The third annual “Fuel the Future” video contest, sponsored by Faegre Baker Daniels, for Iowa high school students has begun. This year, the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) is searching for the best student-produced “campaign-ad” video that educates Iowans on why they should choose E15 and or biodiesel at the pump. The top three video entries will win prices in …
CSP Plant Construction Begins in South Africa
Many in the U.S. may know Abengoa for its ethanol and cellulosic pilot plant initiatives. However, the diversified company has begun construction of two concentrating solar power (CSP) plants in South Africa: 50 megawatts (MW) solar power tower Khi Solar One and 100 MW parabolic trough plan KaXu Solar One. The two plants are just two of 28 renewable energy …
Energy Version 2.0 Website Revealed
USDA has revealed an updated version of its Energy website, launched in January 2012. The site now provides additional resources, new reporting features and investment data current through August of this year. The website is co-linked with several other USDA initiatives include their Energy Investment Maps, Renewable Energy Tool, Energy Matrix and Investment Project Reports. Some of the enhanced features of …
Sweet Biodiesel!
University of California, Berkeley scientists may have found that using a fermentation process once used to covert starch into explosives, developed by the first president of Israel, chemist Chaim Weizmann, can be used to covert starch to biodiesel. The refined process produces a mix of products that contain more energy per gallon than ethanol, and scientists believe it could be …
Obama Wins. Did Renewable Energy Win?
President Barack Obama has been elected to a second term to lead the United States. While not clairvoyant, I suspect the defining turn in support for Obama was the convergence of hurricane Sandy and Mayor Michael Bloomberg throwing his support behind Obama with the statement that he is the climate change President. If he is in fact the president for climate …
Field to Fryer to Fuel
Here is a new twist on an old idea: rather than simply recycling used cooking oil into biodiesel, a new initiative will locally grow canola, press the seeds into oil, deliver to local restaurants, pick up the used oil, and then repurpose it into biodiesel. The pilot project, known as Field to Fryer to Fuel (F3) received a $130,000 grant …
Last Call for Biodiesel Tax Incentive?
With the end of the year soon approaching, the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) is calling for the reinstating of the biodiesel tax incentive that expired at the end of 2011. With a Congressional lame duck session on the docket for mid-November, the group is encouraging biodiesel stakeholders and supporting Americans to make a final push for the support of the tax incentive. …
Praj Industries Scales Up Demo Plant
Praj Industries, who has been working on developing second generation technologies for the production of biofuels, is scaling up its demonstration research and development plant program, “Lignocellulose to Ethanol”. For the past four years, the company has been operating a pilot plant to produce ethanol from feedstocks such as bagasse, corn stover and more and is now ready to move …
Driving Forward Agenda Announced
Next year’s 18th Annual National Ethanol Conference (NEC): Driving Forward, sponsored by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) will help the ethanol industry continue to lead the nation to a stronger, more energy independent America. With an agenda supporting this goal, the event will highlight many regulatory, marketing and policy issues including: Perspectives on the Future of the RFS Expanding Renewable …
REG Reports 3rd Quarter Financial Results
The Renewable Energy Group (REG) has reported its third quarter financial results. Revenues were $322.9 million, an increase of 26 percent compared to revenues of $256.5 million for the same period in 2011. Third quarter 2012 adjusted EBITDA was a loss of $2.3 million, a decrease of 105 percent compared to $46.7 million for the same period in 2011. A few …