Cellulosic

June 25, 2018

WSU professor lands grant to pursue lignin to biofuel conversion

BY Maegan Murray, WSU Tri-Cities Found In:Cellulosic, Business, PolicyWashington State University Tri-Cities associate professor Xiao Zhang is targeting the use of lignin—a common material that makes the cell walls of plants rigid—to create affordable biofuels and bioproducts. READ MORE

June 25, 2018

Opinion: Energy, Enzymes and Eco-Friendly Efforts

BY Lisa GibsonFound In:Operations, Feedstocks, Coproducts, Cellulosic, BusinessFROM THE JULY ISSUE: Managing editor previews this issue of the magazine including features about energy efficiency-boosting methods for plants, energy efficiency improvement data, how far combined-heat-and-power applications have come and more. READ MORE

June 22, 2018

House subcommittee holds hearing on advanced biofuels, RFS

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Cellulosic, Business, PolicyThe House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Environment held a hearing June 22 titled “Advanced Biofuels Under the Renewable Fuel Standard: Current Status and Future Prospects," that included a discussion of post-2022 RFS policy. READ MORE

June 22, 2018

ORNL discovery could boost biofuel yields

BY Oak Ridge National Laboratory Found In:Cellulosic, BusinessResearchers have discovered mutations in a structure of a key plant enzyme that was not previously known to exist. The discovery could help squeeze more potential out of poplar as a renewable resource for making biofuels and bioproducts. READ MORE

June 19, 2018

DOE: 31 projects will advance fundamental science for bioenergy

BY U.S. Department of Energy Found In:Feedstocks, Cellulosic, Business, PolicyOn June 18, the U.S. Department of Energy announced $40 million in funding for 31 projects to advance research in the development of microbes as practical platforms for the production of biofuels and other bioproducts from renewable resources. READ MORE

June 13, 2018

Senate ag committee restores 2018 Farm Bill Energy Title funding

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Operations, Markets, Feedstocks, Coproducts, Cellulosic, Business, PolicyThe Senate ag committee has approved its version of the 2018 Farm Bill with bipartisan support. The legislation includes an amendment offered by Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., that restores mandatory funding to Farm Bill Energy Title programs. READ MORE

June 12, 2018

FEW general session focuses on RVP and RIN waivers

BY Tim AlbrechtFound In:Operations, Markets, Feedstocks, Coproducts, Cellulosic, Business, PolicyA panel of industry leaders discussed Reid vapor pressure (RVP) relief and small refiner exemptions during the general session of the 2018 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop and Expo in Omaha on June 12. READ MORE

June 12, 2018

Skor to FEW: Battles ahead are tough, but we can win

BY Lisa GibsonFound In:Operations, Markets, Feedstocks, Coproducts, Cellulosic, Business, PolicyGrowth Energy CEO Emily Skor delivered the keynote address at the 2018 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo in Omaha, telling attendees that no other industry can hold a candle to the pace of growth of the ethanol industry. READ MORE

June 12, 2018

FEW recognizes Moore, Walker for contributions to fuel ethanol

BY Tim Albrecht and Erin Voegele Found In:Operations, Markets, Feedstocks, Coproducts, Cellulosic, Business, PolicyKristin Moore and Graeme Walker were recognized June 12 for their contributions to ethanol industry during the 2018 Fuel Ethanol Workshop and Expo in Omaha. Moore was presented with the High-Octane Award and Walker received the Award of Excellence. READ MORE

June 08, 2018

Senate’s 2018 Farm Bill reauthorizes Energy Title programs

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Operations, Markets, Feedstocks, Coproducts, Cellulosic, Business, PolicyThe Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry released its version of the 2018 Farm Bill on June 8. The bill reauthorizes Energy Title programs, but provides insufficient funding to ensure their success, according to the AgEC. READ MORE

June 06, 2018

NREL finds easier ways to deconstruct biomass

BY National Renewable Energy Laboratory Found In:Cellulosic, BusinessScientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory are working to develop a one-step process to deconstruct biomass. READ MORE

June 05, 2018

Researchers hope better technology produces less costly biofuel

BY University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Found In:Cellulosic, BusinessUniversity of Florida scientists wondered how cheaply cellulosic ethanol can be made from inedible plant material using currently available technology. They found the cost of feedstock and size of the biorefinery are key factors in lowering costs. READ MORE

June 04, 2018

Ag committee members advocate for Farm Bill energy title programs

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Operations, Markets, Feedstocks, Coproducts, Cellulosic, Business, PolicyOn June 4, a group of eight members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry sent a letter to committee chair Sen. Pat Roberts and ranking member Sen. Debbie Stabenow expressing support for the Farm Bill energy title programs. READ MORE

June 01, 2018

New machine learning approach could accelerate bioengineering

BY Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Found In:Feedstocks, Cellulosic, BusinessScientists from the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have developed a way to use machine learning to dramatically accelerate the design of microbes that produce biofuel. READ MORE

May 31, 2018

Purdue wins $1.8 million from DOE to solve biorefinery blockages

BY Purdue University Found In:Cellulosic, Business, PolicyA team led by Purdue University scientists will receive a $1.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to solve one of the biggest problems facing biorefinery operations—the flow of biomass into and throughout the facilities. READ MORE

May 30, 2018

Opinion: A Bit of Everything

BY Lisa GibsonFound In:Operations, Markets, Feedstocks, Coproducts, Cellulosic, Business, PolicyFROM THE JUNE ISSUE: Managing Editor Lisa Gibson previews this issue of the magazine, including features about Brazil's ethanol market, U.S. ethanol industry job market, progress on ethanol plants under construction and more. READ MORE

May 29, 2018

UTIA wins DOE grant to advance biofuels, bioenergy

BY University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Found In:Cellulosic, BusinessResearchers with the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture continue to be at the forefront of the development of commercial applications for biofuels as well as biobased energy and biobased products. READ MORE

May 28, 2018

In Depth: Integrated Innovation

BY Susanne Retka SchillFound In:Operations, Markets, Feedstocks, Coproducts, Cellulosic, BusinessFROM THE JUNE ISSUE: Element LLC employs ICM’s new process technologies, coproduct systems and efficiency improvements in one state-of-the-art facility. Construction is underway. READ MORE

May 25, 2018

In Depth: On The Front Lines

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Operations, Markets, Feedstocks, Coproducts, Cellulosic, Business, PolicyFROM THE JUNE ISSUE: The old battle between ethanol and oil takes center stage with the RFS. Ethanol Producer Magazine recaps the many recent attempts to hinder the policy, and looks beyond 2022. READ MORE

May 24, 2018

In Depth: Down to the Details

BY Lisa GibsonFound In:Operations, Markets, Feedstocks, Cellulosic, Business, PolicyFROM THE JUNE ISSUE: EcoEngineers’ Director of Engineering Jim Ramm details Kernel Fiber Now, a service that helps producers navigate their options with corn kernel fiber-to-ethanol technologies, RINs and more. READ MORE

May 21, 2018

EPA: 20.78 million cellulosic RINs generated in April

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Cellulosic, BusinessThe U.S. EPA has released renewable identification number (RIN) data for April, reporting that nearly 1.59 billion RINs were generated during the month, including more than 20.78 million cellulosic RINs. READ MORE

May 18, 2018

House votes down 2018 Farm Bill

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Operations, Markets, Feedstocks, Coproducts, Cellulosic, Business, PolicyOn May 18, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 198 to 213 to defeat the 2018 Farm Bill. One day prior to the vote, members of the House defeated a proposed amendment by a vote of 75 to 340 that would have repealed the Farm Bill’s Energy Title. READ MORE

May 16, 2018

Aemetis provides update of cellulosic ethanol project

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Operations, Cellulosic, BusinessAemetis Inc. recently released first quarter 2018 financial results, reporting increased revenue and providing an update on the development of its cellulosic ethanol plant that is under development in California. READ MORE

May 14, 2018

EPA delivers proposed rule for 2019 RFS RVOs to OMB

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Cellulosic, Business, PolicyOn May 11, the U.S. EPA delivered its proposed rule to set 2019 Renewable Fuel Standard blending obligations to the White House Office of Management and Budget. OMB review marks a final step before the proposal is released for public comment. READ MORE

May 14, 2018

AEC urges House to oppose elimination of Farm Bill’s energy title

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Operations, Feedstocks, Coproducts, Cellulosic, Business, PolicyOn May 14, the Agriculture Energy Coalition sent a letter to the House of Representatives opposing the elimination of a stand-alone energy title and exclusion of mandatory funding for energy programs in the 2018 Farm Bill. READ MORE

May 11, 2018

DOE funds 2 biofuel projects through BRDI

BY U.S. Department of Energy Found In:Cellulosic, Business, PolicyOn May 9, the U.S. Department of Energy announced up to $3 million in funding for advanced biofuels, bioenergy, and biobased products available through the Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI). READ MORE

May 09, 2018

Pacific Ethanol reports improving margins

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Operations, Markets, Coproducts, Cellulosic, BusinessPacific Ethanol Inc. released first quarter 2018 financial results on May 8, reporting improved margins and an increase in total ethanol gallons sold. Net sales were also up for the quarter. READ MORE

May 07, 2018

Sweetwater, Graanul announce first commercial biorefinery

BY Sweetwater Energy Found In:Cellulosic, BusinessSweetwater Energy and Estonia-based AS Graanul Invest will build a commercial-scale integrated biorefinery that will produce clean cellulosic sugars and highly pure lignin from 50,000 tons of local hardwood each year. READ MORE

May 03, 2018

Chempolis, Fortum, NRL partner to build biorefinery in India

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Cellulosic, BusinessChempolis, Fortum and Numaligarh Revinery Ltd. have formed a joint venture to develop a biorefinery in India that will convert 300,000 tons of bamboo annually into ethanol, furfural, acetic acid and biocoal. READ MORE

May 03, 2018

Groups ask EPA to prioritize cellulosic pathway approvals

BY Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Found In:Cellulosic, Business, PolicyToday 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. READ MORE