Category: General

May 29, 2015

Weekly Roundup of Other Biobased News

? Biomass Magazine, "ASABE Announces New ISO Standard for Solid Biofuels" ? Globe Newswire, "Cristal Union And Global Bioenergies Have Formed a Joint Venture to Build and Operate France's First Bio-Sourced Isobutene Production Plant" ? ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, "Bio-Based Thermosetting Epoxy Foams: Mechanical and Thermal Characterization" ? Plastics Today, "Biobased Production Capacity Poised to Soar, Says Nova-Institute Report" ?...
May 29, 2015

America COMPETES Reauthorization Act Of 2015 Includes Cuts To Clean Energy Research Funding

On May 20, 2015, the House voted to pass the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015 (H.R. 1806) (COMPETES), a research funding bill that was originally enacted in 2007 to further U.S. scientific and technological advantages. The new version of COMPETES increases funding for nuclear energy and fossil fuel research programs, while cutting clean and renewable energy programs. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy will have funding reduced by 30...
May 27, 2015

NanoBCA Holds Roundtable in Washington, D.C.

Pictured left to right: TJ Augustine, Technology-to-Market Advisor, ARPA-E; Matthew Putman, Founder and CEO, Nanotronics Imaging; Chandra Brown, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing, International Trade Administration; Doug Jamieson, Chairman and CEO, Harris & Harris Group; Matthew Portnoy, Director, Division of Special Programs, Office of Extramural Research, NIH; Lynn L. Bergeson, Owner and Managing Partner, Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.; John Williams, Director of Innovation,...
May 22, 2015

Weekly Roundup of Other Biobased News

? PR Newswire, "Dyadic Receives Funding for New Advanced Biofuels Program" ? Phys.Org, "Bio-based insulation materials may be the construction industry's best kept secret" ? Better Biomass, "Eneco's biomass plant receives Better Biomass certificate" ? Cornell Chronicle, "Book details how biofuel policies affect food prices" ? Biodiesel Magazine, "Biodiesel helps power Volvo Ocean Race" ? Forbes, "Alaska Air To Operate Flights On...
May 22, 2015

ACORE Releases White Paper Questioning EPA RFS

On May 18, 2015, the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) issued a white paper arguing that "Co-location Requirements under the RFS Impede Advanced Biofuels Development." The paper was sent to EPA. It requests that EPA clarify its definition of feedstock material under the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) so that biofuels producers that pre-process their feedstocks away from final refineries are no longer prohibited from generating renewable identification numbers (RIN)...
May 22, 2015

Bank Of America Announces $600 Million Green Bond

On May 14, 2015, Bank of America (BoA) announced that it has issued a $600 million bond to fund renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. This is the second time that BoA has offered green energy bonds. In 2013, BoA issued $500 million in green bonds after pledging to commit $50 billion over ten years to advance renewable energy and promote energy efficiency projects. The new $600 million bond will advance low-carbon solutions by lending, investing, facilitating capital, and providing...
May 22, 2015

Early Bird Registration Ends Soon For Important Industry Events

The 19th Annual ACS Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference is the longest running green chemistry conference in the United States, inviting scientists, business decision-makers, students, and advocates to come together, compare findings, and discuss the science of the future. Keynote speakers include Angela Belcher, Ph.D., W.M. Keck Professor of Energy, MIT; U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE); Frances Arnold, Ph.D., Dickinson Professor of Chemical Engineering, CalTech; and Deborah Mielewski,...
May 22, 2015

Carbon Utilization Legislation Introduced In The Senate

On May 11, 2015, Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) introduced S. 1282 -- a bill to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to require the Secretary of Energy to consider the objective of improving the conversion, use, and storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) produced from fossil fuels in carrying out research and development (R&D) programs under that Act. The bill represents a broad recognition of the importance of algae and other biobased carbon utilization platforms that can...
May 21, 2015

EPA Conditionally Registers Nanosilver Pesticide Product

On May 19, 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it issued a conditional registration for a nanosilver-containing antimicrobial pesticide product named “NSPW-L30SS,” or “Nanosilva.”  This is the second nanosilver registration issued by EPA and reflects the Agency’s growing expertise in addressing, processing, and approving nanopesticide registration applications.  According to EPA, the product will be used as a non-food-contact preservative to protect...