Chevron chips in $25M for biofuel company LS9
LS9, perhaps the company to watch synthesizing biofuels and chemicals from organic feedstocks like switchgrass, has brought in $25 million in a new round of capital from Chevron Technology Ventures, Khosla Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners and Flagship Ventures.
This is the second big win, the South San… Continue Reading
LanzaTech churns steel factory emissions into fuel
Biofuel companies are gaining momentum — with the market fixing its eyes on the conversion of corn and other agricultural stocks into ethanol. But another area of the business seems to be heating up: turning trash into transportation fuel. Last week, Fulcrum BioEnergy demonstrated its… Continue Reading
Fulcrum BioEnergy squeezes fuel from garbage
Fulcrum BioEnergy claims it can derive commercial-scale ethanol from municipal waste — and it just ran the first demo that proves it, the Pleasanton, Calif. company says. Already, it’s moving on its planned Sierra BioFuels Plant, a facility that could turn 90,000 tons of garbage… Continue Reading
Coskata looks to stimulus to finish commercial biofuel plant
Even though cellulosic ethanol maker Coskata just brought in $40 million in a third round of funding in November, it needs more to finish off its new commercial-scale plant — and the government stimulus package for biofuels looks like just the ticket.
Chief executive Bill Roe… Continue Reading
Agriculture dept. earmarks $80M for Range Fuels, cellulosic ethanol
Cellulosic ethanol producer Range Fuels announced today that it landed an $80 million loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to fund construction of a new wood-chip processing plant in Georgia, slated to open in 2010. The deal, which falls under the biofuel provisions… Continue Reading
Strengthened by partnerships, cellulosic ethanol maker Coskata raises more money
The cellulosic ethanol company Coskata has managed to pull in a $40 million third investment round despite the recession. The amount is a significant boost for the company, which last took money early this year.
Coskata is becoming something of a standout among the newest generation… Continue Reading
A123 and Imperium exemplify the boom and bust of cleantech
There’s a bad moon on the rise for Imperium Renewables. The biodiesel maker has lost a major contract that was one of the lynchpins holding the company together, according to the Seattle PI’s John Cook, who has been chronicling the company’s rise and fall.
Imperium, as… Continue Reading
Electric cars vs. biofuels: The presidential energy debate heats up
Drawing a sharp contrast with his Democratic rival, John McCain today assailed government subsidies for ethanol production and unveiled a set of proposals aimed at encouraging the development and mass adoption of electric vehicle technologies.
McCain would provide a $5,000 tax credit to consumers who buy… Continue Reading
It’s in the grass: Oklahoma set to plant first production-scale switchgrass field
No other energy crop has been as closely associated with second generation biofuels as switchgrass. The subject of much fawning coverage in the popular press — though it has yet to be successfully converted into cellulosic ethanol — switchgrass will soon have the chance to… Continue Reading
Coskata enters partnership with ethanol plant builder ICM
Coskata, a next-generation ethanol startup, has come back up in the news again with an announcement that it’s partnering with ICM to design and build a commercial-scale ethanol plant.
We covered Coskata less than a month ago when it received a strategic investment from General Motors…. Continue Reading
The Detroit Auto Show’s cleantech notables: Coskata, EcoMotors, Fisker Automotive
American automakers have finally learned that fuel efficiency and environmental friendliness count, turning the yearly Detroit Auto Show, which started Sunday, into a lineup of cleantech exhibitions.
Among big-company prototypes like the Chevy Volt and Cadillac Provoq are a handful of smaller firms making significant headway…. Continue Reading