Trillium FiberFuels receives $100,000 for Department of Energy to explore new cellulosic ethanol method

In Oregon, Trillium FiberFuels received a $100,000 grant from the Department of Energy to test an undisclosed methodology for cellulosic ethanol production. The company said that the grant, while not sufficient for its project, will lend credibility in its search for additional grants and equity investment.

The Oregon state Department of Agriculture made a $250,000 grant recently to study the conversion of ryegrass waste straw into ethanol. Growers view waste straw as a problem, and the Oregon Seed Council and Oregon State University researchers will study if the straw can be converted into ethanol.

Oregon remains on of the “greenest” states in the Union, and Corvallis was declared the “greenest city in America” in the second annual Best Green Places report released by Country Home magazine. The study That “analyzed hundreds of cities on key points, such as official energy policies, green power, green buildings, and the availability of fresh, locally grown food, according to the magazine’s editors. Among major cities, Portland placed second in overall rankings, #8 was Minneapolis, #11 was San Francisco, and #13 was Seattle. 17 of the top 25 cities were in the eleven western states, while the remainder included seven from the midwest and one (Pittsfield, Massachusetts) from the northeast. Oregon and California placed six cities each in the top 25.

Nine counties in northwest Oregon switched to E10 on April 15. E10 is now mandatory in Linn, Lane, Benton, Lincoln, Douglas, Coos, Jackson, Josephine, and Curry counties; all remaining counties will convert in September 16. The City of Portland’s Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) went into effect this year and Oregon’s RFS goes into effect January 1, 2008. The Oregon RFS calls for E10 and B5 blending after regional ethanol and biodiesel production reached 40Mgy and 15Mgy, respectively.

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