The Biofuels Digest Index™ (BDI), a basket of public biofuels stocks, was punished again, falling 1.98 percent to 62.47 despite an advanced biofuels rally. For the day, Cosan (CZZ) fell 5.48 percent to $12.07, while Renewable Energy Group (REGI) fell 9.63 percent to $7.13. Among other equities, Shell (RDS-A) fell 1.80 percent to 62.57. Overall, [...]
In “Operation Free”, a coalition of retired Admirals and Air Force and Army Generals say “We cannot drill our way out of the problem of energy security,” in letter to Senate Energy Committee heads. In Washington, a group of retired military leaders, organized as “Operation Free” within the Truman National Security Project, called on Senate [...]
Early voting is underway in the 40 Hottest Partners in Bioenergy and Bio-Based Products rankings. Among the category leaders in the early going: Green Plains Renewable Energy, Harris Group, Novozymes, Solazyme, Waste Management, Khosla Ventures, the USDA, POET-DSM, Mintz Levin, Stoel Rives and Wilson Sonsini, Albemarle, BASF and Koch, Gevo and UOP, Ford, MBI, the [...]
In New Mexico, ARA announced today that Chevron Lummus Global has joined the ReadiJet Alternative Fuel Initiative to develop drop-in biofuels for jet and diesel engines, eliminating the need for blending with petroleum. The joint development effort combines ARA’s CH PROCESS technology with Chevron Lummus Global’s ISOCONVERSION process technology. Commercial samples of ReadiJet™ fuel are [...]
In New York, the $18 million biofuel project developed by Griffiss Utility Services Corp that six months ago appeared to stall and looked like he might not make it has instead reversed course and is right on track. The project has received $1.5 million in state grants, validating the project that will set up wood [...]
In Washington state, Whole Energy Fuels has entered into a settlement agreement with the County of Snohomish to compensate the county for $143,000 in goods and services related to the 24-ton per day canola-crushing machine it was meant to provide under a country program for farmers to produce their own biodiesel. Proponents say the project [...]
In Thailand, Loxley announced a memorandum of understanding with Bangchak Petroleum Plc, Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding and the Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency, for a $1.9 million algal biofuels pilot plant. Construction of the pilot, which is planned for the Ratchaburi Electricity Generating plant in Ratchaburi province, will commence in late 2012. MBD [...]
In Germany, DEUTZ AG has, for the first time, released engines which meet exhaust emissions standard IIIB for use with biodiesel. By releasing its exhaust emissions standard Stage IIIB TCD 6.1 L6 and TCD 7.8 L6 models, including SCR exhaust aftertreatment and 2000 bar injection system, for use with 100 percent EN 14214 biodiesel, the [...]
In Australia, Virgin Australia has started an eight-week trial using B20 blends for use in its ground transportation at Brisbane airport. The biodiesel is sourced for a used cooking oil-based biodiesel manufacturer in Queensland. If the trial goes well, the biodiesel shift will be made at other Australian airports would could save up to 300 [...]
In Washington, in an attempt to piece together the switchgrass genome, the DOE Joint Genome Institute (JGI) in an international partnership with includes the DOE BioEnergy Science Center (BESC) and the DOE Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) has sequenced plant genomes of related candidate bioenergy crops such as sorghum and the model grass Brachypodium but may [...]
In the UK, researchers at the University of Leeds have developed an electrode capable of controlling the biochemical reactions needed for biofuel cells to produce large amounts of electricity and are now applying the same technique to a catalytic membrane. The hope is that the membrane may be capable of converting proteins into electricity by [...]
In California, scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and Iowa State University discovered a family of plant proteins that play a role in the production of seed oils, substances important for animal and human nutrition, biorenewable chemicals and biofuels. Scoring a rare scientific hat trick, the researchers identified three related proteins in thale [...]
What engines failed, and when and why. Was this test designed to fail? In Washington, the Coordinating Research Council, a non-profit research organization supported by the American Petroleum Institute and a group of automobile manufacturers, released a study that it said demonstrated the negative effects that blends of 15 and 20 percent ethanol in gasoline, [...]
In Washington, the USDA has released its report on stakeholder responses looking at its Regional Biofuel Roadmap. During October and November 2010, the National Food and Agriculture Council conducted a series of workshops in 42 States and Puerto Rico and collected 57 reports of stakeholder answers to a common set of 16 questions. This report [...]
In Washington, Representatives Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) have written to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ask hard questions about whether the agency is doing its job to protect the public in addressing the issue of antibiotic use in ethanol. Reps. Markey and Slaughter, in their letter to the FDA, [...]
Today on Twitter. johanmelchior: In Mozambique, biofuels improve health, increase incomes and food production, and protect forests gorillaspeak: Biofuels = disaster. Obama’s biggest decision of the year may be palm oil: envirolauren: Did you know that MA law requires 3% (5% by 2013) of home heating oil and diesel to be comprised of biofuel? ACOREUSCP: [...]
Today on Twitter. MrHoneyPot: We need 2 lessen our dependency on oil. Armed Forces seem 2 b heading in the right direction w/ biofuels. Y stop them? SCScertified: SCS is now accredited to certify #biofuels to the ISCC standard: Cannyhighlander: Food for fuel or to feed? UK #biofuels policy is bonkers causing more to go [...]
Today on Twitter. AGNBiofuels: Philippine Government Review Biofuels Programme christackett: How much do Republicans hate clean energy? House GOP wants to ban the Navy from using biofuels. Achfeeds: Amyris and the challenges of scaling biofuels production: The article first appeared on GigaOM Pro, subscription… BradsNews: New study says the use of #ethanol as a fuel [...]
In Arizona, Kenactiv Innovations announced the launch of its Activāt Fiber Technologies platform to meet rapidly increasing demand for sustainable fiber products by the textile, automotive, healthcare, plastics, packaging and consumer products industries. Activāt applies Kenactiv’s innovative and customizable processing and treatments to kenaf, jute and flax fibers to create sustainable solutions for manufacturers seeking [...]
In New York, Wickers Performance Wear, producer of performance fabrics for fire resistant base layer garments, has earned the USDA Certified Biobased Product label for its Wickers FR T-shirts. The USDA Certified Biobased Product label verifies that the Wickers FR T-shirts contain 97% of renewable biobased ingredients which meets or exceeds prescribed USDA standards. In [...]
The Biofuels Digest Index™ (BDI), a basket of public biofuels stocks, edged down 0.17 percent to 63.62 as ethanol and advanced biofuels continued a downward correction. For the day, Gevo (GEVO) fell 3.95 percent to $5.84, while Amyris (AMRS) dumped 12.22 percent to $1.58. Among other equities, Pacific Ethanol (PEIX) shed 4.23 percent to $0.68. [...]
Mad as heck about $5 gasoline? According to new research from Iowa State, the price could have hit $6 per gallon, if the US had not had its ethanol supply. A landmark 2009 study, conducted by researchers at Iowa State’s Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, and updated this week for impacts through 2011, found [...]
