First functional 'designer' chromosome in yeast is synthesized
By NYU Langone Medical Center
April 04, 2014
An international team of scientists has synthesized the first functional chromosome in yeast, an important step in the emerging field of synthetic biology, designing microorganisms to produce novel medicines, raw materials for food, and biofuels.
An Iowa bill that extends several tax credits for producers and retailers passed the Iowa Senate with 48 "yes" votes and zero "no" votes on April 1. The bill was referred to the Iowa House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee on April 2.
An early morning fire on March 31, destroyed about 5,200 of the 55,000 corn stover bales stored at a 30-acre DuPont stover storage site located about 10 miles northeast of Nevada, Iowa. It is suspected lightning started the fire.
The Senate Finance Committee approved tax credit extension package on April 3 that includes several biofuel and bioenergy provisions. The committee voted down an amendment that aimed to strip biofuel and renewable energy credits from the bill.
Purdue University researchers are launching a company, Spero Energy Inc., focusing on an innovative process that could revolutionize how lignocellulosic biomass is used to make biofuels and other bio-based products and chemicals.
Ethanol spot prices have increased steadily since early February. By late March, New York Harbor spot ethanol prices exceeded prices for RBOB (the petroleum component of gasoline) by more than $1 per gallon.
A Texas county commission recently voted to waive all but 5 percent of a Plainview, Texas, ethanol plant's taxes, as part of a 10-year tax abatement pact signed with the county in 2009.
The Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to markup a tax extenders bill on April 3. The legislation, titled the Expiring Provisions Improvement Reform and Efficiency (EXPIRE) Act, includes extensions of several biofuel tax credits.
A minor fire that broke out in a section of ductwork at Monroe, Wis.-based Bader State Ethanol LLC is not expected to impact plant operations. The incident occurred in the early morning hours of April 1. No injuries were reported.
The National Corn Growers Association will join NASCAR in kicking off its second year of the NASCAR Race to Green Campaign. The campaign is intended to highlight the environmental accomplishments of green programs put in place by NASCAR.
The Iowa Senate has passed a bill that aims to extend the deadline for renewable energy projects to qualify for the state's renewable energy tax credits. It also has provisions that apply to cogeneration projects associated with ethanol plants.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration has published the March edition of its Monthly Energy Review, which features final 2013 data for ethanol production, imports and consumption. The report shows ethanol consumption continue to grow last year.
Researcher wins grant for hybrid conversion biofuel process
By Oklahoma State University
April 01, 2014
Hasan Atiyeh, assistant professor in biosystems and agricultural engineering at Oklahoma State University, recently received a South Central Sun Grant Award to advance the development of a new hybrid conversion process.
The USDA's National Agriculture Statistics Service has released its Prospective Plantings report, predicting 91.7 million acres of corn will be planted this year, down 4 percent from last year. Soybean acreage, however, is forecast to increase.
The Global Renewable Fuels Alliance, in cooperation with F.O. Licht, has released its Global Annual Ethanol Production Forecast, which predicts global fuel ethanol production to surpass 90 billion liters (23.78 billion gallons) in 2014.
Axens, Total and IFP Energies nouvelles have launched Atol, an innovative technology for bioethylene production through dehydration of bioethanol. The resulting bioethylene can be integrated in existing downstream polymerization installations.
Opening up your ethanol plant for public tours is a wonderful educational opportunity that could do wonders for your business and the industry as a whole.
Produced by BBI International, the agenda for the 30th annual International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo includes more than 140 speakers and four highly informative track sessions.
Waste-to-energy firm Fiberight LLC is beginning construction of its waste processing facility in Marion, Iowa. "We are now building," said Craig Stuart-Paul, chief executive of the company, noting that workers are scheduled to be onsite April 7.
Glacial Lakes Energy LLC announced it will be upgrading and expanding corn handling areas at both its Watertown, S.D., and Mina, S.D., facilities to improve the company's corn procurement strategy and customer service.
Veteran biofuel experts Joshua Morby and Joanna Schroeder have launched Biofuel PR in response to the ethanol industry's call for assistance in helping tell Americans the story about biofuels.
Winter 2013-'14 may be on its last legs, but the experience is still fresh in the minds of many natural gas consumers across the upper Midwest. The coldest winter in the past ten years lifted spot prices to unheard-of levels in the shale era.
March was a strong month for the corn market with May futures trading to the $5.02 level. With that price action the producer was actively rewarding the market allowing basis levels to relax.
The American Coalition for Ethanol and more than 80 of its members were in Washington, D.C., to meet with top administration officials and members of Congress as part of the advocacy group's "Biofuels Beltway March" annual fly-in March 25-26.
A look back at the last month of DDGS supply and demand can be summarized with one word: Logistics. Railroads encountered a myriad of shipment problems causing issues to the east and west.
EurObserv'ER has released the 2013 edition of its annual renewable energy report, which determined that final energy consumption from renewable resources, including biofuels and biomass, increased significantly in 2012.
The European Commission's Joint Research Center recently published a new report on indirect land use change (ILUC) emissions from biofuels. The study presents the results of a new run on the economic model MIRAGE.
Rex American Resources Corp. has released its fiscal year 2013 financial results, reporting record net income of $35.1 million, compared to a $2.3 million loss in 2012. Moving into 2014, the company expects to set a new quarterly record.
Dyadic International Inc. was issued a new patent for enzyme composition and development to convert plant biomass into fermentable sugars. The patent broadens Dyadic's advanced biofuel and biobased material portfolio.
Trade through the ethanol market seems to indicate additional aggressive buying still stepping in. Traders are focusing on supplies that seem to tighten week-after-week, even with production levels falling.
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