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 …
Next Gen Biofuels Hearing Today
The House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research will hold a hearing today to review the future of next generation biofuels. Subcommittee chairman Tim Holden (D-PA) will preside over the hearing, which will include testimony from U.S. Department of Agriculture officials, as well as representatives from several companies involved in exploring new technologies and new feedstocks for biofuel …
Conference in Omaha for Ethanol Lab Managers
There are 7 speakers with topics ranging from fermentation management to proper sampling techniques. Additional sponsors are Novozymes, Mettler, Metrohm, and EMD Chemicals. Attendance is expected at over 100 lab managers and related professionals from the fuel ethanol industry. To register for the conferenece, click here.
Midwest States Support Ethanol and Biodiesel
The Midwest Legislative Conference of The Council of State Governments recently issued a series of policy resolutions supporting increased use of both ethanol and biodiesel, and specifically support ethanol blender pumps. The group also adopted resolutions calling for use of sound scientific methods when calculating carbon emissions. The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is pleased with all the resolutions, particularly …
BlueFire Ethanol Locating Plant in Mississippi
California-based BlueFire Ethanol received approval from the Department of Energy (DOE) recently to locate its second planned cellulosic ethanol biorefinery in Fulton, Mississippi. The company was awarded a $40 million dollar grant from DOE for a second facility in 2007 that was originally to be located in California. However, development and licensing concerns, coupled with the challenging business climate in …