In Norway, researchers claim to have discovered a new category of enzymes that may hold the key to cellulosic biofuels because it speeds up the process significantly. The scientists at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences in Aas say they even got the enzymes to break down chitin, found in prawn shells, into sugars so […]
The Biofuels Digest Index™ (BDI), a basket of public biofuels stocks, leapt 1.58 percent to reach a new 26-month high of 74.77 as the biofuels rally continued. For the day, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) gained 1.56 percent to $33.22, while Pacific Ethanol (PEIX) gained 10.00 percent to $1.10. Among other equities, Green Plains Renewable Energy […]
In South Africa, the agriculture ministry is warming to the idea of using corn as a biofuel feedstock—something they had originally planned but got deterred by the food prices spikes and later food vs. fuel debate. South African farmers have over-produced about 3 million metric tons of maize this season but have no immediate markets […]
The US Environmental Protection Agency will issue its ruling today at 1:30 ET on E15 ethanol blends. Politico, the Washington Post, and The Des Moines Register is reporting that the EPA is expected to OK ethanol blends of up to 15 percent for 2007+ model years. Digest sources have confirmed the report. 18 percent of […]
betterverse: Listening to Noam Chomsky talk about biofuels, sustainable energy in secondlife on metanomics algaeindustry: Sir Richard Branson on the promise of algae-based biofuels. algaeindustry: Algae power reaches for the sky allanotaylor: #ausvotes Biofuels are crap, unwanted, unecessary & expensive. Ethanol is best for drinking. matthartwig: Interesting fact: #ethanol production accounts for <3% of total […]
What exactly does the commercialization and research effort on algal fuels look like? A collection of highly funded home brewers? Secretive temples of technology peopled with mad scientists intent on unleashing bizarre Frankenfuels on an unsuspecting public? Well, neither. But neither is the reality well known, because generally the high-tech world of algal R&D and […]
“Whoa, Nelly” to Digest readers; Keep in mind that journalists and bloggers were not eligible for the Top 100 People in Bioenergy – we are not the story. One strategy that worked this year were heavy users of Twitter who double in association exec or other roles – did well in the voting, and were […]
In Texas, members of the National Algae Association have developed preliminary designs for a 100 acre commercial-scale algae production system and have identified the majority of the CAPEX and OPEX issues. Meanwhile, the NAA has challenged the industry to build the first 100 acres, to prove out true costs and economies of scale, and to give […]
In Massachusetts, Verenium announced that it has licensed a new enzyme for use in the production of edible oil products to Bunge Oils, Inc., a part of Bunge North America. Commercial launch of the enzyme product is pending appropriate regulatory approvals in target markets. Bunge intends to use the enzymes to commercialize edible oil products […]
In the EU, the DISCO research consortium is seeking to identify new and improved microorganisms with enzymes to convert wheat straw, spruce chips and wheat bran, among other lignocellulosic feedstocks, into biofuels. The DISCO project team is accessing the 4000 microorganisms held at the microorganism library at Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BUTE). The […]
