Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Genome Institute (JGI) and the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) at DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory are trying to discover salt-loving organisms that may be more efficient in treating biomass and improve sugar yield for biofuel production. The class of solvents known as ionic liquids, are liquid forms of salt that will …
Renewable Energy Production Surpasses Nuclear
Renewable energy production has surpassed nuclear energy production in the U.S. according to the latest issue of Monthly Energy Review published by the Energy Information Administration. Production of alternative energy is also beginning to close in on domestic oil production. During the first three months of 2011, energy produced from renewable energy sources (biomass/biofuels, geothermal, solar, hydro, wind) generated 2.245 …
How Do Farmers Choose Bioenergy Crops?
Carolyn Hoagland was recently awarded the Volkswagen Distinguished Scholar for her work in learning about how farmers choose to grow bioenergy crops. Hoagland, an adult student, is an environmental science major at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC). She conducted her research while working as an intern at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Hoagland found that many aspects of …
Biomass Crops to Be Grown on Airport Property
Michigan State University (MSU) is partnering with Wayne County Airport Authority (WCAA) who operates the Detroit Metropolitan Airport and Willow Run Airport to grow, harvest and process biomass crops on airport owned land. This is the first of its kind partnership in the Midwest and demonstrates WCAA’s commitment to advancing aviation biofuels development. “How does aviation protect itself in the …
USDA Announces Miscanthus Biomass Projects
Giant miscanthus will soon be grown for biomass energy in Missouri and three other states. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) today announced the establishment of two Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) project areas in Missouri that will produce the dedicated energy crop miscanthus to be used for heat, power, liquid biofuels, and bio-based products. “We are …
DOE Announces $36M in Advanced Biofuels & Chemicals Funding
U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced today $36 million in federal grants to fund six small-scale projects in five states designed to produce drop-in advanced biofuels and other bio-based chemicals. Each project’s goal is to improve the economics and efficiency of converting non-food biomass feedstocks into biofuels, bioproducts and biochemicals. “Projects such as these are helping us to diversify …
House Spending Bill Cuts Renewable Energy Programs
Two renewable energy programs designed to help make America more energy independent were slashed in the spending bill passed Tuesday night by the House Appropriations Committee. The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) which provides grants and loan guarantees to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to help purchase renewable energy systems, including ethanol blender pumps, was cut from the …
Biomass Harvest Still Allows Soil Conservation
New data shows that responsible harvesting of biomass for ethanol can be part of good soil management efforts for farmland. Iowa State University has completed analysis on data from the third year of an ongoing study for POET’s “Project LIBERTY” near Emmetsburg, Iowa to monitor how soil health is affected when crop residue is removed. The planned 25 million-gallon-per-year cellulosic …
NASCAR Driver Kenny Wallace to Keynote Southeast Bioenergy Conference
NASCAR Series Driver Kenny Wallace and co-host of the shows Race Day and Victory Lane, will be giving the keynote address during the 2011 Southeast Bioenergy Conference on August 9-11 in Tifton, Georgia. Wallace drives the No. 9 American Ethanol Toyota Camrey and is currently ranked 7th in the Series. Last week, Wallace completed his 500th Nationwide start bringing his …
50% of India’s Fuel Needs Could Be Met By Biofuels
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 …