The ethanol industry received some negative news today compliments of the newly released Soyatech Biofuels Monitor, a publication from HighQuest Partners. The study projects that for First Quarter 2009 the U.S. ethanol industry will operate at 67 percent of nameplate capacity through 2010. The study authors, in part, based their predications on data from the USDA Planting Intentions report that …
Scientists to Talk Biofuels at Symposium
The 31st Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals is coming up May 3-6 in San Francisco, with more than 800 scientists expected to attend sessions on topics ranging from commercialization of biofuels and their long-term sustainability to emerging technologies and turning algae into fuel. Government and private sector support for research, development and deployment of renewable fuels and chemicals …
Hereford Biofuels Sold As Part of Bankruptcy
One of the most notable ethanol plants in the country was sold today. The Hereford ethanol plant, which is most noted for its plan to turn more than 1 billion pounds of manure into fuel for the boilers that supply steam for the plant, was sold to its creditors for $25 million in credit. Societe Generale, is the lender and …
KL Energy Corporation Expanding Into Brazil
KL Energy Corporation, based in Rapid City, South Dakota, has announced a partnership agreement with add blue Ltda, based in São Paulo, Brazil, to build a cellulosic ethanol plant in Brazil utilizing KL Energy’s cellulosic ethanol technology for the use of sugarcane bagasse and straw feedstock. The plant will use KL Energy’s enzymatic process which will be integrated into a …
Canadian’s Support of Biofuels Strong
Public support for biofuels continues to grow in Canada according to national poll results released today. The poll was conducted by Praxicus Public Strategies and funded by the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association. When respondents were asked if they support replacing some fossil fuels with renewable fuels like ethanol and biodiesel, 69 percent said yes. This is an improvement from last …
Ethanol Report on California ARB Decision
California has adopted the first-ever fuel requirement that is carbon-based – and that’s a good thing. “What is frustrating to the ethanol industry is that the board still went ahead and approved a program that has some really ridiculous land use data,” says Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen. Despite the Board’s vote, Dinneen says RFA remains cautiously …
California Motorists Fill Up With Cellulosic Ethanol
In what might be one of the first deals of its kind, Pearson Fuels, a company installing “alternative fuels stations” across the state of California, has inked a deal with AE Biofuels, Inc. to supply cellulosic ethanol for its E85 and other ethanol fuel blends. Pearson Fuels, based in San Diego was the first company to build an E85 station …
Ethanol Groups Disappointed by California Ruling
Ethanol interests are expressing their disappointment in this week’s ruling by the California Air Resources Board (ARB) to adopt a low carbon fuel standard that uses controversial methods to determine indirect land use changes attributable to biofuels. “Adopting this standard sets a dangerous precedent about the application of unproven science to industries across the country,” said Bob Dinneen, President and …
California Adopts Standard Biased Against Ethanol
Despite stringent arguments by the ethanol industry, California’s Air Resources Board (ARB) yesterday approved a Low Carbon Fuel Standard that could jeopardize continued development of the advanced biofuels it is intended to promote. According to a press release from the board, “The new standard means we can begin to break our century-old dependence on petroleum and provide California with greater …
Turning CO2 Into Ethanol
A new process could be a way to reduce greenhouse gas… and turn that gas into fuel for your car. This story from Reuters says scientists at the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology in Singapore are using non-toxic organocatalysts to make carbon dioxide into ethanol: In a statement, the institute said the team, led by Yugen Zhang, used N-heterocyclic carbenes …