On Monday, October 29th, a jet was powered by a 100 percent renewable biofuel produced by Applied Research Associates (ARA) and Chevron Lumas Global (CLG). The two companies partnered with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Agrisoma Biosciences to to test and analyze the ReadiJet drop-in jet fuel during flight that …
Novozymes & Beta Renewables Solidify Partnership
Novozymes and Beta Renewables have joined in a partnership to jointly market and develop cellulosic biofuel solutions. As part of the agreement, Novozymes will acquire a 10 percent share in Beta Renewables, paying approximately $115 million cash for the equity, marketing fees, other intellectual property rights and milestone payments. The partners will offer biofuel companies Novozymes’ Cellic enzymes embedded into …
SG Biofuels Breakthrough
SG Biofuels has expanded it global network of hybrid trial and agronomic research sites with the addition of eight new JMAX Knowledge Centers located in Brazil, Guatemala and India. The company is also expanding it production facility in Guatemala. Current trials are underway in San Diego, California. The company focuses on the the production of Jatropha for use in biofuels, …
BP Continues Biofuels Backout
BP is continuing its biofuels backout with the announcement that it is abandoning its $300 million cellulosic project in Highlands County, Florida. This is the second major announcement of the company moving away from the production of renewable energy. Last December, the company exited the solar business. According to an interview with Matt Hartwig in the Washington Post, the company …
Investors Ask for Wind Tax Credit Extension
Dozens of investors totaling more than $800 billion in assets have called for an immediate extension of the Production Tax Credit (PTC) for renewable energy, specifically wind power. In a letter delivered to Congressional leaders, investors noted that this critical tax credit creates broad economic benefits, both for wind power producers and their suppliers across the nation. Several of these investors met …
Cool Planet – 3 Years, 30 Biomass Plants
Cool Planet Energy Systems has announced a breakthrough in the commercialization and affordability of biofuels from biomass. Using a mechanical process and scaling approach, the company says it can produce high octane gasoline at the cost of $1.50 per gallon without the need for subsidies and also while removing carbon from the air during the course of production. The company, backed by …
Citizen’s Guide to Energy
The presidential election is less than two weeks away and although the candidates have discussed energy, neither has debated over the right strategy for global climate change. Our legislators also typically fail to consider the consequences of actions they endorse. Therefore, according to Public Agenda, if the country hopes to move the needle on important issues, such as energy, voters …
NRC Releases Algae Sustainability Report
This week, the National Research Council (NRC) released a new report, “Sustainable Development of Algal Biofuels in the United States.” The report was a result of a request from the Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s (DOE-EERE) Biomass Program. The purpose of this study was to identify and anticipate potential sustainability concerns associated with a selected number …
Boeing, COMAC Kick of Biofuels Project
Hangzhou Energy Engineering & Technology, Co., Ltd., (HEET) will conduct the first research project at the newly formed Boeing-COMAC Aviation Energy Conservation and Emissions Reductions Technology Center. HEET will focus on ways to convert waste cooking oil into sustainable aviation biofuels. The center was created by Boeing and Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC) and opened in August at COMAC’s new Beijing Aeronautical Science …
POET-DSM Partners with ANDRITZ
POET-DSM has signed on the International Technology Group ANDRITZ, to supply a two-step biomass treatment process for the commercial-scale cellulosic bioethanol plant under construction in Emmetsburg, Iowa known as Project LIBERTY. The technology was designed to help draw out available sugar in the collected biomass, in this case corn stover, corn cobs, and husks, so it can be converted into …