| | | | | | Top Story
 Can USDA's Grasstopia plan succeed?
Analysts find holes to plug in the USDA Regional Roadmap for reaching RFS targets by 2022; where are algae, drop-in fuels, biobutanol, industry asks.
A few days have now passed since the USDA released its "Regional Roadmap," outlining a plan to meet the biofuels goals in the Renewable Fuels Standard by 2022.
Industry reaction has been, to date, tepid.
First of all - the good news, which is to say generally positive reaction to the idea that the USDA has undertaken a more detailed study of the target at all.
A general criticism is that the plan's weakness is that it could have been written in 2007, given that it focuses almost exclusively on cellulosic ethanol from energy grasses. Algae as a feedstock, biobutanol or drop-in fuels as products, were left out of the targets - though more than 50 percent of planned advanced biofuels production is in these forms.
Is there a disconnect - or does USDA have it generally right? More analysis of the tonnage per acre, proposed bioenergy size, and the economics of all the infrastructure for all the ethanol, at biofuelsdigest.com.
| | Producer News
In Colorado, OPX Biotechnologies was recognized as one of 50 Colorado Companies to Watch by the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade in partnership with the Edward Lowe Foundation.
In Washington, a report in the Financial Times predicted that DSM will launch a new family of cellulosic ethanol enzymes at the 2010 BIO convention in DC.
In Montana, Rivertop Renewables, a Montana-based renewable chemicals company, today announced that former Cargill Dow and Segetis CEO Jim Stoppert will become chief exec.
| | Opinion
Dan Mitchell, in Daily Bread: "Sure, the oil leak has made things a lot worse. But calling corn ethanol a superior alternative is like saying it's better to chew tobacco than it is to smoke cigarettes-marginally true, but beside the point, and disingenuous in the extreme."
Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa: "I'm going around EPA [on E15] and going to the President. Actions speaker louder than words and the actions have been deathly silent."
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| | International News
In Denmark, Novozymes outlines the benefits of co-location and symbiosis in "Using Synergies to Save: Cellulosic Ethanol & Power Plant Co-Location," a special contribution to today's Digest. "Co-location of a cellulosic ethanol facility and a coal-fired power plant is one strategy that holds promise," writes Frances Williams of the Danish enzyme giant's staff. "Joining these industries in the same location can result in significant economic and environmental benefits for both, in the form of feedstock sharing, cost savings, and regulatory compliance."
In Thailand, PTT announced a plan to increase E85 availability from four to 15 stations by 2012, and also said that the petroleum distribution giant is examining three feasibility of expanding the availability of E20.
In Geneva, Mercuria Energy Trading, one of the world's five largest independent energy traders, announced on June 14th successful signing of its US$1.2 billion financing facility.
| | Policy and Policymakers
In California, a grant of $ 4 million from the California Energy Commission will help to make the low-carbon, domestically-produced, ethanol-based fuel E-85 available to more Californians. To build 75 publicly accessible E-85 dispensers throughout the state, The state is joining with Propel Fuels, the East Bay Clean Cities Coalition; CALSTART, and the Local Conservation Corps of California.
| | Consumer, Fleet, Event News
In California, the DVD version of the Sundance Award winning documentary, FUEL, has been released, and FUEL will screen for the first time in New Orleans followed by a community conversation on solutions to the oil spill at the Theatres at Canal Place
| | Advanced Biofuels Tracking Database and 100+ Free Downloads
Exclusive to Digest subscribers - and free. 100+ downloads.
1. Advanced Biofuels Tracking Database - download your free copy, tracking 65+ pilot, demo and commercial projects.
2. Biofuels Investments details 81 investments made in 2009 by biofuels companies or in the biofuels sector, totaling $8.737 billion in 18 countries.
3. Biofuels Jobs details a series of studies outling the impact of biofuels on the green jobs economy.
| | Financial News
The Biofuels Digest Index™ (BDI), a basket of public biofuels stocks, fell 0.25 percent to 59.89 on enzyme declines and more losses on BP. For the day, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) dropped 0.45 percent to $26.34, while BP lost 5.98 percent to close at $27.02. Among smaller caps, Codexis (CDXS) dropped 10.71 percent to $9.00. Overall, declines led advances 11 to 10 for the day.
| | Camelina Aviation Biofuels Study
 1 billion gallons of Camelina biofuel are projected to be produced for the aviation and biodiesel sectors by 2025, creating 25,000 new jobs; producing over $5.5 billion in new revenues and $3.5 billion in new agricultural income for U.S. and Canadian farmers. The projections are contained in "Camelina Aviation Biofuels Market Opportunity and Renewable Energy Strategy Report," released today by Biomass Advisors, the research division of Biofuels Digest.
"Camelina Aviation Biofuels Market Opportunity and Renewable Energy Strategy Report," is 116 pages, and includes more than 60 figures, tables and charts, along with regional crop forecast maps for visualizing business opportunities and planning infrastructure needs. The report is available for a purchase price of $695. More information here.
| | These stories and more are available at BiofuelsDigest.com. Your comments and story requests are warmly welcome: email me at jlane@biofuelsdigest.com.
Digest Staff:
Editor & Publisher: Jim Lane
Senior editors: Joelle Brink, Meghan Sapp, Marc Favreau
Assistant Editors: Michael Theroux, Thomas Saidak
Editorial Assistant: Isabel Lane
Columnists: Will Thurmond, Dr. Rosalie Lober
Director of Sales: Steve North
Disclosure: I do not own any renewable energy securities; no payments or compensation of any kind is received in return for placing articles or favorable opinion in the Digest - Jim Lane, Editor and Publisher, Biofuels Digest. | | |
