A collaborative effort has produced a yeast strain that speeds up the process of making ethanol from cellulosic materials. Researchers at the University of Illinois, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the University of California at Berkeley, Seoul National University and the oil company BP worked together to develop the newly engineered yeast strain that can simultaneously consume two types of sugar …
POET Designs New Ethanol Co-Product Loader
New equipment designed by POET has made loading distillers’ grains (DDGS) safer, faster, easier and ultimately more profitable for the company’s ethanol plants. It’s called the Load Toad™ and it was designed to allow rail cars to be packed more densely by forcing DDGS to the sides of the rail car, a process that is usually done by hand with …
Research to Study Impact of Ethanol on Older Vehicles
Kettering University in Flint, Michigan is one of several that have been tapped by the Department of Energy (DOE) to study the impact of higher ethanol blends on older vehicles. The use of up to 15 percent ethanol in gasoline for 2007 model year vehicles or newer has been approved by the federal government, while the use of E15 in …
Court Ruling Positive for Biodiesel
The biodiesel industry got another early Christmas present when a district appeals court today denied a petition challenging the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS2). The U.S. District Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia set forth a unanimous decision to deny the petition by National Petrochemical Refiners Association (NPRA) and the American Petroleum Institute (API) challenging the Renewable Fuels Standard …
Android App From RFA Finds Ethanol
If Santa has a Droid, he can now easily find ethanol blended fuel for his Flex Fuel Vehicle sleigh on Christmas. Just in time for holiday travel, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has announced the Flex-Fuel Station Locator application for Android phones designed especially to find E85 stations nationwide. To develop this application, the RFA utilized the E85 station database …
Domestic Fuel Bill for National Security
The “Domestic Fuel for Enhancing National Security Act” has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. Rep. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) introduced the bill which would authorize the Department of Defense to continue its leading role in helping to commercialize next generation biofuels by extending the multi-year contracting authority for advanced biofuels from 5 years to 15 years. In his …
Engine Makers Challenge EPA Over E15 Ruling
A newly formed group of engine manufacturers is challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to grant a partial waiver approving the sale of gasoline containing 15 percent ethanol (E-15) for 2007 model year and newer passenger cars and light trucks. The Engine Products Group, made up of several automobile, marine and small engine manufacturing organizations, filed a petition today …
BYO Ethanol Blending Solutions Webinar
Petroleum marketers and fuel station owners are invited to attend an ethanol blending solutions webinar for the new year. The Blend Your Own Ethanol Campaign is kicking off 2011 by helping retailers learn how blender pumps can be the answer to dealing with all the variables surrounding ethanol in the year ahead, including new infrastructure programs, new regulations, and the …
Ethanol Stakeholders Attend Tax Bill Signing
President Obama held a public signing ceremony for the tax bill passed by Congress this week that delivers early Christmas presents for everyone. Among those in attendance at the signing were some 150 members of Congress, administration officials and key stakeholder and advocates who worked to pass the bill, including representatives from the ethanol industry. Both Renewable Fuels Association president …
House Passes Tax Bill with Biofuel Incentives
Congress burning the midnight oil passed the tax cut legislation that will help the United States burn less foreign oil. The final vote was 277-148 on the Middle Class Tax Relief Act of 2010 (H.R. 4853) that now goes to the president’s desk to be signed into law. Despite opposition from some Democrats the bill passed without any changes. In …