Recent Biofuels

Four of the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) national laboratory partners have contributed to a recently published joint study on biochemical biorefineries. “Investigation of biochemical biorefinery sizing and environmental sustainability impacts for conventional bale system and advanced uniform biomass logistics designs” examines issues around biorefinery capacity, life cycle assessment, sustainability, and reliable feedstock logistics. The National [...]

America’s homegrown fuel resources—from wood chips to the leaves and stalks of corn plants—are plentiful. Research finds that these resources could produce enough clean, renewable fuel to replace about 30% of the nation’s current petroleum consumption. Still, on the path to creating a strong, thriving biofuels industry, there are challenges we continue to address. That’s [...]

The Energy Department on April 22 announced nearly $18 million in four innovative pilot-scale biorefineries that will test renewable biofuels as a domestic alternative to power cars, trucks, and planes, and that also meet military specifications for jet fuel and shipboard diesel. These biorefineries will be in in California, Iowa, and Washington. The projects selected [...]

Artificial photosynthesis is a dream technology that mimics a natural leaf, converting water and carbon dioxide into fuels with sunlight. But before this technology can take flight, scientists will have to solve a fundamental plumbing problem: how to gather molecules of fuel from microscopic reaction sites to pipes that will pour it out by the [...]

Industry Committee (ITRE) of European Parliament to discuss Draft Opinion Industries urge Governments to oppose damaging and unscientific ILUC proposals Five industry associations from across the EU have agreed a joint position paper [1] opposed to the European Commission’s proposals on indirect land use change (ILUC) [2]. The European Parliament’s Industry Committee (ITRE) will be [...]

Biorefinery Able to Process Grain Sorghum and Biogas to Produce Advanced Biofuel Aemetis, Inc. (OTCQB: AMTX), an advanced fuels and renewable chemicals company, announced today that the Aemetis 60 million gallon per year capacity ethanol facility in Keyes, California has completed planned maintenance and preparations for the production of Advanced Biofuel under recent EPA rulings, [...]

As part of the Obama Administration’s all-of-the-above energy strategy, the Energy Department today announced nearly $18 million in four innovative pilot-scale biorefineries in California, Iowa and Washington that will test renewable biofuels as a domestic alternative to power our cars, trucks, and planes that meet military specifications for jet fuel and shipboard diesel. These projects [...]

European taxpayers and consumers spent between 9.3 and 10.7 billion euros subsidizing biofuels in 2011 with relatively small gains for the environment and the economy, according to research issued by the International Institute for Sustainable Development. The European Union and its member states provide financial support to the biofuels industry with the intention of reducing [...]

Scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and UC Berkeley and have discovered new materials to capture methane, the second highest concentration greenhouse gas emitted into the atmosphere. Methane is a substantial driver of global climate change, contributing 30 percent of current net climate warming. Concern over methane is mounting, due to leaks associated with [...]

The latest national survey of 100% biodiesel (B100) “blend stock” samples by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) found that 95% of the samples from 2011-12 met ASTM International fuel quality specifications. The ASTM standards serve as guidelines for industry and are designed to ensure quality at the pump for consumers [...]