
Aug 5, 2009
Biofuels survival: the innovative way
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Aug 5, 2009
Plankton Power and Regional Technology Development (RTDC) are to form a consortium with various research organisations and the Massachusetts National Guard to establish the Cape Cod Algae Biorefinery in the US state of Massachusetts. The new facility will focus on pilot- and commercial-scale development of algae biodiesel.
Pending legal and regulatory reviews, the plant... [Read More]
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Aug 5, 2009
Illinois-based Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) is set to become the US’ biggest producer of bioethanol despite an 83% drop in profits in the fiscal fourth quarter.
The company is due to open new 275 Mgy bioethanol plants: one in the fourth (calendar) quarter of 2009 and one in Q3 2010. It anticipates that demand for ethanol will be driven by an expected increase in the... [Read More]
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Aug 4, 2009
Two members of the US House of Representatives have introduced a bill to remove government subsidies on corn-derived bioethanol.
The Affordable Food and Fuel for America Act, sponsored by Joseph Crowley, a New York Democrat, and Mary Joseph Mack, a Californian Republican, would phase out subsidies on the production of ethanol from corn and transfer them to second-generation... [Read More]
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Aug 4, 2009
A scheme employing Aboriginals in Pilbara, Western Australia, to recycle used cooking oil into saleable biodiesel has received a grant from the Western Australian Government.
The Ashburton Aboriginal Corporation started the scheme to alleviate the poverty of many of the Aboriginals as well as providing a cheaper source of fuel to natives who need to drive the vast distances... [Read More]
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Aug 4, 2009
A dramatic illustration of the potential of biodiesel came with its use to power a Boeing U-787 hydroplane in a demonstration on 2 August.
The U-787 was tested repeatedly at the annual Chevrolet Cup, each with a greater proportion of biofuel, culminating in the 100% blend being used in a run on Sunday. Hydroplane driver Chip Hanauer reported no drop in performance... [Read More]
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Aug 4, 2009
Biofuel Africa, a Ghanaian corporation wholly owned by the Norway-based Solar Harvest, claims to have increased the acreage of land available for food production in Northern Ghana by 880%.
In 2008, 55 acres of the company’s land was planted with food crops grown by 25 local farmers. Tests showed that repeated growing of food crops had depleted this soil of much of... [Read More]
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Aug 4, 2009
The US state of Oregon has relaxed its E10 mandate to allow petrol stations to sell unblended fuel to the owners of non-road vehicles such as fishermen, snowmobilers and loggers.
The E10 mandate was introduced in 2007, but it was relaxed shortly afterwards when the owners of specialist vehicles and power tools reported engine problems with the compulsory blend.
Initially,... [Read More]
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Aug 3, 2009
US-based biomass specialist Covanta Holding has signed a deal to buy seven North American bioelectricity plants from Veolia Environmental Services for US$450 million (€315 million).
The seven plants, which collectively process about 3 million tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) a year, will join Covanta’s existing portfolio of 38 plants processing 17 million... [Read More]
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Aug 3, 2009
Filipino developer Basic Energy has commissioned two Thai consultants to conduct feasibility studies into a proposed cassava ethanol plant.
Basic Energy signed contracts on 30 July with the Alternative Energy Institute of Thailand and Ethanol Thai to examine the company’s proposal to build a 100 million litre a year bioethanol plant in the Filipino province of Batangas.
Basic... [Read More]
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Jul 31, 2009
California-based algae expert SunEco Energy has tested biodiesel from algal oil produced at its demonstration plant in Chino, California in the trucks of transportation logistics company J. B. Hunt. The biodiesel was tested in a B20 and a B50 blend and produced an 82% reduction in particulate emissions with no loss of power.
The company is now constructing the world’s... [Read More]
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Jul 30, 2009
Texan bioethanol producer Gulf Alternative Energy (GAE) is to use its new cellulosic feedstock preprocessing technology to convert a first-generation bioethanol plant to cellulosic ethanol production.
The company has signed a letter of intent with Xethanol Biofuels to purchase a plant in Blairstown, Iowa. The plant is currently producing six million gallons of ethanol... [Read More]
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Jul 30, 2009
The US state of Oregon is to adopt a mandate requiring diesel sold in the state to contain at least 2% biodiesel by 1 October. Nine counties in northwest Oregon will introduce the requirement from next week.
Oregon passed renewable energy legislation in 2007 stating that a B2 mandate would take effect when the state’s biodiesel production capacity reached 5 million... [Read More]
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Jul 30, 2009
A poisonous extract of Cassava root is expected to produce 1% of the ethanol used in Venezuela.
Cassava root, or yuca, is the third largest source of carbohydrates for human food in the world. It is processed into casabes, or flat breads. However, this leaves behind a residue called yare, which, owing to its high cyanide content, is highly toxic to humans and animals.
Now... [Read More]
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Jul 30, 2009
Crimson Renewable Energy, operator of California’s largest biodiesel plant which opened on 29 July, is doing what few producers in the nation are.
The 30 million gallon a year producer will move away from the nation’s predominant choice of feedstock, soyabean, and process 50 million pounds of the crude glycerine by-product, turning it into high quality refined glycerine... [Read More]
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Jul 30, 2009
Hot on the heels of its launch of Butamax earlier this month BP is further strengthening its biofuels efforts with the inception of a joint venture company with Verenium, Vercipia Biofuels.
While Butamax will focus R&D resources on biobutanol, Vercipia Biofuels will continue to develop one of the US’ first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol facilities, located... [Read More]
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Jul 29, 2009
Irish green energy specialist Greenfield Project Management plans to produce bioethanol from sugar beets grown in Chernobyl soil too radioactive for food crops.
Despite official warnings, many local people continue to grow food in the soil around the site of the 1986 nuclear disaster. The radiation concentrates into roots and stalks which, after harvesting, are ploughed... [Read More]