody fuel has led to the construction of more than two dozen pellet factories in the Southeast in the past decade, along with special port facilities in Virginia and Georgia
June 02, 2015 Read Full Article
Global Tall Oil Fatty Acid Market: Application in Biodiesel Production to Increase Scope
(Digital Journal/ReleaseWire/Transparancy Market Research) Tall Oil Fatty Acid (Oleic Acid, Linoleic acid, and Others) Market by Applications (Dimer Acids, Alkyd Resins, Fatty Acid Esters, and Others) for Soaps & Detergents, Coatings, Lubricants, Plastics, Fuel Additives, Metal Working Fluids, and Other
May 30, 2015 Read Full Article
King Bill Establishes Biomass Emissions as Carbon Neutral
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, has introduced legislation that aims to ensure emissions generated from sustainably harvested biomass would be considered carbon neutral under the U.S. EPA’s proposed Clean Power Plan. The bill, known as “The
May 19, 2015 Read Full Article
Sen. Ron Wyden Introduces Grant Program to Improve Biomass Innovation
by Jaclyn Brandt (Fierce Energy) Oregon Senator Ron Wyden has been working to increase the use of biomass in his state and the country, and has introduced another bill with the goal of improving technologies for woody biomass. The bill, the
May 19, 2015 Read Full Article
Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center: Basic Research for Cellulosic Biofuels in the US
by Danilo Gusmão de Quadros* (Advanced Biofuels USA) This reports on part of a trip to Wisconsin to visit the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), University of Wisconsin (UW), a dairy farm that uses biogas production and the World
May 19, 2015 Read Full Article
New Web-based Tools for Biomass Mapping and Biomass Crop Production Decisions
(Southern Bioenergy Network News/SAFER Alliance/University of Tennessee) Southeastern Biomass Interactive Mapping Service (IMS)--The Interactive Mapping Service (IMS) allows you to explore the woody resource market in the southeast (currently North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama), both supply and demand. You
May 15, 2015 Read Full Article
BioVerno Diesel Now Available from St1 and ABC Service Stations in Finland
(Biofuels International) As of May, UPM's new wood-based BioVerno diesel fuel has been available at St1 and ABC service stations in Finland. The product, sold as a part of St1's Diesel Plus and ABC's Smart Diesel range, is a result of
May 14, 2015 Read Full Article
Auctions for All Assets of Two Silicon Valley-Based Clean Technology Firms: Biofuel producer, Cobalt Technologies and Flow Cell Energy Storage Company, EnerVault
(Silicon Valley Disposition/PRNewswire) Silicon Valley Disposition (http://www.svdisposition.com) announced today that it will simultaneously run online auctions of all of physical assets from the head quarter facilities for Cobalt Technologies located in Mountain View, California and EnerVault located in Sunnyvale,
May 14, 2015 Read Full Article
Dyadic Receives Funding for New Advanced Biofuels Program
(Dyadic/PR Newswire) Dyadic International, Inc. ("Dyadic") (OTCQX: DYAI), a global biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development, manufacture and sale of enzymes and other proteins for the bioenergy, bio-based chemicals, biopharmaceutical, food and feed industries, announced today details regarding 2G
May 14, 2015 Read Full Article
Södra and Statkraft Form JV to Produce Biofuel at Tofte Pulp Mill in Norway
(PaperAge) Södra and Statkraft have signed a cooperation agreement to start a jointly-owned company for the future production of biofuel at the former Tofte pulp mill in Norway. The company will be named Silva Green Fuel AS, and will be 49-percent
May 11, 2015 Read Full Article
The DOE’s 12 Top Biobased Molecules – What Became of Them?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... If they handed out Platinum and Gold certification to scientific papers as we do with recorded music, “Top Value Added Chemicals from Biomass” would be a multi-platinum chart-busting monster. This 2004 survey, completed by staff
May 04, 2015 Read Full Article
Regulations Could Hamper Biomass Project
by Brent Shrum (The Western News) Libby is the top choice for a company looking to build a $46 million plant that would use new technology to turn forest debris into 5 million gallons of liquid fuel per year, but there’s
April 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Tribe to Convert Abandoned Ethanol Plant into Wood Pellet Production Facility
by Dave Flessner (Times Free Press) The Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut wants to turn one of Tennessee's biggest renewable energy failures into a business success with another type of renewable product in growing demand around the globe. Northeast Wood Products, a wood
April 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Downsize Bioenergy Risk while Approaching Scale: Partnering with ZeaChem’s Technology Institute
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) For most investors, building a demonstration-scale facility in order to get, and validate, data for the last pre-commercial stages, is a necessary evil somewhere between diaper-changing and a colonoscopy on the “revolting, yet inevitable” meter. Those who
April 28, 2015 Read Full Article
New Study Highlights Fast Pyrolysis Bio-Oil Yields of 17-27% from Cellulosic Feedstocks
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington state, a new study released in the journal Energy & Fuels is providing the first, fully integrated assessment of common feedstocks from the field to refinery-ready crude fuel, based on hydrotreatment or fast
April 27, 2015 Read Full Article
Engineered Softwood Could Transform Pulp, Paper and Biofuel Industries
by Krista Eastman (University of Wisconsin-Madison) Scientists have demonstrated the potential for softwoods to process more easily into pulp and paper if engineered to incorporate a key feature of hardwoods. The finding, published in this week's Proceedings of the National Academy
April 24, 2015 Read Full Article
The Catalyst That Refused To Die
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Battelle-led group succeeds in US Department of Energy challenge — 1,000 hours of continuous biomass hydrotreating on a single catalyst charge. The undefeated champ hits 1200 hours before being retired from the ring. Next stop,
April 24, 2015 Read Full Article
Sweetwater Energy Raises $10M; Begins Ramp-Up to First Commercial
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sweetwater Energy announced it has closed on a $10 million bridge loan. The loan closed as Sweetwater said that it is now opening its Series B investor round to begin construction of a first commercial facility. Sweetwater
April 21, 2015 Read Full Article
Cascades Announces Major Investments in Biorefinery Project at Cabano Plant
(Cascades/PRNewswire) Cascades Inc. (TSX: CAS), a leader in the recovery of recyclable materials and manufacturing green packaging products and tissue paper, is pleased to announce the company's investment in a new technology at its Norampac – Cabano facility. This innovative
April 16, 2015 Read Full Article
Risk and Reward for Boardman Biomass Proposal
by George Plaven (Capital Press) One possible biomass fuel for the coal plant is giant cane, known as Arundo donax, which PGE has spent several years growing in small test plots. ... As a potential source of renewable energy, giant cane
April 09, 2015 Read Full Article
The Experiment in Exploitation of Engines Working on Biofuel Has Been Completed in Sweden
(Ukrainian Biofuel Portal) Stockholm authorities reckoned up the results of a four-year experiment in testing the trucks with engines using alternative fuel. Within the framework of the experiment, fifty trucks appeared on the roads of Stockholm, equipped with methane-diesel, diesel-electric and
April 08, 2015 Read Full Article
Confronting and Solving “Chicken or Egg” Conundrums in Renewable Project Development
by Tim Sklar (Biofuels Digest) Looking to turn vicious project financing cycles into virtuous cycles? This case study in developing a small-scale Bio-LNG plant offers cautionary tales and a way forward. In July 2014, Biofuels Digest had published an article titled
April 07, 2015 Read Full Article
PureVision to Scale up Biorefining Technology at ZeaChem Site
(PureVision Technology Inc./Ethanol Producer Magazine) PureVision Technology Inc., a Colorado-based biorefinery developer, recently announced that it will scale up its biorefining technology at an industrial site in Boardman, Oregon, owned by ZeaChem Inc. The public announcement was made March 28
April 06, 2015 Read Full Article
IH2* Technology Licensed to Leading Global Forest Products Company
(BusinessWire/IH2) Producing liquid transportation fuels from woody biomass -- A leading global forest products company headquartered in Northern Europe has entered into an FEL-1 license agreement with CRI Catalyst Company (CRI), a global catalyst technology company. IH2 technology is a thermal catalytic
April 06, 2015 Read Full Article
Global Bioenergies Heads for Demo Scale: A Magic Path to Isobutane in Sight
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In France, Global Bioenergies announced that it has completed the financing of its demo plant, and is commencing construction immediately. The 5,000L demonstration-scale facility will be completed in spring 2015, and will be located at
April 03, 2015 Read Full Article
UGA Researchers Create Trees that Are Easier to Turn into Fuel
(University of Georgia/Biomass Magazine) Researchers at the University of Georgia have discovered that manipulation of a specific gene in a hardwood tree species not only makes it easier to break down the wood into fuel, but also significantly increases tree
March 27, 2015 Read Full Article
HN: Babiš's Interests behind Czech Gov't Biofuel Support
(Prague Daily Monitor) The Czech government's decision to extend reduced taxation of biofuels seems to be clearly motivated by the fact that Finance Minister Andrej Babis (ANO) wants his oil-seed rape processing plant Preol to be working at full capacity,
March 27, 2015 Read Full Article
Investment from Flagship Ventures Brings Red Rock Biofuels Closer to Construction of its First Commercial Biofuel Refinery
(Red Rock Biofuels) Red Rock Biofuels LLC, a pioneer in renewable biofuels, today unveiled a strategic partnership with Flagship Ventures that sets the stage for the construction of its first commercial scale refinery in Lakeview, OR. As part of this partnership,
March 17, 2015 Read Full Article
Australian Biomass Plant To Improve Soil, Sequester Carbon, & Produce Biofuel
by Ronald Brakels (CleanTechnica) A $10 million dollar pilot biomass plant will be constructed in the Western Australian Capital of Perth. ... The specific type of plants will be mallee crops. This somewhat broad category includes agricultural waste and crops that
March 09, 2015 Read Full Article
Visalia-Based Edeniq Engineering Ethanol’s Future
by George Lurie (The Business Journal NOW) ... Lower oil prices, (Brian) Thome (president and CEO of Edeniq) said, translate into “lower prices for ethanol too. That means margins for ethanol producers will be squeezed” — a scenario that plays right into
March 03, 2015 Read Full Article
USDA Publishes Final BCAP Rule
by Anna Simet (Biomass Magazine) The USDA has released the final rule for the Biomass Crop Assistance Program, and though the general scope of BCAP is not changing with the recently published rule, there are some key changes being made
March 03, 2015 Read Full Article
Energy Group, Total, Makes Investment & Initiates Joint Development Agreement with Renmatix
(Renmatix/Total/PR Newswire) - Total invests in Renmatix – Takes equity and Board seat in Philadelphia based licensor of supercritical hydrolysis technology for conversion of biomass into economical cellulosic sugar -- Companies complete Joint Development Agreement to initiate distinct R&D
March 03, 2015 Read Full Article
2015 Sun Grant Conference: Academia Jumps One Step Forward and Shows What Will Be the Future of Lignocellulosic Biomass Production and Utilization in the Southeastern USA
Author, Dan Quadros, in Auburn, Alabama.by Danilo Gusmão de Quadros* (Advanced Biofuels USA) After two days (February 2-3, 2015) in “Sweet Home Alabama” at Auburn University, we got overwhelmed with the most recent discoveries of cutting-edge research that were presented
February 25, 2015 Read Full Article
What’s New, Different and Hot in Military and Aviation Biofuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In the world of aviation biofuels, the bands and the bunting are rolling out less frequently. But mostly, because the sector has moved out of a noise-filled early R&D phase and is heading towards deployment.
February 20, 2015 Read Full Article
Farmers Look to Legislature for Expansion Paths
by Don Davis (Daily Globe) Minnesota farmers want state leaders to help them expand to new markets. They are ready to enter a new era of producing crops that can be made into products ranging from rope to ink, but
February 20, 2015 Read Full Article
UGA Researchers Develop Super Yeast that Turns Pine into Ethanol
(University of Georgia/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Researchers at the University of Georgia have developed a "super strain" of yeast that can efficiently ferment ethanol from pretreated pine, one of the most common species of trees in Georgia and the U.S. Their
February 16, 2015 Read Full Article
BPI Announces Startup of Pilot Plant Featuring LTSD Technology
(Bio-Process Innovation Inc./Ethanol Producer Magazine) Bio-Process Innovation Inc. has announced the completion of the construction of its 1-ton pilot plant and successful operation of its low temperature steep delignification (LTSD) pretreatment process at its pilot facility in Otterbein, Indiana. The
February 16, 2015 Read Full Article
The Cellulosoic Biofuels Odyssey: Crossing the Finish Line
[caption id="attachment_59604" align="alignleft" width="300"] "The Cellulosic Biofuels Odyssey," artwork by David R. Dudley; concept by Heather Youngs, Susan Jenkins, and David Dudley.[/caption] by Greg Breining (Bioenergy Connection) When Bioenergy Connection first covered the progress to commercial cellulosic ethanol in 2011, a dozen
February 15, 2015 Read Full Article
DOE Accepting Comments on Engineered High-Energy Crop Proposal
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy has published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the availability of the Engineered High Energy Crop (EHEC) Programs Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
February 06, 2015 Read Full Article
Anellotech, IFP Energies Nouvelles and Axens to Develop Aromatics Technology from Non-Food Biomass
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Pyromania! Anellotech lands key European partners to commercialize its pyrolysis-based pathway to high-value renewable BTX chemicals. In New York, Anellotech, IFP Energies nouvelles and its subsidiary Axens have announced a strategic alliance to develop and commercialize
January 20, 2015 Read Full Article
Imposing Carbon Price Would Spur Bioenergy, Slash Emissions -- MIT Study
by Amanda Peterka (E&E Publishing / Greenwire) Bioenergy production would boom and spur steep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions if a global price is slapped on carbon, Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers say in a report released today. Examining bioenergy production
January 16, 2015 Read Full Article
Argonne Model Analyzes Water Footprint of Biofuels
by Greg Cunningham (Argonne National Laboratory) A new version of an online tool created by the US Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory will help biofuels developers gain a detailed understanding of water consumption of various types of feedstocks, aiding
January 16, 2015 Read Full Article
Mississippi Files Fraud Lawsuit against Khosla over KiOR
by Jeff Amy (The Dispatch/Associated Press) The state of Mississippi has sued billionaire Vinod Khosla and others, saying they knew long ago that bankrupt biofuel firm KiOR had poor prospects for success, but misled the state into loaning the company
January 16, 2015 Read Full Article
Colorado's Red Rock Biofuels Investing $200M in Jet-Fuel Project
by Wendy Culverwell (Portland Business Journal/Denver Business Journal) Red Rock Biofuels LLC, based in Fort Collins, is investing $200 million in a biofuel refinery in the rural southern Oregon community of Lakeview. ... The Red Rock project will convert up to 140,000
January 13, 2015 Read Full Article
Eight under $70: Which Biofuels Ventures Can Beat out Cheap Oil?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Oil prices continue to show incredible volatility. $106 in June, $50 today. Which biofuels ventures have the pro-formas to make money in a tough market? The Digest investigates. ... Avello Bioenergy Cost: $57.50 per barrel (gasoline, diesel) Stage: Preparing for
January 13, 2015 Read Full Article
UPM Lappeenranta Biorefinery Is in Commercial Production
(GlobeNewsWire/UPM) The world’s first wood-based renewable diesel biorefinery has started commercial production in Lappeenranta, Finland. UPM Lappeenranta Biorefinery is based on a hydrotreatment process developed by UPM, and produces approximately 120 million litres of renewable UPM BioVerno diesel yearly. “Lappeenranta Biorefinery
January 12, 2015 Read Full Article
New Information on the Environmental Impacts of Stump Wood Energy through 3D Modelling
(Finnish Environment Institute/Alpha Galileo) Tree stumps and root systems are a significant but controversial source of bioenergy in Finland due to their environmental impacts. Now Finnish and Norwegian researchers have developed a new method that can produce accurate three-dimensional (3D)
January 05, 2015 Read Full Article
New Conversion Process Turns Biomass 'Waste' into Lucrative Chemical Products
(Purdue News) A new catalytic process is able to convert what was once considered biomass waste into lucrative chemical products that can be used in fragrances, flavorings or to create high-octane fuel for racecars and jets. A team of researchers from
December 30, 2014 Read Full Article
10 Biggest Bioeconomy Blockbuster Stories of 2014 (EU, Middle East and Africa)
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Aviation biofuels on the rise, in the skies” tops the trend list; drop-in and cellulosic ethanol projects; M&A and cap raises, and action from strategic investors and customers dominate the headlines this year. You might know