Biofuel Reviewproviding daily news coverage of the politics, commerce and technology of the biofuels market.Iowa State gets $1.5m endowment for biorenewables work- September 19, 2008 Iowa State University is to establish the Cargill Endowed Chair in Energy Economics with the backing of $1.5m from the company. The endowment will, it says, help Iowa State recruit a nationally recognized energy economist to accelerate work in biorenewables and bring crucial leadership to the biobased industry center in its early development.http://www.biofuelreview.com/content/view/1721/ Algae Summit unveils Vinod Khosla as keynote speaker- September 19, 2008 Vinod Khosla will be the keynote speaker at the 2008 Algae Biomass Summit, which takes place in Seattle next month, it was announced today (19th September). The event is organised by the Algal Biomass Organization (ABO) and is designed to highlight scientific advances and encourage knowledge sharing to accelerate the development of algae-based solutions to global energy, environmental, and economic issues. Vinod is one of the pre-eminent visionaries in clean technology, said Darrin Morgan,...http://www.biofuelreview.com/content/view/1720/ Shell announces six new biofuels research agreements- September 18, 2008 Six new biofuel research agreements with experts in academic institutions across the world were announced by Royal Dutch Shell yesterday (17th Sptember). They are, says the company, part of a growing programme of agreements designed to complement its own biofuels research and development, and to accelerate results.http://www.biofuelreview.com/content/view/1719/ GreenHunter's biodiesel plant escapes lightly from Ike- September 17, 2008 The GreenHunter biodiesel plant in Houston, Texas has suffred minimal damage from Hurricane Ike as it swept through the state late last week. The company announced the results of a preliminary damage assessment at its Renewable Fuels Campus on Monday (17th September). The facility had been completely shut down in the 48 hours prior to the hurricane strike, and all personnel had been evacuated. Damages sustained at the facility were largely due, said the company, to floodwater, which crested the.http://www.biofuelreview.com/content/view/1718/ Brazil increases use of sugarcane bagasse for power generation- September 16, 2008 Brazil is increasingly turning to alternative power generation fuels such as biomass in order to increase electricity supply and reduce its dependence on hydropower. Biomass power represents around 4.1 percent of the total installed capacity in Brazil at present and most biomass cogeneration is based on sugarcane bagasse. At present, sugarcane bagasse cogeneration accounts for 3.03 percent of the total Brazilian energy matrix.http://www.biofuelreview.com/content/view/1717/ Total signs-up for French Futurol project- September 16, 2008 French oil major, Toital, has confirmed it will be participating in the Futurol project, a second-generation bioethanol research and development project. Bringing together top-tier French research organizations, manufacturers and financial institutions involved in this sector of activity, Futurol is designed to develop a process to produce bioethanol by fermenting non-food lignocellulosic biomass and verify its industrial viability.http://www.biofuelreview.com/content/view/1716/ Governments need to act to drive biofuels industry- September 16, 2008 The biofuels industry risks losing its momentum and failing to realise its role in the renewable energy mix, warns a new report released today (16th September) by Arthur D. Little, the management consultancy, unless governments begin to act now on policy initiatives to regulate the potential negative impacts of biofuels. The report, What future for biofuels explores the likely impact the Gallagher Review of the indirect effects of biofuels production will have, not only on UK energy policy,...http://www.biofuelreview.com/content/view/1715/ EBB disappointed at EU parliament shift on targets- September 12, 2008 The European Biodiesel Board today (12th September) expressed deep disappointment at the outcome of yesterday&39;s vote by the European Parliament’s Industry Committee on the Renewable Energy Directive. According to the EBB, amongst the main issues of concern is the decision to create a 5% interim target by 2015 for renewable energy contribution in the transport sector, 20% of which would be met by other technologies than biofuels. This will result in a 4% target for biofuels by 2015,...http://www.biofuelreview.com/content/view/1712/ US DOE to invest $4.4m in 6 biofuels projects- September 12, 2008 Six advanced biofuels projects at US universities have been selected by the US DOE to receive part of its latest $4.4 million investment in biofuel research. The awards, says the DOE, will support research and development for cost-effective, environmentally friendly biomass conversion technologies for turning non-food feedstocks into advanced biofuels. Combined with the minimum university cost share of 20 percent, more than $5.7 million is slated for investment in these six projects.http://www.biofuelreview.com/content/view/1711/ EU pushes second gen biofuels and sustainability- September 11, 2008 At least 5% of all road transport fuels should come from renewable sources by 2015, says a report overwhelmingly approved by the EU Parliament&39;s influential Industry Committee today (11th September). The vote effectively amended a draft directive on renewable energies, tightened up sustainability criteria for biofuels and introduced flexibility mechanisms to allow Member States to achieve the 2020 renewables targets jointly.http://www.biofuelreview.com/content/view/1710/ |