Strides Made in Converting Cassava to Ethanol

Joanna Schroeder

TMO Renewables has announced they are making headway with producing pilot scale levels of ethanol from cassava stalk. The company is working with several Chinese fuel and food producers. TMO estimates that they will be able to produce a gallon of ethanol for less than two dollars, an important step for commercialization of fuels using advanced feedstocks. The company has …

advanced biofuels, Ethanol

Domestic Energy Tax Credits on Congress “To Do” List

Cindy Zimmerman

President Obama made up a “to-do list” for Congress during a stop in Albany, New York yesterday that includes renewing tax incentives for the development of new domestic energy sources. At a speech to students at the State University of New York, the president said if Congress fails to act soon, clean energy companies will see their taxes go up …

advanced biofuels, AEC, Cellulosic, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Solar, Wind

Corn Utilization Agenda Includes Biofuels and Refineries

Cindy Zimmerman

Since it is an even-numbered year, that means the National Corn Growers Association’s Corn Utilization and Technology Conference (CUTC) will be held this year. The 2012 CUTC agenda features cutting-edge technologies and new uses that are positioned change the corn industry. Among the session topics is Advance Biofuels, which will highlight some of the most recent research on advanced biofuels. …

advanced biofuels, corn, CUTC, Ethanol, Ethanol News, NCGA, Research

Fagen to Build Cellulosic Ethanol Plant in Iowa

Joanna Schroeder

Fagen, Inc. has been contracted by DuPont Industrial Biosciences to build the company’s first commercial cellulosic ethanol biorefinery in Nevada, Iowa. Last year, DuPont bought land adjacent to Lincolnway Energy ethanol plant, which will enable synergies in energy and logistics. Last week, Butamax Advanced Biofuels announced its collaboration with Fagen to build out the biobutanol industry. “Our selection of Fagen …

advanced biofuels, Cellulosic, Ethanol

Driving The Bioeconomy Highway

Joanna Schroeder

The National Bioeconomy Blueprint was recently released by the Obama Administration.  The report outlines the steps that agencies need to take to drive the bioeconomy highway.  The Administration recognized the growing sector has a priority due to its potential for growth and job creation.  The bioeconomy will also help drive new sources of bioenergy, improve the agricultural industry, change the …

advanced biofuels, biochemicals, bioenergy, biomaterials, Government

Blue Star Gas Hosts Panel at GoGreen Conference

At the GoGreen ’12 Seattle conference last week, Blue Star Gas hosted a panel discussing the most clean, cost-effective alternative vehicle fuel options for fleets, like propane autogas. Blue Star Gas is the West Coast fuel provider of the national Alliance AutoGas network. The GoGreen ’12 Seattle Conference, held at the Washington State Convention Center, is designed to educate, motivate …

advanced biofuels, Fleet, Propane

Advanced Biofuels Moved From “Beaker to Barrel”

Cindy Zimmerman

The head of the Advanced Biofuels Association (ABFA) told a House subcommittee this week that America’s domestic advanced biofuels industry has “moved from the beaker to the barrel, all in record time.” AFBA president Michael McAdams testified before the U.S. House Small Business Committee’s Subcommittee on Agriculture, Energy and Trade on Thursday, sharing some of the advance biofuels success stories …

advanced biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government

Novozymes Partners with Chinese Firm for Cellulosic Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

Novozymes has announced a partnership with Shengquan Group, a Shandong-based company specializing in furan resin and polymers, to start commercial-scale production of cellulosic ethanol for solvents in June 2012 using Novozymes’ technology. “Shengquan is a global first mover in this industry, which is on the verge of materializing right now,” says Poul Ruben Andersen, Vice President for Bioenergy at Novozymes. …

advanced biofuels, Cellulosic, Ethanol, Ethanol News

Energy Title Funding Restored to Farm Bill

Cindy Zimmerman

In the Senate Agriculture Committee markup of the 2012 Farm Bill on Thursday, an amendment was added to reauthorize mandatory funding for several national renewable energy programs. Renewable fuel organizations praised the action. “There is no more urgent need in this country today than creating new jobs and reducing our dependence on foreign oil. The programs reauthorized and streamlined today …

advanced biofuels, AEC, biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government, Growth Energy

Tracking Clean Energy Progress Report Released

Joanna Schroeder

Today, the International Energy Agency (IEA) released its Tracking Clean Energy Progress report and in response, the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) said that it confirms government institutions are not doing enough to further the development of clean energy. The report states that biofuels for transport are not on track to meet their share of CO2 reduction required to meet …

advanced biofuels, biofuels, Research