The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) has released its Advancements in Algal Biofuels: Year in Review. The goal of BETO is to support advanced in the production of algal biofuel – especially those that lower the cost of production. The report highlights several notable R&D breakthrough including: Fast algae-to-bio-crude oil process reduces production costs – DOE’s …
Caribbean Islands Swapping Diesel for Renewables
The British Virgin Islands, Columbia, Dominica, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia and Turks and Caicos have joined the Carbon War Room and Rocky Mountain Institute’s ‘Ten Island Renewable Challenge‘. The campaign is designed to help get the islands off fossil fuels as well as move forward with projects for schools and hospitals. The commitments were complemented by news that …
Support for the RFS- Personal, Powerful
With the time period over for comments regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard proposal, many people are asking: What’s next? The EPA is now tasked with reviewing all the comments and this will prove to be quite an undertaking as more than 40,000 comments were submitted. It is anticipated that it will take several months before …
Senators Introduce Bill to Reinstate Biodiesel Tax Incentive
Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Charles Grassley (R-IA) have introduced a bill to extend the expired biodiesel tax incentive for three years. The bill, S. 2021, would extend the tax incentive until 2017. In response to the bill’s introduction, the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) called on Congress to move swiftly on the tax legislation. “On behalf of biodiesel producers across …
Heliae Algae Techology Headed to ASU
Heliae’s algae production technology is heading to Arizona State University’s (ASU) algae testbed facility. The company is partnering with SCHOTT North America to install a Helix photobioreactor at ASU’s Department of Energy (DOE)-funded algae testbed facility. Over the next several years, algae research staff at ASU will leverage the Helix photobioreactor, built by Heliae, for pioneering research that will forward …
How to Make BioGasoline From Plant Waste
A new process developed by researchers at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) could better produce “biogasoline” from cellulosic materials. This new process of converting cellulosic materials such as farm and forestry waste, could open up new markets for plant-based fuels beyond existing diesel substitutes. “What’s exciting is that there are lots of processes to make linear hydrocarbons, but …
Global Demand for Transportation Biofuels To Grow
According to a new report from Navigant Research, global demand for biofuels used for road transportation will grow from 32.4 billion gallons in 2013 to 51.1 billion gallons by 2022. The report, “Biofuels for Transportation Markets,” analyzes the emerging markets and future growth opportunities for biofuels, including ethanol, biodiesel, and drop-in biofuels. The report provides an analysis of the major …
Both Farm Bill and RFS Important
Signing the new farm bill into law on Friday, President Obama commented that the legislation “supports businesses working to develop cutting edge biofuels” which have the “potential to create jobs and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.” The president also announced a new “Made in Rural America” export and investment initiative “to help more rural businesses expand and hire and …
Farm Bill Biofuel Benefits
Just as President Obama was preparing to sign the Agricultural Act of 2014 into law today, the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) held a media conference to highlight how expansion of the new farm bill’s energy programs to include renewable chemical technologies can help advanced biofuel producers. “Renewable chemicals are now defined in the farm bill, an important and long overdue …
Primus Green’s STG Technology Awarded Patent
Primus Green Energy has been awarded a patent by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for its STG+ liquid fuel synthesis technology. The company says its STG+ produces high quality, cost-effective, drop-in liquid transportation fuels such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel directly from syngas derived from natural gas and other carbon-rich feedstocks in a single-loop process. STG+ represents a …