FROM THE JANUARY ISSUE: For some biodiesel, cellulosic and biogas fuel producers, EPA's quality assurance program is virtually a requirement. Corn ethanol has gotten a pass, but that could change as the industry diversifies.
FROM THE JANUARY ISSUE: Emmanuel Desplechin, secretary general of ePure, talks about the importance of transportation fuels in the European Union's greenhouse gas reduction goals.
University of Florida researchers have found three UF/IFAS-developed sorghum varieties could produce up to 1,000 gallons of ethanol per acre. The researchers also noted that ethanol produced from sweet sorghum can be used for auto and jet fuel.
The U.S. EPA has approved efficient producer pathways from several U.S. ethanol plants.
Syngenta has partnered with Green Plains Inc. to expand its use of Enogen corn enzyme technology across its 1.5 billion gallon production platform. Enogen corn contains alpha amylase enzyme and helps reduce viscosity of the corn mash.
UNICA, the Brazilian sugarcane industry association, has released production data for the first half of November, reporting more than 57 percent of the sugarcane processed went to ethanol production.
The U.S. EPA has finalized the 2018 RFS RVO at 19.29 billion gallons of renewable fuel, including 288 million gallons of cellulosic biofuel, 2.1 billion gallons of biomass-based diesel, and 4.29 billion gallons of advanced biofuel.
The U.S. Department of Energy's Bioenergy Technologies Office has established the Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium, a research and development consortium focused on biomass supply, preprocessing, and conversion technologies.
The deadline for submitting speaker abstracts for the 11th annual International Biomass Conference & Expo is end of day Dec. 1. The event is set to take place April 16-18 at the Cobb Conference Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
FROM THE DECEMBER ISSUE: Corn oil maximization seems an obvious goal, but some DDGS feed markets prefer a higher oil content for better energy value.
UNICA, the Brazilian sugarcane industry association, has announced sales of hydrous ethanol continued to increase during the final half of October, reaching a near record high of 839.63 million liters domestically.
The November World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates report raised the average corn yield estimate by 3.6 bushels per acre and would best the previous record of 174.6 bushels per acre set in 2016.
A team of Chinese buyers of corn, sorghum and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) traveled to the United States last month to investigate crop production and quality as well as gain a better understanding of U.S. feed grains and co-products.
The Andersons Inc. has released third quarter financial results, reporting that its Ethanol Group was challenged by decreasing margins. The group generated pretax income of $6.1 million, down from $9.5 million during the same period of last year.
UNICA, the Brazilian sugarcane industry association, recently announced that mills in the south-central region of the country continued to focus on ethanol production during the first half of October.
A massive expansion of land use for sugar cane growth in Brazil, and a subsequent increase in ethanol production with the feedstock could reduce global carbon dioxide emissions in the transportation sector by up to 86 percent of 2014 levels.
Aemetis Inc. recently announced that its Aemetis Advanced Products Keyes subsidiary signed a 20-year feedstock supply agreement to produce cellulosic ethanol at a former U.S. Army munitions facility located in Riverbank, California.
A short hour north of the Montana border, the U.S. Grains Council is exploring the geographic advantage of unit trains carrying U.S. corn and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) to Canadian feedlots around Lethbridge, Alberta.
The U.S. Department of Energy has announced an open meeting of the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee on Nov. 15-16 in Washington, D.C.
Greenbelt Resources Corp. has agreed to perform feedstock testing with Central Coast Wine Services to test various streams of wastes generated in the winemaking process. The wastes will be tested for use as feedstock for Greenbelt's technology.
Clariant has announced the approval by its board of directors to invest in a new full-scale commercial plant for the production of cellulosic ethanol from agricultural residues using its sunliquid technology. The new plant will be built in Romania.
Archer Daniels Midland Co. released third quarter financial results on Oct. 31, reporting increased earnings for the Bioproducts segment due to better ethanol margins. Overall, the company reported adjusted segment operating profit fell 17 percent.
MEPs are calling for the European Union to source 35 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2030, set nationally binding targets for renewable energy, phase-out of palm oil and food-based biofuels and set biomass sustainability standards.
UNICA, the Brazilian sugarcane industry association, recently announced ethanol production reached 2.02 billion liters (533.63 million gallons) during the second half of September, up 11.55 percent when compared to the same period of last year.
U.S. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has said the agency is expected to set final 2018 Renewable Fuel Standard blending obligations at or above proposed levels. He also indicated EPA will issue a final rule maintaining the current point of obligation.
Those who wish to weigh in on the U.S. EPA's recent notice of data availability (NODA) that proposes reductions in 2018 and 2019 Renewable Fuel Standard renewable volume obligations (RVOs) must submit comments by 11:59 p.m. ET Oct. 19.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and senators representing several Midwestern states are continuing to push President Donald Trump and U.S. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt to abandon proposed cuts to Renewable Fuel Standard volume requirements.
Agricultural economists at the University of Wyoming will generate models of what economies in the Upper Missouri River Basin might look like if raising biofuels and carbon capture technologies were implemented.
The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center recently announced a 5-year $16 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. The research aims to accelerate development of elite energy sorghum varieties for production under marginal environments.
The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service recently released the October edition of its Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production report, which shows corn use for fuel ethanol was up in July.
Advertisement