It’s been a long time in the making, but the Environmental Protection Agency has finally released the new Renewable Fuels Standard … better known as RFS-2. The standard requires that biofuels will have to reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to the gasoline and diesel fuels they displace and grow in production from last year’s 11.1 billion gallons to 36 billion …
Obama Announces Steps to Boost Biofuels
It’s a busy day for the federal government. Here is what has happened today. The EPA has released its expanded rules for the Renewable Fuel Standard, The U.S. Department of Agriculture has proposed a rule on the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) that would provide financing to increase the conversion of biomass to bioenergy, and the President’s Biofuels Interagency Working …
Ethanol Report on RFS2 Rules
Industry reaction to the Environmental Protection Agency announcement today of much-delayed rules for the second phase of the Renewable Fuel Standard has come quickly and is mostly positive. In this edition of “The Ethanol Report” podcast, Matt Hartwig with the Renewable Fuels Association talks about their reaction and what the rule means for the industry. You can subscribe to this …
ZeaChem Successful in Cellulosic Fermentation Tests
ZeaChem released the results of its recent fermentation results of acetic acid, used in the conversion of biomass to biofuels. According to the company, the results demonstrated successful process scaling to a level that is 10,000 time greater than the standard scale used in lab tests. Fermentation units were scaled from 0.5 liter to 5,000 liters. Acetogens, which are naturally …
Tennessee Cellulosic Ethanol Demo Plant Opens
Leaders from DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol (DDCE), University of Tennessee and Genera Energy gathered on Friday in Vonore, Tennessee to cut the ribbon on a new cellulosic ethanol demonstration facility. The 74,000-square-foot plant has now started producing ethanol from agricultural residue and bioenergy crops, including corncobs and switchgrass. During the grand opening celebration, Kelly Tiller, CEO of Genera Energy and …
Verenium and BP Extend Agreement
Verenium and BP are extending their joint development contract for another month as they continue more long term negotiations in the partnership to develop and commercialize cellulosic ethanol. The two companies have extended the initial 18-month joint development program established in August 2008, which was scheduled today until March 1, 2010. BP and Verenium will continue their ongoing joint development …
IDED Approves $5.25 Million Project LIBERTY Grant
The Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) has approved an agreement for the final $5.25 million in financial assistance for Project LIBERTY, Poet’s cellulosic pilot project that will convert corn cobs to ethanol. The announcement ups the total of Iowa’s financial contributions to the project to $20 million. Poet and IDED has been in talks since 2008. “The state has …
Government Paper Waste Fuels Truck in DC
The Washington Auto Show is in full swing and for the first time ever, a car is being fueled on government paper waste. The two companies behind this feat are Novozymes and Fiberight. Novozymes has been a partner on many cutting edge biofuels projects so I reached out to both companies to learn a bit more about creating ethanol from …
Cellulosic Ethanol Could Produce Sugar Substitute
Instead of making ethanol from sugar, SunOpta of Canada is working on making a sugar substitute from ethanol. SunOpta subsidiary SunOpta BioProcess Inc. (SBI) has been awarded $5.5 million (Canadian) in funding from Sustainable Development Technology Canada to develop an integrated cellulosic ethanol plant and co-located xylitol production facility in the Greater Toronto area. The fabrication of valuable co-products is …
Promoting Freedom at AG CONNECT Expo
In the growing field of biomass conversion to fuel there’s a plant that Mississippi State University thinks will help farmers and all Americans. It’s Giant Miscanthus and you can follow it on Twitter @GiantMiscanthus. They’ve actually licensed the product which is Freedom Giant Miscanthus that’s being marketed by Sunbelt Biofuels LLC. On the show floor at AG CONNECT Expo last …