While scientists have been working for years to come up with the best ways to break down biomass for energy production, termites perfected the technique more than 30 million years ago. A new study from the University of Copenhagen and the Beijing Genomics Institute show that termites have been able to use fungus and gut bacteria contributing enzymes for final …
IncBio to Put in Biodiesel Plant in Greece
Portugal-based IncBio will put in an 8,000MT/year biodiesel plant in Greece. The company specializing in fully automated industrial ultrasonic biodiesel plants signed a deal with SPA Renewables S.A, a company specializing in turning waste cooking oil into biodiesel, for the refinery in Corinth, Greece. This will be one of the most advanced and efficient transesterification plants in the world, based …
UK Firm Fires Up Straw-Fired Energy Plant
A renewable energy investment firm has opened a 38 megawatt straw-fired plant in the United Kingdom. Glennmont Partners announced the start of operations at the Sleaford biomass facility. The plant was built by a consortium of Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor A/S and Burmeister and Wain Energy A/S. Glennmont purchased 100% of the equity in the project in December 2011, …
Researchers Get More Out of Trees for Bioenergy
Researchers in Spain have found a way to manipulate the genes of trees to get more biomass to make more bioenergy. In a joint venture between the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) and the National Institute for Agricultural Research and Experimentation (INIA), the scientists figured out how to increase biomass production in a forest with altering the growth, composition or …
Texas A&M Gets Grant for Biomass-to-Energy Project
Texas A&M is part of a nearly $16 million nationwide grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in part to fund projects for turning biomass into power. This article from the Stephenville (TX) Empire-Tribune says A&M’s AgriLife Research received money under the USDA’s Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) to help fund a two-year program to demonstrate developing technologies for water …
Charged by Biodiesel, Electric Bike Sets Record
The world’s fastest electric motorcycle gets its power from a biodiesel-fueled generator. This article from Torque News says Eva Hakansson made a 270 mph run at Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah in the KillaJoule electric streamliner motorcycle, making it the the fastest electric motorcycle in the world, and its pilot the fastest woman on a motorcycle. Making its runs and …
Biodiesel Helps Iowa Football Make Winning Drive
Iowa is one of the biggest biodiesel producing states in the country, so it makes sense that one of their flagship football teams uses the green fuel to get it to the field this year. The Iowa Soybean Association is touting the fact that biodiesel, mostly made from soybean oil, is being used to power the University of Iowa Hawkeyes’ …
Blue Sun Biodiesel Earns Rare BQ-9000 Quality Status
A biodiesel refinery in Missouri has earned a rare quality production status. Blue Sun’s St. Joseph, Mo., biodiesel refinery joined just 50 other companies in the country to receive BQ-9000 Producer status from the National Biodiesel Accreditation Commission (NABC) and National Biodiesel Board (NBB), a cooperative and voluntary program that combines the ASTM standard for biodiesel, ASTM D6751, and a …
Vermont Utility to Turn Sunflowers into Biodiesel
A local utility in Vermont will be turning sunflowers into biodiesel and livestock feed. Green Mountain Power announced a new collaboration that will convert the seeds from 20 acres of sunflowers into the green fuel and the feed. “Green Mountain Power is leading the way in many local energy initiatives,” said Green Mountain Power President and CEO Mary Powell. “Using …
FAPRI: Biodiesel, Ethanol Feedstocks Bigger than Expected
A new report shows that the main feedstocks for biodiesel and ethanol, soybeans and corn, are going to have bigger harvests than previously expected. The Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute at the University of Missouri says while the big crops will push prices for those feedstocks down – even further down than what was projected just a couple of …