Now this is interesting. I was reading earlier this morning in Cadillac Desert about how agriculture in many areas is suffering from water issues that include too much salt. The salt damages the soil, kills the crops and ultimately the land is taken out of production. Today, there are over one billion acres of cropland that have been abandoned around …
Algae Association Has Successful Workshop
Got nice note from our friend, Tamra Fakhoorian with the National Algae Association’s Mid-South Chapter, who just recently completed a workshop in Huntsville, Alabama, entitled, “Algae: Mining Wastewater for Nutrients, Fuel, and Fertilizer.” She tells us they had a good mix of attendees from all over the country who heard presentations from some of the nation’s leading experts on algae …
O’Hurley Part of Plan to Turn Hog Waste into Energy
It might have been quite the load when J. Peterman said , “You may know it better as Myanmar, but it’ll always be Burma to me.” But now the man who played Elaine’s bombastic boss on Seinfeld is turning literal crap into energy. John O’Hurley, who also is known for his hosting role on the TV game show Family Feud …
METRO Biofuels To Promote Bioheat
Heating oil is common on the East Coast and so many companies are looking for ways to replace heating oil with alternative sources. Today, METRO Biofuels, based in Brooklyn New York, announced that it is supporting a neighborhood coalition to promote cleaner air quality by using “bioheat” to heat buildings. METRO is the largest independent marketer of bioheat for the …
USDA Offers Biomass and Bioenergy Funding
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that Fiscal Year 2009 funding is once again available again for three USDA Farm Bill programs to promote increased production of biomass and bioenergy. Applications for the Biorefinery Assistance Program, which uses loan guarantees to develop, construct, and retrofit commercial-scale biorefineries, must be received by June 1, 2010. Applications are also being accepted for …
Waste Management & Harvest Power to Partner
Waste Management continues to build its reputation in the development of alternative energy with the announcement that they have partnered with Harvest Power to expand next generation organics recycling facilities across the United States and Canada. Waste Management now joins founding investors Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Munich Venture Partners, as investors in the project. The largest food and …
Miscanthus Rhizome Root Harvester & Planter Unveiled
While researchers continue work on miscanthus’s viability to produce cellulosic ethanol, and growers now have a way to plant and harvest the feedstock more efficiently. After years of collaboration and research, a miscanthus rhizome regeneration harvester and planter system has been developed. The unveiling took place during the Bioenergy Feedstocks Symposium held at the University of Illinois (U of I). …
Waste Management Recieves EPA Recognition
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized Waste Management, Inc. for its innovation and creativity in the development of the Altamont Landfill Gas to Liquefied Natural Gas Facility that went online in Livermore, CA in late 2009. The award was presented during the EPA’s 13th annual Landfill Methane Outreach Program Conference and Project Expo. The project is a joint venture …
Government Awards $600 Million in Advanced Biorefinery Projects
Joining Secretary Chu, Agriculture Secretary Vilsack noted that USDA Rural Development has selected San Diego, California based Sapphire Energy to receive a loan guarantee for up to $54.5 million through the Biorefinery Assistance Program to demonstrate an integrated algal biorefinery process that will cultivate algae in ponds, and will use dewatering and oil extraction technology to produce an intermediate that …
UC Riverside Awarded $1M Synthetic Fuel Facility Grant
University of California, Riverside’s College of Engineering-Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT) has been awarded a $1 million grant from the California Energy Commission to build a demonstration plant to convert biosolids to clean synthetic diesel fuel. As evaluated by the National Energy Technology Laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, this process is 12 percent more efficient and …