Cellulosic ethanol
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New Process Combines Ionic Liquids and Solid Catalysts for Mild Pre-Treatment of Biomass
September 30, 2008
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| Main product and byproducts from the acid catalyzed hydrolysis of cellulose. Click to enlarge. Credit: Angewandte Chemie. |
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research (MPI für Kohlenforschung) at Mülheim, Germany, have combined ionic liquids and solid catalysts in a new mild pre-treatment process for cellulosic biomass.
With this process, cellulose undergoes selective depolymerization, yielding cellulose oligomers (cellooligomers) and subsequently sugars without any substantial formation of side products. Even wood, a lignocellulosic material, is hydrolyzed using this methodology.
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Lignol and Weyerhaeuser to Collaborate on Commercial Development of Cellulose-based Products and Biochemicals
Lignol Energy Corporation, a cellulosic ethanol and biochemical company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Weyerhaeuser Company to explore the development of commercial applications of biochemical outputs from Lignol’s proprietary biorefining technology.
The parties have also agreed to evaluate the development of a commercial-scale Lignol biorefinery plant at or near a Weyerhaeuser mill site. The MOU excludes applications for transportation fuel. The initial scope of the MOU involves the testing of certain biomass feedstocks within Lignol’s facilities, including the company’s integrated industrial-scale biorefinery pilot plant located in Burnaby, British Columbia.
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Edenspace Systems Licenses MSU Technology for Endoplant Enzymes to Optimize Cellulosic Ethanol Production
September 12, 2008
Edenspace Systems Corp., a Kansas plant biotechnology company that develops new crops for biofuels and environmental cleanup, has licensed Michigan State University (MSU) technology that modifies the corn genome to express enzymes (endoplant, or “in-plant” enzymes) within the corn biomass needed to convert cellulose into fermentable sugar. (Earlier post.)
The transgenic corn plants produce these enzymes only in their leaves and stalk, and store them in sub-cellular compartments (the vacuoles).
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Euro Parliament Maintains Target of 10% Renewables in Road Transport Fuel by 2020; 40% of That From Non-Food Biofuels, Electricity or H2
September 11, 2008
The European Parliament’s Industry Committee has approved a co-decision report that maintains a 10% renewables component in transportation fuels by 2020, but specifies that at least 40% of this overall share must be met by non-food second-generation biofuels, electricity or hydrogen.
The decision came in the context of growing pressure to reduce the biofuels obligation given concerns of rising food prices and sustainability.
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Researchers Engineer Thermophilic Bacterium to Produce Ethanol at High Yield
September 09, 2008
A team of researchers from Dartmouth’s Thayer School of Engineering and Mascoma Corporation in Lebanon, N.H., have genetically engineered Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum, a thermophilic anaerobic bacterium that ferments xylan and biomass-derived sugars, to produce ethanol at high yield as its only fermentation product. A paper on their work was published online during the week of 8 September in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
The knockout of genes involved in organic acid formation (acetate kinase, phosphate acetyltransferase, and L-lactate dehydrogenase) resulted in an engineered strain (ALK2) able to produce ethanol as the only detectable organic product and substantial changes in electron flow relative to the wild type.
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New Solid Catalyst for Hydrolysis of Cellulose Performs as Well as Sulfuric Acid
September 08, 2008
Researchers at the Tokyo Institute of Technology have developed a solid carbon-based catalyst for the hydrolysis of cellulose into glucose, with performance comparable to that of sulfuric acid, but with lower environmental and financial costs. A paper on their work was published online in the Journal of the American Chemical Society on 29 August.
Converting cellulose to sugars (saccharides) is a critical step in most processes for the production of cellulosic ethanol via fermentation. A variety of approaches have been developed to hydrolyze cellulose to saccharides, including catalysis using mineral acids, enzyme-driven reactions, the use of supercritical water, and solid catalysts for hydrogenolysis. The Tokyo Tech team, lead by Professor Michikazu Hara, notes that sulfuric acid catalyzed hydrolysis of cellulose has received considerable attention and has been implemented on relatively large scales.
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Lignol Confirms Site for its Cellulosic Ethanol Demo Plant
August 27, 2008
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| Lignol’s biorefinery technology. Click to enlarge. |
Lignol Innovations Inc., the US subsidiary of Canada-based Lignol Energy Corp., will build its cellulosic ethanol demonstration plant in Grand Junction, Colorado—an approved change from the originally proposed site adjacent to Suncor Energy (USA) Inc.’s refinery in Commerce City, Colorado.
In January 2008, the DOE approved Lignol’s funding application for a proposed cellulosic ethanol plant, including up to US$30 million in funding to construct the facility. Lignol continues to negotiate the final details of the DOE funding agreement and related party agreements. (Earlier post.)
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ADM, Deere, Monsanto to Collaborate on Corn Stover Research
August 26, 2008
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| Current availability of biomass from croplands, under current crop yields, tillage practices and average 40% recovery potential. About one-fifth of this 194 million dry/tons per year is currently used. Click to enlarge. Source: DOE, USDA (2005) |
Archer Daniels Midland Company, Deere &Company and Monsanto Company will collaborate on research to explore technologies and processes to turn crop residues into feed and bioenergy products.
The companies will work together to identify environmentally and economically sustainable methods for the harvest, storage and transport of corn stover—the stalks, leaves and cobs of corn plants. Corn stover can be used in feed for animals, as biomass to generate steam and electricity or as a cellulosic feedstock for biofuel production.
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MSU to Create Genomic Clearinghouse for Cellulosic Ethanol Energy Crops
August 14, 2008
Michigan State University (MSU) scientists, supported with a $540,000 Federal grant, are creating a Web-based genomic database of information on energy crops that can be used to make cellulosic ethanol. Genomic databases contain information on the molecular biology and genetics of a particular species.
C. Robin Buell, associate professor of plant biology and project leader and Kevin Childs, a postdoctoral researcher in her lab, will use the joint grant from the US Departments of Agriculture and Energy (USDA and DOE) to centralize the genomic databases, create uniform annotations (notes or descriptions of the genomes), provide data-mining and search tools, and provide a Web site for scientists from around the world to access the databases. They also will regularly update the information.
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BP and Verenium Form Strategic Alliance on Cellulosic Ethanol
August 06, 2008
BP and Verenium Corporation have formed a strategic partnership to accelerate the development and commercialization of cellulosic ethanol. The partnership combines a broad technology platform and operational capabilities in an effort to advance the development of a portfolio of low-cost, environmentally-sound cellulosic ethanol production facilities in the United States, and potentially throughout the world.
Under the initial phase of the strategic alliance, Verenium is to receive $90 million in total funding from BP over the next 18 months for rights to current and future technology held within the partnership.
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Ceres Readying First Optimized Seeds for Bioenergy Crops; Yield is the Goal
August 03, 2008
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| Ceres is readying a number of different switchgrass varieties for Spring 2009 sowing, optimized for different regions in the US. Click to enlarge. |
Ceres, Inc. is preparing to introduce its first commercial offering of energy crop seeds this fall under the trade name Blade to be ready for Spring 2009 sowing. The seeds—including variants of high-biomass sorghum, sweet-sorghum and switchgrass—are optimized for different growing zones, or agroecoregions. Other energy crops in the Ceres pipeline include: miscanthus, energycane and short-rotation woody species.
Ceres is focused on using its biotechnology to maximize yield. The region-appropriate Ceres switchgrass cultivar would deliver about twice the biomass of the switchgrass cultivar (Cave Rock) used in large-scale University of Illinois field trials, according to Ceres CEO Richard Hamilton. (Earlier post.)
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New Enzymatic Hydrolysis Technology Boosts Cellulosic Ethanol Yield More than 50% from Fermentation
August 01, 2008
Researchers at the University of Georgia (UGA) have developed a new enzymatic hydrolysis technology for cellulosic biomass such as Bermudagrass, switchgrass, Napiergrass and yard waste that can deliver an increase in ethanol yield from fermentation of more than 50%.
The technology comprises a mild, acid-free pretreatment method; an enzymatic digestion process; and a suitable novel pretreatment reactor for the highly-efficient extraction of simple sugars from readily available cellulosic biomass. This is an effective, gentle (low pressures and temperatures) and fast (2 - 10 minutes) treatment resulting in greater enzymatic digestibility of grasses. The technology increases the post-digestion yield of simple sugars available for fermentation by as much as 10-fold compared with samples that did not undergo pretreatment.
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Large Field Trial Shows Miscanthus Could Meet US Biofuels Goals With Less Land
July 31, 2008
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| In field trials in Illinois, researchers grew Miscanthus x giganteus and switchgrass in adjoining plots. Click to enlarge. Credit: University of Illinois |
Researchers at the University of Illinois have concluded that the perennial grass Miscanthus×giganteus could produce enough ethanol to offset 20% of current US gasoline use, while requiring 9.3% of current agricultural acreage. By contrast, using corn or switchgrass to produce the same amount would require 25% of current US cropland.
The findings come from side-by-side trials of Miscanthus and switchgrass established for the first time along a latitudinal gradient in Illinois. The results of the trials appear this month in the journal Global Change Biology.
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Researchers Suggest Changes to Biofuels Incentives Rather Than Rollbacks or Moratoria
July 30, 2008
Over the last six months, the focus of the biofuel debate in Europe and the United States has shifted from emphasizing the potential contribution of biofuels to increase energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to concern about the impact on food prices, possible increase in greenhouse gas emissions and the loss of forests and biodiversity.
A report from reserachers at Harvard Kennedy School concludes that despite growing pressure from biofuels critics, governments should avoid simplistic and precipitous changes in course such as rollback or moratoria on existing biofuels mandates or incentives. Instead, the report urges governments to initiate an orderly, “innovation-enhancing” transition towards incentives targeted on multi-dimensional goals for biofuels development.
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New Zealand Awards NZ$45.6M for Alternative- and Bio-Fuel Research; LanzaTech NZ$12M Low-Carbon Gasoline Project Leads
July 27, 2008
New Zealand’s Foundation for Research, Science and Technology (FRST) recently approved NZ$45.6 million (US$33.8M) in contracts for alternative- and bio-fuels research as part of a record NZ$785 million (US$582 million) in funding with more than two dozen research organizations in the foundation’s main 2008 investment round.
At the top of the awards for fuels contracts is a three-year, NZ$12-million (US$8.9 million) project by LanzaTech to develop a low-carbon biofuel that can be used with gasoline in blend ratios of up to 90% in older cars. LanzaTech is the developer of a process using bacterial fermentation to convert carbon monoxide into ethanol, and has backing from Khosla Ventures, among others. (Earlier post.)
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INEOS Bio to Commercialize BRI Thermochemical/Biochemical Waste-to-Ethanol Process
July 21, 2008
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| The INEOS Bio waste-to-ethanol process. Click to enlarge. |
INEOS, the world’s third largest chemical company, has formed INEOS Bio to commercialize and license a thermochemical and biochemical process from Bioengineering Resources, Inc. (BRI) (earlier post) for the production of biofuel, renewable power and chemical intermediates from a wide range of low-cost carbon materials.
INEOS Bio’s initial focus will be the production of commercial quantities of bioethanol fuel from biodegradable municipal solid waste (MSW), organic commercial waste and agricultural residues. INEOS Bio expects the first commercial plant will be operational in late 2010 or early 2011.
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Fulcrum BioEnergy to Build First Municipal Solid Waste-to-Ethanol Plant in Nevada
July 18, 2008
Fulcrum BioEnergy, Inc. plans to build its first commercial-scale thermochemical plant for converting municipal solid waste (MSW) to ethanol at the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center in Storey County, Nevada. The project is expected to cost approximately $120 million and is set to enter construction by the end of this year. When it begins operations in early 2010, the Sierra BioFuels plant is expected to produce approximately 10.5 million gallons of ethanol per year, and to process nearly 90,000 tons per year of MSW.
The plant will utilize gasification technology licensed from InEnTec (previously Integrated Environmental Technologies) and a licensed proprietary catalytic technology jointly developed by Nipawin Biomass Ethanol New Generation Co-operative Ltd. and Saskatchewan Research Council for the conversion of the resulting syngas to fuels.
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Dow and NREL Partner on Thermochemical Conversion of Biomass to Ethanol and Other Chemical Building Blocks
July 16, 2008
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| Process flow diagram with research barriers for cost-competitive thermochemical ethanol production. Click to enlarge. Source: NREL |
The Dow Chemical Company (Dow) and the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are jointly developing and evaluating a thermochemical process that will convert biomass to ethanol and other chemical building blocks.
The process will gasify non-food biomass feedstock to produce a synthesis gas, which Dow’s catalyst technology will then convert into a mixture of alcohols—predominantly ethanol—that can be used as transportation fuels or chemical building blocks. The joint evaluation program will focus on improving the mixed alcohol catalyst, as well as demonstrating pilot scale performance and the commercial relevance of an integrated facility.
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DOE to Provide up to $40 Million in Funding for Two Additional Small-Scale Biorefinery Projects
July 14, 2008
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| Locations of DOE major biofuels projects as of 14 July 2008. Click to enlarge. |
The US Department of Energy (DOE) has selected two additional small-scale cellulosic biorefinery projects in Park Falls, Wis. and Jennings, La. for federal funding of up to $40 million over five years.
These two biorefinery projects are the final round of selections for DOE’s competitive small-scale biorefinery solicitation. Earlier this year, DOE selected seven other projects, comparable in size and scope, to receive up to a total of $200 million. (Earlier post.)
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UK Gallagher Review Calls for Significant Slowdown in Introduction of Biofuels
July 07, 2008
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| Proposed trajectory of EU biofuels policy. The orange section provides a guaranteed market for renewable fuels to develop while control measures are introduced. Green illustrates a proposed mandatory obligation for advanced technology fuels from appropriate feedstocks. The blue section shows how the market for current technology might develop beyond 2013/14 if measures to ensure the sustainability of biofuels supplied proved successful including in avoiding indirect land-use change. Click to enlarge |
The just-released Gallagher Review of the indirect effects of biofuels production, requested by the UK government from the Renewable Fuels Agency (RFA) earlier this year, concludes that while there is a future for a sustainable biofuels industry, feedstock production must avoid agricultural land that would otherwise be used for food production.
According to the Review, the displacement of existing agricultural production, due to biofuel demand, is accelerating land-use change and, if left unchecked, will reduce biodiversity and may even cause greenhouse gas emissions rather than savings. As a result, the Review Calls for a significant slowdown in the introduction of biofuels “until adequate controls to address displacement effects are implemented and are demonstrated to be effective.”
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Pennsylvania Legislature Passes Renewable Fuels Mandate; B20 and Cellulosic E10
July 05, 2008
Both houses of the Pennsylvania General Assembly have passed HB 1202, a bill requiring that transportation fuels sold in Pennsylvania include increasing amounts of biodiesel, synthetic diesel or renewable diesel (in diesel fuel); and cellulosic ethanol (in gasoline), based on levels of in-state production.
The General Assembly also passed a second bill, (Special Session SB 22) extending the Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant Program (AFIG) to provide funding of $0.75 per gallon for all biodiesel produced in Pennsylvania by Pennsylvanians and sold in Pennsylvania. The AFIG fund will rebate up to $5.3 million each year for the next three years, with no single producer receiving more than $1.9 million each year. No funding will be available for corn-based ethanol.
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GreenField Ethanol and Enerkem Partner on Commercial MSW-to-Ethanol Facility in Alberta
June 29, 2008
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| Enerkem’s four-step process uses gasification and catalytic synthesis to convert waste to liquid fuels. Click to enlarge. |
The city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, has signed a 25-year agreement with GreenField Ethanol, Canada’s largest ethanol producer and Enerkem, the developer of a thermochemical (gasification and catalytic synthesis) process to produce synthetic fuels, for a facility to produce biofuels from municipal solid waste (MSW).
The C$70 million facility will initially produce 36 million liters (9.5 million gallons US) of ethanol per year, according to the partners. As part of the agreement, the City of Edmonton will supply a minimum of 100,000 tonnes of sorted municipal solid waste per year.
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Biométhodes Licenses Virginia Tech Bioethanol and Biohydrogen Technology
June 24, 2008
Biométhodes, a French biotechnology company in Evry, has signed an exclusive and worldwide option-to-license agreement with Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties Inc. (VTIP) for multiple technologies for converting biomass to bioethanol and biohydrogen.
The processes were developed by Percival Zhang, assistant professor of biological systems engineering in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech. (Earlier post, earlier post.) Biométhodes plans to establish an integrated biorefinery pilot plant in Virginia to advance the process for the conversion of biomass into ethanol and co-products, focusing especially on biomass pretreatment. The process for transformation of biomass into hydrogen will be developed in France and will be validated through a biohydrogen fuel cell prototype and small-scale model car.
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Mitsubishi Corporation and RedOx Biofuels to Commercialize Electrochemical Synthesis Process for Waste-to-Ethanol
June 19, 2008
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| RedOx’s proprietary Metal Mediated Redox (MMR) technology can convert a range of ligno-cellulosic materials into ethanol and other fuels and chemicals. Click to enlarge. |
Mitsubishi Corporation; Applied Intellectual Capital (AIC); and RedOx Biofuels, a fully-owned subsidiary of AIC, have signed a memorandum of understanding to work together to commercialize a process developed by AIC and RedOx Biofuels to convert non-food feedstocks into ethanol.
The RedOx process, Metal Mediated Redox (MMR), is a proprietary electrochemical synthesis process that combines a metal species with a proprietary electrolyte that reacts with ligno-cellulosic feedstocks.
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Michigan Research Alliance Funds Thermoelectric Power Generation and Cellulosic Ethanol Projects
May 30, 2008
The University Research Corridor (URC), an alliance of Michigan State University, the University of Michigan and Wayne State University—Michigan’s three research universities—has awarded its first seed fund grants to provide startup support for two “revolutionary but feasible” energy projects: thermoelectric power generation and nano-biocarriers for the production of low-cost cellulosic ethanol. The URC provosts selected the two projects from 13 proposals.
A three-year $523,282 award went to a collaboration of all three universities for the development of bulk thermoelectric materials containing nanostructure with enhanced thermoelectric properties. Improved thermoelectric materials are of interest in vehicle waste heat recovery applications, among others.
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Verenium Commissioning Cellulosic Ethanol Demo-Scale Plant; Targeting Cost of $1.34/Gallon
May 28, 2008
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| Verenium expects a production cost of $1.34/gallon (outlined in red) from its first-generation technology, with further reductions to come. Click to enlarge. |
Verenium Corporation has begun the commissioning phase at its demonstration-scale cellulosic ethanol facility in Jennings, Louisiana. The plant is rated to produce 1.4 million gallons per year using specialty enzymes and the company’s proprietary technology to convert non-food biomass to ethanol.
Verenium says that it is tracking to its goal of beginning construction in the middle of next year on a 30 million-gallon-per-year commercial plant. In a briefing with analysts and investors, Verenium said that it was expecting a production cost of $1.34/gallon for its first-generation technology.
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Biofuels Provisions in the US Farm Bill
May 27, 2008
The US Congress last week overrode President Bush’s veto of the US$289-billion Farm Bill (H.R.2419, the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008), putting it into effect as a law.
The wide-ranging bill, the passage of which generated some criticism from countries at the World Trade Organization for increasing farm subsidies at a time when the WTO is trying to reach a deal to cut them, includes a number of measures related to biofuels, both current generation and future.
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GM Pushes for Ethanol; Update on Cellulosic Biofuels Partner Coskata
May 24, 2008
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| Cellulosic ethanol producer Coskata has rapidly brought its microbes to levels of commercial productivity with the assistance of genomic analysis that identified optimized nutritional pathways. Click to enlarge. Source: Coskata |
General Motors is picking up the pace on its steady push for the adoption of ethanol as a major alternative to petroleum fuel in the US and in other countries. As part of that campaign, GM this week hosted a media briefing at cellulosic biofuels start-up Coskata’s lab in Warrenville, Illinois to highlight the progress made by the syngas-to-ethanol company. GM announced an investment in and strategic alliance with Coskata in January. (Earlier post.)
GM also participated in an Ethanol Summit panel prior to the Indianapolis 500—for which GM is providing a concept E85 Z06 Corvette pace car—that included Beth Lowry, GM’s VP of Environment and Energy; Dr. Michael Ladisch, CTO of Mascoma, GM’s other cellulosic ethanol partner (earlier post); Marcos Jank, president of UNICA, the largest ethanol co-op in Brazil; Bill Becker, president of Lifeline Foods, the sole provider of E100 to the Indy circuit (Indy racing now runs on 100% ethanol); and Brazilian racing legend Emerson Fittipaldi, an ethanol investor and producer. Fittipaldi is driving the E85 Z06 pace car at the Indy 500 this year.
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DuPont and Genencor Form Cellulosic Ethanol Joint Venture
May 14, 2008
DuPont and Genencor, a division of Danisco A/S, are forming a 50-50 global joint venture—DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol LLC—to develop and commercialize a low-cost technology solution for the production of cellulosic ethanol.
The partners plan an initial three-year investment of US$140 million, which will initially target corn stover and sugar cane bagasse. Future targets include multiple ligno-cellulosic feedstocks including wheat straw, a variety of energy crops and other biomass sources.
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Energy Biosciences Institute Funds First 49 Research Projects on Cellulosic Biofuels
May 06, 2008
The Energy Biosciences Institute (earlier post), the world’s largest public/private consortium dedicated to the application of biosciences to the energy sector, has announced an initial set of 49 research projects for funding during the first year of EBI’s 10-year program.
Projects are being supported at all three of the public partner institutions—the University of California, Berkeley; the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. BP is funding the decade of work with $500 million, about $20 million of which is supporting the first package of projects.
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GM Enters Strategic Relationship with Mascoma for Cellulosic Ethanol
May 01, 2008
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| Mascoma is developing a Consolidated Bioprocessing process that results in a simpler, lower-cost pathway for cellulosic ethanol. Click to enlarge. Source: DOE BESC |
General Motors Corp. and Mascoma Corp. have entered a strategic relationship to develop cellulosic ethanol based on Mascoma’s Consolidated Bioprocessing single-step biochemical conversion of non-grain biomass into low-carbon alternative fuels. (Earlier post.)
The relationship, which includes an undisclosed equity investment by GM, complements an earlier investment in Coskata, a cellulosic ethanol startup that uses a thermochemical syngas-to-ethanol process to make the fuel from non-grain sources. (Earlier post.)
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CleanTech Biofuels and Green Tech America Enter Joint Research Agreement for Waste-to-Ethanol Project
April 30, 2008
CleanTech Biofuels, Inc. has entered into a Joint Research Agreement with Green Tech America, Inc., a company founded by Dr. Nancy Ho of Purdue University, whereby Green Tech America (GTA) will provide research and testing to CleanTech Biofuels on the fermentation stage of CleanTech’s municipal solid waste (MSW)-to-ethanol project.
CleanTech Biofuels is a development stage company that holds exclusive licenses to a pair of technologies for converting municipal solid waste (MSW) into ethanol. The first, Pressurized Steam Classification (PSC), involves the treatment of MSW at temperature and pressure in order to convert the cellulosic material into a homogeneous cellulosic fuel feedstock, recover other valuable byproducts, and reduce the volume of waste materials that must be sent to landfills. The second, the Brelsford dilute-acid hydrolysis process, converts the recovered cellulosic feedstock into C5 and C6 sugars that are fermentable into ethanol.
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DOE to Fund 3 More Small-Scale Cellulosic Biorefinery Projects With Up To $86M
April 21, 2008
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| Locations of major DOE biofuels projects, as of April 2008. Click to enlarge. |
The US Department of Energy (DOE) will invest up to $86 million in three additional small-scale cellulosic biorefinery projects over four years (FY ’08 - ’11). The selected biorefinery projects represent the second round of selections for DOE’s competitive small-scale biorefinery solicitation. (Earlier post.)
The three small-scale biorefinery projects—in Old Town, ME; Vonore, TN; and Washington County, KY—will use a wide variety of feedstocks and test novel conversion technologies to provide data necessary to commercialize full-scale biorefinery technologies. On average, commercial-scale biorefineries input 700 tons of non-food based feedstock per day, with an output of approximately 20-30 million gallons a year (MMGY). These small-scale facilities will input approximately 70 tons of feedstock per day, with an estimated 2.5 MMGY.
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Researchers Modifying Corn With Genes to Produce Enzymes to Enable Simpler Production of Cellulosic Ethanol
April 08, 2008
Researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) are modifying the corn genome to enable the production of enzymes, within the corn biomass, needed to convert cellulose into fermentable sugar. This capability reduces the need for pretreatment of the biomass for the production of cellulosic ethanol. The transgenic corn plants produce these enzymes only in their leaves and stalk, and store them in sub-cellular compartments (the vacuoles).
The most recent version of the engineered corn—Spartan Corn III—now uses three enzymes from different sources: the thermophilic Acidothermus cellulolyticus E1 endo-cellulase; the fungal Trichoderma reesei (CBH1) exo-cellulase; and, the most recent addition, the microbial Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens H17c beta-glucosidase. MSU professor of crop and soil science Mariam Sticklen is presenting a talk on her team’s work at the 235th national meeting of the American Chemical Society this week in New Orleans, Louisiana.
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Vogelbusch Optimizes Yeast for Higher-Yield Fermentation Process for Cellulosic Ethanol
March 29, 2008
Austria-based Vogelbusch GmbH has developed and is seeking a patent on an efficient fermentation process for the high-yield extraction of bioethanol from materials containing hemicellulose using an optimized strain of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Working in partnership with the Institute of Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering at Graz University of Technology, the company says it has succeeded in extracting “significantly more” ethanol from this raw material than other processes.
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New Enzyme Company Targets Pre-Treatment of Cellulosic Biomass for Ethanol Production
March 10, 2008
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| S. Degradans is the source of the Ethazyme mixtures. |
Zymetis, a start-up spun-off from the University of Maryland, is targeting the pre-processing of cellulosic biomass for ethanol production using an enzyme mixture derived from a bacterium found in the Chesapeake Bay—Saccharophagus degradans—that can break down almost any source of biomass into the component sugars for fermentation into ethanol.
S. degradans was originally isolated from decaying marsh grass. It is an aerobic, marine bacterium endowed with unusual degradative abilities. An analysis of its genome suggested that about 10% of the genome is dedicated to polysaccharide depolymerization, transport, and metabolism. The bacterium produces a host of plant-cell wall processing enzymes and is a “one stop shop”, according to Professor Steve Hutcheson, founder and CEO of Zymetis.
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EIA Forecasts Significant Shortfall in Cellulosic Biofuel Production Compared to Target Set by Renewable Fuel Standard
March 04, 2008
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| Under the EIA AEO2008 forecast, a shortfall in cellulosic ethanol production will trigger an adjustment of the RFS target. Click to enlarge. |
The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) is forecasting a significant shortfall in the production of cellulosic biofuels required to meet the targets of the Renewable Fuel Standard established in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA2007).
In testimony before the US Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources today, EIA Administrator Guy Caruso provided a summary of the agency’s Annual Energy Outlook 2008 (AEO2008) forecast, revised to factor in the different provisions of EISA2007, including the new RFS target of 36 billion gallons by 2022 and new CAFE requirements.
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Chevron and Weyerhaeuser Form Biofuels Joint Venture
February 29, 2008
Chevron Corporation and Weyerhaeuser Company have created a 50-50 joint venture company focused on developing the next generation of renewable transportation fuels from nonfood sources. The joint venture, Catchlight Energy LLC, will research and develop technology for converting cellulose-based biomass from a variety of sources into economical, low-carbon biofuels.
The formation of Catchlight Energy is the first milestone of a biofuels alliance announced by Chevron and Weyerhaeuser in April 2007 and reflects the companies’ shared view that nonfood biofuels will play an important role in diversifying the nation’s energy supply. (Earlier post.)
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Figuring Out How to Absorb 36B Gallons of Biofuel
February 27, 2008
The US Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) mandates, among its many components, an aggressive ramp-up in the use of renewable fuels, culminating in a 36 billion gallon renewable fuel standard (RFS) by 2022. Of that, corn ethanol production is capped at 15 billion gallons per year starting in 2015; the remainder is expected to be provided by “advanced biofuels”, the majority of which are cellulosic biofuels. (Earlier post.)
That much ethanol poses the challenge of how to use it. Accordingly, the Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Office of Vehicle Technologies (OVT) has quickly ramped up its financial support for research to figure out the best solutions for absorbing that quantity of ethanol into the US market. The status of the various projects in this area were presented during this week’s Annual Merit Review. (Earlier post.)
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US DOE to Invest Up to $33.8M to Improve Enzyme Systems for Production of Cellulosic Ethanol
February 26, 2008
The US Department of Energy (DOE) will invest up to $33.8 over four years (FY 2008-2011) for four projects that will focus on developing improved enzyme systems to convert cellulosic material into sugars suitable for production of biofuels. Combined with industry cost share, up to $70 million will be invested in these projects, with a minimum 50% cost share from industry.
These four projects seek to more cost-effectively and efficiently breakdown processed biomass into fermentable sugars, a significant challenge in converting biomass into fuels. Projects were selected based on their demonstrated ability to reduce the cost of enzymes-per-gallon of ethanol by improving an enzyme’s performance.
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UK Transport Secretary Announces Review of Indirect Impacts of Biofuel Production
February 21, 2008
UK Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly has asked the UK’s Renewable Fuels Agency (RFA) to lead a study of the wider economic and environmental impacts—particularly the indirect impacts—of different forms of biofuel production. The UK created the Renewable Fuels Agency in November 2007 to administer the Government’s Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) and to report to Ministers and to Parliament on its impacts. The RTFO directs that 5% of all the fuels sold in the UK should come from biofuels by 2010.
The results of the study will help inform the development of both the UK and EU’s policies in this area, and will underpin the consideration of EU biofuel targets after 2010.
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AE Biofuels Building Integrated Cellulose and Starch Ethanol Commercial Demonstration Plant
February 19, 2008
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| AE Biofuels integrated cellulose/starch ethanol process. Click to enlarge. |
AE Biofuels, Inc., a company that is developing ethanol and biodiesel production in the US and India, has begun construction of an integrated cellulose and starch ethanol commercial demonstration facility in Butte, Montana.
The plant will use patent-pending Ambient Temperature Cellulose Starch Hydrolysis (ATCSH) enzyme technology to optimize process conditions for multiple cellulosic feedstocks. Non-food ethanol feedstocks used by the facility are expected to include switch grass, grass seed straw, small grain straw, and corn stalks alone and in combination with a variety of traditional starch and sugar sources. AE Biofuels expects the 9,000 square foot pilot plant facility to be fully operational in the second calendar quarter of 2008.
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ZeaChem In Long-Term Poplar Tree Feedstock Supply Agreement for Biorefinery
February 11, 2008
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| Elements of the ZeaChem process. Click to enlarge. |
ZeaChem, Inc. and GreenWood Resources, Inc. (GWR) signed a non-binding Letter of Intent for the supply of poplar tree (Pacific Albus) feedstock under a long-term agreement to support the operation of an initial 1.5 million gallon per year (MGPY) ZeaChem cellulosic biorefinery near one of Greenwood’s Pacific Albus tree farms in the Columbia River Basin.
The ZeaChem biofuel process combines the outputs of two traditional fuel production pathways (fermentation of sugars and gasification of biomass) into a third catalytically-driven step—hydrogenolysis—to produce cellulosic ethanol fuel and cellulose-based intermediate chemicals. ZeaChem’s technology will produce 50% more ethanol per ton of feed than the current best-in-class technology. (Earlier post.)
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US DOE Selects First Round of Small-Scale Biorefinery Projects for Up to $114M in Federal Funding; Total Project Investment of More Than $331M
January 29, 2008
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| Major DOE Biofuels Project Locations. Click to enlarge. |
The US Department of Energy (DOE) will invest up to $114 million, over four years, (Fiscal Years 2007-2010) in four small-scale biorefinery projects to be located in Commerce City, Colorado; St. Joseph, Missouri; Boardman, Oregon; and Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. Combined with industry cost share, more than $331 million will be invested in these four projects.
These ten-percent of commercial-scale biorefineries will use a wide variety of feedstocks and test novel conversion technologies to provide data necessary to bring online full-size, commercial-scale biorefineries. On average, commercial-scale biorefineries input 700 tons of feedstock per day, with an output of approximately 20-30 million gallons a year (MMGY); these small-scale facilities will input approximately 70 tons of feedstock per day, with an estimated 2.5 MMGY.
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Study Finds Net Energy of Cellulosic Ethanol from Switchgrass Much Higher Than Expected
January 07, 2008
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| Comparison of net energy yield (NEY) from switchgrass fields managed as a bioenergy crop; low-input, high-diversity, human-made prairies (LIHD) on small plots; and low-input switchgrass (LI-SW) small plots. Click to enlarge. |
A five-year trial of switchgrass on farmland in the Midwestern United States found that the crop produces 540% more renewable energy as a biomass energy crop for cellulosic ethanol than energy consumed in its production. Previous estimates, based on small scale research plots (<5m2 and estimated inputs) suggested switchgrass would yield a net energy production of about 343%.
Estimated average greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from cellulosic ethanol derived from switchgrass were 94% lower than estimated GHG from gasoline. Kenneth Vogel at the US Department of Agriculture and the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, and his colleagues report their findings in an open access article in the current issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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House Sends Energy Bill to President Bush; New Renewable Fuel Standard
December 18, 2007
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| The new Renewable Fuel Standard in the energy bill calls for a rapid acceleration in the production of cellulosic biofuels (red), and a capping of corn ethanol at 15 billion gallons per year. Click to enlarge. |
By a 314 to 100 vote, the US House of Representatives passed the energy bill (H.R.6) that had come back from the Senate, thereby sending the package of programs to the White House. President Bush has indicated that he will sign the bill into law before the end of the year.
In addition to raising CAFE standards to an average 35 mpg by 2020 (earlier post), the bill also contains some provisions that provide a major increase in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS); the electrification of transportation; improved standards for appliances and lighting; energy savings in buildings and industry; energy savings in government and public institutions; support for research into solar, geothermal, marine and hydrokinetic energy technologies, and energy storage for transportation and electric power; research, development and demonstration of carbon capture and sequestration; the modernization of the electric grid; and a variety of other initiatives.