Algae Biofuel Maker OriginOil, Inc. has found a way to produce hydrogen from the power of the sun at a level comparable to solar photovoltaics. This company press release says the breakthrough could prove to be a highly scalable and renewable source of hydrogen that can come from algae production: To achieve this breakthrough, OriginOil researchers built a pared-down version …
ADM to Construct Biodiesel Plant in Brazil
Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) is increasing its biodiesel presence in Brazil with its announcement that it will be constructing a second biodiesel plant in Joaçaba, Santa Catarina. The new plant will be adjacent to the existing ADM soybean crushing and refining facilities and will more than double ADM’s biodiesel production in the country. Construction is set to begin in …
ILUC From Corn Ethanol “Minimal to Zero”
In a report that will be published soon,”Decomposition Analysis of U.S. Corn Use for Ethanol Production from 2001-2008,”the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory concludes that the indirect land use change (ILUC) as a result from the expansion of corn ethanol production over the past decade has likely been “minimal to zero.” The study was requested by the California …
Algae Assoc. Conference to Focus on Commercial Scale
The National Algae Association (NAA) will be holding its national conference next week, and the focus of the gathering will be on commercial scale production of the green microbes. NAA officials say at the Sept. 23-24 conference at the Sheraton North Houston near George Bush Intercontinental Airport, they will be working on the premise that algae will be delivering on …
Company Studies Grease-to-Biodiesel Feasibility
A Missouri company is looking into the feasibility of turning fat, oil and grease (FOG) in urban sewers into clean-burning biodiesel. Biodiesel magazine reports that H2O’C Engineering’s study is funded by $50,000 from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources: The study will focus collecting FOG from two Missouri metropolitan areas, Kansas City and St. Louis. “We are looking at what …
Farm Progress Show to Feature Biodiesel
It seems only fitting that the nation’s greatest agricultural showcase will be featuring the world’s greenest fuel. Renewable Energy Group says this year’s Farm Progress Show, slated for August 31 – September 2 in Boone, Iowa, will be demonstrating a B20 blend of biodiesel in all demonstration vehicles and agriculture equipment: The B20 blend is provided through STAR Energy, the …
NBB, Marketers Welcome Biodiesel Heating Bill Signing
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has made it official, signing a bill that will require all diesel heating oil in the city contain at least 2 percent biodiesel: “The final bill before me today is Introductory Number 194-A … [which] will significantly reduce pollution, promote the use of alternative fuels, create new ‘green’ jobs and vastly improve air quality …
FAO: Japtropha Promising Rural Crop for Biodiesel
The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has recently released a new report that champions jatropha as a promising biodiesel crop especially for global rural farmers. The report, “Jatropha: A Smallholder Bioenergy Crop, the Potential for Pro-Poor Development,” set out to examine the potential for jatropha as a sustainable biodiesel crop and has been in development since …
World Bank Report Takes New Look at Food and Fuel
Ethanol production probably had less impact on global commodity prices in 2008 than many were saying at the time. A newly released working paper, entitled “Placing the 2006/08 Commodity Price Boom into Perspective,” from the Development Prospects Group at the World Bank, concludes that “…the effect of biofuels on food prices has not been as large as originally thought.” Authors …
Algae Biofuel Maker Gets First Customer
A California-based biofuel maker that extracts its feedstock oil from algae and uses that oil for several other products has its first customer. OriginOil, Inc. has announced that it is shipping a Quantum Fracturing™ System, the first unit in a multi-phase commercialization program, to Australian company MBD Energy Limited: “This is a major milestone for OriginOil and represents our first …