The USDA and the Department of the Navy (DoN) have agreed to work together to develop advanced biofuels and other renewable energy systems. This USDA press release says the agreement is part of the government’s plan to build a clean energy economy, create new jobs and reduce American dependence on foreign oil, while building a strike force that will run …
“Green Coal” to Debut at UK Biomass Conference
An energy source made from biomass that’s touted as “magic coal from the steam cooker” will make its debut at the Energy from Biomass and Waste conference January 26-27, 2010 at the Royal Horticultural Halls & Conference Centre in London, England. This press release says “Green Coal,” invented the German company the G+R Technology Group, will be produced at the …
Could Salicornia Be a New Wonder Feedstock?
On the Eve of the World Future Energy Summit, which began today in Abu Dhabi, the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, Honeywell UOP, Boeing and Ethiad Airways announced a project that would study how to combine fish farms and biofuel crops to lower CO2, reduce ocean waste and produce renewable jet fuel. The star feedstock? Salicornia. Salicornia, also known …
Danforth Center Receives $44 Mil for Biofuels Research
The St. Louis-area Donald Danforth Plant Science Center will receive $44 million in stimulus bucks to conduct advanced biofuels research. This press release from the center says the money from the U.S. Department of Energy will go to helping the center to serve as the lead organization in a consortium: The National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts (NAABB) led …
In Touch With Solar
During the Copenhagen Climate Conference, President Obama announced findings from the Environmental Protection Agency that the six major groups of greenhouse gas emissions are “an endangerment” to public health and welfare. This could lead to stricter emission regulations for vehicles, manufacturing and power plant emissions. This also shines an even brighter light on low CO2 emitting technologies such as solar …
Alt Fuels Training Expands to Another College
A group that trains technicians, fleet managers, law enforcement and first responders on how to handle today’s vehicles fueled by biodiesel, ethanol, hydrogen, propane and other renewables has added another college to its list of training sites. BlueRidgeNow.com reports that Blue Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave, Virginia is the latest member of the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC), …
Ethanol Buses Gaining Ground in Sao Paulo
Ethanol-powered buses are gaining ground in Sao Paulo, the largest city in Brazil. While it is unusual to see ethanol used in replacement of diesel fuel in diesel engines in the States, it is not so uncommon in other areas. In 1993, a group of companies began working together to discover a solution for mass transport and its relationship to …
NREL Tests Sorghum for Cellulosic Ethanol
Representatives of the National Sorghum Producers (NSP) witnessed a pilot test of bioenergy sorghum at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) this week. NSP collaborated with NREL to provide almost 100 different sorghum samples for testing, eventually choosing two for pilot testing. The resulting data shows that high biomass forage sorghum demonstrates great potential to fit into cellulosic ethanol conversion. …
Coalition Seeks Ethanol Blender Pump Tax Fix
A broad coalition of companies and organizations have signed on to a letter asking Congressional tax writers to fix a program intended to promote the installation of fuel pumps that dispense mid- and high-level ethanol blends. Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis sent the letter to the chairmen and ranking members of the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and …
Iowa Biodiesel Backer Grant Applications Due Dec. 11
This coming Friday, Dec. 11 is the deadline for Iowa schools to get in their application for two, $2,500 grants from the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association’s (IRFA) Biodiesel Backer Award Program. This IRFA press release says schools eligible for the grants must educate their communities about biodiesel, incorporate biodiesel and renewable fuels into their school programming, as well as getting …