In India, the Times of India reports that researchers at the Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Institute have developed a method to extract potash from vinasse in an effort to help reduce the toxic waste streams of sugarcane processing and ethanol production. Roughly 8-15 liters of vinasse are produced from every liter of ethanol produced, […]
In the Philippines, the national coconut producers association is calling on the government to boost biodiesel blending to 5% from the current 2% in an attempt to increase demand for coconut oil. Producers say the program would help to support coconut farmers, and enough fuel for an additional 1% blending could already be available for […]
By Mark Warner, PE, Founder, Warner Advisors LLC Special to the Digest Capital light scale-up utilizes existing fermentation facilities, in lieu of purpose-built demonstration facilities, to bring advanced technologies to market faster and with less capital burn. It is a great plan if it can be executed, but risk comes in the form of limited options, […]
The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. ARS conducts research to develop and transfer solutions to agricultural problems of high national priority and provide information access and dissemination to: Ensure high-quality, safe food, and other agricultural products; Assess the nutritional needs of Americans; Sustain a competitive agricultural economy; […]
By Donnell Rehagen. CEO, National Biodiesel Board The biofuels industry found itself in an unusual position for much of the past 12 months. Typically confined to debates in the trade press, biofuels-related headlines are now splashed across the mainstream media. It’s new for most observers to see a host of Washington, D.C., political analysts race […]
In the United Kingdom, renewable fuels company, Velocys, received a “notice to proceed” action to commence manufacturing of the Fischer-Tropsch reactors and catalyst for the Red Rock Biofuels biorefinery that will be located in Lakeview, Oregon. RRB has commenced construction of the biorefinery, which will incorporate Velocys’ technology, and produce low- carbon, renewable diesel and […]
In Pennsylvania, a $1 million investment by HERO BX, an Erie-based biodiesel company, will create research opportunities for students and faculty members in the School of Science at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. Much of the work will be conducted in a new, 1,500-square-foot chemistry lab the company developed in the Advanced Manufacturing and […]
In New York, the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services announced that it will for the first time use renewable diesel to power over 1,000 City government vehicles. The renewable diesel will be produced by Renewable Energy Group and distributed by Sprague Energy. New York City will be one of the first fleets […]
In India, data gathered by the System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research shows that Mumbai’s air quality was worse in 2017 than 2016 and 2015, partially due to the burning of biofuels, as well as vehicular emissions. The SAFAR study showed that the contribution of the emissions from slums was 27.05%, 21.2% was […]
In Iowa, five Midwest biofuels associations sent a letter to the EPA asking the agency to shift administrative time and staff away from demand-destroying Renewable Fuel Standard exemptions and toward pathway approvals for cellulosic ethanol. The letter was signed by the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA), Renewable Fuels Nebraska, Wisconsin BioFuels Association, South Dakota Ethanol […]
