The future of fuel was the topic of an educational session hosted by Syngenta at the recent Commodity Classic in New Orleans. The event brought together leaders representing industry, ethanol producer and agricultural perspectives to discuss opportunities to grow demand for American ethanol in the wake of the EPA’s 2015 ruling on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Growth Energy vice …
U of Florida Researchers Tout Algae Breakthrough
Researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) may have broken the code on better algae-based biofuels. Bala Rathinasabapathi, a UF/IFAS professor of horticultural sciences, said they have identified a “transcription factor” called ROC40 that controls the expression of many genes inside algae. He likens this process to a policeman controlling a large crowd. While …
United Airlines Takes Biofuels to New Heights
Aviation history has been made. United Airlines has become the first U.S. airline to begin regularly flying with sustainable aviation biofuel. The first flight (708) will take off from Los Angelos International Airport (LAX). As part of this new business initiative, United will purchase up to 15 million gallons of biojet fuel from AltAir Paramount over three years. AltAir is …
Math Path to Ideal Algae Biorefineries
A joint research team from the Chemical and Biological Sciences Department, Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, and the Chemical Engineering Department of Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, both located in Mexico, have discovered a way to produce biofuels from algae that also removes CO2 emissions from the environment. The findings were published in a recent edition of Industrial & …
BIODEX-SA Earns RSB Certification
Tunisia-based BIODEX-SA has earned the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) certification for its production of biodiesel. The African company collects waste oils, coverts them into biodiesel, and sells the renewable fuel to the European market. RSB’s Executive Director, Rolf Hogan said, “We are delighted to add Biodex to the RSB certified companies already producing biofuel in Africa. We welcome their …
Alliance BioEnergy Touts CoProMax
Alliance BioEnergy Plus is touting the benefits of Harvesting Technology CoProMax for an ethanol plant. When combined with the ALLM CTS process, the company reports a 55 million gallon per year (mmgy) biorefinery can add more than $17 million to the bottom line to a corn ethanol plant without bringing in outside feedstock. According to Alliance BioEnergy, the CoProMax system …
UT & Genera Harvest Poplar Trees for Biofuels
University of Tennessee AgResearch Center is harvesting its first batch of popular trees to be used as biomass to create biofuels. The 10-acre plot of hybrid poplars was planted about four years ago and now the 30-foot trees are expected to produce between 60-100 tons of woody biomass. The harvest is part of a five-year $15 million multi-disciplinary research and development …
Biodico Seeking Summer Interns
Biodico is looking for 10 interns this summer for its facilities in Fresno and Ventura Counties, California. Four interns will be based at the company’s laboratory at Naval Base Ventura County at Port Hueneme, Calif., and six interns will be based at the company’s “Westside” facility in the San Joaquin Valley located at Red Rock Ranch in Five Points, Calif. …
Military Use of Biofuels Topic at BIO World Congress
Biofuel use and support will be a topic at the upcoming BIO World Congress. The Honorable Dennis McGinn, assistant secretary of the Navy, Energy, Installations & Environment, will be speaking about “Overcoming Challenges to Biorefinery Scale Up”. His remarks will take place Monday, April 18, 2016 at 4:30 pm. In 2009, under Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus established aggressive …
Masdar Institute’s Food & Fuel Facility Goes Online
Masdar Institute is celebrating the successful opening of its new research facility that will grow food and produce fuel in desert lands irrigated by seawater. The facility is located on a 2-hectare site in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and is funded by the Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium (SBRC), a group dedicated to advancing the use of sustainable jet fuels. …