Fiberight-Blairstown Operating LLC has received a $2.9 million grant to help build a cellulosic ethanol plant in Blairstown, Iowa. The award was given by the Iowa Power Board Fund yesterday. Fiberight is developing technology to convert municipal solid waste into cellulosic ethanol, bio-chemical and other processed fiber products. The company has plans to bring the plant to commercial scale levels …
The Pros & Cons of Miscanthus
Miscanthus has been much talked about in the past year as a strong contender as a feedstock for advanced ethanol. Yet scientists from the University of Illinois are cautioning that not enough is known about the feesdstock’s pros and cons to call it a viable option for ethanol. The potential of miscanthus and switchgrass has been studied extensively by researchers …
BP Closes Sale on Verenium Cellulosic Business
BP Biofuels is now the official proud owner of Verenium’s cellulosic biofuels business. The companies announced the closing today of the $98.3 million transaction announced on July 15, 2010. Under the sale, BP acquires the Jennings, LA biofuel pilot plant and the demonstration facility, as well as the San Diego R&D facilities. BP also receives Vereniums cellulosic biofuels and enzyme …
Waste to Cellulosic Ethanol Project in Michigan
Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm recently helped launch the new American Process Inc. (API) waste-to-cellulosic ethanol clean energy project in Alpena. API, in partnership with San Antonio’s Valero Energy Corporation, received $4 million from the Michigan bioenergy Centers of Energy Excellence (COEE) program to establish a pilot scale biorefinery at the Decorative Panels International hardwood plant in Alpena. The $4 million …
Mascoma Acquires Sunopta Bioprocess
Mascoma Corporation and SunOpta Inc. today announced the sale of SunOpta BioProcess Inc. (SBI) to Mascoma. The acquisiting brings together SBI’s fiber preparation and pretreatment technology with Mascoma’s consolidated bioprocessing technology to create a company with comprehensive capabilities for converting non-food cellulose (wood chips, energy crops and organic solid waste) into ethanol and high value co-products. Mascoma CEO Bill Brady …
Shell & Cosan Partner on $12 Billon Ethanol Project
Brazil-based Cosan S.A. has announced a partnership with Shell to form a $12 billion joint venture for the production and commercialization of ethanol and power from sugarcane. According to company sources, the venture, which must receive regulatory approval, would create the 3rd largest ethanol producer in the world, manufacturing 440 million gallons of ethanol per year, and result in more …
Gators Study Termites for Cellulosic Ethanol
The University of Florida is continuing its research into the use of termite enzymes to help make cellulosic ethanol commercially viable. As we reported last year, researchers at UF have been working on genetic sequencing to harness the insects’ ability to churn wood into fuel. Now they report that they have isolated two enzymes that termites use to break up …
The Relationship Between Biomass Harvesting and Soil
As the cellulosic industry gets closer to bringing cellulosic ethanol to market, there have been some concerns regarding how biomass harvesting will affect soil health and yields. These very issues were discussed by Dr. Stuart Birrell a professor at Iowa State University, whom with his team, have been studying soil sustainability as it relates to biomass harvesting. His latest research …
KL Energy & Petrobras Partner on Bagasse Project
KL Energy Corporation and Brazil-based Petrobras have announced a new joint development agreement to optimize KL Energy’s cellulosic ethanol process technology for the conversion of sugarcane bagasse feedstock to ethanol. As a component of this partnership, Petrobras will invest $11 million to adapt KL Energy’s demonstration facility to use bagasse. The money will also be dedicated to validating the company’s …
Largest Global Cellulosic Biomass Harvest Underway
The largest global cellulosic biomass harvest in history is underway and already the world is watching. Last week, Project Liberty kicked off their one-year biomass harvest pilot program as an effort to ensure all the correct logistics are in place in time for Project Liberty to go online in early 2012. During the event, I caught up with Scott Weishaar, …