Biodiesel Board Webinar on Food, Fuel and Land Use

Cindy Zimmerman

Experts on a National Biodiesel Board webinar Tuesday explained how biofuels production can lead to more efficient and environmentally friendly energy future and help feed the world’s poor. The on-line event drew more than 100 participants, including government regulators, military personnel, scientists and students. The event was promoted among college students as part of the Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel …

Audio, Biodiesel, biofuels

UPS Begins Using Biodiesel at U.S. Hub

Joanna Schroeder

UPS is now using biodiesel blends at its Louisville, Kentucky hub. The company recently installed a biodiesel fuel tank and fueling station at its Worldport facility. This will enable fuel operators to blend specific percentages of biodiesel starting from a B5 blend (5% biodiesel, 95% diesel) up to B20. Biodiesel blends of up to B20 can be used in any …

Biodiesel, biofuels, NBB

BIOfuel From Algae Technologies Project Launched

Joanna Schroeder

A new international project is kicking off to produce biofuels from algae. The BIOfuel From Algae Technologies (BIOFAT) project is supported by nine partners based in seven countries and the goal is to show that ethanol, biodiesel and bioproducts call all be produced at large scale from algae. Algae supporters believe algal biofuels can be produced in an efficient, economic …

algae, biofuels, International

Survey Says Consumers Consider Ethanol A Green Product

Joanna Schroeder

In a study released by Genencor during the BIO World Congress in Toronto, when U.S. consumers were asked to name a product they considered green, 39 percent of them named ethanol first and 31 percent of Canadian respondents also named ethanol as a green product. This is just one of results discovered in the Genencor Household Sustainability Index that researched …

Audio, Biodiesel, biofuels, biomaterials, Biotech, Ethanol, Research

EQM Resumes Production at Texas Biodiesel Plant

Joanna Schroeder

After closing a $500,000 round of funding, EQM Technologies & Energy has put its biodiesel plant in Cleburne, TX back into production. The funds were part of a larger $3 million private placement of 10 percent subordinated convertible notes. “The start up of our Cleburne, Texas plant has gone smoothly and as planned, and the capital raised from our private …

Biodiesel, biofuels

Extreme Biodiesel to Produce Biodiesel for Grocery Stores

Joanna Schroeder

Extreme Biodiesel, a subsidiary of BookMerge Technology, has been chosen to collect used vegetable oil and produce biodiesel for two supermarkets. On an ongoing basis, Extreme Biodiesel will collect and deliver the supermarkets’ waste vegetable oil to its Corona facility for a delivery collection charge. Extreme will also be paid a toll to process the oil into biodiesel and a …

Biodiesel, biofuels

University of Florida Receives USDA/DOE Grant

Joanna Schroeder

The University of Florida has received a four-year $5.4 million federal grant to develop methods of producing energy, such as ethanol, from sweet sorghum. The grant is part of a $47 million package funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) designed to support projects that hopefully help the U.S. reduce its dependence on …

biochemicals, biofuels, Cellulosic, Ethanol

FAO Studies Pros & Cons of Bioenergy

Joanna Schroeder

FAO has released a new report that contains methodology designed to aid policymakers assess the pros and cons of investing in the bioenergy industry. The “Bioenergy and Food Security (BEFS) Analytical Framework” was written to help governments evaluate the potential of bioenergy as well as assess its possible food security impacts. The framework was developed over a three-year time frame …

bioenergy, biofuels, food and fuel, Indirect Land Use, International, Research

50% of India’s Fuel Needs Could Be Met By Biofuels

Joanna Schroeder

One million jobs could be created in India over the next decade through the transformation of agricultural waste into biofuel. Should this occur, biofuels could meet 59 percent of the demand for liquid transportation fuels by 2020. This according to the Bloomberg New Energy Finance study, “Next-generation Ethanol: What’s in it for India,” commissioned by Novozymes. Already, the Indian government …

biofuels, biomass, Ethanol, International, Research

Book Review – Energy Myths & Realities

Joanna Schroeder

This week I decided to bone up on some energy 101 so I read “Energy Myths & Realities” by Vaclav Smil, an energy scientist. He discusses eight myths and attempts to set the record straight by disseminating the true facts around the issues. He believes several of the myths have been mired in the past while others are perpetuated by …

algae, biofuels, book reviews, Electric Vehicles, Energy, Wind