New bacteria strain to improve biobutanol production

Engineers at Ohio State University have found a way to double the production of the biofuel butanol using a new strain of bacteria. Butanol for fuel is currently produced by brewing it in a bacterial fermentation tank. Normally, bacteria can only produce a certain amount of butanol

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Rwanda’s methane gas power plant to generate up to 700 MW

Rwanda’s 4.5-megawatt (MW) Lake Kivu methane gas power plant at the Rubavu District was recently visited by World Bank president Robert Zoellick who praised the project for its potential of continuously producing 500-700 MW for 50 years.

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Customers rave about new green fuel—XcelPlus

Customers of a new biofuel produced by biomass-based fuel manufacturer XcelPlus Global Holdings, Inc. are giving positive feedback on the firm’s renewable fuel, the company reported. After its recent business success in the US Southeast, the company is targeting Florida

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Aurora Biofuels algae strain can double fuel production, CO2 consumption

Aurora Biofuels recently announced their success in optimizing algae that can double CO2 consumption and fuel production at the same time. Using tools developed through knowledge from molecular biology and biochemistry, the company’s scientists have optimized particular algae strains

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Digestion tanks can produce biogas and save energy in sewage plants—research

A study from the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany has found that small sewage plants can also produce biogas to generate electricity. Sewage plants remove organic matter from wastewater. The accumulating sludge then decays and biogas is generated as a by-product.

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Algaeventure Systems to provide technology for US $ 43-million algae research

Ohio-based Algaeventure Systems, which develops technology and systems for algal production of lipids and biomass, will be working with San Diego, California-based General Atomics (GA) for research into alternative jet-fuel applications.

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TMO secures 11 million pounds for cellulosic ethanol technology

TMO Renewables Ltd. has completed a round of financing totaling around 11 million pounds (US $18 million) for sustainable cellulosic ethanol technology. The British company has developed a new process for converting biomass

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Consortium bids for DOE grant for algae-based biofuel project

OriginOil, Inc. is leading a consortium that includes the Idaho National Laboratory of the Department of Energy (DOE), two top US universities and materials technology firm Media & Process Technology in bidding for a grant under the Recovery Act for funding algae biofuels production.

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Washington: Iberdrola and Simpson’s biomass venture starts operations

Washington’s newest renewable energy facility, a 55-megawatt (MW) biomass cogeneration plant, has begun commercial operations, its owners said. The facility is the result of a partnership between Iberdrola Renewables and Simpson Tacoma Kraft Company.

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Germany: KIT building new algae production process for biofuels

Scientists from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany are developing efficient photoreactors and cell decomposition methods for the cultivation of microalgae for energy.

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