Solar Goes White

Joanna Schroeder

When people think of solar energy they think of red. Now people will start to think white. Neuchatel, Switzerland -based CSEM has produced what they believe to be the first white solar modules. According to company materials, the technology is attractive to the building industry where solar elements can blend into the building’s design and become a “hidden” renewable energy …

Electricity, International, Renewable Energy, Solar, technology

Arming for a Fact-Based Fight Over Ethanol

John Davis

It’s not always fact-based arguments proponents of ethanol are up against when battling Big Oil. But that’s why it’s all more important to make sure you have good facts on your side in the fight. Farmers who attended the recent Commodity Classic in San Antonio were able to sit in on a session titled, “Biofuels and the Renewable Fuels Standard, …

ACE, Agribusiness, Audio, corn, Ethanol, technology, Video

Greenbelt Resources: Why Small Is the New Big

Joanna Schroeder

On the surface it may seem like the technology for producing ethanol is pretty advanced. But when you talk with Darren Eng, CEO of Greenbelt Resources Corporation, they don’t believe today’s technology is near where it could be so they are continually striving for innovation. Unlike the traditional biofuel producers who look at producing 25 million plus gallons per year, …

advanced biofuels, Cellulosic, Ethanol, technology

Louis Dreyfus Purchases ICM SMT Technology

Joanna Schroeder

Louis Dreyfus Commodities has signed a contract to purchase two Selective Milling Technologies (SMT) from ICM. The systems will be installed at Louis Dreyfus Commodities Grand Junction, LLC, located in Grand Junction, Iowa, and Elkhorn Valley Ethanol, LLC, located in Norfolk, Nebraska. According to ICM, SMT is a value-added technology that increases ethanol yield, reduces viscosity and increases oil recovery. …

biofuels, Ethanol, technology

Growing Use of Technology for Growers

Jamie Johansen

Commodity groups across the country also took interest in the happenings at the recent National Biodiesel Conference. Frank Legner, Legner Farms is a member of the Illinois Soybean Association and attended the conference to relay the update on biodiesel to growers in Illinois. He talks about how he uses precision agriculture on his farm where they grow 50/50 soybeans and …

Agribusiness, Audio, Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference, corn, Farming, NBB, Soybeans, technology

ICM Signs Canadian Ethanol Plant

Cindy Zimmerman

Renewable energy technology company ICM of Colwich, Kansas has signed a Letter of Intent with IGPC Ethanol of Ontario, Canada to be the first Canadian adopter of ICM’s Generation 1.5™ technology. Adoption of the technology will enable IGPC Ethanol to produce corn fiber cellulosic ethanol. “Through our previous collaboration with ICM, we believed it was important to continue down the …

advanced biofuels, Cellulosic, Ethanol, Ethanol News, technology

Abengoa to Use ICM Oil Separation System

Cindy Zimmerman

The ICM Advanced Oil Separation™ System (AOS™) will be deployed at Abengoa Bioenegy plants Madison, Illinois and Mt. Vernon, Indiana. The AOS™ is a specially-designed combination of equipment that utilizes an ICM-proprietary, patented process to maximize the recovery of non-food-grade bio-oil from emulsion concentrate after the centrifugal separation of mid-stillage (syrup). Installation of the two corn oil extraction systems is …

corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, technology

66 Projects Receive ARPA-E Funding

Joanna Schroeder

Sixty-six research projects were selected to receive funding from the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA-E), part of the Department of Energy’s “OPEN 2012” program. The projects, which show fundamental technical promise but are too early for private-sector investment, will receive a combined total of $130 million. The selected projects encompass 11 technology areas in 24 states and focus on a …

advanced biofuels, Alternative energy, energy efficiency, Renewable Energy, Research, technology

Pacific Ethanol to use Corn Oil Technology at 2nd Plant

Cindy Zimmerman

Pacific Ethanol has announced the implementation of corn oil separation technology at a second plant. The company is planning to install the technology, which recovers corn oil as a co-product from the ethanol production process, at its Stockton, California plant. The company has awarded Edeniq with a contract for its patented OilPlus(TM) technology, which is expected to be implemented at …

corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, technology

SoloPower’s Flexible Solar Cells Receive Certification

John Davis

California solar cell maker SoloPower received ETL certification for its next-generation, thin, flexible SF1, SP1, and SP3L SoloPanels to UL 1703 and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards. Company officials say this just adds to to its track record on flexible solar modules: [Tim Harris, CEO, of SoloPower says,] “It represents another step towards our goal of making solar the …

Solar, technology