Archives

August 26, 2016

North Dakota To Study Technical And Economic Feasibility Of CCS

On August 10, 2016, Red Trail Energy, LLC, a North Dakota ethanol producer, announced that it, along with the Energy & Environmental Research Center, had been awarded $490,000 to examine the integration of carbon capture and storage (CCS). The study will consist of installing and operating a commercial CCS system in a facility producing approximately 63 million gallons of ethanol and 180,000 tons of CO2, and tracking the technical and economic parameters required. The total...
August 19, 2016

Weekly Roundup of Other Biobased News

? Ship & Bunker, "Competitively Priced, ECA Compliant, Sustainable Biofuel Bunkers Will Be a Reality in The Near Future" ? Plastics Today, "New Catalyst Offers a Route to Cost-Effective Biobased, Biodegradable Plastics" ? LabMate, "York Chemists Lead Breakthrough in Carbon Capture" ? Scicasts, "New Protein Process in E. Coli Could Lead to Production of Better Biofuels" ? Neste, "Neste Renewable Diesel to Power County of Sacramento's Fleet in...
August 12, 2016

Weekly Roundup of Other Biobased News

? Plastics Today, "A Scientific Look At The Value Proposition Of Biobased Plastics" ? MIT News, "Microbial Engineering Technique Could Reduce Contamination In Biofermentation Plants" ? IFAS, "UF/IFAS Study: Sweet Potato Crop Shows Promise As Feed And Fuel" ? UPS, "'Rolling Laboratory' Of More Than 7,200 Alternative Fuel Vehicles Helps Deliver On Sustainability Innovations And Drive Market Adoption" ? Tehran Times, "Italy To Invest $450m In...
August 12, 2016

DOE Releases $7 Million FOA For Co-Optimization Of Fuels And Engines Initiative

On August 1, 2016, DOE released a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for $7 million to research fuel and engine co-optimization technologies. Funding will be provided through the Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines (Co-Optima) initiative, a collaboration between DOE's Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO), bringing together national laboratories and industry to conduct tandem fuel and engine research, development, and deployment assessments. This...
August 12, 2016

DOE Announces $11.3 Million In Funding Under MEGA-BIO:Bioproducts To Enable Biofuels

On August 2, 2016, DOE announced up to $11.3 million in funding to support the development of biomass-to-hydrocarbon biofuels conversion pathways. Three projects will receive the funding under MEGA-BIO: Bioproducts to Enable Biofuels to produce high-value bioproducts as well as economically competitive biofuels. The projects selected to receive this funding are: The Dow Chemical Company, working with LanzaTech and Northwestern University, to develop a process to convert biomass-derived synthetic...
August 5, 2016

Weekly Roundup of Other Biobased News

? Apparel, "Accelerating the Impact of Bio-Based Materials to Improve Apparel Industry Sustainability" ? Lancaster Farming, "USDA Advances On-Farm Biofuel Production" ? Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Growing" ? Forbes, "How to Make Biobased Policy Work" ? The Guardian, "Dabbling in Duckweed: Environmental Uses for a Green Menace" ? The Lane Report, "Owensboro Grain Forms Partnership with...
July 29, 2016

Weekly Roundup of Other Biobased News

? Environmental Leader, "Toyota Tsusho Backs Bioplastic Tech In Race To Bring 100% Plant-Based PET To Market" ? Renewable Energy Magazine, "Scientists In US State Of Florida Develop Military Grade Aviation Biofuel" ? UMass Amherst, "'Green' Electronic Materials Produced With Synthetic Biology" ? Ford, "Ford, Jose Cuervo Team Up To Make Car Parts From Agave"...
July 29, 2016

European Court Of Auditors Releases Report On EU Biofuel Sustainability Certifications

On July 21, 2016, the European Court of Auditors released Special Report No 18/2016: The EU system for the certification of sustainable biofuels. This report assessed the existing biofuels sustainability certification framework of the European Commission (EC) and highlighted key issues with the system. Issues with the certification framework could undermine the European Union's (EU) 2020 goals for renewable energy. The report determined that the EC does not properly track working conditions...
July 15, 2016

Weekly Roundup of Other Biobased News

? Nature, "Policy: Five Cornerstones Of A Global Bioeconomy" ? AgWired, "A Sustainable Future Is #Biobased" ? edie, "Asia Pulp & Paper Backs Community-Led Indonesian Biofuels Project" ? Aboitiz Power, "AboitizPower To Expand RE Portfolio With Biomass" ? CBC News, "Canfor Eyes Prince George For Major Biofuel Facility" ? Sioux City Journal, "Siouxland Ethanol Approves $8M Expansion To Further Boost Production"...
July 15, 2016

Missouri Governor Signs Bill Promoting Blender Pump Installation Throughout The State

On June 24, 2016, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon signed Senate Bill 657 modifying provisions related to motor vehicles. Under this new law, liability insurance carried by gas stations will expand coverage to include the release of blended fuels from incompatible storage tanks. The inclusion of blended fuels under the required insurance policy will remove one more barrier towards increasing the number of blender pumps within the state. The bill was originally introduced on January 6,...
July 15, 2016

Hawaii Governor Signs Renewable Fuels Production Tax Credit

On July 6, 2016, Hawaii Governor David Ige signed SB 2652 Related to Taxation — Locally Produced Renewable Energy. This bill establishes a five-year renewable fuels production tax credit. The tax credit will take effect in 2017 and will provide 20 cents per gallon of ethanol (or 76,000 British thermal units (Btu) of renewable fuel) with a cap of $3 million. The tax credit is open to companies producing at least 15 billion Btu of...
July 1, 2016

Agenda Of Biotechnology For Clean Vehicles Session Released; Includes Synthetic Biotechnology, Advan

On June 22, 2016, DOE released the detailed agenda for the Biotechnology for Clean Vehicles: Harnessing Synthetic Biology To Enable Next-Generation Biomaterials And Biofuels session at the Sustainable Transportation Summit. The session is hosted by DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and will focus on how novel biomaterials and renewable fuels can be used to improve vehicle efficiency and sustainability. The session will also discus the role of synthetic biology in...
June 24, 2016

Weekly Roundup of Other Biobased News

? PR Web, "Greenyug Announces U.S. Midwest Biobased Chemical Plant" ? Environmental Leader, "Will Lego's $150 Million Sustainable Plastics Challenge Make Biobased The Norm?" ? Ohio Soybean Council, "Soy-Based Replacement For BPA Receives Prestigious Bio-Based Innovation Award" ? Plastics News, "Anellotech Moving Closer To Production For Bio-Based PET" ? Reuters, "U.S. Navy 'Green Fleet' Fills Up With Italian-Made Biofuel" ? The...
June 17, 2016

Weekly Roundup of Other Biobased News

? Global Renewable Fuels Alliance, "GRFA: Commit to Biofuels Policies to Achieve COP21 Targets" ? Forbes, "A New Way To Make Biofuels: Two Feedstocks" ? Plastics Today, "Should Sustainability Include Using Farmlands for Plastics, Textiles and Dyes, or Food?" ? The Seattle Times, "Alaska Air Flights Using Fuel Made from Fermented Corn" ? Sustainable Brands, "Bio-Based and Post Consumer Recycled Plastic Packaging Redefines the Value-Chain" ? EEQO,...
June 10, 2016

Weekly Roundup of Other Biobased News

? PR Newswire, "Evergreen Packaging Introduces New Fully Renewable Cup Stock with Bio-Based Polyethylene" ? Gevo, "Gevo Hires Cowen & Company to Explore Strategic Alternatives" ? The University of Sydney, "Multimillion-Dollar Funding for Commercial Waste-to-Biofuel Plants" ? The Financial Express, "Bionic Leaf Brings Next-Gen Biofuels Closer to Reality" ? CH4 Biogas, "RIT and Synergy Biogas Announce Partnership" ? ABC, "Biofuels Sector...
June 3, 2016

Weekly Roundup of Other Biobased News

? Waste 360, "Examining The Latest Developments In Converting Organic Waste Into Renewable Energy" ? Scientific American, "Whatever Happened To Advanced Biofuels?" ? Renewable Industries Canada, "Renewable Industries Canada Becomes New Face Of Canada's Biofuels And Bio-based Sectors" ? Ford, "Preserving Mother Earth: Ford First Automaker To Use Captured CO2 To Develop Foam And Plastic For Vehicles" ? Gevo, "Clariant To Scale-Up Catalysts For...
June 3, 2016

European Commission Refers Poland To EU Court Of Justice Over Biofuel Restriction Disagreement

On May 26, 2016, Poland was referred to the European Union (EU) Court of Justice for establishing restrictions for certain imported biofuels and raw materials used for the production of biofuel. The EU's Renewable Energy Directive requires sustainable biofuels and their raw materials be treated equally by Member States regardless of origin. Polish law provides preferential treatment for fuel operators sourcing at least 70 percent of their biofuels from Polish manufacturers, and for biofuel...
June 3, 2016

Iowa Extends Biodiesel Production And Retailer Tax Credit Through 2024

On May 24, 2016, Iowan Governor Terry Branstad signed Senate File 2309, an Act providing for tax credits and refunds relating to renewable fuels including their component biofuels and including effective date provisions. The bill extends a state biodiesel production tax credit providing 2 cents per gallon (cpg) on the first 25 million gallons of production per biodiesel plant. The bill also extends a credit for petroleum retailers of 4.5 cpg on blends of 5...
May 27, 2016

Weekly Roundup of Other Biobased News

? Joint BioEnergy Institute, "JBEI Scientists Unravel Omics Data Using Systems Biology-Based Workflow to Improve Biofuels Productivity" ? BBC, "Pembroke Dock Seaweed Farm to Study Algae As Biofuel" ? SeeNews Renewables, "CropEnergies To Restart Wilton, UK Plant For Trial Run" ? Ethanol Producer Magazine, "EIA Predicts Increased Ethanol Production, Consumption" ? San Diego Business Journal, "Appetite for Algae" ? The Guardian, "Shell Creates...
May 20, 2016

UCR Provides More Detail On Biomass Based Fuel And Chemical Project That Received 1.3 Million

On May 11, 2016, the University of California, Riverside (UCR) provided more information about the project that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is funding with $1.3 million as part of the Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI). UCR received $1.3 million in funding to create biofuels and chemicals from waste plant materials. Ford Motor Company Chair in Environmental Engineering at the Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT) and Chemical and Environmental...