A mobile application, developed the Dupont business Pioneer Hi-Bred and Farms Technology LLC, streamlines corn sales enabling growers to trade directly from their mobile devices.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued reexamination rulings on two isobutanol-related patents owned by Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC, and both companies involved, Butamax and Gevo Inc., responded on Nov. 28.

Novozymes launched additional R&D laboratories and customer solutions facilities in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, increasing its Brazilian workforce by 10 percent as the company takes advantage of the country's expanding biofuels market.

An isobutanol gasoline blend, provided by Gevo Inc., tested well as an alternative marine fuel according the report released Nov. 18 by two boating organizations.

Virginia Tech and USDA researchers developed strategy that reduces barley toxins sometimes present in distillers grains used for animal feed. The strategy modifies the ethanol fermentation process and focuses on deoxynivalenol (DON).

University of Georgia researchers developed new yeast that produces higher volume of ethanol from pine with results published on Nov. 10 in the online journal Biotechnology for Biofuels.

Despite regulatory uncertainty, renewable energy businesses did well in 2011 and expect continued success in the new year.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is elevating its reliance on renewable energy by investing in combined-heat-and-power projects nationwide.

Poet LLC announced new Ingreenuity goals at the NASCAR Green Summit held Nov. 17. As part of its initiative to boost the environmental performance of ethanol production, Poet plans to reduce an additional 10 percent greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

DuPont Industrial Biosciences announced changes to the name and management of its cellulosic ethanol operations on Nov. 15. Formerly known as DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol, operations will proceed as DuPont Cellulosic Ethanol.