Thursday, July 31, 2008

News and Notes - July 31, 2008

Featured Article

Interactive Biodiesel Producer Map
http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/plantmap/?roi=echo7-1490689202-3486895-d08474c2e290813d8bc00f5a96e8ca36&

Biodiesel Magazine has produced an interactive map that allows users to see where in the US biodiesel manufacturers are located, some basic company and volume information. It also provides links to a Google map of each location and the company’s website. This is a nice tool to locate these producers. Hopefully, Ethanol Producer Magazine will come out with something similar since the magazines are produced at the same company.

US News

Assistant Secretary of Energy Alexander Karsner to Resign in August
http://www.biofuelsjournal.com/articles/Assistant_Secretary_of_Energy_Alexander_Karsner_to_Resign_in_August-61114.html

National Conservation, Environment and Energy Independence Act introduced in US House: oil drilling, coal-to-liquid, Renewable Energy Reserve Fund planned
http://www.theintelligencer.net/page/content.detail/id/512366.html?nav=515

Ethanol's toll
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bal-ed.ethanol31jul31,0,4693606.story

Ethanol Related Links – List of links from DOE
http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/ethanol/related_links.html

Senate Ag Committee on Ethanol to Be Held in Omaha
http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews+articleid_2455730&title=Senate_Ag_Committee_on.html

Wisconsin Rapids Area Has High Hopes for Ethanol Plant (former New Page mill)
http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=919&yr=2008

U.S. ethanol production rises 10 pct in May – EIA
http://in.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idINN2940448920080729

Sorghum taking root as a source for ethanol
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/environment/2008-07-30-ethanol-sorghum-florida_N.htm

In the tall grass, researchers find energy alternative
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10002885-54.html?hhTest=1

John Stephen Releases Plan For American Energy Independence (NJ Rep)
http://www.politickernh.com/brianlawson/2696/john-stephen-releases-plan-american-energy-independence

Ethanol plant action sought (NY companies sue one another)
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=707701&category=BUSINESS

U.S. Grains Council and Hawkeye Gold LLC Send Sample Shipment of DDGS to Australia for Feeding Trials
http://www.biofuelsjournal.com/articles/U_S__Grains_Council_and_Hawkeye_Gold_LLC_Send_Sample_Shipment_of_DDGS_to_Australia_for_Feeding_Trials-61154.html

Money Available To Switch Alabama School Buses To Biodiesel
http://www.nbc13.com/vtm/news/local/article/money_available_to_switch_alabama_school_buses_to_biodiesel/29527/

Ethanol plants receive big subsidy checks
https://secure.forumcomm.com/grandforks/articles/index.cfm?page=purchase&id=82332&CFID=62898447&CFTOKEN=18387366&jsessionid=88302fc29340354a783e

International News

Peugeot-Citroen (and Ford) approves Harvest B30 biodiesel for UK cars with HDi engines
http://www.automotive-business-review.com/article_news.asp?guid=20D41234-979F-4180-ACF9-AE694FDC015D

Sava joint venture opens biggest wood biomass plant in Balkans
http://bois.fordaq.com/fordaq/news/Sava_Wood_Biomass_Plant_Balkans_17495.html

Tax hike would force German biodiesel closures
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/feedarticle/7689596

DJ Bunge To Invest BRL1 Bln In 3 Brazil Ethanol Mills
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/1793711/

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

News and Notes - July 30, 2008

Feature Article

Brazil presses US, EU to include ethanol in any WTO trade pact
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/07/28/business/EU-WTO-Ethanol.php

You will notice that the International News section of today’s email is loaded with articles about Brazil, WTO talks, and ethanol tariffs. This article provides an overview of the entire situation. The EU has given ground, reducing tariffs on certain quantities of Brazillian ethanol (450 million gallons). However, the US has been reluctant to reduce its 54 cents per gallon tariff. Even the EU tariff excemption was met with negativity by the Brazilian sugarcane industry in that it was not enough! The US is the world’s largest producer of ethanol and Brazil is second. The article briefly mentions that Brazil has had issues getting its ethanol seen as an environmentally friendly alternative to gasoline. With concerns about industry practices there, the country may find it difficult to find any support in the US for tariff reductions, among environmentalists, agriculturalists, and industrialists alike.


US News

POET signs cooperative agreement with DOE for first phase of commercial cellulosic ethanol project
http://www.poet.com/news/showRelease.asp?id=96&year=2007&categoryid=8

Corn ethanol stirs passion in Michigan's alternative energy debate
http://blog.mlive.com/businessinnovation/2008/07/corn_ethanol_stirs_passion_in.html

Senators introduce bill to create ethanol pipelines
http://www.ethanolproducer.com/article.jsp?article_id=4528

Research drives improvements in efficient biofuel processing (Colorado)
http://www.engineerlive.com/international-oil-and-gas-engineer/environment-solution/20490/research-drives-improvements-in-efficient-biofuel-processing.thtml

National Corn Growers Association speaker tells Lake Land audience ethanol is part of energy solution, not the entire answer
http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2008/07/30/money/1034445.txt

Interstate Transmission Superhighways: Paving the Way to a Low-carbon Future
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=53193

Cobb County (GA) Considers Own Biofuel Plant
http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7041284&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1

Building Better Biofuels
http://www.biomassmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=1833

Microbial Tricks for the Cellulosic Ethanol Trade
http://www.ethanolproducer.com/article.jsp?article_id=4450

International News

Brazil Seeks New Options To Fight Ethanol Tariffs
http://www.cattlenetwork.com/Content.asp?ContentID=240680

Brazil wants market on both sides of the pond
http://www.ethanolproducer.com/takingstalk/post.jsp?blogPostID=17

Less dependency on biofuels in EU climate plan
http://www.reuters.com/article/gc08/idUSL563326120080729

Brazil defends biofuel's merits
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7528323.stm

Marathon WTO talks collapse in U.S.-India farm row
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080729/ts_nm/trade_wto_dc_77

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

News and Notes - July 29, 2008

Feature Article

(UGA Researchers) New Biomass Technology Dramatically Increases Ethanol Yield From Grasses And Yard Waste
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080728192938.htm

The University of Georgia has a technology available to reduce biomass pretreatment problems and issues. Their research as found a better method of pretreatment that is acid-free and releases at least ten times more simple sugars than other pretreatment methods. It is a relatively quick process as well. It is also considered more environmentally friendly than alternative chemicals.

US News

Fuel prices fall for 7th straight day (interesting look at cost comparison of ethanol and gasoline based on mileage)
http://money.cnn.com/2008/07/24/news/economy/gasoline/?postversion=2008072406

Pickens on his energy plan
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oew-tboone29-2008jul29,0,761206.story

Massachusetts: Biofuel Bill Is Signed (inc. cellulosic exemptions)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/29/us/29brfs-BIOFUELBILLI_BRF.html?ref=us

N.H. farmers say ethanol bringing higher feed prices
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080728/FRONTPAGE/807280326

Cardinal Ethanol still plans to open on time: But experts say hardly anyone can afford corn at these prices.
http://www.thestarpress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080727/NEWS01/807270376/1002

Industrial Biotechnology Plans Ethanol-Based Chemical Production
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/1784657/

Estimating the impact of inceased ethanol production on US household spending
http://www.ethanolrfa.org/documents/EthanolandHouseholdSpending_000.pdf

NREL to analyze impact of WIREC pledges
http://www.biomassmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=1824

Hoover (AL) diverts 8 tons of wood waste from landfill to produce ethanol
http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1217232913254890.xml&coll=2

Drumming Up Demand for Diesels
http://biodieselmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=2556

Flexible Biomass Conveyance
http://www.biomassmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=1832

Biodiesel trailer closes days after grand opening
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/jul/25/biodiesel-trailer-closes-days-after-grand/

International News

Man blows up garage trying to make biodiesel (Humor for the Day!)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2463557/Man-blows-up-garage-trying-to-make-biodiesel.html

ADM to start ethanol production in Brazil – report
http://uk.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idUKN2846828920080728

Brazil presses US, EU to include ethanol in any WTO trade pact
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/07/28/business/EU-WTO-Ethanol.php

Monday, July 28, 2008

News and Notes - July 28, 2008

Feature Article

Termite Bellies and Biofuels
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/25770269.html

This article is a nice in-depth look at some research underway looking at termite stomachs and the enzymes they contain. These “walking bioreactors” as the researcher calls them contain extremely efficient enzymes that release sugars from the materials these insects eat. These enzymes hold lots of potential for commercial development of efficient cellulosic technologies. We have some research underway here at the University of Tennessee that is also looking at termite enzymes. Dr. Juan Jurat Fuentes is heading that effort through a Sun Grant funded research program.

UTBI-related News

Tennessee Biofuels project Boosts Knoxville's Innovation Valley
http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/industrials/tennessee-biofuels-project-boosts-knoxvilles-innovation-valley/

VW Execs Impressed By Switchgrass Into Biofuel Effort
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_132128.asp

National News

US presses ahead with biofuel law, despite opposition from Texas: New legislation would make 80 per cent of vehicles capable of being run on biofuels
http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2222604/presses-ahead-biofuel-boom

Ethanol carries huge costs to the environment, people
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/5908297.html

Boosting Cellulosic Biofuels
http://www.technologyreview.com/Energy/21134/

Sprucing Up Wood Waste
http://www.biomassmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=1834

USDA Expert Warns Against Harvesting Wheat Residue
http://www.biofuelsjournal.com/articles/USDA_Expert_Warns_Against_Harvesting_Wheat_Residue-60774.html

How Free Trade Can Help Solve the Energy Crisis
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121702724001286291.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

GMO Crops May Help End Food-Versus-Fuel Debate, Monsanto Says
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=azk_XuQTuJ2s&refer=japan

Renewable Chemicals Corporation Will Use Sugar Cane Ethanol to Manufacture Renewable Chemicals
http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/industrials/renewable-chemicals-corporation-use-sugar-cane-ethanol-manufacture-renewable/

WATER: Oil companies see opportunity in another precious commodity
http://www.eenews.net/Greenwire/2008/07/28/1/

Postal Service Wants To Green 90% Of Fleet
http://www.environmentalleader.com/2008/07/24/postal-service-wants-to-green-90-of-fleet/

Neighbor campaigns for LYCO 1 ethanol plan (Public support for ethanol project!)
http://www.dailyitem.com/0100_news/local_story_210000030.html

Dalton (GA) Utilities to Start Producing Biodiesel From Algae
http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews+articleid_2439195&title=BRIEF_Dalton_Utilities.html

Ethanol plant aims for October start-up (POET Ohio)
http://www.marionstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080727/NEWS01/807270330/1002/NEWS01

Liquid Maize halts ethanol plant construction, cites financing
http://biofuelsdigest.com/blog2/2008/07/28/liquid-maize-halts-ethanol-plant-construction-cites-financing/

Man uses canola seeds to produce biodiesel fuel (NC)
http://www.godanriver.com/gdr/news/local/danville_news/article/man_uses_canola_seeds_to_produce_biodiesel_fuel/5284/

International News

EU proposes annual import of 1.4 mln tons of ethanol from Brazil
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/28/content_8786249.htm

Petrobras Opens Biofuel Unit to Oversee $1.5 Billion Investment
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=a9VdoR3lh0CM&refer=latin_america

India votes for national energy security
http://biofuelsdigest.com/blog2/2008/07/28/india-votes-for-national-energy-security-biofuels-digest-special-report/

Sunday, July 27, 2008

News and Notes - July 25, 2008

Feature Article

With this week’s announcement of the partnership between UT/Genera Energy, I have received several questions regarding the partnership, biorefinery details, and about Mascoma. I would like to refer everyone to the Genera Energy website (www.generaenergy.net) where they have posted a list of FAQs that will address many of these details.

UTBI-related News

As you can imagine, this is a big week for the UTBI with the announcement of the partnership with Dupont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol. Here is a sampling of news articles related to the event. I’ll just list links as most of the titles are similar.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/governmentFilingsNews/idUKN2344239220080723

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/07/23/ap5246862.html

http://www.reuters.com/article/innovationNews/idUSN1447001120080514

http://ethanolproducer.com/article.jsp?article_id=4512

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080724/BUSINESS01/807240340/1003/NEWS01

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/jul/24/new-partner-for-ut-refinery/

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/jul/23/dupont-danisco-partner-ut-project/

http://www.utk.edu/tntoday/article.php?pk=937

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200807240128DOWJONESDJONLINE000242_FORTUNE5.htm

http://www.wate.com/global/story.asp?s=8726297

http://www.wate.com/global/story.asp?s=8723131

http://timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/23/ut-dupont-form-joint-biorefineryethanol-project/

http://www.volunteertv.com/home/headlines/25814214.html

http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/news/ng.asp?id=85272-dupont-danisco-ethanol-biofuels-food-prices

http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/1777573/

http://thedailytimes.com/article/20080724/NEWS/15274057

http://advocateanddemocrat.com/story/14962

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=53153

US News

Ethanol 'concerns' Big Oil
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080725/BUSINESS/807250357/1029

Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman and Secretary of Agriculture Ed Shaefer response letter to Senator Bingaman of New Mexico in regards to his questions about ethanol and food prices (interesting read)
http://www.ethanol.org/pdf/contentmgmt/USDA_DOE_biofuels_letter_61208.pdf

Restrictive language threatens cellulosic ethanol growth (Energy Bill)
http://www.brownfieldnetwork.com/gestalt/go.cfm?objectid=56F63A11-BDB2-E2C5-86B2634EC3AE46D5

Harkin: Gas cheaper because of ethanol
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/harkin-gas-cheaper-because-of-ethanol-2008-07-24.html

Agribusiness Group Forms To Protect Ethanol Subsidies (Dupont, John Deere, Monsanto, etc)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121694492314783063.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Company makes, sells biodiesel at Va. truck stop
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/07/24/ap5250951.html

Uprising Against the Ethanol Mandate
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/business/23ethanol.html?_r=1&em&ex=1216958400&en=6e824834a4b001dd&ei=5087%0A&oref=slogin

Los Angeles County approves commercial ethanol plant (BlueFire Ethanol)
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/07/24/business/NA-US-Ethanol-Plant.php

Primafuel to Install Industry-Leading SMAART™Oil Solution at Amaizing Energy Ethanol Facility
http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2008/7/prweb1136094.htm

Ethanol whining from Kansas
http://voices.kansascity.com/node/1724

What’s Driving Food Prices? A Farm Foundation Report
http://farmfoundation.org/news/articlefiles/404-ExecSum8.5x11.pdf

EESI releases new cellulosic factsheets
http://www.eesi.org/publications/Fact%20Sheets/factsheets.htm

The Ethanol Trap: Why Policies to Promote Ethanol as Fuel Need Rethinking (a CD Howe Institute Report)
http://www.cdhowe.org/pdf/commentary_268.pdf
And the Canadian Biofuels Association response to the report
http://www.greenfuels.org/files/CDHowe_OConnorResponse.pdf

Gassing up with garbage
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/24/business/24fuel.php

Athenix raises $10M for biofuels and specialty chemicals
http://venturebeat.com/2008/07/23/athenix-raises-10m-for-biofuels/