Everything might be bigger in Texas, but some scientists in the state are looking to tiny yeast cells to yield big feedstocks for biodiesel. This news release from the University of Texas at Austin says researchers at the Cockrell School of Engineering have developed genetically engineered yeast cells to produce the lipids to go into biodiesel production. Assistant professor Hal …
Biodiesel Giant REG Expands with LS9 Buy
Biodiesel maker Renewable Energy Group, Inc. (REG) continues to get bigger, this time with an expansion into renewable chemicals. This company news release says the Iowa-based biodiesel giant has bought renewable chemical technology developer LS9, Inc. for up to $61.5 million and will call the new operation REG Life Sciences. “This acquisition is a major step in realizing REG’s strategy …
Feds Continue Crackdown on Biodiesel RIN Fraud
The federal government continues to go after the few bad actors who are trying to defraud the incentive system for biodiesel production. The Department of Justice announced the indictment of James Jariv, 63, of Las Vegas, and Nathan Stoliar, 64, of Australia that they netted more than $37 million in part from Renewable Identifcation Number (RIN) credits. The indictment alleges …
Boeing Looks to Get Green Diesel Approval
Aircraft manufacturing giant Boeing wants the government to approve its plan of using renewable or “green” diesel. This story from TriplePundit.com says the company is appealing to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other stakeholders to get permission to fly its planes on biodiesel’s close (but chemically different) cousin. “Boeing wants to establish new pathways for sustainable jet fuel, …
MIT Finds New Way to Get More Out of Solar
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have found a new way to get more out of harvesting solar energy. This article from the school says they’re using the sun to heat a high-temperature material whose infrared radiation would then be collected by a conventional photovoltaic cell. In this case, adding the extra step improves performance, because it makes …
Biodiesel Part of Canada’s Canola Success Story
Some folks north of the border might call it the little yellow plant that could. But this article from the Toronto Globe and Mail says canola, one of the key feedstocks in Canada’s biodiesel industry, has really taken off from its humble beginnings in the 1970s when the plant was developed to produce a non-acidic, edible cooking oil from the …
Maine Wind Project Gains Key Approval
An update to a story we told you about last week… an offshore wind energy project in Maine has received a key approval from state regulators. This article from CompositesWorld.com says the Maine Public Utilities Commission gave the go-ahead for the Maine Aqua Ventus project, a pilot offshore wind farm project designed to prove the feasibility of floating offshore wind …
Wisconsin Resarchers Find Better Biofuels Chemical
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have found a way to get more ethanol out of sugars used in the refining process. This university article says they’re using a plant-derived chemical, gamma valerolactone, or GVL. “With the sugar platform, you have possibilities,” says Jeremy Luterbacher, a postdoctoral researcher and the paper’s lead author. “You’ve taken fewer forks down the conversion …
Bi-Partisan Group Protests EPA Biofuels Reductions
A bi-partisan group of lawmakers is calling on the government to end its proposal to reduce the amount of ethanol and biodiesel that will be blended into the Nation’s fuel supply. Led by Democratic Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) and Republican Congresswoman Kristi Noem (SD-AL), the group has sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over the agency’s proposal …
Southern Illinois Expands Ethanol Research Team
A research center dedicated to advancing the study and development of ethanol is expanding its research staff. This news release from the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center (NCERC) at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (SIUE) has added Dr. Arun Athmanathan, a postdoctoral fellow specializing in cellulosic and advanced biofuels research. “Following a national search that generated candidates from premier research institutions across the …