ICIS Blogs : biofuels

Greenpeace protests against Neste's palm biofuel plans

The Big Biofuels Blog — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:20:20 GMT

Greenpeace is objecting to Neste's plans to become the world's largest consumer of plam oil as it ramps up biofuels production, according to a report on ICIS news. Disclosure (I work for ICIS. About ICIS ) Neste disputes the pressure group's...(read more)

25x25 warns on restricting cellulosic biomass

The Big Biofuels Blog — Mon, 11 May 2009 10:55:31 GMT

25x25 a pressure group in the US is warning that some proposed legislation in the US could severely restrict the amount of cellulose available for biofuels in what is effectively a call for managed woodlands. I can see why the Waxman-Markley proposal...(read more)

California looks at emissions from crop to tail pipe and legislates

The Big Biofuels Blog — Fri, 01 May 2009 12:16:28 GMT

California's newly adopted low-carbon fuel standard may mark the beginning of the end of ethanol, according to a report on Planet Ark. The new legislation examines the carbon impact from seed to tailpipe, which seems sensible. Read More......(read more)

Comment on US proposals for E15

The Big Biofuels Blog — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:09:24 GMT

The US Environmental Protection Agency wants comments on proposals to increase the volume of ethanol blended into gasoline to 15% . Read More......(read more)

Novozymes in China biofuel project.

The Big Biofuels Blog — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 11:34:39 GMT

Novozymes and China National Cereals, China Oil & Foodstuff Corp (COFCO) and Asian refiner China Petroleum and Chemical Corp (Sinopec) in February to develop an industry chain to collect agricultural waste, process it into bioethanol and distribute...(read more)

Times twigs that biofuel policies have environmental impacts too

The Big Biofuels Blog — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:16:05 GMT

This article in the Sunday edition of the Times understands that there are environmental costs to biofuel policies. Read More......(read more)

NPRA, lobbyists are against higher volumes of ethanol in fuel

The Big Biofuels Blog — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 15:18:50 GMT

An alliance of environmentalists, health groups and the US National Petrochemical Refiners Association is opposed to higher levels of ethanol in automotive fue l on the basis that it might endanger the environment, through changing land use, and people's...(read more)

The Big Biofuels Blog — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 12:10:38 GMT

The Scientifc Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE) has produced a report looking at the enviromental impacts of biofuels ,. The group makes a number of recomendations for second generation feedstocks, and favours woody or grassy plants. As...(read more)

"first economical way to produce biodiesel from algae oil"-researcher

The Big Biofuels Blog — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 09:25:17 GMT

A study scheduled for presentation at the 237th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society will show "the first economical way to produce biodiesel from algae oil ," according to lead researcher Ben Wen, Ph.D., vice president of United...(read more)

Smart Choices for Biofuels

The Big Biofuels Blog — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:43:20 GMT

I missed this about a month ago, but it is worth looking at, The Sierra Club and World Watch Institute produced Smart Choices for Biofuels . It rounds up quite a lot of stuff we've gone over here. It is good to see the Ogallala aquifer getting a mention...(read more)

Antibiotics at heart of corn ethanol

The Big Biofuels Blog — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 09:09:34 GMT

Some US corn ethanol producers are using penicillin and three other antibiotics in corn fermentation process says Minnesota Public Radio . /* Why? To ensure that the yeast they use in fermentation does not have to compete with naturally-occurring bacteria...(read more)

Cellulosic ethanol the US dream and reality

The Big Biofuels Blog — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 11:16:36 GMT

This graph, produced with data from the Des Moines Register, and another good article from Phil Brasher shows the current gap between US cellulosic ethanol production next year and the curent legislative requirement for it. It looks as if the US will...(read more)

Local biofuel projects could share in $200 000 in Latin America

The Big Biofuels Blog — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:47:36 GMT

Donors are offering up to $200 000 for a prize winning idea in the Hemispheric energy innovation contest, according to the Temasactuales Blog . The competition is based around ideas for energy innovation and efficiency in the Caribbean and Latin America...(read more)

Poet in talks about an ethanol pipeline to NY harbour

The Big Biofuels Blog — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 09:30:29 GMT

The news that Poet is in talks to discuss the feasibility of a dedicated ethanol pipeline from the Midwest to New York Harbour . Is over the internet like a rash this morning with posts by Green Car Congress: POET Joins Magellan Midstream Partners to...(read more)

Shell puts all of its renewables eggs into the biofuels basket

The Big Biofuels Blog — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 09:50:11 GMT

Shell will concentrate on biofuels in its future alternative energy investments, according to a story in the Guardian online. I have been slightly surprised that Shell has invested in wind, solar and hydrogen technologies. Shell really understands liquid...(read more)