All Entries in the "Producer News" Category

Tennessee’s Governor lashes at legislators over ‘ridiculous’ biofuels flap: “They may have single-handedly cost an awful lot of jobs.”

In Tennessee, a controversy blew up in the Legislature over a contention that legislators were not advised that a Dupont Danisco project, which received $70 million in state support, had changed its short-term feedstock strategy to corn cobs, from switchgrass, and had reduced its capacity from 5 million to 250,000 gallons.
At the same time, Governor [...]

BlueFire Ethanol receives $3.8 million reimbursement from DOE; proceeding with Fulton, MS development

In California, in a “Benjamins for biofuels update,” BlueFire Ethanol Fuels has received $3.8 million reimbursement from the Department of Energy – in the form of a reimbursement – funds that will allow the company to proceed with a shift of its demonstration-level project to Fulton, Mississippi. BlueFire was originally awarded a $40 million grant [...]

Synthetic Genomics: 50 Hottest Companies in Bioenergy candidate profile

Synthetic Genomics
Based in: California
2008-09 rank: 19

Business: Synthetic biology and algal fuel developer.
Model: R&D partner
Past milestones:
ExxonMobil, the last of the oil majors to commit to a major investment in biofuels, announced that its Research and Engineering unit will invest $300 million into in-house algae research, and up to an additional $300 million in La [...]

Catilin says its solid catalyst process reduces cost of biodiesel production by up to 19 cents per gallon

In Iowa, Catilin announced today that a technical and economic analysis of the Catilin solid catalyst process has a value advantage over the traditional catalytic process of 13 cents per gallon of biodiesel.  When the capital expense savings are included, the advantage increases to 19 cents per gallon of biodiesel. The analysis was conducted by [...]

Bioenergy PROFITS Principles: Reality, and Codexis

REALITY – How Broad is Your Customer Platform?

Bioenergy PROFITS Principle – Reality
Successful companies build core areas of content.  This may be a technology platform or a basic product upon which to expand. This core is the basic element though you may later customize your offerings,
What can you do to deal most effectively with [...]

Iogen: 50 Hotttest Companies in Bioenergy candidate profile

Iogen
Based in: Canada
2008-09 rank: 18
Business: Cellulosic ethanol production
Model: Owner-operator.
Past milestones:
In 2009, a Shell station in Ottawa became the first in the country to serve cars with cellulosic ethanol, offering a 10 percent blend of gasoline and wheat straw ethanol manufactured at a demonstration-scale cellulosic ethanol plan jointly owned by Shell and Iogen.
A [...]

Indian Oil becomes fifth oil major, first NOC, to join algal fuels race; signs with PetroAlgae

In India, Indian Oil Company became the fifth oil major and first national oil company (NOC) to decisively enter the algal fuel race, signing a MOU to enter into an agreement with PetroAlgae to license micro-crop technology for the large-scale production of renewable fuels.
The announcement is also the first between an oil major and an [...]

POET stages Project LIBERTY Field Day, showcasing 16 companies in advanced biofuels; video of Scotland cellulosic ethanol plant available

In South Dakota, at POET’s Project LIBERTY Field Day, 16 companies showcased equipment to help make the process of harvesting corn cobs and residue quick, easy and profitable.  At the same time, officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Energy talked with area farmers about money to help procure equipment and matching [...]

BioCentric Energy, Renewed World Energies to merge; Zenergy acquires Greenlight Biofuels

In California and Texas, two merger and acquisitions were announced of note.
In California, BioCentric Energy Holdings and Renewed World Energies, an established closed loop photobioreactor manufacturer, agreed to merge. BioCentric will be the surviving entity. The Huntington Beach, California facility will be the designated corporate headquarters with the Research and Development arm located in Prague, [...]

DuPont Danisco: 50 Hottest Companies in Bioenergy candidate profile

DuPont Danisco
Based in: Illinois
2008-09 ranking: 9
Business: Cellulosic ethanol production, now in demonstration stage, constructing a facility in Vonore, TN, and a switchgrass feedstock supplied by Genera Energy and corn cobs supplied by Sun Grant.

Model: Licensing.
3 top milestones for 2008-09
1. Formation of JV
2. Site and funding of demonstration facility
3. Start up of Vonore, TN demonstration facility [...]