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 …
Purdue Study Advocates Variable Ethanol Tax Credit Rate
A new study from Purdue University finds that a variable rate for the ethanol blenders tax credit could cost the government less and provide more security for producers than current fixed rates. The study, by Purdue agricultural economist Wally Tyner, concludes that a variable rate would insulate producers from risk because as oil and ethanol prices drop, the subsidy for …
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 …
Analysis Credits Ethanol With Lower Gas Prices
Gas prices have hit an eight-month low and an analysis in the Washington Post today gives part of the credit to ethanol. The main reason they say gas prices have declined is weak demand due to the economy and continued high unemployment. That comes from an American Petroleum Institute (API) news release last week, which reported gasoline demand for July, …
Process Optimization Seminar Sold Out
The third Process Optimization Seminar, coming up September 1-2 in Kansas City, is sold out. The interactive seminar focused on increasing ethanol plant process efficiency and profitability is sponsored Fremont Industries, Fermentis, Novozymes and Phibro Ethanol Performance Group. They have already held two successful workshops in Minneapolis last year and Indianapolis earlier this year and they will be announcing more …
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, …
Researcher ID’s Genes to Make Ethanol More Economical
The University of Illinois (U of I) has recently announced that one of their metabolic engineers has taken a major step in helping biofuels production become more efficient and economical. Yong-Su Jin, an assistant professor of microbial genomics as well as a faculty member in the U of I’s Institute for Genomic Biology, has developed a strain of yeast with …
Commission In Calif. Considers Funds for Biodiesel Plant
Commissioners in Santa Rosa County, California are considering whether to use the county’s name to help back bonds for a proposed biodiesel plant. Biofuels Digest reports the chairman of the commission wants more information before signing off on the Integrated Energy Partners’ proposed biodiesel facility: The facility intends to run year-round using camelina and other crops including cotton seed to …