Biofuels

Biotech pros press algae into biodiesel production

Algae, it seems, is the new darling of the biofuels world. Aurora BioFuels on Tuesday announced that it has raised $20 million to build open-pond algae farms to make bio-oil.

It's one of several funding announcements from start-ups looking to make algae a commercially viable alternative to soy, canola, or fry grease to make fuel for diesel vehicles.

Aurora BioFuels, started by University of California at Berkeley students, has a process that it says can create biodiesel at yields that are 125 times higher and have 50 percent lower costs than today's production methods.

The company intends to … Read more

Out of the frying pan and into the power grid

If fry grease can run a Mercedes, why can't it power the restaurant it came from?

That's the idea behind Owl Power Company's Vegawatt power system, a machine that converts a restaurant's waste oil into electricity and hot water.

Co-generation, where a fuel is burned to make electricity, is regularly done at landfill incinerators or industrial biomass generators. There are also home co-generators, such as the Freewatt from Climate Energy.

Owl Power's twist on co-generation is that it lets restaurants use what's normally a waste product as a fuel for themselves.

James Peret, the … Read more

As gas costs climb, driving dwindles

Gasoline prices this week reached a new record average of $4.02 per gallon, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report.

Two-thirds of Americans have already changed how much they drive due to high prices at the pump, according to a poll commissioned by Access America Travel Insurance and Assistance.

Seventy-four percent of those polled said they would drive less, once gas hits $4 per gallon. Eighty-five percent said $5 costs per gallon would motivate driving changes.

The median price to spark a shift in driving habits was $3.20 per gallon, which was near the average several months ago. … Read more

BlueFire Ethanol bets on household trash

BlueFire Ethanol expects to start construction of a plant within weeks that will convert landfill waste into the fuel ethanol.

CEO Arnie Klann on Thursday provided a timeline for the company's trash-to-ethanol projects at the Jeffries Global Clean Technologies conference, saying that there are two other larger plants already being pursued.

He argued that making ethanol from municipal solid waste is more economical than making it from corn, as is done now, or from agricultural and forestry wastes. Its process can make 70 gallons per ton of waste stream going into its machines.

BlueFire Ethanol intends to locate its … Read more

Green news harvest: Cancelled ethanol plants, electricity from exhaust heat

Here's a sampling of green-tech news and quick commentary. Iogen Suspends U.S. Cellulosic Ethanol Plant Plans - Earth2TechThere are two cases of planned next-generation plants shutting down, an indication of how the smallest changes can throw off the economics of fuel production. How Much Is Enough: How Long Should You Keep Your Computer Before Replacing It? - Planet GreenSome advice on how to keep your PC going a bit longer. Electricity From The Exhaust Pipe - ScienceDaily Thermoelectricity is one of the more interesting areas of research and, to a some degree, commercial development. Rockport Capital closes third cleantech fund at $450M - VentureBeat… Read more

Green news harvest: Chevy Volt a go, $1-per-watt wind

Here's a sampling of green-tech news and quick commentary.

The race for affordable wind--Cleantech.comBroadstar Wind Systems launches its micro and urban wind turbine that looks sort of like the paddlewheel of a steamboat.

'Green collar' jobs hold key to economic recovery--BusinessGreenU.S. report looks at the upside potential of investing in low-carbon energy technology.

Tigo Energy announces $6 million funding--press release The company optimizes solar installations at people's homes which it says often perform worse than they should--a serious problem for homeowners looking for a reliable payback period.

Solar briefcase charges gadgets on the go--CNET's Crave… Read more

SunEthanol seeks funding for fuel-making bug

SunEthanol, a development-stage cellulosic ethanol company, is looking to raise $20 million in venture funding and is bringing in a new CEO.

The University of Massachusetts spin-off is planning on announcing a CEO who will join the company from DuPont on Tuesday, said Jef Sharp, the current president and CEO who will stay on with the company. Sharp said he will likely be chief marketing officer and has brought on a new CEO to speed up product development.

In addition, SunEthanol is in the process of raising a second round of funding to ramp up its operations. It currently has … Read more

Start-up says it's turning algae into gasoline

Sapphire Energy has come out stealth mode, saying it's producing the chemical equivalent of gasoline from algae.

The San Diego, Calif.-based company also disclosed that it has raised $50 million from Arch Venture Partners, Venrock, and the Wellcome Trust.

Formally launched last May, Sapphire said Wednesday that it has hired Brian Goodall, who led a team of engineers responsible for a cross-Atlantic flight that used algae-based fuel earlier this year.

Sapphire's "green crude" has been certified with a 91-octane rating, but the company disclosed few details about its technology.

Its process can grow algae using … Read more

Green-tech news harvest: Tesla drivetrain, Google on plug-in hybrids

Cellulosic ethanol plant opens--Technology ReviewAn important milestone: Verenium will open an ethanol plant in Jennings, La., that will use agricultural waste from sugar cane farming. Engineering update on Powertrain 1.5--Tesla Motors blog Tesla's CTO offers the nitty-gritty on a one-speed, more durable drivetrain that's expected to make it into cars later this year.

RechargeIT goes to Washington, calls for plug-in videos--Official Google.org BlogGoogle.org and the Brookings Institute will host an event in Washington, D.C., to see how plug-in hybrids can lessen dependence on oil. Via Earth2Tech Signet Solar, or how the chip industry will colonize the solar business--Greentech Media… Read more