In Washington, the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service has developed a near infrared (NIR) reflectance spectroscopy system capable of testing oilseeds, and thereby determining how to adjust settings in oilseed crushing equipment. The adjustments allow processors to fine-tune for batches with longer grinding processes, required for seeds with low oil content, thereby reducing inefficiencies in biodiesel processing […]
In Washington, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the following statement today about Congress’ failure to pass comprehensive, multi-year food, farm and jobs legislation before the current law expires on Sept. 30, 2012: ”In a year that has brought its share of challenges to America’s farmers and ranchers, the House Republicans have added new uncertainty for rural […]
The Biofuels Digest Index™ (BDI), a basket of public biofuels stocks, was flat at 68.46 despite another ethanol fall. For the day, Pacific Ethanol (PEIX) plunged 29.63 percent to $0.38, while Ceres (CERE) tumbled 8.16 percent to $6.64. Among other equities, Codexis (CDXS) shed 4.74 percent to $3.42. Overall, declines led advances 7 to 5 […]
In Minnesota, the latest 53-page annual ethanol industry report was released by Christianson & Associates, PLLP (C&A), has been released. The report provides analysis of changes and trends for a broad cross-section of the ethanol industry over the most recent six calendar quarters (January 2011-June 2012) – and Christianson reports that it sees “resilience, greener […]
In Texas, the National Algae Association issued an invitation for the association’s Algae Production Certification Program, scheduled for October 19th. The program will provide comprehensive training about algae strains, growing, harvesting techniques and extraction methodologies, as well as a variety of economic factors. The program features instruction provided by experts in the algae production, research […]
Big Auto, Bio Oil, Big Ag, Big Pharma, Big Food – touching them all, now and increasingly, is Big A, as algae technologies gain in scale, scope and world-wide reach. This Monday in Denver, the algae industry stages its biggest annual get-together when the Algae Biomass Organization’s four-day Algae Biomass Summit kicks off. The annual […]
In Texas, Valero confirmed to Bloomberg that they have restarted ethanol production operations at Albion, Nebraska, and Linden, Indiana, as margins for the fuel improved. “Ethanol margins improved to the point where it became feasible to operate the plants again,” Bill Day, a company spokesman in San Antonio, told Bllomberg in an e-mail. “We had […]
In Canada, the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance said that evidence from a recent World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report stated that farmers globally will harvest the second largest corn crop on record in 2012. This same report concluded that the United States will harvest their eighth largest crop in its history despite a […]
In the UK, researchers from the University of Surrey have announced a breakthrough in microbial fuel cell technology that could lead to the development of self-powered devices. It has also been revealed this new discovery can de-pollute waste water and be used to survey weather in extreme environments. The team presented their findings at the Society […]
In New York, the Soros Economic Development Fund and the Industrialization Fund for Developing Countries today announced investments of nearly $9 million in CleanStar Mozambique, with the option to invest more in potential pan-African expansion. The new investment will create 1,000 new jobs in Mozambique by late 2014 and will help to substantially improve the […]
