The demonstration cellulosic ethanol plant owned by Edeniq and located in Visalia, California has exceeded 1,000 hours of continuous operation. The corn-to-cellulosic migration plant uses the company’s proprietary technology to process more than one metric ton of feedstock per day into cellulosic ethanol. According to the company, this achievement exceeded the plant’s initial target. The project, funded in part by …
Senate Panel Approves Farm Bill with Energy Title
The Senate Agriculture Committee voted 15-5 today to approve the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013, which includes cuts to reduce the deficit by $23 billion dollars but still offers a commitment to renewable energy. The bill includes an energy title that helps to advance “bio-energy production, supporting advanced biomass energy production such as cellulosic ethanol and pellets …
New Farm Policy Possible Because of Ethanol
As the Senate and House Agriculture Committees begin to mark up a new farm bill this week, big changes are expected in the next farm bill when it comes to farm programs and ethanol is helping to make that happen. At the annual National Association of Farm Broadcasting Washington Watch issues forum on Monday, Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO …
AEC Calls for End to Advanced Biofuel Delays
The Advanced Ethanol Council (AEC) has sent a letter to the White House expressing concern about ongoing delays in the approval process for advanced biofuel pathways pursuant to the implementation of the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The letter calls for the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to prioritize and approve a number of these pathways to …
New Yeast Strain Could Cut Cellulosic Ethanol Costs
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture have developed a new strain of yeast that could cut the costs of cellulosic ethanol production. This Agricultural Research Service (ARS) news release says the work is being done at the agency’s National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research in Peoria, Ill. ARS molecular biologist Zonglin Lewis Liu and his colleagues determined that this …
Air Force Gets Virent Bio-based Jet Fuel for Testing
Wisconsin-based Virent has delivered the first 100 gallons of its bio-based jet fuel to the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) for testing. This company news release says it will be validated against the standards required for qualification and approval of new aviation turbine fuels established by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM): Dr. Tim Edwards of the …
Down to the Wire on RFS Comments
It’s down to the wire for the biofuel and agricultural industries to submit comments on the agricultural impact of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), a second in an RFS series being published by the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Growth Energy, Fuels America, and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) all submitted input today. The consensus among the biofuel industry is …
Europe Urged to Re-reconsider Biofuels Policy
It wasn’t that long ago that Europe was a champion of biofuels, in particular, biodiesel, as just a few years ago the continent adopted a policy of having 10 percent of transportation fuels come from renewable sources, including biofuels. This boosted biodiesel demand, coupled with favorable tax laws and the popularity of diesel vehicles. This piece in Public Service Europe …
Jobe Defends Biodiesel in Wall Street Journal
The head of the National Biodiesel Board is making his case in defense of the green fuel. NBB CEO Joe Jobe recently responded in the Wall Street Journal to a previous article that tried to claim advanced biofuels aren’t being produced on a commercial scale: Biodiesel is an EPA-designated advanced biofuel that’s made from an array of resources including waste …
Brazil’s GranBio Open US Operations
Brazil-based GranBio has announced plans to expand to the U.S. with an office in San Francisco and has name Vonnie Estes as the managing director. In this new role, Ms. Estes will lead GranBio’s efforts to access new technologies and establish key public and private collaborations for the company’s continued global expansion in advanced biorefinery development. Ms. Estes joins GranBio …