The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations is currently developing a set of detailed criteria, indicators, good practices and policy options on sustainable bioenergy production that also helps in rural development and ensures food security, writes TheBioenergySite Editor in Chief Chris Harris.
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Showing posts with label Biofuels. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Biofuels. Show all posts
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Friday, November 12, 2010
Global Biofuel Alliance formed. BiorefiningMagazine.com
The Global Biofuels Alliance has officially launched. The nonprofit organization will work to “give a voice to the producers, traders, feedstock providers, and equipment manufacturers of the emerging biofuel industry.” Made up of ten founding members from various energy sectors including energy trading companies, start-up biodiesel companies and large biodiesel production facilities, the alliance has already set its sights on the hottest topic in the biodiesel industry. “The biodiesel tax credit is a key agenda,” said Wade Randlett, a founding board member of the alliance and cofounder of Enagra Holdings LLC, a holding company for renewable energy projects worldwide. “Although it’s a bit broader than that. I think having some form of longer term incentive for any kind of a renewable diesel, regardless of the feedstock, the source or the technology is important.”
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
NREL Releases Biomass Mapping Application. RenewableEnergyWorld.com
A mapping application shows where bio-energy facilities are located now and where more could be developed.
Published: September 28, 2010
Washington, DC, USA – With funding from the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Blue Skyways Collaborative and DOE's Biomass Program, NREL has developed a cool new web portal that may lead to more bioenergy developments across the U.S.
The portal is a bioenergy mapping tool in which users can start with a blank map of the country. They can then overlay the map with biomass feedstocks to see where certain feedstocks can be harvested and then overlay that information with ethanol and biodiesel plants both active and idle, existing transportation infrastructure, power plants, fueling stations, refineries and more.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Canada implements national RFS, allows open mandate for blenders. Ethanol Producer Magazine
By Kris Bevill
It’s been years in the making, but Canada’s first national renewable fuels standard (RFS) is finally in place. The mandate to require refiners to blend 5 percent renewable fuels into their gasoline supplies went into effect on Sept. 1 and was met with enthusiastic optimism from members of the nation’s ethanol industry, according to Canadian Renewable Fuels Association President Gordon Quaiattini. “This has been a long time coming and there’ve been some dedicated folks in the ethanol market in Canada who have waited a long time to see this national mandate come into force,” he said. “We’re no longer an industry in its infancy. I think it’s fair to say that we’ve achieved an adolescent stage and there’s more to come.”
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It’s been years in the making, but Canada’s first national renewable fuels standard (RFS) is finally in place. The mandate to require refiners to blend 5 percent renewable fuels into their gasoline supplies went into effect on Sept. 1 and was met with enthusiastic optimism from members of the nation’s ethanol industry, according to Canadian Renewable Fuels Association President Gordon Quaiattini. “This has been a long time coming and there’ve been some dedicated folks in the ethanol market in Canada who have waited a long time to see this national mandate come into force,” he said. “We’re no longer an industry in its infancy. I think it’s fair to say that we’ve achieved an adolescent stage and there’s more to come.”
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Monday, September 20, 2010
Microbial Breakthrough Impacts Health, Agriculture, Biofuels. ScienceDaily.com
ScienceDaily (Sep. 9, 2010) — For the first time ever, University of Illinois researchers have discovered how microbes break down hemicellulose plant matter into simple sugars using a cow rumen bacterium as a model.
"This is ground-breaking research," said Isaac Cann, associate professor in the U of I Department of Animal Sciences and member of the Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI) in the Institute for Genomic Biology. "The implications are very broad, yet it all started with a simple rumen microbe. It's amazing how we can draw inferences to human health and nutrition, biofuel production and animal nutrition because of our new understanding of how a microbe works."
The cow rumen is an excellent model to study as it's one of the most efficient machines to deconstruct plant matter, Cann said. Microbes in the rumen break down plant matter into glucose and xylose to use as nutrients for fermentation and energy acquisition.
"This is ground-breaking research," said Isaac Cann, associate professor in the U of I Department of Animal Sciences and member of the Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI) in the Institute for Genomic Biology. "The implications are very broad, yet it all started with a simple rumen microbe. It's amazing how we can draw inferences to human health and nutrition, biofuel production and animal nutrition because of our new understanding of how a microbe works."
The cow rumen is an excellent model to study as it's one of the most efficient machines to deconstruct plant matter, Cann said. Microbes in the rumen break down plant matter into glucose and xylose to use as nutrients for fermentation and energy acquisition.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Hamilton: Green jet fuel takes flight. TheStar.com
By Tyler Hamilton
Energy and Technology Columnist
Could a unique microorganism found in the waters of Atlantic Canada represent the future of jet fuel production?
That’s what Halifax-based Ocean Nutrition Canada is hoping to find out as part of a four-year demonstration project funded by Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC).
The company, which is the world’s largest supplier of Omega-3 fatty acid supplements, has discovered a kind of super-algae that, according to experts, is dramatically more efficient at producing oil than other types of algae being used for biofuel production.
Energy and Technology Columnist
Could a unique microorganism found in the waters of Atlantic Canada represent the future of jet fuel production?
That’s what Halifax-based Ocean Nutrition Canada is hoping to find out as part of a four-year demonstration project funded by Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC).
The company, which is the world’s largest supplier of Omega-3 fatty acid supplements, has discovered a kind of super-algae that, according to experts, is dramatically more efficient at producing oil than other types of algae being used for biofuel production.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Methane Reduction from Cattle. EnvironmentalNewsNetwork (enn.com)
From: Andy Soos, ENN
Published: September 9, 2010
Methane is a significant green house gas that can lead to global warming. It is also commonly produced by many animals including humans and cattle.
Cow belches, a major source of greenhouse gases, could be decreased by an unusual feed supplement developed by a Penn State dairy scientist. Belching (also known as burping) involves the release of gas from the digestive tract through the mouth. It is usually accompanied with a typical sound and an odor.
Many other mammals, such as cattle, dogs, and sheep also burp. In the case of ruminants, the gas expelled is actually methane produced as a byproduct of the animal's digestive process. Anaerobic organisms such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) and methanogenic archaea produce this effect. An average cow may emit between 542 liters and 600 liters (if in a field) of methane per day through burping, making commercially farmed cattle a major contributor to the greenhouse effect.
Published: September 9, 2010
Methane is a significant green house gas that can lead to global warming. It is also commonly produced by many animals including humans and cattle.
Cow belches, a major source of greenhouse gases, could be decreased by an unusual feed supplement developed by a Penn State dairy scientist. Belching (also known as burping) involves the release of gas from the digestive tract through the mouth. It is usually accompanied with a typical sound and an odor.
Many other mammals, such as cattle, dogs, and sheep also burp. In the case of ruminants, the gas expelled is actually methane produced as a byproduct of the animal's digestive process. Anaerobic organisms such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) and methanogenic archaea produce this effect. An average cow may emit between 542 liters and 600 liters (if in a field) of methane per day through burping, making commercially farmed cattle a major contributor to the greenhouse effect.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Student Biodiesel Initiative Begins. TheBioenergySite.com
US - The next generation of scientists in the US is gearing up to lead America's energy efforts with biodiesel at the forefront.
Student scientists from Dartmouth College to Oregon State University are leading a new Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel initiative. The group has formed to demonstrate and grow support for biodiesel among tomorrow's scientific leaders.
Lucas Ellis of Dartmouth, pursuing his Master of Science in Biochemical Engineering, is one of four co-chairs of the effort.
"In college there is an eagerness to become an advocate or have a cause, and mine was the environment, science and educating others about sustainability," Ellis said. "Biodiesel combined all of those and became my passion."
Lucas Ellis of Dartmouth, pursuing his Master of Science in Biochemical Engineering, is one of four co-chairs of the effort.
"In college there is an eagerness to become an advocate or have a cause, and mine was the environment, science and educating others about sustainability," Ellis said. "Biodiesel combined all of those and became my passion."
Cellulosic Ethanol—Biofuel Beyond Corn. TheBioenergySite.com
Fuel ethanol production in the US is expected to exceed 7.5 billion gallons before 2012, writes Nathan S. Mosier from the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Purdue University.
This represents a doubling of ethanol production from 2004, which consumed approximately 10% of the corn produced in the U.S. in that year. Increased demands for domestically produced liquid fuel is increasing competition between animal feed and fuel production uses of corn.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Food crisis caused by biofuels? : RenewableEnergyFocus.com
26 August 2010
There are conflicting opinions over a World Bank report which suggests biofuels have forced global food prices up by 75%.
The original study in 2008 depicted a direct correlation between the spike in prices of food products and the increased global use of biofuels.
The report argued that: “Without the increase in biofuels, global wheat and maize stocks would not have declined appreciably and price increases due to other factors would have been moderate.”
With over a third of US corn siphoned off for the production of biofuels and farmers encouraged to set aside land for the same purpose, the speculation that this may be the cause of “the first real economic crisis of globalisation” looked like a possibility.
There are conflicting opinions over a World Bank report which suggests biofuels have forced global food prices up by 75%.
The original study in 2008 depicted a direct correlation between the spike in prices of food products and the increased global use of biofuels.
The report argued that: “Without the increase in biofuels, global wheat and maize stocks would not have declined appreciably and price increases due to other factors would have been moderate.”
With over a third of US corn siphoned off for the production of biofuels and farmers encouraged to set aside land for the same purpose, the speculation that this may be the cause of “the first real economic crisis of globalisation” looked like a possibility.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Biofuels could increase food production, says report. AfricanAgricultureBlog.com
by Busani Bafana
Planting biofuel crops in Africa need not damage capacity to grow food and could even enhance food security, according to a controversial review prepared for the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA).
The report, with case studies on six countries in East, West and southern Africa, concludes that bioenergy production can expand across the continent and provide income and energy to farmers without displacing food crops.
Potential conflicts between bioenergy and food needs can be addressed with the right approaches, said Rocio Diaz-Chavez, a researcher at Imperial College, London, and lead author of 'Mapping Food and Bioenergy in Africa', launched at the 5th African Agricultural Science Week in Burkina Faso at the end of July.
"If approached with the proper policies and processes and with the inclusion of all the various stakeholders, bioenergy is not only compatible with food production but can greatly benefit agriculture in Africa," said Diaz-Chavez, citing the benefits of investment in land, infrastructure and human resources.
The report's conclusions were drawn from a review of existing research and case studies of biofuel production and policies in Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Senegal, Tanzania and Zambia. It found there is enough land to allow a significant increase in the cultivation of sugar cane, sorghum and jatropha for biofuels without decreasing food production.
But the report has triggered mixed responses from farmer groups and research institutions.
Monty Jones, executive director of FARA, cautioned that Africa should not trade food security for biofuel production.
"We need to keep the land for food rather than raise crops for energy," he told SciDev.Net. "We have the big task of increasing agricultural production by six per cent. Governments need to come up with appropriate policies on such issues."
Namanga Ngongi, president of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa said the continent has a food deficit and should prioritise food ahead of biofuels. And Philip Kiriro, president of the Eastern Africa Farmers Federation, added that international investors in biofuels do not take local food security into account, which is likely to result in food shortages.
Meanwhile, some countries are already planting biofuel crops. Senegal, for example, plans to have 321,000 hectares of land under jatropha by 2012 to help meet the country's energy needs and increase the income of farmers.
"We are going for both," said Macoumba Diouf, director general of the Senegalese Agriculture Research Institute."We need low-cost energy to drive our agriculture and at the same time ensure that our farmers grow food and earn income from growing jatropha on a contract basis.
"Ibrahim Togola, a professor at Mali's Rural Polytechnic Institute, said politicians need to understand that Africa's agricultural revolution depends on access to modern energy services.
During discussions of the report at the science week, participants called for a broader conversation on how to meet the energy needs of African farmers.
Source
Planting biofuel crops in Africa need not damage capacity to grow food and could even enhance food security, according to a controversial review prepared for the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA).
The report, with case studies on six countries in East, West and southern Africa, concludes that bioenergy production can expand across the continent and provide income and energy to farmers without displacing food crops.
Potential conflicts between bioenergy and food needs can be addressed with the right approaches, said Rocio Diaz-Chavez, a researcher at Imperial College, London, and lead author of 'Mapping Food and Bioenergy in Africa', launched at the 5th African Agricultural Science Week in Burkina Faso at the end of July.
"If approached with the proper policies and processes and with the inclusion of all the various stakeholders, bioenergy is not only compatible with food production but can greatly benefit agriculture in Africa," said Diaz-Chavez, citing the benefits of investment in land, infrastructure and human resources.
The report's conclusions were drawn from a review of existing research and case studies of biofuel production and policies in Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Senegal, Tanzania and Zambia. It found there is enough land to allow a significant increase in the cultivation of sugar cane, sorghum and jatropha for biofuels without decreasing food production.
But the report has triggered mixed responses from farmer groups and research institutions.
Monty Jones, executive director of FARA, cautioned that Africa should not trade food security for biofuel production.
"We need to keep the land for food rather than raise crops for energy," he told SciDev.Net. "We have the big task of increasing agricultural production by six per cent. Governments need to come up with appropriate policies on such issues."
Namanga Ngongi, president of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa said the continent has a food deficit and should prioritise food ahead of biofuels. And Philip Kiriro, president of the Eastern Africa Farmers Federation, added that international investors in biofuels do not take local food security into account, which is likely to result in food shortages.
Meanwhile, some countries are already planting biofuel crops. Senegal, for example, plans to have 321,000 hectares of land under jatropha by 2012 to help meet the country's energy needs and increase the income of farmers.
"We are going for both," said Macoumba Diouf, director general of the Senegalese Agriculture Research Institute."We need low-cost energy to drive our agriculture and at the same time ensure that our farmers grow food and earn income from growing jatropha on a contract basis.
"Ibrahim Togola, a professor at Mali's Rural Polytechnic Institute, said politicians need to understand that Africa's agricultural revolution depends on access to modern energy services.
During discussions of the report at the science week, participants called for a broader conversation on how to meet the energy needs of African farmers.
Source
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Lack of science means jatropha biofuel 'could fail poor' - SciDev.Net
Papiya Bhattacharyya
9 August 2010 EN
[BANGALORE] Mass planting of jatropha as a biofuel crop could benefit poor areas as well as combating global warming, but only if a number of scientific and production issues are properly addressed, a review has warned.
Growing jatropha for biofuel on degraded land unsuitable for food and cash crops could help improve the earnings of small farmers and counter poverty, reports the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in the review published last month.
The plant is an alternative crop for small farmers "particularly in semi-arid, remote areas that have little opportunity for alternative farming strategies, few alternative livelihood options and increasing environmental degradation," notes the FAO.
And biofuels produced in sufficient volume could make a significant impact on global warming, as it is estimated that transport accounts for a fifth of total greenhouse gas emissions.
But, so far, decisions about jatropha "have been made without the backing of sufficient science-based knowledge," the FAO says in the review, which includes case studies from South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
For jatropha planting to meet its 'pro-poor' objectives, international support is needed for research on genetic improvement of varieties, and on cultivation practices such as water conservation and integrated pest and nutrient management, the review recommends.
More research is also needed on oil processing techniques and new oil products to help smallholders reap maximum profits.
The review also notes that, in India, low yields have been reported despite farmers using a range of seed varieties that are available worldwide. But low yields need not be a barrier if other broader objectives are met, such as reclamation of wasteland, job creation and affordable biofuel for the lighting of homes, for cookers and for operating small milling machines, grinders, irrigation pumps and two-wheeled tractors.
Experts should also ensure that projects to help small farmers grow jatropha can qualify for certification under the clean development mechanism (CDM), which allows organisations to earn credit for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases.
Other jatropha policies could include targeting remote areas with poor transport links and ensuring large-scale plantations do not compete with food crops.
But Balakrishna Gowda, biofuel project coordinator in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, where jatropha is grown, and professor at the University of Agricultural Sciences in Bangalore, said that it would be unrealistic to expect jatropha to reverse poverty "overnight" in developing countries.
"The plant requires water and nutrition like any other plant [even if it grows on degraded land]," he told SciDev.Net. "And it takes at least five to seven years for the plants to mature and grow their first fruit. We can rule out expectations of a great 'overnight' yield."
Link to full report 'Jatropha: a smallholder bioenergy crop — the potential for pro-poor development'[2.32MB]
9 August 2010 EN
[BANGALORE] Mass planting of jatropha as a biofuel crop could benefit poor areas as well as combating global warming, but only if a number of scientific and production issues are properly addressed, a review has warned.
Growing jatropha for biofuel on degraded land unsuitable for food and cash crops could help improve the earnings of small farmers and counter poverty, reports the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in the review published last month.
The plant is an alternative crop for small farmers "particularly in semi-arid, remote areas that have little opportunity for alternative farming strategies, few alternative livelihood options and increasing environmental degradation," notes the FAO.
And biofuels produced in sufficient volume could make a significant impact on global warming, as it is estimated that transport accounts for a fifth of total greenhouse gas emissions.
But, so far, decisions about jatropha "have been made without the backing of sufficient science-based knowledge," the FAO says in the review, which includes case studies from South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
For jatropha planting to meet its 'pro-poor' objectives, international support is needed for research on genetic improvement of varieties, and on cultivation practices such as water conservation and integrated pest and nutrient management, the review recommends.
More research is also needed on oil processing techniques and new oil products to help smallholders reap maximum profits.
The review also notes that, in India, low yields have been reported despite farmers using a range of seed varieties that are available worldwide. But low yields need not be a barrier if other broader objectives are met, such as reclamation of wasteland, job creation and affordable biofuel for the lighting of homes, for cookers and for operating small milling machines, grinders, irrigation pumps and two-wheeled tractors.
Experts should also ensure that projects to help small farmers grow jatropha can qualify for certification under the clean development mechanism (CDM), which allows organisations to earn credit for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases.
Other jatropha policies could include targeting remote areas with poor transport links and ensuring large-scale plantations do not compete with food crops.
But Balakrishna Gowda, biofuel project coordinator in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, where jatropha is grown, and professor at the University of Agricultural Sciences in Bangalore, said that it would be unrealistic to expect jatropha to reverse poverty "overnight" in developing countries.
"The plant requires water and nutrition like any other plant [even if it grows on degraded land]," he told SciDev.Net. "And it takes at least five to seven years for the plants to mature and grow their first fruit. We can rule out expectations of a great 'overnight' yield."
Link to full report 'Jatropha: a smallholder bioenergy crop — the potential for pro-poor development'[2.32MB]
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Renuka Sugars mulls third acquisition in Brazil. BusinessStandard.com
Press Trust of India / New Delhi August 08, 2010, 14:31 IST
The country's largest sugar refiner Shree Renuka Sugars, which has bought majority stakes in two Brazilian firms since November last, is looking for more acquisitions there.
"Nothing immediate or firm," Shree Renuka Sugars Managing Director Narendra Murkumbi told PTI when asked whether the company is scouting for more acquisitions in Brazil, the world's largest sugar producing nation. Murkambi said the company is interested in acquisitions but nothing concrete has shaped up, as of now.
An additional buy in Brazil would help the Indian sugar refiner to further increase its presence and dominance in the world's two largest sugar consuming nations.
Since November last year, Shree Renuka Sugars have bought out two companies in Brazil with a cumulative cane crushing capacity of 13.6 million tonnes per annum.
On July 9, the company had announced the acquisition of a controlling 50.34 per cent stake in Equipav AA, a sugar and ethanol production company, for Rs 1,151 crore. Equipav AA has two mills with a combined cane crushing capacity of 10.5 million tonnes per annum and a huge sugarcane plantations facility in Sao Paulo. It also has a bagasse based power co-generation capacity of 203 MW.
In November 2009, Shree Renuka Sugars had acquired 100 per cent stake in Vale Do Ivai, a Brazilian sugar and ethanol production company, for $240 million. Vale Do Ivai has a combined cane crushing capacity of 3.1 million tonnes per annum in its two mills.
Source
The country's largest sugar refiner Shree Renuka Sugars, which has bought majority stakes in two Brazilian firms since November last, is looking for more acquisitions there.
"Nothing immediate or firm," Shree Renuka Sugars Managing Director Narendra Murkumbi told PTI when asked whether the company is scouting for more acquisitions in Brazil, the world's largest sugar producing nation. Murkambi said the company is interested in acquisitions but nothing concrete has shaped up, as of now.
An additional buy in Brazil would help the Indian sugar refiner to further increase its presence and dominance in the world's two largest sugar consuming nations.
Since November last year, Shree Renuka Sugars have bought out two companies in Brazil with a cumulative cane crushing capacity of 13.6 million tonnes per annum.
On July 9, the company had announced the acquisition of a controlling 50.34 per cent stake in Equipav AA, a sugar and ethanol production company, for Rs 1,151 crore. Equipav AA has two mills with a combined cane crushing capacity of 10.5 million tonnes per annum and a huge sugarcane plantations facility in Sao Paulo. It also has a bagasse based power co-generation capacity of 203 MW.
In November 2009, Shree Renuka Sugars had acquired 100 per cent stake in Vale Do Ivai, a Brazilian sugar and ethanol production company, for $240 million. Vale Do Ivai has a combined cane crushing capacity of 3.1 million tonnes per annum in its two mills.
Source
Garuda Indonesia Planning to Switch to Biofuel | The Jakarta Globe
Fidelis E. Satriastanti August 02, 2010
Jakarta. National airline Garuda Indonesia is finalizing preparations to use biofuel in an attempt to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, a senior official said on Monday.
“We are in the process of changing from avtur [aviation fuel] to biofuel. Not a single [domestic] airline has done it yet. We will be implementing this plan in stages and it will not necessarily be achieved within this year,” Garuda commissioner Wendy Aritonang said.
The airline has recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the International Air Transport Association, committing to improving air travel services as well as to using biofuel, which is produced from renewable resources like palm oil.
According to a McKinsey report, the air travel sector was responsible for about 3 percent of national carbon emissions in 2005. Land transportation contributed the most emissions — 89 percent of the total.
Jane Hupe, chief of the environmental unit of the International Civil Aviation Organization, said the idea to use biofuel in aviation has been around for years, and biofuel has since become a significant piece in the puzzle of sustainable aviation.
“We have never seen progress in one file for sustainable use like you see right now. Progress is so immense. The technology is there,” Hupe said. “But the elements that we need to address include price of, course. The market needs to be prepared for this. Not only is the technology more expensive, but also how do we balance the market in regard to air ticket fares, considering the stiff competition that exists already with all airlines using normal aviation fuel?”
Masnellyarti Hilman, deputy minister for environmental damage control at the Environment Ministry, emphasized the need for airlines to contribute to Indonesia’s emissions reductions efforts. “They contribute only 3 percent [of emissions], but the industry is much more ready, for instance, from a technological standpoint, than land transportation,” Masnellyarti said, adding that a switch to biofuel will reduce sulphur dioxide emissions, another major source of pollution.
Source
Jakarta. National airline Garuda Indonesia is finalizing preparations to use biofuel in an attempt to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, a senior official said on Monday.
“We are in the process of changing from avtur [aviation fuel] to biofuel. Not a single [domestic] airline has done it yet. We will be implementing this plan in stages and it will not necessarily be achieved within this year,” Garuda commissioner Wendy Aritonang said.
The airline has recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the International Air Transport Association, committing to improving air travel services as well as to using biofuel, which is produced from renewable resources like palm oil.
According to a McKinsey report, the air travel sector was responsible for about 3 percent of national carbon emissions in 2005. Land transportation contributed the most emissions — 89 percent of the total.
Jane Hupe, chief of the environmental unit of the International Civil Aviation Organization, said the idea to use biofuel in aviation has been around for years, and biofuel has since become a significant piece in the puzzle of sustainable aviation.
“We have never seen progress in one file for sustainable use like you see right now. Progress is so immense. The technology is there,” Hupe said. “But the elements that we need to address include price of, course. The market needs to be prepared for this. Not only is the technology more expensive, but also how do we balance the market in regard to air ticket fares, considering the stiff competition that exists already with all airlines using normal aviation fuel?”
Masnellyarti Hilman, deputy minister for environmental damage control at the Environment Ministry, emphasized the need for airlines to contribute to Indonesia’s emissions reductions efforts. “They contribute only 3 percent [of emissions], but the industry is much more ready, for instance, from a technological standpoint, than land transportation,” Masnellyarti said, adding that a switch to biofuel will reduce sulphur dioxide emissions, another major source of pollution.
Source
Monday, July 26, 2010
IATA calls for biofuels production from Jatropha: Jatrophabook.com
The global airline industry is on track to make a profit of $2.5 billion this year after 10 years of struggle in which it made a cumulative loss of $47 billion, according to Giovanni Bisignani, director general and chief executive of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) at its annual general meeting on Monday.
He said that if the industry succeeded in its campaign to remove restrictive legislation that prevented airlines from consolidating across borders and competing in the same way as normal business, it would achieve $100 billion in profits on revenues of $1 trillion in a decade.
By 2050 it would "be very near to zero accidents," emit half the carbon, process more passengers without queues, and operate with almost no delays in globally united skies.
"We will be a consolidated industry of a dozen global brands supported by regional and niche players. And we will deliver value to investors."
Outlining the steps needed to achieve this, he said that the present fragmentation of the industry, with 1 061 airlines as a result of the bilateral system that now regulates it, prevented increased efficiencies from improving the bottom line "because airlines are deprived of the commercial freedom to operate like normal businesses. Our poor profitability makes every shock a fight for survival."
Infrastructure should be shaped around the needs of airlines with airports competing for airline business through efficiency, deriving their income through commerce with airlines bringing shoppers and airport revenues funding the air traffic system.
It would be more efficient to replace the current 180 air traffic management organisations with 10, at half the cost.
And calling for government help in establishing the production of biofuels to replace jet fuel made from oil, he said these had the potential to reduce the industry's carbon footprint by 80 percent. After testing by airlines certification of biofuels was expected within a year. "Local production with jatropha, camelina, algae or even urban waste will open up economic opportunities in virtually any location."
Read at-source
He said that if the industry succeeded in its campaign to remove restrictive legislation that prevented airlines from consolidating across borders and competing in the same way as normal business, it would achieve $100 billion in profits on revenues of $1 trillion in a decade.
By 2050 it would "be very near to zero accidents," emit half the carbon, process more passengers without queues, and operate with almost no delays in globally united skies.
"We will be a consolidated industry of a dozen global brands supported by regional and niche players. And we will deliver value to investors."
Outlining the steps needed to achieve this, he said that the present fragmentation of the industry, with 1 061 airlines as a result of the bilateral system that now regulates it, prevented increased efficiencies from improving the bottom line "because airlines are deprived of the commercial freedom to operate like normal businesses. Our poor profitability makes every shock a fight for survival."
Infrastructure should be shaped around the needs of airlines with airports competing for airline business through efficiency, deriving their income through commerce with airlines bringing shoppers and airport revenues funding the air traffic system.
It would be more efficient to replace the current 180 air traffic management organisations with 10, at half the cost.
And calling for government help in establishing the production of biofuels to replace jet fuel made from oil, he said these had the potential to reduce the industry's carbon footprint by 80 percent. After testing by airlines certification of biofuels was expected within a year. "Local production with jatropha, camelina, algae or even urban waste will open up economic opportunities in virtually any location."
Read at-source
Friday, July 9, 2010
Blue-green algae techniques for biofuel production. Biofuelshub.com
Feature
Written by Sabrina Deparine
Monday, 05 July 2010 12:58
A research team from the Biodesign Institute of the Arizona State University has achieved another milestone for the biofuel industry.
In the past week, news broke out that the team has made a new discovery: optimizing the growth conditions of blue-green algae (also known as cyanobacteria) to make these grow abundantly for biofuel production.
The blue-green algae is one of the most attractive feedstock options for biofuels because of its capability to produce 100 times the amount of clean fuel per acre as compared to other types of feedstock. Also, blue-green algae do not have any special requirements. It only requires sunlight, water and carbon dioxide. A few nutrients may be needed for it to survive and to grow exponentially and abundantly. Blue-green algae also eliminate the concerns over requiring vast lands for biofuel production. It can be grown on any location where there is sufficient supply of sunlight and carbon dioxide.
According to Raveender Vannela, a member of the research team, they had discovered the use of a photobioreactor in optimizing the growth of blue-green algae. The said photobioreactor utilizes solar photons as an energy source to convert carbon dioxide in reduced forms. This is epitomizes the cliché that goes “shooting two birds with one stone”. The bioreactor makes use of solar energy for it to run and its output benefits biofuel production. However, the process requires a more delicate and complex interplay of carbon dioxide, phosphorous and light radiation within the photobioreactor for it to optimize the growth of the algae.
For this experiment, Vannela and another researcher, Hyun Woo Kim made use of the Synechocystis PC6803 type of blue-green algae. These were cultivated in a benchtop photobioreactor and were supplied with BG-11, a customary growth medium. The carbon dioxide was manipulated along with the light irradiance and phosphorus content in the plant to boost its growth.
Based on the output of their experiment, it was concluded that blue-green algae are not able to maximize carbon dioxide in their growth cycle so they added phosphorous to the BG-11 medium. This resulted to higher biomass productivity. When the phosphorous has been consumed, the abundant growth of the algae is hampered by the light irradiation and carbon dioxide. What happens is the additional growth results to the crowding of biomass in the photobioreactor vessel so that it blocks the light. This issue can be resolved by more frequent harvesting of the reactor.
If this will be implemented on a large scale, the blue-green algae can get nutrients from other sources like waste streams or harvested biomass. This will form a close-loop, self-sustaining system that harness and produce energy from contaminants and carbon emissions.
Aside from biofuels, blue-green algae can also be used in the manufacturing of chemical-based materials like biopolymers and isoprenes which are used for industrial applications.
Read at-source
Written by Sabrina Deparine
Monday, 05 July 2010 12:58
A research team from the Biodesign Institute of the Arizona State University has achieved another milestone for the biofuel industry.
In the past week, news broke out that the team has made a new discovery: optimizing the growth conditions of blue-green algae (also known as cyanobacteria) to make these grow abundantly for biofuel production.
The blue-green algae is one of the most attractive feedstock options for biofuels because of its capability to produce 100 times the amount of clean fuel per acre as compared to other types of feedstock. Also, blue-green algae do not have any special requirements. It only requires sunlight, water and carbon dioxide. A few nutrients may be needed for it to survive and to grow exponentially and abundantly. Blue-green algae also eliminate the concerns over requiring vast lands for biofuel production. It can be grown on any location where there is sufficient supply of sunlight and carbon dioxide.
According to Raveender Vannela, a member of the research team, they had discovered the use of a photobioreactor in optimizing the growth of blue-green algae. The said photobioreactor utilizes solar photons as an energy source to convert carbon dioxide in reduced forms. This is epitomizes the cliché that goes “shooting two birds with one stone”. The bioreactor makes use of solar energy for it to run and its output benefits biofuel production. However, the process requires a more delicate and complex interplay of carbon dioxide, phosphorous and light radiation within the photobioreactor for it to optimize the growth of the algae.
For this experiment, Vannela and another researcher, Hyun Woo Kim made use of the Synechocystis PC6803 type of blue-green algae. These were cultivated in a benchtop photobioreactor and were supplied with BG-11, a customary growth medium. The carbon dioxide was manipulated along with the light irradiance and phosphorus content in the plant to boost its growth.
Based on the output of their experiment, it was concluded that blue-green algae are not able to maximize carbon dioxide in their growth cycle so they added phosphorous to the BG-11 medium. This resulted to higher biomass productivity. When the phosphorous has been consumed, the abundant growth of the algae is hampered by the light irradiation and carbon dioxide. What happens is the additional growth results to the crowding of biomass in the photobioreactor vessel so that it blocks the light. This issue can be resolved by more frequent harvesting of the reactor.
If this will be implemented on a large scale, the blue-green algae can get nutrients from other sources like waste streams or harvested biomass. This will form a close-loop, self-sustaining system that harness and produce energy from contaminants and carbon emissions.
Aside from biofuels, blue-green algae can also be used in the manufacturing of chemical-based materials like biopolymers and isoprenes which are used for industrial applications.
Read at-source
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
New Yeast Strain is Step Closer to Cellulosic Ethanol. Tonic.com
By David Bois | Tuesday, June 8, 2010 5:57 PM ET
Breakthrough yeast strain offers a move forward for efforts to make biofuels from a greater variety of non-food crops.
The promise of biofuels is genuine and sincere. Rather than taking carbon that's been fossilized for untold millions of years and sending it into our atmosphere the second we burn it, the manufacture and use of biofuels takes us much closer to greenhouse gas neutrality. Sure, the combustion of biofuels does produce carbon dioxide, but the plants from which the fuels are made remove carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere as they grow. Additionally, ethanol just so happens to burn cleaner as compared to petroleum based hydrocarbons.
Still, I know that I'm hardly alone in finding it more than a little perverse to divert perfectly good crops away from the food supply toward the manufacturing of ethanol. Corn and sugar cane are currently prized for the making of ethanol, as their sugars are easily accessible for conversion to fuel. Our best long term hopes are in the realm of cellulosic ethanol, made from more fibrous plant matter such as the stalks of the corn as well as such woodier, non-food plants as switchgrass. Switchgrass is particularly appealing due to it being a relatively low-effort crop which grows easily in a range of conditions, as well as to its high potential energy value.
So far, the challenges to cellulosic ethanol really taking off hinge on the effort (and by extension, the cost) required to get at the sugars that they contain. The additional effort required to make ethanol from fibrous plant material as compared to making it from corn pretty much doubles the cost. It's a stated goal of the federal government to make cellulosic ethanol much more cost-competitive, and ongoing research and development breakthroughs continue to bring these production costs down. And a just-announced finding by researchers at Indiana's Purdue University will no doubt help things along this path.
As PhysOrg has reported, an agricultural and bioengineering research team at Purdue has successfully genetically engineered a strain of yeast that is capable of converting the sugars contained in woodier plant materials such as corn stalks and switchgrass. An added and beneficial characteristic of the new strain of yeast is its resistance to acetic acid. Acetic acid is a common component of plant life and is given off along with the sugars, but it can hinder the fermentation activity that the yeast provides, slowing the conversion process and ultimately decreasing the yield of ethanol.
The Purdue team's research, currently published in the journal Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, is supported by funding from the US Department of Energy and will reportedly pursue even more improvements to the yeast's efficiency and resistance to chemical agents that slow the sugar-to-ethanol conversion process.
Read at-source:
Breakthrough yeast strain offers a move forward for efforts to make biofuels from a greater variety of non-food crops.
The promise of biofuels is genuine and sincere. Rather than taking carbon that's been fossilized for untold millions of years and sending it into our atmosphere the second we burn it, the manufacture and use of biofuels takes us much closer to greenhouse gas neutrality. Sure, the combustion of biofuels does produce carbon dioxide, but the plants from which the fuels are made remove carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere as they grow. Additionally, ethanol just so happens to burn cleaner as compared to petroleum based hydrocarbons.
Still, I know that I'm hardly alone in finding it more than a little perverse to divert perfectly good crops away from the food supply toward the manufacturing of ethanol. Corn and sugar cane are currently prized for the making of ethanol, as their sugars are easily accessible for conversion to fuel. Our best long term hopes are in the realm of cellulosic ethanol, made from more fibrous plant matter such as the stalks of the corn as well as such woodier, non-food plants as switchgrass. Switchgrass is particularly appealing due to it being a relatively low-effort crop which grows easily in a range of conditions, as well as to its high potential energy value.
So far, the challenges to cellulosic ethanol really taking off hinge on the effort (and by extension, the cost) required to get at the sugars that they contain. The additional effort required to make ethanol from fibrous plant material as compared to making it from corn pretty much doubles the cost. It's a stated goal of the federal government to make cellulosic ethanol much more cost-competitive, and ongoing research and development breakthroughs continue to bring these production costs down. And a just-announced finding by researchers at Indiana's Purdue University will no doubt help things along this path.
As PhysOrg has reported, an agricultural and bioengineering research team at Purdue has successfully genetically engineered a strain of yeast that is capable of converting the sugars contained in woodier plant materials such as corn stalks and switchgrass. An added and beneficial characteristic of the new strain of yeast is its resistance to acetic acid. Acetic acid is a common component of plant life and is given off along with the sugars, but it can hinder the fermentation activity that the yeast provides, slowing the conversion process and ultimately decreasing the yield of ethanol.
The Purdue team's research, currently published in the journal Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, is supported by funding from the US Department of Energy and will reportedly pursue even more improvements to the yeast's efficiency and resistance to chemical agents that slow the sugar-to-ethanol conversion process.
Read at-source:
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Giant Inflatable Airship Powered by Algae. AlternativeEnergy
June 1st, 2010
This summer, piloted by Captain Allan Judd, Bullet 580 will usher in the return of inflatable giant airships. The 235 ft long and 65ft diameter ship is covered with a type of Kevlar, a material 10 times-stronger than steel but only one sixteenth of an inch thick. An E-green design special costing £5.5million, this giant runs on algae – latest bio-fuel that can be developed from brackish and waste water.
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