The Brazilian Industry Sugarcane Association (UNICA) is calling for the return of the ICMS tax policy that creates incentives to use ethanol over gasoline. When the tax policy is in place, funds generated from the fuel tax are used to subsidize public transportation. UNICA notes that the policy is a way to generate positive economic, social, environmental and public health …
BASF to Acquire Verenium
BASF Corporation has entered into an agreement to acquire biotechnology company Verenium Corporation. The agreement, in which BASF will purchase all of the outstanding shares of Verenium’s common stock for US$4.00 per share, has been unanimously approved by both Verenium’s and BASF’s Boards of Directors. Based on all outstanding shares and including all net financial liabilities, the enterprise value would …
Novozymes & Raízen Partner on Cellulosic Ethanol
Novozymes and Raízen Energia S/A, Brazil’s largest sugarcane crusher, have announced plans to collaborate on the first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant in Brazil. Novozymes will be supplying enzyme technology for the plant, expected to begin production by the end of 2014. The plant will be a bolt-on facility to Raízen’s Costa Pinto sugarcane mill in the state of São Paulo …
USDA’s Doug O’Brien Visits Novozymes’ Facility
During the Advanced Biofuels Conference that took place last week in Omaha, Nebraska, Novozymes hosted USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development, Doug O’Brien. Following his keynote address, O’Brien headed to Blair, Nebraska, the home of Novozyme’s enzyme manufacturing facility. Also on the tour of the Novozymes facility were several members of Novozymes plant management, Jim Realph, Mayor of Blair, Neb., …
Biodiesel Board Celebrates Milestones
The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year and the fifth anniversary of its eco-friendly, green headquarters building in Jefferson City, Mo. NBB CEO Joe Jobe says when they started in 1993, some of the first research was done in central Missouri at the University of Missouri, funded by the Missouri Soybean Council. They expected to …
USDA Announces Support for Advanced Biofuel Producers
USDA announced Thursday that the agency is making nearly $15.5 million in payments to support the production of advanced biofuel. At the National Advanced Biofuels Conference in Omaha, USDA Rural Development Acting Under Secretary Doug O’Brien said 188 producers will received payments through the Advanced Biofuel Payment Program. “Producing advanced biofuels is a major component of the drive to take …
Agronomic Data Shows Viability of Biomass Harvesting
The Advanced Biofuels Conference & Expo is in full swing in Omaha, Nebraska with several hundred industry members on hand for the event. Today POET-DSM, an event sponsor, has announced that according to the latest data from researchers with Iowa State University and the United States Department of Agriculture (UDSA) harvesting crop residue for cellulosic ethanol production is consistent with …
Renewable Fuels Fall Preview
Congress is preparing to return to work and renewable fuels will be top of mind at their return with debate still ongoing around the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) as well as the need to pass a bi-partisan FAARM bill before the end of September. Fuels America recently brought together several renewable fuel experts held a call to discuss the progress …
Students Raise the Green Flag for Algae
Students and professors at Utah State University are raising the green flag for algae with a record breaking small engine dragster. Earlier this month at the Bonneville Salt Flats, the Aggie A-Salt Streamliner clocked in at 73.977 miles per hour – beating the current record in their division of 72.102. The team hopes to set additional records with their algal-biofueled …
ABO Forms Joint Partnership with Japan
The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO) and the Algae Industry Incubation Consortium, Japan (AIIC), a group working to commercialize algae biofuels in Japan, announced a cooperative effort to share algae industry best practices and expertise during the International Symposium on Algal Biomass held in Tokyo, Japan. The AIIC contacted ABO for assistance in bringing together global algae expertise as part of …