The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced a research grant to develop next generation biofuels in the Northeast. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today awarded Pennsylvania State University a five-year research grant valued at roughly $10 million to develop biomass supply chains for the production of liquid transportation and aviation biofuels in the Northeast. This is the sixth such award made …
Navy: Biofuel Technology is Here
According to an article on Military.com, biofuel technology has arrived. While several legislators fight to stop the military from pursuing the use of biofuels, Secretary Ray Mabus says the Navy will continue to develop biofuel technology for use in its ships and aircraft. During a luncheon on October 9th, Mabus said the technology is already here. Research shows that between …
Gevo Awarded Two Patents
Gevo, a company focused on developing biobutanol technology, has been awarded two patents. The first is US Patent No. 8,273,565, entitled “Methods of Increasing Dihydroxy Acid Dehydratase Activity to Improve Production of Fuels, Chemicals, and Amino Acids.” The patent covers suppression of a glutaredoxin protein called GRX3. In combination with other Gevo patented technologies, deletion of GRX3 significantly increases the …
Paseo Biofuels Begins Expansion
Paseo Biofuels is making plans to expand their biodiesel facility located in Kansas City, Missouri by 40 percent. The plant uses soybean oil as its primary feedstock and currently produces 40 million gallons of biodiesel and 30 million pounds of glycerin each year. The expansion is expected to be completed by March 2013. “Our partnership with Paseo has gone very …
Cali Senators Call for Cali Gas Price Investigation
According to a Los Angeles Times article, California Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif) have called for a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigation into California’s high gas prices. In one week, the per gallon price of gas jumped 50 cents. Fuel analysts attribute the increase to an oil pipeline problem, maintenance procedures, and refinery mishaps. According to Feinstein, …
Study Looks at Converting Biomass & Electricity to Fuel
In a collaborative effort between University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Massachusetts-Amherst and Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, a continuous process for converting biomass and electricity into renewable liquid transportation fuels has been developed. The researchers used a proton-exchange-membrane fuel cell to convert the model biomass compound acetone into isopropanol. This chemical compound can be used in a myriad of …
Vilsack Defends Ethanol at Dairy Expo
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack held a town hall meeting at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin this week and took questions from the audience, one of which concerned ethanol and the impact it has had on livestock producers. The questioner, who was from California, said ethanol was “not a very popular word” with dairy farmers in her state. “Where …
Iowa Bioenergy Tour Huge Success
The 4th Annual Biofuels: Science and Sustainability Tour took place recently hosted by the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA). The three-day tour brought several Washington, D.C. policymakers and regulators to Iowa for a inside and hands on look at the renewable fuels and agricultural industry in the state. Participants had the opportunity to talk with many renewable fuels experts, agriculture leaders …
Ag Energy Coalition Talks Farm Bill
The 2008 Farm Bill has officially expired giving the agricultural industry and renewable energy industry, which had programs in the 2008 Farm Bill, a grave level of uncertainty to growing segments of the U.S. economy. This move has caused private sector investments to dry up and threatens good paying jobs. In response, Lloyd Ritter, co-director of the Agriculture Energy Coalition (AgEC) said, …
Clariant Joins Advanced Ethanol Council
A global specialty chemicals company headquartered in Switzerland with operations in the United States is the newest member of the Advanced Ethanol Council, a coalition of companies formed last year to promote advanced ethanol fuels and technologies. Clariant Corporation recently acquired Süd-Chemie, which has been developing its proprietary sunliquid® process since 2006, including the successful operation of a pilot plant …