Category: Top Stories

15 hot and novel low carbon fuel technologies to watch

15 hot and novel low carbon fuel technologies to watch

April 27, 2015 |

An effort is underway in the UK to classify, within the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation, “novel low carbon fuels” made by companies such as LanzaTech, Joule, Solar Jet, Velocys, Sunfire, Pyreco and others. In the UK, a report prepared by E4tech and Ecofys has been released and looks at the problem of narrow definitions for low […]

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37 US Senators call on EPA to stand tough on Renewable Fuel Standard

37 US Senators call on EPA to stand tough on Renewable Fuel Standard

April 26, 2015 |

Big jump in “Defend the RFS” ranks as 37 Senators press EPA to set a big target for biofuels in 2015-16 In Washington, 37 Senators wrote EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy urging the agency to set strong biofuel volume requirements for 2014 and beyond that are consistent with the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). U.S. Senators Dick […]

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16 “Red Hot Devil” Questions about biofuels, chemicals, bioproducts and the new agriculture, answered

16 “Red Hot Devil” Questions about biofuels, chemicals, bioproducts and the new agriculture, answered

April 23, 2015 |

Your toughest questions, the Red Hot Devils — impossible to ignore, and hot to handle. Here we present 16 of the best, answered. With great sessions at conferences, delegates are usually keen to get a hold of the powerpoint decks. But how do you get a hold of the great Q&A that follows the presentations  — […]

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The Catalyst That Refused To Die

The Catalyst That Refused To Die

April 22, 2015 |

Battelle-led group succeeds in US Department of Energy challenge — 1,000 hours of continuous biomass hydrotreating on a single catalyst charge. The undefeated champ hits 1200 hours before being retired from the ring. Next stop, 4000 hours? In Ohio, we hear from Battelle that they have succeeded at the United States Department of Energy challenge to […]

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China Steel green-lights commercial-scale LanzaTech advanced biofuels project

China Steel green-lights commercial-scale LanzaTech advanced biofuels project

April 22, 2015 |

Phase 1 will produce 17M gallons/year of gasoline blendstock and ethanol; in Phase 2, a 34M gallon facility. In Taiwan, China Steel Corporation announced formal Board approval of a $46M capital investment in a LanzaTech commercial ethanol facility. This follows the successful demonstration of the revolutionary carbon recycling platform at the White Biotech Demonstration Plant in […]

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Downsize bioenergy risk while approaching scale: partnering with ZeaChem’s Technology Institute

Downsize bioenergy risk while approaching scale: partnering with ZeaChem’s Technology Institute

April 21, 2015 |

For most investors, building a demonstration-scale facility in order to get, and validate, data for the last pre-commercial stages, is a necessary evil somewhere between diaper-changing and a colonoscopy on the “revolting, yet inevitable” meter. Those who haven’t done rigorous demonstration-scale activities have, in many cases, gone down in flames or certainly gone into what […]

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Earth Day: 3 Big Reads for a Sustainable BioFuture

Earth Day: 3 Big Reads for a Sustainable BioFuture

April 20, 2015 |

Want to help Mother Earth? Get on your backside and master these key reports.  If you’ve not put it in your calendar, Earth Day is this week, April 22nd to be exact. On the original Earth Day, in 1970, hundreds of thousands of people gathered around the world, to demonstrate support for greener policies with respect […]

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Sweetwater Energy raises $10M; begins ramp-up to first commercial

Sweetwater Energy raises $10M; begins ramp-up to first commercial

April 19, 2015 |

Sweetwater Energy announced it has closed on a $10 million bridge loan. The loan closed as Sweetwater said that it is now opening its Series B investor round to begin construction of a first commercial facility. Sweetwater make quite a splash with a series of high-profile deals in 2012-13 based around the production of cellulosic […]

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EU reshapes its biofuels policy

EU reshapes its biofuels policy

April 16, 2015 |

Jettisons indirect land use change for now, citing poor data visibility; caps food-crop biofuels to 7%; limits proposed Directives to 2020. In Brussels, the European Parliament’s Environmental Committee has voted this week to endorse the Council’s proposed compromise on reform of the EU biofuels policy, and indirect land use change. The final vote was 51 votes in […]

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Agrisoma Biosciences management acquires 22% stake via equity investment 

Agrisoma Biosciences management acquires 22% stake via equity investment 

April 16, 2015 |

What’s up with carinata? 2015 looks like an inflection year for the non-irrigated, heat-tolerant, sandy-soil loving canola cousin that is ready-to-wear for aviation biofuels and biodiesel. Meanwhile, the management team doubles down as the marketing year is underway. In Quebec, Agrisoma Biosciences announced that a group led by its management team has made an equity […]

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