Department of energy offers $10 million for algae biofuels

The Energy Department on January 17 announced that up to $10 million available to the potential of bio-fuels from algae is produced. The funding supports research projects to increase the productivity of algae cultivation systems and demonstrate algae harvesting and processing technologies, such as centrifugation and extraction. The Department encourages applicants from industry to apply universities and laboratories April 1, 2013.

These research projects maximize the yield from algae and production of bio-fuels helps intermediates that are the products of the cultivation of algae and preprocessing to improve. The yield of biofuel helps intermediates, lowering the cost of biofuels, and while enhancing the sustainability of biofuels algae by capturing energy from all parts of the raw material available. On a large scale, speed could help these technologies marketing of domestically produced low-cost biofuels from algae. A portion of the costs by at least 20% of the total cost of the project is required. The Department of energy progress warning message is displayed.

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Department of energy Awards $10 million developing advanced biofuels

The Energy Department on January 3 over 10 million announced $ for five projects in California, Texas, Maryland, and Washington, to be the development of new technologies to convert biomass to advanced biofuels and bio-products such as plastics and chemical intermediates. These projects use processed sugar biomass to convert innovative synthetic biological and chemical techniques, which can be converted into bio products and drop-in biofuels for cars, trucks, and aircraft.

Two of these projects to develop cost-effective ways to manufacture chemical intermediates from the lignocellulose deconstruction. Lignocellulose is a construction material that comprises much of the mass of plants. Intermediates are valid biofuel biomass-based products, treated as commodities and a refinery in the supply chain can be passed finished as biofuel from the manufacturer. Three projects proposes new conversion techniques to transform biomass intermediates in advanced biofuels and bioproducts. The Department of energy progress warning message is displayed.

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New Energy Department Funding to Reduce Cost of Drop-in Biofuels

The Energy Department on December 14 announced up to $12 million in new funding for projects that aim to drive down the cost of producing gasoline, diesel, and jet fuels from biomass. These advanced biofuels can be blended with conventional petroleum fuels for use in traditional cars, trucks, and airplanes—giving U.S. consumers and businesses more options and helping to diversify the nation's energy economy.

The announced funding will support up to five research and development projects that will boost biofuel yields from non-food-based lignocellulosic feedstocks such as agricultural residues, fast-growing poplar trees, and switch grass. These projects will help improve the carbon, hydrogen, and separation efficiencies in bio-oil production. Successful applicants will provide a research and development plan to produce a hydrocarbon fuel blendstock at $3/gallon or less (gasoline equivalent). This funding opportunity is open to universities, national laboratories, industrial entities, and nonprofit organizations. See the Energy Department Progress Alert and the full funding opportunity announcement.

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USDA supports growers of feedstocks for advanced biofuels

This is an excerpt from EERE network news, a weekly electronic newsletter.

$19.40 Million in payments to 125 advanced bio-fuel producers, the production of advanced biofuels from a wide range of food sources, announced on 27 July total including waste products to support the U.S. Agriculture (USDA). The financing will be provided by USDA bioenergy program for advanced biofuels, takes payments to eligible producers relative to the amount of biofuels, a receiver from renewable biomass as corn starch produced. Eligible feedstocks include crop residue; Animal, food and yard waste; Vegetable oil; and animal fats.

For example, the Somerset hardwood flooring in Somerset, Kentucky, a payment get sawdust from $7.040 for the production of wood pellets of residual sugar from his hardwood flooring production process. The company produces annually about 40 tons of wood pellets. Also get a payment of $9.612 for the use of dairy waste to produce biogas, which then current cast to that FPE renewable energy, LLC, headquartered in Lyden, Washington. And Virginia biodiesel refinery in West point, Virginia, received a payment of $7.900 for the production of biodiesel from recycled cooking oil oil and soybeans. See news release USDA.

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'Great Green Fleet' Tests Biofuels in Hawaii Exercise

The U.S. Navy tested its "Great Green Fleet," a Carrier Strike Group's aircraft and surface ships, on advanced biofuel.
Credit: U.S. Navy

The U.S. Navy recently used advanced biofuel to power its "Great Green Fleet," a selection of aircraft and surface ships of the U.S. Navy’s Carrier Strike Group, to test the fuel's performance in an operational setting. The demonstration took place on July 17 and 18 off the coast of Hawaii as part of the Rim of the Pacific Exercise. The operation was the first ever using biofuels in an exercise of this scale. The biofuel blends are 50-50 mixtures of biofuel (made from used cooking oil and algae) and either petroleum-based marine diesel or aviation fuel. Approximately 450,000 gallons of 100% biofuel were purchased in 2011 in preparation for the Great Green Fleet demonstration.

During this operation, the Great Green Fleet also showcased energy efficiency technology that increase combat capability by allowing Navy ships to achieve greater range and reduction of dependence on a vulnerable logistics supply chain. Further, this demonstration included the following maritime efficiency measures: the use of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to save energy, especially when replacing incandescent fixtures or in colored lighting applications; a ship energy dashboard which provides real-time situational awareness of energy demand associated with equipment; and a smart voyage planning decision aid, which sends messages to ships with optimized routing plans for both ship safety and fuel savings. The Navy signed a Statement of Cooperation with the Royal Australian Navy to formalize future cooperation on alternative fuel deployment.

The demonstration is a component of a broader administration effort to reduce reliance on imported petroleum by partnering with the private sector to speed the commercialization of next-generation biofuels. For example, in early July the Energy Department, the Navy, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced $30 million in funding to support commercialization of "drop-in" biofuel substitutes for diesel and jet fuel, and the Energy Department announced an additional $32 million to support research into advanced biofuel technologies that are in earlier stages of development. See the USDA press release , the Navy website, and the July 5 EERE Network News.

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Obama administration announces investment in biofuels

The Energy Department is increasing support for biofuels. The biorefinery pilot makes such cellulosic ethanol from corn on the cob.
Credit card: Poet

$30 Announced the Department of energy, the U.S. Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Navy on July 2 millions in promoting private investment in commercial advanced drop-in bio-fuels adapted. Drop-in biofuels are fuels, direct serve can substitute or supplement to existing gasoline, diesel and Jet fuels, without changes and existing distribution networks or engine fuel pump - and have the potential to us significantly to reduce dependence on oil imports. DOE offers $32 million in new investments also for earlier research, continue to drive for technological breakthroughs and other costs in the industry.

In his design for a secure energy future in March 2011 President Obama published objective of reducing oil imports by a third by the year energy efficiency and accelerate the development of biofuels and other alternatives set by 2025. As part of this effort led the blueprint DOE work Navy and the USDA to support commercialization of drop in biofuel substitutes for diesel and jet fuel, that the current funding announcement (FOA) lead opportunity. This FOA has a two-phased approach to share with Government and industry in the cost. In phase 1 applicants will submit a package of design and comprehensive business plan for a commercial biorefinery, identify and project sites to secure and further necessary steps set out in the notice. Selected winners still in phase 2 will present additional information for the construction or the upgrading of a biorefinery. Applications are due by August 13, 2012. The funding opportunity announcement and the blueprint for a secure energy future, see.

In addition, research that complement the commercial efforts of the Navy and USDA announced bot DOE new investments in earlier stage of biofuels. The last steps in the Obama Government are this early, pre-commercial systems to reduce efforts for the further development of biofuel technologies, improve performance, and to identify new effective and non-food feedstocks and technologies. Find the full funding request. Applications are due to the 13 August 2012.

DOE funding innovative pilot-scale and demo-scale biorefineries that could produce renewable bio-fuels, announced $20 million to support today covers to meet the military specifications for kerosene and ship diesel with a variety of non-food biomass raw materials, waste-based materials and algae. These projects support may be new plant construction, retrofit on existing U.S. bio-refineries or operations plant to begin production on the pilot or pre commercial scale. This investment will help made collect also federal and local governments, private developers and accurate data on the costs of the production of fuels from biomass and waste raw materials industry.

In addition, DOE announced $12 million to up to eight projects focused fuels on the exploration of possibilities for the development of organic transport and products with synthetic biological processing support. Synthetic biological processing provides innovative technology to efficiently, to enable low-cost conversion of nonfood biomass to biofuels. These projects will develop novel biological systems, which improve the breakdown of raw biomass raw materials and in the conversion of raw materials into transportation fuels.

Projects - carried by small businesses, universities, national laboratories and industry - will endeavour to overcome barriers to scientific maritime trade competitive advanced biofuels and bioproducts. Applications are due to the 10 July 2012. See the full funding opportunity announcement and the DOE press release.

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Drop in bio-fuels, you fly in Commerce City (Colorado)

Aerial view of the Rentech the pilot scale biofuels plant in Commerce City (Colorado).
Credit: Rentech

Developing a key to our efforts, U.S. to end dependence on foreign oil and to ensure a secure energy future is robust, even supporting biofuels industry. A decisive step in promoting a domestic biofuels industry is to establish nationally integrated biorefineries.

Bio-refineries oil refineries are similar in concept; However, instead of to oil and other fossil resources, bio-refineries using organic goods to a wide variety of fuels, organic products, chemicals, and heat and makes to produce.

The DOE Office of energy efficiency and renewable energy works in partnership with industry to develop, build, operate, and integrated biorefineries nationwide review at various levels (pilot, demonstration and commercial). Such a project, under the direction of ClearFuels Rentech, recently celebrated the completion of a pilot-scale bio-refinery in Commerce City (Colorado).

Built with funds from the American recovery and Reinvestment Act, the pilot-scale plant converts wood waste, agricultural residue, and bagasse - the unused portion of the sugar cane - in renewable diesel and kerosene. ClearFuels has developed a procedure to the thermochemically types convert a variety of feed stock - using a combination of heat and chemicals manufacture for fuel. The "drop" bio-fuels produced at the site is diesel a direct replacement based on crude oil and jet fuel, without any changes to existing fuel distribution networks or engines provide. This flexibility enables commercial and military aircraft for the transition to a clean, domestic fuel source, which reduces its effect not only on the environment, but also increases the national security by you them with an alternative offer. Read the energy blog post.

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Fueling the Navy green fleet with advanced biofuels

Of oil, energy plays a central role in almost everything, what does the U.S. military fuel nozzles and vehicles to supply battery packs, infantry. It is essential that energy sources maintain the military are subject to the whims of the outer Nations by this dependency. Another option for fuel are increasingly as important produces renewable energy sources as solar play in this effort, advanced biofuels in Germany.

The latest milestone in this effort to our energy supplies to secure is the December 5 announcement that the defense of Logistics Agency has signed 450,000 gallons of domestic purchase extended drop in bio-fuel for the Navy. This agreement builds from a new partnership between the Navy, DOE and the Department of agriculture investing to advanced biofuels for military and commercial transport - up to $ 510 million and it represents, the largest purchase ever undertaken of bio-fuels by the Government.

By 2016, the Navy, a large green plans fleet powered to provide alternative fuels. Advanced biofuels, which help fuel would be the proposed Navy ships and aircraft from a variety of biomass ingredients in some regions of the country.

So, what's behind the rise of biofuels? There was considerable progress in the pursuit of a better recipe for bio-fuels in large part. Instead of the processing of raw materials, which could otherwise be used for food, the next-generation fuels can be produced from a variety of ingredients including dedicated energy crops such as switchgrass, to the non-edible parts of maize plants unmarketable wood from the forest industry - resources, which otherwise would go to lose to and with them our fuel energy independence. Read the energy blog post.

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Green wrongly be produced bio-fuels can harmful

London, July 31 (IANS) petrol and diesel with plant-based biofuels be replaced the making of this in mitigating climate change significantly, but can force or fuels could have hazardous chemicals, says new research.

The study which can predict the level of toxicity of biofuels from computer analysis, says chemist Solvejg Jorgensen at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Jorgensen of the calculations also show that produced by the wrong path of synthesis to compounds such as health hazardous smog, cancer-causing particles, and toxic formaldehyde will decompose biofuels.

Research promises faster and above all, safer developing of alternatives to fossil fuels cheaper, Journal of physical chemistry A reports.

Before an assessment of the impact of a particular method of production on the environment could not be performed until the fuel is actually, made according to Copenhagen.

"There are around an almost unlimited number of different ways, on these fuels." We show that follow least dangerous way and we can do this with a series of calculations that take only days ' Jorgensen, explains.

Chemically, bio-fuels consist of extremely large molecules. As they are affected when you burn and later in the air, they Peel several different connections.

But Jorgensen was astonished to see a big difference in toxicity there depending on how the molecules put together during production. She was also up worn, of the fact that she can calculate quickly and precisely the degradation mechanisms for a bio-fuel molecule.

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Paris Airshow-highlights biofuels

FLYING green: Honeywell Gulfstream G450 made its first complete Biofueled transatlantic flight from New Jersey to Paris. (www.gulfstream.com)

Biofuels are a lot of attention always this week at the Paris air show. Airlines have shown their support of the technology and their profitability with Honeywell and Boeing aircraft with a mixture of biofuels and conventional jet fuel.

Honeywell his jet Gulfstream G450 from New Jersey called the flight on Sunday to Paris, "the first transatlantic biofuel flight" in history.

Meanwhile, Boeing flew its new 747 freighter from Seattle to Paris on a mixture of conventional jet fuel and fly 15 percent, camelina-based biofuel, first the Atlantic on bio-fuels to compete. Boeing says that the use of biofuels will significantly reduce carbon emissions.

The show included a special exhibition area for alternative jet fuel.

Also this week announced, seven airlines their plans work with bio-fuel producer Solena fuels, to provide fuel for flights from San Francisco Bay area. Solena fuel is carried out by a multistep process that begins with recycled urban and agricultural waste.

Solena plant in Northern California about 16 million litres produced kerosene from this waste per year by 2015 to airline at Oakland, helping San Francisco and San Jose airports. Makes the process Solena employs all three large distillates: gasoline, diesel and kerosene. Furthermore, in the location, its own source of energy and even excess electricity is produced.

Solena of bio-fuel production, was approved in 2009 for use as fuel jet of ASTM International, the worldwide consensus standards organization. This approval made it possible, as airlines need a standard fuel content and quality, be considered a reliable source of energy deal on Monday.

The development of the deal, which led undertakings led American Airlines and United continental holdings. You joined Alaska Airlines, FedEx, JetBlue, Southwest, frontier, US Airways, as well as Air Canada and Lufthansa passage airlines.

On 10 June, an other alternative bio-fuels received permission from ASTM. Review of the fuel is complete and standards for this alternative bio derived jet fuel in August should be released, says the air transport association in a press release said.

Standardised fuel properties ensures the quality of this new fuel and leads the way for its use as "::: Krakow::: Slovenia" fuels (Hydro processed esters and fatty acids), derived from biomass products such as camelina, Jatropha and algae. Conventional kerosene will be in conjunction with this new fuel when used up to a 50-50 ratio.

One of the launch manufacturers of this type of fuel is Sapphire energy, the algae produce what Green crude oil the company calls used.

The company says that without ground algae can be grown and is one of the most prolific photosynthetic plants. Energy is in the chloroplast algae uses photosynthesis to turn sunlight and carbon dioxide into organic carbon. According to Sapphire energy site in the form of oils, which can then be refined into gasoline, diesel and kerosene, is this organic carbon.

This fuel says Sapphire, work with existing transport systems, and has used an equivalent or greater energy density than current fossil fuels.

But scaling up will take some time this bio-fuels. 2015 Sapphire energy expects millions gallons of aviation gasoline and diesel at its new 300 acre facility built, according to ThinkProgress are produced. According to the United States energy information administration, the airline industry uses hundreds of thousands of gallons of aviation fuel per day.

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Legislative updates biofuels program

The Iowa legislature voted last week to change the State incentive program for ethanol and biodiesel.

Legislators essentially updated and improved legislation in 2006 and perhaps legislation every five or six years passes the same way as the Federal Government the stage for the State to review and update of bio-fuels a new farm bill every five or six years.

The Bill, Senate file 531, was approved by the Senate, 48-1, on 2 May. On 4 may, it was the Iowa House by a vote of 81-13.

Governor Terry e. Branstad has not indicated if he will sign the law, but his supporters say that he has always been a supporter of bio-fuels.

"All parties have the desire to sell more biofuels," said Mindy Larsen Poldberg, Director of relations between the Government for the Iowa Corn Growers Association.

'The question is, the best way is ?What more biofuels sales?' "The new legislation would change several incentives in the State in the today's biofuels."

It would provide a stronger focus on e15 and B5.

It would also in connection with production both in the State incentives.

Randy Olson, Executive Director of Iowa Biodiesel Board, said: "This is a good first step in the collaboration towards higher impurity (ethanol and biodiesel.)"

Find one of the challenges facing a balance of incentives and finances, in a tight fiscal environment to support the Bill was Poldberg said.

But supporters worked behind the scenes, a compromise draft that was acceptable to all sides in the legislation, before Bill tabled.

What is a short list of members.

Bio-diesel

In the field of bio-diesel are three basic components, Olson says.

The first is an extension and change of the retailers tax credit.

The current credit is blends for 3 cents per gallon in B2. The new Bill is moving to 4.5 cents to B5.

The second is a production credit aimed at incentivizing in-State biodiesel-production, something that the industry for down while it prepared, which is expected to meet a nationwide expansion of the biodiesel market.

Without that incentive ? 3 cents per gallon in 2012 plants, maybe 2.5 cents in 2013 and 2 cents in 2014 ? that move production to other countries, says Olson.

The third part of the package of bio-diesel is $3 million a year for infrastructure for biodiesel and ethanol market.

This money would go to elements such as Blender pumps, and financing infrastructure is found from the renewable fuels program is deposited in the Fund for underground storage tank.

That is, some funds would go into the storage tank Fund but none would be taken from the existing Fund.

Ethanol

On the side of ethanol, the Bill contains several elements other than the infrastructure financing.

First, it changes the current incentives for retailers for the performance of the Iowa renewable fuels standard (RFS).

Current law says a dealer meets the timetable for the Iowa RFS they receive 6.5 cents per gallon.

If they are within 2% of it, he gets 4.5 cents.

If they are within 4% he gets 2.5 cents.

And the RFS schedule is 10 percent renewable fuels for 2009, 11 percent for the year 2010 12% for 2011, 13 percent for 2012, 14 percent for 2013, 15 percent for 2014, 17 percent for the year 2015, 19 percent for 2016, 21 Percent for 201723% for 2018 and 25% for 2019 and later years.

The new law follows same RFS schedule but changes the incentives.

In 2011, the retailer would get 8 cents for the compliance with the standard, 6 for come within 2% and 2.5 cents for come within 4 percent.

These incentives would increase in the year 2013 to 8 cents and 4 cents and 6.

These incentives should push to offer more e15 retailers as a way of meeting the RFS, who says Poldberg, add that the approach is ahead of Iowa.

"I think not, there are other countries that offer a tax break for e15," she says.

There are several other items in the invoice, including language, retailers stations provide liability protection enforcement actions consumers for misfueling, as long as the user console legal label.

In addition, retailers are to calculate their RFS schedule based on sites or enterprise-wide basis.

The result is a set of incentives for ? retailers and consumers that fuel ? target, further B5 blends and Olson diesel blends and e15 ethanol as well as production provides incentives for the Bioduel industry, the jobs in the State kaufenPoldberg, said.

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