So far this year biodiesel has secured some great wins. During the National Association of Farm Broadcasting’s (NAFB) Trade Talk, Cindy Zimmerman spent a few minutes with Nebraska farmer Greg Anderson who is the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) treasurer. They spoke about some of the 2016 successes for the biodiesel industry. One big success was New York City’s increased support …
REG Breaks Ground on Ralston Biorefinery
Renewable Energy Group (REG) has officially broken ground on its $24 million expansion project at its biorefinergy in Ralston, Iowa. Once complete, the biodiesel plant will expand from 12 million to 30 million gallons nameplate production capacity per year. Special guests at the event included Iowa Governor Terry Branstad along with Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds. ”REG Ralston has been an …
#Biodiesel Industry Congrats President-Elect Trump
Along with their sister biofuel ethanol, the biodiesel diesel industry is congratulating President-Elect Donald Trump who is set to become America’s 45th President. National Biodiesel Board CEO Donnell Rehagen issued the following statement. “The National Biodiesel Board congratulates our newly elected and returning leaders and looks forward to working them to promote local jobs, energy security and clean air through …
Fueling our Future Theme of 2017 #Biodiesel Conference
The biodiesel industry will be heading to San Diego, California next January for the 14th annual National Biodiesel Conference and Expo. This year’s theme is Fueling our Future and takes place January 16-19, 2017. Some of the key topics will be the future of biodiesel with Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States, as well as highlight new …
Novozymes Debuts Biological Foam Control for Sugarcane #Ethanol
Novozymes has launched the first ever biological foam control for sugcarcane ethanol called Fermax™. The enzyme protease replaces chemicals in the sugarcane ethanol production and prevents foam development during the fermentation process. According to Novozymes, ethanol plants that trialed Fermax experienced improved control as well as a cost reduction of up to 20 percent as compared to using chemicals. “This …
MSU Awarded $6M Biofuel, Carbon Grant
Montana State University (MSU) has received a $6 million, four-year grant from the National Science Foundation to develop new innovations at the intersection of food, energy and water systems. MSU will be working alongside the University of Wyoming and the University of South Dakota to address the sustainability profiles of biofuels and carbon capture technologies that would be introduced in …
Paris Agreement in Force, GRFA Stresses #Biofuels Role
On November 4, 2016 the Paris Agreement, reached during COP21 and signed by nearly 200 countries, went into force. This is the first enforceable accord setting targets to curb global carbon emissions with the goal of limiting global warming to no more than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. With the agreement now ‘official,’ the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) …
PNNL Turns Sewage Into Fuel
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have discovered the key to converting sewage to biocrude oil. Using the technology that mimics the geological conditions the Earth uses to create crude oil, called hydrothermal liquefaction, coupled with high pressure and high temperatures, crude oil can be produced in minutes. The resulting product is similar to …
NREL Scientists Discover Bacteria to Biofuels Breakthrough
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have discovered a metabolic pathway that take up CO2 and is then capable of breaking down and fermenting cellulosic biomass to produce biofuels, hydrogen and hydrocarbons. The specific bacteria is Clostridium thermocellum and is among the most efficient bacteria in directly converting cellulosic materials into hydrogen and hydrocarbons …
Researchers Turning Waste Into Wealth
EPFL chemists have discovered that adding formaldehyde to lignin could turn waste, such as he molecules found in wood, into wealth. Biomass may hold a key to meeting future energy needs – it’s sugars can be turned into biofuels and other bioproducts. But until now a barrier to efficient production has been the plant’s lignin. Scientists have now turned the …