A Louisiana plant that turns animal fats, used cooking oil and other waste grease into diesel fuel hit capacity this week in its startup phase. This article in The Advocate in Baton Rouge says the Diamond Green Diesel plant, a joint venture between Darling International Inc. and Valero Energy Corp., can now produce about 9,300 barrels per day of biodiesel …
Illinois Congressman Thinks RFS Needs Fixing
House Energy Committee member Congressman John Shimkus (R-IL) is leaning toward a legislative fix for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). “The reality is the 2007 bill…was not a good bill in that it said there would have this supply (of cellulosic ethanol) which never materialized,” Shimkus said during an interview at the Farm Progress Show in Decatur Tuesday. “Because of …
Ethanol is You
During the opening session of the 26th Annual Ethanol Conference, hosted by the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), Executive Vice President Brian Jennings gave an update on what was happening in Washington, D.C. One huge issue the ethanol industry is dealing with is the future of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Jennings noted that the success of the industry hinges …
Fungus & Bacteria Join Forces for Better Biofuels
Several University of Michigan researchers have joined together a fungus and E. coli bacteria to turn tough, waste plant material into isobutanol – a product that can be converted into biochemicals and biofuels. A paper based on this research, “Design and characterization of synthetic fungal-bacterial consortia for direct production of isobutanol from cellulosic biomass,” was published in The Proceedings of …
Biodiesel Plant in a Box Hit at Minnesota State Fair
A cargo container seems to be garnering some attention at this year’s Minnesota State Fair. But this isn’t your ordinary, run-of-the-mill shipping box. This article in the Star-Tribune says it’s built to brew biodiesel: SarTec Corp., an Anoka-based company in the agricultural nutrients and biodiesel business, has developed the unit. It is a smaller, portable version of the Mcgyan technology …
SolarShield Offsets Cloudy Days
Potential commercial solar project investors have growing concerns about what happens with the sun doesn’t shine. In response to this issue, Walsh Carter & Associates Insurance Services has created SolarShield, a true performance warranty that will guarantee the minimum revenue generated by solar photovoltaic (PV systems) in the event of production shortfalls. “We are proud to offer the only true …
BioEnergy Bytes
ReneSola has announced the completion of a 2MW solar PV facility using ReneSola panels in Jamestown, California by San Francisco-based solar developer EcoPlexus Inc. The project’s energy is contracted to Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) under a 20-year power purchase agreement under the Schedule E-SRG tariff. GDF SUEZ Energy Resources NA is donating renewable energy certificates (RECs) to the United …
Dakota Bioprocessing Consortium Established
Four universities in North Dakota and South Dakota have been awarded a $6 million grant to establish the Dakota Bioprocessing Consortium (DakotaBioCon) to conduct collaborative research. The award is funded by the National Science Foundation Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research. The consortium includes North Dakota State University, the University of North Dakota, South Dakota State University and the South …
Study Shows Biodiesel’s Growth in California
California is poised to make some big waves in the biodiesel market… at least according to a new study from the Environmental Defense Fund and E2. This story from Biodiesel Magazine says the report profiles six companies in California revolutionizing the industry. “Once again, California is ahead of the curve when it comes to delivering on fuels that not only …
ACE Unite & Ignite Conference Kicks off with a Bang
I don’t know what it is, but there’s something about the ethanol industry that gets me jazzed up about biofuels and my latest spark: the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) 26th Annual Ethanol Conference that kicked off tonight in Des Moines, Iowa. The opening reception was abuzz with the latest news and contagious optimism about the industry, despite Big Oil’s …