GoingGreen Silicon Valley has named it’s Top 100 for 2010 and on the list includes renewable biofuel and biochemical company, OPX Biotechnologies (OPXBIO). The list honors the companies that are developing technologies that will ‘change the world’ and ‘disrupt existing markets and entrenched players’. The list is based on five major categories including innovation, market potential, commercialization, stakeholder value, and …
Ag Secretary to Make “Major” Biofuels Speech
Later this month, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will give a “major speech on domestic biofuel production.” According to USDA, Vilsack will discuss the progress USDA and other federal agencies are making toward achieving the 36 billion gallon biofuel production goal mandated by the Renewable Fuels Standard and new efforts by the Obama administration to bolster the industry and reduce U.S. …
Alt Transportation Fuels Research Center Opens
UC Riverside’s Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT) is launching its new Transportation Fuels Research Center of Excellence. The Center was created with a $1.2 million grant from the California Energy Commission and the goal of the research and education facility will be to work on characterizing the emissions and performance of new alternative fuels. In addition, the center …
US Fuel Convoys Under Attack, Amplifies Call for Renewable Energy
The beginning of October has brought at least 10 Pakistani attacks on oil tankers carrying fuel for NATO vehicles in Afghanistan. The NY Times reported today that fuel convoys are “sitting ducks” and as a result, have come under increasing attack. In response, U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords came out in support of bipartisan leaders of the House Armed Services Committee …
DOE Reconfirms Support for Renewable Fuels
On Wednesday, the Department of Energy sent a letter to the State Energy Program and EECBG program grantees reiterating their support for the deployment of renewable fuels through funds awarded as part of the 2009 Recovery Act. There has been widespread frustration throughout the ethanol industry on the length of time it has taken for these funds to be dispersed …
New Regs Needed for Cellulosic Fuels to See Fruition
According to a new study published today in the October issue of BioScience, “Far-reaching Deleterious Impacts of Regulations on Research and Environmental Studies of Recombinant DNA-modified Perennial Biofuel Crops in the United States,” researchers argue that the current regulatory system will need a monumental overhaul in order for cellulosic bioenergy to reach its true potential. The authors write that cellulosic …
Key Vote in US House Moves Forward Algae Biofuels
A key vote in the U.S. House of Representatives has moved forward a measure that will help the nation’s algae biofuels industry. Passage of H.R. 4168, the Algae-based Renewable Fuel Promotion Act, garnered praise from Sapphire Energy for two key Congressmen, Reps. Harry Teague (D-NM) and Brian Bilbray (R-CA) whose bi-partisan support lead to the bill’s passage: Congress took the …
Arizona Provides $2 Mil for Algae to Biofuel Development
The state of Arizona is providing $2 million to support research and development of alternative fuels, especially the development of algae into biofuels. KPHO-TV in Phoenix reports Gov. Jan Brewer made the announcement during this week’s Algal Biomass Organization’s national conference in Phoenix: “Our state has the potential to be a national and global leader in algae research and biotechnology, …
OriginOil Launches Service to Help Algae Oil Industry
California-based OriginOil, Inc. has launched a new service that lends the company’s expertise to other potential algae oil producers. The company announced its professional “expert services” at the recent National Algae Association meeting in Houston, Texas: “For the past three years, hundreds of large companies, entrepreneurs, development agencies and investors have asked for our help in launching their algae programs,” …
NREL Releases BioEnergy Mapping App
Want to know where are the biorefineries in the U.S. are located? There’s an app for that. The National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) has released a new bioenergy mapping portal, BioEnergy Atlas, that identifies biomass feedstocks, then overlays that information with the ethanol and biodiesel facilities both on and off-line. You can also see map information for transportation infrastructure, power …