One of the biggest hurdles biofuels need to overcome is replicating the energy density of liquid transport fuels at lower cost. It’s been said that a scientist will never say something is impossible given unlimited funding. Unfortunately, the most brilliant theoretical energy innovations remain confined by economic realities. Breaking Energy recently covered the potential for… Keep reading →
People who agree that climate change is a dire problem often disagree about how to solve it. In recent months, once-private disagreements have ballooned into a public spat between pro-nuclear and anti-nuclear climate activists. Depending on whom you ask, nuclear power is either “essential” or “ill-suited” to efforts aimed at staving off climate disaster. Nuclear… Keep reading →
We’ve written quite a bit about bad things that could occur because of the Renewable Fuel Standard’s (RFS) mandates for ever-increasing ethanol use in the fuel supply – from potential damage to vehicle engines and small power equipment engines to broader impacts in the economy. A study by NERA Economic Consulting warned that RFS mandates could lead to fuel rationing and supply… Keep reading →
The Energy Department’s National Labs are leading the way in science and innovation by developing the next generation of clean energy technologies. To help drive this innovation, the scientists at the National Labs use some of the most cutting-edge facilities in the world — some of which are also available for use by other government agencies, private companies and… Keep reading →
As the US tight oil and gas boom continues, reliance on Canadian crude oil and gas softens. Robust US production also sparked a vibrant export discussion, which could eventually see Canadian and US companies competing for customers and market share. “The protracted controversy over the Keystone XL Pipeline project has focused a great deal of… Keep reading →
The US Defense Logistics Agency yesterday announced a slew of major contracts for the purchase of jet fuel. The contracts are valid through April 30th 2015 and the money will come from fiscal 2014 defense working capital funds. Fifteen different companies – ranging from the world’s largest international oil companies including supermajors ExxonMobil and Shell… Keep reading →
The last video in a 3-part series from the Advanced Biofuels Association features a San Francisco-based company that’s making renewable diesel fuel in Brazil and renewable jet fuel that is being tested by the US military and commercial airlines. Amyris is training yeast to produce hydrocarbons instead of alcohol. A common challenge cited by all… Keep reading →
Who’s the biggest turkey of them all? Creating year-end lists is usually an exercise in positive thinking and congratulatory back-slapping. But as the popularity of this year’s list of deceased solar companies showed us, GTM’s readers are far more interested in the morbid and the sarcastic. In celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday, here is our… Keep reading →
This second video in a 3-part series from the Advanced Biofuels Association highlights successes and challenges facing a company that seeks to commercialize next-generation, renewable transportation fuels. Sapphire Energy is the “first company to produce renewable crude oil on a continuous basis from algae biomass,” according to the ABFA. Sapphire CEO CJ Warner says the… Keep reading →
Renewable transportation fuels like ethanol have been under the microscope lately, as fighting over the Renewable Fuel Standard ratcheted up in the days leading up to EPA’s proposed 2014 blending requirements. While corn-based ethanol received most of the attention – due to an investigative report highlighting some of the industry’s negative environmental impacts – the… Keep reading →
