A panel of advanced ethanol company executives at the National Ethanol Conference was at the same time optimistic and sobering about the future of next generation biofuel production. “We openly acknowledged the ‘elephant in the room’ and that is that some of the numbers that people were talking about are bigger than we can expect in the immediate term,” said …
Novozymes Introduces Latest Enzyme Technology
Novozymes has introduced its next-generation of enzyme technology for cellulosic biofuels, Cellic CTec3, an advanced cellulase and hemicellulase complex. The enzyme enables more cost-efficient conversion of biomass to ethanol and performs 1.5 times better than its predecessor, Cellic CTec2. Using Cellic CTec3, biofuel producers need only one-fifth of the enzyme dose compared to competing enzymes. Cellic CTec3 allows the cost …
Genome Map May Lead Miscanthus to Biofuels
A genome map for miscanthus could point the way to a source for better biofuels production. According to Science Daily, researchers at the University of Georgia have mapped the genomes of two originator cells of Miscanthus x giganteus, a large perennial grass with promise as a source of ethanol and bioenergy. Changsoo Kim, a postdoctoral research associate in the UGA …
Biofuels in Focus at First Farm Bill Hearing
The importance of biofuels to rural development was a focus of the first Farm Bill hearing by the Senate Committee on Agriculture this week. “In the last Farm Bill, this Committee wisely focused on energy policy,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told the panel. “Renewable energy – including biofuels, biomass, wind and solar – are an important source of jobs and …
Looking Forward to a Dieselex Gold Rush
With the official roll out of the FS Energy Products newly-reformulated premium diesel fuel Dieselex Gold coming up next week, we got a little preview from GROWMARK marketing manager for refined and renewable fuels Mark Dehner at last week’s National Biodiesel Conference. “Our Dieselex product was first introduced in the market place in 1952,” Dehner says, explaining that it was …
Advanced Ethanol Group Asks for Tax Extensions
The Advanced Ethanol Council (AEC) this week urged Senate Ag Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Ranking Member Pat Roberts (R-KS) to include two key tax extensions for advanced and cellulosic ethanol producers in the next farm bill. In a letter to the committee leaders, AEC Executive Director Brooke Coleman wrote, “The Cellulosic Biofuels Producer Tax Credit (PTC) — created …
BIO Congress to Feature Advanced Biofuels Sessions
Biofuel and renewable chemical company executives, scientists and government officials from around the globe will speak in breakout sessions at BIO’s 9th annual World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing, April 29 – May 2 at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Orlando. BIO’s World Congress will feature six breakout session tracks over three days, including tracks on …
Coalition for E85 Issues Call to Action
The Coalition for E85 is calling on members and other supporters to urge Congress to give E85 credit for being an alternative fuel. The coalition is asking members of Congress to support the inclusion of E85 in the Alternative Fuel Credit in the tax extenders package currently under review. In coordination with this effort, members of the Coalition for E85 …
Energy Beets for Ethanol Project in North Dakota
North Dakota State University has partnered up with a couple of private sector companies to develop energy beets for advanced ethanol production. The partnership includes Green Vision Group (GVG) of Fargo and Heartland Renewable Energy of Iowa in the project that is fueled by a $1 million, two-year North Dakota Renewable Energy Council grant that includes matching funds from industry …
DOE Official Visits Novozymes Nebraska Plant
A visit to a Nebraska enzyme plant last week by a top-ranking Department of Energy helped showcase the development of enzyme technology for advanced biofuels. Department of Energy (DOE) Senior Advisor Peter Gage visited with Novozymes North American President Adam Monroe at the company’s new enzyme plant in Blair, Nebraska to emphasize the need for energy programs touted in the …