A group advocating for algae-based renewable fuels and other products is petitioning the White House to approve carbon dioxide (CO2) recycling as part of the country’s strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO) kicked off its 8th annual Algae Biomass Summit kicked off today with the group’s Executive Director Matt Carr challenging the algae industry to …
Algae-based Biofuels to Get $25 Mil from Feds
Algae-based biofuels will be the beneficiaries of a government-backed effort to get the fuels made from microbes down to less than $5 per gasoline gallon equivalent (gge) by 2019. The U.S. Department of Energy announced $25 million to reduce those production costs, hopefully down to an eventual goal of $3 gge by 2030. The funding announced today will support projects …
Biodiesel Board Calls for End of European Tariffs
The National Biodiesel Board has called for the end of duties on the green fuel being sent to Europe. NBB says it’s time to let expire what the group calls unfair European Commission biodiesel tariffs in place for the past five years. “We have presented a strong case for ending these protectionist barriers that are unfairly hurting U.S. biodiesel producers …
Ford Hauls Bad Guys Away with Biodiesel and E85
Ford is doing its part in helping clean up the streets while also cleaning the environment. The automaker has introduced its new 2015 Ford Transit Prisoner Transport Vehicle, or Transit PTV, capable of hauling up to 12 prisoners at a time and able to run on biodiesel or E85 ethanol. “Transit PTV is the latest example of Ford’s deep commitment …
ReEnergy Lands $289 Mil Biomass Plant Contract
Biomass power plant builder ReEnergy Holdings LLC landed a nearly $289 million contract to provide renewable energy for the U.S. Army’s Fort Drum in upstate New York, home to 37,000 soldiers and family members and employing nearly 4,000 civilians. This news release from ReEnergy says it’s the largest renewable energy project in the history of the U.S. Army. “This is …
European Refiner Eyes Biodiesel Upgrade for Facility
Europe’s largest refiner of oil is considering putting in a biodiesel operation as part of an upgrade to a refinery in France. This article from Reuters says Total could convert some of its La Mede refinery near Marseille to producing biodiesel with a decision expected in the spring of 2015. [Total’s head of refining Patrick] Pouyanne said a plan to …
IRENA: Biomass Could be 60% of World’s Renewable Energy
Biomass could make up 60 percent of the world’s renewable energy sources – one-fifth of the globe’s total energy supply – by the year 2030. That’s according to a new report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), which forecasts a major role for modern, sustainable biomass technologies in the report titled, “Global Bioenergy Supply and Demand Projections for the …
ASU Professor Recognized for Microbe-to-Biodiesel Work
A professor from Arizona State University is recognized for his efforts to turn bacteria and algae into biodiesel. ASU announced that Professor Bruce Rittmann received the first presentation of the International Society of Microbial Ecology (ISME)/International Water Association (IWA) Bio Cluster Award in Lisbon, Portugal, for his work to promote research between the microbial ecology and the water and wastewater …
Maverick Unveils Small-Scale Plant for Biodiesel Ingredient
A North Carolina company has unveiled an affordable, small scale modular plant for the biodiesel ingredient methanol. Maverick Synfuels says its Maverick Oasis system is the first small-scale, modular methane-to-methanol production plant that can be co-located at the methane source. The Maverick Oasis factory-built Gas-to-Liquids (GTL) methanol plants are modular, and can be rapidly deployed onsite to produce thousands of …
Schott, Algatech Ink Research Deal for Biodiesel Feedstock
An international glass maker and a biotechnology company specializing in algae production have signed a deal that could improve cultivation of the biodiesel feedstock algae. Schott AG and Algatechnologies Ltd. (Algatech), studied new DURAN® glass tubes that significantly improved cultivation efficiency in the yields of Algatech’s AstaPure® natural astaxanthin and plan to present their findings at the Algae Biomass Summit, …