http://biomassrules.com/BurningBioNews Adding Clarity to All Things Bio Wed, 30 Jun 2010 08:54:18 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Study shows that increases in crop production technology from 1961 to 2005 have lowered GHG emissions. While emissions from factors such as fertilizer production and application have increased, the net effect of higher yields has avoided emissions of up to 161 gigatons of carbon (GtC) (590 GtCO2e) since 1961. ... http://biomassrules.com/BurningBioNews/?p=3164 Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack released a report outlining both the current state of renewable transportation fuels efforts in America and a plan to develop regional strategies to increase the production, marketing and distribution of biofuels to 36 billion gallons of biofuel per year by 2022. USDA's report identifies numerous ... http://biomassrules.com/BurningBioNews/?p=3163 U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced that three projects have been selected to receive up to $612 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act – matched by $368 million in private funding – to demonstrate large-scale carbon capture and storage from industrial sources. The projects – located ... http://biomassrules.com/BurningBioNews/?p=3162 The U.S. ethanol industry continues to see improved efficiency, according to a new report released by USDA's Office of the Chief Economist. Nitrogen use measured on a per bushel basis has declined by about 20% since the mid-90s. Similarly, all direct energy components have declined by about 50% since ... http://biomassrules.com/BurningBioNews/?p=3161 A new company, called Point Bio Energy, LLC, is developing a $124 million wood pellet project at the Port of Greater Baton Rouge in Louisiana. The 400,000 metric ton per year wood pellet facility will receive the feedstock for the plant from the underutilized wood basket in the ... http://biomassrules.com/BurningBioNews/?p=3160 According to the new Rabobank U.S. Farm & Ranch Survey, 72 percent of U.S. agricultural producers report that they have taken a range of measures on sustainable ag practices. “U.S producers understand that to be in the ag business for the long term means taking care of the land,” ... http://biomassrules.com/BurningBioNews/?p=3159 Virent Energy Systems Inc. of Madison has raised $46.4 million in its latest financing round. Royal Dutch Shell PLC has been a research partner with Virent for several years and now has taken an equity stake that gives Shell one of seven seats on the Madison-based biofuels firm's board ... http://biomassrules.com/BurningBioNews/?p=3158 The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced up to $11 million in funding over three years for research and development in the area of thermochemical conversion of biomass into advanced biofuels that are compatible with existing fueling infrastructure. The objective of this funding is to improve the conversion of non-food ... http://biomassrules.com/BurningBioNews/?p=3157 Siemens Energy has successfully completed the first firing of PetroAlgae Inc.’s biocrude fuel, a plant-based, micro-crop biomass material that is processed into a solid residue. The biocrude fuel was combined with pulverized coal in a pilot-scale burner with a thermal capacity of approximately 4 MMBtu/hr. The testing was performed at ... http://biomassrules.com/BurningBioNews/?p=3156 An alliance of industry, academic and government organizations, formed to commercialize technologies that will utilize concentrated solar energy to convert waste CO2 into diesel fuel. The solar reforming technology platform will be colocated next to industrial facilities that have waste CO2 streams such as coal power plants, natural gas processing ... http://biomassrules.com/BurningBioNews/?p=3155