For the future of biodiesel, Chevron and Shell might be on the right track
Want to fill up your Volkswagen or Hummer on renewables, as Arnold Schwarzenegger does? Biodiesel, a vegetable-oil based variant on petroleum diesel, is your fuel. As we pointed out last week, the fuel doesn’t get as much attention as high-tech biofuels like cellulosic ethanol and “green” gasoline. However, substances called furanics may help bring biodiesel back into the spotlight.
Furanics, while not actually identical to biodiesel, might as well be — they burn in diesel engines… Continue Reading
With jatropha and other new feedstocks, don’t count out plant-based biodiesel yet
Biodiesel, a vegetable oil-based substitute for the regular petroleum-based diesel that trucks use, has had a tough time getting respect lately. Prices have shot up for biodiesel made from food oils from soybean, canola and palm, the last of which is environmentally damaging to farm. And like ethanol, biodiesel has been accused of pushing up food prices for the world’s poor.
However, ethanol’s name has recently been rehabilitated by companies like Verenium, Mascoma and Coskata, all… Continue Reading
Innovation Fuels takes $15.5M venture capital, $160M credit line toward biodiesel production
Update: Innovation CEO John Fox says the credit line figure reported by VentureWire was incorrect and smaller than $130 million, although he would not disclose the exact amount.
Relatively small right now, Albany, NY-based Innovation Fuels has plans to move into a bigger league soon, with forecasted production of 300 million gallons per year by next year.
Like larger competitor Renewable Energy Group, which called off an IPO this year due to market conditions, Innovation plans to… Continue Reading
Biofuel action: Range Fuels breaks ground, Innovation Fuels gets investment, Codexis extends Shell collaboration
Three significant developments today in alternative fuels:
–Range Fuels broke ground on one of the first cellulosic ethanol plants;
–Innovation Fuels took $15.5 million for a New Jersey biodiesel facility; and
–Codexis and Royal Dutch Shell decided to extend their research collaboration for another five years.
We reported in March on a $76 million Federal government grant that Range won preliminary approval for. That grant was part of a $385 million package set aside for six companies.
The Fed has… Continue Reading