The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced up to $11.3 million in funding to develop flexible biomass to hydrocarbon biofuels conversion pathways. The goal is for these roads, per se, to be able to be easily modified to produce advanced biofuels and/or bioproducts, depending on market demand. Using a DOE example, one pathway could consist of a route to …
NREL Discovers New Biorefinery Process
Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have developed a new biorefinery process that more efficiently converts algae to ethanol. The process, Combined Algal Processing (CAP), was featured in the journal Algal Research. The research builds on a project previously completed by NREL In that work, the research looked at two promising algal strains Chlorella and Scenedesmus, to determine …
Iowa Corn Remains as Sponsor of Iowa Corn 300
Iowa Corn Growers Association along with Iowa Speedway have announced a multi-year sponsorship renewal of the IndyCar Series Iowa Corn 300 through 2018. This is the 10th year of partnership and the extension makes Iowa Corn the second longest entitlement sponsor in INDYCAR racing. “The Iowa Corn 300 reaches a global audience with an expanding viewership,” said Mark Heckman, Iowa …
NFU Calls on Court to Review #RFS
The National Farmers Union (NFU) has filed a petition seeking the courts to require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to follow congressional direction as mandated by the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, NFU is asking for a review of 2014, 2015 and 2016 volume targets. “Undermining the RFS is …
Flint Hills Licenses Edeniq’s Cellulose Technology
Flint Hills Resources has signed an agreement to license Edeniq‘s Pathway Technology for all of its ethanol plants. The ethanol group has been an investor in the company since April of 2012 and a customer since June 2012. “This comprehensive Pathway agreement is the seventh license agreement between our companies, including the installation of Edeniq’s Cellunators at three of FHR’s …
Top 100 People in Advanced Bioeconomy Announced
The Top 100 People in Advanced Bioeconomy for 2016 has been released by Biofuels Digest. The top spot went to Tom Vilsack, USDA Ag Secretary. Other notables on the list included #3 Daniel Oh with REG; #10 Brent Erickson with BIO; #12 Terry Branstad, Iowa Governor; #21 Bob Dinneen with RFA; #22 Brooke Coleman with ABBC; #26 Joe Jobe with …
Pacific Ethanol Improves Production Efficiency
Pacific Ethanol is reporting they have signed a technology license and purchase agreement with Whitefox Technologies. According to the agreement, Pacific Ethanol will be adopting Whitefox’s clean fuel membrane system that will separate water from ethanol during the plant’s distillation process. The ethanol plant expects commercial operations using the new technology in the third quarter of 2016. Neil Koehler, Pacific …
Phibro Ethanol Group’s Lactrol Helps Bottom Line
The FDA’s Food Modernization Safety Act (FMSA) has been creating some confusion among ethanol plant operators who produce the co-product distiller’s grains (DDGS) for livestock feed, due to the use of antimicrobials in the production process. “Interestingly enough, the actual Food Safety Modernization Act document in the federal register does not mention the words antimicrobial or antibiotic once,” says Phibro …
Sandia Labs’ Launches New Algae Raceway
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have developed a new algae raceway testing facility to bridge the gap between lab and real world. Today, scientists have not yet discovered a cost-competitive way to convert algae to renewable fuels. The new Sandia algae testing facility is comprised of three 1,000-liter oval raceway ponds that feature advanced monitoring. “This facility helps bridge the …
Ensyn Corp Receives CARB Approval
Ensyn Corporation has receive regulatory approval from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for the use of Renewable Fuel Oil (RFO) as a feedstock for refineries in California for the production of renewable gasoline and renewable diesel. The approvals come as part of the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). RFO is a collaboration between Ensyn, Tesoro Corporation and Chevron. …