The first Navy plant in the Mid-Atlantic region to use B20 is located in St. Julien’s Creek Annex in Portsmouth, Virginia. The biodiesel blend will provide steam to heat 16 office buildings and 13 warehouses. Over the course of the winter, 235,000 gallons of B20 are expected to be used to create the heat. Previously the plant used traditional, petroleum-based …
ISU Researchers Growing Algae in Poultry Houses
A research project conducted by several Iowa State University (ISU) researchers is studying the feasibility of growing algae in poultry houses. Poultry manure generates ammonia, a health and safety concern for both animals and workers. Ammonia can burn the eyes, but if released into the atmosphere, could also cause acid rain. But if Honwei Xin, professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering at …
IRFA Elects 2013 Offers & Executive Committee
The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) announced its new Board of Directors Officers and Executive Committee for 2013, elected during its annual meeting held on December 11, 2012. Each producer member has a seat on the Board and votes on officers. New officers will serve a one year term during the 2013 calendar year. 2013 IRFA Board of Directors Officers: …
Genuine Bio-fuel Expands to the Caribbean
Genuine Bio-Fuel is expanding to the Caribbean region with the formation of a new subsidiary Caribbean Bio-Fuel (CBF). The company will be based in Puerto Rico and serve Caribbean and South American markets. The company will build a biodiesel plant in the region that will have the capacity to produce nearly 12 million gallons of biodiesel per year. The new 35,000 …
Algae. Tec Facility Continues to Attract Attention
Parliamentary Secretary for Defence and Member for Eden-Monaro Dr Mike Kelly recently visited Alage.Tec facility in Shoalhaven (Australia). The plant is proving out technology that produces low cost, high grade algae-based biofuels. While on site, Dr. Kelly was briefed about the technology by company representatives. One element with great promise is the fact that algae “eat” carbon to grow. In …
Propel Receives $21M in Investments
Propel Fuels has closed on the initial phase of its Series D round of funding with $11 million in equity capital from existing investors Nth Power, Craton Equity Partners, and @Ventures as well as a new investor, Gentry Venture Partners. In addition, the company has secured $10 million in debt financing from CapX Partners. With the additional funds, Propels plans …
EIA Releases 2013 Annual Energy Outlook Forecast
The Energy Information Agency (EIA) has released its 2013 Annual Energy Outlook forecast summary. While the report looks at all forms of energy with estimates going as far as 2040, there were two areas pertinent to biofuels. The summary forecast stated that renewable fuel use will grow at a much faster rate than fossil fuel use, and the share of …
Pacific Successfully Produces Sorghum Ethanol
Yesterday the EPA announced that grain sorghum is now an official pathway for a renewable fuel under the RFS. Currently, Pacific Ethanol has successfully produced ethanol from sorghum feedstock that was bred by Chromatin. According to Chromatin, this achievement paves the way for future opportunities to use locally grown sorghum as a versatile and resilient crop that is a more …
EPA Approves RFS Path for Grain Sorghum
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has just announced it’s approval of grain sorghum as an approved pathway for a renewable fuel as part of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). According to EPA, ethanol produced from grain sorghum emits 32 percent less greenhouse gas than the baseline petroleum it replaces and uses one-third less water than some other biofuel feedstocks. The EPA …
Could Biofuels Be Produced from A Tobacco Tree?
Could biofuels be produced from the tobacco tree? With a grant from the European Union, researchers at Royal Holloway, School of Biological Sciences, will test this theory based on initial findings that the Nicotiana Glauca produces compounds that could be used to produce biodiesel or cracked to produce petroleum products. There are some advantages of the tobacco tree: it is …