BrighterEnergy.org » Bioenergy

$80m renewable heat plant unveiled at Eastern Illinois University

James Cartledge — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 13:00:25 +0000

Eastern Illinois University (EIU) and Honeywell (NYSE: HON) unveiled the school’s new Renewable Energy Center (REC) on Friday. The facility is one of the largest university biomass installations in the country. It takes the form of a 19,000-square-foot steam plant that will provide heat for buildings and classrooms across the university grounds. It is driven [...]

Congress bill seeks to tie biofuel targets to corn demand

James Cartledge — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 21:00:47 +0000

Two Congressmen have introduced legislation into the House of Representatives seeking to reform the Renewable Fuel Standard to give relief to livestock producers and the dairy industry. Reps. Jim Costa (D-Calif.) and Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) said their bipartisan legislation will link the amount of corn ethanol required to fulfill the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) to [...]

Connecticut firm seals finance for New England’s largest biofuel plant

James Cartledge — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:00:29 +0000

Greenleaf Biofuels, LLC, has closed on full project funding with Sovereign Bank for its initial 10 million gallon per year multi-feedstock biodiesel plant in New Haven, CT. In addition, the Connecticut Community Investment Corporation (CTCIC), in conjunction with the SBA 504 program, will assume almost half of the Sovereign term loan once the plant is [...]

NREL to cut 150 jobs, ahead of expected budget cuts

James Cartledge — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 13:00:06 +0000

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is looking to cut 100 to 150 jobs in response to expected reductions in its budget over the next several years. The US Department of Energy agency in Golden, Colorado, is offering a Self-Select Voluntary Separation Program (SSVSP) to its regular employees. Taking action now allows the laboratory to [...]

Arizona algae biofuel developer in deal to produce jet fuel

James Cartledge — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 18:00:34 +0000

Arizona-based algae technology company Heliae has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to produce algae-based jet fuel for SkyNRG, a Dutch renewable aviation fuel producer. While both companies acknowledged that a cost-competitive, large-scale supply of aviation fuel derived from algae is not yet a reality, they cited significant progress and a marketplace eager for an alternative [...]

Arborgen partners on pine biofuel research effort

James Cartledge — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 16:00:14 +0000

South Carolina-based forestry technology company ArborGen is joining a University of Florida-led research team to advance pine-based transportation biofuels. Funded by a 3-year $6.3 million grant recently awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Project Agency–Energy (ARPA-E), the research team’s goal is to bring about a 5-fold increase in the amount of terpene [...]

US set to fail cellulosic biofuel mandates, says Congressional report

James Cartledge — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 12:00:43 +0000

The US will fail key biofuel mandates under the current Renewable Fuel Standard by 2022 unless innovative technologies are developed or policies change, according to new research ordered by Congress. The study from the National Research Council also said the standard may be an ineffective policy for reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. Achieving the standard [...]

Biofuels can be commercialized rapidly for military, says industry group

James Cartledge — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 18:00:44 +0000

Advanced biofuels can be commercialized rapidly for military use, on military timelines, with adequate support and coordination of efforts by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Defense and Energy. That’s according to the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), which yesterday submitted comments to the Air Force’s Request for Information on the commercial status and market for advanced [...]

Green light for 60MW biomass power deal in Florida

James Cartledge — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:00:13 +0000

Regulators in Florida have given a green light for a deal to buy power from a proposed 60-megawatt biomass power plant in Polk County. Florida’s Public Service Commission (PSC) has approved Progress Energy Florida’s (PEF) purchase of power from the proposed U.S. EcoGen Polk, LLC (EcoGen) biomass electric generating facility. “This new biomass facility will [...]

Hawaiian utility agrees algae biofuel supply deal with Ohio firm

James Cartledge — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 19:00:08 +0000

Hawaiian Electric has reached agreement with Ohio company Phycal, Inc., for a supply of algae-derived biofuel for testing at its Kahe Generating Station. The agreement calls for delivery of 100,000 to 150,000 gallons of algae-based biofuel meeting Hawaiian Electric specifications by April 2014. The biofuel will be provided at a fixed price not tied to [...]