Some of the energy industry’s biggest companies will give their perspective on how biofuels will meet our future transportation needs at presentations in a special plenary session at the 'World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing', to be held July 11-14 2006 at the Toronto Westin Harbour Castle Hotel.

Great Lakes Biofuels has announced that Dr. Mark A. Daugherty has joined the firm as Chief Technology Officer. Dr. Daugherty is a partner in the Madison, Wisconsin-based biofuels research, management and distribution company. His responsibilities include planning technology development including oilseed crushing and biodiesel production systems, and evaluating external biofuels technology.

India is looking for foreign companies to invest in the new 'Special Economic Zone', an large industrial estate on the outskirts of Delhi dedicated to the manufacture of renewable energy equipment and a base for research and development in renewables technology.

Governor Linda Lingle today signed into law an energy bill that she claims, as part of the Lingle-Aiona Administration’s 'Energy for Tomorrow' plan, will help reduce dependence on imported oil.  The bill (SB 2957) is part of a plan that encourages and supports market-based development of renewable energy for Hawaii. 

Below is the full text of yesterday's press release from Xethanol Corporation regarding a piece written about the company in the Motley Fool on Friday June 23rd.  The Motley Fool is a periodical and web site containing information of interest to investors.

Viceroy Acquisition Corporation, a shell company whose purpose is to acquire companies exposed to the explosive growth of the biofuels industry, announced yesterday that it will list on London's Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in July. Viceroy's stated intention is to "control and operate any target business that it acquires interests in".

As recently as 2001, making ethanol from cellulose cost around USD $5.00 per gallon. Thanks to biotechnology advances, the cost today is estimated to be $1.50 to $2.50 a gallon. Conventional ethanol is typically made from corn kernels. Corn kernels are composed of starch and simple sugars that dissolve easily in water. Once the sugars are dissolved they can be fermented by yeast to form ethanol.

The European Commission is preparing for a crucial ministerial meeting this week in Geneva. The outcome of this meeting will be decisive in determining the success of the Doha Development Round. The success (or otherwise) of the negotiations will impact directly on the international biofuels trade.  This trade is rapidly expanding and consists of biofuel made from palm oil and Jatropha Curcas (primarily Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Nigeria and Thailand) and sugar-cane ethanol producers such as Brazil.  These are members of the G20 group of developing countries, which are pressing developed nations at the meeting to lower what they see as barriers to their agricultural exports. After only minor advances were made in Hong Kong in December 2005, time is beginning to run out for negotiators to reach a deal on the full modalities of the final agreement.