Biofuels were envisioned to help to make the world a better place, but here comes a National Research Council report on Tuesday that casts doubt on the environmental and economic benefits of biofuels and the U.S.’s ability to meet its own production mandates. Read More »
Cleantech
Despite the lack of results, next-gen biofuel companies continue to receive a significant amount of both government and VC support. At what point will the funding transform into advanced biofuels being produced at scale? Read More »
Poet’s so-called “Project Liberty” biofuel plant, which will use corn waste instead of edible corn, is getting some support from the U.S. government. On Thursday, the Department of Energy announced it will offer Poet a $105 million loan guarantee to build out Project Liberty in Iowa. Read More »
Despite the crumbling of the first generation of biofuel projects (corn-based ethanol), the U.S. government is in full support of the next generation of biofuels, particularly cellulosic ethanol and algae fuel. This morning Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack… Read More »
Call it ethanol-on-the-cob. Corn ethanol giant Poet announced plans today to power its cellulosic ethanol plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa, with methane derived from corn cobs — rather than natural gas. Never before have corn cobs been used as a feedstock in this way, Poet CEO Jeff… Read More »
If your core business is making corn ethanol, you’ve got to evolve. Companies producing ethanol made from corn are canceling plant plans and struggling to stay afloat. Poet is one of the larger corn ethanol makers, and it has been trying its hand at producing… Read More »
Corn ethanol took a big hit with the fall of South Dakota’s VeraSun Energy, which filed for bankruptcy last month. But there’s at least one company out there that sees promise in those refineries. VeraSun announced Read More »
Corn ethanol producer Poet is at an important juncture in its two decade history. The company is embracing the changing landscape of the biofuel market by investing in new cellulosic ethanol technology and building a $200 million plant dubbed Project Liberty in Emmetsburg, Iowa that… Read More »
The Iowa Power Fund, which doles out millions of dollars for clean power projects, has just made a $14.75 million commitment to help corn-ethanol maker Poet build its first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant in the state. Add that to the $5.25 million from the… Read More »
POET, one of the larger producers of corn-based ethanol in the United States, says it will start churning out cellulosic ethanol by the end of the year. The company started construction on a $4 million pilot-scale cellulosic ethanol facility in Scotland, S.D., a few… Read More »
There are almost a dozen companies racing to build the first next-generation cellulosic ethanol plants in the United States over the next few years. The plants will be built all over the U.S. and will churn out biofuels made from waste, plant byproducts and woody energy… Read More »
Record high oil prices aren’t enough to keep ethanol plants from getting the ax. POET Energy, an ethanol plant developer, has canceled plans for a plant in Glenville, Minn. (hat tip Greentech Media) POET says it pulled the plug on the plant due… Read More »
