It’s like the scene in Back to the Future II, where the crazy old professor stuffs garbage into his flux capacitor in the back of the DeLorean and flies off to the future (or is that the past?). California-based BlueFire Ethanol Fuels has developed a process called Concentrated Acid Hydrolysis Technology that expands the amount of feedstocks that can be …
New Report Offers Algae Ethanol, Biodiesel Markets Info
Algae might be the feedstock of the future for biodiesel and ethanol… if you know how to use it right. This press release posted on Reuters.com says a new report from Research and Markets entitled “Algae For Fuel, Algal Oil, Biofuels, Ethanol, Biodiesel And The Future Of Petroleum And Green Energy: Global Markets, Technologies, And Opportunities: 2009-2020 Analysis and Forecasts” …
Highlights from World Ethanol 2009
World ethanol supplies may hit a surplus next year, Brazil’s ethanol production and exports will be off due to wet weather, and biobutanol may be in the pipeline by 2013. That’s just a few of the highlights from F.O. Licht’s World Ethanol 2009 12th annual conference held this week in Paris, France. F.O. Licht managing director Christoph Berg told attendees …
BP Looks to Start Ethanol, Biobutanol Production
A major oil producer is looking to get into the biofuels business. This story from Reuters says BP could start ethanol and biobutanol operations next year: BP could launch commercial production of grass-based ethanol in the United States in 2010 with partner Verenium, which already has a demonstration cellulosic ethanol facility, Philip New, Chief Executive of BP Biofuels, said. BP …
World Ethanol Leaders Gather in Paris
F.O. Licht’s World Ethanol 2009 12th annual conference kicks off today in Paris, France where leaders in ethanol development around the world have gathered. The conference features perspectives on global ethanol development from industry leaders in countries such as the United States, Brazil, India, France, Germany, Demark, Belgium and Nigeria. Among the US representatives is Bob Dinneen, President and CEO …
Synthetic Cellulosome May Improve Fermentation
A team of University of California, Riverside (UCR) researchers, led by Wilfred Chen, Professor of Chemical Engineering, has for the first time, constructed a synthetic cellulosome in yeast. According to Chen, this synthetic cellulosome is much more ethanol-tolerant than the bacteria in which these structures are commonly found. Cellulosomes are self-assembled structures found on the the exterior of certain bacteria …
Iowa Behind National in Ethanol Use
Iowa is the top ethanol producing states, but it has dropped behind the national average when it comes to using the fuel. According to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA), that 71 percent of the gasoline sold in the state during September was 10 percent ethanol, compared to 80 percent for the average nationwide. “Iowa’s ethanol sales are lagging behind …
Cargill Buys Nebraska Ethanol Assets at Auction
Agribusiness giant Cargill acquired the rights to the land and grain handling assets of the incomplete Altra Nebraska ethanol facility in Carleton, Nebraska during an auction conducted by Maas Companies this week. Cargill will take possession of the assets effective November 4. Construction on the Altra facility began in 2006 and was approximately half complete in November 2007 when work …
Cellulosic Ethanol Firms Testify Before House Panel
Leading industries in the race to commercialize next generation biofuels told a House agriculture subcommittee hearing on Thursday that more funding and stable government policy are needed to do the job. “The current financial crisis has prevented venture capitalists and bankers from investing in many worthwhile investments,” BP Biofuels North America president Susan Ellerbusch testified. “The industry and investors must …