A new study has found that consumers are willing to pay more for second generation biofuels, in fact up to an 11 percent premium over conventional fuel. The research, “Consumer Preferences for Second-Generation Bioethanol,” was conducted by Washington State University (WSU) and published in the November issue of the journal of Energy Economics. “We were surprised the premium was that …
Hearing Addresses #RFS Management
The Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management held a hearing yesterday examining two reports by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) released this week. The hearing included testimony from Frank Rusco, GAO Director Natural Resources and Environment and Janet McCabe, EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation …
Advanced #Biofuels Industry Supports Increased RVOs
The advanced biofuels industry has come out in support of the EPA’s increased Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) as part of the 2017 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The Cellulosic Biofuel category will increase from 230 million gallons in 2016 to 311 million gallons in 2017. Renewable fuels in this category must reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by at least 60 percent …
Partners Celebrate Alaska Airlines Cellulosic #Biofuels Flight
An Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle Sea-Tac International Airport to Washington, DC took off yesterday powered by a 20 percent cellulosic alcohol biofuel blend produced by Gevo. The aviation biofuel is branded as Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) fuel and is produced from woody residues in the Pacific Northwest including limbs, stumps and branches. The ATJ fuel for this flight was made from …
Novozymes Debuts Biological Foam Control for Sugarcane #Ethanol
Novozymes has launched the first ever biological foam control for sugcarcane ethanol called Fermax™. The enzyme protease replaces chemicals in the sugarcane ethanol production and prevents foam development during the fermentation process. According to Novozymes, ethanol plants that trialed Fermax experienced improved control as well as a cost reduction of up to 20 percent as compared to using chemicals. “This …
NREL Scientists Discover Bacteria to Biofuels Breakthrough
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have discovered a metabolic pathway that take up CO2 and is then capable of breaking down and fermenting cellulosic biomass to produce biofuels, hydrogen and hydrocarbons. The specific bacteria is Clostridium thermocellum and is among the most efficient bacteria in directly converting cellulosic materials into hydrogen and hydrocarbons …
Congress Urged to Extend Biofuel Tax Incentives
It’s time once again for the annual push to Congress to extend tax incentives before the end of the year, a plea which is usually ignored. Renewable energy organizations sent letters to Congressional leadership this week calling for a multi-year extension of the Second Generation Biofuel Producer Tax Credit, the Special Depreciation Allowance for Second Generation Biofuel Plant Property, the …
Gevo Produces 1st Cellulosic Renewable Jet Fuel
Gevo, Inc. announced it has completed production of the world’s first cellulosic renewable jet fuel that is specified for commercial flights. Gevo has adapted its patented technologies to convert cellulosic sugars derived from wood waste into renewable isobutanol, which was then further converted into Gevo’s Alcohol-to-Jet fuel (ATJ) fuel. This ATJ meets the ASTM D7566 specification allowing it to be …
EPA Proposes #Biofuels Market Growth Rule
The Environmental Protection Agency on Monday released a proposed update to Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) regulations “to better align our standards with the current state of the renewable fuels market and to promote the use of ethanol and non-ethanol biofuels.” According to the agency, the proposed changes are the result of “recent developments in the marketplace resulting in increased production …
Global Bioenergies Leads Wood Residue to Energy Team
A new team has been created, led by Global Bioenergies, to produce fuel from forest residues. The first step of the partnership, that also includes Preem, Sekab and Sveaskog, will be to conduct a conceptual scope study for building the first biorefinery in Sweden. Back in April the consortium announced its partnership with partial financial support from the Swedish Energy …