Reaction to President Obama’s call for an “all-of-the-above energy strategy” in Tuesday’s State of the Union address was met with applause by many renewable energy interests, who at the same time hope his words will be backed with actions. “We applaud the President’s announcement that he is going to push for homemade, U.S.-energy after 40 years of being addicted to …
POET Partners With DSM for Cellulosic Ethanol
Ethanol giant POET is partnering with a Netherlands-based life sciences company with the intention of making advanced biofuels a reality by next year. POET has announced a joint venture with Royal DSM to commercially demonstrate and license cellulosic bio-ethanol based on their proprietary and complementary technologies. POET–DSM Advanced Biofuels, LLC, is scheduled to start production in the second half of …
USDA Announces Support for Advanced Biofuel Plant
An advanced biofuels project in Iowa is being offered support from the federal government for a plant to make fuel from waste material. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved a conditional commitment for a $25 million guaranteed loan under the Biorefinery Assistance Program for Fiberight to build a biorefinery in Blairstown, Iowa. The loan will be used to construct …
USDA and Airline Companies to Discuss Aviation Biofuels
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is hosting a media roundtable with aviation business leaders today to discuss the important role of American-produced biofuels in the civilian aircraft and airline industry, and in the military. Participants in the discussion with Vilsack will include John Tracy with The Boeing Company and Billy Glover of Boeing Commercial Airplanes; Alex Marren with United Continental Holdings …
Beta Renewables Joins Advanced Ethanol Council
Cellulosic biomass company Beta Renewables has become the latest member of the Advanced Ethanol Council (AEC), an organization that promotes advanced ethanol fuels and technologies. Beta Renewables is a unique $350 million joint venture formed from the Chemtex division of Gruppo Mossi & Ghisolfi and TPG and is dedicated to making cellulosic biomass practical and cost-effective for the production of …
Pilot Biorefinery Dedicated in Perry, Florida
Florida State Representative Debbie Mayfield dumped a load of sugarcane waste to dedicate a new pilot biorefinery this week in honor of her late husband, Stan Mayfield. The dedication ceremony involved Mayfield pulling the lever on a front-end loader to dump a pile of pulverized sugarcane stalks, officially delivering the first shipment of feedstock to the facility, which will now …
Industry Says Cellulosic Ethanol Progress is Being Made
In response to recent media reports about cellulosic ethanol shortfalls, including a story in the New York Times, the advanced ethanol industry is stressing that progress is being made. “In a very difficult financial and policy environment, the first wave of commercial advanced ethanol production facilities are under construction in a number of states across the country,” said Advanced Ethanol …
DuPont and NexSteppe Team for New Bio Feedstocks
Two companies have teamed up to develop advanced feedstocks for biofuels, biopower and biobased products. The collaboration between DuPont and the bio-based firm NexSteppe will be working on new feedstocks for renewable energy, including sweet sorghum and high biomass sorghum hybrids. Under the agreement, DuPont has made an equity investment in NexSteppe, and through its Pioneer Hi-Bred business, will provide …
EPA Lowers Cellulosic Ethanol Target
Cellulosic ethanol continues to be out of reach for commercial use, according to the latest Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS2) requirements set by the Environmental Protection Agency for 2012. “EPA has essentially reduced the mandate for cellulosic, recognizing the fact that there aren’t supplies out there to meet it,” said USDA chief economist Joe Glauber. Back in 2007, Congress set a …
EPA Finalizes 2012 Renewable Fuel Standards
After nearly a month delay, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released final Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) requirements for 2012. The final 2012 overall volumes and standards are: Biomass-based diesel (1.0 billion gallons; 0.91 percent) Advanced biofuels (2.0 billion gallons; 1.21 percent) Cellulosic biofuels (8.65 million gallons; 0.006 percent) Total renewable fuels (15.2 billion gallons; 9.23 percent) The percentage standards …