An Iowa State University researcher has developed a new green, bio-based process for producing the fuel additive isobutene that could help ethanol production. ISU biochemistry professor Thomas Bobik invented a process for manufacturing the much-used fuel additive and industrial chemical that is currently made from petroleum by identifying a new, natural enzyme that produces the fuel organically. Isobutene is a …
Biofuels Videos from Obama Administration
The Obama administration and USDA have released a couple of videos highlighting the importance of biofuels to the nation and what the government is doing to get us down the road to advanced renewable fuels. In a short YouTube video, USDA highlights current production and consumption capacities as well as projections to meet the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS2) which calls …
Air Force Testing Camelina Biofuel in Fighting Falcons
From a guy who has had some great opportunities to be right on the flightline as Fighting Falcons roared to life, this picture doesn’t do justice to that rumble you feel deep down in your bones as you watch these magnificent machines take off to fight the war in the air, ready to blow things up and kill the bad …
Ceres Develops First Salt Tolerant Energy Crop
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 …
Three Algae Biofuels Consortia to Share $24 Mil Funding
Three groups researching algae-based biofuels will get a big boost from $24 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy. Biofuels Digest reports that Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Cathy Zoi made the announcemet at this week’s BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing in Washington, DC: According to Zoi, the selections will support the …
Flying Car Landing In A Driveway Near You
Apparently the FAA works much faster than the EPA – the FAA has just approved the “Flying Car,” also known at the Transition Roadable Aircraft. While the flying car, developed by Terrafugia (ter-ra-FOO-gee-ah), doesn’t currently run on an alternative fuel such as ethanol or biodiesel, it is an “alternative” way to get yourself around town. So here is how it …
World Economic Forum Sees Bright Biofuels Future
A new report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) concludes that converting biomass into fuels, energy, and chemicals has the potential to generate upwards of $230 billion to the global economy by 2020, most of that in the United States. The report, produced in collaboration with Royal DSM N.V., Novozymes, DuPont and Braskem, says that the biorefineries industry could supplement …
Biodiesel Has Place in USDA Biofuels Report
While the ethanol industry has been praising the USDA’s report entitled “Roadmap to Meeting the Biofuels Goals of the Renewable Fuels Standard by 2022,″ there’s plenty in there for biodiesel fans to like as well. The feds are optimistic that biodiesel will be able to carry its share of the overall 36 billion gallons of biofuels goal: The U.S biofuels …
USDA Releasing Report on Biofuels
The USDA is releasing a report on renewable transportation fuels and the role the agency will play in development of those biofuels. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says the report comes as the federal Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS2) gets ready to kick in on July 1st and will require that 36 billion gallons of biofuel per year be in America’s fuel …
High Tech Indy Engines, High Tech Pioneer Corn
It’s going to be a happy Father’s Day for Iowa corn growers and Pioneer Hi-Bred when the Iowa Corn Indy 250 gets underway Sunday. The race is being presented by both organizations again this year. I met Pioneer’s Joe Foresman, Senior Marketing Manager, Biofuels and MarketPoint Resource, during the Kum & Go E-85 pump promotion yesterday. He says the story …