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Spanish manufacturer offers cellulosic ethanol equipment solutionAs with most things worthwhile, the most difficult aspect of producing cellulosic ethanol is the first part. Researchers and future producers have been working feverishly to determine the most efficient methods of breaking down cellulosic materials to make them suitable for producing ethanol, and have had a multitude of results. One of the issues is finding economically-viable equipment capable of breaking down biomass for ethanol production without damaging it.READ MORE Bacteria simplifies cellulosic ethanol productionBacteria found in sweet gum wood may improve the preprocessing steps for cost-effective production of cellulosic ethanol. JDR-2, a strain of the wood-decaying bacteria Paenibacillus, can break down and digest hemicelluloses, which in traditional cellulosic ethanol production is broken down by acid hydrolysis. A research team from the University of Florida isolated the strain in 2003, according to James Preston, professor at the university's microbiology and cell science department.READ MORE Florida encourages biofuels investmentFlorida Gov. Charlie Crist touted his state's investment in the development of biofuels and renewable energy during his July 30 speech to attendees at the 2009 Farm to Fuel Summit, held July 29-31 in Orlando, Fla. "Florida's success as a national leader in renewable energy technology, including ethanol and other biofuel production, benefits the state's economy and environment while reducing our dependence on foreign oil," he said.READ MORE Grassley asks administration to clarify stance on ethanol tariff; White House respondsSen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, recently sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk seeking clarification of the administration's position on maintaining the U.S. tariff on imported ethanol. Grassley's letter was issued in response to a comment made by Thomas Shannon Jr. during a July 8 Senator Foreign Relations Committee hearing regarding Shannon's nomination to become the Ambassador to Brazil.READ MORE Corn prices rally, old-crop corn slow to moveCorn prices rallied a bit this week, however, according to Brock Associates Inc., as of June 1 on-farm old-corn stocks totaled more than 2.2 billion bushels - approximately 52 percent of the total U.S. corn stocks and it appears that many of the 2.06 billion bushels of corn in commercial storage were also still owned by producers. "It's difficult to track but it does not appear that from June 1 to mid-July that a whole lot of corn was moving," said Doug Houghton, assistant editor and an analyst with Brock Associates.READ MORE Oregon passes ethanol-free gasoline lawOregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski has signed a bill into law that will allow fuel stations in the state to sell unblended premium gasoline beginning Jan. 1, 2010. The bill, introduced by House Republican Leader Bruce Hanna, R-Roseburg, and Rep. Tim Freeman, R-Roseburg, was a "common sense fix" to complaints from citizens who said they had experienced engine problems as a result of using ethanol-blended fuel, according to Freeman.READ MORE DOE solicits Loan Guarantee Program applicationsOn July 29, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced that the U.S. DOE will provide up to $30 million in loan guarantees, depending on the applications for market conditions, for renewable energy projects. This includes up to $500 million in subsidy costs to support loans for cutting edge biofuel projects.READ MORE Joule Biotechnology produces ethanol from sunlight, carbon dioxideCambridge, Mass.-based Joule Biotechnologies Inc. recently unveiled a new technology that can be used to produce ethanol from sunlight and carbon dioxide. Trademarked as Helioculture technology, the modular, direct-to-fuel process requires no agricultural land or fresh water. The Helioculture process utilizes highly-engineered photosynthetic organisms to catalyze the conversion of sunlight and carbon dioxide into transportation fuels and chemicals.READ MORE |
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