Rice aids in the study of biofuel feedstocks
By U.S. Department of Energy, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
July 12, 2017
Rice is a model for studies of candidate bioenergy grasses such as sorghum, switchgrass, and miscanthus. To optimize crops for biofuel production, scientists are seeking to identify genes that control key traits, including yield.
The U.S. EPA has announced plans to hold a public hearing Aug. 1 in Washington, D.C., for its recently released rule to set 2018 renewable volume obligations (RVOs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard, along with the 2019 RVO for biomass-based diesel.
Arizona State University scientists are harnessing the trial-and-error power of evolution to coax nature into revealing how to convert biomass into biobased products by test-tube evolving bacteria to ferment biomass sugars.
Longtime leader of Renewable Energy Group Inc., Daniel J. Oh, resigned from his position as president and CEO July 3. Biodiesel Magazine spoke with newly appointed interim president and CEO Randy Howard on Oh's departure and REG's new leadership.
The U.S. Department of Energy recently announced the selection of three projects to receive up to $8 million, aimed at reducing the costs of producing algal biofuels and bioproducts.
Alliance Bio-Products Inc. has received approval from the USDA to purchase an existing cellulosic ethanol plant in Vero Beach, Florida. The purchase includes the 8 MMgy plant, about 143 acres, equipment and vehicles.
More than 800 attendees and 160-plus producers of biomass power, heat, pellets biogas and advanced biofuels met in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for the 10th annual International Biomass Conference & Expo.
, for the first time in four years, Congress has stepped up its work to explore the possibility of reforming the Renewable Fuel Standard program.
Slowed as much by extremely low oil prices as supply-chain and technological challenges, the effort to integrate biofuels into the nation's aviation fuel supply is nonetheless progressing, according to a researcher at Penn State.
Researchers at the Technical University of Munich have managed to significantly reduce the temperature and energy requirements of a key step in the chemical process to convert organic waste into fuel using zeolite crystals.
Veloycs plc has announced the production of the first finished saleable products from Envia Energy's gas-to-liquids (GTL) plant in Oklahoma City. The company also recently stated it plans to focus on the conversion of woody biomass to fuels.
UPM Biofuels is developing a new feedstock concept by growing Brassica Carinata as a sequential crop in South America. The Carinata crop produces non-edible oil suitable for biofuel feedstock and protein for animal feed.
On July 5, the U.S. released its proposed rule to set 2018 renewable volume standards (RVOs) under the RFS, along with the 2019 RVO for biomass-based diesel. Overall, the proposed RVOs require 19.24 billion gallons of renewable fuels in 2018.
A Tesoro oil refinery in Dickinson, North Dakota, has plans to co-process renewable feedstock along with regionally sourced Bakken crude oil to produce a 5 percent renewable diesel blend. Construction is planned for October with start-up in December.
Royal Dutch Shell plc and SBI BioEnergy Inc. have reached an agreement granting Shell exclusive development and licensing rights for SBI's biofuel technology.
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) recently voted to purchase 295 40-foot compressed natural gas (CNG) buses, which will be fueled by renewable natural gas (RNG).
Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee recently asked U.S. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt to detail policies and procedures the agency has put in place to prevent Carl Icahn from influencing the RFS for personal financial gain.
The U.S. EPA has released renewable identification number (RIN) generation data for May, reporting more than 1.66 billion RINs were generated during the month, including nearly 21.98 million cellulosic RINs.
The Water Environment Federation and the American Biogas Council are partnering to expand the conversion of organic waste into renewable energy and valuable soil products at facilities across the U.S.
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue recently named three individuals who will take on leadership roles as the USDA continues the reorganization announced on May 11.
Renewable Energy Group recently announced it has completed the $20 million acquisition of approximately 82 acres of land at and in close proximity to its Geismar, Louisiana, biorefinery from Lion Copolymer.
The U.S. Department of Energy is awarding 263 grants totaling $116 million to 184 small businesses under the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs. Several of the awards support bioenergy projects.
Amyris Inc. and the government of Queensland, Australia, recently announced the next step their plans to develop a leading industrial biotechnology hub in Southeast Asia. The proposed facility will produce biobased farnesene.
S2G BioChem, a developer of natural biotechnology conversion processes, recently announced that it has started work on the company's first standalone biorefinery demonstration plant that it intends to build in Sarnia, Ontario.
Velocys plc recently announced the USDA has invited it to submit a Phase II application for a loan guarantee to support the development of a commercial-scale biorefinery with the capacity to produce 19 million gallons of renewable diesel per year.
ExxonMobil and Synthetic Genomics Inc. have announced a breakthrough in joint research into advanced biofuels involving the modification of an algae strain that more than doubled its oil content without significantly inhibiting the strain's growth.
The Appalachian Regional Commission has awarded $1.5 million to New York-based Alfred State College to support its Biorefinery Development and Commercialization Center project, which aims to leverage wood resources to create sustainable business.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry recently announced the appointment of Thomas Zacharia as the new Director of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He was unanimously selected by the UT-Battelle board of governors to succeed Thom Mason.
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has named Anne Hazlett to lead USDA's Rural Development agencies. Hazlett, who's title will be assistant to the secretary for Rural Development, will report directly to Perdue.
California waste recovery company Resynergi Inc. is drawing on University of Minnesota expertise and technology to develop and commercially manufacture a biorefining technology that converts both plastic and biomass into oil and gas.
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