According to a new Issue Brief: Generation 1.5 Ethanol: The Bridge to Cellulosic Biofuels,” the shortfall of cellulosic biofuel production in the U.S. is threatening the existence of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2). Authored by Philip W. Madson, P.E., president of KATZEN International for Ethanol Across America, the growth of the biofuels industry will be facilitated by modifying RFS2 to …
Praj Industries Scales Up Demo Plant
Praj Industries, who has been working on developing second generation technologies for the production of biofuels, is scaling up its demonstration research and development plant program, “Lignocellulose to Ethanol”. For the past four years, the company has been operating a pilot plant to produce ethanol from feedstocks such as bagasse, corn stover and more and is now ready to move …
Driving Forward Agenda Announced
Next year’s 18th Annual National Ethanol Conference (NEC): Driving Forward, sponsored by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) will help the ethanol industry continue to lead the nation to a stronger, more energy independent America. With an agenda supporting this goal, the event will highlight many regulatory, marketing and policy issues including: Perspectives on the Future of the RFS Expanding Renewable …
Calculator Gives Growers Energy Crop ROI
University of Illinois agricultural economists have been calculating the costs for farmers to produce biomass energy crops, and as a result have created a feedstock cost and profitability calculator for farmers to make their own assessments using their individual agribusiness parameters. Illinois Ag Economist Madhu Khanna says farmers can customize the costs based on their current farming operation, current returns on the …
INEOS BioEnergy Plant Begins Production
The INEOS New Planet BioEnergy (INPB) biorefinery is now producing renewable power using its bioenergy technology. The electricity produced is being used to power the facility and the excess power is being added to the grid. At full production, the Center is expected to produce 8 million gallons of advanced cellulosic bioethanol and six megawatts (gross) of renewable power using …
ZeaChem Completes Cellulosic Biorefinery
ZeaChem Inc. has announced the completion of its 250,000 gallons per year (GPY) cellulosic ethanol biorefinery in Boardman, Oregon. According the the company, the project was completed on budget and is expected to begin production of cellulosic ethanol by the end of 2012. Earlier this year, the company’s core process was commissioned and the fermentation of sugar feedstocks has been …
Novozymes & Beta Renewables Solidify Partnership
Novozymes and Beta Renewables have joined in a partnership to jointly market and develop cellulosic biofuel solutions. As part of the agreement, Novozymes will acquire a 10 percent share in Beta Renewables, paying approximately $115 million cash for the equity, marketing fees, other intellectual property rights and milestone payments. The partners will offer biofuel companies Novozymes’ Cellic enzymes embedded into …
BP Continues Biofuels Backout
BP is continuing its biofuels backout with the announcement that it is abandoning its $300 million cellulosic project in Highlands County, Florida. This is the second major announcement of the company moving away from the production of renewable energy. Last December, the company exited the solar business. According to an interview with Matt Hartwig in the Washington Post, the company …
POET-DSM Partners with ANDRITZ
POET-DSM has signed on the International Technology Group ANDRITZ, to supply a two-step biomass treatment process for the commercial-scale cellulosic bioethanol plant under construction in Emmetsburg, Iowa known as Project LIBERTY. The technology was designed to help draw out available sugar in the collected biomass, in this case corn stover, corn cobs, and husks, so it can be converted into …
Biorenewables Technology Moves Closer to Market
Hyrax Energy and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) have signed a licensing agreement for a renewable chemical and biofuel production method. The chemical process uses ionic liquids to break down cellulosic or non-food plant-based biomass without using enzymes or the need for pretreatment steps. The technology was developed with the aid of University of Wisconsin-Madison biochemistry professor and Hyrax …