Vilsack Discusses Sustainable Aviation Fuel

Cindy Zimmerman

During an appearance before the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City and Agri-Pulse Ag Outlook Forum Monday, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack addressed concerns about the proposed tax credit for sustainable aviation fuel that it might leave out corn and soybean feedstocks. Agri-Pulse editor and president Sara Wyant asked the secretary if we can expect the administration to “weigh in …

Agri-Pulse, Audio, aviation biofuels, biojet fuel, Ethanol, Ethanol News, feedstocks, Soybeans, USDA

Chevron and Bunge Partner for Renewable Fuel Feedstocks

Cindy Zimmerman

Chevron U.S.A. and Bunge North America, Inc. have announced a proposed 50/50 joint venture to help meet the demand for renewable fuels and to develop lower carbon intensity feedstocks. Upon finalization of the joint venture, Chevron and Bunge’s partnership would establish a reliable supply chain from farmer to fueling station for both companies. Bunge is expected to contribute its soybean …

feedstocks, renewable diesel

NCERC Seeks to Expand Corn as Industrial Feedstock

Cindy Zimmerman

The National Corn to Ethanol Research Center (NCERC) recently submitted two grant proposals to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) FY21 Bioenergy Technologies (BETO) Multi-Topic Funding Opportunity Announcement that would expand the use of corn as an industrial feedstock, according to the National Corn Growers Association. The first proposal included NCERC as a Co-PI and was led by Marquis Energy. …

corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, feedstocks

Nuseed Carinata Feedstock Grows Global Potential

Cindy Zimmerman

The global potential for Nuseed’s Carinata as a renewable fuel feedstock is advancing with the harvest of a commercial crop currently underway in Argentina and of Nuseed R&D trial plots in Southern France. “The Nuseed Carinata R&D plots show good potential, growing Nuseed Carinata hybrids between rotations in the same region as Europe’s largest biofuel producers would be a huge …

Biodiesel, feedstocks, International

Nuseed to Supply Carinata for Top European Biodiesel Producer

Cindy Zimmerman

Nuseed Limited has a new agreement with the largest biodiesel producer in Europe to supply Nuseed Carinata as a feedstock for certified low carbon oil for renewable fuels and high protein non-GMO meal for livestock feed. Nuseed, a subsidiary of Nufarm Limited, made the multi-year agreement with Saipol in France because the Nuseed Carinata production system was found to achieve …

Biodiesel, feedstocks, International

Losing Topsoil? Plant Switchgrass.

Joanna Schroeder

Switchgrass, an energy feedstock that can be used for biofuel production, now has another benefit: it can improve soil quality and can be grown on farms that have lost fertile topsoil. According to new research from the University of Missouri (MU) College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources has found that switchgrass may be a promising option for growers who …

advanced biofuels, Farming, feedstocks, Research

Mexican #Ethanol Producers Consider Sorghum as Feedstock

Joanna Schroeder

A contingency of ethanol producers from Mexico recently visited the U.S. to look at the option of sorghum as an ethanol feedstock as the country’s industry continues to grow following the announcement by Pemex, the country’s state-owned petro company, to blend ethanol into its gas. Hosted by the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) in partnership with the United Sorghum Checkoff Program …

biofuels, Ethanol, Exports, feedstocks, USGC

Bioenergy Crop Modeling Predicts Soil Carbon Increases

Joanna Schroeder

Researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Argonne National Laboratory are using computational modeling to predict which counties in Illinois could see increases in soil organic carbon from crops such as switchgrass for biofuels. Increasing carbon stored in soil is one way to help mediate the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) …

advanced biofuels, Cellulosic, feedstocks, Research

The Ecology of a New Crop

Joanna Schroeder

Researchers at the UConn Plant Science Farm are studying the ecology of camelina as a high-tech crop. The research team is led by professor emerita Carol Auer and she and her team have been working with Camelina sativa, an oilseed crop that has never been grown commercially in the state. The feedstock has been subject to genetic modification for use …

advanced biofuels, Biodiesel, bioplastics, feedstocks, Research