There are advanced biofuels on the horizon and one such fuel will be algae fuels produced from the waste streams of a first generation corn-ethanol plant. In the future, many believe that more co-located biofuel refineries are on the way and the model will be the Green Plains Renewable Energy (GPRE) / BioProcess Algae plants. BioProcess Algae is in the …
Military Will Buy Biofuels But Won’t Drive Market
The U.S. military plans to up its share of biofuels, including biodiesel and ethanol, by nearly a billion gallons over the next few years. But this article from Biofuels Digest says officials warn that won’t be enough to be the sole driver in the market: Mark Iden of the Defense Logistics Agency confirmed that the US government proposed to purchase …
CARD Revisits History of Ethanol and Corn Prices
A new report from the Iowa State University Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) revisits history to look at the impact of ethanol and ethanol subsidies on corn prices. The analysis by Bruce Babcock and Jacinto Fabiosa uses a computer model to “rewrite history” by re-creating what actually happened in agricultural markets then removing government incentives to produce and …
Ethanol Production Drops as Gas Prices Increase
As gasoline prices edge toward $4 a gallon, ethanol production is declining. According to the latest report from the Energy Information Administration, ethanol production averaged 856,000 barrels per day last week, down almost five percent from the previous week to the lowest level in six months. Production has been steadily declining for the past four weeks due to a number …
Twin Cities Clean City Coalition Top Gas Use Reducer
The U.S. Department of Energy has released a national ranking of Clean Cities programs that have had the most impact in the reduction of gasoline use. At the top of the list is the Saint-Paul-based Twin Cities Clean Cities Coalition. The group has been instrumental in a reduction of 135,175,133 cumulative gallons of gas displaced between 2005-2009. The release was …
Iowa State Develops Biodiesel, Ethanol Plant Simulator
Researchers at Iowa State University have developed a simulator that allows them to replicate all the functions of biodiesel and ethanol plants. According to this article from the school, the I-BOS (the Interactive Biorefinery Operations Simulator) will help students in Iowa State’s biorenewable resources and technology program learn about biofuel production, as well as helping the biofuel industry train employees: …
USDA & EPA Tour REG Biodiesel Plant in Newton, IA
Renewable Energy Group (REG) executives hosted USDA Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson as well as leaders from the ethanol industry at their REG Newton biorefinery to discuss the role of advanced biofuels in meeting the President’s energy independence goals. Also on hand for the event were representatives from Green Plains Renewable Energy (GPRE) and POET. Both …
Ag Will Have a Role in Growing Alt Energy
Recently, Dr. Richard Newell from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) testified during a Senate Ag Committee Hearing to discuss high gas prices and the role agriculture may play in developing energy sources for America. Newell believes that agriculture could have a very prominent role in the country’s energy production over the next 20 years. “Starting with a high level overview …
BioProcess Algae Dedicates Grower Harvester Bioreactors
On Friday April 15, BioProcess Algae, dedicated its Grower Harvester bioreactors signaling the final phase of construction for its commercial scale algae biorefinery. On hand for the event in Shenandoah, Iowa, were USDA Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack along with Green Plains Renewable Energy (GRPE) CEO Todd Becker and Mary Rosenthal, the executive director of the Algal Biomass Association. After touring …
Abengoa Secures Biomass for Cellulosic Plant
Build the plant and the biomass will come. Abengoa has announced that they have signed contracts with several biomass producers farming in and around Hugoton, Kansas, to provide 315,000 tons of cellulosic biomass by the end of 2011. Construction of the biorefinery is scheduled for this summer and expected to be fully operational sometime in 2013. Once in production, the …