According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), fuel ethanol production capacity was 13.9 billion gallons per year (903,000 barrels per day) as of January 1, 2013 with the majority of production located in the Midwest. The report shows a slight increase in the total capacity of operating ethanol plants (193) compared to the same time last year (194). Total …
Solar Boat Breaks Speed Record
Switzerland’s MS Tûranor PlanetSolar, the world’s largest solar boat, has set a new speed record for a transatlantic crossing by solar electric vessel. The boat left from Las Palmas, Spain, on April 25, 2013, and sailed 2,867miles (5,310 kilometers) across the Atlantic Ocean at the average speed of 5.3 knots before reaching Marigot, St. Martin, in the French West Indies …
ReneSola & Positive Energy Offering Solar Grants
ReneSola and Positive Energy Solar are offering three 2.5 kilowatt solar grants for non-profit organizations in Las Cruces, Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico. “Positive Energy Solar is committed to clean, affordable solar electricity in our communities,” said Regina Wheeler, chief executive officer of Positive Energy Solar. “Through these grants, non-profits that might not otherwise be able to, can reduce …
Sant Lucia Joins “Ten Island Renewable Challenge”
During the Caribbean Conservation Summit held on Necker Island, Saint Lucia announced that it will join Carbon War Room’s Ten Island Challenge. The event was co-hosted by Sir Richard Branson, the Prime Minister of Grenada and the Premier of the British Virgin Islands. “Solving the energy challenge and marine conservation challenge in the Caribbean go hand-in-hand. I am very pleased …
Free Fuel Workshops in Iowa
The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) will be hosting a summer workshop series addressing upcoming changes in the fuels shipped to Iowa via the current pipeline system. According to IRFA, these workshops are aimed at assisting fuel retailers, suppliers and marketers in preparing for the first major change in the types of fuel available at retail locations since lead was …
DF Cast: Creating, Not Extracting, Sugars for Biofuels
One of the big issues that continues to dog the biofuels business, especially ethanol production, is the use of food crops as fuel sources. While many have made the case that the crops can provide both food AND fuel (consider the dried distillers grains from ethanol production, for example), a New Jersey-based company thinks it has a way to remove …
Canadian Biodiesel Plant Plans to Ship to Germany
A Canadian biodiesel plant plans to crank out 7 million gallons of the green fuel a year, but none of it is intended for use north or south of the border. Biodiesel Magazine reports Biofuel Weiss Inc.’s Halifax, Nova Scotia, multifeedstock biodiesel refinery product will go to Germany: “We are different than the other [biodiesel facilities] in Canada because our …
Advanced Biofuels Payments Go Out to Producers
Biofuels producers in 38 states recently received payments from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Acting Under Secretary for Rural Development Doug O’Brien made the announcement, pointing out these payments of nearly $14 million to 162 producers are still going out, even with the current budget cuts: “These payments represent the Obama administration’s commitment to support an ‘all of the above’ …
GM Adds Solar, EV Charging
General Motors has added four new solar photovoltaic solar projects to its Warren Technical Center campus located in Warren, Michigan. The installations, done by Empower Energies, included a ground-mounted solar array and three solar electric vehicle charging stations. The 49kW ground-mounted array is situated on the north side of the pond adjacent to the GM Vehicle Engineering Center, and according …
SGI Enters Into Algae Partnership with ExxonMobil
Synthetic Genomics (SGI), has entered into a new co-funded research agreement with ExxonMobil to develop algae biofuels. The new agreement is a science research program that focuses on developing algal strains with significantly improved production characteristics by employing synthetic genomic science and technology. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed. “We look forward to working with ExxonMobil to undertake …