The chief of Naval Research and director, Innovation, Technology Requirements, and Test and Evaluation, visited the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific (SSC Pacific) Jan. 29. He received updates on several initiatives, including biofuels.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources, released an energy blueprint that calls for a wide variety of changes to U.S. energy policy, including drastic changes to the RFS.
Research has shown that an ionic liquid proven to be effective for pre-treating individual biofuel feedstocks is also effective at pre-treating multiple different feedstocks that have been mixed and densified into a blend.
Scientists have developed a way to grow iron-oxidizing bacteria using electricity instead of iron, an advance that will allow them to better study the organisms and could one day be used to turn electricity into fuel.
Pending legislation in Oklahoma could result in the development of a state plan to utilize woody biomass for heat and power. The bill, HB 1656, is titled the "Oklahoma Woody Biomass Energy Initiative Act of 2013."
In a letter to Energy Department employees today, Energy Secretary Steven Chu highlighted the tremendous progress of the last four years, and announced his decision to not serve a second term as Secretary.
The U.S. EPA is proposing the 2013 percentage standards for four fuel categories that are part of the agency's renewable fuel standard program (RFS2). The proposal announced today will be open for a 45-day public comment period.
Groups representing the U.S. ethanol and advanced biofuel industries responded swiftly to the 2013 renewable fuel standard (RFS) volumetric requirements released Jan. 31, pointing out both positives and negatives.
On Jan. 31 the U.S. EPA published a proposed rule that creates a structured process for buyers of renewable identification numbers (RINs) to verify their validity. A 30-day comment period will allow member of the public to weigh in on the measure.
The U.S. DOE has awarded a $1.3 million grant to a multidisciplinary Cal Poly research team, the Algae Technology Group (ATG), for a project aimed at developing processes that turn waste resources and nutrients into algae biofuels.
Germany-based Linde Engineering Dresden GmbH has signed an agreement to license its Carbo-V biomass gasification technology to Forest BtL Oy, a Finnish biofuel developer for use in a new biomass-to-liquid facility.
The U.S. DOE has made $6 million available for projects focused on developing and demonstrating supply chain technologies that will enable delivery of commercial-scale lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks to U.S. biorefineries.
Independent foundation Det Norske Veritas has published a position paper that investigates methods to reduce the CO2 emissions associated with marine shipping. The analysis found that biofuels are currently the most attractive option.
The U.S. EPA has published renewable identification number (RIN) data for all 12 months of 2012. RINs are used by obligated parties to meet volume requirements of the renewable fuels standard (RFS). No cellulosic RINs were generated in December.
Windy conditions make willow a better feedstock
By Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
January 25, 2013
A research team in England has discovered that differences in the ease with which sugars can be extracted from willow can be explained by differences in their wood composition in response to conditions that induce growth stress.
Applied Research Associates Inc. and Blue Sun Energy Inc. are partnering to develop a demonstration-scale facility to scale-up a Biofuels Isoconversion Process (BIC) system using technology developed by ARA and Chevron Lummus Global.
The D.C. Circuit court has issued a narrow, but mixed decision, striking down the 2012 cellulosic biofuel volume requirement under the renewable fuel standard (RFS), but affirming the 2012 volume standard for advanced biofuels.
Novozymes has appointed a new president and CEO and released its financial results for 2012. On Jan. 21, the company announced its board of directors has appointed Peder Holk Nielsen president and CEO, effective April 1.
The Agriculture Energy Coalition has urged Congress to begin work on a new five-year Farm Bill with strong mandatory funding for energy programs. The fiscal cliff bill extended the Farm Bill, but without funding for Energy Title programs.
President Barack Obama has officially kicked off the second term of his presidency. During his inaugural address on Jan. 21, Obama touched on several topics, including the economic recovery and sustainable energy.
In a case of the Goldilocks story retold at the molecular level, scientists at the U.S. DOE's Argonne National Laboratory and Northwestern University have discovered a new path to the development of more stable and efficient catalysts.
Solazyme Bunge Renewable Oils, a joint venture between Solazyme Inc. and wholly owned Bunge Ltd. subsidiary Bunge Global Innovation LLC, has received approval for a R$245.699 million ($120 million) loan from the Brazilian Development Bank.
A two-year research project aims to crack the lignin question by engineering a microbe to break down the byproduct into a lipid, or fat, and then into biodiesel. The research has the potential to make cellulosic biorefineries more profitable.
The Biotechnology Industry Organization hosted a conference call on Jan. 17 that addressed the need for the U.S. EPA to finalize 2013 volumetric mandates under the renewable fuel standard (RFS). The rulemaking is expected to be issued soon.
The Global Renewable Fuels Alliance has called on the policy development, business and technology sector leaders attending the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi, to commit to increasing biofuels' share of the future global energy mix.
BP expects renewables to continue to be the fastest growing class of energy over the next several years. According to the BP Energy Outlook 2030, renewables will increase at an average of 7.6 percent a year through 2030.
Chemists at the University of California, Davis, have engineered blue-green algae to grow chemical precursors for fuels and plastics, the first step in replacing fossil fuels as raw materials for the chemical industry.
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