tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-142357252012-01-31T05:29:26.265-08:00The 2nd of 4 interlinked BIOenergy Blogs, this one covers international issues, process R&amp;D, facility deployments, and new developments. The other three related blogs are the <a href="http://biostock.blogspot.com"><b>BIOstock Blog</b></a>, <a href="http://bioconversion.blogspot.com"><b>BIOoutput Blog</b></a>, and the <a href="http://biowaste.blogspot.com"><b>BIOwaste Blog</b></a>. Related <a href="http://twubs.com/bioconv">#bioconv tweets</a> @BIOblogger.C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.comBlogger3731100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-71588455862473263122011-11-12T18:03:00.000-08:002011-11-13T06:10:47.662-08:00

Josh and Rebecca Tickell have ably presented the win-win-win benefits case for pursuing a global biofuels agenda with their first two movies - 2009's "Fuel" and this year's "Freedom" films. The drivers for change include public health, biodiversity, water and air quality, national and economic security, and regional sustainability. In those movies the arch villain is a "Big Oil" industry that

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-1603275492826723322011-08-15T08:07:00.000-07:002011-08-16T07:11:33.321-07:00

It has been thirty months since Josh Tickell and Rebecca Harrell premiered their award-winning biofuels documentary "Fuel." That film tracked down alternative fuels that can help wean the U.S. from its "addiction" to oil (see my interview and reviews). After traveling the U.S. in his Veggie Van, Josh took a position that there were biofuels winners (biodiesel, algae, cellulosic ethanol, plug-in

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-14726972723182675782011-05-11T08:19:00.000-07:002011-06-24T09:00:06.745-07:00

Last week at the BBI International Biomass Conference and Expo Greg Veerman of Astronaut Studio, Matthew Spoor and John Nelson of BBI, and I held a two-hour conference panel titled "Social Media and PR Strategies to Grow Your Business and Win Over Industry Skeptics." I know panels on using social media are frequently held at conferences for business-to-consumer industries and I imagine that other

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-39850883160916706632011-05-09T14:15:00.000-07:002011-05-11T07:10:09.731-07:00

In a clarion call for more proactive thinking Abraham Lincoln said, "The best way to predict your future is to create it." Something must have been lost in translation in the last 35 years because the U.S. energy policy has been anything but proactive.In comparison, the digital media industry has been the beneficiary of the best and the brightest minds during this period. Its exponential

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-74489199979632839252011-05-08T17:33:00.000-07:002011-05-23T17:44:55.534-07:00

On March 29, 2007 the biofuels industry witnessed an audacious transformation - Broin Companies President Jeff Broin announced the name change of his company to "Poet, LLC." There must be an important reason why a company the size and scale of the world's largest producer of corn ethanol decides to recast their corporate identity.Isn't "a rose by any other name still a rose"? Not at all.

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-33475779574921926652011-03-26T10:38:00.000-07:002011-04-14T07:33:11.114-07:00

Tex Carter, CEO of biofuels developer New Planet Energy, reports that he recently participated in a roundtable discussion with a Republican congressman about funding for biomass conversion technologies (CTs) for the creation of biofuels. He was told that these loan guarantee programs were on the list of top ten expenses that the GOP is seeking to cut from the national budget through the

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-48748252849590883072011-01-12T12:04:00.000-08:002011-04-14T07:34:32.667-07:00

It is not only the first cross-country promotional tour headlining "Cellulosic Ethanol", but it is also a timely one. Yesterday, The New York Times ran an article claiming that in the second half of 2010 "not a drop of cellulosic ethanol was commercially blended with gasoline." Coincidentally, EcoTREK began its cross country journey using a blend of E85 comprised of 5% gasoline and 85% POET Inc.'

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-66946372026073153782010-02-28T08:17:00.001-08:002010-02-28T08:17:29.510-08:00

I recommend biomass conversion readers check out David Glass, Ph.D.'s excellent SlideShare Presentation overviewing technologies and companies involved in Genetic Engineering for 2nd and 3rd generation biofuels production. David Glass EUEC Presentation 02 02 10View more presentations from David Glass.

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-22849799577193989742009-05-28T18:07:00.000-07:002010-03-09T21:29:01.724-08:00

Photograph by Peter Essick for National Geographic magazine.Once considered too expensive, as well as too damaging to the land, exploitation of Alberta's oil sands is now a gamble worth billions.So intones an article in this month's issue of National Geographic magazine titled "The Canadian Oil Boom: Scraping Bottom." Its opening shot shows how arbitrary standards that attribute direct and

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-56176963554187520822009-04-25T07:58:00.000-07:002009-06-14T07:13:16.106-07:00

California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) is a good initiative but it is flawed in its current form. Consider:Ethanol is an alcohol with a fairly simple, universal formula regardless of how it is made. The great thing about all ethanol is that it is miscible in gasoline, oxygenates gasoline so that it burns more cleanly, and it is a renewable fuel whose carbon comes from the atmosphere, not

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-57509617962052236352009-04-14T07:44:00.000-07:002009-04-14T09:22:49.670-07:00

The Biomass Coordinating Council of the American Council of Renewable Energy is an ever-present resource and meeting place for biomass professionals - or anyone who wishes to be engaged in the issues at the heart of emerging biomass renewable energy industries. At the helm of the council is the renowned Bill Holmberg. Below is his recent appeal for members that explains the scope and objectives

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-75734042232259388722009-03-22T19:44:00.000-07:002009-03-22T20:18:15.395-07:00

The impact of biofuel development should be significant to the economy of any nation that successfully deploys it. By becoming more energy self-sufficient, the balance of trade of otherwise energy-dependent nations should improve dramatically - as it has in Brazil.However, the impact on the economy of the region producing the biofuels is even more impressive. Iowa was one of the most energy

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-50370969033536363012009-03-16T18:04:00.000-07:002009-03-17T02:41:46.322-07:00

It is a sad day when even the Wall Street Journal takes a page from the petroleum industry playbook and chop blocks the only national defense that makes a dent in their monopoly on supplying fuel to Americans (accounting for less than 5% of transportation fuels sold here). Offensive foul - intentional roughing.The cheapest shot is the indiscriminant use of the term "ethanol." Ethanol, while

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-77907326337459757242009-02-16T10:28:00.000-08:002009-02-20T11:55:28.340-08:00

In January 2008, Josh Tickell screened his new documentary “Fields of Fuel” at the Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews (see trailer here). It won the Audience Award for Best Documentary. After a full year of more development, it has recently been released to a few theaters in the L.A. I was invited to attend a pre-premiere green carpet party at one of only two gas stations in Los Angeles that

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-51653545587225173012009-02-12T15:27:00.000-08:002009-02-20T11:47:56.248-08:00

"Fuel" is a film for our time - and also winner of the 2008 Sundance Audience Award for Best Documentary (see trailer here). It may help America wake up to the inexorable consequences of its fossil fuel addiction the way that "An Inconvenient Truth" did to global warming."Fuel" is the end product of an eleven year odyssey by Director Josh Tickell in his sunflower festooned, diesel Winnebago

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-91050225770980641832009-01-28T16:32:00.000-08:002009-02-08T14:03:18.024-08:00

This article is a response to a call for comments on Version Zero of the draft Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Biofuels written by the Roundtable for Sustainable Biofuels after extensive, multi-stakeholder, international collaboration. A running public dialog on these standards is available online at the Bioenergy Wiki.We need change to a renewable fuels paradigm and we need it to be

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-67895000425703821052009-01-06T11:11:00.000-08:002009-01-06T12:36:22.758-08:00

"Who ARE those guys?"The bad news is that the economic crisis threatens to suspend deployment of renewable energy facilities. Coupled with the meteoric drop in fossil fuel prices - one of the key drivers for developing alternative fuels - and it would not be surprising to see a new administration lose focus on renewable energy.The good news is that the incoming Obama administration's choices for

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-91219376337637241282008-12-16T08:02:00.000-08:002008-12-16T11:46:39.711-08:00

On December 5th, the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) hosted its annual Phase II meeting in Washington D.C. in the U.S. House of Representatives Cannon Caucus Room. Its theme this year was "The Next Presidency and Congress." Distinguished speakers addressed the state of renewable energy policy today, presented a range of policy options, and made recommendations for the new

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-53207826851917871422008-10-26T19:43:00.000-07:002008-10-26T20:04:53.920-07:00

An article giving an overview of Canada's bioenergy potential has been published on the Renewable Energy World.com website. The author, Douglas Bradley, is president of the Canadian Bioenergy Association (CANBIO) a national, industry-driven, non-profit organization supporting promotion and use of bioenergy.If possessing sustainable quantities of biomass alone is the measure of bioenergy potential

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-4291620824873753092008-09-23T09:55:00.000-07:002008-09-23T11:13:01.768-07:00

Thomas Friedman has a terrific platform from which to interview energy experts globally, write opinion pieces that are distributed through the New York Times, and participate in the production of cable television documentaries. Occasionally he pumps out a book that coalesces all of his research and synthesizes his prescriptions for solving the energy, environment, and global warming challenges

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-12707342223926306702008-08-12T16:49:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:26.677-08:00

One prominent feature of the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) is its renewable fuel standard that sets the trajectory for satisfying America's newfound thirst for alternative fuels. 36 billion gallons per year production by the year 2022. Considering that the U.S.' current annual production of biofuels is about 8 billion gallons that is a considerable amount of growth being

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-41360526770835165802008-07-30T17:38:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:26.747-08:00

I am frequently asked why we should pursue the production of biofuels and biopower when we could substitute other seemingly simpler and "cleaner" alternatives - like wind and solar - that don't require such complicated biomass logistics. A recent article I found on the European-based Biopact Blog supplies a partial answer. Americans should heed the experience of the Europeans because they have

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-54140779779276351742008-07-24T14:00:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:26.995-08:00

BlueFire Ethanol Fuels Inc. received a conditional use permit from the County of Los Angeles, Department of Regional Planning, for the operation of a new biorefinery it will build on a 10 acre lot near a Lancaster, CA landfill. For anyone aware of the slow rate of permitting new facilities for waste conversion in the region, that is a major achievement.This is NOT the commercial-scale project for

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-18141807283349155722008-07-22T20:37:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:27.452-08:00

INEOS Group Holdings PLC, one of the three largest chemical conglomerates in the world, has announced the July 1, 2008 formation of a new company, INEOS Bio, whose initial focus will be the commercialization of what they call "the World’s leading second generation bioethanol technology process" to serve the global renewable transport fuels market. The technology has been in development by

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-82157899544134598282008-07-17T15:45:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:27.667-08:00

Last night it was my privilege to attend a tribute to a decorated Marine who is an officer, a gentleman, and a war hero. He is also a towering luminary of the Biomass Conversion industry - who just happens to have reached the tender age of eighty. Bill Holmberg is the Chairman of the Biomass Coordinating Council (BCC) of the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE). ACORE, co-host with the

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-28908265600223204502008-07-06T09:30:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:28.212-08:00

At last year's Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology & Bioenergy I met Dr. Larry Walker for the first time. I had heard of him because one of his responsibilities is managing the prestigious Sun Grant Initiative budget for the Northeast Region at Cornell University. It wasn't until I had seen him at a couple of other events that I realized that he was also Co-editor in chief of the

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-37468016828300346342008-07-05T12:10:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:28.544-08:00

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has just released its Climate Change Draft Scoping Plan in accord with its responsibilities for implementing AB32 - the Global Warming Solutions Act. Its objective is to lay the foundation for an enforceable approach to reduce California's anticipated greenhouse gas emissions for the year 2020 by 30% (estimated to be equivalent to California's GHG levels

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-17776678011737553692008-07-04T06:51:00.000-07:002008-07-04T09:39:35.688-07:00

This is one of a series of comments submitted to the California Air Resources Board for their draft version of the California Climate Change Draft Scoping Plan. Other BIOenergy BlogRing comments are linked here: • Challenge the Status Quo • Recycling and Waste • Sustainable Forests----------------Achieving the goals of this Climate Change Scoping Plan (an ambitious 30% reduction of

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-76409633600926021712008-06-30T07:34:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:29.008-08:00

Solena Group - an innovative international company whose mission is "committed to combating climate change by promoting renewable bio-energy to replace fossil fuel" - has projects deployed or under development for using plasma arc technology to cleanly gasify feedstock into syngas. Teamed with Rentech Technologies, they can convert the syngas into bio jet fuel. Otherwise they can use the syngas

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-28982678745279592712008-06-02T08:31:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:29.181-08:00

A number of announcements have been made in the within the last month involving two of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) EPAct 932 grant winners.First, on May 8th, Iogen announced that it was not going to build its first commercial scale cellulosic ethanol plant in Idaho after all - foregoing the US$80 million grant offered by the U.S. Department of Energy. Their press release is titled

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-20249527977157872392008-05-31T18:21:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:29.421-08:00

Sustainability: The New Frontier of Renewable EnergyTo shift the energy paradigm from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy will require changes that will impact every tier of society and every acre of the environment. It is clear that skeptics from a broad array of stakeholders will earnestly try to evaluate each new development for its environmental sustainability with Life Cycle

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-32787169681605899502008-04-25T07:41:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:29.807-08:00

Coskata announced today that they are building a demonstration-sized (40,000 gallon per year) cellulosic ethanol plant. This is significant because it could represent the first scale-up of a syngas-fermentation (SF) pilot technology in the world.The other possible scale-up of this advanced technology is the BRI process that is a party to the ALICO project - a DOE EPAact grant winner of last year

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-8091067100240023062008-04-02T17:59:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:30.185-08:00

The April 7th issue of Time Magazine features a cover story that attacks the biofuels industry in general and corn ethanol in particular. I have written about irresponsible media attacks before (i.e., Rolling Stone Magazine's The Ethanol Scam) and when the Science magazine "Land Use Change" research article started being trumpeted in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal I even organized two

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-42843262155091501242008-02-29T11:13:00.000-08:002008-02-29T12:08:40.461-08:00

The urgent need to clearly communicate with all stakeholders the benefits and challenges of moving forward with bioenergy technology solutions to climate change, fossil fuel dependence, and environmental distress has been clearly evident in the national media in the last few weeks.Price BIOstock Services in conjunction with the National Wildlife Federation, BIOenergy BlogRing, and the American

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-61240099740286836472008-01-15T10:33:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:39:31.106-08:00

Congratulations are due to venture capitalist Vinod Khosla, President Bill Roe of Coskata, and General Motors President Rick Wagoner on their announced partnership to advance the vested interest GM has made in the production of cellulosic ethanol. While focusing much of their attention on building advanced E-Flex technology to reduce the need for liquid fuels, GM certainly recognizes that ethanol

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-78027496744885108842007-11-30T12:00:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:39:31.368-08:00

From a speech delivered at the Capitol Hill Club in Washington DC on November 28, 2007.Besides writing blogs, I am a Communications Director* of the Biomass Coordinating Council (BCC) of the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE). ACORE is a Washington-based advocacy association that promotes all renewable energy forms. The BCC, led by the intrepid Bill Holmberg, focuses attention on

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-56866275706706220912007-11-30T11:00:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:39:31.838-08:00

Bioenergy is the ONLY renewable technology that can convert solar energy into LIQUID fuel.If we expect to substitute renewable energy for fossil fuel energy, we are going to have to tackle the challenge of liquid fuels - how do we replace our dependence on oil, diesel, and gasoline with functionally equivalent biofuels? So much of the positive press about renewables focuses on the urban

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-61289345581007707332007-11-30T10:18:00.000-08:002011-11-02T14:09:59.234-07:00

What are the capabilities of bioenergy technologies that make them unique as a means of reducing greenhouse gases? Bioenergy comes from the processing of biomass. Biomass "refers to living and recently dead biological material that can be used as fuel or for industrial production. Most commonly, biomass refers to plant matter grown for use as biofuel, but it also includes plant or animal matter

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-54079083860797262382007-11-30T09:56:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:39:32.515-08:00

There are biomass waste streams throughout the world that could provide the feedstock for future biomass conversion to biofuels. These waste streams are creating some of the most acute environmental problems afflicting society - • Excess biomass in forests – forest density that is 4 to 10 times historic norms – creates conditions that exacerbate droughts leading to forest fires and bug

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-49922818111918924632007-11-30T08:55:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:39:33.228-08:00

Bioenergy can revive depressed economies - local, national, and worldwide.Depressed economies need private investment in healthy industries to build lasting employment. Fossil energy - with all its societal costs and impact on the environment - is no longer viewed as "cheap." It is seen as an addiction - a wedge that is coming between our communities and their environment. In contrast, a

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-4248767338309790882007-11-30T07:00:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:39:33.687-08:00

Bioenergy provides the only renewable LIQUID fuels we will see at the pump in our lifetimes.The United States is a nation that not only preaches self-reliance, but also freedom of choice. We vote at the election booth every couple of years and we promote the global spread of this “self-evident” right.But we also vote with our wallets every day of the week. People who are apathetic and confused at

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-57627596861049961592007-11-07T11:54:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:39:34.787-08:00

On November 6th, 2007 a who's who of federal and state public servants, alternative energy business representatives, and technologists from all of the country came to the tiny rural town of Soperton, Georgia to participate in the groundbreaking of the country's first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol facility. It was a milestone for the facility owner, Range Fuels, Inc., and it promises to be

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-1135338133419031482007-09-29T18:56:00.001-07:002008-12-11T10:39:37.769-08:00

This article contains the text and some images from the second half of a speech I presented at the Energy from Biomass and Waste conference in Pittsburgh, PA on September 27. It follows from the first half of the presentation titled Woody Biomass: Fuel for Wildfires which shows recent increased wildfire activity and the consequent greenhouse gas emissions from public forests. It suggests that

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-3017360379434078302007-08-31T22:33:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:38.032-08:00

Wildfires should top list of greenhouse gas catastrophesIf we truly care about greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions we need to evaluate, plan, and implement solutions to the growth of record-breaking wildfires over the past decade - particularly in New Mexico, Georgia, Florida, Colorado, and California.According to U.S. Senator Pete Domenici during Congressional testimony NASA reported that the 2002

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-41764014165532748792007-08-23T08:53:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:38.521-08:00

Following the lead of the Rolling Stone diatribe against ethanol (see my response to The Ethanol Scam), the Los Angeles Times decided to devote their full August 20th editorial to an attack titled Drunk on ethanol. Such slanted media lobbying to the general public seems misplaced to me when it concerns such a multi-faceted issue as energy subsidies.Unfortunately, I have used up my quota of

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-41504403341438925002007-08-19T07:28:00.001-07:002008-12-11T10:39:39.043-08:00

Any greenhouse gas cap and trade system for ethanol and other biofuels will be dependent upon an accurate assessment of its carbon footprint - not only the amount of carbon emitted to the atmosphere during usage but also the the carbon lifecycle of the fuel's production. If coal is the fuel, the carbon emitted is not already part of the above ground carbon cycle and is therefore carbon positive.

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-65931426730896730502007-08-06T20:15:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:39.263-08:00

Most of the technologies explored on this blog involve the production of cellulosic ethanol using biochemical or thermochemical processes. But ethanol has its detractors, and the processes that produce cellulosic ethanol can involve the use of water and the expense of energy to produce heat. What emerging technology and renewable fuels might succeed cellulosic ethanol? Biotechnologists on both

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-8899363787178849712007-08-05T10:54:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:39.485-08:00

Before breaking for summer the U.S. 110th Congress made strides on defining energy policies through passage of the 2007 Farm Bill (July 27th) and Energy Bills (August 4th). Analysis of these measures shows how the House seeks to achieve its goals by luring development with the "carrots" of incentives while threatening corporations with the "sticks" of taxes and regulatory standards. In comparison

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-21710280491576140582007-08-01T18:46:00.000-07:002007-08-30T22:33:43.213-07:00

Biopact Blog writes many stories that are relevant to the study of BIOstock, BIOconversion, BIOoutput, and BIOwaste. Rather than summarize and reprint excerpts from this excellent source of information, a breakdown of each month's most relevant titles is provided in one updated article...BIOstock...• Dynamotive and Mitsubishi Corporation sign cooperation agreement• Interpellets 2007: conference

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-68785867685929378722007-08-01T07:23:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:39.647-08:00

"Because it generates heat, not light."The current issue of Rolling Stone carries a feature article referenced on the cover as The Ethanol Scam and titled as "Ethanol Hurts the Environment And Is One of America's Biggest Political Boondoggles" written by Jeff Goodell.Putting on my "Jeff Greenfield" hat temporarily, I believe such articles are extremely dangerous - not because the author's

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-55106758184495066212007-07-31T20:17:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:39.911-08:00

Conversion Technologies Coast-to-CoastIt may be the heart of the summer to most people but national enthusiasm for emerging energy technologies is not taking a vacation. In early July, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger paid a call on his Florida counterpart, Governor Charles Crist calling him "a new action hero" for taking a stand against emission of greenhouse gases from utilities and

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-42064725699352042007-07-17T11:51:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:39.919-08:00

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-83043975831347467282007-07-15T08:59:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:40.262-08:00

The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that world biofuel output will double between 2006 to 2012. That is the primary finding from its recently published Medium-Term Oil Market Report.According to an article from Biopact based on the report findings:Technology for significant production of second generation biofuels based on lignocellulosic feedstocks isn't expected by the IEA to come

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-32190036890471413622007-07-01T16:44:00.000-07:002007-08-25T18:47:14.022-07:00

Biopact Blog writes many stories that are relevant to the study of BIOstock, BIOconversion, BIOoutput, and BIOwaste. Rather than summarize and reprint excerpts from this excellent source of information, a breakdown of each month's most relevant titles is provided in one updated article...BIOstock...• New biodiversity data access portal launched• Revolution in the kitchen: 5000 Indian rural

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-87603832598074095522007-06-30T23:45:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:40.616-08:00

Vision plus Collaboration Form a Sustainable Industry"Renewable Energy promotes world peace."Those are the words of BBI International CEO Mike Bryan as he opened the Fuel Ethanol Workshop (FEW) conference in St. Louis last week. What followed was two days spent assimilating the industry's breathtaking advances this year while inspiring multi-sector collaboration and environmental sustainability

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-89454905235404030292007-06-30T23:21:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:43.113-08:00

The 2007 Fuel Ethanol Workshop was informative, thought provoking, and inspirational. Its scope was very broad. While enumerating the many benefits of a robust renewable energy paradigm, it also sought to promote greater collaboration between capitalism and environmentalism. It sought to stretch the range of feedstock beyond corn to cellulosic raw materials. And it provided many opportunities for

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-12943130133115543642007-06-26T04:25:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:43.671-08:00

The U.S. Department of Energy announced today the formalization and funding of three individual research centers throughout the country devoted to making advances on biomass conversion technologies for the creation of renewable energy.The establishment of the bioenergy research centers culminates a six-year effort by DOE’s Office of Science to lay the foundation for breakthroughs in systems

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-25260665070642697692007-06-21T09:11:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:44.229-08:00

Two dynamic cellulosic ethanol development companies have completed their merger transaction and are now renamed "Verenium Corporation." Both companies received investment backing by Khosla Ventures.Massachusetts-based Celunol has distinguished itself as an innovator of a bacterial fermentation process for the conversion of glucose to ethanol. They have been participating in the commercial-scale

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-1833422807065667052007-06-15T16:12:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:44.356-08:00

Congratulations to all 25x'25 champions and supporters - our collective effort has paid off. This morning the U.S. Senate adopted by unanimous consent the 25x'25 national goal resolution. The following is a press release announcing this achievement.----------------BOLD NEW U.S. ENERGY GOAL ADOPTED BY SENATE: 25 PERCENT OF ENERGY FROM RENEWABLE SOURCES BY 2025Bipartisan Measure Enjoys Support from

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-32110814977356396162007-06-01T10:32:00.000-07:002007-07-04T16:44:15.971-07:00

Biopact Blog writes many stories that are relevant to the study of BIOstock, BIOconversion, BIOoutput, and BIOwaste. Rather than summarize and reprint excerpts from this excellent source of information, a breakdown of each month's most relevant titles is provided in one updated article...BIOstock...• U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy announce new US$ 18 million sollicitation for biomass

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-62460154313001987512007-05-30T17:47:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:44.447-08:00

Tying Energy Efficiency to Renewable EnergyLost in the rush to develop alternative energy technologies is the obvious value of making energy usage more efficient. As Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute would say, "a watt saved is a watt earned." This can be applied to biofuel usage as well. It is far cheaper to save energy than it is to produce more of it, particularly when existing

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-23760121537502122632007-05-21T20:36:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:44.910-08:00

Business Energy Reports publishes a prolific number of excellent research reports that address the "global energy industry" and are available online for purchase. Did I mention that they are pricey? Well they are and it would serve them well to offer a discount based on volume purchases. Still, if you are curious to see one, they do offer a free loss leader called "Market Survey of the Energy

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-29691229161797435022007-05-05T07:31:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:45.339-08:00

It is extremely difficult to develop objective assessments of the dangers of climate change. It is clear that millennia of mankind's attempts to manage Earth's resources to provide heat, shelter, and energy took a significant detour at the Industrial Revolution which started over a 150 years ago. With the introduction of faster transportation and communications, labor-saving devices, and

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-8686442176761043262007-05-03T21:58:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:45.815-08:00

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced today (April 23, 2007) that the State Department will host the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC 2008) March 2008. WIREC 2008 is the third global ministerial level event on renewable energy. It will be an important opportunity for world ministers to show their commitment to renewable energy. The ministers will discuss how

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-76120744550791060462007-05-02T03:48:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:46.478-08:00

The tools available for the hunt for renewable energy are very 21st Century. In place of wildcatting subterranean petroleum deposits using multi-million dollar rigs and oil crews, much of the ground-breaking research is taking place with meticulous precision at government labs in collaboration with universities and industry. New tools include robotics, mass spectrometers, laser imagers, and data

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-64213235672585638712007-05-01T20:25:00.000-07:002007-06-03T10:30:58.765-07:00

Biopact Blog writes many stories that are relevant to the study of BIOstock, BIOconversion, BIOoutput, and BIOwaste. Rather than summarize and reprint excerpts from this excellent source of information, a breakdown of each month's most relevant titles is provided in one updated article...BIOstock...• Brazil demonstrating that reducing tropical deforestation is possible while expanding biofuels•

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-15800851329075355222007-04-30T04:49:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:46.499-08:00

Woody Biomass - Energizing a new generationAmerica is witnessing the balkanization of its renewable energy portfolio. The sun belt is home to solar energy. The corn belt is home to ethanol. Landfill bioenergy is focused in urban areas. The nation's woodpiles are in the Pacific Northwest and the Southeast. Each region will have to come to grips with the economic, technical, environmental, and

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-9324724609647778942007-04-23T23:04:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:47.092-08:00

Thomas Friedman talks about the need for new alternative energy systems to be affordable at the "China price" or, more broadly the "Chin-dia price" - cheap enough for China or India to deploy because with the demand for renewable energy so high in those countries, they may indeed be the first to develop and deploy them. He contends that the ultimate solution(s) will have to compete economically

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-47469841472021716952007-04-21T08:10:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:47.481-08:00

Thomas L. Friedman is an author, journalist, and visionary who has earned recognition as the foremost commentator of the Green Energy "revolution." And revolution it is - on many levels. It could be argued that, while military might is still necessary to contain crises, all-out wars are an anachronism - a victim of the Law of Unintended Consequences and instantaneous worldwide communication. "

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-30521152327767856232007-04-20T13:36:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:47.813-08:00

Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) is a highly visible producer of biofuels utilizing corn kernels as feedstock for sugar fermentation to ethanol. It should come as no surprise that they have a vested interest in the successful commercialization of new technologies that will advance fermentation on other sources of agricultural feedstock - initially the residuals of corn conversion, eventually

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-32968808544855637762007-04-17T22:16:00.001-07:002008-12-11T10:39:48.505-08:00

10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_b1L4TJsE-38/RiGmUVNe5eI/AAAAAAAAAak/A6lYtHTbd1g/s200/biohydrogenhyvolution-2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5053503125107697122" />It is pretty clear that whatever exists as an energy paradigm today will be replaced in the future. Wood gave way to coal, whale oil made way to petroleum and petroleum distillates, and

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-4474396972930498192007-04-12T19:15:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:48.740-08:00

The Bush administration took an important step toward toward the achievement of his "Twenty in Ten" goals April 10th when his Environmental Protection Agency announced the establishment of its first comprehensive Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program and modernization of the CAFÉ standards. The impact on the renewable fuels industry should be considerable because it assures a ready and growing

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-71283080182626700772007-04-07T10:05:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:49.136-08:00

For anyone who desires a simple introduction to what BIOmass Conversion technologies are I suggest a careful reading of a brief technical overview document called The BioTown, USA Sourcebook of Biomass Energy (released in April, 2006). It was written for the Indiana State Department of Agriculture by scientist and fellow blogger, Mark Jenner, PhD. who has his own website called Biomass

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-20168627511515802372007-04-04T15:58:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:49.361-08:00

The IDB commissioned Garten Rothkopf, a consulting firm which works with corporations on long-term global strategies, to perform an analysis that would serve as a blueprint to its development of energy technologies in the Americas.What is the IDB? According to their website. "The Inter-American Development Bank was established in 1959 as a development institution with novel mandates and tools. It

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-75769071037280738272007-04-02T14:00:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:49.709-08:00

For commercial-scale deployments of emerging technologies to succeed financially they will have to integrate into the industrial landscape in a way that supports the health of the enterprise. The ideal sites would co-locate companies that supply biostock, cleanly process it, and use the output of the processing to create new chemicals, bioproducts, biofuels and bioenergy. Ideally, the energy

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-16734380432059150452007-04-01T10:23:00.000-07:002007-05-05T20:25:30.880-07:00

Biopact Blog writes many stories that are relevant to the study of BIOstock, BIOconversion, BIOoutput, and BIOwaste. Rather than summarize and reprint excerpts from this excellent source of information, a breakdown of each month's most relevant titles is provided in one updated article...BIOstock...• A closer look at Social Impact Assessments of large biofuel projects• The mobile pellet

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-84899685530841888022007-03-31T06:27:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:49.738-08:00

Bridging the Gap to BiofuelsWhen it comes to energy, we are all stakeholders – whether we are producers, refiners, developers, educators, policymakers, marketers, regulators, environmentalists, distributors, farmers, foresters, or simply commuters... we are all consumers with a vested interest in future development of renewable energy in concert with environmental sustainability. Even though

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-15659866177946396842007-03-26T02:57:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:49.995-08:00

The 4th Annual BIO World Congress on Biotechnology & Bioprocessing was held under ideal conditions in Orlando between March 22-24. In the past the focus has been on a wider range of industries including pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, nanotechnology, and plastics. This year, cellulosic ethanol took center stage.Many academics were on hand including post-grads from my old alma mater (Cornell) who

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-52780865436733145322007-03-18T20:58:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:39:50.757-08:00

The Southern California Air Quality Management District (SC/AQMD) is both a hero to local health agencies and the bane of existence to emerging technology developers. Unquestionably, the improvement in Southern California air quality is one of the great national health success stories. Since 1990, per capita smog exposure has seen marked improvement in every county of the region and that is a

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-34662579558155647572007-03-10T08:42:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:39:51.281-08:00

What a difference a year makes! The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) deserves strong praise for its 2006-2007 accomplishments as facilitators of America's emerging technologies development.This year's Power-Gen Renewable Energy & Fuels conference in Las Vegas (March 5-8) was a "candy store" of information and networking opportunities for anyone interested in learning about emerging

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-47427511747651286162007-03-09T11:01:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:39:52.068-08:00

A recently released report from the Southern States Energy Board gives a realistic scenario for increasing "American Energy Security" by eliminating the petroleum import gap. Using a multi-prong approach involving a broad range of technologies, they anticipate that this can be accomplished by 2031. This in spite of the fact that they project liquid fuel demand will increase during that time by

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-31961918862663291232007-03-03T04:33:00.000-08:002007-03-31T05:09:02.267-07:00

Biopact Blog writes many stories that are relevant to the study of BIOstock, BIOconversion, BIOoutput, and BIOwaste. Rather than summarize and reprint excerpts from this excellent source of information, a breakdown of each month's most relevant titles is provided in one updated article...BIOstock...• Leading investors create major biofuel company in Brazil, as bagasse-based cellulosic ethanol

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-23151192318345566762007-02-28T14:30:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:39:52.103-08:00

The IPCC finally released their long-awaited summary of findings on global warming. Al Gore's movie won the Oscar for Best Documentary. Does that mean that people are finally convinced of the truth about global warming? Does it matter?There are plenty of reasons to be concerned about the state of the atmosphere without having to declare one way or the other on the issue of global warming. Living

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-82902457774800351192007-02-28T09:26:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:39:52.121-08:00

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel W. Bodman hosted a press conference today to announce selection of six cellulosic ethanol biorefinery projects that will contribute to the President’s goal of reducing U.S. gasoline consumption by 20 percent in ten years (President’s Bush’s Twenty in Ten Initiative). The government's matching fund program was considered by many to be a necessary

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-29156061258418529512007-02-16T23:48:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:39:52.779-08:00

The BBC Weather Centre has a wealth of information on their Climate Change website about global warming - evidence, impacts, adaptation, policies, and links. They recently ran a Climate Change experiment that utilized the spare computing power of a quarter of a million participants - mostly throughout Europe and the eastern U.S. Through this huge distributed processing project, thousands of

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-34737544676853439962007-02-08T18:31:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:39:52.810-08:00

We knew it was coming. Vinod Khosla has finally made a bold move to back up industry-wide speculation that cellulosic ethanol would soon emerge as the next phase in ethanol production. The surprise is that wood would be the feedstock of choice given the vast headstart of corn-based biorefineries in the country and the obvious synergy of basing corn stover conversion technologies near sugar

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-55431439882310713602007-02-07T10:42:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:39:52.926-08:00

There are not too many videos available online that can be used to educate the lay audience on the processes under discussion by this Blog. However, there are videos available that explain the processes involved in conventional sugar fermentation. Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., has compiled a series of brief WMV files that provide an overview of the processes involved in sugar fermentation.

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-85026682997088000662007-02-03T22:37:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:39:53.440-08:00

It is not always easy to be a cheerleader or evangelist for a new technology paradigm. You have to be ready to accept rejection by the saviest skeptics - particularly the big banks.People promoting expensive biomass conversion technologies and waste management reforms have felt their share of skepticism. They have come to realize that if public demand is waning, the banks will be unenthusiastic

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-86464676454400277982007-02-03T18:19:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:39:53.656-08:00

It's only been three months since Californians voted down Prop 87 - The Clean Alternative Energy Initiative. We may never know what research and advancements would have resulted from the plan's taxation of California oil producers (mostly Chevron).However, it now appears that we will see what BP's (aka British Petroleum or Beyond Petroleum) corporate investment in similar research will accomplish

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-72014059712913371502007-02-01T17:32:00.000-08:002007-02-26T12:10:33.983-08:00

Biopact Blog writes many stories that are relevant to the study of BIOstock, BIOconversion, BIOoutput, and BIOwaste. Rather than summarize and reprint excerpts from this excellent source of information, a breakdown of each month's most relevant titles is provided in one updated article...BIOstock...• Eyes in the sky: ESA images forests in 3-D to analyse biomass• Net energy of biofuels made from

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-57459328348475215402007-01-31T17:00:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:39:53.925-08:00

The Renewable Industrial RevolutionAfter more than 150 years, the Industrial Revolution is overdue for a major retooling. No longer can we heedlessly combust biomass and fossil resources without consideration for the carbon emissions and potential energy that "floats out the smokestack." But what can possibly replace the status quo paradigm that we have based so much of our energy, industry,

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-81796953151639721412007-01-27T06:50:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:39:54.585-08:00

Mixing environmental concern with American "can-do" attitude, the Worldwatch Insitute and Center for American Progress have teamed up to provide a free, online 40-page that provides chapters titled: • a vision for a more secure and prosperous America• building a new energy economy• a cleaner, healthier America• resources and technology• American energy policy agendaAs their press release

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-71640013638939404852007-01-26T17:28:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:39:55.084-08:00

Energy return on investment (EROI) is the ratio of the energy delivered by a process to the energy used directly and indirectly in that process. Many of the arguments against ethanol concern the hotly debated Energy Rate of Investment (EROI) of the fuel. Does it take more (mostly fossil fuel) energy to produce ethanol than the final fermented product contains? Most experts agree that ethanol made

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-65644446712082254422007-01-25T22:15:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:39:55.246-08:00

One of the great benefits of deploying emerging renewable energy technologies are the "green-collar" jobs that they will create. A leader in advancing the cause of new employment is the Apollo Alliance led by Jerome Ringo.I met Mr. Ringo at the ACORE Biomass Coordinating Council meeting last April. He is passionate in his pursuit of green industry jobs for the upwardly mobile middle class.Here is

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-86071369106064404062007-01-24T19:06:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:39:55.454-08:00

While this year's State of the Union address had no memorable "addicted to oil" soundbites, it did include some notable goals for the renewable energy and fuels industries. His Twenty in Ten plan (reducing U.S. gasoline usage by 20% in the next ten years) is the kind of goal setting that we need to achieve significant change in the energy paradigm. I recommend reading David Adams' article at "The

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-65634938437897806862007-01-21T09:00:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:39:55.761-08:00

Recently published by Energy Business Reports this report may be of interest to some readers - I haven't read it yet. With all the renewable energy conferences and interest in cellulosic ethanol, we should expect to see more of these publications in the years to come.See the linked webpage for table of content information. Here is their brief description: -------------------Given its

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-37734194528207184522007-01-21T07:38:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:39:55.833-08:00

Celunol Corporation out of Dedham, Massachusetts is making good on its commitment to help open commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol facilities this year using their proprietary wet biomass conversion technology.The technologyThe sugar in cellulosic biomass is locked up in the form of cellulose and hemicellulose. Cellulose contains glucose, the same type of sugar—a six-carbon (C6) sugar—that is

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-1168541436781536462007-01-14T10:49:00.000-08:002007-01-15T10:09:14.468-08:00

If we are learning anything in the new millennium it is that the Industrial Revolution of the last 150 years is overdue for a major upgrade. While we have come a long way from wood burning boilers (at least in some industries) we seem stuck on old ways of thinking about what is efficient and economical without considering the social costs related to:1 - particulate matter and toxic emissions from

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-1811701204778864642007-01-13T10:59:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:39:56.503-08:00

The thermal process of gasification is one way to break down the bonds of cellulosic feedstock into syngas (primarily CO and H2). Some processes, like plasma arc, uses extremely high heat to "vaporize" the biostock. Here is an announcement from Germany about a company that has been getting very promising results from gasifying at a lower heat level. They claim, based on experiments with woody

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-1168613349579263382007-01-12T06:47:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:39:57.026-08:00

As the most tropical state on the continent, Florida provides a unique combination of climate and agriculture for the cultivation of biomass feedstock. Almost more important, it has a state commissioner that recognizes the unique opportunity the state has to lead the nation in bioconversion of its crops into biofuels.The Fueling Station website has a report on Commissioner Charles H. Bronson's

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0