In New Mexico, researchers with Los Alamos and Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center and others, have found that an ammonia pretreatment significantly reduced the tightness of the cellulose network and left it more vulnerable to conversion into sugar by fungi-derived cellulolytic enzymes.
In Illinois, a study finds that Regulatory hurdles hinder the commercialization of emerging liquid biofuels. The authors focused on biobutanol, arguing that regulatory innovations are needed to keep pace with technological innovations in the biofuels industry. One example cited was though it might be legal to blend 16 to 17 percent biobutanol with ordinary gasoline […]
The Biofuels Digest Index™ (BDI), a basket of public biofuels stocks, jumped 1.50 percent to 89.58 as advanced biofuels recovered. For the day, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) soared 3.10 percent to $32.27, while Amyris (AMRS) rose 2.78 percent to $24.07. Among other equities, Aventine (AVRW) plunged 12.77 percent to $10.25. Overall, advances led declines 3 […]
Mandates currently in place provide the when and where of a 60 billion gallons (and up) biofuels market by 2022 – but can the capacity be built? In Florida, the Digest today releases its annual review of biofuels mandates and targets around the world, looking at the state of biofuels mandates in 52 countries around […]
In Illinois, ethanol futures prices in Chicago have risen to three-year highs as the nation’s corn crop sizzles under summer heat. The Agriculture Department said U.S. corn rated in good or excellent condition fell to 66 percent in the week ended July 17 from 69 percent a week earlier, meaning that corn prices are likely […]
In Washington, the US Air Force says it’s ready to take as much biofuels as it can as soon as industry brings down the price of renewable jetfuel. Currently biofuels are running at 10 times the cost of jetfuel at $35 per gallon. The USAF has already approved synthetic fuels and expects to have the […]
In Pennsylvania, a state representative is introducing legislation that would eliminate ethanol blending in gasoline, claiming that the reasons behind introducing blending in the first place such as energy independence and helping the environment haven’t happened. Though if the bill passes it won’t have any effect since ethanol blending is a federal issue, State Rep. […]
In Thailand, PTT Group and Mitsubishi Chemical have formed a 50/50 joint venture, PTT MCC Biochem to produce both bio-succinic acid and polybutylene succinate from sugar. Construction is planned for 2012, with production to start in late 2014. PTT MCC expects production capacity of 20,000 tonnes of PBS and 30,000 tonnes per year. Prasert Bunsumpun, […]
In Denmark, Novozymes has teamed with Dong Energy to create REnescience, a new biorefining process that will turn garbage into a brown, combustible biofuel that can be used for both transportation and power generation. Fredericia in Jutland is expected to become of the first cities to use the process, running its city buses on the […]
In Brazil, Amyris has completed a deal where it will supply 160 city buses in Sao Paulo with its renewable diesel from sugarcane at a 10% blend starting in August. The contract runs through 2012. Testing has shown that using the 10% blend in low sulfur diesel will reduce smoke emissions from buses by 40% […]
