Researchers believe they have found a way to turn sugar beets into a low-cost biofuel, thanks to the development of an enzyme that speeds up the process. A press release from Atlantic Biomass, a Frederick, Maryland, biotech-biofuel company focused on developing cutting-edge systems to produce advanced biofuels from sustainable, non-food biomass, says work with Hood College has produced a thermostable …
Speedling & Mendel to Commercialize Miscanthus
Miscanthus appears to be the hot feedstock for December. Last week, Sunbelt Biofuels announced that it will be licensing Freedom Giant Miscanthus, and today, Speedling Incorporated and Mendel Biotechnology, Inc. announced an agreement to work together to research, develop and commercialize a “cost-effective propagation and production system for Mendel’s advanced Miscanthus product candidates.” Neal Gutterson, Mendel’s president and CEO said, …
PowerPellets Touted as “Coal from the Farm”
It could become the next great fuel source from the agricultural community. A Nebraska-based biomass supplier and manufacturer has debuted a product it touts as “Coal from the Farm.” Next Step Biofuels, Inc. has launched PowerPellets, a green fuel made from corn stover – all the leaves, cobs and stalks leftover after the corn is harvested – that burns like …
DOE Announces Additonal $100M in ARPA-E Funding
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today an additional $100 million round of funding opportunities for transformational energy research projects that will be made available through the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). This announcement was made along side Commerce Secretary Gary Locke in advance of the Copenhagen Climate Conference. In a statement, Chu said, “I am pleased to announce ARPA-E’s …
American Process Receives $17.9M for Cellulosic Plant
American Process, a company based in Atlanta, Georgia, has received a portion of the funds that were awarded by the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Biorefinery Assistance Program – $17.9 million to be exact. The funds will be used to develop a plant that will produce ethanol and potassium acetate, a deicer, from wood waste generated by a local hardboard company, …
Copenhagen VIPS travel in Limos Fueled by Straw
VIPS traveling around Copenhagen during the Climate Conference are not only traveling in style, their limos are fueled with biofuel produced from straw. According to Novozymes, the largest enzyme producer in the world, this is the first time ever a fleet of limos has been fueled with this type of biofuel. The advanced fuel is made from waste biomass, namely …
SunBelt Biofuels to License Freedom Giant Miscanthus
There is another biofuel feedstock entering the mix next spring. SunBelt Biofuels LLC, based in Georgia, has announced that it will sell registered and certified rhizomes of its Freedom Giant Miscanthus to several hundred Southest U.S. licensed growers. This will mark an unusual relationship in that SunBelt has an exclusive licensing agreement with Mississippi State University. According to a company …
DOE Official: Algae and Biomass Future of Biofuels
Oil from algae and the biomass from the green microbes could be the future for advanced biofuels… that word from a top U.S. Department of Energy official. Biomass Magazine reports that Valerie Reed of the U.S. DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy said at the Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy held this week in Honolulu, …
Biomass Baler From AGCO
AGCO is one of the companies working on a prototype biomass harvest/transport system. At POET’s Project LIBERTY Field Day they demonstrated a pulled behind baler system to harvest corn cobs and stover. Dean Morrell, Product Marketing Manager for Hay and Forage Harvesting, was on site and talked with me about their system. He says it’s a one pass system which …
CASE IH Developing Biomass Harvesting System
One of the companies exhibiting their developmental corn cob harvest/collection equipment at the POET Project LIBERTY Field Day was Case IH. Representing them again this year was Sam Acker, pictured sitting in their booth during the speeches. I first met him last year and got an update on what’s new from the company this year. Sam says they’re demonstrating an …