• Shell, Cosan Form US$12 Billion Ethanol JV in Brazil

• U.S. Spot Ethanol: Prices Rise and Fall
• Ethanol Equities: Prices Down

• FY 2011 DOE Budget: Winners and Losers
• U.S. President on Energy; Trade Groups Respond
• U.S. Submits Emission Targets under Copenhagen Accord

• Microbes Produce Fuels Directly from Biomass
• New Research Finds Way to Increase Sugar Stores in Plants
• OriginOil Unveils In-House Pilot System
• Washington D.C. Auto Show Highlights Emerging Technologies, Fuel Sources
• Cummins, Purdue Develop Lower-NOx Biodiesel Engine
• Kirloskar Inks MOU for Axial Vector Biofuel Engine Development

• First Facility to Convert Corncobs and Bioenergy Crops to Cellulosic Ethanol Opens
• Final US$5.25 Million Grant Awarded for Cellulosic Project
• Universal Bioenergy Plans Multi-Million Dollar Expansion
• Blendstar to Launch Biofuel Transload Terminal in Louisiana
• Joule Names New Senior Vice President of Corporate Development
• Pacific Ethanol Regains NASDAQ Compliance
• Study Shows Iowans Want Biodiesel in State's Diesel Fuel
• Gulf Oil President: Price Should Decide Biofuel Use
• Valero Posts Q4 2009 US$155 Million Loss; Ethanol Investment Returns ‘Excellent’
• BP Sees ‘Problematic’ Vegetable-Oil Biodiesel; Urges Alternatives

• UNICA Calls on European Commission to Avoid Expanding UE Sugar Exports
• Greenergy Launches JV to Source and Sell Brazilian Ethanol
• Report: Brazilian Ethanol Outreach
• Research Provides Assurances for Bio-heating and Transportation Fuels
• 2010 Sugar Prices Already Showing Supply Shortage

FY 2011 DOE Budget: Winners and Losers

The Obama Administration Feb. 1 proposed a budget of US$28.4 billion for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), which includes funding for renewable energy programs, electric grid modernization schemes, carbon capture and storage technologies and programs that support energy efficiency. Oil and gas companies will lose numerous fossil fuel tax preferences amounting to $26.2 billion in extra taxes over the next decade, according to the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association.

U.S. President Touts ‘Clean’ Energy; Trade Groups Respond

In his first State of the Union address Jan. 27, U.S. President Barack Obama endorsed renewable power, nuclear power, advanced biofuels and clean-coal technologies.

U.S. Submits Emission Targets to U.N. under Copenhagen Accord

In advance of the Jan. 31 deadline, the United States on Jan. 28 submitted its proposed emission target for 2020 to the United Nations under the Copenhagen Accord.

Microbes Produce Fuels Directly from Biomass

A collaboration led by researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) – a scientific partnership led by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory – has developed a microbe that can produce an advanced biofuel directly from biomass, according to a release from the Berkeley Lab Jan. 27.

New Research Finds Way to Increase Sugar Stores in Plants

Scientists have found a way to increase fermentable sugar stores in plants that could lead to plant biomass being easier to convert into eco-friendly sustainable biofuels, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) reported Jan. 27.

OriginOil Unveils In-House Pilot System

OriginOil, Inc. (OOIL) unveiled a comprehensive pilot system for algae growth and harvesting at an exclusive event held at its Los Angeles headquarters on Jan. 28, the company announced Feb. 1.

Washington DC Auto Show Highlights Emerging Technologies, Fuel Sources

The theme to last week’s Washington, D.C. Auto Show was “Change Happens Here.” While the word “change” is a popular buzzword in the nation’s capital, this year’s event truly was different than in previous iterations.

Cummins, Purdue Develop Lower-NOx Biodiesel Engine

Researchers at Purdue University in Indiana announced last week that they’re jointly developing a new diesel engine with Cummins that would reduce the typical nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions penalty of biodiesel.

Kirloskar Inks MOU for Axial Vector Biofuel Engine Development

Dubai-based Axial Vector officials announced Feb. 1 that they’ve signed a memo of understanding with India-based non-road diesel engine maker Kirloskar Oil Engines for development of a vegetable-oil-tolerant Axial Vector engine.

U.S. Spot Ethanol: Prices Rise and Fall

Prices headed both up and down on the ethanol spot market during the last week of January.

Ethanol Equities: Prices Down

Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), The Andersons (ANDE) and Bunge (BG) all posted losses the last week of January.

UNICA Calls on European Commission to Avoid Expanding UE Sugar Exports

In a letter to the European Union’s Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel sent Jan. 25, Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) President and CEO Marcos Jank has contested a request by European sugar producers and some EU Member States to increase sugar exports above the ceiling of 1.374 million tons, a commitment assumed before the World Trade Organization (WTO), according to UNICA Jan. 26.

Greenergy Launches JV to Source and Sell Brazilian Ethanol

U.K. fuel supplier Greenergy International Ltd. announced Jan. 25 that it has entered into a joint venture (JV) with Bauche Group to source and sell Brazilian ethanol, thus establishing Greenergy Brazil, headquartered in Sao Paulo.

Report: Brazilian Ethanol Outreach

On Jan. 25, the Global Biofuels Center released a special report on Brazilian Ethanol Outreach, which examined the Latin American country’s efforts to expand the use of ethanol around the world.

Research Provides Assurances for Bio-heating and Transportation Fuels

A study examining biodiesel product quality and reliability was recently conducted, funded by the Canadian government’s National Renewable Diesel Demonstration Initiative, Imperial Oil and the Canadian Petroleum Products Institute.

2010 Sugar Prices Already Showing Supply Shortage

According to Czarnikow Group, one of the oldest sugar traders in the United Kingdom, 2010 started with a surge in sugar prices that spiked at 29.80¢ per pound in January, as investors assessed the continued shortage of supply and the depletion of stocks among the major producers.

First Facility to Convert Corncobs and Bioenergy Crops to Cellulosic Ethanol Opens

DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol (DDCE), the University of Tennessee and Genera Energy celebrated Jan. 30 the official opening of one of the world’s first cellulosic ethanol demonstration facilities, located in Vonore, Tenn.

Final US$5.25 Million Grant Awarded for Cellulosic Project

The Iowa Department of Economic Development approved Jan. 25 an agreement for the final US$5.25 million in financial assistance to POET’s Project LIBERTY, a commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant that will produce ethanol from corn cobs, POET announced the following day.

Universal Bioenergy Plans Multi-Million Dollar Expansion

Universal Bioenergy Inc. announced Jan. 26 it is planning several major acquisitions as part of its new progressive business strategy.

Blendstar to Launch Biofuel Transload Terminal in Louisiana

Blendstar, LLC announced Jan. 27 the launch of a biofuel transload terminal to distribute ethanol and biodiesel in Bossier City, La., a suburb of Shreveport.

Joule Names New Senior Vice President of Corporate Development

Joule Biotechnologies, Inc., announced Jan. 27 the appointment of Dr. Troy J. Campione as senior vice president of corporate development.

Pacific Ethanol Regains NASDAQ Compliance

Pacific Ethanol, Inc. announced Jan. 26 that it received a letter from NASDAQ on Jan. 25, which contained a NASDAQ compliance determination that Pacific Ethanol has regained compliance with NASDAQ Listing Rule 5450(a)(1), which requires that listed securities maintain a minimum closing bid price of US$1.00 per share.

Study Shows Iowans Want Biodiesel in State's Diesel Fuel

The Iowa Biodiesel Board (IBB) released the results of new public opinion research Jan. 28, which states that nearly seven out of ten Iowa voters say they want legislation to ensure the state’s diesel fuel supply includes 5% biodiesel (B5).

Gulf Oil President: Price Should Decide Biofuel Use

Joe Petrowski, president of Gulf Oil Co., spoke to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association summit Jan. 22 and said biofuels have a bright future, but also gave what he admitted was an unorthodox view of their place in the nation’s energy supply, Radio Iowa reported Jan. 26.

Valero Posts Q4 2009 US$155 Million Loss; Ethanol Investment Returns ‘Excellent’

Valero Energy Corp. officials reported Jan. 27 a fourth quarter loss from continuing operations, excluding special items, of US$155 million, or 28¢ per share. This compares with fourth quarter 2008 income from continuing operations, excluding special items, of $795 million, or $1.53 per share.

BP Sees ‘Problematic’ Vegetable-Oil Biodiesel; Urges Alternatives

In a speech to energy and climate policy experts in Brussels Jan. 22, BP refining and marketing chief executive Iain Conn warned against continuation of fuel tax policies that favor European light-duty vehicle dieselization along with “problematic” use of vegetable oils to make conventional fatty acid methyl ester biodiesel.

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