Companies to Produce Miscanthus for Biodiesel

John Davis

A bioenergy technology company and a biomaterials processing technology and deployment company are partnering to turn miscanthus into biodiesel. This article from Biodiesel Magazine says the deal combines Algenetix Inc.’s proprietary, trademarked PhotoSeed technology and Alchimia Inc.’s oil extraction and purification technology. Giant miscanthus has been seen as an alternative to corn for cellulosic ethanol as well as a source …

Biodiesel

API Strikes Again

Joanna Schroeder

The American Petroleum Institute (API) has struck again by filing a lawsuit with the D.C. Circuit Court against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over the volume requirements of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). “This is another frivolous effort by API to abuse the court system in their slavish effort to repeal a public policy that is working for farmers, gasoline …

advanced biofuels, biofuels, Growth Energy, RFA, RFS, RINS

Chicago Midway Airport Flies with Solar

Joanna Schroeder

The Solar Power International 2013 tradeshow is kicking off October 21-24, 2013 and as solar companies gear up to showcase their technologies, Kyocera Solar is showcasing their latest solar project at the Chicago Midway Airport. Twenty-five kilowatts (kW) of Kyocera photovoltaic modules now help power Chicago’s Midway Airport’s new environmentally friendly consolidated rental car facility. Installed by Green Power Solutions, …

Alternative energy, Electricity, Solar, Wind

Ormat to Build Geothermal Project in Indonesia

Joanna Schroeder

President Obama’s U.S. Asia Pacific Comprehensive Energy Partnership (USACEP) is encouraging U.S. companies to develop renewable energy in South East Asian countries and Ormat Technologies has heeded the call. The company has signed an agreement for the development of the Hu’u Dompu geothermal project in Indonesia. The agreement was signed in the presence of Penny Pritzker, Secretary of Commerce for …

Alternative energy, Geothermal, International

NEC Announces Student Scholarships

Joanna Schroeder

Each year the ethanol industry looks forward to the National Ethanol Conference (NEC) and the 19th Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida February 17-19, 2014 is already shaping up to be a good one. A great event for budding biofuel students, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and Renewable Fuels Foundation (RFF) are offering six scholarships for students to attend the event. …

Ethanol, National Ethanol Conference, RFA

Rhode Island Teen Recognized for Bioheat Project

John Davis

A teenager from Rhode Island is being recognized for her project to turn waste cooking oil into biodiesel to heat homes, or bioheat. Cassandra Lin, a 15-year-old from Westerly, has been honored as one of six Earth Island Institute’s New Leaders Initiative young environmental activists winning the Brower Youth Awards, recognizing her efforts toward ecological sustainability and social justice. When …

Biodiesel

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

The Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa, a multi-donor initiative administered by the African Development Bank, will participate in the West Africa Clean Energy Finance Forum, to recognize the finalist entrepreneurs identified throughout 2013 by a team from the various event co-sponsors: Private Financing Advisory Network and the Regional Clean Energy Investment Initiative of the U.S. Agency for International Development, the …

Bioenergy Bytes

DuPont on Agri-Pulse: Future for Advanced Biofuels

John Davis

An executive for DuPont is predicting a bright future for advanced biofuels. During a recent podcast on Agri-Pulse, James C. Collins, Jr., senior vice president for DuPont’s Industrial Biosciences, Performance Polymers and Packaging & Industrial Polymers businesses, says he is excited about the future of his company’s new generation cellulosic ethanol plant in Nevada, Iowa and advanced biofuels in general. …

advanced biofuels, Audio, biofuels

Analysis: RIN Traders Predicting Biodiesel Market

John Davis

A new analysis from the University of Illinois shows traders in Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) seem to be pretty good at predicting which way the biodiesel market will go. But is there some funny business going on to get those results? The efficiency of price discovery in the RINs market is quite controversial at the present moment. In just the …

Biodiesel, RINS

2013 Solar Decathlon Underway in Cali

Joanna Schroeder

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Solar Decathlon 2013 has kicked off in Irvine, California and on display are solar houses designed and built by more than 1,000 college students from around the country. The best houses are one that are affordable, energy efficient, attractive and easy to live in. “These inspiring collegiate teams show our onsite visitors and online …

Alternative energy, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Education, energy efficiency, Solar