Cellulosic ethanol is now in production at the first small scale waste wood commercial facility operating in the U.S. Located just 1 mile South of Upton, Wyoming, the plant was engineered, constructed and is operated by KL Process Design Group. This is the result of six years of development efforts between KL and the South Dakota School of Mines and …
Energy Secretary Awards Cellulosic Grants
U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman today announced that DOE will invest up to $114 million over four years for four small-scale biorefinery projects to be located in Commerce City, Colorado; St. Joseph, Missouri; Boardman, Oregon; and Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. “These project proposals were innovative and represent the geographic diversity that we strive for when making the widespread …
Cellulosic on the Fast Track
The Ethanol Promotion and Information Council and KL Process Design Group teamed up today to announce the first use of cellulosic ethanol in the 2008 American Le Mans Series. Corvette Racing, sponsored by EPIC, will be the first team to use the cellulosic-based E85 in competition. “We could really find no greater stage to have the first use of cellulosic …
Renewable Fuels Have Place in State of Union
In his final State of the Union address to the nation, President Bush once again acknowledged the importance of domestic fuels for energy security and the environment. To build a future of energy security, we must trust in the creative genius of American researchers and entrepreneurs and empower them to pioneer a new generation of clean energy technology. Our security, …
New Approach to Cellulosic Ethanol
A California company claims to have a new way to convert biomass into ethanol. According to an article in the San Jose Mercury News, ZeaChem’s technique uses a proprietary combination of biotechnology and chemistry. Zeachem’s “secret sauce,” according to co-founder and research executive vice president Dan Verser, is both how it breaks down biomass – waste wood from poplar trees …
ND Biomass Research Work
North Dakota State University and USDA’s Agricultural Research Service are working on ways to convert cropland to biomass production for energy use. According to a university news release, the research is working to determine what crops would maximize biofuels production and to develop economically feasible management systems for transitioning in and out of bioenergy crop production. “This project will strengthen …
Biofuels Dominating Renewable Energy Patents
Patents for biofuels dominated renewable energy patents in 2007… outdistancing patents for solar and wind combined. According to this article on cleantech.com, since 2001, nearly 2,800 biofuel patents were published in the U.S. with 1,045 of those coming in 2007 alone. That compares to 555 for solar and 282 for wind power last year. Overall, the number of patents for …
“Fields of Fuel” Debut at Sundance
A documentary about biofuels makes its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah this week. “Fields of Fuel” is directed by Josh Tickell, who also wrote “Biodiesel America,” which was introduced at the 2006 Biodiesel Conference. Tickell is a long-time advocate of biodiesel who became known for his “Veggie Van” tours in the late 1990’s. While his main …
Ethanol Boosts Bottom Line for Farmers
According to a Reuters poll done this week U.S. farmers overwhelmingly said they have benefited from the demand for corn to produce ethanol, with 71 percent of those surveyed saying the renewable fuel has helped boost their bottom line. The poll also showed that 90 percent of those farmers said they would not reduce their corn plantings this year because …
Biomass Conference Slated for April
Minneapolis, Minnesota will play host to the International Biomass ’08 Conference and Trade Show… a three-day gathering on April 15th-17th to look at the potential and future of biofuels produced from biomass. Biofuel producer and consultant BBI International is the host for the event that includes: Conference Features International Panel This panel will cover the opportunities and challenges of biomass …