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NREL and Ecopetrol in $2.3M CRADA agreement to optimize conversion of waste biomass to ethanol

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The US Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is working with Ecopetrol, the largest oil company in Colombia, to process the residue from sugar cane and palm oil harvesting into fuel ethanol for blending with gasoline. Colombia has an abundance of biomass in the form of sugar cane.

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City of Bogota, Columbia launches electric taxi pilot; part of C40-CCI EV Network

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The City of Bogota, Colombia, has launched a pilot project to spur the use of electric vehicles in Bogota’s center-city taxi fleet. The first taxis are expected to be operational in the city in the next few months. Bogota’s project will improve local air quality and noise pollution.

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Global Bioenergy Partnership publishes report on 24 sustainability indicators for bioenergy: electricity, heat and transport

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In the meantime, the Partnership is proceeding with piloting projects in Indonesia, Colombia and Ghana. Japan has already tested the GBEP indicators, and other Partners have expressed a willingness to do the same. GBEP developed its work on sustainability indicators under three pillars: environmental, social and economic. Click to enlarge.

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USDA and DOE award $12.2M to 10 research projects to accelerate bioenergy crop production and spur economic impact

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Goal: Identify natural genetic variation in switchgrass that correlates with lignocellulose-to-biofuel conversion qualities. This project should enhance understanding of the qualities that critically impact the conversion efficiency of lignocellulose into biofuels. Stephen Kresovich, University of South Carolina, Colombia.

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Ampal Signs Option Exercise Agreement to Acquire 25% in Ethanol Project in Colombia

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pursuant to which it has exercised an existing option to convert Ampal’s existing $22.249 million loan ($20 million plus accrued interest) into a 25% equity interest in a sugarcane ethanol production project in Colombia being developed by Merhav. Colombia requires 10% ethanol blending in gasoline distributed in Colombia.

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MIT Report Finds Natural Gas Has Significant Potential to Displace Coal, Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Role in Transportation More Limited

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By contrast, making methanol, a liquid fuel, out of natural gas requires much less up-front conversion cost and could have an impact on oil usage and thus improve energy security, but would not reduce greenhouse gases. The report issued this week is a preliminary overview of a more detailed report that will be released later this year.

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UOP looking to biomass catalytic pyrolysis to expand volumes of renewable hydrocarbon fuels

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Military personnel from Colombia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Republic of Philippines, Thailand, Tonga and the United Kingdom will also participate. Units from Australia, Canada, Chile, France, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Russia, Singapore, and the United States will participate.

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